Canon EOS 6D Mark II and EOS 200D official: A DSLR to suit all levels

In what’s been a relatively quiet couple of years in the world of cameras, Canon has taken to opportunity to get one over its competitors by releasing an EOS DSLR for, well, seemingly everyone. And with the announcement of the EOS 6D Mark II full-frame model and EOS 200D small-scale beginner model, the company has widened its focus yet more.

Let’s kick off with the 6D MkII which, as its name suggests, is the second-gen version of the 2012 original. It’s positioned in the line-up beneath the EOS 5D MkIV, to offer a more affordable, slightly smaller-scale full-frame option for enthusiasts.

Key to the 6D MkII’s spec is a brand new 26.2MP full-frame CMOS sensor, capable of shooting up to ISO 40,000 as standard thanks to the latest Digic 7 processor. It also features a 45-point all cross-type autofocus system.

There’s also a built-in vari-angle LCD touchscreen for the first time in Canon’s full-frame line-up, which makes this camera a very different beast indeed. And a very likable one indeed, too, as we got to see in our pre-release preview session.

• Canon EOS 6D Mark II preview: Full-frame with flexibility

Next up it’s the EOS 200D – the replacement for the original 100D – which is a DSLR on a smaller scale. We didn’t think that camera would ever see an update, given how much it touches upon Canon’s EOS M mirrorless line-up, but we’re really glad this DSLR does exist as we prefer its all-round flexibility over the M-series.

Just because the 200D is small in scale and lightweight doesn’t mean it doesn’t pack in some heavyweight features. The sensor, for example, is the same 24.2-megapixel APS-C CMOS as you’ll find in the 80D, so picture quality should be every bit as good (lens permitting).

There’s also a vari-angle LCD touchscreen so the camera can be used with just the screen if you’re averse to the built-in viewfinder and its 9-point autofocus system. With Dual Pixel AF meaning focus areas on the sensor itself, the speed of focus via the screen is very quick indeed, as we found when testing out the 200D in our pre-release preview session.

• Canon EOS 200D preview: Small and suitable for all

The Canon EOS 6D Mark II will be available from July 2017, priced £2,000 body only. The Canon EOS 200D will also be available in July, priced £580 body-only, £650 with an 18-55mm kit lens, or £680 with the 18-55mm STM (step motor) kit lens.

Canon EOS 200D preview: The perfect mini DSLR for beginners?

DSLR cameras were once seen as these big, beastly pro-spec machines that you wouldn’t want to lay hands on unless you had an encyclopaedic knowledge of photography. How times have changed, eh?

The Canon EOS 200D is an interesting small-scale DSLR, designed for beginners. It arrives at a time when mirrorless models – such as Canon’s own EOS M6 – are arguably the more prolific cameras to buy, thanks to their speedy screen-based or viewfinder-based autofocus.

The Canon 200D – which replaces the 100D, as released back in 2013 – finds itself at the intersection between mirrorless and DSLR. While technically speaking it’s the latter camera type, many of its features – the vari-angle LCD and touchscreen control, plus Dual Pixel AF for speedy on-screen autofocus – will make it a viable alternative to buying a mirrorless.

Which is exactly why we’re surprised that the 200D exists. We’re glad it does, though. To us, this camera is the exact reason to not buy a Canon EOS M-series mirrorless. Why? Because it has heaps more EF lenses directly compatible, it’s got an easier-to-use Guided UI user interface system to help with taking the shot you want, and it’s got an optical viewfinder that a mirrorless camera can’t utilise.

Is the EOS 200D the best first-time DSLR ever? And is it worth its £650 asking price?

Canon 200D review: Design

• Small and lightweight design
• Guided UI user interface for beginners
• Vari-angle LCD screen and built-in viewfinder
• Available in black, white or silver finishes

In pictures the EOS 200D might look like any other DSLR. Canon likes to think its less “daunting” to use thanks to a different and supposedly simpler button layout compared to what you’ll find on other Canon DSLR cameras – but, realistically, those ISO, Av+/-, Q Set buttons and M, Av, Tv and P options on the top dial will more than likely have newcomers scratching their heads.

