Netflix gives controversial ’13 Reasons Why’ series more viewer warnings

There’s not a more controversial series on TV right now than 13 Reasons Why, the Netflix original which centers around bullying, rape and youth suicide. While the show has been rated for maturate audiences (TV-MA) since its debut on March 31st, Netflix has been criticized for only placing graphic content warnings on a few episodes, namely those that contained sexual abuse and suicide scenes. But, amid backlash from mental health organizations and even lawmakers in some countries, the streaming service is adding more content warnings to its series.

As Mashable reports, Netflix said in a press release that the first episode of 13 Reasons Why will now caution people of the graphic content before they even start the series. Additionally, the company says it has “strengthened the messaging and resource language” in warnings for other episodes, noting that it’ll be pointing viewers to 13ReasonsWhy.info, a site offers resources to learn more about emotional mental health and information on suicide prevention.

We reached out to Netflix to find out when, exactly, this is rolling out and will update our story as soon as we hear back.

There has been a tremendous amount of discussion about our series 13 Reasons Why. While many of our members find the show to be a valuable driver for starting an important conversation with their families, we have also heard concern from those who feel the series should carry additional advisories. Currently, the episodes that carry graphic content are identified as such and the series overall carries a TV-MA rating. Moving forward, we will add an additional viewer warning card before the first episode as an extra precaution for those about to start the series and have also strengthened the messaging and resource language in the existing cards for episodes that contain graphic subject matter, including the URL 13ReasonsWhy.info — a global resource center that provides information about professional organizations that support help around the serious matters addressed in the show.

Source: Mashable

Microsoft files patent application for pen-based authentication technology

Why it matters to you

You could one day be able to log into your PC using just your pen, if a new Microsoft patent application becomes reality.

Windows 10 has a great new feature, Hello, that makes it easy to securely log in without entering a password or touching a keyboard. Two methods are available today — facial recognition via infrared camera and fingerprint scanner — and new methods are being dreamed up by Microsoft and other companies.

A new patent application, No. 2010/0155153, indicates Microsoft is looking into using the stylus as a new Windows Hello mechanism. Given that more and more Windows 10 machines are pen-enabled, that makes some good sense and could make for another very convenient way to log into a PC.

It’s important to note here that Windows 10 Hello does more than just log into a machine. It can also be used to authorize various application-specific tasks, like verifying purchases and entering passwords. And so the act of picking up the stylus to work in an application makes it a particularly efficient way to authenticate.

Microsoft’s patent application hopes to leverage that convenience, with a combination of a unique marker embedded in a pen or stylus that provides a kind of two-factor authentication to go along with a gesture that is written on the screen. According to the documentation, Microsoft’s technology would use a combination pen proximity, gestures, and touch input, with a host of options in terms of mixing up hardware, software, and even application files in order to create a highly customized authentication method.

In terms of the pen technology itself, the patent application specifically mentions Microsoft’s own N-Trig technology, which is used in the Surface Pen throughout the Surface line of Windows 10 machines. Presumably, then, this patent describes technology that could be implemented with the current Surface line of products or, at worst, with future Surface machines build with N-Trig pens and active digitizer screens.

In any event, it is clear that Microsoft continues to look for new and innovate ways to make it easier to log into and authenticate processes on our Windows 10 machines. While many more patents are filed than products actually make it to the market, it is nevertheless encouraging to see a company continuing to push the envelope in designing new and better ways for us to use technology.

Samsung’s Marshmallow app encourages kids to put down the phone

Why it matters to you

Parents trying to get their kids to take a break from the phone might find some success with Marshmallow, which works differently from most parental controls apps.

Every parent knows the struggle of competing with phones, tablets, and various other electronic distractions for their child’s attention. Kids are becoming experts of emerging technology faster than adults and while that may be encouraging for the future, it can lead to an unhealthy addiction — especially at a very young age. In response to this, Samsung has developed an app for its Galaxy phones that encourages kids to develop self-control and aims to foster “healthy smartphone usage habits.”

The app is called Marshmallow — not to be confused with the Android operating system — and is somewhat similar to existing parental controls apps in that it allows parents to lock their phones to specific apps and usage amounts. However, it also allows children to set their own limits.

When the child achieves their goals, they are rewarded with Marshmallow points; when they exceed the time they set, they lose points. More interestingly, the points collected can be exchanged, with parental permission, for gift cards to actual retailers like Amazon, Google Play, Best Buy, and Dunkin’ Donuts — all from within the app’s gift shop.

