Spotify agrees to pay millions for unmatched royalties

Spotify has come an agreement with NMPA (National Music Publishers Association) over unpaid royalties for music on the streaming service that didn’t have copyright owner information. According to The Verge, the company will pay $21 million.

The money will be used to pay for “unmatched works” (songs that didn’t have information about the copyright holder attached) that were streamed on Spotify. The settlement also makes it easier for owners of a song to identify themselves so they get the royalties owed to them.

The money will be spilt with $16 million being used to pay royalty fees to publishers and song writers. The remaining $5 million will be part of a bonus fund for songwriters and and publishers that opt in to the settlement.

In a statement NMPA CEO CEO David Israelite said, “I am thrilled that through this agreement both independent and major publishers and songwriters will be able to get what is owed to them. We must continue to push digital services to properly pay for the musical works that fuel their businesses and after much work together, we have found a way for Spotify to quickly get royalties to the right people.”

Spotify pledged in 2015 to fix the royalty problem. It looks like at least this particular issue has been addressed.

Via: The Verge

Source: NMPA

Apple Working to Create its Own Cloud Storage Infrastructure

Apple is working on building its own cloud infrastructure to reduce its dependence on services like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform, according to information shared by Re/code and VentureBeat. A project called “McQueen” is underway at Apple, with a team of employees working to create an in-house cloud storage system.

According to a source familiar with the matter, Apple already has a team working on this; it’s known internally as “McQueen,” as in Steve. It’s unclear if that project will materialize or when. But a source tells Re/code that the codename refers to Apple’s intent, sometime in the next few years, to break its reliance on all three outside cloud providers in favor of its own soup-to-nuts infrastructure.

According to VentureBeat, Apple is unhappy with AWS’s inability to quickly load photos and videos onto iOS devices, something its own cloud system could fix. Apple executives reportedly believe that creating a full cloud infrastructure could pay for itself within three years. Estimates suggest Apple spends upwards of $1 billion on cloud services each year.

Project McQueen kicked off after a conversation between a Microsoft employee and an Apple employee, the source said. Azure won’t be able to handle the growth of Apple’s workloads in the future, meaning Apple would have to pay much more in order to help Microsoft cover the cost of expanding Azure’s data center infrastructure, the Microsoft person told the Apple person.

Apple is already investing significant money into building new data centers around the world and is said to be planning for data centers in China and Hong Kong. Data centers are in the works in Ireland, Denmark, Reno, and Arizona, plus Apple is expanding its existing data center in Prineville, Oregon. Apple’s Arizona data center, located in the former GT Advanced sapphire plant, is positioned as a “command center” for Apple’s global data network. Apple has described the Arizona location is “one of the largest investments” the company has made.

While Apple carries out plans to build its own cloud computing service, it will continue to rely on Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform. Apple has long used AWS and Microsoft Azure, while Google Cloud Platform is a new partner that inked a deal with Apple late last year.

VentureBeat cautions Apple’s plan to create its own cloud infrastructure is still in the early stages, while Re/code says it is not clear if and when the project could materialize. Apple could abandon the plan and stick with its current providers or instead acquire a cloud infrastructure product in the future.

Tags: recode.net, iCloud, venturebeat.com
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Revl Arc Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

Lori Grunin/CNET

One of the things I love about the wearable/mountable camera market is that, while GoPro might dominate, there are several other companies — big and small — developing cameras to offer features and designs GoPro just doesn’t. The Revel Arc smart action camera is a perfect example.

Launched on Indiegogo today, the Arc tackles several pain points for action-cam users, including two of the biggest: stabilization and editing. Though electronic image stabilization isn’t new to the category, this is the first 4K-resolution cam that I can think of that uses a combination of mechanical and electronic image stabilization.

A motor fed with data from a built-in gyroscope keeps the camera level regardless of how it’s mounted, so if it’s strapped to you and you flip, your video will stay right-side up and level. Electronic stabilization helps with vibration and shake not smoothed out by the motorized stabilization.

