Pixel and Pixel XL will stop getting on-device tech support in 2019

Google now says that the Pixel and Pixel XL will no longer be eligible for on-device phone tech support in October 2019.

When something goes wrong with your phone, you want to be able to call (or more usually chat) with someone that can help you fix it. Google currently offers on-device tech support that lets you call Google Support right from the Settings app if your Pixel gives you trouble, and those calls are going to go unanswered starting in October 2019. That date is, not coincidentally, also when the Pixel is going to stop receiving Android security updates.

The Pixel will also no longer be guaranteed Android version updates after October 2018, two years after it was announced. Putting expiration dates on a product is always a bit of a buzzkill, but I’m happy that Google has given us the dates, and I’m very happy with the dates they’ve given us.

Most phones are lucky to see Android version updates a year and a half after their release, and the Pixel will see at least two years of them. Most phones don’t receive many if any monthly security updates on their phones and the Pixel will see three years of them. Getting support for a two-year-old phone is unheard of, but you’ll still be able to call Google and get help with your Pixel for most of 2019, for a phone that came out in 2016. That’s pretty incredible.

Google has also updated the end-of-life dates for the last of the Nexus line. The Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P will not see an Android version update beyond Android O this fall, and they will stop receiving security updates September 2018, along with phone support at that same time.

Google Pixel + Pixel XL

• Google Pixel and Pixel XL review
• Google Pixel XL review: A U.S. perspective
• Google Pixel FAQ: Should you upgrade?
• Pixel + Pixel XL specs
• Understanding Android 7.1 Nougat
• Join the discussion in the forums!

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Verizon

Learn everything you need to know to become a Graphic Designer!

Designing posters for events, making business cards, or creating graphics for Youtube videos all take powerful designing software to complete. The Adobe Creative Cloud is the gold standard in the design industry today, used by professionals and amateurs alike.

Learn Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign for only $39! Learn more

While the Adobe CC is loaded with powerful programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, they won’t be much good to you unless you know how to use them, and learning how to use these sophisticated software programs can be tricky. Android Central Digital Offers has the perfect solution.

Right now, through Android Central Digital Offers you can receive the Graphic Design Certification School: Lifetime Subscription!

This bundle of courses gives you lifetime access to valuable training content for three of Adobe’s most popular designing programs. Regardless of your skill level coming into the courses, you will learn essential skills for using Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Here’s just a sampling of the topics covered:

• Use selection tools, work with layers, master crop and transform functions, and more.
• Apply Photoshop filters, layer styles, and explore adjustment layers.
• Understand the Type tool, blending shapes and colors, and basic effects.
• Discover transparency and graphic styles.
• Use templates and styles to speed up creating documents.
• Explore graphic file formats and print terminology.

This entire bundle would normally cost you over $1,100 but is available right now through Android Central Digital Offers for only $39!

That’s right if you act now, you can get the Graphic Design Certification School for a 96% discount!

Lifetime access to the best design programs! Learn more

How to get the best Daydream games for free

With a few tricks, you can get the Daydream games you crave for absolutely free.

Daydream delivers plenty of excellent games, apps, and experiences, that are all delivered directly from your phone. However if you’re trying to pick up all the games that have caught your eye, and you happen to be on a budget, then you might quickly find yourself unable to afford everything you desperately want to play. Thankfully there are a few ways you can save some money, and get yourself the games you really want…for free.

Read more at VR Heads!

Boston Dynamics and its lifelike robots have been sold to SoftBank

Boston Dynamics is getting a new owner again.

Google’s parent company Alphabet Inc. has decided to sell Boston Dynamics, which it bought back in 2013, to technology holdings group SoftBank for an undisclosed amount. Boston Dynamics frequently makes the rounds on social media (and regular media) whenever it puts out videos of their adorable dog-like robots… or of their engineers kicking said dog-like robots to prove they can balance.

