Netflix users have streamed half a billion hours of Adam Sandler
That should explain why Netflix keeps throwing money at him.
Netflix:
Just ahead of the release of our third film from Adam Sandler, Sandy Wexler, we announced the renewal of our deal with Sandler to premiere an additional four films exclusively on Netflix around the world. We continue to be excited by our Sandler relationship and our members continue to be thrilled with his films. Since the launch of The Ridiculous 6, Netflix members have spent more than half a billion hours enjoying the films of Adam Sandler.
Theranos settlement means it could have a lab again in 2019
Theranos has been headed toward disaster for a while through its dodgy blood testing methods, but it might have just avoided the worst possible outcome. The biotech outfit has reached a settlement with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that should end the legal and regulatory fights between the two. In return for dropping appeals of both its 2-year lab ban and sanctions on its Newark lab, Theranos will both get to keep its all-important Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certificates and reduce its civil financial penalty to $30,000.
This doesn’t put Theranos completely in the clear. It still has to worry about FDA investigations, for a start. And even if it can put all its regulatory troubles behind it, there’s still the matter of regaining the shaken confidence of investors and would-be customers. That’s much, much harder. Nonetheless, Theranos is likely happy to at least keep its CLIA certificates. Without those, it couldn’t legally perform any testing on humans — it would be virtually impossible to pursue the company’s main business, even though it would be clear to open labs by 2019.
Source: Theranos
Filmmaker Ridley Scott is committing to VR in a big way
Filmmaker Ridley Scott isn’t a stranger to using emerging tech to push his creative vision. I mean, for all of Prometheus’ faults, Scott’s use of 3D wasn’t one of them. Back in 2015 Scott said he was working on a a mystery VR project, so today’s news that his RSA Films outfit is launching RSA VR as a company “dedicated” to virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed media perhaps isn’t too surprising. However, it does signal that Scott has an eye to the future beyond whatever timelines the Alien and Blade Runner universes take place in. In fact, the first project for RSA VR is a previously-announced Alien: Covenant vignette.
“We have been heavily involved in VR for the past few years, and having a dedicated stand-alone division underscores our commitment to immersive media in both the brand and entertainment space,” RSA’s president Jules Day said in a statement. Seeing one of the biggest names in old-guard filmmaking putting his weight behind VR is probably a pretty good sign for the medium’s future.
Maybe more exciting than the upcoming Alien tie-in is an episodic documentary from Michael Muller, though. If you aren’t familiar with his name, you’ve almost assuredly seen his work. He’s provided the photography for countless movie posters including Captain America: Civil War, Deadpool, Inherent Vice and HBO’s post-apocalyptic series The Leftovers. Beyond that, he’s also an incredibly accomplished underwater photographer, training his lens on sharks and other sea-life.
His involvement is only a single phrase in the press release, however, and other details are scarce. But hopefully it involves sharks. Just thinking of how cool New York Times’ VR documentary about whales was and crossing it with PlayStation VR’s Ocean Descent is making me kind of giddy.
Spent 10 hours in the studio and then just flew through the night I’m one more plane away from the above!!! Epic week of diving ahead. Just a little 10 hour lay over to get through. #Travel #neckpillow #ipad #Gum #mastersANDdynamics #water and copy of #SHANTARAM to read for the 2nd time.
A post shared by Michael Muller (@michaelmuller7) on Apr 15, 2017 at 4:54am PDT
Google Maps for iOS Gains Directions Widget for Turn-By-Turn Navigation on Lock Screen
Google Maps for iOS was today updated to version 4.30.0, introducing a new Directions Widget that allows Google Maps users to access turn-by-turn navigation directly on the lock screen of the iPhone.
The widget can be enabled by going to the Today View of the Notification Center, scrolling down to the “Edit” button, and then enabling Google Directions. Once turned on, turn-by-turn navigation directions will be available through the widget in the Notification Center, which can be accessed by swiping right on the lock screen.
Today’s update also introduces a new Google Maps iMessage app that’s designed to let users send their current location to friends and family members without the need to leave the Messages app.
The new Google Maps Messages app can be enabled through the Messages App Store. When installed, it establishes the user’s location and then allows that information to be shared right in Messages.
Along with the new widget and Messages app, the new version of Google Maps also includes unspecified bug fixes.
Google Maps can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Tags: Google, Google Maps
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Fitbit Alta HR Review: Is this the best slim fitness tracker?
Here’s the deal: I’m a bigger guy who’s been in the market for a solid fitness tracker that does everything I want and need. I’ve been scouring the market looking for something that hits my checkboxes while not looking to small for a big guys wrist.
