Apple may launch over-ear headphones without Beats branding

AirPods may be far from the pinnacle of audio quality, but they’re definitely popular — so much so that Apple may be expanding the variety of audio gear it releases under its own brand. KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (who has a generally good track record forecasting Apple gear) claims that Apple is making over-ear headphones under its own name, rather than Beats. Most details aren’t clear, but Apple would reportedly focus on higher-end audio — hopefully, that means balanced sound rather than Beats’ signature tendency to drown you in bass.

While not stated, there’s a good chance these would be wireless (possibly using the AirPods’ rumored wireless chip upgrade) and would rely heavily on Siri voice integration. Kuo doesn’t expect these headphones to ship sooner than the fourth quarter of 2018, but is already naming suppliers (Primax and SZS).

As always, this isn’t a surefire thing — certainly not when a launch is likely several months away. It would make sense for a few reasons, mind you. Besides helping Apple capitalize on the popularity of AirPods, it would make the most out of the firm’s burgeoning audio team. If the HomePod can sound good for the size, why not try that with over-ears? If there’s a complication, it’s that Apple might have to shift Beats’ strategy to give it a clearer reason for existing.

Source: AppleInsider

Huawei MateBook X Pro hands-on review

Research Center:
Huawei MateBook X Pro

Huawei knows smartphones — please see the Huawei Mate 10 Pro for proof — but does it know notebook computers? The MateBook X was a strong showing last year, and now Huawei has announced a successor, the MateBook X Pro — not bad for a company that has only been making PCs for two years. Huawei takes inspiration for the design from its smartphones (and, if we’re all honest, from Apple’s MacBook line as well) by fitting what it’s calling the world’s first FullView screen on the MateBook X Pro.

FullView is Huawei’s term for the almost bezel-less screen technology. The MateBook X Pro’s 13.9-inch screen has 4.4mm bezels around it, giving a 91 percent screen-to-footprint ratio. That’s a significant increase over the 84 percent screen-to-footprint ratio of the MateBook X.

The LPTS display has a 3000 x 2000 pixel resolution, and a wide 178-degree viewing angle. It looked fantastic in our brief test, with video shining through realistically and the Windows 10 operating system appearing pin-sharp. It’s also a touchscreen, a feature missing from the MateBook X.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

The lack of screen bezels presented Huawei with a problem: Where should it put the camera? Stop reading for a moment and look at a picture of the MateBook X Pro in thand see if you can spot the lens.

The camera is actually underneath a key in the middle of the function key row. Press the right one and up pops the little camera; a second press hides it again. No more tape over the lens for the paranoid. The placement is unusual, and it does give a slightly strange viewing angle, like when you hold your phone a little too low during a video call.

See if you can spot where Huawei put
the MateBook X
Pro’s camera.

Tapping away on the keyboard was a comfortable experience, as it has a good motion, and we doubt typing for any length of time would become fatiguing. A welcome feature is that the backlit keyboard is spill-proof, so little accidents won’t become expensive accidents. Below the keyboard is a massive, super-precise touchpad, apparently the largest you’ll find on any notebook in the 14-inch category.

The MateBook X Pro in general was comfortable to use, even after just a short while adjusting to it, due to the combination of beautiful screen, large touchpad, and pleasing keyboard.

On either side of the keyboard are four speakers — two at the top for treble, and two below for bass. We listened to a demo video showing off the surround sound capabilities of the notebook — enhanced by Dolby Atmos — and it was very impressive. While the bass response wasn’t that strong, the surround effect was instantly noticeable, and the setup is very loud. Watching movies on the MateBook X Pro will be a pleasure.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Inside the notebook is a 57.4Wh battery ready to deliver an entire day of use, and the USB C charger is pocket-sized for easy use when traveling. It has variable watt and voltage support, so it’ll charge up your phone, tablet, and smartwatch, too.

The combined power button and fingerprint sensor is back on the MateBook X Pro, and it’s faster than the version fitted to the MateBook X, going from cold start to login in 7.8 seconds, or from standby in six seconds. Huawei offers an Intel 8th-generation Core i7 processor with up to 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, combined with a Nvidia GeForce MX150 graphics card with 2GB of RAM. The Thunderbolt 3 port also supports external graphics cards, and will handle anything up to a Nvidia GTX1080 card.

When we saw the
computer, the
company wasn’t
ready to talk
about the cost,
but described the
final prices as,
“disruptive.”

At just 1.33kg in weight, the MateBook X Pro was easy to pick up and carry around, and the body tapers down from 14mm at its thickest point to just 4.9mm. It’s a really slick, minimalist design, and the metal unibody with its sandblasted finish looks good in an all-business way.

