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  • ESPN+ Opens Their Subscription Streaming Service

    ESPN+ Opens Their Subscription Streaming Service

    Yesterday, ESPN launched their subscription streaming service to the masses. It’s their first push into subscription streaming. It’s also Disney’s first streaming launch since acquiring a majority stake in BAMTech in 2017.

    The New Service

    The service will have two options for subscriptions, either $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year. American Express is sponsoring a 30-day free trial.

    “I consider these offerings the beginning of a new era of innovation at ESPN,” said Jimmy Pitaro, President of ESPN.

    A Different Kind of Service

    ESPN is not looking to mimic some other channels’ subscription offerings. HBO Now, for instance, mirrors content between the television channel and the subscription service. ESPN+ is going a different direction.

    Rather than serve as a replacement, it will be a complementary addition to ESPN’s cable network channel.

    “We’ve been very clear that the service is meant to be complementary and additive to what you’re getting on linear television,” Pitaro said.

    Because of this angle, ESPN and BAMTech aren’t marketing ESPN+ as a cord-cutters service. It’s for people who are hungry for more sports.

    “I don’t know how to program to cord cutters,” said BAMTech CEO Michael Paull. “I do know how to program to sports enthusiasts.”

    Offerings

    There will be plenty of live game offerings, including a daily MLB game, more than 180 NHL games, and more than 250 Major League Soccer games, college sports, golf, cricket, ruby and matches from three different tennis Grand Slams.

    Outside of games, there will be original shows like Detail (a basketball show hosted by Kobe Bryant) and the 30 for 30 documentary series. There will also be other original ESPN content offered on the streaming service.

  • Goodbye 32-Bit Apps: How to Check Your Mac Apps for 64-Bit Compatibility

    Goodbye 32-Bit Apps: How to Check Your Mac Apps for 64-Bit Compatibility

    Apple has announced that an upcoming update to MacOS will end support for 32-bit applications. This could leave users and developers in the lurch, trying to determine how to either upgrade or replace needed software.

    Luckily, there are some simple ways to check your most commonly used apps to determine if they will still work after the transition.

    The Pop-Up Alert

    If you’ve upgraded to 10.13.4, then you may have already seen a one-time pop up upon starting a 32-bit app. The pop-up box reports that your app “is not optimized for your Mac.” And goes on to say that it will need to be updated by the developer to improve compatibility.

    There’s no mention that the app will stop working in the future, but that is exactly what will happen.

    System Report

    The system report feature will also list all of your apps and give you an easy way to check everything for compatibility going forward.

    From the Apple menu, click About This Mac and then scroll to the System Report button. Under Software, choose Applications. When you choose an individual application, all you need to do is check the ’64-bit (Intel)’ field to see if it’s marked ‘yes.’

    If so, you’re good to go and your app will continue to work after the transition. If it’s marked ‘no,’ then it’s time to check with the developer to see if there is an updated version. Otherwise you will need to find an alternative application and make a permanent switch.

    Or, of course, you could simply avoid updating MacOS, but with all of the security fixes and features that are added, that’s not a path that we recommend.

  • HP Caters to Budget-Conscious Gamers with New PC Lineup

    HP Caters to Budget-Conscious Gamers with New PC Lineup

    Sure, there are some folks who don’t mind throwing three grand at a new computer rig that will run every game in existence at ultra-high 4K settings. But some of us have tighter budgets to deal with, and HP just released a new line of gaming computers with us in mind.

    Desktop Entries

    The Pavilion Gaming towers (690 and 7900 are aimed at gamers not interested in mobility or custom-building a rig. The swing-out hard drive trays make upgrading drives easy and the dual fans should be adequate for standard cooling.

    The desktop price range for the 690 starts at $549 for an entry level system: 3.5GHz Ryzen 3, Radeon RX550, 8GB of RAM and a 1TB platter hard drive. Buyers can scale the price up to $1,699 for the 790 for an uptick in performance: a 3.2GHz Core i7, GTX 1070 video, 32GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD and a 2TB platter disk.

    There are options for even higher-end video cards such as the RX580 and GTX 1080. Hard drive space can be maxed out at 3TB and more RAM can be added. The 690 tops off at 16GB while the 790 can go up to 64GB.

