Video calling is coming soon to encrypted messaging app Signal

Why it matters to you

Soon Signal users will be able to video chat as users of other popular communication apps already do — only more securely.

Video calling is a must for any messaging app that looking to stay relevant in the battle for users. Signal, a chat service known for its commitment to privacy, is now testing the feature in the beta version of its Android app.

The Signal beta is available to users via the Google Play store, provided they opt in first. Video calling is experimental and must be enabled from the “Advanced” submenu located inside the app’s settings. Users who would like to attempt a video call both need to have the beta installed, and video calling turned on. The notes for the latest release mention the functionality is on its way to the next beta for iPhone as well.

More: Become a WhatsApp expert with these top 10 tips and tricks

Enabling video calls also reportedly switches on Signal’s next-generation voice calling feature. Voice calling already exists within the standard Signal app available to the public. However, the scant information provided by the changelog doesn’t detail what enhancements have been made to the feature in the beta.

Signal made a name for itself through the end-to-end encryption of its text messages, though the app’s developer, Open Whisper Systems, has had to add more mainstream features like GIF search and stickers to retain users. Signal faces increasing competition from the likes of Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Google’s suite of communication services, all of which feature video calling.

WhatsApp previously worked with Open Whisper Systems to develop its own form of end-to-end encryption, which it rolled out last year. Facebook-owned WhatsApp boasts exponentially more users than Signal, likely because it retains an emphasis on social features like location sharing. Signal’s privacy-first ambitions are somewhat at odds with many of the features mainstream users expect and want out of a communications platform, presenting a bit of a catch-22 for the service. Still, the introduction of video calling could go a long way toward keeping and attracting users — especially if Open Whisper has figured out a more secure way to do it than anyone else has.

New EU policy may allow French Netflix subscribers to stream movies in Germany

Why it matters to you

If the European Commission’s rules pass as proposed, customers in one EU territory would be able to stream content in another.

One of the most annoying things about traveling abroad are the artificial blocks on content. Services like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Now implement geoblocks — systems used to restrict access based on your location — to prevent TV shows and movies from being streaming in territories where they haven’t been licensed. The problem is especially acute in the European Union, where said shows and movies are often available in one member country but not another. But EU regulators are proposing an alternative.

It’s called the Digital Single Market, and its implications stretch far beyond services like Netflix and Hulu. If adopted as proposed by the EU’s executive European Commission, European Parliament, and the EU’s Council of Ministers, it would allow subscribers to access online subscriptions to films, sporting events, video games, ebooks, and music services when traveling within the European Union.

More: Roaming charge to end in EU, but Brexit confusion may dampen celebrations

In practical terms, a user who subscribes Netflix in France will be able to access the same library of TV shows, movies, and series while on holiday in Germany, or on a business trip in Spain.

On-demand services like Amazon Prime and Netflix; online TV services like Sky’s Now TV, and Viasat’s Viaplay; music streaming services such as Spotify and Google Play Music; and online game marketplaces like Steam and Origin will have to comply. They’ll have nine months to implement the new rules, which will take effect the beginning of 2018.

Non-EU citizens won’t be affected by the rules, meaning Americans who frequent Europe won’t be able to take advantage. But Andrus Ansip, European Commission vice president, called Wednesday’s news an “important step” in breaking down barriers to the EU’s Digital Single Market vision.

“Agreements are now needed on our other proposals to modernize EU copyright rules and ensure a wider access to creative content across borders,” he said in a statement. “I count on the European Parliament and member states to make it happen.”

More: How to dodge roaming fees and still stay connected abroad

Not everyone’s pleased with the latest developments. Europa Distribution, an organization that represents 160 distributors, argued that intercountry access to content had to be framed by guidelines on “duration” in order to prevent users from accessing content or “extended periods.” And SACD, the French society of authors, composers, and directors, criticized the policy for its “opaqueness.”

But Thursday’s proposal appears to be final.

