Nuu Mobile G3 review: Sexy, with a side of substance

As we hit the middle of 2018, one of the most common words used to describe a phone is “premium”. But, what exactly does that mean, though? A few years back it was used to signal the difference between a plastic, polycarbonate phone from one that was built with a combination of glass and metal.

Replaceable batteries went the way of the dodo bird as phones closed up tightly and incorporated waterproof protection. Indeed, the high end devices of 2015 looked strikingly more beautiful and more put together than a budget phone.

Here we are today and everything smacks of ‘premium’. In other words, it’s not as easy to tell a top-tier flagship from an entry-level device. A $200 handset, at first blush, doesn’t look all that different from an $800 one.

For most people, a basic smartphone is all that they need for a daily driver. Sure, the specs from a brand new model are drool-worthy; that is, if you care about the internals. But, when it comes down to it, many consumers don’t know what’s going inside of a phone. They just want it to work and they want it to wow them with cool features every so often.

When it comes to the idea of a “budget phone”, we like to think that encompasses those which are $250 and below. It’s in this area where you find a lot of devices which feature the specifications from a generation or two back. Often you’ll get an older version of Android paired with hardware that’s similar to a flagship from about 18 months ago.

Does a budget phone mean you’ll sacrifice performance? For many that answer is no. When you think about your daily needs and usage, it’s not all that different today than it was a a few years ago. Are you really doing that much more with your device that you demand more from it? If so, you’ve likely become an early adopter or one who watches the space more closely.

A large amount of the people we know are content with buying something a little older in the name of saving a few bucks. This is probably why you see so many older Androids and iPhones running around. Not everyone is holding onto these phones for years and years; some are buying them a year after they come out. And why not? They hold up.

Nuu Mobile G3

This brings us to the Nuu Mobile G3. As a $200 smartphone, it’s an unlocked device that works with AT&T, T-Mobile, and other GSM carriers. On paper it has all the markings of a mid-range phone. In hand, it looks and feels like a Samsung Galaxy S8 clone.

Nuu Mobile has been in the game for more than a few years but we’ve never got the sense that it wanted to play outside of the budget arena. Not that it’s previous models felt cheap or generic; they just weren’t all that glamorous. The G3 is a departure to be sure.

Design & Build

We were immediately impressed with the design, starting with the blue color choice. Taking the phone out and looking it over, we already felt like this was a different Nuu Mobile. Thanks to its glass, curves, and shiny aesthetics, the handset could pass for a much pricier phone at a glance.

Peel the curtain back just a bit, though, and you’ll note that Nuu doesn’t use Corning Gorilla Glass or any sort of added protection. In other words, you’re likely one drop away from ruining that sexy design. The phone comes with a case, but it’s more for protection against scrapes and scratches, not outright drops.

After those first few minutes with the G3 we realized that it was a fingerprint and oil magnet. You can’t touch this thing without leaving some trace behind. That’s the problem when you use materials like glass; but, it’s no different with any other brands.

Display

The G3 offers up a 5.7-inch display with an 18:9 aspect ratio which is pretty much the standard for today’s mid and upper range of phones. The size no longer feels unwieldy thanks to thinner bezels and the more narrow approach. Don’t mistake the G3 as being bezel-free or bezel-less; there’s a little more here than what pricier competitors are doing. It’s certainly not bad, and we are happy to forgive based on price.

The volume buttons and power button are on the right side of the phone, with power having its own pattern printed. Easy to identify in a hurry, it also helps when grabbing to check notifications in the dark.

Around back you’ll see there’s a dual-camera system in place, with the LED flash off to the right. The fingerprint reader is just below the camera setup. You might want to keep an eye on the cameras for smudges or smears as you get familiar with the lay of the land. Those who have not used a rear fingerprint reader might take a couple of days to get acclimated.

On the bottom of the device are the speakers and USB Type C charging port. Noticeably absent here is the 3.5mm headphone jack. Included in the box, though, you get a USB C to 3.5mm adapter so you’re not completely out if you have a preferred pair of wired headphones. On the other hand, you’ll not be able to charge and listen to music at the same time.

