Bitcoin rises to over $9,000, but can the market endure, or is it just a passing fad?

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies had a rough start in 2017, as values plummeted. Things may be looking up for the cryptocurrency industry, however, as Bitcoin has once again increased in value to more than $9,000. While that is still much lower than the lofty heights of last year’s Bitcoin boom, the fact that currency seems to be regaining some of its value will likely be seen as welcome news by those who invested in the coins.

In fact, some analysts believe that rather than being a passing fad, cryptocurrencies are just getting started. Ran Neu-Ner, who hosts CNBC Africa’s Crypto Trader, told CNBC on Friday that he believes that “we haven’t even got to the start line of cryptocurrencies.”

Neu-Ner,  whose own portfolio includes more than 40 different types of cryptocurrency, says that the technology isn’t truly ready for the mainstream just yet. He argued that the unscalable markets and difficulty in opening new crypto accounts can make it difficult for the general public to invest in cryptocurrencies.

He also added that he felt that many companies got in over their heads by investing in new cryptocurrencies without really understanding the underlying technology behind Bitcoin and others.

“Yes, there is a new digital gold, a new digital store of value,” Neu-Ner said. “I think bitcoin is the store of value. But the game hasn’t even started yet.”

Neu-Ner says that he believes we will soon see a mainstream adoption of cryptocurrencies which will lead to a universal store of value. He admits that the market is rather volatile right now, but expects things to start trending upward later this year.

“I’m expecting the market to hover here for a little bit, a little bit nervous,” he told CNBC. “And then I’m expecting some kind of something to bring up a green candle, and that will start the momentum back up again.”

Despite Neu-Ner’s confidence in Bitcoin, no one can deny that general instability of cryptocurrencies make a lot of people nervous. Over the course of the past week, Bitcoin lost $125 billion in value thanks to a panic set off by fears surrounding stricter regulations on cryptocurrencies. For now, the future of Bitcoin and similar currencies remains up in the air.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Bitcoin’s latest boom sends it scorching past $9,000
• The best bitcoin alternatives
• Bitcoin is still soaring. What’s the limit?
• Survey: Bitcoin buyers prefer investing in it over using it as a payment method
• How to trade bitcoin for other cryptocurrencies

Airbus Vahana pilotless air taxi prototype completes its first test flight

The race is on for the “Uber of the skies,” self-piloting air taxis that will quickly transport you from one spot to another with a simple app on your phone. A startup founded by aerospace giant Airbus has a project in development named Vahana, and it recently completed a test flight of its prototype flying car at an airport in Oregon.

Vahana is a Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) single-passenger design with wings and tail sections that rotate from vertical to horizontal as the aircraft lands and takes off. In a statement, the company announced that the electric plane had completed two successful test flights, rising to a height of 16 feet for a duration of 53 seconds.

The aircraft is 20 feet long and almost 19 feet wide, with a projected battery range of 62 miles. The VTOL design will allow is to take off and land in small areas like a parking lot or skyscraper roof. “In just under two years, Vahana took a concept sketch on a napkin and built a full-scale, self-piloted aircraft that has successfully completed its first flight,” said Zach Lovering of Vahana.

Although the prototype only hovered for about a minute, Vahana’s ambitious goal is to bring its autonomous flying car to market by 2020. Further tests will involve transitioning from vertical to forward flight. Officials from the FAA were also on hand to witness the test flights at the Pendleton Unmanned Aerial Systems Range.

Boeing, Airbus’ biggest rivals, recently acquired Aurora Flight Science, which has worked with Uber on the Elevate project. Uber is planning a flying taxi service in Dubai, Dallas, and even Los Angeles as soon as 2020.

California-based Joby Aviation, which just got a $100 million boost from Toyota, has its own electric flying taxi program in development as well. Surefly is a hybrid gas/electric prototype personal drone with a built-in ejector seat in case things go wrong. The Volocopter “super drone” has 18 rotors, but can only travel 17 miles.

Everyone wants to take to the skies, but with so many companies eyeing the potential for personal air travel, the friendly skies could get awful crowded very quickly.

