Verizon’s $50 5G Home Internet Service Launched Today

Verizon’s 5G home broadband service is today launching in parts of Indianapolis, Houston, Los Angeles, and Sacramento, Verizon announced this morning.

Verizon began accepting pre-orders for the 5G Home service on Thursday, September 13, and customers who signed up will now be able to access their 5G connections.

“The world’s first commercial 5G service is here,” said Ronan Dunne, President, Verizon Wireless. “We’ve formed incredible partnerships with many of the world’s leading technology companies, the international technical standards bodies, public officials, developers and our own customers to drive the 5G ecosystem forward, faster than most had predicted. And now, actual customers. It’s been an incredible journey…and we’re just at the starting line.”

New Verizon customers were provided with the option to receive a free Apple TV 4K in lieu of a traditional cable box, along with free YouTube TV service for three months.

5G Home is built on Verizon’s Ultra Wideband 5G network and it is the first commercial 5G service to launch in the United States.

Verizon’s 5G internet service will be priced at $50 per month for customers who are also Verizon Wireless customers, and $70 per month for those who are not already Verizon Wireless customers.

The monthly fee includes all taxes and other fees, and there are no hardware charges or annual contract. According to Verizon, 5G Home customers will see typical network speeds of around 300Mb/s and depending on location, peak speeds of nearly 1 Gig. There are no data caps.

Following the initial rollout to Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, and Sacramento, Verizon plans to rapidly expand its coverage area. Customers can visit the 5G Home website to receive updates on when the service will be available in their area.

Tag: Verizon
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Google Pixel Slate — the first detachable Pixelbook 2-in-1

Google Pixelbook in tablet mode

Google’s long-rumored convertible Pixelbook finally has an official designation. We’ve been calling it by its code name, Nocturne, for months, but its official name, the one you’ll see on the box, is said to be Pixel Slate. Technically not a Pixelbook but certainly part of the Pixel line of Google products, the Pixel Slate will be Google’s first Chrome OS tablet and will have a detachable keyboard, making it super lightweight and portable in tablet mode.

The Pixel line of Google hardware has always been iconic. Its smartphones debuted with great cameras, the Chromebook Pixels had unique input features, and the Pixelbook was the first truly premium Chromebook. A long-rumored second-generation of Pixelbooks has been speculated about for months and was slated to launch in two guises. One of them will likely be the Pixel Slate.

The news of the tablet’s title comes from Android Police’s David Ruddock. Although he claimed that the title wasn’t a big surprise, it’s still the best source of this information that we’ve heard so far. It’s not an official confirmation, but he claims that the source is trustworthy enough that it’s worth taking seriously.

Google Pixel Slate is the name of Google's first Chrome OS tablet. This name has been offered up so many times as a possibility I don't even think it's worthy of a story, but this is from a source I trust.

— David Ruddock (@RDRv3) September 27, 2018

The big selling point of the Pixel Slate is that like great 2-in-1s such as the fantastic Surface Book 2, its keyboard is detachable. That makes it both light and portable in tablet mode, and also potentially aids battery life. That detachable keyboard is internally code-named “Whiskers,” by the way.

However, that’s not the only exciting potential feature of the Pixel Slate. 9to5Google claims that it may also be able to dual boot Chrome OS and Windows, if not at the device’s launch, then further down the line. That would make the convertible tablet an impressively capable device with access to a much wider range of software than its Chrome OS-limited contemporaries.

But the Pixel Slate is just one of two new Pixelbook devices that are expected to debut at the #madebygoogle event taking place on October 9. The other device, code-named Atlas, seems most likely to be a true Pixelbook successor in that it will operate as a laptop, rather than a convertible tablet. Rumored features include a 4K display with much thinner bezels surrounding it, a processor updated to Intel’s eighth-generation CPUs, better touchscreen support for fingers and Pixel Pen with Google Assistant, and the introduction of new biometric security options for facial and fingerprint recognition.

We may see integrated LTE data connectivity too, potentially natively, if Google chooses to opt to use one of Intel’s new Y-series processors.

Some of these features may make their way into the Pixel Slate, too, but we’ll need to wait until the devices are debuted to find out for sure.

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Apple’s Free ‘Everyone Can Create’ Music, Drawing, Photos, and Video Guides Now Available on Apple Books

Apple today announced that its Everyone Can Create curriculum is now available in English on Apple Books for Mac, iPad, and iPhone. Apple says additional languages will be available by the end of 2018.

Everyone Can Create is designed to allow teachers to easily incorporate creativity into their existing lesson plans in any subject, including language arts, math, science, history, social studies, and coding. The series of guides teach students to develop ideas through drawing, music, video, and photos on iPad.

