4K Netflix is finally available on Windows 10 PCs
Netflix has been pushing out 4K content to its apps on streaming boxes and Smart TVs for awhile, but the entertainment industry’s anti-piracy crusade and some DRM limitations have meant PC users looking to stream ultra HD episodes of Bloodline have been out of luck until now. Starting today, Netflix’s 4K content is available to stream on Windows 10 PCs — but only if your machine is a fairly recent one.
The catch: you’ll need a new or new-ish Windows 10 PC with a seventh-gen Intel Kaby Lake processor and 4K display to take advantage. So, your options are basically limited to the Lenovo Yoga 910 and a handful of gaming laptops and desktop machines at the moment. Assuming your hardware is good to go, you’ll also need to upgrade to the $12 monthly Premium subscription with Ultra HD streaming. Users with older Home Theater PCs are still out of luck, unfortunately.
On the bright side, the new partnership with Netflix — which includes getting Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life in 4K a few days before everyone else — gives Redmond the opportunity to tout battery life improvements they’ve made to their very own Edge browser. According to Microsoft, you’ll be able to squeeze in one more episode before your battery dies if you’re streaming on Edge instead of Chrome. Of course, a Chromecast Ultra would also do the trick.
Source: Windows Blog
Adidas’ latest innovation is a pair of biodegradable sneakers
When the UltraBoost Uncaged Parleys debuted earlier this month, Adidas showed off the depth of its commitment to cutting out petroleum and fossil fuels from its manufacturing process. While the Parleys literally turned ocean garbage into stylish footwear, Adidas’ next forward-thinking shoe skips the plastic altogether in favor of a biodegradable, super-strong form of synthetic spider silk called Biosteel.
The material comes from German company AMSilk, where Wired reports it’s made in a lab by fermenting genetically modified bacteria that is then spun into thread with a high tensile strength. The Biosteel gives the Adidas Futurecraft Biofabric, as they’re calling them, a bit of an understated gold tint and they ride on top of the same Ultra Boost sole as the rest of Adidas’ flagship line, so the company says you should be able to get a solid two years of hard use out of them. Although they’re still in the prototype stage at the moment, Adidas hopes to have a them on store shelves sometime next year.
But the real kicker here is how you get rid of them when they’ve finally blown out: since they’re made from biological materials, the Futurecraft Biofabric can also be broken down with the help of a special enzyme, also made by AMSilk. As Adidas global creative director James Carnes told Wired, a small packet of the enzyme solution is enough to safely dissolve your worn sneakers in your kitchen sink at home. No garbage disposal necessary.
Source: Wired
NASA demonstrates EM Drive theory, but don’t get too excited
A fuel-free engine is the stuff of science fiction for now, but scientists at NASA Eagleworks have published a peer-reviewed paper that suggests the ideas behind an EM Drive are worth testing further. Researchers at Eagleworks, a small NASA team tasked with testing humanity’s wildest theories of spaceship propulsion, were able to produce thrust without any kind of propellant, in a vacuum, as they published this weekend in ARC.
An EM Drive produces thrust without fuel, instead using microwaves that bounce around a conical, enclosed device. According to the theory, the momentum of those bouncing microwaves is higher at the wide end of the engine, which means the whole system should experience thrust. Eagleworks researchers demonstrated this theory with their recent experiments, generating a force of 1.2 ± 0.1 mN/kW, which is “significantly higher than what you would expect from photon thrust,” according to astronomer Scott Manley.
Now that the methodology has passed peer review, the debate over the feasibility of an EM Drive is back in full swing. If humans harnessed this kind of power, it could enable rapid-fire space travel. We’re talking trips to Mars in 41 days here. However, this thing is called the “impossible drive” for good reason: It breaks a few laws of physics, including conservation of momentum and Newton’s Third Law.
The Eagleworks paper is not proof that the EM Drive is possible. Researchers note that they can’t account for all potential sources of error and there’s still no explanation for the thrust they observed. A peer-reviewed paper is, if nothing else, a flicker of hope and a call for more experimentation.
