How to backup your iPhone and iPad to save your iOS data
How to backup your iPhone and iPad
Data loss is a fact of life - you drop your phone, it hits the ground, shatters to pieces, and chances are you lost the majority of your data on the device. Thankfully, we have services like iCloud that automatically backup your data, making it easily retrievable in the case of a shattered or damaged smartphone.Unfortunately, it isn't the best solution for backing up data, particularly because Apple just isn't the best when it comes to cloud services. Security is a big concern with iCloud, and if you ever want to get more storage, it's quite pricey compared to competitors. The company also gives you a mere 5GB of cloud storage that it's hardly possible to backup all of the pertinent data on your iOS device, especially if you have a large photo library full of special moments you want to keep.
That said, there are plenty of other ways to make sure your data is safe by backing up your files across a few free services. The first step is, of course, making sure you have a backup of your device on your PC or MacBook.
iTunes
To get started, plug your iPhone into your computer and open up iTunes. From there, select File > Devices > Transfer Purchases. This will save all of the content you've purchased via the App Store or iTunes Store on your computer. Wait for iTunes to finish transferring your purchases, and then select File > Devices > Backup. iTunes will begin backing up your device. Depending on how much data you're backing up, this could take some time.
After it's finished, make sure it was a successful backup by heading into iTunes Preferences > Devices. You should see all of your backups with your device name and the date and time the process finished.
Now you have a backup on your computer that you can always revert back to in the event of data loss. However, it's good to make sure that you have a copy or two of this backup sitting in the cloud somewhere. You never know when your computer could fail you, too.
Drive
Google Drive is a great place to backup a lot of content, mainly because of the 15GB of free storage you get with your Google account. That's more than enough to handle important documents along with a robust photo library.The first step is to download the Google Drive application for Windows or Mac. Since I'm primarily a Windows user at the moment, I'm using the Windows version, but it shouldn't be too hard to follow along if you're a Mac user.
The second step is to run Google Drive. You don't need your phone plugged in since iTunes already backed up all of your files. It'll ask you to sign-in and then run you through a fairly short setup wizard. Follow the steps, and click "Done" once you're finished. Google Drive should now be on your computer and the Google Drive folder it created will automatically open via your native file explorer.
Google Drive isn't your traditional backup service, but it works just as well, mainly because of how simple it is to sync files. In your file explorer, head on over to:
Users/Username/AppData/Roaming/Apple Computer/MobileSync/Backup
Find your latest backup, right click it, press copy, select your Google Drive folder, and press paste. Your backup should now be uploading to Drive, and depending on internet speed and how big the backup file is, this could take some time. For Mac users, you'll want to go to:
Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup
Then just copy and paste the backup folder in your Google Drive folder, as instructed above. However, it could be a bit more complicated finding your backup. To get specifics on either Windows or Mac, open up iTunes and head on over to iTunes Preferences > Devices. Either Control click or right click the backup you want, and click Show in Folder or Finder. It should take you to the exact location where your backup is.
Keep in mind that if you ever lose the backup on your computer, you can download your extra copy from Google Drive, but you'll need to make sure to put it in the exact same file location you got it from.
Dropbox and iCloud
Google Drive is a great option for those who need a lot of free storage, but if you aren't a heavy power user, Dropbox and iCloud are great places to keep your data. With Dropbox you only get 2GB of free storage for signing up, but setup is very similar to Google Drive since the two services work much the same.Head on over to Dropbox.com, sign-up for an account, and download the correct version for your operating system. It'll take you through the setup wizard, and once you're done, just like you did above, you can copy your backups and paste them in the Dropbox folder, putting it in the cloud.
Dropbox certainly isn't for the power user, but it's a great place to keep a third backup if something were to ever happen to your other two options.
And of course, even though iCloud isn't the best for keeping your device backed up, it's always good to have turned on, as it makes setting up a new device or restoring apps after a reset a seamless process. I just wouldn't put all of my faith in it to alone to house pertinent files. It's good to make sure you have various copies across services.
To make sure you're set up with iCloud, unlock your device, head into Settings > iCloud, and ensure all of the apps, documents and data you want in the cloud are actively being backed up. For some apps, such as Notes and Mail, you'll need to create a free @icloud.com email address.
Hardware
If you're really paranoid about losing data, even after you've put backups in the cloud, you can always go the traditional route and put backups on hardware, such as external hard drives and USB thumb drives.It works virtually the same way as putting your data on the cloud. Only, instead of pasting the backup in your Google Drive or Dropbox folder, you'll need to find your external hardware device in your file explorer and paste it in there.
Preventive Measures
It's very rare that software bugs out and messes up your data, at least as far as integrated devices go. Most data loss actually happens due to hardware failure, human error, or people dropping their devices on the ground, shattering them. You can almost never avoid hardware failure, but there are ways to make sure your devices are protected against accidents.Apple's devices can be slippery, particularly with the company's latest rounded designs. That said, it's always best to have a case around your phone, and if you're worried about making sure your device stays "stylish," there are some great cases out there for iPhones and iPads.
As a rule of thumb, it's good to make sure your devices aren't around water. If you're out on a boat this summer, throw your iPhone in a ziploc baggy and leave the tablet at home and enjoy the weather.
If all else fails, there are ways to recover your data, but it's a lengthy process and requires a team of professionals. Not only that, it's also quite pricey.
Most of the time, data recovery company DriveSavers can recover your data if your device is broken. They have one of the highest success rates in the industry and a quick turnaround time. Again, DriveSavers is quite pricey, but if you need some very sensitive data off of your iPhone or iPad, it might just be worth it to grab an estimate and make sure your files are backed up in various places next time.
Conclusion
These days, data is massively important in our lives:we might be carrying around sensitive financial documents for businesses on our devices or it could be a timeless photo of your child in his or her infancy.
Either way, our data is just as important to us as physical items are, and they should be put away safely on the shelf, or in this case, in the cloud.
What are some ways you keep your data safely backed up?
Read More ...
iPods getting spec update, new colours next week
It looks like Apple isn't ready to let the iPod die off just yet: French website iGen reports that new models are arriving on 14 July with upgraded processors for the iPod touch models.
Those new colours we got a glimpse of a couple of weeks ago are apparently going to be available, and the cosmetic refresh is going to cover the whole line: iPod touch, iPod nano and iPod shuffle.
The smaller models won't get spec bumps, iGen says, but the touch is going to get a 64-bit upgrade on the 32-bit A5 it currently sports.
The sound of music devices
None of this has yet been confirmed by Apple, but the 14 July date is based on code spotted inside the latest iTunes 12.2 software. Apple has traditionally unveiled new iPods in September.With the recently launched Apple Music to promote, it seems the tech firm is eager to redouble its efforts on music hardware as well - even if most of us are using our smartphones as jukeboxes these days.
Keep your eyes on the Apple Store on Tuesday if you think you might be in the market for some new iPod devices. Gold, dark blue and bright pink colours are expected to be added to the line-up.
Read More ...
Roundup: 7 great TV shows to watch this weekend
Having a seemingly endless number of shows at your fingertips seems like a very good thing, but it can also make the decision process a heck of a lot harder.
So if you're planning some down time this weekend, we've rounded up a list of some of the best TV shows to spend some time with, covering both the UK and US.
If you want specific rundowns of the best shows for Netflix, you can find that here. And here's a list of our top picks from Amazon Prime.
Mr Robot
The much-hyped and atmospheric new series from the USA Network tells the story of a socially anxious hacker who uses his spare time correcting ethically immoral situations. Christian Slater guest stars and relative newcomer Rami Malek is the stand-out Robin Hood-style hacker with a social conscience. Contains realistic hacking shots (say it ain't so), nods to Anonymous, and a dark, broody central character.The show has already been renewed for its second season, although it remains to be seen how well season one fares. Out in the US now via The USA Network, hopefully coming to the rest of world soon.
Sense 8
The Wachowskis' first foray into TV is a mind-bending and sometimes bonkers series. It features a range of diverse characters, who suddenly link together telepathically because Daryl Hannah, but this immediately puts them in danger for which they are ill-prepared to deal with.Luckily, their combined skill set is what they need to overcome their enemies, along with plenty of sex and violence. The show carries a slightly spooky cyberpunk ethos, with a bit of hacking thrown in. The whole season is available on Netflix to binge-watch now.
Defiance
Defiance is a show about a struggling town of battle-worn inhabitants, comprised of alien and human species, that united during the Pale wars when aliens first invaded Earth. The power plays, lingering bad feelings and government rebellions provide a rich canvas for a futuristic version of our planet.For a convincing sci-fi show with lots of cool alien tech, strong performances and a solid story arc, it's not to be missed. Season 3 is out now on Syfy.
Humans
Humans is set in a parallel universe where artificially-created synthetic humanoids are the new must-have accessory. What could possibly go wrong?Plenty, apparently, although the series has felt a a little slow in bringing tension so far. Based on a Swedish series called Real Humans, this promising effort stars William Hurt, Gemma Chan and Katherine Parkinson. Available on demand on Channel 4 in the UK and AMC in the US.
Arrow
There's more than one reason this show makes our list: good weapons, cool gadgets and awesome comic hero crossovers. Perhaps the main reason to watch is largely down to Felicity Smoak, seen here at the right hand of millionaire rich kid playboy-by-day and saviour of the city by night Oliver Queen, aka Arrow.She is the super-clever computer geek in heels who saves everyone's bacon more than once with her hacking skills, physics knowledge and electronics talent. Her character also crosses over to DC Comics sister show The Flash to help out Starlabs when they need someone more capable on the keys. Available to watch on the CW channel in the US.
Pro Gamers
Part of the shorts season on Channel 4, a series of 3-4 minute videos catch up with the people who make money out of online gaming. From Minecraft to Call of Duty, eSports and Cosplay the series seeks to highlight the reason for eSports popularity, providing an insight into both the culture around eSports and the personalities that drive them.However, no interview with PewDiePie as of yet. 'Pro Gamers' is available on Channel 4's on demand service.
Person of Interest
Jim Caviezel stars as John Reese, the person of interest who is enlisted by shadowy business geek Harold Finch (played by former Lost actor and Emmy Award winner, Michael Emerson) to help him be the muscle to make the world a better place. Finch has created a complex piece of software that trawls surveillance of all kinds and pieces the patterns together to predict when crime will happen.Only, there's just one problem: the police don't like them beating up the bad guys or acting suspiciously at crime scenes. Academy Award nominee Taraji P. Henson is the detective tasked with finding out who these new vigilantes are and exactly whose side they are on. As the seasons progress, the software and technology take a more central point of interest.
Read More ...
Running Man of Tech: A beginner's guide to turbo training
I'm going to be sweating forever
I'm currently tapping this out in the back of my soon-to-be brother-in-law's car as he takes me and my (now) fiancée to the airport for a week in New York.I'm sweating buckets because I tried to sneak in a quick interval run before we left, which meant I bolted in through the door with only a few minutes to go to disapproving looks and the fastest shower of my life.
I've definitely forgotten something important, I've got that post run 'I CAN'T STOP SWEATING' problem, no matter how much I tried to dry off, and I'm getting motion sick from trying to write – but I'm going to get this column to you on time, dear reader.
Hero? I wouldn't go that far.
This week has, once again, been terrible for training. Fresh from the painful hamstrings, I'm still not feeling confident that I can push things to the limit lest they twang and put me out for weeks.
Which means my strength and speed training still hasn't properly started, a mix of slower recovery runs sandwiching a non-run day on Wednesday. I was in Paris all day for work, which meant I was up at 4.45AM to board the Eurostar, but I was home by 8.30PM and could have made it out for a run – I'm still annoyed now.
With that in mind, I'm going to reboot the training plan when out in the Big Apple and hope that this one sticks. While I'm still not convinced by the MiCoach training plan, I'm going to start with it for a week just to get me literally back up and running after which I'll try and tailor it to add in some longer hill sessions and letting me do Parkruns.
I will say that I'm constantly impressed with the amount of development that happens with Adidas' SmartRun watch – I don't think it's sold in the millions and yet there are still updates every quarter with new functionality.
GPS is still a little slower to pick up than other Garmin smartwatches, but the heart rate monitor is pretty accurate and there's now a mode that switches the screen off to save battery.
It's still expensive at over £200 – but I strongly suspect Adidas is using this development to bring out another, improved, running watch, and the more brands doing that, the better.
Riding the mountains in my own garage
Despite taking delivery of this during the latter stages of the triathlon training, a quick glance at the instruction manual scared the life out of me in terms of getting it all set up.However, with running off the cards at times in the last week, I looked for something else to do, so decided to finally get this sorted.
For those that don't know (which was me a few days ago), a turbo trainer is a replacement for your back wheel on your two-wheeler and turns it into a super exercise bike.
The Wahoo Kickr, used by the Team Sky cyclists to help them train through the disgustingly cold winter months, is one of the more complete options, bringing the ability to change resistance on the fly to mimic hills and provide total training.
It pairs with the Wahoo Fitness app through Bluetooth, meaning you can set up custom workouts or just see your speed or power output. However, I skipped that bit because I was too excited about trying it with Zwift, a massive online multiplayer world to cycle around against other cyclists.
But first, had to get the thing set up. The first thing to note is this thing is HEAVY – it's not something you can carry back from the shops. However given this thing costs just south of £1000, I'm comforted by the heft.
Set up is easy enough, if a little cumbersome. Snapping the legs into place takes a bit of grunt and getting it in a good place to see your tablet or laptop screen is tricky.
Then comes the spindown, where after 10 minutes warm up the Wahoo app asks you to speed up to 23MPH to calibrate the system. It was at this point I started to worry: my chain was skipping all over the place, and no amount of adjustment would stop it jumping gears.
After about 5 minutes I worked out what was wrong. My bike is an 8 speed on the read, where this was a 10 speed cassette – hence the derailleur skipping all over the place.
But I could work around that, and I was soon into the Zwift program. Macbook on a nearby shelf, I connected the Ant+ connector into the USB slot and let the program find the trainer. It also connected up to the TickrX heart rate monitor easily too, which was great.
After choosing my rider, bike and outfit, I was off, dropped in a virtual world where I could see my fellow cyclists on a map. It seems there's not a lot to do at the moment in that place, other than do laps of the hilly course, but that alone was awesome.
I could see how many seconds ahead of behind people I was, race sections against a leaderboard – all the while the resistance changing as I went up and down hills. It was amazing. I was sweating buckets but still hammering to try to keep up with the ghost riders (not Nicolas Cage, thankfully) that were starting to stream past me.
Yes, it's nowhere near replicating the experience of being out on the bike, where the wind blows in your hair, it's mega expensive and you nearly die being hit by cars and you almost smash yourself up hitting potholes… but you don't have to wear a helmet, you never get lost and with the myriad other programs out there you can be riding anywhere in the world – all from the comfort of your own home.
A big milestone for Runner G
Regular readers will recall that I've started 'training' (read: getting someone on the Adidas MiCoach program and then telling her to keep going over WhatsApp) a new runner, someone who's never run before but decided they wanted to do a 10K in September.She's five weeks into the plan, with about eight more to go. The incredible thing is that she's done every one of her four workouts per week, with her choosing the higher frequency to ensure each run isn't as hard.