Editors’ Recommendations

• DJI Mavic Air review
• Electric ‘flying taxi’ with ‘numerous propellers’ given boost by Toyota
• Uber wants flying taxis to soar above Los Angeles by 2020, with help from NASA
• Bell flying taxi shows what commuting above the traffic might one day look like
• Airbus hybrid-electric plane project gets a boost from Rolls-Royce

Best External Battery Packs for Google Pixel

Finding a battery pack that’s optimized to charge the Google Pixel isn’t as simple as you’d think.

Looking for a battery pack for your Google Pixel? Great! But before you do, you need to keep a lookout for a few things.

For starters, forget about Quick Charge 3.0. Qualcomm’s fast-charging technology doesn’t work over USB-C — instead, the Pixel uses USB-PD, a newish standard for charging devices via USB-C. That’s not to say that you can’t use a battery pack with Quick Charge technology; you just won’t get any use of the rapid charging features.

Ideally, you’re going to want to find battery packs that let you use USB-C to USB-C cables and make mention of USB-PD compatibility. Fortunately, there’s been a ton of great discussion on the topic which pointed us towards this great Google spreadsheet that’s color-coded with charging accessories you should buy and those which you should avoid.

We’ve broken down some of your best options below and have ordered them base on battery size!

• Anker PowerCore+ 26800 PD battery pack
• Nomad Powerpack 9,000 mAh backup battery
• ORICO 10,000 mAh portable battery
• Kanex GoPower 15,000 mAh portable battery
• Jackery Titan S 20,100 mAh battery pack
• RAVPower 26,800 mAh external battery

Anker PowerCore+ 26800 PD battery pack

Anker is one of the most trusted brands of external battery packs, and its PowerCore+ 26800 is an absolute beast. With 26,800mAh of battery capacity, you’ll be able to get multiple charges out of this battery pack. It comes with a 30W fast charging USB-C wall charger for topping up the battery pack, some charging cables, and a travel pouch.

Using Anker’s PowerIQ 2.0 technology, this stylish battery pack will intelligently charge your devices as fast as possible and is even capable of recharging bigger devices like laptops or a Nintendo Switch. This is a versatile battery pack that you’ll want to stow away in your bag whenever you travel or don’t think you’ll be near an outlet to charge your phone. But a premium product comes at a premium price, and the Anker PowerCore+ 26800 PD can be yours for $120 on Amazon.

See at Amazon

Nomad Powerpack 9,000mAh backup battery

At only 9,000mAh, the Nomad Powerpack is the smallest battery pack on this list, but it makes up for that shortcoming with its rugged casing and integrated Bluetooth tracking by Tile.

This battery pack features USB-C ports for input (charging the power pack) and output (charging your Pixel), along with a USB-A port for charging any other devices you may have kicking around. It’s definitely on the pricier side, but if you like the idea of keeping a battery pack in your bag, the fact that this one doubles as a Bluetooth tracker may be especially appealing to some.

This battery ships with a USB-A to USB-C cable, but if you want to get the fastest charge you’ll want to use a USB-C to USB-C cable like the one that came with the Pixel.

See at Amazon

ORICO 10,000mAh portable battery

ORICO’s battery pack features a USB-C port that appears to be USB-PD compatible, but you’ll once again need to supply your own USB-C-to-USB-C cable to get the most out of it.

This battery pack is made with a stylish aluminum alloy casing for an upscale and durable look. There are LED indicators that show you the remaining battery life and includes all the protection features you require, including voltage and current surges, over-charging, and more. Orico also offers an 18-month warranty on its battery packs, along with lifetime technical support. It’s also one of the cheaper options on this list at just $27.

See at Amazon

Jackery Titan S 20,100mAh battery pack

The Jackery Titan S is a beefy option for keeping your Pixel topped up. With a generous 20,100mAh battery capacity, this battery features a USB-C port that supports 5V/3A.

It also has a USB-A port that supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 for those devices, but it most importantly comes with a USB-C cable for charging your pixel.

This battery pack is Wirecutter’s top pick for USB-C-compatible portable batteries, so you can buy with confidence knowing this is a highly recommended battery pack. You can snag one of your own for just under $50.

See at Amazon

RAVPower 26,800mAh external battery

Last but certainly not least is the massive RAVPower 26,800mAh external battery, which is optimized for USB-PD devices such as the Pixel.

