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Senin, 17 Februari 2020

The Morning After: The Galaxy Z Flip's glass screen isn't as tough as we thought - Engadget

Welcome back to the week. You might have noticed the return of the durability test. Thanks to a new phone form-factor (hello, foldables!), there's never been a better time to ruin a thousand-dollar purchase. The Galaxy Z Flip, which we've had for a day or so, is the latest torture victim. (Wince here.)

YouTuber JerryRigEverything put Samsung's Ultra-Thin Glass to the test with some puncture testing. It didn't fare too well -- even if it seemed more robust than Motorola's Razr or last year's Galaxy Fold.

Over 20 years ago, people used to put iPhones in blenders. Admittedly that was to test the blender, not the iPhone, but why are these stress 'tests' back again?

It's because they're good for business. You have phone repair companies, companies that have phone-folding robots, people looking to sell blenders and media looking for a spicy headline to compliment the biggest gadget launches.

At the same time, it doesn't help that companies are often creative with their claims -- especially when it comes to durability. I recall water-testing a smartphone a few years ago, where I dunked a flagship smartphone in seawater. And it never worked again. Apparently those 'it-lasts-30-minutes-in-water' claims were for water that wasn't quite as salty. (Note: Galaxy's Z Flip is not rated for water- or dust-resistance at all.)

We need both sides, the phone makers and the phone breakers, to help make informed judgment calls on how hardy devices are, but no-one can truly test the resilience of your next smartphone, except you. Maybe you would barely open a foldable phone, or maybe it'd float in the bottom of your bag most of the time -- your mileage will vary. I'm looking forward to our final verdict on the Galaxy Z Flip as the folding nature should mean the screen is hidden away when not in use.

Foldable smartphones already have a reputation for being more delicate than the traditional smartphone, but this was also true of the original smartphones that came after candy-bar feature phones. They should -- they must -- toughen up.

-- Mat

On Valentine's Day, someone fell in love with a foldable phone.24 hours with Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip

The Galaxy Fold fiasco proved that being first isn't always best. Subsequently, Motorola's Razr appeared just last week, but it's not great either. (Read our review on that foldable, here.)

The Galaxy Z Flip -- a 6.7-inch phone that, like the Razr, folded in half -- is Samsung's second folding smartphone, sturdier than the Galaxy Fold and with a more valid proposition. A flagship phone that'll fit into your pocket. The phone arrived in stores on Valentine's Day, and after testing out a sample for 24 hours, Reviews Editor Cherlynn Low already has feelings of a sort. While we work on our full review, here are some early thoughts.

The company calls it a 'breakthrough.'Elon Musk's Boring Company is done excavating first Las Vegas tunnel

The Galaxy Fold fiasco proved that being first isn't always best. Subsequently, Motorola's Razr appeared just last week, but it's not great either. (Read our review on that foldable, here.)

The Boring Company has finished excavating the first of the two tunnels planned for Las Vegas Convention Center's underground loop transportation system. If you'll recall, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) tapped Elon Musk's company to develop the LVCC loop, which could cost around $52.5 million. The company retweeted a video posted by the LVCVA of its machinery breaking through a wall in the facility. Boring's crew spent three months digging the nearly mile-long tunnel 40 feet underground. LVCVA says the project is scheduled to debut in January 2021.

It pulled in more money than 'Detective Pikachu' despite its early issues.'Sonic the Hedgehog' breaks record for a video game movie debut

The Sonic the Hedgehog movie has come a long, long way from that horrifying initial trailer. Paramount's adaptation just broke the record for a video game movie's three-day opening in the US, pulling in $57 million compared to Detective Pikachu's $54.3 million. Estimates have Sonic raking in $68 million over four days, which could give it one of the best Presidents Day performances of any movie. It might be enough to coax even more video game adaptations out of the woodwork. Not sure how I feel about that...

Apple Health and Strava can finally talk to each other.Strava now syncs workout data from your Apple Watch

While there is a Strava app for the Apple Watch, there's not as much of an incentive to get the wearable if your data stays isolated -- which it did until now. Strava has added Apple Health syncing to its iOS app, letting it pull in activity data from the past 30 days. You can pick the workouts you want to share, title them and add photos to boast about your achievements.

It's a two-way connection as well. You can automatically send any Strava activities to Health, so you don't have to worry if you leave your Apple Watch at home.

But wait, there's more...

