YouTube meets cable on Comcast’s X1 boxes

Last year Comcast plugged Netflix streaming into the X1 setup and starting today it’s rolling out YouTube access nationwide. Just as the company announced earlier this year, the service’s videos will be available via the YouTube app, or in Comcast’s video on-demand section. According to YouTube exec Robert Kyncl, “The living room is YouTube’s fastest growing platform. We are excited to supercharge our distribution there and bring Xfinity X1 users a seamless way to consume all of the content they love. Voice is a key enabler to discovery and we are looking forward to bringing it to Xfinity X1 users.”

When viewing through X1, users who are signed into their YouTube accounts will see their personalized settings and subscriptions. The service is also tied into Comcast’s voice remote so that people can search or simply say “”Watch Carpool Karaoke on YouTube,” and then it will start playing. In the VOD section, there will also be themed categories covering eSports, music, entertainment and local news.

Even though YouTube (like Netflix) has been available throughout living room devices, spreading to Comcast cable boxes is a reflection of the public’s changing video habits. A report released this morning by Limelight showed that US viewers are averaging over seven hours a week watching online videos, and for Comcast, keeping them within its ecosystem may be a better option than sending them to another interface it doesn’t control. As executive VP Matt Strauss puts it, “By adding billions of YouTube videos to our video platform, we are taking our role as the aggregator of aggregators to a new level and reaffirming that X1 is the best place to easily discover and access all types of entertainment with the sound of your voice.”

Source: X1

Samsung wants to launch a foldable Galaxy Note in 2018

Samsung’s much-rumored foldable smartphone has been in the pipeline since the company first debuted its flexible display prototype, Youm, in 2013. Now the Korean tech giant says the almost-mythical device could launch next year under its Galaxy Note brand. Emphasis on the “could”, though, as Samsung president Koh Dong-jin has been sure to mention the hurdles that stand in the way. Speaking at a news conference announcing the Galaxy Note 8, he said of the foldable smartphone, “I can say our current goal is next year. When we can overcome some problems for sure, we will launch the product.”

At the same conference, the company also announced its plans to develop a voice-controlled artificial intelligence-enabled speaker. Amazon and Google already have similar products on the market and, while not confirmed, it’s likely Samsung’s offering will use its Bixby voice assistant, which has seen no end of drama since its conception. So if Samsung is only now working on a voice-assist AI speaker — long after its competitors have more or less nailed it — there are probably a few question marks over the company’s ability to launch the game-changing foldable smartphone any time soon.

Via: AP News

DxOMark adds bokeh and zoom to new smartphone camera scoring scale

Why it matters to you

Everyone wants a great camera in their smartphone, and DxOMark will help you find the best with its revamped camera testing protocol.

If you want to know how good a smartphone camera is, DxOMark conducts the most in-depth reviews around. But after five years of evaluating smartphone cameras, the photography lab is introducing a major update to its test suite, adding two new categories — zoom and bokeh — and ramping up the importance of low-light and motion performance.

Since 2012, DxOMark has tested every phone with the same protocol, covering categories like exposure and contrast, color, autofocus, texture, noise, artifacts, and flash. The results are explained in great detail and then the scores from each category are brought together and a proprietary algorithm reduces them down to a single number out of 100. The top spot in the mobile charts, currently held by the HTC U11 with a score of 90, is highly coveted.

“Every single mobile that has been tested between 2012 and now, you can compare, because it followed the same protocol,” Clement Viard, senior director of image quality evaluation at DxOMark told Digital Trends. “But technology has changed so rapidly in the last five years that we have had to change the protocol.”

The impact of this change can be summed up neatly by looking at the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. Because the old protocol didn’t consider the dual camera that Apple put in the 7 Plus to achieve 2x optical zoom and artificial bokeh, via Portrait mode, the two devices effectively had the same score. Retested with the updated suite, the iPhone 7 Plus achieves a significantly higher score of 88, compared to 85 for the iPhone 7.

DxOMark believes this change to its testing was necessary because of the growing demand from the public for high-quality zoom and bokeh effects, and improvements in the technology that are making it possible. The combination of powerful processors, dual-camera systems, improved sensors, and clever software tricks is taking smartphone photography to a whole new level.

“From the beginning of mobile photography, people at Nokia, Samsung, and other manufacturers were all asking the same thing,” Etienne Knauer, DxOMark’s senior vice president for sales and marketing, business solutions, explained to Digital Trends. “We want to be able to put in optical zoom, help us, and we want to have blurred background for portrait, help us. After all these years, now it’s becoming true.”

In addition to the new zoom and bokeh sub-scores, DxOMark has placed greater emphasis on low-light performance, testing levels all the way down to just 1 Lux. The Parisian photography lab has also added a motion element into its test suite to more accurately approximate real-world conditions, where both the photographer and subject are often moving.

