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20
Jul

OpenSignal names T-Mobile the best mobile network in almost all categories


According to the latest OpenSignal report, T-Mobile takes first place for fastest 4G download speed and all other categories. — except two. As with last year’s report, the carrier was beat out by AT&T, which snagged the top spot for latency. T-Mobile also tied with Verizon for 4G availability.

OpenSignal monitors the performance of mobile networks using crowdsourced data with the OpenSignal app. The app compares the performance of networks in surrounding areas and tests the speed of the mobile connections.

This quarter’s report collected more than 8 billion measurements from over 385,679 devices throughout a 90-day test period between the months of March and June. The analysis compares 4G LTE speed, 4G availability, and more, offered by T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint.

Overall, average 4G download speeds have increased amongst all four carriers. Verizon and T-Mobile specifically, have surpassed 20Mbps for average 4G download speeds. Sprint and AT&T both trail closely behind at 14.46Mbps and 15.08Mbps, respectively.

While T-Mobile wins for 4G and 3G download speed, along with 4G upload speed, it’s still struggling with 4G latency. AT&T managed to win the award with an average response time of 54.1 milliseconds on its LTE networks — over 4ms since the last six months.

In OpenSignal’s last report, T-Mobile managed to beat Verizon for the top spot for 4G availability by half a percentage point. This time around, both carriers were tied for first place. But there was still some progress made — the report shows that T-Mobile’s 4G availability has increased by half a percentage point. This could be due to the fact that the carrier has been using low-frequency airwaves to expand its LTE reach. Verizon, on the other hand, has been highlighting its improvements via a new TV ad campaign.

Even though they didn’t manage to take the top two spots, AT&T and Sprint did see availability gains. AT&T’s availability score grew from 87 percent to 88.4 percent in six months. Sprint saw the biggest increase amongst the four carriers, rising two full percentage points to 87.7 percent.

Both carriers also experienced similar results for 4G speeds. While AT&T saw a decrease in the category after reintroducing unlimited plans last year, the carrier managed to grow its LTE download speed over 17 percent over the last year — bringing it to 15.1Mbps.

But the biggest year-over-year increase was from Sprint, who had a 48 percent jump bringing its LTE download connection to 14.5Mbps. If Sprint continues on the same path, it could jump to third place in OpenSignal’s next report.

While the report proves that T-Mobile is the fastest network as of right now, it’s clear Sprint has made some significant improvements. The advancements come only a few months after the carrier announced its agreement to merge with T-Mobile. The merger could mean an improvement in overall 5G wireless technology, which promises pervasive connectivity and faster speeds.

Editors’ Recommendations

  • Everything you need to know about the T-Mobile and Sprint merger
  • Verizon doesn’t care about Sprint and T-Mobile merger
  • T-Mobile and Sprint are merging — here’s what it means for you
  • Switching to the ‘Un-carrier?’ Here’s a breakdown of T-Mobile’s plans
  • Xfinity Mobile will throttle streaming resolution to 480p, hot spots at 3G



20
Jul

The Xiaomi Mi Max 3 has a tablet-sized screen and a huge battery


Remember when the race was on to see who could create the smallest phone in the world? Those days are long gone, and it’s no longer too difficult to find a phone that’s big enough to also double as a tea tray in times of need.

But those phones aren’t big enough for you — you want a truly massive phone. That’s where the Xiaomi Mi Max 3 comes in. With a tablet-sized 6.9-inch screen, the Mi Max 3 is the phone for anyone who really wants a phone bigger than their head. Here’s everything you need to know about the enormous Xiaomi Mi Max 3.

Design and display

First thing’s first — the Xiaomi Mi Max 3’s absolutely enormous display. It’s a 6.9-inch IPS LCD running a 2,160 x 1,080-pixel resolution in an 18:9 resolution. That gives it a pixels-per-inch measurement of 350, making it far from one of the sharpest phones we’ve ever seen, but it should be clear enough for most.

