T-Mobile-Sprint Merger Teeters Between FCC Approval, DoJ Rejection

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai this week gave the green light to a merger between T-Mobile and Sprint, currently the third- and fourth-largest mobile carriers respectively. The nation's top telecom regulator agreed to the $26 billion merger, but with some conditions -- the most notable being that Sprint would sell off its Boost Mobile prepaid cellphone brand. In addition, the combined firm would commit to deploying 5G network coverage to 97 percent of the country within three years, and to 99 percent of the country within six years.

Lift off for SpaceX rocket carrying 60 satellites

A Falcon-9 rocket launches from Florida, packed with 60 satellites capable of giving users on the ground high-speed connections to the internet.

10 Best Wireless Earbuds for Working Out (2019)

Looking for a pair of sturdy, sweatproof, buds to help you rock your inner jock? We have you covered.

Apple's MacBook Update, a Self-Driving Mail Truck, and More News

Catch up on the most important news from today in two minutes or less.

Over The Rainbow composer sues Apple and other tech firms for piracy

Harold Arlen's estate says Apple, Google and Amazon are conducting "massive piracy operations".

Hearing Aids Get a Tech-Minded Upgrade

Spurred by regulations that will allow over-the-counter sales, hearing-aid companies are pushing the limits of what their products can be.

5 Best Keyboards for 2019 (Cheap, Gaming, Mechanical)

Whether you're looking to boost your productivity or your kill-death battle royale stats, these are the best keyboards for the job.

How Artificial Intelligence Is Reshaping the Workforce

Shoppers soon might see a lot more robots in Walmart stores -- but not toy robots or even human assistant gadgets that are available for purchase. Walmart's new robots will be taking over repeatable, predictable and manual tasks that up to now have been carried out by human employees. At Walmart stores, robots will scan shelf inventory and track boxes as part of the retail chain's inventory management. Walmart is hardly alone in deploying robots or artificial intelligence to handle these mundane tasks, however.

Tesla Model 3: Autopilot engaged during fatal crash

The driver had not had his hands on the wheel for 10 seconds, a report has found.

Global virus fear prompts update for old Windows

Fears that a massive computer virus outbreak is imminent prompt Microsoft to update old software

SCOTUS Greenlights Apple App Store Antitrust Lawsuit

The U.S. Supreme Court has given thumbs up for a class action antitrust lawsuit to proceed against Apple for alleged monopolistic practices at its App Store. In the case, Apple Inc. v. Pepper et al., the consumer plaintiffs maintain the company has monopolized the retail market for the sale of apps, and that it used its position to charge higher-than-competitive prices for the software it sells in its App Store. Apple tried to keep the case from advancing in the courts by arguing that it doesn't set the prices at the App Store.

Lenovo Makes the Leap Into Foldable-Display Laptops

The still-to-be-named product will be a part of Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 line of laptops.

Five new things about online campaigning

In 2017, pro-Labour posts and memes were shared more widely on Facebook than Conservative messages. What has changed since then?

Social media: Senior police officer calls for boycott over abuse images

The UK's leading child protection police officer says action is needed to force firms to act.

Baltimore Held Hostage in 2nd Ransomware Attack

Baltimore officials have admitted that the city government once again has been victimized by ransomware -- the second such attack that Baltimore has faced in just over a year. City computers reportedly were infected with the RobinHood ransomware virus. Hackers told city officials that they would unlock the computers in return for payment of three bitcoins per system, or 13 bitcoins for the entire system. Based on the current exchange rate the ransom added up to about $17,600 per computer or $76,280 for the system.

16 Last-Minute Mother's Day Gift Ideas and Deals (2019)

Did you forget to set a calendar alert? Have no fear. We found some great Mother's Day deals on gifts Mom will love.

CES 2019: Sex toy reawarded robotics prize

The Las Vegas tech show organisers faced outrage in January after banning the vibrator.

