The Nokia 6 is no longer an entry-level smartphone

Much like how HMD kicked off 2017 by bringing its first Android smartphone, the Nokia 6, to China, today it unveiled an updated model for the same region. Based on a similar aluminum unibody design, the most obvious changes on this second-gen Nokia 6 are the added colors on the chamfer, with the black version featuring copper highlights and the white version with rose gold. Similarly, the centered vertical camera bump has gained a shiny rim of the corresponding color. The old capacitive buttons below the 5.5-inch full HD IPS screen have also disappeared, with the rectangular fingerprint reader now residing on the back in a circular form.

In terms of specs, the most interesting part here is that this new Nokia 6 has swapped its entry-level Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 chipset for a much nicer Snapdragon 630 — the same piece of silicon inside the HTC U11 Life, Moto X4 and ASUS ZenFone 4 — along with faster LPDDR4 RAM (China still offers 4GB) to run Android 7.1.1 Nougat out of the box (Android 8.0 Oreo update due to arrive later). Similarly, it has finally ditched the micro-USB socket in favor of USB-C.

While the phone has gained a second microphone to support Nokia OZO Audio’s spatial audio capture, it’s lost its second speaker which potentially makes video viewing less fun, plus Nokia OZO Audio wasn’t that convincing when we tried it with the three microphones on the Nokia 8. On the flip side, there’s still a 3.5mm headphone jack for quickly plugging in other audio peripherals, or you can just go wireless with the Bluetooth 5.0 radio.

Everything else remains the same, especially the cameras: on the back there’s a 16-megapixel f/2.0 main imager with a 1 um sensor plus dual LED, and for selfies there’s a 8-megapixel f/2.0 front camera with a 1.12 um sensor plus 84-degree wide-angle capture. And yes, the Dual-Sight mode aka “bothie” mode introduced by the Nokia 8 is also supported here. Other tidbits include a 3,000 mAh battery, LTE Cat 4 radio, dual SIM slots and storage expansion via microSD card (though this takes up the second SIM slot).

Given the same 1,699 yuan price (about $260) for the 64GB version with 4GB of RAM, this new Nokia 6 is a tad more attractive than its predecessor. Better yet, there’s also a 32GB flavor priced at 1,499 yuan (about $230) for those with a tighter budget. There’s no word on when this model will arrive in other markets, but for now, folks in China can reserve one ahead of the January 10th launch, and they should receive their new phones well ahead of Chinese New Year.

Source: HMD Global (China)

Uber’s ex-CEO to sell nearly a third of his stake in the company

Uber’s big investment deal with SoftBank may place some limits on power held by co-founder and ex-CEO Travis Kalanick, but it will reportedly put a significant amount of cash in his pocket. Bloomberg and Reuters report that according to anonymous sources, Kalanick will reduce his stake in the company by a third, selling 2.9 percent of Uber’s shares for about $1.4 billion after leaving the company last year following a series of scandals. Meanwhile, new CEO Dara Khosrowshahi can focus on things like the case vs. Waymo over self-driving technology.

Source: Bloomberg, Reuters

Hulu is resurrecting ‘Animaniacs’ and streaming previous seasons

If you felt your inner child screaming with joy, there’s a reason: Hulu is resurrecting one of your favorite Saturday morning cartoons: Animaniacs. Steven Speilberg is returning to executive produce two brand-new seasons of the classic show, which will debut on the streaming service in 2020.

If that wasn’t enough, Hulu also got every episode of the original Animaniacs, as well as the spinoff Pinky and the Brain, its follow-up Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain and the entirety of Tiny Toon Adventures. As in, you can stream all of those now while you (and the rest of us) wait for the new seasons to drop. Hopefully those doses of nostalgia will make up for Hulu’s failure to also snag the sublime WB cartoon Freakazoid!

Apple discusses ‘Spectre’ and ‘Meltdown’ fixes on iOS, macOS

The recently disclosed bugs that affect so many modern CPUs are an issue on Apple platforms as well, and tonight the company explained how it’s dealing with them. In a new support page, Apple confirmed it has included “mitigations” for Meltdown in iOS 11.2, macOS 10.13.2, and tvOS 11.2, while watchOS is unaffected. The other exploit, Spectre, it will address in a few days with an update to the Safari browser on macOS and iOS, with other fixes to follow.

According to Apple, its Meltdown updates have resulted in “no measurable reduction” in performance. As far as its still-unreleased Safari tweak, the company says that on Speedometer and ARES-6 benchmarks there’s no noticeable change in performance and a hit of less than 2.5 percent on the JetStream browser benchmark.

Source: Apple Support

LG’s tiny 4K projector puts a 150-inch screen in any room

LG is showcasing its 2018 projector lineup at CES 2018, and among them is the brand’s first 4K UHD projector that doesn’t quite look most of its peers. The model (HU80KA) is a compact, upright device that can create a 150-inch screen on your wall. Its portable design was made possible by its mirrorless I-shaped engine, which allows it to do its job whether you simply place it on the floor or carefully hang it from the ceiling. LG says it’s a product of the company’s engineers challenging themselves to make a 4K projector smaller than others on the market without sacrificing performance.

