MintSIM is the best way to get cheap data in the U.S.

An introduction to alternate mobile service providers in the U.S., and to the awesomeness that is MintSIM.

A lot of my job involves issuing recommendations to people: favorite phone, favorite speaker, favorite coffee maker. While it’s relatively easy to list off the benefits of products you can hold in your hand, it’s less easy to recommend mobile carriers. There are so many factors that go into deciding which carrier to sign up for — location, budget, and individual needs. In the U.S, four carriers dominate the industry, and the airwaves — T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon — but thankfully there are alternatives, many of which are built on the foundations of those incumbents.

One such alternative is MintSIM, which uses T-Mobile’s growing 4G LTE network to do something wonderful: eliminate the overhead, the confusion, and in many cases the “loudness,” of the network it connects to. But to talk about MintSIM, we have to talk about its place in the U.S. market, and how such a company came to be. To do that, we have to use a term that we’ll quickly leave behind: MVNO, or Mobile Virtual Network Operator.

What is an MVNO?

The idea behind an MVNO is simple: instead of spending the billions of dollars building an entirely new nationwide network, companies enter into deals with the incumbent providers in a particular country — in the U.S., that’s T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint — to resell access to their networks. These often come in the form of contracts, where the smaller companies will buy space on the network — voice, messaging and, of course, data — at a heavily discounted, bulk rate, and sell it to you, the customer, for a profit.

For MintSIM, it’s about price and simplicity.

This benefits everyone in the equation: the incumbent gets a bunch of money upfront to invest back into its business, or give to shareholders in the form of dividends; the alternate provider gets to sell access to the network at a lower cost to the incumbent while still making a profit; and you, the user, gets to purchase access to a high-quality, fast and reliable network at prices lower than those incumbents.

Such a market only works when there is robust competition in the wireless market, which exists to some extent in the U.S. (a conversation for another day), and is extremely common across Europe, where the market was built with alternative providers in mind.

Why would you go with an alternate wireless carrier over an incumbent?

That’s the question I mean to talk about, and why a company like MintSIM is so interesting.

On the site, we’ve mainly limited our conversation around these alternative brands to Project Fi, which is owned and operated by Google, a company that many readers of Android Central know and trust. But Google doesn’t actually own any wireless spectrum, nor any towers, nor any service centers. Everything it does is, as the “V” in MVNO suggests, virtual. It buys access to networks and packages them up in an innovative way. For Google, it’s about convenience and transparency.

For MintSIM, it’s about price and simplicity.

Why you should think about switching to MintSIM

MintSIM is interesting for a number of reasons. It’s no-frills, which means that you don’t have to contend with any of T-Mobile’s extensive terms and conditions caveats — because even without contracts, you’re still locked in to a service deal in exchange for a phone purchased on financing.

MintSIM doesn’t worry about that because it doesn’t need to. It sells unlimited talk and text with every package, along with a monthly allotment of data in 2GB, 5GB and 10GB bundles. That’s not unusual, right? But what is is the way it’s sold: in order to provide epic discounts, MintSIM sells service in three, six, and 12 month chunks; the more you pay for in advance, the cheaper the monthly service.

And right now, they have an insanely good deal where you can 10GB of data for $20 per month when you sign up for three months of service.

This is the same service as you’d get from T-Mobile, just cheaper. It’s like going to Costco and picking up more of something you need — paper towel, or replacement toothbrushes — in bulk because you know you’re eventually going to use them. That’s the same with MintSIM. You’re getting T-Mobile’s best-in-class 4G LTE network with none of the overhead, none of the confusion (and none of the annoying emails from John Legere) that works in practically any unlocked phone you can think of.

So what’s the deal with the data? Is it worse than T-Mobile?

That’s a great question, and the answer is no. OK, let’s go back to the Costco metaphor. You need pain medicine, and the Tylenol brand costs $20 per bottle while the generic Acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) costs $14 for then same number of pills. The effect is the same in either bottle; you’re just paying for Johnson & Johnson’s branding.

It’s the same thing with MintSIM. You order a SIM card with your service from the company’s website, put it in your unlocked phone, and immediately experience the benefits of T-Mobile’s network.

Data is a commodity. As long as it’s fast and reliable, it shouldn’t matter where it comes from.

