5 tips to get the most out of the LG G5 – CNET

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After unboxing the new LG G5 and setting it up, you should take a few moments to familiarize yourself with some of its features and capabilities. The more you poke and prod around its settings and apps, the more you’ll discover and be able to better customize the device to your liking. Below are five features that will help you get the most out of your G5.

Get a real app drawer

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Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET

With the G5, LG decided to ditch Android’s app drawer, opting instead to go with an iOS-like home screen layout where all app icons are placed on the home screen. While ex-iOS users may feel right at home, the app drawer-less approach surely will upset some Android users.

Thankfully, LG has released an Android launcher it calls LG Home 4.0, which brings back the app drawer. To install the launcher, click on this link on your Android device. I had to install LG SmartWorld first (there’s a link on the site), then LG Home 4.0. Once it’s installed, go to Settings > Display > Home Screen > Select Home. Tap on “Home(UX 4.0)” to set it as your default launcher, then rejoice at the beauty that is an app drawer.

Enable Smart Bulletin

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Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET

While you’re in the Display settings, you may have noticed a feature called Smart Bulletin. This feature adds a panel to the far left of your home screen, and provides additional, and sometimes useful, information.

To enable Smart Bulletin, open the Settings app then tap swipe over to the Display section. Next, tap on Home Screen. Just below the Select Home option you’ll find Smart Bulletin. You can slide the switch to the On position, or adjust its settings by tapping on the three dots just to the left of the switch.

On the Smart Bulletin settings screen you can rearrange the panels that show up, as well as enable or disable items you won’t use. There’s also an option to download third-party bulletins from LG, but the currently available options are slim to none.

To access the Smart Bulletin, go back to your homes screen and swipe to the right.

Reinstall recently deleted apps

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Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET

It’s easy to get carried away when deleting apps on your phone. If you’ve ever done this, only to realize you actually needed the app, some models of the G5 offer the ability to reinstall apps you’ve uninstalled within the last 24 hours.

I mention some models having the feature, because I have an unlocked model that offers it, while the AT&T version I have on hand doesn’t. Your experience will vary, it appears, depending on the carrier.

Nonetheless, you can look for an app called “Recently Uninstalled” on your G5. Open it, and you’ll find a list of all apps uninstalled in the past day. Tap on the Reinstall button to bring the app back to life on your device, or you can tap on the trashcan in the top corner to remove the app from your device altogether.

Launch apps with the volume buttons

When your G5 is locked, you can quickly double-press the volume up or down keys to launch specific apps. The default setting for the up key is to launch Capture+, LG’s note-taking tool. While the setting for the down key is to launch the Camera app.

You can’t customize which app launches right now, but you can disable shortcut key as well as enable a feature that snaps a photo the instant the camera app is launched using the volume button. To customize the shortcut’s behavior, or disable the feature altogether, go into the Settings app, then view the General tab. Next, tap on the Shortcut Key. At the bottom of the screen is a the setting to enable quick shot. With quick shot turned on, double-pressing the volume down button when your G5 is locked will launch the camera and snap a photo.

Use Smart Settings to automate your device

In the Settings app under the General tab is a feature called Smart Settings.

When enabled, you can automate sound profiles, and Wi-Fi or Bluetooth turning on or off based on your location. you’re given the option to set a Work and Home location, and fine-tune your device’s settings based on either one.

Furthermore, you can set what app you want the device to launch when headphones are plugged into the phone, as well as what app is opened when a specific Bluetooth device connects to your phone. For example, connecting a speaker could launch a music app. Tap through the list of Smart Settings and customize each one to your liking, then let your phone take care of the rest.

There’s plenty more features hiding in the G5, especially in the Camera app, which we plan on covering very soon.

Go inside the ‘Game of Thrones’ opening in stunning 360-degree video – CNET

The Emmy-winning “Game of Thrones” title sequence is renowned for its stunning animations, frequently shifting destinations (which vary depending on the cities that will appear in any given episode) and compelling musical score.