For each smartphone tested under the new protocol, DxOMark will shoot 1,500 photos and more than two hours of video. The result is a 100-page report that serves as the foundation for the reviews and scores you see on the DxOMark website. The old scores will remain in archived form, but every phone tested by DxOMark from today will be subject to the new testing protocol.

Only a small sample of smartphones tested on the old scale have been retested with the new protocol. DxOMark chose the HTC U11 (90), Google Pixel (90), Apple iPhone 7 (85) and 7 Plus (88), Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge (82), iPhone 6 (73), and Nokia 808 (61).

“The ones that we’ve tested that were the best phones according to the old ranking are still the best devices on the new ranking,” Viard explained. “The Google Pixel and HTC U11 were really good before, and they’re still really good. For the iPhone 7 Plus, adding bokeh and zoom has given a big jump in image quality, which we believe reflects the user experience. Older devices like the iPhone 6 and Nokia 808 are dropping significantly, because they don’t have zoom or bokeh, and the autofocus was much slower back then.”

DxOMark will be announcing a number of new scores in the coming days and weeks, but for now, HTC’s U11 remains joint top of the chart on 90 with the Google Pixel, which has climbed one point. With the new iPhone and Google’s next Pixel just around the corner, it will be interesting to see if the photography lab crowns a new device as the best mobile camera.

How to turn on the flashlight faster on an iPhone

The flashlight on the iPhone is one of those things you probably use all the time, for a variety of things. The built-in feature is perfect when you wake up late at night and want to find your way around your home without smashing your toe into your nightstand or fumbling over the stairs. And while turning the flashlight on and off might seem like a pretty straightforward affair, there’s more to it if you intend to use 3D Touch and the newly released iOS 10.

In this guide, we’re going to explain how to turn on the flashlight faster on an iPhone by using Raise to Wake. First, let’s see how 3D Touch provides deeper interaction with the flashlight toggle in Control Center.

There’s so much more you can do with 3D Touch! We have put together some great 3D Touch tips to help you master it.

Turning on the Flashlight and using 3D Touch

Turning on the flashlight is very easy to do. Open the Control Center by swiping up on your display and pressing the flashlight toggle — the icon in the bottom-left corner that’s adorned with a flashlight silhouette. If you have an iPhone equipped with 3D Touch, you can also control the intensity of the light. To do so, push firmly on the flashlight toggle and choose either Low Light, Medium Light, or Bright Light.

Control Center is easily accessible from your lock screen. First, make sure that Raise To Wake is turned on by going to Settings > Display and Brightness. Then you can turn on the flashlight by simply picking up your phone and swiping up from the bottom to reveal Control Center. The feature is compatible with the iPhone SE, 6S, 6S Plus, 7, and 7 Plus.

Turning off the flashlight faster from the lock screen

Turning off the flashlight on the iPhone from the lock screen is just as easy. Simply swipe up on your display to bring up the Control Center, and press the highlighted flashlight button again to toggle off the feature. Keep in mind that, when using the flashlight, your screen will eventually go to sleep. You can also turn off the flashlight faster and skip the Control Center if you follow the instructions below.

Step 1: As we mentioned, make sure Raise to Wake is turned on by going to Settings > Display and Brightness.

Step 2: Once activated, raise your phone toward you to wake up the screen.

Step 3: Swipe left on the screen, as though you’re going to open the camera app, but let go half way through the motion.

The power button — especially on the iPhone Plus models — may be hard to reach. Raise to Wake makes it a lot easier to quickly access the lock screen. If you have an iPhone 6 or older model, then you can unlock your phone by pressing the home button or power button.

Don’t forget to take a look at our top 25 tips and tricks for the iPhone for more helpful hints. And if accessing things from the lock screen make you worry about security, here are seven tips to make your iPhone safer.

Update: We’ve updated this article slightly for clarity on how to turn on the flashlight on an iPhone. 

Samsung chief says 2018 Galaxy Note may have a foldable design

Why it matters to you

Samsung wants you to forget the Galaxy Note’s unfortunate recent history, and it may do so by making the 2018 model an exciting technical showcase.

Samsung’s president of mobile, D.J. Koh, has said its 2018 Galaxy Note phone may have a foldable design, if the company can find solutions to unnamed problems with the technology. Koh made the statement to reporters in South Korea, stating that, “As head of the business, I can say [it is] our current goal in next year,” when questioned about a bendable device.

Rumors of the Galaxy X, also known as Project Valley, have spread for years. The device has never been seen publicly, which indicates Samsung has been battling with technical issues, and this has now been backed up by Koh’s statement. He didn’t provide any details on what the problems were, saying only that, “several hurdles” must be overcome before the phone is ready for release.

