Pokemon CEO “reveals” details about Nintendo NX

It’s no secret that Nintendo is going to release the NX console. The company itself has confirmed its existence, saying it will be a “brand new concept”. What we don’t know about it though is what it will actually be and look like.

Our best guess is that it will be a handheld/home console hybrid, so you can play games on the go then get home and plug it into a dock. It’s reported the NX will be powerful enough to compete with gaming’s elite such as the PS4 and Xbox One.

• Nintendo NX: Release date, specs and everything you need to know

And those guesses have all but been confirmed after Pokemon CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara dropped a massive hint in an interview to with the Wall Street Journal. He was speaking about the phenomenal success of Pokemon Go and how it has improved sales of other Pokemon products. But he went on to say of the NX: “It [the NX] is trying to change the concept of what it means to be a home console device or a hand-held device”.

“We will make games for the NX”. If that isn’t a huge clue then we don’t know what is.

Nintendo hasn’t responded to the comments, although if details surrounding the NX were meant to be a secret, Mr Ishihara will be in line for a telling off.

• Nintendo NX patent shows handheld console after all
• Nintendo NX console specifications leaked in official survey, internet blows up
• Nintendo NX release date revealed

We’re expecting to hear more details about the Nintendo NX and perhaps even see it be officially unveiled in October, as the company has confirmed it will be released in March 2017. A handheld/home console hybrid is certainly an intriguing idea and we can’t wait to get a proper look at it.

Netflix Planning to Fill its Streaming Catalog With 50% Original Content

Netflix is aiming to fill half of its streaming catalog with original programming over the next few years, according to company CFO David Wells (via Variety).

The announcement marks a renewed push towards offering original TV shows and movies commissioned by Netflix over stocking licensed content. The streaming catalog is already one third of the way toward reaching the target, according Wells, who said the company was undergoing “a multiyear transition and evolution toward more of our own content”.

Netflix expects to launch 600 hours of programming in 2016, up from 450 hours in 2015, said content chief Ted Sarandos at the start of the year. The company has projected content spending on a profit/loss basis to rise from $5 billion in 2016 to more than $6 billion in 2017.

Wells said the original TV series and movies will continue to be a mix of content owned and produced by Netflix, as well as co-productions and acquisitions. The streaming market is seeing a decreasing cost of production and an increasing number of bidders, making it cheaper to take risks on new programming.

“You have supply and demand settling out,” Wells continued. “We don’t necessarily have to have home runs. We can also live with singles, doubles and triples especially commensurate with their cost.”

The goal, he said, is to release something that appeals to each individual subscriber, every single month, and on that front “we’ve got a ways to go” across different genres and formats. “The nice thing about the platform is it allows a lot of creative freedom,” Wells added, offering the production of episodes of varying lengths as an example.

Netflix is in the process of transitioning all U.S. subscribers to its standard $9.99 monthly plan, which it says will help generate revenue for investing in original content. However, the forced switch increases the price for some older subs by $2 per month and has led to higher cancellation rates than the company anticipated. Netflix reported a lower-than-expected 160,000 net U.S. streaming subs for the second quarter.

A follow-up season of Stranger Things, one of Netflix’s most recent breakout hit shows, has already been confirmed. On August 31, the company renewed the series for a second season of nine episodes, to be released in 2017.

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How to install and set up Allo

A chatbot that leverages Google’s machine learning and AI skills. Welcome to the future!

Google’s smart messaging service Allo is finally available. The app differentiates itself from the plethora of messaging clients by integrating Google Assistant, which calls upon the company’s vast machine learning and artificial intelligence capabilities to provide contextual information as and when you need it. Here’s how you can get started with Allo.

• How to install Allo
• How to set up Allo
• How to start a chat in Allo
• How to start an incognito chat in Allo
• How to start a group chat in Allo

How to install Allo

Open the Play Store from your home screen or app drawer.
Search for Google Allo.
Tap the three dots in the top right corner next to the search result.

Tap Install.

How to set up Allo

Allo is mobile-first, which means you’ll have to set it up using your phone number.

Give Allo access to your contacts, phone storage, and the ability to send and view SMS messages.
Enter your phone number.

Enter the verification code.

Take a picture, or choose one from the gallery.

Add your name and hit Next.

How to start a chat in Allo

As Allo is a mobile-first messaging service, it relies on your phone contacts. If your contact has Allo installed, you’ll see their name at the top. Else, you can send an invite link for them to download and get started with Allo. Once your intended contact has Allo installed, it’s a straightforward process to initiate a chat session.

