Mozilla announces Firefox Reality, a browser for augmented and virtual reality

Mozilla, the maker of the Firefox web browser, has been invested in augmented reality (AR), or mixed reality, and virtual reality (VR) for some time now. Starting with Firefox 5.5, for example, Mozilla has officially supported WebVR, a growing standard that lets anyone experience VR with just a VR headset and a compatible browser. Now, Mozilla is expanding its involvement with a new browser that’s designed specifically for mixed reality and VR.

Dubbed Firefox Reality, the new browser is aimed directly at stand-alone AR (mixed reality) and VR headsets. According to Mozilla, the purpose of Firefox Reality is to extend support for mixed reality and VR beyond the smartphones, tablets, and PCs that currently drive the technology, and to make it more accessible as the web continues to grow and advance. The browser expands on Mozilla’s past work on supporting both WebVR and A-Frame, the web framework for building out AR and VR solutions on Vive, Rift, Daydream, GearVR, and desktop.

WebVR is a cross-platform standard for making VR available within any browser, and it works with WebGL to create powerful and efficient 3D experiences. Firefox’s support for WebVR positioned it as another viable VR publishing platform, and now Firefox Reality will catapult the availability of WebVR on stand-alone headsets.

In touting the new browser, Mozilla clearly sees some advantages. First, Firefox Reality will be the first cross-platform browser that’s specifically designed for mixed reality, and it will thus avoid the pitfalls of other closed, platform-specific mixed reality browsing solutions. Second, Firefox Reality will benefit from the speed advantages of Firefox Quantum. And third, Firefox Reality will leverage Mozilla’s commitment to privacy, which the organization concedes is not yet formalized in the mixed reality and VR mediums.

Clearly, Mozilla has work to do in getting Firefox Reality to the market, and the browser’s availability has not yet been established. The company will be providing more information on Twitter, including updates on availability on headsets. In the meantime, interested parties can visit Mozilla’s Mixed Reality Blog for more details and for a demo of Firefox Reality running on the HTC Vice Focus stand-alone VR headset.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Escape reality with the best augmented reality apps for Android and iOS
• Asus joins the Windows Mixed Reality party with its own official headset
• Virtual reality roller coaster ‘The Great Lego Race’ opens in Florida
• The 3DRudder makes your virtual reality experience a bit more hands-off
• Dip your toe into virtual reality with the best VR headset for the iPhone

Lightroom’s overhauled camera profiles make your RAW photos pop

Adobe is making it easier for photographers to get a consistent look by unburying and expanding a lesser known tool inside its RAW image processor: Camera Profiles. On Tuesday, April 3, Adobe launched updates to Lightroom Classic CC, Lightroom CC, and Adobe Camera RAW (ACR) that replace the nearly 10-year-old Adobe Standard profile, add additional creative profiles, and put the feature front-and-center.

Before it can be displayed on your computer screen, a RAW file first needs to be rendered, converting the raw data into pixel information. Profiles dictate just how that conversion occurs, interpreting colors and lighting in the rendering process.

Unlike a Lightroom preset, applying a camera profile leaves all of the adjustment sliders untouched. It’s the initial step in the editing process, but a good profile is sometimes all an image needs. Camera manufacturers all have their own profiles to achieve specific looks, while Adobe-developed profiles are designed instead to create consistent looks across the multiple cameras supported by Lightroom and Camera RAW.

Camera profiles can be incredibly powerful, yet are a lesser-known tool inside Lightroom, something Adobe wants to change. In the previous version of Lightroom Classic, Adobe buried the profile options in the very last section of the Develop panel. Now, camera profiles are migrating up to the first panel, the Basic panel, in Lightroom Classic and inside Adobe Camera RAW. Lightroom CC didn’t previously have adjustable profiles and only used Adobe Standard by default, but the option is now similarly located at the top of the edit panel — an addition that Lightroom CC users have been asking for since the program’s release.

Adobe isn’t just making profiles easier to find, however. With Adobe Standard going on 10 years old, the company is rolling out a brand new default profile: Adobe Color. The new profile adds more contrast to RAW images from the start, and Adobe says warm tone rendering and color transitions are improved. Adobe Color will be automatically applied to all images uploaded after this update, but previous uploads won’t be impacted by the change — which is a good thing, as changing a profile on images you’ve already edited to your liking would simply negate all of your hard work.

While Adobe Color is designed to work on a majority of images, the company is also launching five other options for a range of different starting points. Adobe Monochrome is a new profile for black-and-white photos with more contrast than simply converting an Adobe Standard image. Adobe Portrait is designed for more control over skin tones, while Adobe Landscape plays up the greens and blues. Adobe Neutral offers a low contrast starting point, while Adobe Vivid is more saturated than Adobe Color.

