Companies in China are collecting data from their employees’ brains

Worried about your boss seeing an angry Facebook status? It could be worse. Companies in China are using specially designed helmets to monitor employees’ brainwaves, according to the South China Morning Post.

The companies use data collected from the devices to monitor their employees for signs of stress, depression, and other issues that could affect workplace performance. When an issue is detected, the worker in question is told to take a day off or is reassigned to a less stressful job.

Hangzhou Zhongheng Electric, which is just one of the companies making use of this tech, says that it has led to an an overall increase in worker efficiency. One of the examples cited is adjusting the length and number of breaks to be more in sync with their employees’ individual needs.

Some companies are also using the technology to augment their training regiments. At Ningbo Shenyang Logistics, these brainwave monitoring helmets are combined with virtual reality devices that simulate workplace tasks. One of the company’s managers, Zhao Binjian, says that the devices have “significantly” reduced the number of mistakes made by new workers thanks to “improved understanding” between employees and employers.

Binjian said that the helmets were mainly used to train new employees. He did not comment on whether or not the helmets were only used by new employees, however.

This technology is not unique to China. It has been used in western countries as well, but only for limited and voluntary tasks such as archery. China is the first country to employ the technology on a wide industrial scale. Researchers in the field are hopeful that the influx of data will allow them to improve the algorithms and artificial intelligence which work to monitor the devices.

Unsurprisingly, this technology is not without its problems. Many employees were initially wary of the devices and some experts believe they were right to be. Professor Qiao Zhian of Beijing Normal University said that the technology could be abused by employers to violate privacy.

“There is no law or regulation to limit the use of this kind of equipment in China,” Zhian said. “The employer may have a strong incentive to use the technology for higher profit, and the employees are usually in too weak a position to say no.”

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How to jump a car battery the correct way

If your car doesn’t start, the most likely cause is a dead battery. Being stranded with a lifeless car is never fun, but getting back on the road is relatively easy. Whether it’s to avoid being late for work, or to escape a hoard of zombies, every driver should know how to jump a car. All you’ll need is a set of jumper cables, a second vehicle, and a few minutes of work. Here’s everything you need to know.

Causes of dead batteries

It’s rare for a car that’s driven regularly to have a completely dead battery; it’s more common when cars sit for long periods of time. But older batteries have a harder time holding a charge — meaning they can go flat unexpectedly (portable battery chargers can help keep them juiced). Leaving the engine off with power-consuming accessories (like interior lights) on can also drain the battery.

sirnength88/123rf
sirnength88/123rf

Get a set of jumper cables

Make sure to carry a set of jumper cables in your car at all times, just in case. Any set will do the job, but look for cables gauge 4 to 6 in size, with a length of 10 to 20 feet. Cables of that size should be durable enough to work reliably, and a relatively long length allows flexibility, in case you can’t park another car right next to the one being jumped. You don’t want cables that are too long, though, as the extra distance electricity has to travel may decrease the strength of the charge.

Portable jump-starters are also available, but the batteries that power them must be kept charged in order for them to work.

Find a power source

You’ll need to park the running vehicle close enough to the one being jumped for the cables to reach from battery to battery, so identify where the battery is located in each vehicle. Batteries are usually mounted in the engine compartment, toward the front, but that isn’t always the case. They may be obscured by plastic covers, which need to be removed before jumping, located in the trunk or under the rear seat. Familiarizing yourself with all of this beforehand will help save time when you actually need to jump a car.

Connect the jumper cables

Once the running vehicle is maneuvered into position, shut it off and open both hoods. Now it’s time to break out the jumper cables.

When handling jumper cables, make sure to keep the red (positive) and black (negative) clamps from touching each other. Once electricity starts flowing through the cables, this will create sparks and could lead to a short circuit in one or both of the vehicles. Having one person at each end of the cables can make the whole process easier.

