Month: August 2019

Enlarge / President Donald Trump speaks to supporters at a rally in Manchester on August 15, 2019 in Manchester, New Hampshire.

On Thursday evening, President Donald Trump spoke at a MAGA rally in New Hampshire. The president touched on his usual themes, such as immigration and guns, but he also spent two minutes talking about space—a subject he is interested in, and has held several Oval Office events around.

“We’re investing in the future of human spaceflight," the president said, prefacing his off-the-cuff remarks on spaceflight. "And some day soon American astronauts will plant the stars and stripes on the surface of Mars."

Trump never mentioned the Moon, or his administration's lunar program, during this comment or in any of his subsequent remarks Thursday night. This is notable, because the signature human spaceflight initiative of his administration is the Artemis Program, an attempt to accelerate a human return to the Moon by 2024. The closest Trump came to acknowledging the Moon program was saying, "NASA has some of the greatest plans we’ve ever had. These are great people, great scientists."

Apple revealed the iPhone XS at a similar event on September 12, 2018. (credit: Valentina Palladino)

Apple released the seventh beta of iOS 13 today, and that release contained image files that seem to indicate that Apple will hold its next big iPhone unveiling event on September 10, 2019.

A screenshot of iOS in the beta labeled "HoldForRelease" was originally found by iHelpBR but shared on MacRumors and elsewhere. The image includes an iOS Calendar app icon that says September 10 on it. A similar screenshot was found saying September 12 shortly before Apple's iPhone unveiling event last year. That event was held on—you guessed it—September 12. Also this time around, versions of the image with the date on them were found depicting both the iPhone and iPad interfaces.

Of course, this date was likely anyway. The current incarnation of Apple almost always holds its iPhone event around the same time each September. The event is commonly in the second week of September and usually on a Tuesday. Last year's event was on a Wednesday presumably because the Tuesday fell on September 11. (It was Tuesday, September 12 in 2017.)

Cortana integration lets Windows Phone users speak to the new Band.

A wave of privacy scandals has led several major companies to end or pause their programs for human reviews of voice recordings. But Microsoft has bucked the trend.

Last week, a whistleblower went to the press to reveal that Microsoft relied on employees and contractors to review recordings made by its Skype Translator call platform and its Cortana voice assistant. The company had documentation informing users that audio recorded by its services might be reviewed to improve systems for language processing, but there was no explicit mention that the reviews would be done by humans.

In response to the outcry, Microsoft has revised its privacy policy, FAQs, and other language to clarify that there are people who will listen to captured audio. The company's privacy policy now states that "Our processing of personal data for these purposes includes both automated and manual (human) methods of processing." The FAQ pages for Skype Translator and Cortana have also been updated to explain that Microsoft employees or contractors might transcribe and review recordings. Both FAQs note the privacy protections Microsoft has for those activities, which it also presented when the initial reports about its review program were published.

Enlarge / Here they come, all together in a streaming bundle. (credit: Disney / Sam Machkovech)

Disney and Charter Communications are teaming up to fight account sharing in an attempt to prevent multiple people from using a single account to access streaming video services.

The battle against account sharing was announced as Disney and the nation's second-biggest cable company struck a new distribution agreement involving Disney's Hulu, ESPN+, and the forthcoming Disney+. Customers could still buy those online services directly from Disney, but the new deal would also let them make those purchases through Charter's Spectrum TV service.

If you buy a Disney service through Charter, be aware that the companies will work together to prevent you from sharing a login with friends. Disney and Charter said in their announcement yesterday that they have "agreed to work together on piracy mitigation. The two companies will work together to implement business rules and techniques to address such issues as unauthorized access and password sharing."

Enlarge (credit: Ars Technica)

Greetings, Arsians! The Dealmaster is back with a new round of deals to share. Today's list includes $100 off the 128GB variant of Apple's 9.7-inch iPad, about $200 off Google's Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL phones, and a good $129 price—provided you're OK going wired—on Bose's old-but-still-great QuietComfort 25 noise-cancelling headphones. Beyond that, we've got a number of discounts on charging accessories from Anker, a couple of deals on Vizio's newest M-Series Quantum 4K TVs, and a good price on an Xbox One S bundle that includes copies of The Division 2 and Madden NFL 20. As always, there's plenty more beyond that, so have a look at the full rundown below.

