via Reddit

It seems like smartphones can’t be released anymore without some kind of serious flaw popping up.

Nexus 6P owners are reporting that the glass panel covering the phone’s cameras are suddenly cracking, with one user reporting having left the device screen up on a table followed by a loud, spontaneous, “snap”. Picking up the device they found the glass cracked and a pile of glass shavings left on the table. Among two users who shared images, the damage looks remarkably similar…

While it’s not yet clear what might be causing this (and Google has yet to make a statement on the matter; we’ve reached out ourselves), a possible reason for this is how glass expands as it heats up and shrink as it cools. Placing the 6P on a colder surface (such as a granite or marble countertop) could cause the camera glass, otherwise being referred to as the phone’s “visor,” to cool down and shrink too quickly.

via jonny_rat..

Normally glass has enormous compressive strength, but the tiniest flaw, scratch, or damage to the glass will become the point of origin for cracking. As such, the Gorrilla Glass 4 is made moot. Any piece of glass (including tempered ones) is only strong as long as it is not compromised.

One Reddit user offers this explanation:

The last Nexus phone to suffer from a similar ailment is the wholly glass backed Nexus 4. In a later hardware revision, the device received tiny nubs on the corners of the phone in order to make sure the glass was not in direct contact with the surface below it.

Image via Mobiflip.

If this issue is widespread enough, Huawei and Google might make a similar hardware fix to address this issue. Then again, it has other hardware problems to fix as well.

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Today we’re comparing the forth generation Apple TV to the NVIDIA Shield. These are quite possibly the two best set top boxes out right now. I won’t be going into every little detail here, but instead the things that are most important for myself. But before we get in-depth with either option, let’s take a look at specifications between the two…

Specifications

First up, we have the NVIDIA Shield rocking a quad-core Tegra X1 processor, 3GB of RAM, either 16 or 500 GB storage configurations, and HDMI 2.0. So basically you have two options: either spend an extra $100 on the 500GB version, hook up an external drive to one of its two USB 3.0 ports, or use the Micro SD card slot on the back.

Next we have the fourth generation Apple TV which packs a dual-core A8 processor, 2GB of RAM, either 32 or 64GB storage options, and also an HDMI 1.4 port (and yes that means no 4K video this time around, but maybe next year).

Check out our comparison video below:

One of the major “future proof” features the Shield has over the Apple TV is going to be 4K video support. Content may be limited for now, but it’s totally the future. I’m baffled by Apple’s decision to omit 4K video, because well.. even the freaking iPhone 6s shoots 4K. Both devices can also pair up with Bluetooth headphones for a private media experience, but overall in the specifications department, I have to give the win to NVIDIA.

Hardware

With the Apple TV you get the new Siri Remote that features a touchpad for navigation. You also have the ability to purchase an Apple certified third-party gamepad that will work with select games from the App Store, though all games support the use of the Siri Remote for playing, but we’ll get into that in a little bit.

The NVIDIA Shield is a bit opposite in the contents department. By default, the Shield comes with a gamepad instead of a standard remote. The remote can be purchased separately if you’re looking for something more traditional, but essentially, with both set top boxes, you’re getting everything needed to properly enjoy the experience.

NVIDIA Shield Software

If you're familiar with Android TV, you'll feel right at home here. It’s completely integrated with Google services. So you have the Play Store and any apps compatible with the TV platform. There’s also Google Search integration directly from the remote or controller via the built-in microphone. This is a far more extensive implementation than Siri in my opinion and will allow you to quickly search for content across the available services without sifting through different menus. There's also Google's Cast service which will allow you to cast movies, music, and other content from an Android or iOS device straight to the TV.

As mentioned the NVIDIA Shield features 4K/UHD support at 60 frames per second. That doesn’t change the fact that 4K content is super limited, but there are apps such as Netflix and YouTube that support 4K streaming. Like Apple TV, there’s a ton of app potential for cord-cutting here, but the Play Store currently has the advantage when it comes to the number of those kind of apps available.

