The best wireless chargers for the Pixel 3 and 3 XL

The Pixel 3 and 3 XL are the first devices of the series to support wireless charging, and there are plenty of great charging stands to choose from. Google’s own Pixel Stand is specialized for the new Pixels, but that doesn’t make it the only option — or even the best option — for everyone.

Made by Google

Google Pixel Stand

The Pixel Stand isn’t just your run-of-the-mill wireless charger. It’s made specifically with the Pixel 3 and 3 XL in mind, and triggers an advanced docked mode with Google Photos galleries and alarms that get gradually warmer and brighter to simulate sunlight. It’s pricey, but its unique features make it worth considering.

$79 at Google

Sit or stand

Samsung Fast Charge Wireless Charging Convertible

Samsung’s convertible stand is one of the most popular wireless chargers around, and as the name implies, it allows you to lay your phone flat or prop it up at an angle so you can still see notifications from your desk. It outputs up to 9W to quickly top up your Pixel 3’s battery.

$55 at Amazon

Plain and simple

Anker PowerWave

The PowerWave doesn’t enable any fancy docked mode or flip between different angles, but it’s a simple wireless charger that runs nearly half the price of Google’s and Samsung’s offerings, and still outputs up to 10W. The downside: Anker doesn’t include a power brick — you’ll need a Quick Charge 3.0-compatible brick to reach maximum speeds.

$30 at Amazon

Fashionable fabric

iOttie iON

If you’d rather your Pixel 3 lay flat than sit propped up, iOttie makes a nice alternative to the Anker PowerWave at roughly the same price. Like Anker’s offering, it outputs up to 10W, and it comes in a nice fabric styling that matches Google’s Pixel cases. Also like Anker’s offering, it unfortunately doesn’t include a power brick.

$29 at Amazon

True wireless power

Mophie Charge Stream Powerstation

The biggest criticism against wireless charging is that it’s not actually wireless — there’s still a wire running to the charger itself. Mophie tackles that problem with a portable battery pack that supports wireless charging — up to 5W of wireless power, or 10W when using a cable.

$80 at Amazon

If you can stand the $79 retail price, the Pixel Stand’s uniquely specialized features make it a great wireless charger for the Pixel 3 — but unless you really need the advanced dock mode, you probably don’t need to spend that much. Samsung, Anker, and iOttie all make great alternatives, and Mophie’s Powerstation lets you go completely wireless and take your charging with you.

Dominate the squared circle with these WWE 2K19 tips and tricks

Dominate the squared circle.

WWE 2K19 is out now. Been away from the ring for a while? It won’t be easy to shake that ring rust off, especially as WWE games have changed quite a bit over the past several years.

But don’t worry, we’re here with a collection of tips and tricks that’ll take you from hopeless jobber up to the WWE Hall of Fame. Let’s not waste any time.

$60 at Amazon

Save your reversals for big moments

If you left the limited reversals options on, you’ll notice a yellow bar at the bottom of your superstar’s health meter. This bar shows you how many reversals you can pull off.

Mostly every superstar should have a minimum of 2-3 reversals, though there are several with 4-5. The number you have is determined by the reversal stat of the character you’re using.

When you’re in a match, try to manage these reversals effectively and save them only for the times you really need them. That is to say, you don’t need to reverse every single ability. A strike or an Irish whip is not going to be more damaging than a grapple, and you definitely want to ensure you have a reversal stored if your opponent is closing in on a finishing move.

Treat your reversals like a valuable resource. They’ll get you out of a bind in crucial moments, and you’ll find that’s often the biggest difference between winning and losing.

One last thing: your reversals do regenerate, but they can regenerate pretty slowly depending on your character, difficulty level, and overall gameplay sliders.

And when you execute a reversal, the progress on filling another reversal bar is completely reset. It may sometimes be appropriate to eat some big damage to ensure you get your next reversal meter filled, so don’t be afraid to let your opponent wail on you a little bit. It’ll hurt now, but your martyrdom should pay dividends throughout the match.

