The Galaxy Note 6 will allegedly offer USB Type-C connectivity

In what may be the most straightforward rumor regarding the Galaxy Note 6, the folks over at SamMobile are stating that the phone will offer USB Type-C connectivity.

There’s no confirmation that it will be USB 3.1 Gen 1, but logic dictates that Samsung will want to utilize the latest implementation of the USB standard. Other rumors regarding the Galaxy Note 6 suggest dust and water resistance, much like the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, as well as an iris scanner for authentication.

It makes sense for Samsung to switch to USB Type-C, as it offers faster charging in addition to more bandwidth for data transmission. And you don’t have to fiddle around with the connector when you’re trying to charge your phone, as USB Type-C is reversible.

The move to the newer standard suggests that we may get to see an upgraded variant of the Gear VR headset this year. What would you guys like to see from the Galaxy Note 6?

Everything you need to know about USB Type-C

There’s a standing desk and balance board for kids now

Given the increasing anxiety of what sitting is doing to our bodies, it was only a matter of time before someone began worrying about our nation’s children. After seeing his son’s classroom, FluidStance chief Joel Heath decided to build the UpGrade, a standing desk and balance board combo for school kids. Much like the adult version, it centers around a balance board that is claimed will help small ones be more active. As part of the project, the company has also made a height-adjustable desk that’ll let three kids take a break from sitting at any one time.

It’s always grating to see an established company launch a new product on Kickstarter but that’s where FluidStance has chosen to release the UpGrade. Early backers can grab the standalone balance board for kids by throwing $129 at their screens. If you want three boards and the height-adjustable desk that goes with, it’ll set you back $947. If you can afford that much, however, the company will hand a matching system to an accredited school of your choice. Alternatively, it’ll hand the desk to Stand Up Kids, a program that wants all public school kids to have access to standing desks.

FluidStance is also working on an adult version of the UpGrade table and any office workers who want one can get one put aside for $1,197. We tested one of the company’s balance boards a while back and our objection was simply around the high price. Being made in the USA from responsibly-sourced materials push the bill of sale far in excess of the $25 gym deck that does the same job. It’s a similar situation here, since while we can be sure it’s a beautiful product with a noble goal, we don’t know too many people who could drop that much cash on a whim.

Source: Kickstarter

‘Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare’ takes the fight into space

Following a brief flurry of teaser trailers, developer Infinity Ward has unveiled its next game in the Call of Duty franchise. As expected, it’s called Infinite Warfare and takes the series into space with robots, fighter jets and, of course, plenty of high intensity shootouts. Call of Duty has experimented with near-future settings before, but this pushes the concept further with a new foe called the Settlement Defense Front. The trailer starts with an invasion of Earth, before shifting perspective to aerial combat and, finally, an enemy spaceship infiltration. All the while, a cover of Space Oddity plays fittingly (and a little cheesily) in the background.

The trailer confirms the game will be out on November 4th. If you pre-order one of two special editions, you’ll also get Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered, which includes the original campaign and 10 multiplayer maps. Many Call of Duty fans hold the original Modern Warfare in high regard, due to its strong multiplayer and compelling story content. Bundling in such an iconic game should attract a little more interest in a franchise that is, ever so slowly, starting to lose its juggernaut status.

Source: Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Reveal Trailer

Bing for iOS Lets Users Search Web for Images by Taking a Photo

Microsoft has updated its Bing app for iOS with a feature that allows users to search the web using a photo taken on their device.

Bing users can now select an existing photo from their gallery or opt to shoot one from within the app, and Bing will use the image to search for similar ones online.

User photos can be cropped to get search results specific to an object within the photo, while images that are returned in searches can also be cropped in-app to receive new search results.

The functionality is similar to Google Goggles which used to be part of Google’s Search app before Google removed the feature on iOS devices, so users looking for a replacement might want to give Bing a try.

In addition, Microsoft’s update enables users to get notified when a movie they’re following becomes available for streaming, and also brings search for bus routes and schedules in online maps.

Bing is a free download on the U.S. iTunes Store for iPhone and iPad. [Direct Link]

Tag: Bing
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Amazon Kindle Oasis review – CNET

The Good The Kindle Oasis is the lightest Kindle yet at 4.6 ounces and is 3.4 mm at its thinnest point. A slim leather battery case is included and adheres magnetically to the device, bumping battery life up to a 9 weeks without WiFi on. The integrated light has been improved and you can turn pages by touching the screen or using the physical page-turn buttons.

