Overwatch’s highest-paid pro lands $150,000 salary deal

In case you’ve been living under a rock, eSports is massive. So big in fact, that even traditional sports leagues (like the NFL) are getting in on the act. Aside from TV networks, soccer clubs, and F1 racing, of course. And, judging by the latest scoop, competitive gaming may soon boast its own draft day. Yes, eSports teams are trying to outbid each other for the industry’s rising stars. One of these hotshots, North American Overwatch player Jay “sinatraa” Won just signed a $150,000-per-year contract, reports ESPN. As a result, sinatraa will be earning $100,000 more than the league minimum, with revenue-sharing options available. He also happens to be 17-years young.

The high salary came in the wake of a bidding war between two teams, NRG eSports and Cloud9. By the time the back and forth concluded, the offer on the table had risen by $50,000. NRG won the day, with sinatraa’s mother signing on his behalf (because he’s still a minor). The move sees him reuniting with former coach and Selfless Gaming co-owner Brad Rajani, who is now the head coach and manager of the NRG eSports Overwatch team. Neither sinatraa nor NRG have commented on the signing as of yet. Although sinatraa did retweet his fellow Overwatch Team USA teammate Russell “FCTFCTN” Campbell congratulating him on the “big contract.”

Congrats to my boy @sinatraaOW on the big contract. One of the easiest players to work with and at such a young age. You’re a beast dude!

— Russell Campbell (@FaZeFCTFCTN) September 3, 2017

On top of his wages, sinatraa will get all the benefits that come with the Overwatch league including health insurance and a retirement savings plan, and a share of at least 50 percent of all bonuses from tourneys and events. Then there’s the bonus pool of $3.5 million in the first season, and at least $1 million for the year’s champions. What did you expect from an industry that’s well on its way to banking over a billion dollars in revenue.

Source: ESPN

What’s on TV: ‘Destiny 2,’ ‘Bojack Horseman,’ and ‘You’re the Worst’

Fall is here, and NFL action is back. Other than football, this week’s big releases include a new season of Bojack Horseman, plus Destiny 2 and Knack 2 for gamers. On TV, You’re the Worst is back for a new season on FXX, AMC has Fear the Walking Dead and Syfy is airing season one of the crowdfunded Con Man show starring Alan Tudyk and Nathan Fillion. Season finales this week include Insecure, Loaded, Blood Drive, Snowfall and Shooter. Finally, there’s a slew of Ultra HD Blu-ray movies out this week including Blade Runner (The Final Cut), Red,Red 2, The Cabin in the Woods and Rough Night. Look after the break to check out each day’s highlights, including trailers and let us know what you think (or what we missed).

Blu-ray & Games & Streaming

• Blade Runner (The Final Cut) (4K)
• The Flash (S3)
• All Eyez On Me
• The Cabin in the Woods (4K)
• Red 2 (4K)
• Red (4K)
• Narcos (S2)
• Supernatural (S12)
• Megan Leavy
• Guardians
• Rough Night (4K)
• Minions (4K)
• The Skulls
• Fletch Lives
• Rebecca (Criterion)
• Lego Worlds (Switch)
• Destiny 2 (Xbox One, PS4)
• Knack 2 (PS4)
• A Hole New World (PS4)
• Don’t Knock Twice (Xbox One, PS4/PS VR)
• RBI Baseball 17 (Switch)
• Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege – Operation Blood Orchid DLC (Xbox One, PC, PS4)
• The Bridge (Switch)
• Morphite (Xbox One, Switch, PS4)
• The Lost Bear (PS VR)
• Happy Dungeons (PS4)
• Double Dragon IV (Switch)
• Songbring (PS4)
• Squish and the Corrupted Crystal (Xbox One)
• Spectrum (PS4)

Monday

• WWE Raw, USA, 8 PM
• American Ninja Warrior, NBC, 8 PM
• So You Think You Can Dance, Fox, 8 PM
• CBS Fall Preview, CBS, 8
• Preacher, AMC, 9 PM
• American Dad, TBS, 10 PM
• Siesta Key, MTV, 10 PM
• Midnight, Texas, NBC, 10 PM
• People of Earth, TBS, 10:30 PM
• Loaded (season finale), AMC, 11 PM
• Will (season finale), TNT, 11 PM

Tuesday

• Difficult People, Hulu, 3 AM
• Marc Maron: Too Real, Netflix, 3 AM
• WWE Smackdown, USA, 8 PM
• America’s Got Talent, NBC, 8 PM
• The Fosters (summer finale), Freeform, 8 PM
• Inside the NFL, Showtime, 9 PM
• The Bold Type (season finale), Freeform, 9 PM
• Fantomworks, Velocity, 9 PM
• Face Off: Game Face, Syfy, 9 PM
• American Horror Story: Election Night (season premiere), FX, 10 PM
• Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (season finale), HBO, 10 PM
• A Season with Navy Football (season premiere), Showtime, 10 PM
• Somewhere Between, ABC, 10 PM
• Hollywood Game Night, NBC, 10 PM
• Shooter (season finale), USA, 10 PM
• The Challenge, MTV, 10 PM
• Being Mary Jane, BET, 10 PM
• The Therapist, Viceland, 10:30 PM
• Dare to Live, MTV, 11 PMp

