Instagram Reportedly Planning Hub for Longer Videos to Compete With Snapchat Discover

Instagram is gearing up to launch a hub for “longer-form video,” according to multiple sources speaking with TechCrunch, in an effort to continue its competition with Snapchat and the “Discover” tab, as well as YouTube.

The dedicated space will feature scripted shows, music videos, and more, which will all be vertically shot and viewable in full-screen 4K on compatible smartphones.

The announcement could come as soon as June 20, and Instagram is meeting with social media stars and other video partners ahead of the reveal.

Videos are expected to be 5-15 minutes in length with a spotlight section highlighting popular videos, and a “continue watching” area for quickly jumping back into videos that users start but don’t finish in one session.

Outside of the hub, these longer clips will be able to get featured on the creator’s profiles near Stories Highlights at the top. It appears that there will be heavy oversight by Instagram, since creators won’t be able to fully shoot and post these longer videos on their own, “as the section will only allow pre-made video uploads.”

As of now, no name for the hub or where it will be located in the app have yet to be given. The sources did state that Instagram is planning to let creators eventually earn money off the videos through advertisements.

Instagram is preparing to unveil a home for longer-form video — a YouTube competitor and its take on Snapchat Discover. According to multiple sources, Instagram will offer a dedicated space featuring scripted shows, music videos and more in vertically oriented, full-screen, high-def 4K resolution.

The public shouldn’t expect Netflix Originals or HBO-level quality. This is not “InstaGame of Thrones.” Instead, the feature is more focused on the kind of videos you see from YouTube creators.

The push into longer videos for Instagram comes after Facebook debuted the “Watch” tab in its own app last year. In Watch, Facebook users can watch original TV shows, jump in on live broadcasts, save items to a watchlist, check out sports coverage, and more.

Snapchat’s Discover tab has a “For You” section that highlights the latest Stories from publishers like the NBA, IGN, VICE, The New York Times, and more. Users can subscribe to these creators and get new updates pushed to a subscription box in the tab.

Instagram’s long-form video hub will likely take ideas from both of these platforms when it launches later in the summer. Snapchat has had a rocky few months and seen its “slowest user growth rate ever” in the wake of the app’s controversial redesign. As TechCrunch points out, “Instagram and its massive user count may be able to seduce publishers to bring longer videos to its app instead,” just as it did with users and the Snapchat Stories format in 2016.

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How to Pick the Best Drone for Your GoPro

Drones are spectacular concerning technical features and possibilities they offer. The flying gadgets are indeed impressive and open new doors to aerial photography amateurs. However, if you instead prefer shooting videos from unique angles, you need to find and choose the best drone GoPro cameras.

If you’re done practicing with drone simulators and indoor quadcopters, it’s time to experience a real drone. Making a choice might come difficult when faced with all those technical specs. This guide aims to help you pick the best drone for GoPro you can have and use in the long run.

Decide What You Want

It may sound redundant, but knowing what you want narrows down your products list. You may want to purchase a compact drone, which folds easily and fits inside a small case. However, you may also want to open a video shooting business and work with professional drones. Knowing what you want saves you time as it determines what you’re looking for. Your wish list should include products that have passed tests and reviews.

According to Today Best Drone, customers and experts agree that the best drone for GoPro is their own Karma model which you can read about here. The product is lightweight, compact, easy to operate and comes with a stabilizer for shake-free videos and a follow me feature. Consulting reviews and customer opinions bring you additional information on products you might have failed to notice otherwise.

Decode Drone Language

The first thing you might notice when looking for a drone is that all such products include acronyms. These will help you determine what your drone needs before you can operate it.

• RTF = Ready-to-Fly. Most of the drones are RTF, which means you only need to charge the battery, install the propellers or connect the control to the drone before flying the gadget.
• BNF = Bind-and-Fly. You will mostly find this feature among indoor quadcopters. BNF products come without a remote, or the controller is sold separately. If you already have one or the manufacturer doesn’t sell controllers, you might find it challenging to purchase compatible accessories. Aside from frequency or communication channel, the controller and drone must use the same manufacture protocol to talk to each other.
• ARF = Almost-Ready-to-Fly. Such drones don’t come with a receiver or transmitter. You need to assemble them or even install the motor. ARF products are also known as kits which differ between producers. If an ARF product sounds tempting, your next step should be to read the instructions to see what the package contains carefully.

