Apple Inks Deal With Volkswagen for Self-Driving Employee Shuttles

Apple has signed a deal with Volkswagen to use Volkswagen vans as self-driving shuttles designed to transport employees around its various campuses and office buildings in the San Francisco Bay Area, reports The New York Times.

Apple has been working on developing the shuttle program, called “PAIL” or Palo Alto to Infinite Loop, since last summer. At the time news of Apple’s work on the program first surfaced, the company was said to be planning to install its own self-driving software in a commercial vehicle from an automaker, which has turned out to be Volkswagen.

One of the Lexus SUVs Apple uses to test its autonomous driving software
Under the terms of the deal, T6 Transporter vans from Volkswagen will be turned into self-driving shuttles for employees.

Apple’s self-driving shuttle program is said to be behind schedule and “consuming nearly all of the Apple car team’s attention,” hinting at ongoing problems on its car-related project, which has already been scaled back.

Apple originally had grander plans for autonomous vehicles and over the course of the past several years, attempted to ink deals with companies like BMW and Mercedes-Benz, which would have led to the development of an all-electric autonomous vehicle.

According to today’s report, no deal was able to be established because Apple was asking potential partner companies to “hand over control” of data and design, something no car manufacturer was prepared to do.

When its grandiose self-driving vehicle plans fell through, Apple shifted focus to autonomous driving software under the leadership of Bob Mansfield.

Apple is now working on its shuttle program and has been testing several Lexus SUVs equipped with self-driving hardware and software out on the streets of Cupertino and surrounding areas. Beyond the shuttle plan, Apple is said to have no clear idea of what it’s going to do with its autonomous driving project.

Related Roundup: Apple Car
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Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro Over-Ear Headphones Review

A few weeks ago we looked at one of Beyerdynamic’s answer to the modern wireless trend in headphones, the Aventho Wireless. These on-ears impressed a lot, from their industrial design to their proficient components. But that also got us thinking; with all these new and technologically impressive headphones coming out, are past offerings rendered obsolete? I mean, the basic function of shooting audio into our ears is the same, isn’t it?

So we accepted a review unit of the “old” DT 770 Pro. The “DT” series has been Beyerdynamic’s “value” line, and the 770 Pro is the entry-level model. This also means that it holds the most potential for pushing the bang for your buck. Let’s take a look if it’s still a superb over-ear for the money.

The DT 770 Pro is offered in different impedance varities; ours is the smartphone-friendly 80 ohms.

The DT 770 Pro’s packaging is a simple affair.

Design

Technically being a lower-end model, we were right in expecting basic design and materials from the DT 770 Pro. This isn’t to say it’s flimsy. Beyerdynamics did the best it could in spite of this. The ear cups have a couple standout elements, like the textured dome and large branding print across the center.

Big headphone for serious listeners.

We like the stealthy vibe. The whole facade portrays attractive sophistication rather than flash. That said, there’s no getting around how cheap they feel in-hand. It’s hard plastic all-around, hollow to the tap. We don’t get the sense that they’ll fall apart, it’s just that these days, even headphones at this price-point are upping their build quality.

The headband, on the other hand, is covered in a substantial leather wrap. Touring around, we begin to see that Beyerdynamic poured resources into the headphone’s ergonomics, that is, the bits that make contact with the head. There’s generous cushioning on the headband’s underside and on the large ear pads.

Speaking of which, we don’t often see a fabric wrap on ear pads (at least, these days). Most headphone manufacturers opt for some variation of leather. The DT 770 Pro’s ear pads feel as nice on the head as they appear to. However, we’re not confident that they’ll hold up to grime over time nearly as well as leather pads would.

Usability

The DT 770 Pro’s ear pads are larger than the average bear. Coupled with the soft cushioning, you can guess that comfort is top-notch. It almost feels like your head is sandwiched between pillows. The enveloping wear also means that sound isolation is above average – a welcomed benefit considering that there’s no fancy active noise cancellation of the sort.

But a resulting disadvantage is that the headphones aren’t mindful of portability, like with many of today’s modern alternatives. The headband doesn’t have any kind of hinge that allows the footprint to decrease. What’s more, the large ear cups have limited degree of freedom. They can pitch a tad, and rotate even less – so no rotation that can flatten the profile to a more travel-friendly form.

