Watch how this clever vlogger shoots drone footage without a drone

Why it matters to you

When you don’t have a drone or the machines are banned, this innovative solution could score you the footage you’re after.

YouTuber Chung Dha has offered vloggers and filmmakers some useful tips on how to record snazzy aerial shots if you can’t get your hands on a drone or if they’re banned at the location where you’re planning to shoot.

The simple setup involves a 5-meter boom pole with a gimbal and smartphone or action camera attached to the end. Specifically, Dha uses a Samsung Galaxy S8 handset, a Zhiyun Smooth III phone gimbal, and a Miliboo boom pole, which when lifted can give you shots even higher than 5 meters. OK, that’s hardly going to result in the kind of aerial footage you’re used to seeing from camera-equipped quadcopters that fly high in the sky, but the system could still prove useful for filmmakers looking to get above the crowds.

Dha shows off some samples shots (above) taken at a recent music festival in the Netherlands, and the results are certainly impressive. If you didn’t know it, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a DJI Phantom or Mavic flying machine capturing the silky smooth footage, with the vlogger’s steady handiwork showing the potential of his pretty basic kit.

Scoring decent footage is likely to require some practice sessions before you shoot for real. Dha offers some tips on how to nail different kinds of shots, similar to what you might get with a drone. For example, an aerial tracking shot requires you to stand in one spot and hold the pole at a 45-degree angle with the gimbal locked so the phone’s camera doesn’t pan around as you gently move the pole.

More of a challenge is a pedestal-up shot, where the camera rises steadily from the ground. “There’s a trick to it,” Dha says. “You need to walk forward while tilting the whole setup. The reason for this is that if you only tilt it up, [the camera] will also move backwards, but if you walk forward while tilting it up it’ll stay closer to the [original] spot where you tilted it from,” resulting in a more satisfying shot.

A dolly shot, on the other hand, requires you to “work on your ninja walk” to avoid distracting up-and-down movements in the footage as you move around.

Although you may be tempted to fix a DSLR or mirrorless camera on the end of the boom pole, Dha warns that such devices could be too heavy to handle comfortably, and you’d have to be cool about having some very pricey photographic equipment dangling on the end of a rather long stick. Best to stick with a decent smartphone or action cam.

With drones prohibited from events where large numbers of people are gathered, Dha’s setup could be useful for filmmakers keen to capture some useful shots from up high without getting into trouble. Although you might have to check the regulations on selfie sticks before you go.

Here’s how to import videos from an iPhone to a Mac

We can all agree that the iPhone has a great camera — just check out the iPhone 7’s portrait mode, if you’re not convinced. However, the better the camera, the bigger the file size. Newer iPhones allow you to film videos in 4K resolution, which looks great but eats up gigabytes with ease. Eventually, you’re going to want to move the treasure trove of videos stored on your iPhone to your laptop or desktop computer. Luckily, learning how to import videos from an iPhone to a Mac is relatively easy (and quick).

If you’re new to MacOS, don’t forget to take a look at our roundup of the best Mac apps, as well as our suggestions for the best Mac games.

How to import videos with Photos

You may be worried that you have to go through a complicated sync process with iTunes, but for photos and videos, it’s best to open the Photos app that came preinstalled on your Mac. The Photos app is Apple’s replacement for iPhoto. Thankfully, Photos is intuitive and easy to understand, which makes it great for transferring content from your iPhone to your Mac.

Step 1: Connect your iPhone to your Mac and launch the Photos app as you would normally.

Step 2: Select your iPhone from the left-hand menu.

Step 3: Select the videos you want to import from the resulting list of thumbnails.

Step 4: If you want to delete the videos from your iPhone after the import, select Delete items after import in the upper-right corner.

Step 5: Click the Import selected button in the upper-right corner. Then, click Videos in the left-hand menu to see your imported videos!

How to import videos with iCloud

If you prefer a wireless solution, you can also import videos to your Mac using iCloud. However, first you need to check if iCloud Photos is turned on in your settings menu.

Step 1: Go to Settings > [Your name] > iCloud > Photos.

Step 2: Make sure the toggle beside iCloud Photo Library is switched on.

Next, let’s take a look at how to enable iCloud Photos on your Mac.

Step 1: Open System Preferences and click the iCloud icon.

Step 2: Log into your iCloud account, if prompted.

Step 3: Make sure the box directly beside Photos is check.

Once iCloud Photos is enabled, videos will be automatically and wirelessly synced and added to your photo library, which is located within the Photos app.

The new Photos app has many features, so don’t forget to check out Apple’s guide on how to use Photos.

How to import videos with iCloud.com

An even easier method is to go to iCloud.com using any browser and download your videos that way. Since we already turned on iCloud Photos in a previous step, your photos and videos should already be synced with iCloud.com.

Step 1: Navigate to iCloud.com.

Step 2: Select Photos from the list of available apps.

Step 3: Select Videos from the left-hand menu.

Step 4: Select the video(s) that you want to import, and click the download button — the icon depicts a cloud accompanied by a downward arrow — in the upper-right corner.

How to import videos with AirDrop

AirDrop is underrated. The handy feature is a recent hallmark of both MacOS and iOS, one that allows you to share content from apps such as Safari, Contacts, and Photos with just a few taps. However, the simple tool utilizes Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to send, meaning you’ll need to activate both connections on your iPhone and Mac before you proceed.

Step 1: Open Finder on your Mac, click Go in the application toolbar at the top, and select AirDrop from the resulting list of options.

Step 2: At the bottom of the Airdrop window, choose whether you want to receive content from contacts only or everyone. Keep in mind that you can change your decision at any time by clicking the blue link.

Step 3: Swipe up on your iPhone to reveal Action Center, and make sure AirDrop is turned on.

Step 4: Once AirDrop is turned on, select the video you want to share and tap the share icon on your iPhone — the icon features a box with an upward arrow jetting out, and will be located in the bottom-left corner. Then, select your Mac from the list of available devices, and click Accept on your Mac, if prompted. To see your newly-imported video, launch Finder on your Mac and click Downloads in the left-hand menu.