Wednesday

• Big Brother, CBS, 8 PM
• Lucha Underground, El Rey, 8 PM
• America’s Got Talent, NBC, 8 PM
• Suits, USA, 9 PM
• Salvation, CBS, 9 PM
• Marlon, NBC, 9 & 9:30 PM
• You’re the Worst (season premiere), FXX, 10 PM
• Sinner, USA, 10 PM
• Blood Drive (season finale), Syfy, 10 PM
• I’m Sorry (season finale), TruTV, 10 PM
• Snowfall (season finale), FX, 10 PM
• Garage Squad, Velocity, 10 PM
• Blood Drive, Syfy, 10 PM
• Younger, TV Land, 10 PM
• MTV Undressed, MTV, 11 & 11:30 PM

Thursday

• Beat Shazam, Fox, 8 PM
• Battle of the Network Stars (season finale), ABC, 8 & 9 PM
• Penn & Teller: Fool Us, CW, 8 PM
• Naked & Afraid, Discovery, 8 PM
• Chiefs/Patriots, NBC, 8:30 PM
• Big Brother, CBS, 9 PM
• Whose Line is it Anyway?, CW, 9 PM
• Love Connection, Fox, 9 PM
• F*ck That’s Delicious, Viceland, 9:30 PM
• The Gong Show (season finale), ABC, 10 PM
• Zoo, CBS, 10 PM
• The Mist, Spike TV, 10 PM
• The Guest Book, TBS, 10:30 PM
• Nuts + Bolts (season finale), Viceland, 10:30 PM

Friday

• Bojack Horseman (S4), Netflix, 3 AM
• Fire Chasers (S1), Netflix, 3 AM
• One Mississippi (S1), Amazon Prime, 3 AM
• The Confession Tapes (S1), Netflix, 3 AM
• Greenhouse Academy (S1), Netflix, 3 AM
• #RealityHigh, Netflix, 3 AM
• Spirit: Riding Free (S2), Netflix, 3 AM
• Fabrizio Copano: Solo Pienso En Mi, Netflix, 3 AM
• Joaquin Reyes: Una y no Mas, Netflix, 3 AM
• Masters of Illusion, CW, 8 PM
• EIF Presents: XQ Super School Live, Fox / ABC / NBC / CBS, 8 PM
• Broke and Famous (series premiere), Reelzchannel, 8 PM
• Room 104, HBO, 11:30 PM

Saturday

• Georgia/Notre Dame college football, NBC, 7:30 PM
• Oklahoma/Ohio State college football, ABC, 8 PM
• Halt and Catch Fire, AMC, 9 PM
• Wild West (season finale), BBC America, 9 PM
• Con Man (all S1 episodes), Syfy, 10:05 PM – 12:50 AM

Sunday

• Giants/Cowboys, NBC, 7 PM
• Outlander (season premiere), Starz, 8 PM
• Orville (series premiere) Fox, 8 PM
• Teen Wolf, MTV, 8 PM
• The Walking Dead S8 preview special, AMC, 8 PM
• Top Gear America, BBC America, 8 PM
• Big Brother, CBS, 8 PM
• Sunday Night Baseball, ESPN, 8 PM
• The Deuce (series premiere), HBO, 9 PM
• Endeavour (season finale), PBS, 9 PM
• Fear the Walking Dead (fall premiere), AMC, 9 PM
• Top of the Lake (season premiere), Sundance, 9 PM
• The Spouse House (season finale), TLC, 10 PM
• Get Shorty, Epix, 10 PM
• Unsung Hollywood, TV One, 10 PM
• Ballers, HBO, 10:30PM
• $100,000 Pyramid, ABC, 10 PM
• The Strain, FX, 10 PM
• Survivor’s Remorse, Starz, 10 PM
• Insecure (season finale), HBO, 11 PM
• Talking Dead: Fear Edition (fall premiere), AMC, 11 PM
• Rick & Morty, Cartoon Network, 11:30 PM

Apple Ends Its Annual Music Festival in London

Apple has confirmed to Music Business Worldwide that its annual Apple Music Festival has ended after a decade-long run.

Apple Music Festival, known as iTunes Festival prior to 2015, was a free annual concert series that saw big name artists and bands like Elton John, Coldplay, Justin Timberlake, Ozzy Osbourne, Florence + The Machine, Pharrell Williams, and Usher performing at the Roundhouse in London, England.

Other notable performers over the festival’s ten-year history include Amy Winehouse, John Legend, Snow Patrol, David Guetta, Paul Simon, Calvin Harris, Ellie Goulding, Jack Johnson, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Linkin Park, Arctic Monkeys, Paramore, Alicia Keys, Adele, Bruno Mars, Kings of Leon, and Ed Sheeran.

Apple Music Festival performances were broadcast live and on-demand through Apple Music. U.K. residents could apply to win tickets to the Apple Music Festival on Apple Music and through various media partners.

Apple didn’t provide a reason for ending the annual music festival, and it didn’t comment on the possibility of it returning beyond 2017.

Tag: Apple Music Festival
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MIT’s new algorithm predicts how much pain a person is in by looking at photos

Why it matters to you

Pain-predicting AI could help doctors discover if any of their patients are faking it.

Isaac Asimov’s First Law of Robotics states that a robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. But that does not mean a computer can’t tell us whether a person is in pain — and then neatly rank that pain level into some objective measure, like a computer science textbook written by the author of Fifty Shades of Grey.

