August 2017 – Page 2

Gmail for Android: 6 awesome features you probably aren’t using

gmail hero

The Gmail app has been on Android literally since the beginning, but it’s gotten much more powerful over the years. Today, the app does so many things, it can be hard to keep track of them all. Now, you don’t have to know everything Gmail can do in order to improve your efficiency, so here are the six most useful Gmail features you probably aren’t using.

Gmail Smart Replies

When Google’s Inbox app came out a few years ago, it offered a different approach to email with various “smart” features like bundles, reminders, and Smart Replies. Now Smart Replies is available directly in Gmail, and you might not understand how useful this feature can be if you haven’t also used Inbox.

Smart Replies appear at the bottom of emails you receive based on the context of the message. Not all emails will have them, and you have to scroll down through long messages to find them. Smart Replies show up as three phrases in blue boxes. The phrases are simple responses like “You’re welcome,” and “Sure, I’d be happy to chat.”

Tapping on a blue reply won’t instantly send a message, so don’t be afraid to make use of them. The Smart Reply is dropped into a new email reply so you can add to it, or edit as you see fit. There are no settings to play with here—Smart Replies are active for everyone.

Change your default swipe action to delete

Consider this two tips in one—there are swipe actions in Gmail, and you can change what that swipe does. In your inbox view, just swipe left or right to act on a message. If you haven’t made any changes to the settings, swiping an email will archive it.

Should you want a more permanent solution, head into your Gmail settings and find General settings > Gmail default action. In this popup, you can choose between archive and delete. If you pick delete, all the conversations you swipe away will be deleted immediately. The settings also contain a toggle to turn off swipe actions.

Gmail text formatting

Gmail on the desktop includes various formatting tools, but you don’t need to run over to a computer to make your emails prettier. The Gmail app includes formatting options to—they’re just a bit hidden. To format a block of text, long-press to select it, and one of the options in the popup should be “formatting.”

The formatting option opens up a toolbar above your keyboard with all the standard formatting tools including bold, italic, underline, color, and so on. This bar remains active as you compose the email, unless you decide to close it by tapping the “x” on the far right. So, the formatting options don’t only apply to the test you originally selected. You can clear your selection, pick different text, and apply formatting options to that.

Default reply action

We’ve all made the mistake of responding to an email when we should have used reply-all. In fact, that’s usually the right course of action when there are multiple people included in an email chain. Changing one setting in Gmail ensures you’ll never forget to reply-all again.

Open your Gmail settings and find “default reply action” under “General settings.” It includes options for “reply” and “reply-all,” with “reply” being the default. Simply pick “reply-all” and the button at the top of emails will automatically become reply-all when there are multiple people in the conversation. You can always tap on the address field while composing to remove people.

Attach money directly in a Gmail

If you own someone a few bucks, paying them back is as simple as sending an email. First, you’ll need to make sure you’ve set up an account with Google Wallet. You can fund Google Wallet with a debit card or bank account, but the Wallet app really isn’t needed at all for this Gmail feature.

To send money, begin composing a new email, and tap the “Attach” paperclip button at the top of Gmail. Select “Send money” and input an amount. Gmail also includes the option to add a memo to your payment. The money shows up as an attachment to the email, which you can edit by tapping. The attachment can be removed if you change your mind as well.

The recipient does not need to have a Wallet account ahead of time. They’ll be able to sign in with their Google account and designate a default account. Then, the money is cashed out. Future payments will be deposited automatically.

Custom notifications

Gmail’s system of labels lets you meticulously organize your mail, but it can also help you cut down on excessive notifications. You should set up a few labels in Gmail, but you can tweak notifications in the app even if you only use the default labels.

To cut through the noise, you need to open the Gmail settings and go to [Your account name] > Manage labels. Only the top few items in this list will be synced, including the Primary label containing most of your mail. That’s also the one set to trigger notifications. You can disable the notification on Primary, and turn it on only for the labels you want, though. For instance, tap on “Important,” turn on sync, and choose your notification settings. You can make the same change for any custom labels you’ve set up, too.

Remember, other labels will still sync unless you turn them off. Thus, the messages will be available when you open the app. If some of your labels are of particular importance, you can also set them to notify on every new message instead of just once per label.

The Gmail app is only going to get more powerful as time goes on, but these tips should get you well on the way to mastering it.

6 ways to make the most of Android’s Clock app

Who needs an alarm clock when you’ve got your Android phone handy? In the past year or so that I’ve relied on the Clock app on my Nexus 5X, I’ve rarely overslept. Now that I’ve got the hang of the Clock app’s various features and foibles, I’m close to replacing that “rarely” qualifier with a “never.”

Read on for six eye-opening tips and tricks for the Android Clock app, from setting alarm tones that gradually increase in volume to making sure your Do Not Disturb rules don’t override your morning wake-up alarm. (For the basics on setting alarms on your Android phone, click here.)