How to import videos with Google Photos

Another option is to upload your videos directly to the cloud. You can use Google Drive, Dropbox, or any other cloud service you prefer — they essentially all do the same thing. Once you’ve uploaded your videos, you can log into your account on your Mac and download your videos. In the example below, we will use Google Photos to import videos from an iPhone to a Mac.

You can proceed in one of two ways.

Step 1: Download Google Photos from the App Store like you would any other app.

Step 2: To back up your entire library, click the Assistant tab in the bottom-left corner. Then, if you haven’t already, tap Turn On beside “Back Up & Sync is off” before toggling the slider on the resulting page.

Step 3: If you prefer to upload videos individually, select the video(s) you want to upload from the Photos tab, tap the ellipses in the upper-right corner, and select Back up in the resulting menu.

Step 4: Now, log into Google Photos in your web browser and click Photos in the left-hand menu. Here, you’ll find your video backups, as well as any photos you’ve recently uploaded to Google Photos.

Here’s how to import videos from an iPhone to a Mac

We can all agree that the iPhone has a great camera — just check out the iPhone 7’s portrait mode, if you’re not convinced. However, the better the camera, the bigger the file size. Newer iPhones allow you to film videos in 4K resolution, which looks great but eats up gigabytes with ease. Eventually, you’re going to want to move the treasure trove of videos stored on your iPhone to your laptop or desktop computer. Luckily, learning how to import videos from an iPhone to a Mac is relatively easy (and quick).

If you’re new to MacOS, don’t forget to take a look at our roundup of the best Mac apps, as well as our suggestions for the best Mac games.

How to import videos with Photos

You may be worried that you have to go through a complicated sync process with iTunes, but for photos and videos, it’s best to open the Photos app that came preinstalled on your Mac. The Photos app is Apple’s replacement for iPhoto. Thankfully, Photos is intuitive and easy to understand, which makes it great for transferring content from your iPhone to your Mac.

Step 1: Connect your iPhone to your Mac and launch the Photos app as you would normally.

Step 2: Select your iPhone from the left-hand menu.

Step 3: Select the videos you want to import from the resulting list of thumbnails.

Step 4: If you want to delete the videos from your iPhone after the import, select Delete items after import in the upper-right corner.

Step 5: Click the Import selected button in the upper-right corner. Then, click Videos in the left-hand menu to see your imported videos!

How to import videos with iCloud

If you prefer a wireless solution, you can also import videos to your Mac using iCloud. However, first you need to check if iCloud Photos is turned on in your settings menu.

Step 1: Go to Settings > [Your name] > iCloud > Photos.

Step 2: Make sure the toggle beside iCloud Photo Library is switched on.

Next, let’s take a look at how to enable iCloud Photos on your Mac.

Step 1: Open System Preferences and click the iCloud icon.

Step 2: Log into your iCloud account, if prompted.

Step 3: Make sure the box directly beside Photos is check.

Once iCloud Photos is enabled, videos will be automatically and wirelessly synced and added to your photo library, which is located within the Photos app.

The new Photos app has many features, so don’t forget to check out Apple’s guide on how to use Photos.

How to import videos with iCloud.com

An even easier method is to go to iCloud.com using any browser and download your videos that way. Since we already turned on iCloud Photos in a previous step, your photos and videos should already be synced with iCloud.com.

Step 1: Navigate to iCloud.com.

Step 2: Select Photos from the list of available apps.

Step 3: Select Videos from the left-hand menu.

Step 4: Select the video(s) that you want to import, and click the download button — the icon depicts a cloud accompanied by a downward arrow — in the upper-right corner.

How to import videos with AirDrop

AirDrop is underrated. The handy feature is a recent hallmark of both MacOS and iOS, one that allows you to share content from apps such as Safari, Contacts, and Photos with just a few taps. However, the simple tool utilizes Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to send, meaning you’ll need to activate both connections on your iPhone and Mac before you proceed.

Step 1: Open Finder on your Mac, click Go in the application toolbar at the top, and select AirDrop from the resulting list of options.

Step 2: At the bottom of the Airdrop window, choose whether you want to receive content from contacts only or everyone. Keep in mind that you can change your decision at any time by clicking the blue link.

Step 3: Swipe up on your iPhone to reveal Action Center, and make sure AirDrop is turned on.

Step 4: Once AirDrop is turned on, select the video you want to share and tap the share icon on your iPhone — the icon features a box with an upward arrow jetting out, and will be located in the bottom-left corner. Then, select your Mac from the list of available devices, and click Accept on your Mac, if prompted. To see your newly-imported video, launch Finder on your Mac and click Downloads in the left-hand menu.

How to import videos with Google Photos

Another option is to upload your videos directly to the cloud. You can use Google Drive, Dropbox, or any other cloud service you prefer — they essentially all do the same thing. Once you’ve uploaded your videos, you can log into your account on your Mac and download your videos. In the example below, we will use Google Photos to import videos from an iPhone to a Mac.

You can proceed in one of two ways.

Step 1: Download Google Photos from the App Store like you would any other app.

Step 2: To back up your entire library, click the Assistant tab in the bottom-left corner. Then, if you haven’t already, tap Turn On beside “Back Up & Sync is off” before toggling the slider on the resulting page.

Step 3: If you prefer to upload videos individually, select the video(s) you want to upload from the Photos tab, tap the ellipses in the upper-right corner, and select Back up in the resulting menu.

Step 4: Now, log into Google Photos in your web browser and click Photos in the left-hand menu. Here, you’ll find your video backups, as well as any photos you’ve recently uploaded to Google Photos.

Steve the robot cop is ‘on life support’ after impromptu dip, but may work again

Why it matters to you

For the foreseeable future, expect to be dealing with human cops, not robotic ones.

Steve the autonomous security robot made international headlines earlier this week after he accidentally toppled into a fountain while on duty at the Washington Harbour complex in Washington, D.C.

Left submerged and useless after water flooded his vital components (which is what tends to happen when land-based robots come into contact with liquids), a severely sodden Steve was hauled from the pool and returned to his maker for checks.

The company, a Silicon Valley-based outfit called Knightscope, has been developing its 6-foot, 400-pound “K5” robot cop since 2013. Clearly there is still work to be done.

