Hoover Platinum Collection Linx Cordless Stick Vacuum review – CNET
The Good The $179.99 Hoover Platinum Collection Linx cordless stick vacuum impressed us with its strong performance. Even Dyson’s $499.99 DC59 fell short in comparison.
The Bad This model doesn’t come with brush attachments or any other special features — it’s just a stick vacuum. It also doesn’t have as much character as Dyson’s colorful DC59.
The Bottom Line The Hoover Linx isn’t fancy, but it will clean your floors better than most of the other stick models we tested. Combine that with its reasonable price and you have one of our favorite vacuums to date.
The $179.99 Hoover Linx is an uncomplicated cordless stick vacuum. While it can’t compete with the $499.99 Dyson DC59’s intriguing design and variety of brush attachments, it offers something even better: exceptional performance. Since it also costs significantly less than comparable performers, its value is tough to ignore. I strongly recommend the Hoover Linx to anyone looking for a straightforward battery-powered stick vac.
A closer look at Hoover’s understated LiNX…
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Design and features
The design of the Hoover Linx is completely inoffensive, if not a little boring. It has a glossy silver and black plastic finish with some metal accents and a small classic red Hoover logo on the front. Basically, it looks like a pared down upright vacuum.
The $500 Dyson DC59 and $180 Shark Rocket both boast colorful, quirky looks that make them much more visually appealing than the Linx. Some people might prefer a vacuum that isn’t trying to call too much attention to itself, though.
While only 7.3 pounds (about half the weight of the upright vacuums we’ve tested), The Hoover Linx is actually on the heavy side for stick vacuums. Both the Dyson and Shark stick vacs weigh less than 5 pounds due to their unique configurations. The $230 Electrolux Ergorapido Power weighs 5.5 pounds, the $349 Electrolux UltraPower Studio weighs 6.3 pounds, and the $350 Gtech AirRam is the heaviest, clocking in at 7.7 pounds. Still, the Linx doesn’t look or feel cumbersome compared to the others.
View full gallery The Hoover Linx weighs 7.3 pounds.
Colin West McDonald/CNET
The Linx is definitely the simplest model in terms of features. It operates via lithium-ion battery and a separate charger. There’s an LED status bar that lets you know how much battery life is left. It has three options — off, on with suction only (for hardwood or other bare floors), and on with suction and brush roll (for carpets). The dust bin opens on the bottom and the handle can recline quite low for reaching under furniture. That’s it for features.
Both the Dyson DC59 and the Shark Rocket have a lot of attachments for completing all sorts of other cleaning tasks. They’re really more than stick vacuums since they can double as handhelds, and you can customize them in a variety of ways. Like the DC59 and the Rocket, Electrolux’s Ergorapido doubles as a handheld vacuum, although it retains the appearance of a traditional stick vacuum.
Many of the other models also offer multiple cleaning modes. While the Hoover Linx can transition from hardwood (suction only) to carpet (suction and brush roll) with the flip of a switch, Dyson’s DC59 has a regular mode and a max power mode that provides a quick burst of power for tackling particularly stubborn debris. The Electrolux UltraPower even offers three different modes — silent, normal, and booster.
View full gallery Each model has a slightly different brush roll design.
Colin West McDonald/CNET
Eureka SuctionSeal Pet AS1104A vacuum cleaner review – CNET
The Good You can customize the Eureka SuctionSeal Pet AS1104A vacuum cleaner to meet your flooring needs. Also, features like a retractable cord and easy-to-use controls make this Eureka stand out from the herd.
The Bad Despite its name, the Eureka wasn’t a showstopper with pet hair.
The Bottom Line If the price feels right, you like options, and you don’t have a pet, the Eureka could be a great option.
