360-degree cameras: The best VR cams, no matter your budget

If last year was all about virtual reality, then 2016 is all about 360-degree video.

These type of videos let you look in any direction – not just where a single camera may be pointing. A 360-degree video is often created using a system of multiple cameras that simultaneously record all angles of a scene. Ever wanted to see from the perspective of a race car driver? Well, thanks to 360-degree video, such as this one on YouTube, you can do that.

Many companies and sites now support 360-degree videos, including Google-owned YouTube and Facebook, so you don’t need a virtual reality headset, such as Oculus Rift, in order to view this type of media or immerse yourself in the footage. Just open the YouTube or Facebook app, for instance, or point your browser to the video’s URL, and you’re good to go.

Major camera makers – like GoPro and Nikon – have even begun selling rigs specifically for recording 360-degree videos. Pocket-lint rounded up the best-known ones available now. Some of them are extraordinarily expensive, but there are cheaper ones that might pique your interest still.

GoPro Odyssey

Where can you find it? Gopro.comHow much does it cost? $15,000What is it? GoPro’s 360-degree camera was made with Google. It’s actually a 16-camera array for filming 3D VR content. Buying the Odyssey means you get 16 of GoPro’s Hero 4 Black action cameras with internal microphones, the panoramic capture rig, all the necessary cables, microSD cards, a Pelican case, and a warranty with support. The 4K-capable GoPro cameras are synced together and function as one.

• READ: You can register for a GoPro Odyssey shooting rig now

Nokia Ozo

Where can you find it? Ozo.nokia.comHow much does it cost? $60,000What is it? Professional VR video isn’t cheap. The Ozo, which comprises eight lenses, each with 195-degree angle of view and 100-degree cross-over with the next nearest in a pair, is capable of capturing full 360-degree spatial video and audio content. It can output to a dedicated recorder or, for work in the field or, say, when strapped to a drone, the included battery and 500GB hard drive will cater for 45-minutes of capture.

• READ: Nokia Ozo: Pro-spec VR capture doesn’t come cheap 

Samsung Gear VR Camera

Samsung

Where can you find it? Samsung.comHow much does it cost? N/A (it’ll launch in “select countries” by June 2016)What is it? The Gear 360 is a twin-lens ball of a camera that captures spherical 30-megapixel photos at 3,840×1,920 pixels. Each of the Gear 360’s f/2.0 fisheye lenses covers a 195-degree angle of view. Wen stitched together using a select Galaxy phone, it gives you a full 360×180-degree view to explore with a VR headset or dragging around your fingertips on a touchscreen or your cursor in a web browser.

• READ: Samsung Gear 360 camera preview

Nikon KeyMission 360

Where can you find it? Nikonusa.comHow much does it cost? N/A What is it? The Nikon KeyMission 360 action camera records 4K UHD video, is waterproof to depths of 30m/100ft, shockproof from heights up to 2m/6.6ft, and has electronic image stabilisation. It includes support for microSDHC/SDXC media cards, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth, an integrated microphone, non-removable Li-Ion battery, and USB 2.0. It’s thought to cost €499, but pricing and availability haven’t been confirmed.

• READ: Nikon KeyMission 360 is a 360-degree 4K actioncam

Ricoh Theta S

Where can you find it? Theta360.com | Amazon.comHow much does it cost? $346.95What is it? Ricoh’s third-generation 360 degree camera is Theta S. The Theta S adds a larger sensor for improved still and video capture, with video recording time increased to 25 minutes. It also has Full HD video-streaming capabilities, 8GB of internal memory, dual 12MP 1/2.3-inch image sensors paired with bright f/2 twin lenses, a sensitivity range from ISO 100-1600, and support for built-in Wi-Fi.

• READ: Ricoh Theta hands-on

Bublcam

Where can you find it? Bublcam.comHow much does it cost? $799What is it? The Bublcam is a spherical device that features four lenses with a 190-degree field of view, each paired with 5-megapixel sensors. This allows the Bublcam to shoot video and stills with 100 per cent spherical range. Video modes for equirectangular footage are 2688 x 1344 pixels at 15 fps or 1984 x 992p at 30 fps, while equirect images are at 5,376 x 2,688 pixels. Shooting modes include HDR and time-lapse.