When functioning properly, the sensor- and camera-equipped K5 works alongside human security personnel and is programmed to spot suspicious characters or behavior. But Steve was only a week into his first shift when he took an impromptu dip.

Knightscope said that a preliminary review of the data “suggests no foul play” — in other words, no one pushed Steve into the water. Although the company is currently trying to work out why Steve ended up in the fountain, it’s also been able to find time to smile about the embarrassing accident. On Thursday, it issued a news release revealing that Steve is in a “critical condition” and “on life support” at its headquarters, adding that another K5 will be taking Steve’s place at Washington Harbour following the “unauthorized and unscheduled submarine trials.”

‘Greatly exaggerated’

“The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated,” Steve apparently said upon reboot. “I don’t remember seeing a ‘no swimming’ sign. Thank you to all the human life guards that pulled me out.”

Evidently one not to miss a marketing opportunity, Knightscope has set up a Twitter account for Steve — it’s called @K5steveisalive — so his newfound fans can receive updates on his recovery. It also released a photo (above) showing another K5 standing forlornly, if robots can stand forlornly, at a memorial for Steve. Even though he’s not dead yet.

While Steve’s mishap has certainly generated a few laughs among those who’ve been following the story, the unfortunate incident also highlights the challenges facing those companies engaged in the development of autonomous robots. Huge improvements have been made in recent years, and every malfunction, like Steve’s, can provide engineers with a trove of valuable data that’ll help push their technology to perfection. Eventually.

Best iOS app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time

Everyone likes apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers put paid apps on sale for free for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up while you have the chance. Here are the latest and greatest iOS app deals available from the iOS App Store.

These apps normally cost money and this sale lasts for a limited time only. If you go to the App Store and it says the app costs money, that means the deal has expired and you will be charged. 

Routine Deck

Start your mornings off correctly with this app. You now have the ability to create the perfect morning routine to kick-start your days.

Available on:

iOS

5-Minute Clinical Consult

A best seller for over 25 years, this mobile app version of the best-selling book delivers fast up-to-date guidance on over 900 medical conditions on your mobile device.

Available on:

iOS

Studio Music Player

This simple and smart player takes headphones like EarPods, and many other models, to a completely new level, providing the playback quality usually delivered by professional studio headphones.

Available on:

iOS

AccessNote

AccessNote is the first notepad app for the iOS platform designed particularly for VoiceOver users looking for a highly efficient, feature-rich note-taking experience.

Available on:

iOS

Alt

Alti is a beautiful, feature-rich, minimalist altimeter and compass application for your iPhone. It sports a clean design, includes a wide selection of background colors, and provides a distraction-free experience.

Available on:

iOS

Stream

Stream was created to give you a seamless listening, managing and syncing cloud music experience. It allows you to create a personal streaming service with cloud storage like Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and more.

Available on:

iOS

5 things I learned traveling with the OnePlus 5

Travel revelations from OnePlus’s latest creation.

As a person who has to travel with lots of smartphones to do his job, choosing which one to use as your main device on a trip can be quite a conundrum. Nothing tests a phone to its limits like travel, where you’re pushing the phone’s storage, battery, camera and other features harder than ever.

This time around, as I start a four-week stint in Taiwan, my device of choice has been the OnePlus 5, and already it’s been an interesting experience.

1. 128GB totally obliterates storage anxiety

Part of my pre-travel drill is to load up whatever device I’m going to be using with music, podcasts and maybe even the occasional TV show. Then, while I’m overseas, chances are I’m going to be taking way more photos than I otherwise would. These are both things that quickly eat into a phone’s built-in storage.

Admittedly, the standard 6/64GB OnePlus 5 probably has more than enough storage for the vast majority of people, but for me, 128 pushes it past the point at which storage space is never going to be a concern.

Right now, a few days into a multi-week trip, my OnePlus 5 still has a whopping 85GB of storage left. Eighty-five gigabytes.

By contrast, my poor 32GB Pixel XL would need constant pruning — going through Google Play Music and rationalizing what I actually need to have downloaded locally, and culling my local backups of pics in Google Photos.

The OnePlus 5’s near excessive amount of storage space also means I’m also not missing an SD card slot. And besides, UFS 2.1 is way faster than any microSD out there.

2. Telephoto shots are fun, but main camera needs some work

As I’ve said before, I’ve had mixed feelings on the OnePlus 5’s camera setup. The lack of OIS in the main camera hits low-light performance hard, and even in daylight conditions the phone can smudge up shots with motion blur (and aggressive noise reduction and sharpening). I’m also not feeling the dedicated portrait mode, which has pretty poor edge detection.

That said, the main camera can capture striking shots with great dynamic range and — with the assistance of a steady hand — a decent amount of fine detail.

Sup Neptune ♆⛲🇩🇪 #berlin #germany #neptune #fountain #telephoto #oneplus5 #neptunbrunnen

A post shared by Alex Dobie (@alexdobie) on Jun 27, 2017 at 2:06am PDT

I’m having a lot of fun with the telephoto camera, too. It’s also not that great in low light, so the phone will switch to a digital zoom crop from the main sensor in darker scenes. But in the right conditions, you can capture photos with more detail even than the iPhone 7 Plus’s zoom camera.

✈👀🇹🇼 #oneplus5 #shotbyoneplus #telephoto #2x #airborne #wing #air #airplane #taiwan #hsinchu #travel

A post shared by Alex Dobie (@alexdobie) on Jul 15, 2017 at 1:51am PDT

A great example of this is that old classic, the airplane window shot. This kind of photo is challenging for the best of phone cameras, and some specific planes don’t make things any easier. The OnePlus 5’s zoom lens helps bring distant landmarks on the ground into focus, with striking results.

3. Dual SIM is essential in some countries

Many people overlook OnePlus phones’ dual-SIM feature, but it can be a huge convenience factor when traveling. In Taiwan, for instance, no UK carriers have reasonable data roaming bundled, and local SIMs are cheap, with unlimited data.

A big reason why I’ve been using the OnePlus 5 as my main device on this trip is its dual SIM capability — I can stay contactable on my main number, while not paying £20 to use roaming data in 90MB chunks.

