Apple Says ‘Hey Siri’ Detection Briefly Becomes Extra Sensitive If Your First Try Doesn’t Work

A new entry in Apple’s Machine Learning Journal provides a closer look at how hardware, software, and internet services work together to power the hands-free “Hey Siri” feature on the latest iPhone and iPad Pro models.

Specifically, a very small speech recognizer built into the embedded motion coprocessor runs all the time and listens for “Hey Siri.” When just those two words are detected, Siri parses any subsequent speech as a command or query.

The detector uses a Deep Neural Network to convert the acoustic pattern of a user’s voice into a probability distribution. It then uses a temporal integration process to compute a confidence score that the phrase uttered was “Hey Siri.”

If the score is high enough, Siri wakes up and proceeds to complete the command or answer the query automatically.

If the score exceeds Apple’s lower threshold but not the upper threshold, however, the device enters a more sensitive state for a few seconds, so that Siri is much more likely to be invoked if the user repeats the phrase—even without more effort.

“This second-chance mechanism improves the usability of the system significantly, without increasing the false alarm rate too much because it is only in this extra-sensitive state for a short time,” said Apple.

To reduce false triggers from strangers, Apple invites users to complete a short enrollment session in which they say five phrases that each begin with “Hey Siri.” The examples are saved on the device.

We compare the distances to the reference patterns created during enrollment with another threshold to decide whether the sound that triggered the detector is likely to be “Hey Siri” spoken by the enrolled user.

This process not only reduces the probability that “Hey Siri” spoken by another person will trigger the iPhone, but also reduces the rate at which other, similar-sounding phrases trigger Siri.

Apple also says it created “Hey Siri” recordings both close and far in various environments, such as in the kitchen, car, bedroom, and restaurant, based on native speakers of many languages around the world.

For many more technical details about how “Hey Siri” works, be sure to read Apple’s full article on its Machine Learning Journal.

Tags: Siri, machine learning
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Verizon Lowering Cracked Screen Repair Fee to $29 for Customers Enrolled in Total Mobile Protection

Verizon today announced it is lowering its deductible for cracked screen repairs for customers signed up for its Total Mobile Protection plan. Starting on Thursday, October 19, the fee will be reduced from $49 to $29. Total Mobile Protection itself costs $11 per month for smartphones and $9 per month for tablets.

Enrolling in Total Mobile Protection is typically only allowed within 30 days of activating a new account or upgrading to a new device, but Verizon is offering an open enrollment period between tomorrow and Friday, November 17 for any existing customer with a functional device less than two years old.

Verizon said customers who need repairs have the option of bringing their device to one of its 296 carry-in locations across the United States, while technicians are also available to meet customers at home, office, school, or during travel in 152 cities. Verizon allows up to three claims per year per enrolled device.

Total Mobile Protection also includes expert technical support called Tech Coach and other perks like the potential for same- or next-day device replacements.

Tag: Verizon
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Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 42 With Bug Fixes and Feature Improvements

Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser Apple first introduced more than a year ago in March of 2016. Apple designed the Safari Technology Preview to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari.

Safari Technology Preview release 42 includes fixes and improvements for Files and Directory Entries API, Clipboard API, Fonts, CSS, Web API, WebDriver, JavaScript, Accessibility, Media, Rendering, WebGL, and Web Inspector. Today’s update also implements Payment Request features.

With Safari 11 now available in macOS High Sierra, Apple is providing two versions of Safari Technology Preview, one for macOS Sierra users and one for those using macOS High Sierra.

The Safari Technology Preview update is available through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store to anyone who has downloaded the browser. Full release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.

Apple’s aim with Safari Technology Preview is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. Safari Technology Preview can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download.

Tag: Safari Technology Preview
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Amazon Sending New Round of Credits to E-Book Buyers as Part of Apple Price Fixing Settlement

Customers who purchased a Kindle e-book between April 1, 2010 and May 21, 2012 may be receiving a credit from Amazon this morning as the retailer continues distributing funds from an antitrust lawsuit levied against Apple back in 2013 by the United States Justice Department.

Emails were sent out to eligible customers in the United States this morning, and Amazon has also set up a website that will list available credits for those who are eligible for a refund.

Apple, along with five other publishers including HarperCollins, Simon and Schuster, Hachette Book Group, Macmillan, and Penguin, was found guilty of conspiring to inflate the prices of e-books to weaken Amazon’s dominant position in the market. While the five publishers settled, Apple held out and appealed several times, but was ultimately ordered to pay a total of $450 million.

