OneNote can now use Android’s split-screen mode
As Windows Phone is not so much an ongoing concern anymore, Microsoft’s software is decidedly cross-platform at this point. Today, the company’s collaboration and note-taking software OneNote is getting some Android-specific updates. For starters, the OneNote app now supports Android’s new split-screen mode that launched with Android 7 Nougat — you can view the app side-by-side with other Office apps, or really any other app you want. For a productivity app, that’s pretty helpful.
The OneNote app also now lets you open password-protected sections of files and documents that were locked on other apps. Microsoft said this was a top user-requested feature — which makes sense, given that any locked file would be essentially useless without it. Microsoft also added back the ability to record audio directly in the OneNote app, with the recordings automatically backed up to the cloud. That’s a pretty handy feature if you do a lot of recording, as Android doesn’t really have its own built-in voice recording features.
You can also embed any PDF or Office document that you’ve saved in OneNote directly into any documents you’re creating in the app. Lastly, Microsoft will soon be adding the ability to customize the “section tabs” in your OneNote documents on the Android app — a pretty basic feature that seems like it should have been in the app for a while now. That feature isn’t available yet, but the rest should be rolling out to the app today. You can go get it in Google Play now.
Source: Microsoft
Fuzion V-1000 Electric Scooter Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Cars get stuck in traffic. Buses and trains don’t get you all the way to your destination. Walking is slow, and bikes take up too much room. If you need to get from A to B in a hurry, a folding electric scooter can kick some serious ass.
I’ve been testing out folding electric scooters for nearly a year, and the Fuzion V-1000, a customized I-MAX model, is a pretty decent pick. It’s for strong people — due to its hefty weight — who need to commute over bumpy roads and don’t mind plugging in nightly. This $1,100 (roughly £900 or AU$1,450) scooter isn’t the fastest or lightest ride, but it’s built like a tank, with cushy handlebars and one of the best suspension systems I’ve tried yet. You can buy it direct from Fuzion here.
Why might you buy or avoid the Fuzion V-1000? Let’s go in-depth.
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Up close with Fuzion’s V-1000 folding electric scooter
Pros
- A comfy ride: A front shock and a rear coil spring, plus soft scalloped rubber handgrips and air-core tires keep things smooth on moderately bumpy roads. My teeth didn’t chatter at all.
- Durable build: Extremely sturdy all-metal construction, with a beefy folding mechanism that completely eliminates any play in the handlebar column. (It feels like it could survive a bomb.)
- A wide deck gave me plenty of room for both feet, even side by side (instead of one in front of the other).
- Grippy tires make it easier to slow down and stop than its rival from EcoReco, and they’re big enough to easily clear shallow driveway bumps.
This beefy locking mechanism keeps the handlebar column completely stable during use.
Josh Miller/CNET
Cons
- It weighs 36 pounds. It’s way too heavy and bulky to bring on the bus, and I’m always afraid I’ll smack someone when I get off the train. It can be a pain to lift, or to kick when you run out of battery.
- Relatively slow top speed. Fast bicyclists would usually pass me, as would scooters from EcoReco (the fastest) and Uscooters (aka e-TWOW). Fuzion says the top speed is 18 mph, but it felt slower.
- Short range. Fuzion quotes 13 miles on a charge, depending on riding conditions. I’m a heavy guy, riding up gentle hills maybe a quarter of the time, and I only get about 7 miles on average.
- Rear brake only. It’s very hard to stop in an emergency without skidding — extremely hard when the streets are wet. (Rear brakes are less efficient.)
- Slow to fold. You need to stoop down to disengage the locking mechanism, and it takes a while to untwist and twist the ring to bring the handlebars down. Tough if you’re in a crowd trying to make your train.
- Too-big bike-style brake lever reduces grip. I’ve got normal-size hands, and couldn’t reach for the brake without losing most of my grip on the left handlebar.
- Not great at climbing hills. It slows down significantly, and eats a chunk of battery life when you try. Other scooters did better.
