StubHub Launches iMessage App to Share and Vote On Events and Tickets

StubHub, the world’s largest online ticket marketplace, today announced that it has updated its iOS app with a new iMessage integration for sharing events and voting on which tickets to buy or where to sit.

StubHub’s new iMessage app
After updating to the latest version of the StubHub app, users can open the iMessage app, search for and share a sports game, concert, or other event, and select up to five seats for their friends to vote on directly within an iMessage conversation. Once the votes are in, anyone can buy tickets for the group.

Meanwhile, in the main app, StubHub now allows users to connect with Facebook friends to see which events they are planning on attending, as well as which artists, teams, and venues are of interest to them. This information is found within a new Activity feed under the Profile tab after updating the app.

Last, StubHub has launched a new Facebook Messenger chatbot that serves as a “personal event concierge” by recommending local and upcoming events based on the information that a user supplies.

StubHub is a free download on the App Store [Direct Link] for iPhone and iPad. Apple Watch and Apple TV apps are also available.

Tags: iMessage, StubHub
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Boomerang Launches $5/Month Classic Cartoon Streaming Service on iOS, Apple TV Coming Soon

Originally offered as a cable channel by Time Warner, Boomerang has this week been spun off into a streaming bundle of its own, offering subscribers on iOS, Android, and desktop access to classic cartoons like Hanna-Barbera’s Wacky Races and Yogi Bear, as well as shows featuring Looney Tunes characters like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Road Runner (via Variety). Slightly more modern cartoons like The Life and Times of Juniper Lee and Courage the Cowardly Dog are also up for streaming.

Boomerang will allow subscribers on-demand access to these shows, and some will even be gaining new episodes each week, including additional episodes of modern shows as well as classics from the Boomerang vault. The service also plans to launch new, exclusive shows to Boomerang subscribers sometime later this year. Boomerang is still sticking around as an addition for traditional cable packages, with the new video-on-demand service being referred to as a “complementary” package to its cable channel.

For its classics, Boomerang offers over 1,000 episodes of the older cartoons, although there remain a few noticeable omissions like The Flinstones and The Jetsons, but the company has said more shows will continuously be added after this week’s launch. Movies related to certain characters — including Scooby-Doo –are included as well in the subscription plan.

Boomerang is THE place to watch all your favorite cartoons to your heart’s content, on demand and ad free. Enjoy classic shows and new originals you can’t get anywhere else. Your Boomerang subscription allows you to control the viewing experience in a kid-friendly environment with your whole family with no TV package required.

The library is only part of the fun! New episodes of new original shows or classics from the vault are added every week. Get new episodes of New Looney Tunes, Bunnicula, Be Cool Scooby Doo, Tom and Jerry and more, plus brand new shows coming later this year! Enjoy full seasons of old favorites from Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and all the favorite cartoons you love.

In terms of cost, users can pay $4.99 a month for Boomerang, or opt in for a $39.99 yearly subscription to drop the monthly cost down to $3.33. Those interested can download the Boomerang app now on the iOS App Store for free [Direct Link], and it’s also available on Android and on desktop and laptop computers. TV-enabled streaming boxes, including Apple TV, will be gaining Boomerang apps in the near future as well.

Check out a list of all of Boomerang’s shows, broken down by character in the vein of Netflix’s kids section, right here on the service’s website. New subscribers can gain access to a 7-day free trial upon sign-up of the monthly plan, or a 3-day free-trial upon sign-up of the yearly plan.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 10, iOS 10
Tag: Boomerang
Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Don’t Buy)
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Apple Highlights Artist Rob Zilla’s NBA Artwork

As the 2016-2017 NBA season comes to an end, Apple today highlighted artwork created by Robert Generette III, aka Rob Zilla, an artist who uses an iPad Pro and an Apple Pencil to draw “bright, arresting sports imagery.”

Rob Zilla’s latest sketch celebrates the Golden State Warriors’ NBA-best regular season record and Kevin Durant’s return to the team ahead of the 2017 NBA Playoffs.

