The Echo Dot was free on Amazon for a hot minute

The Echo Dot, Amazon’s $50 in-home assistant, was briefly free on Amazon today, thanks to an “Audible” discount that got added at checkout. The discount applied to both black and white models, though it now appears people trying to score a free Echo Dot are being told the items are no longer in stock.

We’ve reached out to Amazon for clarification on the sudden super-sale. Whatever the reason, happy random Prime Day, folks.

Update, 4:10PM ET: The Echo Dot is back in stock at Amazon — and, big surprise, it is no longer free. If we had to guess, this was a glitch on Amazon’s part, and we’re expecting these free orders to get cancelled before long.

Microsoft could release an Xbox One X ‘Project Scorpio’ edition

Microsoft used “Project Scorpio” as the code name for the Xbox One X, its powerful new gaming console set to release on November 7th. According to a couple of leaks on German website Xbox Dynasty, the company will celebrate the launch with a new day one-style model in which the codename will show up on the console itself. The images show a clear “Project Scorpio” embedded vertically on the Xbox controller, along with a stippled pattern for the rectangular console itself. The specs also show a 1TB capacity, which should make space-hungry gamers happy.

It makes sense for Microsoft to commemorate the release of its powerful new console, of course, though it’s kind of funny that they’re making the codename somewhat official. This isn’t the first time Microsoft has released a special edition on launch day, either. The company released a limited edition of the anticipated gaming box in June of 2013, complete with an embossed “Day One 2013” controller. This previous day one special edition also came with a unique Xbox Live achievement, too, though the leaked information doesn’t mention one for this new edition.

Via: The Verge

Source: XBoxDynasty

Google figured out how to flawlessly remove stock-photo watermarks

Watermarks are placed on copyrighted images like stock-photos in order to keep people from using them without permission or without paying. And manually removing them requires Photoshop skills, time and being ok with the image not looking its best post-removal. But Google has found a way around watermarks — work it recently presented at the Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition Conference.

The trick is to take lots of images — we’re talking hundreds or thousands of photos — with the same watermark and use software to detect repeating structures. With enough examples, the watermark becomes the signal and all of the photos become noise. The watermark pattern can then be removed in totality from the image without reducing the quality of the image itself.

However, along with its method of seamlessly lifting watermarks, Google also provides a way to counteract it. Changing the watermark’s position on the images randomly for each photo doesn’t stop the software from doing its thing, nor does changing how opaque the watermark is. But randomly warping the mark just slightly for each image does prevent the program from removing it in full.

Google says it’s definitely possible that someone will find a way around the warping method in the future, but these methods and the use of randomization could be helpful to photography and stock image communities.

Image: Google

Via: Gizmodo

Source: Google (1), (2)

Facebook opens up its Craigslist-like section to retailers

Facebook is trying to figure out what people want from Marketplace, so it’s going to add a bunch of new products from real vendors in order to suss that out. “We’ll kind of look and see what’s popular, what people want to engage with,” Deb Liu, Facebook’s head of Marketplace, told Recode, “So if people are searching or looking for something, we want to make that available to them.”

Some new items that will be available through Marketplace are cars from local dealerships, real estate listings, ticket sales and products from professional retailers. Facebook already hosts ticket sale and shopping pages, but now these will be under the Marketplace umbrella. Once the company gets a better idea of what Facebook users are looking for, it will boost those sorts of offerings.

Facebook launched Marketplace last year as move on eBay and Craigslist and tweaked the forum in May to make it easier to find and post items with expanded and easier to sort through categories. Marketplace was also expanded to over a dozen additional countries earlier this month.

While product offerings will be expanded, Facebook is still staying away from managing payments. “Eventually, we could go in a number of different directions [with payments],” Liu told Recode. “But right now we’re really trying to figure out, ‘how do you actually drive engagement between people and businesses, people and other people locally?’ That’s how we really think about the product.”

Source: Recode

MacRumors Giveaway: Win a Zip Laptop Brief From WaterField Designs

For this week’s giveaway, we’ve teamed up with WaterField Designs to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a Zip Laptop Brief, which is one of WaterField Designs’ newest products.

