Skip to content

Archive for

11
Jul

How to Enable and Disable Automatic Workout Detection in watchOS 5


Apple’s watchOS 5 update includes a new automatic workout detection feature, which is designed to make sure you never miss out on getting credit for one of your workouts.

Automatic workout detection is a setting that’s enabled by default once you upgrade to watchOS 5, but if you don’t want the feature, it can be turned off using the Apple Watch app on the iPhone or on the Apple Watch itself.

Enabling/Disabling Automatic Workouts on Apple Watch

Open the Settings app on Apple Watch.
Choose General.
Select “Workout.”
Scroll down to “Start Workout Reminder” and “End Workout Reminder.”
Set the toggles to your personal preferences.

Enabling/Disabling Automatic Workouts on iPhone

Open up the Watch app on the iPhone.
Choose “Workout” to access the settings for the Workout app.
Scroll down to “Start Workout Reminder” and “End Workout Reminder.”
Set the toggles to your personal preferences.
Automatic workout detection for starting a workout and ending a workout are two separate settings, so you can control them individually if so desired.

Start Workout Reminder

Automatic workout detection is designed to let the Apple Watch remind you to start a workout if you forget to do so, which it will do through a notification that pops up on the Apple Watch asking if you want to begin a workout.


Automatic detection when your workout starts is compatible with running, walking, swimming, elliptical workouts, or rower workouts.

Even if you initially forget to start a workout in watchOS 5, this new workout detection feature will give you credit for the exercise you’ve already done.

End Workout Reminder

With automatic detection for when a workout ends, which is labeled as “End Workout Reminder” the Apple Watch will remind you to end a workout if it looks like you’ve finished up. This too works through a notification that directs you to the workout app.

Unlike automatic workout detection for starting a workout, automatic detection for ending one works with all workouts aside from those in the “Other” category.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 4, watchOS 5Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)
Discuss this article in our forums

MacRumors-All?d=6W8y8wAjSf4 MacRumors-All?d=qj6IDK7rITs

11
Jul

Deals: eBay’s 10% Off Tech Flash Sale and Rakuten’s 2-Day 15% Off Sitewide Sale


eBay today launched its latest sitewide coupon code, this one focusing on items in the tech category, which is a good chance for those looking to save a little money on Apple products and accessories. The code is lower than previous sales at 10 percent off, but works the same way: find a tech item anywhere on eBay, add it to your cart until the total reaches or exceeds $50, then enter coupon code PRIMOTECH to gain access to the discount.

The code’s savings will be capped at a maximum value of $100 and applies to the purchase price (excluding shipping, handling, and taxes) of eligible items on eBay. Eligible items include those from the following categories: computers and electronics, cameras and photo, cell phones and accessories, computers/tablets and networking, consumer electronics, and video games and consoles — essentially any category in the Electronics tab. If you’re interested, be sure to browse eBay and make your purchase before the code expires tonight at 11:00 p.m. PT.

In a similar vein, Rakuten today kicked off a coupon code promo on its website that nets shoppers a 15 percent discount when entering the code SAVE15 at checkout, with maximum savings of up to $50. You’ll need a Rakuten account to use the code at checkout, and only one coupon can be used per account within a single transaction. There are also some limits and exclusions, including any gift cards.


Otherwise, you can shop across Rakuten for savings that include the Beats Studio3 Wireless Over-Ear Headphones for $181.90, down from $214. Comparatively, the headphones are discounted to $213.75 currently at Walmart and Amazon, making Rakuten’s sale a great chance to get the Beats headphones at an all-time-low price. Other ideas include a Nest Thermostat E for $135.99, down from $159.99, a 2-pack of iHome ISP6X Wi-Fi Smartplugs for $49.30, down from $58.00, and more.

Similar to eBay, Rakuten’s products are sold by third-party sellers with ratings that you can find at the bottom left of each item page. Rakuten’s sitewide sale will end tomorrow, July 11 at 11:59 p.m. PT. For more sales going on this week, be sure to head to our full Deals Roundup.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals
Discuss this article in our forums

MacRumors-All?d=6W8y8wAjSf4 MacRumors-All?d=qj6IDK7rITs

11
Jul

Apple Updates Leadership Page to Include New AI Chief John Giannandrea


Apple today updated its Apple Leadership page to include John Giannandrea, who now serves as Apple’s Chief of Machine Learning and AI Strategy.

