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CES 2021: LG shows its transparent OLED screens for CES with 40% transparency

Transparent OLED screens use a technology that we have already seen on more than one occasion, but that until now, had not reached the market in a massive way. Xiaomi has already presented a TV with a transparent OLED panel and now LG has shown its Transparent OLED panel technology for the CES 2021, panels capable of achieving transparency of the 40%, four times more than the transparent LCD panels available in the market.

The company has shown several prototypes and use cases for this type of panels, for example, the LG Smart Bed is a screen of 55 “which, after pressing a button, emerges from inside its frame to display different content such as television, applications and other information on different screens with different formats. As it does not have a frame, it is possible to use this panel to display small “screens” configured to taste. It is also complemented by immersive cinematic sound and a format that allows it to be placed almost anywhere.

LG has shown several applications of its transparent panel OLED entity of 55 “

Another application of these panels that the company showed was for use in restaurants and bars, with a panel that allowed diners to choose the menu and view their order information without blocking the view of people on the other side of the table thanks to the transparency of the screen. In addition, it also served as entertainment during the meal.

This panel of 55 “also has applications in other environments as in public transport, showing its use in a subway car located as a window, in such a way that visibility was not diminished to the real window of the car while information about the stops, route, news, etc. was shown to the user, all with touch technology.

The company will show live these products and applications of their transparent dOLED panel of 55 “at CES 2021, an edition that will be carried out virtually.

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Six gadgets to help meet New Year's resolutions: e-book reader, smartband, smart scale … What else?

The New Year is a special moment in the minds of each of us. For a long time, this date has marked the moment when we plan what will change in our lives in the next 365 days. Depending on our character, these provisions may concern starting some activity or giving up something that has a negative impact on us. Unfortunately, it is not easy to change your lifestyle overnight. Therefore, many New Year’s resolutions end up with the fact that after a few weeks we just get discouraged and give up. What if there was something that would help us stick to our resolve and make it a little easier? This is where technology comes in handy. Here are six inexpensive gadgets that can help you meet your New Year’s Resolution.

The New Year has begun, and with it – the time of resolutions and their implementation. But what to do in order not to give up this time and persevere in our promises? Technology can help. Here are 6 gadgets to help us meet New Year’s resolutions.

E-book reader

One of the most frequently made decisions is that we will read more books in the coming year. Such a promise is most valuable, because the readership statistics in our country are decreasing every year. However, in today’s busy world, some people simply find it difficult to find time to read, and reading on the go and carrying books with you everywhere can be just uncomfortable. Books are not only heavy, but also easy to destroy and to lose the place where we finished reading recently. Therefore, instead of paper copies, it may be worth investing in an e-book reader, among which the Kindle brand reigns. This device can store thousands or even tens of thousands of books in its memory, it is light, handy and resistant to the hardships of everyday use. Moreover, it usually has some nice features. First of all – by opening a file with a given book, we are automatically directed to the place where we finished last, and additionally we can adjust such things as the font size and the brightness of the screen backlight, which makes it easier to read in dark rooms. Thanks to such a device, we can devote every moment of our free time to reading, which will greatly facilitate the implementation of our resolution.

Onyx Boox Max 3 e-reader test – on Android and without inhibitions

Fitness band

Another very popular resolution that we promise ourselves for the New Year is that we will do more sports, or – even exercise at all. In order to maintain a high level of motivation, it is crucial to be able to track your progress, because it is very easy to get discouraged without seeing results. Therefore, a smart fitness band is a good choice here. Such devices do not cost much and offer many possibilities related to tracking and organizing training. They can monitor the number of calories burned by us, the repetitions made, and if they are equipped with GPS – thanks to them we can track the routes of our run or cycling. In addition, most of them are also able to monitor our rest, which allows you to determine the appropriate training intervals. All this data is of course collected in the accompanying smartphone application, thanks to which we have easy access to them and we can both track our progress in training, and on their basis, for example, plan its expansion.

Review of the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 smartband – invariably invincible

Good headphones

Hardly any gadget helps in implementing New Year’s resolutions as much as headphones. They are very versatile and thanks to them we can help ourselves in achieving many goals. If we want to exercise, good, motivating music can help a lot. If our goal is to read more books, why not reach for audiobooks? And if we want to be more productive at work, nothing helps us better than cutting ourselves off from our surroundings. So what kind of headphones should you choose? First of all, if we value comfort and convenience, it is worth considering the TWS model, i.e. wireless. In addition to the quality of the sound itself, let’s pay attention to whether the pair we are looking for has ANC (active noise reduction), thanks to which we can cut off from the sounds of the environment and work or exercise in peace. The prices of such headphones are decreasing every month and today it is not difficult to get good quality with really little money.

Great test of True Wireless in-ear and in-ear headphones

Heater of tobacco

A lot of Poles still smoke cigarettes, and many New Year’s resolutions are related to the desire to reduce smoking. After all, we all know how harmful cigarette smoke is to the smoker and to the smoker himself. Therefore, perhaps on the New Year it is worth getting a tobacco heater, also popularly known as IQOS after the name of the most popular model. It is a device that (as the name suggests) heats the previously pressed tobacco, supplying the body with nicotine, but without emitting unpleasant odors and without causing discoloration on the skin and teeth. The most important advantage, however, is much lower (studies even say about %) the amount and concentration of harmful substances compared to cigarette smoke produced in the process smoking traditional cigarette. And it is cigarette smoke and its tar, not nicotine, that is the leading cause of cigarette disease. So if we are disturbed by an addiction, but we do not have the willpower enough to end it on the move, it will be a good move to buy such a heater. Thanks to it, we will harm ourselves and the environment less.

IQOS 3 Duo tobacco heater review – back to menthol

Smart Bathroom Scale

Too high weight is slowly becoming a very popular disease of civilization also in Poland. Therefore, a large part of New Year’s resolutions is about losing two, five or maybe more kilos. Here, however, as in the case of sports, the key issue is to accurately track and analyze your progress and draw conclusions from the collected data. If we use a regular weight, it will only tell us how many kilograms we have, but it will not let us know what these kilograms make up. Therefore, it is worth looking for a scale that, in addition to this information, will conduct a thorough analysis of the body composition. All because thanks to this data we will know how our weight loss process is going. Often, if we want to lose weight thanks to exercise, our total body weight does not change, but the fat under the skin is displaced by much heavier muscles. With this information, it will be much easier for us to stay motivated, especially as modern bathroom scales also send all measurements to the smartphone app, which makes tracking the weight reduction process much easier.

Smart scales test: Huawei, Xiaomi, Fitbit, or maybe Hoffen?

Guitar neck protector

Who among us would not like to become a rock star or even be able to play focal classics to play with friends? Unfortunately, learning to play guitar can be a tedious and frustrating process if we don’t know how to go about it. Fortunately, technology can also help us here, because you only need to search for a while to find special guitar caps (eg Fret Zealot) that will help you learn to play. When placed on a fretboard, they will illuminate it in specific places, showing us on which frets we should press the strings to play specific chords. Thanks to the built-in tutorial companion applications, we will learn the basic techniques of the game, and the huge library of songs, to which the overlay can show chords in real time and make us quickly learn our favorite songs. Such a device will guide us through the most difficult stage of learning, allow us to see the effects of our work and can be the beginning of a very pleasant adventure with the guitar.

Koei Tecmo European forums targeted in cyber attack

Matthew Wilson
2 days ago
Featured Tech News, Software & Gaming

Koei Tecmo, the publisher behind series like Dead or Alive, Dynasty Warriors and a number of popular licensed anime games, has suffered a security breach this month. The publisher suffered a cyberattack that forced it to take down both its US and European websites.

As reported by PCGamer, over 65,000 registered accounts for Koei Tecmo’s Europe-based forums have been compromised. This includes account names, encrypted passwords and email addresses. However, critical information like user payment details were not obtained in the breach.

Apparently the hack took place over Christmas and due to the data obtained, those with accounts on the European Koei Tecmo forums should change their login details.

This follows a string of recent attacks on publishers. In the later months of 2020, Ubisoft, Crytek and Capcom were also affected by security breaches.

KitGuru Says: Given that personal information has leaked here, Koei Tecmo forum users will want to keep an eye out for potential phishing scams in their email inboxes. Outside of that though, it doesn’t sound like anything else is going to come out of this particular breach.