Like all WaterField Designs bags, the Zip Brief is carefully constructed right in San Francisco in small batches. It’s available in four color combinations and made from either a ballistic nylon or waxed canvas, both of which are high-quality, durable, and long lasting. It features full-grain leather accents and quality splash proof zippers to keep everything inside your bag safe from the elements.

The Zip Brief is available in three sizes and can accommodate up to a 15-inch MacBook Pro with multiple accessories. The smallest size is ideal for the smaller 13-inch MacBook Pro, an iPad, or the 12-inch MacBook, while the medium and large sizes are designed for bigger laptops.

A dedicated padded laptop compartment keeps your MacBook safe (plus it offers easy charging access), and the bag zips open all the way for easy access to interior pockets. There’s a front pocket with a self-locking zipper for stowing items you need to access frequently, an ultrasuede pocket designed to hold an iPhone, mesh accessory pockets, a dedicated slot for an Apple Pencil, a back slot for use with luggage, and waterproof zippered pockets.

Because the bag zips flat, WaterField Designs says it’s TSA friendly, and it’s easy to carry with either a leather handle at the top or an included removable shoulder strap.

WaterField Designs prices the Zip Brief at $219 to $239 depending on size, but we’ve got one to give away to a MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner and send the prize. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years of age or older are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

a Rafflecopter giveawayThe giveaway will run from today (August 18) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on August 25. The winner will be chosen randomly on August 25 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.

Tags: giveaway, WaterField Designs
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TouchArcade iOS Gaming Roundup: Six Ages, Miracle Merchant, Dungeon Raid Eulogy, and More

We’re only a few days away from a major solar eclipse in the USA, and I suspect tons of people will be spending quite a bit of time this weekend either driving to the path of the eclipse on the 21st or waiting for it to actually happen on the day. Few things go better with sitting in a car (provided you’re not the one driving) or waiting in general than iOS gaming, so if you’re looking for something new and exciting to play be sure to check out our hot games list and our recent top reviews. You’ll find enough great games there to last you through even the longest road trip. As usual, there’s tons of other stuff going on in the world of iOS games this week.

King of Dragon Pass is an ancient PC game that was ported to mobile back in 2011 that we absolutely loved in our review. It’s an unbelievably in-depth game featuring gameplay that feels like a blend of a Civilization game and a Choose Your Own Adventure book. (For more on KoDP, check out this retrospective article from 2015.) Anyway, a spiritual successor was announced three years ago, and since then the developers have gone dark, until this week. Six Ages is now feature complete, which at minimum means an alpha version is ready to go. Fingers crossed for a speedy beta test and release, as we’ve been waiting for this game forever.

Sonic Mania was released this week for the PS4, Xbox One, and Switch, and while I highly recommend picking up the game on any of those platforms if you own one, we dug into the history that made the game possible. Sonic Mania is effectively a fan made game which initially kicked off with a protoype of Sonic CD running on an iPhone all the way back in 2009. The story of that prototype is amazing, particularly when you consider that there’s now a real-deal official Sonic title made by the same developer who hacked together a really good mobile Sonic CD port so many years ago. Sure, in its current state, Sonic Mania is only tangentially related to mobile gaming but given the roots of its inception, it seems hard to believe it won’t eventually come to the App Store.

#FunFact I designed @miraclemerchant as a pitch for Nickelodeon after @cardcrawl was released. They weren’t interested. #gamedev pic.twitter.com/dhyacJ8t39

— TiNYTOUCHTALES (@tinytouchtales) August 17, 2017

We’ve mentioned Miracle Merchant in the past, but this week we found out the amusing backstory of the game. Stepping back a bit, if you missed Miracle Merchant the first time around, take a look at our review. It’s a solitaire-style card game where you’re brewing potions by combining four cards. The premise is unbelievably simple, but the amount of depth that is found in the mechanic is incredible. As it turns out, the game started its life as a pitch to Nickelodeon. Instead of brewing potions, you built burgers inside of the Spongebob universe. I’m super curious if the game would have done better or worse with Spongebob branding, but it’s always fun to hear these sorts of origin stories.