Via: Forbes
Source: ARC
What’s on your TV: ‘Gilmore Girls,’ ‘3%’
Need something to watch while you’re huddled outside a big box store on Black Friday? Save the second episode of Amazon’s The Grand Tour for your new 4K HDR TV (it’s worth it), as Netflix has some nice options this week. Gilmore Girls fans have its resurrected short series to look forward to, but we’re focusing on Netflix’s new Brazilian sci-fi series 3%. The show depicts a near-future where a select few are able to experience life in a privileged society — after making their way through an intense competition. Gamers can return to The Division for its delayed second round of DLC, or check out an NBA 2K VR experience. Look after the break to check out each day’s highlights, including trailers and let us know what you think (or what we missed).
Blu-ray & Games & Streaming
- Kubo and the Two Strings (3D)
- C.H.U.D.
- War Dogs (4K)
- To Live and Die in LA
- Poldark (S2)
- One-Eyed Jacks (Criterion)
- Mechanic: Resurrection (4K)
- Punch-Drunk Love (Criterion)
- Better Call Saul (S2)
- NBA 2K VR (PS4)
- The Division: Survival DLC (Xbox One, PC)
- Overcooked: Gourmet Edition (PS4, Xbox One)
- I, Zombie (PS4)
- Samurai Shodown VI (PS4)
Monday
- Monday Night Football: Texans/Raiders, ESPN, 8:15PM
- Marathon: The Patriots Day Bombing, HBO, 8PM
- Supergirl , CW, 8PM
- Kevin Can Wait, CBS, 8PM
- Gotham, Fox, 8PM
- The Voice, NBC, 8PM
- Dancing With the Stars, ABC, 8PM
- WWE Raw, USA, 8PM
- X Factor UK, Axs, 8PM
- Man with a Plan, CBS, 8:30PM
- American Dad, TBS, 8:30PM
- The 1980s: The Deadliest Decade, Investigation Discovery, 9PM
- Mars, National Geographic Channel, 9PM
- Jane the Virgin, CW, 9PM
- 2 Broke Girls, CBS, 9PM
- Lucifer, Fox, 9PM
- The Odd Couple, CBS, 9:30PM
- Big Brother: Over the Top, CBS All Access, 10PM
- Explorer, National Geographic Channel, 10PM
- Soundbreaking: Stories from the Cutting Edge of Recorded Music , PBS, 10PM
- Scorpion, CBS, 10PM
- Timeless, NBC, 10PM
- Conviction, ABC, 10PM
- Desus & Mero, Viceland, 11PM
- StarTalk, National Geographic Channel, 11PM
Tuesday
- Mercy, Netflix, 3AM
- WWE Smackdown, USA, 8PM
- Tackle My Ride, NFL Network, 8PM
- The Flash, CW, 8PM
- Brooklyn Nine-nine, Fox, 8PM
- NCIS, CBS, 8PM
- The Voice, NBC, 8PM
- WWE Smackdown, USA, 8PM
- The Middle, ABC, 8PM
- Black America Since MLK, PBS, 8PM
- New Girl, Fox, 8:30PM
- American Housewife, ABC, 8:30PM
- Dancing with the Stars (season finale), ABC, 9PM
- Bull, CBS, 9PM
- Good Behavior, TNT, 9PM
- Teen Wolf, MTV, 9PM
- No Tomorrow, CW, 9PM
- Inside the NFL, Showtime 9PM
- The Gary Owen Show, BET, 9:30PM
- NCIS: NO, CBS, 10PM
- Shooter, USA, 10PM
- Sweet/Vicious, MTV, 10PM
- Hitler: The Opportunist (series premiere), AHC, 10PM
- Soundbreaking, PBS, 10PM
- Aftermath, Syfy, 10PM
- A Season with Florida State Football, Showtime, 10PM
- Drunk History, Comedy Central, 10:30PM
- Cyberwar, Viceland, 10:30PM
- The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail (season finale), Comedy Central, 12AM
Wednesday
- Chance, Hulu, 3AM
- Arrow, CW, 8PM
- Macy’s 90th Thanksgiving Day Parade Special, NBC, 8PM
- Lethal Weapon, Fox, 8PM
- The Goldbergs, ABC, 8PM
- Survivor, CBS, 8PM
- Speechless, CBS, 8:30PM
- Chicago PD, NBC, 9 & 10PM
- Criminal Minds, CBS,9PM
- Empire, Fox, 9PM
- Modern Family, ABC, 9PM
- NFL Turning Point, NBC Sports Network, 9PM
- Frequency, CW, 9PM
- Black-ish, ABC, 9:30PM
- Soundbreaking (season finale), PBS, 10PM
