Samsung needs data before Bixby is ready for English speakers

Wondering why Samsung still hasn’t enabled Bixby voice features in English despite promising a launch in the spring? Apparently, it’s down to a lack of info. A spokesperson tells the Korea Herald that the company just doesn’t have enough “big data” to make its AI-powered voice assistant available in languages besides Korean. It needs that extra knowledge to train Bixby’s deep learning system, the Herald says. That’s borne out by US beta testing: Samsung says there have been some ‘unsatisfactory’ responses so far.

An unnamed source for the Herald also claims that it’s made worse by the geographical and linguistic barriers between Samsung’s Korean headquarters and researchers in California. Simply put, it takes much longer to coordinate with an American team than it does in the tech giant’s home country. We’d take this with a grain of salt when Samsung hasn’t confirmed it, but it makes sense given the work involved in supporting English.

Whatever’s at fault, the delay effectively puts Samsung’s grand plans for Bixby on hold. It’s not just that Galaxy S8 owners are going without a promised tentpole feature — it’s that Samsung can’t bring Bixby to other devices properly, or at all, without voice support. What good would that rumored smart speaker be if you couldn’t talk to it? Until the assistant is fully functional in numerous countries, it can’t be a centerpiece for Samsung’s product strategy.

Via: The Verge

Source: Korea Herald

NASA is planning to crash a probe into an asteroid to protect the planet

Why it matters to you

NASA’s DART mission may save us from Armageddon down the line.

Last Friday, June 30, was Asteroid Day, during which events around the world raised awareness about the threat of near-Earth objects. The message was clear — there are a lot of asteroids out there, most of which we don’t know about, and some of them could wipe out cities. The founders of Asteroid Day have vowed to ramp up the discovery of asteroids to 100,000 per year over the next ten years, in hopes that we will be able to spot the big one before it strikes, and NASA has its own interest in this issue.

But cataloging asteroids is just the first step. What do we do if we spot a big one barreling toward Earth?

NASA has an idea and it joined with the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop the Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission. The American agency just approved a move from the concept phase to preliminary design.

AIDA has two proposed components: ESA’s Asteroid Impact Mission (AIM) and NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART). The mission entails crashing the DART probe into “Didymoon,” the smaller asteroid in a binary system, with the hope that the collision would alter the asteroid’s speed and demonstrate that an asteroid can be nudged off its trajectory.

Although ESA denied funding to AIM last year in favor of its ExoMars mission, NASA has now decided to move forward with DART independently.

“DART is a critical step in demonstrating we can protect our planet from a future asteroid impact,” Andy Cheng, co-lead of the DART investigation, said in a statement.

Asteroids hit Earth constantly but we’re rarely struck by one big enough to do any serious damage. When such an impact does occur — as it did in 2013 when a meteor injured 1,500 people in Chelyabinsk, Russia — it’s a sudden reminder of the threat.

Astronaut Tom Jones thinks it’s worth prioritizing projects like AIDA, given the unique opportunity to test these planetary defense technologies on an asteroid that doesn’t pose a threat.

“I would say it’s worth taking one-sixtieth of NASA’s budget..to fund the US component of the AIDA mission,” he told Digital Trends. “Postponing activity at Mars for a couple years is a good trade for completing an opportunity with AIM and DART to take advantage of this unique opportunity to hit and deflect this small asteroid, Didymos. If we miss this we’ll have to find another nice target down the road.”

The mission is planned to rendezvous with Didymos in 2024, when the asteroid will pass by Earth. The development of DART is being built and managed by scientists at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.

OnePlus 5 camera tips to help you get twice the fun out of the dual-lens camera

OnePlus may not be making phones so cheaply anymore, but while the OnePlus 5 is more expensive than previous models from the manufacturer, it’s still a more value-packed proposition than the Samsung Galaxy S8, the Google Pixel XL, and the Apple iPhone 7 Plus. One of the top features, according to OnePlus, is the dual-lens camera, and we’re about to run through some OnePlus 5 camera tips that show it’s definitely one of the reasons you should buy this phone.

If you’ve already taken the plunge and a OnePlus 5 now sits in your hand, then you’re ready to go out and take plenty of awesome pictures. But wait just a minute, before doing that, take a moment to read through our guide on how to get the most from the OnePlus 5’s dual-lens camera.

Camera specifications

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The OnePlus 5 has three camera lenses, with two on the back and one on the front. The Sony IMX 371 selfie camera has 16 megapixels, an f/2.0 aperture, electronic image stabilization, and fixed focus; but all attention is on the rear cam. A Sony IMX 398 16-megapixel, f/1.7 wide-angle lens is joined by a Sony IMX 350 telephoto lens with 20 megapixels and an f/2.6 aperture. OnePlus also promises super fast autofocus.

The dual-lens setup has two distinct features. The first is a zoom mode, which is a hybrid of optical and digital technology, giving a lossless — that’s OnePlus’s word — total zoom of 2x. Behind the scenes is some software magic called Smart Capture, which takes the 1.6x optical zoom feature and mixes in 0.4x digital zoom with image stabilization and image enhancement to take very clear 2x pictures.

The second feature is a bokeh blurred-background mode, which OnePlus calls Portrait mode, just like Apple does. Point the camera at a subject, whether it’s a person or an object, and the camera will use the two lenses to add the desirable blurred depth-of-field look to the picture. Other camera features include 4K video recording at 30fps, an HDR mode, RAW file format, a horizon line, a Pro settings mode, photo editing, and a beauty mode.

