Obfuscation umbrella corporation — IBM’s new servers encrypt everything

Why it matters to you

New IBM mainframe could protect your financial and identity information much more so than current Z servers by encrypting everything.

IBM’s new Z mainframe server system has the ability to encrypt all data it handles, whether it’s actively being accessed or modified, or merely sitting idle. Better yet, its encryption keys are designed to “self-destruct,” so if they happen to be tampered with by an outside party, the data is rendered inaccessible until the keys can be safely restored.

Protecting digital data from outside snooping in a world where intelligence agencies have eyes on everything and nation-state hackers seem to have the keys to everyone’s digital back doors, is incredibly difficult. IBM’s new, consistent encryption solution could be one way to combat that oversight though and its new Z servers have the power to do so.

The new Z mainframe leverages up to 32TB of memory and up to a sevenfold increase in cryptographic performance over the previous generation to keep all data stored on the mainframe and moving through them, entirely encrypted. We’re told that the mainframes operate at up to 18 times the speed of comparably specced x86 systems, at just 5 percent the cost.

It also has anti-tamper systems that are able to detect nefarious attacks and quickly neutralize decryption keys. In those cases the data is rendered unreadable by anyone until the keys can be safely recovered.

IBM describes this maneuver to encrypted systems as the “most significant repositioning of mainframe technology in more than a decade,” and that this could dramatically improve the reach of the most advanced encryption protections in the world.

Although that’s a rather grand statement, it isn’t too much a stretch of the imagination. IBM systems currently handle around 87 percent of all credit card transactions, so as Engadget points out, there is a real potential for purchases and other financial transactions to become much more secure in the future. However, major hardware upgrades are not frequent at large corporations, so new Z mainframe could take many years before they are commonplace in any institution, despite their potential.

New Z mainframe could lay the groundwork though for a change of ideals in the tech and political sector. If more data is encrypted as standard, as many social media platforms are moving towards, it may help politicians and major influencers understand how important obfuscating data as standard is.

Ataribox console can run ‘current gaming content’ and classic Atari titles

Why it matters to you

The Ataribox seems to be more than just another retro console, as it’s apparently capable of running current games as well as classic titles from yesteryear.

During E3 2017, Atari teased its return to producing video game hardware with a brief trailer for a mysterious product dubbed the Ataribox. Now, the company has offered up some more details on the project in an email blast distributed to fans who subscribe to a newsletter on the system’s official website.

The email offers up a slightly clearer view of the Ataribox than the quick cuts that we saw in the previous trailer. Its design is clearly inspired by the Atari 2600, but it’s been streamlined a little for 2017, and outfitted with a glowing Atari logo that will presumably be used as a power indicator.

It seems that there are currently two designs of the Ataribox being developed. One utilizes the classic wood-grain aesthetic of the 2600, while the other is predominantly black, with red highlights. While retro gamers will appreciate the throwback model, it makes sense that a more modern variant would be released, too.

The email doesn’t offer up too much information in terms of technical specifications, but there are some interesting hints at the scope of the project. There is confirmation that the system will feature four USB ports, a HDMI port, and an SD card slot.

The blurb notes that this array of ports suggests that the system will possess “modern internal specs” — although it falls short of detailing exactly what those might entail. However, it does state that the Ataribox will offer “current gaming content” alongside its library of classic titles.

The fact that the system features expandable storage options seems to confirm that games will be downloadable, rather than being drawn from a fixed library in the vein of Nintendo’s NES Classic. The reference to current content is intriguing, although it remains to be seen how powerful the Ataribox will be, as of course that dictates what kind of software it will be able to run.

We still don’t know too much about the Ataribox — and there are still some valid doubts about whether the project will ever progress beyond the conceptual stage. The team behind the console obviously has a lot of ambition, but there’s a long way to go before the hardware is ready for prime time.

Users furious after HTC updates stock keyboard app with banner ads

Why it matters to you

If you’re a TouchPal user, this news is frustrating — however, it doesn’t seem to be intentional and HTC says it is working on a fix.

Developers are constantly looking for ways to monetize their software. Balancing the user experience with business concerns is a tightrope every tech company has to walk at some point or another and sometimes mistakes are made. Case in point: A strange update to the stock keyboard found in the HTC U11, U Ultra, and many other HTC devices now has users fuming and the company apologizing on social media.

The app in question is HTC’s TouchPal Keyboard, which comes built in on the company’s own devices, but is also available with in-app purchases for other Android phones. The update has added banner advertisements that randomly appear above the top row of suggestions. TouchPal never operated this way before the update, which makes the change even more surprising. However, HTC has called the appearance of the ads an “error” that it is looking to correct “as quickly as possible.”

Due to an error, some customers are seeing ads on the phone keyboard. We're working to fix the error and remove these as quickly as possible

— HTC UK (@HTC_UK) July 17, 2017

A stock keyboard app is the absolute last place users would ever expect to see an ad, which explains the frustration. To make matters worse, adding another row to the keyboard leaves the viewable window of the current app hilariously small. It is not only annoying to have to put up with the ads, but it actually cuts into the display real estate in a significant way, hampering the user experience as well.