Pocket-lint

Which is where Guided UI comes into play. If you’re shooting through the viewfinder, then the camera’s rear screen is used to show you what the selected mode actually does. In Av mode (that’s aperture priority in Canon speak) it shows the number value relative to “for more background blur” as an example, which is a snappy and useful way to decipher the camera’s features and grow into it. Shame the user interface is slow as heck to respond, but the principle idea is great.

The other thing that really helps to break down barriers is that vari-angle touchscreen. It doesn’t have to be fixed vertically to the rear of the camera, which is great for pulling it away from the body to use it in over-head or low-level situations for more creative shots. Because using the camera in live view mode will show everything in real-time on the screen, without necessitating the need to look through the viewfinder (although that’s also an option, which is handy in bright sunlight of when steadying against-the-face shots can be useful).

Canon 200D review: Performance

• Dual Pixel AF for on-screen autofocus
• 9-point AF for viewfinder-based autofocus
• Wi-Fi, NFC and Bluetooth LE for sharing (downloadable app available)

The ability to simply tap on the screen to focus will work a treat for those more used to shooting with, say, a mobile phone. A clear focus point appears on the screen, with tracking AF even able to follow a subject around to some degree.

Pocket-lint

It’s this Dual Pixel AF system – the same as you’ll find in the EOS 80D – which works to deliver quick autofocus. It’s fast enough to rival Canon’s mirrorless range, which, to us, almost muscles out the need to consider an EOS M model. The focus types in the 200D aren’t as complex as something like the Panasonic Lumix G80, but it’s still a fast and efficient system.

For viewfinder-based autofocus the system is as basic as Canon now offers: it’s a 9-point autofocus setup, arranged in a diamond pattern to the centre of the capture area, which can be used in its full arrangement or a specific point can be user-selected. It’s just as quick, if not quicker, than when shooting via the screen – it’s only the low number of focus points that make this system less versatile than Canon’s higher-end DSLR models. In this instance, for the beginner level, that’s really no problem. 

Canon 200D review: Image quality and video

• 24.2-megapixel APS-C sensor
• Digic 7 processor
• 1080p video capture

Beneath the 200D’s exterior is a tried and tested 24.2-megapixel APS-C sensor. Those caps denote its size: this is a large sensor, which is useful when it comes to overall quality, low-light capture ability and enhancing that blurred background (bokeh) effect for more pro-looking shots.

Pocket-lint

What’s interesting about that sensor is it’s the same as you’ll find in, say, the EOS 77D or EOS 80D – both of which are cameras far higher up the Canon ranks and, thus, image quality shouldn’t be any different (assuming like-for-like lenses). And that means the 200D is all about great quality.

Lenses will matter, of course, which is where the £580 body-only price can creep up. With a basic 18-55mm zoom lens the 200D increases to £650. If you were to buy a more professional lens – whether one with a far longer reach to capture far-away subjects, or something more pro-spec in terms of maximum aperture for extra blurred backgrounds – then it could double the cost of the camera.

Most people, we suspect, will buy into this mini DSLR and use it with the lens provided. Which is fine, as it does a good enough job in a portable package. Plus the ability to expand is one of the strong points of the EOS DSLR range and its EF lenses.

Pocket-lint

Now, we haven’t been able to take away sample shots from the test 200D we were provided, so can’t critically comment on its results just yet – but anticipate decent results, akin to the 77D/800D, when it arrives in July 2017.

First Impressions

We genuinely weren’t expecting Canon to launch a 100D replacement model because of the potential cross-over this has with the company’s EOS M mirrorless series. But we’re really glad to see the 200D because it represents Canon’s strong suit in a small-scale, easy-to-use and more versatile system with access to heaps of lenses. It’s an ideal DSLR for the first-time shooter.

Its potential issue is its price. At £650 it’s not hyper expensive, all things considered, but the Panasonic Lumix G80 is available for £699 with a lens – and that has a more comprehensive focus system plus 4K video capture and additional modes. Sure, the Panasonic doesn’t have an optical finder like the Canon, while first-timers might find its button-heavy layout more daunting, but it’s a strong alternative that can’t be ignored.