Along with an Apple Pencil and an iPad Pro, Rob Zilla uses Adobe Illustrator Draw to make his creations. The sketch displayed by Apple is an exclusive illustration of Kevin Durant, with a GIF included to show the artist’s process.

As part of Warriors Fan Night at the season finale in Oakland, the Golden State Warriors will feature an array of Rob Zilla’s illustrations of warriors players, legends, coaches, and fans. He’ll also be recognized at half time, and has been commissioned by the Washington Wizards to create player portraits and murals.

Tag: Apple Pencil
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Apple is Struggling to Integrate Touch ID Under the iPhone 8’s Display

Apple’s supposed “biggest bottleneck” in preparing to mass produce the rumored 5.8-inch iPhone with an edge-to-edge OLED display remains integrating Touch ID underneath the display glass, according to a research note from Cowen and Company analyst Timothy Arcuri obtained by MacRumors.

Arcuri, citing his own “field work” within the supply chain, said the current yield of Apple’s in-house AuthenTec-based fingerprint sensor solution is low, while noting that Apple seems unwilling to use an outside solution at this time. If Apple cannot resolve these yield issues, he sees three different scenarios:

• Apple removes Touch ID from the 5.8-inch iPhone entirely and relies solely on facial/iris recognition. Arcuri said this is unlikely, as it’s not secure enough, risky, and would potentially create issues with Apple Pay.

• Apple puts Touch ID on the back of the 5.8-inch iPhone, but in a different place than the one on the Galaxy S8, which can be hard to reach. Arcuri said this would not be a user-friendly or optimal solution to say the least.

• Apple delays production of the 5.8-inch iPhone, but still announces the device in early September alongside updated 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models.

Arcuri said Apple is aiming to finalize its fingerprint sensor specification by May, but if its in-house AuthenTec-based solution is not feasible due to yield issues, mass production of the tentatively named “iPhone 8” could be delayed until September, compared to its usual late July to August timeframe.

Arcuri still expects Apple to announce the 5.8-inch iPhone alongside updated 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models in September, but supplies may be extremely limited or unavailable whatsoever until later in the year. That timeline echoes recent predictions from Apple analyst Brian White and investment bank Barclays.

It’s also a scenario that has occurred with nearly every previous iPhone launch. Last year, the iPhone 7 Plus in Jet Black was a highly popular model among customers, and shipping estimates for online orders quickly slipped to several weeks out. It wasn’t until around November that it became more widely available.

The device, which has also been called the iPhone X, iPhone Pro, or iPhone Edition, is expected to feature a new glass and stainless steel design, wireless charging, longer battery life, a new front-facing camera with 3D sensing capabilities, and improved water resistance. It also won’t have a physical Home button.

Touch ID-related yield issues may be the reason why 5.8-inch iPhone components and schematics have yet to leak from the supply chain. iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus parts began to leak around March last year.

Cowen and Company maintains an “outperform” rating for AAPL with a $155 price target.

Related Roundup: iPhone 8 (2017)
Tags: Timothy Arcuri, Cowen and Company, Touch ID
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TP-Link jumps into the mesh-based network arena with its new artsy Deco M5 kit

Why it matters to you

Here is another networking solution based on mesh networking technology packing built-in antivirus and malware protection and more.

Networking expert TP-Link jumped into the budding mesh-based networking market on Wednesday with the introduction of its Deco M5 kit. “Mesh-based” is the key description here, as the kit tosses out the traditional bubbled coverage transmitted by a single router for a multi-unit setup designed to provide a web of internet connectivity throughout the home or office.

According to TP-Link, what makes its new system stand out in the mesh-based crowd is the built-in antivirus and malware protection provided by TrendMicro. The system also relies on “robust” parental controls via TP-Link’s HomeCare service and Adaptive Routing Technology for optimal device load balancing.