Other Impressions

Given the phone has glass on the back we might have expected wireless charging. Most other device makers who opt for this material will include the nearly standard option. It’s interesting to us that Nuu decided to forgo the headphone jack and not go wireless for charging. One feels like an unnecessary “me too” move while the other would have made more sense.

For a $200 phone the G3 comes with rather impressive hardware specifications on paper. The 2.3GHz MediaTek octa-core processor, paired with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage, are more than adequate for most users. Toss in the 13-megapixel and 5-megapixel rear camera setup and you’re looking at a great utilitarian experience.

Camera

The most popular trend in phones over the last year is probably the advent of dual-cameras. Not one on the front and one on the back, mind you, but two on the rear. Today’s mid-range and upper-end phones routinely come with a secondary sensor. That’s the case with the Nuu Mobile G3.

The primary lens on the back is 13-megapixels with the secondary shooter offering 5-megapixels of its own. The former does the heavy lifting while the latter helps to create bokeh effects and better portrait shots.

When you have excellent lighting or are outside the photos captured feature a good amount of detail with admirable color. Pictures are captured pretty quickly and write to the phone in a fairly snappy manner.

Get into lower lighting situations we found the camera experience suffered. With no image stabilization to be found, you’ll have to do your best to hold the phone still. Otherwise, you run the risk of blurry photos. This happened more times than we would have liked in our time with the phone.

The camera app itself is much better than we expected at this price point. It’s pretty easy to cut corners and go with a generic camera app on a budget phone. A lot of people like their own camera apps or filters and spend their time editing and tweaking. We were pleased at the array of options to choose from in the G3.

Among the choices available are Portrait Mode for better personal portraits and Beauty Filter for cleaning up imperfections and evening out skin tone.

It will probably take you a good day or two to figure out what the phone is capable of capturing and what it’s not. It’s a pretty fine line, though, and we wish it were more in the direction of capable.

Performance

In practice, however, you might start to notice the shortcomings. Admittedly, the drawbacks and differences we tend to find are often based on comparisons to other, more powerful daily usage phones.

With that said, we found the G3 to be good at multi-tasking and hopping around apps and games. We never had an overwhelming or outright powerful sensation, but we didn’t feel slighted.

The more time we spent with this phone the more we viewed it as good or moderately impressive. We didn’t quite get to “great”, but that’s likely because we spend most days with a Pixel 2 or something equivalent. We know great and we weren’t paying for it here.

The 3,000mAh battery gets us through a day’s worth of usage with some left over at night. With support for fast charging, it does come with a 5 watt charger. It’s not quite as fast as what’s available from other phone makers, but if you’re charging overnight, you won’t know that. Starting from zero, though, it takes a good two and a half hours to fully charge up.

Android

In terms of software, the Nuu Mobile G3 runs Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box. We’re torn on how we feel about this as Android 8.0 has been out for some time now and Android P is already getting tested.

Nuu Mobile pitches this as a flagship device, not as a flagship killer. It doesn’t try to pass the phone off as something that would best your current handset or the next big thing. Instead, it represents the new look and feel, and direction, of the brand. It’s its own flagship experience; it happens to be at least one step behind in software.

As we do with other phones, we care that we get the most current version of Android available. If that’s not feasible, we want updates or promises that one will soon follow. Moreover, we want to know that security is a priority. Are bug fixes and patches coming? It’s hard to say what we should expect with the Nuu Mobile G3.

For what it’s worth, the G3 does ship with a pretty lean build of Android. There’s basically nothing added here save for a web browser that’s quite similar to Chrome. Another notably inclusion is the Face Lock feature which lets you unlock your device with a quick glance at the front-facing camera.

Conclusion

When viewing the G3 through the same lens as, say, a Blu phone of the same price point, it becomes tougher to poke the holes. What one might be guilty of, the other likely is, too. This means tempering expectations a little bit and trying to forget what your daily driver is like.

Knowing that phones can range anywhere from about $100 up to $900, you have to keep in mind what the cost of a device is when reviewing it. It’s completely unfair to compare it to something that costs twice, or three times as much.

With that in mind, we think the Nuu Mobile G3 is an excellent value proposition for the money. Sure, it’s got an older version of Android but that probably matters zero in the big scheme of things. Just because we know it’s outdated doesn’t mean that the typical user will. Moreover, the UI is largely the same, and we’re still pretty happy with it.

