Instagram Gains Group Video Chat, Redesigned Explore Tab and New Camera Effects

Instagram today implemented several new features that were first previewed and announced at Facebook’s F8 developer conference in May, including a redesigned Explore tab, new camera effects, and a group video chatting feature.

Instagram’s new video chat option, which is a feature that’s designed to rival offerings like Skype and FaceTime, can be accessed via Instagram Direct, and it allows for video calls with up to four people at the same time. Instagram users can chat across iOS and Android without the need for a phone number.

As explained by Instagram, starting a new video chat can be done from the Direct inbox. Open a message thread, tap the camera icon, and the video chat will ring on a friend’s phone. While video chatting, the video can be minimized to one corner so you can continue to browse Instagram.

You can video chat with anyone you have an active Direct thread with, and blocking a person will prevent them from video chatting you. With group chats, a little icon will let you know when friends are talking and you can join in.

Video chat is perfect for groups. You can video chat with up to four people at a time, and the video will expand as more friends join. If there’s an active video chat in a group thread, the camera icon will turn blue. Simply tap the camera to join in the fun. You can video chat with your friends for as long as you’d like. When you’re ready to leave the video chat, tap the red phone icon at the bottom.

Instagram’s Explore tab has been revamped with new topic channels that are designed to make it easier to find content that you want to see. A “For You” tab offers up suggestions based on your interests, while channels like Art, Sports, Beauty, Fashion, and more offer up additional content suggestions.

You can swipe from grid to grid to discover content within a specific interest after tapping into a channel, and for things you’re not interested in, you can mute a channel by pressing and holding on it to bring up the “Mute” option.

In addition to group video chats and a revamped Explore section, Instagram now includes updated camera effects designed by Ariana Grande, Buzzfeed, Liza Koshy, Baby Ariel, and the NBA. If you follow these accounts, the new effects will be available in the Instagram camera through the face icon, while non-followers can tap an effect to try it on and add it to the camera.

Additional effects from other celebrities and popular Instagram accounts will be added in the future.

Instagram can be downloaded from the App Store for free, and all of the new features are available on both Android and iOS as of today. [Direct Link]

Tag: Instagram
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Review: The Arbor Video Doorbell Lets You See Who’s at Your Door With No Monthly Fees

Available on Indiegogo, the wire-free Arbor Instant Video Doorbell from Arbor Home lets you keep an eye on your packages from shipment to delivery, and it lets you see just who’s at your door when the bell rings.

Prior to the Arbor, I hadn’t used a video doorbell, and I wasn’t sure if I needed one, but ironically, waiting for the delivery of the video doorbell itself taught me how valuable these products can be.

Arbor shipped me a video doorbell on May 21, and on May 22, I got a notification from FedEx that the package had been delivered. There was just one problem — there was nothing on my doorstep. I got in touch with FedEx, as did Arbor, but there was no sign of the package.

Right around the same time, I had a package from Amazon go missing. It too was marked delivered but never made it to my doorstep. I’ve had problems with both FedEx deliveries and deliveries made by Amazon’s in-house delivery service in the past so I don’t know if this was a case of two shipments gone wrong, or if I had a package thief.

I won’t know what happened to those packages, but with the Arbor Video Doorbell, there are no more mysteries.

I can see exactly who comes to my door throughout the day, from delivery people to solicitors, and while I haven’t had another package go missing, if there is a package thief haunting my apartment complex, I’ll have footage of the perpetrator.

Speaking of solicitors, this is another area where the Arbor Video Doorbell has come in handy. Just a few days before it was delivered, someone in a safety vest knocked on my door. I thought it might be a construction worker from my apartment building, but no, it was someone attempting to sell gas insurance who had worn the vest to attempt to look authoritative.

I had to deal with this in person, but using a video doorbell, I can now screen who is at the door and send them away without an awkward situation where I have to listen to a sales spiel. It’s also just nice to have the peace of mind of constant monitoring of my front door.

Design

Design wise, the Arbor Video Doorbell looks a bit odd, especially compared to more traditional doorbell-style video options like the Ring. There’s a big button at the top of the device, which is what you press to ring the doorbell, and underneath that, there’s a built-in 1080p camera.

The entire Arbor enclosure is made from plastic with the exception of a black metal mounting plate, and it’s available in either black/silver or all black. While this looks fine outside of my apartment, it is a bit modern looking and may not match some home styles.

Compared to other video doorbells, the Arbor is taller and narrower. This is an entirely wire-free video doorbell option (which means you can’t replace an existing wired doorbell with it), so it’s powered by batteries, which are inserted into a removable battery pack at the bottom of the device.

