The (digital) ink has barely dried on our iPhone 16 review, and we’re already into iPhone 17 rumor season – with one reliable source suggesting that there are display upgrades in store when Apple‘s 2025 refresh rolls around.
This comes from well-known industry analyst Ross Young (via 9to5Mac), who says that the two cheaper iPhone 17 models are going to get the same always-on display and ProMotion tech that has previously been exclusive to the Pro and Pro Max handsets.
That means an upgrade to the LTPO (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide) screen technology required to reduce power consumption and support a variable refresh rate, all the way up to 120Hz (or all the way down to 1Hz) when required.
However, while Young initially predicted Face ID would be embedded in the display on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, he later said that was a misunderstanding – so we’ll have to wait a little while longer for developments in that department.
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Pro vs non-Pro
If the less expensive iPhone 17 models do indeed get LTPO display technology next year, there will be less of a distinction between these variants and the Pro and Pro Max – though the latter handsets may well still get better cameras and faster processors.
It also links in with another rumor we’ve heard about next year’s iPhone refresh: that the iPhone 16 Plus will be replaced not by another Plus model, but by an iPhone 17 Air – perhaps with a slimmer, more stylish design at the same price point.
Apple has of course already used the same branding with the iPad Air and the MacBook Air, so it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if the moniker was added to one of the iPhone 17 models as well. However, we’ll need to wait almost another 12 months to be sure.
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This isn’t the only iPhone 17 rumor that’s emerged already, either: there has also been talk that the 2025 iPhones are going to get improved selfie cameras and a bump in the RAM, alongside the usual boost in performance.
Amazon’s next Prime Day event is right around the corner, and the deals have already started trickling in. Google’s earbuds have dropped down to just $64 from their normal price of $99. The A-Series, released in 2021, was Google’s more budget-friendly version of its 2020 Pixel Buds. They lack more advanced features like wireless charging and active noise cancellation, but the sound quality and battery life are decent for the price. If you’re an Android user looking for a good pair of earbuds that won’t break the bank, you might want to check these out.
Billy Steele/Engadget
Get the 2021 Google Pixel Buds A-Series at nearly a record-low price.
The Pixel Buds A-Series may be a few years old now, but it’s still a nice pair of earbuds. We gave the a score of 84 in our review when the model was first released, and were especially impressed with the sound quality, Google Assistant integration and comfort. The A-Series buds have a small “stabilizer arc” appendage to help them sit securely in the ears. There are some on-board controls, including play/pause, answer call and skip tracks, but they don’t have physical volume controls — for that, you’d need to use Google Assistant or adjust the volume on your device.
Google says the Pixel Buds A-Series earbuds get about five hours of listening time on a charge, or 2.5 hours of talk time. With the charging case, listening time goes up to about 24 hours. With the current deal, you can get the Pixel Buds A-Series earbuds in Clearly White or Dark Olive for $35 off the usual price. For a dollar more, you can grab them in Charcoal. (The pale blue Sea color option unfortunately isn’t covered in the discount). At $64, the Pixel Buds A-Series is almost at a record low, and cheaper even than during in July.
As the startup landscape evolves, so do hiring strategies. With Big Tech downsizing and the labor market tightening, founders must navigate a conservative job market to attract and retain top talent.
The hiring landscape in 2025 will offer challenges and opportunities for those who can adapt. Founders now hold increased leverage, but respect for staff and retention of key players remain vital. How can entrepreneurs strike this balance?
Join us at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 at Moscone West in San Francisco from October 28-30, for a conversation with Heather Doshay, partner, People & Talent of SignalFire; Lauren Illovsky, talent partner of CapitalG; and Roger Lee, CEO of Comprehensive.io to explore innovative hiring strategies that align with changing market conditions.
Meet the speakers
Heather Doshay, Partner, People & Talent, SignalFire
Heather Doshay brings nearly two decades of experience guiding startups toward success through strategic talent management. At SignalFire, a venture firm designed to meet founders’ needs with cutting-edge technology, Heather leverages her expertise to help companies capitalize on the talent flooding the market. Before joining SignalFire, Heather held executive roles at Webflow and Rainforest QA, and led the Candidate Marketplace at Hired. Her deep understanding of recruitment in the tech sector makes her a key voice on the current shift in hiring dynamics and how startups can recruit top performers in a post-pandemic world.