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heise + | Network storage: operate NAS securely and protect it from attacks

Our reader Gunther J. only found a blackmail letter on his NAS instead of his data. We explain how it came about – and how you can protect yourself.

(Image: Photon photo / Shutterstock.com)

Network storage: operate NAS securely and protect it from attacks Ransom note instead of holiday photos Now it is your turn! Firmware updates turn off UPnP Configure router Read article in c’t 2 / 2021 When c’t reader Gunther J. wanted to browse his vacation photos, he had an unpleasant surprise : All files on the otherwise reliable NAS (Network Attached Storage) were deleted. Instead, he discovered a file called “DATA RECOVERY!! !!. Txt” that begins with: “YOUR REMOTE STORAGE WAS COMPROMISED. YOUR FILES ARE IN OUR POSSESSION.” J. had apparently become the victim of a cyber gang who had tampered with his vacation photos.

The perpetrators claimed that the files were safe, encrypted on a server. In order to free the vacation photos from the digital hostage, J. 0, 03 Bitcoin to the address 18 bvWVxx3KD3gaqkBoPSwShimUWkG1eZNL transfer, this corresponds to approximately 400 Euro. But there were two problems: On the one hand, the deadline of the blackmail group, which ironically calls itself “Data Recovery”, had long expired – J. had only discovered the misery after two months. On the other hand, it is always a bad idea to negotiate with blackmailers.

Together with his wife, Gunther J. looked for a way to save the holiday photos. Then she had an idea, which was implemented shortly afterwards: The two called the c’t editorial office. We are frequently contacted by victims of cyber extortion, but this case aroused our curiosity. Because it was completely a mystery how the perpetrators could access the NAS. It quickly became clear that the caller had carefully set up and configured his home network.

Access to all contents of heise + exclusive tests, advice & background: independent, critically sound c’t, iX, Technology Review, Mac & i, Make, c’t Read photography directly in the browser register once – on all devices read – can be canceled monthly first month free, then monthly 9 , 95 € Weekly newsletter with personal reading recommendations from the editor-in-chief Start FREE month Now start the FREE month heise + already subscribed?

Sign in and read Register now and read the article immediately More information about heise + Network storage: operate NAS securely and protect it from attacks Ransom note instead of holiday photos Now it is your turn! Firmware updates turn off UPnP Configure router Read article in c’t 2 / 2021

TechStage | TV-OS: strengths & weaknesses of Android TV & Co

Testing Tests overview Smartphone Huawei P Smart 2021: Budget model with room for improvement Asus Zenfone 7 Pro: Turbo smartphone with flip camera Samsung Galaxy Xcover Pro in the test: Hard but slow Oneplus Nord N 03 5G in the test: galloped in price Oppo Find X2 Pro in the test: performance bargain Asus ROG Phone 3 in the test: Perfect gaming smartphone LG Wing in the test: 1.5 displays and gimbal cam Smartwatch Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 in the T est: competition for Apple? Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro in the test: Smartwatch with cross-country battery Apple Watch: Smartwatch with contract from 15 € per month Apple Buy Watch 6: All generations in the price check Skagen Falster 3 in the test: Smartwatch with Wear OS Test Huawei Watch GT 2: Noble fitness tracker in watch form Huawei Watch GT in the test: record-breaking battery life Multiroom Ikea Symfonisk in the test: Sonos loudspeakers under 100 Euro Bose Portable Home Speaker in the test: battery, WLAN, Airplay 2 Sonos Move in the test: The robust all-rounder Musiccast: Multiroom from Yamaha in the test Denon Heos in the test: Versatile multi-room system Flat soundbar Teufel Sounddeck Streaming in the test Teufel Raumfeld in the test: rich multiroom sound Keyfinder Tile Slim (2019): Key finder in credit card format Bluetooth key finder Tile Pro in the test: 122 m range! Key finder Tile Pro in the test: the range champion Orbit Bluetooth tracker in the test: looking for wallet and keys Nonda iHere 3.0: smart key finder under test Chipolo Classic and Plus: Bluetooth key finder under test Musegear finder 2: Keyfinder without registration obligation Action-Cam DJI Pocket 2 in the test: Zoom and 64 – Megapixel sensor Actioncam Insta 360 One R: 1-inch image sensor in the test Gopro Hero 8 Black in the test: Back to the top Insta 360 One R in the test: The modular action cam Motorola Moto G8 Plus Review: Great smartphone, but … Insta 360 Go: Micro-GoPro in the test Motorola One Action Test : Good hardware, bad camera microSD In the test: Kingston UHS-I U3 microSDXC Kit MicroSD card for smartphone: Samsung Evo Plus 2017 Test report: Lexar Professional 1800 x microSDXC Kit Test report: Intenso Premium microSDXC card with 64 GByte Android Sonos Move in the test: The robust all-rounder Honor 20: Inexpensive high-end smartphone in the test Xiaomi Mi 9: top technology at a bargain price Doogee S 90 in the test: modular outdoor smartphone ZTE Axon 10 Pro in the test: high-end phone at a competitive price Motorola Moto G7 Power in the test: large battery, small price Sony Xperia 10: smartphone with 21: 9 display in Test Counselor Advisor overview Purchase advice The right cordless screwdriver for the home workshop t Bargain: Which Fire TV Stick from 19 € is the right one? Purchase advice: What good is a leaf blower with a battery for 45 Euro? True wireless headphones: How much do you have to invest? Buying advice water cooling: High-end PCs cool better Adviser: Air conditioning and fan against the heat wave Sony shows the Xperia 1: Is the predecessor XZ3 worth it now? Practice Caution, money away: Kickstarter & Co. are not shops Turn off Android notifications from annoying apps Here’s how: Install the new Android L keyboard now Tip: Use “Ok Google everywhere” in Germany In the test : Will the jailbreak work for iOS 7.1? Goder ma and mobile medicine: The doctor apps are coming! Instructions: Jailbreak for iOS 7 on iPhone 5S, 5, 4S and 4 Technology Importing technology from China, part 2: Customs, taxes and tricks Drones & copters: From toys to FPV Racer What does the end of an ecosystem mean? Smartphones with a flexible display: What’s the point? Overview of smartphone processors: Everything Snapdragon? Evolutionary dead ends: the very worst cell phones mpass: Pay with the NFC mobile phone – or the NFC toilet roll Display calculator Calculate pixel density, number and display proportion Best list Test winner Price comparison Price comparison overview Smartphones from Android 7.0 Phablets with stylus Fitness tracker with GPS Bluetooth headphones with ANR Drones with GPS Video TechStage Counselor TV-OS: Strengths & weaknesses of Android TV & Co beginning Android TV Tizen OS Web OS My Home Screen Loewe OS Metz VIDAA U3.0 Conclusion Comments by Jochen // 03. 01. 2021 11: 10 Clock

Does it matter which operating system the new Smart TV has? TechStage presents the most important OS for TVs in the guide and explains where they score.

Modern smart TVs no longer only differ in terms of appearance, equipment, and picture and sound quality. An essential feature is the operating system, which is largely responsible for ease of use. While the smartphone market is dominated by Android and iOS, several operating systems are competing for flat screen televisions. We will introduce you to all the important ones and address the respective strengths and weaknesses.

The article appears in our UHD TV theme world. There were other articles published there, for example our guide for really big TVs, tips for buying a next-gen TV or our constantly updated list of the cheapest TVs from all categories (e.g. OLED, HDMI 2.1 or just huge).

Android TV Not only on smartphones, but also on smartphones TVs are very popular with Android. In addition to Sony and Philips, TCL and Metz Blue rely on Android TV from Google. Corresponding televisions can not only be set up using the remote control supplied, but optionally using an Android smartphone.

Tile-like structure, clear structure and a lot of apps: that’s Android TV. #The start page has a uniform design on almost all Android TVs: Here you can find a list of the most important apps, streaming services and TV channels. All applications are arranged in tiles on the user interface; additional applications can be added in next to no time. While Android was still a bit sluggish and unstable to use in previous versions, these teething troubles have been resolved with Android 9.0 (Pie).

The gear wheel at the top right takes you to the most important system settings, the Google Assistant is lurking at the top left, for example to browse streaming services by voice or to call up current weather information or traffic reports.

The selection of apps under Android TV is generally huge and one of the best on the market. Thanks to the Google Play Store, you will find a varied portfolio in the areas of video, music, games and news. The integrated Google Chromecast ensures flexible compatibility with smartphones. While the standard interface is identical on all Android televisions, the individual manufacturers adapt their menus for picture and sound settings individually.