Apple hired Giannandrea back in April, stealing him away from Google where he ran the search and artificial intelligence unit.

Giannandrea is leading Apple’s AI and machine learning teams, reporting directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook. He has taken over leadership of Siri, which was previously overseen by software engineering chief Craig Federighi.

Apple told TechCrunch that it is combining its Core ML and Siri teams under Giannandrea. The structure of the two teams will remain intact, but both will now answer to Giannandrea.

Under his leadership, Apple will continue to build its AI/ML teams, says TechCrunch, focusing on general computation in the cloud alongside data-sensitive on-device computations.

Giannandrea spent eight years at Google before joining Apple, and before that, he founded Tellme Networks and Metaweb Technologies.

Apple’s hiring of Giannandrea in April came amid ongoing criticism of Siri, which many have claimed has serious shortcomings in comparison to AI offerings from companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google due to Apple’s focus on privacy.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
In 2018, Apple is improving Siri through a new Siri Shortcuts feature that’s coming in iOS 12, which is designed to let users create multi-step tasks using both first and third-party apps that can be activated through Siri.

Tags: Siri, machine learning, artificial intelligence
Discuss this article in our forums

MacRumors-All?d=6W8y8wAjSf4 MacRumors-All?d=qj6IDK7rITs

11
Jul

Former Apple Employee Charged With Theft of Trade Secrets Related to Autonomous Car Project


The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation this week charged former Apple employee Xiaolang Zhang with theft of trade secrets, according to documents filed with the Northern District Court of California.

Zhang was hired at Apple in December of 2015 to work on Project Titan, developing software and hardware for use in autonomous vehicles. Zhang specifically worked on Apple’s Compute Team, designing and testing circuit boards to analyze sensor data.

The intellectual property disclosure on one of the documents Zhang stole
He was provided with “broad access to secure and confidential internal databases” due to his position, which contained trade secrets and intellectual property for the autonomous driving project that he ultimately ended up stealing.

In April 2018, Zhang took family leave from Apple following the birth of his child, and during that time, he visited China. Shortly after, he told his supervisor at Apple he was leaving the company and moving to China to work for XMotors, a Chinese startup that also focuses on autonomous vehicle technology.

Zhang’s supervisor felt that he had “been evasive” during the meeting, which led Apple’s New Product Security Team to begin an investigation, looking into Zhang’s historical network activity and analyzing his Apple devices, which were seized when he resigned.

Apple found that just prior to Zhang’s departure, his network activity had “increased exponentially” compared to the prior two years he had worked at Apple. He accessed content that included prototypes and prototype requirements, which the court documents specify as power requirements, low voltage requirements, battery system, and drivetrain suspension mounts.

The majority of his activity consisted of both bulk searches and targeted downloading copious pages of information from various confidential database applications. The information contained within the downloading contained trade secret intellectual property, based on the level of Zhang’s access within Apple’s autonomous vehicle team.

A review of recorded footage at Apple indicated Zhang had visited the campus on the evening of Saturday, April 28, entering both Apple’s autonomous vehicle software and hardware labs, which coincided with data download times, and he left with a box of hardware.

In a second interview with Apple’s security team, Zhang admitted to taking both online data and hardware (a Linux server and circuit boards) from Apple during his paternity leave. He also admitted to AirDropping sensitive content from his own device to his wife’s laptop.

All of Apple’s evidence was relayed to the FBI after the company’s Digital Forensic Investigations team discovered that at least 60 percent of the data Zhang had downloaded and transferred to his wife’s computer was “highly problematic.” The FBI, in the court filing, describes the information as “largely technical in nature, including engineering schematics, technical reference manuals, and technical reports.”

