Google Pixel 2 could come with an 18:9 display

Google has yet to make any sort of official announcement about the existence of the second-generation Pixel smartphone, but a recent GFXBench listing for a device called the Pixel XL2 suggests one is on the horizon.

• Google Pixel 2: What do we want to see?

The listing also alludes to the fact the Pixel 2, or XL2 as it’s called, could take design cues from the LG G6 and Samsung Galaxy S8 and feature an 18:9, or 2:1, display.

The listing mentions a 5.6-inch screen with a 2560 x 1312 resolution, making it smaller than both the LG G6 and Samsung Galaxy S8, which have 5.7- and 5.8-inch screens respectively, but still give it a 18:9 aspect ratio.

Given the screen sizes and resolutions, the Pixel XL2 would have a ppi of 514, while the LG and Samsung devices are much higher at 564 and 570 respectively.

We do have to take this leak with some caution, especially if it is meant to represent the Pixel XL2, rather than the regular size Pixel 2, as 5.6-inches for an ‘XL’ phone isn’t big at all. It’s also not clear from the listing if Google plans on ditching the home button, in a similar move to LG and Samsung.

The rest of the specs in the listing look more like the real deal though. It mentions a 2.4GHz quad-core Qualcomm processor, which is likely to be the Snapdragon 835.

• Google Pixel 2 due in 2017, will once again be a premium handset
• Google Pixel and Pixel XL tips and tricks: Getting to grips with with Google’s phone

Elsewhere there should be 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage and a 12-megapixel rear camera that can record 4K video. The front-facing camera is noted as being 7-megapixels and can also record 4K video. 

What to expect at this year’s E3

Dazzling press conferences. Heart-stopping trailers. A convention center packed with video games large and small. E3 is a magical week for anyone who likes to spend their free time pushing buttons on plastic gamepads. It’s like the Super Bowl, the Oscars and a presidential election rolled into one. Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo stand out as the hardware heavyweights, while EA, Ubisoft and Bethesda lead the third-party-publisher tussle. Throw in Square Enix, Activision and the occasional Capcom appearance, and you have the makings of a truly special show. Did I mention the army of indie developers that show up too?

As always, the Engadget crew will be in Los Angeles covering all of the major press conferences as they unfold. We’ll then turn our collective attention to the show itself, hunting down the latest games and talking to smart developers who are shaping the industry. If you’re curious, here’s everything you can expect to see and read about on the site.

Microsoft

So. Many. Xbox. Controllers. Image: Daniel Boczarski via Getty Images

Microsoft has the most to prove at E3 this year. The company has a new console code-named ‘Project Scorpio’, which promises to be the most powerful system you can stick in your living room media center (barring a gaming PC, of course). It was teased at last year’s show with some vague developer endorsements, followed by a technical breakdown courtesy of Digital Foundry and Eurogamer. The specs are impressive and put it on a higher footing than Sony’s PlayStation 4 Pro. But the question remains: Will there be enough games that take advantage of the extra horsepower?

Forza Motorsport 7 seems like a safe bet, as well as a smattering of third-party titles like Middle-earth: Shadow of War and the long-rumored Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Microsoft needs to do more, however. Beyond Crackdown 3 and Sea of Thieves, there’s little to pull people away from the PlayStation 4. State of Decay 2? A few special indie games like Cuphead, Tacoma and Below? While welcome, these releases are unlikely to change people’s perception of the Xbox platform. Microsoft needs better exclusives, the kind that were promised with ReCore (which turned out to be a pretty average action-adventure game) and Scalebound (which was cancelled in January).

Sony

PlayStation stole the show last year with a presentation that was crammed with trailers and little else. On-stage chatter was kept to a minimum, leaving more time for announcements like The Last of Us: Part II and God of War. Sony’s mission this year is to keep that momentum going. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is out soon, so another peek at Chloe and Nadine’s adventure wouldn’t go amiss. Days Gone, God of War and of course, fungus survivors Ellie and Joel are likely to pop up too — I have a feeling Spider-Man will swing by as well.

Nadine and Chloe take center stage in Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.

