Foxconn buys Linksys owner Belkin to join the smart home battle

While we’ve focused on efforts of giants like Google, Apple and Amazon to dominate “smart home” devices, manufacturing giant Foxconn is making its entry by acquiring Belkin International to create a “global consumer electronics leader.” Besides the accessories you probably associate with Belkin, it also owns other brands like WeMo, Phyn and, most notably, Linksys, which it acquired from Cisco in 2013.

Every one of these internet-connected devices will need to plug into the router at some point, so it’s easy to see why Foxconn would want to start there. The $866 million purchase is, however, subject to approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. After Broadcomm was forced to give up its attempted Qualcomm acquisition, it’s impossible to be certain if this deal will go through.

Source: Belkin

Foxconn Acquires Popular Accessory Maker Belkin Along With Linksys and Wemo

Foxconn is best known as an Apple supplier that assembles Apple’s devices and supplies components to the Cupertino-based company, but as of today, it’s taking over a major Apple accessory maker.

Foxconn Interconnect Technology (FIT), a Foxconn subsidiary, today announced that it has acquired Belkin International in a deal that’s worth $866 million. The acquisition includes the Belkin brand along with Linksys, Wemo, and Phyn, other companies owned by Belkin.

One of Belkin’s recently introduced wireless charging accessories
The acquisition will allow Foxconn Interconnect Technology to “further tap into premium accessories and the smart home market.” The deal is also expected to expand Belkin’s presence both in the United States and “key markets globally.”

“FIT is excited to acquire Belkin and its capabilities in the premium consumer products space,” said Sidney Lu, CEO, FIT. “Integrating Belkin’s best-in-class capabilities and solutions into FIT, we expect to enrich our portfolio of premium consumer products and accelerate our penetration into the smart home.”

“This move will accelerate our vision of delivering technology that makes the lives of people around the world better, more convenient and more fulfilling. I am thrilled to take our brand portfolio of Belkin, Linksys, Wemo and Phyn to new heights,” said Chet Pipkin, CEO and founder, Belkin International. “We see significant synergies with FIT, including leveraging its world-class manufacturing capability to enhance Belkin’s operating efficiency and competitiveness. The transaction also grants us access to more resources to invest in our people and to aggressively pursue opportunities in the marketplace.”

Under the Belkin brand, Belkin offers a wide range of iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch cases, cables, adapters, wireless chargers, and more, while the Wemo brand offers HomeKit-compatible home automation devices. Through Linksys, Belkin sells wireless routers and similar accessories, and the Phyn brand offers a smart water assistant for monitoring for leaks.

All of the Belkin-owned brands will continue to operate as subsidiaries under Foxconn Interconnect Technology.

Tags: Belkin, Foxconn
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New storyline gives lapsed ‘Pokémon Go’ players a reason to reinstall

The Pokémon Go craze has definitely fizzled out over the last year or so, with several key promised features still not released yet, but lapsed trainers now have a reason to reinstall the game again. This week, new “field research” quests add narrative to what has largely been a player-driven multiplayer experience thus far.

“A series of mysterious happenings is occurring all over the world, and Professor Willow is seeking trainers to help him found out if this is connected to the mythical Pokémon Mew,” Niantic said in an update post. “These research tasks will become available to trailers around the world later this week!”

There will be two different categories of research during the event: “Field research” and “special research.” The former type can be triggered by visiting Pokéstops, and will task trainers with completing raids or gym battles or catching a certain type of Pokémon. Special research missions are longer, with trainers having to complete several tasks in a row after being given the mission directly by Professor Willow.

As a reward for completing your field research tasks, you’ll be given stamps, and after collecting seven of them, you’ll take part in a “research breakthrough.” These offer stardust as well as mystery items and the appearance of new Pokémon, including legendary monsters. You’re only able to earn one stamp per day, so the breakthroughs will be weekly if you play every day.

Earlier this month, the legendary Pokémon Lugia returned to Pokémon Go, with trainers able to challenge her in raid battles until April 2. The creature first appeared in Pokémon Silver for the Game Boy Color, and is both psychic-type and flying-type. In February, Kyogre, Groudon, and Rayquaza were all available in raid battles. The monsters were first seen in the third-generation games — Kyogre was the mascot of Sapphire, while Groudon was the mascot of Ruby and Rayquaza was the mascot of Emerald.

But Pokémon Go still hasn’t added the ability to trade monsters with other trainers, nor can you directly battle each other. Given that Niantic is also developing a similar AR game based on Harry Potter, we hope the studio doesn’t forget about the promises it made to Pokémon fans.

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The very first Chrome OS tablet makes its debut as the Acer Chromebook Tab 10

Although we knew the device was on the way, Acer officially revealed its Chrome OS-based tablet on Monday, March 26, labeled as the Chromebook Tab 10. It’s the first tablet-class device built for the education sector to run Google’s cloud-heavy operating system. But it also supports Google Play along with its associated apps and will eventually support the Google Expeditions augmented reality platform for “immersive learning experiences.” 

First, here are the hardware specifications: 

Screen size: 

9.7 inches 

Screen type: 

In-plane switching 

Screen resolution: 

2,048 x 1,536 (264ppi) 

Processor: 

RockChip RK3399 (OP1) 

Graphics: 

Mali-T860MP4 

Memory: 

4GB LPDDR3 

Storage: 

32GB 

Connectivity: 

Wireless Ac (2×2)
Bluetooth 4.1 

Ports: 

1x USB-C 3.1 Gen1
1x Micro SD card reader
1x headphone/microphone jack 

Camera: 

5MB front
8MP back 

Audio: 

2x speakers 

Dimensions: 

6.78 x 9.38 (D) x 0.39 (H) inches 

Weight: 

1.21 pounds 

Battery: 

34Wh – up to 9 hours 

Color: 

Cobalt Blue 

Included peripheral: 

Wacom EMR stylus 

Price: 

$329 

Availability: 

April 2018 

 We filled in the chart’s processor and graphics aspects. The company doesn’t specifically name the Rockchip processor but previous leaks pointed to the chip, and Acer’s own press release describes the RK3399 perfectly: Two “big” Cortex-A72 cores, and four “little” Cortex-A53 cores. The smaller cores are meant for normal tasks while the tablet shifts to the two larger cores when it needs a processing boost, such as playing games. 

