MacBook Pro 13 vs. MacBook Pro 15

The iPhone may be Apple’s most popular product, but the company hasn’t forgotten about its former flagship, the MacBook. In late 2016, Apple revealed the new face of the MacBook Pro lineup, including three new laptops with updated hardware (two of which feature the newly-unveiled Touch Bar feature).

The latter component is an OLED multi-touch display, one designed to replace the function keys at the top of the keyboard and provide custom shortcuts for whichever app is at hand. It’s a headline-worthy feature, to be sure, but it might not be for everyone. Fans of the MacBook may wonder whether they should get one of these new machines and, if so, which one.

Read on, as we break down the specifications and features for the MacBook Pro 13 vs. MacBook Pro 15.

MacBook Pro 13-inch

MacBook Pro 13-inch (Touch Bar) 

MacBook Pro 15-inch (Touch Bar)

Dimensions
11.97 x 8.36 x 0.59 inches
11.97 x 8.36 x 0.59 inches
13.75 x 9.48 x 0.61 inches
Weight
 3.02 pounds
3.02 pounds
 4.02 pounds
Keyboard
Full-sized backlit keyboard
Full-sized backlit keyboard with Touch Bar
Full-sized backlit keyboard with Touch Bar
Processor
2.3GHz dual core Intel Core i5
3.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
2.8GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 / 2.9 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
RAM
8GB LPDDR3
8GB LPDDR3
 16GB LPDDR3
Graphics
Intel Iris Graphics 640
Intel Iris Graphics 650
Radeon Pro 555 2GB / Radeon Pro 560 4GB /
Display
13.3-inch Retina display
 13.3-inch Retina display
15.4-inch Retina display
Resolution
2,560 x 1,600
2,560 x 1,600
 2,880 x 1,800
Storage
128GB SSD / 256GB SSD
256/512GB/1TB SSD
 256/512GB/1TB/2TB SSD
Networking
802.11ac Wi-fi, Bluetooth 4.2
802.11ac Wi-fi, Bluetooth 4.2
802.11ac Wi-fi, Bluetooth 4.2
Ports
2 x Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports
4 x Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports
4 x Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports
Webcam
720p FaceTime HD camera
720p FaceTime HD camera
720p FaceTime HD camera
Operating System
MacOS High Sierra
MacOS High Sierra
MacOS High Sierra
Battery
Up to 10 hours web browsing
Up to 10 hours web browsing
Up to 10 hours web browsing
Price
$1,300+
$1,500+
$2,400+
Availability
Apple
Apple
Apple
Review
N/A
6/10
Hands-on

Design & Features

The basic 13-inch MacBook Pro should look familiar to longtime users. The aluminum unibody is as striking as ever, and the new trackpad — which is significantly larger than the previous one — should give users a bit more freedom when performing multi-touch gestures. The 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pros look almost identical, aside from the size of the display, touchpad, and speaker grills. As for color options, all three of the new MacBooks come in either Silver or Space Gray.

In terms of features, there are some differences here. Two of the models have the infamous Touch Bar built into the keyboard, replacing the function keys with a new touch interface. The Touch Bar retains all the functionality of the old keys, allowing users to adjust lighting, sound, and other facets on the fly. More importantly, it adapts to each program the user opens. However, it’s placement means it doesn’t end up being very useful.

While we don’t like the Touch Bar all that much, Touch ID is a fantastic inclusion on these laptops. Touch ID works great and gives you an extremely efficient way of unlocking your laptop with your fingerprint. It’s sorely missing on the MacBook Pro without Touch Bar.

The basic 13-inch MacBook features two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports that can be used for charging devices and connecting displays, while the upgraded 13-inch and 15-inch models each feature four of these Thunderbolt ports. There’s no HDMI port or SD card reader, but it’s nice to see Apple push forward with next-gen connectivity. If only Apple offered four Thunderbolt 3 ports across all the models.

Winner: MacBook Pro 15-inch

Performance

MacBooks have never been the most powerful laptops around, but they’ve always been a dependable mid-range option, and that continues to be the case with the new 13-inch MacBook Pro models. The cheaper version — the one that lacks the aforementioned Touch Bar — sports a 2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, while the version with the Touch Bar has a 3.1GHz Core i5. The 3.1GHz model has a higher clock speed, and since both processors are dual-core, the higher clock speed should translate to quicker performance.