Essential Features

Here are some of the features that ensure your drone’s functionality and expand its life.

1. Brushless motors are more expensive than regular ones but quieter. They also possess a longer lifespan, so you don’t need to purchase many back-ups.
2. Integrated GPS is mostly available for premium models. They notify the machine about its status on a map and helps it find a way back home – if it also has a return-to-home (RTH) option. Such drones navigate easier and are more stable when shooting.
3. Headless mode helps the drone remain in one direction and then move according to your body position, instead of where the controller is pointing.
4. Follow-me mode helps the drone track you if you move. It records your activity and follows your paths while maintaining a preset distance.
5. Obstacle avoidance is a premium feature that protects your drone from crashing into objects. However, not all drones have all the elements to make such an option reliable.

Last but not least, battery life is essential, as it helps you determine how many additional batteries you have to grab before shooting a video. The average lifespan of a battery is of 20 minutes, while the charging time is around 30 minutes. If your desired drone has a more substantial charging time, consider taking some safety measures such as always carrying a few extra batteries.

Additional Costs You Should Consider

There hasn’t been a time when purchasing a gadget only meant buying a device. There always are some accessories, tools, and kits you might need to enjoy your products longer. In the drone scenario, some of these are free – such as the smartphone apps you might use for control purposes.

• Aside from operating your drone, you will need transportation. Consider purchasing a case from the drone’s manufacturer or finding one on the local market.
• The basic toolkit you need while away only consisting of a screwdriver and duct tape, in case one of the propellers gets damaged.
• Rechargeable batteries also require an adapter to plug into an outlet. Many drones come with them. However, you will also need additional sets of rechargeable or regular batteries.
• Extra-propellers are mandatory in case one of them gets damaged during the flight. Many drones include an extra set of propellers. After a while, you will also need to purchase some sets.

Using Your GoPro Drone

If you already owned a GoPro, you just saved the money to purchase one or return a new drone, if its video quality isn’t satisfactory. However, the road to flying the drone isn’t finished yet. Once you’ve received the product, you will need to register it with air control authorities. Also, you need a certificate from the FFA (Federal Aviation Administration) that states that you can fly a drone.

Before choosing your destination, consult with local regulations regarding restrictions. Typically, you are not allowed to operate drones near airports or public spaces. Also, you need the owner’s explicit approval if you want to shoot videos on private properties. Some laws also include other restrictions. Out of social convenience, refrain from using the drone near groups of people and respect their privacy.

Make sure you practice before operating the drone in an unknown setting. Once you feel you’re skilled enough, get your drone ready to fly! Scan the environment you’ve chosen and seen why you are operating the best drone for GoPro cameras!

Images Source: Depositphotos.com.

Watch Kitty Hawk’s all-new personal flying vehicle take to the skies

Personal flying vehicles are all the rage just now, with Kitty Hawk one such outfit working hard to build a viable aircraft to take you places.

Looking very different to the prototype it showed off just over a year ago, the redesigned Flyer looks like a cross between a drone, an F1 car, and a sea plane.

Unveiled on Wednesday, the all-electric single-seater features 10 sets of rotors and two control sticks. It currently has a top speed of 20 mph, but it says a future design could reach speeds of up to 100 mph.

Kitty Hawk CEO Sebastian Thrun described the latest version of the Flyer as “a recreational vehicle” as it only has 20 minutes of flying time, but he added that it could one day be used to transport people around cities, taking the company toward its long-term goal of “getting rid of [road] traffic.”

Google co-founder Larry Page is one of the people helping to finance the Flyer, the connection apparently forged during Thrun’s time with Google’s autonomous car unit (today called Waymo), which he helped to launch.

To be clear, the Flyer is a real, fully functioning aircraft. To prove it, CNN’s Rachel Crane recently took it for a spin, an experience she described as “a blast.”

Kitty Hawk

Far easier to fly than a helicopter, Crane said she doesn’t have a pilot’s license and only needed an hour’s training before getting behind the controls for her successful flight.

To ensure ease of use, the Flyer operates with software that utilizes data from multiple smart sensors for a fully stabilized and smooth flying experience. Indeed, lead engineer Todd Reichert said the team’s aim is to “take everything hard out of flying, basically to be able to give people an experience where it’s super-easy to fly,” adding that the machine is “transformational in terms of how accessible we can make flights.”

