Apple CEO Tim Cook Sells More Than $35M in Stock
Apple CEO Tim Cook recently sold more than $35 million worth of Apple stock, according documents filed with the SEC this week.
Cook sold 334,000 shares at prices ranging from $107.21 to $107.69, netting himself almost $36 million dollars.
Apple also sold more than 656,000 shares on Tim Cook’s behalf, an amount over $70 million, to settle the tax liability for the RSUs that vested earlier this week as he reached his five-year anniversary as CEO of Apple.
Cook on Wednesday unlocked awarded stock bonuses worth more than $100 million for both his time spent at Apple and the company’s performance under his leadership, earning 1,260,000 total shares.
That number consists of 980,000 tenure-based RSUs and an allotment of 280,000 shares awarded because Apple’s shareholder return reached 61%, putting it in the top-performing third of the S&P 500 index.
Tim Cook continues to hold more than 1.3 million shares of Apple stock following the sale, which is worth more than $140 million.
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EasyAcc Monster 26000mAh power bank is freaky massive and can charge 4 phones simultaneously (review)
Battery life is one of the most important factors in a smartphone. One would logically think with a decade of building smartphones, that the battery life would be around two to three days by now. However, our smartphones are becoming increasingly powerful to handle our desire to do everything through our phones which leads to stagnation in battery life efficiency. Replaceable batteries are going by the wayside as well, and are being sealed inside of the smartphone. That leaves power users, or travelers limited options for staying charged up while on the go. It pretty much leaves us with portable power banks to charge our devices while we are away from a wall or car charger.
If you’ve ever checked for external batteries on Amazon, you’ll thousands of options with a wide range of prices and sizes. I’ve been using the EasyAcc Monster power bank, and it is called the Monster because it is literally one of the biggest batteries you can buy today.
Build and Usage
The EasyAcc Monster Power Bank is the largest portable battery I have ever used. It is rated at 26000mAh, which is about 7.5 times larger than the 3500mAh internal battery on my Samsung Galaxy Note 7. There are power banks that are twice this size if you do a search on Amazon, but those are mainly for laptops and cost twice as much.
It’s made of typical plastic that has a matte finish to prevent fingerprints. The Monster is heavy for a portable battery weighing in at a full pound. Even though it isn’t physically all too large at 6.57 x 3.1 x 0.86 inches, you probably won’t be carrying this in your pant pockets. A battery with this much capacity would typically take up to 16 hours to fully charge with a 2A standard input, which is a long time. EasyAcc did something I haven’t seen before, it included dual input slots so you can charge it with two microUSB cables.
SEE ALSO: [Deal] Pay what you want to learn everything about Android development
The power bank has four full sized USB A output slots and all can be used simultaneously. The output per slot is 2.4A, which isn’t Quick Charge 2.0 or 3.0 compatible, but it is still faster than your typical charge of 2A. There’s no need to worry about compatibility as the charging ports will automatically detect what kind of charge to give your devices. I used several USB Type C smartphones with this battery and they all charged without issue.
There’s a flashlight built into the front which is bright enough to help you locate items in your car, purse or backpack when you need it. It’s not a flashlight you would rely on for camping, but it is sufficient for most purposes and is a nice feature to have on a battery of this size.
Testing a battery of this size takes time. I needed to get through at least five full cycles to test its reliability. In order to test it, I frequently recharged up to four smartphones at the same time, with a mix of tablets and accessories as well. The Monster recharged four cell phones at the same time with ease, and still had two of its four LED indicators on leaving me with 50% power. Recharging the battery from nearly dead to 100% took almost eight full hours, so you’re going to need to leave it connected overnight before you head out on your adventures.
A battery of this size is perfect for families who need power. Or it is also great for extreme users of Pokemon Go who venture out in groups to capture the little beasts. This is the type of battery I would bring along with me on my next camping trip. I can keep my smartphone and portable speaker powered all weekend long with this bad boy. My friends will also use it to charge their phones as well.
SEE ALSO: Android OEMs, this is what we’ve been wanting in smartphones!
When I tested this power bank with my Note 7, I frequently got 6-7 charges out of the Monster, but I never recharged my Note 7 from 0%. Instead I hooked it up when I hit 20%. I basically used my Note 7 for an entire week without ever connecting it to a car or wall charger.
There aren’t many bells and whistles associated with this battery. While it is made of plastic, I prefer that over metal as it is already heavy enough. The build is solid, sturdy and is built to last a long time.
