Apple’s 2018 iPhones Support T-Mobile’s 600MHz LTE Spectrum for Improved LTE Performance
The iPhone XS, XS Max, and iPhone XR are the first iPhones to support T-Mobile’s 600 MHz LTE spectrum (aka Band 71), according to T-Mobile CEO John Legere.
Band 71 is listed as a supported option on the Tech Specs pages for both the iPhone XS and the iPhone XR. Apple additionally says its new devices support the most LTE bands ever in an iPhone.
T-Mobile purchased the 600 MHz spectrum in an FCC auction in April 2017 and shortly after announced plans to use the spectrum to improve its network in rural America.
By the time T-Mobile announced its plans for the rollout of the 600 MHz spectrum, the hardware for the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and 8 Plus was already secured, giving Apple no time to build in support.
T-Mobile in August 2017 activated the first 600 MHz site in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and has since expanded it to 1,254 cities across 36 states, including Puerto Rico, which means many T-Mobile customers who purchase the iPhone XS, XS Max, or XR will benefit from the improved coverage.
According to T-Mobile, the 600 MHz spectrum adds increased building penetration and covers greater distances. When used in metro areas, it improves in-building coverage, and in rural areas, it improves the company’s LTE footprint.
Of course we’re going to carry the new iPhones!! BEST PART?! They are the first iPhones ever to INCLUDE our 600MHz Extended Range LTE!! That means your new #iPhone will have the best coverage and network experience of any @TMobile iPhone, EVER! #AppleEvent
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) September 12, 2018
Other smartphones that offer 600 MHz support include the LG G7 Thin Q, the Samsung Galaxy S9, and the Samsung Galaxy Note 9.
Related Roundup: iPhone XSTags: T-Mobile, LTE, September 2018 event
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Apple Requiring All New Apps and App Updates to be Built With iOS 12 SDK by March 2019
Apple today asked developers to begin submitting apps that take advantage of new features in iOS 12, watchOS 5, tvOS 12, and macOS Mojave ahead of the upcoming launch of the new software updates.
You can now submit apps that take advantage of the powerful new capabilities in the next release of iOS, watchOS, and tvOS. Build your apps using Xcode 10 GM seed, test with the latest releases of iOS 12, watchOS 5, and tvOS 12, and submit them for review.
According to Apple, all new apps and app updates for iPhone, including universal apps, will be need to be built with the iOS 12 SDK and will need to include support for the iPhone XS Max starting in March 2019.
All new apps and app updates for Apple Watch will need to be built with the watchOS 5 SDK and will need to support Apple Watch Series 4 by the same date.
Apple plans to release iOS 12, watchOS 5, tvOS 12, and new software for the HomePod on Monday, September 17. Apple will release macOS Mojave a week later on Monday, September 24.
Tags: App Store, September 2018 event
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Google Home review: After nearly two years, is it still worth it?
Google Home is the original Google Assistant enabled smart speaker. When it launched competition didn’t exist. If you wanted an Assistant enabled speaker, it was your only choice. Since then, there have been several Assistant smart speakers released. Your choices are no longer as limited as they once were. Now the question is, how does Google Home compare when it is no longer your only choice?
Design
The Google Home has a neutral design that blends seamlessly into most rooms. It mostly resembles an air freshener in my opinion, and I mean that as a compliment. Google Home simply blends in and won’t draw any extra attention to itself. It is not meant to look like a piece of tech and it excels at this.
A lot of this comes from the color choice and shape of the device. However, if you want yours to stand out you can easily buy replaceable bases and even skins for the top plastic section. The fabric base is held on securely by magnets and is easy to slide off and on. I’m happy to let mine look like a fancy air freshener.
My favorite part of the design would be the hidden LEDs on the top of the unit. The purpose of these is to give you feedback when Assistant is listening, thinking, or speaking to you. There is something so satisfying about watching the four multicolored LEDs light up and dance around. It’s honestly what I miss most when using any other Assistant enabled speaker.