The exact design and nature of the device is also unknown. Patent designs and concept drawings have shown a take on the classic clamshell design, which when opened reveals a full length touchscreen. However, many of these concepts are several years old, and may no longer be relevant. Koh also warned that if the problems couldn’t be solved in time, the release date for the bendable Galaxy Note will be pushed back.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note brand took a big hit at the end of 2016, after the Note 7 was recalled and ultimately canceled; but Samsung forged ahead with the Galaxy Note 8. The latest Note isn’t all that different from the Note 7, and takes its one main feature difference — the Infinity screen — from the Galaxy S8. By reinventing the Galaxy Note brand with a cutting-edge flexible phone in 2018, Samsung could shake off the Note’s tarnished image, and return to the Note’s past glories as a technical showcase device for the company.

The last we heard about the Galaxy X was the possibility of a limited test run being produced in the second half of this year. It was never certain this device would be released to the public, but if it has been proceeding with moderate success behind closed doors, that may explain why Samsung is happy to tease future plans for the phone now. Additionally, the news also comes on the day Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, from which Samsung will be keen to draw attention.

Interestingly, this is not the first time flexible-screen technology has been linked with the Note line. In 2013, a special edition of the Galaxy Note 3 with a flexible display was rumored, but obviously was never released.

DxOMark revamps its mobile testing for the phone cameras of 2017

New testing method will take into account dual cameras, selfie performance, and other recent trends.

The way we use our phones’ cameras has changed a lot since 2012, back when DxOMark first started testing smartphone shooters. Until today, the firm’s scores only take into account a limited subset of the capabilities of modern smartphones — but that’s about to change.

In recent months, DxO has embarked on an extensive data-gathering mission to find out how people use their smartphone cameras in 2017. And as a result it’s come up with a new testing and scoring system to more accurately reflect the capabilities of modern phone cameras, and how people use them.

The new DxOMark mobile measures the effectiveness of depth-of-field and zoom features in dual-lens cameras, as well as tracking moving subjects, and extreme low-light testing. DxO’s existing testing parameters for main cameras are also to be overhauled as part of its new scoring system, as it hopes to more accurately reflect the quality of photography from modern smartphones.

The Google Pixel now ties the U11 with a DxO score of 90.

The first DxOMark reviews under the new system have been published today — the firm re-tested any models which occupied the number-one spot at the end of recent years (that includes the HTC U11 and 2016 Google Pixel phones, as well as the iPhone 7 and Galaxy S6 edge.) The firm also released its first test of Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus, complete with tests around the secondary zoom lens. Bottom line: The U11 and Pixel both score 90 under the new system. So Google’s flagship now ties HTC’s for the “best rated” smartphone shooter. (That’s if you buy into the idea that a numbered score can sum up something as complex as a phone camera.)

Also tested under the new system: the iPhone 7 (85), iPhone 7 Plus (88) and Galaxy S6 edge (82).

Both HTC and Google have publicized their DxO scores over the past year, and under the new system, both devices get to share in the glory — at least for the moment. It’s worth noting, however, that newer cameras like the LG G6 and Samsung Galaxy S8 haven’t been tested, since they weren’t winners at the end of any recent years. It’s unclear if DxO will re-test devices which didn’t attain top scores under the old system, but leaving out newer devices from Samsung and LG would seem like a substantial oversight.

The idea of reducing a smartphone camera (or now, cameras) to a single numbered score remains a point of contention for some, but DxO insists its new, updated testing method presents the best overall picture of a mobile camera’s performance.

More: DxOMark

Huawei Mate 10 lock screen video shows pretty colors, 2:1 aspect ratio

Extra-tall Huawei flagship will focus on ‘smart colors’ on its lock screen.

We’re still just over a month away from the official launch of the Huawei Mate 10, but the company is continuing to trickle out details of the upcoming flagship. Today we’ve got an early look at the Mate 10’s lock screen in the form of the video below, which is intended to show the new ‘smart color selection’ feature for text on the lock screen. In essence, it looks like EMUI 6 will intelligently select highlight colors from your lock screen wallpaper and apply them to the date, time and other information on the display.

But there’s more than just a sneak preview of one (very specific) area of EMUI 6 lurking here. The resolution of the video confirms something we’ve long suspected of the device — it’ll ship with an extra-tall 2:1 (or 18:9, if you prefer) aspect ratio, matching the proportions of the LG G6 and V30, among others. The native resolution is 1080×2160, suggesting Huawei may stick at a Full HD-like resolution for the regular Mate 10. (The higher-specced Mate 10 Pro, which we’re expecting to take the lead in Europe, is rumored to feature a Quad HD+ panel with a resolution of 1440×2880.)

