Modern iPhone cameras are extremely capable video recorders, but typically require accessories like lights and microphones to ensure professional results. Audio gear manufacturer Rode just announced a pair of gadgets intended to simplify this process, so streamers won’t have to build a cumbersome rig in the computer room or haul one to an outdoor space.
The Rode Magnetic Mount is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a MagSafe mount with a pair of connection points for accessories like the aforementioned lights and microphones. There are two adjustable cold shoe arms that allow people to use the phone in portrait or landscape mode. For the uninitiated, “cold shoe” refers to metal connection brackets that lack power, whereas “hot shoe” would refer to metal connection brackets that feature electronic contacts.
It’s not just for iPhones, as any smartphone snuggled into a MagSafe-compatible case should work. The Rode Magnetic Mount is made from high-grade aluminum, so it’s on the pricier side when compared to the endless barrage of similar products on Amazon. It costs $90 and begins shipping on April 24.
Rode
Rode also announced the Phone Cage, which promises to “turn your smartphone into a professional filmmaking rig.” This is basically a beefier version of the aforementioned accessory, with five cold shoe mounts for attaching anything a budding filmmaker could possibly need, all while keeping the phone safe and snug inside its cage.
To that end, the mounts integrate with an array of thread sizes for attaching accessories like tripods and handles. There are also cable management slots, as five accessories could mean five cables snaking about and threatening to ruin that perfect shot. Again, this is for MagSafe models, which start with the iPhone 12. It’ll also work with another brand of smartphone inside of a MagSafe-compatible case. The Phone Cage starts shipping on April 24 and costs $120.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/rodes-90-magsafe-mount-lets-you-attach-pro-lights-and-mics-to-your-iphone-184033154.html?src=rss
Traditional hard drives typically contain useful components. But dismantling them manually would be too labor-intensive. As things stand, old hard drives tend to go through a shredder and it's often down to luck whether there's anything usable left after that process. A company called Garner Products claims to have a better solution with its DiskMantler.
This machine (spotted by Ars Technica) uses a mix of shock, harmonics and vibration to shake apart a hard drive. The process loosens screws and other fasteners — no matter what kind of oddly shaped screw heads are used — to free up parts like circuit boards, drive assemblies, actuators and rare-earth magnets. The process reportedly takes between eight and 90 seconds for most hard drives, and around two minutes for welded helium drives.
The DiskManter can seemingly disassemble as many as 500 hard drives a day and only a fifth or so of the planet's e-waste is recycled. So at least for now, Garner's recycling efforts may seem a bit like a drop in the ocean. However, if the company can help to retrieve valuable components such as rare-earth magnets without having to break them down into elements and starting the production process over, that surely has to be a net positive.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/watch-a-recycling-machine-shake-apart-old-hard-drives-to-recover-components-163442500.html?src=rss
Google is expected to launch a new Pixel 8a phone at its I/O conference next month, but if you're willing to buy last year's model, a new sale has dropped the Pixel 7a down to the lowest price we've tracked. The handset is now available for $349, which is $150 less than Google's list price and $25 below the prior low we've seen in recent months. The only better deals we've found for an unlocked model have required you to trade in another device. This discount applies to the black, light blue and white colorways and is available at several retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, Target and Google's online store. Google says the offer will run through May 4.
The Pixel 7a is the top budget pick in our guide to the best Android phones, and Engadget's Sam Rutherford gave it a score of 90 in our review last May. When it's discounted to this extent, it remains a good value. Its cameras still outshine just about everything else in this price range, and it still provides a largely bloat-free version of Android. Its Tensor G2 can sometimes run hot but is still plenty quick for everyday tasks. Though it won't be kept up to date for as long as the flagship Pixel 8, it'll still receive OS updates through May 2026 and security updates through May 2028.
The mostly plastic design and 6.1-inch OLED display are both a step down from more expensive devices, but they should be more than acceptable at this price. The latter can run at a 90Hz refresh rate, which again isn't on the level of top-tier models but makes scrolling feel smoother than it'd be on many cheap Android phones. Along those lines, while the Pixel 7a's wireless charging tops out at a relatively slow 7.5W, the fact that it supports wireless charging at all is welcome. Battery life is solid but not class-leading in general, though wired charging also isn't the fastest at 18W.
If you don't need a new phone right this second, it still makes sense to see if Google followstradition and releases a new A-series phone in a few weeks. There's been a spate of Pixel 8a leaks over the past several months, all of which suggest a device that'll fall more closely in line with the current Pixel 8. Exactly how much the new phone will cost is unclear, however. If you want upgrade today and must stay on a tighter budget, we'd expect this deal to stay worthwhile after I/O has passed. It's also worth noting that the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are on sale for $549 and $799, respectively, though neither of those are all-time lows.
