Nest’s outdoor facial recognition camera is available in Europe

Nest released the weather-ready version of its facial recognition-equipped camera, the Cam IQ outdoor, last fall in the US. The device would theoretically notify you only if it recorded someone it hadn’t seen before, so your kids playing in the yard wouldn’t trip the alarm. Now, half a year later, the camera is headed to Europe.

The Cam IQ outdoor has impressive specs to aid its facial recognition tech, with a 4K digital sensor, HDR and 1080p HD video and the ability to zoom in 12x. It’s IP66 weather-certified to endure rain, snow and wind; It needs to be constantly plugged in, but at least you won’t have to worry about running out of battery. And like other cameras in its family, the Cam IQ outdoor can be used with the company’s Nest Aware recording and footage analysis service. The camera is available now for €379 EU / £329 GBP on Nest’s website and in European retailers.

Fake Black Lives Matter page on Facebook eclipsed the real thing

Facebook has had some success purging fake and misleading pages, but it’s evident there’s still work to do. CNN has discovered that the most popular Black Lives Matter page for the past year was a scam — it was supposedly fundraising for BLM causes in the US, but sent at least some money to Australian bank accounts and frequently linked to the websites from Ian Mackay, a workers’ union official in Australia. It had nearly 700,000 followers where the real activist group’s page has less than half that amount.

Mackay had denied running the page, but the page has conveniently been altered or taken down when investigators have pinpointed the man’s involvement.

The bigger concern may be Facebook’s own response. Payment services Classy, Donorbox, PayPal and Patreon all suspended the fake page’s fundraising campaigns soon after CNN got in touch, but the news outlet claims that Facebook didn’t suspend the page (by suspending an administrator) until after a week of back-and-forth discussion. It initially didn’t think the page violated policies at all, but eventually changed its mind. Moreover, BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors asked Facebook to take down the scam page months ago.

When asked for comment, Facebook said only that it had created “several techniques” to find and stop fake activity, and that its teams reviewed them to take “appropriate action.” These include new machine learning methods that have helped catch “more than a half-million accounts.”

It’s important to stress that this isn’t exclusively a Facebook problem — there has been more than one bogus BLM account on Twitter, including others that are still active as of this writing. Really, the issue is that Facebook and other social networks continue to have difficulty spotting and dealing with fake pages. This also highlights recurring trouble with social sites’ reactions to policy violators — they sometimes only take action when an issue reaches the media.

Source: CNN

SaferVPN review – fast, simple, and extremely affordable

SaferVPN is a relatively new player in the VPN space and it has rapidly improved and expanded its services. It claims to be the fastest and simplest VPN service around, without compromising on security and privacy. Do those claims hold true and what is this VPN capable of? Let’s find out in this quick SaferVPN review. 

See also:

• Best VPN apps
• Best VPNs for China

Getting started

Creating an account

To get started, you need to first select a payment plan, sign up with an email address, and then add your payment information. The email address is required to log in to the apps. SaferVPN says this information isn’t shared with anyone and is used only for customer service. If you’re still worried, you can always set up a dummy email account.

Payment and pricing

SaferVPN plans start at $8.99 per month, which is cheaper than competing services like NordVPN and ExpressVPN. Of course, there are also significant discounts available if you opt for long-term plans. The annual plan is priced at $65.88 ($5.49 per month), and the 2-year plan will set you back just $78.96 ($3.29 per month).

Even better for Android Authority readers you can get 3 years of service for $89.99, equivalent to paying $2.50 a month. That’s without a doubt one of the best prices you’ll find for a premium VPN service.

Aside from great pricing, what puts SaferVPN above a lot of the competition is its 24-hour trial period. You only have to provide any payment information after the trial expires. This is really nice to have. Not a lot of premium VPN services are offering any kind of free trial. Further, SaferVPN also gives a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Payment methods are limited to credit cards, Paypal, and Bitcoin. These options are standard and should be okay for almost everyone, but those looking for alternate cryptocurrencies or payment wall choices may be disappointed.

