https://ift.tt/2OGB4f8
How to make char siu like the Chinese barbecue masters https://ift.tt/2DbWqjl My Cantonese in-laws were in town last weekend to spoil our toddler and make us tasty Chinese food. The talk turned to the latest restaurant dish they’re attempting to faithfully replicate at home: Hong Kong-style char siu, the sweet-and-salty staple of barbecue shops known colloquially as “barbecued pork.” If you’re lucky enough to live near a Chinatown, I’m sure you’ve seen it. Through the windows of Chinese barbecue shops, golden and crimson slabs of meat and whole duck, lacquered in a shiny sticky glaze, hang from hooks that tempt passersby. There’s char siu, whole roasted ducks, soy sauce chicken, five-spiced roast pork with the crunchiest skin imaginable. The food served at these take-out meat counters are known as siu mei 燒味, and they’re served over rice, noodles, or wonton soup as the go-to lunch of choice for the Cantonese. Advertisement Naively, I never knew char siu was such a huge thing to Chinese food culture—probably because of my own relative meh-ness about it. At many stateside Chinese barbecue shops, I’ve found char siu to be too dry, too leathery and lean, boring to be honest, with a suspiciously pink hue. In truth, left to my own devices, I’d skip it. But as my husband and in-laws keep telling me, it’s because I’ve never truly experienced a superlative version. After hearing my father-in-law describe his recipe, I offered to try it myself. Fair warning: This recipe is not intended to be a casual, quick-dinner option assembled from what’s available in your pantry. This is real deal char siu, using obscure Chinese ingredients that you’ll buy once and may possibly use only once, from grocers where the shop owner may not understand you (fret not, we’ll run the Chinese name of ingredients alongside). But it is a faithful recipe, exactly as siu mei masters in Hong Kong would employ at their roasteries. Advertisement As intimidating as the ingredient list may seem, there’s really only four ingredients that require a special trip to your Chinatown grocer: 1) Jarred fermented brown bean sauce, not to be confused with a number of other bean sauces in the Chinese cooking canon. What’s more confusing is it’s typically marked on bottles as simply “bean sauce.” The only assurance you’re getting the right kind is if it’s marked 原晒豉. Koon Chun is the most popular brand, and available at most Chinese grocers. 2) Red fermented bean curd cubes (南乳) are often used in long braised dishes, such as pork belly and spareribs. They’re tangy, salty, and extremely pungent—think marinated Chinese Roquefort. Elsewhere in China, notably Shanghai, these cubes are consumed on their own as pungent funky snacks. If you can’t find the jarred cubes, you may substitute fermented bean curd paste. Advertisement 3) Rose cooking wine (玫瑰露酒) is distilled from sorghum and infused with the flavor of rose. A decent bottle will run around $25—and you can treat this spirit as you would vodka. It’s soft, heady, almost jasmine-like. Its flavor is a whisper in the final dish, but its inclusion is a nod to its significance in Chinese barbecue culture. 4) Maltose is a very thick sugar that’s the reason Peking duck looks super shiny. You can substitute honey, but it’ll add a slight floral note to the more neutrally flavored maltose. All the jarred items should be refrigerated after opening, and will keep practically ad infinitum in your fridge. In order to achieve the red tint in the char siu, the natural and authentic way is to soak sappan (East Indian red wood) chips in water to release their crimson dye, which you then incorporate into your marinade. Sappan is available at well-stocked Chinese herbalist shop. Or... you could use red food coloring, like I did. Why red? Chinese people equate red with good fortune, my in-laws told me. Advertisement While my in-laws would have preferred I construct some hanging metal skewer mechanism in my oven so the vertical pork shoulder chunks baste themselves with maltose glaze (“char siu” literally translates to skewer-roast). But our oven—and likely yours, unless you’re filthy rich— doesn’t have the capacity for vertical roasting. So instead, our compromise is a baking rack to elevate the pork—even though it will leave indentations on the bottom of the pork which no self-respecting barbecue shop would tolerate. I, however, did not mind them. Char siu has many delicious applications. Hack it into Wrigley gum pack-sized hunks and enjoy as is. Eat it with white rice with accompanying ginger-scallion sauce. Throw it atop noodles. Stir fry with rice, scallions, eggs, and quick-cooking vegetables to make Cantonese fried rice. Serve warm or cold, with hot mustard or hoisin. It’s all good. Char Siu (Cantonese barbecue pork)