Apple maintained its innocence throughout the initial trial and appeals, and has argued that its deals with publishers introduced competition to a market that was largely controlled by Amazon. The United States Justice Department did not see it that way, though, as Apple’s efforts ultimately raised prices for consumers.

Several rounds of refunds have already been distributed as a result of the lawsuit. In 2014, customers received refunds funded by publishers, and in 2016, refunds totaling $400 million, or the bulk of the money paid by Apple, were sent out. This new round of refunds has also been funded by Apple’s settlement and comes from $20 million that was earmarked to pay states that were involved in the lawsuit.

Credits sent out today will last for six months and will need to be spent by April 20, 2018.

Tags: lawsuit, Amazon, antitrust, e-books
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Micromax Canvas Infinity review

After the novelty was introduced to flagship smartphones earlier this year, screens with 18:9 aspect ratios are already trickling down to mid-range smartphones. Clearly, this is the season of longer displays!

With Indian handset maker Micromax‘s newest offering, the Canvas Infinity, the company has brought this feature to an affordable smartphone. But apart from that striking display, is the Canvas Infinity still a competent budget smartphone? Let’s find out in our comprehensive Micromax Canvas Infinity review.

Design

The Canvas Infinity is a budget smartphone, yet there is a hint of style in its chassis. It sports a premium design and good looks, combined with great build quality. Though it’s not a metal unibody design, the Micromax uses top-quality plastic that doesn’t feel cheap at all.

The phone feels great in-hand, especially because of its compact form factor. Even with a 5.7-inch display, the slim bezels and increased height make for a very comfortable phone. It’s smaller than several smartphones in the market with 5.5-inch displays, and gives users a big screen experience without the need to lug around an unwieldy smartphone.

Micromax has done a good job in aesthetics as well as in build quality.

Overall, Micromax has done a good job in aesthetics as well as in build quality. Unlike other smartphones with large displays, the Canvas Infinity is actually comfortable to use with one hand.

Display

The highlight of the Canvas Infinity is of course its display. Micromax offers an edge-to-edge display with 18:9 aspect ratio in a budget smartphone, and manages to be early on the trend. Not bad at all!

Editor’s Pick

Display showdown: AMOLED vs LCD vs Retina vs Infinity Display

It can be argued that the display on your smartphone is its most important feature, as it is the principle way in which you interact with your device. A poor display means a poor user …

The 5.7-inch display sports a 1,440 x 720 resolution and the HD+ IPS LCD has a relatively low pixel density of around 282 ppi. While the colors are bright and vibrant, there is a definite lack of sharpness. The extra screen real estate makes for an immersive video or gaming experience, but the lack of details are a tad disappointing.

Micromax has done well to offer a large and tall display in a compact form factor. It’s not perfect, but a lot of users won’t mind.

Performance

Powered by the older Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 processor, the Canvas Infinity is not built to be a powerhouse. With 3 GB of RAM on board, it does not stutter in everyday usage, even with multiple apps and background processes.

When you stretch it though, there are occasional lags or frame drops. For a budget smartphone, I did not mind the performance – even playing graphics-intensive games worked okay. It’s not a device built for multitasking or power users of any kind. Some apps that need a little more processing power, like Facebook, would take a couple of seconds extra to load or refresh. But this is to be expected.

The good news is that even when stretched, it doesn’t get hot. During extended gaming sessions or while charging, it gets a little warm, but it never gets uncomfortable.

Powered by the older Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 processor, the Canvas Infinity is not built to be a powerhouse.

The 720p display and the modest processor means that the Canvas Infinity manages to squeeze a day’s worth of battery life from the 2,900 mAh battery it packs. It’s not exemplary, but should be good enough for most people. There’s 32 GB of internal storage, with a microSD slot for extending the storage by up to 128 GB.

The Canvas Infinity packs in modest internals, but does a good job in extracting decent performance out of them. Most casual users will enjoy the seamless experience, but power users and specs sheet watchers will want more.

Hardware

The Micromax Canvas Infinity sports a removable back panel allowing you to replace the battery, an uncommon feature in 2017. The device also features separate slots for two SIM cards as well as a microSD card, so you don’t have to make a choice between the second SIM and expandable storage.

There’s a fingerprint sensor at the back that is fairly accurate and quick to unlock the phone. It is one of the best performing fingerprint sensors I’ve seen on a budget smartphone.

Camera

While the 18:9 display is the company’s sole pitch for the device, its camera is the surprise standout of the Canvas Infinity.