Because that's the main thing that I'm finding with helping her train: the notion of running is scary.
Having done it for so many years and been to the edge and back of wanting to be sick so many times, the fear doesn't grip me as it once did. I know that if it hurts I can just throttle back and jog for a bit, safe in the knowledge I'll recover.
But despite sticking to the plan exactly, Runner G was still wracked with self doubt. 'Why am I not able to run over 2.5km when I'm going to be doing 10K?' she asked. I kept telling her to trust in the plan, that this was designed for beginners, that she needed to build a base and become familiar with running first.
Despite the fact the plan starts extending runs by 5-10 minutes from next week, she wasn't convinced. So we headed to the park and did exactly what this column doesn't do: run without any tech.
That's not strictly true – I still turned on the MiCoach app to log the run – but there was no FitSmart heart rate monitor (which is actually turning out to be quite useless for a new runner, where BPM training doesn't seem to work very well and it keeps dropping out too often anyway) and no voice coaching.
Just running.
I mapped out a 5K course, didn't tell her how far we were going, and then just got her to keep running. Keep finding her own speed without walking, that 'inner gear' that everyone has to just keep running at.
She felt like she had to stop so many times, even before we got halfway, but that's the point about starting to train: your body wants you to stop because it doesn't recognise the feeling of pushing, your reflexes starting every warning sign going.
I just kept telling her to focus on form, relax the shoulders, keep her head up and tense her core to keep things efficient. At 4KM I told her she could do 5KM if she wanted, and despite telling me she was spent, she pushed on.
The metres slowly dwindling, that last kilometre was hard for her. But we still sprinted the last 100m, and I don't think I've ever seen a bigger smile on someone's face.
- If you've got any tips, tech you want tested out or just want to mock me, I'm@superbeav on Twitter, and you can see my stumblings on Strava too.
- Read the rest of the Running Man of Tech story here
Read More ...
Review: Updated: Apple Watch
Introduction
Update: There's an Apple Watch update launching this fall called WatchOS 2, so this revised review takes that into account.It'll opens up the Taptic Engine, Digital Crown, microphone and even more for developers, meaning apps should be better suited to function on your wrist. Transit directions come with iOS 9.
The Apple Watch update also opens up Wi-Fi connectivity, new watch faces with different customizable options, better Siri capabilities and email replies, and are all just a sample of the Watch OS 2 features list.
Review continued below...
The Apple Watch is ticking away on my wrist right now, and while it's no longer called the iWatch, it really is "my watch" and Apple's most personal gadget yet.
The iPhone 5-and-up-compatible smartwatch comes in 38 flavors, with different case materials, colors, sizes and interchangeable Apple Watch bands. None are inexpensive.
It starting at $349 (£299, AU$499) and peaks at an exorbitant $17,000 (£13,500, AU$24,000), making this lightweight wristwatch for impatient early adopters and boutique store regulars. Yet patience is required of all due to backed up online orders and a long-avoided launch in Apple Stores in one week.
Is it worth that tough-to-swallow Apple Watch price and wait? Well, beaming apps like Messages, Mail and every iPhone notification to an always-on-hand gadget is certainly a convenience.
I no longer retrieve my seemingly always-hiding iPhone 6 every time someone texts me, yet I can ping it whenever I really can't find it, usually buried beneath the couch cushions. It has easiest to use Find My iPhone app yet.
Apple is supposed to be building upon this novel idea with a proposed Find My Watch feature, which is the reserve of this handy retrieval system, and an Android Wear-like "smart leashing" detector to deploy a light tap on the wrist when the wearer wanders too far from his or her phone.
Apple Watch OS 1.0.1 fixed a few sensor errors and expanded the number of languages supported, and a full update is due this fall thanks to WatchOS 2 and iOS 9.
Similar conveniences are carried over to the thousands of apps. Checking into a flight thanks to a wrist-mounted QR code sure beats scrambling for my phone or paper boarding pass while moving my bags up in the security line step-by-step.
Those steps, it turns out, are being counted in the Apple Watch's fitness app. It's not the most comprehensive fitness tracker, but it lets me keep tabs on metrics like my steps walked, calories burned and heart rate. Surprise: I need to move more when I'm writing reviews.
But not having to fetch my phone for each and every vibration in my pocket is very much a luxury rather than a necessity, and not one every iPhone user needs - at least for the current asking price.
Why buy an Apple Watch?
Apple Watch is often oversimplified as an iPhone on your wrist, and almost everyone I have demoed it to has accidentally referred to it as "your phone." Even I slipped up once.It's not an unreasonable comparison. The square-shaped smartwatch is like a mini iPhone; it lets me read emails, summon Siri and make and receive phone calls from my wrist.
The size is just right too. While many Android Wear watches look and feel chunky to most, the 42mm Apple Watch fits my wrist much more unobtrusively.
An even smaller 38mm size is also available, though most people should for opt for the bigger of the two. It offers better battery life and more useable touchscreen space (but does come at a higher cost).
What feels strange about writing this review is that there's no point in really comparing it to Android Wear at all. Nobody chooses a smartwatch first and then decides on which phone to go with it – no, if you're reading this review you're probably either doing it on the iPhone or with one close to hand, wondering if it adds enough convenience to be worth the extra cost.
But do I need this Watch? On the one hand it's been great to change my behavior, as too many times I have instinctively run to my phone, charging in another room, because it's ringing or because the default SMS chime has turned me into one of Pavlov's dogs.
How many times have I missed an important call or text? Just as important, how many times have I rushed to the phone and it was an unimportant telemarketing call or a friend replying with text that simply says "OK" to something I said three hours ago?
These missed connections and potential disappointments are less insufferable thanks to the Apple Watch and its ability to either pick up or dismiss these alerts in a tenth of a second.
Custom watch faces, like we've seen from Android Wear watches, are here (although only those that Apple makes, as it's sadly not permitting third parties to do the same thing), as well as new exclusive technology like the pressure-sensitive Force Touch touchscreen.
There are also a large number of Apple Watch apps already, including the easy-to-use Apple Pay in the US and frequently used Uber car hailing service, equivalents of which have been slow to launch on Android Wear.
What's missing?
There are plenty iPhone features that aren't carried over to the wrist. Apple Watch is not a fully-fledged iPhone replacement.It makes calls, but it can't add new contacts. It listens to dictated texts and sends them as an audio message or transcription, but it doesn't have any sort of edit function.
It tracks basic fitness goals, but not it's GPS-enabled, doesn't track sleep and third-party workout apps require an iPhone close by. Likewise, it can name songs through the Shazam app, but it listens with the iPhone microphone, not its own.
Having to carry a phone still is a weird disappointment to a lot of people who are missing the point of a current smartwatches. "Wait, I still need my phone?" is the response I've heard from baffled people. Of course you do. The Watch isn't big enough for watching YouTube videos on its tiny display size and trying to comment on Facebook posts while pecking away on a teeny keyboard would be terrible.
Who would want to don a giant watch capable of such specs or a large enough battery to run that? You still need an iPhone with you at all times, but you'll use it less than before.
The bigger questions: can is do enough to be worth its price, and is it fashionable enough to wear everyday, by geek chic and non geeks alike? Let's examine the design first.
Design and display
Apple's build-up to the Watch's launch was all about the style, how it was forged in Ive's clean furnaces and made of angel tears (or something), and how it's capable of replacing the emotional connection thousands of us have with our current timepiece.
That really depends on who you ask and which Apple Watch you're talking about. There are three models, the aluminum Sport, stainless steel Watch and gold Watch Edition.
I've tried on every Apple Watch model, outside of the 18-karat gold Apple Watch Edition, before ordering, but I stuck with the entry-level 42mm aluminum Apple Watch Sport in white.
It's the cheapest configuration slightly more comfortable than its two posh counterparts that are made of heavier steel and gold.
They vary in price and unnecessary weight more than they do in attractiveness, although when switching to the steel Watch with Milanese loop I found more people preferred the shiny exterior of the more expensive model.
But if lightness is what you're after, the Sport's anodized aluminum case and Ion-X glass make it 30% lighter. It's 30g instead of the steel's 50g, and gold's 69g. That adds up on my wrist when I'm wearing this thing for 18 hours a day before the battery life is zapped.
After a day of wearing the lightweight Apple Watch on my right wrist and a heavier Moto 360 on my left wrist - for testing purposes, I assure you - I almost couldn't feel the Apple Watch. For the same test with the Garmin Fenix 3 when running – a much, much larger watch – I noted the same effect, showing Apple's got the balance pretty right here.
Its aluminum frame matches the iPhone build and is therefore duller than the shiny stainless steel Apple Watch, but it still goes with a steel band like the Milanese Loop just fine.
A bigger problem in the future may be that the Apple Watch Sport is missing the premium sapphire crystal glass, which is supposed to be almost scratch-proof. The good news is that the Ion-X glass substitute on the Sport model has proven resilient so far.
I've seen several "drop tests" videos of shattered Apple Watch Sport glass, but more relevant real-world tests would consist of minor wall and corner scraps for wearables. Geeky iPhone diehards whose equilibrium is off may want to spring for AppleCare just to be safe, but I've not seen a problem.
Everything else is the same among all the models. The case sits 10.5mm off of my wrist, slightly thicker than an Android Wear watch, but it has a stylishly curved glass and rounded off corners on the top, and a small bump to its black composite back's heart rate sensor.
It's reasonably thin for now, but I can already imagine Apple making a "world's thinnest smartwatch" several times over for the Apple Watch 2 and beyond.
Its thickness does leave room for two large buttons, a classy sounding digital crown and an uninspiringly named "side button." Both are located on the right side for twisting and pressing through menus. A microphone and speaker are on the left side.
The Apple Watch Sport band is made of fluoroelastomer, which is Apple's fancy way of saying synthetic rubber, which is supposed to be extremely durable. Time will tell.
The smooth strap, available in white, black, blue, green and pink colors, feels comfortable and is easier to buckle than any prong-clasped Fitbit I've tested. It tucks the excess band in a hole so that it hides behind the beginning the strap.
The difference between using the Sport model with the rubber strap and the Watch with Milanese loop felt like I was stepping up to a "proper" Watch. That's more the band than the model itself, so a swift switch between the two (providing you outlay the high cost to buy another band) is fine to improve the look.
My watch came with two bands in the box, a larger and shorter size in the same white color. Changing the strap was incredibly simple and required no tooling, unlike the Moto 360. A secure fingernail tip-sized button underneath the watch releases each strap.
Although many Android Wear smartwatches work with third-party 22mm bands, the transition to a new Apple Watch band is more seamless. Cheaper third-party straps are also said to be on the way.
Overall, the design of the Apple Watch is probably the biggest thing it's got going for it. As one of the first to walk around wearing this new timepiece, I felt both awesome early adopter as people asked in hushed tones to see the new Watch, and embarrassed as other would see me as having paid a large amount of money for something that doesn't really do a huge amount yet, another follower of whatever Apple does just for the sake of owning it.
The truth was somewhere in the middle – and after a few months, both will die down and the idea of having a smartwatch on the wrist won't seem so crazy, which will perversely help the Android Wear story too.
Display
Behind the Ion-X or sapphire glass of the Apple Watch sits a bright and colorful OLED. It's sharper than other smart watches, most notably the pixelated LCD of the Moto 360.It's the right screen technology for smartwatches, as OLED displays draw much less battery when showing a darker screen. With OLED only the pixels used are turned on, and fewer pixels equals less battery drain.
That's why most of the Apple Watch faces are surrounded by deep black background. It also helps the colorful app icons and watch face element pop.
The 38mm Apple Watch resolution is 272 x 340, while a 42mm version is 312 x 390. The bigger display's necessary extra power is offset by a larger Apple Watch battery.
Apple was able to design a sharp-looking flexible OLED display for the Watch, but it didn't go as far as creating a circular screen for a truly classic watch look.
Last year's Moto 360 did exactly that to the envy of iPhone owners who weren't able to get in on the modern smartwatch craze outside of the first two Pebble watches.
All of Apple's flowery marketing rhetoric about reinventing the classic watch look - from digital crown to complications - didn't also translate into that that traditional round watch look, which is one of my largest criticisms with the design. I appreciate that the square is better for interacting with the Watch, but with the apps interface being spherical and 'traditional' watches just look better when round.
Apple Watch is more colorful than its iPhone-connected rivals though, especially the new Pebble Time, and readable in all but the brightest sunlight. But it comes at the expense of its battery life.
Battery life and clever charging
Apple Watch is supposed to have 18 hours of battery life, which would translate into a full day if I were to ever keep to a normal sleeping schedule.I was able to lengthen the uptime of my watch to a full 24 hours on days in which I didn't make battery-taxing phone calls with it, or use the half-as-power-hungry heart rate monitor.
I'll put it simply: I think Apple deliberately downplayed the battery life of its Watch to make sure it didn't get hit with angry users should the numbers not stack up. I've had days where I've been for a couple of hours' run and it's still easily lasted the day, and not once in the week of testing did I get to the evening approaching critical levels of power.
Apple Watch depletes the battery in three hours if used for non-stop phone calls. Working out with the heart rate monitor or listening to music does the same in six hours. Conversely, just checking the time every so often boosts it to 48 hours.
But you'll also need to think about the future here. Like Nokia's old attempts at smartphones, the battery life on the Watch is good because you don't find yourself wanting to play with it a lot because, well, it doesn't do a whole lot right now.
That's going to change though. As developers get their hands on the Watch and start making use of the inbuilt NFC or other sensors, you'll find the battery life will drop faster as more apps start making a play for its reserves.
Talking of which, a 72-hour Power Reserve mode kicks in when the Apple Watch battery reaches 0% so that it doesn't shut off completely. It only tells the time doesn't keep the fancy watch face.
This sent me running to a charger since it does nothing else in this catatonic state. Making it even more perilous, it was actually a bit difficult to exit this catatonic state. The watch takes a solid minute and a half to reboot, which initially made me think I didn't know how to reboot the device and was accidentally resetting it every time.
Power Reserve mode
The official Apple Watch recharge time is 1.5 hours to 80% and and 2.5 hours to 100%. That's a bit slower than the average smartwatch. Moto 360 charges up in 2 hours flat. But I've been able to completely recharge my Apple Watch in the same 2-hour window.
The 205mAh battery pack is predictably sealed into the device, and is smaller than the battery on other Android Wear devices.
My faster-than-expected charging time may be because, at 0%, the watch still has its limited time-checking Power Reserve state to go. I had charged the watch when it and entered this special mode, so it technically had some juice left to it.
Inductive charger
Apple Watch's inductive magnetic charger takes cues from the company's popular MagSafe chargers, which come with all MacBook Air and MacBook Pro computers (but not the New Macbook).It combines a MagSafe magnet with an inductive charger for a wire-free solution. It helps when you're in the dark or in tight situations, like a coach seat on an airplane, and need to simply clip on a charger and be done with it. Magnets, boss.
As much as I don't like having yet another type of cable to carry around, it's way better than the flimsy Pogo charger designs used by Pebble, LG, Samsung and others. It wire-free design also means that Apple Watch is sealed and is therefore water-resistant to a point.