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In this article: entertainment, gadgetry, gadgets, gear, internet

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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2020-02-17 12:47:27Z
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Samsung will sell two 25W fast-charging USB-C power banks for the Galaxy S20 (Update: US pricing) - Android Police

Samsung announced a slew of accessories for its new Galaxy S20 line-up yesterday, but failed to mention the one gadget everyone needs these days: battery packs. They may not be as sexy as LED or Kvadrat cases, but they can be real lifesavers, and soon Samsung will be selling an powerful pair of power banks with up to 25W USB-C output.

Although Samsung is positioning these battery packs as S20 accessories, they'll work well with any other smartphones that support 25W super fast charging (think Galaxy Note10, A60, A70, etc...). Both models have a 10,000mAh capacity, at least one USB-C port for input and output, and come with a charging cable.

25W Battery Pack

But the similarities end here. One of them (pictured at the top of the post) is taller and houses a 7.5W Qi wireless charging pad for your phone, accessory, or wearable. It also has an additional USB-C port, allowing it to fill up to three gadgets simultaneously. The second is more basic and offers a secondary USB-A port without any Qi abilities.

Left: Regular battery pack. Right: Wireless battery pack.

Price and availability for these power banks is unknown at this point, but it seems like they'll be available everywhere the S20 is. We'll let you know once we spot them up for sale.

US Pricing

The US listings for the two battery packs are now live. The bigger and better Qi model will cost $80, but we don't know how much the basic, non-Qi model will be priced at. Both aren't available on Amazon or other retailers yet.

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2020-02-17 11:02:00Z
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The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 and Note 20 could come sooner than you think - PhoneArena

Samsung Galaxy Fold

Formally unveiled all the way back in February 2019 and initially scheduled for an April commercial release, Samsung's first-ever foldable smartphone ultimately went up for grabs in September, by which point a very large part of the excitement surrounding the Galaxy Fold had essentially dispersed.

We're talking about a true Galaxy Fold sequel, which could be dubbed simply the Galaxy Fold 2, or in a bid to make its family ties with the Z Flip clear right off the bat, the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Although it's probably too early to know for sure which (if any) of the two official branding routes will be adopted, Samsung's worst nightmare leading up to the recent Z Flip and Galaxy S20 announcements is back with a codename and some very juicy inside information on the upcoming horizontally folding device.

A bigger, stronger, and fancier "champ" than the original Galaxy Fold

Max Weinbach, the teenage leaker who uncovered almost every S20-series secret way ahead of time, claims the "Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2" is internally codenamed "Champ" and "will likely" use Ultra Thin Glass while possibly paving the way for a new bezel-shrinking industry standard with an under-display camera.

The Galaxy Z Flip uses a kinda sorta almost maybe glass display

Although Weinbach doesn't seem very confident in a lot of that intel, even many of his educated guesses made in advance of the February 11 Unpacked event have proven right on the money, so his early Galaxy Fold 2 speculation certainly deserves our attention.

Besides, the Ultra Thin Glass part of today's "report" feels like a simple case of common sense. While the Galaxy Z Flip is far from perfect, Samsung remains confident its kinda sorta almost maybe glass display will stand the test of time much better than the all-plastic screen on the Galaxy Fold, so it naturally makes sense to try to protect the latter's follow-up similarly.

The Galaxy Fold camera cutout is definitely less than ideal

As for under-display cameras, we know Samsung (and many other companies) have been working on the technology for years, and we can't think of a more suitable candidate for a commercial debut than an experimental foldable device with a sky-high price point.

If the Galaxy Z Fold 2 does pull off embedding its camera (or cameras) in a main Infinity Flex display tipped to measure 7.7 inches in diagonal, there might be no need for bezels whatsoever, possibly allowing that screen to be squeezed into a similar chassis as the original Fold, which "only" sports a 7.3-inch foldable panel.

Galaxy Z Fold 2 and Galaxy Note 20 release window

Once again, it's early for Galaxy Z Fold 2 certainties, and the same obviously goes for the Galaxy Note 20 family. If Samsung sticks to its regular schedule, the latter "mainstream" high-end lineup should see daylight sometime in August, and since the Z Flip was unveiled alongside the Galaxy S20 series, the company could be starting a new tradition and simultaneously announce the Galaxy Note 20 and Z Fold 2.

