Meet Messenger 4: Facebook’s makeover both simplifies and customizes your chats

Facebook Messenger will soon funnel all the chat features into a simpler, redesigned app. Facebook has unveiled a new look for the chat platform, dubbed Messenger 4, which will roll out globally over the next few weeks. The redesign simplifies the user interface while introducing new customization options.

Messenger users will first notice the less cluttered screen after updating the app. Instead of five shortcut icons at the bottom, there’s just three. Inside the chat page, messages are no longer divided into tabs for splitting messages from calls and single chats from group chats. Instead, Messenger 4 has three main navigation categories: chat, people, and discover.

The chat interface is the closest to the current Messenger’s home screen, organizing messages and calls into one place. Groups and individual messages are also mixed into the same interface. A shortcut at the top will pull up the Messenger camera.

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The People icon organizes Stories while also housing that list of who’s currently active. Games, businesses and automated messaging for tasks like booking tickets will soon live under a single Discover section. 

Facebook says that 71 percent of those who responded to a recent survey said simplicity was a top feature for messaging apps. “We believe Messenger 4 delivers the closeness and authenticity that you’ve been asking for — through simplicity of design and powerful features that put the focus back on messaging and connecting,” said Stan Chudnovsky, Messenger vice president.

Besides the streamlined interface, the redesign also brings a handful of new features to customize conversations. Color gradients allows users to customize the look of the chat bubbles with a color scheme that gradually changes over the course of the conversation. Facebook says the color gradients can be changed at any time.

While Messenger 4 looks different, Facebook says that all the familiar features are still there, including location sharing, polls, and group video chats. 

Messenger isn’t finished with the changes — the company says it has a handful of other features in the works, including a dark mode that’s designed to reduce glare using a black background. The update is also rolling out in phases, which means your Messenger friends may see the new look before or after you do.

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Intel’s augmented reality brings Red Bull Rampage into your living room

Red Bull Rampage, the death-defying extreme freeride mountain biking event that sees riders literally throwing themselves off of cliffs, returns Friday, October 26 — and this year, fans will have an entirely new way to watch it. The event is set in Virgin, Utah, but if you can’t make it, don’t worry, Red Bull partnered with Intel to bring the action right to your living room thanks to augmented reality and 360-degree video.

Viewers can interact with a photorealistic 3D model of the course in AR on supported iOS and Android devices within the Red Bull TV app. Watch the mountain come to life before your eyes on your coffee table, desk, or floor and pan around it or move up close to see detail. Not only does this capture the immense size and scale of the mountainside, but it also allows fans to zoom in on key points of interest overlaid on the digital mountainside, from interviews and behind-the-scenes clips to point-of-view videos from the riders. Four 360-degree cameras will also be set up around the course, with the app offering a seamless transition from the AR environment to the 360-degree streams. Everything will run concurrently alongside the traditional live broadcast, which will be viewable on a virtual billboard in the AR space.

Augmented reality is often used to showcase much smaller objects, like shoes or furniture, which can be built in a 3D-modeling program. But building a model of an entire mountainside required something more involved. To accurately capture the scale and detail of the Rampage course, Intel flew an automated drone along programmed flight paths above it, capturing some 1,200 high-resolution images that were then processed in the cloud-based Intel Insight Platform to create the photorealistic model.

Red Bull Rampage will see 21 of the world’s best riders come to Utah, including North of Nightfall stars Cameron Zink, Tom Van Steenbergen, and Carson Storch. The event is unique in that it allows each team to build their own elements and lines along the course, so no two runs are the same. Live coverage begins at 3 p.m. PT on Thursday, October 25.

iPhone: The Missing Manual

Bought an iPhone XS or XS Max, or just thinking about upgrading? Apple’s latest flagship phone features an improved camera, better battery life, and more. But how do you become a great shooter, master notifications, and optimize the experience? Here’s everything you need to know to get the most out of your new smartphone.

Related categories: Apple news | Homepod | Apple Watch | Mac OS |  Wireless charging | Smartphones

Want to be the king of the world? Titanic II will set sail in 2022 — for real

Did you spend hours as a kid enjoying the Nintendo Power Glove II? How about those joyous weekends watching Showgirls: The Next Generation, or playing Superman 64 Returns? Of course you didn’t, because none of these things actually exist. Typically, only successful products get sequels, while horribly unsuccessful ones are discarded or written off as lessons to be learned from.

