Neuroscientists pinpoint what happens during the brain’s ‘Aha!’ moments

Why it matters to you

Understanding when unconscious thoughts become conscious takes us one step closer to unlocking the secrets of the brain.

You know that “aha!” moment when you’re suddenly hit with the answer to a difficult question? Brain researchers from Columbia University have just published a study demonstrating how such an event involves thoughts moving from our subconscious to our conscious minds — and it could turn out to be pretty significant.

As part of the study, participants watched a series of dots making subtle movements on a screen. They were asked to watch until they had decided which direction the dots were moving, before identifying on a clock when their decision had been made. While this was entirely subjective, by applying a mathematical model and previous research concerning how decisions are linked to individual cells in the brain, the investigators were able to correctly predict the choices made by 4 out of 5 participants.

“The participants in our experiment reported a time they felt they were aware of having reached a decision,” Michael Shadlen of Columbia University told Digital Trends. “It’s the time of a feeling, not an action. How can we, or anyone besides the participant, verify that what they reported to us really corresponds to the time of completion? Well, we know that in the brain, decisions like the one we studied terminate when the neural representation of accumulated evidence reaches a threshold level. When it terminates, it does so in a choice. In fact the mechanism is responsible for the tradeoff between speed and accuracy of the decisions. So we leveraged this knowledge to validate the subjective reports of time by asking whether they could be used to predict that subject’s accuracy.”

The reason the work is interesting is because it helps shed light on the point at which a thought goes from being subconscious to conscious. As Shedlen says, it suggests this might be the point at which information that’s gathered by the brain hits some kind of threshold “tipping point.”

“I am motivated to study decision making because it is a tractable piece of cognition,” Shedlen said. “Studying its normal function tells us what it is about a normal brain that makes us ‘not confused.’ When we understand this at the level of neurons, circuits, proteins, we will be better positioned to remedy disorders of the brain that result in dysfunction of ideation, concentration, attention, authorship, comprehension, and so on.”

Yes, it’s just one more piece of the puzzle, but alongside cutting-edge work being done with brain maps revealing which neurons are linked to behavior, or accurately recreating human faces based on brain signals, it’s helping shed light on the important question of how and why we think the way we do. From medical breakthroughs to smarter AI, that could be useful for all kinds of reasons.

A paper describing the research was published in the journal Current Biology.

Here’s everything you need to know about Google’s Project Fi

Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, and AT&T may get the most attention of the U.S.’s smartphone carriers, but they aren’t the only game in town. In 2015, Google launched Project Fi, a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) compatible with the internet search giant’s Nexus– and Pixel-branded smartphones. Just like the incumbents with which it competes, Project Fi offers data, voice, and texting service for a flat rate, and boasts a robust network that reaches most of the contiguous U.S. But that’s where the similarities end.

Project Fi is one of the only carriers in the U.S. to refund you for the data you don’t use, meaning that if you churn through 3.5GB data in one month on a 4GB plan, you’ll get credited the remaining 0.5GB. Fi’s network relies on a combination of U.S. Cellular, T-Mobile, and Sprint’s network for coverage, and compatible phones switch between the three depending on network congestion and signal strength.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Project Fi is, as the name implies, an ongoing experiment, and it’s constantly being improved with new benefits and features. Here’s everything you need to know about Project Fi, including plan pricing, phones compatible with Project Fi, and more.

Project Fi phones and tablets

Carriers like Verizon and T-Mobile offer a broad swatch of smartphones and tablets from which to choose, but Project Fi is a bit different. Because its network-switching technology requires special software and wireless radios, not every phone qualifies as “fully compatible.” As of now, the (very exclusive) group of Project Fi-certified phones includes Google’s Nexus and Pixel lines. Google says it’ll add more phones in the near future, but right now, there’s not much choice.

Here’s a full list of phones compatible with Project Fi:

• Pixel XL
• Pixel
• Nexus 5X
• Nexus 6P
• Nexus 6

Project Fi phones also take advantage of Wi-Fi Assistant, a background service that automatically connects to “more than a million” public hotspots. It’s a seamless transition between the networks — calls aren’t interrupted when the phone switches from cellular to Wi-Fi — and the connection is secured through a virtual private network that routes traffic through Google’s servers.

Fi works with more than just smartphones, but it’s not quite the same experience. A data-only SIM that lacks calling and texting features works on select iPad models and Android tablets, but only a handful as Project Fi users can add up to nine data-only SIMs to a single plan.

