The OnePlus 6T has a secret weapon, and it’s not what you think

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Amazing tech isn’t the killer feature of the brand new OnePlus 6T, such as the in-display fingerprint sensor or the new Gorilla Glass 6 protection, which should survive multiple bumbles and fumbles. Neither are this fantastic smartphone’s drool-worthy good looks, nor a price tag that will make you do a double take, the real breakthrough here.

No, that would be a partnership OnePlus announced with T-Mobile, as well as support for Verizon’s network – both of which make the OnePlus 6T the most accessible phone for U.S. consumers ever for the company. That’s a big deal, because it means the brand can finally stream through the public consciousness. Yes, within the tech world, OnePlus has become an established, reputable brand in a relatively short period of time. But ask most Americans if they’ve heard about it and you’ll see shrugs.

It’s something we’ve asked OnePlus almost every time the company has launched a phone: When will you get a U.S. carrier on board?

OnePlus smartphones have previously supported only the GSM network, which meant they were compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile, and not Verizon or Sprint. Even then, you couldn’t go to a store to see these phones in action; the company has never sold them through a carrier, just on its site.

You need carrier support to break through the duopoly that is Samsung and Apple, especially because most Americans buy their phones this way or through retail stores.

“Brick and mortar stores will still be one of the main channels for smartphone sales,” Jeff Fieldhack said in a Counterpoint Research report on smartphone sales in the second quarter of 2018. “Physically touching and testing high-end devices is still important for the consumer as flagship [average selling prices] continue to climb. … While Amazon is doing well, carriers still have the upper hand. Online sales will continue to grab small amounts of market share, but it will not spike outside of key flagship launches, holidays, and special online sale days.”

Increased carrier support means more people will be conscious of the OnePlus brand.

OnePlus is putting its latest phone into 5,600 T-Mobile stores around the country. And the T-Mob won’t just be displaying and advertising the phone; it’s also offering to shave $300 off the price if you trade-in a select device (the supported list is long), bringing an already affordable flagship phone to a truly unbeatable price.

Better yet, T-Mobile is offering financing so you can pay the phone off in easy, monthly payments. (The only trade off with the T-Mobile deal? It’s for the mirror gloss variant with 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage, and it lacks dual-SIM support.)

Then there’s Verizon support. Verizon has more than 150 million subscribers in the U.S., allowing OnePlus to reach millions more it couldn’t before — and grow from there. The OnePlus 6T will still need to be bought from OnePlus’ site, but it’s not a barrier anymore as you can simply throw in a Verizon SIM card for cellular service to kick in. The phone supports Verizon’s LTE band, including support for VoLTE and Wi-Fi calling.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Increased carrier support means more people will be conscious of the brand, and the T-Mobile partnership will allow those interested to try the phones in stores before they buy. This doesn’t just impact the U.S., as OnePlus has added more carriers around the world. It now supports 233 carriers in 74 countries. In the U.K., the phone will be available in EE and Vodafone stores alongside the O2 network.

This also couldn’t be a more perfect time for OnePlus. Smartphone prices are rising. Even the OnePlus 6T costs a little more than the OnePlus 6, but it’s still a fraction of what you’d pay for an iPhone XS or a Galaxy Note 9. U.S. consumers hold onto their phones for an average of 2.83 years before they decide to upgrade, according to HYLA Mobile Inc., reported by the Wall Street Journal, and it’s partly due to rising prices. Wider network support means OnePlus can show consumers they do not need to pay upwards of $700 for a good phone.

In our review, we described the OnePlus 6T as “everything you want at half the price,” and it’s true. You get the same processor that powers the Galaxy Note 9; there’s a big battery that will easily get you through a full day; and the 6.4-inch screen covers almost the entire front of the phone. The downsides are it only has a decent camera, there’s no headphone jack, no proper water resistance, and the new under-glass fingerprint sensor isn’t as reliable. These are minor problems, though … because everything else about the OnePlus 6T makes this one of the best value phones you can buy right now.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The flagship-quality OnePlus 6T is here: Now here’s where to buy it
• OnePlus 6T vs. OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5T vs. OnePlus 5: Should you upgrade?
• OnePlus 6T: Absolutely everything you need to know
• OnePlus 6T vs. Galaxy S9: Can the Flagship Killer claim another victim?
• OnePlus 6T review

Camera Comparison: iPhone XR vs. iPhone XS Max

The iPhone XR and the iPhone XS models share many similarities, but one major difference is the rear camera setup. While the iPhone XS features a dual-lens camera system with both wide-angle and telephoto lenses, the iPhone XR has a single wide-angle camera lens.

