Epic Games’ strategy for Fortnite on Android is stupid, greedy, and dangerous

This is the worst possible idea, for the worst possible reasons.

News of the massively popular and mostly free game Fortnite coming to Android has been causing buzz for months now. Gamers of every age group have flocked to Fortnite and continue to enjoy playing and streaming all day every day. But news that Epic Games is choosing to distribute Fortnite for Android on its own instead of using the Google Play Store is just about the worst thing the company can do for its users.

Plain and simple, distributing this game outside of the Google Play Store is dangerous. And knowing Epic Games is only doing this so it can make a few extra pennies from each user is even worse.

Google Play keeps everyone safe

Remember when Pokemon Go first came out, and because it wasn’t available to everyone all at once people started uploading modified versions of the app to third-party stores with malicious code onboard to steal your data or turn your phone into a bitcoin mining machine for someone else? That kind of thing only happens when an app is distributed outside of the Google Play Store, because Google puts tremendous resources behind making sure the apps in the store are safe for you to use. Fortnite is going to be available through the Epic Games website, but there’s very little to stop someone from putting out ads for downloading Fortnite for Android on the day this game is available and redirecting those users to a version of the game with similarly malicious code.

Epic Games has decided it’s cool to roll the dice on your behalf and hope you follow their instructions.

The Google Play Store also offers financial protection for parents who let their kid play a game with the credit card loaded. Stories of App Stores charging parents thousands of dollars because the kid wasn’t paying attention rarely end in the parent needing to pay those huge fines because the mistake is reversed and Google handles this process. Epic Games is now the only company involved in this process, because purchases made in Fortnite on Android won’t go through the Google Play Store. If Epic decides you have to pay for the things your kids did by mistake, there’s no appeal process in place anymore.

Perhaps most important is the way you install apps outside the Google Play Store. In order to side-load an app on any Android phone not running the newest version you need to turn off a safety lock that allows these installations to happen. If you don’t re-enable this feature back off after Fortnite is installed, anything can be installed in the background without your permission. But every time an update for Fortnite needs to be installed, you will need to toggle this feature again. This isn’t the case if your phone is running Android 8.0 or newer, but at last count 88% of all Android phones were running a version older than 8.0.

In the past, this exact same loophole has lead to data leaks and huge problems with data privacy. Instead of keeping their users safe, many of whom are children, Epic Games has decided it’s cool to roll the dice on your behalf and hope you follow their instructions.

There is no good reason to behave this way

The only reasons provided for this terrible decision by Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney are financial. Sweeney says Epic wants to use its own installer like it does on the PC, and wants to bypass the 30% cut Google takes on all Play Store transactions. It’s worth pointing out this 30% tax is identical to the one Apple places in its Play Store, but Apple doesn’t let users sideload apps — an option Epic has here with Android.

Even if you do all of the right things every time you are still at a greater risk when playing Fortnite on Android than on any other platform.

It’s also likely Epic Games knows the largest audience for Fortnite users are in places with a less-friendly Google Play Services relationship. China doesn’t allow Google Mobile Services through its Great Firewall, and the EU is currently battling with Google on whether the Play Store should be a part of Android phones sold there. This combined audience is considerably larger than the people who would play in the U.S. and elsewhere, plus distributing a single version of Fortnite is easier than maintaining multiple versions to distribute in different stores.

So, basically, screw the users. This way is easier and makes us more money.

Unfortunately, there’s very little anyone can do about this. You can choose to not give Epic a credit card number when you do play. You can (and should anyway) enable Two-Factor Authentication on your Epic Games account, and try to remember to keep your phone unable to install apps from unknown sources every time an update comes in. But ultimately, even if you do all of the right things every time you are still at a greater risk when playing Fortnite on Android than on any other platform. Epic knows this, and they’re doing it anyway. And that sucks.

Sbode Portable Bluetooth Speaker review: Open up a can of music anywhere

This not-quite-pocket-sized speaker packs quite a lot into its rotund, rubberized housing.

Bluetooth speakers are just about everywhere these days — and good thing, too, seeing as headphone jacks and aux cables seem to be fading away with each new generation of flagships — but outside of the traditional almost always-overpriced name brands, it can be hard for good speakers to stand out from the pack. This is especially true for Bluetooth speakers that are portable and affordable, two of the many boxes the Sbode Portable Bluetooth Speaker checks off.

Sbode Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Price: $35.49

Bottom line: This pudgy speaker packs quite a few tricks up its sleeve, and its button configuration makes it the affordable friend of chronic track-skippers.