Lori Grunin/CNET

Joining the gyroscope are three other sensors: a barometer, accelerometer and magnetometer. The camera also has Bluetooth that can be used to connect to a heart-rate monitor or onboard diagnostic modules for cars. Data from the sensors can be overlaid on your video so everyone can see your performance. The camera will also use this info for highlight tagging, automatically cutting together the most exciting moments and quickly creating edited videos for sharing. (This sounds very similar to what TomTom’s Bandit camera already does, and it works really well.)

Other key features include:

• Records 4K at 30fps, 1080p at 120, 60, 30fps and 720p at 240, 120, 60fps
• Live-stream at 1080p
• Shockproof and waterproof to 10 feet (3 meters) without a housing
• Stores to microSD cards (up to 128GB supported)
• User replaceable battery
• Up to 90 minutes recording time at 4K (without Wi-Fi)
• Standard tripod mount as well as specialized mounts created for the camera
• One-button recording
• Revl mobile app for live preview and controlling the camera and its settings
• Apple Watch support
• 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0

Revl says the components are similar to what you’d find in GoPro’s Hero4 Black including a Sony image sensor and Ambarella A9SE processor and it’s using a high-quality low-distortion lens. I haven’t used the Arc and this isn’t a review and I’m not endorsing it, but it does look promising.

Should you decide to back it — early bird perks start at $349, which converts to AU$460 and £240 — keep in mind you’ll be contributing to a campaign to see this product developed and it isn’t expected to start shipping until December. Before you contribute to this or any other Indiegogo campaign, read through the crowdfunding site’s FAQ on contributing.

Nokia Ozo Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

Nokia

Let’s face it, you’re not going to spend the better half of $100,000 on a funny-looking camera that looks like a less fun version of BB-8 from “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” But somebody might stump up the cash — someone with a professional video production company, for instance.

And that’s when you reap the rewards. This professional-grade camera shoots 360-degree video, which is perfect for viewing with a VR headset, of the kind about to go on sale from Sony, Facebook-owned Oculus and HTC. We’ve seen the kind of video it’s capable of capturing, so read on for everything you need to know.

Give us something to look at

While plenty of major tech companies are pumping cash into the (only slightly dystopic) VR future, the fledgling virtual-reality market will be doomed unless there’s plenty of great 360-degree video to make. Selling face-masking headsets is one half of the equation, and ensuring that media-makers have the tools they need to create great VR experiences is the other.

Nokia’s $60,000 Ozo camera records stereoscopic 3D video, captured through eight synchronised video sensors. It’ll capture audio coming from all directions too, and records 45 minutes of 360-degree footage onto proprietary storage, at 30 frames per second.

How footage looks

At a London launch event, we got our eyes on footage shot using Nokia’s Ozo camera, using Oculus and Gear VR headsets, including a demo that put us on a balcony in the middle of a band’s performance, at which point the multidirection audio really came into play. The experience with the headset was very smooth and immersive, though isn’t vastly different to previous 360-video experiences I’ve had, but the Ozo’s potential isn’t in revolutionising the way 360-degree video looks, but making it easier for professionals to create and push out to the masses.

Outlook

Like 4K and 3D before it, if VR and 360-video want to really change the world, the key is producing more video that people actually want to watch. The Ozo does carry a hefty price tag, so we’ll be interested to see if it tempts production professionals to embrace it.

Acer Predator 15 review – CNET

The Good A rare 15-inch gaming laptop with top-end Nvidia 980M graphics, and the extra cooling required to run high-end parts in a smaller body. Battery life is excellent for a gaming laptop.

The Bad Despite a few nice design touches, this is still a gaudy-looking gaming laptop. All those fans can get loud when running at maximum speed.

The Bottom Line The Acer Predator 15 one of the fastest gaming laptops we’ve tested, and wisely adds extra cooling to handle high-end parts in a smaller 15-inch body.

