Google is giving you more control of your search history and privacy

Google has long faced criticism for the way that it collects data, but the search engine is now adding in more ways for controlling for what is shared online.  A blog post on Wednesday, October 24, announced consumers now have more ways to control Google search history and privacy options across desktop and mobile web.

As part of the first change, Google is tweaking the search history experience so that removing searches no longer requires a visit to the main account page. Now new are options to delete or review search histories directly by heading to the bottom of the Your Search activity section in the Your Data section of the search page.

Searches can be deleted from the last hour, and any search activity can also be removed. A full list of any given search is also available on the page, and there are even links to find out more on how sharing activity data can make the Google experience better.

“Now, we’re bringing these controls to you — from directly within Search, you can review or delete your Search activity and quickly get back to finding what you were searching for,” Google said.

The second half of the changes involve making it easier to tweak Google account privacy controls which may relate to Search. This includes options for saving activity on Google, sites, apps, services, and associated information like location. Also included are options for disabling the saving a recording of voice and audio input, and ad personalization.

“For example, to control the ads you see when you search, we give you access to your Ad Settings. Additionally, you can access your Activity Controls to decide what information Google saves to your account and uses to make Search and other Google services faster, smarter and more useful,” explains Google.

Currently, these improvements are limited to Google on desktop and mobile web. An update is also coming for the Google app on iOS and Android in the coming weeks which should introduce the privacy changes. Google also is planning on expanding privacy features to Maps, and its many other products, noting that it is “continuously working to build privacy that works for everyone.”

Editors’ Recommendations

• Google tracks your location — even when you deny it permission
• Chrome 69 logs you in without consent, but Google says it’s for your own good
• Firefox Quantum review
• Secret deal with MasterCard let Google track what you buy
• Google tells lawmakers it allows other apps access to your Gmail

Google is giving you more control of your search history and privacy

Google has long faced criticism for the way that it collects data, but the search engine is now adding in more ways for controlling for what is shared online.  A blog post on Wednesday, October 24, announced consumers now have more ways to control Google search history and privacy options across desktop and mobile web.

As part of the first change, Google is tweaking the search history experience so that removing searches no longer requires a visit to the main account page. Now new are options to delete or review search histories directly by heading to the bottom of the Your Search activity section in the Your Data section of the search page.

Searches can be deleted from the last hour, and any search activity can also be removed. A full list of any given search is also available on the page, and there are even links to find out more on how sharing activity data can make the Google experience better.

“Now, we’re bringing these controls to you — from directly within Search, you can review or delete your Search activity and quickly get back to finding what you were searching for,” Google said.

The second half of the changes involve making it easier to tweak Google account privacy controls which may relate to Search. This includes options for saving activity on Google, sites, apps, services, and associated information like location. Also included are options for disabling the saving a recording of voice and audio input, and ad personalization.

“For example, to control the ads you see when you search, we give you access to your Ad Settings. Additionally, you can access your Activity Controls to decide what information Google saves to your account and uses to make Search and other Google services faster, smarter and more useful,” explains Google.

Currently, these improvements are limited to Google on desktop and mobile web. An update is also coming for the Google app on iOS and Android in the coming weeks which should introduce the privacy changes. Google also is planning on expanding privacy features to Maps, and its many other products, noting that it is “continuously working to build privacy that works for everyone.”

Editors’ Recommendations

• Google tracks your location — even when you deny it permission
• Chrome 69 logs you in without consent, but Google says it’s for your own good
• Firefox Quantum review
• Secret deal with MasterCard let Google track what you buy
• Google tells lawmakers it allows other apps access to your Gmail

AMD’s next-generation Navi cards show promise in early lab testing

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Amidst swirling rumors of an AMD Polaris refresh card in the form of an RX 590, AMD is reportedly pushing ahead with plans for a 2019 release of its next-generation Navi graphics cards and early testing results are said to be positive. Hard details about the new graphics technology remain elusive, but we do know it will be built on a 7nm process and is planned for release at some point next year.

Following the lukewarm response to AMD’s high-end Vega graphics cards, its roadmap suggests that technology will be shrunk down to 7nm for enterprise users before the end of the year. The next big thing in consumer graphics from AMD, though, is Navi. Long-rumored to be planned as a mid-range release before a high-end solution is debuted in 2020, Navi may not initially provide great competition for Nvidia’s RTX series cards, but could prove hotly competitive among mid-range cards, where AMD has traditionally performed far more favorably.