That’s the beauty of a company like MintSIM, and of alternative mobile providers in general. You get all the benefits with none of the downsides, and as long as you know your way through an unlocked phone, you’re good to go.

These days, it’s also easier to recommend MintSIM given that it’s running on T-Mobile’s network: the incumbent was just co-crowned the fastest in the U.S. alongside Verizon, which is an enormous gain from just a year ago. According to OpenSignal, T-Mobile’s network is both fast and widely-available, with over 86% availability of LTE across the U.S. MintSIM customers get all of that speed and availability without having to figure out whether T-Mobile’s expensive unlimited plans are actually unlimited.

To me, that’s MintSIM’s biggest draw: you pay for access to the network, and nothing more, and you do so in a way that lets you skip all the contortions that T-Mobile does to make its unlimited plans seem like they’re good for you.

More on alternative providers soon

We’ll have lots more about MintSIM, and alternative mobile networks, in the coming months. We’re excited about this, because as great as the Big Four networks are, they’re expensive, and many people — you, reading this — don’t need all that extra stuff. They just need unlimited calls and text and cheap data.

See at MintSIM

What is PS4 Pro boost mode, when’s it coming and how does improve all PS4 games?

Sony is soon to release PlayStation 4 system software 4.50, which will add several new features for all PS4 owners. However, there’s one of particular interest to gamers with a PS4 Pro as it can potentially improve all games on your shelf, not just those optimised for the more powerful console.

PS4 Pro boost mode allows games to make use of the extra processing power of the 4K-enabled Pro machine, both in CPU and GPU terms. That’s not just the games that developers have added extra resolution, HDR or other improved features to, but a majority of PS4 games, save for those released in the very early days.

Some others might not benefit much or at all, for reasons we’ll explain below, but a vast number have the potential of looking better on a PS4 Pro than a standard PS4.

Here’s why…

• PS4 Pro tips and tricks: How to get the most from your new 4K PlayStation
• What PS4 Pro games are 4K HDR ready? The complete list of optimised games
• Best PS4 games to look forward to in 2017: The Last of Us 2, Red Dead Redemption 2 and more

What is PS4 Pro boost mode?

After the PS4 system software 4.50 is downloaded, a new option will appear in the settings of a PS4 Pro. The boost mode will be activated through clicking on a tick box.

It effectively tells the PS4 Pro to utilise its extra processing power for any game, which can result in some staggering graphical improvements – as found by Eurogamer and the games tech specialist, Digital Foundry.

After enacting boost mode on the beta version of the new system software, it ran tests on many games and discovered that frame rates were often dramatically improved. Games that struggled to reach 60 frames per second on a standard PS4, maintained a constant, maxed-out frame rate on the PS4 Pro in boost mode. This was especially true of games that pushed the GPU to the limits, such as driving sims like Project Cars, Assetto Corsa and F1 2016.

Other games that promised a stable 30fps but struggled to keep to that in intensive, packed scenes, such as Assassin’s Creed Unity, happily did so in boost mode.

It doesn’t work on games locked to a certain frame rate, such as 30fps, but any that usually have variable rates are said to benefit.

The overall boost to frame rates is said to be up to 38 per cent.

Does PS4 Pro boost mode improve anything else?

Although this is yet to be fully tested, Sony claims that the processing boost could also improve load times for games: “Depending on the game, the increased CPU speed may also result in shorter load times,” the company said.

Can I turn PS4 Pro boost mode off?

If you find boost mode to be producing anomalies with your games, or you want to conserve power (as using the extra CPU and GPU capabilities use more energy than not) you can also turn boost mode off. Just untick the option in settings.

When will PS4 system software 4.50 and PS4 Pro boost mode be released?

Sony released the beta version of PS4 system software 4.50 on 3 February 2017 to those on the beta programme. It plans to release more details on the full consumer roll out in the “coming weeks”.

We’ll update you when we find out more.

What other new features are planned for PS4 system software update 4.50?

As well as PS4 Pro boost mode, the beta version of system software 4.50 has a few additional new features.

For starters, the much requested ability to add support for an external hard drive is coming. What’s more, you will be able to add a HDD up to 8TB in size. The Xbox One has had a similar feature for years and it’s an easier way to increase storage than swapping out the internal drive.