The NVIDIA Shield is a gaming-first device. Aside from the small games you can get in the Play Store, you can truly have a light PC or console-style gaming experience. There are games here that work specifically with the Shield’s Tegra X1 processor. If you want to really step things up, the best move is to sign up for NVIDIA’s GeForce NOW cloud gaming service. Think of it like Netflix for gaming. This will allow you to stream PC games from the cloud to your TV at up to 60 frames per second in 1080p.

There are a ton of cool console-like titles and even some premium purchasable games like Witcher 3. The only downside is that GeForce NOW will cost ya $7.99 per month, but there is 3 month free trial available. I’m just not sure that expense is worth it, over playing on a traditional setup as the graphics aren’t on the same level as a PC or gaming console, but they may be close enough for some people.

Apple TV Software

There’s a lot of cool stuff here with tvOS, but the main additions we’ll focus on will be Siri support and the new App Store. Those are essentially the added benefits you’ll care about, aside from the redesigned look and feel. The interface is pretty damn smooth though. Siri support is awesome and you can easily take advantage of it by holding down the dedicated button on the remote. This will allow you to perform a variety of searches for things like movies, tv shows, actors, sports scores, team lineups, and more. It’s nice, but not nearly as extensive as Siri is on iPhone or iPad.

The App Store is a fantastic addition here, because instead of having a bunch of pre-loaded crap you might not use, you’ll have the ability to pick and choose. In the App Store you’ll find cord-cutting apps like HBO Now, Crackle, Netflix, MLB, NBA, and even Plex for playing content from a local media server. You can also AirPlay content from your iOS device or mirror your device’s screen.

Gaming on the Apple TV is pretty cool, but there’s nothing at this point early on that has blown my socks off. There’s also a lot of games available, but mostly large scale versions of apps you’ll find on iPhone and iPad. All games can be played with the Siri Remote and in some cases using it like a Wii Remote, which is nice, but you’ll need the controller for a more traditional gaming experience. Gaming here is nice and certainly a big selling point, but it’s far from a console-like experience.

Verdict

At the end of the day, we have two completely different platforms that certainly cater to different audiences. If you’re into gaming, chances are that NVIDIA Shield is going to offer a much better experience. The fourth gen Apple TV is coming along with its App Store, but no games there will match the gaming experience on the Shield. That being said, sometimes Android TV can be a little clunky and awkward to navigate when compared to tvOS. Apple has the smooth experience down and I’m a big fan of what’s happening here.

The Shield tops Apple TV in many departments, but Apple TV is cheaper with its base model running $149, while the base NVIDIA Shield will set you back $199. If you’re invested in the Apple or Android eco-system, the choice is obvious. If you are on the fence, choose your priority: 4K/gaming but clunky Android TV vs. overall smooth but experience on AppleTV.

What do you think? Let us know with a comment below.

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Verizon has confirmed through its official Twitter handle that the BlackBerry PRIV is heading to its store shelves soon. The Portrait-slider doesn’t have a specific release date or price on VZW yet, but you can sign up to register for updates on Verizon’s store page.

PRIV™ by BlackBerry. The first-ever BlackBerry powered by Android. Coming soon. vz.to/1OtYDF9https://t.co/QkZts5de11

—
Verizon News (@VerizonNews) November 06, 2015

Verizon is the second big carrier to officially offer the PRIV for sale. It’s biggest competitor, AT&T started selling the device yesterday, getting a jump start on ‘Big Red’. It’s too early to tell how well the launch is going for the once smartphone king from Waterloo, but early reaction from tech fans has been positive.

The PRIV features a large 5.4-inch dual-curved Quad HD AMOLED display, and a hexa-core Snapdragon 808 processor paired with 3GB RAM. It has 32GB of storage as standard (expandable up to 2TB), 18MP OIS-equipped camera, 4k video recording and a 2MP front facing camera. It also features the trademark physical keyboard and costs a princely $699 from BlackBerry’s online store. It’s hard to imagine that Verizon will offer it any cheaper.