But if it’s a DSLR you want then we think Canon’s served up a potentially great one in the EOS 200D. And, in doing so, it’s only marginalised its not-so-hot EOS M mirrorless series all the more. Swings and roundabouts.

The Canon EOS 200D will go on sale in July 2017, priced £580 body-only, £650 with the 18-55mm DC kit lens, and £700 with the 18-55mm STM kit lens.

Draft defense bill would ban Kaspersky’s security software

American officials are worried that Russian software could be used to compromise national security, and they aren’t taking any chances. A draft version of the Senate’s National Defense Authorization Act, which greenlights military funding, explicitly bans the Department of Defense from using Kaspersky Lab’s security software over concerns that it could be “vulnerable to Russian government influence.” Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who added the clause, believes Kaspersky “cannot be trusted” to protect the US’ critical infrastructure. The links between the company and the Russian government are “very alarming,” she says.

Shaheen is referring to reports from outlets such as BuzzFeed News, which cited anonymous officials concerned that Kaspersky has a “close relationship” with the Russian government. There doesn’t appear to be hard evidence of a link, but there are worries that the US isn’t adequately vetting access agreements between Kaspersky and the third-party vendors that provide its tools to the American government. The firm has landed contracts with agencies ranging from the National Institutes of Health (in 2008) to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (in 2016), including some State Department offices.

Kaspersky, for its part, is vocally denying connections. It “has never helped, nor will help, any government in the world with its cyberespionage efforts,” according to repeated statements. We’ve reached out for comment on the NDAA bill and will let you know if Kaspersky has more to say.

Not that any denials are stopping law enforcement. NBC News has learned (and Kaspersky has since confirmed) that FBI agents interviewed “at least a dozen” Kaspersky staffers as part of a counter-intelligence investigation. The conversations were only meant to gather information about how the company works, including how its US-based division reports to Moscow, but they still indicate that the FBI is worried enough about possible influence from Putin’s camp that it wants more answers. There’s no sign that this is linked to investigations into Russian attempts to influence the US election through hacks.

It’s possible that the bill eventually signed into law could omit the Kaspersky ban. If it passes as-is, though, it would signal a fundamental change of attitude toward the use of Kaspersky’s software for important systems — just the chance that Russia could slip spyware through (even if it’s against Kaspersky’s will) would be considered too great a risk. A move certainly wouldn’t help alleviate tensions with Russia, which still denies any involvement in election-related hacks. Whether or not the fear is justified, it’s evident that Kaspersky will have trouble winning American contracts going forward.

Via: Dustin Volz (Twitter 1), (2), Reuters

Source: Senate (PDF), NBC News

Eero’s new mesh WiFi system packs more power in a pretty package

The first-generation Eero was a game-changer. With a mesh network that blanketed your home in WiFi, it finally offered home wireless that doesn’t suck. It pledged to rid my home of dead spots and, for the most part, it did. Since then, however, Eero has seen plenty of competition from the likes of Google, Linksys and Samsung — each promising the same mesh-network capabilities.

Now, Eero is out with two new products — a second-generation Eero, plus a new Eero Beacon — that promise a more powerful network overall at a slightly lower entry-level price (you can get both in a starter bundle for $299). I’ve been using the “standard” home bundle (which is one Eero hub and two Beacons) for the past two weeks and, despite a few quibbles, I can say that it certainly delivers.

The second-generation Eero looks exactly the same as the first-generation Eero, but that’s not really a bad thing. Both the second-gen Eero and the Eero Beacon are two of the most stylish WiFi products out there. There are no unsightly antennae or clunky hardware here; instead, the Eero and the Eero Beacon share a similar minimalist aesthetic.

Both are encased in a glossy white shell, with a rather attractive curved exterior. The design doesn’t draw your attention necessarily, but it’s also pleasant enough that you wouldn’t want to hide it behind a piece of furniture. It’s an aesthetic so pleasing that many others have copied it since the original’s release.