In a large bowl, mix all marinade ingredients together, breaking up fermented bean curd cube, and stir to a smooth consistency. Mix red food coloring with a little water to make a bright red tint. Stir into marinade. Take the pork chunks and poke all over with a fork so marinade can soak in. Add pork and all marinade into a zip top bag, massage thoroughly, and let marinate in the fridge overnight. Advertisement When ready to cook the pork, heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, and place pork on a rimmed baking sheet on an elevated rack. Bake for 20 minutes, flip pieces over and glaze with the maltose or honey and bake for an additional five minutes. Flip pieces again, glaze the other side with maltose or honey and again bake for five minutes. If the pork pieces do not look glossy and golden brown, turn the broiler on and broil briefly. Remove pork pieces to a cutting board, and brush with any juices and glaze that has accumulated on the bottom of the pan, avoiding any burned bits. When cool enough to touch, slice pork pieces into 1/4-inch thick slices. Gadget News via Lifehacker https://lifehacker.com September 20, 2018 at 04:43PM
0 Comments
https://ift.tt/2poFaxx
For Amazon, better skills mean bigger ad revenue https://ift.tt/2DfuScU Amazon is improving its Alexa voice assistant with each new update, enabling more natural conversation patterns and upgrading the system's ability to understand complex or vague questions. All of this is great for people who are sick of screaming, "ALEXA," and repeating commands a dozen different ways before the device actually does what it's supposed to. However, these upgrades are also good for advertisers -- and, by association, Amazon. Amazon hasn't laid out a clear, public plan for Alexa-enabled ads, but the company showed off the future of voice-assisted product placement during its event on Thursday. Head of all things Alexa, David Limp, explained that Amazon's voice assistant sometimes doesn't have the answer itself, but one of its skills (connected apps) might. Amazon engineers are working to redirect users to relevant skills when they pose certain questions, such as, "How do I get a stain out of a shirt?" In that case, Alexa will pull up the Tide skill, which can then offer a solution invariably involving some type of Tide product. The business plan from here is clear: Companies pay a premium to be activated when users pose questions related to their products and services. "How do you cook an egg?" could pull up a Food Network tutorial; "How far is Morocco?" could enable the Expedia app; "Where do babies come from?" could activate a response from Viagra (assuming the little blue pill becomes an Alexa skill one day). Amazon is pitching this upgrade as a consumer-focused feature, but like most things in the tech world, it's really all about ad revenue. The company has kept advertising to a minimum on Alexa devices so far, historically banning skills that contain commercials for third-party services. However, it looks like Amazon's Alexa-advertising tune is changing this year. CNBC reported in January that Amazon has been talking with major companies, including Procter & Gamble and Clorox, about paying for higher placement in Alexa searches. At the time, Amazon denied it was working on Alexa advertisements, but there's a clear line from the January report to this week's media event. Procter & Gamble happens to own Tide, the company that Limp used as an example of Alexa's evolving language algorithms. "Alexa, is that a coincidence?" It's not, and we don't need an Echo Dot to answer that for us. The reveal of this function signals Amazon's entry into voice-assisted advertising. Ads on Alexa-enabled devices might be hard to spot, at first -- they won't look like online banner ads or sound like radio commercials. They'll be integrated into Alexa itself, as Amazon continues to work on making the system sound more natural and conversational. They'll be presented as features -- clear examples of Alexa's ability to recognize context and offer solutions relevant to you, the unwitting consumer. Whatever form they finally take, they won't be presented as ads. They will be everywhere, though. Amazon is pushing to get Alexa in every device in your home, adding voice assistance -- and, therefore, ads -- to everything from wall clocks to power outlets and even microwaves. Amazon talked about a lot of new Alexa features during its event, including the system's ability to recognize when someone is speaking softly and respond in kind. So, one day in the near future you'll be able to quietly ask your AmazonBasics Microwave, "Alexa, how do I stop my baby from crying?" and hear its whispered response, "Clorox offers a wide range of solutions for infant care." Follow all the latest news from Amazon's Alexa event here! Gadget News via Engadget http://www.engadget.com September 20, 2018 at 04:42PM