Reichert describes Kitty Hawk’s progress in terms of a story arc, moving from “recreation to exploration to transportation,” and its latest effort suggests it’s heading in the right direction.

But it has plenty of competition. For starters, there’s the Airbus-backed Vahana self-piloting air taxi, as well as the 184 flying machine from Chinese firm EHang. Uber, too, is developing its own aerial vehicle, while Joby Aviation and Volocopter are also developing their own compact flying vehicles.

One thing’s for sure. We’ve come a long way since this ropey-looking design took to the skies (just about) in 2011.

These astronauts will whiz around Earth 34 times before reaching space station

With so much coverage given these days to unmanned rocket launches by the likes of SpaceX and Blue Origin, you’d be forgiven for forgetting that we do actually continue to stick folks inside those super-powerful contraptions and send them into space.

The latest crewed launch (above) took place on Wednesday, transporting three astronauts — American Serena M. Auñón-Chancellor, German Alexander Gerst, and Russian Sergey Prokopyev — to the International Space Station (ISS).

The astronauts’ Russian-built Soyuz MS-09 rocket lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome facility in Kazakhstan at 7:12 a.m. ET for a six-month stay on the space station.

According to NASA, the trio will orbit Earth a total of 34 times before arriving at the outpost on Friday, June 8.

A faster 4-orbit/6-hour or a 2-orbit/3-hour journey is usually possible, but space station positioning requirements to ensure a daytime landing for the departing Soyuz MS-07 crew earlier in the week prevented the possibility of a quicker trip for the new crew, SpaceFlight.com reported.

The space agency plans to live-stream the docking process and also show the astronauts moving from the spacecraft to the ISS to join the current crew: Americans Drew Feustel and Ricky Arnold, and Latvian Oleg Artemyev.

You can catch the coverage from 8:15 a.m. ET, with the docking expected to take place at 9:07 a.m. ET. The hatch opening will occur at just after 11 a.m. ET, with the three astronauts entering the space station soon after.

Once on board, the crew will spend their time carrying out around 250 different science investigations in fields such as biology, Earth science, human research, physical sciences, and technology development.

“Highlights of upcoming investigations include a new facility to study ultra-cold quantum gases, the first commercial European facility to conduct microgravity research, and a system that uses surface forces to accomplish liquid-liquid separation,” NASA said.

Time will tell if any of the new crew members gain the profile of some earlier ISS inhabitants, including Chris Hadfield who became an online star for his cover of Bowie’s Space Oddity, among other things, and Tim Peake, who had a fun time explaining how space toilets work and why somersaults in the space station don’t make you dizzy.

SpaceX crew capsule

With a view to deploying its reusable rocket system for crewed trips to and from the space station, SpaceX is continuing to develop its Dragon capsule.

The capsule has already made several trips to and from the space station, taking supplies and other cargo.

The astronaut-carrying version of the Dragon includes seven seats, a bank of monitors offering the crew real-time flight data, a climate-control system for added comfort, and plenty of windows so the space travelers can gaze in awe at the stunning scenery.

SpaceX is aiming to play a part in helping NASA to return human spaceflight launches to American soil while ferrying astronauts to and from the ISS, while its long-term goal is to build a reliable, reusable, and cost-effective rocket system for far more ambitious journeys to Mars and beyond.

Blue Origin, on the other hand, is testing a system that it hopes will form the basis of a commercial space tourism service, though it also has ambitions far beyond that.

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How to install Android P on your Pixel right now (or roll back to Oreo)

Get the Android P Developer Preview on your phone right away.

The Android P beta is here, and its first proper update brings it up to Developer Preview 3.

The main way to load the Android P preview is to enrol in the Android Beta Program, which makes it super easy to opt in and out of the program. If you’re more hardcore, or want to manually flash the Android P developer preview, we have those instructions, too.

• The easy way
• The harder way

The easy way — Android Beta Program

If you don’t want to mess with unlocking your bootloader or the command line, you will get an update to the Android P if you’re part of the Android Beta program. That means that if you have one of the eligible devices, you can simply visit the Android Beta portal and opt-in to the beta, which will then prompt Google to send your phone or tablet an over-the-air update.