Upon unboxing the Eureka SuctionSeal Pet AS1104A, it is hard to ignore the vacuum cleaner’s size, which is enormous. This Eureka is not just statuesque, however, but also thoughtfully designed and a strong performer. At $199.99, the Eureka is a reasonably priced vacuum, especially given its performance and accessories. Because of its SuctionSeal technology, this model excelled with fine particulates, but it also performed acceptably on all floor types due, in large part, to a dial that adjusts the height of the brushroll. This dial offers a variety of choices, ranging from bare floors to high-pile carpet, giving you the option to customize the vacuum to ensure the best performance based on debris and flooring type.
The Eureka wasn’t a top performer with pet hair. I’d expected more in these tests, especially given the product’s name, but with furry cleanup, other vacuums performed better. The Eureka does, however, include a turbo-driven Pet Power Paw attachment, which collects pet hair with ease from furniture or other upholstered surfaces.
If you’re looking for a lightweight model or a vacuum that’s a knockout with pet hair, there are better options, like the Shark Rotator Professional Lift-Away. If weight is not so much an issue, the Oreck Touch Bagless was dynamite with pet hair on a variety of surfaces.
If, however, you want a vacuum that gives you lots of options and like the idea of total control of your vacuum’s performance, or have several floor types in your home, the Eureka AS1104A would be a good, budget-friendly addition to your cleaning lineup.
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Colin West McDonald/CNET
Design and features
Weighing 20.7 pounds, the Eureka is anything but lightweight, especially when compared with the 15.5-pound Shark, the 11.6-pound Dyson DC50 Animal, or the 14.6-pound Dyson DC40 Origin. It’s comparable in weight to the 18-pound Oreck. Those 5 or 6 extra pounds might not seem like much to everyone, but it will matter to those with less arm strength, or to anyone who lives in a multistory home. If you worry about a vacuum being too heavy, this is probably not the model for you.
That said, I personally didn’t mind the weight. Though it reminded me of the dinosaur of a vacuum cleaner my family had when I was growing up, the Eureka didn’t feel heavy when I used it, only when I carried it. I also found that this heftiness made the vacuum feel sturdy.
Like all of these bagless vacuums we’ve tested, the Eureka uses a plastic dustbin that empties via a hatch on the bottom. The latch that closes the bin is really responsive and the bin feels well-constructed. The bin features a washable dust filter but the vacuum itself comes with a replaceable HEPA filter for those who have allergy concerns.
View full gallery This dial allows you to customize the vacuum’s performance based on your flooring, ranging from bare floors to high-pile carpet.
Colin West McDonald/CNET
This vacuum boasts a dial with which you control the height of the rollerbrush to suit your floor type. Your choices range from bare floors to high-pile carpet, with seven options total. The Electrolux Precision Brushroll Clean offers similar adjustment options, though the range is more limited.
The Eureka’s controls are convenient and make using this appliance truly hassle-free. With a touch of your left foot, you can access the lever that reclines the vacuum, the power on/off lever, and the brushroll on/off lever. You’ll find these controls easy to reach and responsive. Vacuums like the Oreck put controls on the handle, but I thought the Eureka’s controls were even easier to use and appreciated nearly everything being in one place.
View full gallery The brushroll lever is easy to control, making it simple to turn it off or on, depending on your floors.
Colin West McDonald/CNET
One control you won’t find with your foot is the dial that activates either the floor vacuum or the extension hose for use with tools. This dial is on the side of the vacuum, at the base of the handle, but you can reach it without trouble. The extension hose is easy to use and, including the wand, reaches 9 feet away from the vacuum’s body. The extra hose length is welcome since the Eureka is not a convertible vacuum like the Bissell PowerGlide Deluxe or the Shark. Because of the Eureka’s weight, you won’t want to cart it to different places on your stairs in order to vacuum them.