The new 15-inch MacBook Pro takes things to another level. The base model has a 2.6GHz quad-core Intel i7, but for an additional $400, you can net a model with a 2.7GHz processor. Although that is a lower clock speed than the 13-inch Pro with the Touch Bar, having twice the cores means the i7 can handle multi-threading applications far better than a dual-core with a higher clock speed.

Both of the 13-inch models have 8GB of RAM, while the 15-inch has a monstrous 16GB, which is enough for many of the more demanding games and animation software on the market. Overall, the new 15-inch MacBook Pro is a far more powerful machine. While the 13-inch model with Touch Bar is more powerful than the version without, the difference will not be noticeable except during gaming or hardware-intensive applications.

All 13-inch models use Intel Iris graphics, of the HD 640 or 650 variety. They’re not bad, but not great for gaming or other GPU-heavy tasks. For that you’ll want the 15-inch model, which has AMD Radeon graphics based on “Polaris” architecture.

Winner: MacBook Pro 15

Display

Malarie Gokey/Digital Trends

All three of these MacBooks use LED-backlit Retina displays with IPS technology, so the decision here really comes down to personal preference. The 13-inch models tout 2,560 x 1,600-pixel resolution at 227 pixels per inch, with support for millions of colors. The 15-inch model has 2,880 x 1,800 resolution, but the pixel density is slightly lower at 220 PPI, due to the larger screen size.

While a 15-inch screen offers more real estate for watching videos and editing images, it will also take up more space. They should all offer similar quality in terms of brightness and color.

Winner: Tie

Portability

Apple touts these new MacBooks as the slimmest yet, and that goes a long way toward portability. The 13-inch models weigh in at a petite 3.02 pounds, and given they’re a mere 0.59-inches thick, they should be easy to carry in most bags.

The 15-inch models is a bit bulkier at 4.02 pounds, with a thickness of 0.61 inches. For users on the go, these are all remarkably portable machines, but if you have limited carrying space, you may wish to opt for one of the 13-inch models.

Winner: MacBook Pro 13

Availability and price

Anyone hoping the new MacBooks would cost the same as the previous generation may want to crack open the piggy bank — and probably check out some cheaper alternatives too. The basic 13-inch model starts at $1,300 with the reduced 128GB of SSD storage, while the 13-inch version with the Touch Bar will cost a whopping $1,500 — and that’s just the baseline configuration. Additional memory and a faster processor cost extra. If those numbers make you queasy, consider moving toward a couch before you read on.

The 15-inch MacBook Pro starts at $2,400. Users who want a bit more power can upgrade to the version with a 2.7GHz quad-core processor for $2,700.

Winner: MacBook Pro 13-inch (without Touch Bar)

Conclusion

The new 15-inch MacBook Pro is easily the most impressive of the bunch, sporting the promising (if puzzling) Touch Bar and some solid hardware under the hood. Still, those features come a daunting price.

All things considered, the average user may want to stick with the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro — in particular, the one without the Touch Bar. Despite the bump in processor speed you get, the Touch Bar version is just not worth the extra three hundred  (or five hundred) dollars it costs.

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US lifts ban on funding research for gene-modified super viruses

For the past 3 years, the US has maintained a moratorium on backing research that involves genetically modifying viruses to make them more potent, whether it’s their ability to spread or their lethality. You can kiss that de facto ban goodbye, however: the government has lifted the restriction in favor of a new review step. Scientists who want to engineer these super viruses will be subject to scrutiny by a “multidisciplinary group” that will consider the intentions and risks, such as whether or not it’s “ethically justifiable” and whether or not there are safer methods of accomplishing the same goal.

If you ask officials, this shouldn’t amount to a serious change. The National Institutes of Health’s Dr. Francis Collins said that 10 of the 21 studies frozen by the moratorium went ahead anyway thanks to exemptions, and this is simply a matter of “regularizing the process” of making those exemptions.

That isn’t making some researchers any less nervous. There are certainly benefits to the move: creating these mutant viruses could help by anticipating their evolution and developing treatments before they become especially dangerous. And in some ways, gene modification is necessary to see how viruses change based on their genetic structure. The perils, however, are obvious. These gene-modified viruses could wreak havoc if they escape the lab, and there have been mishandling incidents for everything from avian flu to Ebola.

