How to change your windshield wipers

Ronan Glon/Digital Trends

Further reading

How to change a car battery

How to rotate your tires

How to jump-start a car

How to change a car’s oil

As fall sets in, you might notice that it’s getting harder and harder to see out the front window of your car. If your windshield wipers don’t clear your windshield, or if they leave nasty streaks as they move, it’s time for a new set of blades. Thankfully, changing a car’s wiper blades is a quick job that’s well within the reach of every motorist. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never worked on a car before, if you don’t own a single tool, or if you don’t like tinkering with cars to begin with. Put away the overalls; we promise this isn’t a job where you need to get dirty. Here’s how to change wiper blades.

Step 1: Buy the right wipers

Look around and you’ll notice the vast majority of cars on the road use two windshield wipers. Some, like older Mercedes-Benz sedans, only have one wiper that’s mounted right in the middle of the windshield. Others, such as the Toyota FJ Cruiser, use three. We suggest changing them all at the same time regardless of how many you’re dealing with. Keep in mind your car might have a rear wiper, too, especially if it’s a hatchback or an SUV.

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Ronan Glon/Digital Trends

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You can buy wiper blades from any auto parts store, dealership, or supermarket with an automotive aisle. Even some gas stations carry them, and if all else fails, you’re sure to find them from parts vendors online. You can cheap out and get a basic set, but we recommend buying a pair of high-quality wiper blades from a well-known supplier like Bosch. They’re more expensive than entry-level units, but they’ll clear your windshield with ease and last much longer, too.

Wiper blades aren’t one-size-fits-all, but they’re a lot like tires in the sense that a specific type fits several cars. The list of compatible models is conveniently found on the back of the packaging. Our lab rat for this article is a classic Mercedes w123 from the late ’70s. The blades we bought also fit the BMW Z3, the Nissan Cube, and the first-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee, among dozens of other cars. Don’t hesitate to ask for help if you’re not sure which kind to buy.

Step 2: Remove the old blades

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Ronan Glon/Digital Trends

Ronan Glon/Digital Trends

Ronan Glon/Digital Trends

Ronan Glon/Digital Trends

There are no tools required to change a set of wiper blades. Each blade is mounted on a wiper arm, which is a piece of metal with a curved end. First, lift up the wiper blade (it’s spring-loaded) so it’s almost perpendicular to your windshield. The blade should move freely. Rotate it 90 degrees and push down on the middle part of it, where it’s attached to the arm. In most cars, you’ll need to squeeze a plastic tab while you push. It takes a small amount of effort to get the blade loose. Work it around the end of the wiper arm to remove it entirely.

Step 3: Fit the new blades

Grab your new blade, slide it onto the wiper arm, and insert the plastic part in the middle into the loop at the end of the arm. You’ll hear a distinct clicking sound when the blade is properly installed. Again, this shouldn’t require a tremendous amount of effort.

Return the wiper arm to its original position and you’re done! It’s really that simple. Repeat the process to install the second blade and turn on the wipers when you’re done to make sure everything works as it should. If your car jettisons a loose blade, it’s better to have it happen in your driveway than when you’re cruising at 75 miles per hour on the freeway. While you’re at it, top up your washer fluid and, while you’ve got the hood open, check your oil.

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Kaspersky Lab Says Report Claiming China Hacked Apple’s Former Server Supplier is Likely ‘Untrue’

Russia-based cybersecurity company Kaspersky Lab today said that while “hardware supply chain attacks are a reality,” evidence suggests Bloomberg Businessweek’s report about Chinese intelligence tampering with server motherboards manufactured by Apple’s former supplier Supermicro is “untrue.”

Apple data center
Kaspersky Lab said the report “should be taken with a grain of salt” in its 14-page analysis of the alleged attack, obtained by MacRumors:

The stories published by Bloomberg in October 2018 had a significant impact. For Supermicro, it meant a 40% stock valuation loss. For businesses owning Supermicro hardware, this can be translated into a lot of frustration, wasted time, and resources. Considering the strong denials from Apple and Amazon, the history of inaccurate articles published by Bloomberg, including but not limited to the usage of Heartbleed by U.S. intelligence prior to the public disclosure, as well as other facts from these stories, we believe they should be taken with a grain of salt.

Kaspersky Lab added that the language in both Apple and Amazon statements denying the Bloomberg Businessweek report are “pretty strong” and “leaves little to no chance of retractions or denials at a later time.” The firm added that the statements are regulated by the SEC in the United States.