Tap the Message action button (circular button with a message icon in the bottom right corner).
Enter your contact’s name in the search box, or scroll down to select the contact.

Viola!

How to start an incognito chat in Allo

All chats in Allo are end-to-end-encrypted, but if you don’t want Google to store a record of your conversation, then Incognito Mode is for you. You can set an expiration timer for the chat window, and once it elapses, the conversation is automatically deleted.

Tap the Message action button.
Select Start incognito chat.

Start entering your contact’s name or scroll down the list to find the contact.

Select the contact to begin an incognito chat.
Tap the timer icon in the top right corner to set a chat expiration timer.

Select the timer duration. You can set it for anything from 5 seconds to 1 week, or disable the feature.

How to start a group chat in Allo

Tap the Message action button.
Select Start group chat.

Add participants to the group.

Add a name and avatar.

Have fun asking the Google Assistant all sorts of weird things.

Your take

Did you start using Allo yet? What are you liking the most about the service? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Traveling with Allo? You can swap SIMs without logging out

You can activate Allo on your normal number and still use a local SIM for data.

In addition to being linked to your Google account, Allo is tied to your main phone number. That makes things tricky if you use multiple devices — unlike Hangouts, there’s no easy way to use it on multiple phones at the same time right now. And the phone number tie-in might seem to make things difficult for travelers too — specifically being stuck on one phone number with the associated roaming costs when traveling abroad.

Fortunately, there’s a simple workaround.

Allo is heavily inspired by WhatsApp, and the way it handles SIM swaps is basically borrowed from the rival service. Activating Allo on a new device is what ends your previous session, not changing the SIM in your phone. And even if you swap SIMs while you’re traveling, Allo will remain activated on your old number — just so long as you don’t sign into Allo with that number on a different device.

So if you want to use a local SIM when traveling, simply do the following:

Activate Allo on your main (home) number using SMS authentication. (Chances are you’ve already done this.)
Swap your SIM to a local one when you arrive at your destination.
Continue using Allo as normal. You’ll receive Allo messages sent to your home number while using the local (foreign) network for data, calls and texts.

If you’re logged out for whatever reason, you’ll be able to log back in by receiving Google’s authentication text message to your main phone number. (You don’t necessarily need your main SIM in your main phone to do this, just as long as you can receive the SMS.)

Apple MacBook (2016) review: Is port-free still the future?

The revival of the MacBook range in spring 2015 resulted in one of the most beautiful and portable Apple laptops: the 12-inch MacBook. It was also one of the most controversial, with just a single USB Type-C port handling all the connectivity and charging.

A year later and the Californian company has released an updated version, complete with faster processors and increased battery life. Shown here in its new rose gold coat. Very snazzy.

However, the original design remains, meaning there’s just that single USB-C port. Is this lack of connectivity a sacrifice worth making, or has the world caught up and it’s now just the norm?

Apple MacBook (2016) review: Undoubtedly beautiful design

If you’re familiar with the 2015 MacBook, you’ll already know how light the device is, weighing just 920g. It’s 13.1mm at the thickest hinge point and just 3.5mm at the tapered edge, making it thinner than an HB pencil and light enough to balance in one hand. This is due to Apple’s decision to do away with an internal fan – instead it distributes heat sideways.

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However, a year is a long time in the tech world, with the competition snapping at Apple’s heels in the design stakes. Although not available just yet, the likes of the Acer Swift 7 – which is even thinner than Apple’s offering – poses an enticing option from the Windows camp.

But back to the Apple. The new rose gold option – added as a colour option to mirror the iPhone, Apple Watch and iPad ranges – is a warm, coppery pink, with a colour-matched metal Apple logo on the rear replacing the glowing logos of old. How likely you are to invest in a pink laptop depends very much on your personal taste, but it’s a shot of interest in a sea of uniform silvers and blacks. Equally, the likes of HP, with its Spectre laptop, are pushing the bling angle with some interesting gold trims.

Apple MacBook (2016) review: USB-C connectivity cometh

There is no full-size USB, Display Port or Ethernet to be in the MacBook – it’s all down to the single USB-C. Well, there is a 3.5mm headphone jack on the far right which could be counted as port two – but as that vanished from the recent iPhone 7, we suspect its days on MacBooks are also numbered.

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How annoyed you are by this will come down to how likely you are to be plugging SD card readers or cables into your laptop. You’ll have to buy separately-sold adaptors to plug anything else in, though anyone who is largely planning to just surf the web, use cloud storage for everything, bash out the odd document and watch videos are unlikely to be too troubled.