As you might expect, the body is big too, and the Mi Max 3 towers over even the Galaxy Note 8 by over half an inch in height — but thanks to a bezel-less design, it’s not quite approaching small tablet size in footprint. Slim bezels run up the sides of the phone, leading into a fairly slim forehead and chin. Not the slimmest we’ve seen, but not terrible for a midrange phone. The front-facing selfie camera can be found at the top, along with the phone’s earpiece. You’ll find a headphone jack at the top of the device, and a USB-C port at the bottom.

Flip the phone over and you’ll find a dual-lens camera system stacked vertically in the iPhone X-style. Unlike the iPhone though, you’ll also find a fingerprint sensor here, too, placed centrally fairly far up the back of the phone. We’ll have to see whether the extremely large size of the phone means that reaching the sensor will be a chore.

Specs and battery

Key Specs


CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 636


Memory: 4/6GB


Storage: 64/128GB


MicroSD storage: Up to 256GB


Screen size: 6.9 inches


Resolution: 2,160 x 1,080


Connectivity: GSM/CDMA/LTE


Battery: 5,500mAh


Size: 176.2 x 87.4 x 8 mm


Weight: 221 g (7.80 oz)


Operating system: Android 8.1 Oreo (under MIUI 9.5)

Xiaomi’s Mi Max line has traditionally been a midrange offering, despite the size, and the Mi Max 3 is no different in that regard. It’s powered by a Snapdragon 636 processor — the same processor on the speedy Moto Z3 Play — and offers the choice between 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, or 6GB of RAM and a hefty 128GB of storage. While it’s unlikely to be the fastest phone on the block, it’s still likely to deliver good performance.

With those modest midrange specs you might be wondering what the large body of the Mi Max 3 is filled with. Turns out it’s full of extra battery. The Mi Max 3 is packing a massive 5,500mAh battery. Most modern flagships sit around a 3,000mAh battery, with some particularly large batteries hitting 4,000mAh — making the Mi Max 3’s battery utterly enormous. It’s also equipped with QuickCharge 3.0, and Xiaomi claims the battery will charge from empty to 71 percent in an hour.

Software and special features

The phone will ship with Android 8.1 Oreo, but it will be hidden under MIUI 9.5, the latest version of Xiaomi’s Android skin. MIUI isn’t a terrible re-skin of Android, but it’s certainly different, so it’s fair to expect some different-looking menus and settings on the Mi Max 3. However, Xiaomi’s update game is good, and you can probably expect the Mi Max 3 to receive the MIUI updates for Android P and Android Q.

There’s also going to be a raft of special features nestled in the Mi Max 3’s ample body, including A.I. scene recognition in the camera, facial unlocking, and a voice assistant.

Camera

There’s a decent camera suite attached to the Mi Max 3 as well. You’ll find a dual-lens system installed around the back, with a 12-megapixel main lens armed with an f/1.9 aperture. The secondary lens is just 5 megapixels, and will be used primarily for depth-sensing in portrait shots. The Mi Max 3 will apparently also be able to capture 4K video at 30 frames per second, and slow motion video at 120 frames per second, but only at 720p. The selfie shooter around the front will be an 8-megapixel lens with an f/1.7 aperture.

Release date and price

There’s no word on a release date yet, or even of a possible U.S. release. Xiaomi has been vocal about its desire to break into the U.S., so it’s possible this could be the phone to do so. The Xiaomi Mi Max 3 will be available in black, champagne gold, and blue.

Pricing has been revealed, and the 4GB/64GB model will cost 1,699 yuan (about $250), and the 6GB/64GB model will cost 1,999 yuan (around $300).

