ISS astronauts won’t miss out on ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’
With Star Wars: The Last Jedi hitting theaters across the world this week, moviegoers will finally be able to witness the new space adventures that the franchise consistently delivers. However, actual space explorers will also get the chance to enjoy the film in zero-gravity after NASA revealed that it’ll screen The Last Jedi aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
Space reporter Robin Seemangal first confirmed the new in a tweet, which was backed up by NASA Public Affairs Officer Dan Huot in a statement given to Inverse: “[I] can confirm the crew will be able to watch it on orbit. “Don’t have a definitive timeline yet. They typically get movies as digital files and can play them back on a laptop or a standard projector that is currently aboard.”
I received confirmation from Disney and NASA sources that the crew aboard the International Space Station will be screening Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
More details soon.
— Robin Seemangal (@nova_road) December 12, 2017
Movie screenings are a regular thing aboard the ISS, as evidenced by a Freedom of Information request submitted by Gizmodo last year. There were more than 500 films in total, with Star Wars and Star Trek movies proving popular. The list also included other space-themed or science fiction titles like Moon, Blade Runner, Terminator 2, Armageddon, The Matrix and both versions of Total Recall.
Via: Gizmodo
Source: Inverse
Apple Now Offering Free Next-Day Delivery of Last-Minute Holiday Gifts
Apple’s online store is now offering free next-day delivery for all in-stock items ordered by 3 p.m. local time on December 22 in the United States.
Apple normally offers free two-day delivery for most products, but it expands free next-day delivery to all in-stock items towards the end of every holiday shopping season to help customers purchase last-minute gifts in time for Christmas.
Most products and accessories purchased from an Apple retail store and/or received from Apple’s online store between November 15 and December 25 of this year are eligible for return until January 8, 2018 in the United States.
Apple shared its 2017 gift guide in November, with ideas ranging from the Apple Watch and iPhone X to Sphero’s R2-D2 and BB-9E drones.
Other gifts under $200 that an Apple fan is likely to appreciate include the Apple TV 4K, AirPods, BeatsX, an official Apple-branded iPhone case, Apple Watch bands, or simply an Apple Store or Apple Music gift card.
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The Walt Disney Company to Acquire 21st Century Fox Assets Resulting in Majority Control Over Hulu
Following weeks of news coverage about the potential acquisition of certain Fox assets by The Walt Disney Company, today the confirmation of that acquisition has come from Disney with a press release detailing the specific parts of Fox that will now merge into Disney. Notably, Disney has acquired 21st Century Fox, including Twentieth Century Fox Film and Television Studios and Fox-related cable and international TV businesses, for $52.4 billion in stock.
The “definitive agreement” between Disney and Fox will still need to face various customary closing conditions, including shareholder approval and other regulatory and antitrust reviews.
Movie assets that are now Disney-owned under 21st Century Fox include Fox Searchlight Pictures and Fox 2000, homes of movies like Avatar, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Deadpool, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Shape of Water, and Gone Girl. Disney also now owns Fox’s TV production companies including the previously mentioned Twentieth Century Fox Television, as well as FX Productions and Fox21, which brought viewers shows like The Simpsons, This Is Us, and The Americans.
On the TV network and streaming side of things, Disney has also acquired FX Networks, National Geographic Partners, Fox Sports Regional Networks, Fox Networks Group International, Star India, Sky plc, Tata Sky, Endemol Shine Group, and most notably Fox’s 30 percent stake in Hulu. With this particular asset acquisition, Disney is now a majority shareholder of Hulu.
“The acquisition of this stellar collection of businesses from 21st Century Fox reflects the increasing consumer demand for a rich diversity of entertainment experiences that are more compelling, accessible and convenient than ever before,” said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company.
“We’re honored and grateful that Rupert Murdoch has entrusted us with the future of businesses he spent a lifetime building, and we’re excited about this extraordinary opportunity to significantly increase our portfolio of well-loved franchises and branded content to greatly enhance our growing direct-to-consumer offerings. The deal will also substantially expand our international reach, allowing us to offer world-class storytelling and innovative distribution platforms to more consumers in key markets around the world.”
