TiVo flips ‘SkipMode’ around for Super Bowl ad fans

A few years ago TiVo rolled out SkipMode for its DVRs that would allow viewers to jump past ads (on certain prime-time programs) with the press of a button. This year, for Super Bowl LII it’s flipping the technology around with GameSkip that works favor of people who watch the game just to see all of those (incredibly expensive) advertisements. Sure, you can usually see the best ones on YouTube either before the game or immediately after they are, but for dedicated fans of everything except Eagles vs. Patriots, it could be an easy way to catch up.

Just like SkipMode, it will require users to record the game, and then wait until it ends for all the necessary information to appear. Just press play on the recording and look for the same green skip icon as always to (hopefully, this is an experiment) jump from ad-break to ad-break. Also, for home automation fans, the company said it’s rolling out IFTTT integration that can enable things like fully-automated commercial skipping.

Source: TiVo

Wipe off that wing sauce and tap into the game with the 8 best Super Bowl apps

It’s the Super Bowl — and by no means does the ritualistic event need any introduction. Before you begin to stuff yourself with nachos and wings on Sunday, or settle in to watch the game (or the ads), though, check out these apps to amplify your experience for the big game.

Super Bowl LII Fan Mobile Pass

The Fan Mobile Pass is a companion app that provides Super Bowl fans with maps, schedules, and more for Super Bowl events and the game day in Minneapolis. There’s curated content, such as photos and videos, and you can enter giveaways and sweepstakes to win prizes. Register once on your computer or mobile device, and you’ll receive your QR code, enabling you to scan into activities and events. All the up-to-date photos and videos will show up on your personalized landing page, and you’ll be able to share them on your social media.

Available on:

iOS Android

Clippit

Sporting events are all about the highlights. Those are the moments that people will be talking about and GIFing for months after the fact. Clippit is your tool for taking the most talked about moments and making them shareable. The app captures up to 30 seconds of live footage and turns it into a shareable clip that you send over social media in just a few taps.

Available on:

iOS Android

NFL Mobile

Maybe you’re stuck in a cab or at work, late for a Super Bowl party. If you’re a customer of Verizon, Charter, AT&T U-Verse, or another provider with access to the NFL Network, don’t fret, as you can always watch the game live through the NFL Mobile app. If you’re not, the app still lets you watch highlights, read stories, and follow up-to-the-minute scoring. You can also track league and team leader statistics from major categories and browse the NFL Shop store, should you want to pick up some memorabilia.

Available on:

iOS Android

Ibotta

When you’re doing your shopping before the Super Bowl, picking all the necessities to entertain fans with a hunger for snacks as strong as their hunger for football, make sure to take this shopping app with you. Not only will you earn rewards and money back when you make your purchases, but you’ll also see some special offers specifically related to the big game.

Available on:

iOS Android

Drizly

Snacks and food are important, but getting enough beer for the gang is vital. Thankfully, you don’t even have to leave your house to do it — Drizly allows you to shop for alcohol straight from your couch. The app’s database includes tons of local liquor stores in over 70 cities in North America, so as long as you’re in a relatively large city, you’re covered for alcohol during the Super Bowl.

Available on:

iOS Android

Tunity

You might be heading to a sports bar or Super Bowl party to watch the big game, but if you’re a big fan you probably want to hear the action, too — and crowded places like a bar aren’t the best for being able to hear properly. That’s where Tunity comes in. The app basically allows you to scan any TV in the area, after which you’ll be able to hear a live feed of the audio straight through your phone. Side note — the app is great for other situations, too, like the TV at the gym, watching if your roommate is asleep, and so on.

Available on:

iOS Android

Odds

Big game, big bets. There is always money on the line in the Super Bowl, on just about everything from the coin toss to the final score. Even if you don’t have money riding on the game, the insights provided for gamblers can give you an interesting look at the game. Plus you can see win probabilities, which Packers fans will tell you means nothing—even when it’s at 99 percent with 5 minutes remaining.

Available on:

iOS Android

Thuuz

When there are over 100 million people watching the same thing at the same time, you can feel like you’re being left out if you aren’t up on what’s happening. Thuuz is your loophole for catching the good moments without watching the whole game. It will alert you to the big plays and you can spend the rest of the game watching the Puppy Bowl.