The standard keyboard on the HTC 10 has begun showing adshttps://t.co/tnt7TwiDyD pic.twitter.com/RbYX0E9p3f

— Lukas Stefanko (@LukasStefanko) July 17, 2017

Unsurprisingly, the displeasure has manifested itself in poor reviews and low ratings for the TouchPal Keyboard on its Google Play Store listing page.

“Are you kidding me?! Ads on a default keyboard?!” one user exclaimed in a one-star submission. “The ads are the straw that broke the camel’s back,” said another. “I’m going to be uninstalling this app.”

If the issue is a mistake, it is unlike one we have seen from a device manufacturer. Perhaps HTC is testing or investigating putting ads in the free version for other Android phones. This would explain the mix-up, though it is hardly a consolation for users who have purchased a shiny new U11 in the last month. We reached out to HTC for clarification and will update this post as we receive word from the company.

HP ZBook Studio G4 review

Research Center:
HP ZBook Studio G4

Cramming a workstation powerhouse into a notebook form factor while maintaining a tolerable price point is no simple feat. It needs to perform in any environment using premium components, and the design should not only look attractive, but remain as thin and light as possible. It’s a huge balance, one that HP could presumably achieve given its long history. Still, at some point, sacrifices have to be made in a thin and light workstation design Dive into our HP ZBook Studio G4 review to find out what those sacrifices are.

What we discovered is that the new ZBook Studio G4 is a premium product packed with the latest technologies for scenarios like designing buildings on the go, and editing Ultra HD video in the office. Making this possible are powerful features such as seventh-generation Intel processors, discrete graphics from Nvidia, ultra-fast storage, and lots of speedy memory.

The model HP provided for testing consisted of the quad-core Intel Xeon E3-1535M v6 processor, Nvidia’s Quadro M1200 discrete mobile graphics chip, 32GB of DDR4 memory clocked at 2,400MHz, and 512GB of storage based on an M.2 NVMe SSD provided by Toshiba. The laptop also included a 15.6-inch screen with a 3,840 x 2,160 (4K) resolution.

It’s strikingly familiar in hardware when compared Dell’s Precision 5520 mobile workstation launched earlier this year. However, this configuration isn’t listed on HP’s website for now (Model 1HQ68AA#ABA), but according to the company, the price is a hefty $3,510. The next step down also isn’t listed for now, costing $3,473, and packing identical hardware save for the DreamColor screen used in the top-of-the-line model we reviewed.

Design

The HP ZBook Studio G4 features a clamshell design based on a CNC-machined aluminum and die-cast magnesium body with diamond-cut edges. HP’s big selling angle is that the workstation has MIL-STD 810G certification, but that doesn’t mean it’s invulnerable. Instead, it’s solid enough to withstand accidental drops and bumps without disturbing its internals. According to HP, you can pound on this laptop with a hammer, and it can withstand the beating. The Dell Precision 5520 doesn’t appear to have the same military-grade certification.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

As for aesthetics, it’s an attractive product that looks solidly built. There’s no apparent gap between the screen/lid and base unit. However, if you angle the laptop just right, there’s a small gap residing between the screen’s hinge and the base unit. The screen itself measures 15.6 inches diagonally, sporting bezels on each side that appear to be thicker than what we saw with the Dell Precision 5520, at half an inch wide. The base portion also includes a thin metallic trim extending along the sides as well as the sides of the touchpad.

The Quadro M1200 is a very capable GPU, and it certainly can be used for playing PC games when the boss isn’t looking.

Still, when handling this laptop, you might need a thin pair of gloves. It sports a dark grey theme throughout the design, which will highlight all your finger smudges. The buildup can look rather unattractive, especially in the keyboard area and the laptop’s backside. Dark colors never play nice with fingertips anyway unless the manufacturer apples a strong, smudge-resistant coating.

Adding to that, we don’t recommend playing PC games or using high-demanding applications without some type of lap protection, as the device can get hot both in the area above the keyboard, and underneath. The intake/exhaust area on the bottom measures a large 12 inches wide and three inches tall, residing towards the rear of the device.

HP’s mobile workstation has a starting weight of just 4.6 pounds and measures 0.71 inches thick. By comparison, it’s heavier than the Dell Precision 5520 workstation, which as a starting weight of 3.93 pounds and a thickness of 0.66 inches. It’s also slightly heavier than the Dell XPS 15 9560, which has a starting weight of 4.5 pounds.

Connectivity

On the left side of the laptop you’ll find a gigabit Ethernet port (Intel), two USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A ports (one charges), and one SD card reader. On the right side, you’ll find two Thunderbolt 3 ports, one HDMI 1.4 port, one microphone/headphone combo jack, and one USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A port. The power jack is rather small, so users may want to be extremely careful when plugging in and removing the power adapter.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

In addition to the Ethernet port, the laptop also includes a Wireless AC component with two incoming and two outgoing internal antennas, supporting wireless speeds up to 867Mbps. This component also includes Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity. According to the specifications, there are only two Wireless AC/Bluetooth options — one for processors with vPro, and one for processors without vPro.

Inputs and Audio

As for the keyboard itself, the key usage feels solid, and provides a soft, distinct actuation with every key press so you can feel that your typing requests are firmly received by the laptop. There’s also plenty of space to give your hands a cramped-free typing experience.

