Brobot can ‘sweat’ to do push-ups for longer

The Terminator may not feel remorse or pity, but does it even lift, bro? Researchers from the University of Tokyo have developed a robot called Kengoro that can sweat, helping it get through 11 minute push-up sessions that would normally fry the motors. Unlike a normal water-cooled radiator system, liquid flows into porous aluminum bones and then evaporates on the surface to cool the motors, in the same way that sweat cools a human.

The team married science with modern manufacturing tech to help Kengoro hit its training goals. The metal structure is built with laser sintered aluminum powder, using an additive 3D printing technique favored by NASA, GE and others. The process allows fine control of the metal’s permeability, so the team added channels that let water flow through the bones. It then seeps to another porous region near the surface, where it evaporates and cools motors positioned next to the aluminum “glands.”

The bot can run for a half day on a cup of deionized water, and longer if it “drinks” more to replenish the supply. The technique doesn’t work as well as an active-cooled system with a radiator, but it’s three times more efficient than air-cooling. More importantly, by using the robot’s structure to pipe the fluid, it’s significantly lighter and less complex. “Our concept was adding more functions to the frame, using it to transfer water, release heat, and at the same time support forces,” lead author Toyotaka Kozuki tells Spectrum IEEE.

Source: IEEE

OnePlus 3 vs. Lenovo Z2 Plus: Battle of the flagship killers

Two Chinese companies. Two excellent mid-range phones. Which one should you buy?

The OnePlus 3 is one of the best phones you can currently buy for under ₹30,000. With well-rounded specs and a software experience that is similar to what you’d find on a Nexus device, the OnePlus 3 offers a lot for its asking price of ₹27,999 ($420).

Lenovo is the latest company to focus its attention on this segment with the Z2 Plus. Offering a 5.0-inch form factor and a blocky design, the Z2 Plus is looking to upstage the likes of OnePlus 3 by being the most affordable phone to feature the Snapdragon 820. With 4GB of RAM and 64GB storage, the Z2 Plus costs just ₹19,999 ($300), a full ₹8,000 ($120) less than the retail price of the OnePlus 3.

Hardware

The OnePlus 3 and Z2 Plus share a lot of similarities when it comes to the internal hardware, but from a design standpoint, they couldn’t be more different. The OnePlus 3 sports a gorgeous all-metal chassis with visible antenna lines at top and bottom and a slight camera bump. The OnePlus 3 nestles into your palm with ease thanks to a gently curving back, but the 5.5-inch form factor isn’t the most conducive for one-handed usage.

The 5.5-inch Full HD AMOLED panel on the OnePlus 3 is one of the best in this segment, offering saturated colors and great viewing angles out of the box. It isn’t the brightest display out there, but you do get the option of adjusting the color temperature based on your preferences. And yes, sRGB mode is included. You also get ambient display, through which you can glance at incoming notifications without turning on the screen. The front of the phone houses the always-on fingerprint sensor, which is one of the fastest around.

The Z2 Plus also features a design that belies its price tag, but unlike the metal exterior of the OnePlus 3, Lenovo went with a reflective glass back and a fiberglass frame. The phone has rounded corners and subtle chamfers around the frame, with the overall design evoking images of the iPhone 5.

With a thickness of 8.5mm, the Z2 Plus is decidedly chunky in comparison next to the OnePlus 3’s svelte 7.35mm profile. The added thickness is in part due to the massive 3500mAh battery Lenovo crammed into the handset. The phone also sports a roll cage design where the internal hardware is mounted on a metal frame.

Think of the OnePlus 3 as a high-res texture from a recent AAA title. In comparison, the Z2 Plus is more like a voxel from an ’80s game. It is big, blocky and rectangular. And I love it. It has a nice heft to it, and the compact form factor makes it ideal to hold and use one-handed. The 5-inch Full HD display has sharp, crisp colors, and it is sufficiently bright to read under harsh sunlight. The only issue I have with the display on the Z2 Plus is the ambient light sensor, which doesn’t reduce or increase brightness nearly as quickly as it should.

The OnePlus 3 has smooth flowing lines, whereas the Z2 Plus is blocky.

The Z2 Plus has a home button up front that houses a capable fingerprint sensor. You get the option of using on-screen navigation keys, like the OnePlus 3, or you can switch to hardware buttons. Lenovo’s implementation is vastly different in this area, as the Z2 Plus doesn’t feature the usual complement of back, recent, and home buttons. What you get instead is a single home button that bundles the functionality of the standard Android navigation keys. Swiping left or right on the home button takes you to your previous apps, and a double tap brings up the multitasking pane. The button is highly customizable as well, and you can set actions for launching a particular app.

