Google’s experimental Hands Free service ends; wider release may follow

Why it matters to you

Although Hands Free is over for the moment, the future of payment using your voice is just around the corner.

Hands Free, Google’s, well, hands-free method of mobile payment, is riding off into the sunset. The service, which launched in March exclusively in South Bay, California, will be shut down on February 8 — though the company is reassuring users that this likely won’t be the last they hear of it.

According to the website, Google is now working “to bring the best of the Hands Free technology to even more people and stores,” which hints that aspects could make their way to Android Pay down the line. Hands Free worked nothing like Google’s flagship payment platform, as it utilized a combination of Bluetooth Low Energy, Wi-Fi, location detection, and voice commands to function, instead of merely NFC.

More: Google’s Hands Free app lets you keep your phone in the pocket at the cashier

Thus Hands Free was quite complicated under the surface, but theoretically simple in practice. Once the phone determined it was in a supported retailer, it would listen for a triggering command, like “I’ll pay with Google.” The clerk on the other side of the counter would verify the user’s photo ID that they uploaded themselves through the Hands Free app, and the deal was done.

Google was pushing Hands Free quietly, and locally. Last July, it encouraged individuals to try the experimental service through a promotion with McDonald’s, where customers could get a free meal at one of the fast-food chain’s 47 restaurants in San Jose, California.

At the time, Google said it was working on ways to speed up the identification process — namely, using in-store cameras to automatically verify users’ appearance and keeping their credit card data on file for instant transactions. While that may have been too invasive for some, Google stipulated at the time that all data kept by Hands Free terminals was sandboxed from its own servers as well as those of the merchant, and deleted immediately post-purchase.

On the Hands Free website, Google says it has “learned so much from [its] early adopters” since launching the service last spring, and invites users to “enjoy quick, easy checkout with Android Pay” as it prepares the next step.

WordPress fixes huge security vulnerability, all users instructed to update

Why it matters to you

Millions of websites large and small are built with WordPress, and users who ignore this update run the risk of a severe security breach.

A serious zero-day vulnerability has been discovered in WordPress, and fixed as of its most recent stable release. All WordPress users are encouraged to make sure that they have updated their installation to version 4.7.2, as otherwise their site could be hijacked.

It’s thought that the exploit could give attackers the ability to modify the content on any post or page that’s part of a site built with WordPress, as per a report from Tripwire. Obviously, this lends itself to garden variety vandalism, but there’s also the threat of a much more troubling form of attack.

The vulnerability could be used to introduce harmful links into otherwise benign content. These links could take users to sites that install malicious software on their computers, or even be utilized as one element of a larger phishing scam, using the WordPress site as cover.

More: WordPress brings encryption to 25 percent of the web

The problem was discovered by researchers at security firm Sucuri, which notified WordPress on January 20. The vulnerability was kept quiet at the time, because a fix had to be developed, and making the issue public could potentially have allowed malicious entities to take advantage.

Major WordPress hosting services and security companies were notified about the vulnerability ahead of its existence being disclosed to the public. Data from these organizations showed no indication that attackers had been able to exploit the issue.

However, now that the problem has been made public, it’s possible that criminal entities could use the vulnerability to target WordPress installations that aren’t up to date. Version 4.7.2 has been available since January 26, but users that don’t have automatic updates activated will need to initiate the process manually.

That means that if you have a WordPress site set up that you haven’t looked at in a while, it’s time to make sure it’s running version 4.7.2. It only takes a moment to check that you’re up to date — but if hackers manage to exploit this vulnerability on your site, you’re in for a much bigger headache.

Score 76 percent off this Anker Wireless Charging Pad — only $17 on Amazon

From offices to hotels one of the latest trends in standard electronics is wireless charging pads. It’s not that they’re brand new. It’s more that they’re convenient, eliminating the hassle of searching for a charging cord and base. Wireless charging pads range in price with most hovering around the $50 mark, but right now you can score an Anker Wireless Charging Pad on Amazon at a 76 percent discount, as the device is marked down to only $17 for a limited time.

