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Amazon Prime Day will include China and India on July 11th http://ift.tt/2u1lr7U Amazon's Black Friday-like event for the summer will be back for the third time. On July 11th, the e-commerce giant will hold the third annual "Prime Day," and this time, more people will be able to take advantage of all the deals on offer. To start with, the event will last for 30 hours instead of the usual 24 and will begin at 9PM Eastern on July 10th. In addition, Amazon is launching the event for the first time in China, India and Mexico, which only recently joined the list of countries where the company's Prime service is available. Folks in the US, UK, Spain, Japan, Italy, Germany, France, Canada, Belgium and Austria will be able to participate as always. Its name is a dead giveaway that you'll have to be a Prime member to take advantage of the deals that day. But if you're paying $99 per year for the service anyway, it's a pretty nice perk. As with any massive shopping event, you're bound to come across a lot of crap deals, but you'll also find good discounts on various gadgets and electronics. While the event itself won't begin until the evening of July 10th, Amazon will reveal exclusive promos for Prime members every day until then. You can access the first batch of promotions starting today, which include access to Amazon Music Unlimited for 99 cents, 40 percent off Kindle Unlimited membership and 40 percent off Audible for your first six months on the audiobooks service. You may also want to keep an eye out for Alexa-exclusive deals if you have an Echo or a Tap speaker, a Fire TV or a Fire table, since they typically include bigger discounts than what you'll find on the website. Source: Amazon Gadget News via Engadget http://www.engadget.com June 29, 2017 at 03:42AM
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Xiaomi Mi Max 2 Matte Black Colour Variant Launched - NDTV http://ift.tt/2spj90J
Gadget News via gadgets - Google News http://ift.tt/2pP6Yh0 June 29, 2017 at 03:31AM
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Recent 'NotPetya' attacks might not be ransomware at all http://ift.tt/2u0QHnO The companies and agencies hit by a cyberattack in the Ukraine, Russia, the US, parts of Europe, Asia and Australia might never be able to recover their data. See, some security researchers, including Kaspersky Lab, believe that the malware that invaded those computers was only masquerading as ransomware in order to lure the media into covering it as a follow-up to the WannaCry incidents. While its developers painstakingly tried to make it look like ransomware, the researchers say it's actually what you call a "wiper," since it overwrites parts that a disk needs to run. It doesn't encrypt those parts, so you can regain access to them after you pay -- it just completely erases them. In addition, they found that the developers intentionally made it hard for victims to pay. First, they used a single Bitcoin address to receive payments. You'd think criminals expecting to get a lot of money from their victims would use several Bitcoin wallets to make processing a lot faster. They also required victims to email them with a long string of characters that they have to manually type if they want to access their PCs again. The kicker? The email address doesn't even work. That's probably for the best, because as the researchers said, there's no hope of getting their data back even if they pay. However, there seems to be some disagreement when it comes to the malware's -- dubbed PetyaWrap, NotPetya and ExPetr, because it's now obvious that it's not the same Petya ransomware that was first seen in 2016 -- true nature. MalwareTech disagrees with the assessment that it was intended to be a wiper, since it only destroys the first 25 sectors of the disk. Those sectors are essential, but they're also apparently empty in any standard Windows installation. It's a bit hard to believe the cyber criminals didn't know that. The security researcher agrees, though, that the hackers never intended to make money with their creation:
The questions that must plaguing everyone's minds now are "Who did it?" and "Why?" We still don't have an answer to that, but Ukrainian cybersecurity firms and government agencies think what happened was a state-sponsored cyberattack meant to wreak havoc on Ukrainian institutions. When asked whether he believes that the state sponsor is Russia, Roman Boyarchuk, the Center for Cyber Protection chief in Ukraine, replied: "It's difficult to imagine anyone else would want to do this." Via: Ars Technica Source: Kaspersky Lab, Comae, the grugq (Medium), Malwaretech Gadget News via Engadget http://www.engadget.com June 29, 2017 at 02:12AM