The work in question was carried out by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). They developed an artificial intelligence that is able to predict how much pain a person is in by looking at an image. The system, called “DeepFaceLIFT,” is a machine-learning algorithm that was trained on videos of people wincing or showing other signs of discomfort. From these videos, it was able to learn the different subtleties in a person’s facial micro-expressions that would help estimate the level of pain they are in, when taken in association with self-reported pain scores. The algorithm can be honed according to a person’s age, sex, and skin complexion, and turns out to be a lot more accurate than previous one-size-fits-all research projects.

MIT’s machine-learning project might sound sadistic but it has useful potential real-world applications. At present, the so-called “gold standard for pain measurement” is something called the visual-analog scale (VAS) pain metric. While useful, this VAS metric is entirely self-reported, which makes it both subjective and context-dependent, and its range can vary significantly between different people. An algorithm is unlikely to ever totally replace these kinds of self-reported systems for a variety of reasons (imagine telling a patient in hospital that you’re denying medication because the computer says they are not exhibiting the right pained expression!), but it could be a useful clinical tool in the quest to make pain reporting more objective. It may be especially valuable in determining whether or not a person is being honest about their pain levels — and not faking it.

There is still work to be done on the project, but the hope is to eventually develop it into a mobile app that could be accessed by physicians.

A paper describing the project was recently published in the Journal of Machine Learning Research.

MIT’s new algorithm predicts how much pain a person is in by looking at photos

Why it matters to you

Pain-predicting AI could help doctors discover if any of their patients are faking it.

Isaac Asimov’s First Law of Robotics states that a robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. But that does not mean a computer can’t tell us whether a person is in pain — and then neatly rank that pain level into some objective measure, like a computer science textbook written by the author of Fifty Shades of Grey.

The work in question was carried out by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). They developed an artificial intelligence that is able to predict how much pain a person is in by looking at an image. The system, called “DeepFaceLIFT,” is a machine-learning algorithm that was trained on videos of people wincing or showing other signs of discomfort. From these videos, it was able to learn the different subtleties in a person’s facial micro-expressions that would help estimate the level of pain they are in, when taken in association with self-reported pain scores. The algorithm can be honed according to a person’s age, sex, and skin complexion, and turns out to be a lot more accurate than previous one-size-fits-all research projects.

MIT’s machine-learning project might sound sadistic but it has useful potential real-world applications. At present, the so-called “gold standard for pain measurement” is something called the visual-analog scale (VAS) pain metric. While useful, this VAS metric is entirely self-reported, which makes it both subjective and context-dependent, and its range can vary significantly between different people. An algorithm is unlikely to ever totally replace these kinds of self-reported systems for a variety of reasons (imagine telling a patient in hospital that you’re denying medication because the computer says they are not exhibiting the right pained expression!), but it could be a useful clinical tool in the quest to make pain reporting more objective. It may be especially valuable in determining whether or not a person is being honest about their pain levels — and not faking it.

There is still work to be done on the project, but the hope is to eventually develop it into a mobile app that could be accessed by physicians.

A paper describing the project was recently published in the Journal of Machine Learning Research.

LG V30 vs. Galaxy S8 Plus: Curved screen or high-end audio?

The LG V30, the successor to the LG V20, is less a follow-up than a top-to-bottom re-imagining. Gone is the V20’s secondary ticker display, replaced by an edge-to-edge screen and narrow top and bottom edges. The V30 has a powerful dual camera, and hardware that’s on par with the leading flagship smartphones.

But there’s never been more competition. The LG V30 competes squarely with Samsung’s Galaxy S8 Plus, which shares roughly the same dimensions. How does it fare? We pit LG V30 vs. Galaxy S8 Plus to find out.

Specs

LG V30

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus

Size
151.7 × 75.4 × 7.4 mm (5.97 × 2.97 × 0.29 in)
159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1 mm (6.28 x 2.89 x 0.32 inches)
Weight
5.57 ounces (158 grams)
 6.1 ounces (173 grams)
Screen
6-inch OLED
6.2-inch Super AMOLED
Resolution
2,880 × 1,440 pixels
 2,960 x 1,440
OS
Android 7.1.2 Nougat
 Android 7.0 Nougat
Storage
64GB, 128GB (select markets)
  64GB (U.S.), 128GB (International)
MicroSD Card Slot
Yes
 Yes
NFC support
Yes
 Yes
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
 Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, Samsung Exynos 8895 (international)
RAM
4GB
 4GB (U.S.), 6GB (select markets)
Connectivity
GSM, CDMA, HSPA, EVDO, LTE
 GSM, CDMA, HSPA, EVDO, LTE
Camera
Dual 16MP and 13MP wide angle rear, 5MP wide angle front
 12MP rear, 8MP front
Video
4K
 4K
Bluetooth
Yes, version 5
 Yes, version 5
Fingerprint sensor
Yes
 Yes
Other sensors scanner 
Gyroscope, accelerometer, compass, proximity sensor
Accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, compass, heart rate, proximity sensor, iris scanner
Water Resistant
Yes, IP68 rated
 Yes, IP68 rated
Battery
3,300mAh
 3,500mAh
Charger
USB-C
 USB-C
Quick Charging
Yes
 Yes
Wireless Charging
Yes, Qi and PMA
 Yes, Qi and PMA
Marketplace
Google Play Store
 Google Play Store
Color offerings
 Silver
 Black, silver, gray, blue (international), gold (international)
Availability
TBD

AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, Unlocked

Price
Unannounced
 $850
DT Review
Hands-on
4 stars out of 5

The LG V30 ships with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 onboard, the same octa-core processor that powers the Galaxy S8 Plus. In synthetic tests, it’s about 30 percent faster than its predecessor, the Snapdragon 821. There’s no evidence the 835 in the V30 is faster than the version in the Galaxy S8 Plus, you can rest easy knowing that it won’t be slower.

