Twitter explains why it takes time to roll out new safety rules

Twitter has been trying to stamp out harassment, violence and abuse on its platform for years, but it’s nowhere near achieving that goal. Since its administrators regularly get a lot of flak for not moving fast enough to make the website safer, Twitter has published a post explaining why it takes time to conjure up and roll out new policy changes. The company says creating new rules “requires in-depth research around trends in online behavior, developing language that sets expectations around what’s allowed, and reviewer guidelines that can be enforced across millions of Tweets.”

After drafting new policies, Twitter runs them through its trust and safety partners, which include NGOs that focus on human relations, child abuse, mental health and cyberbullying. That’s followed by gathering “input from around the world” to make sure it can get “diverse, global perspectives” on how the rules are interpreted in different cultural and social contexts. Once all that consultation is over, it has to test the rules on potentially abusive Tweets to determine if they’re enforceable and effective. Finally, Twitter has to train its review teams to be able to identify tweets that violate the new policies.

Twitter released a calendar of safety policy rollouts after users organized a boycott in solidarity with “victims of hate and harassment Twitter fails to support.” The upcoming policies aim to get rid of consensual nudity, violence and hate group activities on platform. However, Twitter plans to implement them one by one, so it will take weeks and even months before we’ll see them being enforced.

Source: Twitter

New York City ordered to share code for DNA evidence software

Many attempts to open up access to software in the justice system have fallen flat. Advocates in New York, however, have just scored a significant victory. A federal judge has publicly unsealed the source code for DNA analysis software previously used in New York City’s crime lab, Forensic Statistical Tool, after ProPublica motioned for its disclosure. There are concerns that the software may have sent innocent people to prison by incorrectly determining that a suspect’s DNA was likely to be part of a mix of genetic material (such as the handle of a gun). Public access to the code could theoretically catch flaws in the methodology and clear someone’s name.

The move comes as a challenge in a gun possession case where FST was used to determine the likelihood that the accused owned certain weapons. The judge had already ordered code access for the defendant’s lawyers, but they weren’t allowed to share or talk about what they’d learned. Public code makes it considerably easier to challenge the accuracy of the results — outside experts and the media (including ProPublica) can find problems on their own.

Not surprisingly, the city’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has opposed the motion. It continued to “stand behind the science” of FST’s code.

The software isn’t in use by NYC examiners as of early this year, limiting the effects of this order on future cases. It could help with questionable cases where FST has been involved (including in other parts of the US). Also, it might lay the groundwork for future attempts at access to software in the justice system. If this helps someone avoid (or get out of) prison, it would show that source code can improve accountability.

Source: ProPublica

The top 10 most expensive drones that you (a civilian) can buy

As drones explode (not literally) in popularity, it’s not surprising that the high end of the market is seeing a ton of activity. We have ridable drones for billionaires, spy drones for the military, extra-fancy drones for filmmakers and other models that push traditional prices sky high. If you’ve been taken aback at how much consumer drones cost online, these examples of the most expensive drones should definitely make you feel better.

EHang 184 – $300,000

The Ehang 184 is a drivable drone project from the Chinese startup Ehang, which showed off the concept at CES, along with its incredible $300,000 price tag. The prototype model includes AC, futuristic chairs, and a built-in tablet for controls. According to company claims, it takes two hours to charge and can fly you around for about 23 minutes. Look, there’s a chance that this thing isn’t ever going to make it past the prototype phase (although Dubai seems convinced), and even if it does, it’ll probably illegal to fly around your city. But we want to believe.

Augmented Aerigon Drone + Phantom Flex4K – $250,000

If you’re looking for the most expensive camera drone in the world, look no further. This beast was created by Brain Farm, which partnered with dronemaker Aerigon to get an augmented version of their drone that could carry the large Phantom Flex4K camera. The result was some incredible 4K footage, but the entire package costs around $250,000, which is a little more than the average GoPro.

Scorpion 3 Hoverbike – $150,000

Nope, we just can’t stop trying to ride our drones. The Scorpion 3 Hoverbike, however, is a down-to-earth product that has gone through multiple iterations to make it safer, more powerful, and easier to use. You can check out the video to learn more, but this drone really does fly, and it really can carry you around. Of course, since a strong gust of wind could cause a terrifying crash, most of the tests have been inside a big warehouse–but if you can drop $150,000 on a hoverbike you can probably afford to rent out a warehouse, too.

XactSense Titan – $120,000

XactSense specializes in all-purpose drones for professional purposes like scouting and disaster relief: One of its latest models is the Titan/HDL32E project, which is designed to be particularly powerful. It can carry up to 50 pounds, has an incredible operating range of 9.9 miles, and boasts a flight time of 30 minutes. It’s also one of the more consumer-friendly drones on our list if you’re used to the controller/app combination that the Titan and similar drones use. Of course, that $120,000 price tag isn’t so common.

AEE F100 – $58,000

The F100 is an identification and tracking drone designed primarily for law enforcement and military use. Unlike all-purpose models, this drone comes equipped with its own specialized cameras, including 20x zooming, 3D image capture, and a navigation light that can reach one kilometer. It also has “multi-target visual identification and tracking” which can identify people, cars and buildings. With all that gadgetry, maybe it’s a good thing the price is in the Bruce Wayne range of $60,000.

