T-Mobile slapped with $40 million fine for playing fake ringtones on rural calls

T-Mobile has agreed to pay a hefty $40 million fine levied by the Federal Communications Commission after an investigation found that the company was playing fake ringing sounds to customers who were calling rural areas, making them believe that their call was going through when in fact the call had never connected.

The issue is specific to rural areas. When a customer calls a rural area with spotty connectivity, it may take a few seconds for the call to connect — and a carrier may have to hand the call off to a local carrier to handle the call. That’s not the problem, though — the issue is that T-Mobile was filling those seconds with a fake calling sound, implying that the call had connected even if it had not.

When FCC laws changed in 2014 to prohibit this practice, users and carriers both complained — and the FCC started looking into it. T-Mobile then claimed that it had solved the issue, when in fact it had not. And now T-Mobile is facing a $40 million fine for not complying with the law.

According to the FCC, false ringing sounds “cause callers to believe that the phone is ringing at the called party’s premises when it is not.” It also said that uncompleted calls “cause rural businesses to lose revenue, impede medical professionals from reaching patients in rural areas, cut families off from their relatives, and create the potential for dangerous delays in public safety communications.”

On top of the $40 million fine, T-Mobile will also have to stop the practice within 90 days and issue reports to the FCC every year for the next three years ensuring that it is still in compliance.

Of course, T-Mobile won’t necessarily have much of an issue in paying the fine. Earlier this year, the company announced record-breaking revenue for the fourth quarter of 2017, proving that the so-called Un-Carrier is only on the rise. For the fourth quarter of 2017, the company added a hefty 891,000 subscribers. A lot of this increase are related to the perks that come with being a T-Mobile subscriber — like discounted movie tickets, Netflix subscriptions, and other “free stuff every Tuesday.”

Editors’ Recommendations

• Xfinity Mobile adds bring-your-own-device option for some iPhone users
• T-Mobile keeps adding more customers with low prices and freebies
• Sprint, T-Mobile resume merger talks for the third time
• AT&T calls on Congress to create new net neutrality laws — but why?
• T-Mobile calls on Verizon, AT&T to commit to renewable electricity

Libratone Track+ wireless headphones review

Research Center:

Libratone Track+

When we first encountered Libratone back in 2013, the Denmark-based audio brand made a lasting impression thanks to its bombastic designs, including a wild and wooly satellite dish of a speaker called the Loop, which would be right at home in a ‘70s dystopian sci-fi flick. Unfortunately, the sound of the speaker was just as bombastic, with aggressive treble and barreling bass that didn’t quite jive with our ears.

We’re happy to say that Libratone’s latest offering, the Track+ wireless noise canceling headphones, shake off that zany design, both aesthetically and aurally. A sleek and stylish pair of in-ear headphones, the Track+ offer a truckload of features, premium build quality, and balanced sound that make their $200 price point relatively easy to swallow. Still, you’ll want to read on before pulling that trigger and making them yours.

A premium package

From the get-go, the Track+ reel you in with packaging that exudes the kind of stylish minimalism that made the likes of Apple and Bang & Olufsen household names. The dimpled exterior of a magnetic black box gives way to a heavy helping of sunken foam, within which the serpentine headphones sit as though frozen in time. Pulling the flexible, halo-style headband loose reveals a smooth, rubberized exterior interrupted only by the matte control bars and capsule-shaped earbuds.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Underneath the top layer is a second round of foam which houses a light (and once again minimalist) collection of accessories, including a basic startup guide, a white USB to MicroUSB charging cable, and an oval-shaped package of eartips — including horn-shaped tips to keep the buds in place for athletic outings.

Smart design

If a product’s design pens its own narrative (and we’d argue it does), premium is indeed the thesis for the Track+ — especially considering their price point. The headphones feel extremely sturdy, backed by IPX4-rated splash-proofing, but they’re also quite light, both in your hands and around your neck, making them perfect for both the office and the gym. Meanwhile, little details like the angled arms that attach the earbuds to the rubbery halo-band and the gleaming exterior of the capsuled-housings add some notable class.

Both in your hands and around your neck, making them perfect for both the office and the gym.

Before you strap the buds on, we suggest downloading the Libratone app, served up by a QR code in the instructions that sends your phone’s scanner straight to the Libratone website. The app is helpful, as there’s a fair amount of tech to digest here, and the instruction booklet offers only a basic startup guide and control-key identification.

