Review: If You’re a Star Wars Superfan, You Need Sphero’s BB-9E and R2-D2

Robotics company Sphero skyrocketed to popularity in 2015 with the release of BB-8, a miniature iPhone-controlled toy droid modeled after the BB-8 character in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

As the release of the The Last Jedi approaches this December, Sphero has introduced two new Star Wars-themed robotic toys, BB-9E and R2-D2.

R2-D2 is a well-known classic droid that’s starred in Star Wars movies since the original trilogy in the 1970s, while BB-9E, an Astromech droid that serves in the First Order (aka evil BB-8), is a newcomer that will appear in The Last Jedi.

Like BB-8, both of Sphero’s new droids are exquisitely accurate in design compared to the movie versions, and they come to life when paired with the Sphero app.

Design

BB-9E shares a design with BB-8, and BB-8 was based on Sphero’s original robotic ball technology. BB-9E’s body is a plastic sphere that houses a motor, a gyroscope that keeps BB-9E upright, counterweights for balance, internal wheels, magnets, and other electronic components.

BB-9E’s head attaches to the ball-shaped body using magnets, and a set of wheels underneath the head to allow it to move in around in stay in place on the body while BB-9E is in motion. Instead of a round head like BB-8, BB-9E has a flatter head that fits in better with the First Order aesthetic.

Size wise, BB-9E fits in the palm of a hand, and if you own BB-8, BB-9E is the same size. In contrast to BB-8’s white and orange design, BB-9E is black with gray accents and red and blue lights (on the head) when in operation. BB-9E is made from a durable plastic that holds up to rough use — even when the droid is slammed into walls or other obstacles, it comes away unscathed.

R2-D2 is a different kind of robot than BB-9E and BB-8, and so Sphero’s come up with a new design that doesn’t use underlying robotic ball technology. Instead, R2-D2 features two legs with tank-like treads for movement and a third stabilizing leg that comes down when R2-D2 is in motion.

R2-D2’s head, which houses speakers and several lights, can rotate left and right to enable the kinds of movements that R2-D2 is known for in the Star Wars movies. R2-D2 is a larger robot (~7 inches), almost twice the size of BB-9E, and is constructed from a plastic material.

The plastic feels a little bit cheaper and less sturdy than the plastic BB-9E is made from, but the design detailing is well done, from the lights on the top of the head down to the cables at R2-D2’s feet. R2-D2 does not feel as durable as BB-9E and I would hesitate to treat it as roughly because of the paint work and the more fragile feel of the legs and other moving parts.

BB-9E is basically just a ball, so it’s tough to damage, but there’s a lot more going on with R2-D2. My R2-D2 has a little scuff on the head even though I don’t remember it running into anything.

When it comes to movement, BB-9E is a robotic ball that can easily overcome obstacles, roll over rugs, smash into walls, zip around corners, and gain some serious speed. R2-D2’s movement is more like a robotic car or tank — slower and more controlled. Both are fun to play with, but R2-D2 is a tamer play experience.

I don’t have carpet, but both BB-9E and R2-D2 worked on rugs, though R2-D2 has trouble navigating from a hardwood floor over the edge of a rug. BB-9E can gain more momentum and is better at overcoming those kind of obstacles.

If you have dust, pet hair, dirt, or anything else on the floor, BB-9E and R2-D2 will pick it up. Even if the floor looks clean and you just vacuumed, these droids are going to get a little messy. BB-9E will get dust and/or fur in the wheels of the head, while R2-D2’s treads can pick it up. It’s easy enough to wipe away debris on BB-9E, but R2-D2’s treads are a little trickier.

During my testing, I was concerned that R2-D2’s rather delicate treads would be damaged or gummed up, so I was careful to check on them every few minutes. I didn’t run into problems, but it’s something to be aware of.

There is no speaker in the BB-9E, so all of the sounds come from the app, as was the case with BB-8. R2-D2 does have a speaker, so the sounds are coming from the droid itself, for a more realistic interactive experience.

BB-9E charges inductively through an included charging dock (which has a micro-USB port) that ships with it, while R2-D2 has a built-in micro-USB port at the back of the droid for charging purposes. Both R2-D2 and BB-9E will last for sixty minutes of play before needing to be recharged, and both will flash red when the battery is low. I didn’t tend to play with these guys for more than 15 minutes at a time, so the battery life wasn’t a problem.

BB-9E also ships with a second platform that’s designed for holographic simulations (aka AR) with the Sphero app.

App and Features

Both BB-9E and R2-D2 require Sphero’s app to function, and neither one of the droids does much when not engaged with the app.

Syncing to a droid is as simple as opening the app, because it scans for nearby droids automatically. The iPhone connects to a droid via Bluetooth, and the whole connection process happens in app and takes just seconds.

Droids are controlled through the main Droid Control interface, which adds a virtual joystick to the iPhone’s display. Orient the droid in the correct position as instructed by the app and then use a thumb to move the joystick to drive it in a given direction. Speed can be controlled by how far you press the virtual joystick, and movement is controlled by moving the joystick around on the iPhone’s display.

The virtual joystick mechanism is simple and accurate enough that even a child can control a droid with little to no problem . With BB-9E, only body movement can be controlled, but with R2-D2, there’s also a separate control for moving the head of the droid.

