FBI backs off Apple, finds another way into iPhone 5c

The Department of Justice just asked the courts to vacate tomorrow’s hearing with Apple concerning the iPhone of San Bernardino shooter Syed Rizwan Farook. Apparently, the FBI will use alternative methods to get into the locked phone without Apple’s help.

In a document filed with the courts, the DoJ states:

On Sunday, March 20, 2016, an outside party demonstrated to the FBI a possiblemethod for unlocking Farook’s iPhone. Testing is required to determine whether it is available method that will not compromise data on Farook’s iPhone. If the method is viable, it should eliminate the need for the assistance from Apple Inc. (“Apple”) set forthin the All Writs Act Order in this case.

This doesn’t mean this is over. The DoJ proposes filing a progress report on its tests to unlock the iPhone with the courts on April 5. If the method doesn’t work, it’s probable that Apple and the FBI will be in court at a later date arguing the merits of unlocking that phone.

The government would not name the party that could potentially unlock the phone. It did note that the individual or group is not part of the government.

Magistrate Judge Sheri Pym has scheduled a conference call this afternoon with both parties about the government’s motion to vacate tomorrow’s hearing. Judge Pym might still ask Apple and the DoJ to show up to tomorrow’s hearing.

Apple and CEO Tim Cook have spent the last month making its case that this is not only a undue hardship on the company to create what it called a GovtOS, but more importantly, an over-reaching use of the All Write Act and a violation of the company’s first amendment rights. Between motions and briefs, Apple has spoken with reporters multiple times and Tim Cook has appeared on ABC News to explain the company’s position. At the start of today’s iPhone event, the Cook talked about the ongoing case.

The DoJ and FBI Director James Comey have contended that this is about a single iPhone that may (or may not) have information that could result is thwarting future terrorist attacks or give insight into whether Farook conspired with members of ISIS.

Update: Tomorrow’s hearing has been vacated by the courts. It will have to file a status report on April 5.

The Court has reviewed the government’s Ex Parte Application for a Continuance. GOOD CAUSE HAVING BEEN SHOWN, the Court hereby ORDERS that the hearing in this matter set for March 22, 2016, at 1:00 p.m. is vacated, and the government is ORDERED to file a status report by April 5, 2016.

Developing

Everything you need to know from Apple’s ‘Loop You In’ event

Apple squeezed a surprising amount of news into an hour-long press conference, but hey — not everyone has time to sift through the day’s events. If that’s you, well, we’ve got a handy video recap of the new/neat/off-the-wall stuff unveiled in Cupertino earlier today.

What’s that? You’ve got more than two minutes to spare after all? Never fear: we’ve also trimmed the fat from the press conference as a whole, so you can plow through the most important bits in under ten minutes. And if you’ve got even more time than that, you may as well just check out our hands-on impressions of Apple’s new iPhone SE and smaller iPad Pro too. As an enormous faux-stone face with glowing eyes once said, the choices are yours and yours alone.

Existing iPhone 5 and 5s Cases Fit Apple’s New iPhone SE

Ahead of the launch of the iPhone SE, there were questions about just how closely it would resemble the iPhone 5s, but as it turns out, the two devices are almost identical physically aside from the matte chamfered edges on the iPhone SE.

Rumors suggesting the two devices would be close enough in design to share cases were correct — existing iPhone cases designed to fit an iPhone 5 or 5s will also fit an iPhone SE.

Product listings for iPhone 5 and 5s cases, screen protectors, and other accessories on Apple’s online store have all been updated to note their compatibility with the iPhone 5, 5s, and SE. Customers who previously owned an iPhone 5s and are planning to purchase an iPhone SE will not likely need to purchase new cases for the device.

The iPhone 5s has been discontinued in favor of the iPhone SE, and pricing on the new device starts at $399 for the 16GB model. Apple will begin accepting orders for the iPhone SE on Thursday, March 24, with an official launch coming on March 31.

Related Roundup: iPhone SE
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DoJ Discovers ‘Possible Method’ for Unlocking iPhone, Asks Court to Delay Tuesday Hearing With Apple [Update: Postponed]

The United States Justice Department today asked the court overseeing its ongoing iPhone unlocking battle with Apple to postpone a hearing scheduled to take place on Tuesday, March 22, reports Politico. The DoJ says new leads have been discovered that could provide it with a way to unlock the iPhone 5c used by San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook without involving Apple.