    Laptop Entries

    The Pavilion Gaming laptop starts at $799, featuring a 2.3GHz quad Core i5, Radeon RX560X, a 1080p display, a 1TB platter drive and 16GB of Optane storage. If you want to bump your spend to $1,019, you can get a six core 2.2GHz Core i7, GTX 1060 graphics and a 1080p screen at 144Hz.

    Other options can move the screen up to 4K resolution and a storage combo that pairs a 128GB SSD with 2TB of platter storage.

    Non-Gaming Entries

    HP isn’t only catering to gamers, however. There’s also a new version of the 14-inch Pavilion x360 with a fresh design that features a smaller bezel and a fingerprint reader. The standard Pavilion desktops and laptops also got a design refresh and performance boost.

    Look out for all of these new computers sometime between May and June!

  • New VIZIO Home Theater Sound System Lineup Includes Dolby Atmos Support and Other Features

    New VIZIO Home Theater Sound System Lineup Includes Dolby Atmos Support and Other Features

    VIZIO revealed their new 2018 Home Theater Sound Systems with Dolby Atmos support. These new sound bars also feature other smart home features powered by Google.

    Sound System Configurations

    The new sound bars come in three configurations: a 46” 5.1.4 sound bar, a 46” 3.1.2 sound bar and a 36” 5.1.2 sound bar. They have also added a new 36” 2.1 sound bar with built-in dual subwoofers.

    Dolby Atmos 5.1.4

    This immersive cinema sound experience features a total of 10-channels. This is a 5-channel sound bar with up-firing speakers to bounce sound off the ceiling. It also features two rear surround speakers with 2 up-firing speakers and a wireless subwoofer.

    Dolby Atmos 3.1.2

    Another great cinema experience with a total of 6-channels. The sound bar features 3-channels with 2 up-firing speakers. Like the 5.1.4, the system features two rear surround speakers and a wireless subwoofer. However, the rear surround speakers in this set to not include up-firing speakers.

    Dolby Atmos 5.1.2

    Splitting the difference between the previous two offerings is the 5.1.2 system. It features the same sound bat as the 5.1.4, with 5-channels and 2 up-firing speakers. The rear surround speakers are the same as the 3.1.2 set with no up-firing speakers. And of course, the wireless subwoofer is included.

    Smart Features

    Chromecast and Bluetooth support means that you can stream your favorite artists and apps directly to the sound bar. Just connect your phone or tablet and you have an instant audio entertainment center! You can also stream over Wi-Fi.

    Another new feature is the ability for your VIZIO sound bar to work with Google Assistant. This means that you can use your voice to control the sound bar.

    New 2.1 Sound Bar

    For those needing something more compact, the 2.1 sound bar has you covered! You’ll get to experience a sound bar with 2 built-in subwoofers to ensure that your cinematic experience gets that deep bass it deserves.

  • LG G7 ThinQ Unveiling

    LG G7 ThinQ Unveiling

    Lg has set a May 2nd Unboxing event for their newest flagship the G7. There will actually be two launch events for the LG G7 ThinQ: one in New York City on May 2nd, for an international audience, and another in LG’s home turf of Seoul on May 3rd. Like the P20 Pro and the majority of Android flagships this year, the G7 is set to have a notch at the top of the screen

     

    LG is positioning artificial intelligence (AI) at the core of the G7. This is, in fact, why the company has opted to use the ThinQ moniker. While it might not be the most attractive name, it is one which has been specifically chosen to reflect the intelligence underlying the LG G7. As that intelligence goes well beyond just what the smartphone can do for you — in terms of the provision of contextual information — with the AI experience having been very tightly integrated with other elements on the G7 such as the camera, another major selling point of the upcoming Android flagship.

     

    The Lg Difference

    Lg is trying to pack a lot in to this G7 starting with the camera.  LG focusing on how the G7 can process what it sees and offer recommendations to get the most out of photos captured with the phone. Specifically, AI Cam will offer four “enhanced filter options” which will provide different levels of optimization based on aspects such as color, contrast, and saturation. According to LG, this will result in the G7 being far more capable in extreme low-light conditions compared to the LG G6, as well as the V30 and V30+. In fact, the G7 will be marketed as capable of capturing four times brighter images and videos compared to the G6 and V30 lineups.