Many parental control apps simply restrict usage, but few incentivize putting down the phone like Marshmallow does. That could prove to be a much more useful and constructive method for eliciting long-term change in a child’s attitude toward technology. It’s also refreshing to see one of the world’s leading tech companies extend some trust to kids for a change by giving them the opportunity to take responsibility for their own dependence.

Obviously Marshmallow may not be successful for all kids and many parents may elect not to use it, instead opting for stricter, more traditional parental controls. But for those that do try it and get it to work, it looks to be a novel approach that will hopefully inspire more companies to try to make kids more self-aware of their habits. The app provides regular reports that parents and children alike can use to check their progress.

Marshmallow is available for a variety of Samsung Galaxy phones dating back to the S5, as well as the A and J series. You can download it on the Google Play Store here and check out our favorite parental control apps with this handy guide.

Here’s how to use Samsung’s Bixby assistant, and everything it can do

Why it matters to you

Samsung’s Bixby is a big deal, but setting it up is no walk in the park. Here’s how to get started.

Samsung’s Bixby assistant was supposed to be one of the Galaxy S8’s biggest selling points. Bixby, Samsung’s take on smartphone assistants like Siri and the Google Assistant, uses artificial intelligence to anticipate your needs and serve up contextually reminders. It’ll edit photos, send messages, and compose emails on command. Eventually, it’ll control smart home appliances and Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

But right now, Bixby is a bit of a disappointment. Much of its promised functionality is pegged for a late summer release, and third-party app integrations could take even longer. But it’s not dead on arrival. It may not be as capable as Google Assistant or Siri, but it has more than a few useful tricks up its sleeve.

Here’s how to set up Bixby, and how to get the most out of it.

Getting started with Bixby

Accessing Bixby couldn’t be easier. The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus feature a dedicated Bixby button on the right side, just below the volume rocker. Tapping on it brings up Bixby Home, the assistant’s hub and setup screen.

Alternatively, if you’re on the Galaxy S8’s home screen, you can access Bixby by swiping to the right.

When you call up Bixby for the first time, you’ll be asked to agree to the terms of service — and to grant it access your data. Hit Agree to all (after reading the terms), and then choose Allow when prompted to grant Bixby permissions.

To access the Settings screen, tap the gear icon in the upper-right-hand corner of Bixby Home, and then hit Settings from the drop-down menu. You’ll see options for Bixby Home cards, a list of supported apps, and more.

There’s more to Bixby than a single app or screen. Rather, the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus ship with three incarnations of Samsung’s Assistant: Bixby Home, Bixby Vision, and Bixby Voice.

Bixby Home

Samsung calls Bixby Home a “social stream for your device,” and that’s more or less accurate. It’s a unified card-like interface of reminders, contextually relevant information, and social media updates — sort of like a cross between Google Now and HTC’s BlinkFeed.

Bixby Home can be customized to a degree. You can dismiss, pin, or permanently hide cards by tapping the gear icon in the upper-right corner of an individual Bixby Home tab.

Samsung’s default apps supply most of Bixby Home’s content. You’ll see a local weather forecast, activity stats from Samsung’s Health app, and local files in the Galaxy S8’s Music app.

But the list of third-party services that support Bixby Home is growing, albeit slowly. A Spotify card provides one-tap access to your playlists and music. CNN and Flipboard show trending news stories from around the web. Facebook, Foursquare, and Twitter show the latest updates from your social circles. And soon, Uber will show your recent rides.

Eventually, Samsung says Bixby Home will be able to learn from your routine and update to reflect how you use your phone throughout the day. A future iteration will serve up buttons that’ll control smart light bulbs and door locks, shortcuts to the apps you use most frequently, and more — all based on the time of day, your location, and other factors.

Bixby Vision

Bixby Vision taps machine learning (and Pinterest’s Lens Tool) to identify the objects around it. Much like Google Goggles or Amazon’s Flow, Bixby Vision tries to suss out whatever’s in front of the Galaxy S8’s camera, and serve up information depending on what it finds.

You launch it by tapping the Bixby button in the Galaxy S8’s camera app, Bixby Home, or the Gallery app.

Right now, Bixby Vision recognizes four categories of objects: Place, Text, Image, and Shopping.

Bixby Vision is surprisingly capable, if a little finicky. It’ll identify landmarks like the Empire State building and suggest nearby places of interest, for example. If you point at a bag of Twizzlers, it’ll recommend similar candy from one of the supported online stores. If you point it at a bottle of wine, it’ll offer details on the label. It’ll automatically parse QR codes and barcodes, books, and logos, and you can use it to translate text.

It’ll only get better with time. Samsung says it’s working with partners including Amazon, Vivino, Pinterest, and others to improve the relevancy of Bixby Vision’s search results.