“On Sunday, March 20, 2016, an outside party demonstrated to the FBI a possible method for unlocking [terrorist Syed] Farook’s iPhone,” federal prosecutors said in a filing Monday afternoon. “Testing is required to determine whether it is a viable method that will not compromise data on Farook’s iPhone. If the method is viable, it should eliminate the need for the assistance from Apple Inc. (“Apple”) set forth in the All Writs Act Order in this case.”

“Accordingly, to provide time for testing the method, the government hereby requests that the hearing set for March 22, 2016 be vacated,” government lawyers wrote.

The government has asked that the hearing be postponed for two weeks, instead taking place on Tuesday, April 5. The additional time will be used to determine whether or not the unspecified method can be used to break into the iPhone 5c in question. Sheri Pym, the judge presiding over the case, has not yet given word on whether or not the government’s request will be granted.

Over the last several weeks, Apple and the United States government have been embroiled in a heated public battle over encryption and personal privacy that started when a court ordered Apple to help the FBI unlock the iPhone 5c of terrorist Syed Farook. Unlocking the iPhone would require Apple to build a new version of iOS that bypasses iPhone passcode restrictions and provides the FBI with a way to enter passcodes electronically, something Apple has staunchly refused to do.

Update: The judge has agreed to vacate the hearing scheduled for Tuesday, March 22, and has requested that the government provide an update by April 5.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Tag: Apple-FBI
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Apple Now Selling Apple Pencil Replacement Tips

As of today, Apple has started offering replacement tips for the Apple Pencil in its online store. A set of four Apple Pencil tips can be purchased for $19, with deliveries estimated to take place on Wednesday, March 23 at the earliest.

The $99 Apple Pencil ships with an extra tip in the box, but until today, there was no way to purchase additional tips from Apple. When the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil launched, Apple said it would add replacement tips in the future, a promise it has now made good on.

Apple Pencil tips can be replaced by unscrewing the old tip, inserting the new tip, and screwing it in place.

The launch of the new Apple Pencil tips comes as Apple debuts the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, a second iPad in the iPad Pro family able to take advantage of the Apple Pencil.

(Thanks, Michael!)

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Tag: Apple Pencil
Buyer’s Guide: iPad Pro (Buy Now)
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Apple iPad Pro (9.7-inch) Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

It’s been a slow year for tablets, inevitably making Apple’s latest iPad one of the most exciting models of 2016. Starting at $599 (or £499 in the UK and AU$899 in Australia), the iPad Pro 9.7 will be available for preorder on March 24 and is expected to start shipping by March 31.

The iPad Pro 9.7 is essentially a smaller version of last year’s 13-inch version. It features the same type of colorful display, which is brighter and less reflective than the iPad Air 2, and also has a wide range of colors that’s, according to Apple, 25 percent more saturated than the Air 2.

The iPad Pro 9.7 is the only one that comes in a rose gold shade.

James Martin/CNET

Related links

• iPhone SE: What we know about the ‘iPhone Mini’ expected on March 21
• New iPad on March 21? Everything we know so far about the specs, pricing and release date of Apple’s next iPad
• Join us Monday for Apple’s iPhone SE event (live blog)
• All the March 21 Apple event coverage

New to the iPad Pro 9.7 is the True Tone display, which dynamically adjusts color temperature based on ambient light. There are four ambient light sensors on the tablet that detect the color temperature wherever it’s being used. This then helps the screen adjust to a warmer (more yellow) or cooler (more blue) hue in order for the screen to look as close to white as possible.

Apple hopes new iPad Pro means less is more…
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Though Apple downsized the iPad Pro’s form, that reduction doesn’t also apply to its sound. The 9.7-inch tablet packs four speakers that make it twice as loud as the iPad Air 2.

Just like its bigger counterpart, the iPad Pro 9.7 features Pencil support and Smart Keyboard connectors. Additionally, Apple announced a new line of Lightning adapters that allow you to connect the tablet to a USB camera adapter, SD card reader or Ethernet cord.

Here are some of the iPad Pro 9.7’s specs:

• 9.7-inch screen
• A9X processor
• 12-megapixel camera with 4K video
• 5-megapixel front-facing camera with Retina flash
• $599 for 32GB, $749 for 128GB and $899 for 256GB in the US
• £499 for 32 GB, £619 for 128GB and £739 for 256GB in the UK
• AU$899 for 32 GB, AU$1,149 for 128GB and and AU$1,399 for 256GB in Australia
• Comes in silver, space gray, gold and (for the first time ever) rose gold.

