UE’s Blast and Megablast join the Alexa smart speaker family

These days, the launch of yet more speakers with Alexa onboard isn’t the most exciting announcement. However, these aren’t stout smart home speakers or a mere software update, but an entirely new line for Ultimate Ears — a long-standing favorite for its speakers’ audio output and resilience. Today, the company introduces the Blast and Megablast, the network-capable and Alexa-enabled siblings of UE’s Boom 2 and Megaboom. This new line was built explicitly for the Amazon Alexa ecosystem of apps and features, and along with the Power Up charging base, offers always-on functionality to cater to your verbal demands. Unlike many other options though, this one also includes an on-board battery for portability.

Fans of the Boom 2 and Megaboom don’t have to worry, as those products will continue to exist (along with the tiny Wonderboom), but the new models eschew some Bluetooth features in exchange for a focus on WiFi connectivity.

The main difference (aside from Alexa) is that the Blast and Megablast will only work on their own or in tandem over a WiFi network. Without that connection, they operate as a regular Bluetooth speaker with devices like a phone or tablet as the musical source. There are no more Bluetooth-based Double Up or Party Up features here and the 3.5mm jack has departed as well.

To offset this, while also improving on a successful formula, UE has boosted the max output of the Megablast to 93 decibels, which calculates to a 40 percent increase in loudness over the already beefy Megaboom. We haven’t had a chance to compare the two, but it seems like more than enough considering how good the OG already sounds.

Both the Blast and Megablast are slightly larger than the Boom 2 and Megaboom versions, most notably in height and weight. With Alexa onboard, you may end up using them as home-based units more than on-the-go sound though. The Power Up is a wireless charging dock, so it’s incredibly easy to move them from room to room or grab for the road — switching over to Bluetooth, of course.

These new models are about half an inch taller than their counterparts, and the Megablast jumps up considerably in weight, gaining nearly a pound. That weight accommodates added microphones and a reworked driver/passive radiator setup, helping to pump out its stated volume boost.

The maximum battery life on both has dropped a bit compared to the Bluetooth-only Boom series, with up to 12 hours on the Blast and 16 for the Megablast, but I’m guessing these devices will mostly live in the home. Plus, depending on how loud you play music, those ratings are actually pretty accurate. Playing at full volume though always knocks the numbers down to a few hours in my experience — with the larger of the two showing significantly more stamina than you’d think.

On the Alexa interface side, people in the US, UK, Germany and Austria get hands-free access to music services including Amazon Music, iHeartRadio and TuneIn, with Pandora and Deezer lined up for future inclusion. You also get access to other Alexa services such as news reports, weather, audiobooks, voice control of compatible IoT devices, general inquiries and more than 25,000 skills.

The speaker setup is controlled through a new UE app tailored specifically for the Blast and Megablast, helping to get you onto your WiFi network and link your Amazon account for those Alexa services.

Ultimate Ears’ Blast and Megablast are also on a fast track to getting smarter over time with regular feature updates. Since they’re WiFi-capable, this can happen automatically when on your network. Another benefit of combining Alexa with an Ultimate Ears product is that you get those services on a high-quality audio device in a portable package, which can be moved wirelessly throughout the home and double as your Bluetooth boombox when on the road.

Pre-orders start today at the Ultimate Ears website and participating retailers for the Blast ($230/£200), Megablast ($300/£270) and Power Up ($40/£35) with items shipping soon and hitting the shelves by the end of October. Bundles including a Power Up will be available from T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon for the Blast ($260) and Megablast ($330). For US customers, the speakers are available in Graphite (Black), Blizzard (White), Merlot (Red) and Blue Steel (Blue). Customers buying before January 13th, 2018, will also get a free three-month subscription to Amazon Music Unlimited.

NFL’s new digital ticket system tries to cut out scalpers

While there has been a fair amount of technical progress in concert and show tickets, sports tickets haven’t quite made that leap yet: they’re still either partly analog (read: old-school paper) or tend to be limited to a narrow group of sellers. NFL and Ticketmaster are hoping to fix that. They’re extending their partnership to create what they say is the first open, all-digital ticketing system for sports. It’ll both modernize the ticket process with less chance of fraud or other security woes, but will validate tickets at other sites. You can go through a third party knowing their tickets are the real deal and aren’t coming from scalpers.