Aside from looks though, the second-gen Eero is very different from the first. Internally, it has tri-band support, a new thermal management system, a new antenna array and a Thread radio for low-power connected home products, like locks and thermostats. In short, it’s just all around better. On the rear of the second-gen Eero are two Ethernet ports, a USB-C connector (for both diagnostics and power) and a power-reset button. The two Ethernet ports don’t seem like enough at first, but the WiFi is actually so good that I found I didn’t miss it (more on this later).

The Eero Beacon, on the other hand, is basically Eero’s Mini-Me. It’s half the size of a regular Eero and plugs directly into the wall. It’s also not quite as powerful as the second-gen model (it has dual-band instead of tri-band), it doesn’t have any Ethernet ports either, so you can’t use this as a standalone unit — it requires the aforementioned Eero hub in order to work. But it has much of the same internal specs, including that aforementioned Thread radio support.

If you’re thinking to yourself, gee, the Beacon looks a lot like a nightlight, well, it comes with an LED that works exactly like one. When it’s dark, the ambient light sensor will detect it, and voilà, it’ll light right up. Or, if you want, you can even use the app to have it come on at certain times of day automatically. It’s a touch of whimsy that I find quite charming and is definitely a feature you likely won’t find in other WiFi products.

Setting the Eero up is pretty easy. You’ll have to download the companion app to do so, but once you do, it’ll guide you through the installation process. As with the original Eero, you’ll have to create an account with your email address and phone number, so that it can easily send verification codes instead of requiring you to set up a password. You can then set up your network name and assign a password, just like with other routers.

From there, it’s as simple as plugging the Eero hub (the regular-sized one, not the Beacon) into a power outlet and into your modem. The LED on the front will blink blue to indicate that it’s in pairing mode, and the app will detect it soon after. Once it does, it runs a short signal-strength test to see if you’ve placed the Eero in a suitable spot, and then you’re done. Installing additional Eeros and Beacons is done the same way. Because each Eero hub does the job of a router, a range extender and a repeater, connecting multiple Eeros together essentially creates a mesh WiFi network that covers your whole home.

The latest version of the companion app offers additional diagrams and animations in the hopes of making the setup even more painless. For example, it asks you what sort of home you have — is it square, or long? — and how many rooms, in order to best figure out how many Eeros you should have and where you should place them.

The company says that one regular Eero and one Eero Beacon should be good enough for one- to two- bedroom homes (like a studio or a small apartment), while one Eero and two Beacons is sufficient for most two- to three-bedroom homes. Of course, this may vary depending on the kind of house you have, as well as the position of your outlets.

I bring up the outlet issue in particular because the Beacon is more suited for outlets that are aligned vertically, like in most modern homes, instead of horizontally, which is more common in older houses. This turned out to be a slight issue for me, as my house has a mix of both — while most of the house has modern outlets, my bedrooms have old-fashioned horizontally-aligned ones, where the Beacon ends up on its side and could potentially block the other outlet. It’s not a terrible issue, really, but it’s something to keep in mind.

The refreshed app has an improved dashboard as well, letting you see all of your connected Eeros and devices in a single view. You can dial down to each connected device to see which WiFi band it’s using as well as which Eero hub it’s connected to (the Eero system is intelligent enough to switch frequencies and connections depending on network load). If you’re a parent, you can easily assign different devices to different family members and keep track of their internet usage. If you want everyone to come to the dinner table right away, for example, you can just shut off their internet access. Pretty devious.

On to the part you’ve all been waiting for: performance. I’ll start by admitting that I don’t have the fastest ISP in the world — I’m just on DSL — and I live in a two-bedroom 1,200-square-foot home with multiple levels. I decided to run a few speed tests (using Speedtest.net) with my laptop plugged directly into my modem to get a good benchmark to test against. With a wired connection, I had an average latency of 26 ms, download speeds of 28 Mbps and upload speeds of 2.27 Mbps.

Next, I ran speed tests while wirelessly connected to the Eero network in both the downstairs living room and the upstairs bedroom. In my living room tests, my WiFi speed tests were on par with my wired connection, with an average latency of 27ms, download speeds of 28.5 Mbps and upload speeds of 2.2 Mbps. The upstairs speed was a touch slower, but not by much, with an average latency of 28ms, download speeds of 27 Mbps and upload speeds of 2.16 Mbps. In short, the wireless connections throughout the house had more or less the same performance as my wired connection, with hardly any dead spots. That’s pretty impressive.

