Get 2TB of lifetime cloud storage for $50!

It’s becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with the ever changing world of physical information storage. New hard drives and flash drives are constantly hitting the market and obsolescence is inevitable. There has never been a better time to store your data in the cloud, and cloud security has also never been better.

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Cloud services, however, can be costly or they just don’t offer enough storage. You need a service that’ll securely back you up for life, and you need a service that won’t cost you thousands a year because you need terabytes of storage. This is especially prudent in a business scenario where you may have to provide cloud storage to multiple employees.

Zoolz cloud storage is the perfect solution. Through Android Central Digital Offers, you can get 1TB of Instant Backup and 1TB of Archive Backup for $49.99. Zoolz regularly charges $360 per month or a lifetime fee of $3,600 for 1TB, but you get lifetime access to 2TB for 99% off.

Zoolz Instant Backup is where you can store everything you’ll need on a regular basis. You can retrieve files instantly and all your data is encrypted before it even leaves your devices, so you know it’s safe and secure. Zoolz Archive Backup is where you store the data you won’t need for a while but may need to pull out at some point down the line. You can just dump up to 1TB and leave it, know it’s secured with military-grade 256-AES encryption, just like your Instant Backup, so it’s safe. You can get $7,200 worth of cloud storage for only $49.99 at Android Central Digital offers.

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ICYMI: Tornado simulators and cranial cracking robo-surgeons

Today on In Case You Missed It: Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are leveraging 20,000-core supercomputers to model the inner workings of supercells in hopes of finding out why some storms unleash tornadoes while others do not. In all, the simulation relied on nearly two billion individual data points.

We also take a look at a sure-handed robotic surgeon developed at the University of Bern in Switzerland that’s designed to drill tiny holes in your skull. See, in order to install a cochlear implant, doctors need to cut a small hole in your skull but the location is packed with facial and taste nerves. One wrong move and the operation can do more harm than good. But with this robo-surgeon on call, doctors can drill more deftly.

As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.

A tale of two similar machines: HP’s Spectre 360 13 vs. Dell’s XPS 13 2-in-1

HP’s Spectre x360 13 was one of the best Windows 10 2-in-1 devices introduced in 2016. It offered a solid combination of performance, build quality, and battery life, serving as HP’s premier 13-inch Ultrabook.

Dell, on the other hand, was late to the premium Windows 10 2-in-1 market, arriving at the beginning of 2017 with its XPS 13 2-in-1 machine. Taking everything that was already good about the outstanding XPS 13 notebook, Dell’s hybrid quickly took its place as one of the best convertible 2-in-1s around.

More: CES 2017 proves 2-in-1s are becoming the new normal

Now, HP has updated the Spectre x360 13, adding in a missing 4K UHD display option along with an excellent active pen. This brings HP’s 2-in-1 more in line with the XPS 13 2-in-1 in terms of specifications and functionality, and so we thought it made sense to compare these two machines to see which one comes out on top.

Specs

Dell XPS 13 2-in-1

HP Spectre x360 13

Dimensions
 11.98 x 7.8 x .54-.32 inches
12.07 x 8.58 x .55 inches
Weight
2.7 pounds
2.98 pounds
Processor
7th Generation Intel Core i5 or i7 Y-Series dual-core
7th Generation Intel Core i5 or i7 dual-core
RAM
4GB, 8GB, or 16GB LPDDR3
8 or 16GB DDR4
Display
13.3-inch IPS touchscreen, Full HD or QHD+
13.3-inch IPS touchscreen, Full HD or 4K
Resolution
Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) or QHD+ (3,200 x 1,800)
Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) or 4K (3,840 x 2,160)
Storage
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB PCIe SSD
256GB, 512GB, 1TB PCIe SSD
Networking
802.11ac 2×2, Bluetooth 4.2
802.11ac 2×2, Bluetooth 4.2
Ports
1 x USB 3.1 Type-C, 1 x USB Type-C with Thunderbolt 3, 3.5mm Headset, microSD reader
1 x USB 3.1 Type-A, 2 x USB Type-C with Thunderbolt 3, 3.5mm Headset
Webcam
1080p webcam
1080p webcam with IR camera and Windows Hello support
Operating System
Windows 10
Windows 10
Battery
46 watt-hours
57.8 watt-hours
Price
$1,000+
$1,090+
Availability
Available now
Available now (some configurations)
Review
Hands-on

