What’s new with widgets in iOS 10 – CNET
Apple’s use of the term “widgets” may not match what Android users consider a widget, but at the end of the day the two distinct approaches serve the same purpose: To provide snippets of information at a glance.
With iOS 10, widgets are still displayed in the Today view, and can still be accessed by sliding down the Notification Center and swiping to the left.
However, you can now access widgets in more places and they can and (eventually) do more.
More than just notifications on your lock screen
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Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
As we’ve already covered, iOS 10’s lock screen has completely changed. Beyond the new unlocking method, you can now swipe to the left to view your widgets. Using this same gesture, you can view widgets to the left of your main home screen on an unlocked device.
On an iPhone, a single column is put on display, while on an iPad there’s now two columns of widgets. You can edit the left and right side, or the single column but scrolling to the bottom of your widgets and tapping on Edit. Select the green “+” icon to add a widget, or the red “-” to remove one. Tap and hold on the three lined icon to put your respective widgets in order.
When you attempt to view a widget where personal information can come into play, such as the Activity widget, you will need to place your finger on the home button to unlock your device. Notice, you don’t actually press the home button to open the home screen. With your device unlocked, information in the Activity or Find My Friends (just two current examples) will fill in.
3D Touch
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Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Beyond iOS 10 widgets hiding just off the left side of your screen, apps that have been updated for iOS 10 can now show a widget when you Force Touch on its icon.
Pressing on an app icon reveals the standard shortcuts, plus a widget regardless of whether or not you’ve added it to your curated list in the Today View.
If you haven’t added a particular widget but want to, you can tap on the “Add widget” button when viewing it.
Streaming video, interaction and more!
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Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Now that we know how to access widgets in iOS 10, let’s talk about just what you can do with widgets.
While viewing your widgets, you will notice a button in the top-right corner of some widgets that says “Show more.” Selecting it will expand the widget. For something like the Calendar widget, you’ll see more of your upcoming agenda, whereas the Weather widget will show you the week’s forecast along with current conditions.
During the iOS 10 announcement, Apple used a sports app to demonstrate viewing stats for a basketball game and video highlights directly within the widget. This is an area of iOS 10 that will undoubtedly grow in feature set shortly after iOS 10 officially launches and as developers are able to push updates to the masses. We are keeping an eye on additional functionality and creative ways developers are going to take advantage of the new widgets.
Electrolux EI24ID30QS review – CNET
The Good The $900 Electrolux EI24ID30QS reliably rids dishes of stuck-on foods. For the price, it has an appealing mix of features such as easy to use wine racks and jets that shoot directly into a water bottle or wine glass.
The Bad The EI24ID30QS isn’t as reliable when it comes to keeping off bulky foods — the filter struggled with chopped spinach and mac-and-cheese noodles. The controls can be sluggish and it doesn’t have a countdown timer or a delicate cycle.
The Bottom Line It’s not the best at anything, but the $900 Electrolux EI24ID30QS is pretty good at everything. It won’t wow you, but If you scrape the bulky stuff off of your plates, this dishwasher will easily handle the rest, making it a fine upper midrange option.
The Electrolux EI24ID30QS feels like a piece we’ve been missing from our collection of dishwashers thus far. It fits in the middle perfectly. Nothing about it is exceptional, but it’s pretty good at just about everything you’d want in a dishwasher. It has an upper mid-range $900 price. It cleans well, has a nice lineup of features, looks the part of a high-end dishwasher, and it’s easy to load and to use.
For roughly the same price, the $800 Bosch SHS63VL5UC has better cleaning performance but it’s also a pain in the butt to use and doesn’t have many features to speak of. The Electrolux EI24ID30QS does everything besides cleaning much better than that Bosch, and is a pretty good cleaner itself.
If you want the best dish cleaner for the price and don’t care about the occasional headache, go with the Bosch SHS63VL5UC. If you rinse your dishes, I’d recommend the easier to use Electrolux EI24ID30QS.
Electrolux’s average Joe dishwasher delivers…
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Blending in nicely
With unbroken stainless steel on the front and few color accents breaking up the mostly grey interior, the design of the EI24ID30QS walks a fine line between understated and boring. In a crowd of premium appliances, you’d have a hard time picking it out, but taken on its own, it looks the part of an upper echelon machine.