I’ve used a few different options over the past few months, but I think I may have finally found the perfect one with the Fitbit Alta HR. As for the aforementioned checkboxes that I look for, here they are:
- Slim and semi-stylish
- Comfortable to wear
- Access to notifications
- Ability to view my step count at a glance
- Heart Rate monitor capabilities
Admittedly, I was interested in the regular Fitbit Alta, after my colleague Matt Adams picked one up for himself. However, there was just one thing missing and that was the heart rate monitor, so I took a step back and decided to wait a bit longer.
Boy, am I happy I did.
When the Fitbit Alta HR was offered for review here at AndroidGuys, I jumped at the opportunity to be the one to review it. On the outside, it looked to check all the boxes I needed it to while giving me peace of mind of not having to worry about trying something from an unknown company.
Display & Notifications
At first glance, the Alta HR may look like a regular ole’ fitness tracker with a display that doesn’t do much. However, that’s not the case and is noticeable as soon as you start using it.
Sure, the display is touchscreen, but not in the traditional sense, as you can’t really swipe across to see various pieces of information. Instead, you can tap the display to switch the display sections, which range from the time to heart rate monitor and remaining battery life, with the ability to add more.
As someone who isn’t all about the smartwatch craze, this is perfectly fine. I don’t need to squeeze every ounce of information out of something that lives on my wrist when all I need to do is pull my phone out of my pocket to see what’s going on.
As for those notifications, when a text message comes in, you receive a light vibration on your wrist. From there, the information begins to scroll across, letting you know who the text message is from as well as what the message contains.
The Alta HR will also tell you to stop being lazy and get up at least once an hour. There will be some subtle messages like “Feed me” or something else cute to get you moving around.
The strongest vibration that I’ve felt comes when I pass my daily goal of 10,000 steps. This number is customizable within the Fitbit app, but lets you know that you surpassed your goal with a little bit of theatrics shown on the display.
Comfortability
Now, another important part regarding any fitness tracker, smartwatch, or other wearable is comfortability. As someone with bigger wrists, I was a bit worried about the fit being too small. Luckily, I was able to get my hands on the Large wristband and have had no issues.
Included in the box is a rubber strap, which I have been using exclusively, but there are other strap options if you’re looking for a more classy look. And changing the straps is ridiculously easy as all you need to do is press down the button under the strap and lift up. When putting the straps back on, you will need to make sure you’re putting them on the right side, or things will seem a bit backward.
Battery Life
Now for my favorite part of the review: Battery Life. The battery life on the Alta HR has been….OUTSTANDING. Since receiving this wearable a couple of weeks ago, I’ve only had to charge it twice, and once was right after I opened the box.
Fitbit advertises a battery life of around 7 days, and I can definitely say that’s what I’m experiencing, if not a little bit more. Even with the various workouts and traveling that I’ve been doing, the Alta HR just keeps chugging along while giving me the ability to view my heart rate at just a glance.
It’s important to note that the Alta HR does include a proprietary charger, so you won’t be able to just hook up any old charger to it. This is something that I’ve come to expect with all the various products I review and isn’t something to be overly worried about.
The Fitbit App
Moving back to the new app, Fitbit has really gone above and beyond to create an all-in-one fitness experience. Once the app is downloaded you can either pair your Fitbit of choice, or you can move along to using it as a standalone health application.
When you open the app, you’ll see a section with a breakdown of your day. This includes the number of calories burned, steps taken, miles walked, and your “Active Minutes”. Below that, there are other options to show
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Below that, there are other options to show off how many days you’ve been exercising, weight tracking, water-intake tracking, sleep information, heart rate monitor, and an hourly activity guide. These are all customizable and you can add or remove whichever sections as you see fit.
One thing to note is that despite your Fitbit being connected to your smartphone via Bluetooth, there is still some syncing that needs to be done. Unfortunately, this isn’t automatically done in the background, but as soon as you open the app, there is a small progress bar that lets you know when the syncing is complete.
As I stated before, Fitbit is really looking to turn the application into your all-in-one health hub. There a few extra sections which are accessible via tabs at the bottom and offer Challenges, Guidance, Community, and Notifications.
The Challenges section gives you something to work towards on a daily basis, whether it’s just increasing your step count every day, or taking you on a guide through New York City. The goal with these challenges is to get your and your friends pushing each other, even you’re halfway across the country from one another.
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Another huge addition is the Fitstar Personal Trainer, which is accessible under the Guidance tab. These give you various personalized workouts that you can complete, along with instructions, time required, and the amount of calories that will be burned.
However, the catch here is that you will need to install the Fitstar Personal Trainer application from your App Store of choice. Once downloaded, you can use the Fitstar app to get the best workout for you, after a basic “Fit Test” has been completed.
Finally, the Community tab offers you a way to connect with other active Fitbit users. There are various groups that you can join, all with the intent to keep one another going, even through the days you don’t feel like moving.