This will still allow for ticket trades, and season ticket holders can resell directly through the account manager.

This isn’t mandatory; Ticketmaster will be the “preferred” primary ticket partner when the pact kicks in during the 2018-2019 season. However, it’s likely that teams and stadiums will push this. It could cut back on scams and scalpers, but it also makes ticket purchases relatively easy to track. The league will have a sense of who’s attending, where tickets are being traded and otherwise get a better feel for who their audience is. You could see the NFL change its marketing strategy to better target those most likely to buy.

Source: NFL Communications

Ultimate Ears Debuts ‘BLAST’ and ‘MEGA BLAST’ Speakers With Alexa Support and Charging Dock

Ultimate Ears, a company known for its line of rugged, colorful speakers with high-quality audio, today announced two new additions to its product lineup: the BLAST and the MEGABLAST. BLAST and MEGABLAST are Ultimate Ears’ first Wi-Fi connected speakers.

Designed as successors to the UE Boom 2 and UE Megaboom 2, the BLAST and MEGABLAST feature the same cylindrical body shape, bold design, and vivid colors as their predecessors, but Ultimate Ears has tweaked the look of the two devices, introducing less rounded edges for a sleeker form factor and a more streamlined color scheme.

With the cylindrical design, the BLAST and MEGABLAST continue to offer 360-degree sound, and with the addition of Amazon Alexa support, the two speakers can be controlled hands-free with voice commands. Through Alexa, BLAST and MEGABLAST can play music from Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and TuneIn, with support for Pandora and Deezer coming in the near future.

Wi-Fi support in the two speakers means music can continue to play even when your iPhone is in use, and through Alexa, the music can be controlled by anyone, making BLAST and MEGABLAST ideal for parties.

Alexa integration is available in the United States, the UK, Germany, and Austria, and with a BLAST or MEGABLAST purchase, Amazon is offering a three-month subscription to Amazon Music Unlimited. Playing from Apple Music will continue to require a Bluetooth connection to an iPhone.

MEGABLAST has been engineered to be Ultimate Ears’ loudest and best sounding speaker yet. It features two 25mm tweeters, two custom 35mm active drivers, and two passive radiators for a maximum output of 93 dBC, which is 40 percent louder than the Megaboom. According to Ultimate Ears, the MEGABLAST features a more powerful mid-range, deeper bass, and clearer vocals and instruments.

BLAST features two 35mm active drivers and two passive radiators with a maximum sound level of 90 dBC.

Both BLAST and MEGABLAST are IP-67 water and dust resistant, drop proof (up to 5 feet) and offer all-day battery life. BLAST will last for 12 hours before needing to be recharged, while MEGABLAST boasts a 16 hour battery life.

Along with BLAST and MEGABLAST, Ultimate Ears is introducing the POWER UP, a sleek white charging dock that’s designed to inductively charge BLAST and MEGABLAST. POWER UP is a standalone accessory, but will be sold alongside the two speakers in packages from some retailers.

In the United States, BLAST and MEGABLAST will be available in Graphite (black), Blizzard (white), Merlot (red) and Blue Steel (blue). BLAST is priced at $230, while MEGABLAST is priced at $300. The POWER UP dock is priced at $40. All three products will be available for purchase from Ultimate Ears starting in late October.

Tags: Ultimate Ears, Alexa
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Google Doodle honors the first modern recording studio

Google is celebrating the 66th anniversary of what’s considered the first modern recording studio with a Doodle. Back in 1951, a group of composers founded the Studio for Electronic Music as part of the West German Broadcasting radio. It was ran by and hosted a multitude of forward-thinking musicians at the time, including Karlheinz Stockhausen, an electronic music pioneer and one of the most important composers of the 20th-21st centuries.