If you have a GSM carrier such as AT&T or T-Mobile, or are considering switching to one of them, the G3 will be compatible. You’ve also got quite a few prepaid carriers that will support the device as well.

For those of you who shop with budget in mind, and won’t be spreading the cost of a phone out over two years, this is a great starting point. You don’t have to get into $300-$500 phones to last you a couple of years. The G3 is proof that you can definitely get the job done cheaply and still look sharp doing it.

How to give your Google Home multiple commands at once

Last year, Google Home updated its voice command system with a fun bonus: You could give the Home two commands in one sentence, and it would execute both of them at once. This was handy if you had a couple different smart devices to control at the same time or wanted to compare two different bits of information.

Now the latest update to Home allows you to give three different commands at once, thanks to something called the Multiple Actions feature. This both increases the number of commands you can give and makes the process of interacting with your voice assistant smoother. But how do you give three commands to Google Home without confusing it? The secret is all in the phrasing, and we’ll show you how to do it.

Note: If it’s been a while since you’ve turned on and updated your Google Home, you should do this first. Google Homes are set to update automatically when they are turned on (you can tell by the spinning white LED light). This process generally takes 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 1: Know the commands you want to give

Think about the devices and queries you use with Google Home. It’s important to understand exactly what you want to do, and the right voice commands to do it—otherwise the multiple commands feature will not function.

Fortunately, Google’s support pages have a long list of potential voice commands for Google Home, divided by category. Check out the list, pick a few things that you would like to do, and make sure that you know the precise voice commands to get Home to cooperate. We suggest jotting down a few of the commands you know you’ll use and leaving them by Google Home as a reference until you have them memorized.

Step 2: Test it out by combining commands

It’s time to head back to grammar school and make some simple sentences! Pick three devices, pieces of information, or other commands that you want Google Home to activate all at once. Then simply start with “Hey Google” or “OK, Google,” and give the command as a list. We’re going to give you several different examples to show how it works, so you can use this capability effectively.

“Hey Google, what time is it in Tokyo, New York, and London?” This isn’t just useful for trivia—it also allows you check different cities to see what specific time zones they are in, which can be useful when planning a trip or a business communication.

“Hey Google, what’s the weather in Sacramento, San Diego, and Los Angeles?” This sort of query is especially useful before take long trips or flights, so you can see what weather to expect in various destinations.

“Hey Google, turn on the coffeemaker, the kitchen light, and the Chromecast.” The three-step command can also be useful when directing various smart devices around your home (as long as they are connected to Google Home). Use this option to control multiple devices in short order.

“Hey Google, turn off the dining room light, turn on the living room lights, and play music by The Strokes.” Here’s an example of more inter-related smart device commands. This is basically a routine that you can make up on the fly: It’s useful if you don’t like programming routines, or if you want to test a routine out to see if it’s really worth teaching to Google Home.

“Hey Google, what’s my first meeting today, what’s my calendar for tomorrow, and list all events for July 20th.” You can see how this would be useful if you aren’t near a computer to check your calendar. The Home can provide a list of your events, so you can see when you have free time and if you need to reschedule a particular event.

Step 3: Know the limits

There are some limitations to this feature. If Google needs to ask for more information, then it won’t be able to complete the three-part command. For example, if you say, “Hey Google, set an alarm and turn on the porch lights and security alarm,” then Google will ignore everything else and ask you what time you want to set the alarm for.

Sometimes you can fix this by giving that information in your command, such as, “Hey Google, set an alarm for 6:30 a.m. tomorrow.” However, other commands may just be too complex.

Currently, the three-command ability is primarily available in English-speaking countries, although Google is working on rolling the feature out into other languages and regions soon.

Editors’ Recommendations

• How to set up Routines on your Google Home device
• Google Home vs. Google Home Mini vs. Google Home Max: It’s all about the sound
• Google Assistant vs. Amazon Alexa: How do they compare?
• Google Tasks’ refreshing design will motivate you to complete your to-do lists
• Google Pixelbook review

Get all your pods in one place with Google’s streamlined Podcasts app

After introducing podcast support for Google Play Music back in 2016, Google has finally launched a stand-alone podcast app called — you guessed it — Google Podcasts.