With the Snapdragon 820 powering both phones, there isn’t a vast difference between the two when it comes to the real-world performance. Qualcomm is finally back to a custom CPU core design with Kryo, and the shift to a 14nm FinFET node has paid dividends. The Adreno 530 is also significantly faster than its predecessor. Meanwhile, the OnePlus 3 is one of the few phones to offer 6GB of RAM, which sounds great on a spec sheet. When it comes to real-world usage, you’re not going to see any gains over a phone with 4 gigs of RAM, like the Z2 Plus.

When it comes to battery life, you’ll get a full day’s worth of usage out of both phones, but the Z2 Plus pulls slightly ahead thanks to its larger 3500mAh battery. It wasn’t uncommon to see the Z2 Plus last two days when I used the phone sparingly. Even if you’re a heavy user, you’ll easily get a day out of the phone.

Both phones offer great battery life, but the Z2 Plus pulls ahead thanks to its larger battery.

While the OnePlus 3 doesn’t last quite as long, it has several battery optimizations in place to eke out the most out of its 3000mAh battery. And when you need a quick top up, you can rely on Dash Charge. The technology is licensed from OnePlus’ parent company OPPO, and offloads the charging circuitry to the wall unit to minimize risk of the phone overheating. For this reason, you’ll need to use the bundled Dash Charger for taking full advantage of the fast charging tech, but you can also use any Qualcomm-certified QC 2.0 or QC 3.0 charger with the OnePlus 3.

The Z2 Plus uses a standard implementation of Quick Charge 3.0, but the bundled wall unit charges at 5V/2A. If you want to hit QC 3.0 speeds, you’ll have to buy a separate charging accessory.

Software

With not a whole lot to separate the two phones when it comes to hardware, software is the main differentiator. OxygenOS 3.2.7 on the OnePlus 3 features a stock Marshmallow build, and the few additions to the software experience include a new Shelf that takes up the left-most home screen by default; and gestures for waking the screen, controlling music playback, and launching the camera.

Meanwhile, Lenovo has played it fast and loose with key UI elements in the Marshmallow-based ZUI. The notification shade is bare and doesn’t offer in-line replies or the ability to expand notifications, and the multitasking pane looks is more suited to iOS. In a bid to improve one-handed usage, Lenovo moved the quick settings toggles to the bottom of the screen, where they’re accessible with a swipe up gesture. Although Lenovo is offering the Google Now Launcher as standard on Indian units of the Z2 Plus, some of the customizations — the multitasking pane in particular — don’t mix with the launcher, and make the user interface seem disjointed.

OxygenOS edges out every other Chinese ROM, including ZUI on the Z2 Plus.

Most Chinese brands design unnecessarily complex user interfaces as a way of differentiation for their local audience, which doesn’t translate when the phones go on sale in global markets. In this regard, OxygenOS is a breath of fresh air. Incidentally, both OnePlus and Lenovo dabbled with Cyanogen OS. For OnePlus, that relationship came to an end when Cyanogen started partnering with Indian vendor Yu Televentures. Lenovo broke away from the custom ROM maker after it dragged its feet in rolling out the Marshmallow update to the Z2 Plus’ predecessor, the ZUK Z1. To this day, the ZUK Z1 is running Android 5.1.1.

Software updates are a source of worry for both phones, although OnePlus seems intent on fixing its track record in this area. The OnePlus 3 has picked up constant updates since its launch to address bugs, with the latest update bringing the September security patch. Lenovo is doing likewise following its issues with Cyanogen.

Camera

The OnePlus 3 has a 16MP camera (IMX 298) with an f/2.0 lens, whereas the Z2 Plus features a 13MP ISOCELL camera with f/2.2. Both phones offer auto-HDR and the ability to shoot 4K video at 30 fps, as well as slow-motion video at 720p at 120fps. The Z2 Plus uses image processing smarts to slow videos all the way down to 960fps, but that particular mode isn’t worth your time.

Much like most of the software, the OnePlus 3’s camera app has a basic layout, with toggles for HDR, flash, and switching between front and rear cameras. You also get a manual mode that lets you adjust ISO, white balance, exposure, and shutter speed. There’s no manual mode on the Z2 Plus, but its camera app is similarly flush with options, although the interface isn’t as intuitive to navigate.

OnePlus 3 on the left, Z2 Plus on the right.