The change in copyright law is part of a broader EU push to end the bloc’s longstanding migratory pain points. Last year, the European Commission announced the finalization of an agreement that will allow European travelers to use their phones throughout the EU, without additional charges, from June 15, 2017. The services cell phone customers use while roaming will be charged at the same rate they pay when on their home network.

It joins a previous rule that required carriers to let customers use their included minutes and data abroad.

Gel-based male contraception may lead to fully reversible vasectomies

Why it matters to you

A new male contraceptive method involving injectable gel could lead to reversible vasectomies. Well, that’s the plan at least!

Vasectomies are a great thing, but while people may be sure that they’re the right decision to take at the time, it’s difficult to know exactly what the future will hold.

True, there are vasectomy reversal operations, but these have a decreasing chance of leading to a successful pregnancy the longer they are left after the operation. Ten years after a vasectomy is carried out, a reversed operation will lead to pregnancy only around 30 percent of the time.

Things may be looking up, however, thanks to a new vasectomy alternative recently described in the journal Basic and Clinical Andrology. It involves a substance called Vasalgel, which doesn’t impair the manufacture or swimming of sperm, but instead stops it from reaching its, erm, point of release.

“In a regular vasectomy, an incision is made on each side of the scrotum and surgeons then severe the vas deferens, referring to the long tube which winds around from the testicle to the penis, carrying sperm to where it enters the semen,” Professor Catherine VandeVoort, one of the co-authors on the paper, told Digital Trends. “There are various approaches to a vasectomy, but they involve destroying the integrity of the vas: either removing a piece, crushing it with a clamp mechanism, or cutting and cauterizing it.”

More: This little ‘vasectomy switch’ could change contraception forever

In the new alternative method, instead of crushing or cauterizing the vas, the Vasalgel is injected under anesthetic, which then acts as a barrier, preventing the sperm from going any further.

“The advantage to this is that the integrity of the vas can be maintained, which means that at a later date you could potentially go back and flush this gel out without problem,” VandeVoort continued.

So far, the injection part of the procedure has been tested by University of California researchers on a group of 16 adult male monkeys, with more than half the group already being fathers. The monkeys were observed for a week following the injection, after which they were allowed to rejoin the fertile females from their group. Despite mating taking place, none of the female monkeys became impregnated.

According to VandeVoort, a clinical trial with (human) males is planned as a future step, although even if this is successful, it is likely that a publicly-available product would take several years to roll out. It’s also worth noting, of course, that — despite being a potential alternative to condoms — the approach wouldn’t protect against sexually transmitted diseases.

Okay, you can uncross your legs now!

Facebook Lite sees more than 200 million people using the app every month

Why it matters to you

As tech companies attempt to find ways to break into developing markets, they might take a page from Facebook’s book.

Facebook Lite isn’t so light in users. On Wednesday, the social media giant announced that more than 200 million people are now using the stripped-down version of its app every month, representing a 100 percent increase from last March. First launched in June 2015, the Android-only app has come a long way in a short period of time and suggests that Mark Zuckerberg’s focus on developing markets just may be a strategic one.

In order to further capitalize on this growth, Facebook says it has plans to further expand the app’s availability. By including South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Italy, and Israel on the growing list of countries in which Facebook Lite is available, Facebook hopes that a greater number of users who may have inexpensive phones and limited internet access will still be able to reap the benefits of connectivity — at least as far as Facebook is concerned.

More: Facebook Lite sees some heavy growth one year after launch

Once the newest countries are added, Facebook Lite will be available in more than 100 different nations. Furthermore, the app has been updated with more features from the standard Facebook mobile experience, so users can now like, comment, and share posts. Mashable reports that users will also see performance improvements with the new version of Facebook Lite.