- The Real World, MTV, 10PM
- Neighborhood Sessions, TNT, 10PM
- That Awkward Game Show, Spike TV, 10PM
- Code Black, CBS, 10PM
- Designated Survivor, ABC, 10PM
- South Park, Comedy Central, 10PM
- Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia, Viceland, 10PM
- Rectify, Sundance, 10PM
- Impastor, TV Land, 10:30PM
- Desus & Mero, Viceland, 11PM
- True Life: I’m an Adult Baby, MTV, 11PM
Thursday
- The Grand Tour, Amazon Prime, 7PM
- Steelers/Colts football, NBC, 8:25PM
- Disney Magical Holiday Celebration, ABC, 8PM
- DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, CW, 8PM
- The Great Indoors, CBS, 8:30PM
- Mom, CBS, 9PM
- Life in Pieces, CBS, 9:30PM
- Pure Genius, CBS, 10PM
- Desus & Mero, Viceland, 11PM
- This is Not Happening, Comedy Central, 12:30AM
Friday
- 3% (S1), Netflix, 3AM
- Gilmore Girls (S8), 3AM
- Michael Che Matters, Netflix, 3AM
- If You Give a Mouse a Christmas Cookie, Amazon Prime, 3AM
- Ezra Jack Keats’ The Snowy Day, Amazon Prime, 3AM
- An American Girl Story – Maryellen, Amazon Prime, 3AM
- A Football Life: Chuck Noll, NFL Network, 9PM
- Z Nation, Syfy, 9PM
- Van Helsing, Syfy, 10PM
- Tracey Ullman’s Show, HBO, 11PM
Saturday
- Doctor Who: The Power of the Daleks, BBC America, 8:25PM
- Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, BBC America, 9PM
Sunday
- Chiefs/Broncos Sunday Night Football, NBC, 8:20PM
- 60 Minutes, CBS, 7:30PM
- 2016 Soul Train Awards,BET, 8PM
- The Librarians, TNT, 8PM
- Once Upon A Time, ABC, 8PM
- NCIS: Los Angeles, CBS, 8PM
- Bob’s Burgers, Fox, 8:30PM
- NCIS: LA, CBS, 8:30PM
- The Walking Dead, AMC, 9PM
- Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, CNN, 9PM
- Westworld, HBO, 9PM
- Alaska: The Last Frontier, Discovery, 9PM
- Poldark, PBS, 9PM
- Secrets and Lies, ABC, 9PM
- Shameless, Showtime, 9PM
- Berlin Station, Epix, 9PM
- The Last Man on Earth, Fox, 9:30PM
- Madam Secretary, CBS, 9:30PM
- The Affair, Showtime, 10PM
- Quantico (fall finale), ABC, 10PM
- Edge of Alaska, Discovery, 10PM
- Eyewitness, USA, 10PM
- Graves, Epix, 10PM
- Divorce, HBO, 10PM
- Talking Dead, AMC, 10PM
- Elementary, CBS, 10:30PM
- Insecure (season finale), HBO, 10:30PM
Polk MagniFi Mini review – CNET
The Good The affordable Polk MagniFi Mini is capable of a much bigger sound than its minuscule size suggests. The package is compact and will fit easily into most living room setups. The ability to Cast directly from your phone simplifies music streaming.
The Bad The Wi-Fi connection on my test unit was unreliable, and the ARC-only HDMI input limits connectivity somewhat.
The Bottom Line The Polk MagniFi Mini’s mix of features, performance and compact size makes it one of the best sound bars for the money.
If the prospect of a traditional home-theater setup with a half-dozen speakers and a bulky receiver doesn’t thrill you, you may want to a consider a sound bar. These small speakers are discreet, easy to set up, and sound much better than your TV’s speakers. And they don’t come smaller or better-sounding for the money than the Polk MagniFi Mini.
Flexible and affordable, it sounds adept with both movies and music and includes some must-have features. The best is Google Cast, which enables easy streaming from your phone, works with numerous music apps, and even make the MagniFi Mini part of a whole-house music setup. While I found the Mini’s connectivity a bit quirky, it’s nonetheless an excellent buy.