The Good

• Durable speaker gets impressively loud for its size
• Change tracks quickly and pairs effortlessly
• Sports built-in FM radio tuner, microSD slot for MP3s

The Bad

• Volume adjustments require long-press
• Speaker shuts off after 10 minutes of silence
• Still uses microUSB to charge

See at Amazon

Sbode Portable Bluetooth Speaker What I like

Sbode’s speaker is a 360-degree speaker that’s about the size of can of Coke or a reasonably-portioned coffee mug, and its packs a lot into its rugged, rubberized frame. The 12W speaker is the heart of the operation, powered by a microUSB-charged 2200mAh battery that will power a 6-8 hour music party. As to music sources, there are quite a few options for piping music to the Sbode:

• Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity with microphone for speakerphone function
• “True Wireless Stereo” for seamless-pairing stereo playback between two Sbode portable speakers
• 3.5mm AUX port for plugging in the old-fashioned way
• FM radio antenna and auto-scan tuner
• microSD slot for playback of MP3/WAV/FLAC songs

Ports and plugs are hidden behind a silicone flap, which is supposed to keep water out of this IPX6 water-resistant speaker as you take it to the beach or hang it up in the shower. It’s splash-resistant, so it can survive splashes or raindrops, but don’t go dunking it in the pool. The braided carry strap is short but durable, and easy to clip to the back of my backpack with a carabiner.

Rubberized plastic bumpers protect the top and bottom of the speaker, with recessed metal-topped grills at the top and bottom of the speaker. The middle is encased in a snug black mesh, where the four control buttons sit atop the mesh across the speaker from the carry strap and port flap.

Press once to skip songs is great, until the next song starts screaming at you.

The button configuration here seems fairly standard on first glance, but don’t be deceived. The Power and Play/Pause buttons are as straightforward as you’d expect, but those plus and minus buttons have the opposite configuration from what most speakers and headphones with combined controls use. To skip the current song, you push the plus button once. To turn the volume up, you press and hold the plus button until the volume rises to the level you wanted.

To some, this non-standard configuration will be a turn-off, but outside of a few overshoots when adjusting the volume, I’ve found that I much prefer this setup. Being able to quickly skip a track or five in YouTube Music when your mixtape hits a bad stretch of recommendations is wonderful, and if I need to make a major volume shift, I can reach for my phone to adjust the volume at the source.

Sbode Portable Bluetooth Speaker What I don’t like

Minor volume adjustments give me flashbacks to playing Storm Stopper in the Gatti’s Pizza arcade. Time it right and you feel like you won big. Hold it too long and the speaker will roar at you like thunder. Don’t hit it long enough and the music will skip to the next song.

I was never that good at Storm Stopper, but since I can adjust the volume on my phone, it’s workable. Habit has led me to restart a song when I just wanted to ease the volume down a tick more than once, but habits can be changed.

Black may go with everything, but black is still boring. Could I get this speaker in a nice blue or a bold red, at least?

Sbode has made the speaker as unassuming and neutral as possible with the black rubberized housing, but I really wish it came in some of the fun colors other Bluetooth speakers like the UE WONDERBOOM or the Sony XB20, but the Sbode is also half the price and does more, thanks to its FM tuner and microSD slot for standalone music listening.

As an affordable Bluetooth speaker, I understand that costs had to be cut somewhere, but I do wish Sbode has sprung for a USB-C charging port so it could use the same cable as my phone. I have enough microUSB cables hanging around my apartment after years and years of microUSB phones, headphones, and speakers, but it’d be nice to get back to one cable for everything.

Sbode Portable Bluetooth Speaker

For $35, Sbode is a multi-function speaker that can go all afternoon and can stand up to a jam-packed gear bag or hanging off the side of your backpack as you wait for all the annoying people to go away and let you jam out in peace. It’s not the boldest speaker, but then again, flashy speakers tend to get more unwanted attention, especially at the office or in the classroom.

4
out of 5

Whether you want a Bluetooth speaker that can handle how hard you are on your tech or you want a speaker that can keep music flowing even if your phone is dead, Sbode’s Portable Bluetooth Speaker gets the job done and they’re cheap enough that you can buy two and use them in stereo with your laptop for backyard movie night or at opposite ends of your backyard barbecue.

See at Amazon

How to disable Adaptive Brightness in Android P

Here’s how you can have full control over your phone’s display.

The brightness of your screen is perhaps one of the most important settings on your phone. If it’s too bright, you have to frantically look for the slider to crank things down. If it’s too dim, outdoor visibility can be impossible.

Android P tries to make all of these adjustments for you with Adaptive Brightness, and unlike similar features we’ve seen in previous phones/Android versions, this new iteration learns your usage habits to make more accurate predictions of how bright or dim you like your display.

That’s all fine and dandy, but if you’re someone that prefers to manually control your brightness level, Adaptive Brightness can be a pain in the butt. Thankfully, toggling it off takes no time at all.

Open Settings.
Tap Display.
Tap Adaptive Brightness.
Tap the adaptive brightness toggle to turn the feature off.

That’s it!

With those few taps out of the way, you’ve successfully disabled Adaptive Brightness. You can now rest easy knowing that you, and only you, have full control over your screen.