Along with a virtual joystick, the main Droid Control interface offers boost buttons for temporarily making R2-D2 or BB-9E go faster and several action buttons that range from funny to cute.

There are responses for yes and no, and interactions like alarmed, scared, sad, and confused, each with a unique animation and sound. R2-D2, for example, will rock back and forth and then fall over with the scared animation, and another similar animation causes R2-D2 to wobble before racing off with an alarmed scream. Both sounds and movement are used together to convey emotion and thought, and this goes a long way towards adding personality to each droid.

A Patrol feature in the app lets a droid roam around on its own without manual control, navigating away from obstacles when encountered and generally exploring a room. R2-D2 and BB-9E are both able to turn around after hitting an obstacle to move on, but they’re also fairly prone to getting stuck so you need to keep an eye on them. This mode keeps track of acceleration and distance traveled.

Draw and Drive lets you draw a path on the iPhone’s display that a droid will follow in real life. This works best in an area with a lot of open space, but the droid will accurately follow the path of what you draw, whether it’s a line, a circle, or a squiggle.

AR Mode lets you explore different ships in the Star Wars universe. With R2-D2, for example, you can take a look around the Millennium Falcon as your droid using your iPhone as a navigation tool. There’s no real interaction with the droids in this mode – R2-D2 is still and BB-9E is placed in a base that prevents it from moving.

I thought AR Mode was boring. You’re basically just looking around the ship and getting Star Wars facts by tapping on glowing areas, with nothing else do to in the mode. I used it for about five minutes and gave up, but it is worth noting that AR Mode is different for each droid.

Patrol, Draw and Drive, and the standard driving controls are all fun to use for short spurts of time as an adult, and it can be fun to interact with pets and people in the room using the droids. I’m able to keep myself amused for about 10 minutes at a time when playing with the droids, and sometimes longer if my cats are interested, but there’s ultimately not a lot to do with these.

I suspect kids will find them more amusing for longer periods of time, though, since they can be incorporated into play with other Star Wars toys and there’s such a wealth of personality to the droids.

The final feature available in the app is “Watch With Me,” which works with The Force Awakens, Rogue One, and A New Hope. When Watch With Me is activated, the Sphero app can detect the audio from a Star Wars movie, allowing the droids to react to scenes in real time.

I watched Rogue One with R2-D2 and BB-9E and thought it was fun to see what the droids reacted to (R2-D2 gets excited when a hero is in danger, while BB-9E gets alarmed when the Empire is in trouble), but they’re noisy, so it can be distracting if you just want to watch the movie. The droids react to the movie with the same sounds and animations that are available in Drive Control mode.

Both BB-9E and R2-D2 are compatible with the Sphero EDU app and Apple’s Swift Playgrounds app, so in addition to being fun, they’re also educational since they can be programmed using these apps. BB-9E is also compatible with Sphero’s Force Band, which was originally created for BB-8, but R2-D2 support is not yet available.

Bottom Line

The way Sphero makes classic Star Wars droids come to life is nothing short of amazing, considering just a few years ago, this was a company that focused solely on robotic balls. Sphero is making some of the coolest toys on the market now.

R2-D2 and BB-9E look and feel like real little droids pulled right out of the Star Wars universe, complete with the appropriate sounds, reactions, and movement styles.

These are a must have for Star Wars fans who like to collect Star Wars-related merchandise, and I also think kids that are getting into Star Wars for the first time thanks to the new movies are going to absolutely love BB-9E and R2-D2.

I like Star Wars okay and enjoy the movies, but I’m by no means a fan. Still, even as a non-fan, it took me all of about 10 minutes to fall in love with R2-D2 thanks to his lifelike sounds and all the animation options in the app.

Adults probably aren’t going to get a whole lot out of these droids beyond a few minutes of play here and there, but they look great on a desk and it’s fun to pull them out after a long day for a few spins around the room. Kids, though, will likely enjoy all of the augmented reality experiences and driving/exploring modes. Beyond play, these can be used with the Sphero EDU app and Swift Playgrounds for coding practice.

BB-9E and R2-D2 don’t come cheap at $150 and $180, respectively, but Sphero’s instilled so much personality in these guys that they’re worth the price for collectors and parents who want to indulge their kids.

How to Buy

Both R2-D2 and BB-9E are available for purchase from the Sphero website. BB-9E is priced at $150, the same price as the original BB-8 Droid, while R2-D2 is priced at $180.

Note: Sphero provided MacRumors with BB-9E and R2-D2 droids for the purpose of this review, which were returned to Sphero following the conclusion of testing. No other compensation was received.

Tags: Star Wars, Sphero, BB-8
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Protect your PC from the cyber-flu with the best free antivirus options

Viruses and malware are bad news; they can slow down your PC by ramping up CPU usage, modifying important files, and messing with the way your system behaves. If you’re reading this, it’s likely that you’re making an effort to avoid these infections–or looking for a way to exterminate them. Luckily, there are a host of free, high-quality programs built specifically to keep your PC safe from all manner of viruses and malware. Better yet, these free options are often just as good, and in some cases better, than premiums apps that offer similar functionality and features.

To help you find the best option and avoid potential dangerous downloads, we’ve assembled this list of the best free antivirus software available for Windows 10, whether you prefer innate utilities like Windows Defender, or quality third-party alternatives. For Mac-specific security apps, try these antivirus downloads. 

