Neil young left spotify but here s everywhere by robin neil young left spotify but here s everywhere learning neil young left spotify but here s everywhere youtube neil young left spotify but here s a bell neil young left spotify but here s the rub neil young left spotify but here s the thing from moana song neil young left spotify buttons neil young left spotify buta neil young leaving greendale behind daryl hannah and neil young neil young wife

Neil Young left Spotify, but here's everywhere else you can stream his music

Neil Young left Spotify, but here's everywhere else you can stream his music

Spotify has answered Neil Young's challenge. The service deleted the artist's entire back catalog this week after Young offered an "it's-him-or-me" ultimatum, forcing the streaming giant to choose between him and podcaster Joe Rogan.

Rogan's show, a Spotify exclusive, has been repeatedly criticized by medical experts for being a source of COVID-19 misinformation to his millions of listeners. So where does that leave Young fans? 

There are still plenty of music streaming services you can hear the work of the rock legend, including one you may not have heard of.

Young has been banging the "hi-res is the best way to hear music" drum for a long time -- we still remember when he said Amazon was going to change the Earth forever. While Spotify has yet to unveil its higher-quality streaming service, there are a number of competitors that will gladly stream his songs at the highest possible bit rate. 

Whether you're looking for a Spotify alternative because you're a fan of Young or because you support his anti-Rogan stance, here are your best options: 

• Free (with ads) option: YouTube: The video streamer is always a great place to find music, including Young's. Just know that Rogan's show is on YouTube, too. 
• Neil Young Archives : The singer's Pono player and hi-res music store may have come and gone, but it has been replaced by a service called the Neil Young Archives. For $20 a year you can stream all of Neil Young's back catalog in hi-res or standard 320kbps quality. There are apps for Android, iOS and the BluOS music system.
• Apple Music -- As the second-largest streaming provider in the world, Apple Music has the rights to Young and millions of other artists besides. Users are able to stream his music in standard lossless or hi-res (Master) quality all for the standard price of $10 a month.
• Tidal -- Tidal has long been associated with providing better deals for artists, and now that it's under new ownership it has put its money where its mouth is. What does that mean for fans of Young and other bands? If you choose the $20 subscription then 10% of your money goes directly to your highest streamed artist that month. Young's back catalog is available in hi-res if you choose the top tier, or in CD-quality lossless for the $10 tier.
• Qobuz -- A relatively new entrant to the states, but its hi-res option is cheaper than Tidal's from $13 a month and doesn't require a specialized decoder. You can also buy his digital albums from the Qobuz store, and at a competitive rate  
• Amazon Music Unlimited  -- For $8 a month, if you're a Prime member, this is the cheapest way you can stream Young in hi-res.

Other services that are also still streaming Young include Deezer, Napster, YouTube Music, and Pandora Premium.  In addition, SiriusXM has revived its Neil Young radio channel.

This latest standoff is likely just the beginning of a long-coming reckoning for Spotify and for streaming services in general, as the industry grapples with issues such as exclusivity, artist payments and social responsibility. This may be the first big split between musicians and podcasters, but it's unlikely to be the last as more and more people vote with their clicks -- and their wallets. 

---

Source

https://sumpahy.omdo.my.id/

.

Best Streaming Services for Kids

Best Streaming Services for Kids

If you have kids you most likely have every song from Spongebob Squarepants memorized or may be familiar with the beloved animals of Paw Patrol. With dozens of TV shows on multiple streaming service to keep your kids entertained, finding the best streaming service for kids may seem impossible.

Platforms like Disney Plus and Netflix offer something for the entire family to watch -- from young kids to picky teenagers and grown-ups -- and are often the exclusive home of popular franchises you can't find on YouTube.

Each streaming service is stacked with great TV shows and movies, with some acting as headquarters for your kids' favorite characters. Here's a guide for choosing which kids streaming service may be the best fit for your family.

Walt Disney Pictures

Where do we begin? With a wealth of content rated PG-13 and below, Disney Plus has a large catalog of kid-friendly series and films. In addition to carrying Disney Junior, Disney Channel and everything else with the Disney stamp, you'll find Pixar, National Geographic, Marvel and Star Wars titles on the platform. 

Toddlers can be mesmerized with the animated and live-action versions of Disney classics, or binge on every piece of content starring Bluey, Tinkerbell or another favorite character. Tweens and teens can enjoy The Simpsons, Gravity Falls, Turning Red and Encanto, and movies from the Disney Channel or the company's blockbuster lineup are a click away. Animated tales like Lightyear, Marvel live-action picks and nature series will keep them busy for hours.

To navigate Disney Plus's library, you can click on a designated tile for Pixar, Marvel, etc., or search by title, character, or genre. Kids and parents can scroll through the platform's special collections (such as Ice Age and Black Stories), musicals, movies, and exclusive originals and shows from every decade of Disney.

Parental controls allow you to add a four-digit PIN and set ratings limits for each regular profile. But creating a kid's profile automatically curates content that's appropriate for all ages. To add an extra layer of security, toggle the Kid-Proof exit feature that prevents kids from switching profiles. Disney Plus is entirely ad-free for $8 a month.

Paramount Pictures

While Disney is flush with beloved shows and movies Paramount Plus has its own stash of iconic characters and series. It's basically Nickelodeon central. SpongeBob, iCarly, Rugrats, Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig and other Nick superstars sit beside Paramount Plus originals Big Nate and Star Trek: Prodigy on the platform.

While there isn't a designated kids' menu, it's simple to locate Noggin, Nick Jr. and all other Nickelodeon content on Paramount Plus. Additionally, there are five live channels that run content 24/7 for kids, including dedicated hubs for SpongeBob, Paw Patrol and "Kids and Family Fun." 

But many family-friendly movies are mixed in with the streamer's genre lists, so if you're searching for Rumble or Clifford, check the comedy or trending section. Starting this summer, Showtime's content will also be available on the Paramount Plus app. Though the network is adult-oriented, a select number of family movies will be added to the lineup. 

Paramount Plus enables parents to create kids' profiles by activating "Kids Mode." Choose an avatar and specify whether it's for older kids or younger kids, and the content will adjust ratings based on your selection. Subscriptions cost $5 for the ad-supported Essential version and $10 for ad-free Premium.

Netflix

Netflix offers a range of kids' titles in the realm of music, education and entertainment, all without ads. The platform caters to every age and stage in your child's life. Popular series include CoComelon, Octonauts, Ask the Storybots and Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir. The streamer routinely drops new originals including The Sea Beast, The Cuphead Show and Boss Baby spinoffs, but there are plenty of Dreamworks titles on Netflix, too, such as Camp Cretaceous. Upcoming releases include Sonic Prime, Pinocchio and an Ivy & Bean adaptation. 

Resulting from a partnership with Nickelodeon, kids can stream favorites like Invader Zim, Big Time Rush, Avatar: The Last Airbender or new Loud House features. And Netflix's search function allows you to drill for niche content like kiddo-friendly movie adaptations, cooking stuff or coming-of-age stories. Type in a specific term and you're likely to find a match.