In that sense, the concern isn’t so much lifting the moratorium as it is human nature. Even the most diligent biologist might not spot a tiny leak in a biohazard suit, and some viruses may not produce signs of infection until it’s already too late. Scientists will have to think very carefully before making proposals, and they’ll likely want to take extra precautions to avoid even the hint that a super virus might get free.

Via: STAT, The Verge

Source: PHE.gov (PDF)

Estonia’s e-residency head plans the country’s own cryptocurrency

Estonia might be the first country to offer cryptocurrency as a way to reward its e-residents. “Estcoin” could be used to reward e-residents (people who set up a business online in the country), verify someone’s identity online or be used for payment attached to the euro, according to Reuters. But it isn’t a government initiative. Instead, it’s a scheme dreamed up by the country’s “digital residency” mastermind Kaspar Korjus. While he might have some support from the private sector, he hasn’t gotten the necessary government backing fo it.

Korjus penned a lengthy Medium post extolling the virtues of estcoin, saying that e-residents have already brought €1.4. million ($1,653,876) into the country. The independent report compiled by accounting firm Deloitte predicts that by 2025, that reinvestment will rise to €1.8 billion ($2,127,060,000) in eight years.

“The purpose of estcoin is to accelerate this, while also providing additional funds and interest for the development of our digital nation,” he writes. “By not embracing crypto, governments are failing to unlock a powerful driver of economic growth and risk losing relevance entirely.”

One of the problems is that Estonia’s entire e-residency for businesses could be a way to eventually enable these companies to avoid paying taxes. Which, you know, is how governments pay for things like road repairs, infrastructure, police, etc..

The idea behind identity verification is to ensure you don’t lose access to your wallet. Your private cryptocurrency key would be tied to your government-issued digital ID.

Sounds good, right? Well, there’s a snag: Despite what Korjus says about not needing the European Central Bank’s involvement, the financial institution said it hadn’t been contacted about the program. The ECB still recognizes the euro as its lone form of currency.

“We would never provide an alternative currency to the euro, but it’s possible that we could combine some of the decentralized advantages of crypto with the stability and trust of fiat currency and then limit its use within the e-resident community,” Korjus says.

That may run afoul of the ECB. Reuters says that if estcoin was widely adopted and started interfering with the euro zone economy, the bank could step in.

This could be seen as another way that Estonia is throwing anything at the wall to see what sticks. Cryptocurrency is the topic du-jour so, naturally, after the country’s technological dark age it’s going to be attracted to it. Earlier this year, the country set up a “digital embassy” of sorts to store its data in a server room in Luxembourg. Other countries have flirted with cryptocurrencies (like Venezuela and Sweden), but so far nothing has really hit, or replaced traditional legal tender.

Source: Reuters, Medium

The Void’s large-scale VR gaming is coming to Las Vegas

The Void’s room-sized, immersive VR gaming is only available in a handful of locations right now, so even a modest expansion is important… it’s big deal, then, that the company just added two new venues. The entertainment startup has has unveiled plans to open Void Experience Centers in Las Vegas’ The Venetian/The Palazzo hotel (specifically, the Grand Canal Shoppes) and the Glendale Galleria in Glendale, California. Both new locations will showcase Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire, an experience where you go undercover as a Stormtrooper.

The Vegas and Glendale locations open in early 2018, and tickets for both should go on sale soon.

The Void still isn’t going to be a common sighting, and VR arcades as a whole are still quite rare. The new locations could go some ways toward making this kind of grand-scale VR more accessible, though. You can give it a try on a Vegas vacation, and Glendale Galleria is one of the larger and more popular malls in southern California.

Source: Business Wire

Apple to Open New Flagship Store in Melbourne, Australia

Apple is planning to open a new flagship retail location in Melbourne, Australia, at Federation Square, a shopping center, public square, and mixed-use space located in the heart of the city.

The Federation Square website says the new location will be an “Apple Global Flagship Store” that will open up in 2020. It will be Apple’s most significant store in the Southern Hemisphere, with workshops, classes, and live music events.

