Technology - Google News

Google TV update adds option to manually clear out ‘Continue watching’ row - The Verge
Peloton launches its first exercise game for connected bike owners - Engadget
Sony's New Home Theater Speakers Are Beefy and Ridiculously Expensive - Gizmodo

Google TV update adds option to manually clear out ‘Continue watching’ row - The Verge

Posted: 20 Jul 2021 03:13 AM PDT

Google TV, the new smart TV interface that debuted on Google's most recent Chromecast, appears to be getting a small but important tweak for its "Continue watching" row. Over on Reddit (via 9to5Google) user u/Alfatango97 has spotted a new option to manually hide entries from the row, which is designed to let viewers quickly jump back into unfinished TV shows or films.

When it works, the Continue watching row is a convenient way pick up from where viewing was interrupted. But occasionally it can get cluttered with content you started watching and have no intention of finishing, or content that's finished but whose credits are so long that it still shows up as in-progress. Being able to manually clear out the row should make it easier to see the shows and films you actually want to finish.

It's the latest example of Google's two TV interfaces — Android TV and Google TV — slowly converging. 9to5Google notes that the ability to manually prune titles from the "continue watching" list has been possible in Android TV for a while, it's just now shifting over to Google TV. Meanwhile, Android TV has received a series of updates that have made it look and perform more and more like Google TV. The convergence seems inevitable given that Google TV is set to replace Android TV over the next two years.

9to5Google notes that the feature is yet to widely roll out. We've contacted Google to ask when it's due to be available to everyone, and will update this article if we hear back.

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Peloton launches its first exercise game for connected bike owners - Engadget

Posted: 20 Jul 2021 02:09 AM PDT

Ring Fit Adventure for the Switch was a reminder that people like gamified workouts. Now, Peloton is jumping in to the arena with its first fitness game titled "Lanebreak." The rhythm-based game is available on the fitness company's stationary bikes and has a simple setup: Players control a rolling tire on a track by pedalling and switching lanes with the resistance knob in the face of multiple obstacles. This being Peloton, the entire game is synchronized to a music soundtrack. It will all look very familiar to anyone who's played procedurally-generated music racer Audiosurf.

Lanebreak is the culmination of months of trials that saw select users playing mini games in two-week pilots. The idea is to export some of the core mechanics of gaming, chiefly rewards and progression, to incentivize Peloton members to exercise more. Music, according to Peloton, acts as the DNA that links its regular exercise classes with its new game in a bid to acclimatize novice players. For now, Lanebreak is still in early access mode with a full launch planned for this winter.

The challenge is that there are plenty of fitness gaming rivals in the wild, though few have the brand recognition to match Peloton. Zwift, for instance, offers an app with multiplayer cycling and running in a virtual world that users can interact with using their personal treadmill or bike trainer. While VR workout software Supernatural transports you to exotic settings for its Beat Saber-style routines.

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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Sony's New Home Theater Speakers Are Beefy and Ridiculously Expensive - Gizmodo

Posted: 20 Jul 2021 07:00 AM PDT

The Sony HT-A9 home theater speaker system

Sony did not come to play this summer. After launching four new speakers in May, the company is now revamping its home theater lineup with the HT-A9, a new modular system, and the HT-A7000, an incredibly beefy Dolby Atmos soundbar. The kicker: They cost $1,800 and $1,300, respectively.

To be fair, the HT-A9 sports four wireless speakers that feature Sony's 360 Spatial Sound Mapping (SSM) and a small Apple TV-sized control box. During a press briefing, Sony explained the idea behind the A9 is to appeal to folks who want a home theater but aren't keen on a soundbar or complicated setups. You can pretty much see that in the design, which looks like it blends easier into your decor than the typical boxy black speaker. The four speakers are identical in terms of specs. Each has a dual microphone setup, X-Balanced speaker drivers for enhanced bass and sound pressure, and a new Wide Directivity Woofer. Sony claims they can automatically calibrate to any room—meaning they don't need to have a particular placement to create an immersive experience. The company also says the A9 is capable of creating a much broader sound field due to its SSM tech. Specifically, Sony claims the four speakers can create up to 12 "phantom" speakers, leading to an effect where it feels like a sound is "coming from beyond the wall."

The HT-A7000 is Sony's new flagship soundbar, replacing the ST-5000. Despite being a single soundbar, Sony says this can serve as a 7.1.2 system, because it has two up-firing speakers to mimic overhead sound, two beam tweeters, five front speakers, and a built-in dual subwoofer. This also has the same auto-calibration feature as the A9—the first for a Sony soundbar—and supports 360 Reality Audio.

A thing to note: With the A7000 you're getting simulated height. We found Sony's simulated surround sound tech to be pretty good with its HT-G700 soundbar, but it's definitely not going to beat out ceiling speakers or having rear speakers. That said, the A7000 is a buildable system, and you have the option to buy compatible subwoofers and rear speakers over time. Many home theater systems already come with a fixed set of speakers. It's convenient, but can also be intimidating to anyone just starting out. However, the optional speakers are also pricey. The $700 SA-SW5 is a wireless sub that focuses on bass with a 180mm driver and passive radiator, while the $400 SA-SW3 has a more compact 160mm driver. Meanwhile, the$350 SA-RS3s are 100W rear speakers that are also wall mountable.

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The HT-A7000 with the optional subwoofer and rear speakers

Both the A9 and A7000 support high-resolution formats, like Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision and DTS:X, HDMI 2.1, eARC, and 8K and 4K at 120fps. New this time around is that both can also be used with Sony Bravia TVs (X95 or later). Basically, you can control settings from the TV itself, as well as turn your TV into the center channel via a 3.5mm cable. In that scenario, the A7000 would focus on background noises, while the TV itself would handle things like dialogue. Both are also compatible with Google Assistant, Alexa, Spotify, Chromecast, and, in a first, Apple AirPlay 2.

The HT-A9, HT-A7000, and the optional subwoofers and rears will all be available sometime in September or October this year at authorized dealers.

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