World’s first 3D-printed cornea made from algae and human stem cells

The human eye is a remarkably sophisticated organ and like the lens to a camera, it’s the cornea that focuses the flood of photons into a perceptible image. But for an estimated 15 million people around the world, eye disease and trauma make surgery the only path to clear vision.

In the next few years, artificial corneas may become more accessible thanks to new research out of Newcastle University in the United Kingdom. There, researchers mixed stem cells from the cornea of a healthy donor with collagen and algae molecules to create a bio-ink, which they 3D-printed into an artificial cornea. The research is currently just a proof-of-concept but lays the groundwork for future techniques to create low-cost, easy-to-produce bionic eyes.

There were three features required for the bio-ink, according to Che Connon, a professor of tissue engineering at Newcastle.

“One, it needed to be able to keep a stem cell population alive,” he told Digital Trends. “It needed to be extrudable, or thin enough to push through a thin gauge needle to allow for bio-printing. And the material needed to be stiff enough such that it holds it shape, allowing to build up a 3D cornea.”

Connon and his colleagues previously managed to keep stem cells alive for weeks at room temperature in a similar bio-ink. This recent study advanced that research by using a ready-made bio-ink packed with stem cells, without having to wait for the cells to grow separately. The team also demonstrated that they could tailor their 3D-printed cornea to match the unique dimensions of a patient’s eye by taking an image of the cornea and rendering it as a 3D model.

It will take some years still until 3D-printed corneas make it to the market. But, if and when that does happen, the research will prove most beneficial for developing regions where cases of corneal damage is highest and supply of donor corneas are most limited.

“There’s a lack of donor cornea, especially in the less developed world,” Connon said. “They don’t have good eye banks there like they do in the more developed world. That means many people don’t have access to corneal transplantation. And in these less developed nations, there are more instances of burns and infections that can cause corneal blindness.”

A paper detailing the research was published this week in the journal Experimental Eye Research.

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• Record-breaking solar still purifies water with clever geometry and … paper?
• Drug-infused 3D-printed dentures promise to bite back against infections

Best OnePlus 6 Cases

Keep your new phone safe with a quality case.

The OnePlus 6 is the latest from the company that always delivers top-notch hardware and software at a reasonable price.

Their mantra is “Never Settle”, which also applies to buying accessories because you should never settle for a damaged device — especially with many great case options available right at launch. OnePlus offers some great cases made in-house, but we’ve also outlined a few quality third-party cases.

Let’s dive in!

• OnePlus Cases
• OtterBox Case for OnePlus 6
• Poetic Guardian Rugged Clear Case
• Ringke Fusion Clear Case
• TUDIA Heavy Duty Slim Fit Case

OnePlus Cases

OnePlus is one company that does well to support its own phones with quality accessories. For the OnePlus 6, OnePlus has released four great case options at launch. Whether you’re looking for something slim or a folio case that offers substantial protection, OnePlus has got you (and your phone) covered.

• OnePlus 6 Bumper Case: A thin case that wraps around the edge of the phone to provide drop protection without compromising the sleek design of the phone. Available in Ebony, Karbon, or the new Nylon style for $30 direct from OnePlus.

• OnePlus 6 Protective Case: Even thinner than the bumper case and more lightweight, this case is designed to perfectly match the OnePlus 6 and offer reliable protection without adding any bulk to the phone. Available in both Karbon or Sandstone styles for just $25 direct from OnePlus.

• OnePlus 6 Silicone Protective Case: This vibrant red case is made of rugged silicone with a microfibre lining to keep your phone safe from both drop damage and scratches. Get yours for just $20 direct from OnePlus.

• OnePlus 6 Flip Cover: For those who love the look and design of a folio wallet case, OnePlus has you covered with this flip cover case in black. With smart features that unlock or lock the phone by opening or closing the cover and a card slot on the inside for a credit card or ID, this case is perfect for those looking for an elegant and classy case. Get yours for just $20 direct from OnePlus.

If you’re planning to buy a couple different accessories from OnePlus, be sure to check out the bundles section of their online store, where you’ll be able to find great deals that include a case, screen protector, and charging accessories.

OtterBox Commuter Case for OnePlus 6

Also available direct from OnePlus, OtterBox has stepped up with itss popular Commuter case for the OnePlus 6.

This dual-layer case is designed to be rugged and durable without impeding your ability to comfortably use your phone. Combining a soft inner layer with a hard outer shell, the OtterBox Commuter case for the OnePlus 6 will keep your phone well protected with port covers included to block out dirt and pocket lint.

You can get yours from the OnePlus website for just $30.