Here’s a full list of tablets and iPads compatible with Project Fi:

• Nexus 7 (with a nano SIM to micro SIM adapter)
• Nexus 9
• iPad Air 2
• iPad Mini 4
• iPad Pro
• Galaxy Tab S (with a nano SIM to micro SIM adapter)

Project Fi customers aren’t necessarily restricted to Google’s list of compatible devices. The SIMs work with all devices that (1) are unlocked, (2) have a GSM radio, and (3) work with T-Mobile, but there’s a caveat. Non-compatible phones can’t tap Sprint or U.S. Cellular’s network for coverage, and data-only SIMs can’t route calls and texts across the cellular network.

Project Fi plans

People
Line cost
4G LTE data
Total
1
$20
$20 w/2GB

$40 w/4GB

$80 w/8GB

$40

$60

$100

2
$20 + $15
$20 w/2GB

$40 w/4GB

$80 w/8GB

$55

$75

$115

3
$20 + $15 x 2
$20 w/2GB

$40 w/4GB

$80 w/8GB

 $70

$90

$130

4
 $20 + $15 x 3
$20 w/2GB

$40 w/4GB

$80 w/8GB

 $85

$105

$145

5
 $20 + $15 x 4
$20 w/2GB

$40 w/4GB

$80 w/8GB

 $100

$120

$160

In terms of pure, plain-and-simple pricing, Project Fi definitely isn’t the cheapest prepaid plan on the block. Republic Wireless, for example, offers talk, text, and up to 5GB of 4G LTE data for $50 per month — a whopping $20 per month cheaper than the equivalent Fi plan. Cricket Wireless’s $55 plan has unlimited talk, text, and data. FreedomPop’s 4GB tier starts at $35 per month.

But while Project Fi’s plan isn’t the cheapest, it comes with a lot of perks. Pricing starts at a flat $20 per month for unlimited calls and texting and $10 for 1GB of data, but money for unused data is credited back to the user’s account. Overages result in a charge of $10 per GB used. Fi also doesn’t levy a fee on mobile hotspots — data used while tethering is deducted from a Fi user’s monthly allotment.

Fi’s Group Plans let users add other people to their subscription for an additional $15 per user per month. Group Plans let plan managers view data usage by member, set data notifications, add monthly allowances, and pause members’ data usage. A more recent feature, Group Repay, automatically calculates each of the members’ individual shares of the monthly bill, and allows payments in (1) fixed amounts based on an individual’s total usage, or (2) only for data usage above the standard allotment.

Fi subscribers can use 4G LTE data in more than 135 countries around the world, including Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Turkey, and more (see Project Fi’s support page for the full list of supported carriers and countries). International data costs a flat $10 per GB — the same rate as Project Fi data in the U.S. — and text messaging is free. Calls start at 20 cents per minute.

Recommendations: 

• Project Fi can be a good deal if you don’t use a lot of data, but if you use more than 4GB of data a month ($60 per month), you might want to consider Sprint’s comparably-priced unlimited data plan ($60 per month), which won’t penalize you for overages.
• Project Fi may technically support phones that work on T-Mobile, but at the cost of U.S. Cellular and Sprint coverage. You’re better off sticking to a handset from Google’s approved list.

The perks of Project Fi:

• Strong service in rural areas.
• Savings for light data users.
• High-speed international data at no extra charge.
• Tethering at no extra charge.

The downsides of Project Fi:

• Small number of supported tablets and smartphones.
• Pricier plans than T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon, and some MVNOs, depending on the data allotment.

Phone payment plans

Device
Off-contract price
Pay over 24 months
Pixel – 32GB
$650
$27.04/month for 24 months
Pixel – 128GB
$750
$31.20/month for 24 months
Pixel XL – 32GB
$770
$32.04/month for 24 months
Pixel XL – 128GB
$870
$36.20/month for 24 months

Project Fi-compatible phones tend to be expensive, but there’s an alternative: Monthly installment plans. Fi offers the Pixel and the Pixel XL starting at $27.04 per month and $32.04 per month, respectively. Payments are over a 24 month period, but you can pay off the remainder of your balance at any time.

Google added two Samsung Galaxy-class smartphones to its Daydream VR list

Why it matters to you

The release of Samsung’s latest update should be exciting news for Galaxy S8/S8 Plus smartphone owners and could be a sign that older Galaxy-class phones will join the Daydream fray too.

Google said on Monday that Samsung is now distributing an update to its Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus smartphones that adds support for the Google Daydream mobile VR platform. That means in addition to supporting Samsung’s Oculus VR-powered Gear VR headset, these two phones will be compatible with Google’s Daydream View headsets as well. But the overall list is still extremely slim for customers wanting to take advantage of Google’s new mobile VR platform for Android despite Samsung’s new Daydream entries.

