What color Note 7 did you buy?
All four colors look great, but most of us are only buying one. Which color caught your eye?
Most phones come in any color you want, as long as that color is black. That’s a trend that’s changing, and the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 comes in four colors, three of which we can buy in the U.S. (sorry gold fans.)
And they’re pretty nifty colors, too. Even the Black version isn’t just black. It’s black front and back, and the sides are matte black, too. That makes a big difference when you’re used to seeing black phones with silver-ish faux chrome side rails. This phone can act presidential.
Not to be outdone, the Coral Blue model is pretty amazing. It has a cornflower (I had my wife tell me which color it is, and cornflower is much better than “kinda-light-blue-and-sorta-gray-mixed-in-maybe-I-dunno-it’s-nice”) gloss look, but only when it’s still and you’re looking straight at it. It picks up colors from the surroundings because of its reflective surface and the color looks like it’s always changing. It’s pretty wild. You need to see it in person so you know I’m not crazy.
That blue is hot, but I’d have to go with black on black on black.
The Silver version uses the same color as the Galaxy S7 (and the S7 edge in Silver is the prettiest phone of all time). That means while it’s technically silver, it’s really more like a mirror. Fully polished and fingerprint-free it looks nice. Very nice. If the Black model is the stoic and serious model, Silver is the elegant one.
Then there’s Gold. Gold looks really good. It’s a different gold than we’ve seen from Samsung before, and it looks nothing like the pink gold from Apple. It’s a soft color that also does a good job picking up other colors from your surroundings, though not to the extent it’s Blue Chameleon sibling does. It’s very slick. It’s also not coming to North America because we deserve to be punished for some reason. At least for now.
I had a look at them the other evening, and even got to see the gold model. I fell in love with the blue (like many of you likely did) but in the end that murdered-out black would be my pick if I were buying. What about you? Which color did you grab? Hit the poll and let us know.
Which color Note 7 did you buy?
- For more debate and discussion on which color is best, check out our Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Forums.
HTC is now selling the gold and red HTC 10 in the U.S.
HTC is now accepting preorders of both the red and gold variants of the HTC 10 in the U.S. There are limited quantities of both colors available, and the company is still offering $100 off the phone or you can get the free JBL headphones while supplies last. Aside from the colors, nothing is different here. You can pick up an unlocked version, or one on the carrier of your choice.
From HTC:
Pre-orders kick off at HTC.com are available now on the site. The current offer of $100 off HTC 10 purchased at HTC.com is applicable to the new colors which also include UH-OH Protection, a free service that comes with the purchase of HTC 10 from HTC.com. HTC will replace the HTC 10 for free for accidental screen cracks or water damage during the first 12 months of owning.
Orders for both of the colors are expected to begin shipping in October. Will you be picking up the Camellia Red or Topaz Gold HTC 10 for yourself? If so, which color will you end up with? Let us know in the comments.
See at HTC
Google sunsetting Chrome apps for Windows, Mac and Linux
Google has announced that Chrome packaged apps and hosted apps will be phased out of Chrome for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
The Chrome desktop browser has had application support for a while now, and during that time Google found that only 1% of desktop users were actively running Chrome apps, so support will be removed by 2018.
Today, approximately 1% of users on Windows, Mac and Linux actively use Chrome packaged apps, and most hosted apps are already implemented as regular web apps. We will be removing support for packaged and hosted apps from Chrome on Windows, Mac, and Linux over the next two years.
Starting in late 2016, any newly-published apps will only be available for Chrome OS. Existing apps will still be available and developers can still send updates to users. In the second half of 2017, the Chrome Web Store will no longer list Chrome apps on Windows, Mac or Linux and will only show themes and extensions. In early 2018, Chrome for Windows, Mac and Linux will no longer be able to install packaged or hosted Chrome apps.
Your extensions aren’t going anywhere, and no changes were announced for Chromebook users — who the majority of actual apps are targeted towards.
Google encourages developers to migrate apps designed for Desktops into web-based apps or progressive web pages using the latest APIs and features available.
Buying the best smartphone power pack – MrMobile explains
Proclaiming one external battery charger to be the “best power pack” for all people is a daunting challenge – and it misses the point.
The reality is that, as with smartphones, different power banks work well for different users. But I’ve collected between twenty and thirty external battery pack accessories in my time reviewing technology, and I’ve found that the secret to making the search a little less daunting is to focus on three key areas: safety, capacity, and speed.
This video includes products that excel in each field, and some even marry the benefits of all three with that all-important bonus: novelty. Join me for the MrMobile Portable Power Pack roundup!
