Here are some of the wallpapers from this year’s Nexus phones
We’re still awaiting concrete information regarding this year’s Nexus phones, but the folks at Android Police have managed to obtain some of the wallpapers that will be debuting on the handsets.
The HTC-made Nexuses are codenamed Marlin and Sailfish, and as such we’re treated to a lot of aquatic-themed imagery. Android Police also made full-size versions of the wallpapers available for download. If you want to get started with using the wallpapers on your current phone, hit up this link.
Windows 10 Anniversary Update: How has the taskbar changed?
There are a few tweaks in the taskbar, and many of these improvements will make working on your device much easier, as you’ll no longer have to dig for anything, with much of what you need being a mouse-click away.
Here’s what’s new in the taskbar, thanks to the Anniversary Update.
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Notifications
With the new update, all Windows Store apps now have a badge. This makes it so those apps can display the number of notifications you have, like from Facebook and Twitter, and it’s meant to give you the ability to see your notifications and alerts at a glance.
This is one of the few new features that comes enabled with the update, but you can always disable it if you don’t like the numbers cluttering your taskbar. To do this, along with any other changes you want to make to your taskbar, go to Settings > Personalisation > and taskbar. Another way of getting there is by right-clicking on the taskbar and selecting settings.
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Customisation
Even though the taskbar doesn’t have a different look, there are a few features that you have the ability to change. You can always pin and unpin apps from your taskbar, but a new feature now lets you hide the taskbar when entering tablet mode. You can also hide the taskbar in desktop mode. To enable either of these features, just go to the taskbar Settings page.
You can also change the colour of your taskbar, which will also change the colour of your Start menu and Action Center. The colour you choose as your accent colour will be the one that shows up on all three of these, along with many other windows throughout your device.
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Action Center
As part of the taskbar, the Action Center also received a number of updates. It was moved to the end of the taskbar – in the right corner of the screen next to the time and date.
With how you receive notifications from apps now, the Action Center takes them all and puts them in one place to view. Also, the Anniversary Update introduces app badges for notifications, and you can view these in the Action Center as well as across the system. The notifications and alerts from apps, such as Facebook, Twitter, Outlook, and other Windows Store apps, all go to the Action Center, along with the notifications from other things you have enabled on your device, like alerts from your phone or other devices connected through Cortana.
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Audio source
In the past, if you wanted to change the source of your audio output, it was a pain finding the buried setting. Now, all it takes is clicking the volume button and choosing from the devices you have connected.
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Clock and calendar
The Windows 10 Anniversary Update makes setting appointments and reminders much quicker and richer, and it’s also much easier to see what you have going on during a particular day. To look at today’s schedule, select the time and date, and that’ll open up the calendar with the day’s scheduled events. If you don’t want to see your agenda, you can choose the “Hide agenda” button.
How to upgrade your Xbox One storage by 2TB and more: That’s up to 100 additional games
It cannot be disputed that the new generation of gaming has been an outstanding success, with more consoles shifted than ever before and more games in the first couple of years after launch than many could have dreamed of. However, there is one issue we’ve had with our current gen machines that we’re sure many others will also have experienced already; neither has a big enough hard drive.
In an age where digital downloads are replacing disc media and even physical games require installation to the hard drive by default, 500GB – the size of the HDD on both the standard Xbox One and PS4 consoles – is just not enough. You could opt for a 1TB version or even the 2TB Xbox One S that’s now available, but considering that some games are around 46GB to 58GB (yep, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, we’re looking at you), you will fill up even that internal drive eventually. And, with games of that size taking an absolute age to download over broadband, even with a 100Mbps connection or more, it’s not ideal to have to delete games to make room for new ones.
There is a solution though. You can always add to or replace the hard drive. And on the Xbox One or Xbox One S that’s a doddle. It doesn’t even require a screwdriver.
Unlike the PS4, which can only be upgraded by removing and replacing the original drive, since an update earlier this year the Xbox One recognises external hard drives, as long as they have a USB 3.0 connection. And once installed they can be used in exactly the same way as the existing internal HDD.
We’ve done it ourselves in fact, expanding our own Xbox One hard drive by a further 2TB, which is enough for anywhere up to an estimated 100 games (on an average of 20 – 25GB per game). And what’s more, it runs as smoothly, if not faster than the internal drive that came with the machine. Here’s how…
The drive
First choice you need to make is which external drive you will use. We chose the WD My Passport Ultra 2TB Metal Edition. It’s USB 3.0, doesn’t require an external power source so doesn’t take up an additional socket under our AV cabinet, and its aluminium finish suits the decals on the Xbox One well (even though it will mainly be out of sight in our case). At around £85 for 2TB it’s also good value. Even better value is the conventional version of the WD My Passport Ultra 2TB external drive, which is currently £80 on Amazon.co.uk.
You can pay a bit more and opt for a 7200 RPM drive instead (the My Passport Ultra is 5400 RPM) but we’ve gone for convenience, no noise and price. And after all, the Xbox One internal drive is 5400 RPM too, so the performance will at least match it.
