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How to spy on your lover, the smartphone way
How to spy on your lover, the smartphone way
Perfect. Screenshot by Chris Matyszczyk/CNET
Trust is like love.
You want to believe in it, but then your rational side kicks in and dents your faith.
Here at the Ministry of Failed Relationships, we understand this. There is nothing worse than committing yourself to someone who poses as your soulmate, only to discover that their soul has drunkenly mated with a passing half-sized halfwit.
One company has -- perhaps inadvertently -- stumbled upon a notion that might ease your worried brow. Or confirm your dearest fear. For it is now offering phones that have built-in spyware.
A sample of my chat with Karen, whom I trust completely. Screenshot by Chris Matyszczyk/CNET
mSpy created its software with a mind to, say, help parents track their unruly teens. Now, however, with the release of preloaded phones such as the HTC One, Nexus 5, Samsung Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5S, you can merely buy your lover a gift and watch it keep on giving.
So there. Screenshot by Chris Matyszczyk/CNET
Mind you, mSpy's founder, Andrei Shimanovich, told Forbes it's not actually his business how people will end up using this nifty software.
Or think of it this way: spy software doesn't spy on people, but rather people spy on other people.
Indeed, though the concept of spying has enjoyed some nuanced developments over the last few months, I was reasonably sure that spying on my lover would be illegal.
So for starters I thought I'd IM with an mSpy rep to see how easy this whole thing was. I posed as a troubled lover, and in return got what seemed to be rather canned answers.
Me: Can I really spy on my lover with this? I think she may be cheating on me.
Karen, the sales manager: You can do that once you install mSpy on her phone.
Me: Is it easy to install?
Karen: It is very easy and fast to install mSpy on the target phone.
Me: But how can I do it without her knowing?
Karen: We can walk you through installation after purchase.
I then told Karen which type of phone I'd like to track. An iPhone 5. Yes, I imagine my perfect, imaginary lover has an iPhone 5.
Karen's reply:
Dear Customer, please be advised that an iPhone must be jailbroken before the installation, but the process is very fast and easy - it takes only few minutes to jailbreak an iPhone. You can check on how to jailbreak an iPhone on http://iclarified.com/jailbreak and http://iclarified.com/jailbreak for iOS 7 +. Kindly be advised that we're the only company who assists with jailbreak. Once an iPhone is jailbroken Cydia icon will appear on the Springboard. But you can hide it after you install the app, so there will be no traces left.
I confess that there was a certain side of me that felt excited, although if I was to spy on my imaginary lover there would surely soon be no traces of the relationship left.
Moreover, the legalities were still preying on my conscience. When I asked "But how can I do it without her knowing?" I fear that my IM buddy heard only "how can I do it" and provided merely a practical response, missing the "without her knowing" portion of the question and its deeper foray into the ethics of the situation. Or maybe that was something for later in the discussion, when we got down to brass tacks.
Still curious, I wandered over to the mSpy legal agreement. It reads, in part:
It is a considered federal and/or state violation of the law in most cases to install surveillance software onto a mobile phone or other device for which you do not have proper authorization, and in most cases you are required to notify users of the device that they are being monitored. Failure to do so may result in a violation of federal or state laws, if you install this software onto a device you do not own or if you do not have proper consent to monitor the user of the device.
After these words of warning, in large blue type is, "We absolutely do not endorse the use of our software for illegal purposes."
But I always thought that all was legal in love and war.
Still, was mSpy just ever so slightly encouraging me to spy on my lover?
I've had lovers sneak into my emails and probe my phone. When I discovered them, their reply was always: "What? You thought I wouldn't? Do I look stupid?" Or expressions to that effect.
So perhaps all this spying is, indeed, quite normal. But it won't have mSpy's official seal of approval.
An mSpy spokeswoman told me:
mSpy does advocate notifying users of the device that they are being monitored. During the installation stage (which had yet to be approached), users need to tick off a few boxes confirming that they have informed the monitored party and got his/her consent. As well, customer services representatives are required to share with you this information as you navigate the process. mSpy's disclaimer clearly state that we do not approve of the illegal use of our software and in the case when the legal breach has been identified we will cooperate with relevant authorities, if required.
I leave all this, therefore, to your conscience, just as I leave national security to the consciences of those who direct it.
Most people will admit that they'd dearly wished they had evidence to back up their suspicions, when they thought their lovers were less than faithful.
But those suspicions in themselves surely described the truth of the relationship.
The difficulty, of course, is waiting for that truth to emerge. Some wait for days, months or even years to discover that what they'd feared was true. Or, more painfully, to discover that the truth was even worse than they'd feared.
Spying can never save a relationship. All it can save is time.