Note: Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through affiliate programs.

Top 10 deals of the day

• Anker PowerDrive 2 USB car charger - 24W, 2x USB-A for $6.39 at Amazon (clip 20% coupon - normally $9.99).
• 9.7-inch Apple iPad (128GB) for $329 at Walmart (normally $399).
• WD Elements (4TB) external desktop HDD for $77.84 at Amazon (normally $89.99).
• TP-Link Archer A7 (refurb) AC1750 dual-band WiFi router for $29.99 at B&H (normally $44.99).
• Aukey DR02 dash cam - 1080p, 170-degree for $49.69 at Amazon (use code: VQ2A8HNE - normally $69.99).
• Google Pixel 3 (64GB, unlocked) for $499.99 at Amazon and Google Store (normally $699.99).
• Bose QuietComfort 25 wired noise-cancelling headphones for $129 at Amazon (normally $179).
• Anker PowerCore 10000 PD portable battery - 10,000 mAh, 28W, 18W USB-C PD for $29.99 at Amazon (use code: ANKERPD335 - normally $45.99).
• SteelSeries QcK mouse pad - XXL, Thick for $19.99 at Amazon (normally $29.99).
• 55-inch Vizio M558-G1 M-Series Quantum 4K HDR LED TV + $200 Dell eGift card for $599.99 at Dell (normally $799.99).

Laptop and desktop PC deals

• Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (7th-gen) laptop - Intel Core i5-8265U, 14-inch 1080p, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD for $1,148.95 at Lenovo (use code: THINKBIGSALE - normally $1,599.99).
• Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga (4th gen) 2-in-1 laptop - Intel Core i5-8265U, 14-inch 1080p, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD for $1,253.45 at Lenovo (use code: THINKBIGSALE - normally $1,749.99).
• Acer Aspire 5 (A515-51-523X) laptop - Intel Core i5-8250U, 15.6-inch 1080p, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD for $399 at Walmart (normally $529).
• Apple MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (2019) laptop - Intel Core i9-9880H, 15.4-inch 2880×1800, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Radeon Pro 560X for $2,499.99 at Amazon (normally $2,699.99).

Video game deals

• Buy one, get one at 50% off for various games at Amazon (discount applies to lowest-cost item).
• PS Plus only: Marvel's Spider-Man (PS4) for $15.99 at PlayStation Store (normally $24.99).
• Valkyria Chronicles (Switch) for $11.99 at Nintendo eShop (normally $19.99).
• Mega Man 11 (Switch) for $14.97 at GameStop (normally $24.99).
• Judgment (PS4) for $39.99 at Walmart and Amazon (normally $59.99).
• Store pickup only: Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (Switch) + Starlink: Battle for Atlas Starter Pack (Switch) for $30 at Best Buy (normally $54.99).
• Pre-order: Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition (Switch) for $49.94 at Walmart and Amazon (normally $59.99).

Gaming deals

• Microsoft Xbox One S (1TB) + Madden NFL 20 + The Division 2 for $229.99 at Newegg (normally $299.99).
• PowerA Wireless GameCube Style Controller for Nintendo Switch for $36.99 at Walmart and Amazon (normally $49.99).
• Sony PlayStation Plus 1-year membership card for $39.99 at eBay (normally $49.99).
• HyperX ChargePlay Quad Nintendo Switch Joy-Con charger for $14.99 at Amazon (normally $29.99).
• SteelSeries Sensei 310 gaming mouse for $34.99 at Amazon (normally $49.99).
• Razer BlackWidow TE Chroma V2 mechanical gaming keyboard - Razer Green for $89.99 at Amazon (normally $129.99).
• Cooler Master CK530 mechanical gaming keyboard - TKL, Cherry MX Blue/Brown/Red for $60 at Cooler Master (normally $69.99)