4 out of 5 stars (previous model)

Neither are all that well-connected

The Spectre x360 13 is equipped with a fair number of ports, but it’s nothing to write home about. There are two USB 3.1 Type-C ports, both with charging and Thunderbolt 3 support. In addition, the machine supports legacy devices with a USB 3.1 Type-A port and a 3.5mm headset jack.

The XPS 13 2-in-1 gives up the past almost completely, offering just two USB 3.1 Type-C connections, one of which supports Thunderbolt 3 with four lanes of PCIe Gen 3 available. The only nods to legacy support include a microSD card slot and a 3.5mm headset jack.

With an additional Thunderbolt 3 port and legacy device support with an old-school USB port, HP wins this round. You don’t get a microSD card slot, but we think that’s worth giving up in exchange for overall enhanced connectivity.

Winner: HP Spectre x360 13

Neither design breaks any new ground

The refreshed Spectre x360 13 uses almost exactly the same design as its predecessor, which means it’s reasonably thin and light while still offering up real seventh-generation Intel Core processors and decent battery capacity. It’s made from machined aluminum, utilizes a solid 360-degree hinge that is smooth in operation and holds the display firmly in place, and it’s simply a nice looking machine.

HP did make one change to the design, however, that should appeal to anyone who considers the Spectre x360 13’s silver color scheme to be a little pedestrian. Specifically, the company brought back its “ash silver with chrome accents” aesthetic to the 13-inch model, after a brief hiatus. The dark gray adds some understated elegance to HP’s machine, and while it might not be for everyone, it’s a nice addition — while adding a scant $10 to the price.

The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1, on the other hand, pays homage to one of the best 13-inch traditional notebooks on the market. In short, it looks and feels just like the XPS 13, with the same aluminum lid and base with carbon fiber lining the keyboard deck and providing structural support. If you look at the two machines side by side, only the highly functional 360-degree hinge and a chassis that’s just a bit thinner gives away the 2-in-1 version.

It’s a good, conservative design that doesn’t break any new ground and doesn’t really need to. Dell has taken a very strong “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it” approach to the XPS 13 2-in-1, and we can’t really complain.

Comparing the HP and the Dell, however, leaves us in the mood to gives some additional points for breaking the mold and giving users the option of a less conservative design. We think HP deserves some kudos for offering a little excitement with the refreshing Spectre x360 13, and so it wins this round.

Winner: HP Spectre x360 13

Samsung’s Z-SSD PCI Express storage device found to have 800GB of storage

Why it matters to you

Here is a brief tease by Samsung showing that the company’s upcoming Z-SSD storage device is nearing completion.

During the Cloud Expo Europe convention in London, Samsung showcased an upcoming Z-SSD storage device that fits into a speedy PCI Express 3.0 slot. The device originally made its public debut during the Flash Memory Summit convention in August of 2016 sporting Samsung’s secretive Z-NAND derived from its fourth-generation V-NAND tech. Samsung didn’t reveal any performance numbers related to the Z-SSD in August, but was a bit more open to spilling a few beans at the recent Cloud Expo Europe show.

Based on hands-on reports from the convention, Samsung will initially offer select customers a Z-SSD unit with only 800GB of storage. Previous rumors suggested that Samsung had 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB variants in the works, too, but there was no sign during the show that Samsung intends to produce those capacities in the near future.