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The latest rumor about Navi suggests that it has been tested internally at AMD facilities and that the results have been positive. Originally reported on by Fudzilla, the news from a number of anonymous sources suggests that performance has exceeded expectations. Earlier rumors suggested we may see Vega-like performance for around $250, per HotHardware. That would make Navi an intriguing product in a market that though characterized by top-tier performance, is dominated by sales of mid-range cards like Nvidia’s GTX 1060, which has itself just undergone a refresh.

Navi has been rumored to be the last iteration of AMD’s long-running Graphics Core Next architecture which debuted in 2012 with the AMD 7000-series GPUs. That is why some fans are more intrigued by Navi’s successor, said to be code-named Arcturus.

All of this should be taken with a sizeable grain of salt as there has been little in the way of corroborating evidence to suggest Navi testing is underway. It does back up earlier rumors of a planned year of 7nm die shrinks for AMD, though. Not only will its graphics cards supposedly be built on the new process size, but its CPUs will be, too. The third-generation of AMD’s Ryzen CPUs will be built on the Zen 2 architecture, a major feature of which is a die shrink to 7nm.

Editors’ Recommendations

• AMD RX 500 graphics card refresh may launch in 2019 with die shrink, clock boost
• Leaked benchmarks suggest rumored AMD GPU could be king of midrange graphics
• AMD vs. Intel
• AMD just confirmed its 7nm processor and graphics cards for CES 2019
• Ryzen shine! AMD’s next CPUs could beat Intel at gaming in 2019

Mobvoi TicWatch C2 hands-on review

Research Center:

Mobvoi TicWatch C2

Stop looking at your phone, you do it too much. While you’re at it, don’t go and buy another phone to stop yourself from looking at your phone, either. Instead, if you’re really committed to reducing screen time on a daily basis, Mobvoi wants you to consider its new smartwatch, the TicWatch C2 — and in essence we’re in agreement with them.

Why? It makes sense. Your phone stays in your bag, or in your pocket, and key alerts are sent to your watch. A quick glance at your wrist will tell you instantly if it’s worth further investigation on your phone, or that you don’t need to worry about it until later. This isn’t a new notion, it’s why smartwatches were designed.

It has the potential to be effective because disconnecting from your phone leads to a fear of exactly that: Being disconnected. A smartwatch helps you overcome that fear, which may — if you’ve got the willpower — eventually help you stop looking at your phone so often.

Well designed for all wrist sizes

That’s what Mobvoi wants you to think about the TicWatch C2, but it’s irrelevant if the watch itself isn’t worth buying. We spent a short time with the watch ahead of its launch, and we were impressed, primarily because it looks and feels like it’ll cost more than its actual $200 price tag. The body is comprised of two parts, a metal top section and bezel, along with a plastic case. There are three different models, and we liked the stainless steel and grey combination most.

However, we were also pleased to see Mobvoi make the rose gold model, which is slightly thinner by an almost imperceptible 1mm or so, and has a less masculine bezel and shape. The top button on the side has a different design too. It’s not a ladies version, but more a model for those with smaller wrists, Mobvoi said, and it has an 18mm strap rather than the 20mm strap on the black and stainless steel model. Made from leather, the straps were pliable and comfortable, and none of the watches looked large or too small on our wrist.

There are three different models, and we liked the stainless steel and grey combination most.

The 1.3-inch AMOLED screen shows the newest version of Google’s Wear OS, but the watch was in demo mode for our hands-on, so we cannot comment on performance. It flicked through the menus speedily enough though. The C2 also has a heart rate sensor, GPS, and NFC for Google Pay, but we couldn’t test these at the time either. There are two buttons on the side, one for calling up the menu, and the other to activate assigned features. Not many smartwatches do away with the traditional single crown and get away with it. The Skagen Falster 2 manages it, and we like the look on the TicWatch C2 as well.

Honest design, alternative marketing

What we really liked with the TicWatch C2 was its honesty, and the improvements made to the design over the TicWatch E, and the adoption of the more refined style we liked on the TicWatch Pro. We call it honest because it’s not flashy, and it doesn’t try to be something it isn’t. The design is minimalist and attractive, the features are comprehensive, and the price is just right. One could easily argue that this is all the smartwatch most people would need, especially if their phone costs $500. You’re looking at strong value, rather than high luxury, and when smartphones can now cost $1,000 or more and smartwatches can also run to the same price, this is good news.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

A value product doesn’t, and really shouldn’t, always mean it feels cheap. The TicWatch E felt cheap (and it is), but no-one wants to strap cheap to their wrist. Not everyone wants to spend $400 on a smartwatch from a fashion brand either, given that a piece of technology has a finite life. The $200 TicWatch C2 sits very nicely in-between these two points, and with a design that edges towards the better looking smartwatches out there, rather than towards the cheaper models.