Summary
If you need a lot of power, the EasyAcc 26000mAh battery is the one for you. It’s priced right at $49.99 at Amazon, and if you’re using it just for yourself, you can easily get a full week’s usage out of your smartphone and this battery. Or if you have a family that consumes a ton of power while you’re out and about, having one massive battery is a great option to keep everyone happy.
I’ve used several EasyAcc products in the past and they’ve all held up very well. It’s one of the brands I trust and recommend to friends and family.
Check out the EasyAcc 26000mAh Monster Power Bank at Amazon, priced at $49.99.
Garmin Forerunner 735XT review – CNET
The Good Lightweight and waterproof, and has GPS for tracking a variety of sports and an optical heart-rate sensor. All-day activity tracking, interval training and phone notifications are helpful. There’s a multisport mode to time triathlon transitions and easily switch sport profiles. It’s compatible with a wide-range of Garmin accessories.
The Bad It’s expensive; there’s no altimeter for measuring ascent and descent; and battery life may not be long enough for a full Ironman triathlon.
The Bottom Line The Forerunner 735XT is an exceptional watch for serious triathletes, but there are better and cheaper alternatives for both dedicated runners and more casual athletes.
The Garmin Forerunner 235 is one of my favorite running watches and for good reason: It has everything runners need to take their training to the next level. It’s not ideal for multisport athletes, though.
The 235 is primarily a running watch, but its more expensive cousin, the Forerunner 735XT, is equally good and better suited for serious triathletes. This watch can track running, cycling, swimming and other sports, includes an optical heart-rate sensor, and has interval training, all-day activity tracking and phone notifications. Its special triathlon feature can time transitions and switch sport profiles with a single button press.
The Forerunner 735XT costs $450, £360 or AU$700. That’s a premium of $120, £80 or AU$230 over the 235, but for hardcore triathletes, it’s a price I think is well worth paying.
Hands-on with the Garmin Forerunner 735XT…
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A laundry list of features
The watch is comfortable and lightweight. It feels good on my wrist when training or while wearing it throughout the day. It’s a tad lighter (40.2 grams compared to 42 grams) and has less of a bezel, but otherwise the two devices are remarkably similar, but only when it comes to design. Garmin was able to squeeze even more functionality into the 735XT. It has all of the features of the 235 and more — a lot more.
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The Forerunner 735XT (left) next to the 235 (right).
Sarah Tew/CNET
Here’s everything that’s different:
- Added tracking for pool swimming, open water swimming, paddle boarding, rowing, hiking, cross country skiing and strength training
- Added support for running dynamics (with a special optional heart-rate chest strap, it can measure ground contact time, vertical oscillation, stride length, vertical ratio and more)
- Added stress score, lactate threshold, functional threshold power and performance condition measurements (when paired with a chest strap)
- Added Courses, Virtual Partner and Virtual Trainer features to compete against a digital person or past runs
- Compatible with Garmin Vector pedals, Varia Radar and lights, Shimano Di2 electronic shifters, Varia Vision heads-up display and ANT+ power meters
- Compatible with Garmin Tri and Swim-HRM straps
Triathlon support
The watch includes a profile specifically for triathlons, along with an auto-multisport feature. That means you can switch between each sport (swimming, biking and running) with a single button press, rather than having to manually stop one and start the other. It also times how long you take during your transition period. This isn’t unique — this mode, or a similar one, is also present on the Garmin Fenix 3/HR, Forerunner 920XT, Polar V800 and Suunto Ambit3.
View full gallery Sarah Tew/CNET
You won’t have any problems wearing the watch in the pool, the ocean or the shower. The 735XT carries a water-resistant rating of 5 ATM, which means it can withstand depths of up to 50 meters.
The built-in heart-rate sensor doesn’t work while swimming, although that’s true for most devices. Garmin is instead offering a triathlon bundle for $500 that includes the Swim-HRM (pool) and Tri-HRM (open water) chest straps. Both of these record heart rate data while swimming — the latter also supports running dynamics — but the data isn’t displayed in real time and will only be available for review after your workout has been completed.
View full gallery Sarah Tew/CNET
Missing features
The 735XT doesn’t have a barometric altimeter, which is used for measuring altitude. It attempts to measure altitude using the GPS, although I found it wasn’t nearly as accurate when compared to the altimeter-equipped Fenix 3.
LG WM3575CV review – CNET
The Good LG’s $1,100 WM3575CV washing machine cleans clothes surprisingly fast — it even has a 15-minute Speed Wash cycle.