Overall, Android TV scores with a clear design, high operating speed and an extensive selection of apps. Smaller weak points in terms of performance can only be found on very inexpensive or older flat-screen TVs with an Android system. It is therefore important to check every now and then whether there is an update for your own TV.

Tizen OS With Tizen, Samsung uses its own operating system; the sheer number of Samsung TVs alone makes it a major competitor to Android TV. With Tizen OS, all functions are packed into a horizontal menu bar. You can store the most important apps here, preview streaming content, switch sources, open TV recordings from USB sticks and jump to the picture and sound settings.

Tizen OS from Samsung offers a lot of information at a glance and likes it colorful. All of this succeeds quickly even if the selected Samsung television does not have the fastest processor. In contrast to its competitors Philips and Panasonic, Samsung has integrated a powerful media player into Tizen OS, which can play photos and videos as 360 Degree view. In addition, there is a function in “Ambient Mode” to display paintings, photos or infographics with news or weather data on the screen when not in use. Alternatively, this takes on the look of the wallpaper behind the flat screen TV.

Relatively new is the intelligent program guide, which combines content from television and streaming services. In terms of apps, Samsung is one of the leading manufacturers on the market. In addition to HD +, you can also find Disney +, Apple TV, DAZN, Sky Ticket, Netflix, Tidal, Amazon Music, Spotify and Deezer. Tizen OS supports Apple AirPlay 2 to stream photos, music and videos from iPhone or iPad wirelessly to the hip flask, as well as Google Chromecast and Bluetooth.

If you like control by voice, you will also get your money’s worth with Tizen OS. A recent software update makes Google Assistant available on Samsung smart TVs in addition to Bixby and Amazon Alexa. Together with WebOS from LG Tizen OS is one of the most user-friendly and versatile operating systems on the market.

Web OS LG uses the WebOS operating system in its OLED and LCD televisions, which is visually reminiscent of the keyboard of a piano. The latest version, WebOS 5.0, is extremely fast and clearly structured. The high level of operating comfort is also due to the fact that you can control a mouse pointer on the TV with the LG remote control. So you can move the so-called Magic Remote freely in the air and navigate to the desired window like with a laser pointer. This is surprisingly precise and you get used to it quickly.

LG’s WebOS provides apps and functions like on a keyboard. The individual tiles give access to the TV program, the most important apps (these are freely configurable), the home dashboard – an overview of all connected and networked devices – as well as the art gallery, the sports alarm and the fast media player for 360 – degree representations. The art gallery contains paintings, photos and drawings that transform the LG TV, including a wooden or metal frame, into a deceptively real work of art. The sports alarm provides timely information about when your favorite team is playing again, for example in football or basketball, and provides constantly updated results.

With AirPlay 2 and the support of Chromecast and Miracast, WebOS 5.0 is very communicative. The range of videos and games in the app area is plentiful, including Apple TV, Disney +, DAZN, Sky Ticket, Google Play Films, Netflix and Zattoo. However, music and news apps still have room for improvement. The already installed application “Reelgood”, a streaming guide that bundles content from Netflix, Disney +, Amazon Prime Video and Maxdome, is very useful.

LG has thought of the Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for voice control. In terms of handling and clarity, WebOS 5.0 is currently ahead, closely followed by Samsung Tizen OS, Panasonics My Home Screen and Android TV.

My Home Screen Panasonic equips its current flat screen TVs with the My Home Screen 5.0 operating system. This is clearly laid out, almost spartan, and requires little space on a flat screen. In the horizontal bar you can find the app icons from Netflix, YouTube and the “HD +” platform as well as access to the complete range of apps and an overview of all connected devices.

My Home Screen from Panasonic is limited to the essentials and is therefore intuitive to use. The sorting of the symbols is flexible, other applications can be added. You can also assign a button on the remote control to start your favorite app with just one press of a button.

New in My Home Screen Version 5.0 is the preview of thumbnails with various cinematic content as soon as you navigate to the streaming apps from Netflix and YouTube. The Panasonic software works quickly and smoothly with barely noticeable waiting times when changing menus. In addition to a DLNA server, My Home Screen also has the TV> IP function. This allows the TV signal to be transported over the network to a television set in another room in which no programs are traditionally accessible via cable, satellite or DVB-T2.

At Panasonic, the app offer is still expandable. With Disney + and Apple TV, two industry giants are missing here. Even those who like to stream music are currently losing out with the Japanese. When it comes to voice control, Panasonic is also not up to date: Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant can only be used in conjunction with separate speakers.

Loewe OS The traditional Loewe brand, which after the takeover by the Skytech Group was able to avert its final end at the very last second, is building its high-priced television with the Loewe OS6.3 operating system. In contrast to earlier Loewe TVs, the current models are easy to operate thanks to their attractive user interface with rectangular symbols and a simple menu structure. However, you have to get used to some little things first, such as the fact that a longer press on the “Home” button leads to the picture and sound settings.

The Loewe OS is clear, but important streaming apps such as Netflix are missing. The start page gives you access to the TV recordings that land on the internal hard drive. With the apps, however, you have to do without industry giants such as Netflix. These are only accessible via a Fire TV Stick from Amazon, which Loewe makes available to its customers free of charge after registering online. All applications on the streaming stick can be accessed via the heavy Loewe remote control.

In the spring 2021 Loewe wants to significantly expand the range of apps with a new platform. Loewe OS6.3 works quickly overall, but like Panasonic only enables voice control via Amazon Alexa via separate speakers such as the Echo Dot. Multimedia files can be accessed from a smartphone or a Fritzbox, for example. Loewe OS 6.3 has caught up with the market leaders from LG, Samsung, Panasonic and the like, but cannot quite keep up in terms of appearance and comfort.

Metz While the cheaper smart TVs of the Metz Blue series are delivered with Android, some Metz televisions come with a Linux Operating system used. This offers a special feature: The user can decide for himself how complex the user interface should appear. In addition, the number of functions can be gradually adapted to your own needs (“Simple”, “Comfort”, “Expert”). The start page and the submenus are kept very factual with clear labeling, but dispense with colored frills. But you know immediately which function is where.

The Metz user interface is based on a Linux system and attaches great importance to sober objectivity. The Linux system promptly implements control commands via the remote control and works at a good speed. The heavy metal signaling device with a well-structured key arrangement has reserved three keys so that preferred functions can be freely assigned to them.

If apps are important to you, you should think twice about buying a Metz TV. Because Netflix, Disney +, Apple TV, YouTube, Rakuten TV or Amazon Prime Video are just some of the relevant applications that are not available here. You have to buy a Fire TV stick separately.

Instructions are stored in the operating system so that you can look up almost any important topic quickly if you have any questions. Bluetooth and Chromecast are supported for streaming. Overall, the Linux operating system is very tidy and quickly transparent, without setting optical highlights.

VIDAA U3. 0 At the steadily growing TV manufacturer Hisense, the operating system listens to the bulky and somewhat getting used to name VIDAA U3.0. Here memories of Android TV are immediately awakened. This is ensured by the large tiles on the user interface, which not only include apps, but also the entrances and the media player.

Reminiscent of Android, but is named VIDAA U3.0: the operating system from Hisense . The operating concept is well thought out, Hisense dispenses with a nested menu structure and also makes life easy for new customers who previously trusted a different TV brand. There is also an aluminum remote control, which is also clearly designed and has four direct selection buttons for the streaming portals Netflix, YouTube, Rakuten TV and Amazon Prime Video.

Hisense cannot keep up with the range of apps from Sony, Philips, Samsung or LG, but the most important streaming platforms are on board. Via the home network, VIDAA U3.0 allows access to multimedia files that are slumbering on a PC hard drive or a media server in the network. The media player is, however, quite simple and neither does 360 – Degree representations still zoom in on photos. Amazon Alexa can be used for voice commands via voice.

Overall, VIDAA U3.0 makes a very smooth impression, but you have to be patient when switching and starting recordings on USB Bring your hard drive. Because the remote control does not have its own record button. Rather, you first have to navigate to the TimeShift menu and from here to the record button. Top dogs like LG, Samsung and Panasonic are still ahead in the area of ease of use.

