Live Listen Coming to AirPods in iOS 12

Apple in 2014 introduced a Live Listen feature that’s designed to allow the iPhone to pair with hearing aids and then serve as a remote microphone that beams the audio the iPhone picks up to the hearing aids.

As noted by TechCrunch, Live Listen is coming to the AirPods with the iOS 12 update, letting iPhone users position their iPhones as a directional mic and have the audio relayed through the AirPods.

With this feature, an iPhone user could, for example, put an iPhone on the table in a noisy restaurant and then have the voice of whomever is speaking routed to the AirPods as a stand-in for hearing aids for those who are hard of hearing or need a bit of extra help separating voices in a loud environment.

Live Listen with AirPods is not going to replace a traditional hearing aid and people with hearing issues should still get a checkup from a doctor, but this feature is handy for people who need something in a pinch without carrying extra hardware.

Related Roundup: iOS 12Tag: accessibility
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Optoma NuForce BE Free5 True Wireless Earbuds Review – Refined and lower in price

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We love the idea of true wireless earbuds. Having absolutely no wires and such a compact headphone is invaluably convenient. If only the functionality was also as noteworthy. Building earbuds that have everything packed into their tiny earpiece spaces have their engineering challenges, and it shows in even top-end offerings, in the form of short battery life and unreliable wireless connection.

Optoma wasn’t exempt from these troubles with its first crack at it. We liked several things about last year’s BE Free8, such as its notable aptX-capable sound quality, but couldn’t look past some of its questionable functionality (primarily, too many Bluetooth signal hiccups). Well, the company has had time to work on it, arriving in the form of the more affordable BE Free5. Is this a memorable case of more for less? Let’s find out.

Design

Despite closely following in the Be Free8‘s footsteps, the Free5 is a different animal from a design perspective – some for the better but not all. For instance, it’s more blocky in shape than the streamlined, tapered Free8 earpieces. This also means a bit more girth in depth (but in turn, thinner width).

So they stick out a little more on the ear than the contoured Free8 earpieces, but it ends up being of little consequence. Optoma was carefully to make sure they’re still ergonomic and don’t fall out of the ears (more on usability later).

The primary smooth chassis feels similar as before – sturdy but pretty standard hard plastic. A big design difference is that Optoma cut back on the glossy plastic cap. This is a move we prefer, as that plastic on the Free8 felt cheap. But that’s not all. The scored texture is also gone in favor of a striped pattern underneath the transparent cover. It’s a grainy and silvery finish that shimmers at the right angle of light. We think it’s a lot classier than before and serves as a unique touch.

Older Free8 (left) vs. newer Free5 (right).

Older Free8 (left) vs. newer Free5 (right).

This design cue is also cohesive with the finish of the carrying/charging case, which has undergone the most drastic change – and we’re really glad about it. The Free8’s case was completely made of the cheap-feeling and smudgy glossy plastic. Not only is it now matte, but Optoma sand-blasted it entirely, resulting in a grainy (almost sandstone-like), shimmery, and premium-feeling texture. It’s fabulous, and it feels sturdy too. We only wish the slimmer teardrop form of the Free8’s case was maintained, but it’s not a big deal.

Case differences between older Free8 and newer Free5 earbuds.

A benefit of modified design is that the earpieces are easier to remove from the case. The slippery caps of the Free8 made this frequent operation a minor annoyance. Additionally, Optoma listened to the gripes about the flimsy insertion of the earpieces. They now magnetically latch onto their corresponding silos.

Turn the case around and you’ll see how to charge it. We always cry a little bit when we continue to see a microUSB port instead of the current USB-C, but it’s acceptable in lower-costing devices, which the Free5 is.

Function

Optoma decently packages the BE Free5. Namely, we appreciate the use of SpinFit ear tips, which are highly-regarded for their fit (their stems flex to suit different ear canal shapes).

All of the contents in the Free5 box.

Still, we always like to see the option of foam tips. Silicone tips don’t isolate sound nearly as well. Something additional that we didn’t see with the Free8 are different sizes of ear fins. These hug the ear for an extra secure fit.