When shooting in auto with HDR enabled, the OnePlus 3 does a better job of capturing detail and accurate colors in brightly-lit indoor scenarios, with photos from the Z2 Plus looking slightly washed out. The OnePlus 3 has optical image stabilization, leading to sharper images in low-light conditions. The feature allows the camera to increase sensitivity to ISO3200 at 1/17 for nighttime shots, and while the Z2 Plus also takes decent images at night, they aren’t as detailed or vivid. However, the Z2 Plus managed to hold its own when shooting outdoors in bright conditions.

Overall, the camera on the OnePlus 3 edges out the Z2 Plus, although there isn’t a vast difference between the two.

Which should you buy? OnePlus 3

Both the OnePlus 3 and Z2 Plus are very capable phones. Choosing between the two comes down to individual preferences and budgetary constraints. For ₹27,999, the OnePlus 3 offers flagship-level hardware, a gorgeous metal chassis, a great camera, and a software experience rivaling that of Nexus devices. Mid-range phones don’t get much better.

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The Z2 Plus is no slouch either. The phone has near-identical specs as the OnePlus 3, and offers the benefits of a compact form factor along with a large 3500mAh battery. The roll cage design is an inspired idea, as is U-Touch navigation. However, the glass back is a smudge magnet, and the software can get annoying to use at times. That said, the Z2 Plus is an excellent value proposition for ₹19,999. If you’re on a limited budget, you can’t go wrong with the Z2 Plus.

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OnePlus 3

• OnePlus 3 review: Finally, all grown up
• OnePlus 3 specs
• OnePlus 3 vs. the flagship competition
• Latest OnePlus 3 news
• Discuss OnePlus 3 in the forums

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Samsung expects to lose $3.1 billion in profits over Note 7 recall

Samsung has already revised its earnings forecast for the current quarter, estimating that it will lost $2.3 billion in profits over the discontinuation of the Note 7. The company is now projecting a further $3 billion decline in operating profit over the next two fiscal quarters, bringing the total losses from the recall to $5.3 billion.

Samsung expects that it will lose around mid-2 trillion Won in Q4, followed by 1 trillion Won in Q1 2017. Along with the loss in profits, Samsung is expected to take a $17 billion hit in revenue over potential lost sales of the Note 7.

Samsung is now shifting its focus to the S7 and S7 edge, with the company providing a $100 discount to customers turning in their Note 7s:

Moving forward, Samsung Electronics plans to normalize its mobile business by expanding sales of flagship models such as the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge.

Additionally, the company will focus on enhancing product safety for consumers by making significant changes in its quality assurance processes.

With the CPSC issuing a second recall, it is now prohibited to bring the phone onboard an airplane in any capacity. If you’re still holding on to your Note 7, return it now.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7

• Galaxy Note 7 fires, recall and cancellation: Everything you need to know
• Do not buy a Galaxy Note 7
• Samsung Galaxy Note 7 review
• The latest Galaxy Note 7 news
• Join the Note 7 discussion in the forums!

Huawei Mate 9 set to capitalise on Samsung’s Note 7 woes with stunning curved screen

Huawei will be unveiling its super-large screen flagship smartphone in Munich on 3 November and we now know what it looks like. And it couldn’t be better timed considering the issues Samsung has had with the Note 7, leading to the Korean firm scrapping production and sales entirely.

The Huawei Mate 9 is rumoured to be a 5.9-inch phone, which ticks the super-sized screen box, and those worrying that they’ll miss out on the gorgeous curved screen design of the Samsung device need think again. It looks like the Mate 9 will come in two models, one with a similarly rounded display.

• Huawei Mate 9: Specs, release date and everything else we know so far
• Huawei Mate 9 launch date confirmed, 3 November in Munich

Serial leakster @evleaks posted alleged press images of two versions of the handset. One has a flat display and one a Samsung-esque device with curved edges. Both should be unveiled at the same time, during the German press event next month.

This is the Huawei Mate 9, in standard and curved screen designs https://t.co/4sdo8VnbH8 pic.twitter.com/kHs3xFx0y5

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) October 12, 2016

The Huawei Mate 9 is heavily rumoured to have that 5.9-inch screen, but it’ll be Full HD it is said, which might disappoint some.

It’ll come with Huawei’s own Kirin 960 processor, a whopping 6GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage and there are thoughts that it will feature a dual-lens 20-megapixel camera on the rear.

It’ll have Android 7.0 Nougat installed from day one. We’ll find out for sure in a few weeks time.

Asus Transformer 3 Pro (T303UA) review: Not transforming the 2-in-1 market

The 2-in-1 market has seemingly settled on a solution: create devices that ape the Microsoft Surface. Acer has done it. Lenovo, too. And now it’s Asus’s turn, with the Transformer 3 Pro.