The packaging is likewise basic. Apart from the headphones and manual, you’re just given a 1/4″ jack adapter (being that these are aimed at the “Pro” level) and a thin (somewhat cheap feeling) drawstring carrying bag.

These things are fine considering this is an “entry-level” model of the series, which we figure Beyerdynamic dumps most of the resources to the headphone’s design and sound. You also won’t find anything exciting on the cable front, like the ability to detach and switch cables.

There’s no detachable cable mechanism, unfortunately, but at least a sturdy stress relief at the attachment

The DT 770 Pro comes packaged with a “Pro” level 1/4″ jack, but unscrew it to reveal a standard 3.5mm termination.

Fortunately, the DT 770’s cable is sturdily made. It has a quality thickness and rubbery sheathing. The “Pro” exemplification is also seen in the cable length, close to a whopping 10 feet.

Sound

Being an “entry level” model, we were expecting the DT 770 Pro to make up for its minimal exterior with great sound quality. This notion was asserted by the exceptional reviews that the headphone has racked. Suffice to say, it doesn’t disappoint.

The first thing we want to point out with that there’s multiple impedance versions of the DT 770 Pro, from a low 32 ohms all the way to 250 ohms, to suit the differing power output of source equipment. Despite the lower end price, this is still built like a “Pro” headphone. Beyerdynamic lent us the middle-ground 80 ohms variant. This is still driveable via a smartphone, but note that if you want more volume headroom, then the 32 ohms version may be the one for you.

The DT 770 Pro sounds great out of the Galaxy S9, though, the cable is comically long for smartphone use.

We really enjoyed the bass response of the DT 770 Pro. It has a fantastic balance to it, juggling power with finesse. It’s a clean articulation that’s notably bold but stays within its confines. This means excellent separation with a mid-range that is similarly potent. The entire first half of the spectrum is really well done. Where ever the track dictates, that range has enough authority to shine and grab the user’s attention. What’s more, the reproduction is skillfully an open and airy one. You get a perceived around-the-head fullness that, while not to the level of open-back headphones, is above-average for a closed-back.

Though, the mid-range isn’t perfect. You’ll get more clarity up the price chain. Particularly, when tracks get busy, instruments don’t have the cleanest distinction. Elements aren’t necessarily “muddy”, but it’s just not that crystal clear detail that analytical listeners strive for. We’d also expect more openness in this region, especially since this quality is let on by the other ranges. Don’t get us wrong, the mids are far from a compressed, in-the-head reproduction. Vocals have a natural, airy quality, and the dynamics have some dimensional play. It’s just that, overall, the region isn’t fully taken advantage of in the large space that the headphones can simulate.

The treble, on the other hand, is excellently captured, both in quality and dynamics. The DT 770 Pro can not only retrieve crisp, higher-end details, but it’s delivered in a skillful way. Instruments like cymbals sport a nice clash that extend notably widely (creating a pleasing sense of depth as sounds can echo through the space). This is the kind of caliber we’d want throughout the entire spectrum – perhaps what you can expect from Beyerdynamic’s higher-end DT models.

Final Thoughts

So is the DT 770 Pro still worth it for the price these days? The sound quality tilts the pendulum towards “Yes”, in our opinion. Many modern headphones offer more features and better materials for the money, which put up quite a fight against the very basic DT 770 Pro. But the same can’t generally be said for sound quality. If you don’t have a critical need for portability and want “Pro” sound that can be driven by a smartphone, then we think the DT 770 Pro should be a serious consideration.

BMW racing to patch 14 security vulnerabilities found in its cars

Chinese researchers discovered 14 vulnerabilities on the on-board computers of a number of BMW vehicles, leading the automaker to begin issuing security patches over-the-air and through dealer networks. These flaws affect the infotainment unit, telematics controls, and the wireless communications systems on BMW’s i Series, X1 sDrive, 5 Series, and 7 Series models dating as far back as 2012. Four of the discovered vulnerabilities require hackers to have physical USB access to the car, while six of the vulnerabilities can be exploited remotely. The last four vulnerabilities require physical access to the car’s computer.

“Our research findings have proved that it is feasible to gain local and remote access to infotainment, T-Box components, and UDS communication above certain speed [for] selected BMW vehicle modules and been able to gain control of the CAN buses with the execution of arbitrary, unauthorized diagnostic requests of BMW in-car systems remotely,” the researchers at at Tencent’s Keen Security Lab wrote in a preliminary report, noting that a full report would be available sometime in 2019 to allow BMW time to patch the flaws.