Reminders

Bixby’s Reminders is a little more robust than the reminders you can create with Siri or the Google Assistant. It’s built into the Galaxy S8’s native apps, and lets you attach media like videos, websites, photos, messages.

You can set a specific time you’d like to see a reminder, or even a specific location. When the conditions are met, said reminder will appear in the form of a notification you can dismiss, snooze, or check off.

Bixby Voice

Bixby Voice, Bixby’s third pillar, is like Siri on steroids.

It’ll respond to basic questions about the weather, upcoming meetings, sports scores, and movie showtimes, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Bixby Voice will work across apps like the Galaxy S8’s dialer, text  messenger, settings menus, camera app, contacts list, and Gallery, and it’ll take on tasks you dictate to it.

Samsung says it’ll perform actions like rotating misaligned photos, playing videos and sending them to a nearby television screen, and composing emails.

“Instead of taking multiple steps to make a call — turning on and unblocking the phone, looking for the phone application, clicking on the contact bar to search for the person that you’re trying to call, and pressing the phone icon to start dialing — you will be able to do all of these steps with one push of the Bixby button,” Injong Rhee, Samsung’s executive vice president, told Digital Trends.

Bixby Voice is customizable, too. It’ll lower the volume when you hold the Galaxy S8 to your ear, and change the gender of the assistant on the fly.

Right now, though, Bixby Voice does none of those things. You’ll eventually be able to access it by pressing and holding the dedicated Bixby button, or from the Bixby Home screen, but Samsung has delayed the launch of Bixby Voice. When it does launch, it’ll only support a handful of languages, including U.S. English, Korean, and British English.

Bixby beyond

Eventually, Samsung expects Bixby to make its way into other platforms.

Samsung sees Bixby in television remote controls, smart refrigerators, and even washing machines. It plans to make the assistant compatible with future Samsung Connect smart home product lines, and it’s working on bringing Bixby to its Gear line of smartwatches.

It’ll probably be some time before Bixby escapes the confines of the Galaxy S8, but rest assured Samsung is hard at work on its expansion.

Now that scientists have mapped the barley genome, better beer could be the result

Why it matters to you

Like a pint of beer every now and then? A decade-long research project to map the barley genome could make the experience even better!

Mapping the human genome? Meh! The genome-mapping project we’re really excited about is the one that’s been carried out over the past decade by a pioneering group of 77 intrepid scientists from around the globe. What they’ve been selflessly working on is a project to map the barley genome — with the noble goal of one day bringing us better beer.

The research is published in the latest issue of the journal Nature, with the sober-sounding title, “A chromosome conformation capture ordered sequence of the barley genome.” It lays out the work of the International Barley Genome Sequencing Consortium (yes, that’s a real thing!), which involved scientists from Germany, Australia, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the good old United States. All were brought together by a desire to find out more about one of the central components of alcoholic drinks, dating back to the Stone Age.

As it turns out, mapping the barley genome is actually immensely complicated. It’s close to twice the size of the human genome, and a whopping 80 percent is made up of highly repetitive sequences, which can’t easily be assigned to specific portions of the genome with the kind of accuracy that’s needed.

With the insights the team has come up with, however, the hope is now that it will be possible to help breeders optimize genetic diversity in their crops to improve the quality of the barley that’s grown.

Hey, between this and initiatives like the University of California, San Diego’s mission to brew beer in space, or the use of AI to brew the perfect pint, we couldn’t be more excited to witness the world’s sharpest minds focusing their attention on alcoholic beverages.

(For the record, we should also point out that we were just using dramatic license by describing the Human Genome Project as anything other than awesome at the top of this story. We just really, really like our beer. Everything else is just pale ale in comparison!)

Keep the juice flowing with these 5 hard-working personal power stations

Now more than ever, we are wholly reliant on our oft-finicky power grid to literally fuel our day-to-day lives. During a power outage, however, a backup power source is a convenient way to keep your appliances up and running, allowing you to weather the storm without having to forgo Silicon Valley. However, a personal power station isn’t solely reserved for large-scale events.

Sometimes you may only need a little extra juice to keep your smaller devices charged on a weekend getaway, or during an extended day trip. Fortunately, there exist a slew of options on the market. From powerful gas generators to pint-sized powerhouses, there is a generator for virtually every situation. Here are five of our favorites.

The best overall — Goal Zero Yeti 1400 ($2,000)

Goal Zero is well known for its lead-acid batteries, however, the company recently unveiled its lithium-based models after much anticipation. One of the main benefits of this transition is a substantial reduction in overall weight. While previous models like the Yeti 1250 weighed in at a hefty 103 pounds, the new Yeti 1400 Lithium weighs a svelte 45.