Apple’s marketing chief Phil Schiller:

We believe Apple technology can help unleash every child’s creative genius. Working closely with teachers, we have built the Everyone Can Create curriculum to help bring creative expression and the arts into the classroom, and to help students stay engaged through creativity and ultimately be more successful.

Apple says that, since releasing a preview of Everyone Can Create in March, more than 350 schools around the world have adopted the curriculum.

Apple Stores are also using Everyone Can Create in their Teacher Tuesday sessions. 504 stores in 24 countries have already taught over 5,000 hands-on Teacher Tuesday sessions on topics including coding and app design, video and music creation, and creative visual presentations, according to Apple.

Everyone Can Create includes four student guides for drawing, music, video, and photos, available for free in Apple Books. A companion teacher guide helps bring these projects to life, with 300 lesson ideas across media, projects, and subjects.

Tags: education, Apple Books, Everyone Can Create
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Google Maps on iPhone Getting New Commuting Features and Apple Music Integration This Week

Google Maps will soon feature an all-new Commute tab that provides one-tap access to live traffic and transit information.

The new tab will tell you if your commute is going to be a normal one, or if you’ll need to budget extra time due to things like an accident or heavy traffic. Google is introducing support for mixed-mode commutes that involve both driving and public transit, with helpful information along each leg of the trip.

In addition, transit riders in 80 regions worldwide will be able to see exactly where their bus or train is in real time on the map. Starting in Sydney, Australia, Google Maps will also indicate how full the next bus or train is. Google says the latter feature will be coming to more cities around the globe soon.

Last, Google says it is making Spotify, Apple Music, and Google Play Music playback controls accessible within Google Maps.

The new features will start rolling out globally on iOS and Android this week.

Tags: Google Maps, Apple Music
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Apple Offering T-Shirt Reward in New Mindfulness Monthly Challenge for Employees

Apple has a new employee challenge kicking off this month, this one focused on mindfulness and meditation. Apple is said to have partnered with the app 10% Happier [Direct Link] for the challenge, tasking employees to meditate for a specific amount of time per day for 25 days (via MacGeneration).

While the challenge is focused on 10% Happier, employees can also use any mindfulness app that ties into Apple’s Health app on iOS. One of the areas that Health measures is mindfulness, showing you how many “Mindful Minutes” you’ve accumulated over the past day, week, month, and year. This information can be filled by mindfulness apps like Headspace, Aura, Calm, 10% Happier, and Apple’s own Breathe app for Apple Watch.

Image via MacGeneration
Employees who complete the challenge will be awarded with a T-shirt that displays the Breathe app’s blue and green logo. Apple has held similar internal challenges for its employees in the past, although they have mostly focused on physical exercise of some kind.

In April 2017, employees who completed the stand, movement, and exercise rings on the Apple Watch each day for a month received an Activity rings pin in gold, silver, or bronze, based on how many days in the month they achieved 100% ring completion. Another competition like this was held earlier this year, but the prize was an exclusive Apple Watch band.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 5Tag: BreatheBuyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
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U.S. Justice Department Sues California for Reimposing Strict Net Neutrality Protections

On Sunday, California Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill into law that will bring back strict net neutrality protections to users in the state, four months after net neutrality officially expired in the United States thanks to the FCC’s vote to repeal the regulations last December (via USA Today).

Now that California has renewed net neutrality in the state, the United States Justice Department has filed a lawsuit in attempt to strike down the bill. In a statement, the Justice Department says that California’s Senate Bill 822 “unlawfully imposes burdens on the Federal Government’s deregulatory approach to the Internet.”

Attorney General Jeff Sessions and FCC Chairman Ajit Pai also commented on the lawsuit:

Sessions: “Under the Constitution, states do not regulate interstate commerce—the federal government does. Once again the California legislature has enacted an extreme and illegal state law attempting to frustrate federal policy. The Justice Department should not have to spend valuable time and resources to file this suit today, but we have a duty to defend the prerogatives of the federal government and protect our Constitutional order. We will do so with vigor. We are confident that we will prevail in this case—because the facts are on our side.”

Pai: “I’m pleased the Department of Justice has filed this suit. The Internet is inherently an interstate information service. As such, only the federal government can set policy in this area. And the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit recently reaffirmed that state regulation of information services is preempted by federal law.

“Not only is California’s Internet regulation law illegal, it also hurts consumers. The law prohibits many free-data plans, which allow consumers to stream video, music, and the like exempt from any data limits. They have proven enormously popular in the marketplace, especially among lower-income Americans. But notwithstanding the consumer benefits, this state law bans them.”

California is not the first state to pass its own net neutrality bill, but none have yet been as strict. Under the law, California broadband providers will not be able to slow down or block any websites, charge higher fees to customers to receive faster internet speeds, and the law also limits some zero-rated data plans.