Note: I tested these tips on a Nexus 5X running on Android version 7.1.2. Your settings and features may vary depending on the make and model of your phone.

Open the clock app with a single tap

The Android Clock app isn’t the sexiest app on my Nexus phone, but it’s certainly in the top five when it comes to apps I use the most—and given that, I hate having to dig around the Android app drawer to find it.

Luckily, there’s a handy one-tap shortcut to the Clock app, and it’s probably already sitting on your home screen.

Just tap the Clock widget—the one that looks like a digital or analog clock face—and you’ll jump immediately to the Clock app. That may sound obvious, but I only discovered the shortcut myself a few weeks ago, and I can’t believe I’d missed it so long. (If you’re not already using the Clock widget, just tap and hold a blank space on the Android home screen, tap Widgets, then install a Clock widget by tapping its icon.)

Use the clock as your screensaver

When I get up in the middle of the night (the older I get, the more it happens), I like taking a peek at the time—and I’d rather do it without having to click a button on my Android phone.

That’s why I love using the Clock app as my Android screensaver. Now, whenever I’ve got my Android phone docked or plugged into a charger, the current time flashes on the screen of my handset, and there’s even a night mode that keeps the screen relatively dim while leaving the clock visible.

The trick: Tap Settings > Display > Screen saver, select the Clock option, then tap the Settings button (the one shaped like a gear) to pick the style of the screensaver clock (analog or digital) and to toggle “night mode” on and off.

Gradually increase sound of alarm

For some deep sleepers, nothing short of a blaring alarm will wake them up. For me, it takes a lot less—indeed, just the sound of my Android phone vibrating can rouse me.

That’s why I’m a fan of the Clock app’s “Gradually increase volume” setting. Turn it on, and your alarm tone will start off whisper quiet, then slowly build until it reaches full volume, perfect for those of us who prefer a gentler wake-up call.

To turn on the setting, open the Clock app, tap the three-dot menu button in the top-right corner of the screen, tap Gradually increase volume, then pick how long you’d like the effect to last—anywhere from five seconds to a full minute.

Use any sound file as an alarm tone

Nope, you don’t have to wake up to a canned Android alarm tone. As it happens, you can set the Clock app to rouse you with any song or sound you want, from Van Halen’s “Jump” to a sound file you grabbed from the web.

Just open an alarm in the Clock app, tap the Alarm sound setting (the one that looks like an alarm bell), then tap Add new. Doing so will open the Downloads browser—and from there, you can pick any sound file in the Audio folder, or one you’ve saved in Google Drive.

Manage Do Not Disturb mode

If you’re wondering how you overslept an Android alarm, Android’s Do Not Disturb feature is a likely culprit. When it’s set to “Total Silence” mode, Do Not Disturb will muzzle all Android notifications and alerts, including alarms.

The good news is that Android does a pretty good job of warning you if you’re about to override an alarm by switching on Do Not Disturb mode manually. The bad news? It’s easy to get tripped up by Do Not Disturb’s “automatic rules,” which can easily muzzle your alarm clock if you’re not careful.

When creating an automatic Do Not Disturb rule (which you can do by tapping Settings > Sounds > Do Not Disturb > Automatic rules) and you’ve set Do Not Disturb to “Total Silence” mode, consider enabling the Alarm can override end time setting—or, better still, switch from Total Silence mode to Alarms only.

If you don’t, just know that any alarms you set during a particular automatic rule period won’t go off, meaning you may doze right through any early-morning meetings.

Silence an alarm after a set amount of time

One of the pitfalls of getting up early is forgetting to switch your alarm off—something you may realize when you step out of the shower and hear your alarm wailing…and wailing, and wailing.

As long as you’re not one of those deep sleepers who won’t wake up unless the alarm has been blaring for half an hour, you might want to set your Android alarm to turn itself off automatically after a brief period of time.

Open the Clock app, tap the three-dot menu button, tap Settings > Silence after, then pick a setting (up to 25 minutes).

OnePlus 5: Everything you need to know about the mid-range flagship

The original flagship killer is back with, well, another flagship killer. After weeks of leaks and rumors, OnePlus has released its sixth handset, the OnePlus 5, and it has the major Android players in its sights: the LG G6, Galaxy S8, and HTC U11.

oneplus 5 back

And it looks to be a formidable competitor. Packing the fastest processor around in the Snapdragon 835, up to 8GB of RAM, a 3,300mAh battery, and dual cameras, the OnePlus 5 fills out the spec sheet for less. Here’s everything you need to know, including our full review of the OnePlus 5.