Installation

Easy to download and install applications are available for Windows, iOS, Mac, and Android, and browser extensions are also available for Chrome and Firefox. You can also buy a Wi-Fi router with SaferVPN pre-installed or set it up with your existing router.

You can find the list of SaferVPN routers here, and find manual installation guides for your existing router here. Manual installation guides are also available for gaming consoles, media streamers like the Chromecast and Nvidia Shield TV, Chromebooks, and Linux systems. You can find them here.

For this review, we took a detailed look at the Windows and Android applications.

Setup and settings

Windows

SaferVPN claims to be the simplest VPN around, which is evident when you first log in to the Windows app. After signing in with your email address and password, you are greeted with a small, static world map which marks the automatic location (best server) the app chooses for you. All you then have to do is click on the green Connect button to get started.

Clicking on the location pointer icon next to the Connect button brings up the list of countries. SaferVPN has over 700 servers in 34 countries, though the list only lets you select which country you want to connect to, rather than a specific server. There are no sorting options based on server load or ping time either. Basically, the app does all the heavy lifting when finding the best server for you, and the only control you have is with regards to which country you want to connect to.

For most things, the best server will be the one closest to you. The list includes a couple of extra options as well, like U.S. streaming and U.K. streaming. It’s not specifically mentioned in the app anywhere, but SaferVPN allows only one server for P2P — Netherlands. This information is tucked away in the support pages on the website, which you can find here.

The Settings menu can be found by clicking on the icon at the top right corner of the app. Like everything else about the app, it’s very simple and lists only the essentials. Here you can select a specific VPN protocol (we recommend OpenVPN) or just leave it on Automatic. The Auto Wi-Fi feature keeps your device protected when connected to a public Wi-Fi network, and the Kill Switch blocks all internet connectivity if the VPN unexpectedly drops its connection. That’s all there is to it.

Android

The user interface of the Android app is largely similar to the Windows app. The only noticeable difference is that the location icon has been moved to the top left corner. There is also no separate Settings menu. The hamburger menu lists the VPN protocol, Kill Switch, and Wi-Fi Security options instead.

Ease of use

It doesn’t get any simpler or easier to use than the SaferVPN apps. The available settings and features are self-explanatory and minimal, but still provide everything you need to keep your online presence private and secure. I like that things remain identical across platforms, so there aren’t any new features or settings to worry about when using SaferVPN on different devices.

Security and privacy

SaferVPN is based in Isreal, where there are very strong privacy laws and limits on the government’s ability to monitor activity. What can be concerning for privacy buffs is Israel’s involvement in the Five Eyes intelligence sharing agreement, which includes the U.S., U.K., Australia, and New Zealand. However, the regional laws should be enough to assure your online privacy.

Not helping are the caveats associated with SaferVPN’s “No logging” policy. A deep dive into the privacy policy shows SaferVPN collects minimal usage statistics to maintain the quality of service and aid with fraud prevention. This includes the date and time at which a session begins and ends, the amount of data transmitted during a session, which VPN location you are connected to, and which country you are connected from. That said, SaferVPN does not log IP addresses or any browsing activity.

I tested for IP leaks, WebRTC detection, and DNS leaks using ipleak.net and found no issues. I ran the test multiple times while working on this review because there have been some reports about IP and DNS leaks. SaferVPN claims to have addressed any issues with a previous update, which certainly seems to be the case.

Speed

Original speed – Bangalore, India

To test the speed, I used the Ookla Speed Test after connecting to server locations like India (best server), U.S. (U.S. streaming server), U.K. (UK streaming server), Netherlands (the only location for P2P), Singapore, and Australia. SaferVPN is one of the fastest when it comes to connecting to a server, requiring only a two to five seconds to do so. Every other VPN I’ve reviewed so far took closer to 10 seconds on average.

SaferVPN is one of the fastest VPN services I’ve reviewed so far. At peak performance, the speeds are fantastic. I was able to use the U.S. and U.K. streaming servers for Netflix and BBC iPlayer and without buffering or lag issues. I saw a slight bump in speed when connected to the other U.S. option (U.S. East), but since streaming is the main reason I need a VPN to connect to a U.S. location, I didn’t use it as much.