Settings

Let’s start using the OnePlus 5. Out of the box, OnePlus puts the camera icon in the permanent Android dock of icons at the bottom of the screen. The icon looks like a camera. Open it up and you’re presented with a clean, relatively simple interface. It’s closer to Apple’s app than to Huawei’s camera app, which was created with the help of Leica.

In the top left is a three-line menu icon. Tap it to see alternative modes, such as video, Portrait, slow motion video, and time-lapse mode. If you want to dig deeper, look for the cog icon in the top right of the screen and tap it. From here you can customize the way OnePlus 5 camera works a little more.

For example, we recommend turning on at least a 3×3 grid. This helps with photo composition, using a method known as the “rule of thirds,” where your subject should be placed where the lines intersect. Otherwise, you may also want to toggle the location data option — where photos are tagged with the location where they were taken — and if there’s a shutter sound or not.

Next, scroll down the screen to the Pro mode options. We definitely recommend activating the horizontal reference line, which is like a spirit level for your photos, helping you ensure the horizon is always straight. The OnePlus 5’s Pro mode has a histogram too, which tells you about an image’s brightness levels. Black levels are measured on the left of the graph, and white levels on the right. Spikes in the graph can help identify under-or-over-exposed pictures, before seeing them on a larger screen when editing. It’s a professional tool, but the keen amateur can get some benefit from it too.

The final setting you must take a look at is Save Normal Photo. When the OnePlus 5 takes a photo in Portrait mode, it can either save both images — the non-enhanced version and the final, blurred out shot — or just the version with the depth of field effect. This is the difference between having, say, 100 pictures saved, or 200 pictures saved. We probably only care about the bokeh shot, and if you select the 64GB OnePlus 5, saving storage space early on is a good idea. It definitely saves on sorting through pictures later on.

Zoom mode

Here’s how to use the OnePlus 5’s zoom mode on the camera. Remember, you only get lossless zoom up to 2x. If you go beyond that, up to the OnePlus 5’s maximum 8x zoom, you’ll be relying on digital zoom and quality will suffer dramatically. Stick to 2x zoom, and pictures will still look good.

In standard mode you can pinch the viewfinder to zoom in and out, but the easiest and quickest way to find the 2x limit is to use the button next to the shutter release in landscape orientation. It’s labeled 1x, but if you tap it, the camera zooms in to 2x, ready for you to shoot at the optimum zoom level. Tap it again to return to standard 1x. When you’re zoomed in, be aware your hand movements will have a more prominent effect on the picture, and it’s easier to introduce shake.

Portrait mode

This is likely the reason you want a dual-lens camera phone. Adding a bokeh effect is a major trend, and both Huawei and Apple have excellent systems for doing so. Can OnePlus compete? The answer is yes, and we like the bokeh Portrait mode on the OnePlus 5; but it does need a little patience to get the best end result.

First, you need to know how to activate Portrait mode on the OnePlus 5. It’s easy. In the main app, you can swipe to left, or use the menu button in the top left to select it. You’ll know it’s working when you see a hint to “Place the subject between 0.3 meters and 2 meters” at the bottom of the screen. A grayed out Depth Effect icon will also be displayed, that turns green when the background is being blurred out.

That’s all the advice you actually need. Point your camera at an object that’s relatively close to you, stay still, and the Depth Effect will activate. You’ll see the background blur in the viewfinder, and your subject remain in sharp focus. It’s worth noting this is a digital effect, and the camera may not always blur out the right things. Some subjects will produce better bokeh effects than others.

Have fun with Portrait mode! It works well, and produces different results, depending on whether you’re taking photos of people or objects. It doesn’t work with moving objects though. Experiment with different distances between you and the subject, and remember to use the 3×3 grid to help with composition.

Auto mode tips

Most of the time you’ll be taking photos in auto mode. Here are a few tips you’ll need:

Use a gesture to open the camera from the lock screen. Open the Settings app, scroll down to Gestures and select it. Here, look for the list of gestures, and choose one. We like the V gesture, because it’s quick. Tap Draw V, and then select Open Camera. Now, on the black lock screen draw the letter V with your finger to quickly open the app. It’s quicker than going to the lock screen and swiping the camera shortcut in the bottom right. There’s a vibration to let you know it has worked.

In the camera app on the viewfinder screen, hold down for several seconds on the screen to lock the exposure and focus in one place. Also, tap on your subject to adjust the exposure using a slider that pops up.

Look to the top right of the main camera screen to find the option to permanently add the HDR mode. You can also switch to auto, or off, under this menu. Other options along this line are for the aspect ratio of your photo, the flash, and the timer.

Swipe to the right on the viewfinder to enter video mode. In the top right of the screen you’ll find the quality setting. It defaults to 1080p, which if you tap it, you can select 720p, 1080p at 60fps, and 4K at 30fps.

Pro mode

If you’ve already activated a grid, understand the benefits of the histogram, and find the exposure value adjustment too basic in auto mode, then the OnePlus 5’s Pro camera mode is for you. It gives complete control over the camera, ready to adjust the focus, the white balance, the ISO, and the exposure.

In standard auto mode, tap the three line menu in the top left and select Pro mode. The histogram, if you activated it earlier under Settings, will appear and the horizon line will be in the center of the viewfinder. All the adjustable options are lined up along the bottom of the screen. Tap each one, and a rotating semi-circle control pops up, which you use to shift the value.

Pay attention to the horizontal line in the center of the screen. When the camera is flat, or level, the line turns solid green. It’s a sensitive little thing, and you may find you’re not always happy with what it tells you. As with all digital tools, don’t let them override your instincts. If it looks right to you, then it probably is.