Apple’s Melbourne store will create 500 square meters of new public space, connecting Federation Square with the Yarra River and Birrarung Marr. Apple will construct a new building to replace an existing Yarra building, and based on renderings shared by Federation Square, the store will have multiple levels with glass walls and a viewing deck that overlooks the Yarra River.

Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts told The Australian that the store will feature a “bespoke design concept” and “extensive landscaping.”

“Apple Federation Square respects the original vision for the plaza, with a bespoke design concept and extensive landscaping bringing increased opportunities for the community to enjoy this renowned cultural hub.”

“We’re thrilled to move forward in the planning process for our new home in Melbourne’s Federation Square and would be honoured to call the world-class galleries and museums of Melbourne our neighbours,” Ms Ahrendts said.

Construction on the new store, which will “enhance Federation Square’s world renowned architecture,” will start in mid-2019.

Related Roundup: Apple StoresTag: Australia
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Proposed net neutrality bill would ban blocking and throttling

Last week, the FCC repealed net neutrality protections put in place in 2015 and returned broadband to a Title I classification. There were many voices expressing concern over the proposal and frustration once the FCC voted to enact it and a few members of Congress on both sides of the aisle stated that legislation, which would be more permanent than an FCC ruling, would ultimately be the best way forward when it comes to net neutrality. Now, less than a week after the FCC’s vote, Republican Representative Marsha Blackburn has introduced a net neutrality bill.

Blackburn is saying this legislation will “settle the net neutrality debate” and that she’s hopeful about its prospects in Congress. “Let’s stop the ping-ponging from one FCC commission to another,” Blackburn told Variety. “This is something where the Congress should act.”

The bill, however, varies little from the FCC’s order. It would still classify broadband as a Title I service and it would still allow for internet service providers to practice paid prioritization. It would also keep in place the 2010 transparency rules reinstituted last week. Pretty much the only difference is that it would ban blocking and throttling. “A lot of our innovators are saying, ‘Let’s go with things we have agreement on, and other things can be addressed later,’” Blackburn told Variety.

Some have already spoken out against Blackburn’s bill. Craig Aaron, president of the Free Press Action Fund called it “fake net neutrality” and said in a statement, “This cynical attempt to offer something the tiniest bit better than what the FCC did and pretend it’s a compromise is an insult to the millions who are calling on Congress to restore real net neutrality.” On the other hand, FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly, who voted in favor of repealing net neutrality protections last week, has voice support for it.

Looks like Republican FCC commissioner @mikeofcc is a fan of @MarshaBlackburn’s new #netneutrality bill. pic.twitter.com/ZQYyfNwXAd

— Brendan Bordelon (@BrendanBordelon) December 19, 2017

The Internet Association, which asked the FCC to delay its vote earlier this month, released a statement saying, “The internet industry supports a lasting solution that enshrines strong, enforceable net neutrality protections for consumers into law. While Chairman Blackburn’s bill in its current form isn’t that solution, she should be commended for moving this conversation forward.” It also said that the proposed legislation did not meet the criteria for basic net neutrality protections.

Following last week’s vote, Democratic Representative Mike Doyle said he would be working on legislation himself. “I will introduce legislation under the Congressional Review Act to overturn today’s order and restore net neutrality,” he said in a statement.

You can read Blackburn’s proposed legislation here.

Via: TechFreedom

Source: Open Internet Preservation Act

Ingenious wound-scanning tool makes infectious bacteria glow in the dark

Harmful bacteria in wounds is bad news for both patients and the physicians who are treating them. Fortunately, a breakthrough handheld “wound intelligence” device promises to make checking wounds for difficult-to-spot bacteria a whole lot easier. Called the MolecuLight i:X, the handheld device is a smart imaging tool which can both document wounds and also play a key part in their treatment.

To begin with, users of the MolecuLight i:X snap a close-up image of the wound under normal light conditions. This image doesn’t show the location of bacteria, although it can be a useful reference guide to show doctors how a wound is healing up. The real brilliance starts when the lights are turned off, and the MolecuLight i:X is used to take another image, this time using safe violet light which causes bacteria to glow in the dark. The bacterial fluorescence signals detected by the device can be used by healthcare professionals to indicate the presence of bacteria, its bacterial load, and its location within and around wounds in real time. That gives doctors some additional tools in their arsenal, such as the ability to immediately spot the border of wounds or to carry out instant precise wound measurements.