Additionally, if a hacker has access to the vehicle physically, the USB, Ethernet, and OBD-II ports could also be exploited. Because the USB Ethernet Interface doesn’t have security restrictions, it could be used to access the internet network of the head unit and detect the exposed internal services through port scanning, the report said. Hackers can also use a USB stick to inject malicious code into BMW’s ConnectedDrive by gaining root control of the hu-intel system.

Hackers can also trigger remote code execution if they don’t have access to a vehicle by exploiting memory corruption vulnerabilities that allowed users to bypass signature protection in the firmware and break secure isolation of various system components. (In 2015, a 14-year-old hacked a car with $15 worth of tech using a similar technique.) By gaining access to CAN buses, an attacker can remotely trigger remote diagnostic functions by leveraging a chain of multiple vulnerabilities across several affected vehicle components. Hackers can send arbitrary diagnostics to the engine computer. The danger, according to researchers, is that the engine control unit, or ECU, will still respond to diagnostic messages even at normal driving speeds, and “it will become much worse if attackers invoke some special UDS routines.”

“By chaining the vulnerabilities together, we are able to remotely compromise the NBT [car computer],” researchers said. “After that, we can also leverage some special remote diagnose interfaces implemented in the Central Gateway Module to send arbitrary diagnostic messages (UDS) to control ECUs on different CAN Buses.”

In a statement to ZDNet, the BMW Group noted that the research was conducted in conjunction with BMW’s cybersecurity team, highlighting that “third parties increasingly play a crucial role in improving automotive security as they conduct their own in-depth tests of products and services.”

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This robot taught itself how to walk and it’s as clumsy as a newborn deer

University of Oslo

Watching machine learning take place in real time can be a pretty astonishing experience. Like seeing a kid growing up, only compressed into a shorter time frame, you get to witness early failed attempts gradually give way to competency and, eventually, a high level of skill. That is thanks to the way such systems learn, based on trial and error as they try and achieve a specific goal. For the latest example of that, look no further than DyRET (Dynamic Robot for Embodied Testing) the robot. Created by researchers at Norway’s University of Oslo, it’s a quadruped robot — reminiscent of Boston Dynamics’ four-legged robots — which uses evolutionary algorithms to figure out efficient locomotion. In other words, unlike Boston Dynamics’ robots, DyRET learns to walk on its own.

The results are like that famous walking scene from Disney’s Bambi with some high-end robotics thrown in for good measure!

“DyRET is a four-legged mammal-inspired robot platform I’ve been making as part of my Ph.D.,” Tonnes Nygaard, a robotics researcher with the Engineering Predictability With Embodied Cognition project, told Digital Trends. “What makes this robot different from other robots is that the robot itself can modify the length of the legs while operating. Robots are used in more and more complex and changing environments, and being able to do this gives the robot the unique ability to adapt not only the way it is walking or acting, but the body of the robot as well.”

The robot’s gait is controlled by eight different parameters. These dictate aspects of its movement such as how long each step should be or how high the robot must lift its extendable legs. The evolutionary algorithms help optimize these parameters and figure out how best to move about, while being as stable and speedy as possible. Like natural selection in the real world, the evolutionary algorithm means the “fittest” solutions are passed onto the next generation — resulting in a Darwinian process which plays out far more rapidly than would be seen in the evolution of, say, a species of animal adapting to a new climate or terrain.

“This robot is a first attempt at a complex robot with self-changing morphology in hardware, and will serve as a research platform,” Nygaard continued. “A huge part of evolutionary robotics research is today done in simulation, due to the ease and speed of implementation and testing. Real-world environments have a richness and natural noise that is impossible to replicate perfectly in simulation, and I believe the way forward for the field is to start moving more of the research effort into hardware experiments.”

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Looking for a drummer that won’t argue with you? Spider-like robot fits the bill

It might look like some kind of weird robotic spider parasite, but Cabot may just turn out to be a musician’s best friend. Currently raising funds on Kickstarter, this oddball creation is a Japanese percussion robot that is designed to play the cajón, the versatile box-shaped drumming instrument that originally hails from Peru. The idea is simple: You play, sing, rap or otherwise produce music and Cabot will accompany you in the background by tapping out a handy rhythm to augment your jam session.