Speaking of amusing backstories, Pigeon Wings is another game we really liked, but this week we found out via a postmortem of sorts that the game was built by two people on entirely different sides of the world. The Imgur album is fascinating, digging into how the two developers collaborated online and which tools/methods they used to do it. Also, if you’re into early concept stuff, there’s a whole heap of that in there too.

Two really awesome games are on sale this weekend: Crashlands and Guild of Dungeoneering. Crashlands is an open world crafting game that even people who don’t typically like that type of game managed to enjoy due to several really great quality of life improvements that we go over in our review. To accompany the mobile sale, the Steam version dropped permanently to $9.99. Guild of Dungeoneering is a dungeon building game that hinges on a card mechanic to assemble different areas of your dungeon. It has a totally original soundtrack, so make sure you play with the sound on. For more, read our review.

Square Enix is undoubtedly best known for the Final Fantasy series of games, but they’ve released all sorts of odd things on the App Store over the years. The most recent game from them that’s had us raising our eyebrows is Meshi Quest: Five Star Kitchen. It’s a restaurant simulator game which has over 200 different recipes that can be completed for eager customers. Gameplay is similar to Cook, Serve, Delicious! and other quick order kitchen simulation games. It’s worth checking out, if for no reason other than to be like, “Huh, so this is from the guys who made Final Fantasy XV, eh?”

We’re retiring Solitaire Blitz (iOS), Peggle Classic (iOS) and Plants vs. Zombies (paid iOS and paid Android) on August 18th 2017. pic.twitter.com/dQ8m1BdjPm

— PopCap Games (@popcap) August 18, 2017

We’ve been closely following classic 32-bit games that aren’t getting updated ahead of iOS 11, and PopCap just confirmed that Solitaire Blitz, Peggle Classic, and the original paid version of Plants vs. Zombies are being removed from the App Store. It’s sad to see them go, as Plants vs. Zombies was a very big deal when it first launched on iOS years ago. Meanwhile, we’re putting together eulogy posts for some of our favorite games. This week we dug into Dungeon Raid, which still is among the best puzzle games on the App Store.

That’s about it for this week, for much, much more news like this and all sorts of iOS game reviews be sure to visit TouchArcade. We work around the clock covering the world of iOS gaming. Oh, and one last thing, if you care at all about Hearthstone esports, don’t forget to pick a champion for the upcoming Hearthstone Global Games. It could be good for a few free packs.

Tag: TouchArcade gaming roundup
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Here’s what reviewers think of Andy Rubin’s Android device, the Essential Phone

The Essential Phone is the first phone spearheaded by Android co-creator Andy Rubin, and it’s shipping next week. Our review is pending, but here’s what the rest of the tech press are saying.

Gorgeous, but a fingerprint magnet

Reviewers swooned for the Essential Phone’s design, which they characterize as “truly beautiful” and “unique.” The Verge writes that it’s “the most appealing … of any phone [this] year,” and CNET calls it “gorgeous.”

The Essential Phone’s titanium body and ceramic back is “sturdy” without feeling unwieldy, according to some reviewers. Others weren’t taken with its glossiness — Business Insider writes that it’s “practically begging for scratches and fingerprint smudges.”

Some outlets lamented the Essential Phone’s lack of dedicated headphone jack and memory card reader, but they gave Essential props for including a USB Type-C audio adapter and 128GB of built-in storage.

Sturdy, but not waterproof

The Essential Phone’s lack of waterproofing came up in reviews. Publications contrasted it with the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Apple iPhone 7, both of which can survive dips in shallow pools.

But reviewers expressed confidence in the Essential Phone’s ability to withstand drops and scratches. “Titanium makes the phone more rigid and less susceptible to cracking the phone when you drop it,” The Verge writes, “[and] the ceramic is meant to be very scratch-resistant and allows certain radio signals through.”