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This Week's Most Exciting Crypto News: UK Announces NFT and More
This Week's Most Exciting Crypto News: UK Announces NFT and More
This week brought some exciting developments in the world of cryptocurrency and NFTs. Our lead story is the UK's push to become a center for crypto asset investment and technology. We'll also dive into a south Florida case where US authorities confiscated $34 million in cryptocurrency and Robinhood's new cryptocurrency wallet. Lastly, we'll discuss Tom Brady's NFT sales, a collection of NFT stick figures going for wild sums of money and what happened to the first mainstream video game to integrate NFTs as in-game items.
Welcome Nonfungible Tidbits, CNET's weekly roundup of news in crypto, bitcoin, NFTs and their related realms. Read on to find out about the six stories you may have missed this week, and stay tuned for more next week.
UK announces NFT to promote national crypto initiative
The U.K. wants to be "a global hub for cryptoasset technology and investment."
HM Treasury
The British government announced plans on Monday to make the UK a global hub for investment and tech in crypto assets. The UK is looking to make stablecoins a valid form of payment, and the Royal Mint will issue an NFT to promote Britain's crypto push. "The measures we've outlined today will help to ensure firms can invest, innovate and scale up in this country," UK finance minister Rishi Sunak said in the announcement. This comes just weeks after the country's financial regulator declared all bitcoin ATMs in the UK illegal and ordered them to shut down. The country's advertising authority has also been cracking down on crypto ads in the country for failing to highlight risks associated with cryptocurrency investing.
Read CNET's full story on the UK's NFT and crypto plans here.
US Authorities Seize $34M in Crypto in South Florida Case
Angela Lang/CNET
US authorities confiscated 34 million worth of cryptocurrency that was allegedly made from selling illicit items and stolen accounts from online services, including HBO, Netflix and Uber, on the dark web, the Justice Department said Monday. The DOJ says this is one of the largest cryptocurrency forfeiture actions the US has ever filed. The announcement didn't specify the identity of the south Florida resident the cryptocurrency was confiscated from or if the DOJ was pursuing further legal action.
Read CNET's full story on the cryptocurrency confiscation here.
Robinhood rolls out cryptocurrency wallet for people on waiting list
Getty
Robinhood's cryptocurrency wallet is now available for eligible users who previously signed up for the waiting list. The wallet's release was announced by Robinhood CPO Aparna Chennapragada on Thursday at the Bitcoin conference in Miami. The Robinhood crypto wallet allows transferring cryptocurrency into external wallets with daily withdrawals capped at $2,999 total and 10 transactions. However, residents in Hawaii, New York and Nevada are not eligible to sign up, due to state regulations. Robinhood has been a subject of controversy since the company's role in the GameStop stock saga.
Read CNET's full story on Robinhood releasing the cryptocurrency wallets here.
ESPN, Tom Brady sell NFTs to promote documentary series
Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
An NFT collection from ESPN and Tom Brady was released Wednesday in concert with the Tom Brady documentary series 'Man in the Arena: Tom Brady' arriving on Hulu and Disney Plus. The NFTs feature ESPN magazine covers of Brady, range from $100 to $500 and have already sold out. Brady, along with his wife, Gisele Bündchen, previously took an equity stake in the cryptocurrency exchange FTX and released a commercial for the crypto company.
Read CNET's full story on the NFTs from ESPN and Tom Brady here.
NFT stick figures are selling for thousands of dollars
OpenSea
Over $100 million in cryptocurrency has been spent on 'mfers,' an NFT collection featuring drawings of stick figures in front of color backgrounds. Recently, the least expensive NFT in the collection was 3.97 ether, or around $14,000, and the collection's simple art is very much on purpose. "Underlying mfers' meme art is, hilariously, an argument about intellectual property," says CNET Senior Writer Daniel Van Boom.
Read CNET's full story on why mfers are selling and what's driving the prices here.
First mainstream video game to use in-game NFTs will end new content
Ubisoft
Ubisoft became the first big video game developer to integrate NFTs into mainstream video games when the company introduced 'digits' in Ghost Recon Breakpoint earlier this year, a move that didn't go over well with much of the game's fanbase. On April 5, only a few months post-integration, Ubisoft announced it is ending new content for the game. However, Ubisoft is looking to hire more blockchain-related roles at the company and reportedly wants to put NFTs in future games, so gamers can probably expect to see NFTs in upcoming Ubisoft titles.
Thanks for reading. We'll be back with plenty more next week. In the meantime, check out this cautionary tale from Farnoosh Torabi on how bitcoin blackmailers tried to steal from her dad's E-Trade account.
Sony x80j 4k uhd google television sony x800h review rtings sony x80 tv review sony x80 tv review sony x80j tv review sony x80k tv review sony x80j tv review sony x80k tv review
Sony X80K TV Review: Google TV Smarts, Basic Features and Picture
Sony X80K TV Review: Google TV Smarts, Basic Features and Picture
Sony has been making TVs for 60 years and today it's known for best for expensive, high-performance screens. In 2022 it continued the trend by releasing a kitchen sink worth of high-tech displays, from 8K to mini-LED to QD-OLED, and most demand serious cash. So far 2022 is more about tightening belts than bells and whistles, however, so I took a look at Sony's cheapest TV first. The X80K is a decent all-around performer, and could appeal to TV shoppers on a budget who just want a Sony, but you can certainly do better for the money.