OnePlus 5 specs

Display:5-inch 1080p Full HD AMOLED, 401ppi
Dimensions:7 x 74.7 x 7.25 mm
Weight: 153g
Color: Midnight black, slate gray
Operating system: OxygenOS based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (octo-core, 10nm, up to 2.45GHz)
GPU: Adreno 540
Rear camera: 16MP, f/1.7 + 20MP f/2.6
Front camera: 16MP, f/2.0
RAM: 6GB/8GB LPDDR4X
Storage: 64GB/128GB UFS 2.1 2-LANE
Ports: USB C, dual nano-SIM slot, 3.5mm audio jack
Battery: 3,300mAh

OnePlus 5 price and release date

The OnePlus 5 was released in June 27, 2017, and is available for purchase through OnePlus’s website. The gray model with 64GB of storage and 6GB of RAM costs $479, and the black model with 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM will set you back $539. Like OnePlus’s other handsets, the 5 won’t be available through carriers, though OnePlus is calling it a “true world phone,” with support for 34 networks across the globe.

OnePlus 5 review

The OnePlus 5 is a major improvement over the 3 and 3T, but nearly all of the changes are on the inside. That means you’re getting the same display as last year at a higher price. So while it’s still a good deal, it’s not quite the killer bargain it was last year. There’s a lot more to it, so read our review for the full details.

OnePlus 5 display and design

At 7.25mm thick, the OnePlus 5 is the thinnest phone OnePlus has made. It has moved the camera to the upper-left corner like the iPhone rather than keeping it centered, and the antenna lines remain, meaning the back is made of aluminum and not glass.

Around the front, OnePlus has resisted the bezel-trimming trend. It looks almost exactly like the 3T, with the same 5.5-inch Full HD 1920×1080 resolution display and pill-shaped home button/fingerprint sensor. Thankfully, it also still has the 3.5mm headphone jack on the bottom edge of the device and an alert slider on the left side. It is available in three color options, depending on options. Both models are available in a slate gray color, but to get it in soft gold you’ll need to choose the 64GB model, while the 128GB version is available in an exclusive midnight black color.

OnePlus 5 performance and battery

OnePlus has always packed its flagship handset with the latest silicone, and the Snapdragon 835 inside the OnePlus 5 is a screamer. Elsewhere, the phone brings 6GB or 8GB of RAM, 64GB or 128GB of UFS 2.1 storage, Bluetooth 5, and a 3,300mAh battery.

While the battery is smaller than the one in last year’s 3T, it’s more than big enough to get through a full day of use. Plus, the 5 uses OnePlus’ proprietary Dash Charge system to power up quicker than its competitors. However, since the OnePlus 5 has an aluminum back, it doesn’t support wireless charging like the S8 and G6.

OnePlus 5 camera

OnePlus has hyped the heck out of the camera in the OnePlus 5. It ditches the older version’s single shooter in favor of a dual-camera system, pairing a custom Sony IMX398 16MP sensor with a large f/1.7 aperture with a 20MP telephoto one. Around the front you get a 16MP lens with f/2.0 aperture.

oneplus 5 camera

The system brings Fast AF and Smart Capture that will let you take shots instantaneously while filtering out noise and inconsistencies in low-light situations, as well as improved HDR and a portrait mode that simulates a depth of field. It also features 1.6x optical zoom (up to 8x when combined with the digital zoom) and a pro mode that includes a tiny histogram so you can fine-tune the pixels. Notably neither lens features optical image stabilization.

OnePlus 5 OS

The OnePlus 5 runs OxygenOS based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat. Previous iterations haven’t strayed too far from stock Android, and the OnePlus 5’s version is no different. But there are some new features.

oneplus 5 os

As you use it, it will learn your habits and prioritize your apps accordingly on a new quick-launch area of the Shelf. A Do Not Disturb mode just for gaming will block notifications and disable the soft buttons for an uninterrupted experience. Secure Box lets you lock up documents, photos, and videos behind a fingerprint- or pin-protected folder. And a new Reading Mode will optimize the display in apps like Amazon’s Kindle reader to make words easier on your eyes.

FAQ

What happened to the OnePlus 4?

There’s a reason OnePlus has jumped from the 3T to the 5. In Chinese culture, the number four is considered unlucky, like the number 13 in the U.S. This is due to the Chinese phonetic pronunciation of the number four being like the word for death and suffering. Many elevators in China skip the fourth floor, much like U.S. hotels often jump from floor 12 to 14.

What’s in the box?

You get a Dash charger and a cable, along with a SIM ejector tool. That’s it. OnePlus still doesn’t include a free set of earbuds, though you can buy a pair from the OnePlus site for $20.

Are there any cases available?

Yes! Just like its previous phones, OnePlus is selling a series of case available in faux wood, carbon fiber, and sandstone. Additionally, there’s a flip cover and an official Otterbox case in black or red.

Can I bring an SD card?

Sadly, no. While there are two nano SIM slots in the SIM tray, the OnePlus 5 doesn’t support SD cards for storage. So you might want to splurge on the bigger model if space is a concern.