Display: Embrace the “chin”

The Essential’s 5.7-inch LCD display, which has a 2,560 x 1,312 pixel resolution, got high marks for its unusual 19:10 aspect ratio. The “chin,” the circular cutout around the front camera, isn’t as bad as some initially thought.

TechCrunch notes the cutout doesn’t interfere with day-to-day tasks. “When apps — take, say, Netflix — go fullscreen, the regions next to the camera go dark, effectively shrinking the size of the display to what it’d look like with a more standard top bezel.”

The Verge praised the screen’s viewing angles, calling its aspect ratio the “sweet spot for Android.”

Some outlets, like Business Insider, were a little more critical, noting that the Essential Phone’s display “[wasn’t] quite as sharp as [phones like] the Galaxy S8.” And not every third-party app works around the camera cutout, according to CNET.

Camera: Decent, but not exceptional

Reviews were generally positive on the Essential Phone’s cameras. TechCrunch writes that the dual rear camera, which consists of one 13MP monochrome and one 13MP full-color, “seem[ed] strong — particularly outdoors,” and that photos come out generally “more detailed” on the Essential Phone than on the Galaxy S8.

But some outlets were disappointed by rear camera’s dimness and dull colors, and the time the Essential Phone takes to process photos. CNET marked off points for its the Essential Phone’s lack of burst mode, HDR (high dynamic range), and portrait mode. Many of these modes are reportedly arriving in a software update later on.

The Verge wasn’t impressed with its low-light performance, which it colorfully describes as “a dumpster fire but worse because you can at least see fire in the dark.”

Performance and battery life: Speedy and long-lasting

Reviewers were full of praise for the Essential Phone’s hardware and specifications, which they called “snappy.” Business Insider notes that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor  “handled everything swimmingly.”

Despite the sheer power under the hood, the Essential Phone has pretty good battery life. The Verge writes that it was able to get “a full day” with “fairly heavy use.”

Accessories: Plenty of potential and a great 360 camera

Outlets highlighted the Essential Phone’s USB-based modular accessory connector, which uses a system of metal pins, high-frequency wireless, and magnets.

Reviewers hailed its potential, but weren’t convinced that Essential will be able to deliver on its promises. “They’re promising new accessories ‘every few months,’ but they aren’t saying much concrete about what they’ll be,” TechCrunch writes.

The sole accessory available for the Essential Phone at launch is a $200 360-degree camera, which reportedly works well. Outlets praised the ease of use. “It’s extremely easy to attach,” CNET writes. Others were impressed by its diminutive size. The Verge said “it’s nice that the camera itself is so small and pocketable that I don’t have to remember to charge up yet another thing at night.”

Software: Stock Android

Reviewers came away with positive impressions of the Essential Phone’s software, which they called a bloat-free Android experience “[that’s] about as close as you can get without buying a Google Pixel.” Business Insider notes that the only non-Google apps that come with the phone are the camera app and a Sprint app.

Others applauded Essential’s commitment to two years of Android updates and monthly security updates for three years, which is the same commitment Google offers for the Pixel.

Conclusion: A great phone that’s a work in progress

Most reviewers were pleasantly surprised by Essential’s debut effort.

“The Essential Phone is doing so much right: Elegant design, big screen, long battery life, and clean software,” The Verge writes. “If you asked Android users what they wanted in the abstract, I suspect a great many of them would describe this exact device.”

Others were a little more reserved in their praise. “So far, the Essential Phone feels like a solid foundation for Andy Rubin’s grander vision — one of a unified ecosystem with a catalog of add-on accessories [but] buying it now is betting on that vision, whatever that means to you.”

The takeaway seems to be this: If you decide to plop down $700 on the Essential Phone, you’ll get a beautiful device with lots of potential. It won’t be as polished as the Galaxy S8 or iPhone 7, but it might get better over time. It’s a bit of a gamble.

Is your mouse causing wrist pain? Try the Anker wireless vertical mouse ($20)

The standard desktop mouse was introduced decades ago and has not changed much since then. Although there are many newer models with a dazzling array of buttons, lights, and DPI settings, the traditional shape which places the user’s hand in a palm-down position has remained the same. This can cause wrist strain and has led some people in recent years to try more ergonomic designs like the inexpensive Anker wireless vertical mouse, which is now available for just $20 on Amazon.

