Parrot app automatically edits your drone videos

Drone videos can be spectacular, but editing them? Not so much — don’t be surprised if you spend hours cutting 10 minutes of footage into something worth watching. Parrot thinks there’s a better way. It’s adding a Flight Director feature to its FreeFlight Pro mobile app (for Android and iOS) that automatically edits your drone footage. Algorithms study the drone’s behavior and produce videos up to 3 minutes in length based on a handful of criteria, including the style (chronological, cinematic or trailer), pre-made themes and other existing footage. The biggest dilemma may be choosing your soundtrack.

Be prepared to pay up to get the full experience. You can create 15-second “best of” clips for free, but you’ll need to spring for the premium version of the feature in-app if you want to unlock its full potential. And of course, you’ll need a Parrot drone (a Bebop 1, 2 or Power) for this to work — you can get similar apps from the likes of GoPro, but it won’t be the exact same experience. If you have the hardware and regularly record aerial videos, though, this could let you spend more time flying and less time trimming clips.

Source: App Store, Google Play

Barclaycard wants you to dine and dash legally

Barclaycard is testing a new payment service that could mean the end to waiting for your bill at a restaurant. It’s called Dine & Dash, but in this version, dashing doesn’t mean skipping out on your tab. Instead, with this service, restaurant-goers would download the Dine & Dash app and just tap their phone on the Dine & Dash device at their table once they arrive. They would then order their meals and eat as usual, and once they were done, they could just leave. When the Dine & Dash app registers that the diners have left the restaurant, it will check them out and close the bill, issuing payment from whatever payment option was loaded into the app by the diner.

For diners that want to split the bill with a pal, the app allows them to do that. It also allows users to add a tip and apply a discount code, and once everything’s all squared away, the Dine & Dash device lights up green to indicate the bill has been settled. The setup is similar to Mastercard’s Qkr tool, which also allows consumers to pay their bar tabs with their phones, though Mastercard’s version is a little more involved than Barclaycard’s. Dine & Dash builds off of Barclaycard’s Grab+Go pilot that let users scan barcodes while shopping and checkout within the app rather than at a register.

Barclaycard’s trial is taking place at the St. Martins Lane Prezzo restaurant in Central London beginning on March 13th. Those wanting to participate can sign up for a chance to do so here.

Image: Barclaycard

Day One HomePod Pre-Orders in U.S. Beat Out Most Other Smart Speaker Pre-Orders

First day pre-orders for the HomePod, which became available late last month, were higher than day one pre-orders for several other smart speakers including the Sonos One and the Google Home Max in the United States.

The data was shared by NPD Group and was gathered using NPD’s Checkout service, which tracks consumer purchase behavior across multiple retailers.

According to the data, HomePod beat out all other smart speaker first day pre-orders with the exception of the Amazon Echo Dot.

Though HomePod pre-orders reportedly outsold other smart speaker pre-orders, NPD Group did not provide data on how many HomePod pre-orders Apple sold in comparison to smart speakers from other manufacturers, so while interesting, the data here doesn’t offer up a look at just how well the HomePod did.

We haven’t seen any real estimates of how well the HomePod did following its launch, but Apple’s next earnings call should give us a bit of insight. Apple won’t break out HomePod sales, but changes to the “Other” category in the company’s earnings report may provide hints.

The Other category includes products like the Apple TV, Apple Watch, AirPods, iPod, Beats, and other Apple-branded and third-party accessories. Going forward, it will also include the HomePod.

While we don’t know how many HomePods Apple has sold to date, the device did stay in stock and readily available for days after it became available for pre-order on January 26. In fact, HomePod was available for launch day delivery through February 7, just a couple of days before the HomePod’s official February 9 launch.

Data on HomePod sales may not be available, but analyst Gene Munster with Loop Ventures recently predicted HomePod will capture 12 percent of global smart speaker unit share in 2018, with estimated unit sales of 7 million.

Related Roundup: HomePodBuyer’s Guide: HomePod (Buy Now)
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iTunes changes leave behind first-gen Apple TV, Windows XP, and Vista users

If you’re the type who isn’t fond of upgrading their hardware, Apple may be the cause of a few headaches for you. On February 26, the company announced in a support document that upcoming security changes will mean those with older Apple TV devices or running older operating systems will no longer be able to access the iTunes Store.

Specifically, if you’re running the now 11-year-old first-generation Apple TV, you’ll no longer be able to purchase or download previously purchased TV shows and movies from the iTunes Store. This shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise as Apple has considered the first generation of its streaming hardware obsolete for some time now. Even the second-generation Apple TV is considered obsolete.

