‘South Park’ is ready to do battle on your phone

The Fractured But Whole isn’t the only South Park game arriving this fall: Ubisoft and RedLynx have released South Park: Phone Destroyer, the Android and iOS title teased back at E3. Think of it as Hearthstone meets Herbert Garrison: you’re duking it out in real-time solo or multiplayer battles using collectible cards that grant special abilities to the show’s many, many characters. And it’s not just banking on South Park’s usual sophomoric humor to reel you in. There’s a proper 60-mission single-player story and a rare team dynamic that lets you share cards with friends.

It’s a free-to-play title with in-app purchases, but Ubisoft swears that you won’t be forced to pay to see everything the game has to offer. With that said, don’t be surprised if you end up grinding to get a coveted item — the developers are clearly hoping you’ll shell out a few bucks to speed things up. The team element helps mitigate things, though, and this game will clearly scratch your itch if you have fond memories of AWESOM-O and ManBearPig. Just don’t be shocked if Phone Destroyer lives up to its name — we can’t imagine that a few hours of this will be kind to your battery.

Source: App Store, Google Play, South Park

The best LED flashlights for the trail, glovebox, or that general eureka moment

We all know the sheer convenience of flashlight apps in a quick pinch. While your iPhone’s native utility may prove itself worthy when you’re fumbling in the dark in search of light, they’re far from convenient when it comes to power and efficiency. Thankfully, dedicated LED (light-emitting diode) flashlights excel in terms of size, longevity, and overall brightness, serving as the perfect companion for hitting the trail or exploring the darkest corners of your basement.

Though they can be relatively expensive, most LED flashlights boast a shelf life of more than 25,000 hours, easily surpassing that of their conventional counterparts while producing less light pollution and using a mere 85 percent of the power. However, LED flashlights aren’t the most visually attractive — unless you want to drop a whopping $300 on something like the Orbita Lighthouse — but they will give you the most bang for your buck, whether you prefer a traditional cylindrical torch or a modern headlamp.

We’ve tested some gnarly flashlights over the years, including a halogen model powerful enough to literally fry an egg and start a fire, however, (all liabilities and general awesomeness aside) a real-world lightsaber isn’t all that practical for most situations. Nonetheless, here are our top picks for the best LED flashlights around. I guess it’s time to load up on those D cells.

We recently unveiled our 2017 Digital Trends Outdoor Awards highlighting the best outdoor cooking options, most innovative camping gear, and more.

The best overall — MAGLITE ML300LX ($49)

Per Maglite’s mission statement, the company uses the African proverb of the Lion and the Gazelle as a source of inspiration when designing its products. In essence, the proverb states that regardless of whether you’re a lion or a gazelle, it’s imperative that with the rising of the sun, you must run — and run faster than you did yesterday, or you will die.

“What does any of that have to do with flashlights?” you ask. Everything.

Maglite introduced its first flashlight in 1979 and over the next 40 years, the company has hung its hat on a durable lineup of LED flashlights. The ML300LX has five lighting settings (Momentary, Full Power, Low Power, ECO, and Strobe) to aptly handle the job at hand. At full power, the unit emits 625 lumens of light up to 1,300 feet (in optimal conditions) or as few as 58 lumens when just a little light is needed. With a sturdy aluminum build, the ML300LX is also one of the most rugged LED flashlights on the market — drop it, kick it, run it over, you’ll be hard-pressed to bust this beast. That said, at nearly two pounds, it isn’t the most portable or convenient option for certain tasks but this brute is handy if you need to bludgeon a bear on the fly.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

The best portable LED flashlight for your pack — Fenix PD35 TAC ($73)

Every ounce and sliver of space counts when you’re packing for an extended trip and while any handheld flashlight is technically “portable,” not all models stow and travel as easily as others. With these parameters in mind, the Fenix PD35 TAC LED Flashlight is our pick for best portable without sacrificing lumen output.

The PD35 TAC is equipped with two lighting modes: Tactical and Outdoor Operation. The Tactical setting is activated via the tail switch and allows you to emit up to 1,000 lumens of light. A double-tap of this button emits the same lumen output for one second for short powerful bursts when a quick glance will suffice. The Outdoor mode adds a little more versatility, offering six different lighting modes ranging from 1,000 to just eight lumens.

The exterior side-mounted clip is ideal for belts, pant pockets, and the semi-recessed tail switch minimizes the risk of the unit powering on even in a brimming overnight camping bag. This model boasts a waterproof IPX8 rating for added durability on soggier outdoor stints. Measuring in at just 5.5 inches in length and tipping the scales at a mere three ounces, the PD35 Tac is a powerful pint-sized tool for individuals looking to travel light.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

The best LED flashlight for versatility — Goal Zero Torch 250 ($80)

We all could use a device that lights our way with something other than D cell batteries. Thankfully, not only does the Goal Zero Torch 250 feature an internal lithium battery that’s rechargeable via an equipped USB port but it also touts a built-in hand crank and solar panel for charging the battery when conventional methods aren’t available. One minute of hand cranking even supplies you with 10 minutes of light, which is a better return than most investments in life.

Similarly, if you need a little extra juice on extended outings, we’ve also compiled roundups of some solid portable solar chargers and also backup battery packs.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

The best LED flashlight headlamp model — Ledlenser MH10 — ($80)

While many prefer a traditional, handheld LED flashlight, there are times when it’s convenient to have a hands-free option. That said, we recently tested a regular panoply of headlamps and the Ledlenser MH10 topped our list. The Adjustable Focus System allows you to easily switch between the Spot or Flood lighting settings with a twist of the bezel lens. The rechargeable MH10 is capable of dishing out up to 600 lumens of light on high, which is more than adequate for most situations.

