Why the Philips 901F is the flagship OLED TV you’ll want

There are some incredible recent television innovations that make the latest TVs the best we’ve ever had, but of them all, the technology that most impresses is OLED.

The display technology is by far and away the biggest breakthrough for picture quality in years. It ensures deep, dark black levels and vibrant, solid colours, so if you’re after the best you really need to consider an OLED TV.

Philips has a particular corker. Its 55POS901F offers the spectacular, rich colours, superthin design and superlative contrast of OLED, along with its own, proprietary Ambilight technology to provide an immersive, breathtaking viewing experience.

Here then are five great reasons why you should consider the Philips 901F when opting to buy a premium, flagship TV:

Philips

OLED

OLED, or Organic Light Emitting Diode, technology has enormous benefits over traditional LED backlit LCD TV tech. For a start, as each pixel is capable of emitting its own light, there is no need for a backlight and therefore there is no danger of light bleed between pixels.

LCD TVs cannot switch off each pixel individually, so you can get colours looking slightly washed out and less intense black levels than on an OLED equivalent.

In addition, the lack of a backlight also ensures OLED panels are superthin, so allow for more spectacular design aesthetics. Again, this is where an LED cannot compare. No matter how thin the display is, the backlight adds depth to the set.

Another area where OLED is favourable to LCD/LED technology is in motion. An OLED TV has unprecedented response time – where the screen refreshes – to create super smooth action and judder-free pictures. With a slower response time, LCD can suffer more with both.

Without a shadow of a doubt, OLED images are the best you can get.

Philips

Ambilight

While other manufacturers offer OLED TVs, only Philips includes Ambilight with its flagship set.

Ambilight uses small LEDs set into the back of the television that shine colours onto a back wall as you watch films or TV shows. The colours directly reflect the action on the screen, changing to perfectly match the TV shows or movies you watch.

The lights therefore extend the viewing experience beyond the confines of your TV screen, making your back wall into an extension of the action and making for a superbly immersive experience.

In addition, as OLED picture technology allows for extremely thin bezels around the picture, the three-sided Ambilight around the Philips 901F provides an almost seamless extension of the images on the screen itself. And because the OLED images are more vibrant and colourful than other TV tech, the overall effect is dazzling.

Philips

Perfect Pixel Ultra HD

The Philips 901F is a 4K Ultra HD TV using Philips’ proprietary Perfect Pixel Ultra HD image processing.

That means dedicated picture processing ensures that, even with standard and Full HD video, you get the sharpest, most accurate visuals possible. Colours are vibrant, whites are brilliant and bright, while black levels are strong and deep. And all this is achieved while ensuring that skin tones and other natural hues are rendered perfectly.

Motion is also smooth and free of blurring and artefacts.

HDR

As well as crisp 4K pictures, the 901F has HDR and HLG tech on board. The latter makes it futureproof as that’s the standard expected to be adopted by TV broadcasters.

High Dynamic Range and similar Hybrid Log Gamma support means that the TV can display a much wider range of colours than conventional sets, alongside higher brightness and deeper black levels. The contrast on the 901F is simply extraordinary.

HDR games and movies – as provided by consoles such as the PlayStation 4 and 4K Blu-ray players – will blow your socks off with the most realistic colours yet.

Android TV

As well as a superb way to watch films and TV shows through sources plugged into the four HDMI ports, you can also access Android TV apps and services when the 901F is connected to the internet.

Both Wi-Fi and wired internet connectivity are on offer through the TV and Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) ensures that you can run many services and apps, including games, directly on the TV itself.

Netflix, Amazon Video, Spotify and other major streaming services are available on the TV, so you don’t require a separate media streamer. And thanks to the 901F’s quad-core processor, they all run as smoothly as on the latest smartphones.

What is Apple’s 3D Touch and how does it work?

Apple’s latest iPhones, from the iPhone 6S onwards excluding the iPhone SE, feature a new type of screen. They not only have different glass to older models, but they offer new interactive levels too thanks to a technology called 3D Touch.

The iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus recognise force as well as gestures in order to offer more accurate haptic feedback. This in turn results in apps being more accessible thanks to variations in pressure offering previews, quick swiping and more. 

This feature explains what features Apple’s 3D Touch offers and how does the technology works.

Quick access to apps from home screen

One of the great things about 3D Touch, if you can get used to using it, is quicker access to various app actions from the home screen. Not all apps offer compatibility with 3D Touch, but there are more on board now than when 3D Touch first appeared. 