Another benefit of the battery upgrade is the life expectancy of a single charge. The lithium batteries in the Yeti 1400 provide more than double the shelf life, and you can recharge the power station using an AC wall outlet, a DC port in your car, or via a compatible solar panel. The LCD readout also illustrates the current charge levels and the rate at which the generator is being depleted or recharged. This screen even displays the projected operational time of the charging devices. Read more about the Goal Zero Yeti 1400 here.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Best gas-powered alternative — Honda EM5000S ($2,430)

Many individuals prefer electric generators because they are more environmentally-friendly than those that run on gasoline. However, electric generators have their drawbacks. First and foremost, the units tend to gradually lose their charge over time. This means an electric generator may be rendered useless during an emergency if you’ve forgotten to recently charge the device. Simply keep a full canister of fuel stored near your gas generator and you’re set.

Capable of producing 5,000 watts, the Honda EM5000S portable generator is one of our favorite gas-powered options on the market. The six-gallon tank gives you a little more than 11 hours of operational use, allowing you to keep your appliances powered during prolonged outages. And unlike many gasoline models, the EM5000S features an electric, push-to-start ignition. Thankfully, there’s also a backup ignition rope in case the battery for the push button is low or dead.

One of the biggest knocks against gas generators is the excessive noise. If you’re running the generator at night, you run the risk of annoying your neighbors. Fortunately for those around you, the EM5000S is one of the quietest gas-powered options available. With an operational level of roughly 72dBm, this model is about as loud as a normal conversation or a vacuum cleaner. The downside is the voltage output with gas generators tends to fluctuate during use and these slight distortions may damage your appliances. With this in mind, Honda incorporated its iAVR technology into the EM500S, thus reducing the possibility of varying voltage. If you prefer a gas model to keep your home running on all cylinders during an emergency, the Honda EM5000S is our pick.

Buy one now from:

Honda

 Best for your car — Bestek Car Jump Starter ($60)

A backup generator for your home is a smart option, however, many people tend to forget to keep a spare power source in their vehicles as well. While a pair of jumper cables come in handy if there’s another vehicle nearby to give you a friendly jolt, you may be out of luck if you’re in a more rural location. In a situation like this, a self-powered charging device can be a real lifesaver, and the Bestek Car Jump Starter is a great, compact option.

As for recharging, the Bestek jumps most vehicles up to 20 times on a single charge but this model is more than a one-trick pony. A pair of USB ports on the unit allows you to quickly recharge a host of compatible devices. This can be helpful if your phone is dead, or if the problem with your vehicle isn’t related to the battery. Additionally, a series of LEDs allow the Bestek to double as a flashlight with multiple modes, including high, strobe, and SOS.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Best for smartphones — RAVPower 20100mAh Portable Charger ($50)

Maybe you’re not looking for a personal power station to keep your appliances running during an emergency. Perhaps you just need a little extra juice to keep your smaller devices powered while running errands around town or on extended weekend trips. In these instances, a portable battery charger like the RAVPower 20100mAh is ideal, especially for under $50.

With two standard USB ports and a USB type-C port, there’s plenty of room to charge your laptop, a tablet, and your smartphone. With a storage capacity of 20,100mAh, the charger houses more than enough power to recharge your phone multiple times. There are certainly lighter and slimmer options available, however, this 13-ounce model easily stows in your backpack or glove compartment for added convenience.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

The best you can’t buy yet — The River ($459)

The Kickstarter campaign for the EcoFlow River has been turning heads for months now, having raised more than $180,000 in a mere two weeks. With the ability to charge via a car jack, wall socket, or solar panel, the River is exceedingly versatile. And while many charging stations tout themselves as “portable” devices, the forthcoming River is a true travel-friendly solution, one outfitted with a top handle and water-resistant design.

The device’s 500-watt battery recharges your smartphone more than 30 times and a laptop up to nine times. If you want to keep a mini fridge running on a weekend outing, the River keeps your perishables chilled for up to 10 hours. It comes with a total of 11 ports, meaning there are more than enough channels to charge all of your gadgets simultaneously. You can currently pre-order a River for $459. Read more about the EcoFlow River here.

Buy one now from:

Ecoflow

Nvidia’s unannounced GT 1030 is exposed further in a product shot

Why it matters to you

Here is one sample of how Nvidia plans to invade the sub-$100 graphics card market with third-party partners like KFA2.

