On Monday, leaked promo images of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 have surfaced, showing us more precisely what we could expect to see from Samsung’s next foldable clamshell smartphone. Not long after the images leaked, LetsGoDigital collaborated with graphic designer Giuseppe Spinelli to create some renders of the new Z Flip based on the leaked photos.
Source: LetsGoDigital and Giuseppe Spinelli
The images showed that there is going to be a larger external display and matte-finish glass. This is reflected in the Spinelli’s renders as the phone is expected to arrive with Gorilla Glass Victus on the exterior halves of the Z Flip3.
Renders based on the recent Z Flip3 leak
The renders also show the larger cover display with a mirror black finish. This larger display (said to be 1.83”) which should be able to display full-text notifications. The Z Flip’s original 1.1” Super AMOLED screen was more like a ticker for notifications.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 leaked images
The dual camera setup appears to change from a horizontal layout to a vertical one and the cameras appear to maintain as small of a footprint as possible while keeping up with day-to-day camera needs. We speculate that Samsung may keep the wide + ultrawide cameras on the Z Flip3 and omit a telephoto one altogether, just like on the Z Flip. In the promo images, at least four colors will be offered including white, gray, teal, and lilac. The Galaxy Z Flip3 is rumored to arrive as early as July, possibly alongside the Galaxy Z Fold3 as well.
Twitter is finally rolling out a long-awaited feature: bigger images that don’t crop in so darn much. Now, image previews should show way more of the image, giving you a better idea of what you’re actually looking at, and avoiding embarrassing situations where Twitter’s cropping algorithm picks the absolute wrong thing to focus on (sometimes with apparent racial bias).
Twitter announced it would be testing the improvement on iOS and Android back in March, and it should now be making its way to everyone.
Those pictures should also be clearer, given Twitter’s recent update to 4K images — because some art just needs to be seen as clear as possible.
Of course, Twitter giveth and Twitter taketh away — the change will, for the most part, make the “open for a surprise” tweets not so surprising. I suppose it’s a fair trade-off to avoid the sometimes wildly embarrassing crops that used to plague the platform. (Or at least it is for me, someone who follows a ton of artists and is tired of scrolling past poorly cropped drawings that actually end up being really good.)
And hey, if you want to see those memes, it seems like the web version of Twitter on desktops is still susceptible. Hide on, tiny cat.
I’m on my phone, you can’t fool me.Tweet: @ademYz_
A bunch of traditional and not-so-traditional gift ideas
May 5th, 2021, 9:00am EDT
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Finding a good gift for Father’s Day can be really difficult — especially with all those “traditional” dad gifts out there that are just, well, boring. So this year, we’ve looked around for some special, interesting gifts for dad in a wide range of types and prices.
We’ve got a bunch of stuff for the do-it-yourselfer: a Leatherman multitool, the ultimate gardening tool, and a whiskey- and rum-making kit. For the tech enthusiast, we’ve got a VR device, a gaming mouse, and a mini electric screwdriver set. And for the lovers of quirk, we offer a New York City brunch, a desk toy that can form a dodecahedron, and a subscription for two vinyl records a month, among a load of other great gift ideas. Enjoy!
Apple TV 4K
The Apple TV 4K is a great TV box for sharing photos, watching videos, and playing music for a party. Sure, it’s a bit of an expensive gift, but this is a shiny new version, and it is on its way. And even better, it has a new remote.
$179 at APPLE
$164 at AMAZON
ABLY Mini Electric Screwdriver Set
This powered screwdriver with dozens of bits is an indispensable tool for anyone who likes taking apart gadgets or small electronics. This one also comes with a handy magnetic mat for organizing screws. It’s perfect for when dad wants to upgrade the RAM in his gaming laptop.
$46 at AMAZON
Apple Watch SE
A smartwatch is a great gift. If dad is an Apple person, the Apple Watch SE will help him track his exercise, keep in touch, listen to tunes — and even tell the time.
$279 at APPLE
$279 at AMAZON
Ticwatch Pro 3
If dad’s an Android user, the Ticwatch Pro 3 is a good-looking watch that should take care of everything he needs in a smartwatch. According to our reviewer, it takes Wear OS as far as it can go.
$300 at AMAZON
Oculus Quest 2 headset
It’s fun to game with others, but sometimes it’s even better to slip off into your own little virtual world. The Oculus Quest 2 is a smart purchase if dad wants to explore virtual environments or get sweaty moving to the music in Beat Saber.
$299 at OCULUS
Misto oil sprayer
This reusable spray bottle lets you evenly coat veggies, meats, and anything in between with oil, vinegar, lemon juice, sherry, or other liquids. It makes cooking easy and enjoyable for the foodie dad.
$10 at AMAZON
$10 at TARGET
Leatherman Free P2 multitool
This P2 multitool (pliers, scissors, screwdrivers, wire stripper, etc.) can flip in and out one-handed, thanks to a combination of lightly spring-loaded locks and magnetic clasps. If you need to quickly snip a zip tie on a kid’s new scooter or slice into a grilled chicken breast to test doneness, it’s a snap.
$120 at LEATHERMAN
$120 at AMAZON
Custom money clip
If dad is still into cash, this money clip offers a way to carry bills around with convenience and class. You can personalize it with initials, a name, or any message up to 100 characters.
$16 at ETSY
Speks Geode desk toy
This fidget toy is made up of magnetic pentagons that can form a dodecahedron or be built up into a variety of weird constructions. It’s a great way to keep hands busy during boring Zoom meetings or for quick work breaks.
$20 at AMAZON
Vintage ballcaps
Dads look cool in these vintage baseball caps from Ebbets Field Flannels. There’s a whole variety of styles representing teams from long-closed leagues to choose from.
$49 at EBBETS FLANNEL
Zyllion Shiatsu back and neck massager
If your favorite parent has a sore back or sore muscles from chasing after toddlers, this home massager can help. According to The Strategist, this is the best model to get — and it’s way cheaper than going to a massage therapist.
$50.00 at AMAZON
La-Z-Boy recliner
This gift is on the expensive side, but it’s worth it. It is actually the most comfortable chair ever, especially if dad has back pain. And even if he doesn’t, it’s great for working from home and relaxing.
$399 at LA-Z-BOY
Mpix framed prints
Framed prints of the family photos that are currently languishing on your phone always make terrific gifts. Mpix is the consumer imprint for Millers, a longtime professional photo lab, and it excels at both quality and speed.
$40 at MPIX
WPA-era National Park posters
Commemorate a favorite family vacation with a faithful reproduction of one of the Works Progress Administration’s National Park serigraphed posters, designed between 1935 and 1943. (Frame not included.)
$45 at RANGER DOUG
Apple TV 4K
The Apple TV 4K is a great TV box for sharing photos, watching videos, and playing music for a party. Sure, it’s a bit of an expensive gift, but this is a shiny new version, and it is on its way. And even better, it has a new remote.
$179 at APPLE
$164 at AMAZON
ABLY Mini Electric Screwdriver Set
This powered screwdriver with dozens of bits is an indispensable tool for anyone who likes taking apart gadgets or small electronics. This one also comes with a handy magnetic mat for organizing screws. It’s perfect for when dad wants to upgrade the RAM in his gaming laptop.
$46 at AMAZON
Apple Watch SE
A smartwatch is a great gift. If dad is an Apple person, the Apple Watch SE will help him track his exercise, keep in touch, listen to tunes — and even tell the time.
$279 at APPLE
$279 at AMAZON
Ticwatch Pro 3
If dad’s an Android user, the Ticwatch Pro 3 is a good-looking watch that should take care of everything he needs in a smartwatch. According to our reviewer, it takes Wear OS as far as it can go.
$300 at AMAZON
Oculus Quest 2 headset
It’s fun to game with others, but sometimes it’s even better to slip off into your own little virtual world. The Oculus Quest 2 is a smart purchase if dad wants to explore virtual environments or get sweaty moving to the music in Beat Saber.