- The three-dot battery life indicator is wildly inaccurate. A single red dot can mean anything from “I will carry you for miles at top speed” to “It’s faster to get off and push.”
- Long charging time. Fuzion quotes 4-6 hours, some others can charge in half that.
- Weak kickstand. Step on the scooter with kickstand engaged, and you might break it. (I did.)
Tradeoffs
- Wide handlebars provide easy control and offer a bit of extra room for mounting accessories, but also make it tougher to weave around pedestrians and cars.
- Smooth acceleration: While many electric scooters can be jerky to start and stop, the Fuzion keeps it under control with smooth throttle control. But that means getting up to top speed can take a while.
Front and rear suspension make for a smooth ride, while fenders keep water on the ground.
Josh Miller/CNET
Bottom line
The Fuzion V-1000 definitely isn’t as good as I could ask for, but it gets the job done. It’s a comfortable, durable ride that feels like it’ll last for years to come. If you have a short commute, can handle the 36-pound weight and don’t plan to ride in the rain (it’s tough to stop), it’s not a bad pick.
But if you stay tuned to CNET.com, I’ll be reviewing some other folding electric scooters you might like even better.
Microsoft’s Outlook.com Premium gives you custom email
How much do you value control over your email? Enough that you’re willing to pay for a custom experience, but not so much that you’re willing to jump through hoops to do it? Microsoft might have your back: it just held a quiet launch of the public preview of Outlook.com Premium, a subscription version of its web-focused email service. Fork over $50 per year ($20 per year as part of a promo) and you’ll not only ditch the ads on the web, but receive five personalized email addresses at no extra charge during the first year (it’s $10 per year afterward). Microsoft will automatically share calendars, contacts and files between those custom addresses, too, so your family or small business will stay in the loop.
This is a preview, so it’s going to be rough around the edges. There’s no auto-forwarding or groups, for starters. If you can live with the omissions, however, the Premium service might strike a good balance between that urge for customization and the safety net you get through tech giants like Microsoft.
Via: ZDNet
Source: Outlook.com Premium
Apple to Introduce New Macs at October 27 Event
Apple will introduce new Macs at an event that’s set to take place on Thursday, October 27, reports Re/code. The event will be held “at or near” Apple’s Cupertino campus instead of in San Francisco, suggesting it will perhaps be at the company’s Town Hall conference center.
Re/code does not detail which Macs will receive a refresh at the event, but Apple’s entire Mac lineup, aside from the Retina MacBook, is in need of a refresh.
New MacBook Pro models will likely headline the event, as rumors suggest a major update is in the works. The new MacBook Pro is said to include a redesigned, thinner body with a flatter MacBook-style keyboard, an OLED touch panel that replaces the physical function keys at the top of the keyboard, and Touch ID support.
It is expected to do away with the USB-A port, HDMI port, and SD card slot, featuring just four USB-C ports based on part leaks, and it is said to include support for USB 3.1 and Thunderbolt 3.
A recent rumor from Japanese site Mac Otakara suggests Apple will also be introducing a new 13-inch MacBook Air, also featuring USB-C and Thunderbolt 3. Other products that could potentially see refreshes include the iMac, the Mac Pro, and the Mac mini.
With an event set to take place on October 27, media invites should be going out later this week.
Related Roundups: MacBook Air, MacBook Pro
Buyer’s Guide: MacBook Air (Don’t Buy), Retina MacBook Pro (Don’t Buy)
Discuss this article in our forums
Here’s everything that’s included with Amazon Prime – CNET
Amazon Prime is best known for two things: free two-day shipping and Netflix-style video streaming. Those are decidedly worthwhile perks, especially considering the $99 annual subscription charge, but a Prime membership affords more than just shipping and streaming. A lot more.
Here’s a look at every single benefit included with Prime — along with a few Amazon services you might think are included, but actually cost extra.