“Why do all these gaming laptops look like sneakers?” That was the question my wife — herself no stranger to gaming — asked when I lifted the lid on the latest version of Acer’s 15-inch Predator laptop. It may seem like an odd question for ask about a computer, but I immediately understood the point. Where most mainstream laptops go for understated minimalism, and indeed try their best to fade into the background, gaming laptops (and desktops) are invariably covered with accented bling.

There can be menacing red lights, textured interior surfaces that look like the bed of a pickup truck, plastic vents with shark-like fins. It’s all part of a visual language that attempts to communicate the power and capability of the interior components, which are invisible to the naked eye. Even the Razer Blade line of laptops, arguably the least gaudy of gaming systems, have that company’s neon green logo of conjoined snakes on the back, and a pulsing multicolor lightshow under the keyboard.

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Sarah Tew/CNET

Yes, the Acer Predator 15 follows many of those gaming laptop tropes, but I actually liked some parts of its design. At the very least, it’s gaudy in its own way, and doesn’t directly copy the look of other gaming laptops too closely. I especially liked red keyshafts on the arrow keys and WASD keys (especially important keys for PC gaming). There’s also a pleasingly consistent design sense from the red speakers on the front edge through to the red border around the giant air vent in on the rear edge.

Dorm-friendly design aside, the most notable thing about the Predator 15 is that this is a rare opportunity to get a high-end Nvidia 980M gaming graphics card in a smaller 15-inch laptop. Typically, we see the 970M and 980M cards in larger 17-inch laptops, while smaller 15-inch gaming laptops usually get stuck with the mainstream-level Nvidia 960M graphics card, which is no slouch, but isn’t what serious game-players are looking for.

However, keep in mind that this laptop is on the larger side of the 15-inch spectrum. You can place it next to a 17-inch gaming laptop and the size difference is not going to be as dramatic as, for example, a slim 15-inch HP Omen versus a typical 17-inch gaming laptop. That Omen was 4.7 pounds (2.13kg), versus 8.0 pounds (3.6kg) for the Predator.

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Sarah Tew/CNET

This configuration is the high-end of the 15-inch Predator line, with an Intel Core i7-6700HQ CPU, 32GB of RAM, a big 512GB SSD coupled with a 1TB HDD and the Nvidia 980M GPU, for a total of $2,499 in the US. Cutting the SSD to 256GB and the RAM to 16GB gets you down to a more reasonable $1,999, while keeping the high-end CPU/GPU combo. About the least you can spend on a mainstream gaming laptop with an Nvida 980M card today is about $1,700, which can snag a slightly older 17-inch Asus G751.

Different configurations are available in the UK and Australia, topping out in the UK at £1,499 for the same CPU/GPU combo, but with only 16GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD, while configurations in Australia start at $AU2,999.

Sony PlayStation Vue review – CNET

The Good PlayStation Vue has most of the features and channels you get from your cable or satellite TV provider, without hidden fees or contracts. Its cloud DVR lets you record, pause and rewind live TV, and fast-forward through commercials on recorded shows. Local ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC channels are available in seven US cities, and on-demand in others. It works with PlayStation consoles and Amazon Fire TV, as well as iPhone, iPad and Chromecast, and can stream to up to five devices simultaneously. It has an innovative, show-centric interface and offers profiles for different family members.

The Bad Vue’s higher price, especially in certain cities, means you might not save much over cable TV bundles. It still lacks certain channels, like PBS and some sports networks. It’s not available on Android devices, Roku or Apple TV. Fast-forward and rewind on cloud-based recordings is less responsive than on a standard DVR, and using the PlayStation controller is a pain. There are numerous limits to viewing content on mobile devices.

The Bottom Line Sony’s PlayStation Vue lets you ditch cable TV and still enjoy tons of live channels and DVR features, and you don’t even need a PlayStation.