Camera profiles aren’t limited to just those from Adobe or your camera’s manufacturer. The update also comes with new creative profiles in four new categories: artistic, black and white, modern, and vintage, all of which have adjustable intensity.

Many third-party profiles are already available from photographers and companies who have been producing Lightroom presets. Brian Matiash, Contrastly, DVLOP, Kevin Kubota, Matt Kloskowski, Nicolesy, and RNI all have new profiles available today.

Adobe also added a handful of smaller updates to both versions of Lightroom. Lightroom Classic users can now find the Dehaze tool inside the basic panel, along with a larger version of the tone curve tool. The desktop version of Lightroom CC gains network storage device support and a new option to filtering photos by sync status.

Adobe

On mobile devices, Lightroom for iOS gains a geometry tab with tools to straighten a crooked shot and correct perspective distortion.  Adobe also added layout optimization for iPhone X users and a left-handed mode on the iPad.

For Android and ChromeOS users, Lightroom CC’s mobile app gains a section for sharpening and noise reduction as well as a tool for adding noise. All three mobile versions also include enhanced Lightroom CC Web sharing and support for the latest cameras.

The updates are available across the Lightroom family today.

Editors’ Recommendations

• If Lightroom is still slow for you, Adobe promises help is on the way
• What’s the difference between Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic?
• Adobe focuses on speed — but just how fast is the new Lightroom 7.2?
• Need Photoshop? Here’s how to get it without overpaying
• Bid farewell to lengthy Photoshop cutouts with new AI-powered tool

Kickstarter: Gnarbox 2.0 offers automated media backups without a smartphone

The original Gnarbox launched with the simple idea of backing up media on location without the need for a laptop. The company has now officially announced a crowdfunding campaign for the Gnarbox 2.0, which takes the computer-free backup philosophy one step further: It doesn’t even require a smartphone. The Gnarbox 2.0 uses a LCD display for one-touch backups, while a new suite of mobile apps improve workflows. The crowd-funding campaign launched today, April 3, and was fully funded within five hours.

Still rugged, but faster hardware

With Gnarbox 2.0, insert an SD card or connect a camera directly via USB and a single touch of the right arrow button will start an automatic backup. Indicator lights will display the transfer status and the screen will confirm that all files were successfully backed up.

Besides cutting through workflow clutter, the Gnarbox 2.0 includes updated hardware for faster performance, with 4 gigabytes of RAM (2GB on some models), a quad-core Intel 2.4 GHz CPU, and a quad-core Intel HD Graphics GPU. Memory card backups are as fast as 100 megabytes per second (MBps), while the USB-C connection offers speeds up to 500MBps. Files can also be viewed on an esxternal monitor thanks to the micro HDMI port. Four storage options will be offered, at 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB capacities.

Like the predecessor, the Gnarbox 2.0 retains the rugged exterior that makes it submersible for up to 30 minutes in 1 meter of water. The removable litium-ion battery provides up to 4 hours of use.

Gnarbox 2.0 is an app family

The Gnarbox app is now four individual apps, designed to streamline workflows for photographers and videographers and improve integration with other platforms.

The Safekeep app allows users to create custom settings for automatically organizing media captured via one-touch backup. Options include sorting by camera, date, or file type, with files trees displayed on the Gnarbox screen. Safekeep can also integrate with Dropbox, automatically backing up the files to the cloud service once an internet connection is available.

The Selects app is designed for culling photos in the field, with a star system. The app will save any starred or flagged data inside the image’s EXIF file, so when those files are uploaded to a computer program, all of the selects made in the app will sync to programs like Adobe Lightroom and Photo Mechanic. The app even offers some basic color correction tools.

For videographers, the Sequence app lets users trim clips, assemble a rough timeline, and even add color corrections. The timeline can then be rendered to an Apple ProRes file for streamlined import to a desktop video editor, like Final Cut Pro.

Finally, Showcase is the app that allows the Gnarbox to display media on other devices. Along with viewing full resolution files on a mobile device, the Gnarbox’s new HDMI port can stream photos and videos to a TV or field monitor without having to move the files off the backup drive first.

All of the new apps will also be available for owners of the first-generation Gnarbox.

Like the original Gnarbox, the company is turning to crowdfunding to get the second generation into stores. The Kickstarter campaign is aiming for $75,000 in funding, much lower than the $500,000-plus raised in the original campaign. If Gnarbox 2.0 is successful, early backers could get a discounted price along with an extra battery, custom wall plug, and USB-C cable. The company aims to begin shipping to backers in December, and final retail pricing will range from $399 for the 128GB version to $999 for the 1TB version.

