Mark your calendars — more than 150 new emojis are coming on June 5

Your vocabulary is about to expand. And you won’t even need to pick up a dictionary. Come Tuesday, June 5, we’ll be blessed with the arrival of more than 150 new emojis, which will come as part of Unicode Version 11.0. These new emojis will help you express yourself via text in new ways, and will feature a wide range of new faces, as well as animals, objects, and symbols.

In total, there will be 157 new emojis. Folks with red or grey  hair will be pleased to know that they are now represented by these little images, and no longer will you only have the option of sending a straight-haired emoji. That’s right, friends — curly hair is finally here, as are emojis with no hair at all. So if you want to send a bald man to your dad, have at it.

There are also cold and hot faces to express your displeasure at the weather, as well as superheroes and villains depending on how you’re feeling on any given day, and a new leg, foot, and party face.

It’s not just humans that are newly represented in Unicode Version 11.0. There are also 10 new animals, like a peacock, a hippopotamus, and just in time for summer, a mosquito. As for non-living objects, there is the addition of a bar of  soap, a lab coat, and a particularly science-forward strand of DNA. If you’re looking for something a bit less academic, you might also find a skateboard, chess pawn, and a pirate flag.

And of course, no emoji update would be complete without a few new food items. In the latest version, we’re granted access to a cupcake and  a mango.

Before you get too excited about sending these emojis to your friends and family members, keep in mind that companies will have to add Unicode 11 support before you’re able to access the new images. We can expect Apple and Google to update their operating systems, and companies like Twitter to provide support as well. After all, when there’s a new crop of emojis on the horizon, we’re only too eager to begin using them.

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Amazon is not liable for an exploding hoverboard that burned down a house

A judge in Tennessee has ruled that Amazon is not liable for the damage and injuries caused when a hoverboard exploded and burned down a family’s home, CNBC reports. The plaintiff, Megan Fox, argued that Amazon did not properly warn her family about the dangers of the product, but the judge did not agree with her.

In 2015, the Nashville mother bought her 13-year-old son a hoverboard for Christmas. The devices were very popular at the time, with Amazon selling a quarter of a million in a month’s time. Back then, there were no standards or safety regulations governing hoverboards. On January 9th, the hoverboard caught fire and exploded. Fox’s home was lost in the fire and her husband suffered two broken bones.

In her lawsuit, Fox argued that because the hoverboard was purchased from Amazon, the online retail giant was partially responsible for the product’s safety issues. Judge William Campbell dismissed the case before it went to trial, saying that Amazon was merely acting as a middleman.

The plaintiff’s lawyer, Stephen Anderson, said that they are currently considering appealing the judge’s ruling.

Internal documents reveal that Amazon was aware that that the hoverboards could have had problems. Amazon did reach out to customers offering them a refund before eventually removing the potential rolling bombs from the storefront altogether. Amazon points out that it was the first retailer to do so.

“As a customer obsessed [sic] company, we closely monitored potential risks with hoverboards since they were first offered for sale, regardless of whether sold directly by Amazon or by sellers on our stores. As the Consumer Product Safety Commission noted at the time, when we learned of safety concerns about this toy, we were the first retailer to proactively stop sales, issue an alert, and refund customers. We continue to invest in our teams and technologies so we can improve our early detection systems and protect customers.” an Amazon spokesperson told Digital Trends.

Campbell’s decision is not the first time that the courts have agreed with Amazon’s middleman argument. In 2015, Heather Oberdorf was partially blinded after a retractable dog leash hit her in the face. The leash was purchased on the Amazon marketplace, but Oberdorf could not locate any representatives of the leash’s manufacturer.

The judge overseeing the case said that Amazon was not liable to Oberdorf because the Amazon Marketplace acts as a “sort of newspaper classified ad section, connecting potential consumers with eager sellers in an efficient, modern, streamlined manner.”

Oberdorf’s attorney David Wilks disagrees and told CNBC that he believes Amazon should be held to the same standards as brick and mortar retailers. For now, however, Amazon does not have to play by those rules.

“Amazon is prolific and dominant and only getting bigger and throwing brick-and-mortar stores out of business left and right,” Wilks said. “But they don’t have to play by the same rules.”

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‘Wingman’ matchmaking app makes dating less dreadful for you and your friends

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 other Sunday for the latest.

Dating in 2018 is an interesting concept — it’s more likely a couple has met online first, and in real-life second. But for those who are still too hesitant to jump on the dating app train, we have an app that might give you the nudge you need — with the help of a friend.

Wingman, available for iOS and Android, isn’t your typical dating app. Rather than signing up on your own, you get to recruit a friend to sign up and create your profile for you. Based on the concept of an actual “wingman,” the app allows your friends to take control over who you match with and helps make swiping left and right feel like less of a chore.

Upon first discovering the app, I immediately had to text one of my closest friends, who also happens to be my roommate. Having been friends for over two years now, we’re both very well aware of one another’s dating history. But now that we live together, there’s no avoiding either hearing about or even meeting the guys we’re each dating. The routine always remains the same too: we discuss our opinions of how we felt about each other’s guy because at times, we trust one another’s instincts more than our own.

That’s why when Wingman‘s founder, Tina Wilson, told me the story of how she thought of the idea, I found comfort in the fact that both my roommate and I aren’t any different from others trying to navigate the dating scene.

“I was never comfortable dating online. Most of my single friends were in relationships … they were unable to come out on the single circuit with me, yet they were always very interested in my dating life and wanted to support my journey” Wilson told Digital Trends, “When I finally got online, they were my champions — sitting alongside me helping me write my profile, choosing who I should go out with. I remember thinking it’d be really cool if we were able to do this remotely.”

Wilson’s experience heavily reminds me of my friends in long-term relationships, who find it entertaining to take my phone and swipe through for my dating apps for me simply because they miss how fun it was. With Wingman, you’re able to do the same but actually make some progress rather than absentmindedly go through the motions.

