PUBG Mobile Review – the original Battle Royale lands on mobile

The roar of the propeller engines in your ears is deafening. You sit with 99 other people, each of you as scared as the next. Maybe you know some of them – maybe you’re even friends. Maybe you can rely on them – maybe not. The massive cargo door of the C-130 opens, and the wind billows hair and clothes alike. One by one, the other people in the jet leap into the abyss, descending on the small island below.

Then it’s your turn.

You jump.

The Drop

The parachute on your back is heavy, and you see the dots of the dozens of other contestants in free-fall. There are plenty of places to see on this deathtrap landmass – cities, towns, ports, a school, a hospital, even a military base – but you know that those places are likely to heavily populated, and therefore dangerous. You gaze out over the island and pick your spot, a small ranch with a couple of outbuildings that looks promising. Diving, you pull your ripcord to pop your parachute. You drift down to the ground, landing roughly. Turning your gaze to the sky you look for other chutes nearby, but you don’t see any.

You sprint into the closest house, shouldering it open and peering into the dim light. The main room is empty, cleared of all furniture and person effects of whoever once lived here. You push into the kitchen, and the glint of metal on the ground catches your eye. It’s a pistol, lying on the cold, dingy linoleum. Beside it are two boxes of ammunition; almost as if they were placed there for you to find (which, of course, they were).

It Starts

A series of shots from an automatic weapon shatter the relative silence of the island. A scream of pain follows – then silence. The contest has officially begun. You hesitantly load the weapon, no longer helpless but still very much vulnerable. The bathroom holds another box of ammunition – this one a box of rifle rounds – and a small bottle of painkillers. You know you’ll need them before the day is done. The bedroom – the mattress soiled and bedframe smashed – is useless. Totally empty.

You slowly climb the stairs, the reports of automatic weapons sounding from all directions. You know no one else is here – you would have seen them – but you move cautiously nonetheless. Laying at the top of the stairs is a tactical vest, complete with ballistic plates. You put it on hastily and load it up with the spare magazines you found. By the time you finish exploring the house, you’ve amassed a small arsenal; an assault rifle, a shotgun, even a grenade! – and a backpack to carry all the spare ammunition.

You figure this is about as ready as you’ll be. You step out onto the island, ready to face the other contestants. Looking to your right, you see the shimmering blue barrier approaching, foot by foot. It’s herding you and the other contestants, you know. Herding you toward a single location on the island, where the fighting will continue until only one contestant still draws breath.

It’s been a while since you heard any gunshots, but you know there are many more to come. You steel your nerves and begin the long walk down the road.

The Premise of PUBG

The above is about how a game of PlayerUnknown’s BattleGrounds goes. Admittedly, there’s quite a bit more gunfire, wanton death, and explosions in a typical game, but the vast majority of your time will be spent looting houses and gearing up for a showdown as an ever contracting blue barrier herds you toward a random location.

With almost 30 weapons across eight categories, PUBG offers a variety of gunplay options in addition to grenades, armor, medical supplies and vehicles. The game makes you parachute into each match from a plane, onto an 8km x 8km island that features a wide variety of locations. As such, no two games play out exactly alike; with 99 other players in the game, each one picking where to land independently of the others, you have to improvise constantly. Do you land with a group of other players, hoping to survive the initial onslaught and come out well-geared, or do you land in isolation, hoping to gear up before you have to fight someone?

Regardless of your approach, you’ll eventually end up fighting for that coveted Chicken Dinner (that is, being the last man standing). It’s intense. Gunfights are quick and brutal, and while collecting gears offers a respite from that intensity, it’s still plagued with suspense that creates an atmosphere unlike anything else out there (yes, even Fortnite).

The Difference Between Mobile, Console, and PC

Unlike Fortnite, which is unified across all platforms – no matter which you play on, it’s the same experience – PUBG varies greatly from one to the next. PC is the front-runner, where all the latest and greatest features come first. XBox has more or less the same experience, though with features that come later. It uses the same assets, the same map, and is generally just a lite version of the game.

