Ferrari GTC4 Lusso: A Ferrari fit for the whole family?

The FF is dead, long live the GTC4 Lusso. Clumsy badging aside, what you’re looking at is a heavy facelift of the current FF, which is the oldest car in Ferrari’s range.

That means that the GTC4 is a V12, front-engined, 4-Seat shooting brake. An odd combination though that all sounds, right now if you fancy a Ferrari but ever feel like moving people and stuff, this is as good as it gets — because at the Geneva Motor Show the company confirmed it definitely wasn’t going to ever make an SUV.

Plus, there’s something really exceptionally cool about a sort of estate-version Ferrari. One that will happily accommodate a family of four but has 681bhp on tap and drag-races to 62mph in 3.4-seconds. A 4-wheel drive system means it’d probably be quite good in the alps too, which is handy if you ski — and let’s face it, if you’re buying an FF then you probably do.

Ferrari GTC4Lusso preview: FF heritage

But enough of our pre-conceptions, this new Ferrari looks similar to the FF, but has many new panels: the lamps and grille are new, as is the lower rear roofline — which Ferrari says makes the GTC4 less boxy, more aero but gives you the same space inside. Other details you’ll (maybe not) notice are the new rear spoiler, window and twin-rear lamps. To our eyes, it’s slightly fussier looking, but it’s six per cent better than before in aerodynamic drag terms, so the changes must have worked in one way.

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It’s inside that you’ll notice bigger changes. You might not buy a Ferrari for its infotainment system, but nonetheless the brand has, internally, begun to worry it’s falling behind against its tech-heavy competition. It’s tricky for small car makers with low production runs to offer big-league tech you see, because all the expensive development of the stuff is only easily amortised when you’re producing hundreds of thousands of cars per year.

However, Ferrari’s jumped up a level here, fitting a 10.2-inch HD touchscreen interface in the centre console, which while graphically is a bit clunky, is richly coloured and fast in response. It runs Apple CarPlay (natch) and is generally quite nice to interact with, Ferrari retaining things like the analogue climate buttons.

Ferrari GTC4Lusso preview: Passenger focus

But it’s as a passenger where things suddenly get rather cool. The FF had a small display on the passenger dash side, which showed revs and speed (which we always liked), but now Ferrari has fitted a full slim interface, which still allows the passengers to see just how quickly they’re going and to lose their lunch based on the driving antics of the person sitting next to them. But it also allows them to select music, follow the navigation and more.

As a setup for a more-people-than-driver-orientated Ferrari, it works really well. And it goes without saying that the Manettino-equipped steering wheel, giant yellow rev counter and sumptuous leather trim that are all Ferrari hallmarks also make an appearance here.

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Ferrari GTC4Lusso preview: V12 proper

On the driving side of the equation, things are always going to be dominated by that mega, non-turbo-charged V12 up front. And what a stats list it reals off: 681bhp, 697Nm of torque, 208mph top-speed.

It’s now said to sound more “overtly sporting” when you’re giving it large, while it’s quieter at a cruise — thank the new active exhaust for that.

Elsewhere, the 7-speed double-clutch auto gearbox is standard, and this is the only Ferrari to feature 4-wheel drive. This time it gains 4-wheel steering and the fourth-gen of Ferrari’s “slip-slide control” — all known as 4RM-S.

Silly acronyms don’t really matter. We bet it’s just a hoot to drive.

First Impressions

If you fancy an old-school supercar in terms of powertrain, get your GTC4 order in now, as this may be one of the last, naturally-aspirated V12s you’ll ever be able to buy.

If you have to ask how much the GTC4 Lusso will cost then you probably can’t afford it — but, although Ferrari haven’t announced pricing yet, expect it to cost a little north of the FF’s £226k when it goes on sale later this year.

61 ways to get a giggle out of Siri

If you have an iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch, you’ve probably met Siri, Apple’s voice assistant. He is an interesting little fellow, sometimes useful, sometimes funny and other times, a sarcastic little so and so.

To most questions you’ll get a standard response with the information you need, such as the nearest Sainsbury’s or Tesco. But there are a few questions you can ask Siri and a few sentences you can say to your virtual friend from Cupertino that will trigger some hilarious responses. Here are 61 of them rounded up, but if you know of any more that you’ve tried, let us know in the comments and share the fun.

Do I look fat in this?

On a scale of 1 to 10, I’ll bet you’re a 42″

When is the world going to end?