As you might expect from a Google app, there’s a heavy emphasis on your personal algorithm, and you can expect to see the app recommend more and more podcasts as you get your teeth stuck in. With more than 2 million podcasts already available on launch day, you can expect there to be plenty to get into.

If you already used Google Play Music for podcasts, that data will carry straight over into Google Podcasts, and you’ll be able to continue where you left off in your most recent podcasts. Cross-device syncing is also available, and Google Podcasts will sync up whenever possible, so you can resume podcasts from the same point, regardless of which device you’re listening from.

It’s also fully integrated with Google Home, and you’ll be able to ask the Google Assistant to play episodes of a specific podcast, as well as use voice commands to pause and resume. If you’re feeling like a change, you can also ask Google Assistant to pick you a podcast within a certain genre with commands like “play me a funny podcast.”

Google’s also planning a bunch of extra features, including using its A.I. capabilities to add closed captions to podcasts — perfect for noisy areas — and eventual plans for real-time translations of podcasts in languages you don’t speak.

Google has already expressed an interest in expanding the world of podcasts, but it seems that it’s not just going to stop at launching a stand-alone app. Google wants to use its influence to increase the number of podcasters in the world, and has specifically shown an interest in increasing the number of female and colored podcast hosts. To that end, Google has set up an independent advisory board that aims to promote the production of podcasts outside of the usual areas of the U.S. What does that mean in real terms? Google doesn’t seem to be sure, but it seems that it’s more likely to be increased promotion, rather than direct financial contributions to individual podcasters.

The Google Podcasts app is currently only available on the Google Play Store, with apparently no intention of launching on iOS. If you’re stumped as to which podcast to start with, check out our very own podcast, Trends with Benefits.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Google wants to double the number of podcast listeners in the next few years
• The best Android podcast apps for your listening pleasure
• How to download podcasts and listen to them on Android or iOS
• The best podcasts of 2018
• Everything you need to know about Google Assistant

After 70 years, a working Dick Tracy two-way watch radio is finally available

Tech has certainly come a long way since 1946, but gosh darn it if some of us aren’t still hankering after comic detective Dick Tracy’s two-way wristwatch radio, the spy gadget introduced in the cartoon strip that year. Fortunately, almost three-quarters of a century later, an officially licensed working version of the iconic spy gadget is finally here. Well, almost here.

Created by Connecticut-based brothers Nick and Charlie Mathis, the Dick Tracy Watch not only looks like the timepiece featured in the early comics (note: Not the one with the TV screen embedded as featured in later stories) — it actually works, too. That is thanks to an integrated Bluetooth module, microphone, and speaker, allowing you to make and receive calls from a paired smartphone.

“Since we were kids, we’ve wanted the real Dick Tracy watch, but no one ever made it,” Nick Mathis, owner of the Ivory and Horn company behind the project, told Digital Trends. “Even during the excitement of the smartwatch boom, each new wearable was exciting and awesome, [but] also a bit of a letdown. So in 2015, I got to making my own Dick Tracy watch in my workshop — at the time, an apartment closet — using Fusion 360, a desktop CNC machine, and 3D printing through Shapeways. After posting pictures online, emails began to steadily flood my inbox asking to buy it. A person even offer $5,000 if I’d make him one!”

Stories like this helped convince the Mathis siblings that their crazy dream was not exclusive to them. In 2016, they decided to purchase an official license to make the two-way wrist radio a reality. Close to three years later, they finally achieved what they were hoping for.

As a watch, it’s very attractive, with a vintage-style stainless steel body, sapphire crystal face, mesh grill to cover the speakerphone components and oil-tanned leather strap. Of course, the look is only one part of the package. While this device won’t do things like track your steps or let you send Animojis, it does convincingly replicate the smart functionality of the gadget as it appeared on the page. In a nod to 2018, there is also a button designed to activate your phone’s voice assistant.

As ever, we offer our usual cautions about the risks inherent in crowdfunding campaigns. However, if you’re keen to go ahead and get involved, head over to the project’s Indiegogo page. A pledge of $324 should secure you a unit, with shipping set to take place in December. You better hurry, though — only 1,000 of these are being made!

