How to share screenshots from your Lenovo Mirage Solo

If it looks stupid but it works, it’s still kinda stupid.

While game achievements exist, not every game supports them. And when things are going wrong on your device, sharing a screenshot is the easiest way to get it resolved. Unfortunately, your options are a bit… limited if you’re using the Lenovo Mirage Solo.

Here’s how to share screenshots from the Lenovo Mirage Solo!

What doesn’t work

Most Android devices take a screenshot the same way: press volume down and the power button at the same time. While the Mirage Solo has power and volume buttons on the headset, trying to use this key combination doesn’t actually do anything.

You can get screenshots from any Android device — from smartphones to TVs to watches — with the following ADB command:

adb shell screencap -p /sdcard/screen.png

That works on the Mirage Solo — you can enter developer mode and use ADB just like you would on any other device. But, the resulting image is just black. If you’re trying to dunk on your friends’ virtual fishing score, a blank black image isn’t going to do any good.

What does work

Fortunately, you can Cast the entire interface of your headset to any Chromecast or Android TV. This includes the Settings screen and other areas of the interface you wouldn’t expect to work. But it all does work. From here, just take a photo of the screen or get fancy and plug your Chromecast into an HDMI capture card.

What say you?

Do you plan to share screenshots from your Mirage Solo? Let us know down below!

These Milanese Fitbit Charge 2 bands are priced as low as $3 today

Find a new look for your Fitbit with these discounted Milanese bands.

While supplies last, you can pick up a Milanese Stainless Steel Band for Fitbit Charge for as low as $3 at Amazon by entering promo code 23WL8NTD during checkout. The code is valid on all colors and sizes of the band, however some options are priced up to $3.60 with the code. In any case, this offer should make the bands inexpensive enough where you could pick up a few that suit your style for the regular price of one.

There are small and large size bands to choose from, along with colors like Blue, Rose Gold and Champagne Gold. Replacing the band on your Fitbit Charge 2 is a nice way to keep it feeling fresh while using it daily.

Close to 3,000 Amazon customers reviewed these bands with 4.4 out of 5 stars collectively.

See at Amazon

Moment launches camera app for Android and iOS with tons of pro controls

You can shoot in RAW, control shutter speed, and lots more.

If you’re big into mobile photography, chances are you’re familiar with Moment. Moment’s become quite popular over the last couple years with extensive camera lenses and cases for the Pixel 2, Galaxy S9, and Apple’s iPhones. Now, Moment’s stepping away from the hardware game to release a pro camera app for both Android and iOS.

Titled Moment – Pro Camera, the app is designed to replace the default camera app on your phone while giving you access to all of the pro controls you could ask for. You can shoot in RAW, control exposure/ISO/shutter speed/focus/white balance, analyze all of your photo metadata in a DSLR-like format, and see a real-time histogram to know exactly what your exposure is like.

Despite all of these controls, Moment’s kept the UI for its app very clean and simplistic so that it’s not too overwhelming for people looking to gradually up their photo game. There’s also a section in the app where you can let it know you’re using a Moment lens if you have one, and according to Moment, it’s working on adding support for the Pixel 2’s Pixel Visual Core at some point down the road.

While all of that sounds great, Moment’s Android app is lagging a bit behind. At the time of publishing this article, the Android version doesn’t support video recording or the ability to switch between sensors if you’ve got a phone with dual rear cameras.

Speaking of the Android app, it’ll set you back $1.99 on the Play Store. For our iPhone friends, the iOS app can be downloaded for free but requires a one-time $2.99 payment to access all of the pro controls.

Download: Moment – Pro Camera ($1.99)

Popular Original iPhone Game Trism Relaunches Today

Trism, developed by Steve Demeter, was one of the first games in the App Store when it launched 10 years ago. In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the App Store, a new version of Trism, Trism 2, is available for download today.

The original version of Trism came out on July 11, 2008, one day after the iOS App Store went live. Trism was a gravity-based puzzler where the goal was to match up three or more like-colored pieces, making it one of the first match-three games to become ultra popular on the iPhone.

Two months after its 2008 launch, as it soared up the App Store charts, Trism had earned Demeter $250,000, cementing its place as one of the most well-known original iPhone games.

Trism continues to be available for purchase from the App Store even today, but Demeter has decided to follow it up with the first sequel 10 years later, Trism 2. Like the original Trism, Trism 2 is a match-three game where the goal is to pair three or more bricks of the same color to make matches.

