The Morning After: Friday, October 6th 2017

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

Netflix prices are up, we cringe at the VR headsets and head-mounted displays of yesteryear, and we gaze into Samsung’s incredibly widescreen gaming monitor.

FYI.Netflix raises its prices again

Surprise — Netflix is nudging prices on two of its plans a bit higher. The standard HD streaming plan that allows for two streams simultaneously is going from $10 to $11 per month while the four-stream plan with 4K support is going from $12 to $14. The changes are set to take effect starting later this month, but current customers will get a 30-day advance notice. If you somehow don’t have an account yet, the higher prices are in effect immediately — but c’mon, you’ve gotta get your second season of Stranger Things.

Pick up right where you left off.Microsoft Launcher offers ‘Continue on PC’ option for Android phones

Android device users can check out a new launcher from Microsoft. Other than a tailored feed of information based on your calendar and contacts, it also builds in the Continue on PC feature, which lets you move whatever you’re using — photos, documents, whatever — from mobile to desktop with one button press.

Happy birthday!Lenovo’s anniversary ThinkPad marries retro design and modern tech

To celebrate the ThinkPad’s 25th anniversary, Lenovo put the ThinkPad Anniversary Edition 25 on sale. It brings retro styling with a blue enter key and multicolor logo, but packs a 7th Gen Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce 940MX graphics inside. For that combination of old and sort-of new, it will cost $1,900.

Home and HomePod and Echo.Smart speakers are working their way into every home

Fundamentally, if you’re a company producing speakers around the $300 mark, then you have a problem. Because smart speakers, produced and backed by billion-dollar tech companies are looking to eat your lunch.

Now you know when to cancel your All Access subscription.CBS will stream nine ‘Star Trek’ episodes this year instead of eight

The ninth and final episode of this season’s first chapter will debut on Sunday, November 12th.

Is this worth getting a new desk?Samsung’s huge 49-inch gaming monitor is an ultrawide dream

According to Devindra Hardawar, this massive monitor is “unusual, but it also delivers an immersive experience like no other display.”

Unpretty.The ugly history of strapping screens to our faces

We’ve come a long way, baby.

But wait, there’s more…

• Russian hackers reportedly stole NSA cyber-defense material
• Chevy is building a hydrogen fuel-cell transport vehicle for the Army
• Investigators are using AI to find who betrayed Anne Frank
• Hulu’s ‘Future Man’ pulls a gamer into the past to save the future

The Morning After is a new daily newsletter from Engadget designed to help you fight off FOMO. Who knows what you’ll miss if you don’t subscribe.

Apple’s latest doc is about unsung music legend Bert Berns

Apple’s latest video exclusive is another documentary on a lesser-known music maestro. Just days after the premiere of its Clive Davis feature, its unveiled the trailer for Bang! The Bert Berns Story. The Beatles, Van Morrison, and The Rolling Stones have all sung Bert Berns’ compositions. Yet, the man himself never received the canonization granted to his peers. This despite the fact that most people have probably heard Berns’ biggest hits, such as Twist and Shout, I Want Candy, and Piece of My Heart.

The documentary, co-directed by Berns’ son Brett Berns, also dishes up plenty of juicy details about the mob’s dalliances with the music business. And, it features a who’s who of rock aristocrats: Steve Van Zandt narrates the proceedings, and Paul McCartney, Keith Richards, and Van Morrison all pop up to discuss Berns’ neglected legacy.

Apple has already served up a number of documentaries for users of its music streaming service, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. In December, it debuted 808: The Movie (a feature on the iconic drum machine). Then, in June, subscribers got their hands on Puff Daddy’s Bad Boy Records doc. Plus, an exclusive behind-the-scenes documentary on Pink’s upcoming album will hit Apple Music on October 13th. That also happens to be when the critically acclaimed Bang! will arrive.

Meanwhile, Apple’s larger video strategy is built on big names and big money. Unlike its docs, however, the headliners in its current line-up have done little to boost its critical cred. Whereas, Amazon and Netflix boast Oscar and Emmy-winning films and TV shows among their ranks, Apple has thus far served up a lukewarm take on Shark Tank featuring Will.i.am and Gwynie (Planet of the Apps). And, there’s its stale on arrival Carpool Karaoke series. The company will be hoping the executive talent it poached from Sony Pictures Television, and elsewhere, can help it muster up some pop culture behemoths of its own.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Via What Hi-Fi.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Why it matters to you

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

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

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

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

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

NTSB

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BlackBerry’s water-resistant Motion revealed in leak

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

Goodbye, Krypton.

Hello, BlackBerry Motion pic.twitter.com/lBsdpORHW4

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) October 5, 2017

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

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

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

Source: Evan Blass (Twitter)

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

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

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

Via: Bloomberg

Source: Amazon

Taxify takes on Uber in Paris with lower prices and commissions

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

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

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

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

Via: Le Parisien (translated)

Source: Taxify

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Related Roundup: iOS 11
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