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Posts from the ‘News’ Category

5
Oct

Apple Watch Nike+ Series 4 Launches With Limited Quantities Available in Store


The new Apple Watch Nike+ officially launches today and early pre-orders are being delivered to customers, with pick-ups available in stores in limited quantities.

The new Apple Watch Nike+ devices come with all the features new to the Series 4 models, including a larger screen, thinner body, a (currently U.S-only) ECG reader, fall detection, and more.

In addition, the Nike+ collection features redesigned Nike watch faces that match to the new band colors, including a Pure Platinum/Black Sport Band and a Summit White Sport Loop with reflective yarn.

Apple Watch Nike+ comes in four styles in both 40mm and 44mm sizes, with both cellular and Wi-Fi + GPS only models to choose from:

  • Silver Aluminum Case with Pure Platinum/Black Nike Sport Band
  • Space Grey Aluminum Case with Anthracite/Black Nike Sport Band
  • Silver Aluminum Case with Summit White Nike Sport Loop
  • Space Grey Aluminum Case with Black Nike Sport Loop

Apple Watch Nike+ models are priced between $399 and $499 in the United States. Additional Nike+ bands are $49 each.

Launch countries include Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guam, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Macau, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UAE, the U.K., and the U.S.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 5Tags: Nike+, Apple Watch Nike+ EditionBuyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
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5
Oct

Amazon Alexa App Gains Redesigned Interface for Controlling Devices and Groups


Amazon is currently rolling out an updated version of its companion app for Alexa-enabled devices that includes a significantly redesigned user interface.

The visual changes are immediately apparent on firing up the app, and center around a new Devices and Groups tab located in the lower right of the screen.

With the new menu selected, the devices are listed in a horizontal strip along the top of the interface, allowing users to control individual smart lights, audio devices, and power outlets all from the same screen.

Below that, Alexa devices are also grouped by room indicated by colored cards, which have on/off buttons and can also be tapped to control and edit included devices.

Elsewhere, users can add new devices by tapping a plus button in the upper right of the interface, while the original clunky sidebar menu remains available via a button in the upper right.

The changes to the app come on the heels of Amazon’s recent additions to its ecosystem of Alexa-powered devices, which include new Echo speakers, a subwoofer, amplifiers, a microwave, wall clock, and more.

The Amazon Alexa app is a free download on the App Store for iPhone and iPad. [Direct Link]

Tags: Amazon, Alexa
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5
Oct

Vending machines that do your laundry arrive at London subway stations


Time-pressed Londoners now have an easy way to get their laundry done thanks to a new vending-machine service launching there this week.

The brainchild of local startup VClean Life, the first “VDrop” machines are being installed at subway stations across the capital where your deposited dirties will be cleaned, folded, and ready for pickup within 24 hours.

To use the service, you need to sign up online to receive a QR code unique to you. When you reach the VDrop machine, all you do is flash your code to receive a bag, shove your garments inside, and drop it into the machine (or hang it up if it’s something more delicate).

In the following 24 hours, the garments will be collected and taken to VClean Life’s depot where they’ll be gently cleaned using biodegradable detergent and conditioners before being returned to the machine for collection, again by using your QR code.

VClean Life has even incorporated a tracking system into the process, so if you’re keen to learn about the status of your shirts and pants, you can log into the app and find out exactly how they’re doing and when they’re ready for pickup.

A standard-sized garment costs 3 British pounds to clean — that around $3.90 according to current conversion rates.

VClean Life

“There is nothing else like this on the market,” said Nick Harris, managing director and founder of VClean Life. “In just 24 hours, customers will receive a premium service at ridiculously cheap prices, with 200 machines being rolled out across London in the coming months, before going national.”

Many of the new VDrop machines will be appearing in the parking lots of subway stations rather than actually inside the premises. The first one has just started operating at Epping station in north-east London, with imminent launches lined up for others in Woodford, South Woodford, Loughton, and North Greenwich. More of its vending machines will soon be found at gyms, shopping malls, and offices, the company said.

VClean Life is going up against brick-and-mortar laundromat and dry cleaning services, as well as those that provide home collection. It’s hoping its convenience and environmentally friendly cleaning methods will help it to quickly win fans.

To help give it the best launch possible, VClean Life has produced (or over-produced) an absurdly dramatic promotional video in which the protagonist apparently reveals his penchant for a spot of cross-dressing. Or have we got the wrong end of the stick here?