The Track+’s onboard controls are hosted by those two bars along the band mentioned above; the right side boasts volume keys, as well as a multi-function center key which controls play/pause/calling and song skip via a succession of clicks (two for forward, three for back). On the left side is another multi-function key, which powers the headphones on and also sets them for pairing to your phone, similar to most wireless earbud designs.

More than cancellation

There’s one more function for the left-side key, as it also cycles through the Track+’s four levels of adaptive noise filtering. Alongside full-bore cancellation (rated at -20dB), there’s also a -12dB cancellation setting, a “0dB” setting, and a +6dB option to bring in ambient sound via outfacing microphones to keep you safe while navigating city traffic. Finally, the headphones also offer an Ambient Monitoring mode that only lets through sound, shutting down audio playback altogether.

But wait, there’s more. The Libratone app provides a visual guide to the headphones’ adaptive noise technology, allowing you to quickly spin through the options, as well as calling up on-board audio sources like internet radio stations, and even EQ controls.

Perhaps the app’s most intriguing function, however, is the Smart Mode, which combines your phone’s location, accelerometer data, and readings from the earbuds’ microphones to automatically adapt the cancellation tech to suit the environment around you for up to eight levels of audio filtering. The headphones will also go into bypass mode during periods of inactivity to save battery life (more on that below).

The Smart mode is fun to play with, and it works pretty well out on the street. The system knows when you’re moving, and raises the ambient sound around you accordingly (it’s also fun to see the little app person walking when you do). Ambient sound is lowered when you stop, and auto-adjusts to cancel out sound around you. The technology is smart enough to know you’re in the city, and even which areas are more congested, but in the end, we still preferred to adjust sound manually for better control. That said, the system will no doubt improve over time with better location tracking, which could make the Track+ even more compelling down the line.

Fit and function

Fit is, of course, always a personal thing, but after passing the Track+ around to a few colleagues, our conclusion is they’re relatively comfortable, if not a bit onerous over longer periods. The capsule-shaped housings are larger than many designs, and fit a little tightly in our ears, but the wide eartip selection — including the sport fins — should allow most people to find a good solution.

When it comes to the cancellation tech itself, even at its highest level (-20dB), this isn’t the kind of noise canceling that puts you in your own little corner of the universe like Bose’s QC20. Instead, it’s more like an added layer of intimacy for you and your tunes, aided by good passive noise isolation. Somewhat ironically, when we used the Track+ in our DT offices, the noise it cancelled out best was the white noise machines recently installed to afford our open office more privacy.

That’s not all that surprising, as those frequencies are along the same band as airplane noise and other droning sounds travelers look to extinguish. And while the Track+’s noise canceling isn’t the absolute best, it matches well with others in the Track+’s general price class, including the $150 Phiaton BT 150 NC (which don’t offer multiple levels of cancellation).

One point of issue we take with the Track+ is battery life which, frankly, could be a sticking point for many. Libratone claims the headphones offer “up to 8 hours” of battery life per charge, which is respectable for their class. Yet, while that may be accurate under the right circumstances, we clocked significantly less time with full-bore noise canceling engaged in our in-ear test, measuring around 5 to 6 hours at best — even less than the cheaper BT 150’s 6.5 hours. The Track+’s sleep mode was too smart for us in our second test, shutting the earbuds down a few times when we tried to cheat by testing them on our desk instead of in our ears. Suffice it to say, though, the headphones died a little faster than claimed. They do charge fully in just an hour, but the limitation means the Track+ could well leave you high and dry on overseas flights.

Then again, those looking for top-notch noise cancelling in earbud-form will likely want to go to the source anyway and purchase the Bose QC20. We’ve yet to find earbuds that match their cancellation skills, and though they’re wired, they also boast an impressive 15-16 hours of playback time per charge.

Smooth sounds

As we touched upon at the intro, Libratone has smoothed out its sound design for the Track+ to line up with the headphones’ smooth aesthetics. While there’s still a bit of that snappy touch to the upper midrange and treble, this is a warmer, more balanced sound than we’ve heard from the brand before, highlighted by ruddy and pronounced bass, good stereo separation, and some pleasant bits of instrumental definition. The Track+ won’t barrel you over with hi-fi audio, but we found plenty to like about their accessible sound signature.

The ambient sound tech is fun to play with, and it works pretty well out on the street.