Then I tried to see if I could maintain a decent connection while moving from room to room. I tested this by having a Facetime call with a colleague and then walking around the house. It was a pretty great connection for the most part — the high-res video looked crisp and clear — but I did experience a hiccup when I went into the bathroom, where the video suddenly dropped in quality. Interestingly though, the video went back to being good again in just a few minutes, which Eero attributes to the dynamic rerouting finally kicking in. Meanwhile, I also had about seven or so devices connected to the network at the same time, and I suffered few to no bandwidth concerns when streaming video or playing games.

There are a few more Eero features worth mentioning. For one thing, all of the new Eero devices are compatible with the original ones. So if you’re an existing Eero customer, you can still use your old hubs with the newer models in the same mesh network. Next is that you can add a guest network that’s just for, well, guests, with the added ability to simply text them the guest password directly from the app. And, because the Eero is connected to the cloud, the firmware is updated over-the-air, without you having to do anything.

Last but not least is Eero Plus, which is an additional paid subscription that promises premium protection against malware and viruses on all of your connected devices. The service also offers stronger parental controls like content filtering or enabling SafeSearch on certain profiles. And, of course, Plus subscribers get priority customer support. The Eero Plus subscription is available for either $9.99 a month or $99 a year.

The cost of having an Eero in your home is certainly more than a traditional router. You can get a starter Eero and Beacon package for $299, but if you live in a multi-tier house like mine, you’ll probably want the Eero and two Beacons bundle, which sells for $399. If you live in a larger house, or you just want more Ethernet ports, you can cough up for the three Eero hub bundle for $499. Eero also sells the devices individually; the second-gen Eero is $199 while the Beacon is $149.

Comparatively, the Google WiFi three-pack is $299, while a single Google WiFi hub is $129. Samsung’s Connect Home product, on the other hand, is $379.99 for a three-pack and $169.99 for a single unit (there’s also a more powerful single-device Connect Home Pro for $249.99). Linksys is selling its mesh WiFi solution in individual units for $200, and in packs of two and three for $350 and $500, respectively.

While the original Eero seemed expensive at the time (three-pack was $499, single was $199), the second-generation Eero bundles actually seem on-par with what’s on the market currently. Sure, the individual second-gen Eeros are still on the high-end price-wise, but you can mix and match with the more affordable Beacons, which are really just as capable. Plus, you could just get the starter $299 Eero bundle to see if that’s enough for your WiFi needs before splurging on more.

In sum, I believe the Eero works as advertised, and delivers on its promise of whole-home wireless coverage in an attractive, user-friendly package. That said though, if you already have an existing mesh-networking solution like Google WiFi or the original Eero, the slight performance difference is probably not worth upgrading to the second-gen model. But if you’re interested in diving into the whole mesh WiFi thing and you have to cash to spare, the powerful, prettier Eeros could be well worth it.

Canon’s full-frame 6D Mark II is a solid upgrade with a catch

Nearly four years after it first launched its original EOS 6D budget full-frame camera, Canon has unveiled a successor. The EOS 6D Mark II improves on the past model in nearly every way, offering more connection options, resolution, much faster autofocus and higher sensitivity, while retaining the light weight and good handling we liked about the original. It falls down in a key area, however, offering just 1080p video resolution rather than the 4K you’d expect in a modern DSLR.

The improvements in the new new model revolve mostly around the new sensor. Instead of 20.2 megapixels, it captures 26.2 million pixels, about 30 percent more resolution. Paired with a new Digic 7 processor, you can now shoot at 6.5 fps continuously and grab up to 150 JPEG or 21 RAW images before the buffer fills.

Canon says the new 45 point cross-type system makes autofocus much faster, and there’s a new dual-pixel autofocus that offers better speed in liveview mode, too. You can shoot with less light thanks to an improved maximum native ISO of 40,000, compared to 25,600 in the last model. As before, that’s expandable to ISO 102,400.