However, even the competition are delivering laptops with two USB Type-C ports. We think Apple should have done so here, at least it would mean charging and connectivity would be simultaneously possible. Maybe the 3.5mm jack has to go first, we’ll wait and see…

Apple MacBook (2016) review: Pin-sharp display

With Apple’s Retina-designated display available on the iPhone, iPad, and MacBook Pro range, its absence in the MacBook Air range has been something of an anomaly. While the Air misses out, yet again, the new MacBook doesn’t, helping to make it stand out in the range.

Of course the term “Retina Display” varies between the company’s products, based on their size. In the MacBook its 2304 x 1440 resolution (that’s three million pixels) is sharp and bright.

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It’s particularly great for watching videos and flicking through pictures, and although it struggles in direct sunlight, you’re probably more likely to be using another device outside anyway.

The MacBook’s screen has a taller ratio than the 11-inch MacBook Air, too, making it more versatile.

Apple MacBook (2016) review: Slim keyboard

The new MacBook sports individually-lit keys which are 17 per cent larger than you’ll find on other, older Apple laptops. But the most standout thing about this keyboard is its use of Apple’s butterfly mechanism, which means the keys don’t feel like they do on a “normal” keyboard.

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To make the device so thin, Apple has had to change the mechanism under the individual keys – as the standard traditional method was too cumbersome for the design. The result is a much punchier, stiffer keyboard for typing, which doesn’t have the same level of individual key travel as previous MacBook outings.

You quickly adapt to these low, shallow keys but initially it feels very strange: like tapping away on little more than a touchscreen.

Apple MacBook (2016) review: Force Touch trackpad

Moving on to the large glass-fronted trackpad. On the surface it looks the same as any other, but this one uses what Apple calls Force Touch. It contains four sensors to detect your degree of pressure and deliver a haptic response, in a similar way to the Apple Watch and iPhone 7’s new Home button.

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When you press harder, there’s a second “layer” of response for additional control possibilities, called Force Click. For this “deeper” press you’ll swear that not only is the trackpad moving, but that you are pressing it down into a second deeper level. But that’s all in your head: it doesn’t move at all.

What you actually feel are subtle vibrations, rather than a “click” generated by the give of the trackpad. It’s Apple’s way of delivering a familiar, modern user experience while still benefitting from that slim, lightweight body.

It also means that no matter where you press on the trackpad your touch is registered to the same degree.

Apple MacBook (2016) review: Zippy performance

There are two main configurations for the 2016 MacBook: a 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core M3 with 8GB RAM, priced from £1,099; and a 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Core M5 with 8GB RAM, priced from £1,299.

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We tested the latter, which is in-line with current fanless standards. If, however, you intent to push that processor you will be better off looking to a more powerful model in the range (for a similar price) as the MacBook isn’t the very best device for heavy duty graphics work or gaming – but then you probably knew that already.

The new configuration Apple claims the machine can eke out up to 10-hours worth of battery life. We found a single charge to deliver more than enough to last a day’s worth of work, even with the display on full brightness and using Photoshop and some other dedicated programs. A number of clever Energy Saver Preferences can also help you get that little bit further between charges.

Verdict

The 12-inch MacBook has divided opinion since day one, having done-away with a full-size USB port for the smaller USB Type-C. A couple of years down the line and this will be a more standard format, but the bigger issue is the MacBook’s persistence to offer just one of these ports for both charging and connectivity.

If you’re a casual or cloud-based user that won’t be a big issue though. Just as we said of the first iteration: the 12-inch MacBook is all about portability; it’s a laptop so thin, so sleek, so light, that everything else has been pushed by the wayside. And the competition won’t have anything as trim and style-focused on the market until almost the end of 2016.

It’s worth keeping in mind that Apple is looking increasingly likely to release a touchscreen laptop at some point in the near future (if patents are anything to go by), while new MacBook Pro and iMac updates are expected soon too. Those points don’t change the MacBook’s proposition for the time being, but if you’re in no rush to buy then pausing for a second might pay off.

Overall, if you’re after a stylish, peppy little laptop, then the 2016 MacBook is approaching just about perfect. It’s bold, it’s available in rose gold, and with all its trackpad and keyboard tech it feels like a futuristic extension of the company’s wider range.