TV and home entertainment deals

• 55-inch Vizio M558-G1 M-Series Quantum 4K HDR LED TV + $200 Dell eGift card for $599.99 at Dell (normally $799.99).
• 50-inch Vizio M507-G1 M-Series Quantum 4K HDR LED TV for $369.99 at Google Express (normally $449.99).
• 49-inch TCL 49S517 4K LED Roku TV for $299.99 at Walmart (normally $319.99).
• 50-inch Samsung NU6900 4K LED TV for $327.99 at Walmart (normally $399.99).
• Amazon Fire TV Recast (500GB) over-the-air DVR for $129.99 at Google Express (normally $229.99).
• Roku TV Wireless Speakers (for Roku TVs only) for $149.99 at Roku (normally $199.99).

Electronics deals

• WD Elements (4TB) external desktop HDD for $77.84 at Amazon (normally $89.99).
• Anker Soundcore Liberty Neo true wireless earbuds for $39.99 at Amazon (normally $49.99).
• TP-Link Archer A7 (refurb) AC1750 dual-band WiFi router for $29.99 at B&H (normally $44.99).
• Aukey DR02 dash cam - 1080p, 170-degree for $49.69 at Amazon (use code: VQ2A8HNE - normally $69.99).
• Apple Watch Series 3 (38mm, White, GPS + Cellular) for $229 at Walmart (normally $299.99).
• Apple Watch Series 4 (40mm, GPS) for $349 at Amazon (normally $399).
• 10.5-inch Apple iPad Air (256GB) for $599 at Walmart and Amazon (normally $629).
• 9.7-inch Apple iPad (128GB) for $329 at Walmart (normally $399).
• Google Pixel 3 (64GB, unlocked) for $499.99 at Amazon and Google Store (normally $699.99).
• Google Pixel 3 XL (64GB, unlocked) for $599.99 at Amazon and Google Store (normally $799.99).
• Bose QuietComfort 25 wired noise-cancelling headphones for $129 at Amazon (normally $179).
• Bose SoundLink Micro portable Bluetooth speaker for $79 at Amazon (normally $99).
• Bose SoundSport wired sports earphones for $39 at Walmart (normally $49.95).
• Anker Soundcore Spirit X Bluetooth sports earphones for $21.99 at Amazon (normally $35.99).
• V-Moda Crossfade Wireless Bluetooth headphones for $99.99 at Amazon (normally $139.99).
• Garmin Vivosmart 4 fitness tracker for $99.99 at Walmart and Amazon (normally $129.99).
• Netgear Arlo Q (2-pack) wired indoor security camera - 1080p for $227.99 at Amazon (normally $269.99).
• Ecobee 4 (2-pack) smart thermostat for $299 at Home Depot (normally $399.99).
• Audio-Technica AT-LP120-USB USB turntable for $229 at Amazon (normally $299).

Accessories deals

• SanDisk Extreme Plus (128GB, 2-pack) microSDXC card for $39.99 at Costco (backordered - normally $84.99).
• SteelSeries QcK mouse pad - XXL, Thick for $19.99 at Amazon (normally $29.99).
• Anker PowerDrive 2 USB car charger - 24W, 2x USB-A for $6.39 at Amazon (clip 20% coupon - normally $9.99).
• Anker PowerLine II USB-C to Lightning Cable (3ft) - MFi-certified for $11.99 at Amazon (use code: ANPL2CL3 - normally $17.99).
• Anker Powerline II USB-C to Lightning cable (6ft) - MFi-certified for $15.99 at Amazon (use code: ANPL2CL6 - normally $19.99).
• Anker Roav SmartCharge F0 Bluetooth FM transmitter and car charger - 2x USB-A for $11.79 at Amazon (clip $2 coupon - normally $16.99).
• Anker PowerCore 10000 PD portable battery - 10,000 mAh, 28W, 18W USB-C PD for $29.99 at Amazon (use code: ANKERPD335 - normally $45.99).
• Anker Alkaline AAA batteries (48-pack) for $11.99 at Amazon (clip 20% coupon - normally $18.99).