Another big change is the 1.04 million dot monitor, which now has a touchscreen and “vari-angle” adjustment. That opens up new possibilities like touch shutter and focus, making it easier to switch focus from one subject to another when shooting video. At the same time, the more twistable rear monitor makes it easier to take selfies. On top of having WiFi as before, new wireless features include Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC, making it a lot easier to set up, shoot remotely, or sync with your phone.

The body is just slightly heavier than the original at 685 grams (24.1 ounces) instead of 680 grams, but it’s still the lightest full-frame DSLR out there. (Sony’s mirrorless A7 II is much lighter at 600 grams, or 21 ounces, mind you.) The new weather-proof construction is more robust and Canon has made it easier to handle, thanks to a deeper, edgier grip.

Now for the bad news. The EOS 6D Mark II only has 1080p, 60 fps video and not 4K, something that’s unacceptable for a 2017 camera that costs $2,000. Canon may be hoping that users who really need it will go for a 5D Mark IV, a DSLR that costs around $3,500. But 4K is available in nearly every new mirrorless, high-end compact, and smartphone camera, so consumers will expect it in a fancy DSLR nowadays.

Canon told us in a pre-briefing that most photographers only publish video at 1080p and that 4K files are “heavy,” so it felt the option wasn’t needed. However, The 6D Mark II’s specs were leaked onto the internet quite awhile ago and almost every comment on the leak posts has bashed the lack of 4K. To be fair, there aren’t any other full-frame cameras in the 6D II’s price range that go beyond 1080p. However, for around $2,600 or so, you can pick up a new full-frame Sony A7R II or A7S II, both of which can handle 4K.

The EOS 6D Mark II arrives in late July 2017 for $1,999 (body) only, $2,599 with Canon’s EF 24-105 f/3.5-5.6 mid-range zoom, and $3,099 with the high-end EF 24-105mm f/4.0 zoom.

Canon’s lightweight Rebel SL2 has a much-improved sensor

If you prefer a DSLR’s true optical finder to the EVF of a mirrorless, but don’t want to lug a heavy camera, there aren’t many options. Canon does have one worthy of consideration, however: the EOS Rebel SL2. It replaces the four-year-old Rebel SL1 and brings it to a much more modern standard, thanks mostly to a new 24.2-megapixel APS-C sensor. At the same time, it only gains a bit of weight, going from 407 to 453 grams, which is exactly one pound.

With the Rebel SL2, you’re getting a walking-around DLSR with Canon’s impressive gamut of lenses and decent, but not amazing, specs. That includes a sensor with around 30 percent percent more resolution (the same as the one on the EOS 77D and Rebel T7i), and a new liveview dual-pixel autofocus system. However, Canon says that the 9 point AF system is the same as the one on the previous model, which is pretty disappointing considering the competition and how old it is.

That yields a continuous shooting speed of 5 fps, up from 4 fps on the last model, with a decent 3.5 fps in liveview mode thanks to the new dual-pixel system. Native ISO goes up to 25,600 compared to 12,800 before, expandable to 51,200. Canon adds that it has updated the Rebel SL2 to its new, simpler menu user interface, first introduced on the EOS Rebel T7i.

The Rebel SL1 was the lightest DSLR you could buy, but the Rebel SL2, weighing 47 grams more at 450 grams (one pound), now cedes the crown to the 395 gram (14 ounce) Nikon D3400.

Other specs include a 1.04 million dot, 3-inch screen that, unlike the new 6D Mark II model, is not touch sensitive. Connectivity-wise, you get Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi and NFC, making it easier to sync the camera with your smartphone. One other bonus: the battery is slightly larger than the one in the last model, giving you a bit more shooting time.

For video, the Rebel SL2 can shoot 1080p at up to 60 fps, the same as with Canon’s new full-frame 6D Mark II model. Continuous video AF should be better with the dual-pixel AF. The lack of 4K is not as disappointing for the Rebel model as it is for the 6D Mark II, but for $100 more, you can get Panasonic’s Lumix G7, an interchangeable lens camera with Ultra HD video.