Sony

With Scorpio on the horizon, there’s a chance Sony will counter-punch with some well-timed price drops. A gold, “limited edition” 1TB PS4 was announced for $249 earlier this week — $50 cheaper than the normal model. If Sony wants to crush the Xbox One S, it would make sense to offer this on a more permanent basis. Likewise, if Sony can undercut Project Scorpio, its slightly less powerful PlayStation 4 Pro will remain competitive this Christmas. Otherwise, we’re expecting Sony to focus on PlayStation VR — a new bundle would be nice, as well as a bunch of extra games to lose ourselves in over the summer.

Oh, and don’t expect anything about the Vita. If it’s mentioned more than once, I’ll eat my press pass.

Nintendo

The portly plumber has a few new moves in Super Mario Odyssey. Image: Nintendo

The Switch is out and for now, Nintendo is riding high. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was a smash-hit and the first reviews for ARMS, its colorful spring-loaded boxing game, have been favorable. The system needs more games, however, and fast. Splatoon 2 is fast-approaching, but otherwise, the Switch’s lineup looks a little threadbare. Nintendo has already confirmed it will focus on Super Mario Odyssey, its big new platformer for the holidays. It’s an important game, for sure, but we’re curious to see what else it brings to the convention center.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2, perhaps. The Japanese role-playing game is set to come out this year, and while that might be a little ambitious, there’s no reason why developer Monolith Soft shouldn’t have a new trailer ready. We’re also likely to see Mario & Rabbids Kingdom Battle, the controversial and heavily-leaked mashup title from Ubisoft. The Mario crew will be present, albeit wielding cannon arms, in addition to some Rabbids who have been dressed to resemble the Mushroom Kingdom’s mightiest heroes. It’s all very weird, with a rumored focus on turn-based combat and tongue-in-cheek humor. We’ll see.

Will Nintendo have a few surprises? We sure hope so. There’s a big question mark over Retro Studios, the developer behind the Metroid Prime trilogy, Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. Is this the year that we finally see a new, full-blown Metroid game? (Federation Force on the 3DS doesn’t count.) We can but hope. Otherwise, I’ll settle for a new F-Zero. Come on Nintendo, make it happen. Even Sony has released another Wipeout game.

EA

Star Wars Battlefront II will be at the heart of EA’s press conference this year. The previous entry, which served as a reboot for the first-person shooter series, was a huge success, even with its limited maps and modes. The biggest omission was a traditional campaign, which Battlefront II will be rectifying later this year. You’ll be playing as a member of the Empire’s Inferno Squad directly after the events of Return of the Jedi. It’s an interesting premise that EA needs to prove is more than a convenient whistle-stop tour of the game’s multiplayer maps.

EA

Need for Speed is back, baby. The classic racing franchise took a year off in 2016 but will return this fall as Payback. The latest version turns the game into a Fast and Furious movie, with over-the-top stunts set pieces. Cop chases will still be present, but they’ll probably play second-fiddle to the more bombastic missions and races. EA will, of course, be showing a slew of sports games too, including FIFA 18, Madden 18 and NBA Live 18. It’s been awhile since EA stepped out onto the court — hopefully, it can give NBA 2K18 some competition.

All of these are dead-certs for EA this year. If you’re looking for surprises, consider the other Star Wars projects that are currently in the works. Titanfall developer Respawn Entertainment is working on an action-adventure game, as is Visceral Games, led by Uncharted writer Amy Hennig. If either game is shown at E3, it will be a huge moment for science fiction fans and help to bury some of the disappointment surrounding Mass Effect: Andromeda. Speaking of, maybe we’ll get a tease for Bioware’s Destiny-style, massively multiplayer “Dylan” game too?

Ubisoft

Far Cry 5 takes the fight to Montana. Image: Ubisoft

If you have any interest in Assassin’s Creed, you’re probably seen some of the “Origins” leaks by now. The game looks to be set in ancient Egypt, with pyramids, tombs and a reworked combat system centered around bows, knives and shields. Far Cry 5 will also be shown at E3 this year, with a tense conflict set in modern-day Montana. It’s an unusual setting for the franchise and one that has riled a certain section of the internet, due to its portrayal of religion and the American West. Ubisoft will have its work cut out winning them over.