Conclusion The operating system of a TV may not seem essential at first glance. But it depends a lot on how you want to use the television in the future. Anyone who mainly watches traditional television or plays via a Blu-Ray player (guide) does not have to attach excessive weight to the TV OS. But if you use apps and streaming services, or stream video games from the cloud via a cloud service such as Shadow or Geforce Now, you should take a close look at what you are buying. Android TV is one step ahead here, and hardly any other manufacturer has app support.

The good news is that these functions can be upgraded if necessary. There are enough cheap streaming sticks, as our guide to streaming boxes shows in comparison. If you need a little more power, you should take a look at the Nvidia Shield TV (guide).

Permalink: https://techstage.de/ – 5000992

heise + | Experience report: converting the camper into a mobile office

My customer skeptically stuck his head through the sliding door of my camper. “Wow, your office is better equipped than mine!” At lunch I told him about my rolling desk and aroused his curiosity. Now we stood together in his company’s parking lot, and he marveled at the inner workings of my Ford Nugget.

Almost 14 For years I was an IT consultant on the train. In many hotels I have already been greeted by name. The turning point came with a break: I bought a camper for an eight-month European tour. I set up an office there so that I could continue working as a photographer and writer during the trip. In the end, it worked so well that I didn’t want to miss this attitude to life at work either.

At first, my special type of business trip seems a bit strange to most customers, but they can tell my enthusiasm usually easy to understand. That’s why I didn’t need a lot of arguments to convince my employer. But before I draw a comparison between my old and new work life, first about my equipment. Many of the devices described below are intended specifically for campers, but some gadgets – and my practical experience – should be of interest to everyone who often works on the go.

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TechStage | Heart rate, sleep, training: eight fitness trackers in comparison

Testing Tests overview Smartphone Huawei P Smart 2021: Budget model with room for improvement Asus Zenfone 7 Pro: Turbo smartphone with flip camera Samsung Galaxy Xcover Pro in the test: Hard but slow Oneplus Nord N 10 5G in the test: galloped in price Oppo Find X2 Pro in the test: performance bargain Asus ROG Phone 3 in the test: Perfect gaming smartphone LG Wing in the test: 1.5 displays and gimbal cam Smartwatch Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 in Test: Competition for Apple? Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro in the test: Smartwatch with cross-country battery Apple Watch: Smartwatch with contract from 15 € per month Buy Apple Watch 6: All generations in the price check Skagen Falster 3 in the test: Smartwatch with Wear OS Test Huawei Watch GT 2: Noble fitness tracker in watch form Huawei Watch GT in the test: record-breaking battery life Multiroom Ikea Symfonisk in the test: Sonos loudspeakers under 100 Euro Bose Portable Home Speaker in the test: battery, WLAN, Airplay 2 Sonos Move in the test: The robust all-rounder Musiccast: Multiroom from Yamaha in the test Denon Heos in the test: versatile multiroom system Flat soundbar Teufel Sounddeck Streaming in the test Teufel Raumfeld in the test: rich multiroom sound Keyfinder Tile Slim (2019): Key finder in credit card format Bluetooth key finder Tile Pro in the test: 122 m range! key finder Tile Pro in the test: the range champion Orbit Bluetooth tracker in the test: looking for wallet and keys Nonda iHere 3.0: smart key finder in the test Chipolo Classic and Plus: Bluetooth key finder in the test Musegear finder 2: Keyfinder without mandatory registration Action-Cam DJI Pocket 2 in the test: Zoom and 64 – Megapixel sensor Actioncam Insta 300 One R: 1 inch image sensor in the test Gopro Hero 8 Black in the test: Back to the top Insta 360 One R in the test: The modular action cam Motorola Moto G8 Plus Review: Great smartphone, but … Insta 360 Go: Micro-GoPro in the test Motorola One Action Test: Good hardware, bad camera microSD In the test: Kingston UHS-I U3 microSDXC Kit MicroSD card for smartphone: Samsung Evo Plus 2017 Test report: Lexar Professional 1800 x microSDXC Kit Test report: Intenso Premium microSDXC – Card with 64 GByte Android Sonos Move in the test: The robust all-rounder Honor 20: Inexpensive high-end smartphone in the test Xiaomi Mi 9: cutting-edge technology for schnapps Package price Doogee S 90 in the test: modular outdoor smartphone ZTE Axon 10 Pro in the test: High-end phone at a competitive price Motorola Moto G7 Power in the test: large battery, small price Sony Xperia 10: Smartphone with 21: 9 display in the test Counselor Advisor Overview Purchase advice The right cordless screwdriver for the home workshop Bargain: Which Fire TV stick from 19 € is the right one? Purchase advice: What good is a leaf blower with a battery for 45 Euro? True wireless headphones: How much do you have to invest? Buying advice water cooling: High-end PCs cool better Adviser: Air conditioning and fan against the heat wave Sony shows the Xperia 1: Is the predecessor XZ3 worth it now? Practice Caution, money away: Kickstarter & Co. are not shops Turn off Android notifications from annoying apps Here’s how: Install the new Android L keyboard now Tip: Use “Ok Google everywhere” in Germany Im Test: Does the jailbreak work for iOS 7.1? Gode rma and mobile medicine: The doctor apps are coming! Instructions: Jailbreak for iOS 7 on iPhone 5S, 5, 4S and 4 Technology Importing technology from China, part 2: Customs, taxes and tricks Drones & copters: From toys to FPV Racer What does the end of an ecosystem mean? Smartphones with a flexible display: What’s the point? Overview of smartphone processors: Everything Snapdragon? Evolutionary dead ends: the very worst cell phones mpass: Pay with the NFC mobile phone – or the NFC toilet roll Display calculator Calculate pixel density, number and display proportion Best list Test winner Price comparison Price comparison overview Smartphones from Android 7.0 Phablets with stylus Fitness tracker with GPS Bluetooth headphones with ANR Drones with GPS Video TechStage Counselor Pulse, sleep, Training: Eight fitness trackers in comparison Beginning Fitness Training Display Apps Sleep Battery life Special features Conclusion Comments (25) by Sara // 01. 01. 2021 13: 49 Clock

Fitness trackers are available in various price categories and with a different range of functions. TechStage shows in a comparison test which device is suitable for which requirements.

If you want to buy a fitness tracker, you will find a large number of potential devices on the market that want to lure users with various features and often with low prices. We have tested numerous products in our fitness tracker theme world, all of which have an integrated pulse measurement and sleep analysis:

Fitbit Inspire 2 (test report) Fitbit Sense (test report) Amazfit Volume 5 (test report)

Xiaomi Mi Band 5 (test report) Beurer AS 99 (Review) Realme Band (test report) Fitbit Charge 4 (test report) Honor Band 5 (test report) All devices have strengths and weaknesses that we have in this comparison test weigh against each other to clarify which tracker is for which need and what customers should pay attention to when purchasing.

Fitness and pulse measurement What all trackers in our comparison test have in common are pulse measurement and step counter: The devices all measure the pulse via an optical sensor and record steps taken. The Fitbit Sense also counts the floors you climb every day. All trackers worked without any problems in the step counter test and reliably recorded the steps taken. They also all allow you to set individual daily goals using the app provided. If we have reached the daily goal, the trackers inform us about it.

The permanent pulse measurement also works reliably with all trackers: The deviations from measurements with the pulse belt were in the low single digits in any case Percentage range, whereby all trackers allow a useful long-term analysis of the heart rate. The Amazfit Band 5 and the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 also classify our pulse into different categories and indicate how much time we spent in a relaxed state, with light exertion and intense activity.

In addition to steps and pulse, all trackers also measure the calories burned during the day, but evaluate them relatively conservatively. In addition, some trackers offer an activity index that users can use to set specific goals for active minutes per day. The Amazfit Band 5 has the Personal Activity Index (PAI) for this, the Fitbit Inspire 2, the Fitbit Charge 4 and the Fitbit Sense offer a comparable function.

Training The trackers differ less in terms of training functions than in our previous comparison test. Almost all trackers have a sometimes very extensive portfolio of different sports that can be recorded with the device. Classics such as running, cycling and swimming are included here, as are yoga, cardio, weight training and sometimes more exotic candidates such as rowing on the machine or jumping rope (Amazfit Volume 5). The largest selection is offered by the Amazfit Band 5 and Xiaomi Mi Band trackers, the last one being the Fitbit Inspire 2, which only offers profiles for running, cycling, swimming, treadmill, weight lifting and interval training. The Beurer AS 90, on the other hand, falls again significantly because it is only Records sports in which steps taken can be measured. Overall, however, all other trackers cover a sufficient amount of sports so that amateur athletes should be satisfied with each of these devices.