The app may be the best part of the Fitbit experience, but when paired with something like the Fitbit Alta HR, it’s absolutely amazing. Plus, the app is completely free and can be used even if you don’t have a Fitbit wearable by your side.
The Cons
Now, I haven’t had much negative to say about the Alta HR, but there were some quirks I’ve had to look past. First off is the touchscreen display, as I would have liked to be able to actually scroll through the different sections. This would also come in handy when trying to just look at my wrist for information, as the accelerometer doesn’t always activate the display right away.
Perhaps the biggest problem I have with the Alta HR comes down to its lack of water-resistance. It’s true that this fitness tracker is so comfortable that I tend to forget about it, but that comes at a cost.
You can’t take this in the shower with you, and you won’t be able to go swimming in the pool for a few laps with this attached to your wrist. This is a bit upsetting with other similarly-priced options (like the Huawei Fit) already offering water resistance.
You will be able to do the dishes, wash your hands, or get caught in a rainstorm with little to no worries. In fact, I have played basketball in a non-air-conditioned gym and found there to be no issues with the Alta HR getting too wet from my perspiration. If you do end up getting it wet, Fitbit recommends wiping it down before continuing to use it.
Finally, there’s the price. I’ve already mentioned that the lack of water-resistance for a $150 fitness tracker is a downer. It’s a tad upsetting when you consider that the Fitbit Charge 2, with a larger display, is priced to compete against the Alta HR with many of the same features.
However, with the fitness tracker market seeing more of a push from smartphone OEM’s with deeper pockets, there’s not much left for Fitbit to do. So this is just something that will come down to everyone’s personal preference.
Conclusion
All in all, I’ve loved every second that I’ve spent with the Alta HR. This truly is one of the best options on the market and offers an experience that allows me to truly forget that it’s on my wrist unless there’s something that needs to be seen.
Between the battery life, comfortability, and integration with Fitbit’s mobile app, there’s really not much else to say here. Other than the fact that unless you really want a bigger display, the Fitbit Alta HR is a home run.
YouTube TV review: can you finally cut your cable?
Broadcast television is one of those technologies that just doesn’t seem to want to die. Ever since the inception of the technology in 1927, television has been a staple in the lives of consumers across the globe. Though we’ve seen the internet revolutionize hundreds of industries since its birth, cable TV has been something that has stayed largely the same since it was originally monetized.
Over the last couple of years however, a number of players have attempted to change the way we watch TV not by replacing broadcast television altogether, but by creating streaming services that give consumers access to both broadcast TV and pre-recorded series and movies.
Services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video may have popularized the streaming revolution by offering instant access to TV shows and movies that consumers love, but something about live TV appeals to many consumers on a level that has been almost ingrained into the very fabric of media as we know it today. This was evident even when streaming first began a couple of years ago, and players like Roku and Hulu swept in to fill the void consumers so badly craved.
Now, Google is looking into get into the game by offering (select) consumers instant access to live television as well as a select list of TV shows and movies for a monthly cost of $34.99. Is this price point enough to encourage consumers to cut their cables altogether and jump headfirst into the internet of everything? Let’s take a look.
Design
I am actually quite pumped about the design and control of this service, though that doesn’t mean I don’t have reservations about the implementation.
If you’re a techie and know how to use Google services, the theory of YouTube TV is a dream come true. Having access to your favorite live and recorded content anywhere you want is absolutely fantastic, since it can be viewed anywhere as long as you are signed into your Google account. However, if you’re not quite as technical and are not used to Google services and the idea of “casting” content, you may be left wondering why you have to watch your shows on such a small screen.
You don’t, of course, but Google doesn’t exactly advertise the existence of TV support.
YouTube.com, and that cast button on the top, can be confusing for a crowd that has no idea what content mirroring is. This isn’t bashing the ability to do so at all, as it is a crucial aspect of the service, but it does beg the question as to whether or not Google should have just bundled a ‘TV’ section into the YouTube app itself. After all, many Smart TVs on the market today already include YouTube integration, and so a simple update to these apps would make it possible for folks to use YouTube TV without having to rely on casting from their phone.
When you open the app, you are greeted with popular live TV that you can watch locally on your device, or send straight to your compatible smart TV or Chromecast for easy streaming. The service also showcases local television specific to your area, so you get the added benefit of being able to watch your favorite local content if that’s what you’re into.
YouTube TV is simplistic enough that you shouldn’t get lost in a ton of menus and options, and should be pretty easy for even the most tech-illiterate user.
As you scroll down the app, you’re greeted with popular shows available for recording once they air, as well as a selection of movies included with the service. Though one might argue that the app is a little bland, that’s kind of the point. Google wants to make this app as easy to use as physically possible, and I’ve got to say they’ve done a pretty amazing job.