Speaking of the fit, it was a bit of a mixed bag for us. For some reason, the SpinFit tips that Optoma opts for are shallower than those packaged with the Free8. This makes getting an appropriate ear canal seal trickier than it should be. We managed an acceptable seal with the larger tips, but it’s borderline (i.e. the seal breaks with mouth movements).

Fortunately, the earpieces are shaped well to stay in place, so the seal shouldn’t rock with head movement or exercise. We were able to confidently work out without the ear fins with no worry about the earpieces falling out. However, we noticed that these bulkier earpieces aren’t as comfortable as the Free8, especially during longer listening sessions.

Each earpiece has its own status LED and single-button control

The Free5 continues Optoma’s single-button playback control method. But instead of a tiny button atop the earpieces, now the entire cap depresses for the function(s). We welcome this change (mostly). The buttons are definitely easier and more natural to press. But the area is so large that you’ll press it frequently by accident. This is especially when you don the earpieces. You have to get a habit of only grabbing the sides when you’re seating them, or you’ll be pressing the buttons like crazy.

Optoma’s instructions for all the button functions.

We’re not a fan of the complicated system of controls. With only one button, you have to learn what different kinds of presses do. What’s more, the left and right buttons can have different functions. For instance, double-clicking the left button skips the track but double-clicking the right toggles the phone’s virtual assistant.

What’s additionally not intuitive is the LED indicators. There’s one on each earpiece, and two on the case. They flash between white and orange, and all have a different indication. On the earpieces, what you essentially need to know is that they’re solid orange when charging and alternate white/orange when in pairing mode.

Although the two case LEDs look the same, they indicate different things. The left one lets the user know if the battery level of the charging case is below 25% (will flash orange when you open the case, or flash white if above 25%). The right LED just show the charging status (orange if currently charging and white if fully charged).

How the Free5’s LEDs work.

None of these things are complicated, but you do have to do some learning before you know what the heck is going on.

A big contention with Optoma’s first crack at a true wireless earbud was the finicky Bluetooth signal. We noted plentiful drops in our review of the Free8, making us hopeful that it would be addressed in this follow-up model. While the Free5 is not completely free of hiccups, we’re happy to report that the connection is drastically more stable. Even with phone in pocket or walking a few feet from it, the playback is largely uninterrupted.

As for technical specs, we have pretty common features. On a charge, the earpieces can last up to four hours, which is average for this kind of wireless earbud. The case has enough capacity to charge them four times over (so 16 hours total with a full case). And Optoma didn’t forget about designing the Free5 with IPX5-rated water resistance.

Audio

One of the BE Free5’s biggest compromises is the lack of aptX support for higher fidelity streaming.

One of the Free8’s standout features was the inclusive of aptX support in its chipset. This wireless audio codec can be found in many Qualcomm-powered smartphones these days, allowing for a higher bandwidth channel (up to 352 kbps). Alas, aptX was forgone in the Free5. But Optoma doesn’t leave us hanging. It does support the AAC codec, which is still better than standard bit-rates. Also, the Free5’s driver diaphragm is said to be made from a new graphene material that’s lighter in weight and responds more quickly (retrieving clearer details) than the typical diaphragm.

But more importantly, how does it sound? Pretty darn good for the most part. One of the first things that caught us was the clean sound. The noise floor is surprisingly silent (most earbuds of this type have some level of audible hiss). This makes it easier to pick up the details, which the Free5 has ample of despite the lack of aptX.

The mid-range is more forward than you’ll typically hear, so elements like vocals and guitars really shine. The bass can sometimes be subtle and sometimes show a great deal of body (particularly when there’s a strong mid-bass presence in the track). We appreciate how controlled it is. It’s never boomy or overbearing. That said, the separation between upper bass and lower mid-range isn’t the cleanest. But we should expect a little muddle in a $99 true wireless earbud. It’s perfectly acceptable in this case.

The treble is decently conveyed. It’s not the most detailed (especially with a clear roll-off of the upper frequencies that you’ll miss out on) but is clean and has a nice presence. You shouldn’t expect much of a soundstage/spacious quality from the Free5. Its airy characteristic does help the sound not be so 2D, but you just won’t get a fuller, encompassing reproduction like that in higher-end earphones.

