Latest Windows 10 preview takes the headache out of high DPI

Because of old legacy programs, using Windows with high-res displays has always been a little tricky, especially if you’re switching between multiple screens. The latest preview build pushed to Insiders helps with that problem by changing the way Windows tells a program what DPI it’s using. With the new build 16237, if a user changes the resolution of the display by docking/undocking or adjusting a setting, they’ll only need to close and reopen most programs to fix any blurriness, instead of rebooting or logging out.

That’s not the only feature getting some love either. Notification action buttons are scaled across the full notification and the first one in each group is expanded so it’s easy to read. Emoji are easier to use now that search in the panel supports the new 5.0 set and it’s ready to describe what each one actually is if you hover the mouse arrow over it. Also, accessibility is improved now that Edge can read out loud on all websites and on PDFs. Sure, Timeline cross-device syncing isn’t ready to use yet, but there are plenty of other tweaks on their way this fall, and preview users can start testing them out now.

Source: Windows Blog

PlayStation Vue drops its cheapest packages, now starts at $40

Until now, in some areas, PlayStation Vue offered “Slim” versions of its streaming TV packages that dropped local TV channels and cost $10 less than the standard options. Now, as it’s rolled out local broadcasts from more networks and in more places it has pulled the plug on those Slim options. Without the $30 per month Slim Access bundle, now its cheapest offering is the standard Access package that costs $40 per month.

On its website, PlayStation Vue says that as of yesterday new customers can no longer sign up for Slim bundles, while customers currently on them will retain their subscription for three months before it switches to the non-Slim version (at the higher cost). In a statement published by Deadline, the company said “The transition to standard pricing for all markets was always part of our roadmap since we launched PlayStation Vue nationwide and began rolling out local broadcast affiliates in markets with Slim plans.”

The new lineup is certainly simplified, but cord-cutters looking to save every buck on channels they don’t want (or can get for free via antenna) may need to look for another option.

I heard PlayStation™Vue pricing is changing. Can you tell me more?

Effective 7/6/2017 for new customers, PlayStation™Vue plans will have the same nationwide pricing, as follows:

Access: $39.99/mo*

Core: $44.99/mo*

Elite: $54.99/mo*

Ultra: $74.99/mo*

If you are already subscribing at one of the prices above, your price will not change.

If you have Access Slim, Core Slim, Elite Slim, or Ultra Slim pricing, you will keep your current price for three billing cycles after the July 6 pricing change announcement. At the conclusion of this period, your monthly subscription will change (on your subscription renewal date) to the pricing above, based on the plan you have. If you upgrade, downgrade, or re-subscribe during this special pricing period, currently available pricing will apply.

*Taxes may apply.

Source: Deadline, PlayStation Vue FAQ

Surface Pro suffering from all-too-familiar random hibernation problem

Why it matters to you

You’re not alone if your new Surface Pro is randomly hibernating, but never fear — Microsoft is investigating.

Microsoft’s Surface line is full of excellent machines, including the Surface Pro, the Surface Book, the Surface Laptop, and the Surface Studio. Each is solidly built and brings something exciting to the table. But Surface has also been plagued with some technical glitches, particularly early in each machine’s lifecycle.

The Surface Pro line is a case in point, where both the Surface Pro 3 and 4 suffered early battery life and sleep issues that tormented users for months. Firmware and driver fixes eventually cleaned things up, but the stigma of poor reliability remained. Now, the new 2017 Surface Pro is having some of the same issues, as OnMSFT reports.

The issue first came to light on June 17, 2017, when users began reporting the issue at the Microsoft Community support forum. The issue is described as the Surface Pro randomly shutting off without warning, which as it turns out has involved the affected machines deciding to hibernate at random intervals outside of whatever power settings have been configured.

Complaints continued to be posted to the support thread, until Microsoft acknowledged the issue on June 28, 2017, and promised to investigate. According to a company support representative:

“We are aware of a small group of customers reporting a scenario with their new Surface Pro in which the device inadvertently hibernates. We are investigating this issue.”

The issue has suddenly become more visible given a story published by Microsoft watcher Paul Thurrott. Like Thurrott, we did not experience the issue with our Surface Pro review unit, but enough users have reported the issue that it’s questionable if it’s only a “small group of customers” who are affected.

Some users are reporting data loss due to the issue, but if it’s indeed a hibernation problem then data loss shouldn’t be much of a concern. If machines are simply shutting off instead, then that would account for users losing data due to applications not being shut down cleanly.

With the Surface Pro 3 and Surface Pro 4 machines, and to a lesser extent the Surface Book, Microsoft took a few months and numerous firmware and driver updates to resolve the ongoing issues. That led a Microsoft vice president, Barb Bowman, to recommend that anyone who has experienced the problem to return their Surface Pro and restart the standard 30-day return policy. Taking that route could save significant frustration if it takes Microsoft a while to resolve these issues as well.