The 13 MP rear camera with f/2.0 aperture trumps most smartphones in its price segment. Outdoors in daylight, it manages to take some great shots with quite good color saturation and an okay amount of detail.

The camera is the surprise standout of the Micromax Canvas Infinity.

In low light conditions, the photos are a hit-and-miss. While the color reproduction is good enough, the photos turn out a bit grainy.

Incidentally, the 16 MP front camera fares better, even in lighting conditions that are less than ideal. The color reproduction is accurate and it captures decent amount of details for your selfies to get enough likes (and validation) on social media.

The camera app on the Canvas Infinity is pretty good too. It features a portrait mode for both cameras that blurs out the background for the subject (you) to stand out. In most cases, it’s unnatural and artificial though, but I see a lot of people enjoying that – if my Facebook timeline is any indication. There’s also a feature called Super Pixel which takes multiple shots simultaneously and combines them to give a higher resolution photo. Some of these came out pretty good, but, again, they looked artificial.

Micromax has done well to offer decent imaging capabilities and an especially generous selfie camera. Not every shot will be great, so expect a few blurry or grainy photos, but at the price the Canvas Infinity comes at, you knew that already.

Software

The Canvas Infinity runs on Android 7.1.2 Nougat, which would have been good if Micromax hadn’t chosen to hide the Nougat goodness under the company’s own ‘My Launcher’.

The custom skin is responsible for most of the performance issues you may encounter with the device. It is buggy, and pre-installed apps ask for critical permissions randomly. Then there’s the Apps Center that throws up ads as notifications. My Launcher aims to mimic the iOS UI, as is apparent with the icons and the Settings app. I’m not really sure how this UI was approved at the drawing board but it’s a mess.

Editor’s Pick

Android Nougat review: what’s new in Android 7.1.2?

With Android O just around the corner, Android Nougat is slowly drawing to a close as the latest and greatest version of Android. But as Nougat steadily creeps towards double digits in terms of Android …

Also, there’s a plethora of bloatware, including the random addition of the Indian Prime Minister’s personal app. There are a few neat additions like Smart Actions and Smart Gestures, as well as a one-handed mode which is quite handy.

The Canvas Infinity is a big letdown in terms of software, and one should really opt for a third-party launcher. The good thing is that it packs the latest iteration of Android Nougat, and the company has announced that the smartphone will get the Android 8.0 Oreo update soon.

Specifications

Gallery

Pricing and final thoughts

The Micromax Canvas Infinity is one of the best-looking smartphones in its price segment, and the novelty of a display with an 18:9 aspect ratio is a great addition. The camera is a surprise standout too.

The Canvas Infinity is a capable budget smartphone, with more than one thing going for it.

If you’re not looking for raw power, it will serve you well. Its only downside, and a major one at that, is its frustrating software experience.

At ₹9,999 ($154) in India, the Micromax Canvas Infinity is a good option and puts up a decent challenge against the competition. It has a lot going for it, but it’s not perfect.

Activision earns patent for system that encourages multiplayer microtransactions

Why it matters to you

Loot boxes may not be the final word on in-game microtransactions. Publishers are working on new methods to sell you in-game items.

Activision received a new patent for a system that encourages gamers to buy in-game items, by leveraging its matchmaking system. The matchmaking system would pair inexperienced players with more experienced players to subtly influence their purchasing decisions.

Filed in 2015, but awarded this month, the patent protects a “system and method for driving microtransactions in multiplayer video games.” It discusses methods for encouraging players to pay for in-game items to increase their chances of success. Such methods could involve matching players in a manner that suggests they need to pay to catch up to their opposition or that highlights the differences in equipment to showcase what kind of loadout a player ‘should’ have in order to be competitive.

PatentOffice

The system wouldn’t just use the stick of unfair matchmaking, but also offer a carrot for those who did pay for in-game items. As Rolling Stone describes, if a player makes a suggested purchase, their next game may be matched in a different way to make the use of the in-game item appear effective, indirectly validating their purchase.

“Doing so may enhance a level of enjoyment by the player for the game-related purchase, which may encourage future purchases,” the patent reads. “For example, if the player purchased a particular weapon, the microtransaction engine may match the player in a gameplay session in which the particular weapon is highly effective, giving the player an impression that the particular weapon was a good purchase. This may encourage the player to make future purchases to achieve similar gameplay results.”

The patent also suggests that when in-game marketing and encouragement for purchases does not work, it could change tack and offer different in-game items to try and find something that the player might be interested in.