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Lauren Illovsky, Talent Partner, CapitalG
Lauren Illovsky leads talent strategy across CapitalG’s portfolio, working closely with founders to refine executive recruiting and organizational development. Having previously worked at Accel and Andreessen Horowitz, Lauren’s experience spans various aspects of talent management, from helping CEOs transition out of their roles to identifying board members who can drive long-term success. Her deep insights into startup leadership make her an invaluable resource for founders who are navigating complex hiring challenges, particularly in the competitive startup ecosystem.
Roger Lee, CEO, Comprehensive.io
Roger Lee has revolutionized the way companies manage compensation with Comprehensive.io, which automates complex compensation processes. His company is dedicated to streamlining compensation management and increasing pay transparency, key factors in both recruiting and retaining talent in today’s competitive market. As the creator of Layoffs.fyi, a website tracking tech industry layoffs, Roger is uniquely attuned to the shifts in employment trends and compensation strategies in the tech world. Roger can offer practical solutions to founders grappling with compensation complexities in a tight labor market.
Now, X’s lawyers said the company had done exactly what Mr. Musk vowed not to: take down accounts that a Brazilian justice ordered removed because the judge said they threatened Brazil’s democracy. X also complied with the justice’s other demands, including paying fines and naming a new formal representative in the country, the lawyers said.
Strands is the NYT’s latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it’s great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.
Your Strands expert
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Your Strands expert
Marc McLaren
NYT Strands today (game #203) – hint #1 – today’s theme
What is the theme of today’s NYT Strands?
• Today’s NYT Strands theme is… I’ve got you under my skin
NYT Strands today (game #203) – hint #2 – clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
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TRAIN
THEM
RIVER
ROLE
HATE
HATER
NYT Strands today (game #203) – hint #3 – spangram
What is a hint for today’s spangram?
• They keep you going
NYT Strands today (game #203) – hint #4 – spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today’s spangram touches?
First: left, 5th row
Last: right, 5th row
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #203) – the answers
The answers to today’s Strands, game #203, are…
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BRAIN
LIVER
HEART
KIDNEYS
STOMACH
LUNGS
SPANGRAM: INTERNALORGANS
My rating: Easy
My score: Perfect
As is so often the case with Strands, the key today was in working out what the theme was, because once you had that the answers were all pretty obvious. The theme clue of ‘I’ve got you under my skin’ was a nice one – cryptic, but not to the extent that you didn’t have any idea what kind of thing you could be looking for. I found BRAIN by accident, and that was enough to make it clear what the other solutions would be. Finding the likes of KIDNEYS and LIVER was easy enough, and once the spangram was in place there was very little room for failure.
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Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Saturday 21 September, game #202)
ARENA
STADIUM
NIGHTCLUB
THEATER
FESTIVAL
SPANGRAM: CONCERTVENUE
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT’s new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It’s now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT’s games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I’ve got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you’re struggling to beat it each day.
Police can access a trove of data from smart speakers found at crime scenes that could be invaluable in solving murders or burglaries, say researchers. Data on recently recognised faces, internet searches and any voice commands received could be extracted even without the owner’s permission or assistance from the manufacturer.
Jona Crasselt and Gaston Pugliese at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany decided to explore how much information can be pulled from these devices after seeing news coverage of Amazon refusing to…
These days, when it comes to streaming services, you have your pick of options. Plenty of these come with a hefty price tag, and the major streamers regularly announce price hikes. However, consumers are feeling stretched thin and looking for ways to watch TV without breaking their budget in the process. That’s where advertising video on demand (AVOD) and free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) services come in. Options like Tubi, Pluto, the Roku Channel, and, more recently, Google TV are there to fill in the gap.
Tubi is one of the big players in this space, as an AVOD/FAST (we’ll refer to it as just free streaming going forward) service with more than 200,000 movies and TV shows and over 200 live TV channels — for free.
But just because it’s free doesn’t mean you should jump ship from all of your other streaming services. After all, can this Fox-owned free streaming platform really compete with the likes of Netflix, Hulu, and others? Here’s everything you need to know about Tubi.
Tubi is a streaming service with a twist: it’s free. The fast-growing company offers up a combination of on-demand movies and TV shows, originals (this would be the AVOD part), and live TV streaming channels (the FAST part) without you having to shell out for a monthly subscription. Think of it as a sort of commercialized version of Netflix without the subscription fees.
