Verizon (Engadget’s parent company) is expanding the availability of its Fios app. In an announcement spotted by 9to5Mac, the carrier said starting tomorrow, July 22nd, Fios customers can download the software to their Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV devices. In the former case, that includes both the 4K and HD models.
You’ll still need a Fios TV One somewhere in your home before you can access the app on those devices, but it saves you the trouble of paying for additional hardware from the carrier if you want to use your TV bundle on more than one television.
"Parents can watch live sports events on the Fios box in the living room while kids watch cartoons and teens watch comedies on connected TVs in their bedrooms," said Verizon. "With Fios TV One enabling more flexibility, Fios TV users can more easily place TVs in the kitchen, on the back patio or other areas of the house."
The one limitation is that you can only watch two simultaneous streams per Fios TV box, but a Fios TV One device is now included with all of Verizon’s Mix and Match TV plans. Those currently start at $56 per month before taxes and equipment fees.
The scope of Serato’s creative audio ecosystem continues to grow with the latest update to its Serato Studio digital audio workstation (DAW). Serato Studio 1.6 rolls out to the public today and most notably adds the ability to record audio directly into the app, along with some changes to the audio track tools and the addition of a built-in Virtual Audio Driver. While the update isn’t flush with a litany of new features, these few changes make a world of difference for producers, musicians and DJs alike.
To record audio, you can use an external input or even just the internal microphone. This accommodates pros and entry level creators with little to no gear beyond the laptop. When recording, even in loop mode, your contiguous session is kept whole. This lets you try different versions of a guitar lick or vocals in a single take that you can trim down to the best segment later. You can edit the recordings into clips, use different pieces throughout your project or even layer them in different keys for effect.
Serato Studio 1.6 also keeps recordings in your library for use in other projects. You can sample vinyl directly into your project and by analyzing the file, it will instantly match them to your current BPM. There's key detection for the recordings too, which can help keep your vocals on point.
Those using third-party apps or live-streaming will be happy to know that you no longer need plug-ins to make the audio available to other apps. Serato now includes its own Virtual Audio Driver for input and output channels, and even works on Big Sur.
As always, Studio is great for those using Serato DJ and a controller, but now that audio recording has been added, it has the chops to stand on its own as a production tool. It's also very intuitive and opens up plenty of opportunities for creative expression without having to jump through hurdles in the process. New users can get tracks rolling in minutes (seriously) and pros can sketch out tracks or complete full projects quickly.
Serato Studio 1.6 is available to download today and, as always, there's a limited free version for you to test drive. To open up all the capabilities and access tons of sounds and samples, you can choose from a $10 monthly subscription or buy it outright for $199 (including all updates for Version 1).
Zoom became indispensable during the pandemic, and now the company wants to ensure it stays that way when things return to some sense of normalcy. To that end, it’s adding third-party integrations, allowing you to use apps like Asana and Dropbox Spaces while in a Zoom call. As of today’s launch, there are more than 50 plugins you can add to your client, including games like Heads Up. Once you install the latest version of Zoom, a “Discover” tab under the new Apps side panel will allow you to see what’s available.
You can expand and collapse the panel as needed during a call to access the functionality of an app. As one example, the Asana plugin allows you to create, edit and assign tasks without leaving Zoom. Another way to see what’s available is through the Zoom Marketplace. If you use Zoom for work and you’re part of an organization, your admin can limit what you can install.
Zoom sees third-party integrations as a way to become a platform instead of a single-use app. Much like its new Events hub, which the company made widely available today, the idea here is to keep the service growing so it can continue on the trajectory it established during the pandemic.
Folks who want to check out Clubhouse no longer need to join a waitlist. Sixteen months after it debuted, the audio discussion app is moving out of beta. It’s now open to everyone.
Clubhouse says users can share links with others and invite them to join. The company claims there are half a million audio chat rooms on the app each day, and that 10 million people have signed up since the Android app arrived in May. Clubhouse added a direct message system last week and it says the community has already sent 90 million messages. Meanwhile, on average, users are spending over an hour a day on Clubhouse.
While many Clubhouse users certainly seem to be hooked on the app, it’s facing stern competition from elsewhere. The likes of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Discord and Spotify have all moved into audio chat rooms in recent months. Opening up the app to everyone is an important step for Clubhouse as it looks to keep growing.
Clubhouse plans to keep things fresh by rolling out big updates every week or two. The app also revealed a new logo.
Google is apparently learning a hard lesson about the importance of accurate writing. Android Police reports that Google has pulled a briefly available Chrome OS update that broke logins for Chromebook users, apparently due to a simple typo. The company appears to have added a second "&" to a line of code, preventing the OS from decrypting login info and effectively locking updated users out of their systems.