You can also opt for a lager capacity drive. We’re not sure if there’s a maximum (just a minimum of 256GB) but suspect not. Of course, it all boils down to price in that case. Alternatively, you could add multiple drives – after all there are three USB 3.0 ports on the Xbox One. You can’t daisy chain additional drives though as the console will only accept up to three external drives in total.
READ: Xbox One: One year on, how the underdog recovered from painful beginnings
The set-up
Once you have your drive to hand, set-up is simple. Plug it into one of the three USB 3.0 ports (two on the rear, one on the side) when the Xbox One is on. A message will pop up on screen to show it recognises that the drive has been connected.
You can either go to the settings through interaction with the pop-up or head there manually and enter the “System” settings.
In there you will see the “storage” icon. Select it and the next page will show your existing external hard drive alongside the new one.
In all likelihood the drive will need to be formatted before it can be used for anything other than storing video, picture and music files, especially if it’s come straight out of the packaging. The Xbox One needs to do that itself. So choose the new drive and scroll down to the option “Format”. Select “Format storage device” and a new screen will pop up with a keyboard to select the drive’s name.
We kept the default name “External” and chose to install new games and apps to the new drive when asked.
Formatting the drive takes no more than five or six seconds and you’re good to go.
On your main games and apps screen you will now see that the entire storage available, both internally and externally, is accumulated into one statistic.
We also recommend you completely shut down your Xbox One and reboot. We did and the drive worked very well straight after.
READ: 5 reasons why the Xbox One is better than the PS4 one year on
Moving games and performance
In our primary tests we found a slight difference in in-game performance between games stored on the external WD drive and the internal one, specifically in initial loading speeds which seemed a touch faster.
As USB 3.0 is capable of shifting data at speeds of up to 5Gbps, that’s much faster than broadband speeds so you’ll notice no difference in download times in comparison to the Xbox One normally. But it’s considerably faster than SATA II, the connection the Xbox One has with the internal drive, so that might even prove decisive in data transmission for games stored on the external drive.
We also decided to move a few across from drive to drive to see how long it takes and discovered that to move Halo: The Master Chief Collection’s mammoth 58GB took just over 40 minutes in total.
One benefit of moving games from the internal to the external drive is that you will be able to play your downloaded titles on a friend’s Xbox One by just connecting the hard drive to his or her console and signing into your profile. You don’t then need to redownload any games you wish to play. That’s another good reason for opting for a more portable USB 3.0 drive like the WD My Passport Ultra.
Virgin Galactic gets its spaceship license
Virgin Galactic is one step closer to making us all space tourists: it just received its operator license from the US Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation (FAA-AST). To get the paperwork, which allows Virgin Galactic to use its ship for commercial operations. THE FAA looked into the vehicle’s system design, safety features and flight trajectory analysis. Virgin Galactic’s Senior VP of Operations Mike Moses said: “The granting of our operator license is an important milestone for Virgin Galactic, as is our first taxi test for our new spaceship. While we still have much work ahead to fully test this spaceship in flight, I am confident that our world-class team is up to the challenge.”
As Moses mentioned, the company also took its SpaceShipTwo (the VSS Unity) for a brief taxi test across the tarmac. There’s still plenty more tests and work to be done — fully-powered, independent flights won’t start until some time next year.
Source: Virgin Galactic
‘Pokémon Go’ makers explain why they blocked third-party apps
Gotta catch ’em all. It’s the itch you just can’t stop scratching — and one where a wave of unofficial Pokémon Go apps and web-based maps helped clue you in on exactly where those Jynx were hiding. Unfortunately, alongside an app update last weekend, the team behind the app shut down data access to third-party services like PokeVision. It released a statement to users on its Facebook page, saying these services were “interfering with our ability to maintain quality of service for our users and to bring Pokémon Go to users around the world.” It added that the huge number of users has had an effect on its roll-out plans.
The company says it’s removed its “3-step” Pokémon detection legend “in order to improve upon the underlying design”. The team is working to improve the feature, which means it should find its way back into the app at some point. Niantic also apologized for not tweeting so much during the roll-out of the app, saying that it’ll try to do better in communicating what’s going down in the future.
Source: Pokemon Go (Facebook)
Logitech Releases CREATE Keyboard Case for 9.7-Inch iPad Pro
Logitech today announced that it is expanding its CREATE Keyboard Case with Smart Connector to the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, making the keyboard available for both of Apple’s iPad Pro models.
As on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, the CREATE case for the 9.7-inch iPad Pro connects to the three-dot Smart Connector on the tablet, allowing for both power and data transfer. Because it’s powered via the iPad, the CREATE case does not need to charge and it does not need to connect to an iPad using Bluetooth.
The CREATE Keyboard Case for the 9.7-inch iPad Pro features backlit keys, a protective case that protects the iPad when it isn’t in use, iPad-specific function keys, and an integrated holder for the Apple Pencil. It is available in black and blue.
