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AT&T Time Warner merger deal is reached, $85.4 billion in cash and stock will change hands if approved.
AT&T's proposal to buy Time Warner, Inc's media division for $85.4 billion is now final. Announced on the company's press site, the deal settled at $107.50 per share and was half cash and half stock. This will give AT&T possession of cable networks such as CNN, TNT, and HBO as well as Warner Bros. film and TV studio. AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson will continue to head the company and Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes will remain for an interim period then depart.
This puts AT&T/Time Warner alongside Comcast/NBC Universal as companies who control large cable or telecom pipes and content house to produce media to distribute on them. According to the Wall Street Journal, many regulators have expressed misgivings about the approval of the Comcast-NBC U deal and a "rigorous regulatory review" is expected. The deal, if approved, isn't likely to close until late 2017.
This shouldn't have any effect on AT&T's mobile business, outside of any content distribution they may choose to offer.
The Pixel, phone by Google. Exclusively for Verizon. Not really.
I've noticed something during the past week. There are plenty of people who think the Pixel is a Verizon exclusive. This isn't an accident, I'm sure.
I have no idea what language is on whatever piece of paper Google and Verizon execs signed about the Pixel. I'm pretty certain it wasn't a note scribbled on a bar napkin and had enough lawyers look at it to make the room unhealthy, but nobody but those lawyers and a handful of others on the respective legal teams knows exactly what it says. But something in the wording apparently says Google had to say the Pixel was "only at Verizon" or other silly things.
They're scaling that back. If you go to the Made by Google site it tells you that you can have "The best of Google on the next-gen network by Verizon" but it doesn't say exclusive or only or anything of the sort anywhere on the page. Too bad it's too late for some folks.
I'm not knocking on the other choices available that people have gone with because they thought they couldn't use a Pixel. There are plenty of companies making phones that will appeal to plenty of people. The iPhone 7, the LG V20, the Galaxy S7 edge, hell even the Lumia 950 XL are great phones that nobody would have thought were possible just a few years ago. And there are plenty of people who would choose any of these over a Pixel. That's a good thing. Having a choice is always better. But poorly worded advertising that takes a choice away is not.
Any Pixel, whether the smaller version of the XL model, will work with the SIM card you're using now.
Let's be clear — the Pixel is Google's new phone that you can buy direct from the Google Store, Project Fi, Best Buy or Verizon. Any Pixel you buy from any of these places will work anywhere in the world. There are some differences that hardcore nerdly enthusiasts care about when it comes to bootloaders and update providers, but none of that will change the fact that any Pixel, whether the smaller version of the XL model, will work with the SIM card you're using now.
I'm sorry if the wording Google used had you thinking that you couldn't replace your AT&T Galaxy Note 7 with a Pixel. I want to hope that someone in a Google office somewhere is sorry, too. But there are definitely people somewhere who aren't sorry because this is exactly what that wording was supposed to do. Google, Verizon, I get it. You're both really good at making money and at the beginning of a newly rekindled relationship where the sex is awesome and you still like looking at each other. But that whole "exclusivity" thing was pretty lame.
Google has made a huge stride in camera quality, but can it take on Samsung head to head?
Though Google's new Pixel phones have seriously impressive imaging that put its previous Nexus phones to shame, we have to remember that before they arrived it was well-observed that Samsung led the pack with the camera on the Galaxy S7 edge (and of course Galaxy S7 and Note 7).
Now that we've had a Pixel for a little while, it was only natural to compare it head-to-head with the camera that is leading the pack among all Android phones. Here's how the camera experience on the Pixel XL and Galaxy S7 edge compare.
Pixel XL (left) / Galaxy S7 edge (right)
Before you even get to looking at photo quality, it's important to have a camera that can open quickly, perform well and have an intuitive camera interface. Both phones have the speed part down, with a double press of the power button (Pixel XL) or home button (Galaxy S7 edge) taking you to the camera in about a second. Shot-to-shot performance is on par between the two, and extremely fast — even when shooting in HDR or taking burst shots. This is how every phone should perform.