The complete list of Prime perks is surprisingly long, starting with everyone’s favorite:
Free two-day shipping (or better)
Many, if not most, of Amazon’s physical goods will be shipped to your door in two days — provided you live in the contiguous US (sorry, Hawaiians). What’s especially remarkable about this is there’s no minimum order: Even if you buy a $5 HDMI cable, it’ll arrive in 48 hours. In fact, residents of some ZIP codes can enjoy same-day delivery at no extra charge, so as long as the order totals at least $35.
Not in a rush? Very often you can opt to forgo two-day delivery in exchange for credit that can be applied to digital purchases (ebooks, movie rentals, etc.). Look for this option on the checkout page where you select your shipping option.
Free release-date delivery
Suppose you preorder a new book from your favorite author or a hot new tech product. As a Prime subscriber, you’ll receive that item on the exact day it’s released — not two days later. Only certain items are eligible, of course.
Free two-hour delivery
Prime Now takes things hyper-local, delivering groceries, restaurant food and other items in just two hours — or within one hour for an extra $7.99. As of this writing, however, Prime Now is available in just a handful of cities.
Free (or flat-rate) grocery and household item delivery
Toilet paper, dog food, shampoo, your favorite cereal — Prime Pantry will deliver these and other goods (pretty much anything that doesn’t require refrigeration) for free. However, you need to order a minimum of five “qualifying” items, otherwise there’s a flat $5.99 delivery charge.
Unlimited video streaming
Prime Video is akin to Netflix, offering movies, TV shows and original content. It’s accessible on virtually all mobile devices and most streaming sticks and boxes (the notable exception being Apple TV). However, Prime has one huge ace up its sleeve: many TV shows, and some movies, can be downloaded to your phone or tablet for offline viewing.
Limited music streaming
Amazon Prime Music affords unlimited, ad-free access to a song library stocked with over 2 million tracks. You can stream them to various devices, but songs can also be downloaded to your phone or tablet for offline listening.
Prime Music should not be confused with Amazon Music Unlimited (see “What’s not included with Amazon Prime,” below), which offers a much larger library (think: Spotify), but costs extra. Prime subscribers do get a break on the price, though.
Unlimited photo storage
Much like Google, Amazon Prime offers subscribers unlimited cloud storage for photos. For most users that means using the Amazon Drive app to upload pictures from phones and tablets, but there’s also a desktop app (for Windows and Mac) that can archive photos from your hard drive.
In addition, Prime Photos gives you 5GB of storage for documents and videos.
Access to Amazon Elements
Created primarily with parents in mind, Elements offers an array of baby products that meet various quality and transparency standards.
Access to Amazon Dash
You’ve probably seen Amazon’s little product-branded buttons, which let you reorder various consumables (paper towel, laundry detergent and so on) with just one press. Each button costs $4.99, and each product order costs whatever it costs, but you need to be Prime subscriber if you want to use Dash at all.
Early access to Lightning deals
Amazon’s Lightning deals run for limited time and/or while supplies last. If you’re a Prime subscriber, you get access to those deals 30 minutes ahead of non-subscribers.
One free e-book per month
As part of your Prime subscription, you get access to the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library, which lets you check out one e-book per month and read that book on any Kindle e-reader or Fire tablet. The catch: This particular library offers a relatively small selection; don’t expect a lot of new titles or bestsellers.
One free e-book per month, part 2
It’s called Kindle First, and it works like this: Each month, Amazon editors curate six new, yet-to-be-released books and give Prime subscribers the chance to pick one of them — for free. And it’s for keeps, too; you’re not just borrowing the book.
Free books and magazines
Amazon’s new Prime Reading feature differs from the Lending Library in a few key ways. First, it’s not limited to Kindles: You can access the catalog of free e-books on phones, tablets and anything else capable of running a Kindle app. Second, the selection includes not only books, but also a rotating selection of magazines, comics, travel guides, Kindle Singles and more.
Free audiobooks
Kind of like Prime Reading for audiobooks, Audible Channels for Prime (a $60-per-year value, according to Amazon) gives you unlimited access to a selection of original audio series and select audiobooks. Just keep in mind these are limited to streaming; you can’t download them for offline listening.