Design
View full gallery Sarah Tew/CNET
Everything small is big again. While some gadgets have grown in size, like TVs and cell phones, the prevailing trend in the AV world is toward smaller devices. It applies to everything from Blu-ray players to receivers to sound bars
.
The Polk MagniFi Mini is tiny compared to most other sound bars, just 13 inches wide and three inches high. Although constructed of plastic and cloth it’s pleasing enough to the eye. Its small size means also means it’s less likely than many bars to block your TV’s infrared remote control sensor.
A set of lights on the front of the unit are designed to inform you of volume and input selection, although they’re mostly incomprehensible for the latter. At least there’s a limited number of inputs, and so switching until you find what you want is easy.
View full gallery Sarah Tew/CNET
Unlike some other sound bars, the Mini needs to sit upright and can’t be wall-mounted, though you could put it on a small shelf. The included wireless subwoofer is minimalist and constructed of hollow-sounding plastic, although it’s attractive for the breed.
View full gallery Sarah Tew/CNET
Usually inexpensive sound bars come with dinky credit card remotes, but not the Polk. Some thought has obviously gone into the Mini’s clicker, with its ergonomic design and clearly marked buttons.
Features
The MagniFi Mini is a 2.1-channel sound bar with a wireless subwoofer. The main unit includes two 12mm tweeters and four 2.25-inch drivers, two of which are angled to the side for what Polk calls “SDA sound.” The subwoofer features a downward-facing 6.5-inch driver and port.
View full gallery Sarah Tew/CNET
Connectivity is a little better than what you’d expect for a $300 sound bar, with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, optical, a 3.5mm input and HDMI. The HDMI port is a bit strange, though. In my testing I found that its Audio Return Channel (ARC) functionality will only work with a TV — specifically for listening to onboard sound from smart TV or an OTA tuner. If you have a Blu-ray player or other device, you’ll need to use one of the other connections, say optical, or connect it to the TV directly (provided that the TV supports ARC). If your TV doesn’t support ARC, you’ll have to use another connection.
View full gallery Sarah Tew/CNET
Polk has a long-standing relationship with DTS’ Play-Fi wireless technology, so I found it a bit surprising that MagniFi ditches it in favor of Google Cast. Given the potential of products such as the Google Home and the Chromecast Audio, however, Cast has the potential to actually challenge Sonos in the messy multiroom music race. So it’s definitely a welcome alternative.
Star Wars Battle Quad Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Your squadron has been wiped out, and your battered X-Wing fighter is the Rebel Alliance’s last hope. As you desperately swoop and streak through space, screaming out of the stars comes Darth Vader in his TIE Advanced fighter, lasers blasting… Until you use the Force to flip your X-wing in a daring corkscrew roll and blast the Sith Lord out of the sky. Pew-pew!
“Good shot, kid! Now come inside, it’s time for your dinner.”
Yes, if you’ve ever wanted to graduate from bored moisture farmer to epic space pilot, now’s your chance. The new Star Wars Battle Quads from Propel are remote-control toy drones that challenge each other in glorious recreations of the dogfights from George Lucas’ classic movies.
Pick a side and take to the stars of a galaxy far, far away.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Choose from a rebel T-65 X-wing Star Fighter, Darth Vader’s Imperial TIE Advanced X1 or a 74-Z speeder bike from “Return of the Jedi”, complete with Imperial Scout Trooper figure to ride it. They’re on sale in special edition packaging in December, and a Millennium Falcon model will be released in 2017.
A Jedi cares not for money, which is just as well as the Battle Quads cost a whopping £230 or $240 each. (Australian prices weren’t available, but the UK price converts to about AU$390.) Seeing as you need at least two for a dogfight, that’s quite an investment.
The models look perfect, hand-painted and packed with detail. There are some compromises to drone flight, such as vents in the TIE fighter’s wings and the little front legs required to hold the rotors. But the rotor blades are transparent and the vents are cleverly incorporated into the design, leaving the drones looking pleasingly like their on-screen counterparts.
Fly to a galaxy far, fay away with the Star…
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What really sells the Star Wars-iness is the sound. Above the high-pitched whirr of the drones, your controller plays sounds, music and quotes from the movies that take you right into the famous space battle scenes.