[Karlheinz Stockhausen in the studio, Image credit: Wikimedia Commons]

In addition, the studio also gave rise to a number of experimental instruments: Two of them, the Monochord and the Melochord, are considered precursors to the synthesizer. To pay tribute to the studio’s colorful history, Google has switched its usual logo with an image meant to encapsulate the vibrancy of the electronic music genre.

Google said in its announcement post:

“Until the year 2000, the original studio continued to push the boundaries of electronic music and develop new sounds and ideas. Today’s Doodle, by Berlin-based illustrator Henning Wagenbreth, celebrates the diversity of thought and imagination that built this studio and transformed the possibilities of music!”

Source: Google Doodles

Samsung’s phone-as-desktop concept now runs Linux

Samsung’s DeX is a clever way to turn your phone into a desktop computer. However, there’s one overriding problem: you probably don’t have a good reason to use it instead of a PC. And Samsung is trying to fix that. It’s unveiling Linux on Galaxy, an app-based offering that (surprise) lets you run Linux distributions on your phone. Ostensibly, it’s aimed at developers who want to bring their work environment with them wherever they go. You could dock at a remote office knowing that your setup will be the same as usual.

It’s not quite the same as your typical Ubuntu or Debian install. Linux on Galaxy launches through an app, and it’s using the same kernel as Android itself in order to maintain performance. And it almost goes without saying that you’ll really want a DeX setup, since most Linux apps are expecting a large screen, mouse and keyboard.

As it stands, you’ll have to be patient. Linux on Galaxy isn’t available right now — you can sign up for alerts, but it’s not ready for public consumption. Even so, this is good evidence that Samsung thinks of DeX as considerably more than a novelty feature. It may be a long, long while (if ever) before many people are using their phones as desktops, but Samsung is willing to gradually build up its ecosystem and eventually give you an incentive to take a second look.

Source: Samsung, Linux on Galaxy

Nissan’s Rogue is its first US car with semi-autonomous driving

You won’t have to wait long to try Nissan’s semi-autonomous ProPilot Assist on American streets. The automotive giant has announced that the 2018 Rogue crossover will be the first car in the US to have the feature as an option. Not surprisingly, it won’t come standard. While the Rogue starts at $24,680, you’ll need to spend about $35,000 for a Rogue SL with the Platinum Package to get that robotic assistance. In classic car maker fashion, you’ll have to spend on extras you probably don’t care for (like leather seats and large wheels) just to get the one option you do.

Again, ProPilot Assist isn’t as slick as Tesla’s Autopilot. It won’t roll out to meet you in the driveway, or change lanes just by flicking a signal stalk. It’s focused on single-lane highway driving: it’ll keep you in your lane, adapt your speed to traffic and warn you about vehicles in your blind spots. This is more about relaxing a bit on lengthy trips than having the car drive itself. You won’t get multi-lane highway driving until 2 years from now, and city support until 4 years from now.

All the same, this is important as one of the first semi-autonomous driving experiences that many American drivers will see. Tesla still caters to a relatively niche audience of upscale EV fans, but Nissan is thoroughly planted in the mainstream — the Rogue is one of the most popular cars in the US, full stop. Even if only a fraction of buyers spring for the high-end trim level, that’s a lot of drivers who can relinquish at least a little control on their highway journeys.

Via: Autoblog

Source: Nissan

Lightroom CC vs. Lightroom Classic CC: For photographers, what’s the difference?

Adobe Lightroom is no longer one program — photographers can now choose between the mobile-focused Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic CC, a split announced on October 18. But what’s the difference between Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic CC? Lightroom CC was redesigned to maintain consistent features across mobile and desktop platforms, and to create a seamless workflow regardless of the device you’re using — what Adobe defines as mobile or cloud-based editing. Lightroom Classic CC maintains all of the photo-editing power meant for desktop systems — like the Lightroom that existing users have known.

While both share common features, there are a handful of tools that don’t cross over between programs. Here’s what photographers need to know about Lightroom CC vs. Lightroom Classic.