More: Everything you need to know about dual SIM on the OnePlus 5

4. It’s time for a brighter display

OnePlus hasn’t upgraded its display since last year, and that’s mostly fine. There’s a clear difference in image quality compared to, say, a Galaxy S8, which you expect when you’re paying $300 less for the phone.

But one area where I’ve really missed the S8’s top-of-the-line AMOLED is outdoor visibility, in bright sunlight. In extremely bright conditions — like the kind you get here in Taiwan in the middle of the summer — the S8 can ramp up to around 1000 nits thanks to its sunlight visibility mode, which is part of the auto-brightness feature. There’s no equivalent feature on the OnePlus 5, and so I’ve often been left squinting at a barely visible display on brighter days.

More than the whole jelly scrolling kerfuffle — which I absolutely don’t care about — screen brightness is probably my biggest functional gripe compared to the more expensive flagships available. It’s an example of a real compromise being made to hit that lower price point.

5. Every phone should have Dash Charge

OnePlus is one of the few manufacturers boasting extremely fast charging technology. (Among the others are don’t-call-it-a-parent-company Oppo, and rival Huawei). Dash Charge isn’t new, but it’s still a huge standout feature for the company and its phones, juicing up at 4A/5V for quicker refills that generate less heat in the process.

That’s especially useful if you need to revive a flagging OnePlus 5 after a day of photography, tethering and messaging — or if you need a quick refill during a layover at an airport. After an eight-hour flight consisting of on-and-off podcast-listening, and messaging over flaky in-flight Wi-Fi, my battery was at around 40 percent. And in the time it took to order and eat a quick meal at Dubai airport, it was back up to 90 percent — outpacing the Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 devices I’ve used in the past.

I’m amazed that more companies aren’t pushing towards this new standard of even faster fast-charging, because it really does change the way you use your phone. So far during this trip, I haven’t thought much about charging the OnePlus 5 overnight, because it’s so quick to charge that it can almost always charge to full in the time it takes me to get ready in the morning.

Anyone else traveling with a OnePlus 5 this summer? Share your experiences down in the comments!

OnePlus 5

• Complete OnePlus 5 review
• OnePlus 5 specs
• Which OnePlus 5 model should you buy?
• Camera comparison: OnePlus 5 vs. Galaxy S8
• The latest OnePlus 5 news
• Join the discussion in the forums

OnePlus

Samsung Galaxy S8 review: Three months later

This is how Samsung’s 2017 flagship has held up after three months of use.

The Galaxy S8 and S8+ are still top-of-mind for those looking to buy a flagship phone today, so it’s hard to believe they’ve actually been available for a full three months already. Our initial review was published on April 18, and I’ve been using the phone since that week. Naturally I’ve hopped around to other phones in that time, but continued coming back to the Galaxy S8 as it’s maintained a “primary device” designation for me.

With a few months of use under my belt, I have a better feeling for the Galaxy S8 than we ever could just using a phone for a week or two before a review. Here’s how the Galaxy S8 is holding up for me, and where I think it stands in the smartphone world as we move through July.

Still a beauty

More time with the hardware

I’ve held a lot of excellent smartphone hardware this year, in particular the LG G6, Sony Xperia XZ Premium and HTC U11. Each of those phones has its own personality and hardware strengths, and I wouldn’t hesitate to say each of them is worth the money. But the Galaxy S8 is completely unique and removed from them all — it feels like something different entirely.

The hardware sets unreasonable expectations for when you switch to any ‘normal’ phone.

It’s so slick, smooth and narrow that it actually feels like a small device despite its relatively large display size. The optical illusion of the curved display making those side bezels feel even smaller than they are definitely works, and it sets unreasonable expectations for when you switch to any “normal” phone. The subtle curves rarely bother me when trying to swipe and tap, which is something I couldn’t say about the Galaxy S7 edge no matter how much I tried to adapt. Yes all of those aspects mean it’s a tad on the slippery side, but I think that’s a fine compromise for a phone that’s this good looking and comfortable to hold.

I still love how the hardware just melts away and lets you focus on the big, brilliant display. Samsung’s displays are ridiculously good and somehow continue to get better year after year despite already being tops in the industry for the past few release cycles. Colors pop, fine lines are crisp and the brightness is amazing even in harsh sun (which we’ve recently actually had a lot of in Seattle). Other phones have good displays, but I still hold Samsung on a higher level.

Even though the Galaxy S8’s hardware is undoubtedly beautiful, it doesn’t feel like it’s set up to age gracefully. The outside of the Galaxy S8 is more glass than any other material, and the back of my phone hasn’t fared well. It’s littered with scratches across the entire surface, but particularly concentrated along the top and bottom edges where it usually makes its first contact with a table every time I set it down. This is over just three months where I went stretches of several days at a time not using it at all … and even a couple weeks using a thin case. That’s not great, and really is the one downside to this hardware.

That’s not to say I feel the Galaxy S8 is fragile or weak — I actually think it’s quite solid and very well built, and I certainly don’t treat it more gently than any other phone. But the slow deterioration of the outside of the Galaxy S8 simply because it’s covered in glass doesn’t make me excited for how this thing’s going to look after another nine months of use. My Galaxy S7 is quite scratched up, but not like this.

Biometric conundum

You can’t talk about the Galaxy S8 without facing the biometric situation. I just can’t stand the fingerprint sensor placement on this thing, and I won’t ever get used to it. Putting a thin case on the phone helps a ton, but it is still the most difficult-to-use fingerprint sensor I’ve encountered in years, and yes that includes the swipe-style sensors from the Galaxy S5 era.

I’m tired of staring at my phone like an idiot trying to get iris scanning to work.

I use the iris scanning, and turning on the setting to immediately start scanning when the screen comes on (seriously, why isn’t this on by default?) helps so much, but it just isn’t good enough. The number of times I’ve stood there staring at my phone like an idiot trying to get the iris scanner to work is uncountable. And even if it was great, I still can’t use it for unlocking apps that of course still require a fingerprint. It’s just a bad experience, and it’s what I would consider the only out-and-out flaw of the Galaxy S8.