In our latest YouTube video, we compared the cameras of the iPhone XR and the iPhone XS Max to see how much of a difference you’re really going to see with the single lens camera vs. the dual-lens camera.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Though the iPhone XR doesn’t have two lenses to work with, it still has many of the same features that are available in the iPhone XS, enabled through a bit of software magic.

Smart HDR, the feature that combines multiple images to bring out more detail in the shadows and highlights of photographs, is available on both the iPhone XS and iPhone XR, as are Portrait Mode, Portrait Lighting, and Depth Control, which is an option that lets you adjust the amount of background blur in an image.

iPhone XR vs. iPhone XS Portrait Mode
On the iPhone XR, Portrait Mode, which blurs the background of an image while keeping the foreground sharp, only works when a person is in the frame. That means you can’t get Portrait Mode shots of pets, flowers, food, or other objects.

You can do non-person Portrait Mode photos on the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max because two cameras are used together to calculate depth information. The single camera on the iPhone XR provides less detailed depth information for photographs, so it needs to use person detection to separate the foreground from the background.

On the plus side, because the iPhone XR exclusively uses the f/1.8 wide-angle lens for Portrait Mode photos and does not need to rely on the smaller aperture f/2.4 telephoto lens that’s in the iPhone XS, Portrait Mode images taken in low light can turn out better than Portrait Mode photos on the XS because the wider lens lets in more ambient light.

iPhone XR vs. iPhone XS Portrait Mode in low light
With Portrait Mode photos, the iPhone XR struggles a bit with edge detection and the images can be softer than those captured with the iPhone XS due to the lack of a telephoto lens and less depth information to work with. Portrait Mode photos on both devices can be edited with different Depth Control and Portrait Lighting features, though there are two less Portrait Lighting options on the XR.

When taking standard non-Portrait Mode photos, there are few differences between the iPhone XS models and the iPhone XR because the two smartphones are both using the same f/1.8 wide-angle lens. Images taken in standard zoom mode, for example, look the same.

You will, however, see some differences using the iPhone XS telephoto lens for 2x optical zoom in conditions where lighting is good, because this feature isn’t available on the iPhone XR. With no second lens, the iPhone XR ls limited to digital zoom that maxes out at 5x. The iPhone XS can do 2x optical zoom and up to 10x digital zoom, but it’s only going to be using the optical zoom in ideal lighting conditions.

If you take a 2x photo in a low lighting situation on the iPhone XS, there’s a good chance it will look identical to the same photo taken on the iPhone XR because the iPhone XS defaults to digital zoom over optical zoom when the wider lens will produce a better picture. If you take a 2x photo with bright lighting on the iPhone XS, it’s going to be sharper than the same 2x photo on the iPhone XR because of the difference between true optical zoom and digital zoom.

4K video using the wide-angle lens looks identical on both the iPhone XS and the iPhone XR, and both phones feature the same video capabilities like 1080p 240fps slo-mo, optical image stabilization, and stereo sound recording. You are, however, limited to 3x digital zoom on the iPhone XR vs. 2x optical zoom or 6x digital zoom on the iPhone XS.

When it comes to the front-facing camera, you won’t see differences between the iPhone XR and the iPhone XS models because all three of the smartphones use the same TrueDepth camera system with a 7-megapixel front-facing camera and full support for Portrait Mode images, Portrait Lighting, Depth Control, Memoji, and Animoji.

Front-facing camera on iPhone XR and iPhone XS
All in all, when it comes to camera performance, unless you’re someone who takes a lot of Portrait Mode photos or often uses the optical zoom feature on the iPhone, you may not notice much of a difference if you choose the iPhone XR over the iPhone XS.