That’s why when my roommate actually downloaded the app and invited me to be her Wingman, I was excited to help. Once you accept the invite, you’re able to start filling out all the information about your single friend. This might’ve been the part I was most nervous about — after all, writing about how you actually feel about your friend can either make or break the friendship.

But it had to be done — so we both sat on my bed as I started nervously crafting a short bio. Of course she wanted to approve of it, so when I felt confident in what I wrote, I handed over my phone. She was excited about it and I’m almost positive I heard the words “this is spot on.” To add to the bio, you’re provided with a short questionnaire of about three questions where you can choose between what your friend likes most.

Aside from adding a bio, the only other information you get to choose from is whether your friend is into men, women, or both, along with your relationship to the person and how long you’ve known them. As for filters, there aren’t many in comparison to other dating apps like Hinge, which allow you to pick from a plethora of things you like and dislike. With Wingman, all you can filter are the distance settings and age settings — which Wilson expressed was done on purpose.

“In the first iteration of [Wingman], there were so many options, so many things you could do. When we actually put that out and started testing it, I think people were confused … I think because it’s different, it doesn’t have anything that is comparable to it … we had to really make sure it was clear what people were doing,” Wilson said. Essentially, she expressed that she wanted “to keep it really simple [and] to create a platform that enables us to introduce our friends to great people, and have some fun along the way.”

Simplifying the process made the setup far more enjoyable — since we signed up through Facebook we didn’t have to upload additional photos. Once everything was complete, the swiping began. The experience was definitely an interesting one — after all, her fate basically lies in my hands. I found myself having to thoroughly think through each and every swipe knowing that I now had her trust to pick a good one. She’s also able to swipe through potential matches as well, but can’t actually pick “like” or “dislike.” It will instead send the potential candidate to me and then I’m able to make the final call on whether I swipe right or left.

Since Wingman has only been around in the U.S. since January, there weren’t too many guys to swipe through. I often found myself having to increase the distance or the age range in order to find more options. Hopefully, the user base will increase over time and provide far more choices without me having to constantly switch up my settings (after all, I remember having the same experience with Hinge and even Bumble when both apps first came out). It also didn’t keep me from swiping before I went to bed or even while on the subway.

When you do swipe right on someone, your friend’s profile is immediately sent to that person. If they’re also interested and it’s a match, then your friend automatically connects to them and can start a conversation. Unfortunately, you can’t insert yourself into whatever it is they’re talking about (although I wish you could). You’ll probably instead receive screenshots of the conversation from your friend and can help from there. Or, if you’re me, you’re lucky enough to the live with the person and can watch the conversation happen in real time!

As of now, I have yet to fulfill my duty as a Wingman by finding “the one right now,” but the search continues. We’ll definitely update this article if we experience any Wingman success stories.

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The best portable chargers for quickly juicing your devices

We’ve all suffered the sudden, all-encompassing horror of a dead phone. The accusing looks and hushed criticism of family and friends. That blank screen on the commute home that leaves you at the mercy of your chatty fellow traveler. The sudden loss of Google Maps as you turn into an unfamiliar neighborhood. The sinking feeling as you realize your phone alarm didn’t go off because you forgot to plug it in last night. Why, oh, why must our smartphones die?

We feel your pain and that is why we’ve been checking out some of the best portable chargers on the market. Until there is a real breakthrough in battery technology, a portable charger might be the best solution. We have something here for you, whatever your needs may be, from a bucketload of power for a camping trip to a pocket-friendly solution for your daily commute. These are 21 of the best portable chargers that money can buy. If you’re looking for charging cables, be sure to check out our picks for the best lightning cables and USB Type-C cables.

Anker PowerCore II 20,000

Simon Hill / Digital Trends

• Capacity: 20,000mAh
• Outputs: 2 ports (18W and 12W)
• Weight: 369g (13oz)
• Price: $54
• Time to fully charge: Around 5 hours

We’re big fans of Anker’s understated and practical designs. The PowerCore II packs in a huge 20,000mAh capacity without being ridiculously big, though it is something you’ll want to sling in a bag rather than your pocket. It features two USB outputs. PowerIQ 2.0 can put out up to 18W, which breaks down to 3A at 5V, 2A at 9V, and 1.5A at 12V. PowerIQ 1.0 can put out 12W up to 2.4A at 5V. Regardless of your device, you should be able to get decent charging speeds from this portable battery. The only thing it lacks is a USB-C port.

Compared to previous Anker offerings, there are a couple of new features here. The power button is now round and it houses a ring of white LEDs, which are designed show you how much power remains. There’s also a textured surface on the outside, so it’s less likely to slip out of your hand or slide away from the back of your phone while you’re charging your device.

This battery’s robust capacity should also provide you with more than enough power to fully charge a Galaxy S9 four times, and it will charge an iPhone 8 more than six times. It’s also quick to charge, at just five hours, provided you have a decent wall charger (not included). All in all, this portable battery charger represents great value for the money.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

RAVPower HyperAir Wireless Portable Charger

Simon Hill/Digital Trends

• Capacity: 10,400mAh
• Outputs: 1 port and Qi wireless charging (2.4A and 10W)
• Weight: 325g (11.4oz)
• Price: $66
• Time to fully charge: Around 5 to 6 hours

This won’t be for everyone, but if you’ve gotten used to your wireless charger at home and you don’t want to plug cables in anymore, then it might be the ideal accessory for you. This portable wireless charger has a capacity of 10,400mAh, which means it can charge up a Galaxy S9 twice or an iPhone 8 four times via the USB port with a cable. However, the top also has a soft touch circle where you can place any Qi compatible phone for wireless charging. It supports Apple’s fast wireless charging at 7.5W and Samsung’s fast wireless charging at 10W. You won’t get quite as much power out of it with wireless charging, but it’s a lot easier than plugging in and it means you don’t need to carry a cable at all.