For a little extra peace of mind, this headlamp also has a lock switch to prevent the model from inadvertently powering on in tow. When setting up camp or starting the fire for the evening, a headlamp is a great hands-free way to add a little light to the situation. This model certainly has use outside of camping trips and those who enjoy early morning or nighttime jogs and bike rides will appreciate the built-in taillight.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

The best budget LED flashlight — Coast HX5 — ($23)

Look, sometimes you don’t need hundreds of lumens or solar capability to get the job done. No, sometimes you simply need a solid LED option for the junk drawer or the glovebox. The compact Coast HX5 produces 130 lumens and the Pure Beam Focusing allows you to switch between Spot or Flood with one hand. At two ounces and just four inches in length, the HX5 fits easily in your pocket and the two-way clip conveniently fastens to your belt between uses. If you need a higher lumen output or a wide field of light when setting up the campsite, you’ll need to look elsewhere, however, when it comes to a powerful handheld option under $25, the HX5 fits the bill without breaking the bank.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Editors’ Recommendations

• The 5 best headlamps you can buy
• Get ready for the great outdoors with these 10 camping gear deals
• How to turn on the flashlight faster on an iPhone
• Be seen and not hurt with our picks for five of the best bicycle lights
• Save 50 percent or more on top-notch tech products this weekend

MantaDroid robot may one day join its inspiration in the depths of the ocean

“MantaDroid” may sound like the name of a villain from a ’90s-era Saturday morning cartoon like Street Sharks, but it’s actually the latest cutting-edge piece of robotics research from the National University of Singapore. A manta ray-inspired swimming robot, MantaDroid is able to “fly” smoothly and speedily through the water, while showing off an impressive level of agility in the process.

“Manta rays are known to be extremely efficient swimmers, cruising through the turbulent seas with ease as they flap their large pectoral fins effortlessly,” Professor Chew Chee-Meng, who helped lead the project, told Digital Trends. “We wanted to explore an alternative solution to traditional propeller-based thrusters that are used by most autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). We envisaged that a bio-inspired AUV, which emulates the manta ray’s swimming locomotion, could potentially operate for longer range than a conventional AUV.”

The MantaDroid robot is the size of a juvenile manta ray, giving it a wingspan of 63.4 cm and a body length of 35 cm. Its most unique feature is its passively flexible fin mechanism, which uses just one actuator for each pectoral fin to allow the fins to interact naturally with the fluid dynamics of the water.

National University of Singapore

“With the right combination of fin design, fin flexibility, and motion control, the MantaDroid is able to swim efficiently in the water,” Chee-Meng continued. “Our robot is capable of swimming at a speed of 2 body lengths per second, which is faster than the robot manta ray systems developed by other institutions.”

Another advantage of being modeled after a manta ray is that its flat, wide body gives the researchers behind MantaDroid more room to accommodate different sensors on its belly. At present, with the robot being tested only in swimming pools, its capability isn’t being tested to the maximum. Deployment in the real world would provide the ability for the robot to be equipped with whatever it needs for a particular mission — so long as the payload weighs less than two pounds.

“We see MantaDroid as a potential long-term continuous underwater surveying machine, which could be useful for maritime industries, environmental agencies, and search and rescue organizations,” Chee-Meng said. “For example, it can be used for underwater inspection tasks, as well as for collection of hydrographic data. With swarm intelligence, multiple MantaDroids [could] also be deployed to concurrently perform search operations, such as looking for lost divers or sunken objects in the sea.”

Editors’ Recommendations

• Innovative suction robot is designed to hitchhike on the side of a shark
• New type of microscope can peer into the brain of a living, moving creature
• Energy from evaporating water could power 70 percent of the U.S.
• Fish-inspired missiles and eel-like subs? U.K. Navy explores those possibilities
• MIT’s origami robot transforms to become a boat, a glider, or a wheel

Dell Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1 (late 2017) review

Research Center:
Dell Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1 (2016)

Nestled between budget and premium notebooks is a near-premium class that provides many of the same features as more expensive machines, but without the design and build quality. Dell’s version is the Inspiron, which offers powerful hardware at a lower price than its XPS line. In our Dell Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1 review, we look at a newly redesigned 360-degree convertible that seeks to offer tablet versatility at a reasonable price.

Our review unit came equipped with a quad-core Core i5-8250U processor, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SATA solid-state drive (SSD), and a Full HD 13.3-inch display, currently available at Dell.com for $880.Spend $1,250, and you can step up to a Core i7-8550U, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD.

Those prices place the Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1 squarely in between a budget notebook and a truly premium machine. The question is, has Dell managed to provide a more affordable machine that still makes the grade?

Near-premium design for a near-budget price

The Inspiron 13’s near-premium nature shows in its build quality. It sports a brushed aluminum chassis that feels solid in the hand. Press hard on the lid, the bottom, or the keyboard deck, however, and you’ll notice the tiniest bit of flexing. It’s not as rock solid as the more expensive Lenovo Yoga 920, but it’s still more than acceptable for an affordable machine.

The same is true for the hinge, which is firm enough to hold the display in place with minimal wobble, and allows for an easy transition from notebook to tablet modes. However, the lid does require both hands to open. That’s another marked difference from the Yoga 920, whose watchband hinge is significantly smoother, and can be opened with one finger.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

At the same time, the Inspiron 13 now enjoys significantly slimmer display bezels. That not only makes the notebook look more modern, but it also shaves off some size. The new model is now thinner at 0.61 inches (down from 0.76 inches), lighter at 3.2 pounds (down from 3.5 pounds), and slightly smaller in both width and depth.

Aesthetically, the Inspiron 13 can best be described as “handsome.” It’s unassuming in its gunmetal grey chassis, and it won’t stand out in a sea of similar notebooks. Even so, it fits in well as a junior member of the Dell family.

Solid connectivity that’s in touch with the present and the future

Because it’s slightly thicker than many more premium machines, the Inspiron 13 enjoys a more robust array of ports. It has two USB-A 3.1 connections (one of which can provide power), a USB-C 3.1 port, a full-size HDMI port, an SD card reader, and a 3.5mm headset jack. Dell opted for a proprietary power connection rather than utilizing the USB-C port for charging.

Dell Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1 (2016) Compared To

HP Spectre x360 15-bl075nr

Dell XPS 13 2-in-1

Acer Spin 7

Samsung Notebook 7 spin

Dell Inspiron 17 7000 2-in-1 (2016)

Acer Switch Alpha 12

HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx

Huawei Matebook

Vaio Z Flip

Dell XPS 15

Dell Inspiron 11 (2015)

Dell Inspiron 13 7000 Special…

HP Envy Spectre 360x – 13-4003dx

Toshiba Satellite Click 2 Pro

HP Spectre 13t x2

Wireless includes 802.11ac Wi-Fi to go with Bluetooth 4.2. All told, the Inspiron 13 is a well-connected machine.

