Wrath of Loki review: Stop Ragnarok before it’s too late!
It’s time to find the pieces to save the world.
When your father Odin comes to you and tells you that your brother Loki is on the warpath — you know, again — you don’t argue. That’s because when Loki is on the warpath, Ragnarok — aka the end of the world as we know it — is nigh. Let’s face it, even the Norse gods don’t want to see that go down. So it’s up to you to stop the chaos, and make sure that humans can go on living their lives.
Read more at VR Heads!
Best Android Phone Under $100
It’s possible to get a decent Android experience, even on a shoestring — and unsurprisingly Motorola dominates this field.
Best overall
Moto G Play (with ads)
See at Amazon
The Amazon-exclusive Moto G Play is a $150 phone reduced to $100. The catch? You’ll get ads and offers from the retail giant on your lock screen, which may or may not be a deal-breaker depending on how you like to use your phone. (We’ve got a good breakdown of what it means here).
Otherwise, you’re getting a decent entry-level Android phone for not a lot of money at all. The Moto G Play (a.k.a. Moto G4 Play) packs the same soft-touch polycarbonate body as its big brother, the Moto G4, and runs a Snapdragon 410 processor, which has plenty of power to run [Android 6.0 Marshmallow](/./marshmallow on a 5-inch 720p display. There’s a reasonable 16GB of storage, expandable via microSD, and an 8-megapixel camera that handles the basics well.
Bottom line: Putting up with lock screen ads allows you to get a $150 phone for $100. It’s not perfect, but it’s a lot better than you’d otherwise get for the cash.
One more thing: It’s unlocked, so you can use it on any carrier of your choice. And if you know where to look, there are some places on the Internet that’ll help you take care of those pesky ads.
Why the Moto G Play is best
Amazon plugs the price gap with offers on your lock screen.
With ads from Amazon, or without ads from Verizon, the Moto G Play gets you a great core Android experience — fast software, thanks to Motorola’s hands-off approach towards customization, and decent specs all-round.
It’s not the flashiest or showiest smartphone, with a relatively generic design, but you don’t expect pizzaz when you’re paying less than a Benjamin for a full-featured smartphone. Same deal with bonus features like water resistance and swappable backs, like you might get from last year’s Moto G (third generation).
Instead, the Moto G Play is just a solid all-round phone for not a lot of cash.
Best ad-free
Moto E LTE
See at Amazon
The unlocked Moto E LTE can be used on any supported network, and doesn’t come with any of the bloatware you’d expect from the U.S. carriers. And better still, it’s only $81. It’s powered by the same Snapdragon 410 chip that’s inside the Moto G Play, however you do lose a few important features compared to that phone — a smaller 4.5-inch screen with a less impressive qHD (960×540) display. And there’s only 8GB of storage, so an SD card will be an essential purchase.
Bottom line: You’re getting less phone than a Moto G Play, but also at a lower price without bloatware, carrier locks or ads.
One more thing: You’ll definitely want to snap up a microSD card.
Best on Verizon
Moto G Play Droid
See at Verizon
If you’re settled on Verizon as your carrier of choice, you can get the Moto G Play (Droid) for $85 without the need to see any ads on your lock screen. Droid branding aside, this is the same phone as the Amazon version, just running on Verizon’s network with the expected loadout of pre-installed bloatware apps. On paper it’s close to last year’s third-gen Moto G, with a Snapdragon 410 processor, a 5-inch 720p display and 16GB of storage.
The main trade-offs between last year’s G: Lack of water resistance and a less spectacular camera. The Moto G Play is splash-resistant however, which means you won’t need to worry about using it out in the rain.
Bottom line: Trading ads for bloatware gets you Moto’s best super-cheap phone for less — if you’re on Verizon.
One more thing: Don’t expect software updates to be as quick as the unlocked version.
Best on AT&T
Samsung Galaxy Express Prime (GoPhone)
See at AT&T
In AT&T’s GoPhone range, the somewhat ridiculously named Samsung Galaxy Express Prime stands out as offering the best bang for your buck. You’ll get Android 6.0 Marshmallow and the latest version of Samsung’s TouchWiz UI on a 5-inch 720p SuperAMOLED display, powered by Samsung’s own Exynos quad-core processor. And an ample 2,600mAh battery should be enough to see you through the day.
The Galaxy Express Prime also looks a little more eye-catching than other devices in this range, appearing like a shrunken-down Galaxy S5. Other specs aren’t the greatest — only 1.5GB of RAM and a mere 5-megapixel camera, but at least there’s a reasonable 16GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD.