Swiping to the left from the home menu brings you to your library, detailing all the content you’ve starred or recorded, while swiping right narrows your view to a selection of live TV available for streaming. The latter function is arguably the biggest selling point of Google’s new service. The design of this section is also pretty fantastic, as it shows you a variety of live channels available for streaming while showcasing a live feed of the top option you are currently viewing.
Tapping on a selection brings you to a live feed of the channel while showing off upcoming content available on that channel, which I think is a great choice, since it essentially lets you ‘preview’ a show to decide whether or not it is interesting enough before you commit to throwing it up on the big screen.
Overall I’m thoroughly impressed with the design of this app. It is simplistic enough that you shouldn’t get lost in a ton of menus and options, and should be pretty easy for even the most tech-illiterate user.
Content
Google has done a surprisingly good job in making sure that there was a decent amount of premium content available to users at the launch of YouTube TV. The live channels available for streaming on YouTube TV essentially mirrors the content you would have available on any major cable network, giving you access to things like NBC, ESPN, Disney Channel, and SyFy.
There are 39 total channels currently available for watching on the basic plan, though you have the option to purchase Showtime and Fox Soccer Plus at an additional monthly fee. Showtime will cost you an additional $11 per month, while Fox Soccer Plus will set you back an additional $15 per billing cycle.
That being said, purchasing the Showtime network gives you access to all 7 of their channels, including Showtime West, East, 2, Showcase, Extreme, Beyond, Next, and Woman. Fox Soccer Plus will only give you access to that 1 channel, but if you’re a die-hard soccer fan, you might be someone who is willing to pay that price.
There are quite a few sports channels available on YouTube TV as well, meaning you will probably be able to watch football, soccer, basketball, or whatever other sport you follow on the regular. Considering a number of people have cable subscriptions just for Friday night football, this would be another great reason for people to finally get rid of their hard-wired cable subscriptions for good.
One gripe we have with the content on YouTube TV is that we are limited to 720p as a maximum resolution.
Our own Joshua Vergara wanted to mention that he was disappointed at the lack of HBO on YouTube TV, but considering HBO has pulled a number of fans over to its HBO GO and HBO NOW streaming services over the past couple of years, it might make sense that they would want to keep those services contained. These apps do have their own dedicated Chromecast-enabled streaming apps however, so I feel as thought it may have been a smart move for the company to enable sign-in through YouTube TV to be able to access that content.
One other gripe I have with the content on YouTube TV is that everything included on the service, save the native YouTube Red content, is limited to 720p as a maximum resolution. While I understand the reasoning for this, we are entering an age where 4k is becoming the standard in what flat screen TVs can output. Live broadcast TV does usually only broadcast at 720p, so while it is understandable that that content would output at that resolution, it would be nice to see the selection of movies be available at at least 1080p.
Google likely doesn’t offer this in order to refrain from cannibalizing Google Play Movies, but that is a whole separate conversation within itself.
Funny enough, YouTube Red originals stream on the service up to 1440p, which does make sense considering the service offers that on YouTube itself. All in all, the 720 issue is really a gripe with the cable companies, not Google, so I won’t take this as too much of a con.
Usability
There are both great things and awkward things about the usability of Google’s new service. YouTube TV was clearly made to help bridge the gap between 2 technologies that can offer essentially the same service via different technology, and while this seems like a neat idea in theory, one could argue that live TV and streaming services are largely separated by the generational gap of users that are viewing them.
Go ahead and call me out if you think I’m in the wrong here, but in my opinion those who would know enough about YouTube and streaming services to actually want to pay for YouTube TV are largely the type of people who rely almost solely on YouTube and other “instant gratification” services like Netflix to watch their content.
Sure, live TV is great for those who are interested in watching new content as it airs, but often those who watch content online want the ability to watch anything at any time. This works out well for the “internet-savvy” crowd who can watch both existing and recorded content as well as live TV, but I feel that those who are most invested in live TV are not even going to know or care that YouTube TV exists.
If Google is going to at all appeal to the middle aged to older generation, it is absolutely crucial that the app is as easy as possible to use. I feel that Google has absolutely nailed it in this respect.
In this way I feel that Google only has the opportunity to access half of their market, which may or may not be enough to be successful. It was pointed out to me that 100 million households still had premium cable television as of 2014, and while many users probably still get loads of content from their cable providers, I would wager that this number is dropping relatively rapidly. Again, I could be completely wrong about this, but it does feel a bit as though Google is attempting to sell an old service to a new generation. It will be hard to tell just how successful the service is until it has spread to a much larger portion of the country that is not quite as urbanized as the major metropolitan areas that Google has chosen for initial launch.