Like
Accurate color
Capable Google TV smart system
Plenty of connectivity
Subtle, understated design
Don't Like
Mediocre contrast and black levels
More expensive than competing TVs with better picture quality
In early summer the X80K costs about the same as the Samsung QN60B and the TCL 6-Series. In my side-by-side comparison of the three in CNET's TV test lab, the Samsung looked slightly better overall than the Sony, with superior brightness and contrast, while the TCL totally trounced them both. That might be a surprise if you're new to the TV buying game and just paying attention to brands -- wait, a TCL looks better than a Sony? -- but if you look at their underlying technologies, it makes perfect sense. The Sony and Samsung use basic LCD backlights while the TCL leverages step-up screen tech, namely full-array local dimming and mini-LED.
Beyond picture I did like Sony's Google smart TV system and no-fuss design, and it comes in a wide array of sizes. Later in the year it's sure to receive hefty price cuts, like TVs always do around the Black Friday and the holidays, that could make it more competitive. For now, however, the X80K doesn't do enough beyond its name to stand out.
Sony KD-X80K sizes, series comparison
I performed a hands-on evaluation of the 55-inch Sony KD-55X80K, but this review also applies to the other screen sizes in the series. All sizes have identical specs and should provide very similar picture quality.
Sony KD-43X80K, 43-inch Sony KD-50X80K, 50-inch Sony KD-55X80K, 55-inch Sony KD-65X80K, 65-inch Sony KD-75X80K, 75-inch Sony KD-85X80K, 85-inch
The X80K series is the entry-level in Sony's 2022 TV lineup, with relatively basic picture features. It's missing the HDMI 2.1 gaming features, 120Hz refresh rate and mini-LED backlight found on step-up models, for example.
James Martin/CNET
Keep it simple, Sony
The X80K blends in rather than stands out with a dark gray color along the bottom of its frame. The other three sides are black and their edges angle in slightly. The stand consists of simple A-shaped legs splayed far to either side. Seen from the side, the X80K is substantially thicker than the Samsung Q60B (2.83 vs. 1 inch), which could be a consideration if you want as flush a wall-mount as possible.
I like Sony's simple remote. The keys are laid out in familiar fashion and the requisite shortcut buttons for YouTube, Netflix, Disney Plus and Prime Video are onboard, and I appreciated the dedicated input key that some clickers lack. I could do without the number key and another dedicated to an over-the-air grid guide at the bottom, but some users might appreciate them.
James Martin/CNET
Google TV: Feature-rich and promo-heavy
Among all of the smart TV systems I like Google TV second-best, after Roku, and its implementation on the Sony X80K is the TV's best feature. Highlights include excellent voice results thanks to Google Assistant, tight integration with Google apps in particular YouTube and YouTube TV, and more apps overall, thanks to the Play store, than proprietary systems like Samsung and LG.
Responses were quick enough but felt a step behind most Roku TVs I've used. Once I selected a profile it took a long second or two for the main For You home page to populate with thumbnails, for example. I didn't love the large chunk of space at the top devoted to promotions of shows and movies on various services. I also wish the "continue watching" row was higher-up rather than placed below the "top picks for you" and apps rows. Top picks seemed to take into account my preferences for sci-fi shows and movies once I went through the "improve your recommendations" screen, but there was still plenty of content I didn't care about. Suggestions across different apps are a fine idea, but I personally the simplicity of Roku app-centric menus.
James Martin/CNET
Google TV's profiles worked well. I was easily able to set up a kid's profile, and I appreciated that appropriate apps like YouTube Kids and PBS Kids were suggested for me to add, and that Netflix automatically invoked the kids profile. During setup I was also prompted to set screen time limits, create a profile picture and more. Google TV's system provides better parental controls than Roku, although Fire TV is similarly robust.
Modest features, extra connections
Key features
Display technology
LED LCD
LED backlight
Direct
Resolution
4K
HDR compatible
HDR10 and Dolby Vision
Smart TV
Google TV
Remote
Standard with voice
As an entry-level TV the X80K's lack major picture-enhancing extras. It has a 60Hz refresh rate rather than 120Hz, although it does offer smoothing, aka the soap opera effect, if you want to turn it on. It supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos formats, as well as standard HDR10, as do many other mid-priced TVs.