Besides the animated LEDs on the top, there is also a touch sensor for controlling the volume. By running your finger in a circle around the top you can lower or raise the volume as indicated by the white LED volume meter. Then, of course, there is the mute button for the microphone on the back.
Features
Google Home launched with some fantastic features such as controlling your smart home, music playback, alarms, timers, updating you with your daily news and weather, and more. All you had to do was utter the command and like your digital genie, Assistant would light up and do your bidding. Over time it has gained more and more abilities such as making phone calls, adding reminders, playing games, and the list goes on and on.
Read More: 9 Tips and tricks for your Google Assistant speaker
While all Google Assistant smart speakers share essentially the same features, there is one exclusive to the Google speakers. For whatever reason, you can only make calls using the Google Assistant speakers at this time. Asking any other Assistant enabled speaker to make a call will be met with the reply “sorry I can’t make calls yet”.
Microphone Performance
The far-field microphones used in the Google Home speaker are some of the best I’ve ever used. Through my testing of several other smart speakers, I’ve always found the Google Home to be one of the top performers in this category. In fact, it even works better than the one on my smartwatch. Many times when trying to activate my watch only inches from my face Google Home would light up while the watch laid dormant.
Sound Quality
As a bit of an audiophile, I’ve been disappointed in the audio quality of the Google Home speaker since day one. The good news is the Google Home speaker has tons of bass and is very loud. I didn’t expect that given the compact size of this speaker. The bad news is, the bass is overwhelming and it lacks any detail in the high end making audio sound muddy overall.
An overwhelming amount of bass isn’t always a bad thing. For instance, when listening to rap, pop, or dance music it can be nice to feel the impact of the bass. Thankfully, if you’re not enjoying the sound quality of the Google Home speaker, there is a solution. Nearly a year after its release, Google finally added an equalizer option into the settings.
With the ability to tweak the bass and treble you can greatly improve the sound quality. However, even after adjusting the equalizer audio quality still falls short of some other Assistant speakers on the market. While the equalizer is a great feature, it also appears to be another Google speaker exclusive. None of the other speakers I’ve reviewed have included this option.
Final Thoughts
The great thing about smart speakers is they don’t age the same as other tech does. They don’t get slower over time, the battery life doesn’t decline, and a new faster one doesn’t come out every year. That means your smart speaker never gets worse, in fact, it actually gets better over time. Your smart speaker is always evolving as the AI improves and new skills and features are added.
With that said, there is no doubt that Google Home is better now than it has ever been. However, it no longer stands alone and you now have more choices than you have ever had when buying an Assistant enabled speaker.
Read more: Here are all the Google Assistant speakers, headphones, and displays you can buy
My biggest complaint about the Google Home was always the audio quality. However, after the introduction of the equalizer setting Google has almost negated that entirely. There are still slightly better sounding speakers in the same price range, but none are as fully featured as the Google Home. Making it one of the best choices when it comes to buying a midrange smart speaker. If you’re interested in picking one up you can get it from one of the links below.
Google Store ABT Best Buy B&H Photo Frys Newegg Target Verizon Walmart
Garmin vivosmart 4 review: If you don’t need GPS, this is a great option
Garmin’s vivosmart 3 fitness tracker tried some interesting things, but it didn’t follow through so well on all of them. This year, the company not only needed to make up for the vivosmart 3’s faults, but also create something to go head to head with the upcoming Fitbit Charge 3. That’s where the Garmin vivosmart 4 comes into play.
This is our full Garmin vivosmart 4 review.
Garmin vivosmart 4 review notes: I’ve been using the Garmin vivosmart 4 as my main fitness tracker for roughly two weeks. The Google Pixel 2 XL has been my smartphone companion of choice for the duration of this review.Show More
Design
Many people who prefer fitness bands (instead of fitness watches) like them because of their size. If you’re one of those people, the vivosmart 4 will be right up your alley. The size actually reminds me a lot of the original Xiaomi Mi Band. It weighs just 20.4 grams, and it’s super thin.