It’s hard to tell if Alphabet won or lost in this deal as Google X never disclosed how much it bought the company for back in 2013, and the details of its selling Boston Dynamics are equally slim, but the company was a passion project for Andy Rubin, and was overseen by him until he left Google.

We’ve heard tell of Alphabet looking to sell Boston Dynamics before, and it seems that it found a buyer in SoftBank, whose CEO Masayoshi Son said, “Smart robotics are going to be a key driver of the next stage of the Information Revolution, and Marc and his team at Boston Dynamics are the clear technology leaders in advanced dynamic robots. I am thrilled to welcome them to the SoftBank family and look forward to supporting them as they continue to advance the field of robotics and explore applications that can help make life easier, safer and more fulfilling.”

I only have one small request for Boston Dynamics and its new owners: please stop kicking the potentially life-ending robots.

Galaxy S8: What’s the difference between U.S. unlocked and carrier versions?

If your goal is not to stress about the carrier behind your new Galaxy S8, then the unlocked version is the way to go.

Now that it’s officially available to purchase, there are plenty of reasons you should consider paying the full price for the unlocked Galaxy S8 over a subsidized one from your carrier. Not only are you freeing yourself from the relative shackles of a contract with a carrier, but you’re also signing up for an easier experience. Having a carrier loom over your device means that it’s also included its own stuff right out of the box. By virtue, the unlocked Galaxy S8 is simply pain-free.

Here are the main differences between an unlocked Galaxy S8 and a Verizon model.

A bloat-free setup

Verizon bundles in a ton of stuff right out of the box.

By far, the unlocked and untouched version of the Galaxy S8 offers the quickest setup process of any of the carrier models. In this version, you’ll only have to walk through the Google account login screen for Android, and then once more to log in to a Samsung account. On a carrier-branded version of the device, however, there is usually a third login screen added on, typically towards an account associated with the carrier. On both T-Mobile and Verizon variants of the Galaxy S8, for instance, I was asked to log in or sign up for an account with their respective online account services. I opted out both times.

Some people like what their carrier has to offer. Verizon, for instance, will bundle in the NFL Mobile app on the Galaxy S8 — and keep it there. If you’re truly a fan of American football, however, this sort of forced inclusion probably isn’t an issue. But in most cases, it feels like mandatory advertisement living in the app drawer.

Paying full price for the Galaxy S8 without a carrier contract won’t pay for a wall between you and Facebook.

Opting out of logging in with your carrier won’t opt you out of the carrier’s apps either, and that’s another mark in favor of the unlocked Galaxy S8. I was almost awestruck at the relative lack of bloatware in the app drawer right after logging in. There is very little that required tinkering with after the fact, save for a lone Facebook icon that will never leave the smartphone. Sorry to say, but paying full price for the Galaxy S8 without a carrier contract won’t pay for a wall between you and Facebook. The app can be disabled, at least, but it can’t be deleted without some trickery. At the very least, it’s only a mere 12KB of annoyance (since it’s not actually downloaded until you tap on the icon for the first time).

The Galaxy S8+’s app drawer on Verizon (left) versus the Galaxy S8 unlocked (right).

There are also Samsung’s apps to contend with, though if you’re staying on the Samsung wagon perhaps you should consider leaning into the company’s ecosystem. The Samsung Gear app, for example, comes pre-included so that the phone is ready to go with the Gear 360 right out of the box, while Smart Switch is exceptionally helpful at migrating data from the old phone into the new one. When you’re done with either of the apps, you can delete them entirely to reclaim that space.

The apps you can’t delete from the unlocked Galaxy S8 are the Samsung browser app, the Galaxy Apps store, an included file browser, and Samsung Connect. You can’t disable them, either, as they’re effectively a major part of the Samsung experience. The My Files file browser app is at least useful for finding files lost deep in the abyss of the smartphone’s file system, or dealing with external storage. Dupes still exist here, too; in addition to the two app stores that come preloaded, the unlocked Galaxy S8 comes with two unremovable email clients and two browsers.

Free to be you

Fewer apps outside of the box seem to signify more freedom.

