Someone made a version of ‘Civilization’ that runs in Microsoft Excel

Someone made a version of ‘Civilization’ that runs in Microsoft Excel

Called, delightfully enough, [Cell]ivization, the game runs in a spreadsheet and has the basic features of the original game like support for two players, the ability to move units or the camera around, and the option to build multiple types of units with their own statistics. And it wouldn't be Civilization without the fog of…

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Leaked Google video reveals Pixel 4 astrophotography mode

Leaked Google video reveals Pixel 4 astrophotography mode

The Pixel 4 may allow photography enthusiasts to do something they've never been able to do before with a smartphone camera: astrophotography. A seemingly official marketing video uploaded by Pro Android shows Google's newest smartphone will feature a dedicated mode for taking photos of the night sky. Unfortunately, the ad provides few details about how…

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What’s next for fitness wearables?

What’s next for fitness wearables?

The simplest way a wearable can track your activity is by using a gyroscope (or similar) to track the position of your hand in three-dimensional space. It can then, algorithmically, infer where your body is, and what it -- and you -- are doing, using what is essentially very smart guesswork. Pedometers that count your…

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Google Nest Hub Max review: Sometimes bigger is better

Google Nest Hub Max review: Sometimes bigger is better

As its name suggests, the Nest Hub Max is a larger version of the Nest Hub. The two are almost identical, except, of course, for the Hub Max's bigger screen and that aforementioned camera. As a result, the Hub Max's size is more in line with most other smart displays on the market, like the…

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Panasonic’s modular Toughbook 55 lets you swap out seemingly everything

Panasonic’s modular Toughbook 55 lets you swap out seemingly everything

That modularity assists with running time, too. You can hot-swap a second battery without shutting off the computer, giving you up to 40 hours of battery life. This might be ideal for field workers who don't know when they'll be near a power outlet.This is also a much-needed modernization of Toughbook hardware. While the 8th-generation…

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‘It Chapter Two’ Ruled the Box Office This Weekend

‘It Chapter Two’ Ruled the Box Office This Weekend

Happy Monday and welcome to another edition of The Monitor, WIRED's culture news roundup. What did you miss last weekend? Well, It Chapter Two made a lot of money. Also, audiences seem to really like Joaquin Phoenix's Joker and Kristen Stewart would like to play a gay superhero. Let's go!It Chapter Two Rules the Box…

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Cities Are Trying—Again—to Plan for Autonomous Vehicles

Cities Are Trying—Again—to Plan for Autonomous Vehicles

On the one hand, autonomous vehicles offer an excellent opportunity to rethink how American cities operate, down to each lane line, crosswalk, and curb. Two years ago, the National Association of City Transportation Officials, representing 81 North American cities, published its first planning guide to self-driving vehicles, highlighting the possibilities. If everyone moves around on…

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