Avast! Free Antivirus 2017

In terms of basic protection, Avast is one of the best antivirus programs available, scoring a 5.5 out of 6 in in AV Test’s protection test. The latest free antivirus suite from Avast! is an impressive package. Aside from the usual virus and malware protection — including anti-rootkit and anti-spyware capabilities — the software comes with a slew of customizable options you can toggle at installation, including protection for your Android devices through Avast mobile Security & Antivirus. The 2017 version of Avast goes the extra mile when it comes to making sure you feel safe using the program; at installation, a very clear breakdown shows exactly how Avast! uses your private information.

The company gets out in front of potential malware attacks by initiating scans before an unknown file opens, and will prevent it from doing so should it cause any red flags. The software is good at protecting your PC while online, blocking malicious URLs and stopping auto-downloads from occurring. The 2017 version watches the behavior of specific apps to see whether they are doing anything suspicious, as well. 

As a free program, you’ll be missing out on some features exclusive to the paid package, of course, including auto-scans and auto-updates. Those wanting such upgrades will need to opt for a subscription plan, which ranges from $10 to $180 per month. Still, sticking with the free version will keep you well-protected.

Comodo Free Antivirus

Comodo’s free download, available for both Windows and Mac, includes antivirus and firewall capabilities designed for small businesses but available to private users at no cost (with no limit on how long you can use it). The interface is sharp and task-oriented, the options for control are diverse, and Comodo has a great suite of tools for sole proprietors and busy personal computers alike.

Comodo has also done an impressive job keeping up on the latest security options, including cloud-based whitelisting for service providers; auto sandboxing, so that unknown programs are run in a safe environment before integrating with the rest of your OS; and a customized scanning schedule. There are also new additions, like game mode designed for at-home computers, making this software even more versatile.

Sophos Home

Sophos Home is a free version of the Sophos security program for Mac and PC. It’s a particularly good choice for families, with the ability to manage up to 10 computers on a single browser and block unwanted websites. It also includes classic abilities like antivirus and anti-malware protection and scans.

Otherwise, the Home version of Sophos is simple and uncluttered, with basic alerts, browser controls, and scanning functions that anyone can figure out. It’s an ideal choice for those who want to focus on parental controls while still getting the benefit of firewalls and scans. Currently, the software works with Edge, IE, Safari, Chrome and Firefox. Parents seeking more help keeping their kids safe should browse our full list of free parental control software.

Avira Free Antivirus 2018

The 2018 version of Avira received a significant interface update that vastly improved the user experience: There’s a clean, easy-to-use design that works equally well on PCs and mobile devices. Avira offers cloud scanning, which means file information is sent to the Avira servers where it is examined, and the result is then passed back to the software. This both helps keep the program’s digital footprint light and makes it easier for Avira to update its scanning parameters as needed. Plus it keeps more of your information private. These features put Avira ahead as one of the best free security downloads around.

360 Total Security Essential

360 Total Security gets high marks for its sheer volume of choices. Antivirus, anti-malware, and anti-ransomware protection are backed up by multiple engine protection, including cloud scan, system repair, QVMII AI, Avira, and Bitdefender – in other words, it’s even compatible with other antivirus software if you prefer their scans more than 360.

But the choices don’t end there. System protection includes USB drive, network, file system, and registry defenses, as well as options to scan files at download or on opening. Internet security options include online shopping protection and malicious site blocking. If you want even more options, consider upgrading to the next tier, which is currently also free but includes more options for patching Adobe and Microsoft products, Wi-Fi security checks, and tools to clean out unnecessary files and improve internet speeds.

Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition

Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition revels in a minimalist design that makes it low-maintenance. Though the application features no configurations of any kind, it automatically scans your machine in the background using cloud-based detection, subsequently performing a deeper scan if it comes across any malicious software or red flags.

The bundled, real-time virus shield additionally blocks malicious URL and uses behavior-based detection, protecting against potential threats. Newer features include anti-fraud options that uses more advanced filters to warn you away from any sites that have been known to try to steal identities. 

Aside from commendable malware blocking and removal, the lightweight program doubles as an excellent anti-rootkit and anti-phishing utility, the latter detecting and blocking fraudulent sites through HTTP-based scanning.

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free

Now boasting a whopping 300 million downloads worldwide (and counting), Malwarebytes provides some of the best and most comprehensive virus-removal software available, frequently making it one of the first go-to sources for tech agencies and support groups alike.

The program uses Chameleon technology to get the application running on already infected systems, triggering the “mbam-chameleon” app when necessary and helping install and update any required drivers crucial to the software’s functionality. Options are divided into four different modules. Anti-malware protects against and removes malware with automatic scans, while anti-ransomware helps shield files from ransomware attacks. Anti-exploit helps protect against any known vulnerabilities discovered in your system or apps, while malicious website protection keeps you away from fake or malicious sites. 

AVG Free Antivirus

Two things recommended AVG. First, it has an impressively broad reach: The software will not only search for viruses and malware, but also helps block suspicious links, prevent suspicious downloads, and keep suspicious email attachments from being used. That makes the app a better choice for family or elderly user protection on a budget. The second benefit is AVG’s affinity with Google platforms: It has one of the better Android downloads and can work well on Chrome, too (check out more Android security apps here).