Arbor says the batteries should last for about a year with a “standard use case,” but with about 15-20 activation events per day, my battery is down to 80 percent after a couple of weeks. At that rate, it’s not going to last a year. I do, however, have a pre-production unit, so battery life could be improved in the final version.

I asked about battery life and was told that the app indicator is not 100 percent accurate yet. Software and hardware are being optimized based on feedback from beta users.

You can pull the battery pack out of the bottom of the Arbor when it needs to be charged without detaching it from the door, and charging it is done with a micro-USB cord, so it’s simple enough.

In addition to the standard outdoor doorbell component, the Arbor Video Doorbell comes with a WiFi Hub & Chime, which makes sure your WiFi extends to the Arbor Doorbell and produces a chiming sound indoors when the doorbell is pressed.

The WiFi Hub extends WiFi up to 700 feet, which is a nice addition for homes that may not have adequate WiFi coverage that extends to the front door. The hub plugs into any power outlet, and should be placed where you can hear it ring. Mine is in my kitchen not too far from the door, which has worked well.

There is one major caveat with the WiFi Hub — it emits a high-pitched electronic whine from the speaker built into it.

I can hear this whine from several feet away in my kitchen, and it’s what bothered me most about the Arbor and the reason why I won’t leave it installed at the conclusion of this review.

My kitchen is quiet and I would say that I have an above average sensitivity to these kinds of sounds, so users might not hear it in noisier areas or may not be as bothered by it.

I asked Arbor about this high-pitched whine, and I was told that it doesn’t appear to be affecting all units at this time. Arbor engineers tested several and while some were quiet, a similar whine was detected “about a foot or so away” with some units.

Arbor told me that this is something that the team will work on optimizing before the device ships out to customers, so I’m not sure if the final version will have this problem.

Aside from the high-pitched sound, the interior WiFi Hub and Chime worked well, with a loud, audible chime sounding almost instantaneously after the doorbell was pressed.

Installation

According to the instructions, the Arbor Video Doorbell can be installed using screws or with adhesive. There’s a metal mounting plate and the wedge-shaped spacers for a custom fit, and it comes with screws and anchors so it can be drilled into a range of materials.

I don’t have a traditional doorframe and it’s just stucco on either side of my door, so I opted to try out the adhesive for testing purposes before going with a more permanent installation route.

The adhesive is quite strong, and I did screw the doorbell to its mounting plate, but someone could still just rip it from the door with enough force. I live in a safe neighborhood and not many people are near my door, but I did have the aforementioned missing packages, so I’m honestly not sure if the Arbor is going to be safe with just adhesive long-term. It’s worked all right during the testing period, though.

Even though adhesive is an option, screw-based installation is superior because it makes it harder for someone to walk off with your camera. Many apartment buildings likely won’t allow for drilling into the doorframe or the wall, though, so adhesive may be the only option for some.

For the record, Arbor, like Ring, has a stolen device replacement program, and when I asked, Arbor said that so long as the user follows the official installation guide and sends in an official theft report, Arbor will replace a stolen doorbell regardless of whether it was mounted with screws or adhesive.

Because I don’t have a standard doorframe for my door and because I didn’t want to put it too close to my neighbor’s door, I put the Arbor on the door itself for testing purposes, but that’s not how you’re going to want to install a video doorbell in most cases. It should go on the doorframe or on the wall next to the door so it’s in a logical doorbell spot and so it doesn’t move when you open the door.

If you’re in a situation like mine where you need to use adhesive and don’t have an adhesive-appropriate surface to work with, it seems to do fine on the door itself. In general, though, given the size and narrowness of the Arbor (7.1 inches by 2.2 inches), it should work well with most standard frames.

Installing via adhesive consisted of screwing the Arbor to its metal mounting plate and then sticking the adhesive to the back and then to the door, so it was a simple process, but with only a few screws, the screw-in option is just as hassle free.

Cost

Pre-ordering the Arbor will cost you $159 ($199 at release), but there’s no fee after that. It comes with 48 hours of free cloud video storage, with 30 second clips captured for each event, which includes motion detection or when the doorbell is rung.

There are no monthly fees associated with the Arbor.

App and Monitoring

The Arbor Video Doorbell includes a 1080p camera, which is a higher quality camera than most competing doorbells offer. In my experience, the video is crisp and clear, especially the recorded snippets, but the Arbor did struggle somewhat with my lighting situation.

