ATT and StayCast bring Google Chromecast to more hotel rooms
Hotels are notorious for blocking guests’ ability to connect their own devices to in-room TVs, and that includes streaming sticks and Google Chromecast devices. AT&T is helping change this alongside SONIFI Solutions’ StayCast, allowing hotels with DirecTV service to order StayCast for their rooms. Hotels that take advantage of this will enable guests to cast content from their phone or tablet to their hotel room’s television. StayCast is powered by Google Chromecast, and when utilized by hotels it will already be connected to the property’s WiFi, eliminating steps guests have to take. The guest has to likewise connect with the hotel’s WiFi, then download a special app called ‘Hotel Cast,’ which is available for Android and iOS. A passcode will be provided for the guest to enter.That’s the setup process, which in total is only supposed to take a minute or two. After that is finished, the casting icon will be available in any apps that support Google Chromecast on the guest’s mobile device, which includes all the popular things like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and more. Casting works the same way on the hotel television as it does at home with a ChromeCast.This is the latest of multiple efforts by different companies to better enable travelers to access modern content while staying at a hotel. As it stands, modern cable and satellite — particularly the lackluster variety commonly offered by hotels — isn’t enough to satisfy the average person’s entertainment needs. Many try to get around this by bringing their own HDMI dongle.Most hotel room televisions, though, block the ports on the TV or in some way disable them. While you can usually get around this by finding the device that blocks the ports and disconnecting it, having a built-in casting option is a better solution for everyone.SOURCE: AT&T Story TimelineGoogle teams with VIZIO SmartCast P-Series TVs to CastChrome now has Cast built-in, can share tabs in HangoutsGoogle Cast branding dropped in favor of Chromecast built-in
The difference in design between the first Steam VR, embodied by the HTC Vive controller, and this still upcoming Knuckles controller is a clear as night and day. Vive has a wand with a flared head. And while Knuckles still has a stick yo need to grasp, it also comes with a strap that slides over your knuckles, hence the name. This will help give users the confidence to let go of the controller when needed or grasp it with individual fingers, and you’ll probably be doing a lot of that with this controller.The controller has at least eight capacitive sensors marked in a newly revealed documentation for the device. Each of the top four interaction points, namely, the trackpad, inner face button, outer face button, and system button, are capacitive. The trigger underneath is also capacitive. This allows the system to detect not just actual presses but also whether a finger is simply resting on the surface or even how hard the user is pressing.Things get even more interesting when it comes to the grip/stick itself. There are also capacitive sensors there. Yes, plural. There are four of them, each assigned to a specific finger. This will let Steam VR determine whether a specific finger is grasping the grip or how hard. Or even for when the entire hand is grasping it. In theory, this could translate to more accurate and more believable hand and finger movements in VR/AR space.It isn’t known yet when Valve plans to fully unveil the “Knuckles” controller, though it has already revealed its existence as early as last year. Members of the SteamVR Knuckles group claim that some prototypes have already been sent out to developers. But more than just the hardware, it is equally important that there be experience that showcases the possibilities of this improved input device.SOURCE: Steam One of the remaining problems with VR, AR, and MR platforms is input. All of them use one form of stick or another, and none of them currently emulate the feel of a hand moving and grasping in the real world. Valve, however, might be coming close to a solution without having to resort to gloves or exoskeletons. The “Knuckles”, Valve’s nickname for the next gen Steam VR controller, does this by having nearly a dozen capacitive sensors in it.