“[If the] first player did not purchase the in-game item, the player profile may be updated to reflect such non-purchase so that future targeted marketing of in-game items and other game-related purchases may be adjusted based on what has not been successful at enticing a given player to make a game-related purchase,” the patent said.

Exploitative money making tactics in game development are a hotbed of discussion in gaming at the moment. Loot chests and whether or not they constitute gambling are the latest talking point, but Activision’s proposed system is likely to draw its fair share of ire, too.

Activision has made a public statement to confirm that it has not implemented any of the described microtransaction systems into its games at this time. Bungie also confirmed that these systems are not used in Destiny 2.

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. 

iBlockify

iBlockify is a content blocker for Safari that filters and blocks ads, analytics, and social tracking with constant updates to other blocking options.

Available on:

iOS

HappyDays

HappyDays reminds you of the important days to remember. It supports solar and lunar calendars, and both one-time and repeating events. Never miss a birthday or anniversary again.

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.

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

Listaway

Listaway is a to-do list, task manager, and reminders app that promises to be an outstanding planner app to help you organize your life on your terms.

Available on:

iOS

Adobe’s new Lightroom leverages the cloud for cross-platform photo editing

Why it matters to you

Photographers can now choose from the traditional but faster Lightroom Classic, or the edit-anywhere Lightroom CC.

In its biggest announcement since Creative Cloud, Adobe, on October 18, is setting a new direction for its Lightroom photo-editing software: Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic. The move effectively splits Lightroom into two different platforms, one designed for “work anywhere” workflows (Lightroom CC) and another that harnesses the power of desktop computing (Lightroom Classic CC).

The strategy seems convoluted, but here’s the gist: The Lightroom that users already know (and love) is being rebadged as Lightroom Classic CC. For the most part, it will look and feel the same as before, but Adobe is adding a new tool and upgrading the speed.

Lightroom CC is what’s new, however, it is built around the mobile-centric features Adobe has been making to Lightroom in recent years. It’s a collection of desktop, mobile, and web apps designed to work seamlessly the same across various platforms, whether it’s on MacOS, Windows, iOS, or Android. Lightroom Classic offers more tools, but Lightroom CC has a simpler interface, the option to upload full resolution photos to the cloud (including Adobe DNG RAW), and search and tagging using Adobe’s artificial intelligence, called Sensei.

“Lightroom CC answers photographers’ demand for a deeply integrated, intelligent, cloud-based photography solution,” Bryan Lamkin, executive vice president and general manager of Digital Media at Adobe, said in a statement.

Adobe said both software complement each other. Files edited in Lightroom CC at an office, for example, can be synced to Lightroom Classic for editing at home later. The company also says it will continue to develop Lightroom Classic alongside Lightroom CC, and that users can switch between the two.

As for pricing, users now have four Creative Cloud subscriptions to pick from. The price of the existing Adobe Creative Cloud photography plan remains the same: For $10 a month, you get Lightroom CC, Lightroom Classic, Lightroom apps for mobile and web, Photoshop CC, Adobe Spark, Adobe Portfolio, and 20GB of cloud storage. For users who need more cloud storage, a $20 per month plan ups the space to 1TB (current plan subscribers get a discounted price of $15 for the first year).

Another $10 plan omits Lightroom Classic and Photoshop, but you get all the other mentioned software and 1TB of cloud storage. If you don’t need any of the desktop applications, a new mobile-only plan (iOS and Android) is available for $5, and it includes 100GB of cloud storage; the mobile apps themselves, however, are free to download and use.

Ready to find out more about Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic CC? Keep reading.

Adobe Lightroom CC

Lightroom CC has been redesigned from the ground up as a new platform that works across mobile devices and computers, as well as in web browsers, although Adobe has been slowly making this move in recent versions of Lightroom — all based around the cloud. You could argue that Lightroom CC isn’t entirely new, but just a way to streamline Adobe’s various Lightroom software into a one-size-fits-all platform.

Editing tools are all the same, whether you’re working on a smartphone or laptop, and cloud-based storage allows for syncing large image libraries across several devices. The cloud-based system means photographers can start working on images on their laptop, then continue working with those same edits while waiting for the bus or sitting in a coffee shop.

With a revamped user interface and user experience, the tools have a new organization scheme. The import dialog is a simplified version of Lightroom Classic’s. For editing photos, a sidebar organizes all the sliders into a category by the type of edit. The change puts all the exposure controls together and all the color tools together, for example, instead of “anything goes” organization of Lightroom Classic.

