Huawei Mate 10 to Feature 4,000mAh Battery, Coming on October 16

Huawei continued to ratchet up its hype machine on Thursday by revealing on Twitter that its upcoming Mate 10 smartphone will feature a 4,000mAh battery.

The Chinese company divulged the key detail via social media, which it has previously used to troll Apple as well as promote the built-in artificial intelligence capabilities of its forthcoming flagship device. The tweet was accompanied by the phrase, “#ThatFeeling when your battery lasts all day on a single charge”.

Huawei Mate 10 Pro (Image via Evan Blass)
With Samsung, Apple, and Google all having played their cards in the 2017 smartphone wars, Huawei is hoping to make a big splash to round off the year with its Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro, set to be officially announced on October 16.

All indications point to both Mate 10 devices sporting a 4,000mAh battery, which would make their cell capacities larger than those of nearly all flagship smartphones to date, including the iPhone 8 Plus (2,675mAh), Galaxy S8+ (3,500mAh), Galaxy Note 8 (3,300mAh), and the Pixel 2 XL (3,550mAh).

However, it’s not clear just how much extra juice beyond a day that would get Mate 10 users, given that the handset is likely to boast an energy-sapping 6.1-inch 1440 x 2880 Quad-HD AMOLED display with virtually no bezels. Having said that, the new Kirin 970 processor in the Mate 10 is supposed to be far more energy efficient, which could balance out battery performance.

As previously reported, this will be the first phone in the company’s line-up to feature the Kirin 970 mobile chipset, which is based on the same 10-nanometer technology as Apple’s A11 Bionic processor found in the iPhone 8 and iPhone X. It also has a built-in neural processing unit that utilizes of machine learning, making it a lot faster than a traditional processor, according to the company.

The Mate 10 Pro is thought to cost upwards of $900, with the Mate 10 price starting at $849. Both devices will likely feature Leica rear dual-lens cameras, with 64GB of internal storage and 6GB of RAM as standard. The Mate 10 series to be revealed this month is actually expected to include three smartphones, with a lower-spec device bearing the moniker Huawei Mate 10 Lite.

Related Roundups: iPhone 8, iPhone XTags: Huawei, Mate 10Buyer’s Guide: iPhone (Buy Now)
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Netflix Prices Set to Increase for U.K. Subscribers From November

Following yesterday’s announcement of price hikes in the U.S., Netflix has now confirmed that some U.K. subscribers can also expect to pay more for the video streaming service going forward.

Those on the Basic tier, costing £6 a month, won’t see a price increase. However, that’s where the good news ends, because anyone on the Standard tier, which includes shows in HD and the ability to watch on two screens simultaneously, will see their monthly bill rise from £7.50 per month to £8.

Meanwhile, users who pay for 4K HDR privileges and the ability to watch on four screens at once are set to pay £10, up from £9. The cost increases will come into effect beginning November. Netflix said it will inform existing subscribers of the price hikes on October 19.

Germany and France are among the other European countries where prices will rise, while subscriptions were tweaked in Canada, Latin America and some Nordic countries earlier this year.

Netflix is set to debut the second series of its hit original series Stranger Things on October 27. This week, the company also released an official Stranger Things mobile game, which iPhone and iPad users can download from the App Store for free.

(Via What Hi-Fi.)

Tags: Netflix, United Kingdom
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Pixelmator 3.7 Update Brings HEIF Image Support and Apple Photos Integration

Pixelmator has been updated for Mac to include support for the new HEIF image standard in macOS High Sierra. Once users have updated to Pixelmator 3.7, they’ll also be able to make full use of the new Photo app integration available in Apple’s latest desktop operating system.

In macOS High Sierra, it’s possible to open a photo in a third-party app right from within the Photos Library using the “Edit With…” menu option, after which Pixelmator should appear following the update. Subsequently, any edits made within Pixelmator will be automatically saved back to the Photos library.

Added support for the new HEIF image standard includes the ability to import photos from iPhone 7, iPhone 8, and iPhone X, which save in the more efficient compression format by default. You can find out more about HEIF here.

Other improvements in the 3.7 update to Pixelmator include enhanced support for Photoshop PSD files, an improved Repair Tool, and a return of the ability to drag image assets from Photos and Safari directly into Pixelmator.