Of interest, the filing also gives a glimpse into Apple’s security protocols. To access sensitive projects like Titan, an employee must be logged into Apple’s virtual private network and must be granted “disclosure,” a status that can only be granted when an employee is sponsored by another employee who already has access to the project, with an administrator reviewing all requests. Approximately 5,000 Apple employees have access to data on Apple’s autonomous driving efforts, with the databases Zhang accessed further restricted to approximately 2,700 “core employees.”

When hired, Zhang signed an Intellectual Property Agreement and attended a mandatory in-person secrecy training session, which he violated. Zhang was interviewed by the FBI in late June, where he admitted to stealing the information, and he was later arrested attempting to leave to China on July 7.

For stealing Apple’s trade secrets, Zhang is facing up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

It’s no surprise that Apple cracked down on Zhang. Shortly before Zhang’s theft was discovered, Apple sent out a lengthy cautionary memo to employees warning them against leaking data to the media. In the letter, Apple said that in 2017, it caught 29 leakers, with 12 of those individuals being arrested and charged.

USA v. Xiaolang Zhang by MacRumors on Scribd

Discuss this article in our forums

MacRumors-All?d=6W8y8wAjSf4 MacRumors-All?d=qj6IDK7rITs

11
Jul

Google Phone app will feature direct-to-voicemail spam filtering


Google Pixel, Pixel 2, and Google Nexus users are about to receive a welcome software update. The tech giant released a beta version of the Google Phone app, the pre-installed dialer on Pixel and Nexus handsets, that automatically sends unwanted spam and scam callers to voicemail.

The new feature uses your Caller ID along with Google’s robust database to identify suspicious calls. When it finds a match, it automatically sends the call directly to voicemail, allowing you avoid unwanted calls altogether.

The update comes two years after Google added spam call detection to the Phone app. That update warned users with a large red banner when a suspicious call came in and provided options to send the call to voicemail or block the number.

And while the latest Google phone app update will definitely reduce the number of unwanted calls you receive, it looks like Google may become even more aggressive with spammers in the coming months. An upcoming feature looks like it will finally offer great protection against spam calls as well as a way to avoid “call spoofing” from scammers.

XDA Developers is reporting Google may roll out a new feature called “Call Screening” in the coming months for Google Pixel and Google Nexus users. The feature, found while reviewing code in an APK teardown, will use real-time audio transcription to answer and screen unknown calls. You will then be able to send quick messages to the caller via SMS.

The upcoming “Call Screening” feature will reportedly work without a Wi-Fi or data connection, though you’ll need one to send an SMS message. The feature will also store all call audio and transcripts locally on the phone, meaning you it will not be accessible to Google or others who may attempt to access your data online.

Right now the Google Phone app is only available to users in the Android Beta Program. We anticipate seeing an official rollout in the coming weeks. If you use a Google Nexus or Pixel handset and want to get your hands on the latest version of the Google Phone app now, here’s the quickest way to sign up for the beta program.

Editors’ Recommendations

  • Here’s how to block an unwanted number on any smartphone
  • Google Lens is now available as a stand-alone app or inside Google Camera
  • When is your phone getting Android 8.0 Oreo? We asked every major manufacturer
  • Everything you need to know about the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL
  • OnePlus 6 vs. Google Pixel 2 XL: What difference does $300 make?



11
Jul

With manual controls, Moment’s new app makes a smartphone feel more like a DSLR


moment pro camera app launches momet lifestyle 1 Moment

Moment, a company known for its high-quality smartphone lenses, launched its redeveloped Moment Pro Camera App. Just like its lenses, which brought a DSLR-like interchangeable lens system to smartphones, the app brings DSLR-like manual controls — the combination of lens and app makes a phone’s camera function even more like a DSLR. The app offers manual exposure, focus, and white balance controls, within what the company describes as a minimal user interface. It’s available as a free download for iOS and Android now, and costs $3 to unlock the “Pro” manual functions.

Several different smartphone apps promise DSLR-like controls using exposure adjustments, but Moment goes further with no only manual controls, but adds a dual-stage shutter (iPhones with 3D touch only, and requires Pro access). Using Apple’s 3D touch, shooting a photo feels a bit more like controlling a regular digital camera, with a half-press to focus and a full press will take a photo (3D Touch can differentiate between a firm touch and a softer touch, a feature Apple has included on models since the iPhone 6S).