Related Products

Mobvoi Ticwatch S

Mobvoi Ticwatch E

Mobvoi Ticwatch Pro

What about the TicWatch C2’s ambitions as a device for helping with your, ‘digital wellbeing?’ There are no specific Mobvoi-designed features that drive this aspect, and no tailored apps created to manage notifications in a less intrusive way. It’s a marketing message here, but at least it’s one based on actual fact — a smartwatch used correctly can only lessen the times you look at your phone’s screen. Whether this will lead to reducing your real-world smartphone usage is likely to depend more on your own personal willpower to change things, than buying another connected device.

That aside, as a smartwatch, the TicWatch C2 is well worth your consideration.

Mobvoi TicWatch C2 Compared To

Withings Steel HR Sport

Garmin Fenix 5X Plus

Fossil Q Venture HR

Apple Watch Series 4

Casio Pro Trek WSD-F30

Alpina AlpinerX

Fossil Q Venture

Garmin Vivoactive 3

Emporio Armani Connected touchscreen…

Apple Watch Series 3

Huawei Watch 2 Sport

Huawei Fit

Apple Watch Series 2

Asus ZenWatch 2

Garmin fenix 2

Put down your phone and put on the $200 TicWatch C2 smartwatch

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Mobvoi, the company we know for producing low-cost, high-quality smartwatches, has launched its latest model — the TicWatch C2, and it’s tying both the watch and a new pair of true wireless headphones into the current trend towards digital wellbeing, and the need to lessen the time we spend on our phones.

The C in TicWatch C2 stands for Classic and fittingly, the watch has a minimalist design that will suit most wrists. To ensure it does, Mobvoi made two slightly different versions of the TicWatch C2 in three finishes. While the face and screen size are the same, the rose gold model has a thinner 12.8mm profile compared to the 13.1mm thickness of the platinum and black versions and also has an 18mm strap rather than a 20mm strap.

All TicWatch C2 watches have a 1.3-inch AMOLED screen with a 360 x 360-pixel resolution and are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 2100 processor. No, the newer Snapdragon 3100 is not available yet, so you’ll have to make do with the older version here. The battery has a 400mAh capacity, and Mobvoi says it will last around a day and a half, but in our experience, only a day of use is likely, unless you’re very careful.

The TicWatch C2 has GPS and a heart rate sensor to increase its fitness tracking ability, along with NFC for Google Pay use, which is great news. The body is made from both plastic and stainless steel, and has an IP68 water resistant rating, while the straps are leather. Google’s Wear OS is installed, making the C2 compatible with both Android and iOS devices. It’s the latest version of Wear OS too, so the software easier to navigate, and has improved notifications.

Mobvoi’s idea is for the smartwatch to become a device that helps us look around, enjoy life as it goes on without staring at our phones, while still remaining connected and aware of incoming notifications. It’s a similar tactic to Palm and its Palm (2018) companion phone. However, the TicWatch C2 costs $200, or 180 pounds, and is available without a contract.

Mobvoi is also releasing a pair of true wireless headphones called TicPods Free. Originally launched on Kickstarter in the summer, where they were successfully funded, these $135 in-ear ‘buds connect with Google Assistant or Siri, and have gesture controls built into the stems.

The design means they isolate the wearer from outside sounds, automatically detect when they are inserted or removed from your ear to pause or play audio and are resistant to sweat and rain. Battery life is quoted as four hours, or 18 hours with recharges from the case, and a 15-minute charge will return 85 minutes of use.

The TicPods Free are available to buy online through Mobvoi’s website now. If the TicWatch C2 looks good to you, it’s also available online for pre-order through Mobvoi’s website and wider availability will come in December.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Mobvoi TicWatch C2 hands-on review
• Belkin’s special machine puts an end to one hateful aspect of phone ownership
• Mobvoi Ticwatch S review
• Bloatware could be putting millions of Android devices at risk
• The Verizon GizmoWatch puts a quick-communication device on your kid’s wrist

An app uses your smartphone camera to tell if you’re alert at work

In the boring old days, our smartphone cameras just took pictures. Then they started letting us confirm our identity, through tools like Apple’s Face ID. Soon, they could help track your alertness as well.