Google Calendar catches up to other iOS apps with a… widget

Google Calendar’s iOS app now has an easier way to keep tabs on a busy schedule. An updated version of the app includes a Today View widget that shows your upcoming events at a glance. If you have a packed day with three meetings, you won’t have to launch the app to get an all-too-painful reminder of your itinerary. The concept certainly isn’t new on mobile devices, including on iOS (Apple has had its own “up next” calendar widget for a while), but it could prove a lifesaver if you depend on Google’s internet services and can’t afford to miss an appointment.

Via: 9to5Mac

Source: App Store

Prince’s music videos hit YouTube following ‘Purple Rain’ reissue

Though Prince took major efforts to keep his work offline, a lot of it has been slowly making its way back to the internet since his death. The newest online addition of his increasingly accessible body of work are a handful of music videos posted today on YouTube and Vevo. An official Prince account has uploaded official music videos as well as live performances of hit songs like “When Doves Cry” and “Let’s Go Crazy” from the album Purple Rain.

In 2015, Prince pulled all of his music from every streaming service except Tidal, but in February, it returned to services like Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Music. Last year, Prince’s estate sued Roc Nation over Tidal’s exclusive hold on Prince’s discography while making a deal with Universal Music Group to manage the artist’s catalog — a deal that’s now being rescinded.

The videos now available on YouTube follow last month’s release of the Purple Rain – Deluxe Expanded Edition, which included a remastered version of Purple Rain as well as 11 previously unreleased songs, a number of remixes and a concert film. As of now, there are six videos on the official Prince YouTube channel and if you’ll excuse me, I need to go watch them all immediately.

Via: Pitchfork

Wireless Charging Accessory Might Not Ship Until After New 2017 iPhones Launch

Apple’s upcoming 2017 iPhone lineup is expected to include an inductive wireless charging feature enabled through a standalone charging accessory, and new information shared by Apple blogger John Gruber suggests the accessory might not ship alongside the iPhones in September.

In a tweet shared this evening, Gruber says he’s heard that the inductive charging accessory will be sold separately rather than included with the iPhones, a rumor we’ve heard previously, and that it might be shipped later in the year alongside an iOS 11.1 update.

I’ve heard that inductive charging will (a) be sold separately, and (b) might be late, waiting for iOS 11.1 (a la Portrait mode last year). https://t.co/N65dHMNQIJ

— John Gruber (@gruber) July 8, 2017

Gruber’s wording says the charging accessory “might” be late, so the delay is not confirmed, and it is not yet clear why Apple would hold off on shipping the rumored standalone charger.

Early rumors about the OLED “iPhone 8” and its two companion devices, the “iPhone 7s” and the “iPhone 7s Plus,” suggested Apple was considering a long-range charging feature, but that technology is still new and there are likely many hurdles to overcome before it’s ready for inclusion in a device like the iPhone.

Instead, Apple is rumored to be introducing Apple Watch-style inductive charging, enabled through a standalone charging accessory.

An example of a Qi wireless charging solution
In a research note published earlier this week, trusted KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the three iPhones coming in 2017 will adopt glass bodies to facilitate WPC-standard wireless charging functionality. WPC-standard refers to the Wireless Power Consortium (Apple is a member), which supports the Qi wireless charging functionality built into many Android devices.

If Apple’s upcoming iPhones do indeed support a universal inductive charging technology like Qi, the devices could potentially work with a range of already-available charging solutions once the wireless charging feature is enabled. Apple’s exact plans for its inductive wireless charging solution remain unclear, however, and it could be limited to Apple-designed accessories.

Related Roundup: iPhone 8
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Scientists discover a way to extend a mouse’s memory while it sleeps

Why it matters to you

Research could one day help humans improve their memory while they slumber.

Have you ever fallen asleep desperately trying to remember something, only to wake up in the morning with the memory readily available to you? No, it’s not just you this has happened to — and nor is it a fluke. In fact, a new research project by South Korea’s Institute for Basic Science’s Center for Cognition and Sociality builds on the insight that a good night’s sleep can help us remember what we have studied or experienced the day before.

In doing so, researchers have discovered that the triggering of specific brain waves during sleep can almost double long-term memory. Although, sadly, it’s not available to humans just yet.

Previous studies have shown that several brain rhythms — cortical slow wave, thalamic spindle, and hippocampal sharp-wave-ripples (SWR) — take place during sleep, and that these are involved in memory consolidation. These phases of sleep alternate with REM sleep, which is associated with dreaming. The researchers focused on spindles, which come from a part of the brain called the thalamic reticular nucleus, and spike at a rate of around seven to 15  per second. The number of spindles increases after a day with plenty of learning and also decline in elderly people — suggesting a strong link with memorization.

In an experiment, mice were implanted with a fear memory by putting them in a special cage and then giving them a mild electric shock after playing atonal noise. The day after this was done, the mice had their memories tested by seeing how they responded to either the cage or the same noise. By using different levels of light stimulations on the mice the night before the test, the researchers were able to manipulate the number of overnight spindles — thereby either increasing or reducing memory of the fear memory.

