Borderlands 2 VR: Everything you need to know

Handsome Jack awaits you in glorious cel-shaded madness

The Borderlands series by Gearbox has been a fan favorite for years and with the 2-year anniversary of the PlayStation VR, Gearbox and Sony have just announced a VR version of the acclaimed Borderlands 2.

Update October 25, 2018: No DLC

It looks like Borderlands 2 VR won’t ship with the 10 DLC that the original game has now. The Borderlands twitter account tweeted that only the core game will be available for VR.

This is a big blow to those who were hoping for the full Borderlands 2 experience in VR as a lot of the best content came from those 10 DLCs. Will we see these DLCs come to Borderlands 2 VR at a later date? Only time will tell.

Borderlands 2 VR launches with the full core game of Borderlands 2 and the original four Vault Hunters, with the complete experience re-imagined for VR!

— Borderlands (@Borderlands) October 23, 2018

While information is still a little sketchy, here is everything we know right now.

• What is Borderlands 2?
• What is the control system?
• Is it still multiplayer?
• What on earth is BadAss Mega Fun Time?
• What other VR goodness is there?

What is Borderlands 2?

Borderlands 2, which came out in 2012, is a unique take on the first person shooter (FPS). With a funny and crazy story, Borderlands 2 never took itself too seriously, giving you the chance to enjoy the cel-shaded visuals spraying blood all over you and the literal millions of weapon combinations the game could spit out at you. If you don’t own it already in non-VR form, it’s still worth picking up and playing through, especially since it’s available on just about every platform and console. Even now it holds up as one of the most fun FPS I’ve ever played.

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What is the control system?

Borderlands 2 VR is controlled primarily with the DualShock 4 controller but is said to be “Enhanced by the Move Controllers.” The team at Sony have mentioned that the game will include teleporting as your means of locomotion, which has been utilized in a lot of VR games since teleporting helps to reduce the motion sickness that can occur in VR. However, using the DualShock controller will allow you to move around at a walking and running pace.

Using the Move Controllers should allow us to use the melee and gun powers separately for some pretty sweet combos and it will definitely make dual wielding heaps of fun, while the teleporting mechanic will hopefully make boss fights a little easier, or crazier. At least, it’ll put a new spin on the game if you’ve played it already.

Is it still multiplayer?

Unfortunately no, Gearbox made Borderlands VR a single-player experience. That means it edited some of the hunter skills to better reflect that single-player feeling. One example is for Maya, who’s going to see the following change:

We updated previous skills that relied on a co-op partner, such as Maya’s “Res” ability, which now is called “Empathy” – causing Phaselock to deplete half your current health, damaging enemies based on how much health you lost.

While it’s a shame we won’t be able to play on Pandora with our friends, it’s good to know that Gearbox has reworked the game instead of just doing a straight port, which given the crazy nature of the gameplay would have probably made for a poor port.

What on earth is BadAss Mega Fun Time?

BadAss Mega Fun Time — or BAMF Time — is a new mechanic especially developed by Gearbox to help you cope with the frantic nature of the game in VR.

Essentially, it’s a bullet-time mode that allows you to move around in real-time while everyone else is going as slow as molasses. This kind of slow-motion is exceedingly helpful in VR as a way to gather your thoughts and take specific aim at something rather than just raining a hail of bullets on everything.

It’ll also allow you to use your skills while in BAMF Time, making kills even easier, or crazier, depending on your tastes. For me, crazier is always better.

What other VR goodness is there?

Borderlands 2 VR will let you play with all the original hunter classes but with their skill list updated to use the VR view and the BAMF Time mechanic. This is another welcome change from Gearbox, showing they have put thought and effort into the VR version of the game.

The other big VR experience is going to be the driving. Taking the unique way VR handles visuals, Gearbox is trying a different approach to the vehicular mayhem from the original game. You’ll use the Move Controllers to steer the vehicle while your headset acts as your target reticule. All you need to do is look in the direction you want and your gun will shoot that way. This could, of course, be a recipe for disaster and make you feel sick but I think Gearbox is aware of this and is just trying to have some fun with us.

When and where can I get it?

Borderlands 2 will be available on December 14 but is available now to pre-order through the PlayStation Store. If you do pre-order, you get a PS4 theme for your troubles.