How does Dash Charge work?

OnePlus supplies a proprietary cable and a plug that is needed for Dash Charging. But since the OnePlus 5 doesn’t support the Quick Charge standard on the S8 and LG G6, if you don’t use the supplied cable and plug, the phone will charge as normal.

I’m a Verizon customer. Will it work for me?

Nope. While the OnePlus 5 supports more bands than ever, Verizon’s isn’t one of them. And neither is Sprint’s. So unless you want to switch to AT&T or T-Mobile, you’re out of luck.

Microsoft pushes Windows mixed reality with two tiers of PCs and a Halo game tease

Microsoft mixed reality headsets

Microsoft’s bid to bring Windows mixed reality to the masses is taking shape with a raft of affordable PCs. On Monday the company announced that its hardware partners will launch two types of mixed-reality PCs this holiday season, showing them off first at the IFA show this week in Berlin. The company also said its mixed-reality content would include Steam’s VR games and even some sort of Halo experience.

Microsoft has spent much of this year building up its mixed-reality ecosystem. The company has promised that mixed reality will be a key part of the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. Working in concert, its hardware partners—HP, Lenovo, Dell, and Acer—plan to launch mixed-reality devices in time for the holidays.

Pricing is important: Acer’s headset, for instance, will be available for $299 without the controllers, undercutting the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. At its Build conference in May, Acer announced a $399 bundle of headset plus a set of motion controllers. Dell, announced that its own mixed-reality head-mounted display, the Dell Visor, will ship for $350 for just the headset, $100 for the controllers, and $450 for a bundle of all of them. Dell’s headset boasts a flip-up visor, and the controllers feature a thumb stick and buttons, according to Dell. Though all of Microsoft’s headsets are tethered to a PC via an HDMI cord, they can track movements in space without the need for external sensors.

Meanwhile, prices of mixed-reality-capable PCs begin at $499. Microsoft’s partners have yet to announce further specifics on those PCs, but we do knows they’ll be classified into two tiers. Windows Mixed Reality PCs with integrated graphics will run at up to 60 frames per second, while Windows Mixed Reality Ultra PCs with discrete graphics will provide up to 90 frames per second.

Why this matters: With mixed and virtual reality, vertigo is a real concern. A guaranteed 60fps experience might be tolerable for certain applications, provided you don’t move you head around too quickly. You’ll really want a PC with discrete graphics—an Ultra PC—for the best experience. Providing PCs purpose-built for mixed reality could help build user interest.

Microsoft tips some MR content partners

Microsoft released a sizzle reel of some of the available apps, which include Dreams of Dali, SuperHot VR, and GoPro 360-degree videos, among others. Microsoft said that “Steam content will also run on Windows Mixed Reality headsets,” though didn’t provide further clarification.

Microsoft also published a graphic of some of the developers who will be publishing apps to mixed reality. Note that they include a number of developers who already have published virtual-reality apps, or just apps for Windows.

One of those developers, Microsoft said, will be 343 Industries, the developers of the Halo series of games. There will be a Halo mixed-reality experience, Microsoft promised, without delving into more details.

Alex Kipman, the technical fellow at Microsoft who helped launch the HoloLens two years ago, called Microsoft’s reveal a “sneak peek into what you can expect this holiday,” he wrote in a blog post. “We are just getting started and we are honored to work with world class creators and developers.”

Google Allo finally gains a web interface but it may be too late

Google’s scattershot messaging strategy has one less problem. Starting today, Android users can log in to Allo on the web to see and send messages, but it probably won’t make the chat platform more popular.

google allo

For one, there are a lot restrictions. You’ll need an Android phone. It only works through the Chrome browser. You’ll have to get the latest version of Allo (16.0.024) before you can link your account. And the biggest one of all: Your phone will need to be online and running the Allo app for the web interface to connect. In other words, it’ll be quicker in most cases to just use your phone.

Why this matters: Well, we’re not really sure it does. While the idea of an Allo web interface sounds exciting in theory, in reality it’s just another Google messaging platform to ignore. Allo never took off the way Google hoped it would, and an extremely limited web app that requires phone tethering is unlikely to get new people to use it. Until Google offers proper SMS in Allo, the app will continue to wither in the Play Store, with or without a web interface.

Allo again

Criticism aside, the Allo web interface is a pleasure to use. To get started, visit Allo for web in your Chome browser, where you’ll be greeted with a QR code. Then, open the app on your phone, tap the side menu button, and select Allo for web. (If you don’t see it you’re probably running an older version.) It’ll switch to a viewfinder so you can scan the QR code on your computer screen, which will link your PC and your phone.

And that’s pretty much it. All of your conversations will be pulled over (assuming you have Google Drive backups turned on), and you’ll be able to quickly continue a conversation or start a new one. Nearly every Allo feature is supported, including group chats, incognito conversations, stickers, and, most importantly, Google Assistant.