Input options that border on mediocre

The Inspiron 13 has a rather typical — albeit spill-resistant — island keyboard that’s set directly into the chassis, and suffers minimal flexing. The black keys with white lettering are backlit, and technically there are two brightness levels; however, the levels are so close in brightness that we had a hard time telling them apart. The lighting was consistent, with little light bleed, and it made the keyboard quite useable in dark environments.

The Inspiron 13 has the usual responsive, accurate multitouch display and supports active pen as well

We found the keyboard’s minimal 1.1mm of travel too shallow. The overall feel was firm, and suffered from a harsh bottoming action. The HP Spectre x360 13’s keyboard, for example, is much snappier, and provides more feedback, enabling more accurate and comfortable typing. We rate the Inspiron 13’s keyboard as merely adequate.

The touchpad is a different story. While it’s a Microsoft Precision touchpad, and thus provided reliable Windows 10 gesture support, its plastic surface is curiously rough and unpleasant to use. We think Dell wanted to make sure there was plenty of grip to allow for confident swiping and gesturing, but it went a bit too far.

As a convertible 2-in-1, the Inspiron 13 has the usual multitouch display that was responsive and accurate. Dell also has support for its active pen, but one was not included with our review unit,so we were unable to test –it. You can pick one up for $35 at the Dell online store.

Finally, the Inspiron 13 uses infrared cameras mounted next to the webcam for facial recognition login through Windows 10 Hello. The system worked perfectly, and logged us in quickly every time.

Quite a colorful display for the price

Our review Inspiron 13 came equipped with a 13.3-inch Full HD display, which is a common option even among more expensive machines. Full HD is a good resolution for this size of machine, offering text that’s likely sharp enough for most people, and putting less strain on the battery than 4Kdisplays.

According to our colorimeter, Dell chose a high-quality panel for the price. The Inspiron 13’s display was quite colorful, supporting 75 percent of the AdobeRGB gamut and 99 percent of sRGB. Both scores are at the high end for productivity notebooks. Color accuracy was also good at 1.63 (where 1.0 and below is considered excellent), which is better than average for the Inspiron 13’s class.

Contrast was good, with a ratio of830:1 at 100 percent brightness. That’s competitive with more expensive notebooks like the Lenovo Yoga 920 and the Asus ZenBook Flip S. Note that the more budget-oriented Acer Swift 3 managed a poorer contrast ratio of only 530:1, while the similarly priced Lenovo Yoga 720 was also significantly worse at 580:1.

The Inspiron 13’s display achieved a brightness level of 281 nits, which is good, but slightly below our preferred 300 nits or higher. That’s in line with our comparison group. Gamma was perfect at 2.2, meaning images and video will appear neither too bright, ortoo dark.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Putting the test results aside, the Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1 offered an enjoyable viewing experience in everyday use. Movies and TV shows looked great, with plenty of color, and good detail in darker scenes. Viewing photos was fine, albeit without the dynamic colors provided by much more expensive machines. General productivity work was efficient, with black text that provided more than sufficient contrast with white backgrounds.

Loud, but not proud

Two speakers are located on the bottom of the Inspiron 13’s chassis, pointedtowards the front, and they can pump out respectable volume. Unfortunately, there’s a considerable drop-off in quality as volume increases, and music suffers from a lack of bass, and a muddied midrange. Movies and TV shows sound good enough for occasional use, but you’ll want to pull out your favorite headphones whenever possible.

Solid performance thanks to Intel 8th-gen processor

The Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1 utilizes Intel’s new quad-core Core i5-8250U CPU. That promises improved performance over the previous generation’s dual-core variant,, particularly in applications that can make use of the additional cores.

In our testing the Inspiron 13 punched well above its weight class. In the Geekbench 4 benchmark, for example, the machine scored a very solid 4,277 on the single-core test, and 14,087 on the multi-core test. That’s significantly faster than machines using the previous generation of Intel CPU, and competes with machines using the faster Core i7-8550U.

The Inspiron 13 punched well above its weight class..

Stepping up to a more demanding task, we used Handbrake to encode a 420MB video file to H.265. Here, the Inspiron 13 was even more impressive. It managed to finish the task in 652 seconds, which competes with the 613 seconds required by the faster Yoga 920,and significantly outperformed the other machines in our comparison group. Naturally, it blew away older machines with seventh-generation Core hardware.

Simply put, the Inspiron 13 provides excellent performance across the board. In our real-life use, it was plenty quick, and handled everything we threw at it. You won’t find many productivity tasks that the notebook can’t tackle.

SATA SSD holds storage speeds back

One area where the Inspiron 13 showed off its less-than-premium status was in Dell’s choice of storage device. Our machine was equipped with a SanDisk X400 SATA SSD, which tends to be slower than the PCIe SSDs that are typically used in more expensive notebooks.

We weren’t surprised by our storage benchmark results. In the CrystalDiskMark test, the Inspiron 13 scored 537 megabytes per second (MB/s) in the read test and 500 MB/s in the write test. That’s significantly slower than the PCIe drives in our comparison group, but a bit faster than the same drive in the Asus ZenBook Flip S.

While these aren’t the fastest synthetic benchmark results, the Inspiron 13 was nevertheless plenty fast in our real-world testing. Apps opened quickly, and the machine booted fast enough that we didn’t hold storage speeds against it. If you’re working with very large files or performing high-end tasks like video editing, you might find the Inspiron 13 a little slower than you’d like. But for typical productivity tasks, it’s unlikely that you’ll notice the difference.

Lackluster gaming, as expected

The Inspiron 13 utilizes Intel’s UHD 620 integrated GPU, which is unchanged in performance from the previous generation. As such, we didn’t have the highest expectations of the machine’s ability to play today’s most popular games.

Unsurprisingly, the 3DMark Fire Strike benchmark results were tepid. The Inspiron 13 scored a very typical 992 in this benchmark, roughly equivalent to every other comparison machine using the same integrated GPU.