$299 at OCULUS
Misto oil sprayer
This reusable spray bottle lets you evenly coat veggies, meats, and anything in between with oil, vinegar, lemon juice, sherry, or other liquids. It makes cooking easy and enjoyable for the foodie dad.
$10 at AMAZON
$10 at TARGET
Leatherman Free P2 multitool
This P2 multitool (pliers, scissors, screwdrivers, wire stripper, etc.) can flip in and out one-handed, thanks to a combination of lightly spring-loaded locks and magnetic clasps. If you need to quickly snip a zip tie on a kid’s new scooter or slice into a grilled chicken breast to test doneness, it’s a snap.
$120 at LEATHERMAN
$120 at AMAZON
Custom money clip
If dad is still into cash, this money clip offers a way to carry bills around with convenience and class. You can personalize it with initials, a name, or any message up to 100 characters.
$16 at ETSY
Speks Geode desk toy
This fidget toy is made up of magnetic pentagons that can form a dodecahedron or be built up into a variety of weird constructions. It’s a great way to keep hands busy during boring Zoom meetings or for quick work breaks.
$20 at AMAZON
Vintage ballcaps
Dads look cool in these vintage baseball caps from Ebbets Field Flannels. There’s a whole variety of styles representing teams from long-closed leagues to choose from.
$49 at EBBETS FLANNEL
Zyllion Shiatsu back and neck massager
If your favorite parent has a sore back or sore muscles from chasing after toddlers, this home massager can help. According to The Strategist, this is the best model to get — and it’s way cheaper than going to a massage therapist.
$50.00 at AMAZON
La-Z-Boy recliner
This gift is on the expensive side, but it’s worth it. It is actually the most comfortable chair ever, especially if dad has back pain. And even if he doesn’t, it’s great for working from home and relaxing.
$399 at LA-Z-BOY
Mpix framed prints
Framed prints of the family photos that are currently languishing on your phone always make terrific gifts. Mpix is the consumer imprint for Millers, a longtime professional photo lab, and it excels at both quality and speed.
$40 at MPIX
WPA-era National Park posters
Commemorate a favorite family vacation with a faithful reproduction of one of the Works Progress Administration’s National Park serigraphed posters, designed between 1935 and 1943. (Frame not included.)
A new report from The Intercept has shed light on a worrying new technology that lets law enforcement agencies extract personal data from people’s cars. It reports that US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently made an order worth hundreds of thousands of dollars from Swedish data extraction firm MSAB which included iVe “vehicle forensics kits” made by US firm Berla. Here’s what MSAB advertises the kits can do, according to The Intercept:
MSAB marketing materials promise cops access to a vast array of sensitive personal information quietly stored in the infotainment consoles and various other computers used by modern vehicles — a tapestry of personal details akin to what CBP might get when cracking into one’s personal phone. MSAB claims that this data can include “Recent destinations, favorite locations, call logs, contact lists, SMS messages, emails, pictures, videos, social media feeds, and the navigation history of everywhere the vehicle has been.” MSAB even touts the ability to retrieve deleted data, divine “future plan[s],” and “Identify known associates and establish communication patterns between them.”
In some cases, it’s a comparable amount of personal data to what you might find on a smartphone. But while most people are aware of the sensitive data held in their phones, thanks in part to companies like Apple making a big show of promoting the privacy and security features of the latest models, The Intercept argues we’re less aware of how much data our cars’ infotainment systems are collecting. And that leaves a treasure trove of data for the Berla-manufactured kits to vacuum up.
The people behind CBP’s new tool are well aware that they are preying on consumer ignorance. In a podcast appearance first reported by NBC News last summer, Berla founder Ben LeMere remarked, “People rent cars and go do things with them and don’t even think about the places they are going and what the car records.” In a 2015 appearance on the podcast “The Forensic Lunch,” LeMere told the show’s hosts how the company uses exactly this accidental-transfer scenario in its trainings: “Your phone died, you’re gonna get in the car, plug it in, and there’s going to be this nice convenient USB port for you. When you plug it into this USB port, it’s going to charge your phone, absolutely. And as soon as it powers up, it’s going to start sucking all your data down into the car.”
The Intercept’s report focuses on just one agency, US Customs and Border Protection, but civil liberties campaigners, like Mohammad Tajsar from the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, fear that the technology could easily trickle down to other law enforcement agencies across the US:
“What CBP have will trickle down to what your local cops on the street end up getting. That is not a theoretical concern.”
The Intercept’s report is well worth reading in full.
(Pocket-lint) – Samsung announced the Galaxy S20 alongside the S20+ and S20 Ultra as its flagship devices for 2020 – all three of which have been succeeded by the Galaxy S21, S21+ and S21 Ultra in 2021. The Galaxy S20 replaces 2019’s Galaxy S10, and shares a similar design to the S10 Lite, but how do they all compare?
We’ve run the Galaxy S20 specs up against the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Lite to help you work out the differences. You can also read our Samsung Galaxy S20 range compared feature for a rundown on how the 2020 devices compare to each other, as well as our S21 vs S20 feature to see how the 2021 models compare to the 2020 models.
Design
S20: 151.7 x 69.1 x 7.9mm, 163g
S10: 149.9 x 70.4 x 7.8mm, 157g
S10 Lite: 162.5 x 75.6 x 8.1mm, 186g
The Samsung Galaxy S20, Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Lite all share similar design traits. They all offer a premium metal and glass build, they are all waterproof and they all feature an under display fingerprint scanner.
The Galaxy S20 and S10 Lite take a slightly different design approach to the Galaxy S10 though, placing a heavy focus on the camera arrangement on the rear. The Galaxy S10 has a horizontal rear camera that is centralised, while the S10 Lite and S20 both opt for a camera housing in the top left corner.
On the front, both the S10 Lite and the S20 opt for centralised punch hole cameras for a symmetrical and neater finish, while the S10’s cut out is located in the top right corner.
The Galaxy S10 Lite is the largest and heaviest of the three devices being compared here, while the S10 is the smallest and lightest, putting the latest Galaxy S20 into the sweet spot in the middle.
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Display
S20: 6.2-inch, Infinity-O, 120Hz
S10: 6.1-inch, Infinity-O, 60Hz
S10 Lite: 6.7-inch, Infinity-O, 60Hz
All three devices Super AMOLED displays, offering bright and punchy colours, plenty of vibrancy and deep blacks. They also all offer support for HDR10+ and they all opt for the Infinity-O display, featuring almost bezel-free sides and the cut out for the front camera.
There are a few differences between the displays of the Galaxy S20, S10 and S10 Lite however. Firstly, the S10 Lite is quite a bit larger than the S10 and S20 at 6.7-inches, compared to 6.1 and 6.2-inches, respectively. The S10 Lite also has a flat display, while the S10 and S20 both have curved displays, delivering a slightly more premium look.
The Galaxy S20 also offers a 120Hz refresh rate when in Full HD+ – which it is set to as default – while the S10 and S10 Lite both deliver a 60Hz refresh rate. For those who want smoother animations and graphics, the S20 has the potential to deliver that.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 runs on the Exynos 990 processor in the UK and Europe or the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 in the US. These chipsets are supported by 8GB or 12GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, with microSD storage expansion up to 1TB.
The Galaxy S10 runs on the Exynos 9820 processor in the UK and Europe or the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 in the US. The S10 Lite uses the Snapdragon 855 globally. The S10 comes with 8GB of RAM and storage options of 128GB or 512GB, offering microSD support, while the S10 Lite comes with 6GB or 8GB of RAM, both of which have 128GB storage. Potentially, the S10 Lite gives you more than the S10 in this regard.
Out of the three models being compared here, only the Galaxy S20 is 5G enabled. The S10 and S10 Lite are both 4G only, although there’s also a 4G version of the S20 if that’s what you want.
