Here’s what Google’s 4K-capable ‘Chromecast Ultra’ looks like

A new leak has revealed the design of Google’s upcoming Chromecast Ultra.

VentureBeat has posted renders of a new Chromecast device. Google is rumoured to have developed a Chromecast capable of streaming in 4K resolution for the influx of 4K televisions on the market. Consumers can apparently expect Google to unveil its new new 4K-capable Chromecast, which is thought to be called Chromecast Ultra, on 4 October during the Made By Google event.

The leaked renders from Venture Beat show a new Chromecast device that looks very similar the second-generation model introduced in 2015. The major difference between the two is that the Chrome logo on the HDMI dongle has been replaced by a subtle “G”. Up until now, it was unclear if the Chromecast Ultra would get a redesign, as Google just drastically switched up the design last year with the release of Chromecast 2.

Google launched the first Chromecast in 2013. It’s an affordable HDMI dongle that lets you wirelessly “cast” content to a television. It basically makes most TVs smart. Then, in 2015, Google launched Chromecast 2. It’s faster, more responsive, and just as affordable. And it arrived with an updated Chromecast app that serves as a one-stop shop for finding compatible apps and specific content across those apps.

While the first Chromecast looks like a basic USB stick, Chromecast 2 has an all-new look, with the purpose of making it easier to squeeze between ports behind your TV. It’s a small, plastic, hockey-puck-shaped device with a glossy and colourful front and matte bottom.

Apart from support for 4K streams, little is known about the Chromecast Ultra’s specifications. Android Police reported it will be available for $69, and it will be sold alongside the second-generation Chromecast that streams in 1080p for $35.

Plex Cloud now means you can watch your media without the need for an always-on PC or NAS drive

We’ve been fans of Plex for years, the way it organises our media files, fetches metadata and basically sets up our home streaming network to be as comprehensive, yet graphically rich and simple to use as Netflix or Amazon Video.

However, unless you have a PC you don’t mind being always-on, a compatible NAS drive or, in more recent times, an Nvidia Shield Android TV box there was no way to set up a Plex media server. Having your TV shows, films, music or photos on tap required at least one of them.

Not so anymore. Plex has announced Plex Cloud, which uses cloud storage to access media files instead, and therefore gives you access to your wealth of content anywhere you happen to be connected to the internet.

Thanks to compatibility with Amazon Drive, Plex Pass users can link their Amazon cloud storage membership to their Plex account and the media software will do the rest, treating any content it finds on an Amazon Drive as if it were hosted locally. That means the same data-rich information and cover art – the whole shebang.

All you need is a Plex Pass, access to the Plex Cloud Beta (which is invite-only at present) and an Amazon Drive account. The latter costs $59.99 a year in the US, £55 a year in the UK but gives unlimited storage for whatever types of files you want to upload.

It will unlikely be much use for heavy users with movies and TV programmes of questionable legalities, especially considering Amazon Drive’s own T&Cs state: “You must ensure that your files have been lawfully acquired and are free from any malware, viruses, Trojan horses, spyware, worms, or other malicious or harmful code.”

However, there’s still tonnes of legitimate, DRM-free content that you could store in the cloud and access on all your Plex-enabled devices to make cloud access well worthwhile.

Google ‘Pixel 3’ laptop running Andromeda OS planned for 2017

Google could launch its first ever laptop towards the end of 2017, at least that’s according to sources speaking to Android Police. The laptop will also be the first device to come running Google’s new Andromeda operating system.

The project is known internally as ‘Bison’ but has also been referred to as Pixel 3, following in the footsteps of the Pixel Chromebook and Pixel C tablet.

• Made by Google: What to expect at Google’s 4 October Pixel event

The Pixel 3 is expected to stray from Google’s Chromebook series and will be marketed as a laptop instead, presumably because of the Andromeda OS which merges the best Chrome features with Android into one platform.

Android Police has stressed that details of the Pixel 3 should be taken with a very large pinch of salt because anything could change between now and the expected Q3 2017 launch. However 9to5Google.com has also confirmed the laptop’s existence and has said Andromeda will also launch on a Huawei-made Nexus tablet – which is a separate story – although it’s not clear when this will be unveiled.