Here is the updated Google Daydream phone compatibility list:

Asus:
ZenFone AR (coming soon)
Google:
Pixel
Pixel XL
Huawei:
Mate 9 Pro
Porsche Design Mate 9
Motorola:
Moto Z
Moto Z Force
Samsung:
Galaxy S8
Galaxy S8 Plus
ZTE:
Axon 7

Currently, Samsung sells seven smartphones that are compatible with its Gear VR headset but the platform is proprietary to these devices. Meanwhile, Google’s Daydream platform is open to all Android smartphones that meet a specific list of hardware requirements, such as a processor with at least two cores, support for OpenGL ES 3.2, support for HEVC and VP9 codecs, a screen with a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 or greater (1,440p recommended), and more.

For Samsung customers with older Galaxy-class smartphones that work with Gear VR, this latest update could be a sign that their phones will eventually support Google’s Daydream initiative. Based on the list above, Daydream-compatible phones sold in the United States rely on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon-branded processors with four to eight cores: The Snapdragon 820, 821, and 835 chips. Huawei is the only manufacturer on the list that solely relies on a proprietary eight-core processor (Kirin 960).

According to Google, 11 different smartphones will support the Daydream platform by the end of 2017. The initiative was first introduced in May 2016 as a high-quality successor to Google Cardboard. Google followed up with an official launch of the platform and its own Daydream View headset in December. The company then revealed Daydream 2.0 “Euphrates” in May 2017 that will support Google’s stand-alone mobile VR headset collaboration with Qualcomm.

Unlike Google Cardboard, the Google Daydream platform is packed with immersive VR content that can now be experienced on Samsung’s two Galaxy S8 phones. These include Ubisoft’s Virtual Rabbids, Eclipse: Edge of Light, Hungry Shark VR, Fantastic Beasts, and more. There are also standard apps designed specifically for virtual reality provided by The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, the BBC, CNN, USA Today, and so on.

With Daydream View, Google created a headset that is soft and light for a highly comfortable experience. Google says Daydream View is “inspired by the clothes you wear,” using “breathable” fabric that can be hand-washed when needed. The faceplate is removable so you can safely remove facial gunk and sweat stains stemming from long sessions. By contrast, Samsung’s Galaxy-locked Gear VR headset has a hard outer shell while the only removable component (other than the head straps) are the cloth strips outlining the faceplate that are held into place by Velcro.

Oowa Pro Lens Kit hands-on review

Research Center:
Oowa Pro Lens Kit

The iPhone 7 Plus’s camera is already very capable, so can adding a set of telephoto and wide-angle lenses make it even better? The Oowa Pro Lens Kit promises its special rotationally asymmetrical lenses will produce high quality images, and the two lens styles will add more versatility to the iPhone’s camera. In our Oowa Pro Lens Kit hands-on review, we find out if there’s any validity to the claim.

High quality lenses, terrible case

There are two lenses in Oowa’s Pro Kit. A 15mm, 110-degree wide-angle lens, and a 75mm telephoto for faraway objects, equal to a 2.5x zoom. The iPhone 7 Plus offers a 2.0x hybrid zoom on its own, but this cannot be used in conjunction with Oowa’s lens, which attaches over the regular lens on the dual-lens setup. Distortion rates are very low, with less than one percent on the wide-angle, and less than 1.5 percent on the telephoto.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

We used the Oowa lenses and the special iPhone case to which they attach for a few weeks, and while the lenses impressed, the case was a disaster. Imagine the cheapest case you can get for your phone: The plastic that surrounds the volume and sleep/wake key broke within a few days, and after another couple of weeks, the top part of the case sheared, making it impossible to attach the lenses to it. It rendered the lenses unusable after less than a month’s worth of occasional use.

The iPhone 7 Plus needs a good case, and the Oowa Pro Lens Kit isn’t cheap at $150, so to use one of such poor quality is almost unforgivable. Even before the case broke, it was a fiddly affair getting the lenses attached, and when you don’t get them in the right place, the pictures you take are ruined because of light leaking in from the sides. It’s not very satisfactory. (Note: The Oowa Pro Lens Kit also comes in a version for the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S , and 6S Plus.)

Epic wide-angle photos

How about the photos it did take when the lenses fitted? The results were excellent. For once,  around the special lens design — an asymmetrical free-form lens for improved sharpness and vivid colors — proved to be real. At least, until the case broke.

It’s a fiddly affair getting the lenses attached.

The 15mm wide-angle lens is epic. It does a great job minimizing the distortion seen in the LG G6 and LG V20’s wide-angle lens, keeping lines straight and true even at the frame edge. It made pictures look more realistic and natural.

The 75mm telephoto lens also performed well, but had more problems than the wide-angle. For example, taking pictures of a plane passing overhead as it came into land introduced some annoying lens flare. Oowa does include a flare shield to help prevent this, and also addresses the situation in its FAQ.