Where the streamer stands out is with its kids' profile. While you can set up parental controls on each profile with ratings restrictions, the Netflix Kids Experience comes with a bright logo and a ready-made batch of content. No need to handpick shows and movies for young ones, because the streamer does it for you. If you select titles outside the ratings limits for Kids Experience, the logo is removed and the profile type is automatically changed.

To cap it off, the platform showcases a Top 10 row for kids' programming and sends out biweekly emails to parents with recommendations and other child-centric tools. And in May 2022, Netflix introduced a "Mystery Box" feature on kids' profiles which surprises them with a new title to check out.

WarnerMedia/HBO Max

Don't sleep on HBO Max. Not only is it the place to stream Cartoon Network favorites like We Bare Bears and Adventure Time, but also Sesame Street, Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, and animated DC superheroes. That includes the OG Teen Titans. For Sesame Street fans, all 50-plus seasons of the show -- along with new episodes -- are available to stream on HBO Max.

HBO Max allows you to select Kids & Family from its menu and then you'll be taken to its dedicated page. To make it easy to find content, you can click on a character's icon -- like Elmo, Scooby Doo, the Powerpuff Girls and Batman -- for a program lineup featuring said characters.

Prefer to search a different way? HBO Max divides content into categories for kiddos ages 2-5, 6-9, 10-12, and 13 and up. You can also browse titles from A-Z or search specifically for series or movies. The streamer also announced the addition of CoComelon, Lellobee City Farm, Blippi and Vlad & Niki for its preschool Cartoonito audience. But don't forget that  and other movies are available for teens who need a break from animation.

While you can watch TV with your children, you can also just give them their own kid profile on HBO Max. The service requires adults to log a four-digit PIN in order to create it, and then provide birthdate information so the system can customize age-appropriate content. Subscribe to HBO Max for $10 a month with ads or $15 for the ad-free version. 

PBS

For decades, PBS Kids has been the destination for Sesame Street and other childhood favorites. Elmo, Arthur, Daniel the Tiger and Curious George are among the characters who entertain while teaching lessons. While SpongeBob and Disney get a lot of love, it's noteworthy that Arthur is the longest-running animated kids' show in history. The 8-year-old aardvark is a PBS rock star. And though Warner Bros. Discovery and HBO own Sesame Street, new episodes are still available to watch on PBS Kids.

PBS Kids is available to Prime Video subscribers for free, and it's also available to watch 24/7 on The Roku Channel. But parents, you can also download the stand-alone PBS Kids video app for free on your mobile device or TV. That means your children can stream Elmo or Wild Kratts when you're on a road trip or visiting family. 

A Parent Media Co. Inc.

Like PBS Kids, Kidoodle TV offers free entertainment that's geared toward younger children up to age 12. Some of the content is educational, and some is purely recreational. The app features licensed TV shows and movies from properties such as Lego, My Little Pony, SpongeBob, Pokemon and Baby Shark.

But there are also videos from the Dodo about nature and animals, game-themed content with Mario, Minecraft and Roblox, and a host of crafting tutorials. YouTube favorites like Ryan's World are nestled in with picks that focus on learning. Kidoodle also has a set of originals that launched in 2020, including StoryRaps from Wes Tank. Another plus is that parents can choose videos from Little Pim that teach five different foreign languages: French, German, Spanish, Russian and Mandarin.

You can watch for free as a guest on Kidoodle without registering. But if you sign up, you're able to create accounts for kid or parent users. Everything on the app is age-appropriate, vetted by Kidoodle parents and staff. The Freemium account includes family-friendly ads, but if you want to skip the commercials, you can get the Premium version for $5 per month.

PIN-enabled parental controls enable you to set screen time limits, choose titles or set curfews with the option to automatically turn the app off. And the analytics feature gives you a glimpse at viewing habits. Kidoodle is available on Roku, FireTV, smart TVs and other devices.

Kids streaming services FAQ

Are Hulu and Amazon's Prime Video great for kids too?

We considered both streaming services for this list but examined content offerings as well as user-friendly interfaces. While Prime Video has some original content, it gleans much of its kids' programming from Nickelodeon, PBS Kids and other Viacom properties. The same holds true for Hulu. It's easier to access these shows and movies directly through Paramount Plus or PBS. 

What if you don't want your kids watching ads while streaming?

We know that screen time is not the only area of concern, because advertising impacts kids too. Disney Plus and Netflix are wholly ad-free, but HBO Max, Kidoodle and Paramount Plus offer more expensive plans if you want to watch without commercials. The PBS Kids app is ad-free.

Which streaming service has the best parental controls?

While you can set parental controls on streaming devices from providers like Amazon, Roku and Apple, you can also monitor and restrict what your kids watch directly on the services. Netflix, Disney Plus and HBO Max have the best features for allowing you to set maturity ratings and PINs for kids' profiles.

---

Source

Tags:

• Best Streaming Services 2022 For Kids
• Best Streaming Services For Education
• Best Streaming Services For 2022
• Best Streaming Services 2022
• Best Streaming Services 2023
• Best Streaming Sites
• Best Streaming Service
• Best Streaming Movies

YouTube Music rolls out 2021 Recap feature to rival Spotify Wrapped

YouTube Music rolls out 2021 Recap feature to rival Spotify Wrapped

Spotify Wrapped season is admittedly a lonely time of year for people like me who use other music streaming services like YouTube Music. While everyone else is sharing fun stats about their top artists and songs of the year, I can't help but feel a slight sense of envy. I like to console myself by saying, "Hey, you already know your number one artist is Taylor Swift and that the most listened to song is probably the 10-minute version of All Too Well." But it's still not the same as being able to share listening habits no one asked about on every social platform.

Our time has finally come, though. YouTube Music on Monday launched a feature called 2021 Recap, which shows users their top artists, songs, music videos and playlists from this year. 

The Recap landing page appears on the YouTube Music app, where users can scroll to see personalized stats. You'll also see your recent music discoveries and have the option to listen to your favorite picks of the year in a personalized playlist. And yes, you'll be able to share that playlist and those stats by tapping the arrow at the bottom of the stats card.

In previous years, YouTube Music has rolled out a Year in Review playlist highlighting users' most-streamed songs and artists, but it wasn't available to everyone. This year, the company has also created playlists featuring the year's overall biggest hits and the top tracks from genres including rock, country, hip-hop and Latin. 

Last week, YouTube shared its list of the top 10 music videos of the year, which includes The Weeknd's Save Your Tears and Olivia Rodrigo's Drivers License.

So, fellow YouTube Music fans, now's your chance to bombard other people's social media feeds for once. That is, if you dare to admit to using anything other than Spotify. (Being different is cool, right?)