Like every other vacuum we’ve tested, the Eureka includes attachments to use with the extension hose and wand, such as the crevice tool, dusting brush, or Pet Power Paw. The crevice tool will help you vacuum baseboards, car seats, stairs, or other hard-to-reach places and the dusting brush is designed to help you dust furniture and drapes. The most interesting of the attachments, however, is the Power Paw. Many models we’ve looked at have a similar attachment, such as the Bissell’s Pet TurboEraser or Dyson’s Tangle-Free Turbine tool. The Power Paw will help you remove stubborn pet hair from upholstery or carpets. It uses bristles similar to those on the brushroll to agitate pet hair up into the vacuum and works extremely well.
View full gallery The brushroll lever is easy to control, making it simple to turn it off or on, depending on your floors.
Colin West McDonald/CNET
Finally, Eureka offers the convenience of a retractable cord. I didn’t realize what a pain it was to wind the cord until I didn’t have to. With the touch of a button on the vacuum’s side, the cord retracts, winding around a hub inside the vacuum’s body. It can be a little bit fussy sometimes and you may need to hold the cord taut toward the end of the rewinding, but even this interaction required less time than if I’d manually wrapped the cord. In addition to the ease of rewinding, I also appreciated the fact that I only had to pull the length of cord I needed, without worrying about tripping over or running into the entire 27-foot-long cord.
Usability
You’ll find the Eureka AS1104A exceptionally intuitive to use. This is due, in large part, to the proximal location of the primary controls, operated with the touch of your left foot.
Before you turn it on, you should adjust the dial to match the floor type you plan to vacuum. This may prove to be a process of trial and error, the first time, anyway, especially where low- and high-pile carpet are concerned. Selecting low-pile may lower the rollerbrush too much, while, conversely, selecting the highest-pile setting may prevent the bristles from agitating deeply enough in your carpet. Once you determine which setting is right for your carpet, however, it’s smooth sailing. This is the hardest aspect of the controls, but once established, you’ll never have to guess again.
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Colin West McDonald/CNET
The Eureka reclines easily when you press the gray lever with your foot. It’s responsive and doesn’t require any force like the Dysons, which require a rocking gesture to recline. Once reclined, the Eureka moves without much effort, which surprised me given how heavy it is.
Nucleus Anywhere Intercom with Alexa Voice Service Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
The Nucleus Anywhere Intercom.
Nucleus
A year ago, Amazon invited developers to borrow the software that powers Alexa, the popular virtual voice assistant found in the Amazon Echo smart speaker. Amazon’s goal: make it easy for any device with speakers, a microphone and an internet connection to be an Alexa device.
Now, an intercom-maker called Nucleus is taking Amazon up on the offer and adding Alexa right into the $249 Nucleus Anywhere Intercom. It’s one of the first third-party devices to hop on board with the AI assistant, and the only one with touchscreen controls — though the Triby smart speaker, which added Alexa in earlier this year, comes close with an e-ink display.
The Nucleus pitch is a pretty simple one. With just a tap, you can connect with other Nucleus devices in the home, or with people outside the home who have a Nucleus of their own, or the Nucleus app on their Android or iOS device. Think of it as a dedicated video conferencing device.
Adding Alexa in doesn’t do much to enhance the video-call experience, but it does give the device a lot of new functionality. Like the Amazon Echo, the Nucleus is an always-listening device, so you’ll just need to say “Alexa” in order to wake it up and give it a command (and, like the Echo, you can press a button to mute the mic and turn Alexa off).
Once you’ve got Alexa’s attention, you’ll be able to ask her to read the headlines or the weather forecast, set a kitchen timer, or stream music, internet radio, or podcasts from iHeartRadio, TuneIn, or the Amazon Prime Music library. You’ll also be able to enable Alexa’s third-party skills (apps, essentially) by syncing up with the Amazon Alexa app.
There are a few notable limitations with Nucleus. First, you won’t enjoy access to Pandora or Spotify like you will with Amazon’s own Alexa products. Nucleus also tells us that, as of now, you won’t be able to use the intercom to control third-party smart-home products from names like Nest, Belkin WeMo or Philips Hue. That puts it somewhat at odds with Triby, which has no such limitation when it comes to turning your lights on or your thermostat down.