The Anker Wireless Charging Pad is compatible with the Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 Edge Google Nexus 4, 5, 6, and 7, LG G3, Optimus G Pro, HTC Droid DNA, 8X Motorola Droid Maxx, Droid Mini Nokia Lumia 920, 928, and 1020. The device provides a faster, and arguably safer, charge than your standard cord-and-plug charger.

More: 15 best wireless chargers to free yourself from cables

To use it, simply set any Qi-enabled (or equipped with a Qi-compatible cover) mobile device onto the pad and charging begins. To get an even quicker charge, you’ll want to remove any nonessential protective covers. An anti-stick rubber coating is included to make sure your mobile device stays put on the charger, preventing any breakage from accidentally knocking into the charger or your mobile device during charging.

The charging pad features an LED charging pad indicator that displays when the charger is ready to charge with a red light, is currently charging with a blue light, has completed a charge with a both red and blue lights illuminated, and when a device isn’t supported, in which case the LED lights will begin blinking.

With smart temperature controls that activate at 107 degrees, you can walk away knowing the charger won’t overheat or cause damage to your mobile device. Additionally, the smart temperature controls help to ensure no energy is wasted with the built-in idle mode. The slick, modern-looking charger is buttonless and compact, so it seamlessly blends into any desk or nightstand setup.

The Anker Wireless Charging Pad normally retails for $70, but right now you can purchase one for only $17 on Amazon, giving you a $53 discount.

$17 on Amazon

Nvidia now stops you from selling games tied with its hardware bundles

Why it matters to you

If you often resell game keys when you get them free with a new graphics card, you’re out of luck with Nvidia.

Nvidia announced that any new games it gives away with its graphics cards will not be allowed for resale moving forward. To combat that, it will be tying game codes to hardware, so whether you want to or not, trying to resell that key will not be viable.

One of the most popular ways to encourage gamers to buy the latest generation of graphics card, is to bundle a new game or two with them. Nvidia and AMD take part in that promotional system, but people don’t always play those games. Maybe they already own them or aren’t interested, but some would gift the game to friends, or sell the codes to help pay for their new hardware.

To make sure that doesn’t happen in the future, Nvidia’s GeForce Experience, where gamers must register the code, will perform a hardware check to see if they are using the card the game was given out with. As Ars Technica highlights, it’s not clear right now if the game will be connected to individual cards, or just the same product range — which would give a little wiggle room on the resale angle.

More: Nvidia GeForce Now gives PC and Mac users access to a cloud-based GTX 1080

However, game keys are also being region-locked, so you can’t register it elsewhere and your account will need to be of an appropriate age for the game in question.

All of this means that you will need your graphics card in place before trying to redeem the code. While this is likely to be the case for most buyers of new graphics cards, hopefully Nvidia makes this obvious at the point of redemption, as otherwise it could be faced with a few eager gamers unable to use their codes because they decided to register before installing the card.

As some have pointed out, this may not be a move designed to combat key resale but one that pushes people to install the GeForce Experience application. The app allows for quicker and easier driver updates, as well as in-game streaming and promotions.

Looking at Nvidia’s terms and conditions for its key bundles, it’s worth pointing out that if you already own a game with a promotion and it’s linked with the appropriate account on Steam, Uplay or Origin, you won’t receive one as part of your bundle. Make sure you take that into consideration when buying a new card.

Centrifugal food processor misses target on Kickstarter, will still enter production

Why it matters to you

The trend toward releasing home versions of devices previously restricted to professional use is on full display with this food-oriented centrifuge.

Centrifuges have all sorts of uses, including in high-end cuisine, where they can help produce oils, liqueurs, and purees, but they are traditionally rather expensive. The Spinzall was designed to fix all that and its creators launched a crowdfunding campaign for the device in November 2016. Unfortunately it didn’t quite meet its target, but that doesn’t mean it’s not going to be made.

The Spinzall works in a similar manner to most centrifuges, whether they’re used for culinary reasons or otherwise. It spins up whatever liquid or puree you put in it so that its contents experience hundreds of times the standard force of gravity, forcing the denser particles to sink, while those of less density rise. This leads to a separation of mixtures, which is where you get all sorts of interesting concoctions.