You can purchase the EI24ID30QS from large appliance retailers such as Best Buy, Sears and AJ Madison. As usual with large appliances, you’ll find it on sale for less than the listed $900 price. Best Buy has it for $720. You can also enter your ZIP into the Electrolux website and find retailers near you. The Electrolux EI24ID30QS isn’t available overseas.
Loading your dishes
You can clip a water bottle to these fold out jets on the upper rack.
Chris Monroe/CNET
Blue accessories adorn the mostly gray interior in a few places. The bottle wash jets on the upper rack fold out and let you clip on tall items. It’s a neat way of scraping the dirt off the hard to reach bottom of baby bottles or water bottles. The $1,200 GE PDT750SSFSS has something similar, but it’s a clever feature nonetheless and I appreciate its inclusion in a sub-$1,000 model.
The upper rack also has blue braces on its stem holders which do a great job of keeping your wine glasses in place without taking up too much room. We saw similar stem holders on the $1,100 Frigidaire FPID2497RF, which makes sense, as Frigidaire is owned by Electrolux. Great stem holders might not seem like a huge deal, but Electrolux does them better than any other brand we’ve tested.
The stem holders keep your fragile glasses secure without taking up extra room.
Chris Monroe/CNET
You can also raise and lower the upper rack. Lift it to set it in its higher position, then lift it again and release it to drop it back down. That flexibility helps you put tall dishes on either the top or bottom rack, and a couple of sets of fold down tines also help make room for larger or oddly shaped dishes. In all, the front half of two upper rack columns fold down, and the back two rows of tines on the bottom fold down.
The rest of the rack design is pretty straightforward. The EI24ID30QS doesn’t have anything tremendously helpful like a third rack or tines that change angles, but you’ll be able to load plenty of dishes without much hassle.
Selecting your cycle
The last blue color accent on the interior comes from the orbiting wheel of jets at the bottom of the tub. Between the wheel of jets, the jets beneath the upper rack, and another set of jets at the top of the tub, the Electrolux EI24ID30QS does a good job of spraying every inch of your dishes once you get your stack of dishes loaded into it.
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The wheel of jets at the bottom of the tub helps the EI24ID30QS keep missed spots to a minimum.
Chris Monroe/CNET
Select your cycle on the touch controls hidden on the upper lip. The EI24ID30QS has a standard mix of settings, including a snappy 30-minute “Fast” cycle and helpful options such as “hi temp” and “max dry.”
I’d have liked some sort of display estimating the time to completion as you select your cycle. You’ll need to hang on to the instruction manual for that info. It doesn’t have a delicate setting for fine china, which might be a problem for some. And the controls can be a little sluggish when you first start pressing buttons.
Sennheiser PXC 550 Wireless review – CNET
The Good The Sennheiser PXC 550 Wireless is very comfortable, relatively lightweight over-ear wireless headphone that sounds very good and features impressive noise-cancellation technology. It has touch controls and delivers excellent performance as a headset. Good battery life.
The Bad It’s pricier than the Bose; while the sound quality is excellent for Bluetooth, it’s lacking that little bit of extra sparkle and definition (Sennheiser’s own Momentum II Wireless sounds better).
The Bottom Line While it doesn’t quite eclipse the less-expensive Bose, the Sennheiser PXC 550 Wireless headphone is comfortable and feature packed, and performs very well.
Visit manufacturer site for details.
When it comes to headphones, one tends to associate Bose with the “business traveler” demographic. But Sennheiser’s making a pitch to that segment of the market with its new PXC 550 Wireless, a “premium” over-ear Bluetooth headphone that also features active noise-cancellation. It’s a direct competitor to Bose’s QuietComfort 35 and costs $399, £329 or AU$630.
Sennheiser is not only touting the PXC 550’s sound quality, but its customizable sound modes (via the company’s CapTune app for iOS and Android), touch controls, long battery life (30 hours) and strong headset performance for making phone calls.
The Sennehsier PXC 550 Wireless plush ear cups offer a very comfortable fit.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Like the Bose, this is a very comfortable headphone, relatively lightweight at 8 ounces or 227 grams. Its ear cup design is different than the Bose QC35’s and it doesn’t have as wide an opening as the Bose, partially because its ear pads are puffier (those with big ears may find the pads sitting more on their ears than around them). I give Bose the comfort edge over longer listening sessions, but the Sennheiser isn’t far behind.
