The Morning After: Weekend Edition

Winter is coming.

Hey, good morning! It's the weekend!

The weekend has landed. If you're already holiday shopping, you're a smarter person than I. Engadget can help, as we kicked off our gift guide this week. We've also showcased some of the experiences that will be premiering at the Engadget Experience, which kicks off next Tuesday. The FBI was struggling to unlock criminals' phones again, and we all learn that aluminum foil could actually help your WiFi signal. There's science to back it up and everything.


The FBI apparently didn't ask for its assistance.
Apple offered to help FBI unlock Texas shooter's phone

Earlier in the week, FBI special agent Christopher Combs complained how the agency couldn't get into the Texas shooter's phone during a press conference. Turns out all they had to do was ask Apple for help. In a statement the company has released to the media, it said it "immediately reached out to the FBI after learning from their press conference on Tuesday that investigators were trying to access a mobile phone." Cupertino offered its assistance and even promised to "expedite [its] response to any legal process."


Bust out the tinfoil.
Aluminum foil can actually improve your wireless signal

No, you're not crazy. Researchers say that kitchen staple can improve WiFi reception -- if you place it right.


119 picks in just about every category you could imagine.
Introducing Engadget's 2017 holiday gift guide!

We've got ideas for everyone.


An unexpected weapon against bots.
Augmented reality could be the perfect way for Nike to sell hyped sneakers

Buying limited-edition shoes is complicated and not as fun as it should be. The rise of violence in sneaker culture led companies like Nike to launch hyped products almost exclusively on digital channels. But selling sneakers on a website or doing raffles on Twitter came with challenges of its own. Resellers started using bots, automated computer scripts, to buy or reserve pairs faster than a human could. But Nike may have a secret weapon against auto-buying tools, and the only way sneakerheads could buy the company's latest limited edition pair was through a new AR feature.


The free ride didn't get off to a good start.
Las Vegas' self-driving bus crashes in first hour of service

Las Vegas' self-driving shuttle service marked its return by getting into a minor collision. Navya's autonomous electric vehicle shuffles around at 15MPH on a 0.6 mile circuit in the downtown Fremont East district. But, just an hour into its year-long trial (which follows a successful stint in January), the shuttle was hit by a delivery truck that was backing up.

But wait, there's more...