All trackers are also waterproof and survive a trip to the swimming pool or under the shower. Some devices can also record running and cycling routes with an integrated GPS (including the Fitbit Sense and the Fitbit Charge 4). The other trackers use the GPS of the connected smartphone or measure the stride length. Even without GPS, the detection of the route length worked comparatively well with all devices – so you can also use a device without GPS if you don’t always want to take your smartphone with you. The Fitbit Sense even allows us to set the length of the lap while swimming and then counts the lanes swam. Most trackers also have training profiles for strength training, but none of them were really convincing in our test – the measurements of the individual repetitions were too imprecise.

Displays and controls Even if some manufacturers have improved the screens compared to previous models, some trackers fall significantly compared to their competition from. The devices all have a color screen, most of them with an OLED or AMOLED display, and can be operated using touch controls. This works everywhere without any problems, but the readability of the display on the Amazfit Band 5, the Fitbit Charge 4 and the Fitbit Inspire 2 leaves a lot to be desired – the screen is too dark in both cases in direct sunlight.

The Fitbit Inspire 2 also suffers from the fact that the display does not activate automatically when you touch it and we first have to press a side button before the screen appears. The Fitbit Charge 4 had a negative impact in the test when it came to touch operation because the tracker did not correctly recognize individual swipe gestures and the menus jerked.

The Fitbit Sense, Xiaomi Mi Band 5 and Honor Band 5 offer the best display, all of which convince with a sharp display and excellent brightness.

Apps Anyone of us If you want to use a tested fitness tracker, you must install an associated app on your own smartphone and create a user account. This works in all cases without any problems, but before we can use the individual devices to their full extent, we first have to click through various data protection declarations and consent menus.

If you can live with it, you will get good and clear apps for controlling the trackers across the board. All services provide intuitively operable statistics and menus with various information on collected data. The Zepp app of the Amazfit Volume 5 also has its own AI algorithm that analyzes the data and prepares its own recommendations. The Fitbit app focuses on maximum clarity and presents data from several days directly below one another, which actually promotes an overview. Beurer is apparently primarily aimed at an older target group and has therefore designed its own app to be rather simple and a bit conservative, almost old-fashioned. This also affects the overview and the rather cumbersome operation.

All trackers also allow notifications to be shown on the display. Users can set separately which apps are allowed to send such notifications in the respective smartphone app of the tracker.

Fitness tracker in comparison (2020) (9 pictures) Visually, there is little variety in the cheap fitness trackers, but inside they differ significantly.

To the fitness tracker theme world

Sleep Even if the meaningfulness of the sleep analysis of fitness trackers is still limited, show the devices we tested show long-term trends. The devices measure our pulse and, in most cases, automatically notice when we fall asleep and wake up. The respective apps show how much time we spent in which sleep phase. Fitbit trackers evaluate our sleep with a special sleep index that includes all measured sleep data and enables our sleep quality to be compared over a longer period of time.

The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 analyzes our sleep and then makes additional recommendations on how we can improve our sleep quality. Apart from the Beurer AS 90 we felt the measured data on all devices at least subjectively as credible and reliable. The Beurer AS 99 had problems with the sleep analysis: It was inaccurate Measurements of the waking phases and once the sleep tracking stopped in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. We have to work with Beurer AS 99 also activate the tracking separately before sleeping. The Beurer app then does not provide any information on the heart rate during sleep – a no-go in our opinion.

Finally, all trackers have an integrated vibration alarm clock, which always worked reliably. The Huawei Band 4 and Fitbit Inspire 2 also have a special do not disturb mode that we can activate in the tracker’s menu as required. The devices also lay comfortably on the wrist while sleeping, there were no unpleasant pressure points.

Battery life Depending on which functions we activate on the trackers and how intensively we use the individual tracking features, the battery life varies. Almost all devices in our comparison test lasted at least a week with activated notifications and regular use including training functions.

The Fitbit Sense had to lose some battery life when the GPS function was activated and it brought it with a training session including GPS per day for five days. At the bottom of the list is the Beurer AS 90 with only four days, while the front runner Amazfit Band 5 and the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 easily hold out two weeks.

The advantage of all trackers: The battery can be charged very quickly and takes a maximum of one hour. Corresponding charging cables are included with all trackers, but these differ depending on the model and rely on different connections. We didn’t notice the latter negatively in the test and we found them to be user-friendly throughout.

Particularities The individual trackers from our comparison test mostly rely on a similar look and comparable features, but most of them have Devices have a few more unique features. The Amazfit Band 5, for example, supports voice control using Amazon’s Alexa – a feature that no other tracker can offer.

The three Fitbit devices include a free year of Fitbit Premium when purchased. The service offers, among other things, training programs lasting several weeks with instruction videos, virtual competitions with other Fitbit users, mindfulness and meditation exercises, and detailed health reports. The Fitbit Sense also allows you to answer and make phone calls and can be controlled by voice.

The Mi Band 5 from Xiaomi compares our sleep data with that of other users and gives us based on it individual recommendations for our sleep hygiene, while the Honor Band 5 also measures the oxygen saturation of the user in the blood. The Beurer AS 99 and the Realme tape do not have any additional features worth mentioning.

Conclusion Although all of the fitness trackers we tested have individual strengths and weaknesses, a few clear winners and one clear loser emerge in comparison. Our overall winner is the Fitbit Sense, which with just under 122 Euro costs by far the most, but it delivers the best overall performance and provides users with an all-round carefree package. This is not only due to the excellent display, but also to the wide range of different tracking functions as well as the integrated voice and telephone control.

As the price-performance winner, the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 comes off with us, which scores with an excellent display, a very long battery life and extensive training functions. The cheap price of just under 30 Euro makes this tracker a real bargain. Almost equivalent alternatives are the Honor Band 5 and the Huawei Band 4, closely followed by the Amazfit Band 5, whose screen, however, cannot keep up with that of the competition.

We liked the Fitbit Inspire 2 less, the Compared to the Chinese competition, it offers too few features for three times the price, and the Fitbit Charge 4, whose display leaves a lot to be desired in terms of brightness and control.

The two taillights, which we currently advise against buying, are in our comparison test of the Beurer AS 99 and the Realme Band. The Beurer AS 99 suffers from an old-fashioned presentation and awkward operation – both exist it is better and cheaper with the competition. In addition, the Beurer AS does not have 99 sufficient tracking functions for athletic training. In the test, the Realme Band showed clear problems with heart rate measurement and sleep tracking, which is why we cannot make a recommendation here either.

Permalink: https://techstage.de/-4079998

heise + | Nine fitness trackers between 30 and 300 euros in the test

Simply counting steps is a thing of the past: The current generation of fitness trackers measures sleep, stress and oxygen saturation.

Nine fitness trackers between 29 and 300 Euro in the test From 30 Euro Inaccurate pulse One-to-one meetings Conclusion and test table Article in c’t 26 / 2020 read If you hid the first fitness tracker with a clip on your waistband, today you proudly wear it on your wrist. But even if the image has changed, the basic idea has remained the same: By measuring behavior, awareness of one’s own lifestyle and thus one’s own health should be increased. We have extensively tested nine current fitness trackers in practice. Smartwatches were explicitly undesirable: This type of device has a significantly shorter battery life and is usually more expensive. Market leader Apple has reached a level of functionality and the accuracy of the measured values that makes the competition sweat – and the entry price is also in the range tested here – but not everyone wants to put up with a one-day runtime or even has what it takes iPhone.

From 30 Euro For this test we have started with entry-level devices 30 Euro up to the high-quality health tracker for almost 300 Euros brought very different products to the editorial office, but limited us to a single model from each manufacturer . Most of the time we have chosen the currently best-selling product according to price search engines, but occasionally we have also selected the latest device from a manufacturer. The cheap models mostly come from Asia – in this segment we have Amazfit Neo, Huawei Band 4, Samsung Galaxy Fit 2, Xiaomi Mi Band 5 and the Yamay SW 336 watched. Garmin Vivosmart 4 and Polar Ignite are especially popular with ambitious athletes. There is also the wearable pioneer Fitbit with the Charge 4 and the Withings ScanWatch, which is particularly focused on health data. Our findings in terms of app functions and the ecosystem apply to all devices from a manufacturer.