If all that fails, you could always turn the limited reversals option off. (But you’d be robbing yourself of truly great match flow if you do.)

Bait out opponent reversals before using specials and finishers

Staying on the topic of reversals, be sure to bait out your opponents’ stock before trying to hit your most devastating moves. This isn’t always necessary, but you’ll find that your opponents are fairly consistent in their ability to reverse your finishers, specials, and big moves.

Go for a couple of regular moves to see if you can’t get your opponent to waste reversal stock on them before going for the big finisher. You can see exactly how many reversals an opponent has and how close they are to getting their next one, so take that information and use it against them.

Save your Payback abilities until you’re hurting

Along the same vein, try not to hit your payback moves and comeback abilities until you really need to. It can be tempting to kick up out of a powerful move and hit your most powerful attacks five minutes into the match, but most of these abilities are finite and you’ll want to have them to keep the match from getting out of hand in the later stages. Try not to use this stuff until you’re in real danger of losing.

Conserve your stamina

Keep an eye on your stamina gauge at all times. Stamina is another key resource that changes the way your character performs through at a match. The less you have, the slower you move. And we’re not just talking about running — your strikes and grapples are slower too, giving your opponent a bigger window to reverse your moves or recover from attacks.

Things get really tough when your stamina is completely drained. You’ll all due to exhaustion after big moves, and you won’t even be able to pull off specials, finishers, top rope moves, and certain abilities without enough stamina.

In the late stages of a match, be sure you are spacing your attacks out so that your stamina never becomes 100% depleted. You do regenerate a bit over time, so stay topped up just in case you need to hit an RKO out of nowhere.

You have way more moves than you think

Take a look at the list of controls for this game, and you’ll see just how deep it is. While WWE 2K19’s wrestlers are plenty capable even in the newest of players’ hands, they have many more moves that you may not know about.

Moves from the top rope, or ones performed on opponents who are hanging upside down on a turnbuckle, or those which you can do through tables, or ones where you’re on top of a ladder, and when they’re down, and I could go on. There are unique movies for almost every position and scenario, so it’s worth learning them like the back of your hand.

Regular old grapple moves might be the most confusing, funnily enough. You have up to four weak grapples by locking horns with your opponent and pressing X plus any direction on the analog stick. Medium grapples can be performed by pressing X plus any direction on the left stick without locking up. Strong grapples — your strongest base attacks outside of finishers — can be performed by holding the X button while holding the analog stick in any direction.

An easy way to learn all this stuff is to go into your wrestler’s moves editor and view them there. You’ll see all the moves they’re capable of using, as well as the button sequence and positioning scenario needed to do them. You can even practice them right in the editor if you want.

The most fun way you can learn, however, is to go in and just try everything. Press the X button or the square button during random times and in different situations to see what your superstar will do. And while you’re in the match, you can pause the game to view your character’s abilities, special moves, and finishers in case you’re unfamiliar with their move set.

Capitalize on major reversals

There are two types of grapple reversals in WWE 2K19: normal and major. A normal reversal typically occurs at the grappling point of a move (or that moment just before your opponent reaches to grab you).

But some moves have two reversal opportunities. The major reversal opportunity — the indicator for which appears orange in color if you have reversal indicators on — gives you a later chance to reverse a move in progress.

The result is a more powerful reversal move and a debuff that makes it so your opponent can’t reverse moves for a short period of time. Take advantage of these moments whenever you can. Go for your biggest moves here, because your opponent is completely helpless in this state.

Limit your pin attempts

Nothing heightens the drama in a good wrestling match like repeated pin attempts and kick outs. You’ll even get rewarded with a positive rating for doing so in your matches.

You don’t want to make a habit of repeatedly pinning your opponent too early, though. Kickouts — especially those epic last-minute kick outs you tend to see in big-time pay-per-view matches after a finisher — generate a TON of momentum for your opponent. That means they’ll get their special and finisher moves faster, and you want to delay that as much as possible.

Take a breather

Many times, escaping the ring on your own accord is seen as a cowardly act. To hell with that, I say. Run away as long as you need to.