According to the makers of MolecuLight, the results are 54 percent more accurate than swabbing. A clinical trial carried out in Toronto suggests that using the device can also lead to nine times faster healing for wounds, compared to the healing which takes place under standard treatments.

This isn’t the only smart use bacteria-tracking device currently making waves. Recently, we covered a smart microscope developed by Harvard University researchers, which uses machine learning technology to spot and identify bacterial infections, thereby allowing patients to get treatment more speedily. What makes the MolecuLight i:X so nifty, however, is its portability, which helps make it the perfect diagnostic tool for a doctor on either a busy ward or even out in the field — provided they’re able to get the requisite darkness for it to operate under.

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to access it in the United States for the time being. That’s because it is currently approved for use in Canada and the European Union only, although hopefully, that will change in the near future.

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Report shows many web surfers are still using ‘123456’ as their password

For some reason, many web surfers accessing the internet don’t appear to be listening. Despite warnings by experts and countless reports of hacking, identity theft, online fraud, and more, there are people still using “123456” as a password. That simple sequence of numbers reigns king on the new top 100 worst passwords list of 2017.

According to numbers provided by SplashData, the use of “123456” as the No. 1 bad password hasn’t changed in years. The firm provides its list of the top 100 worst passwords each year, and shows that “123456” officially unseated “password” from the top spot in 2013. Since then, 123456 remains at the top of the list followed by “password” and several other common words and numbers.

California-based SplashData provides security applications and services, including its SplashID Personal Password Manager, and its TeamsID Business Password Manager. The firm releases its annual list to encourage internet surfers to use stronger passwords. The firm’s data supposedly derives from millions of leaked passwords discovered throughout the year.

Here are the top 10 worst passwords used on the internet starting from SplashData’s very first report in 2011:

2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
1
password
password
123456
123456
123456
123456
123456
2
123456
123456
password
password
password
password
password
3
12345678
12345678
12345678
12345
12345678
12345
12345678
4
qwerty
abc123
qwerty
12345678
qwerty
12345678
qwerty
5
abc123
qwerty
abc123
qwerty
12345
football
12345
6
monkey
monkey
123456789
123456789
123456789
qwerty
123456789
7
1234567
letmein
111111
1234
football
1234567890
letmein
8
letmein
dragon
1234567
baseball
1234
1234567
1234567
9
trustnot
111111
Iloveyou
dragon
1234567
princess
football
10
dragon
baseball
adobe123
football
baseball
1234
iloveyou

As the chart shows, “password” and “123456” are locked in a heated battle for the top spot. “12345” and “12345678” fight for third place while “qwerty” and “12345678” battle for the fourth position. One of the troubling factors is that the top 10 consist of similar words and strings of numbers over the last seven years, including “football,” “baseball,” dragon,” and “iloveyou.”

But SplashData’s annual reports don’t mean everyone on the planet is using these passwords. The company is merely pointing out bad password use in hopes that future lists will eventually wither and die. But given that these words and number strings are pulled from millions of leaked passwords each year, you can see why hackers are having a field day breaking into online accounts.

Most major websites now demand passwords consisting of upper and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols of a specific length (character count). They even offer two-step authentication that requires a mobile device to authorize logins. But as the lists shown above illustrate, the top bad passwords consist of all letters or all numbers.

Moreover, security experts will warn that you shouldn’t use passwords that are directly related to your life, such as using your birthday, favorite movie, child’s name, and so on. Passwords should essentially be phrases that mean absolutely nothing, but can be easily remembered. “Sciss0rzCutzCh1ck0nz” could be a tough nut to crack.

Of course, using a password manager like LastPass or 1Password to handle all your accounts and passwords is an ideal security strategy as well. These services are subscription-based but eliminate the need to manage multiple passwords for multiple accounts.

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Honor 7X vs. Nokia 6: Can Honor beat the Finnish veteran?

Not every phone has to cost $1,000 — the Honor 7X is the latest phone to redefine our expectations for budget handsets, and it does so while being powerful, running smoothly, and looking oh so good. But there are other phones that also represent great value for money, and the Nokia 6 is one of them. Which phone wins when these two budget queens clash? We took a look to find out.