The snippets of dialogue react to the action with phrases such as “Stay on target”, “I can’t shake him!” and “Good shot kid!” The music and sound effects help to really draw you into the Star Wars universe. The signature laser-blast “pew-pew!” noises are the absolute best.
The attention to detail even extends to the packaging. When you open each box, it lights up and plays music from the films. Each vehicle has a different soundtrack and dialogue clips. And the Easter eggs keep on coming: the tiny screwdriver required to install the batteries is shaped like a tiny lightsaber.
Even the box is packed with Star Wars detail, including familiar lights and sounds.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
The drones fire lasers at each other when battling. Up to 12 drones can fight each other at once. They interact with each other, counting down how many lives you have left when you’re hit.
Use the Force
- Watch this Star Wars fan film shot using drones
- Millennium Falcon drone is the coolest hunk of junk in our galaxy
- What I learned from watching Star Wars in the wrong order
You have three lives, and when you’re hit a third time the drone falls from the sky. They’ll even tell you if another drone is running short of lives so you know who to target.
Each Battle Quad goes from 0-35 mph in 3 seconds, topping out at 40 mph.
As well as swooping and speeding around in the sky, the drones can pull off nifty corkscrew rolls. Touch the shoulder buttons on the controller and the drone will flip right over.
You’ll get 6 to 8 minutes of flight from one charge. Rechargeable batteries are included.
There are a couple of training options if you’re new to drone flying. You can set a height ceiling so your drone can’t shoot off and disappear or fly over a fence. Or you can learn to fly without actually taking to the sky, with a simulator app game that you play using the actual controller to steer a digital version of the drone on your phone’s screen. You’ll be bullseyeing womp rats in no time — but don’t get cocky.
‘Rogue One’: Meet the characters and costumes
Take a closer look at the costumes worn by the rebels and villains of the new Star Wars movie.
by Jonathan Garnham
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OnePlus 3T review – CNET
The Good The OnePlus 3T’s battery lasts way longer, takes sharper selfies and has a 128GB storage option.
The Bad Pricier than the OnePlus 3, the 3T now directly competes with better phones.
The Bottom Line This is our new favorite budget Android, but if you have the OnePlus 3, you don’t need to upgrade.
If it ain’t broke… make it slightly better.
At least, that’s what OnePlus is saying with the OnePlus 3T — a phone that comes just five months after the company launched its OnePlus 3 flagship in June.
The OnePlus 3 was our favorite mid-price phone until this 3T came along. I have no idea why the company is in such a rush to replace its already excellent phone so soon after its launch, but there you have it. And here you have a phone that’s the new standout in its category. Oh and don’t worry — the 3 is far from obsolete.
Compared to the 3, the 3T has a darker grey color and a new 128GB storage option. It’s got a faster processor, a bigger battery and a better front-facing camera. It’s also a smidge more expensive at $439 or £399 for the 64GB variant and $479 or £439 for the 128GB model. (OnePlus isn’t available in Australia, but that converts to about AU$580 and AU$632.)
For OnePlus 3 owners, don’t panic. You’re only missing out on a couple hours of extra battery life and better selfies. Plus, all the 3T’s new software goodies will soon roll out to 3 owners too. Read on for more details about how the 3T is different (including our spec and price comparison chart at the end), and check out our full OnePlus 3 review for an even deeper dive.
The OnePlus 3T’s darker shade of grey
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Still as fast, and now lasts longer
The earlier OnePlus 3 was fast — it outpaced the Samsung Galaxy S7, LG G5 and HTC 10 in diagnostic benchmark testing scores. This time around, the 3T beats the 3 in the same benchmarks and is just as fast as the Google Pixel and LeEco LePro 3 — two newer phones that have the same Snapdragon 821 processor as the 3T.
When it comes to real-world use, the camera opens and snaps a shot in seconds. You’ll scroll through a webpage and navigate the phone without lag. The keyboard is as quick and responsive as you’d expect. If you plan to download a lot of apps and fill up storage with photos and video, you may want to get the 128GB version to give yourself some breathing room. A nearly full 64GB phone could slow down operations later on.