Final Thoughts

The BE Free5 isn’t a perfect true wireless earbud (then again, none of today’s are). However, we have to keep reminding ourselves that this is a $99 offering. It’s not just that but the Free5 make a couple worthy improvements from the more expensive Free8, such as its more premium charging case and remedied Bluetooth signal stability. All the negatives we’ve noted aren’t in deal-breaker territory and can be easily justified by the lower price. We look forward to seeing how Optoma pushes the “value” envelope next.

Optoma NuForce BE Free5 Product Page

Adobe’s next big software secret? An augmented reality tool called Project Aero

Adobe is jumping into augmented reality. On Monday, June 4, Adobe teased a new venture called Project Aero, a tool for creating AR graphics. The software giant will also bring USDZ file support to Creative Cloud apps, including Photoshop CC and Dimension CC. The announcement comes on the heels of Apple’s WWDC keynote announcements, and will give creatives tools to publish AR objects compatible with Apple devices.

Project Aero is a multiplatform tool that brings graphics into an augmented reality space. In a demo video of the new software, designers started with graphics from Photoshop CC and Dimension CC before exporting as a Project Aero file. Inside the demo video, Project Aero uses a tablet to finalize the AR elements of the graphic, including using the device’s camera to preview the changes in an AR space. The demo also shows tools for animating the graphic along with scaling, rotating, and exporting to a USDZ file.

Project Aero is designed with Apple, but Adobe is also working with Apple and Pixar to add support for those USDZ files into Photoshop CC and Dimension CC. Converting into USDZ allows the files to be used with Apple’s ARKit.

Crafting a platform that simplifies AR creation isn’t an easy task — Adobe says every business group within the company is collaborating on the new project. The company says it will have more details on the upcoming software during Adobe Max, a conference later this fall.

“AR content development today also requires a combination of creativity and technical skills,” wrote Abhay Parasnis, Adobe executive vice president and CTO. “Project Aero will deliver a system for both developers and creatives to build simple AR scenes and experiences leveraging Apple’s ARKit. Designers can easily create immersive content that can then be brought into Xcode for further refinement and development.”

For developers, Adobe’s announcement means upcoming software could help simplify the process of building AR objects. With easier content creation, Project Aero could mean wider accessibility to new AR content for the average smartphone user.

The AR graphic created in the demo video will be part of what Adobe calls “the first large scale immersive art exhibition,” named the Festival of the Impossible. Adobe is working with 15 different artists on the project, which will be held from June 8-10 at the Minnesota Street Project, a gallery in San Francisco, Calif.

Editors’ Recommendations

• New Adobe XD Starter Plan opens user experience design to all
• Premiere Pro can now automatically match color using artificial intelligence
• How broke college grads made animation software used in Jurassic Park and Iron Man
• Adobe enables faster workflow with updates to XD, InDesign, and Illustrator
• Snap and edit pictures like a pro with the best camera apps for Android

The Project Precog concept from Asus looks like the future of laptops

Asus introduced a concept design called Project Precog during the Computex technology show in Taiwan. It seemingly borrows Lenovo’s Yoga Book design to create an artificial intelligence-powered dual-screen 2-in-1 PC on a larger scale. But unlike the Yoga Book, the second screen can be used for more than just a touch-based keyboard and drawing pad. 

Unfortunately, Asus isn’t indulging us with the hardware specifics, given Project Precog is still a prototype design. What we do know is that the 2-in-1 sports a 360-degree hinge enabling four modes: Stand, book, tent, and flat. Since there is no physical keyboard and touchpad, the second screen can provide those inputs, depending on your current needs. 

“Intelligent Touch automatically recognizes the input device you’re using and changes the virtual interface accordingly,” the company says. “It can automatically adjust the keyboard location depending on where you place your fingertips, or automatically switch to stylus mode when a stylus touches the lower screen.” 