However, as impressive as the speeds are when everything is running well, the one issue that came up is consistency. The apps allow you to connect to a country, without any information about the specific server and server load. For the most part, it makes the best choice, but there have been occasions where the speed has been really slow, and I had to disconnect and reconnect to the same location. The location may have been the same, but the server was obviously different, as the speed returned to normal after that.

Key features

• Allows up to five concurrent connections.
• 24-hour free trial and 30-day money back guarantee are both available.
• Zero activity logging, but connection and location information (not IP addresses) are logged.
• Over 700 server locations in 34 countries.
• Torrenting works fine, but SaferVPN allows P2P from only one location (Netherlands). Remember to respect your country’s copyright laws. We do not condone or encourage any illegal activities.
• You can unblock or circumvent geolocation restrictions for various streaming websites like Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer by using the specific U.S. streaming and U.K. streaming servers.
• Security features include Kill Switch and Wi-Fi Security.
• 24/7 customer service available.

SaferVPN – Our final thoughts

SaferVPN definitely delivers on its promise of being the fastest and simplest VPN service around. The apps are very simple and with no bells and whistles, and it’s very easy to install one and connect to the VPN. The speeds are also as fast, if not faster, then more expensive options like ExpressVPN.

That simplicity has its negatives as well. You can only choose a country to connect to. Some users may prefer knowing about specific servers and information like server load and ping times. The app generally does a good job picking the best option, but consistency issues crop up occasionally. It’s also not great for torrenting since SaferVPN allows only one location for P2P.

Security features like the Kill Switch and Wi-Fi Security are nice additions, but services like NordVPN offer a lot more options. SaferVPN doesn’t keep any activity logs, but it keeping connection logs may be of concern for some users.

If you are looking for a fast, simple, and very easy to use VPN, you can sign up for SaferVPN here. On the other hand, if you prefer having additional information and control over server choices, security features, and more, there are other options out there.

Not sure if SaferVPN is write for you? Don’t forget to check out our reviews of ExpressVPN, NordVPN, IPVanish, and PureVPN. We’ll also be bringing you even more quick review looks at some of the best VPNs in the weeks and months to come.

Like what you see? Sign up now! Remember, Android Authority readers can get 3 years of service for $89.99, equivalent to paying $2.50 a month.

Get SaferVPN now!

Note: I haven’t been able to personally verify this, but according to some third-party sources and user reviews, SaferVPN doesn’t appear to work in China. One of the reasons for getting a VPN service is using the internet in China. If that is a factor, look for alternate options.

Disclosure:This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy for more details.
 

‘Star Trek: Discovery’ has found its Christopher Pike

Star Trek: Discovery has been framed as a prequel to the original TV series, but there’s been at least one conspicuous omission in that story: Christopher Pike, the captain of the USS Enterprise before James Kirk. He won’t be missing for much longer, though. CBS has picked veteran actor Anson Mount to play Pike in the second season of the streaming series. Mount is best-known as Cullen from Hell on Wheels, but he has also had roles in shows and movies ranging from Marvel’s Inhumans (Black Bolt) to Non-Stop.

Discovery has had its fair share of critics, but its first season accomplished what CBS was looking for: it drove All Access subscriptions in the US (CBS saw record adoption ahead of and following the premiere). The addition of Pike promises to help with that by giving long-time Trek fans a reason to keep watching. The broadcaster certainly won’t depend solely on Discovery going forward, but All Access is young enough that even a casting choice like this could significantly affect its fortunes.

Source: CBS Press Express

Red Dead Redemption 2 for PlayStation 4: Everything you need to know!

Here’s everything you need to know to prepare for Rockstar’s latest adventure in the wild, wild west.

Yes, it’s finally happening my fellow outlaws. Red Dead Redemption II is real and it’s coming to PlayStation 4 this year. After Rockstar Games’ massively successful open-world cowboy game set during the death of the Wild West, fans began clamoring for a follow-up that continued the story of the Marston family or embraced a new gunslinger.