The S10 Lite has the largest battery capacity at 4500mAh, while the S20 has a 4000mAh battery which although is smaller than the Lite, it is larger than the S10’s 3400mAh capacity. All models have wireless charging but again the S10 Lite looks favourable here because it’s a larger phone and can fit in a larger battery.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 range places a big focus on camera, moving in a different direction to what Samsung offered on the S10. All three devices being compared have a triple rear camera and single front camera, but they offer different features and different make ups.
The S20 moves away from the Dual Aperture offered on the S10 to a fixed aperture and larger pixels. It also increases the resolution on the telephoto lens and offers Hybrid Optic Zoom up to 3x, and Super Resolution Zoom up to 30x – the latter of which uses AI in an attempt to make up the lost detail. The S20 also offers 8K video capture. The S10 offers 2x optical and 10x digital zoom – the S20 offering better performance.
The S10 Lite meanwhile, has a higher resolution main camera, along with a macro camera for close up shots. It also offers a higher resolution front camera than both the S20 and the S10. It’s worth mentioning here though that higher numbers doesn’t necessarily mean better quality – and we’ve seen in some cameras that native resolution can be better than pixel combining. The Galaxy S20 is the strongest option in our experience though.
Price
S20: £799 (4G), £899 (5G)
S10: £799
S10 Lite: £579
The Galaxy S10 cost £799 when it first arrived on shelves in March 2019, although it’s now quite a bit cheaper. The S20 cost £799 for the 4G version when it first arrived in 2020 – effectively the same price as the S10, while the 5G is a little too expensive at £899.
The S10 Lite costs £579; this more affordable phone undercuts both – but compared to the S10, it seems to offer much better value for money.
squirrel_widget_184610
Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy S20 might feature a similar design to the S10 Lite, but it offers various improvements, including a smaller and lighter build, faster display, more RAM and a more advanced processor. When compared to the S10, it offers more camera capabilities, a refreshed design, better processor, more RAM and an increased battery capacity – it’s an improvement overall. Bear in mind that it has been replaced by the S21 range though.
The Samsung Galaxy S10 is quite a bit cheaper than the S20 however, and the S10 Lite is cheaper than both, with a larger display and bigger battery than the S20. If you want lots of phone for your money, then the S10 Lite could be what you want, but with the S20 having been succeeded, you might find it cheaper than it started at and within budget.
In what looks to be a first in terms of subscriber perks, Boost Mobile has announced that its $60 per month Unlimited Plus cellphone plan will come with access to to 24/7 telemedicine through K Health starting this summer.
Specifically, Unlimited Plus subscribers will get all of the features of K Health’s usual $9-per-month offering. That includes the ability to text chat or hop on a video call with a doctor through the K Health app, which uses the app’s AI suggestions to identify symptoms and potential ailments, and receive actual treatment, including medications and other prescriptions.
The service is free and available for all Boost Unlimited Plus subscribers and offered at a discounted price of $7.99 per month for all of Boost Mobile’s other customers. You can sign up to get access to the service first on Boost Mobile’s site.
Because this is ultimately a phone plan, you’ll also get 35GB of 4G LTE data per month, after which you’ll get throttled to 2G speeds. That comes with “unlimited” talk and text, and a 30GB mobile hotspot as well.
Offering online healthcare to customers was not on the top of my list of things Boost Mobile would do after getting absorbed by Dish Network (as part of T-Mobile’s merger with Sprint). But getting healthcare in the US is an often expensive proposition, and that’s before the bill comes after treatment. And, Boost has a large percentage of low-income customers, many of whom have likely been affected by the pandemic, so providing access to healthcare could be a real shot in the arm.
An AT&T policy that bars employees from recording conversations with managers or colleagues is legal, according to a ruling from the National Labor Relations Board Monday. The board found that while AT&T violated US labor law in how it had applied the policy, the recording ban itself was not illegal.
According to AT&T’s rules, “employees may not record telephone or other conversations they have with their co-workers, managers or third parties unless such recordings are approved in advance by the Legal Department.”
In its decision, the NLRB overturned part of an earlier ruling which said that the policy’s potential to infringe on workers’ rights outweighed AT&T’s need to keep customer data private.
The case centers on a complaint filed by AT&T employee Marcus Davis in 2016. Davis served as the union steward for the Communications Workers of America Local 2336. In May 2016, he attended a meeting with an employee who was being fired and recorded the conversation. Davis’s manager found out, asked to meet with him, and deleted the recording off of his phone. He later told Davis not to encourage other employees to make in-store recordings since doing so violated AT&T’s rules, and noted he “did not want anyone held accountable for not following policy.”
The NLRB found that Davis was engaged in protected union activity. The board said AT&T violated federal labor law by telling him not to encourage colleagues to make recordings and implying that there could be repercussions for those who did.
Yet the board also said that just because the policy was applied illegally doesn’t mean it is inherently illegal. “A blanket prohibition on the continued maintenance of such rules, simply because of a single instance of unlawful application — even if that single instance is carried out by a misguided low- or mid-level supervisor whose action does not reflect corporate policy — fails to give proper weight to those legitimate interests,” the board wrote. “Indeed, it fails to give them any weight at all.”
In her dissent, NLRB chairman Lauren McFerran said the rule was unlawfully over broad. “We all agree that some recordings by employees are protected by the National Labor Relations Act,” she wrote. “By its terms, the rule does not differentiate between recordings protected by the National Labor Relations Act and those that are not…Indeed, as written, the rule applies even to conversations on nonwork time and in nonwork areas: an employee could not record a union meeting held in a breakroom at lunch.”
AT&T did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Verge.
In what looks to be a first in terms of subscriber perks, Boost Mobile has announced that its $60 per month Unlimited Plus cellphone plan will come with access to to 24/7 telemedicine through K Health starting this summer.
Specifically, Unlimited Plus subscribers will get all of the features of K Health’s usual $9-per-month offering. That includes the ability to text chat or hop on a video call with a doctor through the K Health app, which uses the app’s AI suggestions to identify symptoms and potential ailments, and receive actual treatment, including medications and other prescriptions.
The service is free and available for all Boost Unlimited Plus subscribers and offered at a discounted price of $7.99 per month for all of Boost Mobile’s other customers. You can sign up to get access to the service first on Boost Mobile’s site.
Because this is ultimately a phone plan, you’ll also get 35GB of 4G LTE data per month, after which you’ll get throttled to 2G speeds. That comes with “unlimited” talk and text, and a 30GB mobile hotspot as well.
Offering online healthcare to customers was not on the top of my list of things Boost Mobile would do after getting absorbed by Dish Network (as part of T-Mobile’s merger with Sprint). But getting healthcare in the US is an often expensive proposition, and that’s before the bill comes after treatment. And, Boost has a large percentage of low-income customers, many of whom have likely been affected by the pandemic, so providing access to healthcare could be a real shot in the arm.
In their simplest form, traditional stereo hi-fi systems consist of a source component, an integrated amplifier and a pair of passive speakers. Pretty straightforward, right?
But if you break down the signal path it can be split into a greater number of distinct sections, most of which are lumped together in this simple set-up.
What are passive speakers?
Here, the crossover network doesn’t need a power source, so it is considered passive
First, there’s a source component, which is the piece of kit that plays the music. This can be a CD player, music streamer, record player or even a computer or phone. Next we have a preamplifier section, this switches between sources and controls the volume level.
If you have a record player, you’ll also need a phono stage to increase the output from your cartridge to line level and equalise the signal before feeding it to the preamp circuit (we’ve omitted the phono stage from our diagram to keep things simple).
Now you need muscle, something that can take the line-level signal from the preamp and increase it enough to drive a pair of speakers – say hello to the power amplifier. However, this isn’t directly connected to your speaker’s drive units.
Its output has to pass through a crossover filter network that in a two-way speaker splits the signal into just high frequencies (to go to the tweeter) and everything else for the larger mid/bass unit.
If you have a three-way speaker, then the crossover splits the sound up into three parts – treble, midrange and bass. This crossover network doesn’t need a power source to work, and in that sense it is considered passive. That’s more or less the signal path in a conventional passive set-up.