“Jamming with Cabot is easy,” creator Hideaki Iio told Digital Trends. “Attach it to a cajón and use our smartphone app to activate it. You can change rhythms with a footswitch while performing, [and] create your own rhythms with the app and share [them with] or download from other users. Your performance is jacked up a notch with pumping, natural acoustic rhythm. Your music is instantly elevated to a whole new realm as you jam together in perfect time with you directing the flow. It’s a completely cool and fun jamming experience!”

An enthusiastic guitar player, Iio said that he started work on the project after trying out a variety of apps designed to “add sounds and colors to my guitar playing.” There are numerous drum machines and other musical apps out there, but Iio claims that he was unable to find exactly what he was looking for. He then decided that developing a physical robot capable of playing an actual instrument was the answer. Two years later, Cabot was born. Well, provided that it can get the funding it’s looking for, that is!

As ever, we advise that potential customers are aware of the risks of crowdfunding campaigns before getting involved. However, if you’re keen to get your hands on a Cabot robot, you can head over to the project’s Kickstarter page to get involved. Provided that funding hits its target, a Cabot, footswitch, AC adapter, and connecting cable will set you back 95,040 yen ($862). An extra $260 will throw in a cajón if you don’t already have one of your own. Shipping is set to take place in March 2019.

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Kayak now notifies delayed air travelers of compensation with the Service app

Service

Airlines are willing to pay travelers for wasted time after a delay or cancellation but only if you’re willing to waste more time by filing a claim. Now, travel platform Kayak has partnered with a startup that streamlines the claims process to help travelers get automatic compensation for that delay. Service announced a partnership and integration with Kayak on Wednesday, May 23.

Users link the Service app with their email account and the app then automatically scans emails for flight delays and cancellations. The app will notify travelers, who can then file a quick claim using the app. The app can also automatically file claims and also searches for eligible claims from the last year for new users. The startup says the average user saves $300 a year using those claims.

With the new integration with Kayak, travelers booking from Kayak will automatically receive notifications of potential claim money. Kayak will send the alerts, leaving travelers to choose whether or not to use Service to file that claim. Kayak only shares anonymous flight data with Service for privacy, the startup says.

“We are always looking for ways to help our users plan a trip with confidence. Offering our users the opportunity to easily get compensated for flight delays or cancellations is a great benefit,” Debby Soo, chief commercial officer of Kayak, said in a statement. “Kayak has already taken the friction out of travel search, and now with Service, the same is true for the aftermath of flight-related hassles.” 

The companies said the partnership is the first time a third-party compensation platform has partnered with a large travel booking platform. Service takes a 30 percent fee on the claim, or paying an annual subscription allows users to keep the entirety of that claim.

Founded in 2015, Service also recently expanded to use the same email integration to automatically scan for lower rates on reserved hotel rooms, automatically rebooking at the lower rate without changing rooms.

“Putting the customer first is just good business sense,” Michael Schneider, CEO and founder of Service, said in a press release. “Most travelers don’t want to take the time to complain following flight issues, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want compensation for their inconvenience. Kayak shares our mission of putting the customer first, and getting them compensation they deserve in the most effortless way possible.”

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Facebook is busy enhancing two-factor authentication, group tools, and more

Facebook

Well, Facebook has been busy  — in a list of several updates for the social giant, Facebook is now allowing users to use two-factor authentication without a phone number. The update comes alongside new tools for Groups administrators and updates to Facebook Marketplace announced on Wednesday, May 23.

The security-focused update allows Facebook users to head to the security settings and set up two-factor authentication without a phone number by using Google Authenticator and Duo Security instead. Previously, the tool required a phone number. The update also streamlines the process of setting up the added security, Facebook says.

Earlier in 2018, Facebook faced criticism for using the two-factor authentication to send users spam-like text message notifications. Before the update, there wasn’t an option to set up the two-factor without the phone number. Facebook says the update continues to encourage the use of the practice, a standard feature that offers more account security than a single password login.

Facebook

The list of updates continues with several new features catered to Group administrators. Facebook announced a new support platform that (generally) responds to administrators questions within one business day, though the feature is first rolling out to only a select group of administrators in two languages, English and Spanish. A new resource at facebook.com/community also aims to support Groups administrators with tutorials demos and other content.