It’s jam-packed with performance, pushing beyond even Dell’s Precision 5520.

The keys are highlighted by white illumination through the letters, and slightly around the edges, which can be seen in most interior lighting conditions. The illumination automatically turns off when the laptop is not in use, and has two brightness levels that users can cycle through by tapping FN + F3.

Finally, we have the touchpad residing below the keyboard. To the touch, it feels rubbery during movement, but it’s quite smooth and accurately pushes the on-screen cursor with the lightest touch. According to Windows 10, it’s a precision touchpad, thus it supports gestures like scrolling web pages and documents using two fingers, zooming in by pinching with two fingers, and so on.

However, the touchpad has one slightly annoying quality: it can be disabled/enabled by double-tapping in its top-left corner. The only sign of the touchpad’s deactivation outside the obvious stationary on-screen cursor is a little orange, embedded LED shining in the same corner. This can be problematic if you’re double-tapping quite a bit and your eyes are glued to the screen. It’s easy to turn off the touchpad without intending to.

Display and Audio Quality

The laptop’s screen is based on In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology, which has become more widely used over the last several years due to its wide viewing angles and rich colors. HP has enhanced this design and slapped on the DreamColor label, indicating that the screen has consistent 10-bit color precision and support for wide color spectrums.

In the case of the ZBook Studio G4, our testing revealed its screen to support 99 percent of the sRGB space, and 95 percent of the Adobe RGB space, making it a great fit for graphic arts, photo editing, video editing, CAD design, and more. However, when stacked up against the competition, the screen has is pluses and minuses.

For starters, it has a low brightness level of 209.6 nits, which may be to prevent the laptop from eating the battery like candy given the Intel Xeon and Nvidia Quadro chips residing within. In our testing, we discovered that its maximum brightness level is lower than what we saw with the Dell Precision 5520, which we found to have a maximum brightness level of 325.3 nits.

Compared to Dell’s workstation, the ZBook Studio G4 also has a lower maximum gamma level of 2.0 versus the Precision 5520’s 2.1 gamma level. HP’s workstation has a lower contrast ratio too, with a maximum ratio of 660:1, compared to the Precision 5520’s 950:1 ratio.

On the other hand, HP’s solution has better support for the sRGB (99 percent) and Adobe RGB (95 percent) color spaces than what we saw with Dell’s Precision 5520, which only supports 98 percent and 74 percent of those spaces, respectively. Adding to that, the ZBook Studio G4 has an extremely low color error rate score of 0.63 compared to the Precision 5520’s error rate score of 1.11.

With those numbers in mind, the ZBook Studio G4 seemingly focuses on color and accuracy, not brightness. Ultimately, you have a wider, more accurate range of colors than what’s seen on Dell’s competing product.

Speaker quality

HP’s workstation provides a top-facing speaker measuring around 1.25 inches wide and 4.25 inches tall on each side of the keyboard. That means audio playback doesn’t sound muffled if the laptop is used on, well, your lap. Audio is crisp and clear, and HP made sure that the volume can’t be turned up to a level where the laptop chassis begins to vibrate.

Processor performance

Powering the new HP ZBook Studio G4 is Intel’s Xeon E3-1535M v6 quad-core processor. The chip has a base speed of 3.10GHz and a boost speed of 4.20MHz, while only consuming up to 45 watts of power. It’s jam-packed with performance, scoring a 5018 in a single-core test, pushing it far beyond the Dell Precision 5520 and Microsoft’s latest Surface Pro 2-in-1. It even outperformed in the multi-core benchmark with a score of 16,701, compared to the Dell Precision 5520’s 14,801 score.

In another benchmark, the HP ZBook Studio G4 took 465 seconds to convert a 420MB video file (MP4) using the H.265 (x265) codec. By comparison, the latest 2017 model of Dell’s XPS 15 laptop was slightly faster, while the Dell Precision 5520 took a few more seconds longer than HP’s product. All three outperformed the latest Microsoft Surface Pro and Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Carbon. While those are considered professional systems, their dual-core processors have nothing on a quad-core.

Hard drive performance

Yet despite the speedy Xeon processor, HP decided to use a somewhat outdated storage solution. For this review, the ZBook Studio G4 relied on a Toshiba XG3 Series M.2 NVMe SSD introduced in August of 2015 (THNSN5512GPU7). The specs show that this storage stick (22mm x 30mm) has a maximum read speed of 2,516 megabytes (MB) per second, and a maximum write speed of 1,572MB per second.

However, in our testing, the Toshiba M.2 NVMe SSD only managed 1,558MB per second read and 1,375MB per second write speeds. Compared to the Dell Precision 5520, Toshiba’s SSD is a performance bottleneck, and could be why the laptop didn’t score higher when converting the 420MB video in the processor benchmark.

All said, while Toshiba’s M.2 NVMe SSD certainly outperforms the standard hard drive and SATA-based 2.5-inch solid state drive, the HP ZBook Studio G4 could offer better performance with a newer, faster solid state drive.