Android P: Everything you need to know about Android 9

Android P

• Android P: Everything you need to know
• Android P Beta hands-on: The best and worst features
• All the big Android announcements from Google I/O 2018
• Will my phone get Android P?
• How to manually update your Pixel to Android P
• Join the Discussion

List of available apps for Daydream, and upcoming releases

Just go ahead and install all of them. You know, for fun.

With the second iteration of the Daydream View now available, Google has really pushed the Daydream ready Apps in the Play store, though it is still difficult to find them in the Play Store itself. That’s why we took it upon ourselves to make as an exhaustive list as possible of all the games you download for the Daydream View, free and paid.

To make it a little easier, we’ve tracked down all of Google Daydream apps that are available to install now, so you can load up your Pixel with VR goodness and see what this experience is all about. If you’re a regular visitor to this page, the listings that have been bolded like this are the newest entries!

Free Apps and Games

• GZ Doom VR – Free
• The Guardian VR – Free
• Zombie Party VR – Free
• Hardcore – Free
• Mars: New Home – Free
• GameTron – Free
• BZ Zombie – Free
• EMULATED: Pylons VR – Free
• VR Therapy – Free
• 3D Model Viewer – Free
• VR Browser – Free
• Exo – Free
• Plex VR – Free
• Swish – Free
• Into the Blue – Free
• Hidden Fortune – Free
• Comets! VR Space Adventure – Free
• VR Abyss: Sharks & Sea Worlds HD – Free
• Bowling Mania – Free
• The Path to Luma – VR – Free
• VR Puzzle Room – Free
• VR Dead Target: Zombie – Free
• Avem33 VR – Free
• Spacewalk VR Experience – Free
• Underwater VR – Free
• BBC Earth: Life in VR – Free
• Poker VR – Free
• Reflekt 360 – Free
• Justice League VR – Free
• Fishing Star VR – Free
• Oz Chicken Slayer – Free
• Gunship Battle2 VR – Free
• Ace Fishing VR – Free
• Inmind 2 – Free
• Merry Snowballs – Free
• WDR 360 VR – Free
• Rez Infinite – Free
• AMC VR – Free
• Frostbound – Free
• Amusement Planet VR – Free
• Fruit Slicer VR – Free
• Action Bowling 2 – Free
• Pop Styly – Free
• Vera Bradley VR – Free
• Montana VR – Free
• Gubbie Arena – Free
• Storm Shelter – Free
• Capsule Commander – Free
• Pixel Zombie Fight VR – Free
• Can You Survive – Free
• Saint Motel – Free
• ComixV VR – Free
• AurorA Videos – Free
• Cinema Variety VR Lite – Free
• Time Rider – Free
• Boom Boom Slash – Free
• Fidget Spinner VR – Free
• Skyvu Places VR – Free
• VR Flight Dash – Free
• Spheres – Free
• Economist VR – Free
• MEL Chemistry VR – Free
• Gun Hacker – Free
• The Breakpiece – Free
• Shoot the Cans VR – Free
• GrooVR – Free
• Daydream Elements – Free
• MLB.com At Bat VR – Free
• Bandit Six: Salvo – Free
• Dragon VR – Free
• VR Run! – Free
• Spotlight Stories – Free
• Audio Factory – Free
• RT360 – Free
• Voxelus – Free
• Coastiality – Free
• Ocean Rift – Free
• Vicarious – Free
• VR Music Visualizer 360 – Free
• The Lost Future – Free
• Slingshot Shenanigans – Free
• Sliver.tv – Free
• King Arthur VR – Free
• theViewer 360 – Free
• SkyVu Social World Builder – Free
• 871VR – Free
• Unimersive – Free
• Vravo! – Free
• Twilight Pioneers Chapter Two – Free
• Digital Domain VR – Free
• Vision Maker – Free
• Confucious Was a Foodie – Free
• InMind 2 – Free
• VeeR VR – Free
• VR Flight Dash – Free
• AltSpaceVR – Free
• TinyWar VR – Free
• Domino VR – Free
• Rave VR – Free
• Sky VR – Free
• The Reaction Room – Free
• Magnetique – Free
• Agelore’s Fantasy FPS – Free
• Wizard Stole My Goose – Free
• Frisbee Frolics! – Free
• VR Battle Grid – Free
• Damnfields – Free
• VR Water Bottle Flip – Free
• myVR – Free
• Exo – Free
• NFL VR – Free
• NBA VR – Free
• Art Plunge Preview – Free
• 405 Road Rage – Free
• Gala360
• SKYBOX VR Player – Free
• OZ Chicken Slayer – Free
• Labster: World of Science – Free
• VR Wifi Discovery
• Inception: VR and 360-degree videos – Free
• Gravity Pull – Free
• Coloring VR – Free
• Avakin Life – Free
• vTime – Free
• Space VR Beta – Free
• New York Times VR – Free
• Asteroids! – Free
• Horizons – Free
• LittleStar VR – Free
• Moatboat – Free
• Playground – Free
• Fulldive VR – Free
• Netflix VR – Free
• LEGO Brickheadz Builder VR – Free
• HBO GO VR – Free
• HBO Now VR – Free
• Jaunt VR – Free
• NextVR – Free
• Hulu – Free
• INVASION! – Free
• BBC The Turning Forest – Free
• YouVisit VR – Free
• Within – Free
• Graveyard – Free
• PolyRunner VR – Free
• USA Today VR Stories – Free
• Wonder Glade – Free
• VR Karts: Sprint – Free
• Street View – Free
• Wall Street Journal VR – Free
• Guardian VR – Free
• Play Movies – Free
• YouTube – Free
• CNN VR – Free
• UE4 Demo – Free
• ZDF VR – Free (German language only)
• ARTE360 VR – Free
• Arts and Culture VR – Free
• Photos – Free
• Rose – Free
• Wayfair Ideaspace – Free
• realestate VR – Free
• 8ninths Enterprise Demo – Free

