Google wants its Assistant to be your personal translator

Two of the biggest digital assistants are taking different pathways to find more users. Amazon recently made its intentions clear: It wants to play nice with its rivals. And so we’re getting Microsoft Cortana integration with Alexa, and vice versa. That’s on top of the thousands of third-party skills Amazon’s AI already has. Google, on the other hand, is focussing on making its tech more self-reliant. Judging by its latest demonstration, its efforts are paying off. The company just unveiled a bunch of impressive features at a Google Developer Days keynote. They indicate that Google Assistant now possesses better contextual awareness. Not only will it be able to answer some of your vaguest questions, but it will also come in handy on your travels.

In a video of the event, the company shows off a new translator mode. All it takes is for you to ask: “Ok, Google, be my [insert language] translator,” and the Assistant will repeat your words in the requested language. Google’s been touting its advanced, AI-based translation skills since last year, but now we’re seeing how they could be used in real-life situations.

In the same keynote video, Google’s Behshad Behzadi also exhibits improvements in the system’s ability to grasp context. It does this by learning from your past queries in order to personalize future search results. As an example, Behzadi asks for “pictures of Thomas.” Without any extra info, the AI pulls up photos of Thomas the Tank Engine. Behzadi then asks for soccer club Bayern Munich’s team roster, which includes Thomas Müller. He then repeats his “pictures of Thomas” prompt, and sure enough Thomas Müller is the first search result Assistant provides.

Another demo shows a query we’re all likely familiar with. Like so many others before him, Behzadi turns to Google for help finding a movie he can’t quite remember. He asks: “What is the name of the movie where Tom Cruise acts in it, and he plays pool, and while he plays pool he dances?” Assistant gets it in one. The Color of Money, it says before reading off more info about the film.

As the keynote illustrates, Assistant can now answer questions faster, is better at voice recognition, and is better at utilizing Google Search in appropriate scenarios. Some, but not all, of these features are already available, according to 9to5Google.

Source: Google (YouTube)

CBS, Comcast deal brings fantasy football to your cable box

We’ve seen a few attempts to put fantasy football on TV screens over the years, but despite the game’s increasing popularity none have really made an impact (we never did see more fantasy leagues appear for the Xbox One). Now CBS has struck a deal with Comcast to integrate its game with the X1 platform. That’s not particularly helpful if you use a different TV setup or have a fantasy league on a different platform, but those are the breaks. If you do have the right combination of circumstances, however, you can keep track of your dominating victory/crushing loss in real time without looking away from the game.

Naturally, it’s also integrated with the X1 voice controls, so you can say “show me my fantasy football team” or “my fantasy football team” to launch the app with the absolute least amount of effort. That’s something to keep in mind for Sunday’s games, although we’re sure you’ve already racked up a lead — you did start Alex Smith, right?

Source: CBS, Xfinity Sports

Don’t throw away your eclipse glasses

Now that the eclipse is over (for those of you who managed to see it, I hope it was worth the hype), you may be ready to toss your eclipse glasses. But before you do, take a look at what Astronomers Without Borders is doing. Along with their partner Explore Scientific, the organization is gathering eclipse glasses (both new and used) from across the US in order to send them to schoolchildren in Asia and South America for their respective eclipses in 2019.

If you have an unused or gently used pair of eclipse glasses you’d like to donate, here’s what you can do. Visit Astronomers Without Borders’ homepage for the eclipse glasses donation program. They’ve partnered with libraries, museums, schools, and eyecare centers across the country, which will serve as collection points for donations.

As you’d expect, many of the collection points are focused around or near large cities. If there isn’t one near you, you can spread the word to local organizations that may be interested in serving as collection points — there’s an easy sign-up form on AWB’s site to do just that. Once glasses have been gathered (the organization expects to run the drive through at least the end of September), collection points can mail them in to Explore Scientific, which is responsible for housing the glasses until they are redistributed.

And if you’re concerned about the safety of used glasses — after all, there were dire warnings about using fake or damaged eclipse glasses — fear not. Astronomers Without Borders will be checking each pair of glasses to ensure they are safe before distributing them. It’s a chance to do a little bit of good, rather than just throwing your glasses out.