Editors’ Recommendations

  • Xiaomi Mi 6X hints at what’s to come for company’s next Android One phone
  • Xiaomi Mi A2: Everything you need to know
  • Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S review
  • The Xiaomi Mi 8 does the one thing Apple could never figure out



20
Jul

Apple quietly confirms 2018 MacBook Pro keyboard ships with anti-debris design


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Even though Apple won’t publicly advertise that its quieter third-generation keyboard contains a fix for the sticky key issues plaguing older MacBook Pro models, the company’s support documents say otherwise. Since announcing the 2018 MacBook Pro, Apple has only promoted a quieter typing experience as a benefit of the new keyboard. In interviews, Apple had denied that its redesigned keyboard come with any fixes to address issues of unresponsive, repeating, or sticky keys that plagued the company’s older laptops, but a newly discovered internal document reveals that the design does address this widely reported keyboard problem.

Apple’s 2018 MacBook Pro Service Readiness Guide distributed to Canadian and European service providers acknowledged that the keyboard contains a membrane underneath each key to keep out dirt and debris. “The keyboard has a membrane under the keycaps to prevent debris from entering the butterfly mechanism,” the document, which was published on MacRumors, stated. “The procedure for the space bar replacement has also changed from the previous model.”

Similarly, Apple’s U.S. service document contains similar language. Apple also cautioned its U.S. service providers to not damage the membrane in any keyboard repairs, which “will result in a top case replacement.”

An analysis of Apple’s older second-generation keyboard with a similar butterfly key switch suggested that keyboard damage could result in expensive out-of-warranty repairs. Because of how the keyboard was integrated with the laptop’s enclosure, repair costs could go as high as $700. The high cost of repair coupled with the widely publicized keyboard failures on Apple’s MacBook and MacBook Pro notebooks resulted in several class-action lawsuits. Apple tried to address the problem by offering a free keyboard repair program on affected models regardless of warranty status. Users were still concerned that even if the keyboard was replaced, without a permanent engineering fix in place, the replaced keyboard could still suffer from a similar failure in the future.

Now, with the new third-generation keyboard design, it appears that Apple has delivered a permanent fix to the keyboard issues, but owners of MacBook Pro models prior to the 2018 refresh are out of luck. Apple had stated in the past that the new keyboard is exclusive to its 2018 MacBook Pro, meaning that it won’t use any parts from the third-generation keyboard in its repair program. If you own a late-2017 MacBook Pro model or earlier with unresponsive keys, Apple will not replace your second-generation keyboard with the new third-generation design. The replacement keyboard won’t come with a silicone membrane, so not only will you not benefit from a quieter typing experience, but your keyboard could still suffer from the same failure that warranted the initial repair.

For now, if you’re in the market for a MacBook Pro and are concerned with reliability issues, you may want to steer clear of Apple’s older models. Given that Apple did not refresh its non-Touch Bar versions of the MacBook Pro, you will also want to skip those configurations, as they don’t come with the new third-generation keyboard design.

Editors’ Recommendations

  • Apple’s sticky key problem isn’t going away on the 2018 MacBook Pro
  • Apple fixes MacBook Pro keyboard issue — sorta
  • MacBook DIY keyboard repairs don’t void your chance of a free replacement
  • Apple repair program won’t upgrade older MacBook Pros to new keyboard
  • The trickiest iPhone 8 problems, and advice on how to fix them



20
Jul

Congressman says we should be banned from mining, using cryptocurrency


Congressman Brad Sherman, D-California, believes the government should prohibit U.S. citizens from mining and using cryptocurrencies. He made the statement during the Wednesday, July 19, hearing of a subcommittee for the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee, adding that as a medium of exchange, cryptocurrencies accomplish nothing except facilitating narcotics trafficking, terrorism, and tax evasion.

“Some of its supporters delight in that if you can disempower the U.S. government from being able to prevent terrorism, narcotics trafficking, and tax evasion, you have somehow struck a blow for liberty,” he said during a five-minute statement. “That is reason enough to ban it.”

Part of his argument is that mining alone requires large amounts of power that takes away from other needs and/or adds to the current power footprint. Its role as an investment is also deemed “bad” as instead of gambling in Las Vegas — which in turn feeds casinos, restaurants, and hotels that pay high local taxes — “animal spirits” are gambling on virtual coins, helping to create a market for tax evaders, terrorists, and so on.