Graphics performance

HP’s review unit included Nvidia’s discrete Quadro M1200 graphics chip introduced in January. It packs 640 cores, a clock speed of 1,093MHz, and 4GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory. It’s not meant to run the latest PC games, but to power processional applications like AutoCAD, 3DS Max, and so on. It’s comparable to the GeForce GTX 960M mainstream graphics chip although Quadro drivers are optimized for the enterprise environment.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

We ran into an odd issue as we started to test the laptop. We found it skips 2,560 x 1,440 resolution as an option (the native resolution was 3,820 x 2,160). That proved to be a problem when it came time to benchmark the Quadro graphics chip in true 1440p. It would also be a problem if, for whatever reason, a professional application required use of 1440p resolution.

HP indicated that the problem was due to the laptop running in Hybrid Mode, and that the Nvidia chip simply didn’t see the display’s information. We presume that the display just doesn’t “safely” support that specific resolution.

The screen boasts extremely accurate color, but it’s not perfect.

Adding to the problem, Intel removed the ability to create a custom resolution in the Intel HD Graphics Control Panel at the end of 2016. And because the discrete Quadro processor didn’t have access to the display’s information, Nvidia’s control panel didn’t provide any additional settings to change, such as creating a custom resolution, outside the single 3D Settings section.

To work around this problem, we dug into the BIOS and changed the default graphics option from Auto to the discrete Quadro chip. The laptop then loaded into Windows 10, and Nvidia’s control panel bloomed with all its proper settings for 3D Settings, Display, and Video. However, we still didn’t see a native 2,560 x 1,440 listing, so we forced the resolution using the “Enable resolution not exposed by the display” option in the Display section.

Despite the Quadro M1200’s enterprise-based roots, the best way to test a graphics chip is through PC games. For starters, we loaded up Battlefield 1 and benchmarked the chip using four different settings. At a 1080p resolution, the game managed 44.8 frames per second (FPS) using Medium settings, and 29.5 FPS using Ultra settings. At 1440p, the numbers dropped to 30.8 FPS (Medium) and 18.7 FPS (Ultra).

We did something similar in For Honor. With the resolution set to 1080p, the game managed an average of 40.47 FPS on Medium settings and 27.18 FPS on Extreme settings. We then kicked up the resolution to 1440p and saw an average of 24.37 FPS on Medium and 16.10 FPS on Extreme settings.

But we didn’t stop there. Civilization VI at 1080p ran at an average of 39.44FPS using the Medium/Medium settings, and 20.59FPS using the Ultra/Ultra settings. Meanwhile, the numbers dropped using the 1440p resolution, as Civilization VI cranked out an average of 31.75 FPS using the Medium/Medium settings, and 17.73 FPS using the Ultra/Ultra settings.

HP ZBook Studio G4 Compared To

Acer Aspire VX 5-591G 5652

Dell XPS 15 9560

Dell Inspiron 15 7000 (2017)

Dell Precision 15 3510

LG Gram 15 Z960

Samsung Notebook 9 Pro…

Asus Zenbook UX501VW-DS71T

Dell Inspiron 15 7000 (Late 2015)

HP Envy x360

Samsung ATIV Book 9 (2014)

Dell XPS 15 (2012)

Toshiba Satellite P855

Toshiba Satellite P755

HP Pavilion g6

Lenovo IdeaPad U550

Finally, we attempted to run Deus Ex: Mankind Divided on Nvidia’s Quadro graphics chip. It’s a highly demanding PC game, and it shows on the Quadro even on the 1080p resolution: an average of 21.5 FPS using High detail and 14.8 FPS using Ultra details. The average tanks with the game set at 1440p, as we saw 13.4 FPS in High and 9.8 FPS in Ultra.

That all said, the Quadro M1200 is a very capable GPU, and it certainly can be used for playing PC games when the boss isn’t looking. However, you won’t see Nvidia pumping out drivers optimized for the latest titles. Instead, you’ll find two sets: one optimized for enterprise (stable), and one introducing new features. Currently, Nvidia does not list the Quadro M1200 as a VR-Ready component.

Portability

Of course, all that heat-generating hardware relies on a large battery. In this case, it’s a 92 watt-hour Li-ion polymer HP Fast Charge battery, and we weren’t too keen on the results. In our tests, the laptop lasted for nine hours and 15 minutes playing a video in a continuous loop, and four hours and 14 minutes while continuously loading websites using a macro in Chrome.

On a deeper level, the ZBook Studio G4 outlasted the Dell Precision 5520, the latest Surface Pro 2-in-1 (2017), and the latest Dell 15 XPS unit (2017) in the Peacekeeper battery test, while all four fell behind the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon. Meanwhile, in our video loop test, the ZBook fell into fourth place, with the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon leading the pack followed by the Dell Precision 5520 workstation, and the latest Surface Pro model.

Looking back, this battery “shortcoming” regarding the video loop may have had something to do with all the software HP loads in the background for the enterprise. But there’s a plus side to all of this: this battery can recharge to 50 percent of its capacity in a mere 30 minutes.

Software

HP loads several software utilities on the ZBook Suite G4 laptop. These include HP Client Security (data and identity theft protection), HP Velocity (a Quality of Service system), HP WorkWise (mobile management), and a HP Touchpoint Manager launcher. Also installed is the HP Performance Advisor, HP SoftPaq Download Manager, HP ePrint Manager, and more.