Though the new model is smaller, it’s just as powerful as the big iPad Pro.

James Martin/CNET

Senior Editor Scott Stein was on the scene at Cupertino for the announcement and his first impression of the iPad Pro 9.7 are fairly positive, but a bit underwhelming:

The iPad Pro feels just like you’d expect: an iPad Air 2 married an iPad Pro. This smaller version, oddly, is a little more capable than last year’s 12.9-inch model. It has a better camera, a more advanced color-correcting display, and comes in a higher maximum storage capacity. Pencil works just as well as it does on the larger Pro, based on my quick time with it. The new smaller Smart Keyboard also felt pretty finger-friendly as I rattled off a few notes on it, despite the smaller typing area. Apple promises a better display on this iPad, and while it’s hard to tell in a demo room, the screen looked bright and vibrant.

The iPad still isn’t everything a laptop can be. And it’s not trying to be, either. But the new 9.7 inch iPad adds a lot more versatility than the previous CNET-favorite iPad Air 2…mostly, by working with an expanded set of accessories.

Scenes from Apple’s iPhone SE event (pictures)
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Apple’s iPad Pro line targets productivity-heavy users, similar to the Microsoft Surface Pro 4. Both iPad Pro models offer keyboard accessories, yet thanks to their highly-capable stylus, the tablets lean more towards a creative and artistic crowd. On the other hand, the Microsoft tablet features one of the best keyboard cases we’ve ever seen, but has a stylus that falls short of the iPad Pro’s Pencil. Like in most cases, the model that’s best for you depends on your personal needs.

See all of the news from Apple’s March 21 event.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge vs Galaxy Note 5

Buy Galaxy S7 Edge
Buy Galaxy Note 5

Until now, if you were looking for a high-end large display smartphone from Samsung, your choice was limited to the Galaxy Note series. However, that all changed last year, with the availability of the Galaxy S6 Edge+. In 2016, Samsung adopted a different strategy with its new Edge, with the Galaxy S7 Edge featuring a larger display compared to its predecessor, as well as its flagship namesake.

Read more:

• Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge review
• Samsung Galaxy Note 5 review

Today we’re pitching against each other the brand new Galaxy S7 Edge and the king of large phones, the Galaxy Note 5. With users no longer wanting for choice, it makes for quite the interesting comparison. We are here to help you find out which device is better suited to your needs, as we take a comprehensive look at the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge vs Galaxy Note 5!

Design

As mentioned, the Galaxy S7 Edge features a larger display when compared to its flagship namesake, with the bump up to 5.5-inches putting it in the size category of the 5.7-inch Galaxy Note 5. While there is a slight difference in the display size, the latter does prove to be the much bigger device, courtesy of the fact that Samsung has done a great job with keeping the top and bottom parts around the display of the Galaxy S7 Edge relatively thin.

The Galaxy Note 5 is 3 mm taller and 5 mm wider, which means that there is definitely more of a stretch required when using this device in one hand. The Galaxy S7 Edge is thicker than the Galaxy Note 5 however, but that actually works in its favor, with the camera protrusion on the back not nearly as pronounced anymore.

Of course, there are some noticeable similarities between the two as well, with both devices featuring a premium metal and glass unibody construction, with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 panels found on the front and back of both. Making its way over to the Galaxy S7 Edge from the Galaxy Note 5 are the curves along the sides of the back, which helps the phone nestle nicely in the palm of the hand and helps with grip. That’s particularly important in the case of the Galaxy S7 Edge, which has very little frame to hold on to.

Both devices seen in this review are the darker color options, with the Black Sapphire version of the Galaxy Note 5, and the Black Onyx iteration of the Galaxy S7 Edge. However, the Galaxy Note 5 does have a noticeable blue tinge to it, while the Galaxy S7 Edge is more of a true black, which gives it a sleeker look. The Galaxy S7 Edge also comes with black borders and a darker, less reflective frame, when compared to the shiny silver accents of the Galaxy Note 5, and while this comes to personal preference, we do like the look of the Galaxy S7 Edge more.