The mobile version, however, takes a completely different tack, thanks to Tencent. In the PC and XBox versions, there’s zero persistent progression. No leveling system, no rankings (save for stats leaderboards), no quests, no economy beyond the limited Battle Points one earns for participating in matches. In PUBG Mobile, you get a little of all of these things.

Daily Missions provide goals to work toward, and reward you with Experience Points (to increase your overall level) and Activity Points (which give increasingly better rewards the more you earn them on any given day). Events are timed activities that often give you unique gear for performing a specific task – like missions, but limited time offerings. As you earn Experience Points, you’ll level up and earn additional rewards. Like many mobile games these days, you get rewards for logging in daily. This is usually in the form of XP or a crate to get new gear. Finally, as you play through matches you’ll be placed into higher Divisions, which feature more skilled players and fewer bots.

Yes, that’s right – another difference of the Mobile version is that it features bots to hold your hand through the opening Divisions. And I wish that was communicated in the first few games, so we know we’re being coddled rather than thrown to the wolves. I felt like an utter badass the first few games I played (I’m decent, not great, when I play on XBox), but once human players started getting thrown into the mix – especially those try-hards playing with a mouse and keyboard – that sense of Deification goes away real quick. Bots really give a sense of immortality in the early going – they are so dumb.

Graphics/Sound

PUBG is not a traditionally gorgeous game. It’s got choppy textures, occasionally janky animations, and – especially on XBox – framerate issues. And yet, it’s got this kind of grimy beauty that reeks of a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Buildings are little more than abandoned shacks, and the burning husks of vehicles dot the landscape.

And while the Mobile version of PUBG doesn’t have quite the graphical fidelity of its console or PC counterparts, it still captures that magic. In a sad commentary on the state of PUBG on XBox, PUBG runs better on my LG V30 than on the XBox One X. It’s obviously noticeably lower resolution and lower fidelity but the frame-rate, stability and even loot density is all much better on Mobile.

Sound-wise, the game is as crisp as ever. One of the great things about PUBG is the ability to identify the type of guns being fired and the direction and distance they’re being fired from, just based on how they sound. Whether it’s the whump, whump of an SKS fired at range or a TAT-TAT-TAT of an M16 on burst-fire right in your face, the depth of sound and lack of music makes for a unique audio atmosphere.

Voice chat is also baked into the game, which is an invaluable feature when playing the team-oriented game modes of PUBG. And it’s surprisingly good quality! Game chat rarely plays through the mic, and the latency, even on mobile data, is totally manageable.

Gameplay

As you’d expect with a complex shooter on mobile, the controls are a little janky. There are a ton of mechanics on the screen all at once, and it gets a little crowded. Tencent optimized the controls as much as possible – picking up ammo and attachments for the weapons you carry, automatically for instance – but there’s still a lot going on visually.

The cramped controls and the close proximity of the Fire button to the Aim panel means I’ll occasionally fire when I really just wanted to look around. You can see how that would be problematic in a game 99 other people are trying to kill you.

Speaking of shooting, the aim-assist in PUBG Mobile is a little out of control. You can blow people away just by glancing at them at times. Even Aiming Down Sights (ADS) at a distance is optional. If you fire enough times, you’ll take someone out while they take their time aiming.

A note on gamepads: at the moment, PUBG Mobile is utterly incompatible with an XBox controller. The joysticks work, but none of the buttons work in the least. I can’t attest for any other gamepads at the moment, but XBox controllers are a non-starter.

Value

At the moment, the game is completely free, with no ads and no meaningful in-app purchases. I’d expect that to change over time, but for now, enjoy the freeness.

UPDATE: With this last update, Tencent added In-App Purchases – all purely cosmetic – to the game. It’s a shrewd move by the Chinese software giant, to launch a game tit knew would be successful without IAPs, and add them in later.

