Alcatel Idol 4 and Idol 4S specs

The Alcatel Idol 4 and Idol 4S follow up from last year’s surprise mid-range hits, the Idol 3 4.7 and 5.5. But as so many OEMs have done in 2016, metal has replaced plastic, with an emphasis on build quality and performance.

Alcatel Idol 4S unboxing and first impressions

Alcatel’s latest flagship is here, and it offers a lot of bang for the buck.

The Idol 4S was unveiled at Mobile World Congress 2016 in February, and it’s now ready for pre-order. It looks and feels like a high-end phone, but it isn’t priced like one. The Idol 4S features a 5.5-inch QHD (2560×1440) AMOLED display, 16-megapixel camera, dual speakers, dual SIM slots, and more. It’s also bundled with a VR headset.

We’ve been playing with the phone for a couple of days already, so make sure to watch our unboxing video with our first impressions!

More: Read our first Idol 4S hands-on from MWC 2016!

Unboxing video

So, how about that box? This isn’t packaging that you’ll just crumple up and throw away, it’s functional! Check out the video to see how it all works.

Specifications

If you needed a reminder, here’s an overview of the specs you can find inside the new Idol 4S:

First look

The Alcatel Idol 4S feels very nice, with looks to match. There’s glass on the front and back sides of the phone plus a full metallic frame. It’s also thin at just a hair under 7 mm.

The 5.5-inch AMOLED display is sharp, vibrant, bright, and has wide viewing angles. This has dual front-facing speakers, and that’s better than having one speaker or having it on the back or bottom like on other phones.

The left side has the power button, and a slot where you can insert two nano sim cards, or a combination of a nano sim card and a microSD card.

The Boom Key is a bit odd, but does what it claims.

The right side has a Boom Key, which does different kinds of things depending on where you are on the phone. For example, pressing and holding it while the phone is asleep, opens the camera and takes a burst of photos. Pressing it while watching videos improves surround sound and pressing it while listening to music boosts the volume and bass.

While recent phones have started adopting USB Type-C, the Idol 4S still uses Micro-USB which is located at the bottom of the phone. It also has a 3000 mAh battery, so we’re curious how long that lasts after more testing. It also supports Quick charging.

On the back, there’s a 16-megapixel camera that lacks OIS, but offers a small consolation with electronic stabilization, and dual-tone LED flash. We’ll have more details in our full review, but first impressions are good. The auto focus is fast, the images look sharp, the colors look fine, and taking photos were snappy. One thing to point out here is that the camera lens stick out and that might bother some people.

Speaking of cameras, there’s also an 8-megapixel front-facing camera that automatically focuses on faces. It has a built-in real-time beautification filter, which smoothens your skin. There’s a slider at the bottom which adjusts the strength of the filter. The lens is very wide too, so you can fit more people in your selfies. And one more thing. This has an actual flash on top for your selfies. It’s not a trick where the screen turns white briefly.

Also on the back is a fingerprint scanner for security. We didn’t have any issues with it or ever felt it was slow to unlock the phone.

Inside the Idol 4S is the Snapdragon 652 processor. Combined with 3GB of RAM, we didn’t notice any lags from our initial usage. We’ll need to spend more time with it and report back in our full review.

The Alcatel Idol 4S runs Android Marshmallow 6.0.1 and the company tells us it will offer up an Android Nougat upgrade as well. The UI feels close to stock Android with pre-loaded apps such Fyuse, LittlStar, Lamper VR, and the VR Store.

More to come

Overall, we’re impressed with our first look at the Alcatel Idol 4S. The hardware is beautiful, and we didn’t notice any lags.The camera seems like a good performer too, especially with the fast autofocus. Again, this feels like a high-end phone, but with a more affordable price. You also get a VR goggle along with VR content bundled in already.

The Idol 4S will be available for pre-order through Alcatel’s website starting July 15th for $349.99, and will start shipping in early August. Pre-orders will also include a tempered glass protector and a protective case from Incipio. Official sale starts August 3rd for $399. We’ll spend more time with the phone and report back with a full review soon.

See at Alcatel

Are you interested in the Alcatel Idol 4S? Let us know in the comments!