Paid Apps and Games

• Death Horizon – $7.99
• Blade Runner: Revelations – $8.99
• RocketCop 2045 – $0.99
• Alien Shot VR – Surrender – $11.99
• IT: Escape from Pennywise VR – $0.99
• Colossal Quest – $1.49
• Fantastic Beasts – $4.99
• Rangi – $4.99
• Dragon Flight – $3.99
• Turret Attack – $2.99
• Dinosaur Hunter – $1.99
• Magna Brave – $2.99
• Recall – $3.49
• Lithium – $1.99
• Nyoro The Snake & Seven Islands – $4.49
• Tank Commander – $3.99
• Volkan – $1.49
• VR Duck Hunting – $1.99
• 2 Star Resort – $2.99
• Overtake VR: Traffic Racing – $0.99
• The Rabbit Hole – Escape the Room – $2.99
• In the Dark – $0.99
• SBK VR – $3.99
• Disc League – $4.99
• Daedalus – $5.99
• Skylight – $9.99
• Tactera – $9.99
• Samurai Chef – $2.49
• Dreadhalls – $4.99
• Radial-G: Racing Revolved – $6.49
• Virtual Minigolf – $2.99
• Orbital Loop – $1.99
• Flutter VR – $4.99
• Hunters Gate – $5.99
• Elevator… to the Moon! – $5.99
• Narrows – $9.99
• Paint VR – $1.99
• Onyx: Quest for the Midnight Stone – $5.99
• Daylight Dojo – $1.99
• Relic Seeker: Hypogeum – $4.99
• Ultrawings – $4.99
• So Let Us Melt – $3.49
• Beartopia – $14.99
• Need for Speed No Limits VR – $14.99
• The Other Room – $4.99
• Faye & Elsa Part III – $4.99
• Cosmos Crash VR – $2.99
• Baskhead – $2.99
• Demon Grade VR – $3.99
• Untethered – $4.99
• MLB.com Home Run Derby VR – $4.99
• Virtual Rabbids: The Big Plan – $4.99
• Virtugo VR – $0.99
• Raptor Valley – $2.99
• Spark of Light – $4.99
• Relax River – $0.99
• Cyber Paint – $4.99
• SONAR – $0.99
• WE COME IN PEACE – $2.99
• VR Music Visualizer – Spectrum – $3.49
• Floor Plan – $4.99
• Belt Miners – $8.99
• Zombie Elevator – $1.99
• West Gangs – $5.49
• Relic Seeker: Hypogeum VR
• Onyx: Quest for the Midnight Stone – $5.99
• Hungry Shark VR – $4.99
• Feasible Food – $4.99
• Unimersiv – $9.99
• Cinema Variety VR Pro – $1.99
• Haunted House – $1.99
• House of Meditation – $6.99
• Mysteries of China: The Great Wall – $1.99
• Solar Eclipse 2017 VR – $0.99
• Zombie Rush Coaster – $0.99
• Jing Yang Ridge 2 – $2.49
• Darknet – $9.99
• City Traffic Control VR – $0.99
• Pull Out Block – $2.49
• Sisters: Faye & Elsa Part II – $6.99
• Babel – $4.99
• Kismet – $3.99
• Ghosts in the Toybox – $3.99
• Shoot Fireworks! VR – $3.49
• Feed The Cat VR – $.99
• Boberboard VR – $3.49
• Unicorn Happy Place – $2.99
• Access Code – $4.99
• Poker VR – $4.99
• Balloon Shooter VR – $1.49
• Farmer vs Evil 2.0 – $1.49
• Hungry Shark VR – $4.99
• Lola and the Giant – $10.99
• Apnea – $2.99
• Cubed – $.99
• Last Z Killer – $5.99
• My Cube – $1.99
• Baskhead Training – $5.99
• Terror Cave HD – $.99
• Body VR for Beginners – $4.99
• Eclipse: Edge of Light – $8.99
• Along Together – $8.99
• Virtual Rabbids: The Big Plan – $5.99
• Toy Clash – $4.99
• Polaris – $4.99
• The Other Room – $4.99
• Solitaire VR – $2.99
• Flushy Fish – $3.49
• SculptrVR – $4.99
• Building Panic – $4.99
• Walk Man – $1.99
• TacoFace – $.99
• Raptor Valley – $2.99
• Tipsy Bat – $2.99
• Pirates Shooter – $1.99
• Virtual Virtual Reality – $8.99
• Air Hockey VR – $1.99
• Baseball – $2.99
• Vendetta Online – $2.99
• Vaporwave – $1.99
• Sky Fighter: Training Day – $5.49
• Battle Planet – $10.99
• Audio Arena – $2.99
• Walking in clouds – $1.99
• Bandit Six – $2.99
• Virush – $2.99
• Splash VR for Reddit – $2.99
• WE COME IN PEACE… – $2.99
• Relax VR: Rest & Meditation – $5.99
• Bait! – $7.99
• Speech Center VR – $4.99
• Baskhead – $2.99
• Cerevrum – $6.99
• Cosmic Chef – $9.99
• AFFECTED – The Manor VR – $3.49
• Floor Plan – $4.99
• Untethered – $4.99
• Hello Mars – $.99
• Sherlock VR – $1.99
• Need for Speed: No Limits VR – $14.99
• Archer E. Bowman – $3.99
• Layers of Fear: Solitude – $9.99
• Wands – $5.99
• Underworld Overlord – $7.99
• Evil Robot Traffic Jam – $9.99
• Daydream Blue – $4.99
• MLB.com Home Run Derby VR – $4.99
• Action Bowling – $3.49
• Sisters: Faye and Elsa Part I – $6.99
• Gunjack 2: End of Shift – $12.99
• Claro – $4.99
• Frostbound – $4.99
• Star Chart VR – $4.99
• Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes – $9.99
• Danger Goat – $5.99
• Hunter’s Gate – $5.99
• Mekorama – $3.99
• Earthshape – $4.99
• The Arcslinger – $7.99
• Drift – $10.99