While scientists or medical staff may use such a system to analyse parts of a person’s blood, when it comes to food, the firm that developed the Spinzall, Booker and Dax, wants people to make fancy vegetable oils or purees of their favorite fruits and vegetables.

More: Ready to change the way you cook? Four appliance trends from KBIS 2017

The point of the Spinzall is to bring this commercial-grade centrifugal technology into people’s home kitchens. Typically culinary centrifuges cost either thousands of dollars and are oversized for a home kitchen, or are too small to offer much in the way of liquid output. The Spinzall can process up to half a liter per batch and thanks to its pump tube system, that can be expanded exponentially.

Initially priced at $800 (for the non-early-bird version) on its crowdfunding page, the developers managed to sell 674 of them, but that wasn’t quite enough for it to hit its target of $700,000.

Fortunately though, the Chinese manufacturers have accepted a lower minimum order amount, so Booker and Dax is now able to offer the several hundred units it sold to consumers later this year as planned. The first orders were originally slated to be delivered at the end of July, though we’ve now been told that the developers are waiting to hear from the manufacturers as to whether that date may slip in light of the slightly lower number of orders.

We’ll need to wait and see if this goes on sale again in the future, but for now, getting hold of a Spinzall for everyone is a waiting game.

‘Fire Emblem Heroes’ now lets you fight for your friends on iOS and Android

Why it matters to you

Gamers are always looking for free-to-play opportunities, and now Nintendo is fully embracing the business model for the first time with Fire Emblem Heroes.

Nintendo’s long-running Fire Emblem series makes the jump to mobile devices this week with the launch of Fire Emblem Heroes. The game is rolling out to both the App Store and Google Play on Thursday for free, with European and Japanese players among the first to get their hands on it.

“This is your adventure — a Fire Emblem that’s like nothing you’ve seen before!” said Nintendo in a press release detailing its new games this week.

More: Fire Emblem series will get four new Nintendo games by 2018

That’s certainly true. Unlike the other, full-price Fire Emblem titles, which permanently give you heroes for use in the game’s tactical role-playing stages, Fire Emblem Heroes uses a free-to-play “Orbs” system. Either by using real-world cash or by clearing levels in the game’s story mode, you can summon a variety of characters from past games like Lyn from Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade — simply known as Fire Emblem outside of Japan — and Lucina from Fire Emblem: Awakening.

A number of these heroes have also made an appearance in the Super Smash Bros. series, either as a fighter or a trophy, including Awakening‘s Robin and Mystery of the Emblem‘s Marth.

Additional characters were voted into the game over the last few weeks, with Path of Radiance‘s Ike leading the poll. Of course, Ike is among the best characters in the series, so fans are doing their duty admirably.

Fire Emblem Heroes‘ story mode will also introduce a selection of all-new characters in the Kingdom of Askr, and an “Arena” mode will allow you to compete against other players around the world for the chance to win extra rewards.

Fire Emblem Heroes is just one of four Fire Emblem games that Nintendo plans to launch by the end of 2018. In May, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, a remake of Fire Emblem Gaiden, launches for Nintendo 3DS, while Fire Emblem Legends hits both New 3DS and Nintendo Switch this holiday season. A full-fledged Fire Emblem game will then hit the Switch in 2018.

Acer XR382CQK monitor aims at gamers, may appeal to professionals as well

Why it matters to you

If you’re gamer who also needs a nice display for creative work, then the Acer XR382CQK provides the QHD and 100 percent sRGB color gamut you’ve been looking for.

The verdict is in — there has never been a better time to buy a new PC monitor. Display quality and technology is better than ever, with numerous manufacturers pumping out more and more excellent options.

We highlighted some of the best displays announced at CES 2017, and things haven’t slowed down much since. The gaming market is also being well served with a host of new monitors being announced and the latest is Acer’s XR382CQK.