Everything else we see in Acer’s official announcement is spot on: Two cameras, a QXGA resolution, the included Wacom EMR stylus, and the 9.7-inch screen. The EMR aspect means the stylus is based on electro-magnetic resonance, meaning the pen can function without batteries or cords. How? Wacom says the technology is like magic. 

“First, there is the power mode, which is where the sensor creates a magnetic field and sends out a frequency that is picked up by the pen,” Wacom said. “This transfers energy into the pen wirelessly, like how a tuning fork makes a piano wire move without touching it.” 

The benefit of Google’s Chrome OS platform is that it relies on cloud-based apps. There is nothing to download and install, providing a highly secure environment for students that requires very little storage. But with the introduction of Google Play means students can download and install their favorite Android apps (if allowed), requiring a bit more storage. Acer throws in a Micro SD card slot, too, if 32GB just isn’t enough. 

“The slim size and portable design enables the Acer Chromebook Tab 10 to be moved around the classroom and taken to even more places for continuous learning,” Acer said. “This means a wider range of students, including younger ones with smaller hands, can handle the device.” 

For institutions, the benefits of a Chrome OS tablet are plenty. Using the Chrome Education license, IT administrators can update the unit, enable restrictions, and so on like they would with any other Chrome OS device. Meanwhile, the platform supports multiple users, thus the tablet can be used in multiple classes and by any number of students.

Acer’s Chrome OS tablet arrives in North America in April for education and commercial customers at $329. 

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Cell phones in Amazon trees alert rangers to illegal logging, record wildlife

It’s been just over a year since we introduced you to an ingenious application which makes use of solar-powered cell phones placed high in jungle canopies to help park rangers — and regular citizens — join the fight in saving Amazonian rainforests. Dubbed the Rainforest Connection, the app uses phones hidden in trees throughout the jungle to detect sounds associated with illegal logging.

When the phones pick up these sounds, they alert local park rangers who have the app installed on their own smartphones, giving them the ability to react accordingly. The project, begun in 2014, has now grown up quite a bit, and is now applying machine learning in order to further improve its capabilities.

The app is the brainchild of Topher White, a renowned physicist and engineer who became involved in rainforest conservation in 2012 after volunteering in Borneo with a gibbon protection program. At its conception, Rainforest Connection only listened for certain harmonics, but with the introduction of machine learning, its capabilities have grown enormously.

“Now we’re talking about detecting species, gunshots, voices, things that are more subtle,” he told TechCrunch in an interview. “And these models can improve over time. We can go back into years of recordings to figure out what patterns we can pull out of this. We’re turning this into a big data problem.”

The new machine learning capabilities are a result of White’s work with Google’s TensorFlow platform, and are especially adept at identifying patterns that might otherwise go undetected. As an example, White said, “We should be able to detect animals that don’t make sounds. Jaguars might not always be vocalizing, but the animals around them are, birds and things.” Listening stations can be situated up to 15 miles away from a cell tower.

Rainforest Connection could revolutionize conservancy efforts across the world. While White was in Borneo, he discovered that local conservationists spent nearly half their budget trying to fight off illegal loggers. The problem was that most of their vigilance relied on satellites to detect illegal activities, and by the time park rangers arrived, it was entirely too late.

“If you pick it up on a satellite, not only is the damage already done but at that point, the stakes are so much higher,” White told Digital Trends. “The trees have been cut and they’ve carried out trucks full of logs.”

This means the logging operation invested time and money into its work and feels inclined to fight to keep what they have. On the ranger’s side, a crime’s now been committed, and there’s a greater drive to prosecute or seek other means of affecting consequences. What this leads to are standoffs and other undesirable scenarios.

According to White, somewhere between 50 and 90 percent of all logging performed worldwide is illegal

“If you can actually stop them on their way in by detecting a vehicle or detecting a chainsaw before a lot of damage has been done, the stakes are so much lower for both sides that you can actually talk it down,” White said. “In central Africa and throughout Latin America, both sides are pretty well-armed. The quickness of the alerts and the quickness of the reaction is super important for that same reason which is that you don’t want the stakes to be high. You want it to be much simpler to just turn the truck around and leave than to actually have a showdown.”

According to White, somewhere between 50 and 90 percent of all logging performed worldwide is illegal. That said, recent research found that if rangers show up and stop poachers once or twice, they tend to leave — until the next logging season, at least. In that way, the app remains highly effective at reducing clandestine operations. The units which go up in the trees, called guardian phones, are recycled cells which are typically five to six years old — however, they’re still “powerful machines,” according to White.

Powered by the sun and operating 24 hours a day, the units record all sounds in the forest. Once recorded, the phones process each sound, crunch the data, send it to the cloud, and then analyze it in real time. White outfit the analytics to detect chainsaws, logging trucks, vehicles, gunshots, certain species of animal, and other relevant noises. The RFCx app received a huge boost when outdoor sports giant Mountain Hardware took it under its wing as part of the sports company’s Impact Initiative, which supports various eco-campaigns.

Along with deterring illegal logging, the app also offers a platform for ecologists to study wildlife. Soon, they will be able to access up to 18 months of data across hundreds of locations.

“If you’re a scientist who wants to study a certain bird in the Amazon, in the past you used to have to get a grant and organize it and go down there for a few months and record (everything),” White added. “There’s so much we can discover about the forest without needing people to actually go there.”