The Allo web interface is just as easy to navigate as the mobile one, with a sidebar of your conversations and a collapsible list of your sticker packs. You can summon Assistant into conversations by clicking the button in the conversation bar and attach files, but there’s no way to access the camera, so you won’t be able to make selfie stickers. Additionally, you lose out on one of Allo’s best features, an iMessage-style animation that indicates the other person in your conversation is typing.

If the latest version of Allo hasn’t appeared on your phone yet, you can side-load the Google-signed APK from APKMirror. iPhone users are out of luck at the moment, but Google says iOS/Mac support is coming soon.

Windows 10: Microsoft, nearly finalizing the Fall Creators Update, teases a mixed-reality future

Even as Microsoft winds down the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, its Insiders are still receiving new capabilities. Case in point: Insider Build 16273, which adds a new mixed-reality mode, the chance to try out Windows 10 S, and even a rather interesting new font.

windows 10 view 3d mixed reality

Though Microsoft seemingly wound down the new Fall Creators Update with its earlier bug bash, it’s now official. In a blog post, software engineer and Windows Insider spokesperson Dona Sarkar confirmed that the Fall Creators Update is ready to be polished for its expected September debut: “We are now at the point of the development cycle for the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update,” wrote Sarkar, “where our focus is now on stabilization for release to the world.”

What this means for you: If you’re an Insider, it doesn’t mean an end to new builds—far from it. Instead, you’ll receive those builds more quickly as Microsoft starts smashing bugs. What it does mean (right, Microsoft?) is that we’re seeing the end of new features for the Fall Creators Update, and a general slide into the more formal, stable release. Keep in mind, though, that Microsoft has split or “forked” its builds: While the majority of improvements are slated for the Fall Creators Update, the first of these new features is actually part of the “Skip Ahead” or “Redstone 4” track, one release beyond the FCU.

View 3D comes to mixed reality

While hardware and software makers alike hope that virtual or mixed reality will be the next big thing, consumers will still need a reason to buy additional hardware. Microsoft’s shown off mixed-reality hardware at its Build developer conferences, but Insider Build 16273 adds a new feature: mixed-reality support for View 3D.

Microsoft Paint 3D desert island

Remember that Windows 10 now includes Paint 3D, a rather fun 3D content-creation tool for designing your own 3D dioramas. While you can view and edit those scenes within the Paint 3D app itself, you can also export them to View 3D for viewing. It’s sort of like a bare-bones Photos app, but just for 3D objects. Inside Build 16273, you can now “view” objects in View 3D via mixed reality.

What this doesn’t mean, though, is that you have to buy a mixed-reality camera. Instead, you can use your laptop’s rear-facing camera to take a picture and project the 3D object into the scene. Though we haven’t tried it yet, that seems like a smart way to begin pushing mixed reality without requiring additional hardware.

The one catch? This is the feature that’s part of the “Skip Ahead” track of Insider Builds. If you’re not already within the “track within a track” of the Skip Ahead branch, even “generic” Insiders won’t see this until the Fall Creators Update drops, at which point the two tracks will converge again.

Try out Windows 10 S yourself

If you disagreed with our three-star Windows 10 S review, Insiders have a chance to try out Windows 10 S for yourself. Remember, you’ll be limited to the Windows Store, with all of the restrictions that are attached to Windows 10 S.

This is Samsung Galaxy Note 8’s dual-camera, Live Focus advantage

Samsung’s Galaxy Note8 has finally been revealed, and if you have any interest in photography at all, you’ll be focused on the phone’s new dual-camera system. This is a first for Samsung, which has previously stuck with a single camera while its competitors—Apple and LG, to name just two—have gone the dual route.

While LG uses a second camera for wide-angle photos, Samsung is using its second sensor for a depth-of-field mode it’s dubbed Live Focus. I got some hands-on time with the Note8 during a pre-briefing, and I’m convinced this is a huge upgrade for Samsung’s photography fans.

Samsung Note8

Note8 camera specs

The hardware is made up of two separate systems. The main camera has been dubbed “wide,” but is really just a traditional normal lens like on other Samsung phones. The second camera is the “telephoto” option, affording 2x optical zoom over the wide. Both cameras boast 12-megapixel sensors with the same Dual Pixel technology found in the Galaxy S8 and S8+ from earlier this year.

The wide lens has an aperture of f/1.7, while the telephoto goes with a slower f/2.4. This means the telephoto lens needs more light than the wide lens in order to achieve the same exposure.

Samsung Note8

In a first for smartphones, Samsung has added optical image stabilization (OIS) to the telephoto lens of the Note8. Almost every smartphone has some form of OIS on its main camera, but none of the second cameras have had this—until now.