Gnarbox is an established company with successful crowdfunding experience, but as always, contributing to crowdfunding project involves risk and does not guarantee you will receive the product.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Screen-sporting LaCie DJI Copilot hard drive enables on-site backups sans laptop
• Data disaster averted! How to back up your Android smartphone
• The best laptops for video editing
• IronCloud hopes to be your fitness companion for any and all activities
• What’s the difference between Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic?

Premiere Pro can now automatically match color using artificial intelligence

Adobe is mixing the robust tools of its professional video applications with the automation of artificial intelligence. Ahead of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show next week, the company announced several new features for both video and audio software, including Premiere Pro, After Effects, Audition, and Character Animator. Creative Cloud members have access to the updates today.

A major goal across the board was to speed up workflows, as video creatives are continually asked to deliver content in more formats across more devices, and further improve how all the Creative Cloud programs talk to each other.

Auto color matching comes to Premiere Pro

Adobe Sensei, the software company’s AI platform, powers two new Premiere Pro tools designed to speed up the editing process by automatically matching colors between separate clips and optimizing the blend of dialog with other audio tracks.

Checking the Color Match option will automatically adjust a clip to match a reference clip, which can be used to match footage from different cameras or shot at different times of day. An optional face detection feature will help achieve better skin tones when color matching.

Experienced editors need not worry: Premiere still allows users to fine-tune color by hand after the AI has done its thing. Adobe’s Patrick Palmer, senior project manager for editing, says the tool is designed to empower creators by offering a color matching shortcut while ultimately leaving the final results up to the video editor. A new side-by-side comparison view helps to quickly compare how Color Match is working.

The second Sensei-powered shortcut is called Auto Ducking. While working with audio inside Premiere Pro, checking the auto ducking option will automatically adjust the audio to prioritize one source, typically dialog. For example, the auto ducking can lower the volume of the background music when there’s dialog, then turn the volume back up after the dialog ends.

Like Color Match, Adobe is working to give video editors control over just how Auto Ducking plays out, including adjustments for sensitivity and fades. Adobe says video editors maintain the final control over the effect down to the keyframe level.

The update also includes enhancements when working with motion graphics templates, including new controls for rotation, scale, and position. Motion graphics are also now available inside the integrated Adobe Stock option, allowing editors to browse by type or search for a specific effect.

Adobe also rolled out new transitions and effects for 360-degree video. Moreover, additional headsets are now compatible with Premiere Pro thanks to integration with Windows Mixed Reality.

Faster motion graphics in After Effects

After Effects gains a similarly inspired update designed to streamline workflows. A new Master Properties option will allow graphics editors to adjust a single element that occurs in multiple locations all at once. For example, the tool allows an editor creating a credits intro to change the font in one step, rather than adjusting every credit individually.

The puppet tool also sees enhancements. The Advanced Puppet Engine gives users more control over the smaller details of the animations, particularly organic movements like the wind in a flag. The option to add animation pinpoints creates more precise animations, Adobe says.

Working with charts and graphs is also faster thanks to reusable graphics that automatically adjust when new data from a CSV or JSON file is imported.

VR and 360 content gets a boost, as well, with Adobe Immersive Environment allowing creatives to preview projects on a headset without exporting out of the program, and an option to adjust flat graphics to fit the spherical format.

Additional updates released today include a new ability in Adobe’s audio mixing and recording application, Audition CC, to directly import Premiere Pro projects while keeping sequences and tracks intact. Character Animator, a relative newcomer to Adobe’s portfolio, has also been updated with new animation triggers and particle effects for animating full-scene effects like snowfall.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Adobe enables faster workflow with updates to XD, InDesign, and Illustrator
• Bid farewell to lengthy Photoshop cutouts with new AI-powered tool
• Corel VideoStudio 2018 aims for simpler, faster video edits
• Lightroom CC adds distortion-fix tools, voice control in latest update
• Adobe is giving away free software for schools to foster creative problem-solving

Google plans to ban cryptocurrency mining extensions from the Chrome Web Store

Extensions platform product manager James Wagner reports that Google is cracking down on all Chrome extensions that include a cryptocurrency mining component. Starting now, Google is rejecting all cryptocurrency mining extensions submitted to the Chrome Web Store. Those that are already listed will be delisted by late June. Meanwhile, extensions with blockchain-related purposes not tied to cryptocurrency mining will remain on the store unscathed. 