Download PUBG Mobile on Google Play

WhatsApp will require users in Europe to be at least 16 years old

As we get closer to the launch of Europe’s new GDPR privacy standards, a number of companies are announcing some changes that will affect European users. Today, Sky News reports that WhatsApp has changed its age requirements in order to comply with the new regulations and users living in Europe will have to be at least 16 years old in order to use the service.

During the coming weeks, WhatsApp will ask users to accept new terms of service and European users will have to confirm that they’re at least 16 years of age. Those not living in Europe will still be held to the current standard, which requires users to be no younger than 13 years old. WhatsApp hasn’t said how it will be verifying users are reporting their real age.

Facebook, which owns WhatsApp, has been announcing GDPR-related changes across its platforms including Instagram, Oculus and Facebook itself. In a blog post, WhatsApp also said that users around the world will soon be able to download all of the data the messaging service collects.

Via: Sky News

Source: WhatsApp (1), (2)

Windows 10 ‘Lean’ shows up in a preview build for Windows Insiders

A recent Skip Ahead build of Windows 10 served up to Windows Insider participants, version 17650, ships with a new variant called Windows 10 Lean (or CloudE). The x64-based installer for this specific variant is reportedly 2GB smaller in size than Windows 10 Pro and packs a slightly different restricted environment than Microsoft’s recent stab at the education sector with Windows 10 S. It also appears to have a small, limited number of pre-installed first-party apps after installation including Edge, OneDrive, and OneNote. 

With Windows 10 Lean, specific tools are reportedly missing such as the registry editor and the Microsoft Management Console, but the platform doesn’t appear to restrict app and program installs to the Microsoft Store like Windows 10 S. Instead, Microsoft provides a “lite” operating system for the general user stuffed with the basic essentials to get you started. Microsoft doesn’t even plaster the desktop background with wallpaper. 

With Windows 10 S, Microsoft provides a full installation of Windows 10 Pro, but introduces an “S Mode” as a new layer that disables software installation outside the Microsoft Store. It’s also tweaked to run on low-end hardware so the platform and its associated PCs can better compete with Chromebooks in the education sector. Rather than labeling the platform as Windows 10 Pro in S Mode, the company simply shortened the name to Windows 10 S. 

But there’s speculation that Windows 10 Lean could merely be an “S Mode” for the Enterprise or Home version of Windows 10. Given the additional “CloudE” listing associated with this “lean” build, we can’t help but speculate that it’s Windows 10 Enterprise in S Mode. After all, employees have no business tweaking the PC’s registry hence the tool’s removal. 

Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore said in March that S Mode will be offered for Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Enterprise in the next update “coming soon.” He is referring to the Spring Creators Update launching in May, aka Redstone 4, which will see the demise of Microsoft’s Windows 10 S brand. Instead, customers can purchase a Windows 10 Pro, Home, or Enterprise device with S Mode already enabled. 

“If a customer does want to switch out of S Mode, they will be able to do so at no charge, regardless of edition,” he said. “We expect to see new Windows 10 devices ship with S Mode, available from our partners in the coming months.” 

Hands-on experiences with Windows 10 Lean reveal that the platform doesn’t include drivers for optical drives. It also doesn’t provide download prompts in Microsoft Edge, thus you can’t download files “out of the box.” Even more, Microsoft’s traditional Office installer won’t install the software for unknown reasons. 

“With Microsoft’s great tradition of meaningful error reporting, the installer just plays the error sound without displaying any additional dialog whatsoever,” says the user who originally revealed Windows 10 Lean on Twitter. 

We will likely find out more about Windows 10 Lean during Microsoft’s BUILD developers conference in May. Belfiore will be one of the speakers talking about the Windows platform and will possibly spill the Windows 10 Lean beans if CEO Satya Nadella didn’t already in his initial keynote.

