Best portable phone chargers (October 2017)

Smartphone technology has come a long way in the past few years, but there is a lingering issue that is taking time to evolve – battery life. Sure, batteries are getting bigger and phones more resourceful, but many of us still have a problem keeping our devices alive. One solution is to charge your phone throughout the day, something that proves to be an issue when there is no outlet around. The next best solution is to buy yourself  portable charger to charge on-the-go.

With so many options around, we know it’s hard to find the best units in the market. This is why we have curated a list with our very favorite portable chargers!

Shall we get started and show you the goods?

• Best USB-C portable battery chargers
• How to extend your Android’s battery life
• Best Android phones with removable batteries

RAVPower External Power Bank 26,800 mAh

RAVPower is a trusted name when it comes to portable chargers, and this particular option offers it all. To start with, you get the massive capacity of 26,800 mAh, that is more than enough to fully recharge your smartphone multiple times. The power bank comes with three USB ports, including a USB-C port with 30W output to let you charge a MacBook and charge the Nintendo Switch while using it. Four LED indicators let you know how much charge is left on the power bank, and charging it is quite fast as well with via the USB-C input. Like every portable charger on this list, you get protection from short circuits, overcharging, and current and voltage surge.

Worth noting is that the USB-C charging isn’t compatible with every device that comes with a USB-C port like the OnePlus 5, Huawei P10, and more, so do make sure to check for compatibility before picking this charger. Another point of note is that you will have to press the power button and turn on the portable charger first before plugging in your phone in case you are using the USB-C output.

Key details:

• Capacity: 26,800 mAh
• Output: 2 x USB ports 5V/3.4A max (2.4 A per port), 1 x USB-C port 5V/3A or 9V~15V/2A or 20V/1.5A
• Dimensions: 172 x 80 x 20 mm, 372 grams
• Current price: $79.99

Buy now on Amazon

Anker PowerCore+ 20,100 mAh

Anker is one of the most popular makers of portable chargers, with a variety of options available, ranging from slim, ultra-portable ones, to those like the PowerCore+. This battery pack comes with an impressive capacity of 20,100 mAh, that should be enough to fully charge your smartphone or tablet multiple times. You get two USB ports that utilize PowerIQ technology, as well as a USB Type-C port that can be used to charge current generation smartphones, tablets, and even the new Macbook.

Worth noting is that the USB-C charging isn’t compatible with every device that comes with a USB-C port like the Google Pixel, Sony Xperia XZ, and more, so do make sure to check for compatibility before picking this charger. Another point of note is that you will have to press the power button and turn on the portable charger first before plugging in your phone in case you are using the USB-C output.

Key details:

• Capacity: 20,100 mAh
• Output: 2 x PowerIQ ports 5V/3A max (2.4 A per port), 1 x USB-C port 5V/3A
• Dimensions: 182.9 x 61 x 22.9 mm, 454 grams
• Current price: $53.99

Buy now on Amazon

Vinsic Terminator P3 20,000 mAh

The Vinsic Terminator P3 external power bank also comes with a large 20,000 mAh battery, and features three USB ports, including a USB-C port and one that supports Qualcomm QuickCharge 3.0 fast charging capabilities. There is an easy to read digital screen that shows you exactly how much charge on the power bank is left instead of having to guess from three or four LED lights. Even with all its features, this battery pack is one of the cheapest option available when compared to other portable chargers with a similar capacity and that’s why it is easily one of the best portable battery chargers you can buy.

Key details:

• Capacity: 20,000 mAh
• Output: 1 x USB port 5V/2.4 A, 1 x USB-C port 5V/3A, 1 x QC 3.0 port 5V/2.4A or 6.5V~9V/1.5A or 9V~12V/1.2A
• Dimensions: 155 x 91.4 x 20.3 mm, 422 grams
• Current price: starting at $29.95

Buy now on Amazon

EasyAcc External Power Bank 20,000 mAh

The final high capacity power bank on this list is the EasyAcc external battery pack, which features a large 20,000 mAh capacity. What makes this battery pack stand out is the fact it comes with four USB ports to charge multiple devices at the same time, with one of them supporting Qualcomm QuickCharge 3.0 fast charging capabilities. Another useful feature is that there are dual inputs available, including one with QC 3.0 support, and both can be utilized to charge the battery pack faster than other similar devices. And for those who might find it useful, the EasyAcc power bank also comes with bright flashlight. That’s a lot of features, so no wonder we consider it one of the best portable battery chargers you can buy.