The Pre-order price is $50, which makes sense since it’s a full-length game.

Pre-order at PlayStation Store

PlayStation 4

• PS4 vs. PS4 Slim vs. PS4 Pro: Which should you buy?
• PlayStation VR Review
• Playing PS4 games through your phone is awesome

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Best Accessories for OnePlus 6T

The OnePlus 6T is the most powerful and impressive phone OnePlus has ever created, and if you want to take your experience to the next level, a few great accessories are just what the doctor ordered. Whether you need a case, wireless earbuds, or something in between, these are the best 6T accessories you can get.

Best case around

OnePlus Bumper Case

OnePlus is one of the few Android OEMs that supports its phones with high-quality accessories, and this bumper case is one of the best official cases it has to offer. Available in stunning Karbon, Ebony Wood, and Nylon materials, this case offers serious protection and devlish good looks.

$30 at OnePlus

Best for less

Dretal TPU Case

If you need a case but don’t feel like throwing down $30, Dretal’s got your back with a much more affordable option. Although not quite as stylish, the case still looks nice and offers extra grip, shock absorption, and a 30-day warranty.

$8 at Amazon

Protect your screen

Orzero Temperted Glass Screen Protectors

The display on the OnePlus 6T is a thing of AMOLED beauty, and if you want to keep it looking brand new, you’ll want to get a screen protector. The 6T comes with a plastic protector installed out of the box, but this tempered glass one offers far more protection.

$8 at Amazon

Extra battery

Anker PowerCore 20,100 mAh

The OnePlus 6T’s 3700 mAh battery should be more than enough to get just about everyone through a full day of use, but if you find yourself needing more juice, the Ankew PowerCore gives you access to 21100 mAh of backup battery. The battery also comes with a Micro-USB cable and an 18-month warranty.

$50 at Amazon

Spare charger

OnePlus Fast Charge Power Bundle

OnePlus’s Fast Charge system (previously called Dash Charge) is one of the fastest around. The 6T comes with a Fast Charge wall adapter and cable, but if you want an extra pair for your house, you can pick it up from OnePlus’s website for a little under $40.

$38 at OnePlus

Car companion

OnePlus Fast Charge Car Charger

Want to bring Fast Chrage to your car? With this official OnePlus car charger, you can do just that. For $30, you get both the car charger and compatible USB-C cable. Similar to the regular Fast Charger wall adapter, this delivers up to 60% of battery in just 30 minutes.

$30 at OnePlus

Just the basics

OnePlus Type-C Bullets

Something you won’t find on the OnePlus 6T is a 3.5mm headphone jack. While that’s certainly a bummer, OnePlus makes this up by offering solid and stylish USB Type-C earbuds for just $20. An advanced DAC supports high-res audio and the in-line remote offers easy access to music playback controls.

$20 at OnePlus

Wireless earbud champ

OnePlus Bullets Wireless

Are wireless earbuds more your jam? If so, you need to treat yourself to the OnePlus Bullets Wireless. Now available in black and red, the Bullets Wireless sound great, support Google Assistant, and have a unique magnetic control system that works incredibly well.

$70 at OnePlu

Give it a shot

PopSocket

There’s a reason you see these things on just about everyone’s phones. As silly as they might look, PopSockets are cheap and actually make it easier to use your phone (especially with something as big as the OnePlus 6T). If you’ve never tried one for yourself, now’s the time.

$10 at Amazon

There you have it! Those are the best accessories you can get for the OnePlus 6T. You really can’t go wrong with any of these, but if you have to choose between just one or two, do yourself a favor and pick up the OnePlus Bumper Case and the Orzero Screen Protector. The 6T does come with a plastic protector pre-installed, but these tempered glass ones will offer a lot more protection. And, if you just want to treat yourself, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless are simply fantastic.

Best clear cases for the Google Pixel 3 XL

I know, I know, no one wants to hide their sexy new phone under a case, but it’s okay! Clear cases can keep your Google Pixel 3 XL safe while showing off that two-tone glass back for all the world to gaze upon and weep at its loveliness.