The clamps connect to battery terminals, which are exposed metal nodes with wires connected to them. Before connecting the cables, make sure to brush away any dirt or grime to ensure a good connection. Confirm which terminal is positive (+) and which one is negative (-). You’ll normally find each symbol on the battery itself, next to the terminal. Sometimes the positive is under a red cover. Ask for help when in doubt; it will save you a potentially costly repair bill.

Found them? Good. Connect one of the red clamps to the positive terminal of the dead battery. Then, connect the other red clamp to the positive terminal of the live battery. Next, connect a black clamp to the negative terminal of the live battery. Instead of connecting the second black to the negative terminal on the dead battery, find an unpainted metal surface on the vehicle and connect it to that instead. This will make jumping safer.

Fire it up

Start the functioning car, then try to start the dead car. If the car refuses to start, the battery may be too far gone, in which case it may need a replacement or simply more time to charge. If interior lights come on, or you hear the engine try to start and fail to catch, you may have other problems.

If the jump is successful and your car fires up, leave it running while you disconnect the cables. Making sure not to let the clamps touch while any part of the cable is still attached to the battery, disconnect the clamps in the reverse order of how they were attached, starting with the black clamp clipped to the car being jumped, and ending with the red clamp on the positive terminal of that car’s battery.

Once the cables are disconnected, keep your car running. You need to give the battery enough time to recharge, so a short drive should do the trick.

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These are the seven best RAW camera apps for Android and iOS

Hillary Grigonis/Digital Trends

A RAW photo offers better image quality than a JPEG, but capturing RAW images was once a feature reserved for only DSLRs and other high-end cameras. But thanks to increasingly capable smartphone cameras and clever developers, it’s now possible to shoot RAW photos on your smartphone. In fact, both iOS and Android support RAW photo capture out of the box.

But to take your mobile photography even further, you’ll need an app that can really put those files to use. We’ve rounded up the best RAW-compatible mobile apps for both Android and iOS, each of which takes a unique approach to shooting, editing, and managing RAW photos on your phone.

Adobe Lightroom CC (Android, iOS) — Free (with optional subscription)

Adobe Lightroom CC shouldn’t need much of an introduction. Like its desktop counterpart, Adobe Lightroom CC is both a digital asset manager (DAM) and post-production studio, where you can edit almost any image you throw its way, including proprietary RAW formats. Better yet, you can even capture RAW photos directly inside the app using the built-in camera.

Whether it’s a photo straight from your smartphone or one imported from a DSLR, there is no shortage of editing tools available. From basic exposure settings to layered gradient adjustments, Lightroom has it all. The best part is, if you have one of Adobe’s Creative Cloud subscription plans — including the $10 per month Photography plans — all of your photos will sync across all of your mobile and desktop devices, so you can start an edit on your phone and finish it from your computer when you get home.

VSCO (Android, iOS) — Free (with optional in-app purchases)

VSCO started out as a simple app to add film-like presets to photos and has now grown both in features and users. There are more than 50 filters to choose from and a whole collection of tools for editing your images. VSCO not only works with RAW images, but also captures them using the integrated camera, making it a great all-in-one solution to shooting and editing RAW photos on the fly. VSCO is free to download and comes with a small collection of sample presets. More presets can be purchased via in-app purchases, while a VSCO X subscription — which gives you access to all presets, tools, and beta features — is offered for $20 per year.

Snapseed (Android, iOS) — Free

It was six years ago that Google bought out the photo editor Snapseed. Although many thought it was the end for the app, that proved to not be the case. Not only has Snapseed been updated over the years, it continually gains new features, albeit at a slower pace than most people would prefer. Still, it’s a free app that has a lot to offer, including RAW photo editing, a curves tool, built-in filters, and much more.