The Bad It’s pricey, isn’t any zippier than the Voyage or Paperwhite, and isn’t waterproof.

The Bottom Line If you don’t mind the high price, the Kindle Oasis is the best e-reader you can buy today.

Every couple of years Amazon introduces a new Kindle e-ink e-reader that’s smaller, lighter and faster. But with the arrival of the Kindle Oasis, Amazon’s thinnest and lightest e-reader ever, the e-book pioneer needs to add a new adjective to the list: pricier.

The Oasis, the first Kindle to include a protective cover — a swanky leather one that integrates a backup battery no less — costs a whopping $290 in the US, £270 in the UK or AU$410 in Australia. Meanwhile, the Wi-Fi+3G version, which bundles in free 3G data for the life of the product, takes you up to $359, £330 or AU$500.

Geez, who does Amazon think it is? Apple? That’s an awful lot to pay for a monochrome e-reader. In fact, for a bit less than the price as the Wi-Fi Oasis, you can snag an iPad Mini 2. Or five entry-level Amazon Fire tablets. And they do a lot more than just display black and white text.

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The Kindle Voyage (left) and Kindle Oasis (right) actually have the same size 6-inch screen.

Sarah Tew/CNET

That said, the Oasis is the first Kindle in a while that looks and feels like a brand new Kindle. It’s been completely redesigned: the device is more square in shape than previous Kindles, weighs a mere 131 grams (4.6 ounces) and measures 3.4 mm (0.13 inches) at its slimmest point.

That makes it 20 percent lighter and 30 percent thinner on average than the Kindle Voyage ($200, £170, AU$299), which remains in the line along with the Paperwhite ($120, £110, AU$179) and entry-level Kindle ($80, £60, AU$109). (Those prices, at least for the Paperwhite and entry-level Kindles, are frequently discounted by Amazon. And with all Kindles, you’ll need to pay a bit more — at time of purchase or anytime thereafter — if you want to remove Amazon’s mostly subtle advertisements from the lock screen and the main menu.)

Thanks to the new shape, a lot of people initially think the screen is smaller than the screen found on other Kindles. But it’s an optical illusion; the screen in fact is the same 6-inch size but simply has a smaller bezel around it.

The Oasis is 3.4 mm at its thinnest point.

David Carnoy/CNET

To get lighter, Amazon’s engineers equipped the new e-reader with a “featherweight” polymer frame plated with metal structural electroplating that adds rigidity. Also, the internal battery and electronics have been scrunched into an ergonomic hump on the backside of the device that allows you to hold the e-reader comfortably in your hand. The hump shifts the weight of the device so it’s better balanced and feels more like you’re holding a book with a spine.

It does feel really light. And while 20 percent doesn’t sound like a huge weight reduction, when you’re reading in bed at night and holding your e-reader in front of your face, that 20 percent does make a difference. You can read longer without taking a break.

The other significant change is to the lighting scheme. The built-in front light has 60 percent more LEDs (10 LEDs vs. 6 on the Voyage and 4 on the Paperwhite) and they’re embedded in the side of the display, not the bottom. The result is the light does appear a little brighter — and whiter — and splays across the screen a touch more uniformly. It really isn’t much of an upgrade, but it is an upgrade nonetheless.

Amazon Kindle Oasis (pictures)
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Amazon says the Oasis’ new 6-inch Paperwhite display is the first in a Kindle to use a 200-micron backplane that is “as thin as a single sheet of aluminum foil.” It’s been combined with a custom cover glass engineered from “chemically reinforced” glass for added toughness.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9 vs iPad Air 2: What’s the difference?

Apple announced the original iPad Pro at an event in September 2015. It marked a new territory for the company, with a screen size of 12.9-inches and a range of features on board aimed at productivity. It was the tablet pitched to replace your laptop.

The company has since announced a smaller version of the iPad Pro with a 9.7-inch display. It too is aimed at allowing users to work on their tablet without the need for a laptop. What does that mean for the iPad Air 2 then? Well it still exists, and it is still a great 9.7-inch tablet, it just doesn’t do everything the Pro models can do.