That said, it’s not all gravy here, and discerning listeners will likely find themselves wanting a bit more from the Track+ at times, especially when it comes to reproducing organic instruments like percussion elements and acoustic strings. The headphones provide a somewhat synthetic touch to the upper midrange, which favors the attacks of stick hits and string clicks over the meaty resonance of the tones they produce. This can be a fun effect for electronic instruments and overdriven guitar, as the Track+ tend to lean into those crunchier tones for a more visceral feel, but it can leave other instruments, including vocals, sounding less than natural.

We also wished for a bit more dynamic expression and clarity in the overall sound signal. When compared directly with the BT 150 NC, Phiaton’s model offered more intimacy and closeness to the sound, especially in the midrange. We’re not sure if the Track+ utilize any Bluetooth enhancement codecs like aptX (we’re still waiting on confirmation there) but if so we couldn’t hear it. That’s not to say the sound is outright opaque or lacking in detail, but the BT 150 NC headphones edge them out when it comes to definition, and at a lower price point.

Libratone Track+ Compared To

Jlab Epic Air

Jabra Sport Pulse Wireless Special…

Phiaton BT 150 NC

RHA MA750 Wireless

Google Pixel Buds

Samsung Gear IconX (2018)

Nuheara IQbuds

B&O Play Beoplay E8

Bragi Dash Pro

Optoma NuForce BE6i

Apple AirPods

Erato Apollo 7

Bragi Dash

Jabra Sport Pace Wireless

Jabra Sport Wireless Plus Bluetooth

The highlight for our ears is the Track+’s lower-frequency response, which adds some real oomph without getting in the way of the rest of the sound — no small feat. There are some enticing layers of smooth and juicy warmth in the lower mids, while bass — especially the midbass — is full and punchy without getting sloppy.

Overall, while you won’t be floating on cloud 9 with each song you audition, the Track+ get the job done with warmth and detail.

Warranty information

Libratone offers a one-year warranty on all U.S. purchases, more information about which can be found on the company website.

Our Take

Libratone’s Track+ are a stylish pair of wireless earbuds with solid sound and features galore, but battery life may be a concern for frequent travelers and heavy listeners.

Is there a better alternative?

Our favorite alternative should be no surprise, as we’ve returned to the Phiaton BT 150 NC throughout this review. While we prefer the Track+ from a style point, if style and ambient sound filtering is of less concern, the BT 150 NC offer improved sound and better battery life at a $50 savings.

Those looking for better noise cancelling may also want to check out Bose’s QC20 for $50 more, but in most cases we’d steer clear of the wireless version, the QC30, unless you’ve got an extra Benjamin to set free.

How long will it last?

The Track+ are built to last thanks to solid construction and weatherproofing, and on the digital side, Libratone touts continued firmware updates delivered seamlessly via the app.

Should you buy it?

If you think 5-8 hours (depending on noise cancellation) will do the trick, we’d say go for it. We fell in love with the Track+’s sleek styling and intuitive design, but their battery playtime can put you in a tough spot if you’re not conscientious. If you need a bit more to burn, we’d point you toward the other options mentioned above.

Fitbit Versa versus Fitbit Blaze: Is the new watch worth the upgrade?

FitBit Versa Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

With the Fitbit Versa hitting shelves in April of 2018, the buzz around the company’s latest smartwatch has hit a fever pitch. The new device features the geometric look of traditional sports watches but with a sleeker, more minimalist design — it even evokes a similar aesthetic to the Apple Watch. Though after it released its first official smartwatch (dubbed the Ionic) in 2017, Fitbit went back to the drawing board to design a wearable capable of having mass appeal. Born from this type of R&D was the Versa — though, only time will tell if it fulfills Fitbit’s lofty goals.

While it rightfully packs much of what makes the Ionic an impressive product, the Versa also acts an awful lot like the Fitbit Blaze from 2016. Although its predecessor is technically not a full-fledged “smartwatch,” the hybrid fitness tracker has many of the same characteristics. Ultimately, it is meant to be a crossover —  the tracker you use while you sweat hard at the gym but then still wear to the office. Let’s take a closer look at which of the two is more deserving of a spot on your wrist.

Specs

An upgrade in every sense of the term, the Versa is the finished product of years of Fitbit development and it shows. Outside of a bigger screen and lighter weight, a scan of the Versa’s specs show improvement across the board. Featuring a higher screen resolution, NFC support, and waterproofing to 50 meters, it’s Fitbit’s latest flagship for a reason.