After years of rumors and silence on Rockstar’s end, they finally surprised the world on one random morning in 2016 by announcing a sequel to their critically acclaimed western. It took over a year to get any actual concrete details regarding the game and frankly, it’s still a bit of a mystery but it sounds like it could be a mix of a story of a new outlaw and also fill in a massive gap in John Marston’s story.

The story so far…

Rockstar Games appears to be returning to the traditional one playable character route after successfully experimenting with three playable protagonists in Grand Theft Auto V but he’s not John or Jack Marston. Players will travel to sometime between the late 1800s and 1906 to fill the boots and don the hat of a much less noble man that goes by the name of Arthur Morgan, a brute that’s running with Dutch van der Linde’s gang during their prime. While little is known about Arthur, we know he’s a much more sinister cowboy who doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty. In the second trailer, we see him interrogating and roughing up several people who appear to owe money to Dutch’s Gang, perhaps for protection. He’s a brutal force that is loyal to Dutch and likely only Dutch.

It’s likely we’re going to see the rise and fall of the gang, with Arthur Morgan playing a pivotal role.

The story will see Morgan and Van der Linde’s gang stealing, running, and fighting to survive the rugged and cruel world that is the Wild West. Order has not yet been established, technology is slowly beginning to evolve into something far more advanced, and people like Dutch believe it’s important that things stay the way they are. The van der Linde gang was always viewed as a Robin Hood-type of bandits, stealing from the rich to give to the poor and resisting the government in favor of a structure where it was a “every man for himself” situation.

The gang eventually evolved into something far more dangerous and unhinged according to a anecdote provided by John Marston, leading him to realize their Robin Hood act it was all a front for their evil actions and crimes. It’s likely we’re going to see the rise and fall of the gang with Arthur Morgan playing a pivotal role in both aspects. A man like that can strike fear into the hearts of many but if not controlled can create problems and enemies beyond anyone’s control. Clearly whatever happens, it gets the attention of the law and sends the crew on the run where they attempt to cling to whatever they can before they are struck down.

How does it connect to the original Red Dead Redemption?

So, what’s the connection to the first Red Dead Redemption? Well, Rockstar is being very, very careful not to say much about this game and have gone to great lengths to conceal faces of characters in promotional material and word their press releases in provocative ways to torture us. With that said, we’ll have to put on our tin foil conspiracy hats to make the connection.

There are rumors (some that are very credible) that John Marston is in the game but no one has been able to completely confirm his presence.

Given this game takes place long before the events of the original game and has a direct link to it via Dutch van der Linde and his gang, it’s hard to imagine Rockstar isn’t trying to expand John Marston’s story in someway. With games like Grand Theft Auto, there have been very subtle connections tying the games together but none of them are direct sequels or relate to each other in any way. With Red Dead Redemption II, Rockstar had the chance to name the game something like Red Dead Revolution, Red Dead Retribution, or something along those lines given that the series so far has gone Red Dead Revolver and then Red Dead Redemption. They purposely named it in a way that links the two games.

Marston was also a substantial part of Dutch’s Gang, he was taken in by Dutch when he ran away from the orphanage he lived in. He was raised by this gang and lived with them for a large majority of his life and in the fallout of him abandoning the gang, it all went to hell and it was more or less disbanded. With Dutch looking young and dashing in II, it seems likely that the game takes place prior to Marston taking off with Abigail. There are rumors (some that are very credible) that John Marston is in the game but no one has been able to completely confirm his presence outside of some vague outlines that somewhat resemble him.

Major gameplay innovations are coming in the western sequel

Since Rockstar has been pretty prude about Red Dead Redemption II, we only have a few things to go off of regarding the gameplay. There will be more details in the future regarding what the gameplay will look like but for right now we’ll just give you the basic rundown of what we know.

It looks as if Rockstar will be carrying over the heists from GTA V as we see Arthur Morgan robbing a bank and holding up a train in the second trailer. It’s unclear how much of a focal point these will be in the game since it was the core of GTA V’s campaign but one has to imagine it plays a similar role given you’re a gang of notorious western criminals.