South Park: The Fractured But Whole, the long-delayed superhero parody, should also get one last push before its release this October. Expect lots of crude humor and a fairly deep turn-based combat system — its predecessor, The Stick of Truth, impressed us with its complexity in 2014. As we mentioned previously, Mario & Rabbids has leaked heavily ahead of the show, and there’s a good chance it will be shown off during Ubisoft’s press conference too. Otherwise, we’re racking our brains to think what the publisher might have in its back pocket. The Crew 2? Maybe a new Splinter Cell?

I’m still holding out for Beyond Good and Evil 2…

Bethesda

It’s about time for a new Wolfenstein game. Credit: Bethesda

Bethesda is new to the E3 press conference game but has quickly established itself as a not-to-be missed publisher. Next week should be no exception, although we know little about the company’s line-up. The heavily-rumored Wolfenstein: The New Colossus will probably get a reveal, showing us what William Blazkowicz has been doing since The New Order. A sequel to Shinji Mikami’s The Evil Within is also on the cards, providing players with another dose of creepy wet-your-pants horror. With the recent success of Capcom’s Resident Evil VII — a franchise that Mikami created — we suspect another game from the man will do very well indeed.

Otherwise, your guess is as good as ours. Fallout 4 VR? It seems likely. Quake Champions? Maybe. A tease of the next big Elder Scrolls game? We have our fingers crossed, but probably not. Some DLC for Dishonored 2? Okay, now we’re clutching at straws. If you have some ideas about what Bethesda might show, do us a favor and drop them in the comments section below.

Follow all the latest news from E3 2017 here!

SiriusXM invests in Pandora to get into on-demand music streaming

Pandora made the leap to on-demand streaming back in March after building on the pieces Rdio left behind. Earlier this month, reports surfaced that the company was looking for a buyer. It didn’t find one, but it was able to attract a big investor: SiriusXM. The satellite radio company announced today it’s investing $480 million in Pandora, adding a portion of the à la carte music streaming service to its catalog of audio options. The deal gives SiriusXM a 19 percent stake in the company.

This isn’t the first time the two were rumored to be in cahoots. CNBC reported in December that Pandora was in talks with SiriusXM about a buyout after rejecting an offer last summer. It took some time, but the two sides finally reached an agreement — albeit not the all out acquisition that had been previously rumored to be on the table.

Of course, Pandora is no stranger to radio either. The company is best known for its artist-based internet stations that spin a mix of songs to suit your audio preferences. Pandora has prided itself on how good those recommendations are and it’s using that accumulated knowledge to serve up suggestions in the Premium on-demand service, too.

For opening up its wallet, SiriusXM gains a lot more than a popular music service. When Pandora Premium launched, the company said it had 80 million users per month. That’s a sizeable audience that SiriusXM will get access to on top of its satellite radio customer base. And unlike some other streaming services, Pandora is actually making a profit.

Reports also indicated that Pandora might sell off its Ticketfly business as part of the acquisition plans. Eventbrite announced this morning that it would nab Pandora’s ticketing option for $200 million. Liberty Media owns over half of SiriusXM, but it also owns a smaller piece of Live Nation Entertainment. That’s the company that formed after two of the biggest event ticketing companies merged in 2010 — Live Nation and Ticketmaster. It’s easy to see why Ticketfly could’ve been a sticking point to getting a deal done.

Even though it found a big investor, Pandora isn’t clear of all the hurdles. If PayPal gets its way, the company may have to change that fancy new logo it debuted last fall.

Source: SiriusXM/Pandora (PRNewswire), Eventbrite (Marketwired)

Airbnb rentals are now legal in Japan

After some legal tussling between home owners, building owners, Japanese government and, well, Airbnb the country has decided to legalise sharing economy home rentals. The law was passed earlier today, allowing home-owners to let properties to guests for up to 180 days a year. Owners do, however, have to register with local authorities in the country. These authorities will also be able to add their own restrictions and rules to those that choose to rent their property.

It took Airbnb, which says Japan was one of its top ten countries, about a year to gain legal footing in the country. Short-term Apartment rentals to visitors in Japan was notably picked up in the media, with TV specials centered around (often foreign) guests that didn’t obey residential rules, that were noisy, excessively messy or otherwise a nuisance to neighbors. The new 180-day limit is actually pretty long: in London, the rules state a limit of 90 days. Airbnb also has other problems that still need addressing.