It’s unlikely that huge numbers of people are using the older Apple TV, but another group that is likely much larger will also be affected by this change. Users of Windows XP and Windows Vista will also be unable to user the latest version of iTunes. This is another situation that shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise, as those operating systems are no longer supported by Microsoft. Windows 7 is now the oldest version of Windows that is officially supported by the company.

If for some reason you either can’t or don’t want to upgrade your version of Windows, you’re not entirely out of luck: You can still use older versions of iTunes, though they won’t be supported by Apple, and they won’t be able to make new iTunes purchases or redownload previously purchased content. Apple TV users will need to buy new hardware, whether its the current-gen Apple TV 4K or another option. If you really don’t want to stop using your old Apple TV and like to tinker, you could always consider jailbreaking it to make at least some use out of it.

Fortunately for the affected users, Apple did give some advanced warning, as the changes go into effect starting May 25. If you’re looking for a good option to replace your first-gen Apple TV, be sure to check our list of the best streaming devices you can buy.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Apple TV 4K review
• Everything you need to know about the performance dip on your iPhone
• Apple HomePod review
• Apple’s three Mac Minis released in 2011 are now unsupported ‘vintage’ devices
• Apple iOS 11.2.2 update offers a fix to the Spectre security vulnerability

Nokia 1 Hands-On Review

Research Center:
Nokia 1

If you ignore Samsung and Apple, the main focus for a lot of other smartphone manufacturers has been to capitalize on the flourishing budget handset market. We’ve continued to see a good range of budget smartphones especially in the $200 to $300 range, but get ready for some stellar Android phones under $100. It’s all thanks to Google’s Android Go initiative, and HMD Global’s Nokia 1 is our first taste with the new Android platform. Let’s take a closer look.

Optimizing Android

The Nokia 1, announced at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, is one of the first phones launching with Android Go. A lightweight version of Android made for phones with low-end specs, Android Go takes up much less memory and storage than the version of Android you’ll find on most smartphones. While you have full access to the Google Play Store on Android Go, Google has also made Go versions of its apps, which are under 10MB, for a smoother user experience.

The phone specifically runs stock Android 8.0 Oreo, which is simple and easy-to-use, with no bloatware.

With only a 1.1GHz processor and 1GB of RAM, the Nokia 1 is a perfect match for Android Go. We were pleasantly surprised with how the phone performed. The stutter and lag you often find on most budget phones was hardly visible, and we were able to open multiple apps and switch between them almost instantaneously. With more apps downloaded, however, performance could indeed take a hit, so we’ll have to do further testing to see the limits of the processor.

Xpress to the past

There’s no hiding the Nokia 1 is a budget phone — it’s a little chunky, has thick bezels, and the rounded edges all help it look a little like a toy. But just because it’s a budget phone doesn’t mean it felt flimsy or cheap. The phone was lightweight, but it felt like it could survive a few accidental drops. It’s compact and easy to grip with your whole hand, which is a nice change of pace from 6-inch smartphones.

The Nokia 1’s dual-tone polycarbonate body is playful and colorful. It comes in blue or red, both with distinctive white accents around the 4.5-inch IPS display, camera lens, and on the rocker and power buttons.

But if blue or red isn’t your forte, try HMD’s Xpress-on covers. This is a long-running Nokia staple that lets you switch out the rear backplate for another pattern or color. Right now there are several different colors, but it looks like HMD will be adding more shades and patterns to the collection soon. The swappable back also hides another convenient feature on the Nokia 1: A removable battery. While the 2,150mAh battery will likely get you more than a day of use, the ability to quickly swap batteries is a definite plus.

HMD got a lot right with the Nokia 1, but the cameras are a clear miss. The camera app slowed down when taking pictures with the 5-megapixel rear camera. Our low-light photos at the demo area had significant noise with washed out color. We had similar results with the 2-megapixel front-facing camera. We weren’t expecting much with such a cheap phone, but it’s likely you’ll ignore the cameras on the Nokia 1.

Price and availability

The beauty of Android Go is that it’s meant to keep the cost of the phone small, while offering a soid user experience with access to speedy updates. So far, we think it succeeds, especially since the Nokia 1 just costs $85. It’s mind-boggling what such a low-cost phone can do these days.

The Nokia 1 will arrive in April, but It’s not clear if the phone will make it to the U.S.