Look to the top right of the main screen and you’ll see a few changes over the standard auto mode. The first is the option to save pictures in RAW format, by tapping the button marked RAW. It may have a line through it by default. Saving files in RAW makes editing them using professional software platforms on your computer much easier.

The second option is the button with the letter C with a line through it. OnePlus provides two custom Pro mode settings, allowing you to save a preferred setup in C1 or C2 slots. Tap the C button and select C1. Now, adjust the manual settings to your preference and look for the Save C1 button alongside the shutter release. Tap it, and you can return to those settings at any time. It’s the same process to add custom settings to the C2 button.

Editing

If you’re not entirely happy with a photo you’ve taken, you can always tweak aspects using the OnePlus editing suite. From the OnePlus home screen, open the Gallery app, which is next to the Camera app. Next, find the photo you want to edit and tap it, then choose the icon that looks like a pencil at the bottom of the screen. It’s alongside a quick share option, a favorite button, and a delete button.

Once you’re editing, there are a few options from which to choose. From left to right at the bottom of the screen, you have all the parameters (such as contrast, shadows, and highlights), then an option to add filters, a crop and straighten tool, an auto adjustment tool, and a stamp for adding text or a copyright logo.

OnePlus’s editing suite is good, but can’t match the software found on, say, the LG G6. It has a few annoying oversights, such as not being able to crop pictures to a set aspect ratio, just freehand. The filter choice is good though, and we like tapping the screen to quickly see the before and after shot. However, for greater control and more choice, we’d recommend installing Google’s Snapseed app, which is free, or to use the tools inside Google Photos, which is installed as standard and found in the Google app folder on the OnePlus 5.

Selfies

Everyone likes taking a selfie every now and then, so how does the OnePlus 5 handle them? The 16-megapixel front camera packs in plenty of detail, and even has its own HDR mode, which works really well. Switch to the front camera using the button to the left of the shutter release in portrait orientation.

Along the top right of the screen are a few different options, and the one you’ll most likely want to try out is the beauty mode. Tap the icon shaped like a person’s head and shoulders, then turn the beauty mode on by tapping the icon without the line through it. A slider lets you adjust the amount of “beauty” added to the shot. It smooths and lightens skin, but can get confused by bright light sources. We’d suggest going easy on the effect, but a little tweak never hurt anyone.

Now, armed with all these OnePlus 5 camera tips, you’re ready to make the best of its ample ability, and shoot great photos. We’d love to see the shots you take with the new phone, so tag us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, along with OnePlus when you share them. Have fun!

Apple fans, is your data safe? How to back up your Mac to an external hard drive

While Apple is busy pushing its iCloud services these days — which you can use to backup data from any Apple device — it’s understandable if you prefer a more traditional method of backing up your data. The external hard drive remains a solid choice if you prefer a physical location to store, protect and share your data (without any cloud storage fees, either). Let’s go over how to backup your Mac to an external hard drive.

Make Sure Your Hard Drive is Properly Formatted for macOS

If you are going to use an external hard drive to backup your Mac data, then you should start by formatting it for the macOS extended file system — except for a few exceptions, most external hard drives are not pre-formatted for Macs. Fortunately, it’s a simple process and can also teach users a bit more about their hard drives.

1. Connect your new hard drive to your Mac: A new hard drive is ideal here. If you use an older hard drive, things get more complicated. Re-formatting will erase any old data that you have on the drive, so you’ll want to double-check and move any valuable data over to another device before moving on.

2. Launch Disk Utility: Disk Utility is located in Applications, under the subheading Utilities. Access Applications via the Dock.

3. Find the hard drive you want to reformat: All drives and volumes on your Mac will be listed in Disk Utility, so make sure you pick the right one.

4. Erase the drive: Choose to Erase in the Disk Utility window, confirm that’s what you want to do, and get ready to rename the drive — it’s a good idea to call it something like, “Mac Backup” if you are using this hard primarily for backup data.

5. Choose the new map scheme: You will now be asked to pick a new format, including Extended (Journaled), Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled), Extended (Journaled, Encrypted), and so on. The Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format uses Journaled HFS Plus to keep all your data organized. The Encrypted option adds a password and encryption, while Case-sensitive differentiates folders with upper/lowercase letters (“September” and “september” stay separated, etc.). Pick the best option for your situation — we recommend the fourth format, which includes all three capabilities, if you aren’t sure what to do.

6. Head over to Security Options: Choose Security Options and make sure the drive is set to write over any past data at least three times (for SATA drives, not SSDs).

7. Erase and confirm: Your drive will be reformatted!

Option 1: Backup large amounts of data via Time Machine

Time Machine allows you to back up your Mac with automated, scheduled backups. If you don’t mind having your external hard drive continually connected to your Mac, Time Machine takes a lot of work out of the backup process. Here’s what to do to active it.

1. Open Time Machine and make sure it is turned on: You can find Time Machine in System Preferences, which is located in your Dock. There’s a big switch on the left side of the Time Machine window to turn it on or off. Turn it on.

2. Select your hard drive: Under Select Disk, choose the hard drive for backing up your data. If you completed the formatting steps under the first section, this shouldn’t be a problem, although you may have to enter the password for an encrypted drive.

3. Check Options: Under the Options button, you can choose which volumes of data you want to backup, which is handy if you don’t want to save all the data you keep on MacOS. If everything looks appropriate, then you are good to go! Time Machine will automatically start backing up your data and allowing you to retrieve past data from 24 hours ago if something goes wrong — as well as data from any day in the past month, and any weekly data since Time Machine started working.