Bottom line: Probably the best Samsung phone you’re gonna find for under a hundred bucks.
One more thing: Don’t expect an update to Android Nougat anytime soon, if ever.
Best on T-Mobile
Samsung Galaxy On5
See at T-Mobile
A distant cousin of the AT&T Express Prime, T-Mobile’s Galaxy On5 packs in the essentials for a good deal less than $100. Once again you’re dealing with Samsung’s own Exynos 3475 Quad processor and 1.5GB of RAM and a similar style of chassis.
The biggest difference is the network — if you’re in a great location for T-Mobile coverage, you’ll get largely the same experience as the AT&T GoPhone offering, only for less cash on a network that might suit you better.
Bottom line: The Galaxy On5 is about a year old at this point, but still a decent buy for the money.
One more thing: You’ll need to buy a refill pack to get the On5 for this price, which nudges the price a little over $100 in total.
Best on Sprint
Virgin Mobile Moto G (third gen.)
See at Virgin Mobile
The third-generation Moto G is getting a bit long in the tooth, but it’s still a fantastic budget phone, and for under $100 on Virgin Mobile, well worth considering. For starters, it’s the only phone on this list boasting water resistance, and Motorola’s swappable back covers let you easily add some flair to the device.
On the inside, you’re looking at a Snapdragon 410 processor and 2GB of RAM, along with 16GB of storage — all standard entry-level stuff. The display is a passable but not spectacular 5-inch 720p panel, while around the back you’ve got a surprisingly good 13-megapixel shooter.
Storage-wise, there’s 16GB internally, with the option to expand via microSD.
Bottom line: The Moto G has aged well, runs great on Marshmallow and is definitely worth a hundred bucks, even in late 2016.
One more thing: The Moto G is now more than a year old, so don’t hold out for timely updates to future Android versions.
Conclusion
You’ll need to put up with the occasional ad, but Amazon’s offer of a Moto G Play for under $100 is really hard to beat.
Best overall
Moto G Play
See at Amazon
The Amazon-exclusive Moto G Play is a $150 phone reduced to $100. The catch? You’ll get ads and offers from the retail giant on your lock screen, which may or may not be a deal-breaker depending on how you like to use your phone. (We’ve got a good breakdown of what it means here).
Otherwise, you’re getting a decent entry-level Android phone for not a lot of money at all. The Moto G Play (a.k.a. Moto G4 Play) packs the same soft-touch polycarbonate body as its big brother, the Moto G4, and runs a Snapdragon 410 processor, which has plenty of power to run Android 6.0 Marshmallow on a 5-inch 720p display. There’s a reasonable 16GB of storage, expandable via microSD, and an 8-megapixel camera that handles the basics well.
Bottom line: Putting up with lock screen ads allows you to get a $150 phone for $100. It’s not perfect, but it’s a lot better than you’d otherwise get for the cash.
One more thing: It’s unlocked, so you can use it on any carrier of your choice. And if you know where to look, there are some places on the Internet that’ll help you take care of those pesky ads.
10 essential Chromebook keyboard shortcuts you need to know
Getting to know your Chromebook’s keyboard can save time and make you more productive.
If you’re one of those people who want to keep their hands on the keyboard when they’re sitting in front of a computer — I know I am — then you need to check out the keyboard shortcuts built into your Chromebook.
There are over 100 different things you can do with the keys alone. You can access menus, start apps, switch between things, check your notifications and do just about anything you would ever need in the browser using a combination of the modifier keys (Control, Alt, and Shift) combined with other keys. Some of them you already know because they are universal across most things with a keyboard, like copying text with the Control + v key combo. Others you might not know — like switching languages with Control + Shift + spacebar. Even shortcuts you should never need to use, like Alt + Search for CAPS LOCK are there. Please be careful with caps lock.
Of course very few of us will memorize all the different things we can do through our Chromebook keyboard or which keys we need to press to do them. But I do have a few I use every day, and I think you’ll benefit from knowing my top ten. Here they are, in no specific order.
- See all the shortcuts with Control + Alt + / (see a full keyboard overlay with Control + Alt + ?)
