It was a great day for tech reviews. Alongside the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro, there are also new action cameras from GoPro and DJI, and we have detailed reviews of all of them.
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But let’s start with the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro and 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max. With Apple adopting higher-resolution cameras, always-on displays, and smaller screen cutouts, now called Dynamic Island, there are new features, new technology, and plenty to assess. The new 48-megapixel camera doesn’t translate into dramatic improvements in photography (images and video are still great!), but the new screen cutout implementation is a clever distraction from what was once a divisive notch. Sure, we still use Lightning chargers and, yes, iPhones aren’t for everyone, but there are more tangible changes to this year’s Pro phones. Check out Cherlynn Low’s full review here.
–Mat Smith
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One change makes all the difference
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While the GoPro Hero 11 looks exactly the same as the 10, there are a few additional shooting modes, with SuperView available up to 5K at 60fps and 4K at 120fps. There’s also a new linear mode with 360-degree horizon lock and the ability to record full-frame. The latter is more of a tool to film absolutely everything and then “punch” the aspect ratio you want. The Hero 11 Black costs the same as last year’s flagship: $399.98 with a subscription or $500 without. Check out our full review from Engadget’s James Trew, who put the camera to the test.
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More battery life and a new mount.
DJI wisely returned to an action camera form factor for its third Osmo action camera, addressing overheating and other complaints from users who bought the Action 2. It also introduced features that outperform the Hero 10, such as clip mount magnetic and the , fast charging battery. However, it still doesn’t beat GoPro where it really counts: footage. But it’s a good option for many, particularly at the base price of $329.
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It’s not a year upgrade for most.
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Unlike this year’s Pro model, not much has changed for Apple’s base iPhone. Pour one for the iPhone mini, which sadly didn’t survive more than two years. The iPhone 14 is pretty similar to the iPhone 13, which was very similar to the iPhone 12. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad phone, it’s just a minor upgrade for anyone using an iPhone that’s only two years old. For US readers, the move from SIM cards to eSIMs is probably the biggest change. Apple may have been early in ditching the SIM card tray, but it could give US carriers the push they need to adopt the format. Compare that to the disappearance of the headphone jack.
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The culprit reportedly had a grudge against Mark Zuckerberg.
Northeastern University has been the victim of an unusual technology-related bomb attack. CNN reported that someone sent a bomb-like package to Boston University’s virtual reality lab at Holmes Hall, causing hand injuries to the man who opened the container. The unidentified attacker appears to have a grudge against VR, and Meta in particular. CNN the sources claimed that a “garbled” note on the package criticized Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg as well as links between academia and VR developers.
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The base game won’t cost you a dime after October 18.
Almost exactly eight years after first coming to PC, The Sims 4 go free to play. Starting October 18, publisher EA will not charge you anything to download the base game on Mac, PC, PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. If you’ve already paid for the original release or decide to purchase it before October 17 , the company will also offer some free DLC. However, you will have to pay for all the content of the existing 12 (!) DLC packs.
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But it expects its device experience division to get there by 2030.
Samsung has committed to achieving company-wide net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and will spend KRW 7 trillion ($5 billion) over the next seven and a half years to make that happen. While its plans are likely not as aggressive as those of Microsoft, which has previously promised to be carbon negative by the end of the decade, it plans to bring its device arm to net zero by 2030.
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