According to Disney, all of these new assets will build on the company’s “commitment to deliver the highest quality branded entertainment,” as well as fuel Disney’s ability to “create more appealing content.” The company also references its intent to deliver a “more compelling” entertainment experience to Disney consumers “whenever and however” they choose.
Specifically, Disney said that the Fox assets will even accelerate its use of certain technologies, including the recently acquired BAMTech platform, which it aims to use for its solo-streaming service. The company said these advancements will create more ways for Disney storytellers to share content with audiences, while providing those audiences more choices for how they consume film and TV.
For these reasons, the company said that the newly announced Disney streaming service, ESPN service, and Hulu will all benefit from the Fox acquisition.
Bringing on board 21st Century Fox’s entertainment content and capabilities, along with its broad international footprint and a world-class team of managers and storytellers, will allow Disney to further its efforts to provide a more compelling entertainment experience through its direct-to-consumer (DTC) offerings. This transaction will enable Disney’s recently announced Disney and ESPN-branded DTC offerings, as well as Hulu, to create more appealing and engaging experiences, delivering content, entertainment and sports to consumers around the world wherever and however they want to enjoy it.
Important assets being left out of the deal and staying with Fox include the Fox Broadcasting network and stations, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, FS1, FS2, and Big Ten Network. Immediately prior to the acquisition 21st Century Fox separated all of these assets out into a newly listed company and will spin off ownership among its shareholders.
There are plenty of more details about the Disney-Fox deal — including the “reuniting” of X-men with Disney-owned Marvel — which can be found in Disney’s press release.
Tags: Disney, Fox
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Final Cut Pro X 10.4 Launches With 360º VR Video Editing, HDR, and More as Logic Pro X and Motion Also Updated
Apple today announced it has released Final Cut Pro X version 10.4 and updated versions of Logic Pro X and Motion just ahead of the iMac Pro launching today.
As previewed earlier this year, Final Cut Pro X 10.4 includes 360º VR video editing, HDR support, and new color tools like a white balance picker. It also includes support for HEVC, the new video format introduced in macOS High Sierra and iOS 11, and direct import of iMovie for iOS timelines.
Meanwhile, Logic Pro X has been updated with optimized performance for the iMac Pro, including support for up to 36 cores. Version 10.3.3 also includes performance and stability improvements, including a fix for an issue which could cause user-created content to become unavailable on macOS High Sierra.
Motion has been updated with support for 360 VR motion graphics. Users can now import 360° video and design 360° titles, generators, and effects, and later output the 360° video to a connected VR headset. Version 5.4 also supports import, playback, and editing of HEVC video and HEIF photos from Apple devices.
Final Cut Pro X version 10.4 release notes:
360 VR editing
• Import and edit 360° equirectangular video in a wide range of formats and frame sizes
• Output 360° video to a connected VR headset*
• Open the 360° viewer to simultaneously monitor headset and equirectangular views while editing
• Option to track movement of a VR headset in the 360° viewer in Final Cut Pro
• Add 360° effects including blurs, glows, and more
• Share 360° video directly to YouTube, Facebook, and Vimeo
• Use the 360° patch to instantly remove cameras and rigs from the scene
• Use the Horizon overlay to easily change the orientation of 360° video right in the viewer
• Edit 360° video into a non-360° project and animate the pan, tilt, and zoom
• Place any graphic, still, or video into a 360° project, then reposition and resize to fit perfectly into the 360° scene
• Support for monoscopic and stereoscopic 360° videoAdvanced color grading
• Dedicated color tab in the inspector provides one location for all color controls
• Powerful new color wheels improve upon traditional wheels with integrated sliders to adjust hue, saturation, and brightness
• Color curves enable ultra-fine adjustments using multiple control points to change color and contrast
• Hue/saturation curves let you select a specific hue or brightness level to make adjustments while leaving other parts of the image unchanged