https://ift.tt/2QNZnJI
Electric skateboard startup Inboard announces an e-scooter with swappable batteries https://ift.tt/2MM6OOc California startup Inboard Technology is moving beyond electric skateboards with a new e-scooter called the Glider. Available starting in February 2019, the Glider costs $1,299, though Inboard also says it wants to sell fleets of them to businesses, universities, or cities. The Glider shares at least two of the ideas that made Inboard’s first product, the M1 electric skateboard, stand out from its competition. It’s powered by an in-wheel hub motor that puts out 750W of power, giving the scooter a top speed of more than 20 miles per hour. The battery can also be easily swapped for a fresh one, meaning range is not a problem if you’re willing to pay for spares. Each battery lasts long enough to give the scooter about 12 miles of range. No pricing has been set for the spare batteries yet, though. With big wheels, a coiled suspension, and an 8.1-inch wide deck, the Glider should offer a fairly smooth ride, especially when compared to the slimmer e-scooters that make up the fleets of well-known startups like Bird and Lime. Inboard’s Glider also folds up, and has LED head and tail lights. Inboard has found success with its electric skateboard, but the recent e-scooter boom is a completely different game. To break in, the company plans to sell Glider directly to consumers while also making it possible for the scooter to be used by fleet operators (or, perhaps, even other scooter share services — Inboard says Glider can “link to any network”). While it looks like a premium ride, the $1,299 price tag is definitely above what some of the highly rated e-scooter competition goes for. And in the scooter sharing part of the market, some of the biggest players are companies like Uber and Lyft. Gadget News via The Verge https://ift.tt/1jLudMg September 20, 2018 at 04:22PM
https://ift.tt/2xLvxgf
The Most Important Hardware Announcements from Today's Amazon Event https://ift.tt/2O1d5tO Amazon, wanting everything and anything you do to have Alexa integrated into it, announced a smorgasbord of new stuff today. Some of it is interesting; some of it is just an update of the same smarthome gear you already have. (Also interesting, don’t get me wrong, but you probably aren’t likely to buy a new Echo Dot if you’re satisfied with your current setup.) Here’s what I found most eye-opening from today’s event:
Echo InputIf you want to use Alexa with your own speakers, because your sound setup is way better than anything a little Echo Dot can pull of, wire your system up to this flat cylinder and poof! Instant smart speaker. It’s like instant oatmeal or instant coffee, but better. The Echo Input comes with its own microphone, and connects to your other speakers via a 3.5mm cable or Bluetooth. Preorder: Not yet Price: $35
Echo Link and Echo Link AmpIf you’re a bit more of an audiophile, you’ll want to check out the Echo Link or Echo Link Amp. These little amplifiers don’t have any microphones built-in, but they’ll work alongside other Echo devices you own in your house—the same way you’d use Alexa to send music over to a smart speaker, for example. They come with various inputs and outputs, including traditional speaker wire, RCA cables (for Line in / Line Out, Subwoofers, and Coaxial connections), an Ethernet port, and optical in and out connections. They aren’t going to be better than your home entertainment receiver, but they might be a nice stopgap if you aren’t looking to set up some crazy 5.1 surround setup in your home office, but want something with more firepower than the Echo Input. Preorder: Not yet Price: $199 for the Echo Link, $299 for the Echo Link Amp
