Sony: Hybrid log gamma HDR update coming to all 4K HDR TVs

Sony has confirmed that it will be pushing an update to bring hybrid log gamma compatibility to its 2016 and 2017 televisions.

Hybrid log gamma (HLG) is a new TV technology that’s been developed in part by the BBC, but is seen as the potential future for broadcast high dynamic range. The advantage that HLG offers over systems like HDR10 or Dolby Vision is that you don’t need any specific hardware and it’s easy to work with for content producers, so it’s widely compatible with existing devices.

• What is Hybrid Log Gamma and why should you care?

Currently there’s no real content available in the HLG format, but the BBC has run some trials with HLG. When LG launched its new series of OLED TVs in 2017, HLG was one of the formats added to that list, as momentum grows for this alternative HDR format.

Sony, during a showcase of the company’s new televisions, confirmed that an over-the-air update will bring this compatibility to all the 4K HDR models from 2016 and 2017. There’s no timeframe on when this will happen, but that might not matter – as there’s currently no HLG content, this is really just a future-proofing move.

Sony’s refreshed line-up of 4K HDR TVs in 2017 is led by the new OLED Bravia A1 sitting alongside the ZD9, the late-launching TV from 2016 that we rate highly. There’s also a full refresh of TVs in XE range, broadly improving the XD models from 2016.

• What is HDR, what TVs support HDR, and what HDR content can I watch?

Panasonic DMP-UB700 review: Step-down Ultra HD Blu-ray player loses little

Panasonic made its pitch with one of the first Ultra HD Blu-ray players in 2016 with the UB900. It was masterful, designed to be the highest quality for early adopters and to satisfy the demands of serious AV enthusiasts looking for their 4K fix.

The UB900’s barrier was its £600 price, which is perhaps why the half-price UB700 saw a late-2016 launch with a price that more closely matched the rival Samsung K8500.

To hit its £300 price point the UB700 loses some of its audio prowess, but retains its knockout punch – stunning 4K Blu-ray visuals.

Panasonic DMP-UB700 review: Diluted, conventional design

• Glossy deep black finish
• 430 x 199 x 61mm
• Front fold-down flap
• Plays UHD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD

One of the biggest things to set apart the first two Ultra HD Blu-ray players was design. Panasonic went serious and conventional, while Samsung went for a curved player to match its (then) preference for curved TVs.

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Panasonic in many ways is more elegant and has the advantage of looking more normal stacked alongside your other high-end AV kit, but one of the changes in the UB700 is the feet and that deep grained finish from the UB900. The UB700 is glossy and black but otherwise inoffensive, although it scratches easily, so don’t put anything on top of this player, and it also attracts a lot of dust.

It looks like many other Panasonic players, with a full front flap that folds down to reveal the disc tray when you hit the eject button (this also reveals the SD card slot and front USB for additional media options).

There’s a display behind this panel too, shining through to pass on information. We couldn’t find a way to turn it off during playback though.

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The remote that comes with this player isn’t the best. Panasonic calls it the “simple” remote in its specs for obvious reason: you lose the fun illumination of the UB900’s excellent remote. The simple remote is smaller and more compact overall, offering fewer direct button controls; some you won’t miss, like the 3D controls, the one you will miss is our favourite – the playback info button. You can get details on the screen by digging in the menu, where you can see what quality is being output both for audio and video. One of the direct buttons it retains is the Netflix button, so if you’re a fan of that service, you get direct access.

• Panasonic DMP-UB900 review: Ultra-HD Blu-ray master class

Panasonic DMP-UB700 review: Setup and connections

• 2x HDMI, one for dedicated audio
• Optical audio
• Ethernet and Wi-Fi

The big difference between the UB700 and the UB900 really comes down to the connections on the rear and the corresponding audio support. The UB700 offers two HDMI outputs – so you have the option to split the audio into a dedicated HDMI, especially useful if you want to run it to a receiver, while the video heads straight to your 4K HDR TV.