To get a clearer look at the camera quality of the iPhone XR compared to the iPhone XS Max, make sure to check out our Imgur album, which features full-resolution versions of the photographs that we shared in this article and in the video above.

What do you think of the iPhone XR camera? Do you prefer the iPhone XS camera? Let us know your thoughts on the comparison images in the comments.

Related Roundups: iPhone XS, iPhone XRBuyer’s Guide: iPhone XS (Buy Now), iPhone XR (Buy Now)
Discuss this article in our forums

Google Pixel USB-C earbuds review

One of the first things we noticed upon opening up our Pixel 3 XL was the inclusion of the Pixel USB-C earbuds. Odd, right? There was no mention of them in the phone announcement and they weren’t brought up in any of the press chatter immediately following the introduction.

Priced $30 separately, they’re white, simple, and somewhat basic — perhaps a smidge uninspired. They plug into the USB Type C port, naturally, and give Pixel 3 owners a little something for music, podcasts, and audiobooks.

We get why a lot of companies prefer to use the USB C port instead of the 3.5mm jack. We don’t really like it, but we get it. But, we really don’t appreciate being directed to go with wireless headphones or use a dongle attachment. To that end, we’re glad to see Google including some earphones.

Dig around the house or office and we bet you can find a pair or two of cheap headphones that you’ve used over and over. Whether for your phone, game controllers, or something else, your trusty, generic headphone are there for you and always pull through.

Chances are good that you don’t have the same thing in USB C. There are not a lot of options out there that that provide the same experience cheaply. Google’s new USB-C earbuds bridge that gap.

Design

Save for the “G” logos, there’s nothing overtly Google about these earphones. If you’ve ever looked at Amazon Basics for cables or accessories, you know that the products work as required but they eschew fancy features or design elements. That’s what we have here.

These are comfortable to wear, offer a simple design, and work with an increasing number of devices. The best part? They’re affordably priced.

The exterior of the buds have a flat matte finish while the inner part is glossy. The tandem call to mind how Google treats the back of the Pixel phones.

Halfway down the cord you locate the controller. At a glance you only see one button but when you press or squeeze it you feel the tactile feedback. And, if you look closely, you can make out the microphone.

Similar to the Pixel Buds, the Pixel USB-C earbuds employ a looped cable to help ensure they fit in your ear. Think of earhooks that you can attach to your earbuds for running or more active lifestyles. It’s a design choice that we figured we’d see make its way to other OEMs but for now it’s definitely “Google”.

Out of the box we found them to fit nice and secure. Should you need to make an adjustment you may struggle a little bit; they’re a little slippery and require some effort to push into place.

Sound

For $30 we really like what we get here. It’s a price point we can work with and thus far the quality is commensurate, if not better.

Audio is even, smooth, and doesn’t have any distortion, even at higher levels. Spoken word from audiobooks and podcasts come across nicely with a crisp but warm sound.

You won’t get any anything piercing or chest thumping, but that’s partially due to them being earbuds and not over the ear headphones. Along those lines, we detected a bit of outside sound bleeding into the audio.This largely depended on the environment and the level of music.

If you’re listening to a couple of people chit chat over an NPR podcast, you might hear the sound of traffic outside of a coffee shop. But, punchier music or something that’s a little more “exciting” drowns out the world well enough to satisfy us.

Google Assistant

For many, the signature reason to purchase a set of Pixel Buds is the ability to translate language on the fly. But, at $160 that doesn’t come cheap. No more, though, as the $30 Pixel USB-C earbuds offer the same functionality.

If you’ve ever used it, there’s something really cool about the experience. It’s almost like being a member of the United Nations and having a translator in your ear. We’re really excited to see that these earphones are included in the box.

With that in mind, there will surely be other models to offer that same feature down the road. Google has promised that the tech is coming so we don’t know what price range we’ll have to work with. We suspect, though, that these will be somewhere in the middle or lower end.

We tested the Pixel USB-C earbuds with a variety of phones and found they worked as expected. The same goes for plugging into Chromebooks, too. Despite being the same port for charging or data transfer there’s no setup or or configuration.

