Windows 10’s ‘Timeline’ continuity is available for testing

Windows 10’s much-hyped Timeline feature didn’t make the cut for the initial release of the Fall Creators Update, but you will get to try it over the holidays. Microsoft has released a Insider Preview for Fast Ring testers that (surprise!) finally gives you access to Timeline’s continuity. Visit the Task View and you can resume what you were doing on another device, whether it’s going back to a website from another Windows 10 PC (using the Edge browser, of course) or finishing work in a Word document that you’d started on your Android or iOS device. Cortana will also suggest tasks to continue, so you might barely have to lift a finger to get back to an earlier task.

That’s not the only addition, of course. The preview also gives you access to Sets, or groups of apps bundled together in tabs to help you focus on a given task (say, editing a report that includes text, a presentation and notes). Cortana’s Notebook has been revamped with an Organizer section that gives quick access to lists and reminders and simpler setup. And did we mention that you can use Cortana to control Spotify?

Other improvements include greater customization of the My People section, better resolution scaling settings (such as overriding settings on an app-by-app basis) and more advanced trackpad gestures like pinch-to-zoom. And sure enough, Microsoft’s Fluent design language is spreading through the OS — including a new look for Windows’ general settings section.

You may want to be cautious about using this test release on a crucial PC given that Fast Ring previews tend to be buggier than their slower brethren. And of course, it’s going to be a while before Timeline and the other features reach polished releases. Even if you hold off, though, this is still a valuable update — it’s a peek at what Windows 10 will look like in 2018.

Via: The Verge

Source: Microsoft

That cigar-shaped asteroid might be covered in organic goo

Last month’s discovery of a long, thin object floating ominously through space brought about some pretty fevered speculation about the company mankind keeps in this universe. Was it an alien spacecraft? Were little green men about to visit Earth? No to both, seems to be the answer, but while researchers still aren’t sure what the object — named “Oumuamua” — actually is, they have revealed that it appears to be covered in a thick layer of organic gunk and is icy cold on the inside.

A new paper published in Nature Astronomy says that “Oumuamua might have a frozen heart, encased in a soft coat of carbon-rich gunk soft enough to sink under your boots”. Scientists suspect that the dark red material is likely made from organic ices which have been broken down after millions of years of cosmic radiation, and is robust enough to protect the object’s cold interior.

But exactly what’s going on inside Oumuamua will remain a mystery, since it’s now blasting away from our solar system. Speaking to Popular Science, the paper’s lead author Alex Fitzsimmons said: “Is there really water ice inside? What is the interior structure really like? We’ll probably never know for sure with Oumuamua, but another one will be spotted at some point in the future. Hopefully we will have more time to study the next one.”

Via: Popular Science

Source: Nature Astronomy

Apple Sued for App Store Logo’s Resemblance to Chinese Clothing Brand Logo

When Apple released the updated App Store as part of iOS 11, the App Store logo got an overhaul. Instead of an “A” made from a pencil, a paintbrush, and a ruler, Apple designed a simpler “A” that looks like it’s constructed from popsicle sticks.

As it turns out, Apple’s App Store logo bears a resemblance to the logo used by a Chinese clothing brand named KON, and now KON is suing Apple.

According to Phone Radar (via The Verge), KON believes Apple’s new logo is a violation of Chinese copyright law. KON is a brand that’s been around since 2009, and as The Verge discovered, Baidu Baike, the Chinese equivalent of Wikipedia, says the KON brand was inspired by music like the Sex Pistols, with the logo meant to represent three skeleton bones symbolizing power over death.

KON wants Apple to publicly apologize for using its logo, stop selling devices using the current App Store logo, and pay compensation for economic loss.

The Beijing People’s Court has accepted the case and should make a ruling over the course of the next couple of weeks.

Apple in 2016 lost a similar case involving the “IPHONE” trademark that was in use by Chinese leather goods manufacturer Xintong Tiandi Technology. In that case, Apple was aiming to protect its iPhone trademark to prevent Xintong Tiandi from using the iPhone name for its cases, but the Chinese courts ruled against Apple.

Tags: App Store, lawsuit, trademark
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MacBook Holiday Deals: Save $200 on Air and Up To $300 on Latest Pro Models

One day after discounting the Apple Watch Series 2, Best Buy is back with another Apple deal in its 20 Days of Doorbusters sale event. Today, Day 19, offers shoppers $200 off three configurations of the MacBook Air refresh from mid 2017. Best Buy’s sale places these specific models of the MacBook Air around $100 below the second cheapest price points found at B&H Photo.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Take a look at the models on sale in the list below and if you’re interested get your order in before tonight at midnight when Best Buy’s event will tick over to its final day.

