Apple Watch Developers Talk Gaming as Apple’s Wearable Turns One Year Old

The Apple Watch turned one year old on Sunday, and Macworld decided to use the device’s anniversary as an opportunity to revisit the state of gaming on Apple’s first wearable. While the launch of the Apple Watch brought a wave of excitement for users and developers alike, the subsequent months saw a noticeable dive in both buzz-worthy Apple Watch game announcements and user interest, with a few exceptions.

As it was in April 2015, developers still believe that what works best for Apple Watch games are short, “quick-hit experiences” that get users in and out of fun, engaging games before raising their wrist grows tiresome. Everywhere Games CEO Aki Järvilehto, whose company created one of the first popular Apple Watch games, Runeblade [Direct Link], believes that as well as quick bursts of entertainment, wrist-worn games should “grow with the player” over the course of a few days, weeks, and even months.

The company’s viewpoint has netted an enthusiastic fanbase who have created detailed wiki pages and generate an active subreddit on Runeblade. According to Everywhere Games’ statistics, active players log into the game about 100 times per day. Runeblade crafted a bite-sized RPG experience that’s become a model for other Apple Watch games, but another popular blueprint being followed by developers comes from Three Minute Games’ interactive fiction experience Lifeline [Direct Link], which puts players in the shoes of the only person who can communicate with a distant, stranded astronaut.

All the same, some developers simply think gaming and the Apple Watch don’t mix at all. Indie developer Jacob Williams said it took him essentially one day with the initial watchOS SDK sent to developers ahead of the device’s launch to realize that Apple’s new wearable was simply never “going to work for gamers.” Williams’ beliefs underscore a late 2015 and early 2016 largely bereft of flashy, big title Apple Watch games akin to those found in the iOS App Store. A Tiny Game of Pong [Direct Link] developer Matt Wiechec thinks that Apple could be helping in this regard more than it currently is.

“It’s not often that I open the Watch app to check for new apps, and I bet this is the case for a lot of people. There aren’t many new Watch apps that Apple showcases, so each week you check, don’t find anything new, and you slowly build a habit of checking less often,” admits Wiechec. “I think it would be much better if Apple integrated Watch apps directly into the main App Store app; adding a new category for them, adding top charts, but also showcasing them on the Featured page for users who own an Apple Watch.”

Still, most of the developers that spoke with Macworld remain optimistic about the future of gaming on the platform, pointing out that even though it has been a year, that’s only one year into the lifespan of an entirely new platform. Nearly all agree that the introduction of native app features in watchOS 2 — and Apple’s upcoming clamp down on any non-native apps — is perhaps the biggest motivator for high-quality game development on the Apple Watch.

Check out Macworld’s full article on Apple Watch gaming, along with a number of developer interviews, right here.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 2
Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)
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Apple Seeds Third Beta of iOS 9.3.2 to Developers

Apple today released the third beta of an upcoming iOS 9.3.2 update to developers for testing purposes, one week after the release of the second iOS 9.3.2 beta and more than a month after the launch of iOS 9.3, an update that introduced Night Shift mode and other feature improvements. iOS 9.3.2 has been in testing since April 6.

iOS 9.3.2 beta 3 can be downloaded over-the-air using the beta configuration profile or through the Apple Developer Center.

iOS 9.3.2 is the second minor update to iOS 9.3, coming after iOS 9.3.1, an update that introduced critical bug fixes. iOS 9.3.2 appears to fix a major Game Center bug that has plagued some iOS users for months and it reintroduces the ability to use Night Shift and Low Power Mode simultaneously.

Aside from those tweaks, there appear to be no outward-facing changes, with the update focusing on under-the-hood improvements. Any new features or fixes found in the third beta will be listed below.

Related Roundup: iOS 9
Tag: iOS 9.3.2
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Microsoft Debuts Skype for Business Preview on Mac With Outlook Integration

Microsoft today announced the launch of its Skype for Business Mac Public Preview, bringing expanded Skype capabilities to its Mac business users. The Public Preview of Skype for Business for the Mac follows the launch of Skype for Business on iOS.

Skype for Business will be released in three stages leading to the public launch of the app during the third quarter of 2016. Starting today, Skype for Business Mac users will be able to see meetings in the Skype business client through built-in Outlook calendar integration, joining them with a click. Full screen video, content viewing, in-meeting chat, and the ability to invite additional people to the meeting are all supported features.

In the second phase of the Public Preview, Microsoft plans to add instant messaging, presence, and contacts, which will come in the early summer. Phase three, which will include telephony features, will be available later in the summer.