We preferred the look of the mystic silver model, as it added a little visual sparkle to the overly stealthy space gray version. Whichever model you choose, the Core i7 or the cheaper Core i5, the port layout is the same, with two USB Cs, a USB A, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Huawei’s MateBook X notebook had the power to attract people away from Apple, and the MateBook X Pro is technically even more compelling, but success will come down to price. When we saw the computer, the company wasn’t ready to talk about the cost, but described the final prices as, “disruptive.”

Huawei MateBook X Pro Compared To

Toshiba Satellite P855

Toshiba Satellite P755

Sony Vaio C Series (15.5-inch)

HP Pavilion g6

Lenovo IdeaPad V460

Lenovo IdeaPad U550

Sony Vaio CW Series

Toshiba Satellite M305

Fujitsu LifeBook S6510

Sony VAIO VGN-S480

Panasonic Y2

Gigabyte N512

Compaq Presario R3000

Gateway 200XL

Sony VAIO PCG-Z1AP1

It has all the right specifications, cute little design highlights, and more than enough power for everyone, up to and including gamers. The right boxes have been ticked, and now it’s down to the price to deliver the MateBook X’s strong knockout punch to the competition.

The best ergonomic mouse you can buy

Logitech

Although desktop PCs have a number of advantages over modern, portable computing solution like laptops, tablets, and smartphones, using a mouse for hours every day can have a detrimental effect on your wrist. One of the best ways to alleviate that is to use a mouse that guides it into a more neutral position and offers better support. You need an ergonomic mouse.

But with so many designs out there, all with different features and looks, how do you know which is the best ergonomic mouse for you? Although there will always be personal preference involved with choosing a mouse, if you pick one of our favorites below you’re unlikely to go wrong.

The best

Logitech MX Master 2 ($100)

The true purpose of an ergonomic mouse is to provide comfortable, full-hand support for the user and encourage good forearm posture while providing a solid input option for traditional computing tasks. The MX Master 2 is our favorite of not only all Logitech devices for this purpose but any mouse in general. With an expansive thumb rest and design that cushions and molds to the palm, it’s a supremely comfortable and functional mouse.

The MX Master 2 sports a sensitivity of 4,000 DPI and its wireless battery life of 70 days means you don’t need to continually worry about recharging the battery. With a great blend of features and comfort, it’s a fully-featured ergonomic mousing solution.

Exclusively available for right-hand users, the hand-sculpted design of the MX Master 2 is especially made to keep your wrist in as neutral position as possible in the horizontal orientation. It uses a laser sensor (rather than optical) so can track on any surface, recharges quickly (three minutes gives you a day of juice) and it can be paired over Bluetooth with up to three different devices.

All in all, the Master MX 2 is a well-made wireless mouse, with great support that doesn’t sacrifice traditional mousing functions.

Buy one now from:

Logitech Amazon

The rest

Evoluent VerticalMouse ($85+)

Not every ergonomic mouse actually looks like a mouse. The Evoluent VerticalMouse comes from a line of thinking that the horizontal wrist position is the antithesis of a neutral forearm and wrist position, so it rectifies that by giving you a “VerticalMouse” instead.

Designed to be held with four fingers on one side and the thumb on the other, the VerticalMouse is effectively a traditional mouse mounted on its side. But along with the scroll wheel, left and right-click mouse buttons, there’s an additional center button — or far-right, depending on your perspective.

There is a significant learning curve with the VerticalMouse as it is very unlike most mice you will find elsewhere, but once you get used to it we found it very comfortable and supportive. It’s no good for gaming and with a price tag for the wired version as high as $85, it’s quite pricey for a niche-use mouse. Its DPI of 3,000 is adequate however, and if you’re at all concerned about giving it a try, Evoluent offers a 30-day trial period for new users.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Microsoft Sculpt ($60)

Taking a much more minimalist approach to ergonomic mouse design, Microsoft’s Sculpt mouse is a rounded blob of a mouse that’s designed to offer solid palm support without any extraneous features. It has a thumb rest to cushion your thumb into the side of the mouse, but it’s bulbous design, as we called it, is intended to teach you to lift your wrist off of your mat or desk when using it — encouraging the use of forearm muscles, rather than wrist tendons, to support your hand.

Effectively, the Sculpt aims to have you do the hard work of supporting your wrist and mousing hand yourself, rather than acting as an overall supportive tool for you.

The Sculpt has the usual pair of left/right-click buttons and a central scroll wheel that can move in four directions. It also has a side-mounted “Windows” button which gives Windows users quick access to the Start menu, and a secretive “back” button hidden near the rear of the mouse for faster browser navigation.

This wireless mouse is powered by just two AA batteries and connects up to your PC using an included 2.4GHz USB dongle.

Buy one now from:

Microsoft Store Amazon

Razer DeathAdder Elite ($70)

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Many gaming mice use ambidextrous designs that are more catered to claw or finger-grip mouse styles, but there are a number that also offer good ergonomic support and the Razer DeathAdder Elite is one of them. One of the best mice we have ever reviewed, it offers amazing features for gamers, while still providing decent support for your wrist and hand, no matter you grip style.