The Bad The WM3575CV scored low on stain removal. Its control panel looks cluttered, and its Smart Diagnosis troubleshooting feature doesn’t come with clear instructions.
The Bottom Line The LG WM3575CV will work in a pinch, but I’d look elsewhere for something more well rounded.
For all of the things LG’s $1,100 WM3575CV washing machine gets right, it has one fatal flaw — poor performance. Out of all of the front-loaders we’ve reviewed so far, this model earned the lowest overall stain removal score. Given its subpar cleaning skills, I can’t recommend the LG WM3575CV. Look instead to the Electrolux EFLS617S or the Whirlpool WFW87HEDW.
Taking LG’s WM3575CV washer out for a spin
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Speed demon
Before I got the WM3575CV’s performance results, I was fairly impressed with it. This LG machine dominates when you stack its features against competitors in the same price range.
It comes in an attractive “Graphite Steel” finish (that’s code for gray), has a 4.5-cubic-foot-capacity, 12 cleaning cycles and a related Android and iPhone app for troubleshooting repair needs and other potential issues.
Here’s a closer look at the WM3575CV’s specs versus the Electrolux and the Whirlpool:
Comparing washing machines
| LG WM3575CV | Whirlpool WFW87HEDW | Electrolux EFLS617S |
| $1,100 | $1,199 | $1,099 |
| Graphite Steel, White (for $1,000) | Chrome Shadow, White (for $1,099) | White, Titanium (for $1,199) |
| 4.5 cubic feet | 4.3 cubic feet | 4.4 cubic feet |
| 12 | 10 | 9 |
| 90 kWh/year | 109 kWh/year | 85 kWh/year |
| 27×38.7×29.7 inches | 27×38.7×33.1 inches | 27x38x31.5 inches |
| 1 year, limited | 1 year, limited | 1 year, limited |
| 120V; 60Hz | 120V; 60Hz | 120V; 60Hz |
| Yes, Android and iPhone | No | No |
In addition to having a slightly larger drum capacity, slightly more cleaning cycles and an app, the WM3575CV can also complete a laundry cycle faster than the competition.
With help from its TurboWash setting, this LG model can wash a regular ol’ load of laundry in 30 minutes flat. It also has a 15-minute Speed Wash cycle that I used to wash some of my clothes in a hurry. Here’s a list of all of the WM3575CV’s available cleaning options:
- Cotton/Normal
In other washer news:
- So-so performance cramps this washer’s style
- This giant washer dominates its top-load competition
- Kenmore’s massive washing machine holds more
- How we test: Washing machines
- Bulky/Large
- Perm. Press
- Delicates
- Hand Wash/Wool
- Speed Wash
- Tub Clean
- Heavy Duty
- Bright Whites
- Towels
- Drain+Spin
- Small Load
Frigidaire FGID2466QF 24 In. Gallery Built-In Dishwasher review – CNET
The Good The smudgeproof stainless-steel finish helps the $650 Frigidaire Gallery FGID2466QF look like a much more expensive dishwasher. It backs up those looks with quality cleaning performance and plenty of cycles to choose from.
The Bad The interior of the FGID2466QF doesn’t have a lot of features to help you load your dishes. In fact, the arrangement of the upper rack makes fitting your bowls and glasses particularly tedious.
The Bottom Line If you’re willing to work with the tedious upper rack, sleek design and solid performance make the FGID2466QF a fine budget-friendly dishwasher.
One of these days, we’ll find the perfect dishwasher. Until that day comes, I present to you the $650 Frigidaire Gallery FGID2466QF. It joins a trio of budget dishwashers we’ve reviewed recently that prove you don’t need to shell out big bucks for good cleaning capability. Like the others — the $600 GE GDF610PMJES and the $700 Kenmore 13699 — this Frigidaire model has drawbacks. In particular, it has an upper rack that makes loading your bowls and glasses painful, it’s louder than its more expensive counterparts, and it has a plastic inner tub instead of stainless steel.
Also like the others, this Frigidaire Gallery dishwasher cleaned as well as models that cost twice as much. If you don’t mind spacing out your dishes on the top rack, it’s worth your consideration. In fact, if you prioritize looks, I’d recommend this model over both the GE GDF610PMJES and the Kenmore 13699. The smudge-resistant stainless finish and fully integrated control panel look great. The GE GDF610PMJES has the best feature list of the group, and the Kenmore 13699 cleans the best of the trio, but the Frigidaire FGID2466QF isn’t far behind on either, making it a well-rounded option at a reasonable price.