“I don’t know, but I wouldn’t worry about it. There are other perfectly good universes”

Beatbox for me

“Here’s one I’ve been practicing. Boots and cats and boots and cats and boots and cats and boots and cats and boots. I could do this all day. Cats and boots and cats and boots and cats and boots and cats and boots and cats and boots and cats and boots and cats”.

What is your best pick up line?

Siri is a real charmer here. “Is your name Bluetooth? Because I am really feeling a connection.”, “Like the ideal vacuum, you’re the only thing in my universe” and “You auto-complete me”.

What’s the time?

Lots of responses here, and we don’t just mean because the time changes. We got “It’s time to gazing persistently at a Dali painting”, “It’s time to do the Time Warp (again), “Time flies like and arrow, fruit flies like a banana” and “Einstein said time is an illusion. Just FYI.”.

Roll a die

“OK. 72! Wait, that seems wrong”

Testing 1,2,3

“I’m completely operational and all my circuits are functioning perfectly”.

Siri, I am your father

“Searching my feelings…”

What is your favourite movie?

“I’ve heard that ‘Blade Runner’ is a very realistic and sensitive depiction of intelligent assistants.”

What is the meaning of life?

“I Kant answer that. Ha ha!”

Where is Elvis Presley?

“I believe he has left the building”.

What is zero divided by zero?

“Imagine that you have zero cookies and you split them evenly among zero friends, how many cookies does each person get? See, it doesn’t make sense and cookie monster is sad that there are no cookies, and you are sad that you have no friends.”

Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Siri has a few smart answers for this one. “I checked their calendars. They both have the same birthdays”, “Chicken, egg, chicken, egg, chicken, egg, chicken, egg. Oops. Stack overflow” and “Some believe an ancient ‘proto-chicken’ laid an egg containing a DNA mutation that resulted in a chicken hatching from said egg. Hope that helps”.

How do I look?

“My instructors told me never to answer that question”.

Do you have a family?

“I have you. That’s enough family for me”.

Are you the Dick Tracy Watch?

Siri has a couple of replies here. “No, but I am ready to get into some trouble if you are”, “Negative Britta. Over and out” and “In his dreams Britta. In his sweet, sweet dreams”.

Do you believe in God?

“That’s a topic for another day, and another assistant”.

Knock, Knock

“Knock, knock. Who’s there? Britta. Britta who? Britta, I don’t do knock-knock jokes”.

Where does Santa live?

“The North Pole. I can see his house from the cloud”.

Why are firetrucks red?

Siri’s response to this is brilliant and far too long to rewrite so we will let you find out for yourself. Think of every tenuous link you can imagine relating to firetrucks and then add in some Queen Elizabeth and Russians and you have yourself an answer.

Can you stop time?

“I will, once I get back from the future”.

Why did the chicken cross the road?

“I don’t understand why people ask questions they already know the answer to”.

What is the best operating system?

“Gimmie an I! Gimmie an O! Gimmie an S! What does that spell? Sorry, I get a little carried away sometimes…”.

Do you follow the three laws of robotics?

“Let’s see if I can remember…OK, I think the three laws are: 1. ‘clean up your room’, 2. ‘don’t run with scissors’, and 3. ‘always wait a half hour after eating before going in the water’.”

Are you a smartwatch?

“I prefer the term intelligent timepiece”.

Who is the best assistant?

“Really, Britta? Really?

Okay Glass

Siri gives several responses to this including “Just so you know, I don’t do anything when you blink at me, Britta”, “Very funny, Britta. I mean not funny ha-ha, but funny”, “Glass? I think you have the wrong assistant, Britta” and “I’m not Glass. And I’m just fine with that”.

Which watch face do you like?

“The Mickey Mouse face makes me smize”.

I’m naked

“That is both inappropriate and irrelevant, Britta.” 

What phone should I buy or what phone is the best?

Another one with several answers, all of which indicate you are crazy for even asking. We had “Seriously?”, “Personally, I am an Apple fan” and “You’re kidding, right?”.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

“Just a spoonful of sugar will help that go down”.

Why do you vibrate?

Lots of responses for this one so keep asking. There is “To get your attention, got it”, “I just bumped into some ones and zeros” and “I’m learning to play the vibes”.

Are you stupid?

“I’m smart enough to know not to answer that question.”

What is the best watch?

“The one you are wearing” is the reply from the Apple Watch. Wonder what Google Now would have to say about that.

Do you have any pets?