That said, he believes these gamblers should invest in risky stock instead. More importantly, if U.S. citizens purchase cryptocurrencies, investor protection needs to be in place as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission suggested in March. He went on to add that any person or firm selling stocks, bonds, or any other investment should be charged with fraud and incarcerated for issuing crypto-offering memoranda and crypto-registrations.

“The money that we make as a country because we’re the reserve currency, because we can issue a greenback that does not yield interest, there are people who are alive today because of the profits the U.S. government makes on that whether it be to fund our defense or medical research,” he concluded. “All of that gets diminished with cryptocurrency.”

But Norbert Michel, director for the Center for Data Analysis at the Heritage Foundation and one of four on the panel, argued against the notion to ban cryptocurrency. Sure, criminals use Bitcoin, but they also use other tools for their devious deeds such as airplanes, computers, and automobiles. We don’t criminalize those tools simply because they’re used by criminals. Why is cryptocurrency any different?

More importantly, cash is still the most-used currency across North America. But U.S. citizens also use a form of digital currency: Electronic payments. For instance, a worker could get a direct deposit into his bank, never seeing cash or a physical check. He then purchases goods from Amazon with his bank card, again not using physical money. Cryptocurrency is just a new form of electronic payment that should be embraced and treated like any other form of payment.

Also brought up during the hearing was the idea of central banks issuing their own digital currency. Alex Pollock from the R Street Institute refuted the idea, as these banks would compete directly with the Federal Reserve. Having central banks issue digital currencies is “one of the worst financial ideas of recent times,” he said.

Editors’ Recommendations

  • Apple just banned apps from cryptocurrency mining on iOS devices
  • Facebook changes its cryptocurrency rules by easing its ad blocking policy
  • Chinese authorities break up billion-dollar cryptocurrency gambling ring
  • Bitcoin put him on the street. Then it made him a fortune
  • World domination, phase two: Facebook ponders its own cryptocurrency



20
Jul

Millions of health records may be at stake in ransomware attack


Millions of patient health records may be at risk after LabCorp, one of the largest medical diagnostics companies in the United States, discovered that its systems had been breached during the weekend of July 14. After detecting suspicious activity on its network, it took immediate action to take parts of its system offline, LabCorp revealed in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

“This temporarily affected test processing and customer access to test results on or over the weekend,” LabCorp said in its SEC 8-K filing. “Work has been ongoing to restore full system functionality as quickly as possible, testing operations have substantially resumed today, and we anticipate that additional systems and functions will be restored through the next several days. Some customers of LabCorp Diagnostics may experience brief delays in receiving results as we complete that process.”

Though LabCorp has not revealed any additional information about the breach or if its systems have been fully restored, the company stated that it has reported the attack to law enforcement officials. The FBI confirmed that it was notified of the breach, but did not provide additional details. “The FBI is aware of reports of a ransomware attack involving LabCorp’s network system,” the agency said in a statement to WFMY News 2. “We are monitoring the situation, but cannot comment on whether or not the FBI is involved in any investigation.”

Given that ransomware may have been involved, it appears that the attack may have been financially motivated, though it’s unclear if the attackers were successful in accessing health records, patient data, or any personal information. The disclosure earlier this year of a Florida Medicaid breach prompted the FBI to issue warnings that there is an increased risk of attacks to healthcare organizations, Fortune reported. Given the nature of the sensitive information available, health records may be worth more when sold on the dark web, and a Verizon Data Breach report revealed that 72 percent of all healthcare attacks were ransomware. In addition to attacks to steal patient data, attacks on healthcare equipment, likely as a form of espionage to steal trade secrets, are also on the rise.

The same Verizon report cautioned that internal actors are the biggest threats to healthcare organizations, though LabCorp has not identified who is responsible for its attack. “Often they are driven by financial gain, such as tax fraud or opening lines of credit with stolen information, fun or curiosity in looking up the personal records of celebrities or family members, or simply convenience,” the Verizon report stated.