• What is HDR? High Dyanmic Range explained

There’s optical audio too, if you have legacy equipment, but whereas the UB900 offers a full run of analogue audio connections, the UB700 does not. For your average home cinema user, that may be of no concern at all, but that also defines the positioning of these two players: the UB900 is designed to do everything across audio and visual entertainment, the UB700 has a leaning toward being an Ultra HD Blu-ray player first and foremost.

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Connection is quick and easy and we hooked it up to the LG OLED B6 TV and had things up and running in no time – remembering, of course, to enable the HDMI Deep Colour (or equivalent) on your TV’s HDMI you’ve connected to.

You can change the picture settings when playing standard Blu-ray, although Ultra HD Blu-ray is more restricted to preserve the HDR parameters that the player is dictating to the TV. HDMI audio suits us fine too, with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X supported via bitstream, along with a full run of other audio formats.

There’s Wi-Fi for connecting to the internet, as well as an Ethernet port. If you’ve ambitions to use the streaming services that are bundled in then a wired connection is usually preferable. That said, if you’re hooking this up to one of the latest smart TVs, you’ll probably find yourself slightly better catered for through those apps – saving the need to have this box powered on.

Anecdotally, we found that the Wi-Fi performance in the UB700 was fairly poor – achieving only around half the data speeds of the TV we connected it to – and that’s important for streaming, so go with wire.

Panasonic DMP-UB700 review: Performance and playback

• 3840 x 2160 playback with HDR
• No Dolby Vision support

The good news is that the UB700 is every bit as good as the UB900 when it comes to playback of your Ultra HD Blu-ray discs. You’re rewarded with clear and sharp pictures with wonderful HDR when you feed it the new format of higher quality Blu-ray discs. So despite the cut price there’s no drop in visual performance.

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This is a quiet player too and that’s one of the advantages of opting for a dedicated Ultra HD Blu-ray player over something like the Xbox One S, which is altogether a noisier experience.

We’ve mentioned that HDR is excellent, but the UB700 misses out on Dolby Vision support. That’s something of a new trend for 2017, with LG announcing the first (and only) compatible player (at the time of writing). If you’re planning on buying a Vision compatible TV, you’ll need a player that supports it too.

Each time we encounter Ultra HD Blu-ray we talk about the stunning visuals, but these skills aren’t limited to those discs along. Blu-ray is very well handled too. You’ll miss the HDR, but there’s plenty of clarity and detail, so much so that you’ll forget, for a moment, just how much better Ultra HD Blu-ray is, until you load a new disc and get that jaw-dropping picture again.

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We’ll talk about the streaming services in a second, but first we’ll touch on a small negative. The Panasonic UB700 can take a long time to turn on and off. There’s no sense of an instant-on experience, so be prepared to wait when you hit the power button. That said, loading discs isn’t too slow once they are in the tray.

• What is Dolby Vision? Dolby’s very own HDR TV tech explained

Panasonic DMP-UB700 review: User interface and streaming services

• User interface a little dated
• Netflix, Amazon Video, YouTube all offer 4K content

When we reviewed the UB900 there was one thing in particular we didn’t like and that was the user interface. It feels a little dated, especially when you get to the “network services” options which is where you’ll find the apps.

The home menu offers major sections for video, music, photo and home network before you get to this section for apps. The real problem isn’t the services provided (Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Video, BBC iPlayer covers most bases), it’s that getting to them is a chore and the user interface is ugly.

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You jump from mono of the main menu with linear scrolling to a sort-of 3D layered array on a blue background when you hit the apps – it couldn’t be more inconsistent. Then there’s the screensaver, which looks like the sort of thing that you might have had on Windows XP, moving and flipping the picture around the screen.

We mentioned before that the Wi-Fi is rather weak too. The real-world impact of this is that the UB700 won’t always get to the top resolution on some services. Fire up a YouTube 4K video, for example, and it might only play at 1440p, rather than 2160p (that the same video on the TV appeared at moments later).

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There’s a trick to remember for services like Netflix or YouTube however. Thanks to those services supporting casting protocols, you can just hit the cast button from the app on your phone, select your UB700 from the list, the app opens and away you go – no messy user interface needed.