See at OnePlus

Poetic Guardian Rugged Clear Case

Poetic has a number of case styles available for the OnePlus 6 that are available to browse through on Amazon but won’t be in stock until June 15.

If you’re able to wait until mid-June for a case, you’ll get a quality product with the Poetic Guardian, a full-body case that offers supreme protection for your phone along with an included tempered glass screen protector as well. A polycarbonate frame is bolstered by a TPU bumper around the perimeter of the case which offers great protection from drops, while the clear back plate allows the phone’s design to shine through.

This case is available in four different color styles and can be yours for just $19.

See at Amazon

Ringke Fusion Clear Case

The Ringke Fusion case is one of those cases that’s available for practically any phone you can buy, and is a go-to style for millions of smartphone users around the world — and for good reason.

This reliably awesome case is sleek and minimalist offers the protection you need for your phone without impeding your ability to use the phone. There’s lifted bezels around the edge of the display as well as around the camera and fingerprint sensor to keep everything scratch-free, and they’ve also included an optional lanyard to add an extra layer of drop prevention.

You can get the crystal clear version of this case for $10, or a smoky black version for just $11, with the cases in stock by June 8.

See at Amazon

TUDIA Heavy Duty Slim Fit Case

For those looking for a heavy duty case with a minimalist look, this case from TUDIA will check your boxes.

This two-layer case will keep your phone protected with a form-fitted TPU sleeve that’s reinforced with a polycarbonate shell to keep your phone protected. Raised edges around the display and the camera keep those safe from scratches, too, and there are precise cutouts around the ports and speakers.

Available for $11, you can get this case in your choice of four color styles.

See at Amazon

Which case do you plan to get?

Let us know how you plan to keep your OnePlus 6 protected in the comments below!

OnePlus 6

• OnePlus 6 review
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5T: How much changes in six months?
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5: Should you upgrade?
• These are the official OnePlus 6 cases
• The OnePlus 6 doesn’t work on Verizon or Sprint
• Join the discussion in the forums

Blu Pure View review

LISTEN TO: Our latest podcast!

Whereas the spring and early summer is when most phone companies introduce their flagship devices, others tend to deliver products along the rest of the spectrum. For every killer handset launched there are likely a dozen models in the entry level and mid-range.

Such it the case with the Pure View, Blu’s newest phone. With a standard retail price expected to be $199.99, it competes with the likes of the Moto G5 Plus and some of Nokia’s latest.

EDITOR NOTE: At launch the Blu Pure View comes with a steep $70 discount, putting it at just $129.99 for the phone.

Additionally, we’ve had the review unit in our possession for roughly one week prior to publication. This will be updated to reflect any changes in opinion.

Although it’s not exactly a successor to any other products, it definitely fits in Blu’s scheme of things. Similar to its other brethren of 2018, it’s an unlocked handset which works with either AT&T or T-Mobile’s networks as well as any of their respective MVNO brands.

For those of you living outside of the US, the globally unlocked device works with Orange, Vodafone, and other service providers. It is a dual-SIM phone meaning you can pull service from two carriers at once. Those who travel will also appreciate the peace of mind in allowing for a temporary SIM card.

First Impressions

Let’s get to it. What’s missing or wrong with the Pure View? Surely you can’t have a killer experience for just $200, right? Well, at first glance it’s not unlike the other Blu phones from the last few months. Does that mean it cuts corners? Yes. Does that mean it’s a good value for its money? Yep.

Getting into the box we find headphones, a microUSB charger, a silicon protective case, and a sticker. A screen protector is already installed so you don’t have to mess with bubbles or off-centered placement.

The headphones tell us we’ve got a 3.5mm headphone jack, a good sign. The microUSB charger signals Blu’s sticking with the older plug standard. Ehh. We’ve griped about this on other models from Blu and don’t like it in our flagships. It’s passable here if only because of the price point.

The phone feels solid, albeit a little on the heavier side of things. The metal housing and 5.7-inch design lead us to view it “dense”. Speaking of which, the very moment you touch the rear of the phone you are adding fingerprints and smudges. Yikes. The review unit we have is black and it really looks terrible in the wrong (right) lighting.

The silicon protective case is nice in that it keeps you from scratching and scuffing the phone. It likely won’t withstand a drop any better than going without, but we appreciate the gesture.

Hardware

In terms of layout, it’s pretty much like any other model you’ve seen from the last year or so. The volume rocker and power button are on the right side of the display; there’s no knurling present on the power but they are spaced out well enough that you’re not accidentally powering off instead of turning volume down.

The microUSB port, single speaker, and 3.5mm headphone jack are on the bottom of the phone while the SIM card slots/microSD card slot are at the very top. A slight departure from other Blu models, but nothing crazy like moving the charger to the top.