How to find wild Pokémon in Pokémon Go

How do I find wild Pokémon in Pokémon Go?

People familiar with the classic Pokémon game franchise may remember that wild Pokémon were easily found in the tall grass located throughout the land; however, in Pokémon Go, wandering through tall grass will probably get you more bug bites than Pokémon.

Pokémon Go uses your phone’s GPS to track your location, and all you have to do to track down your favorite little creatures is walk! They are out and about all around you in the real world just waiting to be captured. Of course, there are a few different ways of finding wild Pokémon in Pokémon Go, and since we’re not Team Rocket, we will share them with you.

Start walking

Sounds simple, right? That’s because it is! You could completely forget some of the advanced ways of finding wild Pokémon and just enjoy walking around. When you get close to a Pokémon, your phone will vibrate to alert you, and you will see it on the map. Then all you have to do is tap on the Pokémon, and toss your Poké Ball!

Track Pokémon using the nearby Pokémon feature

When in Map View, you’ll notice a small gray box to the right of your virtual avatar, which displays a few Pokémon icons. Some of these icons will be colored in, revealing a complete drawing of a Pokémon. These are Pokémon you have encountered in the game before. Other icons will appear greyed out. These are Pokémon you have not yet encounteres.

Tap that box, and you’ll see a menu pop up with up to nine Pokémon in your local area, each with little footprint markings underneath. The number of footprints indicates how far away that particular Pokémon is. If you see a single footprint or no footprints, it means the Pokémon you are tracking is quite close. On your map, you’ll see little bursts of leaves, which helps indicate where those nearby Pokémon might be hiding.

Anything with two or three footprints means you’ve got some walking to do, though the game doesn’t make it clear which direction you should head in. You’re basically playing Warmer/Colder with the Nearby feature until you find the Pokémon you want.

How do you catch ’em all?

Got any great tips for finding rare Pokémon? Sound off in the comments below!

Pokémon Go

• Join our Pokémon Go forums!
• How to deal with GPS errors in-game
• Which team should you choose?
• How to play without killing your battery
• The Ultimate Pokémon Go Game Guide!

How to get ready for Sky Q 4K Ultra HD

Sky Q subscribers will finally be able to access 4K Ultra HD TV shows, movies and sport from 13 August, but ahead of the launch you can ensure your Sky Q Silver box is ready to play the content.

Sky will be pushing a summer update to your Sky Q Silver box at the end of July that will also add a few other features, including an easier way to scan through and find sections in recordings, but the headline addition is 4K when it launches a couple of weeks after.

As soon as the update has arrived you will be able to get your box ready to receive and playback the new content, through on demand, downloads or live, with Premier League football and Formula One being broadcast in UHD from the beginning of their respective new seasons.

• What is Sky Q, how much does it cost and how can I get it?
• What can I watch in 4K Ultra HD on Sky Q?
• Sky Q summer update detailed: 4K Ultra HD, new episode pointers and more
• Sky Q 4K Ultra HD confirmed for 13 August, will start with return of Premier League

You need to set your Sky Q Silver box to play 2160p content, otherwise you might the first few minutes or so of your first 4K footy match, for example, while making sure your box in compatible at that time. You will be given a prompt before any Ultra HD video plays for the first time, but why wait until then?

Just follow these simple, handy steps instead:

• After the summer update has finished installing on your box, head to Settings>Setup>Audio Visual and set your resolution to 2160p.
• The box will then determine whether your 4K TV has 10-bit or 8-bit colour and set that option accordingly.
• Bingo, you are now ready to watch 4K content when it arrives.

You don’t need to switch the box back to 1080p or lower to continue to enjoy the rest of Sky’s channels, even though they are not in 4K. The box is clever enough to output at the optimum setting for each piece of content.

Sky Q 4K Ultra HD confirmed for 13 August, will start with return of Premier League

Sky is finally ready to unleash its 4K Ultra HD services, as teased during the launch of Sky Q in November last year.

The Sky Q service and boxes were made available to consumers in March, but Ultra HD content was always set to follow in the “summer”. And, as part of the company’s latest Sky Q update, 4K TV shows, movies and live sporting events are about to become available.