ZoneAlarm Free Antivirus 2017

ZoneAlarm provides firewalls and antivirus scanning, but then goes a step further to address two growing security concerns: ID theft and data loss. Identify theft is prevented by daily credit monitoring tools and a “credit education specialist” to help you work through any alerts or problems. ZoneAlarm also provides its own cloud backup service for backing up your data and encrypting it for online protection. If you don’t already have a service that helps protect your identity and data, this could be the option for you.

This article was updated on October 11, 2017 by Tyler Lacoma. Added Avira 2018, AVG, and ZoneAlarm.

Best iOS app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time

Everyone likes Apple apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers put paid apps on sale for free for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up while you have the chance. Here are the latest and greatest iOS app deals available from the iOS App Store.

These apps normally cost money and this sale lasts for a limited time only. If you go to the App Store and it says the app costs money, that means the deal has expired and you will be charged. 

Zombify

Zombify is the zombie face booth that will transform you into a biting, groaning, brain-eating zombie! It’s undead augmented reality… for your face.

Available on:

iOS

Pickup Lines

Looking for a way to break the ice with that special someone? You might find some inspiration from this app.

Available on:

iOS

Female Fitness

This app was developed by a professional team of developers, assisted by certified trainers specializing in women’s fitness and strength training. The application is specially created for women of all body shapes.

Available on:

iOS

White Noise

Do you have trouble sleeping at night? Do you want to relax your body and soul with peaceful background sounds? With this app, you may have better luck sleeping tonight — and every night.

Available on:

iOS

Blue Light Therapy

Blue Light Therapy App uses natural processes within your brain to help with waking up and falling asleep. With just 4 minutes in the morning you will find yourself being able to get out of bed and start doing, rather than endlessly snoozing.

Available on:

iOS

Pocket Wine

Pocket Wine takes you on an exploration of wine styles and grape varieties by giving you an insight into wine that has taken others years to achieve.

Available on:

iOS

Verizon extends Total Mobile Protection deadline for new customers

Why it matters to you

If you missed Total Mobile Protection’s initial 30-day enrollment period, now is your chance to sign up.

If you’re among the millions of people who spend more than half a grand on a new smartphone every year, you’re justified in wanting to protect your investment. Getting insurance from your carrier is one of the easiest ways to do so, but signing up isn’t as simple as you might think.

Take Verizon’s Total Mobile Protection, for example. Normally, there is a month-long eligibility window when you activate a new account or upgrade your device. But in the spirit of the holiday season, Verizon’s extending the enrollment period.

Beginning Thursday, October 19, new and existing Verizon customers can add any phone they purchased within the last 24 months to a Total Mobile Protection plan. As an added bonus, all new and current Total Mobile Protection enrolees get a $20 discount on cracked screen repairs (they’re now $30, lowered from $50).

The promotion expires November 17, after which point the old eligibility window goes back into effect.

Total Mobile Protection, if you’re not familiar, is akin to AppleCare and Google’s Preferred Care. For $11 per month for one phone and $33 per month for three, it covers damage, loss, and theft, and includes services like next-day device replacements (if you order by midnight Eastern the day before) and technical support from Verizon’s Tech Coat experts (in-person, over the phone, or via email). Every plan owner can make up to three claims a year, with deductibles that range from $50 to $200.

The benefits don’t stop there. Total Mobile Protection’s aforementioned screen replacement is available in over 296 certified repair stores across the country, but Verizon makes house calls too. If you’re in one of the 152 supported cities, you can schedule a visit from a certified repair technician.

It’s a step up from Verizon’s Extended Warranty ($3 per month) and Total Equipment Protection ($9 per month) plans. The former offers protection against mechanical breakdowns and the latter throws in coverage for loss, theft, and accidental damage.

Verizon makes a compelling case for Total Mobile Protection, but don’t pull the trigger before you do your homework. Depending on which device you own, there is a good chance third-party insurers offer plans that better fit your needs and budget.

ASRock X10 IoT Router Review

Research Center:
ASRock X10 IoT Router

Smart home convergence is ready for primetime and heading your way, fast. If your router is buried under a mess of proprietary smart home hubs, then relief is on hand. New chipsets, packing multiple radios, are hitting the market, equipping everyday devices with smart home controllers.

You have heard about Amazon Echo Plus, the new smart speaker and personal assistant which also packs a smart home hub for controlling lights, thermostats, garage doors and more. Available later this month, Samsung SmartThings Link is a dinky dongle for the NVIDIA Shield that endows the console with full smart home control and, of course, the company recently pushed out its Samsung Connect Home  router/smart home controller combo.

In the next twelve months, expect to see other networking manufacturers produce similar routers with integrated smart home features. Motherboard specialist ASRock may not be the first name that springs to mind when considering a networking kit, but the company’s X10 IoT Router is one of the first of this new breed of smarter routers to arrive.

Budget networking with smart home savvy

Priced at just $139.99, the X10 is a compact, traditional-looking router that lacks the mesh-networking capability of Samsung’s new model, but it’s a bargain for a basic router with an integrated smart home controller. Alongside dual-band, AC1300 Wi-Fi (offering speeds up to 400 Mbps at 2.4 GHz and 867 Mbps at 5 GHz) the router sports an integrated Zigbee radio that can control a range of devices. They include smart LED bulbs from Philips Hue, GE and Sengled, various smart plugs and outlets, leak or door sensors, and more (check out the full list of compatible devices on the ASRock website).