If you’re trying to work out which iPad is the best model for you, we have you covered. This feature compares the 12.9-inch iPad Pro with the 9.7-inch iPad Air 2, highlighting their similarities and differences. You can also see how the iPad Air 2 compares to the iPad Pro 9.7 in our separate feature, as well as how all the iPad models compare in our big comparison.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9 vs iPad Air 2: Design

The Apple iPad Air 2 is a lovely device. It is thin, light and it delivers a fantastic build quality. It measures 240 x 169.5 x 6.1mm and it hits the scales at just 437g. The iPad Air 2 features Touch ID within the home button and it comes in silver, space grey and gold colour options.

The Lightning port sits at the bottom of the device, flanked by speakers either side and the power button and headphone jack are present at the top. It is a stunning device that is very familiar.

The iPad Pro 12.9 follows a similar design to the iPad Air 2, just on a larger scale and with a few extra additions. It measures 305.7 x 220.6 x 6.9mm and weighs 713g, making it not only significantly larger but almost double the weight of the iPad Air 2.

The iPad Pro is still lovely and slim though and while its size may put some off as it is not as portable as the iPad Air 2, it does have some great extras. There is a Smart Connector positioned on the left shoulder that will power additional accessories, such as the iPad Pro keyboard, which is good for those after a laptop-style tablet. There are also two extra speakers positioned at the top, offering four-directional sound for a more powerful audio experience.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9 vs iPad Air 2: Display

The Apple iPad Air 2 has a 9.7-inch LED-backlit display, while the iPad Pro has a 12.9-inch LED-backlit display so there is a big difference in size between the two models but not in technology.

The Air 2 offers a resolution of 2048 x 1536, which delivers a pixel density of 264ppi. The iPad Pro ups its resolution slightly to 2732 x 2048, which consequently delivers the same pixel density as the iPad Air 2. This means the clarity and sharpness of images will appear the same on both models and from our experience, both displays are great.

There are some differences aside from the size however. The iPad Pro is compatible with the Apple Pencil, which is a pressure-sensitive digital stylus that interacts with the Pro’s screen to allow users to draw as if it were pencil on paper. The level of precision is fantastic and the iPad Pro provides single pixel control, as well as zero lag.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9 vs iPad Air 2: Camera

The Apple iPad Air 2 features an 8-megapixel rear camera with a f/2.4 aperture and a 1.2-megapixel front camera. There are numerous features on board, including autofocus, HDR, face detection and burst mode. The rear camera is capable of 1080p HD video recording, as well as 720p at 120fps, while the front-facing camera will record in 720p.

The iPad Pro 12.9 offers the same rear and front cameras as the iPad Air 2, along with the same features. If you’re buying a tablet as a photography device, the iPad Air 2 will be the more practical option as it is lighter and easier to hold.  

The cameras are both good, although not quite as good as the newer iPad Pro 9.7 so if photography really is your main aim with your new tablet, it is probably worth checking out the iPad Pro 9.7 before you make that final decision.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9 vs iPad Air 2: Hardware

The Apple iPad Air 2 features the A8X processor with an M8 motion co-processor under its hood. It is available in 16GB and 64GB storage options, in both Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi plus LTE, and it has a battery life around 10 hours. It’s a powerful device and one that performs well but it isn’t as powerful as the iPad Pro.

The iPad Pro 12.9 features the latest 64-bit A9X processor with built-in M9 motion coprocessor. It comes in storage options of 32GB, 128GB and 256GB in the Wi-Fi only option, or 128GB and 256GB in the Wi-Fi and LTE option. It is claimed to be 1.8 times faster than the iPad Air 2 and we did find the speed noticeable. Apps were quicker to load than ever and video processing was super quick on the Pro. 

Battery life on the iPad Pro is very much dependant on what you are doing with it. We managed to get around 8-hours from it but as soon as you start editing 4K video or something similar, the power does drop.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9 vs iPad Air 2: Software

The Apple iPad Air 2 runs on iOS 9, just as the iPad Pro does, despite the latter being pitched in part as a laptop replacement.

That means there isn’t a great deal of difference in terms of user interface between these two tablets. In fact, there is none, except for that the larger display on the iPad Pro makes features like split-screen view easier to work with ad appreciate.