Using the Watch day to day
There's something a little more complicated about this shrunken Apple product compared to the now familiar iPhone and iPad. It took a few days to wrap my head around the interface, which is surprising for an Apple product. The Watch is nowhere near as intuitive as most will expect.I immediately started receiving texts and emails on my wrist, as expected, and I could easily dismiss what wasn't vital. This sudden flurry of notifications was actually welcomed. However, to do much with these alerts, I had to learn to bounce between three menus: watch face, app launcher and glances, and the methods of flicking between them doesn't feel natural.
This learning for users curve exists because the software tries to do too much at once, and smartwatches offer extremely limited interface real estate. Plus, the Apple Watch is part of a brand new product category for everyone.
Remembering to swipe down to see my backlog of notifications or swipe up to see my pinned "Glances" widgets is complicated by the fact that this only works when in the watch face menu. It doesn't work in any other app or the app launcher menu, where with the iPhone swiping up or down is pervasive.
Sometimes I hit the side button because it looks like the iPhone sleep/wake button only to realize that it brings up my contacts list. Pressing in the digital crown does the trick here. Double tapping the crown will switch between apps, but it's a soft press and doesn't always feel like it's registered, and the easiest way to get back to time is to let the watch dangle by the wrist and then bring it back up again.
That's not intuitive, and is the sort of thing that gives the Watch naysayers (of which there appear to be a few) ammunition when you're having to jump through hoops just to tell them the time on your watch.
There's also the issue of slowdown that flickers intermittently throughout Watch use, with opening the settings menu the biggest offender. Hit the teeny icon (you can scroll the digital crown to make things bigger, but that feels like an odd extra step) and you're greeting with icons that have no words next to them, and a couple of seconds later everything blinks into view.
The same happens with most lists, where using the digital crown to scroll through is fluid, using the finger (the more intuitive way to do things) lags and jumps a bit.
As first generation software, it's just not always as intuitive as it could be. Luckily, the setup is fairly seamless. I booted up my iPhone's Watch app, which came with iOS 8.2, and it asked me to take a photo of my new Apple Watch. Done. It was paired.
Syncing my existing apps happened automatically too, but took a couple of minutes. After that, I was able to customize my watch face and load up a springboard of circular apps. The device connects using a weird fusion of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but unlike the phone, you can't use Bluetooth when the Watch is in flight mode, which makes Bluetooth music streaming a no-no when in mid-air.
The My Watch menu within the iPhone companion app is astonishingly complex, which may end up being a good thing once I get the hang of it but will displease Apple fans who crave simplicity, where the thing just works.
I can disable notifications for specific apps and just about every setting can be mirrored from the iPhone or be set up individually, from Do Not Disturb to Messages notifications. Texts can repeat twice all the way up to ten times if I hate myself.
Apple Watch doesn't contain all of the intricate gears of a Swiss watch, but it has a lot of moving parts to its software. It has taken a few days to learn and configure to my liking, but I feel as though the less-interested iPhone audience, like my new smartphone-owning parents, needs to wait until it's further refined and more apps come to the Apple Watch app store.
A brilliant new breed of apps
The Apple Watch needs a headline feature, and while it doesn't really have it yet (beyond sending random pictures to other Watch-wearers) the apps that live on it are going to be the real reason to buy one.Sure, they're not there yet, but the in-built choices and first goes from third parties are pretty good already, meaning this is a device with a lot of potential.
Watch faces
Apple's watch faces take advantage of the pressure sensitive Force Touch display. Holding down on the glass, with a bit of exertion, zooms out of the current watch face and loads up a gallery of faces, from the information-packed Modular to the toe-tapping Mickey Mouse. Utility ended up being my favorite because it was simple, yet fit all of my customizations.
These let me insert information snippets onto the watch face, such as the full date, my next calendar appointment or the sunrise and sunset time if I really wanted to know daily. Most faces make room for smaller, pre-select spaces in the corners too. These let me display the critical Apple Watch battery life percentage, my daily fitness graph and the time in another city, which has been great for traveling.
There are "millions" of combinations, according to Apple, but these custom pre-determined spaces can't be moved around and, in reality, there are just ten faces. Apple has yet to open up its watch face API to developers and it's currently banning third-party faces.
Apple has to catch up to Android Wear here as it's one of the things I love about Android Wear (the Goldeneye and PacMan faces are real crowd pleasers) and if Apple is serious about making the Watch personal, being able to choose more faces is a must.
Built-in apps
Apps, on the other hand, are open to developers, and it shows. There are loads are launch, and the best Apple Watch apps are those from Apple itself. Siri answered my basic questions, like "who is the governor of New York" and "when in the next Phillies game." Anything more in-depth than that, and the silent virtual assistant proposes you "handoff" to your iPhone.Apple's built-in timer let me set the timer for cooking and the laundry, without requiring me to take out my iPhone (which were in my other jeans).
Passbook worked flawlessly at the airport (although be prepared for the 'Early Adopter' syndrome when you try and check in at a desk where the attendant has no idea why you want to use your watch) and Apple Pay enabled me to buy food at McDonald's (for testing purposes) while I continued to play on my smartphone.
Apple Pay on a phone? That's so 2014.
We're still waiting for the payment to come to markets other than the US, with the UK set to receive the update sometime in 2015, so that function isn't going to be of use to everyone.
But a real USP of the Watch would be that runners who have left the phone at home can still get vital hydration or a ride home in an emergency thanks to the contactless capabilities of the Watch.
Well, that's if I'd ever use the Apple Watch as a standalone running device, which I'd struggle to at the moment (more on that later).
There's no camera on the Apple Watch, but it doesn't have a Camera Remote app that let me snap photos remotely in conjunction with my iPhone's iSight camera. That was handy, unlike the actual Photos app, which was a tiny way to look at your photos from the phone.
The watch isn't a particular visual experience and it's restricted by its 8GB of internal storage (with about 6GB available), with Music running into the same dilemma, so controlling your iPhone's music collection is a better choice.
That said, you can pair a set of Bluetooth headphones and tell your iPhone to shove some of your playlists over to the Watch. However the most you can have on there is 2GB of music (which you have to change from the 1GB default) so this is no iPod replacement.
It's good for music when you're out running though, and is a nice touch from Apple letting you choose between the phone and Watch for audio pleasure.
Apple Maps on Apple Watch let me navigate the streets of New York City without forcing me to foolishly take out my iPhone at every new turn, like a tourist. The iPhone app also opened up in my pocket, just in case I needed to change up the directions or see the route in full. No, there sadly isn't a native Google Maps app here and no metro directions. Maybe with iOS 9.
Calls and messages
Calling someone through an Apple Watch isn't the most ideal way to talk to chums, especially in a noisy environment. It sounds like a speaker phone with a little more static. But it works well in an otherwise quiet location or when your phone is two floors above you.The Apple Watch side button leads to a dedicated "favorite contacts" menu, which let me text and call my friends and family.
I found sending a speech-to-text transcription a bit easier on the Apple Watch than any Android Wear watch. Apple's way of doing it doesn't rudely cut me off and hurriedly send a broken text message when I stop mid-sentence. I actually get to think about what I want to say. I value that distinction.
Apple Watch users have the added bonus of including very simple sketches and attention-grabbing taps to other Watch owners using the timepiece's Taptic feedback vibration. Heartbeats can also be exchanged for what may be the weirdest / creepiest Apple Watch feature.
It's novel at first, but after receiving my tenth heartbeat from the same few People Watch owners, it has become fairly annoying.
Third-party apps
Apple Watch apps from developers are hit or miss when it comes to design and performance. I can request a car with Uber, receive breaking news alerts from CNN and track my lost wallet with the Title app on Apple Watch. But many of them are read-only apps. Instagram is here, but you can only see a few recent posts and comments are limited to emojis at the moment.Twitter, the New York Times and Nike+ Running made the jump to Apple Watch, but a number of other essential third-party apps are missing, at least in native form. This includes Facebook, Google Maps and the iOS Gmail app, which forced me to switch back to Apple's default mail app.
Sure, Facebook main app notifications pop up on the watch, as do emails snippets from the Gmail app, but seeing anything beyond "Lily posted a comment on your timeline" or reading the full email requires an iPhone for now. Worse, getting two Facebook comments or emails makes it even more vague.
"You have two messages." That's less than helpful, Apple Watch. Thanks. This is unlike Instagram's native app or Apple's built-in Mail app with interactive controls on the wrist.
Many third-party apps need to load faster and include finer controls that go far beyond "Show App on Apple Watch." This is up to developers and over time I'm sure some really great apps will begin to appear that take advantage of this new tech location.
Running and fitness tracking
Apple Watch isn't a fitness band, watch or fashion accessory, despite taking a bit from each of those camps. It's hard to define what it really is, which means that users may struggle to justify the purchase.What has saddened me in the time since launch is finding out that Apple won't be selling it properly into the health market. Apparently early tests to add in a stress sensor and blood pressure monitor failed, (beautifully partly because of hairy arms) so the Apple Watch - at least version one - will be a cut down version of what it could have been.
The fitness tracking is comprehensive (in as much a fitness tracker can be) in that it wants you to exercise for 30 minutes per day, stand for at least a minute for 12 hours and burn enough calories every 24 hours. It'll also tell you steps and distance travelled, which is a staple of the tracker.
But like these trackers, it's pointless. I'm not saying that it doesn't help clue you in on sedentary habits, but nearly every person who isn't already active, but would like to be, will go through these phases: jumping to attention whenever the Watch tells them to stand, poring over their data to see how well they've done and making sure all the rings get filled.
Until the day they don't. Then a sense of guilt wanders in. So our hero promises to redouble their efforts, walking further the next day to make up for it. Except they inevitably slip again and then guilt roars higher. Then it's a couple of days with unfilled rings, and the nudges from the Watch become unfriendly. Why have you bought something that's telling you that you're not fulfilling your goals all day long?
The Watch also constantly told me to stand up just minutes after sitting down, which gave me very little trust in the app.
I know this is an extreme case, and many people are capable of ignoring the messages, but that misses the point. While a device that can act like a coach is good, if it was a person the goals would change each day. They'd be linked to a challenge, would increase or vary over time – it would give victory to this gamification.
And that's the very, very big problem I have with the Apple Watch when comparing it to a running watch: it's far too basic to be considered a rival to a Garmin or Polar device, and for the new user it doesn't have any way of helping you get fitter.
Starting up the Workout app and you've got a pleasing amount of options to choose from, with elliptical and rowing machines bound to attract those people that "always mean to use them things at the gym."
But running is the main focus, with Apple joining up with Christy Turlington-Burns to show how she trained for the London Marathon using the Apple Watch.
Perhaps she honestly did the entire time, but she would probably have wished for a more in-depth device during the training. The Apple Watch will ask you how many calories you wish to burn, how far you'd like to go or how long you'd like to run for (or just an open-ended goal) and then off you pop, with rings appearing to let you know how close to your goal you are.
But that's it. And it's up to you to improve, with "beating your best time / burn / distance" the only thing the Apple Watch will let you do. If this is for the beginner then it should be giving you different workouts to keep things interesting, helping you progress to improved running power.
There are so many apps out there which can do the same thing, so why can't Apple nail this area? There's also the fact GPS isn't on board, so unless the phone is tethered you won't get accurate data.
Actually, even with the phone in a bag, pocket or pouch the GPS is still a little on the generous side, compared the Garmin Fenix 3 which I tested against. Over a 5KM run, the Garmin was a shade under the distance, but Apple added another 160m onto the distance.
The heart rate monitor is also not up to the task. It needs a much tighter fit than the Watch seems to be able to offer and when running, and checking to see how hard I was working, the monitor constantly showed a much higher BPM than the chest strap was showing.
This means users will get erratic results, and it's not possible to tell when you're overtraining and the heart rate soars at low levels of exercise, which again makes the Apple Watch not great for training if you don't invest a little.
One thing that did impress me is that it can connect to sensors, so adding in a heart rate monitor like the Wahoo Tickr X, which can connect to nearly every device going, which instantly improved the health chops of the Apple Watch.
But having to fork out to improve a certain area when you've already paid so much for the Watch isn't going to impress everyone.
You can use other apps here but they won't work without the phone connected, which again makes them slightly redundant. That said, for those running with a phone religiously bandaged to their arm (which is a lot of people) the second screen on the wrist is a really nice addition, opening up your pace and distance info in real time when before you wouldn't know anything until you finished your jaunt.
All this leaves me feeling like the Apple Watch 3 will be a brilliant running watch, when there are enough sensors and apps from third parties can use them to bring all the power of their standalone devices to the wrists of people who don't really care about running, Trojan Horsing a clever running plan into their lives.
But for now, it's hard to recommend the Watch as a fitness device unless all you want to do is be poked to stand up once in a while.
Verdict
The constant question I had when writing this review is: what's the Apple Watch actually for? It's one thing to get one in for a review, another when you've got no reason to buy one other than it looks a bit fancy.
The Apple Watch both surprised and disappointed in that respect, with some things impressing me with their intuition (being able to add in heart rate monitors was a nice touch, and the overall polish of the interface on the OLED display wasn't something I was expecting from a first gen product).
Some things didn't work as well as I'd have liked (I was surprised that the interface was so fiddly for an Apple product) but they were relatively few.
We liked
The overall look and feel of the Apple Watch, as with most products from Cupertino, was a major plus for me. The last thing you want is a watch that you have to apologize for visually just so you can find out when Ebay has found some things you might like to bid on without having to get your phone out of the pocket.Having used a number of smartwatches over the last two years, there's something about the slickness of the Apple Watch that appeals. Yes, it doesn't do a huge amount right now, but no smartwatch does, and Apple is primed to get the best of the developers' produce - in just the same way as the iPhone and iPad did - to get the apps that will really supercharge the Watch.
And once you've bought the Watch and got over the high price, it is a genuinely useful thing to have around at times. Being able to check when you've got a message or see who's calling and be able to make snap decisions feels like the future, especially when exercising or in another situation where grabbing your phone isn't easy.
We disliked
The Apple Watch feels exactly like you'd expect it to: a first attempt. Apple's fused its own design ethos with the limited technology around at the moment to make a compelling smartwatch - but it's still a smartwatch, a device that doesn't really have an easy answer when your pals ask 'So, what's so good about that?'.The fact the time isn't always showing on the face isn't brilliant either - while the wrist raise is among the most infallible I've encountered, there are still times when I'm lying down, want to know the time and have to tap the watchface to find out.
When the old technology beats the new, that's where a problem needs to be solved.
And while I find it hard to even bang the 'Apple has made a product that costs more than it should' drum again, this is still a very expensive luxury. You don't need it in the same way a smartphone is a necessity, and unlike the iPad, it's more expensive than the competition by some distance.
The fitness angle feels underpowered at the moment too - there's a lot of potential there, but the Apple Watch is not something I'd recommend to anyone that's serious about getting into shape... unless they're desperate for all the other elements this device offers too.
Final Verdict
For iPhone users desperate for a smartwatch, the Apple Watch is perfect for you. It relays some iOS apps and all notifications to my wrist without requiring me to constantly pull out and unlock my phone, and that's a nicely convenient thing to have.This concept is going to become more useful when the hype dies down and new apps emerge, as the best smartwatches work better as an unexciting fashion piece or fitness tracker that fades into the background.