Airborne Drones: Vanguard – $45,000

The Vanguard, a long-range surveillance drone, gets plenty of attention for its sleek design, but it’s also one of the most expensive consumer drones in the world. It sports a dual camera that includes a thermal detection mode. Where the AEE F100 is more suited toward urban environments and security, the Vanguard has a broader purview and is skilled at long-range surveillance of friendlier targets like wildlife and game in spacious reserves. In addition to shooting 4K footage, the Vanguard can stay up for an impressive 94 minutes and offers a 1080p visual feed via a dual-antenna setup.

Sci.Aero cyberQuad – $37,000

As the sturdy design implies, the cyberQuad is made primarily for industrial purposes — specifically reliable survey/agricultural scans where other survey tools can’t quite do the job. That includes multispectral camera abilities with automatic geotagging of all data, allowing users to study everything from vegetation cover to the topographical features of an area. However, the high-tech camera and extra-durable design push the cyberQuad’s price up to $37,000, which may be a bit much for the average farm.

Multirotor G4 Eagle V2 Cargo – $35,000

Yeah, that’s a lot of rotors. Of course, the G4 Eagle needs them: this popular drone boasts high wind stability and autonomic flight controls that allow you to set up to 50 waypoints for complex mapping. The result is an all-purpose drone that is particularly friendly to photographers. Depending on the package and add-ons, this model can cost you up to $35,000.

Lockheed Martin Indago – $25,000

The Indago treads an interesting line between military and civilian drone. It has a durable, minimalistic design and a ruggedized controller with a built-in screen (based on a Windows platform), so you don’t need many extra accessories to get it up in the air. It’s also particularly quiet and has great stabilization, which makes it ideal for surveillance and exploration (as long as you don’t fly it near any planes). However, features like integrated GPS and LTE connectivity don’t come cheap.

Freefly Systems ALTA 8 – $17,500

The minimalistic design of the Alta 8 belies its focus on stability. This is a drone designed for photographers and filmographers who want only the best drone performance for their high-demand shots. It includes swan-neck carbon booms, plus both a top and bottom tray for securing all types of cameras. Expect to see more of these around Hollywood in the coming years.

Editor’s Recommendations

• With new owners and major changes, the Lily drone might fly after all
• Amazon delivery drones may dock on trains and ships, patent shows
• U.S. military can now destroy your drone if you fly it in a restricted area
• Behold the majesty of our world with the 50 best drone photos
• Polaroid (yes, that Polaroid) now has four new camera drones

Boosted 2 Dual+ electric longboard review

If you’ve seen anyone on an electric longboard in the past few years, chances are that the board they were riding was from Boosted. The company was one of the first on the scene when the rideable tech revolution started to take hold back around 2012, and has since grown to become one of the most popular electric longboard brands on the planet.

Boosted has continued to improve on its original design, and it released its second-generation board in 2016. Since then, a number of of competitors have sprung up to steal the company’s thunder. So, does the Boosted 2 Dual+ still stand out from the rest of the pack? We ripped one around PDX for a couple weeks, and pitted it against a handful of other high-end electric skateboards to see how it compares.

Standout features and specs

This board has a lot going for it. For starters, It’s outrageously powerful. Two 1,000-watt DC motors make this beast burly enough to hit 22 miles per hour, which might not sound like a lot — but when you’re riding just a couple inches off the ground, 22 mph may as well be 60. These motors also allow the board to charge up relatively steep hills (25% grade) with ease.

The best thing about the Boosted board is its finely tuned and carefully designed control system

The board is also equipped with automotive-grade lithium batteries that’ll get you about 12-14 miles on a single charge. The new generation also boasts three onboard microprocessors, a multitude of sensors, and mobile connectivity. Yup, you can connect it to your smartphone to tweak performance settings.

On paper, these features make it look pretty damn appealing — but really, what makes this board stand out is the way it rides. Boosted built in a number of little design flourishes that might not seem particularly significant when considered individually, but taken together, they add up to a supreme riding experience.

Hit the deck

The first thing that struck us about this board was its deck. Made from 100 percent bamboo, it’s not only springy and strong, but it also provides a playful, highly responsive ride. We realize that  bouncy decks might not appeal to everyone, but Boosted has done a good job of straddling the line between flexy and stiff here. The deck is certainly on the springy side of the spectrum, but not so much that you’ll feel like you’re riding a trampoline.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

The Boosted Dual2+ is also very well balanced. Due to careful positioning of the battery and motors, the board is easy to pick up and carry under your arm — something that can’t be said of far too many electric skateboards on the market right now. Having the ability to easily carry your board around is paramount if you plan on using your board to commute, or really, do anything more than indulging in some uninterrupted cruising on perfectly flat pavement.

Killer controls

Hands down, the best thing about the Boosted board is its finely tuned and carefully designed control system. In just about every other board we’ve tried thus far, the handheld controller is more of an afterthought than anything. 99 percent of the time, you get a flimsy Bluetooth joystick controller with basic forward/back functions — but that’s not the case with the Boosted 2 Dual+.

This bad boy comes with a proprietary wireless controller that boasts a number of notable features. First and foremost, it eschews a simple joystick in favor of a more dynamic wheel and trigger system. The wheel determines the amount of acceleration, while the trigger makes that acceleration kick in. Roll the wheel forward, but don’t hold down the trigger, nothing will happen.