Giroptic (360cam)

Where can you find it? Giroptic.comHow much does it cost? $499What is it? Giroptic looks like a little palm-sized egg, but it’s rugged like an action camera. It sports three 185 degree fisheye lenses, which the camera uses to capture and stitch together a sphere of HD video in real-time. The video is recorded to MicroSD. It’s also features built-in Wi-Fi, a GPS radio, and works with a mount attachment that has light-bulb threads (so you can hang the camera in the middle of a room).

V.360

Where can you find it? Vsnmobil.com | Amazon.comHow much does it cost? $449What is it? VSN’s HD Camera Kit includes the V. 360 Sports Action Camera and various mounts. With a 360-degree lens, the V.360 can capture in HD resolution and automatically begin filming with built-in motion or audio sensors. Wi-Fi or USB connectivity lets you edit and watch films from your computer. It also supports MicroSD up to 128GB, dual stereo sound, and waterproofing up to three feet for 30 minutes.

360Fly

Where can you find it? 360fly.com | BestBuy.comHow much does it cost? $399.99What is it? This 360fly panoramic 360-degree HD video camera features Wi-Fi, a Bluetooth LE interface, and the included 360fly app. With 2.26 total megapixels, it allows you to capture footage with up to 1504 x 1504 pixels resolution. It also claims to be “the world’s widest single lens field of view action camera” with waterproofing down to 120-feet with a microphone inserted. Comes with a rechargeable lithium battery.

Kodak PixPro SP360 4K

Where can you find it? Kodakpixpro.comHow much does it cost? $449What is it? As with the SP360 predecessor, the Pixpro SP360-4K has a cube design with a dome lens. This allows it to capture immersive 360-degree photos and videos which can be panned. The lens has a F2.8 aperture and is paired with a 1/2.3-inch 12-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor. It’s capable of recording videos at resolutions of up to 4K 2880 x 2880 pixels and boasts time-lapse, burst shooting, and 10 viewing modes.

• READ: Kodak PixPro SP360 4K Action Cams can be paired up

LG 360 Cam

Where can you find it? LG.com | VerizonWireless.comHow much does it cost? $199.99What is it? This standalone camera captures photos and videos in 360 degrees. It’s equipped with two 13-megapixel cameras, each 200-degrees, allowing you to capture 180-degree or 360 degree photos and videos at 2K. It can record 5.1 surround sound via the three microphones, has 4GB of internal storage, a 1,200mAh battery for up to 70 minutes of recording, and support for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

• READ: LG 360 Cam: Capture your VR world

Vuze Camera

Where can you find it? VuzeCamera.comHow much does it cost? $1000 (Available in August)What is it? To capture 3D 360 as well as regular 2D, the Vuze features eight full-HD cameras with ultra-wide-angle lenses (each able to shoot 120 degrees horizontal and 180 degrees vertical for a nearly full sphere) in 4K at 30 frames per second and at a variable bit rate of 120Mbps. The images are processed in near real-time and stitched using the Vuze Studio software for Mac or PC.

Allie Cam

Where can you find it? Allie.camera | Amazon.comHow much does it cost? $499What is it? About the size of a baseball and featuring 8MP sensors on the front and back, the Allie Cam can capture hi-res video from all directions and stream them to mobile devices using its accompanying app. That video can also be saved to an internal microSD card. The camera can record video at 2048×2048 resolution and 22 fps rate. These videos can be streamed to YouTube and elsewhere as well.

Sphericam 2

Where can you find it? Sphericam.comHow much does it cost? $2,499.00 (pre-order)What is it? Sphericam 2 is a portable 360-degree camera that can record video at up to 60 fps. It uses six individual cameras that can record in three different file formats, each with a resolution of 4096 x 2048. Pro-quality will record 30/60 fps at 2.4 Gbps in12-bit color. The Sphericam 2 also works with eight tri-pod mounts, and it features a micro USB port, four microphones, six microSD card slots, and a 2800 mAh battery inside.

Nissan’s ‘mind-reading’ Leaf projects driver reactions on the road

Nissan is no stranger to weird concepts for automobiles. Remember the automaker’s Teatro for Dayz selfie wagon? To celebrate the 5th anniversary of its all-electric Leaf, Nissan developed a version of the car that can read a passenger’s mind… sort of. After scanning brain waves of first-time test-drivers in the EV with a headset, the special-edition Leaf projected one of over 30 comic-esque messages on the road outside in real time. In other words, folks outside of the vehicle could “see” a general translation of what the driver was thinking. Luckily this is just a concept, so the thoughts that pass through your mind in fits of road rage will remain safe from public view — for the near future, at least.