Whether you want to limit your opponent’s ability to pin you, need to recover some stamina, waiting on your reversals to regenerate, or just need some time to think about your strategy, get out of the ring for a second and gather yourself. And when your opponent comes running after you…

Save the environment

Just kidding. DESTROY IT. Weapons are illegal in a typical wrestling match, but the referee won’t say anything if you slam your opponent’s head into a barricade, ring post, or announcement table.

Moves hurt a bit more outside of the ring, so use it to inflict some major punishment on an opponent who dares to come after you. If you find that your opponent is the one dishing out the hurt, well, at least they can’t pin you. (That’s unless it’s a falls count anywhere match, of course!)

Grab an equalizer

Alongside the environment, there are weapons available that can get you disqualified for using them. Look under the ring and you’ll find steel chairs, bats, kendo sticks, sledgehammers, tables, ladders, and did we say chairs? Oh my!

In matches where these weapons are allowed to be used, you’ll want to let your inner demon out. Go to town on your opponent, especially if they’re bigger than you. Some superstars can’t outright lift opponents who are much bigger than them, so these weapons can be used to help inflict damage in place of your wrestling moves.

While these actions can get you disqualified in normal matches, there may still be opportunities to use a weapon, such as if an outside wrestler is distracting the referee. Or, you know, if you just straight up knock the zebra out.

Use your taunts

Taunting is a big part of the wrestling world. Babyfaces use taunts to draw support from the crowd, while villainous heels will use them to draw heat. It helps engage the crowd and makes for more exciting matches.

In WWE 2K19, taunts are used for more than just showboating. A crowd taunt, accessible by pressing left on the directional pad, will let you gain momentum a bit faster. A taunt directed at your opponent, done by pressing right on the d-pad, will make your moves hit a bit harder.

There’s also the wake-up taunt, which can be performed by pressing up on the d-pad. These taunts force your opponent to stand up groggy from a downed state, perfect for lining up your finishers or moves from the top rope. Play to the crowd a bit and give yourself an advantage!

Target the limbs

If you’re more of a technical style of wrestler and prefer to use submissions to make your opponent tap out, you’ll want to know about limb targeting. Every single move in WWE 2K19 targets one or more limbs. A DDT will hurt your head, while an armbar predictably hurts arms.

In addition to pulling off your normal moves, using the limb targeting system is a great way to focus in on a body part. Hold RB and press Triangle, Square, Circle, or X to target the head, left arm, right arm, or legs respectively. You’ll execute a move specifically meant to hurt that body part. The more damage you do, the more likely your opponent is to tap out.

This goes for pin attempts, as well. Your opponents will kick out less often if they have a red body part and you’ve performed a finisher or some other powerful move, so be sure to hone in on your opponent’s weak points to keep the upper hand.

Meet your opponent halfway

No, we’re not asking you to be cordial in a potential bloodbath. Sometimes, you just need an unfair advantage to have a fighting chance. If you don’t want to risk getting disqualified for using weapons in the match, try to attack your opponent before they even get to the ring!

Using the breakout feature, you can interrupt your opponent’s entrance to attack them on their way to the ring. Doing so will allow you to fight on the outside before the match officially begins, as the referee won’t commence with the contest unless both superstars are in the ring. This means you can use weapons without fear of being disqualified. Enjoy your nice head start once the bell finally tolls.

Fight your way to the top

With these tips, you should have a better idea of what you need to do to start winning more matches. You’ll notice a consistent theme here: patience and restraint.

You don’t need to go for the gusto in every match. Let off the gas pedal and go for the more methodical approach. Not only will you win more, but matches will be far more entertaining as you put real thought into your approach instead of mindlessly punching away at whoever happens to be trapped within the squared circle with you.

Above everything else we discussed today, just keep playing and keep practicing. You’ll get better with time, and it won’t be long before you’re searching for someone in the world who can really take you to your limit. WWE 2K19 is out now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

$60 at Amazon

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Google kondigt volledig uitgelekte Pixel 3 en 3 XL aan

Google had tijdens haar hardware-evenement geen verrassing voor ons in petto en kondigde de geheel vooraf uitgelekte Pixel 3 en Pixel 3 XL aan. Er was nagenoeg niets wat we nog niet wisten waarmee de glans er toch wel een beetje vanaf is. De toestellen komen helaas niet naar Nederland maar volgen via grijze import mogelijk alsnog later.