• Best Ultra HD Blu-ray players: Spinning 4K discs

Verdict

If you’re not an audiophile then there’s no reason to buy the UB900. If you are an audiophile, there’s every chance you have audio covered already, so you can save yourself the cash and select the UB700 instead: it’s every bit as competent on the visual performance front. That’s where the UB700 shines, offering wonderful handling of Ultra HD Blu-ray discs, giving you that warm embrace of this future format. 

The player’s user interface could be better and the jarring inconsistency in design between the menu and the app screen could be easily fixed. The remote isn’t as good as the UB900’s, but given the effective cut in price, we can’t complain about that.

The remaining consideration, however, is that Panasonic has subsequently announced more Ultra HD Blu-ray players. They’re not on the market yet, but it might be worth waiting and seeing what they offer.

Buy the Panasonic DMP-UB700 from Amazon.co.uk for £290.

Alternatives to consider

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Samsung K8500

Samsung’s first Ultra HD Blu-ray player, and currently one of the cheapest on the market is the K8500. This will not only spin your 4K HDR discs, but also serve up a range of streaming content too, from services like Netflix and Amazon Video. Its quirk is the curved design which is unconventional, meaning it probably won’t match any other device you own. However, it still offers great quality and performance for very little money.

• Samsung UBD-K8500 review: Beautiful Ultra HD Blu-ray
• Buy the Samsung K8500 on Amazon.co.uk for £209 or on Amazon.com for $275

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Xbox One S

The Xbox One S is not only a fully-featured gaming machine, but it’s also an Ultra HD Blu-ray player, capable of handling the latest discs and outputting 4K HDR content to your TV. It’s a little noisier than some of the dedicated players and it’s not quite as fully-featured, but for the asking price, you get not only an Ultra HD Blu-ray player, but one of the best entertainment devices on the market.

• Xbox One S review: Great console and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player, what else?
• Buy the Xbox One S on Amazon.co.uk for £229 or on Amazon.com for $274

LG OLED B6 review: A sure-fire starting point for OLED

The LG OLED B6 was launched in 2016, as the most affordable flat LG OLED TV for that year. That marks it out as something rather special because while the flagship televisions – the Signature G6 and the E6 – offer the picture-on-glass design, the OLED panel you get on the substantially cheaper B6 model is much the same in terms of quality. 

With new OLED models announced for 2017 and the B6 seeing discounts from online stores like Amazon, it could be your OLED television of choice. 

LG OLED B6 review: Design

• Flat OLED TV
• Available in 55 or 65 inches
• Stand transparency creates floating effect

Coming in 65 or 55 inch sizes, it’s the smaller screen that’s the real star for us. Sure, the size you choose very much depends on personal preference, but in the average UK home, smaller tends to fit better, not to mention the price difference, with the 65-inch model closer to £3,000.

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Like the OLED C6 we’ve reviewed separately, the B6 offers a slim design through the body, but with the bottom half of the rear carrying a plastic section that contains the brains and connections for the TV. Unlike the flagship model that packs those connections onto the speaker base, this is rather more conventional, which accounts for its more competitive pricing. It also looks cheaper than those higher-tier models, but that’s fair, as something has to give to bring the price down. 

If you’re the sort of person who plans to mount this TV on a wall, then that’s no problem at all, as it will be mostly hidden. With connections split between the left-hand side and the back itself, it’s fairly easy to hook-up devices without having too many cables on show – but it will need some cable management to keep things tidy.

Talking of keeping things tidy, the stand that comes with the OLED B6 is rather nice too. Bridging the space between the foot of the base and the television is a clear panel. This gives the effect that the TV is floating, if you happen to place it somewhere with line of sight straight through. Of course, you still have to deal with your cables which dampen the effect slightly, and we can’t help feeling that for these OLED panels that an external connection box in the fashion used by Samsung (for its One Connect box) might clean things up a bit more. 

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There’s little to complain about though in terms of design. Despite not being at the top tier of LG’s ranks, the B6 is a solidly designed TV, with looks that befit the price you’re being asked to pay. 