• Use the eye dropper in the color and hue/saturation curves to quickly sample parts of an image for adjustment
• Balance Color command includes an eye dropper for manual white balance
• Apply custom LUTs from popular color grading apps and sites
• Adjust color corrections over time with precise keyframe controls
• Speed through color correction using new keyboard shortcuts for color adjustments and role-based timeline navigation
• Color presets are now located in the effects browser for skimmable preview and fast searchHigh Dynamic Range
• Import, grade, and deliver High Dynamic Range (HDR) video as Rec. 2020 HLG or Rec. 2020 PQ for HDR10
• Output video to third-party HDR monitors using third-party I/O devices
• Built-in waveform monitor indicates HDR brightness levels up to 10,000 nits
• HDR Tools effect lets you easily tone map HDR to Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) output as well as convert between PQ and HLG formats
• Option to view HDR as raw values when working without an HDR monitorAdditional features
• Send your iMovie for iOS project directly to Final Cut Pro for advanced editing, audio work, and finishing
• Import, playback, and editing of High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC, also known as H.265) video clips and High Efficiency Image Format (HEIF) photos from Apple devices**
• Send to Compressor to export video projects in the HEVC format
• Adjust audio using effects plug-ins from Logic Pro X with redesigned, resizable interfaces
• Support for Canon Cinema RAW Light format with additional software from Canon
• Faster Optical Flow analysis using Metal 2
• Support for NFS-based libraries and media
• XML 1.7 with support for new color grading controls, 360 VR effects, and HDR
Apple’s new versions of Final Cut Pro X, Logic Pro X, and Motion are available from the Updates tab in the Mac App Store.
Related Roundups: macOS High Sierra, iMac ProTags: Logic Pro X, Final Cut Pro X, MotionBuyer’s Guide: iMac Pro (Caution)
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SoundCloud Debuts New Home Experience Focusing on Personalized Music Curation
SoundCloud is today launching a brand new home experience within its iOS app that the company said will make it easier to discover new content from the service’s community of creators. The new home tab offers curated recommendations, personalized playlists, and “exclusive culture-focused audio content.”
All of these recommendations will come direct from SoundCloud’s creators, and users will be able to interact with the new content through the app’s new and updated look. The new featured playlists will update weekly similar to Spotify’s Discover Weekly and Apple Music’s Mixes, and include “Hip Hop Supreme” and “In the Mix” playlists for the latest rap tracks and DJ mixes, respectively.
For more personalized content, The Upload playlist will now appear on the home screen. This playlist launched earlier in 2017 and offers new music based on your listening habits. In a similar vein, the “More of what you like” playlist matches you up with others in the SoundCloud community and spotlights the tracks it thinks you’ll enjoy.
Other playlists and charts SoundCloud mentioned will appear on the new home screen include the following:
-Stay plugged-in to the tracks gaining traction and generating buzz with the New & Hot charts.
-Keep track of the platform’s latest album releases with Fresh Pressed (US only).
-Know which tracks are soundtracking your country with the Top 50 charts, based on wherever you are in the world.
-Dedicated to serving you what’s next in music and supporting emerging artists, SoundCloud will periodically spotlight what’s happening on the platform with playlists like SoundCloud Next Wave, The SoundCloud Playback and more.
In February, SoundCloud introduced a streaming music plan with a cheaper price tag, called SoundCloud Go, which users can subscribe to for $5.99/month. A top-tier SoundCloud Go+ option is also available for $12.99/month, including access to an expanded catalogue of music. There’s also the basic free tier of SoundCloud that includes ads and lacks certain advantages of the paid tiers, like offline listening.
SoundCloud is available on the iOS App Store for free [Direct Link].
Tag: SoundCloud
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iMac Pro Now Available to Order With 8 to 18 Cores and Prices Ranging From $4,999 to $13,199
The all-new iMac Pro is now available to order from Apple’s online store and through the Apple Store app on iPhone and iPad.