More: Micron’s 3D XPoint-based QuantX memory devices may not arrive until late 2017

On a more detailed level, the 800GB unit had a half-height form factor built for a PCI Express 3.0 slot with at least four lanes (PCIe 3.0 x4). Samsung added that the latency (presumably referring to read) would be 70 percent lower than NVM Express drives (NVMe). Here are a few additional numbers to chew on:

Sequential read speed:
Up to 3.2 gigabits per second
Sequential write speed:
Up to 3.2 gigabits per second
Random read performance:
Up to 750,000 IOPS*
Random write performance:
Up to 160,000 IOPS

*Input/output operations per second

What’s important to note is Samsung’s initial description of the Z-SSD in August. “Samsung’s Z-SSD shares the fundamental structure of V-NAND and has a unique circuit design and controller that can maximize performance, with four times faster latency and 1.6 times better sequential reading than the Samsung PM963 NVMe SSD,” the company briefly explained.

So far, there are no details regarding Samsung’s secret Z-NAND tech outside the comment posted above. Moreover, during a brief interview in August, the company wouldn’t confirm if Z-NAND used single-level-cell, multi-level-cell, or triple-level-cell technology. But Samsung did admit that Z-NAND “achieves peak performance at low queue depths, giving better performance across all workloads.”

Samsung’s latest fourth-gen V-NAND tech relies on a “stacked” vertical design packing multiple layers of memory cells like a skyscraper rather than distributing cells horizontally in a city grid fashion. Stacking layers of memory cells improves storage density because the capacity increases with each level despite the horizontal, physical constraints of the memory die.

Samsung said that its latest V-NAND technology now stacks 64 layers of memory cells, increasing the density of a single memory die to 512 gigabits. Right now, a single 3D XPoint memory die produced by the Intel/Micron duo consists of two cross-stitched 64-gigabit layers, totaling a mere 128 gigabits. Convert those numbers into gigabytes and Samsung’s V-NAND die has a 64GB capacity and Intel’s 3D XPoint die has a 16GB capacity.

But don’t expect to see Z-NAND used in mainstream products any time soon. Customers needing a boost in workloads on high-performance systems, such as “extremely insensitive” real-time analytics, will be the first to grab the Z-branded SSDs.

USB-C needs to get smarter before it gets better

Woke up to a dead phone this morning, because my smartphone did something really dumb.

A few nights ago I was away from home and didn’t have my power cord with me, so I had to rely on a battery backup to charge my USB C-based phone for the night. This battery had been stuffed down in the bottom of my backpack for a few days, after having been used to power something else for several hours, so it didn’t have a lot of juice left to begin with. If I had to guess, there was just about enough to get my phone to about 70%, which was more than enough to get me to a power outlet the next morning.

I plugged in my phone, confirmed it had charged to 10% before I closed my eyes, and didn’t think about it again until the morning. When I woke up late because my alarm didn’t go off, I realized it was because my phone was dead. What’s worse, my battery backup actually had more power in it than it did before I’d plugged it in to my phone.

My phone and was dead and my battery pack was recharged — the opposite of what I wanted!

What happened here sounds bizarre, but it’s actually all of the individual pieces of this charging system working as designed. The battery backup charged my phone until it was drained, and then started pulling power back from the phone because it was drained. USB-C is designed to allow simple power sharing, so anything can charge anything else. In theory it’s amazing, and has seriously come in handy when I needed 20 more minutes of juice on my Chromebook for work and only had a phone nearby. In this situation, though, it didn’t work out the way I wanted it to.

@russellholly This. Definitely need proper control so I can choose which way to power, or not. My Chromebook also charges my power bank!

— Jonathan Morris📱📸 (@jmcomms) March 17, 2017

This isn’t a failing on any one particular phone manufacturer, OS, or battery backup designer, either. This is, largely, how USB-C is designed to function right now. Some handle this worse than others; for example, many Anker USB-C batteries have the Type-C port set to draw power by default, with a key press required in order to reverse direction, but in general this is a small problem lacking a standard solution for all devices. And the solution, at least to my specific problem, probably lies in software.