My door is at the end of a short hallway, and while the Arbor’s camera could see everything in that hallway, the bright lighting of the area beyond combined with the dimmer hallway lighting prevents me from seeing to the end of the hallway during the day. At night, it’s too dark to see that far.

While the Arbor camera doesn’t do well with complex lighting situations, I can see the area just in front of my door clearly, and that’s really all I need to see. The hallway area is clearly visible both during the day and at night thanks to the night vision camera, and I was always able to get a clear picture of who was at my door. 5x digital zoom is available if needed, but digital zoom always results in degraded quality.

The 160 degree angle of the camera was also sufficient to give me a full view of the entire area outside of my door.

The camera in the Arbor doorbell starts recording when the doorbell is pressed or, if motion detection is on, when it senses motion. With either situation, you get a notification that the doorbell has detected either an incoming ring or the motion of a person at the door.

When someone presses the doorbell, you’ll see the aforementioned alert, and when you open the Arbor app, there’s a call interface where you can tap to speak to the person using the built-in two-way microphone and speaker in the Arbor.

In my experience, the two-way speaker functionality was slow to kick in, so when I answered the incoming “call,” the person on the other end couldn’t hear me talking for a few seconds, which garbled the first part of whatever I was saying. Audio quality was not the clearest, but Arbor tells me that audio is its “top focus to improve” and the Arbor team is “working hard to create a great experience” before the doorbell begins shipping out.

What an incoming “call” looks like when someone rings the bell
Though I had some issues with sound, notifications came instantly. As soon as the doorbell rang, I had a notification on my phone with little delay. I did notice, though, that with motion detection, it was slow to start recording. For example, the delivery person who brings my weekly fruit and vegetable box comes at night and does not ring the bell.

I got a motion detection notice at 12:06 a.m. when the box was delivered, but the recorded video that went along with it only caught the tail end of the delivery — the person walking away.

The Arbor app is still under development, but there are some promising bells and whistles. You can set a motion detection zone for the motion detection feature, as well as a timer for when it should come on, and options to manually record video when desired.

Many features still need to be added or improved. There’s no way for me to download video clips from the iOS app at this time – Arbor requires me to use the web portal – and the timer feature for automating motion detection is limited. I can’t, for example, set it to record from 7:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. the next day, cutting out the three hours between 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. when my neighbor’s kids are out near my door nonstop.

One other complaint relates to the WiFi Hub. There’s a panic feature that you can activate to set off a 115 decibel alarm to “scare off package thieves,” but the doorbell doesn’t ring, the inside WiFi Hub does. So depending on where you have the hub situated, a person who is outside your door might not hear it at all.

Arbor’s walkthrough of the iOS app
While most video doorbell products on the market integrate with one smart home platform or another, the Arbor does not. There is no HomeKit support (though Arbor says “it is on the table”), and Alexa integration has not been included, though this is listed as a stretch goal (that’s been achieved) on the Arbor Indiegogo page.

Bottom Line

Because I have an unfinished, pre-production unit, it’s difficult to judge the Arbor since it’s still in development, but I do think it’s a promising product for those who want inexpensive, high-quality video monitoring with no-hassle wire-free installation.

Arbor is competitively priced at $159 during the Indiegogo ordering period, and even at the retail price of $199, it is on par with competing products. 1080p video monitoring beats many other video doorbells, and free 48 hour cloud storage for 30 second video clips makes the Arbor an appealing choice.

There are some software kinks that need to be worked out, but those are all improvements that can be introduced through over-the-air updates. My major concern with the Arbor is the high-pitched noise emitted from the WiFi Hub, but that’s a problem Arbor is looking to solve and it’s also an issue that may not bother some users.

How to Buy

The Arbor Instant Video Doorbell can be pre-ordered on Indiegogo for $159. Arbor Home plans to begin delivering Arbor orders to customers starting in August 2018.

Note: Arbor provided MacRumors with an Arbor Video Doorbell for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.
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Deals: B&H Photo Discounts 2017 13-Inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air by $200

B&H Photo this week launched a sale on a collection of Apple’s MacBooks, with savings that reach up to $200 off the Mid 2017 refreshes of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. The 13-inch MacBook Air (1.8 GHz, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) has the lowest price in the sale, running for $799.00, down from $999.00. If you want to beef up the hard drive you can opt for the 256GB SSD that’s priced at $999.00, down from $1,199.00, and both computers are in Silver.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

For the higher-end 13-inch MacBook Pro from Mid 2017 (2.3 GHz, 8GB RAM, 128GB PCIe SSD), B&H Photo offers the computer for $1,099.00, down from $1,299.00. Only the Space Gray model is marked down to $1,099.00, however, with the Silver option priced slightly higher in the sale at $1,149.99. For both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, B&H Photo’s prices today are the best available online for the models, coming in $50-$200 under rivals like Best Buy, Adorama, and Walmart.

