Robot dog maker Boston Dynamics has a new owner

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It's Tuesday, June 22, 2021

If you haven’t already bought a new gaming monitor in the online shopping chaos we like to call Prime Day, Samsung might have something to halt any rash purchases. It unveiled its latest batch of budget Odyssey gaming monitors, including a flat rather than a curved model that can do 4K at 144Hz. Unlike Samsung's curvy G9 and G7 models, the new Odyssey G7 28 (G70) has a flat panel and uses IPS rather than QLED tech, which means it won’t be as bright. With HDMI 2.1 compatibility, it can do 4K resolution at up to 144Hz, so it'll support Sony's PS5 and the Xbox Series X models at 4K 120Hz with room to spare. Alas, Samsung hasn’t offered prices for this, the most interesting model. However, a pair of new 1080p G3 monitors, with 144Hz refresh rates, will land at the start of July.

— Mat Smith

Robot dog maker Boston Dynamics is now owned by Hyundai

Bigger robot plans.

Hyundai has sealed its acquisition of Boston Dynamics as it pushes further into the field of robotics. The Korean carmaker now owns an 80 percent stake in the company known for its commercially available robo-dog, Spot, valuing it at $1.1 billion. Hyundai's grand plan for the company is to create a "robotics value chain" that spans robot component manufacturing, construction and automation. While the company has been exploring Star Wars-style walking vehicles that rely on robotics, it seems it's just as interested in Boston's automated warehouse workers. Continue reading.

The best Amazon Prime Day tech deals you can get right now

From headphones to robot vacuums, these are the gadgets worth buying.

Finding good deals on your own on Amazon will be even harder than usual over the next 24 hours. We've done the hard work of sifting through the plethora of mediocre sales, and there are price reductions on some of the best smartphones, headphones, speakers, laptops, SSDs and robot vacuums. Here are some shortcuts to the best Apple deals and the best deals outside Amazon. Continue reading.

Samsung will show off the new Wear OS experience on June 28th

It'll spill the beans during a Mobile World Congress session.

Samsung is one of the biggest names still taking part in this year's Mobile World Congress (albeit not in-person), and it'll offer our first proper look at what it's been cooking up with Google’s Wear OS. It may not pack the punch of Samsung’s Unpacked events, but if you’re looking for compelling smartwatches beyond Apple, it might be worth your time. Continue reading.

Steven Spielberg will produce movies for Netflix

That doesn’t mean he'll direct any of them, though.

Steven Spielberg's production company, Amblin, has signed a deal with Netflix to make "multiple new feature films per year" for the streaming service. It's a surprise, given some of Spielberg's previous statements about streaming movies. In a 2018 interview, Spielberg voiced opposition to streaming movies being eligible for Academy Awards: "Once you commit to a television format, you're a TV movie."

Amblin has worked with Netflix in the past. It produced The Trial of the Chicago 7, which scooped up six Oscar nominations this year. This deal will cover at least two films a year. Continue reading.

HP Elite Folio laptop review

A costly hodgepodge.

The HP Elite Folio, with its unique leather build and pull-forward touchscreen, is a compelling convertible on paper. There’s also a Wacom stylus and LTE connectivity. According to Reviews Editor Cherlynn Low, it’s still incredibly expensive at $1,889, especially for a Windows on ARM device. Continue reading.