ABC News Now Supports Siri’s Live Tune-In Feature

Earlier this year, Apple introduced a new Live Tune-In feature for Siri, which allows the personal assistant to go directly to a live channel in a supported app. As of today, Live Tune-In has gained support for ABC News, letting Siri open up live news broadcasts when commanded to do so.

Live Tune-In also works with the following apps: CBS, CBS News, CNN Go, Cooking Channel, Disney Channel, Disney Jr., Disney XD, DIY, ESPN, Food Network, FXNOW, HGTC, and Travel Channel.

Live Tune-In is currently only available in the United States. It can be accessed by asking Siri to “Watch ESPN live” or “Watch ABC News live.” Live Tune-In Feature is available for all customers who have a fourth-generation Apple TV. In most cases, it does require a cable subscription and authentication through a cable provider.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 10
Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Neutral)
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Best Tempered Glass Screen Protectors For Honor 8

Protect the glass on your Honor 8 with these tempered glass screen protectors.

The Honor 8 features a crisp 1080p 5.2-inch display that you’ll want to protect from scratches and drop damage. Tempered glass screen protectors are hands-down the best way to protect the glass on your phone.

The issue here, along with screen protectors for many other phones, is with the slight curve along the edge of the Honor 8’s screen. You’ll never quite get full screen coverage with a Tempered glass screen protector on a curved screen. Even still, investing in a $15 screen protector on day one could save you from having to shell out to replace a cracked screen sometime down the line. Silver lining to the lack of edge-to-edge protection, they should pair well with all sorts of cases for your Honor 8.

With that disclaimer out of the way, here are some of the best options for protecting your Honor 8 screen — and even a bonus protector for protecting the glass on the back!

• Nillkin H+Pro Anti-Explosion Tempered Glass Screen Protector
• J&D Tempered Glass Screen Protector for Honor 8
• Ultimate Shield Black Tempered Glass Screen Protector
• SANMIN Tempered Glass Back Protector

Nillkin H+Pro Anti-Explosion Tempered Glass Screen Protector

This screen protector from Nillkin comes with everything you’ll need to clean your screen and get a perfect application the first time. It advertises itself as “anti-explosion” (insert Note 7 joke here), which means that even if (or when) the screen protector shatters, the shards won’t go everywhere thanks to a thin film along the surface. A good feature to have considering the precision cutouts near the top the front-facing camera and ear speaker.

With 9H hardness and 2.5D edging to provide maximum scratch protection and comfort, and an oleophobic coating to help prevent fingerprints and other dirt, this screen protector will keep your Honor 8 looking good.

See at Amazon

J&D Tempered Glass Screen Protector for Honor 8

Two screen protectors are better than one, because it’s always good to have a backup in case your primary takes the brunt of a fall.

It’s hard to find significant differences between screen protectors, but J&D’s tempered screen protectors feature a cutout along the top that goes under the camera and ear speaker. That’s either a positive or negative feature depending on your perspective — either you don’t like that there’s less screen coverage, or you appreciate that there isn’t a tiny bridge of tempered glass around the ear speaker that will likely be the first part to break. Both protectors included here come with hydrophobic and oleophobic screen coating and the standard 9H surface hardness you’d expect from a tempered glass option. When you consider the cost and the fact you get two screen protectors for under $10, this is a great deal.

See at Amazon

Ultimate Shield Black Tempered Glass Screen Protector

Ultimate Shield’s tempered glass offering for the Honor 8 features a colored border at the top and bottom especially match whichever color of the phone you own. We’ve linked to the black option below, but it also comes in blue and white as well. The kit includes a microfiber cloth, wet cloth, and dust stickers to ensure you get a perfect installation. Cutouts around the camera and ear speaker along with a window around the Honor logo at the bottom should help with lining things up during installation.

Based out of the UK, Ultimate Shield boasts free shipping worldwide on all orders.

See at Ultimate Shield

SANMIN Tempered Glass Back Protector

Given that the Honor 8 features glass on the front and back, you’re playing with fire if you don’t put a case on it. However, many people simply prefer the ‘naked’ look for their phone.