OnePlus 3T Benchmark Scores
OnePlus 3T
1923
4372
32143
LeEco LePro 3
1878
4372
32304
Motorola Moto Z Play
810
2640
14168
Alcatel Idol 4S
1459
3415
17627
Google Pixel XL
1556
5201
28256
Legend:
Geekbench 4 Single-Core
Geekbench 4 Multi-Core
3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited
Note:
Longer bars indicate better performance
OnePlus gave the 3T a bigger battery than the 3: 3,400mAh instead of 3,000mAh. As expected, it lasts longer. In our lab tests for continuous video playback on Airplane mode, the 3T lasted an average of 16 hours and 56 — a notable 2.5 hours longer than the 3.
The battery still uses OnePlus’ proprietary Dash Charging technology, which charges the battery quickly without overheating. In 30 minutes, the phone charged up to 57 percent, and after an hour, reserves were at 93 percent. A full charge took about 1 hour and 35 minutes. This is about 20 minutes longer than the 3, but that makes sense given the increase in size.
OnePlus 3T review
After only six months, OnePlus took the wraps off of their latest flagship offering, dubbed the OnePlus 3T. As the name suggests, this device is essentially a souped up, or “Turbo” version of the OnePlus 3, but not necessarily a successor though.
- OnePlus 3T announced
- OnePlus 3T pricing and availability
OnePlus decided to launch this device to offer a better experience for their consumers, but how much of an upgrade is it when compared to its flagship sibling? We find out, in this comprehensive OnePlus 3T review!
Design
As far as the design is concerened, the OnePlus 3T looks exactly like its older sibling, and features the same full metal unibody construction, with a slightly curved back and rounded sides and corners. Despite being made entirely of metal, the phone is surprisingly light, and because the back tapers along the edges, it feels thinner as well, making for a device that is very comfortable to hold.
It’s also not a very tall or wide phone and is only slightly larger than the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, allowing for a comfortable one-handed experience despite coming with a 5.5-inch display. There isn’t any 3T logo anywhere on the device that explicitly indicates that this is the upgraded flagship, and the only way to to really distinguish it from the older OnePlus 3 is by the color.
The OnePlus 3T is available in the same gold variant as the OnePlus 3, but the second color option is gunmetal instead of silver. The gunmetal version is going to be the more expensive model though, with it featuring 128 GB of internal storage, while the gold iteration comes with 64 GB of on-board storage.
As was the case with the OnePlus 3, build quality is not an issue here, and everything is very well put together. Taking a look around the device, the power button and volume rocker are on the right and left sides respectively, and the buttons feel very tactile and are easy to press. Above the volume rocker is the very useful Notification Slider, that lets you quickly toggle between silent, do not disturb, and full volume options.
At the bottom is the headphone jack, the USB Type-C port, and the single speaker unit, and up front is the home button with the integrated fingerprint scanner, flanked by capacitive back and Recent Apps keys. The back key is on the left and the Recent Apps key is on the right by default, but you can flip the orientation if you prefer in the Settings.
Display
Things remain unchanged on the display side, with the OnePlus 3T also coming with a 5.5-inch AMOLED display with a 1080p resolution. As is expected from an AMOLED screen, you get rich and vibrant colors with a lot of contrast, and the optional dark mode that is built-in to Oxygen OS takes fanastic advantage of the deep inky blacks. If you aren’t a fan of the vibrancy though, it is also easy to switch to a sRGB color mode in the Display Settings that provides a more natural and less saturated look.
Brightness isn’t a concern and allows for comfortable outdoor visibility. Sharpness isn’t a problem either, and to the naked eye, the difference between this 1080p panel and other Quad HD screen won’t be noticeable, unless you are using the phone for VR. OnePlus feels that VR isn’t mainstream enough to justify the jump to Quad HD, and decided to stick to 1080p to aid with the battery life.
Performance
There aren’t a whole lot of differences between the OnePlus 3 and the 3T, but performance is one area that has seen an improvement. Under the hood, the OnePlus 3T comes with the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor, clocked at 2.35 GHz, which is faster than the one found in the Google Pixel smartphones. The 3T retains the 6 GB of RAM that is also available with the OnePlus 3.
Not surprisingly, the performance is absolutely fantastic with the OnePlus 3T, with the comparatively lower resolution display a contributing factor as well. Opening, closing, and switching between apps is smooth and snappy, the touch responsiveness is excellent, and the device also handles graphic-intensive gaming comfortably, with no dropped frames to be seen.