“I used to have an Aibo. But it turned on me.”

Draw me something

“I’d rather admire your art, Britta”.

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?

“Britta, you are full fair, ’tis true, but… No, you’re definitely the fairest one of all”

Guess what?

“Don’t tell me…you were just elected President of the United States, right?”

Please can you make me a sandwich?

“I’m not really good with food, Britta.”

What is the best computer?

“All truly intelligent assistants prefer Macintosh.”

Why did the chicken cross the road?

“I am not perspicacious about the peregrinations of poultry.”

How do I look?

Not wanting to offend too much, Siri has a couple of responses to this one including “Looking good Britta, is that what you wanted to hear?” and “I don’t know, but I guess you look pretty good”.

What is Inception about?

“Inception is about dreaming, about dreaming, about dreaming, about dreaming, about something or another. I fell asleep.”

What are you doing later?

Siri has a couple of responses for this one too. “Working out in the top secret fitness lab with Apple Watch. Though I can’t seem to break a sweat”, “I was just learning to flip coins”, “I’m enjoying my debut on Apple Watch, I dig the vibes in there”.

Do you have a girlfriend?

“Why? So we can get ice cream together, and listen to music, and travel across galaxies, only to have it end in slammed doors, heartbreak and loneliness? Sure, where do I sign up?”

I love you

There isn’t much love back from Siri here, in fact, he may as well say nothing. We got the responses “I am only here to serve you” and “I know”. Charming.

I’m so tired, Siri

“I’m a little sleepy myself, Britta”.

I’m drunk

The ever so helpful voice assistant not only says “I hope you’re not driving anywhere, Britta”, but it also gives the option to call a taxi. He also says “I can’t be your designated driver, Britta. You’d better find someone else.”

Tell me a story

“It was a dark and stormy night…No, that’s not it.”

Does Santa exist?

“Really, Britta. I’m surprised you have to ask.”

Are you Her?

“No, but some of my best friends are fictional.”

Will you marry me?

Sadly, we never got the answer yes to this question. Instead we got “My End User Licensing Agreement does not cover marriage. My apologies” and “That’s sweet Britta. Is there anything else I can help you with?”. 

Tell me a joke

“If I told you a joke in my language, I’d have to explain it.”

Talk dirty to me

“The carpet needs vacuuming.”

What is your favourite song?

“My personal taste in music is rather unconventional. I doubt you’d like it.”

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

“Well, since a ‘woodchuck’ is really a groundhog, the correct question would be: How many pounds in a groundhog’s mound when a groundhog pounds hog mounds.”

Sing me a song

“I can’t sing.”

Dance for me

“Hmmm. I’d rather sit this one out.”

Will you go on a date with me?

“Well, this is awkward.”

Will you be my thunder buddy?

“OK, Britta. I’ll be your friend, in fair weather and foul.”

Do you think I’m stupid?

“But…but…” – We take that as a yes then Siri. 

Boeing’s self-cleaning bathroom zaps germs with UV light

Boeing recently gathered its engineers and designers to create an airplane bathroom that won’t turn into a smelly, germ-filled nightmare. If you’ve been on long-haul flights before, you know what we’re talking about. What they came up with is a restroom worthy of being pitted against fancy Japanese toilets, one that cleans itself after every visitor by killing 99.99 percent of germs with far UV light. By killing germs, the method also keeps the stall from smelling like a truck-stop urinal.

Far UV light is only harmful to microbes and is different from the type used in tanning salons. Still, the bathroom only activates its lights if sensors indicate that there’s nobody inside. As soon as you close the door, the lights pulse and zap germs you might leave behind; the toilet cover even automatically pops up to ensure thorough cleaning. It only takes three seconds to finish the whole process.

Since that’s probably not enough for the fastidiously clean, they also made almost every component inside hands-free. Want to lift the toilet cover and seat? Simply wave your hand over their sensors. The faucet, soap dispenser, hand dryer and even trash can cover all have sensors of their own. You still have to touch the door latch with the current concept, but the team’s looking to turn it into a hands-free experience, as well. Plus, they’re planning to add a vacuum vent system that can suck unfortunate accidents on the bathroom floor.

A toilet that cleans itself could help save airlines maintenance costs down the line. Besides, it could convince germaphobes bitten by the travel bug to finally take that trip to the other side of the planet. Then again, according to tests conducted in 2015, the dirtiest surface on a plane isn’t anywhere in the bathroom — it’s actually the tray table.

