Logitech ushers in two flagship mice and software for controlling three PCs

Why it matters to you

Not only has Logitech released two new flagship wireless mice, but software to make controlling multiple PCs easier. Moving data just got easier too.

Logitech introduced three new products on Thursday, one of which is software enabling users to control up to three computers with a single mouse. The other two products are next-generation “MX” mice that can be used on any surface, even glass.

MX Master 2S

This mouse connects to the host PC through the included USB-based Logitech Unifying Receiver, or by way of Bluetooth. This is combined with Logitech’s Easy-Switch technology supporting up to three devices on one PC. Users simply press a button on one of the three devices to use it.

The optical sensor is based on Logitech’s “Darkfield” tracking technology, which is what helps the mouse track movements on glass-like surfaces. According to Logitech, it improved this technology for better cursor speed and accuracy. It also raised the tracking resolution up to 4,000 dots per inch (DPI) for better precision on any display.

Other notable features include a large thumb rest, a thumbwheel for scrolling side-to-side, and a “speed-adaptive” scroll wheel that automatically shifts from hyper-fast scrolling to click-to-click. A USB port resides at the front for recharging the internal battery.

Here are the specifications:

DPI range:
200 to 4,000 (increments of 50)
Battery life:
Up to 70 days
Battery type:
Li-Po 500 mAh
Charge time:
3 minutes
Number of buttons:
7
Gesture button:
Yes
Scroll wheel:
With Auto-Shift
Special buttons:
Back/Forward
Middle click
LEDs:
1x battery status
3x Easy-Switch
Wireless operating distance:
32 feet
Wireless technology:
2.4GHz
Bluetooth technology:
Low Energy
Size (inches):
3.4 (H) x 5.0 x 2.0 (D)
Weight:
5.1 ounces
Colors:
Graphite
Midnight Teal
Light Grey
Price:
$100

MX Anywhere 2S

This is a cheaper, compact alternative to the MX Master 2S, meaning it does not include the protruding thumb rest and thumb wheel. It is more of a portable solution meant for hotel stays, coffee shops, and cramped airplanes. However, like the MX Master 2S, it’s based on Logitech’s improved Darkfield technology.

DPI range:
200 to 4,000 (increments of 50)
Battery life:
Up to 70 days
Battery type:
Li-Po 500 mAh
Charge time:
3 minutes
Number of buttons:
7
Gesture button:
Yes
Scroll wheel:
With SmartShift
LEDs:
1x battery status
3x Easy-Switch
Special buttons:
Back/Forward
Middle click
Tilt wheel
Wireless operating distance:
32 feet
Wireless technology:
2.4GHz
Bluetooth technology:
Low Energy
Size (inches):
2.43 (H) x 3.95 x 1.35 (D)
Weight:
3.74 ounces
Colors:
Graphite
Midnight Teal
Light Grey
Price:
$80

Logitech Flow

Logitech’s new software enables one mouse to control up to three Windows and MacOS-based PCs. On top of that, it enables users to share text, images, and files across all three PCs by performing the typical “copy” command on one PC, and the “paste” command on another. According to Logitech, there is no cloud service involved with the data transfers. To work correctly, all three PCs must have the software installed and reside on the same wireless/wired network.

Here are the compatible devices:

Mice
Keyboards
MX Master 2S
K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard
MX Anywhere 2S
K380 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard
Multi-Device M585
K375s Multi-Device
M720 Triathlon
MK850 Performance
M590 Multi-Device Silent

Logitech Flow is available now while the two mice will be made available sometime in June.

Logitech ushers in two flagship mice and software for controlling three PCs

Why it matters to you

Not only has Logitech released two new flagship wireless mice, but software to make controlling multiple PCs easier. Moving data just got easier too.

Logitech introduced three new products on Thursday, one of which is software enabling users to control up to three computers with a single mouse. The other two products are next-generation “MX” mice that can be used on any surface, even glass.

MX Master 2S

This mouse connects to the host PC through the included USB-based Logitech Unifying Receiver, or by way of Bluetooth. This is combined with Logitech’s Easy-Switch technology supporting up to three devices on one PC. Users simply press a button on one of the three devices to use it.