Available on the PlayStation Network

If Vue was announced by Apple instead of Sony, and called something like “iVue,” people would be dancing madly on the lip of the volcano and declaring the end of cable television.

Apple has gone back and forth for years in an effort, now evidently stalled again, to offer an Internet-delivered TV service to compete against cable. Meanwhile, little old Sony has been serving up PlayStation Vue for the last year, offering just about everything Apple is rumored to be planning. And Vue just keeps getting better.

When the service first debuted, it ran second banana to Sling TV, the pioneering cord-cutter TV service that delivers a base package of 20-odd live TV channels, including ESPN, AMC and CNN, for $20 per month. Vue has always had fewer restrictions and more channels and features than Sling, including an innovative “cloud DVR,” but at first it cost too much, was only available in a handful of US cities and only worked with PlayStation consoles.

Thanks to price drops, new channels and additional device support, as well as a nationwide rollout, Vue is now superior to Sling TV in most ways and accessible to a good chunk of the US population. Its new nationwide “Slim” packages start at $30 for 50-odd channels, including next-day video-on-demand of programming from ABC, Fox and NBC, with CBS “coming soon.”

Sony PlayStation Vue TV service (pictures)
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And you no longer need a PlayStation to use it. Vue is available on Amazon Fire TV devices, including the $35 Stick, as well as iPads, iPhones and Chromecast. Sony says more devices are coming soon. I for one don’t expect Vue to appear on Apple TV, but a Roku or Android app is certainly possible.

Vue isn’t for everyone. It still requires a broadband Internet connection, so your local cable company’s “triple play” or similar bundle might be a better value. It’s still missing a few key channels, including live local channels in most of the country, as well as PBS and some local sports. And it definitely needs more device support stat.

But if Vue makes financial sense in your area, Sony’s service can be a great way to cut the cable cord without feeling any pain.

Disclosure: CBS, the owner of CNET, is a compensated content provider to PlayStation Vue and its main satellite and cable TV competitors.

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Getting to know Vue

Since Internet TV services are still unfamiliar territory for a lot of people, here’s a quick primer on Vue. An even shorter primer? Think of it as Netflix with live TV, complete with commercials (that you can skip).

It streams TV over the Internet. Vue requires a broadband Internet connection, and Sony recommends 10mbps or higher for the best experience, plus 5mbps for every additional stream.

It has most of the same live TV channels and on-demand shows as your cable provider, arranged in similar packages, for a monthly fee starting at $30. Vue is not a la carte TV; you can’t choose individual channels. Instead it has three different packages, called Access, Core and Elite, with increasing numbers of channels for more money.

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It’s available nationwide in the US, but costs more (and offers live local channels) in seven major cities. If you live in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Francisco or Miami, Vue starts at $40. That’s because you can watch live versions of the local ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC stations. In other places across the country, shows from those networks are only available on-demand the next day on Vue, and you won’t get stuff like local news.

Its DVR lets you “record” your shows to the cloud, watch them anytime, and skip commercials. You can easily set up shows to watch after they air live, and you can fast-forward, pause and rewind, just like regular hardware DVR from the cable company. Just like Netflix, these shows are stored in the cloud, not on your device.

You’ll need a PlayStation 3 or 4 console, or an Amazon Fire TV, to use it. Instead of a cable box, Vue feeds your TV through a PlayStation console, or an Amazon Fire TV box or Amazon Fire TV stick. You can also watch on an iPad or iPhone or Chromecast connected to a TV, but you must also have a PlayStation or Fire TV to do so.

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You can watch on up to five TVs simultaneously from one account. Unlike Sling TV, which is limited to just one stream, Vue lets you stream to more than one device at the same time. Currently the limit is one PS3 and one PS4 in the same house, with additional simultaneous streams using Fire TV or iOS devices, up to five total streams at once. That means your multi-TV household can all watch something different at once, provided you have a fast enough Internet connection.