Another thing I found annoying was the inclusion of ads in the service. These aren’t regular TV ads either, they are full on YouTube-style ads. In my opinion, if you are paying monthly for a service you should not have to be served ads, especially in addition to the advertising already built into cable TV. I understand that services like Hulu Plus still require users to watch advertising at a certain pricing tier, but it still seems like you are being screwed over if you are paying for a premium service and still seeing advertising.
The point of YouTube Red is to remove ads and still be able to pay the content creators, and the same should be applied to YouTube TV, especially when you are paying what many would consider a relatively hefty (at least for an online subscription service) $35 per month.
However, one thing I do love is the ability to watch your content and live TV wherever you are as long as you are signed into your Google account. This service doesn’t require any additional hardware like a Roku player, you can just launch the app on your device and get to watching. One could even argue that this service alone could justify owning a tablet. While phones are generally now large enough to view content to a reasonable degree, having this app on your tablet essentially makes it a very portable live TV device, which adds a lot to its usability. In terms of the sheer ability to watch live TV at any time, YouTube TV easily pulls ahead of many other services available on the market.
You can also record to a “Cloud DVR” if there is a show coming up that you won’t be able to view upon airing. These recordings last for 9 months, meaning you’ll have the ability to view your favorite shows whenever you like after they air. Since this recording is completely stored in the cloud, you’ll have a variety of options regarding where you can watch this content, whether it be your computer, your phone, or streamed to a dedicated TV.
There is no content limit on what you record, so you could theoretically let the system back up every single show on the network if you’re that hardcore. Physical DVR boxes used to have very limited space, so having unlimited cloud backup enables you to catch any episode any time after it airs. Pretty freaking cool.
Other thoughts..
Availability
YouTube TV is currently only available in 5 select markets, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, and Philadelphia. While the company has said more markets are coming in the future, they did not provide any details regarding a time-frame for this.
This peeved quite a few people, including our own Joe Hindy, who had quite a few words to say about the launch this past week. If you want to listen to his thoughts as well as those of a couple of our other team members, make sure you check out episode 103 of the Android Authority podcast, where we talked about YouTube TV quite extensively.
It also should be noted that even if you sign up for the service in one of those markets, you can’t take it with you to regions that don’t offer access. So if you were hoping to travel with your YouTube TV subscription across the country, you’re out of luck.
Simplicity
Something I am quite a fan of, and I think is pretty crucial to the success of this application and service, is its ease of use. The fact that you can open the app and jump directly into live TV or search for your favorite channels or shows is great, and Google has even omitted its classic “Hamburger” style expandable menu, since there are essentially no extra options you would need to use to tweak the app.
If Google is going to at all appeal to the middle aged to older generation that are used to relying on their cable provider for most of their content, it is absolutely crucial that the app is as easy as possible to use, and I feel that Google has absolutely nailed it in this respect.
“Pausing” live TV
If you need to get up and stop watching your show while it’s airing, Google will automatically record the rest of the show so that you can “continue watching” at any time. This is a fantastic feature, as it allows for much better usability and convenience that it is impossible to get with a traditional cable subscription.
Though Comcast and other wired connections have added internet streaming options for shows as well, the ability to get the service wholly separately and have everything rout through your Google account is something I am personally in love with, and hope that other people can see the benefits of this implementation.
Verdict
YouTube TV is a bold venture by Google to upgrade a traditional service for use in the modern world. Taking your favorite content with you wherever you are and being able to watch shows live from anywhere is a service that many would likely be willing to pay a steep price for, but $35 may seem a bit too far for those who don’t care as much about live TV and are more worried about getting any episode at any time.
The extremely limited availability of the service is a nuisance at the time of writing, but will hopefully be expanded much, much more widely in the near future. Though I did not notice any significant bugs in the service at the time of launch, the ones that do exist will likely be ironed out once the service hits more markets in the future.
It’s hard to say how YouTube TV will fare in a booming market that has seen increased competition recently in the form of Direct TV Now, SlingTV, Playstation Vue, and even an upcoming TV service from Hulu. That said, we’re excited to see how it all unfolds. What’s your opinion of YouTube TV? Can you even use the service? Would you pay $35 a month for it? Let us know in the comments below.
Samsung Galaxy S7 / S7 Edge revisited – Is it still worth it?
It’s all about the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus this week, with the two highly anticipated smartphones making their way to consumers in a few days. Those who own their predecessors may be contemplating an upgrade, and some who aren’t looking for the latest and greatest might even consider buying the Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 Edge now, given how much cheaper these phones will become.
Now a year old, are the 2016 Samsung flagships still worth it? We find out, as we revisit the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge!