Via: Roadshow

Source: Nissan (YouTube)

New bill aims to turn open data idealism into US law

President Obama’s administration has made significant progress in making US government data more transparent — first with Data.gov, a repository for open data, and then with USASpending.gov, which tracks all of the government’s spending. But despite those milestones, there’s still plenty of room for improvement.

Agencies still aren’t legally required to follow open-data practices, even though it’s something President Obama has touted for years, and future administrations could drop the idea of data transparency entirely. That’s where the OPEN (Open, Permanent, Electronic and Necessary) Government Data Act comes in, an upcoming bill that aims to codify the practice of making government data transparent.

Co-sponsored by Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI), Representative Derek Kilmer (D-WA) and Representative Blake Farenthold (R-TX), the bill is expected to reach Congress late next week. It calls for making government data machine-readable, available in open formats and with an open or public domain license by default. Doing so will hopefully make the government run more efficiently, unlock new economic discoveries and encourage scientific findings, according to an early draft of the bill.

“This is the public’s data — it’s been bought and paid for with our tax dollars, and we need an efficient way to get it out,” said Representative Farenthold during a panel hosted this morning by the Center for Data Innovation. On the other end of the political spectrum, Representative Kilmer noted, “We’re not exactly sure what innovation will occur, but if all of our collective instincts are correct, this [opening up data] will be very interesting to the private sector.”

Unlike many political issues today, the OPEN Act is notable for attracting bipartisan support early on. Passing the bill also won’t mean major changes for many agencies, according to Joshua New, a policy analyst at the Center for Data Innovation. Instead, it ensures that all arms of the government are approaching data in the same way.

That’s important, because open-data practices are still loosely defined today. Kat Duffy, Labs director at the Sunlight Foundation, a nonprofit focusing on data transparency, points out that a document that’s printed out, hand-signed and scanned back into a computer still counts as “machine readable” by our current definition. “It complies with the letter of the law in terms of being ‘machine readable,’ but it is so difficult to then actually use that information,” she said.

Given the support we saw for the DATA Act back in 2014, there’s a good chance the Open Government Data Act won’t have any trouble being signed into law. But this being an election year (and an odd one at that), we’re bracing for bumps along the road.

HTC 10 review: The flagship the company should have made years ago

HTC has done it. The company’s new flagship smartphone, the 10 (yes, that’s the name, and no, I don’t like it either), is a credible contender for Android greatness. I’ve spent a little over a week using it as my daily driver, and while the name still irks the hell out of me, the device itself doesn’t. Mostly, anyway.

For a company that has seen some rough seas lately, I’m glad HTC has remembered how to make a great smartphone. The thing is, its competitors haven’t been lazing around; they’ve been upping their game too, and now the contest for the crown is tougher than ever. When it comes to winning hearts, minds and market share, HTC is at a disadvantage. None of us can say what the future holds, but either way, the 10 is a step in the right direction.

Hardware

Hewn entirely from aluminum and glass, the HTC 10 is about as well built a smartphone as you’ll find. Phone nerds of a certain vintage will remember the thrill that came from picking up the HTC One M7. Indeed, I felt an echo of that same excitement when I first started playing with the 10. That’s more than I can say about either of the hero phones HTC has released within the past year.

Still, the 10’s design won’t be for everyone, especially with strong competition from the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy S7 Edge. It’s a bit nondescript when viewed from the front: There’s the 5.2-inch Super LCD 5 screen, swathed in a sheet of Gorilla Glass 3, with a fast fingerprint sensor/home button underneath. Flanking the home button are two capacitive navigation buttons; HTC would rather use every millimeter of the screen for content, but I know a few people who’d be less than pleased. Me? I’m not particularly bothered by it: The buttons are responsive, and unlike Samsung, HTC puts the Back and Menu keys in the right place.

Meanwhile, you’ve got a 5-megapixel camera above the screen, with optical image stabilization (!), along with the earpiece. That earpiece actually doubles as part of HTC’s updated BoomSound system; it works in tandem with the speaker on the bottom edge to produce good (but not amazing) sound. We’ll get into that in a bit. The rest of the tour is pretty prosaic: There’s a USB Type-C port on the bottom for fast charging, SIM and microSD slots on opposite sides and a 12-UltraPixel camera on the 10’s back cover.