Pressing and holding a compatible app’s icon on home screen will pull up a menu, allowing you to perform various tasks without having to open up the app first. For example, pressing and holding the camera app will allow you launch the selfie camera rather than main snapper, while Maps will offer the option to mark your destination or send your location.

Apple

Press and hold Facebook and you’ll get the option of searching, writing a post, uploading a photo or video, or taking a photo or video. Some apps offer more options than others in the pop up menu, including the option to add a widget to the screen to the left of the home screen.

All of Apple’s native apps support 3D Touch but there are plenty of others too so it’s worth having a play.

You can also use 3D Touch to jump between apps rather than double tapping the home button. Apply a little but of pressure to the screen edge and you can swipe across between apps.

• Best 3D Touch apps for Apple iPhone

Peek and pop

Another of the features within 3D Touch is called “Peek and Pop”, which allows for exactly what it suggests: peeking at selected notifications through a pop up screen without needing to open the specific app.

Pressing and holding notifications offers a number of options depending on the which app the notification came from. For example, if a tweet, you’ll be able to retweet or like it, while an iMessage will allow you to read the message in a pop up screen and reply.

Apple

When inside apps, you can press lightly for a peek of the content, while continuing to press more firmly will go into the content.

In Mail, for example, you can press lightly to glance at a specific email then release the pressure to slip back to your entire list of emails. Pressing deeper when glancing at a specific email in the pop mode and you’ll be taken into the message where you will have access to all the actions you would have had if you had entered the Mail app and specific email manually.

Apple

Another example where Peek and Pop is useful is in Messages. If you receive a message with a time, date, flight number or web address, Messages will automatically highlight the respective event by underlining it.

From here, a light press on the event will either pull up your calendar, go to the incoming flight time if a flight number or allow you to peek at the web address within messages without going opening the browser.

• Apple 3D Touch tips and tricks

How does 3D Touch work and what Apple devices is it available on?

Capacitive sensors are integrated into the back light of the Retina display. With pressure, microscopic changes between the cover glass and back light are measured, which combined with the touch sensor and accelerometer should provide accurate pressure response.

The 3D Touch technology is included in all Apple’s devices capable of detecting touch pressure variations. You’ll therefore find it in the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

It is currently not available in the iPads, despite the iPad Pro 9.7, iPad Pro 10.5 and iPad Pro 12.9 all offering pressure-sensitive displays compatible with the Apple Pencil. It is also not available on the smaller and cheaper iPhone SE. 

Facebook Messenger’s AI ‘M’ can now assist you in Spanish

It sounds like Facebook “M,” the AI-powered virtual assistant for Messenger, has learned a new language. According to the social network, it can now dole out suggestions in Spanish if that’s your default language in the US or if you’re in Mexico. The company rolled out M to all users in the US in April, giving it the power to pop up in the middle of conversations. If you ask a friend to pay you $10 for pizza, it automatically shows all possible in-app payment options. Tell an officemate “let’s meet tomorrow,” and it provides a link to create an appointment and will even hail you an Uber or a Lyft. That’s the kind of assistant M is, and it now works the same way in Spanish.

If you ask a friend “¿Dónde estás?,” it provides a shortcut to Messenger’s location-sharing feature. Type “Besos!” or “Hola!” to bring up stickers. Friend won’t respond to the message asking him for that $10 he owes you? No problem. If he’ll be more receptive to a crisp scolding in Español, do it — M will understand and bring up the list of in-app payment options again.

Facebook apparently announced M’s new language and availability in Mexico on Messenger’s official account. We unfortunately can’t access the post, but a spokesperson has confirmed to Engadget that the Spanish-speaking M has already begun rolling out to users in the US and Mexico. Unfortunately, Facebook hasn’t announced whether the assistant will make its way to other countries, as well. If you don’t live in either the US or Mexico, you’ll just have to do things the old-fashioned way.

Source: VentureBeat, TechCrunch

TSA begins testing fingerprint check-ins at two US airports

It’s never a nice experience to stand in line at the airport for hours just to get a pat down when you get to the end. Hopefully, TSA’s new biometric fingerprint tech could make air travel a more pleasant experience for most people. Starting this week, the Transportation Security Administration’s fingerprint sensors will go through proof-of-concept testing at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport and at Denver International Airport. The test will last for four weeks, and you can try it out for yourself if you registered your fingerprint as part of TSA’s PreCheck program.

Your biometric info will serve as both proof of identification and boarding pass, so it can, in theory, lead to shorter lines and much speedier check-in. For the proof-of-concept test, though, participants still have to show their identification documents, boarding passes and tickets, since its purpose is to assess how accurate the biometric system is.

