Big Microsoft leaks surface ahead of tomorrow's launch
Microsoft’s annual launch event for new hardware is tomorrow, in New York City, at 10AM ...but now we already know a lot more than what Microsoft might’ve wanted.
- The event is going to be big. Words like significant and important are being thrown around. We are reportedly going to see new hardware, not just refreshes and tweaks.
- The likes of a Surface Pro 7, 15-inch Surface Laptop, and an Arm-powered Surface tablet have been heavily rumored.
- Add in the reported ‘Centaurus’ dual-screen laptop, a Surface speaker, and maybe Surface earbuds, and a “one more thing” reveal?
Well, now we’re going from rumor to leak with at least some of those products, with journalist and renowned leaker Evan Blass (@evleaks) posting a bevy of high-resolution Surface product images from his Twitter account, as we cobbled together above.
The Surface Pro 7, 15-inch Surface Laptop, and 2-in-1 Arm-powered Surface tablet/hybrid look very real, and the Arm-powered Surface is particularly interesting;
- The Surface Pro 7 looks to have a USB-C connector instead of Mini DisplayPort, and will have 10th-gen Intel Core CPUs inside.
- The third-generation Surface Laptop looks like it has dropped the textile approach, replacing it with metals, and going for USB-C ports and AMD power, in a 13-inch or 15-inch configuration.
- And the Surface version is a 2-in-1 and looks ultra-light, using an Arm-chip for portability.
- (Remember Always-Connected PCs exist, running Qualcomm's Snapdragon silicon and Windows 10 for Arm.)
- No leaks around the possible dual-screen laptop we’re expecting tomorrow.
- Does that mean security is extra tight around it, or we won’t see it at all?
Tesla Smart Summon in the wild looks… pretty wild
In the past week, Tesla rolled out the Smart Summon feature for owners who stumped up for both a Tesla and the extra Full Self-Driving package on their car (which is an extra $6,000 when ordered during the buying process, or $8,000 as an optional extra taken later, after delivery).
Now Smart Summon is being used in the wild, by regular folks, in a Walmart parking lot, or at home, and there are now dozens and dozens of social media videos from people witnessing it in action. And not always well.
- (Video above from @eiddor.)
- Let’s first all agree that Smart Summon is not ready for use in public. Why?
- Tesla says as much! Stating in the release notes for the new feature, “...Smart Summon is only intended for use in private parking lots and driveways. You are still responsible for your car and must monitor it and it’s surroundings at all times within your line of sight because it may not detect all obstacles. Be especially careful around quick-moving people, bicycles, and cars.”
- Which is all rather good for Tesla to say “but we told you not to!”
- But, of course, the general public a) doesn’t really read the patch notes, b) likes to try stuff out, c) while filming it.
- It is not going well.
- CNET has neatly summarized and The Verge, too, a bunch of videos and incidents on social media.
- From near-misses to actual minor fender benders to insurance claims, social media videos are a mix of acclaim and oh-my-god moments.
- Which leads to more sticky questions about Tesla’s self-driving technology being visibly tested in public, by the public, putting the public at harm.
- Also, full autonomy?
- Any time soon?
- That doesn’t look likely.
Round Up:
📂 The final chapter in the Samsung Galaxy Fold review epic saga (Android Authority).
📺 YouTube TV finally makes its way to Amazon Fire TV devices (Android Authority).
🆕 I spent a week with the iPhone 11 Pro Max, writes Andrew Grush (Android Authority).
🔫 Call of Duty: Mobile is now out, here’s everything you need to know (Android Authority).
🔒 Disappearing messages: WhatsApp tipped to take another page from Snapchat (Android Authority).
🕹 New Nvidia Shield TV hardware is coming, which is exciting because the older models are still genuinely good, and a new model means business (9to5Google).
🍎 The iPhone 11 glows, thanks to its camera bump and frosted glass build (r/apple). (If you want to try it yourself, turn up the flash using the camera button in Control Center).
💸 Apple fails to get tariff exemption for five Mac Pro components, but did get 10 through. (Engadget).
💳 Airport stores and movie theatres are looking at using Amazon Go’s cashierless checkouts (CNBC).
🌬 Dyson's latest air purifier destroys formaldehyde (Engadget).
🤔 Theory: Boris Johnson uses search terms in interviews to hide negative articles (Hacker News discussion).
⛸ 315 billion-ton iceberg breaks off Antarctica (BBC).
🍀 China grew two cotton leaves on the moon (IEEE Spectrum).
🛬 “Unruly airport cart tries to ram plane at O'Hare, is promptly sideswiped by worker driving another one” (Gizmodo).
🌉 Somehow no one died in Taiwan when this cross-sea bridge, built in 1998, collapsed (r/catastrophicfailure).
Chart Tuesday
Here’s something that has captivated r/dataisbeautiful: Light speed, fast but slow.
It shows, per this comment, “both how insanely fast the speed of light is while simultaneously illustrating how insanely FAR apart s--t is in space.” Indeed.
Here's a few early seconds of the minute-long video:
And just a little somber note, a farewell to my Pop, whose funeral was today in Dubbo, Australia. 90 years old.
Tristan Rayner, Senior Editor.