“There’s so much we can discover about the forest without needing people to actually go there.”

Furthermore, anyone has the ability to use the app to listen to the sounds of the rainforest in real time and get alerts about what’s happening. Users simply open the app on a smart device to hear live birds, insects, monkeys, and other natural sounds from wherever they are in the world. This, in itself, adds momentum to conservation efforts, White pointed out, by getting average citizens interested in what’s going on. Being able to listen to those sounds and viscerally connecting with the forest increases people’s sense of personal investment. Lots of citizens would like to get involved, he said, but don’t know how. The app lowers the bar for what it takes to get involved.

“The bar is downloading an app onto your phone,” he acknowledged. “That’s all you have to do. You don’t necessarily have to pay anything, and we’ll send you alerts when something happens and you can learn about the forest that way. That’s all it takes for you to actually make a difference.”

According to White, in the context of a rainforest, audio is actually preferable to video feeds.

“It’s experiential and imaginative in a certain way,” he said. “Video is kind of what we’re used to, but the truth is that video in a rainforest isn’t nearly as interesting as audio. You’re just going to see a bunch of leaves in front of you unless the camera picks up some leopard, which is pretty rare. But [with audio] you can hear all sorts of animals that are out there. You don’t even know what most of them are — we don’t know what most of them are. It sounds like a Star Wars laser battle.”

White is now looking for ways to involve other people in his project. The developer has already partnered with Google to kick off a pilot program that allows kids to build their own phone kits.

“We’ve already done three schools and I think a couple hundred students, plus three more in about half an hour,” he told TechCrunch, “And all these devices will be deployed in the Amazon over the next three weeks. On Earth Day they’ll be able to see them, and download the app to stream the sounds. It’s to show these kids that what they do can have an immediate effect.”

He concluded, “An important part is making it inclusive, proving these things can be built by anyone in the world, and showing how anyone can access the data and do something cool with it. You don’t need to be a data scientist to do it.”

Updated on March 26: Added information about Rainforest Connection’s new machine learning capabilities. 

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10 annoying iPad Pro problems, and what to do about them

The iPad Pro’s 12.9-inch display, split-screen support, and 10-hour battery life are tempting millions into buying Apple’s biggest tablet ever. It’s an attractive device for productivity and creativity, but it’s not flawless. If you’ve recently splurged on one, then you have every right to expect it to work perfectly. Unfortunately, for some people it has been behaving unprofessionally. These are the most common iPad Pro problems currently being reported online, with advice on how you should work around them, or, if possible, fix them.

If you want to get more from your tablet, then check out 7 must-have iPad Pro accessories.

Problems with restarts, Wi-Fi, screen freezing, and more

Problem: iPad Pro shuts down or restarts by itself

We’ve seen quite a few threads in the Apple support forums about the iPad Pro shutting down by itself or randomly restarting for no apparent reason.

Potential solutions:

• Hold down the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons together for at least 10 seconds, or until you see the Apple logo. This may at least temporarily fix the issue.
• If you notice that crashes occur when you are using a specific app or playing a specific game, then try uninstalling it and test to see if the problem is gone.
• Back up your data, then try a factory reset. Restore your backup when it’s done and test to see if the problem returns. If it does, then you might consider a factory reset followed by setting up the iPad Pro as a new device, instead of restoring the backup. It’s possible that one of the apps you’ve installed or something in your settings is causing the crashes, so setting up as new could help. Just be vigilant when you do start reinstalling apps for anything that seems to introduce a problem.
• If the problem persists after you’ve factory reset and set up the device as new, then you need to contact Apple.

Issue: Echo in Skype calls and other video calls

A lot of people have found that callers on the other end of video calls when using the iPad Pro are hearing an echo. It doesn’t happen with FaceTime, but it does happen with a number of third-party apps such as Skype and Facebook Messenger. This problem has been reported several times on the Apple support forums and on Microsoft’s forum.

Workaround:

• If you have a headset or earphones with a microphone, you can plug them in and the echo will be gone.

Potential solution:

• This looks to be a software issue. The fact that FaceTime doesn’t suffer from the problem suggests that the developers of other video calls apps may be able to update their software to fix it. It may be worth uninstalling the app you’re having a problem with, turning off your iPad Pro, turning it back on, and then reinstalling the app.
• Take a look in Settings > General > Software Update to make sure your iPad Pro has the latest software from Apple.
• If the problem persists then contact the developer of the app you’re having problems with and report it. You should also report it to Apple.

Problem: Can’t connect to Wi-Fi

A few people are having trouble getting the iPad Pro to connect to a Wi-Fi network, while others are experiencing poor internet connectivity and interference. This is a very common issue for all sorts of devices, and it’s usually fairly easy to fix. Here’s what to try:

Potential solutions:

• Turn your router and your iPad Pro off and on again. Hold down the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons together for around 10 seconds and you should see the Apple logo as the device reboots. It’s also worth restarting the router if you can.
• Try resetting all your network settings by going to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. You’ll have to input your passwords again.
• If your router has MAC filtering turned on, then you may need to turn it off. It is possible to add your iPad’s MAC address, but due to Apple’s MAC randomization, there’s a good chance it’s going to change and refuse to connect the next time you try. The simplest solution is just to turn MAC filtering off altogether.
• It’s possible that your DNS settings are the problem. You can change them in Settings > Wi-Fi by tapping the “i” icon next to your network and scrolling down to DNS. Tap on the numbers and change them to “8.8.8.8” or “8.8.8.4” if you want to use Google’s servers, or you could use OpenDNS, which is “208.67.222.222” or “208.67.222.220”.
• If you’re using a VPN service, make sure you have the latest updates.
• Make sure that your router firmware is fully updated. You may need to check with your ISP or the router manufacturer.
• If you believe you’re experiencing interference, considering moving your router to a new location. A wall (or several walls) would be causing interference between your iPad and the router.