The V30 and Galaxy S8 Plus share more in common than a processor. They have the same amount of RAM (4GB) and the same 64GB of base storage, along with a MicroSD card slot for expandable space. They both use Bluetooth 5, and support NFC — though the S8 also has MST technology used for Samsung Pay.

When it comes to internals, the V30 and Galaxy S8 are as evenly matched as phones come. LG says it optimized the V30’s architecture for heat management and dispersion, which could give it a slight advantage in some benchmarks. But considering the phones have the same processor, storage, and RAM, and we’re expecting the two phones to handle apps and games about the same.

Winner: Tie

Design, display, and durability

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The V30 might be similar to the Galaxy S8 Plus on the inside, but it’s a different story on the outside.

The V30 trades its predecessor’s secondary display for a 6-inch screen that’s curved on all four corners. It extends the full length of the phone’s front, with thin borders on the top and bottom. The Galaxy S8 Plus has an edge-to-edge screen too, but with a crucial difference: It’s curved on both sides. This gives you more screen real estate (and it looks cool), but may make it harder to grip the phone.

On a technical level, the V30 and S8 Plus’s screens aren’t all that different from each other. The former’s OLED screen has a Quad HD+ resolution of 2,880 x 1,440 pixels, which falls slightly short of the Galaxy S8 Plus’s 2,960 x 1,440 pixels. At 6.2 inches, the S8 Plus’s screen is a little larger than the V30’s, but it’s also less sharp with a pixel density of 529 ppi versus the V30’s 537 ppi.

The contrast between the V30 and Galaxy S8 Plus are more pronounced on the back. Both feature slightly protruding dual-camera modules, but the V30 has a circular fingerprint sensor in an easy-to-reach position, and it doubles as a power button. Meanwhile the S8 Plus’ fingerprint sensor is next to the camera and it’s hard to reach. It also makes it too easy to accidentally smudge the camera with your finger.

Both the V30 and the Galaxy S8 Plus have glass on the back and front, and they’re both IP68 rated to withstand water up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes.

It’s tough picking a winner here. Design is subjective, and we think both the S8 Plus and V30 look great. The V30 does have a slightly sharper screen, and the fingerprint sensor isn’t in an infuriating spot, so we’re giving it the win.

Winner: Tie

Battery life and charging

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The V30 technically should have worse battery life than the S8 Plus, but in our initial testing it doesn’t seem to be the case. The V30 has a 3,300mAh battery, slightly smaller than the Galaxy S8 Plus’s 3,500mAh battery, but we’ve been seeing phenomenal battery life on the V30. The S8 Plus will last you a day plus some change, but we’ve been ending most work days with the V30 with a little under 50 percent remaining. It’s impressive.

Both phones benefit from the Snapdragon 835 processor’s efficiency optimizations, and they both support wireless charging. While the V30 and Galaxy S8 Plus support fast charging, it’s not the same standard. The Galaxy S8 Plus has Samsung’s Adaptive Fast Charging, which fully charges the S8 in about 90 minutes, while the V30 has Qualcomm’s QuickCharge 4.0. Qualcomm says it can deliver up to five hours worth of power in five minutes.

The V30 and Galaxy S8 Plus are quite close in the battery department, but we’ve seen the V30 outperform the S8 Plus in battery life already.

Winner: LG V30

Camera and audio

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

When it comes to cameras, the V30 and Galaxy S8 Plus couldn’t be more different.

LG’s dual camera trend continues with the V30. The rear shooter has one 16-megapixel sensor and second 13-megapixel sensor with a wider angle. It puts them to good use: The V30 can capture wider-than average crowd and landscape photos; the V30’s Point Zoom mode lets you control the pace and focus of the zoom; and Cine Video puts expertly color graded filters at your fingertips. The V30 has a f/1.6 aperture, a world’s first in a smartphone.

The Galaxy S8 Plus has a a single 12-megapixel sensor that hasn’t changed all that much from the Galaxy S7’s camera. Its 1.44 micron pixel size and f/1.7 aperture shoot great low-light photos, and the dual-pixel design speeds up autofocus. The Galaxy S8 Plus has Selective Focus, which adds a blur or bokeh effect with software around a subject. Sadly, the results don’t always look natural.

The front cameras are a bit more comparable. The V30 has a 5-megapixel wide angle camera. The S8 bumps the count to 8 megapixels, but we expect roughly the same quality when it comes to selfies.

The V30’s dark horse is a Hi-Fi Quad DAC, which delivers 32-bit playback on headphones and the phone’s loudspeakers and comes with four pre-defined audio profiles. Generally speaking, you can expect music and videos to sound better on the V30 than on the Galaxy S8 Plus.