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Amazon's Prime Day 2017 brings 30 hours of deals starting July 10 http://ift.tt/2trKrIu Amazon has just announced 30 hours of deals starting on July 10, and the Thrifter team will be covering it all! Prime Day 2017 will be spread across three days, starting Monday, July 10, at 9 p.m. EST and going until 3 a.m. Wednesday, July 12. The Thrifter team is already gathering all the information you need to know about Prime Day, and they will be on hand to cover this event from beginning to end, with every standout deal posted to the site and on Twitter. While you can obviously expect the bulk of the deals to happen on Tuesday, June 11, don't be surprised if they kick off with a few great ones on Monday night. In fact, Amazon will be offering some exclusive deals to people using their Alexa-enabled devices like the Amazon Echo or Echo Dot. Those deals will start at 7 p.m. on June 10, two hours before everything else kicks off. Going even farther back, Amazon plans to drop some other big sales in the week leading up to Prime Day. Amazon claims this year's Prime Day event will feature more than 100,000 deals. Well, that's just plain ridiculous because there's no way you're going to be able to keep up with every single deal that drops, especially when most of them disappear almost as quickly as they arrive. For that reason, we've got a dedicated team of deal-scourers at Thrifter ready to give their sweat and tears to sort through everything and show you the deals worth paying attention to. Follow the Thrifter team on Twitter for deals as fast as they can tweet. Be sure to sign up for Amazon Prime (even free trials can participate in Prime Day), and get here on June 10 when the whole thing goes live and the fun really starts! And remember we've compiled a list of frequently asked questions here that you can peruse if you need more information. Check out Thrifter's other great deals leading up to Prime Day Gadget News via iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog https://www.imore.com/ June 29, 2017 at 12:48AM Meet the small 360 camera module that will fit into phones http://ift.tt/2tnhYD5 You're probably not aware of this, but a Chinese company dubbed ProTruly has already released the world's first two smartphones with a built-in 360 camera last December. Don't worry if you missed the news, because chances are you'd be put off by the devices' sheer bulkiness, but according to HT Optical, this may no longer be the case with the next release. At MWC Shanghai, I came across this Wuhan-based company which happened to be the 360 camera module supplier of not just ProTruly, but also of Xiaomi for its recent Mi Sphere Camera. As I was mocking the ridiculousness of the ProTruly Darling phones displayed at the booth, HT Optical's Vice President Shu Junfeng pulled me to a side and gave me a sneak peek at what's coming next: a much smaller 360 camera module that can fit into a 7.6mm-thick smartphone, yet it'll take 16-megapixel stills -- a massive jump from, say, the Insta360 Air dongle's 4.5-megapixel resolution, and also a tad more than the latest Samsung Gear 360's 15-megapixel offering. Future "VR smartphones" will look much less ridiculous than this ProTruly Darling. I wasn't sure whether it was excitement or skepticism that my face expressed upon hearing this claim, but it prompted Shu to show me some photos -- which he wasn't able to share for this article -- of an upcoming smartphone that will feature this new module. Indeed, the device looked more like a conventional smartphone, as opposed to the 8.9mm-thick and 181.4mm-tall ProTruly Darling pictured above (and just for reference, the iPhone 7 Plus is 7.3mm thick and 158.2mm tall). Also, the lenses on this mysterious phone's module apparently add just an extra 1mm to the overall thickness, which means the camera will be less of an annoyance during phone calls or when placed in our pockets. This still doesn't stop either lens from touching whatever surface you place the phone on, but Shu assured me that these lenses will feature a tough scratch resistant coating on the lenses. Shu then showed me what he claimed to be a 16-megapixel 360 still taken with that new camera module, and the image was surprisingly sharp for such a tiny module. Needless to say, I was able to zoom into that image much further than I would with the photos from my Insta360 Air. While there was no sample video to show me, the exec said this little module can shoot 4K videos which is also impressive. I guess we'll see more when this phone launches in China on July 30th. As a firm that used to deal with camera makers like Sony and Olympus, HT Optical has dabbled with other kinds of product categories following the decline of the compact digital camera market. On top of the smartphone VR camera, I was also intrigued by the company's phone cases with integrated optical zoom camera. The one highlighted above comes with 5x optical zoom, for instance, and it has its own microSD slot. It's a similar idea to the Hasselblad MotoMod for Moto Z series, except you can plug any iPhone or Android phone -- depending on the plug type -- into this one. As a bonus, thanks to their built-in battery, the cases can capture images by themselves when needed, so long as you're comfortable with the lack of a viewfinder. It's hard to tell whether this type of phone case will ever take off, but for the smartphone VR camera module, Shu reckoned it'll take at least a year or two before it becomes a mainstream feature. For now, he's happy to focus on working with the smaller mobile brands that tend to be more daring. Gadget News via Engadget http://www.engadget.com June 29, 2017 at 12:12AM