TSA Acting Assistant Administrator Steve Karoly said in a statement:

“TSA looks at technologies and intelligence capabilities that allow us to analyze and secure the travel environment, passengers and their property. Through these and other technology demonstrations, we are looking to reinvent and enhance security effectiveness to meet the evolving threat and ensure that passengers get to their destinations safely.”

Haven’t provided the agency your fingerprint yet, but you’re willing to trust them with your info for the chance to test the new system out? You can still volunteer your fingerprint using its PreCheck lanes at the airport. If we’re lucky, it could change the way airport security works in the US.

We hope you’re as excited as #ThisGuy about innovative screening technology! He’s one of the technicians setting up the biometric authentication technology (BAT). Besides having a super cool acronym, the technology matches passenger fingerprints to those that have previously been provided when travelers enrolled in #TSAPrecheck. This pilot program is voluntary and all participating passengers will also be subject to the standard ticket document checking process of showing their boarding pass and ID. Bummer, we know… But in the long term, this technology has the potential to eliminate the need for a boarding pass and ID altogether. The pilot starts this week and will take place at one TSA Pre✓® lane at the Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport #ATL and another at the Denver International Airport #DEN starting this week. TSA will analyze the data collected during the pilot for potential implementation at other U.S. airports in the future.

A post shared by TSA (@tsa) on Jun 13, 2017 at 11:03am PDT

Via: CNET

Source: TSA, Conde Nast Traveler

Best Nintendo Switch games to look forward to in 2017 & 2018: Super Mario Odyssey, Skyrim Switch, Mario + Rabbids and more

After the flop of the Wii U, Nintendo is looking to be on fine form with its Switch console. The home-meets-portable console was introduced in March 2017, along with Zelda: The Breath of the Wild, which might well be game of the year, and the company isn’t looking to slow things down – with more releases penned in for 2017 and beyond. 

In June 2017 the company hosted its E3 Spotlight stream, announcing a slew of games, the best of which we’ve included below alongside a trailer for each (where available). We’ll continue to  update this round-up throughout 2017 – so there’ll always be something exciting to see.

Super Mario Odyssey

Release date: October 27 2017Switch exclusive: Yes Publisher: Nintendo

The Switch was always going to need a Mario game to sell it, with Odyssey being exactly that. It looks like a quirky title, however, with Mario able to almost possess surrounding objects and enemies – from a T-rex to a taxi cab, a Bullet Bill and a Goomba – in a fashion that we’ve never seen before in a Mario game. It might be genius, it might be a step too mad for the Mario hardcore. We’ll find out in October…

Kirby

Release date: 2018Switch exclusive: Yes Publisher: Nintendo

Announced during the company’s E3 Spotlight presentation, Kirby makes its return in side-scrolling platformer fashion. With single or multiplayer, this looks like good ol’ fashioned family fun. It’s penned for released in 2018.

Yoshi

Release date: 2018Switch exclusive: Yes Publisher: Nintendo

Another Nintendo staple is Yoshi. And he’s coming to Switch in 2018. With recent Wii and Wii U titles sticking to the side-scrolling platformer formula, Yoshi for Switch looks to break out of that format and offer a more three-dimensional approach for everyone’s favourite dinosaur. Again, it’s due in 2018.

Skyrim Switch

Release date: 2017Switch exclusive: No (version is exclusive, however)Publisher: Bethesda

A potentially massive release for Switch: Bethesda is releasing Skyrim on Nintendo for the first time ever. Yep, you’ll be able to play Skyrim on the go – and it’ll be out this year.

Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle

Release date: August 29 2017 Switch exclusive: Yes Publisher: Ubisoft

Nintendo is increasingly showing its hand as a versatile company which is willing to collaborate alongside other majors – and Mario + Rabbids is the unexpected and interesting epitome of that. Yep, Ubisoft’s Rabbids are making their way into the Mushroom Kingdom in hilarious form in this adventure meets turn-based battle/strategy game. We’ve never seen a Mario like it before.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Release date: 2017 Switch exclusive: Yes Publisher: Nintendo

If you’re a JRPG fan then this ought to be the title for you. The original Xenoblade Chronicles has an almost cult following and the sequel doesn’t look as though it’ll disappoint.

FIFA 18

Release date: 2017 Switch exclusive: No (version exclusive, however)Publisher: EA Sports

FIFA is coming to Nintendo for the first time. It’s caused something of a stir, however, as the Frostbite engine that EA uses under license for the game isn’t used on the Switch game. That means inferior graphics and no Journey story mode for the latest title. We’re glad it’s coming to Switch for the first time, but many will see it as a hampered version.