The ability to work anywhere is what defines Lightroom CC’s mobile and cloud-based strategy, and Adobe says it capitalizes on several new AI features. Sensei, Adobe’s AI processing engine, is bringing auto-tagging to Lightroom CC, which uses computer vision to search for specific photos, rather than requiring users to enter tags.

When editing in Lightroom CC on the web, a new “Best Photos” option (in beta) automatically finds what Adobe Sensei thinks are the best shots — a feature we mentioned in our Adobe Max preview, where the new Lightroom CC was announced. A slider allows users to choose how many images they’d like to see in the results. For now, this feature is just a technology preview that’s only available in Lightroom CC on the web. Adobe says additional machine learning features will be coming to the program, as well, but did not expand on what those could be.

Tom Hogarty, Adobe’s director of photography programs, says that the change focuses on bringing intuitive, powerful software anywhere. “Every so often, we see a shift in the photo industry and we have to do a pretty big shift in direction,” he said. “Now with a smartphone camera in every pocket…photography is becoming a form of communication itself, which means if you want to stand out and be heard, you need great images.”

Lightroom CC mobile apps will have all of the same tools as the desktop version of the software, with the addition of a built-in camera mode. The camera mode expands on the native camera apps by allowing for RAW files in the DNG format as well as manual exposure controls, white balance options, and manual focus.

In the mobile apps’ built-in HDR mode, the app automatically shoots three shots and merges them together. While many phones offer built-in similar HDR functions, Adobe said that Lightroom CC is the only mobile app that shoots HDR images in the DNG file format, allowing users to fine-tune the exposure of the final shot. In a demonstration of the feature, the resulting merged image turned a washed-out photo of a window into a shot where both the details on the interior wall and the objects outside the window were well-exposed.

As a platform designed to bring feature parity to the desktop and mobile versions, Lightroom CC loses a few controls that are found in Lightroom Classic, including the tone curve and split toning. Manually merging HDR photos and panoramas also aren’t part of this release, but those are features Adobe is working to bring to the program in the future. In the meantime, users can take their workflow into Lightroom Classic to access those tools.

“We want to think of Lightroom CC as the beginning of the conversation,” Hogarty said. “We take all that feedback into account when we decide what to do next.”

Lightroom Classic CC

Adobe stresses that the Lightroom photographers know — now called Lightroom Classic — isn’t going anywhere and is still a focus for the development team. With Lightroom Classic, the popular photo organizing tool and RAW editor sees a much-requested performance improvement as well as a new tool.

Adobe said almost everything sees a speed increase with the update — launch speed, load speed, and switching from the Library to the Develop module included. Adobe said that they are continuing to work to improve the speed in Lightroom Classic, but the update offers a significant boost from the previous version.

Lightroom Classic also now has a new tool for refining masks. The “range mask” tool, with color and luminance options, allows users to refine masks created from using the radial filter, graduated filter, and brush tools without time-consuming manual selections. For example, when applying a graduated filter to bring out the blue in the sky, using the color dropper lets photographers to select that blue, which removes the effect from everything that’s not blue, like the trees and surrounding landscape. Luminance selectors work similarly, but selects a range of light tones instead of color.

While Lightroom CC focuses on cloud-based editing, Lightroom Classic maintains a focus on the strengths of a desktop workflow, Adobe said. Lightroom Classic, like the previous version, can still sync smart previews to the cloud, but unlike CC it does not back up the original RAW file. Because of that sync ability, it is possible to see images in both the Lightroom Original and Lightroom CC, but it’s not a workflow that Adobe recommends.

Adobe’s new Lightroom leverages the cloud for cross-platform photo editing

Why it matters to you

Photographers can now choose from the traditional but faster Lightroom Classic, or the edit-anywhere Lightroom CC.

In its biggest announcement since Creative Cloud, Adobe, on October 18, is setting a new direction for its Lightroom photo-editing software: Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic. The move effectively splits Lightroom into two different platforms, one designed for “work anywhere” workflows (Lightroom CC) and another that harnesses the power of desktop computing (Lightroom Classic CC).

The strategy seems convoluted, but here’s the gist: The Lightroom that users already know (and love) is being rebadged as Lightroom Classic CC. For the most part, it will look and feel the same as before, but Adobe is adding a new tool and upgrading the speed.

Lightroom CC is what’s new, however, it is built around the mobile-centric features Adobe has been making to Lightroom in recent years. It’s a collection of desktop, mobile, and web apps designed to work seamlessly the same across various platforms, whether it’s on MacOS, Windows, iOS, or Android. Lightroom Classic offers more tools, but Lightroom CC has a simpler interface, the option to upload full resolution photos to the cloud (including Adobe DNG RAW), and search and tagging using Adobe’s artificial intelligence, called Sensei.