Officially, UHD content will be accessible through a Sky Q Silver box from 13 August, the first day of the new Premier League football season.

That’s no coincidence as Hull versus last year’s Premier League champions, Leicester City, will be Sky’s first ever live Ultra HD broadcast. That will then be followed up by Bournemouth versus Manchester United and Arsenal versus Liverpool the day after, on Sunday 14 August.

• What is Sky Q, how much does it cost and how can I get it?
• What can I watch in 4K Ultra HD on Sky Q?
• Sky Q summer update detailed: 4K Ultra HD, new episode pointers and more
• How to get ready for Sky Q 4K Ultra HD

Indeed, all 124 of Sky’s live Premier League matches will be broadcast in 4K, at 2160p. As will the entirety of next year’s Formula One season.

There are no dedicated UHD channels, but 4K sporting events will be received by the Sky Q Silver box through one of the dedicated TV tuners. You can therefore record them to the hard drive. In addition, any match or event that is being broadcast in 4K will give you the option of watching it at the highest resolution if you head to its normal, HD channel listing.

Alternatively, you can select to watch the UHD broadcast through the Red Button on Sky Sports.

All other Ultra HD content will be available on demand and to download. That includes movies on Sky Cinema, which will be available from day one. By the end of the year, more than 70 UHD movies will be offered, include The Revenant, The Martian and Spectre.

Box sets in 4K will also be available, including every season of Blacklist, Sir David Attenborough’s back catalogue and Big Cats: An Amazing Animal Family.

Sky Store will have movies to rent too, including Angry Birds.

All movie and TV show content will be streamed or downloaded onto the box via an internet connection.

Sky Q Ultra HD services will be available to Sky Q Silver customers at no additional cost. Sky Q’s 4K content doesn’t support HDR image technology at present. That might come at a later date.

Sky Q summer update detailed: 4K Ultra HD, new episode pointers and more

Sky started to install its new Sky Q service and kit in customers homes at the end of March and, by all accounts, it has gone down very well indeed.

However, all things can be improved over time, especially technology and entertainment equipment and Sky Q is no exception.

That’s why Sky is soon to push a feature update to Sky Q boxes, to add new functionality and to tweak the user experience a touch to make the service even better than before.

Pocket-lint was invited to see some of the main changes, so here are the highlights to expect when the Sky Q summer update arrives later this month.

Sky

Sky Q new features: 4K Ultra HD

The headline feature that the update brings is for Sky Q Silver boxes only. As they have had the correct HDMI configuration to output Ultra HD video, they will be the only devices to get 4K UHD content.

The content will arrive on 13 August, to coincide with the first Sky broadcast of the new Premier League season. Hull versus reigning champs Leicester City will be the first live 4K presentation for Sky Q customers to enjoy.

• What is Sky Q, how much does it cost and how can I get it?
• What can I watch in 4K Ultra HD on Sky Q?
• How to get ready for Sky Q 4K Ultra HD
• Sky Q 4K Ultra HD confirmed for 13 August, will start with return of Premier League

It will be followed by a further 123 matches throughout the season, Formula One coverage from the start of its next season, and other sporting events when available.

In addition, Sky will host over 70 4K movies before the end of 2016, including The Revenant, The Martian and Spectre. And there will be several box sets available on demand too.

All Ultra HD movies and TV shows will be streamed or downloaded over the internet, while live broadcasts will be received and played by one of the Silver box’s digital TV tuners.

Your box can be set to output 2160p (4K) video after the summer update is installed and ahead of the content launch. It will also choose to output with 8-bit or 10-bit colour depending on your TV, but it will not output 4K video with HDR at present.

Sky Q new features: Next episode

There are several tweaks to help you continue to watch a TV series you enjoy.

While you are watching a show that is available on demand, either as catch up or as part of a box set, the Sky Q box will automatically download the next episode and place it in your library, so you can carry on straight away. It will even autoplay the next episode as you end the last, in a similar way to other apps, including BBC iPlayer and Netflix.

If you don’t want the next episode to start automatically, you can just press stop and come back to it at a later date.