• How to upgrade your PS4 hard drive to 1TB or more for less than £50

You’ll get the ability to change the background on the menu system with screengrabs or wallpapers. And there will be support for 3D Blu-rays in PSVR. You can watch 3D movies when wearing the headset. Nice.

• Sony PS4 Pro review: Why wait for Project Scorpio?
• PS4 Slim review: The slim-fit ‘Station

We’ll update this piece when we get more information, specifically about the games that get the biggest bumps from PS4 Pro boost mode. Keep checking back.

Standalone Strava app rolls out for Android Wear 2.0

We’ve known a standalone Strava app would be coming with the introduction of Android Wear 2.0 and now the fitness tracking company has announced it is now available to download. The standalone app means users will be able to track distance, time, pace, laps, split times and heart rate, all directly from an Android Wear 2.0 watch, without the need for a connected smartphone.

• Android Wear 2.0: What’s new in the major software update for watches

Until the release of 2.0, Android Wear devices were required to be connected to a smartphone to get an internet connection. Now, any Android Wear watch that can be updated to software version 2.0, has built-in GPS and cellular connectivity, can benefit from the full range of features of the standalone Strava app.

Mateo A. Ortega, head of integration for Strava said of the new app: “We welcome the highly anticipated release of Android Wear 2.0”,

“Wear 2.0’s standalone model is forward thinking and innovative, and pushes the limits of what we thought was possible. This platform introduces many features that benefit Strava athletes, such as the option to record and upload activities independent of their phone”.

The app is available to download now from the Play Store directly through an Android Wear device.

• When is Android Wear 2.0 coming to my smartwatch?
• iPhone owners to benefit from Android Wear 2.0, thanks to standalone apps

But what if you’re an Apple Watch user? For now, you’ll still need to have your iPhone connected to your watch and with you when you want to record any data. Strava has said itself “We do not currently support the native GPS of the Apple Watch 2.0. But, the next version of Strava for Apple Watch is in the works, and will take advantage of the native GPS. We expect to release it before spring (early 2017)”. So some solace, at least.

What is Circle and how does it work?

Ever wish you could instantly send money to your daughter or friend without having to pay ridiculous fees?

Well, now you can, thanks to Circle. It not only allows you to make payments to anyone in the world, but it also acts as a wallet of sorts, allowing you to store money pulled from your debit card. You can even request money from friends and store it in Circle or transfer it back to your account. No strings attached. Here’s everything you need to know about Circle, including how it works.

What is Circle?

Found in 2013, Circle is an app that lets you store and transfer money. Circle is described as an app that enables “greater ease-of-use for online and in-person payments, enhanced security and privacy for customers, and the convenience of free, instant, global digital money transfers”. It’s handy because it allows you to not only store money but also do things like easily splint rent or a bar tab or pizza with friends. 

How does Circle work?

Download the Circle app for iOS or Android. You can sign up for Circle online and then use the Circle for Android or iOS apps to make your actual money transfers. When the Circle app opens, you’ll see the main screen with three tabs at the top: Send, Messages, and Request. 

Use the Send screen to enter an amount you’d like to send to someone, and then allow Circle to access your contacts. You will be able to send money to any email or phone number. Once you select a person, you can specify what the money is for, include a comment, GIF, or image, and then send. You’ll be asked to add your debit card if it’s your first time using Circle (you don’t have to add to get started; you can just send to someone straight from your card). After that, you can send money instantly for free. 

Use the Messages screen to see your list of payments as well as to access other Circle features like Add Money, Cash Out, Transactions, Friends, and Settings. The Add Money option lets you add money from your debit card (instant and free) or bank account (two to five days to confirm) to Circle, which acts sort of like a storage service in this instance. You can also use the Cash Out screen to transfer money from your Circle wallet back to your debit card (instant and free) or bank account (two to five days to confirm). The Transaction screen simply lists your recent transaction history, while Friends lists all your Circle contacts, and Settings lets you adjust your Circle preferences, including enabling Touch ID, two-factor authentication, push notifications, and the ability to show nearby users, among other things.

And finally, the Request screen allows you to pick a contact from your device (or enter an email), then specify an amount you’d like from that person – complete with comments, images, GIFs, etc – and submit your request. When the person gets the request, they will be able to use Circle to transfer money back to you via a debit card (instant and free) or bank account (two to five days to confirm). The money will go to your Circle wallet, and from there, you can transfer it to your debit card (instant and free) or bank account (two to five days to confirm).