All the factors mentioned so far do make the Galaxy S7 Edge appear to be the sleeker device, and that’s without even taking into consideration the gorgeous dual curved edges of its display. There is no real side bezels to speak of here, with the display curving into the frame, creating a screen that seems to be embossed. Even with the screen off, the extra reflections seen as a result of the curved edges makes for a phone that won’t look out of place in a futuristic science fiction movie, and while the Galaxy Note 5 undeniably looks fantastic as well, the Galaxy S7 Edge makes it look like it came out years ago.

Display

Both devices feature Super AMOLED displays with a Quad HD resolution, with the difference in size resulting in the Galaxy S7 Edge coming with a slightly higher pixel density of 534 ppi, compared to the 518 ppi of the Galaxy Note 5. While the difference in pixel density isn’t significant enough to be noticeable, there does seem to be a clear distinction when it comes to color reproduction, with the Galaxy S7 Edge favoring warmer tones. Which you prefer is a matter of personal taste however.

The Galaxy Note 5 gets a little brighter than the Galaxy S7 Edge, but you won’t have any trouble with outdoor visibility with either of these smartphones. Another difference is with regards to the DPI. With the DPI of the Galaxy Note 5 set at 560, you get smaller texts and icons, and a lot more information overall on this display, compared to the Galaxy S7 Edge, with its DPI of 640, which seems like an odd choice, given the almost similar sizes.

The curved sides of the Galaxy S7 Edge do allow for a fantastic display experience. When going back to the Galaxy Note 5 after using the Galaxy S7 Edge for a while, you will feel as though there is quite a distance between the glass you touch and the actual display below it. This could just be an optical illusion that the Galaxy S7 Edge display creates, but the curves do make the screen just feel better. That said, the cooler tones and the higher brightness of the Galaxy Note 5 is what I personally prefer, and along with the lower DPI, its display may still be the one that is technically superior.

Performance

Samsung brought Qualcomm back into the fold with the latest Galaxy S flagships, with the Galaxy S7 Edge coming with a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, clocked at 2.1 GHz, and backed by the Adreno 530 GPU and 4 GB of RAM. There are versions of the device powered by the Samsung Exynos 8890 Octa processing package as well, depending on the market. On the other hand, the Galaxy Note 5 features the octa-core Exynos 7420 processor, clocked at 2.1 GHz, and backed by the Mali-T760MP8 GPU and 4 GB of RAM.

With the Galaxy S7 Edge being the more recent release, it’s no surprise that it brings more to the table in terms of raw power, a fact that can be attested to when looking at the benchmark scores. As far as real world usage is concerned, the Galaxy S7 Edge does load apps a second faster than the Galaxy Note 5, along with better RAM management as well. The memory management issues have still not gone away completely though, but it is seen more often with the Galaxy Note 5.

Oddly enough, the Galaxy Note 5 loads graphic-intensive games faster, but once in the game, you will see fewer frame drops with the Galaxy S7 Edge. However, the difference in gaming performance is largely negligible, and you will have a great time playing games, or doing anything else for that matter, with either device.

A useful addition Samsung has made with the Galaxy S7 Edge is a new gaming mode, that disables incoming notifications and even locks the capacitive buttons, to avoid any interruptions while gaming.

Hardware

As is expected from all Samsung phones, regardless of any shift to different build materials, you see the signature tactile home button up front, flanked by capacitive back and Recent Apps keys. In both cases, the physical home button also houses a fingerprint scanner, and while these fingerprint readers may not be the fastest around, they are both fast enough, and very reliable. With the extra power available with the Galaxy S7 Edge, the device scans and unlocks the phone a touch faster than the Galaxy Note 5.

Both devices come with the same bottom-mounted single speaker setup, which continues to not be an ideal position for the speaker, with the speaker pointing away from you, while also being easy to cover up when holding the phones in the landscape orientation. The quality isn’t bad however, and while the sound may seem a little tinny, they do get pretty loud. When comparing the two, the speaker of the Galaxy S7 Edge does seem to be a little quieter and weaker than the Galaxy Note 5.

However, that may be because of the protective coating found with the Galaxy S7 Edge, which allows for an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. This means that the phone can be submerged in up to 1.5 meters of water for as long as 30 minutes without any repercussions. It’s great to see this feature return with the current Galaxy S smartphones, and is another advantage in a growing list these devices have over Samsung flagships from 2015.