More: Rise of HDR and 4K on display in the top 5 monitors at CES 2017

The Acer XR382CQK is a 37.5-inch QHD (3,440 x 1,600) resolution monitor in the typical 16:9 ultrawide format. It’s also curved, at 2300R, and sports a ZeroFrame design that minimizes bezels to keep gamers immersed in the action. The IPS panel supports 172-degree horizontal and 178-degree vertical viewing angles, and a 100 percent sRGB color gamut.

Where Acer’s newest display is optimized for gaming is in its refresh rate and response times, which come in at 75Hz and 5ms. AMD Free Sync technology is on hand to provide smooth, stutter- and tear-free gaming when mated with AMD Radeon GPUs.

In addition, Acer’s GameView technology allows gamers to quickly switch between customized display profiles to enable in-game tweaks and black levels can be adjusted to ensure that threats can be quickly visualized in the darkest scenes. Finally, ambient lighting effects can be customized to provide pulsing, flashing, and rippling effects.

In terms of design, the XR382CQK enables ergonomic adjustments including the ability to tilt from minus-5 degrees to 35 degrees, swivel plus or minus 30 degrees, and adjust the height by up to 5.11 inches. Two integrated 7-watt speakers utilize DTS sound technology for enhanced gaming audio, and the displays offer blue light filtering, ComfyView, and low-dimming technologies to help avoid eye strain.

Connectivity is provided by HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 2.1, and USB Type-C (Gen1) with up to 5Gbps data transfer, while a USB 3.0 hub with four ports provides for additional connectivity options. A cable management system keeps everything clean and organized.

The Acer XR382CQK is available at $1,300. Acer provides a three-year parts and labor warranty, with an online community available for engaging other Acer customers.

Haters gonna date: This app finds you love based on your dislikes

Why it matters to you

While most dating apps rely on mutual interests or physical attraction, Hater instead looks to connect people based on their mutual dislikes.

The enemy of your enemy doesn’t have to just be your friend — he or she can be your special friend. That’s the hope of Hater, a new dating app that seeks to bring people together based on a different sort of connection — the mutual dislike of anything from vegetables to minivans. Launching publicly on February 8, Hater knows that when it comes to relationships, it’s not all about hearts and flowers.

“What we hate is an important part of who we are, but it’s often swept under the rug in our public persona,” said Brendan Alper, CEO of Hater. “We want people to express themselves more honestly. Plus, it’s easy to start a conversation with someone if you know you both hate pickles.”

More: Dating app Coffee Meets Bagel taps Yelp, Spotify to help plan your first date

The app still utilizes the same swiping function familiar to Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge users, but instead of swiping on people, users swipe on topics. As the user base grows, so does the list of issues. Based on your mutual dislikes, Hater creates a compendium of your most compatible potential matches, which you can then browse through at your leisure.

Automatic icebreakers are also built into the app. After all, you already know what you and your matches have in common — a mutual disdain for cilantro, black-and-white photos, or cacti, for example.

“Dating is supposed to be fun,” Alper said. “Somewhere along the line, dating apps lost sight of that. Hater wants to bring it back.” Be warned, however, that while Hater may be a tongue-in-cheek environment, it’s no excuse to act a fool in the app. “Hater absolutely does not stand for hate speech or bigotry — particularly animosity toward races, religions, or body types,” the app notes in its terms of service. “Our team carefully moderates the topics, and we have a strict one-strike policy for anyone who abuses our guidelines.” 

So get swiping, friends. Sometimes, hate can turn to love.

Download for iOS

Plextor M8Pe 256GB SSD review

Research Center:
Plextor M8Pe

As prices have dropped on solid state drives, the benefits of hard disk drives are quickly waning. Newer SSDs are three to five times faster than HDDs, and modestly sized drives are readily available for under $100. For those seeking even more power, there are NVMe drives, which leverage faster PCIe 3.0 connections to triple speeds once again.

But there’s a problem: to take advantage of the latest, you may need a system upgrade. Most NVMe drives connect over the relatively new M.2 standard, since typical SATA connections aren’t fast enough. A small handful of manufacturers have put time and money into building drives you can install in your PCIe slot, like a GPU.