After a significant dip in Bitcoin price last week and over the weekend, several cryptocurrencies are on the rise. Notably XRP, the coin for Ripple, saw a 50% rise in value one day, then a fall by around 6% the next. Ripple saw a 70+ percent recovery from the lowest price in several weeks at $0.897 (according to CoinMarketCap.) Meanwhile Stellar XLM grew 53-percent from January 17th to the 18th, then down 8% from yesterday to today. Back on January 11th, Stellar validators voted to lower the base reserve to 0.5 XLM on the network. This made “the cost of creating accounts and order inexpensive again.” That’s good news for everybody – especially those in the cryptocoin market with interest only in the results of news, not necessarily the news itself.It was back on January 2nd that the Mobius Network announced they’d be the first major ICO “built and announced on” Stellar. Stellar is building their network as an Ethereum-killer, instead of trying to kick the king off of the hill. Sneaking up from behind – that’s the way to win this volatile battlescape.Ripple, for those that do not know, uses the tagline “Money could move like email.” They profess to be a “free, open-source network that lets anyone build low-cost financial products for their community.” They’re aiming to be the international money transfer highway of the future.AdChoices广告On a personal note, I believe Stellar has the right idea when it comes to branding their Stellar.org website and main brand. The use of what’s essentially a rocket emoji for their Lumens (XLM) coin brand looks… less than professional. Then again, Ripple uses a fidget spinner for their coin, so who cares?!As for Bitcoin: The only way is up if the USCInvestment group has anything to say about it. Have a peek at the chart above and consider what this means about the future of the most famous coin as well as all the little cryptocurrencies that swim in its wake. Also keep your eye on the bones of this system: Blockchain. Therein lies the future’s future. Business as usual pretty much,Buy their fears,Buy their tears! pic.twitter.com/VYIIaOldfb— USC Investment Group (@USCInvestment) January 19, 2018 As it is with all articles about cryptocurrency, this article is not meant to be read as financial advice. The reader takes all responsibility for their own actions before, during, and after reading this article. Don’t go out there and do something crazy, OK? Story TimelineRipple price just dropped: CNBC is part of the problemRipple will not supplant Bitcoin if its price hits $7Bitcoin price jacks while Ripple topplesRipple price crash: Why? Is it over yet? (XRP BTC USD)
Over the past eighteen months or so, a team of about a dozen people have been busy consolidating NASCAR‘s legacy systems into a single interface, using a mixture of Surface tablets, a universal Windows 10 app, and the Surface Hub. “Sports allows us to solve really complicated problems – that are interesting to solve – but sports in general have huge volumes of data,” Mike Downey, principal evangelist for sports at Microsoft, says. “NASCAR’s moving something the size of the Super Bowl to a different city every week – that’s interesting.” NASCAR and high technology might not be the first bedfellows you think of – the sport has the reputation of being little more than big engines and circular tracks, after all – but the racing series has turned to the cloud and Microsoft specifically to not only bring its legacy systems into the 21st century, but do a better job of engaging fans and spotting rule-breakers. It’s also a good real-world test of Azure‘s Hybrid Cloud, which pairs both a local data center with the cloud. In NASCAR’s case, that data center is a mobile one – just another truck among the many trailers that encircle the track – but it means that, even in remote locations when the connection can’t necessarily be relied upon, the system keeps running.Should the link to the cloud go down, the local systems keep everything running until it can be re-established and synchronized again. When you consider that it’s only in the past year or so that NASCAR has upgraded the tracks it uses around the US with fiber optics, and that in some locations all the teams are sharing a single gigabit connection, that sort of backup is essential. AdChoices广告Right now, the Race Management app pulls together what previously would have required the attention of around 10-15 people. It builds on work Microsoft did with NASCAR on the pre-race testing, during which each team brings their cars through to ensure they meet the various rules and standards. Previously, NASCAR’s officials relied on a paper-based records system and a decidedly low-tech way of filing it: effectively dumping the filled-in forms in a box once the process was complete and the race began.Not only was it time-consuming – up to six hours, in fact – it was impractical and prone to errors. The new, Surface-based system moves that all over to the tablet, recording the results of more than a dozen different tests and allowing teams to digitally sign off on any infractions spotted. It’s also cut the time the testing process takes in half.The success of that prompted the scope of the Race Management app. From a single screen, you can now see an overview of all the cars on the track, complete with time-linked video. Tapping on an individual car brings up its speed, its average and fastest lap speeds, and details on what pit stops it has made; you can filter the view to only see certain cars.