The EOS Rebel SL2 costs $549 (body only), or $700 with the Canon EF-S 18-55m f/4-5.6 IS lens — $100 cheaper than the SL1 was at launch. For a bit more in the same sensor class, you could get the less hefty Nikon D5600, and if you want to pay less, Sony’s mirrorless A6000 or the aforementioned D3400. It arrives in late July 2017.

Meet the small 360 camera module that will fit into phones

You’re probably not aware of this, but a Chinese company dubbed ProTruly has already released the world’s first two smartphones with a built-in 360 camera last December. Don’t worry if you missed the news, because chances are you’d be put off by the devices’ sheer bulkiness, but according to HT Optical, this may no longer be the case with the next release. At MWC Shanghai, I came across this Wuhan-based company which happened to be the 360 camera module supplier of not just ProTruly, but also of Xiaomi for its recent Mi Sphere Camera.

As I was mocking the ridiculousness of the ProTruly Darling phones displayed at the booth, HT Optical’s Vice President Shu Junfeng pulled me to a side and gave me a sneak peek at what’s coming next: a much smaller 360 camera module that can fit into a 7.6mm-thick smartphone, yet it’ll take 16-megapixel stills — a massive jump from, say, the Insta360 Air dongle’s 4.5-megapixel resolution, and also a tad more than the latest Samsung Gear 360’s 15-megapixel offering.

Future “VR smartphones” will look much less ridiculous than this ProTruly Darling.

I wasn’t sure whether it was excitement or skepticism that my face expressed upon hearing this claim, but it prompted Shu to show me some photos — which he wasn’t able to share for this article — of an upcoming smartphone that will feature this new module. Indeed, the device looked more like a conventional smartphone, as opposed to the 8.9mm-thick and 181.4mm-tall ProTruly Darling pictured above (and just for reference, the iPhone 7 Plus is 7.3mm thick and 158.2mm tall).

Also, the lenses on this mysterious phone’s module apparently add just an extra 1mm to the overall thickness, which means the camera will be less of an annoyance during phone calls or when placed in our pockets. This still doesn’t stop either lens from touching whatever surface you place the phone on, but Shu assured me that these lenses will feature a tough scratch resistant coating on the lenses.

Shu then showed me what he claimed to be a 16-megapixel 360 still taken with that new camera module, and the image was surprisingly sharp for such a tiny module. Needless to say, I was able to zoom into that image much further than I would with the photos from my Insta360 Air. While there was no sample video to show me, the exec said this little module can shoot 4K videos which is also impressive. I guess we’ll see more when this phone launches in China on July 30th.

As a firm that used to deal with camera makers like Sony and Olympus, HT Optical has dabbled with other kinds of product categories following the decline of the compact digital camera market. On top of the smartphone VR camera, I was also intrigued by the company’s phone cases with integrated optical zoom camera. The one highlighted above comes with 5x optical zoom, for instance, and it has its own microSD slot. It’s a similar idea to the Hasselblad MotoMod for Moto Z series, except you can plug any iPhone or Android phone — depending on the plug type — into this one. As a bonus, thanks to their built-in battery, the cases can capture images by themselves when needed, so long as you’re comfortable with the lack of a viewfinder.

It’s hard to tell whether this type of phone case will ever take off, but for the smartphone VR camera module, Shu reckoned it’ll take at least a year or two before it becomes a mainstream feature. For now, he’s happy to focus on working with the smaller mobile brands that tend to be more daring.

Elon Musk’s ‘Godot’ machine cuts its first LA tunnel segment

SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk just tweeted that his tunnel-carving operation, The Boring Company, just completed cutting out its first segment with its Beckett-homaging drill, Godot. While the plan is to build an entire subterranean network underneath the streets of Los Angeles, it’s unclear where this first tunnel portion was cut and how far it went. Last we heard, negotiations for permits to start digging under city soil were promising but not concrete.

No longer waiting for Godot. It has begun boring and just completed the first segment of tunnel in LA.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 28, 2017

Location is important: Back in February, The Boring Company was safely and legally cutting test tunnels in the SpaceX parking lot, but anything beyond the borders of the organization’s land would require getting permission from the city. The founder tweeted that he’d had “promising conversations” with LA Mayor Eric Garcetti two weeks ago — and that getting permits was harder than developing the tech for his future tunnel network — but we haven’t seen official confirmation that Musk got the green light to start digging on city grounds.