The challenge for local authorities will be to strike a balance between opening up a new price band for visitors (and their tourist yen) and ensuring everyone who isn’t renting is okay with their temporary neighbors. According to the company, there are already 52,000 Airbnb listings in Japan.

Via: Bloomberg, TechCrunch

Of course the ‘Stranger Things’ soundtrack is coming to cassette

Just when you thought Netflix’s sci-fi horror series Stranger Things couldn’t get any more retro, a new version of the original soundtrack is due to be released on cassette. To celebrate its one year anniversary, Lakeshore Records announced that both volumes of the Season One soundtrack will be available on red cassettes, which come inside cases that look like mini VHS tapes.

Pitchfork reports that the cassettes will go on sale from July 14th, but only in Urban Outfitters stores. They feature the iconic Stranger Things intro and additional synth-heavy sounds from Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein of S U R V I V E, who received two GRAMMY nominations for the score. A deluxe vinyl box set — complete with character cards — will go on sale at the same time, despite being announced in March.

Before you write it off as a marketing stunt (although it blatantly is), there is method to Lakeshore’s madness: cassette sales in the US actually grew last year, with 129,000 copies being sold. It pales in comparison to the 13.1 million vinyl albums bought over the same period, but it a points to a definite demand for retro releases.

The soundtrack will serve to fill a gap until Stranger Things Season Two debuts on Halloween. The show will pick up in 1984 with all of the old gang, roughly a year after Will’s journey to the Upside Down and back.

Via: CNET

Source: Pitchfork

Indie games invade the art world at the Megashow festival

The Indie Megabooth, a bastion of independent games at conventions around the world, is growing. Again. But this time around, things are different: The Megabooth is expanding beyond games.

The Megashow is the first standalone festival to be spun off from the Megabooth proper: It’s a roaming, daylong fair designed to highlight local creatives and bring communities together around video games, art and music. The Megashow will make its debut at the Tabernacle in Atlanta on July 15th.

“Our initial goal was to expose new audiences to indie games and show them that there was this whole other side to game creation,” says Megabooth leader Kelly Wallick. “Over time, we’ve moved so far past that to the point that we have fans and press who specifically come to the Megabooth area to discover content and reconnect with teams and games they love, which is amazing. But on the flip side of this, it has become more challenging to reach new audiences.”

That’s where the Megashow comes in. Wallick hopes it will introduce the wider artistic world to video games, specifically showcasing the creativity and innovation of the independent industry. The Megashow is looking for Atlanta-based musicians, traditional artists, installation work, rappers, crafters, local geek shops and, of course, video game developers, just to name a few potential vendors. Adult Swim Games is already onboard and will showcase a handful of its latest titles, plus some projects that haven’t been released yet.

The people behind Indie Megabooth know how to put on a successful, genre-shifting show. It popped into existence in 2012, at a time when Fez was the most popular game among fans of independent titles. Microsoft’s indie-publishing program, ID@Xbox, was still a year away, and Sony was too focused on selling the Vita to worry about non-partnered programmers.

It was an exciting time to be independent. Indie Game: The Movie debuted in May that year, and technology was advancing in a way that enabled more people than ever to create the games of their dreams. The mainstream gaming industry was just about to realize the potential within indie development, and the community was bursting with fresh ideas.

The Indie Megabooth wrapped up all of this tension and explosive growth in a humble space at PAX East, highlighting a collection of burgeoning independent developers and their latest games. The team chose well: This first installment included Owlchemy Labs (which made Job Simulator and was bought by Google), DrinkBox Studios (which was building the acclaimed platformer Guacamelee) and Ska Studios (which went on to make the 2D, Dark Souls-style RPG Salt & Sanctuary).

Oh, and the booth featured Hello Games, the studio behind the controversial indie superhit No Man’s Sky. Back then, Hello was focused on the mobile racing series Joe Danger.

The Indie Megabooth came along at the right time with the right people, and it had the necessary infrastructure to introduce amazing independent games to new audiences. Today the Megabooth is a staple at major gaming conventions across the globe, and it’s grown into a massive space featuring dozens of incredible indie games.

As the independent-gaming industry has grown, so has the Megabooth.