This is nice for a couple reasons. The first is that you can’t accidentally bump the throttle and send yourself flying. Second, the large wheel allows for more fine control over your speed. Boosted’s board isn’t nearly as touchy as the other longboards we’ve ridden.

Speeding up and slowing down

The controller is just one half of the equation. In addition to Boosted’s well-designed throttle mechanism, the board’s motors are exquisitely well-tuned — so much so that we dare say they offer the smoothest acceleration and deceleration of any electric board we’ve ever ridden. On most boards, you’ll experience a bit of a jarring effect when you hit the throttle or brakes, no matter how hard or soft you try to accelerate. This is especially pronounced when starting from a dead stop. More often than not, the average board will speed up too quickly for your muscles to adjust, thereby throwing you off balance — but we experienced no such effect with the Boosted 2 Dual+.

… The smoothest acceleration and deceleration of any electric board we’ve ever ridden

Now to be fair, it’s definitely still possible to accelerate or brake too quickly and send yourself face-first onto the pavement, but Boosted’s smooth controls lower this risk in comparison to most other boards. Even if you’re quick and heavy on the throttle or brake, the Boosted 2 Dual+ will generally accelerate in a steady, gradual manner that doesn’t throw you off balance.

Bringing yourself to a gentle stop doesn’t require an ultra-delicate touch on the decelerator — you can actually mash the brakes fairly hard without flying off the front of your board, because the motors slow you down in a gradual (but still strong) way.

As an added bonus, the board’s software can be tuned to suit different users. If you’re a beginner, you can limit the board to a top speed of 11 mph, and make acceleration/deceleration even more gradual than it usually is. If you want a bit more speed, but don’t want to eat up all your battery power, just put the board in Eco mode; it’ll top out at 16 mph, but leave you enough oomph to power up moderately-sized hills. And if you’re a real ripper, you can kick the board into either Pro or Expert modes — both of which will get you up to (or over) 20 miles per hour. Toggling between these modes is as easy as pressing a button on the controller.

Boisterous Belts and Punishing Pushes

Boosted’s burly, belt-driven wheels are a bit of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they’re the key to the board’s powerful, hill-happy, and supremely smooth drive system, but on the other hand, they’re also the cause of a few notable downsides.

First and foremost, the Boosted 2 Dual+ isn’t great at coasting. The belted wheels provide a good deal of friction when you ease off the throttle, and while it’s not enough to throw you off balance, you’ll definitely feel the deceleration — like the road suddenly turned into molasses. This also means that the board isn’t particularly easy to push when it’s unpowered. Granted, if you’re diligent about keeping your battery charged up, you won’t need to manually push the board at all, but even so, it’s nice to have that ability when you need it — even if it’s just a couple starter kicks to get you rolling before you hit the gas.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

The other downside is the noise. Boosted’s motors, while undeniably powerful, are also quite loud. In fact, they’re among the noisiest we’ve ever experienced on an electric skateboard. At low speeds, and while starting from a dead stop, the motors let off a noticeable groan. At high speeds, it’s a full-on electronic whine. It’s annoying, but it does help alert pedestrians (and slow cyclists) that you’re approaching from the rear, and we found that most people will naturally make way when they hear a motorized monstrosity coming up behind them. So if you don’t mind drawing attention to yourself, Boosted’s boisterous board does have some benefits to it.

All things considered

Despite the fact that it’s nearly a year old at this point, the Boosted 2 Dual+ is still one of the best electric longboards on the market right now. Sure, it’s a little loud and sucks at coasting — but these flaws are largely overshadowed by the board’s virtues. Between its fantastic deck, outstanding controls, and supremely smooth throttle/braking system, Boosted’s flagship longboard offers one of the most polished riding experiences you’ll find right now. So if you don’t mind the relatively large price tag of $1,500, then this board is definitely worth your consideration.

Editor’s Recommendations

• Like a shark with a saddle, Halo Board is sleek, smooth, and insanely fun to ride
• Don’t get stuck in traffic — get a Serpent Series electric skateboard instead
• Genesis Tomahawk electric skateboard review
• Halo Board Carbon Edition Review
• Exway’s smart X1 skateboard will help riders of all levels beat the traffic

Get an Ethereum Blockchain mastery bundle for just $14.50!

Decentralized applications are becoming more popular, and have recently hit the mainstream thanks to Bitcoin, a cryptocurrency that relies on blockchain technology to function. There are plenty more uses for blockchain than just Bitcoin, much like there are many more uses for the internet than just email.

Ethereum is an open-source computing platform that uses blockchain technology to function. While it does have a currency aspect to it, Ethereum’s main use is a decentralized platform for smart contracts, applications that run without risk of intervention from outside parties that intend fraud, censorship, or interruption.

Ethereum is picking up steam as blockchain technology moves forward, and developers are in high demand despite it being in an early adopter stage. Right now, Windows Central has a deal on a four-course bundle that contains all you need to become proficient in Ethereum blockchain technology. Instead of paying the regular price of $610, you’ll instead pay just $29. That’s 95 percent off the regular price! That’s not all; use the code BUNDLE50 at checkout and save another 50 percent, resulting in a final price of $14.50.