Specs

Honor 7X

Nokia 6

Size
156.5 x 75.3 x 7.6mm (6.18 x 2.96 x 0.30 inches)
154 x 75.8 x 7.9mm (6.06 x 2.98 x 0.31 inches)
Weight
165 grams (5.82 ounces)
169 grams (5.96 ounces)
Screen
5.93-inch IPS LCD display
5.5-inch IPS LCD display
Resolution
2160 x 1080 pixels (407ppi)
1920 x 1080 pixels (403ppi)
OS
EMUI 5.1 (over Android 7.0 Nougat)
Android 7.1.1 Nougat
Storage
32GB for U.S., 64GB for international
32GB, 64GB
MicroSD card slot
Yes, up to 256GB
Yes, up to 256GB
NFC support
No
Yes
Processor
HiSilicon Kirin 659
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430
RAM
3GB for U.S., 4GB for international
3GB, 4GB
Connectivity
GSM / HSPA / LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
GSM / HSPA / LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Camera
Dual sensor 16MP & 2MP rear, 8MP front
16MP rear, 8MP front
Video
1080p @ 30 fps
1080p @ 30 fps
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 4.1
Bluetooth 4.1
Audio
Headphone jack
Headphone jack
Fingerprint sensor
Yes
Yes
Other sensors
Accelerometer, proximity, compass
Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Water resistant
No
No
Battery
3,340mAh
3,000mAh
Charging port
Micro USB
Micro USB
Marketplace
Google Play Store
Google Play Store
Colors
Black, Blue, Gold, Red
Arte Black, Matte Black, Tempered Blue, Silver, Copper
Availability
HiHonor

Amazon, B&H, Best Buy

Price
$200
$230
DT review
4 out of 5 stars
Hands-on review

The Nokia 6 is a solid performer, and the Snapdragon 430 does a good job of keeping the phone snappy and responsive. However, in this fight it’s up against the Kirin 659 — one of Huawei’s proprietary chips. In the Honor 7X, that processor does amazing work that puts the Honor phone alongside the Moto G5S Plus — and it utterly obliterates the Moto E4 Plus‘s Snapdragon 427. In processing power, it’s pretty obvious Honor has the edge.

Thankfully for the Finns, the Nokia 6 claws some points back with the memory options. The Honor 7X comes with 32GB of storage and 3GB of RAM in the U.S. (the 64GB/4GB model is only available internationally), while the Nokia 6 has two models available in the U.S.; a 32GB/3GB model, and a 64GB/4GB model. It’s not too much of a victory though, since both phones allow for up to 256GB of extra storage with a MicroSD card, and the difference between 3GB and 4GB of RAM is arguable.

Other than that, it’s fairly equal here. Both phones are rocking Bluetooth 4.1, and the lack of Bluetooth 5.0 is acceptable in a budget handset. They have resisted the flagship trend of cutting features as well — both the Nokia and the Honor phone have a headphone jack. If you’ve got your heart set on Android Pay, then the Nokia 6 has NFC for your needs. No chance of that on the Honor 7X though.

It’s a varied bag of strengths and weaknesses here, and it makes picking a winner tough. But for our money, extra processing power trumps extra onboard storage and NFC. The Honor 7X wins.

Winner: Honor 7X

Design and display

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

If you’re hoping for an up-to-date design on the Nokia 6 then you’re likely to be slightly disappointed. That’s not to say the Nokia 6 is a bad looking phone – it’s certainly better looking than some of its rivals, like the Moto G5, and the phone feels more premium, thanks to the body being made from a single block of aluminum. Hard edges give it its own style, and the Arte Black color is a fancy touch you don’t often see in budget phones.

However, it struggles to match the minimal bezels on the Honor 7X. Honor has brought the trend for massive screens on smaller bodies to the budget market with the Honor 7X, and the mismatch is easy to see. The Honor 7X’s sleek design leaves the Nokia 6 in the dust. And it seems Nokia agrees — rumors are hinting 2018’s Nokia 6 will also follow the bezel-less trend.