Option 2: Selectively store data on a hard drive manually

Maybe you only want to back up your Mac with specific files — a more fitting solution if you are interested in saving a certain type of media, or backing up only files related to your job, etc.

1. Open up your Finder: You can open a Finder window any time from the Dock. Check the left side of your Finder to see if your external hard drive is present, by name, in the sidebar. Normally, if your hard drive is connected and properly formatted, you will see it here. If not, head to Preferences and select Sidebar, where you can choose to customize what appears in the Finder sidebar. Make sure your hard drive is set to appear there.

2. Create any necessary folders: The files you want to back up may already be in the proper folders, nicely organized, in which case you can skip this step. But if your files are a little scattered, you may want to head up to the folder icon in Finder and create new folders to properly gather your valuable data.

3. Move folders into your external hard drive: Drag and drop the folders you want to save to the external hard drive in your sidebar. They will be automatically copied over to that hard drive. If you are looking for a particular file to save and can’t find it, use the search function in the upper right portion of the Finder screen to take a closer look.

Owner of custom Lamborghini and Lamboat set looking to sell for a cool $2.2M

Why it matters to you

If you like fast cars and fast boats, this color-matched, custom Lamborghini and Lamboat duo cound be yours — for a cool $2.2 million.

Designing performance boats that are built to complement supercars isn’t a brand-new phenomenon, but it appears to be picking up speed. Speaking of speed, a color-matched Lamborghini and Lamboat duo that were custom-built for their original owner are now for sale, according to James Edition. Step up with $2.2 million and they are yours.

We’ve seen the Palmer Johnson Bugatti Niniette 66 performance superyacht built to match the Bugatti Chiron, the Aston Martin AM37 built by Quintessence Yachts, the Lexus Sports Yacht, and the Mercedes-Benz and Cigarette Racing 2017 Marauder AMG modeled after the AMG GT R. Now meet the 2016 Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce and the matching 2017 Marine Technologies MTI 52 G6.

Both vehicles were custom built for Gino Gargiulo. James Edition reported that a family incident “regrettably” forces the sale of the car/boat combo. The custom rides had previously been featured in a CNBC Prime episode of “The Secret Lives of the Super Rich.”

The 2016 Aventador SV — which stands for “super veloce,” Italian for super fast — has a $598,000 window sticker and 700 miles on the odometer. The car has a 750-hp V12 engine, all-wheel-drive, and a semi-automatic transmission. There are loads of carbon-fiber component options, and it’s painted in a special order color named “Verde Singh.” Top speed is listed at 217 mph.

Apparently, Gargiulo was so enamored with his new car that he ordered the boat to match, and then had to wait more than a year for its completion. The full carbon-fiber hull is powered by two 1,350-hp to 155o-hp Mercury racing engines. When the key fob is set to “Pleasure” the engines have a total of 2700-hp running on 91 octane gasoline. Switch the fob to “Race,” however, and run it on 112 AKI race fuel and the total power jumps to 3100 hp. Top speed is reported to be 180 mph.

Besides the boat’s matching Verde Singh paint job, many design and functional details match the Lamborghini, including the dashboard, tail lights, headlights, and switches. Some of the components are actual Lamborghini parts “marinized” for use on the water. Even the cockpit seats are designed to look similar to those in the car.

The boat comes with a $100,000 tilt trailer. The car and boat with trailer cost a reported $2,350,000 and the asking price is $2.2 million.

Best Unlocked Phone

• Best overall
• Best Google experience
• Best for less
• Best alternative
• Best for speed
• Best for less

Best overall

Samsung Galaxy S8

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The Galaxy S8 has slick hardware with tiny bezels that let it have a bigger screen in a still-compact body. But inside it still offers everything you want: a high-end processor, lots of storage, an SD card slot, full waterproofing and a great camera.

Yes the fingerprint sensor is slightly awkward to use, but the GS8’s iris scanner is dramatically improved to make up for it. And it only takes one look at the industry-leading display to start to forgive Samsung’s decisions on the back.

Though its software can be a little overwhelming to novices, you can’t argue that Samsung continues to pack in hundreds of features to a single phone, making sure there’s something in here for everyone’s needs. Samsung takes this approach of offering more more more with just a few compromises — and it keeps selling phones in massive numbers.

Bottom line: The Galaxy S8 gives you piles of features in a beautiful body, and is a great choice for a wide range of potential buyers.

One more thing: For about $100 more, you can get a Galaxy S8+ with a larger display and longer battery life.

Why the Galaxy S8 is the best

Samsung’s Galaxy S brand carries so much weight in the mobile world, and the Galaxy S8 continues to leverage that brand while also offering a fantastic overall smartphone experience that today’s consumers want. Once again, Samsung took its core principles of great hardware, a top-end display, waterproofing, solid cameras and mounds of features and updated it all for 2017.

The result is a fresh design that shrinks down the display bezels and really smooths out all of the sharp edges to give you a sleek, thin phone with a large display that doesn’t feel that large. The extra-tall 18.5:9 aspect ratio comes in at 5.8-inches across on the Galaxy S8 and 6.2-inches on the Galaxy S8+, and in both cases feels quite a bit smaller than the numbers would lead you to believe.

The sleek body still packs in top-end specs, of course, starting with that magnificent Super AMOLED display and backing it up with a Snapdragon 835 (or Exynos 8895 internationally), 4GB of RAM, larger 64GB of storage with an SD card slot, a new USB-C port and locking it all down with waterproofing. The batteries are no bigger than last year’s models, but battery life hasn’t taken a hit. On the other side of the hardware, there’s one big downside: Samsung moved the fingerprint sensor to an awkward position on the back next to the camera, leaving you with the less-consistent and less-convenient face scanning and iris scanning instead.