8-core and 10-core models starts at $4,999 and $5,799 respectively and currently ship by late December in the United States, while 14-core and 18-core models starting at $6,599 and $7,399 can also be ordered today, but aren’t estimated to ship for 6-8 weeks, which pushes deliveries into February.
From there, each iMac Pro configuration has optional upgrades available for storage, memory, and graphics, with prices topping out at $13,199 for a maxed-out, high-end 18-core model with 4TB of SSD storage, 128GB of ECC RAM, and an AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64 graphics processor with 16GB of HBM2 memory.
iMac Pro is a powerful, top-of-the-line workstation designed for professional users with demanding workflows, such as advanced video and graphics editing, virtual reality content creation, and real-time 3D rendering.
Apple said the iMac Pro is the fastest and most powerful Mac ever, at least until the modular Mac Pro is ready to be released.
YouTube reviewers Marques Brownlee and Jonathan Morrison recently shared hands-on videos of the iMac Pro, and put its CPU performance to the test with benchmarks on Geekbench, which simulates real-world workload scenarios.
In both videos, the mid-range iMac Pro with a 10-core 3.0GHz Intel Xeon processor recorded a multi-core score of just over 37,400, which is up to 45 percent faster than the high-end 2013 Mac Pro’s average multi-core score of 25,747.
The 10-core iMac Pro is also up to 93 percent faster than the latest 27-inch 5K iMac with top-of-the-line tech specs.
Brownlee found the iMac Pro to be a super capable yet quiet machine with a beautiful display and a stealthy space gray enclosure.
He said the iMac Pro’s biggest weakness is its lack of upgradeability, but he argued its expensive $4,999 starting price is actually fair for the hardware included, and he noted that a PC with equivalent tech specs costs around $5,100.
In addition to up to an 18-core processor, that hardware includes up to 4TB of SSD storage, up to 128GB of ECC RAM, and up to an AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64 graphics processor with 16GB of HBM2 memory.
The high-end performance is made possible by an all-new thermal design that delivers up to 80 percent more cooling capacity than a traditional iMac.
With four Thunderbolt 3 ports, the iMac Pro can drive two external 5K displays or four 4K displays at 60Hz simultaneously. It also has a 10 Gigabit Ethernet port, four USB-A 3.0 ports, an SD card slot, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
A black Lightning to USB-A cable and space gray Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse 2 are included in the box. A space gray Magic Trackpad 2 is optional.
iMac Pro is now available to order in the United States, Canada, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, most European countries, and select other regions. In some other countries, like Singapore, Apple says to check back later for information.
Related Roundup: iMac ProBuyer’s Guide: iMac Pro (Caution)
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The Galaxy Note 8 and iPhone 8 Plus battle it out for photo supremacy in Japan
Whether it’s robots or smartphones, AI or premium audio products, Japan has always been at the forefront of any conversation about technology. We recently spent several weeks in Tokyo discovering not only what some of the biggest names in new tech are creating, but also taking advantage of the exciting location to test out the best smartphone cameras, and discover the charm of its popular tech-tourism destinations. Make sure to check out other entries in our series “Modern Japan.”
Many of us will only ever use a smartphone, not a DSLR, to take pictures on vacation. That means smartphone cameras need to offer high-quality images, be easy to use, fast to react, and ideally feature-packed. In the second half of 2017, Samsung released the Galaxy Note 8, and Apple brought us the iPhone 8 Plus. Two phones from two giant rival companies, both with highly capable dual-lens cameras.
We took hundreds of pictures with each phone
We carried them both on our recent trip to Japan, and took hundreds of pictures with each phone, ready to put them both under the microscope to see which one captured the best pictures. Through rain and shine, neither phone missed a beat, and they both performed superbly. But one did manage to stand out against the other.
Let’s get started, and see how the Samsung Galaxy Note 8’s camera compares to the Apple iPhone 8 Plus.