As a bonus, the X10 also includes Infrared (IR) support, allowing you to remotely control heating, air-conditioning, TVs, and other devices using a free smartphone app. You’ll need line of sight between the device and the X10, but if you ever wanted to use a router as a giant universal remote, here’s your chance.

Dated design cues and disappointing build quality

While the latest whole-home Wi-Fi systems have revolutionized router design, with cute and compact hubs, the ASRock X10 is grittily old-school. Fixed, external antennas provide a 1970’s TV aesthetic, while cheap plastics, sharp edges and pointy corners are a world away from the premium finishes and gentle curves of devices like Google WiFi  and NETGEAR Orbi. This isn’t a device that you’ll want to show off at home, but it could make a handy (and somewhat lethal) weapon in case of a break-in.

ASRock X10 IoT Router Compared To

Google Home Max

Amazon Echo Show

Canary Flex

Netatmo Presence

Robomow RS622

Myfox Home Alarm and Security Camera

Schlage Connect Touchscreen Deadbolt

Netatmo Welcome

Nyrius Smart Outlet

Netgear Arlo Security System

August Smart Lock

Nest Protect

Emerson Sensi Thermostat

Schlage Camelot Electronic Door…

Kwikset Kevo

Connectivity includes four Gigabit Ethernet ports, a Gigabit WAN port, plus USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports for storage sharing.

Robust features let down by patchy app connectivity 

While ASRock offers a smartphone app (Android and iOS supported) for router management, you’re steered towards a traditional, browser-hosted setup which doesn’t take too long to complete. Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) allows you to quickly connect a computer by pressing a large button on the front of the device.

At $139.99, the X10 is a bargain for a basic router with integrated smart home controller.

The X10’s management console, much like the router itself, tries hard to look fresh but, compared to modern competitors, comes across like your dad in a pair of skinny jeans. The black and red color scheme adds a splash of energy and, just like your dad’s jeans, everything that needs to be covered is covered, but it’s all a bit 2012.

That said, advanced admins will find more toys to play with, compared to new-fangled, smartphone-controlled devices, with guest networking, Dynamic DNS, OpenVPN support, an integrated media server and basic parental controls. That’s before we get to the headline act – smart home control. The ASRock may not look the prettiest on the dance floor, but it’s got some moves.

Unfortunately, what the X10 doesn’t have is a working mobile app, which kills the smart home proposition stone dead. While I could connect to the router with both Android and iOS devices, the two Android phones I tested could not control the router using the ASRock app. An iPhone 6S succeeded and I was even able to discover a Philips Hue bulb and Securifi Peanut smart plug.

But with those connections made, the app repeatedly complained that router was offline and the smart home show ground to a halt. Each time I tried to power on the smart home devices from the app, I received the same error message. Sadly, repeated attempts to reboot the router or re-open the app made little difference.

That’s a shame, as it looks as if ASRock’s developers have put in considerable work to define a decent set of smart features, including the creation of “scenes” that allow you to control multiple devices with one touch, as well as location-based triggers for leaving and arriving home.  Overall, it’s a real disappointment, but one that provides a clear message. While hardware mash ups look great on paper, they’re useless without robust, reliable software.

Mixed networking performance

With smart home control a bust, let’s see how the ASRock X10 performs as a basic router. Results from our tests were mixed.

File transfers over the X10’s Ethernet connection raced along, hitting an impressive 941 Mbps average. That’s a significant jump on the speeds achieved by the Samsung Connect Home and our third test device, the AC1300-class Amped Wireless ARTEMIS.

However, wireless transfers were far less impressive. Connecting to the faster, but shorter range 5 GHz network, the ASRock router could only must an average speed of 298 Mbps – fine for desktop work, online gaming and more than a couple of high definition video streams, but well behind the pack.

Hooking up a USB 3.0 storage enclosure housing a 3.5” hard drive allowed us to check out the X10’s storage sharing performance. An average read speed 23.1 MBps is well behind the performance of a dedicated NAS, but is sufficient for light music and video streaming around the home. The 6.5 MBps write speed is more of a concern, however – copying large files to a connected drive will be tedious.

Warranty information

The ASRock X10 IoT Router ships with a one-year limited parts and labor warranty.

Our take

The ASRock X10 IoT Router is a neat idea, mashing home networking and smart home control in a small, compact device. But the execution is weak. Cheap hardware, a dated user interface and so-so performance may be tolerated on a budget device, but the X10’s connectivity bugs are a real reason to pass.

Is there a better alternative?

While Samsung Connect Home and Connect Home Pro could do with more refinement, they’re great-looking devices with faster wireless speeds and support a far wider range of smart home devices than the ASRock X10. And they work.

How long will it last?

With a limited track record in networking hardware and a core focus in other product categories, there’s little insight into how committed ASRock are to resolving bugs or extending the range of supported smart home devices. Proceed with extreme caution.

Should you buy it?

The ASRock IoT Router could have been the smart home surprise of the year. But on this showing, you should pass.