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5
Oct

Samsung forecasts all-time record profit of $15.5 billion in Q3 2018


After a downturn in Q2, Samsung is once again back to shattering profit records.

samsung-mwc14a_0.jpg?itok=B44_7lZw

Samsung is on track to beat the $14.6 billion in profits it netted in Q1 2018. In its Q3 2018 earnings guidance, Samsung is forecasting an operating profit of $15.5 billion (17.5 trillion won) on the back of revenues of $57.5 billion (65 trillion won).

That’s a 20% uptick from the $12.8 billion it recorded in profit during the same period last year, and 6% more than Q1 2018. The launch of the Note 9 wouldn’t have hurt the bottom line, but we’ll have to wait until the last week of October to get a detailed breakdown of where the profits came from.

For now, it’s safe to say that Samsung’s chip business is a key growth driver — as it has been for a few quarters now.

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5
Oct

Instagram Testing Feature That Would Provide Location History to Facebook


Facebook-owned social network Instagram is testing a feature that would allow location data collected by Instagram to be shared with Facebook, reports TechCrunch.

A prototype Location History being tested within Instagram suggests that a Location History stored when Location Services is turned on in the Instagram app will be used to bolster Facebook’s ad targeting. From the setting:

Allows Facebook Products, including Instagram and Messenger, to build and use a history of precise locations received through Location Services on your devices.

The feature was discovered by a TechCrunch reader who often digs into new functionality that Instagram is testing.

Instagram’s Location History test option collects GPS coordinates even when the app is not in use and adds them to Facebook’s Activity Log. It appears that the Location History setting defaults to “On” rather than being an opt-in feature.


This means that if Instagram does implement Location History in a future update without changing anything, Instagram customers could have their location data uploaded to Facebook without their knowledge. The feature is further explained in a “Learn More” button within the Instagram app:

“Location History is a setting that allows Facebook to build a history of precise locations received through Location Services on your device. When Location History is on, Facebook will periodically add your current precise location to your Location History even if you leave the app. You can turn off Location History at any time in your Location Settings on the app. When Location History is turned off, Facebook will stop adding new information to your Location History which you can view in your Location Settings. Facebook may still receive your most recent precise location so that you can, for example, post content that’s tagged with your location. Location History helps you explore what’s around you, get more relevant ads, and helps improve Facebook. Location History must be turned on for some location feature to work on Facebook, including Find Wi-Fi and Nearby Friends.”

A Facebook spokesperson told TechCrunch Facebook often tests features that are not released and that Instagram does not store Location History at the current time.

“To confirm, we haven’t introduced updates to our location settings. As you know, we often work on ideas that may evolve over time or ultimately not be tested or released. Instagram does not currently store Location History; we’ll keep people updated with any changes to our location settings in the future.”

As TechCrunch points out, location data sourced from Instagram could allow Facebook to target users with local ads across Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger, showing ads for nearby restaurants or frequently visited locations.

It’s not clear if and when Instagram plans to launch this feature, but many other prototype features discovered by TechCrunch’s source have launched within a few months of being uncovered.

Tags: Facebook, Instagram
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5
Oct

Philips Hue bulbs can now seamlessly synchronize with Siri Shortcuts


Philips Hue bulbs and light strips are some of the most popular smart lighting options on the market. Their easy setup and straightforward operation make them a logical entry point into the world of smart home technology. Philips Hue bulbs are compatible with Apple Homekit, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa.

Thanks to iOS 12 and watchOS 5, Philips Hue lights now work with Siri’s new Shortcuts functionality. If you aren’t familiar with this function, it allows Siri to perform multistep routines with a single word or command phrase. Shortcuts replaces the Workflow app that Apple picked up last year and operates as an integrated IFTTT (If This, Then That) for Apple.

Siri Shortcuts do not add any more functionality to your smart lights, but they do make it easier to access the most commonly used tasks. The app also allows Siri to learn your habits over time. As you interact with Siri and give various commands, she will begin to learn what time you like to change your lights, the colors you prefer, and other data about you.

If you have a certain setting you use often, such as purple and blue lights for gaming sessions, or the “Relax” lighting preset for yoga, you can set up custom phrases to activate these. When you create the shortcut, you will record a voice phrase that Siri will respond to. These settings can be accessed quickly from your lock screen, through a Siri search, or from your watch face. If you sat down on the couch to dig into the latest Call of Duty, you could say, “Hey Siri, gaming mode,” and the lights would switch to your predefined colors.

Shortcuts can also be used to link your smart lights to music and other expanded functions. While these features can already be used, they require multiple steps to make work. For example, to sync your lights with music, you need to use Hue Sync on a laptop or a third-party app on a smartphone. The Shortcuts app lets you link all of these commands together so that a single phrase can have your lights pulsing to the beat.