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Canon's lightweight Rebel SL2 has a much-improved sensor http://ift.tt/2sTkhNf If you prefer a DSLR's true optical finder to the EVF of a mirrorless, but don't want to lug a heavy camera, there aren't many options. Canon does have one worthy of consideration, however: the EOS Rebel SL2. It replaces the four-year-old Rebel SL1 and brings it to a much more modern standard, thanks mostly to a new 24.2-megapixel APS-C sensor. At the same time, it only gains a bit of weight, going from 407 to 453 grams, which is exactly one pound. With the Rebel SL2, you're getting a walking-around DLSR with Canon's impressive gamut of lenses and decent, but not amazing, specs. That includes a sensor with around 30 percent percent more resolution (the same as the one on the EOS 77D and Rebel T7i), and a new liveview dual-pixel autofocus system. However, Canon says that the 9 point AF system is the same as the one on the previous model, which is pretty disappointing considering the competition and how old it is. That yields a continuous shooting speed of 5 fps, up from 4 fps on the last model, with a decent 3.5 fps in liveview mode thanks to the new dual-pixel system. Native ISO goes up to 25,600 compared to 12,800 before, expandable to 51,200. Canon adds that it has updated the Rebel SL2 to its new, simpler menu user interface, first introduced on the EOS Rebel T7i. The Rebel SL1 was the lightest DSLR you could buy, but the Rebel SL2, weighing 47 grams more at 450 grams (one pound), now cedes the crown to the 395 gram (14 ounce) Nikon D3400. Other specs include a 1.04 million dot, 3-inch screen that, unlike the new 6D Mark II model, is not touch sensitive. Connectivity-wise, you get Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi and NFC, making it easier to sync the camera with your smartphone. One other bonus: the battery is slightly larger than the one in the last model, giving you a bit more shooting time. For video, the Rebel SL2 can shoot 1080p at up to 60 fps, the same as with Canon's new full-frame 6D Mark II model. Continuous video AF should be better with the dual-pixel AF. The lack of 4K is not as disappointing for the Rebel model as it is for the 6D Mark II, but for $100 more, you can get Panasonic's Lumix G7, an interchangeable lens camera with Ultra HD video. The EOS Rebel SL2 costs $549 (body only), or $700 with the Canon EF-S 18-55m f/4-5.6 IS lens -- $100 cheaper than the SL1 was at launch. For a bit more in the same sensor class, you could get the less hefty Nikon D5600, and if you want to pay less, Sony's mirrorless A6000 or the aforementioned D3400. It arrives in late July 2017. Gadget News via Engadget http://www.engadget.com June 28, 2017 at 11:06PM
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Canon's full-frame 6D Mark II is a solid upgrade with a catch http://ift.tt/2soUPfb Nearly four years after it first launched its original EOS 6D budget full-frame camera, Canon has unveiled a successor. The EOS 6D Mark II improves on the past model in nearly every way, offering more connection options, resolution, much faster autofocus and higher sensitivity, while retaining the light weight and good handling we liked about the original. It falls down in a key area, however, offering just 1080p video resolution rather than the 4K you'd expect in a modern DSLR. The improvements in the new new model revolve mostly around the new sensor. Instead of 20.2 megapixels, it captures 26.2 million pixels, about 30 percent more resolution. Paired with a new Digic 7 processor, you can now shoot at 6.5 fps continuously and grab up to 150 JPEG or 21 RAW images before the buffer fills. Canon says the new 45 point cross-type system makes autofocus much faster, and there's a new dual-pixel autofocus that offers better speed in liveview mode, too. You can shoot with less light thanks to an improved maximum native ISO of 40,000, compared to 25,600 in the last model. As before, that's expandable to ISO 102,400. Another big change is the 1.04 million dot monitor, which now has a touchscreen and "vari-angle" adjustment. That opens up new possibilities like touch shutter and focus, making it easier to switch focus from one subject to another when shooting video. At the same time, the more twistable rear monitor makes it easier to take selfies. On top of having WiFi as before, new wireless features include Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC, making it a lot easier to set up, shoot remotely, or sync with your phone. The body is just slightly heavier than the original at 685 grams (24.1 ounces) instead of 680 grams, but it's still the lightest full-frame DSLR out there. (Sony's mirrorless A7 II is much lighter at 600 grams, or 21 ounces, mind you.) The