Not a strength

Software, performance and battery life

My history of using Samsung’s software is a mixed bag. The artist formerly known as TouchWiz continues to add a ton of value on top of Android and provide visual consistency across Samsung’s products, but of course introduces many things I continue to find frustrating. Samsung’s software has improved to a point where I actually like using it, and nothing is flat out broken or completely fighting how Android works at its core — but it’s definitely not my favorite manufacturer take on the operating system.

I like so much of Samsung’s software that I deal with the few parts that are still annoying.

I actually quite like Samsung’s notification shade, the simplicity it applies to its settings page, and many of its bundled apps are well-designed and simple to use. The entire interface is consistent and actually kind of follows Google’s Material Design guidelines. Heck, Samsung has even moved to on-screen navigation buttons! It all comes together to offer a solid experience using the Galaxy S8 every day.

But then there’s all of the other stuff that I simply “deal with” in order to use the phone. The default apps that I can’t disable or change, the amazing amount of bloatware from carriers, the funky way its lock screen works differently from any other phone, the sub-par launcher and keyboard, the app updates through Galaxy Apps, and all of the tiny features and things that are just … there … with little purpose. There’s a whole lot of streamlining that could be done here, and I still feel like Samsung’s software could benefit from a more opinionated voice calling the shots on the development.

I also still have questions about Samsung’s ability to get out timely software updates. My T-Mobile Galaxy S8 is sitting on the April security patch, even though the update to the July patch apparently started rolling out to the T-Mobile version a week or two ago. Even if I had July, I would still have spent the past two months out of date. Other versions are doing better, but the issue for me is consistency — the immense number of models (and carriers) Samsung has to deal with make it hard to paint with a broad brush, positively or negatively.

Performance and battery life

I was actually souring on the Galaxy S8’s software experience on account of some really bad performance I was seeing a few weeks in. I chose the nuclear option and factory reset it, starting from scratch. And I’m glad I did, because since then the Galaxy S8 has been smooth, solid and consistent as I’d expect from a top-end phone with a Snapdragon 835 processor running the show. I’m not sure what the heck was happening before, but I haven’t seen so much as a little hiccup out of this phone after starting fresh — let’s hope it stays that way.

Battery life is good enough for me, and for most people, but not for everyone.

Battery life has been good for me, but I know that isn’t quite enough for everyone. I keep all of my apps updating and syncing in the background, use auto brightness, take advantage of Always On Display, play music over Bluetooth throughout the day and generally use the phone however I want without worry about battery. Most days, that lets me through just fine — making it to bed with 15-20% battery left — but that isn’t always the case. Yesterday I had to turn on Power saving mode at 8:30 p.m. (roughly 13 hours off the charger) because I was at 10% … and I wasn’t going to be home for at least another hour.

I can deal with that because it’s an every-once-in-a-while thing rather than a constant worry. But some people can’t — if you need more wiggle room from your phone’s battery, I think the Galaxy S8+ will provide it.

The Bixby situation

One of the key selling points of the Galaxy S8, Bixby, on one hand hasn’t aged well and on the other hasn’t aged at all. As I write this article, Bixby Voice just launched to the public this week, and only in the U.S. The promise of Bixby Voice is unique from Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, aimed at being intelligence for your phone itself rather than from the internet. But even though it works pretty well, it seems like a feature in search of a use case. I wonder why development time is being put into controlling your phone — which is sitting in your hand already — with your voice, rather than improving the interface to be more discoverable and usable with touch.

Bixby so often feels like a feature in search of a use case.

The other parts of the Bixby experience, Bixby Vision and Bixby Home, can be best described as something between “basic” and “not useful.” After using Bixby Vision a few times to see how it works, the novelty immediately wore off. The image recognition itself is just downright poor, and even if it were good I’m not sure how much use there is to simply giving me a list of similar images of the thing I just took a photo of. Bixby Home is still just a tad slow to launch and update when pressing the Bixby button, but that’s hardly its biggest issue. The idea is sound, and the layout of the information is useful, the issue is it just can’t ever be as useful as Google Now — even if you for some reason used 100% of available Samsung apps, which of course we don’t.

In typical Samsung fashion I’m sure all of Bixby’s functions will be refined and improved over the next couple of years, because Samsung’s success doesn’t at all hinge on the quality of Bixby and it can play a longer game. As it changes and adapts it will become more useful in a future form, but that comes at the cost of feeling unfinished on the Galaxy S8 today.

One of many greats

Three months of Galaxy S8 photos

I’ve taken some really wonderful photos with the Galaxy S8, and in the past few months my impressions haven’t changed from what they were in the first week: it’s a really good camera. It’s pretty sharp, its colors are vivid and it regularly offers a color balance that’s a tad warmer than I’d like. In lighting of all kinds, it’s able to take great shots.

For me, the biggest thing about the Galaxy S8’s camera is its consistency. You know what you’re going to get just about every time you press that shutter button, and while that’s something I can appreciate it’s also a standout feature for the average phone owner that isn’t a photography buff. Having confidence in your camera is super important, because as soon as you lose it you dramatically reduce the number of photos you take in general. I still feel confident in the Galaxy S8 — an overwhelming majority of the time I take a single photo and know it turned out well right away, saving me from taking three or four “insurance” shots.

For as good as these photos are, I still feel we were all justified in being worried (okay, maybe just a little concerned) about Samsung sticking with what amounted to the same camera from 2016. The competition has caught up, and in some cases surpassed, the Galaxy S8’s camera. The Google Pixel, LG G6 and HTC U11 all take photos that match or exceed it — this makes Samsung’s phone simply one of the crowd of great cameras in 2017, rather than a standout performer.

If the rumors are true that Samsung is moving to a dual camera setup in the Galaxy Note 8, we could be seeing some foreshadowing for real camera improvements the Galaxy S9 next year.

Still damn good.

