⚡ Welcome to the Weekly Authority, the  Android Authority newsletter that breaks down the top Android and tech news from the week. The 226th edition here, with everything from CES 2023, a hands-on look at the Pixel 7a, the OnePlus 11 launch, some of the biggest video game releases this month, and more.

🤯 It’s the first Weekly Authority of 2023, and I started the year by watching Noah Baumbach’s latest movie, White Noise. If anybody can explain to me what on earth it is about, I’d be most grateful…

The new year is a great time to think about changing your cell phone carrier, but with so many providers and plans out there to choose from, it feels like a bit of a minefield! That brings us nicely to our sponsor this week.

This week’s newsletter is sponsored by Boost Mobile. 

If you’ve been thinking of getting away from your prepaid cell and you’re looking for a great deal, Boost is the answer. Not only is Boost the newest postpaid carrier in the market, but it’s also the first to boast its very own 5G network with superfast speeds. Right now you can get your first month of 5GB 5G/4G LTE Data for $0.99, with 2-day shipping for just $5*. This offer includes a free SIM plus mobile hotspot and works on most unlocked GSM phones, with unlimited talk and text. After your first month, you’ll pay $25/month forever, which means no more worries about future price hikes. There are no activation fees or hidden charges, so Boost is the last phone plan you’ll ever need.

* Applies to new customers — this deal is only available online

Sounds pretty good to us!

Sound good to you too? Sign up today by clicking the link below:

Popular news this week

Google:

• Leaked video may give us our first hands-on look at the Pixel 7a, and it looks a lot like the current Pixel 7 lineup, with a matte camera visor, flat screen, and physical buttons on the right side. The biggest reveal is a refresh rate bump to 90Hz, plus higher-end features like the Tensor G2 chip, upgraded cameras, and wireless charging.
• The Pixel’s January software update has broken auto Bluetooth pairing for some.
• Google’s huge Vegas billboard tells Apple to stop dropping the ball.
• And Google’s bringing Android support to RISC-V, and that’s a big deal.

Samsung:

• Leaked press renders of the Galaxy S23 series colors show green, pink, and more.
• Samsung Galaxy A54 specs leak: Rumored Exynos 1380 SoC, 6.4-inch FHD+ 120Hz AMOLED display, and 5,000mAh battery with 25W wired charging.
• Plus: Samsung built an oven that can livestream your cooking.
• And Samsung’s new SmartThings Station is a hub, smart button, and wireless charger all in one, supporting Matter accessories out of the box, shipping to the US in early February 2023.
• Also: Samsung projects lowest profits in 8 years owing to weak smartphone demand. 

OnePlus:

• The OnePlus 11 finally launched on Wednesday, but China-only for now, with a global release set for February 7: It packs a 6.7-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, up to 16GB RAM, up to 512GB storage, and a 5,000mAH battery with 100W SuperVOOC fast charging.
• Also, OnePlus might skip the OnePlus 11 Pro this year.

Apple:

• Apple’s AR/VR headset will reportedly feature a physical dial for switching to a view of the real world, plus an outward-facing display to show a user’s facial expressions — will likely debut at spring media event or WWDC in June.
• Apple reportedly working on ‘AirPods Lite’ to compete with cheaper wireless earbuds.
• And Apple is increasing battery replacement service charges for out-of-warranty devices by up to $50.

Amazon:

• Amazon announces Matter-over-Thread is coming to Echo devices this spring.
• And Amazon has confirmed that it plans to lay off 18,000 people.

Social media:

• New year, new Twitter drama: Twitter sued for not paying San Francisco office rent — apparently, the company is $136,250 behind on payments.
• TikTok begins rolling out the ability for creators to restrict videos to adult viewers.
• And Snap Camera is being discontinued, so enjoy one last hurrah with your favorite filters.

Space:

• NASA’s Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft returns to Kennedy Space Center.
• Brace yourself for the E3 comet’s closest approach to earth at the start of February, when the space rock and its green tail could be visible to the naked eye.
• Why 2023 should be dubbed ‘Year of the Lunar Landers.’

Elsewhere: 

• This upcoming smartphone will hit the limit of USB-C charging speeds with 240W charging.
• WhatsApp can now let you bypass internet crackdowns.
• Fossil announces Gen 6 Hybrid Wellness Edition with 2-week battery life.
• And Citizen’s new smartwatch uses NASA technology to help you reduce fatigue, expected to go on sale in March.
• You can now buy a wearable sleep tracker for your baby: Halo SleepSure provides customizable alerts and helps track a baby’s sleep at home or on the move.
• There’s a new Qi2 wireless charging standard coming in 2023, but does it mean MagSafe is coming to Android?
• Meanwhile, this dashcam of your dreams comes with T-Mobile connectivity and AI smarts.
• Eve’s newest smart home devices are launching with Matter out of the box.
• Microsoft and OpenAI are aiming for a ChatGPT-backed Bing version to compete with Google.
• Speaking of, New York City schools ban ChatGPT to head off a cheating epidemic.
• Also, Sam Bankman-Fried pleads not guilty in a New York federal court on Tuesday to the eight charges against him.
• Tesla’s stock plummeted more than 12% on Tuesday for the company’s worst trading session in two years.
• Plus: Companies can ‘hire’ a virtual person for about $14k a year in China — The digitized humans are created with a combination of animation, sound tech, and machine learning.