Key details:

• Capacity: 20,000 mAh
• Output: 3 x USB port 5V/3.1A, 1 x QC 3.0 port 5V~9V/2A or 9V~12V/1.5A
• Dimensions: 167 x 81 x 22 mm, 410 grams
• Current price: $39.99

Buy now on Amazon

Eighty Plus power bank 10,000 mAh

Looks aren’t an important criteria when picking a power bank, but the Eighty Plus portable battery charger is definitely one of the sleeker and more stylish options out there, and hence why we consider it one of the best portable chargers on the market today. A capacity of 10,000 mAh ensures that you can charge your smartphone multiple times, and the device comes with one Quick Charge 3.0 port and a USB-C port. Included in the box is a microUSB cable and and a USB-C cable.

Key details:

• Capacity: 10,000 mAh
• Output: 1 x USB-C port 5V/3A, 1 x QC 3.0 port 5V/3A or 6.5V~9V/2A or 9V~12V/1.5A
• Dimensions: 148 x 74 x 13.5 mm, 270 grams
• Current price: $29.99

Buy now on Amazon

Anker PowerCore Slim 5,000 mAh

The Anker PowerCore Slim, as the name suggests, is a think, sleek, and ultra portable portable battery charger. The device comes with a 5,000 mAh capacity, that should be enough to fully charge or get close to a full charge with most current smartphones. The device comes with a single USB port that takes advantage of PowerIQ technology to allow for the fastest charge possible. While the PowerCore Slim may not be as feature packed as the other power banks on this list, its portability is the biggest selling point.

Key details:

• Capacity: 5,000 mAh
• Output: 1 x PowerIQ port 5V/2A
• Dimensions: 124.5 x 63.5 x 10.2 mm, 126 grams
• Current price: $29.99

Buy now on Amazon

Heloideo portable charger 5,000 mAh

The Heloideo portable charger comes with a built-in USB input cable, USB-C cable, and AC adapter, which means that you don’t have to worry about carrying around extra adapters and cables with you. For additional non USB-C devices, the device also comes with two regular USB ports. This portable charger may not offer as fast a charge or as much capacity as the others on the list, but the convenience of not needing additional cables may supersede that for some people.

Key details:

• Capacity: 5,000 mAh
• Output: 1 x built-in USB-C cable 5V/2.4A, 2 x USB ports 5V/2.4A
• Dimensions: 140 x 63.5 x 15 mm, 204 grams
• Current price: $27.99

Buy now on Amazon

OUTXE Rugged Power Bank 16,000 mAh

The OUTXE Rugged Power Bank is one that is built for the outdoors and will be an ideal companion for all the adventurers out there. The power bank comes with a large capacity of 16,000 mAh, which will let you fully charge your smartphone multiple times. The power bank comes with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, and it is also shock resistant. It also includes a solar panel that will give you some charge back in case you run out, and finally, it comes with a bright flashlight with three modes – normal, SOS, and strobe, which is great for emergencies.

Key details:

• Capacity: 16,000 mAh
• Output: 1 x USB port 5V/2A, 1 x USB port 5V/1A
• Dimensions: 166 x 82 x 20.5 mm, 356 grams
• Current price: $39.99

Buy now on Amazon

Aukey Solar Charger 16,000 mAh

If you like the idea of the OUTXE solar charger but need a little more speed charging speed from the device, the Aukey Solar Charger is the one to consider. This device also comes with a 16,000 mAh capacity, and while you do not get any of the rugged features like waterproofing and shock resistance, it comes with a faster USB-C port and a regular USB with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 support.

Key details:

• Capacity: 16,000 mAh
• Output: 1 x USB-C port 5V/3A, 1 x QC 3.0 port 5V/3A or 6.5V~9V/2A or 9V~12V/1.5A
• Dimensions: 160 x 75 x 23 mm, 360 grams
• Current price: $39.99

Buy now on Amazon

Beatit 500A Portable Jump Starter 10,800 mAh

If you are looking for a single device to address all of your emergency power needs, including being able to jump start your car, the Beatit Portable Jump Starter is the one for you.  This portable chargers will jump start a 3.0 L gas or 2.5 L diesel engine up to 20 times on a single charge. It also comes with three USB ports, including one with support for Qualcomm QuickCharge 3.0 fast charging capabilities, and a USB-C port, to keep all your devices charged on the go. Finally, there is also a flashlight with three modes – normal, SOS, and strobe. Considering all its features, this portable jump starter is rather affordable as well.