For now at least, the Nucleus team tells us that they’re “super-focused on the core functionality of easy communication,” but adds that “there are some fun plans on the horizon.” I’ll be curious to see if the controls get deeper moving forward, since those third-party integrations are one of Alexa’s key selling points.
I’ll also be curious to find out how powerful the microphone and speakers in the Nucleus are. The Amazon Echo uses an array of far-field microphones around the top of the device to help isolate your commands and hear you over the top of background noise, even from across the room. The Nucleus uses a single microphone, and I’d honestly be surprised if it’s as good as the Echo at picking up your commands from a distance.
The Alexa-enabled Nucleus Anywhere Intercom is available today on Amazon and at Lowe’s for $249, or $199 if you’re buying more than one. We’ll aim to try one out in the CNET Smart Home — expect to hear more soon.
Latest Apple TV rumor points to a TV guide for video apps
At the WWDC 2016 event, Apple revealed a number of improvements on the way for the Apple TV, including a new feature called single sign-on. That would let cable TV subscribers log in once, and immediately have all their supported apps authorized without needing to log in (often repeatedly) within each individual app. Now Recode cites industry sources saying that Apple is working on “digital TV guide” for the Apple TV and its other devices that would display content from sources like Netflix and HBO all in one place.
The plan is described as growing from Apple’s previously rumored plan to offer a TV package of its own. In this iteration, Apple wouldn’t sell content, just create a showcase for others, and it has reportedly requested metadata from the providers to fill out its guide.
The Xbox OneGuide at launch in 2013.
If the plan comes to fruition, then Apple will be retreading ground covered by others. Microsoft may have the most ambitious attempt with the Xbox One’s OneGuide that blends live TV and apps while relying on an HDMI passthrough and IR blasters to pull in content from the cable box, but the UI and universal search on devices like Amazon’s Fire TV and the Roku platform serve similar functions.
Apple already set up its move by bringing the Siri remote and voice search with its new Apple TV box, and when it announced single sign-on in June it mentioned the feature would work on iOS as well. The major remaining questions are if customers will be able to use the feature, and if they can, will they want to? On Xbox, Microsoft had limited success working with the cable TV guard. It did manage to get Comcast to allow logging in with HBO Go and other apps, but Comcast killed its Xbox 360 app after a while, and Verizon’s FiOS TV app for Xbox One suffered a similar fate earlier this year.
The revamped OneGuide that launched last year.
Apple’s challenge could be to build a guide that’s easier to access than simply diving into apps like Netflix or Hulu and poking around there. On Xbox, app channels do a good job of highlighting what’s best inside each app, but they’re not especially personal or deep. The OneGuide got a lot of attention during the Xbox One’s initial introduction a few years ago and is a big part of the new experience rolled out at the end of 2015, but it didn’t merit a mention in details of the latest mid-year update.
I don’t even see an app channel for Netflix on my Xbox One, and securing support from such a major provider would be key for Apple to launch any kind of guide. The only problem is getting all of those different providers to accept sharing space in a UI that none of them control — good luck doing that.
Source: Recode
Best apps for Android Auto
We wish more apps were compatible with Android Auto, but right now here’s the list.
Whether you recently got into Android Auto thanks to a new vehicle purchase or are looking for a new app to try out in your car, here is a list of Android apps that will work. Most of the apps are used to stream music or play other media in the car, but there are some others that you can use as well. Google has limited the selection and removed the ability to utilize apps that you sideload, so let’s take a look at what you can get from Google Play to test in Android Auto.
Audio
The Best Audio Apps
Odds are that if you are in your car, you want to listen to music. Luckily, there are a number of awesome music services that have already added Android Auto support. Some of the best include:
Google Play Music
Google Play Music is already installed on just about every Android phone, and it gives you an easy way to store your existing music collection for free. With Android Auto, you can access new music through search, or your existing music to stream and keep you occupied and entertained in the car.