Is Circle free to use?

Yes. Circle lets you send and receive money – as well as make payments to anyone in the world – with zero fees. You can also add money and cash out with no fees when you use a linked debit card or linked bank account, according to Circle.

Is Circle safe to use?

You can use TouchID, PIN lock, and two-factor authentication (an extra layer of security that requires you to know both your email and password, as well as provide a verification code from a second device, like a mobile phone) with Circle to keep your money safe. The app also has third-party security firms perform regular cyber security audits. 

Where is Circle available?

You can use Circle to send and receive money anywhere in the world.

Want to know more?

Check out Circle’s Help hub for more tips and tricks.

Google Assistant: How to use your Pixel to control smart home devices

The battle for the smart home is on, with dozens (if not hundreds) of companies launching light bulbs, thermostats, fridges, garage door openers and a plethora of other gizmos you can control from your smartphone. 

The real important battle however is between the companies that want their devices and services to act as the central hub for the others. Apple has HomeKit, Amazon has Alexa and Google has Google Assistant which, until now, had those features limited to just the Google Home device. 

With the latest version of Android (in beta form) you can control your smart connected devices just by saying “Ok Google – switch on the living room lights.”

Adding smart home product control to your Pixel or Pixel XL’s built in Assistant is fairly simple, although its usefulness will very much depend on whether or not you have the supported products. So far, the list is relatively limited:

• Honeywell
• Nest
• Philips Hue
• SmartThings
• WeMo

The first step is making sure you have the right software installed, at the moment that means running the latest beta version of Android 7.1.2. If your phone isn’t registered in the beta program, you can do that simply by heading to Google’s sign up page. Bear in mind that beta software isn’t the final release software, so might not run the most smoothly, or have some problems with it.

How to setup Google Assistant to control your smart home

Launch the Google Assistant as normal by tapping and holding the virtual home button, or saying Ok Google.
Tap the dots in the top right-hand corner of the Assistant’s pop-up card to bring the side menu up, then tap “Settings”. You’ll see a “Home Control” option, which you should select. If you don’t see this menu, try asking Google Assistant instead: say “turn my lights on” and you’ll be given a link to the Home Control menu. 
The Home Control menu shows devices and rooms. Tap the little floating “+” button in the bottom corner, and you’ll see a list of compatible manufacturers (listed above) and you can add devices. You’ll be asked to sign-in to the relevant service.
You’ll be asked to assign devices to a room, allowing commands like “turn my living room lights off”.
Once completed, you can now say “Ok Google, turn on my lights and it will work”.

You’ll notice that we said you might not get the Home Control menu in your Settings. We’ve got smart home control working on a couple of devices, but the menus are different. If you find you don’t have access in the settings menu, then it’s worth talking to Google Assistant to bring up the menu instead. 

If you say “Ok Google, turn on my lights” and you have no devices set-up, the Google Assistant will suggest the Home Control menu instead. Of course, once you set up the lights, you’ll have to say something else, like “Ok Google, turn my heating on”. Again, if you don’t have heating set-up, you’ll then be prompted with the Home Control menu and so on. We imagine that this will be resolved as software is updated. 

Honda Civic 2017 first drive: Classic hatch gets a millennial makeover

The Honda Civic is a funny old car. It’s a real challenge to pinpoint who, exactly, it’s aimed at, yet equally difficult to fault – despite historically boasting a number of irksome quirks.

For example, most owners seem to be the reserved type, well into their twilight years, yet Honda has experimented with all manner of banzai exterior and interior styling.

There have been the sort of convenient features that your parents love, such as moveable Magic Seats and an estate body version, but the interiors have been festooned in space-age buttons and dials that are awkwardly shaped and weirdly positioned.

There was also a completely different Civic for every country Honda sold into, meaning some nationalities got lucky with certain engineering breakthroughs, yet others were left behind.

Thankfully, there’s a new global model hitting forecourts soon. It’s designed, styled and engineered the same no matter where you live and it is better in almost every way.

Honda Civic Review (2017) review: Design

You will have probably noticed that there have been some major changes to the exterior styling of the new Honda Civic. It’s bigger and lower then before (elongated by 148mm, widened by 29mm and lowered by 20mm).