All of which makes the idea for a real life Titanic II ship sound frankly bonkers. But it’s apparently happening, and 2,400 passengers and 900 crew members will have the opportunity to travel on it. The ambitious project will set out to recreate an exact replica of the original ship (which — spoiler alert! — hit an iceberg and sank in 1912), only with the benefit of modern technology and a few more lifeboats. For the most part, however, the emphasis will be on historical details, such as recreating the cabin layout of the original.

“The ship will follow the original journey, carrying passengers from Southampton to New York,” Chairman of Blue Star Line Clive Palmer said in a statement. “But she will also circumnavigate the globe, inspiring and enchanting people while attracting unrivaled attention, intrigue and mystery in every port she visits.”

The planned two-week maiden voyage will take place in 2022, 100 years after its predecessor set sail. It will journey from Dubai to Southampton, England, before heading to New York — hopefully without any unexpected waterlogged layovers en route.

Appropriately enough, efforts to relaunch the Titanic haven’t exactly been smooth sailing. The project began back in 2012, only to be halted as the result of a financial dispute. However, now that this issue has been resolved in the favor of Clive Palmer’s company, things seem to be moving ahead again at full speed.

“In 1912 the Titanic was the ship of dreams,” Palmer continued. “For over a century Titanic’s legend has been powered by mystery, intrigue and respect for all she stood for. Millions have dreamt of sailing on her, seeing her in port, and experiencing her unique majesty. Titanic ll will be the ship where those dreams come true.”

I mean, surely nothing bad can happen to the same ship twice? Then again, we’re pretty sure that’s the reasoning that John McClane used to reassure himself at the start of Die Hard II.

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Want to get an Arlo Security Light? Here’s where you should stick it

Best answer: Because Arlo Security lights are wire-free, you can mount them pretty much anywhere within range of the Arlo Bridge that controls them, but the best place to mount one is 6-12 feet off the ground, tilted down towards an area where foot-traffic moves back and forth across the light’s sensor path rather than walking directly towards it.

Amazon: Netgear Arlo Security Light ($75)

Home, home within range, where the Bridge and the Arlo Light play

When placing an Arlo Security Light, the number one thing to consider is whether the location is within range of the Arlo Bridge hub that comes with the Arlo Security Light system. While the Security Lights are wire-free and weather-resistant, the Arlo Bridge is not, and needs to be kept indoors, plugged into an elevated electrical outlet. Arlo Security Lights only work with the Arlo Bridge, not the Arlo Pro 2 camera bases, and the Arlo Bridge has a signal range of 100 feet, much smaller than the 300-foot range of the Arlo Pro 2 cameras and camera base.

If you have one Arlo Bridge and multiple lights, you’ll be wanting to plug the Arlo Bridge into a counter-height or second floor outlet rather than on the floor, as the added height will make the most of its 100-foot range. You don’t need to worry about keeping the Arlo Bridge next to your router — it uses Wi-Fi rather than Ethernet for its internet connection — so you just need to focus on getting your Arlo Bridge in a position where all of your Arlo Security Lights are within range of it.

If you have concerns about your lights getting a signal where you want to use them, set up your Arlo Bridge and connect your Arlo Security Lights to the bridge, then take them outside where you want to position them and try to turn them on from the Arlo app. If they turn on and off, you have a signal and you’re free to position and mount your lights.

Picking a perfect perch

Within the 100-foot range of the Arlo Bridge, there are a whole lot of places you can place your Arlo Security Light, but here are three tips for getting the most out of your light, especially when using them in conjunction with any Arlo security cameras:

• Place high, tilt down — Arlo Security Lights work best when they’re 6-12 feet off the ground and tilting down slightly. For entryways, backyards, and around the edges of your home, consider placing your Arlo Security Lights 6-10 inches down from the overhang of your roof, so that the roof can give it a little extra cover against rail or hail.
• Keep your distance — The sensor on Arlo Security Lights works best when the movement is 5-20 feet from the sensor and moving across the front of the sensor rather than walking directly towards/away from it. If you want to use an Arlo Security Light on the walkway up to your front door, it’s better to place the Security light on a wall or pillar facing the walkway rather than mounting the security light above your front door.
• Avoid sensor overlap — If you’re using an Arlo Security Light alongside any Arlo security cameras, position the Arlo Security Light so that its motion sensor area supplements the camera’s motion sensors rather than overlapping it. Remember that Arlo cameras and Security Lights can be grouped by zone or paired up so that when the sensor on a Security Light is triggered, the camera begins filming.