Optical image stabilization is a relatively advanced hardware feature wherein the camera’s lens assembly is integrated with a gyro motor. As your shaking hand struggles to maintain focus on an object, the gyro compensates for this motion, and keeps a lock on whatever you’re about to shoot. No one has a perfectly steady grip, so OIS is there to give the camera more time to leave its shutter open, resulting in a cleaner, less blurry image.

In fact, because of the longer focal range and slower aperture of the telephoto lens, it’s even more important to have OIS on this sensor. I’m glad Samsung included this feature, and it should go a long way toward taking better shots. We’ll know for sure when I do my Note8 camera tests (currently, the LG G6 is our pick for best smartphone camera.)

The dual camera advantage

Dual smartphone cameras are as trendy as ever in 2017, and almost every manufacturer has at least one dual-camera phone in its line-up. For two generations, LG has used the second camera as a true wide-angle lens—it has an almost fish eye view of the world, and lets you capture a more panoramic shot than you would with a traditional lens.

Huawei takes a different approach, dedicating a second monochrome camera to gather fine details. Huawei’s software then melds this monochrome shot with the RGB image from the main camera, and the result is an overall better photo, especially in shadows and highlights.

Samsung has opted for a much more common route, using the second lens as a telephone (or zoomed-in) option. This is the same approach we see in Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus, and allows the Note8 to dip its toe into the world of depth-of-field effects. But where Apple calls this Portrait Mode, Samsung has dubbed these background-blurring bokeh tricks Live Focus.

By using two cameras, the Note8 is able to model a three-dimensional space, and then use software to introduce artificial blur around the focus point. The camera app includes a handy slider that allows you to adjust—in real time—how much background blur will be present in your final shot. The iPhone 7 Plus doesn’t have this level of control, so Samsung has an exclusive on this trick. For now, at least. We’ll have to see what Apple has in store for the iPhone 7s and iPhone 8.

Open the Note8’s gallery app, and you’ll have access to the same depth slider in all photos shot with Live Focus turned on. From there, you can save a new image with a different amount of blur in it. This is possible because all of the information captured by the second camera remains intact.

The post-production slider feature isn’t entirely new, and I actually prefer Huawei’s method of giving you an F-stop number to adjust for easy reference. But in my brief time with Live Focus mode, it worked well. It’s a brand new processing technology, so it’ll probably take a while for users to figure out how they can use it best.

It’s impossible to determine a camera’s true quality without studying the pixels of full-resolution photos downloaded to a desktop PC. So please stay tuned for our comprehensive camera tests once we have the Galaxy Note8. We’ll be shooting both in the studio and out in the field.

Microsoft’s fascinating GigJam service will close in September

Microsoft will close and end the preview of its new GigJam productivity service, which was aimed at helping teams of people collaborate in real time over the Internet, the company said Tuesday.

Microsoft's GigJam is aimed at helping people work together.

“After careful consideration, we’ve decided to retire the GigJam Preview on September 22, 2017,” Microsoft said. As of that day, any remaining “gigs” will automatically expire.

GigJam combines data from a variety of services including Microsoft’s own Office 365, Trello, Dropbox, and Salesforce. Users can then bring that information into a shared workspace, or “gig,” allowing them to quickly work together.

Users can easily redact part of the information they’re sharing with other people, meaning they can selectively share only what needs to be seen in order to get a job done.

There’s no way around it: GigJam was a kind of wacky product Microsoft has built to help people get work done together. But what’s interesting is that it’s emblematic of the company’s current approach to the productivity market—focused on letting people quickly and independently collaborate across different services while maintaining a secure environment.

Here’s how it works: One user starts a “Gig,” and then pulls in information from whatever services they need, like email, Salesforce, Office documents, and Asana tasks. That information shows up as a card inside GigJam, where users can highlight some information inside a card, redact other information, and then send the whole bundle off to another user for review or editing.

It’s a good way to both keep focused on the task at hand (like editing only one slide out of a PowerPoint presentation) and also enables workers to more easily team up with people outside of their organization, like suppliers and contractors who shouldn’t be privy to some information.

The GigJam interface also combines a bunch of interesting input methods. Users can work entirely with the keyboard and mouse, but they can also interact with Gigs using touch and voice input. The service is a crazy bundle of different modern capabilities and looks in demos like something out of the future.

GigJam’s radical differences from other collaboration products like Slack, email, Yammer, and SharePoint are what make it unique and powerful, but may also end up being its undoing. Plenty of companies have bet on innovative productivity services that ended up being less popular than expected. The epic failure of Google Wave comes to mind.

GigJam is available on Windows and Mac, with a beta of the iOS application coming soon. Users can sign up for the private beta here, and Microsoft says everyone who requests an invitation will get one. People who have already requested an invitation to the beta before now should have one waiting in their inboxes.