Best speakers 2021: budget to premium stereo speakers
What are active speakers?
A more accurate filter network delivers a better integrated sound
In an active system things are the same until after the preamp stage. The signal from the preamp goes into an active crossover network. While this performs the same job as the crossover in the passive set-up it works at line level (around 2v) rather than speaker level (typically 15-35v).
Working at lower signal levels means the components used can be optimised for precision rather than power handling. Such a design would normally use active components, and on more sophisticated products, some form of signal processing (whether digital or not) to get the best out of the drive units.
The result is a filter network that is (potentially) way more accurate in its operation, and delivers a better integrated and optimised sound.
Each separated frequency band of this line-level signal is then sent to a dedicated power amp that feeds as many drive units as are responsible for delivering those frequencies.
Best active speakers 2021
Active vs passive speakers: which is better?
The active crossover design is less prone to distortion
On paper, active speakers have a whole host of advantages. Their crossover design gives the designer much greater control over the signal and is far less prone to losses and distortion when compared to a passive filter alternative.
As the power amplification is integrated into the design, it can be optimised for a specific drive unit. Because it’s normally built into the box, there’s no need for long lengths of speaker cable between the two, avoiding any distortion or loss caused by the wires. Simply put, there’s more grip and better control.
These benefits would seem to give active speakers a generous edge, but there are also downsides. There aren’t many speaker manufacturers that can make amplification, so the usual path is to buy in modules from an OEM supplier. There’s nothing wrong with this in principle, but things often fall short when it comes to implementation. The result is that the sound performance of the final active speaker is rarely as good as it could be.
Active speakers suffer in terms of perceived value on the shop floor too. Their electronics tend to be hidden, yet there will be an obvious price premium over similar-looking passive alternatives. Break down the respective costs and it usually turns out that the active option is the better value route, as it consists of multiple power amplifiers – a simple two-way speaker still needs four mono power amps – whereas a passive set makes do with a single stereo amp to work its four drive units.
Active designs also limit the amount of upgrading possible. You can’t just change the power amps, for example, the whole lot has to go. That leaves less scope for enthusiasts to mix and match. You either accept the power amplifier/speaker combination as a whole or you don’t.
And what about ‘powered’ speakers?
The ATC SCM40s are both powered and active speakers
Whereas all active speakers are considered powered, not all powered speakers should be called active.
The difference is that a powered speaker has the same signal path as a passive set-up, but the amplification (often both pre and power amp) is hidden in one of the speaker enclosures. There will also be a speaker cable link between the master speaker (that has the amplification) and the slave (passive) partner.
Most affordable powered models tend to use such a configuration. Such an approach has some of the neatness of truly active operation but few of the technical benefits.
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How about active speakers with streaming?
While active speakers have clear performance benefits, their conciseness also means they are attractive to users looking for a more discreet and compact way to listen to music.
Increasingly we are seeing active speakers that aim to pack in even more functionality into their cabinets – not just amplification but also streaming modules and physical connections – creating a complete ‘all-in-one’ system that minimises the need for extra boxes or cabling. With features like preamp capabilities, digital and analogue inputs, Bluetooth and wi-fi streaming compatibility combined directly into active speakers (or a small accompanying box that then communicates with them), they offer a neat, compact, minimal fuss alternative to a system of separates. The cost can work out more favourably than buying everything separately, too (although you shouldn’t necessarily expect the same performance from them as you would a similarly priced collection of class-leading separates).
Some active speakers with streaming like the KEF LSX, KEF LS50 II and B&W Formation Duo are fine examples of such all-in-one stereo speaker systems, whereas others like the Dali Rubicon 2 C or the new Beolab 28 come with replaceable connectivity modules (or ‘hubs’) that handle the source side of things, meaning they can be easily upgraded. After all, unlike speaker technology, streaming technology is anything but timeless.
(Pocket-lint) – It seems an age since DJI first introduced the Mavic Air to the world. Since launching it released the Mavic Air and the Air 2S, ‘Mavic’ moniker is no more. The aim has always been the same: to bring powerful capabilities to users in a smaller, more affordable drone than its more premium Mavic series.
The Mavic Air 2 is the follow up to the awesome, portable Air and saught to bring even more performance to a compact device at an affordable price point. So, what’s the difference between this and the first Air?
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Design
Mavic Air – 168 x 83 x 49 mm (folded)
Mavic Air 2 – 180 x 97 x 84 mm (folded)
Mavic Air – 430 grams
Mavic Air 2 – 570 grams
Both foldable
Mavic Air available in multiple colours, Air 2 is grey
There seems to have been a bit of an ethos change with the Mavic Air 2. While the first was about a small, fun drone available in bright colours, the second is seemingly about offering a serious, performance consumer drone that’s as good as some of the bigger models (if not better in some instances).
To that end, the new model is currently only being shown in a similar grey colour to the rest of the current Mavic lineup, where the first came in red, black and white.
That’s not the only design change though. The small, almost bulbous shape has been replaced with a more angular shark-like appearance, to match the Mavic 2 and Mavic Mini. It’s also noticeably bigger and heavier than the original Mavic Air.
That’s not to say it’s big and heavy. At 570 grams, it’s still really easy to fold up and carry around in a backpack. It’s only 140 grams heavier than the first Mavic Air, but that extra weight and little extra bulk is primarily from the larger battery.
Camera
Mavic Air – 12MP 1/2.3″ CMOS sensor
Mavic Air 2 – 48MP 1/2″ CMOS sensor
Air – 4K at 30fps, 1080p up to 120fps
Air 2 – 4K at 60fps, 1080p up to 240fps
Three axis gimbal on both
New SmartPhoto mode on Air 2
Another of the big differences between the Air and the Air 2 is in the camera department. The second generation’s sensor is bigger, and packs more pixels. It’s 48-megapixels over 12-megapixels. You can choose to use all 48 million pixels if you want to, but by default, DJI uses a similar pixel binding technology to most modern smartphones which converts 4 pixels into one larger picel, creating a 12-megapixel image.
There’s a difference in video recording capabilities too. The Mavic Air 2 can record 4K video at 60 frames per second, where the first Mavic Air captures a maximum 30 frames per second at that resolution.
Its slow motion capture is better too. Both can record slow-mo at 1080p resolution, but the Mavic Air can only shoot 120fps, where the Mavic Air 2 can go up to 240 frames per second mode.
As far as smoothness goes, both drones have a three axis gimbal for stabilising footage while it’s being captured.
DJI also introduced a new SmartPhoto alogorithm with the Mavic Air 2. It has three automatic modes: one for better low light capture, one for advanced HDR and another for automatic scene detection and adjustment.
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Obstacle avoidance
Both drones – Front and back sensors
Air 2 – APAS 3.0
If there’s one area these smaller drones don’t quite match up to the pro models, it’s in obstacle avoidance, but by the sound of things the Air 2 will still be very capable.
Both the first gen and second generation Mavic Air have front and rear sensors, which help ensure the drone won’t fly into anything in front or behind the machine. They also have sensors on the underside.
While the Air has pattern recognition for finding where it took off from, the Air 2 has depth sensors and can more accurately detect how far it is from the ground. It also has more advanced obstacle avoidance in flight.
The Mavic Air 2 has the APAS 3.0 system, which means that as you’re flying the drone forwards through potential obstacles, it can adjust its path to fly around them instead of just stopping dead. It’s particularly useful if you’re flying low over rocks, or perhaps through trees low to the ground.
Battery, speed and performance
Mavic Air – 2,375mAh battery
Mavic Air 2 – 3,500mAh battery
Mavic Air – up to 21 minutes flight time
Mavic Air 2 – up to 34 minutes flight time
Max speed on both – 68.4kph (42.5mph)
When it comes to outright performance, there’s one significant difference between the old and new Mavic Air: battery. The first generation Mavic Air has a 2,375mAh battery, where the Mavic Air 2 has a much more capacious 3,500mAh battery. And that results in far superior flight time.