Once your light has been mounted in its desired location, walk in the area you want to monitor and see if you get an alert from the Arlo app. During daylight hours, Arlo Security Lights may not turn on when they detect motion, but they will always send an alert to your phone.

Light up the night

Netgear Arlo Security Light

$75 at Amazon

Whether you’re looking to scare off would-be intruders, increase the sensor coverage of your Arlo security camera system, or want some weatherproof lights you can turn off without having to get out of bed, Arlo Security Lights have you covered. Featuring smart dusk-to-dawn features and dimmable, color-changing lights, Arlo Security Lights can add safety and convenience to your property without hassling with wires.

Echo buttons, smart light switches, and more are discounted today

Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.

There’s never a shortage of deals available, but sorting through all of them can be difficult at times. We’ve handpicked all the best tech, and everyday essentials discounts that you can take advantage of right now and brought them to one central location. From smart lights to table tennis, these are today’s best deals.

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If you want to know about the deals as soon as they are happening, you’ll want to follow Thrifter on Twitter, and sign up for the newsletter, because missing out on a great deal stinks!

iFixit is now selling parts straight from Motorola

Not a knockoff.

iFixit has long been known for selling toolkits and providing guides on how to open consumer hardware so you can try your hand at fixing your phone instead of spending a bunch of money at a repair shop. iFixit has also sold replacement parts for various pieces of hardware so users can get their tools and replacement parts all in one go.

What’s been missing, until now, is support from a device manufacturer. But that’s about to change: Motorola is partnering with iFixit to sell legitimate parts so that users can fix their phones with official, Motorola-approved items.

The only parts available are replacement batteries and screens, but to be fair those are usually the first things that need replacing. Each kit comes with everything you need to safely open your phone, so you don’t have to go hunting for extra tools. Here are the first round of phones you can get parts for:

• Moto Z
• Moto Z Force
• Moto Z Play
• Moto X (2013)
• Moto X Pure Edition (2015)
• Droid Turbo 2
• Moto G4
• Moto G4 Plus
• Moto G5
• Moto G5 Plus

None of these are brand new phones, but that makes sense: you shouldn’t need a new battery right after buying your phone.

Are you going to breathe new life into your old Moto phone with a new battery or screen? Let us know down below!

See at iFixit

How to load movies onto your Oculus Go

Loading videos on to your Oculus Go is a breeze. Here’s how to do it!

So you couldn’t resist that great price point and you bought yourself an Oculus Go. You’ve spent a little time with it. You’ve played with a few apps and gotten ensconced in a few games. However, you’re now ready to watch some movies on this modern wonder.

Whether you are working with a Windows system or MacOS, it’s a breeze to do. Here’s how!

Windows

Connect your Oculus Go to your PC with a micro USB cable.
In your headset, you will have to give your PC permission to gain access. Select Allow Access to Data.
Once you are connected to your PC, the Autoplay feature should open. If it does, select Open Device to View Files.

If Autoplay does not start, you can manually browse to Oculus Go Storage through File Explorer. It will be named VR-Headset.

Once you have your VR-Headset open, select Internal Shared Storage.

Open the folder named Movies.

You can now drag and drop videos into the storage of your Oculus Go.

MacOS

Download the File Transfer Tool from Android and install it on your Mac.
Connect your Oculus Go to your Mac with a micro USB cable.
Open the File Transfer Tool you just installed.
In your headset, you will have to give your computer permission to gain access. Select Allow Access to Data.

A folder named VR-Headset should automatically open

Now open the folder called Movies.

You can now drag and drop videos directly into your Oculus Go

Whether you’re watching some home movies or Avengers: Infinity War, you can now kick up your virtual feet and enjoy watching whatever you choose. The virtual world is now your oyster.

Use SKYBOX VR

If you want to save space on your Oculus Go, or if you just prefer streaming media content to your headset, you can use SKYBOX VR Video Player. It’s a free app that works with DLNA streaming.

You can use your own DLNA server or use a device like the RAVPower Filehub Plus which is a travel router that works with SD cards and USB storage devices.

SKYBOX VR Video Player also works with locally stored files so you can use it as your primary media consumption app.

If you need a step-by-step guide on how to expand your storage on the Oculus Go, including using devices like the RAVPower Filehub Plus, you can check out our full guide.

Updated October 2018: This article was updated with the most recent information.

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Sonos is releasing an exclusive Play:5 Beastie Boys Edition smart speaker

Make some noise for this limited edition Sonos speaker.