B&H Photo notes that these discounts will expire later tonight at 11:59 p.m. ET, so be sure to place your orders before that time if you’re interested.

In other sales, Pad & Quill continues to celebrate its 8-year anniversary with a sale that encompasses many of its product lines, from duffle and messenger bags to wallets, iPad cases, iPhone cases, and the company’s leather HomePod coaster. Check out some of the items on sale below, and then head over to Pad & Quill to place your order before the anniversary event ends.

• Leather HomePod Coaster – $15.96, down from $19.95
• Timberline Wood iPhone 8 Case – $31.96, down from $39.95
• Leather Apple Pencil Grip – $39.96, down from $49.95
• Bella Fino iPhone X Wallet Case – $71.96, down from $89.95
• Oxford Leather iPad Pro 9.7 Case – $89.96, down from $119.95
• Field Bag Waxed Canvas Messenger Bag – $296.10, down from $329.00

Over at StackSocial there are a few discounts on Mac apps that aim to help improve your workflow and protect your computer. Readdle’s PDF Expert is priced at $24.99, down from $59.99, and helps streamline PDF document editing and sharing on Mac.

If you’re looking to clean up your Mac, MacPaw’s CleanMyMac 3 is on sale for $27.99, down from $39.95, and optimizes your computer by scanning and deleting gigabytes of old junk files in a few steps. Lastly, a 2-year subscription to NordVPN is down $10 in a sale, priced at $69 so you can safely and anonymously browse online.

As usual, Anker also has a long list of useful Apple-related accessories on sale, a few of which we’ve rounded up below:

• Powerline+ II Lightning Cable (10ft, all colors) – $13.99 with code ANKER454, down from $19.99 (exp. 7/10)

• Waterproof iPhone Pouch (2 pack) – $6.99, down from $9.99 (exp. 7/2)

• Roav 30W Car Charger with Quick Charge 3.0 and Car Locator – $19.99, down from $23.99 (exp. 7/2)

• Soundcore Spirit Sports Earphones – $32.99, down from $39.99 (exp. 7/3)

If you’re on the hunt for more savings, be sure to check out our full Deals Roundup.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals
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How to Use Walkie-Talkie in watchOS 5

Apple’s watchOS 5 update, coming this fall to all Apple Watch models with the exception of the original Apple Watch, introduces a fun new feature that mimics old school walkie talkies. With Walkie-Talkie, you can connect to your friends and family and have push-to-talk conversations right on your wrist.

The video below demonstrates Walkie-Talkie in action, while the post explains the steps to set it up and use it.

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Turning on Walkie-Talkie and Adding Friends

Walkie-Talkie is an app on the Apple Watch with an icon that looks like a little walkie talkie on a field of yellow. Whenever you want to use Walkie-Talkie to communicate with someone, you’ll need to open up the Walkie-Talkie app. The first step, though, is adding a friend to chat with.

Open the Walkie-Talkie app.
Turn the Digital Crown to scroll through your contacts. 3. Choose a friend who has an Apple Watch and watchOS 5.
Tap on the person’s name in the contacts list.
When a yellow card with their name appears on your Apple Watch in the Walkie-Talkie app, tap on the card.
Press on the “Talk” button to initiate a connection.
You’ll need to wait for your friend to receive your message and approve the Walkie-Talkie connection. It will say “Connecting to [Your Friend’s Name].
When a connection is established, it will go back to the Talk button and you will be able to have a Walkie-Talkie conversation with your friend.
If a connection cannot be established, you’ll see a popup that says “[Your Friend] is not available.” If this happens, it means the person on the other end did not answer the incoming Walkie-Talkie notification.

If the Walkie-Talkie connection screen hangs indefinitely on the connecting screen, it means the person does not have an Apple Watch or does not have watchOS 5 installed.

When a friend adds you to Walkie-Talkie, you’ll see an incoming notification that your friend wants to establish a connection with you. To chat, you will need to tap on “Always Allow.”

Talking With a Friend Using Walkie Talkie

Once a connection has been approved between you and your friend, you do not need to get approval for each and every message. You can just push to talk and whatever you say will be beamed to your friend’s Apple Watch.