It’s too soon to tell which camera reigns supreme, but we’re letting the V30 have the round. Its dual cameras give it a little more flexibility than the Galaxy S8 Plus, and its abundance of photo tools (more on those later) are icing on the cake.

Winner: LG V30

Software

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Galaxy S8 Plus ships with TouchWiz, Samsung’s Android skin. Perhaps the highlight is Samsung’s Bixby assistant, which taps into the 10 different Samsung apps that come pre-loaded on the Galaxy S8 to serve up contextually useful information. It uses voice and image recognition to identify objects, recommend products, and more. TouchWiz also supports the Dex Station, a dock (sold separately) that transforms the Galaxy S8 Plus into a fully functional desktop replacement. When the Galaxy S8 Plus is in desktop mode, you get a Windows-like interface that supports mouse and keyboard input, and a suite of free productivity apps.

The V30 doesn’t skimp on software features. It runs a version of Android that’s pretty close to stock, save a few aesthetic changes. But it comes with Graphy, a camera feature that lets you mimic the style of an “inspiring image,” and Cine Effects, which lets you apply up to 16 different color-grading presets before you shoot a video. There’s Video Studio, an editing suite that lets you trim and merge files into a full-length clip. There’s also the Floating Bar, which is meant to replace the lack of a secondary screen on the V30; it lets you quickly access shortcuts.

Unfortunately, neither phones run Android Oreo, the newest version of Android. Both Samsung and LG have committed to updating their phones in the future, but for now, both the LG V30 and Galaxy S8 Plus are stuck on Android Nougat (though the V30 runs Android 7.1.2 versus 7.1.1 on the S8).

On a strictly feature level, the Galaxy S8 Plus wins the software round. While the V30’s experience is a little closer to stock Android than TouchWiz, apps like Dex and Bixby are huge value adds if you have the hardware (and the patience) to take advantage of them. The S8 Plus also works with the Gear VR for virtual reality, and the Gear 360 camera.

Winner: Galaxy S8 Plus

Availability and Pricing

The Galaxy S8 Plus is available from every major carrier and retailer, including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Target. It starts at $850 unlocked, and most carriers offer it on a monthly payment option.

We’re expecting major carriers to sell the V30 when it launches later this year, but LG hasn’t published pricing and availability. The Galaxy S8 Plus wins by default on availability — you can’t buy the V30 yet. But if the V30 undercuts the S8 Plus on pricing, it’ll be a tougher call.

Winner: Galaxy S8 Plus

Overall winner: Tie (for now)

There’s no doubt that the V30 is the best smartphone LG has ever released. It packs a powerful processor, a beautiful screen, and a capable pair of cameras. And if LG’s claims about the V30’s audio are true, it’ll sound absolutely fantastic.

But the V30 isn’t perfect. It doesn’t feel as great in the hand as the Galaxy S8 Plus, and it lacks Samsung’s software suite. Depending on the price, the Gear S8 Plus may very well hold its own.

How to connect your computer to a TV

Knowing how to connect your computer to a TV is an essential skill, especially in this era of cord-cutting and 4K gaming. There are a few methods you can use, each with their own advantages and disadvantages, so we’ve gone ahead and put together a quick guide that should help you get your PC and TV working together in harmony.

First off , you’re going to need an HDTV, which is to say, a flatscreen TV — here are some of our favorites. If you have an old CRT, one of the big ones with a heavy glass tube inside, you’re pretty much out of luck and chances are your desktop or laptop monitor is already a higher quality display.

The simplest solution is often best

Hands-down the quickest, easiest way to get your TV hooked up to a desktop or laptop is to just plug them right into one another. You have a couple options here though, so let’s walk through them.

First, using a plain old HDMI cord will get the job done just fine. Chances are your PC or laptop has at least one HDMI port, and your HDTV should have at least one as well. If you’ve ever plugged a game console or cable box into your TV, you should have at least one HDMI cord handy.

Here’s what HDMI cords look like. There are a few different HDMI standards out there but the ports themselves are shaped the same no matter how old or new they are. For our purposes, you won’t really need to worry about things like HDMI 2.0, unless you’re planning on getting some 4K gaming on. In which case, check out our breakdown of what all you get when you invest in the latest HDMI technology.

One other quick note here, all HDMI cables are created equal. If you need to go pick one up at an electronics store, don’t be taken in by extravagant claims by companies like Monster Cables. That $5 store-brand cable achieves the same result as one that runs $80 and will get the job done just as well. For a deeper look at HDMI cables, we spoke to an expert on the subject.

Now that you have a cable, all you need to do is plug it into your TV, then plug the other end into your desktop or laptop. Most laptops have HDMI ports nowadays, but if you have a super-thin ultrabook like the Asus Zenbook 3 Deluxe or MacBook Pro, you might need to plug that HDMI cable into an adapter like this.

Otherwise, you should be good to go. Use your TV’s remote to cycle between its HDMI ports, till you find the one you plugged your PC into. Most TVs have an HDMI or Input button that will list all of the ports currently in use on your TV, so just cycle through them till you find your PC. There you go, that’s it, you’re all set.

Wireless, but limited

Sometimes a long cable just isn’t enough. Maybe you have an unusual TV setup, or your desktop is just too big to lug around, and you really need to get this done wirelessly. In that case, you have a few options available to you, but they’re each a little tricky.