Taking close-ups sometimes saw the iPhone focus rather awkwardly, leaving the foreground a little blurred. However, when it worked, the results were stunning. Close-ups look superb, with bright colors, plenty of pop, and a very strong bokeh effect. The 75mm’s extra zoom effect over the iPhone 7 Plus’ native 2.0x makes a difference, but arguably it won’t suddenly make a wealth of other pictures possible, unlike the Hasselblad True Zoom kit for the Motorola Z range.

Two lenses that increase the versatility of your iPhone’s camera, and take strong pictures, are only as good as the case to which they attach. For the Oowa Pro Kit, the case is more than just an Achilles’ heel — it’s a deal-breaker.

Oowa Pro Lens Kit Compared To

Lensbaby Velvet 85

Sigma 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art

Sigma 150-600mm 5-6.3 Sports DG OS…

Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM Art

Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX100

We contacted Oowa and have been informed improvements have been made to the case, with markings on both it and the lens to assist with lining them up for fitting, and some design alterations made to the case itself. We haven’t tried this case, so can only base our impressions on this version.

Conclusion

When the lenses are attached and lined up, the pictures captured by the Oowa lenses were excellent, especially from the wide-angle lens. However, we can’t recommend any product that doesn’t even last a month. Unless Oowa changes the design of its case, and overhauls the fitting of the lenses, don’t let the Oowa lens’ picture quality lure you into buying a set.

Oowa lenses started life on Kickstarter, and have also been on Indiegogo. They’re the work of lens experts DynaOptics, and can be purchased directly through the company’s website. A case and lens pack for the iPhone 6, iPhone 6S, iPhone 7, and iPhone 7 Plus is available at $150. Alternatively, each lens can be purchased individually for $100, and a case for $15.

Here’s how to set up Daydream VR on the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus

The wait for Daydream on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus is finally over. Months after Samsung promised to support Google’s mobile virtual reality platform would come to its flagship, it’s made good: Over the next few weeks, Galaxy S8 units across all carriers will be updated to work with Daydream View headsets  and Google’s motion-sensing Daydream Controller.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to setting up Daydream on the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. If you’re looking for more Daydream-related content, check out our roundup of Daydream headsets, smartphones, controllers, and software.

How to set up Daydream on the Galaxy S8

Getting Daydream VR up and running on the Galaxy S8 isn’t too challenging. But you’ll need to install the Daydream app.

Here’s how:

• Open the Google Play Store, type “Daydream” in the search bar, and tap Install. Alternatively, click this link to install it remotely.
• Launch the Daydream app and sign in with your Google account. If you have a Daydream headset, tap I have a headset. If not, tap Get one to see a list of compatible devices available for purchase.
• Tap Next on each subsequent instructions screen, and optionally sign up for Google’s Daydream newsletter by toggling the Email newsletter button on the second-to-last page.
• Tap Create PIN, and enter a password you’ll remember — you’ll use it to confirm purchases in VR.
• You’ll be prompted to install the Daydream Keyboard. Tap OK on the popup that appears, which will bring up the app’s Play Store page. Tap Install, and hit the Back button once it finishes.
• You’ll have to update the Galaxy S8’s Google VR Settings. Tap OK on the popup that appears, and tap on every item in the Google VR checklist that has a circle-shaped exclamation icon next to it. Enable each setting until every item’s grayed out and checked off, and then hit the Back button.

That’s it! You’re ready to start using Daydream on the Galaxy S8. Pop your phone into a Daydream-compatible headset, make sure the controller is fully charged, and slap the Galaxy S8 into your Daydream headset — Google’s Daydream tutorial will start automatically.

Once you’ve completed the tutorial once, you don’t have to do it again. Launching Daydream is as easy as opening the Daydream app, tapping the circle-shaped headset button in the bottom right-hand corner of the app, and slotting the Galaxy S8 into the headset.

First impressions

Google Daydream View VR Headset 

So just how well does Daydream work on the Galaxy S8? Just as well as any other phone, really. We noticed a few framerate issues during the first few tutorial scenes, but restarting the Daydream app seemed to get rid of them.

It was smooth sailing once we reached Daydream Home, Daydream’s app screen. The onscreen pointer responded pretty much instantly to the tilts and turns of the Daydream controller, and the apps we tested worked without issue. We were especially impressed by 360-degree videos in the YouTube app, which looked colorful and vibrant on the Galaxy S8 Plus’s big screen.

VR experiences aren’t exactly new to the Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8 Plus. Both phones support Samsung and Oculus’ $130 Gear VR, which boasts a much larger content library compared to Daydream. Now that one of the world’s most popular high-end phones supports Google’s VR platform, developers have more incentive than ever to start targeting it.

