What to expect from Facebook’s annual developer conference

Tomorrow marks the first day of this year’s F8, Facebook’s annual developer conference, and it promises to be a big one. After all, this is the 10th anniversary of F8, and you know that CEO Mark Zuckerberg will want to show off just how far Facebook has come in the past ten years. Here’s a look at what we’ll hopefully see in the days ahead.

Facebook traditionally uses F8 to announce new features for its Messenger platform and this year would be no exception. In 2015, Facebook announced that Messenger would be opened to third-party developers, while last year’s big launch was around the arrival of chatbots. For 2017, we expect chatbots will continue to be part of the Messenger conversation, and since Facebook has been investing quite a lot in AI, we expect artificial intelligence to be a big part of this as well. The company already rolled out its new “M suggests” personal assistant a couple of weeks ago, so we expect to see more of what M can do going forward.

And then there’s the main Facebook app, which the company calls Big Blue. We’ve seen some big changes to the app over the past year, like the recent introduction of Snapchat-like Stories, so we’ll likely see more additions announced at the show. For example, Facebook has been experimenting with an alternate news feed marked with a rocket ship icon for the past few months. It apparently consists of posts and articles from sources you haven’t followed, but which Facebook’s algorithm thinks you’ll like. We expect to hear more about this — perhaps a formal rollout — at this week’s conference.

Speaking of news, Facebook has struggled with its reputation as a platform for fake news in the past few months, so we expect Zuckerberg to address this in his keynote. The company has made some strides in the area, like helping to flag fake news, posting educational guides on how to spot it and even going so far as to partner with third-party fact-checkers to suss out a story’s veracity. Whether or not this has been effective remains to be seen, and it would behoove Zuckerberg and co to provide updates in this area. We also expect Zuckerberg to address the recent use of Facebook Live to stream the murder of a Cleveland resident, and how the company plans to deal with problems like this going forward.

We also expect to see a lot of news around VR beyond just Oculus. As teased at last year’s F8 and at Oculus Connect a few months ago, Facebook has been experimenting with Social VR. It’ll let you chat with your friends in virtual places around the globe and even take, you guessed it, virtual selfies. We’ll probably see some updates to the software and who knows, it might even be ready for consumers to try before the end of the year.

Perhaps the biggest mystery announcement surrounding F8 has to do with its consumer hardware group housed in “Building 8.” We haven’t heard a lot about it, but rumors seem to point to four advanced technology projects that have to do with brain-scanning, drones, augmented reality and an “early-stage medical device” headed up by a Stanford cardiologist.

And there’s likely a lot more. We also expect news around 360-degree video (perhaps an update to its open-source Surround 360 camera?), Facebook Live and probably Instagram and Whatsapp as well. Though much of the above is just speculation, what’s clear is that Facebook is no longer just a network for your family and friends. With Instagram, Whatsapp, Messenger, Oculus, live video, VR and a secretive consumer hardware group under its umbrella, Facebook is now so much more. Expect a busy week ahead.

Intel cancels developer events as it moves beyond PCs

We hope you weren’t looking forward to the next Intel Developer Forum… or any Intel Developer Forum, for that matter. After 20 years, Intel has cancelled the Developer Forum program in light of an “evolved” event mix. According to a spokesperson speaking to AnandTech, this is really an acknowledgment that the company isn’t as PC-centric as it used to be. Monolithic events are no longer the best way of spreading info, Intel says. Instead, it’ll run narrowly focused events that cater to specific audiences, such as a particular region or device category.

It’s hard to gauge the impact when Intel hasn’t outlined its replacements. However, it’ll definitely change how and when you hear big news from the chip giant. Instead of getting a slew of announcements all at once, you may see them scattered more evenly throughout the year. And for developers, this could prove to be a headache. If you’re writing apps to take advantage of the latest Intel processors, do you have to go to multiple events to get the knowledge you’d normally find at one? That’s assuming you get an event in the first place, of course.

Those concerns aside, Intel’s decision to axe IDF isn’t shocking. It’s really part of a larger, years-long trend. Apple, Microsoft and other big names have gradually moved away from unveiling everything at a handful of major events (such as Macworld and CES) toward smaller gigs that help them draw more attention to the product du jour. The big difference is that Intel has always been in control of the Developer Forum while other companies were frequently beholden to outsiders. It just wasn’t in a rush to shake up its event strategy until now.

Via: AnandTech

Source: Intel

Facebook reviews reporting process following livestream confession

On Sunday a man posted a video to Facebook detailing his intent to kill another man. Two minutes later he posted another video of the murder. That video was available on the social media site for over two hours before the suspect’s account was disabled and the video was no longer visible. Today Facebook says it is reviewing its reporting flows in order to help people inform the site about content like this.

According to Facebook, the first report about the video containing the shooting arrived one hour and 45 minutes after it went posted. The suspects account was disabled 23 minutes after that report was sent.

The social network also posted a detailed timeline of events:

11:09AM PDT – First video, of intent to murder, uploaded. Not reported to Facebook.
11:11AM PDT – Second video, of shooting, uploaded.
11:22AM PDT – Suspect confesses to murder while using Live, is live for 5 minutes.
11:27AM PDT – Live ends, and Live video is first reported shortly after.
12:59PM PDT – Video of shooting is first reported.
1:22PM PDT – Suspect’s account disabled; all videos no longer visible to public.

In addition to hopefully making it easier to report videos like this, Facebook’s VP of Global Operations Justin Osofsky stated in a post, “we are constantly exploring ways that new technologies can help us make sure Facebook is a safe environment. Artificial intelligence, for example, plays an important part in this work, helping us prevent the videos from being reshared in their entirety.”

The company is also working on its internal review process and says, “currently, thousands of people around the world review the millions of items that are reported to us every week in more than 40 languages.”

Sadly this wasn’t the first death to be broadcast with Facebook Live. As livestreaming and video uploads are adopted by a wider audience, the site will need better tools for reporting and taking down content like this.

Source: Facebook

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
Discuss this article in our forums

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

1 of 3

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.

1 of 3

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.