One of the most controversial aspects of the new design and build quality of Samsung’s high-end smartphones from last year was the removal of expandable storage. The fantastic news here is that Samsung did make a note of user’s complaints, and brought back this feature with the Galaxy S7 Edge, allowing for up to an additional 200 GB of storage via microSD card. This does mean that 32 GB is the only option when it comes to on-board storage, while the Galaxy Note 5 is available in 32 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB variants. However, buying a comparatively cheaper microSD card to address your storage concerns, instead of having to fork up a premium for a higher in-built storage option, is certainly the better way to go.

The Galaxy Note 5 does have its own advantage in terms of hardware though, with the availability of an even further improved S-Pen stylus. The S-Pen has become a defining aspects of the series, and every iteration has been better than the last, with more being added on the software side as well to support it. Apart from being able to take notes, crop areas of images, circle things, and more, one of the best new features added this time around is screen-off memo which activates when the S-Pen is removed from is slot, which allows you to quick jot down something even when the screen appears to be off. Not everybody needs an S-Pen, but for those who do, this may be reason enough to pick the Galaxy Note 5 over the Galaxy S7 Edge.

The Galaxy S7 Edge may feature the smaller footprint and only be a touch thicker than the Galaxy Note 5, but Samsung managed to squeeze in a much larger 3,600 mAh battery into it, compared to the 3,000 mAh unit of the latter. The Galaxy Note 5 does feature impressive battery life, with the device easily lasting a full day, with around 4.5 hours of screen-on time. With a larger battery, it’s not surprising that you can get more from the Galaxy S7 Edge, with around 5 hours and 15 minutes of screen-on time and longer than a day with moderate usage. The battery of both smartphones is non-removable, but you get all the extras you may need, including fast charging capabilities, as well as support for fast wireless charging, to have you up and running in no time.

Camera

Samsung made a big change in the camera department this year, which may seem unnecessary, given the fact that the camera of the Galaxy Note 5 was widely regarded as the best of 2015. Instead of the 16 MP camera seen with the Note 5, you get a 12 MP unit with the Galaxy S7 Edge, which may appear to be a downgrade, but if there is one thing we’ve learnt over the years, it is that megapixel count isn’t everything.

The megapixel count of the Galaxy S7 Edge may be lower, but the pixel sizes themselves are actually larger this time around, which allows for more light to come through, and create brighter images. The aperture is also lower, with the Galaxy S7 Edge coming with a f/1.7 aperture, compared to the f/1.9 aperture of the Galaxy Note 5. Both come with optical image stabilization, and 5 MP wide angle front-facing cameras.

The main difference that is noticeable is that the Galaxy Note 5 is capable of shooting in the 16:9 aspect ratio at its full sensor size, while the Galaxy S7 Edge is limited to 4:3. As far as the quality of shots is concerned, images captured with the Galaxy S7 Edge seems to be a little bit sharper, with a touch more contrast, making for a slightly better picture overall. More often than not, the Galaxy Note 5 will overexpose a shot a little more than the Galaxy S7 Edge, resulting in the loss of a lot of detail in the highlights. Colors on the Galaxy Note 5 are a little warmer, but that’s a good or bad thing depending on your preference. With a lower aperture, the Galaxy S7 Edge allows for a more extreme bokeh effect, with close images as well.

The difference in quality when it comes to outdoor shots is admittedly quite minor, but all that changes when it comes to indoor and low-light situations, with the Galaxy S7 Edge outperforming the Galaxy Note 5 by a significant margin. While the Galaxy Note 5 starts to shift colors to a less saturated look with greenish highlights and purple in the shadows, the Galaxy S7 Edge creates a much sharper image, with more vibrant colors.

To test out the different qualities, I used both cameras in almost pitch dark conditions, where I could barely see anything. The Galaxy Note 5 managed pretty close to what I could see, with it unable to make out any detail. On the other hand, the Galaxy S7 Edge’s larger pixel size almost allows it to see in the dark. The picture is better in every key aspect, with better colors, more brightness, and a lot more sharpness. The Galaxy Note 5 creates a very dark, purple, and smudgy image, while the Galaxy S7 Edge brightens the shot, and creates a much clearer image.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge camera samples

The same difference can be found when recording video as well. There is a lot more grain in the Note 5’s shot, and when moving into darker areas, you start to lose color and sharpness, while the video remains clear and vibrant with the Galaxy S7 Edge. The Galaxy Note 5 camera seems to hunt around a lot more for a point of focus, and even when it does focus properly, it takes a lot longer than the Galaxy S7 Edge, which will focus almost instantly on objects, to make sure that you don’t miss out on any of the action.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 camera samples

The front-facing cameras perform about the same, but the Galaxy S7 Edge is a tad sharper and brighter in dark areas. In normal lighting conditions, there isn’t a noticeable difference though. Overall, the Galaxy S7 Edge camera is a huge upgrade over that of the Galaxy Note 5, especially if you take a lot of shots indoor and in low-light conditions.