With the classic DeathAdder look and feel, this mouse features a subtly shaped body to offer decent wrist support during long gaming sessions. Although it doesn’t have a rest for your thumb, it does have an indentation for you to grip with and there is plenty of shelf space for your fingers on the other side.

By virtue of being a gaming mouse first, this rodent has arguably the best specifications of all of the mice on this list. It sports a true 16,000 DPI optical sensor, with mechanical switches for long-life and support for Razer’s Chroma RGB lighting system. It also supports Razer’s powerful back-end software for key remapping and color customization.

Unlike many of the best ergonomic mice, Razer also produces a left-handed version of its DeathAdder Elite too.

Buy one now from:

Razer Store Amazon

Logitech M570 ($50)

Trackballs aren’t for everyone, but those who like them, really like them. Logitech’s wireless M570 trackball is one of the best, with fantastic wrist and hand support — the fact that it’s a trackball means you won’t be swinging it about across your desk either. Even if you did, you wouldn’t have to worry about wires, as this mouse is entirely untethered from your PC, connecting wirelessly over a miniature 2.4GHz USB adaptor.

With the ball located under your thumb, the M570 keeps your fingers free for use on the traditional left/right-click mouse buttons, as well as two additional back and forward buttons to the left of them, and a traditional scroll wheel. There’s also a battery life indicator for you to keep an eye on, but with as much as 18-months use from a single AA battery, you won’t need to pay much attention to it.

The laser sensor used to track the ball’s movements is adjustable, so you can customize its speed to your liking and if you should need to clean it, the ball pops out easily.

Buy one now from:

Logitech StoreAmazon

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• Best gaming mouse
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What is Thunderbolt? Here’s everything you need to know

Computer peripheral cables are hard enough to keep track of without people throwing around words like “Thunderbolt” and “Type C.” Thunderbolt may be particularly confusing, since this connection technology has gone through several different phases, and is making the jump from Apple to laptops and PCs in general.

But knowing the difference between these different ports is important, especially when you’re thinking about which computer is right for you. These days, don’t be surprised if you look at a new laptop and see nothing but “USB-C” and “Thunderbolt.”

So, what exactly is it? Let’s take a look.

The Thunderbolt 3 of today

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Thunderbolt technology has been around for since the late 2000s, but by the time Thunderbolt 3 had shown up in 2016, the times had changed. Specifically, USB-C had emerged as the latest USB standard, an updated and powerful USB cable that could provide up to 15 watts of power for devices (far more than older standards) and up to 100 watts for charging compatible laptops or similar devices. It was a sea change for USB, and clearly the future of many common computer connections.

In response, Thunderbolt’s developers made a very smart decision: Rather than try to face off against USB-C, they joined it. Thunderbolt 3 ditched the old DisplayPort connection base, and switched to a USB-C connection, basically combining the two technologies into one particularly powerful hybrid.

The move to USB-C allowed the Thunderbolt 3 to make the leap from Apple devices to other PCs and laptops, a process that is ongoing but finally possible. The only downside was the issue of compatibility — the new USB connection isn’t compatible with Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 without a pricey adapter.

Here are some things you can do with a USB-C Thunderbolt 3 port today:

• transmit data at a rate of 40 Gbps
• output video to two 4K monitors at 60 Hz
• charge smartphones and most laptops with up to 100 watts of power
• connect to an external GPU (unless it’s been blocked by the manufacturer)

If you’re wondering whether or not your USB-C port is actually Thunderbolt 3, look for that little Thunderbolt symbol nearby, which often differentiates it from a standard USB-C port.

The history of Thunderbolt technology

Thunderbolt technology originally began in the late 2000s as an Intel project called Light Peak, which was intended to add optical data transfer to traditional data transfer used with computer peripherals (essentially, combining wire and fiber optics). However, they soon found that their prototypes with good old copper wiring were already achieving the results Intel wanted, at a much a lower cost.

This new product was then released as Thunderbolt in the early 2010s, at first available only on Apple devices: It was designed to be a particularly powerful and flexible connection. Compared to the (often brand-specific) cables floating around in those days, this was an impressive creation suitable for many purposes. It was particularly promising for designers or engineers who were using laptops but still needed high-powered connections to external storage, high-resolution displays, and similar accessories.

However, technology continued to march on, and before long there was a Thunderbolt 2, and a Thunderbolt 3.

Because the first Thunderbolt release made it out the door with some help from Apple, it was only available for Macs for the first year or so. Intel wanted to bring the connection to PCs, but for now it decided to stick with Apple exclusivity. In addition to limited availability, the other downside to this new tech was the unique Thunderbolt cables were required, and they tended to be expensive — around $50 or so.

Thunderbolt 2 made several major changes to Thunderbolt technology around 2014. Namely, time had provided a more accurate look at how Thunderbolt was being used — and where it should head in the future.