“My hope is that we have helped shape this growth in the past and will continue to push forward with positive intent as we expand into growing a community of fans — in the same way we grew our community of developers,” Wallick says. “We try to be a slow and steady force of change, to affect as much as possible in our own way, even though the rest of the industry feels like it’s moving faster than we can all keep up with.”

There is plenty of overlap when it comes to video games, art and music, allowing the Megabooth to leverage its existing infrastructure and turn the first Megashow into something truly special. This isn’t about leaving games behind. It’s about finding new fans.

“You can end up in a bubble of sorts, where the types of games indie creators make aren’t really reaching all the types of players that would really enjoy their work,” Wallick says.

She hopes the Megashow will pop this bubble.

“Pulling all these fragmented audiences and creators together feels really reminiscent to what the Megabooth was founded on,” she says. “Plus, it feels a bit like bringing the arcade and physical experience back into gaming — to create a shared, local community experience. Which I personally really miss.”

Watch ‘The Talk Show’ Live From WWDC 2017 With Craig Federighi and Phil Schiller

Daring Fireball has shared the full video of “The Talk Show Live” from Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference this week.

Before a live audience at The California Theatre in San Jose, Apple senior executives Craig Federighi and Phil Schiller joined host John Gruber to reflect on the company’s announcements at its WWDC opening keynote on Monday, including several new Macs, macOS High Sierra, iOS 11, and HomePod.

The video, produced by Amy Jane Gruber and Paul Kafasis, is available on Vimeo and embedded below.

MacRumors has put together a WWDC 2017 roundup with the latest news and announcements from the conference.

Related Roundup: WWDC 2017
Tags: Phil Schiller, Craig Federighi
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Component Production Begins for 2017 iPhones as New Renders Combine iOS 11 With iPhone 8

As we get closer to the launch of the so-called “iPhone 8” in the fall, a new report out of Apple’s supply chain today confirms that the company has begun mass producing components for all three of 2017’s iPhone models. The report corroborates what has been rumored for well over a year: Apple will launch two iterative iPhone updates sized at 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches, along with a 5.8-inch model that includes the first ever OLED screen on an iPhone.

According to DigiTimes’ sources, the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhones will include a reinforced glass chassis and an aluminum metal frame, while the 5.8-inch iPhone will feature the same reinforced glass chassis and an unspecified “metal frame.” Recent rumors have largely agreed that the iPhone 8’s frame will be made of stainless steel, similar to Apple Watch.

Samsung Display is one of the manufacturers currently in component production on Apple’s next-generation iPhones, and is said to be ready to supply up to 80 million AMOLED panels for the 5.8-inch iPhone 8 in 2017, falling between the 70 million and 92 million previously rumored.

Samsung Display is set to supply up to 80 million AMOLED panels for the new 5.8-inch iPhone in 2017, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.

Samsung Display’s remaining capacity, which is expected to output another 80 million AMOLED panels in 2017, will be used to supply orders from Samsung Electronics and its other smartphone clients, but the panel maker is expected to keep some flexibility in case Apple places additional orders, the sources noted.

The manufacturer will be capable of outputting another 80 million AMOLED panels this year, but that half will be focused on orders from Samsung Electronics and other, non-Apple smartphone clients. Sources did say that if Apple were to increase its orders, Samsung Display “is expected to keep some flexibility” in its supply chain to cut down orders elsewhere and compensate its output for the Cupertino company.

In a separate article posted online this week, speculative renders shared by iDropNews have taken a look at what the iPhone 8 might look like running iOS 11. The renders have kept the overall same look as ones posted online in May, but now offer glimpses into what new iOS 11 features — like peer-to-peer Apple Pay, the redesigned Control Center, new Lock Screen, Apple Music, and more — could look like on iPhone 8.

The new renders continue the rumors that iPhone 8 will include Touch ID embedded underneath the iPhone’s display, and not on the back of the device or in the lock button. Facial/iris scanning and wireless charging are also potential inclusions on the new iPhone 8, and a vertical dual-lens camera has been suggested by multiple sources over the past few months, making it one of the more likely features of the OLED iPhone.

The sensor bar at the top of the device houses the iPhone’s front-facing cameras, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, and earpiece, and remains one of more uncertain aspects of the iPhone 8’s design, according to iDropNews.