Following a picture of the actual graphics chip itself, a product shot of an unannounced GeForce GT 1030 graphics card recently surfaced. The image includes box art and a very slim graphics card sporting one cooling fan, one HDMI 2.0b port, and one DVI-D port. The card in question is the GT 1030 Exoc White manufactured by KFA2, which already offers a huge lineup of GeForce GTX 10 Series cards spanning from the GTX 1080 Ti to an overclocked GTX 1050.

Here is what we know about this specific card so far:

Graphics chip:
GP108-300
Graphics architecture:
Pascal
Manufacturing process:
16nm (?)
CUDA cores:
384
Base speed:
1,252MHz
Turbo speed:
1,506MHz
Memory amount:
2GB GDDR5
Memory speed:
6,000MHz
Memory interface:
64-bit
Memory bandwidth:
48GB per second
Dimensions:
6.37 x 4.76 x 0.86 inches
Power consumption:
Up to 30 watts
Price:
~$87

As the numbers show, the card appears to be overclocked and this speculation is backed by a heatsink that covers around 60 percent of the card’s surface, and the included white cooling fan. We presume that the base GT 1030 cards will have a cooling solution similar to the older GeForce GT 740 card, which the GT 1030 will likely replace.

As previously stated, Nvidia typically reserves the GT prefix for its entry-level graphics cards ( under $100) whereas the GTX prefix covers its mid-range and high-end lineup (more than $100). We really haven’t seen a new GT model since the release of the GT 740 in May 2014. Nvidia did not even bother offering a GT model with its GeForce 800 and 900 families of cards.

Previous reports surrounding the GT 1030 saw the card packed with 512 CUDA cores, 32 texture mapping units, and 16 render output units. They also speculated that Nvidia used 14nm FinFET process technology to create the GP108-300 chip.

However, this latest report claims 16nm manufacturing, which Nvidia uses for its GeForce GTX 10 Series products save for the GTX 1050 and GTX 1050 Ti cards. Here is a brief breakdown with the GT 1030 tossed into the mix:

GP108
GP107
GP106
GP104
GP102
Process node:
14nm FinFET (?)
14nm FinFET
16nm FinFET
16nm FinFET
16nm FinFET
Die size:
132mm2 (?)
132mm2
200mm2
314mm2
471mm2
Transistors:
3.3 billion (?)
3.3 billion
4.4 billion
7.2 billion
12 billion
Found on:
GT 1030
GTX 1050
GTX 1050 Ti
GTX 1060 3GB
GTX 1060 6GB
GTX 1070
GTX 1080
GTX Titan X
GTX Titan Xp
GTX 1080 Ti

With the upcoming GT 1030, Nvidia is not only replacing the GT 740 released in 2014, but is targeting a sub-$100 market currently dominated by AMD. Team Red currently offers the Radeon RX 560 (via third-party partners) for a base price of $100 and the Radeon RX 550 for a base price of $80. The only card Nvidia currently sells in this segment is the $100 GeForce GTX 1050.

That said, the unannounced GT 1030 will likely target the esports arena. Unfortunately, the card’s 2GB of onboard memory leaves it out of the 4K UHD Netflix streaming club that opens its doors to GTX 10 Series card owners very, very soon.

SteelSeries Rival 700 review

Research Center:
SteelSeries Rival 700

PC gamers have three main weapons in their arsenal: the PC, the keyboard, and the mouse. The optimal experience is when all three are in harmony, and that’s why you see companies like MSI, Corsair, and SteelSeries busily banging out hardware that not only helps immerse gamers, but enhances the experience with new elements such as customizable keys and high-durability switches. The $100 Rival 700 gaming mouse from SteelSeries does just that.

The Rival 700 is built for right-handed gamers, but there’s nothing outstanding barring its use by the left-handed crowd. It sports the two standard mouse buttons on top, divided by a mouse wheel that also serves as a third clickable button. Behind the wheel is a button defaulting to two pre-set Counts Per Inch (CPI) settings, which can be modified using ranges between 100 and 16,000 to adjust sensitivity of the mouse.

But that’s not all. On the side, SteelSeries has inserted one programmable button that resides near the user’s thumb tip, and two horizontal buttons behind it that are also customizable. Technically, users can assign actions to the wheel’s Scroll Up and Scroll Down functions, thus creating a makeshift nine-button setup.

A sleek design only right-handed gamers can fully appreciate

To the left of the B5 “thumb” button is a customizable black-and-white OLED display with 128 x 36 resolution. This is great for giving the mouse an individualized touch by creating static logos in or animations that run at 10 frames per second. SteelSeries provides a batch of pre-generated images and animations towards the bottom of the product page here.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

As for other physical attributes, a textured panel resides under the thumb area, and a larger textured panel on the right side promotes better, tighter contact for the ring and pinky fingers. The area where the palm resides includes the RGB-lit SteelSeries logo, and a removable rubbery nameplate that can be customized with 3D printed files provided by SteelSeries here. Those two little orange prongs on the thumb panel are similar in purpose to the protrusions seen on the “F” and “J” keys on a keyboard, in regard to finger placement.