Courses include:

• Ethereum Blockchain Developer: Build Projects Using Solidity
• Blockchain Technology: A Guide To The Blockchain Ecosystem
• Ethereum Developer: Build A Decentralized Blockchain App
• Ethereum Developer Masterclass: Build Real-World Projects

If you’d like to get into Ethereum while it’s still getting off the ground, the time is now. At just $14.50, you really can’t go wrong; developers are in high demand, and the profession is on course to become quite lucrative.

See at Android Central Digital Offers

Get away from it all in this weekend’s comments thread

No shirt, no shoes, no problem. But no arguing over displays!

Google’s big week is over. The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are in the wild, and everyone has an opinion about them. Of course they (we) do because that’s what we always do. Samsung may sell the most phones but it seems like Google’s are the ones that generate the most talk.

Something about arguing over a phone you have no intentions of buying is fun until it stops being fun. It’s pretty much stopped being fun. The Pixel 2 XL doesn’t have an amazing display and if you’re spending your own money, you should decide how much that matters. Buy what you like and stop worrying about what you don’t and you’ll be a happier person.

Like these happy geese.

So no Pixel arguing here because this space is not for that. It’s for being chill and talking with other chill people about whatever (except Pixel 2 XL displays and politics). It’s a great place to discuss weekend plans or tell us how great your vacation was.

This is a super-exciting weekend for me, even though I’m work-busy for all of it. My desk is piled high with stuff I can’t talk about until next week and I’ll be messing with it so that I have something worth saying when I can. It’s one of those deals where you’re so busy you don’t know where to start, but you love every second of it, ya know?

So what are you up to? Tell us all something good!

Everything we know so far about Skyrim VR

What do I need to know about Skyrim VR?

A surprise trailer for Skyrim VR was shown during the Sony presentation at E3 2017. Arriving on the heels of the Fallout 4 VR trailer, many fans were left with a bunch of questions regarding Bethesda’s move to take their beloved fantasy RPG into VR. To help spread the word, here’s everything we know so far.

Read more at VRHeads!

The best devices and apps to up your selfie game

The first time a stranger on the train told me I had a nice smile, I didn’t believe her. Back then, I hadn’t yet had my crooked teeth fixed, and my self-esteem wasn’t anywhere as high as it is today. I was an ugly kid, and it took a shocking number of selfies to convince myself that I’m not an ugly adult. It may seem like a superficial pastime, but selfie-taking has real benefits.

I’m not alone in believing there are psychological advantages here. Studies have shown that seeing a good picture of yourself can boost your confidence, while taking a smiling selfie can make you feel happier. Over time, that can improve your self-esteem. But getting selfies to look the way you want requires a very particular set of skills, skills I’ve acquired over a very long career of testing gadgets that are often designed to help you take better photos. We’ll talk about those devices later — best if you nail your technique first.

The basics

First of all, practice, practice, practice. When you have free time at home, take as many selfies as you need to figure out what angle works for you. Whether it’s holding your phone up high, sticking your chin out at a particular angle or figuring out which of your smiles looks best, there are certain key elements that even the most advanced technology won’t address.

There isn’t a rule that applies to everyone, but in general, holding your camera slightly above your eyes will prevent the appearance of double chins. Tilting your head ever so slightly to the left or right will make your face look slimmer (if that’s something you’re going for), and it usually helps to stick out your chin slightly to elongate your neck. Ultimately, there are various flattering ways one can pose, and everyone’s good angles are different. Your best bet is to experiment and learn what works for your face.

Understanding light

Once you’ve figured out your best angles (make sure you have a few to avoid becoming a one-trick pony), you’ll need to find or create the best lighting. Any photographer will tell you that light is your best friend, and that’s equally true with selfies. This is something you won’t have much control over if you’re outside with ample natural light. But if you’re in an environment where light is coming from just one direction, try to face the light source without your hand casting a shadow on you. In fact, try to avoid any shadows on your face at all.

It also helps to understand the type of light you’re shooting in. The best condition is natural light, specifically during the hour before sunset. Daylight is ideal for bringing out colors and details — best for showing off a new outfit or hair color. But your pictures will look better on a slightly cloudy day than under harsh sunlight. Clouds provide a natural filter for a softer effect on your face and prevent the overexposure that can happen on a sunny day.

When you’re indoors, very often you’ll be stuck under overhead lights that have an orange or greenish cast. In these situations, try to find a neutral light source and face it. It’s also better if the bulb is covered with a translucent material like tracing/tissue paper or a light-color lampshade, since this filters the rays to avoid harshness.

Remote triggers to avoid blur

All the prep you do before taking a picture can be ruined by shaky hands. Sometimes, you have to hold your phone in a way that makes the trigger hard to reach. In those situations, using a voice or gesture trigger can be very helpful. Today, many phones from companies such as Samsung and LG offer voice commands to take photos when you say prompts like “Cheese” or “Smile.” You can even ask Siri or the Google Assistant to “take a selfie” (though Apple’s software is useless since you still have to press the shutter button yourself).