Unfortunately for Android users, the half-press function won’t be available. But both iOS and Android versions include manual control over shutter speed, ISO, white balance, focus, and exposure compensation. The interface uses sliders to make those adjustments, while a double tap will revert that setting back to the default. Users can also overlay various grids, enable or disable flash, and set a timer. (In the free version, you get basic access, plus exposure compensation.)


Previous


Next

1 of 3

moment pro camera app launches sidebyside 3

Moment

moment pro camera app launches sidebyside 2

Moment

moment pro camera app launches sidebyside 1

Moment

Like most native camera apps, mobile photographers can also tap to focus, but unlike those built-in apps, Moment Pro can separate focus and exposure with a double tap. That allows photographers to focus on one area but measure the exposure off another area of the photo.

Moment says the app is also different because of the interface. Controls like RAW photos and adjusting video frame rates are all accessible without digging through a menu. Along with DNG or RAW photos, the app also supports HEIF, HEVC, TIFF, and JPG file formats. The interface also displays a histogram, a feature found in more advanced cameras that many photographers rely on.

For video, the app enables automatic video stabilization. But you can also adjust resolution (from 720p to 4K) and frame rate directly from the app. This is a huge convenience, particular with iOS, which requires you to make these changes via the settings app. There is a slight delay when cycling from one resolution or frame rate to another, however. While this function isn’t unique to the Moment app, it’s still nice to have.

While the app works with or without a Moment lens attached, several features are designed for pairing the app with a Moment lens or case. On dual-lens iPhones, the app lets you choose which lens to shoot from (wide-angle or telephoto). This is particularly useful: When you tap on the zoom button in the native iOS camera app, it doesn’t always use the telephoto lens; depending on lighting conditions, it may employ digital zoom rather than the optical telephoto lens. The Moment app, however, actually forces the camera to pick either the wide-angle or telephoto lens when you hit the 1x/2x icon (if you want to use digital zoom, just pinch in or out on the screen). Unfortunately, the function isn’t available on Android yet (mainly the Samsung S9 Plus), but Moment says it’s working on it. The Moment app is also compatible with the Moment Original Photo Case and Moment Battery Photo Case, including support for the physical shutter button on the case.

We’ve been using the app for the past few days and found it simple to use. We appreciate the clean and elegant interface, but still have easy access to the various camera parameters without having to drill through menus. It is much easier to understand than apps like Adobe Lightroom Mobile and Filmic Pro — both terrific, but have a bit of a learning curve than the Moment app, we feel. In fact, many iOS users might be surprised that their iPhones’ cameras are more powerful than they realize, with the ability to adjust shutter speed and ISO (manual controls are more apparent in Android phones). While it complements Moment lenses, the app works great without one, and is ideal for advanced users like YouTubers. Experienced photographers and videographers would feel at home with these manual options, but it’s a great way for casual users to learn how to exert control their photos, rather than relying on the camera’s auto function.

Looking for more great camera apps? Check out our favorites for iOS and Android, as well as the best camera apps for shooting RAW.

Editors’ Recommendations

  • iOS photo app Camera+ is reimagined for the future of mobile photography
  • How to photograph fireworks and capture the color of Independence Day
  • The best RAW camera apps for Android and iOS
  • Huawei P10 camera guide
  • How to use Apple’s augmented reality Measure app in iOS 12



11
Jul

This A.I. goes against the grain, cleans noisy images with a single shot


Low-light images are often plagued by grain, small dots created by increasing the camera’s sensitivity or ISO that obscure the image’s finer details. But researchers from Nvidia, Aalto University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have trained a computer to eliminate the grain using nothing but the original photo and software. 

While earlier artificial intelligence programs can clean up a noisy image, these programs required two photos, one full of grain and one without. The new Nvidia research, published on Monday, July 9, only needs one grainy photo to create a cleaner image using A.I.

The researchers trained the program by feeding the computer 50,000 pairs of images. The pairs were almost identical images, except each image in the pair had a different randomized pattern of grain added with software. Earlier research used image pairs, but one image was a clean, low noise file. The research, the group wrote, proves that it’s possible to reduce grain in an image without using a low-noise image as a reference point.