LG OLED B6 review: User interface and setup

• webOS 3.0 with Freeview Play
• Netflix, Amazon, Now TV, Play Movies
• 4x HDMI inputs

For a number of generations we’ve been praising the webOS interface that LG has been gracing its top TVs with. This is refreshingly presented, with an engaging setup to get you started. Although Samsung raised its game to compete in 2016 with a simpler interface we still find webOS a lot of fun when getting started with a new TV. 

One of the things the B6 wants to do right from the start is setup control of the connected devices. Some things are seamless – the LG soundbar we connected via optical was immediately recognised – but others are less straightforward. The aim is to give you universal control from the motion controller that LG includes, but how much you commit to that process depends on your setup.

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If you’re the sort of person who is going to connect a Sky Q box for your TV watching (and this model comes with 12-months free Sky Q in the UK), you might find yourself living in the Sky environment more than the LG TV’s environment and doing everything with your Sky remote. 

One of the things we like about webOS is the use of cards to enable quick switching around connected features. This is a smart TV, so it comes equipped with a range of its own apps, like enhanced Netflix, Amazon Video, Now TV, BBC iPlayer, Google Play Movies & TV and so on. Most of the major video-on-demand services are covered, although with most TV boxes also now offering those services, you might find you never need to use them.

The advantage of using the native TV services is support for 4K HDR, including Dolby Vision, which is rather more rare. Although Dolby Vision (Dolby’s enriched version of HDR) doesn’t have a huge amount of content yet, services like Netflix should be your first port of call (The OA, Daredevil, Luke Cage and more). You probably won’t get Dolby Vision through a connected set-top box.

• What is Dolby Vision? Dolby’s very own HDR TV tech explained

So, aside from hooking up the cables to the four HDMI (all supporting 4K HDR, two on the rear, two on the side), connecting to your network (either via Wi-Fi or Ethernet) and hooking up other devices to USB or audio connections, choosing your streaming services is very much a part of getting the best out of this television.

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The bundled remote is ok, although we still feel that motion isn’t the fastest way to navigate a TV interface. The pointer appears and will let you point and click your way through things, but inevitably using the four-way controller ends up being faster. The key button is that home button that pops-up the cards, letting you jump between services and inputs in a flash. 

For those in the UK, this TV also comes with a Freeview Play enabled tuner. That means that you get seamless backward compatibility with catch-up services. If you’re watching BBC 1, for example, you can open the guide and scroll back to the programme you’ve missed, hit play and it will fire up on BBC iPlayer for you to watch. This works for ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 too, although the last two of these channels seem to have less content available than the others. Freeview Play is a great service – rivalling YouView – and makes it very simple to jump into catch-up services. Recording is also offered if you attach a hard drive via USB.

• What is Freeview Play?

LG OLED B6 review: Picture performance and quality

• 3860 x 2160 pixels
• HDR 10 and Dolby Vision support

OLED has been getting rave reviews and that’s not unsubstantiated, as this TV tech is heralded for its picture performance. LG’s argument has been that producing colour from a display where you have wonderfully deep blacks is better than LCD’s approach where such deep shades can’t be reached. There is a vibrancy and richness to colours and the blacks are unquestionably deep and serious.

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That will come as no surprise and the colour and contrast that this television offers makes every source a visual treat. At 55 inches, your daily telly from channels like BBC HD looks fantastic, while lower quality SD channels are acceptable. But the real glory is saved for richer formats like Blu-ray, both of the Full HD and Ultra HD variety.

It’s in these superior formats that this dazzling OLED display goes to work, rich in detail with that dip into darker depths that most LED TVs can’t get close to. The same applies to higher-quality streaming services like Netflix, where shows like Luke Cage are a joy to behold, the B6 throwing up a Dolby Vision or HDR notification with a noticeable switch in brightness when you hit that high dynamic range content. The best experience is reserved for Ultra HD Blu-ray, and we partnered this TV with the Panasonic DMP-UB700 to revel in its glory.