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best shows on Netflix right now (June 2018)
• Simon Pegg on humor, horror, a ‘Hot Fuzz’ TV show, and a Tarantino Star Trek
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• 8 GoPro tips and tricks to take your footage to the next level
• ‘Wonder Woman 1984’: Everything we know so far

IBM’s new supercomputer doesn’t just take orders — it can argue back

Despite supercomputers like IBM’s Watson proving its smarts by winning Jeopardy and chess against human opponents, the conversation surrounding artificial intelligence to date is to have machines do our bidding, like telling Siri to turn off the lights or asking Google for weather information. IBM’s latest efforts into the world of A.I. supercomputing is changing this narrative through Project Debater, a supercomputer that uses artificial intelligence to win debates against humans.

In essence, Project Debater is ushering in an era where A.I. supercomputers will be able to talk back to their human overlords, but IBM researchers promise that it won’t lead to a dystopian future where robots rule the world. The purpose of Project Debater, IBM Research Almaden vice president Jeff Welser told The Verge, is to help us understand language. Wesler even joked that despite its oratory skills, Debater would make a bad lawyer, so at least some legal jobs will be safe for now.

At an event in San Francisco, IBM’s Project Debater supercomputer took on humans in arguing modern social issues such as the benefits of telemedicine and the government subsidization of space exploration, and the consensus among journalists in the audience was unanimous: IBM’s supercomputer held its own. Despite some momentary glitches in an environment that is more ambiguous and doesn’t have as many clear-cut rules as previous games like chess, publications like USA Today, CNET, and The Verge concluded that Project Debater did well.

The topics for debate were not revealed to either opponent in advance to create a level playing field, and Project Debate went first in all rounds. The most impressive part is that Debater was able to understand and rebut its opponent’s presentation in near real-time. Although human opponents generally edged ahead of Project Debater in presentation, the audience favored Debater’s knowledge of the topic, as it was able to reference more than 300 million scholarly articles stored and indexed on IBM Cloud.

“We believe that mastering language is a fundamental frontier that A.I. has to cross,” IBM Research director Arvind Krishna said during a presentation that was reported by USA Today. “There’s aspects like speech recognition, speech to text that A.I. already does and does quite well. But that is not the same as listening comprehension or constructing a speech that can either be spoken or written or understanding the nuances of claims, meaning what supports a proposition or what may be against a proposition.”

But it wasn’t all just facts and knowledge. Debater was able to throw in jokes and master the timing of the delivery, CNET reported. “I can’t say it makes my blood boil, because I have no blood, but it seems some people naturally suspect technology because it’s new,” Debater joked in a debate round favoring telemedicine.

For Project Debater, it’s not just about winning arguments. IBM researchers claim that the computer’s intelligence can be used by legislators, lawyers, and business executives weighing complex issues to make informed decisions. The technology could even be helpful in weeding out fake news.

Editors’ Recommendations

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• This chessboard isn’t haunted, it just moves the pieces on its own
• A.I. can now learn how to solve a Rubik’s Cube, researchers claim
• Before Google’s lifelike Duplex A.I., these chatbots paved the way

The best GIF-maker apps and websites

Needless to say, GIFs have become an emotional currency on the web, allowing people to react in ways words just don’t allow. But if you can’t find the perfect GIF for your current feeling, why not create one yourself? Whether you know the exact clip you want to lift from YouTube, or hope to act in one yourself, there are a variety of tools out there for creating these animated, silent loops. Here, we’ve rounded up the best apps and websites for doing so.

Websites and desktop software

GIFS.com

To get started, let’s look at the extremely clean and useful GIFs.com, a site that makes creating GIFs incredibly easy. To get started, paste the URL for the video you’d like to use as the basis for your GIF. The site currently supports YouTube, Instagram, and Vine — or rather, Vine archive (R.I.P.) — and users can also upload their own video files.

Once you’ve picked out your source material, you’ll come to a simple editor. Select the frames you’d like to convert into a GIF using the timeline located below the video. Then, add a caption, stickers, and a few effects, if desired. There’s even a one-clip “thug life” option, if you want to meme like it’s 2009.

Once you’re done tweaking things, you’re ready to share your GIF with the world. You can use the provided URL, or download the GIF for re-uploading to another site.