Galaxy Note 20 concept render with under-display camera

But Max Weinbach believes Samsung's third foldable device is "likely" to launch "around" July, which could be "around the same time as the Note 20." All the "coulds", "shoulds", and "likelies" in the leaker's predictions are not very confidence-inspiring, but then again, this is typically the time of year when we hear whispers about possible plans of Samsung to release a new Note-series handset earlier than usual.

Those rumors almost never prove accurate, and Weinbach himself highlights that Samsung is merely "aiming for July" while an August launch definitely remains "likely." Bottom line, we'll have to wait a few more months before knowing with any degree of certainty when the Galaxy Z Fold 2 (or Galaxy Fold 2) and Galaxy Note 20 are supposed to be officially unveiled and commercially released.

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2020-02-17 09:12:00Z
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HQ Trivia: Quiz app ends with drunken broadcast after 'running out of money' - BBC News

It's 2018 and people are gathering around a phone to take part in the day's round of HQ Trivia, a real-time quiz app where players can win real cash.

Two years later, and HQ Trivia has gone bankrupt and shut down, its presenters drinking and swearing during its last live broadcast.

The final game's prize was just $5 (£3.83) - and that came out of the pocket of host Matt Richards.

That prize was split by 523 viewers.

It's a far cry from the app's heyday, when prizes could reach $300,000 (£214,000) and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson was a guest presenter on the 15-minute show.

HQ Trivia was free to download and free to play. A live presenter would ask 12 multiple choice questions and anyone who answered them all correctly would win part of the game's prize fund.

A live chat ran during the game, and presenters read out messages from players during the live daily broadcasts.

It's estimated that in February 2018, there could be 2.3 million people playing HQ Trivia at the same time.

During its lifespan gave away $6 million (£4.6 million) in cash prizes.

But on Friday 14 February 2020, HQ Trivia shut down, making its 25 employees redundant after running out of money.

Investors had pulled their cash out of the app and a plan for a new buyer to rescue the company fell through at the last minute.

HQ Trivia had been funded by investors but also made money when brands, such as The Voice or Warner Bros, paid for special takeovers and games about their products.

Players could also spend money on extra lives to use during the games.

What happened in HQ Trivia's final show?

Presenters Matt Richards and Anna Roisman drank alcohol during the final broadcast, and didn't hold back their feelings on the app closing down.

The hosts would often drink during the app's more adult-orientated HQ After Dark games.

"Why are we shutting down? I don't know. Ask our investors. What am I going to do with my fish tank? I think our investors ran out of money," said Matt during the show.

"Someone hire me! I'm talented," said Anna.

Matt said he'd been given two shots of tequila and the pair opened a giant bottle of champagne which he said was being saved for when the app reached 3 million players.

In 2018 it's then-host Sharon Carpenter told Radio 1 Newsbeat she believed HQ Trivia and its format was "the future of television - it's the future of broadcasting".

"It's the same reason people love live TV, but this you can take wherever you are," she said.

"You never know how the game is going to end up - and I think because of that there is this element of the fear of missing out."

'We wanted to break the mould'

The app was founded by Colin Kroll and Rus Yusupvo - the people who also founded the now-defunct video sharing app Vine.

"We've never stopped experimenting with video technology," Rus told Newsbeat in 2018.

"With HQ we wanted to blend and break out of these moulds of traditional television.

"We thought if you could up the levels of production and broadcast directly to people's phones - and make that content more interactive and more social - that we could actually turn this into something we could use daily."

Colin Kroll was found dead in his apartment in December 2018.

Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.

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2020-02-17 08:51:15Z
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The PS5 Could Be Sony’s Last Gaming Console, Ever - CCN.com

The Sony PS5 console could be priced higher than the PS4.
An expensive console could spell the death knell of the PlayStation line.
Microsoft and others are busy working on delivering console-quality games to smartphones at much lower costs.

This is going to be an exciting year for gaming enthusiasts as the console generation is all set for a change with the likes of Sony and Microsoft coming out with their latest hardware. Both companies have already given gamers a good idea about what to expect from the next PlayStation 5 (PS5) and Xbox Series X this year.

But don’t be surprised to see Sony shoot itself in the foot with the PS5 this time around. The Japanese giant could end up ceding its gaming supremacy to not just the Microsoft Xbox Series X, but to other deep-pocketed rivals as well that could force it to bring an end to the PlayStation line.

Sony’s big PS5 mistake

Sony recently pointed out that it is finding it difficult to price the PS5 console. But the grapevine indicates that the PlayStation 5 could turn out to be Sony’s most expensive console ever as it will reportedly cost $450 to manufacture as per Bloomberg’s estimates.