Without net neutrality regulations, internet service providers like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T have the legal ability to throttle any traffic on their networks, and block access to sites and services completely, as long as they inform their customers of their actions. In essence, many have theorized that this could lead to ISPs bundling “packages” of internet sites and selling them like cable companies, as well as putting high-paying customers in “fast lanes” and everyone else in “slow lanes.”

Net neutrality opponents, like Pai, say this will lead to “better, faster, cheaper internet access for consumers, and more competition.” They also cite the return to an “open” and less regulated internet, seen prior to the 2015 induction of net neutrality.

Numerous technology companies have voiced support of net neutrality over the past year, including Apple, Google, Amazon, Netflix, and more. Apple last year stated that the net neutrality repeal could “fundamentally alter the internet as we know it,” and if it passed it would be put in place to the detriment of consumers, competition, and innovation.

For California, a legal battle will now happen between the state and the Justice Department, with a few other individuals opposing California’s law. This includes U.S. Telecom Association CEO Jonathan Spalter, who said, “Rather than 50 states stepping in with their own conflicting open internet solutions, we need Congress to step up with a national framework for the whole internet ecosystem and resolve this issue once and for all.”

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Tag: net neutrality
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First Case Surfaces of Law Enforcement Forcing Suspect to Unlock iPhone With Face ID

A Forbes report has highlighted the first known case of law enforcement forcing a suspect to unlock an iPhone using Face ID.

The incident reportedly happened in August when federal agents obtained a warrant to search the house of a man in Columbus, Ohio, as part of a child abuse investigation.

Apple marketing image for Face ID
According to case documents, FBI agents got 28-year-old Grant Michalski to put his face in front of his iPhone X to activate the Face ID facial authentication.

After the device was unlocked, investigators looked through Michalski’s chat history, photos, and other files stored on the phone. Evidence discovered on the device was used to charge the suspect later that month with receiving and possessing child pornography.

Several previous cases have occurred where law enforcement has gained access to digital data by forcing people to unlock mobile devices using their fingers. One case even reportedly involved trying to use the finger of a dead person to unlock a phone, which ultimately didn’t work.

However, this appears to be the first case in which Face ID has been used, so it’s likely to reignite debate over where the law stands in relation to biometric authentication methods.

In the United States, forcing someone to give up a password is interpreted as self-incrimination, which is protected by the fifth amendment and against the law. Nevertheless, courts have ruled that there’s a difference between a biometric recognition system like Touch ID and a passcode that you type into your phone.

In the case highlighted by Forbes, the FBI was eventually locked out of the phone and had to gain a second search warrant to allow them to conduct a more thorough search of the device using a third-party unlocking solution, likely similar to Grayshift.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Tags: FBI, Face ID, law
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Some iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max handsets appear to have charging issues

Owners of some of Apple’s new iPhones appear to be experiencing difficulties charging their device via the cable.

The issue seems to affect the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, two of the tech company’s newest phones that started shipping just over a week ago.

A growing number of owners are hitting forums to express their frustration about the problem, which in the worst cases results in a complete failure of the charging process via the Lightning cable.

In a test of multiple iPhone XS and XS Max devices conducted by YouTuber Unbox Therapy, the issue was able to be replicated, though it manifested itself slightly differently with each device. So with some phones, the charging process failed to begin when the phone was in sleep mode and the cable was connected (the screen is supposed to light up to let you know the charging process has started), while in other cases charging would only start once you tapped the screen.

In one odd case, an iPhone XS Max not only failed to light up when the cable was plugged in, but also failed to start charging when the phone came to life via a tap on the screen.

In Unbox Therapy’s experiment, two of the four XS phones lit up and began to charge in the proper way, while only one of the four XS Max phones did so. But some people have also reported how the phone looks like it’s charging but sometimes stops after a short time.

Unbox Therapy also noticed how, on some occasions when it was plugged in, the phone would freeze and stay in sleep mode.

As you can see, the experiences regarding charging issues with Apple’s latest phones are wide and varied, and it’s not clear if it’s down to a problem with the software or hardware. But the fact that some recent commenters are pointing out that they’re suddenly seeing the same problem on older iDevices suggests the former, meaning a fix shouldn’t be too difficult to sort out.

The only apparent workaround is to use wireless charging, which works with Apple’s iPhone X, and the new XS, XS Max, and upcoming XR models. Digital Trends has a page showing some of the best wireless phone chargers currently available.

At the time of writing, Apple hasn’t publicly acknowledged the issue. We’ve reached out to the company for comment and will update this article when we hear back.

