Can you downgrade from iOS 10 back to iOS 9? The answer is complicated

If you’ve been frantically searching the internet trying to find out how to downgrade iOS 10 and go back to iOS 9, we feel your pain. Truth be told, however, you’re probably not going to like the answer. The straight answer is that it is possible to downgrade from iOS 10 to iOS 9, but only a small group of people are able to do so.

In short, you will have to have an iPhone with 32-bit architecture, one that supported iOS 10 in the first place. This means that you will only be able to do it with the iPhone 5 or iPhone 5C. However, don’t celebrate just yet if you own either offering. Out of those folks who have either of these two iPhones, the ones that will be able to downgrade are the ones who were saving their SHSH blob files when they first updated to iOS 9. If you don’t have these files, then you’re out of luck.

In essence, we are basically talking about something called the re-restore bug, which allows you to install an unsigned firmware, provided that you have your SHSH blob files for said firmware.

What are SHSH blob files?

An SHSH blob file is a small file that is a digital signature generated by Apple when you update your iPhone. It is used to control which versions of iOS you can install on your iPhone; both iOS 10.3.2 and 10.3.1 are are currently signed by Apple. If you try to restore your iPhone to any other version, you won’t be able to do so.

People who used to jailbreak their iPhones saved their SHSH blob file regularly. This means that if you have an iPhone 5 or 5C, and you saved the SHSH blob file when you updated to iOS 9, you will be able to downgrade. It won’t be easy, however, unless you have the technical know-how and the required tools to accomplish this.

You can download an iPhone’s SHSH blob file on this website by entering your device’s ECID number. In short, you plug in your iPhone to your computer, open iTunes, and click your serial number until the ECID number appears. You then select which iPhone — in this case, either the iPhone 5 or 5C — and click submit. You will then be given a link to download your SHSH blob file.

There is no need to go through a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to do this because if you don’t have this file already, then you won’t be able to restore your iPhone 5 or 5C to iOS 9. You would’ve performed this step at the time you updated to iOS 9.

What do I need for the downgrade?

Let’s talk about the tools that you will need to perform the downgrade.

• Download the iDeviceReRestore tool, which is available for Windows, MacOS, and Linux.
• Have the IPSW file for your iOS 9.x firmware that you want to restore.
• Have the saved .shsh blob file for the firmware you’re trying to restore. Make sure that you download the correct iOS version for the .shsh blob file that you originally saved. Blob files cannot be OTA blobs, however. They should be blob files that you saved after performing an update through iTunes.
• You’ll obviously need your iPhone 5 or 5C.

Steps to downgrade from iOS 10 to iOS 9

Step 1: Unzip the iDeviceReRestore tool and name it “iDeviceReRestore.”

Step 2: Copy your IPSW firmware file into the iDeviceReRestore folder.

Step 3: Move your .shsh blob file into the shsh folder, which is located within the iDeviceReREstore folder (/iDeviceReRestore/shsh).

Step 4: For the sake of simplicity, give the IPSW file a shorter name. If the version is iOS 9.3.5, for example, then rename your file “935.ipsw.”

Step 5: Rename the shsh file so that it shows the ECID, iPhone model, and the firmware version all separated by a dash. For example, if you have an iPhone 5 with an ECID number of 12345678, the shsh file name should be “12345678-iPhone5,1-9.3.4.shsh.”

Step 6: Connect your iPhone to your computer and reboot into DFU mode.

Step 7: iTunes will notify you that your iPhone is in recovery mode. Click OK and don’t click any other options.

Step 7: Open Command Prompt if using Windows, or Terminal if you’re on a Mac. If you’re having trouble locating either application, use the Search bar (Windows) or Spotlight (MacOS).

Step 8: If using MacOS, type “CD” and drag the iDeviceReRestore folder into the Terminal window. If using Windows, drag the iDeviceReRestore.exe file into the cCommand Prompt window. Afterward, press the Enter key.

Step 9: Type “./idevicererestore -r [insert IPSW filename]”. In our example, we would type “./idevicererestore -r 935.ipsw”.

After this, the tool will restore the iOS 9.x IPSW file onto your iPhone 5 or 5C.

As you can see, the answer to whether you can downgrade from iOS 10 to iOS 9 is not a straightforward one. For the majority of users, the answer is no. You really can’t downgrade to any version of iOS that is unsigned. As far as iOS 10 is concerned, Apple signs iOS 10.3.2 and 10.3.1. Technically, you shouldn’t be able to downgrade to any version lower than 10.3.1.

For users with an iPhone 5 or iPhone 5C, this tool may allow them to downgrade to iOS 9, but only those few who were saving their SHSH blob files at the time they updated to iOS 9.

Study finds ecigs may cause as much DNA damage as unfiltered cigarettes

Why it matters to you

If you are a vaper, or know someone who is, you’ll want to consider this study, which suggests smoking ecigs may not be much better than smoking unfiltered cigarettes, after all.

Ecigarettes are still relatively new, which means that — unlike regular cigarettes — we’re still in the early stages of working out how they’ll affect our health in the long term.

While some research has reported that they are considerably safer than tobacco cigarettes, a new study from researchers at the University of Connecticut claims something different: that vaping using a device filled with nicotine-based liquid can cause just as much DNA damage as smoking regular cigarettes.

The study involved the use of a new, 3D-printed electro-optical screening device capable of quickly detecting DNA damage. It showed that the damage caused by nicotine ecigarettes is approximately equivalent to that caused by smoking unfiltered tobacco cigarettes. The cellular mutations caused by DNA damage can lead to cancer. The level of potential DNA damage depends on how much vapor is inhaled by the smoker, as well as the quantity of other additives present.