It's been a few months since we've heard any details about Samsung's latest 98-inch TV, which we learned about back at CES in January. Now, the company has offered up more information about the 98" Class Crystal UHD (DU9000), which is available starting today for $4,000 from its own webstore and select retailers.
Samsung previously revealed that this model uses an AI-powered feature to optimize picture quality for the larger screen. Typically, as screens get bigger so do their pixels. However, with Supersize Picture Enhancer (which the company's other current 98-inch models boast), Samsung says it can increase sharpness and reduce visible noise to ensure there's no pixel distortion.
Other features of the DU9000 include 4K upscaling, PurColor (which adds another layer of image processing to improve the picture quality) and HDR. The Motion Xcelerator function and a refresh rate of up to 120Hz should help ensure smooth gameplay — you'll be able to stream games from the likes of Xbox Cloud Gaming and Amazon Luna through the Gaming Hub. Other gaming features include AI Auto Game Mode, Mini Map Auto Detection and Virtual Aim Point.
If you're wary that a 98-inch TV might be too much screen for your small living room, Samsung doesn't want you to worry about that. The company claims that the recommended viewing distance for a 98-inch TV is between six and 12 feet. The DU9000 joins other 98-inch TVs in Samsung's portfolio, including ones with Neo QLED 8K, Neo QLED 4K and QLED 4K panels.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsungs-new-98-inch-crystal-uhd-tv-is-now-available-141044674.html?src=rss
Last year Adobe launched Firefly, its latest generative AI model building on its previous SenseiAI, and now the company is showing how it'll be used its video editing app, Premiere Pro. In an early sneak, it demonstrated a few key features arriving later this year, including Object Addition & Removal, Generative Extend and Text to Video.
The new features will likely be popular, as video cleanup is one a common (and painful) task. The first feature, Generative Extend, addresses a problem editors face on nearly every edit: clips that are too short. "Seamlessly add frames to make clips longer, so it's easier to perfectly time edits and add smooth transitions," Adobe states. It does that by using the AI to create extra media, helping cover an edit or transition.
Adobe
Another common issue is junk you don't want in a shot that can be tricky to remove, or adding things you do want. Premiere Pro's Object Addition & Removal addresses that, again using Firefly's generative AI. "Simply select and track objects, then replace them. Remove unwanted items, change an actor’s wardrobe or quickly add set dressings such as a painting or photorealistic flowers on a desk," Adobe writes.
Adobe shows a couple of examples, adding a pile of diamonds to a briefcase via a text prompt (generated by Firefly). It also removes an ugly utility box, changes a watch face and adds a tie to a character's costume.
Adobe
The company also showed off a way it can import custom AI models. One, called Pika, is what powers Generative Extend, while another (Sora from OpenAI) can automatically generate B-Roll (video shots). The latter is bound to be controversial as it could potentially wipe out thousands of jobs, but is still "currently in early research," Adobe said in the video. The company notes that it will add "content credentials" to such shots, so you can see what was generated by AI including the company behind the model.
A similar feature is also available in "Text to Video," letting you generate entirely new footage directly within the app. "Simply type text into a prompt or upload reference images. These clips can be used to ideate and create storyboards, or to create B-roll for augmenting live action footage," Adobe said. The company appears to be commercializing this feature pretty fast, considering that generative AI video first appeared just a few months ago.
Those features will arrive later this year, but Adobe is also introducing updates to all users in May. Those include interactive fade handles to make transitions easier, Essential Sound badge with audio category tagging ("AI automatically tags audio clips as dialogue, music, sound effects or ambience, and adds a new icon so editors get one-click, instant access to the right controls for the job"), effect badges and redesigned waveforms in the timeline.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/adobe-previews-ai-object-addition-and-removal-for-premiere-pro-130034494.html?src=rss
It often feels like we live in a fully connected world, but anyone who has been caught without a signal at a time of need can tell you it's far from true. Emergency satellite connectivity is a solution to this problem, and one the Google Pixel 9 series and next-generation Google Fold will allegedly offer, according to Android Authority's Kamila Wojciechowska. The feature will purportedly be available for T-Mobile customers first, thanks to the network provider's partnership with SpaceX to create satellite messaging. It could become available on other networks in the future.
The messaging service will allegedly ask users questions such as "What best describes your situation?" and "Are there weapons involved?" It's unclear whether the feature will be free for Google Pixel 9 and next-gen Google Fold users. T-Mobile hasn't confirmed pricing for its satellite messaging service in previous announcements.
If the news is true, Google would be following in the footsteps of Apple, which launched its own Emergency SOS satellite feature in late 2022 for iPhone 14 users in countries such as the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The tool has since expanded to include the iPhone 15 and countries such as Australia and New Zealand, which have mass wilderness areas where cellular service is absent.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-pixel-9-phones-might-have-emergency-satellite-messaging-104421387.html?src=rss
Blackmagic Design released its annual NAB 2024 update and announced over a dozen new products, including a new version of its popular DaVinci Resolve editing suite. Other key products include the Micro Color Panel for DaVinci Resolve on iPad, a 17K 65mm camera and the Pyxis 6K cube camera.