I found the Galaxy S7 Edge to be so impressive when I did its review that it became my daily driver of choice for the majority of 2016. The great news is that many aspects of the phone that I loved continue to hold up extremely well a year later.
The Galaxy S7 Edge is still one of the most beautiful phones that Samsung has ever designed. The dual curved edges felt really sleek and refined, and solidified the fact that this was no longer an experiment but rather a permanent design change, as is evident from its successors. The design wasn’t entirely without flaws however, and accidental touches on the sides of the screen still happen. That said, this issue certainly wasn’t prevalent enough to make it a deal breaker.
Its smaller sibling, the Galaxy S7, may have looked a touch more generic with its regular flat front, but it’s still a solidly built and still great looking device in its own right. The other advantage of the Galaxy S7 is when it comes to one-handed usability — its 5.1-inch display is a better fit for those not looking to make the jump into phablet territory and also skirts the issues the curved edges of the Galaxy S7 Edge creates.
Speaking of the display, both the 5.1-inch and 5.5-inch screens of the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge respectively are vibrant and gorgeous, and are easily some of the best displays in the market even in 2017. You may not get HDR support or the new 18.5:9 aspect ratio of the Galaxy S8, but on the bright side, you won’t have to deal with black bars when using apps that aren’t optimized or while watching 16:9 videos in the landscape orientation.
There are some aspects that are seemingly outdated with these phones, like the presence of a microUSB port. For someone like me that has fully transitioned to USB Type-C, going back to this port did take some getting used to, but shouldn’t be a big deal for those who haven’t jumped on the USB-C train yet.
I’ve never been a fan of capacitive navigation keys or physical home buttons, but Samsung made clever use of the latter by turning it into a shortcut to launch the camera. It is extremely quick and felt very intuitive, and it is disappointing that you won’t be able to do that with the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, which use on-screen software keys. The tactile home button also doubles as a fingerprint scanner, and is a far better placement than the rather awkward positioning of the sensor on the Galaxy S8 devices.
Samsung’s latest software update brings Android 7.0 Nougat, a cleaner interface, and many of the features that will be available with the Galaxy S8 to its predecessors, so you aren’t going to really be missing out on the software side of things, except for cool new additions like Bixby and DeX integration. However, the update is pretty new, and you may have not yet received it.
The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge may not be powered by the latest and greatest processors anymore, but they remain speedy and reliable. Battery life is also fantastic, as the 3,600 mAh battery of the Galaxy S7 Edge is one of the largest that Samsung has ever put in their flagships. And this is an area that hasn’t seen much of an upgrade with the Galaxy S8.
The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus is obviously going to be more powerful, but with other features mostly remaining intact, such as wireless charging, fast charging capabilities, and dust and water resistance, the difference in power may not be enough to justify the premium that the latest flagships command.
The camera is still extremely good as well, which isn’t surprising since it was one of the best smartphone cameras in 2016. It’s definitely one that I would be happy to use in 2017, which is a testament to Samsung’s prowess in this category. Samsung has made an upgrade to both the front and rear cameras with the Galaxy S8, but I don’t think the camera is going to be the top reason for anyone to switch from the Galaxy S7’s to the Galaxy S8.
So there you have it for this look back at the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge! These phones may have been released early last year, but they definitely don’t feel outdated at all. They’ve aged very well inside and out, and are phones that you will certainly be happy with, not only if you already own one, but if you are considering buying it soon. The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge were great smartphones when they were launched, and remain really good smartphones one year later.
YouTube opens up mobile livestreams to more users
It hasn’t been that long since YouTube rolled out livestreaming for those who want to broadcast directly from their phones. The caveat was that you had to have at least 10,000 subscribers to enable the feature. Today, however, the video service has made live video available to YouTubers with a smaller subscription base. If you’ve got at least 1,000 subscribers to your channel, you can go live on the go.
Streaming live to your YouTube channel is pretty easy, too. If you meet the subscriber requirements, you simply hop into the Creator Studio tools and enable livestreaming. Then you use the YouTube mobile app to create a livestream. YouTube will automatically save an archive for you as well.
Allowing folks with smaller YouTube followings to livestream like this gives the video service a larger pool of content, for sure. This could better help them take on Facebook, which continues to upgrade its own offerings with Facebook Live. Keeping the feature to established channel owners will also let the service test its live feature with a more technically diverse audience before possibly opening the door to everyone.
Via: TechCrunch
Source: YouTube
22 fast and fluid news apps for iPhone and Android
The technology industry has well and truly infiltrated the publication world. Facebook launched Instant Articles, Google launched an open source platform for publishers with Twitter, and Apple has its own proprietary News app. At the same time, Flipboard, Yahoo, LinkedIn, and AOL have continued to update their respective news apps, showing there is a lot of interest in the world of news on mobile platforms. That said, below are our top picks for the best news apps, whether you’re a die-hard news junkie or merely a casual purveyor of world affairs.