The Shortcuts app is still new, but there are already a lot of user-generated shortcuts you can save to your device directly from the app. Create your own or browse the gallery to find the shortcut that works for you.

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5
Oct

Facebook’s latest data breach could earn Europeans thousands in compensation


Thanks to Europe’s new General Data Protection Regulation, Facebook’s most recent security blunder could end up earning you a bit of money. If you’re located in Europe, the hack that left 50 million users exposed can result in monetary awards of as much as $7,800. According to a report on The Sun, legal experts say that if you can prove that you’ve been distressed as a result of the hack, you could be owed thousands of dollars in compensation.

According to GDPR rules, Facebook has an obligation to properly secure the data of its users. Facebook users can file “a claim for compensation against Facebook if they have suffered material or non-material damage,” according to Article 82 of GDPR. Because of how broad the law is, users don’t have to prove financial loss to file a claim against the social network, attorney Gareth Pope of U.K. law firm Slater and Gordon told The Sun. “You could say ‘hackers gained control of my Facebook account, that has caused me some sort of distress’, and that is now enough,” he said.

At this point, it’s still unclear of the amount, if any, a court in the U.K. or Europe would award to victims of the breach. Distress, according to Pope, could result in awards in the thousands for each victim, but if you suffered from any injury or harm resulting from the breach, the amount could be higher.

The hack occurred as a result of a flaw in Facebook’s code that allowed hackers to exploit compromised tokens that allow users to remain logged in to their accounts in order to access your Facebook profile, including your photos and private messages. Facebook discovered the flaw and it announced last month that the vulnerability has been patched. As a security precaution, it also forcibly logged off 90 million users; those who were logged off by the network could log in with their own credentials to regain access to the social network.

In addition to potentially be forced to provide monetary compensation to its users in Europe, Facebook faces a number of stiff fines and a class-action lawsuit in California. The Irish Data Protection Commission launched a formal investigation into Facebook’s data breach, and it is working with Facebook to learn more about what happens. If Facebook was negligent in providing proper data protection, GDPR could allow regulators to impose a fine of up to four percent of the company’s annual revenue. In this case, that amounts to a whopping $4 billion. Facebook may become one of the first tests of GDPR.

In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is also investigating the breach. Facebook also faces a class-action suit that was filed in the U.S. District Court for Northern California. Facebook has not revealed any additional investigation about the breach. When it announced the breach last month, the social network said that it was only in the early stages of its investigation and that law enforcement was notified.

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5
Oct

Soldiers or Terminators? U.S. Army mulling rifle that fires 250 rounds per second


Let it never be said that the world-renowned United States Army isn’t willing to push the envelope when it comes to tech — or to look for it in unusual places. According to a new report, the U.S. Army is testing a prototype four-barrel rifle that’s capable of firing all four rounds simultaneously. With all four barrels housed in one metal sleeve, the next-gen rifle looks like something out of a sci-fi movie. Where did it find such a beast of a firearm? The sleek, futuristic-looking “ribbon gun” was designed in a garage in Colorado Springs by inventor Martin Grier, owner of Forward Defense Munitions, who spent an estimated $500,000 making his dream a reality.

While a vertically stacked, four barrel gun capable of firing all rounds at the same time sounds all kinds of deadly, an additional hair-raising detail is that the gun can alternatively fire at a theoretical rate of 250 rounds every second. It can house four-round blocks of ammunition, which are fed into the gun horizontally. Each ammo block is able to hold four rounds of 6mm bullets, a caliber that allows for increased range and penetration. The innovative firing system is based on an electric actuator that’s similar to electrically fired weapons such as the M61 Vulcan 20mm Gatling gun and M134 Gatling gun.

Despite all of these heavyweight features, however, the new rifle is anything but heavy. It weighs just 6.5 pounds, which makes it lighter than the U.S. Army’s 7-pound M4 carbine, the gun used by the U.S. Armed Forces as its primary infantry weapon and service rifle.

“Our guys have the same junk weapons as our adversaries,” Martin Grier told the Colorado Springs Gazette, which first ran the story. “I want to give them a Clint Eastwood kind of edge.”

Based on the footage we’ve seen of the weapon, as shown off at the 2018 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, the “Clint Eastwood kind of edge” description is about right. And to paraphrase one of Eastwood’s most iconic movie lines, we can’t imagine too many of the U.S. Army’s enemies are feeling too lucky right now. Punk.

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5
Oct

Surface Pro 6 vs. iPad Pro


You shouldn’t compare apples to oranges, but with Microsoft recently revealing the Surface Pro 6, you’re probably wondering how it stacks up to something like the iPad Pro. As much as these products come from different perspectives on computing, they aren’t so dissimilar in price and design.