Download Google Play Music from Google Play
Pandora
With Pandora on Android Auto you are able to listen to your favorite tunes through your car with ease. Whether you like to switch it up on the fly, or listen to the same genre of music, accessing your existing collection is easy.
Download Pandora from Google Play
Spotify
Spotify is a big one, and many people use it. With Spotify on Android Auto you can access your existing playlists, create new radio stations or browse the artists and other music you’ve previously listened to.
Download Spotify from Google Play
Pocket Casts
Not everyone wants to listen to music all the time in the car, so Pocket Casts breaks that up for you. With this app you can listen to your favorite podcasts through your car during your commute. It pulls from your existing subscriptions and lets you select the episodes you want to listen to.
Download Pocket Casts from Google Play
MLB.com At Bat
Sports are extremely popular, and if you hate the thought of missing out on what your team is doing, this is the app for you. You can listen to live commentary, recaps and more through your speakers when you are unable to watch it.
Download MLB.com At Bat from Google Play
Honorable Mentions
There are a ton of other audio apps that support Android Auto. Some of the others include:
- Audible
- Amazon Music
- Open Radio
- Player FM
- Audiobooks.com
- BeyondPod
- Slacker Radio
- iHeartRadio
- NPR One
- Stitcher
- TuneIn Radio
- Deezer Music
- BBC Media Player
- DoggCatcher
- OverDrive
Messaging
Android Auto is meant to offer a safer driving experience, though that doesn’t mean you should feel left out of the loop. There are a bunch of messaging apps that support Android Auto, so you can have your texts read out to you, and reply to them without touching your phone.
The Best Messaging Apps
Hangouts
Hangouts is great for keeping in touch with friends, family, and even co-workers. With its Android Auto integration, you can have your messages read out loud, and reply to them easily with just your voice. This makes keeping in touch on the go extremely easy.
Download Hangouts from Google Play
WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging services available, with tons of people around the world using it. With Android Auto integration you’ll be able to have messages read to you and then use voice commands to reply and keep in the conversation.
Download WhatsApp from Google Play
Honorable Mentions
These are just some of the most popular messaging apps that support Android Auto. There are a bunch more, which include:
- Telegram
- Kik
- Skype
- Text Me
- textPlus
Developers have been adding support for Android Auto since its release, so odds are this list will continue to grow. As we see Google add more functionality to the in-car system, developers will be able to integrate it in their apps in different ways. Are any of your favorite Android Auto apps not listed above? If so, let us know which they are in the comments!
All About Android Auto
- Getting started with Android Auto
- List of compatible phones and cars
- Android Auto news
- Apps that work with Android Auto
- Join the Android Auto discussion!
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs. iPhone 6s Plus: First impressions
The latest pairing in an age-old rivalry: Our first impressions of two phones a world apart.
It’s been a while since you could reasonably say Samsung was straight up copying Apple in its smartphone designs. In the market of 2016, the two camps are very clearly differentiated: Samsung with its glass-backed designs, curved panels, super-slim bezels, big batteries and wireless charging. And Apple arguably doing more with less: shipping super-slim metal handsets with its own tightly controlled hardware and software, where performance and ease of use is king.
And so as we compare the iPhone 6s Plus and Galaxy Note 7, we see the embodiment of two different smartphone philosophies.
Samsung puts a bigger screen in a smaller phone.
In the Note 7, Samsung packs a subtly curved 5.7-inch Quad HD (1440p) panel into a device with a smaller footprint than the iPhone, with a higher resolution and basically no trade-offs in terms of color accuracy, brightness or daylight visibility. The iPhone’s 5.5-inch 1080p panel still ranks among the best, but Samsung’s been making QHD screens for more than two years now, and its latest is arguably the best we’ve seen on any smartphone. What’s more, Samsung packs a bigger, higher-res screen into a smaller body, making the 6s Plus’s bezels seem enormous by comparison.