Software

With this being one of the latest smartphones from Samsung, it’s unsurprising that the Galaxy S7 Edge is running the newest version of Android, Android Marshmallow 6.0, while the Galaxy Note 5 is still stuck with Android Lollipop 5.1.1 at the moment, even though the official update should be making its way over to users soon.

The new version of Android brings with the latest iteration of the TouchWiz UI on the Galaxy S7 Edge, that looks and performs a lot better, with some minor changes that allow for a far more seamless experience. There have been a lot new animations thrown in that help create a unified feel. The recent apps screen allows for more of the apps to been seen, and the notification pull down has a more toned-down and neutral color scheme. The Galaxy Note 5 has the more silly looking blue and green neon colors, while the S7 Edge is white with light blue accents.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge screenshots

This shouldn’t matter too much though, if you take advantage of the Theme store found on both phones, where you can change these colors, and a lot more, to better suit your liking. Touchwiz is just as customizable on the Galaxy Note 5 as it is on the new Galaxy S7 Edge, allowing for even the icon grid to be resized. The Briefing screen returns to the left of the homescreens, but unlike previous Samsung smartphones, including the Galaxy Note 5, the lag has decreased significantly on the Galaxy S7 Edge, making it a lot more usable now.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 screenshots

Each big selling point for these phones come with some nice software features, like the S-Pen, which has its own little menu for getting things done, while the curved sides of the Galaxy S7 allow for swipe-in menus and widgets. The Edge capabilities have been improved a lot as well when compared to what was found with its predecessor, and you can hold a lot more contacts, apps, app actions, and others, in place now. The Edge features may not be as robust as what the S-Pen is capable of, so it comes down to how important or useful you think the S-Pen is, and whether it is something that you will be taking advantage of often.

Specs comparison

Display	5.5-inch Super AMOLED display Quad HD resolution, 534 ppi	5.7-inch Super AMOLED display Quad HD resolution 518 ppi
Processor	2.1 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 Adreno 530 GPU	2.1 GHz octa-core Exynos 7420 Mali-T760MP8 GPU
RAM	4 GB	4 GB
Storage	32 GB expandable via microSD card up to 200 GB	32/64/128 GB not expandable
Camera	12 MP rear camera, f/1.7, 1.4 µm pixel size, OIS 5 MP front-facing wide angle camera	16 MP rear camera, f/1.9, 1.12 µm pixel size, OIS 5 MP front-facing wide angle camera
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 4.2 GPS+GLONASS NFC microUSB 2.0	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 4.2 GPS+GLONASS NFC microUSB 2.0
Battery	3,600 mAh	3,000 mAh
Software	Android 6.0 Marshmallow	Android 5.1 Lollipop
Dimensions	150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7 mm 157 grams	153.2 x 76.1 x 7.6 mm 171 grams

Gallery

Final thoughts

So there you have it for this in-depth look at the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge vs Galaxy Note 5! The Galaxy Note 5 is the older of the two smartphones, and is also understandably cheaper right now. There is absolutely no question if you are someone who will find the S-Pen to be very useful, but if that isn’t the case, what the Galaxy S7 Edge brings to the table is better battery life, a better camera, expandable storage, dust and water resistance, a more refined design, and of course, a more powerful processing package. If not for the S-Pen, the Galaxy S7 Edge is definitely the better option between the two, with it bringing upgrades over the Galaxy Note 5 in almost every department.

Buy Galaxy S7 Edge
Buy Galaxy Note 5

Apple Event Tidbits: USB 2 Transfer Speeds for 9.7-inch iPad Pro, 256GB Storage Option for 12.9-inch iPad Pro

At today’s “Let Us Loop You In” event, Apple debuted the the 4-inch iPhone SE, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, and new Apple Watch bands, plus released new software updates for iOS, OS X, tvOS, and watchOS 2.2.