Perhaps the best reason for buying an unlocked smartphone is that you’re nearly truly free — free to be on any network you choose, anywhere in the world. All the major U.S. networks are supported on the unlocked variant of the Galaxy S8 and S8+, including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and many of their related MVNOs. The device will work overseas in different countries, too, and you won’t have to worry about calling anyone about your device before getting on the plane.

Update anxiety

The only downside is that if you’re a person who is consistently concerned about receiving timely software updates, there’s still some doubt concerning whether the Galaxy S8 will be on frequent schedule. Last year’s unlocked Galaxy S7 and S7 edge variants in the U.S. were severely behind the major carriers on the update calendar.

The price gap

Still, if a bloat-free Samsung smartphone is one of your goals in life, the unlocked Galaxy S8 or S8+ is worth the entirety of the cash it requires to purchase. If you’re suffering from sticker shock, however, and are still considering purchasing the device through your carrier for the discount, consider the fact that stores like Best Buy and Samsung’s online shop offer similar monthly financing.

See at Best Buy

Sony kicks off 9 Days of Play with deals on the Gold PS4, DualShock 4 controllers, and more

Our friends at Thrifter are back again, this time with great deals from Sony on the PlayStation 4 and accessories!

June 9 marks the beginning of the PlayStation 4 “9 Days of Play,” a celebration of all things PlayStation that coincides with the start of E3 and, of course, summer. Sony plans to release a whole bunch of deals on hardware and games as the campaign stretches forward, but the blog does list a few specific deals. Some of these deals will sell out over time, but the prices should be good at any retailer selling official Sony products like Amazon, Best Buy, Target and others.

Here’s a break down of some of the deals available right now:

• Gold PlayStation 4 1TB Slim for $250

Not only is it unique because its gold, it’s also being sold at a limited time price of $250, compared to $300 for normal colors. Since it was available for pre-order it has sold out at some retailers, like Amazon, but you can still find it at Best Buy, GameStop and others.

• DualShock 4 Wireless Controllers for $40

If you were looking for a normal DualShock 4 controller yesterday, you could probably find one for $44 or so. If you were looking for an odd color, like Gold or Green Camouflage, you were going to pay significantly more. With this deal all colors, even the unusual ones, are $40, and that’s where the real savings are.

• NOT a deal Gold Wireless Stereo Headset for $80

Amazon has sold this stereo headset at less than $80 for a long time now. It’s not a deal and not worth your time. Get one for $71 from them right now if you want.

• Nioh for $40

This difficult samurai fighting game was selling at $50 yesterday on Amazon.

• Horizon Zero Dawn for $40

This post-apocalyptic RPG with dinosaur robots was $55 yesterday.

• MLB: The Show 2017 for $40

This game about… you know, baseball, was selling for the full $60 yesterday.

These are the main deals Sony listed on the PlayStation blog. There will be other deals, but most of those will be visible on the PlayStation store. Many of them will only be available to PlayStation Plus members, but luckily that’s also discounted by $10 during this sale!

NONE of these deals will last forever, especially the controllers. Many of these items have already sold out at some retailers. Jump on the deal you want while you can, and remember if you can’t find it at Amazon you can always check Best Buy, Target, GameStop, or anyone else who sells PlayStation 4 peripherals.

• See the Gold PlayStation 4 at Best Buy
• See the DualShock 4 controllers at Best Buy

For more great deals be sure to check out our friends at Thrifter now!

How to customize your Amazon Alexa Flash Briefing

Alexa, what’s in the news?

That’s a question you can ask your Amazon Echo every single day and receive a custom report based on what you want to hear about. Cut out the fluff, keep the good stuff.

Thanks to the Alexa skills catalog, there are a number of different news sources you can call upon to tailor your Flash Briefing to your particular tastes. It’s really easy to set up, too.

Here’s what you need to know.

How to set up an Alexa Flash Briefing

Open the Alexa app on your phone or tablet.
Open the side menu.
Select Settings.
Select Flash Briefing.
Enable the sources you want to hear the news from by sliding the toggles to on.