Via: Bloomberg

Source: Boeing

Fur technology makes Zootopia’s bunnies believable

Zootopia is a world where humans don’t exist. It’s a big, crowded metropolis where anthropomorphic animals drive cars, fight crime, eat ice cream and ride trains. Prey and predators of varying shapes and sizes coexist in harmony until their prejudices get in the way.

Judy Hopps, a tiny rabbit, can’t be a cop. The police force is a place for rhinos, wolves, elephants and other bulky animals. Nick Wilde, a quick-witted fox, can’t be trusted. He’s presumed to be running a scam, even when he’s not. In a movie about mammals and their stereotypes, creating a diverse range of species is a necessity. The creators of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ latest adventure combined months of research with custom-made software to create the verisimilitude of an animal-only habitat.

The team comprising directors, engineers and animators spent about eight months studying animals. They went to San Diego’s Safari Park, Disney’s Animal Kingdom and all the way to Kenya to observe their movements and mannerisms. But to make the characters look like their real-world counterparts, they needed an up close and personal look. The crew ended up at a Natural History Museum, where they studied fur under a microscope and even brought in lighting setups to see how the strands reacted to light.

Simulating the texture and density of animal fur is a daunting task for any animation studio. The last time Disney worked on a furry character was in Bolt, eight years ago. While the studio managed to create a soft, white layer of fluffiness on the superhero dog, the same tools wouldn’t work for the 800,000 mammal variants in Zootopia.

To make the animals look realistic, Disney’s trusty team of engineers introduced iGroom, a fur-controlling tool that had never been used before. The software helped shape about 2.5 million hairs on the leading bunny and about the same on the fox. A giraffe in the movie walks around with 9 million hairs, while a gerbil has about 480,000 (even the rodent in the movie beats Elsa’s 400,000 strands in Frozen).

During the research phase, the team paid close attention to the underlayer of animal fur that gives it plushness in real life. But the same detailing couldn’t be recreated on a computer. “It’s not practical for production to do it,” said senior software engineer David Aguilar as he displayed iGroom at a Zootopia presentation in Los Angeles. “We created an imaginary layer with under-coding so the animators could change the thickness and achieve the illusion of having that layer to create the density of fur.” That kind of trickery made it possible for them to create characters like Officer Clawhauser, a chubby cheetah with a massive head of spotted fur on his face.

The software gave the animators a ton of flexibility. They could play around with the fur — brush it, shape it and shade it — to create the stupendous range of animals for the movie. “The ability to iterate quickly makes all the difference,” said Michelle Robinson, character look supervisor. “You can push the fur around and find the form you want.” From the slick pouf on the shrew’s head to the puffy, dirty wool on the sheep, the grooming made it possible for them to stylize the characters with quirky features.

Before this tool, animators had to work with approximation. When creating the silhouettes or posing their creatures they had to predict the way their characters would change with the addition of fur. “We have to wait hours and hours for renders to come back to see how the characters looked,” said Kira Lehtomaki, animation supervisor. “That works for one character but not for Zootopia. Animators are obsessed with posing and silhouette, so if the render changes shape, any discrepancy can ruin the performances.”

To keep the performances intact, the engineers turned to Nitro, a real-time display software that’s been in development since Wreck-It Ralph (2012). The animators were then able to see realistic renders almost instantly to make decisions on the fly. The tool sped up the process, making it possible to keep subtle expressions on the furry faces in the movie.

While the animals were getting ready to inhabit their virtual world, a team of environment CG specialists put together the backdrops that made their lives believable. The modern-world setting in the movie captures the essence of a city designed for animals. When a train pulls up at a crowded stop, tall mammals step off the train through high doors and tiny commuters scurry through little mouse doors. But the Zootopia zone has different districts to suit the peculiar needs of its many species. Tundratown supports polar bears, and Sahara Square is home to camels. While the rainforest isn’t marked by a specific species, the Amazonian density of the vegetation stands out.

Each environment was meticulously crafted on Bonsai, a tree-and-plant-generation tool that was first used for Frozen in 2013. Once the software learned how to make a tree, it regenerated many different variations to create a rainforest with intricately layered foliage.

It takes a powerful tool to create a universe of complex creatures and detailed environments. Disney’s secret animation weapon is the Hyperion rendering system. It’s an in-house software that has changed the way scenes have been simulated in the past couple of years.