The game boasts an interactive open world, a “deep narrative storyline,” branching subquests, episodic content, and multiple endings. Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller tweeted about the new app this morning.

Hello #Trism II
10 years ago we first played Trism !!#Apple #AppStore https://t.co/ZR4RH9kZMB

— Philip Schiller (@pschiller) July 10, 2018

In an interview with Variety last week, Demeter said he first began work on Trism 2 in 2010, but it became a “nightmare cycle of starting and restarting, creating and destroying.”

“I poured my heart and soul into that game,” he said. “I would develop and iterate and then a new thing would come out, like ‘Candy Crush,’ and I would go back to the drawing board. So I’d develop and iterate again, and then something else would come out.”

Trism 2 was built and rebuilt again until it was perfect, with the aim of a Trism game that’s “Zelda meets Bejeweled.” The game is launching with two complete islands to play through, with another four in the works as downloadable content. There will be no paid DLC, micro transactions, or in-app purchases.

“The game is about the fans,” Demeter told Variety. “I really wanted to make this a love letter to them. I couldn’t make it free-to-play. I just couldn’t. I thought about that early on, but I just couldn’t do that.”

Trism 2 can be downloaded from the App Store for $2.99. [Direct Link]

Tag: App Store
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Snapchat Opens ‘Lens Explorer’ Section in iOS App to Enable Discoverability of User-Made Lenses

Snapchat today announced that all users can now discover and unlock thousands of user-generated Lenses built by the app’s global creator community with “Lens Explorer.” This marks the first time that Community Lenses will be discoverable alongside the main, Snapchat-created Lenses in the Lens Carousel.

To find the new section, navigate to the Lens Carousel, tap the new smiley face icon in the top right corner, and tap a Lens tile to unlock the Lens you want. Then, the app will navigate you to the Snap Camera to try it out, or you can see how it looks on other users in featured Our Stories. Additionally, if you know the name of a lens you can directly search for it.

The Lenses found in Lens Explorer are made by creators using Snapchat’s Lens Studio, a desktop app for Mac and Windows that lets creatives and developers build augmented reality face filters and other effects that go to use in the Snapchat mobile apps. Today, the company announced that since Lens Studio launched last December creators have submitted more than 100,000 unique Lenses that have been viewed more than 2.5 billion times.

Lens Explorer is rolling out beginning today to the iOS Snapchat app.

Tag: Snapchat
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AgileBits Denies Reported ‘Acquisition Talks’ Between Apple and 1Password [Updated]

Apple plans to deploy 1Password internally to all of its corporate and retail employees around the world over the next few months, according to BGR’s editor-in-chief Jonathan Geller, who cites an unnamed source.

The report claims Apple plans to offer a free license to the standalone version of 1Password to each of its employees and their families:

According to our source, after many months of planning, Apple plans to deploy 1Password internally to all 100,000 employees. This includes not just employees in Cupertino, but extends all the way to retail, too. Furthermore, the company is said to have carved out a deal that includes family plans, giving up to 5 family members of each employee a free license for 1Password. […]

Apple is also using the stand-alone version of 1Password — at first the company considered using the version that includes AgileBits syncing service that routes through cloud providers like Amazon AWS, but Apple quickly decided that wasn’t acceptable. The standalone version of the software lets users sync through iCloud, something Apple is undoubtedly more comfortable with.

The report claims 100 Apple employees will start using 1Password through this initiative starting this week, with all corporate and retail employees at the company expected to be activated within the next one to two months.

The report also mentioned that “acquisition talks were underway,” although “unlikely,” and AgileBits swiftly denied that claim.

Rumours of my acquisition are completely false. My humans and I are happily independent and plan to remain so.

— 1Password (@1Password) July 10, 2018

Apple employees have already received 1Password for free for several years, so it’s unclear what this “deployment” refers to exactly.

Tags: bgr.com, 1Password
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VELUX ACTIVE with NETATMO Smart Skylight System Gains HomeKit Support

Following a demo at CES in January, the VELUX ACTIVE with NETATMO smart skylight system has now launched on the iOS App Store [Direct Link] with HomeKit support. The app pairs with the new VELUX ACTIVE with NETATMO climate control and monitoring system to enable smartphone control and automation of the skylights, costing $295.

The company says that this marks the first time that skylights will be able to connect to Apple’s HomeKit platform, allowing users to open or close the skylight in the Home app or using Siri on iOS, Apple Watch, and HomePod. HomeKit support will be available in new VELUX skylights, as well as existing skylights made by the company and enabled through the new app.