So what is Google’s beef with cryptocurrency mining extensions? The company has no problem listing extensions with a single purpose of openly mining digital coins in the background. Instead, Google has an issue with developers uploading and listing Chrome extensions advertising one specific functionality, but secretly mine digital coins in the background without the user’s consent.  

“Over the past few months, there has been a rise in malicious extensions that appear to provide useful functionality on the surface, while embedding hidden cryptocurrency mining scripts that run in the background without the user’s consent,” Wagner said. “These mining scripts often consume significant CPU resources and can severely impact system performance and power consumption.” 

Google says that 90 percent of all Chrome extensions with an embedded mining script fail to comply with the company’s policy of adequately informing users about the full behavior of a listed extension. To solve the problem, Google is banning all extensions with a cryptocurrency mining component rather than investigating each one individually to see if they meet the company’s disclosure policies. 

But Google has a far bigger task than banning cryptocurrency mining extensions in Chrome. Malicious Chrome extensions are still a problem on the Chrome Web Store even though their presence decreased around 70 percent over the last several years. Just as hackers target Windows because it’s the most-used operating system on the planet, they are targeting the Chrome browser too because it commands nearly 70 percent of the global browser market. 

“What we’re seeing is an increase in criminal use of extensions,” says William Peteroy, CEO of the security firm Icebrg. “And when we start to see criminal pickup on things it absolutely meets our bar that this is something we need to pay attention to.” 

For example, in August, a financial Chrome extension called Interface Online hid banking malware and avoided detection by 58 anti-virus applications. When Google finally figured out what was going on, it removed the extension from the Chrome Web Store. But due to the malware’s elusive nature, hackers created another extension and uploaded the malware again undetected. Google removed it a second time after receiving complaints from infected users. 

Google’s latest Chrome extension crackdown follows its move to ban cryptocurrency advertisements from its AdWords network starting June. The ban has nothing to do with advertisements running mining scripts in the background, but rather the schemes associated with “unregulated or speculative financial products.” One such scheme is an initial coin offering where investors purchase tokens to get a new cryptocurrency off the ground, but the digital coin developers disappear with the money. 

Editors’ Recommendations

• A sneaky extension for Chrome, Firefox prevents its removal, hijacks browser
• Google will ban cryptocurrency ads from its AdWords network in June
• DuckDuckGo’s new app, browser extension grade websites on their privacy
• The 2019 Acura RDX Prototype shows off style, performance, and technology
• Google Images altered to calm legal grumblings made by Getty Images

Acer’s faster Nitro 5 gaming notebook offers GTX 1050 Ti, Intel Optane

Acer offers a wide range of gaming notebooks, from the Nitro 5 on the low end to the Predator line on the high end, with the Aspire VX and V Nitro slotted in between. The Nitro 5 has been primarily known for its entry-level take on dedicated gaming notebooks, and Acer apparently wants to beef up its reputation for high performance as well in the latest 2018 update.

To begin with, Acer will now offer Intel’s latest and greatest high-power “H” line of CPUs in the lineup, including the six-core Core i7-8750H that should dramatically improve the machine’s processing power. The option of Intel’s new Core i7+ version is also quite meaningful. That means that the new Nitro 5 will make sure those significantly faster CPUs have the fastest access to gaming data thanks to Acer also incorporating Intel Optane memory to reduce load times and speed up responsiveness.

“These latest eighth-gen Intel Core mobile products are our highest performing, designed to push the limits of gameplay and content creation. In these new Intel Core i7 and Intel Core i7+ products, we’re bringing together high-end CPU performance capabilities, increased system responsiveness and fast load times with Intel Optane memory, and built-in blazing fast Gigabit WiFi – all in a laptop design,” Intel’s Vice President of Client Computing Group Chris Walker said in a statement.

And it’s not just the CPU that’s receiving an update. Now, the Nitro 5 can be configured with up to an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 TI GPU, which in our testing is significantly faster than the GTX 1050 that maxed out the previous version. That should make the notebook significantly faster in running today’s titles at 1080p with higher graphics settings.

In terms of memory and storage, the new Nitro 5 offers some serious power for many gamers. Buyers can now install up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM (doubling the previous 16GB maximum), and configure up to a 512GB PCIe solid-state drive (SSD). Paired with the aforementioned Intel Optane memory, loading copious amounts of data into the system should be fast and efficient.

Online gaming will also be enhanced in the Nitro 5. Acer is equipping the Intel Wireless-AC 9560 2×2 MU-MIMO 802.11ac wireless adapter that promises gigabit performance. USB-C, HDMI 2.0, and gigabit Ethernet ports will be on hand for wired connectivity.