The dual-camera setup is off to the left of the earpiece while an indicator light blinks to the right of it. Around back you’ll locate the camera with the fingerprint sensor just below. It’s in a nice position and stands out, but we recommend feeling for it from the bottom up. In other words, start by swiping your finger lower and moving upwards. At least until you get the feel for it, otherwise you’ll put smears on the camera lens.

The phone feels like a nice blend of “premium” and “affordability”. It’s nothing overly sexy or sleek, but we’ve felt much more generic builds. In an era where a lot of companies are delivering unique colors, the black is a little uninspiring.

Key Specifications

• Android v7.0 Nougat
• Mediatek 6753 | 1.3GHz Quad Core Processor with Mali-T720
• 32GB Internal Storage with microSD (up to 64GB)
• 3GB RAM Memory
• 5.7-inch 720 x 1,440 pixel display
• 13-megapixel rear camera
• Dual 8-megapixel front-facing cameras
• 3,000mAh battery
• Network:
  • 3G: 850/900/1700/1900/2100
  • 4G LTE: 1/2/3/4/7/12/17/28

Build & Design

The Pure View comes with a 5.7-inch display which is pretty much what you’ll get in most mid-range phones of the day. With the 18:9 aspect ratio it feels slender and comfortable in hand. The resolution is just 720 x 1,449 pixels which counts as HD, but it’s lower than what most companies are doing at around the same price.

We don’t take much issue the resolution at this price point. Fortunately for us, screen resolution is an area where it’s hard for the average person to discern the differences in casual usage.

Reading text is fine for the most part, and images and video play as well as we’d like. Keeping in mind that a lot of content is streamed at lower resolutions by default, we’re content with it. Remember that many carriers will adjust video streams to “DVD quality” or 480 pixels. In other words that’s lower than what the screen offers.

Lower resolution displays keep the cost down, but also help to extend battery life. Do note that if you plan to use your phone in a VR headset, you will see the difference. At that distance and magnification you would certainly notice all the little dots – or lack thereof.

Camera

The Pure View offers up a 13-megapixel rear camera with an f/2.2 aperture. On paper it should allow for a decent amount of light in and take  When it comes to indoor and low lighting conditions we found the phone really struggled. Taking pictures in dark rooms and using the flash produced a shocking amount of white and simply too much light.

To be fair, we didn’t set out thinking the phone was going to handle very well in those conditions. It doesn’t take long to figure out what a camera’s limitations are and what you can (and can’t) get from it. Having spent plenty of time with other Blu phones, we have a pretty good idea where things will end up with the Pure View.

You’ll get the best results when you don’t rely on HDR or can when you can hold the phone very still. Still life, like food or scenery, come across nicely, especially if you tweak them through a filter.

Around front we have two cameras in the form of a pair of 8-megapixel shooters. One of them grabs wide angle images at 120 degrees so it’s perfect for group selfies or when you want to grab the background in your group shots.

There’s not a lot going on with the camera app itself and really leaves us wanting more. We dig minimalism and not being spoon-fed instructions, but this was rough.

You’ll get what you assume is six shooting modes for the rear with four modes for front-facing shots. With only icons to signal what they are, you get QR reader, HDR, panoramic, night, beauty, and automatic for the rear. Or, you can tap the arrow on the left side of the screen and nine filters. Here’s where you get sepia tone, negative, posterize, and other, similar settings. Why “filtered” wasn’t included among the modes is beyond us.

As expected, HDR pictures take longer to snap and process. We like to shoot as much as possible in HDR so it was hard for us to keep that off. Automatic modes delivers lower overall quality, including color accuracy and vibrancy.

For whatever reason, we found the camera struggled with adding white and brightness to images where it didn’t exist. Many of the pic we took ended up with more washed out and weird treatment of white. Using the flash really dials it up; it’s very stark and harsh when used in low light settings.

Given the cost of the Pure View, we were okay with the end results. Nothing we had popped out to where we were excited to share, but it’s decent enough for social media and quick sharing.

Much of what we do with our photos tends to live in the cloud or are viewed from mobile devices; tweak your pictures in an app, upload to social media, and that’s about it. If that sounds like you, the Pure View works respectably.

Software

One of things we’ve come to like from Blu is that its phones are pretty much untouched builds of Android. That’s the same here with the Pure View as it’s almost strictly Google apps with a small mix of apps sprinkled in. Other than that, and throughout the experience, it’s about the same look and feel that you get straight from Google.

In a departure from other Blu models, the first time you start up the Pure View you are greeted with a custom app interface. It’s here where you’ll have the so-called opportunity to install apps and games before going about the final setup.