Four HDMI inputs (One with eARC)
Two USB 2.0 ports
Composite AV input (3.5mm)
Optical digital audio output
RF (antenna) input
Ethernet (LAN) port
Physical connections are better than many basic TVs' however, with a fourth HDMI as well as analog video. It's also the least-expensive TV so far to include an ATSC 3.0 tuner, so it's ready for NextGen TV broadcasts. Such broadcasts are rare today and once they become more common you'll be able to buy a tuner box to allow any TV to watch them, but it's a nice extra on the Sony nonetheless.
James Martin/CNET
Picture quality comparisons
I set up the 55-inch Sony X80K next to its direct competitor from Samsung, as well as less expensive Fire TV and a TCL with superior picture quality specifications. Here's the lineup:
Samsung QN55Q60B Amazon Fire TV Omni TCL 65R646
TV and movies: The Sony delivered the second-worst picture in the lineup overall, beating out only the Omni. Its main weakness was relatively weak contrast, caused by both lighter (worse) black levels and dimmer highlights than the Samsung.
Watching Hustle on Netflix, for example, the black around the credits and the shadows in the locker room were lighter and less realistic than on the other TVs, if only slightly worse than the Samsung and the Omni. The Samsung was also significantly brighter than the Sony in its most accurate picture modes, which made the film's HDR image pop more in comparison. The skin tones of Adam Sandler and the basketball players looked truer than the Samsung and Omni, but overall I preferred the Samsung's picture by a hair.
The story was similar with the challenging Spears and Munsil 4K HDR Benchmark montage on Blu-ray, where the Samsung looked a bit brighter than the Sony. Both outperformed the Omni, which showed less high-level detail in snowscapes for example, but the difference wasn't enough to justify the Sony's much higher price.
The TCL, meanwhile, was superior in pretty much every way to the others, with excellent contrast, deep black levels and powerful brightness that made the Sony, Samsung and Fire TV pale by comparison.
James Martin/CNET
Gaming: Playing Horizon Forbidden West, color was more realistic and accurate on the Sony, and similar to the TCL and LG, while the Samsung in every mode appeared more saturated and, well, game-y. Again the Samsung won for contrast and punch, handily, although to its credit the Sony revealed more details in the shadows, which is an advantage in dark games with enemies lurking in the shadows. The Sony lacked the comprehensive gaming stats display of the Samsung and both had similar (excellent) input lag, but overall I preferred the Samsung's punchier look. The TCL, meanwhile, combined a brighter image than either one with excellent shadow detail and, yes, colors as accurate (and better-looking) than the Sony.
Bright lighting: The Sony measured relatively dim, backing up my subjective impressions, and both it and the Samsung were less-bright than the TCL and a less-expensive Vizio, both equipped with local dimming. Below are my measurements in nits for select comparison TVs in their brightest and most accurate picture modes, using both standard dynamic range (SDR) and high dynamic range (HDR) test patterns.
Light output in nits
TV
Brightest mode (SDR)
Accurate mode (SDR)
Brightest mode (HDR)
Accurate mode (HDR)
TCL 65R635
1,114
792
1,292
1,102
Vizio M65Q7-J01
791
562
764
631
Samsung QN55Q60B
549
343
540
514
Sony KD-55X80K
369
357
446
387
LG OLED65C2
413
389
812
759
Despite its lower light output numbers the Sony is still bright enough for all but the most light-filled viewing environments. As with most TVs, the brightest modes for HDR and SDR (Game and Vivid, respectively) are less accurate. For the accurate results listed above I used Custom mode and I recommend X80K owners do the same to get good color in bright rooms. Note that with SDR, you'll need to disable the Auto Energy Saving setting (Settings > Display & Sound > Picture > Light Sensor > Off) to get full brightness.
The Samsung's screen was better than that of the Sony at dealing with bright reflections in the room. Sitting under bright lights, I saw my reflection in the black screen of the X80K more clearly (and it was more distracting) than in any of the other TV screens.
Uniformity and viewing angle: The screen of the X80K sample I reviewed showed no major issues with bright spots or dark areas, and in test patterns appeared more uniform than the Omni and similar to the other displays. Watching hockey I saw very little evidence of irregularities as the camera panned across the ice. From off-angle the Samsung maintained superior black level and contrast but Sony had better color, much like the TVs' respective performance from straight on.
James Martin/CNET
Picture settings notes
The most accurate settings were Cinema and Custom mode for both HDR and SDR, and Custom measured slightly more accurate so I went with that. Game is best for gaming, thanks to its low input lag, and color was similar to Custom and exceedingly accurate.
The X80K offers settings that engage smoothing, aka the soap opera effect, as I prefer to turn it off for TV shows and movies. You can experiment with the settings (Settings > Display & Sound > Picture > Motion > Motionflow > Custom) and it's off by default in the Cinema and Custom modes.