All of this will feed imagery to a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display, and audio duties will be handled by Acer’s TrueHarmony technology with Dolby Audio Premium support. The notebooks aesthetic remains similar to the previous version, with the same hairline finish on the black chassis and red accents that firmly identify the Nitro 5 as a gaming notebook.

Acer is planning to release the new Nitro 5 in May. Pricing will start out at $749, which is roughly in line with pricing on the current models. If Acer maintains the same basic pricing scheme, then high-end systems should come in somewhere north of $1,100 given the addition of more RAM, Intel Optane memory, and a faster GPU.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Intel Hades Canyon NUC8i7HVK
• Dell calls revamped XPS 15 the ‘smallest performance 15.6-inch laptop’
• Intel shows off world’s first six-core mobile CPUs, adds Optane to everything
• Intel promises its new CPUs will match Nvidia’s potent GTX 1060, thanks to AMD
• HP Spectre x360 13 (Late 2017) Review

This 10-course bundle may be your ticket to a six-figure career in Project Management

You’ve been thinking about getting a new certification to move you ahead at work; in fact, it’s been on your to-do list for a long time. Being a Project Manager is the ultimate goal, and you know you’d be perfect for the job with the right certification. With tuition costs that seem to climb with every passing year and limited free time on your hands, how are you supposed to attend classes and afford any kind of certification? Project Management Professionals are sought after in nearly every field, and even if you’re convinced that you can’t afford the time or money to get your certificate, can you afford not to? Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Becoming a certified Project Management Professional, or PMP, is absolutely within your reach. Online certification is just as recognized as classroom learning today, and it’s far more convenient, too. The professionals at iCollege want you to start your journey to becoming a PMP as soon as possible!

Take this 10-course bundle which features over 100 hours of content. If you’ve seen other Project Management courses advertised before but couldn’t decide which one to get, this is the one because it includes courses on:

• Project Management Professional (PMP)
• Certified Associate In Project Management (PMI-CAPM)
• Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP)
• CompTIA Project+ PK0-003
• Six Sigma Green Belt
• Sig Sigma Black Belt
• PRINCE2 Foundation
• PRINCE2 Practitioner
• Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundation
• Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Service Operation

If you were to buy these courses individually it would cost you close to $3000, but for a limited time you can get this entire bundle for just $49. Yep, you read that right. You’ll save 98% off the regular price on these courses that may help you jumpstart a new career!

See at Android Central Digital Offers

OnePlus 6: News, Rumors, Release Date, Specs, and more!

This is everything you need to know about the OnePlus 6!

OnePlus has been on a cycle of releasing two smartphones per year: a major release in the spring, and a minor tweak of that previous phone in the fall. It’s nearly spring 2018, which means it’s nearly time for another OnePlus phone. Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming OnePlus 6!

April 3, 2018 – OnePlus confirms Snapdragon 845, 8GB RAM, and 256GB storage for OP6.

OnePlus phones typically come with the latest and greatest processing internals around, and although we weren’t expecting the OnePlus 6 to be any different, OnePlus has confirmed a few of the specs we’ve been anticipating for some time.

On its forums, CEO Pete Lau made it official that the OnePlus 6 will have the Snapdragon 845 processor, 8GB RAM, and 256GB of storage. It’s unclear if OnePlus will also offer a 6GB RAM option with less storage like it did with the 5T, but we should know more about that very soon.

The design

The OnePlus 5T was the first time the company increased the size of its displays, and it looks like there will be more refinements coming with the OnePlus 6. The 6 will keep the stretched out design, but will add a notch up top, similar to… some other phones you may have seen. In addition to a high-quality display, OnePlus is also expected to move to a glass back, hopefully including Qi wireless charging in the process.

According to the image, the fingerprint reader will still be mounted on the rear of the phone, though earlier rumors suggested there would be an in-display fingerprint sensor. The dual cameras are still present, though this time in the center instead of the upper left. Of course, this is a leaked image and should be taken with a grain of salt until the official announcement is made.

Not too long after that first photo was shared, Evan Blass shared the above one on Twitter – further confirming much of what we were already expecting. The dual cameras are positioned in a vertical fashion, the fingerprint sensor lies below them, and there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack (yay!).

However, unlike the previous photo, Blass’s shows the back of the OnePlus 6 to have a textured, wood-like finish. OnePlus experimented with a lot of different back materials with the OnePlus One in 2014, and finishes like Sandstone White and Lava Red for the 5T show that the company is trying to stand out with its design. I’m guessing this isn’t the only special back material we’ll see for the 6, and it’ll be exciting to see what else OnePlus has up its sleeve.