• 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel Core i5, 8GB Memory, 128GB Flash Storage – $799.99, down from $999.99
• 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel Core i5, 8GB Memory, 256GB Flash Storage – $999.99, down from $1,199.99
• 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel Core i7, 8GB Memory, 512GB Solid State Drive – $1,349.99, down from $1,549.99

Of course, MacBooks aren’t the only item discounted today during Best Buy’s event with the retailer discounting SanDisk memory cards by up to 70 percent off, making the 128GB microSDXC UHS-I Memory Card just $41.99, down from $159.99. The 128GB Wi-Fi only iPad mini 4 is also on sale for $299.99, down from $399.99.

If you’re on the hunt for a MacBook Pro, B&H Photo has a few notable discounts on higher-end configurations of Pro models ongoing this holiday season. Most configurations being discounted are for 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models with the Touch Bar that launched in late 2016 and mid 2017. Check out a few of the best deals in the list below:

13-inch MacBook Pro

• Early 2015, 2.7 GHz, 16GB RAM, 256GB Flash Storage – $1,249.00, down from $1,699.00

• Touch Bar, Mid 2017, 3.1 GHz, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD – $1,849.00, down from $1,999.00

• Touch Bar, Mid 2017, 3.5 GHz, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD – $2,399.00, down from $2,549.00

15-inch MacBook Pro

• Touch Bar, Late 2016, 2.6 GHz, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD – $1,799.00, down from $2,399.00

• Touch Bar, Late 2016, 2.7 GHz, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD – $1,999.00, down from $2,799.00

• Touch Bar, Late 2016, 2.9 GHz, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD – $2,499.00, down from $3,499.00

• Touch Bar, Mid 2017, 2.9 GHz, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD – $2,499.99, down from $2,799.00

• Touch Bar, Mid 2017, 3.1 GHz, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD – $3,299.00, down from $3,399.00

Also of note today is Amazon’s Gold Box, which includes 30 percent off iOttie accessories for the iPhone. These accessories allow you to mount your iPhone (compatibility stretches back to the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus) to your car’s dashboard or vent. One of the products includes Qi charging abilities as well, so you can charge your iPhone X or 8 while it rests in the cradle.

For more information on the latest sales, head over to our full Deals Roundup.

Related Roundups: MacBook Air, Apple DealsBuyer’s Guide: MacBook Air (Neutral)
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Apple Seeds Second Beta of tvOS 11.2.5 to Developers

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming tvOS 11.2.5 update to developers for testing purposes, one week after seeding the first beta and one week after the release of tvOS 11.2.1, an update that introduced a fix for a HomeKit vulnerability.

Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, the tvOS 11.2.5 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV via a profile that’s installed using Xcode.

We don’t yet know what features or changes might be included in the 11.2.5 update, but it likely focuses primarily on bug fixes and performance improvements rather than major outward-facing changes.

There were no outward-facing changes discovered in the first developer beta, but we’ll update this post should new features be found in the second beta.

Related Roundup: Apple TVBuyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Buy Now)
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Google Hangouts for iOS Gains Support for iPhone X

Hangouts, Google’s dedicated messaging app, was today updated with support for the iPhone X. With the update, the Hangouts app is able to take advantage of the full display of the iPhone X, without black bars at the top and the bottom.

With the iPhone X update for Hangouts, all of Google’s major iOS apps now offer support for Apple’s new flagship device. Google previously introduced iPhone X updates for Docs, Sheets, Slides, Gmail, and Google Maps.

According to Google’s release notes for today’s Hangouts update, the only new feature is iPhone X optimization.

Google Hangouts can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Tag: Google
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AmpliFi’s new Teleport aims to warp you back home (review)

Home networking has come a long way in recent history with the addition of things like mesh networks; Ubiquiti’s AmpliFi has been right at the forefront of that development. In the past, we have reviewed the AmpliFi Router as well as the Amplifi Mesh Point. The most recent expansion of the AmpliFi line is a crowd-funded device they have dubbed Teleport.

The Teleport connects you to your home network no matter where you are, as long as you have access to an internet connection. What does this do? It allows you to access any devices on your internal, home network as well as skirt some of those pesky regional settings for services like Netflix, Hulu, HBO, etc. We will talk more about its advantages later.

Setup

The previous iterations of AmpliFi equipment have been minimal in their setup, well Teleport is no different. Step number one is to get your AmpliFi router set up. The review unit we were provided with came with a router but if you are already a follower and user of AmpliFi equipment then you can use your existing AmpliFi router, provided it is upgraded to the latest firmware

The next step is to synchronize the router and Teleport. This is done by first plugging in the teleport into a wall outlet. Once the light begins flashing in a circle connect to the Teleport’s default Wireless network with any wifi enabled device. Once connected, you will be asked to connect to a network, Connect the Teleport to the network that comes from your AmpliFi router. Once connected you will be asked to confirm the connection between the router and the Teleport (this will happen within the AmpliFi app so make sure you have it up on your phone).