The iPad Pro 12.9 would maybe have been better running on Apple’s full OS X, but that would have impacted its battery life. As it stands, the Air 2 and iPad Pro 12.9 will deliver the same user experience in terms of software, except for the additional features that come with Apple Pencil. 

Apple iPad Pro 12.9 vs iPad Air 2: Price

The Apple iPad Air 2 starts at £349 for the 16GB Wi-Fi only model. The most expensive iPad Air 2 model is £529.

The Apple iPad Pro 12.9 starts at £150 more than the most expensive iPad Air 2, at £679. If you want the biggest storage capacity and LTE, you’re looking at £1019. That’s without the extra costs associated with the Apple Pencil at £79 and the Smart Keyboard at £139.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9 vs iPad Air 2: Conclusion

The Apple iPad Air 2 and the Apple iPad Pro 12.9 are two very different tablets. They both offer a similar design that is solid, well-built and fabulous but they offer different use purposes and very different budgets.

For those after an Apple tablet for playing games, watching films and perhaps doing the odd bit of work here and there, the iPad Air 2 is a great option, especially when it comes to portability. It is also a great price in comparison to the i{ad Pro 12.9.

The iPad Pro 12.9 on the other hand, is a great laptop replacement for around the house. It is fast, quick and easy to use, while also providing improved sound capabilities for movies and extra functions with the Apple Pencil for the times you want to do something a little different. As a portable tablet, it’s not quite as practical as the iPad Air 2 and it is also a lot more money so you need to be sure the size is right for you and those extra features are worth the extra pounds.

This decision ultimately comes down to what you want from your Apple tablet and how much cash you have to splash. If you like the idea of the iPad Pro 12.9’s features but the iPad Air 2’s portability, then it’s worth looking at the iPad Pro 9.7 to see if that device ticks all your boxes instead.

IBM supercomputer helped design a dress it can never wear

IBM’s supercomputer can already knock up a meal, pick out a gift and know if you’re feeling a bit depressed. Now, Watson is going to show the world that it can also do a passable job as a fashion designer for Marchesa. IBM teamed up with the New York-based outfitter to produce a “cognitive dress,” a data-driven garment that’s meant to show off what Watson can do. With the aid of Marchesa’s creatives, the machine suggested a color scheme for the outfit, helped narrow down the fabric choices and assisted with the LED lighting scheme. Yes, it’s got LEDs embedded into the material, which shall change color depending on Watson’s sentiment analysis of social media during the 2016 Met Gala.

These days, it’s hard to get that excited by smart clothing that are developed to show off the marriage of fashion and technology. After all, it’s not as if we don’t see these garments popping up at every trade show and event worth mentioning. Between Nicole Sherzinger’s Twitter dress through to Intel’s various attempts to marry its chips to the catwalk, it feels as if much of this has already been done. Moreover, it’s not as if this sort of product is ever going to be available for people to buy. It doesn’t help, either, that Watson didn’t even design the dress itself, but Marchesa’s team that acted upon its suggestions. By comparison, Adam Selman’s mobile payments dress, while a lot less exciting, does at least make a measure of sense for the real world. But, hey, if you like the idea of a supercomputer designing dresses, head over to the Met Gala and check it out

Source: IBM

Xiaomi’s $50 Mi Bunny is a GPS-enabled smartwatch for kids

Xiaomi has launched the Mi Bunny, a $50 smartwatch aimed at children. The key feature of the watch is its ability to make and receive voice calls, made possible through an embedded pre-paid SIM card. In addition to standalone cellular connectivity, the Mi Bunny offers GPS, GLONASS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.

Up to six family members’ contact information can be saved on the watch, allowing kids to make and receive calls to and from those contacts for free. Parents have the ability to monitor the location of their kids and set a predefined “security zone,” receiving alerts if they leave the area. There’s also a SOS button that lets kids broadcast their location along with seven seconds of audio with a single tap.

The Mi Bunny comes with a 300mAh battery, which according to Xiaomi offers six days of standby time. The watch itself is made out of plastic and silicone straps, and is compatible with phones running Android 4.4 KitKat and above. And yes, it also shows the time. A more adult-friendly smartwatch is slated to make its debut sometime in the second half of 2016.