It’s a small curated selection with decent titles (Snapchat, Netflix, Uber, Waze, Feedly, etc.) and you’re not forced to pick anything. We’re betting that one or two of the apps offered help to keep the cost down on the phone. Nevertheless, expect to see it upon the first few screens.

As for pre-loaded software, our review unit had Amazon, Prime Video, Sound Recorder, and Opera mixed with the full suite of Google apps and services. Google titles include Drive, Duo, Calendar, Gmail, Messages, Maps, Photos, YouTube, Play Music, Play Movies & TV, and the Play Store.

The View Plus runs Android 7.0 Nougat, which is technically two full versions behind what’s available today, if you count P beta. Most models released now run 8.0 Oreo out of the box, be it standard, Android One, or Android Go. It would have been nice to have here.

How much does that matter to the target demographic? Probably not as much as it does to fanboys, enthusiasts, and Android loyalists. Average users likely don’t know Android releases from one iteration to the next.

One feeling we often echo for low-cost devices, or those from Blu, is that you might want to consider the device “as is” when it comes to software. More specifically, you ought not look for Android updates. We’re left wondering why they went with 7.0 especially this late in the game and considering they’ve had 8.0 on other devices.

With that said, Android 7.0 still means much of the latest in protection from Google; the design principles and UI is largely on par with everything else. Sure, the stuff in 8.0 is more finely tuned and a little more customizable, but it’s not absolutely necessary. Moreover, it’s newer than what a lot of current Android users have today.

For what it’s worth, we noticed that this had the Android security patch dated from March 5, 2018. As long as security, malware, and other threats are dealt with in a timely or orderly fashion it shouldn’t prove to be much of an issue.

Performance

We’ve only had the review unit in our possession for about one week. With that said, we have not had the chance to truly put the phone through its paces. Specifically, we didn’t set this up as a daily driver or install the full set of apps and accounts that normally touch our phones.

We did install a handful of games and a couple of must-have apps that we like to keep close at hand. With about 8GB of the 32GB accounted for out of the box, you’ve got around 24GB of internal space to work with. Don’t forget the microSD card for media like photos and music as well as other apps

We’re generally used to having phones with 4GB of memory and higher end processors. How does that equate so far with the Pure View? It certainly gets the job done, particularly if your demands are minimal.

Hopping to and from emails, messaging, and various social media is no problem for this phone. Watching videos, casual gaming, browsing through Chrome, and doing the “everyday” was as expected.

Given the specifications, and our experiences with other Blu devices with similar hardware, we don’t see any issue for the target demographic. If you’re a heavy user, you won’t even look in this direction. If you’re new to smartphones, or are replacing something that’s a few years old, this is a great solution.

Conclusion

As we see with pretty much everything Blu does, the Pure View balances affordability and performance. It comes with an attractive price tag, has the hot new aspect ratio, and a decent set of hardware.

On the other hand, there are a few questionable choices. Why no USB Type C or Android 8.0? What’s with that setup screen that asks us to install apps right out of the gate? Why no other color besides black? Small stuff on their own, yes, but they do add up.

We’ve got no problem recommending the Pure View, especially in its early days where it’s discounted by $70. We don’t know how long that price will last, but it is expected to go up to $199.99. Obviously we like it much better at $129.99; perhaps $169.99 might be a better long-term sticker.

If you’re in the market for an unlocked phone, or have a tighter budget to work with, consider the Blu Pure View. Moreover, if you’re looking to pick up something for a young teen on AT&T, T-Mobile, or their prepaid networks, this is a decent starting place.

Apple fans shouldn’t expect new MacBooks at WWDC this year

Stephen Lam/Stringer/Getty Images

A new report suggests that Apple won’t be announcing any new hardware this coming Monday, June 4 at WWDC.

Apple’s WWDC is a developers conference, but it’s often used as a platform to launch new hardware. Sometimes it’s new iPads, iPhones, MacBooks, iMacs, or even a new Apple Watch or HomePod. But according to this new report from Bloomberg, that won’t be the case this year.

Rather than being product-focused, the emphasis of the event will be on software updates to iOS and MacOS, as well as an overhaul to ARKit. The report details that we’ll get a new mode in ARKit 2.0 that allows two people to play AR games against each other in the same environment on their iPhones. Sounds cool, but again, just don’t expect an announcement about that rumored AR headset we’ve been hearing about for years now.

Bloomberg’s piece doesn’t claim any specific sources, but it’s in line with other recent reporting on the matter, suggesting that the update to the entire MacBook lineup will happen in late 2018 — rather than at WWDC. On the other hand, Apple could give us the CPU bump we’ve been waiting for in MacBook Pros, without needing much of an announcement.