Pocket-lint

The end result is more “shrunken saloon” than it is your typical hatchback. But its longer, more svelte side profile looks really appealing on the road.

Plus, the sharp front lamps with LED running lights, distinctive grille and sweeping side flanks hint at some inherent sportiness that, if you dig hard enough, can be found on the tightest of corners.

There are small but neat design touches, such as a shark fin-style antenna and gaping grilles behind the rear wheels, which further improve this athletic aesthetic. Not everyone will agree, but it’s a good-looking thing.

However, those curvaceous lines aren’t just to impress the neighbours, as the management of airflow around the car sees the aerodynamic drag co-efficiency improved by some three per cent over the outgoing Civic.

Pocket-lint

This also helps keep wind noise down to a minimum, which when coupled with the improved NVH (Noise Vibration Harshness) engineering, leads to a very quiet and refined ride.

Honda Civic Review (2017) review: Interior and infotainment

Interior simplicity and user-friendliness haven’t ever been Honda’s strong points and Civics of old have typically baffled drivers with a seemingly endless amount of interior materials, strangely positioned buttons and clunky infotainment systems.

Luckily, this has been improved somewhat in the latest generation and new Civic offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, HDMI and USB ports and Bluetooth connectivity in its revised 7-inch Honda Connect 2 colour touchscreen display.

Pocket-lint

Top-spec models receive a handy reversing camera, while old-school instrument binnacles have been replaced by TFT-LCD displays that give various vehicle read-outs.

It looks great, although we found the flanking coolant temperature and fuel gauge displays a little hard to read, because rather than displaying remaining fuel in block format, there’s simply a small red line that reveals the level.

Most functionality can now be tweaked and adjusted via buttons mounted on the steering wheel, which makes navigating the menus slightly easier than jabbing at the touchscreen – but navigation is still taken care of by a clunky Garmin system. It not only looks decidedly retro, it’s also slow to re-route, not particularly clear in its instructions and, thanks to an awkwardly positioned screen, not that easy to read.

Still, the overall interior layout feels a lot more sensible than its predecessor and most of the materials appear more upmarket. Although, plenty of cheap plastics remain if you look hard enough.

Pocket-lint

Head and legroom throughout the cabin is good and the boot space remains class-leading in terms of volume (at 478-litres).

Plus, it’s difficult not to be impressed by the side-sliding tonneau cover, which can be pulled out from a side-mounted cassette, rather than having to stretch for a rear-mounted cover. It also does away with the need for a parcel shelf and the cassette can be easily swapped from one side of the boot to the other, or can be removed completely.

Honda Civic Review (2017) review: The drive

The trend for downsizing and turbocharging hasn’t escaped Honda, as the only engines currently available are a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol and, wait for it, a 1.0-litre three-cylinder unit.

Pocket-lint

Of course, a 1.6-litre diesel will follow later in the year to sate the British addiction to the black pump but that tiny three-cylinder engine is the real star of the show here.

Despite appearing relatively measly compared to the larger capacity engines it replaces, this tiny three-cylinder unit manages to develop 127bhp and 200Nm of torque (at 2,250rpm).

Rarely did it feel underpowered on our test drive, especially when mated to the snappy 6-speed manual gearbox, although the car wasn’t fully laden with children and luggage.

If regular load lugging is on the cards, the slightly beefier 1.5-litre petrol engine will likely suit better, as it develops and extra 40Nm slug of torque and offers 180bhp.

Pocket-lint

It’s also perfectly comfortable when mated to the CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission), which is something that can’t be said for rivals, although it can get a bit muddled and noisy when you get heavy with the right foot.

The new, strengthened chassis and weight saving measures are instantly apparent on the road, with body roll kept to a minimum through corners and the chassis feeling sprightly when the roads get entertaining.

If this Civic doesn’t blow your socks off, it’s at least a very good indicator of just how good an upcoming Type-R version could be.

There are a few minor niggles, the first being a new steering rack. To get all technical, it’s a dual pinion variable-ratio electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion set-up, which means it uses gearing to achieve greater movement of the front wheels with less steering wheel juggling.

Pocket-lint

It takes a bit of getting used to and feels slightly disconnected when pushing on a bit. It does come into its own during low-speed, tighter manoeuvres though. Let’s hope the Civic Type-R works on that element, because the basic platform is excellent.