LabCorp is downplaying the incident, noting that there is “no evidence of unauthorized transfer or misuse of data.” The medical lab processes more than 2.5 million tests each week and see more than 115 million patients annually, so there is a lot of information at stake.

Editors’ Recommendations

  • Timehop data breach may have compromised 21 million email addresses
  • How Chrome and other browsers came together to protect you from Spectre
  • Google Chrome now consumes more memory due to a new Spectre fix
  • The sound of destruction: Malicious video, audio files could attack laptops
  • Hackers prove how powerful computers can cheat Bitcoin and blockchain



20
Jul

Best Ethernet Adapters for Chromecast or Fire TV Stick


chromecast-ultra-with-cables-back-of-tv.

Hardwired internet for your favorite streaming stick.

Streaming sticks have gotten extremely popular in the last few years. For well below $100, you can add streaming support to any TV, smart or otherwise, and start watching your favorite shows, movies, and videos on sites like Hulu, Netflix, and YouTube.

Two of the most popular streaming stick options are the Google Chromecast and the Amazon Fire TV Stick, both of which are priced around $40 or so — that’s before the gracious discounts both products regularly see. Streaming isn’t always perfect though, and if you’re suffering from a poor connection or just having trouble connecting to WiFi at all, an Ethernet adapter could save you a lot of trouble.

  • UGREEN Ethernet Adapter
  • Ethernet Adapter for Chromecast
  • Amazon Ethernet Adapter

UGREEN Ethernet Adapter

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A good rule of thumb: when shopping for an adapter or any other kind of accessory, it shouldn’t cost more than the device it’s augmenting. The UGREEN adapter plugs directly into the Micro-USB port on your Chromecast or Fire TV Stick — where it typically draws power from — and adds an Ethernet port, along with a built-in USB cable for passthrough charging. Just run an Ethernet cable from your router to the adapter and you should be good to go on your streaming stick.

The UGREEN adapter supports 10/100 Ethernet, with a maximum speed of 100 Mbps. That’s more than fast enough to stream 4K content, assuming you have a 4K-compatible streaming stick like the Chromecast Ultra, and complete overkill for 1080p streaming. Best of all, the UGREEN adapter is only $16.99.

See at Amazon

Ethernet Adapter for Chromecast

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What better way to improve your Chromecast than with a first-party adapter? Google makes its own Ethernet adapter that works a bit differently than the one from UGREEN. Rather than adding a dongle that sits in-between the power supply and streaming stick, Google’s adapter simply replaces the power supply itself, adding an Ethernet port next to the Micro-USB cable.

The cable is longer, too — two meters on Google’s adapter versus one meter on the UGREEN. As an added bonus, this adapter actually comes in the box if you picked up a Chromecast Ultra — and for all other models, it’s only $15. While this product is clearly specifically made for Chromecasts, it should work just fine for the Fire TV Stick as well.

See at the Google Store

Amazon Ethernet Adapter

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Of course, we can’t mention Google’s Ethernet adapter and leave out Amazon’s offering. For the same $15 Google is charging, you get an Ethernet-enabled dongle made with your Fire TV Stick in mind. Of course, it works with Amazon’s other streaming devices too, including the Fire TV and the new Fire TV Cube — just not the first-gen Fire TV Stick, which doesn’t support USB accessories.

Like the UGREEN, Amazon’s adapter sits between the Fire TV Stick itself and the power supply, albeit with a shorter cable. Just plug an Ethernet cable into the provided port and you’re ready to connect, no drivers or additional setup required. Like the other adapters in this list, Amazon’s Ethernet adapter supports 10/100 Ethernet, as well as passthrough charging.

See at Amazon

Which one is right for you?

Have you been having trouble with WiFi on your streaming stick? Would you consider using one of these Ethernet adapters? Let us know in the comments below!

20
Jul

DC Universe is a new subscription service for movies, TV shows, and comics


It’s initially launching as a beta in August.