---

Source

Tags:

• Youtube Music Pop Music 2021
• Music Youtube Music Videos 2021
• Music Youtube Music Videos 2021
• Youtube Music 2021 Recap
• Roll Out Song Lyrics
• Youtube Music Trolls Soundtrack
• Youtube Music Roll It Roll
• Youtube Music Free
• Youtube Music Player

Get three months of amazon music unlimited and showtime for free get three months of amazon music unlimited and showtime for real estate get three months of amazon music unlimited and showtime boxing get three months of amazon music unlimited and showtime app get three months of dating get three months of flowers get three months of letters get fit in three months

Get three months of Amazon Music Unlimited and Showtime for $3

Get three months of Amazon Music Unlimited and Showtime for $3

---

Source

How to get macos ventura macos ventura hackintosh reddit new mac os ventura announces macos ventura next major mac these new puritans attack music these new puritans rym these new puritans we want war mp3 download

These New MacOS Ventura Tricks Make Your Mac Much Better

These New MacOS Ventura Tricks Make Your Mac Much Better

A big change is coming to Apple's Mac computer line, thanks to the new version of MacOS, called Ventura. It's going to change the way you use video-conferencing apps like Zoom, how you juggle multiple apps at once, and even how you dig around the settings menus to make everything work the way you want. 

Some of these new changes are so big, they break my general OS rule -- that operating system updates should be like good cinematography in a movie: an important backbone, but not one that stands out too obviously. Why do I usually say that? Because if you change a device's user interface or features too radically, you lose the muscle memory and personal workflow developed over time. But at the same time, change too little and no one will feel the need to update. 

The new version of MacOS is a bigger deal than most, adding many significant new features and improvements. The official release should be coming later in 2022, but the public beta is available now. 

Everyone always says not to install beta operating systems on your primary devices, and I've offered similar counsel in the past. But honestly, once it hits the public beta phase (as opposed to a locked-down developer beta), things are usually in pretty good shape. 

So with that mindset I downloaded and installed MacOS Ventura on a MacBook and iOS 16 on my phone. Didn't even back anything up, just went for it. Yolo, I suppose. 

The next bit of unspoken OS update truth is that most people will never see, use or even be aware of most of the updates, especially as so many are small tweaks that operate behind the scenes, or add functionality you're probably not even looking for. 

But Ventura does a little more than most OS updates, and when combined with iOS 16 or iPadOS 16, you get access to some really useful features. So, while most of Ventura probably won't make a big difference in your day-to-day life, here are four new features in the beta that stand out the most. 

Stage Manager: A better, faster way to get around the Mac

The single biggest visual change in Ventura is this fresh new way to sort and organize various Mac apps and switch between them. Rather than Apple's traditional Cmd-Tab or swiping up with four fingers, Stage Manager puts your active apps in a thumbnail column on the far left side of the screen. 

Click on the app you want and it jumps to the middle of the screen, making it easy to swap between apps on the fly. Sure, it wasn't hard to jump between apps before, but this is a new, very visual way of doing that. If you have multiple windows open in an app (like multiple browser windows), clicking on the thumbnail on that left rail will jump between those windows. 

Stage Manager puts your open apps along a left side rail. 

Screenshot by Dan Ackerman/CNET

Now that I'm using Stage Manager, I can't imagine going back to not using it. However, it does leave us with what I'd call the Double Dock problem. You've now got a horizontal dock at the bottom of the screen and a second quasi-dock running vertically down the left side of the screen. If you want a really clean desktop view and need to hide Stage Manager, pop open the Command Center (the two pills icon) and toggle it off. 

Using an iPhone as a wireless webcam with Camera Continuity. 

Libe Ackerman/CNET

Continuity Camera: Use your iPhone camera, at last

This is something I've been waiting on Apple to implement for many years. The elevator pitch is that you can now use your iPhone as a wireless webcam for your Mac. Sounds simple enough, but before now you had to use a third-party app like EpocCam, which just isn't simple and bug-free enough to rely on for everyday use. 

Now, with Ventura on your Mac and iOS 16 on your phone (both currently via public beta), it's suddenly easy to do and it works in Zoom, FaceTime and many other apps. Just select your phone as a camera from the app's camera selection menu. You do need to be logged in to the same Apple ID on both devices, and on the same Wi-Fi network with Bluetooth enabled. 

Why would you want this? Unless you have the new M2 MacBook Air or the 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro, your MacBook has a pretty unimpressive 720p-resolution camera. Those newer Macs have much better 1080p cameras, but your iPhone rear camera is still going to be much, much better than that. Looking at the 1080p camera in the M2 MacBook next to the video from an iPhone 13 Pro via Camera Continuity, the iPhone was clearly superior. 

There are some extra tricks available in the Command Center under Video Effects, including Center Stage, which follows your face around the frame; Portrait mode, which blurs the background slightly; and Studio Light, which dims the background and brightens your face.

The iPhone makes a great webcam in MacOS Ventura. 

Libe Ackerman/CNET

Potentially more interesting is Desk View, which uses the iPhone's wide-angle lens to capture what's happening just below the laptop's wrist rest and touchpad, even though the phone is pointed directly at your face. It's a stand-alone video app, so you'd screenshare it in Zoom, for example. It's pretty limited right now in what it shows and how it's implemented, but I'm interested in experimenting with it more. 

But wait, there's more. 

How do I position my phone to use it as a webcam, you ask? I'm sure there will be a lot of mini tripods and phone mounts available to clip your phone to the top of a MacBook. 

This 3D-printed clip helped attach an iPhone to the MacBook lid. 

Dan Ackerman/CNET

But I've gone ahead and designed a simple one via TinkerCad, and printed it on a 3D printer. This specific mount is designed for an iPhone 13 Pro Max, with a case, and the new M2 MacBook Air. You can try downloading and printing it if you think it'll fit your phone and laptop; also I'm making the CAD file available as well, so you can adjust the measurements to your liking. 

If you don't have a 3D printer, our list of the best ones is a good place to start. 

The public TinkerCad file is here, and the 3D STL file is here on Thingiverse. 

System Settings/Preferences: Slightly less confusing 

Am I the only one who finds the Mac's traditional System Preference menu confusing? It's a bunch of icons, which seem to shift around with every OS version, and the tools you want are inevitably buried in submenus. I find some of the organizational choices confusing, and question some of the internal logic. 

System Preferences is now... System Settings. 

Dan Ackerman/CNET

The new look and feel of the menu, now called System Settings, is delightfully basic. It's just a list. The actual functionality isn't really different, but I find it much easier to navigate because you can still see the other list entries while inside a specific menu. The somewhat opaque icons and category names are still there and things like click-and-drag for the trackpad are still buried in a submenu of the accessibility menu, but it's nice to move the UX needle toward utility over design. 

Live captions for videos: Make FaceTime calls easier to follow

As a bonus fourth favorite feature, I like the real-time captioning that works across different apps and audio sources. 

YouTube videos already offer closed captions that are pretty good, but livestreams, for example, can be a problem. Other video or video-related services offer a wide range of captioning and subtitle options, some good, some less so. 

Live Captions adds real-time transcription to almost anything. 