A word about size and software
We’re not talking about photo size here, we talking about the size of phone. The Apple iPhone 8 Plus has a 5.5-inch screen and a relatively large body, but it’s nothing compared to the 6.3-inch Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and its massive, elongated body. The Note 8 is a real handful, and it’s almost impossible to take pictures with one hand, while the iPhone 8 Plus is more manageable. Neither are dainty; but if you’ve got small hands, or often take quick snaps while one hand is filled with a child/bag/umbrella/gifts; then make sure you try the Note 8 out before buying it. If it’s too large, the iPhone 8 Plus may work better for you.
Both camera apps are simple to use, and the features are easy to access with a few swipes and taps. Samsung’s most recent user interface is far better than older versions, and has caught up with the wonderful simplicity of Apple’s camera. It’s the ability to swipe from the lockscreen on either phone and get straight into the camera app we found most useful. In our test we only used the standard, pre-installed camera apps, rather than any third-party apps downloadable from an app store.
Out in the rain
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
iPhone 8 Plus
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
Galaxy Note 8
Not every vacation is going to be a sun-soaked extravaganza of tanning, beaches, and palm trees. In Tokyo, we had some rainy days, but that didn’t stop us exploring or reaching for a camera when the situation called for it. This meant lighting was hardly ideal, and cloudy skies can ruin what would be a super photo when the sun is out. But if the camera is good, you can still capture some great pictures.
The iPhone 8 Plus wins in our first shot
The iPhone 8 Plus wins in our first shot. At the Kanda Shrine in Akihabara, where the rain was pelting down at the time, the iPhone took the best shot of the two cameras. Look at the clouds. The Galaxy Note 8 struggles to capture the sky and it appears washed out for the majority, while the iPhone is far more realistic. Look at the board in the bottom left — it’s white in the iPhone’s photo, but more grey on the Note 8, and there is far less detail in the shadows around it, especially next to the paper lantern.
For such a rainy day, the iPhone’s photo is far more lively, while the Note 8’s color and contrast is less dynamic, producing a far more dreary and lifeless picture. Zoom in on the Note 8’s photo and you can actually see the raindrops, while the iPhone 8 Plus didn’t capture them, despite being taken just moment apart. Rain happens, but we’re still on vacation, so any pictures we take will contain memories and we still want them to be good.
In the sun, and at night
When the sun comes out in Tokyo, it’s often in a cloudless sky, just like these shots of the Tokyo Tower. Both were taken with the 2x optical zoom option on each phone. It’s a close race, and both pictures are great. The iPhone 8 Plus captured the more realistic photo, with darker shadows, a more natural and realistic red; and when you look closely it also shows the cabling attached to the tower better than the Note 8’s photo.
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
iPhone 8 Plus
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
Galaxy Note 8
The Note 8 handles the darker spots very differently, revealing a lot more detail than the iPhone 8 Plus, but at the expense of realism. The red metal is brighter, with greater contrast than the iPhone’s picture. We prefer the iPhone 8 Plus’ approach here, but we’re happy with either picture.
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
iPhone 8 Plus
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
Galaxy Note 8
But something very interesting happened when we went back to take the same photo after dark on the same day. Tokyo Tower is very brightly lit at night, and presents a considerable challenge for a smartphone — a very bright thing against a very dark background. While other photos so far could split opinion, these nighttime shots are unlikely to: The Note 8 takes the far superior shot. The iPhone 8 Plus sets the scene better with the trees and a less blue-tinged night sky; but the Note 8 brings out the detail in the Tokyo Tower, which is what we want to see in the photo.
Sunny days
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
iPhone 8 Plus
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
Galaxy Note 8
Taking pictures on a sunny day with either phone resulted in some wonderful pictures, filled with stunning color and sparkling detail. Choosing a winner is almost pointless, because the results from both are so great. Looking up at the high-rise buildings in Roppongi Hills, the iPhone gives a truer, more accurate image based on the color of the sky, and the shades of the building itself in the center of the image. The Note 8 punches up the contrast for the sky, and brings out the green of the trees to the side, but loses detail on the building.