“This is taking six different apps and processes, historically,” Downey explained, “and consolidating it into one screen that gives officials a more concise, up to the minute view of what’s going on in the race.”It’s also designed to help NASCAR officials spot potential rule-breaking and share details of that with greater speed and accuracy. Each car is fitted with a transponder, so that its position on the track can be pinpointed.“Equally important, it’s how we can be more efficient from an organizational perspective,” Steve O’Donnell, chief racing development officer at NASCAR, said of the new system. “That allows us to not only be more efficient, have everything in one place, but also be more transparent.”One example is pit box violations. If a car goes through too many boxes in the pit lane, or if too many people from the team are over the wall, the computer vision system can spot that and highlight it to officials for review.In fact, it’s technically possible that the system could keep track on infractions itself, though right now it acts more as a notifications system for the human NASCAR team.“That’s technically possible,” Downey explains, “we have certainly looked at doing that, the capability is technically there. Stuff like that you have to make sure it’s always accurate, delivered at the right time, that it’s fair.”Instead, there’s the facility in the Race Management app to share a portion of the data with the various teams, whether that be a list of car stats or a clip showing just why they were hit with a penalty. The useful thing about “big data”, of course, is that you can throw it all together and pull out specific insights that might not be so visible when you’re dealing with reams of paper and several different, independent displays. “As we go forward we want to help NASCAR make better use of that information” Downey says, “to better understand how the rules packages affect racing, things like that.”That means tracking historical testing and race data and looking for ongoing trends, but also exploring how Microsoft’s other products could streamline race day. One possibility being explored is using Kinect and similar camera-based technology to augment or even replace the complex laser measurement platforms for alignment along with the bulky “claw” body shell compliance test.Computer vision, meanwhile, is in the pipeline to check compliance with team paint schemes, as well as the decals which relate to different competitions and sponsorships. Rather than the NASCAR officials having to spot infractions by eye, they’ll be able to hold up a Surface tablet and use the built-in camera to highlight possible differences between what the team has filed officially and what’s actually on each car. Machine learning could be used “to predict what really makes for a more interesting race,” Downey suggests, as well as improving safety by highlighting possible repeat issues that human officials could miss. Down the line, the goal is to feed more of the data NASCAR and Microsoft are connecting to the fans. One “Year Three” idea is linking with FanVision, the live race broadcast fed to dedicated handheld displays at the track and, this season, an adapter for phones and tablets. NOW READ: Rebuilding NASCAR’s spiritual homeThe challenge, both companies are aware, is balancing the amount of information being collected with just how much fans can enjoy, rather than overwhelming with too much raw data. “When you look at statistics, and analytics, and telemetry, you can be throwing a lot of information at the viewer and not creating a better product,” Downey says. The question is “how can you show the right stats at the right moment?”“It could be how fast someone in the middle of the pack took a certain turn,” for instance, or addressing that “one driver is driving better today than he ever has – why is he doing that?”That’s all down the line for the system, mind. For now, while NASCAR will be running the Race Management app at the Sonoma Raceway for this weekend’s event, it’ll coexist to the existing tools the officials are familiar with. Make no mistake, though: the cars may be going around in circles, but the technology is definitely headed in the right direction.