In addition to being LG’s first UHD projector, HU80KA is apparently also its brightest yet at 2,500 lumens — its full HD projectors top out at 2,000. And since resolution isn’t everything, the model supports HDR content, as well, to make images more life-like. On the audio side of things, HU80KA comes with two 7W speakers, but it can easily be connected to external speakers or soundbars via optical output, HDMI or Bluetooth. Of course, the only way to know if it can truly deliver is to see it for yourself. Unfortunately, LG still doesn’t have pricing and availability info to share with us, but we’ll at least be able to check it out for you on the showfloor in Vegas.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Apple Joins Alliance for Open Media to Pursue Better Video Compression

Apple recently joined the Alliance for Open Media as a founding member, according to an updated member list first noticed by CNET.

The Alliance for Open Media, according to its website, was formed to “define and develop media codecs, media formats, and related technologies to address marketplace demand for an open standard for video compression and delivery over the web.”

The Alliance is developing a royalty-free video codec known as AOMedia Video 1 (AV1), which is designed to compress video before it’s stored or sent over a network. Apple’s move to join the Alliance for Open Media is notable because implementing such technology requires it to be widely supported, and Apple was one of the only major companies not participating.

AV1 continues to be a work in progress, with the Alliance for Open Media planning to release the first version of in the near future. Mozilla supports an early version of AV1 and has said that it reduces file sizes by 25 to 35 percent compared to HEVC, which Apple implemented support for in macOS High Sierra and iOS 11.

Other members of the Alliance for Open Media include Amazon, Cisco, Facebook, ARM, Google, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Mozilla, Netflix, Hulu, NVIDIA, and more.
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Tivo’s Next-Gen Platform is here to shake up streaming — and cable

Well, it’s finally here. Tivo’s long-rumored “network DVR” platform has arrived, combining cable and streaming in ways never before seen.

Tivo was once a household name, but as cord-cutting and over-the-top (OTT) streaming have proliferated, it has faded into the background. Now, thanks to a smorgasbord of held patents (many of which came over in the Rovi-Tivo deal completed in 2016), the company behind modern DVR is planning to launch the appropriately (if not creatively) named Next-Gen Platform, which runs on a slew of devices and set-top boxes.

Previously, users could only watch Tivo-delivered cable content via the Tivo app on smartphones and tablets, but the Next-Gen Platform supports web browsers, Linux-based set-top boxes, Android TV, and more. Users can watch live and recorded cable content, as you might expect, but the cloud-powered Next-Gen Platform also supports viewing from popular streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Video. Other cable and streaming operators will need to sign on the dotted line to get their content onto the Platform.

If you’re running a Linux set-top box or an Android TV device, the Platform offers personalized recommendations and “conversational voice control,” and will automatically collect, integrate, and organize content from linear, OTT, on-demand, and DVR platforms to streamline and simplify the viewing experience. The mobile apps, web app, and software on any other set-top box all offer the same functionality, except without voice command. Tivo’s recently released Bolt Vox will surely fall into the first category.

In addition to Linux-powered boxes and Android TV, the Next-Gen Platform will support a bevy of unmanaged “bring-your-own” devices, which includes the Amazon Fire TV family and Apple TV 4K. Tivo says that the Next-Gen Platform will “… reduce churn, drive customer engagement, stay ahead of the competition, and own the customer experience.” Proprietary “Flex-Mode” software will allow operators to use their current infrastructure within Tivo applications, which could make things simpler for companies on the fence.

With CES 2018 just around the corner, we’re expecting to hear more from Tivo in the coming days regarding the Next-Gen Platform. In any case, if you have trouble keeping all your streaming stuff organized (who doesn’t?) — or if you’re tired of dealing with several remotes at once — keep your eyes and ears to the ground.

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Joby gives the GorillaPod arms for adding accessories to mobile shoots

How do you make the popular flexible GorillaPods even more flexible? Give them arms. On Thursday, January 4, Joby announced the Gorillapod Mobile Rig, a flexible smartphone tripod with enough arms for up to three accessories, along with the GripTight Pro Telepod telescoping tripod.

Joby

The GorillaPod Mobile Rig uses the company’s traditional flexible leg design but adds two equally flexible arms plus a cold shoe slot above the smartphone for adding up to three more accessories. The arms make it possible to add a mic and a light for vlogging, for example. Connection options include a standard 1/4-20-inch tripod socket, two cold shoe mounts and one GoPro mount, all included with the rig for versatile shooting setups.

Along with adding on accessories to the arm, the Mobile Rig also allows users to adjust the tilt angle of the device along with allowing both vertical or horizontal smartphone mounts. Like other GorillaPods, the legs can be used as a tripod or a handle, along with wrapping the legs around an object. The Mobile Rig, Joby says, is ideal for vlogging or going live on social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube.