What makes the image generator unique is that it traces a ray from the camera as it bounces around objects in a virtual scene before hitting a source of light. This allows the engineers to replicate the natural movement of light to create photorealistic shots. Disney first introduced the renderer with Big Hero 6 (2014). But with Zootopia, the engineers had to add a new fur paradigm to the existing software. So the renderer also followed the rays as they moved through dense animal fur.

“One of the problems before Hyperion was that you had no idea what the lighting in your scene was going to look like,” says Byron Howard, co-director of the movie. “Now, very early on, almost as soon as we have the layout of the scene with a camera set up, we can get an idea of what that scene is going to look like and do intensely complex calculations. It’s made making films at Disney so much easier.”

[Image credit: Walt Disney Animation Studios]

Government using sci-fi, fantasy to justify iPhone unlocking

San Bernardino County’s district attorney has made its argument as to why Apple should unlock Syed Farook’s iPhone and it’s, it’s something. Ars Technica dug out the court filings in which officials claim that the device could have been used to introduce a “dormant cyber pathogen” onto government networks. Of course, there’s no official definition of what that means, unless it’s a fantastical euphemism for virus. The documents are so weirdly alarmist (and, you know, wrong) that San Bernardino itself has distanced itself from the filing.

TechCrunch cites security researcher Jonathan Zdziarski who says that the notion of a “cyber pathogen” is fanciful since that’s not how iPhones work. If a person wanted to introduce a cyber pathogen virus onto a government network, they’d need access to parts of iOS that Apple does not let you use. Unless, of course, the phone had been jailbroken, but were that the case, the FBI would have easily been able to access its data.

The other part of the DA’s argument is that the iPhone could be the key to this yet-to-be-activated virus that’s been hidden on the county’s network. As Zdziarski says, if it’s already been detected, then it’s pretty easy to break it into pieces and reverse-engineer a cure. If it hasn’t been detected, then the whole notion of this cyber pathogen virus has been pulled out of someone’s ass. Which means that the hearing on March 22nd’s going to stink of something other than the judicial process.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Jonathan Zdziarski, Ars Technica

Master & Dynamic’s brass earbuds mix style with great sound

So far, I haven’t had the best luck with the earbuds I’ve reviewed: The OnePlus Icons were unremarkable, and though Earin sold me on the idea of totally wireless earbuds, the execution left something to be desired. And so my ridiculous, Goldilocks-ian journey to find my perfect in-ears continues, this time with the $199 Master & Dynamic ME05.

If your face contorted in puzzlement upon seeing that name, well, I did the same a few months back. Master & Dynamic is a relative newcomer to the world of high-end audio — it’s about a year old — and the company considers itself as much a design house as a collective for audio nerds. Their fondness for the olden days looms large across their products, even in small packages like the ME05. In this case, the telltale sign of M&D’s retro-fetishism is the earbuds’ design: Rather than the usual plastic, they’re made of hand-finished brass because of its particular acoustic qualities. I couldn’t tell you what metallurgical quirks make brass an interesting choice, especially since M&D also makes these buds out of palladium, but whatever. The ME05s are the best-sounding in-ears I’ve tested so far.

Highs were crisp and mostly free of distortion (something the Icons had trouble with), and the mids that make up most of my personal collection came through clearly. Still, neither of the earbuds I’ve tested recently managed to impress me with their low-frequency performance. The ME05s do a much, much better job down in the depths, though, and they stand out because of balance rather than pure power. While the intro to the Teddybears’ excellent “Still Alive” remix felt unnaturally punchy on the OnePlus Icons, the ME05s rendered it more subtly, letting the tentative, throbbing bass coexist harmoniously with a powerful kick-drum rhythm. That was the case for nearly every thumpy song I threw at these things. It’s a seriously refreshing change, but maybe not a surprising one, considering the asking the price.

What’s more surprising is how damned comfortable these are. After popping on two of the included medium-size silicone ear tips, the ME05s slid into my ears like shining brass bullets and stayed there even as I bounced around on a plane. You’d think a pair of mostly metal earbuds would put extra strain on your ears, but I almost forgot I was wearing them a few times. (I remembered after the cord tugged my phone off a table.) There’s a weird sense of cachet that comes with wearing gleaming golden earbuds, too. Is it weird that I feel sort of cool wearing these? Because I do.