Open up the Walkie-Talkie app.
Tap on the card for the friend you want to talk to.
Hold down the “Talk” button for the entire time that you’re speaking. You will see little concentric circles flashing, which means your message is being relayed to your friend.
When you’re done speaking, stop pressing on the Talk button. This will allow your friend to press the Talk button on their end to send a response to you.
You can have multiple Walkie-Talkie connections with your friends, but you can only communicate with one friend at a time because Walkie-Talkie is a one-on-one feature. Group chats between multiple people are not supported.

Accessing Walkie-Talkie Quickly

Once you have a Walkie-Talkie connection established with at least one person, a little Walkie-Talkie icon will be displayed at the top of the Apple Watch’s main screen. If you tap it, it will take you right into the Walkie-Talkie app.

This icon also serves as an indicator that you’re available for Walkie-Talkie conversations and that any friends you’ve established a connection with can message you at any time.

Adjusting Walkie-Talkie Volume

Open the Walkie-Talkie app.
Choose a Walkie-Talkie contact card.
At the talk interface, turn the Digital Crown.
A downward turn lowers the Walkie-Talkie volume, while an upward turn makes it louder. Turning it all the way down effectively mutes the conversation.

Using Walkie-Talkie With AirPods or Bluetooth Headphones

If you have AirPods or other Bluetooth headphones connected to your Apple Watch, you will hear incoming Walkie-Talkie messages through the accessory rather than directly through the Apple Watch. You will also be able to speak into the microphone of the AirPods, keeping your conversations more private.

Turning Off Walkie-Talkie and Removing Contacts

If you want to shut off Walkie-Talkie conversations and refuse incoming messages, you can do so by setting yourself to unavailable.

Open up the Walkie-Talkie app.
Scroll all the way to the top to see the “Available” toggle.
Toggle “Available” to off.
When your Walkie-Talkie availability is disabled in the Walkie-Talkie app, people who attempt to connect to you will see the message “[Your Name] is Not Available” and you will get a notification that someone attempted to reach you but you were unavailable with an option to go to the Walkie-Talkie app to resume the conversation.

To remove a contact from Walkie-Talkie, at the main contact card interface, swipe to the left on a name in the list to bring up a red “X” button. Press on the X to remove the contact.

Walkie-Talkie Warnings

Walkie-Talkie takes precedent over all of the other settings on your Apple Watch. You will hear your friend speaking even if your Apple Watch is set to silent, and it will ignore Do Not Disturb settings as well as Theater Mode.

This may change during the beta testing process, but for now, if you don’t want to be disturbed in a quiet situation like a movie theater, you will need to make sure your Walkie-Talkie availability setting is toggled off.

Walkie-Talkie Availability

watchOS 5 can be downloaded by developers, but public beta testers and other Apple Watch owners will need to wait until the software sees its public launch as Apple does not offer watchOS public betas. This is because there’s no way to downgrade the software on the Apple Watch.

Apple plans to release watchOS 5 in the fall alongside iOS 12 and likely new hardware that includes new Apple Watch models and new iPhones.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 4, watchOS 5Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
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Upcoming dual-lens smartphones could have more 3D for less cash with Lucid

More dual-camera smartphones could soon have the ability to capture depth data in real time without a depth sensor. That’s because Lucid, the company behind 3D cameras such as the LucidCam, is bringing the depth software from its cameras into smartphones. On Tuesday, June 26, Lucid announced that several manufacturers are now integrating the company’s software into mobile devices with dual cameras.

Bringing Lucid’s software into smartphones isn’t as straightforward as an app download or operating system update. Lucid cameras use two lenses that are spaced a specific distance apart in order to mimic the placement of human eyes. By taking data from two different viewpoints, the camera can recreate the scene in 3D or apply other depth effects. Dual-camera smartphones, however, have spacing and camera specifications that differ between models.

Lucid’s software will be custom tailored to each device’s optics during the manufacturing process through what the company is calling a “vision profile.” The company compares that profile to a pair of prescription glasses because it’s unique to the device’s “eyes” or lenses.

By integrating the software into mobile devices, Lucid says the device won’t need expensive hardware components such as depth sensors. Those sensors allow for 3D effects, but also drive up the price of making the phone and increase the size of the device.

“The way we as humans accurately perceive three dimensions and distances is not solely based on our two eyes but rather a combination of experience, learning, and inference,” said Lucid CEO Han Jin. “As chips and servers begin to approach the processing power of our brains, we can mimic this intelligence in software only, using A.I. and data on top of dual cameras.”