Activate these, as well as gesture triggers, to avoid introducing blur to your image when pressing down on a physical button. If your phone has none of these options, a good workaround is setting a short timer, pressing the shutter button, then framing your shot. You can also get a mini tripod for your phone, as well as a remote control, to take perfectly still selfies. I’d recommend a selfie stick, because they can be very useful in preventing blur, but they’ve been banned in so many places (I’ve had them confiscated at various security checks) that at this point they’re not worth the investment.

Accessories you can buy

If you’re serious enough about selfies to consider buying tools to improve them, the options run the gamut from lights to standalone cameras. Portrait photographers use a ring light to avoid their cameras casting a shadow on their subject’s faces while creating a sparkle in their eyes. The phone equivalent would be a selfie case, like the ones from LuMee or Allure/CaseMate. They add bulbs around the screen of your phone that you can turn on when you’re in a dark environment or if you just want a glamour boost.

Both the LuMee and Allure options have their strengths — the LuMee Duo’s lights are more flattering, while the Allure has a fold-out ring that makes for better grip and doubles as a kickstand. I prefer the LuMee Duo (and the Kardashians use it, too) but I wish it weren’t so hard to pry off your phone once you put it on. I haven’t tried other options like the Ty-Lite, unfortunately, so I can’t vouch for it.

You can also try a clip-on selfie light like the Chatlight or a plug-in flash like the iBlazr LED if you don’t want to swap out your existing phone case. I found both those options effective (if a tad blue) during my testing, but I don’t like carrying additional accessories on me, so I prefer the cases.

Of course, strong lights like that can cause oily faces to look shiny, so make sure you blot or powder your skin before snapping a shot. If you don’t carry blotters or powder on you, even dabbing your forehead and nose with a napkin or tissue will help.

Some accessories let you get some distance from the camera, so you can see more of yourself in the picture. A mini tripod is a good way to set up your phone far away, but a camera accessory that’s controlled by your phone has the added benefit of giving you a preview of your shot before you capture it. Try this webcam-like toy called a Snap Petz that you can set anywhere to take your picture. You may also consider the upcoming Amazon Echo Look, a voice-controlled camera that takes full-length pictures or short videos. The Echo Look also has built-in LED lights, and also senses depth to apply an artificial background blur so you (and your outfits) stand out. The Echo Look still isn’t available, though, and we’ve yet to test it.

If you have money to blow and are happy to be extremely extra, go ahead and take a drone selfie. These flying cameras can recognize your face and follow you as you wander around a picturesque field or mingle with guests at a wedding reception. There are plenty of options, and they typically cost hundreds of dollars. Drone cameras are excellent for aerial videography, capturing stunning landscapes that add drama to home movies and indie films alike.

We don’t recommend spending so much just to take an impressive selfie, but if you happen to get the chance to play with one, definitely make full use of it. Be careful to keep your eye on your drone, though. As our UK bureau chief Mat Smith learned, the possibility of accidentally decapitating other attendees or yourself is always looming.

Our favorite is the Hover Passport drone by startup Zero Zero, which Snap Inc is rumored to be buying. But at $550, the Passport is a pricey investment. There are plenty of decent alternatives for less money, including the Parrot Mambo FPV, the Yuneec Breeze 4K and the DJI Spark.

Apps

After you’ve taken the picture, there’s more you can do to improve your selfie. Aside from using your built-in Photos app or Instagram to tweak highlights, shadows, warmth, saturation and more, you can also consider fixing your pictures with selfie apps.

These let you make fixes as subtle as smoothing your complexion or as dramatic as giving yourself a new look altogether. Discussions about misrepresenting yourself aside (a good practice when editing your selfies is to declare if you’ve done so), a virtual makeover can entertain your friends and followers. You can try out a different hair color, add thick eyelashes and see what your pals think.

My most popular selfies, as determined by number of Instagram likes, have been the ones where I’ve experimented with wild looks. I achieve most of these with CyberLink’s YouCam Makeup app, which not only lets me slim my face, apply digital makeup and smoothen my noticeable acne scars, but can also change the color of my eyes and hair for a dramatic result. YouCam is excellent at detecting my facial features to apply things like eyelashes, eyeliner or blush, but it struggles to recognize hair. You’ll have to manually paint an outline of your hair for the app to correctly identify it and change its color.

After I’m done with YouCam, I often use another app called Meitu Xiuxiu to add an overall glow to the picture. You might recall Meitu for its ethereal anime-esque selfie filters, but the app offers so much more. You can stretch yourself to appear taller, turn yourself into the cover star of a magazine or add stickers, doodles and text. I usually use Meitu for its beautifully rosy filters that make Instagram’s options look garish by comparison.

There are many other apps that let you edit your face, but I’ve stuck with the above two for years because they’re the most full-featured. For fun, I sometimes use an app called EditLab to add a double exposure effect that blends another picture on top of my selfie, which creates a romantic effect. I also like Snow for its fun Snapchat-like face filters, that superimpose my face onto a cartoon schoolkid or a steaming hot shower. It’s a good alternative for those who don’t have or want Snapchat but would still like to play with photo effects.

Remember, though, these apps are really more for fun than for achieving perfection; don’t go overboard trying to look like someone you’re not — your friends can tell when you don’t look like yourself.