The result was a new type of cable that combined the two 10 GBps bi-directional channels of the first cable, and created a single 20 GBps bi-directional channel that could provide more oomph to peripherals when necessary. These cables quickly showed higher speeds than any other popular peripheral cable of the day. Compatibility with the latest DisplayPort standards came with Thunderbolt 2 as well, since the two technologies still needed to work together.

One of the most important changes, however, was 4K compatibility. While still a little ahead of its time, 4K resolution was on the horizon, and users who depended on Thunderbolt connections were glad to know that the highest resolutions would be supported when necessary. Also important for users, Thunderbolt 2 devices were backwards compatible with the original Thunderbolt-compatible devices, even if you wanted to mix and match different generations. Again, the Thunderbolt would stay exclusive to Apple computers until the move to USB-C with Thunderbolt 3.

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What is FaceTime? Learn all about Apple’s video-calling app

Although the term “face time” can refer to any time spent interacting with a person face-to-face, FaceTime is a video-calling application designed by Apple for use on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Unlike similar services such as Skype or Facebook Messenger, FaceTime exclusively supports one-on-one calling (i.e., no group calling) and can only be used to call someone with a compatible Apple device — it will not work on Windows or Android phones. Despite this, FaceTime is still one of the most popular videotelephony products out there, likely due to the inherent popularity of Apple products.

A brief history of FaceTime

FaceTime was originally introduced by the late Steve Jobs in 2010 at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference. It was initially only supported on the iPhone 4 (the newest phone at the time), but is now available across a wide range of Apple products. Support for the iPod Touch was announced in September 2010 and for the iPad in March 2011.

Since 2011, FaceTime has officially been out of beta. Due to a provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (2002) which prevents companies from providing an unadvertised new feature of an already-sold product, the beta version of the app can still be found in the App Store. But don’t buy it, because FaceTime is included for free in OS X and iOS.

In 2013, Apple announced a new feature, FaceTime Audio, which allows eligible users to make audio-only calls between Apple devices without using their phone plan’s allotted minutes (it instead requires a Wi-Fi or a data plan).

Due to carrier concern that the app would use too much bandwidth and produce high data bills, FaceTime only worked over Wi-Fi for a time, but as of iOS 6, this restriction was removed. It turns out, using FaceTime over your data network doesn’t actually eat up as much data as you might expect. Depending on the age of your device, a 10-minute FaceTime call will only use about 25-30MB of data. To see how much data a call has cost you, press the i button next to a person’s name in the FaceTime app and it will show you the duration and cost of recent calls.

For a short time, AT&T also restricted the use of FaceTime for customers with unlimited data plans. They were later brought before the FCC on net neutrality violations and the block was withdrawn. FaceTime and FaceTime Audio can now be used over any 3G or 4G networks (assuming you have the data plan to support it).

How to use the app

To use the app, first make sure that it’s installed on your device. While the app comes predownloaded on all new Apple devices, it is not available in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, or Pakistan due to restrictions these countries have placed on IP-based communications. As of iOS 10, it is also possible to delete the app from your tablet or phone. However, even if you have deleted the app, you can redownload it for no charge or use FaceTime through the Phone or Contacts apps.

For more information on how to navigate the video-calling app, and what devices are eligible to use it, check out our FaceTime guide.

So, should you use FaceTime?

Honestly, that depends. If you don’t have an Apple device, you won’t be able to use the service — and FaceTime is not a good enough reason to buy an iPhone. Even if you do have an iPhone or iPad, if you want to call people who don’t have Apple products, then FaceTime is no use to you.

That being said, FaceTime is a free app that involves no investment to use other than signing in with your Apple ID. While there are plenty of other options out there, FaceTime is a easy-to-use app that lets you stay in touch with your iPhone and iPad owning friends and family. It could also help limit the strain on your phone plan — and chances are, it’s already on your phone.

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These Merge Cube games work best with a VR headset

Sometimes using two hands is a huge advantage and with some Merge Cube games, it’s essential.

In case you hadn’t heard, the Merge Cube is awesome. The soft foam cube allows for some of the best AR fun you could have for just $15, but there are a couple of stumbling blocks. Several of the apps are problematic when you don’t have A Merge VR headset. If you are trying to hold the Merge Cube and your phone then moving the Cube with any speed or accuracy is almost impossible, it’s big enough to make moving it in one hand a chore and even using the stand is problematic.

Merge was good enough to supply a stand on the edge of the plastic case that the Merge Cube comes with but the issue with any stand is having it in the middle of your arms and having it lower in your eye line making it uncomfortable to use over long periods. We want to be able to use these apps for long enough to actually enjoy them and it seems that using the Merge VR headset is the best way to do that.

What’s so special about Merge VR?