It’s still unknown which iOS design choice Apple will implement regarding the unusual top half of the iPhone X’s display, which is covered partially by the bar. Apple could go one of two ways with this design – 1.) iOS could employ the entire display, ignoring the bar, (as shown in the photos provided) to display full-size pictures, backgrounds, screensavers, apps, and more. This would be the most striking and unique option, however that could be a tricky prospect for app developers who would be required to navigate app or game interfaces around the center bar.

2.) The second, and more conservative, option would to black-out or white-out the portions of the display that are separated by the center bar, and use contrasting color icons for battery, signal strength, Wi-Fi strength, time etc., leaving a traditional rectangular display beneath.

Exactly when users will be able to get their hands on the iPhone 8 is still up in the air. In DigiTimes’ report today, analyst Luke Lin said that the 5.8-inch iPhone will see shipments between 50-55 million units in the second half of 2017. The catch is that mass production on the iPhone itself — not just its components, like today’s display and chassis report — “is unlikely to start until after mid-September.” In the third quarter specifically, production volumes are expected to only be around 3 million iPhone 8 units.

This news largely falls in line with reports from earlier this year that said the iPhone 8 will be hard to obtain in 2017, with Ming-Chi Kuo stating in April that the OLED iPhone would face “severe supply shortages” for some time, and believing production ramp up for the device won’t begin until as late as October-November.

This would put iPhone production two months behind previous ramp-ups in August-September — a belief also supported by Bloomberg, analysts from Barclays, and Brian White. Still, not all analysts believe there will be delays, as Morgan Stanley said in May that its Greater China Technology Research colleagues have “not yet seen delays in the supply chain.” Morgan Stanley believes iPhone production will start on time for most components, leading to a typical launch window for the new iPhone.

The other two iPhone models are predicted to be more easy to obtain, with combined shipments of the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 7 and iPhone 7s expected to reach 25-30 million units in the second half of the year.

Related Roundups: iPhone 8, iOS 11
Discuss this article in our forums

Apple MacBook Pro (2017) vs Apple MacBook Air: What’s the difference?

Apple hasn’t officially killed the MacBook Air yet, but it hasn’t redesigned it recently either, choosing to give it a slight bump in specs at WWDC in June only, which it also did to the newer MacBook Pros.

There are six Apple MacBook laptops to choose from, but the closest in price to the MacBook Air is the 13-inch MacBook Pro without the Touch Bar. It too saw a processor update at WWDC and it is thinner than the 2015 ultraportable MacBook Air. How else do they compare though?

Here is how the MacBook Air stacks up against the Touch Bar-less 13-inch MacBook Pro.

• Apple MacBook Pro (2016) review: Air apparent

Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch vs Apple MacBook Air: Design

• MacBook Pro 13-inch base model is thinner than MacBook Air
• MacBook Pro 13-inch base model is slightly heavier than MacBook Air
• MacBook Air is lighter

The Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch laptop that lacks the Touch Bar features an aluminium casing and an LED-backlit display. It comes in silver or space grey colour options, while the MacBook Air is only available in silver.

The MacBook Pro 13-inch base model weighs 1.37kg and measures 304.1 x 212.4 x 149mm, while the MacBook Air weighs 1.35kg and measures 325 x 227mm with a tapered height from 33mm to 170mm.

In other words, if you’re looking for a portable laptop, the MacBook Pro is the thinner and smaller model of these two laptops, while the MacBook Air just holds on to the title of lightest.

• Which Apple MacBook is right for you?

Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch vs Apple MacBook Air: Display

• MacBook Pro 13-inch base model higher resolution display and brighter
• MacBook Air lower resolution and less colour support
• Same size displays

The MacBook Pro 13-inch base model has a 13.3-inch LED-backlit Retina display with IPS technology and a 2560 x 1600 pixel resolution at 227ppi. It offers 500nits of brightness and a P3 wide colour gamut.

The MacBook Air has a 13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with a 1440 x 900 native pixel resolution for a pixel density of 128ppi. It’s therefore not Retina, nor as bright as the MacBook Pro at 300nits.

The MacBook Air also doesn’t support as many colours as the MacBook Pro with a standard RGB screen rather than the wide colour gamut one, though millions are still offered and for most, these will be enough.