From a pure comparison standpoint, the Blaze is left playing second fiddle here. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that it’s a full two years older, meaning its finished product is (at the very least) two production cycles behind the Versa. That it’s still capable of somewhat standing up to its smartwatch kin is impressive in itself. It’s still a powerful and capable fitness tracker without the bells and whistles of a smartwatch — which some people may actually prefer.

Winner: Versa

Screen resolution and operation

FitBit Versa Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

As mentioned above, the Blaze and Versa each come standard with color touchscreens, allowing you to swipe up or down to control the functions — each also boasts the option to easily adjust its brightness. However, the Versa’s larger screen and stronger resolution truly make its color graphics pop — which is also boosted by Fitbit OS 2.0. For a standard fitness tracker, Blaze’s on-screen interface remains intuitive and easy to use, avoiding much of the baggage offered by full-featured smartwatches (like the Versa).

Winner: Versa

Design

FitBit Blaze Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Design-wise, both watches feature square-shaped trackers, however, the Blaze is more rectangular with slanted edges while the Versa maintains a true square shape with rounded edges. Fitbit also designed the Blaze as an integrated piece of the strap whereas the Versa sits on top of it, appearing more like a separate element of the watch. Perhaps the best way to describe the design is that it looks like you’re wearing a fitness tracker when you wear the Blaze while the Versa resembles a normal wristwatch — and of course, this makes sense due to the fact we’re comparing a fitness tracker to a smartwatch.

Both devices feature a single, left-side back button and two buttons on the right to control the navigation, as well as touchscreen functionality — of which tends to be a bit laggy from time to time but nothing that completely hindered our experience with either device. From a purely aesthetic, standpoint, each gives off a similar “gym meets happy hour” athleisure vibe, though the Versa’s lighter weight and slightly smaller size give it an edge here.

Winner: Versa

Functionality

FitBit Versa Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

When it comes to functionality, there’s one key difference between the two: The Fitbit Versa is waterproof up to 50 meters while the Blaze is not. This means that if you’re a swimmer interested in tracking laps, you’ll likely want the Versa. With a dedicated Swim Exercise mode, you can use it in the pool, river, or lake to track your laps in real-time. The Blaze, on the other hand, must be removed entirely before swimming.

Both watches do feature a 3-axis accelerometer to measure steps, a gyroscope to measure orientation and rotation, an altimeter to count floors, and an ambient light sensor to dim the screen automatically when it gets dark — all of which are now Fitbit staples. Additionally, the Versa and Blaze feature optical heart rate monitors, so you won’t have to wear a bulky chest strap during workouts — the devices do it all from your wrist. Fitbit also included SmartTrack in both models which automatically detects and begins tracking activities.

Neither feature an internal GPS tracker and while this isn’t a dealbreaker — especially since they both lack it, in this instance — built-in GPS is becoming more prevalent in fitness tracking smartwatches and thus, an incredibly useful added extra. Perhaps next time. Instead, each relies on your smartphone’s GPS connectivity which means you have to bring your phone with you when you run or work out. This is a significant downside but not one which necessarily makes one device stand out from the other. The Versa nabs another win here due in large part to its waterproofing.

Winner: Versa

Sport modes

FitBit Versa Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

For years, Fitbit’s built its brand on offering industry-best fitness tracking. As its begin introducing innovative sport modes and activity tracking, its depth of features has only widened. This is perhaps most noticeable when comparing the Blaze to the Versa because, in just the two years since the Blaze released, the Versa already has an edge on it right out of the box.

For starters, the Blaze is limited to just running, cycling, weight training, treadmill running, elliptical training, and what Fitbit calls “workout” mode. Conversely, the Versa offers more than a dozen different modes like swimming, weights, interval workouts, spinning, golf, hiking, tennis, pilates, boot camp, yoga, kickboxing, martial arts, and others (including the standard running and cycling modes). The Fitbit app even allows you to load more workouts onto the Versa, giving it added versatility.

Even after our own reviews, it still remains to be seen how accurate long-term tracking of specialized sports can be but if you’re planning to use the feature, it’s nice to have them pre-loaded — as opposed to taking the time to manually load them via the app.

The cherry on top for both watches is the Fitbit app itself. Capable of storing the entirety of each wearable’s amassed data, it provides an easy way to chart and analyze performance over days, weeks, and months. In addition to the watch itself providing real-time statistics, the app offers an easy-to-read interface allowing anyone to adjust their fitness plan as they see fit.