Pixelmator is available to buy on the Mac App Store for $30.

Tags: Pixelmator, Photos, HEIF
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A Phantom 4 drone hit a helicopter over New York and the drone came off worse

Why it matters to you

The details of this particular incident aren’t yet known, but it nevertheless provides a useful reminder for drone owners to check they’re operating in a safe area.

We’ve heard a lot over the last few years about aircraft coming uncomfortable close to consumer drones, but an actual collision took place recently close to New York City.

The incident occurred toward the end of last month and involved an Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and a Phantom 4 drone. The drone came off worse.

DJI’s camera-equipped Phantom 4 launched last year and has proved hugely popular with consumers looking for a sophisticated quadcopter at a decent price.

The helicopter, which was carrying security officials to the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan, landed safely at Linden airport in New Jersey, but an inspection revealed damage to its main rotor blade, window frame, and transmission deck, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) officials told USA Today.

NTSB

How do they know it was a Phantom 4 that struck the helicopter? Because they recovered parts of the quadcopter (pictured) from the helicopter after it landed.

Those examining the incident managed to track down the operator of the drone, who’s been cooperating with the investigation. The operator’s flight logs are also being examined.

Specific details linked to the incident are yet to be revealed, but the helicopter’s pilot and passengers will be thanking their lucky stars that the aircraft stayed flying after coming into contact with the quadcopter in mid-air.

Incidents involving drones and manned aircraft are on the increase in U.S. airspace, though this is believed to be the first report of a direct hit between the two.

Data compiled by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) between February and September 2016 reveals 1,274 possible drone sightings by U.S. air traffic facilities, compared to 874 for the same period a year earlier. One near-miss incident in 2016 involved a Lufthansa passenger jet coming in to land at Los Angeles international airport.

The authorities are considering a myriad of solutions to try to prevent drones from coming close to airports. Current options include everything from net-firing bazookas to flying drone-hunter bots and even eagles that are trained to pluck rogue flying machines straight out of the sky.

DJI spokesperson Adam Lisberg told USA Today his company is working with investigators in a bid to find out exactly what happened in the recent incident. Aware of the growing concern among FAA officials regarding dangerous drone flights by irresponsible pilots, Lisberg said, “We have always instructed drone operators to obey the laws and regulations applicable to drones in their jurisdiction, and we urge our customers to fully educate themselves about how to fly safely.”

Lisberg added, “Millions of people safely use drones for personal and professional uses, and we hope they will join us in our commitment to ensuring drones remain a benefit to society.”

BlackBerry’s water-resistant Motion revealed in leak

BlackBerry’s decision to embrace Android may not restore the brand to its former glory, but it’s been a promising start. We were impressed with its latest phone, the KeyOne, which catered to classicists with its hardware keyboard. But, its followup, will once again ditch the brand’s defining physical characteristic — at least, if a new leaked render is anything to go by. The image, tweeted by Evan Blass, gives us our first look at the front of the touchscreen handset.

Goodbye, Krypton.

Hello, BlackBerry Motion pic.twitter.com/lBsdpORHW4

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) October 5, 2017

Okay, so the rumour mill already let slip that the device would pack virtual keys. And, TCL (BlackBerry’s partner on its handsets) told us it would be water-resistant. But, aside from offering up a proper look at its design — which we’ll touch on later — Blass also dropped what may be its official title. The handset everyone was referring to as the “Krypton” is reportedly dubbed BlackBerry Motion. We can’t say that the name change comes as much of a surprise, seeing as the KeyOne also had a different title (Mercury) during its prototype stage.

In terms of its look, the BlackBerry Motion doesn’t fall in line with the current bezel-free trend. It also contains a home button with an embedded BlackBerry logo. And, there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack. So, in many ways it is a classic device — albeit not in the traditional Blackberry mould. Still, that doesn’t mean the company is doing away with its other defining features. The Motion will carry the robust security software that BlackBerry prides itself on, and apparently boasts a mammoth 26-hour battery life. Details on its full list of specs, however, are still scarce.