The trackers tested can do more than just count steps and measure heart rate. Sleep measurement has long been a standard tracker function, and the stress level is increasingly being determined. But as nice as numbers are – some users need support in implementing the findings. Activity goals, breathing exercises and coaching for fitness and mindfulness help. In addition, health is playing an increasingly important role: Except for Fitbit Charge 4, Polar Ignite and Yamay SW 336 all trackers warn of an abnormally high heart rate. The Withings ScanWatch even offers a full-fledged ECG function.

Sign in and read Register now and read the article immediately More information about heise + Nine fitness trackers between 29 and 300 Euro in the test From 30 Euro Inaccurate pulse One-to-one meetings Conclusion and test table Article in c’t 26 / 2020 read

heise + | Algorithms: The Persistent Myth of Predictable Humans

The Silicon Valley’s belief that it can optimize society goes back a long way – and is in the 1960 have already failed.

US President John F. Kennedy, here speaking at Rice University, Houston, 1962. The Democrats wanted to predict his election campaign using data analysis.

(Image: Unsplash, History in HD)

If you work for Bank of America or the US Army, you may have already used Humanyze software. The company emerged from the MIT Media Lab and describes its products as “science-based analytics to promote adaptability”. If that sounds vague, it might be on purpose. Humanyze sells devices for spying on employees, for example NFC sensors, ID cards with RFID tags or microphones that record the sound and volume (but not the actual words) of conversations.

Or do you work in healthcare, retail or finance? Companies there use Receptiviti’s software. The Toronto-based company aims to “help machines understand people” by searching emails and slack messages for linguistic indications of dissatisfaction. “We are concerned about our perception as Big Brother,” the CEO of Receptiviti recently told the Wall Street Journal. He prefers to refer to employee monitoring as “company mindfulness”. (Orwell would certainly have had something to say about this euphemism.)

Such “people analytics” are usually justified with the improvement of efficiency or customer experience. Some governments and health experts also hope that tracking applications will prevent the spread of Covid – 19 to stop. However, companies and governments often avoid crucial questions: Who should know what? Is the information correct? What to do with it And will there ever be a reliable formula for human behavior?

Access to all contents of heise + exclusive tests , Advice & background: independent, critically sound c’t, iX, Technology Review, Mac & i, Make, c’t read photography directly in the browser register once – read on all devices – can be canceled monthly first month free, thereafter monthly 9, 95 € Weekly newsletter with personal reading recommendations from the editor-in-chief Start FREE month Start your FREE month now heise + already subscribed?

rC3: Corona reality in the emergency room

The internist Elisa Stein, doctor in the rescue center of the Vivantes Hospital in Berlin-Friedrichshain, reported on her everyday life in the emergency room at the rC3 hacker congress. The situation is currently coming to a head: “Many die, regardless of whether from, with or through Corona in pandemic times.” She therefore has no understanding for “lateral thinkers” and Covid – 19 – deniers who spend hours and days talking about the actual cause of death in social Exchange networks. Misinterpreted statistics and facts, which are often wrongly argued, determined the public discourse about the pandemic and its effects.

Many more or less well-founded Research results and opinions are currently being accepted and discussed uncritically, Stein complained. On the other hand, there is a certain degree of listening to experts. “You have to look critically at who says what, but without slipping into the corner of the conspiracy,” she argues against the oaths. Many now wrote with Sophie Scholl pathos on the flags to be government critics.

Shielded infection rescue center In the clinic, In which she works as an internist, the emergency room has been divided into three areas, according to the doctor. The “normal” sector is reserved for problems beyond Corona. The structurally isolated infection rescue point is completely shielded. Doctors and nurses are only allowed in there with full protection including glasses, gowns, visors and gloves. Then there is a stopover for newcomers with acute respiratory diseases and fever, which are not necessarily Corona. If someone is already infected, it is “a bit of a lottery game”.

The Berlin doctor Elisa Stein

(Image: CC by 4.0 rC3 media.ccc.de)

Pure suspected cases would not be packed in one room, the insider assured. But there are times when many patients are brought in by the fire brigade at the same time and queues form in front of the premises: “We then have to make an assessment: intensive, normal, straight home.” As soon as CT images are available, they are a good help even before the test results: Covid – 19 spread over both sides of the lungs, which looked like frosted glass. A bacterial inflammation, on the other hand, is concentrated compactly on one side.

Advance directives or health care proxy make sense Triage, that is, the decision as to who is to be ventilated mechanically in the case of scarce intensive care beds, staff and equipment, “is nothing new,” Stein clarified. Many factors played a role here, including ethical ones. For example, the question arises of how old a patient is, how many previous illnesses such as diabetes or cancer he has, whether he would like ventilation and whether it would probably be a temporary or permanent measure. A living will or power of attorney would do a lot.

It is now unusual in pandemic times for doctors to weigh up such considerations together with bosses, carers and Relatives under time pressure and many other sick people waiting would usually have to meet on the phone. To make matters worse, you “constantly need a wipe” and various gloves in order to be able to pick up the phone. The sound quality is poor through the loudspeaker. In general, it is the most frustrating thing about the Corona situation that “the time, the strength is lacking for more humanity and care”. and other diseases of the respiratory tract, one should not believe, according to the doctor. These are “mostly copied together” and do not represent reality. She is also astonished that young people in particular complained of chest pain weeks after an infection, then had to struggle with pulmonary embolism or were hardly able to do sports because of problems with breathing.

Side effects or long-term consequences unclear Vaccinations, even with the new RNA vaccines, did not affect human DNA, Stein emphasized. It contains a piece of ribonucleic acid from the virus in the form of a blueprint that is coded for an antigen. This template is replicated in the body and the immune system combats the particle. Symptoms such as tiredness, fever or muscle pain are not virus symptoms, but rather the own immune response. She does not know whether side effects or long-term consequences have to be expected later. These are also possible with natural medicines or energy drinks, for example. In the event that someone has already gone through Covid – 19 and developed antibodies, an additional vaccination is not harmful.

(sea)

How to Stream with XSplit: Set Up, Scenes, VCam, More

XSplit is a broadcast application like OBS (Open Broadcast Software). There are a few differences in the features because there are paid and free versions of XSplit. XSplit Broadcaster has a professional feel and is not hard to set up because it easily integrates with all the major platforms, including Twitch.

What You Need to Stream on XSplit

XSplit Account
Livestream platform account on Twitch, Facebook, YouTube or Restream
A PC that can handle at least 720p, 30 fps
A capture card if you are streaming from a console.
Mic / webcam / headset: For recording yourself. Check out our lists of best webcams, best gaming headsets and best gaming microphones.

How to Set Up XSplit

1. Sign up for an XSplit account at www.XSplit.com.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

2. Download the Broadcaster software after you sign up for your account.

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3. When the software downloads it will ask if it can make changes to your computer, click Yes to continue. It will ask you this every time you open Broadcaster.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

4. Click Broadcast in the left corner the select Set Up a New Output. To set up a new output means to connect your streaming platform like Twitch or YouTube. You can set up multiple accounts for multiple streaming platforms.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

5. Each platform will request authorization for XSplit to use it . Click Authorize XSplit to use Twitch (or whatever platform(s) you have).

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6. After you verify your Twitch account it will show up under Choose a Twitch Account. Once you see the account you want to stream to click on it. You can also have multiple Twitch accounts logged in on XSplit. But you can only stream to one account at a time.

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7. This is what authorizing XSplit to use your Twitch will look like. Click Next.

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XSplit will automatically determine your server and tell you what your recommended settings are for Twitch and the other platforms available. Just because there are recommended settings doesn’t mean that’s the highest setting you can stream on.

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XSplit Settings for 1920 x 1080 running 60 FPS on Twitch

Twitch Properties are for technical stream settings like your Bitrate and Codec. You don’t usually have to pay attention to these settings. The only thing I would change for a smooth stream with great graphics is the Video Encoding.

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Codec encodes or decodes a digital data stream or signal. Currently, it’s on H.264 and is using my graphics card the GTX 1060. I change my Codec to x264 because it has better quality, meaning it gives my stream a more polished look.

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Bitrate: The lower the Bitrate the choppier the stream can be. I recommend 5000 for 1080p streams. Running at a lower setting like 1280 x 720 at 30FPS the bitrate should be raised to 4000 maximum and 1500 minimum. And the Codec can still change x264.

That’s recommended bitrate for Twitch. Recommended setting for YouTube & Facebook are 4000 to 6000.