Crystal-clear drop-protection

Tech21 Evo Check

$40 at Google Store

Do you drop your phones a lot, but still want to show yours off? Grab an Evo Check case, rated to keep your phone safe from repeated 12-foot drops. Its clear construction still shows off your Pixel’s perfection, and it comes in purple and clear.

Like nothing’s there

Cimo Slim Grip

$8 at Amazon

Cimo’s Slim Grip’s translucence lets the Pixel branding and two-tone glass shine through one of three cool colors — blue, purple, and traditional crystal clear — while the TPU offers extra grip so you can keep your Pixel 3 XL safely in hand.

Affordable crystal

MoKo Clear Case

$8 at Amazon

MoKo’s clear case displays the Google Pixel 3 XL’s beauty with a hard polycarbonate back while a more flexible TPU bumper hugs the Pixel’s glossy frame. Moko’s case is a little tougher to get on and off than a pure TPU case, but its hard back is great for phone grips or card sleeves.

Crystal Clear

Spigen Liquid Crystal

$12 at Amazon

Eschewing hard polycarbonate backs that have a tendency to produce oily rainbows and stiff cases, Spigen uses a flexible TPU is easy to apply and easier to grip. The light protection of Spigen’s Liquid Crystal is as thin as it is beautiful.

Air cushion corners

TGOOD Slim Grip

$8 at Amazon

Want a thin case but still want more protection for your Pixel 3 XL and those dreaded corner-drop shatters? TGOOD has your answer with their Slip Grip case, which stays thin, clear, and beautiful on the back and sides of the phone where you’ll grip it most often while sporting some serious air cushions on the four corners of the case.

The X factor

Ringke Fusion X

$10 at Amazon

Sporting a beefy bumper and reinforced corners for extra protection, the Ringke Fusion X is military grade protection for the price of a pizza. While the Black bumper is solid, the Ruby Red bumper is translucent, giving your Pixel 3 XL a bloody beautiful glow when it catches the light.

Barely there

totallee Thin Pixel 3 XL Case

If you want as little bulk as possible on your already large Pixel 3 XL, then the totallee case is the best way to provide a bit of scratch protection in an impressively thin form factor. You can get this one in a matte or glossy finish.

$29 at totallee

Extra protection

Speck Presidio

If you don’t mind a little bit of bulk, this case from Speck has a dual-layer design for outward scratch and drop protection, as well as shock absorption, thanks to the inner layer of flexible TPU rubber. The Presidio case is also coated to prevent fingerprints and discoloration.

$45 at Best Buy

Invisible skin

ESR Essential Zero case

This minimal case is only 1mm thick, and on the inside of the back cover, it features a “microdot” pattern, which prevents it from sticking to the back of your phone and giving it that wet look.

$14 at Amazon

Built-in kickstand

Spigen Ultra Hybrid S

Spigen’s Ultra Hybrid S is a bit thicker than your average clear case, and it has a built-in metal kickstand, which simply clips back into place when you don’t need it.

$14 at Amazon

While traditional clear cases like the Spigen Liquid Crystal work with pretty much any phone color or wardrobe, they can also discolor over time. I prefer colored clear cases like the Cimo Slim Grip, as they tend to discolor less, hide smears and scuffs better, and they add some personality to your Pixel 3 XL

Add a refurbished original Amazon Echo to your home for just $50 today

An oldie but a goodie.

If you don’t need the latest and greatest, and just want a great deal, you won’t want to miss this deal. Amazon has dropped the price on a certified refurbished Echo down to just $49.99 for today only, which is $30 cheaper than it’s been selling for.

Amazon has already released a newer version of this smart speaker, but if you’re just looking for a great value this is the way to go. It gives you access to all of Alexa’s great features, like the ability to answer questions, control smart home accessories, and more.

Amazon says the certified refurbished Echo has been tested and will look and work like new. You can pick one up in your choice of black or white, and at this price, you won’t want to miss out.

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A fix is coming for the second notch bug on Pixel 3 XL

From specs, pricing, features, and more, here’s the latest on the Pixel 3 and 3 XL.

Following months of leak after leak, Google’s officially taken the wraps off its Pixel 3 and 3 XL smartphones. The two handsets look exactly like what we saw in all the early photos and renders, and while the element of surprise may be gone, we’ve still got two impressive Android handsets to talk about.