Head to Android Beta program portal on your Pixel phone.
Sign into the Google account associated with that phone.
Scroll down to Your eligible devices.
Find the device you want to enrol in the Beta program and tap Opt in.
Follow the prompts to accept the over-the-air download.

Note: To leave the beta program, simply tap the Opt out button on the Android Beta program page to unenroll. Your phone will receive an over-the-air update to return to the latest stable version of Android, but your phone will be wiped clean upon rebooting, so back up your stuff.

Which devices are eligible for the Android beta program?

The preview is supported on the following phones and tablets:

• Pixel 2
• Pixel 2 XL
• Pixel
• Pixel XL

The following phones are also eligible to download the Android P beta, but you’ll need to follow the individual install instructions linked below:

• Nokia 7 Plus
• OnePlus 6
• Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S
• Essential PH‑1
• Sony Xperia XZ2
• OPPO R15 Pro
• Vivo X21

Learn more about the Android P beta on non-Google devices

The harder way — Flashing through bootloader

Before we go through the steps of sideloading Android updates, it is strongly recommended that you have previous knowledge of working with the Android SDK (software development kit) and the Terminal (OS X or Linux) or Command Prompt (Windows), as it is possible to harm your device if something were to go wrong in the following process.

If you need to download the Android SDK you can grab it from the Android Development website and follow their instructions on how to install it correctly. For the following process, all you will need is the adb and fastboot files which are located in the Platform Tools folder, so make sure to read the description at the dev site and grab the right download.

Additionally, all the following commands are written as they would be in Terminal on a Linux or OS X platform. If you are following this guide and using a Windows machine, you will not need to use the “./” seen in the guide. Just type the rest of the command line by line in the order they are listed and you’ll be good.

Enable developer settings and USB debugging

Go to your Settings and scroll down to About Phone/Tablet.
Tap on the Build number seven times until the dialog box says you are now a developer.
Go back to the Settings menu and you should find a new option called Developer options. Tap into the Developer options.
Make sure that the developer options are turned on and that USB debugging is checked on.
Plug your device into your computer and tap “OK” on the dialog box asking you to Allow USB debugging while connected to the computer. You can also select to always allow access on that computer.

If done correctly, this will be everything you will need to do on your phone or tablet for the moment.

Unlocking your bootloader

Pixel phones bought from Google directly have a bootloader you can unlock. If you want to manually flash software, you’ll need to do this.

To do this you must first boot into your bootloader. You can either manually turn off your phone or tablet and hold down the power button and the volume down button to enter your device’s Bootloader Menu or you can enter the following commands into your terminal or command prompt.

Run the following command to make sure your device is properly connected to your computer. If it returns a string of characters it means that you are all set to start updating your device.

./adb devices

Now to enter into the Bootloader menu just run the following command.

./adb reboot bootloader

At the bottom of the screen, there will be several things listed including the lock state of the device. This should say locked unless you have unlocked your bootloader in the past and never went back and locked it again.

To unlock your bootloader, which is required only when flashing a stock firmware image (not sideloading an update), you must enter the following commands. Remember that when unlocking your phone’s bootloader it will factory reset your device, so you will lose everything stored on it. If you have not yet backed up anything important on your device you can hit the power button while Start is highlighted in the Bootloader menu and this will boot you back into your device like normal. Now back to unlocking your bootloader.

Now type:

./fastboot flashing unlock

A dialog will appear on the device asking if you are sure about unlocking. Again this will factory reset your device, so if you want to back out of the process you just need to select no with the power button. If you are ready to unlock your bootloader you press the volume up button and then the power button to confirm that you wish to unlock your bootloader.

./fastboot reboot-bootloader

It is recommended to reboot the bootloader just to give itself a check to make sure everything is working correctly before moving on to the next step.

Flashing the stock firmware image

Now that your bootloader is unlocked, it’s time to flash the new firmware. To find the images for the developer preview, head on over to the Developer Preview download page, find your device, and download the latest factory image available. It is easiest to then uncompress the file in the Platform Tools folder you downloaded (where the adb and fastboot files are) so that you don’t have to type the path to the different files when flashing the firmware. (Or if you know that you can drag a file into a terminal window to copy the path, just do that.)

To begin, make sure you are still in the bootloader menu on your device and double check that your bootloader is in fact unlocked.