The optical sensor is based on Logitech’s “Darkfield” tracking technology, which is what helps the mouse track movements on glass-like surfaces. According to Logitech, it improved this technology for better cursor speed and accuracy. It also raised the tracking resolution up to 4,000 dots per inch (DPI) for better precision on any display.

Other notable features include a large thumb rest, a thumbwheel for scrolling side-to-side, and a “speed-adaptive” scroll wheel that automatically shifts from hyper-fast scrolling to click-to-click. A USB port resides at the front for recharging the internal battery.

Here are the specifications:

DPI range:
200 to 4,000 (increments of 50)
Battery life:
Up to 70 days
Battery type:
Li-Po 500 mAh
Charge time:
3 minutes
Number of buttons:
7
Gesture button:
Yes
Scroll wheel:
With Auto-Shift
Special buttons:
Back/Forward
Middle click
LEDs:
1x battery status
3x Easy-Switch
Wireless operating distance:
32 feet
Wireless technology:
2.4GHz
Bluetooth technology:
Low Energy
Size (inches):
3.4 (H) x 5.0 x 2.0 (D)
Weight:
5.1 ounces
Colors:
Graphite
Midnight Teal
Light Grey
Price:
$100

MX Anywhere 2S

This is a cheaper, compact alternative to the MX Master 2S, meaning it does not include the protruding thumb rest and thumb wheel. It is more of a portable solution meant for hotel stays, coffee shops, and cramped airplanes. However, like the MX Master 2S, it’s based on Logitech’s improved Darkfield technology.

DPI range:
200 to 4,000 (increments of 50)
Battery life:
Up to 70 days
Battery type:
Li-Po 500 mAh
Charge time:
3 minutes
Number of buttons:
7
Gesture button:
Yes
Scroll wheel:
With SmartShift
LEDs:
1x battery status
3x Easy-Switch
Special buttons:
Back/Forward
Middle click
Tilt wheel
Wireless operating distance:
32 feet
Wireless technology:
2.4GHz
Bluetooth technology:
Low Energy
Size (inches):
2.43 (H) x 3.95 x 1.35 (D)
Weight:
3.74 ounces
Colors:
Graphite
Midnight Teal
Light Grey
Price:
$80

Logitech Flow

Logitech’s new software enables one mouse to control up to three Windows and MacOS-based PCs. On top of that, it enables users to share text, images, and files across all three PCs by performing the typical “copy” command on one PC, and the “paste” command on another. According to Logitech, there is no cloud service involved with the data transfers. To work correctly, all three PCs must have the software installed and reside on the same wireless/wired network.

Here are the compatible devices:

Mice
Keyboards
MX Master 2S
K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard
MX Anywhere 2S
K380 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard
Multi-Device M585
K375s Multi-Device
M720 Triathlon
MK850 Performance
M590 Multi-Device Silent

Logitech Flow is available now while the two mice will be made available sometime in June.

In a world of ordinary wallpapers, these are Wonder Woman wallpapers!

“In a world of ordinary men, I am Wonder Woman!”

Batman seems to get a new movie every few years, and Superman gets a new movie frequently enough. There’s a new superhero movie every three or four months, it seems, but the only time a female superhero gets anywhere near top billing is during ensemble films like Avengers. We haven’t had a female superhero get their own live-action movie, and that streak ends at midnight with the release of DC’s Wonder Woman.

Even better, Wonder Woman actually looks like it might be a good film.

Wonder Woman was a comic book hero that was introduced as an American icon, and so even though she was the daughter of demigods and Greek warrior queens, Wonder Woman’s colors are red, white, and blue. And in an homage to that history, DeviantArt user Superman 8193 has taken some poses by David Despau, artfully done them up with some splashes of patriotic colors, and gifted them to us for a beautiful wallpaper that takes exceptionally well to theming.

David Despau – Wonder Woman 2 by Superman8193

Wonder Woman is a symbol of power and strength, while simultaneously a symbol of feminine beauty and this wallpaper is a testament to that beauty and grace. The golden hour glow, the wind blowing her jacket around like a cape, and her lasso in her hands… this is captivating, and casts Diana Prince as a goddess in her own right, lithe and ethereal.