Unlike traditional horizontally-oriented designs, the Anker ergonomic mouse features a vertical housing that puts the user’s wrist into a more natural “handshake” alignment. This reduces hand and arm strain by preventing the wrist from being twisted inward for extended periods of time. The Anker ergonomic mouse is also large enough to fill the palm, mitigating the need to use a tiring “claw” grip that is sometimes necessary when holding smaller models.

The Anker ergonomic mouse offers DPI settings of 800, 1,200, and 1,600, letting you change your sensitivity level to suit your current task. Along with the standard right/left buttons and scrolling wheel, two forward and back buttons allow for convenient web browsing and give you some additional inputs for gaming. The 2.4G USB wireless receiver — compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux — is low-profile and can be stored inside the rubberized housing when not in use. The unit runs on two AAA batteries, and after eight minutes of non-use the mouse automatically powers off to save energy and increase battery life.

Normally $50, the Anker wireless vertical mouse is available on Amazon for 60 percent off, which brings the price down to $20. Anker provides an 18-month warranty on the device as well. If traditional mouses aren’t giving you the comfort you need, then this is an affordable way to try out a more ergonomic design if you haven’t already.

$20 on Amazon

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Looking for more great deals and discounts on other electronics? Check out our deals page to score some extra savings on our favorite tech.

Microsoft wants you to know that Bing is ‘bigger than you think’

Why it matters to you

It’s easy to write Bing off, but new usage data from Microsoft suggests that the search platform has managed to carve out its own niche in certain regions.

Microsoft’s search engine Bing was launched in an attempt to take on Google in 2009, but it has never really been able to muster up a serious challenge. However, the company recently released data that suggests that its search solution might be more popular than most would expect.

On Thursday, Microsoft hosted a webcast looking at the search platform’s automation features, dubbed “The Art and Science of Bing Ads.” While it was going on, the Bing Ads team tweeted out some interesting statistics about Bing usage around the world, according to a report from OnMsft.

Microsoft’s metrics indicate that Bing has a nine percent share of the global search market, handling 12 billion individual searches every month. It has a particularly strong user base in the United States, claiming 33 percent share of the overall market. It also caters to 25 percent of the search market in the United Kingdom.

These tweets were accompanied by the phrase, “Bing is bigger than you think,” which seems to be something of a slogan for this mini-campaign. From an advertising perspective, it makes a lot of sense for Microsoft to try to erase Bing’s reputation as a distant rival of the dominant Google, especially given its competitive performance in certain key markets.

Over the past 20 years, Google has become absolutely synonymous with web search functionality — the word is now firmly entrenched in the modern lexicon as a verb. Microsoft might never be able to knock Google from its perch, but the company has demonstrated time and time again that it is not going to give up on Bing.

In July, Microsoft rolled out a major update to the Android version of its Bing Search app, adding a whole host of new functionality and design refresh. Then there are projects like Face Swap, which uses a fun and frivolous photo effect in order to give users a taste of the Bing experience.

These statistics seem to suggest that Microsoft’s strategy is working. Is Bing the biggest name in search? Not by a long shot — but if it is preferred by a third of users in the U.S., it is not exactly an also-ran, either.

What is Apple CarPlay? Here’s all you need to know about iOS in your dashboard

Apple may never design a car from scratch, but the California-based tech giant is nonetheless a player in the automotive industry. Launched in 2014 after a lengthy development process, CarPlay software overlays itself on top of a car’s factory-loaded infotainment system. What is Apple CarPlay, though, and how exactly does it work? In short, it gives iPhone-wielding motorists a quick and convenient way to access the data stored on their device.

CarPlay makes driving safer by reducing distractions, at least according to Apple, and it’s more user-friendly than many OEM infotainment systems. That’s because motorists can access a wide array of features without touching their mobile device, or taking their eyes off the road. If you’re ready for iOS in your dashboard, here’s everything you need to know about Apple CarPlay.