The handset is rumored to arrive this month. Although, if past examples like the BlackBerry KeyOne Black edition are any indication, TCL could be releasing the Motion in some markets first before bringing it worldwide.

Source: Evan Blass (Twitter)

Amazon is opening a Tokyo pop-up bar to promote booze sales

Amazon loves dealing with booze in Japan. In 2016, it launched a free Sommelier service for those who just can’t choose which wine to buy. Now, it’s opening a pop-up bar in Ginza, Tokyo’s high fashion center and home to its ritziest establishments, to promote liquors sold on its local website. The e-retail giant said the 78-seater bar will serve drinks from across the globe, even those not available to the public yet. It will use an ordering system that suggests drinks, though it will also employ wine experts for those who’d prefer to get advice with a human touch.

In the US, Amazon has been crossing over to the brick-and-mortar world by building bookstores, drive-through grocery stores and making huge acquisitions. If a wine bar is more your thing, and you’ll be in Japan soon, though, you can visit Amazon’s pop up near the Emporio Armani store in Ginza. It will be around for 10 nights (from 5 to 11PM) starting on October 20th.

Via: Bloomberg

Source: Amazon

Taxify takes on Uber in Paris with lower prices and commissions

Taxify is boldly entering the Paris ridesharing market that has proven to be such a pain for Uber and others. The company announced it will be able to compete with its main competition, UberX, thanks to 10 percent lower prices on average, and by taking a smaller cut from drivers — 15 percent compared to Uber’s 25 percent. “The prices will be lower for the customer and the drivers, better paid,” Taxify told Le Parisien.

Like Uber, Taxify must use drivers with a professional chauffeur license called a VTC, as the user of private driver services like UberPOP is not permitted in France. With a back-of-the-envelope calculation, a $20 UberX ride in the French capital would cost you $18 with Taxify, while the driver would get $15 on Uber and about $15.30 with Taxify. The services work about the same as far as the consumer is concerned — you call the cab with your phone, and payment is automatically taken from your card after the ride.

The company has enrolled about 5,000 drivers already, but as you’d expect, not everyone is thrilled about this. “The platform is positioning itself on a dying economic model,” says VTC union head Sayah Baaroun, “and in the end, it’s the drivers who will suffer.”

Meanwhile, the National Union of Taxis is concerned that the name “Taxify” will create confusion among consumers, and is likely to take it up with France’s consumer affairs bureau. In other words, the company might be facing the same problems in Paris that it did in London, where it was forced to halt operations after just a week.

Via: Le Parisien (translated)

Source: Taxify

Apple Confirms New Emoji Are Coming to iPhone and iPad in iOS 11.1

Apple today announced that hundreds of new emoji characters will be added to the iPhone and iPad in the upcoming iOS 11.1 update.

The company also showed off some of the new emoji that will be introduced, all of which are part of Unicode 10. Some of the new additions include crazy face, pie, pretzel, t-rex, vampire, exploding head, face vomiting, shushing face, love you gesture, brain, scarf, zebra, giraffe, fortune cookie, pie, hedgehog, and more.

Hundreds of new emoji, including more emotive smiley faces, gender-neutral characters, clothing options, food types, animals, mythical creatures and more, are coming to iPhone and iPad with iOS 11.1.

New child, adult, and older adult emojis in a range of skin tones are included, as are characters for person in steamy room, bearded person, mage, fairy, vampire, merperson, elf, genie, person climbing, person in lotus position, and more, with all of those emoji available in multiple skin tones and genders. While there are 56 distinct new emoji characters, gender/skin tone modifiers and flags bring that total to over 200.

Unicode 10 was first released in June of 2017, but it often takes several months for Apple to implement new emoji characters after a Unicode update as all of the new characters need to be drawn by Apple artists in the Apple emoji style. All of the Unicode 10 emoji are listed on emoji site Emojipedia.

Apple previously previewed some of the new Unicode 10 emoji back in July.

The first beta of iOS 11.1 was released to developers last week. It did not include the promised Unicode 10 emojis, but Apple says they’ll be added in developer and public betas of iOS 11.1 next week.

We’ve also seen evidence suggesting iOS 11.1 could include the Apple Pay Cash feature as employees are testing it internally, so the update is shaping up to be a significant addition to the iOS 11 operating system.