To verify our benchmark results, we ran Civilization VI on the Inspiron 13 at Full HD, where it managed 11 frames per second (FPS) at medium detail, and 6 FPS at ultra detail. That’s within a frame per second of the other machines in our comparison group, and represents insufficient graphics power for running modern titles. You’ll want to stick to casual gaming on the Inspiron 13, and keep your hardcore gaming for another machine.

Portability is torpedoed by short battery life

Another area where Dell saves money is in battery capacity, with only 38 watt-hours packed inside a chassis that has room for significantly more. The eighth-generation Core i5-8250U CPU promises efficiency when it’s not being pushed too hard, but it tends to use some real power when its running more demanding tasks.

In our most stressful Basemark test, which is a browser benchmark that runs through a series of CPU- and GPU-heavy processes, the Inspiron 13 couldn’t quite make it to two hours before shutting down. That’s 40 minutes less than the Asus ZenBook Flip S, another notebook with similar sized battery, and almost an hour and a half behind the Lenovo Yoga 920, with its 70 watt-hours. Even the budget Acer Swift 3, which we dinged for its poor battery life, lasted just over three hours.

In our web macro test, whichloops through a set of popular web pages, the Inspiron lasted for four hours and 17 minutes. That’s almost two hours less than the ZenBook Flip S, and less than half as long as the Yoga 920 managed. The Yoga 720 13 stretched things to around six and a half hours.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Finally, in our least demanding video test that repeats an Avengers trailer until the battery gives out, the Inspiron 13 managed to last for seven hours and 42 minutes. That’s well below the minimum of 10 hours achieved by most of the other machines in our comparison group. The most recent Dell XPS 13 managed nine hours, but that was with a QHD+ (3,200 x 1,800) display, which uses more power than a 1080p panel.

In short, the Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1 inspired little confidence in its ability to get work done away from a charger for anything near a full work day. While it’s reasonably light at 3.2 pounds, and fits nicely in a backpack, you’ll need to carry your power adapter along with you. That severely limits the machine’s portability.

Software

Like many near-budget notebooks, the Inspiron 13 is loaded down with extra software. Some is useful, like Dell’s SmartByte utility, whichoptimizes wireless network performance. Others, like Adobe and McAfee apps, are the usual bloatware. We’ll excuse the addition of the Dropbox app, given that Dell throws in 20GB of free storage space for a year.

Warranty

Dell provides a standard 1-year mail-in parts and service warranty with the Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1. That’s typical, even for considerably more expensive machines. If you buy the highest-end Inspiron, you’ll enjoy Dell’s Premium Support Plus plan that adds in accidental damage coverage and onsite service for a year.

Our Take

The Dell Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1 is a nicely refined machine that provides excellent performance, a very good display, and solid quality for the money. The touchpad is unpleasant to use, however, and the poor battery life is a real downer that reduces the machine’s value significantly.

Is there a better alternative?

The most directly competitive convertible 2-in-1 is the Lenovo Yoga 720 13, which is currently on sale for $780 (down from $980) for a seventh-generation Intel Core i5-7200U CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. The Yoga 720 is roughly as thin as the Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1, but weighs less at 2.9 pounds, and provides better battery life. It’s slightly less expensive right now, but comes with the previous-generation Intel CPU. You’ll have to decide if it’s worth saving some money to step back a generation and gain some battery life.

If you can step up in price, then you could consider the Lenovo Yoga 920. It’s considerably more expensive at $1,330 for the same Core i7-8550U, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD, but it provides even better performance and much better battery life. It’s also slightly thinner at 0.5 inches, and is more solidly built. It even includes an active pen that rivals the Microsoft Surface Pro’s pen in resolution.

If you’re more strapped for cash and don’t need a 2-in-1, then you could step down into true budget territory and pick up the Acer Swift 3 for $700 with a Core i5-7200U, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD. You’ll get decent performance and better battery life, but you’ll have to settle for a mediocre display.

How long will it last?

The Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1 is well-built enough to evoke confidence that it will last through years of service. It’s also equipped with the latest and greatest Intel CPUs, and it’s adorned with enough connectivity to support both legacy peripherals and future USB-C devices.

Should you buy it?

Only if you can live with the battery life. You’ll enjoy the performance and quality build, but if you spend much time away from a desk you’ll want to think twice before buying.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Lenovo Yoga 920 review
• Dell XPS 13 Review
• Asus ZenBook Flip S review
• Asus ZenBook 3 Deluxe (Late 2017) review
• Asus VivoBook Pro N580 review

Motorola doubles up as U.S. smartphone shipments dip 2 percent overall

Strategy Analytics recently published its full report, revealing U.S. smartphone shipments fell 2 percent in the third quarter of 2017. But even with this decline, Motorola actually saw its own shipments double since last year as it captured 5 percent of market share.

Motorola saw its smartphone shipments soar from 1.1 million units in the U.S. during the third quarter of 2016 to 2.1 million during the same period this year. The company now ranks fifth after not ranking in the top five since 2015.

Motorala’s recovery in smartphone shipments can be attributed to all top U.S. carriers selling its latest models, including the Moto Z2 Play. We had some time to check out the device, and found that it had a solid performance and fun Moto Mods. Other models released this year include the Moto X, along with the Moto Z2 Force.

Another company that saw an increase in market share due to its expanded retail presence is LG. Even though it stayed in the third spot, LG jumped from 16 percent to 17 percent within a year after joining major carriers like Sprint and AT&T.

As for the rest of the results, Apple, with a market share of 30 percent, is estimated to have shipped about 12 million iPhones in the third-quarter. Last year, the company was at 13 million iPhones and 32 percent market share. Even with a decrease in phones shipped, Apple still holds the number one spot. The decrease could be due to low demand for both the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, as customers may have delayed their purchase until the iPhone X was released.

Lighter demand for the new iPhone lineup may have played a role in the decrease in U.S. smartphone shipments  as well. The U.S. saw 40.1 million units shipped in the third quarter of 2016, while that figure fell to 39.5 million for the same period this year.

Samsung is up 1 percent since last year — trailing behind Apple with 9.9 million units shipped. Its flagship Samsung Galaxy S8 performed well in the category of high-tier smartphones, with the A5 model gaining popularity in the midtier.