More: 100 Awesome iPhone Apps | Load your iPad with the best apps in every category
BuzzFeed
BuzzFeed took the world by storm with its viral listicals and other fun content. The app consolidates everything in one place, while allowing to customize the types of articles you see to suit your tastes. You can also browse the menu to view quizzes, what’s trending, or news if you want to further hone your search. BuzzFeed also has a hard news app, which you can get here.
Download now from:
iTunes Google Play
SmartNews
SmartNews brings you trending stories and categorizes them based on the subject. It’s clutter-free, easy to browse through, and good at digging up fresh content that you’ll actually want to read. Partners include NBC News, Medium, USA Today, TIME, Bleacher Report, Quartz, VICE, Reuters, AP, Perez Hilton, and more.
Download now from:
iTunes Google Play
Google News & Weather
It isn’t Google Reader, but Google News & Weather offers a wide variation of news stories from multiple publishers. Alongside the headlines and local weather, users can browse “Suggested for you,” an area for news stories catered to your most recent searches. Users are also able to highlight an individual topic, such as technology, for all of the current news.
Download now from:
iTunes Google Play
Feedly
The death of Google Reader was a tragedy for a lot of avid users, but for Feedly, it was a blessing. The news aggregator noticed a huge wave of new users within weeks, and has since improved its mobile service to make it easier to save, read, and bookmark articles. You can select multiple publications from Feedly’s search board, sort them into topics, and save articles for later viewing with bookmarks.
Download now from:
iTunes Google Play
Flipboard created a new type of reading experience on mobile, one focused on engaging the reader with the most exciting stories of the day and a magazine-style aesthetic. Hundreds of publications are now available on the news reader, and Flipboard offers a generous amount of topics, whether you’re into technology as a whole or the Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Download now from:
iTunes Google Play
Yahoo News Digest
Yahoo’s $30 million acquisition of Summly was all about redesigning News Digest, and the finished product is a marvel. It offers 10 of the top stories in your region, capitalizing on Summly’s artificial intelligence technology as it does to present the information in a tidy package. The news changes every few hours, too, giving you important updates throughout the day.
Download now from:
iTunes Google Play
Reddit finally launched an official Reddit app last year, and the app quickly became one of the best ways to experience Reddit on Android and iOS. Reddit is a great way to keep up with the latest news through the various subreddits — Android news would be submitted to /r/Android, for instance — and users upvote popular content and comment on it.
Download now from:
iTunes Google Play
Apple News
Apple News comes pre-loaded on every iOS device, and sadly, like most of Apple’s apps, it remains unavailable on Android platforms. The News app places a big focus on images and quick loading videos, and publications such as The New York Times and National Geographic have partnered with the company to make their content readily available. Users are also able to follow trends or individual topics, ranging from vague areas like politics to niche topics such as HTML5.
Read more here:
Apple
LinkedIn Pulse
LinkedIn Pulse received a much needed update a few months ago, but most of the functionality remains the same. Users are able to select articles from publishers or people, and use their LinkedIn account to sign in. Pulse also touts its own video player and staff, which allows the team to curate the most important stories in the business world.
Download now from:
iTunes Google Play
AOL Mail, News & Video
AOL is still kicking, even if it is now a small segment in Verizon’s media empire. Thankfully, since the acquisition, there have been regular updates to its Mail, Weather, and News app. The app even offers a dedicated news feed lined with local weather, topical news, and video sections.
Download now from:
iTunes Google Play
News Republic
News Republic offers a collection of articles based on trends and personal preferences, letting you see what everyone else is reading and what you’re interested in. For users with limited time, the service also offers a digest, so you can casually check the headlines without having to delve into the full article.
Download now from:
iTunes Google Play
Ever read an interesting headline, but don’t have time to dive into the story? Pocket is the perfect app for you. The popular app lets you store news for later reading, and offers a simple user interface that lets find the articles you saved, bookmark them, and archive others you want to come back to. Pocket recently launched a Recommended feature, too, which lets you check what friends and other users have saved.
Download now from:
iTunes Google Play
AP Mobile
Associated Press covers news from all around the world, with a huge team of dedicated reporters that focus on all manners of topics and trends. The service’s companion app comes free of the usual glist and glam that other news services offer, but for people who enjoy getting the facts and little else, it’s a useful resource.
Download now from:
iTunes Google Play
BBC News
The BBC is another worldwide news organization dedicated to keeping you up to date on the latest topics and news stories. Unlike AP Mobile, however, the BBC News app offers a bit more fun with its articles, along with a live-streaming news channel that’s baked directly into its app.