ProShot (Android) — $4

Generally speaking, RAW photo apps outside of those above tend to be less than impressive, with the exception of ProShot. Designed by Rise Up Games, ProShot is an all-in-one camera app that supports both JPEG and RAW photo capture, as well as 4K video capture on compatible devices. ProShot offers both manual and automatic shooting modes to fit your style and creative endeavors. As almost all of the apps on this list do, ProShot also features live adjustments, including white balance and exposure. It’s available in the Google Play Store for $4.

Halide (iOS) — $6

If you want all of the latest iOS photo features boiled down into a simple, minimal app, Halide is what you’re looking for. Described by its developers as “perfect photography, within reach,” Halide is designed so that you can completely control it using only one hand. Despite its simple interface, it includes professional-grade features, including Portrait Mode, focus peaking, and — of course — RAW photo capture. It also supports the new HEIC format found in iOS 11. Halide is $6 on the iOS App Store.

ProCam 5 (iOS) — $6 (with optional in-app purchases)

Stills, video, RAW images — ProCam 5 has it all. With more than half a dozen shooting modes, including night mode, burst mode, portrait mode, and even 3D photos, ProCam 5 manages to pack a lot of firepower into a single app. The interface is a bit daunting for those who aren’t familiar with heavy-duty camera apps, but once you find your way around, ProCam 5 has a lot to offer.

RAW Power (iOS) — Free (with optional in-app purchases)

Unlike most of the other apps on this list, RAW Power doesn’t take photos. Instead, it acts as a digital asset manager (DAM) for photos — including RAW files — you have on your iOS device, be they from your phone or an external camera. In addition to being able to sort and organize images, you can also make edits, including basic exposure changes and curve adjustments. There’s even an option to edit Depth Effect images taken by dual-camera iOS devices. RAW Power is available for free in the iOS App Store with in-app purchases for advanced editing tools.

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Forest: Stay Focused helps keep you off your phone when work needs to be done

App Attack is a weekly series where we search the App Store and Google Play Store for the best apps of the week. Check out App Attack every Sunday for the latest.

We all have the internet and our smartphones to thank for our short attention spans. Tasks that normally take a few seconds can often take double the amount of time when you find yourself checking your phone every few minutes. This week we have an app that will help keep you focused on your work instead of mindlessly scrolling through your social media accounts.

Forest: Stay Focused — for iOS and Android — is an app that’s specifically meant to keep you productive. By planting a seed in Forest, you’ll watch it gradually grow into a tree. But if you leave the app to answer a text message or check Twitter, then the plant immediately dies and you’ll have to start over again. But you aren’t faulted the first time you exit out to access a different app — a banner that pops up warning you that your tree is going to die. If you do it a second time, you’ll have to start over.

Setup is simple: after creating an account, you set a timer and begin your task. Depending on how long you set the timer, you’re able to see it count down as the tree grows above it. You’ll also see different encouraging phrases at the top that change every so often to remind you to keep going, like “Put down your phone!” or “Don’t look at me!”

The interface is not only clean and simple, but also very cute. You can set the time on the homepage by moving your finger along the dial to either increase or decreate the time. You’re able to set the timer for up to two hours for longer tasks, or as little as ten minutes for smaller ones. Once you tap “Plant,” the timer will start — but you do have ten seconds to cancel if you change your mind.

I’ll admit I’m the type to check my phone even when I don’t have any notifications. I’ll be focusing on a task one minute and the next I find myself checking Instagram even though it looks the same way it did five minutes ago. But when I have Forest open, I feel terrible knowing that swiping out of the app will kill my cute little tree. To keep you in the zone, there’s also calming music you can add in the background like “Rain in the Forest,” which might make you so relaxed you’ll find yourself feeling a tad sleepy.

But to complete the experience, I also suggest downloading the browser extension. That way, when you can’t access social media or other distracting sites on your phone, you won’t be able to use your laptop instead. It also helps to make sure you’re not cheating. The extension works the same way it does on your phone — but this time you can add specific sites to blacklist. If you try to access the site, you’ll receive a message letting you know your tree is still growing and the amount of time you have left. On both the app and the chrome extension, you can of course end it by pressing “give up.”