Skype for Business, designed for corporate users, supports up to 250 people per call and it includes enterprise-grade security features and employee account management.

Microsoft’s commercial customers can request an invite to test the Skype for Business Mac Public Preview through the Skype for Business website. Microsoft plans to begin issuing invites to IT administrators to download the client with a gradual expansion of the preview coming in the current weeks.
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MacBook vs. MacBook Air: What’s the difference? – CNET

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Sarah Tew / CNET

The new Macbook isn’t just a prettier, updated version of the MacBook Air. Some features and specs got massive updates, while other features (like ports, for one), were sacrificed in the making.

If you’re considering a new Macbook and finding yourself comparing the two options, look out for these major differences.

Where are the ports?

Outside of the 3.5mm headphone jack, the USB Type-C port is the only port you’ll find on the MacBook. Through this single interface you charge, sync and connect accessories to the MacBook.

Meaning, if you want to connect the MacBook to an external monitor and an iPhone at the same time, for example, you’ll need a $79 adapter from Apple. (There are some third-party USB Type-C adapters for the MacBook that are cheaper, but reviews are mixed so proceed with caution should you decide to go that route.)

The MacBook Air is much more generous. It’s equipped with two USB ports, a Thunderbolt port and a MagSafe 2 port for charging. With all those options, you can sync a camera, charge your iPhone, and use an external monitor — with ports to spare.

That screen, though

Apple continues to add its Retina display to more of its products, but the MacBook Air has been left behind. Both the 11-inch and 13-inch Macbook Air models are outfitted with lower-resolution screens, with the 13-inch model offering a resolution of 1440-by-900.

The MacBook’s is a lot sharper. Its 12-inch display is a Retina screen with a resolution of 2304-by-1440.

And in case you’re wondering: yes, you’ll see the difference. With all those extra pixels, text appears sharper (and easier on the eyes), images show more detail and colors are more vibrant. More simply put, everything just looks better on a Retina display.

Speed

One of the tradeoffs you’ll have to make when going with the MacBook is overall processing power.

Inside the MacBook is Intel’s Core M processor, which is designed to be as energy-efficient as possible and doesn’t need fans to keep it cool. A side effect of that efficiency, though, is the Core M line isn’t nearly as powerful as the Intel Core i5/i7 processors currently available in the MacBook Air.

For the average person, the speed difference may be noticeable but won’t hamper your productivity. But if you’re someone who wants to multitask with apps like Photoshop or iMovie, the sluggishness will be more apparent.

Color coordinate all the things

Unlike the standard silver color scheme of the MacBook Air, the new MacBook comes in the same colors as the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. If you’re so inclined, you can coordinate your gold, rose gold, space grey, or silver MacBook to match your phone, tablet and watch.

The color of your computer isn’t going to have any impact on its overall performance, but if having a laptop that reflects your affinity for a certain color appeals to you, the MacBook is calling your name.

Battery

Apple is proud of the fact the MacBook is crammed full batteries stacked atop one another, filling every possible millimeter of its housing. Thanks to this design, the MacBook’s battery should net you roughly 10 hours of web browsing.

Due to its bigger footprint, the 13-inch MacBook Air has a big enough battery to best the MacBook’s battery performance by two hours, with 12 total hours of web browsing. Either device should offer enough juice to get through a long study session or a typical workday on the go. Then again, those two extra hours could really make a difference for someone who is constantly traveling.

Storage and memory

With a recent product refresh, the 13-inch MacBook Air now ships with 8 GB of memory and 128 GB of storage for $999. The base model MacBook also includes eight gigabytes of memory, but the storage amount is doubled to 256 GB for $1,299.

Force Touch

The MacBook’s trackpad is equipped with Force Touch, a feature that’s also found on the Apple Watch and iPhone 6S (albeit under a different name, 3D Touch).

By applying varying degrees of pressure on the trackpad of the MacBook, OS X will display extra menus and actions depending on what app you’re in. For example, force clicking on a link in the Mail app will open a preview window of the webpage the link will take you to. Apple has yet to add this feature to the MacBook Air line.

KPhone K5 review: can this mid-range iPhone clone compete in the US?

If you’ve been following the Android space for some time, then you’ve likely sees the growing trend of unlocked smartphones. Whereas just a few years ago customers were content to fork out a couple hundred dollars and ink a two-year contract, today’s buyers are more reluctant to sign a long-term commitment. Moreover, we’re finding that many consumers are content with a mid-range device instead of top-tier flagships. And why not? Today’s middle ground is quite the powerful experience and can run circles around the best phones from just a short time ago.