- Open the file manager with Alt + Shift + m
- Launch an app from your shelf with Alt + 1 through 8
- Open the browser menu with Alt + e
- Snap open windows with Alt + [ (snap to the left side) and Alt + ] (snap to the right side)
- Turn a word into a URL by typing it into the Ominbar then pressing Control + Enter
- Move the cursor by the word instead of the letter in a text field with Control + right/left arrows (highlight each word as you move through them with Control + Shift + right/left arrow)
- Open your notifications with Control + Alt + n
- Switch tabs with Control + 1 through 8 (open the last tab on the right with Control + 9)
- Reopen the last tab you closed with Control + Shift + T
Protip: If you use the same tab(s) day in and day out, drop it in the number one (furthest left) spot. I keep three tabs I always have open in positions one, two, and three. And none of them are Android Central because it stays at the very end at all times. With my pinky finger on the Control key, I can get to them without ever moving the cursor.
These are the ones I know by heart — my brain just can’t hold any more of them in memory — my RAM is full. I know there are shortcuts for changing screen zoom (Control + and – because I just looked. Again.) but I can never remember them when I need them. Instead, I know Alt + e opens the menu where I can click the tiny button to do it. Thankfully, you can bookmark a page that has them all at Google’s Chromebook Help center or just memorize the first one in my list.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets plenty of mileage from my keyboard. If you have any shortcuts you use every day, let us know in the comments!
Chromebooks
- The best Chromebooks
- Should you buy a Chromebook?
- Google Play is coming to Chromebooks
- Acer Chromebook 14 review
- Join our Chromebook forums
iOS 10 review: Apple evolves
With iOS 10, Apple is basically polishing a pearl. iOS 8 introduced a vibrant and “flat” new aesthetic. iOS 9 was focused on refinement. So by this point, we should get something completely fresh and new, right? Well, not quite. Just like the iPhone 7, Apple’s latest mobile OS doesn’t look that much different on the surface. Instead, the company once again chose to focus on improving the overall experience. In particular, this year’s refinements collectively make the OS a lot more convenient (and help Apple play a little catch-up). If you’ve longed for some of the features you’ve seen on your friends’ Android phones, iOS 10 is more than enough to keep you under Apple’s spell for another year.
Getting started
At this point, moving to a new version of iOS probably feels routine. While there were widespread reports of the update “bricking” devices during its launch day, it looks like most of those issues have been ironed out. As always, though, be sure to back up your device before doing any sort of major upgrade. Even if you have your current iOS device set to automatically back up on iCloud, it’s still worth making a local copy through iTunes in case all hell breaks loose. (Also, restoring your phone from the cloud is much slower than with a local copy.)
There’s a good chance you’ve already been prompted to upgrade, but if you’ve procrastinated, head to the “General” section in the Settings app to manually initiate the update. Then just wait for the installation file to download (it’s over 1GB, so it takes a few minutes), and proceed with the installation. You’ll want to have your phone connected to a charger while you’re going through this process, unless your battery is almost full.
A revamped lock screen
Assuming all goes well, you’ll be presented with the all-too-familiar lock screen. This time around, though, it brings some new tricks. Swiping left bring you to the Today screen, which is now far more customizable than before. It’s basically a quick way to access widgets, which can do things like show you the weather, the latest news and your upcoming appointments. Naturally, there’s a bunch of built-in Apple widgets, but plenty of third-party developers are building them as well, including The New York Times, The Weather Channel and yes, even Google.
Swiping right from the lock screen brings up the camera, something that happens almost instantly on my iPhone 6S. Previously, you had to drag up from the bottom right of the screen to open the camera, which was a bit more difficult. I often missed the touch target completely, which left me swiping up a few times in futility. And, come to think of it, I’ve missed out on a few great photo opportunities because of that. Swiping right (get your jokes in now) has turned out to be a much more accurate gesture.
You can also do a lot more with the notifications that appear on the lock screen. If you have a 3D Touch-capable phone like the iPhone 6S or 7, you can interact with things like text messages without even leaving the lock screen. Some notifications will require you to unlock the phone to use 3D Touch features, but that’s just good security. Swipe down from the top of the lock screen to get your full list of notifications, all of which are also interactive using 3D Touch.
A more useful Control Center
If you swipe up from the lock screen, and indeed anywhere else in iOS 10, you’ll bring up the ever-useful Control Center. Instead of cramming all of its functionality in a single screen, it now spans two separate pages. The first houses all of the quick settings you’re familiar with — toggling on and off Airplane mode, WiFi, Bluetooth, Do Not Disturb and screen rotation lock — along with buttons for managing AirPlay Mirroring, AirDrop and Night Shift. And of course, those handy quick tools like the flashlight and timer are still at the bottom.