To test the program, the group used both traditional images and even medical MRI scans, suggesting the technology could be used for more than just cleaning up low-light photos. The team used images with added noise in order to have a clean reference image to see how well the A.I. performed. The resulting images had less noise than the original and took only milliseconds to correct. In the samples the researchers shared, the A.I.-treated program was a bit softer than the original reference image, but the adjusted images no longer had distracting levels of grain.

The researchers point out that the program, of course, can’t find details that aren’t there or were too obscured by the noise, but the program allows images to be adjusted without a clean reference photo. “There are several real-world situations where obtaining clean training data is difficult: Low-light photography (e.g., astronomical imaging), physically based rendering, and magnetic resonance imaging,” the researchers wrote. “Our proof-of-concept demonstrations point the way to significant potential benefits in these applications by removing the need for potentially strenuous collection of clean data. Of course, there is no free lunch — we cannot learn to pick up features that are not there in the input data — but this applies equally to training with clean targets.”

The research will be presented at the International Conference on Machine Learning in Sweden later this week — but like most new research, there is no word yet on if and when the technology may be widely accessible.

Editors’ Recommendations

  • Facebook wants to literally open your eyes with A.I. that fixes blinks in photos
  • Shutterstock’s A.I. helps prevent you from committing copyright infringement
  • Using this A.I.-based healing brush, repairing an image is no biggie
  • Facebook utilizes Instagram photos and hashtags to create a smarter A.I.
  • From DSLR to mirrorless and compact, here’s how to choose a camera



11
Jul

AMD’s second-gen Ryzen Threadripper CPUs could rip into stores in August


Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

AMD’s next-generation Ryzen Threadripper desktop processors for enthusiasts will supposedly launch on August 13, 2018. We already knew they were on the way given that AMD introduced the Ryzen Threadripper 2000 family during its Computex livestream in early June, but now unnamed sources close to AMD are providing an actual launch date.

Here’s what we know about these processors so far:

The new Threadripper chips will be based on AMD’s refreshed Zen architecture manufactured with the 12nm process. They’ll include the latest Precision Boost and XFR clocking technologies for higher, more stable out-of-the-box boost speeds and better overclocking. And like the first-generation Threadripper chips, these processors will require motherboards with the large TR4 seat/socket.

According to AMD, you can swap out your current Threadripper chip for one of the newer models without any issues. But you may not see the full performance level and overclocking benefits of the second-generation chip if it’s installed in the older motherboards compared to the second-generation motherboards that were designed to support all the second-generation Threadripper benefits. Even more, the 250-watt power draw may (or may not) be an issue with some first-generation Threadripper motherboards.

AMD released three Threadripper processors in 2017, with the 1950X serving as the company’s flagship processor for enthusiasts. Pulling a lower 180 watts of power, it includes 16 cores and 32 threads with a base clock speed of 3.4GHz and a maximum speed of 4.0GHz. The upcoming 2990X doubles the core count, keeps the base speed, and increases the maximum speed by 200MHz. The drawbacks are a higher power requirement and a higher price tag.

Meanwhile, the 2950X seemingly serves as a replacement of the current 1920X. The older chip packs 12 cores and 24 threads with a base speed of 3.5GHz, a maximum speed of 4.0GHz, and a power draw of 180 watts. The 2950X doubles the core and thread count, but currently we don’t know anything about the newer chip’s base and boost speeds. It will supposedly have a larger power draw and a higher price tag, too.

As a sign of the impending second-generation Threadripper release, the current chips are marked down if you want a high-end AMD processor without having to sell your organs on the black market. The 16-core Threadripper 1950X can be purchased for $779, which is $220 off the chip’s original price. The 12-core Threadripper 1920X can be purchased for $620 – $179 off the original price – while the 8-core Threadripper 1900X remains at a steady $429.