We’re not blown away by the design — it resembles a rounded brick with the USB-A, MicroUSB for recharging the unit, and power button at one end. There’s the standard four LED display on top with the helipad-style, rubbery, enhanced grip circle in the middle. Land your phone there and it will start charging wirelessly at top speed straight away — we tested it with an iPhone 8 and a Galaxy S7 Edge and fast charging worked for both. There’s also a green LED on the side that comes to life to show you when wireless charging is working (though your phone already does that, so it seems superfluous to us).

If you’re after as much power as you can get in as small a form factor as possible, then this one is not for you. There are other portable chargers that offer more for less — including one from RAVPower further down our list. But if you want to wave goodbye to cables and enjoy that wireless charging convenience wherever you go then this could be the one.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Saber Romeo Power Bank

• Capacity: 24,000mAh
• Outputs: 4 ports (90W, 60W, 12.5W, and 5W)
• Weight: 1kg (35.3oz)
• Price: $300
• Time to fully charge: Around 2 hours

Want something tough, powerful, and capable of charging all your devices on the go? The Romeo Saber Power Bank is unlike anything we’ve seen before. This squared tube is 10.5 inches long and 2.36 by 2.28 inches across. It comes in black, blue, or eye-catching red and it’s bursting with charging possibilities. Open one end and you will find a universal AC outlet capable of delivering up to 90W for a laptop. Open the other end and you have a USB-C port and two standard USB ports, as well as a round DC port for charging up the Saber itself.

The flaps at either end aren’t just for show, this is dust and water resistant. It’s also shockproof, so you shouldn’t have any issues if it gets tossed around in a bag or dropped. There’s a power button on the side with a standard four LED display to show off the remaining power, but it also supports Bluetooth so you can see precisely how much juice the Saber has left on your phone. You can even set it to notify you when power is getting low.

Despite the huge capacity, this is still TSA and FAA approved, so you can take it on a flight with you. Perhaps most impressive is the fact that you can charge it up in just two hours, though you’ll need to use the dedicated power supply provided. There is no doubt it’s expensive, but if you’re a frequent flyer or you like to go camping, it seems like a perfect way to ensure your devices never run out of power.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Flux Portable Charger

Simon Hill / Digital Trends
Simon Hill/Digital Trends

• Capacity: 4,000mAh
• Output: 2 built-in cables (1A and 2.1A)
• Weight: 92g (3.2oz)
• Price: $26
• Time to fully charge: 3 to 4 hours

This is one of the slimmest portable chargers we’ve ever come across. If you’re really looking for something pocket-sized, the Flux Charger is worth more than just a glance. It’s a mere 7.8-millimeters thick and measures 108 x 62.8 millimeters. It’s also incredibly light, but holds enough power to fully recharge your phone at least once, possibly twice. It’s finished with a durable black or white aluminum, and features two built-in cables, a Micro USB cable, and a MFi-certified Lightning cable. There’s also a Micro-USB port for charging, which comes with a short Micro USB to USB cable.

Tap the small button on the side, and the four tiny LEDs light up to show remaining power. It doesn’t support fast charging, though, and we found that it took a couple of hours to charge the large battery in the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. Fortunately, it should fully charge an iPhone in around an hour. The input for charging it is 1.5A, so it takes a while to fully charge, but it does support pass-through charging, so you can plug it into the wall and your phone at the same time. If you like the design, but you need more power then check out the 10,000mAh Flux Charger Plus for $52.

Buy one now from:

Amazon Flux

EasyAcc MegaCharge D20

Simon Hill / Digital Trends
Simon Hill/Digital Trends

• Capacity: 20,000mAh
• Outputs: 4 ports (3A each)
• Weight: 370g (13oz)
• Price: $50
• Time to fully charge: Around 4 hours

This chunky battery pack in black plastic has a distinctive orange stripe around it. We’re not in love with the look, but it contains a whopping 20,000mAh of power and an unusual array of input and output ports. The green USB port supports Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0 or 3.0, and also Huawei’s fast charging standard, FCP. There are two black USB ports capable of up to 3A and there’s also a USB-C port that can deliver the same. Move round to the side and you’ll find a Micro USB port and another USB-C port for charging the battery up. Interestingly these inputs can be plugged in simultaneously to enable you to charge the battery up faster — bringing charging time down to around four hours, which is pretty impressive for this capacity.

You’ll find the standard four LED array on the top to show you remaining power in 25 percent chunks. There’s a power button on the side and you can double press it to fire up the LED flashlight, which is a handy extra that makes this a good choice for camping. EasyAcc includes a short, 24-inch USB to USB-C cable and a USB-to-Micro USB cable that’s the same length in the box. It does support pass-through charging, so you can plug it in to charge and plug your phone into it to charge at the same time.

We think you can expect at least four full charges for the majority of smartphones out there and probably more than that for phones with smaller batteries, like the iPhone 8. Weighing up the complete package we think this is good value for money and worth considering if you need a lot of power and want to be able recharge it in a hurry.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Tronsmart Presto Power Bank

• Capacity: 10,000mAh
• Outputs: 2 ports (3A/18W and 2.4A/15W)
• Weight: 210g (7.4oz)
• Price: $23
• Time to fully charge: Around 4 hours

This compact portable charger is slim and light, but packs a big capacity of 10,000mAh. It has two USB ports for charging up your devices. The green one can put out 18W and supports Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 standard, as well as Huawei’s FCP, so it can juice up certain phones very quickly. You can expect two or three charges from this battery for most smartphones.

The design is an unobtrusive black and the outer shell is finished in soft-touch plastic, so it’s comfortable to handle. There’s a button on the side to turn it on, and you’ll find a typical four LED battery level indicator on the top. It can be charged up via the MicroUSB port and should juice up quickly, provided you use a decent cable and wall charger with it.