Wrap-up

Now that we’ve gone over the technical skills you can use to improve your selfies, remember to have fun and not try to perfect your pictures for others. Our digital world can get toxic sometimes, and even the best selfies will be subject to scrutiny and ridicule. Even Kim Kardashian gets sensitive about unflattering photos and the subsequent insults. Ultimately, these your pictures are for your own pleasure and entertainment. Experiment, strike a weird pose or share an “ugly selfie” with your friends — if it makes you happy, it’s a good selfie.

New Twitch tools help you become a pro streamer

Many Twitch streamers dream of turning pro, but getting there is a fuzzy process. How do you know you’ve ‘made it’ and can apply to become an affiliate or partner? And how do you make a big deal out of staple events like channel raids and new viewers without using special tools? Twitch just answered both of those questions. It’s rolling out tools that not only track your progress toward getting paid, but streamline some of the tasks that previously required chat bots or outside streaming software.

To start, you now have achievements that tell you how close you are to hitting the goals you need to reach the affiliate or partner levels, such as the number of times you stream in a given period and your typical viewer count. Twitch will also give you a statistical summary after every stream, so you’ll know which achievements you’ve reached, where your traffic is coming from and other data that can help you grow your audience. If your viewership spikes every time you play Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds, you won’t need to dig up that data the hard way.

Twitch is also making a much bigger deal of “rituals” — that is, those everyday occurrences in the life of a regular streamer. There’s now a formal “/raid” command that automatically hosts another channel and drives your viewers there, so it’s easy to show affection for a fellow streamer once your own stream is wrapping up for the day. There are even raid stats and moderation tools to help you identify where that flood of new viewers is coming from and thwart pranksters. If there’s a new user, they can let everyone know and get a special welcome. You can offer “premieres” where you host the viewing of a pre-recorded series (say, a “let’s play” for a new game). And in a not-so-subtle attempt to challenge Discord, there will be always-available chat rooms that let viewers discuss topics without cluttering the main feed.

And yes, there’s an improvement for viewers: you can finally gift subscriptions. If you have a friend who can’t afford to subscribe or you’re just feeling generous, you can give someone a month of access to any subscription-enabled channel at any tier level ($5, $10 or $25). This won’t auto-renew, but it can be helpful if you want someone to participate in a subscribers-only event or just help them use a favorite emote. Streamers can use this to hand out prizes, for that matter.

These features aren’t available right away. You’ll have to wait until November for achievements, summaries, raids and welcomes for new users. Premieres, rooms and gifting are due sometime in the fourth quarter of the year. All told, though, it’s clear that Twitch knows its success hinges around convincing people to stream regularly. The more likely you are to make money from your stream and reward viewership, the more likely you are to attract a big audience — and that, in turn, could help Twitch compete against livestreaming services like YouTube and Microsoft’s Mixer.

Source: Twitch (Medium)

Huawei Mate 10 Pro vs. Apple iPhone X: Battle of the dual cameras

Huawei might have recently replaced Apple as the second-largest smartphone manufacturer in the world, but that doesn’t mean the Chinese brand has been resting on its laurels. The recent unveiling of the Mate 10 Pro has shown a phone that’s up-to-date with the latest tech trend of minimizing bezels and packed to the brim with incredible new features fresh from Huawei’s kitchen.

But Apple isn’t going to take that lying down. The iPhone X release is on the horizon, and it cuts an intimidating figure. A 5.8-inch bezel-less design is underpinned with the latest and most powerful technology available. The landscape of the smartphone world is likely to change heavily come November, but where do the Mate 10 Pro and the iPhone X stand at the moment? We’ve put together a brief breakdown of what we know, divided into categories to find out which of the two phones we expect to be the stronger come their release.

Specs

Huawei Mate 10 Pro

iPhone X

Size
154.2 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm (6.07 x 2.93 x 0.31 inches)
143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm (5.65 x 2.79 x 0.30 inches)
Weight
178 grams (6.28 ounces)
174 grams (6.14 ounces)
Screen
6-inch AMOLED
5.8-inch Super Retina AMOLED display
Resolution
2160 x 1080 (402 ppi)
2436 x 1125 pixels (458 ppi)
OS
Android 8.0 Oreo
iOS 11
Storage
64GB, 128GB
64GB, 256GB
MicroSD card slot
No
No
NFC support
Yes
Yes (Apple Pay only)
Processor
Huawei Kirin 970
A11 Bionic with 64-bit architecture, M11 motion co-processor
RAM
4GB, 6GB
3GB
Connectivity
LTE (Cat 18), GSM, CDMA, HSPA, EVDO, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi
4G LTE, GSM, CDMA, HSPA+, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi
Camera
Dual 20-megapixel monochrome and 12-megapixel RGB rear, 8-megapixel front
Dual 12 MP rear, 7MP FaceTime HD front
Video
Up to 4K at 30 fps
Up to 4K at 60 fps, 1080p at 240 fps
Bluetooth
Yes, version 4.2
Yes, version 5.0
Fingerprint sensor
Yes
No, has Face ID instead
Other sensors
Accelerometer, barometer, gyro, geomagnetic, proximity
Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Water resistant
Yes, IP67 rated
Yes, IP67 rated
Battery
4,000mAh

Fast charging

2,716mAh

21 hours of talk time, 13 hours of internet, 14 hours of video playback, and up to 60 hours of audio playback

Fast charging – 50 percent charge in 30 minutes, wireless charging (Qi standard)