Find out more from:

GIFS.com

GIF Maker by Giphy

Giphy has long been the default search engine for GIFs, since its library is endless. Giphy’s own GIF Maker lets you simultaneously create and share your creations, and it’s really easy to use. Just pick your source material from YouTube, Vimeo, or Giphy Links, and you can select any portion of the video to turn into a GIF. You can also add captions, if you want.

The process doesn’t take long, and the resulting GIFs are instantly uploaded to Giphy. From there, you can share them, download them directly, or tweak them using a variety of tools. You can turn a collection of still images into a GIF, for instance, or edit any of the existing GIFs on the website. In all, this is a powerful tool for any GIF fan, and one worth checking out.

Find out more from:

Giphy

And then i was like …

The two aforementioned tools are great if you want to use existing material to create a GIF, but what if you intend to create original content? And then i was like… is just what you’re looking for. This simple website turns your computer’s webcam into a machine for creating GIFs, and it couldn’t be easier to use. Just head to the site, click “I want to make a GIF, ” and enable your webcam.

Then, simply pick which of your recorded frames you want to keep and you’re ready to share your GIF. You can then copy the provided URL provided, or download the GIF for your own use. Enjoy!

Find out more from:

and then i was like …

Screen To GIF

With Screen to GIF, you can select a portion of your screen and record anything that happens in that specific area — or at least that’s the idea. The software functions as a simple Windows application, one that makes GIF creation simple. Start the program and you’ll have a few options.

The first option, Recorder, lets us pick a region of the screen to record. The second, Webcam, lets you record GIFs using your computer’s camera. Board lets you record yourself drawing, and Editor lets you edit existing GIFs.

To get started, click Recorder. You’ll see a frame window, which you can resize to select your desired portion of the screen.

Fit this over a video you’d like to turn into a GIF, or into a region of the screen you’d like to record. Then, when you’re ready, hit the Record button. Hit stop when you’ve got what you want, and you’ll be taken to the editing screen.

From here, you can delete sections of your recording, and do things like add captions. A ribbon-based interface means fans of Microsoft Office will feel right at home.

Download it now for:

Screen to GIF

RecordIT

If you want an even simpler way to record a portion of your screen, RecordIT is what you’re looking for. This simple application lives in the tray or menu bar, and allows you to start recording with just a couple of clicks.

Once installed, click Record, and pick a region of the screen to record. When the recording is done, click the resulting notification to see the result online. From here, you can easily share your creation, or download it for future use.

Download it now for:

Mac Windows

The best GIF-maker apps and websites

Needless to say, GIFs have become an emotional currency on the web, allowing people to react in ways words just don’t allow. But if you can’t find the perfect GIF for your current feeling, why not create one yourself? Whether you know the exact clip you want to lift from YouTube, or hope to act in one yourself, there are a variety of tools out there for creating these animated, silent loops. Here, we’ve rounded up the best apps and websites for doing so.

Websites and desktop software

GIFS.com

To get started, let’s look at the extremely clean and useful GIFs.com, a site that makes creating GIFs incredibly easy. To get started, paste the URL for the video you’d like to use as the basis for your GIF. The site currently supports YouTube, Instagram, and Vine — or rather, Vine archive (R.I.P.) — and users can also upload their own video files.

Once you’ve picked out your source material, you’ll come to a simple editor. Select the frames you’d like to convert into a GIF using the timeline located below the video. Then, add a caption, stickers, and a few effects, if desired. There’s even a one-clip “thug life” option, if you want to meme like it’s 2009.

Once you’re done tweaking things, you’re ready to share your GIF with the world. You can use the provided URL, or download the GIF for re-uploading to another site.

Find out more from:

GIFS.com

GIF Maker by Giphy

Giphy has long been the default search engine for GIFs, since its library is endless. Giphy’s own GIF Maker lets you simultaneously create and share your creations, and it’s really easy to use. Just pick your source material from YouTube, Vimeo, or Giphy Links, and you can select any portion of the video to turn into a GIF. You can also add captions, if you want.

The process doesn’t take long, and the resulting GIFs are instantly uploaded to Giphy. From there, you can share them, download them directly, or tweak them using a variety of tools. You can turn a collection of still images into a GIF, for instance, or edit any of the existing GIFs on the website. In all, this is a powerful tool for any GIF fan, and one worth checking out.