Some major changes are coming in combat with the ability to dual wield weapons like Max Payne, bows and arrows used for hunting and maybe even some stealth combat as we see Arthur Morgan taking a knife to someone’s back in the dead of night. A credible rumor that confirmed the name of the protagonist and some plot details long before the game was ever even announced noted that a large part of the game will center around setting up and moving camps while on the run.

The rumor also noted that when you go out to do missions, you’ll bring a party of chosen NPCs like Mass Effect or Dragon Age to help you out. It’s worth taking it with a grain of salt since it is just a rumor and the game was actually in a state of development hell because Rockstar wasn’t completely satisfied with the game so things may have been changed.

When you can play it and when we’ll know more

The only questions remaining are when we can play the game and when we can expect more firm details from Rockstar. The game is currently scheduled to release on October 26th, 2018 for PlayStation 4 as well as Xbox One, and we can likely expect some news regarding the game in May or June via a Game Informer cover story or a new trailer and breakdown directly from Rockstar. As of right now, we’ll just have to hold our breaths and keep waiting to saddle up again.

Pre-order isn’t available just yet in most places for Red Dead Redemption 2, but for those looking to pick up the original game to play through before the sequel drops, you can find the Game of the Year Edition for $20

See on Amazon

PlayStation 4

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

Amazon

Best Verizon Wireless Deals of April 2018

No matter what T-Mobile says, you can actually find some pretty great deals on Verizon.

Verizon Wireless has some of the largest coverage for customers in the United States, and although T-Mobile likes to continually poke fun at the carrier for having high monthly rates, there are actually some really solid deals to be found if you know where to look.

You can typically find quite a few deals being run by Verizon at any given time, but if you only want to look at the best of the best and don’t have time to sift through the garbage, that’s where we come in.

These are best deals on Verizon Wireless right now.

Get 50% off the Pixel 2, two months of YouTube TV, and a free Home Mini + Chromecast

The Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL are two of the finest Android phones you can buy, and right now Verizon’s offering one of the best deals for them that we’ve seen yet.

As long as you trade in an eligible device, you can get up to 50% off the cost of a Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL. You’ll also get two free months of YouTube TV, as well as a free Google Home Mini and Chromecast.

This deal goes live on April 5, and you’ll need to pay for the Pixel 2/2 XL on a monthly installment plan.

See at Verizon

Take 50% off the Galaxy S9, Note 8, LG V30, and more

If the Pixel 2 isn’t for you, Verizon’s still got you covered.

Although you won’t be able to get the free Home Mini, Chromecast, and two months of YouTube TV, you can still score 50% off a number of the carrier’s best Android phones — including the Galaxuy S9/S9+, Galaxy Note 8, Moto Z2 Force, and LG V30.

In order to take advantage of this, you’ll need to purchase your new phone on a monthly installment plan and trade-in an eligible device. For more details and to get this offer for yourself, check the button below.

See at Verizon

Buy the Moto Z2 Play for only $10/month

Motorola’s Moto Z2 Play isn’t the best Android phone ever made, but it is a reliable, mid-range handset that comes with a lot of possibilities thanks to its accompanying Moto Mod system.

Verizon usually sells the phone for $17/month with 24 monthly payments, but right now you can pick it up for just $10/month. There’s no trade-in required to get this deal, but you will need to add a new line of service.

See at Verizon

Carriers

• Which unlimited plan should you buy?
• Verizon’s Unlimited plans: Everything you need to know
• Everything you need to know about the T-Mobile ONE unlimited plan
• Everything you need to know about the AT&T Unlimited plan
• Everything you need to know about Sprint’s Unlimited Freedom plan
• Join the Discussion

Updated 4/9/2018 – Added new deals for April!

ARCore and Android: Everything you need to know!

This is everything you need to know about ARCore!

One of the hot new features on newer flagships is their ability to work with augmented reality (AR) applications. Pokémon Go was the first big AR game release, and Apple introduced its Animoji feature in late 2017. On the Android side, Google has been working to provide a standardized AR ecosystem with ARCore.

This is everything you need to know about ARCore!