As you can see, that list is growing fast and it’s full of great experiences. Google promised there would be 50 Daydream apps available by the end of 2016, and delivered a great deal more! At the start of 2018, we were already at well over 200 apps and games to choose from.

This train isn’t slowing down, either. There are a lot more apps coming! Here’s a complete list of the apps Google says are coming to Daydream soon, but so far most of these app developers have been a little shy about a release date for their new VR apps.

Daydream apps planned for the future

• Island Bombers
• Flocklore
• Classroom Aquatic Demo – Here
• Loco Motors
• SuperVektroids!

This post was last updated on 8/2 to add new apps. Be sure to check back regularly for more updates.

Google Daydream

• Daydream View review
• The ultimate guide to Daydream
• These phones support Daydream VR
• Every Daydream app you can download
• Catch up with Daydream in the forums!

Google

Apple Accepting Red Cross Donations for California Fire Relief

Apple today added banners to the App Store and iTunes Store on Mac and iOS devices allowing Apple customers to donate to the American Red Cross to support those who have been affected by the fires that have devastated Northern California.

Impacting Shasta County and the town of Redding, the Carr Fire has become the sixth most destructive fire in California’s history, ripping through more than 125,000 acres and destroying or damaging over 1,500 homes and buildings. Other smaller fires, such as the Ferguson Fire near Yosemite National Park, are also raging in California due to the hot, dry weather.

The Carr Fire started on July 23 after a car caught fire on California State Route 299. Six people have been killed, including two firefighters. The fire is 39 percent contained at this point, but high winds expected this weekend could hamper efforts to put it out.

Apple is allowing its customers to donate using credit and debit cards that are already on file with the iTunes and App Stores, for a simple, no-hassle donation process. iTunes and App Store users can donate $5, $10, $25, $50, $100, or $200, 100 percent of which goes to the American Red Cross.

Apple often uses the iTunes Store and App Stores to raise money for charity during major disasters. Apple collected donations on behalf of the American Red Cross during the 2015 Nepal earthquake, the 2013 Philippines typhoon, Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami, and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

This is the second year that Northern California has been hit with major fires, and last year, Apple donated $1 million towards relief efforts following the fires that devastated Napa, Sonoma, and Santa Rosa, California. Apple also donated another $1 million towards Southern California fire relief efforts back in December.

Fire season in California typically lasts through the late summer and well into October, with scorching temperatures, dry weather, and high winds reacting with dry brush caused by drought. This July, areas in Northern California have seen unusually high temperatures leading to an early start to fire season.