Unlike cable, there’s no equipment rental, contracts or other “hidden” monthly fees. Vue’s monthly fee is a flat rate, and the service makes it easy to cancel and restart, or just try for a week for free to see if you like it. (Yes, there may be state or local sales tax.)

The channels: More than Sling, fewer than cable

The biggest question anyone has about a newfangled Internet TV service revolves around channel access. That’s why I’ve prepared a big chart showing all of the channels on Vue and Sling TV, as well as a few (like PBS, CSPAN, NFL Red Zone and BBC America) that aren’t available on either one yet, but can be found on typical cable services.

The Big Chart: Sling TV vs. PlayStation Vue, top 160 channels

The simple takeaway is that Vue’s basic package has a much better channel selection than Sling TV, but worse than many cable packages. And of course, you can pay more to get more channels.

Unlike Sling, Netflix or Hulu, however, Vue’s packages cost different amounts depending on where you live in the US. For people in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Francisco and Miami, Vue packages cost $10 per month more for the privilege of watching (and recording) live local channels; namely ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC.

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It’s pretty confusing, so let’s use two big California cities as examples. The cheapest Vue package costs $40 in L.A., but $30 in San Diego. In L.A. it’s called Access, while in San Diego it’s called Access Slim (Sony tacks “Slim” onto its package names to indicate that local channels aren’t available). And no, you can’t buy the Access package in San Diego, or the cheaper Access Slim package in L.A. (a real bummer for people who are satisfied getting local channels via antenna).

In LA, you can watch network shows like “The Voice,” “The Bachelor” or “Gotham” live, or DVR them, but in San Diego you have to wait 24 hours to watch them on-demand. CBS shows are coming on-demand to Vue’s Slim cities “soon.”

Still confused? Hopefully another chart will help:

PlayStation Vue package availability

If you’re still unsure what you’d pay with Vue, head over to Sony’s website and input your zip code. Then come back here and finish reading this review! Trust me, it gets better.

Beyond local channels and regional sports networks, Vue’s packages are the same in every city nationwide, and offer an impressive array of cable channels, including the Fox and NBC/Universal properties missing from Sling. The recent addition of Disney-owned channels to Vue, including ABC and ESPN, erased Sling’s biggest programming advantage. A few Sling channels are still missing from Vue as well, including A&E, History and Lifetime, but Vue still maintains a huge advantage in channels over its cheaper rival. For more details, check out Sling TV vs. PlayStation Vue.

Like other Internet TV services, Vue’s Achilles heel is sports. It’s missing MLB TV, the NFL Network and some regional sports channels, for example. The more expensive Core package ($35 or $45) from Vue provides access to more sports, including some (but not all) regional sports networks. In New York, for example, Vue has the YES Network (Yankees baseball, Nets basketball) but lacks MSG and SNY, the regional sports channels for other area professional teams.

I’ve also seen reports from reader who says Sony’s website mistakenly indicated they would get access to regional sports networks that ended up not being part of the Core package. I’ve followed up with Sony and will update if I get more information.

In short, for sports fans of certain teams, Vue is a nonstarter.

You can add Showtime to Vue for $11 per month (or $9 for PlayStation Plus members), but there’s no HBO option yet (Sling TV has HBO for $15 per month). A couple of other add-on channels are available too, including EPIX and Machinima, Sony’s gaming-centric network.

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The experience: Netflix with live TV plus DVR

Watching TV with Vue is mostly the same as watching via a cable or satellite TV, especially if you’re used to a full-service cable system that includes a whole-home DVR. But you need good Internet service. If your real speed doesn’t at least match Sony’s 10Mbps recommendation during prime time hours — or if it comes with bandwidth caps at home — don’t bother.

So how is it different from cable and rival Sling TV? Here’s what I discovered.

After a quick learning curve, Vue’s Netflix-like interface rules. The most obvious change to cable TV veterans is Vue’s innovative menu system. The home page isn’t a program guide or staid, text-based menu, it’s a dynamic collection of thumbnail images that directly correspond to actual TV shows — just like Netflix. Intuitive categories include “You’re Watching,” Up Next,” “You Might Like.” The “My Shows” list is stuff you’ve added to the cloud DVR, followed by “Favorite Channels” and “Live TV.”