That contrasts with an iPhone or an iPad that you constantly pull out to play with in an idle few minutes, and ironically by being better connected with the Watch you'll hopefully start to rid yourself of the smartphone addiction. If you're asking why it can't play YouTube or take photos, you're really missing the point.
It's a time-telling and time-saving convenience, though one that still requires a nearby iPhone and a hefty sum to buy. The Apple Watch price is rightfully getting mixed reviews from fans. That's why I ultimately recommend the cheapest aluminum Apple Watch Sport with another band for the moments when you want to look more 'grown up'.
It has same dimensions, functionality and battery life as the pricey steel and gold models and when you look lustily at the inevitably improved Apple Watch 2, you won't lose as much money when you stuff this one straight on Ebay.
Read More ...
Huawei's Nexus will come with an Android app store for China
We first heard rumours that Huawei is in line to produce the new Nexus back at the end of February, and since then plenty of anonymous sources have been queueing up to confirm such a device is indeed on the cards.
This weekend there's another report that a Huawei-made Nexus is indeed on the way, with an extra tidbit of information - the companies are also busy working on an Android app store for China.
The Google Play Store isn't available in China due to government regulations, with Android users having to turn to third-party libraries for their apps. It sounds like Google wants to fix this with Huawei's help.
Watch this space
The new write-up from The Information also adds that Google is offering its expertise to Huawei as the manufacturer develops its new smartwatch and other devices.Huawei gets plenty of exposure in western markets from the deal as it looks to expand its operations worldwide, so it's a partnership that makes sense from both sides.
We're also expecting a smaller Nexus to appear from LG before the year is out, and the new devices may well keep the 5 and 6 monikers already in use. Any incoming hardware should appear around the same time that Android M gets officially pushed out.
Read More ...
Week in Gaming: Toys-to-life are exploiting the most nostalgic generation ever - and I don't mind
Remember childhood? That time when you were more likely to get a grazed knee than RSI? When having a Caprisun and a Lunchables box was something you could do without everyone thinking you were making an ironic lunchtime statement? Long before you'd ever even heard the words "Excel" and "toner" and were more likely to be found prancing around the playground shouting "I'm a unicorn!" than getting those copies of the Johnson files for your boss?
Good times, eh? But those times are over. Look at yourselves in the mirror and weep salty tears into your crow's feet and your laughter lines. We will never be young again. Luckily for us all, though, we do have one thing the snotty youths don't: disposable income.
Toys-to-life is the new thing as far as video games are concerned, with Lego Dimensions, Skylanders, Disney Infinity and now Nintendo all cashing in on the lucrative game add-on. It's the future we always dreamed of: our toys are real! After growing up watching Transformers, Power Rangers and Toy Story, and even that one creepy bit in A Little Princess when the dad tells his daughter that her dolls are totally alive and move around when she's not looking, we can finally live the reality that TV and film made us believe in as a child. Problem is, we're all adults now.
But of course, the makers of toys-to-life products know that. Nintendo prices its Amiibos rather high and makes some of them "rare" simply by just, well, not making enough of them; Skylanders and Disney Infinity play off the fact that many of those nostalgic toy-craving people are now parents, and thus have to buy these toys for their kids (right? WINK). Meanwhile Lego Dimensions combines beloved franchises like Scooby Doo, Doctor Who, DC Comics and Back To The Future to sucker in a generation that grew up in the 80s and 90s.
The long con
You see? They're not for kids at all. It's almost as if the entirety of the 90s - a decade dedicated to the promise of technology, even if that promise was occasionally a little bit overenthusiastic (where's my goddamn Power Glove?) - was some kind of long-con-style seeding to get us to crave toys with little chips inside them that held a load of tasty game data.Is it exploitation, then, to exchange nostalgia for tasty currency? Obviously there's a fair bit of dodgy dealing going on, which becomes apparent the second you type "amiibo" into the eBay search bar and find out just how far people will go to get their mitts on a Marth. Nintendo has been a bit cheeky in creating its false "rarities", and the adults snatching up Gold Mario from under a weeping child's nose are possibly taking their collector's habit a little too far, but I just can't bring myself to hate the movement completely.
After all, I'm one of those nostalgia kids. I've heard it said that the 80s and 90s produced what might well be the most nostalgic generation ever, due to the rapid improvement in technology in such a short space of time, giving the two decades the impression of being much, much longer than they were.
Maybe the problem with adults buying toys-to-life is that it seems gross and expensive and silly until it's a franchise you care about. I don't care for Mario and his stunted mushroom friends all that much, so amiibo barely registered for me. But Lego, on the other hand, gets me more excited than… well, than a kid on Christmas day unwrapping a load of Lego. I will buy so many of those sets, and I will join my amiibo-loving friends in that lovely place called Credit Card Debt, and just like that, I will be on the other side of the fence.
Luckily, I've got a couple of months left before all the Lego comes out. Pray for me.
Read More ...
How to build the best Raspberry Pi 2 media server
Introduction
Who needs the likes of Sky Anytime or Virgin Media's On Demand services when you can build your own personally tailored digital media library?
This is a library that contains your personal, curated collection of music, TV shows and movies. It's accessible from any room in your home (or outside it), and there's no digging through CDs, sitting through DVD intros or flicking through someone else's choice of content, 90% of which you have no interest in.
In this tutorial, we'll show you how to build your own media server using the versatile – and incredibly cheap – Raspberry Pi 2.
We're not just talking about any bog-standard media server either – no, thanks to the Pi 2's quad-core processor and 1GB RAM, you can run the frankly fabulous Plex Media Server directly from it. We'll reveal the easiest way to get it up and running on your Pi, plus show you how to hook it up to all your stored media and configure it so you can access your content from anywhere – not just your own local network.
The Raspberry Pi 2 as a media server
You might be wondering why you'd choose to build a dedicated media server when any modern PC or Mac (sporting a 2GHz dual-core processor or chipset with hardware accelerated video decoding) can do the job. Two reasons: convenience, and energy consumption. Use the Raspberry Pi 2, and its small form factor allows you to place it anywhere. And you don't even need to hook it up to a TV, keyboard or mouse – as we'll reveal, you can set it up remotely over your network from your computer or even your mobile.
There are some compromises to be made by choosing the Raspberry Pi 2 as your media server. First, while the quad-core processor and 1GB RAM make it a practical beast for running the demanding Plex, there are still performance hurdles to overcome. Be prepared to give it time – and by time, we mean days rather than hours – to index your media collection, particularly if it contains hundreds of hours of TV shows and movies.
Once the content is indexed, however, browsing your server is fast and responsive – much quicker than trying to access it directly from a Network Attached Storage device like Zyxel's NSA325 model, for example.
The second issue is transcoding. Transcoding occurs when the server has to convert your media files into a compatible format to play back on other devices. Transcoding requires a lot of processor grunt or hardware-accelerated video decoding, but if your video is encoded in MP4/H.264 format, then you won't need this feature except when accessing your media over the internet (and the Pi can accommodate some transcoding of MP4 files to optimise for streaming). That's because most devices play this format natively – all you need to do is configure each of your Plex apps to use "Direct Play" where possible, and we'll reveal how later.
Storage considerations
When it comes to storage, you'll need a large external hard drive to store your media on. This can be plugged directly into one of your Pi's four USB ports, or you can store your media on a network hard drive and access that instead.
You'll also need to store both your Pi's operating system and all the files Plex needs and creates on a microSD card. Media server support files – metadata, transcoded files and so on – take up gigabytes of room, so the standard 8GB SD card won't cut it for larger media libraries.
While it's possible to reconfigure your server to store Plex's configuration files on another drive, we recommend you simply purchase a larger SD card. Consider 32GB a comfortable minimum (see eLinux.org for a list of compatible cards).
One final consideration is your network. While it's technically possible to add Wi-Fi to your Raspberry Pi, we're going to assume you're plugging it directly into your network router or via a HomePlug socket.
Obtain the OS
Your Raspberry Pi 2 is going to be a dedicated media server, so for simplicity's sake we're going to install a ready built OS (Minibian) with a click-to-install version of Plex on it courtesy of HTPC Guides. Start by visiting the installer page on a Mac or PC where you'll need to share the post as instructed to reveal the download link.
Save the ZIP file to your hard drive, then extract the IMG file you'll find within. Now you need to write this IMG file to your SD card – note this will wipe everything on the card, so take a backup first.
Windows users can clone the IMG file to SD using Win32 Disk Imager, while Mac users can avoid using Terminal thanks to a pair of handy utilities from IvanX.com – use Pi Copier to save a snapshot of your SD card if it's got data on it, and then Pi Filler to copy the IMG file you downloaded to the card.
Installation and setup
The image you've created means that Minibian is set up and ready to go on your Pi. However, there are some additional steps to perform that require you to first hook up your Pi to a monitor (via HDMI) and USB keyboard. Pop the card into your Pi (face down) and click it into place. Now plug it in to the mains and you'll see it boot.
Wait for a series of messages to scroll by, then start by changing the default passwords for both the root user and your default 'pi' user. To do this, log in using root as your username and htpcguides as your password when prompted.
Next, type sudo passwd and create a new password for the root user. Now type sudo passwd pi and create a new password for the pi user account.
Next, regenerate your SSH keys with the following two commands:
rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host*
dpkg-reconfigure openssh-server
Now you need to type the following to use all the available space on your SD card:
raspi –config
Choose 1 to expand the file system, then select Finish, reboot when prompted and log back in again as the root user, this time with your new password.
Installation and setup
This next step gives your Pi a static IP address, which means you can always find it on your network. Once done, you'll be able to access your Pi remotely using a tool like Putty for Windows, Terminal on the Mac or Serverauditor for mobile, meaning you'll no longer need to connect your Pi to a monitor or keyboard.
First, type the following command:
sudo nano /etc/network/interfaces
This opens a script file. Now change iface eth0 inet dhcp to iface eth0 inet static and then add the following lines directly beneath it, changing the 'x' and 'y' entries to match those of your network (for example, 192.168.35.8):
address 192.168.x.y
gateway 192.168.x.z
netmask 255.255.255.0
network 192.168.x.0
broadcast 192.168.x.255
Press [Ctrl] + [O] followed by [Enter] to save your changes, then [Ctrl] + [X] to exit the nano editor. Now type the following command to reboot before logging back in again as the root user:
sudo reboot
You're now ready to install Plex and some other software – type the following commands to get started:
cd /root/HTPCGuides
sudo git pull
sudo bash install.sh
Wait for required components to be installed, then you'll find yourself at the Installer menu. Use arrow keys to navigate the list, pressing [Space] to select each item you wish to install – the minimal suggested are Plex, Samba, and NFS Tools. If you need to sync files between your home computer and storage device, also install Syncthing.
When everything's installed, type exit and then log in as the pi user.
Connect external drives
You need to configure Minibian to mount the external drive (or network share) automatically on boot in order for Plex to be able to access your media library. First, create the required directories in the /mnt folder:
Cd /mnt
sudo Mkdir
sudo Mkdir
(Change
Next, you need to identify your drives. Minibian can detect both ext and FAT-formatted drives automatically; if your drive is NTFS, you'll need to install NTFS-3G – type sudo apt-get install ntfs-3g to do so.
To identify your USB-attached drive, make sure it's connected and then type the following command:
ls –laF /dev/disk/by-uuid/
Make a note of the eight-digit ID – for example, 410E-9EE5 – that's listed next to the sda1 entry; this is the UUID of your drive. Write it down.
If your media is stored on a network attached drive, you'll need to install a couple of utilities and know its IP address in order to find out the information you need:
sudo apt-get install cifs-utils (when prompted, keep the locally modified version)
sudo apt-get install smbclient
smbclient –L 192.168.x.y
Make a note of any share names.
Now you're ready to configure your Pi to automatically mount your external drive on startup. First, type the following line:
sudo nano /etc/fstab
Add a line for each mount using the following syntax for USB drives:
UUID=0000-AAAA /mnt/
Replace UUID with that of your drive, and change /mnt/share1 to point to your chosen share folder. If your drive is NTFS, replace vfat with ntfs-3g, and if it's Linux, change it to ext4.
To connect to a network drive, use this syntax instead:
//192.168.x.y/
Change the network address and /mnt/share1 paths as required, and input the
Once done, save the file, close nano and then type the following line:
sudo mount –a
This will re-mount the directories – type cd /mnt/
Plex Media Server
Now Plex is installed on your Pi, you can configure it remotely from any computer, phone or tablet on your local network via a web browser: go to 192.168.x.y:32000/web/, where 192.168.x.y is the IP address assigned to your Pi.
Once logged in, start adding media folders to your library – you'll find them under the /mnt directory. Plex will process libraries one at a time, but you can still set them all up now and leave it to manfully plod its way through each one in turn. Keep checking back to see how things are progressing, but as we said previously, adding a large collection of media can take many hours to complete, so consider setting it up and leaving it to run overnight.
Once your media libraries are up and running, it's time to test Plex's capabilities. Once you've installed the requisite app on your set-top box or mobile device (which you can subsequently fling to your TV using Chromecast), take the time to go into the app's settings to make sure it's set to use Direct Play wherever possible before testing it with one or two videos from different libraries.
With Direct Play enabled, you can easily run multiple videos simultaneously over your local network, particularly if they're non-HD.
You can also access your media outside your local network, although it's worth noting that your Pi will have to perform some limited transcoding to optimise the stream, so expect a lengthy pause – at least a minute – after selecting the movie before it begins. Note you'll need to sign up for a plex.tv account for this feature to work – then open Settings > Remote Access, sign into the Plex account and you should be able to get it to work.
And there you have it – a Raspberry Pi 2-powered media server running Plex with few problems. What are you waiting for? Those six seasons of Community (never mind the possible movie) won't watch themselves…
Read More ...
SDCC 15: Every Comic-Con 2015 trailer you need to watch
Comic-Con 2015
San Diego Comic-Con is the Mecca for comic, video game, movie and TV fans.On its show floor you'll find dozens of panels with the actors and artists who create the year's biggest blockbuster films. This year's show runs from July 9 to July 12 (plus a preview night that went down July 8), and should hold plenty of juicy information on DC's new Batman vs. Superman movie, Star Wars: The Force Awakens and X-Men: Apocalypse.
For those that can't catch the trailers as they debut, we've gone ahead and rounded up all the trailers from this year's show and organized them into three categories: TV, movies and video games.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens behind-the-scenes
While not a trailer for Star Wars Episode VII so to speak, a new behind-the-scenes reel premiered at SDCC that takes Star Wars fanatics into the making of the forthcoming film.There's plenty to feast on, from elaborate sets and explosions to snippets with the actors and glimpses of Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford in full costume, plus Mark Hamill and Simon Pegg make appearances, too. There's an emphasis on "practical effects" for this Star Wars go-round, and we can say all those fire balls and high-flying stunts definitely feel real.
If this doesn't get you excited for Star War: The Force Awakens December release, we're not sure what will.