Available on:

iOS Android

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These are the best Alcatel Idol 5 cases to keep your Idol looking perfect

You’ve taken the plunge and got yourself a brand new Alcatel Idol 5. Congratulations! The Idol 5 boasts a few additions that make it a little more resistant to damage than the older model, but your new phone is still far from impervious to harm from the outside world. So why not grab yourself a protective case to keep it looking as good as the day you bought it? Here is a selection of the best Alcatel Idol 5 cases available to keep your Idol looking perfect.

PopCulture Gel Case ($9)

Sometimes simple is the best choice. This case from PopCulture combines a bunch of great protective qualities into one slim case, so you won’t get that bulky feel you can get from many rugged cases. Tough and flexible TPU provides good shock-resistance and a textured surface that helps you keep a grip of your phone, while raised edges along the outside of the case mean that your screen won’t be damaged by any surfaces you place it down on. Reinforced corners give it even more shock-resistance in those vulnerable areas, and the case comes in a wide variety of colors — including an option for your own photo.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

MyFavCell Brushed Metal-Style Shock Case ($8)

If you’re after something with a little more protection, but prefer a slim profile, then take a look at this case. It’s a dual-layer case, so a soft inner layer of TPU handles shock absorption, while the outer layer of hard polycarbonate (PC) takes more direct hits. But despite that toughness, it’s still pretty slim when attached to your phone. Air-cushioned corners keep those areas safe from harm, and the understated brushed metal-style complements any look. A magnetic kickstand at the back also gives your phone more utility, and allows you to set it down at the ideal viewing angle.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

NakedShield Defender Case ($12)

Naked? Anything but! NakedShield’s Defender case is the first in the Alcatel Idol 5’s options for extreme defense. This Defender case is a dual-layer case, so an inner layer of TPU handles shocks, while the outer shield of hard PC tackles anything more direct. The TPU layer wraps around the phone, giving your fingers a soft surface to enhance grip, while the PC clips around the TPU, ensuring great protection. A kickstand on the rear allows for easy viewing angles when set down and an optional holster means you can easily clip your phone to your belt. Finally, there is a massive range of styles and looks available, including the option to have your own photo added to the rear of the case.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Evocel New Generation Case ($10)

Rugged cases come in all shapes and sizes, and that’s what Evocel is offering with this rugged holster case. It’s much the same as the NakedShield Defender case, with a dual-layer construction that uses the properties of TPU and PC to keep your device safe and sound, but offers a different, more understated style. If you’re not a fan of the extremely in-your-face approach taken by NakedShield, then you might like Evocel’s attempt at a quieter style of case. An optional holster means you can clip it to your belt, and the Evocel logo on the back conceals an extremely well-hidden kickstand as well.

Buy one now from:

Amazon Evocel

TurtleArmor Dynamic Shell Case ($10)

Another supremely defensive option, TurtleArmor‘s Dynamic Shell case follows the crowd and combines our old friends TPU and PC for the all-encompassing drop protection that you expect from a rugged case. But what does TurtleArmor do differently? Like the Evocel case, this case is much more understated, though there are a variety of options if you want something more ostentatious. The unique design of the rear kickstand can be used to stand the phone in both landscape and portrait, making it an excellent option for video calls on Google’s Duo app — and it offers great protection to boot.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

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Sprint commits to 5G coverage by 2019

On Friday, Sprint announced that it planned to roll out a mobile 5G network in the first half of 2019. This would mean that Sprint would lag behind its rivals AT&T and Verizon, as both of those mobile carriers have said they have plans to roll out 5G coverage later this year. However, this target date would be Sprint ahead of T-Mobile, which has set 2020 as its roll-out date for 5G networks.

That being said, Sprint does have one advantage over Verizon when it comes to its potential 5G networks. As of right now, Verizon is only working on fixed networks, meaning that it will only use 5G as a way to improve its wireless broadband coverage. Sprint is working on creating a mobile 5G network which would work on smartphones, however.

Sprint has said that it is working with Qualcomm on 5G technology and one South Korean company says that it already has a 5G device in the works for Sprint’s network.

In terms of pricing, Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure also provided some details on the prices for its 5G networks and some customers may not be happy. Sprint is planning on raising its rates for unlimited service from $50 and $60 to about $70 and $80. This would bring it in line with the prices of its competitors.

“It’s going to be very difficult for our competitors to increase the price of unlimited,” Claure said. “But we’re going to have a lot of room to increase our price of unlimited to get to similar prices as Verizon and AT&T in the future.”