Smartphones with the Lucid software will gain 3D and depth sensing features that are enhanced with artificial intelligence, the company says. The software allows for real-time 3D and depth effects that could open possibilities for a number of different features, including the ability to livestream to a holographic display. Depth information is also required for features such as blurring the background in a photo.

“The depth information that is captured through the addition of the second camera is what separates a device from recommending you similar clothes to knowing much more, such as the precise size, shape, style, fit, and texture,” Jin said. “This leads to a much bigger benefit for consumers, and thus belongs in many more products than just the LucidCam.”

Lucid hasn’t shared exactly what models will use the technology, but said some mobile devices already use the software while more manufacturers are now integrating the software during the manufacturing process on upcoming devices.

Editors’ Recommendations

• QooCam twists to swap between 4K 360 and 3D 180 with Lytro-like refocusing
• A 4V camera for shooting holograph-like content is coming from RED, Lucid
• Facebook steps into 3D memories and photos without a specialized camera
• Vayyar Imaging’s new 3D sensors double down on ‘Superman vision’
• A.I.-powered 3D 360 Detu Max camera reads like a list of photo buzzwords

Buying a New Cell Phone: What to Look for

They’ve become an integral part of our lives, as much as we might not like it. From a very early age, cell phones are used not just for keeping in touch with family and friends; we use them for organizing our daily lives, including work and college. We use them for finding out about the availability of local services and which are the cheapest. We do our shopping on them, find the way to new places and for storing all our important personal information. There are hundreds of different cell phones available, which makes finding the right one rather complex. However, there’s no need to get stressed over the decision, because there are certain things you can look out for, to ensure you find the best one for your needs.

Quick and Easy Tips for Buying a New Cell Phone

• Android vs. iOS: With an Android, you get a wider choice of hardware and prices are more reasonable. iOS, on the other hand, is easy to use and gets the latest apps first.
• Price: This can vary considerably, from just a few hundred dollars to more than one thousand. Decide on a budget and then make sure you stick to it.
• Display: Small screens are perfect if you plan on only using one hand. A bigger screen will be better if you want to watch videos, movies or play games. Furthermore, color quality and brightness are worth checking out first hand.
• Camera: Nowadays, pretty much all cell phones have a decent camera. The difference between them will be in the special features.
• Processor: When it comes to performance you don’t need to worry, because even middle of the range cellphones performs adequately for most people.
• Battery: Battery life is important, and you should look for one that offers at least 10 hours on a charge.
• Storage: Aim for at least 32GB, or you’ll be struggling to keep up with all the updates and store the games, videos, and photos you want. One extra you might want to consider paying for is a microSD slot.

There are several reasons why you might be looking for a new cell phone. You could be looking to buy one because you’ve just dropped your latest one down the toilet. It could be that this is your first cell phone purchase, or your current contract is up for renewal and you want to upgrade. If you’re using finance, such as a cash loan from Bonsai Finance, the price is going to be an important consideration. However, there are a few other factors which you need to bear in mind.

What are Your Needs?

Do you need a cell phone to help with the running of your business? Do you want a cell phone purely for keeping in touch? Will you be spending hours watching videos or playing games? These are a number of the questions you need to be asking. The answers will help you decide on features such as camera, screen size, battery life, processor speed, and storage. Having the option to use dual SIM cards will be a great addition if you’re a regular traveler.

Which Operating System is Best?

In the cell phone world, there are essentially only two contenders: iOS and Android. Historically, iOS enjoyed the biggest market share. However, Android is gathering converts around the world. It is more of a personal choice, as both are easy to use and offer a range of games and apps. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages. iOS offers a uniform experience and is more secure. The apps available are also a little better. Android, on the other hand, provides consumers with a wider choice of devices. The range of prices is vast, and there is great versatility, thanks to the customization options.

Choose Your Provider Wisely

Cell phones can be found in a vast range of shapes and sizes, so too can cell phone providers. The first decision you have to make is whether to go with one of the bigger names or go with a small carrier, and it will depend on the size of your data usage, as to which you choose. Smaller carriers offer great benefits for those with more modest needs, while the bigger companies will be better for heavy data users. When it comes to coverage, the bigger names have their obvious advantages. The coverage offered is countrywide and the highest internet speed available. How much data you need will further depend on how you use your cell phone. Be warned, however, that it can be the biggest charge you have to pay.

Do You Truly Need a New Cell Phone?

It’s worth asking yourself this question because buying a new cell phone can be a considerable expense. Answer the question honestly. There are two valid reasons for making such a purchase.