Samsung continues to make phones with all of the design and features people are clamoring for.

The camera experience has actually changed more on the front than the back with a new 8MP unit that packs auto focus. But the 12MP rear camera is still no slouch — Samsung has improved its processing to get even more out of this setup, and it remains a competitor for the best overall smartphone camera out there.

The ongoing point of contention when it comes to Samsung phones is the software, and that’s the same once again on the Galaxy S8. Samsung continues to put in a massive number of features without removing any from years prior, leaving you with lots of things to get in the way and confuse you when you’re trying to get the basics done. On the other hand, it’s hard to find someone who can’t get done what they need to right out of the box on this phone. It truly is aimed at being relevant to as diverse a set of consumers as possible, and it succeeds on that point.

By putting up with a few of the out-of-the-box quirks and taking some time to set it up how you like it, the Galaxy S8 can do anything you want and get it done at a fast pace while looking great as well.

Best Google experience

Google Pixel XL

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The Google Pixel XL does almost everything right. Its metal body is well-built and easy to grip, and its spec sheet is still capable, featuring a Snapdragon 821 and 4GB of RAM powering its 5.5-inch QHD display. This isn’t its biggest strength, however.

The Pixel XL really makes its case because Google owns both the hardware and the software. Even the best manufacturers can’t achieve what Google has with its first-party powerhouse. It’s fast, clean and lovely to use with Google’s apps and services. Performance is amazing, and less-experienced users will feel at ease with its simpler interface.

Then there’s the camera, which continues to be one of the best in the business in all types of scenes, helped along by Google’s exemplary electronic stabilization that gives you silky smooth video recording.

Bottom line: Google doesn’t compete in the raw number of features, but offers a sleek, consistent and holistic experience that absolutely deserves praise.

One more thing: The Pixel is available unlocked through Google’s store in most countries, but if you’re in the U.S. we suggest considering buying through Google Fi.

Best for less

LG G6

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The LG G6 uses a tall 18:9 display and tiny bezels (and did it before the Galaxy S8) to give you a larger screen in a smaller body. The all-new metal-and-glass design may not be totally inspired, but it’s built amazingly well and incorporates lots of little features — like waterproofing — to help it hold up over time.

All of the internal specs you expect are here, even though the battery isn’t removable like its predecessors. The one downside here is regional differences: the higher-quality Quad DAC is exclusive to Asia, while wireless charging is only for the North American market.

LG’s dual camera setup has returned but with a refined emphasis on the wide-angle camera so it packs the same sensor as the standard camera. The main camera takes fantastic photos to go toe-to-toe with the best of them, and the wide-angle shooter adds in something that no other phone offers.

Bottom line: This is LG’s best flagship phone to date, and going a step further it’s one that comes in at a notably lower price — around $550 now — than the Galaxy S8 and Google Pixel XL.

One more thing: LG’s software can take some time to get used to, but if you tweak it a bit it’ll likely fit your needs.

Best alternative

HTC U11

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See at HTC

HTC is back at the top competing with the big names after a few years where its flagships just weren’t up to speed. The HTC U11 is a great phone that has followed industry trends and also executed really well on them.

When viewed from the back you get a beautiful shining glass back that’s truly unique. Around front it’s a bit more boring, but the 5.5-inch QHD display is goodl — and the fingerprint sensor is sensibly located below the screen.

The best example of HTC turning things around is its camera — the 12MP sensor gets all the hardware right, and also has the processing to take best-in-class photos. A big improvement over even the phones it released earlier in 2017.

Internally you get all of the right stuff, with a Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB storage, a big-enough 3000mAh battery and complete waterproofing. The one thing missing? A headphone jack on the bottom.

Bottom-line: The U11 is a great all-around phone at a reasonable $650 price that should definitely be considered in the same realm as other high-end options.

One more thing: This is the only phone on this list without a headphone jack — be ready to use Bluetooth or the included USB-C adaptor.

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Best for speed

OnePlus 5

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OnePlus continues to iterate on its proven formula of offering a phone with top-end internal specs, great software and no obvious flaws for a really competitive price. The OnePlus 5 is blazing fast, has super-clean software and solid battery life.

At this discounted price you get hardware design that’s rather simple, a good-but-not-great screen and a simply above-average camera — plus, it’s missing waterproofing. OnePlus continues to hit all of the basics, though.

Even at a slightly higher price of $479, the OnePlus 5 is a great deal in 2017 — especially for those who can’t (or won’t) spend $600+ on one of the other flagship options.

Bottom-line: For a solid experience and future-proof specs for a lower price than the flagship competition, the OnePlus 5 is a great choice.

One more thing: Remember you won’t get Verizon or Sprint compatibility on the OnePlus 5 — you’ll have to stick to GSM/LTE networks.

Best for less

Moto G5 Plus

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The Moto G5 Plus is the latest in a proud line of great affordable unlocked phones from Motorola. The design game has been stepped up this year, with a new metallic body, while the innards get a welcome upgrade to a Snapdragon 625 processor with 3GB of RAM, and 32-64GB of storage depending on where you buy.

The big difference compared to the Moto G4 Plus is that this year’s model has the performance and endurance to match more expensive handsets, thanks to that efficient CPU and a 3,000mAh internal battery. (And you’ll also benefit from Moto’s Turbo Charging feature for quick refills.)

The display and camera are decent, though not mind-blowingly brilliant, but overall it’s hard to argue with the package that the Moto G5 Plus delivers for under $250.