Still, the app weighs in at less than 1MB in size, making it ideal for limited data plans, 2G networks, and places with unstable internet connections. In developing markets like India (which represent an enormous opportunity for Facebook and tech companies in general), more than 95 percent of mobile phone users have older, more basic Android phones, which makes Facebook Lite an ideal app to have. The application can be run on any device that supports Android 2.3 and above.

Of course, Facebook boasts nearly 2 billion monthly users, so 200 million on Lite is really just a drop in the bucket. But as the social network continues to expand its presence in areas of the world where it has not yet saturated the market, this figure could continue to grow.

U.S. solar power industry added over 51,000 jobs last year, and it’s still growing

Why it matters to you

For at least the near term there will be more jobs in solar energy than coal.

If you needed proof that solar power is the future of US energy production, look no further than these new stats released from the National Solar Jobs Census 2016. The annual review shows that solar energy industry employment ranks higher in U.S. employment statistics than the coal, wind, and nuclear energy industries, according to Vox.

Solar industry jobs increased 25 percent in 2016, compared to the 2015 Solar Job Census. With more than 51,000 new jobs added since 2015, the total employment in solar energy was 260,077. Employment in the solar industry has almost tripled since the first census in 2010, increasing by at least 20 percent in each of the past four years. Employers polled in the census expect another 10 percent increase this year, for a total of 286,335 solar workers.

More: Elon Musk wants to turn your roof into a solar energy farm

The National Solar Jobs Census requires that workers are employed at least 50 percent of their time in the solar industry to be counted in the statistic. The group reports it has consistently found that about 90 percent of solar workers spend 100 percent of work time in solar-related employment.

As the solar energy industry grows, more states will figure significantly in solar jobs numbers. In 2016 California, Massachusetts, Texas, Nevada, and Florida had the highest numbers of solar energy workers.

Vox reports that solar energy accounts for only 1.3 percent of electricity in the U.S. today, but it’s increasing and in that growth, one of every 50 new jobs in the U.S. in 2016 was in the solar industry. The jobs’ growth is mostly in installation, with the largest portion, 41 percent, in residential markets, the most labor-intensive. The median wage for solar installers is $25.96 per hour.

Quoting the Solar Jobs Census, Vox reports, “Solar employs slightly more workers than natural gas, over twice as many as coal, over three times that of wind energy, and almost five times the number employed in nuclear energy. Only oil/petroleum has more employment (by 38 percent) than solar.”

Dual-camera smartphones may soon be a bit more affordable, thanks to a new chip

Why it matters to you

More features for less cash is something anyone can get on board with and a new mid-level processor may help make it happen.

Dual cameras may soon be more accessible with mid-priced smartphones. On Wednesday, semiconductor company MediaTek announced the Helio P25, a mobile camera processor handling the demands of two cameras while being better suited for devices with a bit less power.

The new chipset supports dual cameras but operates 25 percent more efficiently than the company’s other dual- camera chipsets. For consumers, that means the chip can go inside mid-level smartphones, instead of leaving the feature up to high-powered, high-priced devices.

More: Sony is working on a sensor with an integrated polarizing filter

“MediaTek Helio P25 paves the way for high-resolution and feature-rich smartphone cameras that enable amazing static shots and 4K2K videos,” Jeffrey Ju, Executive Vice President and Co-Chief Operating Officer at MediaTek, said in a statement. “Supporting two cameras up to 13MP each, the MediaTek Helio P25 redefines expectations for mobile photography and our multimedia features like MediaTek MiraVision technology, continuously enhance visual user experiences.”

The new chip can be paired with camera systems with up to 13 megapixels in each camera, or with a 24-megapixel single camera. Since the chip is optimized for dual cameras, it can process the data from both sensors for adding the computer-generated depth of field (or background blur) in real time. The chipset is also designed to improve auto exposure adjustment speeds by 30 to 55 percent, which means the camera will adjust to changes in lighting while recording a video a bit faster than with previous options.