In my opinion, our phone shouldn’t be allowed to give power to other things without our express permission. In much the same way that Android offers USB selection modes for file sharing that require a manual selection from me, power management should offer a similar option. That way, if my phone is sharing power with something, it’s no accident and doesn’t interrupt the ability to use the phone. This is something Google would need to implement at the OS level, but it seems like the best possible solution for this kind of problem.

It may be a fringe issue in the grand scheme of things right now, but as more and more people adopt USB-C in phones and tablets and laptops and game consoles, this kind of problem is going to pop up more and more. It’d be nice for Google to take the lead on addressing this issue, instead of waiting for another big company to implement USB-C and show everyone how it’s done.

The Morning After: Weekend Edition

Letter from the Editor

If you can define a year before it’s halfway over, 2017 may well be the year of blurred lines. No, not the 2013 Robin Thicke song, but the lines that separate reality from fantasy. This week started off with White House officials questioning the laws of physics when Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway defended her boss’s accusation via Twitter that former president Barack Obama had him wiretapped.

“What I can say is there are many ways to surveil each other now, unfortunately. There was an article this week that talked about how you can surveil someone through their phones — certainly through their television sets, any number of different ways. And microwaves that turn into cameras, et cetera,” Conway told the Bergen County Record’s Mike Kelly in an interview.

Microwaves that turn into cameras? The internet exploded. Our own Cherlynn Low debunked the baseless claim, and Conway, the mother of alternative facts, eventually admitted to CNN that she’s “not Inspector Gadget” and doesn’t “believe people are using the microwave to spy on the Trump campaign.” This particular political flub may have generated a few good laughs, but it’s just one in a series of examples that bring into focus the sometimes bizarre, often unreal reality many of us find ourselves in today. In 2017, truth isn’t about facts — it’s about perception.

As our coverage of SXSW 2017 shows, politics isn’t the only arena where perception rules. This year, the excitement in Austin, Texas, didn’t revolve around a hot new social app or politically charged panels. Instead, our attention was focused on how technology and art are merging to change the way we see the real world. Aaron Souppouris took us inside the Infinity Room, a stunning art installation that uses mirrors, sound and projection to create “alternate realities”; Devindra Hardawar took an 8K, hydraulic-assisted “virtual reality” flight over Tokyo from inside the Austin Convention Center; and Mona Lalwani explored new perspectives (see: all of them) in VR with Sony’s experimental Superception.

Whether you’re looking at the battle over facts between the White House and the press or the ways in which technology is looking to alter our perception of the real world, it’s clear that reality is on shaky ground. We may be on a path to redefining what we all once took for granted as a shared constant. But — and I do believe this to be capital-T true — there’s one thing we can all agree on: it’s Saturday! So get out in the real world and enjoy it while it lasts.

— Christopher Trout, Editor-in-Chief

Get used to thisApple Music’s two-week Chance the Rapper exclusive cost $500k and a commercial

As the battle between music streaming services heats up, exclusives have become heavy ammunition that could push customers to one service over another. On Twitter, Chance the Rapper revealed what it took for Apple Music to secure his (Grammy winning) 2016 album: “@apple gave me half a mil and a commercial to post Coloring Book exclusively on applemusic for 2 weeks.”

“It’s a prank bro” is probably not a valid legal defenseFBI arrests a man for sending a seizure-inducing tweet

In December someone tweeted a flashing, auto-playing image to journalist Kurt Eichenwald, who has epilepsy. The image caused a seizure, and now Eichenwald reveals that the FBI has made an arrest in the case. The suspect is facing federal charges (with more to come), while 40+ others who have also sent strobing images in the months since have also been submitted to the FBI.

More powerChrome 57 ‘throttles’ background tabs to save battery life

People love using Google Chrome as a browser, but they don’t always love its impact on battery life. Chrome already limited tabs considered “background” from updating more than once per second, but as of version 57, it aggressively limits background tabs using too much CPU power. That could have a significant impact on your PC since background tabs account for up to a third of Chrome’s power usage.