new weather-proof construction is more robust and Canon has made it easier to handle, thanks to a deeper, edgier grip. Now for the bad news. The EOS 6D Mark II only has 1080p, 60 fps video and not 4K, something that's unacceptable for a 2017 camera that costs $2,000. Canon may be hoping that users who really need it will go for a 5D Mark IV, a DSLR that costs around $3,500. But 4K is available in nearly every new mirrorless, high-end compact, and smartphone camera, so consumers will expect it in a fancy DSLR nowadays. Canon told us in a pre-briefing that most photographers only publish video at 1080p and that 4K files are "heavy," so it felt the option wasn't needed. However, The 6D Mark II's specs were leaked onto the internet quite awhile ago and almost every comment on the leak posts has bashed the lack of 4K. To be fair, there aren't any other full-frame cameras in the 6D II's price range that go beyond 1080p. However, for around $2,600 or so, you can pick up a new full-frame Sony A7R II or A7S II, both of which can handle 4K. The EOS 6D Mark II arrives in late July 2017 for $1,999 (body) only, $2,599 with Canon's EF 24-105 f/3.5-5.6 mid-range zoom, and $3,099 with the high-end EF 24-105mm f/4.0 zoom. Gadget News via Engadget http://www.engadget.com June 28, 2017 at 11:06PM
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Eero's new mesh WiFi system packs more power in a pretty package http://ift.tt/2tmZRh1 The first-generation Eero was a game-changer. With a mesh network that blanketed your home in WiFi, it finally offered home wireless that doesn't suck. It pledged to rid my home of dead spots and, for the most part, it did. Since then, however, Eero has seen plenty of competition from the likes of Google, Linksys and Samsung -- each promising the same mesh-network capabilities. Now, Eero is out with two new products -- a second-generation Eero, plus a new Eero Beacon -- that promise a more powerful network overall, at a slightly lower entry-level price (you can get both in a starter bundle for $299). I've been using the "standard" home bundle (which is one Eero hub and two Beacons) for the past two weeks and, despite a few quibbles, I can say that it certainly delivers. The second-generation Eero looks exactly the same as the first-generation Eero, but that's not really a bad thing. Both the second-gen Eero and the Eero Beacon are two of the most stylish WiFi products out there. There are no unsightly antennas or clunky hardware here; instead, the Eero and the Eero Beacon share a similar minimalist aesthetic. Both are encased in a glossy white shell, with a rather attractive curved exterior. The design doesn't draw your attention necessarily, but it's also pleasant enough that you wouldn't want to hide it behind a piece of furniture. It's an aesthetic so pleasing that many others have copied it since the original's release. Aside from looks though, the second-gen Eero is very different from the first. Internally, it has tri-band support, a new thermal management system, a new antenna array and a Thread radio for low-power connected home products, like locks and thermostats. In short, it's just all around better. On the rear of the second-gen Eero are two Ethernet ports, a USB-C connector (for both diagnostics and power) and a power reset button. The two Ethernet ports don't seem like enough at first, but the WiFi is actually so good that I found I didn't miss it (more on this later). The Eero Beacon, on the other hand, is basically Eero's Mini-Me. It's half the size of a regular Eero and plugs directly into the wall. It's also not quite as powerful as the second-gen model (it has dual-band instead of tri-band), it doesn't have any Ethernet ports either, so you can't use this as a standalone unit -- it requires the aforementioned Eero hub in order to work. But it has much of the same internal specs, including that aforementioned Thread radio support. If you're thinking to yourself, gee, the Beacon looks a lot like a nightlight, well it comes with an LED that works exactly like one. When it's dark, the ambient light sensor will detect it and voila, it'll light right up. Or, if you want, you can even use the app to have it come on at certain times of day automatically. It's a touch of whimsy that I find quite charming, and is definitely a feature you likely won't find in other WiFi products. Setting the Eero up is pretty easy. You'll have to download the companion app to do so, but once you do, it'll guide you through the installation process. As with the original Eero, you'll have to create an account with your email address and phone number, so that it can easily send verification codes instead of requiring you to set up a password. You can then set up your network name and assign a password, just like with other routers. From there, it's as simple as plugging the Eero hub (the regular-sized one, not the Beacon) into a power outlet and into your modem. The LED on the front will blink blue to indicate that it's in pairing mode, and the app will detect it soon after. Once it does, it runs a short