Those broad strokes might not sound fascinating, but HTC’s attention to detail is what makes the 10 feel exciting. A chamfered edge runs around the screen’s Gorilla Glass cover, leaving virtually no gap between the glass and the metal. This time, the power button and volume rocker don’t wiggle in their sockets. Another chamfered edge on the 10’s back has a different finish that reflects light differently, and has the functional benefit of giving your fingers a comfortable place to rest. And unlike the curved backs we saw on the GS7 and GS7 Edge, the 10’s more pronounced slope means it settles even more comfortably into the hand. I love the 10’s look, and you might not. Either way, there’s no denying this is one thoughtfully designed device. Too bad it’s not waterproof; just water resistant.

As usual, some of the 10’s most important facets can’t be gleaned with the naked eye. There’s a quad-core Snapdragon 820 chip inside that reaches clock speeds as high as 2.2GHz. That’s paired with an Adreno 530 GPU and 4GB of RAM to keep things running smoothly. I know what you’re thinking, though: That configuration is about as exotic as cheddar cheese these days. You’re right, but even so, those internals generate enough horsepower that you won’t see me complaining.

The unit I’m testing is the $699 “open-channel” model that supports T-Mobile and AT&T out of the box (even though the latter doesn’t seem interested in selling the 10) and has 32GB of internal storage. Thankfully, the 10 can take up to 2TB of additional storage (good luck finding a microSD card that big). As it turns out, some markets will have more fun than others: a 64GB model will be available … somewhere. Meanwhile, people who buy the HTC 10 in the US won’t get the hi-res-certified earbuds offered in Europe and Asia.

Display and sound

Samsung is arguably the king of smartphone screens, but HTC managed to put up a decent fight with the 10. As mentioned earlier, we’ve got a 5.2-inch Super LCD 5 display running at Quad HD resolution. That makes it the first 2K HTC phone to land in the United States. As you’d expect, text is sharp and details abound, but I’m also really enjoying the screen’s saturation levels. See, the panels used in Samsung’s GS7 line are warm even on the default Adaptive Display setting, while the G5’s “Quantum” display can appear lifeless at times.

The HTC 10, on the other hand, manages to chart a course right between the two: Whites take on an even, cool tone, and colors feel lively without getting in your face. And if these colors aren’t to your liking, fear not: A quick jump into the display settings lets you swap them for the standard sRGB color gamut, a more conservative option. Viewing angles are great, too, but there’s a rub: The screen takes on a slightly reddish hue when you look at it from too far off-center. It’s a mild annoyance made more pronounced by how good the screen usually is.

In addition, the screen has one more thing going for it. HTC went with a low-latency panel to reduce the amount of time between when your finger touches the panel and when the panel senses it. It’s hard to quantify what kind of difference we’re actually getting, but the 10 feels seriously fast nonetheless.

HTC is also jumping on the hi-res audio bandwagon with its updated BoomSound Hi-Fi system. It manifests differently depending on what sound setup you’re working with, and, obvious though it may seem, you’re much better off with headphones. There are a woofer and tweeter built into the 10, so the phone’s speakers produce sound with a nice, clean atmosphere. You’ve also got the option to switch between movie and music modes, though switching doesn’t always make much difference. Sadly, all you’ll get from those speakers is mono sound; the sweet, sweet channel separation that came with those old-school stereo BoomSound speakers might be gone for good. Don’t get me wrong: HTC’s speaker setup is the best you’ll find right now; it just lacks the oomph that HTC used to be known for.

Plugging in headphones makes for a different story, though. You’ll be asked to set up a personal audio profile the first time you do — you’ll listen for tones with each ear, which will ultimately leave you with a specific setup for your ears and headphones. And yes, you can have multiple profiles for different headphones. The result (in my case, anyway) was louder, slightly brighter audio all around. HTC says the 10 also upscales all audio to 24-bit quality, but some people will get more out of that trick than others.

In a few cases, the LG G5’s optional Hi-Fi Plus DAC sounded considerably better, but that could be a moot point, since LG might not bring that module to the US at all. Either way, music fans will be pretty pleased with the 10; it just sucks that we aren’t getting those hi-res earbuds in the box when the phone launches in the States. (They’re a little too heavy on the bass for me, but still!)