Plextor promises similarly ludicrous speeds with the M8Pe.

The Plextor M8Pe reflects that evolution with a sleek heatsink, LED lighting, and the promise of top-end speed. Our review unit is a 256GB model, the kind you might use as a boot drive, or as a second system drive for games and production data you need at a moment’s notice. It sells for $180 on Amazon and most other retailers.

At promised speeds four times that of 2.5-inch SSDs, you’re going to pay a premium for both the form factor and the connection standard. Yet, in spite of that, the Plextor M8Pe ends up a good value.

Stealth bomber design

For better or worse, the M8Pe we received was clad in a red and black heatsink that will fit right in with the gamer-themed components that have taken over the market. This trend isn’t as visible in gaming desktops as it is in laptops, but if you have a fancy color-coordinated battle station, it’s certainly something you’ll want to consider.

Brad Borque/Digital Trends

There are two LED lights built into the M8Pe, a white light for power on top, and a red light for activity on the side. They fill their diffusers well, but aren’t bright enough to distract from any fancier lights or RGB LEDs. Plextor includes a half-height PCIe adapter bracket for smaller cases, and it only uses the x4 PCIe 3.0 lane, so it doesn’t get in the way of mATX boards with one PCIe x16 slot, and fits in happily alongside multi-GPU configurations.

Not the fastest, but surprisingly close

Newer NVMe SSDs aren’t just leagues faster than mechanical drives. They also typically outpace more traditional SATA SSDs by three to five times. Plextor promises similarly ludicrous speeds with the M8Pe, and largely delivers.

The Plextor M8Pe flies past even the outrageously priced Intel 750 Series drives in terms of read speeds. It’s important to note that the first three drives in the graph above are NVMe, while the Western Digital Blue SSD is a more typical SATA drive. That should give you an idea of the gap between the two.

More: Intel 750 Series SSD review

However, the Plextor option falls behind in write speeds. Beating on the SATA-based Western Digital Blue SSD. Samsung’s 960 Pro — found in our Digital Storm Aventum 3 test system — claims the top spot here, and sits right around the same price point as the Plextor. It’s only available as an M.2 drive, though, so you’ll have to pay $20 for a PCIe adapter if your motherboard lacks built-in compatibility.

Our HDTune benchmark is more demanding, and there the differences between the 750 Series and M8Pe disappear. Once again, Samsung’s 960 Pro takes a noticeable lead, making a strong case for the M.2 form factor moving forward. Access time is the only spot where the 960 Pro falls behind, and the other two drives shine.

Overall, the Plextor M8Pe performs similarly to more expensive drives in all but the most demanding situations, and is one of a just a few offerings at that price, within the form factor. Zotac’s Sonix AiC drive is the only one that promises similar speeds at a lower price point, but good luck finding one for purchase. We also have not reviewed it, so can’t confirm its performance.

Warranty

Plextor bundles the M8Pe with an impressive five-year warranty. The Intel 750 Series has the same warranty coverage, as does the Samsung 960 Pro. For high-end drives, a long warranty is standard.

Plextor M8Pe Compared To

WD Blue 1TB SSD

Intel SSD 750 Series

Seagate Backup Plus Ultra Slim…

LaCie Porsche Design hard drive

Samsung T3 Portable SSD MU-PT2T0B

Transcend SSD370

Crucial BX200 960GB

Toshiba Q300 480GB HDTS748XZSTA

Samsung Portable SSD T1

ioSafe Solo G3

ioSafe Rugged Portable

HP MediaSmart EX487

Corsair Flash Survivor (8GB)

Crucial Gizmo! 256MB

Our Take

Plextor’s M8Pe fills a much-needed spot in the high-end storage upgrade path for systems that are a generation or two behind, but still relevant. Its read speeds are among the best we’ve seen, and its write speeds are competitive, making it a solid option if you can find the 256GB model for $180 or so.

Is there a better alternative?