Editors’ Recommendations

• What is Windows Polaris?
• Hackers can bypass the Windows 10 S lockdown due to security flaw
• Microsoft is working to cut the file size of the basic Windows 10 install
• Microsoft rebrands Windows 10 S as S mode
• Microsoft is secretly building Polaris, a slimmer, more modern version of Windows

Using this A.I.-based healing brush, repairing an image is no biggie

Photoshop’s healing brush can use surrounding pixels to repair an image or remove an object — but what if the surrounding pixels don’t have enough data to fill in those holes? Researchers from Nvidia recently used artificial intelligence to help fill in those gaps to create a tool similar to the healing brush tool that is able to intelligently fill in missing pieces, a technique called image inpainting for irregular holes using partial convolutions — here’s hoping Nvidia comes up with a nickname before making the tool widely accessible.

Nvidia isn’t the first to try to reinvent the healing brush using A.I., but the researchers say that earlier attempts left artifacts and blur. Rather than using full convolutional filter responses to those holes, Nvidia instead created a partial convolution method — in other words, the software creates a layer that renormalizes the pixels to create a more normal looking image without those artifacts. The new program also uses an automatically generated layer masks.

Unlike the traditional healing brush tool that only uses surrounding pixels to determine what to fill in the gap with, Nvidia trained its tool using three different sets of images, resulting in thousands of images to train the tool with. The researchers randomly applied masks to intentionally remove sections of images to those groups of photos. By showing the computer both the before and after, the program could learn how to fill in some of those gaps. “Our model can robustly handle holes of any shape, size location or distance from the image borders,” the researchers wrote. “Further, our performance does not deteriorate catastrophically as holes increase in size.”

While more robust than previous attempts, the researchers said that the tool struggles with the largest holes and images without a lot of structure.

The research could bring some significant changes to photo editing if the tool makes its way into an image editor. Nvidia’s program, for example, could replace an eye in an old, damaged portrait, even without the other eye to replicate. The resulting eye, of course, isn’t the same eye — in one example, the replaced eye is an entirely different color. In the demonstration video, the program also appears to give a young woman and an older gentleman the same pair of eyes. 

While giving a person different features using the database of images should raise ethical considerations for portraits, the concept could speed up the process of removing distractions from other types of images. The tool could potentially help remove objects in photographs, such as removing power lines or signs from the background, with more accuracy than current tools.

Editors’ Recommendations

• YouTubers can soon replace ugly video backgrounds — no green screen required
• What’s the difference between Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic?
• Vision-improving nanoparticle eyedrops could end the need for glasses
• A.I. spots thousands of unidentified craters on the moon
• Can Google’s Pixel 2 ace conventional cameras? We spent a week finding out

Use this Rubik’s Cube-style device to create ultra-secure computer passwords

You would think that, here in 2018, the threat of bad actors and hackers online would make us work a bit harder at coming up with secure passwords. Yet somehow “123456” and “password” persist as popular choices. (And, no, we’re sadly not kidding about that!) Wouldn’t it be great if there was a desk toy that could somehow generate and store random, ultra-secure passwords?

Bringing such a dream to life is the goal of a new Kickstarter campaign for the so-called “Ultra Password Cube,” a password-creating Rubik’s Cube-like device that uses a combination of cutting-edge random number generator tech and user manipulation to create secure passwords. Best of all, because the device is non-electronic, it can’t be hacked online.

“We generate and apply a unique set of true random symbols to each ‘magic cube’ to create a device that, when purchased by the consumer, is highly likely to be almost completely different from any other device produced by our method,” Dr. Petrus Potgieter, one of the brains behind the project, told Digital Trends. “Because the user can then shuffle the device further through normal manipulation, introducing a vast amount of further randomness, it becomes easy to have a source of true random passwords at home or in the office. This contrasts with electronic random password generators that are subject to spyware and other forms of online snooping.”

The creators also provide instructions for how to read your passwords off the device while it sits on your desk, so you don’t have to write them down to remember them. Of course, this only works until you further twist the cube. Fortunately, because of the number of characters on each side, you should be able to generate multiple passwords without having to continually manipulate the device.

Potgieter describes the product as fun to use (well, fun compared to other ways of coming up with new passwords, that is). But he said that it is certainly not a novelty item as much as something intended for serious use by security-conscious people and institutions. “Our device is more sophisticated than any hardware device that we have seen,” he continued. “The Ultra Password Cube is the ideal way to generate passwords that are virtually immune to online ‘dictionary’ attacks.”