Lightroom Classic

Lightroom CC

Apply preset on import, add metadata
X

Smart collections
X

Search

X
Organization
X
X
Slideshow
X

Prints and photobooks
X

Geotagging map
X

Learn tool

X
Presets
X
X
Exposure control
X
X (Excludes Tone Curve)
Color control
X
X (Excludes HSL and Split Tones)
Sharpness and noise reduction
X
X
Local brushes
X
X
Gradient and radial filters
X
X
HDR merge
X

Panorama stitching
X

Backup original files

X
Mobile app

X
Export with watermark or custom size
X
X
Price
$9.99/month with Photoshop
$9.99/month with 1 TB storage or $19.99/month with storage and Photoshop

Importing photos

Lightroom Classic’s import options aren’t changing with the latest version. The import window includes options to add to collections, adjust metadata, add keywords, change the destination, and even apply presets while importing.

Lightroom CC, on the other hand, has just the option for adding to an album. This creates a simplified screen that’s easier for beginners to get started with, but skips out on time-saving options like adding a preset to all photos on import.

Winner: Lightroom Classic

Organizing photos

Lightroom Classic organizes photos into collections and collection sets, and includes an option to navigate using the folders on the desktop. “Smart Collections” lets users create groups of photos instantly by setting parameters, such as selecting photos taken with a specific lens or images with a specific rating.

Lightroom CC switches to an album nomenclature, but albums work similarly to collections. Folders can be used to organize albums. Images are also automatically sorted by date and are accessible that way as well, without any extra steps to set up the dated albums.

Lightroom Classic has Smart Collections to create custom automatic collections that Lightroom CC doesn’t have. But Lightroom CC uses artificial intelligence (Adobe Sensei) to search through your photos, a feature Classic doesn’t have. Using object-recognition technology, Lightroom CC can search for objects and popular landmarks, which means even if you don’t organize your photos, you’ll probably still be able to find that photo you are looking for.

Both versions include the tools to rate and flag individual photos. Lightroom CC will even choose your best photos, but the feature isn’t yet built into the application. Users have to use the online version of Lightroom CC for the Best Photos tool, which chooses the best photos using Adobe Sensei.

Winner: Lightroom CC

Lightroom CC

Pros

• Easier to learn for beginners, with simpler organization and built-in learning tools
• Intelligent Search tool
• Earlier presets are still compatible
• Automatically save original files and edits to the cloud

Cons

• Fewer import options
• Fewer export options, including the absence of the watermark feature
• No tone curve
• No HSL panel or split toning

User interface

Despite a new name and a few new features, Lightroom Classic is the same program photographers have been using for more than a decade. Users familiar with the previous version of Lightroom won’t have to relearn controls in Lightroom Classic.

Lightroom Classic is organized into different modules, each organizing all the options for that particular task. While the Develop and Library modules are the most used panels, Lightroom Classic also has options for building a slideshow, printing a photo book, viewing geotagged photos on a map, making prints, and creating a web gallery. You won’t find those features in Lightroom CC.

In creating Lightroom CC, Adobe asked a few questions about why the options were located where they were and couldn’t come up with a good answer as to why the exposure sliders were located in between options for white balance and saturation. In Lightroom CC, the Develop side panel is entirely redesigned and organized by the type of adjustment.

For example, adjusting exposure, contrast, and highlights and shadows are all under the Light section, while white balance, vibration, and saturation falls under the Color panel. The organization scheme will be easier for beginners to learn since everything is grouped together, but those familiar with earlier versions of Lightroom may have to do some hunting at first.

Lightroom CC also has new hover-over icons that explain each feature. If you’re not sure what temperature is in photography, leave your mouse over the name and a pop-up icon will not only explain what temperature is but animate a sample photo as the slider moves to show the effects on a photo.

Winner: Lightroom CC

Editing photos

As the program designed for desktop computers, Lightroom Classic contains the widest assortment of tools and edits. The visual tone curve and split toning options are not found in the mobile-focused Lightroom CC.

While Lightroom CC has the sliders for adjusting highlights, shadows, whites and blacks, Lightroom Classic also has a tone curve chart that allows users to select a point on the line and adjust those tones. The tool is more customizable than the exposure sliders and could be a big reason why many stick with Lightroom Classic.