Wonder Woman by iumazark

I’m not sure which battle Wonder Woman is in the middle of here, but with the sunset behind her, her raven hair impossibly framing her face. The strokes of this painting add a depth and a rough frenzy to what must be a frenzied scene and make her absolutely irresistible. This is an ideal I can spend the rest of my life reaching towards: a woman who has taken it upon herself to fight for what is good and a woman who has accepted and embraced herself and her destiny.

Wonder Woman by KoweRallen

Wonder Woman is a superhero, she’s fast enough to stop bullets with her magical gauntlets, she can go toe-to-toe with gods and monsters and Superman, when she has to. Her badassery has not stopped her from being something of a sexual object — for both sexes — and while Wonder Woman might find a pin-up pose like this somewhat demeaning, I find it empowering. Here is a magnificent woman who has remarkable strength, remarkable beauty… and she is going to take that expertly coiled lasso and make you spill your guts if you keep staring like that.

Wonder Woman by Gabriel-Cassata

Despite being an American superhero with red, white, and blue all over her uniform and her history, Diana Prince is a daughter of Themyscira, an Amazon paradise that looks like a throwback to Ancient Greece. Nothing shows that contrast more than putting the star-spangled hero in front of her home’s natural beauty. Diana is all bright colors and daring angles, and she sticks out like a sore thumb, even if this nature is what she grew up with, what she feel completely comfortable with.

trinquette challenge XVII by gelipe

Microsoft has redesigned Skype with new ‘Snapchat-like’ features

Android users will get the first look at the redesigned Skype app.

Since acquiring Skype six years ago, Microsoft has done a good job taking over the ongoing development of the popular video calling service, adding new features for both Skype and Skype for Business over the years. Today, Microsoft announced its biggest update to Skype yet, offering a trendy new design with new features to help you connect and share moments with friends like never before — assuming you’ve never used Snapchat or Instagram Stories, that is. You can check out the preview of the new app in the Google Play Store.

Microsoft has completely overhauled Skype, with the mobile app offering users three tabs to choose from at the top: Find, Chat, and Capture. The “Find” tab allows you to use plug-ins to search for concert tickets, recipes, and a whole slew of other things, then conveniently share the information in a chat with your friends or family all without leaving the app. “Chat” has also been given a fresh, trendy coat of paint, as Microsoft seems to have liberally borrowed popular features from other messaging apps like Facebook Messenger and iMessage.

But arguably the biggest addition is the “Capture” tab, which appears to function very similarly to Snapchat or Instagram Stories. Tapping the “Capture” tab will instantly launch the camera and allow you to capture a photo or video clip of whatever you’re doing, let you slap a few emojis on it and then share with your friends or add to your “highlights” for others to check out later.

Video calling, which now feels like a secondary Skype feature, has also been upgraded to allow you to share photos, messages, emojis and stickers in real-time in one-on-one or group video calls. All these features will start rolling out to Android users first in a new update before becoming available across all other platforms.

You can learn more about the new Skype features and then head on over to the Google Play Store to see if the new update is available for you.

This seems like a move by Microsoft to try and rebrand Skype to appeal to Millennials, who apparently want Snapchat features in every app on their phone. What do you think of the new Skype? Let us know in the comments.

Samsung’s Connect Home smart mesh Wi-Fi system will be available July 2, starting at $169 each

Another smart home mesh Wi-Fi solution for you to consider.

Samsung’s new mesh Wi-Fi solution, the Connect Home, was announced back with the Galaxy S8 and S8+ but was understandably overshadowed by the flagship phones. Now a couple months removed from the hype, the Connect Home is finally getting a price and launch date. Best Buy is the exclusive launch partner for the system, and pre-orders will open up on June 4 for a launch on July 2 — a nationwide retail launch will then kick off on July 16.

Like other mesh router solutions, the Connect Home can be purchased as a single unit, for $169.99 each, or in a three-pack for $379.99. There’s also a “Pro” version for “high bandwidth demands” that sets you back $249 and offers 4×4 MIMO and a faster processor.