On the laptop side of things in particular, we’ve been waiting for news on refreshed MacBook Pros, as well a redesigned entry-level MacBook Air. The current MacBook Air has been ignored for years, while continuing to sell well for Apple as a budget-friendly entry-point into the Apple ecosystem. In the meantime, looks like we’ll have to keep waiting.

One interesting tidbit from the report is a mention of more interplay between iOS and MacOS. Bloomberg claims that the “focus this year will be on integrating more deeply with iOS.” We doubt that Apple will be ready to introduce iOS apps to the Mac or anything like that, we’d be delighted to hear about some more meaningful integration between the two platforms. With even Twitter pulling its official Mac out of the App Store, it’s really time for Apple to re-convince developers that it’s worth putting resources into.

The keynote to the event starts on Monday, June 4 at 10 a.m. PT, and we’ll be watching it live on our Twitch channel starting Monday morning.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Here’s what to expect at Apple’s WWDC 2018: iOS 12, iPhone SE 2, and more
• Apple Store hints you shouldn’t buy a new MacBook Pro until after WWDC
• Apple could be secretly working on an ARM-based, touchscreen computer
• At WWDC 2018, Apple to show off its latest software innovations
• Apple is launching a pride Apple Watch face on June 4 — but you can get it now

50,000 Las Vegas workers set to strike, demand protection from robots

They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but a strike planned by hospitality workers across Sin City could plunge its bright lights and late nights into functional darkness, and inspire similar demonstrations across the nation.

Among the demands of the 50,000 members of the Culinary Workers Union are higher wages, better job security, and protections against automation. The workers, whose contracts are up on June 1, are employed by more than 30 of the city’s renowned resorts.

“We know that many hospitality jobs are slated to be automated in the next coming years, so we want to make sure that we’re innovative and thinking about how we can protect workers and their jobs,” Bethany Khan, director of communications at the Culinary Workers Union, told Digital Trends. “Our automation and technology proposals deal with protecting workers. We know technology is coming and we want to make sure that workers are protected and have a say in how technology is implemented in their workplace.”

The real-world impact of automation is tough to understate. In the decade after 2000, robots and A.I. were responsible for about 87 percent of jobs lost in the United States, according to one study. American jobs as a whole face cutbacks of 38 percent by 2030, according to another. The issue is significant enough for the Executive Office of the President put together a 55-page report outlining how technologies like A.I. And robotics could displace millions of workers.

Automation is also likely to affect workers across the board. Both blue-collar jobs, such as truckers and hospitality workers, and white-collar ones, such as attorneys and financial advisors, are at risk.

Workers in hospitality have already felt the impact of these changes, as fast food restaurants and hotels have increasingly implemented automated systems, from ordering screens to self-check-ins. There are also behind the scenes cases, the ones customers don’t directly interact with, that may increase efficiency but decrease employment opportunities.

“There’s all kinds of ways robots and automation are impacting the workplace,” Khan said. “It’s already doing that for prep-cooks, for example. They used to prepare the food to go into the main dish, but now much of that is prepared off sight in factories.”

For members of the Culinary Workers Union, this strike isn’t so much a show of outright opposition to technology as it is an effort to integrate disruptive tech into a compatible role with humans.

“We think technology can be supportive and we want to make sure that we can grow with technology,” Khan said. “Technology can enhance the customer and guest experience, and employers really face the dilemma — they can either have technology be supportive in the workplace or be responsible for mass layoffs that can impact the entire hospitality economy.”

Editors’ Recommendations

• Flippy gets fired: Burger bot shut down after one day on the job
• Construction companies are welcoming their new robot workers
• Does Project Maven’s use of Google’s A.I. tech violate ‘Don’t Be Evil’ credo?
• IBM breaks law by allegedly firing older workers for young ones, report says
• Apple and Volkswagen are reportedly partnering to build self-driving vans

Watching liquid crystals undulate under a microscope will melt your brain

Sure, LCD displays are yesterday’s news compared to the swanky OLED displays we see on flagship handsets like the iPhone X and Samsung Galaxy S9. However, the liquid crystals which allow them to function are pretty darn awesome — as a trippy new video makes abundantly clear. Serving as a promo video for musician Max Cooper’s Music of the Tides, it uses footage shot by scientist and engineer Ben Outram to give a glimpse of liquid crystals as they appear under the microscope.

“Most people are familiar with phase transitions like between ice and water, and water and steam,” Outram told Digital Trends. “In some materials, which are common in biological systems, there exist extra phases of matter called liquid crystals. Unlike water, they are fluids that have some crystal symmetry properties. This combination of fluidity and structure results in mesmerizing visuals under a polarizing optical microscope. They are especially beautiful when they undergo phase transitions, where what you are seeing is the rapid self-assembly of matter between different flowing structures: a process that is reflected in the cells of every living organism since the origin of life.”