De Pixel 3 en Pixel 3 XL was voor z’n aankondiging al breed uitgemeten in de pers. Iets waar we zelf ook vrolijk aan hebben meegeholpen. De Google Pixel 3 is een 5,5 inch telefoon zonder notch, stereo speaker, enkele camera achterop maar dubbele voorop. Hiermee vergroot Google het schermformaat van de kleinste Pixel naar hetzelfde formaat als de allereerste Pixel XL.

De Pixel 3 en Pixel 3 XL gebroederlijk naast elkaar

De Pixel 3 XL krijgt in tegenstelling tot z’n kleinere broertje een hogere schermresolutie van Quad HD+ op een paneel van 6,3 inch groot. Bovenin zit een overdreven grote inkeping. De diepte van de notch bepaalt de hoogte van de statusbalk waarmee je effectief behoorlijk veel schermoppervlakte kwijt bent. Google past in plaats van een Plastic OLED nu een Flexible OLED-paneel toe van een nog onbekende fabrikant. Google claimt dat de stereo speakers voorop beide toestellen dit jaar 40% luider zijn maar de meeste aandacht ging toch wel uit naar de camera.

Night Sight op de Pixel 3 in vergelijking met de iPhone XS

Verbeterde camerafuncties

Want Google imponeerde al met de eerste Pixel, de Pixel 2 is momenteel nog steeds één van de beste cameratelefoons van dit moment. Met de Pixel 3 doet Google er nog een schepje bovenop. Aan de hardwarekant lijkt er weinig verschil. Er is nog altijd een 12,2 megapixel camera met f/1.8 lens. En die schiet nog altijd 4K video. Wel zijn er flink meer functies bijgekomen waaronder een nieuwe nachtmodus genaamd Night Sight die veel beter belichte opnames in het donker kan maken dankzij machine learning. Deze functie komt trouwens ook naar vorige Pixel-telefoons. Ook nieuw is ‘Top Shot’ dat nog voor het indrukken van de sluiterknop foto’s schiet om het perfecte moment niet te missen en ‘Super Res Zoom’ waarmee je met één enkele camera toch zonder kwaliteitsverlies kunt inzoomen. Google gebruikt hiervoor technieken die ook in de sterrenkunde gebruikt wordt.

Call Screen en Flip to Shhh

Andere noemenswaardige verbeteringen zijn de nieuwe coating met zowel glossy als matte afwerking een dubbele selfiecamera voor groepsselfies, draadloos opladen en een aparte Titan M-chip dat zorgt voor extra beveiliging. Google kondigde verder verbeteringen aan aan Google Assistant waaronder Call Screen. Dat kan telefoongesprekken voor je aannemen en geeft ze als tekst weer op je scherm. Handig voor wanneer je vermoed dat een call center je probeert te bellen. Heb je echter even helemaal genoeg van alle notificaties dan leg je de Pixel 3 op het scherm om alle berichten te muten. Flip to Shhh heet dat.

Pixel 3 in Nederland

Google brengt de Pixel 3 en Pixel 3 XL uit in de kleuren Clearly White, Just Black en Not Pink. Er zijn geheugenuitvoeringen van 64 en 128 GB groot. Daar houdt het goede nieuws wel op want Google lijkt niet van plan beide toestellen officieel in Nederland uit te brengen. Duitsland, Frankrijk, Italië, Spanje en Engeland zitten wel bij de gelukkige landen. Prijzen beginnen bij 849 euro voor de Pixel 3 en 949 euro voor de grotere Pixel 3 XL. Een upgrade van 64 GB naar 128 GB kost 100 euro meer. Pre-orderen begint vandaag, de eerste exemplaren worden 17 oktober verwacht. Wanneer hij hier te koop zal zijn, mogelijk via import, is nog onbekend maar is wel iets wat we scherp voor je in de gaten houden.