While Motorola definitely took center stage when comparing annual improvement, ZTE was still one spot ahead, coming in at fourth place. With almost 12 percent market share, the company is up from 9 percent last year. The increase from 3.6 million units shipped during last year’s third quarter to 4.6 million units this year, can be attributed to its availability with Tracfone.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Dell and Apple are the big winners in second-quarter notebook sales
• The best smartphones you can buy
• The all-screen Apple iPhone X is here, and it’s the new iPhone you’ll want
• Motorola Moto Gamepad review
• HTC U11 Life review

Live-stream from almost any camera with a single cord and a little black YoloBox

Live-streaming is either smartphone-quality or pro-level complexity, but one Las Vegas startup is aiming to create a solution that meets in the middle. The YoloBox, by YoloLiv, is a smart encoder that creates high-end live-streams from any DSLR, camcorder, action camera or even drones.

The YoloBox is an encoder, monitor, control panel and switcher in one, which means users can go live with just the YoloBox, a single HDMI cord and their camera gear. With some Wi-Fi enabled gear, like GoPros, the Yolo can also live-stream wirelessly.

Integrating everything into one system makes going live easier, the company says. After connecting through HDMI or a wireless connection, videographers use the built-in touch-screen monitor and Android operating system to create an event, set up a name and time and select the platform.

Facebook, YouTube, and Periscope are all compatible, and the company says users can even stream to multiple platforms at the same time. Resolution is limited to 1080p, with no 4K option, however. The YoloBox sends video to the cloud for that live-stream using either Wi-Fi, Ethernet or 4G.

“Current live-stream solutions are either too complicated, expensive or not powerful enough for the average user,” YoloLiv Core team member Haixiang Chi said in a press release. “YoloBox is an easy-to-use, powerful and affordable solution to help all kinds of cameras live stream instantly.”

Despite integrating several devices in one, the YoloBox is about the size of a thicker iPhone, with a 5-inch screen. The built-in battery makes it possible to take the live-stream more places, with about three hours of use before needing a recharge.

The company is also launching an advanced YoloBox Plus, which will also allow users to switch between two different cameras during the live-stream using two different HDMI ports.

While several different products allow videographers to live-stream from DSLRs and video cameras, YoloLiv says its solution is simpler and more affordable than existing options.

YoloLiv is taking to Kickstarter to fund the YoloBox and it has already exceeded its $30,000 goal. The campaign remains open until December 18. If the project is successful, early backers can pick up a YoloBox for pledges starting at $359. The company expects the product to retail at $549 after delivering to backers around March.

Editors’ Recommendations

• DxO One review
• 10 digital camera deals for everyone from adventurers to aspiring professionals
• Wowza ClearCaster brings professional-quality broadcasts to Facebook Live
• Onkyo’s new TX-RZ920 network receiver is a multimedia monster for all audio fans
• Panasonic Lumix GH5 review

Acer Windows Mixed Reality Headset review

Research Center:
Acer Windows Mixed Reality Headset AH101

After making a big splash in 2016 with the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, the virtual reality market has been quietly moving toward the next generation of flagship headsets. Since the Rift and Vive, we’ve seen a handful of alternatives enter the fray, like the Google Daydream and PSVR — but it’s been a while a brand-new PC VR headset hit the market.

Microsoft aims to change that with its Mixed Reality platform, offering manufacturers like Acer, Dell, and Samsung the technology and software compatibility they need to break into the PC VR space. Microsoft wants Windows Mixed Reality to become the third major player in the VR space.

At $400, the Acer Mixed Reality headset comes with everything you need to get started — two touch controllers, the headset, and even batteries for the controllers. That’s it. There aren’t any external sensors to worry about here. The headset features inside-out tracking, so it uses two front-mounted sensors to detect your position in space, rather than external units like the Vive and Rift.

The Acer headset is a neat, tidy little package — but can it really be a challenger to the two undisputed champions of the VR space? Well, let’s dig into the Acer Mixed Reality headset review and find out.

Click-Clack

The first thing you’ll notice about Acer’s Mixed Reality Headset is its atypical color scheme. The Vive and Rift are both matte black and sleek, while the Acer is glossy blue with just a few black accents. It’s nice to see some color.

Dan Baker/Digital Trends

Unfortunately, the design leaves much to be desired. The Acer Mixed Reality Headset feels like it was snapped together, and would break apart if you dropped it. Oculus’ Rift and HTC’s Vive feel far more expensive. For instance, the headband is rigid plastic, and the wheel used to tighten or loosen it makes sharp, disconcerting clicks when adjusted.

That sharp plastic click shows up in other places, too. The headset can also lift up like a visor, which is nice, but makes the same sharp “oh no, did I break it?” noise every time. It’s not a sound you want a $400 device to make.

Unlike its peers, the Acer is a glossy blue headset with a few black accents — a refreshing change.

Because there’s only one way to adjust fit, with the click-wheel on the back, we found it hard to get the headset into focus. The Rift and Vive have a few different straps you can use to customize the fit, so the headset’s lenses are properly in focus, without having to wrestle with the way it rests on your nose.

Getting the Rift to focus, for instance, is just a matter of moving it up or down on your face, then tightening a strap so it rests there on its own. For the Acer headset, we found ourselves constantly re-adjusting the position. It never felt, or looked, quite right.

The frontal padding, which separates the hard plastic of the headset from your face and the bridge of your nose is thin and flimsy — like the foam covering on a pair of cheap headphones. Additionally, like most VR headsets, it’s not the most breathable, so it gets pretty warm after a while. That’s where the flip-up visor comes in handy — it’s nice to be able to pop out of VR and let your face breath for a few minutes.

But flipping the visor up puts the full weight of the headset is on the top part of the headband, so it will invariably slip down your forehead. That means re-adjusting the whole thing. Again.

Breezy setup

While its not the most comfortable, Acer’s Mixed Reality Headset is at least easy to setup – which bodes well for Windows Mixed Reality overall. Just plug it into your computer via a single HDMI and USB port. There’s no external box, or external power. If your Windows 10 install is up to date, it’ll open the Mixed Reality Portal automatically. If you do need any additional updates, Windows will gleefully prompt you to install them.