The Mi Bunny is now available from Xiaomi’s official website in China for ¥299 ($46).

What is HDR, what TVs support HDR, and what HDR content can I watch?

The television industry never stands still, with manufacturers introducing new technologies every year to improve their TVs and convince you that now is the time to upgrade.

Over the past few years we’ve seen the move from CRT to thin TVs, we’ve seen the rise and fall of plasma, we’ve witnessed the ascent of HD, Full HD and Ultra HD, we’ve seen dalliance with 3D and the debate around curved or flat. Joining this race is HDR, the latest technology that’s joining the acronym-laden features on new TVs.

It looks like 2016 is the year of HDR, so we’re here to bring you some clarity and demystify this new technology.

What is HDR?

HDR stands for high dynamic range. The abbreviation will be familiar because it’s a term also used in photography, with HDR on some cameras and many smartphones – it’s a feature on the iPhone for example.

It’s the same thing, because on televisions, just as in photography, the aim is to recreate an image that’s closer to that seen by the human eye, or to better recreate the vision of the original storyteller. That often means balancing out light and dark areas or the range of colours, and not losing, for example, shadow detail because of a bright sky, and vice versa.

When it comes to TVs, this is handled in a couple of areas. The first is contrast, dealing specifically with the relationship between light and dark, and colour, with HDR offering a wider range of colours, particularly in challenging situations like sunsets, for example.

The results delivered by HDR should mean more sumptuous colours, bringing more realism and depth, and added “pop”. HDR aims to be a visual treat, which it very much is. HDR is best used in situations where you have very bright and very dark areas in the same frame, like a candle in a dark room. HDR preserves the gradation from dark to light in ways that SDR (standard dynamic range) cannot. That results in fidelity in the darkness, as well as that very bright point of light, with both being rendered with lots of detail and colour.

The “original storyteller” aspect is also important, as HDR is very much being pitched as bringing the director’s vision to your TV, much like Hi-Res music claims to being the artist to your ears. In the case of HDR, this could extend beyond the realistic into more radically styled visiuals. In previous standards, including Blu-ray, this wasn’t possible.

Panasonic

What are the HDR technical details?

HDR uses new panel technology deliver this wider colour range and contrast, and it’s very much about brightness and illumination. To view HDR content, you need to have a TV that’s compatible with HDR, it’s as simple as that. Although HDR has been talked about for a few years, there are now a set of standards for it, aiming to ensure that you’re getting some sort of parity in HDR delivery across different devices.

HDR-capable sets are suped-up 4K televisions. Many HDR sets have a backlight system that can output about 1,000 nits peak brightness, whereas standard HDTVs typically only output 100 nits, which is the level that Blu-ray and standard TV content is specified to.

Nits refers to the brightness, although this isn’t used uniformly when watching HDR content – this only refers to brightness in particular places, those highlights in a scene. Using an increased brightness range and a wider colour gamut, HDR can recreate visuals that weren’t previously possible.

However this isn’t about absolute brightness it’s about the range, so although you’ll see some LCD manufacturers talking about 1000 nit brightness, others, like OLED, might be offering 800 nits. Because both offer the wide range, they both have that ability to carry the HDR badge.

When it comes to colour standard HD TVs offer an 8-bit video specification known as Rec. 709, or BT.709. HDR steps up to 10- or 12-bit Rec. 2020, or BT.2020, which represents sixty times more colour combinations with smoother shade gradations. Those numbers don’t really mean anything in themselves, they’re just the standard defined by the ITU (International Telecommunications Union) and you’ll often hear TV manufacturers saying that they conform to BT.2020, for example.

To help complicate things, HDR is being bundled together with Ultra HD (4K). HDR is included in the Ultra HD Blu-ray spec, and the UHD Alliance has created a certification called Ultra HD Premium, which confirms that a device (e.g.: TV or Blu-ray player) meets particular standards for Ultra HD and HDR.

READ: What is Ultra HD Premium and why does it matter?

Things don’t stop there however. Aside from those ITU specifications for devices, there are two standards for HDR content that are being talked about: HDR10 and Dolby Vision.

What is HDR10?

HDR10 is also referred to as “generic” HDR, which is a slightly derogatory term, but HDR10 really refers to the baseline specifications for HDR content.