The 10 is also the first Android phone that supports Apple’s AirPlay streaming standard out of the box. Swiping up on the screen with three fingers launches HTC’s Connect app, where you’ll find all your DLNA-, Miracast- and now AirPlay-compatible speaker systems in range. Pairing the 10 with my Apple TV was surprisingly painless. A couple quick taps and I was listening to the soundtrack from The Last Five Years on my television. The connection was stable even as I moseyed around the house. The only real downside is that there’s currently no way to stream video to the Apple TV.

Software

A few years ago, HTC started reducing the impact its Sense UI had on Android’s performance, as well as the general experience. I’d argue that any progress is good progress on that front, but with the 10, it feels as if HTC hardly painted over Android at all. What we’ve got is the lightest, cleanest version of Sense yet, and it’s mostly a pleasure to use.

The core of the 10’s software setup is a build of Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow (which we’ve explored in detail here), but some of HTC’s touches are hard to miss. Swiping right on the home screen brings you into BlinkFeed, which still populates your screen with news stories and social updates for when you’re killing time in line. Beyond just new tweets and Google+ posts, BlinkFeed is also supposed to offer up recommendations for places around you to eat, drink and be merry, though they never appeared for me.

As far those home screens go, the only other HTC touch that’s enabled by default is the clock widget; even the location-based app suggestions widget has to be manually turned on. (Thankfully, too, those suggestions are much better this time around.) HTC’s dark-colored app launcher is still around as well, with options to hide and sort your apps just like always. Minor gripe: You can fit only 20 apps onto a single page (a 4×5 grid), which leaves a lot of empty space around icons.

If HTC’s design choices don’t suit you, you can still download or create themes for the 10. New this time around are what HTC calls “Freestyle” themes. Instead of having your apps aligned on a grid, you can add stickers of different sizes to your home screen, and even have them overlap. There’s only one such Freestyle theme here (the vaguely nautical “Journey”), and while it’s definitely not for me, a few children I’ve shown it to were just tickled.

While we’re on the subject of apps, HTC has done a fine job cutting back on its preloaded apps. Think: its browser, Scribble and Polaris Office. There’s always been some overlap between HTC’s apps and Google’s, and the former finally decided to trim the fat, because certain stock Android apps just work better. There’s at least one example of Google changing its products to mesh with HTC’s dialed-back approach: HTC’s Gallery app supported RAW photo files, and now that that’s gone, Google’s Photos app supports those uncompressed images instead.

However, this shift doesn’t mean the 10 doesn’t ship with any third-party apps; Instagram and Facebook are here, and carriers will probably go to town with bloatware eventually. HTC also included a resource management app called Boost+ that lets users clear up memory, increase battery life during games and prevent certain apps from launching without first inputting a swipeable security pattern. It’s a neat touch, though many people will ignore it all the same. Still, that hasn’t stopped HTC from releasing it for other Android phones as well.

Camera

Let’s be honest: HTC hasn’t always had a great track record with its cameras. I was prepared to be let down this time, but that didn’t turn out to be the case. While not perfect, the 10’s 12-UltraPixel cameras and f/1.8 lens make for a very competent main shooter. If you’re not familiar, “UltraPixels” are what HTC calls the larger pixels on its camera sensors (the ones here are 1.55μm big). Since the days of the original UltraPixel camera, though, smartphone makers like Samsung and Apple have also jumped on the big-pixel bandwagon, mostly for better low-light performance.

That slightly technical prelude aside, the 10’s main camera captures near-uniformly lovely shots with nicely saturated colors and fine details. I wish HTC had pushed the envelope on resolution, though, and managing your exposure can be a little tricky. See, when you tap to focus on a subject, a small exposure slider pops up for your fiddling pleasure. Dragging a slider isn’t as intuitive as tapping to lock focus and exposure, so it’s not uncommon to get photos that are a hair too bright compared with the GS7. Thankfully, this is an issue that a future update could fix.

Since I’ve already started to talk about focusing, I’ll note that the 10 uses a laser autofocus module that’s sometimes as fast as the GS7’s Dual Pixel sensor setup. In favorable conditions (say, outside on a lovely spring day), it’s usually a pleasure. Keyword: “usually.” Sometimes I’ll get an error saying something is obstructing the autofocus module. More often than not it’s my finger, but at least once or twice, I couldn’t figure out why it was complaining. And when it gets dark, the autofocus starts to struggle a lot more. It’ll take a few tries to lock onto what’s in front of it, and the resulting photos can be indistinct and smudgy. Samsung definitely has the edge in the dark.

