More Gadgets From Our Google Overlords

Nest Audio, Chromecast, Google TV, and Pixel 5G, oh my!

OCTOBER 1, 2020 Everything worth knowing in tech today, October 1, 2020. It's a new month and a new excuse to grab a pumpkin spice latte. Drink up!     ⏰ Today's Big Stories... in 30 Seconds Today We Watched, Read, and Listened to (so you don't have to): 387 articles, 9 podcasts, 10 press releases, 471 tweets, and 8 YouTube videos 1. Google Announces a Ton of New Stuff At yesterday's "Launch In Night" event, Google showed off its new Chromecast (complete with cute little remote and Google TV), a new large smart speaker (Nest Audio), and new 5G-capable Pixels. More is more, right? 2. FCC Adds More Protections from Robocalls Sick of robocalls? Who isn't? Luckily, the FCC just  announced more rules to help ensure you get less of them. Which is pretty great considering it's election time in the US. Less is more, right? 3. Instagram Gets Messenger Capability  The Facebook-owned photo-sharing service will soon get Facebook Messenger-style features, letting you message, call, and watch together from Insta as well as Facebook. It's like one converged app to rule them all (yikes). 🦑 Go Deeper   Automated systems that rely on AI to manage users seem like they'd be super useful, but like anything else coded, they tend to show the creators' own biases. Brandon Sams has a deeper look at how the age-restriction systems at YouTube tend to shut down LGBTQ+ voices.      🎱 By the Numbers Still a ways to go, FCC Data: Counterpoint The original Pallone-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act (TRACED Act) gave the FCC the power to fight illegal robocalls in December of 2019. Here's hoping they get a little better at it soon. 🤓 Nerd Out "Always save your manuals, kids." - Kyree Leary, Associate News Editor Researchers have been unable to fully understand the Zuse Z4—considered the world's oldest working digital computer—due to its missing manual. That all changed this year when ETH Zurich archivist Evelyn Boesch discovered it among her father's documents. (Share on Twitter) 💎 You Know You Want It  Put your boxes in a tougher box Image: Anker Sick of worrying about how exposed your UPS deliveries are? Anker knows how you feel, which is why it's making the SmartDrop mailbox. Made from carbon steel, it has a built-in 1080p camera, motion detection, a keypad lock, and voice recognition. Never lose another package again (hopefully). 🎮Up-Down-A-B-Start Faster than ever The Xbox One Series X is a little over a month away, but do we really need new consoles right now? Well, if its power, silence, and SSD-enhanced quick load times are any indication: we might.     🗞 Extra! Extra! We've got you covered with the best in daily tech news! See the latest on our site or follow us on Google News. Did someone forward this to you? Sign up here. Have something you'd like us to write about? We're always open for suggestions. You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Tech Today newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here .   Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. A Dotdash Brand 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor, New York, NY, 10036 2020 Dotdash • All rights reserved. Privacy Policy.   [View in Browser]