This is a very important thing to consider with a fitness tracker. The lighter and less obtrusive it is, the more you’ll wear it, and the more metrics it will track. Nobody wants to go to sleep with a bulky thing on their wrist every night.
The vivosmart 4’s thin and lightweight design makes it super easy to wear at all times.
However, this small design’s display, while vastly improved from its predecessor, is very narrow. There’s no problem moving around the interface, but selecting different options can be difficult and text often cuts off, which can be annoying. I don’t really know how to fix this — it’s not a problem with Garmin’s software or the display itself — it’s just the downside to having a small, narrow screen.
The display quality is much improved this time around. It’s still monochrome, but it’s now a much brighter OLED touchscreen instead of the slightly matted, dim screen on the vivosmart 3.
To make up for the silicone band not being interchangeable, Garmin added more color options to the lineup. I reviewed the black model, but it also comes in three other colors: berry with a gold bezel, powder grey with a rose gold bezel, or azure blue with a silver bezel.
Overall, the vivosmart 4’s design is a big step up. It looks more like a classy fitness tracker than something trying to disguise itself as a piece of jewelry, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing. It’s the case with most of Garmin’s wearables, after all.
Fitness and health tracking
Garmin vivosport (left) and vivosmart 4 (right)
Before we run down the features, you should know where the vivosmart 4 fits into Garmin’s lineup. This is definitely on the low end of the vivo series, with only the vivofit 4 beneath it. One step up is the vivosport, which comes with some higher-end features like built-in GPS. The vivoactive 3 and vivoactive 3 Music sit at the top of the line, featuring advanced hardware like GPS, support for Garmin Pay, and full-fledged smartwatch features. Okay, got it? Let’s continue.
The most notable omission here is the lack of GPS or phone tethering option. But did we expect Garmin to include that?
The vivosmart 4 tracks all the standard metrics you’d expect: steps taken, floors climbed, intensity minutes, calories burned, stress, sleep, and heart rate. You’ll notice a couple omissions from that list, however. Due to the lack of built-in GPS or phone tethering options, the vivosmart 4 can’t track distance or pace metrics. Even the Charge 3, the vivosmart 4’s biggest competitor, comes with Fitbit’s Connected GPS feature to tether to your phone. It would’ve been really nice to see here, but Garmin also sells the vivosport (currently our favorite fitness tracker), which has a built-in GPS. If you’re looking for a new fitness tracker from Garmin, your need for GPS will dictate whether you should look at the vivosport or vivosmart 4.
The vivosmart 4 can also track a variety of sport profiles like running, walking, strength training, cardio, elliptical, pool swimming, stair stepper, and yoga, as well as a catch-all “other” profile. It also supports Garmin’s Toe-to-Toe app.
Also read: What’s the best Garmin watch?
The tracker supports automatic activity recognition with Garmin Move IQ. Move IQ only automatically records “familiar” activities like biking, running, and using the elliptical. These activities only show up in your workout calendar in Garmin Connect, not in your news feed or activities list. It’s really there to record that you did an activity, and not necessarily all the metrics the activity might involve. Move IQ recorded an elliptical activity when I was actually playing the drums, and it only gave me start and end times — no fitness data.
I mainly tested the walking, running, and cardio profiles during my time with the device, and also compared those metrics with a variety of other devices. In the screenshots below, you can see a run I took with the vivosmart 4, Fenix 5, Fitbit Versa, and my Polar H10 chest strap.
Let’s start with heart rate data. All four devices actually came out with similar max heart rate recordings, and even more similar average heart rate readings:
- Polar H10: 175 max heart rate, 161 average
- Garmin vivosmart 4: 179 max heart rate, 157 average
- Garmin Fenix 5: 170 max heart rate, 155 average
- Fitbit Versa: 181 max heart rate, 156 average
The two Garmin trackers and the chest strap were only six beats per minute off with average heart rate, which is pretty good for a comparison between a chest strap and wrist-based heart rate sensors. It’s never going to be spot-on; chest straps are almost always more accurate than wrist-based sensors.