When I had the entire ecosystem set up via my phone and my laptop, I was able to get the most out of the app. It allowed me no choice but to focus on what I was doing because I physically couldn’t access the sites. At times, however, having the option to give up was definitely tempting; especially having used chrome extensions that force me to stay locked out of sites based on the time frame I originally set.

You’ll earn currency every time your tree fully grows without any interruption. This can be used towards unlocking more options such as a lemon tree, flower tree, or even cherry blossoms. There are also more quirky choices like a pumpkin, mushroom, or a rafflesia. While this feature seems minor, I found myself wanting to earn as many coins as I could in order to purchase the sunflowers. Thankfully, there are no micro-transactions for this app to let you cheat the system either.

For those who want to help towards a cause, you can use your coins to plant a real tree instead. In partnership with Trees for the Future — a Maryland-based nonprofit organization that works with farming families in Sub-Saharan Africa — you’ll have the option to plant one tree for every 2,500 coins you earn. While that might sound like a lot, it could rack up quickly for those who spend most of their days checking off one thing after another on their to-do lists.

Other features include graphs that track your progress throughout the week. You’re able to see a timeline of the plants you’ve grown throughout the day and how long it took to grow them. You can also see an illustration of all the trees you’ve grown and, sadly, all the trees you’ve killed as well. Swiping through gives you the complete history of past weeks as well.

If you need a little extra encouragement, there’s also a collaborative feature available. You can create a room and invite friends and family members to join you. If any one of you exits the app when the timer is running, then the shared tree will automatically die — talk about not wanting to let the team down.

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Pumpkin Pie perhaps? Just what should Android P be called?

We have high expectations for Google I/O 2018, but the star of the show will be Google’s newest flavor of Android, which is set to usher in some major changes for the world’s most popular smartphone platform. Will gestures replace navigation buttons? Will there be a new design language? What about notifications, Google Assistant, battery life, and a host of other considerations?

There’s likely to be some good stuff in Android P and it should be available to test out in beta form ahead of the official launch later in the summer. But what everyone really wants to know is the choice of confection. Google’s dessert-based naming convention makes Android more palatable, but some picks are better than others. Will Android P be something irresistible?

Here are our thoughts on possible names in alphabetical order, with a likelihood score of one as the lowest and 10 as the highest.

Pancake: 8

It’s a classic, as well as one of the only desserts you’re allowed to eat for breakfast, so it must be in the running. The fact that people will work “flat as a pancake” into Android articles knocks a couple of points off.

Panna Cotta: 7

This wobbly, creamy, delicious dessert from Italy is always good and Android 9.0 Panna Cotta has a nice ring to it, but is it universal enough?

Pastille: 2

You know, like Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles– sugar-coated lumps with real fruit in them that demand to be chewed. Nah, probably not.

Pavlova: 4

Meringue, cream, and fruit is a heavenly combo, and this dessert is named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. We don’t think this is too likely.

Peanut Brittle: 1

Too much of a mouthful? This crunchy mix of nuts with hardened sugar and syrup is the only option on the list capable of breaking your teeth.

Pecan Pie: 4

Almost as American as the apple variety. Legally, Pecan Pie must be said in a Southern accent, which might harm its chances of being picked.

Peppermint: 8

The simplicity and strength of this name can’t be denied, but strictly speaking, peppermint is a plant that we use to flavor some candies.

Petit Four: 3

This has become a blanket term to cover bite-sized cakes, eclairs, biscuits, and tarts, and it means “small oven” in French, which probably isn’t a great Android name.

PEZ: 5

Google has done tie-ins before (KitKat), so these tiny candy bricks — invented in Vienna as an alternative to smoking — could be in the running.

Popcorn: 8

This traditional accompaniment to movies isn’t strictly a dessert is it? But hey, if you want to end a meal with a bowl of popcorn, that’s fine, as long as it’s not salty and buttery.