Ontvang een e-mail wanneer de Pixel 3 verkrijgbaar is

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Ontvang een e-mail wanneer de Pixel 3 XL verkrijgbaar is

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Apple Said to Have ‘Dramatically Reduced’ Multi-Billion-Dollar iPhone Repair Fraud in China

Within the past four years, Apple has managed to “dramatically reduce” the rate of iPhone-related repair fraud in its retail stores in China, according to The Information’s Wayne Ma. The report is based on interviews with more than a dozen former Apple employees who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Image: iFixit
In 2013, Apple is said to have discovered a highly sophisticated fraud scheme in which organized thieves would buy or steal iPhones, remove valuable components like the processor or logic board, swap in fake components, and return the “broken” iPhones to receive replacements they could resell.

Thieves would stand outside stores with suitcases full of iPhones with some of the original components stripped out and replaced with inferior parts, two of the people said. The fraudsters would hire people to pretend to be customers to return them, each taking a device to stand in line at the Genius Bar, the people said. Once the phones were swapped, the actors would pass the new phones to the fraudsters and get paid for their time, the people said.

“In the old-school world, this would be a car chop shop, where you would take all the pieces off and sell them,” said Kyle Wiens, co-founder and CEO of iFixit. “Now they’re doing that with iPhones.”

The report claims most of the schemes originated in Shenzhen, a southern Chinese city known as a hotbed for criminal organizations because of its proximity to gangs in nearby Hong Kong. Shenzhen is also the largest electronics manufacturing base in the world, home to many Apple suppliers like Foxconn.

When the first Apple Store opened in Shenzhen in November 2012, the report says weekly iPhone warranty claims, including repair and replacement requests, jumped from about 200 to more than 2,000 within the first six months—”almost three times more” than Apple’s flagship Fifth Avenue store in New York at the time.

At first, the report says Genius Bar employees would swap broken iPhones for new ones as long as they didn’t appear intentionally damaged, as was the policy elsewhere. But as the problem started to have a material impact on Apple’s financial sheet, to the tune of billions, the company began to take further action.

Hesitant to get Chinese authorities involved, due to the risks of public backlash and negative publicity in state-run media, Apple launched an online reservation system that required proof of ownership, and later developed diagnostic software that allowed retail employees to quickly detect fake parts in iPhones.

Fraudsters found ways to evade these tactics, however, and even went as far as obtaining Apple customer records, including serial numbers, for iPhones that had already been sold in China. Last year, police in China arrested a ring of suspected data thieves involved with the fraud.

An increase in rejected warranty claims sparked angry scenes in Apple Stores, the report says, as customers suspected of fraud “grew irate” when their iPhones weren’t accepted. Partly for this reason, Apple stopped authorizing iPhone replacements in stores and began requiring sending them to off-site repair centers for inspection.

Apple also began dipping batteries in a special dye that could only be seen under a high-frequency light to authenticate them during repairs, the report says. A-series chips in iPhones are also allegedly coated in a waterproof sealant that can be seen under certain wavelengths, offering another countermeasure.

Apple’s efforts appear to have worked, with fraud rates in the Greater China region dropping to about 20 percent of repair claims from more than 60 percent at its peak, according to the report.

Fraudsters are now said to be shifting to Apple Stores in other countries, including Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

Tags: China, theinformation.com
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Quicken 2019 for Mac Launches With Web Access

Quicken today announced the launch of Quicken 2019, the newest version of its popular finance and budgeting software for PC and Mac.

Quicken 2019 introduces web access for the first time, designed to allow Quicken customers to manage their finances online using Chrome, Safari, and other web browsers.

Users are able to check their balances, monitor transactions, view budgets, check spending trends, view past expenses, and access info on their accounts and investment holdings at any time.

A customizable web dashboard created for the web access experience lets customers customize their personal view to see full details on all features Quicken has to offer or a streamlined view with just essential information.