Get Ready for Feature Deluge at Apple's WWDC

Apple plans to introduce a boatload of new apps, features and development tools at its World Wide Developers Conference next month, according to a report. As it does every year, Apple will use the WWDC, set to begin June 3, to reveal the next versions of operating systems for its hardware products. For its mobile devices, new additions iOS 13 include speed improvements and interface changes, a Dark Mode, a new fast typing option, a refreshed health app, use of the iPad as an auxiliary Mac screen, and a revamped Books app.

Google I/O 2019 Liveblog: All the News as It Happens

Google's developer conference kicks off on May 7 at 10 am Pacific. Follow along with us for analysis and commentary from WIRED's editors.

YouTuber Austin Jones gets 10 year prison sentence

The musician had pleaded guilty to enticing underage girls to send him explicit videos and photos.

Connecting my bird box camera to the web

Lucy the blue tit is being live-streamed on YouTube after her bird box was connected to the web.

No Easy Decision: Choosing Between Pay-TV Services

Many consumers in recent years have opted to cut the cord -- that is, to ditch cable or satellite TV and instead rely on over-the-top streaming services for their viewing pleasure. Price has been one factor, but changing viewing habits has been another. As a reporter who regularly covers pay-TV services of all varieties, I actually went the opposite direction and for some time have had both cable and satellite. It allowed me to relate to Michael Scott of TV's The Office, who explained he had satellite TV and cable as a "back up."

Why I Love My Teeny-Tiny Knockoff Nokia

It's about the size of an eraser, but don't underestimate its formidable practicality!

Red Flag Flying Over Flagship Phones

These could be the worst of times for high-end flagship smartphones. Google CEO Sundar Pichai told Alphabet shareholders that his company's flagship phones, the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, released last fall, had encountered some "year over year headwinds." Samsung maintained that its flagship phone lineup, which includes the Galaxy S10, has been selling well, but it acknowledged that sales were being cannibalized by its lower-priced models. Meanwhile, Apple saw iPhone sales plummet, year over year -- 15 percent during the holiday quarter of 2018.

Phone and laptop searches at US border 'quadruple'

Border agent searches of travellers' devices have nearly quadrupled since 2015, rights groups say.

Should I Spend $1,000 on a Smartphone?

With so many great inexpensive phones out there, it depends on why you want a pricey flagship model. Here are the most common justifications we hear.

Rape victims among those to be asked to hand phones to police

Cases may not go ahead if police in England and Wales do not get access to messages and photographs.

6 Best Pizza Ovens in 2019 (Outdoor, Indoor, Gas, and Wood)

You want pizza? After months of testing, we picked our favorite portable pizza ovens for backyards, countertops, or camping.

Fitness trackers 'add miles to your marathon'

Tests by a consumer watchdog found that several brands were inaccurate in calculating running distance.

The Galaxy Fold's Breaking Display Won't Be Easy to Fix

The ambitious device gets an iFixit teardown, revealing what might turn out to be systematic problems.

EU Gives Nod to 'Big Brother' Biometrics Database

The EU Parliament overwhelmingly approved two measures that would integrate the region's fragmented law enforcement and home affairs databases into a centralized one that would include biometric information on some 350 million EU and non-EU citizens. It approved creation of the new system on two votes. One was to merge systems related to visas and borders, approved 511-123, with nine abstentions. The other was to merge systems with law enforcement, judicial, migration and asylum information, approved 510-130, also with nine abstentions.

Best Bluetooth Speakers of 2019: Portable, Waterproof, Good Battery Life

WIRED's favorite portable Bluetooth speakers of all shapes and sizes, from clip-ons to a massive boombox.

Samsung Delays the Release of Its Galaxy Fold Smartphone

The smartphone giant has delayed the release of the Samsung Galaxy Fold after early review units of the folding smartphone began malfunctioning.

11 Best Upcycled and Recycled Products (2019)

You want shoes, eh? How about shoes made from recycled plastic?

Millions using 123456 as password, security study finds

A list of all-too-predictable choices for breached accounts includes 123456 and "Liverpool".

Disney Goes Over the Top: How Does Its Streaming Service Stack Up?