If you keep an eye on the landscape then you may have surely identified the rise of foreign handset makers trying to crack the US market. A few years ago we had names like HTC and Motorola in the same conversations of Samsung and LG. Today, we’re chatting about Huawei, Meizu, Xiaomi, and others.

One brand who is looking to pick up some traction in the US is Chinese OEM KPhone. We have spent time with KPhone K5 5 and would like to share our thoughts and review.

Specs

In terms of hardware, the KPhone 5 is a decidedly mid-range experience. Specifications include 5-inch 1080p display, a 64-bit Snapdragon 410 quad-core processor with 2 gigabytes (GB) of RAM and 16 gigabytes (GB) of internal storage.

In terms of cameras, the unit offers up a 13-megapixel shooter on the back with a single LED flash while the front houses a 5-megapixel camera. Running Android 5.1 Lollipop, the K5 is a dual-sim device that works with many GSM carriers.

There’s nothing here to be ashamed of, really, and it’s enough to satisfy the needs of average consumers. Other companies are putting out phones in this realm so it’s not as if this is showing up with outdated specs.

First Impressions

Say what you want about other Android smartphone makers, but this is among the most iPhone-like model we’ve ever reviewed. From first glances to playing with the OS, it’s almost as if the OEM tried to emulate Apple.

This phone could easily be mistaken for an iPhone 4 or iPhone 4s. Thanks to the glass front and back, the chamfered edges, and placement of speakers, it has “clone” written all over it.

The right edge of the phone houses the power button; volume buttons are just above this and can easily be pressed with a thumb. Over to the left side, you’ll locate and access the micro-SIM and dual-SIM tray.

Up top, and to the left, is the 3.5mm headphone jack. The bottom includes a microUSB port with what appears to be stereo speakers. It’s worth pointing out here that only the left side produces sound while the right is simply here for balance and aesthetics.

We noticed early on that the glass front and back were quick to pick up fingerprints or smudges. After a few weeks we also saw that the glass was picking up tiny hints of scuffs. Blame this on the entirely flush design. There’s nothing to keep this guy from sliding around.

General Performance

Those of you who follow the Android or mobile space closely understand that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 isn’t a monster. It’s not the type of processor that you want if you plan to play a lot of games or really tax your phone. The 410, rather, is an Average Joe CPU that’s optimized for typical day-to-day stuff like web browsing, email, social media, and some basic gaming.

The Kphone K5 handled pretty much everything we threw at it, but we were cognizant of what limitations might be. Tower defense, driving, and games with a lot of moving pieces did surprisingly well; perhaps it was due to the 1080 pixel display instead of the 2K stuff in higher end models.

Multi-tasking was right in line with expectations. As someone who gets to play with a lot of hardware, it’s easy to get accustomed to 3GB and 4GB RAM. The 2GB RAM on the K5 was enough for us and we suspect most folks would be content, too.

• FDD-LTE band 1/4/7/17
• TDD-LTE band 38/29/40/41
• WCDMA 850/1700/1900/2100/1700
• GSM 850/900/1900

As an unlocked phone, the K5 is designed to work with just about any of the GSM carriers. This means you’ll be good with AT&T, T-Mobile, and the numerous prepaid brands that utilize their respective networks. We tested both a standard AT&T and T-Mobile SIM card in the phone and found both coverage and call quality on par with other brands of phones.

Display

It’s not uncommon for low-cost or lesser-name companies to cut corners in the area of displays. We were pleased to learn that Kphone didn’t scrimp on the screen when it comes to the K5. Colors were very accurate, viewing angles were impressive, and images popped. White balance and blacks were represented well, especially considering this is an LCD display. The 1080 pixel resolution was just right for a 5-inch screen phone and should make most users happy.

Touch was incredible; response was as good as can be expected. Whether it was single touch or multiple fingers, the Kphone K5 registered swipes, presses, and quick tapping.

Sound

Generally speaking, sound quality was average across the board. We were surprised to learn that bottom housed only one speaker, but it’s not a deal breaker of sorts. Audio is clean, clear, and crisp when listening at low and mid-level volumes. Push it toward the high end, though, and you’ll get some hints of distortion. Extended periods of music weren’t all that fun and reminded us why we’re so quick to pair a Bluetooth speaker.

Plugging in headphones we found a pretty similar situation. Here and there we experienced what can only be described as “quiet” audio. In other words, we weren’t getting the same level of volume that we did in a game or other music. Not to worry, however, as this was few and far between.