Finally, on the bottom, users will see two smooth, protruding Teflon feet towards the front, and one longer foot on the back, promoting smooth, unrestricted movement across a desktop surface. Also worth note is the optical sensor area, which is removable and held in place using four screws. This is one of the company’s big selling points with the mouse, as it’s possible to swap out the provided optical sensor for the PixArt 9800 laser sensor ($25).

Customize gameplay through modularity and profiles

That said, here are the hardware details of both sensors. Note that Counts Per Inch describes how many times the sensor reads the surface for every inch it is moved.

PixArt PMW3360
PixArt ADNS-9800
Sensor type:
Optical
Laser
Counts Per Inch:
100 to 16,000*
100 to 8,200
CPI Step Size:
100
50
Maximum framerate:
12,000fps
12,000fps
Lift Detection:
2mm to 3mm
1mm to 5mm
Speed:
300 inches per second*
150 inches per second
Acceleration:
50g
30g
Polling rate:
1ms (1,000Hz)
1ms (1,000Hz)
Tracking accuracy:
1:1
1:1

Note that the Rival 700 product page lists the CPI max as 16,000 (as does the SteelSeries software), and the tracking speed as 300 inches per second. However, PixArt’s website only lists the PMW3360DM-T2QU optical sensor, which states a maximum CPI of 12,000, and a speed of 250 inches per second. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the laser sensor on hand to test, but choosing optical over laser is generally just a matter of the default gaming surface.

The Rival 700 is one of the best PC gaming mice we’ve seen in a long time.

Optical mice use a red or infrared LED to illuminate the surface for tracking. Laser mice rely on a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) to illuminate the surface, which provides better sensitivity because it uses a different wavelength of light capable of digging down into the surface. This enables better tracking on surfaces like the couch cushion, where an optical mouse sensor rarely works well.

Outside the swappable sensor feature, owners can also swap out the included cover for one of two provided in the company’s two-pack sold for $15. The cover, which shelters the LED illuminating the SteelSeries logo, easily pops off.

Custom switches for custom feel

As for the switches used in the Rival 700, the mouse relies on a proprietary SteelSeries switch design. We couldn’t get the company to cough up any technical details other than a rating of 30 million clicks. There’s an audible click under the two main buttons, but the noise is soft enough to not sing over the loudest of mechanical keyboard switches.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

The last physical detail to cover is the included USB cable, which thankfully is detachable. The Rival 700 package includes not one but two cables. There’s a non-braided cable measuring 3.28 feet, and a braided version measuring 6.5 feet. Long and braided is usually the best way to go, but gamers playing on a laptop may opt for the shorter, more flexible cable.

Assign customized profiles with ease

Once the mouse is plugged into the PC, the next step is to download the company’s SteelSeries Engine 3 desktop software. This is where users get into the meat of the mouse by using tools to customize the lighting, assign commands to the buttons, create custom profiles that launch with a specific game, and more. And if we didn’t mention it already, this is where users deal with the tactile feedback feature, too.

The mouse has tactile feedback, RGB illumination, a distributed weight system, modular design, and more.

For starters, the program provides three main interfaces. My Gear can customize all SteelSeries devices connected to the PC. The Library catalogs game-specific profiles. And GameSense edits pre-programmed profiles supplied for the three games that “officially” support the tactile feedback feature — Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, DOTA 2, and a GameSense-enhanced version of Minecraft.

So, what about all the other PC games on the market? They can use it, too, after editing a few settings. Thus, Fallout 4 players who want to feel the firing effect of shooting a gun can do so. The user would select the appropriate firing button (such as Button 1), turn on the “Vibrate on click” feature, and choose one of the effects in the “Vibration” drop-down menu: Strong Click, Sharp Click, Soft Bump, Double Click, Short Double Click, Triple Click, Buzz, Long Buzz, Sharp Tick, and Pulsing (we chose Long Buzz). Likewise, if players use the mouse to jump, then Button 2 could be set with the Triple Click vibration effect. The result would be the firing button triggering a long buzzing felt by your palm, and the jumping button causing three short pulses.

