What is Android Auto and what can it do?

<img width="1200" height="800" src="https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/android-1-1200×800.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Android Auto infotainment system" loading="lazy" style="margin: auto;margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%" data-attachment-id="710722" data-permalink="https://www.slashgear.com/what-is-android-auto-and-what-can-it-do-06710719/android-1-2/" data-orig-file="https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/android-1.jpg" data-orig-size="1440,960" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="android-1" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="

Gabriel Nica/Shutterstock

” data-medium-file=”https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/android-1-1080×720.jpg” data-large-file=”https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/android-1-1200×800.jpg” />Android may be the most popular smartphone operating system (OS) in the world, but its utility goes far beyond just phones. In a market where smartphones have replaced many standalone services, including dedicated GPS devices, Android can be a powerful option for in-vehicle navigation, music, and more. Distracted driving has become a major problem, with the National Highway Traffic Safety … Continue reading

Legendary Indian Singer Lata Mangeshkar Dies At 92

The “Nightingale of India” had a prolific, groundbreaking catalog spanning nearly eight decades and a voice known by more than a billion people in South Asia.

Yelp reveals pandemic mandates fueled review bombing in 2021

<img width="1200" height="800" src="https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/yelp-1200×800.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Yelp on phone and computer browser" loading="lazy" style="margin: auto;margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%" data-attachment-id="710707" data-permalink="https://www.slashgear.com/yelp-reveals-pandemic-mandates-fueled-review-bombing-in-2021-06710705/yelp-6/" data-orig-file="https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/yelp.jpg" data-orig-size="1440,960" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="yelp" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="

Postmodern Studio/Shutterstock

” data-medium-file=”https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/yelp-1080×720.jpg” data-large-file=”https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/yelp-1200×800.jpg” />Yelp has released its Trust & Safety Report for 2021, and the information it contains shines a spotlight on the challenges businesses are facing going into the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yelp is one of the main destinations on the internet for finding reviews of local businesses and restaurants. Users can give companies a star rating, as well … Continue reading

Stormtrooper Bookends: Hopefully Better at Holding Books Than Aiming

Because if they can’t hit the broad side of a barn with their blasters, they should at least be good at something; these are the Stormtrooper Bookends made by Nemesis Now and available on Amazon (affiliate link). Congratulations, you two; based on your inability to hit even a single rebel on Endor, you’re on book detail from now on. Try not to screw this up too, or it’s the garbage compactor for you.

The officially licensed bookends are cast in resin, hand-painted, and stand approximately 7.5″ tall. They feature the likeness of two stormtroopers trying their hardest to keep your books upright and avoid the inevitable Force choke from Vader if they fail. That’s a lot of pressure.

I think these stormtroopers will compliment your existing AT-AT bookends nicely. And you do already own a set of those, right? Who doesn’t? Granted, I don’t own any books and use them as napkin holders, but I’ve always been more of an eater than a reader.

[via DudeIWantThat]

US carriers ask the FCC for $5.6 billion to replace Huawei and ZTE equipment

The price of removing Chinese equipment from American wireless networks is likely to cost more than the government had anticipated. According to Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, US carriers have requested approximately $5.6 billion in reimbursements to “rip and replace” their existing Huawei and ZTE infrastructure.

In 2019, the FCC voted unanimously to ban US carriers from using the Universal Service Fund to subsidize the cost of purchasing networking equipment from companies deemed a “national security threat.” The first two firms the agency added to that list were Huawei and ZTE. In 2020, former President Donald Trump signed the Secure and Trusted Telecommunications Networks Act, mandating that carriers replace equipment from the two manufacturers.

That same year, the FCC established a program to reimburse smaller telecom operators for replacing equipment the law had deemed a risk to national security. At the time, the agency estimated it would cost carriers more than $1.8 billion to comply with the order, and it subsequently set aside $1.9 billion to cover reimbursements.

“While we have more work to do to review these applications, I look forward to working with Congress to ensure that there is enough funding available for this program to advance Congress’s security goals and ensure that America will continue to lead the way on 5G security,” Rosenworcel said.

US carriers sent 181 applications to the FCC for funding support before the filing window closed on January 28th, 2022. As things stand, the agency only has enough money to grant about a third of all the requests it received.

Dem Sen. Manchin Endorses GOP Sen. Murkowski In Joint Interview

The Alaska Republican, who has been at odds with members of her party, said she would similarly endorse the West Virginia Democrat if he seeks reelection.

Meta adds VR “Personal Boundary” after harassment claims

<img width="1280" height="721" src="https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/boundary-main-1280×721.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Meta's VR personal boundary feature" loading="lazy" style="margin: auto;margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%" data-attachment-id="710700" data-permalink="https://www.slashgear.com/meta-adds-vr-personal-boundary-after-harassment-claims-06710696/boundary-main/" data-orig-file="https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/boundary-main.jpg" data-orig-size="1440,811" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="boundary-main" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="

Meta

” data-medium-file=”https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/boundary-main-1278×720.jpg” data-large-file=”https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/boundary-main-1280×721.jpg” />Meta can’t seem to keep out of the headlines these days, and usually for all the wrong reasons. Last week, the company was in the news after its stocks were mauled by investors who reacted with horror at billions of dollars lost in pursuing its metaverse dream. Meta’s Reality Labs bled over $10 billion, which resulted in more than $225 … Continue reading

Amazon’s second-gen Echo Show 8 is back on sale for $90

We’ve seen Amazon discount its second-generation Echo Show 8 on a handful of occasions over the past few months. But for the first time since Black Friday, you can buy the smart display for $90. That’s a $40 savings over the device’s regular price of $130.

Buy Echo Show 8 at Amazon – $90Buy Echo speaker at Amazon – $80Buy Echo Buds at Amazon – $80

We gave the second-gen Echo Show 8 a score of 87 when we reviewed it last year. We praised Amazon’s smart display for its elegant minimalist design, vibrant 1,280 x 800 resolution display and handy video calling functionality. It has a digital pan-and-zoom face-tracking feature that can follow you while you move around, ensuring you’re always in frame. What’s more, that tool works with every video calling platform available for the device, including Skype and Zoom. Another thing we like about the Echo Show 8 is that it comes with stereo speakers, making it sound much better than the Echo Show 5 with its single mono speaker.

If you’re not in the market for a smart display, Amazon has discounted some of its other devices as well. You can currently pick up the company’s 4th-generation Echo speaker for $80, instead of $100 as it’s usually priced. The second-generation Echo Buds are also on sale. They’re currently $80, down from $120. Neither of those price tags represents an all-time low for their respective device, but they’re decent deals all the same. We’ll also note here Amazon has discounted the Kindle Paperwhite and Fire TV Cube in related sales.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Top Biden Aide Says Russia Could Invade Ukraine ‘Any Day’

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the conflict would come at an “enormous human cost to Ukraine.”

Google Chrome’s New Icon Looks Pretty Much the Same to my Untrained Eyes

Let me start this off by saying that I am not a designer. I have no problem admitting that my eyes are not nearly as well trained as those of the very qualified and brilliant people who work in this area. Nonetheless, I think I can speak for more than one person when I say that I really don’t see much of a difference…

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