“Millions of people use Quicken to help them manage their financial lives. Because Quicken is important to them, our community of users is incredibly engaged. We prioritize updates primarily based on feedback from these users, and adding web access was the number one requested enhancement,” said Eric Dunn, Chief Executive Officer of Quicken. “As an agile, independent company, we’ve been able to deliver this highly-anticipated feature, among other exciting new customer-inspired updates, on schedule and with great quality. This increased pace of releases and improvements is something our customers can count on and look forward to in the future.”

Quicken 2019 also features several enhancements on the desktop, which are designed to offer up an overall faster experience. Quicken for Mac, for example, is up to twice as fast.

The software opens up quicker, charts and graphs load twice as fast, and backing up is four times faster than it was in previous versions of Quicken.

Quicken in 2018 launched a new monthly membership feature so customers who pay for a subscription will get access to Quicken 2019 at no additional cost. There are several plans available for purchase at different price points.

Quicken Starter with budgeting is available for $34.99 for a one-year membership, while Quicken Deluxe is available for $49.99 per year.

Quicken Premiere, with portfolio monitoring functionality and tax advice, is priced at $74.99 per year, while Quicken Home & Business is priced at $99.99.

Tag: Quicken
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How to Add, Remove, and Rearrange Menu Bar Icons in macOS Mojave

The macOS menu bar is a great place for quickly accessing system and application functions using menu extras or “menulets”, but it can get cluttered pretty quickly as more and more icons vie for a space there.

If the corner of your Mac’s screen is fast becoming an eyesore, here are some quick and simple actions you can perform to bring order to the chaos, plus a few additional tips for making the most of Apple’s menu bar extras.

How to Rearrange Icons in the Menu Bar

Plenty of menu bar icons offer useful shortcuts to app and system functions, and may take up permanent residence on your screen. But left to their own devices, the arrangement of said icons is likely to become haphazard. Fortunately, re-organizing them is simple, once you know how to do it.

Hold down the Command (⌘) key.
Hover your mouse cursor over the icon you want to move.
Holding down the left mouse button, drag the icon into your preferred position on the menu bar. Other icons will step aside to make space for it.
Let go of the left mouse button.
Note that the Notifications icon in macOS is designed to sit in the far right corner of the menu bar and cannot be moved elsewhere.

How to Remove System Icons From the Menu Bar

Icons linked to system controls can be easily removed from the menu bar in the following way:

Hold down the Command (⌘) key.
Hover your mouse cursor over the icon you want to remove.
Holding down the left mouse button, drag the icon out of the menu bar and onto the desktop.
Let go of the left mouse button.
If the icon doesn’t vanish with a “whoosh” sound, then it was likely put there by a third-party app you or another user installed. In that case, look for an option in the associated app’s settings such as “Show in Menu Bar” and uncheck it.

How to Add System Icons to the Menu Bar

If you removed a system icon from the menu bar and would like it back, or if you’d like to add a fresh one, you can find options in the associated preference panes. For example, to reinstate the AirPlay icon in the menu bar:

Click the apple symbol in the far left of the menu bar and select System Preferences….

Select the Display preference pane.

At the bottom of the pane, check the box to “Show mirroring options in the menu bar when available”.
Similar menu bar options relating to Sound volume, Bluetooth, Siri, Time Machine, and Accessibility status can be found in their respective preference panes. In addition to Wi-Fi status (listed below), the Network pane will also offer “menulet” options for things like modems and VPNs if you have them set up, while menu bar icons related to keyboard, battery, user account, and date/time are located less obviously in the following preference pane menus and tabs:

• Keyboard -> Input Sources -> Show Input menu in menu bar.
• Energy Saver -> Show battery status in menu bar.
• Network -> Wi-Fi -> Show Wi-Fi status in menu bar.
• Users & Groups -> Login Options -> Show fast user switching menu as Full Name / Account Name / Icon.
• Date & Time -> Clock -> Show date and time in menu bar.

Menu Bar Extras

For one reason or another, some menulet options remain hidden in System Preferences by default. Interested users can find the full collection in the System folder: Open a Finder window, from the menu bar select Go -> Go to Folder…, and then navigate to /System/Library/CoreServices/Menu Extras.