The key part of Apple’s statement was as follows:

On this we can be very clear: Apple has never found malicious chips, “hardware manipulations” or vulnerabilities purposely planted in any server. Apple never had any contact with the FBI or any other agency about such an incident. We are not aware of any investigation by the FBI, nor are our contacts in law enforcement.

In a press release, Apple later said it is not under any kind of gag order or other confidentiality obligations.

Referring to Apple’s mid-2016 detection of malware-infected firmware in specific Supermicro servers that were used internally only, Kaspersky Lab said it believes it is “quite possible that the Bloomberg journalists misunderstood the incident and included it in the hardware supply chain attack story.”

The analysis said hardware-based attacks like the one alleged in the Bloomberg Businessweek report are sophisticated, difficult to implement, and expensive. “For instance, even if a server board is compromised during manufacturing, it is complicated to ensure that it finds its way to a certain target.”

The accuracy of Bloomberg Businessweek’s report has been questioned by not only Kaspersky Lab, but the Department of Homeland Security, the U.K.’s National Cyber Security Centre, and NSA senior advisor Rob Joyce.

Moreover, Apple’s recently retired general counsel Bruce Sewell said he called the FBI’s then-general counsel James Baker last year after being told by Bloomberg of an open investigation into Supermicro, and was told that nobody at the federal law enforcement agency knew what the story was about.

Apple’s aggressive campaign to deny the report extends to unnamed senior executives within the company. Supermicro and Amazon, also named in the report, have likewise issued strongly-worded denials of the report.

Bloomberg Businessweek continues to stand by its reporting, and has since followed up with a second story that claims a major U.S. telecommunications company discovered manipulated hardware from Supermicro in its network and removed it in August, citing a security expert working for the telecom company.

The original report, citing 17 unnamed sources, claimed that Chinese spies planted tiny chips the size of a pencil tip on server motherboards manufactured by Supermicro at its Chinese factories. The servers were then sold to companies such as Apple and Amazon for use in their respective data centers.

An unnamed government official cited in the report said China’s goal was “long-term access to high-value corporate secrets and sensitive government networks,” but no customer data is known to have been stolen.

The report claimed that Apple discovered the suspicious chips on the motherboards around May 2015, after detecting odd network activity and firmware problems. Two senior Apple insiders were cited as saying the company reported the incident to the FBI, but kept details about what it had detected tightly held.

Apple dropped Supermicro as a supplier in 2016, after the incident with the malware-infected firmware updates.

We’ve covered Bloomberg Businessweek’s report in extensive detail over the past week, with all of our coverage available in our “The Big Hack” archive. At this point, it remains a stalemate between Apple and Bloomberg.

Kaspersky Lab itself has faced controversy, with several reports over the last year claiming its software was compromised by Russian intelligence. Nevertheless, Motherboard said the firm “continues to have a good reputation in the industry,” particularly as it relates to its ability to discover malware.

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: China, The Big Hack
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Nintendo’s New Dragalia Lost Game Earned $16 Million in Two Weeks

In the two weeks following the launch of Dragalia Lost, Nintendo’s newest title, the game has earned $16 million in revenue from the iOS App Store and Google Play, according to estimates from app analytics site Sensor Tower.

$13.5 million of the $16 million in revenue has come from Japan and the United States, with the game now ranking third when it comes to revenue earned by Nintendo mobile titles.

During the first two weeks of availability, Fire Emblem Heroes earned $34 million, Super Mario Run earned $15.6 million, and Animal Crossing earned $9.8 million.

Dragalia Lost, unsurprisingly, is performing best in Japan. 69 percent of total revenue has come from Japan, while 16 percent has come from the United States. The remaining 15 percent has come from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau.

Dragalia Lost is the 19th most popular iOS app in Japan at the current time, and the number 512th most popular app in Japan. In terms of revenue, it is ranked number 10 in Japan and number 62 in the United States.

Nintendo released Dragalia Lost two weeks ago on Thursday, September 27. The game is an original swipe-based action RPG developed in partnership with Cygames.

Dragalia Lost tasks players with conquering their enemies using powerful attacks and special skills, with players able to control characters who can transform into dragons to unleash their power on enemies.

In addition to battling monsters, players will also need to develop a holy citadel for dragon training. Limited time multiplayer raid battles are available for up to three players online, and an internet connection is required to play.

Like most of Nintendo’s recent titles, Dragalia Lost is free to play and supported through in-app purchases.