With the SANMIN Tempered Glass Back Protector, you can add some extra protection to the back glass of your Honor 8 without having to compromise the sleek look and feel of your phone’s design. At just .33 mm thick, this is an ultra-thin sheet of glass that features cutouts around the fingerprint sensor and the cameras and flash. Just like the tempered glass protectors for the screen, this won’t exactly reach to the very edge of the curved back panel of glass, but it will prevent fingerprints and dirty smudges with it’s oleophobic coating. Paired with a screen protector on the other side, your Honor 8 will be secretly protected from cracks and scratches.

See at Amazon

Protecting curved screens

As we mentioned, tempered glass screen protectors can’t go edge-to-edge on phones with curved glass screens. Given the choice, which do you prioritize more: sleek style, or rugged durability?

The LG V20 is coming soon, and we have an IOU for one Android Central reader!

The LG V20 ditches its tough-feeling exterior for something a bit more svelte, and adopts most of the software experience developed for the G5. At the same time, it carries on from the V10 by keeping its larger display and removable battery, while also doubling down on robust camera capabilities, top-end audio and extra features. It is, of course, the first phone shipping with Android 7.0 Nougat as well. You can check out our preview of the LG V20, and then come back here to enter to win one before you can even buy it.

THE PRIZE: One Android Central reader will be taking home a brand new LG V20!

THE GIVEAWAY: Head down to the widget at the bottom of this page. There are multiple ways to enter, each with varying point values. Complete all of the tasks for maximum entries and your best shot at winning! Keep in mind that all winning entries are verified and if the task was not completed or cannot be verified, a new winner will be chosen. The giveaway is open until October 19th, and the winner will be announced right here shortly after the close date. Good luck!

The LG V20 is releasing soon, and we have an IOU for one Android Central reader!

The Uncertain brings post-apocalyptic adventure to NVIDIA Shield Android TV

“Unlike humans, we robots think logically and act rationally. Therefore, we will never destroy ourselves.”

The Uncertain is a sci-fi adventure-puzzle game set in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity has wiped itself out and only robots remain. Developed by Russian indie game developer Comon Games, The Uncertain Episode One: The Last Quiet Day boasts pretty amazing graphics and set pieces as players explore and discover the story as they play. It officially releases today for the NVIDIA Shield Android TV, and is available from the Google Play Store for $14.99.

After humanity drove itself to extinction in the 22nd century, robots rose up and became self-sufficient on their own. As their artificial intelligence continued to evolve, so too did their society, as each robot found a field of work to suit their own abilities. Slowly but steadily the robots created a new civilization on Earth, remaining vigilant to avoid past human mistakes.

You control Model RT-217NP, an advanced robot inventor. His role in society is to search out the remains for electronic devices and then repurposes them to serve his fellow robots. During his searches he often comes across human artifacts, which has sparked his curiosity into what precisely happened to humanity. However, there’s an imposed ban on studying the history of the human race by the robots’ shadowy creator, the USS Corporation.

Developed for PC via Steam Greenlight, The Uncertain has been ported over to the NVIDIA Shield Android TV to take advantage of its abilities to provide an AAA gaming experience on an Android platform. The game is also scheduled for a mobile release on other Android devices later this year.

Check out the trailer video below.

Sony’s new Xperia XZ hitting the U.S. for $699 on Oct 2

This is unfortunately the price you’re still expected to pay for a Sony phone.

Sony’s latest flagship, the Xperia XZ, has made its way out in some regions around the world and is now ready to hit the U.S. as well. Starting on October 2, you’ll be able to pick up an unlocked Xperia XZ for a hefty $699 from both Amazon and Best Buy, among other partnering retailers.

The Xperia XZ takes over very quickly after the delayed U.S. launch of the Xperia X Performance (which itself is already down to $585 unlocked), but this is indeed a full replacement for that phone. The Xperia XZ has a solid metal build with signature Sony design, a really nice 5.2-inch display and is powered by a Snapdragon 820 processor. It also has waterproofing, stereo speakers and Sony’s best mobile camera setup yet.