    2D and 3D camera stickers will be available, allowing the user to paste over photos with various animated stickers. Following on from the V30’s introduction of Graphy, the G7 will boast an updated version of the service in the form of Graphy 2.0. At present, it is not quite clear how the new version will fundamentally differ from the previous one.

     

    LG has included what it refers to as a “Boombox Speaker” to the G7. On a more technical level, this means the G7 is capable of acting in the same way as a resonance chamber — LG actually claims it is one — and this means the G7 bounces audio signals internally before the signal is outputted to the listener, with the end result being a more booming sound overall.

    The Final Thought

    The LG G7 ThinQ is going to arrive as an all-singing, all-dancing smartphone. AI, cameras, and the two together are going to be some of the primary selling points, although even with the AI elements removed from the equation, the G7 will remain a feature-packed phone. Guess we will just have to wait until May to see.

  • Top 10 Cars With the Best Mileage in 2018

    Top 10 Cars With the Best Mileage in 2018

    Whether you want to save some money or save the environment, a gas saving car is something that interests many people. There are even cars on today’s market that are hybrids that you can plug in and run on electricity. Below is a list compiled of ten cars with the best mileage today.

     

    10) 2018 Kia Niro FE – 52 mpg city/49 mpg highway/50 mpg combo

    This Kia is subcompact SUV with a great deal of cargo space. It has many extra technology features and is one of the most efficient on the market. The Kia Niro FE is a hybrid vehicle, meaning you can use gasoline and plug it in to charge.

     

    9) 2018 Toyota Camry Hybrid LE 51 mpg city/53 mpg highway/52 mpg combo

    This hybrid Camry is one of the most powerful hybrids available on today’s market. Combined, the gasoline and electric puts out a 208 horsepower. A great addition to this car, it has a safety feature to warn of potential collisions and pedestrians, called Toyota Safety Sense.

     

    8) 2018 Toyota Prius Eco 58 mpg city/53 mpg highway/56 mpg combo

    This pick is completely gasoline run, and it has one of the best fuel economies. The safety score reigns high, as it also has the Toyota Safety Sense and other safety features. The score for this vehicle overall is great with almost a 9/10.

     

    7) 2018 Hyundai Ioniq Blue 57 mpg city/59 mpg highway/58 mpg combo

    Another top choice that is a great hybrid, it gets almost sixty miles per gallon just based off gasoline. That is insane! The price is an amazing one for a hybrid vehicle, if you are wanting something that is not going to break the bank, here is your best bet.

     

    6) 2018 Kia Optima PHEV 103 mpg-e/40 mpg combo

    Without using any gasoline, the Optima can travel up to 29 miles using electricity. This car is high-quality and has an amazing sound system. You can even hook up your phone to the car to the 10-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system.

     

    5) 2018 Kia Niro PHEV 105 mpg-e/46 mpg combo

    The crossover body style of this vehicle allows for more cargo space! This hybrid allows up to 26 miles of electric range. You are able to use Kia’s UVO eco infotainment system to do things like set up to charge your vehicle and even to heat the steering wheel!

     

    4) 2018 Chevrolet Volt 106 mpg-e/42 mpg combo

    One of the first vehicles to come out with a hybrid system, it has a perfect safety score of 10/10. You can’t beat the 53 miles this car runs solely on electricity. It is packed full of great features, the Chevy’s Teen Driver system being a unique one.

     

    3) 2018 Honda Clarity PHEV 110 mpg-e/42 mpg combo

    Honda is a very popular pick for a car, this hybrid can travel 47 miles just on electricity. The gasoline engine is strong with an amazing 212 horsepower. This car has many safety features like the LaneWatch camera and an adaptive cruise control.

     

    2) 2018 Hyundai Ioniq PHEV 119 mpg-e/52 mpg combo

    This version of the Ioniq has a more high class look to it yet has great cargo space. It is also a lot more economical than you may think; it can travel up to 29 miles alone on just electricity.