The mouse gets rather touchy

Users can also assign tactile cooldown timers. For instance, suppose the player uses a specific spell in a role-playing game, and the spell’s assigned button already has the Long Buzz vibration assigned to it for that “casting” tactile feel. However, the spell requires a cooldown before it can be used again. That’s where the tactile cooldown comes in.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

The Tactile Cooldowns panel resides to the right of the mouse diagram in the software. Within the panel is an “Add Trigger” button that, once activated, pulls up a small popup. Users assign the timer to the desired mouse button, specify a countdown in milliseconds, the vibration effect, and when the timer begins. There’s also an option to reset the cooldown each time the player hits the assigned mouse button.

In this way, users can add tactile feedback to any installed PC game, whether it’s a first-person shooter, first-person RPG, strategy game, racing game, or so on. The resulting assignment will send a vibration through the user’s palm as it rests over the glowing SteelSeries logo.

Digging into custom profiles

Users can do more than just assign buttons for tactile feedback. On the right side of the profile editing window are two sensitivity dials for the CPI toggle button. Note that because there are only two settings, users won’t toggle through multiple sensitivity steps, as seen with other PC gaming mice. Instead, users are limited to just two, so experimenting is necessary to determine the best two CPI steps for the assigned game.

To the right of the CPI panels is a single panel for editing the acceleration and deceleration rates, one for adjusting the angle snapping, and one for adjusting the polling rate. That latter setting is the speed in which the mouse sends data to the game to process.

SteelSeries doesn’t sell a left-handed version of the Rival 700, unfortunately.

Acceleration and deceleration essentially speeds up or slows down the time it takes the mouse to go from a total standstill to the current CPI speed maximum. In other words, the lowest acceleration and deceleration settings will provide consistent movement, whereas higher settings could cause dynamically different on-screen movement, despite physically moving the mouse in a consistent manner.

As for angle snapping, that feature essentially pushes mouse tracking into a straight single-pixel line. It’s the antithesis of twitch-based accuracy when playing first-person shooters, but would be good for games that rely on horizontal shooting like sniping, versus “twitchy” reactive gameplay in first-person shooters.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

With each customizable profile comes the ability to create and assign macros to any button on the mouse. This is made available at the bottom of the Action button assignment list, and launches a recorder for gamers to input their string of keys. So, if gamers want to take a screenshot using Nvidia’s in-game tool, they would click “Start” to begin recording, type ALT+F1, click on the “Stop” button, and rename the macro accordingly. Users then select the mouse button that will use the macro, choose “Macros” in the pull-down menu, and then select the just-created macro. Users can even option to “vibrate on click” before hitting the “Done” button.

Get that polling rate under control

The big question, of course, is how the Rival 700 performs. In our benchmarks, the mouse tracked a resolution of 1,200 dots per inch when moved four inches in a single direction. The benchmark also displayed an 894Hz polling rate, a max counter value of 14 points, and a maximum speed of 32 inches per second (39,086 points per second). Note that during the test, the CPI setting resided at 1,100, backing the benchmark’s rounded 1,200 DPI result.

SteelSeries Rival 700 Compared To

Razer Turret

Evoluent VerticalMouse C Right

Cougar 450M gaming mouse

Razer Diamondback (2015)

Razer Mamba (2015)

Mionix Castor

Razer Mamba Tournament Edition

Cougar 300M

Cougar 550M

Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Desktop

Logitech G600 MMO

Roccat Isku and Kone+

Apple Magic Trackpad

Motormouse 2.4G

Razer Mamba (2015)

When loading up DOOM, the appropriate profile becomes active so that the game provides unofficial tactile feedback in all the right places. Again, to get the optimal precision for each game/profile, players will need to experiment with the two CPI settings to hit the sweet spots for twitch shooting and steady sniping, because players can only select between two CPI options on the fly.

However, we need to touch base on the polling rate setting for just a second. There’s a slider for a reason, as not all games can handle a high polling rate correctly. Epic Games’ Unreal Tournament 4 pre-alpha is a good example, as it performed horribly with the mouse set at 1,000Hz. The game consistently paused for one or two seconds with each movement of the mouse. We thought the graphics settings were set too high on our GeForce GTX 1080-based setup (even though they basically matched DOOM) until we plugged in a second (dusty) mouse, the Razer Mamba from 2013.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

While using Razer’s mouse, we experienced no pauses and saw fluid gameplay no matter how we moved the viewpoint or how fast. Move the Rival 700, and we continued to see stutter-stop gameplay. On that note, we turned down the polling rate on the Rival 700 quite a bit, and eventually settled on the lowest rate possible, which was 125Hz. The mouse suddenly matched the fluid gameplay seen with the Razer Mamba. To make sure it wasn’t a problem with the Rival 700, we loaded up DOOM with the polling rate cranked back up to 1,000Hz, and saw no stuttering issue whatsoever.