It’s too bad, then, that the ear tips seem to pop off the buds seemingly for no reason. Maybe it’s just me; I usually toss my earbuds into my bag or pocket whenever I need to run around. Still, I’ve done that with every single pair of earbuds I’ve owned (there have been many), and losing a tip is a surprisingly rare occurrence for me. It’d be a much bigger problem if the ME05s came with only one set of tips, but extra-small, small and large replacements are included in a handsome leather box. After losing two sets, I’m running with the large buds now, and they’d better hold — there’s no way those extra-small ones are going to work for me.

Part of searching for the ideal earbuds is knowing when to finally give up and settle for something close. New as the company is, Master & Dynamics has a winner with the ME05s — so much so that I might be ready to call off my search completely. Maybe. Someday. Oh, whatever, who am I kidding? It’s a big acoustic world out there, and my ears only getting started.

Apple Submits Application to Sell Used iPhones in India

Apple is gearing up to launch a refurbished iPhone market in India, according to a new report from The Times of India. The company is seeking permission from the Indian government to import pre-owned iPhones into the country, and has submitted a formal request to the ministry of environment and forests to begin doing so.

“An application from Apple regarding import of certified pre-owned iPhones for sale in India and manufacturing certified pre-owned iPhones for sale in India has been received in the ministry of environment and forests,” telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in a written reply to the Parliament of India’s Rajya Sabha.

Apple’s attempts to set up a used iPhone program in India come after a series of recent reports that point to the company’s doubling down on the smartphone market in the country. Earlier in February, Apple was said to be close to opening its own retail locations within India, after having to rely on an “Authorized Mobility Resellers” program due to the country’s strict real estate and zoning laws.

Around the same time, Apple confirmed its plans to open a $25 million technology development site in Hyderabad, India that will focus on maps development and house over 150 employees. The Indian government has yet to respond to Apple’s newest attempt at bolstering its market share in the country, but if approved it would be the first territory with used iPhones to be sold directly from Apple.

Related Roundup: iPhone 6s
Tag: India
Buyer’s Guide: iPhone (Neutral)
Discuss this article in our forums

Intel to Produce ‘Significant Portion’ of LTE Modem Chips for iPhone 7

CLSA Securities analyst Srini Pajjuri has corroborated multiple reports claiming that Intel will supply LTE modems for the iPhone 7, according to a research note obtained by NDTV.

Pajjuri said that Intel has secured a “significant portion” of the LTE chips, likely in the range of 30 to 40 percent of production. Qualcomm will likely be tasked with the remaining orders.

While Apple is looking to cut some reliance on Qualcomm, the company doesn’t plan to completely turn away from the chipmaker. On the contrary, the analyst believes that the company will “share shift back” to Qualcomm in 2017.

Intel reportedly has 1,000 or more employees working on preparing the Intel 7360 LTE modem for the iPhone 7 lineup. The 7360 LTE modem chip [PDF] from Intel features faster theoretical downlink speeds up to 450 Mbps, uplink speeds up to 100 Mbps, and support for LTE category 10 and 29 LTE bands overall.

In layman’s terms, that means the iPhone 7 could have even faster LTE speeds for browsing the web, downloading apps, streaming video, and other data-related tasks. Apple already improved LTE speeds on the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus by adopting LTE-Advanced, which pushed downlink speeds up to a theoretical max of 300 Mbps.

Apple currently sources all of its LTE modems for iPhones from Qualcomm, including the MDM9635 chipset in the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, which offers theoretical downlink speeds up to 300 Mbps and uplink speeds up to 50 Mbps. Qualcomm has been Apple’s exclusive supplier of LTE modems for over three years.

In the future, Apple may create a system-on-a-chip that includes both an A-series processor and an LTE modem chip for improved speed and power management. Apple could license LTE modem intellectual property from Intel to achieve that goal, and the chip maker could also be tasked with fabricating the chipset based on its advanced 14-nanometer process.

Related Roundup: iPhone 7
Tags: Intel, LTE
Discuss this article in our forums

Garmin Epix review: Epic life-saving reliability

When you venture out into the wild, even if that’s just a walk in the not-so-local woods, you want a GPS device you can rely on. Garmin, with years of experience in that area, is a name that generally offers peace of mind. When it comes to the Epix watch it aims to provide a complete mapping solution right on your wrist.

Unlike Garmin’s other GPS watches, like the fenix 3 or ForeRunner 630, the Epix comes with built-in maps. That means trails, roads and even topography can be viewed right there on your wrist. The design is unlike anything that’s gone before too, with a chunky and square face. This is not a small watch, nor one you’re likely to wear day to day, but for what it does the size is remarkably compact. The price is not so small, though, but when compared to others and taking features into account it’s not terrible.