It’s so superior in fact, that the Mavic Air 2 is DJI’s best performing consumer drone when it comes to flight time. The manufacturer claims it can go up to 34 minutes of flight time on a full charge, improving drastically on the paltry 21 minutes on offer from the first Mavic Air.
Both can flight up to 42.5mph in ‘Sport’ mode, and both are controlled using a physical control pad with built in antenna, removable joysticks and a grip for a smartphone. Saying that, the size and shape of the control pad is massively different. It’s no longer a small palm-sized controller. It’s much larger, with a sturdier phone grip built into the top edge.
Price
Both $799 at launch for the basic kit
Despite the increased performance and higher spec camera, the new Mavic Air 2 launched at a similar price to the first one, and is still considerably cheaper than the ‘Pro’ and ‘Zoom’ versions of the Mavic 2.
However, now – of course – we have the Air 2S which might just be the best consumer drone DJI has ever launched. So be sure to check that out before deciding on either of these two.
(Pocket-lint) – They might not be the newest flagships, but the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro are still available to buy in a number of global markets and could well be worth grabbing now that they’re cheaper than they used to be. Still, which should you pick?
With its flagship phones, OnePlus prides itself on pushing the boundaries of performance, whether that be gaming speed, UI responsiveness or even fast charging speeds. Despite this, they still generally undercut the big name competition in terms of price.
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Design
OnePlus 8: 160 x 72.9 x 8mm, 180g
8 Pro: 165.3mm x 74.35mm x 8.5mm, 199g
OnePlus 8: Water-resistant, no IP rating
8 Pro: IP68 rated
Both models: Glacial Green, Onyx Black (Blue and Glow in selected markets)
As you’d assume from looking at any smartphone range with a regular model and a ‘Pro’ version, the OnePlus 8 Pro is the bigger of the two phones. It’s slightly taller and wider than the regular OnePlus 8, although it is a tiny bit thicker. There’s not really all that much in it though. While OnePlus touted the OnePlus 8 as its ‘compact’ model, it’s really not all that compact at all.
In the hand, you can still definitely tell the difference between the two. Unsurprisingly, the regular OnePlus 8 is a little more comfortable to hold, and doesn’t require as much stretching.
Apart from that, the two phones look very similar to each other. Unlike the previous 7T range, the camera housing is the same shape on the back, and the two phones both have curved glass on the front and the back with skinny bezels and a selfie camera cutout in the top left corner of the screen.
In fact, the only real difference apart from size is the waterproofing. Both phones are water-resistant, but the OnePlus 8 Pro is the only one with an official IP rating. Specifically: it’s IP68, which means it’s right up there with the likes of Samsung and Apple’s latest flagship in terms of water and dust resistance.
Both devices come in the same colours. In most markets that will just be the glossy Onyx Black and the matte frosted Glacial Green. Other select markets will also get the unicorn coloured Interstellar Glow and Ultramarine Blue variants.
Display
OnePlus 8: 6.55-inch Full HD+ AMOLED panel, 90Hz
8 Pro: 6.7-inch Quad HD+ AMOLED panel, 120Hz
Both models: Curved glass and 4mm hole-punch cutout
While both phones feature the same screen design in terms of shape, looks and camera cutout, the two are different panels with different capabilities.
Of the two, the 6.7-inch display on the Pro model is the most impressive. It features both Quad HD+ resolution and up to 120Hz refresh rate. That means it’s pin-sharp and super smooth in terms of animation speeds and frame rates.
The regular OnePlus 8 has a slightly smaller, Full HD+ resolution display. It doesn’t have the 120Hz refresh rate, but does feature the 90Hz refresh that both the previous 7T and 7T Pro had. And, by any standard, that’s more than fast enough for every day activities and gaming.
What’s interesting is that when you look at them side-by-side, OnePlush has done a great job of ensuring the two screens have the same colour reproduction, so if you have the callibration set the same on both devices, they look virtually identical in terms of colour.
Even with both set to their respective highest refresh rates of 90Hz and 120Hz respectively, we didn’t notice all that much difference in smoothness or speed between them.
However, with the 8 Pro set to its maximum resolution, the panel definitely looks sharper. You get more densely packed pixels, and so rounded edges and fine text is smoother and crisper than on the regular OnePlus. If you want the best quality panel, this is the one to go for.
Both devices use “Fluid AMOLED” panels, and both boasting the same colour accuracy. We’re unsure on the OnePlus 8’s peak brightness, but the OnePlus 8 Pro can reach as high as 1300 nits, which is pretty exceptional for a smartphone.
8 Pro: Regular/wide, ultra-wide, 3x telephoto zoom and photochromatic cameras
48MP main, 48MP ultra-wide, 8MP telephoto and 5MP photochromatic
If there’s one area that shows the biggest difference between the two phones, it’s in the camera department. OnePlus has gone all-out with the Pro model, offering an intriguing quad camera system.
The OnePlus 8 Pro has a primary camera alongside an ultra-wide camera, both featuring 48-megapixel Sony sensors, with the primary one using the better quality sensor. As well as that, there’s the 8-megapixel telephoto camera that has 3x optical zoom, and can zoom up to 30x digitally. Then, curiously, there’s a 5-megapixel photochromatic sensor, or colour filter camera.
In contrast, the OnePlus 8 has three cameras, but one of those is just a low resolution 2-megapixel macro sensor to help it focus to objects close up. It uses the same 48-megapixel in its primary camera that the 8 Pro uses in its ultra-wide one. It also has a 16-megapixel ultra-wide sensor.
In our testing, the 8 Pro’s main and ultra-wide cameras were capable of producing great photos with lots of detail and good levels of contrast, dynamic range and colour. The ultra-wide can also be used as a macro camera, to product great close-ups too. A feature we ended up using quite a lot.
Its telephoto zoom isn’t as strong, but it does mean the ability to zoom into scenes, even if they look a bit flatter. While the OnePlus 8’s main camera was decent and produced good results, the other two cameras underwhelmed.
Like the display, if you want the best all-round camera experience, the 8 Pro is the one to opt for.
Both phones feature the same 16-megapixel front facing camera in that tiny punch-hole cutout in the display.
Hardware and Performance
Both models: Snapdragon 865 processor with 5G
Both models: 8GB/128GB or 12GB/256GB RAM/storage options
8 Pro only: LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.0 storage
OnePlus 8: 4,300mAh battery
8 Pro: 4,510mAh battery
Both models: Warp Charge 30T fast wired charging
8 Pro only: 30W wireless Warp Charge
As is often the case, both of the OnePlus phones are based on the same platform: the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor with X55 5G modem. That essentially means, at their core, it’s the same performance capabilities in terms of brain power and cellular download speeds.
It’s a similar story with storage and RAM. Both regular and Pro models come as 8GB/128GB and 12GB/256GB variants, so you don’t lose any memory for choosing the regular over the Pro. The 8 Pro has faster, more modern LPDDR5 RAM versus LPDDR4, but it has the same amount of it.
The biggest phone of the two, obviously, has the bigger battery, but there’s not a whole lot in it. It’s 4,510mAh versus 4,300mAh, so you do get a bit of extra capacity on the Pro, but in daily use with a bigger, brighter, sharper and faster display, that may mean the actual battery life is very similar.
How much life you get out of the two obviously depends on how much you use the phone, and what you use it for. In our testing, both phones were very capable of getting through a full, busy work day. We ended each day with around 30 per cent on the OnePlus 8, and somewhere between that and 40 per cent for the Pro.
Both phones are also equipped with Warp Charge 30T capabilities, which is OnePlus’ bespoke fast-charging functionality. It can get from 0-50 per cent in about 23-25 minutes.
The OnePlus 8 Pro, however, is equipped with wireless charging. And not just any wireless charging. It has 30W fast charging too, so, while not quite as speedy as the wired version, it’s not far off.