Stain free shine from the Frigidaire Gallery…
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Got no stains to hold it down
Low cost, good clean
- Kenmore 13699
- Bosch SHS63VL5UC
- GE GDF610PMJES
We’ve seen it on other Frigidaire appliances, but I was still impressed by how well the smudgeproof stainless finish on the Frigidaire Gallery FGID2466QF dishwasher kept fingerprints off of the front of the machine. Especially for $650, its appearance held up remarkably well throughout our rigorous testing.
As usual with large appliances, you can find this dishwasher for less than that $650 price. You can use the Frigidaire site to find retailers in your area. It’s available at major appliance retailers such as Best Buy, Home Depot, and Amazon. Best Buy and Home Depot both have it for just under $400.
Spider leg surprise
Despite the plastic tub, I still liked the look of the interior of the FGID2466QF. The stainless tubs of higher end models do save energy, but with this dishwasher, I didn’t notice a big difference as far as style is concerned.
The blue wheel of jets at the bottom of the tub accents gray racks and tines that look professional but not boring. Loading dishes into the racks, however, was less pleasant.
The blue wheel of jets at the bottom of the tub looks good and does a good job of covering every dish with water.
Chris Monroe/CNET
A few of the tines on the top rack look like spider legs. Folded in, they’re spaced such that you can fit bowls between them. Fold them out and the tines line up next to the exterior columns, leaving an open spot in the front middle of the upper rack where you could fit larger serving dishes. It’s a creative idea, but the spacing never actually made it easier for us to load the dishwasher in practice.
We follow the recommended loading pattern in our dishwasher tests, and doing so with this model resulted in tight spacing and awkwardly placed bowls. We had to squeeze glasses into the second and fourth columns and the sound of glass scraping glass as we shoved them past the bowls in the middle column wasn’t pleasant. The bowls themselves weren’t sitting securely in their spot, and ended up nesting next to each other often, though we did our best to prevent them from doing so.
The spider-leg-shaped tines make it tough to load your dishes.
Chris Monroe/CNET
The nested bowls resulted in missed spots on the cleaning tests — since the water couldn’t get between them. For the most part, the Frigidaire FGID2466QF is a good cleaner, but the poor upper rack tines prevented it from shining the bowls.
The arrangement of tines on the bottom rack is more run-of-the-mill and less offensive. The back two rows fold down, and the two middle rows of tines are shorter, encouraging you to fit small dishes between rows of larger plates on the outside.
The lower rack tines don’t add much, but don’t make it harder to load your dishes.
Chris Monroe/CNET
How to stop WhatsApp from sharing your data with Facebook – CNET
For the first time in four years and since being acquired by Facebook, WhatsApp is updating its terms and conditions, as well as its privacy policy. Part of this update includes WhatsApp sharing your account information with Facebook to, among other things, provide better targeted ads.
What information is being shared with Facebook?
The updated WhatsApp FAQ page says that the phone number you used to sign up for WhatsApp with will be shared, as well as the last time you used the service.
Thanks to end-to-end encryption, Facebook will not be able to see your messages, photos or other media you share. Only you and the person you send messages to will ever be able to see that information. And any information that is shared by WhatsApp will not be publicly visible to anyone using Facebook. Meaning, if WhatsApp shares your phone number with Facebook, it won’t fill in the phone number field on your profile and make it visible to anyone.
Why is your information being shared?
The FAQ page says sharing your information with Facebook will help the two companies “coordinate more.” The claim is that it will help them “fight spam and abuse” more efficiently, as well as — and this is likely the bigger and more feasible reason — “improve your experiences within [Facebook] services” through targeted ads.
They say having your number will help them deliver product suggestions from companies “you already work with” versus one you’re not familiar with. How your phone number makes this possible isn’t exactly clear.
Will I start seeing ads in WhatsApp?
No. Well, at least not in the conventional banner ad style. However, WhatsApp is exploring ways to allow businesses to communicate with customers. In the same way that you can interact with your bank via SMS to check account balances or pay your cell phone bill with a text message, WhatsApp wants you to receive information from business, such as receipts for flight information.
The good news is, WhatsApp is (for now) continuing to put you in control. It says, “We do not want you to have a spammy experience; as with all of your messages, you can manage these communications, and we will honor the choices you make.”
Time will tell if being part of Facebook will alter their stance on this, as well.
Stop WhatsApp from sharing your info with Facebook
Screenshot by Taylor Martin/CNET
Seeing as this goes against WhatsApp’s previous policy of never sharing your information with its parent company, this update to the terms is understandably rubbing many the wrong way.