At least, that’s the basis for a new research project coming out of Cornell University. Researchers there have developed a tool which uses a smartphone camera to keep tabs on alertness at work — by measuring the size of your pupils each time you unlock your phone. It can do this because people’s pupils change size over the course of the day. When individuals are alert, the sympathetic nervous system makes their pupils dilate in order that they can take in information more easily. When they’re tired, the parasympathetic nervous system causes the pupils to contract. Since all of us look at our phones at work (don’t pretend this doesn’t include you!), developing an alertness measurement tool for this device makes perfect sense.

“The goal of this technology is to explore a new way in which we can measure people’s level of alertness in an unobtrusiveness and naturalistic way, in particular at the moments when people interact with their mobile devices,” Vincent Tseng, a Ph.D. student in Cornell’s Department of Information Science, told Digital Trends. “Essentially, the app takes a burst of images when people unlock their phone. [It additionally] collects other passive sensor data that also affect people’s alertness or pupil size, such as environmental light intensity. With all these passively collected sensor data, the application uses machine learning to predict how alert the user is, [which helps reveal their] reaction time.”

Sure, the idea of your boss receiving a notification to say your work smartphone has revealed that you’re not paying attention is kind of dystopian. But there are potential applications for this technology that would be genuinely helpful — and maybe even life-saving. For instance, clinicians typically look at devices (hopefully not their personal smartphones) during surgery. A front-facing camera on these devices could help track their alertness throughout procedures, which can take multiple hours to complete in some cases. Should the app detect a surgeon’s level of alertness to be plummeting, it could trigger an intervention that lets another person step in or the operator to take a short break.

“Our ultimate goal is to better understand how our productivity and performance fluctuate throughout the day,” Tseng continued. “By knowing how … different processes change throughout the day, we may have a better picture of when are the optimal times for us to focus and accomplish important tasks.”

A paper describing this project was recently presented at the International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction with Mobile Devices and Services.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Garmin Vivosmart 4 review
• Palm (2018) hands-on review
• Apple iOS 12 review
• Palm (2018): Everything you need to know
• Fitbit Charge 3 review

An app uses your smartphone camera to tell if you’re alert at work

In the boring old days, our smartphone cameras just took pictures. Then they started letting us confirm our identity, through tools like Apple’s Face ID. Soon, they could help track your alertness as well.

At least, that’s the basis for a new research project coming out of Cornell University. Researchers there have developed a tool which uses a smartphone camera to keep tabs on alertness at work — by measuring the size of your pupils each time you unlock your phone. It can do this because people’s pupils change size over the course of the day. When individuals are alert, the sympathetic nervous system makes their pupils dilate in order that they can take in information more easily. When they’re tired, the parasympathetic nervous system causes the pupils to contract. Since all of us look at our phones at work (don’t pretend this doesn’t include you!), developing an alertness measurement tool for this device makes perfect sense.

“The goal of this technology is to explore a new way in which we can measure people’s level of alertness in an unobtrusiveness and naturalistic way, in particular at the moments when people interact with their mobile devices,” Vincent Tseng, a Ph.D. student in Cornell’s Department of Information Science, told Digital Trends. “Essentially, the app takes a burst of images when people unlock their phone. [It additionally] collects other passive sensor data that also affect people’s alertness or pupil size, such as environmental light intensity. With all these passively collected sensor data, the application uses machine learning to predict how alert the user is, [which helps reveal their] reaction time.”

Sure, the idea of your boss receiving a notification to say your work smartphone has revealed that you’re not paying attention is kind of dystopian. But there are potential applications for this technology that would be genuinely helpful — and maybe even life-saving. For instance, clinicians typically look at devices (hopefully not their personal smartphones) during surgery. A front-facing camera on these devices could help track their alertness throughout procedures, which can take multiple hours to complete in some cases. Should the app detect a surgeon’s level of alertness to be plummeting, it could trigger an intervention that lets another person step in or the operator to take a short break.

“Our ultimate goal is to better understand how our productivity and performance fluctuate throughout the day,” Tseng continued. “By knowing how … different processes change throughout the day, we may have a better picture of when are the optimal times for us to focus and accomplish important tasks.”

