Yahoo Finance The Morning After: Sony's PlayStation 2 turns 20
And it's time to look inside the Galaxy S20 Ultra.
Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.
Even 20 years after PlayStation 2 launched in Japan, everyone probably has their PS2 story. For me, it includes the first time someone set the system up in our dorm room to play Ridge Racer or Madden NFL 2001, but as a dedicated Sega fan, I stuck with my Dreamcast for Sega Rally and the 2K sports games. All that fanboy dedication disappeared a couple of years later, though, when five minutes with Grand Theft Auto: Vice City convinced me this was a system I needed to own.
For Kris Naudus, the PS2's most memorable feature is how it made DVDs mainstream -- and I can remember The Matrix spending as much time in my system as anything else. Since the PS2 debuted four years before this website appeared, we never gave it an official review. To fill the gap, we asked Engadget readers to contribute memories of their own system, which include the places they tucked its slim frame and the game franchises that still stand out today. Take a minute to flip through the reader reviews or contribute some memories your own as we prepare for the dawn of a new PS5/Xbox Series X console era in just a few months.
-- Richard
Apple reportedly warns stores of iPhone replacement shortages
Apple has briefed retail staff that replacement phones will be in short supply, due to the effects of the coronavirus. This could last between two and four weeks. So what if your iPhone no-worky? Geniuses will be able to offer short-term iPhone loans -- but these won't be new replacement devices.
Galaxy S20 Ultra teardown shows what's inside that giant camera bump
If you've wondered exactly what is inside that bulging camera lump on Samsung's Galaxy S20 Ultra, the teardown pros at iFixit are in the best position to show you. The 108-megapixel primary camera by itself is huge -- the sensor covers twice the surface area of the 12-megapixel unit in the iPhone 11 series. The periscope-like zoom camera, meanwhile, needs a lot of space for its unusual lateral design, including optical image stabilization just for the prism. Check it all out, including a video, right here.
Valve will sell more Index VR headsets on March 9th
The first new Half-Life game in years launches March 23rd, and it's built as a virtual reality showcase. However, as if the expensive headsets weren't hard enough to get, the coronavirus outbreak has affected production, and Valve says it will have fewer Index headsets to sell than expected.
They've been sold out for months, but the stock that is available will go on sale March 9th at 1 PM ET. A full setup will cost around $1,000 (on top of a well-equipped PC), but cheaper options like the Oculus Rift S can work in a pinch.
Ex-Waymo engineer Levandowski ordered to pay Google $179 million
A court has ordered Anthony Levandowski -- once a pioneer of Google's self-driving projects -- to pay the tech giant $179 million to end a contract dispute. Their relationship turned sour after Levandowski left Google, and the company accused him of poaching talent and stealing trade secrets to start a new venture.
Levandowski's new company was later acquired by Uber, igniting a court battle between the two corporations. Google accused the ride-hailing titan of colluding with him to steal secrets from Waymo before he left. This particular case, however, only addresses Google's contract dispute complaint with the engineer.
Levandowski has filed for bankruptcy to be able to negotiate these debts, telling the court he only has $50 million to $100 million in estimated assets -- the struggle is real. This isn't enough to pay off between $100 million and $500 million in liabilities, however.
Tesla is using older hardware in Chinese Model 3 cars because of supply issues
It's not just replacement iPhones. Supply constraints have forced Tesla to install its older chipset in Tesla Model 3s made in China. Those new car owners are missing out: the new chip is up to 21 times faster at processing images; it's a chip that Tesla built from the ground up to handle autonomous driving tasks. Tesla has subsequently apologized for the decision and said it will offer free upgrades to affected Model 3 owners once supplies free up.
Scientists create bendable concrete that could better withstand earthquakes
Instead of traditional Portland cement, this new concrete incorporates fly ash, which is a byproduct of burning coal for power. According to Dr. Behzad Nematollahi, one of the researchers who developed the material, it's 400 times more bendable than regular concrete, making it ideal for use in places where earthquakes are frequent. Click here to see some flexible concrete action.
But wait, there's more...
SETI@Home ends its crowdsourced search for alien life after 21 years
GM's cheaper, adaptable Ultium batteries are key to its EV future
'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare' has a $10 Tamagotchi that's hungry for kills
Drones can navigate like bats with echolocation using four mics and a speaker
'Castlevania: Symphony of the Night' unexpectedly arrives on Android and iOS for $3
The Morning After is a new daily newsletter from Engadget designed to help you fight off FOMO. Who knows what you'll miss if you don't Subscribe.
Craving even more? Like us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter.
Have a suggestion on how we can improve The Morning After? Send us a note.