Conclusion
The OnePlus 8 Pro isn’t just Pro in name, it has a lot of features that the regular OnePlus 8 doesn’t. Whether it’s the IP68 rating against water and dust resistance, wireless charging or faster, sharper and larger display. That’s without mentioning the more versatile camera system.
So if the absolute best is the only thing that matters to you, then the Pro is clearly the way to go. The fact it costs less than the big-name flagships from the likes of Samsung, Huawei and Apple is the cherry on the cake.
What’s more, we think the extra £200 for those additional features and capabilities are more than worth it. You’re not just paying to get a bigger version of the same phones.
With that said, the OnePlus 8 still has a great screen and is very fast. In the daily experience, it will still feel like a proper flagship phone and one that will save you money versus the Pro. It’s also smaller and lighter, which is something worth considering.
Walmart’s unannounced cloud gaming service, codenamed Project Storm, has been detailed in new confidential emails. An exhibit in the Epic Games v. Apple trial reveals Walmart’s efforts to pitch its cloud gaming service to Epic Games and get Fortnite on board.
“I played Walmart’s demo on an Android phone (with an Xbox controller) and the experience felt like playing on PS4 and superior to playing on Android or iOS,” said Epic Games co-founder Mark Rein in an email thread from April 2019. Rein also excitedly shares a photo of a game clip with the rest of the Epic Games executive team, showing how Walmart was planning to sell this in stores to let a phone attach to a controller. “They’re going to sell the clip for a crazy low amount, they were saying something like $2,” said Rein.
How Walmart was building its cloud streaming service.
A presentation attached to the emails shows how Walmart had been pitching its cloud gaming service to publishers like Epic Games. The company was planning to run the service on Windows, with third-party game launchers like Steam, Uplay, Origin, Epic Games Store, Battle.net, and Bethesda Launcher supported.
It’s not clear from Walmart’s presentation when the company planned to launch the service, with a beta period originally set to launch in July 2019. An early mock-up of the user experience looks very similar to other cloud gaming services, with a list of games, genres, and a search function.
An early look at Walmart’s Project Storm service.
Walmart was planning what it describes as an “open ecosystem,” with the ability to stream from the cloud or download and play games locally. The technology behind Walmart’s cloud gaming service is LiquidSky, a service Walmart acquired. LiquidSky was previously powered by IBM Cloud’s bare metal servers and Nvidia GPUs, and it appears to offer a powerful Windows PC for cloud gaming.
Epic Games was one of many publishers to which Walmart pitched. Reports originally surfaced about Walmart’s plans in 2019, but the company has still not officially announced any cloud gaming service. Sources familiar with Walmart’s plans tell The Verge that some publishers and developers had signed up to produce or host games on Walmart’s service, but that the launch had been put on hold once the pandemic began last year.
It’s not clear if Walmart’s cloud gaming service will still launch. We reached out to Walmart to comment on Project Storm, but the company did not respond in time for publication.
Either way, Mark Rein seemed interested in Walmart’s pitch and exploring services like Google Stadia and Nvidia GeForce Now. “Walmart is open to exploring all kinds of business models, but I expect their service will be the least expensive of all of these because they’re Walmart and that’s their gig.”
Epic Games ultimately partnered with Nvidia to launch Fortnite on GeForce Now last year. It’s currently the only way to play Fortnite on iOS, after the Epic dispute with Apple led to the removal of Fortnite from the App Store.
There is nothing better than tech that just works. The satisfying joy that comes with transferring files via AirDrop, the relief when a new pair of wireless earbuds automatically pop up on a phone screen and ask to be connected without opening the Bluetooth settings. These moments are still rare, but when they happen it feels like I’m actually living in the future promised to me. One of seamless connection and endless possibilities.
And the iPhone’s MagSafe (not to be confused with the old MacBook MagSafe, RIP), it just works.
Moment’s MagSafe accessories are stainless steel disks with a matte finish.
Moment, which is well known for its high-quality phone lenses and cases, has always had a strong focus on creating products for the photo or video creator. And its new line of MagSafe accessories has something for all levels of creativity. From a car vent mount to a multi-threaded mount to attach other accessories to, there is a way to attach an iPhone 12 or later to almost anything. More importantly, you can even mount more things to the phone itself through the Moment accessories. The range starts at $19.99 for a basic wall mount puck and goes up to $59.99 for the tripod mount adapter.
Moment MagSafe accessories
$20
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Moment’s line of MagSafe accessories lets you attach your iPhone 12 or 12 Pro to a wide variety of things, including a tripod or other camera gear. They make it easy to attach or remove your phone thanks to their use of strong magnets.
$20
at Moment
$20
at Amazon
Apple’s own MagSafe wallet accessory notoriously did not provide enough strength to stay attached to the back of the iPhone when taking the device out of a pocket. And if you have used the MagSafe charger, you might think these magnets are not strong enough to hold your device on a tripod out in front of you. But Moment developed its (M)Force magnet array that claims to use “custom tuned magnets” with a “grippy backer pad” for extra strength to boost the holding power of Apple’s base system.
I stored these MagSafe mounts on the side of a metal filing cabinet.
When I received these mounts, I attached them to the outside of my metal filing cabinet for safekeeping and was pleasantly surprised at just how hard it was to pull them off the side of the cabinet when I went to use them. And in my testing, my phone remained glued to the mounts no matter what they were mounted to. Pulling the phone off of these mounts was easy, too; with a bit of a twist the device disengages.
Moment’s MagSafe accessories work on a bare iPhone 12 or later or in a MagSafe-compatible case. I was able to test out Moment’s iPhone 12 Pro Thin Case with MagSafe and found it to be equally as strong as the bare phone. Moment’s cases also allow you to attach their lineup of lenses to your camera’s wide and telephoto sensors. Moment has also included the MagSafe technology in cases for the Galaxy S21 lineup, which you can preorder now for $49.99, and they should provide a similar experience to the iPhone’s built-in magnets.
Moment currently offers a sticky wall mount, a car vent mount, a cold shoe mount, a cold shoe and ¼” thread mount in both portrait and landscape orientations, a ¼” thread mount, and a multi-threaded mount. The pucks themselves are stainless steel disks with a matte finish. They are just the right amount of heavy: they feel durable and ready to be put into action while maintaining an extremely strong magnetic connection to the iPhone 12 Pro I was using.
The best part about using these mounts, and MagSafe at large, is the ease in quickly being able to put your phone on and pull it off of various accessories. I’m used to using mounts that grip the sides of my phone. Mounting my phone to a tripod, for example, meant having to attach it to the mount first, which is a two-step process: first the phone goes into the mount, then you have to close the mount’s sides to hold the phone. None of this process seemed to be too much of a problem until I didn’t have to do it anymore.
Each mount has a rubber, grippy back to keep your phone protected and attached.Becca Farsace / The Verge and Becca Farsace / The Verge
Being able to seamlessly pull my phone off of any tripod, even with a light or mic attached via a cold shoe, is the time-saving, hassle-free experience I didn’t know I needed. I quite literally toss my phone on the puck and I’m ready to go. And it feels really good knowing I could answer the phone mid-take without putting a whole rig up to my ear with it.
Moment’s MagSafe accessories are available now, though some of the line is currently on backorder.
(Pocket-lint) – The Samsung HW-Q800A soundbar replaces the previous HW-Q800T, but offers an almost identical set of features. That includes a 3.1.2-channel speaker layout, a powerful subwoofer, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X object-based decoding, eARC, and built-in Amazon Alexa for voice control.
New this generation is the inclusion of Apple AirPlay 2, and optional wireless rear speakers with upward-firing drivers, allowing expansion to a 5.1.4-channel system. Owners of supporting Samsung TVs not only benefit from Q Symphony integration – which can use the TV’s speakers in addition to the soundbar for added immersion and height – but also SpaceFit Sound for optimised setup that automatically tunes sound profiles wherever your TV is setup in the room.