Geek box
SDR
Result
Score
Black luminance (0%)
0.075
Poor
Peak white luminance (SDR)
357
Average
Avg. gamma (10-100%)
2.46
Poor
Avg. grayscale error (10-100%)
2.27
Good
Dark gray error (30%)
2.07
Good
Bright gray error (80%)
3.04
Average
Avg. color checker error
3.08
Average
Avg. saturation sweeps error
2.52
Good
Avg. color error
2.67
Good
Input lag (Game mode)
11.93
Good
HDR10
Black luminance (0%)
0.084
Poor
Peak white luminance (10% win)
446
Poor
Gamut % UHDA/P3 (CIE 1976)
94.73
Average
ColorMatch HDR error
8.08
Poor
Avg. color checker error
1.54
Good
Input lag (Game mode, 4K HDR)
11.67
Good
See How We Test TVs for more details.
Portrait Displays Calman calibration software was used in this review.
§
NextGen TV, aka ATSC 3.0, is continuing its rapid rollout across the country. Major markets like Los Angeles, Atlanta, Denver, Houston and more all have stations transmitting. Meanwhile New York, Boston, and many other markets are slated to have broadcasts later this year. While not every station in every market has a NextGen TV counterpart, more and more are coming on the air.
What's NextGen TV? It's an update to the free HDTV you can already get over-the-air in nearly every city in the US. There's no monthly fee, but you do need either a new TV with a built-in tuner or a standalone external tuner. The standard allows broadcast stations to send higher quality signals than ever before with features like 4K, HDR, 120 Hz, and more. ATSC 3.0 proponents also claim better reception indoors and on-the-go -- whether it's on your phone, or even in your car. The best part is that if you're watching it on your TV it uses the same standard antennas available today.
One potential downside? ATSC 3.0 will also let broadcasters track your viewing habits, information that can be used for targeted advertising, just like companies such as Facebook and Google use today.
Read more:Best TV antennas for cord cutters, starting at just $10
NextGen TV to you
ATSC.org
Here's the top-line info:
If you get your TV from streaming, cable or satellite, NextGen TV/ATSC 3.0 won't affect you at all.
The transition is voluntary. Stations don't have to switch. Many have already, however, for reasons we'll explain below.
It's not backwards-compatible with the current HD standard (ATSC 1.0), so your current TV won't be able to receive it. Your current antenna should work fine though.
Stations that switch to NextGen TV will still have to keep broadcasting ATSC 1.0 for five years.
There are multiple models and sizes of TV with built-in tuners available now from Hisense, LG, Sony, Samsung and others.
As of the beginning of 2022 the majority of the largest markets in the US have at least one channel broadcasting NextGen TV. By the end of 2022, nearly all major and many minor markets will have multiple channels .
Here's the map of actual stations as of January 2022. Orange denotes stations that are live now. Blue is launching before summer. White sometime after the summer.
ATSC
How it will work in your home
Put simply: If you connect an antenna to your TV you will receive free programming, just like most people can get now. Yet, that is selling the potential benefits of NextGen TV short.
NextGen TV is IP-based, so in practice it can be moved around your home just like any internet content can right now. For example, you connect an antenna to a tuner box inside your home, but that box is not connected to your TV at all. Instead, it's connected to your router. This means anything with access to your network can have access to over-the-air TV, be it your TV, your phone, your tablet or even a streaming device like Apple TV. There will be traditional tuners as well, of course, but this is a new and interesting alternative.
This also means it's possible we'll see mobile devices with built-in tuners, so you can watch live TV while you're out and about, like you can with Netflix and YouTube now. How willing phone companies will be to put tuners in their phones remains to be seen, however. You don't see a lot of phones that can get radio broadcasts now, even though such a thing is easy to implement. We'll talk more about that in a moment.
'Voluntary'
In November of 2017, the Federal Communications Commission approved ATSC 3.0 as the next generation of broadcast standard, on a "voluntary, market-driven basis" (PDF). It also required stations to continue broadcasting ATSC 1.0 (i.e. "HD"). This is actually part of the issue as to why it's voluntary.
During the mandatory DTV transition in the early 2000s, stations in a city were given a new frequency (channel, in other words), to broadcast digital TV, while they still broadcast analog on their old channel. These older channels were eventually reclaimed by the FCC for other uses when the proverbial switch was flipped to turn off analog broadcasts. Since a changeover isn't occurring this time around, stations and markets are left to themselves how best to share or use the over-the-air spectrum in their areas.
Because there's no new bandwidth, broadcasters will temporarily share transmitters. Two or more stations will use one tower for ATSC 1.0 (HD) broadcasts and those stations will use another tower for ATSC 3.0 (UHD) broadcasts. This will mean a temporary reduction in bandwidth for each channel, but potentially a limited impact on picture quality due to the better modern HD encoders. More info here.
ATSC/TVTechnology.com
While it's not a mandatory standard, many broadcasters still seem enthusiastic about NextGen. At the beginning of the roll-out, then executive vice president of communications at the National Association of Broadcasters Dennis Wharton told CNET that the improvement in quality, overall coverage and the built-in safety features mean that most stations would be enthusiastic to offer ATSC 3.0.