More: Need a good home router? The TP-Link Archer C1200 is now on sale for $60

However, in a conference call prior to the official launch, TP-Link execs indicated that the Deco M5 isn’t just another hockey puck-sized mesh-based system. Sure, it only broadcasts connectivity on the 5GHz and 2.4GHz bands, but it also supports a dedicated Deco-to-Deco service road routed through an Ethernet connection for better data throughput.

To understand why this is important, look at similar mesh networking kits like Luma and Eero. Their individual hub and satellite units communicate with each other over the 5GHz band. However, all wireless devices connected to the Luma/Eero network use that same 5GHz band. Thus, the more Luma/Eero units and wireless devices are dumped into that 5GHz broadcast, the slower the data speed (throughput) becomes.

Meanwhile, Netgear’s Orbi tri-band system, which technically is not a mesh-based solution, includes a separate four-lane 5GHz band (4×4) dedicated to Orbi-to-Orbi communication. Thus, wireless devices connect to a nearby Orbi unit on a single two-lane 5GHz connection (2×2) while all the networking requests (data) are pushed to and from the ISP’s modem on the separate four-lane 5GHz band (4×4). Now imagine replacing that second 4×4 road with a wired 1Gbps connection.

Of course, the Netgear Orbi kits are tall and wide like little nuclear power plants, so there is plenty of room to cram in eight additional antennas for a secondary 5GHz band. Deco M5 units are small and round like thick drink coasters, so falling back on an Ethernet port as a speedier backend to transport data makes sense. Of course, draping Ethernet cords along the baseboards is not exactly attractive, but that is where TP-Link’s Gigabit PowerLine kits come in.

Finally, the Deco M5 kit targets the plug-and-play customer. Thus, setup and maintenance require a mobile device based on Android or iOS. There is no web-based backend for tweaking every networking detail under the sun, making network customization rather limited.

Here are some of the hardware details regarding the Deco M5 kit:

Max 5GHz speed (2×2):
867Mbps
Max 2.4GHz speed (2×2):
400Mbps
Max wireless coverage:
4,500 square feet
Max number of Deco units per network:
10
MU-MIMO support:
Yes
Processor:
Quad-core
Ports:
2x gigabit Ethernet
1x USB Type-C port (power only)

TP-Link is currently selling the new Deco M5 kit through HSN along with other online/offline retailers for $300. The cost of additional Deco M5 “satellite” units is currently unknown.

You won’t be saying hello to Bixby on your new Samsung Galaxy S8

Why it matters to you

If you’re buying a new Samsung Galaxy S8 at launch, be prepared for virtual assistant Bixby’s features to be limited.

Bixby, Samsung’s virtual assistant that will debut on the Galaxy S8 smartphone, won’t be fully available at launch, outside of phones sold in South Korea. While several features will work on international versions, those that rely on voice activation and control won’t operate, because Samsung apparently hasn’t perfected Bixby’s understanding of English yet.

Samsung says some features, including Home, Reminder, and Vision, will be ready for use on the global versions of the Galaxy S8, when it goes on sale later this month. However, “Bixby Voice will be available in the U.S. on the Galaxy S8 later this spring,” Samsung told the BBC in a statement.

More: How to buy the Samsung Galaxy S8

When the Galaxy S8 was announced, Samsung had warned Bixby wouldn’t support all languages immediately, but no reason why was provided. It’s said Samsung doesn’t consider Bixby’s English language performance to be up to the same level as its competence in Korean, according to an anonymous source speaking to The Wall Street Journal. While Samsung didn’t give the BBC a launch date for English Bixby, the Journal’s source stated a late-May date was likely.

This puts it a month at least past the Galaxy S8’s release, which will leave the phone without one of its main features, and little use for the dedicated hardware button on the side of the device. Worse news for Samsung, is Google’s own Google Assistant will be present, and working in the same way it does on other compatible smartphones. Assistant may not be perfect, but a working voice assistant is better than a non-working voice assistant, and Samsung risks Bixby becoming forgotten by international users if it arrives too late.