And don’t forget to be social!
- YouTube
- Le web
- Snapchat
GoPro’s next Hero 5 action cam: What’s the story so far?
GoPro is working on its next flagship action camera.
Although the camera-maker announced earlier this year that it’s laying off 7 per cent of its workforce and ceasing sales of at least three action cams due to a massive revenue drop it suffered year over year, GoPro said it planned to launch a new flagship model, called the Hero 5, as well as a “Karma” drone, which records 4K video, in 2016. Here’s everything we know about the Hero 5, including what it might look like and feature.
GoPro Hero 5: What will it look like?
A tonne of images have surfaced online showing the upcoming camera in detail. Mashable posted them all after they were pulled from Japanese blog Nokishita and camera blog Mirrorless Rumors. Based on these leaks, the camera looks like it will be similar in design to the company’s current flagship, Hero 4, and all the action cams that came before that. It’s rectangular, and the lens and front-facing screen are all in the same place.
Mashable
It looks like the front power/menu button is missing, but that’s probably because the Hero 5 will have a touchscreen for navigation, which we discuss in more detail below. The Hero 5 also looks a bit like last year’s Hero 4 Session, according to the leaks, as the company’s iconic silver-and-black colour scheme has been dropped for an all-black rubber finish.
Anyway, a different leak, which may have been derived from the Android version of the GoPro app, surfaced in early August. It shows a raised record button at the top, rounded edges for the body of the camera, and slightly different navigation menus than the ones found on GoPro’s current lineup. That said, it’s unclear if this quick video is indeed legit.
Mashable
GoPro Hero 5: What will it feature?
Camera
Information from the Hero 5 user manual was posted to Reddit. Thanks to the details in that leaked manual, it seems like Hero 5 uses the same imaging chip as the Hero 4, or maybe just the same options for video resolution, meaning it’ll offer 4K at 30 frames per second. It’ll also have modes starting from 720p and frame rates as high as 120 frames per second. Image stabilization will also be available, but not for 4K or 60fps.
Touchscreen
GoPro’s next flagship action camera has allegedly been spotted in a brief video posted to Reddit and Vimeo.
The nine-second-long video only shows the rear of the camera, but it resembles other how-to videos available in GoPro’s mobile apps, providing users with step-by-step instructions on how to connect the camera to a smartphone. From what we can see, the upcoming camera has a touchscreen, meaning that bus connector slot on the back for attaching peripherals like batteries and other accessories has likely been axed.
The Hero 5, which is supposed to be released before this holiday season, won’t be the first touchscreen GoPro action camera available, however, as the Silver model of the Hero 4 features such functionality. Overall, it looks simpler, with quick settings for framerate and resolution and whatnot at the bottom, and standard Wi-Fi and microphone features. It looks like microphone can be disabled, too, which is new.
And there’s a GoPro Sniper option in the Connections menu, which could be a codename for another, upcoming product.
Voice control
That leaked Hero 5 user manual posted to Reddit also claimed the Hero 5 will support voice control for basic functions. With this type of functionality, you could say to your Hero 5, “GoPro turn on”, “GoPro start video”, etc.
Waterproof
There’s possibly no bus connector, as it’s not visible on the Hero 5 in other leaks, so this might be a waterproof camera. To corroborate that theory, leaked details found in a Hero 5 user manual posted to Reddit revealed Hero 5 will be waterproof out of the box – just like the Hero 4 Session.
GPS
GPS seems to be included, according to the leaked Hero 5 user manual posted to Reddit.
USB Type-C
Both Mirrorless Rumors and that leaked Hero 5 user manual posted to Reddit indicate Hero 5 will ditch Mini USB in favour of USB Type-C.
Battery
Mirrorless Rumors said the battery capacity would be 1,220 mAh, which is a small bump over the Hero 4.
GoPro Plus
The Verge got a hold of the PDF file of that leaked user manual posted to Reddit, and it dug up some interesting information about GoPro’s upcoming cloud service, which will be called GoPro Plus. The name GoPro Plus actually leaked on Reddit in July. GoPro CEO Nick Woodman has also talked about GoPro’s goal of embracing the cloud and growing software efforts.
The Verge
The manual suggests Hero 5 will be cloud-connected, so you can plug your camera in to let it charge, and then it will automatically upload all your footage to your GoPro Plus account. There was no talk about cellular connectivity, so we’re assuming Hero 5 uses Wi-Fi and therefore doesn’t support live-streaming capabilities. From there, you can download the footage for editing.