“I was definitely surprised by the results,” Karteek Kadimisetty, a postdoctoral researcher in UConn’s chemistry department, told Digital Trends. “Even though there is evidence that ecigarette liquids have harmful chemicals and additives from literature, we expected the toxicity to be low. But our results suggest DNA damage was similar to smoke extracts from conventional cigarettes.”

The testing device created by the researchers is another example of the kind of “organ on a chip” that’s popping up in more and more medical trials. The tiny creation — costing less than a dollar to make — essentially acted as a fake lung, and was preloaded with reactive human metabolic enzymes and DNA.

When it was exposed to the effects of vaping, new metabolites were formed and filmed with a camera, thereby letting the researchers see how much relative DNA damage was caused. Samples were gathered at 20, 60, and 100 puffs, with potential DNA damage from ecigarettes increasing with the number of puffs taken.

The work is described in more detail in a paper published in the journal ACS Sensors.

At present, the researchers are continuing to plan the next phase of their research. “We’re currently exploring other 3-D printed bio-analytical platforms for toxicity screening of environmental samples and cancer diagnostics,” Kadimisetty said.

Why Sling TV is an essential part of a balanced cord-cutting diet

Updated: Added information about new Cloud DVR availability on Xbox One consoles, new features, and new channels.

Sling TV has gone through multiple evolutions since it debuted at CES 2015 (winning our Best in Show award in the process). Since then, it’s become an ever-present option for the cord-cutting crowd looking for live TV without the bonds of cable. However, the service’s multiple options have made it increasingly complicated.

To help simplify everything Sling has to offer (it’s a lot!), we’ve put together a comprehensive, hands-on evaluation so you can see if it’s right for you.

Sling TV: What it is and isn’t     

Dish Network would still be happy to sell you 250 channels for $85 per month, and it doesn’t intend Sling TV to replace full-blown satellite service or cable. Instead, it hopes to meet the needs of so-called cord-cutters (those who quit cable) or cord-nevers (those who never had it), who can’t get everything they want from traditional streaming sites like Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu. That’s what makes Sling TV’s inclusion of sports networks like ESPN and NFL Network so attractive – live streaming sports are hard to come by outside of a contract.

Sling TV’s selection of channels was lean to start, but it’s starting to beef up, and the channels it does offer (listed below) are fairly popular. The service also offers video-on-demand from a handful of the channels it offers, as well as movie rentals. Best of all, Sling TV requires no sign-up fee, no contract, and you can test it out with a one-week free trial before fully diving in.

Available channels

Below, you’ll find charts for each of the base Sling TV channel packages, followed by a listing of the channels included in $5 add-on packages. The number of available channels for each package has grown and changed over time, and is likely to continue expanding and altering into the future, but we’ll do our best to update these listings as they change. Current listings here are up to date as of April 2017.

Included in $20/month “Sling Orange” package

Included in $25/month “Sling Blue” package

Included in $40/month “Sling Orange and Blue” package

Sling Orange and Blue subscriptions also include the Broadcast Extra add-on pack at no additional charge.

A quick glance at the above listings shows that there are some major differences in channels included with each of the package options. Sling Orange includes multiple sports channels, most notably a suite of ESPN channels including ESPN, ESPN 2, and ESPN 3. Sling Blue, on the other hand, drops the sports but adds in networks like Fox and NBC. This is a bit of a conundrum, as being able to stream both live sports and network content without a cable subscription are major draws of services like Sling TV.

If you’re looking to keep costs low, you’ll have to pick between the two options. Luckily for those who don’t mind paying extra, there’s a third option, “Sling Orange and Blue,” which includes all the channels from both Orange and Blue packages for $40/month. It’s a bit more expensive, to be sure, but you won’t have to decide between live sports on ESPN with Orange or network streaming with Blue.

Note: Below are the available add on packs. Be aware that some packages differ depending on which color of Sling TV you choose. If you subscribe to both Orange and Blue, every channel from each package will be available.

$5 add-on packs

• World News Extra (Orange): BBC World News, HLN, News18, euronews, France 24, NDTV 24×7, RT Network

• World News Extra (Blue): Everything above, plus CNBC and MSNBC

• Broadcast Extra: ABC, Univision, UniMas (Broadcast Extra is included as a free addition in “Sling Orange and Blue” subscriptions for select markets, specifically: Chicago, Fresno-Visalia, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Raleigh-Durham and San Francisco.)

• Comedy Plus Extra: MTV, TruTV, Spike, MTV2, CMT, GSN, Logo, TV Land

• Lifestyle Extra: VH1, BET, Cooking Channel, DIY, FYI, WE TV, Lifetime Movie Network, Oxygen, E!, Vibrant, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries

• Heartland Extra: PixL, Family Net, Sportsman Channel, Outdoor Channel, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV

• Kids Extra (Orange): Disney Junior, Disney XD, Nick Jr., Nicktoons, TeenNick, Boomerang, Baby TV, and Duck TV

• Kids Extra (Blue): Nick Jr., Nicktoons, TeenNick, Boomerang, Baby TV, and Duck TV

• Sports Extra (Orange):  NBA TV, NHL Network, ESPN Bases Loaded, ESPN Buzzer Beater, ESPN Goal Line, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, ESPN SEC Network, ESPN SEC Network+, Motors TV North Am, Outside Television, beIN Sports, Campus Insiders, PAC12 Network, Univision Deportes

• Hollywood Extra pack: Epix, Epix2, Epix Hits, Epix Drive-in, TCM, HDNET Movies, Sundance TV

$10 add-on packs

• Sports Extra (Blue): NFL RedZone, NBA TV, NHL Network, Motors TV North Am, Outside Television, beIN Sports, Campus Insiders, PAC12 Network, Univision Deportes

In addition to these add-on packs, Sling TV offers live and on-demand content from premium network HBO for an additional $15/month, the same price as the HBO Now standalone app. Similar add-ons are also available from Cinemax for $10, Showtime for $10 (including eight varieties) and STARZ — which includes STARZ, STARZ Encore, STARZ Kids & Family, STARZ Edge, STARZ Comedy and STARZ West — for $9. (Note that you may stream HBO on up to three devices via Sling TV regardless of your subscription plan.)