The skylights include smart sensor technology to monitor CO2, humidity levels, and temperature in the home, which it combines with local weather data to automatically open the skylights if fresh air is needed. This helps create a more comfortable living environment through improved air quality, according to the company.

With HomeKit controls, homeowners can also further automate the skylight system and can add it into various scenes in the Home app, or automatically open or close it as they arrive or leave their home. The company explains that the VELUX ACTIVE skylight system was built with technology from French company NETATMO:

“VELUX ACTIVE with NETATMO is the result of two stunning technologies: high standard VELUX skylights and Netatmo’s know-how for creating simple and useful products and apps,” said Fred Potter, founder and CEO of Netatmo. “By automating the opening, closing and shading of skylights, we can make a big difference and improve indoor climate so users don’t have to worry about it.”

While the VELUX ACTIVE with NETATMO system runs for $295, that does not include the cost of the skylights themselves, or the installation fee for your specific home’s needs. More information on VELUX’s skylights can be found on the company’s website. The VELUXE ACTIVE with NETATMO system has an expected ship date sometime later this month.

Tag: HomeKit
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iPhone SE Predicted to Be Discontinued in September as Rumors Remain All Over the Map

Apple might discontinue the iPhone SE in the third quarter of 2018, at least according to BlueFin Research analysts John Donovan and Steve Mullane.

If accurate, the prediction suggests Apple will stop selling the iPhone SE in September, when it is widely expected to release a second-generation iPhone X, a tentatively named iPhone X Plus, and an all-new 6.1-inch iPhone, the latter of which is more or less expected to be a budget iPhone X.

In that case, the iPhone 7 would likely shuffle down the lineup to become Apple’s lowest priced smartphone, taking over the $449 price point currently held by the iPhone 6s, which is also likely to be discontinued in September.

It’s worth noting that Donovan and Mullane do not appear to cite any sources behind their prediction, so their guess is as good as anyone’s. We’ve reached out to the research firm for clarification, and we’ll update if we hear back.

The fate of the iPhone SE has become increasingly uncertain as time goes on, as the current model has not been updated since it was first released in March 2016, beyond gaining larger storage capacities of 32GB and 128GB in March 2017. The device also received a price cut, from $399 to $349, last September.

iPhone SE rumors have been all over the map. Multiple reports claimed that a second-generation model would be released in the first half of 2018, but oft-accurate Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo cast doubt on those rumors. Kuo was right, as WWDC capped off the first half of 2018 with no iPhone SE refresh in sight.

Beyond timing, rumors have also conflicted about the design and features of a new iPhone SE, should there ever be one. For the most part, expectations fall into two camps: one that expects a minor refresh, with a bump in tech specs, and another that expects a full redesign inspired by the iPhone X.

A recent report claimed that Apple has prototyped several different iPhone SE models, including one with a notched display and no home button, while other prototypes are believed to have a similar design as the current iPhone SE, except with a glass back, presumably to allow for wireless charging.

The two biggest draws of the iPhone SE are its smaller size, suitable for one-handed usage, and its lower price. It’s hard to imagine the device having an iPhone X-esque design at this point without a significantly higher price tag, so we’re more inclined to expect a relatively minor refresh if any.

The current iPhone SE looks much like the iPhone 5s, including its smaller four-inch display, preferred by a subset of customers. The device is powered by Apple’s A9 chip, like the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, and it has 2GB of RAM, a 12-megapixel rear camera, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and Touch ID.

We’d place our bets on a bump in tech specs that brings the iPhone SE internals more in line with the iPhone 8, should the device live on.

Related Roundup: iPhone SEBuyer’s Guide: iPhone SE (Don’t Buy)
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Picture this: PhotoMirage creates moving images from still photographs

Animated photos are really videos in disguise — but a new tool could help photographers create moving images without video. Corel has unveiled PhotoMirage, a Windows-only software that animates a still photo to create a GIF, WMV or MP4 from a single image.

PhotoMirage works by placing animation points over the image, then telling the software which way (and how fast) to animate those pixels. There’s no artificial intelligence involved, the program just grabs and moves those pixels based on the settings the user chooses. Anchor points tell the software which pixels to leave untouched. With those tools, PhotoMirage can do things like add motion to the clouds the sky in a still photo, or animate a body of water.