Origins with Tango

ARCore isn’t Google’s first foray into augmented reality. Earlier development kits and phones had Tango (first known as Project Tango); these were devices with dedicated camera hardware to do most of the same thing that ARCore now does in software. There were two phones that worked with Tango — the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro and the Asus Zenfone AR. The phones themselves were fine, but the AR implementation was half-baked at best. Requiring dedicated hardware and shipping on niche devices meant that Tango was never going to take the world by storm, but the lessons that Google and developers learned with Tango are still relevant with ARCore.

More: What’s the difference between Tango and ARCore?

What phones work with ARCore?

ARCore launched on Google’s Pixel line, but quickly spread to devices from other manufacturers. LG and Samsung flagships from the last couple years are supported, as well as the Asus ZenFone AR. As time goes on, expect most Android phones to support ARCore.

More: Every Android phone with ARCore right now

Which apps support ARCore?

ARCore applications range from lighter fare like being able to stick BB-8 on your desk to making sure that IKEA furniture you’re looking at actually fits in your living room. There are education apps that can help you explore the world or the human body, and games for fighting aliens. Check out which apps you can use — you’re sure to find something entertaining or useful!

More: What can you do in ARCore right now?

More: The best ARCore apps you can use right now

More to come!

Google is just getting started with ARCore. There will surely be new features announced at this year’s Google I/O developer conference and alongside this year’s Pixel phones. Stay tuned to Android Central for more!

More: Google’s answer to ARKit is ARCore, and it’s available right now

Today’s best deals you won’t want to miss

Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.

Today you can get big discounts on the Anker Roav, portable hard drives, the Asus VivoBook, and more! Don’t pass these up.

View the rest of the deals

If you want to know about the deals as soon as they are happening, you’ll want to follow Thrifter on Twitter, and sign up for the newsletter, because missing out on a great deal stinks!

HQ Trivia’s new ‘Friends on HQ’ feature adds a social element to the game

Now you can see how much better (or worse) your friends are doing during the game.

HQ Trivia exploded in popularity last year, and it continues to be just as big of a phenomenon in early 2018. I’ve found the game to be most enjoyable when played with a group of friends, and a new “Friends on HQ” update aims to extend the social element even when you aren’t in the same room as your buddies.

On the new “Discover People” page that you can access at any time, you’ll be able to search for other users, accept/decline friend requests, invite contacts to download the app, and see which ones are already playing.

During a live game, you can open a page that takes up the majority of the screen to see how much money you’re playing for and the exact number of people that are currently watching/playing. Along with this, you can see which of your friends are still in the game and what other users are still playing that you’re not friends with.

Friends with HQ will be made available for users in the United Kingdom starting today, and it’ll expand to the United States “soon.”

HQ Trivia’s app is pretty barebones as is when a game’s not taking place, so these added features are more than welcome.

Download: HQ Trivia (free)

Amazon has Fire Tablets for $35, Kindles for $50 and more for Prime members

Being a Prime member pays off again.

Odds are you don’t need another reason to become a Prime member, but if you do, this deal may sway you. Amazon is currently offering a variety of discounts on its Fire Tablets and Kindle E-readers, dropping prices down to as little as $34.99. The 7-inch Fire Tablet is available for $35, which is $15 lower than it normally sells for.

Want something larger? The 8-inch Fire Tablet is down to $54.99, a savings of $25. If you need a bigger display, the 10-inch Fire Tablet is down to $109.99 from $150. You can grab the Fire 7 Kids Edition for $74.99, which is 25% off its regular price. It’s pretty easy to fill up the internal storage on these, so be sure to pick up a microSD card to increase how much you can put on it.

Prefer to have something for reading your favorite books while on the go? The base 6-inch Kindle is down $30, which makes it just $50. Arguably the best deal of the Kindle sale is the Paperwhite for $79.99, which is the lowest it’s ever dropped by $20. The Kindle for Kids bundle is $25 off, making it just $100 with this sale.

Of course, if you aren’t a Prime member already, you can take advantage of a free 30-day trial to score the discounted rates and all of the other benefits.