Editing software
While many see GoPro’s success as being entirely hardware based, the company itself envisions a future where both its software and hardware are the key pillars of its business. Its tiny mount-everywhere cameras are market leading, thanks to being feature-rich, easy to use and having a strong portfolio of mounts and accessories. GoPro also spent $105 million on two video-editing apps.
The Verge – based on the PDF file of that leaked user manual posted to Reddit – said users will be able to download their Hero 5 footage to something called Capture, which could be a new version of the GoPro mobile app. From there, their footage can be edited on any device using either GoPro’s Quik or Splice mobile apps or a new software that’ll be called Quik for Desktop.
GoPro Hero 5: How will it differ from other GoPros?
Check out Pocket-lint’s handy guide that compares all the action cameras available from GoPro:
- Which GoPro should you choose?
GoPro Hero 5: When will it be available?
This part is unknown, for now. The company has only said it plans to release its next flagship in 2016.
GoPro Hero 5: How much will it cost?
Again, this part is unknown. But the current, top-of-the-line Hero costs $499.99 (or £409.99).
What to expect at Apple’s September 2016 event: iPhone 7 and more
Apple typically unveils a new iPhone in September.
With its next iPhone event just around the corner, we at Pocket-lint thought we’d round up all the rumours and information about what Apple might announce during its keynote. While a new iPhone running iOS 10 is a given, there are remaining questions about how many iPhone models are in store and whether the company plans to introduce a new MacBook Pro, etc.
Here’s everything we know about Apple’s September 2016 event.
Apple’s September 2016 event: When is it?
Apple will reportedly unveil its next iPhone on 7 September, Bloomberg reported. That lines up with the timing of Apple’s previous iPhone events, as the iPhone 6S debuted on 9 September last year. Well-known leakster Evan Blass also claimed pre-orders for the next iPhone will open 8 September, and that they would go on sale on 16 September, all of which fits 7 September.
If Apple does have an event that day, it’ll also be the final day of IFA 2016 in Berlin, and it’ll also have to compete with Sony’s PlayStation event, where we expect to hear more about the souped up PS4K/Neo console.
Apple’s September 2016 event: What can you expect?
Martin Hajek
iPhone 7
Apple launched the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus in September 2015, followed by the smaller iPhone SE in March 2016. In fact, every year, normally in September, a new iPhone is released, and every year the new device is speculated upon and leaked months and months in advance of its actual release. This feature rounds up all the leaks and rumours surrounding the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus:
- Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus: Everything you need to know
The iPhone 7 will drop the headphone jack, include a new home button with haptic feedback, and look lot like the 6S. You’ll have to wait until next year for a completely redesigned iPhone. There has also been talk of an iPhone 7 Pro that will apparently sit above these two devices. It’s thought to have better photo-taking capabilities – like a dual-camera setup – and more, which we have rounded up in this feature:
- iPhone 7 Pro: What’s the story so far?
Pocket-lint
iOS 10
Apple always debuts a new iPhone running the latest, major version of its iOS mobile operating system, and this year will likely be no different. The company already previewed iOS 10 at its Worldwide Developer Conference earlier this year, and since then, it’s released several beta builds to both developers and the public, giving us a good idea of what to expect from the final software.
The new iOS will sport a number of new features designed to enhance your iPhone even more beyond what the company launched in iOS 9 last year. Claiming to be the biggest update yet, there will be at least 10 major features, including a HomeKit Home app as well as changes to Siri, the lock screen, and photos. You can read all about these features and more in this round-up feature:
- Apple iOS 10: Release date and everything you need to know
Pocket-lint
iPad Pro
Last year, Apple combined what would normally be two events into one giant event, where it announced the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus alongside the 12.9-inch iPad Pro on one day (a 9.7-inch version was unveiled months later). Apple may choose to do that again and announce new iPad models during the same event – maybe even a second-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
However, according to noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will refresh its iPad lineup in 2017, with three new iPads ranging from 9.7 inches to 12.9 inches. According to Kuo, Apple plans to introduce a new 10.5-inch iPad Pro model next year to go along with a 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2 and a “low-cost” 9.7-inch iPad model. If this is the case, Apple will keep its September event focused on iPhone.
Martin Hajek
MacBook Pro
Everyone thought Apple was going to update its MacBook Pro line at WWDC 2016, but now the world is expecting refreshed models to come out this autumn instead. Keep in mind there are two sizes of MacBook Pro: a 13-inch model that was last updated in March 2015, and a 15-inch model that was last updated in May 2015. So, nobody can imagine Apple going two full years without rolling out MacBook Pro models.
