Smart home devices from Google, Amazon and Facebook are engineered to listen for your commands and respond to them. Usually, they only engage when you say your “wake” word such as “OK, Google” or “Hey, Google.”
But these devices are always listening.
If that makes you uneasy (and here are some reasons of whyit might), there’s a simple fix to stop your smart-home companion from listening in onyou all the time.
Turn off the microphones on the devices when you are not using them or for short periods of time when you don’t want them eavesdropping.
Here's how to do it for each device:
Hey Siri, Google and Alexa: Enough with the snooping
Is Facebook listening to you?: The creepy stories mount
Amazon Echo
Echo devices, staffed by Alexa, are equipped with a microphone off button that you can turn off and on. When the button is pressed, the power to the microphones is disconnected and a red light is illuminated.
Google Home, Home Mini, Nest Mini, Home Max and Google Nest Wifi
On the Google Home, press the microphone mute button on the back of the device to mute and unmute.
On the Google Nest Mini and the Google Home Mini, slide the switch on the power cord. The switch will display orange when the microphone is turned off.
On the Google Home Max, slide the switch on the back of the device. The switch will display orange when the microphone is turned off.
Will Alexa stop recording you? Nope
Hey, Google and Alexa: How easily can you be hacked?
On the Google Nest Wifi, slide the switch next to the power cord. The switch will display orange when the microphone is turned off.
Not ready to turn off the microphone? To take a break from your digital assistant, open the Google Home app, click on settings then digital well-being and follow the instructions for scheduling some down time.
Facebook Portal
To turn off the camera or microphone on Portal and Portal Mini, slide the switch on top of the Portal all the way to the left. A red light will alert you that the microphone and camera are off.
To turn off just the camera, slide the switch on the top of Portal’s frame into the middle position. You will see a shutter over the camera’s lens when you’ve turned the camera off.
On Portal+ and Portal (Gen 1), press the circle button on top of your device. A red light on the front of your Portal will tell you when the microphone and camera are turned off. You can also use the camera cover to block your Portal camera when you're not using the camera.
Sonos has a good reputation for building quality speakers, but its latest move has disappointed some buyers. Recently, the company offered a trade-up program, giving legacy customers 30 percent off the latest One, Beam or Port. In exchange, buyers just had to "recycle" their existing products. However, what Sonos meant by "recycle" was to activate a feature called "Recycle Mode" that permanently bricks the speaker. It then becomes impossible for recycling firms to resell it or do anything else but strip it for parts.
Sonos suggests that after bricking the device in Recycle Mode, users drop it off at a recycling facility or give it to Sonos to do the same. However, those facilities are unable to resell the products, which could bring around $200 to $250 in good condition.
This is the the most environmentally unfriendly abuse and waste of perfectly hardware I've seen in five years working at a recycler.
We could have sold these, and ensured they were reused, as we do with all the working electronics we're able. Now we have to scrap them.
The problem was brought home by Twitter user @atomicthumbs, who works at an e-recycling facility. "This is the most environmentally unfriendly abuse and waste of perfectly good hardware I've seen in five years working at a recycler," he said in a series of tweets. "We could have sold these and ensured they were reused, as we do with all the working electronics we're able. Now we have to scrap them."
To get the 30 percent deal, buyers select a device to trade in. Once confirmed, the app places the old device into recycle mode, starting a 21 day countdown timer. After that time, the device is "permanently deactivated" with no way to recover it, according to Sonos. Gadgets eligible for upgrades that would be bricked include the Connect, Connect:Amp, ZP90, ZP80, ZP100, ZP120, and Play:5 (Gen 1).
Sonos tried to defend itself in a way that might sound familiar to Apple users. "The reality is that these older products lack the processing power and memory to support modern Sonos experiences," the company told The Verge.
Over time, technology will progress in ways these products are not able to accommodate. For some owners, these new features aren't important. Accordingly, they may choose not to participate in the Trade Up program.
But for other owners, having modern Sonos devices capable of delivering these new experiences is important. So the Trade Up program is an affordable path for these owners to upgrade. For those that choose to trade-up to new products, we felt that the most responsible action was not to reintroduce them to new customers that may not have the context of them as 10+ year old products, and that also may not be able to deliver the Sonos experience they expected.