Galaxy Note 7 vs. iPhone 6s Plus specs comparison
| Operating System | Android 6.0 Marshmallow | iOS 9.3 |
| Display | 5.7-inch 2560×1440 (518ppi)Super AMOLEDDual edge screenGorilla Glass 5 | 5.5-inch 1920×1080 (401ppi)IPS LCD Ion-strengthened glass |
| Processor | Quad-core Snapdragon 820 (U.S)Octa-core Exynos (international) | Apple A9 chip |
| Storage | 64GB | 16-128GB |
| Expandable | microSD up to 2TB | No |
| RAM | 4GB | 2GB |
| Rear Camera | 12MP f/1.71.4-micron pixelsOIS | 12MP f/2.21.22-micron pixelsOIS |
| Front Camera | 5MP f/1.7 | 5MP f/2.2 |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 ac MIMOBluetooth v4.2 LEANT+, USB 2.0, NFC | Wi-Fi 802.11 ac MIMOBluetooth v4.2 LE USB 2.0, NFC (Apple Pay only) |
| Charging | USB-CFast Charge | Lightning Fast Charge |
| Wireless charging | Yes, Qi wirelessPowermat wireless | No |
| Input | S Pen stylus4096 pts of pressure sensitivity | Passive stylus only |
| Battery | 3500 mAh | 2750 mAh |
| Water resistance | IP68 rating | Unofficial water resistance |
| Security | One-touch fingerprint sensorIris scannerSamsung KNOXPrivate folder | Touch ID fingerprint sensor |
| Dimensions | 153.5 x 73.9 x 7.9 mm | 158.2 x 77.9 x 7.3 mm |
| Weight | 169 g | 192g |
Both phones have plenty of power — the iPhone is Apple’s own A9 processor and 2GB of RAM, Samsung with a homegrown octa-core Exynos chip or Snapdragon 820 depending on where you buy, paired with 4GB. The nature of Android as an OS means it’s more RAM-hungry than iOS, the Note 7’s lead on paper shouldn’t be overstated. Regardless, you’ll need to resort to benchmarks to tell the difference between between the two. Both are blazingly fast in day-to-day usage — though some gaming benchmarks put the iPhone ahead, at least until Vulkan support ramps up.
As for physical hardware, it’s a familiar mix of compromises. Samsung’s glass back is easy to grip onto, despite the slipperiness of the metal sides, but gets gunked up easily with fingerprints. Meanwhile the iPhone is fashioned from luxurious but slippery aluminum, punctuated by unsightly antenna bands. While both phones make engineering compromises with camera bumps — Apple’s is smaller and easier to ignore; Samsung’s is less prominent and squared off, and thus less wobbly when the phone is lying flat.
Apple has the edge when it comes to OS updates.
Software is another huge point of contrast. On the Note 7 you’ve got Samsung’s latest TouchWiz UI — tuned up and refreshed from what we saw on the Galaxy S7, atop Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. We’re less than a month away from the launch of Android 7.0 Nougat, so there’s a good chance that by the time the Note 7 hits in some countries it’ll be running an “old” OS. Then again, many current Android phones will be in that boat. And carrier-specific models in markets like the U.S. only add to the uncertainty.
Meanwhile iPhone owners will get iOS 10 on launch day regardless of operator. Although Samsung has been diligent with pushing out Android’s monthly security patches to the GS7, only Google’s Nexus phones can match the speed with which Apple rolls out OS updates.
When it comes to cameras, we’re dealing with known quantities here. The Galaxy Note 7 is a repeat performance of the S7, with the same camera modules front and back. Samsung focuses on low-light performance in 2016, with larger pixels in a 12-megapixel shooter with optical image stabilization behind an f/1.7 lens. Meanwhile the iPhone’s 12-megapixel OIS shooter makes do with a less spectacular f/2.2 lens, but still manages to boast one of the best smartphone cameras on the market.