If extra control is what you’re after, the 10’s Pro Mode is probably where you’ll spend most of your time. Sliders give you manual control over white balance, ISO, shutter speed and focus, plus the option to save photos as uncompressed RAWs. Fair warning, though: Saving as RAWs can take two to three seconds longer than with normal JPEGs. It’s also too bad the Pro Mode doesn’t work when you switch to the 5-megapixel front camera: Who doesn’t want meticulously adjusted selfies?

Jokes aside, the front camera is surprisingly solid, producing crisp results aided by its optical image stabilization. Just like most recent smartphones I’ve tested, the 10 also shoots 4K video, though only for six minutes at a time. Resulting clips are bright and nicely detailed, and you can record hi-res audio to go with it if that’s your thing. I still have trouble telling the difference, but at least that high-quality audio doesn’t add too much to your 4K video’s file size.

Performance and battery life

So far, I’ve tested two flagship smartphones with a Snapdragon 820 chip, 4GB of RAM and an Adreno 530 GPU, and both have been terrifically fast. The HTC 10 is number three. Nothing I threw at it over the past week of testing was able to give it pause, from benchmarks to graphically intensive games like Dead Trigger 2 to frantically leaping between apps to see if I could break something. Since all 820-powered phones have a strong foundation to work from, it’s the little touches that ultimately make some devices more enjoyable to use than others.

In the 10’s case, the combination of HTC’s pared-down software and low-latency display tech make for an exceptionally smooth experience — one that I prefer to LG’s and Samsung’s approaches. My dear predecessor Brad liked to say (in HTC reviews, even) that the best measure of a device’s power is how often you notice it … or rather, how often you don’t notice it. The 10 has enough horsepower to make sure I never felt lacking for anything, and in that way, all those silicon particulars sort of faded into the background. Speaking of particulars, peek at the benchmarks below to see how HTC’s work stacks up:

Samsung Galaxy S7
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
LG G5
AndEBench Pro
16,673
14,168
13,030
14,152
Vellamo 3.0
4,876
4,285
4,152
4,104
3DMark IS Unlimited
26,747
28,529
26,666
26,981
SunSpider 1.0.2 (ms)
608
1547
942
640
GFXBench 3.0 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (fps)
48
45
47
47
CF-Bench
49,891
51,227
46,290
36,488
SunSpider 1.0.2: Android devices tested in Chrome; lower scores are better.

I only wish the 10 had more consistent battery life. HTC says the 10 can go for up to two days without needing a charge, and that’s technically true; it just depends on what you’re doing with the thing. My workdays are filled with lots of emails, Slack messages, phone calls and YouTube videos, and the 10 would typically stick around for about 13 hours of relatively consistent use before needing a recharge. Over a quiet weekend, though — when I mostly used the phone for coordinating plans and listening to podcasts — the 10 stuck around from Friday night to Sunday night without a problem. Meanwhile, in our official rundown test (looping a video with the screen brightness set to 50 percent and Wi-Fi connected), the 10 lasted just over ten and a half hours.

That means it ranks above the G5 (10.5 hours on the nose) but falls short of the Galaxy S7 siblings, each of which managed 13-plus hours. Curiously, when checking the battery drain over time, there were a few moments when power consumption jumped dramatically, and I can’t really figure out why. While you’ll get some respectable longevity out of the 10’s battery on occasion, it’s mostly a mediocre performer in this regard. At least there’s a QuickCharge 3.0 charger included in the box that takes the 10 from zero to half full in half an hour.

The competition

I’ve been drawing comparisons between the HTC 10 and Samsung’s Galaxy S7 ($649+) and S7 Edge ($749+) this whole time, so let’s just address this beef head-on. These devices arguably represent their respective makers at the peak of their design and production prowess, making the choice between them largely a matter of taste. While Samsung’s camera performance and battery life are superior to the 10’s, I’d argue the 10 is the better-built device, and its much lighter approach to software makes it more pleasant to use. If you’re an audio aficionado, you’ll also be better off with the HTC 10.

