Don’t want to share your AC? You may want to look into the evaSmart EV-3000

Why it matters to you

If you don’t need to cool a whole room but do need to cool your whole self, the evaSmart EV-3000 from Evapolar could be a solution.

For all those moments that you haven’t felt particularly generous about your air conditioning, you now have a way to keep all the cold air in a room to yourself. Meet the evaSmart EV-3000 from Evapolar, branded as a truly personal AC unit. So if you have no interest in sharing a comfortable ambient temperature with your room- or officemates, but don’t want to sweat it out yourself, this just may be the home appliance for you.

Heralded as the most efficient evaporative cooler on the market, this tiny little AC unit knows what it isn’t — a room cooler. Instead, it’s intended strictly for personal use, and is capable of cooling around 45 square feet with its 1,200 British thermal unit (BTU) per hour performance specs. Measuring a diminutive 6.87-by-6.70-by-6.69 inches, the evaSmart is not a particularly large device, but it certainly packs a punch when it comes to cooling your immediate area.

In essence, evaSMART works by taking in hot, dry air and turning into cool, moist, and fresh air. Simply fill the AC unit’s water tank every four to six hours, plug it into a power bank or power outlet, and let the unit go to work. Its cooling cartridge is made from natural basalt fibers that promise to prevent bacteria and mold growth and can be easily replaced every few months.

Not only does the evaSmart cool the air around you, but it also promises to humidify and purify. That said, if you live in a hot and sticky environment, this probably is not the best cooling solution. The evaSmart is only recommended for use in areas where the humidity level is lower than 70 percent. The unit also promises to be energy-efficient and eco-friendly. With no Freon-like liquid to speak of, the evaSmart needs only 12W of electricity to provide up to 400W of cooling power.

The portable AC also comes in a variety of neutral colors, including opaque white, coal black, and stormy gray, and features LED lighting so the unit can double as a light source.

Of course, this AC unit is a smart AC unit, and as such, comes with a companion app that allows you to control the evaSmart from just about anywhere. And because it is fully compatible with the majority of smart home systems, you can also control this device using your voice.

 The evaSmart EV-3000 starts at $230.

Google will automatically delete inactive Android device backups from Drive

Why it matters to you

If you have an old Android device you haven’t used in a while, check your Google Drive account — the backup might be at risk of deletion.

If you’re about to factory reset an Android device you haven’t used in a while, you might want to make sure it has been backed up recently. Following a grace period, Google will automatically delete cloud-saved settings, apps, and preferences from Android devices that haven’t been used for more than two weeks.

The policy, which isn’t new, generated headlines last week when a good Samaritan posted a public service announcement in Reddit’s Android community. Android device users are entitled to free backups “as long as [they] use [their] device[s],” according to the language on Google’s support website. When a device goes unused for two weeks, a two-month countdown begins. When it has elapsed, Google reserves the right to wipe those files permanently.

You’ll get plenty of warning beforehand. After the first two weeks of inactivity come to a close, a countdown timer appears below the backup files, showing how much time remains before they’re deleted. If you start using the backed-up device again before the timer reaches zero, it’ll reset. But if you don’t, your backup — and all the settings, data, and apps with it — will be deleted.

Android Police

Once your backup’s gone, there’s no getting it back. Google says that deleted device backups can’t be recovered. Backups include data like contacts, Google Calendar settings, Wi-Fi networks and passwords, home screen wallpapers, Gmail settings, apps installed through Google Play, display settings, language and input settings, and the date and time settings.

“There was no warning from Google,” Reddit user Tanglebrook recounted. “[There] was no notification, no email, no proactive notice at all, and most importantly, no option to use the 100GB of my Drive storage to keep my […] backup.”

But it’s not necessarily as bad as it sounds. Google’s Drive backup service only works on Android devices running 6.0 Marshmallow or newer, so older smartphones and tablets can’t (and never could) take advantage. There’s less risk of losing third-party data than data from Google’s own apps and services — developers have to opt into Drive backups manually. And Google’s backup policy doesn’t apply to pictures stored on Google Photos or WhatsApp messages uploaded to Google Drive — Google treats that data differently.

Still, it’s not a bad idea to check the status of your device backups that haven’t been updated in a while. You can do that by opening the Google Drive app for Android or iOS, tapping the Menu button, and then tapping Backups. If any backups are at risk of expiring, you’ll see a red-colored line of text under them with the words, “Expires in […] days.”

Best LG Phones

Which LG phones should you care about? We’ve got you.

Let’s be completely honest here — LG’s generally known as the other South Korean smartphone company. But if that’s all you think about LG, you’re sorely missing out, as it’s been making really good smartphones that too often fly under the radar.