     

    1) 2018 Toyota Prius Prime 133 mpg-e/54 mpg combo

    Last, but not least, this car is the best pick of all hybrid vehicles. It has two electric motors and can run on that electric for up to 25 miles. Between charging this car and filling up on gas, the Prius Prime will last 640 miles! Other ways to help get the most of your miles in this car are to use the Entune Prime App to adjust the climate control.

  • Passwords Are Soon Going the Way of the Blockbuster

    Passwords Are Soon Going the Way of the Blockbuster

    Passwords, I cant remember, I try to develop a system to keep track. I have tried to use the same one for everything, then a variation, I tried to use the same word and change the last number. I spend half of my life resetting passwords. Well good news everybody, the password may soon be a thing of the past, yesterdays problem, and something ill write a tech throwback about in 15 years. A welcomed goodbye and welcome to biometric ID.

     

    Announced in a press release today (April 10) by the FIDO (Fast IDentity Online) Alliance and the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), the new Web Authentication (WebAuthn) standard will let users move to biometric logins or verification via a USB security key.

    The new standard aims to lure users away from current password-based systems, which leave users open to phishing attacks and other ways of abusing stolen login credentials.

    The press release notes that “Google, Microsoft and Mozilla have committed to supporting the WebAuthn standard in their flagship browsers and have started implementation for Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS and Android platforms.”A development status page for WebAuthn in Chrome shows that it is slated to be enabled by default in version 67, two major releases from the current version 65. The standard is already supported by Firefox, and Edge will be gaining support in the coming months.

    Login via USB security keys is already widely supported for products such as the Yubikey by major websites such as Facebook, Google and Bank of America

    Face ID and Apple

    Apple has already embraced this and has been implementing it slowly for several years, it started with the finger print sensor in the iPhone 5s. Now the iPhone X and FaceId are taking it to the next level. I havent entered a password on my iPhone X since I got it in November. It even remembers passwords from years ago before I started using the fingerprint reader for my password Chain.

    Face ID is enabled through a TrueDepth front-facing camera on the iPhone X, which has multiple components. A Dot Projector projects more than 30,000 invisible dots onto your face to map its structure.

    The dot map is then read by an infrared camera and the structure of your face is relayed to the A11 Bionic chip in the iPhone X and transformed into a mathematical model. The A11 chip then compares your facial structure to the facial scan stored in the iPhone X during the setup process.

     

    The Final Thought

    Biometric Identification is the path to the future, we have seen it in every future set movie we have ever watched. The time is coming and we are making great progress to it. Apple alone has this nearly set with FaceID, adopt it in to multiple devices in a year or two and its set. Im glad to see all the big tech establishments embracing this and setting a standard for biometric ID. See you in the funny papers, Passwords.

  • Blackmagic Design Releases 4K Pocket Cinema Camera

    Blackmagic Design Releases 4K Pocket Cinema Camera

    The folks over at Blackmagic Design have unveiled their newest version of the Pocket Cinema Camera. The new model, first seen at NAB 2018, supports 4K HDR RAW video.

    Perhaps most importantly, the retail cost of $1,295 makes this camera the least expensive way to get started shooting 4K HDR.

    Pocket Cinema Camera 4K

    Following on the heels of the popular Pocket Cinema Camera, the 4K version supports 4K HDR RAW at 4,096 x 2,160 resolution and 60 fps in 12-bit RAW or 10-bit ProRes. The redesigned body is much more modern than the original Pocket Cinema, and since it’s built with carbon-fiber, it is much lighter.

    Before you worry about dropping it, Blackmagic countered the new, lighter weight with a bigger grip. It also has larger dials and buttons for recording, ISO, shutter, aperture, white balance and other standard camera features. This is a departure from the previous version, where the rear display controlled most of the settings.

    Full-Size Sensor

    The old Pocket Cinema featured a Micro Four Thirds mount but had a smaller than full-size sensor. The 4K version has a full-sized Micro Four Thirds sensor with native DCI 4K resolution and 13 stops of dynamic range.