Screenshot by Dan Ackerman/CNET

Live captions adds just that, live captions, in a pop-up box and works with real-time spoken-word content from many video sources, including FaceTime calls. That's great for expanding accessibility, but also handy for situations where the person on the other end of your video call isn't clearly audible, has a bad mic, etc. 

I've tried it a few times, and you really do get a nearly instantaneous onscreen transcription of what the other person is saying. It's not a feature I would use all the time, but it's both impressive and useful. 

Venturing into Ventura 

There are many more features in MacOS Ventura, including improvements to Mail, Safari, Spotlight and how passwords are handled. I frankly found those less interesting than the parts I've highlighted above, considering what would make an actual difference in my everyday workflow. Some of these work well now, while others need more time to fully bake, which is understandable considering this is a beta. 

The official version of Ventura should be available this fall, based on when Apple has issued OS updates previously. 

More Mac tips

---

Source

Motorola moto x pure edition battery motorola moto x pure manual motorola moto x pure 4g reviews motorola moto x pure edition motorola moto x xt1060 google bypass motorola moto x motorola moto e motorola moto e6 motorola moto g play

Motorola Moto X Pure Edition (unlocked) review: Customization champ, but middle-of-the-pack phablet overall

Motorola Moto X Pure Edition (unlocked) review: Customization champ, but middle-of-the-pack phablet overall

I like the Moto X Pure Edition (or Style as its globally known), but I was honestly ready to love it. For one thing, it's an unlocked phone available directly from Motorola at a reasonable price, and it's designed to work on all of the major US wireless carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon and Sprint) -- that's a big step up from most unlocked phones that only work on the first two in that list. Likewise, the international Moto X Style should work on all the carriers in whichever territory it's sold -- and many countries will also get the stepdown Moto X Play phone, which is not currently slated for a US release.

In addition, this 5.7-inch follow-up to 2014's Motorola Moto X also promises the same customization options, like choosing between different trim colors and the material of the backing, that made me buy that model as my personal device. And in this sea of lookalike phones, this is a distinct advantage that the Moto X Pure Edition has over its rivals.

But instead, I was disappointed. Its larger design (up from 5.2 inches) feels far too cumbersome for smaller hands like mine. Battery life was unexceptional, its camera wasn't massively impressive and aside from a few minor tweaks, Motorola's Moto services don't feature anything substantially new.

When you compare it to a top-tier large-screen device like the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 , its drawbacks become even more obvious. And if you consider the current diverse landscape of unlocked handsets with the OnePlus 2 and ZTE Axon Pro , Motorola's phone doesn't quite come out on top. Though the Moto X was one of our favorite budget flagships last year, the same can't be said for the Moto X Pure Edition.

Availability

In the US, the handset starts at $400 unlocked ($100 less than last year's starting price). The price will increase, however, depending on storage capacity and certain design options.

In the UK the Style, as it's known, starts at £399 for 32GB of storage, with 64GB setting you back £434.

In Australia the Style is exclusive to Vodafone and only available on contract. It's available on both the AU$80 and AU$100 plans, for AU$3 of monthly handset repayments. That's a total cost over 24 months of AU$1,992 and AU$2,472 respectively.

Design and build

• 5.7-inch display with 2,560x1,440-pixel (2K) resolution
• 6.1 by 3 by 0.4 inches (154 by 76 by 11.1mm)
• 6.3 ounces (179 grams)

Compared to the 2014 Moto X , Motorola increased the Moto X Pure Edition's display by half an inch, bumping up the device's overall footprint. Though it isn't as big as the Google Nexus 6 (which was manufactured by Motorola before Google sold it off to Lenovo), the size jump still makes it notably bigger than the previous 5.2-inch Moto X . That means -- for some -- it won't fit in your front pockets easily and you can't maneuver it with one hand comfortably. I passed it around for several opinions, and even tall people with large hands noted problems reaching for the notifications shade with their thumbs.

We got our hands on a black variant with a walnut wood backing and silver trim.

Josh Miller/CNET

But putting aside the size, it's still an attractive, quality built handset. Its curved backing conforms to your palm and the screen's glass panel smoothly curves down the side edges. The control buttons are narrow, and the ridges on the power/sleep button makes it easier to identify by touch. And Motorola's metal M-dimple on the back of the previous generation has now shrunken in size and sits in an elegant metal strip that runs between it and the camera lens.

Keep in mind that unlike its cheaper Moto G counterpart that came out this year, the phone is not submersible underwater. It is water repellent though, so you won't have to worry about a few water droplets here and there.

The Moto X Pure Edition also has dual front speakers -- as in both speakers will output audio for music and movies (though only the bottom grille will output phone calls on speaker), resulting in a louder and fuller experience. This is different from last year's, which only used one stereo speaker for media, and the other served as the in-ear speaker for calls.

Most importantly, Motorola continues its legacy to enable users to customize the look of the device. You can start with either a black or white base color, choose the accent colors (as in, the color of the speaker grilles on the front and the metal strip on the back), and the color of the back, which also comes in different materials: plastic, wood, bamboo and leather.

Some may argue that the ability to customize the handsets is trivial. But when the mobile market is saturated with so many phones that look the same, having a say over how yours looks (without the use of a case), is one of the few ways to have it stand out and make it truly yours. That matters to people, and it's a need that Motorola has tapped into well.

Other different design options for the Moto X Pure Edition.

Motorola

As for device's display, it's bigger as I mentioned before. It also has a sharp 1,440p resolution and it's maximum brightness level is bright enough to view comfortably outdoors in sunlight. Likewise, the minimum brightness level is also extremely dim, which is useful for avoiding eye-strain when viewing your handset in the dark.

The screen has a wide viewing angle and is responsive to the touch. I had no problems reading text and playing games, and streaming YouTube videos and watching the HD movie "Gravity" looked smooth and crisp. There's also a new setting under Display where you can choose between two color modes: normal or vibrant. Under normal mode, colors are already bright and vivid. But with the latter, hues are more saturated and richer.

Software and features

• Google Android 5.1.1 Lollipop OS
• Minimal Motorola software
• Useful gesture controls

Despite its name, the Moto X Pure Edition isn't exactly the "purest" Android device, at least not compared to the Google's own Nexus family (understandably) and Play Edition handsets (though the latter has ceased all production since January). Don't be too disappointed, though -- if you want an untouched Android experience, Motorola's Moto line comes pretty close.

First, because you can get it unlocked, you won't get any carrier bloatware and branding. Instead, you'll get the usual set of Google apps such as the Chrome Web browser, Gmail, YouTube and more. Second, while you won't have a manufacturer user interface overlaid on top of the phone in the same way TouchWiz and Sense skins Samsung and HTC devices, respectively, Motorola still included some useful features under its Moto app.

These features are accessible under a single Moto app, which has Moto Assist, Actions, Voice and Display. Assist adjusts your Moto X Pure Edition settings depending on where you are or what you're doing. If you've scheduled a meeting into Google Calendar, for example, the device can switch to vibrate right and reply to any missed calls with a predetermined message.