First Impressions

The competitively priced, competitively practical and impressively economical (up to 68.9mpg on manual models) 1.0-litre Civic is a great improvement upon its predecessor.

It looks good on the road (if its style is your thing), is enjoyable to drive and the updated infotainment system compliments a more logical and refined dash and interior.

Naturally, things get expensive as you walk up the extensive trim range, while a lack of estate version will put off some, but it’s a solid offering and one that gets us excited for the fire-breathing Type-R.

Prince’s music returns to Spotify and more streaming services

Prince removed his music from every streaming service except Tidal in July 2015, but today the artist’s catalog returns. Both Spotify and Napster have confirmed the return of works like 1999, Purple Rain and Diamonds and Pearls — you can see all the albums that Spotify will offer right here. However, there’s still no word from Apple and Google as to whether their services will offer Prince’s discography. Back in early January, the late artist’s estate signed a deal with Universal Music Group and its merchandise and brand management company Bravado on all things licensing. This move was said to include streaming following reports around a lawsuit over exclusivity with Tidal and Jay Z’s Roc Nation.

Even after Prince’s music could only be streamed via Tidal, the artist still released new material on other services. He made a new single “Stare” available on Spotify just weeks after handing Jay Z’s streaming library exclusive access to his work. Shortly before the deal with Universal in January, Bloomberg reported the Prince estate was looking to lock in streaming rights ahead of the Grammy Awards on February 12th. During that annual showcase of music, the festivities are rumored to include a tribute to the artist.

Why is this happening now after Prince worked so hard to keep is music off most services? Following his death last year, a judge ruled that artist’s estate should be monetized quickly to cover any pending state and federal taxes. Prince didn’t have a will when he died either, which makes handling his intellectual property even messier. Of course, it’s estimated to be worth anywhere from $100 to $300 million.

Source: BBC

The Morning After: Friday, February 10 2017

Welcome to the end of the week. Read how the new FCC chairman is already making moves when it comes to net neutrality and cable TV reform, Samsung’s new (expensive) 4K TVs and how hundreds of thousands of artworks are free online, courtesy of the Met. Oh and the secret to dancing is that it’s all in the hips. Science says so.

Net neutrality, you in danger girl
A summary of Ajit Pai’s first two weeks as head of the FCC

The new FCC chairman has been quite busy. He’s allocated $170 million in federal funding to cable companies to build out broadband infrastructure in New York State, suppressed a project to reform the cable box market and decided to let mobile carriers keep “zero-rating” certain content.

CirrostratusThe future of STEM education is cloudy under Betsy DeVos

Senator Al Franken says that our newly-confirmed secretary of education “has a long history of dangerously anti-science views and has deep connections with anti-science organizations.” That background, plus a lack of experience, has many people concerned about the future of science education in the US.

Fakers gonna fake fake fake.
LG wins $168 million lawsuit against knockoff headphone makers

Last year LG filed a $200 million lawsuit against companies producing counterfeit versions of its wraparound Tone headsets. Now, the presiding judge has spoken. While the amount the company was awarded wasn’t as high as it asked for, $168 million for damages plus court costs and interest isn’t anything to sneeze at. LG says it will continue to pursue “those who choose to make and peddle counterfeits, knockoffs and look-alikes.”

Big, new 4K TVs don’t come cheap.
Samsung’s QLED 4K TVs will start at $2,500

Samsung is now taking pre-orders for its Q7 and Q8 sets, starting at $2,500 for thee 55-inch, non-curved model. In case that’s not big enough, you could shell out $6,000 for a 75-inch Q7 or $4,500 for the curved Q8. What’s missing from this list is the flagship Q9 panels, which Samsung still hasn’t revealed pricing for. Expect it to be more expensive.

So much high-res artwork.
Use 375,000 images from the Met however you want, for free

The Met has put up 375,000 public-domain artwork images online for free, unrestricted use. The new “Open Access” policy, based on Creative Commons Zero (CC0), means bloggers, schools and businesses alike can use them without even the need for attribution. “Increasing access to the Museum’s collection and scholarship serves the interests and needs of our 21st-century audiences,” said Met CEO Thomas P. Campbell

Buh-bye boxy wagons
Volvo melds technology and luxury in its XC90 T8 hybrid

You might buy a Volvo because you were practical and possibly a bit paranoid about other drivers slamming into you. But the Swedish automaker has been working hard to make its cars not only safe but also stylish and high-tech. That work has culminated in its hybrid XC90 T8 luxury SUV. Roberto Baldwin says it combines style, technology and safety into a package that you would have never expected from the Swedish automaker a few decades ago.