Conclusion

If you’re at all in the market for a pair of USB Type-C headphones or earphones, these ought to be at the top of your list. The cost is right in line with the features and functions, plus the Google Assistant smarts add something you, for the most part, can’t get elsewhere.

We’re glad to see these were included in the box with the Pixel 3XL and hope they stick around for successors. There’s nothing we’d want to see evolved at this point as they’re a no-frills pair to get by. Anything more and we don’t think Google would throw them in.

OnePlus 6T vs. Galaxy S9: Can the Flagship Killer claim another victim?

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

The OnePlus 6T is OnePlus’ latest high-spec flagship most popular phones in the world, with similar specs to OnePlus’s latest — but it comes with a bigger price tag. Can the OnePlus 6T take the Galaxy S9 down?

Specs

OnePlus 6T
Samsung Galaxy S9

Size
157.5 x 74.8 x 8.2 mm (6.20 x 2.94 x 0.32 inches)
147.6 x 68.7 x 8.4 mm (5.81 x 2.70 x 0.33 inches)

Weight
185 grams (6.5 ounces)
163 grams (5.75 ounces)

Screen size
6.41-inch AMOLED
5.8-inch Super AMOLED display

Screen resolution
2,340 x 1,080 pixels (402 pixels per inch)
2,960 x 1,440 pixels (570 pixels per inch)

Operating system
OxygenOS (over Android 9.0 Pie)
Android 8.0 Oreo

Storage space
128GB, 256GB

64GB, 128GB, 256GB

MicroSD card slot
No
Yes, up to 512GB

Tap-to-pay services
Google Pay
Google Pay, Samsung Pay

Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845

RAM
6G, 8GB
4GB

Camera
Dual 16MP (with OIS) and 20MP rear, 16MP front
12MP (with OIS) rear, variable aperture, 8MP front

Video
Up to 4K at 60 frames per second, 1080p at 240 fps, 720p at 480 fps
4K at 60 frames per second, 1080p at 240 fps, 720p at 960 fps

Bluetooth version
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 5.0

Ports
USB-C
3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C

Fingerprint sensor
Yes, in-display
Yes

Water resistance
No
IP68

Battery
3,700mAh

OnePlus Fast Charge

3,000mAh

QuickCharge 2.0

Qi wireless charging

App marketplace
Google Play Store
Google Play Store

Network support
T-Mobile, AT&T
T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint

Colors
Mirror Black, Midnight Black
Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Lilac Purple

Price
$549
$840

Buy from
OnePlus

Samsung, Amazon

Review score
4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5 stars

Performance, battery life, and charging

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Both phones come with this year’s “flagchip,” the Snapdragon 845, so you can expect to get similar high-level performance from each. OnePlus previously pushed for super-fast performance on the OnePlus 6, so it might be that the 6T will feel faster in everyday tasks. The 6T has options for 6GB and 8GB of RAM — significantly higher than the S9’s 4GB — however, the impact that more RAM has on performance is debatable. Storage space is similarly close, with both phones topping out at 256GB — but only the S9 has a MicroSD card slot.

The 6T wins in pure battery capacity, as its 3,700mAh dwarfs the S9’s 3,000mAh. It’s fair to expect longer battery life from the OnePlus phone. Charging times on both will be speedy, but the 6T’s fast charging outstrips the S9’s QuickCharge 2.0 fast charging by a decent margin. However, only the S9 comes with convenient wireless charging.

With flagship specs on both, it’s very tough to call a winner here. Looking at elements the phones differ on, the 6T’s larger battery and speedier charging win out over wireless charging on the S9.

Winner: OnePlus 6T

Design and durability

As usual with Samsung and OnePlus, these are both exceptionally beautiful phones. The S9 broadly follows the Galaxy S8‘s style, but that’s not a bad thing — the S9’s sleek glass silhouette is still one of the most beautiful handsets around. At the same time, we really like the OnePlus 6T’s changes, including slimming the bezels down even further, and adopting a dewdrop-style notch. It’s just as beautiful and sleek as the S9, and both phones score a 10 in looks.