Davinci Resolve 19
DaVinci Resolve has become a popular option for editors who don't want to pay a monthly subscription for Adobe's Premiere Pro, and is arguably more powerful in some ways. The latest version 19 takes a page from its rival, though, with a bunch of new AI-powered features for effects, color, editing, audio and more.
DaVinci Resolve 19 'Color Slice' tool
Blackmagic Design
Starting with the Edit module, a new feature lets you edit clips using text instead of video. Transcribing clips opens a window showing text detected from multiple speakers, letting you remove sections, search through text and more. Other features include a new trim window, fixed play head (reducing zooming and scrolling), a window that makes changing audio attributes faster and more.
The Color tool introduces "Color Slice," a way to adjust an image based on six vectors (red, green, blue, yellow, cyan and magenta) along with a special skin tone slider. For instance, you can adjust any of those specific colors, easily changing the levels of saturation and hues, while seeing and adjusting the underlying key. The dedicated skin slider will no doubt make it attractive for quick skin tone adjustments.
DaVinci Resolve 19 Intellitrack
Blackmagic Design
Another key feature in Color is the "IntelliTrack" powered by a neural engine AI that lets you quickly select points to track to create effects or stabilize an image. Blackmagic also added a new Lightroom-like AI-powered noise reduction system that quickly removes digital noise or film grain from images with no user tweaking required.
"Film Look Creator" is a new module that opens up color grading possibilities with over 60 filmic parameters. It looks fairly easy to use, as you can start with a preset (default 65mm, cinematic, bleach bypass, nostalgic) and then tweak parameters to taste. Another new trick is "Defocus Background," letting users simulate a shallow depth of focus via masking in a realistic way (unlike smartphones), while Face Refinement tracks faces so editors tweak brightness, colors, detail and more.
The Fusion FX editor adds some new tools that ease 3D object manipulation and on the audio (Fairlight) side, BMD introduced the "Dialogue Separator FX" to separate dialogue, background or ambience. DaVinci Resolve 19 is now in open beta for everyone to try, with no word yet on a date for the full release. As usual, it costs $295 for the the Studio version and the main version is free.
Micro Color Panel
Blackmagic Design
BMD's DaVinci Resolve for iPad proved to be a popular option for editors on the go, and now the company has introduced a dedicated control surface with the new Micro Color Panel. It'll offer editors control that goes well beyond the already decent Pencil and multitouch input, while keeping a relatively low profile at 7.18 x 14.33 inches.
A slot at the top front lets you slide in your iPad, and from there you can connect via Bluetooth or USB-C. The company promises a "professional" feel to the controls, which consist of three weighted trackballs, 12 control dials and 27 buttons. With those, you can perform editors, tweak parameters like shadows, hues and highlights, and even do wipes and other effects.
"The old DaVinci Resolve Micro Panel model has been popular with customers wanting a compact grading panel, but we wanted to design an even more portable and affordable solution," said Blackmagic Design President Grant Petty. It's now on pre-order for $509.
Pyxis 6K camera
Blackmagic Design
Blackmagic Design is following rivals like RED, Sony and Panasonic with a new box-style camera, the Pyxis 6K full-frame camera. The idea is that you start with the basic brain (controls, display, CFexpress media, brain and sensor), then use side plates or mounting screws to attach accessories like handles, microphones and SSDs. It's also available with Blackmagic's URSA Cine EVF (electronic viewfinder) that adds $1,695 to the price.
Its specs are very similar to the Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K I tested late last year. The native resolution is 24-megapixels (6K) on a full 36 x 24mm sensor that allows for up to 13 stops of dynamic range with dual native ISO up to 25,600. It can record 12-bit Blackmagic RAW (BRAW) directly to the CFexpress Type B cards or an SSD.
It also supports direct streaming to YouTube, Facebook, Twitch and others via RTMP and SRT either via Ethernet or using a cellular connection. Since the streaming is built into the camera, customers and csee stream status and data rate directly in the viewfinder or LCD. The Pyxis 6K arrives in June for $2,995 with three mounts (Canon EF, Leica L and Arri PL).
Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K and 17K
Blackmagic Design
Along with the Pyxis, Blackmagic introduced a pair of cinema cameras, the URSA Cine 12K and 17K models. Yes, those numbers represent the resolution of those two cameras, with the first offering a full-frame sensor 36 x 24mm with 12K resolution (12,888 x 6,480 17:9) at up a fairly incredible 100 fps. The second features a 65mm (50.8 x 23.3 sensor) with 17,520 x 8,040 resolution offering up to 16 stops of dynamic range.