Essentially the Merge VR is a Google Cardboard based VR headset. What sets it aside from most others is the material it’s made of and it’s ability to be used for Augmented Reality as well as normal Virtual Reality. Made from the same soft rubber as the Merge Cube, the Merge VR fits your phone very tightly in the slot and makes it the most secure headset I have seen.

Parents letting children use this headset can feel safe knowing that even if it falls, your phone will most likely survive. The Merge VR also comes with a helpful removable tab that allows you to use your phone camera to play AR games, specifically for the Merge Cube apps.

Find it at Amazon Find the Merge Cube at Best Buy

So what Cube apps work best with the Merge VR?

Here is some of our favorite apps and games that work best with the Merge VR headset. Please note, they can still be played without the headset but they work much better with one.

Tiltball

Tiltball was one of the first games released from Merge and immediately shows the need for two-handed play. The game is simple, like the old 2D version that came with every HTC phone in days of yore, Tiltball is a maze game designed with a steady hand in mind. You must navigate your little ball through a maze over all 6 sides of your Cube, making sure not to let it fall off the edge to fast or through one of the gaps in the wall.

The Merge VR headset is almost essential to play Tiltball at the harder levels. Having two hands to manipulate the Cube means you can use fine motor cntrol to guide the ball in way thats just possible one handed, or even with a stand stuck between your arms. You can also use the Merge VR for a much more natual feeling movement around the cube and even close up if you need to, it really does make a difference.

CyberCube

CyberCube is a “Simon Says” style memory game where you have to match the sides of the Merge Cube with three sides displayed at the top of the screen. The added difficulty comes from the “virus” that is spreading over the screen making you time short and you vision narrow. You need to find all three sides before the virus covers your view but each level the virus gets quicker!

Using the Merge VR headset makes this far easier, and allows you to complete more levels. Having two hands ito spin the cube makes things much easier while having the symbols you need easily visible makes checking you are doing it right a breeze. Most of the games that require the Merge VR are in this similar vein, when trying to puzzles two hands always seems to be better than one!

Snake Attack

Cashing in on our need for nostalgia, Snake Attack is a suped up version of the game we loved to hate on the Nokias of old. Using the Merge Cube to create a massive, 6 sided Snake maze, this game is exponentially more difficult than the original, especially when you get to the later parts of the game and the snake is taking up entire sides of the Cube!

It stands to reason that not having to worry about holding the phone and trying to chase the snake would be better for this game. The Merge VR allows you to twist, turn and jump in frustration without fear of your snake eating itself.

57° North

57° North is a thing of beauty. It isn’t even a game really, more an interactive story designed to be used on the Merge cube. The beautiful narrative and the fantastic artwork make it well worth buying. It is currently one of my favorite apps on the Merge Cube and you can find my full review here.

What makes this so much nicer in the Merge headset is freedom. With the headset on you are free to bring the cube close to you to see the visuals and, by attaching a set of headphones, you can fill your ears with the voice of soundtrack to this beautiful app. did I mention how much I like 57° North? because I really do.

Is the Merge VR worth it?

It really is. The Merge VR and the Merge Cube go so well together that a lot of the game designers clearly had their combination in mind. While some of the apps for the Merge Cube use a screen tap to generate interactions this actually reduces the helpfulness of the headset, having to lift your hand to press the button, thereby taking it away from the cube, does make things a little less helpful.

Have you seen any great games? What do you think of the Merge Cube and the Merge VR? Let us know in the comments!

The best portable document scanner

By Amadou Diallo

This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter’s independently chosen editorial picks, it may earn affiliate commissions that support its work. Read the full article here.

After putting in more than 100 hours for research and hands-on testing since 2013, we think the Epson ES-300W is the best portable document scanner for digitizing documents without taking up half of a desktop. It combines scan speeds usually found on full-size scanners with extremely accurate text recognition. And thanks to its built-in Wi-Fi and battery, you can use it almost anywhere—even with a phone or tablet.

Who this is for

If you have stacks of documents and receipts filling up filing cabinets or cluttering your desk, using a document scanner to digitize your files not only frees up physical space, but it also makes your information much easier to find and backup. On both Windows computers and Macs you can do word searches that include the contents of searchable PDF files. Unlike desktop scanners, portable scanners are designed to fold down into an even more compact form when not in use.

If you already own a document scanner, even one that’s a few years old, our general advice is to keep on using it. Scanners have a very long shelf life by tech standards, and software hasn’t changed much either. And if you need to scan only on a very rare basis, there are several Android and iOS apps that can turn photos shot with your phone into PDFs.

How we picked and tested

Our latest round of scanner testing included the Epson ES-300W, Epson ES-200, Epson FastFoto FF-640, and Fujitsu S1300i. Photo: Amadou Diallo

A good document scanner can save scans as searchable PDFs, using OCR (optical character recognition) software to “read” the document and convert its text so you can search and copy/paste just as you would with any other PDF file. A great document scanner is duplex, meaning it can scan both sides of a page at the same time, and folds down into a more compact form when not in use.

