Brian Heater
Hardware Editor
The Latest from Brian Heater
Carbon will print parts for Lamborghini’s Sián FKP 37 hybrid sports car
Carbon today announced the expansion of its partnership with Lamborghini. The white-hot 3D-printing startup will manufacture central and lateral dashboard air vents for the carmaker’s Sián FKP hybr
Verizon’s 5G comes to (parts of) Los Angeles
The clock is ticking on Verizon’s plans to bring 5G to 30 cities. Short of an actual Christmas miracle, things are looking rough. On the upside, the carrier (and, disclosure, parent of TechCrunch) j
Intel buys AI chipmaker Habana for $2 billion
Intel this morning issued a statement noting that it has picked up Israeli AI chipmaker Habana Labs. The deal, valued at around $2 billion, is the latest piece of some hefty investments in artificial
RCS messaging has rolled out to Android users in the US
Here’s a nice little surprise for Android users this weekend. It seems that Google’s plans to roll out Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging is slightly ahead of schedule. The company announ
Spotify spent a lot of money on podcasting, so it wants you to start listening, please
Listen. Spotify’s tired of screwing around here. The company spent a lot of money on podcasts. Like, a lot a lot. And it really needs you to start listening to things, because it’s almost certain
Fortnite gets lightsabers, courtesy of ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ promo
The final installment of the sequel trilogy is getting a lot of creative promotion — even by Star Wars standards. With The Rise of Skywalker out in just under a week, J.J. Abrams (and some spotty se
Let’s talk Samsung Galaxy S11
We’ve officially entered the mid-December hardware doldrums. Obviously no major hardware maker in its right mind is going to be announcing anything major in the next few weeks, for fear of preemptiv
Wearable band shipments grew globally, driven by Xiaomi
Apple may dominate the wearable conversation here in the States, but things look a fair bit different on the other side of the world. In Asia, Xiaomi is the giant in the room. According to new numbers
Consumer sous vide startup Nomiku is winding down operations
Founded in 2012, Nomiku became a plucky Silicon Valley darling by bringing affordable sous vide cooking to home kitchens. A Kickstarter project that same year generated $750,000, several times its $20
Xbox Series X is Microsoft’s next-gen console, arriving late-2020
If you didn’t watch last night’s Game Awards, you may have missed it. But Xbox Series X is the company’s next-generation console, and will be arriving in late 2020. Thankfully, Microsoft h
Carbon’s new CEO discusses local manufacturing, funding and a potential IPO
Last month, Carbon announced its first new CEO in the company’s history. With $260 million worth of investments and a $2.5 billion, it’s a big job. But Carbon’s 500-person headcount is small pot
Interpreter, Google’s real-time translator, comes to mobile
After rolling out on smart speakers and displays earlier this year, Google’s interpreter real-time translation mode is finally landing on mobile. A far more handy application for such functionality,
Arcona uses machine learning to compose adaptive soundtracks in real time
Arcona Music took to the stage at Disrupt Berlin today to showcase its adaptive music service. The local startup utilizes machine learning to create musical beds capable of adapting to different conte
Intel’s latest RealSense lidar camera is designed for inventory logistics
Intel today introduced the latest addition to its RealSense line. The L515 is roughly the size of a tennis ball, targeted specifically for warehouse logistics — a hugely important and increasingly a
The vast majority of US consumers aren’t spending $1,000+ on phones
Pricing in the smartphone wars has taken a sharp turn in recent years on the premium end of the spectrum. Ever since the arrival of the iPhone X, flagship devices have often arrived in excess of $1,00
Google Assistant gets a customized alarm based on weather and time
Alarm clocks were one of the most obvious implementations since the introduction of the smart screen. Devices like Lenovo’s Smart Clock and the Amazon Echo Show 5 have demonstrated some interesting
Google Assistant gets a customized alarm, based on weather and time
Alarm clocks were one of the most obvious implementations since the introduction of the smart screen. Devices like Lenovo’s Smart Clock and the Amazon Echo Show 5 have demonstrated some interesting
Watch experts discuss the future of construction at TC Sessions: Robotics+AI
The next big thing in robotics and automation just might be construction. Technology has already revolutionized manufacturing and logistics, and now a number of well-funded startups are looking to do
Fourteen attorneys general will challenge T-Mobile and Sprint merger in court this week
After months of statements, the biggest challenge yet to T-Mobile and Sprint’s proposed merger kicks off today in a Manhattan court. The trial is the result of pushback from a coalition of attorneys
Google’s Pixels get a ‘feature drop’ with call screen and camera enhancements
Google this morning announced the arrival of its first “feature drop.” The new offering will continue the company’s regular feature enhancements, now arriving every month like clockwork. This fi