HDR10 is a 10-bit video stream and if you have HDR-compatible devices, it will support HDR10. This is included in the specification for defined by the Blu-ray Disc Association for those Ultra HD Blu-rays we’ve just mentioned, and it’s HDR10 support that’s included in the Ultra HD Premium certification we’ve talked about.

One of the things that HDR10 does is tell the display the content is being viewed on how bright things should be. The aim is the carry that information from the original studio monitor through to your living room.

What is Dolby Vision?

But things can never be simple, especially not in home entertainment, so there’s an alternative HDR standard that’s branded, and it’s called Dolby Vision.

One of the things that makes Dolby Vision different is that it’s designed as an end-to-end HDR process. So from capture through processing and into production, Dolby Vision is designed to preserve information that was originally captured and pass it on. It does this using metadata that’s the read by the Dolby Vision decoder. The aim is to give you an HDR experience that’s closer to the original by supplying more information.

It also tells the display device how bright it should be, but rather than provide one value, it does this for every frame. The idea is that it allows creators to ensure that what you’re seeing is what they intended.

Support for Dolby Vision has been announced by some studios – Universal and Sony Pictures for example – as well as streaming services – like Vudu and Netflix – and it’s also aiming to come to games and mobile applications too.

It delivers 12-bit colour depth (68 billion colours) and supports backlight systems four times more powerful than standard HDR TV sets, so Dolby Vision has been designed as future-proof, surpassing the current specifications for “generic” HDR10.

But a Dolby Vision decoder doesn’t just support Dolby Vision HDR content, it will also handle HDR10, so if you have a Dolby Vision compatible device and you’re not watching Dolby Vision HDR content, there shouldn’t be a problem. However, if you don’t have the Dolby Vision decoder, you can’t take advantage of Dolby’s system.

With HDR content being fairly new, we’re yet to see exactly how the HDR10 vs Dolby Vision battle will unfold. Dolby’s argument is that it’s a technically superior HDR offering, but how wide the support runs, how that limits your buying choices and how much of a real difference it will make compared to HDR10 really remain to be seen.

Which TVs support HDR?

You need a HDR-compatible TV to see HDR content. Vizio, Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, LG, TCL, Hisense, and practically every other TV manufacturer you can think of now have HDR-compatible TV sets.

Most flagship and top-tier Ultra HD (4K) televisions in 2016 support HDR in some form, and HDR is supported across both LCD and OLED televisions, as we’ve discussed.

LG has made a lot of noise about Dolby Vision, with all 2016 4K OLED televisions supporting Dolby Vision and those are the sets you’re going to see in the UK. In the US you’ll find some Visio TVs support Dolby Vision.

Samsung and Panasonic both offer Ultra HD Premium televisions supporting HDR10 in 2016. Sony is also supporting HDR10, but has opted not to use the Ultra HD Premium badge. Philips also has HDR compatible TVs, but doesn’t carry the Ultra HD Premium badge, so there’s a lot of variation at present.

There are also 2015 models that support the HDR10 standard, so if you bought a flagship or high-end 4K television in 2015, you probably have some form of HDR support.

It’s important to note that although Ultra HD Blu-ray includes HDR specification, straight forward Ultra HD doesn’t: there are a lot of “normal” 4K/Ultra HD televisions that have no HDR support. This isn’t something that can be fixed with software either – if the panel isn’t capable enough, it can’t display the colours or the brightness, regardless of the resolution.

Netflix

What HDR content is out now?

Ultra HD Blu-ray

Ultra HD Blu-ray is obviously one of the big avenues that’s going to supply UHD and HDR content. As we’ve mentioned, HDR is part of the Ultra HD Blu-ray specification, so movies appearing on this new format can offer HDR – The Martian or Kingsmen, for example, offer HDR.

There are currently two Ultra HD Blu-ray players from Samsung and Panasonic and neither support Dolby Vision. Dolby says it is working with the Blu-ray Disc Association and that Dolby Vision will work within normal formats, but we’re waiting to see exactly how it will be delivered in physical media.

Netflix

Netflix has announced support for HDR content and the company has said that it’s supporting both Dolby Vision and normal HDR formats. It has already started showing this content with Marco Polo, although you need a television that supports both HDR and Netflix.