The Polar H10 and Fenix 5 were very similar in the first seven minutes of the run — they both reached 150bpm at around the same time, while the vivosmart 4 lagged behind. The Fenix 5 and H10 also recorded more minute rises and drops in heart rate readings than the vivosmart 4. The Versa’s stats are a bit harder to tell, but there is a pretty big dip in the first third of the run. I’m not sure where that came from.
Elsewhere, the vivosmart 4, despite not having a GPS, was able to more accurately track distance data than the Versa. On my 4.19-mile run (recorded with the Fenix 5), my vivosmart 4 recorded a 4.59-mile run, while the Versa recorded only 3.42 miles. You can manually change these metrics in the Garmin Connect and Fitbit apps after the fact, but it’s nice knowing Garmin’s new device isn’t very far off if you want to take a run.
The vivosmart 4 also handled step tracking — the most basic activity metric — much more accurately for me than competing devices from Fitbit. I never sit down and gain random steps just because I’m moving my arms, for instance.
The updated Elevate heart rate sensor in the vivosmart 4 will now alert you if it senses you have an abnormal heart rate. I haven’t been able to test this because, well, I haven’t experienced anything abnormal throughout my two weeks of testing. It also keeps track of your daily stress and offers a relaxation timer if you need help calming down.
VO2 max estimates are here again, and so is Garmin’s unique Fitness Age metric. According to Garmin, my Fitness Age is “that of an excellent 20-year-old.” I’m blushing.
Body Battery
New to the vivosmart 4 this year is something called Body Battery, and it’s exactly what it sounds like. Garmin assigns a number to your body’s estimated energy reserves using information from stress, heart rate variability, sleep, and activity. Your number will rise and fall throughout the day depending on how active or relaxed you are, as well as a variety of other factors. The idea behind this is great, but sometimes the numbers are a little off. I mean, you can’t expect your fitness tracker to know how tired/energized you are at all times.
I’ve noticed after a good, consistent night’s sleep, I’d usually start the day with a 75 Body Battery score, increasing throughout the day (when I’m at my desk) to anywhere between 80 and 95. After I get off work at around 5:30 p.m. or so, my score starts slowly dropping for the remainder of the afternoon — even more so if I run right after work. I also usually see a bump up in my score between lunchtime and around 5 p.m.
It might not be accurate all the time, but Body Battery is actually really useful.
This has helped me out quite a bit over the past couple weeks. I was really tired after a long day of work, and the tracker said my Body Battery score was around 50 (medium-low). Because I was so tired I knew I wouldn’t have a good quality run that day, so I skipped it and rested at home instead. I kind of felt that way anyway without looking at the score, but at least it’s a good reminder to pay attention to what your body is telling you.
It’s also worth noting that on more than a few occasions, my Body Battery would continue to drop during sleep until I entered deep or REM sleep at around 4 a.m.
Body Battery takes a few days to “learn” your habits, so don’t expect it to be totally accurate right off the bat.
Pulse ox sensor and advanced sleep metrics
Also new on the vivosmart 4 this year is the built-in pulse ox sensor. This will estimate your body’s blood-oxygen saturation levels (how much oxygen is in your blood) based on a few different factors including your overall health and fitness levels. Below-average levels of oxygen in your blood can cause shortness of breath and even show early signs of hypoxemia.
You can set the tracker to measure your blood-oxygen levels when you’re sleeping, or you can do it manually at any time.
The inclusion of a pulse ox sensor is nice, but it’s not perfect.
I’ve found a couple issues with the pulse ox sensor. On most nights, it’ll track my blood-oxygen levels for a few hours, but not the whole night. I also can’t find any correlation between when it tracks and what sleep stage I’m in or how much I’m moving around. It just seems random. Also, I can take two SpO2 readings back to back and the results will be a few percentage points off from one another.
Even with its inconsistencies, it’s nice to see Garmin include a pulse ox sensor here, especially because the tracker is so small. It’ll especially come in handy for those who already carry around dedicated pulse ox sensors.