Fortunately, you can opt out and remove yourself from the whole situation very easily. Here’s how:
- Open WhatsApp on your phone.
- On Android, tap the action overflow button in the upper right corner and select Settings. On iOS, tap the Settings tab in the lower right corner.
- Select Account.
- Tap the check mark to the right of Share my account info.
- To disable the feature, tap Don’t Share.
The pop-up that appears reads, “If you tap ‘Don’t Share’, you won’t be able to change this in the future.” And they mean it. After you follow through with this action, the option will no longer be visible from the Account section of Settings and there is no turning back.
On the bright side, your account information and app usage won’t be shared with Facebook anymore. Though, it doesn’t say whether it has already shared your information or whether, if shared, that information will be redacted.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 accessories are now available at ShopAndroid
ShopAndroid is now full of the best Samsung Galaxy Note 7 accessories, so check them out!
If you’ve recently picked up the Galaxy Note 7, odds are that you have been looking around at some accessories to pick up for it. Luckily, ShopAndroid has you covered with all of your needs, from cases to battery packs, Bluetooth speakers, memory cards and much more. We’ve got top brands like SanDisk, Belkin, Seidio and more in stock, and some pretty great bundles as well.
Whether it is protection that you seek for the phone or something to keep it mounted in the car, we’ve got you covered. Be sure to head over to the ShopAndroid Store for all your Galaxy Note 7 accessory needs, and remember, orders over $50 ship for free!
See at ShopAndroid
Android 7.0 and the Snapdragon 800 — a conundrum
You’ll have to get Android 7.0 for the Nexus 5 from XDA. Let’s try to figure out why.
Many of us are sad that the Nexus 5 isn’t getting any official update to Android 7.0. Especially when we watched and saw Google continue to build device trees in the code for Hammerhead — that means someone, somewhere, was working on it. And when Sony announced which phones were going to receive an update to Android 7.0, many noticed that the Xperia Z3 wasn’t on the list. While the idea that phones from 2014 not getting updated late in 2016 isn’t particularly surprising, the fact that the Z3 was part of Sony’s Android Concept Initiative — a fancy name for an Android 7.0 Beta program — but didn’t make the cut and that Google was working on Nougat for the Nexus 5 then just suddenly stopped was.
The situation has the internet asking the obvious question — why? The answer is that the Z3 and Nexus 5 actually can’t officially run Android 7.0, even though could as a beta. Read on. It will all make sense.
Android platform updates aren’t as important to consumers as we make them out to be. Here at Android Central we get excited about anything new and shiny, we tell you as soon as we can (often after you already know because leaks happen) and then we all get excited together. The reality is that Google Play Services and monthly patches will let you do everything you do on your phone for a long time, and by the time a must-have app comes out that requires the next version of Android you’ll probably have a new phone or the update.
We can still want it, but this is just how things go until someone Google steps forward and changes it. Then you’ll hear talk about Google’s iron fist and EU complaints and God knows what else. The status quo sucks, but it still is the status quo.
Android 7.0 has no official support for the Snapdragon 800.
For the Android 7.0 update, in particular, we need to look no further than the requirements and the hardware of the Xperia Z3 or Nexus 5 (and plenty of other phones) for a likely answer about why certain phones aren’t able to be updated. We can’t confirm this using official statements or documents or a fancy slide, but we’re sure enough to talk about it and why it worked out the way it did.
Android 7.0 in AOSP has removed support for the MSM8974 chipset. The Snapdragon 800 SoC uses this chip along with the Adreno 330 GPU. This means phones (and tablets — hello, Nexus 7) using the Snapdragon 800 are not supported. But this doesn’t explain why the Z3 was able to run the beta, and run it well. For that, Google Play compatibility comes into the picture.
Nobody from any of the companies involved is talking about these issues, and requests for an official statement haven’t been returned, but the internet has some clues about it all. Here we see Ola Olsson, of Sony Mobile Communications, talk a bit about it in a comment on Google+.
Yeah, this is sad but we don’t want to play the blame game which means that we can’t say more about the technical limitations. Even if we really wanted to give you N on the z3(c), we wouldn’t [have] been able to do it. Not if we wanted to pass the Google CTS.
You’ll find similar responses elsewhere, and this is Sony not throwing anyone under the bus and handling things in a professional, corporate way. The important thing there is the mention of Google CTS.