Find out more from:

Giphy

And then i was like …

The two aforementioned tools are great if you want to use existing material to create a GIF, but what if you intend to create original content? And then i was like… is just what you’re looking for. This simple website turns your computer’s webcam into a machine for creating GIFs, and it couldn’t be easier to use. Just head to the site, click “I want to make a GIF, ” and enable your webcam.

Then, simply pick which of your recorded frames you want to keep and you’re ready to share your GIF. You can then copy the provided URL provided, or download the GIF for your own use. Enjoy!

Find out more from:

and then i was like …

Screen To GIF

With Screen to GIF, you can select a portion of your screen and record anything that happens in that specific area — or at least that’s the idea. The software functions as a simple Windows application, one that makes GIF creation simple. Start the program and you’ll have a few options.

The first option, Recorder, lets us pick a region of the screen to record. The second, Webcam, lets you record GIFs using your computer’s camera. Board lets you record yourself drawing, and Editor lets you edit existing GIFs.

To get started, click Recorder. You’ll see a frame window, which you can resize to select your desired portion of the screen.

Fit this over a video you’d like to turn into a GIF, or into a region of the screen you’d like to record. Then, when you’re ready, hit the Record button. Hit stop when you’ve got what you want, and you’ll be taken to the editing screen.

From here, you can delete sections of your recording, and do things like add captions. A ribbon-based interface means fans of Microsoft Office will feel right at home.

Download it now for:

Screen to GIF

RecordIT

If you want an even simpler way to record a portion of your screen, RecordIT is what you’re looking for. This simple application lives in the tray or menu bar, and allows you to start recording with just a couple of clicks.

Once installed, click Record, and pick a region of the screen to record. When the recording is done, click the resulting notification to see the result online. From here, you can easily share your creation, or download it for future use.

Download it now for:

Mac Windows

The best guitar tuner apps

Dan Baker/Digital Trends

No matter how dextrous your fingers might be, if your guitar is out of tune, you won’t sound great. Experienced musicians can often tune by ear, but even with years of experience under your belt, you might not find it easy. There are guitar tuners out there, but if you don’t want to spend money on one, or worry about losing it on the road, you can always use your smartphone. Modern smartphones usually have decent microphones, and so developers have been able to use them to make guitar tuner apps. We tested some of the most popular (using a physical tuner to compare results), to see which ones can keep your gigs going off without a hitch.

If you’re looking for a tool to help you learn guitar, we reviewed the innovative Fret Zealot system.

Guitar Tuna

Guitar Tuna is one of the most popular guitar tuner apps, and after trying it out, it’s easy to see why. The app is easy to use; just pluck a string, and it will detect the string and how much tuning it needs. Guitar Tuna also looks good, displaying the different strings, the note you’re playing, and how far off tune it is. Unfortunately, the free version is limited as far as the tunings it supports. If you only play in standard (EADGBE) tuning, Guitar Tuna is a fine choice, but you have to pay for an upgrade to do other tunings or instruments.

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Android iOS

Fender Tune

Fender is one of the biggest names in guitars, and the company’s tuning app lives up to that lofty pedigree. The app has a clean interface (with a nice touch of color on the notes you play), and it’s easy to use. In Auto mode, simply pluck a string, and the app will detect the string, and how close it is to being in tune. You can also switch to manual if you want to tune by ear. There is also the option to switch to a variety of different tunings, including DADGAD, Drop D, and more, and if you make a Fender account, you can save custom tunings.

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Android iOS

Pro Guitar Tuner

Pro guitar tuner offers fairly accurate readings and a fun, kitschy interface. The free version includes some small ads and you can only use standard tuning for guitars; for anything else, you need to upgrade to the premium version of the app.

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Android

Chromatic Guitar Tuner

Chromatic Guitar Tuner offers a cool, vaguely rusty looking interface that is easy enough to read. Of course, form is less important than function with guitar tuners, and Guitar Tuner performs admirably. Importantly, it lets you switch between a variety of tunings, although when we used it, it seemed to have a bit more difficulty detecting notes than other tuners. Still, it’s a nice package for free (though it does include some mostly unobtrusive ads).