Popsicle: 9

We think this is the current favorite because it sounds right, it’s in keeping with past names, and there have been some clues that point to it, like this Android wallpaper Google released. But popsicle is a brand name owned by Unilever, so it will require a licensing deal.

Pop-Tarts: 2

These rectangular toaster pastries, also an acceptable breakfast food for some reason, are the closest shape to a smartphone. On the other hand, Android 9.0 Pop-Tarts sounds stupid.

Praline: 5

We can’t help feeling this would be perfect if it was pronounced pra-line, instead of pra-leen, because it would rhyme nicely – Android 9.0 Pra-line. But it isn’t, so it doesn’t.

Profiterole: 6

Delicate choux pastry filled with cream and topped with hot chocolate sauce, like irresistible bite-sized eclairs, but the word itself doesn’t hint at the deliciousness.

Pudding: 7

If Google was a British company, then pudding could be a good shout-out – it’s the generic term Brits tend to use in the same way that Americans use dessert.

Pumpkin Pie: 5

“Let’s not waste the pumpkin from the carved Halloween lanterns I’ve heard you can make pie from it,” sadly, it was disgusting pie because you’re meant to use pie pumpkins which are different. Personal antipathy aside, this name could work.

That’s our current list of possible Android P names. Tell us your favorite, and if you’ve got another suggestion, let’s hear it.

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Debating between Apple and Samsung phones? Open your eyes a little wider

Kārlis Dambrāns/Flickr

It’s becoming increasingly hard not to buy a Samsung or Apple phone, or at the very least, avoid being convinced they’re the only options for the keen phone buyer. It’s incredibly frustrating. They’re not the only two smartphone brands out there, and no matter what their rabid fan bases or grouchy reviewers say, they’re equally as flawed as the brands that are being unfairly ignored.

We’re already dangerously close to only having the choice of these two brands in stores, and no-one is going to benefit from that duopoly, except Samsung and Apple. If the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus and iPhone X were perfect — by which I mean flawless, 10/10, the best you can possibly ever get — that’d be fine.  But they’re not.

It’s becoming increasingly hard not to buy a Samsung or Apple phone.

If you’re buying a smartphone this year, then it’s time to take a good, long, hard look at yourself and what you really want from the device that’s going to at your side for the foreseeable future.

We’re not saying don’t buy the Galaxy S9 or iPhone X, we just want to make sure you’re not ignoring other fine devices just because of the noise from the massive marketing machines driving Samsung and Apple deep into the public consciousness.

Stop listening to the whiners

Where to start? This week, we’re hearing about how the new LG G7 ThinQ doesn’t have an obvious major selling point, and that it’s evidence of a company that’s lost. The screen notch is a problem. The artificial intelligence is a problem. Even the name is a problem. We’re not deluded here, LG’s definitely lost in the smartphone wilderness, unsure of the direction it needs to take to find its way back to civilization. But that doesn’t mean the G7 ThinQ is a bad phone.

The LG G7 ThinQ (left) and Huawei P20 Pro. Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Here’s our first change-the-way-you-think task. From this point on, stop echoing the nonsense about “hated trends.” The notch, for example. When you’ve looked at a phone with a notch for more than a few hours, you forget it’s there. The reasons for and against it are so incredibly dull, I’m on the verge of filling my ears with cement the next time someone mentions how it should or shouldn’t be implemented.

Is the artificial intelligence an issue? Fine, it’s an option, so don’t use it. You don’t like the name of the phone? We don’t either, it’s rubbish; but if this passes your lips as a reason you won’t be buying it, then we really don’t know what to tell you. Take these away and you’re left with a Snapdragon 845-powered phone with an attractive design, a wide-angle camera, amazing audio, a super bright screen, and even a 3.5mm headphone jack. Remember how much moaning there was about that being missing from phones? Look, there’s one here! Buy, buy, buy!