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How to Change the Resolution and Framerate on XSplit

1. Click on the resolution and framerate in the upper right corner.

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2. Scroll down to Resolution and select the resolution works for your stream. The two most common Resolution options are 1280 x720 (16:9) & 1920 x 1080 (16:9).

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

3. Click on Resolution scroll down to Framerate to change your framerate. While streaming at 1920 x 1080 the framerate is usually 60 frames per second. Streaming at 1280 x 720 the framerate is 30 fps.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

How to Import OBS Scenes into XSplit

If you have scenes on OBS that you don’t want to recreate in XSplit, there’s a very easy way to port them over. Before importing your OBS scenes to XSplit you must save your scenes.

1. Open OBS, click Profile in the upper left corner & select Export and choose a place to save them.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

2. Switch to XSplit.

3. Click Tools located in the upper left menu.

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4. Select Permissions.

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5. Check the box for OBS Scene Importer and click apply.

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6. Click Import from OBS Studio.

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7. Select the scenes you’d like to import and click open.

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8. Click Import. Now your scenes and sources are available in XSplit.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

How to Create New Scenes & Sources in XSplit

If you are starting from scratch and want to build your scenes in XSplit, whether you’re using StreamElements, StreamLabs, or importing an overlay you made yourself, it’s very easy to use.

1. Click the + button to add more scenes.You can rename the Scene by clicking on the white bar toward the bottom.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

2. To add an overlay as an image, video, or GIF click Add Source at the bottom of the screen. Your File Explorer will open up and you can choose your overlay from there.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

How to add an Overlay from StreamElements to XSplit

Adding an overlay from StreamElements and StreamLabs is easy. These are free websites in which to create overlays.

1. Sign up for an account on StreamElements using a streaming platform or your email.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

2. Create your overlay.

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3. Click the link button to copy the URL to your clipboard.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

4. Switch back to the XSplit software and select paste.

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5. Grab the edges of your overlay to adjust it to the size you want.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Using VCam with XSplit

VCam is an additional free program under the XSplit brand that allows any user to remove background without a green screen and create different effects without any additional software.

1. Download install and run VCam. You can get it on XSplit’s site.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

2. Click continue after Vcam launches and starts its calibration.

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You can blur your background by moving the slider up & down.

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You can remove your background.

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You can add a background from their collection of images or upload your own image, gif, video, or webpage by clicking Add Background.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

You can also change the brightness, contrast or move the image to the right or left by clicking the edit button near the blur bar.

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If you have multiple cameras you can select them from the list.

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Click 3 dots “…” to adjust your webcam settings.

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How to add your webcam or VCam to your Scene

1. Select Add Source ->Devices -> Video and then XSplit VCam or your Webcam.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

How to Use Your Phone or Tablet Instead of a Webcam

If you don’t have a webcam you can use XSplit Connect Webcam which allows you to use your smartphone camera as a webcam.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

2. Open XSplit VCam & select the ^ button.

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3. Click Connect your mobile phone camera.

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It is supposed to connect because it’s on the same IP address. However, in my tests, it didn’t yet work because it’s in beta. You may have better luck.

How to add your Mic to your Scene in XSplit

1. Select Add Source ->Devices-> Audio, and then select the mic you want to use.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Additional mic & audio settings are located in the bottom right corner.

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2. Click Settings underneath the mic button for advanced options like using Noise Gate.

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3. Use Noise Gate Threshold if you have a fan that your mic is picking up. Sliding the bar down lowers the gate and lets in more noise. Sliding the bar up raises the gate and let’s less noise in. Checking the Noise Suppression box helps lower all background noise.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

4. Clicking the settings button will open general and advance settings.

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5. In the Audio tab, you can adjust your system sound/headphones, microphone, and control if you’d like your audio to have a delay.

6. Use the Audio Preview section to monitor the final audio output from your stream. It may sound like an echo but the echo won’t show up in recordings or livestream.

7. Click the drop-down menu under System Sound allows to choose what audio your stream picks up, like audio from your entire PC, which might include, Discord notifications or YouTube audio. Or you can set it to just pick up your voice and the gameplay.

Due to latency, there may be a delay between the live feed of the game and when it reaches XSplit (particularly if you are using a capture card). The delay checkbox allows you to create a delay on video and audio sources, like your System sound, Webcam, and microphone.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

8. The white bars next to the microphone and speakerphone icon control the volumes of your mic and the PC sound. Click and hold the left button on your mouse to make the volumes go up or down.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

How to Set a Delay for a Source in XSplit

1. Find out how much the delay is by measuring it in seconds.

2. Convert that time it into milliseconds. For example, 2 seconds is 2,000 milliseconds.

3. Input that into the delay section and tes it. There will be a lot of fine-tuning to get the delays the sync up.

How to Set Up a Console and Capture Card in XSplit

If you are streaming with a console, you need a capture card to connect it with XSplit

1. Hook up your capture card to your console.

2. Turn on your console.

3. Click Add Source at the bottom of the screen, select devices -> video and select your capture card. You can resize the window by grabbing the edges of the box and pulling them outward or inward.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

How to Set Up PC Game Streaming in XSPlit

If you are streaming PC Games you don’t need a capture card.

1. Open the game you’d like to play.

2. Select Add Source at the bottom of the screen then select Game Capture and the game will appear in the list under Auto-Detect.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

3. Resize the game display by grabbing the edges of the window and pulling them outward if you want to make it bigger or inward to make it smaller.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

How to Start a Livestream in XSplit

After your platform of choice, overlay and gameplay are added and your mic and camera settings are configured, you can start livestreaming.

1. Select the button on the top right above your preview window. If you only have one platform click the Stream button and your stream will startup.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

2. Select the platform where you’d like to go live if you have multiple platforms.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

3. Click the stream button and your stream is now live. The red button and the message in the bottom right corner confirm your stream is live.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Saving Scenes

You can have multiple scenes for different platforms or games. Multiple scenes saved into one file is a Presentation.

1. To save these scenes select File in the upper left corner, Save Presentation, and choose where to save it.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

2. Select File, New Presentation to create another set of scenes You can even save, load, or add individual scenes by selecting File.

Adding Transitions in XSplit

Transitions are for moving from scene to scene. And XSplit comes with preloaded transitions, which you will find on the bottom right corner of the screen.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

You are able to favorite them with the star button.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

And if you have a custom transition that you’ve made, feel free to upload it by selecting the transitions, scrolling to the bottom, and selecting Stinger or Luma.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Express Video Editor

XSplit has its own video editor which is another program you can download from its website.

Antec P10 FLUX Review – A Better Use for the Flux Fan Setup

Introduction

I would like to thank Antec for supplying the review sample.

Antec recently introduced their F-LUX platform, which employs a unique reverse-fan on the PSU shroud to alter the cooling flow for better temperatures within. Just as the name implies, the Antec P10 FLUX we are reviewing here today employs that same setup and is geared towards those who want an external 5.25″ drive bay with a clean chassis. With its front door, sound dampening materials, and lack of ARGB, this chassis looks just right for workstation users.

Specifications

Antec P10 FLUX
Case Type:	Mid-Tower
Material:	Steel and plastic
Weight:	7.3 kg
Slots:	7
Drive Bays:	1x External 5.25″ 3x Internal 3.5″ 2x Internal 2.5″
Motherboard Form Factors:	ATX, M-ATX, and ITX
Dimensions:	477 x 220 x 486 mm
Front Door/Cover:	Front door with sound dampening
Front Fans:	3x 120 or 2x 140 mm (3x 120 mm pre-installed)
Rear Fans:	1x 120 mm (1x 120 mm pre-installed)
Top Fans:	N/A
Bottom Fans:	2x 120 mm (1x reverse 120 mm pre-installed)
Side Fans:	N/A
I/O:	2x USB 3.0 1x Headphone 1x Microphone
Fan/LED Controller:	High/low fan controller with PCB hub for six fans
Compatibility:	CPU Cooler: 175 mm GPU: 405 mm PSU: 175 mm

Volkswagen unveiled a working prototype of a robot that will charge electric cars. It is similar to R2-D2

Volkswagen has presented a working prototype of a robot that will charge electric cars. The company came up with this idea at least a year ago, but only now VW showed its idea in practice, confirmed by the video below. The mobile loading robot looks like the Star Wars droid R2-D2. Not only in appearance, but also in sound way of communicating with the environment. What is the purpose of this project? These are the robots that are to be used in the future to reach electric vehicles parked in large residential complexes. Thanks to this, car owners will not have to bother with special charging points.