Galaxy S8 Three months on

Three months in, I’m still happily using my Galaxy S8. Like every other phone, the Galaxy S8 has its issues — chief among them being its awkward biometric security setup and sometimes-frustrating software. But for me, those are so dramatically outweighed by its gorgeous hardware, great screen, strong performance and core features. And even though its camera isn’t a world-beater in the same way the Galaxy S7 was last year, I still feel confident carrying it in my pocket every day knowing I’ll be happy with the photos it produces.

There’s a reason why the Galaxy S8 sits at the top of our list of best Android phones — and it goes beyond just how the phone works for me. It also comes from the sheer number of features — both in hardware and software — that can appeal to a wider market than just about any phone. Yes perhaps a little restraint in one area or another could serve a specific market better, but seeing Samsung’s success thus far it’s tough to argue with the approach of giving as many people as possible more of what they want, all in a single device.

That’s showing in sales numbers, and it’s still a strong strategy three months into the Galaxy S8’s life.

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

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These are the cheapest data plans you can buy in the U.S.

Have a carrier in mind or just looking for a cheap plan? Here are the cheapest plans you can get from every one.

All prices valid as of July 21, 2017

If you’re hellbent on saving money on your wireless plan, then you have to get away from the Big Four carriers (T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon). Smaller carriers, called mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) or alternative carriers, lease coverage from the larger networks and resell it for less.

That being said, depending on your usage and needs, a plan from one of the Big Four might actually be your least expensive option. Here we go.

Before choosing a plan

Before you choose a carrier and/or a wireless plan, it’s best to first determine your needs and usage habits. If this is your first smartphone, I’d like to first welcome you to the 21st Century and secondly encourage you to try out your options without getting yourself into any yearly or multi-year contracts.

If this ain’t your first rodeo, then reflect on your phone habits from the past. How much data have you actually used in an average month? Do you really need an unlimited plan or are you actually on Wi-Fi more than you realize? Could you benefit from an international plan of sorts?

Take time to analyze your usage and then choose the plan that best fits those needs. Most carriers are more concerned with making you overbuy by convincing you that you need unlimited everything, when the fact is that 90% of Americans don’t.

Don’t let carriers dictate what they think you need, because it will almost always be much more than what’s necessary. Figure out what you need and make carriers work for you.

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Plans

You could opt for the cheapest data plan there is, but if you end up using more than what’s allotted, you could pay far more in overages when you could’ve just picked the right plan for you. See if these options fit your usage habits.

You use less than 2GB of data per month

Many, many Americans use significantly less data than they think. If you’ve realized that you’re using less than 2GB of data per month, then these are the best cheap plans for you:

Mint SIM: Mint SIM is an MVNO that leases coverage from T-Mobile. You don’t sign up for a contract, but you pay in advance for 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months, saving you more money the longer the term.

• Cheapest plans: $11.67/month for 3 months ($35 up front), after your first 3-month term, the price goes up to $23/month ($69 up front)
• What’s included: 2GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, tethering

Republic Wireless: Republic operates on the Sprint and T-Mobile networks. No fixed contract required. It encourages users to spend time on Wi-Fi by making it easy to automatically connect to many hotspots around the country.

• Cheapest plan: $20/month
• What’s included: 1GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk and text, tethering

Project Fi: Project Fi is owned by Google and operates on the T-Mobile, Sprint, and U.S. Cellular networks. Project Fi’s most interesting feature is the refund you get for data you pay for but don’t use.

• Cheapest plan: $30/month
• What’s included: 1GB 4G LTE and “The Basics” — unlimited talk and text, unlimited international texting, tethering, data-only SIM, international roaming

MetroPCS: MetroPCS is owned by T-Mobile and operates on the T-Mobile network. Its cheapest monthly plan includes all taxes and regulatory fees and requires no contract.

• Cheapest plan: $30/month
• What’s included: 1GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, tethering, voicemail, visual voicemail, Wi-Fi calling

Boost Mobile: Boost is owned by Sprint and therefore uses its network. You just pay month to month, with no contract necessary.

• Cheapest plan: $35/month (must sign up for Auto Re-Boost, $35/month without)
• What’s included: 3GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, unlimited music streaming from select services (may require monthly subscription)

Cricket Wireless: Cricket is owned by AT&T and operates on the AT&T network. You pay monthly for Cricket, with no fixed contract.

• Cheapest plan: $30/month
• What’s included: 1GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data (incompatible with tethering)

You use an average amount of data

The average American uses around 4GB of data per month. If you’ve noticed this trend for yourself, then consider these your cheapest options:

Mint SIM: Mint SIM is owned by Ultra Mobile and operates on the T-Mobile network. You pay upfront for 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months. The longer your term, the more money you save.

• Cheapest 4GB+ plan: $16.67/month ($50 up front for a 3-month term), after the first 3-month term, your price goes up to $33/month ($99 up front)
• What’s included: 5GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, tethering

Simple Mobile: Simple Mobile is owned by TracFone Wireless and operates on the T-Mobile network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest 4GB+ plan: $37.50/month
• What’s included: 4GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, unlimited international calling to mobile lines 20 countries, unlimited international calling to landlines in 65 countries, unlimited international text, data roaming in Mexico

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You’re a data hog!

If you’re one of the few people who uses more than 10GB of data per month, then you’ll probably want to go with an “unlimited” plan from one carrier or another. These plans will usually give you 4G LTE up to around 20GB per month, and if you’re going over that, then you deserve a medal.

Keep in mind that no “unlimited” plan is truly unlimited. Every carrier has a certain cap, and after you reach said cap, your speeds will likely be slowed to 128Kbps (2G speeds).

T-Mobile: T-Mobile’s single-line unlimited plan isn’t cheap, but if you have 4 lines, you end up saving $35/month per line.

• Cheapest unlimited plan: $40/month/line for 4 lines ($75 for 1 line, $50/line for 2 lines, $47/line for 3 lines)
• What’s included: 30GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk and text, Music Unlimited, tethering (at 3G speeds), unlimited video streaming, free in-flight texting and 1 hour of data on Gogo-enabled flights

Boost Mobile: Boost is owned by Sprint and uses the Sprint network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest unlimited plan: $50/month
• What’s included: 23GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, unlimited music streaming from select services (may require monthly subscription)

MetroPCS: MetroPCS is owned by T-Mobile and operates on its network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest unlimited plan: $50/month
• What’s included: 30GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, unlimited music streaming (may require monthly subscription), voicemail, visual voicemail, Wi-Fi calling

Cricket Wireless: Cricket is owned by and operates on AT&T’s network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest unlimited plan: $55/month (with Auto Pay)
• What’s included: 22GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, unlimited international texting, roaming in U.S., Canada, and Mexico (50% of usage must be in the U.S.)