Unfortunately it’s lacking a fingerprint sensor in the U.S., which is pretty ridiculous considering the suggested retail price of the phone and continues to be a trend with Sony’s phones here. Nonetheless, if the Xperia XZ seems like the complete package you’ve been waiting for in the U.S., you’re just over a week away from being able to order.

More: Our full Sony Xperia XZ review

If you’re looking for something from Sony that’s a bit smaller and less expensive, the new Xperia X Compact, which was announced alongside the XZ, is already up for pre-order on Amazon for $499 — it launches officially on September 25.

Press release:

SONY ANNOUNCES PRICING AND AVAILABILITY FOR XPERIA™ XZ AND XPERIA X COMPACT IN THE UNITED STATES

Sony Mobile Communications (“Sony Mobile”) is pleased to announce that Xperia X Compact and Xperia XZ will be available unlocked in the United States starting September 25, 2016 for the Xperia X Compact and October 2, 2016 for Xperia XZ.

Both smartphones can be purchased on Amazon, Best Buy and other participating retailers for a suggested retail price of $499.99 and $699.99, respectively, and will support GSM networks.

The all new Xperia XZ represents the ultimate in Sony Xperia’s state-of-the-art camera, video and audio capabilities. It starts with the introduction of Sony’s allnew triple image sensing technology to the highly advanced 23MP camera, combining Predictive Hybrid Autofocus with two new sensors—Laser Autofocus and RGBC Infrared sensors—to clearly capture any moment in life with ease and accuracy in any light conditions with true-to-life colors. Video capabilities in Xperia XZ now include 4K recording and enhancements to our best-in-class SteadyShot® technology that deliver the most stable videos with the world’s first 5-axis video stabilization in a smartphone.

Beyond the camera and video advancements, Xperia XZ features an updated stereo dual microphone system with integrated noise cancellation to ensure that the immersive 3D stereo sound quality and reduced background noise match the outstanding 4K video quality. All of these features, along with a 5.2-inch Corning® Gorilla® Glass 4 Full HD display and a stunning loop surface design inspired by a monolithic form made with ALKALEIDO™ metal, gives you a stylish, durable and powerful smartphone loaded with the latest in audio-visual innovation from Sony.

For those who prefer a compact smartphone, Xperia X Compact brings the same state-of-the-art camera, video and audio capabilities in a compact design that fits great in your pocket, purse or bag, as well as in your hand. Boasting a durable 4.6-inch Corning® Gorilla® Glass 4 HD 720p TRILUMINOS™ display, Xperia X Compact also boasts the world’s first 5-axis video stabilization with fully enhanced SteadyShot image stabilization technology, allowing users to record smoother videos on the move or close up.

What to look for when buying a pair of Bluetooth headphones

Buying accessories like Bluetooth headphones can be frustrating, but we can help.

There are so many different Bluetooth headphone models from different companies — and of course, they all claim they are the best — and so many different opinions that it’s easy to feel lost and end up buying something that doesn’t work for you. And they aren’t exactly cheap, which can make it a costly mistake.

You can save yourself a bit of a headache if you think about what you are looking for before you click the Buy button or hand your plastic to someone. Experts — both pro and amateur — usually tell you why they think something like a particular pair of Bluetooth headphones are the best. Most times you’ll be able to decide if the things they think are important are things you think are important and buying on a recommendation usually works out. But if you like to research before you buy, or even know what the experts look for, we’ve got five things you need to consider.

Comfort and fit

Knowing how you’re going to be using your headphones can make a big difference. The best Bluetooth headphones for someone who listens while running every morning aren’t going to be the best for someone who uses them to listen to music or audio books while they are working. Decide which style of headphone you want — Bluetooth headphones come as earbuds, on-ear, over-ear, open back and most every other style that wired headphones use. Think about how you’ll use them, then look at other options.

Read user reviews to see if others have complaints about how they feel while they’re being used.

Once you’ve figured out what type of headphones you want, think about how comfortable they will be. Some earbuds pop out all the time. Some over-ear headphones can feel heavy or clamp your head too tightly. Read user reviews to see if others have complaints about how they feel while they’re being used.

