RIP Nexus: A brief history of all the Nexus handsets
With Google set to release its first Pixel-branded phones, the Nexus smartphone range is expected to be resigned to history. With that move comes the end to one of the handset series’ most loved by Android purists, and the end of manufacturers having any branding or headlining of any kind.
- Google Pixel and Pixel XL: Release date, specs and everything you need to know
The new phones will be “Made by Google”, in marketing at least. In reality, Google has contracted HTC to build its phones. But it seems as though they’ll launch with just a simple “G” logo on the back. No manufacturing brand, and no Nexus stamp.
With its Nexus range, Google aimed to build phones that showed off all the best and latest features of its Android operating system. And while its experience was pure and unmatched, the Nexus phones have never been a runaway market success. Without the marketing budget and widespread availability of devices like the Samsung Galaxy range, it has never been a best seller.
Before the Nexus name disappears off the back of phones for good, take a walk through our gallery to remember all the Nexus phones released so far.
Click here to dive into the Nexus gallery.
Panasonic’s new prototype TV can hide in plain sight
Panasonic showed off an early transparent TV before, but the company has now improved the image quality to the extent that the idea of a TV built into your furniture’s glass panes is not only possible — it’s right here. The OLED screen is made of a fine mesh, embedded into the glass sliding door. While the TV image is visible even with the backlighting on, once it’s dimmed, the image is clear and bright enough to be almost indistinguishable from existing TVs. (The last model was a bit too dim, and required undershelf lighting to boost the image.) Turn the TV panel off, however, and it’s hard to tell it was ever there to begin with. Want one? Panasonic’s spokesperson says the TV is likely to stay in development for a few years longer: at least another three years.
Panasonic’s concept mirror finds your flaws and prints makeup to fix
Panasonic has discovered a profitable new business in the last few years: beauty tech products. Facial moisturizing tech, hair dryers and very relaxing eye masks that I may have tested out (multiple times) at my local Japanese tech store. This time, the tech giant pitched its latest beauty concept as an “interactive mirror.” Same old story, right? Not quite. It says it could be a makeup-applying “revolution” that scans your face, decides what needs a little cosmetic help, and prints a combination pad of foundation and concealer to fix it up, with little to no makeup wasted. It sounds like a nonsensically vague future concept, but Panasonic thinks otherwise, and has the demo to prove it.
Well, there are some caveats. Buried away into Panasonic’s concept series at CEATEC 2016, the company had its face and skin-analyzing smart mirror (as we saw back in January) setup to detect skin blemishes, (sun damage, spots, wrinkles and more) then deliver that data to a makeup printer that spits out a sliver of makeup (matched to your own skin tone) in roughly two minutes. It’s not instant, and at this early development stage, the company says the printed patches also take roughly a day to dry and settle before it’s meant to be applied to a person’s face.
Once that’s happened — the company had ‘extra’ pre-printed patches aside for testing — the makeup layer is placed on a cheekbone mask sprayed with water and gently smoothed out. The user (or their makeup artist?), then lightly presses this onto their cheek, leaving the thin layer of makeup behind. A few moments later, the water has evaporated and you’re left with a kind-of temporary tattoo. That’s apparently what it feels like at first, but it becomes more natural as you get used to wearing it. Despite being offered the chance to test it out, with three-day scruff (and a lack of experience with the finer points of makeup), I got Panasonic employee Kaitlyn to test in my stead.
However, I did get to test out the skin analysis component. Computers can be cruel. Compared to Kaitlyn, the mirror singled out my open pores and crows’ feet although I apparently don’t have much UV damage or aging spots. So that’s good. I guess?
A video posted by Mat (@thtmtsmth) on Oct 3, 2016 at 12:46am PDT
The product is still in the prototype phase, but Panasonic is hoping to keep its Beauty division at the cutting edge. A spokeswoman explained that the machine could be used to cover scar tissue and even tattoos. The makeup printer is currently only able to conceal skin blemishes, but the company is looking into wrinkle reduction and more. Get ready to feel robot-level pretty.