Warranty

Given this laptop’s pricetag, you’d expect to get a hefty warranty in return. According to HP, the ZBook Studio G4 is covered under a limited three-year parts, three-year labor, and three-year on-site service warranty. As always, HP won’t fix the laptop if you throw it out of a car, smack it with a sledgehammer, or hand it over to the kids.

Our Take

HP set out to provide a powerful workstation in a thin and light form factor, and the company has done just that. It has huge processing potential, and there’s enough left over to enjoy the latest PC games at a decent framerate and resolution. But the device could use faster storage and a display that cares as much for contrast and brightness as it does for color accuracy.

The price is also a concern, since our review unit was quoted at $3,510. However, our review unit was a top-shelf model. More practical versions start around $2,100, and they don’t sacrifice much aside from the 4K display and our review unit’s gobs of memory. It’s still a lot to spend on a laptop, but people shopping in this category should know that extreme performance comes only at extreme prices.

Is there a better alternative?

The biggest contender fighting against HP’s new ZBook entry is Dell’s Precision 5520. The HP unit has a faster processor and an identical graphics chip, but Dell’s competitor provides faster storage and a brighter screen. In turn, HP’s ZBook supports a higher resolution and includes a bigger battery, but Dell’s Precision 5520 seems to utilize its smaller laptop battery more efficiently.

How long will it last?

HP’s ZBook Studio 4 is based on solid, well-known, powerful components, so mechanically it should last for three years or more. Our biggest concern is keeping the bottom intake-exhaust grill clean and obstruction-free so that the ZBook doesn’t burn itself up. Just don’t play PC games or design houses while riding in an airplane or automobile.

Should you buy it?

HP’s ZBook Studio G4 is a great buy if you’re looking for a powerful mobile workstation. It’s not perfect, though, and its extreme price tag will certainly make you pause before you purchase it.

GoTele is your personal communications network for the backcountry

Why it matters to you

The GoTele allows smartphone users to communicate via text messages, track each others position, and send an SOS alert even when a cell network is unavailable.

Staying in communications while traveling off the grid has always been a challenge, particularly in areas where cell coverage simply doesn’t exist. But, a new device called the GoTele wants to make it easier than ever for hikers and backpackers to not only send messages to one another, but also track each other’s location, even when trekking through some of the most remote areas on the planet.

The concept behind the GoTele is a simple one. Users pair the gadget with their smartphones using Bluetooth technology, and install a special goTele app (iOS and Android) on their mobile device. The app allows them to send text messages to other goTele users who are within range, both individually or as a group. It also has the ability to transmit GPS coordinates, allowing users to see each other’s location displayed on a map in real time. The app even lets users create geofences on the map, providing them with an alert should one of the other goTele devices move outside of the designated area. This makes it easy to track younger hikers, or even pets, who may have wandered away.

As an extra safety measure, the device is equipped with a dedicated “SOS” button. When pressed, the GoTele will send an alert to all other users within range, letting them know that someone is in need of help. It even shares the location from which the SOS was transmitted, making it easier to find the person in need. This feature works independently of a smartphone, meaning it can be used even if the mobile device is left at home or runs out of battery life.

Lightweight and compact, the GoTele was designed to hook onto the outside of a backpack or clip onto a belt or other article of clothing. The device has been given an IP67 rating, which means that it is water, dust, and drop-proof, and has been built to function even in extreme environments. The designers of the gadget say it will continue to work in temperatures as low as -4 degrees and as high 140 degrees Fahrenheit, and since it uses Bluetooth LE, it should offer solid battery life, too.

The GoTele launched as part of an Indiegogo campaign that went live today. The team behind the device hope to raise $50,000 to get it into production. If successful, they hope to begin shipping the product as soon as October of this year. You can pre-order one now for as low as $79.

Did you get insurance with your Galaxy S8?

Smashing your phone sucks. But insurance may not always be the answer.

There’s nothing enjoyable about getting a broken phone replaced. Whether it’s from a fall to the ground or a dip in the ocean, non-working phones potentially mean days without a device, an expensive trip to the repair store, and plenty of impatient waiting with no Instagram. 😪

That’s why, for some, the prospect of buying insurance with a phone plan is quite attractive. Not only does such a plan cover accidental damage, but in some cases, it protects against stolen or lost devices.

With the Galaxy S8 and S8+, the most expensive phones Samsung has ever made and potentially the least repairable, we began to wonder if insurance rates were taken out more often for the company’s newest devices than its older ones or other phones in general.

Phone insurance is tricky, too, because the carriers offer their own “value-added” versions, usually tacked on to the end of a monthly plan. Every carrier offers its own insurance solution now that T-Mobile is in the game, while companies like SquareTrade offer industry-wide protection for all devices.

Finally, there’s Samsung Premium Care itself, which at $11.99 per month is expensive, but it extends the Galaxy S8’s warranty by a year and offers in-person support and quick replacements.

JoshDunc
07-16-2017 03:58 PM

“

So I am looking at using my S8+ without any case, all natural, glass in all its glory. What is the best mobile phone insurance company to use? Is it best to use my carrier or to use squaretrade? Thanks for advice!