Single stream vs. multiple streams

Only certain subscription packages allow for multiple simultaneous streams. If you opt for the basic package, Sling Orange, you’ll be restricted to streaming from just one device at a time. You can easily jump from your tablet to your streaming set-top box, for instance, but you can’t use both at the same time. The other, more expensive subscription plans allow for up to three simultaneous streams.

Video on demand

Sling TV offers a fairly robust selection of movies on demand at launch, with even more promised in the near future. Rental costs are $2.99 for SD and $3.99 for HD. The eclectic library includes a healthy selection of Disney flicks, and plenty of big-budget fares. In addition, a new deal with Epix will bring in around 2,000 VOD titles, with titles new and old, spanning the gamut of popular programming.

Titles are broken down into categories including Action & Adventure, Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Foreign Films, Horror, Kids and Family, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Thriller, Classics, Romance, War & Westerns. A search feature is also available to make finding out if a specific title is available much easier.

User experience

Interface

We expected it to take some time to learn how to wade through a new layout, so it came as no surprise that Sling TV felt a little awkward at first. But in less than a day, we became accustomed.

Sling TV avoids the blocky “guide graph” of your home DVR in favor of a slicker, timeline-based programming guide, enriched with thumbnail graphics for each show. We’re also glad to see an integrated search feature, which makes finding a specific movie in Sling TV’s on-demand catalog much easier.

The UI feels better on a tablet or phone than it does on our Roku or Amazon Fire TV, probably because Sling TV’s design lends itself better to a touchscreen or point-and-click interface than it does with directional cursor navigation.

Video quality

We tested Sling TV on a 65-inch TV screen, which we expected would expose any shortcomings in video quality…and it did. With a strong internet connection and good throughput, we felt like we were watching 720p at best. Cable, Satellite, Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu all have better-looking HD streams in our estimation. On smaller screens, compression artifacts and poor resolution are much less noticeable. We think Sling TV looks just fine for screens 47-inches and smaller, and beautiful on tablets and phones.

Loading and buffering

A solid, speedy Internet connection is recommended for the best Sling TV experience, but not required. Users can choose to stream at Low quality (0.5 Mbps) Medium (0.8Mbps) High (1.5Mbps) or Best (no limit). We streamed at the best quality and experienced longer load times and some buffering, depending on the state of our Internet connection, but it’s nice to know those with fast connections can get a quality experience, and those with bandwidth caps can control data consumption.

Shifty time shifting

Whether or not you are able to pause, rewind or fast-forward — also known as “time shifting” — what you’re watching will depend on which channel you’re watching, as not all support this feature. Sling continually adds time shifting support to new channels, with a little over a third of the channels now supported.

On the plus side, those channels that do allow time shifting will let you go back as far as three days in the program history, so you can catch episodes of your favorite shows on those channels that you may have missed.

Cloud DVR

If you want to ensure that you don’t miss anything, Sling TV’s cloud DVR feature will help. The feature isn’t available on all supported devices at present, but Sling is working to ensure that everything will be in tip-top shape by the full rollout.

Sling unveiled its cloud DVR at the end of 2016 via a limited beta that was only available to Roku users, but has since launched a $5-per-month “First Look” cloud DVR program that is available for Amazon Fire TV streamers and tablets, Android TVs and smart devices, Apple TV, and Xbox One consoles. Further support for Windows 10, iOS devices, and AirTV players is expected sometime in 2017.

Exactly how much DVR space you have currently depends on the device you’re using. Cloud DVR beta users get 100 hours of storage, while First Look customers get 50 hours — apparently, it pays to be a Roku user. Unlike the cloud DVR functionality provided by competitor PlayStation Vue, there is no 28-day time limit, just the storage limit. Once you start approaching the limit, Sling TV automatically makes space by deleting the oldest recordings that you have already watched.

However, on June 14 Sling TV added the “protect” feature, which prevents a show from being automatically culled. Other added features include DVR folders for organizing your recorded content, and the ability to set up recordings from a show’s franchise page in the Sling TV guide.

In addition, June saw the addition of DVR support for FOX channels, including FOX Sports 1. As with time shifting, cloud DVR recording isn’t available on all channels, and you’ll often find that the channels that don’t allow DVR recording also don’t allow time shifting. However, users are able to record multiple shows simultaneously on channels that currently support the feature. While it’s a bummer this feature isn’t open to all channels, Sling TV has been steadily increasing the number of supported channels as the service grows.

Supported devices

Sling TV is available on a host of devices, and very likely on one (or multiple) you already own.