Issue: Screen freezing during use

Some people have found that the iPad Pro keeps freezing while in use, with people stating it can freeze during startup or when using apps. The screen will freeze and can remain unresponsive for a number of seconds. It may resume as normal, or stay frozen indefinitely.

Workaround:

• Try double clicking the Home button to bring up the app switcher screen and swipe to close the app you were using when the screen froze. This seems to temporarily fix the problem for some people, but others report that the touchscreen is still unresponsive when they exit the app switcher screen.
• Hold down the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons together for at least 10 seconds, or until you see the Apple logo. Your iPad Pro should work again now, but the problem might crop up again.

Potential fixes:

• You can try resetting all of the device’s settings by going to Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings.
• You should try restoring your iPad Pro to factory settings via iTunes. Back up any precious files first, then plug your iPad Pro into your computer using the cable that came with it. Launch iTunes and choose your iPad Pro, then click on Summary and Restore. Click Restore again to confirm. Keep in mind that restoring from a backup may reintroduce the problem, though, you could try testing for a while without restoring a backup to see if the issue is resolved.
• If the problem persists, even after a restore with a fresh set up and without restoring a backup, then it’s time to contact Apple or take your iPad Pro into the nearest Apple Store and ask about a replacement.

Problem: Battery life is poor

There is a whopping 10,307 mAh battery in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and a 7,306 mAh battery in the smaller 9.7-inch iPad Pro. Both should keep you going for ten hours at a time, but not everyone is finding the battery life to be as advertised, with some noticing a drain while the device is plugged in and charging. If you find that the battery is draining much faster than expected, especially if it’s draining quickly while in standby, you may have a problem.

Workarounds:

• With a 12.9-inch screen to power, brightness will have a big impact on the iPad Pro’s battery. Go to Settings > Display & Brightness and turn the brightness down. Set a comfortable level and then enable Auto-Brightness to cater for different background lighting situations.
• If you have a lot of apps refreshing content in the background it can really drain your battery. Apple forums user sfaikes pointed to the Microsoft OneNote app as the cause for their own battery drain issues. Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and toggle off any apps you don’t need updating themselves. They’ll still refresh when you open them.
• You’ll find some more relevant suggestions in our iPhone battery tips roundup.

Potential solutions:

• It’s always worth trying a simple restart. Hold down the Sleep/Wake button and swipe slide to power off, then turn it on again. You could also hold down the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons together, until you see the Apple logo, to force a reboot.
• If the drain only occurs when it’s charged, consider leaving the iPad Pro to charge completely before using it again. Heavy use of the iPad while it’s charging could be using more power than it can replenish.
• Go to Settings > Battery and look under Battery Usage. If there’s a problem app, make sure that it’s fully updated. If that doesn’t help, you may want to try uninstalling it and see if you can find a replacement.
• A factory reset could solve your problem. Back up everything on your iPad and go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings to try it. Try testing the battery life before you restore a backup.
• If battery life is still bad after a factory reset, then it’s time to contact Apple.

Safeguard your Sony smartphone with the best Xperia XZ2 cases

We’re delighted that Sony has toned its angular design language down, slimming the bezels on the Xperia XZ2 and introducing a curved glass back that’s comfortable to hold. The redesign was long overdue, but while it’s a much better look, it’s not a durable design. Two sheets of glass with a metal frame in between is not going to react well when it meets the sidewalk or the keys in your pocket, even if it is tough Gorilla Glass 5.

If you want your shiny new Sony smartphone to stay that way, then you need to shop for the best Xperia XZ2 cases and covers.

Sony Style Cover Stand ($47)

This sleek folio cover from Sony is the perfect fit for your new Xperia XZ2. A minimal shell includes corner coverings to help guard against drop damage, the cover provides protection from every angle, and it also folds back to act as a landscape stand. There’s easy access for the fingerprint sensor, camera, buttons, and ports. You’ll also find that your Xperia XZ2’s display lights up automatically when you open the cover and off again when you close it. This case comes in gray, green, black, or pink.

Buy one now from:

Mobile Fun

Kugi TPU Gel Case ($6)

If you want to add a layer of protection without hiding those shiny curves, then this clear gel case might be a good bet. Made from flexible, TPU it’s an easy fit and features slim button covers, accurate cutouts, and a raised lip around the screen. It’s a simple, durable case that should deflect damage from bumps or minor falls, but we wouldn’t expect strong drop protection.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Roxfit Slim Standing Book Case ($23.50)

Fans of folio-style wallet cases who find Sony’s offering a tad too expensive might want to consider this instead. There’s a slim, minimal shell inside to hold the Xperia XZ2 securely and it’s wrapped in a polyurethane cover. A good range of perfectly placed cutouts offers unfettered access to the fingerprint sensor and camera on the back, buttons on the side, and the speaker on the front. The cover has a slot for one credit card or ID card and it can be folded back to act as a landscape stand. As a licensed “Made for Xperia” product, you can rest assured the fit and quality are good.

Buy one now from:

Mobile Fun

Olixar Flexishield Gel Case ($7.50)

This is a really slim, basic gel case that should enhance grip and ward off scratches and minor bumps. There’s a slight lip around the screen, thin button covers, and accurate cutouts that won’t interfere with the camera, fingerprint sensor, or ports. If you need solid drop protection, then you should keep looking, but if you just want a basic protective skin, then this is a reasonably priced option. It comes in this slightly translucent blue, a more matte black, and a clear finish.