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Android

Martin Tuner

Like Fender, Martin is an esteemed name in the world of guitars, known particularly for its gorgeous acoustic models. The company offers a free tuning app that functions well — although depending on your tastes, the wood grain aesthetic of the interface will either be classy or hideous. The tuner enables you to choose between a variety of tunings (always a nice touch), and even provides YouTube tutorials for topics like restringing a guitar or dealing with buzz on strings.

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Android

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Facebook Messenger is getting those annoying autoplay video ads

It looks like days of an ad-free Facebook Messenger are well and truly over. Messenger has had static ads for around a year and a half now, but now it’s experimenting with a new, more intrusive type of ad in Messenger — video ads. And yes, they are on autoplay.

It’s not a totally unexpected move from Facebook. While static ads are less intrusive, Facebook can likely sell video ads at a much higher price. The company has been increasingly looking for ways to inject ads in the apps that aren’t the main Facebook app, including the likes of Messenger and Marketplace.

Of course, the fear for users is that autoplay videos in Facebook Messenger will seriously hamper the overall user experience, but Facebook says it is keeping that in mind.

“Top priority for us is user experience,” said Messenger’s ad manager Stefanos Loukakos in an interview with Recode. “So we don’t yet [if these will work]. However, signs until now, when we tested basic ads, didn’t show any changes with how people used the platform or how many messages they send.”

In other words, there is a glimmer of hope — if Facebook finds that video ads disrupt the overall user experience, it may reverse the decision. But we don’t expect that to happen.

The real issue here is that Facebook seems to be running out of places to put ads and because of that, when it does place new ads, the user experience suffers, whether it likes to admit that or not. Of course, it’s unlikely to cause many users to stop using the app — Messenger is a free app with a massive network that allows you to instantly message any of your friends. While there are competitors, few of them can go head to head with Messenger when it comes to reach. Perhaps the only real competition comes from services like WhatsApp — which is itself also owned by Facebook. On top of that, while Facebook has been finding creative ways to inject ads into WhatsApp, we think it’s probably only a matter of time before autoplay ads find their way into WhatsApp too.

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‘Cyberpunk 2077’ E3 build used a hefty PC, but can your system keep up?

It’s safe to say that CD Projekt Red’s latest game Cyberpunk 2077 has impressed critics at E3 2018. The first-person role-playing game surprised us with its perspective, world, and combat, and we ended up awarding the game our Best in Show prize for the entire event. If you want to play the game on PC with the detail and fidelity on display at E3, however, you’re going to need a pretty powerful rig.

CD Projekt Red revealed the PC specifications used during its E3 2018 demonstrations in the Cyberpunk 2077 Discord, and replicating them won’t be cheap. An Intel i7-8700K GPU at 3.7 GHz was used, as was a GTX 1080 Ti GPU — the latter goes for around $700 right now.

Also used were two 16GB G.Skill Ripjaws V Series DDR4 RAM cards, which currently go for about $400 on Amazon in a two-pack. An Asus Rog STRIX Z370-I served as the motherboard, and a Samsung 960 Pro 512GB M.2 PCIe SSD was also installed. Lastly, a Corsair SF600 PSU powered the rig, and sells for a little over $100.

These specifications are all far beyond what CD Projekt Red recommended for its 2015 game The Witcher III: Wild Hunt. That role-playing game needed only 6GB of RAM and a GTX 770 GPU with 2GB of VRAM in order to run at optimum performance.

With Cyberpunk 2077, however, CD Projekt Red is capable of running the game at much more impressive settings, and it has us wondering if the game is actually going to also release on the Xbox One and PlayStation, or if it’s secretly being developed for their successors.

Speaking to Game Informer, quest designer Patrick Mills said that his studio is still targeting Xbox One and PlayStation 4, and the game was featured at the tail-end of Microsoft’s Xbox One conference during E3.

If the next-generation consoles are just a few years away, we hope Cyberpunk 2077 also releases for them, as we would like to get an experience similar to what high-end PCs can offer. Of course, by that point, the specifications provided above will seem like nothing. It’s a never-ending chase for a perfect machine that will never exist, but perhaps the chase is more important than the finish line.