Sprint is using different technology than Verizon or AT&T when it comes to building its 5G network. Both of those companies are relying on millimeter spectrum which provides fast speed within a limited service area. Claure says that such a service isn’t practical for building a nationwide coverage network.

Sprint’s 5G plans are certainly ambitious, but it should be noted that Claure has made similar announcements in the past. In 2015, he said that within two years’ time, Sprint would have the best network in the country. Sprint’s coverage has improved over the past three years, but it still lags behind its rivals though Claure says that is due to the company underestimating how long its infrastructure improvements would take.

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Two sides to every controversy: OnePlus is getting a bad rap

How a company sends a message can be as important as the message itself, but we first have to be ready to listen.

It’s easy (and fun) to manufacture a controversy, especially when it’s about a company with a past that thrived on controversy to begin with. I’m talking about OnePlus of course, and before you decide you’ve heard enough about OnePlus this week I’ll urge you to stop, take a few minutes and read just one more thing.

I recently wrote an article that parrots the thoughts of a lot of folks by saying not to buy a phone from OnePlus right now because of all the privacy and user data-handling concerns that seem to have surrounded the company lately. A credit card breach, some user data moving out of the phone and into the internet, and a clipboard that was being monitored by another app was just too much to swallow in such a short time and from just one company. We deserve better.

Drama and smartphones go hand-in-hand on the internet.

No company likes seeing those kinds of words written about it, especially when its side of the story isn’t nearly as worrying and isn’t getting out past all the noise the internet is so good at making. And I include myself and Android Central here — we make our fair share of noise whenever we think some noise needs to be made. In any case, OnePlus reached out to me and after a friendly and informative chat, I’ve realized a few things: not everything can be taken at face value; transparency is important; and blowing things out of proportion is awfully easy to do when an army of people are willing to do it.

Pointing a finger is easy, too. I can point one at myself and say I should have heard out OnePlus before I took to the keyboard, I can point one at all of us and say we make up our minds and tune out anything that doesn’t match up with our narrative, and I can point one at OnePlus to say that all this could be avoided if it were more transparent and got in front of it all with a candid statement from the top.

It’s not my place to make you feel at ease regarding privacy concerns with OnePlus. It is my place to explain my issues and why I feel differently today. After reading through a mountain of forum posts, tweets, obscure articles and subsequent retractions, it looks like OnePlus fell victim to what the internet is good at — getting outraged, then moving on when the next thing caught our attention. A big part of it is human nature. Juicy gossip is more interesting to read and share than the boring follow-up that clears the air. To that end, articles and forum threads about OnePlus stealing data or credit card numbers (both are absolutely false) get passed around a lot more than the explanation or retractions to those articles.

I can say that the two biggest issues I had were about the way the clipboard was monitoring what users were typing, and how long it took for OnePlus to respond once it realized their payment system had been breached. Turns out that the clipboard thing is part misunderstanding, part fabrication and part signal-to-noise ratio. It’s done to be helpful, and users in China are faced with one company’s app blocking URLs to another company’s content — just like OnePlus claimed it was and nobody listened because it did not get the message out. And I’ve been assured that the investigation into the credit card data breach is still in full force, was a priority since it was exposed, and even if the message didn’t make it through, OnePlus did what was necessary to make sure no more financial data was getting mishandled as soon as the breach came to light.

Consider this my retraction. I hope it gets as much attention as the original.

This puts me back where I used to be when it comes to buying one of the company’s products. Do I trust in OnePlus? Heavens no, but I don’t have implicit trust in any for-profit corporation to do anything except keep being for-profit. I just won’t write the company off as not caring or being capable of managing user data when it comes to its phones. It’s obvious that someone there cares, and all of this is really hard to do. It’s equally obvious that even news we want to hear can be buried so deeply that we never get to hear it, and that problem is bigger than just OnePlus.

That leaves me with a new issue. It’s fine to make me feel at ease by reaching out for a one-to-one chat, but that doesn’t help you unless a company plans to reach out to everyone that way. OnePlus is no stranger to controversy, which makes it a lot easier to build a case against it. The company needs to find a way to get the message out when there is something important to say. While recording our latest podcast, Managing Editor, Daniel Bader, said this needed Carl Pei (OnePlus co-founder and face of the company in much of its early marketing) to come forward with the company’s statement. That’s a grand idea, and when you are marketing a phone to a group of people who are enthusiasts and apt to tear it all apart to find things like this, it might work. It would definitely work better than responding in a forum post that gets buried under all the accusations.