First, make sure that your computer is communicating correctly with your phone or tablet. As long as your device’s serial number comes back as a connected device you are ready to begin updating your device.

./fastboot devices

Now it is time to flash the updated bootloader with the following command.

./fastboot flash bootloader [bootloader file].img

You will not see anything on the screen of your device but there should be a dialog in your terminal or command prompt. When it is done flashing the bootloader you should reboot back into the bootloader to make sure everything is still working correctly.

./fastboot reboot-bootloader

Next, you flash the updated radios. This step is only necessary if you are updating the firmware of a phone or tablet that has cellular radios built into it.

./fastboot flash radio [radio file].img

./fastboot reboot-bootloader

Finally, it’s time to flash the actual system image to your phone or tablet.

Warning: The following line of code will wipe your device. Normally, you can remove the “-w” from the command but when moving to a beta version of Android it’s not guaranteed to work.

./fastboot -w update [image file].zip

When this is done, your phone will restart itself and boot up normally. As this process clears all data from your device, it will take slightly longer for your device to boot up for the first time. Once you have been greeted with the device setup walkthrough process, you know you have successfully flashed a new version of the firmware.

If you do not want to enter the commands manually there are scripts included in the compressed folder containing the system image that will do most but not all of the heavy lifting for you. The flash-all script files will automate the flashing of the bootloader, radios (if needed), and the system image. The problem with this process is that you must first make sure that your phone is in the bootloader menu and its bootloader must be unlocked before starting the script. Of course, if these are not already done the script will fail to run and nothing will happen.

Going back to Oreo

When you’ve had your fun using the Android P Beta, and you’ve figured out that it’s not stable enough to use as a daily driver, it’s time to go back to Oreo. Thankfully the process is simple, and you just learned how to do it! Simply go back through the same steps above, except for two changes: you don’t need to unlock your bootloader again, and you’ll want to download the Oreo factory image from Google instead. Get back to stock, and maybe you’ll check out a future Developer Preview build.

This sounds worse than it is, so don’t worry. But we also understand it can seem like an impossibly difficult thing the first time you’re trying it. That’s OK, we all felt the same way when we first tried it, too. Just take the time to read through everything before you start clicking and tapping things and you’ll do just fine.

If you have any trouble along the way, be sure to hop into the forums and ask for help!

Updated June 6, 2018: Updated this guide to reflect Developer Preview 3 being available.

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

Choetech fast wireless charger review: Substance over style

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Wireless charging is one of those things that we often take for granted. Can we live without it? Definitely. We’ve done it for nearly our entire lives. It’s not necessary by any means; we hardly think about it on a day-to-day basis. But, once you have the luxury of trying it, you tend to look for it in other devices.

Given that so many of today’s phones and devices offer wireless charging as an option, it stands to reason that you’ll encounter it soon — if you hadn’t already. Up for review today is the (T528-S) Choetech Fast Wireless Charger.

About

Priced at just $17.99 through Amazon, it’s among the less expensive wireless chargers you might find on the market. Don’t let that fool you, though, this is a solid unit that’s backed by a 30-day return policy and a 18-month warrant. Moreover, you also get lifetime technical support should that ever present itself.

Most wireless chargers offer the same-old-same-old: a platter to put your phone on when it’s time to go to bed. It’s hard to iterate on that or make it sexy, and as we often find, it matters little once you go to bed.

With that in mind, the Choetech Fast Wireless Charger does offer up to 10W fast charging for devices like the Samsung Galaxy S9 or other newer phones. It actually has support for three charging speeds/modes: 5W, 7.5W, and 10W.

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You’ll want that especially if you use the charger during the day or in an office setting. Over the span of eight hours of sleep you don’t notice how quick (or slow) things can be but you will over a coffee or lunch break.

Design and Impressions

The first thing you’ll note when opening this one up is that it doesn’t have an AC adapter. What to do? Use the one that came with your phone, of course. Or, look through your other ones lying around. Find one that’s rated for Quick Charge 2.0 or newer and you’ll be just fine.

The cable has a microUSB port and is about as long as your current charging cable. Plug it in on both ends and you’re ready to go.

The platter itself has a panda bear’s face printed on it with five non-slip sticky spots. These bite your phone nicely and ensure it isn’t accidentally pushed off or slid into a weird angle. As for the overall footprint, this one takes up about as much space as a coaster you’d place a drink on.

