Essential is reportedly building an A.I.-powered phone that mimics its user

It looks like the Essential Phone is getting a successor. According to a new report from Bloomberg, Essential has begun work on a new phone that will use artificial intelligence that mimics the user to perform tasks like automatically respond to messages.

It seems as though Essential is working full steam ahead on the new project — in fact, it has reportedly paused development on things like a planned home speaker and potentially some other products in order to put its focus on the new phone.

Even the design of the new phone would be totally different than other smartphones, according to the report. It will reportedly have a small screen, and the user will mostly interact with it through voice controls, which will work with Essential’s own artificial intelligence software. In other words, the device will aim to be more of a digital assistant than any phone before it.

It all sounds a bit sci-fi, but that’s apparently the point. Andy Rubin, co-founder of Android and founder of Essential Products, is reportedly trying to build a device that “captures people’s imagination” by being something that’s totally different from the competition.

Of course, Essential has a long road ahead of it. Currently, the consumer A.I. space is dominated by the likes of Google, Amazon, and Apple, but even the assistants from those companies sometimes fail, forcing the user to manually perform the task they’re asking the assistant to do. With a phone that has only a small display, manually doing tasks may be much harder. The new device, however, could be targeted at those who want to spend less time using their phones.

So when will we see Essential’s new device? Essential reportedly aims to have the first prototype ready by the end of the year, but it’s unlikely consumers will see what that prototype looks like. According to the Bloomberg report, Essential is aiming to show the device off to industry partners at the Consumer Electronics Show in January in Las Vegas — though consumers probably won’t see the device until well into 2019.

Even when Essential does eventually release the new device, there’s no guarantee that it will sell — and if it doesn’t, this could be one of the last devices we see from Essential.

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Ultra-bright LEDs give us a glimpse of all that space junk orbiting Earth

Whether it’s electronic waste from old gadgets that are thrown into landfill sites or the enormous amounts of plastic in our oceans, there is a big problem with pollution on Earth. Unfortunately, the fact that this continues to be an issue, despite its visibility, shows how tougher it is to raise awareness. Imagine how much tougher it is, therefore, to make people aware of the pollution that they can’t see — such as the 29,000 pieces of human-made debris currently orbiting our planet. These rocket parts, non-functioning satellites and other pieces of space detritus pose a number of problems, including presenting a risk to orbiting spacecraft and satellites.

To help people realize just what an issue this is, Dutch artist Daan Roosegaarde has come up with an eye-catching, attention-grabbing installation. The so-called “Phase” project involves shining ultra-powerful LEDs into the sky to pinpoint the individual pieces of space junk as they whiz past Earth at speeds of up to 17,500 mph.

“The Space Waste Lab wants to upcycle the 8.1 million kilo of space waste currently in space,” Roosegaarde told Digital Trends. “Phase is the real-time visualizing of space waste above your head. We receive the tracking information of space agencies of 29,000 particles larger than 10 cm. Special software including safety aviation regulation guides the large LED lines, so the moment the two lines meet in the top, [we know] that is where the space waste is. It creates a mesmerizing experience, these huge lines of light scanning the universe for junk.”

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Roosegaarde’s work only seeks to highlight the problem, not to remove the space junk, although this is something that other groups — including NASA — are actively trying to carry out. Once the waste has been removed, Roosegaarde told us that he believes it can be upcycled to create new products, such as 3D-printable materials.

The LED installation is currently being displayed in the Netherlands, where it will be viewable until January 19. It is accompanied by a dedicated lab space showing real space waste. After this, it will travel on to Luxembourg, and then on to the United States. Unless the problem has been sorted out by then, we guess!

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Apple acquisition points to possibility of easy background removal in photos

A recent Apple investment could make it possible for iPhones to easily separate the background and the subject from photos and video. A recent report by a Danish newspaper suggests that Apple acquired Spektral, a company focusing on green screen-like effects without the green screen, back in December 2017. Apple has not yet confirmed or commented on the report (the company rarely comments on acquisitions).

According to Fortune, Spektral gots its start working on software to digitally swap out backgrounds using a technique similar to the popular green screen. A few years later, however, and the company’s engineers moved on to machine learning that could cut out people without requiring that green screen.

Spektral, which originally started as CloudCutout allowing for background swaps in school photos, eventually moved onto to removing the background from product photos, and then, in 2016, cutting out video without requiring extra gear like that green screen. The company says the algorithms can cut out video in real time.

Spektral’s website suggests that smartphones are next. “In the beginning of 2017 we have been working fiercely without algorithms on getting this cool technology available on a smartphone and thereby enabling anyone and anywhere to create mixed reality content.”

The report suggests the acquisition happened for more than $30 million. Without a confirmation from Apple, exactly what the integration of Spektral technology means is speculation. Looking at the company’s statements on the website in bringing mixed reality to smartphones makes the integration easy to imagine as expansion for Apple’s augmented reality, however. 