Pixel 2: Everything we know about Google’s next flagship phone

Google flipped the script last year when it retired the Nexus line in favor of its own branded handsets. Now all eyes are on the Pixel 2. With improved specs and even better cameras, the new phones are poised to propel Google back to the head of the class with a pure Android O experience.

Since the Pixel and Pixel XL landed, the LG G6 and Galaxy S8 have upped the ante for premium phones with their slim bezels and 16:9 screens. So, like last year, we’ll be watching to see whether the next version of Google’s handset can chip away at Samsung’s dominance. Details are already starting to leak about the Pixel 2 phones, so stay tuned to this article for the very latest information:

Pixel 2 design and display

While the Pixel’s iPhone-inspired front seemed somewhat uninspired last year, it looks downright boring next to the bezel-slimming designs of LG’s G6 and Samsung’s Galaxy S8. Rumors suggest that will change. Android Police has gotten its hands on a supposed leak of the Pixel 2 XL rendering, where it appears to have a 2:1 screen like the G6 and S8, much thinner bezels, and smoother 3D edges (though the report says the glass will be flat, not curved). The site claims the new phone will sport a 6-inch AMOLED display manufactured by LG, which makes sense given Google’s reported $900 million investment in LG Display. The picture also shows a similar two-tone rear case with a smaller window of glass around the camera, a feature first reported by XDA Developers. Android Police says that the XL model will represent “the cutting edge of Google’s engineering and design efforts, while the smaller device will act as a sort of entry-level option.”

Speaking of the entry-level Pixel, XDA Developers reports it will feature a 4.97-inch, 1080p display similar to the current version’s, with an “almost identical” design. A leaked image published by GSMArena, above, seems to confirm this description. The spy shot shows a slightly more rectangular device with chunky bezels all around. Of note, there is a new speaker slit below the screen, suggesting the handset will have front-facing stereo speakers.

A series of 3D renders based on leaked design schematics confirm much of what Android Police and XDA Developers have reported as far as the design goes, with dimensions that match of very closely to the current models: 145.3 x 69.3 x 7.8 mm for the smaller model and 157.6 x 76.3 x 7.9 mm for the XL. But there’s one extra tidbit: There may be a camera bump as well.

Pixel 2 specs, features, and sound

Last year’s Pixel featured the then-top-of-the-line Snapdragon 821 chip, and this year’s Pixel may also incorporate high-quality silicon. XDA Developers claims the phones will be powered by the Snapdragon 835 chip, along with the same 4GB of RAM in the current models. A newer report from International Business Times claims that Google will be using an updated version of the chip, much like last year. The publication says it will be the the first phone to use the Snapdragon 836 chip, bringing “faster throughput with minimal power consumption.” Evan Blass all but confirmed the new chip with in a tweet announcing the date the new phones will be unveiled.

Additionally, the smaller Pixel will come in a 64GB variation, though it’s unclear whether it will replace the 32GB base model or add another tier.

Audiophiles will be bummed to learn that Google might dump the headphone jack in the Pixel 2. XDA Developers and 9to5Google both report that the 3.5mm jack will be jettisoned in the new model in favor of stereo speakers. And the 3D renders we’ve seen all but confirm this report. However, audiophiles should rest a little easier knowing that Google has been hard at work at fixing the Bluetooth issues that plague the current models, as reveled in a recent Reddit AMA by Android O engineers.

Finally, Android Police reports that the new Pixel will have a squeezable frame like the HTC U11 to launch Google Assistant and other apps.

Pixel 2 water resistance

It was somewhat surprising that Google opted to skip IP68 water resistance in the original Pixel, but there are signs it will rectify that in its next handset. As 9to5Google explains, the feature is “on the table” for the Pixel 2—although sources had previously informed the site that it was a priority for the next release.

Pixel 2 camera

If there’s one thing you can count on in a new flagship phone, it’s that the camera will be better. 9to5Google reports that Google won’t focus on megapixels with the Pixel 2, but rather will “compensate in extra features.” It’s unclear exactly what that means, but the site says the camera will be a “major focus” in the development of the Pixel 2. Additionally, XDA Developers reports that the Pixel 2 will stick with a single camera rather than a dual setup. And the render from Android Police bears this out, showing a single lens that is much larger than the current model, however it does appear to jut out ever so slightly from the case.

In a blog post, Google has already shown off some incredible results from its experimental nighttime photography techniques that use the existing Pixel camera to generate some incredible low-light images, and we’re hoping some of that processing power makes its way into the Pixel 2.

Pixel 2 price

Premium phones don’t usually go down in price, and the Pixel 2 isn’t about to break that trend. In fact, it might cost more. 9to5Google reports that Google’s next handset will be “at least” $50 higher than this year’s model, meaning it would start at $699 for the 5-inch model and top $800 for the Pixel 2 XL. Furthermore, a comment by Rick Osterloh confirms that the flagship Pixel will stay a “premium” phone, meaning it will fetch many hundreds of dollars.