Download now from:
iTunes Google Play
CNN App
CNN was the first 24-hour cable news channel, and its official app essentially functions as a condensed version of the site. It offers a wide variety of articles, primarily with a on U.S. audiences. Video also plays a larger part on CNN than it does on the BBC, so for fans of video news, this is the app for you.
Download now from:
iTunes Google Play
Al Jazeera English
Al Jazeera was the first 24-hour news channel to cover the Middle East, and has become one of the most popular and established publications in the region. Thankfully, it also reports on news from around the globe, whether talking the effects of El Niño in California or the education rate of kids in rural Sudan.
Download now from:
iTunes Google Play
Inoreader
This app is another news aggregator that brings all the news to you, instead of you having to check every news site individually. It allows you to save web pages for later viewing and search for content you’ve liked in the past. You can subscribe to news feeds covering technology, business, politics, and more. You can even subscribe to your favorite YouTube channels. It’s compatible with Android or iOS, and there’s a version designed especially for iPads.
Download now for:
Android iOS
Instapaper
If you want to save news for later, Instapaper is for you. You can have news with you wherever you go, even if you’re offline. One of the best features is that it gives you an uncluttered version of the news article, just like when you switch your browser to reader mode. With one tap, you can save your news and read it later, in an uncluttered format, and without having to be connected to the internet.
Download now for:
Android iOS
theScore
If you’re into sports — whether it’s the NFL, NBA, NHL, Premier League Soccer, you name it — it’s in this app. It offers rich information, including detailed stats that you don’t get on many apps. If you want real time scores with an app that specializes in sports, then this app is a must. If you’re an iOS user, the best part is that there’s an Apple Watch app, too.
Download now for:
Android iOS
Univision
For Spanish speakers, the Univision app is a great way to get news in your native language. It not only offers news, but also TV shows, entertainment, a TV guide, and horoscopes. From celebrity news to TV shows, this is a great news app for Spanish speakers.
Download now for:
Android iOS
NPR News Radio
If you would rather listen to your news on the go, instead of reading, then the NPR News Radio app is a consistently good performer when it comes to user ratings. Follow, and listen, to local and national news on your smartphone. You can create a playlist of your favorites, or listen to public radio podcasts. The app also lets you find stations based on your current location using your smartphone’s GPS.
Download now for:
Android iOS
News360
This app is one of the most well-known news aggregation apps for a reason. The app looks great, it’s very straightforward, and offers rich content. It’s similar to Flipboard, in that you search for your favorite topics, or specific news sites, and make a list. Not only does it offer an iMessage app, but also an Apple Watch app for iOS users. You can also connect the app to your Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus to share the news, and it supports Pocket, Instapaper, and Evernote integration. It also allows you to save stories, so you can read them later. This is definitely a must-have app when it comes to news.
Download now for:
Android iOS
Got a second? This app from MIT helps you learn a language in your spare time
Why it matters to you
Our days are full of short moments spent waiting. With these new apps you can turn that spare time into knowledge.
Even in an age of connectivity, our lives are full of relatively empty moments. We may be waiting for an elevator to arrive, for a text message to come through, or for our device to reconnect to Wi-Fi. Through a new series of apps called WaitSuite, a team of researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory want to turn these moments into learning opportunities.
WaitSuite was inspired by apps like Duolingo, a “micro-learning” platform that challenges users to learn new languages in what little spare time they have. The idea is that even short sessions of engagement can accumulate into significant learning over time. However, where Duolingo requires users to open its own app, WaitSuite is integrated into the apps at hand.
“With stand-alone apps, it can be inconvenient to have to separately open them up to do a learning task,” Carrie Cai, an MIT PhD student who leads the project, said in a press release. “WaitSuite is embedded directly into your existing tasks, so that you can easily learn without leaving what you were already doing.”
WaitSuite covers old school tasks like waiting for an elevator (WaitSuite’s ElevatorLearner application activates when it detects Bluetooth iBeacons near elevators) and more modern-day ones like waiting for your device to reconnect to Wi-Fi. When the platform senses that its users are in a state of waiting, it prompts them to answer language vocabulary questions.
“The vast majority of people made use of multiple kinds of waiting within WaitSuite,” Cai said. “By enabling wait-learning during diverse waiting scenarios, WaitSuite gave people more opportunities to learn and practice vocabulary words.”
Although brief, the researchers say these “wait-learning” sessions enabled users to learn some four words per day just while waiting for text messages. And since WaitSuite engaged users through the waiting time, it even kept them more focused on the task at hand since they weren’t tempted by some other time-consuming distraction. Moving forward they hope to include audio capabilities — or even refine the apps to encourage digital downtime.
AIVAnet 