Camera

Open the camera app and you find the bottom (or right, in landscape) has a dedicated shutter and record button. This is a nice touch as it allows for easy snapping of pictures or video. It somewhat removes the step of switching function.

As for camera modes, the K5 gives users Manual, Beauty, HDR, Panorama, Gesture, Smile, Delay, and Back. Confused by what the latter one does, we learned it’s simply the manner of taking a selfie using the rear camera. Indeed, the phone audibly tells users when it has detected a face to capture. One feature we’ve come to love in our cameras is HDR, which was tucked away a bit. We’d prefer to tap an icon on the standard camera screen so we can more easily toggle the mode. Just a small quibble.

Shutter speeds are fast, perhaps faster than we expected. Whether snapping one pic or holding down the button for multiple images, it works quickly. The issue, though, is getting focus on the subject. If your subject is moving to and from, staying focused can be troublesome. Time and again we found ourselves forced to tap the display to stick on an item. Focus was slower than we’d like to have seen, but still images and basic scenery shots were just fine.

The overall quality of pictures was adequate considering the price point. In most cases users will likely find the results are up to par, especially if the main concerns are for Instagram or social media. Just know that low-light stuff in gonna look pretty bad if trying to capture moving objects. Set it still on a tripod or surface, though, and you might be more than moderately impressed.

At approximately $200, it’s gonna take photos that most users can appreciate. It’s not until you physically do a comparison to other cameras that you find where things suffer. If the camera is your main attraction, our advice is to put a little more money aside and save for something better.

Battery

The Kphone K5 boasts a 2,920mAh battery which is capacious when you consider this is a 5-inch phone. Indeed, it’s bigger than most phones at this size screen. Does it translate to plenty of usage time? You bet it does.

We found that it was quite possible to get into a third day of average use on the phone. This is largely due to the Snapdragon 410 processor and its not-so-demanding performance. More often than not, the Kphone K5 was able to go bell-to-bell for us and into a second day.

Like other brands do, the Kphone has a couple of power saving modes to help stretch out your battery. To be honest, we didn’t really need to use them and were happy with the results otherwise.

Android and UI

Remember how we said this phone resembled an iPhone 4? The parallels are not surface deep; the Kphone looks every bit like it runs an iOS-infused version of Android. Not only are the icons shaded with the pastel gradients you’ll find in Apple’s phones, but the app drawer and menus setup is similar. Oh, and the fonts are Apple-y.

Don’t look for the middle icon on the bottom row to open a full list of apps and games. Nope, everything gets added to the home screen on panels to the right.

To be sure, this devices runs Android 5.1 Lollipop and performs otherwise like an Android device. It takes some getting used to the user interface, especially if you’ve become accustomed to the way just about every other manufacturer does things. After spending a few weeks with the nearly-stock Android build, I was ultimately relieved to install Nova as my launcher of choice.

Poking about the UI a bit, you will find Android standards and perhaps an almost Nexus-like configuration. The pull-down notification bar reminds us of the stuff you get on a stripped down Google experience. If you need to toggle settings for things like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or anything else, it’s readily accessible. Also cool was that the lock screen seems to be untouched from the Nexus models, too.

The Kphone K5 is loaded with a select number of apps (FM Radio, NoteBook, Sound Recorder, and Compass) each of which has some basic, albeit convenient features. They don’t eat up a lot of space on your phone and do feel as if thought was put into them. It’s pretty easy to bake in some crappy versions of these types of apps so props to Kphone here.

Conclusion

Priced at $200, the Kphone K5 is in quite a competitive space. With more unlocked models and brands entering the fray on a regular basis, it’s hard to stand out. It’s even tougher to grab attention when you’re an unknown player.

Getting your hands on the K5 is fairly easy; it’s available through QVC’s website and can be had with Easy Pay options, too. Moreover, it’s possible to buy a three year service contract on top of the phone. Whereas you can learn more about the phone at the official Kphone website, purchasing is still handled through QVC.

Does the K5 have what it takes to stand out in the crowd? Yes, and no. It’s unique enough that it could attract a specific type of buyer. It’s not clear how successful the sales are for QVC or whether the iOS-like experience is popular among its demographic.

The K5 looks unlike most Android phones when you power it on. The problem, as we see it, is getting to that step. To do so, Kphone has to hope buyers find the phone in the first place. Then, at $200, it has to stand out against the likes of low-cost alternatives from Motorola and HTC. And, really, if the consumer is educated enough, they’ll also recognize that they are treading into the space of OnePlus, Blu, and other unlocked, semi-known brands.