While $1,500 for the Threadripper 2990X may look highly expensive next to the now-discounted Threadripper 1950X, Intel’s 28-core monster showcased during Computex will supposedly cost around $10,000. The chip ran overclocked at 5GHz thanks to a Hailea HC Series water chiller mounted within the demo desktop. Given that setup, don’t expect the out-of-the-box speeds to be quite that high.

Editors’ Recommendations

  • AMD’s second-generation Ryzen desktop CPUs hit the market starting at $199
  • AMD combats upgrade woes with ‘crates’ featuring discounted hardware bundles
  • AMD’s next batch of Ryzen desktop CPUs may focus on better power efficiency
  • Intel “forgot” to mention its 28-core CPU demo was bogus
  • AMD vs. Intel



11
Jul

How to use YouTube’s Incognito Mode


Here’s how you can watch videos on YouTube without leaving any trace of them.

youtube-incognito-mode-hero.jpg?itok=xaz

YouTube, one of the most popular services in Google’s lineup, now has a new tool called “Incognito Mode.” Just like the Google Chrome feature of the same name, Incognito Mode on YouTube allows you to watch videos in the app without leaving any trace of them in your watch or search history.

Google’s been testing this feature with users for some time, but as of July 2018, it’s widely rolling out to everyone.

Here’s how to enable it!

Open the YouTube app.
Tap your account icon at the top right.
Tap Turn on Incognito.

If it’s your first time using Incognito, tap Got it on the pop-up.

youtube-incognito-1.jpg?itok=qcTO0ez3youtube-incognito-2.jpg?itok=5mCrolR_youtube-incognito-3.jpg?itok=45j5OwSs

Once you’re in Incognito Mode, you’ll see that your profile icon is changed to Chrome’s Incognito symbol and a black bar at the bottom of the YouTube app reads “You’re incognito.”

If you want to disable Incognito Mode:

Tap your account icon at the top right (now showing the Incognito icon).

Tap Turn off Incognito at the bottom of your screen.

youtube-incognito-4.jpg?itok=3MXJTUOjyoutube-incognito-5.jpg?itok=yuQggIY6youtube-incognito-6.jpg?itok=q4WKC52T

Be aware of what Incognito does and doesn’t do

Incognito Mode is a great addition to the YouTube app, but it’s important to be aware of its limitations.

Videos you watch while Incognito is enabled won’t show up in your search or watch history, but your activity is still tracked by Google. Also, as noted in the YouTube app when turning Incognito on for the first time, your activity can still be viewed by your internet provider, employer, or school.

Lastly, if you subscribe to YouTube Premium, all the benefits that come with it are disabled while using Incognito.

YouTube Music review: A mixtape full of promise

11
Jul

Here’s how to use Amazon’s Camera Search to save $30 on Prime Day


What’s better than scoring some free money on Prime Day?!

Aside from the obvious sale prices and coupons, there are other ways for the truly savvy shopper to save even more on Prime Day. Tucked deep within Amazon’s Prime Day lead-up content is a promo centered around the camera features of the Amazon iOS/Android app. If you do the proper legwork and have a solid day of game-plan, you’ll be able to save an additional $30 on Prime Day by leveraging this one promo.

Here’s how it works: Amazon will be offering an extra $5 off select deals throughout the duration of Prime Day for shoppers who utilize specific Camera Features within the Amazon app.

There will be six deal periods spanning 6-hours each and you’re able to participate in as many as you’d like. Assuming you take advantage of all six periods, you’ll secure an extra $30 in Prime Day savings. At this point we have no idea which products or how many deals will be eligible for the additional savings; you’ll need to check back at the start of each deal period for full details:

  • Period 1: July 16, 2018, 12:00 p.m. (PT) – 5:59 p.m. (PT)
  • Period 2: July 16, 2018, 6:00 p.m. (PT) – 11:59 p.m. (PT)
  • Period 3: July 17, 2018, 12:00 a.m. (PT) – 5:59 a.m. (PT)
  • Period 4: July 17, 2018, 6:00 a.m. (PT) – 11:59 a.m. (PT)
  • Period 5: July 17, 2018, 12:00 p.m. (PT) – 5:59 p.m. (PT)
  • Period 6: July 17, 2018, 6:00 p.m. (PT) – 11:59 a.m. (PT)

While there are 4 different camera features that’ll activate the savings, you can use the same one each time. These features are pretty niche and the process isn’t intuitive so we created a step-by-step guide to outline exactly what you’ll need to do when each period goes live.