There’s some tweaking to be done to get this TV to personal perfection and taking on the motion controls is a good place to start to avoid some of the judder that blighted older OLED TVs in those awkward fast pans. The default here isn’t the best, but a custom setting of 5 for dejudder and 5 for deblur seems to work for us.

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But TV is no longer just about that 4K resolution. With HDR swinging in like the bassline of a soundtrack, the added dynamic range is new and exciting, taking your TV’s pictures into realms of realism that detail alone just doesn’t deliver. When you hit an HDR source the TV switches to a defined mode that aims to give you the best delivery, but you can still select modes within that for personal preference – dark, bright and vivid – which sort of runs counter to the idea of viewing what the director intended, as well as make some tweaks to the TV’s settings.

• What is HDR, what TVs support HDR, and what HDR content can I watch?

If there’s one area where this OLED TV stumbles, it’s in realising the HDR potential. We’re not saying it’s bad by any measure, because it’s not. Feed in something dramatic like The Revenant and you’ll be rewarded with stunning presentation of HDR scenes, the low sun cutting through the winter trees with an ambiance that wasn’t possible on TVs just a few years ago. But it’s here that the brightness that you’ll get from an LCD TV – and something like the Samsung KS8000 might be a perfect example – will give you more of an HDR punch. The flipside of that equation is that the scorched earth scenes of Max Mad: Fury Road give the LG’s colours a chance to shine and it’s glorious.

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Herein comes the real consideration about this television. It’s an OLED masterclass, with performance that we can’t help but like, but newer LG OLED sets in 2017 are designed to be brighter, to better hold off the rivals using that brighter and cheaper LCD technology. With LED TVs being more affordable, OLED has to fight harder to win you over and we’d say that Samsung’s leading LED TVs from 2016 should also be considered, unless you specifically want Dolby Vision support.

LG OLED B6 review: Sound quality

• 40W internal speakers with Harman Kardon tuning

LG has included 40 watt speakers on the B6. These come with Harman Kardon tuning and a range of sound modes, and they’re pretty good. They lack the gusto of a larger system, but give a good enough showing if they’re the only speakers you’re planning to use. 

In all likelihood you’ll be opting to connect to a sound system either via HDMI (there’s audio return on HDMI 2 on the side) or via optical, with support for LG’s Sound Sync if you have compatible speakers. 

Verdict

The LG OLED B6 is the complete package for a modern smart TV. It supports the latest standards in 4K and HDR, offers Dolby Vision which is a little more special than its competition, as well as a full selection of apps and services for a complete experience.

Although this TV is now a year old and there’s the B7 as a replacement, the dropping price of the OLED B6 makes it a screen that’s well worth considering. It’s hugely capable, it’s solidly designed and built, giving you excellent performance whether you’re watching TV through the Freeview tuner, hooked-up to the latest Blu-ray player, gaming or streaming from the many services it offers. 

The consideration still stands, however, that you’ll get a brighter TV with a heftier HDR punch if you consider one of the leading LED screens.

• Buy the LG OLED B6 55-inch on Amazon.co.uk for £1721, or on Amazon.com for $1997

LG OLED B6: Alternatives to consider

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Samsung KS8000

The Samsung KS8000 offers a premium slim design and a big picture punch. It might be a mid-range SUHD from Samsung, but it’s bright, has plenty of vibrancy and delivers on picture performance. Samsung has refined the user interface of this TV to make it not only fully connected, but simple to use. Physical connection via the One Connect box is also a breeze, leaving lots of love about the Samsung KS8000. 

• Samsung KS8000 SUHD TV review: Hitting the 4K HDR sweet spot
• Buy the Samsung 55-inch KS8000 on Amazon.co.uk for £939, or on Amazon.com for $997

The Morning After: Friday, February 03 2017

Welcome to Friday. Snapchat makes a move to become an even bigger business, Uber’s CEO bows out from President Donald Trump’s advisory council and hey! There’s the long-awaited, brand new Engadget app!