Motorola's suite of software features (left), including Moto Voice commands (right).

Lynn La/CNET

Actions is all about gesture controls: Twist your wrist with the phone in your hand to launch the camera or chop your hand in the air to turn on and off the flash to use as a flashlight.

Motorola's voice input, called Voice, works similarly to Google Now, so if you've used that feature before, you have a good idea of what to do here. It works with both built-in and third-party apps and you can set an alarm, navigate to a destination with Maps, look up a song title that's playing at the moment, begin a Twitter post and more.

Display shows any missed notifications you have, even while the device is sleeping, with a wave gesture. The current time and any missed notifications will pop up in white. You can preview a missed notification by longpressing its app icon, or press-and-swipe to launch it directly from the screen.

Because it offers a nearly vanilla Android experience, you won't get any carrier bloatware.

Josh Miller/CNET

Two other apps, Moto Connect and Migrate, round up the last of the handset's Motorola software. Connect manages all peripheral Motorola gadgets you may have like the Moto 360 smartwatch or a pair of its wireless headphones. Migrate helps you port over your contacts, apps and other files from a previous phone onto your new Moto X Pure Edition.

For the most part, Motorola's software works well. I am a fan of Moto Display, which doesn't sound like much, but it saves you from having to press the power button throughout the day to see any missed notifications. And while it isn't a new feature, flicking the device to fire up the camera is convenient and saves a lot of time.

The handset is, however, loaded with your standard line of Google apps.

Josh Miller/CNET

I did run into some issues, however. For one thing, you'll need the latest version of the Moto app to update your status on Facebook hands-free through Moto Voice. Otherwise, the handset will reply that it can't connect to "the cloud" after you dictate a post. And while you can dictate Facebook posts and text messages, you can't do the same on Twitter. Voice just activates a small Twitter window so you can begin posting, but you'll need to type out the actual message.

It's also unclear what requires you to say your PIN when you use Voice commands while the phone is locked. For example, posting to Facebook prompts a PIN confirmation, but sending a text doesn't. The chopping gesture to activate the flash also doesn't feel natural or work as smoothly, and half the time I'm afraid I'll end up chucking my device across the room.

But perhaps the most disappointing thing is that compared to its predecessor, the Moto X Pure Edition doesn't offer anything substantial in terms of new software. A small amount of tweaks have been made, but overall, nothing substantial has been added. In some ways that's understandable since Motorola is purposely staying as close to the pure Android experience as one can get. But it's still a bit of a letdown to know that your new handset carries the same bag of tricks as it did last year.

Cameras and video

• 21-megapixel rear-facing camera
• 5-megapixel front-facing camera
• Can record 4K (rear) and 1,080p (front) video
• Night mode shooting and wide-angle front-facing camera has its own flash

The native camera app isn't loaded with tons of editing features, but both cameras do have HDR (high dynamic range) shooting, a touch-focus module where you can adjust the exposure as well, a digital zoom, a timer and geotagging. They also have a flash (yes, even the front-facing camera so you can brighten up your selfies) and a new shooting mode called "night mode" for low-light environments. Photos can be taken in either the wide 16:9 aspect ratio or the more squarish 4:3.

As for video, both front and rear cameras can record 1,080p HD footage and slow-mo videos in 720p (a change from the predecessor's better 1,080p slow-mo capabilities). While shooting video, you can also take pictures and pause recording.

The rear camera in particular can also take panoramic photos and scan QR codes and bar codes to look up via Google or copy onto the clipboard. And on top of already shooting 1,080p video, it can also record ultra-HD 4K video, which -- at 3,840x2,160p -- offers four times the resolution of 1,080p. That's state of the art -- albeit of dubious value, however.

Say cheese! The front-facing camera comes with its own flash. Josh Miller/CNET

In this well-lit indoor photo, objects are still clear and easy to make out, and lighting is evenly exposed. Lynn La/CNET

As for picture quality, photos looked decent, and the camera does well for everyday informal shots. Though they didn't manage to blow me away, it's still adequate enough to post online or print out a small photo.

Pictures taken outdoors or in amply-lit indoor environments looked great: colors were accurate, objects were clear with defined outlines and you can still see a lot of details retained at full resolution. There were a few times when the phone took a couple of tries to focus on an object up close, but eventually it'd lock on and snap a clear picture. Photos taken in low-light environments didn't fare as well, which is a common occurrence in smartphone photography. Though night mode improved exposure somewhat, I still saw a noticeable amount of digital noise, graininess and muted colors.

Because the front-facing camera has a wide-angle lens, my photos captured more content and space into the frame. As such, however, do expect to get some elongated angles near the corners of your pictures. For more information on camera quality, click the photos below to view them at their full resolution.

Video quality was solid. Nearby and distant audio was picked up well without any noticeable noise distortion, and both moving and still objects looked smooth and sharp. There was no discernible lag between my moving of the camera and what I saw in the viewfinder, and the camera was able to swiftly shift focus and exposure as I moved it around.

Night mode brightened up this dimly lit bar a tad -- but the photo is still not so great.

Lynn La/CNET

In our standard studio shot, these items look clear and defined, and the flash didn't leave any harsh reflections against the background.

Lynn La/CNET

This photo taken on a sunny day shows true-to-life colors and images that are sharp and in focus.

Lynn La/CNET

Though the stems and leaves on the right are clear, the right pomegranate gets blurry around the edges.

Lynn La/CNET

With its wide-angle front-facing camera, you can capture more content with your selfies (or groupies if you have friends).

Lynn La/CNET

Hardware performance

• 1.8GHz 6-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808
• 600MHz Adreno 418 graphics processing unit
• 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of internal storage with up to 128GB of expandable memory
• 3GB of RAM
• 3,000mAh nonremovable battery

Though the Moto X Pure Edition's processor has a lower clock speed than its predecessor (from 2.5 to 1.8GHz), its Snapdragon 808 processor still operates swiftly and smoothly. For one thing, the CPU is no slacker (it's the same one featured in the LG G4 ) and the RAM has been bumped up to 3GB. In general, I didn't notice any stuttering issues or lag while executing a number of everyday tasks like calling up the app drawer, opening the camera and switching between apps. Images for graphics-intensive games like Riptide GP 2 and Kill Shot were rendered fast and smooth, and the overall gaming experience was solid. It took about 37 seconds to power off and restart the device and 1.38 seconds to launch the camera.

Also, unlike the previous two versions of the Moto X, Motorola added a MicroSD card slot that can hold up to 128GB of extra memory -- giving you more breathing room for your photos and files.

But while the handset provides plenty of power to satisfy your daily smartphone needs, its benchmark scores falls behind its competitors. That's not surprising since the Galaxy Note 5 belongs to a more premium caliber, and both the OnePlus 2 and the ZTE Axon Pro sport the 8-core Snapdragon 810 processor. In that sense, the Moto X Pure Edition performed well for itself, but aside from having the second-highest single-core Geekbench 3 result among the latter two, it altogether fell a bit short of the other devices.