The Mixed Reality Portal guides you through the initial setup steps, which include deciding if you want to setup a room-scale experience, or stay seated when you use your headset. If you opt to setup a room scale area, you’ll be asked to move your headset around in a square to set the boundaries of your VR space.

Dan Baker/Digital Trends

Next up, it’ll ask you to setup your controllers. This part is kind of a pain because of a design flaw in the controllers themselves — the Bluetooth Pairing button is only accessible with the battery covers off. So, to pair your controllers, you need to open them up, hold the batteries in so they don’t fall out, then click and hold a weird little button till the controller enters pairing mode. Then pop the cover back on, and do the same thing for the other controller.

If your batteries are lower than you anticipated during this step, there’s no warning, you’ll just have to pair and re-pair until you figure out what’s wrong. It’s not a great experience, so make sure you’re using brand-new or fully charged batteries for the initial setup.

When your controllers’ battery runs low, it’ll just disconnect.

After that, you’re good to go. No need to calibrate anything, or reposition sensors, or anything else.

By contrast, to set up the HTC Vive, you will need three power adapters, and three power outlets — two for the external sensors, and one for the headset itself. The headset needs to be plugged into a separate device which itself plugs into your PC, and that’s all just the hardware setup. Next, you must run the software setup, which will likely involve you repositioning your external sensors so they can see your headset and controllers without any interference. The Oculus Rift uses a similar setup process if you own the Touch controllers.

With the Acer Mixed Reality headset though, you just plug it in and the tutorial takes care of the rest. It’s a setup process you can do confidently if you’ve never even seen a VR headset before.

Useful, but strangely shaped controllers

Like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, the Acer Mixed Reality headset comes with a pair of touch controllers. You can also use an Xbox 360 or Xbox One controller, but the headset tracks the touch controllers, so they’re a little easier to use than a standard controller.

Their design blends elements from the Vive and Rift touch controllers, with a flat angled grip and circular constellation tracking ring on the end. These don’t track your finger positions like the Rift controllers, and they don’t feel as sturdy and reliable as the Vive controllers.

Again, there’s an issue here with the plastic used to build the controllers. The tracking rings have just a bit too much flex, and they feel like they’re one good drop away from breaking. Even with the weight added by a pair of AA batteries in each controller, they feel too light and insubstantial.

Dan Baker/Digital Trends

The HTC Vive controllers feel weightier in your hand, and their layout is a bit more intuitive. It’s easier to find each button without looking down at the controllers than it is with the Windows Mixed Reality controllers. The Oculus Rift’s touch controllers still steal the show. They’re more substantial, and your fingers will know where to rest from the first time you pick them up. The build quality eclipses the Mixed Reality controllers with ease.

On the plus side, most of the Windows Mixed Reality experiences show the Mixed Reality controllers in VR space, which is helpful if you need to set them down for any reason. However, because of the inside-out tracking the headset uses, you might lose the controllers if you look away from them.

Which brings us to one crucial flaw — battery life. The controllers don’t burn through batteries any faster than their Vive and Rift counterparts, but the Windows Mixed Reality platform doesn’t do a very good job of communicating how much battery life you have left. The controllers will simply disconnect when they’re dry. You’ll have to leave VR, open the Mixed Reality Portal, then click on the Controllers tab, where it will then tell you which controller is low on battery.

Higher resolution, lower field of view

Internally, the Acer Mixed Reality Headset features a maximum resolution of 2,880 x 1,440, which is slightly higher than the Vive and Rift, both of which top out at 2,160 x 1,200. It’s an improvement, but it’s not one you’re going to notice. Why? Because of a couple important details.

Don’t expect to have a good time browsing the web in VR.

First up, the Acer Mixed Reality Headset — and to be fair, every other VR headset on the market right now — still suffers from a pronounced screen-door effect. Because there are two tiny screens only a few inches from your face, and they’re warped by internal lenses that give the illusion of visual immersion, you’re able to easily discern individual pixels in bright environments.

For instance, when you first set up the Acer headset, you’re dropped into the Microsoft Mixed Reality Hub, a swanky mountaintop condo with giant screens on each wall. Those screens can open into web browsers, the Windows Store, or a variety of other applications. However, when you open an application like a web browser, the screen door effect becomes even more pronounced. Against a white background with black text, the screen door effect is not only more visible than it is during games or immersive experiences, and it actively interferes with your ability to comfortably read for even short periods of time. Even making it through a short news article can be – literally – painful.

Again, it’s important to point out this is something every VR headset suffers from, and they’ll continue to suffer from it for the foreseeable future. It’s not a problem in most games — just don’t expect to have a good time browsing the web in VR.

The Acer Mixed Reality Headset might feature displays that are higher resolution than its competitors, but it falls behind in one important metric — field of view. By offering a maximum field of view of 100 degrees, the Acer headset isn’t quite as immersive as the Vive or Rift, both of which feature 110 degrees of vision. All three headsets feature the same maximum refresh rates though, topping out at 90Hz.

Growing pains

The Windows Mixed Reality Hub, that stylish mountaintop condo we mentioned, offers all the basic functionality you’d expect from a VR hub. You can decorate your home, launch apps, browse the Windows Store, and launch a few different applications in VR. If you hate yourself, you can even surround yourself with Twitter windows, so you’re fully immersed in current events – at all times, with no escape.

Acer Windows Mixed Reality Headset AH101 Compared To

Google Daydream View (2017)

Samsung Odyssey

Sony PlayStation VR

Oculus Rift

Google Daydream View

3Glasses D2 Vanguard Edition

HTC Vive

Samsung Gear VR

Homido

While it looks good, the Windows Mixed Reality Hub doesn’t do a good job of communicating everything you can do with it. After setup and a brief tutorial that teaches you how to get around in VR, you’re plopped into the middle of your VR living room. The platform doesn’t explain how to launch external apps, which apps are supported, how to browse the web (with Edge of course — you can’t use Chrome), or how to direct Cortana to search for things for you.

That’s right — Windows Mixed Reality is compatible with Cortana. You even get the option to enable her during setup. You’ll go through a brief Cortana tutorial but it’s very brief. It doesn’t explain how to use Cortana to fill out fields in a web browser, or how to bring up a keyboard to enter your username and password in applications that require it.