While the chip is designed for mid-range smartphones, MediaTek says the Helio P25 delivers more power with less energy than competitors. Using eight cores, half of those clock in at 2.5 GHz, while the older version hit 2.3. The processor supports up to 6 GB of RAM, but only supports 1080p displays.

The Helio P25 is currently only a processor — but the company says the chip will be added to smartphones that are rolling out before the end of April, so those mid-priced dual-camera smartphones may not be far behind.

Desktop apps can be installed on Windows 10 Cloud with a little extra effort

Why it matters to you

Never fear: Windows 10 Cloud might not be as locked down as we thought, and you might be able to install your desktop applications after all.

Microsoft’s Windows 10 is a robust operating system that can do just about anything. Usually that’s a strength, but while Windows 10 competes well against Google’s Chrome OS platform on features and overall power, it’s at a disadvantage in terms of cost and manageability.

That’s why Microsoft is releasing the Windows 10 Cloud edition, which essentially enables locking down the OS to allow apps to be installed only from the Windows 10 Store. At least, that’s how it works in theory and with the current preview build, but there’s a way to bypass that limitation for the technically astute, as Windows Central reports.

More: An early build of Windows 10 Cloud has leaked, proving the new OS is no myth

By limiting Windows 10 Cloud to only Windows Store apps, Microsoft could accomplish a few things. First, it would make non-cloud editions of Windows 10 more valuable by allowing any Windows desktop app to be installed. Second, it would make the OS more secure, by limiting apps to only those that meet the Windows Store criteria. Microsoft’s Project Centennial lets developers publish their desktop applications in the Windows Store, meaning that Windows 10 Cloud isn’t limited to just Windows Universal Apps.

It appears that, at least at the moment, Windows 10 Cloud’s limit on installing desktop apps outside of the Windows Store isn’t set in stone. As Twitter user Longhorn has discovered, you can launch a desktop application from the PowerShell utility and bypass the Windows Store limitation.

Here is Chrome, and the Desktop App Converter(a Centennial app) running on Windows Cloud. pic.twitter.com/NPWkNVTeXo

— Longhorn (@never_released) February 8, 2017

Longhorn hasn’t outlined his methodology for bypassing the Windows 10 Cloud lockdown, and it’s entirely possible that Microsoft will remove the hack and keep things secured. At the same time, some evidence exists that Microsoft might allow the installation of non-Windows Store apps if a system setting is changed.

There’s still some time before Windows 10 Cloud hits the market, and so we don’t know exactly what it’s going to look like. In the meantime, there’s some hope that no matter what, Windows 10 Cloud isn’t quite as locked down as it appears to be.

Ad board: Comcast can no longer claim to have “fastest internet in America”

Why it matters to you

While companies have long relied on hyperbole to win business, Comcast is being told to halt its claim that it provides the fastest internet in America.

Questionable advertising is about to come with some consequences, especially in the world of internet speeds.

According to a recent ruling from the National Advertising Review Board, Comcast can no longer purport to deliver “the fastest internet in America” or the “fastest in-home Wi-Fi” because the company does not have sufficient evidence to substantiate these claims. The decision was handed down after Comcast competitor Verizon cried foul on these marketing tactics. And while Comcast has said that it will comply with the board’s decision, it insists that it has done nothing wrong by relying on crowdsourced speed test data from Ookla as evidence for its assertions.

More: Tethered drones could soon supply internet access to crowded stadiums

Although the board did not question the accuracy of Ookla data, it ultimately determined that it was “not a good fit for an overall claim that an ISP delivers ‘America’s fastest Internet.’” The board also pointed out that “Ookla’s data showed only that Xfinity consumers who took advantage of the free tests offered on the Speedtest.net website subscribed to tiers of service with higher download speeds than Verizon FiOS consumers who took advantage of the tests.”