It certainly helps the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze hatchback’s chances for success that it’s built on the bones of the excellent sedan model. In fact, mechanically you won’t find any changes between the two cars, which each share the same 1.4-liter four-cylinder turbo engine that’s rated at 153 horses and 177 lb-ft of torque (with the option of either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox). Like its four-door sibling, the Cruze hatchback’s acceleration is healthy, if not brisk, easily keeping up with the flow of traffic and producing an exhaust note that’s markedly more pleasing than several other turbo compact cars in its class.Although lower than the most frugal version of the Cruze sedan, fuel economy for the hatchback also receives high marks, with a 29-mpg city / 38-mpg highway rating available on auto-equipped versions of the car (and barely any penalty for selecting the shift-it-yourself option). If you’re a disgruntled Volkswagen TDI owner with a penchant for miles per gallon, however, you’ll be even more interested in what’s coming next year for the five-door Cruze: a new turbodiesel engine that will not only add a nine-speed automatic gearbox to the order sheet, but also retain the six-speed manual option, which is a big difference when compared to past versions of the diesel Cruze. The car’s 1.6-liter turbodiesel mill is lifted from the Equinox (which will also go on sale in diesel form as a 2018 model), and is projected to push well past the 45-mpg mark in highway driving. I know what you’re thinking – aren’t hatchbacks losing ground to crossovers in the battle for the hearts and minds of families seeking a versatile daily driver? Chevrolet already offers a strong mix of SUVs aimed at young families and couples, including the (small) Trax and (bigger) Equinox, but just because ‘utes are stealing the spotlight it doesn’t mean there’s no space in the showroom for a practical variant of the very popular Cruze. In fact, even if overall volume might be low Chevrolet has identified hatchbacks as a potential profit center given that almost a third of the 350,000 cargo-friendly models sold each year in the United States sell for more than $25,000. Check our First Drive of the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze sedan here.We had the chance to spend a fair amount of time behind the wheel of the current-generation Cruze when it was first released earlier this year, and it’s safe to say that on the road, you’ll find little difference between the sedan and the hatchback in terms of driving character. Wheelbase is exactly the same, suspension tuning has been adjusted only slightly, and although there’s a lack of any real performance models in the line-up (the RS is mostly an appearance package), you can order a number of factory-built go-fast bits right from Chevrolet if you’d like to spice things up a little.That being said, I think it’s fair to say that most Chevrolet Cruze hatchback buyers are going to be more interested in comfortable commuting than turning in hot laps, in which case the compact car delivers. As I mentioned earlier, hatchback buyers trend towards spending more on their rides at ordering time, which means the top-tier LT and Premier models in the Cruze portfolio are the only ones available with the hatch. LT brings with it LED running lights, cruise control, the availability of heated seats, a push-button starter, and access to the RS package. The Premier adds a leather seats, a heated steering wheel (which shows just how plush small, affordable cars have become), 17-inch rims in place of the LT’s 16-inch rollers, and a suspension system that’s been upgraded at the rear for a smoother ride (plus the availability of navigation). Safety is also big with the Cruze: you’ll find features such as lane departure warning and intervention, automatic forward braking, and a blind spot monitoring system. In nature, single celled organisms divide themselves in two as an integral part of their reproductive strategy. At the blackjack table, you double-down on a good hand. In the automotive industry, if you’ve got a successful platform in the stable it only makes sense to maximize your return in terms of appealing to as many different groups of buyers as possible. So it goes with the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze hatchback, the all-new five-door version of the Bowtie brand’s recently-redesigned compact sedan. With all of that carried over from the Cruze sedan, it’s finally time to talk about what’s new – specifically, the extended cargo space offered by the Chevrolet’s hatchback design. With a full load of passengers (and only a modest slope in the roofline affecting headroom in the second row), the Cruze hatchback can haul just under 23 cubic feet of gear, which is on par with what you’d normally find in a full-size sedan. Fold the back seat forward and you’ll find 47.2 cubic feet of total carrying space. This figure is about five cubic feet below the class-leading Volkswagen Golf, but it beats out the Ford Focus and matches the Mazda Mazda3, keeping it competitive in its class. It’s also worth noting that while the Cruze hatchback offers half a cubic foot less interior hauling capacity as compared to the subcompact Chevrolet Sonic hatch, the latter’s design asks you to stack items vertically rather than spread them out (as you would with grocery bags, for example).Do you want one? It’s not that complex of a question, really. If you’ve been intrigued by the stylish, affordable, and efficient Cruze sedan but needed a heap more trunk space, then this is your car. It’s also the right choice for anyone wanting to stay on budget but still craving the premium gear you’d normally find in a bigger vehicle. The Chevrolet Cruze hatchback is one of the most comfortable and practical haulers out there that doesn’t ride 8 inches above the ground and that won’t give you fits when it’s time to park – and for a certain percentage of SUV-averse families, that’s going to make it an appealing choice.