Tags: App Store, iTunes, American Red Cross
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Disney Facing ‘Resistance’ From Turner in Effort to Get TV Rights of ‘Star Wars’ Films for Streaming Service

It’s been nearly one year since Disney announced that it will pull all of its movies from Netflix and launch its own streaming service in late 2019, including both TV shows and movies from Marvel and Star Wars. This week, however, Bloomberg reports that the company is facing troubles with the TV rights to the Star Wars film franchise, dating back to a deal it made with Turner Broadcasting in 2016.

Under that agreement, Turner gained the linear basic cable and companion ad-supported on-demand rights to five of the six Star Wars films released between 1977 and 2005 (The Empire Strikes Back to Revenge of the Sith), as well as the new films that began releasing in 2015 (as of now including The Force Awakens, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, The Last Jedi, and Solo: A Star Wars Story). With these rights, which also includes A New Hope rights inked in a deal with 20th Century Fox, Turner has been airing the Star Wars movies on networks like TNT and TBS, and its deal with Disney grants it the ability to keep doing so until 2024.

Now that Disney is planning its own dedicated streaming service, however, the company wants these rights back so it can be the sole location for users to find and stream the entire Star Wars canon. To do so, Disney has made a “preliminary inquiry” about regaining the rights, but has “met resistance” from Turner, according to people familiar with the matter.

Turner would reportedly want financial considerations and programming to replace the Star Wars films it would lose, but the talks have yet to advance. If Disney doesn’t get the rights back, its streaming service would be missing one of the main franchises that many users would be signing up for, although new Star Wars content could appear, such as numerous Star Wars TV shows “specifically” created for the service.

As we get near the launch of Disney’s direct-to-consumer app, more of its films have begun disappearing from Netflix, including titles like Finding Dory this month. In regards to Star Wars, Bloomberg reports that Disney’s deal with Netflix for recent Star Wars films — including the currently-streaming Star Wars: The Last Jedi — will expire “at the end of this year.”

Similar to Disney, Apple is on the hunt to fill its own upcoming streaming TV service with an instant catalog of existing shows and potentially even movies. Apple hasn’t discussed its streaming service as much as Disney, however, so it’s still unclear how it will launch, how much it will be (Disney says its own will be priced “substantially below” Netflix), and when exactly users will be able to watch the first TV shows beyond sometime after March 2019.

At the same time that Disney attempts to negotiate the TV rights to the Star Wars films back into its fold, the company is nearing completion on its $71.3 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox’s entertainment assets, which will provide another influx of content for its streaming service.

Tags: Disney, Star Wars
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Upcoming iPad Pro Models Could Feature Rounded Display Corners

Apple’s upcoming 2018 iPad Pro models may feature a display with rounded corners like the iPhone X according to an image asset for the new devices found by 9to5Mac’s Guilherme Rambo in the most recent beta update.

The asset in question, which appears to be for new iPad Pro models, is used as a mask to create rounded corners of UI elements and it features the same rounded corners that we’ve seen in the iPhone X. The J3xx name suggests a 2018 iPad model and it’s a reference that’s been found in other parts of the iOS 12 code in relation to new iPad Pro models.

Rambo set up a modified device in the iOS Simulator to demonstrate that iOS 12 on an iPad can handle rounded corners, with a demonstrative image of what Split View multitasking might look like on a tablet with rounded corners.

Previous rumors have suggested Apple is planning a major design overhaul for the 2018 iPad Pros, doing away with the Home button, introducing slimmer bezels, and adopting a TrueDepth camera system for Face ID.

Given the similarities between the design described in rumors and the iPhone X, it makes sense that Apple would also introduce a rounded corner design in the iPad Pro. Current iPad Pro models do not use rounded corners for the display.

There’s no word on when Apple plans to introduce its updated iPad Pro models, but the new tablets could perhaps come in September alongside new iPhones. Apple could also choose to introduce them at a separate iPad and Mac-focused event as it has done in past years.

Related Roundup: iPad ProBuyer’s Guide: 10.5″ iPad Pro (Don’t Buy), 12.9″ iPad Pro (Caution)
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Cover your whole home in Wi-Fi with the $166 TP-Link Deco M5 system

Because sometimes one router just isn’t enough.

The TP-Link 3-pack Deco M5 mesh networking system is down to $166.13 at Amazon today. It mostly sells between $220 and $230 when not on sale. This is one of the lowest prices we’ve ever seen and better than any recent deals we’ve shared.

A single Deco M5 device is $95 on its own, so you’re actually getting three for less than the price of two with this deal.

The Deco M5 replaces your Wi-Fi router and any other devices you’ve been using to make up for dead zones like range extenders. It can cover up to 4,500 square feet of your home in strong, stable wireless signal. TP-Link HomeCare gives the system security. Adaptive routing technology lets it choose the fastest path to keep your network running smooth. With the TP-Link Deco app, all you have to do is follow the on-screen instructions to get the system up and running as soon as possible. TP-Link covers the Deco M5 with a two-year warranty.