As ever, we offer our usual warnings about the risks associated with crowdfunding campaigns. However, if you’d still like to get your hands on an Ultra Password Cube, you can pledge your support — and cold, hard cash — over on the project’s Kickstarter page. A handmade cube will set you back $60. (Somewhat randomly, there are a host of animal photography-themed rewards available, too.) Shipping is set to take place in December.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Awesome Tech You Can’t Buy Yet: Haptic bass straps, musical rings, and more
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• What is WPA3?
• Aura fitness band rewards hard work with virtual coins to buy new sneakers
• Keep up-to-date with the best news apps on iPhone and Android

Pimax takes notes from Valve for its prototype ‘knuckles’ VR controller

Pimax revealed a new knuckles-style controller that will ship with the company’s virtual reality headset. The prototype introduced on Tuesday, April 24, specifically focuses on right-handed gamers as their fingers wrap around the “stem” of the controller. It borrows from Valve Software’s still-unreleased “knuckles” design in that it supports all five fingers, not just two. 

The new prototype includes a grip button on the left side of the controller’s “stem” accessed by your middle finger, a trigger pressed by your pointing finger, and a rounded control pad area where your thumb manages the thumbstick (or trackpad), menu, and system buttons. The controller’s stem includes sensors for using your ring and pinky fingers, too. 

“We are looking to make a super comfortable controller with all fingers tracked. You do not need to hold it, you can relax in the games with your hands open, grab objects when close your hands, and release hands to throw objects naturally,” the company says. “There are sensors over the grip button. The controller tracks all your fingers while you hold it, and you can squeeze further with the grip button as well.” 

If the prototype seems familiar, it looks like a distant cousin of the Romulan warbird in Star Trek: The Next Generation. But in reality, a hand strap simply connects to the right side of the controller while a second, larger ring resides over the entire hand. This larger component is the tracking contour, and as many customers point out, could be an issue when placing your hands near your face.

Pimax’s prototype is based on feedback from the community waiting patiently for the company’s virtual reality headset. The peripheral includes the grip, menu, system, and trigger buttons so it’s compatible with SteamVR and Oculus-based content. Pimax expects to complete the prototype in the third quarter of 2018 for testing, feedback, and additional improvements. 

“For controller backers, we understand some of you are swaying between thumbstick and trackpad,” the company adds. “You will still have a chance to switch your option when the controller prototype comes out. 

The prototype surfaces after Pimax explained why it continues to delay it’s “8K” virtual reality headset. Pimax originally targeted a January release, but pushed back the Kickstarter launch given the company was on its fifth prototype in December and exploring new hardware to better maintain high refresh rates. To appease backers, Pimax decided to release a pre-production model called M1, but even that model experienced a setback because the lenses due to arrive in February showed up late. 

“Given the vendor will deliver the newly designed lens in early May, we are looking to ship M1 to testers in May, when the units have been assembled and tested,” the company said.

Pimax’s Kickstarter campaign promises the world’s first 8K VR headset sporting two displays with a 3,840 x 2,160 resolution each and a combined 200-degree field of view. The larger resolution will help reduce the “screen door” effect caused by viewing the dark spaces between each pixel on lower resolutions. 

Editors’ Recommendations

• Playstation VR could improve with new motion controller patents from Sony
• Oculus Rift vs. HTC Vive
• Panasonic Lumix G9 review
• HTC Vive vs. Vive Pro
• Leap Motion’s prototype augmented reality headset includes hand tracking

Best AT&T Phones in 2018

• Best overall
• Best phablet
• Best for video
• Most durable

Best overall

Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+

See Galaxy S9 at AT&T
See Galaxy S9+ at AT&T

We’ve officially arrived at our beautiful, bezel-less future, and the Galaxy S9 is a near-perfect example of what constitutes as innovative smartphone design. The curved glass looks and feels unlike anything else, and Samsung managed to pull off a nearly edge-to-edge display without resorting to a notch. The good news, too, is that despite the Galaxy S9’s slimmer design, there’s still a headphone jack.