In addition, the next episodes in a series that are yet to be shown on live TV are easier to find. They appear in the mini guide at the bottom of the screen if you pull it up while watching the current episode. From there you can choose to record it. Simple.

Pocket-lint

Sky Q new features: Precise control when scanning through content

If you are trying to scan forward or backwards through a film or TV show in order to find a specific moment or scene, you can now either swipe to zip through quickly to the time you want, or you can use quick swipes on the touch remote to jump forward in one minute intervals. Each jump will also show you a still of that moment on screen, so you can see when you reach the section you were looking for.

Sky Q new features: Live content in “Top Picks”

Previously, Sky’s Top Picks section features on demand content, but upcoming live programming will also start to appear in that curated menu area. You can then set it to record, or jump straight into the live broadcast if it is on already.

Additionally, sports content will be clearer in the menu system, with live content appearing alongside supplementary and catch-up options.

The Sky Q summer update will roll out at the end of July. There will undoubtedly be further enhancements and tweaks, which we will detail as the release is close.

What can I watch in 4K Ultra HD on Sky Q?

Sky Q’s Ultra HD service goes live on 13 August, to coincide with the start of the new Premier League football season. However, rather than launch as a couple of new channels, as previously expected, there will be content available from day one in different forms.

There will be movies, TV shows and live sporting events, but only one of those will be broadcast live, through the dedicated TV tuner on the Sky Q Silver box. Sports will be available as and when they begin, but all of the Sky Cinema and Sky Box Sets content will be on demand, and therefore streamed or downloaded over the internet.

Those will all be available to Sky Q Silver subscribers at no extra cost, to watch as often as they like (you can record 4K sports). There will also be more recent film releases available through Sky Store to rent.

• What is Sky Q, how much does it cost and how can I get it?
• Sky Q summer update detailed: 4K Ultra HD, new episode pointers and more
• How to get ready for Sky Q 4K Ultra HD
• Sky Q 4K Ultra HD confirmed for 13 August, will start with return of Premier League

Here then are some of the highlights of what 4K Ultra HD films, shows and live events will be available at launch or soon after.

20th Century Fox

Sky Cinema 4K

Sky will host more than 70 movies before the end of the year, including many TV premieres.

Some of those announced so far include last year’s Oscar winning epic The Revenant, The Martian and, coming in November, the latest James Bond flick Spectre.

Others that Sky has so far announced are Bridge of Spies, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, and Concussion. They will also be premieres for Sky and will often appear at the same time as the Full HD versions.

Back catalogue films will be on offer too, including Minority Report, Forrest Gump, The Godfather and the Spider-Man trilogy.

Sky/HBO

Sky TV Box Sets and on demand content in 4K

As well as films, you will be able to download and stream a wide selection of TV programmes to watch in 4K Ultra HD.

These include the entire library of Sir David Attenborough’s nature documentaries made specifically for Sky over the years. Sky 1’s Big Cats: An Amazing Animal Family, Monkeys: An Amazing Animal Family and Richard Hammond’s Jungle Quest will also be available.

In drama terms, new Jude Law series The Young Pope will be offered in 4K and you will be able to catch up with the entirety of Blacklist on the platform. That includes series 1-3 and the latest, season 4.

Entertainment shows coming in 4K include The Trip to Spain, the third comedy/travel series starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, Sky Art’s Lanscape Artist of the Year 2016 and a major Blur concert.

Sky

Sky Sports 4K

Sky Sports will be broadcasting 124 Premier League matches in Ultra HD throughout the season, which will be simultaneously shown alongside Full HD versions. They can be accessed through the red button if you don’t react to the prompt when the coverage starts.

Hull v Leicester is the first match to be shown on Saturday 13 August. That will be followed on Sunday 14 August by Bournemouth v Manchester United and then Arsenal v Liverpool.

All of the Formula One races will be broadcast in 4K from the 2017 season.

Sony Pictures

Sky Store 4K

Over 30 Sky Store rental movies will be available in 4K from day one, including new release Angry Birds. Prices are yet to be determined.

Apple iOS 10 lock screen: What’s new and how does it work?

The lock screen for iPhone and iPad is totally different in iOS 10.