First up, you can use the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter, if you’re running Windows 10 on your PC. It’ll run you $40 or $50, depending on where you get it, but it will get the job done if all you need to do is share your desktop screen. It’s quick enough to watch movies, but gaming is pretty much out of the question. Anything that runs at more than 30 frames per second gets garbled and quickly becomes unwatchable or unplayable.

That said, it’s easy enough to set up. Just plug it into your TV’s HDMI port, and plug its little USB jack into one of your TV’s USB ports. Then, from your computer (which should be running Windows 10), click on your notification center on the bottom-right corner of your screen, from there click on the Connect button.

The Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter should show up as a remote display in the next menu that pops up, from there just click connect and you’re all done.

Additionally, you can do something similar using a Chromecast, to cast directly to your TV from Google Chrome on MacOS or Windows 10. All you need to do is plug your Chromecast into your TV, make sure it’s all setup — here’s our guide on how to get that done — and then fire up Chrome on your computer.

Click the little sideways ellipses at the end of your search bar, and then click Cast. From there, select your Chromecast, and that’s it!.

LumiWave Therapy Device review

Dealing with pain, whether it’s chronic or comes out of nowhere, is one reason many reach for the medicine cabinet to grab some form of relief. Some may call them “happy pills”, but painkillers aren’t a healthy long-term solution, leading some tech startups to push more user-friendly holistic alternatives.

The LumiWave from BioCare Systems is all about that, utilizing LED infrared pods as a method for delivering light therapy, which allegedly helps relieve acute or chronic pain without any side-effects. Pain relief is always in demand, but is there a ray of hope in these lights to actually make a difference? Digital Trends took LumiWave for a spin to find out.

Design and setup

BioCare keeps the LumiWave and its constituent parts neatly packed in the box surrounded by foam, almost indicating how delicate it all is. The three pieces that make up the unit include the strip of four LED pods, a controller, and power adapter.

The device will shut off if it gets too hot, but also the temperatures themselves aren’t that relevant to the treatment.

The controller is the middleman in this setup, where both the strip and adapter plug into either end. Only two buttons adorn the controller itself, triggering the 20-minute treatment (higher temperature) and 30-minute treatment (lower temperature) with a simple press. A belt clip made for the controller helps when using it.

Each pod has 49 LEDs in it, numbering close to 200 total for the entire unit (although the LumiWave Double has two strips for increased capacity). On the high setting, it regulates the temperature at approximately 107.6 degrees Fahrenheit (42 Celsius), while the lower mode drops it to about 105.8 degrees (40 Celsius). How hot it feels may vary, however, but the dosage of infrared light is the same in either setting.

When placed on the affected area, the warmth the light produces is supposed to feel comforting enough to help relieve pain. The heat is a by-product of the LEDs, but in maintaining some temperature control, LumiWave says it is ensuring a proper dosage to avoid tissue damage and skin irritation or burns. That means the device will shut off if it gets too hot, but also that the respective temperatures themselves aren’t that relevant to the treatment.

There is no connectivity here beyond the basics. No Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, nor an accompanying app that you can use to moderate or control anything about the device. Health and wellness tech sometimes adds a mobile element, but not here. In this case, feeling a difference is the only metric for effective relief.

The strap’s clasp and Velcro system is somewhat rudimentary, but it does the job. Fastening it in place for most areas is fairly easy, but much easier around arms or calves where it has more give to wrap around. Otherwise, the strap isn’t necessary. Laying this on the shoulder, hip or back doesn’t allow for much body movement, unless held in place to some degree by tight clothing (not too tight though).

Gauging the science

BioCare points to the safety involved with the LumiWave because there are no side-effects, but there are some conditions that preclude its use. Active hemorrhages, blood clots, and malignancies are non-starters. Pregnant women should never apply it over the womb. Applying it on top of heat-inducing creams or lotions is just asking to get burned. Areas with freshly healed wounds or sensitive skin are better treated with a thin cloth or wrap to act as a barrier.

LumiWave/Facebook

Consulting a medical practitioner about using the device is always a good idea, though no prescription is required to do so. Treatment shouldn’t exceed three times a day or less than six hours between application.

Light therapy studies go back to the 1960s, but the first clearance for using it in pain relief didn’t happen until the late 1980s. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared prescription-only LED light therapy in 1994. At the time, low level light therapy, also known medically as photobiostimulation, encompassed both laser and LED-powered devices.

BioCare’s LumiWave prototype got approved in 2005, making it the first LED near infrared light therapy device to get cleared for arthritis pain.

How does it do it? Unlike another naturopathic device like the Quell, which uses electrostimulation of the Vagus nerve for pain relief throughout the body, the LumiWave doesn’t work that way. As a localized treatment, it works with the tissue underneath, where the infrared light penetrates to release nitric oxide to increase blood flow and help tissue repair itself. Healthy tissue produces nitric oxide, whereas damaged tissue can’t do it in the same way.

For that reason, muscles, tendons, and ligaments are the most effective targets. Within those groups are a number of injuries that BioCare claims can be treated with the LumiWave, including fibromyalgia, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel, joint pain, arthritis, tendinitis, and several others.

Feeling the heat

Bearing in mind that the LumiWave is only designed to provide relief, it was always important to remember that it didn’t really have curative properties when using it. Only if the aches and pains were acute might it be effectively lasting, but anything chronic probably needs other treatments to deal with the underlying cause.