Inside, the Galaxy S9 sports the latest processor and enough RAM to fuel you through marathon multitasking sessions. You can choose between the 5.8-inch Galaxy S8 with a 3000mAh battery or 6.2-inch Galaxy S8+ with a 3500mAh battery.

Bottom line: The Galaxy S9 is the best Android phone for most people, with some of the best specs and cameras on the market.

One more thing: Though beautiful, the curved glass design is very fragile — you’re going to want to use a case with either of these phones.

Why the Galaxy S9 is the best

With the Galaxy S9, Samsung packs everything and the kitchen sink.

No matter which size you pick, it’s hard to go wrong with the Galaxy S9. It packs the latest and greatest specifications, including the powerful Snapdragon 845 processor, and covers every base from wireless charging to Bluetooth 5.0 and yes — even a headphone jack. The Galaxy S9 also has one of the best displays around, with a tall 18.5:9 aspect ratio and incredible color reproduction.

The Galaxy S9’s 12MP camera also takes incredible photos with dual apertures, along with stunning 960fps slow-mo video. The phone also has access to Samsung Pay, which works at more terminals than any other mobile payment service.

Best phablet

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

See at AT&T

Though the Galaxy S9 and S9+ are a bit newer, the Galaxy Note 8 is still the phablet you should reach for if you value productivity over all else. You get a little bit of extra screen and a bump to 6GB of RAM inside to augment all of the same great specs and features of the smaller phones. Plus, you get a dual camera system similar to the S9+ with a secondary telephoto lens for close-up shots.

Then of course you also have the S Pen stylus, which unlocks productivity and artistic angles you simply can’t get in any other phone. At over $900 you pay for the privilege, but you also know you’re getting Samsung’s biggest phablet yet.

Bottom line: With its larger screen and S Pen, the Galaxy Note 8 is one of Samsung’s most powerful phones.

One more thing: Like last year’s Galaxy S8 and S8+, the Note 8 has an awkwardly placed fingerprint sensor that may frustrate some users.

Best for video

LG V30

See at AT&T

It took a while, but LG’s new flagship is out and it’s great. The LG V30 takes many design cues from the Galaxy S8+, but that’s not a bad thing — you get a thin and classy metal-and-glass build that has a nice balance to it. Inside you get top-end specs, and around back is LG’s great dual camera setup with a wide-angle shooter continues to stand out.

Within the camera software, the V30 features some of the most robust controls ever featured on a phone. On-the-go videographers will appreciate useful tools such as manual focus, focus peaking, directional audio, LUTs, and LOG video.

Bottom line: There’s simply no better phone for mobile filmmaking than the LG V30.

One more thing: LG’s software can be an acquired taste, but it doesn’t offer any steeper of a learning curve than the Samsung phones listed here.

Most durable phone

Samsung Galaxy S8 Active

See at AT&T

The Galaxy S8 Active offers the same experience as last year’s Galaxy S8 in terms of specs, power, software and camera, but it does so with a heftier outer shell and a shatter-resistant flat display. That means it can take a beating, and hold up to more than a standard S8 in a bulky case. It also gets a huge bump in battery capacity to go with it.

The GS8 Active is still pricey for being almost a year old, but if you’re someone who needs to have the extra robustness without losing out on features or power, it may be worth the extra money.

Bottom line: The Galaxy S8 Active is a more durable, longer-lasting version of the S8 proper.

One more thing: The coating used on the shatter-resistant display is more susceptible to scratching than standard Gorilla Glass panels.

Updated April 2018: The Galaxy S9 and S9+ have replaced last year’s S8/S8+ as our top recommendations, and the LG V30 claims the title of best for video.

This popular TP-Link smart plug is back down to its lowest price ever

Lowest barrier of entry for you to start your smart home is right here.