signal strength test to see if you've placed the Eero in a suitable spot, and then you're done. Installing additional Eeros and Beacons is done the same way. Because each Eero hub does the job of a router, a range extender and a repeater, connecting multiple Eeros together essentially creates a mesh WiFi network that covers your whole home. The latest version of the companion app offers additional diagrams and animations in the hopes of making the setup even more painless. For example, it asks you what sort of home you have -- is it square, or long? -- and how many rooms, in order to best figure out how many Eeros you should have and where you should place them. The company says that one regular Eero and one Eero Beacon should be good enough for 1-2 bedroom homes (like a studio or a small apartment), while one Eero and two Beacons is sufficient for most 2-3 bedroom homes. Of course, this may vary depending on the kind of house you have, as well as the position of your outlets. I bring up the outlet issue in particular, because the Beacon is more suited for outlets that are aligned vertically, like in most modern homes, instead of horizontally, which is more common in older houses. This turned out to be a slight issue for me, as my house has a mix of both -- while most of the house has modern outlets, my bedrooms have old-fashioned horizontally-aligned ones, where the Beacon ends up on its side and could potentially block the other outlet. It's not a terrible issue really, but it's something to keep in mind. The refreshed app has an improved dashboard as well, letting you see all of your connected Eeros and devices in a single view. You can dial down to each connected device to see which WiFi band it's using as well as which Eero hub it's currently connected to (the Eero system is intelligent enough to switch frequencies and connections depending on network load). If you're a parent, you can easily assign different devices to different family members and keep track of their internet usage. If you want everyone to come to the dinner table right away, for example, you can just shut off their internet access. Pretty devious. On to the part you've all been waiting for: Performance. I'll start by admitting that I don't have the fastest ISP in the world -- I'm just on DSL -- and I live in a two-bedroom 1,200-square-foot home with multiple levels. I decided to run a few speed tests (using Speedtest.net) with my laptop plugged directly into my modem to get a good benchmark to test against. With a wired connection, I had an average latency of 26 ms, download speeds of 28 Mbps and upload speeds of 2.27 Mbps. Next, I ran speed tests while wirelessly connected to the Eero network in both the downstairs living room and the upstairs bedroom. In my living room tests, my WiFi speed tests were on par with my wired connection, with an average latency of 27ms, download speeds of 28.5 Mbps and upload speeds of 2.2 Mbps. The upstairs speed was a touch slower, but not by much, with an average latency of 28ms, download speeds of 27 Mbps and upload speeds of 2.16 Mbps. In short, the wireless connections throughout the house had more or less the same performance as my wired connection, with hardly any dead spots. That's pretty impressive. Then I tried to see if I could maintain a decent connection while moving from room to room. I tested this by having a Facetime call with a colleague and then walking around the house. It was a pretty great connection for the most part -- the high-res video looked crisp and clear -- but I did experience a hiccup when I went into the bathroom, where the video suddenly dropped in quality. Interestingly though, the video went back to being good again in just a few minutes, which Eero attributes to the dynamic rerouting finally kicking in. Meanwhile, I also had about seven or so devices connected to the network at the same time, and I suffered little to no bandwidth concerns when streaming video or playing games. There are a few more Eero features worth mentioning. For one thing, all of the new Eero devices are compatible with the original ones. So if you're an existing Eero customer, you can still use your old hubs with the newer models in the same mesh network. Next is that you can add a Guest network that's just for, well, guests, with the added ability to simply text them the guest password directly from the app. And, because the Eero is connected to the cloud, the firmware is updated over-the-air, without you having to do anything. Last but not least is Eero Plus, which is an additional paid subscription that promises premium protection against malware and viruses on all of your connected devices. The service also offers stronger parental controls like content filtering or enabling SafeSearch on certain profiles. And, of course, Plus subscribers also get priority customer support. The Eero Plus subscription is available for either $9.99 a month or $99 a year. Yet, the cost of having an Eero in your home is certainly more than a traditional router. You can get a starter Eero and Beacon package