Winner: Versa

Accessories

FitBit Blaze Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

From an accessory standpoint, Fitbit offers interchangeable straps for both the Versa and the Blaze. Everything from fitness-focused silicone straps and Horween leather options to designer-inspired varieties built out of materials like steel or mesh. Since both offer a largely array of combinations, this category is a draw and simply comes down to personal preference.

Winner: Draw

Battery life

FitBit Blaze Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

The category where the Versa’s advanced operating power actually holds it back is in terms of its battery life. To be fair, however, the fact it features a four-day batter is still an incredibly impressive feat in the fitness-tracking smartwatch industry but the Blaze’s five-day lifespan narrowly edges it out. Neither requires being plugged in every night — thankfully — but the Blaze’s extra day of battery give it the edge here.

Winner: Blaze

Price

FitBit Versa Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

At $200, Fitbit’s Versa is one of the absolute best deals for a smartwatch slash fitness tracker on the market. Powerful and packed to the gills with smart features, few other wearables — let alone the Blaze — offer as much bang for the buck. Funny thing is, the Blaze also retails for $200, though you’re likely to find it discounted through various online retailers. Still, even at $40 or $50 cheaper, the Versa just offers a much more comprehensive experience, making its own $200 price tag seem like an utter steal.

Winner: Versa

Overall winner: Fitbit Versa

FitBit Versa Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

Smartwatch capabilities aside, the Versa and Blaze are very similar devices. Although Fitbit calls the Versa a true smartwatch, and the Blaze a “smart fitness watch,” there are only a few functional differences which set these two apart. From a visual perspective, their relative size and style are striking enough to tell them apart — the Blaze is a bit boxier while the Versa is smaller and much more minimalistic.

Specs-wise, the Versa stands tall over the Blaze. It’s waterproof, packs a higher resolution in its touchscreen, and boasts a powerful lineup of smart features and sport modes which make it an ideal companion no matter if you’re at work or in the gym. You can’t go wrong with the Blaze if you’re in the market for a traditional fitness tracker but for the same price, we recommend opting for the full-featured and powerful Versa.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Fitbit Versa review
• The best Fitbit for any activity or sport
• How to change the time on a Fitbit
• Fitbit Ionic: Adidas edition will be available on March 19
• Here is everything you need to know about the Fitbit Versa

PowerDVD 18 brings 4K Blu-Ray, HEVC support to Windows PCs

The “DVD” in its name might suggest it’s outdated software, but CyberLink’s PowerDVD has evolved to become a powerful multimedia program that goes beyond playing movie discs on your PC. And as content becomes more immersive, PowerDVD is adding support for VR content. Released on on April 17, PowerDVD 18 adds a new 360-viewing option designed for 2D screens (not headsets), alongside a multi-tasker’s Mini View. The update also makes the media viewer the first PC program to support 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray, as well as support for formats not natively supported by Windows 10, like the HEVC format common on iPhones and GoPros.

While the media player previously supported 360 video, the 2018 update brings an option to see the entire immersive view at once with a new viewing mode designed for screens, called TriView 360. Integration with the immersive format from YouTube and Vimeo is also now built in, while the program can also send videos to Windows Mixed Reality headsets.

PowerDVD 18 also brings a viewing mode designed specifically for multi-tasking. Called Mini View, it keeps a small player on the top of any other open windows, keeping content playing no matter what’s on the rest of the screen — similar to picture-in-picture on TVs.

The update adds support for some of the latest video formats, including HDR 10’s higher frame-rate and wider dynamic range, along with HEVC/H.265 and Ultra HD Blu-Ray. 

Besides physical disc media, PowerDVD 18 lets you save online videos to watch later. That’s handy for when you want to watch YouTube videos without an internet connection. The software also supports live YouTube streaming at its highest quality, including 4K and HDR.

With PowerDVD 18, Fire TV also joins the list of supported smart streaming devices, alongside existing support for Roku, Apple TV, and Chromecast. According to the company, users can cast media that aren’t natively supported by the those streaming devices. Viewers can also use the program’s TrueTheater HDR, color and sound for enhanced quality.

“In today’s digital age, people expect to watch high-definition movies and stream videos with zero hassle, no questions asked,” Dr. Jau Huang, CEO of CyberLink, said in a press release. “PowerDVD continues to lead the way on bringing a premium multimedia experience to users around the world. With a number of enhancements added in this release, PowerDVD raises the bar in combining the world of online media with high-definition playback, live videos and 360o content, truly creating an end-to-end solution for users and their entertainment needs. PowerDVD 18 is a best-in-class media player enabling people to maximize the full potential of their VR headsets, Ultra HD 4K TVs, home theater systems—even their PC.”