But, you might be wondering, what happened to the media controls? All of that is handled in the second page of the Control Center, which has room for more options. In addition to merely playing and pausing songs and skipping tracks, you can jog through your location in a track without leaving the Control Center. That’s particularly useful for longer files like podcasts and audiobooks. The bottom of the screen lets you easily switch between all available AirPlay devices on your current WiFi network.
The redesigned Control Center has ended up being one of the highlights of iOS 10 over my past few months of testing. I don’t have to jump into my iPhone’s settings or music/podcast apps nearly as much anymore. What’s the word for that? Oh right: convenience.
3D Touch (and Taptic Engine) finally feels useful
Apple introduced 3D Touch in last year’s iPhone 6S as a new method of smartphone interaction. Sure, it basically just replicated the “right-click” from PCs, but there was a lot to like in theory: What if you could just quickly access the most popular features of your favorite apps? Who wouldn’t want that? Even I was sold on Apple’s pitch back at the time, and over the past year I’ve grown to rely on it for apps like Swarm and Evernote.
The problem, though, is that Apple didn’t pay nearly enough attention to 3D Touch and the Taptic Engine in the 6S. While a handful of built-in apps and some third-parties adopted it, Apple almost seemed to distance itself from the feature after the 6S launch. Perhaps it was focusing its energy on the more powerful Taptic Engine that would be coming in the iPhone 7, but whatever the reason, many iPhone 6S owners felt like there was a lost opportunity to tap into 3D Touch (heh).
That’s less the case in iOS 7, where 3D Touch works in almost every part of the OS. There’s the notification integration I mentioned earlier, but I also learned to love the smaller additions, like using 3D Touch to change the brightness of my iPhone’s flashlight. Thanks to its more powerful Taptic Engine, the iPhone 7 also brings haptic feedback to simple things, like scrolling through the time in the Clock app, or scrolling through your library in the Music app. It gets to a point where you almost feel like you’re scrolling through a physical book, or a pile of CDs.
The Messages app takes on Snapchat
Apple really focused on improving its core apps in iOS 10, and the Messages app got the bulk of the upgrades. You can now change the intensity of iMessages (the chats labeled in blue that you’re having with other iMessage users), from a huge “Slam” effect that almost takes up the whole screen, to an obscured “Invisible Ink” message that has to be swiped to be read. The latter is particularly useful if you’re in a public place with lots of prying eyes. There are also screen effects that can accompany your notes, including a bunch of balloons, falling confetti, laser lights, fireworks and a shooting star. They’re fun at first, but they’ll be particularly useful for annoying your friends endlessly.
Just like the Apple Watch, you can send hearts (but of course, not your actual heart rate) and other symbols from within Messages using Digital Touch. You can also react to things people send you with “tapback” responses by double-tapping on them. You can also send a handwritten message by turning your iPhone into landscape mode (of course, you can also bring up the keyboard if you prefer typing this way). In the iOS 10 beta, you had to manually enable the handwriting mode, but it was also a bit hard to find.
The biggest change in Messages is that it now has an ecosystem of its own apps and sticker packs. By default, it includes apps for image and video searching (hooray easy-to-find animated GIFs!), as well as for sharing your most recently played Apple Music tracks. But you can easily add even more apps by hitting the icon of four dots at the lower left of the screen. (If that sounds confusing, you’re not alone. Apple’s interface around the entire Messages App experience needs some work, especially once you start piling in more software. It’s one area where I seriously began to feel the limits of the iPhone’s 4.7-inch screen, though it doesn’t seem much better on the 7 Plus either.)
Once you’ve made your way to the Messages App store, you’ll see a plethora of stickers, games and software that will appear right within your chats. It works just like the normal app store, except this time whatever you download shows up in the Messages app section. There’s also a good chance you’ve already installed apps that have brought along their own Messages apps, like Yelp, Evernote and Venmo.
Messages apps are similar to Apple Watch apps: They’re typically focused on a few functions that will work well within a chat. Yelp, for example, lets you share restaurants that you’ve recently viewed. Similarly, you can share specific movie times and locations with Fandango. One of the more interesting app implementations comes from OpenTable, which allows you to pick five restaurants and vote on them with your friends. Once you decide on a restaurant, you can complete the reservation process right from within Messages. (Eater has a good overview of how the whole process works.)
The games selection in the Messages app store isn’t huge, mostly consisting of simplistic board games at the moment. But it’s still cool to be able to play a quick game of chess with friends right from a text conversation. I suspect we’ll see plenty of multi-game entries like GamePigeon, which currently packs in pool, poker, sea battle, Go and a Scrabble-esque anagram title.