It could be the biggest IPO since Alibaba in 2014
Snap Inc. officially files for IPO

So far, Snapchat has had an easy time keeping information to itself because it was not a publicly traded company. That will change soon, however, as it has filed papers for an initial public offering that could reach a value of $20 – $25 billion. The filing revealed it has over 158 million daily users, and yes, it knows the interface is tough to learn.

Hang on to those keys
NVIDIA makes it more difficult to resell bundled games

The hustle of selling off pack-in games may be over, now that NVIDIA links its redemption codes to the GeForce Experience app. People were frequently selling or trading them online, but to activate them, you’ll need to actually have the right graphics card installed.

Completely rebuilt and redesigned
Meet the new Engadget app!

We have an all-new edition of the Engadget app, packed full of our news, reviews, galleries and videos. It’s also incredibly customizable so you can subscribe to the topics you’re interested in, and turn on push notifications for (relevant) breaking news. If you still have the old app, just update to the new one or grab it from the store on iOS or Android.

You might miss USB ports and headphone jacks, but others don’t.
Apple’s ‘polarizing’ new products are paying off

During 2016, it seemed like lots of Apple fans were unhappy. The year brought few updates to the Mac, a barely redesigned iPhone with no headphone jack, AirPod headphones that shipped two months late and a new Apple Watch that was a modest improvement to a product still seen as nonessential. However, Apple just reported a massively successful quarter. According to CEO Tim Cook, both iPhone and Apple Watch sales hit records for both unit sales and revenue. In the case of the iPhone, that reversed three consecutive quarters of declining sales. Further still, Mac sales also generated record revenue, despite the fact that the new MacBook Pro was limited in supply and the rest of Apple’s computer lineup hasn’t been updated in a long time.

The #DeleteUber campaign resulted in 200,000 accounts removed
Uber CEO Travis Kalanick leaves Donald Trump’s advisory council

And Tesla CEO Elon Musk won’t, saying “he and others will “express our objections to the recent executive order on immigration and offer suggestions for changes to the policy.”

One of the best racing sims ever is getting a sequel.
Classic racing series ‘GTR’ will return in 2018

It’s taken more than a decade, but GTR 2 is finally getting a sequel. SimBin says that GTR 3 is being built on the Unreal 4 engine and is just months into development. However, we’re already getting a few ideas about what will feature in the game. Chris Speed, the CEO of SimBin’s parent company Sector3, confirmed that the game would feature a day-night cycle, dynamic weather and vehicle damage. Further still, dynamic water movement will mean rain can pool organically, which will lead to aquaplaning and other handling quirks. 2018 is a ways off, and the game still needs to find a publisher and some form of licensing: the FIA GT Championship that the game series was previously built from no longer exists.

Outstanding but pricey.
Being fancy and renting an Audi through its concierge app

Launched over a year ago in beta and still under the radar, Audi on Demand is the automaker’s premium car rental service. As you’d expect, it’s for Audis only. But if you’ve ever had a hankering to drive an R8, you can fire up the app, reserve one and make all of your friends jealous when it gets delivered to your home or office. And isn’t that the point of most things?

But wait, there’s more…

• Devolver will highlight games from banned nations at GDC
• SpaceX is getting closer to relaunching a used booster
• GoPro is planning to release a Hero 6 camera in 2017
• Devolver will highlight games from banned nations at GDC
• Who is Jerry Falwell Jr. and why is he reforming higher education?
• Pornhub’s Sexual Wellness Center gives you the lowdown before you get down
• Google gives up on ‘Hands Free’ wireless mobile payments

Google blurs the line between websites and Android apps

With its latest Chrome Beta release, Google has given app-like websites called “Progressive Web Apps” a higher status on Android. If you launch a site like Flipkart Lite in the latest Android Chrome beta, you’ll now get the option “add to home screen,” where it’ll appear like any other app on your home screen and app drawer. You’ll then be able to control notifications in the Android notification management controls, rather than in the Chrome settings like regular web sites.