Without further ado, this is everything you need to know about the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL!

The latest Pixel 3 news

October 29, 2018 — A fix is coming for the second notch bug on Pixel 3 XL

Earlier this month, reports started popping up on Twitter about a bug with the Pixel 3 XL that caused a second notch to appear on the right side of the display — creating for one of the most horrifying things we’ve ever seen a smartphone. Seriously, just look at that thing. 🤮

Thankfully, Google’s aware of the issue and working on a fix!

According to a spokesperson that contacted Android Police, a patch for this odd bug is “coming soon.”

Have you noticed this behavior on your Pixel 3 XL?

October 23, 2018 — Google explains Pixel 3 wireless charging confusion

After it was discovered that the Pixel 3 requires a Pixel Stand to charge at its allotted 10W fast charging speeds, and that other chargers — even those that technically support the Qi standard at 10W — only charge the phone at 5W, Google released a statement:

We don’t limit third-party devices, in fact, we’re working with our partners in the Made for Google program to get fast 10W chargers certified for use with Pixel 3 (Belkin announced its 10W Pixel 3 charger already which will launch in the coming weeks). Pixel Stand and Pixel 3 work together through the protocol we’ve developed for fast charging. Everything else charges at the industry standard Qi 5W.”

In other words, Google made a proprietary wireless charging standard that isn’t Qi, and uses it with the Pixel Stand and other wireless chargers that are part of the “Made for Google” program. The Pixel 3 does support Qi wireless charging, but only at 5W. Disappointing? Yup. Confusing? Yup, yup. Totally Google? Yup, yup, yup.

October 23, 2018 — Early Pixel 3 Night Sight photos are beyond impressive

The Google Pixel 3’s camera is one of the best you’ll find on a smartphone, but one of its most impressive features — Night Sight — won’t actually arrive until sometime in November.

However, a user on the XDA Developer forums modified the latest version of the Google Camera app and has enabled the feature ahead of its official release. XDA then put Night Sight to the test on the Pixel 3, 3 XL, and 2 XL, and the end results are simply amazing.

As you can see in the example above, the first photo without Night Sight turned on is barely visible at all. The second shot with Night Sight enabled looks like a completely different photograph. The amount of detail and light Google’s able to pull in with this new mode is literally jaw-dropping, and it’ll be even more exciting to see how it evolves and improves over time.

If you want to try out Night Sight early for yourself, download this APK to your Pixel phone. After you open it, tap More -> Night, and you should be good to go.

October 18, 2018 — The regular Pixel 3 uses an LG OLED display

Earlier this week, a teardown of the Pixel 3 XL revealed that it’s using an OLED display made by Samsung. The folks at iFixIt recently put the smaller Pixel 3 through that same treatment, and while doing so, discovered that its OLED panel is sourced from not Samsung, but LG.

If you remember the Pixel 2 series, this is a total flip-flop of what was going on last year in which the Pixel 2 had a Samsung panel and the Pixel 2 XL had an LG one.

In that situation, the Pixel 2 XL’s screen was noticeably worse with greater burn-in potential, color shifting, and more. That’s not the case for the LG panel on this year’s Pixel 3, and in fact, both displays have been tuned to look nearly identical to one another. Even so, it is interesting to see that Google’s still not relying on just one supplier when it comes to its smartphone displays.

October 17, 2018 — Google explains how the Pixel 3’s Titan M security chip works

The Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL have a lot of tech packed inside them, and while it’s easy to get excited about their new OLED displays and improved cameras, one of the most important features is the new Titan M security chip.

Titan M is an all-new chip that’s designed with the single goal of keep the Pixel 3 secure, and in a post on the Android Developers Blog, Google recently dived into further detail about just how Titan M works.

The chip is a security module that was made by Google itself, and it works to protect the Pixel 3 + 3 XL against all sorts of potential threats. Since Titan M is a physical piece of tech, it’ll help protect against hardware-specific exploits such as Spectre, Meltdown, and Rowhammer much more efficiently than phones without it. On the technical side of things, Google explains the following:

Titan M’s CPU is an ARM Cortex-M3 microprocessor specially hardened against side-channel attacks and augmented with defensive features to detect and respond to abnormal conditions. The Titan M CPU core also exposes several control registers, which can be used to taper access to chip configuration settings and peripherals. Once powered on, Titan M verifies the signature of its flash-based firmware using a public key built into the chip’s silicon. If the signature is valid, the flash is locked so it can’t be modified, and then the firmware begins executing.