Bottom-line: For an inexpensive unlocked phone that doesn’t feel cheap, the Moto G5 Plus is an awesome choice.

One more thing: Make sure you don’t accidentally buy the standard Moto G5 or Moto G4 Plus — the listings are all very similar.

Conclusion

For most people shopping for an unlocked phone, the Galaxy S8 will serve as the best choice with its excellent design, top-end hardware, great camera and piles of software features. It’s hard to go wrong with this phone, whether you’re choosing the Galaxy S8 or larger Galaxy S8+.

Best overall

Samsung Galaxy S8

See at Best Buy
See at Samsung

The Galaxy S8 has slick hardware with tiny bezels that let it have a bigger screen in a still-compact body. But inside it still offers everything you want: a high-end processor, lots of storage, an SD card slot, full waterproofing and a great camera.

Yes the fingerprint sensor is slightly awkward to use, but the GS8’s iris scanner is dramatically improved to make up for it. And it only takes one look at the industry-leading display to start to forgive Samsung’s decisions on the back.

Though its software can be a little overwhelming to novices, you can’t argue that Samsung continues to pack in hundreds of features to a single phone, making sure there’s something in here for everyone’s needs. Samsung takes this approach of offering more more more with just a few compromises — and it keeps selling phones in massive numbers.

Bottom line: The Galaxy S8 gives you piles of features in a beautiful body, and is a great choice for a wide range of potential buyers.

One more thing: For about $100 more, you can get a Galaxy S8+ with a larger display and longer battery life.

Update July 2017: With new unlocked models available, the list closely follows our general “best Android phones” list — with the addition of the Moto G5 Plus for those looking to spend less on their phone.

Facebook is fighting the US on user data requests

Facebook is challenging the government over data searches that are possibly related to protests that happened during Donald Trump’s inauguration. According to information dug up by Buzzfeed, Facebook received warrants from prosecutors to search three accounts. Those were accompanied by non-disclosure orders preventing it from telling the affected users about any investigation. The gag orders may have come about because in February, the social network warned some protesters that police were digging around in their Facebook accounts.

Some of the Trump inauguration arrests were denounced by press freedom organizations because they involved journalists. “These felony charges are bizarre and essentially unheard of when it comes to journalists here in America who were just doing their job,” Pen America’s Susan Nossel told the New York Times in January.

Facebook lost an initial challenge to the gag order, but took the case to the DC Court of Appeals. A decision is still pending, but the court did rule that Facebook and the government could post an unsealed notice to any groups with an interest in the matter.

Public briefs were then filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), rival tech companies and consumer advocacy groups in support of Facebook. While not revealing specific details of the case, the briefs, and Facebook’s legal fight behind them, came to the attention of reporters.

Facebook argued that the nondisclosure order may violate the First Amendment, because information about the related investigation is already public. “Neither the government’s investigation nor its interest in Facebook user information was secret,” it said in the public notice. Furthermore, it believes that the users in question should be able to learn about the warrants in order to fight them, since they may infringe on their right to anonymous speech.

In light of the warrants’ potential impact on the First Amendment rights of its users, Facebook moved to vacate the [non-disclosure order] on the grounds that it did not withstand strict scrutiny under the First Amendment.

The ACLU also thinks that the search orders are a type of fishing expedition. “[It’s] like a warrant telling officers to seize all the papers and photographs in someone’s home, so prosecutors can peruse them at leisure looking for evidence,” Legal Director Arthur Spitzer told Buzzfeed.

Three briefs were filed last Friday from tech groups, including Microsoft, Google, Apple, Snap, Twitter and others, joined by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. Another was filed by the ACLU and Public Citizen Litigation Group, and a third from organizations including the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and Center for Democracy & Technology. The latter brief noted that the events “coincide with the proceedings involving the January 20, 2017 Presidential Inauguration protestors.”

In its filing, the EFF notes that “the First Amendment requires that the users be accorded notice and the opportunity to contest the warrants.” Facebook told Buzzfeed that it’s “grateful to the companies and civil society organizations that are supporting us in arguing for people’s constitutional rights.” The court will reportedly tackle the challenge at some point in September.

Via: Buzzfeed

Source: Court of Appeals (PDF)

How ‘League of Legends’ can shape the future of eSports

League of Legends is a driving force of the eSports industry. With more than 100 million players around the world and tournaments that regularly sell out stadiums including the Staples Center and Madison Square Garden, League represents the epitome of mainstream professional gaming. League sets the eSports standard.

That’s one reason it was such a big deal when Riot Games announced massive changes coming to the North American League of Legends Championship Series, which decides the team competing in the World Championship every year. The new rules are designed to give North American players and franchises more security, more money, and more input in league decisions. After about a month to absorb the new regulations, we spoke with leaders and coaches of three major League of Legends teams — Immortals, Team Dignitas and Team Liquid — about what this means for the future of professional play.

But, first, the new rules. There are three layers of changes heading to the North American LCS: structural, financial and communicative.

Let’s start with structure. Currently, all LCS teams face the possibility of relegation — being kicked out of the league entirely if they don’t perform well throughout the season. Starting in 2018, the North American LCS will feature a lineup of permanent teams, all of which must meet Riot’s criteria for player support and brand management. Additionally, the almost-pro Challenger Series will become the Academy League, a true proving ground for fresh talent.

Permanence not only gives LCS players and coaches more stability, but it allows investors to funnel more money into the market, secure in the knowledge their teams won’t suddenly disappear from the league. Plus, Riot will be better able to ensure players — some of whom get their start while still in high school — aren’t exploited.