Another new Groups tool allows administrators to give a reason why they removed a user’s post. When Groups add a list of rules for the online community, administrators can select one of those rules when removing the post so the user can see what rule they broke. The feature is optional and comes along with notes that allow other administrators, but not the group member, to see notes on the comment. 

The final Group-centered update allows administrators to pre-approve members. In groups that require approval on posts before going live, these members are allowed to post without waiting for approval.

Facebook also expanded Marketplace to cover home services, allowing users to find recommendations for things like a plumber using Handy, HomeAdvisor, and Porch integrations rather than taking to the news feed to ask friends.

HTC U12 Plus vs. Galaxy S9 Plus: Clash of the plus-sized phones

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

We love the early months of the year, since it always means a deluge of new devices vying to take the market by storm. The latest to make its mighty presence known is the HTC U12 Plus, and it comes with all the power you’d expect from a 2018 flagship, along with a few of HTC’s special features.

But the Taiwanese company has competition, specifically the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus. How do these two mighty behemoths fare head-to-head? We take a look in this specs comparison. And be sure to check out our HTC U12 Plus hands-on review for our impressions of the phone.

Specs

HTC U12 Plus
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

Size
156.6 x 73.9 x 8.7-9.7 mm (6.16 x 2.9 x 0.34 – 0.38 inches)
158.1 x 73.8 x 8.5 mm (6.22 x 2.91 x 0.33 inches)

Weight
188 grams (6.63 ounces)
189 grams (6.67 ounces)

Screen size
6-inch Super LCD
6.2-inch AMOLED display

Screen resolution
2,880 x 1,440 pixels (537 pixels per inch)
2,960 x 1,440 pixels (529 pixels per inch)

Operating system
Android 8.0 Oreo
Android 8.0 Oreo

Storage space
64GB, 128GB

64GB, 128GB, 256GB

MicroSD card slot
Yes
Yes

Tap-to-pay services
Google Pay
Google Pay, Samsung Pay

Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845

RAM
6GB
6GB

Camera
Dual 12MP and 16MP telephoto rear (both with OIS), dual 8MP lenses front
Dual 12MP and 12MP (both with OIS) rear, variable aperture, 8MP front

Video
Up to 4K at 30 frames per second, 1080p at 240 fps
Up to 4K at 60 frames per second, 1080p at 240 fps, 720p at 960 fps

Bluetooth version
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 5.0

Ports
USB-C
3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C

Fingerprint sensor
Yes (back)
Yes (back)

Water resistance
IP68
IP68

Battery
3,500mAh

QuickCharge 3.0 (4.0 with adapter, not included)

3,500mAh

QuickCharge 2.0

Qi wireless charging

App marketplace
Google Play Store
Google Play Store

Network support
T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon
T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint

Colors
Translucent Blue, Ceramic Black, Flame Red
Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Lilac Purple

Price
Starting at $800
Starting at $840

Buy from

HTC, Amazon

Samsung, Amazon

Review score
Hands-on review
4.5 out of 5 stars

Performance, battery life, and charging

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

On paper, the performance on these two phones appears to be a dead heat. Both are equipped with the Snapdragon 845’s blisteringly powerful performance, and with 6GB of RAM apiece, we’d expect both of these phones to be fairly snappy, and very similar in real-life usage.

It’s the same story when we turn to batteries. The 3,500mAh batteries in each are hefty, but with the energy demands from such large screens, we expect that they’ll equal about the same battery life — roughly a day. We see some differences in charging rate though — while the Galaxy S9 Plus is stuck with QuickCharge 2.0, the HTC U12 Plus comes with QuickCharge 3.0 out of the box, and the option for QuickCharge 4.0 with a compatible adapter. However, despite having flagship specs and a high price point, the U12 Plus does not have wireless charging — which seems more than a tad odd for a 2018 flagship with glass on the back.

We can’t separate these two yet — this has to be a tie for now.

Winner: Tie

Design and durability

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

This should be completely clear from the outset — both of these phones are drop-dead gorgeous, glass-wrapped beauties. The Galaxy S9 Plus takes its style cues from its older sibling, the S8 Plus — but that’s no bad thing, since the gentle curves, slim bezels, and sleek design look stunning. The HTC U12 Plus takes a similar route, bringing back the Liquid Surface design from the HTC U11, but slimming down the bezels significantly. And how could we not mention the slight transparency of the Translucent Blue model? Brilliant. In terms of pure bezel size, though, Samsung takes the win for its skimpier edges around the screen.