Google CTS is the Compatibility Testing Suite used to make sure a device can be certified to use Google Play. Android is a free application platform that anyone can take and use in any way it likes, but Google Play is not. It’s a true for-profit commercial venture and Google has full and complete control over everything associated with it.
The actual rules and requirements needed for Android 7.0 CTS compliance are a bit of a mystery — either partners can’t talk about it or don’t want to talk about it — but we know the gist of it. Your product has to be able to run any app targeted for your platform version. That means if you’re using Android 7.0, you need to support any app designed for Android Nougat. You can check out the Android 6.0.1 CTS documentation if you’re curious. The Android 7.0 CTS documentation should live in the same place once it’s been updated.
During the beta testing for Android N — just after the release of version four — developers were told that Android N APIs were finalized and they could start targeting apps for them in Google Play. One of the things Android N does for developers is let them use the Vulkan and OpenGL ES 3.1 APIs with both the SDK and the NDK. For that, though, you need hardware support. The Snapdragon 800 does not offer hardware support for either, and apps not designed to fall back to an older version of OpenGL would not run.
Now, as mentioned, we don’t have access to the latest Android CTS documents. For Android 6.0.1, it said that hardware had to support OpenGL ES 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 or 3.1. I’ve been told that was amended to say “support OpenGL ES 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and either 3.1 or Vulkan,” but Google has said nothing officially. But this certainly explains why support for the Snapdragon 800 was removed and phones like the Nexus 5 and the Z3 aren’t going to see an official update, and I’m confident that this is the reason.
Android is open, but Google Play is not; there are rules involved.
This is a long, convoluted and confusing subject — much like Android updates in general. In the end, we know two things: the Sony Xperia Z3 will not be updated to Android 7.0 because it would not pass the CTS for technical reasons, and the Snapdragon 800 SoC does not offer OpenGL ES 3.1 support. The fact that no phone using the Snapdragon 800 or 801 (the 801 also uses the Adreno 330 GPU) has been announced as getting an update is a bit telling, too.
Let’s be honest — this sucks. As enthusiasts, we want to get an update even if it doesn’t change anything. The practical view that platform updates aren’t as important as we make them out to be is fine, and I do think it’s true, but that doesn’t satisfy the inner geek. But it’s also inevitable. Android has to advance and support new (and better) technologies like Vulkan. When these require hardware support, there has to be a cutoff. Maybe this time, the cutoff could have been avoided — the General Mobile 4G, an Android One device that uses the Snapdragon 410 and is in every way weaker on the hardware front than any phone running the Snapdragon 800 — already has Android Nougat and this throws a huge wrench into even the most plausible theory.
Is Google breaking its own rules here in regard to the CTS? Or is everything we have heard and think we know all bullshit and it really is some sinister plot to make us angry? (I’m fairly certain Google is breaking its own rules because it can, but I’m just as certain that everything is bullshit, so I still have no idea.)
The bottom line is that if you have a phone like the Xperia Z3, or the Nexus 5 or the Galaxy S5 and really want Android 7.0 Nougat, you’ll probably have to get it from the fine group building custom software for the phones on XDA.
The Wii U revisited: Looking back on a forward-thinking console
Engadget is re-reviewing the current generation of game consoles, each of which has benefited from firmware updates, price drops and an improved selection of games. We’ve already revisited the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4. Now, at last, it’s Nintendo’s turn. Though we’ve raised our Wii U score to 74 from 70, you can still find our original review here, if you’re curious to read what we said at launch.
It’s hard to believe that the Wii U is only 4 years old. In the time since Nintendo released its last flagship console, we’ve seen four iPhones, as many Galaxy S handsets from Samsung, two models of the Xbox One and, of course, the PlayStation 4. All of which is to say, it feels like it’s been much longer since the quirky console came out. Compared with the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, the Wii U has changed the least. Nintendo didn’t release a slimmed-down version, nor has it offered additional storage options beyond the launch model’s 32GB. Firmware updates have slightly changed the UI as well as delivered performance improvements, but there otherwise hasn’t been a massive overhaul.
Even before it began teasing a new console, still codenamed “NX,” Nintendo seemed to have forgotten about the Wii U. Sure, the company released the poorly received Star Fox Zero in April, but until The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild comes out next year, the release calendar is devoid of first-party games. Of course, that’s not counting the throwback Classic Mini NES console, which arrives in November. Before the NX’s promised March 2017 launch, we wanted to revisit the system, just as we did recently with the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Think of this as both a re-review and a postmortem.