Sensor-packed smart belt could help reduce falls in Parkinson’s patients

Why it matters to you

Parkinson’s disease affects up to 1 million Americans. This wearable device could help them.

Progressive neurodegenerative brain disorder Parkinson’s disease has a broad range of symptoms, including the fact that sufferers can be more prone to falls or loss of balance. Studies show that around 60 percent of people with Parkinson’s fall annually, and two-thirds of these people will experience multiple falls. The reasons for this can range from the effects of involuntary movements, aka dyskinesia, to changes in the way individuals walk, such as not swinging their arms when they move or taking steps that are too small.

Although there is not yet a cure for Parkinson’s disease (although there are a number of promising treatments starting to emerge), a new research project coming out of the University of Houston hopes to take on the specific problem of loss of balance. To do this, researchers at the university have developed a smartphone-based biofeedback rehabilitation wearable, called the Smarter Balance System. The Smarter Balance System takes the form of a special belt that is lined with vibrating actuators. These actuators provide customized rehab programs that map users’ movements in real time using a series of dots which appear on their smartphone displays.

The idea is to guide patients through exercises designed to improve their postural stability, thereby decreasing the number of falls, while increasing users’ confidence in carrying out everyday activities. The solution means that individuals will have access to the virtual expertise of a physical therapist at home, where they may previously have only had limited access to one during visits to a rehab clinic.

“The smartphone application records and creates a custom motion for their body tilt based on their individual limits of stability,” said Alberto Fung, a University of Houston graduate student and part of the Sensorimotor Augmentation & Rehabilitation Technology (SMART) Research Group.

Data collected by the system is then uploaded to an online server so that it can be analyzed by doctors and physical therapists, who can then adjust the regimen as required.

There is no word yet on when — or indeed, if — the Smarter Balance System is going to be made commercially available. However, it is yet another example of how wearable devices can help empower users in all sorts of ways, including medical applications.

Everything you need to know about AMD’s highly anticipated Vega video cards

Why it matters to you

Here is everything you need to know about the latest AMD Radeon Vega news, including product releases and reviews

After for what seemed like forever, AMD finally revealed its latest high-end graphics cards based on the new “Vega” graphics processor architecture. The portfolio spans two markets using two brands: Radeon RX Vega for the high-end desktop market, and Radeon Pro for the professional workstation market. Here we will keep you updated on the latest AMD Radeon Vega news, such as what cards are available, and if they’re a better option than Nvidia’s competing products.

So what exactly is Vega?

Vega is the latest graphics chip design from AMD. It follows 2016’s “Polaris” design used in the low-cost Radeon RX 400 and 500 Series cards for the mainstream market. But unlike Polaris, Vega targets the high-end and enthusiast realm along with the processional workstation market. Vega provides better overall compute performance than Polaris and AMD’s previous “Fiji” design used in its high-end Radeon R9 graphics cards for PC gaming, which were launched in 2015.

According to AMD, Vega includes a next-generation pixel engine for efficient, higher shader performance. It also has a re-designed geometry engine to handle the increasingly complex nature of architecture and landscapes found in games.

Vega also introduces a new memory controller that supports on-board and system-installed SSDs, dedicated high-bandwidth cache, and HBM2 memory. These advancements make the current Vega hardware promising, and should serve as a good foundation for future iterations.

Vega for PC gamers

AMD’s Radeon RX Vega-branded add-in cards for desktop targets PC gamers, and uses High Bandwidth Memory 2, which stacks up to eight DRAM dies vertically in a single memory package rather than spread them out horizontally. This enables more memory capacity in a smaller space while consuming less power. According to AMD, the second generation is capable of up to two giga-transfers per second (2GT/s), and up to 256GB per second in bandwidth.

The on-board memory is managed by AMD’s new High-Bandwidth Cache Controller (HBCC). It consists of algorithms that are designed to handle huge sets of data, and enables developers to program memory management into their games and software that don’t affect the overall performance. It helps eliminate the bottleneck that causes a graphics chip to pause for milliseconds to load resources, textures, and so on, which in turn causes frame drops.

Technically, there are only two Radeon RX Vega cards hitting store shelves, but a third water-cooled model will be sold exclusively through a special bundle. Here’s the two available on their own.

ComputeUnits
StreamProcessors
BaseSpeed
BoostSpeed
MemorySize
Price
Available?
Radeon RXVega 64
64
4,096
1,247MHz(air)——1,406MHz (liquid)
1,546MHz(air)——1,677MHz (liquid)
8GBHBM2
$499
August 14
Radeon RXVega 56
56
3,584
1,156MHz
1,471MHz
8GBHBM2
$399
August 14

AMD is not offering the liquid-cooled version of the RX Vega 64 outside the $699 Radeon Aqua Pack. That bundle includes the liquid-cooled card, a $200 discount off Samsung’s 34-inch WQHD curved FreeSync-based monitor (C34F791), and a $100 discount off a Ryzen 7 CPU/motherboard combo (Asus, Gigabyte, and MSI only). The bundles include copies of Prey and Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus as well.