We’ve covered all of the main product announcements, but some smaller tidbits of information went largely unnoticed, including the launch of a new 256GB 12.9-inch iPad Pro, new iPhone and iPad cases, and details on iPhone and iPad sales. We’ve rounded up all of these lesser-known details below.

Find something new that should be included on the list? Send us Tips email and we’ll add it.

256GB 12.9-inch iPad Pro – With the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, Apple introduced a new 256GB storage capacity, which has also been extended to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Apple is selling a new 12.9-inch iPad Pro with 256GB of storage for $1,079 for Wi-Fi only or $1,229 for Wi-Fi + Cellular.

9.7-inch iPad Pro USB 2 Transfer Speeds – According to the product description for the Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter, while the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is able to transfer data at USB 3 speeds, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro can only transfer data at USB 2 speeds. That implies the 9.7-inch iPad Pro is not using the same Lightning port as the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which has a Lightning port able to support USB 3.0 transfer speeds.

At USB 2 speeds, iPads and iPhones can transfer data at around 25 to 35 MB/s, while USB 3.0 transfer speeds are much faster –- up to 625MB/s.

New iPhone and iPad case colors – Apple has introduced new spring colors for iPhone and iPad cases. New Silicone case colors for the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus include Yellow, Apricot, Light Pink, Lilac, Royal Blue, and Mint. Apple has dropped the following colors: Blue, Turquoise, and Pink.

There are also new Leather Case colors for the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, including Marigold, Storm Gray, and Marine Blue. For the iPhone SE, Apple has a Leather Case available in Black and Midnight Blue. Third-party cases available for the iPhone 5/5s also fit the iPhone SE, and Apple has updated product descriptions to note that its collection of third-party cases will fit both devices.

The Silicone Case for the 9.7-inch iPad Pro is available for $69, while the Smart Cover is available for $49. Both are available in White, Stone, Yellow, Apricot, Light Pink, Midnight Blue, Lavender, Lilac, Royal Blue, Mint, Charcoal Gray, and Red. Spring colors – Yellow, Apricot, Light Pink, Lilac, Royal Blue, and Mint – are also new for the iPad mini Silicone Case and Smart Cover.

Smart Keyboard for 9.7-inch iPad Pro – Apple’s new 9.7-inch iPad Pro includes a Smart Connector, allowing it to connect to accessories like a new Smart Keyboard. Smart Keyboards are now available in 12.9 and 9.7-inch sizes, with the new 9.7-inch Smart Keyboard priced at $149, $20 less than the $169 price tag of the 12.9-inch Smart Keyboard. The 9.7-inch Smart Keyboard is identical to its larger sibling, available only in charcoal.

Classroom app – For teachers and students, there’s a new Classroom app [Direct Link] that’s available for download today. Classroom is designed to allow teachers to guide students through lessons, watch their progress, and make sure they’re on track. When used in conjunction with Apple’s educational tools, Classroom lets teachers launch the same app or website on every student device at the same time. It also includes options for locking screens into a single app, AirPlaying content to an Apple TV, reset student Apple ID passwords, and more.

Sales numbers – During the event keynote, Apple exec Greg Joswiak announced Apple sold 30 million 4-inch iPhones in 2015, which encompasses the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c. In total, Apple sold 231.5 million iPhones during the year. Apple also announced that it has sold 200 million 9.7-inch iPads since 2010.

True Tone display – Apple has introduced a True Tone display in the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, which uses built-in sensors to detect the ambient lighting in the room and adjust the display accordingly. The feature is unique to the 9.7-inch iPad Pro and can be turned off in the Settings app for those who want a display temperature that does not fluctuate.

iPhone 5s – Apple is no longer selling the iPhone 5s in the United States, having discontinued it in favor of the iPhone SE.

For more details on the products and updates Apple announced today, make sure to check out our recap post, which has links to all of today’s event coverage.

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How to set a recurring alarm with the Amazon Echo – CNET

The Amazon Echo makes a pretty great alarm clock. All you have to do is tell Alexa when you want to wake up.

Before the Echo’s recent major update, you had to tell it exactly when you wanted to wake up every night before dozing off. This wasn’t exactly ideal.

Amazon recently made life easier by sneaking a recurring alarms feature into the Echo’s settings. Here’s how you can set an alarm that will repeat automatically.

Setting the recurring alarm

To set any alarm with the Echo, you will have to use a voice command as the app and web client don’t let you manually create an alarm.