Is the artificial intelligence an issue? Fine, it’s an option, so don’t use it. You don’t like the name of the phone? We don’t either, it’s rubbish; but if this passes your lips as a reason you won’t be buying it, then we really don’t know what to tell you.

It just happens to be LG’s turn in the stocks at the moment. Last month it was Huawei because the P20 Pro is apparently the equivalent of inviting a shady man in an overcoat, dark glasses, and a fedora to dinner and not noticing he didn’t leave afterwards. Next it’ll probably be HTC. The HTC U12 Plus, if it’s called that, has an illogical name, will likely not have the world’s most visually exciting design, and if AI is mentioned somewhere, then it’s all over. The OnePlus 6 is also on its way, which we know will have a notch, as will the Honor 10.

Take Samsung and Apple to task

Arguments levied at these perfectly acceptable, well-made, and high-performance phones also apply to Samsung and Apple, with just a few tweaks to the wording. Samsung’s 2018 flagship phone is fundamentally dull, and when examined in any detail, suffers from the same lack of those ephemeral “compelling reasons” to buy as the G7 ThinQ and every other current flagship phone. But its huge brand name obscures all. “It’s a Samsung,” says the Android-buying world, “therefore it should be my first choice.”

The Samsung Galaxy S9 Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

There is a single reason to buy the Galaxy S9 or S9 Plus: The camera. It’s fantastic; but every other feature is a damp squib. For all the people who won’t use the G7’s monster speaker or audio capability, there are just as many people who won’t use Samsung’s cringe-making AR Emojis. Once the novelty of slow-mo videos wears off, because they’re very hard to do properly, it’ll become as little used as LG’s AI camera enhancements.

The S9 doesn’t have a notch, but it does have a very similar design to the Galaxy S8, and arguably the Galaxy S7 before it. Come on, let’s get mad about that. Nah, let’s not, because like the notch, it’s utterly irrelevant.

But its huge brand name obscures all. “It’s a Samsung,” says the Android-buying world, “therefore it should be my first choice.”

What we should get mad about is Samsung’s cash-grab at the expense of you, the customer. It signed a deal with Verizon to pre-install apps on new and existing Verizon Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus phones, purely to receive a share of the ad revenue. It’ll tell you it’s about delivering “quality content,” but that’s bollocks. It’s about money, at your expense. We’re not mad about the apps, because you can uninstall them, but it’s the principle.

Samsung’s transgressions are quickly forgiven, while LG, HTC, Huawei, and most other flagship phone makers’ will be pulled up again and again, and used as erroneous reasons not to buy the phone. It’s the same selective blindness that affects Apple buyers. The iPhone X is much too expensive, Face ID is a pain, the notched screen is apparently the root of all evil, and the operating system is bloated with features no-one ever uses. Worst of all, it has (whisper it) an Apple logo on the back. Oh, the humanity.

The iPhone X. Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Yet, Strategy Analytics estimates Apple sold 16 million iPhone X models during the first three months of 2018, and it was for the second quarter running, the world’s most popular smartphone. Samsung hasn’t released its Galaxy S9 sales numbers, but Strategy Analytics also estimates it sold in total more than 78 million phones over the same period. Huawei, Xiaomi, and Oppo — all major players in China — filled the remaining top five spots.

Don’t dismiss choice

Brand loyalty is the domain of the unimaginative. Just because you liked an old Galaxy phone, doesn’t mean you should buy the latest one, in the same way that loving the iPhone 5 isn’t a reason to buy an iPhone 8. It also applies to anyone wanting to jump away from Apple then simply choosing Samsung, and vice versa. You’re not being daring, or showing your individuality, because these two are inherently the same mega-corp, just with a different name and using different software.

There isn’t a single manufacturer offering
the perfect package. Each has flaws, and each has positives.