Fear The Walking Dead teasers
The spin-off to AMC's hit show The Walking Dead got a double-dose of teaser trailers at this year's Comic-Con, though each are only about 30 seconds apiece.Fear The Walking Dead will premiere on AMC in August, and Hulu will have exclusive streaming rights once the show shambles its way online.
Doctor Who Season 9 teaser trailer
A new season of Doctor Who can only mean one thing: hype. Season 9's Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi, will continue the cosmic misadventures of the problem-solving time lord with his most recent human companion Clara Oswald.Doctor Who Season 9 premieres September 19 on BBC America.
Heroes Reborn - Dark Matters official trailer
Billed as the the digital prequel to NBC's upcoming Heroes Reborn series, Dark Matters takes place in the time after the events of the first series, when evolved citizens must be registered with the US government.Its subject matter has been covered in Marvel's Civil War story arc as well as a half-dozen X-Men storylines, but Heroes Reborn will certainly add its own gritty signature to the well-documented story archetype. Heroes Reborn premieres September 24.
The Walking Dead Season 6 trailer
If you haven't figured it out in six seasons, there's a good reason the show is called The Walking Dead. Yes, it's about zombies. But, more importantly, season after season we're watching the characters we've come to love die off in increasingly heart-wrenching ways.The sixth season's preview trailer reared its head on Day 2 at San Diego Comic-Con and it's every bit as brutal as the five seasons prior.
Season 6 of The Walking Dead will debut on AMC on October 11.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 teaser
While it wasn't another official trailer for the upcoming Hunger Games film, SDCC did bring us a short, one-minute musical montage that shows Katniss emerging from behind a wall of dancing soldiers. It's no Star Wars Christmas Special but the message is clear: You either dance with us or dance against us.The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 premieres on November 20.
Rock the Kasbah trailer
There's almost nothing Bill Murray could do in a movie these days that would be out of the ordinary. His latest film, Rock the Kasbah, stars Murray alongside Kate Hudson, Zooey Deschanel and Bruce Willis in rock 'n' roll tour gone wrong in Afghanistan.Rock the Kasbah is coming to theaters on October 23.
Goosebumps trailer
Goosebumps, like Pogs, Beanie Babies and The Macarena, was a staple of the '90s. Unable to let sleeping dogs lie, Sony picked up the rights to the kitschy horror books and plans on rolling them into one giant comedy starring Jack Black in time for Halloween.Goosebumps will release in theaters in October 2015.
Black Ops III - "Shadows of Evil" trailer
What do Jeff Goldblum, Heather Graham, Neal McDonough, Ron Perlman and the 1920s have in common? Zombies, apparently. Lots of zombies.Black Ops III's zombie mode will be set during the time of flappers and jazz, but looks like it'll take more creative liberties with the weapons available in that time. (See: flaming rocket shield.)
Call of Duty: Black Ops III comes out November 6 on PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PC.
LEGO Dimensions - Doctor Who trailer
LEGO Dimensions may have set a new record for the most amount of crossovers in a single videogame. In the trailer shown at SDCC, LEGO Dimensions brings us two Doctors (Doctor Who and Doc Brown from Back to the Future), Homer Simpson, Gandalf and Batman. Toss in a few heroes from the Marvel universe and a handful of cosplayers and this could be re-titled "Comic-Con: The Video Game."LEGO Dimensions comes out September 27 on PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U.
Street Fighter V - Ken Masters trailer
SDCC has always been good to fighting game fans. (Remember when Capcom producer Yoshinori Ono came on stage to unveil Street Fighter x Tekken with Namco's Katsuhiro Harada in 2010? That was awesome.)Thanks to Thursday's Street Fighter V panel, this year's event isn't any different. Check out the trailer unveiling longtime franchise staple Ken Masters below.
Transformers: Devastation trailer
Remember the team behind Bayonetta, Vanquish and Metal Gear: Rising? They're making a Transformers game in the style of the '80s cartoon show with all the original voice actors.Platinum unveiled a new trailer for the game today at SDCC that should speed its way to consoles on October 6 on PS3, PS4, Xbox One and Xbox 360, barring any traffic jams in development.
Read More ...
SDCC 15: Watch new Star Wars: The Force Awakens behind-the-scenes clip
A new reel for Star Wars: The Force Awakens premiered at Comic-Con 2015 on Friday, and it offers a different look of the forthcoming film than what we've seen before.
The 3:42-long clip takes viewers behind the scenes into the making of Episode 7, and it's a ride. There are Storm Troopers with flamethrowers, gorgeous sets, high-flying stunts and, perhaps best of all, moments with the actors, including Simon Pegg (who appears to be playing an alien), Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford. The latter two actors are in full costume (are those hair buns we spot, Leia?).
For this Star Wars, "practical effects" are the name of the game, not the CGI that many fans lampooned in the prequels. Between the balls of fire and airborne Troopers, we say the movie's effects feel very real.
You can watch the full behind-the-scenes clip below:
Read More ...
Mac Tips: How to clean your Mac: 3 best apps to remove clutter
Got an Apple, Mac or iOS tech question? We have the answer. This time we take a look at some good options for helping you remove unwanted files from your Mac. It's not necessary for everyone, but if you want some help cleaning up your Mac, these apps will help you cut through the clutter.
Question
Just wondering - can you guys can tell me what program you would recommend to clean a cluttered Mac?Answer
For the most part, Macs are pretty good at not leaving behind a lot of clutter, although when you uninstall or delete apps, you might want to double-check the Application Support and Cache folders in your Library folder for any lingering unwanted files. As such, cleaning programs probably aren't necessary for most users. However, if you want some extra help in tidying up your Mac, there are definitely a few programs that can help you get rid of unwanted/unneeded clutter. Here are three solid options, along with an explanation of what each does.
• Daisy Disk: This app gives you a detailed overview of the files on your Mac, and can aid you in finding disk-hogging files and apps that could be removed.
• Clear Disk: Lets you easily clean and remove temporary files, redundant system files, and apps that you don't often use.
• App Zapper: This app lets you easily uninstall apps along with their system files at the same time. Just select the app you want to remove, and App Zapper does the rest.
Got an Apple tech question? Email ask@maclife.com.
Read More ...
SDCC 15: Comic-Con 2015 led us deeper down the virtual reality rabbit hole
Welcome to the VR Lounge
While San Diego Comic-Con 2014 mixed cosplay with Google Glass, this year it's all about virtual reality.Conference company Dent held a special "VR Lounge" event just outside of the San Diego Convention Center Thursday night, offering anyone interested in VR or AR [augmented reality] the chance to demo some of what's being developed in the space, including the ability to walk around the Holodeck of the Enterprise from Star Trek: The Next Generation.
While there was no formal talk at the event, the night was more about giving people a chance to get their hands on some hardware and experience for themselves what VR is really like, working as a supplement to the Comic-Con panel "Building the Holodeck" held earlier in the day.
"I'm excited by the idea of a Star Trek Holodeck scenario being made real. Totally immersive environments that are controlled by the user," said Steve Broback, co-founder of Dent.
And being Comic-Con, having a Holodeck VR experience was a no brainer for Emblamatic Group's Executive Producer and Co-Founder, Michael Licht, who said he had made the Star Trek experience "for fun."
Using Emblematic's own VR hardware, the experience included a headset connected to a battery pack in a bag that you wear while you walk around the Star Trek ship's bridge.
Licht explained that having a "walk-around" VR headset allows users to be transported to different places entirely, with a limited connection to their own reality, allowing for a more immersive experience.
However, he does believe that, "Walk-around and connected headsets will have their own places."
"For each, the experiences play differently. You can run around the house, or you can sit down at your couch for a different type of experience."
Emblematic Group, headed by journalist and documentary maker Nonny de la Peña, is currently focused on producing content that it describes as "immersive journalism," with a focus on education through immersive documentaries.
"It's a brand-new experience and we don't get that very often," Licht explained, saying that the types of uses for VR is forever expanding.
"VR isn't new," he said. "It's come and gone a few times, and now we're at a point where the technology can really support what we want to see."
He went on to say that in just a few years time, headsets will become lighter and cheaper, meaning VR will become more prevalent in our everyday lives.
(Virtual) space exploration
This is one of the reasons why NASA was also at the VR Lounge, giving guests a chance to fly a simulation of a spaceship on Phobos, which orbits around Mars.The simulation was built as a real-case scenario for NASA, with Jason Crusan, of NASA, saying that Comic-Con is a great event to showcase the sim and allow attendees to try it for themselves.
"We believe we bring a bit of the science reality - how to bridge science fiction to science reality to implementing a space program," he said.
NASA has been using VR for over 20 years to help train astronauts in how to deal with real-case space walk scenarios.
"As our missions go further and further away from Earth, that's going to become more important," Crusan noted.
And now, with all the different types of VR headsets currently being developed, NASA no longer has to create its own custom hardware.
"Instead of doing custom one-off hardware for our own use, we can procure or buy something off the shelf and maybe do a small modification," he said.
NASA is always look to partner with hardware makers and others in the industry.
"We try to capture a lot of video and high resolution, we try to keep up with the latest trends and where the industry is going, and make all our content really available to the public and other industry vendors to utilize in heir products," Crusan said.
"We do things like GoPros going out on space walks with us," he continued. "The whole gamut of imagery we're trying to make available for others to innovate on."
"It's education, it's inspiration and it's entertainment. It's really at the core of what we do."
New experiences - and new materials
Mixing VR and AR
NASA teamed up with Mattel to provide imagery captured by NASA's Apollo for Mattel's VR/AR hybrid View Master.Qualcomm, which provides Mattel with its Vuphoric AR platform, also had a spot at VR Lounge, giving guests a chance to try out the View Master.
While the AR side of the View Master is powered by Qualcomm, Google Cardboard tech is powering the VR side.
"AR is more focused on discovery and VR is more focused on experience," said Rajat Gupta, Qualcomm Vuphoria business developer, explaining there's a strong move toward a hybrid of the technology.
When you put on the headset, you just need to point a white dot at a "reel" (purchased separately) to start the AR experience, which is the "discoverability" part.
The reel will then initiate a more immersive VR experience, and from here you can click on to other parts of the scene for more details. All together, it becomes a different kind of education tool.
The squishy newcomer
The VR Lounge also attracted another VR/AR hybrid headset in the form of start-up Merge, though it isn't showcasing anything at Comic-Con officially.Made from soft and durable foam, you'll be able to slide your phone in the front of the headset, similar to Google Cardboard.
The company has also developed a controller, with the headset letting users to employ more than one controller at once (via your hands, as well as clips on top of the headset), depending on the experience being viewed.
The Merge headset should be going on sale later this year, as will the View Master, while Comic-Con goers have the chance to try out the View Master at Mattel's booth.
Read More ...
Analysis: Microsoft has big plans for HoloLens, but will it actually deliver?
The many HoloLens partnerships
In the days before E3 2015, Oculus announced a brand new partnership with Microsoft that took everyone by surprise.The announcement left me wondering, "What would the future hold for HoloLens now that its maker was involved with another headset?"
I previously pondered how the partnership could affect the HoloLens, but following developments before, during and after this year's E3, I'm now left wondering what is HoloLens's killer app, if not gaming?
Microsoft took to the stage in Los Angeles and unveiled yet another VR partnership, this time with Valve and the HTC Vive – a VR headset slated for a 2015 holiday release. The move has seemingly clarified Microsoft's aims: in an effort to secure virtual reality (VR) – and augmented reality (AR) – victory, the firm looks content to align itself with other VR/AR makers, rather than against them.
This is the smartest move I've seen lately from a major tech company, but I can't help but applaud and shake my head simultaneously. Regardless of whether the HoloLens succeeds, Microsoft has essentially secured a position where it can comfortably wait to see who dominates the market and reap the benefits.
But that's a double-edged sword, because while it keeps HoloLens safe as a product in development, it also leaves the headset no closer to realizing a primary function – a meaningful reason to buy it.
Microsoft grows its VR web, but where does HoloLens fit?
With the new powerhouse team-ups, I'm reminded of what Xbox Chief Phil Spencer told me and several other journalists about the motivation to join up with the Oculus Rift crew:"In other opportunities, it's best to find people who are doing amazing work and just say, 'What can we do to help you guys be more successful with your product on our platform?'"
It appears Microsoft has taken this concept plenty seriously, judging from its latest ventures with both Oculus and Valve. Little else has been said about what Microsoft will do with the HTC Vive, but I can only guess it will be similar to the Rift deal.
The Vive has its own controller, unlike Rift which will ship with an Xbox One controller (Oculus Touch controllers will sell separately later). This means we may see some sort of streaming involved – perhaps even the ability to stream certain Xbox One games, just like the Rift. Or, the Microsoft-Valve partnership could yield something completely different.
So, specifically speaking: why team with HTC and Valve? From here, it looks like Microsoft bringing projects into the fold in the hopes of reminding us that its platform – i.e. Windows 10 – is a vital piece of the puzzle while its own HoloLens development carries on.
It will likely be some time before we learn about the fruits of Microsoft and Valve's alliance. In the meantime, there are even more questions about HoloLens, namely:
What will its purpose be? Will it even work right? (And when will we see it?)
The problems HoloLens needs to fix
The ongoing AR issue: field of view
The headset's killer app will (hopefully) be discovered in due time, but whether the thing will even work well has been a talking point for a while now. One major problem for augmented reality is the narrow field of view offered by head mounted displays, and the HoloLens is no exception.Microsoft's holographic headset is, without a doubt, the most impressive AR viewer I've used in terms of latency and clear visuals, but it's not providing exactly what the televised demos of AR Minecraft are promising.
You don't actually see the whole world around you in augmented reality. HoloLens offers a much, much smaller field of view (FOV) that likely won't get bigger any time soon.
At this year's E3, Kudo Tsunoda, Microsoft executive and head of HoloLens, discussed these very issues with the HoloLens's limited field of vision:
"I think you're never going to get to full peripheral field of view, but certainly the hardware we have now, you know, the field of view isn't exactly final," Tsunoda said. "But I wouldn't say it's going to be hugely noticeably different either."
So, whenever the HoloLens is finalized, we probably aren't going to see a world of holograms flooding our view.
After using it myself as an add-on experience to Halo 5: Guardians at E3, I realized there's no ideal way to outright play games using the device, if the FOV remains as narrow as it is. The view was adequate as a fun tutorial, but since we couldn't actually play Halo with the HoloLens on let alone reach out and "touch" anything, I left the experience a little underwhelmed.
Not completely out for the count
That isn't to say gaming on HoloLens should be discounted. At the moment, Minecraft is the biggest pull for AR gaming despite the small FOV. Even Disney has expressed interest in using the tech for its Infinity games – that alone could make a killing for all parties involved.There's also the numerous other applications HoloLens can excel in. Many businesses have already been part of beta programs using Epson's Moverio BT-200 headset. And that device hardly has the financial backing, computing power and all around experience that the HoloLens provides.
These alternate avenues that Microsoft has briefly shown off before – such as the medical or educational sectors – has even led the company to release a call for research proposals.
Microsoft Research Corporate Vice President Jeannette Wing recently noted: "We expect that researchers will envision novel ways of using HoloLens – from interactively teaching students, to creating mixed-realty art installations, to manipulating holographic data to reveal new relationships … to who knows what."