With the chip, Google notes that it hopes to achieve “transparency and building a platform for future innovation.”

Custom hardware allows us to provide new features, capabilities, and performance not readily available in off-the-shelf components. These changes allow higher assurance use cases like two-factor authentication, medical device control, P2P payments, and others that we will help develop down the road.

October 16, 2018 — The Pixel 3 XL uses a Samsung OLED display

While last year’s Pixel 2 XL had one of the worst displays for a phone in its price range, that’s an issue that’s been completely squashed with the Pixel 3 XL.

The screen on this year’s larger Pixel is brighter, colorful, and has less blue shift + burn-in potential compared to the 2 XL. The reason for this? A Samsung OLED panel.

Google opted for an LG-made OLED display with the Pixel 2 XL, but thanks to a recent iFixIt teardown, we now have confirmation that the Pixel 3 XL is using a Samsung one.

October 16, 2018 — Google explains how the Pixel 3’s Super Res Zoom feature works

The Pixel 3 comes chock-full of neat camera tricks, but perhaps one of the coolest is Super Res Zoom. This is the name of Google’s process for improving the clarity of digital zoom by collecting data from your hands shaking as you hold the phone in preparation to snap a photo.

Recently, the Google AI team took to their official blog to detail how exactly this works.

The Super Res Zoom technology in Pixel 3 is different and better than any previous digital zoom technique based on upscaling a crop of a single image, because we merge many frames directly onto a higher resolution picture. This results in greatly improved detail that is roughly competitive with the 2x optical zoom lenses on many other smartphones. Super Res Zoom means that if you pinch-zoom before pressing the shutter, you’ll get a lot more details in your picture than if you crop afterwards.

If Super Res Zoom detects that the camera isn’t shaking (e.g. the Pixel 3 is on a tripod or propped up on a table), it’ll actually start moving around on its own to simulate natural hand movement.

The post goes on to dive into of color filter arrays, multi-frame super-resolution, and a bunch of other nitty-gritty details. If that sounds like something you want to dig into, you can check it out here.

All the big details

Check out our full review!

Here it is, folks — the full Android Central review of the Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL!

These are easily two of the best Android phones you can buy right now, and no matter if you opt for the regular or XL model, you’ll be getting a fantastic display, an excellent software experience, and some of the best cameras on a smartphone in 2018.

They may not look like much on the outside, but these are two really special phones.

Google Pixel 3 review: Fewer features make incredible phones

Here are the specs!

If you’ve got a Pixel 2, a lot of the specs for the Pixel 3 and 3 XL will look very similar. There’s still 4GB of RAM and a starting storage amount of 64GB, but the Snapdragon 835 processor from last year has been replaced by the newer 845.

For a full rundown on both phones, check out the link below. 👇

Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL specifications

The displays are a lot better

Shortly after its release, one of the biggest controversies that popped up for the larger Pixel 2 XL was its poor display. We have an LG-made OLED panel once again, but the year-over-year difference is huge.

Google’s touting 400+ nits of brightness for both phones, 2X less burn-in potential, and less color shifting.

There are still three different color profiles to choose from so you can fine-tune your experience, and out of the box, both the Pixel 3 and 3 XL have been optimized so that their displays look identical next to one another.

For an extremely detailed analysis of the Pixel 3 XL’s display, check out DisplayMate’s full in-depth review in which it received a top A+ rating.

The Google Pixel 3 addresses our biggest complaint with the Pixel 2: its display

There are three colors

Google’s probably the best when it comes to naming its device colors, and this year we have Just Black and Very White. New this year is a pink hue that’s been aptly named “Not Pink.”

All three colors are available for both the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL no matter where you decide to buy them.

An all-glass back brings wireless charging support

For the past two years, Google’s used a mixture of aluminum and glass on the back of its phones. This year, the Pixel 3 shakes things up by adopting an all-glass construction.