Want photo samples? Check our 2016 smartphone camera shootout, featuring the iPhone 6s Plus and Galaxy S7, which uses the same camera as the Note 7.
Each device also has its own collection of unique hardware strengths. On the Note you get Samsung’s S Pen, now with 4,096 levels of sensitivity, giving you the ability to sketch notes on the screen when it’s off, easily annotate screenshots, draw your own pretty pictures — or even make GIFs. Samsung also introduces iris scanning in the Note 7, allowing you to unlock the phone or secure apps and files without using the fingerprint scanner. The iPhone counters with a faster fingerprint unlock technology, in the form of Touch ID, along with 3D Touch, which lets you bring up contextual menus and peek into messages and web links with a harder press.
A more important question: How will the iPhone 7 measure up?
Both phones are a world apart in terms of design, internals and user experience, representing two very different smartphone philosophies. But they’re also a generation apart — the iPhone 6s Plus is almost a year old, and the Galaxy Note 7 will be going on sale right as Apple’s refreshing its iPhones. So we’ll save an extended, more meaningful comparison for a future date, with a possible iPhone 7 Plus in-hand.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7
- Samsung Galaxy Note 7 hands-on preview
- The latest Galaxy Note 7 news!
- Here are all four Note 7 colors
- Complete Galaxy Note 7 specs
- The Galaxy Note 7 uses USB-C
- Join the Note 7 discussion in the forums!
Verizon
AT&T
T-Mobile
Sprint
Google Search has made it easier to find a great place to eat
Google has announced that users of its Search app for Android will now be able to bring up reviews and “best of” lists of restaurants when they search for a great place to eat.
In a blog post, Google stated:
If you’re craving dim sum, but not sure which place is a top spot, a search for “chinese restaurant” may bring up Michelin favorite RedFarm in the West Village. Looking further at the search result, you’ll see it also appears on more than 10 best-of lists, including Eater, CBS Local and Refinery29.
Google added that some restaurant listings even offer a way to check how long people stay at their location. This seems like a great way to cut through the clutter and find the perfect place for a quick bite or a long-planned meal.
Android Wear smartwatches can now access stored passwords via Enpass
The popular password manager Enpass is now available on Android Wear smartwatches, via an update to its Android app.
The new 5.4.0 version of the app allows Android Wear device owners to view any stored passwords on their watch, when paired with an Android phone. In addition, the update includes more improvements:
- Database compatibility with Android N.
- Item’s icon will be updated on editing URL.
- Globe key removed from Enpass Keyboard.
- While autofill using notifications if URL value is empty/different, you’ll be asked to add URL in that item.
- Box and WebDAV sync issues fixed.
- Issue with TOTP secret key fixed.
LG unveils the first Android Nougat phone on September 6th
Earlier this month, LG announced its quirky V20 smartphone would be the first to ship with the latest Android 7.0 Nougat operating system, beating the upcoming Nexus refreshes to the nougat-y punch. Now we know the dual-screen, dual-selfie camera successor to the V10 will officially be unveiled in San Francisco on September 6, 2016.
Although LG has yet to share many details about the new phone’s features, we do know it will be once again sporting dual displays: a main 5.7-inch display, plus a second, always-on ribbon display at the top for notifications and quick app access. In practice, Engadget found the V10’s second screen to be one of the best implementations to date, with easy access to audio controls or a quick glance at an email subject line. Other features, like those two front-facing cameras seemed like overkill for anyone who doesn’t need two lens options when shooting a selfie.
As for the rest of the internals, those details will land next month, when we expect the V20 to start retailing around the same $600 price point as its predecessor.