Key details:

• Capacity: 10,800 mAh
• Output: 1 x USB port 5V/2A, 1 x USB-C port 5V/3A, 1 x QC 3.0 port 5V/2A or 6.5V~9V/1.5A or 9V~12V/1A
• Current: Start current 250A, Peak current 500 A
• Dimensions: 145 x 84 x 25.4 mm, 454 grams
• Current price: $43.99

Buy now on Amazon

There you have it, guys. Those are our favorite portable chargers currently available! Now hit the comments and let us know which is your favorite. Do you have any other portable chargers you think your fellow Android fans would like?

Emporio Armani Connected smartwatch review

Research Center:
Emporio Armani Connected touchscreen smartwatch ART5002

Smartwatches need to look good, and as luxury brands enter the market, we find they end up producing some of the best-looking wearables. One of the latest is the Emporio Armani Connected, Armani’s first Android Wear 2.0 smartwatch. It’s unquestionably attractive, with a name that oozes class, style, and sophistication. In our Emporio Armani Connected review, we see if the watch is all style and no substance, and if it is, whether it really matters.

Understated and stylish

The reason you’ll buy the Emporio Armani Connected is because you like the way it looks. Smartwatches like this, and others from Diesel, Movado, and Fossil, are all technically identical. The differences are in the way the watch looks, the straps and bands, and the custom watch faces. It’s like shopping for a traditional timepiece from all these companies. You’re choosing the watch based on how it looks on your wrist, not how the tech enriches your life. Sound harsh? It’s really not. It’s the essence of how smartwatches should be.

There are five different models of the Emporio Armani Connected, each made from slightly different materials, and with different strap designs. Our review model is (in our opinion) the best looking. It’s made from black-plated stainless steel, and the strap has a mixture of polished and matte links. Look closely at the crown and you’ll spot the Emporio Armani logo. It’s flanked by two secondary buttons to control the Android Wear operating system.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

The Emporio Armani Connected is stealthy, smart, and surprisingly thin. Like the Diesel On Full Guard smartwatch, this is a new generation of Android Wear wearables, with a slimmer body that doesn’t sit so boldly on the wrist. It’s easier to wear with shirts, and looks more like a traditional analog watch, rather than a bulky piece of tech. Our review model has a metal link strap, which did painfully catch wrist hair sometimes. Adjusting the size of the band can be done yourself with the right tools, or taken to a jeweller.

If you don’t like the stealth black, there is a silver stainless steel version, a silver stainless steel and gold model, as well as two with leather straps and either a steel or gold body. The straps are also quick-release, so it’s easy to change the look, with Emporio Armani selling its own reasonably priced bands too. We rather like the rubber strap listed here.

The Emporio Armani Connected is stealthy, smart, and surprisingly thin.

The beauty of a smartwatch is you can change the watch face at a moment’s notice. Armani has included several branded watch faces, which are highly customizable. Everything from the color of the hands, the background, the complications, and the digits can be switched to suit your own tastes. It’s easy to do, making it realistic to change the style to match what you’re wearing daily. That’s before you try out the hundreds of third-party watch faces available through Google Play. This is where Android Wear wins over the Apple Watch — you’re not restricted to a few official watch faces.

The AMOLED screen isn’t too small: It’s bright, clear, and the always-on display — where a simple watch face is displayed to save battery — is legible even in sunlight.

This isn’t a cheap watch, and it doesn’t feel like one. It’s understated, stylish, very well made, and light enough to wear every day. Its presentation is superb, right down to the cool travel case it comes in. Judged purely by design, it’s worth the investment; but what happens when we look closer?

Android Wear 2.0

Android Wear is the wearable operating system from Google, and this year the company introduced version 2.0, which introduced many new and important features to the platform — from the Google Play Store and access to the Google Assistant, to a simplified design. Nearly all Android Wear 2.0 watches will feature the same software — the user interface isn’t different on each watch unlike Android phones. Manufacturers can, however, create micro apps that personalize the watch closer to the brand.