Benchmark test comparison

Motorola Moto X Pure Edition 19,725 1,271 3,528 Samsung Galaxy Note 5 24,589 1,488 4,939 OnePlus 2 22,645 1,142 4,461 ZTE Axon Pro 25,742 868 3,958

• 3DMark Ice Storm (unlimited)
• Geekbench 3 (single-core)
• Geekbench 3 (multi-core)

Note: Longer bars indicate better performance

Call quality and data speeds

• GSM/GPRS/EDGE: (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
• CDMA: (800/850/1900MHz)
• UMTS/HSPA+: (850/900/1700(AWS)/1900/2100MHz)
• LTE B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/17/25/26/38/41
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/g/b/n/ac + MIMO
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/g/b/n/ac + MIMO

For US customers, Motorola's handset is unique because it works for carriers that operate on either GSM or CDMA technology. Meaning, for example, the phone can make calls and surf the Internet on AT&T and T-Mobile's network (which uses the GSM standard) and do the same on Verizon and Sprint (which uses CDMA). This isn't a huge deal if you don't plan on leaving your carrier, but for those switching from a GSM to CDMA carrier or vice versa, or already have two devices on these different platforms, know that you can use the same Moto X no matter what network you go with.

Motorola Moto X Pure Edition average data speeds

4G LTE download rate	11.7Mbps
4G LTE upload rate	15.82Mbps
CNET mobile site load	4 seconds
CNET desktop site load	4 seconds
Temple Run 2 app download (44.52MB)	34 seconds
"Gravity" movie download (1.7GB)	24 minutes and 31 seconds

As for call quality, I tested the unlocked handset using AT&T's cellular network. Call quality was great. Volume range was appropriate (with the maximum volume being satisfyingly loud), my calling partner was clear and easy to understand and I didn't pick up any extraneous buzzing or static. Audio speaker was also reliable. As I mentioned before, speaker calls only comes out from the bottom grille, but that's still enough to hear my partner well, even when I was outdoors nearby noisy traffic. Likewise, I was told that I sounded good too, and when I stepped outdoors, my partner did not pick up any background sounds from the surrounding environment.

The phone's fast-charging Turbo Charger.

Josh Miller/CNET

Data speeds on AT&T's 4G LTE network were fast. According to Ookla's speed test, it had an average download rate of 11.7Mbps and upload rate of 15.82Mbps. It took about 4 seconds to load each of CNET's mobile and desktop site and 34 seconds to download and install the 44.52MB game Temple Run 2. One attempt to download the 1.7GB, high-definition movie "Gravity" took 24 minutes and 31 seconds.

Battery Life

With heavy usage, the Motorola X Pure Edition's non-removable battery can deplete quickly. After spending a workday surfing the Web, downloading apps and making calls, I hit 30 percent by late afternoon. To last the rest of the evening, I had to plug in the device for a charge.

During our battery drain test for continuous video playback, the handset lasted an average of 8 hours and 46 minutes. Although last year's Moto X had a smaller screen, its lower-capacity 2,300mAh battery lasted over 10 hours. And compared to its rivals, the OnePlus 2's 3,300mAh battery lasted 9 hours and 46 minutes (though we weren't very impressed with that performance either), and the Axon Pro's 3,000mAh battery lasted shorter at 8 hours and 8 minutes (again, not the best from all parties). I you want to know what does impress us, the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 -- while admittedly a higher-tiered phone and expensive than all these devices -- lasted a whopping 15 hours of continuous playback on its 3,000mAh battery.

Motorola's handset, however, does come with a 25-watt Turbo Power charger, which promises to juice up your battery quickly. It does, in fact, charge the phone in a jiffy. When completely drained, it took only about an hour and 15 minutes to charge to 100 percent. And if you need to charge in a pinch, shutting it off and plugging it in for 10 minutes will gain about 20 percent battery life.

Conclusion

The Motorola Moto X Pure Edition is a great device for specific users. Google Android fans who can't wait until late September for the next Nexus reveal will enjoy the handset's nearly unsullied Android experience. The $400 phone bucks the current trend by offering external storage, and loops in support for the world's most prevalent network technologies -- CDMA and GSM -- so it should work with almost every carrier.

And with its numerous choices of color accents, engravings and materials, having a Moto X Pure Edition means having a device that reflects your own style. Heavily consider this handset if that's an important asset for you.

If it's not, however, there are lots of viable alternatives. If money isn't an issue, the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is the reigning Android supersize phone: It's powerful, stylish and has a long-lasting battery.

The Moto X Pure Edition is witnessing a far more competitive landscape for unlocked handsets than its predecessor.

Josh Miller/CNET

In addition, the mobile landscape for unlocked phones has changed a lot since last year's Moto X came out. They are getting more powerful at a lower cost.

For US customers, the $500 ZTE Axon Pro costs $100 more but has a 8-core Snapdragon 810 processor, 4GB of RAM and tons of native camera features. Globally, you can try and nab the OnePlus 2 . Due to its limited availability it can be hard to get, but if you do, it starts at the very competitive price of $330 (£215 or AU$450, converted). It's also equipped with the 810 CPU and if you're keen on wood backings like the ones that come with the Moto Xs, the OnePlus 2 has that as well.

All in all, the Moto X Pure Edition is a reliable and quality-built device, but if you have the previous model, don't feel like you're missing out on anything. The competition is fierce these days, and while the Moto X may be partially to blame for setting my expectations too high, the X Pure Edition just doesn't deliver that winning combination of style, power and value that I've come to expect.

---

Source

Pete davidson squid game snl squid game online youtube snl squid game squid game parody on snl squid game online free squid game online game squid game online watch squid game on roblox squid game games squid game codes squid game song

Squid Game on SNL: Pete Davidson and Rami Malek deliver a deadly parody

---

Squid Game on SNL: Pete Davidson and Rami Malek deliver a deadly parody

Squid Game , the Netflix hit about a deadly tournament of kids' games, has spawned memes and Halloween costumes galore. Now it's spawned a country music video. Over the weekend, Saturday Night Live ran a scarily realistic Squid Game sketch starring host Rami Malek and Pete Davidson as rural guys who find themselves in need of cash, so they decide to sign up for the Squid Game.

All the elements from the show are there -- the green numbered track suits worn by contestants, the red guard suits with black masks, the creepy Red Light, Green Light robot, the contestant egg meal, the cookie challenge, the glass bridge. There's even a great version of Player 212 (Han Mi-nyeo), who looks just as murderous as ever. 

The song may sound familiar to some. It uses the tune of Turn Up On The Weekend, by the duo Branchez & Big Wet. (Watch the real thing below.)

Will there be a second season of Squid Game? Maybe, and we have some plot and character thoughts.

In SNL's version, both Malek and Davidson sing about the realities of the tournament as they move through the familiar sets and games. 