In recent years, LG has moved away from the gimmicky designs and features that divided audiences between the loyal and the skeptical. Phones like the G6 and V30 are powerful but extremely accessible and mainstream. Let’s take a look at everything the company has to offer.

LG V30

Announced August, 2017: The LG V30 isn’t available yet (unless you’re in South Korea), but it’s a phone to look forward to. The successor to the enthusiast-focused V20, the V30 shares more in common with the G6 in terms of design, but that’s a good thing. This phone is light, well-made, and powerful, while retaining many of the features that made the V10 and V20 so popular. Gone is the removable battery, but you get waterproofing and wireless charging in exchange, which is a far better trade-off.

And with the world’s first f/1.6 lens in its main camera, and a low light-enabled f/1.9 lens in its second sensor, the V30 takes some amazing photos in wide- or ultra-wide angle.

• More: LG V30 review
• Where to buy the LG V30

LG G6

Announced February, 2017: LG’s successor to the disappointing G5 is an incredible feat of engineering. Glass front and back, with metal sides and an extra tall 2880×1400 display, the phone is all about simplicity and versatility. Adding to its pedigree is a system of dual 13-megapixel cameras — a standard 71mm lens and a 125mm wide-angle lens — which take amazing photos in almost any lighting condition.

Then there’s the other additions to the collection this year: IP68 waterproofing, a larger 3,300mAh battery, a Quad DAC in some regions, and wireless charging in the U.S.

• More: LG G6 review!
• Where to buy the LG G6 in the U.S.

See at Verizon
See at AT&T
See at Sprint
See at T-Mobile
See at B&H Photo

LG V20

Released October 2016: The V20 is the follow-up to the V10, but it really is more a successor to the G5. When looked at through that lens, the all-metal design of the V20 makes a lot more sense, though its size and shape are certainly owe tribute to the V10.

Like the G5, it has a dual camera, but it also sports the impressive and unique Second Screen from the V10. And being a late-2016 device, it’s got all the specs you’d expect: a 5.7-inch QHD LCD display, a Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage, and a huge 3200mAh battery. It’s also got the same audio and camera pedigree as the V10, with an amazing Quad DAC from ESS, a powerful amplifier, and plenty of manual camera controls for photos and video.

• More: LG V20 review
• Where to buy the LG V20 in the U.S.
• Where to buy the LG V20 in Canada

See at B&H Photo Video

*Update, September 2017:** This article has been updated with the V30 and removing the G5 and V10.

The best smartphones for a killer VR experience

If you don’t have the Vive or Oculus Rift, your phone may be the next best thing.

This post was updated on 4/6 with more great VR friendly phones for you to check out!

If you don’t feel like shelling out $800 for an HTC Vive or $600 for an Oculus Rift, then your phone can be the next best VR option. With both Samsung and Google currently leading the pack, mobile VR is looking more promising than ever. These are our picks for the best mobile VR experiences!

Read more at VR Heads!

Top 5 LG V30 camera features

Even as phones become more homogenized and samey, there’s one big area left for high-end flagships to stand out: the cameras.

The new LG V30 has one of the most compelling photographic feature sets we’ve seen in an Android phone this year. LG’s new flagship boasts dual cameras with bright lenses (in both regular and wide-angle flavors), in addition to new manual shooting capabilities and the most comprehensive video feature set we’ve seen in an Android phone to date.

In our latest video, we take a run through the top five V30 camera features you need to know about — including one bonus feature that makes for fantastic Instagram-ready collages.

• Android Central on YouTube
• Our LG V30 initial video review
• Our LG V30 initial review
• More on the LG V30

LG V30

• LG V30 review: The no-BS flagship
• Top LG V30 camera features
• Full LG V30 specs
• LG V30 vs. G6 vs. GS8
• The V30 is the first phone to support 600MHz spectrum
• Join our LG V30 forums

‘Minecraft’ adds ‘Oregon Trail’ to teach kids about frontier life

If you went to school in the US in the early 1990s, chances are you have fond memories of playing the computer game The Oregon Trail. Now, schoolchildren around the world will be able to replicate that experience thanks to a new Minecraft: Education Edition integration.

Before you fire up your version of Minecraft to download this add-on, there’s a catch: Because it’s specifically an educational endeavor (in partnership with publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), the add-on is only available through the education edition of the game. This version of The Oregon Trail has been expanded with learning activities and the freedom to create new paths for the game and form their own 19th century communities within it.