Rumours suggest new ones are on the way. What’s more, the upcoming laptops won’t simply have faster processors and thinner bodies, which we all pretty much expect. They are also heavily tipped to feature an OLED touch panel and a Touch ID sensor embedded in their keyboards. This feature rounds up all the leaks and rumours surrounding the new MacBook Pro:
- New MacBook Pro (2016): What’s the story so far?
However, Bloomberg reported in August that the new computer will be a no-show at Apple’s 7 September event.
Apple’s September 2016 event: Is that it?
It looks like it. That being said, a second-generation Apple Watch is expected to debut sometime in 2016, likely late in the year. Nearly 17 months after the Apple Watch launched in the US and eight other countries, there have been no rumours to suggest a new version will debut at Apple’s 7 September event. But here’s Pocket-lint’s rumour round-up on the upcoming watch anyway:
- Apple Watch 2: What’s the story so far?
Want to know more?
Check out Pocket-lint’s Apple hub for the latest and breaking news.
Report slams Chicago’s data-driven crime prevention tool
Chicago’s police department have tried out many strategies to battle the city’s high gun-related crime rate. The most promising of these, the “Strategic Subject List” (SSL), dumps incident data into an algorithm to produce names of people who are most likely to perpetrate or be a victim of shootings. It was introduced in 2013 and lauded back in May for its accuracy, but a new report by the RAND Corporation says that the SSL’s potential victims aren’t more likely to get shot than a control group of citizens — and that individuals on the list may be getting arrested more often simply for being on it.
The algorithm added folks to the list based not just on arrest records but whether someone is socially connected to a shooter or victim. To prevent crime, these persons of interest would get visited before anything happened. But it wasn’t just police knocking on doors: Social workers and community leaders would approach the data-suggested at-risk folks and attempt to intervene and offer ways out of, say, the gang life that endangered them.
That was the idea, anyway. The RAND Corporation was given incredible access to the Chicago police department as it built and used the first version of the SSL, but found they weren’t using it to provide social services, instead using it to target people for arrest. Partially, The Verge explains, the SSL system got lost in the shuffle of no less than 11 different violence reduction initiatives. “The list just got lost,” said one of the RAND report’s authors.
Given the concerns it raises, the RAND report doesn’t have a suggestion for how the predictions should be applied to policing. It’s possible that being placed on the list draws police attention, as certain officers may have used it as a source for leads to close shooting cases.
The Chicago police department released a statement defending the current SSL system, noting that the RAND Corporation had evaluated version one of the list; They’re now on version five, with a sixth on the way. They have invited them to review the newest SSL. But the report’s criticisms of the actual impact of the SSL are still valid, says law professor at the University of Columbia Andrew G. Ferguson.
“Just creating a data-driven ‘most-wanted’ list misses the value of big data prediction,” Ferguson told The Verge in an email. “The ability to identify and proactively intervene in the lives of at risk youth is a positive, but you have to commit to the intervention piece.”
Source: The Verge
‘Battlefield 1’ will challenge your preconceptions of WWI
Battlefield 1 is shaping up to be a return to form for DICE, the EA-owned development studio behind the famous first-person-shooter series. After handing the franchise keys to Visceral Games for Battlefield Hardline, the studio is back at the helm, and returning to historical warfare with its first game set in World War I. The announcement was met with mostly positive reactions, especially in the face of Activision’s continued focus on jetpacks and other future tech with the Call of Duty series.
I’m not a massive fan of either of the big FPS franchises. I don’t look down on Call of Duty or Battlefield games: They’re expertly crafted multiplayer experiences that millions of gamers love. They’re just not for everyone. My colleague Timothy Seppala, a long-time Battlefield fan, spent most of E3 explaining to me just how impressed he was with what he’d seen so far. “I haven’t loved a Battlefield game since 2010’s Bad Company 2,” he wrote back in June, “but during a single round of Conquest set on a map in northern France, I caught a glimpse of the game that had me smitten five years ago.”
After that first reveal, I wasn’t happy about the choice of war. Growing up in the UK, my main frame of reference for World War I was the poetry of Wilfred Owen, and the various movies (and comedies) set in the trenches. I think of mustard gas, trench foot and men marching in formation to their death. I remember no grand, “exciting” battles, no bold victories; just hopelessness and unnecessary death. How do you set the multiplayer mayhem Battlefield is famous for against that backdrop? It just felt wrong.