The laptop is expected to be incredibly thin and feature a 12.3in display, which could double up as a tablet. Whether it will be a 2-in-1 laptop/detachable tablet hybrid or a laptop with a flexible hinge remains to be seen. Power should come from either an Intel i3 or i5 processor with 32GB or 128GB of onboard storage and either 8 or 16GB of RAM.

The specs lend to suggest there’ll be two models of Pixel 3 laptop, presumably one for media hoarders and one for those who want to do general web surfing.

The rumours suggest Google really is going all out with the Pixel 3, as it will come with a backlit keyboard and a glass trackpad with haptic and force detection, putting it in the firing line of the MacBook, especially when you consider its planned 10mm thickness.

Other features are expected to include a fingerprint scanner, two USB Type-C ports, stylus support, quad microphones, stereo speakers and a 10 hour battery life.

If the rumours are true, the Pixel 3 could be a genuine contender for the Apple MacBook, especially as it’s predicted to severely undercut the price. The Pixel 3 could arrive with a $799 price tag with a Wacom stylus being available to buy separately.

• Google might launch a new ‘Google Wi-Fi’ router at October event
• Google Pixel vs Pixel XL: What’s the rumoured difference?

Google will unveil two new Pixel smartphones at an event next week, the Pixel and Pixel XL, both of which will come running Android 7.1 Nougat.

Actors are now virtually immortal in California

Someone once said that we’re all just meat being shoveled into a grave, but that doesn’t really apply to Hollywood actors. That’s why the state of California has passed a law barring websites like IMDB from publishing the ages and birthdates of performers. From January 1st, 2017, sites that have anything to do with the employment of thespians will also have to remove existing data within five days of a request. But this isn’t simply a sop to appeal to the vanity of your average crop of A-listers, but a serious attempt to deal with age discrimination in Hollywood.

Tinseltown is, as you might have guessed, a bit loopy for all things young, which forces performers to be a bit shrewd about revealing their age. A few years ago, a nameless actress sued IMDB for making her birthdate public, telling the world that she was “many years older than she looks.” It’s hoped that, by removing this information, working performers will be treated on their merits as an actor rather than as a birthdate. California official Ian Calderon is quoted by Deadline Hollywood that IMDB Pro’s age data is information that “should not be part of the casting decision.”

The law itself is pretty narrow and only appears to affect websites that deal with employment decision making. That includes IMDB Pro, which is used by casting agents to source talent, and other such online actors directories. What it doesn’t cover, however, is news websites and information resources, so it looks as if you’re still going to be able to use Wikipedia to learn George Clooney’s birthdate (it’s May 6th, 1961). Of course, the law is likely to face a number of legal challenges given that it essentially censors free speech, so it’ll be interesting to see how those progress.

It’s worth noting that the majority of people who are treated less like a person and more like a number are women. Gabrielle Carteris, the current president of actor’s union SAG-AFTRA, was famously forced to lie about her age to appear on Beverly Hills, 90210. She auditioned (and won) the part of 16-year-old Andrea Zuckerman, despite being 29 at the time — so clearly age is but a number, and one that casting directors would be well advised not to worry about.

Via: AV Club

Source: The Hollywood Reporter, California

Fitbit’s Charge 2 wearable is now available for $150

It’s been almost a month since wearable pioneer Fitbit unveiled a much-needed update to its Charge and Flex ranges, giving them a bunch of aesthetic and functional upgrades in the process. Customers have been able to secure their orders ahead of the loose “fall” release date but from today, anyone itching to get their hands on the new devices can now do so.

With a bigger display, the $150/£130 Charge 2 allows for a wider selection of watch faces that display more information than before. The optical heart rate sensor can detect how much time you’ve spent in specific cardio zones and its bigger battery ensures it logs more data before it needs plugging in, which helps it cement itself as the leader in its price range.

The Charge 2 is available with a Classic band in black, blue, plum or teal. However, the company also has a set of $30/£20 accessory bands available — shipping next month — that let you mix it up with blush pink, brown and indigo colorings. As usual, the tracker is available via Fitbit.com in all supported countries, as well as Amazon, Best Buy and Target in the US.

Via: Fitbit (Businesswire)

Source: Fitbit