Both UIs get the job done, but Samsung offers many more options.
Google's camera interface is still pretty simple. To many people that means it's lacking features, but it definitely hits on the points most people need. You can use tap to focus and now adjust exposure with a slide, as well as toggle on grid lines, switch between HDR modes and swap to the front camera with a double flick of your wrist. Google's implementation of switching to lens bur, slow-mo and panorama modes is super simple as well — I don't have any complaints there.
Samsung's main camera interface is just as simple as Google's, but wins hands-down when it comes to the ability to tweak your shots, offering a full Pro mode with complete manual control over the camera. That's a big differentiator for some who want to make changes to very specific parts of the camera or perhaps mount the phone to a tripod for interesting shots. Samsung also has a larger array of shooting modes available by default, with even more waiting to be downloaded — but nearly everyone will stick with the main modes in either camera.
Now let's look at the output. As I do with all of my camera comparisons, I keep things smple to help reflect how the cameras perform in the hands of the average user. I kept both the Pixel XL and Galaxy S7 edge with their respective "auto" HDR settings turned on — then I took out one, snapped a photo, took out the other, snapped a photo. No tripods or lighting or burst mode or editing; just the direct output from the camera as it shot it.
You'll also notice a variety of situations in the samples below; indoors, outdoors, dark, light, the whole spectrum. Here are my results, set side-by-side.
Pixel XL (left) / Galaxy S7 edge (right) — click images to view larger
In general, the Galaxy S7 edge still tends to take warmer and more saturated photos, which is something we've expressed in previous critiques of its camera and is just as apparent here next to the cooler, less-saturated and slightly more natural Pixel XL camera. The Galaxy S7 edge also tends to over-smooth certain parts of images, which comes across a bit more pleasing to the eye at a glance but isn't as impressive as the sharp lines the Pixel XL was able to produce. Most of the differences really aren't noticeable until you zoom way in on photos, though.
The biggest thing that stands out is how similar the photos are between the two.
When it comes to low-light performance, the Pixel XL seems to have jumped past the Galaxy S7 edge if only because of its consistency. The GS7 edge's tendency for warmer photos is more pronounced at night, and its smaller pixels don't take in as much light as the Pixel XL's, which leads to a bit more grain and chroma noise in really dark parts of photos. The Pixel XL isn't immune to grain and noise of its own, but the grain feels a bit more "natural" in these shots, rather than being over-processed and blotchy. Both phones were definitely still capable of taking a slightly blurry shot if you didn't keep your hands steady at night.
Across this variety of situations, the biggest thing that stands out to me is how similar the photos are between the Pixel XL and Galaxy S7 edge. I don't think there was a single photo I took in this comparison with either camera that wouldn't be considered a "good" (or better) photo if I had shown it to someone on its own. It's only when you start to set the photos side-by-side that you notice a few differences.
I'm personally a bigger fan of the way the Pixel XL tends to be a bit more natural, cooler and sharper, but the GS7 edge takes photos that are arguably more pleasing to the eye with their more-saturated and warmer colors. The only true "win" for the Pixel XL here is in its consistency of handling low-light photos with its HDR+ software ... everything else is basically a wash.
These are two expensive phones with impressive cameras worthy of the price, that much is clear. Both can launch the camera in the blink of an eye, take great photos in just about every situation and manage even the toughest scenes. They trade punches in certain areas of emphasis, but the end result in either one is a great photography experience.
Samsung has a slight advantage in terms of its camera interface when it comes to customizations, shooting modes and full manual controls. Google is catching up in this respect, and offers a slick experience for just about everyone — save for those who need those extra tweaks.
Each phone can take amazing photos, and you have to zoom in, analyze and nit-pick in order to find issues in either one. Google may have a slight advantage in its tendency to keep things looking more natural and sharper, but how much that matters is basically a personal preference at this point.