It comes with a USB-A to MicroUSB cable in the box and a travel pouch. Tronsmart also offers an 18-month warranty.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Belkin Pocket Power Charger

• Capacity: 5,000mAh
• Outputs: 1 port (2.4A)
• Weight: 131g (4.6oz)
• Price: $25-plus
• Time to fully charge: Around 5 hours

Here’s a fairly small, lightweight option from Belkin that will charge up an iPhone around one-and-a-half times, and should provide at least one full charge for most other smartphones. There’s a single USB port that puts out up to 2.4A, and a MicroUSB port for charging it up that’s rated at 2A.

It’s durable, with a plastic casing that comes in your choice of pink, black, or silver. It’s small enough to slip into a pocket or handbag. There’s a power button on the side with four LEDs that light up green to show remaining power in 25 percent chunks. You get a 6-inch MicroUSB to USB cable in the box with it.

If you need more capacity, then Belkin does offer 10,000mAh ($40) and 15,000mAh ($50) models that sport two USB ports for charging. Belkin offers a special $2,500 Connected Equipment Warranty that guarantees a repair or replacement if your device is damaged by an electrical charge while properly connected to the charger.

Buy one now from:

Amazon Belkin

Simon Cowell says no longer using a smartphone is a ‘very strange experience’

For many people, smartphone separation anxiety is a thing. Misplacing your device or having to put it way for a period of time can, in some cases, result in a faster heart rate, clammy hands, and even a few beads of sweat forming on your furrowed brow.

But with smartphones these days used for just about every task known to man — and even, occasionally, for making calls — it’s little wonder that many of us feel the jitters if we can’t use ours precisely when we want.

So its all the more surprising to learn that Simon Cowell hasn’t used his handset in almost a year. Even more startling, he says he feels great for it.

The 58-year-old creator of popular TV talent shows in the U.S. and U.K. told the Mail recently that he ditched his smartphone because he started to find it annoying.

‘I literally have not been on my phone for 10 months,” Cowell said over the weekend.

“The difference it made was that I became more aware of the people around me and way more focused. The thing I get irritated with is when you have a meeting everyone’s on their phone, and I was probably in that place, too. You can’t concentrate.”

Far from causing him stress, Cowell claims life without a phone has actually been “good for my mental health. It’s a very strange experience but it really is good for you and it has absolutely made me happier.”

A quick look at Cowell’s Twitter feed appears to confirm his self-imposed smartphone separation, with his 12.5 million followers having received no new tweets since June 2017.

The media mogul is already known to be a bit of technophobe, confessing years ago that he doesn’t even know how to operate a computer.

Of course, a busy fella like Cowell is likely to have a personal assistant helping him with what must be a hectic schedule, and it’s a safe bet they’re not operating sans smartphone. As for Cowell himself, he looks all set to stay smartphone-free for the foreseeable future.

Time management

While many regular folks will be willing to admit they use their handset a little more than they should, the idea of ditching it entirely will seem like a drastic — and wholly impossible — measure to take.

But now tech companies, it seems, are taking the lead. While certainly not encouraging anyone to discard their handset for good, a growing number of tech firms are trying to encourage people to look more closely at how they engage with their device. Google, for example, is rolling out tools to help users better manage the amount of time they spend on their phone, while YouTube recently added a feature that prompts people to take a break from the video-streaming app after a specified amount of time.

Instagram is also believed to be prepping a time-management tool, while Apple, too, may introduce a similar feature aimed at children after shareholders called on the tech company to look at adding more parental controls.

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EU’s new data protection law being used as bedtime story by meditation app

The European Union’s (EU) new data protection and digital privacy rules landed recently in the form of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), forcing online firms to take greater care in how they gather and use people’s data.

Clearly not one to miss a trick, meditation app Calm has added a reading of the 57,509-word document to its collection of Sleep Stories, confident in the belief that a brief listen to it will be enough to cure even the most wide-eyed of insomniacs.

“New laws aren’t meant to be exciting, but this one could sedate a buffalo,” Calm wrote in a recent blog post about GDPR.

Current Sleep Stories offered by Calm include Blue Gold, The Seventeenth Princess, and The Secret Lagoon narrated by a range of actors, among them Stephen Fry. For the GDPR document, it turned to Peter Jefferson, a former announcer who made a name for himself as the reader of the BBC’s Shipping Forecast, a long-running nightly broadcast detailing sea conditions around the British Isles which is famed for its relaxing theme tune and the soothing tones of those who read it.

“Jefferson’s voice and skill helped the Shipping Forecast to become known … as Britain’s unofficial national lullaby and an accidental natural sleep aid of rare potency,” Calm noted in its blog post.

The company has called the latest addition to its Sleep Stories collection Once Upon a GDPR, and invites listeners to simply “lie back, wind down, and drift off to … the sound of the new legal regulation.”

For reasons unknown — perhaps Jefferson couldn’t make it to the end without dozing off — Calm has declined to include the entirety of the 209-page document in Once Upon a GDPR. Instead, the announcer says he hopes to offer “a taste of it by reading a lengthy extract from the 107-page introduction, and then, if you’re still awake, one or two of the more relaxing articles that make up the real heart of the document.” The entire recording lasts 40 minutes, by which time you should be well and truly conked.

Calm is available for iOS and Android, and offers in-app purchases.

“Insomnia is a modern epidemic,” says Alex Tew, co-founder of Calm. “The search for a cure is a modern Holy Grail. GDPR may be our new best hope.”

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The trickiest iPhone 8 problems, and advice on how to fix them

Smartphones are complex devices designed to make our lives easier, but sometimes they end up causing frustration instead. We’re impressed by the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus, but they’re not perfect. While Apple’s devices are generally well made and smooth-running, things can — and do — go wrong from time to time. We’ve gathered together some notable issues with the latest iPhone 8 Plus and common iPhone 8 problems here, along with advice on how you might deal with them.