The headphone folds up for storage into an included carrying case and seems well built, though it doesn’t have the premium design touches of Sennheiser’s Momentum II Wireless, which has comes down in price online since its release in 2015.
What differentiates the PXC 550 from the Bose is that it has those aforementioned touch controls on the right ear cup and automatically turns on when you put the headphone on your ears. It then shuts down when you fold the headphone flat. Bluetooth pairing worked flawlessly for me, and I encountered only minimal Bluetooth streaming hiccups.
The CapTune companion app for iOS and Android allows you to tune the sound to your liking, tailoring it to the music you listen to. But to customize the sound, you either have to play files stored on your device or use the Tidal Music service. The app doesn’t support Spotify or other music streaming services at this time. However, a small button on the right ear cup allows you to toggle through a few different effect modes, including club, movie, speech or no effect. That works with anything you’re listening to.
The CapTune companion app for iOS and Android.
Sarah Tew/CNET
I found the sound quality and adaptive noise canceling very good. Bose is generally considered the gold standard when it comes to noise cancellation, and I’ve yet to find a headphone that offers superior performance in that regard. This Sennheiser comes close, offering essentially hiss-free listening, even with the highest level of noise canceling engaged (you can adjust the amount of active noise canceling).
Best clear cases for Moto G4
What are the best clear cases for the Moto G4?
If you’re not a fan of bright colors or wild patterns, you don’t have to buy a case for your Moto G4 or Moto G4 Plus that’s out of your style comfort zone. Clear cases show of your hardware while offering some protection without feeling like you have to put neon brights all over your perfectly designed phone.
- Orzly FlexiCase
- Cimo Wave Slim protective case
- KuGi Moto G 4th generation case
- SPARIN 2-pack soft transparent case
- PLESON crystal clear case
Orzly FlexiCase
A nice, slim fit and a non-slip gloss finish make the Orzly FlexiCase a perfect choice for a clear case. It isn’t going to add any significant weight to your Moto G4 or Moto G4 Plus and it’s easy to install.
The flexible silicone case has covers and cutouts for all the Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus buttons and ports. If you customized your phone, the clear backing on the Orzly FlexiCase is a great way to show off your style.
For style, grip, and an ultra-slim fit that Motorola fans are fans of, get the Orzly FlexiCase.
See at Amazon
Cimo Wave Slim protective case
For a clear case with a little extra flair, get your hands on the Cimo Wave Slim protective case. The subtle wave pattern on the back of the case looks great without distracting from the original look of your Moto G4 or Moto G4 Plus.
The slightly raised bezels around the screen help to protect your screen in case you regularly place your Moto G4 or Moto G4 Plus face-down on desks or tables. The TPU case is anti-slip and provides good protection against your daily grind.
If you want your Cimo case to be super clear, a plain option is the same price as the Wave, or you can opt to take the X-pattern in clear TPU.
See at Amazon
KuGi Moto G 4th generation case
How about a clear case with just a little bit of color? Look no further than the KuGi Moto G 4th generation cases. The pale tint on the bumper personalizes your case just enough, like the Rose Gold version pictured here. Nothing flashy, nothing extreme; the KuGi case is all about the subtle.
The hard plastic backing and soft bumper frame your Moto G4 or Moto G4 Plus nicely and offer extra grip both in your hands and on slippery surfaces. The scratch-resistant coating helps prevent the case from starting to discolor or look like you’ve put it through the mill. (It will totally protect your phone if you do, though.)
KuGi’s Moto G cases are simple, unique, and a great way to dress up your Moto G4 or Moto G4 Plus that little extra bit.
See at Amazon
SPARIN 2-pack soft transparent case
Two things have to be said about the clear case from SPARIN: one, you’re getting two cases for the price of one, and two, both cases come with a lifetime warranty. Get one for you and one for the other Moto G4 fan in your life.
The back of the case is highly scratch-resistant and overall it does a solid job of protecting your Moto G4 or Moto G4 Plus from daily dings. It’s super slim while offering a little bit of extra grip around the bumper, handy because your phone is a bit on the slippery side.
If you want warranty and a great deal to boot, the transparent cases from SPARIN are right up your alley.
See at Amazon
PLESON crystal clear case
With precise cutouts for all the Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus buttons and ports, it’s like the PLESON crystal clear case isn’t even there, but you’ll be glad it is. It shows off the original hardware of your phone without adding a bunch of unnecessary bulk.