There’s no word yet on when iOS 11 will see a public release.

Related Roundup: iOS 11
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Parallels Desktop 13.1 Update Brings APFS and HEVC Support in macOS High Sierra

Parallels Desktop 13 for Mac received an update on Thursday to include full compatibility with the new Apple File System (APFS) and HEVC video standard included in macOS High Sierra.

With APFS support, Parallels Desktop 13.1 can take advantage of Apple’s cross-platform replacement for HFS+, bringing more security and better performance on devices with flash memory.

New HEVC video support means the virtualization software will be able to benefit from more efficient compression of video files and smoother playback. You can learn more about Apple’s new HEVC video codec here.

Elsewhere, there are a host of stability and performance fixes, as listed in Parallels’ knowledge database update summary. They include the following:

• Enables the user to create a new Boot Camp® virtual machine on a Mac® with macOS® High Sierra.
  Enables the user to install a High Sierra virtual machine from the Recovery partition on their High Sierra Mac.
• Resolves an issue with some Windows shortcuts not working (for example, “Control+Shift+”+”/”-” in Microsoft Excel).
• Resolves an issue with installing Parallels Tools on Windows XP (Note: Parallels Tools are used for Windows and macOS integration. Do not confuse them with Parallels® Toolbox.)
• Resolves an issue with Windows not starting when opening a file associated with a Windows application on macOS.
• Resolves an issue with crashes of BIMcollab ZOOM and TopSolid CAD.
• Resolves an issue with Zoom In and Zoom Out in APEX 3.
• Resolves an issue with “Sending as Attachment” not working for Windows files and Mac email client after suspending and resuming a Windows virtual machine.
• Resolves an issue with OneDrive for Business not shared with macOS, even if that option is enabled.
• Resolves an issue with Microsoft Windows Start menu not appearing when clicking the Windows icon if Dock auto-hide is enabled.
• Resolves an issue with copying Windows files to Mac.
• Resolves an issue with TeamViewer camera not working.
• Resolves an issue with maximizing Windows applications in Coherence mode.
• Resolves an issue with installing a macOS older than Mac OS X® Mavericks 10.9 in the virtual machine from the installation image.
• Resolves an issue with macOS not going to sleep when there is a virtual machine in Coherence mode.

To download the latest update, users can click the Parallels Desktop menu and select Check for Updates.

Parallels Desktop 13 for Mac costs $79.99 for a new license. Existing users of Parallels Desktop for Home and Student can upgrade to V13 for $49.99, with a time-limited offer enabling users of the Desktop Pro Edition to upgrade for the same price (usually $99.99). For more pricing details, see the Parallels website.

Related Roundup: macOS High SierraTags: Microsoft, Windows 10, Parallels 13
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Google Photos will limit Pixel 2 users’ uploads after 2020

Google promised you’d be able to upload files to the Photos app in their original quality and resolution so long as you use a Pixel phone. If you get a Pixel 2, though, that’s only true until 2020. Part of Pixel 2’s fine print has revealed that by 2021, the app will only upload your files in “hiqh-quality” resolution. For Google, “high quality” means 16-megapixel photos and 1080p videos. If you upload anything bigger than those, the app will automatically downgrade them.

If you were expecting to be able to upload files in their original resolution forever, then that would definitely be disappointing to hear. Being able to upload unlimited images and photos in high resolution isn’t that bad, however — it’s what anybody else who doesn’t use a Pixel gets. Hopefully, the downgrade won’t affect your images that much, considering Engadget editor Chris Velazco describes Pixel 2’s camera as “fantastic.” That said, you’ll still have over three years to upload all the photos and videos you want to keep in their full glory. Google won’t retroactively compress your files after 2020, so make sure your device gets backed up regularly before 2021.

A Google spokesperson told Engadget:

“With Pixel 2 you get free, unlimited original-quality storage for photos and videos uploaded through the end of 2020, and free, unlimited high-quality storage for photos uploaded afterwards. After 2020, there is no change to the photos you took before 2020 and you will always have access to those in original quality.

This is new for this year. We know that people tend to change their phone every 2-3 years so for Pixel 2, we are offering storage in line with that.”

Via: CNET