Both models will come with features like built-in ND filters, an optical low pass filter and BMD's latest gen 5.0 color science. The URSA Cine 12K will come with 8TB of internal storage, or you can use your own CFexpress media. Other features include live streaming, a high-resolution EVF, V-battery support, wireless Bluetooth camera control and more. The URSA Cine 12K model is on pre-order for $14,995 or $16,495 with the URSA Cine EVF, with April availability. The URSA Cine 17K is under development, with no pricing or release yet announced.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/blackmagics-davinci-resolve-19-arrives-with-ai-powered-motion-tracking-and-color-grading-090013746.html?src=rss
Last month, Epic Games filed a motion asking a California judge to hold Apple in contempt for what it claims are violations of a 2021 injunction relating to the company’s App Store practices. Now, Apple is asking the judge to reject Epic’s request, alleging in a new filing spotted by Reuters that the motion is an attempt to “micromanage Apple’s business operations in a way that would increase Epic’s profitability.”
The original injunction by US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers required Apple to let developers provide an option for external payment methods, which would allow them to avoid fees of up to 30 percent on App Store and in-app purchases. Apple introduced new App Store guidelines for developers in January that do allow linking to external websites for purchasing alternatives, but the new rules also require they get Apple’s approval to do so and impose a commission of 12-27 percent for these transactions. Per Reuters, Epic argued that this makes alternative payment options “commercially unusable.”
Epic also said at the time that Apple’s “so-called compliance is a sham,” and accused the company of violating the injunction with its recent moves. Apple maintains that it has acted in compliance with the injunction, stating in the new filing, “The purpose of the Injunction is to make information regarding alternative purchase options more readily available, not to dictate the commercial terms on which Apple provides access to its platform, tools and technologies, and userbase.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-claims-epic-is-trying-to-micromanage-its-business-operations-in-a-new-court-filing-171011659.html?src=rss
Last month, Epic Games filed a motion asking a California judge to hold Apple in contempt for what it claims are violations of a 2021 injunction relating to the company’s App Store practices. Now, Apple is asking the judge to reject Epic’s request, alleging in a new filing spotted by Reuters that the motion is an attempt to “micromanage Apple’s business operations in a way that would increase Epic’s profitability.”
The original injunction by US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers required Apple to let developers provide an option for external payment methods, which would allow them to avoid fees of up to 30 percent on App Store and in-app purchases. Apple introduced new App Store guidelines for developers in January that do allow linking to external websites for purchasing alternatives, but the new rules also require they get Apple’s approval to do so and impose a commission of 12-27 percent for these transactions. Per Reuters, Epic argued that this makes alternative payment options “commercially unusable.”
Epic also said at the time that Apple’s “so-called compliance is a sham,” and accused the company of violating the injunction with its recent moves. Apple maintains that it has acted in compliance with the injunction, stating in the new filing, “The purpose of the Injunction is to make information regarding alternative purchase options more readily available, not to dictate the commercial terms on which Apple provides access to its platform, tools and technologies, and userbase.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-claims-epic-is-trying-to-micromanage-its-business-operations-in-a-new-court-filing-171011659.html?src=rss
The Blink Mini 2 home security camera was only announced a month ago, and it’s already on sale. The camera is 25 percent off in both colors — black and white — in a deal on Amazon, bringing the already budget-friendly system down to just $30. The Blink Mini 2 can be used indoors or outdoors, offers HD footage in the daytime or at night and has an LED spotlight. It can be paired with one of Amazon’s smart displays for Alexa voice controls. The camera is a plug-in device, though, so you’ll need to place it somewhere with an outlet.
You’ll also need to pick up the weather-resistant power adapter if you intend to put it outside. A bundle including that adapter is on sale as well, shaving $10 off its normal price of $50. Amazon-owned Blink announced the Mini 2 camera in March, touting improvements to image quality and the option for HD night view in color thanks to its spotlight. The camera also has motion detection and two-way audio, so you can hear what’s going on and, if you want, let whoever’s on the other side hear you too.
With the Blink subscription, you can get additional features out of the Mini 2. That includes smart notifications, like person detection, the ability to stream up to 90 minutes of live video and cloud storage for event clips. If you already own a Blink Video Doorbell, the Mini 2 camera can be used with that system to work as a chime when someone rings the doorbell. In the box you’ll get one camera, a mounting kit and stand, and one USB-C cable and power adapter for indoor use.
Purchasing the Mini 2 will get you a 30-day free trial of the Blink Subscription Plan, too. If you plan on keeping it after that, it’ll cost $3 per month per device. You can also opt to pay $10 per month to cover an unlimited amount of devices if you have a multi-camera setup.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-new-blink-mini-2-home-security-camera-is-on-sale-for-only-30-right-now-144843425.html?src=rss