Echo PlusThe most interesting thing about the Echo Plus isn’t its size or sound quality—nothing wrong with either. Rather, the Echo Plus comes with what Amazon is calling “local voice control,” which allows you to control various other smart home devices via Alexa even if your internet connection goes away. This isn’t a feature that you’ll find very interesting until Comcast goes out for the evening and you’re sick of standing up to turn your lights on and off, or whatever else you use Alexa for. Advertisement The Echo Plus also comes with a new temperature sensor, which you can use to automatically turn on cooling systems (like a room fan) that you’ve previously connected to your smart home setup. Preorder: Today Price: $150 AmazonBasics MicrowaveIt’s a microwave. This is only interesting for the simple fact that Amazon has finally taken a page from the Book of Obvious and integrated Alexa functionality into that which you use to reheat your leftovers. And, in true Amazon fashion, you can also use your smart microwave—and I already hate that phrase—to reorder products via Amazon’s Dash Replenishment Service. Hey, you can’t fault Amazon for trying. Preorder: Today Price: $60
Echo Wall ClockAnd you thought Amazon’s crafty consumerism ended with the microwave. Oh, no. You’ll soon be able to buy a wall clock that can receive Alexa commands. Just in case it was too much to use your smartphone, or one of your many Echo devices, to set a timer, you’ll now be able to visually see the timer count down via a string of LEDs around the clock’s rim. That’s in addition to the time, which you’ll be able to tell by looking at the clock. Since this is basically just a clock—one that auto-corrects for stupid things like “spring forward” and “fall back,” mind you—but a clock nevertheless. Preorder: Not yet Price: $30
Fire TV RecastIf I were a true cable-cutter, this device would interest me the most of anything I’ve seen today. This big DVR lets you record free over-the-air programming via a connected antenna—and and will even help you find the best place to stash an antenna in your house so you can get the best signal possible. You can then stream these recordings to any compatible device, like a Fire TV, Echo Show, or various other tablets and smartphones. Preorder: Today Price: $230 for 500GB; $279 for 1TB
Echo AutoAmazon’s looking to join the fight for your driving attention, currently a three-way tossup between other cars on the road, Google’s Android Auto, and Apple’s CarPlay. It’ll connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth and use your smartphone’s data connection to send and receive information—as in, whatever you tell Alexa to add to a shopping list, for example. It also enables location-based skills, so you can flip on a bunch of devices as you arrive home (if you can’t do that already). Turn-based directions currently work with Waze and Apple Maps. Sorry, Google. Advertisement If you’re still driving a “dumb” car, it’s hard to say no to a smart assistant for a mere $25... if you can get into Amazon’s special “invite” program. Preorder: Today, by invitation Price: $25 for “invite” pricing, $50 regularly Bonus: Alexa Guard and Wifi Simple Setup
This isn’t a piece of hardware, but Amazon announced today the launch of a new “Alexa Guard” feature that you’ll be able to trigger by saying a phrase like, “Alexa, I’m leaving.” When you do, your various Echo devices will send you a notification if they hear certain sounds—an alarm going off, a window shattering, etc. You can also set them to turn your smart lights on and off to mimic someone being home, kind of like that movie with that kid who beat up the house-robbing criminals in the wintertime. Advertisement As for WiFi Simple Setup, this one’s easy: If one device already has your wifi credential stored, it’ll pass them along to other compatible smart devices when you plug them in. This will save you the painstaking step of having to type in your gigantic wifi password whenever you want to connect a new smart switch, for example. Gadget News via Lifehacker https://lifehacker.com September 20, 2018 at 04:21PM
https://ift.tt/2QK5Zsm
You Can't Spot Treat Acne https://ift.tt/2xscRTf Over-the-counter spot treatments seem downright miraculous, claiming to zap zits in a matter of hours. As it turns out, that’s not how anything works—and if you break out all over your face, selectively treating a few spots is, at best a pretty inefficient strategy. The spot treatment pitch seems credible enough: get a zit, apply an overnight spot treatment, and wake up the next morning zit-free and ready to party. In reality, of course, it’s way more complicated. Acne is influenced by everything from genetics to hormones to the types of skincare products you use, so I talked to some professionals to help sort it out. If You’re Spot Treating, It’s Already Too LateCosmetic marketers love impressive-sounding statistics. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the marketing copy for acne treatments, nearly all of which claim to shrink pimples by an impossibly specific percentage, within a certain amount of time—or both. Only some bother to cite results from in-house “clinical studies” as proof. Unsurprisingly, these studies deliberately omit a big piece of the puzzle: visible acne lesions are already nearing the end of their life cycle. If your job is to “prove” that a product heals a lesion that’s already mostly healed itself, you can easily cherry-pick data to back up that claim—especially if you’re not beholden to pesky things like rigorous experimental methodology, or knowing the difference between correlation and causation. Between misleading marketing jargon, conflicting Internet anec-data, and a high barrier to proper medical care, it’s no wonder that lots of people have some backwards ideas about how acne treatments work. Here’s what Dr. Ivy Lee, a board-certified dermatologist practicing in Pasadena, CA, said when I asked her about common misconceptions about spot treatments:
Or, in the words of New Jersey dermatologist Dr. Rebecca Baxt: “By the time you need a spot treatment, the cat is out of the bag, so to speak.” Advertisement So spot treatments are a total scam, right? Technically, no. The ingredients in spot treatments are proven to reduce inflammation and kill acne bacteria, but they need weeks and months of consistent application over the entire affected area to work their magic. A few hours on one little spot won’t do much of anything. You can play Whack-A-Zit with spot treatments if you want, but a product designed for allover daily use is more likely to actually prevent breakouts. They probably have the same active ingredients, anyways. What’s in a Spot Treatment?Most over-the-counter acne treatments, from ointments to creams to cleansers, are formulated to address either the clogging or bacterial component of a zit. Their active ingredients usually fall into one of four categories:
Some ingredients do multiple things—sulfur and azelaic acid are both antibacterial and exfoliating—but because acne thrives on excess sebum, all of them will probably dry out your skin. Just keep an eye out for adverse reactions: according to Dr. Baxt, between five and ten percent of people are allergic to benzoyl peroxide. Mild redness and irritation is normal, but if you develop swelling, welts, rashes, or hives, stop using the product immediately. Advertisement The dermatologists I interviewed agreed that while all of the ingredients above are effective to some degree, exfoliants and/or retinoids work better on clogged pores, and inflamed zits respond best to benzoyl peroxide. Furthermore, no matter what the ad copy says, multiple active ingredients don’t make a formula more effective. As Dr. Lee puts it: “There is no robust evidence to support the use of combination products for spot treatment, [and] combination products may cause more irritation and dryness.” Orlando-based dermatologist Dr. Allison Arthur agrees, but notes one exception: a hydrocortisone ointment or cream can be layered on top of a spot treatment if needed. Overall, though, you’re better off not playing mixologist—or spending tons of money on “dual-action” products that mix actives. The bottom line: spot treatments address the symptom, not the cause, of acne. A dab of benzoyl peroxide gel might clear up the occasional spot, but if you have recurring, widespread breakouts, a dermatologist is your best bet. Gadget News via Lifehacker https://lifehacker.com September 20, 2018 at 04:21PM
https://ift.tt/2O23eUE
Amazon's Alexa-powered microwave is pretty unnecessary https://ift.tt/2OJB91P One of the most surprising announcements from today's Amazon event was a microwave oven, of all things. It's part of the AmazonBasics line of products, and you can use it for reheating food, making popcorn or, you know, using it for whatever a normal microwave would do. Except there's one special thing about it -- it works with Alexa. And while that might sound like a cool thing at first, I can't help but think it's really quite unnecessary. Gallery: AmazonBasics Microwave hands-on | 6 PhotosFor one thing, Alexa isn't actually built into it. It's billed as an "Echo companion device," which means you'll still need an Echo of your own to pair it with. You essentially connect the two together via Bluetooth and the Alexa companion app. From there, you can use it in one of three ways. One, you can use it manually, like a normal microwave. Second, you can use Alexa commands, like "Alexa, microwave on high for two minutes." In a demo following the Amazon event, an Amazon spokesperson