Charging port
USB-C
Lightning
Marketplace
Google Play Store
Apple App Store
Colors
Midnight Blue, Titanium Gray, Mocha Brown, Pink Gold
Space Gray, Silver
Availability
November

AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Apple

Price
Around $945
$999
DT review
Hands-on
Hands-on

The Mate 10 Pro will ship with Huawei’s newest proprietary processor, the Kirin 970. We’ve seen good performance from Kirin chips in the past, especially the Kirin 955 in the Huawei P9, and we expect the 970 to perform well. What’s new this time is the addition of a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) that exists purely to drive Huawei’s new AI features. With this additional bit of brain power, the Mate 10 Pro will have extra capacity for apps and processes, and with 4GB of RAM (6GB on the 128GB model), you shouldn’t have any shortage of multitasking capability.

In the other corner, the iPhone X is packing Apple’s latest A11 Bionic processor. This nifty little piece of tech has been shown to dramatically outpace the Snapdragon 835 (the processor inside many of the latest Android flagship phones), and while we’ll have to wait for the benchmarks to come back before we can be totally certain, it’s highly likely that the A11 processor will leave the Kirin 970 in the dust. While the iPhone X is only rocking 3GB of RAM, the way that Android phones and iOS phones handle RAM is completely different, and it’s hard to gauge how this disparity will affect the phones in the real world. But based on past experience, we expect the iPhone to run as smoothly as ever, thanks to the close integration between Apple’s software and hardware.

While neither phone comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack, the iPhone X will be running the latest version of Bluetooth 5, with faster transfer speeds, a steadier connection, and longer range. The Mate 10 Pro has no such upgrade, and is stuck with Bluetooth 4.2 — an odd omission for a flagship smartphone dropping the headphone jack in 2017. Neither the iPhone X or the Mate 10 Pro support expandable storage. Both have 64GB of storage as the base level, but only the iPhone offers a 256GB model for those who love to fill their device with apps — Huawei owners are going to be stuck with 128GB at the most.

While the Huawei Mate 10 Pro is likely to be a powerful flagship with the addition of the new Kirin 970, the pure power of the A11 Bionic processor and the extra optional storage space on the iPhone X are not to be sniffed at, and so Apple takes home the prize.

Winner: iPhone X

Design and display

You’re not going to confuse these two phones, and personal preference is going to play a large part in your choice between the two designs. The Mate 10 Pro is a more balanced, symmetrical affair, with minimal bezels on the sides of the phone, and a slim forehead and chin at the top and bottom of the device. The rear of the device is glass over metal, with a slim reflective strip laid across the twin vertical camera lenses. The fingerprint sensor can also be found here, echoing the rear fingerprint scanner of earlier models. It’s a fairly minimalist design, but still a gorgeous piece of tech — especially the reflective strip.

Like the Mate 10 Pro, the iPhone X is also a blend of glass and metal, but the similarities end there. The front of the device is almost all screen, with a black border framing all sides, only broken up by the distinctive top notch housing the front-facing camera and sensor suite. The rear of the phone shares a vertically stacked camera configuration with the Mate 10 Pro, but lacks any sort of fingerprint sensor — Apple have gone all in on the facial recognition Face ID tech in this smartphone.

The screens are the most prominent and important parts of these phones, and it would be remiss of us not to focus on those now. The Huawei Mate 10 Pro brings a 6-inch AMOLED display with a 2160 x 1080 pixel resolution, resulting in 402 pixels-per-inch (ppi). While it’s not the sharpest display around, it’s still beautifully crisp, and capable of AMOLED’s signature incredible color depth. The iPhone X has a slightly smaller, 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display, but with a higher resolution of 2436 x 1125 pixels (458 ppi), making it the crisper of the two devices, and simply stunning to stare at.

In terms of size, the Mate 10 Pro towers over the relatively diminutive iPhone X, as well as being thicker and wider. Even with the thin bezels, the Mate 10 Pro is still a large phone (though not quite as large as the Note 8), and you’ll struggle to access all of the screen one-handed if you’re possessed of smaller hands. Thanks to the lack of bezels, the iPhone X is more of a standard-sized phone and easier to manage.

On the durability front you’re not likely to be taking either phone white-water rafting. Both come with an IP67 rating, so while you can expect them to handle splashes of water and even a brief dunk, they’re not going to be as water-resistant as the Galaxy Note 8 or the LG V30. As both phones incorporate a lot of glass in their design, we’d recommend a protective case regardless of your choice. We’ll be sure to put both of these phones through their paces when we get a good amount of time with them.

While the Mate 10 Pro is gorgeous and boasts a minimalist design that we love, the iPhone X’s design is nothing short of stunning. The Mate 10 Pro puts up a good fight, matching the iPhone blow-for-blow on many points, but it doesn’t quite manage to beat the iPhone. The iPhone X’s superior screen and pixel-per-inch ratio give it the edge in this category.