LG’s G5 ($629+) is a contender, too, though in many ways it lacks the polish of either the HTC 10 or a Galaxy S7. What it lacks in finesse it tries to make up for with sheer novelty: You can plug in different hardware modules to make the phone more versatile. This strategy might make the phone more useful over time, but it’s of questionable value right now. The G5 could be a great phone in the future, but the 10 is the better machine now. Oh, and if you’re more concerned about software, there’s always the Nexus 6P. Huawei has proven itself as a first-rate phone maker, and the lure of unfettered Android Marshmallow (complete with fast and frequent updates) is worth contemplating. Then again, it has last year’s high-end Qualcomm chipset, so those searching for sheer power would do better with a 10.

Wrap-up

A few days ago, I wrote about fighting the urge to be too optimistic about the 10. HTC has let me down before, after all. Despite everything, I still walked into this review with a certain set of expectations I quietly hoped the 10 would meet. And you know what? This phone met them, almost across the board.

The HTC 10 is an incredibly well-built device, with top-tier horsepower and — crucially — software that doesn’t drive me up a wall. The company has also upped its camera game considerably, though the results still fall short of some competitors. Sure, I wish the battery life were a little better, but it’s not a deal-breaker. These shortcomings are enough to keep me from calling it the best all-around Android phone out there, but man, it’s close. Of course, your tastes might make for a different ranking, so I’ll leave you with this: If you’re searching for a fantastic new smartphone, HTC 10 is definitely worth a look.

GoPro launches a Developer Program to make its cameras do more

GoPro’s recent integration with Periscope was only the start. The company announced its Developer Program at a press conference in San Francisco on Thursday morning. The program, which has actually been operating under stealth for the last year or so, is designed to provide developers an easy means of incorporating GoPro gear with their own products and software.

The program focuses on three things: mobile apps, mounting hardware and interoperability with other physical products. The company envisions using mobile apps and third-party devices — leveraging either the wired HERObus or Bluetooth connectivity — to control a GoPro camera directly or, as in the case of Periscope, broadcast what the camera is currently recording. For mounting hardware, expect to see an explosion of new and interesting ways to affix GoPros to other objects.

The company has already enlisted more than 100 companies in the program including FisherPrice, which has designed a kid-friendly camera housing, and BMW, which built an app that tracks the car’s telemetry data and syncs that data to the camera’s video feed. Now enthusiast drivers can see exactly what is happening under the hood while they’re fishtailing around curves.

Along with the launch of the Developer Program, GoPro has launched a product verification system called Works With GoPro.

After GoPro’s announcement, Engadget got a closer look at more than two dozen of the 100-plus partner developers.

Developing

Microsoft sues US government to remove gag on data requests

Apple may have the eye of the US government when it comes to encryption, but Microsoft is taking aim at the Justice Department as well. Bloomberg reports Redmond is suing the government over the right to tell its customers when the authorities ask it to hand over data. In a complaint filed today in Seattle’s US district court, the company says the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act is unconstitutional, not only violating its First Amendment rights, but also the Fourth Amendment’s right to be notified when the government searches and/or seizes property.

Sure, Microsoft’s lawsuit aims to protect civil liberties, but the company says it also wants to ensure it can continue to sell products that its customers can trust. The company argues that the government has placed it under an unlimited gag order, forcing it to refrain from informing customers when the authorities request emails and other information. And that the gag order violates the free speech protections of the First Amendment.

The company is no stranger to battles with the US government over customer privacy and security. In 2014, for example, Microsoft resisted a demand to seize offshore email accounts stored at a data center in Ireland. Redmond is not alone in the fight for more transparency when it comes to government requests, either. Both Google and Twitter want to be able to disclose more information on the number of national security letters it receives. Twitter filed a lawsuit in 2014, asking a court to declare the government’s restrictions on what it’s able to disclose in transparency reports a violation of the First Amendment.

Source: Bloomberg

Google introduces customizable cases for Nexus 6P and 5X

Today Google introduced $35 custom Live Cases for the Nexus 6P and 5X. Artsy folks can design a case and companion wallpaper for their phone with their favorite image or map location. In addition to looking pretty, the cases ship with a programmable short cut button so you can launch an app without swiping around on your phone’s screen.

In addition to a companion wallpaper, the Photos version of the case comes with a customized photo gallery. The Places version helps you create a stylized map of your location of choice for both the shell and the screen. All the design is handled by a web app and you can choose between a matte or glossy finish.