Google’s AlphaGo Zero AI quickly masters ancient board game with no human help

Why it matters to you

AlphaGo Zero can learn on its own, marking a significant step forward for the capabilities of AI algorithms.

Google shocked the world in 2016 when AlphaGo, an artificial intelligence program created specifically to play the ancient board game Go, defeated one of the game’s top competitors in a five-game match. Such a feat wasn’t predicted to occur for at least another decade, leaving tech types and laymen alike wondering just how intelligent AI has become.

A little over one year later, AlphaGo again competed in a high-profile match, this time against the world’s top Go player, a 19-year-old prodigy named Ke Jie. The machine shut the human out, three games to none. With these victories under its belt, Google announced in May that it would retire AlphaGo.

But Google’s AI group, DeepMind, has just unveiled a newer, shinier, smarter version of AlphaGo dubbed AlphaGo Zero, which has pushed beyond the capabilities of its predecessor by mastering the ancient board game without any help from humans. Equipped with just the rules of the game, AlphaGo Zero managed to learn Go from scratch, create its own knowledge along the way, and ultimately defeat its predecessor 100 games to zero.

Both the old and new AlphaGo learned through a process called reinforcement learning, which encourages good moves that are more likely to be rewarded with a win. However, the way DeepMind trained the systems differed, and that’s where AlphaGo Zero really shined.

To train the original AlphaGo, DeepMind researchers fed the system thousands of games that were played by amateur and professional human Go players. These games helped the system develop winning strategies and identify good and bad moves. AlphaGo Zero, on the other hand, only played by itself (albeit millions of time), making moves at random until it recognized strategies. The new system had no help from humans beyond its initial startup.

What’s truly astonishing about AlphaGo Zero’s self-schooling is that it went from chump to champ in just a few days. The system started off as a completely incompetent player. By the third day, after only playing against itself, the system was capable of defeating its predecessor. By day 40, DeepMind suggests the system became the greatest Go player ever.

Where the original AlphaGo was little more than an exceptionally talented board game player, the advances made by AlphaGo Zero — specifically it’s ability to teach itself from scratch — makes the system relevant to a wide range of real-world applications. The same principles that help AlphaGo Zero learn from just the rules could be applied to other rules-based task.

“For us, AlphaGo wasn’t just about winning the game of Go,” Demis Hassabis, CEO of DeepMind, told The Guardian. “It was also a big step for us towards building these general-purpose algorithms.”

DeepMind published a paper detailing the development of AlphaGo Zero in the journal Nature.

Google’s AlphaGo Zero AI quickly masters ancient board game with no human help

Why it matters to you

AlphaGo Zero can learn on its own, marking a significant step forward for the capabilities of AI algorithms.

Google shocked the world in 2016 when AlphaGo, an artificial intelligence program created specifically to play the ancient board game Go, defeated one of the game’s top competitors in a five-game match. Such a feat wasn’t predicted to occur for at least another decade, leaving tech types and laymen alike wondering just how intelligent AI has become.

A little over one year later, AlphaGo again competed in a high-profile match, this time against the world’s top Go player, a 19-year-old prodigy named Ke Jie. The machine shut the human out, three games to none. With these victories under its belt, Google announced in May that it would retire AlphaGo.

But Google’s AI group, DeepMind, has just unveiled a newer, shinier, smarter version of AlphaGo dubbed AlphaGo Zero, which has pushed beyond the capabilities of its predecessor by mastering the ancient board game without any help from humans. Equipped with just the rules of the game, AlphaGo Zero managed to learn Go from scratch, create its own knowledge along the way, and ultimately defeat its predecessor 100 games to zero.

Both the old and new AlphaGo learned through a process called reinforcement learning, which encourages good moves that are more likely to be rewarded with a win. However, the way DeepMind trained the systems differed, and that’s where AlphaGo Zero really shined.

To train the original AlphaGo, DeepMind researchers fed the system thousands of games that were played by amateur and professional human Go players. These games helped the system develop winning strategies and identify good and bad moves. AlphaGo Zero, on the other hand, only played by itself (albeit millions of time), making moves at random until it recognized strategies. The new system had no help from humans beyond its initial startup.

What’s truly astonishing about AlphaGo Zero’s self-schooling is that it went from chump to champ in just a few days. The system started off as a completely incompetent player. By the third day, after only playing against itself, the system was capable of defeating its predecessor. By day 40, DeepMind suggests the system became the greatest Go player ever.

Where the original AlphaGo was little more than an exceptionally talented board game player, the advances made by AlphaGo Zero — specifically it’s ability to teach itself from scratch — makes the system relevant to a wide range of real-world applications. The same principles that help AlphaGo Zero learn from just the rules could be applied to other rules-based task.

“For us, AlphaGo wasn’t just about winning the game of Go,” Demis Hassabis, CEO of DeepMind, told The Guardian. “It was also a big step for us towards building these general-purpose algorithms.”

DeepMind published a paper detailing the development of AlphaGo Zero in the journal Nature.

The Virtual Singapore project aims to digitize an entire city

It sounds like something out of The Matrix: take all of the data available in a living, breathing, thriving metropolitan city and use it to make a “digital twin” that can be researched, analyzed and manipulated in real time by multiple stakeholders. But that’s just what’s happening with Virtual Singapore, a new public-private partnership to take one of Asia’s most vibrant cities and recreate it as a dynamic 3D model. The idea is to collaborate on a data platform that will allow scientists, policy makers and even regular citizens to test concepts, conduct virtual brainstorming, and enable entities to solve emerging challenges.