The soft TPU bumper protects the edges of the screen and fit nice and snug over a screen protector. The case is designed to be shock resistant so a little drop or bump here and there won’t do damage to the phone. The TPU is also fingerprint resistant, so you won’t be constantly cleaning your case after a long day of talking, texting, and gaming.
For a soft, well-made, clear and grippy case for your Moto G4 or Moto G4 Plus, check out the case from PLESON.
See at Amazon
A clear choice
Which clear case is your Moto G4 or Moto G4 Plus rocking right now? Tell us why you chose your clear case in the comments below!
Moto G4 and G4 Plus
- Moto G4 Plus review
- Moto G4 and G4 Plus specs
- The latest Moto G4 news
- Join our Moto G4 and G4 Plus forums!
Moto G4:
Amazon
Motorola
Moto G4 Plus:
Amazon
Motorola
Apple wants to invest in AR due to Pokemon Go success
Tim Cook can’t correctly pronounce Pokemon, but nevertheless, he thinks the franchise’s latest app shows “AR can be really great”.
During Apple’s second quarter earnings conference call on 26 July, the chief executive continually referred to Pokemon as Pokemans, and he even pronounced the new Pokemon app as “Poke-man Go”. Smh. Still, analysts knew what Cook meant. They asked several questions related to the augmented-reality game, which led to Cook predicting that AR is going to be “huge”.
“We have been and continue to invest in AR in the long run,” said Cook, after noting Pokemon Go is a testament to what happens to innovative apps. “We’ll see whether it’s the next computing platform. Regardless, it will be huge.”
Apple plans to be “high” on AR in the long run, Cook added, while emphasising that AR offers a prime commercial opportunity and great opportunities for consumers. It’s not yet clear what Apple might do with this type of technology, but keep in mind Cook has also talked about virtual reality in the past, calling it “really cool” with some potentially interesting applications.
- Apple’s virtual reality headset: What’s the story so far?
Rumours have long suggested that Apple has a research team working on not only AR but also VR. The company has even made several AR acquisitions, such as Metaio, Faceshift, and Flyby Media.
Launch an IT career with the Professional Python and Linux Administration Bundle (over 90 per cent Off)
The security of a business can be measured by the competency of their IT experts, which is why professionals who have mastered system administration often command six-figure salaries.
If your ambitions lead you into an IT career, you can get started toward high-level qualification with the Professional Python and Linux Administration Bundle, now over 90 percent off from Pocket-lint Deals.
Through the 4 in-depth courses in the Professional Python and Linux Administration Bundle, you’ll explore every facet of Python programming. Python’s an enormously versatile language with which everything from games to software is built.
Along the way, you’ll learn to combine Python and HTML to create a high functioning prototype, as well as administering a Linux system with Python. Master the open-source web software Django, written in Python, to help you build projects and websites quickly and productively. These skills are certain to maximize your efficiency in any IT role.
With the tools and training provided in the Professional Python and Linux Administration Bundle, you’ll master both online technologies and be well-positioned to enter a career as a Linux System Administrator.
You’ll have 24/7 lifetime access to the course materials as you work through over 60 hours of instruction, in your quest to attain Python and Linux mastery.
Courses included:
- The Ultimate Python Programming: From Beginner to Expert
- Learn Python from Practical Projects
- Python Programming and Linux Administration
- Python with Django: Build Web Projects Using Django and Python
A lucrative future in IT System Administration awaits. For a limited time, readers can take over 90 percent off the retail price on Pocket-lint Deals.
Use your device hands-free with the Anti-Gravity iPhone case
Skip the selfie sticks and unreliable, sticky phone mounts with the Anti-Gravity iPhone 6/6S Case, offering an entirely new way to interact with your smartphone and capture life’s most important moments.
For a limited time, you can pick up one for only £20.79 (U.S $29.99) on Pocket-lint Deals.
The stylish Anti-Gravity case delivers a minimalistic design with grip-friendly TPU case edges, and that’s only the beginning of what this great case offers. It sticks to most smooth-flat surfaces without the stickiness of adhesive. Just picture countless tiny suction cups securing your phone wherever you see fit for hands-free selfies and so much more.
With the Anti-Gravity iPhone Case, you can make your own demonstration videos of any kind without propping up your phone on an unsteady surface or holding it at an arm’s length.