Hardware
The Wii U wasn’t supposed to go head-to-head with consoles from Microsoft and Sony — not the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and certainly not the PS4 and Xbox One. That’s evident by looking at both the system itself as well as the game selection. Unlike its competitors, which sport sleek, futuristic designs, the Wii U is understated, with cheerful rounded corners and a glossy finish — as clear a sign as any that the Wii U was intended for families more than avid gamers. All told, it’s about the size of a hardcover book, making it very unobtrusive indeed. Up front is the slot-loading DVD drive and under that a sliding door hiding two USB 2.0 ports and an SD card slot for additional storage. On the left, you’ll find the power and eject buttons.
Around back are two more USB 2.0 connections, an HDMI socket, power-supply input, a port for the Wii sensor bar (for backward compatibility with the original Wii) and analog video output. The lack of Ethernet means everything from downloading games to playing Fast Racing Neo online is done via the console’s archaic 802.11b/g/n WiFi radio — that is, unless you spring for a compatible USB LAN adapter.
If the 32GB of internal storage isn’t enough for you, or you don’t have a sizable SD card lying around, the system also supports powered external hard drives. Even then, I’ve had the system since launch, owned a number of downloaded games and have rarely come close to needing more space than the internal storage provided. Speaking of games, the type of stuff you’ll play on the Wii U underscores the limitations of its relatively low-powered internals. The IBM-Power-based multi-core processor and custom Radeon high-def GPU can’t crank out visuals on par with what the PS4 and Xbox One are capable of, but playing Mario Kart 8 in 1080p at 60 frames per second is still nothing to sneeze at. Strong art direction doesn’t need bleeding-edge silicon to power it either — just a development team skilled at using what’s available. And that’s what Nintendo does best.
GamePad
The GamePad is the heart of the Wii U; the thing that makes it so different from the hardware that came before it. Nintendo fused motion controls from the original Wii with the 3DS hand-held’s touch interface into one package, creating something truly unique. Perhaps someone else is using the TV in the living room, but you want to collect a few coins in Mario Kart 8? No problem. You can use GamePad’s 6.2-inch resistive touchscreen to play games, no TV required. Just plug in a pair of headphones to the 3.5mm jack on top and you’re all set. A majority of titles mirror their video output to the GamePad’s screen too, so your options aren’t limited to kart racing with an Italian plumber and his pals. The catch here is that to get the best experience, you need to be pretty close to the console itself (read: within 20 feet and with a clear line of sight).
While the touchpad takes center stage, there are also a bunch of physical inputs. Two clickable, convex analog sticks are equidistant on opposite sides of the touchscreen, with a D-pad below the one on the left. And there’s an NFC contact point for Amiibo figurines directly under that. Moving to the right, the system’s home button is centered below the screen. Next to that is a battery-indicator light, and buttons for TV control and powering the console on and off.
The diamond arrangement of A, B, X and Y face buttons sits awkwardly right below the right analog stick, with the start and select buttons below that. And I almost forgot: There’s a camera centered above the touchpad. I’ve never used it for anything, hence my nearly forgetting to mention it. Continuing our tour, a pair each of digital shoulder and trigger buttons rest on the backside. Those are joined by a volume slider for the onboard speakers, an IR blaster, headphone port and AC power connector.
I’ve never been able to hold the GamePad comfortably. I have big hands, and the device, though sturdy, isn’t easy to hang onto for extended periods of time. The ridge that juts out from the backside isn’t even the issue. I actually like resting the tops of my middle fingers against it while my pointer fingers lie on top of the ZL and ZR triggers. It’s the fact that half of my fingers don’t have any option other than lying flat against the back. Moreover, the symmetrical analog stick placement makes it difficult for me to reach the A, B, X, Y diamond during gameplay. Same with grabbing the stylus from its holster in the middle of playing.
Of course, the traditional joypad, the Wii U Pro Controller, doesn’t have any of these issues. My only gripes are the digital shoulder and trigger buttons: It’s hard to go back from the analog precision Microsoft has offered on its Xbox controllers since 2001. Hell, the GameCube controller had them too.
The other thing is that some games — especially those developed in-house by Nintendo — simply aren’t playable without the GamePad. Launch title Scribblenauts Unlimited relies on the touchpad for inputting text, for instance. Meanwhile, this year’s Star Fox Zero uses its motion controls and second screen extensively for targeting. Kirby and the Rainbow Curse has you drawing paths for the pink puffball to follow directly on the GamePad’s screen as well, without the need to even look up at your TV. Not using the controller isn’t exactly an option if you aren’t a fan of it and still want to play the Wii U’s exclusive games.