The high and low modes didn’t feel warmer or cooler.

I was a good test case, given my recent history of hip and knee sports injuries, which sometimes have nagging effects. In some respects, the LumiWave felt like a heating pad, only with a little light escaping from around the edges. It didn’t take long to feel the temperature rise on direct application to the skin, but it never really hit an unbearable level. When making contact with bone, particularly around the knees, I used a very thin cloth, like one side of a cotton t-shirt, to reduce the impact.

Other than the duration, the high and low modes didn’t feel warmer or cooler. At least I didn’t notice much of a temperature change, and it didn’t get too hot to wear for the duration, either way.

The challenge wasn’t so much the heat, but rather keeping the LumiWave in place. Placing it on my hip required lying down on my left side and draping it over the right hip to maintain contact. BioCare doesn’t use gels or tape to keep the strip from sliding off, which is understandable, but sometimes forces a user to improvise. I had to resort to sports tape or compression sleeve to hold it down, ensuring my skin wasn’t irritated and affording me the flexibility to at least move around a little. Arms and legs were much easier because of the strap.

If I felt anything acute, like tightness in a hamstring or a little ache here and there, the LumiWave did a fine job helping me feel better. For the more chronic stuff, though, I had to be realistic knowing it would more likely have a cumulative effect, rather than an immediate one.

That’s pretty standard for any physiotherapy anyway, but the optics of a device like this may suggest otherwise. Patience is one of those intangibles BioCare doesn’t address enough in its manual. Granted, it’s totally subjective, but since this is not meant to be a total cure, reasonable expectations are necessary.

Setting the bar

BioCare is trying to build confidence with the recent history of light therapy. It’s easy to dismiss something like this as junk science or the latest snake oil, but at least there is some precedent here. Pro athletes have been using light therapy for years to help recover from minor aches to chronic injuries, with the NFL, MLB and U.S. Olympic teams all on board. BioCare says pro golfers, runners and other athletes have used LumiWave too, but didn’t name anyone in particular, presumably for privacy reasons.

LumiWave/Facebook

A study at Stanford University’s Department of Chemistry looked at near-infrared light absorbance for photothermal therapy. In an interview with Selfhacked, Harvard professor Dr. Michael Hamblin spoke about the efficacy and viability of this kind of treatment as a noted infrared therapy expert. Red Light Therapy is another resource website dedicated to this form of treatment.

Conclusion

Paying $500 for the LumiWave Single (tested here) or $720 for the Double is pricey for most pockets. Relative to physiotherapy costs over time, this might be an investment. Again, however, using the LumiWave for chronic pain should probably be part of wider treatment that also tackles the root cause. This device is more about dealing with the symptoms.

If you’d rather not pop any pills and push your internal organs further with their side-effects, the LumiWave is a drug-free alternative that requires no prescription and carries no residual costs. It’s expensive, but worth a try if you spend a lot on pain relief drugs.

Best PlayStation 4 Games

Want to know what to get for your PlayStation 4? Start with these, the best games you can buy!

The PS4 has a ton of great titles available, but we all have a limited amount of time (and money) so we can’t just aimlessly pick games. That’s why we have a list of fantastic choices for you to check out if you’re looking for something new to play on your PlayStation 4.

1. Horizon Zero Dawn

If you own a PlayStation 4 and haven’t considered playing Horizon Zero Dawn, you’re just plain wrong. This is the best PlayStation 4 game of 2017 by a wide margin, especially if you’re into large open worlds and smashing brutal killer robots into pieces.

This game puts you in the skin of Aloy, an outcast from birth who fights her way into the hearts and minds of the entire world by uncovering the truth of how humanity got where it is in this post-apocalyptic nightmare.

Best of all, there’s a massive DLC for this game headed your way very soon!

See at Amazon

2. The Witcher 3

The Witcher 3 is one of the most acclaimed games ever made, taking place in a huge open-world densely packed with incentives to explore, secrets to uncover and stories to unravel. It’s as action-packed as they come, interweaved with a darkly mature plot, choice and consequences, and a virtual world teeming with life.

The game has been continuously updated and refined since its launch, adding new features for free in addition to large expansions that heap value on top of its solid foundation. The Witcher 3 is completely unmissable.

See at Amazon

3. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

It’s impossible to talk PS4 games and not recommend Uncharted as a must buy. A Thief’s End is the first outing for infamous adventurer, Nathan Drake, on the current generation console and takes place three years along from the end of Uncharted 3.

Drake has given up the life of old, but gets dragged back into action when his brother come’s calling. Uncharted has never looked or played better than it does in a Thief’s End and it cements the series’ legacy as one of the best you can play on any platform.

See at Amazon }

4: Overwatch

Blizzard’s first FPS game has literally taken the world by storm, and for good reason. There’s no single player campaign, which is perhaps all some might be able to criticize it for. But your average shooter this is not.

Overwatch has a big variety in its characters with different abilities and weapons for each one of them. The gameplay is objective based and just getting the most kills is no longer good enough. Throw in a unique look and some terrifically designed maps and Overwatch is one that will have you coming back for much, much more.

See at Amazon

5: Battlefield 1

In a world of futuristic sci-fi shooters, DICE and EA went back in time to World War 1 for the latest Battlefield game. Battlefield 1 is about as far from the likes of Call of Duty as you’ll find, and it’s all the better for it.