With this comparison guide we look at both devices, and help you find out which one is worth more for your hard-earned cash.

Design

The Surface Pro 6 and the iPad Pro are on opposite ends of the design spectrum. Apple opts for an aluminum material, but Microsoft goes with magnesium. That makes for a difference in weight, with the iPad coming in at 1.57 pounds, and the Surface Pro 6 at a slightly heftier 1.71 pounds (without the keyboard).

Asides from the weight, there’s another key differentiating element to the two devices: The kickstand. The Surface Pro 6 has a fully articulating kickstand with movement up to 165 degrees, whereas the iPad depends on cases or keyboard covers to stay propped up. For when you want to use the devices in a laptop-like mode, the kickstand on the Pro 6 makes the big difference. Keep in mind that the keyboard and cases are separate purchases in both instances anyway.

As for that display, both Apple and Microsoft manage to pack plenty of pixels in for your viewing pleasure. Apple’s 12.9-inch display gets you a resolution of 2,732 x 2,048, with a pixel density of 264, and Microsoft’s slightly smaller 12.3-inch display gets you a resolution of 2,736 x 1,824 with a pixel density of 267. The Surface Pro 6 wins out in pixel density, but in terms of design, these two are some of the most premium-feeling devices you can buy.

Performance

Jeremy Kaplan/Digital Trends

Coming down to performance, the differences boil down to the different operating systems and chipsets. Apple’s iPad Pro runs iOS 12, and the Surface Pro 6 is powered by Windows 10. There are different configurations on both devices for more performance or storage space. Starting at $900, the Surface Pro 6 comes with a quad-core eighth generation Intel Core i5 or Core i7 Processor, 8GB or 16GB RAM, and up to 1TB of storage.

On the other hand, the WiFi-based 12.9-inch iPad Pro comes with 4GB of RAM, 32GB, 128GB, or 256GB of storage, a A10X chip with 64‑bit architecture, and embedded M10 co-processor. Prices there start at a lower $800, making the iPad Pro a bit more enticing. No need to worry about choosing a processor or RAM, Apple just makes it easy with one chip.

Enticing as it is, iOS 12 on the iPad still is more of a mobile phone OS, whereas the Windows 10 on the Surface Pro 6 can run full blown photo and video editing software. Both platforms have benefits, with different strengths depending on the use case. While Windows 10 is a superior multitasking platform, iOS as a lot of great apps populate the App Store for tablet usage.

Both devices also come with options for a pen, or in Apple’s case, a pencil. These stylus’ aren’t included in the price of the devices and will count as a separate purchase. Specs considered, Apple Pencil and the Microsoft Surface Pen both accomplish the same inking and drawing tasks and work well across their OS. There are a few subtle latency differences and other specs differences between the two, but Apple doesn’t specify the sensitive levels on their pen to dive deeper. It’s still a nice bonus to have if you’re considering either one of the tablets.

Portability

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Both the Surface Pro 6 and the iPad Pro are equally portable devices, but the iPad ultimately wins. The iPad Pro measures 12 x 8.66 x 0.27 inches, and the Surface Pro 6 at 11.5 x 7.9 x 0.33 inches. The iPad Pro is a bit longer, but it wins with the weight. It might be hard to hold in one hand, but being so light, it is easy to throw in a bag and travel with.

The battery life on the iPad Pro is also impressive, as we found that it gets up to 10 hours in our review tests. On top of that, iOS devices have fantastic standby time. As for the Surface Pro 6, Microsoft promises 13.5 hours of battery life, though we haven’t tested that number yet.

For connectivity, the iPad only offers up a single proprietary Lightning Port. This means you’ll need to buy official Apple dongles to connect your iPad up to monitors and even printers. Things are different with the Surface Pro 6 though, which gives you mini-Display Port and USB 3.0. That is great, but the iPad is more of a mobile device, and for portability, one port wins as you won’t be using keyboards, , printers, or external hard drives like you would on a Surface device.

For most people, the iPad Pro is the winner

At the end of the day, the iPad Pro is the better buy over the Surface Pro 6. It is a cheaper device, and the display and the portability are just about the same as what you get the Surface Pro 6. iOS is also much more intuitive than Windows for tablet usage, offering a much wider selection of apps at your disposal. If you’re an iPhone user, connectivity between the two devices is an added bonus.

So, while the Surface Pro 6 is the better laptop replacement, the iPad Pro does more things right on the whole.