Yes, there is a grid Guide too, but it’s sparse and poorly designed. And in another diss to traditional TV-watching habits, there’s no way to move to the next channel directly from what you’re currently watching; you have to go back to the interface. Channel flippers need not apply.

Pioneer Elite VSX-LX101 Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

Pioneer

Pioneer has announced that its 2016 Elite receivers will include next-generation surround technologies Dolby Atmos and DTS:X in addition to Google Cast.

Pioneer outlined two new models in its Elite range — the $500 LX101 and the $700 LX301 — which offer 7x140W and 7x170W, respectively.

Both models support 4K video in whichever guise you want to tap in to it (60p/4:4:4) in addition to the all-important HDCP 2.2 copy protection.

The receivers offer the latest Dolby Atmos and DTS:X formats, though the latter is not scheduled till Fall 2016, in a 5.2.1 configuration (which includes two overheads).

Wireless connectivity includes Bluetooth and Wi-Fi which also brings with it AirPlay support for Apple devices. Given that Pioneer is part of Onkyo now it’s not surprising to see this receiver also siding with the FireConnect (BlackFire) wireless multiroom standard. But how useful will it be in the end?

Google Cast is also supported by these Elite receivers and this protocol is likely to become a de facto standard in home audio, particularly for use in multiroom situations. If Google allows Google Cast and Chromecast Audio units to be grouped together (which hopefully will be soon) you’ll no longer need to learn a proprietary app to cast music across your entire house, just use your usual music app.

The receivers will also support streaming from Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn and Tidal in addition to media support for in-home streaming of 192kHz/24-bit FLAC, WAV, AIFF, Apple Lossless and DSD (2.8/5.6MHz).

The receivers will be available in the US in April 2016.

The Wirecutter’s best deals: An Apple TV media streamer and more!

This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer’s guide to the best technology. Read their continuously updated list of deals at TheWirecutter.com.

You may have already seen Engadget posting reviews from our friends at The Wirecutter. Now, from time to time, we’ll also be publishing their recommended deals on some of their top picks. Read on, and strike while the iron is hot — some of these sales could expire mighty soon.

Jabra MOVE Bluetooth Headset

Street price: $85; MSRP: $100; deal price: $60

This matches the best price we’ve seen on this headset. This deal was available leading up to Black Friday, but it shot up afterwards to the $85 range. The current deal is only available on the red color.

The Jabra MOVE Bluetooth headset is our pick for the best Bluetooth on or over-ear headphones. Lauren Dragan said, “First, they sound truly great for the price (though if sound quality is your top priority, our luxury pick may be a better choice). Secondly, they work well: unlike other Bluetooth headphones with confusing buttons, frustrating controls, or headbands that pinch, the MOVEs have easy-to-use-and-understand controls and are comfortable on your head.”

Samsung 850 EVO 500GB Internal SSD

Street price: $155; MSRP: $270; deal price: $135

Finally, a new low on the 850 EVO! We saw it hit $138 back in December, and it bounced back up to the $145-$150 range, until today. While it’s only a few bucks below our previous low, and hasn’t matched the discounts of the 1TB model recently, it’s well worth buying at this price.

The Samsung 850 EVO is the top pick in our guide on the best SSDs. Nathan Edwards said, “It’s fast, cheap, and consistent, and it comes from a company that makes its own SSD controllers, firmware and NAND, which means it gets first dibs on the good stuff Samsung has made some of the best SSDs on the market for the past four hardware generations; this is no exception.”

Audio-Technica ATH-M40x Studio Monitor Headphones

Street price: $100; MSRP: $140; deal price: $65

Back during Black Friday through late December, we saw some really great deals on these. A fair few mid $70s drops, a $67 drop, and one that matched this price. Since then, the deals dried up. So it’s great to see Adorama bring back the best price we’ve seen on these headphones. Amazon also matched this deal.