At its core, the Connect Home system is a mesh Wi-Fi experience. A single unit is designed to cover up to 1500 sq ft, and a three-pack 4500 sq ft. The goal is “fast, reliable Wi-Fi coverage for every room in a home.” Up to five units can be connected together for 7500 sq ft of coverage in a single network.

The big differentiator is SmartThings compatibility.

Samsung’s charging a higher price than the Google Wifi but lands below well-regarded systems like the Eero. For the money, Samsung is attempting to offer more than just a Wi-Fi solution, though — Connect Home also functions as a SmartThings hub for your smart home. That means any SmartThings-compatible devices you own can be routed through the network automatically, without the addition of a separate Hub that would normally need to be plugged in to your non-Samsung router.

SmartThings compatibility with no additional setup may be a big deal for anyone who wants to get started with their smart home setup now and hasn’t yet invested in a hub or a fancy mesh Wi-Fi system. But as far as just the networking aspect goes, Samsung may have a bit of an uphill battle fighting the set of well-known names already in the market.

Samsung offers a whole lot of information on the Connect Home over on its product website.

Press release:

Samsung Embarks on New Era of Whole Home Automation with the Launch of Samsung Connect Home Smart Wi-Fi System

All-in-one Whole Home Wi-Fi and SmartThings Hub Offers Ultimate Home Control for Today’s Families

Available for Pre-order Exclusively at Best Buy on June 4; launching nationwide July 16th

RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J. – June 1, 2017 – Samsung Electronics America, Inc. today announced Samsung Connect Home will be available exclusively for pre-order on BestBuy.com starting June 4. Samsung Connect Home is the industry’s first Smart Wi-Fi System to combine fast, reliable Wi-Fi coverage for every room in a home with Samsung’s industry-leading smart home platform, Samsung SmartThings.

The Samsung Connect Home Smart Wi-Fi System is available as a three-pack or single. Ideal for homes up to 4,500 square feet, the three-pack has an MSRP of $379.99. A single Connect Home is for homes up to 1,500 square feet and has an MSRP of $169.99. For homes with high bandwidth demands for gaming, streaming or home offices, a single Samsung Connect Home Pro is available at an MSRP of $249.99. A consumer can connect up to five Samsung Connect Home devices at once.

“Today’s smart homes have the power to deliver simple and efficient automation, but as families stream more content and buy more connected devices, it’s a struggle to get fast, reliable and extendable Wi-Fi coverage,” said Bill Lee, Vice President, Smart Home Product Marketing, Samsung Electronics America. “With Samsung Connect Home, we’re redefining the whole home network to finally offer families a simple solution that expands Wi-Fi coverage throughout the home while offering the ability to monitor, automate and control smart devices using Samsung SmartThings. All of this with just a few taps on a smartphone.”

Samsung Connect Home Features

• Works As A SmartThings Hub – Samsung Connect Home is the only whole-home Wi-Fi system that works as a SmartThings Hub, making it compatible with hundreds of Works With SmartThings devices. With no monthly fees or subscriptions, Samsung SmartThings makes it easy to automate and manage your smart home, and gives you the flexibility to expand your smart home with lights, door locks, cameras, voice assistants, thermostats and more.
• Expandable mesh Wi-Fi network – Samsung Connect Home is easily expandable. Each router has a range of 1,500 square feet, and users can wirelessly connect up to five Samsung Connect Home devices for mesh network coverage of 7,500 square feet.
• Safe & secure – Consumers can rest easy knowing that Samsung Connect Home is protected by hardware-based security technologies. Automatic firmware updates provide additional safeguards to keep smart devices secure.
• Simple setup and unified management – Samsung Connect Home can be set up with easy-to-follow instructions using the Samsung Connect app. The app will guide placement of each Samsung Connect Home device throughout a home for optimal performance. Samsung Connect simplifies smart device management with automatic connectivity, convenient device integration and easy set-up. Using Samsung Connect, users can easily see and manage connected devices, set parental controls and allow guest access.
• Compact design – Samsung Connect Home replaces larger, antenna-laden routers with a simple, sleek and compact design that can be placed anywhere and everywhere in the home, even in plain sight.