The Mixed Reality Hub isn’t a bad start, but it isn’t as easy to understand as Oculus Home — not by a long shot.

Where’s the mixed reality?

There’s a good selection of games available on the Windows Store, but currently that’s all you get with the Acer Mixed Reality Headset. SteamVR support is coming soon — likely around the holiday season — so you’ll have to wait a while to get a full VR experience out of the Acer headset.

There’s nothing unique here that other headsets can’t offer – nothing yet, anyway.

What’s currently available is a limited selection of games and VR experiences. One notable absence? Mixed Reality. We couldn’t find any mixed reality experiences available — those front-facing sensors are just sensors for now, not pass-through cameras you can use to layer virtual elements over your real world.

It’s disappointing, given how heavily Microsoft has promoted Windows Mixed Reality as something different from VR. There’s nothing unique here that other headsets can’t offer – nothing yet, anyway.

Our Take

Compared to the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, which have had more than a year to mature into fully-featured immersive VR platforms, the Acer Windows Mixed Reality Headset feels half-baked.

That said, there’s some potential here. Inside-out tracking, easy setup, approachable price — these things are sure to endear new users to VR, even if the hardware and software won’t. So, should you buy the Acer Mixed Reality Headset in hopes that Windows Mixed Reality will mature, like other VR platforms have?

Is there a better alternative?

Yes, the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and even PSVR. Each of these three options offers up everything that’s missing from the Acer Mixed Reality Headset. They have mature platforms with a lot of games and experiences, they’re well-built and comfortable, and they’re simply a joy to use. Acer also has competitors in the Samsung Odyssey and Dell Visor. We have yet to fully test these alternatives, but we think they’ll prove stiff competition for the Acer headset.

Granted, the Acer headset is affordable. The Vive is more expensive than the Acer headset, coming in at $600, and the PSVR headset is $400 on its own. If you don’t have a PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 4 Pro, you’re looking at another $300 or $400, respectively.

What about the Oculus Rift? Well we’re glad you asked! After recent price cuts, the Rift is the same price as the Acer Mixed Reality Headset. Setup is a little more complex, and you do have to setup an external sensor, but it provides a much better experience, and its touch controllers are lightyears ahead of the Windows Mixed Reality Controllers.

How long will it last?

The Windows Mixed Reality platform is Microsoft’s next big consumer electronics push, so investing in a compatible headset isn’t a bad bet. It’s going to be around for a while, and it’s only going to get better. However, as the platform gets better, so will the headsets. We think you’re better off holding out and waiting for the next generation.

Should you buy it?

Not right now. The Oculus Rift is clearly a better pick. It’s the same price, it’s a better headset, it has better software, it’s much more pleasant to use and, perhaps most importantly, it’s more comfortable. Windows Mixed Reality might be a worthy investment at some point in the future, but it’s not there yet.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Dell’s mixed reality ‘Visor’ goes up for pre-order in time for the holidays
• Samsung’s leaked mixed reality headset gives us a peek at the future of PC VR
• In its Oregon skunkworks, Intel is plotting to turn your laptop into a VR rig
• HTC may reveal its China-bound stand-alone VR headset later this month
• Windows Mixed Reality motion controllers track well but are a little flimsy

AMD lands prestigious award for its beastly Ryzen Threadripper 1950X

AMD launched its Ryzen Threadripper 1950X desktop processor in August, a massive 16-core chip for massive performance in PC gaming. Now AMD is receiving the prestigious CES 2018 Best of Innovation Award for this processor in the “Computer Hardware and Components” category. Why? For “outstanding design and engineering,” according to the press release.

AMD introduced new Ryzen-branded desktop processors earlier this year that are based on a new CPU design built from (nearly) scratched called Zen. The company set out to cram as much performance as possible into every penny spent while reducing the power requirements in the process. In other words, AMD pushed to create processors with a higher performance and lower power draw with a lower price tag than similar CPUs built by Intel.

But in August, AMD revealed that it wasn’t quite done with its Zen-based rollout in 2017. The company introduced two “extreme” desktop processors built for top-of-the-line gaming and enthusiasts. Filed under the Ryzen Threadripper brand, the 16-core Threadripper 1950X earning AMD the new award at CES 2018 just received a price cut, costing $880. The 12-core Threadripper 1920X model received a price reduction too, now costing $690.

By comparison, Intel’s latest 16-core desktop processor for enthusiasts, the Core i9-7960X, costs a heftier $1,740. Meanwhile, Intel’s latest 12-core chip, the Core i9-7920X, costs $1,100 after a recent $100 reduction. Just in the prices alone, there is a huge gap between the two AMD processors and Intel’s two X-Series chips. But you also have to compare the specifications to really appreciate why AMD is receiving an award.

Core i9-7960X
Ryzen Threadripper 1950X
Cores:
16
16
Threads:
32
32
Base speed:
2.8GHz
3.4GHz
Maximum speed:
4.4GHz
4.0GHz
Cache:
22MB
32MB
Power usage:
165 watts
180 watts
Price:
$1,740
$880

As the chart shows, AMD clearly accomplished what it set out to achieve with its Zen processor design. The drawback with both cases is that you simply can’t cram the Core X-Series and Ryzen Threadripper processors into any desktop PC. They are large chips that require a specific motherboard chipset and a big seat on the motherboard designed specifically for these CPUs. Spending money on the CPU is just part of the X-Series/Threadripper upgrade process.

“The overwhelmingly positive response from enthusiasts and expert reviewers that greeted the release of AMD Ryzen Threadripper already served as a huge reward for the AMD whole engineering team who built this ground-breaking product,” AMD Chief Marketing Officer John Taylor said in a statement.

Awards are dished out to technology companies through a panel of judges consisting of “industrial designers, engineers, and members of the trade media.” CES, short for the Consumer Electronics Show, takes place in Las Vegas in January every year. It’s a platform for showcasing new products and technologies, and to honor companies for their achievements. The show and awards are sponsored by the Consumer Technology Association.