Dragalia Lost can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Tag: Nintendo
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Luminar (re)touches the sky with a simple A.I.-powered slider

Great photo, but not so great sky? There’s now artificial intelligence for that. On Thursday, October 11, Skylum Luminar unveiled A.I. Sky Enhancer, a tool designed to add detail and drama to the sky while leaving the rest of the image untouched. The tool will roll out in a free update to Luminar 2018 on November 1, followed by a new library tool in December.

Skylum says that the A.I. Sky Enhancer adds depth, detail, and definition to the sky without introducing artifacts. The company says the tool leaves the remainder of the image untouched, and adds that the tool even works to retouch the sky in gaps inside trees, bridges and other objects.

While existing tools across different photo editors can use a mix of graduated filters and brush tools to apply changes to only the sky, the A.I. Sky Enhance uses a simple slider, skipping the process of actually selecting the sky. Skylum says the tool can help save time compared to manually selecting and adjusting the sky in an image.

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Before Jim Nix / Skylum

After Jim Nix / Skylum

The tool joins other A.I.-powered tools like the Accent A.I. and Foliage Enhancer in Luminar 2018. A result of the Skylum A.I. Lab, software engineers created the tool by feeding hundreds of thousands of images to the computer and differentiating between good edits and bad ones.

“We are extremely proud of the tremendous solutions our AI Lab has developed to help photographers quickly correct images,” said Alex Tsepko, CEO of Skylum Software. “Boring skies can minimize the impact of even the most beautiful scenes, but AI Sky Enhancer restores the drama and beauty of the sky using a simple slider as opposed to complex selections and masking processes. This frees up time that can now be spent artistically developing their personal vision using other creative tools available in Luminar.”

The update continues Skylum’s focus on A.I. technology in photo editing, including machine-learning tools inside Aurora HDR and the consumer photo software that edits for users with A.I, Photolemur 3.

The A.I. Sky Enhance update rolls out on November 1 as a free update for current users. Skylum says the previously teased update adding a digital asset management library will arrive in December.

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• How to take pictures of the Perseid meteor shower and the stars

Why Intel and Nvidia controversies prove you should always wait for benchmarks

Biased benchmarks are nothing new, but that doesn’t make them any less misleading.

The last couple of months have been exciting times for those looking to upgrade their PCs. SSD prices have continued to fall and both Nvidia and Intel have showcased new hardware that is more powerful than anything they’ve ever released before, especially when it comes to games. But in both the debut of the Turing-powered RTX 2000 graphics cards from Nvidia and the reveal of Intel’s 9000-series CPUs, we’ve been fed benchmark information that exaggerates the advantages of the new hardware.

Just over a month since Nvidia’s controversial claims about the performance of its RTX-series of graphics cards, the PC hardware community is once again facing problems with misleading results from tests of pre-release hardware. As we sit mired in the controversy over the paid-for test results of Intel’s Core i9-9900K CPU, it’s more important than ever to remember that waiting for third-party benchmarks is a must when it comes to making an informed purchase of new components.

After spending most of its Gamescom reveal of the RTX cards talking about a feature that wasn’t even available at launch, Nvidia suggested that its cards were several times faster than previous generations using a brand new metric: RTX OPS. It responded to criticism about a lack of traditional gaming numbers with another skewed table of results which again heavily favored its new hardware.

Nvidia’s own comparison results were skewed by a focus on DLSS.

When we finally got our hands on the cards we found them to be very capable and certainly more powerful than their predecessors, but not quite like what Nvidia claimed. Indeed Pascal hardware remains competitive on both price and performance even today, when the RTX 2080 and 2080 Ti cards are very much available for those who want them.

Intel’s new CPU lineup was similarly marred by iffy benchmark results. In its keynote presentation, Intel showed off results published by a company that it paid to test its new chips. The flagship of the consumer range, the 9900K with its eight cores and 5GHz clock speed, was shown to dominate both the 8700K from the last-generation of Intel chips and the top-tier AMD consumer CPU, the 2700X. But there were discrepancies in the results and the test conditions that achieved them.

Principle Technologies, the company that performed the testing, has since admitted that it made a mistake using inferior cooling on the AMD CPUs it benchmarked and that it erroneously used a setting in the Ryzen Master overclocking software that disabled half the cores on the Ryzen 2700X. Media and consumers have also highlighted a number of other concerns with the benchmarking methodology, and Principled Technologies has responded by pledging to redo the tests with those concerns in mind.