Who knows what indeed. Whatever HoloLens will be used for, at least the E3 news has shed more light on the head mounted display's gaming capabilities, even though its future in that field still remains murky.
Originally, the HoloLens was intended to launch alongside Windows 10, though Microsoft cleverly made no mention of a release date. Since Microsoft's new operating system is only a few weeks away from its July 29 launch, it's safe to assume we won't be seeing the headset on sale right then.
With all the demos and videos Microsoft has shown, we've seen the possibilities for HoloLens. I just can't see how it will all come together into a compelling, realistic product. Right now, HoloLens needs to hone in on a purpose, then show us what it can do with a more realistic field of view. Otherwise, it could just end up a wasted opportunity.
Regardless, it seems like Microsoft has put itself in a solid position despite lacking a product that's ready for the public. With a leg in practically every major virtual reality endeavor, save Sony's Project Morpheus, Microsoft can sit back and relax in its web while it figures out just what (and who) HoloLens is for.
Read More ...
Updated: Reddit CEO Ellen Pao resigns
Reddit CEO Ellen Pao was downvoted from her interim position at the company today, resigning after a chaotic week-long online protest.
The very public backlash against the site and Pao began when Reddit fired popular "Ask Me Anything" administrator and director of talent, Victoria Taylor.
Outraged moderators set several of their subreddits to "private," shutting down notable destinations /r/Books, /r/Science and /r/Music/.
Pao had apologized earlier this week, admitting, "we screwed up," saying, "not just on July 2, but also over the past several years."
Acknowledging that moderators and users lost trust in the administration, she promised improvements at the website. However, that will now be the job of someone else.
- Good news: Amazon Prime Day is next week
Read More ...
How to upgrade the SSD in your business Ultrabook
Introduction
If you bought a business notebook, chances are the hard drive or solid state drive on your system is upgradeable.Upgrading your drive gives your business Ultrabook a new lease on life. You can replace a malfunctioning drive, or you stand to gain faster performance with a high speed drive or more storage capacity. If you're replacing an internal hard drive for a solid state one, you'll benefit from much faster read and write speeds.
Unlike consumer Ultrabooks, business Ultrabooks and mobile workstations come with a removable bottom panel. This panel gives you access to the RAM and SSD inside your laptop. Here are two methods for installing a new drive and transferring your data over:
Before you begin
Before you begin, you'll need to open your Ultrabook and see what type of solid state or hard drive your system contains. There are three popular types of drives available today – SATA solid state drives or 2.5-inch SATA hard drives, mSATA SSD and M.2 SSD.
The procedure for opening your system varies by device and device manufacturer. Systems – like the HP EliteBook Folio 1020 G1 – with non-removable batteries will have a large panel covering the entire bottom of the laptop. This panel can be removed by unscrewing all the visual screws on the bottom of the notebook.
On business Ultrabooks – like the Dell Latitude 12 7000 (E7250) – with a removable battery, you may have to take off the battery first. On the Dell, once I removed the battery, I gained access to two screws that secure the bottom cover. Once the screws are off, I can slide the bottom plate off.
After the bottom cover is removed, you'll have access to your notebook's internal components, including the SSD, RAM and wireless cards. You'll want to examine to see if your SSD or hard drive is labeled as a SATA drive, mSATA SSD or M.2 SSD. SATA drives are the largest of the three, and are sized like a traditional 2.5-inch hard disk drive.
M.2 format drives are narrow, but long, while the rectangular mSATA SSD are wider but shorter. For comparison, the EliteBook Folio 1020 G1 uses the M.2 format while the Dell Latitude 12 7000 uses the mSATA format.
After you determine what type of drive your system utilizes, you can order a new drive – either of the same size and capacity as a replacement, an upgrade with a faster speed or a capacity upgrade with more storage – of the same type as the one in your notebook.
For those who have the need for capacity, Samsung recently announced a 2TB SATA SSD, while the mSATA and M.2 formats go up to 1TB and 512GB, respectively.
Option 1: cloning
1. The cloning method
Cloning a drive saves time in that it creates a twin of whatever is on your existing system. Once the drive is cloned, you can pop the new drive into your system and be up and running with all your apps, programs and files in place – there is no need to reinstall programs, and this saves time as you don't need to enter in serial numbers.Before you clone your drive, be sure that your new drive is at least as large as the drive you're looking to replace.
For example, my Dell Latitude 12 7000 (E7250) comes with a 256GB mSATA format solid state drive. For the cloning to work, I'd need another mSATA SSD with at least a 256GB capacity. For this scenario, I purchased a new Samsung SSD 850 EVO drive in a 1TB capacity.
In addition to the new drive, you'll need free software and some cheap hardware. There are a number of options available for drive cloning software, and you'll need either a hard drive docking station or a cheap enclosure for your drive.
I recommend that you use a drive enclosure, but the process works the same if you're using a drive dock. With the drive enclosure, at the end of the cloning process, if your old drive is good (meaning you're upgrading to a larger capacity SSD and not replacing a faulty drive), you can use it as an external drive and connect the drive in the enclosure over USB to store or backup data.
For my process, I chose an inexpensive mSATA (there are also SATA and M.2 enclosures) for under $20. The enclosure connects my new Samsung 1TB SSD to my Latitude via a USB 3.0 cable, so the process didn't take too long.
If you're cloning a Windows 8 or later system, you'll need cloning software that supports GTP. For this process, I chose to use the free Macrium Reflect cloning software, but there are other free and paid cloning software available on the market.
When I first load Macrium Reflect, the software asks if I want to create a recovery media in case something goes wrong. Even though this is an optional step, it's advisable that you complete this process just in case.
The cloning process is fairly intuitive using the Macrium Reflect software. You'll want to select the cloning option in the Reflect software, and you'll want to be sure to clone over all the drive partitions on your existing drive. Once the cloning is finished, you can swap the new drive into your laptop, and you should be ready to boot up.
Removing and replacing your drive
Depending on your drive and your manufacturer, your internal SSD may be affixed to your system with screws. Even though the SSD board on my Latitude has two screw openings, Dell only screwed the SSD onto the motherboard using one of the screw openings.You'll want to remove the screws that attach the SSD to your notebook's motherboard. The SSD will then pop up slightly, and you'll need to gently pull the card out from the connector so that you don't damage the system.
Once the card is out, you can attach your new drive by sliding it gently, but firmly into the connector. You'll want to push the drive down so it lies flat with the motherboard, and then replace all the screws to secure the drive.
Option 2: starting fresh
2. Starting anew
If you're looking to start fresh and work off of a clean build of Windows, you won't need to clone your drive. I prefer this method as I can always copy over files that I need later, and I can start clean and install only the software that I want. Over time, old software that you may not need anymore may slow down the system, and starting fresh cleans this out so you'll have a fast machine to work with.If your system doesn't ship with a recovery USB drive or DVD, you'll want to first create the Windows recovery media. Essentially, this creates a copy of Windows that you can install onto your new drive. Systems running Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 won't have serial numbers for Windows installation so you won't need this as it won't be found on the bottom of your notebook, unlike systems running Windows 7 or older.
On my Dell Latitude 12 7000 (E7250), I chose to create the recovery media to a USB drive. For this process, you'll need a USB drive with at least 4GB of storage. Using the Dell Backup and Recovery software that's preinstalled on my system, I was able to create my recovery USB drive with my Windows install. If you have a laptop with a different brand, be sure to look for the manufacturer's version of the backup and recovery app.
After the recovery USB or DVD is created, you'll want to shut down your system, remove your battery (if your system comes with a removable battery) and remove the bottom cover. Follow the instructions above on removing and replacing your SSD to remove the drive in your system and replace it with the new drive you ordered.
Once the new drive is in place, you'll want want to replace the bottom cover and battery, insert your USB recovery drive into the USB port and power up the system for Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 machines.
Once your laptop begins booting up, it will enter a recovery mode with on-screen instructions for formatting the new SSD drive and reinstalling Windows. Be sure to remove the USB drive before you reboot your system after the recovery is complete. After you complete the process, you'll have a fresh installation of Windows.
Now, you'll have a fresh copy of Windows, and you can install any programs that you need.
What to do with your old drive
Remember that old drive that shipped with your system? If you're just upgrading it for performance or capacity, and not replacing a faulty drive, you can use an SSD enclosure. There are housing for the three different types of SSD formats that you can order. Once you install the drive into the housing, you can connect the unit to your laptop and it will act as an external drive – it's similar to having a high capacity USB flash drive or a compact external hard drive.Once you do this, you can transfer any file you need from the old drive, or you can format the drive and use it as a USB flash drive.
In my case, my Latitude shipped with a 256GB drive, and I installed a 1TB SSD into my laptop. This means that I'll have 1TB of storage on my computer, and I can have a zippy USB 3.0 external SSD drive to backup my files.
If you wish, you can just leave the old drive alone in case the new drive doesn't work out for you, or if the new drive fails. Whatever the case, a hard drive or solid state drive enclosure is a simple, inexpensive way for you to "recycle" and reuse your old drives as an external drive.
- Read our Windows 10 review
Read More ...
UPDATED: PS4 vs Xbox One: which is better?
Introduction and design
It's over, but E3 2015 made our Xbox One vs PS4 comparison more meaningful than ever. It considers Microsoft's backward compatibility news and previous price drops, and how it all contrasts with Sony's powerful specs, exclusive games and graphics power.Now a year and a half since the two consoles launches, Sony's sales numbers prove that PS4 is more popular with early adopters of the next-generation of video games. Fact.
PlayStation 4 is outselling Xbox One 2-to-1 right now, surpassing 23.2 million systems sold worldwide, while Microsoft's sales numbers are at 12.8 million.
Of course, overall sales statistics - all meaningless, as the Xbox One price drop and surge in popularity are starting to make the debate a little more even. Being able to play Xbox 360 games on your Xbox One, and new E3 game announcement almost guarantee that trend will continue.
Xbox One full review
Microsoft's come-from-behind campaign consists of adding exclusive games, readying an Xbox Elite controller and experimenting with HoloLens. In addition Xbox One backward compatibility, Windows 10 presents exciting game streaming possibilities. It's already the only console with EA Access and Sling TV.
Sony is preparing PS4 for a streaming and virtual reality future, too, with PlayStation Now, PlayStation TV and Oculus Rift-rival Project Morpheus. In the meantime, it's prepping Uncharted 4 for its delayed 2016 release date and tweaking its console with feature-filled firmware updates.
PS4 full review
Both consoles are getting Fallout 4, as is the ever-popular PC, and both are rumored to be getting a 4K hardware refresh for the coming months, with HDMI 2.0 able to deliver 4K resolution at 60fps. For now, we have to settle for 1TB refreshes.
Whether Sony's PS4 will get the new Ultra HD Blu-ray standard as part of this upgrade is still open to debate, but it would make sense as a key differentiator between the console upgrades if and when they do drop.
"We have have the advantage in powering gamers through the next decade," say both companies. To see if that's true, our Xbox One vs PS4 comparison needs another update.
Xbox One vs PS4 hardware design
Deciding between PS4 and Xbox One is like peeling back an onion, and it starts with the outermost layer, the hardware design.Xbox One's dimensions make it a menacing gaming beast that measures 13.5 in x 10.4 in x 3.2 in. It's also riddled with vents, a design decision to avoid another Red Ring of Death overheating scenario.
It towers over every other device (though Microsoft advises not to stand it up vertically), and completely dwarfs our smallest home theater gadget, the app-filled Chromecast.
- See the Xbox One price drop: Amazon | Best Buy | Tiger Direct
- Click for the latest cheap PS4 price: Amazon | Best Buy | Toys R Us
These dimensions make Sony's machine more media cabinet-friendly, at least next to Xbox One. The new Xbox also weighs a heftier 3.56 kg vs PS4's 2.75 kg.
PS4 has the advantage of hiding ports too, though as we illustrated in our video comparison, this can actually make it harder to plug cables into the back of the system.
In this way, Xbox One represents functionality over form. A lot of the internal specs are comparable, but Microsoft and Sony really diverged when it came to the designs of Xbox One and PS4.
That may matter since you're buying into an expensive console that's going to sit front and center in your living room entertainment system for the next ten years.
The future of gaming, in association with O2 Guru
Xbox One vs PS4 front and rear ports
More clear cut is the wireless connectivity situation. PS4 makes room for gigabit ethernet and 802.11 WiFi bands b/g/n, while Xbox One includes all of that plus the older 802.11a band.Xbox One also supports both the 2.4GHz and newer 5GHz channels that are compatible with dual band routers. PS4 limits connections to 2.4GHz, which is likely to have more interference.
Both systems launched with 500GB hard drives and now have 1TB variants, but only PS4 allows user-replaceable internal drives. An Xbox One teardown found a standard-looking drive inside, but replacing it voids the warranty. Be careful.
Instead, the Xbox One June update finally allowed gamers to add external storage to the monster-sized system. There are strings attached. The drive needs to be 256GB or larger and USB 3.0 compatible.
External storage isn't an option that Sony supports in its "go big or go home" internal approach.
PS4 and Xbox One are void of remarkable characteristics on the front. There's a Blu-ray/DVD combo drive to the left and their respective, muted-color logos to the right. PS4 has a pair of USB ports tucked between its sandwich-like halves next to where the disc drive is located.
It's party in the back Xbox One connections. That's where it has two USB ports, HDMI in, HDMI out, S/PDIF for digital audio, a proprietary Xbox One Kinect port, an IR blaster connection and an Ethernet port. To the far right is a K-lock in case you want to lug this system around to LAN parties.
Sony went with a minimalist approach when it came to PS4's rear ports. You'll only find an HDMI out, S/PDIF, Ethernet and PS4 camera port (marked "AUX") around back.
Xbox One is more feature-packed in this area thanks to its HDMI in and IR blaster connections used for its TV cable or satellite box functionality. But are you really going to use this feature? PS4 lacks this passthrough technology, opting to stick with gaming as its top priority.
Specs
Is PS4 or Xbox more powerful?
PS4 and Xbox One multiply the power of Xbox 360 and PS3. More importantly, they were built with smarter internal designs, drawing from mistakes of last-generation consoles.Chip manufacturer AMD benefitted the most from these upgrades. Xbox One has a custom 1.75GHz AMD 8-core CPU, a last-minute upgrade over its original 1.6GHz processor.
The PS4 CPU remained clocked at 1.6GHz and contains a similar custom AMD 8-core CPU with x86 based architecture.
This represents a roughly 10% increase in processing power for Xbox One, but the opposite is true when it comes to the all-important graphics processor.
PS4 boasts a 1.84 teraflop GPU that's based on AMD's Radeon technology. The Xbox One graphics chip, also with an AMD Radeon GPU, has a pipeline for 1.31 teraflops.
Microsoft claims that as of last June's Xbox One update, Kinect-free games can reclaim 10% of the GPU that was reserved for system level processing like Kinect-related skeletal tracking data. But developers still have to take advantage of this cache in new games or patch titles.
Right now, the PS4 specs make room for faster graphics rendering than Xbox One, especially when combined with Sony's choice in superior system memory.