Movies/TV:

• Weekend watching, sorted: The best streaming shows you might have missed in 2022, plus the 15 best movies of 2022, and where to watch them.
• We’ve also got the best new streaming movies this week, from horror comedy Freaky to the hilarious satire Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul.
• Plus, check out Gizmodo’s roundup of the 28 best sci-fi, horror, and fantasy movies of 2022.
• Plex Discover will exit beta in Q1 2023.
• Netflix’s 1899 is the latest show to be mysteriously canceled after just one season.
• And Netflix hit Glass Onion’s Among Us scene is a big moment for gaming.
• We got a sneak peek at the new Gran Turismo movie.
• And Renfield trailer introduces Nicolas Cage’s Count Dracula.

Gaming: 

• This is why we can’t have nice things: The person behind popular PS2 emulator AetherSX2 for Android has ceased development, citing death threats.
• Asus’ new Xbox controller rocks an OLED display and tri-mode connectivity.
• Alienware’s new gaming laptops include an 18-inch beast, and it also reveals its first 500Hz gaming monitor, coming in the next few months.
• The Razer Edge cloud gaming handheld lands on January 26, costing $400 for the Wi-Fi model, but you may have to pay an extra $200 for 5G connectivity.
• And Sony says the PlayStation 5 shortage is over.
• Here are the biggest video game releases coming this month, including Forspoken and the Dead Space reimagining.
• Microsoft gets its first union: Around 300 video game testers at the company’s ZeniMax Studios (Fallout), voted to form a union that Microsoft has officially recognized, and it’s the video game industry’s biggest to date.
• Good news for Hitman 3 owners: You can get the previous two games for free.
• Got a Switch for Christmas? Amazon and Best Buy’s Nintendo Switch Online deal brings a one-year family plan and a 256GB microSD card down to $50.

Reviews

• Sony PSVR 2 hands-on: A massive jump forward from the original — “A huge upgrade from the PSVR in every way that matters.”
• TCL RayNeo X2 hands-on: Maybe the world is ready for Google Glass now? “These AR glasses have some really useful features.”
• TCL Nxtpaper Phone Concept hands-on: I’m in love — “Imagine an Amazon Kindle mashed with a OnePlus One and a Pixel 5. Yeah, I’d buy that.”
• Lenovo ThinkPhone hands-on: The business phone you might actually buy — “Is it the Motorola flagship of our dreams? Technically, no, but also yes.” 

Features 

• What is the Titan M2 security chip in Google’s Pixel phones? “The Titan M2 chip makes Google’s Pixel phones more secure, here’s how it works” (Android Authority).
• Is cable TV dying? Here’s what streaming’s takeover might actually look like — “With cord cutting now the norm, can linear TV hold out much longer?” (Android Authority).
• Video games need better dinosaurs. Paleontologists can help — “WIRED visited the Geological Society of America conference to learn about the untapped potential of gigantic reptiles in gaming” (Wired).
• Police identified the Idaho killings suspect with DNA databases, multiple outlets report, and the practice is controversial — Some argue using the tech in this way is a violation of privacy (Business Insider).
• A drug to treat aging may not be a pipe dream — “New approaches to the biology of senescence can make lives longer and healthier” (Wired).
• Why free stuff makes us irrational — “When something is free, people feel a positive glow — and standard cost-benefit analyses go out the window” (The Hustle).

Weekly Wonder

With CES 2023 drawing to a close this weekend, we’ve gathered together a few of the top reveals and launches from the world’s largest tech show, including all the Android announcements from Google…

Smartphones:

• Samsung announced the budget-priced Galaxy A14 5G, packing a 6.6-inch display with 90Hz refresh rate and 64GB of onboard storage for $199.99, but no release date as yet.
• TCL launches 40 series phones, some coming to North America soon.
• Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon Satellite feature, a satellite-based service for emergencies and two-way communication.
• Qualcomm could be beaten to the punch, though: Bullitt Group, the company behind CAT phones, announced a two-way satellite messaging service, to debut on an upcoming Motorola Defy rugged smartphone.