Intel is standing by the results, claiming that they are “consistent with what we have seen in our labs,” but because of the NDA that prevents other independent media from reporting on the results, there’s no way to refute such claims until the chips are on sale.

Misleading results like those generated by both Nvidia and Intel lead to headlines and help push pre-orders of hardware that are entirely unproven in real-world settings in the rigs of real gamers. You could argue that it’s putting new hardware’s best foot forward, but equally so, it could be seen as deliberately misleading. Don’t forget: Companies like Intel and Nvidia will always want to push people to buy the next generation of hardware, even when the previous generation might still be the better option for some people.

That’s exactly why pre-ordering hardware is such a bad idea. You don’t really know what you’re buying. Always wait for the benchmarks, as otherwise all you’re doing is rewarding companies for great media spin, not great hardware.

Editors’ Recommendations

• We tested Nvidia’s RTX 2080 and 2080 Ti. Are they a worthy upgrade?
• Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 20 Series starts at $500 and features real-time ray tracing
• Testing company says benchmarks that favored Intel over AMD were a mistake
• Leaked benchmark shows the RTX 2080 outperforming the GTX 1080 Ti
• 3DMark’s new Night Raid benchmark gives integrated graphics their own test

New ‘parkour’ video shows Boston Dynamics robot training to overthrow humanity

Do you remember the time, a few years back, when Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot took a pratfall on stage during a public demo, after tripping over a stage light? Such embarrassing relics of a bygone age are a world away from the kind of dazzling feats that everyone’s favorite humanoid robot is capable of in 2018. Like a mid-life crisis dedicated to getting rid of the dad bod, Atlas has hit the gym with a vengeance — and now it’s apparently doing all kinds of crazy stunts. First there was the picture perfect backflip. Now, in its latest YouTube video, Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot pulls off some frankly astonishing parkour stunts.

Parkour, for those unfamiliar, is a training discipline which grew out of military obstacle course training. The goal is to move rapidly through complex environments, usually urban cityscapes, using the scenery in unusual and innovative ways. Remember that jaw-dropping scene from the start of Casino Royale? That, basically. But now with 100 percent more robot.

“Atlas does parkour,” the video description reads. “The control software uses the whole body including legs, arms and torso, to marshal the energy and strength for jumping over the log and leaping up the steps without breaking its pace … Atlas uses computer vision to locate itself with respect to visible markers on the approach to hit the terrain accurately.”

Considering that, not all that long ago, robots struggled to move in a straight line down a corridor, seeing one leap effortlessly between steps with a height of 40 cm is pretty darn incredible. While this is just one demo showcase, the technology exhibited here could also be enormously useful in the real world, where the ability to see environments in terms of how they can help with locomotion (for instance, a wall that could also be a platform) would make robots such as this useful in a range of scenarios. Imagine being rescued from a disaster zone by a robot doing parkour stunts. Heck, it could even be worth it for that alone!

For more on the development of the Atlas robot from its 2013 through today, check out our timeline article here.

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Score 2 Amazon Fire HD 8 tablets and custom cases for under $100

There are a lot tablets on the market today from brands like Apple, Samsung, and Microsoft. If you’re thinking about getting one for yourself, there are some factors to consider such as user interface, how it will sync with your other devices, and hardware specs. However, if you’re concerned with the cost of a device, especially if you already have a laptop and smartphone, then an Amazon Fire Tablet is a great option.

For a limited time you can purchase two Amazon Fire HD 8 tablets for only $100 at QVC’s website. Amazon normally sells them for $80 each, so this is a sweet $60 discount. The tablets are being sold as a bundle along with two custom case vouchers.

When you receive your Amazon Fire HD 8 tablets, QVC’s packing slip will direct you to Caseable.com where you can create your custom case using your voucher. Cases add an extra cost when purchasing tablets so that’s an extra $30 saving for each tablet. If you’re new to QVC, they also offer a $5 discount on your first purchase with the promo code: FIVE4U. The promo code brings down the cost to $95, not including tax. These tablets also come with free shipping as an added bonus.

One of the biggest changes between the Amazon Fire HD 8 from its previous version is its new hands-free Alexa feature and “Show Mode,” where the tablet takes voice commands similar to Amazon Echo. Unlike the 7th-generation tablet, the Amazon Fire HD 8 just needs to be connected to Wi-Fi to access Alexa. Even when the screen is off, you can still call for Alexa to check the weather, update your calendar, play music or request real-time score updates of your favorite team. Alexa eliminates the extra swiping, making it much easier to navigate. If you’re already an Alexa user or an Amazon Prime member, this tablet has added benefits that you won’t get from its competitors. If you’re still not sure if the Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet is for you, we covered it here.