RAVPower claims you’ll be able to recharge this battery pack in a fraction of the usual time, just four to five hours compared to the standard 14 hours. For charging your Pixel, you’ll want to use the USB-C port along with the included USB-C cable, but you also have two standard USB-A ports for charging other devices, which include iSmart 2.0 technology which intelligently detects and adjusts the charging current to obtain the fastest charging for your device. Get yours for just $45 on Amazon!

See at Amazon

Got any battery packs you’ve tried and tested?

Have you tried any of the battery packs on our list? Got one that’s been working great for you? Let us know in the comments!

Update February 4, 2018: Added the Anker PowerCore+ to our list and removed options that are no longer available.

Google Pixel + Pixel XL

• Google Pixel and Pixel XL review
• Google Pixel XL review: A U.S. perspective
• Google Pixel FAQ: Should you upgrade?
• Pixel + Pixel XL specs
• Understanding Android 7.1 Nougat
• Join the discussion in the forums!

Google Store
Verizon

How to make a PlayStation Network wishlist

Creating a wishlist on PlayStation Network is easier than you think

A Wishlist is always good to have on all of your gaming consoles. This makes Christmas and birthday season so much more easier for your friends and family to know what to get you, especially if they know gaming is one of your favorite things to do. So gather up the information on games you’ve been wanting to try out, and get them all in one place to keep track of what you want!

How to add to your Wishlist

If you’re here, chances are you were on your PlayStation console wondering why you can’t find a “Add to Wishlist” option on a game you want. Well, that’s because PlayStation has only made that option available on a browser. Yes, this means you’ll need to create the list on your phone, computer or tablet. I know, it confuses me a little two but that’s okay. Thankfully a phone, at minimum, is at most of our disposals for us to create one.

Decide what games you want.
Hover your mouse over the game selection.
Press the heart that will appear.

If you want to read more about the game before adding it to your wishlist, that’s okay!

Click the game you want to look at.
Select the heart under the buy now option that appears on this screen.

Boom! The game has been added to your Wishlist! Now, browse through the PlayStation store and get click-happy!

Growing and viewing your Wishlist

After you’ve finished creating your Wishlist, click the heart icon right next to your username and it’ll show you all of your favored games!

If you want to view your friends’ Wishlists’ you can click the option in the tab to change the view to “View friends’ Wishlists’! If you can’t see any of your friends listed, they have set their privacy settings to hide it (or they just haven’t made one). All the more reason to tell them to go online and set one up!

Thoughts or Questions?

Where you able to make your own Wishlist from this how-to? What sorts of games have you added to your Wishlist? Tell us in the comments below!

PlayStation 4

• PS4 vs. PS4 Slim vs. PS4 Pro: Which should you buy?
• PlayStation VR Review
• Playing PS4 games through your phone is awesome

Amazon

After Math: The state of the ‘uniom’

It was a week of taking stock as the President meandered his way through the State of the Union address and a number of tech firms reviewed their Q4 earnings. Alphabet and Amazon both had something to crow about, while Apple and GoPro both posted less than stellar holiday sales. Numbers, because how else would we realized that, at this point, the rules are made up and the points don’t matter?

77.3 million: That’s how many iPhones Apple sold during the 2017 holiday season, down from 78.3 million a year ago. Sure, that’s only a 1.3 percent drop but its evidence that Apple’s stranglehold on the smartphone market might be slipping.

$1.8 billion: That’s how much GoPro earned in 2017, roughly the same as what it did the year before. However, the company did also post a net loss for the year of approximately $183 million and does not expect to return to profitability before the end of summer.

$1.9 billion: And that’s how much Amazon made — last quarter — in profit alone.

$32.3 billion: That’s Alphabet’s revenue total for Q4, an impressive sum given that only $4.7 billion of it came from what the company calls Google’s “other revenues” (ie what we spend on Google Play or YouTube Red). That’s a whole lot of ad dollars right there. Certainly explains how the company can afford to spend $1.1 billion on its HTC acquisition.

2 million miles: That’s how far Waymo’s fleet of self driving test vehicles travelled in 25 American cities in 2017, effectively doubling the total distance driven since testing began. Impressive numbers indeed. Especially given that the company reported only 63 disengagements (wherein the human operator had to step in) over the course of the 352,545 miles driven in California in 2017.