Source: Astronomers Without Borders

Apple Facing Struggle to Convince Chinese Smartphone Users to Switch Allegiance

Apple is facing an uphill struggle in its attempts to wean Chinese smartphone users off cheaper rival devices in a saturated mobile market, according to a new Bloomberg report.

With Apple gearing up to sell its most ambitious but most expensive iPhone yet, local competitors like Huawei, Oppo, and Xiaomi are already poised to compete by launching their own less expensive feature-packed devices around Apple’s September 12 “iPhone 8” launch date.

Unofficial “iPhone 8” poster spotted in Chinese store (via Slashleaks)

While it sticks to a global template that’s served it well, local vendors have become adept at technology design while tailoring phones to local tastes, such as with dual SIM capability. In a show of confidence, Huawei Technologies Co., Xiaomi Corp. and likely Vivo — far from front-running or avoiding the iPhone the way movie studios juggle summer tentpoles — are tackling the U.S. company head-on by timing new products around the publicity avalanche sure to engulf Apple’s Sept. 12 launch.

“The challenge comes from Vivo, Oppo and Huawei, they can replace Apple in high-end markets priced around $500, even as Apple remains dominant in the ultra high-end $600 plus segment,” said Kiranjeet Kaur, an analyst with industry consultancy IDC. “We don’t expect big growth as China’s market is now very saturated. The biggest demand for the new iPhone will come from the replacement market.”

Part of the problem is that many of the features Apple will debut in its so-called “iPhone 8”, such as a full-screen display and wireless charging, are already available in some form to consumers in China, albeit at a much lower price point. Adding to the difficulty is that local vendors have become more skilled at efficient smartphone design and are particularly adept at tailoring smartphones to local preferences.

On the software side, the ubiquitous WeChat app has been described as the iPhone’s “toughest rival” in the country. The app offers users an entire ecosystem where they can pay for services, text, call cabs, watch videos, play mobile games, and access cloud-based “mini programs”, or apps that don’t need to be downloaded to a device to be used. WeChat is said to have captured nearly 35 percent of each user’s monthly smartphone usage time, averaging about 1 billion monthly active users in total.

Combined, these market factors make it increasingly difficult for Apple to prise away users from rival devices and platforms, which doesn’t bode well in a market which the company has historically struggled to penetrate.

To counter these obstacles, Apple has previewed new features coming in iOS 11 that specifically cater to Chinese customers, such as QR code scanning with the native camera app, a keyboard that makes Chinese characters easier to input, and a new mapping app that shows traffic camera locations.

But with supply of new iPhones expected to be tight in the upcoming months, Apple’s Chinese rivals may be seeing their best chance yet to lure buyers away with features aimed at local users, such as dual SIM devices that support multiple phone numbers, high capacity memory and storage, and advanced selfie cameras.

Apple and the iPhone have taken fourth place in China, behind Oppo, Vivo, and Huawei, according to market research firm Warren Captial, while in April Kantar Worldpanel’s data noted that iOS dropped to its lowest share of the China smartphone market since 2014.

Canalys estimates Apple’s Chinese smartphone shipments will grow by just 1.4 percent to 22.5 million units in the second half of 2017. Meanwhile, the upcoming OLED iPhone’s rumored $1,000-plus price tag may end up pushing iOS fans toward local alternatives, “because even well-heeled buyers are price-sensitive”, said Jia Mo, an analyst from Canalys.

Related Roundup: iPhone 8
Tags: China, Huawei, Vivo, Oppo
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Barclays Proposes Apple Could Lessen iPhone 8 Pricing Impact by Including Apple Music/iCloud Bundle

Leading up to Apple’s September 12 media event, the exact price tag of the upcoming iPhone 8 has been one of the biggest question marks surrounding the smartphone. The latest rumors describe a premium device that will start at $999 (64GB) in the United States, then rise to $1,099 (256GB), and cap at $1,199 (512GB), although of course none of these price points or storage configurations have been confirmed.

Recently, a team of Barclays analysts including Mark Moskowitz have theorized one potential solution for the device’s premium price tag: Apple could debut an iPhone 8 bundle that packs in a year’s worth of Apple Music and a 200GB iCloud subscription into the cost of the smartphone (via Business Insider). In the U.S., one year of Apple Music costs around $120 at $10/month (although Apple sells gift cards that knock the annual price down to $100/year), while a 200GB monthly iCloud subscription runs at $2.99/month, equating to around $36 each year.