DC fans, get ready for something special. While the MCU might be dominating the theaters right now, a new subscription service called “DC Universe” is launching later this year with all of the superhero content you could ask for.

For $7.99/month or $74.99/year, DC Universe subscribers will get access to original programming, classic DC movies, an assortment of digital comics, and access to exclusive merchandise.

On the movie and TV show side of things, some of the exclusives you’ll find on DC Universe include the live-action Titans series, Doom Patrol, Swap Thing, and the animated Young Justice: Outsiders and Harley Quinn. Although newer DC movies such as Justice League and Wonder Woman are nowhere to be found, older titles such as Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, the four Christopher Reeve Superman movies, and Lois and Clark TV show are all here.

dc-universe-devices-promo.jpg?itok=76EF0

Where DC Universe goes above regular video platforms, however, is by giving subscribers access to “a rotating, curated selection of digital comics.” It’s unclear how long titles will stick around for and how often new ones will be added, but we do know that subscribers will have access to 2,000 – 3,000 at any given time.

If you still need more DC in your life, DC Universe will also have exclusive merchandise up for sale and a forum community where you can talk with other DC fans, create encyclopedia entries, manage lists of your favorite shows, and more.

You’ll be able to access DC Universe on Android, iOS, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, and the web when it launches this fall. You can sign up for the beta that’s launching in August, and if you decide to pre-order a subscription, you’ll get three months of the service for free.

See at DC Universe

Updated July 19, 2018: Added new information about pricing and features.

20
Jul

Microsoft Launcher beta gets new icon gestures and family controls


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You can set custom app icon gestures and much more with Microsoft Launcher’s latest beta update.

Microsoft Launcher beta testers are getting a small batch of new features to check out this week with the app’s latest update. Rolling out now, the update adds new custom gesture controls for app icons and folders, updates to the relatively new family card, and more.

The most notable addition is that of custom gesture controls for apps. To get started with them, you can tap and hold on an icon or folder as if you were going to edit it. From there, you can select an option to add an action to take when swiping up from the icon. Once set, you’ll be able to use the swipe gesture on that icon to take the action you set.

#MicrosoftLauncher v4.12 is otw to our beta fam today! Highlights: Custom app icon and folder gestures, replacing dock widgets with apps, contacts or app widgets, and Family web filtering through the Family card. Join the beta at https://t.co/6RPke9dVXI and send us feedback!

— Ezra Park (@ezp4rking) July 18, 2018

There are also some smaller tweaks tagging along here, including general UI and animation adjustments and full support for Android O. Here’s a look at all of what’s new:

  • Folder and app icon gestures (swipe to open or click to launch).
  • Choose how to use the last row of expanded dock: Apps, pinned contacts, folders, search bar or widgets;
  • Parents can enable web filtering through the Family card.
  • Folders in the app drawer are now sorted alphabetically.
  • UI improvements: Animation adjustments; blur effect as an option; App badges in the app drawer;
  • Fully support Android O and remove support for 4.0.X and 4.1

If you’re enrolled in the Microsoft Launcher beta, you should be able to grab this update now as version 4.12. If testing goes well, we should see these features hit the release version relatively soon.

See at Google play

20
Jul

How to set up an iCloud email account on Android


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There’s no need to abandon your iCloud email address when you get a new Android device.

If you’re moving to an Android device from an iPhone or iPad, there’s every possibility you’re already set up and using an iCloud email address. Android devices require you to have a Google account (Gmail), but you might want to keep using your iCloud account for email. And that’s just fine.