The issue not only prevented some users from signing in, but started bootloops (where the system keeps restarting). At least one system required a recovery USB stick to return to a working state. While Chrome OS thrives on cloud syncing, some people still lost important files.
Google has pinpointed the problem and should deliver a fixed update today (July 21st). Still, it's not clear how such a conspicuous flaw slipped through the testing process. If nothing else, it's a reminder about the importance of backups — it only takes one buggy update to create chaos, whether you're using a Chromebook or any other device.
There's never been a better time to be a PC gamer, especially when it comes to laptops. Gaming notebooks are lighter, more powerful and cheaper than ever before. They're particularly useful for students because their beefy hardware could be helpful for rendering video and doing any other schoolwork that would make super-thin ultraportables sweat. You can find some general advice on choosing gaming laptops in our guide. In this piece, you'll find a few selections specifically geared towards school use.
Are gaming laptops good for college?
As stated above, gaming laptops are especially helpful if you're doing any demanding work. Their big promise is powerful graphics performance, which isn't just limited to games. Video editing and 3D rendering programs can also tap into their GPUs to handle especially demanding tasks. While you can find decent GPUs on some productivity laptops, like Dell's XPS 15, you can sometimes find better deals on gaming laptops. My general advice for any new workhorse machine: Get at least 16GB of RAM and the largest solid state drive you can find. Those components are both typically hard to upgrade down the line.
The one big downside to choosing a gaming notebook is portability. For the most part, we'd recommend 15-inch models to get the best balance of size and price. Those typically weigh in around 4.5 pounds, which is a significantly more than three-pound ultraportables. Today's gaming notebooks are still far lighter than older models, though, so at least you won't be lugging around a 10-pound brick. Also, if you're not into LED lights and other gamer-centric bling, keep an eye out for more understated models (or make sure you know how to turn those lights off).
Best midrange for most people: ASUS Zephyrus G15
Will Lipman Photography / ASUS
The Zephryus G15 has all the power you'd want in a gaming laptop, at a price that's more reasonable than higher-end options. It's a slightly larger follow-up to last year's favorite for this category (the G14), but there's still lots to love. The G15 features AMD's latest Ryzen 5000 processors, along with NVIDIA's RTX 3000 GPUs. And, judging from our benchmarks, it manages to make good use of all that power. It also has a fast 165Hz 1440p screen, which is ideal for playing games at high framerates. The G15 doesn't have a webcam, but its solid specs and performance more than make up for that.
For years, Razer has staked a reputation for building gaming laptops that look as good as MacBooks. And that's still true. Razer's Blade 15 features a sleek and sturdy metal case, an impressively understated design (unless you really kick up those RGB keyboard lights), and just about all the power you'd want in a portable gaming powerhouse. If money is no object, you can equip the Blade 15 with Intel's latest 11th-gen processors, NVIDIA's powerful RTX 3080 and either a 240Hz QHD or 360Hz HD screen.
While you'll pay a bit more for the Blade 15 compared to some other models, you've still got a few different price points to work with. The entry-level model starts at $1,699 with an RTX 3060 GPU and 144Hz 1080p display. That's certainly enough power for most games and creative apps. If you're looking for something a bit smaller, Razer's new AMD-powered Blade 14 looks compelling as well.
A stylish mid-range option: Alienware M15 R5 Ryzen Edition
Will Lipman Photography / Alienware
Alienware's M15 notebooks have made for solid options over the last few years, but the R5 Ryzen Edition adds something new to the mix with AMD's latest processors. Basically, you can expect slightly better multi-core performance from this machine, compared to its Intel-equipped siblings. The Alienware M15 still retains the brand's signature, sci-fi-like aesthetic, making the R5 Ryzen Edition a great option if you want a notebook that’s also distinct (without looking garish like cheaper offerings).
While Alienware has established itself as a solid premium brand, Dell's cheaper G-series notebooks are worth a look for anyone on a budget. In particular, the G5 15 continues the trend of delivering very capable hardware under $1,000. Sure, the case may contain a lot of plastic, and the screen doesn't offer all of the latest niceties, but for the price it's hard to find something much better.
Best no-limit gaming laptop: ASUS Zephyrus Duo 15 SE
Will Lipman Photography / ASUS
Taking the idea of a gaming laptop to the absolute extreme, ASUS's latest Zephyrus Duo combines AMD's latest Ryzen mobile processors with all of NVIDIA's great RTX 30-series hardware. And, true to its name, it has two screens: a gorgeous 15.6-inch main display, and a very wide secondary panel right below. That opens up a near desktop-level of multitasking, since you can have windows spread across both screens. That could be useful for browsing the web and keeping an eye on Twitter at the same time. (Or, perhaps squeezing in a game of Overwatch while following an online lecture on the other screen. We won't tell anyone.)