4 days: That’s how long it took Elon Musk’s Boring company to sell out all 20,000 units of its $500 promotional flamethrowers because screw it, just burn it all down.

Apple Music could overtake Spotify in the US this summer

Spotify’s lead in paid music streaming might not be as impregnable as it looks. The Wall Street Journal has obtained industry figures suggesting that Apple Music is growing faster than Spotify in the US, adding 5 percent to its base every month versus ‘just’ 2 percent for Spotify. If that rate continues, Apple could surpass its rival in the country during the summer. There are other numbers to suggest Apple is catching up, for that matter.

It won’t shock you to hear that Apple Music has “three to four times” more trial subscribers than Spotify, since that’s the only way to listen before you subscribe — there’s no parallel to Spotify’s free, ad-supported offering. Spotify’s lead is much smaller once you omit trials, however. And as the WSJ points out, those who fully intend to pay for Apple Music still have to go through the trial period like everyone else. The trials mask the true growth rates in that regard.

There’s no specific explanation for the faster growth rate, but it could easily stem from Apple’s dominance on its home turf. It not only has the largest slice of the American smartphone market (44.8 percent in November, according to Comscore), but a familiarity and marketing juggernaut that are difficult to match for a much smaller company like Spotify. When people are both more likely to buy iPhones and more likely to see ads for Apple Music, subscription rates are bound to go up. The abundance of exclusives certainly doesn’t hurt.

Spotify still has the lead in many respects, especially outside the US. It has 70 million paying customers versus Apple’s 36 million (just announced to the WSJ), but its total user base is believed to be much larger. It was 140 million as of June 2017, and that number has likely gone up. Spotify’s influence is also considerably stronger in other parts of the world, where Android holds a clear majority and the service itself has been around for longer (the UK has had Spotify since 2009, for example). Even so, it’s easy to imagine Spotify’s team feeling nervous if it ends up losing the lead in an important country.

Source: Wall Street Journal

KGI Expects Intel to Be Exclusive Supplier of Modems in 2018 iPhones

Intel could be the exclusive supplier of LTE modems for all new iPhones launched in 2018, according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

The key takeaway of the research note, obtained by MacRumors:

We expect Intel to be the exclusive supplier of baseband chip for 2H18 new iPhone models, while Qualcomm may not have a share of the orders at all.

Kuo previously expected Intel to supply 70 percent of the modems, with Qualcomm providing the remaining 30 percent of orders, but he now believes Intel will be the sole supplier given several competitive advantages.

First and foremost, Intel’s latest XMM 7560 modem [PDF] supports both GSM and CDMA, meaning that Apple could release a single iPhone model that works across AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint. Intel modems previously lacked CDMA, meaning Apple could never fully ditch Qualcomm for all iPhone models.

Apple is also embroiled in a major lawsuit with Qualcomm over anticompetitive licensing practices, and Kuo believes the iPhone maker switching to Intel as its exclusive modem supplier will place added pressure on Qualcomm.

Kuo added that it’s too early to tell if Intel will be able to maintain its position of exclusivity in the future, as Apple typically prefers to diversify its supply chain. He adds that Apple may give orders to Qualcomm again in exchange for concessions in the ongoing lawsuit between the two companies.

In order to make up for the lost iPhone business, Kuo expects Qualcomm will be more aggressive in securing orders from Chinese smartphone makers. However, he believes these Chinese companies don’t want a monopolized market, so Qualcomm’s ability to gain market share in the country may be limited.

Kuo also reiterated that LTE transmission speeds will increase significantly in new iPhone models released in the second half of 2018.

In a previous research note from November, Kuo highlighted that Intel’s XMM 7560 modem supports 4×4 MIMO technology, compared to only 2×2 MIMO in the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X. The faster LTE speeds will also be made possible by an upgraded antenna design in the next iPhones.

Related Roundup: 2018 iPhonesTags: Intel, KGI Securities, Ming-Chi Kuo, Qualcomm
Discuss this article in our forums

Apple Music Now Has 36 Million Subscribers, Could Eclipse Spotify in United States This Year

Apple Music now has 36 million paying subscribers around the world, an increase from well over 30 million reported last September.