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5
Oct

Surface Studio 2 vs. iMac


If you’re shopping for an all-in-one desktop to serve as the centerpiece of your home or office workspace, Microsoft’s new Surface Studio 2 and Apple’s iMac (2017) are among the top choices. Both systems are clad in metal bodies, designed with modern and minimalist aesthetics, and are targeted for consumption and creation of content with their built-in better than 4K displays.

Though the iMac was last refreshed last year, it shares the same Intel processor family with this year’s Surface Studio 2. This levels the playing field a bit between the two desktops. So, which one is more deserving of your money? We’ll help you decide by comparing some of the most important features between these two premium systems.

Design

As all-in-one PCs, the iMac and Surface Studio 2 share a similar philosophy by combining the computer’s display with the internal components in a sleek silver-trimmed package. Whereas the iMac houses all the internal PC components behind the display, Microsoft moves the computing components to a thicker base, allowing the rear of the display to be flatter and thinner. Apple hoists its 27-inch non-touch display (a 21.5-inch version is also available) on a slim stand constructed of solid aluminum. The effect is that your attention will be focused on the content on the screen, making the PC and the technology disappear into the background.

The 28-inch screen on the Surface Studio is mounted on two chrome arms that are attached to the PC base. Microsoft uses what it calls a zero-gravity hinge, which allows the touchscreen display to easily adjust to any comfortable angle, allowing the screen to recline and not just tilt. Digital artists can essentially transform the screen into an adjustable easel to create content with the Surface Pen.

Both desktops ship with color-coordinated mouse and keyboard accessories, though the Surface Studio 2 can be used with additional creative tools, like the Surface Pen for drawing and a Surface Dial.

The iMac’s wide color gamut Retina 5K panel supports a resolution of 5,120 x 2,880, with 500 nits of brightness. The Surface Studio 2 has a slightly larger 28-inch 4,500 x 3,000 PixelSense display, and similarly supports a wide color gamut panel. Like other Surface products, the Studio 2 makes use of a 3:2 aspect ratio display, which is better suited for productivity tasks. The iMac’s 16:9 aspect ratio is better adapted for videos. Unless you’re watching cinematic ultra-wide videos, you won’t find letterboxing on the iMac’s screen. Both systems allow you to connect up to two additional 4K UHD displays for a multi-screen setup.

Performance

Both desktops rely on Intel’s 7th-Generation quad-core processor, but the entry-level iMac has a lower $1,800 starting price. At that configuration, you’re getting just a 3.4GHz Core i5 processor, whereas the Surface Studio 2’s higher $3,500 starting point comes with an 3.9GHz Intel Core i7-7820HQ processor.

You can also upgrade the iMac’s configuration to a 4.2GHz quad-core Core i7-7700K CPU if you need more performance. Fully specced, the iMac goes as high as $5,300, but that model ships with 64GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD. Apple offers AMD Radeon Pro 570, 575, or 580 options for discrete graphics, while Microsoft relies on either an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 or 1070. There are less configuration options on the Surface Studio 2. You can choose between 1TB or 2TB of solid-state storage and 16GB or 32GB of memory.

Both systems support four USB 3.0 ports, 3.5mm headphone jack, Gigabit Ethernet port, and 3.5mm headphone jack. The main difference is that the Surface Studio comes with a single USB-C port, whereas the iMac ships with two Thunderbolt 3 over USB-C ports. Thunderbolt 3 support means that when graphics cards improve, you can easily add an eGPU to your computer. These ports are located on the rear of the iMac’s display or on the base of the Surface Studio 2.

All these components are packed into a relatively compact package. The iMac measures 20.3 inches tall (including the stand) and has a width of 25.6 inches. The stand’s depth will occupy 8 inches on your depth. The complete package weighs 20.8 pounds. The Studio 2’s display measures 25.1 x 17.3 x 0.5 inches, and the base measures 9.8 x 8.7 x 1.3 inches.

Windows or Mac?

Daven Mathies/Digital Trends

Whether you choose the Surface Studio 2 or the iMac, you should get comparably fast performance. The biggest difference between the two machines — other than the designs — is the ecosystem. The iMac relies on Apple’s MacOS Mojave operating system, which was recently updated to improve your workflow. If you use an iPhone or iPad, going with MacOS will make it easier to pick up and continue tasks on different devices.

The Surface Studio 2 will ship with Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system. Digital artists who rely on a Wacom tablet may feel more at home with the Studio 2, thanks to the tilting touchscreen display, Surface Pen support, and the Surface Dial as a creative tool. For the average person, however, the starting price of $3,600 is hard to swallow — and for that reason, we’ll give the recommendation to the iMac.

But before you make your final decision, keep in mind that Apple could potentially update the iMac again this year — rumors suggest that Apple may unveil the a new iMac as earlier as later this month.

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