Sonos is justifying this in terms of the customers experience, but the brutal reality is that many of these devices will be stripped down, using energy. They'll also add to the problem of plastic waste, when they could have enjoyed a much longer life. It's particularly disappointing considering that Sonos products do last a long time, with the company claiming that 92 percent of them ever sold are "still in use today."
Many Sonos forum users were disappointed to hear about the practice. Some of the bricked products have also been resold, with the buyers losing any money they paid. On top of that, some owners have bricked devices by accident, transforming them into recycling fodder.
"Anyone even remotely familiar with recycling can tell you the mantra 'reduce, reuse, recycle," tweeted @atomicthumbs. "Recycling takes energy and, while it saves materials, reuse is always better. Sonos is throwing any claimed environmental friendliness in the trash in order to sell more speakers."
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When it comes to phones, there hasn't been a year like 2019 in a while. Between the introduction of the first foldables and the rollout of technologies like 5G, 2019 wasn't just another year of comfortable iteration for manufacturers. Instead, it saw the introduction of devices that are likely to define the space moving forward, but none more so than the modest Pixel 3a.
When he reviewed it earlier this year, Chris Velazco wrote of Google and the 3a that "none of the compromises it made in producing this cheap Pixel actually feel like compromises." You could buy a great budget phone before the Pixel 3a, but more affordable devices used to mean some kind of compromise.
Take OnePlus, for example: The brand most Android enthusiasts for years recommended to their friends as the best bang-for-your-buck choice. Up to and including the OnePlus 7 Pro, buying a OnePlus phone often meant skipping on flagship features, like waterproofing and wireless charging, and, more than anything else, a good camera. And as OnePlus added better cameras to its devices, each subsequent phone cost more than its predecessor.
What makes the $400 and $480 Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL so pervasive is that they erased one of the last points of hardware differentiation between high-end and mid-range phones. While other features and specifications like high-resolution screens and fingerprint sensors have appeared in more affordable devices, cameras that don't take blurry photos -- or become a noisy mess as night falls -- have stubbornly stayed the domain of expensive phones.
At first glance, there isn't anything all that impressive about the Pixel 3a's camera. It lacks the dual- and triple-camera arrays of most other mid- to high-end phones released in the last year, it's not as versatile, nor does it take the most detailed shots, with a lower-resolution sensor than rivals. But what it's missing technically, it makes up for by being one of the most consistent phone cameras you can get for the price.
The computational photography features Google pioneered for the Pixel 3 are what make the 3a's camera so great. Instead of following the trend of just adding more cameras, the company made the interesting decision to build devices with a better camera. But consumers can easily see the value of more cameras (and, for that matter, other flashy hardware features like bigger displays and faster processors) -- it's much harder to convince them of the value of good software.
In the context of a budget phone, it makes sense. Not only could Google avoid cutting corners elsewhere but it also allowed the company to deliver one great camera, instead of multiple mediocre ones. With features like Night Sight and Super Res Zoom, the Pixel 3a was able to match and surpass more expensive single-lens phones like the iPhone XR.
It might seem strange to compare the Pixel 3a to the iPhone XR, a phone that, at the time, cost $350 more. However, when Google released the 3a, the iPhone XR was the mid-range phone to beat. In the first half of 2019, Apple shipped almost 27 million iPhone XR units, according to IHS Markit. In early 2019, the iPhone XR was the most compelling phone on the market for a lot of budget-minded consumers. More than any other comparison, the ways the 3a matches and surpasses the iPhone XR show best what Google was able to achieve with the phone.
One obvious positive comparison is that both 3a and 3a XL feature higher resolution displays than the iPhone XR. But more important is the Pixel 3a brought to mid-range Android phones something that has been the hallmark of iPhones for years: the promise of long-term software support.
Google has said it will furnish the 3a with three years of platform and security updates. Additionally, the company updates the 3a and its more expensive phones on the same day. Prior to the 3a, that kind of software support was unheard of on a mid-range Android phone. If you were lucky, you got access to one or two major Android releases. Even then, you were often waiting months for your phone's manufacturer to deliver those updates. That kind of software support is perhaps even more meaningful on an affordable phone than it is on an expensive one since it helps to further extend the life of the device, which ultimately saves more money over time.
Obviously, there are ways the Pixel 3a doesn't match the iPhone XR. It's not dust- and water-resistant, nor does it support wireless charging. But those are exactly the type of fit and finish differences that you would expect when comparing products in different price categories. What's important, especially in the context of the last ten-plus years of smartphone development, is that in its functionality and features people really care about, the two phones are nearly identical. In fact, the Pixel 3a was so compelling at $400, it likely played a major part in Apple's decision to price the iPhone 11 $50 cheaper than it originally priced the iPhone XR.