Another big feature missing in Lightroom CC is the split toning and HSL panel. The HSL panel tool inside of Lightroom Classic gives each color in the photo their own slider to lighten or darken only that shade. The tool is helpful for reducing the redness in skin, as well as creating custom color profiles, such as imitating a film look. The tool also makes a dramatic difference when converting images to black and white by controlling which shade of gray each color converts to. While Lightroom CC allows users to adjust color elements like temperature and vibrance, you can’t control each color separately.

Both Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic also have tools for editing specific areas of the image, including the healing tool, adjustment brush, and the radial and graduated filter tools, though CC is also missing the red-eye tool.

While previous users won’t notice any significant differences in the targeted adjustment tools, both the radial and graduated filter tools have a new option launched with Lightroom Classic not included in the CC version, a color and luminance masking tool. The new tool allows users to select color or luminance ranges to include in the mask. That means that, if you are using the graduated filter to brighten up a boring sky, you can use the eyedropper tool to select the color (or colors) in the sky so you don’t have to manually go in and erase the mask from the trees, buildings, or other objects that jut into the skyline.

Lightroom Classic CC

Pros

• More advanced adjustment tools
• Smart collections options to create albums by metadata
• More options for building slideshows, making prints
• More export options, including watermarks

Cons

• Cannot back up original RAW files to the cloud
• Larger learning curve for newbies

Both programs include sharpening options, noise removal, a dehaze tool, vignetting, chromatic aberration and lens corrections. Cropping and straightening tools also cross over to both programs.

Both also allow for creating or uploading Lightroom presets. The location of the preset options is different, and Lightroom CC will move the corresponding sliders when you hover over the preset, making it easy to see what each one does. Adobe says that existing preset collections can be imported into Lightroom CC — and that even though Lightroom CC doesn’t have the tone curve or HSL panel, presets using those adjustments will still apply those changes.

Classic also includes HDR merging and panorama stitching, while bothboth features absent in Lightroom CC.

Lightroom Classic has more features in more place, which is great for photographers already familiar with the program, but a bit more daunting for newbies. Compared to Lightroom CC, Lightroom Classic has a steeper learning curve because there are more controls and more panels to work in.

Once those edits are finished, Lightroom Classic also has a few more export options. Lightroom CC only asks for the destination, file size, and whether you want the file type to be a JPEG or the same as the original. Lightroom Classic, in comparison allows you to rename entire albums on export, add custom watermarks, add presets, and save in multiple file types.

Winner: Lightroom Classic

Speed

Speed has been a chief complaint from Lightroom users in the past, but Lightroom Classic gets a speed boost in the latest update, though Adobe says they are continuing to work on speed improvements. After using the previous version of Lightroom, even in a brief test with the new Lightroom Classic, previews seemed to load faster and I didn’t have the lag time when zooming in for detailed healing brush edits on giant 45 megapixel photos.

Note: Speed varies based on a lot of factors outside of the software, including computer specs and, when the cloud is used, internet connectivity. These results were produced using a Macbook with 16 GB of memory and a 20 Mbps internet connection.

Importing 10 photos — large 45.7 megapixel RAW files from the new Nikon D850 — on Lightroom Classic took less than 20 seconds. But importing those same photos on Lightroom CC took half that, giving CC the edge in import speed.

Images imported through Lightroom CC are saved to the local hard drive — but part of the beauty of the new mobile-focused program is that it includes 1 TB of cloud storage to access photos from anywhere. That anywhere access is great and an excellent solution to prevent image loss from a hard drive failure. But if you want to access cloud photos not on the local hard drive, those photos will need to download. On a wedding album with just over 1,000 RAW photos previously synced but not stored on my local hard drive, I waited more than 45 minutes for the download icon to stop swirling (to be fair, I passed the time by watching Netflix, which made my 20 Mbps internet speed even lower). You can work on other photos while the cloud images are downloading. The search tool also seemed a bit slow on my machine.

As a lighter-weight version with a few less tools, Lightroom CC loads photos faster than Lightroom Classic. Accessing images already imported is quick, but cloud-stored photos will take some time to download, particularly with large albums. For users that need the expanded tools in Lightroom Classic, the update offers a noticeable speed improvement over earlier versions, enhancing speed in several areas.