• Problems with your current phone: There a few problems that can become very annoying and require an upgrade of your phone. Your battery may not last as many hours as it used to; it could be that the response time is very sluggish.
• Change of provider: Once upon a time, you would have to get a new phone when you changed provider. The same is not true today. Unlocked phones are available from a variety of different providers. Nowadays, it is an opportunity to trade in your current phone or replace it at no extra cost.

One other reason for purchasing a new cell phone is because you can’t do without the latest gadget. Many would consider this a valid reason, but there is an equal number who wouldn’t. The improvements in cell phone technology have slowed down considerably in recent years, and there is a very little benefit to be gained from having the latest model. However, for some of us, keeping up with the latest technology and having the “best money can buy” is important; whether you want an upgrade can be a personal choice.

We hope you will find these tips useful and be able to find the perfect cell phone for your needs. There are so many to choose from that it can be a confusing decision to make. Following our tips will make the choice an easier one.

Google’s Tilt Brush gets new brushes, ‘Beginner Mode,’ sound effects, and more

Google launched Tilt Brush early last year as a way to offer artists tools in virtual reality. Since then, the app has been made available on a number of platforms, including the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, and has been hailed as one of the most innovative VR apps out there. Now, the company is updating Tilt Brush with a series of new features that should help make it even better than it already is.

For starters, Google has added a hefty seven new brushes, allowing users to create both new textures and new volumes. Using the new brushes, Google says that users will be able to more easily create natural-looking environments or objects. For example, the Hull Brush allows users to easily paint a 3D object just by moving the controller.

Next up is the fact that Google wants to make Tilt Brush better for users regardless of their skill level. Tilt Brush now has two modes: Beginner and advanced. Beginner limits tools a little, but it includes the core feature set that allows users to more easily start using Tilt Brush. Once users are familiar with the features, they can switch to Advanced mode.

Third is the Pin tool, which allows users to easily lock objects in space — so they won’t move around, even when artists are creating environments with a lot of objects.

A number of other tweaks have been added too. There are more sound effects to use, for example, and users can quickly recall their Mirror simply by pressing the “Recall Mirror” button right next to them. Finally, users can now quickly undo and redo brush actions by holding the controller button.

As Google continues to add new features to Tilt Brush, it’s likely that it will continue to gain in popularity among artists and graphic designers. Generally, virtual reality art hasn’t become all that popular just yet, but new VR headsets are launched every year, and more people are adopting the new platform — despite the fact that it’s still considered to be in its infancy. Still, apps like this will likely help artists get used to 3D environments, which could be very helpful going forward.

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Google’s Tilt Brush gets new brushes, ‘Beginner Mode,’ sound effects, and more

Google launched Tilt Brush early last year as a way to offer artists tools in virtual reality. Since then, the app has been made available on a number of platforms, including the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, and has been hailed as one of the most innovative VR apps out there. Now, the company is updating Tilt Brush with a series of new features that should help make it even better than it already is.

For starters, Google has added a hefty seven new brushes, allowing users to create both new textures and new volumes. Using the new brushes, Google says that users will be able to more easily create natural-looking environments or objects. For example, the Hull Brush allows users to easily paint a 3D object just by moving the controller.

Next up is the fact that Google wants to make Tilt Brush better for users regardless of their skill level. Tilt Brush now has two modes: Beginner and advanced. Beginner limits tools a little, but it includes the core feature set that allows users to more easily start using Tilt Brush. Once users are familiar with the features, they can switch to Advanced mode.

Third is the Pin tool, which allows users to easily lock objects in space — so they won’t move around, even when artists are creating environments with a lot of objects.

A number of other tweaks have been added too. There are more sound effects to use, for example, and users can quickly recall their Mirror simply by pressing the “Recall Mirror” button right next to them. Finally, users can now quickly undo and redo brush actions by holding the controller button.

As Google continues to add new features to Tilt Brush, it’s likely that it will continue to gain in popularity among artists and graphic designers. Generally, virtual reality art hasn’t become all that popular just yet, but new VR headsets are launched every year, and more people are adopting the new platform — despite the fact that it’s still considered to be in its infancy. Still, apps like this will likely help artists get used to 3D environments, which could be very helpful going forward.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The Brush Monster makes an augmented reality game out of oral hygiene
• Ready to grill? Here are alternatives to cleaning it with a wire-bristle brush
• Using this A.I.-based healing brush, repairing an image is no biggie
• Cooler Master’s new $79 mechanical keyboard lights up your desk like Christmas
• Nike’s latest patent turns your workout clothes into towels

Win a year’s worth of cupcakes from LG (oh, and some free phones)

Are you called Ryan and in need of a new phone? You’re in luck, as LG has just launched a new ad campaign aimed at making Ryans throughout the U.S. switch to the new LG G7 ThinQ. If you need that deal sweetened, it’s been launched alongside a new sweepstakes that will see one lucky Ryan and seven friends/family receive their very own LG G7 ThinQ, a $25 voucher for the Google Play Store, a billboard in Times Square dedicated to their selfie, an exclusive party, and — most excitingly — a year’s supply of free cupcakes.

