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.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Everything you need to know about the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL
• Everything you need to know about the Essential Phone (PH-1)
• The best smartphones you can buy
• Bigger isn’t always better: Five of the smallest smartphones worth buying
• The best cheap phones you can buy

Best iOS app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time

Everyone likes Apple apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers put paid apps on sale for free for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up while you have the chance. Here are the latest and greatest iOS app deals available from the iOS App Store.

These apps normally cost money and this sale lasts for a limited time only. If you go to the App Store and it says the app costs money, that means the deal has expired and you will be charged. 

Star Wars Pinball 5

Set in a galaxy far, far away, Star Wars Pinball lets you interact with the most iconic characters, and relive the greatest moments of the Star Wars universe mixed with exciting pinball action.

Available on:

iOS

Space Weather

Space weather is the concept of changing environmental conditions in near-Earth space or the space from the Sun’s atmosphere to the Earth’s atmosphere. This app tracks those conditions.

Available on:

iOS

5Coins Expense

5coins is a simple, beautiful and smart app for tracking your daily expense. It lets you know how much you are spending, when and where your money goes.

Available on:

iOS

Throwback Stories

Throwback Stories helps you create stunning Instagram Stories from your memories, providing a set of useful tools to enhance and animate your stories.

Available on:

iOS

Ella

CalcKey allows you to perform calculations right within iMessage, without even having to leave the app, so you can finally work out exactly how much your friend owes you for dinner quickly and easily.

Available on:

iOS

Metadata

Wether you shoot on your phone, DSLR, or create images in your favorite photo editing application, Metadata will show you your image measurements, DPI, file size, location data, and device information.

Available on:

iOS

Editors’ Recommendations

• Best iOS app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
• Best iOS app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
• Best iOS app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
• Best iOS app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time
• Best iOS app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time

Kitchen Gadgets Gift Guide

Up your cooking game with these unique kitchen gadgets and take boring, everyday recipes to the next level. You might even find something to wrap up for the foodie in your life, like the Marcato Atlas Pasta Machine or a granite molcajete.

Marcato Atlas Pasta MachineThe machine might be made in Italy, but that home-made pasta’s going to be made right in your kitchen! And also Italy if you live in Italy.Amazon$74.99WishlistPepper Mill Imports Traditional Copper Coffee Spice MillThis is what you pull out when you want everyone to know you’re serious about your pepper.Walmart$71.99WishlistBOJ Commercial Grade Manual Can Opener with Angled BarThis is a can opener designed for the back of a busy restaurant, but there’s plenty of great ways you could use it – a little catering business, a fundraiser or food service, tailgating, or a big group picnic.Amazon$76.95WishlistBella electric ceramic tea kettleCombine the timeless style of an old fashioned ceramic kettle with modern features like a 1200 Watt heating element, LED lights, and more.Amazon$49.99WishlistInstant Pot Duo60 6-quart 7-in-1 pressure cookerI’m not even sure why we’re writing a description about this. It’s a 7-in-1 pressure cooker that could make yogurt if you want. If you don’t have one already, you should. And if you do have one, you’re probably too distracted thinking about the pot roast you’re cooking right now.Amazon$99.99WishlistOXA Powerful 4-in-1 Hand BlenderA hand blender like this might not get all the chunks out, but it’s a lot less expensive and a lot easier to use than the big cahunas. Plus, who doesn’t enjoy a chunky salsa or a little fruit pulp?Amazon$39.99WishlistKitchenAid 7-Speed Digital Hand MixerIs there a better time for a digital hand mixer than the holiday season? So much baking! So many cookies. Plenty of stuff to use one of these on.Amazon$49.99WishlistBialetti 12-ounce Stovetop Espresso MakerIf you are into really strong coffee, and one tiny cup of espresso just isn’t enough, you might want to invest in this. It doesn’t quite make espresso because it doesn’t have that much pressure, but the result is a drink that’ll remind you of mornings in Italy.Amazon$26.74WishlistGourmia Cordless Electric Milk Frother & HeaterEverybody knows the best part of any coffee drink is the milk foam. If you search your heart and know that to be true, this is the machine you need to start with before making your daily cappuccino.Amazon$39.99WishlistStar Wars R2-D2 coffee pressI mean, sure, if you need help hiding the technical layouts to the Galactic Empire’s largest, most deadly weapon he can do that. But if what you really need is just a nice cup of coffee to wake up with, he can do that, too.Think Geek$29.99WishlistVictoria Cast Iron Bacon Press and Meat WeightYou’ll feel like the shift cook in the back of a 60s-style diner with this meat weight. You’ll also cook your bacon and paninis a lot faster.Amazon$29.17WishlistImusa 8-inch Granite MolcajeteThis little mortar and pestle is perfect for guac or salsa. You can make it in the bowl and it’s nice enough you don’t have to transfer to something else. Just grind and serve!Amazon$13.99WishlistMicroplane Classic Zester/GraterShred your cheese and veggies with ease using this grater. Just, you know, don’t grate too close. No one wants that.Amazon$10.36WishlistWestmark Germany Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Wire Cheese SlicerYou know what kitchen gadget you should never have to worry about? Your cheese slicer. Do you have one? Is it working? Buy one of these and all the cheese you buy will know it’s not staying unsliced forever.Amazon$12.79WishlistZalik 5-blade spiralizerPasta noodles are so old fashioned. Get with the times and make veggie noodles. They’re healthier, more colorful, and some even add all new flavors to otherwise boring dishes. Also, Sweet Potato Noodles are awesome.Amazon$24.99WishlistLavatools Javelin Pro digital meat thermometerNo one likes undercooked meat. Take the mystery out of your cooking with this meat thermomter and cook like a pro.Amazon$49.99WishlistTempered Glass 10-piece nesting bowlsThere’s nothing worse than wasting space to store your bowls all around the kitchen, and then wasting time to find the right one. These nesting bowls fit inside eachother, saving space and time.Bed Bath and Beyond$29.99WishlistMusic Notes Measuring Spoon SetMeasuring spoons are a critical thing in everyones kitchen, but they don’t have to be boring and plain. These musical note ones add some style and fun to the everyday task of measuring your stuff.Uncommon Goods$52.00WishlistBottle Cleaning Beads set of 2Use these cleaning beads to reach the bottom of those long tumblers and water bottles that you just can’t reach otherwise.Uncommon Goods$5.99WishlistStar Wars R2-D2 Measuring Cup SetThis set breaks R2-D2 down into different measuring cups at every level. There are no hidden tactical plans inside, so I don’t think this is canon.Amazon$20.00WishlistPioneer Woman 6 Quart Portable Slow CookerSlow cookers speak for themselves, but these beautifully designed options are even more desirable. Treat your loved ones to a slow cooker they won’t be ashamed to have on the counter.Walmart$25.00Wishlist