Here are the current processor and motherboard requirements for the Radeon Red (RX Vega 56), Radeon Black (RX Vega 64 air-cooled), and Radeon Aqua packs.

Processors
Motherboards
Ryzen 7 1700XRyzen 7 1800X
Asus ROG Crosshair VI Extreme X370Gigabyte GA-AX370—Gaming K7MSI X370 Xpower Gaming Titanium

Of course, customers can purchase the air-cooled Radeon RX 64 and install a water block on the card to get those higher speeds. According to AMD, third-party models will be released in the fourth quarter of 2017 that will likely have designs based on water cooling.

Vega for professionals

Unlike the high-end Radeon RX Vega models designed for the PC gaming market, AMD appears to be more inclined to use the term “cache” with its professional Radeon Pro-branded add-in cards. The memory is still based on HDM2 technology, but the specifications refer to it as High Bandwidth Cache (HBC). Yet thanks to the on-board HBCC and Vega’s support for using SSD storage as on-board memory, AMD actually crammed a 2TB NVMe PCI Express 3.0 SSD onto the Radeon Pro SSG model. The company calls this solid state graphics (SSG).

“The Radeon Pro SSG physically co-locates high performance NVMe’s alongside the high-performance Vega-based GPU to create an optimized path for transferring and processing large data sets,” the company states.

What’s really interesting about AMD’s two new Vega-based Radeon Pro cards is the inclusion of a dedicated security processor inside the graphics chip. This processor creates a secure environment for running “intellectual property-sensitive” tasks while everything else runs outside the secure bubble. This processor also performs boot and firmware validations every time the PC is turned on or restarted, and works in conjunction with Microsoft’s Device Guard malware defense service.

The two cards are complemented by AMD’s new “Radeon Pro Software Crimson ReLive Edition for Vega-based Radeon Professional Graphics” software. The name is admittedly long, but so is the list of features the driver suite brings to AMD’s processional Vega-based cards. These include the integration of Radeon ProRender into Maxon Cinema 4D Release 19, updated ProRender plugins, support for switching between three drivers without the required reboot, and more.

ComputeUnits
StreamProcessors
BaseSpeed
BoostSpeed
MemorySize
Price
Available?
FrontierEdition
64
4,096
1,382MHz
1,600MHz
16GB HBC(HBM2)
$999
Yes
Radeon ProWX 9100
64
4,096
TBD
1,500MHz
16GB HBC(HBM2)
$2,199
September 13
Radeon ProSSG
64
4,096
TBD
1,500MHz
16GB HBC(HBM2),2TB NVMe SSG
$6,999
September 13

Should you buy a Vega-based card?

Right now, making a decision regarding what Vega-based card you should buy is just too early given that they won’t hit stores until August 14. Even more, outlets like Digital Trends need time to benchmark the cards and compare the results against Nvidia’s competing products. Right now, AMD appears to be addressing a portion of the high-end mainstream market currently ruled by Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1080 Ti, GeForce GTX 1080, and GeForce GTX 1070.

What’s interesting to note is that AMD’s Radeon RX Vega 64 includes 4,096 stream processors with a base speed of 1,247MHz for the air-cooled version, and 1,406MHz for the liquid-cooled model at a starting price of $499. Meanwhile, Nvidia’s GTX 1080 Ti consists of 3,854 CUDA cores with a base speed of 1,480MHz for $699. A good chunk of the AMD versus Nvidia comparison will be how AMD’s 8GB of HBM2 memory and Vega’s new memory controller play apart in Vega’s overall performance.

But that’s just for the high-end mainstream side of AMD’s business. On the professional end, AMD appears to be competing with Nvidia’s new Quadro GP100 graphics card for workstations, and possibly the Quadro P4000 add-in card as well. We won’t be able to see how AMD fares in the workstation market until the end of August or in the beginning of September.

That all said, we’ll keep you updated on the latest AMD Radeon Vega news as the information rolls out, so keep checking back here.

Best Outdoor Speakers

Make your garden sing with some outdoor speakers.

Portable speakers are great additions to your Android stable. But maybe you want something you can leave outside, and not have to lug back and forth every time you want to remind the neighbors just how much you love Journey. Or maybe you want both. So wouldn’t it be nice to have more options for audio fixtures in your yard?

We’ve rounded up the best outdoor speakers for your backyard listening pleasure.