We like the soft green LED light which turns off after a fully charged phone; however, it will stay on for iPhones. You’ll know right away that your phone’s in place and taking a charge, especially in lower lighting conditions.

The Choetech Fast Wireless Charger also offers protection against over-charging as well as temperature circuit protection. In other words, this ensures you’re not hitting your phone with too much juice and that it doesn’t make the charger too hot as a result. Moreover, it helps keep your energy in line and won’t run up your bill.

Conclusion

With so many devices designed with Qi wireless charging support it makes sense to purchase one of these types of chargers. And, because budget is always a factor, you won’t want to waste money on something that doesn’t get used too often. Or, worse, when you need to buy multiple units.

The Choetech is a no-frills unit that’s not sexy or stylish, but it gets the job done. And, it’s totally affordable at around $18. For this price it becomes practical to have a few of these placed around the home and office. They don’t stand out or take up a lot of space. You’ll be able to charge up in different rooms in no time at all and you’ll appreciate having fewer cables to fool with.

Train your brain and body with SmartFit’s gamified activities

Whether you’re an everyday fitness enthusiast, an athlete seeking to up their game, rehabbing from an injury, or the parent of a child looking for ways to improve their cognitive and physical capabilities, SmartFit’s training solutions can help you meet your goals. SmartFit offers unique gamified programming that is designed for individuals and groups as a way to improve cognitive, neurological, and motor efficiency. The company’s brain training program is available in a variety of different physical forms ranging from individual trainers to strike targets and group options. The supporting Android/Apple application serves as an interface for tailoring activities to ability levels and providing data for tracking progress.

SmartFit offers individual programs centered around fitness training, sports performance training, physical rehabilitation, active aging programs, and youth programs. The regime was developed around the Hebbian Theory, its mantra being, “neurons that fire together wire together.” The core concept is that simultaneous stimulation of the neurological system and physical activity promote the accelerated growth of cognitive and motor efficiency.

The Youth market is designed for physical education classes, afterschool and sports programs to make classes and workouts engaging and fun. The Clinical market integrates physical and cognitive aspects for the purpose of rehabilitation. The Active Aging market is designed for senior fitness programs while the Fitness market is for fitness professionals and the Sports Performance market is tailored to athletes highlighting brain and body conditioning.

SmartFit features a wide range of products including the Multi-Station Trainer which is ideal for large groups and includes a CPU controller with a scoreboard, sound system, and remote control activation. It can run up to four linked stations to provide for a variety of team training classes. The SmartFit Mini is designed for individual workouts centered around cognitive and motor training. The SmartFit Single is an Android/Apple-driven console with nine targets and the ability to configure different interfaces for a variety of activities. The SmartFit ProTrainer offers the ability to be configured to two, three, or four connected sessions creating an integrated electronic backboard for sports training or competing stations aligned side by side. The scoreboards each have nine strike/touch-sensitive targets. There are also individual Strike Targets available for purchase that can operate independently or as additional touch points with the Single and Mini systems.

All the SmartFit products can be purchased on the company’s website.

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Emoji-based WYD app wants to change the way you use maps on your phone

Getting a map out of the glovebox is a nearly ancient practice — but for one new iOS map app, so is typing an address in with a keyboard. WYD, short for “what you doing,” jumbles a medley of social media features all onto a single map designed to help find that next place to explore. But the most surprising part? It uses emoji, rather than a text keyboard, to search for nearby things to do.

WYD launched in February and after just two months had climbed to over 10,000 downloads. Founder and Developer Jason Buchel says that WYD is working to redefine maps by making them personal, visual, and fun.

The app features a streamlined interface compared to the default Apple maps app. For maximum effect, you’ll need to allow WYD to access your location, but for the location-tracking wary, you can still search for any location on the map. (The app’s privacy policy states that location data is collected to use for the app, but says location data is not shared with other users or partners of the app).

At the bottom of the interface is WYD’s defining feature — a map pin with an emoji head that opens up an emoji keyboard featuring different things to do. The first options displayed are all about food, from specifics like coffee and donuts (illustrated by their corresponding emojis) to broader categories like brunch (a pancakes emoji), vegan (cucumber slices), and gay bars (a rainbow). Scroll farther to reveal other types of locations, including gyms, parks, nail salons, music, hospitals, and even psychics. With a single tap, WYD displays all the locations of that type in your area, and if you’re looking for a specific location, you can still resort to a regular old text-based search.