The Message app’s Stickers are merely that: Images that get sent to anyone, even friends on other platforms. Much like ringtones, they’ll likely end up being an easy way for Apple to get a few bucks from its users more often. But I’ll admit, the stickers are a lot of fun to use. I dropped $2 on the first collection of Pokémon pixel art. No regrets.
Apple’s intent with all of Message’s upgrades is pretty clear: It wants you to leave the app as seldom as possible, even if that means working even closer with third-party companies. Given the fast rise of Snapchat and Facebook Messenger, it’s not surprising that Apple is actually trying to cultivate its one successful “social network.”
Smarter Photos
So, about those other core iOS app upgrades: The Photos app now uses computer vision technology to make some sense of your piles of pics. For example, searching for “cats” brings up a healthy dose of my obsessive feline photography. It’ll also automatically detect the most common faces in your photos. While it’s up to you to actually name those faces, it’s still a big help if you hate organizing photos as much as I do.
Photos also creates “Memories,” or auto-generated slideshows of pictures from your library. It’s similar to the way Google Photos slideshows work in that they’ll typically focus on a single person or photos taken around a specific event. The Memories themselves are a combination of stills, Live Photos and video in your library. You can also set the music mood and length of each Memory, which will likely be useful if you’re throwing them over to an Apple TV to watch with a group.
Memories usually turned out well, though they’re still clearly a work in progress. Sometimes the software would choose photos with fingers blocking them, or pictures that I know for a fact have a better duplicate in my library. Still, it’s useful if you don’t want to build a slideshow on your own.
Refined Music
The new Music app actually looks very different from what came before, which isn’t the case for the rest of iOS 10’s updates. The new interface is all about large fonts, bold colors and disc art wherever possible. Those of you who were annoyed by Apple focusing more on its streaming music service than your own collection of tunes will likely be pleased, as your local library is the first thing to pop up. The “For You” section also does a better job of recommending tunes (as well as explaining why you might want to listen to them).
I’ve seen both praise and criticism of the Music app’s redesign, but personally I dig the clean aesthetic. But really, anything is better than the last iteration. One nifty addition: You can quickly access lyrics of songs on Apple Music from within the Now Playing screen. It’s not there for every song, but it’s an easy way to get prepped for karaoke.
Siri gets smarter, again
After launching to much fanfare, it’s almost as if iOS users have grown to hate Siri. She had a penchant for not hearing you properly, and her actual capabilities were fairly limited. That’s changing with iOS 10, as Apple has — you guessed it — opened up Siri to other developers. I was able to book Uber and Lyft cars, as well as send cash to a friend using Venmo, with only voice commands. You’ll still have to deal with some accuracy issues, but at least now Siri is actually starting to get useful.
Siri also powers contextual awareness in iOS 10’s predictive keyboard. So, on top of just trying to guess what word you’re typing next, it can do things like fill out contact information if you start chatting about someone’s phone number. And if you’re trying to schedule something, it can also tell you when you’re available by looking at your calendar. This feature still seems to be in its early stages, but it’s a fascinating way of implementing predictive intelligence.
Odds and ends
- I didn’t talk much about iOS 10’s design because, honestly, nothing really changed. The home screen still looks like the same old wall of icons you’ve seen before.
- Yes, I know we’ve seen plenty of these features in Android already. But at this point, everyone in the mobile industry is shamelessly getting “inspired” by the competition.
- While iOS 9 offered up some big changes for iPad multitasking, iOS 10 doesn’t add much. The Control Center has a bit more room to breathe, but that’s about it.
- You can finally remove built-in Apple software, like the much-maligned Stock app. But, to be clear, the app basically just disappears, it doesn’t actually get uninstalled.
- It really feels like iOS 10 breathed new life into my iPhone 6S, and I’m hearing similarly good stories from people installing it on the iPhone 5. It also runs well on my first-gen iPad Air.
- I didn’t have any HomeKit-equipped hardware to test out the Home app, but I’m looking forward to seeing how Apple tries to unify the messy IoT space.
Ultimately, iOS 10 is a collection of small, but important, changes to an already solid mobile OS. I would have liked to see a whole new design too, but what matters more is that actually using the OS is a significantly better experience. The combination of the new Today screen and Control Center has already saved me plenty of time.
We’ll probably end up seeing a major facelift next year, but for now, iOS 10 is an upgrade that Apple users should look forward to.