In fact, the board pointed out that Comcast had sliced and diced the data to their benefit — upon closer inspection of Ookla’s findings, the top 10 percent of Verizon FiOS customers actually enjoyed higher upload speeds than the top 10 percent of Comcast customers. While Comcast is welcome to continue using Ookla studies in their ads, the board has asked that the company “avoids any statement or implication that the data demonstrates that Xfinity provides faster Internet speeds than competing ISPs.” It concluded that the “panel found that Comcast did not provide a reasonable basis for the messages reasonably conveyed by the challenged ‘fastest in-home Wi-Fi’ claims and recommended Comcast discontinue the claims.’”

It doesn’t look as though Comcast will put up too much of a fight, as the company said in a statement that “Comcast agrees to comply with NARB’s decision.” Furthermore, the internet provider added, “Comcast is gratified by NARB’s determination that Ookla’s crowdsourced data, which found that, based on 60 million speed test results, the top 10 percent of Comcast consumers had download speeds faster than the top 10 percent of Verizon FiOS consumers, can be used in Comcast’s advertising.”

Verizon’s new Watch24 is one of the first to run Android Wear 2.0

Why it matters to you

Verizon’s new Wear24 smartwatch is an affordable Android Wear 2.0 option for those unimpressed by the competition.

LG isn’t the only manufacturer with a brand-spanking new smartwatch. Verizon, not to be outdone by the LG Watch Sport and LG Watch Style, announced the Wear24 on Wednesday, a watch running Google’s Android Wear operating system.

The Wear24 was made in partnership with ODM Quanta, a Taiwanese company better known by the branded laptops, desktops, and media players it builds for commissioning companies like HP, Dell, and Lenovo. It’s a Verizon exclusive, unsurprisingly, and one of the first smartwatches to ship running version 2.0 of Google’s Android Wear operating system.

More: Will your watch get Android Wear 2.0? Read our guide to find out

The Wear24’s a compelling package, to be sure. Its “slim and modern” 13.5mm body is IP67-rated, meaning it can withstand up to 3.3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes. And under the hood lies a beefy 450mAh battery compatible with off-the-shelf wireless chargers, a NFC chip that supports tap-to-pay mobile transactions, and a 1.39-inch AMOLED display with 290 pixels per inch. It boasts full compatibility with Verizon’s LTE network, too, meaning the Wear24 can make and receive phone calls and texts without the need for a smartphone.

Thanks to Android Wear 2.0, the Wear24 ships with loads of useful features. New watch faces boast “Complications,” miniature widgets for notifications and shortcuts for apps that put upcoming calendar appointments, fitness goal progress, and more at a glance. A new version of Google Fit, Google’s cross-platform fitness tracker, tracks your pace, distance, heart rate, and the calories you’ve burned during workouts. And new messaging features let you respond to texts and messages with a keyboard.

One of the bigger additions is the Google Assistant, cloud-powered AI software capable of performing actions like setting reminders, finding directions to a specified point of interest, telling you the weather, booking a restaurant, and more.

More: Android Wear is back in business with two new watches from LG

The Wear24 will launch online and in Verizon stores next month for $300 with a two-year contract, which lines up roughly with the carrier’s Watch Sport pricing ($330 on a two-year contract or $380 full retail).

It might seem odd that Verizon’s effectively competing against its partners with the Wear24, but it’s not the first time. In 2013, it launched the Ellipsis, an Android tablet designed to compete with affordable 7-inch tablets like the Kindle Fire HDX and Nexus 7. That lineup has since expanded to include an 8-inch Model, the Ellipsis 8, and the 10-inch Ellipsis 10.

Verizon notes that the Wear24 is compatible with its $10 Single Device Plan, which provisions 1GB, unlimited talk, and unlimited text for a connected device. Alternatively, existing subscribers can add the Wear24 to their plan for an extra $5 per month.

Samsung Galaxy X: Rumors and news leaks

Why it matters to you

Foldable devices are the next step in smartphone evolution, and it’s still unclear who’s going to dominate the market, but LG, Lenovo, and Samsung are at the forefront.