Apple confirmed the updated total to The Wall Street Journal, which today reported that Apple Music is growing at a faster pace than Spotify in the United States, and could soon eclipse the service in popularity in the country.

Apple’s subscriber-account base in the U.S. has been growing about 5% monthly, versus Spotify’s 2% clip, according to the people familiar with the numbers. Assuming those growth rates continue, Apple will overtake Spotify in accounts this summer.

On a worldwide scale, Spotify maintains a sizeable lead over Apple Music. The streaming music service revealed that it has 70 million paying subscribers a month ago, making it nearly twice as large as Apple Music. Spotify also has a free, ad-supported tier, giving it over 140 million listeners overall around the world.

Spotify expanded to the United States in 2011, while Apple Music simultaneously launched in over 100 countries in 2015. In terms of paid subscriptions, both services offer individual plans for $9.99 per month, student plans for $4.99 per month, and family plans sharable with up to six people for $14.99 per month.

Tags: Spotify, Apple Music
Discuss this article in our forums

How to sideload an APK or install an Android app from outside the Play Store

You may have heard about sideloading and APK files before. All it really means is installing an app from outside the Google Play Store, or, in the case of an Amazon device like a Fire tablet, installing an app from outside of the Amazon Appstore.

Sideloading is bypassing the usual app store and APK stands for Android Package Kit, which is the file format used by the Android operating system for distribution and installation of mobile apps.

There are various reasons you might want to sideload an APK. Perhaps there is an app or version of an app that you can’t get from the Google Play Store, maybe you want to try out an alternative Android app store, or perhaps you’re seeking access to Google’s goodies on an Amazon device. Luckily, it’s relatively easy to do, but before we explain how, here is a quick word on security.

Stay secure

Whether you believe Android is insecure or not, it’s still wise to take precautions and be careful. The Google Play Store has several security measures in place and apps are scanned to try and prevent malware from spreading. That may not be the case with an alternative app store or with a website or forum hosting an APK file.

Consider installing one of the best Android security apps to reduce your risk of malware and be wary of the source of your APK.

How to allow installation from “Unknown sources”

By default, your Android device won’t allow the installation of apps from outside of the legitimate App Store, whether that’s the Google Play Store or the Amazon Appstore. The steps for removing this protection are slightly different on different devices, but here are a few examples:

On most Android phones, you should pull down the notification shade and tap the gear icon to enter Settings, then find Security and scroll down to Unknown sources. Tap to toggle on Allow installation of apps from sources other than Google Play Store and tap OK in the box that pops up.

On a Samsung Galaxy go to Settings > Lock screen and security > Unknown sources to Allow installation of apps from sources other than Google Play Store and tap OK in the box that pops up.

On an Amazon Fire tablet go to Settings > Security and toggle on Apps from Unknown Sources to Allow installation of applications that are not from Appstore and tap OK in the pop-up box.

On an LG phone go to Settings > General > Fingerprints & security and toggle on Unknown sources to Allow installation of apps from sources other than Google Play Store and tap Allow in the box that pops up.

How to get APK file onto your phone

The easiest way to get the APK onto your phone is to navigate to the trusted source on your phone and download it directly. Most Android phones have a built-in files organizer now, and by default, the APK file will go into the Downloads folder.

On a Samsung Galaxy, you will see an app called My Files in the app drawer. On an LG phone, there should be an app called File Manager. On a Lenovo Moto phone, you should see an icon for Downloads in the app drawer.

If you can’t find a files or downloads option on your device, then install a free file manager app — we recommend ES File Explorer File Manager.

How to install an APK

Once you have found the APK file all you need do is tap on it to trigger the install screen. Review the permissions and tap Install if you want to go ahead with it.

Tidying up

When the app is installed, we recommend going back to the settings on your phone and toggling Unknown sources back off again. You may also want to navigate back to the APK file and delete it to keep things nice and tidy.

Editors’ Recommendations

• How to root Android phones or tablets (and unroot them) in 2018
• Stop those unwanted phone calls and learn how to block a number in Android
• Everything you need to know about Android 8.0 Oreo
• Learn how to play YouTube in the background on iOS and Android
• The 100 best Android apps turn your phone into a jack-of-all-trades

From the Editor’s Desk: Galaxy S9 Minus

If the latest rumors are to be believed, buyers of the smaller Galaxy S9 are in for a boring upgrade cycle.