The main driver of the project is the French multi-national software  company Dassault Systémes, which is employing its 3DEXPERIENCE platform to power the dynamic and fluid scheme. In Singapore, the project is led by the National Research Foundation Singapore in concert with the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) and Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA). Digital Trends went to the experts at Dassault Systémes to find out more about this fascinating project.

Digitizing a city

“Indirectly, it started with the idea of digitizing a city,” said Ingeborg Rocker, the acclaimed Princeton-trained architect who was lured away to become Vice President of the 3D EXPERIENCity project. “We realized that there is a gap between the tools that are classically available for urban planning and design, and those we have at hand for other domains. What we started to do was to leverage the entirety of the portfolio of Dassault Systémes towards analyzing the capabilities of the city versus the needs of the city in order to expand how we think about digital transformation.”

It’s a model that organically lends itself to the Smart City movement, and it has wildly diverse applications, from capturing pedestrian movement throughout a city to visualizing evacuation routes during an emergency.

“We will capture the virtualized life of Singapore,” said George Loh, director of the National Research Foundation’s Programmes Directorate. “For example, it will include demographic data about where elderly people are living, where the businesses and shopping malls and restaurants are, and what the transport schedules are.

“People can have access to all of that information and make sense of it. It can serve government agencies but it also can be a platform where people could have access to limited data and they could use applications that make their lives much more convenient. Businesses also can offer targeted services to their customers. And the last stakeholder group is researchers, who may have more ideas than government bureaucrats about how to create new technologies and services.”

Smarter data analysis

From intensive research and development to planning infrastructure repairs or even simply working out logistics for a night on the town, Virtual Singapore can be used to build dynamic three-dimensional visualizations of any aspect of the city for which the platform has data.

“…you have to challenge the interfaces that your engineers may love, but everyone else might be deeply troubled by.”

“I think the dilemma of cities these days is that they’ve been offered a lot from other companies to place technologies for smart cities into their public space,” Rocker said. “They allowed these companies to control how the technology is accessed, and the data is more or less owned by the companies that placed the technology into the urban space. The benefit we can give to cities is to reassess the value of that data by helping them to integrate the data in a smarter way. It’s a rethinking of the possible business models for cities in general.”

The next step is figuring out exactly how the interface will look to an end-user. While the current platform is geared toward engineers and digital designers, project leaders are looking at virtual reality, augmented reality, robotics, cyber-physical systems, the Internet of Things and the Internet of Experience concepts to augment the interface and its diverse applications.

“Over the course of the last five years, not only with the development of the platform but also the massive diversification of our portfolio, we are starting to address very different audiences,” Rocker said. “For that reason, you have to challenge the interfaces that your engineers may love, but everyone else might be deeply troubled by. What we’re doing currently and on an ongoing basis is to adapt our interfaces to the requests coming in from new user groups. We have also adopted the devices that these new user groups are using. Virtual Singapore will be able to run on everything from solid state engineering machines to mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. We have to adapt to what is going to be the best way for the user to have a tactile experience.”

She explained that visualization is a major goal of the project, so the aggregated and integrated data from various sources can be “seen” in a way that produces actionable intelligence.

To that end, Dassault is working hard to integrate its visualization platform with the powerful data produced from high-end, complex simulations.

“If you look at Virtual Singapore, we’re really talking about two different motors,” Rocker said. “One is this mode where you have a very light visualization and interactive mode. This is really for the web and to produce an ability to access data on the fly. Then we have another authoring approach where you actually engineer the work, or would perform high-end simulation and analysis. That is an interface that is more geared to the expert user. But the result of these two approaches is the ability to import the more complex data into the visualization environment, and make it accessible to everybody.

Predicting future experiences

Rocker said that another major goal of the project is not only to serve multiple constituencies, but also to encourage interaction, collaboration, idea generation, and debate. Because the system is not focused on a single technology, domain, or constituency, it allows the platform to break down problems system by system. It also allows the platform to produce solutions for multiple constituencies including businesses, the municipality, the research community, and engaged citizens, all of whom will be able to simulate, analyze and visualize any available data.

Bernard Charlés, the President and CEO of Dassault Systémes, says Singapore is the perfect test platform for the 3DEXPERIENCE technology.

“Singapore is the most advanced city in the world in terms of leveraging technology to plan and manage its transformation over the next decades,” he said. “Cities are some of the most complex ‘products’ created by humanity. Through more efficient and accurate predictions of future experiences within these cities, we can better anticipate natural resource planning or provision of services, and contribute to a more sustainable quality of life. We hope to see other cities echo Singapore’s exciting initiative.”

For her part, Ingeborg Rocker believes the technology will soon migrate to all sorts of places Dassault Systémes’ team never imagined.

“Singapore is the most advanced city in the world in terms of leveraging technology to plan and manage its transformation …”

“I think we will see lots of different applications,” she said. “For one, I think we’ll a turn to home topics and issues. I also think we’ll see more of a social turn to projects where the everyday person is integrated into the system. Mapping, of course, because I think mobility is a huge issue here. There are facility management opportunities where we can create virtual twins of large facilities in order to offer predictive maintenance or other optimizations.”