The Audio-Technica ATH-M40x headphones are the runner-up pick in our guide on the best $150 over-ear headphones. Lauren Dragan said, “The Audio Technica ATH-M40x pair is pretty well balanced for the price, with a crisp, articulate high end (that some listeners might find too bright) and rich bass. The replaceable cable is a nice bonus.”

Apple TV 32GB Media Streamer

Street price: $150; MSRP: $150; deal price: $125

Not quite the best price we’ve seen, but close! The previous Apple TV deal was also $125, but it included a free HDMI cable. We don’t think that’s a big deal since many people have spare HDMI cables laying around, or can grab one for a couple bucks, so this is still a solid savings.

The Apple TV is our Apple users pick for the best media streamer. Chris Heinonen said, “If you use iTunes and purchase your content from that store, you should get the $150 Apple TV. The new version includes Siri for easy searching and has the advantage of being the only device that supports iTunes. It also offers most of the major streaming services, but for some of them it relies on AirPlay support (streaming via your iPhone, iPad, or Mac) instead of on a built-in app.”

Deals change all the time, and some of these may have expired. To see an updated list of current deals, please go to The Wirecutter.com.

How to convert slow-motion iOS videos to regular speed – CNET

Slow-motion videos are a fun option for iPhone and iPad videographers, letting you slow down the action for dramatic effect. If you have a iPhone 5S, you can shoot slo-mo videos at 120 frames per second, and if you have an iPhone 6 or later, you have two slo-mo options: 120fps and 240fps.

If you shoot a slow-motion video, you can return the video to regular speed. Or you can adjust the portion of the video that is slowed down.

To get started, open your video in the Photos app and tap Edit in the upper-right corner.

Below your video in edit mode, you will see a series of tick marks. The sections where the tick marks are tight together is regular-speed video, and the section where the tick marks are more spaced out is the slow-motion portion of the video. Two little sliders separate the slow-motion section from the regular-speed sections at the beginning and end.

Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET

To remove the slow-motion effect from your video and return it to regular speed, all you need to do is move the sliders at either end of the slow-motion section together. When the two sliders are aligned and all the tick marks are tight together, your video is regular speed from start to finish.

When you shoot a slo-mo video, by default the video features a few seconds at the beginning and end of regular motion. You can move the sliders to adjust how long the regular-motion intro and outro last, or slide the bars all the way to either end to make it so the entire video is slow-motion from start to finish. This flexibility allows you to start and stop the slow-motion effect at just the right points in your video.

Unfortunately, this edit tool is a one-way street. That is, you can’t take a video you shot in regular video mode and use the Photos app to add a slow-motion effect. You can do so, however, in iMovie for iOS. Learn how to add video effects in iMovie for iOS, including speeding up or slowing down portions of your video project. For more, read our complete guide to iMovie for iOS.

(Via WonderHowTo)

Casio’s Smart Outdoor Watch launching March 25 for $500

Those looking for a rugged Android Wear smartwatch to use while fishing, hiking or any other myriad of outdoor activities will be able to get their hands on Casio’s Smart Outdoor Watch WSD-F10 starting March 25, the watch maker has announced. On launch, Casio says that the Smart Outdoor Watch WSD-F10 will be available from a number of retailers — including Amazon, the Google Store, REI Co-Op and Casio itself — for $500.

To recap, the WSD-F10 is firmly in the realm of rugged watches, and is built for all manner of outdoor activities and sports. The watch sports a number of sensors, and comes pre-loaded with apps for tracking running, fishing, hiking and more. In addition, Casio says the watch features a 1.32-inch dual layer display that can switch from color to monochrome to boost battery life when you aren’t using apps.

Are you planning to pick up Casio’s rugged Android Wear offering? Be sure to let us know in the comments!