Volkswagen unveiled a working prototype of a robot that will charge electric cars. Such devices are to eliminate the need to drive to special charging points in the future. Robots would appear, among others in every major car park.

Bonjour ! I am a robotic parking lot, where can I park my car?

According to the press release of the German brand, the robot works completely autonomously. It independently controls and communicates with the vehicle being charged: from opening the cover of the charging socket to plugging in and disconnecting the plug. Such a “mobile energy storage unit” can also handle charging multiple cars simultaneously. At first glance, this introduces a huge inefficiency: you will just have to charge the robot’s battery, which will then charge the cars, but it is always an idea.

Apple Car – New Electric the car is on the horizon, and Musk reveals that Apple had a chance to buy Tesla cheap, but did not want to

, however, Volkswagen is optimistic: “Creating an efficient charging infrastructure for the future is the main task which is a challenge for the entire sector, “said Thomas Schmall, CEO of Volkswagen Group Components.” We are developing solutions that will help avoid costly steps taken alone. The mobile charging robot and our flexible fast charging station are just two of those solutions. “VW hopes start the mentioned fast charging stations at the beginning 2021 year. In the case of the robot, still assessing whether it makes sense to implement on a larger scale.

Source: Volkswagen

heise + | Fast first aid: smartphone apps notify first aiders nearby

In an emergency, every second counts. Smartphone apps ensure that in such a case, a first-aider from the area arrives as quickly as possible.

(Image: pixelaway / shutterstock.com)

Every year suffer at least 50. 000 people in Germany have a sudden cardiac arrest outside of a hospital, so completely surprisingly at home, at work or on the go. If someone suddenly collapses on the street, on the bus or at work, help is needed quickly. In such cases, the time is measured in seconds; After three to four minutes without life-saving measures, the victims are threatened with permanent damage.

Everyone who gets a driver’s license learns in the obligatory first aid course how to get one in such an emergency Performing chest compressions. But the inhibition threshold is high to apply what you have learned in an emergency. The situation of suddenly having to provide first aid is overwhelming for many of those affected, both physically and mentally.

Only around 40 Percentage of people therefore start chest compressions when they find an unconscious, report specialists. But until the rescue service is on site and the professionals start resuscitation and ventilation, it often takes more than the critical three to four minutes, because on average the rescuers need nine minutes to arrive.

Get killer on-the-go sound quality with this portable phone package

(Image credit: Audioquest)

For the true music fan, there should be as little difference as possible between listening to your music on your home system and listening when you’re out and about – whether that’s simply being in the garden, on a walk or even (fingers crossed for the future) on your daily commute or on holiday.

Until fairly recently, though, being able to listen to your tunes on the go required a massive compromise in the quality you had to accept. That gap between home and mobile is, as is the way with technology, closing all the time – and here we have a terrific example of just how good your music can sound from a relatively simple handset and headphones combination; with a rather important addition to link the two…

Here’s a brilliant turntable, tablet and wireless speaker system
Here’s an excellent hi-fi system combining vinyl and streaming
Enjoy CDs and streaming with this complete digital hi-fi system

The system

Smartphone: Apple iPhone 12 (£799)

DAC: Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt (£269)

Headphones: Shure SE425 (£169)

Total: £1124

(Image credit: Apple)

While we’re huge fans of bespoke personal music players (and for the very best sound, you should plump for one, and listen to high-resolution music files), being practical about this, it’s clear that for most people, using their mobile device is the preferred option. It’s simply more practical to use one piece of kit for everything – provided it can do a competent job. And today’s smartphones do a really fine job of being the jack of all trades. You can take your pick of the best Android or Apple devices, but for our purposes, we’re going down the Apple route here, as the Cupertino king has produced consistently great-sounding products over the years.

And, of course, for our purposes here it’s the sound that we’re thinking of. Plug in a decent pair of in-ear headphones (you’ll need Apple’s 3.5mm-to-Lightning dongle), or fire up a pair of wireless earbuds and the iPhone 12 really earns its stripes. We’ve come to expect musicality and rhythm where Apple’s smartphones are concerned and its latest effort doesn’t disappoint.

Essentially, it’s a case of more of the same, with the iPhone 12 delivering enthusiasm and musicality in spades. It works well across multiple genres and keeps you entertained right to the last second of every track.

Play Michael Jackson’s Man In The Mirror and there’s plenty of sparkle in those highs during those opening seconds. The iPhone picks out plenty of detail and texture from Jacko’s voice and its ability to handle dynamics with aplomb means you feel the full impact as the vocal switches from sounding delicate in the verses to punchier and more direct in the chorus, reinforced with the backing of the gospel choir.

Best smartphones 2020

(Image credit: AudioQuest)

The iPhone is a decent music player in its own right, then. But, to really boost the sound of this little system, you need to add a good DAC. Audioquest’s DragonFly range has always impressed us with its abilities at a reasonable price. And the DragonFly Cobalt we have here is its best effort yet – although also its most expensive. You’ll need to invest in Apple’s USB camera adapter to use it (another £26/$29 to the bill, sadly), but you’ll certainly appreciate the difference to the sound the investment makes. And it’s not restricted to simply improving your mobile tunes; use this little stick on your laptop and it will be a winner as well.

Once attached to your device and selected as means of audio output, the DAC’s LED will shine one of six colours to indicate sampling rate: red for standby, green for 44.1kHz, blue for 48kHz, yellow for 88.2 kHz, light blue for 96kHz or purple when decoding MQA.

The Cobalt does wonders in cleaning up sonic performance, no matter what kind of file we feed it or whether it’s streaming from YouTube, Spotify, Tidal or playing from our own hi-res library.

AudioQuest claims its new DAC ‘strips away fuzz and fog that weren’t even noticeable until removed’, and we’d have to agree. It is so precise a rendering that we feel almost duty bound to play our highest-resolution recordings through it.

Lines are indelibly drawn round the edges of each instrument, with granular detail on offer to complement the cleanliness and military precision. The Cobalt isn’t necessarily concerned with polishing your music, only the lens through which it can be seen: bedroom recordings can still sound intimately lo-fi, purposefully screeching treble remains uncensored and grisly riffs still drag their knuckles along the floor.

You could spend your time analysing the music if you like; the Cobalt makes that easy with its wide-open soundstage and impressive clarity, but AudioQuest has not lost itself entirely in the detail, offering still a keen sense of rhythm and expressive dynamic range. The Cobalt’s hard work is also heard as it belts out grand dynamic shifts before donning its reading glasses to contour those more diminutive quivers.

The only reason some people might be put off the Cobalt in favour of the cheaper DragonFly Red is that the Cobalt is a serious performer. It improves on almost every aspect of its older sibling’s Award-winning presentation, yes; but with that added insight and maturity comes a slight loss of the fluidity that makes the Red sound so human. That doesn’t counteract any of the sonic improvements you’re getting for your premium outlay, but some may favour the Red’s more relaxed temperament.

Best DACs 2020

(Image credit: Shure)

Our choice of headphones for this on-the-go system might be a surprise to some – they’ve been around for many a year now, after all. But the Shure SE425, for all their lack of modern wireless connection, are still, after seven years, hugely competitive in-ears. As we said when giving them their gong in 2019, these simply sound fun, absorbing, classy, polished, captivating…

Get some music going and it’s as if the Shures disappear, leaving you with just their sound. To say it’s an immersive experience is an understatement. The level of finesse on offer is astonishing even at this price: you’ll hear things you never thought were there, even on recordings you know inside out.

They’re energetic, too, more than capable of handling tight rhythms and punchy rock, while never tipping over into brashness. It would be easy to overcook the top-end in the name of excitement, but Shure has kept just enough of a lid on it to create space and fun without making it feel like someone’s squirted lemon juice into your ears.

The midrange performance is as solid as you like – that vein of detail continues all the way down the frequency range.

Vocals are nuanced and placed to the fore, yet they never conflict with other elements in the same frequency range.

Move down to the bass and there’s a decent amount of thud. The sense of isolation helps with low-frequency extension too – these really do block out almost everything around you.

And, of course, that cable only helps to get them in this system. As with most hi-fi, having a direct physical link tends to help quality – and the DAC and headphone combo here is a superb recipe for sonic success.

Best earbuds 2020