Things aren’t as solid when we turn to durability. While the glass on each phone is similarly fragile, OnePlus continues to avoid adding any IP-rated water resistance to its phones. As a result, the 6T is far less likely to survive a slip into the pool than the IP68-rated S9. Also, if you’re a fan of your old pair of headphones, the OnePlus 6T breaks with tradition and does away with the headphone jack — which the S9 retains.

While both phones are super-stylish, the S9’s IP-rated water resistance really gives it an advantage, though you’ll still want a case.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S9

Display

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

There are deep inky blacks and strongly vibrant colors for everyone, thanks to the AMOLED displays on both phones. The OnePlus 6T comes with a huge 6.41-inch display running a 2,340 x 1,080 resolution, and it’s a very good screen. The Galaxy S9’s display is smaller at 5.8-inches, but it’s running a 2,960 x 1,440 resolution — making the S9’s display significantly sharper than the 6T’s. Samsung also has considerable knowledge of screen tech, and the S9 has one of the best displays in the world, as evidenced by it initially topping DisplayMate’s ratings.

The OnePlus 6T’s display is beautiful, but it can’t compare to the S9’s master class in screen-tech.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S9

Camera

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Bucking multilens trends, you’ll find only a single 12-megapixel lens on the back of the Galaxy S9. It’s still a great camera, with fantastic performance in a variety of lighting, thanks primarily to the variable aperture that changes depending on lighting. Despite lacking a second lens, it can simulate a portrait mode on the rear camera and the front-facing 8-megapixel lens.

The OnePlus 6T packs a primary 16-megapixel lens with a secondary 20-megapixel lens. It’s more or less the same two lenses we saw on the OnePlus 6, and while it’s a good setup, it can’t quite match the S9’s great camera. OnePlus has added A.I. optimization to the 6T’s camera, though, so it should be capable of adjusting settings to get the most out of a sunset, your lunch, or a bunch of other scenes. The 16-megapixel front-facing camera should also be capable of the same thing.

Video-wise, you’ll be able to take full 4K video at 60 frames per second on both devices, but the S9 goes further with the ability to shoot super slow motion video at 960 fps. The 6T can capture 480 fps in super slow motion, but it can’t quite match the S9.

This is something of a mixed bag. While the OnePlus 6T has a decent camera, it’s still one of the weaker points of the phone, and it’s simply not as capable as the Galaxy S9’s excellent single shooter.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S9

Software and updates

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Galaxy S9 comes with Android 8.0 Oreo underneath the Samsung Experience UI. It’s a good skin, and it shouldn’t be hard for anyone with prior Android experience to make the switch. Samsung’s update record isn’t as good though, and most owners will find themselves waiting for some time before an update to Android 9.0 Pie is available. The S9 will definitely get the Pie update, as well as Android Q — but Samsung has never been quick on updates.

The OnePlus 6T comes with Android 9.0 Pie, hidden under OxygenOS. It’s low on bloatware and pre-installed apps, and it’s extremely fast — but the real win here is Android 9.0 Pie. The 6T is up-to-date, and that’s not something the S9 can match yet. OnePlus’ record with updates is also extremely good — so it’s one to watch if you like prompt updates.

Android 9.0 Pie and much faster updates win this for the OnePlus 6T.

Winner: OnePlus 6T

Special features

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

You’ll get a good amount of special features in the Galaxy S9, including the Bixby voice assistant, VR support with Gear VR, and support for desktop-style work with Samsung’s DeX mode. There’s even augmented reality support with AR Emojis, as well as everything you’d expect from Android 8.0 Oreo, including the Google Assistant.

The OnePlus 6T is similarly packed with special features. You’ll find Android 9.0 Pie’s biggest new features on here, including the new gesture-based controls. OnePlus has added more gestures to the mix though, and owners will be able to pause music by drawing a pause sign on the lock screen, or take a screenshot with a three-finger gesture. There’s also a gaming mode that prioritizes performance and network traffic for your games, and modes for your display that cut out blue light at night, or shift to monochrome for easier reading.

There’s face scanning too, like the OnePlus 6 — but the biggest new addition is an in-display fingerprint scanner. Simply press down on the fingerprint icon on your lock screen and you’ll be logged in. Keep pressing, and you’ll also pull up a customizable menu for quick app access.