Also, despite dedicated pulse ox sensors costing around $10, this feature is usually relegated to high-end wearables. Right now, the only other Garmin watch with this feature is the Fenix 5 Plus, which costs boatloads of money. Alternatively, the Fitbit Ionic, Versa, and Charge 3 all have these sensors built in. I’m sure we can expect to see Garmin include pulse ox on most, if not all fitness trackers going forward.
Fitbit has trounced Garmin in sleep tracking for some time, but that’s no longer the case. With the introduction of advanced sleep metrics, the vivosmart 4 can now show you how much deep, light, and REM sleep you’re getting, as well as how much you moved during the night. Pair that with the pulse ox sensor and you have yourself a powerful little sleep tracker.
Garmin says the vivosmart 4 can last seven days on a single charge, and I’d say that’s spot on. Even with the heart rate sensor on at all times, it was pretty easy to reach a week without charging. You’ll only get around four or five days on a charge if the pulse ox sensor is switched on for sleep tracking. Five days is about the maximum battery life for the vivosmart 3, so it’s an improvement either way.
| Material | Lens: polycarbonate Bezel: aluminum Strap: silicone |
| Display | Touchscreen OLED 6.6 x 17.7mm 48 x 128 resolution |
| Battery | 7 days (excluding pulse ox sleep tracking) |
| Memory | 7 timed activities, 14 days of activity tracking data |
| Sensors | Garmin Elevate wrist heart rate monitor Barometric altimeter Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Pulse ox |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth Smart and ANT+ |
| IP rating | 5ATM |
| Smart features | Smart notifications Text response/reject phone call with text (Android only) Weather Control smartphone music Find My Phone / Find My Watch VIRB Camera Remote |
| Compatibility | Android, iOS |
| Dimensions and weight | Small/medium: 15 x 10.5 x 197mm Fits wrists with a circumference of 122-188mm 20.4g Large: 15 x 10.5 x 223mm |
Smartwatch features
Related
Best smartwatches (July 2018)
Smartwatches are still a very new thing to a lot of people, and for good reason. You don’t absolutely need one to get through the day, and some of the best smartwatches are much too expensive …
It’s standard for fitness trackers to offer a bevy of smart features, and the vivosmart 4 is no different. You can check the weather, control your music, and utilize the “find my phone” feature right from your wrist. It’s handy in a pinch, but remember you’re doing this on a very small screen.
It’ll also relay all the notifications your smartphone’s notifications — texts, calls, social media, you name it. If you’re an Android user, you can even reply to preset messages from your wrist too (sorry iPhone users).
I know we’ve already touched on the display size, but I want to reiterate it here. When notifications arrive on the vivosmart 4, they scroll through like an LED ticker display, which is pretty hard to read.
It’s better than not getting notifications at all, I guess.
The Garmin app
I’ve talked a lot about Garmin’s app lately, and you can find out everything you need to know in our Fitbit vs. Garmin comparison. If you don’t want all the nitty-gritty details, here’s the TL;DR.
Garmin Connect has a lot going for it, but it’s still far from the most user-friendly fitness app out there. That has a lot to do with how many features are packed into the app, though. Your default home screen is called My Day and gives you health and activity metrics about the current day, yesterday, or the past week. Connect’s very powerful Calendar view also lets you look back at any day and see everything your device tracked. I use this feature almost daily.
However, Connect is also missing a few things. It doesn’t have as thriving a social community as Fitbit’s app. I really hope Garmin is working on this in the background, because it’s something I miss when I switch to a Garmin device from a Fitbit tracker. That’s not a knock against the vivosmart 4 at all — just an observation about the ecosystem.
Garmin’s app also doesn’t come with much third-party app support. You can link MyFitnessPal, Strava, and Office 365 to Connect if you don’t want to completely ditch those apps for Garmin’s, but the list stops there. I’d really like to see support for more third-party apps like Endomondo, MayMyRun, and RunKeeper in the future.
Gallery
Should you buy it?
The Garmin vivosmart 4 is a wonderful little fitness tracker. It excels in pretty much all areas except two. Its lack of GPS or phone tethering option is notable, though I don’t think we should have necessarily expected Garmin to include them here. The vivosmart 3 didn’t have it, and the company already sells the vivosport.