Computing:

• AMD announced Ryzen 7040 series processors with on-chip AI — the first devices utilizing the processors will be available in March.
• Lenovo announced the ThinkPad Plus Twist with a standard OLED display plus a 12-inch color e-ink display and also revealed the Lenovo Tab Extreme, a 14.5-inch tablet running Android 13 out of the box, coming sometime later this year.
• ASUS announced the 2023 Zenbook 14X, with a faster refresh rate and Raptor Lake CPUs.
• Dell announced the UltraSharp 6K monitor to rival LG’s and Apple’s best, with IPS Black technology, a 4K HDR webcam, and plenty of ports.
• Acer Swift Go notebooks bring OLED displays in light-and-thin chassis: There’ll be 14-inch and 16-inch models.
• The LG Gram Ultraslim notebook is the company’s thinnest laptop ever, measuring just 10.99mm when closed, plus LG announced new Gram Style notebooks in 14-inch and 16-inch versions.
• HP revealed the DragonFly Pro in Windows and Chromebook flavors.
• And Samsung made a laptop display that folds and slides at the same time: The Flex Hybrid.

Gaming:

• HTC announced the Vive XR Elite headset, offering support for both VR and XR content at a significantly cheaper price than the Meta Quest Pro.
• Sony’s Project Leonardo is a very different PS5 controller for gamers with disabilities.
• MSI announced a new version of its Titan GT77 gaming notebook, with the world’s first 4K 144Hz Mini LED display for a notebook, but no word on price or release date yet.
• From budget to high-end, Dell’s latest gaming laptops cover every need, all offering Geforce RTX 40 series GPUs.
• Speaking of Dell, it unveiled second-gen Concept Nyx, the gaming controller of the future.
• Razer unveiled its new generation of Razer Blade laptops, the Razer Blade 16 and 18, both using the latest 13th-gen Core i9 HX Intel processors.
• Gamers will also love Samsung’s new OLED S95C 4K TV with its 77-inch display and 144Hz refresh rate, plus its 75-inch QN95C 4K TV.
• Samsung also revealed the massive 57-inch Odyssey Neo G9 gaming monitor.
• Meanwhile, ASUS announced the Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip, made specifically for PC cloud gaming, with support for GeForce Now and more, though no word yet on release date or price.

TVs:

• Samsung announced its new 2023 Neo QLED, MicroLED, and OLED TV lineup.
• New start-up tech company Displace showed off its 55-inch, 20-pound TV that’s completely wireless, launching late 2023 for $2,999.
• TCL announced its first 2023 smart TVs, and they’ll be sold in two model categories: The S-Series will be the new TCL budget TVs, while the Q-Series will include more advanced features such as QLED screens, with pricing and release dates yet TBA.
• Also: You probably can’t afford LG’s latest TVs — LG’s 136-inch micro-LED TV will set you back $250,000, while its new OLED TV costs $25,000.
• Plus: Roku to sell its own smart TVs this spring, with prices ranging from $119 to $999, OLED TVs to come later.

Audio:

• These AirPods Pro memory foam tips promise a better fit than the originals.
• Focal launched its Vestia speakers, geared towards both movie and music setups.
• And Audio-Technica re-released its iconic Sound Burger turntable.

Wearables:

• TechRadar has a great roundup of the best fitness kit at CES 2023, including smartwatches, sleep trackers, and more.

Smart home:

• Yeelight Cube is a cool new stackable Matter-powered smart lighting device with three models: Spot, Matrix, and Panel, available in March.
• Roborock showed off its new flagship self-cleaning robot vacuum that can wash its own mop, empty its dustbin, and refill its own water tank, with a new air-drying feature that prevents mold growth and odors.

Everything else:

• TCL unveiled its own Glass-esque AR smart glasses: the TCL RayNeo X2, as well as showing off a concept device: the TCL Nxtpaper Phone.
• Ring announces car cam to give your car more security.
• Chrysler’s cockpit concept is a preview of our screen-packed, button-less future.
• German Bionic debuts its lightest powered exosuit to date, plus an ergonomics-monitoring safety vest.
• Ember’s new temperature-controlled mug will support Apple’s Find My.
• And Canadian startup Glüxkind revealed its new $3,300 Ella self-driving stroller.

Tech Calendar

• January 5-8, 2023: CES 2023 (Las Vegas)
• January 24: Forspoken releases on PS5, PC
• January 26: Razer Edge released
• February (date TBC): Samsung Unpacked (Galaxy S23?)
• February 7: OnePlus 11 global launch
• February 22: PSVR 2 launch date

Tech Tweet of the Week

The adventures of one woman’s AirTag-ged lost luggage (h/t Mashable):

Something extra: We hope you got some nerdy books for Christmas, but never fear if not, as Shift Happens, the history of keyboards, is launching via a Kickstarter next month, and it’s a beaut!

Have a great week!

Paula Beaton, Copy Editor.