That fingertip detection aspect stems from Intel’s Movidius Myriad 2 vision processing unit, an always-on ultra-low power vision processor that accelerates machine vision tasks. In other words, the embedded camera in Project Precog can see where your hands are placed, understand what it is viewing, and tell the operating system where it needs to render the keyboard without consuming loads of battery power. 

According to Asus, if you have a mouse plugged into the device, Project Precog won’t render a touchpad on the lower display. Instead, the virtual keyboard shifts down toward the front for easy typing while the space above the keyboard could be used to display two app windows rendered side by side. If you attach a keyboard, Project Precog will remove the virtual version altogether for a full two-screen experience. Want to play a game? Lay Project Precog flat on a table and use both screens as well. 

“With support for the Windows Cortana and Amazon Alexa voice services, users can get more done with the power of their voice,” Asus says. “The dual-screen design of Project Precog lets users keep their main tasks in full view while virtual assistants process other tasks on the second screen.” 

Given Project Precog sports two displays, battery drainage is definitely a concern. How long will a single charge last? The 2-in-1 will supposedly optimize its battery use depending on the time of day, which likely stems from the Myriad 2 vision processer and how the 2-in-1 learns your daily input schedule. According to Intel, this chip “provides a way to combine advanced vision applications in a low power profile.” 

Again, that is all we know about Project Precog for now. Asus is calling on developers to create A.I.-based applications that take advantage of the dual-screen design. The company doesn’t plan to offer a full-fledged product for the masses until sometime in 2019. 

In addition to Project Precog, Asus introduced new ZenBook and VivoBook-branded notebooks, the Zen AIO 27 desktop, two routers, a mesh networking kit, two desktop displays, and more during the Computex show in Taiwan. 

Editors’ Recommendations

• Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 3 vs Microsoft Surface Book 2 13
• Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 3 review
• Dell’s new patent application shows how a two-screen laptop deals with DRM
• Porsche’s Design Book One sale makes this luxury laptop more affordable
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 850 is made for Windows PCs with ‘innovative form factors’

Instagram says it’s fixed a bug that was causing the Android app to crash

If it’s still not working, try uninstalling and reinstalling the app.

Instagram is the world’s most popular app for sharing photos and videos of your life, but since yesterday, June 4, there’s been a bug that’s caused the Android app to repeatedly crash. The issue was affecting Android phones of all kinds, but thankfully, the issue’s been fixed.

According to a Tweet that Instagram shared this morning:

Yesterday, there was an issue causing the Instagram app to crash on Android devices. We’re sorry, and things are resolved! If you’re still experiencing problems, try reinstalling or updating your app.

— Instagram (@instagram) June 5, 2018

The app appears to be working fine on my end, but as Instagram notes in the above message, uninstalling and reinstalling the app should completely eliminate any crashes if you’re still experiencing them.

How’s the Instagram app running for you?

Download: Instagram (free)

This 11-course bundle may be your ticket to a six-figure career in Project Management

You’ve been thinking about getting new certifications to move you ahead at work; in fact, it’s been on your to-do list for a long time. Being a Project Manager is the ultimate goal, and you know you’d be perfect for the job with the right certification. With tuition costs that seem to climb with every passing year and limited free time on your hands, how are you supposed to attend classes and afford any kind of certification?

Learn how to use the essential tools of a successful project manager! Learn more

Project Management Professionals are sought after in nearly every field, and even if you’re convinced that you can’t afford the time or money to get your certificate, can you afford not to?

That’s where the Complete Project Management Bundle can help. This 11-course program from SkillSuccess.com will guide you through everything you need to know and the tools that will help you become successful in your new role

There is nearly 30 hours of content spread across 11 courses which cover the following topics:

• Setting Up A Real-World Project In JIRA
• Understanding JIRA For Users, Managers & Admins
• Agile Project Management: Scrum Step By Step w/ Examples
• PMP Project Management
• Scrum Certification Prep Training & Agile Scrum Training

Pursue a High-Demand Profession while learning at your own pace! Learn more

By the end of these courses, you will have all the knowledge you need to prepare to use JIRA software and ace the Scrum certification exam. If you were to buy these courses individually it would cost you over $2000, but for a limited time you can get this entire bundle for just $29.