Diesel has a micro app that acts like a special interactive home screen, and Michael Kors offers an Instagram-focused My Social app. The Emporio Armani Connected foregoes all that and sticks to the bare minimum — what you see is what you get.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Android Wear 2.0 includes Google Assistant, which is called up by long pressing the crown. The Assistant uses voice control, meaning you have to get over any fears of talking to your watch in public. Like Assistant on your Android or iOS device, it’s effective and understands a growing number of natural, conversational phrases. The microphone doesn’t need to be right next to your mouth to pick up voices, but still struggles with noisy environments. Android Wear’s keyboard still frustrates because it’s a bit small, but at least you can swipe across it with your finger, or scribble letters to form a phrase. There’s also Smart Replies, which uses on-device machine learning to offer up short, contextually-relevant phrases you can quickly use in a conversation.

Notifications are still a lengthy list without much categorization, but it’s better than it used to be in Android Wear 1.0. The Google Play Store is accessible in version 2.0, and there’s a reasonable amount of apps available for your smartwatch. It’s easy to use on the watch so it you are looking for an app, it’s not a nightmare, but it’s still just a long list of mediocre apps to scroll through. Android Wear (and wearables in general) work best with notifications, calendar access, navigation, and increasingly, music. Load music onto the watch, connect a pair of Bluetooth headphones, and you’ve got a convenient music player that’s ideal for workouts. The Google Play Music app is well designed, with large, easy-to-tap buttons.

While controlling Android Wear is primarily done with the touchscreen, you can scroll through menus, messages, and lists by twisting the Connected’s crown. This is similar to the rotating crown on the LG Watch Sport and the Apple Watch. It’s very sensitive, so a gentle touch is required if you don’t want to go zipping through any menus at an incredible pace.

What doesn’t the Connected have?

This isn’t a wearable for the tech-lover; it’s a smartwatch for the fashion-lover.

This isn’t a wearable for the tech-lover; it’s a smartwatch for the fashion-lover. It has no special features at all. It doesn’t have a heart rate sensor, so it’s not one for fitness fanatics; no GPS; and it doesn’t have an eSIM to enable voice calls and messages when untethered from your phone. It’s not modular like the latest Tag Heuer, and there isn’t a flashier model with a sapphire screen and more luxurious materials available, like the Apple Watch.

It doesn’t have especially long battery life either, even without energy draining features like a heart rate monitor. If you turn the watch off each night, then you’ll just about get two working days from it. If you forget, then it won’t last through the second day. Charging takes an hour or so, and is performed by magnetically attaching the watch to a small charging tab. It’s small and easy to carry around, but not exactly luxurious. It’s also the same as you get with most other fashion smartwatches developed by the Fossil group. The final feature it doesn’t have is NFC, so the watch doesn’t have Android Pay.

Not as fast as an Apple Watch Series 3

A Snapdragon Wear 2100 with 512MB of RAM powers the Connected, which has become the standard for most Android Wear 2.0 watches released over the past year. It’s not slow, but it’s hardly a rocket ship either, and there are pauses while apps or features load up. However, if all you’ve used is Android Wear 1.0, then it’ll feel like traveling in hyperspace by comparison. What it’s not is an Apple Watch Series 3, which is considerably faster, smoother, and more responsive.

Emporio Armani Connected touchscreen smartwatch ART5002 Compared To

Apple Watch Series 3

Motorola Moto 360 (2015)

LG Watch Sport

Huawei Watch 2 Sport

Huawei Fit

Samsung Gear S2

Apple Watch Series 2

Vector Luna

Martian Passport MP100WSB

Garmin fenix 2

Meta M1 Watch

LG G Watch R

Wellograph

Martian Notifier Watch

Phosphor Touch Time

Android Wear is designed to work with Google’s Android mobile OS, and it connected to various smartphones without a problem. If you own an Apple iPhone, an Android Wear app is also available to download through the App Store, ready to link any Android Wear smartwatch to your phone. We had no trouble pairing the two, but there are fewer features available when the watch is used with an iPhone. For one thing, you’ll have to keep the Android Wear app running in the background on iOS.

Price, warranty, and availability

This is an Armani watch, and as we have already mentioned, it’s not cheap. The basic stainless steel model with a leather strap is $345, while the metal band models are $395. Additional straps from Armani range between $25 and $35. Our recommendation is to grab the stainless steel model in silver as a gift set. It costs $395, and comes with a black leather strap too. The straps have quick release fittings, so it can be swapped in moments. The Connected can be purchased through armani.com.