OnePlus wants you to buy a phone from them, not steal your SMS history.

We can do our part, too. Yes, OnePlus has had its fair share of bad press, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore one side of any future fiasco in the making. For example, OnePlus forum users are concerned about an app called MKey that’s part of the Oreo update for the OnePlus 5T in India. It asks for permission to use the phone, send SMS, read contacts and media. It should, because it’s a keyboard designed to make it easier for multi-language users employing India-specific fonts — and it can send SMS messages. It’s like an emoji keyboard but not written for fun as much as utility. OnePlus explained what the app in question was and what it can do directly to the forum-goers who had those questions. The explanation was (and still is) ignored and claims of shipping data for Indian customers to China are still being thrown around. If you see an article that makes these claims, ask the author to talk to OnePlus.

And OnePlus, I’m asking you to talk to your customers. Don’t just respond in kind with a forum post or a PR message on your blog, because that’s not working. If we, as Android fans and enthusiasts, do our part, you’ll need to do yours.

I’m still not ready to call the OnePlus 5T the best phone you can buy, but it is a phone you’ll probably love if you do buy one. And OnePlus is trying hard to protect your data even if it has a difficult time convincing the internet at large.

SpaceX confirms it will try to land all of Falcon Heavy’s boosters

SpaceX hasn’t been shy about wanting to land Falcon Heavy’s three booster rockets (it formally proposed its plans a year ago), but will it try now that the launch has finally been nailed down? Yes. Elon Musk’s outfit has confirmed that it will attempt to land all three boosters on Falcon Heavy’s launch, which is now slated for a 2.5-hour window starting at 1:30PM Eastern on February 6th. As expected, the two side boosters will come back to the on-ground landing zones at Cape Canaveral, while the center booster should land on a drone ship off the coast.

The company is no stranger to successful rocket landings — they’re considered routine at this point. With Falcon Heavy, however, there are challenges SpaceX just didn’t have to face before. It has to separate and land the boosters in an elegant, coordinated fashion that avoids collisions and other erratic behavior. And of course, having three rockets increases the odds of failure. SpaceX has learned many lessons since it first unveiled plans for its heavy-duty rocket back in 2011, but this is a new chapter in its story. It has yet to know how well Falcon Heavy will fly in practice, and it isn’t immune to problems even with years of experience under its belt.

Source: BusinessWire

Banks ban credit purchase of cryptocurrency due to risks

If you use your Bank of America-, JP Morgan Chase- or Citigroup-issued credit card to buy cryptocurrency, then you’ll have to find an alternative ASAP. According to Bloomberg, the banks have banned crypto purchase using their cards due to the virtual coins’ volatile nature. BofA has already started declining credit transactions with known exchanges, though its debit cards aren’t be affected by the ban. Citigroup also announced on Friday that it’ll no longer process crypto purchases, while JP Morgan Chase’s new rule will take effect today.

JPMorgan spokesperson Mary Jane Rogers said the bank has decided to impose a restriction on crypto purchases, because it doesn’t want to deal with the risks associated with it. In addition to the difficulties of keeping an eye on purchases — something they’re required to do — associated with crypto-coins, there’s also always the risk of somebody buying more than they can afford to pay. In addition, identity thieves could use stolen credit cards to buy cryptocurrency, and banks have little chance (if any) to get that money back.

These banks aren’t the only financial institutions backing away from anything associated with crypto. Capital One Financial and Discover also don’t allow cryptocurrency purchases with their credit cards. Discover chief David Nelms even described people using virtual coins as “crooks… trying to get money out of China or wherever.” A Coinbase staff member has also revealed in a Reddit post that major credit card networks and providers recently changed the terms of digital currency purchases. The new terms allow them to treat those purchases as a cash advance, which carries additional charges and have higher interest rates.

Source: Bloomberg

Get a drone’s-eye view with these images from Skypixel’s photo contest

Cameras capture stories, but give a camera wings and you get something like the list of winners from the Skypixel 2017 Photo Story Contest. The 44,000-plus submissions make the contest the largest of its kind in the world, representing aerial photographers from 141 countries. Earlier this week, Skypixel announced French photographer Florian Ledoux took top prize for his overhead shot of a polar bear crossing between ice floes.