Amazon’s tablet are known for being durable, and with this hardy plastic shell, it’s definitely designed to last. If you need a tablet for your long commute or if you have a commuter friend who loves to read, reviewers are especially loving the larger screen and clearer pages for reading.

As the holiday season looms ever nearer, this tablet is the perfect gift idea for someone special, and this dual purchase will even let you cross two people off your list early. If you have a young person in mind, children can watch their favorite shows and you can rest assured that it won’t break easily. You can also keep the other tablet for yourself, of course, and cozy up this fall while streaming the latest movies.

Get ahead of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday craze by taking advantage of this huge deal and keep checking up with Digital Trends for more cool gift ideas.

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Huawei can make superb phones, but the Y7 Prime isn’t one of them

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Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

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Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

The Huawei P20 Pro is one of our favourite phones of 2018, and 2017’s Mate 10 Pro is no slouch either, plus we’re excited for the Mate 20 Pro and the potential of the Kirin 980 processor. Huawei knows how to make great flagship phones, but it also produces cheaper devices, which have helped catapult the brand’s market share to number one in China and number two globally.

What are they like? This is the Huawei Y7 Prime, one of its latest mid-range devices, and we’ve been giving it a try.

No notch

The Y7 Prime costs 170 British pounds, or about $220, which puts it in direct competition with the Moto G6, the Honor 8X, and the Nokia 6.1. Spend slightly more and the Nokia 7.1, the Xiaomi Mi A2, and the Sony Xperia XA2 come into view. That’s not just a bit of competition, that’s a brutal cage match between some real heavyweights. Given how we’re partial to Huawei’s best phones, we’d be crazy not to think the Y7 Prime can take them on. Can it?

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Let’s talk about the design, and start with the lack of a screen notch. This will split opinion. Many hate it on any phone that’s not Apple branded, but it has been widely adopted by Android manufacturers, and often accompanies a nearly bezel-less body making the phone appear more modern.

You’ll find one on the Honor 8X, the Xiaomi Mi A2, and the Nokia 7.1. The Y7 Prime has a chin, bezels, and worse, a black border around the display panel itself.

The Snapdragon 430 does not deliver the level or performance we’d like.

The Y7 Prime’s body is plastic, but cleverly disguised plastic with a shiny stainless steel-look chassis. The illusion only lasts until you pick the phone up, as the body has a warmth to it that doesn’t come with a metal body, and it’s also light at 155 grams.

It’s also rather ordinary looking, recalling Xiaomi’s designs from 2017 and earlier. After the beauty of the P20 Pro, and even mid-range Huawei phones like the 2016 Nova, it’s faceless.

Low-res screen, basic performance

The 6-inch screen isn’t high resolution either, with only 1,440 x 720 pixels on show. The Moto G6 has a 2,160 x 1,080 pixel screen. This means you can only watch videos up to 720p, when even YouTube content lacks detail and clarity, and photos lose out in the same way. Color and contrast are good though, and you don’t notice much difference when simply navigating Android.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Our review model came with Android 8.0, with a very old April 2018 Android security patch, and Huawei’s EMUI 8.0 user interface. All these are out of date, and not good news for future updates.

Huawei’s excellent “aperture” bokeh mode is present, and it’s the best part of the camera.

A Snapdragon 430 processor with 3GB of RAM is inside, which is unusual as we’re used to Huawei phones with the in-house Kirin chip. Scrolling and navigation isn’t that smooth, there is noticeable lag when opening apps, and even the shutter takes longer than we’d like to activate in the camera.

The Snapdragon 430 does not deliver the level or performance we’d like from a phone at this price, and is overshadowed by the devices with a 600-Series Snapdragon chip, like the Xiaomi Mi A2. We were also frustrated by the performance from the Moto G6, which has a Snapdragon 450 inside.

Camera disappoints

On the back is a dual-lens camera that takes pictures. We wish it did something more than that, but like the design, this feels like a camera from at least a year ago. When Honor — a sub-brand closely tied to Huawei — can put great cameras on phones that don’t cost much more than the Y7 Prime, it’s a disappointment.