Bluetooth speakers:

• Acoustic Research Hatteras Northern Lights
• Acoustic Research Pasadena

Wired speakers:

• Bose Free Space 51
• Klipsch AWR-650-SM All Weather 2-way
• TIC GS-3

What to consider when buying outdoor speakers

The best outdoor speakers (or speakers of any kind, really) are wired. Wired audio gives you better sound and a tried and true connection – no worrying about how the layout of your home or backyard might affect the wireless signal. If you’re unsure about a wired setup, consider adding a Sonos Connect:Amp ($499). This handy little device acts as a receiver for your wired speakers, so you can wirelessly stream music from your phone or tablet without even needing a receiver.

If you do have a receiver, then consider the Sonos Connect ($349), which just plugs into your existing setup, allowing you to wirelessly stream music to your receiver.

If you do want to go wireless (as most of us do nowadays), then consider Bluetooth speakers, since they’ll offer you great sound and you can have your device near them to help eliminate interference and a choppy signal.

A third option is to get wireless speakers that operate using a wireless transmitter. The transmitter plugs into your receiver (usually in the house) and transmits your music outside. Though this type of speaker has gotten better over the years, it’s still pretty hit and miss when it comes to audio quality and signal consistency. If your receiver is turned up too loudly, your outdoor speakers will distort — even at low volumes. If you’re in a crowded part of town, you’ll get all kinds of interference.

This is why we’ve included some wired and some Bluetooth options in this roundup, so that you’re getting the best audio quality possible, especially if you’re planning on spending a ton on speakers.

Bluetooth outdoor speakers

Acoustic Research Hatteras Northern Lights

If you’re looking for some solid wireless outdoor speakers, then the Acoustic Research Hatteras speakers might have what you’re looking for.

Unlike many wireless outdoor speakers, the AR Hatteras speakers operate via Bluetooth. You can set them up on your deck or elsewhere in the backyard and enjoy music from your smartphone or tablet. The best part is you get to keep your device near without having to go inside to change anything with your stereo setup. You can also control playback right on the speaker itself.

The Hatteras is attractively designed as a high-tech lantern, which should nicely complement most backyard aesthetics. The cool factor is its “northern lights” 360-degree light, which changes colors and operates in six modes, which include various pulsating and flashing patterns, as well as solid colors.

The bass thumps, thanks to 40 watts of peak power, two tweeters, and two mid-ranges. You won’t get the true stereo sound that you would from a pair, but it’s still more than acceptable, especially for a speaker of this size.

If you want a great-looking outdoor Bluetooth speaker, then look no further. This is as good as it gets, if not a bit pricey, at around $220.

See at Acoustic Research

Acoustic Research Pasadena

Acoustic Research makes the list again with their more affordable, battery-powered Pasadena. These speakers start at around $65 each and sound great on their own — and even better when paired with a second one.

They offer Bluetooth connectivity and up to 8 hours of battery life — ideal for outdoor listening — plus it’s easy to store and charge them in the garage or house when not in use. There’s also an auxiliary jack on the back, just in case you’d prefer a wired connection or are dealing with a device that doesn’t have Bluetooth.

The best part is that you get three-way sound in a 9.5-inch-tall package. There’s a front-facing 2.5-inch tweeter, a front-facing 3.5-inch mid-range, and a rear-facing 3.5-inch woofer, offering well-balanced sound, though the bass is a bit muted.

AR is all about that lantern look, so the Pasadena resembles a more traditional lantern than the Hatteras does — perfect for the patio, though it emits no light.

If you’re looking for a solid little Bluetooth speaker that’s battery-powered, offers decent sound, won’t break the bank (around $98), and can even be hung from a sturdier wire, then check out the AR Pasadena.

See at Amazon

Wired outdoor speakers

Bose Free Space 51

If we’re talking about the best speakers of any sort, then it’d be a sin not to mention Bose in some capacity. In this case, they truly are some of the best outdoor speakers money can buy.

In true Bose fashion, these are not wireless, but once you do wire them in outside, you can set them and forget them; these speakers are designed to withstand temperatures from -40 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit. One of their neatest features is that they can be in or on-ground speakers, so you can bury them up to a certain point and still receive top-of-the-line sound quality.

Bose is all about room-filling sound and when there’s no room to fill, these still provide immersive, 360 degree sound, thanks to their radial design. They are quite pricy, starting around $450 for a pair, but with outdoor speakers, you certainly get what you pay for.

If you want high-quality sound with rich bass tones, a present mid-range, and crisp-but-not-shrill highs, then Bose is the way to go — so long as you don’t mind doing some outdoor wiring.

See at Amazon

Klipsch AWR-650-SM All Weather 2-way

Klipsch is another company that makes fantastic-sounding speakers, and their outdoor AWR-650-SMs, which resemble rocks, are no slouch. They are, however, another wired option, which some folks may shy away from.