See on Amazon

Android Central’s 2018 Back to School Gift Guide

Summer’s over halfway over, which means the leaves will soon turn orange and Fortnite will be replaced by homework (at least in theory). Here at Android Central, we want the transition back to school to be as painless as possible, so we’re recommending some essential items, from tech to coffee to music, that will make the year that much easier.

Moto G6

Back to school means buying a lot of stuff at once, and if that includes a great new phone, leave some room in your budget for other things with the incredible-value Moto G6. This phone does everything well but costs under $250. Seriously, you won’t find better value for money when it comes to a smartphone anywhere else.

from $235 Buy Now

ASUS Chromebook Flip C302

Schools are increasingly going Google, and that’s why we’re recommending a Chromebook. While you can always go for something a bit cheaper, our Chromebook recommendation is as powerful and capable as any Windows or Mac laptop and costs just $449. For that, you get a convertible aluminum chassis with an Intel M3 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage.

from $449 Buy Now

Lenovo 500e Chromebook

For the younger crowd, the Lenovo 500e Chromebook is the perfect combination of durability, portability, and productivity. Featuring a spill-resistant keyboard and reinforced chassis, the 500e Chromebook supports Google’s pen interface (and comes with a pen in the box), allowing you to turn the Chromebook into a blank slate of awesome potential.

from $309 Buy Now

iOrange-E 6.6 ft braided USB-C cable

I know what you’re thinking: what a lame BTS gift. Except that this is probably the most important one, since cables go missing all the time, and having an extra high-quality USB-C cable is ESSENTIAL for charging, transferring, and being that awesome friend with a spare at the right time. Trust us: get a couple of them.

$10.99 Buy Now

Tile Mate Bluetooth Tracker 4-pack

It’s pretty obvious that when you’re in school, things go missing pretty easily. Tile Mate is a tiny tracker that attaches to anything — keys, a laptop, or stuffed in a backpack — and can be used to locate a missing item using Bluetooth. The beauty of Tile is its ease of use; the Android app is super simple and totally reliable.

from $32 Buy Now

OnePlus Travel Backpack in Morandi Gray

Did you know that OnePlus makes backpacks? And that they’re really, really good? We didn’t either until we tried this travel pack and, MY GOODNESS it’s awesome. At $69, this tri-tone bag is big enough to fit a laptop (there’s a padded side pocket) and plenty of extra stuff, including books, cables and maybe a Nintendo Switch, with plenty of room left over. Because it’s made of nylon and polyester, it’s water-resistant, scuff resistant, and — well, it’s just resistant, OK?

$69 Buy now

UE Wonderboom Bluetooth speaker

Ultimate Ears’ Wonderboom takes everything we love from UE’s more expensive Boom and Megaboom speakers and shrinks it down into a little floating cube that stays waterproof while sounding great. It’s seriously one of our favorite things and the perfect little speaker for some pre- or post-homework jams.

$99 Buy Now

Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug

Everyone has to drink, be it water or hot chocolate, and the Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug is the best bet for both. Say that three times fast. We’re big believers in staying hydrated, and this Japan-made water bottle doesn’t leak — guaranteed with its awesome lock feature — and will keep liquids hot or cold all day.

from $29 Buy Now

Google Home

For the kid with a YouTube addiction and a Spotify account, Google Home is just awesome. It connects to Google to answer homework questions or offer some much-needed distraction, and as a speaker, it’s pretty darn good, too.

$129 Buy Now

Nintendo Switch

In between bouts of homework, there’s the need for some gaming, and the Nintendo Switch is the one to buy right now. It’s fun, unique and portable, and has some amazing games, like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and the upcoming Super Smash Bros.

from $299 Buy Now

Lenovo Smart Display

If the Google Home isn’t enough smart for you, Lenovo’s new $249 Smart Display does everything that speaker does and more. Its 10-inch screen is bright and touch-friendly, so you can see what you’re asking Google Assistant to do while watching YouTube and HBO, or listening to Spotify and Deezer.

$250 Buy Now

Amazon Fire TV Cube

Is your student addicted to video streaming? Amazon’s Fire TV Cube allows them to watch all their favorite shows and movies from popular services like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Now, Amazon Video, and more. With Amazon Alexa support built in, all it takes is a simple voice command to start watching.

$120 Buy Now

Sonos One

Is your grad looking for something a bit more permanent than Bluetooth? The Sonos One is incredible. Not only does it connect to Alexa (and soon, Google Home), it sounds so, so good. And if you end up buying two, they can be paired together for whole-home audio!

$199 Buy Now

Amazon Kindle

How do you fit thousands of books into a dorm room? With an eReader! Amazon’s Kindle has a glare-free touch display, Wi-Fi connectivity, and a battery that lasts for weeks at a time. If your student is a bookworm, there’s no better gift than a Kindle.