“Part of our evaluation process will be examining how teams will support their pros, not only in coaching and training, but in career opportunities or higher education once their playing career has ended,” Riot says.

Some of that support comes in the form of money, which brings us to the second layer of changes. The minimum salary for LCS players in 2018 is $75,000, up from the current floor of roughly $25,000. Plus, professional players as a group are now guaranteed to earn at least 35 percent of league revenue. At the end of the season, if the total of all players’ salaries is less than 35 percent of LCS revenue overall, the difference will be distributed directly to the players, on top of their guaranteed salaries.

These moves are necessary to keep up with naturally occurring standards: The average salary of a North American LCS player is about $105,385, according to a January ESPN poll.

Additionally, LCS teams will be required to pour some of the money they make from sponsorships and merchandise sales back into the league, while Riot will similarly share revenue from media deals, in-game sales and other avenues. The studio laid out some of these details in September. Teams in 2018 are also guaranteed 32.5 percent of league revenue, half of that distributed based on where they place, and how they contribute to fan engagement and viewership.

The final change is all about the players. Riot is laying the foundation for a formal Players’ Association, providing financial support to launch the organization but allowing members to vote in their own representatives. The association is designed to give players a direct line of communication with Riot, plus it will house resources such as skills training, financial planning and legal aid. The Players’ Association is set to go live this year.

Until now, professional gaming in western countries has existed in a largely unregulated void, without guarantees for the safety of players or the success of any league. The new North American LCS rules may be niche, but they’re ripe to be imitated throughout the eSports world — potentially affecting games like Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Overwatch.

Professional gaming in western countries has existed in a largely unregulated void.

On a global scale, the new structure might help the North American League of Legends scene catch up with countries like South Korea, where top players are treated more like football stars (pigskin or otherwise) and the government itself supports the eSports industry. South Korea happens to dominate the League of Legends World Championship every year: There have been six tournaments since 2011, and the most recent four have been won by South Korean squads — three by the same team, SK Telecom T1.

Meanwhile, there’s no official regulatory body for eSports in the US, meaning players and leagues are figuring it out as they go along. Global groups like the Professional eSports Association and the World eSports Association are attempting to set standards and ensure players aren’t treated unfairly, but they’re in their infancy.

The North American LCS represents an exciting test of eSports’ potential in the western world, treating League of Legends with the seriousness of a traditional sport. Below we’ve collected thoughts on the changes from leaders of North American LCS franchises Immortals, Team Dignitas and Team Liquid, edited for clarity:

Steve Arhancet, co-CEO, Team Liquid

I think it’s a positive step for the NA LCS. I’m hoping it will lead to real prosperity for League of Legends and the wider gaming community. I know some fans may be nervous about the idea of franchising in the LCS, but a secure structure should help team owners, investors, broadcasters and marketers to invest more confidently and it will mean more job security for players.

I’m also confident in the process Riot went through before announcing the franchise terms. They consulted with teams extensively and I think what they’re proposing is an exciting opportunity both for endemic esports teams and new organizations looking to get into esports. From my perspective, the revenue sharing is essential for the health of the league. While I know as well as anyone that we do it because it’s our passion, currently things are stacked heavily in the favor of the league and Riot has recognized that. Under the LCS franchise system everyone will benefit — players, analysts, coaches, teams, shoutcasters and fans. It feels like the business side of our sport is catching up with the passion.

Ultimately, a league of 10 franchise teams should give us a better, more competitive league with cool developments that parallel other pro sports. Team owners will be able to more confidently invest in their team. Having an Academy team will help promote player growth and development, which will translate on-screen. With an eye toward this, we announced recently that Team Liquid is adopting the minimum 10-man roster model necessary for franchising, something we’ve experimented with in the past.

I like how it creates deeper roots, a large training ground and more opportunities for all of the players. For fans, I think this security will mean they can commit to a team more fully. Many teams rely on the pre-existing personalities of their players to guide fan team selection, but franchising will give people an inside look into the team’s brand so that they can invest into the entire team, what they stand for and how it operates.

Since [co-CEO Victor Goossens] and I took investment from eSports ownership group aXiomatic last year, we’ve invested in Team Liquid more broadly — already drawing some learnings from the franchise experience of people like Ted Leonsis and Jeff Vinik. We’re building out a new training facility, for example, that includes screening rooms, a new professional kitchen for the team chef and gaming facility to scrim that are separate from where they live. If we’re accepted into the LCS franchise, these investments will pay dividends as they mirror those of “mainstream” professional sports.

Jonathan Kemp, CEO, Team Dignitas

We’re very supportive of [the new rules]. We think it gives us a great deal of stability for us to be able to invest in players and therefore invest in our fans. Without that, I think every team has struggled a little bit with the lack of certainty.

In terms of the sort of improvement in conditions — whether that’s regulation or whatever it is — I think that’s coming through from teams now. I think purely by the influx of ownership or investment by professional sports teams, NBA organizations, that changes things significantly for most teams.

I came in on the back of the 76ers’ acquisition of Team Dignitas; my background has been games publishing but also across sport, I did London 2012, the Olympics. I think we all come in with a bit more of a wider knowledge and experience and skill set, and I think we see that across all the teams. When you look all across the teams in the North American LCS or across other teams in North America or Europe, then you definitely see new ideas percolating through and people just bringing something from another walk of life and saying, actually, we can introduce this into eSports and it isn’t a bad thing. It’s not going to change the dynamics fundamentally and it will actually make a better fan experience, it will be a better experience for players.