For Dolby Vision, only LG and Visio are currently compatible, but for regular HDR streaming, LG, Sony, Samsung, Sharp and Panasonic are compatible. However, your TV will most likely need a software update to support Netflix in HDR – we’ve yet to see any live content appear, although we know that Sony has started support.

See this incomplete list of HDR content from Netflix for more details.

Amazon

Amazon announced in July 2015 that HDR content was available through its Prime Video service. It now offers episodes of its original series in HDR at no additional cost to paid Prime subscribers, such as the first season of Mozart in the Jungle.

Again, like Netflix, you’ll need a compatible television, with Amazon saying that some Samsung and LG sets are compatible. Again, it’s likely that you’ll have to update software, and again, we’ve yet to find any content in the UK labelled as HDR.

For more information on HDR content from Amazon, visit the retailer’s HDR hub. 

Vudu

Vudu supports Dolby Vision as we’ve already mentioned, so there’s support for some Vudu content in HDR using Dolby Vision. However, this is only supported on some Visio models. For more information on Vudu HDR support, see the help pages.

Google is shutting down Picasa: What’ll happen to your photos and videos?

Google-owned Picasa will be no more after this spring.

The photo service was acquired by Google around 12 years ago and has long included native apps for Windows and Mac OS X as well as an integrated web app. However, Picasa and its companion Picasa Web Albums service started to be discontinued in March and saw the final stage of the rollout happen on the 1 May as part of Google’s effort to focus on Google Photos, a smart and feature-rich photo-sharing/storage service that was spun out from Google+ last year.

If you’re a Picasa diehard, have no fear. Google has outlined what you can do with your photos and videos prior to Picasa shutting down. And we’ve laid out all that information below and more, with the purpose of making this abrupt transition a little easier on you.

Picasa: What is Picasa and Picasa Web Albums?

Picasa is an app that you install on your computer to let you edit and organise your photos and videos on Windows and Mac OS X computers- all while preserving your original media. It also lets you upload pictures to photos.google.com. Meanwhile, Picasa Web Albums is a website where you upload and share photos and videos, and you can see the same media in your Google Photos account.

You can read more about both services from Google’s support page.

Picasa: What is Google Photos?

Google Photos is a mobile app for Android or iOS smartphones. It’s also a website. Both versions let you upload photos and videos from your device, then edit them, and share them with friends. There is also automatic tagging, auto-enhancing, and an animation creator, among other intelligent features. You can read more about Google Photos via Pocket-lint’s in-depth review or this official Help hub for Google Photos.

Picasa: Why is Picasa shutting down?

In a blog post, Google gave the following explanation:

“Since the launch of Google Photos, we’ve had a lot of questions around what this means for the future of Picasa. After much thought and consideration, we’ve decided to retire Picasa over the coming months in order to focus entirely on a single photo service in Google Photos. We believe we can create a much better experience by focusing on one service that provides more functionality and works across mobile and desktop, rather than divide our efforts across two different products.”

Picasa: When is Picasa shutting down?

• Picasa – As of 15 March 2016, Google stopped supporting the Picasa desktop app. It will continue to work as it currently does; but Google won’t develop it any further, and there will be no future updates.
• Picasa Web Albums – Google has created a new place for you to access your Picasa Web Albums data and will start rolling out these changes on 1 May 2016. There’s no word yet on what that “new place” is or how it’ll work. 

Picasa: What’s happening to your photos and videos?

• Picasa – Google recommended switching to Google Photos, so you can continue to upload photos and videos using the desktop uploader at photos.google.com/apps. The company will continue to update users along the way, but it emphasised that Google Photos is a “new and smarter product, that offers a better platform for us to build amazing experiences and features”.
• Picasa Web Albums – Google said if you simply “log in” to Google Photos, all your photos and videos from Picasa Web Albums will be there, and you will be able to access, modify, and share most of that content. If don’t want to use Google Photos, Google plans to create a new place for you to access your data, allowing you to view, download, or delete your Picasa Web Albums. You just won’t be able to create, organise, or edit albums from this new place, so using Google Photos is probably your best best.

Want to know more?

Google said it plans to take some time in order to “do this right and provide you with options and easy ways to access your content”. Check out Google’s blog post for more details.