PowerDVD comes in various versions, from Standard to Pro and Ultra. The standard version includes TrueTheater and Mini View, while Pro offers YouTube Live and Ultra HD Blu-ray playback support, and Ultra including VR support and other extra features. PowerDVD 18 starts at $60 for the standard version, and up to $80 for Pro and $100 for Ultra. PowerDVD Live is an optional service, available as a subscription for $45 a year or $15 for three months. The software remains Windows-only.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best game console you can buy right now
• Everything you need to know about Hulu and Hulu with Live TV
• The top 10 budget-friendly GoPro alternatives that won’t leave you broke
• Messenger goes immersive with new 360 photo compatibility
• Check out the best Xbox One deals and bundles for April 2018

Adobe just bought Sayspring, a program for creating voice-control apps

After teasing the possibility of photo editing via voice control and adding voice searches to Lightroom CC on Android, Adobe is now the owner of a software company that allows creatives to build with voice apps without learning code. On Monday, April 16, Adobe announced the acquisition of Sayspring, a 2017 startup that develops software supporting voice technology apps for use with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

Employees of the New York-based Sayspring will be joining Adobe staff beginning on April 17. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Adobe says that it will be integrating Sayspring into the Adobe product portfolio, but the company hasn’t shared additional details on just what that integration will look like. Founder and CEO of Sayspring Mark Webster says that Sayspring will continue to be developed under Adobe, with new features.

While Adobe hasn’t shared details on what’s changing, the acquisition could also impact existing apps. Adobe previously teased the possibility of a Lightroom capable of editing by voice, but so far has only launched a voice-based search in Lightroom CC using Google Assistant on Android devices. Adobe has good reason to experiment with voice — the company cited a study that suggests 55 percent of households in the U.S. are predicted to own a smart assistant by 2022.

“The way we interact with our devices is at a significant inflection point,” Abhay Parasnis, Adobe executive vice president and CTO, said in a blog post. “We’re moving beyond the keyboard and mouse and even our touchscreens to using something that is even more natural — our voice — to interact with technology. Voice tech is growing fast, and we strongly believe it must become an integral part of Adobe’s portfolio moving forward. We’re excited to welcome Sayspring to Adobe, and we’re looking forward to putting the technology to work to empower more people to create next-generation voice experiences.”

Current Sayspring users will still have access to the app as the program is absorbed into the Adobe family — and the software is even making the premium features free in the meantime. New users can now only join Sayspring though an invitation, which can be requested from the Sayspring website.

Editors’ Recommendations

• If Lightroom is still slow for you, Adobe promises help is on the way
• Lightroom’s overhauled camera profiles make your RAW photos pop
• Adobe focuses on speed — but just how fast is the new Lightroom 7.2?
• Need Photoshop? Here’s how to get it without overpaying
• Adobe is giving away free software for schools to foster creative problem-solving

Spotify will be making some changes to its mobile app next week

If you’re one of the 80 million or so folks who aren’t paying for Spotify but are still reaping its benefits, there’s some big news coming your way. In one week, the music streaming giant is slated to unveil a series of changes to its free music service, according to a Bloomberg report. This will mark the first big product announcement since Spotify went public earlier in April.

The changes, all in all, should serve as a boon to users — the idea is to make the music platform easier to use, particularly for folks on mobile devices. Spotify recently sent out an invitation for its unveiling event, which will feature presentations from chief research and development officer Gustav Söderström, vice president of product development Babar Zafar, and global head of creator services Troy Carter. The invitation also confirms that the product update will focus specifically on the mobile app.

It’s still unclear as to exactly what we can expect from the presentation. We do know that Spotify has been trying out voice control with certain iOS accounts, which makes it easier for listeners to make their way around the app. Whatever it is, Spotify will certainly have to do something to impress its users, particularly as competitors continue to gain ground on the company. Apple Music, for example, recently announced that it had hit 36 million paid subscribers. While that’s still significantly less than Spotify’s 71 million paid subscribers (as of the end of 2017), Apple’s rate of growth seems to be outpacing that of its competitors. As we noted previously, Apple is growing at about 5 percent per month, whereas Spotify has slowed to 2 percent.