But the Taiwanese company has been clever about its angle; the Pro in the name is reflected in the product’s specification, with the top-spec Transformer squeezing in an Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, and even featuring clever expandable discrete graphics via the ROG XG Station 2 (sold separately).

The Transformer 3 Pro also comes with both a decent keyboard and stylus included, unlike the Microsoft Surface. But it’s also a pricey device, at £1,399 (or £899 for the Intel Core i5 model). So is it as truly “Pro” as it proclaims and worth the cash?

Asus Transformer 3 Pro review: Surface-like design

When we first saw the Transformer 3 Pro on stand at Computex earlier in the year, it was a shoo-in for a Surface-beater. But actually living with a product makes a real difference. Having duly carted the Transformer 3 Pro around with us in a bag, and used it as our day-to-day work laptop replacement, we’ve come to think differently. The specification components are there, sure, but there are a combination of subtle weaknesses that breakdown the device’s overall capability.

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First up, that shiny paint job. We rather like that almost trademark Asus silver-purple appearance. But it’s not a very tough coat – it scuffs too easily. We’ve carried the Transformer 3 Pro around in the rear soft pouch of a backpack and after just two days the edges were scuffed. The back somehow chipped too – and we’ve not been rough with this device whatsoever.

Visually, the Transformer 3 Pro otherwise has its Surface factor on point. At almost exactly the size of an A4 sheet of paper, the 12.6-inch Asus is ever so slightly larger than the 12.3-inch Surface Pro 4 – but not by much. In the hand they feel roughly identical, though, as the Asus is nigh-on the same thickness as the Surface, at 8.35mm (ok, so the Surface is 0.05mm thicker, but you won’t know it).

The rear hinge, which can fold down to a 155-degree angle, can be infinitely positioned and hold its position firmly. It’s got a great, smooth action and works a treat – just as we would expect of a device at this price point.

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Which is a bit of a sticking point. Like-for-like, the Asus is actually £100 more than its equivalent i7 Surface Pro 4 competitor. Add a Microsoft keyboard and, ok, it’s perhaps £10 less overall. But we’d pay the extra tenner to avoid scuffs and scrapes. Asus hasn’t been especially hardened on the price front, whereas Acer, with its liquid-cooled Switch Alpha 12, certainly has.

Asus Transformer 3 Pro review: Battery woes

Asus has definitely gone pro in the Transformer 3 Pro. It runs smooth as butter, but that’s no surprise given the power under the hood. In some respects, in a form factor of this size, such a powerhouse doesn’t make much sense: because it adversely affects battery life.

Indeed, the Transformer 3 Pro has the weakest battery life of any 2-in-1 that we’ve tested recently. And we’ve held a strong stance at pointing this out with any other makers: the Huawei MateBook, for example, lasts longer from a much slimmer form factor. The Surface Pro 4 will give almost 50 per cent more use in our experience too.

Pocket-lint

Our first Transformer 3 Pro charge dipped to just 50 per cent charge after two hours. Ah, but it’s an Intel Core i7, so surely we were pushing it hard? Not at all: with Battery Saver on, screen brightness set to 50 per cent, Wi-Fi connected, and Microsoft Edge open with between two and eight tabs running maximum, that was all we were working with.

The device has yo-yoed telling us we’ve had anywhere between six and two hours use from a full charge, but on the approach to four hours of use it was approaching battery depletion. The fan even kicks in just with these limited applications open. Yikes.

Fortunately it can fast charge – which will take around two to three hours from dead to full, but can hit 60 per cent in an hour when in standby mode.

But when you really want to pull on that Intel Core i7 processor when on-the-go, it’ll further smash the battery life. With Battery Saver off and screen brightness set to 100 per cent, however, don’t expect longevity beyond three hours – less if you’re doing anything more taxing.

Now this is obviously a far cry from what Asus claims the Transformer 3 Pro is capable (“all-day performance”), but we’ve been assured this sample is a consumer-ready device. Running video in the background might be less impact on the battery, but that’s not the way laptops are typically used. Just to make sure we ran a YouTube stream, full screen, with no other tabs or applications running, brightness set to 100 per cent, sound to 25 per cent, and squeezed just under four hours out of the Pro before it called it a day.

Pocket-lint

Plug it in, however, and there’s nothing to worry about. So as a laptop or desktop replacement that you can plug in anywhere you please around the house or office, the Transformer 3 Pro can make the most of its powerful innards.

Asus Transformer 3 Pro review: Screen prowess and pitfalls

Another factor that may affect the battery life the Transformer 3 Pro’s screen. Because it’s super-high resolution (at 2,880 x 1,920 pixels) and looks fantastic. But pixels mean power.