More: Samsung’s boring Bixby isn’t a reason to buy the Galaxy S8

The Galaxy S8 has been long awaited by Samsung fans, and needs to be a success after the failure of the Galaxy Note 7. Pre-sales numbers show that few are holding a grudge; but Samsung could certainly do without under-delivering on promised features.

IDC: PC sales increased in early 2017 for the first time in five years

Why it matters to you

If you’re a fan of the PC, then you’ll be happy to know that the market is recovering given the first sales increase in five years.

The PC market has been going through a few years of declining sales, seemingly lending credence to Steve Jobs’ pronouncement of a “post-PC” era. Smartphones and tablets seemed to be the cause of a downward trend in the popularity of PCs, but then things appeared to be turning around more recently.

That upward trend seems to be solidifying, as a number of analysts have been predicting either a stabilization of the market or an outright recovery. For the first time, we have at least one firm reporting an increase in PC sales, specifically IDC with its analysis of the first quarter of 2017.

More: Global PC sales declined for eight consecutive quarters, Gartner reports

According to IDC, PC sales for the first quarter reached 60.328 million units, a year-over-year increase of 0.6 percent compared to the first quarter of 2016 when 59.945 million units were sold. HP, with 21.8 percent, took over the top spot of the market from Lenovo, which held 20.4 percent of the market. Dell remained in a solid third place and achieved a strong 6.2 percent growth rate, while Apple’s share increased by 4.1 percent.

IDC Worldwide

IDC made specific note of the significance of the increase, saying, “The traditional PC market has been through a tough phase, with competition from tablets and smartphones as well as lengthening lifecycles pushing PC shipments down roughly 30 percent from a peak in 2011.”

Going forward, IDC expects PC sales to further strengthen given the beginning of a business replacement cycle, continued growth in PC gaming, and the saturation of the smartphone and tablet markets. Regionally, the U.S. market saw slumping notebook PC sales following a strong holiday sales season along with strong Chromebook sales.

IDC notes that these numbers do not include tablets and servers, but they do include detachable and slate tablets as part of the Personal Computer Device Tracker. That means that it’s entirely possible that strong Windows 10 2-in-1 sales contributed to the overall increase although IDC did not specifically address those machines in its press release.

Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time

Everyone likes apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers make paid apps free for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up while you have the chance. Here are the latest and greatest apps on sale in the iOS App Store.

These apps normally cost money, and this sale lasts for a limited time only. If you go to the App Store and it says the app costs money, that means the deal has expired and you will be charged. 

More: 200 Awesome iPhone Apps | The best Android apps for almost any occasion

Cloud Hub

Cloud Hub is a simple document reader and manager for the iOS platform. It allows you to download or upload files from clouds services like Box, Dropbox, OneDrive, Drive, and iCloud.

Available on:

iOS

WikiLinks

WikiLinks is a fun and powerful way to discover everything Wikipedia has to offer, offering a fantastic multilingual and multimedia experience that includes an exclusive mind-map of your navigation, suggested YouTube videos, and more.

Available on:

iOS

Videos in Video

Videos in Video is an easy video editor with fast editing features with which you can place multiples videos, photos, and music within an existing video.

Available on:

iOS

Complete calendar

The new round calendar is a historic milestone in time presentation that shows us time in all its natural beauty. Its simplicity and clarity aside, it truly catches the eye with its amazing graphics and modern design.

Available on:

iOS

DataFlow Pro

DataFlow helps you keep track of network data usage in real time. Never worry about exceeding your data cap.

Available on:

iOS

Time Manager

Time Manager is an easy way to keep track of your daily activities. With one touch you can access all your common tasks and edit them at any time.

Available on:

iOS

Some Galaxy S7 owners report the camera lens is shattering without impact

Why it matters to you

The Galaxy S7 was among the best selling phones of 2016. Consumers need to be aware of any potential issues.

Dozens of Samsung Galaxy S7 owners have reported shattered camera lenses on their phones without any actual impact occurring, potentially indicating a weird flaw in the device. But Samsung tells Digital Trends that the incidents are few and far between, and the company stands behind the quality of the very popular smartphone.

