This week, hands-on with Google’s Pixel 4a 5G handset and a team from the University of Waterloo nabbed a prize in the international competition for the James Dyson Award. But first, is Cyber Monday relevant anymore?

What to expect from Cyber Monday this year

Cyber Monday is struggling to be relevant these days.

Originally conceived in 2005 as a way to encourage online shopping after the in-person craziness that is Black Friday (which is so called not because of its accounting reference, it turns out, but because it is a terrible day to have to work), Cyber Monday doesn’t really have the same meaning today, when so much of our shopping happens online.

Especially when we’re being encouraged to stay home because of covid-19.

So while some retailers use Cyber Monday as a way to promote online shopping, most of the larger operations blend Black Friday and Cyber Monday into one event.

With Black Friday yet to happen, few retailers are saying much about plans or pricing for Cyber Monday, but there are web pages in place at Amazon and Best Buy.

Google’s Pixel 4a 5G is ready for next-gen wireless

Not everybody wants an iPhone, and not everybody wants a smartphone that costs a fortune because it’s loaded with so many features.

The Pixel 4a ($479) from Google is a great choice for a budget Android handset that benefits from the clean operating system install that Google provides, free from the bloat that often plagues Android devices from other manufacturers.

The cost saving comes courtesy of the plastic case and lack of wireless charging.

The Pixel 4a 5G ($679) will cost you an extra $200 but the upgrade comes with a better chipset and a handset that is ready for 5G, which is available in some areas.

The 4a 5G is bigger, too, with a 6.2-inch screen, and it also adds a second ultrawide camera lens. The Pixel also gives you great photography in a smartphone, and the 4a 5G has a new feature that gives you control over lighting in portrait photos both when you’re taking the shot and also when you’re making adjustments to the image in the Google Photos app.

If you want a reasonably priced Android device that is ready for 5G, the Pixel 4a 5G is an easy choice.

Canadian invention tapped as international runner-up in James Dyson Award competition

In September, I wrote about the three Canadian teams that were recognized as the Canadian winners and runners-up of the annual James Dyson Award.

One of the groups was recently announced as an international runner-up.

The Scope team, based at the University of Waterloo, have come up with a way to deliver lossless zoom on lenses by applying an electric current to a liquid crystal lens.

The international winner was Judit Benet, from the University of Barcelona, for her invention that allows for at-home breast cancer screening using a urine sample.