Top 5 reasons why you need Nuance Power PDF Standard 2
Anybody who uses their computer for work in an office or at home, or even to make family newsletters and other personal documents, will come across PDF files on a very regular basis. They are an excellent way of formatting pictures and text in one easy-to-read file with a small digital footprint. They can even be opened in a web browser.
However, reading PDFs is one thing, it’s also handy in this day and age to be able to make them. There are multiple ways to do so simply, but few offer as many options and features as Nuance Power PDF Standard 2 for Windows PCs.
It is available from Nuance’s own online store at shop.nuance.co.uk for £79.99 and there are plenty of great reasons why you will find it invaluable when creating content rich PDF documents. Here are five to kick you off.
1. You can create a single PDF from multiple files
If you want to collate several different documents into one simple to store PDF, you can easily combine files through the top menu. A pop-up box allows you to add as many separate files as you like, be they Word documents, individual PDFs or the like, and then export the end result as one PDF file with multiple pages.
2. You can dictate annotated notes and the software adds them in text form
Thanks to Power PDF Standard 2 being a Nuance product, it utilises the company’s excellent voice recognition technology to give you the option to dictate notes and add them as annotations on a document. Just hit the Dragon Notes button and speak. When done the note will be converted to text and added to the document ready to be saved.
Nuance
3. You can add high levels of security
Security on high-importance documents is paramount and you can password protect PDFs or certify them. You can also sign documents from within Power PDF Standard 2, even using a pre-drawn handwritten signature. You can also encrypt files from within the software.
4. You can save your PDFs to all of the major cloud storage services
Nuance Power PDF Standard 2 is compatible with Box, Dropbox, Evernote, Google Drive and OneDrive, so you can save and store your completed files in the cloud. In addition, you can open existing documents you have stored there already, even if they were created using other utilities.
5. You can convert PDFs to other types of document
If you need to edit a document in another piece of software, be that Word, Excel, PowerPoint or others, you can convert it to the correct format using Power PDF Standard 2. It will retain all of the important formatting information.
Nuance Power PDF Standard 2 is available now for £79.99. To learn more visit the Nuance website.
How to add Mario stickers to your photos in iOS 10 Messages
Apple’s latest software build iOS 10 comes with plenty of great new features, one of which can be found within the overhaul of the Messages app.
Messages has been totally revamped bringing a whole host of fun additions, but there is one in particular that’s pretty fun – Mario stickers.
We all love Mario – he’s great. So the fact that it’s now possible to turn anyone into Mario, whether it be your cat or your partner, is well, pretty damn exciting. Here’s how to do it (because it is actually not that obvious).
Download and install Super Mario Run stickers
First up, you’ll need to download the Super Mario Run sticker pack from the iMessage App Store.
Open Messages > Go to a new message > Tap the App Store icon next to the input field > Tap the four dots in the bottom left > Click on the Store icon > Head to the Categories tab > Stickers > Gaming > Super Mario Run > Hit “Get”
After it has installed, you’ll see all the Mario stickers appear underneath the input box in a new message when you tap on the App Store again. You may need to swipe across when the tray appears to get to Mario.
How to add Mario’s hat and moustache to an image
Once you have the Mario stickers up beneath your message conversation, you can send away to the recipient. Scroll down and you’ll find Mario’s hat and nose with moustache, which you can add to images.
To do this, you first need to upload and send the image you want to Mario-fy. After the image appears in the conversation, you then need to get yourself back to the Mario stickers tray.
Press and hold the Mario hat and drag it onto the image within the conversation above, and do the same with the nose and moustache. Both will send individually but the recipient will then see the image complete with the Mario enhancements.
The same process applies if you want to add the coin, tube, question mark block or any of the other Mario Stickers.
So there you have it – easy once you know how hey. Happy Marioing.
- iOS 10 Messages explained: What’s new and how to use it
- Apple iOS 10 tips and tricks
- iMessage Apps: Which to download first and how to install them
AP and Vice sue FBI for San Bernardino iPhone hack info
The Associated Press and the Gannett Satellite Information Network, parent company to USA Today and Vice Media, filed suit against the FBI in federal court on Friday demanding information on how the bureau broke into the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone. The news organizations are leveraging the Freedom of Information Act in their lawsuit, arguing that the FBI has no expectation to privacy regarding the methods used to crack the shooter’s phone encryption and that those methods should be disclosed to the public.