Buy one now from:

Mobile Fun

TopAce Carbon Fiber TPU Case ($7)

If your budget is limited, then a basic TPU case is usually a good option. This flexible case will enhance your grip and provide some drop protection. It boasts thin button covers, a protective lip around the screen, and openings for easy access to everything. The mock brushed metal finish features carbon fiber-style panels top and bottom to give it a stylish look that belies the modest price tag. It comes in black, blue, red, or gray (pictured).

Buy one now from:

Amazon

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• Sony Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact hands-on review

Everything you need to know about how to use Instagram

Table of Contents

Getting started

— Create an account
— Add a profile picture
— Add a bio
— Post a photo
— Crop a photo
— Add a filter
— Tag people in a photo
— Mention another user
— Connect social media
— Like, comment and send
— Post multiple photos
— Make your account private
— Embed photos on the web

Everything else

— Remove a tagged photo
— Send a direct message
— Use popular hashtags
— Use Instagram on the web
— Get featured by Instagram
— Add a border to photos
— Share a gif
— Manage multiple accounts
— Instagram’s other apps
— Discover other accounts
— Never miss a new post
— Use Instagram Stories
— Use Instagram Live

Instagram may need no introduction, but for the unfamiliar, it is a free social networking app that lets users capture and share photos and videos. Created by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger back in October 2010, Instagram quickly gained popularity, attracting more than 100 million active users by the time it was acquired by Facebook less than two years later for a cool $1 billion. Instagram has since swelled to more than 400 million users, making Instagram one of the top social networks.

To remain popular, the company continuously introduces new features — but this can also make its growing list of capabilities difficult to keep track of. Whether you’ve been addicted to Instagram for years now, or you’re brand new to the photo-sharing behemoth, these tips and tricks will help you master it.

Getting Started

Creating your Instagram profile

Already have an account? Go ahead and skip this section. Otherwise, let’s start with the basics. To register for an Instagram account, simply open the app, tap Sign Up, and either sign in with your Facebook account or provide an email address and password. You’ll also need to come up with a unique username, or handle. This can be as simple as your actual name, or something more creative. If you’re joining instagram for professional purposes, it’s a good idea to use a handle that relates to what you do or to the theme of your account.

Add a profile picture

You can easily add a profile photo to the Instagram app from your mobile device. Go to your profile by tapping on your profile picture in the lower right, tap the blank circle by your name (this is where your profile photo will go), and either take a new picture or import one  from your phone, Facebook, or Twitter.

Tell the world more about yourself (or not)

In the Edit Profile menu, you can determine how you want your name displayed (real or pseudonym), change your Instagram handle, link to an external website (just one is allowed), and add a bio. You can also list private information like your phone number and gender, although these aren’t shown to the public. The nice thing is that Instagram does not require you to fill any of these fields, nor do you have to provide your full name if you don’t want to.

Find people to follow

By now, a lot of your friends are probably already using Instagram, so you can go to your profile tab and select Find Friends in the Options setting (the gear icon in the upper-right). Here, you can search for friends that have connected their Facebook and Twitter accounts to Instagram. You can also search by name, username, or tag. You can also follow celebrities or people whose photos you admire. Following interesting people is a great way to get inspired, and it helps Instagram’s algorithms learn what you like and suggest photos and videos in the Discovery tab.

Post your first photo or video

To post your first photo or video, simply tap on the camera icon in the middle of the bottom menu of the app. You can then either snap a photo, record a video, or choose one from your phone gallery. Once you choose the photo you want, hit Next. From there, you’ll be able to apply a filter or even edit the look of the photo manually. The app lets you crop, change exposure, boost the saturation, increase sharpness, add a vignette, and much more.

Hit Next again and you’ll be prompted to add a caption, tags (of other Instagram users), location, and any other social network (Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Flickr, or Swarm) where you would like to post a link to the Instagram post. When you’re ready to post, hit Share.

Sharing a video works much the same way, but you can also select the clip length (up to a minute) or compose a montage from multiple videos. You can also turn the sound off if you’re not fond of the background noise in your video.

How to perfect your Instagram photo

Instagram offers a good selection of filters and editing tools to make your photos stand out and take them to the next level, or even rescue bad ones from the trash. If you’re feeling like going even more in depth, there are also plenty of photo-editing apps like VSCO, Filmborn, Snapseed, Aviary, and Adobe’s Photoshop Express and Spark Post (iOS versions linked, but you can also find them in the Google Play store). VSCO is particularly well known for its film-like presets, whereas something like Spark Post lets you make collages, add text and graphics, and more.

Thinking outside the square

For years, Instagram only let you upload square photos. In August 2015, it finally lifted this restriction, much to the relief of photographers everywhere. Square is still the default, but you can now also upload in landscape and portrait orientations, although there are still some limitations on aspect ratio. To quickly pick the original aspect ratio, or closest acceptable ratio to it, simply tap the icon in the bottom-left corner of the photo.

One thing to note is that portrait-oriented photos will appear larger in the feed, since Instagram is a vertically-oriented app. For this reason, you may want to consider using it more often than square or landscape, and planning your shots accordingly.

How to tag people

Want to call attention to your mom, friend, dog, barista, or whoever else appears in your photo? Simply tap on Tag People beneath the caption field on the last editing page before sharing your photo. Next, tap on the person or object in the image that you want to tag and enter their name or Instagram username. You should see a list of suggestions as you type, but if for some reason you don’t see the person you’re looking for, Instagram makes it easy to search for people you know.

Forget to tag someone in a photo you already posted? No worries. Simply tap on the photo in your profile, tap the “…” button in the upper right to bring up the menu, select Edit, and then tap Tag People.

How to mention other Instagrammers

To mention a friend in your caption, type @ in front of their username (e.g., “Great article, @digitaltrends!”). Your friend will then receive a notification in their activity feed letting them know that you mentioned them. You can also mention people in comments.

Note: If you mention someone and they later change their Instagram handle, your mention will not automatically update and will no longer link to their profile. Tags, however, will update if a user changes their handle.