A paper describing this project was recently presented at the International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction with Mobile Devices and Services.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Garmin Vivosmart 4 review
• Palm (2018) hands-on review
• Apple iOS 12 review
• Palm (2018): Everything you need to know
• Fitbit Charge 3 review

Huawei Mate 20 Pro vs. Huawei Mate 10 Pro: How much better is the new flagship?

Huawei has finally unveiled the all-new Huawei Mate 20 series, including the flagship Mate 20 Pro. The new device boasts top-tier specs, an excellent design, and a number of exciting new technologies — including an in-display fingerprint sensor.

But the Huawei Mate 20 Pro has big shoes to fill. Last year’s Mate 10 Pro was also much-loved, boasting excellent specs and a great design. Can the new Mate in town take out the older Mate 10 Pro? We put the two phones head-to-head to find out.

Specs

Huawei Mate 20 Pro 
Huawei Mate 10 Pro

Size
157.8 x 72.3 x 8.6 mm (6.22 x 2.85 x 0.34 inches)
154.2 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm (6.07 x 2.93 x 0.31 inches)

Weight
189 grams (6.66 oz)
178 grams (6.28 oz)

Screen size
6.4-inch AMOLED display
6.0-inch AMOLED display

Screen resolution
3,120 x 1,440 pixels (538 pixels-per-inch)
2,160 x 1,080 pixels (402 pixels-per-inch)

Operating system
Android 9.0 Pie
Android 8.0 Oreo

Storage space
128GB
64GB, 128GB

MicroSD card slot
No – features proprietary Nano Memory Card
No

Tap to pay services
Google Pay
Google Pay

Processor
Kirin 980
Kirin 970

RAM
6GB
4GB, 6GB

Camera
Triple sensor 40MP + 20MP + 8MP rear, 24MP front
Dual 12MP + 20MP rear, 8MP front

Video
2,160p at 30 frames per second, 1,080p at 60 fps, 720p at 960 fps
2,160p at 30 frames per second, 1,080p at 60 fps

Bluetooth version
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 4.2

Ports
USB-C
USB-C

Fingerprint sensor
Yes (In-display)
Yes

Water resistance
IP68
IP67

Battery
4,200mAh
4,000mAh

App marketplace
Google Play Store
Google Play Store

Network support
No U.S. support
AT&T, T-Mobile

Colors
Emerald Green, Midnight Blue, Twilight, Pink Gold, Black
Midnight Blue, Titanium Gray, Mocha Brown

Price
1,050 Euros (around $1,220)
$500

Buy from
Huawei
Amazon

Review score
Hands-on
4 out of 5 stars

Performance, battery life, and charging

Mate 20 Pro Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

As you might expect, the Huawei Mate 20 Pro is clearly a better performer than the older Huawei Mate 10 Pro — thanks largely to an upgraded processor. While the Mate 10 Pro features Huawei’s own Kirin 970 processor, the Mate 20 Pro steps things up with a newer-generation Kirin 980, which is around 20 percent faster and 40 percent more power efficient than the older chip. That’s not to say that the Kirin 970 isn’t a great chipset — it is — but the Kirin 980 is clearly a better performer. In the Mate 10 Pro, the processor is coupled with either 4GB or 6GB of RAM, along with either 64GB or 128GB of storage, while the Mate 20 Pro sticks with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

The battery inside the Mate 10 Pro was already a great performer, coming in at 4,000mAh — but the Mate 20 Pro takes it up a notch to 4,200mAh. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the phone will last longer on a charge, especially considering the larger, higher-resolution display. Still, it does bode well for a long battery life. Batteries can be charged a few different ways depending on the phone. On the Mate 20 Pro, you’ll enjoy wireless charging support, as well as Huawei’s own “Super Charge 2.0,” which is a 40W charging system that should charge the phone to 70 percent in just 30 minutes. The Mate 10 Pro doesn’t have wireless charging, and offers the original Huawei Super Charge, which will charge to around 55 percent in 30 minutes.

Winner: Huawei Mate 20 Pro

Design and durability

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Huawei Mate 20 Pro features a modern design thanks to its edge-to-edge display and all-glass build. It does have a notch, which may not please all Android fans, but it’s not an overly deep or pronounced notch — like the one on the Google Pixel 3 XL — meaning that it’ll be easy to forget about. The display on the device comes in at 6.4 inches.

The Mate 10 Pro may not look quite as modern as the newer phone, but it’s still not a bad-looking device. There’s a small forehead and chin on the phone, but they’re easy to ignore.