The screen size is the only other thing I can think of that would turn users away. It’s small and sometimes makes tapping on the right area or viewing notifications difficult.
If you can get past those two aspects, the vivosmart 4 is definitely a fitness tracker worth checking out. $130 is really not a lot of money to ask for a fitness tracker with this many features.
The Garmin vivosmart 4 is a great fitness tracker for people who don’t need advanced features.
However, the big question is if you should buy the vivosmart 4 over the Fitbit Charge 3. It all comes down to a few simple questions. If you need a GPS tethering option with your fitness tracker, buy the Fitbit Charge 3 (or the vivosport, which has GPS built in). If you need a feature-packed fitness tracker with everything but GPS, the vivosmart 4 is one of the best options out there.
If you want to work towards a fitness or health goal, or just want to keep tabs on your daily activity, I have no problem recommending this fitness tracker.
That’s it for our Garmin vivosmart 4 review. Thoughts? Are you going to buy one, or are you waiting for the Fitbit Charge 3? Let us know in the comments.
iPhone XS Max is Apple’s Most Expensive iPhone Model to Date at $1,449 for 512GB
Now that the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max have officially been announced, Apple.com has been updated with detailed pricing information for all versions of the new iPhones. We’ve rounded up the prices for the new iPhone XS models below, and note that these prices relate to the one-time payment option on Apple.com.
To start, the iPhone XS is priced the same as last year’s iPhone X, now with the added 512GB tier:
- iPhone XS 64GB – $999.00
- iPhone XS 256GB – $1,149.00
- iPhone XS 512GB – $1,349.00
With the iPhone XS Max, Apple not only has the biggest iPhone ever, but now the most expensive iPhone it’s ever sold, with the 512GB tier reaching $1,449.00:
- iPhone XS Max 64GB – $1,099.00
- iPhone XS Max 256GB – $1,249.00
- iPhone XS Max 512GB – $1,449.00
Estimates for monthly installment plans on AT&T place the iPhone XS Max 512GB at around $68.66 per month, while the iPhone XS 512GB is about $64.50 per month.
For those interested, all models of the iPhone XS and XS Max will be available for pre-order this Friday, September 14. Then, one week from Friday, the smartphones will launch on September 21.
The devices will be available in more than 30 countries and territories including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the UAE, and US Virgin Islands.
Related Roundup: iPhone XsTag: September 2018 event
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Apple Releases New Beats Solo3 Wireless and UrBeats3 to Match iPhone XS and iPhone XR
Apple today unveiled Beats headphones in fresh color options that are designed to match the newly announced iPhone XS and iPhone XR models.
The Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear headphones, priced at $299.95, are available in Satin Silver and Satin Gold, two new shades that match the silver and gold iPhone XS models. There is no Space Gray option.
The UrBeats3 Earphones with Lightning connector, priced at $59.95, are available in new Blue, Yellow, and Coral colorways to match the iPhone XR models that come in those shades.
While the new Solo3 Wireless models are available for purchase starting today, the UrBeats3 models that match the new iPhone XR will be available later this fall, presumably when the iPhone XR models are released in October.
Tag: September 2018 event
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After No Sign of AirPower at Today’s Event Apple Wipes Most Mentions From Website
The long-awaited AirPower charging mat, which is designed to charge the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods all at once, did not make an appearance at today’s iPhone-centric event that saw the launch of new iPhone XS and iPhone XR models.
Apple did not mention the AirPower at all on stage, despite the fact that it’s now been an entire year since the device was announced in September 2017 alongside the iPhone X.
In addition to failing to give an update on the AirPower, Apple has also essentially scrubbed all mentions of the device from its website. Searching for AirPower doesn’t bring up anything, and the only place AirPower is listed appears to be on the page for the AirPods.
In a section of Apple’s AirPods site the AirPower is depicted alongside a mention of an optional wireless charging case, which is listed as “currently unavailable.” The wireless AirPods charging case was meant to be sold alongside the AirPower to enable AirPods wireless charging.