Family matters

You can often save money on your monthly phone plan by entering into family plans with various carriers. You’ll usually pay full price for the first line but receive a discount on subsequent lines. Not every carrier offers family/multi-line plans. Here are the cheapest around:

Cricket Wireless: Cricket is owned by AT&T and operates on the AT&T network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest family plan: 5 lines for $100/month (with Auto Pay)
• How it works: The initial line must be a Basic $40/month plan. You get a $10 discount for the second line, an additional $20 discount for the third line, an additional $30 off for the fourth line, and an additional $40 for the fifth line, for a total discount of $100.
• What’s included: 3GB 4G LTE (per line, per month), unlimited talk, text, and 2G data

MetroPCS: MetroPCS is owned by T-Mobile and operates on its network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest family plan: $40/month for the first line and $25/month/line for up to 4 more lines
• What’s included: 6GB 4G LTE data/line/month, unlimited talk, text, 2G data, music streaming from select partners (may require monthly subscription), voicemail, visual voicemail, Wi-Fi calling

Boost Mobile: Boost is owned by Sprint and operates on the Sprint network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest family plan: $30/month/line for up to 5 lines (with Auto Re-Boost)
• What’s included: 3GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, 2G data, unlimited music streaming from select services (may require monthly subscription)

Sprint:

• Cheapest family plan: $50/month for the first line, $40/moth for the second line, lines 3 to 5 are FREE until September 30,2018, then $60/month for the first line, $40/month for the second, $30/month for the rest.
• Whats included: 10GB 4G LTE/line/month, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, unlimited HD video streaming, unlimited music streaming, unlimited streaming gaming, tethering (up to 10GB/line/month)

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For the globetrotter and those with family overseas

If you often travel internationally or you have family abroad, then you’ll want a carrier with a good international calling plan for cheap.

Project Fi: Owned by Google and operates on the T-Mobile, Sprint, and U.S. Cellular networks. You can use your Project Fi data in 135 countries just like you would at home. Unlimited texting is also included, but international calling is subject to various fees.

• Cheapest international plan: $30/month
• What’s included: 1GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, unlimited international texting

Boost Mobile: Boost is owned by and operates on Sprint’s network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest international plan: $35/month plus $5 for Todo Mexico or $10 for International Connect Plus
• What’s included: Todo Mexico plus gets you unlimited calling to all of Mexico, unlimited calls to Canada, Unlimited international SMS (text) messaging. International Connect Plus gets you all of the above plus MMS messaging, unlimited calls to landlines in over 70 countries, 200 minutes to select mobiles lines in over 50 countries, and reduced per-minute rates to over 200 destinations.

Virgin Mobile USA: Owned by Sprint, operating on the Sprint network. No fixed contract required. Virgin’s international add-ons are essentially the same as Boost’s because they’re both owned and operated by Sprint.

• Cheapest international plan: $50month plus $5 for International and $10 for International +
• What’s included: International includes unlimited calls to Mexico, unlimited calls to Canada, unlimited international text messaging. International + includes all of the above plus unlimited calling to landlines in over 70 countries, 200 minutes to select mobile lines in over 50 countries, and reduced per-minute rates to over 200 destinations.

What motivates you?

Are you on a super cheap data plan? Let us know in the comments below and tell us about your experience!

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?

‘Crash Bandicoot’s’ hardest ever level comes to the remaster

A lot of Crash Bandicoot fans already find the N.Sane Trilogy remake much tougher than the original games, but that hasn’t deterred its developer from making it even more challenging. Now, when you check the PlayStation Network, you’ll find a new Crash DLC called “Stormy Ascent” — a level Naughty Dog had to hide, because it was “just too damn difficult.” The games’ original developers had no time to safely delete it from discs, and players were able to access it on the PS1 with a Gameshark code.

The PlayStation Blog has posted an interview with Taylor Kurosaki, the level’s designer and one of the original game’s developers at Naughty Dog, and N.Sane Trilogy director Dan Tanguay of Vicarious Visions. Kurosaki said he still didn’t have “a great understanding of a difficulty curve” back then, so it ended up becoming insanely difficult and around four times longer than any other level. Tanguay said they decided to release Stormy Ascent anyway after the best player in his team fell in love with it even after having to use up 60 lives to get through it.

It certainly sounds like playing Stormy Ascent is a trial in patience and perseverance. If you’d like to take on the challenge, you won’t need cheats this time around — the DLC is free to download until August 19th.

Source: PlayStation Blog

The traditional sports world is taking eSports into the mainstream

Five years ago, you couldn’t have imagined video game competitions being broadcasted on the same channel as traditional sports. TV networks have been historically obsessed with pastimes such as baseball, basketball, football and soccer, but times are changing. Thanks to the massive popularity of eSports, driven in large part by the internet-streaming generation, the entertainment landscape has transformed drastically over the past couple of years. Nowadays, US channels like Disney XD, ESPN, NBC and TBS are all trying to put eSports on the same level as traditional sports, with the end goal being to reach new, younger audiences. Want to watch a EA’s FIFA or Rocket League tournament on ESPN? Well, you can do just that.

The recent interest from giant broadcasters comes as the world of eSports continues to reach new heights. Pro gaming tournaments are selling out arenas worldwide and, every time a competition is streamed on Twitch, there are millions of viewers tuning in. With business this good, why wouldn’t anyone want a piece of the pie? NBCUniversal, which owns NBC and NBC Sports, is the perfect example. The company announced it would be launching its own two-on-two eSports tournament this summer, featuring one of the most popular games right now: Rocket League. It’ll air on the NBC Sports network, right alongside the English Premier League.