Ad-free Twitch
Hardcore gamers know all about Twitch, which lets users watch and share game videos. If you link your Prime subscription to your Twitch account, you get an ad-free viewing experience, along with one free Twitch channel per month and exclusive discounts on game purchases.
Odds and ends
Amazon Prime lets you add premium video subscriptions — Starz, Showtime, and so on — to your Prime Video viewing umbrella. (Alas, you don’t get any discounts compared with purchasing those subscriptions separately.) And as part of Amazon Family, you can score 20 percent of diaper purchases via Subscribe & Save and 15 percent of eligible products in your baby registry.
What’s not included with Amazon Prime
That’s an awful lot of Prime goodness. However, a smattering of Amazon services aren’t included with your subscription. Here’s a look at what costs extra — and how much extra.
Amazon Fresh
Although Prime does offer both grocery and local deliveries, Amazon Fresh — currently available in only a handful of regions — does not fall under that umbrella. Rather, the service is its own entity, promising same-day or next-day delivery from local grocery stores.
Just recently, Amazon eliminated the $299 up-front fee for a Fresh subscription; now it costs $14.99 monthly, though you must be a Prime subscriber to get it. (That means it still costs around $250 outright to get the service.)
Kindle Freetime Unlimited
A subscription service designed expressly for ages 3-12, Freetime Unlimited curates kid-friendly apps, e-books, games, movies, TV shows and more. It’s compatible with Kindles, Fire tablets and the Fire TV, and it includes parental controls for things like setting time limits, adjusting content filters and reviewing any photos taken with the tablet.
You don’t need to have a Prime subscription to get Freetime Unlimited, but it’s cheaper: $2.99 per month for one child or $6.99 per month for up to four children. If you don’t have Prime, the service costs $4.99 and $9.99, respectively.
Kindle Unlimited
Kindle Unlimited appears to combine Prime Reading and Audible Channels, putting them together as a separate, standalone service. Thus you get access to a limited library of ebooks, magazines and audiobooks, all of which you can access on desktop and mobile devices.
However, the math makes no sense: Kindle Unlimited costs $9.99 per month, the same price you’d pay for a full-blown Amazon Prime subscription.
Music Unlimited
Amazon’s answer to Apple Music, Spotify and the like gives you access to “tens of millions” of songs — far more than you get from Prime Music. If you already have a Prime subscription, Music Unlimited costs $7.99 per month — a few dollars less than what the competition charges. However, a family plan makes it $14.99 per month whether you’re a Prime subscriber or not, and that doesn’t represent any savings over the competition. Indeed, you might want to investigate whether Amazon Music Unlimited is good deal before adding it to your account.
Google Pixel: Best Canadian deals and offers
What’s the best Canadian deal for the Pixel or Pixel XL?
If you’re a Canadian looking to buy one of Google’s latest phone, the Pixel or Pixel XL, you’re definitely going to want to take advantage of some of the deals being offered by carriers and other authorized sellers. These are premium devices, with prices starting at $899 for the 5-inch Pixel and a whopping $1,049 for the 5.5-inch Pixel XL.
Your best bet is to buy through a carrier and finance your purchase through a wireless plan. Here’s the best deals available from the major Canadian carriers.
Refresh often! This page is constantly being updated as we discover new Pixel deals. Check back soon!
Pixel
Interested in the smaller of the two Pixels but not interested in buying it outright at full price? You’re going to have to settle for signing up for a 2-year plan with one of the major carriers to bring that price down, along with likely settling for the 32GB model. There have been a few preorder deals that you might still be able to get in on, but you’ll have to act very fast. Here’s the breakdown of the best contract deals available from the major carriers.
- Best Buy is offering a $100 gift card if you pre-order your Pixel XL through them, and activate it on a plan with Rogers, Telus or Bell.
- Rogers is offering 2GB of bonus data for 12 months, $50 worth of Google Play Store credit (credits expire December 30th, 2016), and a free Google Chromecast when you buy the 32GB Pixel for $199.99 on a two-year Share Everything Plus plan (offer expires Oct. 19).