Until now, it’s always been a decidedly 2D affair, but a new 360-degree virtual version of the “Game of Thrones” title sequence lets you soar through Westeros like never before.

The new video, which arrives just ahead of the debut of season 6 on April 24, was a collaborative effort between HBO, Facebook (which is hosting the video), Oculus and sequence designers Elastic. As with other 360-degree videos, you can look in any direction just by clicking and dragging with your mouse.

Unfortunately, there’s no VR version, though Mashable reports that one is “coming soon.” In the meantime, various sources have reported numerous Easter eggs “Thrones” fans should look for, including the option of peeking up the skirt of the Titan of Braavos. (Not my idea!)

Unfortunately, on my system, the video stuttered badly, to the point where it was just about impossible to really enjoy the experience. This is probably due to server overload: In the course of roughly 45 minutes between my first look at the video and completing this post, the number of viewers jumped from 1 million to 1.7 million. Here’s hoping Facebook fixes the problem, pronto — before the “You know nothing, Mark Zuckerberg” jokes start pouring in.

​How to preorder the HTC 10 – CNET

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

For the last 12 months, HTC fans have been waiting with baited breath to learn about the new flagship phone, the HTC 10. The details have finally been released and with the world’s first dual OIS front and back cameras for photos, end-to-end 24-bit Hi-Res sound, and streamlined Marshmallow, it hasn’t disappointed. If you’re eager to get your hands on one, here’s what you need to know.

Availability

In the US, the HTC 10 will be available across multiple wireless providers — just not yet. As of right now, it’s only available to AT&T, T-Mobile, MetroPCS, Alaska Communications, Cricket, NET 10, Straight Talk and Wal-Mart Family Mobile customers. It will be available for Verizon Wireless and Sprint soon, though the company hasn’t pinned down an exact date, saying it will be available in “a few weeks.”

Verizon currently has a sign-up form for those who want to be alerted when the HTC 10 becomes available for preorder. Sprint has stated that it will release more information about their availability closer to the HTC’s release date.

Two processors, one choice for the US

Your location determines the processor that will come in your phone. The HTC 10 has two different Qualcomm Snapdragon processors it could possibly come with. Both options have the same design, audio, camera and display, with a similar software experience and battery life, according to HTC. In the US, customers will be given units built with the Snapdragon 820 processor.

Preordering the HTC 10

Each provider offers different colors, availability and pricing, though HTC is offering an Unlocked edition through preorder as of April 12. These preorders are expected to ship in early May.

The unlocked edition comes in two colors, glacier silver and carbon gray, and costs $699. It also comes with Uh-Oh Protection, which includes one phone replacement at no charge within the first 12 months and covers cracked screens and water damage.

Up close with the streamlined metal HTC 10…

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2016 BMW X1 xDrive28i review – Roadshow

The Good The 2016 BMW X1 is powered by a potent, yet efficient 2.0-liter turbocharged engine. All-wheel drive is standard and tuned, along with the suspension, for sporty driving characteristics. The X1 bests the competition for interior volume with a spacious cabin, a generous greenhouse and a massive optional panoramic moonroof.

The Bad Features that really should be standard at this price point (heated seats, rear camera) are paid options. The X1’s front seats are hard little things that we found uncomfortable for extended drives. Anti-idling stop-start system makes low-speed city driving too jerky for our tastes.

The Bottom Line The BMW X1 xDrive28i is literally and figuratively bigger and better for 2016, boasting more power, more space and better efficiency than its competition. Unfortunately, the price tag is bigger, too.

The outgoing generation of BMW’s X1 compact crossover was a favorite of mine. Though marketed, perceived and sold as a small SUV — or “SAV” (sports activity vehicle) in eye-rolling BMW-speak — the vehicle actually looked, stood and drove more like a slightly enlarged hatchback or a small wagon. Its handling and performance are ultimately what wowed me, but I have to admit that the novelty of this covert wagon infiltrating the rapidly growing compact SUV market really cemented the X1’s place in my heart.