Just because they can, doesn’t mean they shouldOK, Google: Don’t put ads in the Google Assistant

A too-enthusiastic promo for the latest Disney flick popped up playing on Google Home’s “My Day” rundowns this week, and as Nathan Ingraham argues, that’s not what the device promised. While Google maintains the message wasn’t intended as an advertisement, it’s hard to interpret the unsolicited update as anything else. It sets a bad precedent, and has us all wondering how much the company considers people who purchased the $130 device as its customers vs. as the product it sells to interested “partners.”

Tell your partner it’s not a new TV; it’s artSamsung’s ‘The Frame’ TV doubles as an art piece

The funkiest addition to Samsung’s 2017 TV lineup is The Frame. Using the company’s new gapless wall-mount and single cable “Invisible Connection,” it hangs just like any other canvas. Set it to Art Mode, and when not in use, it will display over 100 pieces of artwork to class up your place a bit.

Sit back, relax and…Watch these declassified nuclear test films on YouTube

If you’re wondering what to watch this weekend that’s not Iron Fist, try these restored nuclear test videos. Posted thanks to the collaboration of a physicist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and a film expert, they depict atmospheric nuclear tests conducted by the US government between 1945 and 1992.

It’s all about BBQThe Engadget Podcast Episode 32: SXSW 2017 Edition

This week on the podcast, Nathan Ingraham and Devindra Hardawar talk about what they’ve seen in Austin this week. That includes playing Rez: Infinite wearing a synesthesia suit and talking Muppets with Frank Oz. If you prefer video, try our seven-minute recap of the week that was.

But wait, there’s more…

• Bad Password: Our privacy was on life support. The FCC is pulling the plug.
• Warner Bros. is reportedly considering a ‘The Matrix’ relaunch
• Drone vs. Patriot missile
• Sony will soon stop PS3 production and shipments in Japan
• What Trump’s budget would mean for NASA and climate change
• NASA plans to make a telescope out of the Sun

The Morning After is a new daily newsletter from Engadget designed to help you fight off FOMO. Who knows what you’ll miss if you don’t subscribe.

Apple CEO Tim Cook Touts Benefits of Globalization in China Speech

Apple CEO Tim Cook gave a talk on Saturday to attendees of the China Development Forum 2017, where he offered commentary on a range of issues including globalization, economics, and data privacy.

The annual forum is a high-profile conference in which senior Chinese government officials, global corporation leaders, institutions, and scholars gather to discuss major issues including Chinese economic reform and the country’s relationship with the wider world. Other tech CEOs at this year’s event included IBM’s Ginni Rometty and Siemens’ Joe Kaeser.

Image: VCG/VCG via Getty Images
According to The Wall Street Journal, Cook chose to focus on the perceived merits of globalization during his speech, calling its impact on the world “great” in general, while noting the currently uneven distribution of its economic and cultural gains. Despite shortcomings – and amid calls from the Trump administration to direct investment inwardly – Cook encouraged China and other countries to bet on a future of more balanced development by opening themselves further to foreign investment.

“I think the worst thing would be to — because it didn’t help everyone — is to say it’s bad and do less of that,” said Cook. “I think the reality is you can see that countries in the world… that isolate themselves, it’s not good for their people.”

In general, Cook’s comments largely avoided sensitive Chinese political issues. On the subject of data privacy and cybersecurity, for example, Cook reiterated previous statements made about the importance of encryption to protect user information from state hackers and other bad actors. “We think that an individual should own their data and should be able to control their data,” said Cook, while avoiding any explicit criticism of Chinese cybersecurity policy, which in its current form only serves to tighten state control over information flows and technology equipment within the country.