Best PS4 vs Xbox One specs for RAM
Even more controversial is the memory under the consoles' matte black hoods. It's not the amount of RAM at issue - both are future-proofed with 8GB of RAM - it's the type of RAM used.PS4 has a distinct advantage with faster 8GB GDDR5 memory, while Xbox One went with the slower bandwidth of the 8GB DDR3 variety. But, wait, there's more to it.
Neither system allocates all of that RAM to game developers - some is reserved to run their operating systems.
PS4 reserves up to 3.5GB for its operating system, leaving developers with 4.5GB, according to documentation. They can sometimes access an extra 1GB of "flexible" memory when it's available, but that's not guaranteed.
Xbox One's "guaranteed memory" amounts to a slightly higher 5GB for developers, as Microsoft's multi-layered operating system takes up a steady 3GB. It eeks out a 0.5GB win with more developer-accessible memory than PS4, unless you factor in Sony's 1GB of "flexible" memory at times. Then it's 0.5GB less.
The PS4 and Xbox One specs have similar AMD architecture at their core, but contrast like apples and oranges when it comes to memory. Only developers can determine how this battle is won.
Graphics comparison
PS4 vs Xbox One graphics comparison
Putting all of these specs to the test, developers have had months to build and demo games to us. We're finally seeing the side-by-side results.The graphics comparison between multi-console games, like the recently released Grand Theft Auto 5 and Metal Gear Solid 5, have given us the best PS4 vs Xbox One graphics benchmarks.
A gameplay video on YouTube of GTA 5 pans between the two next-gen versions of the game with a definitive answer. The PS4 GPU is able to handle more foliage in environments.
Yes, you literally have to get into the weeds to see the differences, though both the PS4 and Xbox editions of GTA 5 look stellar compared to their last-gen counterparts.
In the Metal Gear Solid 5 comparison, there's slightly more clarity to the PS4 version. Specifically, distant textures and moving objects appear softer among the otherwise identical Xbox One visuals.
It's a trend we're seeing from PS4 games that achieve a 1080p resolution at 30 or 60 frames per second when their Xbox One counterparts run at 720p or 900p at 30 or 60fps.
That's the case with Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty: Ghosts, The Witcher 2 and Thief. It's even more evident in Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition where it's 60fps on PS4 vs 30fps on Xbox One.
Battlefield 4 is one of the few PS4 games with a native resolution of 900p. Alas, it was still just 720p on Xbox One. Not that it matters. Both versions were plagued with glitches for months.
This is in no way a deal-breaker for the Xbox One, and here's why. First, it's almost impossible to tell the difference without a side-by-side comparison. You won't miss the extra grass in GTA 5.
Second, everyone's hopeful that as developers mature with these two year-old consoles, the gap will close and games on both systems will prove what next-generation gaming is all about.
DirectX12 could make that a reality on Xbox One by making games like Final Fantasy look more reality. Microsoft promises a preview version of its Direct3D 12 graphics toolset by the end of the year. It could make up for the slower DDR3 RAM.
Third, the differences are more noticeable in the Xbox One and PS4 graphics comparisons that include Xbox 360 and PS3. Both Microsoft and Sony leave their last-generation graphics chip architecture and RAM limitations behind, and it shows.
Price
Xbox One vs PS4 price difference
It's expensive to be an early adopter, and the initial PS4 and Xbox One prices prove just that in each of the countries the systems have launched.One year ago, the PS4 price was the more tempting deal: $399 for the console and DualShock 4 controller. Xbox One was expensive at $499 for the system, Xbox One controller and Kinect.
After two official Xbox One price drops, the cost comparison is actually in Microsoft's favor in the US. The new list price is $349 with a game, but without Kinect included. It's rumored to go even lower soon, maybe at E3 2015.
Right now, that's $50 cheaper than the PS4 that doesn't come with a game. Pre-owned Xbox One and PS4 consoles are even better choices, and in most regions are now becoming plentiful.
The early PS4 vs Xbox One price difference gave Sony an lead at face value, and gamers didn't seem to mind that the PS4 camera was a separate purchase. Also, for almost a year, it was the only console of the two being sold in countries like India, Japan and Turkey.
Price and availability made for Xbox One's assured shortfall in the beginning. Now, the price point is moot. Can it catch up?
What's in the box?
There was more value in the original Xbox One Kinect bundle, accounting for some of the initial price difference, so it's important to dive deeper into what's included and, of course, what's not included in the box.At launch, Xbox Ones came with the console, a controller. and the Kinect camera. These systems also had "Day One 2013" emblazoned on the cardboard box and at the center of the controller.
That's a nice perk for Xbox loyalists, though not worth the premium they paid. Subsequent Xbox One bundles have included Titanfall or Sunset Overdrive for the same price, while newer, cheaper systems make Kinect optional.
All Xbox One boxes contains an HDMI cable, wired mono headset and stingy 14-day free trial for Microsoft's Xbox Live Gold online service. There's no USB charging cable, as the Xbox One controller uses batteries out-of-the-box.
Inside the PS4 box is the console and one DualShock 4 controller. Wires include an HDMI cable (Sony learned its lesson after backlash for not including one with the PS3) and a micro-USB cable for the controller.
Don't throw out the box right away. Tucked inside is a 30-day subscription to PlayStation Plus and a wired mono earbud, contrasting with the just-a-cheap Xbox One headset.
The price difference between the PS4 and Xbox One was a sticking point for gamers over the first several months. Microsoft reshaped the argument at E3 2014 with price-matched Kinect-free Xbox One and may give the console another price drop this year. The question is, will gamers bite in the latter half of 2015?
Controller and cameras
The controllers
The most important aspects of the PS4 vs Xbox One controller comparison include comfort, size and battery life, but a lot of this is going to come down to personal preference.The good news is that both conform to your hands better vs the less ergonomic Xbox 360 and PS3 versions.
The Xbox One vs Xbox 360 gamepad comparison illustrates some of the 40 design innovations like a tweaked D-Pad and extra rumble effect via "Impulse Triggers" in the shoulder buttons.
Microsoft is taking its controller changes even further with the upcoming Xbox Elite Wireless Controller. This pro-level gamepad adds four back pedal, two settings for the right and left shoulder triggers, swappable analog sticks and new D-pad choices. It is expensive at $150.
Our PS4 vs PS3 gamepad comparison shows even bigger improvements thanks to the fact that the DualShock 4 is larger this time around. Its handles are easier to grip in long gameplay sessions and its dual analog sticks have a recessed divot. Precision movement is now easier.
The PS4 controller's front touchpad and mono speaker are a unique way to interact with games, and developers are starting to find ways to adopt this technology into their controls schemes.
Which controller is better? There's a lot of satisfaction with the PS4 gamepad, but that may have more to do with people's surprise at how much more comfortable the DualShock 4 is compared to the DualShock 3. That wow factor may wear away soon.
The Xbox One vs PS4 controller comparison ends up being a matter of opinion. Some gamers are accustomed to Sony's parallel dual analog sticks, while plenty of others opt for offset analog sticks that have been part of the Xbox universe since the beginning.
Xbox One Kinect vs PS4 Camera
A robust games list for Xbox One Kinect and PS4 Camera has been slow to materialize, even though Microsoft and Sony insisted on sticking with controller-free camera inputs.The good news is that the new Kinect technology is promising, tracking up to six skeletons at once and processing 2GB of data per second. It can pick up heart rates, facial expressions and 25 joints, thumbs included.
The camera's 60% wider field of vision compared to the Xbox 360 Kinect remedies the annoying "stand 6 feet away" error messages we experienced last time around.
Xbox One Kinect is certainly powerful, it just needs more games. Right now, there are few reasons to keep the 1080p camera plugged in.
There's a free Kinect Sports Rivals demo that's fun, and the full version came out last year. It also supports two Xbox-exclusive workout games, Just Dance 2014 and a pair of Harmonix titles: Fantasia: Music Evolved and Dance Central Spotlight. Fighter Within, though, is far from playable.
PS4 doesn't have as much to offer at this point either, but it's hard to find in stock. Formerly called the PlayStation Eye, it features two 1280x800px cameras in a body that's slimmer than the Kinect.
Unfortunately, the PS4 Camera games list is also slimmer. The included robot mini-game The Playroom has been updated since the console launch, but little else besides Just Dance 2014 requires the device.
In the future, Project Morpheus will utilize the PS4 Camera for virtual reality, but the a long-off prospect of VR games doesn't really explain why the camera is often sold out.
Best games
The best PS4 and Xbox One games
The PS4 and Xbox One games list is now over 100 each, but only a few of the releases in the last year stand as exclusives that make deciding between the two matter.Titanfall stands above all others on Xbox One if you're into playing Call of Duty-style first-person shooters in which you double jump with a jetpack, wall-run and hop into a giant mech. Sunset Overdrive feature just as crazy-frantic gameplay, while Halo: The Master Chief Collection lets us relive old classic.
Xbox One launch titles Dead Rising 3 and Ryse: Son of Rome provided over-the-top action early on, and Forza Motorsport 5 was the only first-party racing game at launch of either console. It's been joined by the more arcade-like exclusive Forza Horizon 2.
Call of Duty Advanced Warfighter and CoD: Ghosts, while not exclusives to Xbox One, has downloadable content (DLC) that is a timed-exclusive (by a month) held over PS4 gamers' heads.
Xbox One games in development include the Halo 5: Guardians, the next Gears of War game, Quantum Break, Fable Legends and LittleBigPlanet-like Project Spark.
PS4 exclusive Infamous: Second Son couldn't match the groundswell of attention generated by the Titanfall beta last year, but it's superpower-filled gameplay is nonetheless entertaining. Even newer exclusives to PS4 include LittleBigPlanet 3, 1886: The Order and DriveClub are making an impact by adding more variety to the console.
Killzone: Shadow and Knack are the two Sony-made games that released on discs at launch, but the console is benefiting most from remakes like The Last of Us and digitally distributed indie games.
Resogun and Mercenary Kings were really driving up the points for PlayStation Plus in our book. They were free in April with a subscription to the Sony's paid service.
Further out, we're looking forward to Uncharted 4 and The Witness the most from PlayStation 4 in the future, and Fallout 4 from both systems and the PC.
Indie games on PS4 and Xbox One
Our most-wanted PS4 games list doesn't end there because Sony got out in front of supporting independent game developers.Octodad: Dadliest Catch from Young Horses and Transistor from Supergiant Games came to Sony's console in April and May. Outlast from Red Barrels Studio made the PC-to-PS4 transition in February.
At first, Microsoft maintained that Xbox One games would need to be fronted by a publisher. That changed when the company announced that it would allow self-published games and, in the future, every console would act as a developer kit.
We're still waiting on this "free Xbox One dev kit," a potential game-changer when PS4 developer kits cost thousands of dollars. Until that shift happens, Sony has the attention of the indie developer crowd thanks to its early lead.
Apps and backward compatibility
Xbox One vs PS4 apps
The Xbox 360 and PS3 proved to be more than just gaming machines and Xbox One and PS4 are no different. Of course, most are shared across both platforms.All next-gen gamers have access to Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Hulu Plus, Crackle, Vudu and Redbox Instant and baseball subscription service MLB.TV.
Xbox One corners the app-filled market with ESPN, Fox Now, FX Now, NFL, Ted, The CW, Twitch, Univision Deportes, Verizon FiOS TV and YouTube. It also has Microsoft's own soon-to-be-defunct Internet Explorer, OneDrive, Skype and Xbox Music and Xbox Video services.
That contrasts with PS4. Sony's console features Crunchyroll, Epix, NBA Game Time, NHL GameCenter Live, YuppTV, the WWE Network and the free music video playing app VidZone.
Initially, Xbox One had first access to HBO Go before PS4, but now both consoles have the premium channel as an app. At least, if your cable provider isn't Comcast. Neither system has HBO Now, which remains exclusive to Apple TV.
More niche apps are expected as time goes on, so this is hardly the final list of apps for Xbox One and PS4. Sony backers who are also HBO subscriptions can expect equal next-generation treatment for the the premium on-demand network "eventually," which just cements Xbox One's app-filled advantage.
Are PS4 and Xbox One backward compatible?
This is where the Xbox One vs PS4 comparison has gotten interesting at E3 2015. After teasing Xbox 360 emulation, Microsoft announced Xbox One backward compatibility for Xbox 360 games."We won't charge you to play the games you already own," jabbed Microsoft at Sony during its E3 press conference. Over 100 disc and downloadable Xbox 360 titles will work on Xbox One this year, and the features of the newer console - like streaming and taking screenshots - crosses over to older games.
Microsoft plans to launch Xbox One backward compatibility this holiday with an early preview for Xbox Preview members starting today. It'll expand its free backward compatibility program to "hundreds" of games in 2016 and beyond. It won't be long until you can box up that old Xbox 360.
Sony's PlayStation Now service, meanwhile, launch last year and graduated from open beta to full release in March, but it costs money to rent games. That's a bummer if you already paid for The Last of Us, God of War: Ascension, Dead Space 3 and Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes on the PS4.
Sony has expanded its Gaikai-based video game streaming service to PS Vita and PlayStation TV, with plans to add even Bravia TVs, and then include PlayStation and PS2 to the so far PS3-only lineup.
None of these options are foolproof yet. That means you'll need to keep your Xbox 360 and PS3 in order to replay Halo 4 and Uncharted 3. You can't sell the old systems, and that means people won't be able to readily buy them - they're more likely to purchase them directly from Microsoft and Sony.
Other PS4 and Xbox One differences
The look of the console, the feel of the controller and the appeal of the games list are the main differences from which consumers will decide on PS4 and Xbox One.However, there are other factors at play one should consider before buying into a new system. It's a good idea to converse with friends, keeping mind of their potential bias.
Since there's no such thing as cross-platform multiplayer, you may be split up when playing Call of Duty on PS4 when all of your friends own it for Xbox One.
Both Microsoft and Sony are charging for multiplayer this console generation, whereas PS3 gamers got to log into matches Scott-Free.
Sony sadly moved closer to Microsoft in this way, while Microsoft moved closer to Sony by tearing down the Xbox Live app paywall. You no longer have to subscribe to stream Netflix and other apps.
Microsoft also supports MP3 and DLNA playback with the Xbox One, whereas Sony neglected to add such compatibility. It's promised to rectify that in a future firmware update, but hasn't supplied us with an update in several months.
The PS4 vs Xbox One comparison has evolved in the last 18 months, mostly because Microsoft's plans have shifted, from Xbox One price drops to more lenient paywall policies to graphics specs upgrades.
These two next-generation consoles are now on a more even video game playing field, which means Sony and Microsoft are going to start throwing Uncharted 4 to Halo 5 Guardians at you, and that's a win for all gamers.
The expert views
Keza MacDonald - Editor, Kotaku UKFor me it comes down to the variety of games, and PS4 has that sewn up right now. You can play all the biggest games on both consoles, but if your tastes are eclectic, Sony's indie and in-house lineup is irresistible.
Matt Hill - Editor, Gizmodo UK
PS4 for me. The majority of multi-platform games run better on it, the PS Plus subscription service serves up a stream of good, cheap games – even better if you also have Vita and PS3 – and it looks nicer in the living room. Is that a valid reason? Damn straight it is.