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
iPhone 8 Plus
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
Galaxy Note 8
Looking down over Shinjuku city, both cameras pick out the varied colors, the bright sky, and the darker street area really well. There’s great scale here, and it’s impossible to choose between them. We feel this is a picture representative of those many will take — a good street scene capturing local everyday life — and are pleased both do such a great job.
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
iPhone 8 Plus
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
Galaxy Note 8
It’s a little less equal in the picture taken in the Nezu Museum gardens, where the iPhone’s automatic HDR mode captures the blue sky, natural greenery, and the reflections in the water wonderfully. It’s a beautiful picture straight off the camera. The Note 8 washes out the sky, but does manage to bring out more detail on the boat’s shadowy areas; although the roof’s patina is lost. Also, look closely at the river bank to see the earthy tones mixed with natural stone on the iPhone, missing from the Note 8.
Live Focus vs. Portrait
We dedicated an entire camera test session to how the iPhone 8 Plus and Note 8 compare with the background-blurring Portrait and Live Focus modes, when we visited a hedgehog cafe. They both approach the subject differently, so naturally you get very different results. These two shots of Ema — wooden plaques decorated with wishes found in Japanese temples — illustrates what happens. The iPhone likes to get in close, while the Note 8 is happier at a distance. Both look great here, in our opinion.
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
iPhone 8 Plus
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
Galaxy Note 8
Night time, and panorama
We’d already seen evidence the Note 8 was the superior night time camera. A night shot taken along a busy road in Azabu-Juban, where car headlights, street lamps, buildings, and a cloudy sky challenged the two phones. It’s the Note 8 we prefer. There’s more detail, less blur, and despite the slightly less accurate sky, it’s an image with real emotion. It’s an ordinary street in Tokyo, so to inject some feeling into a picture like this highlights how good the Samsung camera is in this type of situation.
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
iPhone 8 Plus
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
Galaxy Note 8
The Note 8’s win here was sealed in Odaiba, where four images of the Rainbow Bridge made us glad we had the Galaxy Note 8 with us. None of these pictures were shot using a tripod, just standing — in the rain and wind — like regular people overlooking the scene. While both cameras capture the clouds and reflection from the bridge’s lights well — a typhoon was actually brewing overhead, lending considerable drama — it’s the Note 8 that manages this superbly. The angry, bruised color scheme was very much what we were seeing. The bridge lighting, and that of the boats, is handled far better. Also, the water is more natural looking. We really love the Galaxy Note 8’s picture here.
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
iPhone 8
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
Galaxy Note 8
It’s a breathtaking spot, and a panorama seemed appropriate. Unsurprisingly given the conditions, neither is a great picture, but we know which one we prefer. Further explanation seems unnecessary, as the Galaxy Note 8 easily beats the iPhone.
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
iPhone 8 Plus
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
Galaxy Note 8
Conclusion
No-one is going to be disappointed carrying either of these smartphones and taking pictures when the chance comes along; but we did turn to the Galaxy Note 8 more than the iPhone during our trip. Although we often preferred the iPhone 8 Plus’ photos for their natural look, if the light was bad, the Note 8 was considerably better. Live Focus mode was more versatile, and the monster 6.3-inch display made viewing them a pleasure. We didn’t edit any of these pictures after taking them, and the Note 8’s shortcomings could easily be fixed, making it the better all-rounder, which is exactly what we want if it’s the only camera in our pocket.
It’s also only under direct comparison that any Note 8 or iPhone picture differences become obvious. When viewed alone — as most of us usually do — they’re all pictures we’d be happy to share.
A further takeaway from this test is how the success of the Galaxy Note 8’s camera gives us very high hopes for the Galaxy S9, which we’re hoping will improve on the Galaxy S8’s camera. Fitting an even better version of the Note 8’s camera into a smaller, more manageable phone is a tantalising prospect. For now, the Galaxy Note 8 is the Samsung phone to buy for photo superiority, and it just nudges aside arch rival Apple in our direct comparison too.