In contrast to outspoken political stands taken at home – such as last year’s very public encryption battle with the FBI – the tone of Cook’s comments reflected Apple’s historically mindful approach to Sino relations, with the company having previously fallen foul of China’s restrictive internet policies. Given Apple’s ongoing efforts to crack China’s booming smartphone market, combined with heavy investment in research and development facilities in the country, Cook’s cautiousness aligns with Apple’s strategy of sidestepping issues that could significantly damage future negotiations.

As part of his China trip, Tim Cook is also scheduled to speak with Xu Lin, director of the Cyberspace Administration of China, in a private meeting on Monday.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

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Swatch is developing its own smartwatch platform, avoiding the lure of Android Wear

Swatch is looking to enter the smartwatch market using its own platform, the company confirmed in an interview on 16 March, choosing not to follow suit and use Google’s Android Wear as a number of rivals have done.

Company CEO Nick Hayek confirmed the details, reported by Bloomberg, stating that the Swatch owned Tissot brand would have a homebrew smartwatch ready for launch in by the end of 2018.

The disadvantage of going it alone is that you have to start from scratch when it comes to bringing compatibility and functionality. That’s the advantage that Android Wear offers: it’s being developed by Google and app developers are actively engaging with it, so it’s a wholesale approach. 

Swatch has said that the aim is to reduce battery power and protect user’s data better, targeting two common points of discussion with modern mobile devices. The company hasn’t, however, confirmed what sort of functionality the watch will offer or what segment of the market it will specifically address. 

Swatch has been slowly adding connected functionality to its devices, but the Tissot Smart Touch shown off at Baselworld 2016 has been noticeably absent from shelves, although we’re only a year on since that demo, and it could well launch. Time moves slowly in the world of watches. 

Across the valley, Swiss Watch maker Tag Heuer has announced its second-gen Connected model based on Android and has been joined by Montblanc, also turning to Google to provide a platform. 

The advantage that going solo brings is that Swatch gets to define the product: Android Wear watches are rather predictable and Swatch might be aiming for a connected middle ground that’s not defined by the platform.

It’s a gamble, sure, but it’s also an indicator that Swatch is taking the smartwatch sector seriously: it’s not opting for an off-the-shelf solution, it wants to be bespoke.

UberEats and Volvo think riders might want a backseat dinner

Tokyo might be known for its plethora of restaurants, but the beleaguered UberEats service and Volvo have put a brand new one in the backseat of a moving SUV. A partnership between the Swedish automaker, Uber and Iron Chef Yukio Hattori called the “All-Star Restaurant” is currently rolling around Tokyo, literally delivering a multi-course menu of dishes to riders in an XC90 Excellence luxury SUV.

The service launched on March 14th, Autoblog notes, and the dishes come from a range of different cuisines and high-end restaurants around the city. The twist on the usual UberEats order is that they’re served to you while you’re buckled up in Volvo’s top-of-the-line sport utility vehicle and being whisked around the capital of Japan, rather than coming to your door while you’re laying around on the couch in your sweatpants and overloading on Netflix. Here’s hoping your driver doesn’t revolt in the middle of the soup course.

Via: Autoblog

AccuWeather now lets you look at the forecast in virtual reality

Checking the weather report is usually a colorless, simple experience — a glance at an app to see the five day forecast or check the news for any major storms or events. If you have a Samsung Gear VR device, however, your daily forecast could soon be an experience. AccuWeather’s new VR experience promises to offer immersive weather news, innovative forecasts and 360-degree video of severe weather events. o of severe weather events.

It sounds like one of the least exciting VR experiences imaginable, and indeed — the screenshots on the app’s store page preview little more than a wrap-around VR view of temperature, humidity and UV Index charts. The draw is more about seeing extreme weather in action — 360-degree clips like a close up video of a tornado in Colorado, for instance. AccuWeather says new videos will be added each week, and hopes to provide users with an educational perspective on the Earth’s most exciting weather events. The app is available on the Oculus Store for free starting today.

Source: Oculus