To begin, you’ll first need to download the Amazon app on your iOS or Android device. Once installed, open it and tap the Camera icon at the end of the search bar. You’ll then be prompted to allow Amazon to access your phone’s camera. Once that’s completed, you can start the tasks.

How to use Product Search:

amzcamps.jpg?itok=ox1G8cCbamzcamps1.jpg?itok=NeZ_P1pQamzcamps2.jpg?itok=yY_1mjSm

Product Search is the default setting when tapping on the Camera icon. You can switch to Product Search after tapping the Camera icon by clicking See More at the bottom of the screen and selecting ‘Product Search‘.
Once you’re in Product Search mode, point your phone’s camera at an item near you that you would like to search on Amazon.
Blue dots should appear on and around the item for a few seconds; if Amazon can identify the item, it will pop up its search results allowing you to view product information and buy the item your camera just viewed. It may also show similar items which relate to the item that was identified.
Once the camera identifies an item, you should notice a pop-up stating “You’ve unlocked $5 off Prime Day Deals”. You must click on this notification and then tap ‘Get Coupon’ on the following page to add the $5 discount to your account for later use. If you click the X on the pop-up, there doesn’t seem to be a way to redeem the offer later, so make sure to not close out of that early.
The item you’ve scanned must be sold by Amazon for you to complete this offer.

How to use Barcode Scanner:

amzcamps.jpg?itok=ox1G8cCbamzcambs.jpg?itok=DFNPy6Ghamzcambs1.jpg?itok=Byj3mUlR

To find the Barcode Scanner, tap the See More button at the bottom after clicking on the Camera icon. Then tap ‘Barcode Scanner‘.
Find an item that you’d like to search on Amazon and put its barcode in front of your device’s camera.
If Amazon can find the item, it will pop up the item’s product page along with a pop-up stating “You’ve unlocked $5 off Prime Day Deals”. As with the previous AR View feature, you must tap on the pop-up and click ‘Get Coupon’ to add the offer to your account for use.
The item you scan must be sold by Amazon for you to complete this offer.

How to use Package X-Ray:

amzcampx2.jpg?itok=GUA0lWlFamzcampx.jpg?itok=n8qKXy2Zamzcampx3.jpg?itok=ORbiqZyl

After tapping on the Camera icon, click the See More button at the bottom of the screen and then select ‘Package X-Ray‘.
Grab a recent Amazon shipment of yours and scan its shipping label with your phone.
A pop-up should show the items in your order and allow you to visit your order’s info page so you can re-order, contact customer service about an issue, and more.
You should also notice a pop-up stating “You’ve unlocked $5 off Prime Day Deals”. Make sure to click the pop-up and then tap ‘Get Coupon’ to add it to your account.

How to use AR View:

amzcamps.jpg?itok=ox1G8cCbamzcamar1.jpg?itok=UbLFlPEZ

As with the other settings, hit the Camera icon and then click See More at the bottom. There you’ll find the ‘AR View‘ mode to select. Not all devices are compatible with this mode so it may not be available for you at this time.
This mode allows you to see how various best-selling products would look in your home. From here, select an item in the bottom window that you’re interested in and then go to a location in your home where you might place that item.
The app will ask where you’re planning on placing the item, whether that’s on the ground, on a table, or on a wall. Selecting the right option will help the next step work properly.
The item should appear before you as if it’s actually there in real life. You can drag it around, make it bigger, or turn it around with your fingers. You can also walk around the item to get a look at it from other angles.
Upon closing out of that view, you should notice a pop-up stating “You’ve unlocked $5 off Prime Day Deals”. Click on that banner and then press ‘Get Coupon’ to add the offer to your account.

Get prepared with Thrifter’s newsletter

The Thrifter team is going to be covering ALL things Prime Day, and you won’t want to miss out. Sign up now to have tips, tricks, deals, and more delivered right to your inbox and be sure to check out all the deals that are already available.