Available on:

• Amazon Fire TV
• Amazon Fire TV Stick
• Xiaomi Mi Box
• Apple TV (4th Generation)
• Chromecast
• Chromecast Ultra
• Channel Master DVR+
• Devices and TVs using Google’s Android TV
• Select LG Smart TVs
• Roku players
• Roku TV models
• Select Samsung Smart TVs
• Xbox One
• iOS and Android devices
• Mac and PC

Not yet … 

• PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4

Our take

Sling TV isn’t for everyone, and Dish knows that. Still, at $20 a month for the basic package (or $25 or $40 for the more expansive ones) with no contracts, commitments, or cancellation fees, it’s certainly worth a shot for those who have only kept cable around for channels like ESPN, CNN, or HDTV. Pair it with an HD antenna, and a couple of other streaming services like Netflix and Hulu Plus, and Sling TV can become an important part of a complete cord-cutter’s diet.

In the end, what’s there to lose besides your cable provider?

Try Sling TV free for 7 days

Can you downgrade from iOS 10 back to iOS 9? The answer is complicated

If you’ve been frantically searching the internet trying to find out how to downgrade iOS 10 and go back to iOS 9, we feel your pain. Truth be told, however, you’re probably not going to like the answer. The straight answer is that it is possible to downgrade from iOS 10 to iOS 9, but only a small group of people are able to do so.

In short, you will have to have an iPhone with 32-bit architecture, one that supported iOS 10 in the first place. This means that you will only be able to do it with the iPhone 5 or iPhone 5C. However, don’t celebrate just yet if you own either offering. Out of those folks who have either of these two iPhones, the ones that will be able to downgrade are the ones who were saving their SHSH blob files when they first updated to iOS 9. If you don’t have these files, then you’re out of luck.

In essence, we are basically talking about something called the re-restore bug, which allows you to install an unsigned firmware, provided that you have your SHSH blob files for said firmware.

What are SHSH blob files?

An SHSH blob file is a small file that is a digital signature generated by Apple when you update your iPhone. It is used to control which versions of iOS you can install on your iPhone; both iOS 10.3.2 and 10.3.1 are are currently signed by Apple. If you try to restore your iPhone to any other version, you won’t be able to do so.

People who used to jailbreak their iPhones saved their SHSH blob file regularly. This means that if you have an iPhone 5 or 5C, and you saved the SHSH blob file when you updated to iOS 9, you will be able to downgrade. It won’t be easy, however, unless you have the technical know-how and the required tools to accomplish this.

You can download an iPhone’s SHSH blob file on this website by entering your device’s ECID number. In short, you plug in your iPhone to your computer, open iTunes, and click your serial number until the ECID number appears. You then select which iPhone — in this case, either the iPhone 5 or 5C — and click submit. You will then be given a link to download your SHSH blob file.

There is no need to go through a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to do this because if you don’t have this file already, then you won’t be able to restore your iPhone 5 or 5C to iOS 9. You would’ve performed this step at the time you updated to iOS 9.

What do I need for the downgrade?

Let’s talk about the tools that you will need to perform the downgrade.

• Download the iDeviceReRestore tool, which is available for Windows, MacOS, and Linux.
• Have the IPSW file for your iOS 9.x firmware that you want to restore.
• Have the saved .shsh blob file for the firmware you’re trying to restore. Make sure that you download the correct iOS version for the .shsh blob file that you originally saved. Blob files cannot be OTA blobs, however. They should be blob files that you saved after performing an update through iTunes.
• You’ll obviously need your iPhone 5 or 5C.

Steps to downgrade from iOS 10 to iOS 9

Step 1: Unzip the iDeviceReRestore tool and name it “iDeviceReRestore.”

Step 2: Copy your IPSW firmware file into the iDeviceReRestore folder.

Step 3: Move your .shsh blob file into the shsh folder, which is located within the iDeviceReREstore folder (/iDeviceReRestore/shsh).

Step 4: For the sake of simplicity, give the IPSW file a shorter name. If the version is iOS 9.3.5, for example, then rename your file “935.ipsw.”

Step 5: Rename the shsh file so that it shows the ECID, iPhone model, and the firmware version all separated by a dash. For example, if you have an iPhone 5 with an ECID number of 12345678, the shsh file name should be “12345678-iPhone5,1-9.3.4.shsh.”

Step 6: Connect your iPhone to your computer and reboot into DFU mode.

Step 7: iTunes will notify you that your iPhone is in recovery mode. Click OK and don’t click any other options.

Step 7: Open Command Prompt if using Windows, or Terminal if you’re on a Mac. If you’re having trouble locating either application, use the Search bar (Windows) or Spotlight (MacOS).

Step 8: If using MacOS, type “CD” and drag the iDeviceReRestore folder into the Terminal window. If using Windows, drag the iDeviceReRestore.exe file into the cCommand Prompt window. Afterward, press the Enter key.

Step 9: Type “./idevicererestore -r [insert IPSW filename]”. In our example, we would type “./idevicererestore -r 935.ipsw”.

After this, the tool will restore the iOS 9.x IPSW file onto your iPhone 5 or 5C.

As you can see, the answer to whether you can downgrade from iOS 10 to iOS 9 is not a straightforward one. For the majority of users, the answer is no. You really can’t downgrade to any version of iOS that is unsigned. As far as iOS 10 is concerned, Apple signs iOS 10.3.2 and 10.3.1. Technically, you shouldn’t be able to downgrade to any version lower than 10.3.1.

For users with an iPhone 5 or iPhone 5C, this tool may allow them to downgrade to iOS 9, but only those few who were saving their SHSH blob files at the time they updated to iOS 9.

Why Sling TV is an essential part of a balanced cord-cutting diet

Updated: Added information about new Cloud DVR availability on Xbox One consoles, new features, and new channels.

Sling TV has gone through multiple evolutions since it debuted at CES 2015 (winning our Best in Show award in the process). Since then, it’s become an ever-present option for the cord-cutting crowd looking for live TV without the bonds of cable. However, the service’s multiple options have made it increasingly complicated.