How are you liking Google’s AR Stickers?

AR Stickers are a ton of fun – just make sure you’ve got plenty of battery.

Google finally launched AR Stickers for the Pixel and Pixel 2 on December 11, and at least for me, it’s resulted in a lot of time spent placing porgs, stormtroopers, and Demogorgons all around my apartment and everywhere else I go.

AR Stickers are already quite impressive even after just a few days of being available to the public, and with them now out and about, we thought it’d be fun to check in with our forum users to see how you all are taking to Google’s latest software trick.

Here are some of your answers.

Ca_lvn
12-11-2017 07:53 PM

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This one is a battery killer and phone heater kind of fun to play with for the kids though

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dsignori
12-12-2017 11:10 AM

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The animation in the Stranger Things characters is awesome … Eleven takes out the Demogorgon 🙂

https://photos.app.goo.gl/zGS1Y8VhAWMPKlHI3

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Retinella
12-11-2017 02:13 PM

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AR is fun for a little while but it kills the battery, at least it did when I had the iPhone X.

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Larzuk
12-11-2017 01:00 PM

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this is friggin awesome!

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Now, we’d like to pass the question on to you – How have you been liking AR Stickers?

Join the conversation in the forums!

How to use Smart Lock to unlock your phone automatically

Using Smart Lock is an easy way to mix security with convenience — keep your Android locked unless you want it unlocked.

Introduced with Android 5.0 Lollipop, Smart Lock lets you set things up so that your phone unlocks its screen when certain conditions are met without entering your password or PIN or fingerprint. You’ll find the setting is the Security section of your phone settings, and you begin by tapping it and entering your PIN or passphrase.

Once enabled, Smart Lock has five ways it can intelligently keep your phone unlocked for you but locked if anyone else happens to find it. You might not see every option on every phone so take a peek at your user manual if you can’t find a setting.

On-body Detection

On-body Detection uses your phone’s motion sensors like the accelerometer or gyroscope to keep it unlocked while it’s in your hand, your pocket or a bag. If it senses that you’re in motion and you’ve unlocked your phone with any other method it stays unlocked. When things stop moving it locks the screen.

Of course, if you have unlocked the screen it will stay unlocked when someone else is carrying it, too. On-body Detection tries to “learn” the cadence of how you move, but it’s far from perfect and not something that should ever be considered secure — it’s simply a convenience feature. To set it up:

• Tap On-body Detection in the Smart Lock settings menu
• Toggle the slider switch

Just remember that it may take a few minutes for your phone to realize it’s no longer on your body and should lock the screen, and if someone else picks it up they won’t have to enter your password or fingerprint to use it.

Trusted Places

Trusted Places uses what’s called geofencing to keep your phone unlocked when you’re in a specific area and locked everywhere else.

Geofencing uses your phone’s location system to define a small area around a specific point inside a virtual fence. The software can tell the rest of the system whether your phone is inside or outside of that fence, and things like unlocking your screen can happen while you’re inside the fence. Geofencing is used for a lot of things, not just Smart Lock.