There are two absolute truths here — everyone hates uncomfortable headphones, and people like to complain. Use that to your advantage. Of course, nothing beats trying on a pair yourself. If you have access to a place that specializes in electronics or audio gear, take the time to check out what they have for sale. Don’t be afraid to try on any outside-the-ear models.

Battery

The next thing to look for is how long the battery will last and how easily they charge.

There is nothing wrong with a pair of headphones that will only get five hours of use from a charge, provided you won’t need to use them longer than five hours at a stretch — and they don’t hurt your head while doing it. But if you need a pair to last you all day plus a commute, for example, that’s not going to work. Look at the packaging or the product’s website to see what the people who make them say, then knock off about 15% of the times they give. Also, reviews will quickly tell you if the manufacturer is grossly over-estimating the battery life.

Will you lose a proprietary charging cable or other attachment? I would, so I stick to devices that charge over USB.

How they charge is just as important. Will you lose a proprietary charging cable or other attachment? I would, so I stick to devices that charge over USB. Check to see if they can be charged while you’re using them because one day you just might need to do it. Pick a pair that makes it convenient for you to maintain a charge.

Technology

How they work and what they can do is pretty important when it comes to headphones. An obvious example would be needing a microphone to answer the occasional phone call, but there are other things to look for that can be just as important.

• aptX is a set of audio codec compression algorithms from Qualcomm. Bluetooth isn’t a very fast wireless connection, so the files get an extra layer of compression. Your Bluetooth headphones will need to decompress the data and play it back. aptX does a really good job with this. Your phone may not support aptX, but it’s a wise decision to look for it anyway because your car or your laptop might.
• A2DP and other Bluetooth profiles can be important. All Bluetooth headphones should support A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile), which is the protocol used to stream digital audio from one device to another. Headsets — both single ear or both ears — might not. Other profiles that can be important if you want to use your headphones as a headset are HSP (Headset Profile) to allow for use in calls, HFP (Hands-Free Profile) to allow for things like last number redialing or call waiting. If you just want to listen to media — movies, music audio books and the like — you won’t have to worry much about this. If you know you’ll be using the headphones for calling, you should.
• Bluetooth version is important. Don’t buy a pair of Bluetooth headphones that don’t support Bluetooth 4.2. Android supports it fully, and your phone probably uses it. Besides Internet of Things connectivity improvements, 4.2 brought some critical security features. While nobody will hack your headphones, seeing no wires means they know that your phone has Bluetooth turned on.

The best Bluetooth headphones will support Bluetooth 4.2 and aptX.

More importantly, devices with mismatched versions can get flaky when paired together. Everything is supposed to be backwards-compatible, but getting the right equipment up front is always the best solution. Having said that, your phone probably is using Bluetooth 4.3, but the changes in the small version bump don’t affect any of the audio transfer protocols; they were only for Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) devices that stay connected and stay powered all the time.

• Extra features can be a great addition. Make sure you don’t need them to use your headphones, but an app can offer extras that aren’t part of the regular Bluetooth stack. The Samsung Level app is a great example and lets you use audio presets for “better” sound or use speech to text for input when using Samsung Level headphones. Without the app, the headphones still work — which is the important part — but the extras are nice. Also, decide if you need to be able to answer calls, or skip tracks, pause/play or use any other controls from your headset. You can’t add any of this later.
• Noise cancellation is a must-have for a lot of people. If you are one of them, don’t depend on anything but active (powered) noise cancellation. A tight fit and thick foam pads can muffle a lot of sounds, but that’s not a substitute. Some expensive models also offer a noise-cancelling microphone (like the one in your phone) that cancels ambient noise to make voice calls clearer. These make a set of headphones more expensive, but can be worth it.

The sound

The way your music and movies sound matters. You know what’s acceptable and what is not for your ears, but if you see folks saying that a particular pair of headphones sounds bad or sounds great, it usually means exactly that. Some headphones, Bluetooth or wired, just sound bad because of the design or the fit.

Some headphones just sound bad so check user reviews before you buy.