With 6 GB of RAM, multitasking isn’t an issue either, and you can have a lot of apps in running the background and keep them for a very long time. The OnePlus 3T features one of the quickest and smoothest Android experiences out there. Granted, it may not be as smooth as the experience available with the Pixel devices, but it is certainly up there among the best.
Hardware
As mentioned, 64 GB and 128 GB are the internal storage options available, but if storage is a concern, users will have to opt for the higher variant, with expandable storage via microSD card not being available. Getting the 128 GB model means that you will also get the new gunmetal color.
The fingerprint sensor that is integrated into the home button up front does unlock the device really quickly, but it is unfortunately not the most accurate scanner out there. It is fairly reliable, but there have been quite a few instances where it misreads my fingerprint. You can also add a variety of long press and double tap functions to the home button and the capacitive keys.
Another area where the OnePlus 3T has received an upgrade is in the battery department, with the device coming with a 3,400 mAh battery, which is a slight bump when compared to the 3,000 mAh unit available with the OnePlus 3. The 13% bump in battery capacity is more impressive when you consider the fact that OnePlus was able to achieve it without making the phone any heavier or thicker than its namesake.
OnePlus’ Dash Charge technology is available here to quickly get the phone back up to a full charge. The biggest advantage with this technology however is that the majority of the heat that is generated during charging is contained in the wall adapter and doesn’t make its way to the device. This also means that you can use the phone while it is charging, without worrying about the charging speeds being throttled in order to control the device temperature.
OnePlus claims that you can get a full day of battery life after charging the device for just half an hour. In my experience, that translates to a charge to 60% in half an hour, which is certainly impressive, and very useful if you don’t have a lot of time to fully charge your phone.
As far as the battery life is concerned, the overall experience has been extremely good. The phone easily lasts all day even with my fairly heavy usage, which typically consists of several hours of gaming, watching videos on Youtube, and streaming music, throughout the day. So, while this bump in battery capacity may seem small, it seems to make a significant difference to the battery life.
Camera
The final area that has seen an upgrade from the OnePlus 3 is with the camera, but this change is more focused on the front-facing shooter, which is now a 16 MP unit, which is double the 8 MP sensor that was found with the OnePlus 3. The rear camera is the same 16 MP unit that was availabe with the OnePlus 3, and comes with a f/2.0 aperture, optical image stabilization, and phase detection autofocus.
The front-facing camera also comes with a f/2.0 aperture, which helps a lot when taking selfies in low-light conditions. With the bump in megapixel count, you will also have a lot more room to zoom and crop without any deterioration in the quality of the picture, and also enjoy sharper looking video. Overall, you get a far better experience with the front-facing shooter now than you did with the OnePlus 3.
The default camera app is pretty similar to the Google Camera, with many of the same modes to be found here, including Timelapse, Slow motion, and Panorama. The only exception is that manual controls are available if you are looking to dial in the setting yourself, but it is otherwise a very nicely laid out and easy to use camera application.
This is definitely a good camera with it comes to picture quality. Photos are crisp and well detailed, and I really like the color reproduction. You get nice, natural looking colors, and the images are sharp enough, but without looking oversharpened and artificial. If you do want some extra sharpening, the HQ mode is available, which adds a fairly noticeable amount of sharpening to the photos. However, the images looked fine in most situations, and I rarely had to use this feature.
In terms of dynamic range, the camera does have a tendency to overexpose the shot and blow out a lot of the highlights, but HDR mode alleviates this problem easily. It does a great job of pulling extra detail from the highlights and shadows, while still maintaining the natural look of the original image. Low-light shots can be good, but onl when using the HQ mode. Without it, images are noisy and soft, and the mode allows for sharper, more detailed images that are a lot cleaner.
Software
On the software side of things, the OnePlus 3T is running the latest Oxygen OS 3.5.1 based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, and you get a very stock Android look and feel here, but with a lot of customizations available that add to the experience without getting in the way.
Shelf is still accessible by swiping to the left of the home screen, and holds a lot of information, including the weather info and your recent contacts or used apps. You can also compose memos and manage your data, storage, and battery life, and there any widget can be added here, instead of having them take up space on the other home screens.