Yep, you read that right. You’ll save 98% off the regular price on these courses that may help you jumpstart a new career!

Drive worry free with the $55 Anker Roav C1 dash cam

For emergencies… or viral videos.

The Anker Roav C1 dash cam is down to $54.99 on Amazon. Usually these dash cams don’t get direct price drops like this, and outside of a brief drop in April, this is the best price we’ve seen since January. It normally sells for $73, but this price drop is probably to help it compete with the upgraded C1 Pro, which has been as low as $80 recently.

The C1 records in 1080p and has a wide-angle lens which can capture four lanes of traffic at a time. It has a gravity sensor inside which will activate the camera in the event of a collision, even if you’re not in the car at the time. It also features extreme temperature resistance, allowing the camera to continue operation in both hot and cold conditions.

With the Roav app, you can download, watch and manage all of the recordings that are stored on the camera. It’s Wi-Fi enabled so you won’t need to hook anything up to it or swap out a memory card. Simply connect and access.

This cam requires a minimum of a Class 10 32GB micro SD card. If you get something like this $23 64GB Class 10 SanDisk Ultra, be sure to format it inside the camera.

See on Amazon

What’s the most important feature you look for in a new phone?

Everyone wants something, so what gets your wallet open?

Ah, that new phone smell. Buying a new phone can be a sort of ritual. Some loyalists will immediately order what’s new from a company they already have faith in, some will ponder endlessly and obsess over every detail, and others are content to wait and see before the plastic card comes out. But one thing we all have in common is that we’re usually looking for just a few specific things from that tiny computer we carry around in our pockets.

Luckily, there are plenty of different specifics we want and plenty of different companies to offer them. Maybe you want the comfort of software support directly from the company who writes it or you want a phone with the best screen and buy from the company who makes the best screens. There are countless different unique features available from any and every company who makes smartphones in 2018.

More: The Best Android Phones

My phone is my way of talking to family and friends. I don’t care about playing games or having a million dollar camera or anything else. I keep a couple of phones going here so I can see how some companies do stuff, but I’m using the BlackBerry KEYone as my phone. I’ll probably move to the KEY2 when it comes out because it’s treated me well. I like the familiarity and the keyboard, and the rest of the phone and its features are more than good enough for me. You might want a Galaxy S9 or a Google Pixel or whatever. That’s cool.

Everyone is different and BlackBerry probably won’t sell 60 gazillion KEYtwo phones. It’s easy to see why — other phones have better cameras, or better screens, or more features in the software, and so on and so on. That’s really cool if you think about it because everyone can find something that works for them and it keeps companies who make phones on their toes to make each model better than the last one was. There’s almost certainly a phone that works for you, and that’s pretty important since they aren’t just a phone any longer; they are a lifeline to the outside world.

What phone are you using, and why did you buy it? What do you want to see in your next phone? Which one feature would get you to buy a phone right away? It’s always fun to read the answers to questions like these, so jump into the comments and let ‘er rip — tell us who and why!

What happens when your smart Android TV goes dumb?

If a manufacturer abandons one of the biggest purchases in a home, is there anything that can be done?

Chinese manufacturer LeEco did exactly what a lot of us expected to do. It blew into the U.S. with all the bling and bluster you’d expect from a Chinese upstart that was looking to basically be the next Amazon, only without the fuss of time and build-up.

And then it flamed out and closed up shop.

But that doesn’t mean it didn’t actually sell some products in the U.S. Maybe not a lot, but enough to make the aftermath something we have to think about. The low-cost phones are one thing. But what about a thousand-dollar television that’s not exactly something you’d just toss in the trash? What happens when an Android TV-powered television is abandoned by the company that birthed it, and it starts to become unusable due to bit rot?

You’ve got a couple options. You could hack at it, which is fun. But frankly it’s also not something I want to put any time into — this thing basically is DOA.

Or, you could take that smart TV and make it dumb. And that’s exactly what I did.