You might think the Samsung Edge display is cool, but something cooler is coming very soon. Samsung has been working on foldable displays for many years now, and the Korean giant might be ready to showcase its first foldable smartphone in 2017. Information about the phone, which has been dubbed the Galaxy X for now, has slowly been leaking out, and here’s everything we think we know about it so far.

An MWC preview?

Samsung may be bringing foldable smartphone prototypes to Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, an annual trade show takes place at the end of February. Unfortunately, ETNews reports the prototypes will only be shown behind closed doors for “invited” guests.

The report says Samsung will show off prototypes to get a better understanding of the market response. The company will have prototypes that bend inward and outward, though ETNews claims the latter is more likely to be commercialized. ETNews suggests Samsung is looking to license this foldable technology to other manufacturers at the show.

More: Samsung’s junk batteries just caught fire, and nearly took a factory with them

Previous rumors suggested a commercial device may release in the third quarter of the year — or sometime July through September. According to a source that spoke to the Korea Herald, Samsung may roll out more than “100,000 units of fold-out devices” later on this year. The device can reportedly be used as a 7-inch tablet when unfolded, so it’s unclear if it’s meant to be a phone or a tablet (or both).

The company is still deliberating about the decision to unveil a foldable device this year, and it will wait until its “executive-level reshuffle” — the shuffle has been delayed to February or March. The source also said LG is expected to roll out 100,000 foldable devices in the fourth quarter of the year, and that LG has more advanced technology than Samsung. The competitor may be using the foldable technology for other companies such as Apple or Huawei.

Previous leaks from Twitter user and Samsung leakster @mmddj_china said the device will be available to purchase at some point in the third or fourth quarter of 2017.

Sources also told Bloomberg that we could see Samsung’s first foldable phone at Mobile World Congress in late February 2018, and it may be referring to the prototypes mentioned in the latest rumor. The company is considering building two new smartphone models — with one that folds like a wallet. One of the two devices will have a 5-inch screen when used as a cell phone but can be rolled out to show off an 8-inch display.

Before being known as the Galaxy X, Samsung’s folding phone had the codename Project Valley, which was featured in various reports. The company introduced the concept of a foldable display at CES 2013 and supposedly showed its first foldable phone prototype in a private meeting at CES 2014.

Design

We got our closest look to date of the highly anticipated foldable smartphone on November 9 from Sammobile. A patent application reveals a number of renders and illustrates the smartphone’s hinge from a number of angles. Check out the latest photos below.

Patents filed by Samsung have been the only real clues as to the Galaxy X’s eventual design we have so far. A previous patent from Samsung Display was registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office at the end of September 2016. The diagrams included are dated mid-June and show a clamshell-like device that resembles a makeup compact, folding out into a traditional rectangular smartphone shape.

More: Samsung wants to give you a smartphone you can fold in 2016

A camera lens is shown on the top of the closed clamshell, an area that becomes the rear of the unfolded phone. A selfie camera and speaker are shown in the inside top of the phone.

More interestingly, the bottom of the screen appears to have a curved edge, and it’s visible when the phone is closed. This may serve as an information and notification ticker, rather than fitting a secondary display on the back of the device. Samsung already utilizes its Edge screen on the Galaxy S7 Edge in a similar way.

Before this, a different patent filed by Samsung showed how a folded and unfolded Galaxy X might operate. For example, as Patently Mobile reports, a user could touch an icon on the edge area of the phone so that the app will be open once the device is unfolded. According to the patent, multiple user profiles will also be displayed on the edge area, allowing for multiple users to enter their password to access their information — all from the device’s edge. It’s important to note that this patent was filed in November, but was not made public until now.

Article originally published in October 2015. Andy Boxall, Kyle Wiggers, and Christian de Looper have also contributed. Updated on 02-08-2017 by Julian Chokkattu: Added rumors of the device to be present behind closed doors at MWC.