The final step is to connect the teleport to a different wireless network (at a hotel, friends house, or wherever you may find yourself) and watch the connection to your home network appear before your eyes.

What does it all mean?

Put simply, the Teleport device is establishing a Point-to-Point connection from wherever you are to your home network. It is essentially the same tools that allow large corporations to have the same network across facilities in many states or even countries. The Teleport simply accomplishes this on a much smaller scale with less expensive hardware.

What does this mean for you? Technically speaking, you now have access to your entire home network. Anything you do on the internet will appear as though you are doing it from your home. Additionally, you will have access to any device or files that are on your local network (ie. security cameras, thermostats, network storage for videos or music).

Impressions

Being a self-proclaimed nerd, there have been many occasions where I have wanted an easy way to connect to my home network, to troubleshoot something for my wife while I was out of town, to access some local files on one of my computers, or just to get around those pesky site blockers at hotels — ughhhh, am I right?

There are, however, a few things that you need to keep in mind when using this device. Anything you do or stream from your home network is using your network’s upload speed. Many plans here in the US have much slower upload speeds than they do download speeds. This may affect the quality of your stream or interrupt something else that is happening on your network at the same time. It is also important to remember that the connection you are using for the Teleport needs to be fast enough to support what you are trying to accomplish.

My experience with the Teleport was an overall success. I was able to access devices on my local network and confirmed that the internet thought I was at home when using it. Pulling down images and streaming music off of my network storage was a breeze and played with no issues. I was even able to access the Hard Drive of my laptops at home and open any documents that were available there which could be nice for those who forgot to copy a document to their cloud drive before heading out to that meeting. Now, if we could just get AmpliFi to make use of that USB port in the back for network storage or network printing that would be awesome!

As of today, you can preorder your Teleport from the AmpliFi Store for $99 as a stand-alone unit or $229 for the router/Teleport combo.

Were AirPods on your holiday wish list? You might have to take them off

If you have yet to do your holiday shopping, you’re not exactly in the market for bad news about your gift lists. But please don’t shoot the messenger when we inform you that your shopping may be tougher than you thought, now that Apple’s AirPods are pretty much sold out.

Clearly a popular holiday item, the wireless ear buds from the iEmpire are reportedly no longer available at several major retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart. Worst of all, it’s these retailers’ online inventories that appear to be depleted, so if you were hoping to do all of your shopping from the comfort of your own home … don’t hold your breath.

Although Apple’s AirPods certainly aren’t a new product (they’ve been around for over a year, ever since the company got rid of the headphone jack on its iPhones), they’re suddenly reaching a new high in terms of their popularity. Apple itself can’t seem to keep its earbuds in stock, and the company’s website currently notes that January 5 would be the soonest shipment date for them. And that’s no good if you’re attempting to get a gift in before Santa arrives.

But don’t get too nervous. If you’re willing to actually walk, bike, or drive out of your home, reports note that some brick and mortar locations are still carrying the accessory. Unsurprisingly, it’s the big cities like New York that appear to have inventory left in stock (in physical stores, that is).

There is one more option for folks desperate to get a pair before the weekend — Ebay is also selling (or perhaps reselling) the AirPods, but you’ll have to be prepared to pay quite the pretty penny. If you want to get them before January, you may be asked to pay somewhere in the $230 range, which is 44 percent more than you’d pay if you were willing to wait.

To be fair, this is actually par for the course when it comes to getting AirPods. Back in August, Apple CEO Tim Cook admitted that the headphones are often out of stock. “We have increased production capacity for AirPods and are working very hard to get them to customers as quickly as we can, but we are still not able to meet the strong level of demand,” he said. And this holiday season, that’s truer than ever.

Editors’ Recommendations

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Crazy-wide Samsung CHG90 curved display is the first DisplayHDR device

Although Samsung’s CHG90 curved display hit the streets in August, it now serves as the very first display that is officially certified as a DisplayHDR compliant product by the Video Electronics Standards Association. The non-profit organization developed the DisplayHDR standard earlier this year to establish requirements necessary to define the quality of high dynamic range levels in displays. The organization established three performance tiers: DisplayHDR 400, 600, and 1000.

In the case of Samsung’s CHG90, it’s a mid-level DisplayHDR certified device, aka DisplayHDR 600. Tiers are based on white level performance, black level performance, and color depth performance. You can see the numbers here, but according to Samsung, HDR technology was used to increase the display’s contrast to 3,000:1. The panel is also an “industry standard-setter” with its vibrant presentation and color accuracy.