If you’re looking for more sources, there’s a handy link here also, just select get more Flash Briefing content and you’ll be sent straight to compatible Alexa skills.

How to add new sources to the Flash Briefing

Open the Alexa app on your phone or tablet.
Open the side menu.
Select Settings.

Select Flash Briefing.

Tap Get more Flash Briefing content.
Select new source such as Associated Press.
Tap Enable.
To change the order of the source in the briefing, tap Manage in Briefing (optional).

To hear your Flash Briefing it’s as simple as saying:

Alexa, what’s in the news?

How to change the order of your Flash Briefing sources

Alexa will now deliver the content for each of your enabled Flash Briefing sources, one by one. You can also alter the order in which you hear the content contained within your Flash Briefing.

Open the Alexa app on your phone or tablet.
Open the side menu.
Select Settings.

Select Flash Briefing.

In the top right, tap edit order.
Drag your sources to the desired order.

Follow these simple steps and you’ll have your very own news bulletin every day!

See at Amazon

Elon Musk says all Superchargers will run on solar and battery power

According to a tweet from Elon Musk this morning, Tesla’s Supercharger stations are all being converted to solar and battery power. Musk added that eventually, most of them will be completely disconnected from the electricity grid.

This move comes after an announcement earlier this year that the company would be doubling its network of Superchargers, bringing their total number up to 10,000 by the year’s end. And with so many of its highly in-demand Model 3 cars set to begin shipping by the end of 2017, more Superchargers are going to be necessary. In April, the company said that some of the new Superchargers would be solar powered, but this is the first we’ve heard about a plan to convert them all.

All Superchargers are being converted to solar/battery power. Over time, almost all will disconnect from the electricity grid.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 9, 2017

As of last week, Tesla had begun construction on or obtained permits for over 40 additional Supercharger stations. But it’s unclear how many of those will be built with solar arrays.

Musk didn’t expound on when these conversions would begin or how long they would take to complete. Engadget has reached out to Tesla to confirm the statement.

Via: Electrek

Source: Elon Musk

24 of the most famous ghost photographs ever taken

Ghosts, the paranormal and the supernatural have always been debated. Do they exist?

Many people have reported sightings before, but without any real proof, they’re usually disregarded as merely stories. Being able to take photos of spirits obviously helps the cause, but are all of them real or have some been doctored?

Here is a round-up of 24 of the most famous “ghost” photos of all-time. Some have been faked no doubt, but they look so good on first inspection they could definitely convert some non-believers.

William Mumbler – 1860s

William Mumbler

William Mumbler is credited with creating the first photo to show a ghost in the 1860s. But it wasn’t a ghost at all, it was simply an accidental case of double exposing a negative while taking photograph of himself. The entrepreneur in him turned this into a business, where members of the public would have their portrait exposed with an image of a dead relative. 

Lord Combermere – 1891

Sybell Corbett

This image taken of the library at Combermere Abbey in Cheshire, England by Sybell Corbett clearly shows a figure sitting in the chair on the left. It’s believed to be the ghost of Lord Combermere, a British cavalry commander in the 1800s. 

Goddard’s Squadron – Freddy Jackson – 1919

Sir Victor Goddard

This image was taken by Sir Victor Goddard, of his squadron in 1919. The ghostly image behind the fourth sailor from the left, at the top, is believed to be of Freddy Jackson. Jackson died a few days before the photo was taken by walking into a moving propeller.

The SS Watertown – 1924

Keith Tracy

This image taken from the SS Watertown shows the faces of two crewmen, James Courtney and Michael Meehan in the water. The two men died while onboard the ship and were given a burial at sea.

Other crew members on the ship saw the faces in the water but didn’t initially take photos, they went back to a similar spot and saw them again. Five of the six photos showed nothing, but this was the sixth and clearly shows the faces of two men.