If you've seen any videos from Marques "MKBHD" Brownlee in the past five years, you've probably heard the YouTuber say at some point, "Cheap phones are getting good. And good phones are getting cheap." With the Pixel 3a, it's safe to say we've come to the point that cheap phones are good, period.
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Should you wait for the 2020 iPad Pro, or is it OK to buy now? That’s a question a lot of people are asking at present, following reports that we’re likely to see new iPads in the first half of the year.
It is, of course, a truism in tech that, whenever you buy, something better will come along shortly afterward. You can’t worry about that, or else you’ll never buy anything. The question, then, is how big an upgrade are the 2020 iPad Pro models likely to be?
NordVPN
Let’s start with changes we’re not likely to see.
Things the 2020 iPad Pro probably won’t offer
There has long been talk of even larger iPads, with a 14.9-inch model suggested. Indeed, in a reader poll, some 45% of you wanted to see something larger than the 12.9-inch iPad.
Personally, I’d love one. It wouldn’t ever leave my home, but there are plenty of times when I’d really appreciate a larger display for home use.
However, while I’m sure there’s a 15-inch iPad prototype floating around in Apple’s design lab, there’s been no indication at all that we’re going to see a larger one next year. The most recent report suggests that the external dimensions of the early 2020 models will be identical to the existing ones.
While it’s not impossible that Apple might make the bezels slightly smaller, it doesn’t seem likely. Chances are that it will be the same display size in the same size casing.
It also seems unlikely that Apple will make the switch from LCD to OLED. The type of advanced OLED panels used in the latest iPhones would pose both cost and yield challenges, and there’s been no supply-chain suggestions of any switch at this point.
It’s also a safe bet that we won’t see 5G support in this year’s iPads: Apple always introduces new tech to the iPhone first, with the iPad following on behind. Expect 5G iPads next year.
Personally, I find the iPad a useful indoor camera, especially for product shots. The large display makes it easy to check focus, and also gives a better sense of the framing than a smaller iPhone screen, so the idea doesn’t seem as far-fetched to me as it does to some.
What might be more interesting to many is a time-of-flight (ToF) camera system for better augmented reality performance, but, like 5G, that is extremely unlikely to come to the iPad ahead of the iPhone.
Better performance is a given, but in all honesty, there are few usage patterns that will benefit from it to any notable degree. What might be more appealing is if Apple finally bumps up the storage options. Currently, the base model is 64 GB, a pretty embarrassing starting point for a pro model in 2020. So we could see that boosted to 128 GB.
Whether that would cascade through the higher storage tiers is a much trickier question. The four current storage tiers are 64 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, and 1 TB. If the entry point is doubled to 128 GB, would the other levels remain the same, or could we see 512 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB options?
It’s not impossible. Flash storage gets cheaper all the time, and we’ve already seen that reflected in the 16-inch MacBook Pro models, now offering cheaper SSD options throughout — and a massive 8 TB maximum. I wouldn’t, however, put money on it. The current 1 TB maximum is still a huge amount of storage for a tablet, and I suspect just a tiny percentage of buyers go for it. So my money would be on the remaining storage tiers going unchanged.
So … buy now, or wait?
If you do use your iPad Pro as a camera, the reports seem sufficiently plausible to me to suggest waiting in the hope that the triple-camera setup reports are accurate. That would transform the photographic capabilities of the device.
If your plan is to buy the base model when it comes to storage, there too I’d suggest waiting. That bump from 64 GB to 128 GB is far from certain, but I’d say there’s at least a decent chance, and it does make the machine significantly more useful when it comes to things like downloading movies and TV shows for viewing on planes and in areas with poor connectivity.
If you really do max out the performance of your iPad with things like video editing and games, that too would be another good reason to wait.
Finally, any new model means discounts available on the old one. While Apple will simply replace the existing one in its lineup, the older models will still be available from other outlets, so you’ll likely save some money by waiting.
Otherwise, though, I’m not expecting too much. Yes, the new iPad will be better in some respects, and there’s always the chance that Apple has a surprise in store, but you have to weigh that against the fact that if you buy now, you get to enjoy your new iPad for three to six months longer than if you wait for the upgrade. I’d say that if none of the above arguments apply to you, you might as well start enjoying your device today rather than wait an unknown period of time for rather marginal improvements.