If you’re wondering why Outram knows so much about liquid crystal science, it’s because it was the subject of his PhD at Oxford and Leeds Universities. The photos, meanwhile, will be the subject of an upcoming book he’s writing for the Institute of Physics.

“The main challenge is knowing which liquid crystals, and which conditions, produce the most effective visuals,” he continued. “The kinds of structures useful for science and technology tend to be uniform, controlled, stationary, and boring. [My photography is about] taking the liquid crystals into conditions that are outside of their use in technology. For example, I photographed a lot of unusual phases, columnar, smectic, and long-pitch cholesterics. I got a lot of suggestions and support from researchers and students at Leeds University. Messing around with floating pools of liquid crystal near their melting temperature, inducing flow, and adding additional chemicals like detergent [added up to] misspent hours of mucking around doing things you’re not supposed to, just to get the thrill of seeing nature doing something intricate and amazing.”

We think the results speak for themselves. Once you add Max Cooper’s music and editing by Jennifer Tividad into the mix, the whole experience resembles the nerdiest acid trip since Steve Jobs took LSD.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Researchers can now create 3D-printed structures made entirely of liquid
• Acer Switch 7 Black Edition review
• Reebok debuts the Liquid Floatride Run, its latest 3D-printed shoe
• ‘Shadow of the Tomb Raider’ gameplay will debut at Tribeca Film Festival
• Ring Spotlight Cam Wired review

Chrome now supports the new password-free login standard

Although Google’s Chrome browser already enabled “password-free” logins by supporting the FIDO (Fast IDentity Online) U2F standard, the latest desktop version hitting the stable channel this week, Chrome 67, now includes support for the new WebAuthn standard. But don’t worry: If you previously used physical security keys to log into Facebook and Google, they won’t need a replacement given WebAuthn is backward compatible. 

If you’re not sure as to what all this means, websites, browser developers, device manufacturers, and the FIDO Alliance have been working together to eliminate passwords since 2014. The platform relies on cryptographic keys thus login credentials are never stored on your device or on the servers hosting your favorite service. 

The first FIDO standard arrived in December 2014 followed by FIDO U2F in June 2015 and FIDO2 in April 2018. The first two standards rely on secondary devices, like Yubico’s Security Key and YubiKey NEO USB-based devices, to create these cryptographic keys. Other supported technologies include Bluetooth, Near Field Communication (NFC), and biometrics. The alliance began working with the World Wide Web Consortium to create a client-side standard called WebAuthn in early 2016. 

The idea behind WebAuthn is to bring the cryptographic key creation and exchange directly to the browser. Prior to WebAuthn support, logins rely on passwords even though you don’t need to enter credentials each time you log onto a service: Physical security keys and biomeetric devices merely “authenticate” those credentials. But with WebAuthn support in place, you sign into an account only with a username: No password is required.

“In many cases, this single factor authentication is more secure than other forms of two-factor authentication (such as SMS), as there are no secrets that can be phished remotely,” a representative from Yubico told Digital Trends. “WebAuthn has also been blessed by the W3C, which means that all major web browsers are engaged to add support.”

Based on the current demo, you still need some form of physical “security token” like Yubico’s products or hardware supporting facial recognition and fingerprint scanning. As the demo shows, you can create an account without the need to submit a password, but the demo requires access to a physical key or connected biometric device. WebAuthn will eventually support biometrics on mobile devices, too. 

The big takeaway here is that a password-free internet is becoming more mainstream. This method protects WebAuthn-compliant accounts from server-side hacks, on-device malware, and hackers tapping into your internet connection. Firefox 60 introduced WebAdmn support in early May while the mainstream version of Microsoft Edge will include support in the next several months. 

Outside the new WebAuthn component, Chrome 67 includes a new Generic Sensor application programming interface (API). This enables the browser to support accelerometers, gyroscopes, orientation and motion sensors in web-based applications. For instance, a web app within Chrome can now detect movement speed if the parent device contains an accelerometer. 

Chrome 67 also now includes the WebXR Device API (aka web extended reality). According to Google, this feature will provide unified augmented and virtual reality experiences across desktop and mobile spanning from the smartphone-based Samsung Gear VR to the HTC Vive and Windows Mixed Reality headsets. The new API is available as an “origin trial,” Google states, and supports home shopping, art, immersive 360-degree videos, data visualization, traditional 2D and 3D videos presented in immersive surroundings, and games. 