Looking out over the next six to 12 months, that all feels very positive. I think the franchising discussions taking place are clearly a good thing and I think just by virtue of those franchise discussions happening, that’s then causing a lot of other games developers and publishers to look at their game and say, ‘That’s a model that might be interesting,’ or, ‘That’s something I aspire to in three or five years time.’ That’s good at raising the bar in terms of how people approach their game as a potential eSport.

Robert Yip, LCS Performance Coach, Immortals

With the upcoming changes to the 2018 LCS revolving around a franchising system, there will be quite a few avenues for change that players and teams can look forward to. Each LCS team is required to have an Academy team and I think this move is particularly great for the up-and-coming players. Previously, these players would not have been able to bridge the gap between amateur leagues and the professional circuit.

With the proposed structure for next year, there will be more open spots for players to compete for where they’ll get access to valuable high-level practice, learn from coaches, as well as prepare for the rigors of professional play. With the smaller player base in NA compared to the other major regions, it is imperative that teams can try to foster the available talent and develop lines of progression for future players.

The second aspect that I find intriguing is how teams will adjust their priorities with their spot being assured through franchising. Currently there is a lot of pressure on teams to do whatever it takes to make sure that relegation does not happen. Roster changes, coaching changes and other interventions, are used to change the fortune of a team. Without the fear of losing their spot, teams can focus on creating identities that don’t revolve around ‘survival.’

Teams can build rosters and seek out players that align with their core values. Teams should then be able to differentiate themselves from other LCS teams and set themselves apart in a unique way: One team’s core values might revolve about being the best and winning at all costs, which will contrast with another team’s identity of being fan-focused or being the best at developing new talent or importing the best foreign players.

Finally, I think the biggest benefit of the franchising system is the safety it provides teams, and, by proxy, players too. I can envision a world where players can come into work, live outside a gaming house and practice with the team — but without the incessant requirement to train more and more hours, it creates the possibility for players to have a more balanced social life.

Perhaps they have a significant other, maybe they pick up extracurricular hobbies, and, in some cases, it provides them with the time to pick up a college or university education part-time. There are enough cases of athletes from traditional sports that study on the side while playing in the professional leagues. Even if this option is never taken, the idea that franchising could help reduce training hours and help create a balance between work and life is promising.

Alexa is learning more new skills every day

Just two months after Amazon announced it was “doubling down” on its Echo ecosystem, the company has confirmed that its Alexa voice platform has passed 15,000 skills. Impressive, especially in comparison to Google Assistant’s 378 voice apps and Cortana’s meager 65 — but what’s more impressive is the rate at which Alexa is gaining these skills.

Alexa reached 15,000 skills in June — during this month alone new skill introductions increased by 23 percent. The milestone also represents a 50-percent increase in skills since February, when Amazon officially announced it had hit 10,000 — and even that figure was triple what it was the previous September.

Alexa is gaining skills rapidly, which is no doubt part of Amazon’s plan to maintain its dominance in the voice-powered device landscape — it’s on track to control 70 percent of the market this year. Of course, its acceleration in June may well have been spurred on by Apple’s announcement that a similar product, the Siri-powered HomePod, will be on the market come December.

Does the HomePod represent serious competition to Amazon? Not yet. For a start, the HomePod’s unique selling point seems to be the quality of its speakers, rather than the assistant that comes with it, and no-one knows yet whether third-party developers will be able to create HomePod-compatible apps.

And yet Amazon is expanding its Alexa ecosystem at a dizzying rate, and throwing up some red flags as it does. Developers creating popular game skills are being given cash rewards, but there’s no overarching tool to allow creators to make money from their apps, nor is there a team dedicated to monitoring app service violations.

This focus on ecosystem expansion, instead of refinement, could well cause problems for Amazon down the line, but certainly at this stage the company needn’t worry about the competition. Anyway, no doubt there will soon be a skill that lets Alexa do the worrying instead.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Voicebot

Imagination Technologies Remains For Sale as No Progress Made in Dispute With Apple

British chipmaker Imagination Technologies today disclosed that its formal sale process continues, despite successful restructuring and a return to profitability in its fiscal year ended April 30, 2017. It also said it is reviewing options in its dispute with Apple, but added that no progress has been made.

“The management team have done a tremendous job over the last year, turning the business around, returning it to profitability and with a clear strategy for growth,” said chairman Peter Hill. “It’s therefore highly regrettable that this progress has been so severely impacted by the stance taken by Apple.”

Earlier this year, Apple informed Imagination that it plans to stop using the company’s patented PowerVR graphics technology in devices like the iPhone in between 15 months and two years. Accordingly, Apple said it will stop making royalty payments to the British firm by late 2018 or early 2019.

Apple instead plans to use its own in-house graphics architecture, eliminating the need to pay royalties for the PowerVR technology.

Apple is Imagination’s biggest customer, reportedly accounting for up to half of the company’s revenue. The chipmaker’s stock plunged as much as 70 percent after it revealed Apple’s plans, as analysts predict the company could become loss-making within two years without royalties from iPhone sales.

Imagination insists that Apple is making “unsubstantiated assertions,” as the iPhone maker has supposedly yet to present any evidence to prove that it will no longer require the British firm’s technology, at least not without violating its patents, intellectual property, and confidential information.

“Apple’s unsubstantiated assertions and the resultant dispute have forced us to change our course, despite the clear progress we have been making,” said Andrew Heath, CEO of Imagination Technologies.

Imagination said, following interest in the entire company, it decided to initiate a formal sale process on June 22. The chipmaker today disclosed that preliminary discussions continue with potential bidders.

Tag: Imagination Technologies
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