Nokia 1 Compared To

Sony Xperia XZ2

Nokia 8 Sirocco

Cat S41

Nokia Lumia 820

Motorola MOTORIZR Z3

Jitterbug Dial

Samsung SCH-u620

LG VX9400

Sony Ericsson K790a

Nokia N93

Blackberry 8700c

Blackberry 8700g

Nokia N90

Palm Treo 650

Motorola RAZR V3c

Microsoft’s quantum computing language is now available for MacOS

Quantum computing, which uses the nature of quantum mechanics and the odd behavior of particles to promise incredibly powerful computers, is like traditional computing in one important respect. If you’re going to do anything with it, you need a programming language that can leverage its capabilities. Microsoft has its own version, Q# (pronounced “Q-sharp”), that it introduced late in 2017 on Windows and is now making available on MacOS and Linux as well.

As Ars Technica reports, Microsoft’s quantum programming offering is comprised of two elements. First, there is the Q-sharp language, which seeks to leverage the unique nature of quantum computing while bringing it to traditional programmers rather than just the quantum physicists working with quantum computer technology.

The second element is to make a quantum simulator available to run quantum programs. Given that quantum computer hardware is still in its infancy, there aren’t many opportunities to actually run quantum programs on live machines. Therefore, Microsoft is building a simulator to run quantum programs and help developers learn how to use and understand quantum computing.

There are two versions of the simulator. One runs on local machines and naturally be smaller and less powerful. It will also require a relatively powerful PC to run, as simulating 32 qubits (quantum bits) needs a full 32GB of RAM. Adding another qubit doubles the RAM needed, meaning that hardware requirements can quickly ramp up. To meet the needs of the most demanding programmers, Microsoft is also making available a more powerful cloud version of the simulator.

Of course, Microsoft is also one of the companies working hard on creating an actual quantum computer, in its case aiming using a “topological qubit” that is less demanding than some other designs in terms of the number of qubits needed for error-checking and correction, but unlike some other qubit designs still requires cooling to near-zero degrees and thus adds significant complexity.

For now, Microsoft is hoping to have a single qubit functioning by the end of 2018. In the meantime, developers will have access to Q-sharp and Microsoft’s simulator to start polishing up their quantum computing programming skills.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Microsoft’s quantum computing devkit exists — whether you look or not
• Intel explores ‘spin qubits’ as the next wave in quantum computing
• Intel is building brain-like processors that will power the robots of the future
• ‘Quantum Break’ studio Remedy to release its secretive ‘P7’ in 2019
• Samsung Notebook 9 Pen vs. Microsoft Surface Book 2 13

Vulkan is no longer an alien on Apple MacOS, iOS devices thanks to MoltenVK

The Khronos Group announced on Monday, February 26, that Valve Software, LunarG, and The Brenwill Workshop collaborated to create MoltenVK, a new API promising better graphics and faster performance on MacOS and iOS. It essentially enables games relying on Apple’s proprietary Metal graphics API to utilize the Vulkan library while maintaining high-performance, native speeds. MoltenVK will first be utilized in Valve’s Dota 2 for MacOS via a free update slated to arrive in the coming months. 

Games and other graphics-intensive applications require a middleman to get the best performance. On the simplest level, a graphics API serves as a translator between the hardware (GPU) and software (game). DirectX is the most-used solution developed by Microsoft for Windows-based machines followed by the open-source OpenGL platform. Vulkan is a newer, high-performance open-source alternative to both. 

Although Apple’s devices support OpenGL, they obviously don’t support DirectX. They also don’t “officially” support Vulkan but instead rely on Apple’s native alternative called Metal. That is where MoltenVK comes in; when a game running on MacOS or iOS makes a graphics-related Metal request to the hardware, a “translator” uses Vulkan-based shaders instead. 

“MoltenVK is a library which translates calls within the Vulkan graphics and compute API, to underlying calls to Apple’s Metal API on both iOS and macOS,” the Khronos Group explains. 

As part of the announcement, Valve distributed benchmarks comparing Dota 2 running on MacOS using OpenGL versus a ported version running with Vulkan. Here are the numbers in frames per second: 

Mac Pro
Late 2013
AMD FirePro D500 

MacBook Pro
Mid 2013
Nvidia GT 650M 

MacBook Pro
Mid 2014
Intel Iris Pro 

OpenGL 

75.5 

35.9 

42.2 

Vulkan 

102.8 

53.9 

47.7 

 MoltenVK is part of the Vulkan Portability Initiative to expand Vulkan’s capabilities to devices that don’t support native Vulkan drivers, such as Apple’s devices. This initiative focuses on developing “specifications, open-source libraries, and tools.” But all those involved want a universal platform, meaning they are targeting devices that rely on DirectX 12 and OpenGL as well. 