Problem: Battery drains quickly

We use our iPhones so much that battery life can be a problem, but in the Apple support forum, some people have been complaining about unusual, rapid battery drain. We found that our iPhone 8 drains quite quickly when playing AR games, but generally the battery life is pretty good. If you’re suffering with an iPhone 8 battery that drains quickly, here’s what to try:

Possible fixes:

• Take a look at our guide on how to save battery life for a host of handy tips.
• If those tips don’t work for you, then it’s probably worth trying a factory reset. Make sure you back up first, but after wiping your iPhone, consider setting it up as new — don’t restore your backup — and test to see if the battery problem returns. If it doesn’t, then it’s possible that something in your old settings or an app you had installed was causing the issue.
• If you do still have battery issues after a factory reset and without restoring your backup, then it could be a hardware fault and you’re going to want to take it in to Apple for further testing.

Issue: Swelling battery

You may have seen some reports about iPhone 8 Plus batteries swelling up and causing the screen to detach from the body of the device. The first report, picked up by TNW seems to have centered on an iPhone 8 Plus in Taiwan, but MacRumors has since reported a few more similar incidents in Japan, Canada, and Greece. It’s not clear how widespread the issue is, but it appears to be a relatively rare occurrence.

Solution:

• Apple is investigating this, but if you encounter a similar problem there’s really only one course of action: Contact Apple and get a replacement handset.

Problem: Crackling earpiece

Several iPhone 8 and 8 Plus owners have been complaining about a crackling earpiece during calls. A repetitive, intermittent static sound or distortion makes it difficult to hear properly during normal calls and FaceTime calls. The problem has popped up on the Apple support forum, on Reddit, and elsewhere.

Potential solutions:

• Wait for a software update. Apple has acknowledged this issue and told The Verge, “We are aware of the issue which is affecting customers in a small number of cases. Our team is at work on a fix, which will be included in an upcoming software release.”
• Reportedly it is fixed in the iOS 11.1 developer beta. If you have a developer account, you can try it out via the Download New Betas tab after signing in at developer.apple.com.
• It’s possible there’s a separate, but similar hardware problem to do with touching the earpiece, according to this Reddit post. If that’s your issue, then you may need to contact Apple about a replacement handset.

Glitch: App Store keeps refreshing

If you load up the App Store and find that it just repeatedly refreshes every few seconds, then you are not alone. We encountered this problem on our iPhone 8 review unit, but it has been reported elsewhere and it doesn’t seem to be confined to Apple’s latest devices.

Potential solutions:

• A simple restart was enough to get our iPhone 8 back on track. Hold down the Sleep/Wake button and slide to power off. Then press the Sleep/Wake button to turn your iPhone back on. We haven’t seen this issue return.
• Some people had success by signing out of their account and back in again. Go to Settings and tap on your name at the top, then iTunes & App Store > Apple ID and choose Sign out. Tap Sign In and enter your details to sign back in and then try the App Store again.

Issue: Screen unresponsive or frozen

There have been a few reports on the Apple forums about the iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus becoming unresponsive and freezing on the lock screen or the home screen. Unusually, in a few of these cases, some of the hardware buttons and certain gestures still work, but everything else is frozen.

Potential solutions:

Hold down the Sleep/Wake button and then slide to power off, assuming it works. Press the Sleep/Wake button to turn it back on again.
The force restart method has changed for the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. You must press and quickly release the Volume Up button, then press and quickly release the Volume Down button, then press and hold the Sleep/Wake button until you see the Apple logo.
If the problem returns after a restart, then backup anything precious and try wiping your iPhone, then restoring your backup. Check out how to factory reset an iPhone for full instructions.
If you’ve tried a factory reset and then restored your backup and the problem returns, then it could be something in your backup that’s causing it. Try factory resetting your iPhone 8 and set it up as a new device, then test to see if the problem is gone.
Still no joy? It’s time to contact Apple or head into an Apple Store and ask about a repair or replacement.

Problem: Overheating

If you find that your iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus is getting very warm, or even hot, to the touch, then there’s generally no reason to panic. We found that our iPhone 8 got very hot when playing AR games, but it can also get warm when you’re first setting it up, restoring a backup, or using GPS and a game simultaneously, like with Pokémon Go. If it gets too hot, the iPhone 8 is designed to disable certain features, like the flash, display a temperature warning on screen, and shut itself off.

Potential solutions:

• The obvious thing to do is take a break from using it until it cools down.
• If you can go to a cooler environment, then do so. Leaving your iPhone 8 on the dash in your car on a hot day, for example, could cause a problem.
• If you have an iPhone 8 case or cover, then consider removing it to allow the heat to dissipate faster.
• Try turning off any functions you aren’t using. For example, go to Settings > Privacy and toggle Location Services off.
• If you’re in an area with poor signal, then it may be worth swiping up to open the Control Center and tapping the Cellular Data icon to turn it off. Just remember to turn it on again later.
• Hold down the Sleep/Wake button and then slide to power off. Press the Sleep/Wake button to turn it back on again.
• The most likely culprit for overheating is a specific app or game, so pay attention to what is running when it happens and consider uninstalling anything problematic.

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Asus ROG Phone shrinks your gaming PC and puts it in your pocket

What’s the worst thing about that monster gaming PC rig you’ve got at home? It’s the fact that it stays at home and never leaves because it’s so enormous, you’d practically need a heavy-duty crane just to shift it off the desk. Asus feels your pain, so it has made a smartphone that will satisfy your mobile gaming needs without compromising on power, funky designs, or hardcore gaming credentials. It’s called the Asus ROG Phone, and it’s coming later this year.