To help simplify everything Sling has to offer (it’s a lot!), we’ve put together a comprehensive, hands-on evaluation so you can see if it’s right for you.

Sling TV: What it is and isn’t     

Dish Network would still be happy to sell you 250 channels for $85 per month, and it doesn’t intend Sling TV to replace full-blown satellite service or cable. Instead, it hopes to meet the needs of so-called cord-cutters (those who quit cable) or cord-nevers (those who never had it), who can’t get everything they want from traditional streaming sites like Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu. That’s what makes Sling TV’s inclusion of sports networks like ESPN and NFL Network so attractive – live streaming sports are hard to come by outside of a contract.

Sling TV’s selection of channels was lean to start, but it’s starting to beef up, and the channels it does offer (listed below) are fairly popular. The service also offers video-on-demand from a handful of the channels it offers, as well as movie rentals. Best of all, Sling TV requires no sign-up fee, no contract, and you can test it out with a one-week free trial before fully diving in.

Available channels

Below, you’ll find charts for each of the base Sling TV channel packages, followed by a listing of the channels included in $5 add-on packages. The number of available channels for each package has grown and changed over time, and is likely to continue expanding and altering into the future, but we’ll do our best to update these listings as they change. Current listings here are up to date as of April 2017.

Included in $20/month “Sling Orange” package

Included in $25/month “Sling Blue” package

Included in $40/month “Sling Orange and Blue” package

Sling Orange and Blue subscriptions also include the Broadcast Extra add-on pack at no additional charge.

A quick glance at the above listings shows that there are some major differences in channels included with each of the package options. Sling Orange includes multiple sports channels, most notably a suite of ESPN channels including ESPN, ESPN 2, and ESPN 3. Sling Blue, on the other hand, drops the sports but adds in networks like Fox and NBC. This is a bit of a conundrum, as being able to stream both live sports and network content without a cable subscription are major draws of services like Sling TV.

If you’re looking to keep costs low, you’ll have to pick between the two options. Luckily for those who don’t mind paying extra, there’s a third option, “Sling Orange and Blue,” which includes all the channels from both Orange and Blue packages for $40/month. It’s a bit more expensive, to be sure, but you won’t have to decide between live sports on ESPN with Orange or network streaming with Blue.

Note: Below are the available add on packs. Be aware that some packages differ depending on which color of Sling TV you choose. If you subscribe to both Orange and Blue, every channel from each package will be available.

$5 add-on packs

• World News Extra (Orange): BBC World News, HLN, News18, euronews, France 24, NDTV 24×7, RT Network

• World News Extra (Blue): Everything above, plus CNBC and MSNBC

• Broadcast Extra: ABC, Univision, UniMas (Broadcast Extra is included as a free addition in “Sling Orange and Blue” subscriptions for select markets, specifically: Chicago, Fresno-Visalia, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Raleigh-Durham and San Francisco.)

• Comedy Plus Extra: MTV, TruTV, Spike, MTV2, CMT, GSN, Logo, TV Land

• Lifestyle Extra: VH1, BET, Cooking Channel, DIY, FYI, WE TV, Lifetime Movie Network, Oxygen, E!, Vibrant, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries

• Heartland Extra: PixL, Family Net, Sportsman Channel, Outdoor Channel, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV

• Kids Extra (Orange): Disney Junior, Disney XD, Nick Jr., Nicktoons, TeenNick, Boomerang, Baby TV, and Duck TV

• Kids Extra (Blue): Nick Jr., Nicktoons, TeenNick, Boomerang, Baby TV, and Duck TV

• Sports Extra (Orange):  NBA TV, NHL Network, ESPN Bases Loaded, ESPN Buzzer Beater, ESPN Goal Line, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, ESPN SEC Network, ESPN SEC Network+, Motors TV North Am, Outside Television, beIN Sports, Campus Insiders, PAC12 Network, Univision Deportes

• Hollywood Extra pack: Epix, Epix2, Epix Hits, Epix Drive-in, TCM, HDNET Movies, Sundance TV

$10 add-on packs

• Sports Extra (Blue): NFL RedZone, NBA TV, NHL Network, Motors TV North Am, Outside Television, beIN Sports, Campus Insiders, PAC12 Network, Univision Deportes

In addition to these add-on packs, Sling TV offers live and on-demand content from premium network HBO for an additional $15/month, the same price as the HBO Now standalone app. Similar add-ons are also available from Cinemax for $10, Showtime for $10 (including eight varieties) and STARZ — which includes STARZ, STARZ Encore, STARZ Kids & Family, STARZ Edge, STARZ Comedy and STARZ West — for $9. (Note that you may stream HBO on up to three devices via Sling TV regardless of your subscription plan.)

Single stream vs. multiple streams

Only certain subscription packages allow for multiple simultaneous streams. If you opt for the basic package, Sling Orange, you’ll be restricted to streaming from just one device at a time. You can easily jump from your tablet to your streaming set-top box, for instance, but you can’t use both at the same time. The other, more expensive subscription plans allow for up to three simultaneous streams.

Video on demand

Sling TV offers a fairly robust selection of movies on demand at launch, with even more promised in the near future. Rental costs are $2.99 for SD and $3.99 for HD. The eclectic library includes a healthy selection of Disney flicks, and plenty of big-budget fares. In addition, a new deal with Epix will bring in around 2,000 VOD titles, with titles new and old, spanning the gamut of popular programming.

Titles are broken down into categories including Action & Adventure, Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Foreign Films, Horror, Kids and Family, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Thriller, Classics, Romance, War & Westerns. A search feature is also available to make finding out if a specific title is available much easier.