Official picture of the OnePlus 6’s notch.

And, of course, the OnePlus 6 will have the infamous notch. This is something we were already anticipating, but OnePlus confirmed our suspicions while speaking to The Verge on March 28.

OnePlus’s reasoning for the notch is that it gives users more screen real-estate as opposed to using a more traditional design, and co-founder Carl Pei argues that it’s more thought-out than a lot of the notches we saw during MWC 2018.

The notch will be hidden whenever you’re watching a video, the clock has been moved to the left of the status bar, and we’ll also see the same gesture system that OnePlus added to the 5T with its OxygenOS Open Beta in late January.

More: OnePlus 6 supposedly leaks with iPhone X notch and glass back

Specifications

Of course, a phone isn’t just a pretty external design. The internal hardware needs to be up to snuff to push pixels and take all of our lovely Instagram photos. Fortunately, it seems the OnePlus 6 will be up to the task. Early benchmarks suggest the phone will ship with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845, the same chip that will likely be found in every other flagship device this year. Benchmarks have been gamed in the past — so take this all with the same grain of salt as before — but it’s a safe bet for OnePlus to include all the latest internal hardware with the OnePlus 6, just like they’ve done in previous generations.

A new image recently popped up revealing numerous specs for the OnePlus 6, and while we can’t confirm any of the information presented, it does allow us to build the following spec sheet:

More: Exclusive: OnePlus 6 has 19:9 notched display, Snapdragon 845, top benchmarks

The software

We haven’t seen any leaks for specific software features coming with the OnePlus 6, but it’s safe to expect the same vanilla Android style that OnePlus has used since 2014. OxygenOS is a known quantity at this point, featuring a few key improvements over what ships in Google’s Pixel line. There will surely be an Open Beta for users who like to live on the bleeding edge and try new features at the cost of stability. Expect a true dark theme, expect gesture controls and a few other little niceties that add up to a great software experience.

Price and availability

This is still up in the air at this point, but we can make an educated guess based on OnePlus’ previous devices. The OnePlus 5 retailed for $479, while the OnePlus 5T goes for a cool $499. It’d be nice if the OnePlus 6 kept that same price, but another small price increase isn’t out of the question.

That same leaked image mentioned above suggests that the OnePlus 6 will cost as much as $749, but it’s unclear what currency this is representing. The same post compares the OnePlus 6 against the iPhone X and Galaxy S9+ with $1517 and $1200 price tags, respectively, so either way, we can probably expect OnePlus’s next flagship to cost a good deal less compared to most other OEMs.

As for availability, the OnePlus 3 was released in June of 2016, and the OnePlus 5 in June of 2017. Some early reports suggest we may see an earlier release this year, but June is a safe bet.

Stay tuned for more!

This is what we know — and a bit of what we’re guessing — about the OnePlus 6 for now. We’re expecting an earlier than normal release this year, so stay tuned for more coverage!

OnePlus 5T and OnePlus 5

• OnePlus 5T review: Come for the value, not the excitement
• OnePlus 5T specs
• Should you upgrade from the OnePlus 3T?
• OnePlus 5T vs. Galaxy S8: Beast mode
• All of the latest OnePlus 5T news
• Join the discussion in the forums

OnePlus
Amazon

Updated 4/03/18 – Added specs confirmation from CEO Pete Lau.

Apple Music vs. Spotify vs. Google Play Music: A music subscription showdown

Our lives are filled with subscriptions, but none can impact our lives quite like a music subscription.

We wake up to music. We go about our days to music. If we’re happy, we’re singing along. If we’re sad, we’re crooning. If we’re mad, we will scream out every last note. Music makes us better, brings us together, and I owe my life to rock and roll! Music subscriptions have the power to make our lives brighter, louder, and happier. There are plenty of music subscriptions worthy of their price tags, but in the battle for your monthly stipend, there can only be one winner.

So, how do three of the biggest names in music — Spotify, Google Play Music, and Apple Music — stack up in our comprehensive comparison?

• Pricing
• Platform Availability
• Sign-Up and Set Up
• Music Selection
• Music Quality
• App Layout and Performance
• Verdict

Pricing

Things are relatively even here. For a single, non-student subscriber, Play Music, Apple Music, and Spotify each cost $9.99/month in the United States. For a family of up to six users, Google Play Music, Apple Music and Spotify each cost $14.99/month, though Spotify’s family plan requires you all to live at the same address — and Spotify turns off your family plan if its location tracking determines you don’t.