Huawei Consumer Business Group CEO Richard Yu recently teased both Mate 10 variants at IFA 2017 in Berlin, confirming that they’d be the first phone with the new AI-equipped Kirin 970 CPU, and a “full screen” display.

You’ll find the full video below, and we’ll be in Munich, Germany for the official Huawei Mate 10 launch event in October 26.

Nintendo’s NES Classic Edition is coming back in 2018

Despite announcing it was game over for the NES Classic Edition earlier this year, Nintendo now says that due to demand, it plans to ship the product into 2018. Shipment timings are yet to be announced, but this is big news for fans who thought they were going to miss out after the console began disappearing from store shelves.

And in responding to fan enthusiasm, more units of the Super NES Classic Edition will ship on its upcoming 29 September launch day in the US than were shipped of NES Classic Editions throughout the entirety of last year. The system will retail for $80/£80 and features 21 legendary Super NES games such as Super Mario World, Super Metroid and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

Source: BusinessWire

Of course EE’s hyping wireless chargers on new iPhone day

EE all but confirming new iPhone features before Apple’s had a chance to announce them is turning into a bit of a yearly tradition. This morning, the carrier announced it’s now selling Belkin’s Qi Wireless Charging Pad for £30 (this is the standard retail price, by the way). Also, EE says other chargers and accessories will, in the coming weeks, be joining the provider’s Add to Plan scheme. This lets customers on two-year handset contracts buy accessories and spread the cost over several months by adding a few quid to their monthly bill. Rumor has long had it that wireless charging would make its debut on this year’s iPhones, so EE’s announcement is no coincidence.

The network pulled a similar stunt last year. In an almost identical announcement, EE plugged its range of wireless headphones on offer through the Add to Plan scheme. And you might recall that the last round of iPhones were the first to ditch the headphone jack. Subtlety is not EE’s strong suit, it seems.

Source: EE

The Morning After: Tuesday, September 12th 2017

Hey, good morning!

It’s finally here. Today the rumors come to an end (temporarily) as we find out more about what Apple is going to deliver. Check in with our liveblog at 1 PM ET for all of the details as they’re revealed, and of course we’ll have more in-depth information available later.

Just a few more leaks.Apple TV 4K will have as much power as the iPad Pro

Sure, we have plenty of rumors about the new iPhone and iOS, but ahead of the launch event, you may want to know what’s in store for the Apple TV. Developer Steven Troughton-Smith looked through the leaked software and deduced that the new hardware’s name is Apple TV 4K, and it will be powered by an A10X Fusion CPU, just like the latest iPad Pros. That should give it enough power to play 4K video at up to 60FPS, and make it ready for HDR 10 or Dolby Vision-encoded flicks.

BYO emulator.Modders release ‘Super Mario 64 Online’

Built by modders Kaze Emanuar, Melonspeedruns and Marshivolt, Super Mario 64 Online is a tool that modifies a running version of the game so you and your friends can play together. It’s likely that Nintendo will shut this down soon, so go ahead and play while you can, or just check out the video demo to find out what Super Mario 64 would be like with online multiplayer.

Formula 1 for two.AMG Project One Concept car is a hybrid with over 1,000 horsepower

This hypercar combines a turbocharged 1.6-liter V6 with four electric motors to create a 1,000+ horsepower monster. Introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show, it pulls a lot of tech and expertise from the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport Formula 1 team, potentially allowing drivers to enjoy something like Lewis Hamilton’s work vehicle in a two-seat road car.

A decade’s worth of design, features and more.
The iPhone 10 years in

Before we move forward with the iPhone X, it’s time to look back at the last decade of Apple phones. Chris Velazco walks you from the original pre-App Store 3.5-inch iPhone to the iPhone 7 Plus, checking in with each upgraded model released along the way.

There are non-iPhone phones.
Xiaomi’s Mi MIX 2 comes with a stunning ceramic unibody

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi is back with another near-bezel-less display: the Mi MIX 2. It boasts high-end specs with a Snapdragon 835 chipset, 6GB of LPDDR4X RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 2.1 storage. Unfortunately, this device isn’t coming to the US, but if you want something even rarer than an OLED iPhone, then this could be a device worth the chase.

But wait, there’s more…

• We spent a week with Hasselblad’s agile medium-format mirrorless camera
• What’s on TV: ‘NBA 2K18,’ E.T’ in 4K and ‘Broad City’
• Apple adds a mail-in option to its iPhone Upgrade Program
• Shocker: PewDiePie in trouble once again for racist outburst
• Nike made me a pair of custom sneakers in 46 minutes