Ever since the introduction of the Galaxy S6 edge, we’ve been slowly drifting towards the larger of the two Samsung Galaxy S phones being the real flagship in any given year — with bigger batteries, flashier designs and, naturally, even higher price tags. If you wanted the best of Samsung in a smartphone, you’d go for the “edge” or “Plus” model. In part, this is a result of the growing preference towards larger screens in phones. And engineering limitations also play a role — there’s just less room to fit stuff into a small phone compared to a “phablet” style device.

At the very least, though, the base model Galaxy S gave you the full experience — including key specs and hardware features. Until now.

The latest Galaxy S9 rumors and leaks point to a couple of high-profile compromises in the smaller model: One camera, not two. A third less RAM compared to the Plus. In the single main camera of the S9, the biggest change from the S8 appears to be the aperture — a change most likely focused on portrait mode. All of which could add up to owners of the regular S9 being offered a rather tepid upgrade package, even coming from the two-year-old Galaxy S7.

The regular Galaxy S9 looks weaker still compared to the S9 Plus, with its twin cameras and 6GB of RAM. Some of that, surely, will come down to the challenges of fitting all this stuff into a 5.8-inch, 18.5:9 smartphone body. More space for cameras equals less space for battery, and Samsung is already toeing the line with the smaller S9 by keeping the same capacity cell as last year’s S8. But it’s hard to read the reduction in RAM as anything other than a cost-cutting measure, with the effect of making the smaller model appear less premium by comparison.

Samsung isn’t the only smartphone manufacturer struggling with the challenges of fitting all the technology consumers expect into a smaller form factor — case in point: iPhone 8 versus 8 Plus, and Pixel 2 versus Pixel 2 XL. Nevertheless, for consumers, it might seem their choice this year is between a Galaxy S9 Plus and a Galaxy S9 Minus.

Some other notables this weekend:

• I agree with Jerry here that many of us are a little too willing to jump to conclusions about OnePlus, in the wake of recent security and privacy missteps. On the one hand, OnePlus desperately needs to avoid any future screwups if it’s to establish itself as a reliable, grown-up, trustworthy smartphone manufacturer. On the other hand, folks need to stop assuming the worst every unexpected app that shows up in an over-the-air update.
• Trust will be key to the messaging around a possible OnePlus 6 later this year. Show me why should I trust you with my money and my personal data after the past year of blunders? (With that in mind, an additional problem for OnePlus is the sheer number of very public f*ck-ups they’ve managed over the past four years. We’ve heard “trust us, we’ll get it right this time” many times before.)
• I already have thoughts on the Galaxy Note 9. If you haven’t already, check out this video on how Samsung might be able to differentiate the Note line when it also has to indirectly compete with a plus-model Galaxy S phone.
• And it’ll be interesting to see if Project Treble helps with the next round of Samsung updates. We’re looking at late February, at best, for the S8 and S8+ getting Oreo — a version Samsung had access to well ahead of the public code drop in August. This is not easy work, not least when you have Gear VR and DeX support to figure out. But when your update schedule is being outpaced by Huawei, Honor, OnePlus, LG, HTC, Sony and many others, perhaps it’s time for a rethink.
• We now know that the Huawei P20 will land a full month after the Galaxy S9, at a standalone event in Paris on March 27. (We’ll be there, of course.) With rumors of a bezelless, notched display in at least one model, as well as triple cameras building on the already solid foundations of the Mate 10, it already sounds like a fascinating addition to Huawei’s lineup.
• Unfortunately for the Chinese firm, this news around Verizon and the Mate 10 Pro essentially sinks any chance of Huawei getting a major American carrier deal (Verizon and AT&T are out, and T-Mobile was embroiled in legal disputes with Huawei recently, so that leaves only Sprint.) Unless they can pull off a miracle through direct sales at Best Buy and other retailers, there’s basically zero chance of the brand making it big in the U.S. for the foreseeable future.

That’s it for now. I’ll be back with more thoughts right around MWC time.

-Alex