If you’re not a gamer, ROG stands for Republic of Gamers and is a division of Asus that focuses on gaming, esports, and modding PCs for the highest levels of performance. Hardware wearing the ROG branding is always impressive specs-wise, and the ROG Phone is no exception. It also introduces a new phrase to phone fans unfamiliar with the gaming world: Speed binning. This refers to Asus cherry-picking the best-performing processors from a production run, in this case, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 chip, which hits 2.96GHz inside the ROG Phone, well above the normal 2.8GHz clock speed.

This is exclusive to the Asus phone and instantly singles the ROG Phone out as one designed for people who take mobile gaming very seriously. The chip comes with 8GB of RAM, and either 128GB or a whopping 512GB of internal storage. To make sure you have the power when you need it most, a squeeze of the phone’s body — something like on the Pixel 2 and HTC phones — activates X Mode, where processing tasks are handled by the chip’s four fastest cores, and maxes out the clock speed. To avoid overheating, Asus has built a copper heat spreader into the body, and even sells a separate clip-on fan to speed up heat dispersal.

Made of glass and metal, the ROG Phone weighs a hefty 200 grams — in part due to the 4,000mAh battery — and the body is covered in slashes, angular lines, and design elements that will be familiar to Republic of Gamers fans. It looks great, especially the offset fingerprint sensor and glowing — yes, it really does light up — ROG logo on the back. The dual-lens camera is made up of a 12-megapixel lens and an 8-megapixel wide-angle lens. Around the front is a 6-inch AMOLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate and a 2160 x 1080 pixel resolution. On the audio side, you get dual stereo speakers, DTS Headphone X enhancements, AptX HD Bluetooth, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

To go with the ROG Phone, Asus has made a series of accessories including a second display that’s identical to the one on the phone, an external 4K monitor, a 6,000mAh battery pack, and a dock for livestreaming use when you’re at your PC. Several different game controllers are also available to increase speed and accuracy over using the touchscreen, while the phone itself has two touch-sensitive AirTriggers built into the left-hand side of the device for use in landscape orientation.

When can you get a ROG Phone, and how much will it cost? Asus hasn’t announced availability or price yet but says the device should be on sale before the end of the year. The price is sure to be high, given the technology inside and the presence of that speed-binned processor. The bigger question is just how much demand there is for a specialized gaming phone, a segment most recently explored by Razer with its Razer Phone. It’ll be fascinating to compare the two when the time comes. We’ll keep you updated with ROG Phone news right here.

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The best robot kits for kids

You say you’re a parent or teacher investigating robot kits for children? And you don’t want a simple solution with a single purpose: you want the child to experience science, technology, engineering, and math? We get it. You want a kit that teaches all four categories, from piecing together the foundation to wiring the appendages to programming the “brain” using software. That’s where our list of robot kits for kids comes in.

Most of the robot kits listed below are tied to terms such as STEM, Arduino, and Blockly. Here are a few explanations of those and other terms before we get started:

Arduino: An open-source hardware and software platform. It consists of boards that read inputs and convert data into outputs. This data is managed through the Arduino programming language and Arduino-based software. Arduino was built for beginners but is sophisticated enough for advanced users, making it a widely used platform in the educational system. Even Intel is on the Arduino bandwagon.

Scratch: A programming language designed for kids ages 8 to 16. It’s separate from Arduino but still widely used in schools for creating games, programming robots, designing animations, and more. Instead of writing code from scratch, kids piece together blocks of commands ranging from motions to events to sensing. Scratch can be downloaded and installed directly to a PC, or used online via Flash.

Blockly: Another programming language for kids, Blockly relies on blocks of code that can be strung together to create a program. It now resides under Google’s umbrella and is typically web-based, although dedicated apps have appeared for Android and iOS. Of the two, Blockly is a simpler programming language; Scratch provides additional features.

STEM: This is short for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It’s a “movement” set forth by the U.S. Department of Education to help teachers and parents prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow. It’s designed for student interaction with real-world programs, providing experimental learning activities that push students to investigate, understand, and create solutions. Check out our list of the best STEM-based toys here.

Now on to the robots!

Lego Boost ($160)

For the better part of a century, Lego has offered a simple vision: If you give a child a toy, they’ll have fun; if you give them the means to build their own toy, they’ll have fun and grow a little in the process. Lego Boost is one of the company’s many forays into entry-level robotics, designed to be easy for anyone at pretty much any age to work with. The Boost kit serves up 847 pieces, which can be used to build five different designs, including a guitar and a traditional, humanoid robot.

Building is only half the challenge, however. Next up is programming, which Boost makes surprisingly straightforward. Using an app — one that is currently available for both Android and iOS — kids are guided through a series of levels, each of which requires them to place and move blocks in order to create instructions for their robot. By structuring the programming like a game, Boost makes it fun for kids to complete. Best of all, the system requires no reading, meaning even younger audiences can puzzle it out.

Nintendo Labo ($70+)

Mike Epstein/Digital Trends

Nintendo’s cardboard playset may not be the fanciest or most intricate kit around, but Labo does offer a series of easy — if time-devouring — exercises in construction and programming that kids will love, even if the games Nintendo includes aren’t amazing. Labo currently offers two sets. The variety kit features five projects, allowing your kids to make use of RC cars, a fishing rod, a house, a motorbike, and a piano. The robot kit gives users the means to build a mechanical backpack that tracks the movement of various limbs, which you can then use to maneuver a robot in an accompanying minigame.

Building a Toy-Con is easy, too; users merely need to follow instructions on their Nintendo Switch, which will highlight the most important parts. Once you’ve finished building a Toy-Con, you can play the associated minigame on your Switch. The real magic happens, however, when you experiment with new ways to use them. Labo isn’t particularly deep, but it’s a great way to get kids into the basic concepts of engineering.