When it comes to durability, the phones are very similar. Both phones feature a glass build, despite the Mate 10 Pro not offering wireless charging. The main difference, of course, is the water resistance — the Mate 10 Pro has a rating of IP67, while the Mate 20 Pro steps things up to IP68.

The Mate 20 Pro features a more modern design and is slightly more durable. It’s the clear winner.

Winner: Huawei Mate 20 Pro

Display

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

When it comes to display, it’s another easy win for the newer phone. Both the Huawei Mate 10 Pro and the Mate 20 Pro feature AMOLED displays. However, while the display on the Mate 10 Pro comes in at 6 inches with a resolution of 2,160 x 1,080 pixels for a pixel density of 402 pixels-per-inch, the Mate 20 Pro is a serious upgrade with s 6.4-inch display, 3,120 x 1,440 resolution, and 538 pixels-per-inch pixel density. That makes the Mate 20 Pro’s display one of the best on the market.

Winner: Huawei Mate 20 Pro

Camera

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro had one of the best smartphone cameras available at its time of release, boasting a dual-sensor setup with one 12-megapixel sensor and one 20-megapixel monochrome sensor, both with an aperture of f/1.6. Other features include optical image stabilization, laser autofocus, and more. We found that in the real world, the camera was pretty spectacular too — photos were crisp and detailed, while colors were nice and vibrant.

The Mate 20 Pro, of course, aims to improve on this. The new device features three sensors instead of two, including one 40-megapixel main sensor with an f/1.8 aperture, one 20-megapixel wide-angle sensor with an aperture of f/2.2, and one 8-megapixel telephoto lens with an aperture of f/2.4. On the front, you’ll find a 24-megapixel sensor. The Mate 20 Pro’s camera performs extremely well, and it’s definitely more versatile than the camera in its predecessor.

Winner: Huawei Mate 20 Pro

Software and updates

Andy Boxall/Digitaltrends.com

Both the Mate 10 Pro and Mate 20 Pro are Android phones, and they feature Huawei’s Android skin, EMUI. The Mate 10 Pro ships with Android 8.0 Oreo, though an update to Android 9.0 Pie has started rolling out. The Mate 20 Pro, on the other hand, ships with Android 9.0 Pie — so it’s relatively up to date.

Huawei isn’t known for for updating phones quickly, which may be frustrating for those who like to get new Android features as soon as they become available. If that’s you, then perhaps you’re better off with a Pixel phone.

EMUI may also not be for everyone. Icons are a little different, and there are a range of tweaks to how the software works, which might be a little confusing for a first-time Huawei user.

The software experience on these phones is going to be very similar, but given the fact that the Huawei Mate 20 Pro is newer, and therefore expected to be supported with updates for longer, it’s the winner here.

Winner: Huawei Mate 20 Pro

Special features

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Both the Huawei Mate 10 Pro and the Huawei Mate 20 Pro feature Huawei’s own Neural Processing Unit, or NPU — however the one in the Mate 20 Pro is likely to be faster and more powerful. On top of that, the Mate 20 Pro offers features like a new Face ID-like facial-recognition system and an in-display fingerprint sensor, helping it win this category.

Winner: Huawei Mate 20 Pro

Price

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro has been out for a year now and has been discounted a few times. Right now, you can get one on Amazon for $500. The Mate 20 Pro, on the other hand, is brand-new — so expect flagship phone pricing. The device isn’t actually coming to the U.S., but in Europe it’ll be available starting at 1,049 euros, which equates to around $1,220.

Overall winner: Huawei Mate 20 Pro

No surprises here — the Huawei Mate 20 Pro is clearly the better phone. It offers better performance, better design, a better display, and a better camera too. That’s not to say that the Mate 10 Pro isn’t a great device — in fact, of these two phones, it might be the only option available to you, due to the fact that the Mate 20 Pro isn’t coming to the U.S. The older phone is also potentially less than half the price. But if you do have a choice between the two and don’t mind spending the extra cash, we definitely recommend buying the Mate 20 Pro.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Huawei Mate 20 Pro vs. Mate 20 vs. Mate 20 X vs. Mate 20 Lite
• Huawei Mate 20, Pro, and X: Everything you need to know
• Huawei Mate 20 Pro hands-on review
• Huawei Mate 20 Pro vs. P20 Pro: Which 2018 Huawei flagship is best for you?
• Huawei Mate 20 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 9: Flagship fight

Struggling to start a good habit? Simone Giertz’s Every Day Calendar can help

Simone Giertz is best known as the creator of too many terrible robots to name — and we mean that as a compliment. The oddball niche has turned the 27-year-old Giertz into a YouTube superstar, with 1.3 million subscribers and a total of 65 million video views. “I think people just like seeing failure,” Giertz told Digital Trends a couple years back, describing the unlikely success of her crappy contraptions.