Durability is always going to be an issue with glass phones of course, and you’re probably going to want cases for both devices, just in case the worst does happen. It’s all good news on the water-resistance front though, as both phones come with an IP68 rating and should be able to resist a trip down the toilet or into the pool. The U12 Plus may even be even better at water resistance, because it doesn’t have any mechanical buttons, just touch-sensitive ones.

It’s more or less even on this front. But there is something of a tie-breaker if you’re passionate about your old headphones — the HTC U12 Plus has no headphone jack. It comes with some USB-C headphones in the box to offset this, but for us it’s a missing feature, so the Galaxy S9 Plus ekes out the win.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

Display

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

You’ll find a 6-inch Super LCD screen dominating the front of the HTC U12 Plus, with a 2,880 x 1,440 pixel resolution. With a pixels-per-inch (ppi) measurement of 537 , HTC’s phone delivers a sharper display than the S9 Plus’ 529 pp. But no matter how good the U12 Plus’ display is, it still can’t beat the AMOLED display on the S9 Plus. AMOLED screens are capable of much deeper colors and inkier blacks than LCD screens, and it’s clear that there’s something of a mismatch here.

That’s not to say the HTC U12 Plus’ display isn’t good, but it’s up against one of the world’s best displays here.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

Camera

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The S9 Plus comes with two 12-megapixel lenses on the rear, plus an 8-megapixel selfie shooter on the front. The HTC U12 Plus goes a step further with two lenses on the back (a 12-megapixel lens and a 16-megapixel telephoto lens), but it also comes with two 8-megapixel selfie lenses. That sounds exciting, but in practice, most of what the front two lenses do is Portrait Mode selective blur for selfies, and not much else. It’s a feature that was already possible on the Galaxy S8, never mind the S9 Plus.

In terms of raw camera hardware, we suspect the Galaxy S9 Plus’ variable aperture and great low-light performance gives it the edge over the HTC U12 Plus, but we need more time to be absolutely sure of that. You’ll find bokeh-style selective blur on both cameras, and both phones are capable of 2x optical zoom thanks to telephoto lenses.

In terms of video, you can expect solid performance from both, with both being able to record in 60 frames per second at 4K resolutions. The S9 Plus’ 960 fps super slow-motion video is more impressive than the U12 Plus’ regular slow-mo, but HTC’s Sonic Zoom tech wins it some points back. Sonic Zoom is a feature that lets you zoom in during a video, and the camera will suppress other sounds to focus on your zoomed-in-on subject.

Honestly, without further testing, we’re finding it hard to separate the two phones. HTC’s phones have beaten Samsung’s before, so we’re not confident enough to declare a winner yet. It’s a draw, for now.

Winner: Tie

Software and updates

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

These aren’t phones for stock Android enthusiasts — both phones come with manufacturer skins of Android, and your choice between the two is going to be personal. Rest assured though, both are accessible for anyone with prior experience of Android. Both also come with Android 8.0 Oreo, and as flagships, we expect both will be supported for years to come, especially with the upcoming Android P.

In terms of update speed, HTC has continuously beaten Samsung. The HTC U11 was one of the first non-Google devices to get Android 8.0 Oreo, and it’s fair to assume this will still be the case with Android P. While we laud Samsung’s breadth of updates (the Galaxy S7 recently received the Oreo update), it’s just too slow in getting the ball rolling.

Winner: HTC U12 Plus

Special features

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Being top-of-the-line flagship phones, you’d be right to expect a good amount of special features from both of these phones. The Galaxy S9 Plus’ roster is well known at this point — there’s virtual reality with the Gear VR, the ability to turn your phone into a desktop computer with the Dex Station or Dex Pad, A.I. assistant Bixby — and finally — the hit-and-miss AR Emojis.

That’s a formidable arsenal, but the U12 Plus has its own strengths. Edge Sense is back from the U11, and in addition to squeezing the sides, there’s also a new action — double tapping either side of the phone There’s also face unlock — also available on the S9 Plus — as well as the BoomSound speakers that was one of the highest points of last year’s HTC U11.