“Lightroom CC answers photographers’ demand for a deeply integrated, intelligent, cloud-based photography solution,” Bryan Lamkin, executive vice president and general manager of Digital Media at Adobe, said in a statement.

Adobe said both software complement each other. Files edited in Lightroom CC at an office, for example, can be synced to Lightroom Classic for editing at home later. The company also says it will continue to develop Lightroom Classic alongside Lightroom CC, and that users can switch between the two.

As for pricing, users now have four Creative Cloud subscriptions to pick from. The price of the existing Adobe Creative Cloud photography plan remains the same: For $10 a month, you get Lightroom CC, Lightroom Classic, Lightroom apps for mobile and web, Photoshop CC, Adobe Spark, Adobe Portfolio, and 20GB of cloud storage. For users who need more cloud storage, a $20 per month plan ups the space to 1TB (current plan subscribers get a discounted price of $15 for the first year).

Another $10 plan omits Lightroom Classic and Photoshop, but you get all the other mentioned software and 1TB of cloud storage. If you don’t need any of the desktop applications, a new mobile-only plan (iOS and Android) is available for $5, and it includes 100GB of cloud storage; the mobile apps themselves, however, are free to download and use.

Ready to find out more about Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic CC? Keep reading.

Adobe Lightroom CC

Lightroom CC has been redesigned from the ground up as a new platform that works across mobile devices and computers, as well as in web browsers, although Adobe has been slowly making this move in recent versions of Lightroom — all based around the cloud. You could argue that Lightroom CC isn’t entirely new, but just a way to streamline Adobe’s various Lightroom software into a one-size-fits-all platform.

Editing tools are all the same, whether you’re working on a smartphone or laptop, and cloud-based storage allows for syncing large image libraries across several devices. The cloud-based system means photographers can start working on images on their laptop, then continue working with those same edits while waiting for the bus or sitting in a coffee shop.

With a revamped user interface and user experience, the tools have a new organization scheme. The import dialog is a simplified version of Lightroom Classic’s. For editing photos, a sidebar organizes all the sliders into a category by the type of edit. The change puts all the exposure controls together and all the color tools together, for example, instead of “anything goes” organization of Lightroom Classic.

The ability to work anywhere is what defines Lightroom CC’s mobile and cloud-based strategy, and Adobe says it capitalizes on several new AI features. Sensei, Adobe’s AI processing engine, is bringing auto-tagging to Lightroom CC, which uses computer vision to search for specific photos, rather than requiring users to enter tags.

When editing in Lightroom CC on the web, a new “Best Photos” option (in beta) automatically finds what Adobe Sensei thinks are the best shots — a feature we mentioned in our Adobe Max preview, where the new Lightroom CC was announced. A slider allows users to choose how many images they’d like to see in the results. For now, this feature is just a technology preview that’s only available in Lightroom CC on the web. Adobe says additional machine learning features will be coming to the program, as well, but did not expand on what those could be.

Tom Hogarty, Adobe’s director of photography programs, says that the change focuses on bringing intuitive, powerful software anywhere. “Every so often, we see a shift in the photo industry and we have to do a pretty big shift in direction,” he said. “Now with a smartphone camera in every pocket…photography is becoming a form of communication itself, which means if you want to stand out and be heard, you need great images.”

Lightroom CC mobile apps will have all of the same tools as the desktop version of the software, with the addition of a built-in camera mode. The camera mode expands on the native camera apps by allowing for RAW files in the DNG format as well as manual exposure controls, white balance options, and manual focus.

In the mobile apps’ built-in HDR mode, the app automatically shoots three shots and merges them together. While many phones offer built-in similar HDR functions, Adobe said that Lightroom CC is the only mobile app that shoots HDR images in the DNG file format, allowing users to fine-tune the exposure of the final shot. In a demonstration of the feature, the resulting merged image turned a washed-out photo of a window into a shot where both the details on the interior wall and the objects outside the window were well-exposed.

As a platform designed to bring feature parity to the desktop and mobile versions, Lightroom CC loses a few controls that are found in Lightroom Classic, including the tone curve and split toning. Manually merging HDR photos and panoramas also aren’t part of this release, but those are features Adobe is working to bring to the program in the future. In the meantime, users can take their workflow into Lightroom Classic to access those tools.

“We want to think of Lightroom CC as the beginning of the conversation,” Hogarty said. “We take all that feedback into account when we decide what to do next.”