The Brown Lady – 1936

Captain Hubert C. Provand

This photo of “The Brown Lady” is considered by many to be actual photographic evidence of ghosts. It was taken at Raynham Hall in Norfolk, England in 1936. There had allegedly been many sightings of the figure before this photo and it’s said to be the ghost of Lady Townshend. She was locked in a room in the hall by her husband when he found out about her infidelity and left there to die.

Mrs Andrews baby – 1947

Mrs. Andrews

This photo of a child appearing over a grave was taken by Mrs Andrews in 1947. She noticed the ghost when she had the film developed, but said it wasn’t her daughter in the picture. Despite there being some graves for children nearby, the child in the picture has never been identified.

Corroboree Rock – 1959

R.S. Blance

Nobody knows who the ghostly figure in this photo is, but it was taken in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia in 1959. Some people think it’s just a case of a double exposure, while others think it could be a spirit watching us, or something else, because it looks like they’re holding binoculars. 

The Back Seat Ghost – March 1959

Mabel Chinnery

This photo was taken by Mabel Chinnery in 1959. It shows her husband in his car with, allegedly, her dead mother-in-law on the back seat. While paranormalists believe it to be real, others have debunked it as being another case of double exposure.

Newby Church – 1963

Reverend K. F. Lord

Some analysts think this photo taken at Newby Church in North Yorkshire, England is a fake because the character looks to be posing too much. However, Reverend KF Lord insists there was nothing visible to the naked eye when he took the photo, and photo experts say it hasn’t been double exposed.

Tulip Staircase Ghost – 1966

Rev. Ralph Hardy

This photo taken inside the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England, clearly shows a ghostly figure holding the handrail of the Tulip Staircase. Photo experts have all agreed that it hasn’t been tampered with, so is considered a genuine example of ghosts’ existence. 

Robert A Ferguson – November 1968

Robert A. Ferguson

Because this photo was taken on a Polaroid, it’s been deemed by many to be legitimate. It shows Robert A Ferguson giving a speech, with the ghost of his deceased brother Walter peering over him.

Worstead Church – 1975

Peter Berthelot

Peter Berthelot took this picture of his wife, Diane, sitting on a pew at the Worstead Church in Norfolk, England in 1975. When they had the film developed, they noticed a ghost sitting on the pew behind Diane. A man allegedly stayed in the church all night sometime in 1830 to try and disprove the theory of ghosts, but he claimed the following morning he had in fact seen the white lady seen in this picture.

Amityville Ghost – 1976

Ed and Lorraine Warren

This photo, taken by Ed and Lorraine Warren, claims to show the ghost of nine-year-old John DeFeo. DeFeo, along with his other brother, two sisters and parents, were killed by his older brother Ronald at their house in Amityville.

Ed and Lorraine Warren were paranormal experts who entered the house and captured this image using a camera that consistently took infrared photos during the night.

The DeFeo murders were the inspiration for The Amityville Horror books and films.

Toys ‘R’ Us – 1978

Bill Tidwell

The Toys ‘R’ Us store in Sunnyvale, California is allegedly haunted by the ghost of Johnny Johnson, and this image shows a silhouette leaning up against the shelves. The same figure wasn’t there when the photo was taken.

The story goes that Johnny had a thing for a girl named Elizabeth, the daughter of a plantation owner – the plantation used to be on the Toys ‘R’ Us site. Johnny bled to death after cutting himself chopping wood, and now roams the aisles of the store searching for her. Or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

St Botolph’s Church – 1982

Chris Brackley

If you look carefully in the upper right hand corner of this photo, you can just make out a translucent figure. It was taken at St Boltoph’s Church in 1982 and, at the time, there were only three people in the building. A builder later contacted Chris Brackley, who took the photo, to tell him he recognised the face as being the same as someone he’d previously seen in a coffin in the church.