BMW says that its buyers felt differently. They wanted more space, a more commanding seating position, and perhaps most importantly, they wanted their new small crossover to, well, actually look like a small SUV. Can’t have the neighbors calling it a wagon — eww. So, the BMW X1 has been totally redesigned for 2016. It’s got a shorter wheelbase, is taller overall, and now boasts the more SUV-like design that buyers in this segment are looking for.

And though I’m sad to see the North American wagon die just a little bit more, even I have to admit after my drive that the new 2016 BMW X1 xDrive28i is better than before.

As a fan of the old X1, I doubted the new SUV-like profile, but even I was won over by the improved performance and space.

Antuan Goodwin/Roadshow

The more upright stance and some clever interior design affords the new X1 more interior volume than before. Its cabin has more room for people than the Audi Q3, and to boot, there’s more boot space for cargo out back. In a three-way comparison with the Q3 and the Mercedes-Benz GLA , the X1 is the most spacious. A generous greenhouse with large windows, capped by an optional and massive panoramic moonroof, goes a long way toward making the X1’s cabin feel even more airy and bright.

At 228 horsepower for the xDrive28i trim, it’s also the most powerful. The new X1 is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that outputs a tidy 258 pound-feet of torque. Despite having the same number of cylinders and the same displacement as last year, this is an all-new engine from the automaker’s modular series. Essentially, this latest engine uses the same core design as BMW’s new inline-six that’s found in the new 2016 340i, but with two cylinders lopped off. (OK, maybe it’s not exactly that simple.)

The new mill feels even more responsive than the one that won me over in 2013; the new eight-speed automatic transmission, on the other hand, somewhat dulls the fun in its standard setting. Fortunately, there is a Sport drive mode setting that puts the entire powertrain on edge and allow the engine to shine. There’s also an Eco Pro setting that does the opposite, smoothing out acceleration for improved efficiency.

Inside, the BMW boasts more space for people and their stuff than do the Audi Q3 or Mercedes-Benz GLA. Its iDrive tech is also better overall.

Antuan Goodwin/Roadshow

Speaking of efficiency, at an EPA estimated 23 city, 34 highway, and 27 combined mpg, the BMW is has the same thrifty combined estimate as the Merc-Benz GLA250 4matic (gaining ground on highway efficiency, but losing it in the city). Across the board, the Bimmer sips less than the Audi Q3 Quattro, which is surprising considering the Audi’s power deficit and claimed focus on efficiency.

In the new dashboard, just above the new asymmetrical center console, is a new generation of BMW’s iDrive infotainment, which is to say that’s it’s the same software that we’ve grown both to love for its robust feature set and loathe for its complicated menu structure, but with snappier hardware underpinning it.

BMW’s optional, 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system sounds quite good when fed a reasonably high-quality digital source, such as Spotify streamed over Bluetooth or a broadcast received by its standard HD radio decoder, but it falls flat when asked to reproduce lower-quality sources such as satellite radio. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are “coming soon” to future BMW models but, for now at least, the X1 isn’t one of them.

LG announces Bluetooth-enabled Rolly Keyboard 2 for South Korean market

LG has announced the Rolly Keyboard 2, a followup to the original Rolly Keyboard Bluetooth accessory, for its home market of South Korea. Designed to work with smartphones and tablets, the Rolly Keyboard 2 can unfurl to give you quick access to a standard keyboard and built-in dock to get work done on the go. Once your done, the keyboard can be rolled right back up.

Improving on its predecessor, the Rolly Keyboard 2 now includes five rows of keys rather than four. There’s also a new tab on the base of the keyboard that should make it easier to unfurl. The keyboard now also supports pairing up to three devices at the same time, up from two devices on the original LG Rolly Keyboard.

LG says the Rolly Keyboard 2 will come in at $111 (129,000 South Korean won).