"They got symbols on their faces like the ones on PlayStations, and the mean guy looks like Dr. Doom," Davidson sings about the guards and the iconic Front Man. And in the Red Light, Green Light game, Davidson successfully hides behind cast member Chris Redd, which doesn't end well for Redd, who ends up in the organ transplant room. But as the catchy song goes, "That's what happens in the Squid Game."

---

Source

Facebook portal go amazon facebook portal go and portal facebook portal google meet can you go live with facebook portal facebook portal go portal facebook portal go facebook portal go review facebook portal go manual facebook portal go amazon facebook portal google assistant facebook portal go price facebook portal go tutorial facebook portal device facebook portal 10 inch facebook portal login facebook portal

Facebook Portal Go: A battery-powered smart display that doesn't make sense

---

Facebook Portal Go: A battery-powered smart display that doesn't make sense

Facebook, despite its ongoing privacy troubles and Congressional inquiries, is pressing forward with hardware. The second generation of its Portal Plus smart display and the new, battery-powered Portal Go are now available. When I heard the pitch from Facebook representatives for a battery-powered smart display with a camera shutter and a handle, I was optimistic. At least, I thought, Facebook was doing something new -- a portable smart display. 

Molly Price/CNET

After a week of testing, it's hard for me to recommend the Portal Go. Limited apps and unintuitive quirks combined with Facebook's overarching privacy issues are enough for me to steer everyone in another direction. If the $200 Portal Go had wowed me in any facet of my evaluation, I would give it its due praise. It just didn't. It's expensive and unnecessary. Still, there are interesting points and features. If you're going to skip out on the latest tech, you should know why. Let's dive into the details. 

The obvious question

Like most folks, I wondered "Why not just buy a tablet?" After all, Portal has Alexa built-in but is far from focused on the smart home like the Nest Hub or an Echo Show. It's billed mostly as a chatting/meeting device. I asked Facebook directly and here's its spokesperson's response in full: 

The first major difference is that Portal is focused on connecting people and it's built for the home, so we've made design choices that optimize for that. Portal also has a Smart Camera with an ultrawide field of view which is a differentiator for video calling – group calls feel more natural and calls tend to last longer. And with Facebook Assistant and Alexa Built-in, Portal enables hands-free functionality which is increasingly expected in places like the kitchen where your hands are often busy with other tasks. 

We spoke a lot about Portal+ as a great work companion device, but Portal Go is also great as a second screen for work – you can free up your laptop so that you can connect with colleagues and be more productive by taking notes or reviewing other materials. And the audio on Portal is better – it's tuned for video calling and a great speaker when you are not on calls.   

And, Portal is meant to be used as a communal device that is available for everyone in the home. Tablets are really designed as personal devices and aren't typically used in ways where household members can depend on them being available. Household mode is an example of how we are building on this – a computer for the house that can be shared, and anyone can use to make a call and deliver a more personalized experience through our support for multiple users.

There's a fair argument here for Portals being a better shared device than a tablet. Most parents I know don't want their kid handling their personal tablet, but that's also why so many kid-friendly models are out there. Big rubber cases and kid-friendly apps with parental control options deliver everything a family wants and needs in a portable interface. 

The Portal Go includes settings to allow multiple users with customized experiences, so kids won't accidentally Zoom your boss. Not all smart displays include kid profiles in that manner, but many tablets do. Samsung's line of Galaxy Tabs has a Samsung Kids mode. iPads don't deliver as much here, but there is a "guided access" mode that locks out the touchscreen so you can plop on that one episode of Paw Patrol and go about your business.  

The Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition is made just for kids.

Amazon

Spec-wise, both the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 and the Amazon Fire HD 10 have a better screen resolution than the Portal (2,000x1,200 and 1,920x1,200 pixels respectively). The ability to download Amazon and Google smart home apps makes them decent tools for operating a smart home. Camera specs vary across tablets and displays, but the Portal Go isn't better than most of them when it comes to megapixels or field of view. 

Design

Here's where Facebook gets a few points. I like the idea of a portable smart display. They're trying something new. It's not a tablet and it doesn't look like one. A built-in handle on the back of the Portal Go makes it easy to pick up. It's lightweight enough at three pounds. The thick base tapers up to the top for a sturdy, but still streamlined look.

The back of the Portal Go features a built-in handle. 

Molly Price/CNET

Fabric covers the body of the display that houses two 5-watt, full-range speakers and one 20-watt woofer. The Portal Go puts out plenty of sounds for casual music and video streaming. I liked the intuitive, physical volume buttons on the top of the device.

It might not beat out a tablet option, especially if you buy a folio cover and prop your tablet up for viewing. It doesn't rotate like the Show 10, or even tilt like its larger sibling, the Portal Plus. Still, it's nice to look at and I enjoyed toting it around the house while I did chores and caught up on my favorite YouTube channels, via the Browser bookmark. It freed up my phone, tablet and my laptop.

Features

This is the limiting factor here for me. The Portal Go just doesn't do as much as any other tablet or smart display on the market. There are so few apps (24) that I have room to list them here. Imagine if I tried to do that with a tablet, Amazon Echo skills or Google Nest compatible apps and devices. We'd need a bigger internet. Here's the entire list, in alphabetical order:

• Alexa
• BlueJeans
• Browser
• Calendar
• CBS News
• Deezer
• Facebook Live
• Food Network
• GoToMeeting
• iHeartRadio
• Newsy
• Pandora
• Photo Booth
• Plex
• Red Bull TV
• SideChef
• Spotify
• Story Time
• Tidal Music
• Watch
• Webex Meetings
• Workplace
• Workplace Live
• Zoom

What's really odd here is what's missing. There's no native Facebook, Instagram, Messenger or WhatsApp app you can click on to open the platform. Features from those apps are built into various parts of the Portal experience. You can link your Instagram account to display your feed photos on the Portal Go's ambient screen. Messenger chat rooms can be created in the Portal Contacts app. You can use WhatsApp to set up the Portal instead of Facebook (but it will disable the "Hey, Portal" voice integration). 

Facebook representatives told me that's because, "The core use for Portal is video calling and to make it easier for people to connect with their family, friends and colleagues. You can use the web browser on Portal to access your favorite Facebook apps. People have other devices they typically use for browsing Facebook, Instagram, etc."

That makes sense, I suppose. I'm not likely to scroll instagram on a display that isn't small and handheld or hunt and peck on a vertical touchscreen to reply to WhatsApp messages. Just be warned if you think this device is a one-stop shop for all your social apps -- it isn't.

Facebook could choose to add more apps with future updates. Other smart display makers have certainly done so in the past. It's possible that this list will expand. However, as it stands today, these are all your options for apps on the Portal Go. 

Video chatting

You can video chat through Zoom, Webex, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting and Workplace. Facebook told me that Microsoft Teams support is in the works for later this year. Video calling your contacts happens through the Contacts app, where you'll create a Messenger room to chat. You can add up to seven people to your room, for a total of eight including yourself. The contacts available here are pulled from the WhatsApp or Facebook account you used to set up the Portal. The friends and family you call don't need to have a Portal device. 