IHS Markit estimates that the PS4 – released nearly seven years ago – had a bill of materials of $381. That console was eventually launched at $399. This means that Sony didn’t make anything from the sale of the console itself if we factor in other costs such as marketing. And now that the cost of making the PS5 console has reportedly jumped over 18% thanks to costlier parts, one can expect Sony to price the new PlayStation at around $500.

That could be a bummer for Sony and very well mark the end of the PlayStation console line. The reason I’m saying this is because the gaming market is evolving beyond consoles and a potential price hike from Sony could end up killing the PS5.

Microsoft, for instance, is already looking past the console. Its Xbox Project xCloud – which is currently in the preview phase – is allowing gamers to stream more than 50 Xbox titles on their Android smartphone or tablet using Wi-Fi or mobile data. Microsoft says that users can stream console-quality games straight from the cloud to their handheld devices without any waiting time. What’s more, the software giant will continue to add more titles to this platform.

Microsoft hasn’t revealed the pricing of this platform just yet, but it isn’t likely to be very expensive. That’s because the company’s recently-announced Xbox Game Pass Ultimate can be subscribed for $15 a month. Sony’s competing streaming service – PlayStation Now – costs $10 a month.

Even if Microsoft’s streaming service is priced at a slight premium to these two plans, it could be a big win. That’s because anyone opting for the xCloud streaming service won’t have to buy a console like the PS5. One can simply use their smartphone to access games of their choice.

But anyone with Sony’s PlayStation Now streaming service won’t be able to do that. The service is only compatible with PS4 consoles and PCs, which means that gamers will have to make a major hardware investment. This is where the PS5 could end up failing as the world is moving toward cloud gaming, and Microsoft has started making the transition already.

Why the PlayStation 5 could be the end of the road

According to third-party research, the cloud gaming market is expected to clock a compound annual growth rate of nearly 25 percent through 2025. So, it is not surprising to see why Microsoft is looking to make gaming platform-independent, while Sony is stuck deciding the price of the PS5.

The alarming thing for Sony and the PS5 is that Microsoft is not the only one going after the cloud gaming market. Google, for instance, is planning to offer a free version of its Stadia cloud gaming service. The service is currently limited by an upfront investment of $129 for a Stadia controller and a Chromecast Ultra, and Google is now looking to knock that barrier down.

Google executive Phil Harrison recently told Protocol in an interview:

The big strategic difference is that over the next few months you will be able to experience Stadia for free…No money down, without having to put a box in your home, you can just click and play amazing games straight from our data center.

This could be another big challenge for Sony’s PS5, and probably not the last one as Amazon is reportedly looking to grab a piece of the action as well. Quoting Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter, Protocol reported:

I would bet everything that it’s this year, an actual game-streaming service from Amazon. No later than the launch date for the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5.

Not surprisingly, Microsoft’s gaming head Phil Spencer now sees Amazon and Google as its primary rival in the gaming space and not Sony. He told Protocol:

When you talk about Nintendo and Sony, we have a ton of respect for them, but we see Amazon and Google as the main competitors going forward. That’s not to disrespect Nintendo and Sony, but the traditional gaming companies are somewhat out of position. I guess they could try to re-create Azure, but we’ve invested tens of billions of dollars in cloud over the years.

Given that there are around 3.5 billion smartphone users in the world, the likes of Microsoft, Amazon, and Google have a better shot at succeeding in the cloud gaming space thanks to their existing cloud infrastructure. People can simply buy a capable smartphone and stream games right from the cloud.

This is where Sony is currently lacking and that’s why don’t be surprised to see the PS5 turning out to be the last in the line of consoles from the Japanese company.

This article was edited by Samburaj Das.

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2020-02-17 07:19:00Z
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'Rainbow Six Siege' will be ready for PS5 and Xbox Series X at launch - Engadget

Rainbow Six Siege will be available to play on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles as soon as they launch, Ubisoft game director Leroy Athanassof told Windows Central. On top of that, cross-generation multiplay will be supported, meaning next-gen console buyers will be able to play the game with friends that own current-generation PS4s and Xbox Ones, he added.

"I can't give you a date is because those dates are, in the end, on the people doing the next-gen consoles," said Athanassof. "What I can tell you is that we are going to be on [PS5 and Xbox Series X] from launch."