Sophia Tong - Global Editor in Chief, GamesRadar
I have both because I like having options and access to everything (I even own a Wii U). For me it's about the games, but if I had to choose I do like the Xbox One's interface more because I can bark commands at it.
Hugh Langley - UK News Editor, TechRadar
It has to be the PS4 right now. Between PlayStation Plus, PS Now, Vita cross-play, and the promise of Morpheus, the whole PlayStation ecosystem feels like it's growing into something truly terrific. That said, don't get comfortable, Sony - the Xbox One is definitely beginning to close the gap.
Read More ...
The superlight Asus Zenpad S 8.0 finally arrives on US soil
Asus just dropped a gem of a budget tablet on US soil.
The newly-arrived, $199 Asus Zenpad S 8.0 is one of the lightest tablets on the market. At just 0.69 pounds (350 grams), the Android 5.0 device features a gorgeous black leather patterning design.
The Zenpad, which is housed in a metallic frame, is 0.33-inches thick with rounded edges that Asus claims provides a more comfortable grip. Housed within that frame are six speakers and a superb 2048 x 1536 resolution screen.
The Zenpad's screen-to-bezel ratio is 76.5%, meaning you're getting an almost cinematic experience when viewing content – rather than viewing a whole chunk of border and very little display.
Under the hood
Asus claims the Zenpad gets up to 9 hours of battery life. It's packing a 64-bit, 1.83 gigahertz Intel Atom Z3530 Quad-Core processor and up to 2GB of RAM.The tablet maxes out at 32GB of storage, so you'll need a little extra space elsewhere to store the photos you'll take on the 8 megapixel (MP) rear camera. There's also a 5MP front-facing camera for all you selfie enthusiasts.
Luckily, Asus has made up for the lack of storage. The Zenpad comes with Micro USB and Micro SD slots, as well as 100GB of Google Drive storage for two years.
Light and sweet
The Zenpad's 0.69 pound weight puts it in the same class as the industry-leading 8-inch tablets, like the Dell Venue 8 7000 (0.68 pounds) and Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 (0.65 pounds).Asus unveiled similar versions of the ZenPad in 7- and 10-inch frames at Computex in June.
Read More ...
This is the best way to try HTC Vive for yourself
Popular phone maker HTC teamed up with gaming software company Valve to create a virtual reality headset that was announced at MWC 2015 but the HTC Vive has rarely been seen out in the wild. That should change soon.
Announced on its blog, an HTC Vive World Tour is taking place this summer, starting in San Diego, CA on July 9. The tour will continue until November 1 across the US and Europe.
Check out the following dates to see if your city made the list:
- July 9-12, Island St & 6th Ave, San Diego, CA, USA
- July 17-19, Forecastle Festival [Invite Only], Louisville, KY, USA
- July 21-23, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL, USA
- July 25-28, specific location TBD, Kansas City, KS, USA
- August 2-8, The International, Seattle, WA, USA
- August 5-9, Gamescom, Cologne, Germany
- August 13-16, specific location TBD, San Francisco, CA, USA
- August 20-23, specific location TBD, Portland, OR, USA
- August 28-31, PAX Prime, Seattle, WA, USA
- September 4-9, IFA, Berlin, Germany
- October 28-November 1, Paris Games Week, Paris, France
Even though a price hasn't been revealed, the HTC Vive is slated for a 2015 holiday release. This tour is likely happening to get everyone hyped up about its headset.
We've taken it for a spin, and let's just say, the experience is incredible and should give the Oculus Rift and Sony's Project Morpheus, a run for their money.
Read More ...
How to use the new Photos app for Mac
Introduction
For the better part of a decade, iPhoto was arguably the cornerstone of Apple's successful suite of consumer creative iLife products. Many of us got in the habit of shooting our daily and family adventures, then manually syncing them to our Macs when we have a free moment.But times change. We now live in an age of ubiquitous cameras, always-available cloud photo libraries, and one-touch editing. With the meteoric success of iOS, Apple has elected to retire both iPhoto and "iPhoto Pro" (a.k.a., Aperture). It's no secret that iPhoto was getting bulky and slow, and the pro-centric Aperture has been eclipsed by its largest competitor, Adobe Lightroom. Both products have already been "sunset" and will receive no updates going forward.
A successor now rises in their place that is both familiar and different — an all-new Mac edition of the Photos for iOS app, which over 700 million people (and counting) are quite familiar with.
Over the following pages, we'll explain how the new Photos works and give you helpful tips.
Quick look: the main Photos area
This should feel pretty familiar, whether you have previously used iPhoto or just about any similar app or service. It's all your photos (and videos), displayed in a simple grid. If you're using a Trackpad, you can pinch in and out to quickly resize the grid and see larger photos with more detail or more photos all at once.
A. Sidebar: Here is where you can slice and dice your library. In fairly standard Apple practice, new Albums, Smart Albums, and Folders you create are listed here. This also displays any Shared Photo Stream albums you have created or joined.
B. Smart Sidebar: Photos for Mac does quite a bit of library organization for you, automatically sorting some items into sections like Faces (Mac-only for now), Favorites, Panoramas, Videos, Slow-Mo, and more. Unlike albums you create, you cannot remove any of these sections.
C. Toolbar: An app's toolbar is often your anchor, your home base for figuring out where you are and what you can do next. For iPhoto and Aperture users, the Photos for Mac toolbar is dramatically simplified. Only a couple options are visible while browsing photos and albums, and options to share and edit a photo appear only once you select or double-click, respectively.
D. Editing: Click the Edit button at the right of the toolbar to craft a photo into your own image. A suite of tools, which iOS users should recognize, appears to the right of your photo as the app switches into an editing interface. This is where the magic happens.
E. Search: What good are ever-expanding photo libraries without a way to search through them? Here you can zero in on just about anything, including metadata like locations and dates that is automatically captured when you shoot with an iPhone, as well as album names, Faces, and other information you add.
Organizing your photos
By default, and just like iOS, Photos for Mac punctuates your photos and videos using basic metadata of time and location (when available). Combine this with the new built-in sidebar categories, and many people will be happy with this level of automated organization.
For the more adventurous, you can create albums to organize media for just about any purpose or topic you want. If that isn't enough, you can also use Smart Albums, a longtime staple of iPhoto, Aperture, and OS X itself, to automatically filter your library by criteria such as date, text in titles you add, and even the camera used.
Of course, the fabric tying all Apple products together is iCloud, and it is a first-class citizen here with a custom feature name: iCloud Photo Library. If you enable this, your entire library will automatically sync between all devices as long as they're on Wi-Fi. Yes, even edits you make to photos will sync, as will your ability to revert a photo to its original form.
If I have a complaint with the organizational features of Photos, it's that not all of them sync with iOS. You can create Smart Albums and organize Faces on Mac, but as of this writing, Apple's latest iOS doesn't see them. Our ever-expanding photo libraries sync to all devices now, but the smart tools we need sift through them do not. Also, out-of-the-box, Photos is woefully short on filters. I hope Apple allows third-party apps to add filter tools on Mac like they can on iOS.
Step-by-step: get organized
1. Import Your Photos: Of course, you need to get your photos into Photos for Mac to do anything with them. If, like most people, you shoot everything with your iPhone, be sure to enable iCloud Photo library on all your devices for effortless sync. To manually import from a traditional camera, simply plug it in via USB to trigger the Photos for Mac import tool.
2. Create an Album: Use File > New Album to create a blank album in your sidebar, give it a name, and start dragging photos into it. Alternatively, if you hold Command or Shift to select multiple photos, then click File > New Album, all selected items will be automatically organized into that new album.
3. Get Smart: If you really want to start organizing, use File > New Smart Album to create a live, dynamic filter of your library. For example, you could combine criteria like "date" and "Face" to find all photos of yourself from that one time in your life and delete them to leave no evidence… or simply reminisce.
4. New Shared Album: A great feature of Apple's new photo ecosystem is the option to share and even collaborate on an album with friends and family. Use File > Share > iCloud Photo Sharing to share media with people you invite (Apple devices required). You can even let others upload, making these handy for collaboration.
6. Hide Photos: If you save images like Internet memes or screenshots on your iPhone, but don't want them cluttering your actual photography, Photos for Mac (and iOS) can hide them (Image > Hide Photo). If you put them in albums first, the photo will display in that album, but not in All Photos.
Basic photo editing
Photos for Mac provides a nice, succinct set of editing tools to help most typical users polish their memories. iOS users should feel right at home with the handful of options — Enhance, Rotate, Crop, Filters, Adjust, Retouch, and Red-eye — but iPhoto and Aperture users shouldn't have any trouble picking them up.Like iPhoto, Aperture, and Photos for iOS, edits are non-destructive (you can undo them tomorrow or a year from now), and they even sync across devices if you use iCloud Photo Library. Crop a photo in Photos for Mac and add a filter for that extra style, and later you can revert back to the original from your iPhone or iPad. Yep, we live in the future.
As I mentioned earlier, the Edit button won't appear in the upper-right until it's needed (the idea is that users don't need to see certain tools until they are in the right mode or it is necessary). But once you're editing, the entire interface shifts to accommodate. The sidebar automatically hides, the light, Yosemite-standard background turns to black, and the edit tools appear on the right; it's pretty difficult to miss that you have left "organization mode" and are now in a different task.
Let's give some basic edits a try with a photo from Unsplash.com, a great photography project that regularly publishes beautiful photos which are free to use for anything you want.
Step-by-step: edit your photos
1. Time to Edit: To enter edit mode, find a photo in your library or download one from Unsplash.com (http://unsplash.com/) and drag it in (remember, all edits are non-destructive, so feel free to play around now and backtrack later). Double-click the photo to view it individually, then click Edit at the right of the toolbar.
2. One-Click Fix: If your photo needs a quick boost, use the first tool, Enhance. It has no options or customization, but will assess your photo for things like white balance and color balance, then automatically tune it for sharing or posterity.
3. Right-Side Up: Sometimes a photo falls on its side, or your iPhone's rotation lock might have caused it to appear upside down. Use the Rotate tool to make it right. Bonus sub-tip: hold the Option key to switch the rotation direction.
4. Crop for Focus: Editing tools should appear on the right. Let's focus on a good part of the photo by clicking the Crop tool. Now click and drag the handles that appeared around your photo to move the most prominent person or object to the center, or perhaps near the lower left or right corner.
5. Add Some Style: Move back over to the toolset on the right and click Filters. Apple includes a handful, so you could try "Process" to add a dreamy state, or "Noir" for some mystery. When you're happy, click Done in the upper right to keep your new masterpiece.
6. Throw It All Away: But what if you didn't just create a masterpiece, and maybe even ruined a priceless family memory? No problem! Double-click the photo again to view it individually, then click the Edit button. See "Revert to Original" right next to Done? There's your ticket back to square one.
Advanced editing tools
Despite its focus on the everyday customer with Photos for Mac, Apple packed in a number of advanced photo-editing tools that are easy to access if you want them, yet effortlessly avoidable if they just aren't for you. They surely aren't an end-all replacement for serious Aperture users or professionals, but they may be just what you need when it's time to move beyond a crop and a filter.
In true Apple fashion, diving into the advanced editing tools feels deceptively simple. These tools live alongside the others we just tinkered with, at times adding an advanced feature to a core tool (like fine-grained rotate/leveling in Crop), and sometimes being collected in their own section like Adjust.
As you might expect, these tools can all stack or combine their effects as you work (and yes, everything is still non-destructive if you have to start over, whether you decide right now or a year down the road). For example, if a photo's colors are all over the map, you can first crop it, then use a White Balance adjustment on the cropped area to better center its palette, then use a filter to add style, again on just the cropped portion.
Let's roll up our sleeves and dig a little deeper.
Step-by-step: Advanced editing
1. Rotate to a Degree: You may have noticed that a degree meter appeared with the Crop tool, just to the right of your photo. Click and drag this to level your photo with fine control; this is great if you were off-balance when shooting or if you want to add some tension to a shot.
2. Retouch: Arguably one of the most "magical" tools, Retouch is a surprisingly accurate way to make many unwanted elements disappear. This is great for restoring aged, cracked family photos to glory or even, in this example, removing the boat and its passengers from view.
3. Crop to a Standard: If you are often cropping photos for a specific use or format — say, 5 x 7 inches for print or 16:9 for featured blog post images — look to the bottom of the Crop tool. Click the Aspect button for a bunch of size presets, or define your own dimensions.
4. Split View: If you're on an editing roll, use View > Show Split View to show a left sidebar of all photos in the currently selected album. This gives you a bird's-eye view of the other photos you can edit, and it's just one click to switch while staying in edit mode.
5. Adjust: This is where you can take complete, manual control over enhancing your photos. Sliders offer fine-grained control over everything from color saturation to highlights and shallows, complete with clever thumbnail previews before you start sliding.
6. Paste Adjustments: When editing a similar group of photos and you get adjustments on one just the way you like, you can copy and paste it to all the others. Simply use Image > Copy Adjustments on the current photo, then Image > Paste Adjustments on the rest.
7. Adjust Your Adjustments: You can add a broad array of tools to the default set. Click the Add button at the top of the Adjustments column — everything from a histogram, to noise reduction (for grainy photos), and even a Photoshop-ish levels panel can give you great control over your photos.
8. Levels: Long hailed as one of the most useful photo-editing tools, a Levels tool is like going under the hood of the Light and Color adjustments. Levels allows you to adjust color and tone by hand, and to fix "flat" images by setting new black and white points.
Read More ...
Target built its own smart home to sell you smart home tech
Target just announced the launch of Open House, an experimental new branch of its stores that sells nothing but connected home tech in San Francisco. The one-of-a-kind store is laid out to display the smart tech that, until now, hasn't had a proper showcase in the aisles of major electronics retailers.
The store rocks a futuristic look with translucent walls that are backlit by LEDs to better show off the different products and how they each can work in tandem to connect your home.
In a statement, Target chief creative officer Todd Waterbury elaborated on the challenges of creating a design layout specifically suited for smart home tech.
"... We're trying to humanize and personalize the benefits of these products, as well as show them working in concert," Waterbury said. "It's really about relevant storytelling and creating a destination for engagement and discovery."
The house that Target built
Considering that these various smart devices can only show off their utility in your home, it makes sense that Open Space is built like one. Waterbury added that "putting a house in the space, we felt, was the most relatable and welcoming way to introduce these products."
Target's Open House is an experiment, but it's one that major connected home brands are eager to be a part of. From Nest and Sonos to Parrot, Withings and GE, the gang's all here.
But how will the public react to the store? Target's chief of strategy and innovation, Casey Carl, is optimistic, having said that Target expects "huge value" to come of the store. However, Target was keen to point out that this is only a test.
Carl went on to say that the company is "...using Open House to test the trend, both for us and for guests."
Via Forbes
Lead image credit: Target
Read More ...
Available Tags:iPhone , iPad , iOS , TV , Apple , Android , server , Mac , Microsoft , CEO , SSD , PS4 , Xbox , Asus , HTC ,
No comments:
Post a Comment