Some of the extras in this folder are pretty obscure, but one or two might come in handy – like Eject if you use an optical drive, or Ink if you connect a graphics tablet to your Mac, for example. Just double-click any that look useful and they’ll be added to the menu bar. They can be removed just as easily using the Command (⌘) key method described above.

Finally, users looking for a more comprehensive method of managing menu bar icons should consider third-party app Bartender 3 ($15).
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Google Announces Pixel 3 Smartphone, ‘Home Hub’ Smart Speaker, and Pixel Slate Tablet

Google today held its annual “Made by Google” fall event, unveiling a new line of products that included the all-new Google Pixel 3 smartphone, a screen-based smart speaker, and a new tablet. Notably, Google pointed out at the beginning of its presentation that 2018 marks the 20 year anniversary of the search giant.

The central announcement at the event was the 5.5-inch Google Pixel 3 and 6.3-inch Pixel 3 XL. The Pixel 3 XL has an edge-to-edge display and a notch at the top of the smartphone that holds its front-facing camera system, akin to iPhone X onwards. Unlike Apple’s smartphones, the Pixel 3 XL has a chin on the bottom of the device.

The company focused on the Pixel 3’s advanced camera, including an HDR+ mode and “Top Shot,” which automatically captures multiple shots with HDR+ and recommends one that might be better than your photo. Night Sight will enhance photos captured in low-light scenarios, and Google compared nighttime images on the iPhone XS with those taken on Pixel 3. Users can also now edit the depth of field effect in portrait mode, like on iPhone XS and XS Max.

The second camera on the front of the Pixel 3 smartphone allows for a group selfie feature, which captures 184 percent more of a scene than the iPhone XS, according to Google. The new smartphone also has a few AR features on the camera called Google Playground, including characters from The Avengers and an animated version of Childish Gambino created in partnership with Donald Glover.

Outside of the camera, Google Pixel 3 has a Call Screen feature, where Google Assistant can answer a call for you when you can’t or don’t want to pick up the phone. The Assistant asks the caller who is calling and to leave a message, and the entire conversation is transcribed live on the smartphone, so you can read along as the conversation happens.

Google Pixel 3 is available to pre-order today and launches on October 18 in the United States and other countries, starting at $799. The Pixel 3 XL starts at $899, and both are available in Just Black, Clearly White, and Not Pink. A new Qi-compatible Pixel Stand will also be available for $79.

Google Home Hub is the company’s latest smart home speaker, allowing users to access YouTube, Google Photos, and more on its 7-inch screen. Google says it decided to not include a camera in Home Hub to enhance privacy, and an Ambient EQ feature automatically adjusts display brightness in relation to the light in the room.

The company gave numerous examples of how you can use Google Home Hub, including following recipes in the kitchen provided by Tasty, or controlling smart home products. In regards to the latter feature, Google built a “Home View” section on Home Hub, where you can drag down from the top of the screen to see a quick update on your smart lights, locks, and thermostats in one place, like Apple’s Home app on iOS. The Google Home mobile app is also updating to match Home View’s design.

Google Home Hub will cost $149 and launch later this month on October 22.

The company then went on to talk about the Google Pixel Slate, a new Chrome OS tablet that is aimed at use both in the workplace and for entertainment at home. The tablet has dual front-firing speakers, 8MP rear and front facing cameras with portrait modes, a 12-hour battery life, and a 12.3-inch Molecular Display with 293 pixels per inch.

On Pixel Slate, Chrome OS has been adjusted to specifically fit the tablet. This includes features like split screen, a new app launcher, deeper integration with Google Assistant, family link, do not disturb, and “nightlight” to reduce blue light on the display at nighttime.

Google Pixel Slate will start at $599 when it launches later this year in the United States. A connected keyboard and case accessory, the Slate Keyboard, will cost $199, while the Pixelbook Pen in a new midnight blue color (to match Pixel Slate) will cost $99.