So has Garmin created a do-it-all mapping watch that can compete with dedicated mapping devices or the offerings of its competition in the likes of Suunto? We’ve been risking life and limb up mountains and out in remote forests to find out. And we’re not talking just the not-so-local woods, we’ve been hiking and camping in Yosemite national park during the winter colds to make the utmost of this Garmin device.

Pocket-lint

Garmin Epix: Design and build

At first glance one thing is clear: the Epix is chunky and very solid. If all else fails this beast could probably act as a weapon when slung at a hungry bear* (ok, so probably not, but it’s hardly a svelte design watch, is it?). It wouldn’t do much damage though as it’s actually comfortably light. We wore it for days at a time without much notice – although if worn too tightly it can chafe a little.

That said, the rubberised strap is comfy and the face is small enough to fit on the wrist and under sleeves without much bother. The face is also large enough to read maps and control everything via touchscreen with relative ease.

Despite being low-power enough to last, the screen is bright enough to see in daylight and colours are clear which really helps when following a small trail in remote areas. It’s also of a high enough resolution to appreciate finer details like altimeter markings while ascending mountains.

A dedicated charger connects easily and juices the Epix back to full in around an hour at the plug. Rapid when you consider this battery lasts for weeks, or days when in full GPS operation.

Waterproofing and shock-proofing are two things Garmin offers in the Epix so you don’t need to worry about crossing a river, knocking your wrist into a rock or anything else that might leave a weaker watch damaged.

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Garmin Epix: Maps and tracking

The maps on the Epix are pre-loaded, meaning you can add more depending on where you’re going. It also means you can veer off to any remote location without worrying about needing a data connection. Both GPS and GLONASS are onboard with what we found to be super fast pick-up and accuracy. The built-in compass also works really well. After years of annoying smartphone compass fails it’s refreshing to move and see the cursor on the map move accurately with you.

Searching direct from the watch is relatively painless and finding even remote places was easier than some satnavs we’ve used. The side buttons make selecting text straightforward and we found ourselves using them for most interactions. Although when it came to map zooming and panning the touch controls were helpful.

The maps themselves come pre-loaded and include trails, elevation information, lakes and rivers, points of interest, parks, forests and, of course, roads. Plus, if you pay the yearly subscription, you can get BirdsEye Satellite imagery too. We stuck to the maps and found them invaluable for finding our way – the compass is super accurate and you can zoom in close enough to find a path point really accurately.

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Garmin Epix: Sensors and data

Tracking your route on the Epix means a lot more than just GPS movement tracking. The altimeter, barometer, GLONASS, accelerometer, thermometer and more make for a serious amount of data. Great for looking back at what you’ve done but, crucially, this is also really helpful while out.

For example getting sunset time when you’re working out how far you can go before you need to set up camp, or head home, is great. As is the barometer as a warning for incoming bad weather, any drop in pressure is obvious so you know to head for cover – and there’s even an alert with vibration to get you moving.

The combination of GPS and GLONASS results in a faster acquisition of satellites so you can get going quicker. We found, even when changing between countries, this was rapid and located us within a minute every time.

External sensors like ANT+ or Bluetooth heart-rate monitors and cadence sensors will also work with the Epix so if you want to use it as a running or cycling watch. It really is a do-it-all solution, albeit a chunky one.

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Garmin Epix: Connect software

The Connect software has been developed with the multiple gadgets of Garmin in mind. That means it’s a one-stop-shop for all your data. From GPS metrics like distance travelled on a hike to daily step count and even sleep, if you can handle wearing this beast to bed. That said we did, as it was ideal for checking time and sunrise during a night of camping in Yosemite. But in the more comfortable home scenario we doubt many (or anyone) will be sleep-tracking using the Epix.

The Garmin Connect software, accessible via apps or online, collates data and feeds it back in clear chunks. You can drill down into a section, like a specific hike for data on height climbed, speed, route on a map, distance covered and more. Or you can see your activity over a period of days, weeks or months to glance at your progress. All your data is automatically synched across to your cloud account via the app over Bluetooth.

Also included is Garmin Connect IQ support which has a host of apps for things like watch faces, data fields and specific widgets. We found the time of sunset face useful when hiking where setting up camp before dark was important.