A few new customization options have been added to the latest version of the Oxygen OS, such as a built-in night mode, that makes the viewing the screen easier on your eyes at night. There are custom accent colors, support for third party icon packs, and the screen off gestures like double tap to wake, or the ability to launch the camera or flashlight by drawing on O or a V on the screen.
You can truly tailor the experience to exactly the way you like it, and that is one of the best parts about Oxygen OS. This updated version introduces some new features to further refine the experience. You can now swipe down on the screen with three fingers to take a screenshot, and add a password or use your fingerprint to lock down any application.
Despite still being based on Android Marshmallow, OnePlus has also updated the notification shade to the Android 7.0 Nougat style that comes with easy access to the Quick Settings with one downward swipe. OnePlus hasn’t announced a specific date as to when an official update to Android 7.0 Nougat will be available, but it is slated for the end of the year, and will be made available for both the OnePlus 3 and 3T.
Specifications
| Display | 5.5-inch Optic AMOLED display 1920 x 1080 resolution, 401ppi Corning Gorilla Glass 4 |
| Processor | 2.35GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 |
| GPU | Adreno 530 |
| RAM | 6GB LPDDR4 |
| Storage | 64 or 128GB (Gunmetal only) UFS 2.0 |
| MicroSD | No |
| Ports | USB 2.0, Type-C Dual nano-SIM slot 3.5 mm audio jack |
| Buttons | Capacitive hardware keys and on-screen navigation support |
| Audio | Speakers: Bottom-facing speaker Microphones: Dual-microphone with noise cancellation |
| Cameras | Rear: 16MP Sony IMX 298 sensor, 1.12μm, f/2.0 aperture, OIS, EIS, phase detection autofocus
Front: 16MP Samsung 3P8SP sensor, 1.0μm, f/2.0 aperture, fixed focus |
| Sensors | Fingerprint, Hall, Accelerometor, Gyroscope, Proximity, Ambient Light, Electronic Compass |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 4.2 NFC |
| Battery | Non-removable 3,400mAh Dash Charge (5V 4A) |
| Software | OxygenOS based on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow |
| Colors | Gunmetal Soft Gold (Available shortly after launch) |
| Dimensions and weight | 152.7 x 74.7 x 7.35mm 158g |
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Pricing and final thoughts
The faster processor, an improved front-facing camera, and larger battery capacity also results in a bump in the price point, with the 64 GB model priced at $439, and the 128 GB iteration setting you back an additional $40. The OnePlus 3T will be available on November 22 in the US and November 28 in Europe.
So, there you have it for this in-depth look at the OnePlus 3T review! If you already have the OnePlus 3, the 3T isn’t compelling enough to justify an upgrade. The improvements are nice, but the overall experience isn’t significantly different between the two, and if software updates are a concern, the good news is that both devices will receive them at the same time.
On the other hand, those who have been waiting to see what Google had to offer with their smartphones and were holding off on buying the OnePlus 3 will certainly be elated. Given the upgrades, the $40 and $80 difference in price from the OnePlus 3 is completely understandable, and still undercuts a lot of other flagships. What you get for the money does make the OnePlus 3T one of the best deals you can get for an Android flagship, and is a smart move by the company.
Facebook drone failure prompts a US investigation
Facebook may have been beaming with pride when it completed the first full test of its Aquila internet drone on June 28th, but that “structural failure” near the end? US officials aren’t so happy about that. The National Transportation Safety Board has revealed that it’s investigating the incident, which it considers “substantial” enough to be treated as an accident. The exact circumstances aren’t available, but there wasn’t any damage on the ground.
In a statement to Bloomberg, Facebook reiterates that it was “happy” with the test flight, which checked everything from basic aerodynamics to controls. There were “no major unexpected results,” the social network says. It likely wasn’t catastrophic, then, but the NTSB’s involvement still raises eyebrows. Is it investigating just to be cautious, or is this more than a small snag?
Whatever the situation, it’s only going to add to Facebook’s headaches as it tries to offer free, far-reaching internet access. On top of the imperfect drone flight, it lost a satellite to SpaceX’s Falcon 9 explosion on September 1st. Both ventures are inherently risky — Aquila is effectively a barebones solar-powered wing — but we suspect that Facebook wasn’t expecting to run into that much trouble in a relatively short time.
Source: Bloomberg
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