The President says he will veto anti-net neutrality bill

President Obama swears that H.R. 2666 will never become a law under his administration. In a letter published today, the White House says the bill “would undermine key provisions in the Federal
Communications Commission’s (FCC) Open Internet order.” The president’s advisors would recommend that he veto it if it ever reaches his office. H.R. 2666 also known as the “No Rate Regulation of Broadband Internet Access Act” looks like it complements the FCC’s new net neutrality rules at first glance. It wants to make sure that the FCC can’t regulate broadband rates — something that commission chairman Tom Wheeler promised his office won’t do — after all.

According to the bill’s author, Illinois Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger, and his allies, potential rate regulation “creates significant uncertainty for ISPs” and “discourages investment and unique pricing structures or service plans.” As the EFF notes, though, the bill would also keep the FCC from protecting consumers against paid prioritization, throttling and data caps, among many other things.

It would also strip the commission of its powers to prevent ISPs from making certain services free. Remember when the FCC summoned Comcast, AT&T and T-Mobile to explain their data exemption schemes that benefit their own services? The agency wouldn’t be able to do that anymore. In the White House’s words, it “would restrict the FCC’s ability to take enforcement actions to protect consumers on issues where the FCC has received numerous consumer complaints.”

The EFF has a portal you can access to look up your state representative’s phone number if you want to know their stance, and if you want them to know yours. President Obama’s stepping down in January, and you might need to make your voice heard if you feel strongly about this issue to help sway the next commander-in-chief.

You can read the White House’s full statement below:

The Administration strongly opposes House passage of H.R. 2666, the No Rate Regulation ofBroadband Internet Access Act, which would undermine key provisions in the FederalCommunications Commission’s (FCC) Open Internet order and harm the Commission’s ability toprotect consumers while facilitating innovation and economic growth.

For almost a century, our laws have recognized that companies that connect Americans to theworld have special obligations not to exploit the gatekeeper power they enjoy over access in andout of our homes and businesses. The same philosophy should guide any service that is based onthe transmission of information, whether a phone call or a packet of data. The FCC’s rules —issued after a lengthy rulemaking process that garnered an unprecedented amount of public input,including comments from four million Americans — recognize that broadband service is of thesame importance, and must carry the same obligations as so many of the other vital services do.These carefully-designed rules have already been implemented in large part with little or noadverse impact on the telecommunications companies making important investments in oureconomy.

H.R. 2666 is overly broad and extends far beyond codifying the FCC’s forbearance fromapplying provisions of the Communications Act related to tariffs, rate approval, or other forms ofutility regulation. Even as amended, H.R. 2666 would restrict the FCC’s ability to takeenforcement actions to protect consumers on issues where the FCC has received numerousconsumer complaints. The bill also would hamstring the FCC’s public interest authority toreview transactions. H.R. 2666 also could limit the Commission’s ability to address newpractices and adapt its rules for a dynamic, fast-changing online marketplace.

If the President were presented with H.R. 2666, his senior advisors would recommend that heveto the bill.

Via: Motherboard

Source: White House, Congress

Watch all of a Vine channel’s videos with one touch

Vine videos aren’t awfully long, and that becomes even more apparent when you’re scrolling through a profile’s post history. So to save some of the hassle of dragging and clicking every six seconds the app will now autoplay an entire channel’s videos in succession. It comes by way of hitting the new “watch” button on Android and iOS. Want to go old fashioned and let that clip loop a few times before moving onto the next? It’s still totally an option, just tap and hold on the video.

If you’re thinking this is a bit like the TV Mode update the web version got a few years back, you aren’t wrong. Just to put things into perspective you could’ve watched around 1,752,000 Vines in that time. You know, in case you were wondering.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Vine

Email privacy bill finally moves forward

After seemingly taking ages to do anything, Congress is at last moving forward on better email privacy safeguards. A House committee has voted unanimously to approve the Email Privacy Act, a bill which would require that federal officials get a warrant to access email (and any other digital communication) if it’s older than 180 days. The measure still has to make the usual rounds through legislative and executive branches before it can become law, but it already has the backing of the majority of the House. Barring surprises, there’s not likely to be much resistance.