Drobo’s USB-C drive array is tailor-made for your new PC
You haven’t had a whole lot of options for very high-capacity external drives on computers with USB-C ports. How are you supposed to archive the video projects from your MacBook? Drobo wants to help: it’s launching the Drobo 5C, a five-bay self-managing drive that, unsurprisingly, plugs into your system’s USB-C port. You won’t gain a speed advantage over a USB 3.0 box (it averages 250MB per second if your drives are fast enough), but that’s not the point. This is about giving you future-proof storage that you can upgrade at any time. As with other Drobos, you just have to swap in a new disk if you’re running low on space or encounter a failure. There’s no need to shuffle files or configure a RAID array.
The 5C is about $50 more expensive than the standard Drobo at $349, although you are gaining an extra bay for your trouble. There’s no going back, at any rate. The 5C replaces the standard Drobo in the lineup — you’ll have to buy a specialized model like the Mini or 5D if you’re determined to hang on to the older USB interface. It’s a bit of a gamble for the company, but it makes sense when the new Drobo will have to last several years or more.
Source: Drobo
Apple Pay Now Available in 10 Countries Following Russia Launch
Russia joined the Apple Pay club today, becoming the 10th major region to gain access to the mobile payment service (via Reuters).
The introduction of Apple Pay was announced on Apple’s regional website, where it was revealed that the system would come via Mastercard and through Moscow-based Sberbank.
According to Sberbank, Apple Pay can be easily set up in the Sberbank Online mobile application, which will be familiar to all Sberbank cardholders. Users can then use the contactless payment service while continuing to receive all the benefits from using their credit and debit cards.
If rollouts in other countries are any indication, additional credit card operators and regional financial institutions are expected to gain access over the coming months.
Upon launch of Apple Pay in Russia, participating retailers include ATAK, Magnit, Media Markt, Auchan, Azbuka Vkusa, bp, M.Video, TsUM and authorized Apple reseller re:Store. Contactless payments are expected to roll out at Electronics store Eldorado and Burger King in the near future.
With the introduction of macOS 12.12, web-based payments have become another feature of Apple Pay. However it remains to be seen when Russian apps and online vendors will support this or other in-app methods of online payment.
Apple announced its intention to bring the system to Russia during its iPhone 7 event last month, where it also said New Zealand would see Apple Pay come to its shores in the near future.
The ten countries Apple Pay is available in include the United States, United Kingdom, China, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Hong Kong, France, and Singapore. Apple Pay vice president Jennifer Bailey has said Apple is “working rapidly” to expand the service to additional countries in Asia and Europe.
Related Roundup: Apple Pay
Tag: Russia
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Metro Bank and The Co-Operative Bank Now Support Apple Pay in the U.K.
Two more U.K. banks adopted Apple Pay technology today, with The Co-Operative Bank and Metro Bank announcing support for the mobile payment platform that works on iPads, iPhones, and Apple Watch devices (via Engadget).
In announcing the service’s launch on its systems, The Co-Operative Bank chose to emphasize that its existing customers can still earn Everyday Rewards if they are already registered to use the scheme, provided they are eligible for that month.
Meanwhile, Metro Bank highlighted the fact that it’s currently the only bank that allows new customers to start using Apple Pay as soon as their account has been opened.
We’re excited to announce that from today our customers can use Apple Pay with any Metro Bank card! https://t.co/inkuqvOG9h #ApplePay pic.twitter.com/DDRSt3wfCh
— Metro Bank (@Metro_Bank) October 4, 2016
The Co-operative Bank and Metro Bank became the 21st and 22nd financial institutions in the U.K. to support Apple’s mobile payment platform, following the recent roll out to Clydesdale Bank and Yorkshire Bank. The U.K. now has the widest support for the service outside of China and the U.S. Today also saw Russia become the latest major market to gain access to the payment system.