Taken from the cost of the alleged “cheapest” iPhone 8 at $1,000, users would actually be paying about $844 for the smartphone and $156 for the bundled services, which the Barclays analysts said would be “more palatable.” Barclays’ prediction is based on a survey of wireless service customers (see results chart below), which found that Apple “might” sell around 40.3 million standalone iPhone 8 devices, but with the Apple Music/iCloud bundle that statistic could jump to 64.4 million iPhone 8 units sold.

“Barclays analyst Mark Moskowitz and his team think they have figured that out. Apple will offer free subscriptions to Apple Music and 200GB of iCloud storage for one year, a deal worth $156, to anyone who buys iPhone 8. That will bring the perceived cost of the phone back down to a more palatable $844.

While a bundle like this would be a logical move by Apple, locking iPhone 8 customers into the company’s ever-growing services ecosystem, Barclays’ report is just a prediction and has not yet been corroborated by any other sources as a potential launch plan. In the past, Barclays has gotten close at reporting the facts about unreleased products, but has missed some details. In November 2016, Barclays Research analysts predicted three new iPads would come in March 2017, including refreshed 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch versions and an all-new bezel-free 10.9-inch model.

Only a new 9.7-inch iPad launched in March of this year, while a 12.9-inch and 10.5-inch iPad Pro debuted at Apple’s WWDC event in June. Analysts at Barclays have made a handful of predictions that can’t yet be rated for accuracy since they concern the iPhone 8, including an expected “limited quantity” September launch, the inclusion of a True Tone display, a Lightning to headphone jack adapter in the box, and faster charging thanks to a 10W power adapter with a USB-C connector and an integrated USB-C Power Delivery chip.

In a separate report today by DigiTimes, Taiwanese supply chain sources have corroborated many of the current rumors surrounding the iPhone 8’s pre-order date and price range. Taiwan is said to be “included in the first group of markets” where the iPhone 8, iPhone 7s, and iPhone 7s Plus will be made available for pre-order, with customers in Taiwan reportedly able to place their pre-order on September 15, the sources said. This date makes sense when looking back at the past five years of iPhone launch history.

Like previous reports, DigiTimes cites iPhone 8 prices at $999, $1,099, and $1,199 levels, with storage capacities of 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB, respectively. Samsung’s monopoly of the OLED supply chain has been rumored as the explanation behind these high iPhone 8 prices. As is typical with new iPhones, the iPhone 8’s launch is expected to be riddled with shortages and shipping delays, and could even ship sometime after the LCD iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s models.

Fortunately, we’re only four days away from Apple’s September 12 event, where the company will reveal more information about the iPhone 8, iPhone 7s, iPhone 7s Plus, 4K Apple TV, Apple Watch Series 3, and more.

Related Roundup: iPhone 8
Tags: Barclays, iCloud, Apple Music
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The best new songs this weekend from Beck, Twin Peaks, Bermuda Triangle, and more

Every week, there are thousands of new songs hitting the airwaves — and it’s just too much for your two ears to handle. With all those options, you can’t be wasting your time on tracks that deserve a thumbs-down click — you want the best new songs to stream right now.

But don’t worry, we’re going to save you the hassle. We listen to some of the most-hyped and interesting songs each week, and tell you which are worthy of your precious listening time.

Here are our five best new songs to stream this week. And don’t forget to subscribe to our Spotify page for a playlist of our weekly picks, which can also be found at the bottom of this post. Not sure which streaming service is best for you? Check out our post about the best music streaming services, or go in depth and learn the differences between Apple Music and Spotify to better weigh your options.

Beck — Up All Night

Beck’s new album, titled Colors, hits shelves and streaming services on October 13, and the pop songwriter is doing as much as he can to build hype for the release. That includes putting out this awesome video accompaniment to new single Up All Night, in which a teenage girl slowly transforms into a knight and raids a party. The song itself is a great example of contemporary Beck fare, with various groovy drum licks , danceable piano-driven hooks, and a shocking amount of musical depth for what is ostensibly a dance floor single.

Twin Peaks — Come For Me

Fans have gotten a summer full of excellent pick-me-ups from indie rockers Twin Peaks, thanks to the band’s two-tune-per-month Sweet 17 Singles series. The latest in that line of excellent music is Come For Me, a beautiful and upbeat song with clear Velvet Underground influences — and a massive number of guitar and vocal layers to chomp on.