Spotify also faces a challenge in determining how to monetize its many, many nonpaying users. As it stands, fewer than half of its listeners are actually forking over the $10 a month it costs to listen to Spotify without ads. The rest of us are fine with our music being interrupted every once in a while with a message from a sponsor.

In any case, we’ll have to wait a bit longer to see exactly what Spotify has in store for us. We’ll be sure to keep you updated as more details emerge.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Rumored revamp of Spotify’s free mobile service could be a big step up
• Apple Music vs. Spotify: Which service is the streaming king?
• The best music streaming services
• Apple Music reaches milestone of 40 million paid subscribers
• The way you listen to music is in jeopardy. Here’s how Pandora plans to survive

Apple reportedly wants to become the Netflix of magazines via Apple News

Malarie Gokey/Digital Trends

Apple is planning on updating its News app with a premium subscription-based option that would give users access to a number of digital magazines and news sources.

If that sounds familiar to iOS users, that’s because it’s the basic schtick of the app Texture, which was purchased by Apple for an undisclosed amount back in March. If you’re not familiar with Texture, it was a subscription-based service that gave access to over 200 magazines for the sum of $10 a month. Twenty of the hundred-strong team at Texture have been let go following the acquisition, with the rest having been integrated into the Apple News team.

At this time, it seems that development of Texture will cease as the team blends into Apple’s own. We have reached out to Texture to confirm whether this is the case.

According to Bloomberg’s sources, the upgraded version of Apple News is expected to launch within the year, with a portion of the subscription revenue being offered to the magazines involved in the deal. It’s currently unknown whether the price will stay the same as Texture’s $10 a month, but a similar price seems likely given Apple Music’s monthly subscription cost of $10.

This isn’t the first time that Apple has sought to expand its news offerings. The tech giant originally had an iOS news app named Newsstand, which also offered subscriptions to specific publications, though these were offered on a singular basis, not the group subscription that Texture offers. Newsstand was replaced by Apple News in 2015, but still has those same subscription options included within the app.

This would not be Apple’s first instance of growth through acquisition — Apple Music is based off the purchase of Beats Music and associated tech in 2014, and has risen to become one of the key players in the music streaming sphere with a subscriber base of 40 million.

Apple is one of the companies currently in the running to become the world’s first company valued at $1 trillion, and is apparently looking to increase its annual service revenue to $50 billion by 2021, so we can probably expect to see more expansion efforts from Apple in the coming months.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Apple Music vs. Spotify: Which service is the streaming king?
• Apple acquires music-recognition app Shazam; competition review commences
• Here’s how to use Apple Pay with your iPhone, Apple Watch, or Mac
• How to reset your Apple ID password and gain control of your account
• Apple iPad (2018) review

Intel digs deep into its security-first promise with new safeguards for its CPUs

Intel introduced its new silicon-level Threat Detection Technology platform during the RSA security conference in San Francisco. The first component revealed during the show, Accelerated Memory Scanning, pulls the taxing burden of scanning for threats stored in memory off the processor’s cores and onto the chip’s integrated graphics. This shift reduces the impact on performance typically caused by scanning memory and supposedly lowers power consumption. 

According to Intel, Microsoft is already integrating this component into the antivirus aspect of Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection. Microsoft will release this updated version of its Windows 10 security application for sixth, seventh, and eighth-generation Intel Core processors before the end of April. 

Another component introduced during the conference is Intel Advanced Platform Telemetry. This feature will reside in data centers and make its initial appearance in the Cisco Tetration platform, which provides cloud workload protection and data center security. This component combines platform telemetry with machine learning algorithms to reduce false positives, improve threat detection, and minimize performance reduction. 

But that’s not all. Intel also introduced its new Intel Security Essentials platform for its Core, Xeon, and Atom processors. Baked directly into the CPU silicon, it’s packed with “platform integrity technologies” to protect applications while they’re running using hardware-based protections, accelerated cryptography, trusted execution enclaves, and a highly secure system boot. 

“This standard set of capabilities will accelerate trusted computing as customers build solutions rooted in hardware-based protections,” Intel says. “Further, these capabilities, directly integrated into Intel silicon, are designed to improve the security posture of computing, lower the cost of deploying security solutions and minimize the impact of security on performance.” 

Finally, Intel wants to beef up the cybersecurity community by strengthening knowledge and relationships. The first new step in that direction is the “Design for Security” badge certification program at Purdue University for students and professionals. Four courses will launch the collaboration this August focused on designing security solutions for current and future demands. 