Winner: Lightroom CC

Accessibility

One of the biggest differences between Lightroom Classic and Lightroom CC is accessibility and cloud storage. While Lightroom has synced Smart Previews between desktop and mobile versions for years, the Creative Cloud has never doubled as a backup service because the original RAW files aren’t saved on the cloud — just the adjustments.

In Lightroom CC, however, the original RAW files are saved to the Creative Cloud, with a large 1 TB storage limit. The ability to use the Creative Cloud as a storage option without separately exporting to back up to a different cloud service is a nice expansion of Adobe Creative Cloud’s abilities and one of the biggest perks to choosing Lightroom CC over Lightroom Classic. Downloading full RAW files from the cloud is time-consuming, but syncing across mobile devices and having that backup is a big perk for many photographers.

Lightroom CC’s rebuild also includes a rebuild of the Lightroom CC Android and Apple apps. The change means that switching from the mobile apps to the desktop of Lightroom CC is even more seamless, with the same features and a similar user interface. The mobile versions expand on the desktop platform with a built-in camera mode with manual control, as well as an HDR mode that still shoots in DNG.

Photographers that opt for the Classic subscription will still have 20 GB of storage included, but Classic still only backs up the Smart Preview, not the original files. Users have to switch programs in order to back up original files.

Lightroom CC is a better program with an internet connection, but you don’t need a signal to edit photos that are already saved to your local hard drive. An internet connection is required for both accessing cloud-stored photos and using the search tool.

Winner: Lightroom CC

Price

Choosing between Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic means a $9.99 monthly subscription either way, but there are a handful of differences between each option to keep in mind. First, the Lightroom Classic subscription includes Photoshop while the CC package does not. In fact, the CC version is included with the Lightroom-Photoshop subscription. The difference? The CC package includes 1 TB of storage while the Classic only includes 20 GB.

Of course, Adobe created another option for photographers that want it all — a $19.99 subscription includes all the photo programs and the 1 TB of storage. Current photography plan subscribers can get that extra 1 TB of storage for  $14.99 a month for the first year. Mobile-only users can also pick up the Lightroom CC smartphone and tablet apps for $4.99 month, without the desktop version.

Adobe continues to offer a free trial download for new users.

Winner: Lightroom Classic

So, who wins?

Lightroom Classic and Lightroom CC have very different focuses, which means the best program for one photographer might not be the right choice for the next.

Lightroom CC is ideal for photographers that want to edit anywhere, with 1 TB of storage to back up original files, as well as the edits. With a simplified user interface, it’s also ideal for beginners with fewer daunting controls and an organization that makes a bit more sense. Uploads are also faster using Lightroom CC, while accessing cloud-stored files takes longer, depending on the internet connection.

Lightroom Classic, however, is still the reigning champ when it comes to features. The loss of the tone curve and split-toning tools will keep many photographers sticking with the Classic. A speed increase and new controls for the radial and graduated filter tools are also nice to see. Personally, since I use the HSL panel on most of my edits and also use Classic’s watermarking tool on export for internet-destined images, I will be sticking with Classic workflow and occasionally using CC for backing up original files.

Adobe says that they will continue developing both programs — and that bringing features like the tone curve and split toning is on the list for future Lightroom CC updates. The Lightroom split creates a mobile-focused platform without alienating advanced users that need the more powerful desktop tools — and we’re eager to see what Adobe does next for both programs.

‘Mythbusters’ reboot comes to Science Channel on November 15th

What do you do when your highly-successful reality show goes out with a bang? If you’re Discovery-owned Science Channel, you quickly reboot it and find new hosts to replace the iconic ones. If you’re a fan of the original and willing to give the new guys a chance to prove themselves to be as awesome as Adam and Jamie are, then your’e in luck. The new version of Mythbusters, a much-loved show that reveled in DIY gadgetry and science, is set to air its first of 14 episodes on November 15th.