Other features in the latest version of Chrome include the ability for web pages to process mouse events to disable the back and forward mouse buttons in web-based games. On Windows, the right-hand ALT key now serves as AltGraph on some layouts. The list goes on regarding SVG, DOM, custom elements in HTML, and more developer-centric details. 

Editors’ Recommendations

• Major web browsers will support web-based fingerprint, facial authentication
• Firefox 60 is the first browser to support password-free internet logins
• Chrome’s desktop browser now supports web-based VR on the Oculus Rift
• Lenovo’s Mirage Solo headset and VR camera are available for pre-order
• What are Google Pay and Google Pay Send? Here’s what you need to know

Nvidia could debut GTX 11-series graphics cards this summer

A posting for this year’s Hot Chips conference strongly suggests we will see Nvidia’s latest GeForce 11-series graphics cards debut this summer. The listing indicates that Nvidia’s Stuart Oberman will be introducing a new “mainstream graphics card” at the conference, and given Nvidia’s track record, it’s likely we’ll see the cards debut ahead of the conference.

According to WccfTech, Nvidia typically releases some information about upcoming graphics cards in advance of Hot Chips and using the conference as a platform to expand on what we already know about the upcoming graphics cards. So, it’s likely we’ll see some official announcement this summer, in addition to the information we’ve already been able to gather about the upcoming GPU series.

Detailed specifications of Nvidia’s rumored next-generation graphics card, the GTX 1180, have appeared online already at the TechPowerUp GPU database — giving us an in-depth look at the capabilities of the upcoming card. The listing is likely an engineering sample, and therefore subject to change by the time consumer hardware is released, but this gives us our best idea yet of just how powerful the card might be.

Nvidia has expanded its lineup slowly but steadily over the years; the last time it debuted a new graphics card range was the Pascal lineup in 2016. It’s been rather successful, despite problems with pricing and availability over the past year. But progress marches forward and we expect Nvidia’s next generation to debut in the coming months, with the GTX 1180 at its head.

We’ve already seen hints of the “Volta” generation with the Titan V enterprise card, but consumers will be looking for something more affordable and down to earth. Although it may debut under the “Turing” banner, the GTX 1180 will be a top-tier graphics card when released and is likely to be much more affordable (despite rumors to the contrary).

In the TechPowerUp database listing, the GTX 1180 is said to be based on the GV104 graphics chip, which is built on a 12nm process. It features 3,584 shader units and 224 texture mapping units — a noticeable increase over the GTX 1080’s 2,560 and 160 respectively. The core clock is said to be 1,405MHz at idle, boosting to 1,582MHz as required, though as enthusiast site WCCFTech highlights, clock speeds are the most likely aspect of this graphics card to change by its release, especially when you consider third-party overclocked versions.

In terms of memory, the GTX 1180 reportedly sports a little more than 16GB of GGDR6, the newest generation of graphics memory. With a claimed memory clock of 1,500MHz (12,000 MHz effective), it delivers a bandwidth of 384 GBps. That is 64 more than the GTX 1080.

One of the most impressive aspects of this card is its power draw. It’s said to require just 200 watts — more than the GTX 1080, yet significantly less than AMD’s last top-end cards, the Vega 56 and 64, which pull upward of 300w in some settings.

No release date or pricing data has been revealed for Nvidia’s next-generation graphics cards as of yet, but with Computex swiftly approaching in early June, we may learn more or see an official unveiling of the cards then.

Updated on May 31: Added latest info about Nvidia’s potential release window.

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The sound of destruction: Malicious video, audio files could attack laptops

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

If someone sends you an email with a video or audio file, you might want to think twice before hitting play. Researchers from the University of Michigan and China’s Zhejiang University have discovered that attackers can use certain sounds played through your PC speakers to cause physical damage to hard drives, which might lead to data corruption. The attacks could possibly target PCs, medical devices, and surveillance systems that rely on magnetic disk drives.

These malicious audio files contain ultrasonic and sonic sounds, and playing the file for as little as 12 seconds was enough to cause damage to a PC’s drive, The Independent reported. In addition to physical drive damage, the acoustics could also lead to file corruptions by disrupting the drives to the point that they can no longer write data.

“Intentional acoustic interference causes unusual errors in the mechanics of magnetic hard disk drives in desktop and laptop computers, leading to damage to integrity and availability in both hardware and software such as file system corruption and operating system reboots,” the researchers wrote in their paper. “An adversary without any special-purpose equipment can co-opt built-in speakers or nearby emitters to cause persistent errors.”

In order for the attack to work, the acoustic vibrations must be strong enough and the attack must be difficult to detect or stop. The researchers found that the sound waves cause the head stack assembly to vibrate outside of the operational bounds, resulting in a head crash on a hard drive. These physical drive errors can lead to data corruption at the application or operating system levels.