Read: What to do when your smart TV goes dumb at Cordcutters.com

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The Oculus Go games you should start with

Time to sink your teeth into your new VR headset

Whether you’re a veteran or entirely, new to VR the question of, “What do I want to play first?” is always the toughest when it comes to a new headset. Now that you’ve got your Oculus Go I’m sure you want to test out all the cool things and get the feel for just how awesome this device actually is. Well, now there’s no stress involved in that situation as I’ve pulled some of my personal favorites into the list below!

Strap that headset on, it’s time to play some amazing games.

Pet Lab

This is an adorable gem that is a series of minigames that make up one bigger game. You’re a wizard who runs a pet shop, caring for eggs and training monsters to meet your clients’ orders. It’s super cute and super fun without requiring a whole lot of movement. (I play this game sitting down on my couch.) Not only are there so many cool ways to change the looks of your little monsters, but you can even train them. The more you train the better they hold up in competitions against other players.

There is a pay-to-play option that gives you quite a head start if you choose to spend the 7 dollars to get the bonus. Otherwise this game is free on the Oculus Store for your enjoyment!

See on Oculus Store

Augmented Empire

This is more of a strategy RPG, but still doesn’t require a lot of movement to play. (Another one I play from my couch.) This heart-wrenching game draws you into a story of a broken family in a dystopian future. The city they live in is falling to shambles due to a cruel dictator that just happens to be the main characters step-mother. You play a robot in charge of being the “eyes in the sky” to look out for your human friends below, telling them where to go and who to shoot to ensure their safety and the completion of the mission. Augmented Empire can be found on the Oculus Store for $9.99 and you will absolutely lose all sense of time while you’re playing it. I seriously didn’t wanna put it down once I started.

My only advice is to make sure you touch all the things you can in the game, don’t worry about timing unless there’s an active timer somewhere. There are too many cool things you shouldn’t miss.

See on Oculus Store

Doors of Silence – the prologue

If you are a horror fan this is REQUIRED to go on her device, trust me. This game is more active so you’ll actually have to be standing to interact as you choose which direction you walk by physically turning your head. In regards to mechanics, the buttons are a little weird but it doesn’t make the game unplayable. I found this out the hard way, but the controls are very sensitive. Most Oculus Go games you have to actually click the touchpad to move, but for this one it will automatically start moving you as soon as you touch the touchpad and pressing down will have you “run” (even though your screen doesn’t appear to move faster, your character breathes heaver like he’s running?)

This game is full of jump scares and psychological horror. I LOVED it. The designers found just the right way to scare you with or without having something jump right into your face. It’s tough to get as good of an experience in a horror game as I did playing Doors of Silence, and that’s saying a lot because I write plots for a zombie horror LARP. You can find Doors of Silence on the Oculus Store for just $4.99 and it’s worth every penny.

See on Oculus Store

Ultrawings

I originally played Ultrawings on the PlayStation VR and was quite skeptical of the amount of fun I would have when I got reduced to just one hand by playing it on the Oculus Go. Surprisingly enough, it didn’t actually take from the experience at all. Yeah, I felt like less of a badass not being able to pull the clutch while steering, but those are little things that don’t even effect overall gameplay. All in all, this is a super fun game to give you the feel of what flying is really like. It’s super immersive and fun as heck. If you starts feeling nauseous playing it, just put a fan in the room to blow on you during gameplay to trick your body into thinking it’s moving the same way your eyes are seeing.

Ultrawings in on the Oculus Store for $9.99 so go get it for yourself and see all the sites and challenges you have to face within.

See on Oculus Store

Bait: Free

From first glance, this didn’t look like a game I’d want to download or even enjoy (I’m not a fishing person AT ALL) but this game was actually super cute and pretty fun! You’re a fisherman on the lakes trying to collect more fish for the museum you work for. The goal is to gather enough money to keep upgrading your resources and get better fish. But, there’s a mysterious fish that dates back to prehistoric times the museum has its heart set on. You can get Bait for free on the Oculus Store and jump right into the game. The mechanics are easy to get the hang of and the story is even easier to follow. Have a blast!

See on Oculus Store