User experience

Interface

We expected it to take some time to learn how to wade through a new layout, so it came as no surprise that Sling TV felt a little awkward at first. But in less than a day, we became accustomed.

Sling TV avoids the blocky “guide graph” of your home DVR in favor of a slicker, timeline-based programming guide, enriched with thumbnail graphics for each show. We’re also glad to see an integrated search feature, which makes finding a specific movie in Sling TV’s on-demand catalog much easier.

The UI feels better on a tablet or phone than it does on our Roku or Amazon Fire TV, probably because Sling TV’s design lends itself better to a touchscreen or point-and-click interface than it does with directional cursor navigation.

Video quality

We tested Sling TV on a 65-inch TV screen, which we expected would expose any shortcomings in video quality…and it did. With a strong internet connection and good throughput, we felt like we were watching 720p at best. Cable, Satellite, Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu all have better-looking HD streams in our estimation. On smaller screens, compression artifacts and poor resolution are much less noticeable. We think Sling TV looks just fine for screens 47-inches and smaller, and beautiful on tablets and phones.

Loading and buffering

A solid, speedy Internet connection is recommended for the best Sling TV experience, but not required. Users can choose to stream at Low quality (0.5 Mbps) Medium (0.8Mbps) High (1.5Mbps) or Best (no limit). We streamed at the best quality and experienced longer load times and some buffering, depending on the state of our Internet connection, but it’s nice to know those with fast connections can get a quality experience, and those with bandwidth caps can control data consumption.

Shifty time shifting

Whether or not you are able to pause, rewind or fast-forward — also known as “time shifting” — what you’re watching will depend on which channel you’re watching, as not all support this feature. Sling continually adds time shifting support to new channels, with a little over a third of the channels now supported.

On the plus side, those channels that do allow time shifting will let you go back as far as three days in the program history, so you can catch episodes of your favorite shows on those channels that you may have missed.

Cloud DVR

If you want to ensure that you don’t miss anything, Sling TV’s cloud DVR feature will help. The feature isn’t available on all supported devices at present, but Sling is working to ensure that everything will be in tip-top shape by the full rollout.

Sling unveiled its cloud DVR at the end of 2016 via a limited beta that was only available to Roku users, but has since launched a $5-per-month “First Look” cloud DVR program that is available for Amazon Fire TV streamers and tablets, Android TVs and smart devices, Apple TV, and Xbox One consoles. Further support for Windows 10, iOS devices, and AirTV players is expected sometime in 2017.

Exactly how much DVR space you have currently depends on the device you’re using. Cloud DVR beta users get 100 hours of storage, while First Look customers get 50 hours — apparently, it pays to be a Roku user. Unlike the cloud DVR functionality provided by competitor PlayStation Vue, there is no 28-day time limit, just the storage limit. Once you start approaching the limit, Sling TV automatically makes space by deleting the oldest recordings that you have already watched.

However, on June 14 Sling TV added the “protect” feature, which prevents a show from being automatically culled. Other added features include DVR folders for organizing your recorded content, and the ability to set up recordings from a show’s franchise page in the Sling TV guide.

In addition, June saw the addition of DVR support for FOX channels, including FOX Sports 1. As with time shifting, cloud DVR recording isn’t available on all channels, and you’ll often find that the channels that don’t allow DVR recording also don’t allow time shifting. However, users are able to record multiple shows simultaneously on channels that currently support the feature. While it’s a bummer this feature isn’t open to all channels, Sling TV has been steadily increasing the number of supported channels as the service grows.

Supported devices

Sling TV is available on a host of devices, and very likely on one (or multiple) you already own.

Available on:

• Amazon Fire TV
• Amazon Fire TV Stick
• Xiaomi Mi Box
• Apple TV (4th Generation)
• Chromecast
• Chromecast Ultra
• Channel Master DVR+
• Devices and TVs using Google’s Android TV
• Select LG Smart TVs
• Roku players
• Roku TV models
• Select Samsung Smart TVs
• Xbox One
• iOS and Android devices
• Mac and PC

Not yet … 

• PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4

Our take

Sling TV isn’t for everyone, and Dish knows that. Still, at $20 a month for the basic package (or $25 or $40 for the more expansive ones) with no contracts, commitments, or cancellation fees, it’s certainly worth a shot for those who have only kept cable around for channels like ESPN, CNN, or HDTV. Pair it with an HD antenna, and a couple of other streaming services like Netflix and Hulu Plus, and Sling TV can become an important part of a complete cord-cutter’s diet.

In the end, what’s there to lose besides your cable provider?

Try Sling TV free for 7 days

Rainway’s PC game streaming service will also support the Nintendo Switch

Why it matters to you

PC gamers wanting to stream their installed games to any device will have a new option starting in November — even Nintendo Switch owners.

During E3 2017, Rainway Inc. said that its upcoming game streaming service will be made available on the Nintendo Switch, joining Android, iOS, the Xbox consoles, and the PlayStation consoles. The company will provide native apps for these platforms, but the service will be playable in web browsers too on and off those listed platforms.

Slated to go live as a beta on November 25, Rainway will stream games installed on your PC to the devices listed above for free. According to the company, it developed “software techniques” enabling these installed games to stream across the internet at a super-high-quality resolution with “practically” no lag.

“Rainway started as a pivot from our previous venture, Ulterius. We made some really big innovations in bringing real-time desktop streaming to web browsers, and we wanted to shift our focus to our biggest passion: Video games,” Rainway’s Andrew Sampson told Digital Trends. “Using our MSG protocol we’re able to stream video games in real-time to wide array of different devices with minimal latency.”