Both the Pixel XL and Galaxy S7 edge have fantastic cameras — you can't go wrong here.
So the Pixel's not waterproof — there are workarounds!
For most people, the Google Pixel's lack of waterproofing isn't a total dealbreaker, and most folks will pick up a Pixel or Pixel XL without giving waterproofing a second thought.
Then there are those of us who have dropped our phones in the toilet at some point or have a loved one who has (like a certain writer's wife), so we know the perils that can come from a not-so-waterproof phone. Even if you've had cell phones since the 90s and have never had a phone damaged by water, you might believe waterproofing your phone is just good sense.
And it is, just in case.
The most logical option for waterproofing your Pixel is to slap on a waterproof case. This way you still get full use of your phone without having to hide it away from the elements. Here are some of the best waterproof cases you can get:
The LifeProof FRĒ is your answer to protecting your Pixel or Pixel XL from everything. LifeProof claims these cases are waterproof, dirt-proof, snow-proof, and drop-proof (from up to 6.6 feet), so you'll never have to worry about your Pixel — it's in good hands.
LifeProof's FRĒ is rated IP68 for ingress protection, which is as high as it gets, meaning that you'll have to work pretty hard to get any dirt or dust in there, and your Pixel would have to be submerged in 3 feet of water for more than half an hour to risk damage. Each case also passes the U.S. Military Standard test for drops and vibrations, so you'd be hardpressed to rattle your Pixel's cage.
This is likely the best case for you if you're looking to waterproof your Pixel and protect it from whatever else might befall it.
For now, the FRĒ only comes in Asphalt Black.
Universal waterproof phone bags are an awesome way to keep your Pixel totally dry and are perfect for folks living the active life or vacation. Waterproof bags aren't practical solution, so you likely won't use one every day, but for times when you're at the beach, hiking, or know you'll be out in heavy rain, they're excellent for keeping your phone a phone and not a brick.
JOTO's waterproof bag is rated IPX8, which is as good as it gets for ingress protection. It basically means that your phone can be safely submerged in this bag for an indeterminate amount of time. JOTO even says it's good to 100 feet deep!
There's a clear window on the front and back, so you can continue to use your Pixel and even take photos with the case/bag on. These bags fit phones up to 6 inches diagonally, so your Pixel XL is good to go, but you might have to remove a protective case if you have one on already.
The snap and lock closure is easy to use, and while securing your Pixel tightly, it's easy to put it in and take it out without much fuss. There's also a handy lanyard attached, so you can secure it to your swim trunks or cargo shorts and off you go!
If you don't feel like shelling out $90 for a LifeProof case and a waterproof bag doesn't really suit your lifestyle, then you'll just want to do your best to your keep your Pixel as dry as possible.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but the urge to check a text while walking down the street on a rainy day can sometimes overcome you. Yes, the Pixel has an IP53 rating, so a little rain won't bring it down, but if you're looking to keep it pristine, inside and out, then keep it pocketed in the wet weather.
Don't bring your Pixel into the bathroom with you. Yes, playing Two Dots on the can is a great way to… "pass" the time (badum tshhh!). Not only is it grody, but what if you're running a bath while you're on the John? You rest your phone on the edge of the tub just for a second so you can finish off and wash up. As you stand, you knee grazes your phone. Splash! Au revoir, Pixel.
OK, so maybe it's not that dramatic, but just leave your phone outta the bathroom and bring a comic book instead, huh?
That may seem like another no-brainer, but if your Pixel gets a little wet, wipe it down with a soft cloth or, at the very least, the sleeve of your shirt, especially if your phone's in a case. No, it's not likely that that water will get inside and do any damage, but do you want to take that chance?
Having water air-dry off of your phone is generally a bad idea anyway, since water dries things out as it evaporates, so if there are any plastic components that get wet, the air-drying can make them brittle in the long run.