“The results were dramatic,” Dr. Hee-Sup Shin, director of the Center for Cognition and Sociality, told Digital Trends. “Inducing extra amount of spindles in the brain during sleep after fear conditioning helped the mice remember better the fear memory, twice as strongly, when assayed next day. Importantly, only the group of mice that received spindle induction in-phase with cortical slow waves revealed enhanced memory, while the two control groups did not.”

Long-term, the hope is that the work could be used for brain-training in humans. “In the current experiments done in the mouse, we use optogenetic tools which involve expressing a foreign gene and implanting an optic cable in the thalamic reticular nucleus of the mouse,” Shin said. “These tools may not be used for humans. In the future, however, when non-invasive tools are developed for manipulating brain rhythms in humans, a similar approach may be tried in humans to improve memory for whatever purposes.”

Hey, when it comes to next generation sleep trackers — from wearable devices to smart mattresses — we’d totally be on board for something that can help us better revise for our exams!

Lightweight flying squirrel drone could soon carry out military scout missions

Why it matters to you

This scout drone could be an invaluable part of future military missions.

When you hear that the U.S. Army Research Laboratory is building military drones inspired by a particular flying critter, you might assume it’s some fearsome creature like a golden eagle or a pterodactyl. In fact, it is based on an altogether cuter animal: The humble flying squirrel. That does not make the finished product — which weighs just over half a pound — any less cool, though!

“This vehicle has the ability to hover and the agility of a quad rotor, but also has the increased efficiency and endurance of a traditional fixed wing aircraft,” David McNally, who handles public affairs for the Army Research Lab, told Digital Trends. “It does all this with just two motor rotor pairs, thus reducing its weight relative to the many multi-rotor vertical takeoff and landing vehicles in this size class. Ultimately, this makes the aircraft much more efficient and versatile, something crucial to soldiers.”

Eventually, the hope is that such drones will be used for carrying out military surveillance and reconnaissance missions. This requires a great degree of flexibility for the drone — since it must not only possess the ability to fly long distances but also be able to navigate urban or indoor environments.

Reaching that point will take a lot more work. For example, the drone’s creators want to also give it the added ability to perch on an object before continuing its flight. That means better abilities to assess its environment at very high speeds and figure out how best to interact with it.

For now, though, what the Army Research Lab achieved is pretty darn impressive in its own right.

“[Currently] this drone is a proof of concept, and part of the continuing work at ARL on small autonomous vehicles,” McNally said. “We are working towards creating intelligent systems which can effectively team with soldiers. In the context of small vehicles like this, that means that these platforms will need to adapt to the needs of a squad during an evolving mission and operate without manual control.”

So, the potential of a flying squirrel-inspired, voice-operated spy drones, then? The James Bond fan in us can totally get on board with that!

Moto G5S Plus reportedly has a new design and upgraded cameras

Marketing material for Motorola’s upcoming Moto G5S Plus found its way over to VentureBeat and it looks like the model’s getting a couple of upgrades. For starters, unlike the G5 and G5 Plus, which have all-plastic frames with a sheet of thin metal glued to their backs, the G5S Plus frame is made from anodized aluminum — a major departure from the Moto G’s roots. The phone’s display is also getting bumped up to 5.5 inches.

The biggest change though is the phone’s camera setup. Both versions of the G5 had single rear cameras, but the G5S Plus will reportedly have a dual rear camera module with 13-megapixel sensors for both color and black-and-white imaging. The front-facing camera is also getting upgraded to 8 megapixels from the G5’s and G5 Plus’ 5 megapixels.

It’s a bit surprising that the new Moto G version is being released so soon after the G5 and G5 Plus, but it’s likely to be just one of a few phones expected to be discussed at Motorola’s recently announced July 25th launch event. Other anticipated models that may be a part of the event include the non-Plus G5 special edition, the Moto X4 and the Moto Z2 Force.

Source: VentureBeat

ESPN’s X Games will stream live in VR on Samsung headsets

Next week at its July 13th to 16th Minneapolis competition, the X Games will livestream its first event in VR. Thanks to its partnership with Samsung, though, it seems you’ll only be able to watch it on a Samsung Gear VR headset through its dedicated app. Feature segments and commentary will be spliced between coverage of three events — Skateboard Vert, BMX Street and Skateboard Street Amateurs — and broadcast to Gear VR headsets in 48 countries.

ESPN’s X Games are just the latest event to be broadcast in VR, live or otherwise. The NCAA streamed several rounds of March Madness, while in May, The PGA Tour streamed a single hole of The Players Championship and Fox Sports aired the Championship League final.

Not all big events have fully implemented the tech, as this year’s Superbowl was screened in a “VR suite” where viewers could watch the 2D broadcast in a 3D virtual lounge. But Samsung’s clearly keen to get alternative sports content on to its Gear VR platform, as this X Games partnership follows up on the company’s plans to add UFC fights to the headset and app’s broadcasting schedule.

Source: ESPN