Despite saying that customers won’t need to purchase additional hardware to run Rainway, users will still need a decent PC to run the games they want to play. PC games have minimum and recommended system requirements, thus Rainway won’t magically make Doom run at an incredible resolution and framerate if the PC can’t handle it on a hardware level.

Currently, there’s no real way to stream installed PC games to mobile devices and consoles. Steam’s In-Home Streaming portion will stream installed games from one PC to another on the same network. Nvidia’s GameStream will stream games from a GeForce-based PC to one of the company’s Shield devices. The open-source Moonlight client expands on that by streaming installed GeForce-powered PC games to Android, Apple’s iOS, Gear VR, the PS Vita, Raspberry Pi, and PCs without a GeForce chip (Windows/Mac/Linux).

That said, the Rainway streaming service won’t be locked down to a specific graphics chip. Instead, it will be compatible will all graphics cards/discrete chips that support DirectX 11. It will also handle the network aspect and secure the connection so that hackers aren’t eavesdropping and invading your PC during gameplay.

Once installed, Rainway will automatically scan your PC for games from Steam, Origin, Uplay, and BattleNET. Users can also make other PC games compatible by piping them through Steam using the “Add a non-Steam game to my library” option under “Games” in the desktop client.

We’re working on a new cross platform features too. You will be too highlight a section of your gameplay and share a clip online instantly.

— Rainway (@RainwayApp) June 13, 2017

The Rainway beta will begin with web browsers and Android following Apple’s iOS platform and the Xbox One. Unfortunately, the company hasn’t indicated when the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch will be included.

“During our beta we will be optimizing Rainway and ensuring it runs at its best across all PC’s and platforms,” Sampson added.

PC gamers wanting to test the upcoming beta can create a free Rainway account here.

$99 VRDL360 camera live-streams without downsizing the 3K resolution

Why it matters to you

Consumers willing to take an Indiegogo risk could pick up a 360 camera capable of high-resolution live-streams for under three figures.

Immersive 360 cameras are quickly making their way into the consumer market, but one startup is claiming a few firsts with live-streams at 3K without downsizing and still images up to 7K. VRDL360 is a the first 360 camera that merges 7K photo with 3K video, live streaming and instant sharing.

The camera is the first from VR Dongli, a 2016 Los Angeles startup. The camera uses two 16-megapixel sensors manufacturers by Sony along with a pair of f/2 lenses. That allows the camera to shoot still photos up to 7000 x 3500 pixels and 3K (3072 x 1536) videos at 30FPS. The camera also uses a built-in gyroscope to stabilize footage electronically.

While there are a few 360 cameras with 4K resolution on the market, most need to downsize the files to broadcast that footage in real-time. VR Dongli says that the VRDL360, however, can live-stream to Facebook and YouTube without downsampling the footage, allowing for spherical live broadcasts still at that 3K resolution.

The camera is wrapped up in a rectangular, handheld body, not too unlike Ricoh’s Theta series, that’s small enough to mount to a drone. The body also houses a battery that’s rated for up to 2,000 stills or two hours of video and a slot for a MicroSD card.

Through an iOS and Android app, users can shoot in auto or full manual, as well as shutter priority and aperture priority mode. The app also allows users to edit the footage into four different viewing modes, from virtual reality to the Little Planet format.

The VRDL360 launched on Indiegogo on June 12 and is already over halfway to its funding goal. If the campaign and manufacturing process is successful, early backers can get the camera for a $99 pledge, with expected delivery in September. The startup expects to launch the camera on the retail market for $219.

Scientists may have found a way to tan skin without exposing it to UV rays

Why it matters to you

Tanning may look healthy, but UV rays can lead to numerous health risks. This work could present an alternative solution.

With summer here, chances are that you’ve probably spared a bit of thought for getting that sun-kissed, tanned look often associated with youth and vitality. The sad irony, of course, is that while we might associate suntanned skin with good health, prolonged sun exposure can lead to accelerated skin aging, as well as associated risks like skin cancer.

A new research project published in the journal Cell Reports suggests that things don’t have to remain that way, though. What scientists have discovered is a small molecule that may be able to stimulate the darkening of human skin, without exposing it to potentially harmful UV radiation. This involves inhibiting an enzyme called Salt Inducible Kinase (SIK), which naturally suppresses pigmentation. By inhibiting it, pigment synthesis is instead stimulated.

“Based upon human epidemiology which shows that darkly pigmented people are at significantly lower risk of developing skin cancer, as well as other indications of UV damage to skin, we suspect that the ability to stimulate pigment production [minus] use of damaging UV-rays, may provide the benefits without the damage from UV,” Dr. David Fisher of Massachusetts General Hospital, one of the researchers on the project, told Digital Trends. “In laboratory animals, it has been shown that UV-independent pigment darkening of redhaired mice does provide strong skin protection from UV. However, this has not yet been tested in humans. The current discovery will hopefully make it possible to test this [in people].”

Before this can be rolled out as a summer staple alongside beer coolers and barbecues, however, Fisher explains that it is important to first determine the safety or toxicity of the agent, in order to know how best to apply it to people. If the compounds are found to be safe, the researchers then hope to identify the population of people for whom such darkening would be most helpful, before carrying out initial clinical testing.

“We are currently in discussions with several potential partners for developing the approach toward clinical application,” Fisher said.

Best Chromebook, June 2017

• Best overall
• Best on the go
• Best on a budget

Best overall

Samsung Chromebook Plus

See at Amazon

Samsung and Google have built the best Chromebook you can buy with the Samsung Chromebook Plus. It’s incredibly well built, has one of the best displays of any laptop and is the first Chromebook with the new Pen that adds pressure sensitive drawing.