When you’re near your Echo, say, “Alexa, set an alarm.” The Echo will ask when you want the alarm to go off. Reply out loud with the time. If you want the alarm to repeat, specify how often. You can choose from every day, weekdays, weekends or once per week on a given day.

Alexa will then confirm that you’ve set up the alarm and let you know when it’s scheduled to repeat.

Editing existing alarms

If you made a mistake when creating an alarm or have an existing one you would rather have recur, you can quickly edit it manually.

First, open the Amazon Alexa app on your mobile device or go to echo.amazon.com from your browser and navigate to Alarms. Click on the alarm you need to edit. From there, you can change the time and alarm sound.

Before, there was no option to choose when an alarm repeats, but now you can change that. Select one of the options from the Repeats drop-down menu. When you’ve finished making changes, select Save Changes.

Canceling or deleting alarms

If you need to put an alarm on hold or delete it altogether, you can do that from within the app or web client.

Canceling an alarm simply turns it off in the settings, but doesn’t delete it. To cancel an alarm manually, open the Alexa app or echo.amazon.com, navigate to Alarms and click the toggle on the right to pause the alarm.

You can also do this by saying, “Alexa, cancel alarm for [time and day].”

Deleting an alarm has to be done manually, from within the app or web client. Navigate to the Alarms menu, select the alarm you want to delete and select Delete Alarm.

Where to find the Windows Spotlight photos – CNET

Sarah Jacobsson Purewal/CNET

Windows 10 is keeping your lock screen sexy with its curated, personalized slideshow of images in Windows Spotlight (assuming you have Windows Spotlight turned on), but what about your desktop background? You’re probably wondering where you can find some of those pretty Spotlight images for personal use — after all, they must be stored on your device somewhere, right?

On your computer

As you might have guessed, Windows Spotlight photos are saved on your hard drive — they’re just tricky to find. There are easier ways to nab the Spotlight photos you love for your desktop background than finding the files on your PC, but if you really want to root around in the hidden files of your Assets folder, here’s what to do:

Sarah Jacobsson Purewal/CNET

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the Assets folder. You can do this by pasting the following address into File Explorer’s address bar: %LocalAppData%PackagesMicrosoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_cw5n1h2txyewyLocalStateAssets

(You can also find this folder through simple click through navigation — C: > Users > [your username] > AppData > Local > Packages > Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_cw5n1h2txyewy > LocalState > Assets — but you’ll need to make hidden files visible.)

Sarah Jacobsson Purewal/CNET

2. In the Assets folder, you’ll see a bunch of files with long, not-very-user-friendly names. Select all of these files and hit Ctrl + C to copy them.

Sarah Jacobsson Purewal/CNET

3. Open another folder — one that you can easily find again — and hit Ctrl + V to paste your copied files into this new folder.

4. Some of these files are images — the Spotlight images you’re looking for — and some are not. To see the images, you will need to change the file extensions to .jpg. You can do this individually (just click on a file and change its name to pic.jpg), or you can use the Command Prompt to change all the file extensions at once.

Sarah Jacobsson Purewal/CNET

To change all the file extensions at once, open the folder you saved the files in and click File > Open command prompt > Open command prompt.

Sarah Jacobsson Purewal/CNET

A Command Prompt window with the file path to your files will open. In this window, type ren * *.jpg and hit Enter. All the files will now be JPEG files.

Sarah Jacobsson Purewal/CNET

5. Right-click inside the window and click View > Large Icons.

Sarah Jacobsson Purewal/CNET

You will now be able to see all of the images (remember, some files will not be images) that have recently cycled through Windows Spotlight. Delete any files you don’t want and wallpaper away!

6. Spotlight images are pulled from Bing and cycle periodically. So you may want to re-check your Spotlight ever so often for new images that Windows has pulled from the Web.

Use an app

If you’d rather skip the extra work of finding and revealing Spotlight pictures on your computer, well…there’s an app for that. SpotBright is a free Windows Store app (with in-app purchases — the premium version will notify you when new pictures are cycled through) that lets you download all of the Spotlight photos that have been featured on Windows 10 lock screens so far.

Sarah Jacobsson Purewal/CNET

Just click Fast search and SpotBright will round up images and you can download all of them in one batch.

Download images individually

SpotBright is handy, but what if you don’t want to download all 300+ Spotlight images at once? Head on over to this Imgur album of all of the Windows Spotlight images (through February 2016) compiled by Reddit user Fuzsion.