It’s another tough fight. The 6T’s features aren’t quite as flashy as the S9’s — outside of the in-display fingerprint scanner — but the S9’s features generally require some sort of buy-in. Ultimately, we feel this choice is a personal one — pick whichever one has the better features for you.

Winner: Tie

Price

The Samsung Galaxy S9 is currently available, with prices starting at $840 for the 64GB model, although if you shop around, you can get one for quite a bit less than that now. It will work on every major network. The OnePlus 6T costs $549, but it will only work on T-Mobile, AT&T, and other GSM networks.

Overall winner: Samsung Galaxy S9

The Galaxy S9 may have come out on top in this particular battle, but that doesn’t mean the “Flagship Killer” has entirely missed its mark. The OnePlus 6T is a phenomenal phone with all the power, beauty, and advanced camera tech that you’d expect from a flagship device — but for several hundred dollars less.

On balance, the Galaxy S9’s water resistance, large array of additional features, and extremely solid performance mean that Samsung’s phone is probably the better of the two to pick up — but if you can’t ignore the OnePlus 6T’s lower price, then OnePlus’s newest flagship killer is a fantastic choice.

Editors’ Recommendations

• OnePlus 6T: Absolutely everything you need to know
• OnePlus 6T vs. OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5T vs. OnePlus 5: Should you upgrade?
• OnePlus 6T review
• Samsung Galaxy Note 9 vs. OnePlus 6: Does more expensive mean better?
• The 6-inch OnePlus 5T: Everything you need to know

Google’s updated Recaptcha deters bots without imposing verification tasks

Ken Wolter /123rf

Google has updated its Recaptcha verification tool to its third version, allowing website owners to weed out harmful traffic generated by bots without even requiring visitors to prove they’re human. The change also makes it easier for website visitors to log into their favorite sites without the wasted time and frustration of having to solve a puzzle to prove they’re a real human each time.

Google designed Recaptcha originally to help websites identify that their traffic was generated by human visitors, and help filter out robots that generate spam or automated abuse, but the search giant said that “the one-time verification didn’t fit every single use case.” Rather than requiring users to perform interactive tests — like clicking on a checkbox on a login page to prove that they’re a human — Recaptcha v3 now generates a score so website owners can determine if their traffic originated from bots.

“Recaptcha v3 returns a score for each request without user friction,” Google said of the update on its developer page. “The score is based on interactions with your site and enables you to take an appropriate action for your site.” Recaptcha will rank traffic and interactions based on a score of 0.0 to 1.0, with a 1.0 being a good interaction and scores closer to 0.0 indicating a good likelihood that the traffic was generated by bots.

Website owners can generate scripts to perform automated actions based on the traffic score. For instance, if Recaptcha v3 returns a low score, a website owner can use a script to require two-factor authentication or email verification as a login requirement for their sites. “As Recaptcha v3 doesn’t ever interrupt the user flow, you can first run Recaptcha without taking action and then decide on thresholds by looking at your traffic in the admin console,” Google added. “By default, you can use a threshold of 0.5.”

In a YouTube video demonstrating how Recaptcha v3 works, Google said that the verification can be added to different parts of a website, including for logging into accounts, posting reviews, or checking a site out to make purchases. When applied to product review pages, Rcaptcha helps to maintain the integrity of the website by being able to identify and filter fake reviews that are posted by bots.

“Recaptcha’s adaptive risk analysis engine takes in various signals about the interactions and predicts the likelihood the request was generated by a bot,” Google said. “It works best with context about how both humans and bots interact with your website. So for best performance, include Recaptcha in many places.”

For users and web surfers, the best part about Recaptcha v3 is that it eliminates friction when users log into sites as they no longer have to prove that they are human by checking on a box, typing in verification codes that are difficult to read, or performing puzzles.

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TourBox is a one-handed Photoshop console designed to swiftly edit photos

Local adjustments in Photoshop and Lightroom are often a back-and-forth process between the keyboard and the mouse or a graphics tablet but TourBox aims to reduce that with a mini editing console. Unlike other editing consoles, the TourBox is designed to be used with one hand while the other remains on the mouse or a graphics tablet.