The TP-Link smart plug is down to $19.99 on Amazon, which is a match for its lowest price. It normally sells for closer to $30. The mini version, which takes up less space, is available for just a few dollars more if you’d prefer it.

This is one of the easiest ways to start adding smart home elements to your appliances. It needs no hub and comes with a free app. So all you have to do is plug it in, connect it to your Wi-Fi, download the free app, and you can turn whatever you’ve plugged into it on and off with your phone.

If you do already have an Echo Dot or something similar, you can connect it to that easily to enable voice control. The smart plug has 4.3 stars based on more than 18,000 user reviews.

See on Amazon

Six months later, Google Lens still isn’t great

I know it’s a preview, but I want to use this every day.

For a company aimed at being the knowledge graph of the entire planet, image-based AI services are an obvious thing for Google to want to get right. And for anyone using Google Photos over the last couple of years, you know there have been huge strides made in enhancing these capabilities. Facial and object recognition in Google Photos, can be incredible, and there’s a lot of good that can come from using these features in the real world. Being able to offer a camera with the ability to rapidly identify storefronts and street signs to visually impaired people alone is incredible.

Google Lens is headed in the right direction, but it’s clearly not ready for daily use just yet.

As a Google Pixel owner, I’ve had access to Lens for six months now. This beta period for Lens has been a little clumsy, which is to be expected. I point Lens at an unusual book a friend of mine had, and instead of telling me where I can buy that book for myself I get a text snippet from the cover identified. I ask Lens to scan a photo of a movie theater marquis, it has no idea what is in the photo and does not offer me the ability to but tickets for the show like it was supposed to. I take a photo of my Shetland Sheepdog, Lens identifies her as a Rough Collie. Alright, so that last one is nearly impossible to get right in a photo, but the point is Google Lens doesn’t reliably do most of the things it claims to be able to do yet.

To Google’s credit, the things Lens gets right it gets right fast. I love being able to use Lens for real-time language translation. Point Lens at a menu written in another language, you will get immediate translations right on the page as though you were looking at the menu in English the whole time. Snap a photo of a business card, Lens is ready to add that information to my contacts book. I’ve used individual apps for these features that have worked reasonably well in the past, but unifying these features in the same place I access all of my photos is excellent.

I’m also aware that this is still very early days for Lens. It says ‘Preview’ right in the app, after all. While Pixel owners have had access to the feature for half a year, most of the Android world has only had access to it for a little over a month at this point. And when you understand how this software works, that’s an important detail. Google’s machine learning information relies heavily on massive contributions of knowledge, so it can quickly sift through it all and use thing that have been properly identified to better identify the next thing. It could be argued Google Lens has only just begun its beta test, now that everyone has access to it.

At the same time, Lens was announced a full year ago at this point, and I still can’t reliably point it at a flower and have it tell me which kind it is. It’s a cool thing to have access to, but I sincerely hope Google is able to make this feature something special in the not-too-distant future.

Instagram’s ‘Data Download’ lets you save all your content offline

Available now on desktop, coming soon to Android and iOS apps.

Earlier this month, Instagram announced that it was working on a tool to allow users to download and save offline copies of their data. Today, that tool is being launched as Data Download.

Data Download is rolling out to Instagram now, with access currently available on the web and coming soon to the Android and iOS apps. You’ll find Data Download within your privacy settings, and after requesting your info, it’ll be compiled and delivered within a matter of hours/days.

Once your data is ready to go, you’ll have offline copies of your photos, videos, any stories you’ve archived, comments, direct messages, and your profile info.

Why is Instagram just now releasing something like this? While Data Download should have been in place a while ago, it also ensures that Instagram is in compliance with the European Union’s new GDPR privacy law that’ll officially go live on May 25, 2018.

If you want to check out Data Download for yourself right now, here’s what you need to do:

Go to Instagram from your computer
Click on your profile and then the gear icon
Choose Privacy and Security
Scroll down and click Request Download under the Data Download section
Enter your email and click Next

Download: Instagram (free)