That being said, if you want HD sound outdoors, you’ll have to put up with the wires, along with the steep starting price of around $300 for each of these speakers. They feature a 6.5-inch woofer and two 0.75-inch tweeters, which deliver low, rich bass and pleasing,crisp highs, respectively. Having two tweeters also means that you can listen in stereo without having to break the bank and buy two.

Aside from awesome sound, these speakers are all about aesthetic. They come in either a granite or sandstone finish and should blend in seamlessly with your yard.

If you’re looking for a speaker that won’t distract from your existing backyard decor, sounds great, and don’t mind wiring, then check out the Klipsch AWR-650-SM All Weather 2-way speakers.

See at Amazon

TIC GS-3 omnidirectional

These in-ground speakers from TIC have a neat army green finish and feature a 360-degree speaker, making them perfect for backyards.

They’re made from ABS, which is a strong and durable plastic that has a much higher melting point than most other plastics, which makes them resilient in just about any climate. With 200W of peak power, you should have no trouble cranking the tunes outside.

At around $77, these are your best option for in-ground speakers if you’re on a budget.

See at Amazon

Looking to set up an outdoor home movie theater? We can help!

How to create an outdoor movie theater in your backyard

What’s in your yard?

Do you have an outdoor speaker that you find aesthetically pleasing with awesome sound? Let us know in the comments below.

Updated July 2017: Added pricing, replaced the Madison Fielding Planter speakers with the TIC GS-3 and replaced the AR Hatteras with the Hatteras Northern Lights.

The UE Roll 2 is a fantastic Bluetooth speaker for only $50

Our friends at Thrifter are back again, this time with a sweet deal on UE Roll 2 Bluetooth speaker!

Dell has the black and gray UE Roll 2 for $50 with code UEROLL1. That price is $20 better than Amazon and almost as good as previous deals where the UE Roll 2 dropped to $45, which only worked on some of the uglier colors. The deal comes with free shipping.

If that coupon code feels like a missed opportunity, its because other numbers get you discounts on different colors. UEROLL2 gets you 50% off the Volcano (Black & Red) version. UEROLL3 gets you 50% off Atmosphere (Blue & Red).

More than 690 Best Buy customers rate it 4.7 out of 5 stars and 98% of customers would recommend this product to a friend. The UE Roll 2 has an impressive 2-inch driver with two 3/4-inch tweeters and gives you up to nine hours of your favorite tunes.

Its water-resistant design makes it a great addition for your next trip to the beach or just relaxing by the pool. Let your friends join in on the party too, you can pair up to eight Bluetooth-enabled devices or it also has a 3.5mm jack on it so you can easily play from devices that don’t have Bluetooth.

Read more about the UE Roll 2 through our full review.

See at Dell

More from Thrifter

• Skip the expensive pet store options and make your own at home
• Tips for becoming an expert eBay seller

For more great deals be sure to check out our friends at Thrifter now!

Nextbit ends Robin support, effective immediately [Update]

And so, the short life of the Nextbit Robin has come to an end.

Update: To help clarify things (which, for some reason, was not originally offered), much to the relief of the remaining Robin owners, Nexbit says it will continue to push software updates until February 2018. The article has been updated to reflect this new information.

Six months on the dot since it announced it was being acquired by Razer, Nextbit has ended support for its one and only phone, the Robin. With a simple tweet and another clarifying it later, Nexbit solidified what it stated back in January — all support will end today, except for software updates that will continue for another six months.

Effective August 1st 2017, we’ve shut down support for Robin. You can still refer to our online self-help: https://t.co/ZwXZGM04sJ

— Nextbit (@nextbitsys) August 1, 2017

To clear up some confusion: although we’re ending customer support, we will continue software updates until Feb ’18 as planned

— Nextbit (@nextbitsys) August 1, 2017

Nextbit obviously knows far better than we do how many Robins were sold and how many still remain active, but we can guess the numbers are extremely low. The Robin was on sale roughly six months before we started to see steep discounts, and by the end of 2016 it was on sale for what had to have been below-cost prices.

Ending support for the Robin will surely free up more time for what we assume is development of a Razer-branded phone that leverages the Nexbit team’s experience building and launching a phone from scratch. Initial rumors point to a launch by the end of 2017, if everything goes to plan.

For those who are still holding onto their Robin, Nextbit is pointing to its self-help pages, as well as a Nexbit sub-forum on the Razer forums. Our Nextbit Robin forums are still up and running as well, of course.

Nextbit Robin

• Nextbit Robin review
• Nextbit Robin unboxing
• Nextbit Robin specs
• Join the Nextbit Robin forums

See at Amazon