Splatoon 2

Release date: July 21 2017Switch exclusive: Yes Publisher: Ubisoft

The sequel to the incredible original splat-’em-up, Splatoon 2 is best thought of as a family-friendly shooter. Paintballs rather than live ammo is one hell of a lot of fun, though, so this zany sequel is one to keep an eye on.

Metroid Prime 4

Release date: 2018 (TBC)Switch exclusive: Yes Publisher: Nintendo

Nintendo may well have stolen E3 2017 by announcing at its E3 Spotlight presentation that a new Metroid will be coming to Switch. We don’t know what it’ll look like, how it’ll play, or when it’ll be out… but we’re still excited. And we think that’s just fine. It’s games like this that make a Switch worth the investment.

Unnamed Pokemon RPG

Release date: 2018/19Switch exclusive: Yes Publisher: The Pokemon Company / Nintendo

As if the Metroid announcement wasn’t enough, Nintendo only went and lifted the lid on the fact The Pokemon Company is working on an exclusive Pokemon role-playing game for the Switch. It won’t be released until at least 2018, however, so we’re reading that as probably the year after. Still, fans will be extra excited about the prospect, we’re sure.

Zelda: The Breath of the Wild DLC

Release date: From June 30 2017 (second DLC “holiday 2017”)Switch exclusive: Yes Publisher: Nintendo

The biggest game on Switch has a trio of downloadable content purchases on the way. The first of which, The Master Trials, will be released in June; the second, The Champion’s Ballad, will arrive for the holiday season. Harder difficulty modes, new weapons, masks and armour lead the changes. A great way for the Zelda hardcore to get yet more out of their love of Link.

Sony’s fantastical Toio cubes combine robotics with papercraft

Sony’s made some endearingly offbeat electronic toys over the years — looking at you people who gave your Aibos funerals. The company’s newest addition to its crowdfunding site, First Flight, is likely to evoke the same response. Say hello to the Toio cube.

These gadgets measure about 1.25-inches along their sides and about .75-inches tall. Their undersides house a pair of wheels while the nubbly bit on top are compatible with Lego blocks, enabling you to install costumes and structures to the Toios.

They’re reminiscent of the Anki Cozmo, however unlike that desktop robot, these little guys don’t rely on an internal AI. Instead, the Toios are equipped with bluetooth receivers that enable them to talk to each other as well as receive commands from a remote console. That console issues its commands based on whatever cartridge with the preprogrammed operations you plug into it. The system also comes with a number of patterned paper designs that you cut out and attach to the Toios which both add to the visual effect and help control the robots, as you can see in the video below.

The Toios also come with a special optically-patterned mat which allows their visual sensors to navigate the play area, not unlike the Ozobot, though you can also take control of the robots’ movements directly with one of a pair of controllers that plug into the console.

The various games and functions (and papercraft requirements) vary from the most basic up to highly complex designs which means that even if your kid gets bored with it after 5 minutes, you can keep playing. The Toio set runs for 30,000 yen — that’s roughly $275 US. There’s no word yet on whether Sony will release additional cartridges or will allow users to program their own.

Via: Spectrum

Source: Sony First Flight

Uber board member resigns after making a sexist remark

Are you familiar with David Bonderman? If not, you might now remember him as the Uber board member who resigned because he made sexist remark during a meeting meant to address the company’s toxic, misogynistic culture. At the meeting, board member Ariana Huffington said that one woman on the board often leads to another, and Bonderman apparently replied that “it’s much more likely to be more talking.” He apologized after seeing his fellow board members’ horrified reactions but ultimately decided to leave as he does “not want [his] comments to create distraction.”

Bonderman has been working with Uber’s board for the past few months to give the ride-hailing firm’s work culture a much-needed overhaul. The company has been in hot water ever since it was rocked by a serious sexual harassment allegation by a former engineer, among many other issues. As a result, Uber chief Travis Kalanick has gone on a personal leave and will come back to a stripped-down role.

Ariana Huffington said she “appreciate[s] David doing the right thing for Uber at this time of critical cultural changes at the company.” As for Mr. Bonderman, he explained that he “came across in a way that was the opposite of what [he] intended, but [he] understand[s] the destructive effect it had, and [he] take[s] full responsibility for that.”