It looks gorgeous, or as gorgeous as the muddy fields of Northern Europe could look, and the campaign is something that just has to be played. It’s an emotional rollercoaster packed with historical gunplay, tanks and more besides. The multiplayer is ambitious, and has support for 64 players at once on a gigantic map.

See at Amazon

6: Doom

DOOM is a reboot of the classic series developed by id Software. After many delays, DOOM emerged from the depths of development hell and took everybody by surprise, delivering the possibly greatest shooter campaign of this generation so far.

Unashamedly violent and gory, DOOM riffs on the classic, fast-paced formula, atop some modern flare, a nightmarish art direction, and a fist-poundingly awesome soundtrack. DOOM has a sense of purity often lost in modern shooters.

See at Amazon

7: Rise of the Tomb Raider

PlayStation fans had to wait a whole year to get their hands on Lara Croft’s latest adventure and it comes in the form of the 20-year celebration pack that also includes a free PlayStation VR experience to boot. It sees Lara get back to her roots; raiding tombs, heading first to the freezing wilderness of Siberia.

It looks fantastic and feels just like the Tomb Raiders of old, which is in no way a bad thing. Lara may have grown up and got a little darker in places, but Rise of the Tomb Raider is one for fans and newcomers alike.

See at Amazon

8. Fallout 4

Fallout 4 is the latest installment in Bethesda’s post-apocalyptic RPG series, and is one of the finest open-world games around. This time Fallout heads to Boston and Vault 111, the hole in the ground from which you emerge in a future destroyed by nuclear weapons.

With its rich RPG systems, improved shooting mechanics, deep settlement construction engine and console-exclusive Xbox One mods, you’ll struggle to see everything Fallout 4 has to offer.

See at Amazon

9. Inside

INSIDE is among the most critically acclaimed games of 2016 for its meticulously polished gameplay, ravenously dark plot and fiendish puzzles that are just as likely to warp your mind as the game’s shocking ending.

INSIDE is from the creators of LIMBO, and is every bit as haunting. It’s not expensive and it’s one everyone should experience.

See at PlayStation

10. NieR: Automata

Nobody will blame you for accidentally sleeping on a game with a name like this, but now that you know better it needs to be a part of your collection ASAP. NieR: Automata is a beautiful, dark hack and slash with heaps of futuristic tech and no shortage of epic scale.

It’s the kind of game you play with the lights down low and the speakers up high, because the action is nonstop and the balance of bright colors against the dark backgrounds of this game are brutally intense.

See at PlayStation

If you’re looking for the very best games you can find for PlayStation VR, then head on over and visit our buddies at VR Heads who’ll walk you through the best games for your headset!

Update, September 2017: We’ve updated this article to bring you the latest and greatest from the PlayStation library!

PlayStation 4

• PS4 vs. PS4 Slim vs. PS4 Pro: Which should you buy?
• PlayStation VR Review
• Playing PS4 games through your phone is awesome

Amazon

Beats’ Studio3 headphones pack improved features at a lower price

It has been a while since Beats updated the top-end Studio line of headphones. In fact, the most recent model, Studio Wireless, debuted in 2013. Well, until now. Today, Beats is introducing the Studio3 Wireless, the latest high-end headphones for the popular brand that pack in Apple’s W1 wireless chip, Pure Adaptive Noise Cancellation and much-improved battery life into a familiar design.

First, the Studio3 Wireless joins the rest of Beats’ updated headphones with the addition of the W1 chip. Not only does that component offer quick Bluetooth pairing, but it also makes the wireless connection more efficient. The company says that this equates to 22 hours of battery life with both wireless and noise cancellation turned on. That’s 10 hours more than the previous Studio model and closer to what the likes of Bose and Sony are claiming in their high-end wireless headphones. If you’re in a pinch, there’s also a Fast Fuel feature that will give you 3 hours of battery life in just a 10 minute charge.

The Studio3 Wireless also features improved noise cancellation. With what Beats calls Pure Adaptive Noise Cancellation (Pure ANC), the headphones use “advanced algorithms” to keep tabs on your environment and adjust to best block out the outside world. Pure ANC also analyzes the fit of the headphones and adapts to sound leaks that may be caused by hair, glasses, ear shapes and movement while listening. The tech also compares what you’re hearing through noise cancellation versus the original music to “ensure optimal audio fidelity.” Beats says ure ANC scans up to 50,000 times a second to perform its sound calibration automatically in the background.

There are still on-board controls for skipping songs, controlling volume and activating Siri without having to pick up your phone. And yes, a built-in microphone mean you can also take calls with the Studio3 Wireless as well as easily switch to other Apple devices you’ve connected to iCloud. Beats isn’t talking sound quality just yet, but if its previous headphones are any indication, you can expect a load of bass here. As you might expect, the Studio3 Wireless is available in a range of colors and you can buy them now at Apple.com for $350. That’s cheaper that previous Studio models and the same price as Sony’s recently announced WH-1000XM2 that will arrive this month.

The new Sony model is the follow-up to the MDR-1000X, a very good set of noise-cancelling headphones that debuted last year and still one of the best available. We’ll have to wait and see if Beats made enough improvements on the Studio3 Wireless, but since they’re already on sale, it shouldn’t be too long before we can do just that.

Source: Beats