John Hane, president of the Spectrum Consortium (an industry group with broadcasters Sinclair, Nexstar and Univision as members), was equally confident: "The FCC had to make it voluntary because the FCC couldn't provide transition channels. [The industry] asked the FCC to make it voluntary. We want the market to manage it. We knew the market would demand it, and broadcasters and hardware makers in fact are embracing it."
Given the competition broadcasters have with cable, streaming and so on, 3.0 could be a way to stabilize or even increase their income by offering better picture quality, better coverage and, most importantly, targeted ads.
Ah yes, targeted ads…
Broadcast TV will know what you're watching
One of NextGen TV's more controversial features is a "return data path," which is a way for the station you're watching to know you're watching. Not only does this allow a more accurate count of who's watching what shows, but it creates the opportunity for every marketer's dream: targeted advertising.
Ads specific to your viewing habits, income level and even ethnicity (presumed by your neighborhood, for example) could get slotted in by your local station. This is something brand-new for broadcast TV. Today, over-the-air broadcasts are pretty much the only way to watch television that doesn't track your viewing habits. Sure, the return data path could also allow "alternative audio tracks and interactive elements," but it's the targeted ads and tracking many observers are worried about.
The finer details are all still being worked out, but here's the thing: If your TV is connected to the internet, it's already tracking you. Pretty much every app, streaming service, smart TV and cable or satellite box all track your usage to a greater or lesser extent.
Return data path is still in the planning stages, even as the other aspects of NextGen TV are already going live. There is a silver lining: There will be an opt-out option. While it also requires Internet access, if this type of thing bothers you, just don't connect your TV or NextGen TV receiver to the internet. You will inevitably lose some of the other features of NextGen TV, however.
That said, we'll keep an eye on this for any further developments.
Free TV on your phone?
Another point of potential contention is getting ATSC 3.0 tuners into phones. At a most basic level, carriers like AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile are in the business of selling you data. If suddenly you can get lots of high-quality content for free on your phone, they potentially lose money. Ever wonder why your phone doesn't have an FM radio tuner? Same reason.
T-Mobile made a preemptive strike along those lines all the way back in September 2017, writing a white paper (PDF) that, among other things, claims, "In light of the detrimental effects that inclusion of ATSC 3.0 can have on the cost and size of a device, the technology trade-offs required to accommodate competing technologies, and the reduced performance and spectral efficiency that it will have for other mobile bands and services, the decision as to whether to include ATSC 3.0 in a device must be left to the market to decide."
"The market" determined you didn't need an FM tuner in your phone, and in the few phones that had an FM tuner, if you bought it through an American provider, it was almost always disabled.
TV broadcasters, on the other hand, are huge fans of ATSC 3.0 on mobile phones. It means more potential eyeballs and, incidentally, a guarantee of active internet access for that return data path. John Hane of the Spectrum Consortium feels that tuners built into phones is "inevitable," and that international adoption of ATSC 3.0 will help push it forward. Wharton says that the focus is getting TVs to work, but mobile is in the plan.
Then there's portable TVs, of which there are HD versions on the market and have been for years. The next-generation ATSC 3.0 versions of these will likely get better reception in addition to the higher resolution offered by the new standard.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Cost (for you)
NextGen TV is not backward compatible with current TV tuners. To get it, you'll eventually need either a new TV or an external tuner.
However, you shouldn't feel a push to upgrade since:
1. NextGen TV/ATSC 3.0 isn't mandatory, and it doesn't affect cable, satellite or streaming TV.
2. HD tuners cost as little as $30 to $40 now, and NextGen TV tuners, which currently sell between $200 and $300, will eventually be cheap as well.
3. Even after they start NextGen broadcasts, stations will have to keep broadcasting regular old HD.
Here's the actual language:
"The programming aired on the ATSC 1.0 simulcast channel must be 'substantially similar' to the programming aired on the 3.0 channel. This means that the programming must be the same, except for programming features that are based on the enhanced capabilities of ATSC 3.0, advertisements and promotions for upcoming programs. The substantially similar requirement will sunset in five years from its effective date absent further action by the Commission to extend it."
In other words, the HD broadcast has to be essentially the same as the new 3.0 broadcast for five years, perhaps longer depending on future FCC actions.
Which brings us to point 3. By the time people had to buy them, HD tuners were inexpensive and are even more so now. The HD tuner I use is currently $26 on Amazon. The first generation NextGen tuners available now are more expensive than that, though they're not outrageous. We'll discuss those below. By the time anyone actually requires one, however, they'll almost certainly be affordable.
Which is good, because there aren't any planned subsidies this time around for people to get a tuner for cheap. I'm sure this is at least partly due to how few people actually still use OTA as their sole form of TV reception. Maybe this will change as more stations convert, but we're a ways away from that.