To find the best document scanners, we started by looking through all of the models available on Amazon and other online retailers. This left us with a large list of scanners, which we narrowed to a handful of promising contenders by looking for key features like duplex scanning, portability, and compatibility with Mac computers.

While testing, we focused on text accuracy, speed, and software usability. We ran dozens of test pages, business documents, tax forms, a variety of receipts, business cards, and photographs through the scanners to see how the machines measured up, and tested the accuracy of each machine’s OCR software. We also measured speed by loading a 20-page double-sided business document into each scanner and timing the process using various settings.

Our pick

Photo: Michael Hession

The Epson ES-300W offers just about everything we could want in a portable document scanner, making it an easy recommendation as the best choice for digitizing your analog paper trail. In our tests it (along with its sister model, the ES-200) delivered the fastest scans we’ve seen from a portable unit, with flawless text recognition with fonts as small as 6 points when using the bundled ABBYY software. All of the necessary drivers and software are included with the installer package, available for download from Epson’s site, so you don’t need a CD drive.

Scan speeds were virtually identical under both USB and AC power, making the included power brick largely unnecessary unless you have an older laptop fitted with USB 2 ports (USB 3 is required for supplying power). Even more impressively, there was no speed penalty when scanning over Wi-Fi versus a USB connection on computers, phones, and tablets (paired with a free iOS or Android app).

Runner-up

Photo: Michael Hession

If you’re always able to connect to a computer via USB, you’ll find Wi-Fi support and battery power of little use. And if that’s the case, you can save yourself about $50 (at the time of this writing) and buy the Epson ES-200. It lacks a battery and Wi-Fi support but is otherwise identical in features to our top pick. The units are so similar that they even share the same user manual. Our tests, however, revealed a notable shortcoming: Powered by only its USB port, the ES-200 slowed to scan speeds nearly three times as long as those of our top pick. To get the same impressively fast results we saw with the ES-300W on this model, you’ll need to plug in the ES-200’s AC adapter.

For photo scanning

Photo: Michael Hession

If you’re looking for a document scanner that can also scan photos without bending and crumpling them in the process, we recommend the Epson FastFoto FF-640. In addition to being a competent document scanner, it can accurately scan photos without damaging them thanks to a reconfigured scan head and roller design that doesn’t bend documents as they pass through the scanner. With a maximum resolution of 600 dpi, it can convert a 4-by-6 photograph into a roughly 8.5-megapixel JPEG in 3 to 4 seconds. It can also detect notes written on the back of your photos. However, it costs more and is significantly larger than any document-only portable scanner.

The FF-640 isn’t cheap. The average scan price of the services we researched in our photo scanning guide was 40¢ per photo. We estimate you’d have to scan about 1,500 photos with the FF-640 before it’s more economical than outsourcing. But if those numbers work for you—and you value your money more than your time—the FF-640 is the closest thing we’ve seen yet to pain-free photo scanning.

This guide may have been updated by Wirecutter. To see the current recommendation, please go here.

Note from Wirecutter: When readers choose to buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn affiliate commissions that support our work.

OnePlus 5T will only play HD Netflix if you send it in for service

Good news: the OnePlus 5 and 5T can finally play Netflix in HD… if you’re willing to go through a convoluted process. OnePlus has launched an update program to enable the higher-resolution video streaming, but the “security processes” involved in enabling HD require that you send your phone in. As it revolves around the WideVine copyright protection used to allow Netflix playback, OnePlus has to perform the update with a wired connection to an “authenticated PC” — thanks, movie industry.

The company will cover the shipping costs if you’re in one of its official support areas, but you could be without your phone for up to 5 business days. Also, while Netflix hasn’t been available in HD on earlier OnePlus phones, you’re out of luck if you aren’t using one of its 2017-era handsets.

Yes, it’s somewhat ridiculous that you have to go without your phone for a while just to watch Altered Carbon at the same visual quality as your friends. At the same time, OnePlus is addressing a longstanding issue at its own expense — a good step for a company that’s still fighting to earn your trust after a series of missteps.

Via: Android Police

Source: OnePlus Forums

ZTE Blade V9 and V9 Vita are here, we go hands-on

ZTE released the Blade V8 about a year ago, bringing dual-cameras and an octa-core processor to its mid-range line of devices. While these phones won’t have customers rushing to pre-order, they provide quite a bit of value for the price.

This year, ZTE is looking to up the quality of this line even further, producing what it thinks is the best Blade device yet. The new Blade V9 has a similar general shape to last year’s model, but the quality of the build has improved substantially. ZTE is employing a new shimmering material they call “Aurora Glass” to give the V9 a premium look and feel. The Vita doesn’t get this same treatment, but its unibody shell feels similar to the OnePlus 5, which is not at all a bad thing.