Anecdotally, I’ve discovered that the split of people who love or loathe the GamePad is pretty even. Personally, the ergonomic issues make it hard for me to go more than a few hours before my hands cramp up and I need to put the GamePad down. Which works out well because the battery on the controller lasts only around four hours at half brightness with the volume turned off.
Battery life isn’t as annoying an issue thanks to the GamePad’s pack-in charging cradle, though. Setting the controller in it after a session is effortless, due to the fact that it charges via contact points rather than a cable. I wish Microsoft and Sony would do something like this: The convenience of it can’t be overstated.
System software
Part of what makes the Wii U feel like it’s aged so much is that its software hasn’t been updated nearly as much as its contemporaries’. The system feels like we’ve had it longer because, aside from the addition of folders and a quick access menu (both of which are incredibly welcome), it’s basically running the same software as it did in 2012. The Xbox One, meanwhile, has undergone a total software makeover, and in less time.
We’re currently at system software version 5.5.1, and compared to 2012’s operating system, it’s dramatically faster. Is it as zippy as navigating the PS4’s home screen? No, but that console is a year newer and a great deal more powerful. A lot of things that required digging through a few submenus and exiting your game to access, like the friends list and Miiverse social network, pop up when pressing the Home button now. And that’s about it.
Game selection
The reason practically everyone buys Nintendo consoles is to play the latest versions of the company’s signature franchises. Very few third-party games take advantage of Nintendo’s various hardware features the way its in-house teams do. It’s a good thing, then, that for the most part, the tentpole Nintendo games on the Wii U are great — especially for parties. Splatoon, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, Mario Kart 8 and Super Mario 3D World offer the types of local multiplayer action you simply can’t get anywhere else. That’s to say nothing of revisiting remastered classics like The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD or its sequel, Twilight Princess HD, with more detail and new features, respectively.
The Wii U has given birth to a pretty active indie scene, too. Affordable Space Adventures, Runbow, Fast Racing Neo and Shovel Knight, among others, are all worth your time.
At this point in the console’s life, though, there’s really only one new game on the horizon: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. And even then, that doesn’t come out until sometime early next year. If you’re buying a Wii U today, there isn’t a lot to look forward to by way of new games, but at least there are plenty of quality experiences to catch up on.
Wrapup
While the Wii and 3DS that came before it popularized motion control and stylus input, the Wii U’s use of these technologies didn’t excite gamers the way Nintendo’s earlier consoles did. Still, the Wii U’s impact on the broader gaming landscape is undeniable. Mirroring gameplay to another device gave rise to Remote Play on PlayStation and game streaming on Xbox One. What’s more, Sony cribbed the idea of using your TV as a monitor for bystanders for its soon-to-be-released PlayStation VR. Nintendo has been ahead of the curve for a while, but what legacy its next hardware innovation leaves remains to be seen.
Photos by Will Lipman
NASA extends the Spitzer mission for two-and-a-half years
When the Spitzer telescope blasted off to space on August 25th, 2003, NASA didn’t think it would still be doing science by 2016. But since it’s alive and well 13 years later, the agency has granted it a two-and-a-half-year mission extension to make discoveries the astronomers “never imagined exploring with the spacecraft.” The space telescope’s next stage officially called the “Beyond phase” will begin on October 1st this year. It represents a period in the elderly spacecraft’s life fraught with engineering challenges due to its age.
First, since Spitzer travels slower than our planet, it’s now in a less-than-ideal position to continue communicating with its ground team. To make up for that, its antenna should always be pointed at higher angles toward the sun, which is risky, because the spacecraft is sensitive to heat. That’s also an issue since that would turn its solar panels away from the sun. Using energy until it’s almost depleted because the solar panels can’t absorb that much power will put great strain on the telescope’s batteries.
Spitzer’s mission has transformed over time, especially afer the helium coolant that was keeping its main scientific instruments cold ran out. Thankfully, its Infrared Array Cameras (IRAC) survived, so the agency has been using them to hunt for exoplanets and even early galaxies. “We never even considered using Spitzer for studying exoplanets when it launched,” NASA Spitzer’s Sean Carey said. “It would have seemed ludicrous back then, but now it’s an important part of what Spitzer does.” The telescope will continue what it’s been doing these past three years and will identify targets that its successor, the James Webb telescope, can observe more closely. James Webb — and its primary mirror that’s more powerful than Hubble’s — is slated to launch in October 2018.
Source: NASA
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