If you buy a new smartphone this year, try the alternatives. There isn’t a single manufacturer offering the perfect package. Each has flaws, and each has positives. Read the reviews, visit the stores and carriers, use the devices, and try to ignore anyone who tells you “X phone is way better than Y phone, for spurious Z reason” until you’ve tried it for yourself.

We’re spoiled for choice in 2018 when it comes to great phones — whether it has a Samsung, Apple, LG, Google, Huawei, OnePlus, HTC, or even a BlackBerry badge on it — so don’t get caught up in the blinkered assumption that there are only two phone brands worthy of attention. Buy the one you then think is best, and be proud of your informed decision. If we stop, choice will erode away, and we really don’t want that.

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How to ‘Drop In’ on an Echo, Echo Show, or Echo Dot

Last year, Amazon released the touchscreen-equipped Echo Show, which allowed users to make voice calls through their Echo devices for the very first time. Shortly after that, Amazon rolled out yet another feature, Drop In, which allows users to drop in on their friends’ and family members’ Echo devices unexpectedly. This feature is different from your standard voice call because it allows you to connect to a device automatically, assuming you have access and the person on the other end hasn’t muted the feature.

For users who have multiple Echo devices around their home, this feature can work a lot like an intercom system or baby monitor. While it does bring up some potential privacy concerns, Amazon has done a pretty good job to ensure that you are in as much control as possible when it comes to who it allows to drop in on your life. The feature is not enabled on any contacts by default, however, so you must manually grant users access to your device(s). Here’s how.

Step 1: Download the app

First, ensure that you have the Alexa app downloaded on your Android or iOS device (and that is it is the latest version). Currently, Drop In is only available on the Echo, Echo Dot (first- and second-generation), Echo Show, and via the Alexa app. With the app, you can drop in on other devices, but you can’t receive a drop-in call (you can receive voice calls, though). Once you’ve downloaded and launched the app, you should be prompted to set up Alexa Calling and Messaging. If you aren’t, tap the speech bubble at the bottom of the screen to sign up.

Step 2: Enable Drop In

Next, tap Settings and select which devices you want to allow Drop In on. Tap Drop In under General and turn that on as well. On will allow you to receive calls from pre-approved contacts, while Only My Household will restrict calls to devices within your home. Off, on the other hand, will disable the function altogether. Again, the feature will not be enabled for any of your contacts by default, so you must manually grant users access to your device(s).

Step 3: Begin calling

To access your contacts and initiate a call, tap the Conversations icon again, then the silhouette of a person in the upper-right corner. Click the person you would like to give access to, and select Allow Drop In. Once you’ve finished setting up the feature, simply say your device’s wake word and “Drop in on [person’s name]” to begin a call. You can also start a call from within the Contacts page.

When someone drops in on you, the light ring on your Echo will pulse green, and they will be connected automatically, allowing them to hear anything that is within range of your device. If you and your contact are using devices equipped with a screen, the video will appear somewhat distorted for several seconds, giving you the opportunity to make yourself more presentable, if you’re not already. Keep in mind, however, that you can turn off the video at any point during the call by saying “video off,” or by touching the screen and selecting Video Off.

If you do not want to be able to receive Drop In calls — after all, who wants their friends knowing what they are doing every second of the day? — you can also enable the Do Not Disturb mode on your Echo, which will block the Drop In feature until you turn it off.

David Cogen — a regular contributor here at Digital Trends — runs TheUnlockr, a popular tech blog that focuses on tech news, tips and tricks, and the latest tech. You can also find him on Twitter discussing the latest tech trends.