There’s a lot to love on both of these phones, and there’s no particular feature on either of these phones that signify a clear winner. It’s another tie.

Winner: Tie

Price

The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is currently available on all major carriers, and prices start at $840 for the 64GB model. The HTC U12 Plus can be pre-ordered from May 23 from HTC’s website and Amazon, with prices starting at $800 for the 64GB model. It’s certified to work on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon.

Overall winner: Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

This was a very hard choice to make — there’s a lot to love in both of these phones, including stunning designs, tons of power, and some wonderful additional features. While the HTC U12 Plus certainly has a lead in some areas, it’s not quite enough to topple the Galaxy S9 Plus based on specifications alone. That may not be the case after we’ve tested features like the camera and battery, so stay tuned for our full review.

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Google’s mini-golf pop-up event in NYC highlights its smart home products

In a bid to raise awareness for its smart home products, Google is launching a pop-up event in New York City aimed at showing off some of the best features of its smart home devices. But this pop-up is a little different than others you may have seen. Why? Well, because it’s a mini-golf course.

Each hole on the course will represent a different room in the home, so you might have a hole for the kitchen and one for the bedroom. As you make your way through the course, Google says that you’ll be able to interact with the Google Assistant to see just how the products can help you in your day-to-day life.

At the event, guests will be able to play mini-golf, win prizes, take photos, and enjoy a sweet treat, according to Google.

Specifically, Google wants to highlight the Google Home, Google Home Mini, Google Home Max, and Nest products. Nest, in particular, has a growing slate of devices, including security cameras, locks, thermostats, and more. In general, Nest smart home products have been getting some pretty rave reviews — the Nest Hello Doorbell scored a hefty 9 out of 10 in our review, while we gave the Nest Secure security system a still very respectable 8 out of 10.

The pop-up itself will launch on Wednesday, May 30, and will close on June 4, so if you’re in the New York City area and want to check it out, you’ll have a few days to make that happen. Even if you don’t live in New York City, however, you may still be able to check out the pop-up at some point — Google says that the pop-up will be taken on the road. It’ll be available in Chicago from June 14-17, Los Angeles from June 30 to July 5, and Atlanta from July 26-29.

This isn’t the first time that Google has shown off its products at a pop-up event. Last year, the company set up a pop-up donut shop, where guests could step in, get some donuts, and ask the Google Home Mini a question. At the time, the Google Home Mini was a new product — so it made sense to promote it.

Watch Disney’s Stickman robot show off its amazing acrobatic skills

If you hear about a Disney-owned property called Stickman you could be forgiven for thinking that it’s the next Marvel Cinematic Universe character in line for a movie adaptation. In fact, it’s an innovative robot created by researchers from the animation giant’s research and development wing Disney Research.

Given the name Stickman due to the fact that, well, it looks like a stick, this unorthodox robot is capable of performing acrobatic flips better than any robot since Boston Dynamics’ Atlas started upping his gymnastics game. These include some dazzling flips, which involve the robot swinging from a near-20-foot ceiling-mounted wire, then tucking into a ball to pull off assorted gravity-defying feats.

“Human performers have developed impressive acrobatic techniques over thousands of years of practicing the gymnastic arts,” a research paper describing the project notes. “At the same time, robots have started to become more mobile and autonomous and can begin to imitate these stunts in dramatic and informative ways. We present a simple two degree of freedom robot that uses a gravity-driven pendulum launch and produces a variety of somersaulting stunts.”

The two degrees of freedom refers to the robot’s ability to bend at two points. It is composed of three links and these allow it to fold into a tight tuck, thereby increasing and decreasing its rate of spin mid-flight. To work out when it needs to perform its movements, Stickman emulates the behavior of human performers by using simple sensing and actuation capabilities. Specifically, it utilizes three laser range-finders along with a six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU), an electronic device which measures and reports a body’s specific force. Add in some smart algorithms and the robot is able to perform either a single flip, a double flip, or a motion which allows it to remain flat through a free fall.

In the past, Disney Research has been responsible for some pretty innovative projects — which have ranged from a wireless charging room to a haptic jacket that can simulate the sensation of a snake crawling across your body. While Disney hasn’t spelled out exactly how Stickman fits into its plans, we can imagine this having the makings of a fun theme park attraction. After all, who wouldn’t enjoy a robot gymnastics display live show?

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