walked me through a few other usecases, like "Alexa, one potato" or "Alexa, popcorn." According to him, there are over 20 different quick-cook presets. The third option is to press the "Ask Alexa" button on the microwave. All this does is obviate the need to say "Alexa" or "microwave." In my demo, the spokesperson pressed the button and then said "Reheat coffee" and the microwave fired up automatically. You can also stop the microwave by saying "Stop" or add time by saying "Add 30 seconds," for example. Additionally, there's also an integrated Dash replenishment service, at least when it comes to popcorn. Pick your choice of popcorn on Amazon, and as you go through your supply, it'll automatically figure out you're running low, and re-order the next batch automatically. This seems to only be for popcorn, however, and not for frozen dinners or anything else you might want to microwave on a regular basis. As far as I'm concerned, the only two somewhat useful features of this microwave are the quick-cook presets -- which most microwaves have anyway -- and the Dash replenishment. Otherwise, telling Alexa to heat my food when I'm standing right next to the microwave already seems the height of ridiculousness. Why talk to it when I could just press a couple buttons? Not to mention that the microwave itself just looks, well, boring and basic. I'm definitely not putting this ugly thing in my newly renovated kitchen. But hey, if you can't live without a never-ending supply of popcorn or you just like trying out new gadgets, you can pre-order this right now for $60. Follow all the latest news from Amazon's Alexa event here! Gadget News via Engadget http://www.engadget.com September 20, 2018 at 04:18PM 10 kitchen gadgets our editors can't live without https://ift.tt/2MPnBji Gadget News via gadgets - Google News https://ift.tt/2zdEA80 September 20, 2018 at 04:14PM
https://ift.tt/2NWp3oK
Here's every Alexa device Amazon announced today https://ift.tt/2xrVVMs Amazon caused a few gasps at its Alexa event Thursday when it revealed it had 70 things to announce. If that sounds like a lot to take in, fret not -- not all of those were hardware announcements. We've rounded up all of the Alexa-infused products Amazon showcased, including speakers, an in-car device and, um, a microwave? Echo DotThe revamped Echo Dot has a new look, with rounded edges, and packs more punch, with a 1.6-inch driver delivering 70 percent louder audio than the previous model. Amazon says the speaker has lower distortion and enhanced bass. Of course, it can connect to other speakers and other apps and devices over Bluetooth. Amazon claims Echo Dot is the best-selling speaker ever, and will hope to continue its success when the latest version ships in October. You can pre-order one for the same $50 price as the last model. Echo SubIf you're craving more low-end tones from your Echo setup, you might consider the Echo Sub. It delivers down-firing, 100W of bass through its 6-inch woofer, and you can pair it with an Echo or two to create a 2.1 stereo system. Echo Sub will set you back $130 (or you can bundle it with a pair of Echo speakers) and pre-orders are open now. Echo PlusAmazon updated its Echo Plus, which includes a smart hub for a range of connected devices. This time around, it has revamped speakers and a feature called local voice control, which lets you adjust your various smart home devices even if your internet connection is down. There's a temperature sensor too, so Echo Plus can tell smart thermostats to turn up the heat when it gets a little chilly. You can pre-order one now for $150, and it starts shipping in October. Echo InputNot to be outdone by Chromecast Audio, Amazon has its own audio dongle called Echo Input, including Bluetooth, a microphone and a 3.5mm jack. It doesn't have a speaker, so you'll need to connect it to your existing audio setup. It's a way to add Alexa connectivity to audio gear you may already own. It costs $35 and pre-orders are open, but it ships later in the year. Echo Link and Echo Link AmpNew arrivals to the Echo lineup this year, Echo Link Amp and Echo Link, are for those who are more particular than most about audio quality. The former includes a 60W two-channel amplifier with digital and analog connectors. Echo Link, meanwhile, connects to your audio setup to stream high-fidelity music. That costs $200 and ships later this year, while Echo Link Amp, which Amazon will release in early 2019, costs $300. Echo ShowAmazon's smart display received an overhaul, as the company beefed up Echo Show with a 10-inch display alongside more