for $299, but if you live in a multi-tier house like mine, you'll probably want the Eero and two Beacons bundle, which sells for $399. If you live in a larger house, or you just want more Ethernet ports, you can cough up for the three Eero hub bundle for $499. Eero also sells the devices individually; the second-gen Eero is $199 while the Beacon is $149. Comparatively, the Google WiFi three-pack is $299 while a single Google WiFi hub is $129. Samsung's Connect Home product on the other hand is $379.99 for a three-pack and $169.99 for a single unit (there's also a more powerful single-device Connect Home Pro for $249.99). Linksys is selling its mesh WiFi solution in individual units for $200, and in packs of two and three for $350 and $500 respectively. While the original Eero seemed expensive at the time (3-pack was $499, single was $199), the second-generation Eero bundles actually seem on-par with what's on the market currently. Sure, the individual second-gen Eeros are still on the high-end price-wise, but you can mix and match with the more affordable Beacons, which are really just as capable. Plus, you could just get the starter $299 Eero bundle to see if that's enough for your WiFi needs before splurging on more. In sum, I believe the Eero works as advertised, and delivers on its promise of whole-home wireless coverage in an attractive user-friendly package. That said though, if you already have an existing mesh networking solution like Google WiFi or the original Eero, the slight performance difference is probably not worth upgrading to the second-gen model. But if you're interested in diving into the whole mesh WiFi thing and you have to cash to spare, the powerful, prettier Eeros could be well worth it. Gadget News via Engadget http://www.engadget.com June 28, 2017 at 11:06PM
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Canon’s long awaited 6D Mark II is a huge upgrade, but it’s missing 4K video http://ift.tt/2tmRGB9 Canon is updating two of its camera lineups today with the announcement of the new 6D Mark II and Rebel SL2. Both look like solid new cameras — the 6D especially, since it’s been anticipated for even longer than it’s been rumored. But they’re both still missing one of the most requested features: 4K video. The $1,999 6D Mark II is a follow-up to 2012’s Canon 6D, a slightly cheaper and slightly less capable full-frame sibling to Canon’s popular 5D series. It’s been a long wait, but judging from the specs, that wait might be worth it when the 6D Mark II goes on sale in July. Just about everything has been upgraded from the first 6D to the second, as you’d probably expect. It has a new 26.2-megapixel CMOS sensor, and uses some of the company’s most advanced internals, like the DIGIC 7 image processor. The high end of the native ISO range gets bumped up to 40,000 from 32,000, which is nice, because the original 6D was already a low light marvel. The 6D Mark II also uses Canon’s ultra-fast Dual Pixel autofocusing system, and the camera now has 45 cross-type autofocus points at its disposal, a step up from the 6D’s paltry 11. It shoots at relatively fast pace of 6.5 frames per second, but there’s a short runway there: the maximum burst is 21 frames for RAW photos, and 150 for JPEGs. Canon’s made the 3-inch LCD on the back a touchscreen, and the panel swivels out to the side now, too. But the 6D Mark II is also weather resistant, on par with the sealing found on the more expensive 5D Mark IV, according to Canon. Inside, you’ll find Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth, and GPS radios. And Canon’s done all this while only adding a few grams to the original weight of the 6D. In other words, it’s a fully modern digital SLR camera — something the relatively ancient 6D hasn’t been in years. The $549 Rebel SL2 is also a substantial improvement to a popular Canon camera that was announced years ago. It has a 24.2-megapixel CMOS sensor, and it also uses the DIGIC 7 and Dual Pixel AF. The SL2 gains a swivel touchscreen, as well as Wi-Fi, NFC, and Bluetooth. If you’re interested in using the 6D Mark II or the Rebel SL2 for video, though, know that they both top out at 1080p at 60 frames per second. There’s no 4K video here. When Canon announced last summer that the 5D Mark IV would shoot 4K, it seemed like the company was finally acquiescing to the demands of its most advanced users. But every new Canon DSLR since then has had a maximum video resolution of 1080p. Same goes for the company’s fledgling mirrorless cameras. Many people, arguably most people, don’t need to shoot in 4K. Canon knows that, and that’s why the company repeatedly eschews adding it to new cameras. But 4K is quickly becoming a more normal part of our video-consumption habits. 4K playback is built into YouTube, we have 4K televisions, and we’re knocking on the door of 4K phones. The point is you’re eventually going to have a 4K screen, and the majority of Canon’s DSLRs can’t shoot video that will properly fill it. Even if the video you’re shooting isn’t going to wind up displaying in 4K, there are creative benefits to shooting at such high resolutions. A popular example is that you can use that extra space to crop in tighter on a particular shot without ruining the resulting quality, since there’s four times the amount resolution compared to a 1080p frame, and most video is still output at 1080p. For what it’s worth, I asked Canon during the briefing for these cameras if they were worried that skipping 4K again would scare off creators who crave it. Here was the company rep’s response:
The company been this evasive about 4K for a while now. But the overall message is clear: if you want to shoot 4K video with a Canon DSLR, you have to buy one of the company’s most expensive cameras. And it’s not entirely clear when that will change. Canon hasn’t stopped innovating with its camera tech. Dual Pixel is a genuine breakthrough with respect to the autofocus on the company’s cameras, and the DIGIC image processors produce some of the best pictures (and video) around. But to survive in an increasingly turbulent camera market, Canon has also put an inordinate amount of focus on building cameras that plug gaps in its existing marketing strategy instead of ones that are ahead of the curve. The 77D is the perfect example of this. Canon took the internals of the cheaper T7i and repackaged them in a more robust body that resembles the more expensive Canon 80D. You can argue that there’s value in that move. (After all, it’s also working for Nikon.) There are probably people who are just fine shooting with the T7i’s limited capabilities but would like a sturdier packaging, who also don’t want to spend quite so much for the 80D. But at this rate, Canon’s going to hunt these margins into extinction. And by that point, customers who are hungry for more advanced features will have turned their attention elsewhere. You’ll be able to buy the 6D Mark II and SL2 in all of their 1080p glory starting next month. Gadget News via The Verge http://ift.tt/1jLudMg June 28, 2017 at 11:02PM
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Draft defense bill would ban Kaspersky's security software http://ift.tt/2s3RTFl American officials are worried that Russian software could be used to compromise national security, and they aren't taking any chances. A draft version of the Senate's National Defense Authorization Act, which greenlights military funding, explicitly bans the Department of Defense from using Kaspersky Lab's security software over concerns that it could be "vulnerable to Russian government influence." Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who added the clause, believes Kaspersky "cannot be trusted" to protect the US' critical infrastructure. The links between the company and the Russian government are "very alarming," she says. Shaheen is referring to reports from outlets such as BuzzFeed News, which cited anonymous officials concerned that Kaspersky has a "close relationship" with the Russian government. There doesn't appear to be hard evidence of a link, but there are worries that the US isn't adequately vetting access agreements between Kaspersky and the third-party vendors that provide its tools to the American government. The firm has landed contracts with agencies ranging from the National Institutes of Health (in 2008) to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (in 2016), including some State Department offices. Kaspersky, for its part, is vocally denying connections. It "has never helped, nor will help, any government in the world with its cyberespionage efforts," according to repeated statements. We've reached out for comment on the NDAA bill and will let you know if Kaspersky has more to say. Not that any denials are stopping law enforcement. NBC News has learned (and Kaspersky has since confirmed) that FBI agents interviewed "at least a dozen" Kaspersky staffers as part of a counter-intelligence investigation. The conversations were only meant to gather information about how the company works, including how its US-based division reports to Moscow, but they still indicate that the FBI is worried enough about possible influence from Putin's camp that it wants more answers. There's no sign that this is linked to investigations into Russian attempts to influence the US election through hacks. It's possible that the bill eventually signed into law could omit the Kaspersky ban. If it passes as-is, though, it would signal a fundamental change of attitude toward the use of Kaspersky's software for important systems -- just the chance that Russia could slip spyware through (even if it's against Kaspersky's will) would be considered too great a risk. A move certainly wouldn't help alleviate tensions with Russia, which still denies any involvement in election-related hacks. Whether or not the fear is justified, it's evident that Kaspersky will have trouble winning American contracts going forward. Via: Dustin Volz (Twitter 1), (2), Reuters Source: Senate (PDF), NBC News Gadget News via Engadget http://www.engadget.com June 28, 2017 at 10:24PM |
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