- Bell is offering the 32GB Pixel for $399.99 when you sign up for a 2-year plan starting at $50 per month. If you’re a new customer, you might be able to get additional discounts against the cost of your new phone if you inquire in-store.
- Telus) is offering the 32GB Pixel for $200 on a 2-year Premium Plus plan starting at $90 per month, or $400 on a 2-year Premium smartphone plan starting at $80 per month.
- Fido is offering the 32GB Pixel starting as low as $400 on a two-year plan. They’re also one of the few Canadian retailers to offer the 128GB Pixel, which starts at $560 on a two-year plan.
Pixel XL
Go big or go home. If you’re after the Pixel XL, you know you’re going to be paying a little extra compared to the 5-inch Pixel. With the pre-order deals quickly expiring, if you don’t want to pay full price outright for your new phone you’re going to have to settle for signing up for a 2-year plan with one of the major carriers to bring that price down, along with settling likely settling for the 32GB model. There may still be time to get in on a pre-order deal before the phone launches Oct. 20, but you’ll have to act very fast.
- Best Buy is offering a $100 gift card if you preorder your Pixel XL through them, and activate it on a plan with Rogers, Telus or Bell.
- Rogers is offering 2GB of bonus data for 12 months, $50 worth of Google Play Store credit (credits expire December 30th, 2016), and a free Google Chromecast when you buy the 32GB Pixel XL for $349.99 on a two-year Share Everything Plus plan (offer expires Oct. 19.)
- Bell is offering the 32GB Pixel XL for $549.99 when you sign up for a 2-year plan starting at $50 per month. If you’re a new customer, you might be able to get additional discounts against the cost of your new phone if you inquire in-store.
- Telus is offering the 32GB Pixel XL for $350 on a 2-year Premium Plus plan starting at $90 per month, or $550 on a 2-year Premium smartphone plan starting at $80 per month.
- Fido is offering the 32GB Pixel XL starting as low as $550 on a two-year plan. They’re also one of the few Canadian carriers to offer the 128GB Pixel XL, which starts at $680 on a two-year plan.
Other deals?
Have you noticed any other deals on the Pixel or Pixel XL? If so, be sure to drop a line in the comments letting us know where the deal is and why other people may be interested.
Google Pixel + Pixel XL
- Google Pixel and Pixel XL review
- Google Pixel XL review: A U.S. perspective
- Google Pixel FAQ: Should you upgrade?
- Pixel + Pixel XL specs
- Understanding Android 7.1 Nougat
- Join the discussion in the forums!
Google Store
Verizon
Go Time! Episode 14: Future forward
Episode 14 of Go Time! is here!
Russell and Erin are joined by Jen for the next installment of Go Time. It’s time to talk about the differences in Pokémon in different areas, traveling while playing Pokemon Go and hugging a giant Snorlax. We also talk about the new update and all the small changes to the UI that came with it.
After three and a half months, we’re just getting started! Join us again next week!
- Google Play
- Soundcloud
- iTunes
- Or add us to your podcatcher of choice!
You can also join our Facebook page to keep up on all things Pokémon Go. See you in the world!
Pokémon Go
- Join our Pokémon Go forums!
- How to deal with GPS errors in-game
- Which team should you choose?
- How to play without killing your battery
- The Ultimate Pokémon Go Game Guide!
- Listen to the Pokémon Go podcast!
How to watch Amazon Video on your Android phone or tablet
Amazon Video has a great selection of titles, from classics like Mad Men, to new hits like Bosch or The Man in the High Castle and Clarkson’s new venture The Grand Tour. But it’s not the simplest service to use.
Amazon Video comes as part of the Prime subscription, or as a separate Video subscription, giving you access to a range of free content. However, the service also includes rental and purchasing options, if you want to watch something like the latest blockbuster movie.
For Apple users, watching Prime Video is relatively easy. You install the app from iTunes, sign-in and that’s it, you can start watching.