Ubisoft's cross-platform compatibility promise for Rainbow Six Siege is in line with what Microsoft itself guaranteed Halo: Infinite and other titles. Xbox Game Studios chief Matt Booty recently said that first-party Series X titles will also be playable on Xbox One, adding that Microsoft's own Series X games won't be exclusive to that console for a while.

Meanwhile, Athanassoff also told PCGamesN that Rainbow Six Siege will be the same version on next-gen consoles that PC players will already be playing. "What we want for this game is that we never, never, never split our community," said game director Leroy Athanassoff. "We want to be on as [many] platforms as possible." However, while players will get the most up-to-date version of Rainbow Six Siege, Ubisoft has already said that the Division 2 won't be coming natively to PS5, though it could work via backwards compatibility.

Meanwhile, Rainbow Six cross-platform platform compatibility is still up in the air. "We would love to be fully cross-play -- have Xbox players matchmaking against the PlayStation players," said Athanassof. "Again, this is more a discussion between Microsoft and Sony." All that said, PC cross-platform play is a non-starter, even though everyone will be playing the same game. "I don't think there will ever be console cross-play with PC," he said.

Source: Windows Central

In this article: av, Cross-generation, gaming, Multiplayer, Next-generation consoles, Playstation 5, Rainbow Six Siege, Ubisoft, Xbox One Series X

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2020-02-17 08:39:56Z
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Minggu, 16 Februari 2020

Galaxy Z Flip durability test calls Samsung’s Ultra Thin ‘Glass’ into question - The Verge

Samsung’s claim that the new Galaxy Z Flip uses “Ultra Thin Glass” sounded like a true breakthrough when the foldable phone was announced last week. Until now, foldable screens have used plastic displays, which can be easily scratched with even a fingernail. The Z Flip making the switch to glass, however thin it might be, had us hopeful that it would hold up better to long-term use.

But it seems that might not be the case.

Zack Nelson has gotten his hands on Samsung’s second attempt at a foldable phone, and the results of his JerryRigEverything durability test do not inspire confidence.

The Z Flip’s display starts showing permanent marks and scratches far earlier than actual glass would. Part of the tried and true JerryRigEverything test is putting phones through a gauntlet of Mohs hardness picks to test when the display glass starts showing damage. If you’ve watched Zack’s videos before, you’ve likely heard that modern smartphones have “scratches starting at a level 6, with deeper grooves at a level 7.”

The Z Flip starts picking up damage at level 2 and more significantly at 3, which is on par with the plastic screens of the Galaxy Fold and more recent Motorola Razr. “This screen is in no way scratch resistant whatsoever,” Nelson says near the end of the video.

At the unveiling of the Galaxy Z Flip, Samsung was categorical that it was glass. My colleague Dieter Bohn pressed Samsung representatives for more information on who Samsung’s partner is for manufacturing it, how it was made to bend, and what processes were applied to the glass. At the time, Samsung declined to comment on all those questions. But the company offered a response when we asked for comment on this story.

Galaxy Z Flip features an Infinity Flex Display with Samsung’s Ultra Thin Glass (UTG) to deliver a sleek, premium look and offer an immersive viewing experience,” a spokesperson said by email. “Samsung’s first-of-its-kind UTG technology is different from other Galaxy flagship devices. While the display does bend, it should be handled with care. Also, Galaxy Z Flip has a protective layer on top of the UTG similar to Galaxy Fold.

Is Samsung trying to say that we’re only seeing scratches on the outer protective layer? Those look pretty deep and permanent, but it’s possible. This is the layer Samsung is talking about:

We asked Samsung if it planned to offer a screen replacement service for the Z Flip as it did with the Galaxy Fold. It will. Z Flip buyers can get a one-time screen replacement for $119, Samsung says. In addition, you can also get a specialized screen protector designed for the Z Flip for free one time. Here’s the company’s statement on that:

As part of Premier Service, we will offer a one-time free application of a screen protector for the Z Flip at select UBIF [U Break I Fix], Samsung branded locations or by sending it to Samsung Premier Service via mail,” the company added. “The screen protector will be applied by a specialist with the proper equipment to align and apply it. The program is rolling out soon.

Nelson thinks Samsung could be using a hybrid plastic polymer (with microscopic bits of glass mixed in) so it can advertise this display as “glass.” But if it really can be scratched this easily, what seemed like a significant selling point for the $1,380 Galaxy Z Flip is starting to look like overblown marketing.

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2020-02-16 17:15:41Z
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