Coventry Spectre – 1985

Fortean Picture Library

At first glance you’d think there’s nothing wrong with this photo. But look again, and you’ll see a tall, dark figure wearing what could be a monk’s frock, with a hood, in the top left. This is a photo of the Coventry Freeman society showing everyone at the event, including the mysterious figure, bowing their heads. Nobody at the event was seen wearing that style of clothing.

Pawling Fire Department – 1988

Sharon Boo

The white figure in this photo is believed to be some sort of angel, overlooking Rose Benvenuto, who was involved in the car crash. She said it could only have taken a miracle for her to survive the crash, and lo and behold, there’s a angel-like figure in attending firefighter Sharon Boo’s photo.

Madonna of Bachelor’s Grove – 1991

Ghost Research Society of America

The Ghost Research Society of America took this photo at Bachelor’s Cemetery in Illinois, after it noticed strange readings on its equipment. Researchers didn’t see anything at the time, but when this image was exposed, it showed a woman in white clothing sitting on one of the graves. 

The Wem Town Hall Ghost – November 1995

Tony O’Rahilly

Although Tony O’Rahilly’s photo appears to show the ghost of a young girl in the doorway to a burning down Wem Town Hall, it was later deemed to be a fake. The girl in question apparently appears on a postcard that appeared in the local paper. 

Boot Hill Ghost – 1996

Terry Ike Clanton

Only Ike Canton’s friend was seen when this photo was taken, The mysterious man wearing a hat behind him wasn’t. Canton later looked more closely at the photo and decided the figure was in fact holding a knife, with the point ending just above his collar.

Grandpa’s Ghost – August 1997

Denise Russell

Denise Russell took this photo of her grandma, who lived alone at the time, on 17 August 1997. Even though the photo had been developed, copied and given to other family members, nobody noticed the male figure standing over her until Christmas Day 2000. The Russell family say it’s a spitting image of their grandpa who died in 1984.

Sefton Church – 1999

From Brad Steiger’s Real Ghosts, Restless Spirits and Haunted Places

This picture at Sefton Church in Liverpool, England, clearly shows a man wearing a black uniform, believed to be the old church minister. There were allegedly only two photographers in the church on the day it was taken, and nether of them recall seeing a physical being standing there when the photo was taken.

Girls in Manila – 2000’s

Ghost Research Society

The two girls in this photo, taken in Manila, Philippines, didn’t report seeing anyone or feeling any presence when this photo was taken. It was also taken on a digital camera, so it can’t have been the result of double exposure.

Tewin Bury Farm Ghost – 2008

Neil Sandbach

Neil Sandwich took this photo of a farmhouse where his friends were getting married. When he put the photo into Photoshop and adjusted the exposure, he noticed a mysterious white figure on the right hand side, appearing to be peering out of a doorway. Cleaners at the farmhouse had apparently seen the ghost of a young boy wearing white clothes before, too.

Aliens didn’t send this 40-year-old signal from space

Forty years ago, the Ohio State University Radio Observatory detected a mysterious signal deep in outer space, located in the Sagittarius constellation. Many have pointed to this, which came to be known as the “Wow!” Signal, as evidence that we are not alone in the universe. That is, until now.

Researchers at The Center for Planetary Science have determined, sadly, that aliens were not responsible for the Wow! Signal. Instead, in an article published in Washington Academy of Sciences, they outline their discovery that a comet was likely responsible for the naturally occurring radio transmission.

The research team noticed that the frequency of the Wow! Signal closely matched the radio waves naturally emitted by hydrogen, called the hydrogen line. They then determined that a comet called 266/P Christensen emitted a strikingly similar signal, likely due to its hydrogen cloud. After that, it was just a matter of showing that the comet was indeed in the vicinity of the Sagittarius constellation in 1977.

This is probably a blow to alien enthusiasts who have used this signal to bolster their beliefs that we aren’t alone in the universe. It’s worth noting, though, that finding the facts behind mysterious signals is a good thing; it improves our science and our knowledge about the universe. And it doesn’t disprove the existence of alien life. It just means we have to keep searching. The truth is out there.

Via: Futurism

Source: The Center for Planetary Science