Both devices are getting much better screen-to-body ratios this year. The Blade V9 screen takes up 84 percent of the phone and the Vita’s takes up 81 percent. These screens are fairly decent for devices in this price range. Both are Full HD quality, which isn’t incredibly high for a smartphone, but also looks perfectly fine. We wouldn’t discount them just because they didn’t have 1,440p displays.

The Blade V9 and V9 Vita’s software feels like the software on the Google Pixel

Both devices run Android Oreo, with a new skin ZTE is calling “Stock Plus.” This name is quite fitting. It feels essentially like stock Android on a Google Pixel. You can always throw your launcher of choice on this device to get a specific feel, but these devices honestly felt just fine with the stock launcher, which is rare with midrange devices.

The Blade V9’s 3-4 GB of RAM and 32-64 GB of storage, but the Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 is the spec that unveils this is really a budget device. This won’t hold up well compared to newer Snapdragon chips on the market today, but for someone that cares more about design and uses their device for simple tasks, the Blade V9 should hold up just fine.

The V9 Vita is more obviously mid-ranged. It’s sporting 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage along with a Snapdragon 435 Mobile Processor, showing it was obviously made for the ultra-budget users in mind. This phone will more than likely make its way to Cricket Wireless or a similar carrier under a different name, so it makes sense have have more basic specs inside.

Both devices have a 13 MP dual camera, 3,100 mAh battery, microSD compatibility, a 3.5 mm headphone jack and charging via microUSB, so there really isn’t a whole lot to differentiate these devices on the outside. Internal power and build quality is what really sets the Blade V9 and V9 Vita apart, along with their respective price points.

The face unlock feature seemed fairly reliable in our hands-on time, but we always worry about the security of these things.

Both phones are getting a new face-unlock feature as well. In our hands-on time with the device this seemed fairly reliable, but we always worry about the security of these things. We would likely recommend using the included fingerprint reader instead, but face unlock is always nice to have either way.

The Blade V9 features an 8 MP front-facing camera (up to 13 MP interpolated), while the V9 Vita sports a 5 MP front-facing camera (up to 8 MP interpolated).

ZTE has not announced pricing or availability for the Blade V9 or V9 Vita, but we’ll be sure to update you when we know more.

Do either of these phones sound appealing to you? ZTE has definitely stepped up their build-quality since the last Blade, so it’s good to see consistent improvement.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus hands-on: Express yourself

Another year, another Samsung Galaxy S flagship. How do you take a flagship device that’s nearly perfect and improve it in any meaningful way? This is the conundrum Samsung faced creating the Galaxy S9, but the company seems to have found a few areas to improve its popular handset.

The Galaxy S8 was nearly perfect. It delivered an immersive smartphone experience, thanks to the Infinity Display, and pushed the boundaries of smartphone design more than ever before. The camera improved a little over the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S8 Plus was a big phone for those who wanted something a little larger.

Further reading: Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus are here: the best just got better

With the Galaxy S9, Samsung has kept similar design but tweaked it to create a better overall experience. There are two devices again this year. While the form factor and display size are the same as last year, both devices have a slightly smaller overall footprint. The Galaxy S8 Plus especially was a pretty tall device but the Galaxy S9 Plus is a little more manageable in the hand; by reducing the bezels above and below the display, Samsung has managed to shave 1.2 mm off the height of the Galaxy S9 and 1.4 mm off the Galaxy S9 Plus.

The displays themselves have also been tweaked a little, offering 15 percent higher peak brightness. The Galaxy S8 topped out at around 600 nits, while the Galaxy S9 is expected to achieve closer to 700 nits. For those bright sunny days, this extra brightness should help with overall legibility. The phones’ curves are not as steep as the S8 line, nor do their displays run all the way to the edge. Samsung says this is designed to prevent accidental touches along the edge of the screen and it will hopefully also address the light banding issue when watching a video.

The Galaxy S9 also bring stereo speakers to a Samsung smartphone for the first time. After its acquisition of Harman Kardon last year, the Korean manufacturer set about improving the audio on its devices, previously one of the poorest experience on any smartphone. This year, there are two speakers — a forward facing one joins the bottom-firing speaker from last year.

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Both have been tuned by AKG. As a result, the speakers are noticeably louder. Samsung says the overall output is 1.4 times louder than the Galaxy S8. Samsung also partnered with Dolby to add the Atmos codec to the Galaxy S9 — once enabled, it offers spatial sound playback which helps to add to the overall immersive experience.

The most controversial part of the Galaxy S8 family was the fingerprint sensor, which Samsung chose to place right next to the camera in a very awkward position. The company has finally addressed this in the S9 by moving it to the center, beneath the camera. The new positioning works well enough and means the sensor is useful again. On the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8, the positioning was awkward enough to be uncomfortable.

Those are the small improvements over the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, but the big improvements are in the camera. As part of its theme of being able to express yourself, the Galaxy S9 camera brings a collection of new camera features, as well as some tweaks to the Galaxy S8 camera.