At-a-glance visual reference makes cooking that much easier, or watching game highlights from your bathroom mirror while executing the morning preparation rituals. FaceTime with loved ones in hands-free fashion, or follow recipes on your cupboard-mounted phone without risk of spills, drops or worse happening.
The Anti-Gravity case allows you to charge your phone without the hassle of removing the case. It’s currently available for your iPhone 6/6S, as well as the iPhone 6 Plus/6S Plus (view drop-down for details). This offer also includes free shipping – even internationally!
Pick up your own Anti-Gravity iPhone Case and take 25 per cent off the retail price for a limited time on Pocket-lint Deals.
EPA findings should lead to caps on aircraft emissions
It’s no secret that aircraft contribute to harmful emissions like road-going vehicles, and the Environmental Protection Agency is one step closer to keeping that pollution in check. It recently finalized findings showing that some aircraft produce air pollution that contributes directly to climate change. As a result, the EPA is now free to set standards for aircraft emissions that help the US honor the Clean Air Act and, ultimately, its commitment to the Paris climate change agreement. While the US is already backing an international standard, this gives it the chance to demand tougher (or at least, more America-specific) requirements.
While the EPA is some distance off from defining its emissions targets, you shouldn’t expect a surge of electric aircraft as a result. As with the international standard, this is more about encouraging the development of slightly more efficient aircraft (such as the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787) than ushering in a complete revolution. Even so, that airplane makers will have to worry about US standards is important by itself — it could lead to lighter, sleeker aircraft with engines that are geared more toward eco-friendliness than raw power.
Via: Scientific American
Source: EPA (PDF)
Porsche will hire over 1,400 employees to build its electric cars
Porsche first unveiled its electric car, the Model E, last December as a luxury model fit to compete with Tesla’s Model S. 1,000 new jobs would be created to bring the concept vehicle to life, but today they increased the total to more than 1,400, likely to channel good press and move beyond its parent company Volkswagen’s emissions scandal.
Investing even more in the electric concept reflects a change in philosophy for the formerly combustion engine-only company. “You either take part in the digital change or you lose,” Porsche labor boss Uwe Hueck told reporters at a briefing today, according to Reuters. On top of the 1,400 employees dedicated to the Model E, an additional 350 digital experts will be hired to set up a unit to develop mobility concepts and uncover new business areas.
Porsche hopes to start rolling its electric cars out of its Zuffenhausen plant in 2019. While the company declined to specify production targets, Hueck did say that they would need to sell 10,000 units per year to make a profit.
Source: Reuters
Apple likely to push its booming services as iPhone sales decline
The smartphone market in the US is saturated, and Apple seems to be moving toward services as it struggles to sell iPhone units.
According to research from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, people are waiting longer to upgrade to the newest iPhone model. Nearly half of iPhone owners, for instance, are now waiting until their device is two years old or older to upgrade, whereas in 2013, only 34 per cent of iPhone owners would wait. This is clearly affecting Apple, as iPhone sales are falling, which caused the company’s first quarterly revenue drop in 13 years.
On 26 July, Apple posted second quarter results, revealing that things have only gotten worse. All of the company’s major hardware businesses posted declines for the 90-day period that ended in June. It posted an overall revenue of $42.4 billion, down 15 per cent compared with the same quarter last year. That’s partially due to iPhones sales dipping 15 per cent from the year-ago quarter – and Mac, iPad, and Watch sales tanked, too.
But not everything was doom and gloom for Apple in the second quarter. The company’s services segment saw revenue growth, with a 19-per cent uptick to $6 billion. Ben Schachter, an analyst with Macquarie Securities, told The New York Times that he estimated nearly one-third of Apple’s quarterly profits came from services, which includes App Store purchases, Apple Music subscriptions, and the iCloud storage business.
- Apple’s 2016 iPhone could be called iPhone 6SE, not iPhone 7
- Apple iPhone 7 Plus vs iPhone 6S Plus vs iPhone 6 Plus
- iOS 10 changes how you unlock iPhone – here’s how to switch it back
So, as people find it difficult to justify iPhone upgrades, Apple’s services are for the first taking the spotlight, and that might push the company to better focus on the segment altogether. Keep in mind Apple’s weak results came at the end of its product cycle. It is expected to announce new iPhone models in September, so many customers are liking holding off until then.
AIVAnet 