Lightroom Classic CC

Adobe stresses that the Lightroom photographers know — now called Lightroom Classic — isn’t going anywhere and is still a focus for the development team. With Lightroom Classic, the popular photo organizing tool and RAW editor sees a much-requested performance improvement as well as a new tool.

Adobe said almost everything sees a speed increase with the update — launch speed, load speed, and switching from the Library to the Develop module included. Adobe said that they are continuing to work to improve the speed in Lightroom Classic, but the update offers a significant boost from the previous version.

Lightroom Classic also now has a new tool for refining masks. The “range mask” tool, with color and luminance options, allows users to refine masks created from using the radial filter, graduated filter, and brush tools without time-consuming manual selections. For example, when applying a graduated filter to bring out the blue in the sky, using the color dropper lets photographers to select that blue, which removes the effect from everything that’s not blue, like the trees and surrounding landscape. Luminance selectors work similarly, but selects a range of light tones instead of color.

While Lightroom CC focuses on cloud-based editing, Lightroom Classic maintains a focus on the strengths of a desktop workflow, Adobe said. Lightroom Classic, like the previous version, can still sync smart previews to the cloud, but unlike CC it does not back up the original RAW file. Because of that sync ability, it is possible to see images in both the Lightroom Original and Lightroom CC, but it’s not a workflow that Adobe recommends.

Get a better night’s rest with the 10 best sleep apps for iOS and Android

Finding time to get enough sleep has been a struggle ever since we invented artificial light. No longer tied to our day-night cycle, we’ve pushed harder and harder into the night, spending more and more time away from our beds. While burning the midnight oil may be necessary once in a while, it’s of imperative importance to our health that we do find the time to get our heads down for a good amount of sleep as often as possible.

But sometimes it’s not that easy. Modern life is stressful, and shutting down can be easier said than done. If you’re having trouble sorting out your sleep patterns, there are things you can do to help ease you into sleep. If camomile tea, brisk evening walks, and reading in bed aren’t helping you out, then we’ve found some of the best sleep apps for your iOS or Android device that can help you relax, switch off, and keep track of your personal sleep routine. So whether you’re looking for soothing sounds of nature, a smart alarm that wakes you up at the right time, or just a simple clock in-clock out system to track your sleep, here are the apps that you need.

SleepBot

If you’re looking for a free app that helps you to track your sleep, wake up at the right time, and gain an insight into how you sleep, then SleepBot should be your first port of call. Using a simple system of clocking in when you go to sleep, and clocking out when you wake up, SleepBot can keep a remarkably good log of your sleep times. It even has a clock in offset if you’re the type of person who takes a little time to go to sleep. SleepBot can also use your phone’s sensors to track your movement during your sleep, and can be set to record sleep talking. But that’s not just for comedy value (“Zombie rugby could be a lot better, but they keep passing their arms!”), as SleepBot uses that data to record when you’re in a deep sleep, and since waking from a period of lighter sleep improves your wakefulness, it sets an alarm to wake you during those lighter periods. Stat-heads are likely to find a lot to love here, as SleepBot is full of interesting statistics and graphs, and even has a guides section where you can learn about how to improve your sleep lifestyle.

Download now from:

Google Play  iTunes

Sleep Cycle

Sleep Cycle is a pared down experience for those who want to get all the benefits of waking up during a lighter period of their sleep cycle, but aren’t that fussed about keeping track of the specific times they do so. Much like SleepBot, Sleep Cycle uses your phone’s sensors to keep track of your movement, noises, and position while you sleep, so that it can slowly wake you at the optimal time, ensuring you wake feeling refreshed and ready for the day.

Download now from:

Google Play  iTunes

Sleep Better

From popular fitness app developer Runtastic, Sleep Better aims to make the process of tracking your sleep into less of a chore, and more of a daily diary. Sleep Better supports logging your sleep times, has a smart alarm that aims to wake you at the right time, and uses sensors to monitor your sleeping state. Sleep Better also allows you to go even deeper into various details of your sleep by including a dream diary, caffeine and alcohol tracker, and even the phases of the moon. This might seem a bit much, but it’s all to allow you to see what really helps you to sleep, and what’s keeping you awake. This app can ask a lot of you, but if you’re willing to go deep into the intensive logging spree, you’re sure to learn a lot about how you sleep.