Given that most modern laptops and a number of desktops now rely on solid-state drives for data storage, consumers working on a newer PC shouldn’t be vulnerable to these types of attack. If you’re on an older PC or rely on a hard disk drive for backups, you may still be affected if someone sends you a malicious audio file. However, hospitals and data centers are still vulnerable because of the high use of magnetic disk systems in those environments, the researchers said.

To mitigate attacks, researchers have created a new sensor fusion model that could be delivered through a firmware update. Using a new feedback controller, once malicious ultrasonic waves are detected, the firmware would help prevent unnecessary head parking in the hard drive.

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The best video-editing software

If you’re working on a professional vlog, building a business brand online, or just trying to impress everyone with some great family video — then you need a great video editor. These editors will help you manage the largest projects, find just the effects you want, or create professional-grade videos in minutes with the latest automated features.

If you’ve already moved on from the great free options out there, the list below represents the best professional options, all of which will cost you a pretty penny.

The best

Adobe Premiere

Elements 2018 got a major upgrade from previous versions of the software, focusing on guided edits that are perfect for newcomers who are still learning the best ways to edit their videos. Plus, unlike many Adobe products, Elements is still available is a one-time-fee download, so you don’t have to worry about monthly payments.

The software splits its time between movies, slideshows, and animated GIFs, depending on what you want to create. There’s plenty of automation, including auto-curation for all your past video files, making this a particularly great option for families that want to produce top-notch videos or more casual users who want to make brief social media videos without investing too much time. Of course, more experienced professional users may prefer the pricey Adobe Premiere Pro, but Elements has broader appeal for the average buyer.

Find out more at:

Amazon

The rest

Apple Final Cut Pro

Working on a Mac? Apple’s Final Cut Pro is expensive but one of best video editors available on Mac. Apple updated Final Cut Pro in 2017 with a new version of the software that transformed basically everything, offering a fluid interface that works like a dream — once you master all of the ins and outs.

It offers comprehensive video and audio editing designed for detailed work and longer productions, with some of the best clip labeling and management that we’ve seen. And while the primary software is a little lacking in digital effects (it focuses more on color adjustment and transitions), you can download FxPlug plugins to help round out the system.

Find out more at:

Apple

Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve 15

Blackmagic’s professional DaVinci Resolve suite is perfect for editing teams, classes, and managing multiple large projects at the same time. Each tool in the suite, from user collaboration and chat functions to Fairlight Audio compatibility, is designed for pro editing.

Thanks to built-in Fusion FX, some of the most detailed color correction we’ve seen, and all the clip stitching tools you can imagine, there’s no video you can’t tackle with this software. It also pairs well with Blackmagic modular micro panels designed to work with the suite (particularly friendly for in-depth audio editing). Of course, an offering that includes nearly everything possible also has a pretty steep learning curve, so those not in the professional field might want something easier to learn.

Find out more at:

Amazon

Avid Media Composer

Similar to DaVinci Resolve, Avid Media Composer is a business suite of tools designed for the pros, particularly larger studios with ambitious projects. It offers as much detailed control as possible over tracks, coloring, workflow management, resolution (up to 4K), VFX creation, motion effects — and well, pretty much everything is on the list here. That’s also why the software costs $20 per month to use, and requires a robust computer setup to master. Preferably with a very large screen, since Avid’s interface is particularly detailed and many tools are tiny.

Also, Avid offers Media Composer First, which is a free version that limits you to combining up to four video sources at only 1080p. That’s plenty for many projects, and all you need is an Avid Master Account, making this one of the most powerful free downloads available.

Find out more at:

Avid

Vegas Pro Edit

A common pick for many hardworking vloggers, Vegas Pro Edit offers one of the best customizable interfaces in the business. It allows you to place the exact tools you need in the right spaces, so no part of the screen is wasted as you work.

The latest version offers full 4k support, instant free frame, event attribute management, a number of handy OFX plugins for pic-in-pic, lookup tables, and much more. If you already have plenty of experience editing videos but are still looking for software for your personal projects, take time to check out Vegas.

Find out more at:

Amazon

Corel VideoStudio Pro X10

If you are looking for a more affordable solution (keep in mind there are also plenty of free video editors available), Corel’s suite is only around $65 but still provides many valuable tools for syncing, editing, and converting footage. The downloaded includes more than 1,500 customizable effects, transitions, and other features you can add to your video.

You can also combine footage from up to four different cameras to examine a scene from different angles, as well as mapping clips for different time frames to slow down or speed up footage according to your requirements.

Find out more at:

Amazon

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