There’s still an etched section near the top that adds a nice matte finish that allows for more grip and fewer fingerprints. Google’s also integrated Qi wireless charging support and selling a new Pixel Stand wireless charging accessory that’ll charge the Pixel 3 + 3 XL and put them into a new “dashboard” UI that shows a slideshow of pictures on Google Photos and various Assistant info.

The Pixel Stand is a $79 wireless charger for Pixel 3 that unlocks special display modes

Google’s made a ton of camera improvements

The Pixel 2 and 2 XL have some of the best cameras we’ve ever seen on a smartphone, and with the Pixel 3, Google’s making the camera experience even better.

Perhaps the biggest change includes the addition of a second front-facing camera. You now have access to a regular and wide-angle lens for all of your selfies and portrait mode works no matter which one you use. Google’s also integrated an algorithm to remove any distortion caused by the wider lens.

Other changes include:

• 40% faster HDR+ processing
• Improved detail retention while zooming
• Night Sight mode improves low-light shots
• Top Shot mode captures multiple frames before and after your picture and then recommends an alternative shot compared to what you actually captured

Along with all this, Google Lens is also built right into the Pixel 3’s camera app and works automatically when it detects something.

Android 9 Pie is available out of the box

As you’d expect, Android 9 Pie is running on the Pixel 3 and 3 XL from day one. This is the same Android Pie we’ve been using on the Pixel 2 phones, including the new navigation gestures, quick settings panel, etc.

The Pixel 3 does bring a handful of new software goodies, including the full release of Digital Wellbeing outside of its beta state and a slightly updated UI for the camera app.

There’s also a new call screening feature that’ll allow you to send your caller to a system that asks them to provide information about who they are and why they’re calling. What they say comes through in real-time and you can choose to hang up or pick up at any point.

There are already a ton of accessories

The Pixel 3 and 3 XL are great phones, but you can make them even better with a good collection of accessories.

Whether you’re in the market for a heavy duty case, screen protectors, or something else entirely, here are a few helpful links to get you started with outfitting your new phone.

• Best Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL Accessories
• Best Cases for Google Pixel 3
• Best Cases for Google Pixel 3 XL
• These Are The Official Cases for the Google Pixel 3 lineup
• Best Screen Protectors for Google Pixel 3 XL

Here’s when and where you can buy it

If you want to pick up the Pixel 3 for yourself, pre-orders are open right now. The Pixel 3 costs $799 for the 64GB model and goes up to $899 if you get the 128GB variant. For those same storage configurations on the Pixel 3 XL, you’ll pay $899 and $999, respectively.

The Pixel 3 series will be sold at Verizon, Best Buy, the Google Store, and Project Fi.

See at Google Store

Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL

• Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL review
• Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL: Everything you need to know!
• Google Pixel 3 vs. Pixel 3 XL: Which should you buy?
• Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL specifications
• Join our Pixel 3 forums

Best Buy
Verizon
Google Store
Project Fi

Aukey’s $11 USB-C Power Delivery wall charger keeps your gear powered up

Power Delivery for more advanced devices.

The black Aukey USB-C wall charger with 18W Power Delivery is down to $10.99 with code AUKEY8PA on Amazon. That price is almost $12 off what this charger normally sells for and one of the best deals we’ve seen.

The White version is also down to the same price, you’ll just need to use the slightly different code AUKEY9PA to see it. Pick your favorite. Other than the color and the code the chargers are identical.

If you have a phone or tablet that supports Power Delivery and USB-C, you’ll get a lot out of this wall charger. It can charge up to 18W and transfers juice a lot faster than a regular charger. The foldable plug and compact design means you can shove it in your bag and take it with you wherever you go. Plus, it has all the usual safeguards to prevent things like overheating or overcharging. Aukey gives the charger a two-year warranty.

See on Amazon

The $53 Huawei Band 2 Pro watch tracks sleep, your heart, and more

All the activities are yours for the tracking.

The Huawei Band 2 Pro all-in-one activity tracker smartwatch has dropped to $52.88 on Amazon from a street price around $70. We haven’t seen it drop in price since May.

