The Morning After: Elon Musk’s whistle has already sold out
If there’s one thing we should all admire about Elon Musk, it’s his knack for helping folks part with their hard-earned cash. Tesla yesterday launched Cyberwhistle, a $50 whistle designed with the same angular lines as its forthcoming Cybertruck. The company is happy to explain that the Cyberwhistle is a “premium collectible” hewn from medical-grade stainless steel. Sadly, not long after Musk tweeted a link to the sale page, the whistle sold out, but there’s hope another round will be available at some point in the future. Or, if you’re really, desperately in need of one of these, you can find pre-orders being scalped for around $300.
— Dan Cooper
Barnes & Noble releases its first Nook GlowLight e-reader in four years
It’s apparently the first of many new Nooks in the pipeline.
Given how slowly e-reader technology moves, it’s not a massive surprise it’s been four years since Barnes & Noble last touched the GlowLight. The fourth-generation model gets a thinner and lighter body, a USB-C port and 32GB storage, but that’s about it. Most of the spec list, from the month-long battery life to the 6-inch 300DPI e-paper display, remain the same. Plus, the price of $150 puts it a little way beyond the Kindle Paperwhite in terms of cost, but if you want to swerve Amazon and Kobo, this is likely your best bet. B&N CEO James Daunt has also said the company plans to revive the range, so keep a look out for more new Nooks in the coming months.
Urtopia e-bike is basically a computer on wheels
It’s a tech-heavy e-bike from China.
As Engadget’s Editor-at-Large James Trew writes, e-bikes are normally little more than a bike with a motor slapped on the back. Chinese brand Urtopia, however, has decided to make a futuristic rideable with features you’d expect to see on a car. That includes an integrated display, fingerprint reader, GPS, 4G, an integrated alarm and mmWave sensors for nearby vehicle detection.
Sadly, James wasn’t able to try some of those features on the prototype he rode, and control of the lights is voice only, which is problematic when you’re on a busy highway. That said, his overall review was positive, with the light weight, fun riding style and added features putting the gloss on a very good bike. Worth saying, however, is that the Indiegogo pre-order price of $2,000 is likely to skyrocket when the hardware is retail ready, so if you’re eager, dive in soon.
Spotify's 2021 Wrapped is here to chronicle your year in music
With color-coded Audio Auras and a quiz about your listening habits.
It’s December, and that can only mean one thing: Spotify Unwrapped is upon us, allowing us to humblebrag (or not) about our music taste. Fire up the app and you’ll be able to find out your most popular artist, what genres you particularly love and how long you spent listening to tunes this year. You’ll also get an Audio Aura, a color chart explaining what your most listened-to music moods are — I got Melancholy and Energy, which sounds about right for me. At the same time, Spotify has announced the most popular artists on the platform, with Bad Bunny taking the top spot for the second year running.
Microsoft will be required to disclose sexual harassment cases after shareholder vote
Despite the company advocating against the move.
Microsoft investors have passed a resolution requiring the company to publicly report how it handles sexual harassment cases. The tech giant had planned to make some of these details public anyway, but shareholders pushed for more specific disclosures. As a consequence, the Windows maker will also have to offer details about investigations into any executive misconduct. Investors pushed for the rule change after reports emerged concerning co-founder and former CEO Bill Gates’ conduct during his tenure.
The best 2-in-1 laptops you can buy
Bag yourself a hybrid in the run-up to the holidays.
Our Buyer’s Guide has turned its attention to 2-in-1 machines, which operate both as a laptop or tablet when required. Reviews Editor Cherlynn Low cast an expert eye over the market, finding the best equipment for every type of user. We won’t spoil the results, but suffice to say, there’s a big pile of great devices in this list that is sure to delight many. And there’s just about enough time left in the year for you to drop hints to your nearest and dearest about what you want.
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If there’s one thing we should all admire about Elon Musk, it’s his knack for helping folks part with their hard-earned cash. Tesla yesterday launched Cyberwhistle, a $50 whistle designed with the same angular lines as its forthcoming Cybertruck. The company is happy to explain that the Cyberwhistle is a…