Those minimal bezels on the Honor 7X continue over to the display. The Nokia 6’s 5.5-inch IPS display is bright and clear, but it’s up against an 18:9 aspect ratio, 2160 x 1080-pixel resolution running on a massive 5.93-inch screen. Even if you’re not a fan of the bezel-less design on the whole, you have to admit a larger screen is usually better — especially when the Honor 7X is only 2mm taller than the Nokia 6.

In terms of durability neither phone is anything special. There’s no water-resistance, and each phone is made from metal, so there’s no need to worry about breaking a glass back. The Honor 7X does have an innovative feature here though — little air-bags in each corner of the phone help lessen the impact from drops. It’s not fully shockproof, but we saw an Honor spokesperson drop the phone multiple times with no damage.

The Nokia 6 can’t stand against the shifting sands of time — its aging design is trumped by the bezel-less looks and enormous screen of the Honor 7X.

Winner: Honor 7X

Camera

The Nokia 6 comes equipped with a 16-megapixel camera mounted on the back, and an 8-megapixel selfie-snapper around the front. The rear camera is good, and it’ll produce some good shots in the right lighting. The front-facing camera is similar, and you’ll get Instagram-worthy selfies out of it. But there’s nothing special here, and it’s clear the camera wasn’t an especially strong focus for Nokia.

The same can’t be said for the Honor 7X. The dual sensor, rear-mounted camera pairs a 16-megapixel and a 2-megapixel lens, with the 2-megapixel lens providing the professional-looking “bokeh” effect we’ve come to expect from dual-sensor phone cameras. It would be classed as a good camera in a midrange phone, and so it’s pretty amazing Honor put something this good into a $200 phone. Honor is using Huawei’s software, and it’s been tweaked to improve focusing speed and low-light. The front-facing 8-megapixel camera is similarly good, and borrows many features from the rear camera, including a Portrait Mode, and the “bokeh” effect.

If the camera is important to you, then there’s only one choice here.

Winner: Honor 7X

Battery life and charging

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Having good battery life can mean the difference between a lift home at the end of the night, or walking home in the rain. To that end, both of these handsets come with large batteries that start at 3,000mAh. We haven’t had a chance to fully test the Nokia 6’s 3,000mAh battery, but based on what little testing we have done, it’s able to last the day, though it may struggle to do so with heavier usage. The Honor 7X’s 3,340mAh battery takes advantage of the extra battery capacity, and should make it the full day on most days — but like the Nokia it may struggle with heavy usage.

So the clincher comes down to charging speed. Unfortunately, neither phone comes with any specific type of fast charging, so you’re likely to be tethered to a cable for a while if you do get caught out. It might be worth investing in a good power bank when it comes to these phones. You won’t find wireless charging on either device — though that certainly shouldn’t be expected on phones at this price range.

This is another close one. We’re giving it to the Honor 7X based purely on the slightly larger battery capacity, and the fact it did ever-so-slightly better in our tests.

Winner: Honor 7X

Software

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

You’d be hard pressed to find two Android phones with more different software if you tried. The Nokia 6 is running a stock version of Android 7.1.1 Nougat. That’s no additional bloatware, no heavy-handed UI reskins, just pure Android, as Google intended. It’s swift and snappy, but it can get bogged down in more demanding apps and games. But that’s part and parcel of having a budget phone, so you should be able to let that slide. It’s a shame not to see Android 8.0 Oreo on here yet, and though Nokia has promised it in 2018, we don’t have a real timetable yet.

Contrastingly, the Honor 7X runs Huawei’s proprietary Emotion UI (EMUI), an extensive re-skin of Android. It’s EMUI 5.0, running over Android 7.1.1 Nougat, so, like the Nokia 6, it’s not the latest software. It has some neat tricks and additions, but if you’re a fan of stock Android then this definitely isn’t the phone for you. Still, we’ve grown to enjoy using it, and although it can be confusing at times, gesture support, multi-screen apps, and the extensive power-saving options make EMUI a good OS for your phone.

Again, it’s too tough to pick between the two. We’ve got a soft spot for the stock Android experience, but the extra fun jammed into EMUI deserves your attention too. It’s a tie.