The watch comes with built-in GPS, a heart-rate monitor, multiple modes for different sports, a sleep monitor, and more. The sleep tracking helps record data based on tracking light, how much you sleep, REM deep sleep stages, and more. It’s water resistant and has a PMOLED display. Use workout apps to help coach you through different sports and keep track of things like recovery time. One charge of the watch will last up to 21 days based on how you use it.

See on Amazon

Apple to Release iOS 12.1 Tomorrow With Group FaceTime, New Emoji, Dual-SIM and Real-Time Depth Control

Apple today announced that it plans to release iOS 12.1 to the public tomorrow following its Brooklyn event that is expected to see the debut of new iPad Pro models and refreshed Macs.

As we’ve discovered in the iOS 12.1 betas that have been available since September, iOS 12.1 brings several important new features to the iPhone and the iPad.

The update brings support for Group FaceTime, the feature designed to let users chat with up to 32 people at one time. Group FaceTime was present in the iOS 12 beta, but it was removed from the iOS 12 launch to provide Apple with additional time to develop the feature.

Other FaceTime features are included in iOS 12.1 as well, such as automatic detection of active speakers to surface the icon of the person who is speaking, ringless notification to let you join a call without being disruptive, and Messages integration for starting a Group FaceTime call right from the Messages app from a group chat.

iOS 12.1 will also bring more than 70 new emoji characters, such as cold face, woozy face, hot face, red hair, white hair, leg, foot, teddy bear, llama, raccoon, kangaroo, mango, cupcake, bagel, and tons more. A full list of all of the new emoji is available here.

On iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR, iOS 12.1 introduces real-time Depth Control so you can adjust the amount of background blur before a photo is even captured, and support for the digital eSIM, which will allow two SIMs to be used at one time.

iOS 12.1 should be released alongside new updates for tvOS, watchOS, and macOS right around 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, Apple’s typical release time for new software updates.

Related Roundup: iOS 12
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Popular Reddit App Apollo Pulled From App Store Over Push Notification Snafu

Popular Reddit app Apollo was removed from the App Store this afternoon after developer Christian Selig released an update that adds push notifications as a premium feature, Selig explained on Reddit.

After introducing the latest version of the Apollo app, which has a paid feature enabling push notifications, Apple informed Selig that he was in violation of rule 3.2.2 that prohibits apps from monetizing Push Notifications and other iPhone and iPad capabilities provided by the hardware or operating system. The email Selig received from Apple:

Hello,
We are writing to let you know about new information regarding your app, Apollo for Reddit, version 1.3, currently live on the App Store.
Upon re-evaluation, we found that your app is not in compliance with the App Store Review Guidelines. Specifically, we found:

Business – 3.2.2 We noticed that your in-app purchase auto-renewable subscription product provides access to built-in Push Notification capabilities, which is not appropriate for the App Store.
For this reason, your app will be removed from sale on the App Store at this time.

Deliberate disregard of the App Store Review Guidelines and attempts to deceive users or undermine the review process are unacceptable and is a direct violation Section 3.2(f) of the Apple Developer Program License Agreement. Continuing to violate the Terms & Conditions of the Apple Developer Program will result in the termination of your account, as well as any related or linked accounts, and the removal of all your associated apps from the App Store.

Future submissions of this app may require a longer review time, and this app will not be eligible for an expedited review. If you have any questions about this information, please reply to this message to let us know.

Selig said that he’s “quite confused” by Apple’s decision, as he had worked with Apple on the implementation of the premium service after the app update was previously rejected for the same reason.

For background, several weeks ago, Selig said that the 1.3 update of Apollo had been rejected by Apple because it included the in-app purchase for unlocking push notifications. Selig explained at the time that he needs to charge to add push notifications due to the server costs associated with implementing them.

In an update earlier this month, Selig said he was able to develop a workaround with Apple by bundling the feature with other premium options like app theming and custom icons for an “Apollo Ultra” service, and the update was released on Saturday.

It’s not clear why Apple pulled the Apollo app after telling Selig that it was appropriate to implement push notifications as part of a paid bundle of features, but Apple has been known for making confusing App Store decisions in the past. It’s likely the issue will be solved quickly, and Selig says he will keep Apollo customers updated on the status of the app.
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