The Walt Disney Corporation officially announced Disney+, its direct-to-consumer streaming service, during its Investor Day webcast last week. The new over-the-top service will become available on Nov. 12 for a $6.99 month subscription. Disney+ will arrive with more than 25 new TV programs, as well as more than 10 new movies. The service will expand to include more than 400 movies from the Disney vaults, as well as other IP from Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, National Geographic, and 20th Century Fox -- all now owned by the Mouse House.

Everyone's a Winner in Apple-Qualcomm Settlement

Apple and Qualcomm unexpectedly announced a settlement as their case entered the second day of a hearing in the U.S. District Court in San Diego. In related news, Intel announced it was getting out of the 5G smartphone chip business. The Apple-Qualcomm settlement provides an unspecified one-time payment from Apple to Qualcomm, a six-year licensing arrangement, and Apple's agreement to pay royalties to Qualcomm. The settlement will free Apple to enter the 5G smartphone competition, where it has been outstripped by Android device manufacturers.

Apple to Focus on Productivity With Next macOS, iOS Releases

The ramp-up to Apple's WWDC this June has begun, with reports circulating about the goodies the company will include in the next generation of its desktop and mobile operating systems. The latest revelations include macOS support for the iPad as an auxiliary display, and iOS support for multiple windows within apps. There are a number of third-party products on the market to add an iPad as a second display for a Mac, but the feature reportedly will become native to Apple's desktops and laptops with the next version of macOS, version 10.15.

'Why I write fake online reviews'

Two people explain why they post made-up reviews, while psychologists deconstruct the power of the review.

Epilepsy charity calls for social media seizure warnings

People with epilepsy are being exposed to flashing images, some deliberately, says a charity.

Withings Move Smartwatch Review: A Few Steps From Greatness

Don’t want a computer buzzing your wrist all day? Withings has an affordable fitness tracker for you.

6 Best Cheap Smartphones (2019): Budget iPhones and Android

The absolute best Android phones and iPhones you can buy for less than $600.

Gadget Lab Podcast: What Happens to Uber After Its IPO?

WIRED Transportation reporter Aarian Marshall joins the Gadget Lab podcast to talk about what Uber’s IPO means for the future of ride-sharing ... and everything else Uber does.

Google Presents a Cornucopia of Cloud Goodies

Google announced a host of new services, features and partners at Google Cloud Next '19 Day 2 in San Francisco. The new unveilings followed its announcement of Anthos, an open source platform powered by Kubernetes, on Day 1. Anthos is "a single platform for developers and operations; it is for on-premise and multicloud installations," Urs Hölzle, Google's senior vice president, technical infrastructure, told the audience Wednesday. "With Anthos we're making hybrid and multicloud the new normal." Holzle announced a slew of new tools.

Report: Apple Is Gearing Up to Debut Mini-LED Display Tech

Apple plans to introduce a number of new products in the next two years that will sport a new display technology, according to master Apple watcher Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities. Based on Kuo's predictions, which were reported widely on Tuesday, Apple will use new "mini LED" technology in three new products: a 31.6-inch monitor, launching in the second or third quarter; a new iPad with a 10- or 12-inch screen in late 2020 or 2021; and a new MacBook with a 15- or 17-inch screen in the first half of 2021.

Amazon Kindle Review (2019): A Cheaper Way to Read at Night

Amazon’s new entry-level Kindle ebook reader is just like the 2018 Kindle Paperwhite, but $40 cheaper.

Ikea and Sonos Symfonisk Range Includes a Speaker That’s a Lamp

This release marks the first set of products in a collaboration where scale meets sound.

Websites to be fined over 'online harms' under new proposals

Apps and websites that do not protect their users may be fined or blocked under new proposals.

‘Change My View’ Reddit Community Launches Its Own Website

Changeaview.com, the new home for the 700,000-member discussion group, adds custom features that go beyond Reddit's capabilities.

Gadget Lab Podcast: Reporting From Syria

Two passports, three voice recorders, one gas mask: How journalist Kenneth R. Rosen reports his stories from conflict zones in the Middle East.