Reply

ded1945
07-16-2017 04:03 PM

“

To me Squaretrade. Lower price ($130 for 3 years vs 13/mo) and lower deductible ($99 vs 200). One thing they don’t cover is loss.

Reply

SquareTrade seems to be a popular option for the S8 because the coverage is good and it’s relatively inexpensive — though it keeps prices down by not offering loss and theft protection — but it’s limited in the number of claims you can submit per year and has a maximum loss amount.

Asurion, which is used by Verizon, AT&T and Sprint for their white-label insurance products, also seems to be generous with its replacement policy and relatively reliable, if not affordable.

LineKill
05-20-2017 07:13 PM

“

I will just provide you with a little bit if information and let you answer that question. I am just talking about Verizon’s Total Equipment Coverage since that is who you are with. Their insurance also covers theft and loss which does make a difference.

Total Equipment Coverage is $108.00 per year ($9.00 per month). The deductible is $199.00 per claim. You can file 3 claims per year.

You…

Reply

Others don’t bother with traditional insurance, either; instead, they “self-insure,” whereby they set aside a few dollars a month — $10 or so, which is similar to the cost of regular phone insurance — to cover any accidental damage or replacements.

Gary02468
05-19-2017 08:23 PM

“

I self-insure. Each month, instead of paying an insurance premium, I set aside $10 in case I ever break a phone (hasn’t happened yet). I’ve been doing that for seven years, so I’ve now saved $840 that I would otherwise have given away to an insurance company.

Reply

What’s your take on phone insurance?

Continue the conversation in the forums!

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+

• Galaxy S8 and S8+ review!
• Galaxy S8 and S8+ specs
• Everything you need to know about the Galaxy S8’s cameras
• Get to know Samsung Bixby
• Join our Galaxy S8 forums

Verizon
AT&T
T-Mobile
Sprint
Unlocked

Channels is set to be another great cross-platform DVR for NVIDIA Shield TV

Channels is a well-known iOS and Apple TV app for HDHomeRun users. Now, it’s branching out.

The NVIDIA Shield Android TV is so versatile and affordable that it’s a great choice for cordcutters regardless of their platform. It’s early days for Channels on Android TV, but already you can use the Shield TV as a DVR for an Apple TV. There is also a front-end app for the Shield that’s in its early stages that will allow you to record and watch TV here, too.

There’s not a lot that needs to be done to get setup on the Shield TV. It involves downloading the DVR backend app from the Google Play Store. On its first run, it will download the necessary files it needs and set up the DVR. That’s all there is to it. You’ll now have a web address that you’ll need to go and enter into a web browser to bring up the settings for the DVR.

For a complete rundown on setting up Channels, hit the link below to see the guide over on iMore.

Setting up and using Channels DVR

You’ll need to set up where you’re going to store the files on the Shield TV, and if you’re not using the 500GB Pro model you will need to plug in an external drive for this.

Once you’ve setup storage and downloaded the guide data, you’re good to go. If being used in conjunction with an Apple TV, nothing is different over using Channels DVR based on a PC or Mac. The Shield TV is good at transcoding, able to decode mpeg2 and h.264 natively so for the most part, you shouldn’t see any real issues.

Of course, using a Shield TV with an Apple TV isn’t perhaps the most logical thing you should be doing. The developers are taking small steps, primarily as they’re learning Android having been exclusively iOS until now, but already there is an early experimental version of a front-end to Channels for Android TV. The DVR will only work on the Shield, but the front end will also work on other boxes like the Xiaomi Mi Box or Nexus Player.

In the early stages, there’s not a whole lot to shout about. Functionality is basic, but the user interface is minimal and nicely thought out. The killer right now is that if you’re an Android only user, unless you’re hot on super-early access there are easily better options to get a DVR working using the Shield TV. Channels DVR costs $8 a month, and when the Android TV version is on parity with Apple TV, it’s a better option.

Naturally, Android TV users aren’t as limited as Apple TV owners when it comes to access to services like this. Nevertheless, choice is always a good thing and this is an app coming from a great developer, so we’ll be following it closely.

Find out more and sign-up to try it out at the link below.

More: Channels DVR forums

Samsung Mobile president confirms Galaxy S8 selling better than GS7

The Galaxy S8 is selling well, which is not surprising considering it’s one of the best phones out there right now.

The Galaxy S8 is selling really well, and better than its predecessor, despite rumors to the contrary. The rumors of low sales became so pervasive, in fact, that Samsung’s newly appointed president of mobile, Dongjin Koh, addressed it at a media conference in Taiwan last week.

Without specifying numbers, he said that the Galaxy S8 was selling 15% better than the Galaxy S7 when compared to the same sales period a year ago. Samsung is set to announce a blockbuster second quarter on July 27, according to analysts. The company is expected to post record-breaking profits, potentially besting Apple’s for the first time ever. (Apple is reporting on August 1).

Samsung also had an amazing first quarter, breaking its own profit forecasts and surpassing analysts’ predictions for slow down after a tumultuous end of 2016 with simultaneous Note 7 and washing machine recalls. According to Digitimes, Koh said that “sales momentum for the Galaxy S8 devices is likely to continue into the third and fourth quarters of 2017.”