Calvin Klein thinks Apple was paid fairly in Samsung patent case
The exhausting brawl between Apple and Samsung over patents simply refuses to die the horrible, gruesome death it deserves. Samsung is the more bloodied, you may recall, having paid Apple a $548 million settlement for violating a bunch of patents (not that Cupertino is done squeezing money from the Korean company). That big payout is due to be reviewed and potentially reduced by the US Supreme Court, however, with Samsung arguing it shouldn’t have had to hand over every cent of profit it made on devices that were found to specifically infringe Apple design patents. Naturally, Apple disagrees, and now it’s got none other than Calvin Klein fighting in its corner.
The underwear mogul, seminal designer Dieter Rams and architect Lord Norman Foster are some of the better-known names among over 100 signatories of an amicus brief published today by Apple (PDF). These documents are submitted to courts as supporting evidence — supporting Apple’s agenda, in this instance — and often feature the opinions of interested parties that aren’t directly involved in the case at hand. Unsurprisingly, the key takeaway of the report is the Supreme Court shouldn’t revisit the settlement after “the jury properly awarded to Apple all of Samsung’s profits from selling its copycat devices.”
The amicus brief gives us a bitesized history lesson on the importance of product design. Coca-Cola wouldn’t have become “the most widely distributed product on earth” if its contoured bottle hadn’t contributed to its appeal, is one example. Similarly, General Motors would never have outpaced Ford if it hadn’t focused on attractive vehicle designs. The document goes on to argue design has never been more important, since tech products like smartphones all do more or less the same thing. “The iPhone did not fundamentally alter the core functionality of the smartphone.”
Take that quote with a pinch of humblebrag, though, as Apple does go on to say that the design of the iPhone is what elevated it so very far above competing products. Add in a ton of cognitive science research, and the message is that design is basically the only thing that gives a device meaning. A consumer doesn’t see components, features or functionality; their initial impressions are rooted in visual design. In other words, they judge a book by its cover. “Appearance becomes identified with the underlying functional features and with a particular level of product quality and safety.”
“Thus, when a consumer encounters a known product (or an infringing copy), the consumer identifies the look of the product with the underlying functional features.” Apple is saying here: Yes, we were entitled to the total profits from infringing Samsung devices because everything that makes iPhones great is embodied by their design. Samsung was piggybacking on Apple’s legacy, and profiting. “Indeed, Samsung’s infringement covered the most important design elements of the iPhone. The rectangular face with rounded corners, and the home screen with colorful icons…”
This is just Apple’s position, of course, which is apparently shared by numerous designers, relevant academics, experts and the like who would rather not see the value of design patents eroded by a partial refund. “We all share a strong professional interest in seeing that design patent law continues to protect investments in product design.”
Much like lobbying, the extent to which amicus briefs effect court proceedings is indeterminable. This document was put together by Apple in support of Apple’s interests, after all, but it’s also just one to Samsung’s many. In fact, seven pro-Samsung amicus briefs have been submitted thus far, including one undersigned by Google, Facebook, Dell, HP, eBay and other tech companies. You see, there is widespread worry that awarding the total profits for products deemed to violate design patents sets a dangerous precedent.
Samsung likens it to handing over profits on the sale of a car with a patent-infringing cup holder. It’s the obvious counter-argument: That design is just one element of a product, not the be all and end all. Furthermore, such cases could inspire trolls that will attempt to take credit for a complex piece of hardware or software based on one relatively inconsequential design similarity. It’s important to note that even the Department of Justice has chimed in with a (neutral) amicus brief of its own, recommending the case be sent back to a lower court so more evidence can be collected to inform a verdict.
Whichever way the cookie crumbles, it’ll be interesting fuel for patent reform debate, and it’s important that it’ll be decided in the Supreme Court. It’s basically unheard of for design patent cases to be decided at this level — the first in over 120 years, to be more precise.
[Inline image credits: Janitors/Flickr & Shutterstock / Brandon Bourdages]
Source: Apple (PDF)
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