Cases are available for order now so if you’re tired of off-the shelf designs, heres your chance to let your artistic-flag fly.

Apple Hires Top NFL Lobbyist Cynthia Hogan to Head Washington Office

Apple has hired Cynthia Hogan, a top lobbyist for the National Football League, as vice president for public policy and government affairs for the Americas, reports Politico. She will head the company’s Washington D.C. office starting April 29 and report to Apple’s environmental, policy, and social initiatives chief Lisa Jackson.

“Cynthia’s intellect and judgment have consistently distinguished her as a uniquely talented professional and we’re lucky to have her join the team at Apple,” Jackson said in a statement.

Hogan, who previously served as Counsel to the Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden, under President Barack Obama, is a key hire for Apple as it battles the U.S. government and law enforcement about the intersection of encryption and national security.

That ongoing debate reached a peak this year when the U.S. Justice Department demanded a court force Apple to assist the FBI with unlocking an iPhone used by San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook in an act of terrorism last year. The Justice Department ultimately dropped the case in late March after the FBI discovered its own method of entry into the password-protected device, but Apple still faces similar lawsuits concerning encryption in other U.S. states, including New York and Massachusetts.

Apple spent a record $4.4 million last year to lobby privacy, cybersecurity, patent reform and other issues, according to the report.

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: NFL
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Apple Launches ‘Apps for Earth’ Promotion in Support of World Wildlife Fund

With Earth Day just over a week away, Apple has begun an initiative wherein users can help raise money for the World Wildlife Fund by making purchases within specially designated apps. Running from now until April 24 (two days after Earth Day), all proceeds collected from participating apps will go to the WWF, which is the world’s leading conservation organization with aims to protect natural resources — from forests and oceans to wildlife and food — through innovative, global solutions.

Some of the apps joining in on the fundraiser include Angry Birds 2 [Direct Link], Hearthstone [Direct Link], VSCO [Direct Link], Trivia Crack [Direct Link], and several dozen more. In addition to the Apps for Earth promotion, the company has thematically changed the entire front-end of the App Store with multiple environmentally conscious messages and themed categories.

#AppsforEarth support @World_Wildlifehttps://t.co/mXyn438at4

— Philip Schiller (@pschiller) April 14, 2016

The official WWF Together app [Direct Link] acts as a hub for all of the fundraising material, along with giving users exclusive Earth Day-themed content.

WWF is proud to be part of Apps for Earth, helping protect the planet, one app at a time. Through April 24 only, when you download WWF Together and purchase Earth’s story, 100% of proceeds go to WWF. In addition to 16 free stories of amazing animals, you’ll experience a 360-panoramic image of Earth from space on iPhone, play with digital water, and take and share a photo with the origami planet as part of #AppsforEarth.

Many of the apps have been updated to reflect the partnership with Apple and WWF, but some are also including exclusive content in addition to raising money for the organization. Popular camera app VSCO, for example, is introducing a limited edition WWF preset that “subtly enhances natural settings, and is ideal for landscapes & wildlife.” Angry Birds 2 is also introducing a special level and spell into its campaign with an ocean conservation theme.

For more information on the work achieved by the World Wildlife Fund, check out its official website. More details on Apple’s own participation in environmental protection is available on its website, as well.

Tag: Apple environment
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Apple to Sign England’s Raheem Sterling as Global Ambassador

Apple is close to signing 21-year-old Raheem Sterling, a skilled forward for Premier League’s Manchester City F.C. and England’s national football team, as a global ambassador, according to British newspaper The Sun.

Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling (Image: PA:Press Association)
Sterling, who has not played since suffering a groin injury in a match against Manchester United on March 20, will join the likes of American professional tennis player Serena Williams, FC Barcelona forward Neymar, and Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry as brand ambassadors for Apple.

Sterling will earn around £250,000 per year from the deal, which is contingent upon him returning from injury in time for the Euro 2016 championship in France. Fortunately, his imminent return appears likely, as local media reports claim the winger could resume play as early as this weekend versus Chelsea.

The report claims that Sterling “has been lined up to be the figure-head of Apple’s promotional work around the European Championship this summer,” which could involve Apple or Beats television commercials and product endorsement, predominantly in the United Kingdom. Euro 2016 takes place between June 10 and July 10.
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