“CREATE is like the Swiss Army Knife of keyboard cases,” said Michele Hermann, vice president of tablet accessories at Logitech. “It puts all the tools you need at your fingertips, and the keyboard charges through the Smart Connector so you can just set your iPad Pro into a typing position and go. It brings typing on the iPad Pro to a whole new level.”
When the 12.9-inch iPad Pro launched, Logitech was the sole company to introduce a keyboard case that’s able to use the Smart Connector on the tablet, and it continues to be the only company that offers a third-party Smart Connector keyboard solution.
We went hands-on with the CREATE case for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro when it was released. We loved the backlit keys and the general key feel, but felt like it added too much bulk to Apple’s thin and light ultra powerful tablet.
The CREATE keyboard case for the 9.7-inch iPad Pro can be purchased starting today from the Logitech website, the online Apple Store, and Apple retail stores. It is priced at $129.99.
Tag: Logitech
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2016 Nexus phones may feature a significantly redesigned launcher
It looks like Google is set to radically alter the look and feel of the launcher on this year’s Nexus phones. The updated launcher was obtained by Android Police, giving us a look at some of the key changes.
A notable difference is the lack of an app drawer icon. To access the app drawer, you’ll have to swipe up from the bottom of the screen, or tap the arrow located above the bottom row of the home screen. You can close the app drawer by swiping down anywhere on the screen, or hitting the back button.
Another key change is the lack of a Search widget on the home screen, with a calendar widget taking up its place. There is a G button next to the widget that you can tap to start searching. The changes are likely to integrate Google Assistant into the launcher, and the screenshots suggest that the redesign is a work in progress. There’s no mention if the launcher will be available widely, but it looks like will be offered initially on this year’s Nexuses.
What do you guys make of the changes?
Watch the Olympics in 4K Ultra HD on Comcast, DirecTV or Dish
The 2016 Summer Olympic Games are almost here, and despite the issues present in Rio, watching from home should be better than ever. If you’re in need of something else to display on your brand new Ultra HD television then we have good news — NBC will have 4K, HDR footage with Atmos surround sound available that’s actually downsampled from 8K (which you can see for yourself, if you live in Japan). The only problem? Not every TV provider will be pushing it to viewers, and it will be on 24-hour tape delay.
US viewers have four choices for Ultra HD broadcasts from the Olympics: DirecTV, Dish, Comcast and EPB. Chattanooga residents will have to contact EPB for details on how to get channel 803, while DirecTV is promising a linear broadcast on channel 106. Dish Network will not have the Opening Ceremony available initially, but promises a broadcast on channel 146 and video on-demand highlights that will be in 4K, but won’t feature HDR. For Comcast, you should be able to see all the clips, but it isn’t pushing any Ultra HD via its cable boxes at all. Instead, footage will only be available to people who have Samsung or LG Smart TVs with the Xfinity preview app built-in.
Source: NBC
Uber has served 100 million trips in New York City
As Uber strikes million-dollar deals in China, it’s also celebrating a milestone in one of the first places it established itself: New York. The company has announced that it’s now delivered 100 million trips to users in the city, which explains why it’s investing deeply in things like global mapping — to the tune of $500 million. It’s not all happy mergers and expansion: the company is still fighting bans, suspensions and fines across the world; you’re still going to have to hire a normal taxi if you’re planning a trip to Hungary, for example.
On June 30, 2012, we reached 1,000 trips in NYC. Today, we reached 100,000,000. Where to next, New York? pic.twitter.com/s2a0ILX4GC
— Uber NYC (@Uber_NYC) August 1, 2016
Source: Uber NYC (Twitter)
Theranos intros new ‘fingerprick’ testing tech despite its woes
Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has introduced a 95-pound testing device called “miniLab” at the American Association for Clinical Chemistry meeting in Philadelphia. The controversial blood testing company, which promised results with just a fingerprick, has been in hot water ever since The Wall Street Journal published a series of articles detailing its flawed results and other issues. In fact, it voided its past test results and lost its contract with Walgreens over the past few months. Holmes was also banned from owning a lab for two years. That’s why the convention’s the attendees were expecting a presentation clarifying the science behind its fingerprick-testing technique, according to Bloomberg.
What they got instead was the announcement of a brand new device different from its old Edison machine. WSJ’s sources said Theranos barely used Edison, because the results it produced weren’t always accurate. But just like Edison, the miniLab was also designed to test for a variety of illnesses, including Zika, using just a drop of blood. Holmes said the machine is even capable of detecting additional strains of the Zika virus. Many attendees were obviously skeptical of the new machine — “I certainly didn’t see anything that lives up to the expansive claims they made,” one pathologist told Bloomberg — but the CEO said Theranos already submitted the new device to the FDA for approval.
Source: Reuters, Bloomberg, Stuart Blitz (Periscope), Theranos