Download now from:

Google Play  iTunes

Rain Rain Sleep Sounds

Remember when you were a kid, and the sound of the rain in the car would gently lull you to sleep? If that’s a memory you share and you’re having trouble sleeping, then Rain Rain Sleep Sounds might help you relax. Rain Rain Sleep Sounds has a catalog of over 25 natural noises to help you get to sleep, including rain on a tent, distant thunderstorms, and crashing ocean waves. Fancy hearing a thunderstorm over the ocean from your tent? You can mix each track together to get the perfect sound that’ll help you. There’s no need to worry about it being on all night either — a custom timer will slowly fade the sounds out, giving you a peaceful night’s rest after you nod off.

Download now from:

Amazon Google Play  iTunes

Sleepo

On Android and want even more sound options? Sleepo comes with 32 carefully selected sounds, sorted into four different categories: Rain, city, nature, and meditation sounds. Like other apps, you can mix these different sounds together to create your own personal spin, or simply use each one with the built-in timer to fade away when you fall asleep. If you’re something of a sound purist, Sleepo also contains tracks for white, pink, and brown noise. Thanks to the wide range of noises available, you’re sure to find a selection that helps you to drift off.

Download now from:

Google Play

Sleep Genius ($5)

Developed using information from NASA’s own research on helping astronauts sleep, Sleep Genius claims to offer the world’s first truly scientific app for aiding sleep. It does this through a specific relaxation program that slows your heart rate, stabilizes your brain, and helps you to release tension and stress from the day, easing you into a sleepy state. It also functions as a smart alarm, with a gradually rising alarm that aims to wake you slowly and naturally after your rest. Interestingly, it also comes with a power nap function that lets you take short, restful naps to boost your performance through the day. It’s the first paid app on this list, but it’s certainly worth a look if you haven’t found success with other apps.

Download now from:

iTunes

Sleep As Android

What sort of sleep app list would this be without mention of Sleep as Android? One of Android’s most successful sleep apps, Urbandroid really took advantage of Android’s open platform, and Sleep as Android is one of the most interconnected sleep apps that you can get on an Android device. Capable of talking with Pebble, Android Wear, and Galaxy Gear smartwatches, Sleep as Android is also integrated with fitness apps like Google Fit and S Health, so you can be sure you’re getting enough sleep to match your activity levels. It comes with sleep, movement, and snoring tracking, can play sounds to help you sleep, and can even control Philips HUE smart bulbs. It’s one of the finest examples of a connected Android app, and well worth your time to set up.

Download now from:

Google Play

S Health

Samsung’s own health app comes pre-installed on Samsung’s devices, but is also available for other Android phones. S Health is primarily a fitness tracker, but it does have some sleep tracking capabilities. While we’d normally avoid fitness trackers that otherwise have sleep trackers built-in, S Health does have a few features that make it stand out from the crowd of sleep tracking apps. S Health will attempt to automatically record your sleep times, based on your activity with your phone. So if you put down your phone just before bed, and pick it up again shortly after waking, S Health can help to keep track of your sleep records with little interaction from yourself. In addition, the app will record your sleep and wake times, and rate them accordingly, so you can always be chasing a higher rating for better sleep.

Download now from:

Google Play

Pillow

Pillow is a sleep tracker for iOS devices that works with your Apple Watch to supply more detailed information than a normal sleep tracker. Thanks to integration with the Apple Watch’s heart rate sensor, Pillow helps to keep an even closer eye on you while you sleep, keeping note of your resting heart rate and the movements you make during the night. Thanks to Pillow’s integration with iOS devices, you can also use the same account across all your iOS devices. Pillow also comes with a power nap mode, smart alarms, and iCloud support for free, and it supports a whole raft of premium features like personalized sleep reports, and integration with Apple’s health app for a one-time payment of $5.

Download now from:

iTunes

Calm: Meditation

Sometimes you just need to calm down a little bit before bed, and that’s where apps like Calm: Meditation come in. While not purely focused on aiding sleep, Calm does contain several guided meditation courses and sleep stories that help to promote stress relief before bed, and aim to put the user in a deeper and more relaxed sleep. For those who don’t like hearing voices, Calm also has soothing sounds of nature to help you drift off. The other courses help with stress relief, and could aid your sleep by helping you to live a calmer and more relaxed life. Some courses do require a subscription fee for access.

Download now from:

Google Play  iTunes

Looking for more help sleeping, or hungry for more sleep gadgets? Check out our round-up of the best physical sleep trackers, and the best gadgets to help you sleep. And if you’re looking for something to listen to those lovely nature sounds on, check out our list of the best wireless noise-canceling headphones. If you just want to see more must-install apps, check out our lists of the best Android apps, and the best iOS apps available right now!