Sony RX10 III review: A camera for all seasons

As its name suggests, the RX10 III is the third iteration of Sony’s RX10 bridge camera, building on the appeal of the RX10 II (which Sony continues to market and sell) by boosting the optical zoom’s reach.

Given that the limited 24-200mm equivalent zoom was one of the few criticisms one could land against the RX10 II, does that make the RX10 III the perfect bridge camera? After spending a few weeks in its company, here’s what we make of it.

Sony RX10 III review: Design and build quality

The RX10 III is certainly pricey by bridge camera standards – in fact it’s more expensive than many mid-range DSLRs – but there’s much about it that transcends the expectations of a camera in this class.

One of these factors is the build quality, which is among the best you’ll find in a camera of this type. We’re talking almost pro-level in terms of construction: the body is weather-sealed, which means you can use it in the rain or snow (or even in a dust storm) without worrying about the conditions forcing you into a costly trip to the repair shop.

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It’s not fully waterproof – don’t go dropping it in any fishponds – but it’ll withstand anything the remnants of Britain’s summertime can throw at it with nary a shrug.

It’s a heavy, bulky camera, though. Much of that is down to the large lens barrel (there’s plenty of glass in there) and a good proportion of metal in the body. There’s a reassuring feel of sturdiness in the build, but the weight and DSLR-like dimensions mean it’s not the easiest thing to have hanging around your neck all day; a decent protective bag might well prove a worthwhile companion purchase.

In terms of the design, things in the RX10 III are very similar to the RX10 II: the control layout is near identical, which a good thing, as the buttons are all well positioned for easy access, and the lens rings for zoom, focus and aperture control are large, with enough resistance that they give you a pleasing measure of control); the tilting 3-inch screen is sharp and vibrant, even on bright days (although there’s no touch sensitivity, which is annoying); and the wonderfully detailed, bright, natural-looking 2.36-million dot OLED viewfinder makes for a fantastic way to compose photos and videos.

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There’s a hotshoe for adding flashguns, microphones and other accessories; and ports at the side for plugging in headphones and mics; and a micro HDMI output. This is a camera designed for enthusiast filmmaking rather than just a bit of home video messing about. It also features USB recharging, which is a useful feature if you’re going to be doing a lot of shooting away from mains power.

Sony RX10 III review: Performance

Like its predecessor, the RX10 III comes packed with a dizzying variety of shooting modes. There’s the usual collection of automatic, scene, manual, program, aperture and shutter priority modes, as well as an auto-stitched panoramic shooting mode and a manual movie mode.

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There’s even an HFR (high frame-rate) mode for shooting video at frame rates of up to 1,000fps. Capture a second or two (the camera limits you to very short clips) of something at this speed and, when played back at regular frame rates, it runs in gloriously smooth slo-mo. If you’ve been impressed by similar stuff on smartphones, the RX10 III’s performance will blow you away – not only can it capture at a much faster rate (giving you slower, smoother playback) but the image quality is just all-round better. Is it a feature you’ll use all the time? Probably not – but if you’re willing to dedicate a bit of patience and time to capturing the right stuff, you can create some incredible clips.

You could do the same on the RX10 II, but now you get that big zoom range to play with as well: the RX10 III’s 24-600mm equivalent optical zoom (as opposed to 24-200mm on the RX10 II), plus a pretty digital zoom on top of that. That zoom – in conjunction with the camera’s superb SteadyShot optical image stabilisation – allowed us to capture, handheld, this photo of the moon:

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There is a downside to the new, longer lens, though: its maximum aperture range begins at f/2.4 and dips to f/4.0 at full extension. Still pretty good, but it’s not the f/2.8 throughout the range that the RX10 II offered, making the two cameras quite different propositions.

The RX10 III’s fast shooting comes paired with a stacked 20.1-megapixel 1-inch Exmor R CMOS sensor, which uses attached memory to capture images at a much faster speed than most consumer cameras can manage. It allows not only that HFR shooting, but shutter speeds as fast as 1/32000 of a second, 14fps continuous stills shooting, and XAVC 4K video capture at 30fps with no pixel binning (meaning a less compression-heavy 4K output than many 4K-capturing cameras).

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Another feather in the RX10 III’s cap is its fast, accurate autofocus, which will rarely let you down when you’re trying to capture a moving subject. The only time that might become a problem is at maximum extension in dim conditions, but even then it’s proven itself time and again.

Sony RX10 III review: Image quality

A camera can boast all the features in the world, but if the quality of its videos and photos sucks, it’s worthless. Thankfully, the RX10 III doesn’t falter at this vital hurdle, delivering images with gorgeous depth, detail, colour reproduction and, where possible, buttery smooth bokeh.