This lawsuit stems from the FBI’s attempts earlier this year to break through the Apple iPhone’s encryption system and access any pertinent data relating to its investigation of the San Bernardino terrorist attack. The FBI first attempted to coerce Apple into building a backdoor, then reportedly paid more than $1 million for a “third-party solution” after their initial efforts were rebuffed by both the company and the courts. Whatever that solution entailed worked, sorta. The FBI were able to access the phone but found nothing that furthered its investigation and in doing so further heightened the public’s distaste for governmental surveillance.
Via: Verge
Source: US District Court
Who stole the DNA of 14,000 long-lived Italians?
Italian authorities are investigating a biotechnology heist that saw around 14,000 DNA samples allegedly stolen from a lab in Sardinia. This may not be a simple case of grand larceny, as the samples in question were taken from Italians with exceptionally long lives. Sardinia is one of a handful of “blue zones” with a higher-than-usual proportion of men over the age of 100. The material was gathered as part of a decades-long research investigation into a genetic secret for longevity that was unrelated to diet or environmental factors.
The DNA was originally harvested by a publicly-owned lab, Pardo Genetico, which was recently sold off to a Sardinian called Piergiorgio Lorrai. According to the Guardian, Lorrai is a local who wanted to ensure that the genetic information of his countrymen and women weren’t exploited for commercial gain. But it’s not that simple, because through a convoluted series of corporate shenanigans, another company believes it’s the repository’s rightful owner.
Of course, that’s less relevant now since the samples have disappeared, and prosecutor Biagio Mazzeo is implying that it might have been an inside job. Analysis of the crime scene reveals that there was no forced entry, although it’s not clear when exactly the alleged theft took place. Perhaps someone’s planning to develop a theme park around clones of centenarians on a Pacific island, John Hammond-style. Or maybe the stuff was grabbed by a sinister billionaire with an interest in living forever, not that we could name any.
Via: The Verge
Source: Guardian
The best wireless exercise headphones
By Lauren Dragan
This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer’s guide to the best technology. Read the full article here.
If we wanted a pair of wireless headphones for working out, we’d get the JLab Epic2 Bluetooth. After extensive research—we considered a total of 147 sport-specific headphones and tested the 85 best-reviewed and newest options—our panel of experts agreed that they’d want to bring the Epic2 Bluetooth along on their next training session. The tough, lightweight Epic2 pair is easier to fit in a wider variety of ears than the competition, has better battery life than the other Bluetooth models we tested, and offers great sound for a lower price than most comparable cordless models.
What makes a good pair of headphones
In general, exercise headphones are for people who want to run, hike, bike, or hit the gym while listening to music, podcasts, or other media; a good pair should be able to withstand a variety of stressors such as sweat, rain, strain from media players dropping to the floor, and abuse from being thrown into a bag along with potentially dirty and damp equipment. They also need to fit well and have a short enough cord to accommodate the exercise routines you prefer.
If you get annoyed by cables when working out, you don’t mind having to remember to charge your headphones, and are willing to pay a little extra for the convenience, we think that wireless exercise headphones are for you. Otherwise, check out our wired headphones guide.
How we picked and tested
Outdoor conditions meant we could test wind noise, compatibility with sunglasses, and ability to hear external sound, as well as fit and comfort. Photo: Lauren Dragan
We started the process by reading professional reviews from fitness journalists as well as from pro audio writers, then looking to see what Amazon customers had to say in their reviews, before checking out blogs and running forums. We then brought in everything that came out since our last update to this guide that was well-reviewed, recommended, or just-released to test. This group totaled about 55 models, in addition to the winners from our previous test.
Next, we tasked an expert panel with choosing the best-sounding and most comfortable models in five major categories: sealed over $50, sealed under $50, unsealed under $50, Bluetooth (sealed, unsealed, and on-ear/over-ear), corded on-ear/over-ear, and swim. Then, we asked the panel to choose an overall pick, and what they would choose if they had to purchase a pair with their own money. This brought the group down to 11 new models and four old models, which we run-tested and stress-tested, as well as two models that needed to be swim-tested.
After 5.5 miles of runs between two testers, and tests to check durability and water resistance (which you can read more about here), we decided on a winner.
Our pick
JLab’s Epic2 Bluetooth has the same fit and sound as the original, but with added tweaks such as improved waterproofing and battery life. Photo: Michael Hession
The JLab Epic2 Bluetooth has a design that made it a very lightweight, effortless, and comfortable fit for nearly all of our reviewers. Many other headphones we tested not only had lackluster sound quality but also lacked in comfort and stability. The Epic2 is on the lower end of the price range for Bluetooth water-resistant headphones, as well. And because this model supports Bluetooth, you have no cord to get in the way of whatever it is you do to stay in shape.