There’s also a social component, allowing users to follow each other, send messages, and share their favorite locations.

As with the default maps app, tapping an emoji pin brings up details on that particular location, including Yelp pictures, directions, contact information, and options to save the location or send it to a friend. For the latest images at the location, WYD links to Instagram, opening that location’s page inside the Instagram app. Buchel says that using Instagram allows for more up-to-date images at a higher quality than those available via in-app integrations alone.

There’s also a social component, allowing users to follow each other, send messages, and share their favorite locations. Not sure if the Yelp reviews of a new restaurant can be trusted? See if any of your friends have favorited it, or send them a quick message to ask if they’ve been there.

In our experience, WYD generally did a good job of suggesting nearby places, but some locations were mysteriously missing from their categories. When searching for “brew pubs,” for example, one high-profile local brewery did not show up, while two others did. If you’re visiting somewhere, this may cause you to pass up a great spot. As WYD is still a new app, small bugs like this aren’t unexpected, and it will likely become more accurate and thorough over time.

Whether or not WYD is a faster alternative to the default maps app probably depends on how you use it. If you’re looking for a specific place, you’re likely to use a text search in either app; if you want to quickly browse all options within a given category, WYD makes the process a bit faster and more visually interesting.

WYD is a free download in the App Store, available on devices running iOS 11 or later. Buchel told Digital Trends that an Android version is planned, but is not currently in development and does not have a release date. For now, the team is focused on continuing to update the iOS version, with custom emoji and other new features coming soon.

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OnePlus Bullets Wireless headphones hands-on review

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OnePlus Bullets Wireless Headphones

Not all new smartphones come with headphones in the box, and only in the rarest situations are the ones inside the package actually worth using. What about headphones made by a smartphone manufacturer, for which you have to purchase separately? Are they worth buying, over a pair made by a recognized audio brand? Apple has proven with the AirPods that people will respond to such a product — but then that’s Apple. OnePlus has released its own add-on earbuds alongside the OnePlus 6 phone in the Bullets Wireless. A pair of neckband-style, Bluetooth headphones, they’re not made to specifically work with the OnePlus 6, but they do share many of the aspects that make that phone so desirable; namely high performance, good looks, and a low price.

OnePlus charges $70 for the Bullets Wireless, about half what you’ll pay for a set of BeatsX or Shure’s lovely SE112 to which these can be compared. Cheap headphones usually sound, well, cheap. However, OnePlus has worked some magic to make the Bullets Wireless sound way better than you’d expect and incredibly comfortable to wear, too. For once, don’t let a low price put you off a set of headphones, because you’ll be missing out on a bargain.

Sleek buds

The technology behind the Bullets Wireless is hidden inside the two small pods connected by a thin band that drapes around your neck, similar in design to Google’s flawed Pixel Buds. On the right-hand pod is a single button for power and Bluetooth syncing, and a USB Type-C connector to charge them up. Just 10 minutes charge returns five hours of use, which is a fantastic benefit for the forgetful person about to leave the house. Charge fully over an hour and the headphones should last for at least eight hours. In our limited early test, this holds true.

The cable leading to each pod does flap about in front of you chin, but it isn’t long enough to get caught up on anything. The earbuds magnetically clip together, which doubles as a clever way to manage power, as they disconnect from your phone, pause playback, and go into standby when you snap them together. Pull them apart, and they reconnect quickly and a press of the in-line remote picks the music up again where you left off.

This works really well when they’re hanging around your neck, but not so well when dumped into a bag, as they easily come unclipped. This means they’re connected to your phone, taking power, and stopping your phone playing audio through its speakers. Luckily, OnePlus includes a funky, bright red silicon carry case with the Bullets Wireless, and provided you carefully stuff them inside it’s possible to avoid this problem.

There are three different silicon in-ear tips — small, medium, and large — plus a choice of three earlobe supports that keep the buds in your ear. Happily, these are all separate, so you don’t have to use the supports if you don’t want to. We used the medium tips with the medium supports, which is how they come out of the box, and they were perfect. The wing-like supports increase stability a lot, and kept the Bullets Wireless extremely secure during a gym session. The whole setup is very light, the buds don’t slip and aren’t heavy so they don’t pull on your ears, and even when you’re not using them they’re almost unnoticeable hanging around your neck.