What are your plans? Please take our poll and share your reasons in the comments.
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An artist's rendition of the Galaxy S11, based on the rumors and leaks.
Concept Creator/Screenshot by Jessica Dolcourt/CNET
The Galaxy S11 rumors and leaks haven't taken a break over the holiday season. Little by little these renders and reports are painting a picture of the Galaxy S11's official lineup, from the price to a possible camera setup that takes up a huge portion of the phone's back, and a potentially massive battery.
Unlike the $2,000 Galaxy Fold or $1,100 Galaxy Note 10 Plus, Samsung's next premium device will be designed to appeal to lots of folks, not just enthusiasts looking for the most cutting-edge or powerful handset.
The Galaxy S11 family of phones is Samsung's first mainstream handset that could help bring 5G's faster data speeds to the masses. Samsung got a start with 5G this year, with the S10 5G, Note 10 Plus 5G, Galaxy A90 5G and Fold (in the UK and South Korea). But these phones either aren't targeting everyday users, and many are variants of 4G devices that already exist.
Headed into the Galaxy S11 launch, Samsung is in a much stronger position than it was a year ago. It made waves in 2019, nabbing a CNET Editors' Choice award for the Galaxy Note 10 Plus and releasing the unforgettable Galaxy Fold. 2020 is only destined to get better -- and that goes for Samsung's next foldable phone, too.
There are a lot of specs to absorb, so here they are -- the Galaxy S11's most important rumored features so far, plus what we don't know and what we think we might get. I throw in my own educated guesses too, because Samsung often follows historical patterns and topical trends. Here we go!
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Galaxy S11 is apparently going to be big. Very big
6:33
Three models, three sizes: Galaxy S11, S11 Plus, S11 Pro
First things first. The Galaxy S11 line isn't going to be one phone, that we know. It's rumored to be three, just like last year's S10 family of 4G models.
Some rumors name the phones as the S11E, S11 and S11 Plus, but more recent whispers, including that from frequent Twitter leaker Evan Blass, suggest S11, S11 Plus and S11 Pro, which is a lot closer to Apple's strategy with the iPhone 11, the base model for that line.
Screenshot by ZDNet
Here are the rumored screen sizes:
Galaxy S11: 6.2- or 6.4-inch
Galaxy S11 Plus: 6.7-inch
Galaxy S11 Pro: 6.9-inch
Blass also stated that all the Galaxy S11 phones could have curved sides, unlike 2019's Galaxy S10E, which had a flat display that I sometimes preferred.
A peek at the Galaxy S11? We'll know soon enough.
Cashkaro
Feb. 11 or 18 launch, later release dates
The all-important question: When do we get to see this thing for the first time? February is a given. Samsung has unveiled its Galaxy S series in late February or early March for years, sometimes at the Mobile World Congress tech show, sometimes before, and a couple of times, even after.
This is the real Galaxy S11+ camera. On the left is the ultra-wide-angle, main camera, and periscope zoom lens. I don't know the exact distribution on the right. It is expected to include flash and ToF. pic.twitter.com/98exPMSqgf
If Samsung follows last year's model, we'll see the Galaxy S11 and its kin appear shortly before MWC. If we let the rumors guide us, Samsung will show its hand on either Tuesday, Feb. 11 (this is in Greek) or Tuesday, Feb. 18. So yeah, February seems solid.
Look for the phone to go on preorder shortly after, with units shipping a week or two after the reveal. I'll continue to update this story with fresh rumors, so come back for more.
Could look like a cross between the Note 10 and Galaxy S10
The Galaxy S11 renders are out, and so are the concept designs, which I love because they can bring the rumors to life.
So what might we get with Samsung's S11 phone? Rounded shoulders, which have become the Galaxy S trademark, but with a more squared-off look reminiscent of the Galaxy Note 10. A slim body. Curved sides for all models, unlike the Galaxy S10E's flat screen, which I actually really liked.
The camera array could become square, off to the left, and stick out from the surface, a lot like the iPhone 11 and Google Pixel 4. I really hope that's not the case. Cameras that stick out are more vulnerable to breaking when you drop your phone. A case is an absolute must.