The bill as-is won’t make everyone happy. Amendments to the act would remove the requirement for a warrant against the target of an investigation; it’d only require serving a warrant to the email host. Subjects wouldn’t necessarily realize that a search is taking place. That’s not enough to deter tech companies supporting the bill (including Facebook and Microsoft), but it’s clearly a compromise. Also, the Justice Department has claimed that the 180-day distinction is arbitrary. If you need a warrant for an ancient message, it argued, you should need a warrant for something new.

With that in mind, the Email Privacy Act is still better than what the US has today. Right now, the feds only need a subpoena to get communications — they’re not subject to the same judicial monitoring as they are with warrants. The would-be law could reduce the chances that investigators collect more information than they need, and keep your conversations under wraps unless there’s good cause to suggest that something illegal took place.

Source: Reuters

Listening to the LG G5 with its Hi-Fi Plus with B&O Play module

The Bang & Olufsen HiFi audio module lives up to its promise of premium sound — now we only need a price and release date.

We’ve had a look at the European version of the LG G5 and spent some time with the elusive “Hi-Fi Plus with B&O Play” module. While the G5 plays music and other audio files without any problem on its own, the 32bit Sabre ES9028C2M DAC and Sabre9602c amplifier inside the HiFi module are designed to natively play 24bit/192kHz hi-res tracks, as well as tracks upscaled to 32bit.

With these chips being a newer replacement from Sabre — a company well-known for producing excellent digital audio components for companies like Pioneer and Yamaha — we expected some pretty good stuff.

We weren’t disappointed. It’s pretty obvious to anyone who has had a chance to try the B&O module that it delivers better sound that the “vanilla” G5 when using the same headphones. We dug out some patch cables and gave things a closer look — as well as a comparison to 2015’s LG V10 — to see why.

The numbers

Testing was performed using a SAMSON MixPad MXP124X mixing console, with the phone attached to the first channel using a Hosa 3.5mm mini male to XLR male cable. All mixer adjustments were set to absolute neutral. We used commercially available software from RightMark Audio Analyzer for automated test scores, and iSpectrum to check the results and look at the raw sine waveform tones generated by Audacity. Playback on the phones themselves was done through LG’s bundled music player. It’s important to note that the equipment used as well as the software can and does affect these results.

The LG V10 was included for references purposes, as an Android phone with “premium” audio output many are familiar with.

Having said that, using the same equipment and software for each test makes for an excellent way to compare things. Here are the raw numbers for those interested.

What all this means is that the B&O module is doing exactly what it was designed to do — deliver cleaner audio than the DAC built into the Snapdragon 820 chipset. While some of the numbers aren’t extremely different, others (especially the crosstalk) are a huge improvement. The B&O module plays your music with less background noise, less interference from the cables and environment, less distortion at all volumes and more “separation” — the ability to hear individual instruments and notes — than the G5 itself when you’re not using the audio module.

It’s interesting to note that in most tests, last year’s LG V10 scored better than the G5 when paired with the B&O module. On a pure numbers game, the V10 produces a more “pure” sound. But when played side-by-side, those numbers don’t equate with what you might hear. That’s where “tuning” of the actual hardware involved comes into play, and Bang & Olufsen has done very well here. Let’s talk about the actual sound appeal of music files while we ponder the numbers from reference tones.

The experience

When we say a manufacturer or one of their partners “tunes” the audio equipment — whether it be for a phone or the receiver in your living room — we mean adjustments they have made so that the output is no longer as flat as the hardware can make it. We’ve all seen an equalizer with sliders for various frequencies, and know that oftentimes individual tones are adjusted slightly higher or slightly lower than the zero starting point. That’s a good way to think of what B&O has done here — they’ve done thing that they think improves the sound coming out of the equipment.

And in many cases they have. Using a “flat” (not tuned for a particular profile) set of headphones and LG’s stock music player, certain types of music sounds better on the G5 with its audio module than it does on the V10. In particular, music genres like soft rock, pop or progressive rock sound better on the G5 than they do on the V10, regardless of what our numbers above tell us about the capability of the equipment.