That network isn’t for a new public transit system, mind you: The Boring Company’s tunnels will haul cars, bikes and pedestrians on electric sleds at up to 125 miles per hour, according to a concept video released in April, that will shrink half-hour drives aboveground to five-minute blitzes below. The first leg of the network is slated to run from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Culver City, Santa Monica, Westwood and up to Sherman Oaks.

Source: Elon Musk (Twitter)

Signal tests changes to how users verify secure contacts

Last November, Signal introduced a few changes to how it manages its safety numbers — the unique code given to each conversation you have on the app. Safety numbers can change because someone gets a new phone and reinstalled the app or because the conversation has been compromised. Typically, whenever that code changed, those in the conversation had to manually approve the new safety number before sending or receiving any additional messages.

With the November update, Open Whisper Systems (OWS) introduced an “advisory mode” setting that allowed users to be notified of a safety number change but not be prevented from exchanging messages. After testing out that setting and collecting feedback from users, OWS has made some adjustments to it, which are now available for testing in the beta channels of the Signal app.

In advisory mode, if you receive a message in a conversation with a new safety number, a notification will appear telling you about the new number. And it will stay on the screen until you see it. Even if you get a few new messages, they won’t push the notification off of the screen. When sending a message after a safety number change, the same notification will appear and you’ll be able to send messages as long as you’ve had the chance to see the notification. If it happens to appear just after you send a message or just before, the message won’t be delivered until you approve it. Users can also now mark a safety number as “verified” and any safety number changes from a verified conversation will require manual approval even if you’ve switched on the advisory mode.

The changes are available in beta now and OWS encourages users to send along any feedback they have.

Source: Open Whisper Systems

Ultrasonic 3D printer could print and assemble every component of a smartphone

Why it matters to you

Ultrasonic assembly device would change what we think of as a 3D printer — and make additive manufacturing far more versatile in the process.

Neurotechnology, a Lithuanian software development company, wants to rethink 3D printing using ultrasonic particle manipulation. That might sound pretty far-out and futuristic — but with that goal in mind, the company has developed a radically new kind of printer, capable of “printing” just about anything you can imagine.

According to its creators, this technology could enable even something as complex as a smartphone to be 3D printed using a single machine: right from the outer casing to the printed electronic circuit boards that make it run. As well as your standard metals and plastics, it can also manipulate liquids with precision.

“The apparatus uses an array of ultrasonic transducers that emit ultrasonic waves,” lead researcher Osvaldas Putkis told Digital Trends. “By having individual control of each transducer, it is possible to create desired pressure profiles that can trap, rotate and move particles and components without touch. The non-contact nature of ultrasonic manipulation offers a few important advantages when compared to mechanical handling. It can handle a wide range of materials having very different mechanical properties, from plastics and metals down to even liquids. It can [also] handle sensitive materials and small components, avoiding the parasitic electrostatic forces.”

The physics behind the machine are pretty darn complex. However, if it works as well as the demo seen in the above video, you should be able to manipulate a wide range of particles in such a way that your created object forms together like a reassembling liquid metal T-100 from Terminator II. The company claims that its accuracy in moving objects is in the range of just a few microns.

At present, Putkis says his team has developed an early prototype, capable of assembling simple electronic circuits on a printed circuit board. To do this, it employs non-contact ultrasonic manipulation technology for positioning of the different electronic components, as well as a laser to solder them in place. To coordinate the process, calibrate the laser, and detect the various components, it uses an on-board camera.

“At this stage it is very hard to say when such printer will be available as an end-user product as there still needs a lot of research and development to be done,” Putkis said. “We are seeking partnerships that could potentially help speed up the developments and application of this printing method.”

In other words, it could be a bit of a wait until you’re printing off the new iPhone at home, rather than queuing to pick one up from your local Apple store. If Neurotechnology’s research pays off, though, this could be a serious game-changer — even in an industry that’s bursting at the seams with high-quality 3D printers.