Not an iPhone user? Curious about what Android Auto is? We’ve got you covered.

What can Apple CarPlay do?

Apple CarPlay performs many of the same functions as an iPhone. Motorists can use the software to get turn-by-turn directions, make calls, send and receive text messages, and listen to music or podcasts. The features are displayed on an easy-to-use interface with large icons that iPhone users will instantly recognize.

The bulk of CarPlay’s features can be accessed using Siri, Apple’s digital assistant. For example, the driver can say “call Alex K,” “get directions to Cafe Rio,” or “play Dropkick Murphys” and Siri will obey. A motorist whose car isn’t equipped with voice-recognition technology can navigate the software using the touchscreen embedded in the dashboard, or the various knobs and buttons typically found on the steering wheel and center console. The iPhone’s screen is locked when CarPlay is active.

A small selection of third-party apps are compatible with — and optimized for — CarPlay. These include iHeartRadio, Spotify, Pandora, and Stitcher. However, vehicle settings aren’t part of CarPlay, so the driver has to exit the application to adjust the climate control temperature, browse radio stations, or select a different driving mode.

Which phones are compatible with Apple CarPlay?

Motorists who want Apple’s operating system in their dashboard need a compatible iPhone. Every iPhone since the 5 is CarPlay-friendly, though the device needs to run iOS 7.1 or newer for the app to work.

Some cars support wireless CarPlay, too. In the ones that don’t, the iPhone needs to be physically connected to the car via a certified Lightning-to-USB cable. That means you should plan an upgrade if you’re still living with a 30-pin iPhone.

Which cars are compatible with Apple CarPlay?

A wide variety of models from all over the automotive spectrum are compatible with Apple CarPlay. They range from relatively basic cars such as the Chevrolet Spark to high-end supercars like the Lamborghini Aventador S. Volvo, Honda, Chevrolet, Ford, and Porsche are among the dozens of brands that offer CarPlay compatibility, all . Note that some companies make customers pay extra for the tech, while others include it as standard equipment.

The notable exception is Toyota, which continues to resist CarPlay — and Google’s rival software, Android Auto — due to safety and privacy concerns. Instead, the Japanese brand has turned to a small, California-based company named Telenav for its brought-in infotainment system. However, Toyota might reconsider its decision once it has evaluated how CarPlay protects customer data, and whether it truly helps drivers stay focused on the road ahead.

All told, if you’re in the market for a new car, it’s not difficult to find one equipped with Apple CarPlay — there are hundreds if you live in North America and we recently put together a guide outlining all the cars that can currently be equipped with CarPlay. The story is different in Europe, where auto-makers have been slower to adopt the technology.

The list of used cars compatible with CarPlay is still relatively short because the software hasn’t been on the market for very long. However, Alpine, Kenwood, Pioneer, and Sony all sell CarPlay-compatible aftermarket systems that bring smartphone integration to the world of winter beaters and classic cars.

How to connect your iPhone to Apple CarPlay

Whether you’ve purchased a vehicle equipped with Apple CarPlay from the factory or found a suitable aftermarket system that includes the software, you’ll need to connect your iPhone. Fortunately, the process couldn’t be simpler.

Depending on the vehicle or aftermarket system, you can connect your device either via USB or Bluetooth (or both). If your car only supports USB connection, try this:

Plug your iPhone into the USB port. For most vehicles, any USB port will do, but some have a specific port labeled with an Apple CarPlay icon or a smartphone icon. If the Apple CarPlay Home screen doesn’t appear, select the CarPlay logo on your car’s display.

If your car supports Bluetooth pairing, follow these steps:

Press and hold the Voice Control button on your steering wheel,  or make sure that your car is in wireless or Bluetooth pairing mode. Then, on your iPhone, go to Settings > General > CarPlay > Available Cars and select your vehicle.

That’s it! Once you’re connected, you’ll be able to use Siri voice commands for any Apple CarPlay functions and will have essentially transformed your infotainment system into a giant iPhone screen. Now get out there and CarPlay!

Update: Added instructions on how to connect your iPhone to Apple CarPlay.