Since Tubi is free, you’re going to have to make some compromises, though. First and foremost, there are ads. They aren’t overwhelming, but they’re there. Second, the on-demand content is mostly older movies and shows rerun on cable and other broadcast services. However, while Tubi has yet to produce any of its own original content, the streamer has a ton of it made for the service that can be found in its Tubi Originals section. More on that below.
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Tubi was bought by Fox in 2020 for $440 million, and recently reported more than 81 million monthly active users as of September 2024.
Don’t be fooled: There’s plenty to watch on Tubi — it boasts the largest catalog of film and TV titles of any AVOD service at 200,000, and offers more than 200 live TV channels for local news and sports. The free streamer also has more than 100 original titles with more on the way this year, spanning several genres including thriller, sci-fi, horror, romance, adult animation, and Black cinema titles. It’s also bringing in some original content from its siblings TMZ, MarVista Entertainment, and animated specialist Bento Box Entertainment.
In the meantime, sift through Tubi and you’ll find several diamonds in the rough. A quick five-minute search unearthed several decent selections, including Lovecraft Country, Boondock Saints, Ready or Not, The Witches of Eastwick, Independence Day, Vice, and the docuseries How It’s Made. Tubi also offers live TV channels across entertainment, news, sports, and more, including ABC News, NBC News Now, Fox, TMZ, People TV, the NFL Channel, Fox Sports, and MLB. There’s also a fairly impressive offering of shows and movies on Tubi Kids, including The Secret Life of Pets, The Dark Crystal, The Magic Schoolbus, Transformers: Prime,Strawberry Shortcake, and more.
The catalog isn’t available in 4K Ultra HD resolution and tops out at Full HD, depending on the age of the material. There’s no option to upgrade for a better viewing experience, either. Tubi is free, so if you aren’t happy with the experience as is, you will need to seek out an alternative. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of them.
Chances are that if you own a (modern) device that can connect to the internet, it supports Tubi. The streaming service is accessible via your web browser and as a mobile app for both Android and iOS. It’s also available on streaming devices and systems such as Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Google Chromecast, Android TV, TiVo, and as we mentioned above, it was recently added to Google TV. There are even dedicated apps for the PlayStation 4 and Playstation 5, as well as Xbox One, Series X, and Series S.
If you don’t own a set-top box or streaming stick, you may be able to install it on your television itself. If you’re a Comcast Xfinity X1 or Cox Contour cable customer, you can add it to your plan. Plus, owners of Samsung, Sony, Vizio, Hisense, or LG smart TVs can find the Tubi application available in their respective app store. If you’re outside the U.S., however, the list of supported devices varies from country to country.
Given the nonexistent price, there isn’t a whole lot to Tubi when it comes to features. If you want to watch something aimed at mature audiences, you’ll need to register for an account — and that’s where the tools come in. Doing so will allow you to continue watching where you left off (on any device), create a queue, and receive recommendations based on your viewing habits.
You can’t get something for nothing in this world; if you want to watch a show for free, you’re going to need to put up with an ad or two, both before and during the show — you know, just like in the olden days. The ads aren’t as intrusive as you might think. You’ll typically watch a 20-second ad before your show starts and then sit through a 40-second commercial about halfway through.
And partly because it’s owned by Fox, Tubi has a surprisingly deep well of content. Some of it might even be more recent than you’d expect. And that makes sense, because more recent (and popular) content draws in more views, and that means more eyeballs on advertising, and more money in everyone’s pocket.
Let’s not look this gift horse in the mouth, though: Tubi is free, and for that reason alone, it’s worth sifting through the catalog in the hopes of striking gold — which is happening more frequently lately. After all, if you find at least one thing you like, it was time well spent.
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In summary, we don’t think makes sense to have Tubi as your only streaming service. But it is a no-risk platform with some really interesting and quality niche content for fans. And with the growth of AVOD and FAST services such as Tubi, Pluto, Plex, The Roku Channel, Amazon FreeVee and more, customers are thinking more about dumping their subscription services like Hulu, Netflix, and Disney+, and putting up with ads, which may not be as intrusive as you might think. Either way, adding a free-streaming service like Tubi to your roster is risk-free, so why wouldn’t you?
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