powerful speakers and mics. It has web browsers (Firefox and Amazon's Silk) this time around, along with Skype video chat support and Vevo music videos. It ships next month with the same $230 price tag. Again, pre-orders are open now. Fire TV RecastAmazon is dipping into the DVR game this year with Fire TV Recast. It works with over-the-air networks using an antenna, and will send live TV or recorded shows to Fire tablets, Fire TV, Echo Show or mobile devices. And, of course, you can use Alexa to control it. The $230 version has a pair of tuners that let you record two shows at the same time and enough storage space (500 GB) for around 75 hours of HD TV. The $280 model doubles the tuners, simultaneous show recordings and storage space. You can pre-order them now and they'll ship in November. Echo AutoIt probably shouldn't come as a surprise that Amazon wants to put Alexa in your car, even if you don't have a fancy dashboard infotainment system. Enter Echo Auto. It's a dongle that connects to your audio system and uses phone's cell connection (since you need internet access for Alexa to work). Along with the conversational assistance you'd expect with Alexa, you can use Echo Auto for directions. Echo Auto isn't quite ready to hit Amazon's storefront yet. When it does, it'll cost $50, though you can request an invite to use the pre-release model later this year, which will be half the price. Smart PlugsAmazon has found a way to connect Alexa to pretty much any wall-powered device using its Smart Plugs. Once you've linked them to an Echo or the Alexa app, you can turn devices on and off, or set timers. Smart Plugs cost $25 each. Pre-orders are open and they'll ship in October. AmazonBasics MicrowaveSo, about that microwave. Like the Smart Plugs, you'll need to use another Echo device or the Alexa app to control the AmazonBasics Microwave with your voice. It has a number of voice presets to help you cook food quickly. The best part? If you run out of popcorn, you can automatically order more in a pinch with Amazon's Dash feature. You can pre-order one now for $60 before shipments start later in the year. Echo Wall ClockFor $30, you can pick up an Echo Wall Clock which, strangely enough, has Alexa connectivity. Again, you'll need to use an Echo speaker or the Alexa app to bark commands at it. It gives you a visual display of any timers you have in place using LED minute markers and a countdown for the last 60 seconds. The clock updates to the correct time automatically, and it will ship later this year. Follow all the latest news from Amazon's Alexa event here! Gadget News via Engadget http://www.engadget.com September 20, 2018 at 04:06PM
https://ift.tt/2QNGre4
Huawei's new AirPod-like Freepods can wirelessly charge your phone https://ift.tt/2OFanY9 Apple's stumbles with wireless charging could be Huawei's gain. The Chinese tech giant's upcoming Freebuds 2 Pro truly wireless earbuds look an awful lot like Apple's AirPods and in a twist, their battery case can supposedly charge the forthcoming Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro, according to marketing materials obtained by WinFuture (translated). Given that the case works via Qi charging, you'll likely be able to charge a compatible iPhone with them as well. Given how closely the new Freebuds resemble AirPods -- not to mention their potential release timing -- you could probably trick a few passersby into thinking that you're rocking a more functional version of the real McCoy. When paired to a Mate 20 or Mate 20 Pro, they can be used to interact with the Google Assistant. WinFuture says that these will be officially unveiled October 16th. Back in June, a rumor surfaced that Apple would do something similar for AIrPods, but that was all dependent on the company releasing new charging cases. Last week's iPhone event has come and gone and Apple didn't utter a single word about wireless charging from the stage, so unless there's another keynote coming up (oh wait, there might be) by year's end, you probably shouldn't hold your breath. After all, we still haven't gotten the AirPower charging mat yet, either. Gadget News via Engadget http://www.engadget.com September 20, 2018 at 04:00PM
https://ift.tt/2QPbkhU
NSO malware accessed executive's iPhone within minutes https://ift.tt/2OGLhs6 While the Pegasus software accessed the man's iPhone while he was in the company's offices, the attack was not wide, and the entrepreneur had volunteered his phone. Gadget News via AppleInsider - Frontpage News http://appleinsider.com September 20, 2018 at 03:54PM |
CategoriesArchives
October 2020
|