The Morning After: Level's subtle smart lock opens with a touch

And Elon Musk has an event planned for Friday evening.

Level

Despite the launch of several dual-screen devices over the last year and change, we’re still not sure the form factor makes sense. That won’t stop manufacturers from rolling them out, though, and a pair of leaks show what we can expect to see in the future.

LG Wing
LG Wing

One video posted by Android Authority shows the interesting design of an LG Wing phone, with a small second screen that rotates out to add some extra display area. The other is an early Chinese evaluation of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 2 — why wait until it’s unveiled at an event on September 1st when you can check it out now?

— Richard

Elon Musk teases 'working Neuralink device' reveal on August 28th at 6PM ET

You’ll never have to log off again.

Neuralink
Neuralink

Musk said the technology shown on Friday would be “awesome” compared to what we’ve seen so far. "Don't want to get too excited, but the potential is truly transformational for restoring brain & motor functions," he tweeted earlier this year.
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The Level Touch is a smart lock in disguise

The design can add some extra privacy.

Level Touch
Level Touch

Most smart locks look visibly like they’re, well, smart locks. Not so with the Level Touch, which takes on an unassuming look while still cramming in plenty of tech features. You can open it with the touch of a finger, a vocal command or a programmable keycard. You can also give others access to your home through the Level app, and approved guests can gain entry using their phone as a key.

The battery can hold a charge for up to one year, according to the company, while Level Lock’s accompanying app, HomeKit, can connect with both iOS and Android devices. The price for such subtlety is $329 — that’s over double the price of some rival smart locks.
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Sponsored by StackCommerce

Set the mood with these multicolored light bulbs

StackCommerce
StackCommerce

Fitbit’s new Sense watch has lots of Apple Watch features

The $329 wearable arrives in September.

Product laydown photography for Fitbit Sense.
Product laydown photography for Fitbit Sense.

Fitbit is focusing on its smartwatches again. Say hello to the Fitbit Sense, an “advanced health” wearable that includes new hardware, like an electrodermal activity (EDA) sensor, and new features, like electrocardiogram (ECG) measurements.

The EDA sensor looks for electrical changes in your skin that may be caused by stress — to use it, you’ll navigate to the EDA app on the smartwatch, place your palm over the Sense’s display and breathe while it takes a measurement.

This then feeds into Fitbit’s features that track and manage stress, which, thankfully in 2020, go beyond simple breathing exercises. The EDA sensor records and shows data on a graph in the Fitbit mobile app alongside the new Stress Management Score, which is yet another all-encompassing number that takes into account heart rate, sleep and activity data — a higher number is better.
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How to talk to people who believe in QAnon

The way you approach someone is just as important as what you say.

While conspiracy theory experts agree there is no easy way to “get someone back” from the group, there are ways to better your odds at getting through to someone. Karissa Bell explains.
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In ‘Outriders,’ powers and teamwork beat guns

But keep those guns handy, you’ll still need them.

Outriders
Outriders (Engadget)

Alongside Destiny 2, Anthem and even Marvel’s Avengers, to an extent, Outriders is about killing lots of enemies with gunplay, sci-fi powers and old-fashioned teamwork. Does the world need another game that demands repeat playthroughs, loot farming and bosses with untold levels of health? Maybe? Our preview, by Mat Smith, suggests Outriders is an awful lot of fun.
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This cardboard Wolfenstein 3D setup invites you to punch Nazis remotely

'Smartistein 3D' only needs a smartphone and a few motors to make magic.

Smartistein 3-D
Smartistein 3-D

Telepresence robots, cardboard cut-outs of fascists and gaming magic. 
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Vue Lite smart glasses are cheap, but they aren't that smart

It might be easier to just wear earbuds.

mini-RCM
mini-RCM

These $179 glasses are a lighter, cheaper version of the Vue Pro but without the more notable features of its predecessor. Instead of bone conduction, they deliver audio to the wearer via directional speakers for “open ear listening,” similar to the Bose Frames and Amazon’s Echo Frames. Unfortunately, the audio is just okay, and the missing features compared to higher end models make these even harder to recommend.
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Harvard and Sony built a tiny surgery robot inspired by origami

The mini-RCM is about the size of a tennis ball and weighs the same as a penny.

mini-RCM
mini-RCM

Researchers from Harvard’s Wyss Institute and Sony have created a surgical robot that’s much smaller than many other such devices. They took inspiration from origami to build the mini-RCM, which is around the size of a tennis ball yet weighs about the same as a penny.

Materials layered on top of each other are cut with a laser to form a 3D shape — kinda like a kids’ pop-up book. Three linear actuators control the mini-RCM’s movements in multiple directions.

In a microscopic tracing test, the researchers found the mini-RCM was 68 percent more accurate than a hand-controlled tool. The robot also successfully completed a mock version of a precise procedure in which a surgeon inserts a needle through an eye. Yes, that made me shudder, too.
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But wait, there’s more...

How NASA knows when it's a 'go' for launch

ASUS’ ZenFone 7 Pro keeps the flippable camera

Firefox for Android gets an overhaul and adds the browser's best desktop features

Chrome's latest update helps tabs load up to 10 percent faster

DJI’s next smartphone gimbal might have a magnetic quick mount system

'Predator: Hunting Grounds' will let you play as young Arnold Schwarzenegger

Microsoft made three limited-edition Wonder Woman Xbox One X consoles