The Portal Go's AR camera and add-ins like Story Time are the big selling points here. Tapping the Experiences button in your video calls can add fun filters and special effects. There you'll find the safe effects and filters from the Photo Booth app, as well as access to Story Time, Photo Casting and the Watch Together feature for streaming Facebook Watch content. 

A scene from the Dr. Seuss book There's a Wocket in my Pocket.

Molly Price/CNET

Open Story Time during a call and you'll find dozens of fun stories with filters and special effects that interact with the story teller on camera. Content includes Dr. Seuss, Pete the Cat, Llama Llama, Todd Parr and Jon Burgerman. There are also classic stories like Three Little Pigs, Itsy Bitsy Spider and Little Red Riding Hood. It really is fun and interactive and I wish it were available on better devices.

Alexa on Portal

Alexa is built into the Portal Go. You can access it via voice or from the Alexa app. In the app, a familiar Alexa dashboard displays your devices and has menu options for music, devices and more. Some Easter egg features like Alexa's recent Halloween routine with special effects and sounds didn't work on the Portal Go or Plus. The correct screen appeared, but the audio glitched and skipped most of the content. That's a small thing, but something you wouldn't encounter on an Amazon display. 

Like previous models, the Portal Go has both "Hey, Portal" and Alexa capability. It certainly doesn't simplify anything and it sometimes leaves you wondering, "Wait, which assistant am I supposed to ask for this?"

The Alexa dashboard on the Portal Go shows options for using the assistant.

Molly Price/CNET

"Hey, Portal" commands control things like calling, playing music, putting the device to sleep and even some general knowledge. That means there's overlap between "Hey, Portal" (you can also say "Hey, Facebook") and Alexa, who is primarily present to answer general questions, set reminder, control smart home devices and all the normal Alexa things you'd expect. 

The last thing a smart device should do is prompt more thinking or decision making when you're trying to use it. The split personality here doesn't feel intuitive enough to be useful. 

Privacy

Adjacent to any Facebook hardware is the ongoing saga of Facebook's data and privacy failings. You can dig deeper into the Portal privacy features here, but these are the big takeaways:

Portal devices are listening for the "Hey, Portal" wake word. If it hears that phrase, Portal sends a short transcript and recording of the voice interaction to Facebook. Stored "Hey, Portal" and "Hey, Facebook" voice interactions are kept on Facebook's servers for up to three years, while "false wakes" are deleted within 90 days of detection. 

You can review and delete voice interactions recorded and transcribed from the "Hey, Portal" prompt. You can also choose to disable voice interaction recording all together, though it is on by default. If you only connect your Portal to WhatsApp and not Facebook, "Hey, Portal" won't work at all, due to WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption. 

You can disable the camera and microphone by tapping the mute button on the top of the device or sliding the camera's physical cover. A red light indicates those features are disabled. The Portal Go's camera uses AI technology that is processed locally, not on Facebook servers. The Portal Go's camera does not use facial recognition.

A physical shutter, red light and on-screen notification let you know the camera and microphones are off. 

Molly Price/CNET

The better options

There are two ways you could approach Portal alternatives. If you're looking for streaming, lots of apps, including social media but liked the portability of the Portal Go, get a tablet. Nearly any model from Samsung, Amazon or Apple will give you more capability, processing power and options for streaming and social media platforms. Throw in an Apple Pencil, S Pen or generic stylus and you've got even more flexibility. 

If you're hoping for an Alexa-focused smart home device, the Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 10 are both fantastic (and often more affordable) options with broader apps for streaming and video chatting. 

The following charts compare popular tablets and smart displays with the Portal Plus and Portal Go.

Portals vs. tablets

	Portal Go	Portal Plus	Galaxy Tab A7	Amazon Fire HD 10	iPad (2021)
Price	$200	$350	$650	$150	from $329
Screen size	10.1 inches	14 inches	11 inches	10.1 inches	10.2 inches
Resolution	1,200x800	2,160x1,440	2,560x1,600	1,920x1,200	2,160x1,620
Camera	12 megapixels	12 megapixels	8 megapixels front, 13 and 5 megapixels rear	2 megapixels front, 5 megapixels rear	12 megapixels front, 8 megapixels rear
Physical shutter	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Field of view	125 degrees	131 degrees	80 degrees	Not listed	122 degrees
Portable	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Kid mode	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Limited (Guided Access)
Video apps	Zoom, Webex, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, Workplace	Zoom, Webex, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, Workplace	All available from the Google Play Store	All available from the Amazon app store	All available from the App Store
Music apps	Deezer, Pandora, Spotify, Tidal, iHeartRadio	Deezer, Pandora, Spotify, Tidal, iHeartRadio	All available from the Google Play Store	All available from the Amazon Appstore	All available from the App Store
Streaming apps	Facebook Watch, Red Bull TV, Food Network, Facebook Live, CBS News, Plex	Facebook Watch, Red Bull TV, Food Network, Facebook Live, CBS News, Plex	All available from the Google Play Store	All available from the Amazon Appstore	All available from the App Store
Smart home compatibility	Alexa	Alexa	Alexa app, Google Assistant app	Alexa	Siri, Alexa app, Google Assistant app
Internet browser	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Portals vs. smart displays

	Portal Go	Portal Plus	Nest Hub Max	Echo Show 8	Echo Show 10
Price	$200	$350	$229	$100	$250
Screen size	10.1 inches	14 inches	10 inches	8 inches	10.1 inches
Resolution	1,280x800	2,160x1,440	1,280x800	1,280x800	1,280x800
Camera	12 megapixels	12 megapixels	6.5 megapixels	13 megapixels	13 megapixels
Physical shutter	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Field of view	125 degrees	131 degrees	127 degrees	110 degrees	110 degrees
Portable	Yes	No	No	No	No
Kid mode	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Video apps	Zoom, Webex, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, Workplace	Zoom, Webex, BlueJeans, GoToMeeting, Workplace	Zoom, Google Duo	Zoom, Skype, Chime	Zoom, Skype, Chime
Music apps	Deezer, Pandora, Spotify, Tidal, iHeartRadio	Deezer, Pandora, Spotify, Tidal, iHeartRadio	Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, Pandora, iHeartRadio, Deezer	Apple music, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, Audible, SiriusXM, Headspace, NPR and more	Apple music, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, Audible, SiriusXM, Headspace, NPR and more
Streaming apps	Facebook Watch, Red Bull TV, Food Network, Facebook Live, CBS News, Plex	Facebook Watch, Red Bull TV, Food Network, Facebook Live, CBS News, Plex	Netflix, Youtube, CW, HBONow, Starz, Red Bull TV, Crackle	Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Food Network, Red Bull TV, Tubi	Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Food Network, Red Bull TV, Tubi
Smart home compatibility	Alexa	Alexa	Google	Alexa	Alexa
Internet browser	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes

---

Source