It’s pretty likely that some of this tuning actually degrades some of the quality offered by the components, but turns it into better sounding music. In other cases — metal, country and hip-hop in particular — the opposite is true and the V10’s unadjusted output sounds better to my ears. Using 24bit 48kHz flac files from Led Zeppelin, Motorhead, George Jones, Parliament, RUN DMC, ELP and Supertramp for listening, the results are split. The more bass-heavy or treble-heavy the music, the more often it sounded better on the V10. On other tracks, especially those designed to be crisp and free of background noise like production-focused music from Emerson Lake and Palmer, the G5 and its B&O friend sound better to my ears than the V10.

Bang & Olufsen has done very well when it comes to what I call sound appeal

All this was easily mitigated by using PowerAmp and its in-app equalizer settings. Very small adjustments allowed the G5 (when using the B&O module) and the V10 to both produce playback that I was more than satisfied with, and I enjoyed listening to. This tells me that just about everyone can find settings that make the G5/HiFi DAC combo an excellent portable music player when paired with a set of premium headphones in the ~60 ohm resistance (or lower) range.

Also worth noting, the G5 itself without the HiFi module didn’t do very well in my “listening experience” test. The crosstalk numbers shown by the audio analyzation aren’t lying, and trying to find a balance between volume, clarity and distortion was very difficult. The out-of-the-box G5 will play my 24bit audio files with the on-board Qualcomm DAC, but it won’t do it very well.

Is buying the Hi-Fi Plus with B&O Play module worth it?

Not everyone cares abut how clean and “audiophilish” their music sounds. That means that not everyone will find value with the B&O HiFi module. This is a product designed to get people who buy and play HQ lossless music to part with their money and buy a thing that plays it better. Having said that, even when playing back standard mp3 files while streaming, there’s a noticeable difference when using the B&O module — your music can be louder and less distorted than without it.

The out-of-the-box G5 will play hi-res audio files with the on-board Qualcomm DAC, but not very well

There’s also something to be said about having hardware this good in such a small package as a stand-alone DAC. Any device with a USB Type-C connecter should be able to play audio through the B&O DAC with results almost as good as when it’s installed directly into the the G5 itself. The raw numbers won’t be as favorable because of the external connection, but the sound itself is very similar (and equally enjoyable) on the Nexus 6P when used with a Type-C to Type-C cable. We expect similar results on a laptop with a USB Type-C connection.

It all comes down to a cost versus value comparison. If you like to listen to music over Bluetooth, or are happy with the audio quality direct from the G5, you don’t need this product. And that’s perfectly fine — the only person you need to make happy while listening to your favorite songs is you. On the other hand, if you want something more, and from a package that can be used with other equipment to improve the audio quality, this seems like a really nice product.

If I were using an LG G5 and happy with it, I’d want to buy the B&O DAC add-on, unless it’s priced out of my reach. We’ll be able to talk more about that when we get the final details of its release and pricing.

LG G5

• LG G5 review
• LG 360 CAM review
• LG G5 complete specs
• LG’s G5 Friends modules are a neat idea, but they won’t matter
• LG G5 Hi-Fi Plus w/ B&O
• Join the LG G5 discussion

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Vine’s new ‘watch’ button gives your fingers a rest from scrolling

Vine is pushing out a new feature that should make binge-watching your favorite channels much easier. Coming along in the latest update to the Vine app is the addition of a new “watch” button that allows you to start playing every Vine on a channel with one tap. Essentially, the watch button just eliminates the need to scroll through a channel to watch all of its content.

The watch button is available on both individual channels and the different categories included in Vine’s “Explore” section. Much like Snapchat’s autoplaying stories, the app will automatically progress through each Vine in order after tapping the button. If you see something you like, you can loop the video by holding your finger down to watch it again.

If you’re interested in checking out the watch button in action, you can do so by downloading the latest version of Vine from Google Play now.