The Sonos Play:5 is the largest, best-sounding smart speaker currently available from Sonos, and it’s about to receive an exclusive limited design that’ll make you fight for your right to buy it. In collaboration with the Beastie Boys, Sonos is bringing the Play:5 Beastie Boys Edition to stores later this year at the speaker’s regular price of $499 with all proceeds going to charity.

The Beastie Boys Edition of the speaker will feature a new logo design for the band by artist Barry McGee applied in red on its grille. It comes in monochromatic white otherwise, offering a clean aesthetic for any home. Inside the speaker are the Play:5’s standard set of six amplifiers with six speaker drivers. While it doesn’t include Alexa built-in like the Sonos One does, it can be controlled with your voice by connecting an Amazon Echo Dot or another Alexa-enabled device. You can also control it using the Sonos app on your iOS or Android device. That’ll allow you to stream music wirelessly from services like Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Spotify once Wi-Fi is set-up.

Fans of the band will have an early chance to get their hands on a signed version of the new Play:5 speaker at the Beastie Boys Book: Live & Direct tour which begins on October 29 in New York City. The tour is planned alongside the release of the new Beastie Boys Book which covers the story of the band in the members’ own words for the first time ever.

At the upcoming shows, fans will be treated to readings from the book, conversations between the band members, a Beastie Boys exhibit, and the opportunity to enter to win an autographed Sonos Play:5 Beastie Boys Edition speaker. For those who aren’t lucky enough to win such a prize, you’ll be able to purchase the new edition of the speaker later this December via the Sonos website and select retailers which are yet to be announced.

See at Sonos

Why you need a Pixel Stand to charge your Pixel 3 at 10 watts

To Qi or not to Qi, that is the question.

One of the great things about the Pixel 3 is its support for wireless charging. It took a while until Qi charging became ubiquitous on most popular phones — the Nexus 4 and 5 had it, but Google removed the feature with the Nexus 5X and 6P for lack of adoption — but brought it back with the Pixel 3. Now that it’s back, it’s become another thing that doesn’t work exactly how everyone thought it would.

Wireless charging doesn’t only mean Qi charging.

Google says the Pixel 3 is capable of wirelessly charging at speeds of 10 watts. There are complicated formulas that determine how fast a phone can charge, but generally, the more wattage being used by the phone the faster it charges. The issue is that the Pixel 3 only charges at 10 watts on wireless chargers certified for the “Made for Google” program, and right now the Pixel Stand is the only Made for Google charging base. (Belkin has announced one, but it’s not available yet.) On any other Qi-compatible wireless charging pad it charges at 5 watts — half the power, which means it takes twice as long to charge.

Google hasn’t disclosed its reasoning for developing its own fast wireless charging standard, but here’s the likely scenario.

The Qi standard

Version 1.2.3 (the latest publically available version) of the Qi standard states that “The Power Class 0 power transfer system enables the transfer of at least 5 W and up to 30 W of load power. The actual amount of power that can be transferred between the power transmitter and power receiver is subject to negotiation between them during the communication phases that occur before power transfer.” Power Class 0 is for what the standard describes as “low-power devices” and it includes phones.

On a regular wireless charger, your Pixel 3 will charge at 5 watts, which is slower than it would at 10 watts.

We know that Google isn’t using the baseline Qi standard to negotiate charging. The company told Android Police that it has developed a “secure handshake” when a Pixel 3 is placed on a wireless charger, and only chargers that pass this security check will charge at 10 watts. Chargers that do not pass are limited to 5-watt charging.

No details about the secure handshake are available, but an official statement from Google reads:

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.”

Technically, Google supports Qi charging and 10-watt wireless charging on the Pixel 3. But it does not support 10-watt wireless charging using the Qi standard.

The biggest question we have is why Google is doing this. We were told at the Pixel 3 event that a custom authentication communication was developed by Google so the phone knows when you’re using your stand at home, or at work, versus a public charger, and displays content accordingly. For example, the Pixel Stand allows for improved Assistant support and a photo frame “ambient mode”. This makes sense and would explain the “secure” tag placed on the handshake between phone and charger. But it does nothing to explain why standard Qi charging is capped at 5 watts.

Until Google tells us all more about what it is doing, why it is doing it, and (ideally) how it is doing it, this is all we know. It’s frustrating, but not as frustrating as knowing you’ll need to buy an expensive branded charger to get fast wireless charging for your Pixel 3.

That said, the Pixel Stand is a pretty great wireless charger — if you can stomach its $79 price tag.

Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL

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• Join our Pixel 3 forums

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