Jon Lung and Brian Louden will anchor the new series, which aims to continue the original’s mission to debunk fantastic claims and myths using actual science. The first episode will have the leads testing to see if an airbag can be lethal to front-seat passengers who put their feet on the dashboard. Of course, they’ll use a cadaver to do so. In addition, the team will test out whether a bad guy or zombie will hold still for a dramatic pause if you decapitate them with enough force like they do in the movies. A rocket-powered sword will be their instrument of truth.

Louden and Lung won a national talent search in Mythbusters: the Search, beating out 9 other teams who wanted to host the reboot. Louden has a biology degree and has trained in emergency medicine while Lung is an engineer and product designer.

Source: Mythbusters/YouTube

Nintendo Switch update adds video capture and profile transfers

Nintendo’s convertible Switch console has a new software update available, and owners will likely want to grab version 4.0.0 of its OS right away. Finally, Switch owners can transfer their saved games and user profiles to another system and in “select games” it also has video capture. At launch, that list includes The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, ARMS, and Splatoon 2.

In a world full of Twitch streams and YouTube Let’s Plays that should be well received. Just like before, gamers can press the capture button to take a screenshot, but after the update, they can press and hold it to record the last 30 seconds of play in their album, ready for sharing to Facebook or Twitter.

A #NintendoSwitch system update is available now. Transfer user profiles & saves between systems & more! Details: https://t.co/96hQYnYpPe pic.twitter.com/mGamHHFsTO

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) October 19, 2017

The ability to transfer data is bittersweet, however, since it doesn’t appear to support backups. As described in Nintendo’s FAQ, you’ll need both systems to transfer data from one to another, and the only option available moves all profile data including saves and eShop purchases from one system to the next.

Other new features include profile icons with characters from Super Mario Odyssey (just ahead of its release on October 27th) and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, as well as the option to pre-order and pre-download games in Nintendo’s eShop on the Switch (again, just in time for Super Mario Odyssey). The News Feed has a new look, and if you’re in a group of local users it can easily update everyone’s system software to the latest version.

Source: Nintendo, Nintendo Support

Heart rate data app Cardiogram officially launches for Android Wear

Why it matters to you

The app was previously only available for Apple devices but now you can track and understand your health, fitness, sleep, and stress with Android Wear.

On Wednesday, October 18, Cardiogram announced it launched for Android Wear. Originally available for the Apple Watch, the app has expanded its availability for those who want to monitor health and track activity on a different operating system.

Cardiogram is an app that was founded by two ex-Google teach leads in an effort to re-invent preventive medicine with the help of consumer wearables. With your Android Wear watch, you are able to track and understand your health, fitness, sleep, and stress.

Opening the app on your smartphone will show you minute-to-minute heart rate, diet, exercise, workouts, and track spikes related to stress. There is also a window that shows your step count, resting heart rate, and how your metrics compare to the population.

Other features include a “Habits” tab to find new healthy habits or activities you will enjoy and a “Me” tab where you create a profile to share your health data with medical researchers. By sharing your metrics, you can contribute to studies related to heart health.

There are also collaborative experiences through the app. The Daily Leaderboard lens in the Timeline tab allows you to compete steps and activity levels with friends. Even if they use an Apple Watch or Garmin, you can still invite them to join in on the leaderboard.

With the launch of Cardiogram for Android Wear also comes unique features. By default, Cardiogram turns your watch’s heart rate sensor on once every five minutes. You can also get minute-by-minute heart rate throughout the day by adjusting the measurement frequency. The app also integrates with Google Fit for steps and exercise tracking, along with support for circular and rectangular screens.

Recently, Cardiogram partnered with the University of California San Francisco Cardiology department to run a clinical study. The results showed that its deep neural network — DeepHeart — can detect atrial fibrillation with 97 percent accuracy using consumer-grade heart sensors. Atrial fibrillation causes one in four strokes which could be prevented by detecting it early, ultimately saving lives.

In partnership with UCSF Health eHeart study, Cardiogram is also investigating other conditions that are known to be related to heart rate variability. This includes sleep apnea, which is 80 percent undiagnosed.

Cardiogram is currently available for download from the Google Play Store. The app is compatible with any Android Wear watch that has a heart rate sensor.