Editors’ Recommendations

• These are the best processors for building a PC on any budget
• AMD crams desktop performance into ultra-thin laptops with its new Ryzen APUs
• Help your hot new processor chill out with the best CPU coolers
• Want an Alienware Area-51 PC with a 12-core CPU? It won’t use Intel X-Series
• Intel is cramming custom AMD Radeon graphics into an eighth-generation chip

Wirecutter’s best deals: Save $100 on a Sony 4K Blu-ray player

This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter, reviews for the real world. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter’s independently chosen editorial picks, it may earn affiliate commissions that support its work. Read their continuously updated list of deals here.

You may have already seen Engadget posting reviews from our friends at Wirecutter. Now, from time to time, we’ll also be publishing their recommended deals on some of their top picks. Read on, and strike while the iron is hot — some of these sales could expire mighty soon.

Sony UBP-800X 4K Blu-ray Player

Street Price: $250; Deal Price: $150

If you’re a movie buff with exacting image quality standards, this is a nice opportunity to pick up a recommended 4K Blu-ray player, the Sony UBP-X800. Usually $250, it has fallen drastically in recent weeks. We first saw it at $200, and now it’s all the way down to $150. It likely won’t drop any further, so this is a great price and one at which it is well worth grabbing one.

The Sony UBP-X800 4K Blu-ray Player is our top pick in our guide to the best 4K Blu-ray player. Chris Heinonen wrote, “The superior image scaling of the Sony UBP-X800 was especially impressive, which is important because most people will use this player to watch far more DVDs and regular high-definition Blu-ray discs than 4K Blu-rays. When converting SD and HD images to 4K, the Sony introduced fewer scaling artifacts and did a better job interpolating curves and other shapes—the only player that did better costs twice as much as of this writing. And while most people don’t need yet another streaming device, the Sony supports the major services and has a customizable interface. It also has some convenient features, like the ability to send audio directly to your Bluetooth headphones. Finally, its metal chassis makes it sturdier than other players in its price category, so it feels like a premium home theater component that should stand up better over the long term.”

GoRuck GR1 Backpack

Street Price: $300; Deal Price: $250

If you are the type of person to destroy backpacks and bags, this is a great deal for you. On the off chance you do damage your bag, with the Scars-or-repair warranty, GoRuck will have your bag back in working order in no time. As this bag normally runs at $300 and at $250, plus it’s warranty, it is worth the buy. Also to note, the 21L and the 26L are currently the same price. If you need the extra space, there’s no reason to not pick it up.

The GoRuck GR1 backpack is our tough as nails pick in our guide to our favorite laptop bags. Séamus Bellamy wrote, “GoRuck’s GR1 was designed by a former Army Green Beret to be adaptable and tough as nails in the field and has the lifetime warranty to back it. But don’t let its military pedigree fool you. The GR1’s subtle styling means it performs just as well in the city on the way to a café as it does in hostile territory. I owned a 26-liter GR1 for two years before it was stolen in British Columbia. I replaced it with the 21-liter version of the bag (I’m a short fella) a little over a year and a half ago. Since then, it has been across Spain, was accidentally set on fire in Costa Rica, and has accompanied me to Mexico and up the side of an active volcano in Nicaragua. Where I go, it goes. It’s the best backpack I’ve ever owned.”

Ring Video Doorbell

Street Price: $180; Deal Price: $100

As part of their early Black Friday promotion, Best Buy now has the Ring Video Doorbell for $80 less than the typical street price at just $100. This is the best deal we’ve ever seen for this smart doorbell. Best Buy has 2 color options, Venetian Bronze and Satin Nickel, and shipping is free. Quantities are limited and the sale is scheduled to end Saturday, so now would be a good time to pick up this product if you’re in the market for one. The Ring Video Doorbell is the runner-up pick in our guide to the best smart doorbell camera. Stacey Higginbotham wrote, “The original Ring Video Doorbell costs a bit less than our other picks, though you’ll need to pay for a monthly subscription fee if you want it to record videos for later viewing. Its video and sound quality aren’t as good as those of either the SkyBell HD or our upgrade pick, the Ring Pro, but it has the basic features that anyone buying a connected doorbell could want, including motion detection, the option to connect to the doorbell (from your smartphone or tablet) to see a live view of what’s happening at the door, and night-vision capability. Because it can use batteries, it’s easy for renters to install. It also has slightly faster notifications.”

Bose QuietComfort 25

Street Price: $280; Deal Price: $180

At $180, this is a rare drop for a set of headphones that typically sells for $100 more. We’ve seen occasional discounts on these headphones – they were discounted to $225 in the early spring. At $45 cheaper than that deal, if you’re in need of noise-cancelling headphones and don’t mind that they require a 3.5mm jack or prefer it that way, these are a fantastic pickup. The black/charcoal color is the only one available at this price at this time.

The Bose QuietComfort 25 are the top pick in our guide to the best noise-cancelling headphones. Geoff Morrison wrote, “For the third year running, the QC25 are the best noise-cancelling headphones. Yes, the wireless QC35 offers very slightly more noise reduction on paper, but in subjective testing it was more of a wash, with a slight edge to these over the QC35. The amount of noise reduced is incredible: noticeably and significantly more than the vast majority of noise-cancelling headphones. In our testing, they dropped an average of 24.2 dB of noise, including over 30 dB at some frequencies, and more low-bass reduction than any headphone we’ve tested.”

Because great deals don’t just happen on Thursday, sign up for our daily deals email and we’ll send you the best deals we find every weekday. Also, deals change all the time, and some of these may have expired. To see an updated list of current deals, please go to thewirecutter.com.

A live-action ‘Star Wars’ show is headed to Disney’s streaming service

After years of rumors of a live-action Star Wars TV series, it’s finally happening. The only catch? It’ll be exclusive to Disney’s upcoming streaming service, Polygon reports. CEO Bob Iger didn’t have any details to share about the new series, but the fact that it’s coming is still a bombshell for the Star Wars universe. And, of course, it’s also a smart way to sell Disney’s streaming service, which is set to launch in 2019.

Additionally, Disney will be producing three other original series from its Marvel, Monster’s Inc. and High School Musical franchises. Disney revealed a few months ago that it’ll remove its content from Netflix, which includes existing Star Wars films, and move it over to the company’s streaming service in 2019.

Via: Polygon