For college students who can prove their educational status, you can find discounts on Apple Music and Spotify, letting you pay $4.99/month instead of $9.99/month. Google Play Music does not have a student discount at this time.

Google Play Music and Spotify both offer free, ad-supported tiers in addition to their paid services, but Apple Music does not. Apple Music offers 3 month trials while Google Play Music and Spotify only offer 30 day trials.

Winner: Apple Music

Apple Music offers a student discount and a family plan that is blissfully free of hoops to jump through. Apple Music also offers the longest trial period in order to let users thoroughly evaluate the service before handing over their money.

Platform availability

Apple Music is only available on computers via iTunes, while Google Play Music and Spotify have web clients usable on just about any computer with a browser and internet access. Spotify Connect allows Spotify to be compatible with a wide, wide array of smart devices with a stable, consistent UI, as it can tie in to Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, Sonos, and much more.

Google Play Music has a 10-device limit (and 5 phone limit), and you can only deauthorize 4 devices a year. Computer browsers do not count towards the Play Music device limit unless you use them to upload or download songs.

Winner: Spotify

While Google and Apple are fight over hardware, Spotify is skipping right past them, delivering the most accessible music service with the most accessible UI for managing that playback on any device with Spotify Connect.

Sign-up and Set-up

Signing up for any of these services is fairly standard. Google Play Music is connected to your Google account, Apple Music is connected to your Apple ID, and Spotify can be connected to a Facebook account or a traditional email. All three services require your credit card information before beginning your trial of their paid services, and you can set up a subscription for each of these services in less than five minutes.

Apple Music and Google Play Music ask you about your music preferences before setting you free to build your streaming library, but Spotify doesn’t bother, instead building its recommendations and famed algorithms based on what you actually start listening to, searching for, and saving to your library.

Winner: Spotify

Spotify allows you to sign in with Facebook, connect your PayPal account for quick and easy payments, and then get your groove on. No picking five bands you like or tapping and untapping genres in some bizarre bubble-popping game. Get in, get out, and get on with your bad self!

Music selection

Apple Music claims it offers over 45 million songs in its streaming library. Thanks to iTunes Match, if you bought music in iTunes that’s in the Apple Music library, it’ll be added to your library and a ‘Purchased Music’ playlist for your easy browsing. However, iTunes music is not available in Apple Music, as they are two separate Apple services.

Spotify claims it offers over 35 million songs in its streaming library. While you can mix personal music into Spotify on the desktop client, you cannot upload them to your cloud-based Spotify library and cannot sync them across devices. Spotify also has a 10,000 song limit to the songs you add to your library.

Google Play Music offers over 30 million songs in its streaming library — but that’s only half the story. Google Play Music allows you to supplement the streaming library with your own uploaded and purchased music. If there’s a song that’s not available, you can purchase it on Google Play, or any other music store and upload it to your library. You can upload 50,000 songs to Google Play Music and listen to them on all of your devices. You can also listen to music on YouTube Music and ad-free on YouTube Red — which are bundled with Google Play Music’s subscription.

Winner: Google Play Music

Google Play Music might have the smaller of the three streaming libraries, but the ability to blend it with your personal library means that you can have all your streaming and purchased music in one place and mix it to your heart’s content.

Music quality

Apple Music streams at 256 kbps, slightly lower than the 320 kbps that Spotify streams at when users have set their settings to Extreme. Google Play Music’s music quality is capped and coverted into 320 kbps MP3s when uploading music of various file types, and that is the quality attributed to much of its streaming library.

Apple Music allows you to disable streaming on cellular data and to limit the music quality while on data to avoid lagging on slow data and cut back on data used, but Apple Music doesn’t allow you to set your audio quality levels for Wi-Fi streaming or downloaded content. Apple Music is also the only service here that allows you to download individual songs rather than full albums or full playlists.

Spotify allows you to set different audio qualities for streaming and downloaded music, but Spotify doesn’t distinguish between Wi-Fi and cellular data, so if you set your streaming to Extreme, you better be careful about what you stream on the road. Spotify also only allows users to download up to 3,333 songs for offline streaming, and only on 3 devices.

Google Play Music allows you to set different music qualities for streaming via Wi-Fi versus mobile data, as well as disable streaming over mobile data, but you cannot set the quality for downloaded music. It’s also worth noting that Google Play Music has a ‘cache while streaming’ option that will automatically download music as you stream it so that you have something to listen to offline even if you forgot to deliberately download anything.

Winner: Google Play Music

With separate controls for Wi-Fi and mobile streaming and automatic caching, Google Play Music offers quality control and streaming control that help the app sip data outside the comfort of home Wi-Fi, and it streams at the same 320 kbps Spotify does.