A typical warranty with a hard-to-read website

Finally, on the warranty front, the product page doesn’t provide any information. Instead, customers must dig into the support section of the SteelSeries website to get bits of information. In one brief paragraph, the company states that all products have a one-year warranty in the United States that only covers manufacturing defects. Thus, if you take advantage of the cool modular features provided with the Rival 700, you’re on your own if something happens during component swap-out process.

Our Take

The Rival 700 is one of the best PC gaming mice we’ve seen in a long time. Even forgetting the fact that it provides tactile feedback and swappable components, it just feels solid and precise when we’re getting our frag on in Doom and Unreal Tournament 4. It’s backed by the company’s desktop software, for creating five profiles that can be assigned to individual games. The only real beef we have with this mouse is that there’s no version for left-handed gamers.

Is there a better alternative?

The Rival 700 competitors include the Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum, the Roccat Nyth, the Razer Mamba 2015 edition, and the Logitech MX Master. Of these, the Razer Mamba is the only one we might pick over the Rival 700, but the Mamba doesn’t have the feedback or customizable sensor features found in the Rival 700.

The DT Accessory Pack

Apex M800 Keyboard

$169.99

Siberia 840 Headset

$329.99

G

$3.99

How long will it last?

Sinking $100 into this peripheral should be a sound investment, although there will be plenty of competitors raising the bar with new features and capabilities. Still, a mouse providing tactile feedback is not something you’ll pull off the Walmart shelf as of late, and should become standard issue soon.

Should you buy it?

Absolutely. You can’t go wrong here. The Rival 700 has programmable tactile feedback, RGB illumination, an equally distributed weight system, a modular design, and so on. There’s even a built-in OLED panel for displaying your custom logo or animations. The only drawback is that SteelSeries doesn’t sell a left-handed model.

Pick up an LG G6 from AT&T for just $360 when you finance

This is a screaming deal for a great new phone.

We don’t often see ridiculously strong deals on brand new phones, but AT&T is working up a really enticing one for those who want the latest from LG. AT&T customers (new and existing) can pick up an LG G6 for just $360, or half its retail price, if they choose to finance the phone using an AT&T Next plan of 24 or 30 monthly installments. So that breaks down to just $12 per month on the 30 month plan, or $15 per month on the 24 month plan. A great deal in either case.

AT&T is also running the same type of deal for the LG V20, but the price for the older — and arguably not as interesting — device is actually higher than the LG G6. You’ll pay $415 for the big slab of metal, which of course is half its usual price of $830. That breaks down to about $13.83 per month on a 30 month financing plan, or $17.29 per month over 24 months.

As is always the case, there’s a little bit of fine print (see the screenshot embedded here). First, you’ll have to pay the sales tax, where applicable, for the full retail price up front. Then, these deals are always contingent on you continuing to pay off the full amount of the phone, as the discount comes each month after you’ve paid your monthly installment — i.e. you pay the full monthly amount, then get refunded half of it the next month. It’s kludgy, but hey you’re saving $360 to $415 here.

So you’ll have to stick with AT&T for the duration of the deal in order to see the discount, but many people were going to do that anyway. And with a half-off deal on one of the hottest devices out there, we’re willing to jump through a few hoops.

Thanks for the heads up, FokisMoney!

LG G6

• LG G6 review!
• LG G6 specs
• LG G6 vs. Google Pixel: The two best cameras right now
• Everything you need to know about the G6’s cameras
• LG forums

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Sprint
T-Mobile
AT&T
B&H

Leaked renders of new Fitbit smartwatch reveal a familiar design

It’s our first look at the yet-to-be-named Fitbit smartwatch.

Fitbit has yet to officially announce its next smartwatch, but thanks to Yahoo Finance, we’ve got some new leaked renders to ponder over for the time being. Based on what we’ve seen here, it looks like Fitbit has gone with an evolved design of the 2016 Fitbit Blaze.

From the leaked images, it looks like Fitbit is combining the Blaze’s angular design with a one-piece design for the strap. Fitbit has moved away from the clunky cage that you could remove from the Blaze body. The watch face is built around a square screen with a bezel sporting the Fitbit logo just below, with two textured buttons visible on the right side. The watch housing is made of metal, while the strap appears to be the same elastomer material as other Fitbit bands.

According to Yahoo, the Fitbit design team has faced several challenges putting this new product together, specifically including GPS and waterproofing. The Verge has also reported issues on the software side of things, with a long-awaited app store for third-party apps unlikely to be ready for the new device’s launch in the fall.

What do you think of the design of the new Fitbit smartwatch? Let us know in the comments.