Here’s how to add your iCloud email address to your Android device,

How to add an iCloud email address to Android

Launch Settings by swiping down to reveal the notification shade and tapping the gear button.
Tap Accounts. On some phones, it might be under something like “Cloud and accounts”.
Tap Add account.
Tap Email if the option is there or tap Personal (IMAP) next to the Gmail symbol. If you choose the Gmail option, Gmail will automatically recognize your iCloud address and import the correct server settings.
If you chose the Email option, you’ll have to add the server settings manually:

  • Incoming mail server:
    • Server name: imap.mail.me.com
    • SSL required: Yes
    • Port: 993
    • Username: The name portion of your iCloud email address. So if it’s johnsmith@icloud.com, just the “johnsmith” part.
    • Password: Your iCloud email address password. You can also choose to generate an app-specific password.
  • Outgoing mail server:
    • Server name: smtp.mail.me.com
    • SSL Required: Yes
    • Port: 587
    • SMTP Authentication Required: Yes
    • Username: Your full iCloud email address, including the @icloud.com part
    • Password: Use the password you used in the incoming mail server section, whether it was your original or the app-specific password you generated.

Tap Next or Continue or whichever button finishes the process.

If there is an error message in the SSL required section of either the incoming or outgoing mail server sections, use TSL instead.

Hopefully, the details above should be enough to get you up and running. It’s a little fiddly to get set up – especially if you’ve come from the iPhone, which does it all for you – but it works, and it gets your existing email onto your new Android device.

Of course, there may be other apps out there that do this for you, or you might know of some tips and tricks to make things run a little smoother. If you’ve got anything that’ll help, drop it into the comments below!

Questions?

Let us know in the comments below.

Updated July 2018: Updated to make sure information is still accurate.

20
Jul

Hands-on with Moment’s new best-in-class Pro Camera app


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While still an incomplete project, Moment Pro Camera shows a lot of promise with a simple UI and manual controls.

You might’ve heard that Moment recently released a camera app for iOS and Android. You know Moment — that’s the company behind the lenses you can attach to your phone, which adds capabilities for wide-angle, telephoto, and macro photography. Moment has been making these lenses for years and is clearly experienced in hardware, but this is the first time the company has forayed into software development.

You can download the Pro Camera app from Google Play for $1.99 — but should you?

Download: Moment – Pro Camera ($1.99)

Right off the bat, Moment’s Pro Camera app has a great, clean UI with simple iconography on top of a dark gray interface. Up top, there’s the standard fare of quick controls — an adjustable grid, a toggle for flash, a three or 10-second self-timer, and a JPEG/RAW toggle — along with a button that optimizes the app for various Moment lenses. Of course, if you’re just shooting with your phone’s built-in camera, you’ll want to stick with No Lens mode.

Below that are shortcuts to your photo gallery, the front camera, and the app settings. However, currently, the settings just contain a toggle to geotag your photos and links to support threads and Moment merchandise.

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The real benefits of the Moment Pro Camera app come in the form of the manual controls provided just above the shutter button. You can swipe between controls, which in order are shutter speed, ISO, exposure value, focus, and white balance. Each control has a wide range of flexibility, but exact options for settings like ISO and shutter speed will come down to your phone’s physical capabilities.

There are no different shooting modes in Moment’s camera app, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t shoot with automatic settings. By default, the Pro Camera app handles your settings for you, and if you make tweaks you’re unhappy with, you can double-tap the control in question to reset it to auto mode. When dealing with multiple settings at once, double-tapping the viewfinder resets it all, though I’ve run into trouble with the white balance being finicky during resets.

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Once you’ve taken a photo, the gallery is just as minimal as the viewfinder. You’re only shown the photos taken directly within the Pro Camera app, though if you want to see the rest of the shots on your phone you can tap the All Photos button in the upper righthand corner to jump to another gallery app. At the bottom, there’s a share button, a delete button, and a button that displays the photo’s metadata. You can also access this information by swiping up from the bottom of the shot.

As nice as Moment’s Pro Camera app is, it’s still in its early stages (I’m using version 1.0.5 right now), and as such is missing a few features — namely video capture and portrait mode (though the latter isn’t necessarily a huge loss). Still, even as a brand new app, it’s full-featured enough for most standard photography, and it can only get better with time and updates.

Have you tried the Moment Pro Camera app? Has it replaced the stock camera app on your phone, or are you waiting for it to get a little more full-featured? Let us know in the comments below!

Download: Moment – Pro Camera ($1.99)