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Thanks to the large sensor, wide aperture and image processing tech, low-light performance is a surprisingly strong point. Bridge cameras aren’t known for producing the goods once the sun dips below the horizon, but the RX10 III can hold its own. You’ll definitely notice noise start to creep into shots as the ISO gets higher, mind you – but it’s not going to ruin otherwise great images.

That lens is big, and adds a lot to the camera’s bulk, but it’s that way for a reason because of the optics within. And in terms of sharpness and distortion it performs excellently throughout its range. It also deals well with flare, so you can shoot on a bright sunny day without having to fret too much about your photos being spoiled by errant rays of light.

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Whether you want to shoot close-up or far-away subjects, the quality and sharpness of the RX10 III’s images will make you think they’ve been shot by a DSLR or similar. It’s a strong performance indeed.

Verdict

The RX10 II was by no means a disappointing camera, but the RX10 III takes its only real flaw – its lack of zoom reach – and tosses it out the window. The result is a bridge camera that equals and in many ways beats many DSLRs when it comes to image quality and offers, with its single lens, a stunning level of flexibility and versatility. If you’re ok with the big scale, anyway.

Many bridge cameras feel like jacks of all trades, masters of none, but Sony has produced one that truly masters most areas of stills and video photography. It’s certainly the best bridge camera on the market right now – although the high price tag will prove a sticking point for many consumers. If you can ever get hold of one at a marked down price, we suggest you snap it up.

Nike Hyperadapt 1.0 are the BTTF trainers with powerlaces you can actually own

After teasing them back in May, Nike is now ready to put its first mass consumer-ready powerlaced trainers on sale.

Like the boots Marty wore in Back to the Future II, the Nike Hyperadapt 1.0 sneakers have self-powered laces that tighten around your feet as soon as you put them on.

There’s a sensor in each heel which recognises when a foot is inside the shoe, it then pulls at the sides and laces to ensure a tight fit. Buttons on either side can loosen or strengthen the grip depending on your own personal preference. It calls the technology “adaptive fit”, hence the name.

The power unit is in the sole of the shoe, with an LED light added for good measure.

• They’re finally here: Nike to release Marty McFly’s self-lacing trainers next spring
• Apple Watch Nike+ preview: It’s time to start running
• Apple Watch Nike Plus is designed to be your perfect running partner

Nike claims that this is the first step (pardon the pun) to a promising future for running shoes and performance wear. One potential idea is that future versions could adapt the fit as you are training, knowing when to tighten or loosen depending on the activity. 

There’s no indication of price yet, but they won’t be cheap. They will only be available in the US initially, with select retail locations offering purchase appointments from 28 November.

They’re not quite the Nike Mags that Marty wore – which also became a working prototype recently – but the Hyperadapt 1.0 shoes really are a slice of the future.

Verizon, Sprint start selling new Galaxy Note 7 as recall continues

Well it turns out those new Note 7s aren’t just for exchanges; they’re also for new sales.

Right on the heels of the announcement that 500,000 brand new Galaxy Note 7s have arrived in the U.S. for customer exchanges, Verizon and Sprint have started offering up the new phones for sale. Verizon’s page places a larage notice on the product page indicating that these are new “safe” units, while Sprint simply picked up where it left off with no notice.

The return of sales on the same day that Samsung flooded carrier and retail channels with devices for exchange is a bit odd, considering how small of a percentage of Note 7 owners — reportedly below 20% — had already exchanged their recalled phones. 500,000 phones is a lot of inventory to have out there, and surely there are more on the way to replenish the full 1 million recalled, but it’s surprising that Samsung (or the U.S. CPSC) would allow sales to resume when there are still recalled and potentially dangerous Note 7s out there waiting to be exchanged.

Nonetheless, if you’ve been waiting these past three weeks to order your Note 7 for the first time, or perhaps got a full refund for your initial Note 7 purchase and were waiting to buy a fresh one, Verizon and Sprint have you covered. We expect T-Mobile and AT&T to hop on the bandwagon soon as well.

See at VerizonSee at Sprint

Samsung Galaxy Note 7

• Galaxy Note 7 recall: Everything you need to know
• Samsung Galaxy Note 7 review
• The latest Galaxy Note 7 news!
• Here are all four Note 7 colors
• Complete Galaxy Note 7 specs
• Join the Note 7 discussion in the forums!

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AT&T
T-Mobile
Sprint