How to like, comment, and send photos and videos

To like a photo or video on Instagram, simply double tap the photo or video, or you can tap the “heart” icon. If you liked a post by accident, just tap the icon again to unlike it.

Next to the heart icon is a text bubble icon, which is how you make a comment. There isn’t a limit to how much you can write, but for the sake of the Instagram community, we suggest keeping it brief.

The arrow icon that lies to right of the comment button will let you send the photo or video as a message to other users. Tap it, select who you want to send it to, and tap Send. The post will be shared in a private message, and is a good way to draw someone’s attention to content you think they’d like — just keep in mind, doing this too frequently is a good way to annoy people.

How to post more than one photo at once

In February 2017, Instagram introduced the ability to post more than one photo at a time. Now, you can post up to 10 photos at once in an album. Albums show up as a single post in the feed, but your followers can swipe to see all of the photos.

To post multiple images at once, simply tap on more than one image when uploading from your device. Instagram will automatically create an inline, carousel-style album. While you can post up to 10 photos, you’re limited to a single caption for the entire album. What’s more, images must all be cropped to the same aspect ratio, so no mixing and matching of portrait, landscape, and square images.

How to make your photos and videos private

When you first create your Instagram account, anyone can see your profile on Instagram. Your posts will only show up in the feeds of people who follow you, but anyone will be able to see them by navigating to your profile or if they search for a hashtag you’ve used.

If you would rather make your posts private so that only your followers can see them, period, Instagram lets you do this. Go to your profile, tap the three-dots icon to bring up account settings, and turn on the Private Account option.

How to link Instagram to your Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and Flickr accounts

Because Instagram is one of the most popular social apps, you may want to connect all of your social accounts to get the most out of it. You can choose to link your Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and Flickr accounts; there are also less-popular networks (in the United States, at least) that you can link to, including Ameba and VKontakte. To get your social accounts linked, go to the Profile Tab > Linked Accounts > Share Settings, then select which accounts you want to connect. Every time you upload a photo to Instagram, you’ll have the option to select which photos you want to share to each of the social networks. You can also choose to share your photos on Instagram only.

How to embed your photos on the web

Did you take a photo that is absolutely amazing and you want to share it on your blog? Go to Instagram on the web and find the picture you want to share, click on the symbol shown as three dots, and choose the Embed option. You can copy and paste the code anywhere on the web to show off the photo you took. If your content is set as private on Instagram, you won’t be able to share the photo.

Removing tags, sharing GIFs, and more

How to remove photos you’re tagged in

If one of your friends tags you in a photo, it will show up in the Photos of You section on your profile page. When you come across a tagged photo of yourself that you don’t like, you can choose to hide it. To remove a single photo, tap on the embarrassing photo and you will see your Instagram handle. Tap on your handle and you’ll instantly see a menu, then select Hide from My Profile or Remove Me from Photo (found in More Options).

How to send direct messages

At the top-right of the Instagram homepage is an icon that looks like a drawer. Tapping on this will take you to the Direct menu where you will find your private messages with other Instagram users. While Instagram is better known for photo sharing, it has a messaging function which lets you send notes, photos, or videos that aren’t meant for public viewing. To compose a new message, tap the cross icon in the upper-right of the Direct menu, choose Send Photo or Video or Send Message; the former lets you pick content from your library, while the latter lets you chit-chat with another Instagrammer.

How to use popular hashtags

Adding hashtags (#) is a great way to get new followers and share your photos with more people. Choosing the right tags will help you connect with other people who have the same interests on Instagram, but it’s important to make sure that you use tags that describe your photo. For example, if you take a picture of a Volkswagen Bus, you can use the hashtags #vwbus and #volkswagen.

A nice feature is that when you type the hashtag, Instagram will display similar tags as well as how many posts there are. Choosing a popular tag is never a bad idea, but you may also want to find more targeted and specific tags where your photo may be more likely to stand out from the crowd.

How to use Instagram on the web

To access your Instagram account on the web, you can go to Instagram.com and log in in with your Instagram username or password. The website works well for viewing posts and grabbing embed codes for your blog or website, but you still can’t post from it. You can do some basic tasks, however, like search for and follow other users, and edit your profile.

How to get featured by Instagram

You can easily gain thousands of new followers each day by getting featured. Unfortunately, Instagram doesn’t really share how they choose users, but if you get added to their suggested users list, you’ll get tons of exposure. If you do get added to the suggested users list, you’ll get to stay there for at least one week. To have a good chance of getting on the list, make sure that your photos have a consistent and identifiable niche or style that will get you noticed by other Instagram users.

How to share GIFs

Instagram doesn’t natively support GIF files, but third party apps allow you to convert GIFs into short movies, which Instagram does support. GifShare is one such app, which lets you can search for GIFs or upload from your camera roll. It also accepts MP4, MOV, MPG, and M4V video formats. You can download GifShare from the App Store, or use any of these Android alternatives. Another iOS option is Giphy Cam.

How to manage multiple accounts

Thankfully, the dark ages of being limited to a single Instagram account are no more. Instagram added the much-needed ability to manage multiple accounts in February 2016, much to the delight of those who’ve been hankering for an easier way to give their beloved puggle an account of its own. People can now manage up to five accounts at a time.

To add an additional account, simply go to your profile settings page and tap the gear icon or the three dots in the upper-right corner of the screen. Scroll down and select the “Add Account” option and create a unique username and password for the new account. To switch between Instagram accounts on the fly, go to your profile page, select your username and choose the account you wish to switch to from the pull-down menu. Your profile picture will then reflect the active account, and remind you which handle your currently signed in to. This prevents you from inadvertently positing on behalf of said Puggle (or vice versa).