If Apple has the technology to cut out a person from any scene in real time, it’s easy to imagine importing yourself into an augmented reality world instead of bringing imaginary objects into yours. Spektral’s products also cut out the background from product photos, which could serve useful for further development of AR shopping experiences that allow you to place the object in your own home, as Fortune suggests.

Spectral isn’t the first exploring background removal from a mobile device. Google announced testing for a tool to remove backgrounds for video earlier this year. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Adobe, and Microsoft also recently worked together to separate the background in images around fine edges using machine learning.

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These Are The Official Cases for the Google Pixel 3 lineup

The Pixel 3 and 3 XL have arrived, and similar to last year, Google’s got a solid selection of official cases that are launching alongside its two new phones. If you’re looking to protect your Pixel 3, these are among the top cases that should be on your shortlist.

Soft and lovely

Google Fabric Case

Google’s fabric case was one of the best you could buy for the Pixel 2 last year, and with the Pixel 3, that point holds true once again. The case costs $40 for both the 3 and 3 XL and is available in Carbon, Indigo, Fog, and Pink Moon.

$40 at Google Store

Fully customizable

Google My Case

Want a case that’s as unique as you? With Google’s My Case, you can create a fully customizable case with either your own photos, a Google Maps view of a certain location, or different designs from a collection of artists.

$50 at Google Store

Leather luxury

Bellroy Leather Case

$45 at Google Store

Bellroy is known for expertly crafting exquisite leather goods, which is why Google has teamed up with them yet again this year for their premium leather cases. Made using “gold-rated LWG tannery leather”, this thin leather case comes in three beautiful colors and perfectly hugs every curve of your Pixel 3.

Up your camera game

Moment Photo Case

The Pixel 3 already has an incredible camera, but with the Moment Photo Case, you can make it even better. The case itself offers basic protection, but once it’s installed, you can attach any of Moment’s camera lenses. This bundle comes with the case and a wide-angle lens.

$130 at Google Store

Looking good

Sonix Clear Coat Case

This case from Sonix lets some of your Pixel 3 shine through while dressing it up with one of three unique patterns. You’ve got ruggedized 360-degree protection, precise cutouts for everything, and a price tag that won’t hurt your wallet too much.

$35 at Google Store

Clearly durable

Incipio Under Armor Protect Verge

Incipio’s case combines a great clear design with super-durable protection on all fronts. The tough rubber bumper surrounding your phone offers more than enough coverage from drops, falls, and more.

$40 at Google Store

12-feet of protection

Tech21 Evo Check

If you’re a real butterfingers and need something that’ll guard your Pixel 3 against just about anything, the Tech21 Evo Check is a great fit. It’s rated to keep your phone safe from up to a 12-foot drop and does so without adding any unnecessary bulk.

$40 at Google Store

Wallet case

Bellroy Leather Phone Wallet

Combine your phone and wallet into one with Bellroy’s wallet case! Made out of genuine leather, this case has a flip cover that houses secret compartments for your cards, a SIM removal tool, and more.

$89 at Google Store

Toughest there is

OtterBox Defender Series Screenless Edition

For people that are really, really bad at always dropping their phones, we recommend getting the OtterBox Defender for the Pixel 3. OtterBox ran the case through over 24 “rigorous assessments” over the course of 238 hours to make sure it can withstand anything. They’re not playing around.

$50 at Google Store

The Google Pixel 3 is shaping up to be a fantastic device, and if you want to make it even better, one of these cases should help you do the trick. One of these cases isn’t necessarily better than the rest, so find what suits your taste/style the best and just go for it.

This desktop power station is simply a must-have

You seriously need one of these.

Amazon has the Legrand desktop mounted USB charging station on sale for $23.99, which is the lowest it’s ever sold for. This powerful charging accessory normally sells for around $30, and has even sold for as much as $37 recently. It has two fast-charging 3.1A USB ports, and two AC ports, allowing it to easily charge up to four devices at the same time. The design allows it to be seamlessly mounted to the back of just about any desk, and once installed it looks stunning.

It’s time to stop fumbling around and trying to reach behind your desk when you need to charge something, and install one of these. It comes with a six-foot power cord and the required screws to secure it to your desk. Every desk should have one of these, so if you don’t already have one you should stop what you’re doing, and buy one of these right now.

See at Amazon

Car code readers, mechanical keyboards, 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 Cooler Master mechanical keyboards to car code readers, 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!

How to pre-install a pre-ordered PlayStation 4 game

Get ready to play on Day One.

Downloading games can take hours, especially if you have a slow internet connection. This isn’t ideal when the future is increasingly becoming digital and we want to jump into our games as quickly as possible. Luckily, we can pre-install games that we have pre-ordered on PlayStation 4 so we can start playing as soon as the game unlocks after its release. Here’s how to do just that.

How to pre-install pre-ordered games on PS4

From the home screen, scroll to your Library.

Navigate to the Purchased section.

Select the pre-ordered game that you want to pre-install.