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Sample photos from the Huawei Y7 Prime Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Sample photos from the Huawei Y7 Prime Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Sample photos from the Huawei Y7 Prime Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Sample photos from the Huawei Y7 Prime Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Sample photos from the Huawei Y7 Prime Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Sample photos from the Huawei Y7 Prime Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Sample photos from the Huawei Y7 Prime Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Sample photos from the Huawei Y7 Prime Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Sample photos from the Huawei Y7 Prime Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Sample photos from the Huawei Y7 Prime Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Sample photos from the Huawei Y7 Prime Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

The main f/2.2 aperture lens has 13 megapixels and the secondary lens has 2 megapixels. Taking outdoor photos in overcast conditions washed the sky out and obscured detail. Blue skies — when some appeared in London — didn’t pop, and challenging indoor shots were murky or blown out.

Huawei’s excellent “aperture” bokeh mode is present, and it’s the best part of the camera, picking out the edges of faces and objects effectively, even when being heavy handed with the post-shot editing.

We got at least a day-and-a-half of regular use, and could easily see this stretching to two days with minimum use.

The selfie camera does not have a bokeh mode, and takes only average photos which lack detail. However, even if the photo is good, looking at it on the low resolution screen isn’t inspiring.

The low-power processor and the low resolution screen do help battery life. The 3,000mAh battery may not sound very capacious, but we got at least a day-and-a-half of regular use, and could easily see this stretching to two days with minimum use. The fingerprint sensor on the back is also speedy, but no more so than any other phone at this price.

If we’re being tough on the Y7 Prime, it’s because not only do we know Huawei can make excellent phones, but also because there is a wealth of other devices for you to buy around this price. Stiff competition means mediocre phones get hammered, and the Y7 Prime is decidedly mediocre.

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• Here are the best Amazon Prime Day smartphone deals (updated)
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The GW100 are Grado’s first wireless Bluetooth headphones ever

New is always exciting.

Update: Grado’s new GW100 headphones are now available through Grado’s official retailer and available for pre-order at B&H. Get them for $249.

Grado Labs is not a company like Anker or SkullCandy. They don’t make thousands of products for every sound and every ear. Instead, Grado makes a few select headphones… hand makes them, in fact, in Brooklyn, NY… and what they do make is usually top of the line. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is the motto Grado has lived by since the 50s (you know, probably). That’s why it’s surprising to see Grado innovating with a new pair of wireless Bluetooth headphones called the GW100. Wireless headphones are the future, and even Grado can’t stay away.

The GW100 will still be made with Grado’s unique style, including the standard Grado audio drivers customized to this brand new housing and an open-air design. These will be open-back wireless headphones featuring Bluetooth 4.2 apt-X, a dynamic transducer, and 15 hours of battery life.

While Grado hasn’t announced a release date or a starting price yet, the GW100 product page links to Grado’s official online retailer, which suggests a price of $249. That’s a reasonable price compared to other Grado headphones like the $495 Reference Series or the $295 Prestige headphones.

See at Grado Labs

Apple’s Covent Garden Store in London to Reopen on October 26

Apple’s flagship Covent Garden store in London is set to reopen on Friday, October 26 following a three month renovation period, Apple announced today in its Apple Store app.

Covent Garden is set to reopen on the same day that the colorful new iPhone XR debuts, and to celebrate the store’s relaunch, Apple has designed a cheery reopening graphic.

The Covent Garden store closed on June 27 to be overhauled with the new store design first introduced at the Union Square location in San Francisco back in 2016.

Since Apple revamped its San Francisco Apple Store layout with the Genius Grove for getting help, The Avenue for shopping, a Forum for viewing presentations, and an area for Today at Apple classes, the company has been expanding the design to new and existing retail stores across the world.

Covent Garden is the latest store to be updated, and its unveiling follows the recent re-opening of Apple’s Palo Alto flagship store in California, which has been updated with a living wall of greenery, a large television screen at the back, redesigned accessory walls, new tables, and indoor trees, all signature features of the new store design.

When it opened back in 2010, Covent Garden was Apple’s largest retail location in the world, and it has always been one of the best-known Apple stores due to its unique interior with tall arched windows, stone columns and archways, and vaulted ceiling.

Apple’s Covent Garden store in 2015
Given the store’s one-of-a-kind interior design, Apple is likely to keep much of the original look intact, but we won’t know the full extent of the changes until the October 26 unveiling.

Apple retail locations that debut on device launch days often open early, so while the Apple Store app doesn’t yet list a specific time when the doors will open at Covent Garden, customers should be able to get in right around 8:00 a.m. local time for iPhone XR purchases. Apple will provide additional information as the launch date approaches.

Related Roundup: Apple Stores
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