Ledoux took the shot in Nunavut, Canada. Calling the image “Above the Polar Bear,” the photographer used a Phantom 4 Pro to capture the bright turquoise waters contrasting with the white of the bear and the ice floes. Ledoux took the image while reporting on wildlife in the area, a project which also included travel to Greenland.

“I have witnessed incredible moments and scenes of the wild but I can guarantee you that this, by far, is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen,” Ledoux said, “I hope that future generations will still be able to witness the beauty and grandeur of the Arctic wildlife the same way we do today.”

For taking that top title, Ledoux takes home a DJI Inspire 2 along with other prizes from the contest’s sponsors with a value over $15,000. Winners were determined by a group of judges including photographers as well as filmmakers and creative directors.

“There are images that might impress you with their technical mastery, and then there are images that make you feel something,” Jarrad Seng, a SkyPixel judge, said. “This photograph floored me. It’s especially poignant given the climate crisis our world is facing right now.”

Judges also selected first, second and third prizes for each category, including landscape, portrait, and story. Categories were also split into professional and enthusiast groups, along with popular prizes and honorary nominations for the most-liked images.

The contest broke the record set in the previous year for the number of entries. “The SkyPixel Photo Contest of 2017 is now the world’s largest aerial photography contest, breaking the record it created in 2016,” Danny Zheng, vice president of Marketing at DJI, said in a press release. “SkyPixel was initially established to provide a platform for aerial photographers to share their creativity and unique perspectives of the world. Today, it has evolved to a global platform where we are able to document remarkable moments from once inaccessible areas of the world for future generations to witness and appreciate.”

Skypixel is a photo-sharing platform run in conjunction with drone company DJI. After launching in 2014, the platform now has more than 7 million users and hosts several annual photo and video competitions.

The complete gallery of contest winners can be viewed from Skypixel’s website.

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Tesla will showcase its solar tech with expansion into Home Depot stores

Tesla plans to market its solar energy products to a more mainstream audience with a major expansion into the largest home-improvement chain in the country. According to Bloomberg, Tesla-branded kiosks showcasing solar panels and Powerwall solar batteries have begun rolling out to 800 locations around the country.

The displays, which are 12 feet tall and 7 feet wide, will be staffed by Tesla employees and will offer demonstrations of the solar products. Although it’s not part of the initial rollout, Home Depot may also begin offering Tesla’s highly anticipated solar roof, according to industry sources.

The stylish Tesla solar roofs are more expensive than traditional solar panels, as they look like regular roof shingles and cover the entire house. Some shingles contain solar collection technology and some don’t, but they’re meant to assuage homeowner’s concerns about installing blocky solar reflective tiles on their houses.

Lowe’s, the second-largest home improvement chain, is also interested in featuring Tesla’s solar power products in its stores.

The Powerwall batteries, mounted on the side of the house, are designed to store energy either collected from the solar panels or purchased during off-peak hours from the electrical grid. The stored electricity could be used during power outages, or even to recharge Tesla vehicles.

USA Today reports that some retail outlets in California already have the in-store displays, and they’re planned for Las Vegas and Orlando next week. With the customer’s address, the Tesla employees at the kiosks will be able to use satellite imagery to evaluate the sunlight and potential power generation at the location.

A Tesla solar power panel system will run anywhere from $10,000 to $25,000, with an extra $7,000 for the Powerwall battery. The solar roof, which may be a better option for homeowners who have to replace their entire roof, will cost about $52,000 for the average house.

Home Depot previously featured solar power products from SolarCity Corp., but that didn’t include the in-store displays that Tesla has introduced. Tesla’s acquisition of SolarCity in 2016 for $2 billion has made it a major player in the industry, and expanding into the home-improvement retail space could be a significant step towards adoption of clean energy at the household level.

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Amazon is celebrating the Super Bowl with some discounts on its Alexa-enabled hardware

These deals don’t last for long.

First up is a $5 discount on the Fire TV Stick, which drops it down to $34.99. The 4K Fire TV is also on sale for $54.99, which is a $15 discount.

If you’re looking for an Echo device, Amazon has you covered as well. If you missed out on previous Echo Dot you can currently save $10 on one, dropping it to $39.99. The 2nd-gen Echo is $15 off, making it just $84.99, and the Echo Spot is down to $114.99 from $129.99. The largest Echo device, the Echo Show is $80 off, dropping it to just $149.99.

These deals are only scheduled to run through tomorrow night, so don’t wait too long before placing your order.