Elegoo UNO Project Smart Robot Car Kit ($70)

As the name implies, the final product is a “smart” robot car based on the Arduino platform. The kit includes 24 different modules, such as an infrared receiver for using a remote control, Bluetooth for connecting via a smartphone or tablet, line tracking, and obstacle avoidance. With kids in mind, it boasts a minimal design for a faster build and less errors.

According to Elegoo, the kit includes instructions and software, showing kids how to load the programs and command the robot to perform a handful of standard modes. But the kit is expandable, enabling you to add sensors not included for a customized robot. These third-party sensors must include a 3-pin XH2.54 interface to be compatible with this kit.

Meccano-Erector MeccaSpider Robot Kit ($65)

This kit is designed for kids ages 10 and older, packing 291 parts that can be pieced together in one to three hours to create a cool robotic spider. The kit also includes two “smart” motor modules, one “brain” module, and an infrared sensor module that detects movement. There’s even a built-in reservoir for holding water so it can shoot “venom” to fend off its enemies.

On the programming side, there are built-in physical buttons for activating pre-set modes, including five basic modes, two guard modes, and one game mode. Kids can customize these through the on-board buttons, or by using apps provided on Android and iOS devices. This kit falls under the STEM umbrella with an intermediate complexity level.

Tenergy Odev Tomo ($85)

Here’s another kit that falls under the STEM umbrella: a 2-in-1 transformable, programmable robot from battery maker Tenergy. Designed for kids ages eight and older, it includes an ultrasonic sensor, a tracking sensor, the main control box, and more that are color-coded and labeled clearly. The kit creates a two or three-wheeled robot that can roam freely or track specific lines you create, or you can control it through Tenergy’s free ODEV Explorer mobile app.

To manually program the robot, you’ll need the free Odev Blockly app for Android or iOS. Anything you create for the robot can be uploaded and shared with other owners in the cloud. Moreover, Tomo’s “brain” has enough ports for extending its capabilities through third-party modules.

Robolink Rokit Smart ($120)

Here’s a STEM-focused kit for Arduino learners to build a programmable robot in 11 different forms: as a crab, a clapping monkey, a pirate ship, a gorilla, and more. It’s backed by an online tutorial with instructions on how to build the robot using each design, the programming basics using Arduino software, and even how to use the kit to build a robot for “sumo” one vs one competition.

According to Robolink, each design has a specific purpose: One can shoot rubber bands, one can detect edges, one follows lines, and so on. Batteries aren’t included in the kit, but you’ll find all the circuit boards, motors, and frames you need to build a cool, working robot. Robolink actually uses this kit at its Robotics Learning Center for kids in San Diego.

UBTECH Jimu Robot DIY Buzzbot & Muttbot Robotics Kit ($130)

By default, you can use this kit to create BuzzBot, or his faithful companion, MuttBot (but not both). But there are enough pieces in the kit to build whatever you want, as it includes 271 parts, one “brain,” six servos, and a battery. You can purchase two additional servos if needed as a two-piece kit for $40, or a non-robotic animal companion for $50.

Once kids build the robot, they can record different poses and play them all in a string via the PRP system using the Jimu app for Android and iOS. But that’s boring, right? Using the app, kids can string blocks of commands together using Blockly-based coding as well. The app even provides step-by-step instruction on how to piece both robots together.

HEXBUG VEX IQ Robotics Construction Kit ($265)

From the makers of the popular mechanical bug family is a STEM-approved robot you can build. This high-dollar kit contains more than 750 pieces you can snap together, along with motors with built-in rotational sensors, the main “brain” with 12 self-configuring input/output ports, and more. The company provides instructions for eight basic designs here, including Clawbot IQ, V-Rex, Slick, and Stretch. There are instructions for designing larger robots too using additional parts.

Included with this kit is the online version of the Modkit for VEX programming software (typically $50), a tool designed for kids that relies on drag-and-drop programming. Also thrown into the mix is the ROBOTC VEX IQ curriculum packed with step-by-step instructions, videos, and animations. Once you learn the basics, you can move on to build and program anything you want with this kit. You’ll need six AA batteries to power your robot (sold separately), but the included game-style remote control comes with a rechargeable battery.

Makeblock DIY Ultimate Robot Kit ($350)

This is Makeblock’s flagship robot kit, packing anodized 6061 aluminum mechanical parts with threaded-slot designs. The kit includes instructions for ten different designs, such as the robotic arm tank, the robotic bartender, and the self-balancing robot. These designs are backed by the Arduino-based MegaPi mainboard that’s capable of handling 10 servos or eight DC motors simultaneously. The kit is also compatible with the Raspberry Pi board.

On the programming front, kids use the company’s Scratch 2.0-based mBlock software for PCs and mobile devices. This tool provides a drag-and-drop environment where kids string together blocks of code. Advanced users can use Python via the Raspberry Pi board, Node JS, or Arduino IDE. The parts list includes a Bluetooth module, so you can program and control your creation from any Bluetooth-based PC or mobile device.

Lego Mindstorms EV3 31313 ($342)

This kit consists of LEGO-based bricks, a programmable EV3 “brick” that serves as the brain, four sensors, a handful of motors, and loads more pieces. The EV3 brick includes a built-in display showing the wireless connection, battery level, what the robot is currently doing, and more. Overall, you can build 17 different robotic designs, such as a slithering snake (R3ptar), a walking dinosaur (Dinor3x), a shooting scorpion (Spik3r), and a humanoid robot (Ev3rstorm).

By default, each design comes with its own unique features and programmed behaviors. They can also be steered using the included remote control. But users can program their creation using the LEGO Mindstorms Ev3 software for PC, and download their commands to the robot using a USB cable, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi. The software provides five programming “missions” to get kids started using icon-based programming blocks that are strung together. LEGO provides a programming app for mobile devices too.