Winner: Tie

Price and availability

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

The Nokia 6 is currently available with prices usually starting from $230 for the handset. If you’re an Amazon Prime member you can pick one up for a massive discount, but do remember that comes with on-screen ads and offers from Amazon. It also doesn’t fully support AT&T, and you won’t be able to use it on Sprint or Verizon either — though T-Mobile users will have no issues.

The Honor 7X is also available, with prices starting from $200. Like the Nokia phone, it won’t work on Verizon or Sprint, thanks to the lack of a CDMA band. At the moment, you can only grab it from the HiHonor store.

It’s not difficult to score this round. The Honor 7X is cheaper (excluding Amazon Prime member deals), is more powerful, has a better camera, a huge screen … the list goes on. Honor’s budget phone represents pure value for money.

Winner: Honor 7X

Overall winner: Honor 7X

Ouch. It’s a whitewash. The Nokia 6 doesn’t deserve this, and it paints a terrible picture, but the Nokia 6 is a good budget phone with good specs that makes a good showing for itself. It’s just the Honor 7X is so far ahead of most of the competition it’s almost unfair. There are some reasons to get the Nokia 6 over the Honor 7X, but they’re few and far between. NFC is the only really notable one.

If you’re looking to buy a budget phone right now, you should be picking the Honor 7X over the Nokia 6, every time.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Honor 7X vs. Honor 6X: New school versus old school
• Honor 7X review
• Honor 7X vs. Moto E4 Plus: Big-screen budget battle
• Honor 7X vs. Moto G5 Plus: Which cheap phone gets the most bang for your buck?
• Honor View 10 vs. OnePlus 5T: Which midranger reigns supreme?

Government requests for your Facebook data continues to grow, report says

Seventy-eight thousand, eight hundred and ninety — that is the number of times Facebook received government requests to access user data worldwide, and in over half of the cases from the U.S., non-disclosure prevented the user from even knowing about the access. The numbers come from Facebook’s Transparency Report (previously called the Government Requests Report) covering the first six months of 2017. The report, released on Monday, December 18, also tallies the numbers of requests for potential intellectual property violation, such as stolen copyrighted images and counterfeit products, for both Facebook and Instagram.

The government requests for data from Facebook increased by 21 percent from the previous six months, jumping up from 64,279. The U.S. was responsible for more than 32,000 of those requests, with about 85 percent of them resulting in providing some level of data. Facebook says that, in the U.S., 57 percent of those requests included a non-disclosure clause, which meant that Facebook could not alert the user to the government’s request for access.

The jump in content restrictions or requests to remove content saw an even larger jump, but one particular incident drove those numbers up higher than normal. Facebook says that a video of a school shooting in Monterrey, Mexico was removed 20,506 times. That incident alone accounts for most but not all of the increase in content restrictions from the previous report, with those numbers jumping up to 28,036 compared to 6,944.

When the transparency report first launched in 2013, the number of requests for data was only about 25,000 worldwide. Since then, Facebook’s user count has nearly doubled, however, up from 1.15 billion to 2 billion users active every month.

While Facebook reveals this data every six months, the social media platform is now expanding the report to also include requests for intellectual property violations. Users reported copyright violations some 224,464 times, while trademark violations were 41,854. The report also includes reports for counterfeits, which hit 14,279. Instagram, meanwhile, had about 70,000 reports for copyright, around 16,500 for trademark and about 10,000 for counterfeits.

As the first time the company has reported on intellectual property, there is no data to compare the numbers to, but in all three categories, for both Facebook and Instagram, the number of reports was higher in June than January, suggesting an increase in the number of reports from the start of the year.

“We believe that sharing information about IP reports we receive from rights holders is an important step toward being more open and clear about how we protect the people and businesses that use our services,” wrote Chris Sonderby, Facebook’s deputy general counsel. “Our Transparency Report describes these policies and procedures in more detail, along with the steps we’ve taken to safeguard the people who use Facebook and keep them informed about IP.”

Both the government requests and the IP reports can be accessed from Facebook’s transparency webpage.

Editors’ Recommendations

• In 2017, Apple has seen an increase in national security requests from the government
• The option to post Instagram Stories to Facebook is now rolling out in the U.S.
• Facebook applies new authenticity tools and expose Russian-controlled pages
• Get ready for reindeer selfies — Facebook is launching its holiday features
• Facebook will soon make it easier to see who paid for political ads