Rocker, who left Harvard University to take on the Virtual Singapore project, says she doesn’t regret the decision for a moment.

“Frankly, I think architecture will always be relevant but if you look at the development and demographics of the population, and about how we make urban space and how we enable ourselves to live together, it seemed to me to be much more radically important that we have the right tools and are creating the right intellectual position,” she said. “When you think about how this technology can help harmonize products with nature, and make the city the focal point of all these initiatives, it’s big, and amazing, and super-exciting. It affects what we do as a society.”

Linux support is coming to Samsung DeX, along with big-screen mobile gaming

Why it matters to you

If you planned on buying a Galaxy S8 smartphone, you can turn it into a desktop PC with just a few accessories.

The Samsung DeX smartphone dock will soon be a bit more capable thanks to upcoming support for the Linux on Galaxy app. The application brings the Linux computing experience to mobile, and with Dex support, you’ll be able to use that mobile Linux platform on a larger display when needed.

The Samsung Dex (docking experience) puck is a small hub device that lets you use your new Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone like a micro PC — you can run it to a monitor with full mouse and keyboard support. We had a look at it earlier this year and we were impressed. Performance is snappy and the setup is easy, though we did note that it could use more app support. Adding Linux on Galaxy will certainly go a ways toward addressing that.

The little device packs a pair of USB 2.0 Type-A ports for connectivity, as well as a USB Type-C port for charging purposes. It can also connect to your local network via an Ethernet connection and to your TV or monitor using HDMI.

Linux on Galaxy expands its software capabilities to make it possible to run multiple operating systems on a smartphone. And now, with added DeX support, you can run multiple operating systems through your phone, as a desktop. Software developers and Linux fans can utilize a desktop design interface wherever they go, whether it’s on their smart device’s small screen, or on a larger one at home.

Linux on Galaxy is still in the early stages of development, so, for now, it’s not widely available. Samsung is looking for those interested in it. Sign up here, to be given the first heads up when it becomes available.

Samsung has also been working on bringing mobile gaming to larger screens. In its announcement, it talks about bringing games like Super Evil Megacorp’s mobile Multiplayer online battle arena game Vainglory to a larger device, as well as Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition. This support not only lets mobile gamers play on a more immersive display, but also leverages mouse and keyboard support.

The Samsung DeX currently retails at $150 from official sources, though at the time of writing, you can pick one up on Amazon for less than $100.

If you do plan to turn your new smartphone into a PC, you’ll need some accessories for full functionality. If you don’t have a PC already, you’ll need a keyboard and mouse and, ideally, a new monitor, too. Fortunately, we have a handy guide to some of the best peripherals you can pick up to make your new Galaxy docking experience as fluid as possible.

Amazon also has a handy list of extras you can buy with your S8, from cases to fast chargers. Here are a bunch of tricks you can do with your S8 smartphone, whether you’re running it on DeX or not.

Update: Added that Samsung’s DeX smartphone dock will add support for the Linux on Galaxy app.

Throat-reading voice ID system can’t be tricked by impressions or recordings

Why it matters to you

Smart wearable device could help make voice biometrics a far more effective security method.

We live in a world in which technology that can recognize and respond to spoken words, whether it’s smart speakers like Google Home or dictation services on our PCs, is an everyday matter. But while there have been attempts to make systems that will respond only to one person’s voice, these are not infallible.

That’s an issue that a new research project carried out at the University of Michigan sets out to resolve. Investigators there have created an authentication technology called VAuth, which promises accurate person-specific voice recognition that no talented impressionist, recording or voice-mimicking A.I. is going to be able to get past. It does this via a wearable accessory — which currently takes the form of either a necklace, ear buds, or a glasses attachment — and that uses an accelerometer to measure the subtle skin vibrations in a person’s face, throat, or chest when they talk. It’s these vibrations, combined with the sound, which then provides a unique identifier for each person. In other words, it doesn’t just confirm that these are your own words, but that they are emerging from your own throat, too.

“VAuth does not rely on voice identification, rather it complements voice identification technologies by providing a physical assurance using the vibrations collected from the user’s body,” Kang Shin, a professor in the electrical engineering and computer science department, told Digital Trends. “That’s a departure from relying only on a voice biometric which, similar to a fingerprint, is not easy to keep protected. From a few recordings of the user’s voice, an attacker can impersonate the user by generating a matching ‘voice print,’ such as WaveNet from DeepMind. In such a case, the users can do little to regain their security as they cannot simply change their voice.”

In tests involving 18 users and 30 different vocal commands, VAuth was able to demonstrate an accuracy of 97 percent, regardless of a person’s accent, language, or whether they were moving at the time. It also fended off tests to spoof it — such as playback of a person’s actual voice or impersonations.

“There are already many commercial voice assistant products and services, and we expect a lot more to come in future,” Shin continued. “A solution like VAuth is therefore essential. We have built a prototype using off-the-shelf components, which were not designed for our purpose, and tested the VAuth functionality and accuracy. [Next] we are planning to commercialize VAuth. To this end, we are planning to miniaturize the device, and conduct a more thorough evaluation for its robustness and accuracy for various use-cases and environments.”