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Here’s everything we know about the Google Pixel 3

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The shine may not have worn off the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL yet, but you can bet that Google is working hard on the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL. Details are scarce, but rumors are starting to circulate. Here’s everything we know about the Google Pixel 3 so far.

Three Pixel 3s?

Rumors persist that Google may be considering more than two models in the Pixel 3 range. The latest report to add fuel to that fire is a tweet from Roland Quandt, who claims that “Google is working on a ‘mobile’ device based on the Snapdragon 710 currently scheduled for launch in the 1st half of 2019.” This, the self-purported “master of cheap scoops” says, could be one of the upcoming midrange Pixels. No further specifics are known about this device at this time, though Quandt claims that hardware development began about a month ago.

Off to Taiwan for @computex_taipei today, but here's a tidbit for ya: Google is working on a "mobile" device based on the Snapdragon 710 currently scheduled for launch in the 1st half of 2019. Sounds like this might be the (or one of them) upcoming mid-range Pixel phone.

— Roland Quandt (@rquandt) June 2, 2018

Previous rumors point at Google creating a low-end, entry-level Pixel device running the low-spec Android OS Android Go. While it may seem odd to change the expensive Pixel branding to include a much lower spec (and likely much cheaper) model code-named the “Desire. This makes a lot of sense with Google’s current drive to access the developing phone markets, which usually thrive on low-cost low-power phones.

The first leaks for the Pixel 3 were code names, and there were three of them: “Crosshatch,” “Albacore,” and “Blueline,” If accurate, all it means is that Google is considering three Pixel models, and like last year it’s entirely possible that only two will end up being launched. According to the Droid-Life report, two of the phones are considered “premium,” while one of them is “high-end.” We don’t yet know what that means.

Design

While we don’t expect Google to veer too far from what makes the Pixel range great, we do expect to see some design changes with the Pixel 3.

The latest rumor, coming from mobile leaker @OnLeaks states that both upcoming Pixel 3 models will feature a larger display than their predecessors. According to the leak the Pixel 3 will feature a 5.3-inch display while the Pixel 3 XL will ship with a monstrous 6.2-inch display.

As for the Pixel 3 XL, it looks like we may be in for some huge design changes. Bloomberg states the Pixel 3 XL will sport a bezel-less display with a top notch and dual front-facing camera. This seems to be in line with images of purported glass screen protectors for the devices first found on Slashleaks.

Credit | SlashLeaks

How much stock should we place in these rumors? It’s hard to tell, to be honest. Accessory makers experiment with a variety of styles before the launch of a new major phone, and the reveal of one of these prototypes isn’t exactly definitive proof of anything — except how the wind is blowing in regard to rumors. However, the Bloomberg report leads us to believe there may be something to the rumors.

These rumors also seem to resemble two illustrations found in the Android P beta settings.  The illustration shows a handset that is all display with no bezels, a huge departure from earlier Pixel models.

While it may seem a little far-fetched that Google would place an illustration of the upcoming Pixel 3 XL in Android P, it’s certainly not unthinkable. Last year, the tech giant showed off an illustration of the yet-to-be-released Pixel 2 in its Data Transfer Tool. Granted, these placeholder illustrations are certainly ambitious in terms of hardware capability: With the exception of patent renders, we’ve yet to see a phone where the camera is embedded within the display.

Earlier, it looked like the ever popular top notch was all but confirmed. Android P will bring support for notched screens, and while we may still be undecided on the current trend for notches, the most recent digging into the Android P beta suggests that Google may be preparing for a physical notch at the top of the display. As featured on Forbes, Android P can display a maximum of four notification icons at the top of the screen, with anything past that four being represented by three dots. It seems reasonable to assume that gap represents a placeholder for a physical notch. After all, the Pixel range usually runs a slightly tweaked version of Android, and if this is shipping in the beta then it must be for a reason.

Gordon Kelly | Forbes

Name

While we’ve seen nothing to doubt that the next generation of the Pixel will be called the Pixel 3, it’s always nice to have confirmation. That seems to have come via a section of the Android source code for Project Treble. A section of that code specifically mentions “Pixel 3,” and while that could just be a working title ahead of a bigger name change, we’ve seen no evidence of that. We’re likely going to see a range of Pixel 3 devices when it eventually releases.

Who is building the Google Pixel 3?

In addition to a radical redesign for at least one upcoming Pixel, it looks like Google may be working with a new manufacturing partner on the upcoming phones. According to Bloomberg, it looks like Google may be partnering with Foxconn to manufacture the upcoming flagships. If that name sounds familiar, it may be because it’s the same company that manufactures iPhones.

Earlier it seemed all but certain that HTC was once again in the running, along with current Blackberry producer TCL, and Coolpad, according to Chinese publication Commercial Times, by way of DigiTimes. Google’s existing contract with HTC will expire after the release of the Pixel 2, the report says, opening up an opportunity for other hardware companies.

Previously, it was thought that LG was in the race for the Pixel 3, though Commercial Times does not elaborate as to why. Now, it looks more like LG isn’t involved. The company refuted claims that it was building the Pixel 3 in a statement to Android Authority.

“We have reached out to LG for further comment, and Ken Hong, the company’s global communications director, has firmly denied the report,” the company said in a statement.

Since September, HTC has reportedly shipped more than 2.1 million Pixel devices, but Google may be looking to ramp up output to 5 million in time for the Pixel 3.

Remember, too, that HTC may not have been Google’s first choice to build the Pixel, but rather Huawei, according to the accounts of multiple executives from the Chinese tech firm last fall. Keeping this in mind along with the supply-side constraints, it’s possible Google is more confident in LG’s manufacturing capabilities, given that the companies have worked together on multiple Nexus phones in the past.

Still, we would assume that HTC will be involved in some way given Google’s $1.1 billion acquisition of much of HTC’s smartphone division.

Updated on June 4: added display size rumor.

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