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• How to ‘Drop In’ on an Echo, Echo Show, or Echo Dot | The Unlockr

Kia unveils production Niro EV crossover with 280-mile range

When Kia unveiled the Niro EV at CES, it prompted one main question: how much would the electric crossover change between its flashy concept and the on-the-road car? We now have a better idea. Kia has unveiled the first details of the production Niro EV, and it’s toned down in most respects… aside from the one that counts the most. The finished car will look much more like the everyday hybrid model, ditching the grille-mounted message display, flashy wheels and exotic lights. However, Kia now estimates that the version with a 64kWh battery will net roughly 280 miles a charge on the WLTP test cycle. That’s likely to be lower on the more pessimistic US cycle, but it suggests the original 238-mile range estimate may have been conservative.

Like the Kona Electric, the Niro EV will have both the 64kWh battery option as well as a lower-cost 39.2kWh pack (with 236 miles of range on WLTP). As our Autoblog colleagues noted, though, it’s likely that Americans will only get the 64kWh battery.

Kia hasn’t detailed the performance (likely 201HP and 291lb/ft of torque), interior or pricing, although those are expected to come when it formally launches the car in September, just ahead of the Paris Motor Show. It’s safe to presume the Niro EV will be relatively affordable as far as electric crossovers go, though, and it should include the updated UVO infotainment system with Google Assistant support. It won’t dazzle anyone, but that’s part of the allure — it’s helping transition EVs from novelties to practical transportation.

Via: Autoblog

Source: Kia

Police face recognition misidentified 2,300 as potential criminals

Ask critics of police face recognition why they’re so skeptical and they’ll likely cite unreliability as one factor. What if the technology flags an innocent person? Unfortunately, that caution appears to have been warranted to some degree. South Wales Police are facing a backlash after they released data showing that their face recognition trial at the 2017 Champions League final misidentified thousands as potential criminals. Out out of 2,470 initial matches, 2,297 were false positives — about 92 percent.

The police unit pinned the results on both “poor quality images” from Interpol and UEFA and the novelty of the technology. “No facial recognition system is 100% accurate under all conditions,” the force wrote. It was also quick to defend the overall track record, noting that there had been 2,000 positive IDs in nine months with 450 arrests and no people mistakenly taken into custody. The accuracy is believed to be improving, although there have been false positives around events since last June.

The absence of mistaken arrests supports the force’s claim that there are extensive safeguards. Officers still check the initial alerts to see if they’re authentic, and an “intervention team” can interact with the target to determine whether or not it’s the right person. Even so, the gap between the number of potential matches at the Champions League final and actual arrests is hard to ignore. Privacy issues notwithstanding, there’s a chance those false positives could bog down officers who are looking for suspects in urgent situations.

Source: Guardian, South Wales Police

Apple Updates Repair Policy for iPhone X Units With Face ID Issues

Apple has updated its service policy for a limited number of iPhone X units that may be experiencing issues with Face ID.

Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers are now authorized to perform a whole unit replacement for iPhone X units with Face ID issues, instead of a display repair, according to an internal document obtained by MacRumors.

Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers have been advised to first run diagnostics on the iPhone X’s rear camera and potentially repair that system if necessary to see if that resolves the problem. If the issues persist, then a whole unit replacement is now permitted, the document states.

There appears to be some kind of link between failure of the iPhone X’s rear camera and front TrueDepth system, although it’s not entirely clear.

The document in full reads:

In order to provide the best customer experience, if a customer reports that their iPhone X is having Face ID issues, you may be able to resolve the issue with a rear camera repair. Run AST 2 on the customer’s device to check the camera. If the diagnostics find issue with the camera, perform the repair to see if the issue is resolved. If the issue is not resolved, perform a whole unit replacement instead of a same-unit display repair.

Apple has not commented on this matter publicly, or launched any sort of official repair program, as these are internal guidelines.

Affected customers can book an appointment with an Apple Authorized Service Provider or Apple Store via the Contact Apple Support page: iPhone → Repairs & Physical Damage → The Topic is Not Listed → Bring In For Repair. Following those steps also presents options to contact Apple by phone or email.

Related Roundup: iPhone XTags: Face ID, GSXBuyer’s Guide: iPhone X (Neutral)
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