How to apply a border to your photo

Borders used to be all the rage on Instagram, but they’ve kind of fallen out of vogue. The option is still there if you want it, however — but you do have to apply a filter first. Upload the photo you want to add a border to, tap Next in the upper-right corner, tap the filter you want to apply twice, and then tap the border icon — the latter is located on the right side of the filter intensity slider.

If you decide not to add a border to your photo, tap X to cancel and save your changes. Adding a border gives your photo that retro feel, but you can’t apply it to a non-filtered photo. Fortunately, you can lower the intensity slider to essentially remove the effect of the filter from your photo if you don’t like it. Each filter has its own border, so be sure to check out a few before deciding on one.

How to create collages, time-lapse videos, and looping videos

Boomerang takes a burst of photos (up to 20 frames), which are then combined into a creative video that plays forward and backward — sort of like an animated GIF. The video is saved in the camera roll, and you can select either the Instagram or Facebook button to post. With Layout, you can create a collage of multiple photos into one. You can easily reposition the photos and resize the boxes. This is useful if you want to group a set of images that’s tied to a particular event or activity, for example. According to Instagram, some 20 percent of users had been utilizing third-party collage apps prior to Layout’s release.

When you post a photo, you will notice two icons at the bottom-right corner of an image: One that’s an infinite loop, and another of what looks like a cube with different shaped compartments within it. The former takes you to Instagram’s Boomerang app, while the other takes you to Instagram’s Layout app. To use these two photo apps, you will need to download them, as they function as independent apps.

There is also a third app, called Hyperlapse (iOS only), that lets you create time-lapse-like videos. After you shoot a video (up to 45 minutes long), you can then adjust the playback speed — from a slow 1x to super-fast 12x. Hyperlapse’s main trick is that it uses the accelerometer data from your phone to produce liquid-smooth footage. As with the other apps, the video is saved in the camera roll and can be shared to Instagram or Facebook.

These apps don’t require Instagram, and you can use the photos and videos for other applications. And while they aren’t as popular as the native Instagram app, they can add some creative flair to your account.

How to discover interesting Instagram accounts

Rather than continuously tagging the same recycled memes again and again, it’s sometimes refreshing to find more original accounts to follow. Thankfully, the Activity button — aka, the heart at the bottom of your Instagram homepage — allows you to see not only who likes one of your posts and when a friend has tagged you, but also what posts have been liked by the people you follow. Simply select the Following option at the top of the screen and let the Insta-creeping begin.

Know your followers’ every Instagram move

Instagram’s infamous sorting algorithm aims to show you content you care about first, but if you play favorites with you friends (we’re not judging), you can turn on notifications to receive an alert when selected people post new content. To activate this feature, go to the follower’s profile page, tap the three-dot icon in the upper-right, and select Turn on Post Notifications. Now you’ll never miss a butt shot from Kim Kardashian (who has the third most popular Instagram account).

How to get started with Stories

Taking a page — almost verbatim — out of Snapchat’s book, Instagram’s relatively new Stories offer a means of sharing moments from your life that may not qualify for their own posts on your profile.

Much like Snapchat Stories, Instagram’s feature lets you share still photos, videos, and other content with your followers. It also offers the same add-on functionality as Snapchat, allowing you to add creative text and filters, many of which can be tweaked to customize your post.

When you open Instagram, you’ll see your story and the stories of your followers at the top of the page, represented by their profiles pictures with a colorful ring around them. Simply tap one to view it. You can add to your own story by tapping the camera icon in the upper left.

Keeping with the ephemeral theme, Instagram Stories only stick around for 24 hours. After 24 hours, they are saved in your private archives. If you want a story to remain visible for longer than 24 hours, you can select it from the archive (tap the icon that looks like a clock on the top of your profile page) and choose to add it to your Highlights. Highlights remain featured on your profile page indefinitely, but highlighted stories don’t remain viewable in your primary, 24-hour story.

Getting started with Instagram Live

If Stories just aren’t immediate enough for you, you can also live-stream video on Instagram. Getting into Instagram Live is as simple as posting a story. From your main feed, bring up the Stories camera and swipe to the “Live” option. Assuming all permissions for camera and microphone access have already been granted, it’s as simple as pressing record.

To help get your stream a little boost, Instagram will send a notification to select friends to let them know you’ve gone live. Instagram also lets you go live with a friend in split-screen setup, and live broadcasts can be added back to your story after the fact, giving more of your followers a chance to see them.

On your way to Insta-fame

Still here? Congratulations! You now have all the tools at your disposal to grow your Instagram following and become the next social media sensation. But we can only show you the door; you’re the one that has to walk through it.

Editors’ Recommendations

• How to use Instagram Stories: Everything you need to know
• With Mosaic, you can redesign your Instagram grid without the commitment
• New to Snapchat? Follow our guide and go from newbie to pro
• How to change your Twitter username and display name
• From grit to sparkle: How to clean up your Instagram account

Chrome OS may jump straight to eating Android Pie rather than munching on Oreo

A recent comment posted on the Chromium board indicates that Chrome OS may completely skip Android “Oreo” (v8.x) and support Android “P” (v9.x) when it arrives later this year. Right now, compatible Chromebooks support Android “Nougat” (v7.x) while smartphone manufacturers are still working on rolling Oreo out to customers before the end of 2018. 

The developer preview of Android “P” is already available for the Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, and Pixel 2 XL smartphones. The company isn’t expected to officially reveal this next version of Android until the Google I/O developer conference in May, followed by an initial public release possibly in August. As with Android “Oreo,” the rollout across millions of devices will be a long update process well into late 2019. 

Despite the web-centric nature of Chrome OS, Google introduced support for Google Play and Android apps in 2016 providing many Chromebook owners with the best of both worlds. Currently, Chromebooks supporting Android apps are still upgrading to Android 7.1.1, but comments posted on the Chromium project don’t mention Android “O” whatsoever. Instead, the version jumps from “N” to “P” and here’s the latest example: 

arcnext: Hook up _P tests to android–container–pi builds. 