5G guaranteed, but there's a catch
I mentioned 5G earlier. This is a rumored feature, but also a given. The Galaxy S11 is 99.9% likely to use the powerful Snapdragon 865 processor in it, which chipmaker Qualcomm won't make available to phone brands without the 5G modem it pairs with. Ipso facto, you get a phone with the Snapdragon 865, you get a 5G-ready phone.
I promised a catch and here it is. While the Galaxy S11 will be 5G-ready, not every phone may be able to access 5G. Cities and countries that are 4G-only will only be able to use 4G networks, so the 5G Galaxy S11 could very well act like a 4G phone.
We'll see how it all shakes out, but I'd be surprised if Samsung used any chip other than Snapdragon 865. The Galaxy S series is its mainstream flagship and Samsung is the world's largest phone-maker. It will want to put its best foot forward by delivering the phone with the "best" chip.
Now for the fun stuff, the camera. We already talked about how rumors, leaks and renders predict a square camera array overflowing with cameras -- perhaps four on the back of the Galaxy S11 Plus. It gets wilder.
Samsung is said to be outfitting the Galaxy S11 (or at least one variant) with a 108-megapixel main camera sensor. Is that madness? It sounds like madness. But Chinese brand Xiaomi already beat Samsung to it with the Mi CC9 Pro, which already uses a 108-megapixel camera.
In addition, the Snapdragon 865 chip we talked about above can support a 200-megapixel camera. You may not be using all 108 pixels all the time, but having that extra resolution can be helpful for zooming in and cropping. If you like the sound of all that, thank the chipmaker for making it happen.
Here's what else you could get with the S11 camera (at least on some models), according to Ice Universe and 91Mobiles:
Suggested renders for the Galaxy S11 and S11E.
Pricebaba
Screen: 120Hz AMOLED display
We talked about phone screens earlier, but here's what else we're likely to get: the ability to turn on a 120Hz screen refresh rate. That will make animations and scrolling a whole lot smoother than the standard 60Hz refresh rate w\we have now.
While a 120Hz refresh rate is great for gaming and other quick transitions (even 90Hz like on the OnePlus 7T), it's a battery hog. The Galaxy S11 could put the power in your hands with settings to switch between 60Hz to preserve battery life and 120Hz if you want to rev up animations.
This is pretty much a done deal since both the Snapdragon 865 and Exynos 990 5G support 210Hz screens.
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Qualcomm unveils Snapdragon 865 processor
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A whopping 5,000-mAh battery?
Different size phones get different size batteries, and another rumor from the prolific Ice Universe dials in the Galaxy S11 "Plus" battery at 5,000 mAh, which is ridonculous.
Keep in mind that the "Plus" could also be the "Pro" (e.g., the highest-end model of the trio), which makes far more sense to me than the middle phone getting a battery that size. For reference, the Galaxy Note 10 Plus battery is 4,300 mAh and battery life is outstanding.
I loved the concept of an in-screen fingerprint reader, until I used it in the Galaxy S10. The accuracy, speed and convenience never quite lived up to the promise for me.
My best-case scenario would be to the Galaxy S11 return to some form of secure face unlock, combined with the in-screen reader. Samsung already knows how to do this well. Remember, the series got iris scanning in the S7, but dropped it for the S10. Google has now done it better, with the Pixel 4's gesture tracking lending a hand.
We could at least see a more robust form of in-screen biometric scanner, if Samsung decides to take advantage of the Snapdragon 865's support for two-finger scanning, which is meant to improve the technology on all fronts. I sure hope it does.
In One UI 2, right, app folders open lower on the screen so that it's easier for you to interact with them one-handed.
I'm much more excited about Android 10, which brings systemwide dark mode to phones, gesture navigation, some seriously impressive live captioning and new privacy settings. One UI 2 aims to push icons and screen controls toward the bottom of the phone so they're easier to reach one-handed.
Galaxy S11 series: Price will break $1,000
Now for the question on everyone's mind: How much is the Galaxy S11 going to cost me? As always, it will depend on which model you buy.
Let's start with the Galaxy S10 prices for the base storage configuration:
5G costs the phone makers more to buy and integrate, so we could see a price bump right off the bat. You'll also spend more if you opt for a model with greater storage, say 512GB, assuming Samsung offers it and begins storage at 128GB.
If the largest version ("Pro" or "Plus," depending on the rumors) lines up with the S10 Plus pricing, it'll start at $1,000. With the 5G component and more camera tech, I wouldn't be surprised to see that rise to $1,100, a price that matches the Galaxy Note 10 Plus today.