$80 Buy Now

Mpow Thor Bluetooth Headphones

Everyone needs a good pair of headphones, and the best way to listen these days is sans wires. Mpow is an up-and-coming brand that delivers quality products at prices you’ll be willing to pay — and then pay again when your student inevitably loses them. They are comfortable and sound great for up to 8 hours of battery.

$24.99 Buy now

Koss Porta Pro Wireless Bluetooth headphones

A classic re-imagined. If you like the good things in life, get these awesome-sounding retro-looking Koss Porta Pro Wireless headphones. They bend into a tiny portable pod, but they have 12-hour battery and in-line controls for $80.

$80 Buy Now

Anker PowerCore II Slim 10000 Battery

Give your student the gift of a phone that doesn’t run out of batteries! This Anker PowerCore pack can charge most phones two or three times and is portable enough to bring anywhere.

$36 Buy Now

Anker PowerCore+ 21000 battery pack

For something a bit more capacious, the Anker PowerCore+ 21000 is a huge portable battery with a USB-C port and two USB-A ports, making it versatile enough for any situation. At $65, it’s on the less expensive side, but it’s a great value, especially when paired with the Moto G6, Nintendo Switch, and a Chromebook!

from $70 Buy now

Samson Meteor USB Microphone

Whether you’re starting a podcast or just want better quality audio for your Skype calls with your professor, it never hurts to have a decent microphone sitting around. For just $65, the Samson Meteor sounds just as good as it looks, with a USB port for wide compatibility and a built-in kickstand. Best of all, it folds neatly into a portable package that you can easily toss into your bag on the way to class.

$65 Buy Now

Audio-Technica ATH-M40

Everybody needs a good pair of headphones, and the Audio-Technica ATH-M40s are just that. At $79, there are definitely cheaper headphones out there, but the ATH-M40s offer clear audio, a collapsible design for easy traveling, and a removable cable in case anything goes wrong. In fact, Audio-Technica includes two cables in the box — one straight and one coiled — and both can lock into the headphones for an ultra-secure connection.

$79 Buy Now

iOS Concept Reimagines Siri With Non-Intrusive UI, Contextual Awareness, and More

Kévin Eugène, a web developer and UI/UX designer, this week shared a new iOS concept that he calls “iOS Mogi,” with the aim of improving the look and functionality of Apple’s AI assistant Siri (via Reddit). As Eugène explains in his Medium post on iOS Mogi, his goal was “not to create new commands” or completely re-build Siri, but to display the voice assistant “in a different way” that is “more useful to the user.”

This led to iOS Mogi’s main concept: Siri as a drop-down notification banner that Eugène describes as “parallel help.” The non-intrusive banner doesn’t take up the whole screen as Siri does today, allowing the assistant to perform contextually aware tasks in the background while the user does something else. As with all concepts, it’s important to remember that Eugène’s designs in no way indicate what we’ll see with Siri in a future version of iOS.

Images and GIFs via Kévin Eugène on Medium
In Eugène’s main example, he asks Siri to “Show me pictures of Japan” while texting a friend in Messages, and then he swipes down on the notification, scrolls until he finds the ones he wants to send and taps to select them all. Thanks to the contextual awareness of Siri in iOS Mogi, this drop-down notification also has a blue Messages “send” button, which Eugène taps to send all the photos directly to his contact.

iOS Mogi also includes a multitasking feature where it’s possible to ask Siri to open pages from an app while performing tasks in another app. Eugène gives the example of writing an email and asking Siri to open a conversation from Messages in a drop-down notification, scrolling to find a picture you need, and then dragging and dropping that image directly into the email.

Eugène’s version of Siri also allows for “Siri actions” that translate touch gestures into voice commands, like scrolling in Apple Music or editing an email’s content in Mail. Without needing to physically interact with an iPhone, Eugène explains that this could be particularly useful for users with a disability, but believes such actions would be of benefit for all iOS users.

The last of Eugène’s Siri concepts in iOS Mogi involves saving elements from anywhere in the OS to use in another app, including an improved copy/paste feature. In the concept, users can copy as normal and then Siri saves all items and text copied, which can be viewed by saying “Show me all my saved elements.” From here, each element can be edited, copied again to paste in another app, or dragged and dropped into the open app.

The iOS Mogi concept is full of other ideas for Apple’s mobile operating system, including updates to Apple Maps, “live notifications,” multitasking, ARKit features, and more. Head over to Eugène’s Medium post to see the full concept.

Prior to the unveiling of iOS 12 at WWDC in June, we saw a few concepts for future versions of iOS from other graphic designers, including one from Michael Calcada that focused on a “Siri Sight” augmented reality feature for navigating around cities. Another one shared by Álvaro Pabesio focused entirely on Apple Music — which isn’t a priority for Apple’s iOS 12 update — and beefed up the music streaming app with music history stats, a new UI, new profile pages, group playlists, and more.

Tags: Siri, Concepts
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