Jan 8, 2018 - Technology

Samsung shows off 146-inch TV

Jonghee Han, Samsung’s President of Visual Display Unit, shows off "The Wall" TV. Photo: Ina Fried / Axios

Samsung used a pre-CES event to introduce “the Wall,” a 146-inch modular TV using a new kind of technology that eliminates the need for backlighting.

Why that matters: Eliminating the need for backlighting allows for blacker blacks and more contrast in the picture.

Timing TBD: Samsung stayed mum on price and availability, but did say the 146-inch TV will debut sometime this year.

Also: Samsung also introduced an 8K, 85-inch model with artificial intelligence to make use of the extra pixels. Samsung also said it was adding its Bixby voice assistant to its 2018 smart TV line.

Rival moves: CES remains a big show for the latest in TV technology. Earlier Korean rival LG showed off a 65-inch rollable television.

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Ina Fried

1 hour ago - Technology

TikTok to pull out of Hong Kong

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

TikTok said Monday night that it would pull its social video platform out of the Google and Apple app stores in Hong Kong amid a restrictive new law that went into effect last week.

Why it matters: TikTok's move comes as many large tech companies say they are still evaluating how to respond to the Hong Kong law.

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Dave Lawler

4 hours ago - World

Ethiopia's Nobel Peace laureate cracks down on ethnic violence

The image of a Nobel Peace laureate in military fatigues encapsulates the moment in which Ethiopia finds itself — on the verge of a transition to democracy, a descent into violence or, perhaps, a precarious combination of the two.

Driving the news: At least 166 people were killed after an iconic musician, Haacaaluu Hundeessaa, was murdered last Monday in Addis Ababa, the capital. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed responded to the violence by sending in troops and shutting off the internet. High-profile opposition leaders were arrested, along with some 2,300 others.

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Orion Rummler

Updated 6 hours ago - Health

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms tests positive for coronavirus

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said on Monday that she has tested positive for the coronavirus after displaying no symptoms.

Why it matters: Bottoms, one of several Black women on the shortlist to be Joe Biden's running mate, has risen to national prominence in recent months as part of mass protests over racism and police brutality — driven in part by the killing of Rayshard Brooks by Atlanta police.