More information on Google’s announcements can be found on the company’s website and on the Made by Google YouTube channel.

Tags: Google, Google Pixel
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Apple Seeds Third Beta of watchOS 5.1 to Developers

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming watchOS 5.1 update to developers, one week after seeding the second watchOS 5.1 beta and three weeks after releasing the new watchOS 5 operating system.

Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the new watchOS beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General –> Software update.

To install the update, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it has to be in range of the iPhone.

watchOS 5.1 includes support for Group FaceTime, with Group FaceTime calls able to be answered in an audio-only capacity on the Apple Watch. Group FaceTime allows you to chat with up to 32 people at one time.

The watchOS 5.1 update brings a full-screen new “Color” watch face option for the Apple Watch Series 4, with users able to choose between multiple shades. There’s also a filled-in circular color option for older Apple Watch models that joins the standard Color clock face.

Alongside macOS 10.14.1 and iOS 12.1, watchOS 5.1 introduces support for more than 70 new emoji characters like face with hearts, red hair, gray hair, curly hair, super heroes, kangaroo, peacock, parrot, lobster, cupcake, mango, and more.

No other new features were discovered in the first two betas of watchOS 5.1, but should we find something new in the third beta, we’ll update this post.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 5Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
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Apple Seeds Third Beta of tvOS 12.1 to Developers

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming tvOS 12.1 update to developers for testing purposes, one week after seeding the second update and three weeks after releasing the tvOS 12 update.

Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, the new tvOS 12.1 beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV via a profile that’s installed using Xcode. Subsequent betas can be downloaded over-the-air.

We’re not yet sure what fixes and changes the tvOS 12.1 update might bring, but it’s likely to focus on bugs that have been discovered since the release of tvOS 12. No new changes were discovered in the first two tvOS 12.1 betas.

Apple’s tvOS updates have historically been minor in scale, and Apple does not often provide us with detailed notes outlining what’s new, but we’ll update this post should any changes be found in the third beta.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 12Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Caution)
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Apple Seeds Third Beta of iOS 12.1 to Developers

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming iOS 12.1 update to developers, one week after seeding the second beta and three weeks after releasing iOS 12, a major new version of the iOS software.

Registered developers can download the new iOS 12.1 beta from Apple’s Developer Center or over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Developer Center.

iOS 12.1 includes several new features that Apple promised would come to the new iPhone XS and XS Max devices. The beta introduces support for the eSIM, which is a digital SIM that lets you activate a cellular plan from a carrier without the need to use a physical SIM card.

Carriers will need to implement support for eSIM, which is likely to happen after iOS 12.1 launches. In the U.S., AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile will support eSIM.

The iOS 12.1 update brings a new real-time Depth Control feature, which lets you adjust the depth of field of your Portrait Mode photos before you capture them. Right now, in iOS 12, Depth Control is only available for post-capture editing.

If you tap on the “F” icon at the top of the screen while capturing a photo you use Depth Control to adjust the amount of background blur in an image.

In addition to these iPhone XS and XS Max features, iOS 12.1 reintroduces the Group FaceTime feature that was removed from iOS 12 during the beta testing period. Group FaceTime was present in many early betas but was ultimately removed because Apple needed more time to test it.

Group FaceTime is designed to let iPhone and Mac users conduct video and audio chats with up to 32 participants at one time, with new camera effects features included.

The update adds more than 70 new emoji to iPhones and iPads, with options that include red hair, gray hair, curly hair, cold face, party face, face with hearts, mango, kangaroo, peacock, lobster, cupcake, and tons more.

As for bug fixes, iOS 12.1 addresses a charging problem that could cause iPhone and iPad models running iOS 12 to fail to charge when connected to a Lightning cable while the screen is off and it fixes a bug that caused iPhone XS and XS Max models to prefer 2.4GHz WiFi networks to 5GHz networks, resulting in perceived slower WiFi speeds. Both of these bugs have also been addressed in the iOS 12.0.1 update, released yesterday.

If any additional new features are found in the third iOS 12.1 beta, we’ll update this post with details.

Related Roundup: iOS 12
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