Designed for Lightroom and Photoshop but configurable with other editing programs, the TourBox packs three different types of dials and several buttons onto a device that is less than five inches wide. The TourBox can be custom configured to control different adjustments using software.

Tour Tech / Kickstarter

The device’s one-handed design means one hand can draw on a graphics tablet while the other uses the dials and buttons to control brush size, hardness, flow, and opacity. The editing console can also cycle through the different tools, zoom in and out, swap foreground and background colors in Photoshop.

In Lightroom, the console can adjust the different dials quickly after the mouse clicks each option. The Los Angeles-based startup, Tour Tech, says that the TourBox will also have suggested presets for Capture One, Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro, and others, along with tools to customize the controls for different programs. The device is compatible with both Mac and Windows and plugs in using a USB-C port.

While TourBox isn’t the first to give photo editors physical controls for photo editing, the TourBox’s smaller size is designed to be used with one hand. The popular Loupedeck is closer in size to a keyboard than a video game controller, while the Palette Gear uses controls that can be custom arranged. TourBox is also designed for designers as well as photographers and works with Photoshop, unlike Loupedeck. The smaller size means fewer buttons, but the one-handed design looks like it could appeal more for local editing and adjusting brush parameters with one hand while using a graphics tablet in the other.

The TourBox design is enough to capture the attention of more than 1,400 backers on Kickstarter, bringing the campaign well beyond the original goal. If the project is successful, early backers could receive a TourBox for about $89. Tour Tech says the TourBox has already been through three prototypes and testing and anticipates shipping beginning in December.

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Concept images dress up a new Mac Mini in a sleek space gray

The Mac Mini has not gotten a major upgrade in over four years, but with the latest Apple event now being less than a day away, rumors continue to surface on what a refreshed model can look like. That is exactly why one designer has taken it on himself to put together a package of new Apple concept images all dressed up in space gray, as spotted by 9to5Mac.

The concepts, designed by Viktor Kádár as part of a collaboration with the blog iMagazin, envision some of the upgrades that Apple fans have long wanted to see on a new Mac Mini.

Aside from coming outfitted in the new space gray color, around the back of the Mac Mini device in the concept are some new ports. These include four USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, and the usual HDMI, SD card reader, and ethernet jack. That is a modern change from the current Mac mini, which sports four USB 3.0 ports and Thunderbolt 2 ports.

Ports on the back of the concept Mac Mini (via Viktor Kádár)

Other concept images in the package also envision a new wireless space gray magic keyboard, with a Touch Bar and Touch ID included on board. These are a bit more of wild shots, but tie in with concepts for a new slim-bezel Apple display, which is something that remains unlikely for the October 30 event.

Though these images are nothing but a concept, it sure does stir up hype for what Apple might have on showcase at the event. As last noted it is widely expected for the new Mac Mini model to come with new processors aimed at professional users. However, given that the Mac mini has always been compact, a complete design revamp remains unlikely.

As for the other Apple products expected at the October 30 event, it is widely believed that a new MacBook, iMac, and iPad could also be showcased. There have been several leaks supporting new products recently including a canceled education order, and filings over at the Eurasian Economic Commission. Recent reports from Bloomberg have also suggested that a new MacBook might be coming in a 12-inch model, with slimmer bezels, a retina display, modern USB-C ports, and maybe even an eighth-generation Intel processor.

Editors’ Recommendations

• What to expect from Apple’s October 30 event: New MacBooks, iPads
• What’s the skinny? Apple may launch a new MacBook with ultrathin design soon
• What to expect from Apple’s September 12 ‘Gather Round’ event
• The 2018 Mac mini: Here’s everything we know so far
• Refreshed MacBook Air and iPad Pro are absent from Apple’s website leak

No Man’s Sky The Abyss makes me want to recreate Rapture

The Abyss is the perfect addition for base builders and creatives alike.

Minecraft tends to be the gold standard when it comes to recreating some of our favorite video game cities, but No Man’s Sky’s latest update makes it a whole lot easier to create one of the most iconic locations in gaming: BioShock’s Rapture.