But wait, there’s more…

• Comcast told not to claim it has ‘America’s fastest internet’
• Science confirms what we already know: It’s all in the hips
• Head back to Liberty City: Xbox 360 ‘GTA IV’ is now playable on the Xbox One
• DeepMind is using games to test AI aggression and cooperation
• Appeals court denies Trump’s attempt to revive the travel ban

Sony’s $300 Ultra HD Blu-ray player will arrive in March

Last month we got our first look at 2017’s best electronics, in the next few months some of them will start hitting shelves, and in between, we’re getting pricing information. Sony’s taken the wraps off of details for much of its XBR TV lineup (with the exception of that high-end A1E OLED model), which all pack Android TV and Google Assistant for control of other smart home devices and multiroom audio. They’re also ready for all kinds of HDR, with support for HDR-10 out of the box, plus Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) and Dolby Vision coming later in the year.

The XBR-X930E and XBR-X940E are at the top of the line, with a slim backlighting system that Sony claims can provide 10x the contrast of most LED-lit TVs and a more powerful processor that’s supposed to adjust the contrast on each individual object in a picture. In the middle are the XBR-900E with full array local dimming and a step-down processor, followed by the XBR-800E/XBR-X850E that drops the local dimming.

In terms of price, they go from a 43-inch XBR-43X800E that’s $1,000, to the top of the line 75-inch XBR-75X940E with a $7,500 pricetag. There’s no exact release date, but Best Buy is taking preorders, and they should arrive in March.

Whether you have one of these TVs or now, Sony is also getting ready to deliver its Ultra HD Blu-ray player (since there isn’t one in the PS4 Pro), the UBP-X800. It will also ship in March, with a price of $300, and is open for preorder from Amazon and Best Buy. Still, it’s a little harder to recommend, when there are other options like the similarly-priced Xbox One S, or Oppo’s $550 UDP-203 that adds support for future Dolby Vision HDR discs.

• XBR-75X940E, 75″ class (74.5″ diagonal), $7,499.99 MSRP
• XBR-65X930E, 65″ class (64.5″ diagonal), $3,999.99 MSRP
• XBR-55X930E, 55″ class (54.6″ diagonal), $3,299.99 MSRP
• XBR-75X900E, 75″ class (74.5″ diagonal), $5,999.99 MSRP
• XBR-65X900E, 65″ class (64.5″ diagonal), $3,299.99 MSRP
• XBR-55X900E, 55″ class (48.5″ diagonal), $2,399.99 MSRP
• XBR-49X900E, 49″ class (48.5″ diagonal), $1,699.99 MSRP
• XBR-75X850E, 75″ class (74.5″ diagonal), $4,999.99 MSRP
• XBR-65X850E, 65″ class (64.5″ diagonal), $2,499.99 MSRP
• XBR-55X800E, 55″ class (54.6″ diagonal), $1,899.99 MSRP
• XBR-49X800E, 49″ class (48.5″ diagonal), $1,099.99 MSRP
• XBR-43X800E, 43″ class (42.5″ diagonal), $999.99 MSRP

Source: Sony (TVs), Sony (UHD Blu-ray Player)

WhatsApp Rolling Out Two-Step Verification Security Feature to All Users

WhatsApp is in the process of rolling out a two-step verification feature for the messaging platform from today. The security option has been in testing for several months, but is finally going live for all users of the app.

With the optional feature, WhatsApp users will be able to securely verify their number with a custom-generated six-digit passcode whenever they install the app on a new device. To activate the security feature, users should open the app and tap through to Settings -> Account -> Two-step verification -> Enable.

Upon enabling the feature, users are asked if they want to enter their email address. This is used by WhatsApp to send a link via email to disable two-step verification in case the six-digit passcode is forgotten, and also to help safeguard the account.

To help users remember their passcode, WhatsApp will periodically ask them for it. There is no option to disable this without disabling the two-step verification feature.

WhatsApp is available as a free download on the App Store for iPhone. [Direct Link]

Tag: WhatsApp
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