Save for the price tag, we can’t fault the K5 for doing what it does. Were it but $50 cheaper, we would find it easier to recommend it. You’re not going to necessarily go wrong with this handset, but you may regret spending the money when you see other, more powerful devices going for less – from larger or established brands.

Stack Classic Smart LED Starter Kit Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

The Stack Classic LED

Stack Lighting

It’s been a little over a year since Stack Lighting debuted its app-enabled, Nest-thermostat-compatible LED floodlights. Now, at the Lightfair 2016 lighting industry convention in San Diego, the California-based manufacturer is opening up preorders for a new smart bulb called the Stack Classic LED. During the preorder period, you’ll be able to pick up a two-bulbs-and-a-hub starter pack for $89, with additional bulbs costing $28.

Built to replace the common A-shaped bulb, the Stack Classic LED offers the same integrations with Nest as Stack’s original BR30 smart bulbs, and it uses the same ZigBee radio to communicate with the same plug-in hub. Sync that hub with the Stack app, and you’ll be able to control the new bulbs alongside Stack’s old ones right from your phone.

Aside from tapping the things on and off, dimming them up and down, and tuning the color temperature from warm tones to hot ones, those controls include timed lighting changes and automation settings. Thanks to the ambient light sensors built into each bulb, you can set them to automatically dim up and down as light levels change throughout the day.

Like the original Stack floodlights, the new Stack Classic LEDs will also track you as you come and go, using built-in motion detectors. However, unlike the original bulbs, the new Stack LEDs use tomographic sensors that are based on disturbances in transmitted radio frequencies (RF). Stack claims that this approach allows the lights to detect motion with greater precision — even when the bulb is hidden behind a sconce or lampshade.

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Stack also has plans to license that RF technology out to third parties through a “Stack Enabled” program. The only names on board so far are Lunera, Brilia and Plumen, a company that makes fancy-looking designer fixtures out of fluorescent light bulbs. Expect to see smart, Stack Enabled versions of those bulbs at some point in the future.

In addition to Nest, Stack’s smart bulbs work with the online automation service IFTTT, which seems like a handy way of putting those motion-detecting smarts to use. A Stack Lighting representative tells me that the brand plans on adding voice controls in the future by way of Apple HomeKit and Amazon’s Alexa, though there isn’t a timetable for when that might happen.

As for the bulbs themselves, Stack expects preorders to start shipping by September 2016.

Zero Zero Robotics Hover Camera Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

Think of the Hover Camera as a smarter smartphone camera — that flies.

Roughly the size of an average hardcover book when folded up for travel, you probably wouldn’t know it was a camera, let alone a flying one. The Hover Camera’s four propellers and motors are encased in an intricate carbon-fiber framework that’s not only strong and light, but its design helps self-cool its internal components. Unfold its “wings” and it’s ready to fly; turn it on, let it go and, true to its name, it will just hover.

The quadcopter uses optical and sonar sensors to position and steady itself while a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor (found in phones like the HTC One M8 and Samsung Galaxy S5) runs advanced proprietary computer vision and artificial intelligence to detect and track faces or bodies. You don’t need a controller because it simply uses faces to guide itself around.

Joshua Goldman/CNET

If you do want to fly it higher (it can hover as high as 164 feet or 50 meters), you can use its companion iOS or Android app to position the drone with simple onscreen taps and swipes. The app will have automatic options for shooting panorama videos and 90- and 360-degree orbits as well. You’ll also be able to transfer photos and videos to your device for immediate sharing.

Its 13-megapixel camera is on a tiny gimbal that helps stabilize the camera and can tilt it up and down. Electronic stabilization is also used to smooth video, which can be captured at resolutions up to 4K.

As with most small drones, battery life appears to be the biggest downside at just up to 7 minutes per charge. The batteries are easily swapped out by simply sliding off the top.

Zero Zero Robotics, the Beijing-based start-up behind it, said it expects to ship in time for this holiday season with a price somewhere south of $600 (approximately AU$775 or £415). If you’re already thinking about all the ways you’d use the Hover Camera, you can sign up now to try to be a beta tester on the company’s site.

Editors’ note: We previously noted that the maximum altitude was 16 feet, but is actually 164 feet or 50 meters. The camera resolution is also 13 megapixels and not 12 as earlier stated.

Intraix Klug Home Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

Klug Home looks like a simple USB drive, but it plugs into your router and transforms it into a smart home hub.