It’s no longer just a security checkpoint to ensure snoopers don’t get access to your device; it’s now a place where you can see all sorts of information at a glance. Apple wants you to actually stop and use this space, rather than simply skip past it when unlocking your device.

Apple released in July a public beta for the latest version of its mobile operating system, allowing anyone to test the unfinished software before an official release in September. Pocket-lint has spent time combing through the beta, uncovering the most notable changes. Here’s what’s new with the lock screen on iPhone, including how it all works. Please note this is a beta, and the final software could sport major differences.

• How to get iOS 10 right now and get it working on your iPhone and iPad

We’ll update this piece over time, as more betas are released to the public with bug fixes, etc. We’ll also make sure it has up-to-date details come September, when Apple is expected to launch iOS 10 alongside the latest iPhone models.

What’s new with the lock screen and how does it all work?

Press home to unlock

The “Slide to unlock” action is no more. You now have to “press home to unlock”. Or, if you don’t have Touch ID enabled, you must “press home to open”. The new action feels a little clunky at first, but that’s probably because we still need to get used to the change.

Wake up

Like Apple Watch, your iOS device will now wake up when you lift it. This action, called Raise to Wake, will allow you to see all your notifications right away. Unlike Apple Watch however, it doesn’t wake up when you simply tap it.

Widgets

Swipe left to enter the new widgets pane called Today view. It provides previews of glanceable data, though it might raise some security concerns for you too. Widgets are still located in the left tab of the Notification Center, where you can pull them down from anywhere and use them, but the newly-dedicated widget pane, which is always to the left of the lock screen and home screen as well, gives you another place to check them out.

The widgets have been reimagined to boot, as part of iOS 10’s new design. With 3D Touch – or, eventually, long press – widgets can expand to show more content, including images, app interfaces, and videos. The Transit widget will notify you about service changes, for instance. The Today view also shows you Siri suggestions at a glance.

To add or delete widgets, click the Edit button at the bottom of the pane.

Notifications

Notifications on the lock screen and in the Notification Center are now persistent and rich, allowing you to hold a short conversation, for instance, without having to bounce between what you’re doing or jump into another app. You can also view photos or videos and listen to audio right from inside a notification, or listen to your voicemail without leaving what you’re doing.

Notifications display live information, too. You can even 3D Touch the clear button to delete all notifications, just like you can on Apple Watch.

Camera

Swipe right from the lock screen to now get the Camera app. You may be tempted to swipe back out, but that’ll just switch between camera settings. This new action should make it faster to capture photos and videos.

Control Center

Although this can be accessed from anywhere, not just the lock screen, it’s worth mentioning that it has been redesigned. Three screens now appear like cards: one for settings and tools (includes a dedicated control for Night Shift), one for media controls, and one for Homekit. You can also use various 3D Touch shortcuts, like different intensities for the flashlight.

Want to know more?

Check out Pocket-lint’s quick overview of the iOS 10 public beta.

• iOS 10 Messages explained: What’s new and how you’ll use it
• Apple iOS 10: Release date and everything you need to know

Uber will stop operating in Hungary on July 24th

Every anti-Uber government has a different strategy for combating the ride-sharing app. For France, it’s dealing out a $900,000 fine, which is a slap on the wrist for a company that just got a $3.5 billion investment from Saudi Arabia. But Hungary is hitting far harder, passing legislation that restricts the service so absolutely that Uber is suspending its operations indefinitely on July 24th.

The new law permits the Hungarian national communications authority to block internet access for “illegal dispatching services,” according to Reuters. Like in many other countries, taxi drivers have protested the ride-sharing app, claiming that its drivers breach regulations that they adhere to. Uber says 160,000 people use its services in Budapest, but its 1,200 drivers would be in danger of violating the legislation and losing their licenses for up to three years.

But Uber insists that this is only a temporary measure, and they aim to reopen operations eventually.

“It is not a ban. Uber has not been banned in Budapest, it is simply a forced suspension, we have been left no other alternative by the authorities in Hungary in response to these developments,” general manager for Uber in central Europe Rob Khazzam told Reuters.

Source: Reuters