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Corel

Corel

The result is similar to a cinemagraph, but starts from a single photo instead of a video. The program is compatible with JPEGs, as well as RAW images and other formats like TIFF and PNG. Because the software blurs motion in the image, the program currently works best with blurred motion in images with sky or water.

Corel says the new program is designed with a simple interface to allow anyone from basic users to professional photographers to use the tool. The animation points are a drag and drop-style tool, while the program also includes more advanced options like visibility layers. Options like crops and a one-click Smart Photo Fix edit are also included in the program.

PhotoMirage’s export option is designed for simplicity too. The export allows users to choose the social media destination, then will automatically format the post to the proper requirements for that network.

The program is designed to create cinemagraphs and GIFs from a simpler process than a video. Grabbing and moving pixels won’t create the exact result as a video — grabbing and moving pixels, for example, isn’t meant to animate something complex like a person. Corel isn’t the first to try to simplify the cinemagraph — a program called Plotagraph from a startup by the same name also animates a still photo for a similar effect. Artymate is a Photoshop plug-in that also has a similar focus.

The Corel PhotoMirage is available as a $70 one-time purchase. The program is Windows only and requires Windows 10, Windows 8 or 8.1, or Windows 7.

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The Ticwatch Pro solves smartwatch battery woes with clever new screen tech

One of the most unpleasant aspects of smartwatch ownership is having to charge it every night. It’s simply one more thing to remember, and a distinct disadvantage for smartwatches when comparing them to mechanical watches. Mobvoi, the company which brought us the Ticwatch E and Ticwatch 2, has come up with an interesting way to combat this problem. Clever screen technology built into its latest watch, the Ticwatch Pro, pushes the time between charges up to five and potentially towards 30 days.

The Ticwatch Pro has two screens, an OLED screen that shows Google’s Wear OS, and a second transparent LCD screen on top of it, which shows the time, date, step count, and battery status. Think of it like an ultra-low energy version of Wear OS’s ambient mode and you’ll have grasped the concept. It’s there to give you basic watch information, without sucking power for when you need the smartwatch features.

• 1.
  Ticwatch Pro in Smart Mode with OLED active.
• 2.
  Ticwatch Pro in Essential Mode, with LCD active.

When the Ticwatch Pro uses both the LCD screen (which Mobvoi says is a Film compensated Super Twisted Nematic, or FSTN, fact fans) and the OLED, two days use is possible. When the power reserves force a low battery warning to appear, you can switch to Essential Mode, where only the LCD panel remains active and Wear OS and the OLED screen are shut down. Even with the low battery the Ticwatch Pro will continue to operate for three additional days. Finally, the Ticwatch Pro will work for 30 days with a full battery charge in Essential Mode, which you can turn on manually.

The LCD panel doesn’t have a backlight but is designed to be seen in direct sunlight, and was specifically chosen because it’s totally transparent when not active, allowing the OLED screen’s trademark color and contrast to shine through without hindrance. Likewise when Essential Mode is active, you cannot tell there is a second screen underneath the LCD. It’s a clever mix of screen tech to help solve a smartwatch pain point without major drawbacks.

Watch technology

Mobvoi has used the Qualcomm Snapdragon 2100 platform for the Ticwatch Pro, which isn’t best known for its energy efficiency, plus the watch has a heart rate sensor and GPS. Two days use from a single charge is good going on its own from the 415mAh battery. The 1.39-inch OLED screen has a 400 x 400 pixel resolution and is set in a 45mm body that’s 12.6mm thick. There’s 512MB of RAM helping the processor and 4GB of internal storage space. It also has NFC for Google Pay support, and is IP68 rated for water and dust resistance.

There are several color options, although on all versions the watch’s body is made from a black reinforced nylon material, and only the bezel and strap colors change. The stainless steel bezel comes in either silver or black, and there’s a choice of a brown or black leather strap, with either a black or orange silicone underside. This increases the longevity of the leather, and stops wrists getting sweaty too.

It runs Google’s Wear OS (formerly known as Android Wear) with access to Google Play and the Google Assistant. Mobvoi has also added its own health and fitness app alongside Google Fit. In the future, expect Mobvoi to add more features to Essential Mode through software updates, as all watch sensors are still active. Battery life will suffer; but will likely still extend beyond the two days with Wear OS active.

The Ticwatch Pro is available now in the U.S. and the U.K. from Amazon. It costs $250 in the U.S., and 220 British pounds in the U.K., and it will be an exclusive to Amazon Prime members until August 15. After that date, it will only be available on Amazon until September 30.

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