The DT Accessory Pack

Corsair Hydro Series H100i v2 Extreme Performance liquid CPU cooler

$103

EVGA Supernova G2 850W power supply

$119.59

Intel 7th Gen Intel Core Desktop Processor i7-7700K

$349.89

Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB RAM

$125

There’s a wide variety of options in the SSD market, but very few in the PCIe form factor — most of them are 2.5-inch SATA drives, or us the newer M.2 connection. If you’re on an older motherboard, the Plextor may be the only way to achieve cutting-edge performance. Intel’s insanely expensive 750 Series is the prime alternative, and it performs well in all situations, but the Plextor drive seems a better value.

How long will it last?

While NVMe SSDs are basically the bleeding edge of what’s available right now, Intel’s Optane system is lurking right around the corner. Compared to these, the Plextor may seem a little old-fashioned, but its strong performance means it should be relevant for years.

Should you buy it?

Yes, if you have an older PC you’re looking to spruce up with even faster storage. Popular chips like the Core i7-4790K still power impressive gaming rigs, but their motherboards lack the M.2 slots needed for the very latest drive. The Plextor M8Pe is an affordable compromise that brings cutting-edge speed to the masses.

Microsoft wants Windows 10 hardware makers to get creative in 2017

Why it matters to you

Microsoft wants makers of Windows 10 devices to step up their respective games this year, which should bode well for users of those products.

During Microsoft’s WinHEC conference in Shenzhen, China, the company revealed what it wants to see from Windows 10 device makers in 2017. Microsoft seeks to grow the modern computing experience by putting an emphasis on delivering detachables, convertibles, and ultraslim devices this year. Microsoft also wants these devices to be complemented by gadgets and peripherals that highlight what it calls “hero experiences.”

Microsoft defines “hero” as a major feature only offered with Windows 10. For instance, Windows Hello can be used with fingerprint scanners and face-recognition-capable cameras. There’s also Cortana, which enables users to search the web, set reminders, schedule appointments, and more using voice commands. Windows Ink is another “hero” feature, one that supports stylus-based input.

More: Microsoft’s Project Neon visual design has Windows 10 developers revved up

Microsoft discovered that devices are more attractive to buyers when they support features like facial recognition and pen-based input. But they also need to drive long-term consumer satisfaction. That means using great processors, batteries promising 10 hours of uptime or more, and fast boot times. The image quality needs to be superb, and apps should load almost immediately. Screens should be based on IPS panel technology and sport a default resolution of no less than 1,920 x 1,080.

Finally, Microsoft wants to see ultraslim, 2-in-1, and all-in-one (AIO) PCs starting at 8.82 inches thick. The mobile units should include a precision touchpad, while all new Windows 10 devices in 2017 should showcase innovations provided by manufacturers such as special hinges and borderless frames.

Microsoft expectations for 2017 can be broken down into five categories:

PCs for the Modern Creator:
These devices should consist of 2-in-1 detachable or convertible form factors. They should include user-facing and world-facing cameras, and support Active Pen technology. They should also support simultaneous touch and pen inputs as well.
—————
Modern Peripherals for Everyone:
These devices should support Cortana, Windows Hello, and Windows Ink. The packaging will have specific labels so that consumers know the device is compatible with a specific Windows 10 hero feature.
—————
PCs to Power Mixed Reality:
Microsoft wants this batch of devices to push the form-factor envelope with creative 2-in-1 and backpack designs. OEMs need to think about using processors with multiple threads. Discrete GPUs will be supported initially, followed by integrated GPU support toward the 2017 holiday season.
—————
PCs for the Gamer & Media Fanatic:
These devices should include VR-ready graphics chips that support DirectX 12, and screens supporting High Dynamic Range and a wide color gamut. Devices should also support Xbox peripherals and feature a “standout” design to win customers over visually.
—————
IoT Devices for Verticals:
Microsoft will focus on smart manufacturing, smart retail, and smart homes in 2017. The company will roll out new features for these three verticals in Creators Update, set to arrive in the spring.

It looks like 2017 will be an interesting year for Windows 10 and Microsoft’s customers. as interesting new form factors and peripherals hit the market. As the presentation revealed, these devices will support special Creators Update features, virtual reality, augmented reality, and the hero features provided in Windows 10.