“Our community of Joby makers live in the moment. They are constantly looking for the next content creation opportunity and need tools that are as unique and flexible as they are,” Tim Grimmer, vice president of Brand and Product for Joby, Vitec Imaging Solutions, said in a statement. “With our new GorillaPod Mobile Rig, we’re helping vloggers and mobile video content producers truly get a grip on the creative capabilities of their smartphones and action cameras.”

Joby also announced what it is calling the first telescoping tripod for pros, the GripTight Pro Telepod. The tripod, designed for smartphones, action cameras, 360 cameras and other lightweight gear, doubles as an extension pole — or a selfie stick, if you prefer that term. Made from fiberglass-reinforced nylon and stainless steel, the Telepod extends from 13.5 to 31 inches, with three angle options for the retractable tripod legs.

Joby

The Telepod allows users to mimic an aerial view by sticking the camera straight up in the air, while also allowing action cameras to be used handheld by serving as a handle. Don’t want to hand-hold? Tripod legs are built into the bottom and retract when they are not in use.

Joby includes a Bluetooth remote to trigger those shots when using the Telepod as an extension pole, along with enough accessories to use it to mount a smartphone, small camera, GoPro or cold shoe accessory.

Both the Mobile Rig and the Telepod are now available directly from Joby’s website, retailing for about $100 each.

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Blasting your brain with sound, pulses can help quiet the din of tinnitus

A person suffering with tinnitus, often called ringing in the ears, can hear a range of phantom sounds besides ringing, including buzzing, chirping, hissing, or whistling. Around 10 to 15 percent of the population may experience some of these symptoms mildly, and it has a noticeable impact on quality of life for about 1 percent of patients.

New research from the University of Michigan may be able to provide some relief, thanks to an experimental device that quiets these sounds by using precisely timed sounds and weak electrical pulses to target unruly nerve activity in the brain. By doing so, it is able to “reset” damaged nerve cells to their properly functioning state. After four weeks of using the device daily, participants in a trial found that the effects of tinnitus diminished. A sound-based placebo treatment, meanwhile, did not result in similarly positive effects.

“The brain, and specifically the region of the brain stem called the dorsal cochlear nucleus, is the root of tinnitus,” Professor Susan Shore, who led the research, said in a statement. “When the main neurons in this region, called fusiform cells, become hyperactive and synchronize with one another, the phantom signal is transmitted into other centers where perception occurs. If we can stop these signals, we can stop tinnitus.”

There are a number of current treatments for tinnitus, ranging from the use of real sounds to mask the phantom sounds to far more invasive (and potentially dangerous) approaches like deep brain stimulation. What makes the new research so promising is that it offers a noninvasive way to treat tinnitus with decreased risk and, potentially, longer-lasting effects because it is treating the neural pathways that cause the disorder, rather than merely attempting to lessen its effects.

Next up, the researchers hope to further optimize the treatment, such as working out which groups of patients will benefit the most, and pinpointing the optimal duration of each treatment. The device is still considered experimental and not ready for commercialization. Hopefully that will change in the future.

A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

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Moment’s new lens adapter adds filters for your smartphone

Lenses add versatility to smartphone photography, but what about filters? Now, Moment is allowing its lenses to add on any circular 62mm filter using a new filter mount. Announced on Wednesday, January 3, the filter mount works for any of Moment’s smartphone lenses.

Moment isn’t designing the filters itself, but it created an adapter that allows mobile photographers to add on any circular, screw-in 62mm filter, including polarizing and neutral density filters. A rubber collar, in two different sizes, secures an aluminum filter mount over the front of the lens, which allows the same filter adapter to be used with any Moment lens.

The adapter pops onto the end of the lens, with the snug fit of the rubber collar holding it in place. Once the adapter is secured over the smartphone lens, the filter screws into the aluminum threads just like adding a circular filter to a DSLR lens.

A 62mm filter is much larger than Moment’s smartphone lenses (and wider than the typical 52mm kit lens for a DSLR). Why so big? Moment explains that in order to use the filter on the wide fisheye, the filter has to be much larger to prevent vignetting or a darkening of the edges of the photo.

While a number of traditional colored filters can be mimicked with photo editing software, several can’t be replaced with editing techniques. Circular polarizing filters are one example, which emphasize or reduce reflections along with making the sky appear bluer. Neutral density filters, on the other hand, darken the shot for techniques like long exposures.

The Moment filter adapter isn’t the first to bring physical (rather than digital) filters to smartphone photography. The Bitplay Snap line includes a “lens” that functions as a polarizing filter, but you can’t use both the filter and an add-on lens at the same time. Sandmarc designed clip-on smartphone filters, but its crowdfunding campaign wasn’t successful. By integrating with existing –and well-received — lenses, the possibility of adding a filter should add even more versatility to smartphone photography.

The Moment Filter Mount is expected to begin shipping this spring with pre-orders available now, retailing for $40. The price includes two different collars in order to accommodate all Moment lenses and a carrying pouch, but doesn’t include the filter, leaving the photographer to choose the brand and type of filter.

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