Are these small additional benefits reason enough to buy the HW-Q800A or would it make more sense to look at the HW-Q800T instead to save a few quid?
Controls: included remote; SmartThings app; four-button top-of-‘bar panel
Connectivity: Wi-Fi; Bluetooth; AirPlay 2; Alexa voice control integrated
Dimensions (soundbar): 980mm (W) x 60mm (H) x 115mm (D); 3.6kg
Dimensions (sub): 205mm (W) x 403mm (H) x 403mm (D); 9.8kg
The Samsung HW-Q800A uses exactly the same cabinet as the earlier Q800T, retaining a sleek form-factor designed to fit under your TV without blocking the screen. It’s a sensible width, but can still handle larger screen sizes up to 65 inches. The overall look is stylish, with solid construction and a matte black finish.
There’s a metal wrap-around grille, behind which you’ll find three speakers at the front, and the Acoustic Beam holes along the top front edge – these are used to output sound so it appears to come from where the action is happening on screen, made possible by clever processing.
There’s a display located at the front right, which provides basic information, and a choice of stand- or wall-mounting, with brackets provided for the latter included in the box.
The included wireless active subwoofer uses a rear-ported enclosure and a side-firing 8-inch driver that Samsung claims can go down to 35Hz. It’s well made, with similar styling and a matte black finish. The sub should pair automatically with the soundbar, but if not there are buttons on both units for manual setup.
Pocket-lint
The Samsung HW-Q800A sports an HDMI input and an HDMI output that supports eARC, allowing lossless audio to be sent back from a compatible TV. The HDMI connections also pass resolutions up to 4K/60p and every version of high dynamic range (HDR10, HLG, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision).
What is HDMI eARC? Why is it different to HDMI ARC?
The only other physical connection is an optical digital input, but there’s also Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and the newly added AirPlay 2, allowing for agnostic music streaming from your network or third-party services. Bluetooth is paired using the dedicated button on the remote, while the Wi-Fi setup uses the Samsung SmartThings app via your phone/tablet.
There are basic controls centrally located on the top of the soundbar for on/off, source select, volume up/down, and far-field mic on/off. The included remote is the same zapper from previous years, but remains well-designed, comfortable to hold, and easy to use, with all the necessary buttons laid out in a sensible fashion.
Pocket-lint
The SmartThings app isn’t just for setup, but also offers a degree of control. The slick and intuitive interface allows for changing inputs, adjusting the volume, choosing between sound modes, optimising the equaliser (EQ) and woofer, and selecting the advanced settings (voice enhancement, bass enhancement, and night mode).
Setup is straightforward, but a degree of tweaking is required when it comes to getting the centre and front height channels adjusted so the overall soundstage is balanced. The HW-Q800A doesn’t generate its own test tones, meaning you’ll need to find those yourself, and the levels work on the left and right channels simultaneously, which can be an issue in asymmetric rooms.
It would be better if you could set the left and right front heights independently, along with the surrounds and rear heights if you add the wireless rear speakers, and it would also be useful if you could set them using the SmartThings app rather than the remote and front display.
Pocket-lint
The sub is a powerful beast so you’ll need to dial the woofer setting back to ensure it doesn’t swamp the mid-range. As the driver fires sideways, avoid putting it in the right-hand corner of a room, or it’ll get boomy. Positioning towards the front, halfway between the ‘bar and wall works best, with this boom box generating more than enough low-end juice to handle sizeable rooms.
A built-in automated setup feature would be welcome at this price point, but if you own a compatible Samsung TV you can at least benefit from SoundFit. This uses the TV’s microphone and processor to analyse the sound reverberations in the room and adjust them accordingly to optimise the overall sonic performance of the soundbar.
The inclusion of Amazon Alexa makes this soundbar a fully-functioning smart assistant, allowing users to ask questions, listen to music or podcasts, and enjoy hands-free voice control. There’s a far-field microphone built into the soundbar itself, which can be muted for privacy, and thankfully Alexa interacts at a sensible volume (unlike in the Polk React, for example, where she’s very shouty).
Samsung-specific features: Q Symphony and Active Voice Amplifier
Expansion: Optional wireless rear speakers
Amplification: 330W of Class D
Hi-Res Audio: Up to 24-bit/192kHz
Decoding: Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
Sound Modes: Standard, Surround, Game Pro, Adaptive Sound, Night
The Samsung HW-Q800A decodes the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X object-based audio formats, and delivers both with an actual 3.1.2-channel speaker layout. This means it doesn’t need to rely on psychoacoustic trickery to create a sense of immersion, and if you take the time to setup the system properly, the results are often spectacular.
Samsung
The effectiveness of the Acoustic Beam tech, which literally fires sound waves upwards to create the illusion of overhead channels, will depend on your type of ceiling – but the more reflective it is, the better the effect. Watching a dynamic object-based mix like the 4K disc of Midway reveals an expansive front soundstage, with precise placement of effects and plenty up top.
The subwoofer handles the low frequency effects with great skill, producing a foundation of bass on which the rest of the system is built. If you like plenty of subsonic impact in your movies, you’ll enjoy this particular woofer, which enthusiastically digs deep. It’s also well integrated with the ‘bar, smoothly crossing over with the mid-range drivers, and creating a cohesive overall soundstage.
The performance is energetic, with clear dialogue and a pleasing width to the delivery. The only limitation is that the soundstage is very front-heavy, due to the lack of actual surround speakers. However this can be addressed by buying the optional SWA-9500S wireless rear speakers that now include upward-firing drivers, allowing expansion to a full 5.1.4-channel configuration.
Samsung’s Q Symphony feature integrates the soundbar with compatible Samsung TVs, synchronising sound from both devices and utilising the additional speakers in the TV to create a more expansive and immersive front soundstage.
There’s also the Active Voice Amplifier which detects ambient noise, analyses the audio signal, and adjusts and amplifies the dialogue with respect to the other channels to improve intelligibility. So if you’re trying to watch TV while someone else is hoovering, for example, this could come in handy.
Best Bluetooth speakers 2021: Top portable speakers to buy today
By Dan Grabham
·
Our guide to the best Bluetooth wireless speakers available to buy today, including B&O, Denon, JBL, Marshall, Sonos and Ultimate Ears
There are five dedicated sound modes, with the default Standard making no changes to the incoming signal. The Surround mode up-mixes the audio to take advantage of the additional channels, while the Game Pro enhances effects to create a more immersive gaming experience. For general TV viewing the Adaptive Sound is a great choice, analysing the incoming signal and automatically optimising it. Finally, Night mode compresses the dynamic range, so you won’t disturb the rest of the household during a late-night bingeing session.
Samsung
There’s a pleasing musicality to this system’s delivery, with the width producing some excellent stereo imaging, and the sub giving drums a driving beat. You can stream from a number of services too, including Amazon Music, Spotify, Deezer, TuneIn and Samsung Music, plus Apple Music via AirPlay.
Verdict
The Samsung HW-Q800A is well-specified ‘bar-and-sub combo that has all the object-based decoding bells and whistles. It renders Dolby Atmos and DTS:X using sound waves rather than psychoacoustic trickery, resulting in a genuinely immersive experience, while the powerful woofer produces plenty of low-end slam.
There’s a pleasing musicality to the delivery, dialogue remains clear, and effects are placed with precision, creating an enjoyable if front-heavy soundstage. Thankfully this can be addressed by picking up the optional wireless rear speakers, which turn the soundbar into a full 5.1.4-channel system.
There’s a host of other features – including HDMI eARC, AirPlay 2 and integrated Amazon Alexa – meaning, as a result, the Samsung HW-Q800A is a comprehensive and capable all-rounder that’s sure to please no matter what your viewing or listening habits.
Also consider
Samsung
Samsung HW-Q800T
It’s more or less the same soundbar, with the same sound quality. Buy if you want to save a few quid and don’t care about AirPlay 2. Don’t buy if you want future expandability – as it’s the Q800A’s optional speaker add-ons that help to set it apart from this older model.