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LenX app using older camera API

While taking pictures with third-party camera apps on the Nexus 5X, some users may notice that both the preview displayed by the phone and the image captured are upside down. While this error could easily be attributed with initial Marshmallow incompatibility on the part of the app developer, both software and hardware are to blame…

In a post on a Reddit thread about the issue, a tech lead for Android’s camera framework describes how the camera sensor on the 5X was mounted in an uncommon manner (reverse landscape) in order to fit the sensor chip’s wires onto the board:

Because of manufacturing reasons, we needed to mount the Nexus 5X main sensor in the less-common (reverse landscape) orientation – the wires from the sensor chip wouldn’t have fit otherwise.

Unfortunately, our old camera API (which is deprecated, but most apps still use it) isn’t terribly user-friendly, and requires application developers to explicitly set the preview rotation. On most devices, though, it turns out the default rotation is correct for a forced-landscape app, so many apps never call the display orientation method.

While the new camera2 API handles rotation automatically and accounts for the different mounting, most apps experiencing the problem are using the older, deprecated camera API. Google says it tried to “work out a way to adjust the default” on their end, but that such a solution would have broken apps using the older API.

So, sadly for developers, the only solution here is for them to update their apps to the camera2 API. Android developer relations and LG are contacting app developers, but the Tech Lead is also asking users to contact developers of problematic apps. If you notice an app that has this problem, it’s probably a good idea to send them an email or a tweet letting them know what’s up.

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Having recently launched the iPhone-lookalike One A9, HTC looks set to release yet another One-series phone. A leaked press image on Weibo suggests that HTC will be releasing a new phone with BoomSound speakers in tow. The One X9 poster uses typically vague strap lines like ‘pursuit of brilliance’ and ‘packed with city smarts’, right in line with what we expect from most manufacturers. Given its in English (and assuming it’s genuine) it hints at a launch in English-speaking markets…

According to Steve from NWE, we’re supposedly meant to expect a 5-inch 2560×1440 display, Snapdragon 820 processor (or Helio X20) plus 4GB RAM. Allegedly, there’s a 23MP camera on the back, 4MP UltraPixel camera on the front, stereo BoomSound speakers and a 3,500mAh battery.

If those specifications are accurate — and I highly doubt they are — the One X9 will be the company’s next ‘proper’ (albeit small) flagship. Despite impressing early users, the One A9 doesn’t exactly match up to the likes of the Galaxy S6, Moto X Pure or Xperia Z5 in terms of pure performance and capabilities.

Judging from the design, it doesn’t look like it’ll be a flagship device, but it’s really hard to tell. There is always the chance that it’s not coming at all. Even fake leaks are getting harder to distinguish from the real ones these days. That’s without taking in to account that the rumored specifications sound a little too good to be true, following the launch of the One A9 hero smartphone. If the company wants to cannibalize sales of its own devices, this would be a sure-fire way to do it.

HTC’s position in the market is more insecure than it’s been in a long time. Despite building what many consider some of the best phones on the market, that opinion hasn’t translated to success with consumers. For instance, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a tech-head who doesn’t think the HTC One M series devices are brilliant, but you’ll be equally hard-pressed to find a regular consumer using one in public.

This lack of confidence from the general public has lead to something of a focus shift for the Taiwanese tech company. The recently announced One A9 signals the beginning of a new, more-fashionable era at HTC. It may look like the iPhone, and have an advertising campaign built on the same ideas as the famous 1984 Apple commercial, but it’s a step the company needed to make. Like Samsung with the S6 and Note 5 series, HTC needed to adapt and react to the changing market dynamic and push towards fashion, rather than pure performance and features. It’s hard then, to see where the X9 fits in. But if genuine, I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough.

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