Bermuda Triangle — Rosey

Alabama Shakes lead singer Brittney Howard has been hard at work with her new side project, Bermuda Triangle, hitting the stage and the studio to bring fans of her gorgeous songwriting a new musical perspective. Rosey presents as a modern take on a classic country ballad, with beautiful guitar tones and pitch-perfect harmonies joined by a punchy drum machine on the chorus.

Rostam — Half Light (Featuring Kelly Zultrau)

The latest single from ex-Vampire Weekend member Rostam starts as a simple piano-and-vocal ballad that eventually adds synthesizers, bass, and drums to form a powerful tune perfect for late-summer evenings. Perhaps the most interesting part of the new jam comes in the form of a breakdown three-quarters of the way through, when Rostam’s own voice layers upon itself before vocalist Kelly Zultrau (of indie-pop band Wet) gets a final refrain.

Trombone Shorty — It Ain’t No Use

Troy Andrews, aka Trombone Shorty, leads his all-star New Orleans band through a powerful version of his recent single It Ain’t No Use, recorded live at California’s KCRW radio. A hyper-groovy track with a shredding guitar solo in the middle, this is exactly the kind of song that was made to raise your spirits.

That’s it for now, but tune in next week for more songs to stream, and check out the playlist loaded with our recent selections below:

Keychain device warns of dangerous allergens in your food before you eat it

Why it matters to you

Harvard’s smart keychain analyzer could be a literal life saver for people who suffer from extreme food allergies.

Anyone who suffers from a serious food allergy — or has a friend, partner, or family member who does — knows just how fraught a simple restaurant outing can be. Even if a particular allergen isn’t readily apparent in a meal, there’s always the possibility that it is stealthily hiding below the surface, due to cross-contamination. That’s where the product of some research by investigators at Harvard Medical School comes into play. They’ve developed a portable allergen-detection system, including a keychain analyzer, that could be not just a game changer, but a life saver, too.

“This is a portable device or a ‘dongle’ for on-site detection of food allergens,” Professor Lee Hakho, who leads Harvard University’s Biomedical Engineering Program, told Digital Trends. “The incidence of food allergy is increasing worldwide, particularly among children, and yet no handy test is available for the general public. Our technology was developed to address this challenge — empowering consumers to control and safeguard their own diet.”

Described as integrated exogenous antigen testing (or, cutely, iEAT), the $40 system comprises three parts. One is a tiny single-use slide that’s used for collecting potential allergens. This is then plugged into the keychain analyzer which identifies said allergens, before an associated smartphone app wirelessly displays the necessary readings.

“This system is basically a platform technology, and can detect many different type of allergens by changing antibodies that capture target allergens,” Hakho said. “In this proof-of-concept study, we have tested five representative allergens: gluten, peanut, hazelnut, egg white, and milk.”

In each case, the device was shown to deliver answers concerning whether or not a food sample contained an allergen in under ten minutes. As if to prove its own use case, during testing of sample menu items from restaurants, allergens were demonstrated to show up in the darndest places — like gluten in salads and egg protein in beer.

Next up, Hakho said the team wants to extend its detection targets to include other allergens, such as shellfish, as well as harmful chemicals like BPA and pesticides. They are also keen to commercialize the technology, but in order for this to happen they plan to build a fully automated system that can perform the entire “sample in and answer out” job in one single integrated device.

While this isn’t the first handheld device we’ve covered purporting to carry out a similar task, easy allergen diagnosis is one area where we’re especially happy to have market competition driving everyone to do their best work. An article describing the Harvard project was recently published in the journal ACS Nano.

Huawei’s Band 2 Pro with built-in GPS goes on sale in the U.S. for $69

Huawei’s fitness band has built-in GPS connectivity and a heart rate monitor.

Huawei has launched the Band 2 Pro in the U.S. The fitness band is now up for sale on Amazon for $69, offering built-in GPS connectivity, a continuous heart rate monitor, 5ATM water resistance, as well as activity and sleep tracking.