In addition to announcing MoltenVK, the Khronos Group launched the open source LunarG Vulkan SDK for MacOS. This SDK enables developers to build, run, and debug Vulkan-based MacOS applications. It consists of loader and validation layers for developers to see if they’re using the API correctly. Additional features and tools will become available in the near future. 

“Running Vulkan applications on Apple platforms has been the number one request from developers and today’s release of the MoltenVK runtime and LunarG macOS SDK brings that capability to life,” Nvidia’s Neil Trevett said in a statement. 

Vulkan is actually the offspring of AMD’s Mantle API. Mantle was intended to be a close-to-the-hardware platform for developers, giving them better, “lower” access to AMD’s Radeon-based graphics than DirectX and OpenGL. That translates into better performance and better visuals when developers actually take advantage of the platform. 

But with the arrival of DirectX 12, AMD donated its Mantle technology to the Khronos Group to create Vulkan and discontinued Mantle as a game API. Vulkan aims to replace OpenGL as the standard open-source graphics API solution. 

Editors’ Recommendations

• Why gaming on MacOS is dead forever and never coming back
• The best Mac apps
• Steam saw more than 7,500 titles added to its library throughout 2017
• AMD’s Adrenalin Edition driver sports shorter name, longer feature list
• ‘Sea of Thieves’ PC system requirements are surprisingly low

Everything we know about the “BlackBerry Ghost” smartphone so far

Christian de Looper/Digital Trends

It looks like BlackBerry is readying yet another new Android-powered handset. Last year, we saw handsets like the BlackBerry Motion and BlackBerry KeyOne, both of which were decent but often topped by the competition. Now, we could be headed for BlackBerry’s first “bezel-less” device — rumored to be called the BlackBerry Ghost.

Now, we’re not sure if “Ghost” is the phone’s code name, or if it will eventually go by another name. Either way, it looks like it could be a pretty nice phone, at least judging by the leaks we’ve seen of the device. Here’s everything we know about BlackBerry’s new phone so far.

Design

The phone was recently leaked by @evleaks on Twitter, and shows a pretty nice design. According to the leak, the phone will feature a bezel-less design, though without seeing the phone with the screen on, that’s hard to confirm. The phone will also reportedly be built by Optiemus, and will be released in India.

BlackBerry 'Ghost': a bezel-less, premium Android handset from licensee Optiemus; coming soon to India. pic.twitter.com/KTAvKbDl5v

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) February 26, 2018

Apart from that, there’s little we know about the phone. Antenna lines on the side of the device could indicate that it will feature a metal build, which would be nice to see. On the top of the device, we can see a small front-facing camera — though there doesn’t seem to be any sensors for a feature like facial recognition.

Specs

When it comes to specs, there’s almost nothing we know about the phone. The leak from @evleaks says that the phone will be a “premium” device — but what that really means remains to be seen. BlackBerry phones in 2017 featured decidedly midrange chips — the BlackBerry KeyOne offered a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625. We expect the so-called BlackBerry Ghost to feature a similarly midrange chip, though that also remains to be seen. It’s likely that the chip will be coupled with a modest amount of RAM.

Pricing and availability

We also don’t know anything about the price of the device, though the leak from @evleaks suggests the phone will be released in India. Hopefully, it’ll make its way to other markets at some point.

We’ll update this article as we hear more about the BlackBerry Ghost.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Upcoming BlackBerry Uni will feature touchscreen and retractable keyboard
• The Blackberry Motion isn’t the second coming — but it’s not a bad phone
• BlackBerry KeyOne review
• BlackBerry capitalizes on 2017’s surprising success with new Bronze Edition KeyOne
• BlackBerry Motion review

The best Samsung Galaxy S9 cases to keep your new phone safe, looking good

Samsung’s gorgeous new Galaxy S9 retains the curved beauty of last year’s S8, but adds a new main camera with a dual aperture that promises to deliver great low-light photography. The design is refined, with a much better fingerprint sensor placement on the back, and it’s IP68 rated, like its predecessor, but this is still going to be a fragile phone.

The good news is that we’ve got a delectable lineup of stylish and protective options. Behold the best Galaxy S9 cases so far.