If you have to pocket your Pixel, make sure it's the front pocket only. There seems to be this trend (especially among women) or folks keeping their phones in their back pockets. My wife kindly explained to me that women often do this because their jeans aren't made with big front pockets because they're so tight. Fair enough. Put it in your purse or anywhere else that's not your bra (#cancerawareness).
If you go to sit on the toilet with your phone in your back pocket, you may just drop it in when you pull your pants up or down. Trust me. It happens. And you might have even just bought her an awesome case that was probably a little more expensive than cool phone cases should be, and when she got a new phone, she got the next iteration, so the awesome case didn't fit.
Front pockets or purses only (or jacket pockets or whatever; just no parking in rear)!
Your best option for waterproofing your new Pixel or Pixel XL is the LifeProof FRĒ, but if that's too expensive for you, get a waterproof bag for traveling, and just be careful otherwise.
Make the most of your Chromebook with these apps.
Your Chromebook is a safe, inexpensive, and simple portal the internet but it can do so much more. Whether you want to get productive, have a little fun or keep in touch you'll find an app to help do it in the Chrome Web Store. Here's the short — and ever-changing — list of ones we think you have to try.
One area where Chromebooks have traditionally been lacking is media creation tools. Photoshop for Chrome is a real thing, but it requires you to have an Adobe education license for Creative Cloud and live in North America. If you meet these qualifications you should definitely have a look, but for the rest of us, there is Polarr Photo Editor.
Polarr is beautifully done, filled with features and is extremely lightweight. It's an offline app sp you can work without an internet connection and it's the best way to edit photographs on your Chromebook. Whether you need to turn RAW files into great photos or just touch up something before you share it on Facebook, Polarr Photo Editor can handle the job.
We're cheating a little bit here, but access to Skype is important enough to allow it.
Skype on the web now supports text chat and phones calls using standard internet communication protocols — that means it works on your Chromebook.
There are many different communication apps available — including Google's own Hangouts — but for many Skype is the de facto standard. Using your Skype account and Microsoft's official website, all you need to do is log and start Skyping.
For those who want it, there are also several launchers at the Chrome Web Store that let you launch the Skype site in its own window through an icon, but we think a bookmark is just as good.
Any.do is one of the best ways to stay organized. It's a task manager, reminder list, calendar, and organizer all in one and it syncs across all your devices. It's also quite the looker!
Using the Any.do app for Chrome gives you the same tools and features as the client for your phone (Android and iOS) does plus the ability to drag and drop attachments, notes, and tasks using your Chromebook's trackpad. Any.do is scalable and great for keeping track of a few reminders or as a complete organization tool for your entire team.
Your Chromebook gives you access to everything Google Docs has to offer. While that's more than enough productivity for some of us, if you work in a Microsoft environment Office Online is a must-have.
Using the same subscription you hold for the full version of Office for Windows or Mac, you get access to all the tools and features using your Microsoft account. You can view, edit and create files in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Sway right from your Chromebook and synchronization with your OneDrive account means they are accessible anywhere. You can also work locally when you're not connected to the internet.
If you're a Microsoft Office user, Office Online is a no-brainer.
No list of great Chrome apps would be complete without StreamDor.
The internet is huge, and it's filled with awesome content if you know where to find it. StreamDor is a list of 20,000 movies that you can stream for free. Everything is legal and above the board, and there's no funny stuff going on.
The list is refreshed daily and you'll find old favorites as well as recent hits at high quality from sites like YouTube or Vimeo. While StreamDor doesn't serve any content themselves, the app is the perfect way to find it all in one place. It's free and a great way to relax during some down time.
Want to keep your Nexus 6P protected without adding a bulky case to it? Amzer’s Pudding TPU case is a great option to consider as it will just add a thin layer of protection to the phone and a bit of extra grip as well. Right now you can pick one up for just $3.95!