In a nutshell however, the new MacBook Pro features a superior display to the MacBook Air.

Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch vs Apple MacBook Air: Hardware and power

• The MacBook Air has a longer battery life
• The MacBook Pro 13-inch base model is more powerful on paper
• Better configuration options on MacBook Pro

The MacBook Pro 13-inch base model features the 2.3GHz Intel Core i5 processor, Intel Iris Graphics 640, 128GB SSD, 8GB of RAM and a 10-hour battery life. It is configurable to the 2.5GHz Intel Core i7 chip, up to 1TB of flash storage and up to 16GB of RAM. 

The MacBook Air base model features the 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 chip, Intel HD Graphics 6000, 128GB flash storage, 8GB of RAM and a 12-hour battery life. It is configurable to the 2.2GHz Intel Core i7 and up to 512GB SSD.

The MacBook Pro 13-inch base model is therefore more powerful, has more storage and RAM, and comes with better graphics, as you would probably expect. It does however offer two hours less of battery life, which is probably down to the Retina display. Both models feature a 720p FaceTime HD camera.

Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch vs Apple MacBook Air: Connections and ports

• The MacBook Pro 13-inch base model has two Thunderbolt 3 ports only
• More ports on the MacBook Air, including SDXC card slot

The MacBook Pro 13-inch base model only features two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports with support for charging, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt, and USB 3.1.

Everything has been streamlined, allowing you to charge and transfer data using the same ports, but there are disadvantages too, such as not being able to plug in an SD card without a dongle.

The MacBook Air has two USB 3 ports, Thunderbolt 2 port, MagSafe 2 power port and a SDXC card slot, meaning it might be the better option for those that don’t want to have to use a dongle to perform tasks they do now without one, like transferring files from their SD card. Both models offer a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch vs Apple MacBook Air: Price

• The MacBook Pro 13-inch base model is more expensive 
• MacBook Air only laptop to start under £1000

The MacBook Pro 13-inch base model starts at £1249, while the MacBook Air (2015) starts at £949, meaning a £300 difference in price. Apple recently lowered the price of the 13-inch MacBook Pro at its WWDC event, reducing the price gap between these two models.

The new MacBook Pro base model without the Touch Bar is thinner, more powerful, and has a Retina display compared to the MacBook Air. Its battery isn’t as long as the MacBook Air though, you lose some handy connections and it’s £300 more expensive so your budget and what you want from your laptop will all come into play in this decision.

• Apple MacBook Pro (2016) with Touch Bar: Thinner, brighter, faster, and very touchy feely

Former Hulu exec’s app aggregates YouTube unboxing vids

There’s something about unboxing videos that’s attracted a ton of attention in recent years, making them wildly popular on YouTube and other platforms. Now, ex-Hulu and Flipboard CTO Eric Feng is trying to cash in on the masses’ obsession with “unboxing porn.” His new startup called “Packagd” has launched Unboxed: an app that aggregates gadget unboxing videos from partner creators and streams them straight from YouTube, ads included. It’s now live on iTunes for iOS devices. While the service won’t be making its own content, Feng hired a few famous unboxing YouTubers, such as Austin Evans and Kevin the Tech Ninja, to produce six hours of live programming per day.

These curators will pick a video, either their own or another YouTuber’s, and host a live chat with users as they play it. The whole experience is supposed to mimic the effect of watching a home TV shopping channel and calling in, because that’s exactly what Feng hopes to achieve. He wants the service to become the online version of QVC or the Home Shopping Network for the new generation.

According to Fast Company, Packagd plans to make money mainly through sponsored videos. Tech giants, for instance, could buy half an hour of airing time to either show their own unboxing video for a new product or to feature other people’s while providing live programming in the background. However, Unboxed will also have in-app buy links of the product featured in the video clips, with all revenue going toward the creators in an effort to entice them to join the platform. The app will sell popular products unrelated to the one being unboxed on cam from time to time, as well.

If the model Feng came up with takes off, he plans to expand his business. He has his sights set on cosmetics and toys, two categories outside of tech that also has viewers who enjoy watching their favorite YouTubers take apart new boxes to get to the prize inside.

Source: Fast Company, Unboxed (iTunes)