Incipio DualPro Case ($30)

If you’re worried about cracking that curved display, then this dual-layer case is a sound investment. This has been one of Incipio’s best-selling cases for a decade now — and with good reason. It covers the S9 from every angle, with a protective lip around the screen, tactile button covers, and generous openings for the camera, fingerprint sensor, and ports. It boasts an understated style in matte iridescent colors, including blue, lilac, and rusted gold.

Buy one now from:

Incipio Amazon

Speck Presidio Folio Case ($45)

We’re big fans of Speck’s Presidio Grip case, but for the S9 we’re recommending this new Folio case. You get the same excellent drop protection for falls from up to 10 feet, and the cover provides complete coverage and also folds back to act as a landscape stand. Inside the cover, there’s a hidden slot that opens to reveal space for three cards. It’s durable, protective, and comes in black, red, or blue, all paired with gray.

Buy one now from:

Speck

Tech21 Evo Max Case ($45)

With a three-layer protection system that offers drop protection from up to 14 feet, you can relax when your Galaxy S9 is wearing the Tech21 Evo Max case. The polycarbonate shell combines with Tech21’s proprietary Flexshock material to safeguard your Samsung smartphone. It’s a slim case considering the level of protection on offer, and it has all the cutouts you need for easy access. Aside from black, this case comes in a range of colors including Smokey Dahlia, Devine Blue, Orchid, and Poker Green.

Buy one now from:

Tech21

Snakehive Vintage Leather Wallet Case ($30)

Leather is comfortable to hold and attractive, so it makes a good material for a phone case. These cases are crafted from quality Nubuck leather in a range of colors. The wallet-style design wraps around your S9 to offer complete protection. The cover has a secure magnetic clasp and can fold back to act as a landscape stand. You’ll also find three slots for credit cards and a larger pocket at the back.

Buy one now from:

Snakehive

Griffin Survivor Clear Case ($20)

When you buy a gorgeous phone like the Galaxy S9, you don’t want to conceal it, but you do need protection. Aclear case can be a great compromise. This Griffin case is affordable, transparent, and offers solid drop protection from 4 feet, even on to concrete. Military drop-test standards can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but Griffin is a name you can trust. This case has extra reinforcement around the frame to absorb impact shock.

Buy one now from:

Griffin

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best Galaxy S8 cases and covers to protect your device
• The best Galaxy S8 Plus cases and covers for that stylish Samsung of yours
• The best Google Pixel 2 XL cases to keep your phone picture perfect
• 10 best protective iPhone cases to defend against dirt, dings, and drops
• Keep your tablet stylish and secure with one of the best iPad Pro 10.5 cases

How to connect apps to your PlayStation 4

Want to connect an app to your PS4? Here’s how.

Interconnectivity is the name of the game in this modern age. All of our devices should be beeping and chirping and humming along in beautiful robotic synchronicity. Of course, this is how our future robot overlords will communicate the plans for their impending uprising but until then we get to enjoy devices that work together in harmony.

Your PlayStation 4 has the functionality to connect various apps to your PlayStation for a myriad of reasons. From apps that work as secondary controllers for games to those which allow you to control your PS4 as if your phone were a remote, you are going to have to connect your app to your PlayStation. Fortunately connecting an app to your PS4 is relatively easy. Here is how you would go about doing it.

Using the PlayStation SecondScreen app as an example here is what you will do to connect it to your PlayStation.

First of all, it is important to ensure that your phone or tablet is connected to the same WiFi network as your PS4. If it’s not connected to the same network you will not be able to pair it with your console.

You are going to go to the Settings section on the main menu of your PS4

From the Settings menu, scroll down until you find PlayStation App Connection Settings.

Select Add Device from the PlayStation App Connection Settings menu.

On the following screen, you will be presented with series of numbers which you will enter into the application on your phone.

There are some variations in regard to how you will connect other applications. Some apps, like those used for specific games like Hidden Agenda, will have a very simple connection process wherein you will simply select Join Game from the app and as long as you are on the same network you will be connected.

In some instances, having a phone or tablet connected to your PlayStation can provide additional depth and functionality to your console experience. Of course, we will have to learn to defend ourselves once our devices become sentient and our smart refrigerators start attacking. Until then I am going to continue to enjoy the quality of life improvements that interconnectivity can provide.

What apps do you use with your PlayStation?

Why are we reviewing PlayStation 4 games on Android Central? Let us explain.

PlayStation 4

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