The Band 2 Pro lets you view notifications, texts, reject incoming calls and set alarms, with the device syncing to your phone over Bluetooth 4.2. The band also distinguishes between various forms of activity — running, walking, swimming, and ” general daily physical activities” — and there’s a running coach that lets you set personalized goals. You also get comprehensive sleep monitoring, periodic reminders to get up and move, and “Relaxation Training” that suggests breathing exercises to help you relieve stress.

Huawei says that the 105mAh battery is good for seven days of continuous use on a full charge, or 21 days on standby mode. The Band 2 Pro works with all Android devices running Android 4.4 KitKat and above. Interested? Head to Amazon from the link below to get your hands on Huawei’s latest fitness band.

See at Amazon

What channels are available on YouTube TV?

YouTube TV has access to dozens of Broadcast Networks to make sure you never miss an episode.

YouTube TV offers a viable way to cut the cord, and still see your favorite shows, without breaking the bank in the process. If you’ve already made the jump, or you’re considering it, then you may be wondering what kind of channels YouTube TV actually has access to. That’s why we’ve done the work for you and gotten the name of every cable network, and regional sports network currently available for watching.

Note: This information is valid as of September 8, 2017.

• Broadcast and Cable Networks
• Regional Sports Networks

Broadcast and Cable Networks

YouTube TV has access to a number of broadcast and cable networks, making it easy to stay caught up on your favorite shows when you cut the cord.

• ABC
• CBS
• FOX
• NBC
• AMC
• BBC America
• BBC World News
• Big Ten Network
• Bravo
• CBS Sports Network
• Chiller
• CNBC
• CW
• Disney Channel
• Disney Junior
• Disney XD
• E!
• ESPN
• ESPN2
• ESPNU
• ESPNews
• FOX Business
• FOX News
• Freeform
• Fox Sports 1
• Fox Sports 2
• FX
• FXM
• FXX
• Golf Channel
• IFC
• MSNBC
• NBCSN
• Nat Geo
• Nat Geo Wild
• Newsy
• Olympic Channel
• Oxygen
• SEC Network
• Sprout
• Sundance TV
• Syfy
• Telemundo
• Tennis Channel
• Universo
• YouTube Red Originals
• WE tv

Regional Sports Networks

When it comes to sports, there are plenty of regional networks built for specific areas. Some media markets will have access to them, but they are region specific.

• CSN Chicago
• CSN Chicago Plus
• CSN Philadelphia
• CSN Mid-Atlantic
• CSN New England
• CSN Northwest
• Fox Sports Arizona
• Fox Sports Arizona Plus
• Fox Sports Carolinas
• Fox Sports Detroit
• Fox Sports Detroit Plus
• Fox Sports Florida
• FOX Sports Indiana
• FOX Sports Indiana Plus
• FOX Sports Kansas City
• FOX Sports Kansas City Plus
• FOX Sports Midwest
• FOX Sports Midwest Plus
• Fox Sports North
  -Fox Sports North Plus
• FOX Sports Ohio
• Fox Sports Ohio Plus
• Fox Sports San Diego
• Fox Sports San Diego Plus
• Fox Sports South
• Fox Sports Southeast
• Fox Sports Southwest
• FOX Sports Southwest Plus
• Fox Sports Sun
• FOX Sports Tennessee
• Fox Sports West
• Fox Sports Wisconsin
• FOX Sports Wisconsin Plus
• Fox Sports Prime Ticket
• NBC Sports Bay Area
• NBC Sports Bay Area Plus
• NBC Sports California
• NBC Sports California Plus
• NESN
• NESN Plus
• SportsTime Ohio
• YES

Xiaomi will unveil the Mi Note 3 alongside the bezel-less Mi Mix 2

Xiaomi will show off two new phones on September 11.

Xiaomi is all set to unveil the bezel-less Mi Mix 2 on September 11, but that’s not all the company will be showing off that day. Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun shared a teaser image of the Mi Note 3 on Weibo, stating that the phone will be making its debut at the Mi Mix 2 event.

According to the teaser image, the Mi Note 3 will be a larger variant of the Mi 6 with new camera features. The phone will be sold in a blue color option with what looks like gold sides, and there’s a dual camera setup that’s similar to what we’ve seen with the Mi 6. Not much else is known about the phone, but it is likely to be powered by the Snapdragon 835 and feature a Super AMOLED display from Samsung.

We’ll be on the ground in Beijing next week, so stay tuned for all the details from Xiaomi’s upcoming event.