This isn’t the first partnership for Minecraft: Education Edition. Previously, the game has worked with the Roald Dahl estate on a writing competition for elementary and middle school students. The winning story, Fluffletopolis, was transformed into a Minecraft build. Users of Minecraft: Education Edition can also participate in the “Museum of Me” project, in cooperation with the Smithsonian’s Museum Day LIVE event on Saturday, September 23rd.

Minecraft has been steadily adding integrations for a long time now — everything from a full-fledged Pokemon game to learning progamming languages. It’s nice to see them going all in on making the game as educational as possible; after all, it’s a great way to get kids to learn while also having fun.

Via: The Verge

Source: Minecraft

Microsoft is holding a Mixed Reality event on October 3rd

In case it wasn’t already clear that Microsoft is big on the concept of mixed reality (read: augmented and virtual reality), the company is about to drive the point home. It’s inviting the media to a Windows Mixed Reality event in San Francisco on October 3rd, and it promises that you’ll see “where Microsoft is headed next” in the wearable technology space. For the most part, this will revolve around the plethora of WMR headsets arriving on October 17th alongside Windows 10’s Fall Creators Update. We’d expect Microsoft to highlight games and other software experiences that take advantage of the hardware, too.

An event like this isn’t surprising. For Microsoft, Windows Mixed Reality is its big chance at controlling the future of headset technology, particularly VR — it’s no doubt worried that Oculus, HTC or another third-party might dominate the industry. Even if the presentation doesn’t include any earth-shaking announcements, it’ll indicate that Microsoft is serious about the field and intends to stay for the long haul.

PS4 and Xbox owners were able to play ‘Fortnite’ together

You know how Sony is adamant about not allowing cross-platform play between PlayStation 4, Switch and Xbox One? Well, something interesting happened in Epic Games’ Fortnite over the weekend: Xbox players were found in a handful PlayStation Battle Royale matches. A Reddit user noticed that someone in his PS4 game had a space in their handle (something allowed in Xbox Gamertags, but not on PS4), and then the thread picked up to include further examples like a father and son playing together on disparate consoles. A Twitch stream with video proof is embedded below. Curious, indeed.

We’ve reached out to Epic, Microsoft and Sony to see if this is a bug or a feature and will update the post should it arrive. Given Sony’s hardline stance against letting people on different consoles play together, it’s probably the former. As of press time, only Epic responded. “We had a configuration issue and it has now been corrected,” a spokesperson tells us. So, it seems like connecting the consoles is as relatively simple as we’ve been told

Watch live video from psnprecision on http://www.twitch.tv

Via: Eurogamer

Source: Reddit

Apple’s Venmo-like money transfers will arrive after iOS 11

A new payment service from Apple is set to launch sometime this fall through iOS 11 and watchOS 4 updates. Apple Pay Cash will allow Apple device users to transfer money between each other within Messages or through Siri.

Once it’s available, users can tap the App Store icon in the Messages app and then select Apple Pay from the app options. After inputting the amount and selecting a payment card, the transaction will then be authenticated via Touch ID or Face ID and completed. The funds will be available in the recipient’s Apple Pay Cash card, which can be used via Apple Pay or transferred to a bank account. And any card linked to Apple Pay can be used to send funds.

The new Venmo-like service has been in the works for a while and was initially expected to launch with iOS 11, but users are going to have to wait a bit longer. “Coming this fall with an update to iOS 11 and watchOS 4, Apple Pay users will be able to send and receive money from friends and family quickly, easily and securely. Pay and get paid right in Messages, or tell Siri to pay someone, using the credit and debit cards they have in Wallet,” Apple said in a statement.

Via: MacRumors

Source: Apple

Equifax stock sales prompt DOJ investigation for insider trading

Things are about to get even worse for Equifax, and rightfully so. According to reports from Bloomberg, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) has opened a criminal investigation into Equifax officials’ stock sales just before the announcement of the security breach that exposed data from 143 million US consumers. Equifax CFO John Gamble, President of US Information Solutions Joseph Loughran and President of Workforce Solutions Rodolfo Ploder dumped nearly $1.8 million in stock just after the company discovered the breach and about a month before it was announced. Equifax has maintained that the three didn’t know about the breach when they sold the stock.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is also looking into the sales and what the executives knew beforehand to see if the move constitutes insider trading. The DOJ investigation will work alongside the SEC’s and will be headed by US prosecutors in Atlanta, say Bloomberg’s sources. Those agencies are joined by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which is also looking into the breach. Last week, dozens of senators sent letters to the DOJ, SEC and FTC requesting investigations into potential insider trading.

There are a lot of eyes on this breach and two executives have already left the company, though Equifax says they retired. Chief Security Officer Susan Mauldin and Chief Information Officer David Webb left late last week.

Source: Bloomberg