Progressive Web Apps use the latest HTML and web features to make sites “reliable, fast and engaging,” as Google describes them. To do that, they use functions called “service workers” that cache key resources so that the app will load faster and work even if you’re not connected to the internet (no “downasaur,” Google says). Sites also feel more like a “natural app on the device, with an immersive user experience,” it says.

The huge commitment required by developers means that Progressive Web Apps haven’t been widely adopted yet. They’re not to be confused with Instant Apps that let you run an actual app (not a site) from a URL link without the need to download it from the Play Store. In both cases, however, Google’s aim is to give users new ways to discover apps without having to commit to downloading them.

Progressive Web Apps will also appear in Android settings, and allow you to set “intents,” ie, they’ll launch when you tap a certain URL, for instance. Other new features in the latest Chrome Beta include “CSS Grid Layout” support that gives developers more website design options and new ways for developers to display artist names, artwork and song titles on media player lockscreens. You can now find the latest Chrome beta (version 57.0) at the Play Store.

Source: Google (1), (2)

Former Spotify Executive Hired to Lead Apple Music’s Label Relations

Apple has hired a former Spotify executive to head up its Apple Music label relations team, according to Business Insider.

An Apple spokesperson confirmed that former Spotify VP of content Steve Savoca has been recruited to oversee the music streaming service’s global label relations, which work out of New York.

Savoca is tasked with building relationships with smaller, independent labels, with a focus on the international scene, according to the report.

Savoca is said to have haven been one of Spotify’s first U.S. employees and worked for the Swedish streaming company for five years. Prior to that, he held senior digital and marketing roles roles at Domino Records, Zomba Label Group, and London-Sire.

Savoca is a musician himself, and played drums with a band called the Werefrogs during the 1990s, according to Billboard. He serves on the board of directors of the Music Business Association (formerly NARM) and previously sat on the board at Merlin.

In December 2016, Apple’s Eddy Cue revealed that Apple Music has over 20 million paid subscribers. In October, Spotify said it had 40 million subscribers. Apple Music executive Jimmy Iovine recently spoke of the company’s desire to make Apple Music more than just a music streaming service, with “an entire pop cultural experience” planned that takes in original content including TV and audio.

Tags: Spotify, Apple Music
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Wi-Fi Router Issue Fix Coming For LG’s UltraFine 27-inch 5K Display

A recurring issue with the LG UltraFine 27-inch 5K display that causes glitches whenever the monitor is placed close to a router will be fixed, LG has announced.

Recently, reports began circulating online that LG’s 5K monitor – created in partnership with Apple – suffers from flickering and freezing when placed close to a wireless router, with this behavior sometimes causing connected Macs to also freeze and require a restart.

On Wednesday, an LG support person confirmed to ArsTechnica that the issue had been reported by a number of users and that it only seemed to occur with the company’s Apple-approved 5K monitors. LG has now publicly apologized for the glitch and says all newly made models made after February will not be susceptible to the problem.

Speaking today to Recode, an LG spokesperson said that the company will resolve the problem by inserting additional shielding into newly manufactured models, which should protect against the electromagnetic radiation from routers that is likely causing the issues.

“LG apologizes for this inconvenience and is committed to delivering the best quality products possible so all LG UltraFine 27-inch 5K displays manufactured after February 2017 will be fitted with enhanced shielding,” the company said in an e-mail.

According to LG, existing models will be able to be retrofitted with the same enhanced shielding, allowing the monitors to be placed near routers without issue. Owners affected by the issue are advised to get in touch with Apple, LG, or their reseller to arrange for a repair.

Apple teamed up with LG to create both the 4K and 5K UltraFine Displays, specifically designed to work with the new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro. The displays are a successor to Apple’s own Thunderbolt Display, which it discontinued earlier this year amid its departure from the standalone display business.

The 5K Display is currently available for purchase at the sale price of $974 until March 31, 2017, when the price will return to $1,299.95. Apple was recently falsely accused of hiding negative feedback about the new display on its web store, when the truth was that reviews had not yet been activated for the product page.