But in the Android world, things are far from easy. Amazon’s video service has the feeling that it was designed for its Fire family of devices, and only exists on Google Android devices with some reluctance. That’s probably true, but let’s not dwell on that.
It’s a fiddle, but it’s easy enough to bring it to any Android device, following these simple steps.
How to installing Amazon Video on Android
Download Amazon Video. The app isn’t in the Play Store, so you need to install it from Amazon’s own app selection. However, you need to install the Amazon Underground app first, as this acts as a conduit to Amazon’s other apps, as well as Amazon shopping. To do this, point your device browser at http://www.amazon.com/apps and click on Amazon Underground to download the app.
Enable Unknown sources install. Because you’re downloading the apps from an “unknown source”, i.e., not the Play Store, you’ll have to change the security settings on your device. Head to Settings > Security > Unknown sources and toggle on. This will let you install Amazon Underground.
Install Amazon Underground. Head back to your downloaded Amazon Underground app and tap it to install it. You can find it either in the notifications area following download, or head into the apps tray and open Downloads. You’ll find the Amazon_App.apk there. Install it.
Install Amazon Video app. Open Amazon Underground and sign-in. Then search for Amazon Video. It’s the video app. Tap on the app and you’ll see the option to install it at the top of the page. This will download the Amazon Video app and then install.
Amazon and chill. Remember to stay safe, head back into settings to disable unknown sources.
Need more help? Click through the gallery for step-by-step instructions!
- Amazon Video vs Netflix: Which is the best video streaming service?
- Amazon Video review: Hitting the Prime time
Candy Crush is becoming a TV game show. Seriously.
Candy Crush Saga – the addictive King title that quickly swept the world and turned our parents, siblings, and friends into mobile gaming fiends – is coming after your livingroom television next.
Candy Crush Saga lets you match colourful candies in combinations of three or more to win points. It’s one of the top 10 grossing mobile games in the US, according to CBS, which revealed in a statement Tuesday that a new series based on the worldwide phenomenon is in the works. It will showcase teams of two people using “their wits and physical agility to compete on enormous, interactive game boards”.
The teams that conquer the TV game show will be crowned champions. CBS has ordered a one-hour, live action slot for the series, which is obviously inspired by the franchise. Called Candy Crush, it’s created and executive produced by Matt Kunitz, who is known for his producer work on The Real World, Fear Factor, and other reality TV shows. Pulse Creative will produce Candy Crush.
We’re excited to be working with @CBS and @LionsgateTV on the new Candy Crush TV game show! #MIPCOM #CandyCrush https://t.co/LWbKsL2AJI
— King (@King_Games) October 18, 2016
Sebastian Knutsson, King’s chief creative officer who originally created Candy Crush Saga, will also serve as an executive producer. Candy Crush will be distributed domestically in the US by CBS Television Distribution and internationally by Lionsgate.
Not much else is known, including when it’ll premiere, but we expect CBS to reveal more details in the coming months.
Vudu offers ad-supported movies ‘on us’
For years, Walmart-owned Vudu has had a reputation for its high picture quality and ties to Ultraviolet digital copies. Now, the video on-demand store is trying something new: free movies. There is a catch, however, as the free flicks will contain advertising breaks. Otherwise, viewers will be able to log in from computers, phones and TVs to watch movies like True Grit, Mad Max and more without paying a dime. It’s an interesting scheme, and if anything, may get more people to try out the Vudu app installed on their TV, game console or Chromecast.
Vudu doesn’t seem to be turning into a Netflix or Hulu competitor yet, as there’s no mention of any subscription option to get open access without ads. I tried it out on PC, and a stream of the Mandy Moore classic A Walk to Remember opened with three ads totaling less than a minute — very manageable — and there are ads during the movie as well.
The ad-supported flicks will be available in up to 1080p HD, and in a statement, general manager Jeremy Verba says “This new service provides value for customers who want to watch movies and TV for free, when and how they wish to watch, without sacrificing quality.” To watch, just look for the Movies on Us section under the new or Spotlight tab on Vudu’s app and website.
Source: Vudu Movies on Us
AIVAnet 