With the Galaxy Note 8 set to launch at the end of August and go on sale shortly thereafter, Samsung anticipates a strong end to 2017, too — as long as there are no unforeseen issues with the phone.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+

• Galaxy S8 and S8+ review!
• Galaxy S8 and S8+ specs
• Everything you need to know about the Galaxy S8’s cameras
• Get to know Samsung Bixby
• Join our Galaxy S8 forums

Verizon
AT&T
T-Mobile
Sprint
Unlocked

Samsung and PayPal strike deal for new in-store and online payment methods

You now have even more ways to pay.

Samsung is continuing to build partnerships to drive even more payments through Samsung Pay, adding PayPal support. Now you can make tap-to-pay purchases all over the U.S. and fund them with your PayPal balance, rather than adding your credit and debit cards individually to both services. You’ll still continue to earn rewards through Samsung Pay as well.

Even though PayPal actually has its own in-store purchasing system, it’s nowhere near as pervasive or simple as just using the existing payment terminals found in pretty much every store today. For those who typically use PayPal for online purchases, they can now seamlessly take that system to stores now as well.

This is a win-win for both companies.

This deal goes beyond in-store payments, though, and seriously benefits Samsung. The partnership also means that merchants will be able to accept Samsung Pay for in-app and online payments through PayPal’s Braintree payments service. So as long as a company is using Braintree, it will be a seamless move to accept Samsung Pay payments from people with modern Samsung phones using their app or website.

Much in the same way that Samsung is ahead of PayPal when it comes to in-store payments, PayPal’s Braintree is far ahead of Samsung Pay’s online payment system. It’s a win-win, really.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+

• Galaxy S8 and S8+ review!
• Galaxy S8 and S8+ specs
• Everything you need to know about the Galaxy S8’s cameras
• Get to know Samsung Bixby
• Join our Galaxy S8 forums

Verizon
AT&T
T-Mobile
Sprint
Unlocked

Press release:

Samsung Pay Announces Partnership to Allow Users to Pay via PayPal

Samsung Pay users will be able to use PayPal as a payment method In-App, Online and In-Store

Samsung Electronics today announced an expanded strategic partnership with PayPal Holdings, Inc., adding PayPal as a payment method within Samsung Pay wherever Samsung Pay is accepted – in-app, online and in-store. Access to PayPal will be available for all Samsung Pay users in the United States and will expand to other countries soon. Additionally, through Braintree, a PayPal service, merchants will be able to accept Samsung Pay as a method of payment in-app and online.

Bringing More Benefits to Samsung Pay Users

Customers will be able to use their Samsung Pay to access and use their PayPal wallet, letting them make a payment in millions of stores. Users simply add their PayPal account to Samsung Pay, and can then spend the balance anywhere Samsung Pay is accepted . Additionally, users will continue to benefit from Samsung Pay’s unique value-added services, including gift cards, membership and loyalty cards.

Thanks to Samsung’s NFC and proprietary MST technology, Samsung Pay is the most widely-accepted mobile payment platform on the market and works almost anywhere you can swipe or tap a card today. Now, with the integration of PayPal wallet, customers can continue to use Samsung Pay in the most convenient way possible.

Benefits to Merchant Partners

Additionally, Samsung Pay will be available via Braintree Direct, allowing merchants to accept Samsung Pay as a payment method. With just a few lines of code, merchants will be able to easily integrate Samsung Pay, offering their customers greater flexibility in how they pay and reducing friction through faster and more secure checkout experiences.

Strategic Partnerships

This strategic partnership between Samsung and PayPal will mutually benefit both organizations’ customers. PayPal users will now be able to use their PayPal wallet for offline payment transactions at millions of merchants where Samsung Pay is currently accepted, while Samsung Pay customers can leverage PayPal’s Braintree assets for easier online checkout.

“At Samsung, we pride ourselves on our open model of partnership and collaboration, which helps us deliver the best experiences to our customers,” said Injong Rhee, CTO and Head of R&D, Software and Services of the Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics. “We are excited to be partnering with PayPal, one of the largest payment platforms in the world, to offer our global consumers a richer mobile wallet experience. This partnership furthers our commitment to providing customers with a more convenient payment experience that is simple, secure and available almost anywhere.”

“At PayPal, we are focused on creating the best mobile commerce experiences for our customers, and partnering with technology leaders, like Samsung, to create experiences that our millions of joint customers love and can utilize no matter where they shop,” said Bill Ready, PayPal’s Chief Operating Officer. “By adding PayPal to Samsung Pay, we will combine Samsung’s ubiquitous payment solution with PayPal’s seamless and secure mobile wallet – delivering easy access to a simple, secure payment experience.”

Simple, Secure and Almost Anywhere

In addition to helping reduce form fill friction, merchants and users will continue to benefit from the simple, secure and easy to use features of Samsung Pay:

• Simple: To make a payment with Samsung Pay, simply swipe up from the home button, scan a fingerprint or verify with iris scanning1 (which can be different from the authentication registered to unlock the device), and tap the back of the phone on a POS machine.
• Secure: Samsung Pay is built with three levels of security— biometric authentication, card tokenization and Samsung’s comprehensive mobile security platform, Samsung Knox, providing multi-layered protection from the device down to its kernel. In case users lose their phones, the FMM (Find My Mobile) feature enables users to lock Samsung Pay remotely with a preset password.
• Accepted Almost Anywhere: Samsung Pay works with Near Field Communication (NFC) as well as with Samsung’s patented Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) technology. MST replicates a card swipe by wirelessly transmitting magnetic waves from the supported Samsung device to a standard card reader, allowing Samsung Pay to work almost anywhere cards are accepted.