The company offers a two-year warranty, where it will replace your unit if there are any manufacturing defects.

Our Take

Just like anything with the name Armani attached to it, wearing the Emporio Armani Connected smartwatch is about the way it makes you feel, and not what it actually does. Having a “bare essentials” feature list means the tech-smarts don’t overshadow the sophisticated style.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes. If you have an iPhone, the Apple Watch Series 3 is better. If you own an Android phone, we need to clarify the meaning of better. If you want more features, the $300 Huawei Watch 2 and $350 LG Watch Sport both do more; but they don’t look as good. A better look comes down to personal preference. The $325 Diesel On Full Guard, the $350 Michael Kors Access Grayson and Sofie, and the $595 Movado Connect all have different looks. Not better necessarily, but maybe more to your individual taste.

We also like the $295 Emporio Armani hybrid smartwatch, confusingly also referred to as the EA Connected. It doesn’t run Android Wear or have a touchscreen; but the style is fantastic, and it performs simple features like delivering notifications without any fuss. It’s also cheaper, and doesn’t require charging.

How long will it last?

There are two aspects of the Emporio Armani Connected that affect its lifetime: The battery and the software. The battery will inevitably lose its ability to hold a charge, but that shouldn’t happen for at least two years, and by that time, Google and Armani may stop sending the watch software updates. However, the watch will continue to work beyond this time. No specific water resistance level is given, so we’d suggest not showering with it on.

Should you buy it?

Yes, there’s no reason not to if you like the look, and are partial to the Emporio Armani brand. We continue to wear the watch even though the review is complete, which says a lot about its attractiveness and comfort. It does everything we want from a smartwatch, without overloading with rarely used, energy-sucking features. It provides designer cool without the high prices attached to the slick, minimalist Movado Connect, or other big-name smartwatches from Montblanc and Tag Heuer.

Samsung’s CEO is resigning after 32 years with the company due to ‘unprecedented crisis’

Samsung Electronics’ CEO Kwon Oh-hyun will be resigning in March 2018, and a replacement for his position has yet to be announced.

Samsung is one of the most recognized electronics companies in the world, and in the Android space, it’s Galaxy S and Note series are two of the most popular on the entire market. Samsung’s sales for 2017 has been consistently strong, but despite this, big changes are happening under the surface. Most recently, Samsung’s CEO, Kwon Oh-hyun, has announced that he’s resigning from his position at the company.

Along with his role as Samsung Electronics’ CEO, Kwon Oh-hyun also serves as the CEO and board member for Samsung Display. He’s set to resign from all of his roles in March of 2018, and part of his resignation letter reads as follows:

It is something I had been thinking long and hard about for quite some time. It has not been an easy decision, but I feel I can no longer put it off. As we are confronted with unprecedented crisis inside out, I believe that time has now come for the company start anew, with a new spirit and young leadership to better respond to challenges arising from the rapidly changing IT industry”

Notice Oh-hyun’s mention of the “unprecedented crisis.” Although he doesn’t disclose exactly what this crisis is in his resignation letter, it’s safe to say that this is in reference to Lee Jae-yong prison sentencing earlier this year. Lee Jae-yong was an heir to Samsung, and he was faced with a prison sentence of five years this past August for totaling bribes of $6.4 million USD with four other executives within the company.

It wasn’t clear at the time as to how this would impact Samsung going forward, but Kwon Oh-hyun’s resignation seems to be the first sign of its ripple effect.

In another part of his letter, Oh-hyun continues by saying:

There are no words to describe how proud I am that we built together one of the most valuable companies in the world. We have come a long way to create a company that truly changes how people live, work and communicate with each other. But now the company needs a new leader more than ever and it is time for me to move to the next chapter of my life

Kwon Oh-hyun first started working at Samsung back in 1985, and 27 years later, was appointed to CEO in 2012. Samsung has yet to announce who will be replacing Oh-hyun, and it’ll be interesting to see how his departure has an impact on the company. Samsung managed to recover remarkably well following the Galaxy Note 7 debacle, and Oh-hyun undoubtedly played a big role in that entire event. Whether or not this is a good move for Samsung is something we’ll have to wait for and see for ourselves.