As you can see, there are lots of parts that need to get upgraded all along the chain before you can get 3.0 in your home.
ATSC/TVTechnology.com
Here's another way to think about it: The first HD broadcasts began in the mid-90s, but when did you buy your first HDTV? As far as the 3.0 transition is concerned we're in the late-90s, maybe generously the early 2000s, now. Things seem like they're moving at a much more rapid pace than the transition from analog to DTV/HDTV, but even so, it will be a long time before ATSC 3.0 completely replaces the current standard.
How to get NextGen right now
LG
If you want to check it out for yourself, many of you already can. The first stop is to go to WatchNextGenTV.com. That website will help you find what stations in your area are broadcasting, or which ones will soon.
Next up you'll need something to receive it. If you're in the market for a new TV there are several options available from Hisense, LG, Samsung, and Sony. Here's our list of all the 2022 TVs with built-in next-gen tuners.
If you want to check out NextGen TV without buying a new television, you'll need an external tuner. It's still early days, so there aren't many options.
The Tablo ATSC 3.0 Quad HDMI DVR
Nuvvyo
At CES 2022 Nuvvyo announced the Tablo, a quad-tuner box that can connect to a TV directly, or transmit over a network to Rokus, Apple TVs, or computers on your home network.
The Silicon Dust has two models, the $199 HomeRun Flex 4K and the $279 HomeRun Scribe 4K. Both have ATSC 1.0 and 3.0 tuners.
If you want a more traditional tuner, BitRouter plans to start shipping its first ZapperBox M1 tuners in the spring. You can reserve one now for $249. It doesn't have internal storage, but BitRouter plans to add the ability to save content on network-attached storage, or NAS, devices via a firmware update. They also plan to add the ability to send the content around your home network, like what the Scribe 4K does.
Zapperbox
Then there's what to watch. Being early in the process, you're not going to find much 4K content, possibly not any. This was the same with the early years of HDTV. It's also going to vary per area. There is certainly a lot of 4K content being produced right now, and that has been the case for several years. So in that way, we're in better shape than we were in the early days of HD.
Basic and paid cable channels over-the-air?
One company is using the bandwidth and IP nature of NextGen to do something a little different. It's a hybrid paid TV service, sort of like cable/satellite, but using over-the-air broadcasts to deliver the content. It's called Evoca, and right now it's available only in Boise, Idaho. Edge Networks is the company behind it, and it wants to roll it out to other small markets where cable offerings are limited, and broadband speeds are slow or expensive.
It's an interesting idea for underserved and often forgotten-about markets.
Read more: Cable TV channels and 4K from an antenna?
Seeing the future
The transition from analog broadcasting to HD, if you count from the formation of the Grand Alliance to the final analog broadcast, took 16 years.
Though many aspects of technology move rapidly, getting dozens of companies, plus the governments of the US and many other countries, all to agree to specific standards, takes time. So does the testing of the new tech. There are a lot of cogs and sprockets that have to align for this to work, and it would be a lot harder to fix once it's all live.
But technology moves faster and faster. It's highly doubtful it will take 16 years to fully implement NextGen TV. As we mentioned at the top, dozens of stations are already broadcasting. Will every station in your city switch to NextGen TV? Probably not, but the bigger ones likely will. This is especially true if there are already other NextGen TV stations in your area. There's a potential here for stations to make additional money in the long run with 3.0, and that's obviously a big motivator.
There's also the question of how much content there will be. If it follows the HDTV transition model, big sporting events in 4K HDR will come first, followed by lots and lots of shows featuring nature scenes and closeups of bugs. Seriously -- this was totally a thing. Then we'll see a handful of scripted prime-time shows. My guess would be the popular, solidly profitable ones that are produced (not just aired) by networks like CBS and NBC.
So should you hold off buying a new TV? Nope, not unless you only get your shows over the air. And even if you do, by the time there's enough content to be interesting, there will be cheap tuner boxes you can connect to whatever TV you have.
For now, NextGen TV seems to be well on its way.
As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000 mile road trips, and more. Check out Tech Treks for all his tours and adventures.
He wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines, along with a sequel. You can follow his adventures on Instagram and his YouTube channel.
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6 Vet- and Owner-Approved Tips for Keeping Your Dog Calm During July Fourth Fireworks
6 Vet- and Owner-Approved Tips for Keeping Your Dog Calm During July Fourth Fireworks
This story is part of Home Tips, CNET's collection of practical advice for getting the most out of your home, inside and out.
The Fourth of July is a time for backyard barbecues, pool parties -- and fireworks. Though you might love the pyrotechnics, your dog may bark and howl or hide under the bed. According to the American Kennel Club, a large number of pooches even run away during the Independence Day holiday.
"They don't know where the noise is coming from and they try to escape because they don't understand," said Dallas Harsa of lost pet recovery service AKC Reunite.