Konami's cult Pro Evolution Soccer series is trying a new tactic in its endless duel against FIFA. To stand out from its bigger rival, the soccer franchise is adopting a new name, eFootball, and going free-to-play on consoles, PC and mobile.
Clearly, this isn't a one-off. Konami has rebuilt the game using Unreal engine as part of the shift to providing a digital service. The biggest change to gameplay is the new "motion matching" technology designed to make player animations more realistic. Gamers will choose from different movements in real-time during matches. Seeing as the original Pro Evo's gameplay is what helped to distinguish it from FIFA, motion matching could prove a make or break feature.
As you'd expect from an F2P title, eFootball will regularly receive new updates after its launch this fall. Konami will have to tread with care, however. Free-to-play games have attracted the ire of players and regulators alike due to their exploitative nature, best summed up by loot boxes that cost real money to obtain. The last thing the storied developer wants is to sully Pro Evo's name. Maybe, that's why it's changing it.
But, the news will probably raise alarm bells for fans. Konami said that only "local matches" featuring FC Barcelona, Juventus, FC Bayern, Manchester United "and others" will be available for free at launch. While, certain game modes will later be sold as optional DLC, "giving players the freedom to build an experience" that matches their interests. It's a major risk that Konami is banking on to restore the franchise as a regular feature in dorms and living rooms around the world.
The game will land in early fall with cross-generation matchmaking between current and last-gen PlayStation and Xbox consoles. Later in the fall, you can expect a managerial-style team building mode, online leagues, and a match pass system that rewards you with items and players. At the same time, cross-platform play will be introduced between consoles and PC. The winter will see the release of mobile controller support, full cross-play including mobile and the launch of professional and amateur eSports tournaments.
Following a beta release in December, Premiere Pro now officially supports M1 Macs. “From launch times to export, everything is faster, and editing is buttery smooth,” Adobe says of the native Apple Silicon version of its video editing software. The company adds that Adobe Sensei features like Auto Reframe feel “noticeably” faster and that the app uses significantly less battery power on M1 Macs.
While Apple has only offered computers with its own ARM-based chips since November of last year, Adobe has been quick to support the platform. In December, it came out with an Apple Silicon version of Lightroom and followed that up in March with a native release of Photoshop. With today’s announcement, you don’t need to turn to Rosetta 2 to emulate most of the company’s most popular apps. Premiere Pro’s July update also includes a handful of features you don’t need a new Mac to appreciate. Most notable among those is a speech-to-text feature that can automatically caption a video.
Samsung has just announced what feels like itszilliontheventthisyear. But at least this one's something we were expecting. The company just sent out invites to Galaxy Unpacked for August 11th at 10am ET, and the event will be held online only.
In years past, Samsung's hosted August launches for its Note series of high-powered phones. This time, though, multiple reports have indicated that there won't be a new Note. That's become a more likely possibility now, after the company brought Pen support to its Galaxy S21 flagships this year. The stylus has been a hallmark of the Note line since its conception and has distinguished the series from its S-branded siblings.
We'll be streaming Samsung's event live on our YouTube channel, where we'll host a pre-show and a Q&A after the company is done. Come join us to watch the launch together live and get your questions answered as quickly as possible.
Dropbox is introducing a variety of new features across its product stack. Of all the tweaks the company announced today, the most intriguing ones involve its automatic backup utility for photos you take with your phone. Most notably, starting today that functionality is now available to all Basic users — that is, those who don't pay for the service.
The company says it has also made backend changes to make uploads faster and “more reliable.” Additionally, on iOS, you can specify the exact folders you want to back up. That functionality is coming soon to Android as well. Lastly, there’s a new option to tell Dropbox to delete a photo after it has uploaded it to the cloud. Notably, these features come after Google recently stopped offering unlimited free uploads to its Photos service.
Dropbox
In its web client, meanwhile, Dropbox is introducing several interface tweaks. The most significant of those changes is the addition of a new tool that allows you to convert files to different formats without leaving the client, with JPEGs to PNGs as one example. Elsewhere, Dropbox says a redesigned details pane makes it easier to see important information about your files. The company claims it has also made it faster to jump between different folders with a new side navigation bar.
As part of today’s update, Dropbox is also introducing a handful of new features to its password manager. Available to free users as of earlier this year, the tool can now store debit and credit card information. Dropbox has also added support for password sharing. Oh, and you can now download a free browser extension, making it easier to input and save passwords when you’re browsing the web on your computer. On their own, the changes Dropbox detailed today are small, but when you add them up, they make for a more compelling service.