Samsung heir sentenced to 5 years in prison for bribery

Tom DeLonge needs your help funding his next UFO obsession

Former Blink-182 singer and guitarist Tom DeLonge is taking his fascination with/conspiracy theories about UFOs to their logical conclusion point: He’s partnering with former government officials on a public benefit corporation studying “exotic technologies” from Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP) that the consortium says can “revolutionize the human experience.”

To The Stars Academy says it strives to be a powerful vehicle for change and that its members will have the “freedom to explore exotic science and technologies with the infrastructure and resources to rapidly transition them to products that can change the world.” Phew. The Academy will focus on three pillars: science, aerospace and entertainment.

For science, DeLonge and Co. want to study consciousness, brain-computer interfaces, UAPs and telepathy. That’s in addition to a proposed human ultra-experience database that they hope will collect “supranormal experienced, with the goal of creating proprietary algorithms to find detailed patterns and correlate them with other academic research.” Sure.

As far as the other pillars go, To the Stars wants to further develop the tech needed to launch small satellites into orbit using ground-based lasers. Entertainment includes plans to develop a feature film, further expand Delonge’s Sekret Machines novel and move into animation and short films.

To The Stars is raising money via crowdfunding and currently has pulled in $265,605 from 535 investors.

“The public interest in the outer edges of science and the understanding of phenomena has always been suffocated by mainstream ideology and bureaucratic constraint,” the pitch page says. “We believe there are transformative discoveries within our reach that will revolutionize the human experience, but they can only be accomplished through the unrestricted support of breakthrough research, discovery and innovation.”

Sounds pretty normal right? Buckle up.

“The team members all share a common thread of frustration and determination to disrupt the status quo, wanting to use their expertise and credibility to bring transformative science and engineering out of the shadows and collaborate with global citizens to apply that knowledge in a way that benefits humanity. Without the restrictions of government priorities.”

The bold text and italics are exactly how they appear on the fundraising page. The idea of unchecked science is a bit concerning. After all, we have BioShock to look to for evidence of how poorly that can go. I guess this is growing up?

Via: Rolling Stone

Source: To The Stars Academy

Epic giant robot battle scheduled for October 17th

Are you ready for the world’s first giant robot fight? (If your answer to that was “No,” who even are you?) We’ve been waiting for a date for the MegaBots vs. Suidobashi duel, and now it’s finally here. The fight will take place on October 17th, 2016 at 10:00 PM ET. It will be streamed worldwide on Twitch. If you miss the live stream, you can catch it on YouTube and Facebook immediately after the event concludes.

This giant robot battle has been in the works for almost two years and was originally supposed to take place in August. The 16-foot-tall, 12-ton MegaBots Eagle Prime robot was built a team of American engineers, while Kuratas, a 13-footer that weighs 6.5 tons, was built by the Japanese company Suidobashi Heavy Industries. And now they will do battle for our enjoyment; the question is, who will reign supreme?

Source: MegaBotsInc (Twitch)

‘Fortnite’ studio Epic Games sues two alleged cheaters

Earlier this week, Fortnite publisher Epic Games filed a civil suit against two people who were allegedly cheating while playing the game online. They were associated with subscription-based website Addicted Cheats and used its services to hunt down and kill Twitch streamers while they played live, according to Kotaku.

The Addicted Cheats site rents out botting services that help players find and aim at targets. To create those cheats, Epic Games alleged in the civil complaint, the individuals must have had to dive into and modify Fortnite’s source code. Altering it to get an edge in online competition violates the game’s End User License Agreement and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, the studio claimed.

Dealing with cheaters is a complex tightrope for game publishers. Last year, Ubisoft ramped up their bans for players using code hacks to get an edge in The Division, though the studio opted for permanent bans of first-time Rainbow Six: Siege cheaters. Studios are starting to take aim at the hack creators themselves as GTA V’s publisher Take Two did by sending DMCA notices to a site hosting a popular mod that allowed players to tinker with the online game’s code.

But in this instance, Epic isn’t suing the site to get it off the internet — it’s suing two individuals (complaints here and here provided by Polygon) for copyright infringement, which can carry a penalty of up to $150,000 each. Since the two defendants supply technical support for AddictedCheats.com, perhaps Epic Games is making a particular example of them as an identifiable party that can be painted as responsible for cheating.

According to Epic’s complaint, one defendant had been banned from Fornite nine times, only for him to allegedly register new accounts to continue playing. He was also accused specifically of using Addicted Cheats’ tools to hunting down popular players while they were livestreaming to kill them.