It’s not the first time Apple has had to deal with iPhone problems at launch. AntennaGate, for example, saw some owners of the iPhone 4 experiencing call reception issues soon after the device hit the shelves in 2010. The problem occurred when the user placed their hand at the lower left edge of the device, which interfered with the phone’s antenna. Apple discovered that the situation could be resolved by putting a bumper on the phone, and so handed out free bumpers to affected users. And then in 2014 there was BendGate that put the aluminum frame of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in the spotlight. Let’s hope we’re not witnessing the beginning of ChargeGate here, and that Apple can resolve this issue, once it’s confirmed, as soon as possible.

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‘No-selfie zones’ suggested to prevent fatal accidents at tourist spots

Have you ever taken a selfie where, as you try to maneuver yourself into position to get the best shot, you momentarily forget about your immediate surroundings?

Such lapses in concentration, mixed with a determination to score your next awesome Instagram shot, have led to some unlucky folks ending up in hospital, or, in the most tragic cases, losing their life.

The figures are startling, with at least 259 people around the world losing their life while trying to take a selfie between 2011 and 2017, according to researchers at the India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi.

After analyzing the cases, the team has recommended that popular tourist spots introduce “no-selfie zones” to try to improve safety when it comes to taking self-portraits using smartphones.

Led by Dr Agam Bansal, the team said there had been “an exponential increase in the number of selfie deaths from 2014–2015 to 2016–2017.” It put the rise down to the “increased usage of mobile phones, enhanced selfie features on mobile phones, increased availability of selfie sticks, and also promotion of the phenomenon of selfies through events like ‘best selfie prize.’”

About 75 percent of the selfie deaths comprised males, the team said, with most fatalities involving those in their teens and aged up to 30. Selfie-related fatalities are most often caused by drowning, which includes being “washed away by waves on a beach, capsizing of boats while rowing, clicking selfies on shore while not knowing how to swim, or ignoring warnings.” Other common causes include falling from an elevated location, being hit by a vehicle, and fire.

Most selfie deaths currently occur in India, partly because it has such a huge population and also because it has a high share of young people. Russia and the U.S. rank second and third, respectively, for selfie-related deaths.

In a bid to tackle the issue, some tourist locations in India have already begun designating no-selfie zones. In the Indian city of Mumbai, for example, 16 places have banned selfies, while signs started showing up on cliffs and beaches in the Indian state of Goa, which attracts millions of tourists each year. Meanwhile, on Mount Merapi in Indonesia, local officials are preparing a “safe selfie spot” for visitors in a bid to reduce the chance of people risking their lives with shots in precarious spots on the mountain.

The team sensibly underlines the fact that “selfies are themselves not harmful, but the human behavior that accompanies selfies is dangerous.” It adds: “Individuals need to be educated regarding certain risky behaviors and risky places where selfies should not be taken,” and suggests that “no-selfie zones areas should be declared across many tourist areas, especially places such as water bodies, mountain peaks, and tall buildings” to prevent future accidents.

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A Best Buy flub sheds light on a new Chromecast. Here’s what we know so far

It appears certain Google will announce a brand-new Chromecast streaming device at its October 9 event in New York City, alongside a slew of new hardware, including Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL smartphones, new Pixel Books, and possibly new Pixel Buds headphones.

First reported by Android Police, a Redditor was accidentally sold a third-gen Chromecast at Best Buy. The Reddit thread creator, GroveStreetHomie, says the item didn’t pop up in Best Buy’s point-of-sale system, so the customer service representative used the SKU from a current-gen Chromecast in order to force the sale through. As such, the streaming dongle was sold for $35. Though we do not expect the new Chromecast to go up in price, the accidental sale is not necessarily indicative of what the final street price might be for the new version.

The new streamer doesn’t come as a surprise, though this Best Buy gaff does reveal a few new details. Since it has been a couple of years since the Chromecast Ultra was announced, we expected a replacement, and aside from confirming the dongle’s existence, an FCC filing reveals the new Chromecast will support Bluetooth outside of utilizing it solely for setup.

Product packaging and the Redditor’s comment shed no light on the Chromecast’s new use of Bluetooth, but it is possible the connection could be used to support wireless keyboards and other peripherals like gamepads. Overall, the details about the new device remain scant. The Reddit poster indicates the device requires a firmware update out of the box, and we don’t anticipate this changing until the device is shipping to the public.

What we do know is that the new Chromecast is slightly thicker than the current version, replaces glossy plastic with a matte-black finish, and uses Google’s ‘G’ logo instead of the company’s Chrome moniker.

This is increasingly looking more like an incremental update and less like the next big thing in streaming. Meanwhile, Roku and Amazon have been busy bringing new devices like the impressively capable $40 Roku Premiere and the cutting-edge Fire TV Cube. The only way the new Chromecast could make significant waves this year is if it housed Android TV on-board. Currently, the Chromecast is basically a dumb dongle — one which requires its users to use their smartphone, tablet, or PC to control the device.

Stay tuned to Digital Trends for updates on Google’s October 9 event and the new devices we expect to see.

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