Unlike the top competition, the JLab Epic2 Bluetooth’s fit was notably intuitive. The slim, wire-reinforced-cable hooks that run over the ears are stable enough to stay in place but narrow enough that you can wear them simultaneously with glasses without issue. The three-button remote is easy to access behind your right ear; Some other remotes have a difficult learning curve when it comes to figuring out what each button does without looking at them, but our testers were able to adjust their music on the JLab pair without losing their stride.
The Epic2’s sound is pleasantly warm—the mids are full without being muddy, and the highs are clear, not piercing or sibilant. Next to the sound from higher-end headphones, vocals on this pair can sound a little thin, but these flaws are very minor compared with that of the other sport headphones we tested.
Sealed runner-up
Though the Jaybird X2 pair has a trickier initial fit, its durable build and lifetime warranty make it a good choice for people who punish their headphones. Photo: Michael Hession
If you don’t like hooks over your ears, or if the JLab pair is sold out, the Jaybird X2 is the way to go. These headphones feel light, they stay put, they sound fantastic, they have a lifetime warranty against sweat damage (which, if you sweat through one pair of headphones a year, can really add up!), they charge pretty quickly (in around two hours), they have a nice case, and you can wear them several ways, depending on what works for you. However, getting the fit correct the first time takes a little more patience than with our top pick. As a result, in this test group the JLab Epic2 edged out the Jaybird X2 once again, but only barely.
Our unsealed pick
When you need to hear your surroundings, the Plantronics BackBeat Fit Bluetooth headphones are the best-sounding unsealed option for staying both motivated and safe. Photo: Michael Hession
If you want Bluetooth but you also need to hear what’s going on around you, we recommend the Plantronics BackBeat Fit Bluetooth. In fact, the BackBeat Fit is the only pair of unsealed Bluetooth headphones we’ve heard that we would consider to be worth your money. Generally speaking, in-ear headphones that don’t seal will sacrifice some sound quality, so don’t expect the Plantronics to match the sound quality of the Epic2 or the Jaybird pairs, but overall the BackBeats don’t sound objectionable in any way. Plus, the fit is comfortable and stable, and it’s easy to pop this pair on your head and go. It also comes with a neoprene case that doubles as an armband for your smartphone, which is a nice addition.
About on-ear and over-ear Bluetooth headphones
On-ear and over-ear workout headphones are for people who dislike the feeling of in-ear headphones and whose workouts are less physically dynamic. Because of the added weight, an on-ear/over-ear design will stay put if you’re running on a treadmill or lifting weights, but it most likely won’t tolerate jump squats or other high-impact sweating styles. A good pair of such headphones will sit comfortably on your head for a long period of time without pinching or irritating your ears.
Now that you know what we look for in such a pair, you’ll probably understand why we didn’t end up with a pick. After listening to and testing several pairs of on-ear/over-ear workout headphones, we didn’t find one that satisfied our requirements, and we’re not going to make a recommendation we don’t believe in just to fill a category. When we do find something worth your money, we’ll be sure to update this section.
This guide may have been updated by The Wirecutter. To see the current recommendation, please go here.
LG’s new $150 midrange phone packs a huge battery
If your main concern with a phone is battery life, and basically nothing else, this new LG device could be up your alley. The LG X Power is available on Boost Mobile for $150, and comes with an impressive 4,100mAh battery. Everything else about the new handset is pretty meh. The 5.3-inch machine only has a HD resolution, runs the somewhat outdated Android 6.0 Marshmallow, and has relatively poorer 8-megapixel and 5 MP rear and front cameras. I’d say the price justified the specs, but there are better phones out there for the money.
Despite the underwhelming specs, the X Power still has the biggest battery in that price range. It uses an octa-core MediaTek processor that the chip maker said has power-saving enhancements to extend battery life. So the stamina alone could be reason to consider the X Power.
This is also the first time a phone powered by Qualcomm rival MediaTek has been released by a CDMA carrier (the X Power will be available on Sprint in a few weeks). T-Mobile already sells some MediaTek-equipped devices. The X Power’s low price is likely a result of the less costly MediaTek chip (compared to Qualcomm’s options), and we’ll have to get our hands on one to see how it holds up for daily multitasking. In the meantime, Boost customers who really want a long-lasting smartphone may want to consider the Power.
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