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The Morning After: The struggles of Formula 1's underdogs

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Mat Smith
Bureau Chief, UK
·5 min read
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Welcome to your weekend. Work email is off and it's time to enjoy the summer weekend. Maybe that'll include a new pair of wireless noise-canceling headphones from Bose, maybe it'll include applying for some free money from Google. You could also get the inside track on foiling those pesky robo-calls or dream of a future flight into space with Virgin Galactic -- it's just another Engadget week.

"The Walking Dead" and other shows were also forced to pay damages.
'Jimmy Kimmel Live' fined $395,000 for using emergency alert tones

The FCC has just demonstrated that it's not messing around with emergency alerts. The agency fined ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live $395,000 for using the real tones during a skit which mocked the idea of President Trump having access to the system. AMC's The Walking Dead was also fined $104,000 for using an alert tone during a February 19th episode. In total, the FCC said it handed down some $600,000 in civil penalties.

The FCC points out that using such tones is prohibited outside of emergencies, adding that it was a serious public safety concern. "These rules aim to protect the integrity of the alert system by helping to avoid confusion when the tones are used, alert fatigue among listeners and false activation of the EAS by the operative data elements contained in the alert tone," it explained.

You'll have to meet specific criteria to receive a large payout.
Google Pixel owners can claim up to $500 in class action settlement

Google's settlement over faulty Pixel microphones has largely settled, and it's now time to make a claim -- though how much you'll get depends. Google is offering up to $20 to any US resident who bought a Pixel or Pixel XL made before January 4th, 2017 and didn't receive a replacement made after January 3rd of that year (or refurbished after June 5th). That's true whether or not you suffered from the mic flaw. To get any more, though, you'll have to put in more effort.You'll receive $350 if you can prove you were hit by the mic flaw on one phone, or $500 if you dealt with the problem on multiple handsets.

Powerful noise cancellation and more gives Sony better competition.
Bose 700 headphones review: The pursuit of perfection

Bose is no longer at the top of the noise cancelling headphone race, but the 700 is an excellent option with powerful active noise cancellation. However, Billy Steele thinks that Sony's WH-1000XM3 has better overall audio, and arguably better noise cancellation -- all for $100 less. The 700 isn't the best, but it's still really damn good.

Envious of the big display in your friend's Tesla? Sony has a solution for you.
Sony's new receiver makes it easy to install a 9-inch display in your car

Just in time to take advantage of significant Android Auto updates and upcoming CarPlay enhancements in iOS 13, Sony has announced an updated version of its in-car receiver, with a floating touchscreen display. The new 8.95-inch WVGA display is both bigger and requires only a single DIN space to install, making it easier to fit to a wider variety of cars. This new assembly allows the display to tilt, as well as adjust its height and depth. In this way, Sony makes it possible to add a big, spacious display to a car that normally wouldn't have one. Compared to the car touchscreen competition, at $600 it's also pretty cheap.

There are too many devices and protocols.
Smart homes are a broken mess and Nest wants to fix it

Rishi Chandra has a vision for what a smart home should look like in five years. As the lead for Google Nest products, well, it's his job. There are several devices that make up this ecosystem, and therein lies the problem: It's not convenient for the consumer. "There's no one thing I can put in my home and just put in the wall and be like, 'Oh, now it's all smart,'" Chandra said. Individual smart home companies sell bits and pieces of a puzzle, but all that fragmentation creates friction. And it's off-putting for a lot of us.

Backwards compatibility and cross-gen gameplay are also on the agenda.
Microsoft's next-gen Xbox will prioritize high frame rates and fast loading

Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has revealed even more about what's in store for the console, which Microsoft says will be four times as powerful as the Xbox One X.

In an exclusive interview with Gamespot, Spencer said that consistency would be at the top of the agenda for the new console. He wants games loading fast and consistently high frame rates. Crucially, backwards compatibility will play a major role in the console's design -- which is great, but Microsoft's major challenge against PlayStation competition will remain a unique game lineup that players can't get elsewhere.

Changes are coming, but they might not be big enough for teams like Renault.
Formula 1's underdogs struggle with the technical challenges of the sport

As Renault approached the French Grand Prix, a lot was at stake. The race was on the team's home turf, at a make-or-break point in the season. Nobody was panicking. Yet. Despite having won twice in 2018 with Red Bull, new driver Daniel Ricciardo knew what he had signed on for with Renault. The team was ready: It came in with both engine and chassis changes.

But the Paul Ricard circuit at Castellet in France was not the best test for Renault. On a high-speed track that rewarded horsepower and aerodynamic downforce, Mercedes, Ferrari and other rich, top-tier teams dominated. While Hulkenberg finished in the points, he (and nearly all other teams) were literally lapped by Lewis Hamilton. In the end, it was a dull race for the few fans that did attend and another disappointment for Renault. Here's how an upcoming F1 team saw a promising season go so wrong.

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