Along with the Pixel Watch the Google Pixel Fold has long been rumored, and we’ve long wondered when or even if it will launch. But the latest leak suggests that Google is still actively working on it, and that the launch might not be too far out.
MySmartPrice has spotted a Geekbench listing for a Google phone with the codename Pipit, and that’s a codename that’s believed to belong to the Pixel Fold.
The listing reveals a number of details, including that there’s 12GB of RAM, a chipset that lines up with the specs of the Google Tensor found in the Pixel 6 , and Android 12 (though we’d expect this phone will actually launch with Android 12L ).
There’s nothing too surprising here, but if Google has a version of the phone being benchmarked, and it’s using the Tensor chipset, that suggests it might launch soon. Benchmarks often (though not always) appear close to launch, and if the Pixel Fold was going to launch later than this year we’d expect a newer chipset.
In fact, we’d guess it might even land in the first half of the year, since in the second half Google will probably have the Pixel 7 range with the Tensor 2.
The listing also reveals a single-core score of 4,811 and a multi-core score of 11,349, which as expected is in line with the Pixel 6 – note though that this is a Geekbench 4 listing, which gives higher scores than Geekbench 5.
We’d always take early benchmarks with a pinch of salt though, as even if this is accurate it will likely be using pre-release hardware and software, so things could change and improve before launch.
Opinion: a foldable throwdown that’s good for buyers
If you ask me the Google Pixel Fold can’t come soon enough. Currently, Samsung has very little competition in the foldable space, so giving buyers more choice (and encouraging Samsung to step its game up) can only be a good thing.
Plus, the Pixel Fold could be the perfect showcase for Android 12L – Google’s upcoming version of Android designed for large-screen devices, so this is the perfect year for it.
Hopefully then this benchmark really is a sign that it’s coming soon, but there’s still a chance that it’s not coming at all, as not so long ago we heard a rumor that the Pixel Fold had been canceled . Fingers crossed it hasn’t been, then.
Massage Robotics wants you to come and be touched by a robot - if that's your thing
Somewhere in Las Vegas, a pair of robot arms are gently massaging a human being at CES 2022 -- and we're calling it innovation.
California's Massage Robotics gave consumers a first look at the fascinating massage therapy technology at this year's great gadget showcase, a product which it introduced late last year. As the name implies, this is a massage system that doesn't rely on humans. Instead, the table uses a pair of robotic arms that look quite similar to the ones Universal Robotics sells to partners for a variety of tasks (Massage Robotics hasn't confirmed this). Massage, however, is not one we anticipated.
There's an arm on each side of a motorized table. Both can be customized with massage-friendly hands (effectors) that, ultimately, look nothing like hands. In one demonstration, one holds what looks like a pair of rollerblade wheels, while the other has a sort of wide, soft squeegee.
One arm gently rolls the wheels up and down a model's back, while the other focuses the wide bar on her hamstrings.
The robot arms are voice-activated and can, according to Massage Robotics, respond to commands to move to the left or right or increase or decrease pressure. One would also hope that they respond to a forceful, "STOP!"
Massage robotics Model Mr-01 robot table is backed by the cloud to help you store favorite massage routines and share them with friends (who also happen to have this table?). It's also using AI and Machine learning to, according to the company," evolve," and is "learning what humans like."
Yes, we know, this sounds way creepy, but the video demonstration does make it look quite pleasant. Pricing has not been set, but it does look like most of these tables will end up in commercial massage enterprises.
Massage Robotics' table is still under development with commercial use expected sometime in Q2 of this year.
So are you ready to, as Massage Robotics asks, "See how good a robot can feel"? That's what we thought.
Bill Murray may have revealed who he's playing in Ant-Man 3
It appears that another MCU secret has been let out of the bag ahead of schedule. Iconic actor Bill Murray, star of classic movies including Ghostbusters and Lost in Translation, has reportedly spilled the beans on who he's playing in Ant-Man 3.
Appearing on the latest episode of the Eli Manning show , Murray appeared to suggest that he'll be portraying a "bad guy" in the upcoming Marvel movie . The star didn't go on to confirm exactly who he was playing in the Marvel Phase 4 project, though, so he did maintain some secrecy about his role in the superhero flick .
Chatting casually over some takeout food, Manning brought up Murray's forthcoming MCU role before asking him what his superpower would be. In typically droll fashion, Murray replied: "My power is that I'm a bad guy" before chuckling into his napkin.
Speaking to Variety back in October, Murray confirmed that he had signed on to play a role in Ant-Man 3, citing director Peyton Reed as a key reason behind his decision to say yes. The BAFTA- and Golden Globe-winning actor said that one of Reed's other movies – Bring It On – was a "damn good" movie, and added that Reed's "funny" and "humble" personality convinced him to sign up for the Marvel flick.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania finished filming in November 2021 ahead of a July 2023 release date. The Marvel movie will see the likes of Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lily, Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer reprise their roles from the previous film in the franchise, Ant-Man and the Wasp.
The film will also bring another iconic Marvel supervillain – Kang the Conqueror – into Marvel's live-action universe. Kang will be played by Jonathan Majors (Lovecraft Country, The Harder They Fall), with the actor having played one of Kang's variants in the first season of Marvel Disney Plus show Loki .
Analysis: is Bill Murray serious about his Ant-Man 3 role?
On the surface, it does appear that Murray has confirmed he'll be playing a villain in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. After all, while cast and crew members have to sign confidentiality agreements when they sign onto a Marvel production in order to prevent them from revealing any major spoilers, some actors do accidentally let things slip.
Current Spider-Man and Hulk actors Tom Holland and Mark Ruffalo used to be so bad at avoiding spoilers, in fact, that the pair became as famous for divulging sensitive information pre-release as they were for their MCU roles.
Murray, then, isn't the first (and won't be the last) to partly or fully spoil any element of a Marvel movie. And it seems he wouldn't be concerned with spoiling some elements of Ant-Man 3, given that he's confirmed his MCU role is a one-time deal. Speaking to German magazine Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (via ComicBookom ), Murray said: "Now I've at least tried out what it's like to shoot a Marvel movie, but I don't think I need that experience a second time."
Given those quotes, it's likely that Murray is telling the truth about his villainous role in Ant-Man 3.
But what if he's not? What if Murray's "bad guy" comment, in response to Eli Manning's question, was just a throwaway remark about how he doesn't give two hoots about anything these days, especially when you factor in his age? Maybe Murray calling himself a "bad guy" simply implies that this is how he's perceived by some people due to his nonchalant attitude and personality? There's only one person who knows exactly what he meant, and that's Murray himself.
Still, it'll be a while before we find out which Marvel character he'll play in Ant-Man 3. The movie isn't out for another 18 months, and the only movie Murray has coming out before July 2023 is Wes Anderson's Asteroid City, which reportedly arrives in theaters sometime in 2022. There won't be many opportunities for us to quiz Murray, then, on his "bad guy" comments.