Editors’ Recommendations
- Camera showdown: Shooting hedgehogs with the iPhone 8 Plus and Galaxy Note 8
- iPhone 8 Plus review
- Apple iPhone 8 review
- Samsung Galaxy Note 8 vs. Huawei Mate 10 Pro: Which phablet reigns supreme?
- 5 iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus tips and tricks to get the most out of your new phone
Cheetah Mobile’s Android launcher is the first to feature Microsoft’s Cortana
Voice activated assistants are all the rage. Apple has Siri, Android has Google Assistant, Samsung has Bixby, and now Microsoft’s Cortana has found a mobile partner — Cheetah Mobile. You may recognize Cheetah as being the company behind apps like Clean Master; but Cortana lives inside its CM Launcher Android launcher app, which replaces the pre-installed app launcher on your phone. It’s the first time Cortana has been integrated into a mobile launcher app.
Adding Cortana gives CM Launcher voice controlled features powered by Microsoft’s artificial intelligence and voice recognition system. For example, Cortana can be asked to make calls, read out news, create and manage events, translate text, and perform web searches. Cortana will also speak out to make sure you remember things to do, help out with recommendations, and more. It’s only the start of the relationship between Cheetah Mobile and Microsoft, with the promise of more features being added to CM Launcher in the future, some of which will be exclusive to the app. Beyond that, other Cheetah Mobile apps will benefit from Cortana’s help too, with Cheetah Keyboard mentioned as a possible candidate.
Although this is Cortana’s first appearance in an Android launcher app, both Microsoft and Cheetah Mobile have been working on artificial intelligence for some time. Cheetah Mobile pledged a $50 million investment in developing AI in its apps in April 2016, and has since opened a research and development center in Silicon Valley where the team works on AI and machine learning. It uses AI in everything from the News Republic app to its mobile advertising platform. It has also heavily invested in Chinese AI firm OrionStar, which provides voice technology for smart speakers, including one produced by Xiaomi.
Cortana on her own is available for Android too. Microsoft’s standalone app features the assistant and provides a similar degree of functionality to Cheetah’s app, but without replacing the launcher on your phone. Microsoft’s strategic vision references artificial intelligence several times, highlighting its importance to the company, along with plans to put AI into its own apps and services, many of which were discussed at the dedicated AI Summit event in San Francisco this week.
The Cortana version of Cheetah Mobile’s CM Launcher is in open beta at the moment, with a final version due in January next year; but you can still try it out now. Download and install CM Launcher, then register to be a beta tester, and wait for the updated version to arrive own your phone. CM Launcher with Cortana is available in the U.S., the U.K., Canada, and Australia. Just be warned, CM Launcher really changes the look of your Android phone, and if you only use the free version, there are ads to support it.
Editors’ Recommendations
- Microsoft’s Android apps offer the best Windows mobile experience
- Google’s AlphaGo Zero charts a startling new course in AI research
- Track down a phone with your remote using Xfinity Mobile’s Phone Finder
- Here’s a rundown of Google Home-compatible devices
- Adobe’s new Lightroom leverages the cloud for cross-platform photo editing
Comcast joins the mesh networking party with xFi Pods in Boston and Chicago
After serving up a new modem/router “gateway” combo boasting wireless speeds of up to 1.5Gbps in early December, internet service provider Comcast is now offering new mesh networking kits to subscribers located in Boston and Chicago. The kits will consist of three or six hexagon-shaped “xFi Pods” that plug directly into an indoor electrical outlet, and create a blanket of wireless coverage throughout the house.
The xFi Pods are the result of a collaboration between Comcast and mesh networking kit developer Plume. The Plume Wi-Fi system relies on what the company calls “Adaptive Wi-Fi” that goes beyond the capabilities of all the other mesh networking kits you can buy right now. How? First you have to understand how mesh networking works.
Typically, a mesh networking kit like Eero or Luma includes three or more identical devices. One serves as a “hub” that physically connects to a modem using an Ethernet cable. All other devices serve as “nodes” that talk to the main hub, and with each other.