At this point, it’s not clear what’s going on with the AirPower. Apple originally said that the device would launch in 2018, but it seems like alongside new iPhones would have been the opportune moment.
It’s clear there are still technical details to be worked out, and earlier this year, rumors suggested that Apple was still working on issues with overheating and dealing with multi-device circuitry. At the time, Apple was said to be aiming for a September launch, but no AirPower is coming in September.
Apple still has a few more months to meet its 2018 deadline for the AirPower, so it’s possible we’ll see the device debut via press release in October, November, or December.
Related Roundup: AirPodsTags: AirPower, September 2018 eventBuyer’s Guide: AirPods (Caution)
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Lab-grown mini-brains will help us gain a better understanding of the real thing
Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine have developed a rapid, cost-effective method to grow organoid “mini-brains” in a lab. These miniature brains, which replicate the architecture of brains but possess no level of consciousness, are created using stem cells. The researchers hope that these mini-brains will allow us to gain a better understanding of the real brains that they replicate.
“The brain is one of the most complex tissues in the body,” Alysson Muotri, director of the Stem Cell Program at UCSD School of Medicine, told Digital Trends. “While we have a good idea of anatomy and how the adult brain work, the understanding of human brain neurodevelopment is at a very mysterious stage. This is because the intact human embryonic brain grows in utero, and, thus, it is very inaccessible. There [is little information] about how the brain develops, [and] when it starts to function, yet there are many neurological disorders that starts in utero. It is [therefore] very important to learn how the brain develops, both in healthy and disease conditions.”
The mini-brains are created by growing human pluripotent stem cells and then inducing them to form neural progenitor cells. This is achieved using small molecules added to a culture medium. These neural progenitor cells are then prompted to grow in three dimensions and expand, forming a sphere with multiple layers. Finally, the progenitor cells are turned into neurons and a type of glia cell that is also present in the brain, which then matures into a full organoid.
Researchers have been optimizing protocols for creating brain cells in a dish for decades. However, it is only more recently that researchers have learned that it is possible to induce growth in 3D in a way that allows the cells to self-organize in a structure that resembles the early stages of the human embryonic brain. This opens up the possibility of studying the early stages of human neurodevelopment in the lab. Doing so may provide new information about genetic disorders, such as autism, or the different ways in which viruses affect the brain.
To make the process of developing these mini-brains easier, the UCSD researchers have developed a protocol that makes it faster to convert somatic cells into 3D-brain organoids. “Besides cost and time, the biggest advantage is on the throughput,” Muotri continued. “We can now create hundreds of different brain organoids, from different individuals, at the same time.”
A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal Stem Cells and Development.
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Here are all the Apple Watches getting updated to WatchOS 5
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
Arriving alongside the new Apple Watch Series 4, WatchOS 5 is the next huge step up for Apple’s thriving wearable ecosystem. This new version of Apple’s wearable OS is coming with a bunch of improvements, including better health and fitness tracking, a handy walkie-talkie mode, and a new feature for Siri that means she doesn’t need a trigger word to activate. WatchOS 5 has been available to developers since Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference in June, and it will be released for everyone else on September 17.
But despite all those new features and improvements, some Apple Watch owners might not be celebrating when the update finally drops. It turns out not every Apple Watch is getting the update to WatchOS 5, and some will be left behind. Avoid an update-induced headache come WatchOS 5 release day, and find out now if your Apple Watch is getting updated.
How to identify your Apple Watch
But before we begin, what if you’re not sure which model your Apple Watch actually is? After all, each generation of the Apple Watch has looked more or less the same — if you bought the latest “Apple Watch” without thinking too much about the model then you’re certainly not alone.
Thankfully, this is a situation that Apple has foreseen, and there is a simple way to discover which Apple Watch is perched on your wrist.
Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
Tap the My Watch tab, then hit General > About.
Scroll to the Model field, then tap it to reveal a model number beginning with “A”.
Note down that model number and compare it to Apple’s database to find out which Apple Watch you have.