Failure isn’t a word we’d associate with Giertz’s latest project, however. Her first venture into crowdfunding, Giertz’s “Every Day Calendar” launched on Kickstarter this week, and has already smashed its funding target by more than 10 times. In doing so, it has racked up upward of $250,000 with its promise of inspiring people to obtain their goals.

As with a lot of the projects which capture the public’s imagination on Kickstarter, the Every Day Calendar has a simple premise. It’s essentially a big printed circuit board which uses capacitive touch and LEDs to light up the individual days as you achieve your goal. For instance, if your goal is to go for a jog every day or eat five portions of fruit and vegetables each day, you tap the date as you complete the task and illuminate that section of the calendar. The idea is that this kind of visual reward system will make you more likely to stick to your goal, particularly as the year goes on and you don’t want to ruin your winning streak.

“Hang the Every Day Calendar in your home, office, workshop, cavern, laboratory, castle, barn or boat,” Giertz writes on the Kickstarter page. “Just make sure that it’s someplace where you see it every day. The Every Day Calendar is 0 percent internet connected, so no apps, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or computer programs are needed to set it up. Just plug it into the wall and you’re ready to go.”

As ever, we should point out the inherent risks in crowdfunding campaigns, which don’t always ship in a timely fashion, in the state that has been promised or, sometimes, at all. Giertz’s Every Day Calendar also has something of a long lead time, since she’s not promising to deliver it until December 2019. Nonetheless, if you’re keen to get involved, head over to the Kickstarter project page, where you can pledge your cold, hard cash. Prices start at $300, although an extra $50 will also get you a T-shirt, photo, and “fancy enamel pin.”

Editors’ Recommendations

• For Monaris, it’s a photography career launched on an iPhone and Instagram
• D.Va goes it alone in an explosive new ‘Overwatch’ animated short
• Behind the unsettling sci-fi landscapes of Simon Stalenhag’s ‘Electric State’
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Apple begins testing Group FaceTime for MacOS Mojave, again

MacOS Mojave users will soon be able to join Group FaceTime chats, a feature that allows up to 32 people to simultaneously participate in a video call. Apple had tested Group FaceTime chats before through early MacOS developer betas, but it ultimately removed the feature prior to launching MacOS 10.14. Now, like with the developer and public betas for iOS 12.1, Apple is reintroducing the feature for testing in its fifth beta of MacOS Mojave 12.14.1, which was released to developers this week.

If the testing is successful, Group FaceTime will likely launch to consumers as part of Apple’s MacOS Mojave 10.14.1 release. This will allow families, businesses, and organizations that have standardized on an iOS and MacOS workflow to hold group video chats over FaceTime. Previously, FaceTime was limited to a one-to-one connection. Though multiple people can be huddled around a single iPhone or Mac to hold a video call, FaceTime does not allow multiple people in separate locations to join the same call. Group FaceTime changes that, and unlike platforms like Microsoft’s Skype or Google’s Hangouts, additional software isn’t required, as FaceTime is a preinstalled experience on Apple’s phones, tablets, and computers.

In addition to restarting its testing of Group FaceTime, the fifth beta of MacOS Mojave 10.14.1 also introduced 70 new emoji, according to a report on AppleInsider. The new emoji match the additions that Apple also introduced in its recent iOS 12.1 beta release. This way, MacOS and iPhone users will be able to see the same emoji when they message each other through iMessage.

It’s unclear when Apple will launch MacOS 10.14.1. But given that Apple has a press event scheduled for October 30 that is widely believed to see the introduction of refreshed iPad and MacBook products, the company could use the venue to showcase some of the new features that will be part of MacOS 10.14.1. Apple announced MacOS Mojave earlier this summer, but the latest operating system was only released to consumers this fall. Mojave introduced a number of notable changes to the Mac computing experience, including a new dark mode, new apps that are ported from iOS to MacOS, and a new workflow for marking up and editing screenshots. If you haven’t installed MacOS Mojave, be sure to read our review for more details.

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