Don’t go into this thinking that you’ll get the same level of fidelity from Bluetooth that you can with wired headphones. The audio processing components on quality Bluetooth models can be very good, but the source data from your phone over Bluetooth isn’t good enough to make use of the great hardware. For now. aptX Lossless is coming (announced in June 2016) and should make for obvious improvements.

Chances are, a good pair of Bluetooth 4.2 headphones with aptX support (with a phone that has the license to use it) will sound plenty good enough for most people under most conditions. Just look at what others are saying to make sure you aren’t buying one of those odd models that doesn’t.

The price

Finally, once you’ve sorted out models that suit all of your needs, it’s time to think about the price. Like everything, recognizable brands will be more costly. Names like Bose or Sony or Sennheiser can have $400+ price tags attached, but usually offer excellent noise and call cancellation, a comfortable fit, and great battery life. For a lot of us, that makes them worth the price. But Jabra or JBL have models that are almost as good in the same areas at one-fourth the price.

I can’t tell you how much to spend. Looking back at the money I’ve spent on headphones over the years, I shouldn’t be telling anyone what to spend on them. But I can tell you that money should be your final deciding factor because great Bluetooth headphones come in all price ranges. A name or a style might be worth the premium for you, and that’s OK.

Like everything else, buying Bluetooth headphones will be easier if you know what you’re looking for before you go looking for it. If I were buying a pair of Bluetooth headphones today, I’d pick up a pair of Jabra MOVEs. They hit all the points that are important to me — comfort, battery life, audio quality, and easy controls — without the extras I don’t want or need. They’re also less than half the price of the Bose QuietComfort models other folks here at AC think are best for them.

Ultimately, we’re both right.

Hackers allegedly leak First Lady’s passport and White House emails

The hacking group that was able to get a hold of former Secretary of State Colin Powell’s emails earlier this month is back with a new breach: Emails from a White House staffer Ian Mellul. The newly released messages include planning, travel information and the usual inter-office banter. Only one problem, the alleged passport of the First Lady looks fake.

The DCLeaks hacking group is behind the breach of the staffer’s emails. It posted correspondences between Mellul, other White House officials and the Clinton campaign from February 2015 until July 2016. A photo of Michelle Obama’s passport along with a link to the emails was posted to Twitter.

The hacking group is believed to be based in Russia and is suspected of being responsible for leaking DNC emails to Wikileaks. The White House has yet to comment on the validity of the emails. But the passport the hacking group released looks fake.

Upon inspection, the left side of the photo does’t have the drop in opacity that usual passports have. The portrait of the First Lady’s head is too large per State Department guidelines. And finally, passports expire after 10 years not five. Of course there may be differences between civilian passports and that of the First Lady that we’re unaware of. But right now, it looks like a bad photoshop job.

Source: DCLeaks

Apple Acquires Machine Learning Startup Tuplejump

Apple recently acquired its third machine learning company since 2015, purchasing India-based company Tuplejump, reports TechCrunch. Tuplejump focused on simplifying data management techniques and creating tools to make it easy to deal with large quantities of data. From an archive of the now-defunct Tuplejump website:

A few years ago people realised that the volume of data that businesses generate was becoming unwieldy. A new set of technologies to handle this huge amounts of data cropped up. We were one of the early adopters of these ‘big-data’ technologies. Having helped Fortune 500 companies adopt these technologies we quickly realised how complicated they were and how much simpler they could get.

Thus started our quest to simplify data management technologies and make them extremely simple to use. We are building technology that is simple to use, scalable and will allow people to ask difficult questions on huge datasets.

According to TechCrunch, Apple purchased Tuplejump for its “FiloDB” open source project designed to use machine learning concepts and analytics on massive amounts of data in realtime. It appears FiloDB will continue on as an open source project.

Apple confirmed the acquisition of Tuplejump with its standard statement: “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.”

Other recent machine learning acquisitions include Perceptio and Turi. Apple is employing machine learning techniques across its operating system, using the technology for features like object and facial recognition in Photos, the new “Portrait” mode in the iPhone 7 Plus, major Siri improvements, and more.

Tags: Apple acquisition, Tuplejump
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