“We’re in the sports business,” says Rob Simmelkjaer, senior vice president for NBC’s Sports Ventures, when asked about why his team decided to join the space. “I’ve always defined sports as competitive entertainment, and whenever you’ve got competition that people are watching to be entertained, that to me is what sports is about.” Simmelkjaer touched on how there are still people who question whether eSports are “real” sports, which he says is an argument that doesn’t make sense: “It’s got people who are passionate about it, both playing it and watching it [and] lines up with our desire to reach as many audiences as we can around the country, of all demographics, of all interests.”

ESPN is another media company making a major push into eSports, which is surprising considering the somewhat controversial comments president John Skipper made not too long ago. “It’s not a sport,” he claimed in 2014 at Recode’s Code/Media Series event in New York City. “It’s a competition. Chess is a competition. Checkers is a competition. Mostly, I’m interested in doing real sports.” Despite that, ESPN really started embracing eSports in 2015, when it broadcasted a pro gaming tournament (Blizzard’s Heroes of the Storm) on ESPN2 for the first time ever. The year before that, the network streamed a League of Legends competition online, but giving eSports a slot on actual TV was quite a significant move.

“We are at a point now where fans no longer question why we’re covering an eSports event, but are asking for more.”

That strategy shouldn’t come as a surprise, though, since ESPN’s first-ever eSports stream netted the network more viewers than that year’s NBA Finals and the last game of MLB’s 2014 World Series. League of Legends on its own is estimated to be a $1 billion-per-year business, so it’s only natural that ESPN, NBC, Turner (owner of TBS) would want to get involved. In its latest report about the eSports industry, research firm Newzoo said it expects competitive gaming to reach yearly revenues of $1.5 billion by 2020.

“eSports has been around for some time, but its trajectory is still exciting to us because it allows us to experiment with various content, coverage and distribution platforms,” says Kevin Lopes, director of programming and acquisitions at ESPN, says. “We are at a point now where fans no longer question why we’re covering an eSports event, but are asking for more.”

There are growing pains, however. For instance, ESPN forced a player to change the outfit of his Street Fighter V character Cammy during the EVO fighting game championships, because it was deemed too revealing. She was wearing her usual green thong jumpsuit, which obviously showed most of her butt. The network later said it had to abide by “Broadcast Standards,” but Lopes says it’s about something bigger than that. “One of the goals for our coverage is to highlight and celebrate the diversity, inclusiveness and sportsmanship of eSports,” he says. In other words, ESPN probably wants to change the course on gaming’s long history of objectifying female characters — and rightly so.

Organizations like ESPN and NBC aren’t the only ones making efforts in eSports. The National Basketball Association, along with developer and publisher Two-Take Interactive, is developing a new competition called the “NBA 2K eLeague.” A first of its kind, it will feature esquads that will represent 17 NBA teams, including the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks. The inaugural season is set to take place in 2018, and the pro gamers who participate will get the full NBA treatment: health benefits, training, personal development, sponsorships and more.

“It may be a different kind of physical prowess in terms of reflexes and your ability to move your thumbs very quickly, but these athletes can be any shape or size, and any age, and from anywhere.”

“Physical prowess, at least the way it’s necessary on an NBA court, will no longer be necessary,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver during a press conference at All-Star Weekend in March. “It may be a different kind of physical prowess in terms of reflexes and your ability to move your thumbs very quickly, but these athletes can be any shape or size, and any age, and from anywhere.” According to the NBA, each of its 30 teams will eventually have their own eSports squad, though it’s unclear when exactly that’s going to happen.

If the 2K eLeague ends up being successful, don’t be shocked to see other major US sports organizations like the NFL, MLB or MLS follow suit. In Europe, we’ve already seen football (er, soccer) teams such as Manchester City and West Ham recruit their own FIFA gaming stars, while others such as German club FC Schalke 04 have acquired renowned League of Legends crew “Elements.”

eSports are the future. You don’t have to be 7 feet tall or jump 40 inches to be successful.

Vivek Ranadivé, owner and chairman of the Sacramento Kings

Vivek Ranadivé, owner and chairman of the Sacramento Kings (one of the teams that will play in the 2K eLeague), echoed Silver’s thoughts. “eSports are the future. You don’t have to be 7 feet tall or jump 40 inches to be successful,” he says. “The fact that it’s global, driven by technology and has a young demographic, all make this a very exciting time to get involved.” Ranadivé told Engadget that he believes this isn’t even the tip of the iceberg for eSports, especially as audiences continue to get younger and become “more connected” to technology, be it through their phone, computer, game consoles or new mediums like virtual reality.

As for the people who refuse to label eSports as a sport, Ranadivé says, “eSports competition requires lightning fast reflexes, incredible skill, impeccable judgment and real time thinking, all things that are the foundation of sports.” And it’s clear that fellow owners agree with him. A couple of weeks ago, New England Patriots CEO Robert Kraft and New York Mets COO Jeff Wilpon became two of the first seven owners in the Overwatch League, which will operate more like traditional sports with teams in specific cities.

Jack Etienne, co-founder and CEO of Cloud9, an eSports organization that fields teams for Call of Duty, Counter-Strike, League of Legends and Super Smash Bros., among others, says there’s a lot to to learn from traditional sports entities. “Their experience of working with players, player development and player care, as well as the relationships that they have with the folks who buy media,” he says, “that’s really valuable to me.” Etienne says the chance to work with these household names was something that he had been waiting for, and it was only a matter of time before they noticed the tremendous growth of eSports.

“There’s a pattern there that’s been happening for years, it’s not something you can just dismiss as a one-time thing anymore,” he says. “It’s not a fad, it’s actually here to stay.” One of the challenges, according to Simmelkjaer, is figuring out ways to have a more consistent schedule across eSports competitions, which is complicated because of all the different intellectual property owners. That said, it’s something he believes will sort itself out as publishers sign exclusivity rights for broadcasting or streaming specific tournaments.

It’s crazy to think that eSports still hasn’t reached its full potential. The NBA, NFL, ESPN, NBC and many others have taken notice though, and now they’re looking to cash in. But, ultimately, that’s great for eSports and people like Etienne who have been trying to show the world that eSports are, indeed, the real deal.