    Storage Options Aplenty

    The Pocket Cinema 4K can record ProRes or RAW to standard SD, UHS-II or CFast 2.0 cards. You can also record 4K directly to a media drive by using the USB-C expansion port. This is a great feature for those who dread transferring files… All you need to do is plug the external drive into your computer and you are ready to edit!

    Brighter Touchscreen

    Another bump up from the previous model is the brighter 5-inch touchscreen. The original Pocket Cinema caught a lot of flak for being so dim. With the screen you can frame shots, check focus or use the menu. There are also histograms, focus and peaking indicators and 3D LUTs that can be viewed on the screen.

    DaVinci Resolve 15

    Also launching with the Pocket Cinema Camera 4K is a new version of DaVinci Resolve. This “massive update” now includes the Fusion compositing VFX package to allow even more work to be done in the same program.

    DaVinci Resolve 15 includes support for Apple Metal and CUDA and can recognize multiple GPUs.

  • You Can Preorder a Red iPhone 8 or 8 Plus Today!

    You Can Preorder a Red iPhone 8 or 8 Plus Today!

    Apple announced a new color option for the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus. Working with HIV/AIDS charity Product (RED), Apple has released stunning deep red versions of the iPhone for the same price as existing models.

    Product (RED) Models

    Now positioned alongside of the existing space gray, silver and gold models of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus is the Product (RED).

    This is just the latest collaboration between Apple and Product (RED). Since 2006, Apple has donated more than $160 million to Global Fund.

    Last year, Apple released red versions of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus models. They were only available for purchase for about half a year. The new 8 models may follow the same pattern, so don’t wait too long if you are hoping to get one.

    Preorders Open

    Preorders open up on Tuesday, so head over to the Apple store and see if you are lucky enough to snag one. They will begin showing up in stores on Friday.

    The red 8 and 8 Plus start at $699 and $799 for the 64 GB model. For 256 GB of storage, the prices are $849 and $949 for the 8 and 8 Plus models.

    A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Global Fund HIV/AIDS grants to provide testing, counseling, treatment and prevention programs. There is a special focus on eliminating the transmission of HIV/AIDS from mothers to their babies.

    What About the iPhone X?

    While there isn’t a special edition of the iPhone X available in red, Apple is selling a red leather folio for the phone. You can order it for $99 with proceeds going to the same charity.

  • Samsung DeX Pad a Big Leap Forward, and it Could Be Free

    Samsung DeX Pad a Big Leap Forward, and it Could Be Free

    Samsung is opening up a new device that will add a whole new level of smartphones. Samsung’s DeX Pad allows its smartphones to become minicomputers when they’re hooked up to the device. Connecting a smartphone to the dock allows the user to see the screen of the phone projected onto a monitor.The new Samsung DeX Pad that transforms newer Galaxy phones into a desktop-like virtualization tool is available for pre-order in the US, Samsung announced today.

    With the power we are seeing in the latest phones this could be a real jump in our tech evolution. I know you have asked Why do I need, a computer, tablet, smartphone, 2 laptops and 6 other specialized devices? This will be the first step in a consolidated universe.

    Samsung announced that it would be releasing the DeX Pad in the U.S. on May 13 for the price of $99.99. This new device was revealed back in February during the debut of the Samsung Galaxy S9. When a smartphone is connected to the dock, the phone’s screen can be seen on a much larger monitor.

    How to get a DeX Pad for free

    The new Samsung DeX Pad is like having “a secret Chromebook hidden in your phone.” But not everyone will be willing to pay for this extra.

    Luckily, while it costs $99  at retail, Samsung is bundling the DeX Pad with new Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus deals in the US through its website starting today.

    Yes, this means early adopters who already bought Samsung’s new phones in the last few weeks get the short end of the stick if they want multitasking beyond 5.8-inch, and 6.2-inch and 6.3-inch smartphone screens.

    The Final Thought

    The Samsung DeX Pad has two USB-A ports, one USB-C port for powering the DeX Pad and your Galaxy smartphone, and an HDMI port. It outputs 1920×1080 and 2560×1440 resolution to a display. The DeX Pad supports the Galaxy S8, Note 8, and S9 models with the Android 8.0 update. I will have a on review for this upon its May 13th release, stay tuned.