Related Roundup: Apple Pay
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Marvel’s ‘Iron Fist’ hits Netflix on March 17th, 2017
The final piece of the Defenders puzzle will be slotting into place on March 17th, 2017. We’ve known about the Iron Fist TV show for some time, and was finally greeted with a teaser trailer at San Diego Comic-Con. The Marvel superhero is an expert in martial arts, much like Daredevil, but can also wield the mystic energy of — you guessed it — the Iron Fist. The character, who goes by Danny Rand during the day, will be played by Finn Jones, who you probably know as Loras Tyrell from Game of Thrones. Eventually, he’ll be teaming up with Matt Murdock, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage for their own superhero squad, called the Defenders, on Netflix.
Here’s the first trailer, if you need a quick refresher:
Source: Netflix (Twitter)
Apple Pay bolstered by Co-op Bank and Metro Bank in the UK
Since it launched in July 2015, UK banks have steadily begun adopting Apple Pay. All of the big name institutions are on board — including Barclays, Santander, HSBC and Natwest — but there have been some notable exceptions. Today, The Co-operative Bank and Metro Bank confirmed they’re jumping aboard the NFC payment bandwagon, becoming the twenty-first and twenty-second UK banks to enable the technology.
In a bid to stand out from its rivals, Metro Bank is highlighting the fact that it’s the only UK Apple Pay bank that will let customers use the payment service as soon as the account has been opened. Co-op, on the other hand, says that customers can still rack up Everyday Rewards if they’ve already registered for the scheme.
Speaking of rewards, Apple will soon let UK users add their “favourite store credit cards and rewards cards” to their digital wallet. In the US, companies like Dunkin’ Donuts, JCPenney, Kohl’s, Panera and Whole Foods already let customers load loyalty cards onto their iPhone or iPad. Hopefully it won’t be too long until Brits can do the same.
Source: Metro Bank, Co-operative Bank
EE carrying Google’s Pixel phones in the UK
Carrier’s teaser for big Google event leaves little to the imagination.
EE has been teasing a big announcement in early October for the past week, and now it’s clear why: The operator’s site is now promoting Google’s “big announcement” taking place at 5 p.m. BST today. That should leave little doubt that EE will be carrying at least one of Google’s new Pixel phones.
Nexus devices have long enjoyed widespread carrier adoption in the UK, and there’s a good chance the same will apply to the Pixel and Pixel XL, which were revealed in full by local retailer Carphone Warehouse yesterday. So the fact that EE’s onboard for Google’s new phones isn’t a huge surprise, but nevertheless, now we have confirmation.
The frequency of carrier and retailer leaks of the Pixel phones makes it very likely that pre-orders (at the very least) will go live later today. Clearly Google’s partners are getting things prepared behind the scenes, with the aim of launching immediately after today’s event. So stick with us — it’s going to be an interesting day.
Google Pixel + Pixel XL
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UE Boom goes multi-room with PartyUp feature
Ultimate Ears’ range of Bluetooth speakers have always performed well, but the one thing we’ve always wanted to see from the Boom, Boom 2 and Megaboom is multiroom functionality. It seems UE has listened to our prayers and released a new PartyUp feature which lets you pair up to 50 speakers together.
- Ultimate Ears 2 review: Booming back for the sequel
Until now, you could only pair two speakers together to create a stereo pair but following the update you can drag and drop any speaker that has the latest firmware installed into the main area to include it in the group.
To get started you need to swipe to the PartyUp area of the companion app – which has had a bit of a makeover too – and it will scan for any Boom, Boom 2 or Megaboom speakers nearby, even if they’re turned off thanks to Bluetooth Smart LTE technology. Note that the PartyUp feature doesn’t support the UE Roll.
You won’t be able to play different songs on different speakers, but you can instead make one song an awful lot louder.
- UE Megaboom review: Boom and bass
- UE Boom review
Charlotte Johs, general manager or Ultimate Ears said of the new update: “Music connects people in extraordinary ways, now, when friends come together, they can easily connect their speakers without worrying about limitations”.”Whether you are your crew are on a rooftop without a power outlet, or 50 of your closest pals are floating down a river without a dry spot in sight, PartyUp lets the party grow within seconds”.
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