If your connection resembled a train, it would pass from the modem to the hub and then to the node associated with the destination. Thus, if you’re at the other end of the house, your train could pass through two nodes or more before reaching your device. All that data travels through a single open field, or Wi-Fi channel.
Meanwhile, the Plume Wi-Fi system uses what the company calls Auto Channel Hop. Although your train still passes from node to node to reach its destination, it can hop on a track/field above or below the highly used, congested track hogged by other trains. The “Adaptive Wi-Fi” aspect is what determines what field/track your data train will take, and supposedly increases the speed of data delivery beyond what is achieved with other mesh networking kits on the market.
According to the specifications, the Plume Wi-Fi kit is physically capable of delivering up to 867Mbps on the 5GHz band, and up to 300Mbps on the 2.4GHz band. This breaks down to two incoming/two outgoing 5GHz streams (2×2) at 433Mbps each, and two incoming/two outgoing 2.4GHz streams (2×2) at 150Mbps each. Most wireless devices support 2×2 connections.
Comcast said on Wednesday, December 13 that the rebranded Plume Pods aren’t necessary for every Xfinity subscriber. Customers will need to make sure their gateway resides in the central part of the home, and is sitting in an upright position a few feet off the floor. If connectivity is still an issue, especially at the far ends of the house, then the xFi Pods may be the best ticket for whole-home coverage.
“The 3-Pod pack is recommended for homes with 3-4 bedrooms and multiple stories including basements and attics,” Comcast suggests. “The 6-Pod pack is recommended for homes with 5+ bedrooms, L-shaped additions and rooms on multiple stories, including basements and attics.”
Unfortunately, Comcast didn’t provide an exact launch date for customers residing outside Boston and Chicago, stating only that the kits will be made available sometime in 2018.
Editors’ Recommendations
- Abode Starter Kit Review
- The Abode starter kit is an Alexa-compatible DIY home security solution
- Modem vs. router: What’s the difference?
- Google’s new kit uses Raspberry Pi to bring image recognition to your project
- Home8 simplifies home security with its do-it-yourself starter kits
MediaTek’s Sensio module will let you track health data with your smartphone
Smartphones have replaced the need for devices like calculators, cameras, and MP3 players. Chip-maker MediaTek thinks they can eclipse wearables to be our personal health companions as well.
The Taiwanese semiconductor company just announced MediaTek Sensio, a biosensor that allows smartphones to track heart rate, blood pressure trends, heart-rate variability, peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (SpO2, or how much oxygen is in the blood); and measure photoplethysmography (PPG, the change in volume of blood or air in an organ), and electrocardiograms (ECG, the electrical activity of the heart over some time.) This data can be revealed to the user in just about 60 seconds.
The module will be sold to smartphone manufacturers to embed in phones, but it will require visible light-sensitive sensors and light-emitting diodes — two on the sides of the phone, and one on the rear. This allows for a closed-loop between your heart and the biosensor for more accurate measurements.
MediaTek
Smartphone manufacturers can develop their own proprietary app to present this data, but MediaTek said there’s a third-party interface available if the OEM wishes to use it.
MediaTek’s processors power many budget and mid-range Android phones and tablets, but the company told Digital Trends a phone does not require a MediaTek system-on-a-chip for Sensio to work. Any smartphone manufacturer can pop it into their next phone — after some tweaking with MediaTek. It will be interesting to see what exactly a smartphone with Sensio will look like, considering it forces a manufacturer to add sensors around the phone, potentially requiring tweaks to the device’s design.
Sensio is also not meant to be treated as a medical grade solution, and the company said, “there are inherent limitations in MediaTek Sensio and related software and other factors that may affect the accuracy of the information and data.” It has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, for example. Still, the idea is people would be able to share the data the sensor records with their physician as supplementary information.
Sensio also isn’t gunning for wearable manufacturers like FitBit — it doesn’t track fitness data like calories burned and distance traveled. It’s targeting health and wellness more than anything else.
MediaTek will be showing off prototypes of Sensio at CES 2018, and we’ll likely see smartphones with the sensor embedded next year as well.
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