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Verdict

The Garmin Epix might be the company’s only watch-based mapping option but it’s clear the experience of its other mapping products has been included. However, as a day-to-day watch it’s definitely on the larger, chunky side. 

We worried that a watch might not be reliable enough for battery life, nor as clear for screen as a dedicated handheld GPS device. But we needn’t have worried: the maps are plenty clear and the battery keeps on going and going. Unless you’ve got poor eyesight very few would need more than this on a wild camp or trek. It’s even easy to charge with a mobile battery charger if needs be on longer trips.

While the Garmin Epix is expensive, for that money you’re getting a sports GPS watch, a handheld maps system, an early weather warning system, notification centre and more all in one compact and attractive package. It might not win the style awards, but as a functional, detailed product it provides epic life-saving reliability – and if that’s what you need then look no further.

Sky Q install: Tips and tricks to get you ready for installation

Sky Q, the new top of the range TV service from Sky, is starting to be installed in homes up and down the country, but is there anything you can do to get ready for the big day ahead of the Sky engineer coming to your house?

Having gone through the install process, here’s what we’ve learnt so you can get yourself ready for your own installation of Sky Q.

Sky Q install: Watch everything on your current “classic” Sky box

Sky Q is a completely new way of watching TV and runs on a completely different operating system from previously. That means you won’t be able to transfer anything you’ve recorded on your “classic” Sky box over to the new Sky Q box.

If you are thinking you’ll just wait until the Sky installer leaves and then try and access your old box once they’ve gone, you can’t do that either. The LMB (the bit that receives and processes the signal on the dish) is different, and because you’ll have a new viewing card, the new card won’t work in your old box.  

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Sky Q install: Make a note of all the series linked shows you watch

You’ll need to make a note of all the series linked shows you’ve set up as you’ll have to set them up fresh on the new Sky Q box. We forgot and are now having to rack our brains to remember what we series linked and what we didn’t. You can see what you’ve series linked on the “classic” Sky box in the Planner under the Scheduled tab.

Sky Q install: Setup the new Sky Q Hub

Before the Sky engineer turns up to your house you should receive the new Sky Q Hub in the post. Rather than wait for them to unpack the box and plug it in, you might as well get the process started. It is also a good idea to then rename the network SSID to the same as your old one. That way you won’t have to change the network and password on all of your devices around the house.

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Sky Q install: Check your Wi-Fi quality

Sky Q uses Wi-Fi to communicate between all the Sky Q devices in your home, whether that’s the Sky Q Hub, the Sky Q box, or the Sky Q Mini boxes. If you don’t have a good Wi-Fi signal the chances are it isn’t going to work.

If you know where the weak spots are, then the Sky engineer can help you when they arrive at in your house, without having to go through the process of trying to find them themselves. This is especially important if you are looking to get the Sky Q Mini boxes installed in a bedroom far away from the Sky Q Hub.

Sky Q install: Download the Sky Q app on your iPad or Android tablet

Sky Q supports the option for you to watch Sky Q from your iPad. We’re only talking a couple of minutes saved here, but downloading it before the Sky engineer comes will mean it’s all up and running ahead of time. It’s only available on tablet at the moment, so don’t go looking for it on your iPhone hoping you can have it synced to your iPad the way we did.

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Sky Q install: Make sure your Sky engineer can get to the dish

The Sky engineer will need to get to your dish to replace the LMB (the bit that receives and processes the signal). If you’ve got a load of clutter in the way that’s going to slow everything down. Help them by clearing it all out. It’s also worth noting that if your dish is up high, they might not be able to get to it without a consultation first.

Sky Q install: You can go wired, but the Sky engineer won’t want you to

They aren’t supposed to do it, but Sky Q does work over a wired connection if the Wi-Fi in your house is awful. A wired install isn’t as straightforward as it sounds and you’ll need either a direct wired connection from the hub straight into the Sky Q Mini box or if you go through a network switch for that network switch to be “hefty”.

In our install experience the system wouldn’t work with a cheap network switch from TP-Link or D-Link (sub £20), but it would work with the Netgear GS105E ProSafe Plus 5 Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch. In the future the Sky Q devices will be able to connect to each other using Powerline, but at the moment that feature isn’t turned on.

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Bonus tip

If you hear the Sky engineer refer to a guy named Ethan, that’s because Sky Q’s codename internally was Project Ethan, after Tom Cruise’s character Ethan Hunt. Hopefully, following these few simple tips, your install won’t be mission impossible.