Read our full review
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Sonos
Sonos Arc
This highly-accomplished soundbar is worth considering not only because it brings the Sonos ecosystem to the party, but because it has Dolby Atmos, eARC, and AirPlay 2 as well. Like the Samsung there’s integrated Alexa, plus Google Assistant for completists. It’s not cheap, doesn’t support DTS:X, and has no HDMI inputs or a separate subwoofer, but if you’re already invested in Sonos this compelling ‘bar can elevate your sonic experience.
Read our full review
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JBL
JBL BAR 9.1
This awesome 5.1.4-channel ‘bar-and-sub combo includes detachable and rechargeable rear speakers, resulting in a genuinely immersive Dolby Atmos and DTS:X experience with the minimum of fuss. There’s an automated audio calibration feature, eARC support, Chromecast, AirPlay 2 and Dolby Vision passthrough. There’s no dedicated remote app, nor can it pass HDR10+, but in most other respects this impressive soundbar system is hard to fault.
I have some old telephones lying around – few of them fully functional anymore. I was going to throw out one of them when I realized I could replace the inner wiring with a Raspberry Pi, and have the Google Assistant running on it.
While it’s certainly easier to call “hey google” across the room, there’s something fun about picking up the phone, asking it a question, and having it immediately respond. This is how to install the Google Assistant on an old rotary telephone with a Raspberry Pi Zero.
What You’ll Need to make an old phone into a Google Assistant
A Raspberry Pi Zero with soldered GPIO pins, a memory card (with Raspberry Pi OS on it), and power adapter
An old telephone with a functional receiver (speaker and microphone), and a functioning hook switch that you don’t mind destroying
A few female jumper cables, wire strippers, and electrical tape or solder
A few types of screwdrivers depending on your phone
1 USB audio adapter compatible with linux
1 male-male 3.5mm audio cable
1 Raspberry Pi Zero micro USB to USB A female adapter
How to Install the Google Assistant on an Old Phone
This Raspberry Pi project is quite extensive and can take a bit of time, so I’ve split it up into four distinct parts:
Registering with Google
Authenticating with Google
Wiring your telephone
Setting up the assistant
Registering With Google
Before we use a Raspberry Pi as a Google Assistant, we must register the device with Google. This process can be a bit confusing if you’ve never used Google Cloud Platform before, but the steps should be easy enough to follow.
1. Clone this repository to your raspberry pi.
cd ~/
git clone https://github.com/rydercalmdown/google_assistant_telephone
2. Navigate to https://console.actions.google.com in your browser. This site allows us to manage Google Assistant Actions, as well as register custom Google Assistant devices.
3. Click “New Project” and fill in the required information. The name doesn’t matter – just pick something you can remember.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
4. In a new tab, visit this link to Google Cloud Platform, and confirm that the name of the project you just created appears in the top bar – if not, select it. Then, click the “Enable” button to turn on the API.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
5. In your original tab, scroll to the bottom of the page and click “Are you looking for device registration? Click here”
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
6. On the next page, click “Register Model”.
7. Fill in the required information and copy down the Model ID to file – you will need it later.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
8. Click Download OAuth 2.0 credentials to download the credentials file your Raspberry Pi will use to make requests.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
9. Rename the downloaded file tooauth_config_credentials.json and transfer it to your pi. Place it into the repository folder you cloned in step 1.
# Rename your downloaded file
cd ~/Downloads
mv your_unique_secret_file_name.json oauth_config_credentials.json
# Move the file into your repository
scp oauth_config_credentials.json pi@your_pis_ip_address:/home/pi/google_assistant_telephone
10. Back in the browser, after downloading and renaming the credentials, click the “Next” button.
11. On the “Specify traits” tab, click “Save Traits” without adjusting any settings to complete the setup.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Authenticating With Google
We’ve now registered a device with Google. Next, it’s time to authenticate this device so it has access to our Google account and personalized assistant.
1. Navigate to https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/credentials/consent ensuring that the project matches the name you decided in Step 3 of “Registering With Google”.
2. Select “External” and click the “Create” button.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
3. Fill in an App name. Once again, this doesn’t really matter – but to keep it simple I went with the same name as before.
4. Select your email from the dropdown in User support email. This is in case any users of your app need to contact you, but since we won’t be making the app public, there’s no need to worry.
5. Add that same email under “Developer contact information” and click “Save and Continue”.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
6. On the next page, click Add or Remove Scopes to bring up the scopes sidebar.
7. Search for “Google Assistant API” in the search bar, and check the /auth/assistant-sdk-prototype scope. Then click update, followed by “Save and Continue” at the bottom of the page.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
8. On the next page, click “Save and Continue” to skip Optional Info.
9. With the setup complete, click “OAuth Consent Screen” in the sidebar to refresh the page – then “Add User” under Test Users.
10. Add your Google account’s email, and click save.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
11. Next, on your pi navigate to the downloaded repository and run the following command:
cd ~/google_assistant_telephone
make authenticate
12. Follow the link it gives you and complete the Authentication process in your browser. Once the process is complete, copy the code and paste it back in your terminal.
13. If successful, you’ll see a message indicating “credentials saved:” followed by a path to the credentials. Use this path to move the credentials into the current directory. Transfer these credentials to your repository’s root directory
Depending on your rotary phone, this process will vary widely. These are the steps that I used, but likely this will require a fair bit of trial and error on your part. Make sure you use a phone you don’t care about, as it won’t be able to work normally after this.
1. Take the cover off the telephone. You may need to loosen a screw on the bottom.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
2. Find and strip the wires connected to the hook switch. We’ll connect these wires to the pi’s GPIO pins to determine if the receiver has been picked up or set down.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
3. Connect the hook switch wires to GPIO Board pin 18 and ground. You may need to solder the wires from the hook switch to jumper wires to connect them easier, or just attach them together with a bit of electrical tape.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
4. Connect your USB audio adapter to the raspberry pi zero. You will need a USB-micro to female USB-A adapter to do this.
5. Solder the microphone and speaker in the handset to two separate 3.5mm cables. These will carry the signal from the pi to the speaker, and from the microphone to the pi. You should be able to connect these within the phone case and use the original handset cord. This will take a bit of trial and error to determine which wires belong to the speaker, and which to the microphone.
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
6. Connect the 3.5mm cables to the USB audio adapter being mindful to connect them in the proper order.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
7. Tuck the pi into the phone, and close up the cover – or keep it open while you debug setting up the assistant. Run the power adapter connected to the pi out the back of the case where the original telephone wire would go.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Setting Up The Assistant
1. Run the installation script. It’ll take care of base and python requirements. If you have a Raspberry Pi Zero, the compilation process can take hours and will appear stuck on a step installing grpc (it just moves very slowly). I’d recommend leaving it running over night.
cd google_assistant_telephone
make install
2. Configure your USB audio by running the following command. It will take care of editing your alsamixer config, setting your USB card as your default audio output, and setting volumes for the speaker and microphone.
make configure-audio
3. Test and adjust your volumes by running the following command, speaking, and listening through your phone’s handset. If your volume is not high enough on your microphone or speaker, set it with the alsamixer command.
# Run, speak something into the microphone, and listen
make test
# Set volumes
alsamixer
4. Export your project ID to an environment variable. You can retrieve your project ID by visiting this URL, selecting your project, clicking the three dots next to your profile photo in the top right, and clicking “Project Settings”
export PROJECT_ID=your-project-id
5. Export your model ID from the Registering With Google steps to an environment variable.
6. Run the make run command. It will take care of registering this device, and saving the configuration to disk so you won’t need the environment variables in the future.
make run
7. Test your assistant by picking up the phone, and asking it a simple question, like “What is the capital of Canada?” If all goes well, you’ll see some logs in the terminal, and the assistant will respond. To ask another question, hang up the receiver and pick it up again.
8. Finally, run the following command to configure the assistant to run on boot.
make configure-on-boot
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