The Morning After: Weekend Edition
Take flight.
Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.
Welcome to the weekend. We'll recap this week's news highlights, plus big stories from Friday like Project Loon-distributed internet going live in Puerto Rico.
Project Loon's LTE balloons are floating over Puerto Rico
Former Google X Lab (and now Alphabet X innovation lab) resident Project Loon is getting its first use in the US, as it's partnering with AT&T to provide service in Puerto Rico. As part of the restoration efforts, the high-flying balloons are launching from Nevada and floating over the island, all in hopes of beaming LTE to areas still without service a month after Hurricane Maria.
The good news about this $199 smart speaker is that it sounds great, and Microsoft's Cortana voice assistant is a natural addition. The bad news is that as a latecomer to the game, it has fewer music service integrations, and right now, Cortana isn't as capable as competitors like Amazon's Alexa.
Bad Password: Apps and gadgets for the 'Blade Runner' future we didn't ask for
This week, Violet Blue explains how technology can help make the best of our dystopian present -- at least until Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling show up to fix things.
Designing the technology of 'Blade Runner 2049'
Of course, if you prefer the distraction of a fictional Blade Runner universe, we have a few treats for you too. Take a walk with Territory Studios to find out how it established "the UI of a broken future" in Blade Runner 2049 -- but mind the spoilers.
The Surface Book 2 sounds like it may fix all of the issues we had with the original model (as well as last year's refresh). It has a stronger hinge, so no more screen-wobble as you're typing, and it's (predictably) more powerful than before. Microsoft also added a 15-inch model, making the Surface Book 2 even more of a competitor to Apple's MacBook Pro line.
Does social media threaten the illusion of news neutrality?
As reporters become Twitter celebrities, newsrooms begin to adapt.
But wait, there's more...
Pixel 2 and 2 XL review: Google's best phones get even better
Spotify's RISE program will try to find future music superstars
Severe 'KRACK' WiFi security flaw puts millions of devices at risk
Blue Origin's BE-4 rocket engine completes first hot-fire test
The Morning After is a new daily newsletter from Engadget designed to help you fight off FOMO. Who knows what you'll miss if you don't subscribe.