Lars Gustavsson, design director at DICE, researched World War I extensively before and during development, and told me during an interview at Gamescom this week that my view of the war, of trenches and terror isn’t the whole story. “It was so much more than trench warfare and single-bolt action rifles,” he explained. Like me, Gustavsson and the team at DICE had some strong preconceptions about the war, which he says are in part due to the entertainment industry largely ignoring WWI. “We see movies, pop culture, about World War II, about the Vietnam war, about contemporary warfare, even future warfare, but we haven’t seen that much on WWI.”
“We have no intent of being a historical lesson line per line.”
Battlefield 1 isn’t looking for historical accuracy in either its campaign or multiplayer games. “We have no intent of being a historical lesson line per line,” Gustavsson said. But the game blends together elements that all existed in that era, and will “try to give extra information to players.” It wants gamers to be able to contextualize the events they see, and the weapons and vehicles players will use. DICE hopes that choosing World War I as a setting will generate interest in that period, and lead players on their own paths of discovery.
It’s easy to scoff at that notion. As Gustavsson and I spoke at EA’s Gamescom lounge, dozens of Battlefield 1 fans were very excitedly blowing the crap out of each other behind him. I didn’t see anyone giving pause for thought on the reality behind the in-game events. But Gustavsson himself has been changed by his learning experience, and it’s not outlandish to think that some gamers will want to learn more.
“This war shaped the world much more than I ever had thought,” he told me. “It took the world from old empires and old belief into a modernized, highly mechanized, highly technological world. [One where] empires fell, women went into factories and started to work instead of being at home. It changed so much. That really shaped the world we live in today.”
I, too, learned a few things. Not by playing Battlefield 1, in which I was taken apart by players far more adept at the game. But in talking to Gustavsson, I discovered that our desire for oil, which deeply changed the world in the 20th century, really began in earnest during World War I, because Dreadnought ships began to switch from coal to oil for fuel. Perhaps I should’ve known that already, but I had always assumed this began with the Chaco War of the 1930s.
“Just as I now, at the age of 48, have learned so much in the last years about this war that I didn’t know before,” said Gustavsson, “we hope that it will spark the same interest for people that play the game.”
So far, I’ve only demoed the multiplayer part of Battlefield 1. I’ll be honest: None of Gustavsson’s seemingly fastidious research into the war was apparent. Sure, the notion of this action-packed, all-out warfare taking place during the era challenged my preconceptions, but that was all it did. When it comes to the single-player campaign, I hope that DICE can stay true to its word. I hope it will offer some knowledge along with its zeppelins, and really get players interested in what was a fascinating period of history.
We’re live all week from Cologne, Germany, for Gamescom 2016. Click here to catch up on all the news from the show.
Beautiful indie game ‘Below’ is delayed once again
If you’re eager to play Super Time Force developer Capybara Games’ latest title, Below, you’re going to have to wait a bit longer. The atmospheric and ethereal indie game has been delayed once again, this time with no new release date. Below was originally supposed to come out this summer for Xbox One and PC, but Capy needs a little more time to make sure it meets the studio’s high standards.
Below was first revealed back in 2013 and was one of the first indie titles to be showcased for the Xbox One. Since then it’s had several different release dates, only to become another victim of the rising scourge of game delays.
Capybara is hardly the only victim. Kentucky Route Zero’s fourth chapter was finally released this month after the series took an unexpected three-year hiatus. More big budget titles are also being affected. Final Fantasy XV’s September 30th release date has been delayed to November, making it a little over 10 years since Square Enix first revealed it as a PlayStation 3 exclusive.
Developers should definitely take their time. Delays can often be a good thing as they allow game makers to make last minute improvements that can turn a broken game into a great experience. But it does raise the question: is announcing a game years before it’s close to being ready really a smart move?
Source: Capybara Games
Tiny robot caterpillar can move objects ten times its size
Soft robots aren’t easy to make, since they require a completely different set of components from their rigid counterparts. It’s even tougher to scale down the parts they typically use for locomotion. A team of researchers from the Faculty of Physics at the University of Warsaw, however, successfully created a 15-millimeter soft micromachine that only needs light to be able to move. The microrobot is made of Liquid Crystalline Elastomers (LCEs), smart materials that change shape when exposed to visible light. Under a light source, the machine’s body contracts like a caterpillar and forms waves to propel it forward.
The researchers said the robo-caterpillar can climb steep slopes, squeeze into minuscule spaces and move objects ten times its size. A tiny machine like this that can operate in challenging environments could be used for scientific research, and maybe even espionage if someone can find a way to attach a camera or a mic to it. But if the robot’s a bit too small for a specific application, researchers could also adopt the team’s method to make something a wee bit bigger.
Via: PopSci
Source: Faculty of Physics at the University of Warsaw, Advanced Optical Materials
AIVAnet 