He also said in a statement:

“I do not want my comments to create distraction as Uber works to build a culture of which we can be proud. I need to hold myself to the same standards that we’re asking Uber to adopt. Therefore, I have decided to resign from Uber’s board of directors, effective tomorrow morning.”

Source: The New York Times

Intel’s wireless HTC Vive add-on is where VR is headed

Complexity is bad for VR. The lengthy wires you need to connect a VR headset to your gaming PC or PlayStation 4 might not be a huge deal to geeks, but they’re the sort of thing mainstream consumers would never live with. We know wireless is the answer. TPCast is already shipping an accessory for the HTC Vive that lets you give up on cables, and based on our demo earlier this year, it works just as advertised.

But there’s a new contender: Intel is showing off its own wireless VR add-on at CES, DisplayLink XR, which is based on WiGig technology. The company claims it delivers less than 7ms of latency, and since WiGig relies on the 802.11ad standard, it can reach gigabit speeds over the uncrowded 60GHz spectrum. Intel first revealed that it was working on the DisplayLink XR at CES, but we didn’t hear much about it until Computex, when it announced a partnership with HTC to build and market it. After testing the accessory out at CES, I’m not surprised why HTC jumped at the chance to partner with Intel.

Just like the TPCast headset, the DisplayLink XR sits on top of the Vive’s headstrap. The prototype is a bit large and cumbersome, and it also has delicate wires sticking out and into the front of the Vive (covered with some classy black tape). It didn’t really inspire much confidence when I first saw it, but my attitude changed when I slipped on the Vive and started playing Space Pirate Trainer.

It’s a game that starts out slow, but quickly gets fast-paced as you’re shooting alien ships and dodging their projectiles. But no matter how crazy the game got, Intel’s wireless add-on kept up. I never noticed any slowdowns or stuttering — the game played just as well as it does on my tethered Vive setup at home. In comparison, while I had a solid experience with TPCast’s wireless accessory, there were moments where the performance got a bit jerky. Intel’s device added a bit of weight to the headset, and I often had to be careful not to dislodge it, but those issues could be resolved as the hardware gets finalized.

We still don’t know when Intel’s DisplayLink XR will be available, or how much it will cost. But, based on what I’ve seen so far, the company is at least on track to deliver something genuinely useful. The move to wireless will be a huge boon for desktop VR, though it’ll have to contend with entirely self-contained virtual reality headsets, like Oculus’ prototype “Santa Cruz” device, as well as increasingly capable mobile VR offerings.

Follow all the latest news from E3 2017 here!

Audi teases self-parking A8 ahead of launch

Audi will launch its next generation A8, which is expected to have level 3 autonomous, on July 11th. Ahead of that unveiling, the company released a video of the new vehicle parking itself.

According to the video, with the push of a button, the car will turn itself around and back into a space. Helpful for when you need to make a quick getaway. That’s not that groundbreaking. Telsa launched its auto-parking Summon feature in early 2016.

But the demo is expected to be part of a new suite of features coming to the A8. The unveiling will be part of the automaker’s new Audi Summit where it will “showcase pioneering solutions for the urban mobility of tomorrow.” At the event it’ll be showcasing its vision of the future of driving and communication.

The company also announced today it’s the first company to get a self-driving license in the state of New York. The state recently announced it would be the next test bed for autonomous vehicles. Audi showed off an A7 with level 3 autonomy during demos.

Governor Cuomo said, “self-driving vehicles are the next frontier in transportation, with the potential to vastly improve traffic safety on New York’s roadways.” Today’s demo is part of a year-long pilot program.

Via: CNET

Source: Audi

France and the UK pressure internet companies to fight extremism

The British and French have already made separate efforts to limit extremists’ online presences, but they now believe they can accomplish more by working together. The two nations have unveiled a joint campaign to prevent extremists from using the internet as a “safe space.” They’re vowing to pressure tech firms into doing more (such as better automatic removal tools), and are “exploring the possibility” of fines and other legal penalties if those companies don’t pull offending material.

The joint initiative puts some additional heat on internet giants like Facebook, Google and Twitter, since they know that a policy implemented in one country is more likely to show up in another.

But will it amount to much? That’s not so clear. Those same tech companies have already been cooperating with officials in some ways, and there are signs they’ve been making significant progress in screening out hate and other extremist views. There may not be much need to push for greater action if it’s really just a matter of time before anti-extremist screening gets a passing grade. Also, there are likely limits as to how far the UK and France can push: they couldn’t expect Facebook to catch every single extremist post with automatic filtering. While the partnership could prompt changes, it could just as easily amount to political grandstanding.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Gov.uk