This practice, called ‘stream-sniping,’ is strictly forbidden in the code of conduct for PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, which Epic Games directly cited as inspiration for its very similar Fortnite spin-off Fortnite: Battle Royale. The latter studio forbids cheating — “programs or other processes which may give players an unfair competitive advantage ” — in its EULA, but doesn’t mention stream-sniping. Regardless of the specific criteria Epic feels the two defendants meet to be liable for a lawsuit, it’s definitely intended to scare off potential creators of other hacks.

“When cheaters use aimbots or other cheat technologies to gain an unfair advantage, they ruin games for people who are playing fairly. We take cheating seriously, and we’ll pursue all available options to make sure our games are fun, fair, and competitive for players,” an Epic Games spokseperson told Kotaku.

The Addicted Cheats site has taken this particular Fortnite cheat offline, stating it is “closed for a legal issue.”

Source: Kotaku

Kuo: All iPhone Models in 2018 Likely to Abandon Fingerprint Recognition

All of the iPhones Apple plans to produce in 2018 are likely to abandon the Touch ID fingerprint sensor in favor of facial recognition, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo told investors in a note sent out this evening.

According to Kuo, Apple will embrace Face ID as its authentication method for a competitive advantage over Android smartphones. Kuo has previously said that it could take years for Android smartphone manufacturers to produce technology that can match the TrueDepth camera and the Face ID feature coming in the iPhone X.

We predict all new 2H18F iPhone models will likely abandon fingerprint recognition. We believe this change will allow all new models to realize a competitive advantage via differentiation, on the back of an integrated user experience of full-screen design and TrueDepth Camera/ Facial recognition/ Face ID/ AR applications.

Face ID, says Kuo, will continue to be a major selling point of the new iPhone models in 2018, with Apple planning to capitalize on its lead in 3D sensing design and production.

Kuo’s prediction suggests that all upcoming 2018 iPhones will feature a full-screen design with minimal bezels like the iPhone X, meaning no additional models with the iPhone 8/iPhone 8 Plus design would be produced.

That would spell the end of the line for Touch ID in the iPhone, which has been available as a biometric authentication option since 2013. It’s not clear what that means for the Mac and the iPad, but Kuo has said he expects next year’s iPad Pro models to transition to Face ID.

Should Apple decide to abandon Touch ID, it also means development would potentially end on a rumored under-display Touch ID solution.

Back in September, Kuo predicted 2018 iPhones would fully adopt the TrueDepth camera and facial recognition if Face ID was “well received” by customers, but further research conducted by KGI Securities has led him to believe it will indeed be successful, leading to today’s more definitive prediction.

Kuo believes that Apple’s transition away from Touch ID will also turn Android smartphone manufacturers away from fingerprint recognition. As he said in an earlier note, he expects high-end Android smartphones to “ditch” under-display optical fingerprint recognition in favor of 3D sensing techniques.

Despite Kuo’s prediction, Apple software engineering chief Craig Federighi recently hinted that Apple may not be ready to abandon Touch ID across all its products just yet. While he said Face ID is the future of biometric authentication, he also noted that there are settings where different biometric techniques or combinations of biometrics could make sense.

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California’s ‘Jobs of the Future Fund’ wants to tax workplace robots

Why it matters to you

Robots are eating our jobs. This Californian grassroots initiative proposes one possible answer.

Whether it’s immigration, health care, taxes or the environment, there are plenty of topics which drive voters. One that is not quite as much of a hot-button topic as it maybe should be? The impact of automation on employment. As we have covered here on multiple occasions, artificial intelligence and robotics is likely to have a massive impact on jobs, long before we need to start worrying about things like superintelligence and the technological singularity. With that in mind, a San Francisco official is actively pushing for a “robot tax,” and a more thorough examination of what the rise of the robots is likely to mean for us.

What San Francisco supervisor Jane Kim has created is a statewide grassroots coalition called the “Jobs of the Future Fund,” which sets out to create a communal fund that will help ease the transition as robots take on more and more of our jobs. To do this, it proposes that employers who replace humans with robots or algorithms should continue to pay payroll taxes to fund training, education and new opportunities for humans. In this way, workers can benefit from the automation revolution, rather than just those at the very top.