The Galaxy S9 camera features the same hardware as the Galaxy S8 with a 12 MP super speed dual pixel sensor with optical image stabilization. The Galaxy S9 Plus also features the secondary camera found on the Galaxy Note 8, a 12 MP telephoto lens with OIS and f/2.4 aperture. Both devices feature 8 MP front-facing cameras with f/1.7 aperture.

More: Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus specs

The low light performance on Samsung phones previously let down the camera experience, but the Galaxy S9 looks to improve this with dual aperture and multi-frame image processing. The Galaxy S9 has a mechanical lens that opens and closes. For bright scenes, it’ll use the tighter f/2.4 aperture and for low light scenes, it’ll use a wider f/1.5 aperture. As a result, Samsung says there is 28 percent more light coming into the system than the Galaxy S8, which should improve the low light camera performance. The mechanical aperture is hardware based and doesn’t offer any aperture stops between the two. By default, the Galaxy S9 automatically picks which aperture to use but in Pro mode, you can control it.

The Galaxy S9 takes the detail and information from 12 photos to create one excellent photo

The multi-frame image processing is also new to the Galaxy S9 and it’s designed to help with noise reduction. The Galaxy S9 comes with DRAM on the camera sensor itself, which means the camera can capture four times as many photos at four times the speed. In a split second, the camera takes 12 images which are then sorted into batches of four. The software then uses all the detail and information for processing and noise reduction. It does this three times to give you the best three photos from each batch. The software then does it one more time on the three photos to get the overall best photo.

The DRAM isn’t just used for multi-frame image processing, but also for super slow-motion video. The Galaxy S8 offered 720p super slow-motion video at 240 fps, but the Galaxy S9 now offers it at 960 fps. This isn’t new to smartphones but the automatic mode is definitely a step above other devices. Instead of having to time exactly when to press record, the Galaxy S9 will also do it for you and all you have to do is press record.

The automatic mode works rather well and once you take a super slow-motion video, it also saves several shareable GIFs including effects such as loop and reverse. For those who want to relive a great super slow-motion video, you can save the video as your lock screen wallpaper. The software also automatically adds background music to the video, which you can then change to one of the preset sounds or a song from your music library.

Don’t miss: Top 9 features on the Samsung Galaxy S9

The Galaxy S9 follows the lead of the iPhone X and brings a new feature called AR Emoji. This feature captures your face, analyzes it, and allows you to make an animated version of yourself which can be customized further. The customization options include two different types of animation, either more life-like or more cartoon-like. You can also change the hair, skin tone, glasses, clothes of the image. After you’ve finished customizing your AR Emoji, it’ll save 18 GIFs to your phone’s gallery, as well as the Samsung keyboard, so you can easily share it with your friends. AR Emoji lets you record either photos or videos. While you can talk and move your head, it’s doesn’t seem to pick up as many facial expressions as the iPhone X.

Camera aside, the Galaxy S9 also brings a series of other improvements to Bixby, connectivity, and security. Bixby has gained a new food mode, which allows you to point the camera towards a piece of food and get nutritional information about it. Using the selfie camera, the new makeup mode allows you to try on makeup from Sephora or CoverGirl and buy it straight from Bixby.

The Galaxy S8 had two different biometric security options — Face Unlock and the Iris Scanner. The Galaxy S9 combines these into a new feature called Intelligent Scan. Samsung says both of these were great in certain scenarios and by combining them, it gets around the issues faced especially by the Iris Scanner. Intelligent Scan uses Iris Scanning as the primary security option for applications that need higher levels of security, like banking apps or Samsung Pay. For day-to-day unlocking of your phone Intelligent Scan uses the convenient super-fast experience of Face Unlock. How well does it work? This remains to be seen but we’ll find out in our Galaxy S9 review in the near future.

The Galaxy S9 is the first smartphone powered by the Snapdragon 845 processor and brings Gigabit LTE support. The regular Galaxy S9 comes with 4 GB of RAM, while the Galaxy S9 Plus has 6 GB of RAM. Both devices are IP68 water and dust resistant, offer fast wireless storage, and have a headphone jack. Both come with 64 GB of internal storage, which can be expanded by up to 400 GB using a microSD card.

The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus will launch in three colors in the U.S. — Midnight Black, Lilac Purple and Coral Blue. The fourth color — Titanium Gray — isn’t coming to the U.S. It’s not entirely certain how much they will cost, but pre-orders launch on March 2, ahead of its March 16 release. Samsung is also offering its first-ever global pre-order offer called Trade Up and Save, allowing you to get up to $350 off the cost of the Galaxy S9 when you trade in last year’s flagship from any manufacturer. Trade Up and Save offers tiers so those with a Galaxy S7 or two-year-old flagship from another OEM will receive a little less.

Related: Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus pricing and availability | Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus color comparison

What do you think of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus? Let us know your views in the comments below!