“[The program] will cover design for security principles from the physical secure design of the infrastructure, to the security of the hardware and software that underlie the infrastructure, and then to the technical constraints and processes in place to support operational security,” Purdue states. “It will introduce security principles that are required to design a system that supports and enforces the necessary authentication, authorization, confidentiality, data integrity, accountability, availability, and non-repudiation requirements, even when the system is under attack.” 

Intel CEO Brian Krzanich made his “security first” pledge in January after the Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities went public. The flaws are on a hardware level, allowing hackers to gain access to sensitive data through a method all CPUs utilize to predict the path of a current task to find the shortest route to completion. Intel released multiple updates since the disclosure, and integrated fixes in the company’s newer chips. But Krzanich said the security assurance won’t just stop with a patch but will include continuing commitments such as funding academic and independent research. 

Editors’ Recommendations

• Intel CEO reveals hardware plans for addressing Meltdown, Spectre exploits
• Intel requests hardware partners to halt Meltdown patches due to reboot issue
• Updates addressing Meltdown security issue are causing a number of PC reboots
• Apple protects MacOS Sierra, El Capitan from Meltdown, lists Google bugs
• Intel opens bug hunt to all security researchers, offers possible $250K payout

Want more AR masks? Snap’s Lens Studio now supports custom face filters

Snapchat’s custom augmented reality lenses are no longer limited to just objects. On Tuesday, April 17, Snap Inc. opened Lens Studio to face filters, expanding on earlier options that allowed artists and developers to build their own World Lenses. The platform now also supports adding GIFs to the custom lenses through a Giphy integration.

The update brings several new templates designed for use with facial recognition to achieve proper placement of the virtual masks. While Create Your Lens is designed for users without 3D design experience, the Lens Studio is designed for developers and graphic artists. Now, the platform is expanding to include templates for the AR masks, including a baseball cap and face painting.

Snap is also allowing users to add pre-made GIFs to the Lenses. The Giphy library is now integrated into Lens Studio. The templates and GIFs also mix with the ability to import 3D objects created inside other programs.

For Snapchatters who want to use — rather than create — those custom filters, the social network will add public filters to Our Story, allowing users to find new filters. The Discover tab will also house some of those custom lenses for users to discover. Inside Our Story — or another user’s Story — a swipe up will allow access to the custom filter, provided the filter was shared publicly. At launch, the lenses were shared through Snapcodes.

Today’s launch also comes with a new Official Creator Program, which, according to The Verge, will allow the top creators on the platform to be among the first to unlock new features along with additional promotion and support.

Since Snap launched Lens Studio at the end of 2017, users have generated over 30,000 custom lenses that generated a billion views — and occupied Snapchatters for a collective two million hours. 

Snap says that Lens Studio will only grow from here — including incorporating feedback from users. “We created Snapchat because we believed that the smartphone camera is the fastest and most expressive way to share your unique point of view,” the company wrote in a blog post. “With the camera, you could express yourself not just with words, but with images, stickers, videos, doodles, and more — redefining communication in a world that sometimes feels less connected than ever.”

Lens Studio is available as a free download.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Snapchat now lets you create custom, wacky AR Lenses with new fee-based tool
• Photo FOMO: Faster memory cards, color-neutral filters, and ‘Adventury’ bags
• Snapchat now uses the iPhone X’s TrueDepth Camera to make better filters
• For that lopsided look, add an SLR lens to a smartphone with this accessory
• 7 hidden Snapchat features for chatting with friends

How to stream on Twitch

Streaming video games is a great way to interact with members of the gaming community, make new friends, and show off your skills. With Twitch, viewers have an easy-to-use platform for viewing content from all around the world. Getting started with the streaming platform can be daunting at first, however, especially if you’ve never put much time into making online videos. Thankfully, with a few simple steps, you’ll be ready to stream your gameplay in no time.

Creating a Twitch account

Before you begin streaming your gameplay, you’re going to have to create a Twitch account. Navigate to Twitch’s official website, click the purple Sign Up link in the upper-right corner, and enter your desired login credentials before clicking the purple Sign Up button at the bottom. Afterward, click your username in the top-right corner.

Before you start streaming, head over to the Twitch community guidelines page to read up on rule violations. These include promoting racist, homophobic, and ageist views, as well as making disparaging remarks about military veterans and those with disabilities. Nudity on stream is also forbidden, and you are expected to do your best to prevent your viewers from engaging in hateful speech and harassment, as well.