Whatever the reason for the initial delay, posting to the product page has been possible since January 25 and reviews have so far been mixed. LG’s display currently has a 3 out of 5 star rating based on 115 reviews, but it’s not entirely clear how many of them are solely affected by the router glitch.

Tag: LG
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Viber iOS Update Adds Secret Messages, Rich Notifications, and Instant Video Features

Popular messaging app Viber has received an update that brings a number of new features to the platform, including the ability to send Secret Messages.

Users are now able to specify how long photos, videos, and chat messages can be accessed for after being viewed by the recipient. The time limit options for viewing a Secret Message are 1, 3, 7, and 10 seconds.

Viber has also added the ability to send media as files, so users can send photos and videos in their original size and quality. In addition Viber now supports rich notifications on iOS 10, meaning users can see the contents of messages on the notifications screen or in another app.

Lastly, Viber now offers instant video messaging. Users simply tap and hold the instant video icon, and they can capture and send videos lasting up to 30 seconds.

Viber is a free download for iPhone and iPad available on the App Store. [Direct Link]

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GoPro confirms Hero6 and other new cameras are coming this year

GoPro has confirmed that it will release a Hero6 camera in 2017.

Although the 4K-enabled GoPro Hero5 was only made available in September last year, company CEO Nick Woodman revealed that its replacement is planned – possibly for a similar release window.

Speaking during GoPro’s financial earnings call, Woodman told a JPMorgan Securities employee that the Hero6 and other devices will be released in the next 12 months: “We can confirm there will be new cameras and other accessories released during the year and new camera namely being Hero6,” he said.

“But we’re not going to share any information as to the timing or any other details around the release of those new products as you can imagine.”

• Best GoPro: Which GoPro should you choose?
• The best GoPro photos in the world, prepare to lose your breath

GoPro has had one of its most difficult periods recently, posting a net loss of $116 million (around £93 million). This is partly down to production issues with the Hero5 and a recall for the initial Karma drone units. Both problems were resolved, with the Karma now being sold again, but the company has had to streamline to survive.

What the GoPro Hero6 might boast over the Hero5 is anyone’s guess. We’d like to see 4K video recording at 60 frames per second, but beyond that we’re happy to play the waiting game. After all, we’re still very impressed with the GoPro Hero5 Black.

Don’t fly your drone within 35 miles of Sunday’s Super Bowl, FAA warns

Why it matters to you

Fly your drone within 35 miles of Houston’s NRG Stadium on Sunday and you’ll probably end up losing your bird, missing the game, and paying a fine.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) isn’t messing about when it comes to drone flights at the Sunday’s Super Bowl.

Not only is it banning flights over Houston’s NRG Stadium during the big game, it’s also warning drone owners to keep their fly machines grounded for up to 34.5 miles away.

The strict rules will be in effect from 4 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, the FAA confirmed in a notice posted on its website this week.

The rules are for safety reasons – the agency charged with keeping U.S. skies safe doesn’t want to risk any of the unmanned flying machines dropping unceremoniously from the sky and landing on a fan’s head – and for security reasons, too, though presumably any drone-owning ne’er-do-wells won’t be too bothered about official notices ordering them not to fly.

A short video (above) highlighting the restriction implores fans to “bring your lucky jersey, bring your face paint, bring your team spirit … but leave your drone at home, and make the game safe for everyone.”

It’s not clear what measures the agency has in place for taking down rogue drones, though plenty of companies have been developing solutions, from anti-drone guns to highly trained eagles. Last year it warned anyone who fancied risking a Super Bowl flight that it would use “deadly force” to take it out. However, such dramatic language is absent from this year’s message.

More: DT’s hands-on review of the DJI Phantom 4 Pro

“Drones are becoming much more popular, but they also pose certain safety risks,” said FAA administrator Michael Huerta. “We’re working closely with our safety and security partners to spread the No Drone Zone message as widely as possible.”

The FAA has been issuing similar drone bans for the Super Bowl for several years in response to the growing popularity of the remotely controlled flying machines.

Super Bowl LI, between the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons, gets underway on Sunday, February 5 at 6.30pm ET.