Let’s take a look at the hardware:

Screen size:
49 inches
Display type:
Vertical alignment
Resolution:
3,840 x 1,080
Maximum refresh rate:
144Hz
Curvature:
1800R
Aspect ratio:
32:9
Brightness:
350 nits typical
250 nits minimum
Contrast ratio:
3,000:1 typical
2,400:1 minimal
Response time:
1ms
Color spaces:
sRGB 125 percent (120 percent minimal)
Adobe RGB 92 percent (88 percent minimal)
Color support:
1.07 billion colors
Color gamut:
NTSC 1978 88 percent (84 minimal)
GPU sync tech:
FreeSync 2
Ports:
2x HDMI
1x DisplayPort
1x Mini DisplayPort
1x 3.5mm Audio in
3x USB 3.1 Gen1
Price:
$1,300

As the specifications show, Samsung’s desktop display is massively wide, and sports an 1800R curvature to boot. That number simply means that if the panel were to create a complete circle, the radius would be 1,800mm. It’s the typical curvature seen with desktop displays, and should encompass your entire desktop field of view given the panel’s billboard-style width.

But at its root, the CHG90 is a display designed for gamers. It supports AMD’s new FreeSync 2 technology, which will synchronize the panel’s refresh rate with the output of AMD’s Radeon graphics cards and discrete GPUs. This tech eliminates screen tearing, reduces stuttering, and minimizes the “lag” between receiving images and rendering on the screen. AMD announced FreeeSync 2 in January, which supports HDR content.

“Qualifying FreeSync 2 monitors will harness low-latency, high-brightness pixels, excellent black levels, and a wide color gamut to display high dynamic range (HDR) content.1 In addition, all FreeSync 2 monitors will have support for low framerate compensation (LFC),” the company said.

As for other game-centric features, Samsung’s CHG90 includes a game-style OSD dashboard to access display modes optimized for first-person shooters, role-playing games, real-time strategy games, and more. These modes automatically adjust color value, sharpness, black gamma levels, and contrast ratios for an optimized viewing experience while playing titles based on these genres. The display even includes backlighting that grows brighter as the game’s audio level rises.

Outside of gaming, Samsung’s display aims to eliminate your multi-monitor setup. With multiple inputs, you can view the desktops of multiple PCs on a single screen. For instance, you can partition the screen to create two equally sized windows, or create different portals of different sizes to meet your multi-tasking needs. This multi-screen feature is backed by Samsung’s Picture-by-Picture technology promising no degradation in image quality.

To purchase Samsung’s $1,300 CHG90 desktop display, head here.

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Acer Swift 3 gets the AMD APU treatment, adding power to the bargain machine

The Acer Swift 3 is a solid budget notebook that we’ve lauded for its combination of performance and price. With its recent injection of Intel’s eighth-generation quad-core CPUs, it’s an even better value. But Acer isn’t leaving well enough alone: it’s also introducing models utilizing AMD’s newest Accelerated Processing Units (APUs) based on the newest Ryzen CPUs and Vega GPUs.

As reported by Liliputing, Acer is introducing two new Swift 3 models, one with the Ryzen 5 5200U APU that retails for $750 and one with the Ryzen 7 2700U APU that comes in at $950. So far, Acer hasn’t released availability information on either system, but given that HP is also releasing a system using the new APU soon, the Envy x360 15, we’re likely to see the new models sometime in the next few months.

As we reported in our review, the Swift 3 is a solidly built notebook that mixes in some strong performance. It sports a display that is lacking in contrast and brightness but nevertheless offers strong real-world performance. The keyboard is well done, with comfortable travel, and the touchpad is serviceable. Perhaps best of all, Acer has sourced PCIe solid-state drives (SSDs) for the machine, a nice touch at such budget prices. The Swift 3’s biggest weaknesses revolve around poorer battery life than we’d like to see, which the new APU-based systems might help address, and a design aesthetic that’s a bit boring and understated.

The addition of AMD’s newest APUs promises to provide some serious competition to Intel for systems without higher-end discrete GPUs. According to AMD, the new Vega-powered chips compete well even against the combination of Nvidia GeForce GTX 950M discrete graphics and Intel Core i7-7500U CPUs. Of course, that means that while they may not match Intel’s eighth-generation processors, the new APUs are going to perform significantly better in the graphics department than Intel’s integrated GPUs.

Competition is a good thing that typically results in some real advantages to buyers, and we’ll be looking forward to seeing how these new Acer Swift 3 notebooks perform in the real world. If they’re as good as promised, then they may very well define a new level of value.

Editors’ Recommendations

• AMD crams desktop performance into ultra-thin laptops with its new Ryzen APUs
• AMD CEO shows off first laptop packing a Ryzen-branded chip at Best Buy
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