Winner: iPhone X

Camera

Regardless of which phone you pick, you’re going to have a vertically-stacked dual camera. Apple have packed two 12-megapixel lenses into the iPhone X — one wide-angle, the other telephoto. If you’re a close follower of Apple, you’ll notice that the X’s cameras have strong similarities to the two in the iPhone 8 Plus — and you’d be right to notice that. With the exception of the iPhone X replacing the f/2.8 aperture on the 8 Plus with a f/2.4 aperture, the cameras are virtually the same. But that’s no bad thing — the iPhone 8 Plus has one of the best smartphone cameras in the world, and the altered aperture should give the iPhone X an even stronger camera in low light conditions. On the other side, the Mate 10 Pro packs a 20-megapixel monochrome camera and a 12-megapixel RGB camera — both Leica-branded, and both with an exceptional f/1.6 aperture. It’s a world first to have both lenses with an aperture this size, and it should boost low light photography and deliver the quality of shot that Huawei’s phones are becoming famous for.

Both cameras will be able to simulate bokeh-style selective focus thanks to the dual-lenses and software, but the iPhone’s Portrait Lighting mode is likely to give the Apple phone an edge when shooting single subjects. However, the extra oomph from the AI-focused Kirin 970 will be able to automatically shift camera settings based on what the camera is looking at — for instance, Huawei’s camera will add extra saturation to food, giving images that extra hint of deliciousness.

For front-facing selfie shots, you’re looking at a 7-megapixel shooter on the iPhone X and an 8-megapixel camera on the Mate 10 Pro — though the newly front-facing Portrait Mode on the iPhone X will likely give Apple the edge in selfies. Video-wise, the iPhone X can shoot 4K video at 60 frames per second — while the Mate 10 Pro can only do so at 30 fps. But how much that matters to you will depend on how much video you actually record.

There’s so much to choose from with these cameras, and both brands have a strong record with smartphone photography. While iPhones have recently had an exceptionally strong camera, we’re eager to see what the Mate 10 Pro can do with the extra legs given to it by the AI-processing granted by the Kirin 970 NPU. For that reason, we have to score this round a draw, at least until we test them both out a bit more extensively.

Winner: Tie

Battery life and charging

The iPhone X comes with a nonremovable 2,716mAh battery that we expect will last most users between a day and a day and a half. When its time to recharge, Apple’s fast charger should be able to charge up to 50 percent of battery life within 30 minutes — though it remains to be seen whether a fast charger comes with the handset. Thanks to the all-glass back on the X, Qi standard wireless charging is also available.

The Mate 10 Pro also comes with Huawei’s Supercharge technology, and Huawei claims it is capable of charging 50 percent in 30 minutes, equaling Apple’s boast. While the Mate 10 Pro doesn’t support wireless charging, it is hauling a massive 4,000mAh battery that Huawei claim will last two days on moderate usage. A battery of this size is exceptional — the Galaxy Note 8 has a much larger footprint, but is only packing a 3,300mAh battery. Despite the lack of wireless charging, the extra battery size awards Huawei the crown.

Winner: Mate 10 Pro

Software

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

You’ll find Apple’s latest iOS 11 on the iPhone X, with an improved App Store, Notifications, and Control Center, as well as a whole host of other improvements. The Mate 10 Pro ships with Huawei’s latest version of Emotion UI, EMUI 8.0. A heavily altered version of Android, EMUI 8.0 is the latest in the EMUI lineup, replacing EMUI 5.0 and scoring up to 8 to match the latest version of Android, Android 8.0 Oreo.

Usually, your choice between Android and iOS would come down to which OS you’ve preferred over the years, but the inclusion of EMUI messes this up a little. While your accumulated Google Play Store apps will still work on the Mate 10 Pro, EMUI could come as a shock to the system. Still, EMUI has improved in leaps-and-bounds over the years, and EMUI 8.0 comes with some significantly cool upgrades, including the AI-focus that aims to make your life easier through prompts and automation, and a new floating home button.

We find it hard to come down firmly in either camp — we believe your choice between iOS and Android is always going to be largely based on personal experience. EMUI adds a lot to the rich Android experience, but iOS 11 is one of the smoothest experiences you’ll find on a handset. Go with your gut. This is tied for us.

Winner: Tie

Pricing and availability

Neither the Mate 10 Pro or the iPhone X are currently available until November. The iPhone X starts at a cool $999 for the 64GB model, and is available from a wide variety of carriers, including AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. No surprises there; everyone wants to get their hands on the latest iPhone. The Mate 10 Pro is likely to be similarly expensive, and while we don’t have a definite U.S. price yet, European sales of the handset are starting at 800 British pounds — so it’s likely that the base model of the Mate 10 Pro will be around $940. That’s one heck of a price tag, and at the moment we still don’t know whether any carriers will be picking the Mate 10 Pro up — though whispers point to AT&T offering the handset eventually.

Despite the high price point, the iPhone X is going to be available everywhere. It takes this final round.

Winner: iPhone X.

Overall winner: iPhone X

Apple’s iPhone X is just too strong. Everything about the iPhone X screams quality, from the materials used, to the crisp and beautiful AMOLED display. Apple is finally shaking up its iPhone design philosophy, and the iPhone X heralds a new era for the Cupertino giants.

With that said, the Mate 10 Pro certainly has its strong points. The camera is likely to be fantastic, the battery life phenomenal, and the extra processing power from the Kirin 970 will make using EMUI 8.0 a pleasure. It’s a great addition to Huawei’s roster, and you won’t be disappointed if you do end up with one. But for our money, the iPhone X is the superior smartphone.

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