Tips and tricks for comparing wireless plans and finding the perfect plan

Here’s how to make sure you have the right service plan for your phone, at the right price.

We all want phone service that works just right each and every time we need it. And of course, we don’t want to overpay for it, either. That’s a tough find, but you can get close and find a plan that’s good for you with a little legwork. Don’t worry, it’s easy legwork!

The perfect plan

The perfect phone plan may be a unicorn and something that most of us will never see, but in this case, close enough is probably fine. Ideally, we want a plan that lets us buy what we need at a good price, then refunds us for what we didn’t use at the end of the billing cycle. And it has to give us great service everywhere we go.

Advertisement

A plan like this almost exists (we can’t vouch for the good service everywhere part) with Google’s Project Fi. It’s not exactly cheap, but you do get refunded for any data you paid for and don’t use in a month. It’s unfortunate that you have to have a Nexus (6 or higher) or Pixel to use it, as this makes it a non-starter for most people.

For everyone else, you need to do a few things before you start shopping around for service to make sure you get something that suits you well and comes in at a price you like.

What you need to do

The most important thing is to get service that works where you are. Not just where you are most of the time, but where you are regularly. If you commute or spend weekends away or whatever, make sure the service you buy gives you a good signal. Plenty of us here at Mobile Nations travel a good bit, so trust us when we say nothing is as frustrating as not having service when you need to contact someone. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: paying for service that doesn’t work is not a bargain no matter how cheap it is. Don’t be discouraged if you have to pay a little more for something that works.

Coverage maps don’t tell the whole story — ask your friends and family.

And don’t rely on a company’s coverage map. Ask your friends what company they use and how they like it. You might even have to try it for yourself for a month and then try something else if it’s not up to snuff. Porting your number is easy and free.

Know what phones work on which carriers. Whether you want to bring the phone you have or pick up another one, you need to be aware of what carrier networks will work for it. Plenty of models work seamlessly for any carrier that uses AT&T’s or T-Mobile’s network, but Sprint and Verizon-branded phones can be a little different. If you have a phone from Sprint or Verizon, that doesn’t mean you can’t use a network from AT&T or T-Mobile. Plenty of them are fully functional, but plenty aren’t.

You can usually find out the answer of which phones and which carriers are compatible online. I’ve found the WillMyPhoneWork website to be a great resource and the first place you should look.

• Complete list of AT&T MVNOs
• Complete list of Sprint MVNOs
• Complete list of T-Mobile MVNOs
• Complete list of Verizon MVNOs

Advertisement

Know how you will use it. You need to know how many minutes you use the phone on calls, how many texts you send, and how much data you use each month on average so you know what plan to choose. You’ll find plenty of plans with unlimited calling and texting (not including roaming or international use) as well as a choice of different amounts of data. Get the average, then pick the next higher plan to start with. Unless you’re signing a contract you can change it next month if you need to. Be sure to find out how to add more data in the middle of the month, too.

Finding out how much you use is fairly easy. You can use an app, check with your carrier either online or over the phone, or even check the settings of the phone itself.

These are all the ways you can save data and monitor your data usage

Find out what costs extra. Many cheap prepaid plans are no-frills offerings. If you want to call or text internationally, will be roaming outside the coverage area every now and then or want to tether your phone’s data connection to a laptop or tablet you need to check and see if these services are covered. They probably aren’t.

The good news is that many smaller carriers offer these services on top of their basic plans, and things can still be a good bit cheaper than what you’re paying now. You’ll find this information on the company website, and if you can’t, don’t be afraid to give them a call. They want your business and should be happy to answer any questions.

We’re here to help answer any questions you might have.

Here’s a final tip that doesn’t directly apply to the plan or the costs, but is important. Know what to do if you need help. You’re going to find that customer service isn’t the same on a smaller carrier compared to one of the Big Four. You’ll get answers that cover the service itself and find a few tutorials for things like setting up your SIM card online, but if you need help with your phone don’t expect your carrier to give it to you. These companies are in the business of selling service with a minimum of overhead. That means customer service is there for general questions about the network or the plan, but nothing further.

Thankfully, there are plenty of web sites like Android Central that can help. And if you can’t find an article to walk you through your issue, chances are you’ll find it in online forums. Or at least find someone to help you through it.

Don’t get discouraged! Wading through all the information about different carriers and different plans can feel a bit overwhelming. Narrowing down your choices using these tips can help. When you’re saving money every month, you’ll know it was worth it!

Alternative carriers (MVNOS)

• What is an alternative mobile carrier?
• What are the advantages of going with an alternative carrier?
• How to make sure your phone works on a prepaid alternative carrier
• 8 Important Considerations When Switching To An MVNO
• These are the cheapest data plans you can buy in the U.S.
• Mint SIM vs. Cricket Wireless: Which is better for you?