Intraix

Making a connected household is one thing, but getting all the devices in your home talking to each other in a meaningful way is where the smart home ideal often breaks down. The challenge only grows once you throw in industry competition and a patchwork of company partnerships. But a small device, seeking funding through Indiegogo and developed by Singapore startup Intraix, claims it has a solution.

Klug Home looks like a small USB drive, but instead of plugging into your laptop or TV, it connects to your Wi-Fi router. From there it coordinates all sorts of devices, from wearables to smart home tech. And the kicker is, when it lands in October, it will integrate Google’s Nest, Amazon’s Echo, Apple’s HomeKit, and a bunch of gadgets besides — all for the low price of $109 (roughly £75 or AU$140). If it works, it could be a must-buy dongle for smart home aficionados. Of course, as usual with crowd-funded tech, that’s a big if.

Klug Home (pronounced “kloog,” from the German word for “smart”) is notable for a few reasons. First off, it cleverly turns your router into a smart home hub, like SmartThings or Lowe’s Iris. Hubs translate the low-energy communication protocols of smart home devices into a language your phone can understand, and vice versa. While Klug Home certainly can’t speak every language, it does work with Zigbee — one of the most common protocols.

Intraix hopes to do more than provide another hub and app, though. Klug Home will learn patterns of use over time to see how individual devices are activated in the context of other devices. Although Intraix shared few details about the learning algorithm they plan to employ, Klug Home is clearly meant to be a lifestyle smart home integration device, not simply another gadget that coordinates your recipes from the Web service If This Then That (IFTTT).

Between its Wi-Fi and Zigbee communication, Klug Home could compete with other smart hubs. What sets it apart, though, is which major platforms it will integrate. Intraix says Klug will work with HomeKit, Amazon Echo, Nest and IFTTT, among others.

Unifying those platforms could mean making adjustments to your Nest Thermostat with Siri, or getting a Zigbee flood sensor to alert you through Echo. Klug would be the first to bridge the gap between some of these large platforms, and that potential is huge.

Klug Home will make a number of large platforms, such as HomeKit and Nest, work together.

Intraix

Such ambitious claims pique my skepticism as much as my interest. For devices to work with the HomeKit platform, they must receive hardware certification from Apple. Intraix plans to bypass this requirement by connecting the Klug Home app to other HomeKit devices, rather than connecting the devices directly. Whether this will affect latency or reliability remains to be seen, especially since third-party HomeKit apps have been such a mixed bag.

In addition, Klug Home doesn’t work with Bluetooth devices, which make up a large number of smart home gadgets — connected locks in particular. For a device attempting to unify the smart home, this is a major hole.

Intraix’s vision of seamless integration despite industry divides is exciting. It’s cool to imagine my Fitbit or phone telling my vents and thermostat that I’m 5 minutes from home after a morning run. An integration system that learns your preferences as you live in your home — that’s a dream scenario for anyone who’s spent hours trying to make two devices play nice. I’ll believe it when I see it.

Tesco Mobile will let you use your phone abroad for free this summer

Tesco Mobile will be letting customers in the UK use their mobile phones abroad for free, without incurring any remaining charges. The UK mobile network will unlock free access to and from 31 European countries, but only for a limited time through summer.

As noted by Engadget, the initiative – titled “Home from Home” – will only be available to eligible customers between May 23 and September 3. Both pay monthly and pay-as-you-go customers will be able to board the free roaming train within the timeframe. Once Home from Home has ended, consumers won’t have to wait long before the EU finally smashes roaming charges into oblivion.

Countries supported by Home from Home include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canary Islands, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Samsung teases hot new projects at this week’s DevCon

Samsung will unveil five new C-Lab projects during its upcoming developer conference in San Fransisco. Projects that come from the C-Lab are ideas from its own employees that the company then helps make their ideas a reality. The projects vary from a single app that can control multiple smart devices via a smartphone camera, a lifelogging camera that produces 360-degree videos and more.

Samsung notes that the projects include:

• LiCon: an app that controls various smart devices via a smartphone camera
• Ahead: a communication device for people who wear helmets
• AMe: a wearable lifelogging camera that produces 360-degree VR videos
• ItsyWatch: a wearable that helps children form good habits
• Entrim 4D+: a VR accessory that lets users feel the movements of the on-screen action.

Samsung’s Developer Conference is scheduled for April 27 and April 28 in San Francisco. Be sure to stay tuned for additional information on these projects from our live coverage of the event.