"It can be the smell. It can be the noise and the flashes of the light," New Jersey veterinarian Judy Morgan told the AKC. "Your dog may tremble, shake, shiver, howl and bark -- some of them get frantic."
Some dogs get so anxious during the light show that they have to be sedated. Before it comes to that, though, check out a few handy tips for keeping your pup calm during fireworks, from veterinarians and a few of my pet-owning coworkers.
1. Think twice before taking your dog out
The social atmosphere and warm weather might tempt you to take your dog out to see the fireworks show, but it can take years of desensitization and positive reinforcement to make a dog relaxed around fireworks.
If you do take your dog out on Independence Day, be sure to use multiple forms of restraint and have them microchipped and tagged, said Jana Bone, a veterinarian at Skyline Animal Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Healthline editor Heather Hobbs' Golden Retriever-Saluki mix, Daisy, has no problem with fireworks now. "We would give her treats each time she heard the booms," said Hobbs.
Heather Hobbs
A seemingly calm dog may suddenly get startled and bolt, Bone said.
Krista Scholdberg, a software engineer with CNET's parent company, Red Ventures, said her family had to work for a long time to get their Belgian sheepdog, Omega, to enjoy fireworks. She advises training your dog to get used to loud sounds when they're a puppy.
"Be prepared with lots of high-value treats and pass them out every time there is a boom," Scholdberg said.
More important, she added, stay relaxed yourself.
"They will pick up on your cues and get more stressed when you are stressing about them being stressed."
Scholdberg started training Omega when he was little and, at just 2 and a half years old, he's completely unaffected by fireworks and other loud noises.
"We're in South Carolina, where fireworks are legal, so anytime people start setting them off, we go outside," she said. "I give him treats every time."
2. Create a safe area
To get started, keep the curtains closed and try to bring your dog to a part of the house without windows or glass doors, like the basement or even a closet.
"We've had dogs run right through glass doors," Bone said.
Keep the lights low -- or off -- and fill the space with a dog bed and his favorite blanket and toys. A dog might even prefer a crate or kennel during the fireworks.
If you can, stay home with them during the light show or find someone the dog knows and trusts to be with them.
3. Drown out the sound with music or white noise
Leave the TV or radio on high volume or run the air conditioner or fan to help cover up the booming fireworks.
There's even specific music shown to lower anxiety in dogs, like the Through a Dog's Ear CD series.
"I came across some playlists on Spotify for classical music for pets, which seems to really help my dog and cats," said Healthline editor Veronica Zambon. "Last Bonfire Night in the UK, they actually settled down and slept with the fireworks going on for several hours as the music blasted through some speakers."
4. Take them for a walk well before the fireworks start
A trip to the dog park well before sunset can help ensure your pooch won't have to heed nature's call during the fireworks.
It can also help him work off excess energy and relax him for the evening -- as will extra intense playtime during the day.
"Use a Kong with peanut butter to keep them occupied and some soothing music or white noise," said Red Ventures recruiter Sophia Rossell Romo. "You want to tire them out earlier that day so they have less excess energy."
RV administrator Samantha Kuykendall uses what she calls the "popcorn party" strategy.
"We pop a bowl of plain popcorn and every time a firework goes off, we call it the 'popcorn alarm' and toss our dog a few pieces," Kuykendall said. "After a bit she stops stressing out and looks to us for a snack every time there are fireworks!"
5. Try a Thundershirt or anxiety wrap
Human babies are calmer when swaddled in a blanket and fur babies are the same way: Swaddling a dog with a blanket can be difficult, though, so you might want to try a ThunderShirt.
"It's basically like a weighted blanket for your dog that velcros around them," Bone said.
A Thundershirt or other weighted vest can help calm an anxious dog.
Thundershirt
Other good options include the Surgi Snuggly and the American Kennel Club AKC Anti-Anxiety and Stress Relief Calming Coat.
You can also go low-tech: "I've used a snug-fitting T-shirt to help with the anxiety," Red Ventures engineer Christopher Turley said. "It's helped a lot not only for fireworks, but for thunderstorms. There are commercial products, but even a good old T-shirt helps."
6. Talk to your veterinarian about medication
If your pet's anxiety is severe, talk to your vet about giving them medication. Bone said she often prescribes a combination of an anti-anxiety medication, such as trazodone, and a sedative, like gabapentin.
"We'll often start them a few days before the fireworks are expected," she added. "If we can stay ahead of the anxiousness, we can get control. You definitely don't want to wait for the first loud noise to give your dog medication."
Red Ventures senior engineer Thomas Hopkins has gone through several options with his mom's dogs. They now both get a dose of Trazodone any time the family knows they'll be near fireworks.
"Definitely let your vet guide you on medication," said Hopkins, whose wife is a veterinarian. "It's possible your pet could benefit from longer-term anxiety medication."