The bottom line: For anyone who wants to use a Chromebook on a regular basis, and values getting extra performance and hardware quality at an added price, Samsung has made the Chromebook for you.

One more thing: There’s also a Samsung Chromebook Pro, built with a stronger Intel processor and available for a bit more money.

Why the Samsung Chromebook Plus is the best

Samsung has built a beautiful Chromebook with an incredible display.

The display on the Samsung Chromebook Plus is a 12.3-inch 2400×1600 IPS touch panel that steals the show. It’s beautiful to look at and supports a stylus, which makes it the first Chromebook with a pen.

That doesn’t mean everything else isn’t great, though. You’ll have plenty of power for the browser or to pull up spreadsheets and presentations in Google Docs and Android apps while you’re working. Or play something from Netflix on the gorgeous screen when you’re not.

With a more power-hungry screen than many other Chromebooks, the Chromebook Plus still had great battery life. It will last most people a full workday (8-10 hours) on a single charge. And when it’s time to charge the battery, you’ll appreciate the standard USB-C charging instead of a proprietary input. With the right cable, your Chromebook Plus will charge anywhere your phone does.

The Samsung Chromebook Plus is a great all-around package, and right now it’s the best Chromebook available.

Best on the go

ASUS Chromebook Flip (C100)

See at Amazon

The ASUS Chromebook Flip was rather unassuming and a little confusing when it was first unveiled, but has turned into a mini revelation. This little laptop with its 10.1-inch display and folding design that turns it into a pseudo-tablet is the go-to choice for anyone that wants a good, inexpensive and hyper-portable Chromebook.

For less than $300 you’re getting a 1280 x 800 touch screen, a metal build, great battery life and solid performance. If you’re always on the move and looking for a great Chromebook, you can’t do much better than this.

Bottom line: The Chromebook Flip is also one of the first models slated to pick up Android app compatibility through the Google Play Store, which could tip the scales a bit for folks looking to be ready for the new feature addition.

Best on a budget

Acer Chromebook R13

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The Acer Chromebook R13 is a mid-range offering that seems like it should cost more. It has a 1080p IPS touch screen for interaction with Android apps, can fold back into various modes for an all-touch experience, and charges using the new USB-C standard rather than an older connector.

The standout feature of the Chromebook R13 is the great way it’s built. It’s solid and well machined and not something you would expect from a sub-400 dollar laptop. The Chromebook R13 is an excellent choice for anyone who wants a premium product without a premium price.

Bottom line: The Acer Chromebook R13 looks and feels like a laptop that would cost a lot more, and is a great choice for savvy shoppers.

Conclusion

There’s a Chromebook to satisfy most any need that you may have. Whether you’re buying for yourself, as a gift, or giving guidance to someone else for their own purchase, be sure to start here before making a buying decision. For most people, though, most of the time, the Samsung Chromebook Plus is the overall best bet.

Best overall

Samsung Chromebook Plus

See at Amazon

Samsung and Google have built the best Chromebook you can buy with the Samsung Chromebook Plus. It’s incredibly well built, has one of the best displays of any laptop and is the first Chromebook with the new Pen that adds pressure sensitive drawing.

The bottom line: For anyone who wants to use a Chromebook on a regular basis, and values getting extra performance and hardware quality at an added price, Samsung has made the Chromebook for you.

One more thing: There’s also a Samsung Chromebook Pro, built with a stronger Intel processor and available for a bit more money.

Update, June 2017: Our pick for best Chromebook is the Samsung Chromebook Plus, and the Acer Chromebook R13 is our budget pick.

Nova Launcher gets a Google Now pane by jumping through hoops

Google Now Launcher, eat your heart out.

Nova Launcher is one of the best third-party launchers in the Android ecosystem because it will let you do just about everything you ever thought possible with your home screens and app drawer. One of the most sought-after features Nova Launcher has not been able to deliver to users has been the Google Now pane that the eponymous Google Now Launcher spoiled millions with during its tenure on Android. Well, Google Now Launcher is sailing into the sunset, and in its wake, Google has made some changes that have finally, finally allowed Nova Launcher to offer the Google Now pane on the left side of its screen.

… There are just a few hoops we all have to jump through for it.

When Google announced that it was removing Google Now Launcher from the market, it also announced that it was releasing an API that would allow Android phone manufacturers to utilize Google Now panes in their own launchers. This API could also work with third-party launchers, but they couldn’t be published on Google Play because of the exact conditions the API and the Play Store require. We can only hope that changes going forward, but for now, that means that only launchers that are willing to go outside the Play Store can take advantage of one of the most desired launcher features.

Nova Launcher has never shied away from a challenge, and so it has released a companion app called Nova Google Companion that will let you bring that Google Now pane to your home screen. Want to try Google Now on Nova Launcher? Here’s everything you need:

• An Android phone running Android 6.0 or above
• Update to the latest Nova Launcher Beta
• Install and open the Nova Google Companion app
• Turn off Infinity Scroll in Nova Settings > Desktop > Scroll

The pane was slightly wonky before I restarted Nova, but things have been smooth since. This is the first stab at Google Now for Nova Launcher and rest assured that any bugs and glitches will be worked through, but it’s here, and for the most part, it works.

Will Google update its terms to allow Nova and other launchers to bring Google Now panes to its Play Store apps instead of going around Google? How quickly will this come to other launchers, or will the hoops turn off other developers from investing the time and effort? Only time will tell, but for now, Nova can check a big line off their request list.