You’ll need to set up a location for your home and work places, and for Trusted Places to work you’ll need to have location turned on and an internet connection. Once you’ve enabled location (any of the three options are suitable) you can set up Trusted Places like this:

• In the Smart Lock settings menu, tap Trusted Places, then tap Home
• Tap Turn on this location and you’ll be asked to choose a “Home” address if you haven’t already set one up
• Set up other places to keep your phone unlocked by tapping Add trusted place

Geofencing is only as accurate as your phone’s location sensors. As long as apps like Google Maps or turn-by-turn navigation work for you, Trusted Places will work. And be just as accurate. Just remember that your phone doesn’t know who is holding it, just where it’s being held and will unlock itself for anyone inside a Trusted Place.

Trusted devices

Your phone can stay unlocked as long as it is connected to a specific Bluetooth device (or in the proximity of an NFC tag on older models) using the Trusted devices setting.

Bluetooth has a very limited range. We sometimes wish it were longer, like when we walk away while wearing headphones, but that limit (in the neighborhood of 30 to 40 feet) is perfect to use as a leash for Trusted devices. As long as you have a good connection to any Bluetooth device — your watch, a luggage or key tag, your car, anything — your phone will stay unlocked. Once the connection drops it locks itself.

You probably were prompted to set up Trusted devices when you first pair a new Bluetooth device, but you can do it manually like this:

• Tap Trusted devices in the Smart Lock settings menu
• Tap Add trusted device then tap Bluetooth
• Choose a paired device from the list

Trusted NFC tags that have been set up previously will continue to work, but you can no longer modify or set up a new Trusted NFC device.

As mentioned, the Trusted devices setting is dependent on your Bluetooth connection. When your phone senses it doesn’t have a good connection to any Bluetooth device you have specified it will lock itself. When it si connected it stays unlocked, so if another person has your phone and your watch or keys (or whatever devices you used) it will stay unlocked!

Trusted face

You can use the front-facing camera on your phone to scan your face and unlock it using the Trusted face option.

We’ll start by saying that this isn’t designed for security — anyone with a half-decent photo of your face can use it to unlock your phone. It’s not the same thing as using Iris scanning on a Galaxy phone or Face ID on an iPhone, and is simply using facial recognition software -— the same facial recognition you see in Google Photos. It’s another convenience setting and one that’s kind of cool.

To set up Trusted face:

• Tap Trusted face in the Smart Lock settings menu
• Tap Set up and follow the on-screen directions to scan your face

Depending on the camera hardware inside your phone this will take a minute or two. You’ll need to position your face inside a defined area and watch for feedback that it’s scanning it. It’s not hard.

If you’re not getting accurate results using Trusted face you can refine the way your phone “sees” your face by using the Improve face matching setting.

• In the Smart Lock settings menu, tap on Trusted face
• Tap Improve face matching
• Tap Next and follow the on-screen prompt

Just remember that any photo of your face that’s in focus can be used to unlock your phone — including photos you have posted on Facebook or other social media. Never think of Trusted face as a high-security option.

Trusted voice

You can unlock your phone using the same “OK Google” phrase you use for Google Assistant by setting up Trusted voice.

Actively listening for your voice while the screen is off takes processing and battery power, so you’ll not find the feature available on every Android phone. Once your phone hears the “OK Google” phrase it needs to check and make sure the inflection and tone match what it recognizes as your voice, and if it decides it’s you speaking it will unlock itself. Your phone will need to hear you clearly to be able to make the match, and if it does you won’t have to enter a password or scan your fingerprint.

To set up Trusted voice:

• Make sure that you’ve enabled and set up the “OK Google” hotword for either Google Assistant or Google Now
• Open the Google app from your app drawer
• Access the settings menu by tapping the icon in the top left side (the Hamburger menu)
• Tap Voice then tap OK Google detection
• Look for any or all of the following settings and enable them:
  • From and screen
  • Always on

Once complete, you can add a Trusted voice in the Smart Lock settings menu by taping Trusted voice.

As mentioned, not every phone supports Trusted voice. Even if your phone does support the feature, it will only be as accurate as the keyword to trigger Assistant or OK Google is. If you have trouble getting your phone to recognize your voice to use Assistant or OK Google, for example, you have a heavy accent or trouble speaking clearly, you’ll have the same issues using it. On recent phones using newer hardware, it uses very little battery and you’ll probably never notice it, but it can also have a dramatic impact on battery life on older phones.

Convenience versus security

None of these methods is as secure as a PIN, pattern, password, or fingerprint. We shouldn’t forget that. But in many cases, they can be much more convenient, and making it convenient to unlock your phone makes it more likely that you’ll set it up with a screen lock in the first place. A locked screen with Trusted face (for example) is much more secure than a phone with no screen lock even though it can be fooled with a good photo.

That’s the goal of Smart Lock — to get you to lock your phone and your personal data. When everyone uses a good screen lock it becomes harder for a phone thief to use or resell them and the incentive to steal a phone in the first place goes way down. Not only are you protecting your data and any data you have about your contacts, you’re helping everyone when you lock your screen.

Take a minute and set up a good screen lock and use Smart Lock to make things easy if you haven’t already!