“As we work with customers in stores and in their homes, we know how important it is to have fast, secure and reliable whole-home Wi-Fi, especially with more smart devices now connecting to the web,” said Mary Ortizcazarin, Vice President of Smart Home at Best Buy. “Samsung’s Connect Home Smart Wi-Fi System accomplishes this with strong Wi-Fi access in every corner of the home, and as a hub for the rest of your smart home.”

Getting the most out of the PS4 share function

Share all your epic gaming highlights with the PS4’s Share function!

Video game consoles can let you explore an irradiated planet, or try to survive the night while a pack of murderous Wendigos hunts down you and your friends. No matter what kind of adventures you are diving into, there may come a time when you want to share your epic quests with your friends. That is where PlayStation 4’s share function shines. It allows you to quickly take screenshots and video clips, and you can even use it to broadcast your gameplay.

What is the share function

Unlike earlier game consoles where taking a screenshot or video was an involved process that often required extra accessories to pull off, PlayStation 4 has baked everything right into your console. This means that you can snag a screenshot, record a video, or even stream your gameplay, all with just the press of a few buttons on your controller.

This, of course, means that sharing and streaming your best gaming moments is easier than ever on the PlayStation. So the next friends you want to make your friends drop their jaws, be sure to have a few video clips of that epic firefight you’ve been talking about all week.

How do I use it?

Using the Share function is as easy as you might hope. In order to take a screenshot, all you need to do is press the share the button. A small icon of a photograph will pop up on the screen to let you know the screenshot has been saved.

In order to broadcast your gameplay, take a video clip, or take advantage of Share Play you’ll need to press and hold the share button. This will open up a menu on the right side of your screen, with all of your options laid out for you.

To share a video clip all you need to do is select ‘Video clip’, and then decide where you want to share your video. Use this feature to easily share to Facebook, YouTube, and even Instagram. If you’d prefer to save your video clip instead of instantly sharing it, all you need to do is scroll down and choose ‘Save video clip’.

You also have access to broadcast and sharing settings.

If you’re more interested in streaming, then you have the option to Broadcast your gameplay directly to Twitch, YouTube, or Dailymotion. All you need to do is connect your account, and you’re good to go. For those who like to have control over everything going on, you also have access to Broadcast and sharing settings from this menu. It’s here that you can adjust the length of video clips, link with other services, adjust your audio sharing settings, and tweak your Broadcast settings.

You also have access to one final function from within the share menu — PlayStation Shared Play. This allows you to share your game with a friend using the internet, even if they don’t have the game that you are playing. Essentially you’re able to invite one friend into a private party so that the two of you can game together. You can even play a single player game in this manner, choosing to hand the controller back and forth, even if you aren’t using the same console or aren’t in the same place. The only catch is that both you, and your friend will both need to be active members of PlayStation Plus.

Have you used the share function for PlayStation 4?

PlayStation 4 makes it easy for you to save, share, and broadcast your gameplay, all with the press of a controller button. Whether you want to share your gameplay with one friend, or the whole of Twitch, that’s an option that you can take advantage of. Have you used any of PlayStation 4’s share functions? Be sure to let us know about it in the comments below!

DC Legends gets Wonder Woman update ahead of theatrical release

You can play as Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman from the upcoming film!

Wonder Woman is finally getting her own major motion picture, which will see its global debut this weekend. DC Legends is celebrating the Amazon’s first solo outing with a new update that adds the movie versions of Wonder Woman, Hippolyta, and Doctor Poison as playable characters. A fourth, unannounced character is also slated to join the Hero roster as part of the June update.

These characters are available in new Hero Packs available in-game. The update also includes two new Hero events for June, including a 9-day event where players will battle in a brand new Gates of Tartarus environment set in Wonder Woman’s island paradise. Wonder Woman will also be prominently featured on all of the in-game loading screens.

Also included in the update is a new Alliance and Chat features, a redesigned store that’s easier to navigate along with the expected bug fixes, and other gameplay optimizations. You can download DC Legends from the Google Play Store.