Entering the competition is simple — Ryans (or acceptable variants of) can simply head over to whatsitgonnatakeryan.com and fill in the registration details. If you’re not named Ryan, you can either convince a nearby friendly Ryan to enter for you, or (if you’re unfortunately bereft of Ryans), you can enter through the alternate mail-in method set up for people with other names. The competition runs from June 26 until July 12, and the winner will be selected July 18.

Accompanying the bizarre sweepstakes is a suitably bizarre new ad featuring Parks and Recreation actress Aubrey Plaza. The advertisement revolves around Ryan, a normal guy who’s sick of his slow phone, but who lacks the drive to get himself a new phone. As is so often the case with major life decisions, Plaza turns up, telling Ryan to get a new phone — namely, the LG G7 ThinQ. After refusing Plaza (clearly, Ryan moves on with his life, but is hounded by other people who insist on educating him on the benefits of the LG G7 ThinQ. His grandmother even appears on television to tell audiences about Ryan’s terrible phone, how it’s been slowed down by the manufacturer, has terrible battery life, and needs a dongle.

The advertisement finally culminates after Plaza once again enters Ryan’s life by charging through a wall and really sells him on the G7 ThinQ by offering to take a selfie with him.

If you want to know whether the LG G7 ThinQ is right for you, then you don’t need to wait for Plaza to enter like the Kool-Aid Man — you can just check out our LG G7 ThinQ review instead.

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Firefox’s new Monitor service will let you know if you’ve been hacked

As part of its efforts to make Firefox users feel more secure while browsing the web, Mozilla is launching Firefox Monitor to let users know if they’ve been hacked. By integrating Firefox Monitor with web service Have I Been Pwned (HIBP), users of Mozilla’s browser can quickly check to see if they’ve been hacked by entering their email address. Mozilla is trialing the Firefox Monitor service right now and will invite 250,000 of the more than 500 million Firefox users to help test the service next week. After the testing period, Mozilla expects the service to roll out to all Firefox users.

“We decided to address a growing need for account security by developing Firefox Monitor, a proposed security tool that is designed for everyone, but offers additional features for Firefox users,” Mozilla wrote in a blog post detailing the service. “Visitors to the Firefox Monitor website will be able to check (by entering an email address) to see if their accounts were included in known data breaches, with details on sites and other sources of breaches and the types of personal data exposed in each breach.”

The service monitors the web to see if your email is part of a data dump, and if it is, Firefox Monitor will send an alert to your inbox. To keep your email address secure when you’re checking Firefox Monitor to see if you’re a victim of a data breach, Mozilla claims that your information is anonymized and that the service never sends your full email address to a third party outside of Mozilla. Email lookups are performed using hashing prefixes to keep your information secure.

“When searching HIBP for a password, the client SHA-1 hashes it then takes the first five characters and sends this to the API,” HIBP creator and security researcher Troy Hunt wrote on his blog. “In response, a collection of hashes is returned that match that prefix (477 on average). By looking at the hash prefix sent to the service, I have no idea what the password is. It could be any one of those 477 or it could be something totally different, I don’t know. Of course, I could always speculate based on the prevalence of each password but it would never be anything more than that — speculation.”

In addition to alerting users if their data is breached, Mozilla said that it is also evaluating a service to notify you if your personal data was also compromised. Part of Mozilla’s security strategy is to integrate HIBP’s service with Firefox Lockbox, a password manager that automatically fills in usernames and passwords for websites that you visit on Firefox. In the future, Firefox Monitor will be able to verify your stored Lockbox logins against the HIBP database to give you a more detailed look at what services, passwords, usernames, and accounts may have been compromised in a data breach or attack.

Mozilla advises users to download the latest Firefox Quantum browser to prepare for the launch of Firefox Monitor.

In addition to partnering with Mozilla for Firefox Monitor, Hunt is also working with password manager 1Password to allow HIBP lookups from directly within 1Password’s Watchtower feature.

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