“Many experts predict that millions of American jobs are at high risk of being replaced through automation; some studies found as much as 47 percent,” Julie Edwards, a spokesperson for Kim, told Digital Trends. “We need to start thinking now about how we can smooth this transition to ensure these workers have the training and education they need to continue to access good-paying, middle-class jobs.”

The original idea for the Jobs of the Future Fund was based on a concept first mentioned by former Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates earlier this year, which Kim has picked up and run with. It’s more of a conversation starter than anything, but it’s definitely helping raise awareness of an important issue.

“The changes that automation could bring to our workplaces potentially rival the job losses of the Great Depression,” Edwards said. “This could be the biggest economic challenge our generation will face and it’s critical we build the support among the public, political leaders and employers to get ready for that challenge now.”

If you live in California and want to get involved, you can head over to http://www.jobsofthefuturefund.com and sign up. If you live elsewhere, maybe visit the site and then start hounding your own politicians for something similar!

T-Mobile getting rid of unlimited LTE roaming in Mexico and Canada on November 12

LTE roaming in Mexico and Canada is being downgraded to 5GB/month, and the change takes effect on November 12.

In the summer of 2015, T-Mobile announced its “Mobile without Borders” Un-carrier movement – a program that introduced unlimited calling, texting, and LTE data to Mexico and Canada for subscribers in the U.S. Mobile without Borders isn’t going anywhere, but T-Mobile is making a pretty big change to it that does cut back on its value considerably.

On November 12, T-Mobile will be adjusting the initial Mobile without Borders offer so that customers will only have access to 5GB of LTE data when traveling abroad in Mexico or Canada. Once that 5GB limit is hit, speeds will be throttled down to 128kbps (or 256kbps if you have T-Mobile ONE Plus). This change not only affects T-Mobile ONE customers, but those locked into an older Simple Choice plan as well.

So, what’s the reason for the change? According to T-Mobile, less than one-percent of its customers with Mobile without Borders actually travel to Mexico or Canada and use over 5GB of data while visiting.

The change from unlimited LTE in Mexico and Canada to 5GB/month is not a fun one.

The 5GB data allotment for Mexico and Canada is replenished with every billing cycle. For example, if you use 2GB of LTE data in Mexico or Canada during March, you’ll have 3GB remaining. However, when you get billed again, it’ll go back up to 5GB.

T-Mobile provides usage breakdowns on its website so you can see exactly how this new setup will affect you if you do travel out of the country and use LTE while abroad, and if you’re part of that one-percent that uses more than 5GB of data while visiting Mexico or Canada, you can purchase T-Mobile’s ONE Plus International add-on for $25 extra per line per month to keep your unlimited LTE when in these two countries.

We could see a T-Mobile and Sprint merger by the end of October

Google Store honors trade-in quotes 30 days after you get your new phone

Google is updating its trade-in policy so that customers now have 30 days from the date their new Pixel is delivered to return their old device for the quoted price they were originally given.

Late last month, Google introduced a trade-in program on the Google Store. Buying a new Pixel or Pixel 2 gives you the option to trade in your old phone to help offset the cost of your purchase, and with Google offering as much as $410 for a Pixel XL, it’s one of the better programs of its kind.

However, shortly after its launch, some confusion surrounding the eligibility of the quoted trade-in prices arose. Earlier this week, Droid Life spotted some conflicting information from Google. Some customers reported that Google representatives told them they had a 30-day window after the quote was offered to trade-in their old phone, but the Made by Google Twitter account was saying that customers actually had 50 days to do this.

This is a small change, but one that will be greatly appreciated by those with Pixel 2 orders not expected to ship until next month.

In other words, it was believed that you had 50 (or 30) days after getting the quote with your new phone purchase to send in your old device. That may not sound like a big deal at first, but with many Pixel 2 preorders not expected to ship out until some point in November, a lot of people started to get worried.

Thankfully, Google has updated its policy to eliminate a lot of potential stress.

Once your new phone is delivered, you’ll have 30 days from that date to return your old phone to get the quote that Google offered when you initially made that purchase. This isn’t the biggest change in the world, but it’s a smart one that Google was right to make. Well done.

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

• Pixel 2 FAQ: Everything you need to know!
• Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL hands-on preview
• Google Pixel 2 specs
• Google Pixel 2 vs. Pixel 2 XL: What’s the difference?
• Join our Pixel 2 forums

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