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Even Skype is copying Snapchat

Despite its smaller-than-expected user-base, everyone keeps trying to ape Snapchat. The latest in that trend is none other than Skype. Yes, the VOIP and chat app is trying its hand at being an ephemeral social network. Microsoft is calling its Stories clone “Highlights,” and the posting process sounds really similar to Snapchat. From the main screen, swipe to access the camera to capture a photo or video. Once posted, the people in your network can comment with emoticon reactions or text. Oh, right: Texts within the app now support emoji reactions and colored banners. Skype’s other effort to be all things to all people includes built-in chatbots and a colorful redesign. Sure!

The update is rolling out worldwide starting today on mobile. Of course, Skype isn’t the first to pull from the ephemeral app’s playbook — cough, Instagram, cough. But who’s left to do it at this rate that already hasn’t, LinkedIn? Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.

Source: Skype

Lenovo unveils Moto Z2 Play phone with four new Moto Mods

Lenovo-owned Motorola has made the Moto Z2 Play official. It’s the latest modular smartphone from the company, compatible with Moto Mods accessories.

Motorola introduced the Moto Z Play last August; a chunkier, battery-laden mid-range version of the top-spec Moto Z. The Z2 Play mostly differs from that model thanks to a thinner footprint, at 5.99mm, plus an updated fingerprint sensor with gesture navigation – just like the more budget Moto G5.

That new size means a slight nip to the battery capacity – it’s 3,000mAh, down from 3,510mAh – but otherwise the Z2 Play’s specs are similar to its predecessor: it features a 5.5-inch Full HD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset with 4GB RAM, and 32GB/64GB of storage with microSD expansion. And, yes, there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack.

• Moto Z2 Play review: All the mod cons
• Motorola Moto Z review: A modular muddle?
• Motorola Moto Z vs Moto Z Force: What’s the difference?

The Z2 Play’s camera sees a boost, with a 12-megapixel dual-autofocus pixel sensor paired with an f/1.7 aperture lens on the rear, while a 5-megapixel lens with flash unit sits on the front.

Motorola

In addition to the new smartphone, Motorola has launched four new Moto Mods: the JBL SoundBoost 2 ($79), the TurboPower Pack ($79), Moto Shells with wireless charging ($39), and the Moto GamePad ($79). These add new functions, respectively, for robust sound, extra battery, wireless charging, and full-on gameplay controls.

The Z2 Play will launch in the US in early July for $499. We anticipate a similar UK price, around £449, when the device launches in July. As for the new Moto Mods, they will be available in July, except the Moto GamePad, which is expected to launch later this summer.

We’ve been using the Z2 Play for a full week ahead of launch. Check out our full review, link below.

• Moto Z2 Play review: All the mod cons

Denon Envaya Bluetooth speakers are back with a new model and complete redesign

Denon has refreshed its Envaya range of wireless Bluetooth speakers for 2017. There will be three models in the family: Envaya and Envaya Mini, which are long-running models, and a new Envaya Pocket.

• Denon Envaya Mini review: Massive sound from a mini Bluetooth speaker 

Denon went back to the drawing board when it came to the design of the speakers, and so now instead of the slightly more striking lines and black/blue colour finish of the previous model, this new range is a lot more traditional in its approach.

The three speakers share many of the same features, namely a 30 metre Bluetooth range, aptX Bluetooth to ensure you get the highest possible sound quality from compatible devices and and IPX7 waterproof rating.

Up to eight mobile devices can be connected to any of the Envaya speakers at one time, and you can wirelessly connect two speakers together to create a stereo pair.All three models are compatible with Google Now and Siri for controlling various features with your voice.

Battery life is rated at between 10-12 hours depending on the speaker you choose and how hard you push it. And all have a 3.5mm auxiliary input for connecting other sources.

Onto the speakers themselves. The Envaya is the flagship of the range and will be available for £169. Denon says it offers the best performance of the family and can happily be used both inside and outside the home. The Envaya Mini is ideal for taking on holiday. It will be available for £129. Finally, the Envaya Pocket is the baby of the range and will be available for £89. All three will be released in October.