At this point, you’ll see a page with a countdown timer. If the game supports pre-installation, it should automatically do so within about 48 hours before the game is set to launch.

How to enable automatic downloads

From the home screen, go to Settings.

Scroll down to System.

Select Automatic Downloads.

Make sure that Application Update Files is checked.

Even after your game is pre-installed, you will not be able to play it early before its official release. You’ll still need to wait until the game unlocks after its release date.

If you would like to do this process manually instead of having the game automatically download when available, follow the first set of steps again to do so about two days before the game’s launch if it is a title that supports pre-installation.

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Here’s how to hide the notch on the Pixel 3 XL

The Pixel 3 XL has a huge notch, but you can thankfully hide it.

With the Pixel 3 XL, Google has retained the stereo speakers while offering dual cameras up front. The components need to go somewhere, and the end result is that the Pixel 3 XL has a huge notch. Google does offer a way to hide it, but doing so requires going into the developer options.

Hiding the notch makes using the Pixel 3 XL much more enjoyable. If anything, it adds some symmetry to the device as there are considerable bezels at the bottom as well. Here’s how you can hide the notch on the Pixel 3 XL.

How to hide the notch on the Pixel 3 XL

Open Settings from your app drawer or home screen.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Tap System.

Tap About phone.
Scroll down to the bottom.

Tap the Build number field seven times until you see a dialog box that says, “you are now a developer”

Go back to the Settings page and type notch in the search bar at the top.
You’ll see a single result called Display cutout. Tap the link to go to the Developer options menu.

Select Hide to hide the notch.

That’s all there is to it. The Pixel 3 XL has a lot to offer, particularly when it comes to the camera side of things, and while the notch negatively affects the overall experience of the device, at least there’s an option to hide it away.

As a word of caution, there’s no guarantee that everything will work perfectly fine when you load up third-party apps from the Play Store with the notch disabled. The whole point of these developer options for managing the notch is to make it easier for developers to test their apps with a variety of screen shapes, and things may get a little weird. But if this is the only way you’d ever consider using a Pixel 3 XL, you now know how to manage that notch so you can happily use the phone.

Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL

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• Join our Pixel 3 forums

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Win a Google Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL from Android Central

New Pixels are here and you should enter to win one!

This year’s Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL aren’t drastically different compared to their predecessors, but improved displays, a faster processor, wireless charging, and more all result in a well fleshed-out package, making for what could be some of the best smartphones in 2018. But who wants to BUY a phone when you could WIN a phone?

That’s right, we’re giving away a new Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL to a lucky Android Central reader. Keep reading for details!

Enter to win a Google Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL

THE PRIZE: One Android Central reader will win their choice of Google Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL

THE GIVEAWAY: Use the widget at the bottom of this page. There are multiple ways to enter, each with varying point values. Complete all of the tasks for maximum entries and your best shot at winning! Keep in mind that all winning entries are verified and if the task was not completed or cannot be verified, a new winner will be chosen. Phone service is not included with the prize and we make no guarantees that the phone will work with your service provider, so be sure to check that before you enter. International winners will be responsible for any customs fees incurred during shipping.

The giveaway is open through October 31, 2018, and the winner will be announced right here shortly after the closing date. Good luck!

Win a Google Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL from Android Central!

By entering you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.

Google’s shutting down its experimental Reply app

Earlier this month, Google’s Area 120 experimental division announced its latest creation – an Android app called “Reply.” Reply essentially brings Allo’s Smart Reply feature to all of your communication apps, and it’s now available for anyone to download.

Reply is still in beta, and if you want to download it, you’ll need to sideload the APK file as it isn’t available on the Play Store. Assuming you’re comfortable doing this and have a phone running Android 7.0 or later, getting Reply is just a few taps away.

Updated October 10, 2018: Google’s shutting down Reply

Around 3:00 PM EST today, Area 120 sent out an email to Reply users announcing that it’s shutting the app down. The email reads:

You’re receiving this email because you installed the Reply app from Area 120 at Google. Thanks for doing that!

As you know, Reply was an experiment, and that experiment has now ended. While it might still work for the next few months, you may encounter bugs, or see that the suggestions aren’t as good.

We worked with teams in Google to make sure the ideas and learnings from Reply will live on in other Google products.

Once you open the app, sign in with your Google account, and enable notification access, you’ll get a quick rundown of all the features Reply has to offer. In addition to automated responses based on the context of a conversation you’re having, Reply can also generate responses using your location data, send a heap of automatic replies based on your work calendar and certain keywords, and more.

I tested out Reply for a few minutes on my Pixel 2, and whether I was using Android Messages, Hangouts, or Facebook Messenger, it worked just as it’s advertised. The suggested replies are certainly what users will interact with the most, but if you take some time to set up all the automation features Reply has to offer, you could turn it into a really powerful tool.

There are still some bugs here and there (I personally wasn’t able to set my home or work address), but even so, it’s remarkable how well Reply works in such an early form. If you want to give it a try, you can download it here.

Reply wants to add Smart Replies to all your messaging apps