With a huge colour gamut (121 per cent of sRGB) the screen choice looks fantastically punchy, with ample viewing angles to always present a sharp, colorful and contrasty image. It’s impressive.

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It’s also the wearer of a glossy coat. Which means you’ll almost always be looking at your own annoying reflection. Furthermore, as battery life is so restricted, we’ve been attempting to use the device in its lower brightness settings (the 25% or 50% options within Windows 10’s side panel) which further highlights this reflectivity.

The Transformer 3 Pro is, in a sense, the victim of its own doing. Great resolution, colours and viewing angles are hindered by reflections or, as a result of upping brightness to negate this, even more limited battery life.

It is a quality screen though.

Asus Transformer 3 Pro review: Keyboard and stylus

We’ve long called out the Microsoft Surface for charging extra for its keyboard. That’s not the case with the Asus – which we think is great.

The keyboard that comes included is a really decent offering too. It’s solid, so there’s no flex, while attaching it to the main screen panel is just a case of clipping it to the magnetic connector. Nice and simple, just how we like it. There’s no waiting around for a connection to be made either – it’s instant.

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The keys of the QWERTY pad have slightly odd-looking fonts, but their travel and firmness makes for a great typing experience. They’re back-lit too, for brightness in those darker conditions. A fully flat position or slightly raised position – by folding the top edge of the ‘board back into the screen, just like with the Surface – makes for a comfortable experience as to your preference.

The trackpad, too, has a surface that ensures your finger will glide along, with great feel and responsiveness. We’ve had some issues with gestures occasionally not working, however, and can’t work out why.

Verdict

The Asus Transformer 3 Pro houses all the power you could want from a pro-spec 2-in-1 machine at this price point. Which, on paper, is all well and good.

The reality, however, is somewhat different: the Transformer 3 Pro is the victim of its own power, delivering poor battery life that undoes much of its portable purpose.

The inclusion of keyboard and stylus is a great addition – but at an overall price point that doesn’t notably undercut the established Surface Pro 4, we’re left scratching our heads at exactly how Asus expects to outsmart Microsoft here. Perhaps the lower-power Intel Core i5 model makes more sense.

We thought the Transformer 3 Pro had the potential to transform the expectation of the 2-in-1 market. But, inadvertently, it’s thrown the door wide open to all of its more moderate competition. Shame.

Netflix reportedly spent $40 million on Chris Rock

Chris Rock has had well-known comedy specials on HBO like Bigger and Blacker and Never Scared, but in 2017 when he returns with his first special in eight years, it will be on Netflix. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Variety and Deadline, the streaming service outbid others including HBO, Amazon and Hulu for the rights to two specials at a price of $40 million.

Patton Oswalt: Talking for Clapping brought Netflix an Emmy victory this year, and now it’s adding Chris Rock to a lineup that already includes shows from some of the biggest comedians working today. Later this year, Netflix will feature specials from Joe Rogan, Michael Che, Reggie Watts, Colin Quinn and Dana Carvey. Of course, stand-up specials aren’t the only exclusives Netflix (and its competitors) are shelling out big bucks for in the content arms race, as we’re looking forward to the return of Black Mirror next week.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Deadline

Apple to Obsolete iPhone 4 and Late 2010 MacBook Air on October 31

Apple will add all iPhone 4 models, the late 2010 13-inch MacBook Air, third-generation AirPort Extreme, and mid 2009 AirPort Time Capsule to its vintage and obsolete products list starting October 31, according to Japanese website Mac Otakara.

Apple products on the vintage and obsolete list are no longer eligible for hardware service, beyond a few exceptions. Apple defines vintage products as those that have not been manufactured for more than five years but less than seven years ago, while obsolete products are those that were discontinued more than seven years ago. Each of the products added were released between 2009 and 2010.

The report specifically pertains to Apple’s vintage and obsolete products list in Japan, but the new additions will more than likely extend to the United States, Australia, Canada, and the rest of the Asia-Pacific and Europe regions.

Apple already obsoleted CDMA models of the iPhone 4 around the world last month, while the late 2010 MacBook Air joins the mid 2009 iMac, 2010 Mac mini, and mid 2010 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro among Apple’s recently obsoleted notebooks.

macOS Sierra remains compatible with the late 2010 MacBook Air, while the iPhone 4 cannot be updated beyond iOS 7.1.2. Read how to identify your MacBook Air model or how to identify your iPhone model.

The current MacBook Air has not been updated in 584 days. Refreshed models with USB-C ports are expected later this month at the earliest.

Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Buyer’s Guide: MacBook Air (Don’t Buy)
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