The comment follows another one posted in early March, stating: 

arcnext: Hook up _P tests. 

Split tests into N and _P to bootstrap CQ/PFQs. 

As for the dessert that will be associated with Android 9.0, Google may stick with Android Pie as seen in the comment listed above. “Parfait” would be a more fitting choice given Google used cold deserts with three other Android builds: v2.0 “Éclair,” v2.2 “Froyo,” and v4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich.” But given that Google cycles through an assortment of deserts, Android Pie works just as well. 

With the possible upcoming support for Android “P,” is Google planning to merge Chrome OS and Android into one operating system? Perhaps not. The company still stands behind its opinion that the two serve different users. On the Chrome OS front, the platform was originally designed for laptops and desktops used by students. It supports apps that mostly depend on the internet and cloud services. Even more, software updates are specifically managed by Google. 

Meanwhile, Android started on phones but moved into cars, tablets, Internet of Things devices, TVs, and so on. The platform supports downloadable apps that mostly work offline save for email clients, cloud storage services, and so on. Updates are managed by device manufacturers (Samsung, Huawei) and mobile networks (AT&T, Verizon). 

“I think we’re very fortunate as a company to have two very successful platforms each in their own way and in their own segments,” Senior Vice President of Android, Chrome OS, and Play Hiroshi Lockheimer said in late 2016. “For us, there’s no point in merging them. They’re both successful. We just want to make sure both sides benefit from each other, so that’s why we brought Google Play from Android over to Chrome OS.” 

You will see a lot of “cross-pollinating” between the two platforms, but not an official merge, he added. 

Editors’ Recommendations

• Chrome OS may soon get Android notification badges
• Here’s what Android apps look like in Chrome OS split-screen view
• All Chromebook touchpads will soon be cute enough to pinch (to zoom)
• Future versions of Chrome OS won’t pause Android apps when switching windows
• Google Assistant one step closer to marrying Chrome OS, report says

Sequent Supercharger hands-on review

Research Center:
Sequent Supercharger

A watch that combines an automatic movement and smart features, without a battery that needs to be charged every day, is impossible, right? Frederique Constant’s solution is to cleverly combine a mechanical movement with a separate battery-operated platform, providing an elegant and traditional power system for its Hybrid Manufacture watch. But newcomer Sequent has gone all out to produce a true automatic watch with smart features, with a kinetic self-charging battery that never needs to be plugged in. It’s called the Supercharger, and it’s a very appropriate name.

Supercharged watch

The mechanical movement’s kinetic energy is converted into electricity using a mechanism that stores collected power in capacitors feeding the smartwatch’s appetite for energy. A variant using the same principle is found in eco-friendly touch-based toilet flushes in public bathrooms. What does this mean in everyday use? Sequent said without doing anything more than regular movement over the course of a week, the watch will run GPS for one session, power three workouts, and continuously measure activity, time, and basic notifications.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

But it’s not all about the technology. The Sequent Supercharger has great style, and is very different to the watches we’re used to seeing from Fossil, or even established watchmakers like Alpina and Mondaine. It’s appropriate we met the Sequent team in the Ateliers space — an area filled with eclectic watch makers pushing the design envelope — at Baselworld 2018, as it has a distinctly unique look.

Sequent has gone all out to produce a true automatic watch with smart features.

The body is made from metal, but we’re slightly disappointed by the lack of sapphire crystal on a watch like this, and at this price. Sequent has chosen mineral glass instead. The rubber strap is a delight, and has been specially balanced to keep the watch on top of your wrist, and the clasp sensibly placed under it. It may sound like a small thing, but it enhanced comfort considerably, and the strap’s soft material felt great. There are other strap choices if the silicone isn’t for you.

The face has two subdials, one showing power reserve and the other your daily step count. Flip the watch over and there’s even a heart rate monitor. Hard to believe on a watch that doesn’t require daily charging.

Sequent Supercharger Compared To

Nixon Regulus

Alpina AlpinerX

Apple Watch Series 3

Samsung Gear S3

Motorola Moto 360 (2015)

LG Watch Sport

Huawei Watch 2 Sport

Huawei Fit

Samsung Gear S2

Apple Watch Series 2

Martian Passport MP100WSB

Garmin fenix 2

LG G Watch R

Martian Notifier Watch

Phosphor Touch Time

Price and availability

Sequent launched the Supercharger on Kickstarter in June 2017 and it became an instant success. It will be ready to ship in June, after a last minute issue with a supplier forced a delay. The good news is if you want one now, you can pre-order one on Indiegogo. You’ll pay more than people who opted for the Kickstarter early bird deal — between $500 and $700 depending on the option you choose. Sequent is also already planning its next product, which will be stripped back in terms of smart features.

This may sound expensive when compared to hybrids from Skagen, Fossil, and others; but it does reflect the extent and complexity of the technology inside. Remember, this watch doesn’t need to be plugged in to charge up. Instead there’s an automatic movement usually found in expensive mechanical watches, but it offers more functionality than some watches that do need daily charging. We think that’s quite an achievement, and while we’re not too sold on the design on a personal basis, there’s no denying it’s attractive.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

It’s also, like the Frederique Constant Hybrid Manufacture, the first step towards a battery-less smartwatch future. Charging is a barrier against smartwatches becoming popular, and even an annual battery replacement isn’t something everyone wants to do. However, we haven’t established reliability in the real world yet, if Sequent’s power claims are accurate, or how the watch will cope with being left without use — normally an issue on automatic watches — by owners potentially unaware of how to look after it.

The watch world and the technology world continue to converge, and the results are getting more and more tempting by the day. We look forward to testing the Sequent out further following its release.