Galaxy Note8: Features, specs and everything else you need to know

At long last, the Galaxy Note 8 is here. Whether you begrudgingly returned your Note 7 after the battery-related recall, or have just been counting the days until your Note 5 was eligible for an upgrade, the Galaxy Note 8 is ready to fill the phablet-sized hole in your life.

And based on our first impressions, it looks like the Note 8 was worth the wait. From its giant screen to its greatly improved camera, Samsung’s latest productivity handset is a tour de force, packing cutting-edge features inside an elegant, compact enclosure. Here’s everything you need to know about the newest phablet on the block.

Galaxy Note 8 hands-on

Note8 specs

Display: 6.3″ Quad HD+ 2960 x 1440 Super AMOLED, 532ppi
Dimensions: 162.5 x 74.8 x 8.6 mm
Weight: 195g
Color: Midnight black, orchid gray in the U.S.; deepsea blue, maple gold internationally
Operating system: Samsung Experience based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (octo-core, 10nm, up to 2.45GHz)
GPU: Adreno 540
Rear camera: Dual 12MP telephone and wide angle,
Front camera: 8MP, f/1.7
RAM: 6GB/8GB LPDDR4
Storage: 64/128/256GB UFS 2.1 2-LANE
Ports: USB C, nano-SIM slot/microsSD, 3.5mm audio jack
Battery: 3,300 mAh

Note 8 price and release date

The Galaxy Note 8 is Samsung’s most expensive phone to date, clocking in at around $950—about $100 more than the Galaxy S8+. Preorders are already being accepted and the device will begin shipping on Friday, September 15. Samsung is selling the unlocked Note 8 for $930, and carrier pricing is as follows:

T-Mobile is charging $930 for a full-priced Galaxy Note 8, or you can put down $210 up front and spread the rest of the cost over 24 $30 monthly payments. Also, Jump On Demand customers will pay $39 a month with no down payment, for a cost of $936.
AT&T customers will pay $950 up front for a Note 8, or $31.67 for 30 months on an AT&T Next plan.
Verizon will be selling the phablet for $960, or $40 a month for 24 months.
Over at Sprint, the Note 8 will also cost $960. However, the carrier is offering the the device for zero down and $20 per month for 24 months ($480) with the Sprint Flex leasing plan for new customers.

Note 8 display and design

galaxy note8 holding

If you’ve used a Galaxy S8+, then you already have a pretty good idea of how the Note 8 looks. It features a 6.3-inch AMOLED display (up a fraction of an inch from the 6.2-inch S8+), and it features the same stunning Infinity Display design. The design takes most of its cues from the S8 as well, with thin bezels at the top and bottom and an all-glass enclosure. Flip it over and you’ll find a dual camera and a fingerprint sensor, still unfortunately positioned to the right of the camera. The corners of the device are slightly squarer than the S8+, but unless you compare them side by side, it’s very difficult to tell the two phones apart.

Note 8 performance, features, and storage

The Note 8 is powered by the same Snapdragon 835 chip that’s inside the Galaxy S8. It does, however, have 6GB of RAM, an increase over the S8’s standard 4GB. As far as storage goes, the Note 8 comes with the same 64GB of internal storage as the S8 and keeps the microSD card slot as well for expansion up to 256GB. It also has IP68 water resistance, support for fast wireless charging, and a headphone jack.

Note 8 battery

After last year’s exploding batteries spurred a global recall, Samsung is playing it a little conservative with the Note 8. The handset features a 3,300m Ah battery, which is smaller than the S8+ and the Note 7, both of which sport 3,500 mAh batteries. Additionally, Samsung is running Note 8s through the same rigorous 8-point battery safety check that it implemented for the S8, and has established a partnership with UL to certify the Note 8 complies with the firm’s specific standards. All of which is to say, the Note 8 should be safe to take on an airplane.

Note 8 camera

Samsung has seriously upgraded the camera in the Note 8, adding a second lens on the back for its first dual-camera Galaxy phone. Both lenses have the same Dual Pixel 12MP sensor, but the main “wide” lens has an aperture of f/1.7 while the secondary telephoto lens offers 2X optical zoom but a slower f/2.4 aperture. Samsung has added optical image stabilization (OIS) to both lenses as well, a first for a smartphone (competitors only offer OIS on the main camera).

Samsung Note8

As expected, an iPhone 7 Plus-like portrait mode is the key feature of the Note 8’s dual-camera system, but Samsung takes it a step further with Live Focus, a feature that uses both camera to create depth-of-field bokeh effects. Inside the camera app you’ll find a slider that lets you adjust the amount of background blur in your shot, both before and after you snap it. Apple’s phone doesn’t offer this level of depth-of-field control.