The Abyss, which is a free update for No Man’s Sky that launched today, focuses heavily on aquatic gameplay. As such, a host of new building materials have been added to the game that immediately made me want to go in and recreate Rapture. With objects like glass tunnels and deepwater chambers thrown into the mix, along with the ability to make them rusty, it’s only a matter of time before players get to work on Andrew Ryan’s greatest achievement.

If you’re looking to do something like this, it’s best to jump into its creative mode straight away. Attempting to build such towering monuments in survival will be an incredibly time consuming task considering you’ll need to find the individual blueprints and gather the appropriate materials before you can begin.

None of this matters if the environment is dull and lifeless, though. The Abyss introduces environments with 5 times more variety, encompassing all aspects like its flora and fauna. Be careful when you run into “predator fish rumored to be larger than Starships.” This makes the environment feel more alive than ever; the perfect atmosphere for an eerie underwater city to pop up.

It may not be an exact replica, but if players have proven anything it’s that their imaginations know no bounds. You’re only limited by what the game provides you, and thanks to The Abyss, those limits have shrunk.

Aside from my oddly overwhelming desire to create Rapture (who knows if I’ll ever get to that), The Abyss doesn’t grasp me in any other way. It very much builds upon the game’s NEXT update with more crafting and trading materials, but it is by no means a complete overhaul. Though missions have been added through the Dreams of the Deep storyline, following the tale of a stranded crew and lost soul beneath the sea, its biggest additions are undoubtedly its new underwater biomes and expanded base building.

If this was a paid content pack, I’d honestly recommend it be skipped for anyone other than the most dedicated No Man’s Sky players. But due to it being free, I think everyone should definitely check it out, if only for a moment. What you’re essentially getting feels like a watered-down version of Subnautica (no pun intended), which is by no means in insult.

Our pick

No Man’s Sky

$20 at Amazon

A glorious comeback.

No Man’s Sky has come a long way since its controversial launch. With continual support and free content updates, the experience is now well worth your time and money.

What can my child learn with a Kano Computer?

Best answer: The Kano Computer Kit teaches kids how to code, no matter what their age or skill. With the Kano Computer Kit, your child will be able to create games, music, videos and even software.

Amazon: Kano Computer Kit ($143)

What is the Kano Computer Kit?

The Kano Computer Kit prides itself on being the next cutting-edge technology that will help children learn to code for years to come. Instead of painting coding as a hard, serious activity that’ll cause any sensible kid to run away, the Kano Computer Kit uses fun, creative methods that make coding not seem so daunting. These methods include asking the child to create the computer, as well as including a helpful storybook that educates children about the computer’s “different organs,” such as the motherboard.

In learning how to build a computer for themselves, the Kano Computer Kit prepares young minds for the future and allows them to share their creativity. As Kano itself says, “less than 1% of 1% of us can understand and influence” the technology around us. They plan to change that, one step at a time.

What does the Kano Computer Kit include and what does it do?

The Kano Computer Kit includes everything you could possibly need — all in one box. Your child will get a Raspberry Pi 3, programmable LED lights, a DIY case, power button, wireless keyboard, memory, HDMI and power cables, Kano’s operating system, coding challenges, and stickers. Oh, and apps. Lots and lots of apps. And not just apps that are made “just for kids” but software like WhatsApp, Google Docs, and YouTube. The only thing that the kit doesn’t include is a screen, meaning you’ll need to get one that accepts an HDMI cable.

Your kid will even be able to go one step further and create their very own software. Instead of spending all their time tearing down the blocks of games like Minecraft and Roblox, why not let them become the next genius behind a game like them, instead? If that isn’t up your child’s alley, then they can look at creating different videos and even music.

The possibilities are absolutely endless with the Kano Computer Kit, and the best part about it is that you don’t need to be a kid to enjoy everything it has to offer.

Our pick

Kano Computer Kit Touch

<img src=”https://www.androidcentral.com/

$280 at Amazon US

Master coding without getting your hands dirty

The Kano Computer Kit Touch does everything the Kano Computer Kit does, only this time you can do everything with just one swish of a finger. It’s enough to make Mary Poppins jealous.

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