App layout and performance

Spotify features a luscious dark theme and an easy-to-navigate app with five bottom-situated tabs. Settings are only accessible from the Your Library tab, but the app is responsive and smooth. There are some misleading and at times downright annoying aspects of Spotify’s queue management and Add to Queue, and you cannot reorder a playlist on Android or the web, only from iOS devices and the desktop client. Spotify steers users towards new music and Made For You’s Daily Mixes over new music, but it’s never hard to find that last station you were jamming out to.

Apple Music’s app is eye-searingly white, hiding its four sections under a slide-out hamburger menu. The default section is Library, with Apple Music steering you back towards the music you’ve recently added and playlist rather than towards discovery. Apple Music’s Android app is not Apple’s priority, and it shows, as the app is riddled with bugs, especially while downloading and playing music, two of the most fundamental actions of a music app. The gestures around the Now Playing window are also odd, with Apple Music eschewing the standard swipe left/right to switch tracks to instead minimize or maximize the Now Playing window.

Google Play Music has had just about every feature shoved into it but the kitchen sink over the last 5 years, and it is sorely in need of an overhaul. That doesn’t mean Google Play is unusable at the moment — far from it, in fact. Google Play Music organizes its app through a hamburger menu, just like Apple Music, but there are far more tabs here for far more functions, from Podcasts to Recents to Charts. There is also an easy toggle for Downloaded only mode in this hamburger menu, which makes the Home tab an easy-to-use list of Recent Activity and a shortcut to Shuffle all downloaded music.

Managing playlists and now playing queues is still a breeze in Play Music compared to Spotify and Apple Music, and you can save your currently-playing queue into a new playlist for easy listening at a later date. The playback window in Play Music zooms in on its album art, which is fine for high-quality artwork, but tiny artwork becomes a horrid blur. The shuffle, repeat, and Cast buttons also become lost in busy artwork.

Winner: Tie — Spotify and Google Play Music

It’s hard to declare a winner here when all three apps are in need of some work, but we can declare Apple Music the loser, between the depressingly regular bugs and the space-wasting layout.

Overall winner: Google Play Music

Google Play allows you to combine the best of both worlds: listen to millions of songs in their subscription library ad-free and listen to the music library you’ve curated over your digital lifetime in order to build your ultimate library and your ultimate playlists. Play Music is available on just about every non-Apple platform (sorry, Windows Phone), and while it may need a UI overhaul soon, the service offers the best utility and selection, so long as you don’t burn through your device limit.

Plus it gets rid of YouTube ads for subscribers in the United States, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and Korea. Sorry, rest of the world.

Subscribe to Google Play Music ($9.99/month single or $14.99/month family)

Winner for social listeners and college kids: Spotify

Spotify is a music streaming service that is social at its very core. You can follow what your friends listen to, and you can share playlists on Spotify easier than any other music service, even if editing them on Android is a complete pain. Spotify Connect also ensures that no matter where you are or what you want to listen on, you can probably use Spotify Connect to listen to your music on it. If Spotify irons out its kinks with the Family plan and lifted some of the arbitrary limits it has put on users, it could be the best.

Subscribe to Spotify Premium ($9.99/month single or $14.99/month family)

If you’re a college student, Spotify actually is the best, because it’s $4.99 a month for Spotify Premium and standard (ad-supported) Hulu! Just make sure you can keep proving your college status, because Spotify can test or take away the Student perks with little warning.

Subscribe to Spotify Student ($4.99/month)

The only scenario where Apple Music wins

If you live in a family that has completely bought into the Apple ecosystem but just happens to have an Android phone or two in the house, then Apple Music makes sense as it will tie in to more of your products.

If you are an Android user, please do not pay for a service that does not see your experience as a priority. Apple Music is also a hard sell without a web client because one of the most popular places to listen to music is at work, and who wants to install iTunes on a work computer?

What’s your favorite? Sound off in the comments below!

Samsung’s newest fast wireless charging stand is already $30 off

Charge without the wires.

Samsung’s fast wireless charging stands are down from $69.99 to just $39.99 in both black and white. This price drop brings the popular wireless charging option down to a new all-time low. You can grab it from Samsung or Best Buy for $10 more.

It is compatible with all Qi devices, including Samsung’s Galaxy S8, S9, Note 8, and other devices like the iPhone 8, iPhone X and more. The multi-colored LED halo shows off the charging status. It comes with a fast charge wall charger as well, which many other options don’t.

This is Samsung’s 2018 version of the charging pad, which only just hit the market back in February.

See at Amazon