Now that’s you’re sure you know which Apple Watch you have, it’s time to find out if you’ll be getting an OS upgrade.
Apple Watches that will receive WatchOS 5
Device
Apple Watch Series 3 (2017)
Apple Watch Series 2 (2016)
Apple Watch Series 1 (2016)
There’s nothing hugely surprising here; if you’ve bought an Apple Watch fairly recently, then you would expect it to stay updated with the latest and greatest of Apple’s updates for now. Last year’s Apple Watch Series 3, the Apple Watch Series 2, and the Apple Watch Series 1 from 2016 are all watches that will be receiving WatchOS 5 when it launches.
We didn’t include the upcoming Apple Watch Series 4 in this list because that watch will launch with WatchOS 5 already installed — so it won’t be an update.
Apple Watches that will not receive WatchOS 5
Device
Apple Watch (first generation) (2015)
Bad news for anyone still hanging onto their first-generation Apple Watch — it won’t be receiving an upgrade to the latest WatchOS, which means you won’t be sampling the latest additions and improvements to the OS.
But why isn’t your watch getting updated with the rest? Unfortunately, every piece of technology has a shelf life, and there comes a day when it simply isn’t worth the company’s time to keep pushing updates to an outdated model. Apple is known for supporting its tech for longer than other companies — there are five-year-old iPhones receiving the upcoming iOS 12 update — but even Apple has its limits.
The first generation of Apple Watch is actually pretty young for an Apple product, so it’s a surprise to see it getting the boot so soon. Which leads us to suspect that the reason isn’t to do with its lifespan — it’s linked to the watch’s hardware itself. Sometimes an update is too much for older hardware to handle, and it’s not a good idea to shackle future innovation in order to stay tethered to older hardware. It’s unfortunate, but that’s the way of the tech world.
Does this mean you need to ditch your Apple Watch and go shopping? Not necessarily. If you’re desperate for the new WatchOS 5 then you’re going to have to invest in a new model — but if your Apple Watch is chugging along just fine and you’re otherwise happy with your wrist-based companion, why not keep it around? If it’s still a solid performer and WatchOS 5 is your only grumble, maybe consider living with the still capable WatchOS 4. After all, it’s still a heck of a smartwatch.
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‘Crop-dusting’ drones drop biodegradable sensors instead of pesticides
From self-driving tractors to farming robots, there’s no doubt that agriculture is in the middle of a high tech shakeup. But a new proposal from researchers in Saudi Arabia and the U.S. could take things to the next level — by using drones to carry out a futuristic version of crop dusting; only they’ll be dispersing tiny sensors in place of crop protection products.
These 3D printed biodegradable sensors, called “PlantCopters,” are modeled after dandelion flower and maple seeds, which can float through the air in a manner similar to miniature helicopters. They will then get stuck on the leaves of crops, where they can keep track of plant growth, health, and surrounding microclimate. This data can then be transmitted via Bluetooth.
“Due to complexity and expense, [similar technology has previously been out of reach for many] farmers, especially in the developing countries where most of the farming takes place,” Muhammad Mustafa Hussain, a professor of electrical engineering at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, told Digital Trends. “We are reducing both complexity and price to bring high tech to farming. This development, when widely deployed, will generate big data which can be used by artificial intelligence to make and use execute intelligent decisions using robotics. This is the first step toward that direction.”
At present, the work is still in its relatively early stages. Researchers on the project have created long-lasting, low-power sensors which they have shown can detect even tiny amounts of growth changes in plants and then transmit this data. They have also demonstrated that prototype PlantCopters can be successfully dropped from a height of 50 feet, although a mass airdrop has not yet been attempted.
However, the promise of such a project is immense. Alongside some of the other agricultural technologies we mentioned up top, this hints at a data-driven, autonomous future for farming. Not only will tools of this type give farmers more information about their crops, they could also hopefully free up some of their time, too.
A paper describing this project, titled “Compliant plant wearables for localized microclimate and plant growth monitoring,” was recently published in the journal npj Flexible Electronics.
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