Sweet sounds

We connected to the OnePlus 6, an iPhone X, and an Apple Watch. The sound is excellent, full of character and depth, with a strong bass response from these surprisingly compact buds. The sound is well-rounded, with relatively flat tuning that doesn’t over-emphasize the vocals or bass line. It’s a very pleasant listening experience, and the volume produced is impressive too. Despite the comfort of the ear buds, however, they don’t isolate you from the noisy world around you that effectively.

The sound is excellent, full of character and depth.

Google Assistant is supported, but may not work fully with devices other than those made by OnePlus. It’s also stated on the Bullets Wireless promo page the pause and resume playback feature using the magnetic close may only work with the OnePlus 5, OnePlus 5T, or OnePlus 6; but it worked with our iPhone X with no issues.

If there is a misstep, it’s the lack of AptX HD. Yes, the Bullets Wireless use AptX; but the OnePlus 6 is one of the few AptX HD phones available today, and buyers of the phone are likely prime potential buyers of the Bullets Wireless too. It’s a shame they aren’t going to enjoy the wonderful benefits of AptX HD streaming if they do. Sure, at this level the returns on higher quality streaming may not be as significant as some pricier models, but we still would have appreciated the inclusion.

OnePlus Bullets Wireless Headphones Compared To

RHA MA650 Wireless

Google Pixel Buds

Jabra Elite 65t

Jlab Epic Air

Optoma NuForce BE Free8

Bragi The Headphone

Phiaton BT 150 NC

Shure SE215 wireless

RHA MA750 Wireless

Samsung Gear IconX (2018)

Optoma NuForce BE2

B&O Play Beoplay E8

Advanced Sound Model 3

V-Moda Forza Metallo Wireless…

Erato Muse 5

Conclusion

So, should you buy the Bullets Wireless? Absolutely. The sound quality is well beyond what we’d expect from a pair of $70 wireless headphones, and the comfort level is high enough that you can wear them for hours without fatigue. They also look cool, and unlike the majority of fully wireless headphones, avoid appearing gawky when stuck in your ears. There’s minimal branding, the color is muted so it goes with everything, but the red flashes still gives them style.

The $530 OnePlus 6 offers almost identical performance to phones that cost several hundred dollars more, and the company has pulled the same trick with the $70 OnePlus Bullets Wireless headphones. Buy them to enjoy a pleasing sound, decent bass, and everyday-wear levels of comfort, all for a price that undercuts rivals.

The new Create+ 3D pen from 3Doodler helps your words jump off the page

Your words will quite literally jump off a page when you’re equipped with the right pen. And the writing utensil in question is the newest 3D printing pen from 3Doodler. It’s called the Create+, and it’s now available to order starting at $79.

3Doodler has long been in the business of creating pens that extrude not ink, but a special kind of plastic that allows you to take your creativity into 3D spaces. But with the Create+, you’re getting a major upgrade when compared to previous 3D printing pens. It’s all thanks to the new dual drive system, which purports to up the ante on the power, durability, and reliability of the device.

The Create+ is the first 3D pen ever to leverage this innovative dual drive technology, which apparently leads to fewer jams (which is even worse than running out of ink). And thus far, it looks like testers of the device have found that the company’s claims are true — the pen is effectively jam-free.

Furthermore, the dual drive system can support a range of different materials, including a new filament called Flexy (previously, 3Doodler pens supported only PLA and ABS plastics). Flexy can be used to create — as the name suggests — more flexible objects, such as a smartphone case.

The pen now has a more sophisticated heating algorithm, auto retraction features to keep the pen from oozing, and more carefully calibrated fast and slow settings depending on what you’d like to draw in 3D. The Create+ doesn’t require any setup to  get started — once you unpackage the pen, you’re ready to get to making.

“It’s time to start holding 3D printers and 3D printing products to a higher standard,” said 3Doodler co-founder Maxwell Bogue regarding the newest product. “Faulty early-generation products are no longer acceptable to the community, or end users.”

The Create+ comes with a number of  templates that you can use to get started almost instantaneously, and also provides users with more filament than any other 3D pen currently on the market. The pen is available now beginning at $79 via an Essential set that comes with three plastic packs.

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