As for why the weird incident is happening, nobody knows — and a law firm says it is investigating the issue.

Consumerist reported on one such incident on December 28, but a search on Google returns several results as far back as March (see here and here), shortly after the device launched. Samsung’s own user forums have several posts from affected customers as well. The result in most cases is the same, according to user reports: The company claims that the lens can only break under physical stress, and charges the customer for the repair, a $70 fix.

More: Galaxy S7 – common problems and how to fix them

“We stand behind the quality of the millions of Samsung phones in the U.S. The reported incidents are extremely rare and isolated among the very large number of devices currently in the market,” a spokesman told Digital Trends. “That said, Samsung takes customer satisfaction seriously. We encourage anyone with any product question to contact us directly at 1-800-SAMSUNG.”

That may not be good enough for Seattle-based law firm Keller Rohrbach, which said in December 2016 that it was investigating complaints of the issue happening across the S7, S7 Edge, and S7 Active devices, but stopped short of saying it planned to sue. A statement asked affected users to contact the firm to discuss “potential legal claims.”

“Despite receiving numerous customer complaints about this apparent defect, Samsung has consistently denied any responsibility, instead blaming its customers and refusing to repair or refund the devices even while still under warranty,” the company wrote on its website. Digital Trends has reached out to the firm for an update on its investigation.

A legal case may have some merit, if the company were refusing legitimate warranty claims, as the law firm wrote. Worse yet, the lens has shattered again after the repair, according to some posted accounts. What’s causing this to happen still doesn’t have a clear explanation — it may be as simple as user negligence, or it may indicate a larger problem.

One possible explanation could be some kind of external stress on the glass. The glass typically breaks as if it was shot through by a bullet. While completely anecdotal, many of the breakage incidents occur while the phone is in a protective case.

Could the tight fit of the case be putting some type of additional stress on the chassis, which in turn is being transmitted to the glass (perhaps the glass is placed a bit too snug in the chassis itself)? Since we don’t have much to go on, it’s all speculation at this point.

Updated 4/12/2017 by Jeremy Kaplan: Added a statement from Samsung.

Forget electricity, this wheelchair is powered by nothing but compressed air

Why it matters to you

Air-powered wheelchair is waterproof, lightweight, and doesn’t need its batteries to be replaced. It solves just about all the problems of an electric wheelchair.

Imagine a new type of powered wheelchair that’s totally waterproof, weighs just one-third of a regular powered wheelchair, and doesn’t need its batteries to be replaced at great cost every couple of years. That’s what researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL) have created with a new wheelchair design that’s powered by compressed air.

Oh, and they’ve built a four-wheel scooter, which runs on the same principle, for good measure, too.

Called the PneuChair, the wheelchair weighs just 80 pounds, is constructed from components available from any local hardware store, and can be recharged in just 10 minutes using an air compressor, as opposed to the multi-hour charging of a regular battery-powered wheelchair. (The downside is that it only has a range of around three miles, however.)

More: Autonomous wheelchair could change the lives of motor-impaired users

The PneuChair project’s lead mechanical engineer was graduate student researcher Brandon Daveler. “As a power wheelchair user for over 10 years, I first-handedly understand the issues of battery-powered devices,” he told Digital Trends. “So developing the technology will not only help myself but also the millions of other powered mobility device users.”

At present, the team is busy testing the prototypes to ensure they meet the necessary wheelchair standards. Plans to perform a pilot study using the devices are also in development to gain feedback from potential users, with the intent to eventually pursue a grant to perform a larger clinical trial.

And after that? Hopefully FDA approval, and marketing the technology to potential customers.

“I hope that the PneuMobility products will gain world-wide reach and help to solve problems associated with batteries for people in low-income countries where reliable electric power is a problem, in long-term care facilities where safety and battery maintenance is a problem — [and] perhaps even grocery stores, malls, and big-box stores,” Dr. Rory Cooper, Director of HERL, told Digital Trends.