Since I was 12 and got my first subscription to MotorTrend magazine, I have long thought that the guys who get to work there have the greatest jobs ever. They get to drive all sorts of cool vehicles and drive them fast. They als get to do the World’s’ Greatest Drag Race, something they have done alongside their Best Driver’s Car each year since 2011. Many car guys and gals will agree that while the Best Driver’s Car is cool, it’s the drag race we really want to see. What car is the fastest, that is the question. For this year’s race the crew took their cars down to Vandenberg Air Force Base to hold their race on an active runway at an active military base. It’s cool that the Air Force allowed this to happen.The cars in the massive drag race include the Ferrari 488 GTB, Porsche 911 Turbo S, Chevy Camaro ZL1 1LE, Porsche 718 Cayman S, Lexus LC 500, Mercedes-AMG GT R, Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport, Aston Martin DB11, Nissan GT-R Nismo, Mazda MX-5 Miata RF, and the McLaren 570GT (with a Tesla P100D with Ludicrous Plus thrown in for smiles). My money is not on the MX-5 RF, but my heart is with it. We won’t give away the ending, you will want to check out the video. The race was closer than you might think and that Porsche launched HARD. It’s too bad if they were going to kick out the MX-5 RF and put in a ringer in the form of that Tesla, they should have tossed in a Hellcat as well.AdChoices广告The quarter mile is how the Hellcat lives its life and I’d have liked to have seen how Dodge’s beast fares. This race also shows that the Corvette is in need of some more power to compete with many of the other cars in the race. SOURCE: MotorTrend
New Ads, Campaign Appearances Deepen Political Lines In The Sand This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription. As former President Bill Clinton concludes his two-day Florida campaign tour for President Barack Obama, he continued to hammer domestic themes including the importance of the health law and to criticize GOP statements regarding Medicare.The New York Times’ The Caucus: Clinton Sticks To Domestic Issues While Campaigning For ObamaInstead, much as he had on Tuesday in Miami before 2,300 people, Mr. Clinton defended and promoted Mr. Obama’s health care law, his initiatives to make college more affordable and his response to the economic crisis that Mr. Obama inherited in 2009 despite what Mr. Clinton characterized as constant obstructions from Republicans (Calmes, 9/12).Los Angeles Times: Bill Clinton Focuses On Economy, Ignores LibyaBased on audience responses at his initial post-convention appearances on Obama’s behalf, it’s clear that several other bits of that Charlotte speech have become a lasting part of the 2012 campaign lexicon, including his use of “arithmetic” to deride Mitt Romney’s economic policies and his broadside at Romney running mate Paul Ryan’s “brass” for attacking Obama over the $716 billion in Medicare cuts that were also in Ryan’s House GOP budget (West, 9/12).As the Obama campaign unveils a new Medicare ad in Virginia, the Romney camp releases a Spanish language TV ad that tackles Medicare issues – The Washington Post: New Obama Ads In Virginia Hit Romney On Taxes, MedicareOne, titled “Won’t Say,” criticizes Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney for not releasing more of his income tax records. … The second ad, titled “Guide,” is based on the American Association of Retired Persons guide. It goes after Romney based on changes to Medicare that his running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, has proposed (Vozzella, 9/12).The Hill (Video): Romney Spanish-Language TV Ad Hits Obama On MedicareRepublican presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s campaign accused President Obama of cutting funding to Medicare in a Spanish-language television ad unveiled Wednesday. The ad, titled “Yo Pagué,” claims that the president took billions of dollars from Medicare to pay for his signature healthcare legislation, which has been bashed by Republicans. … The ad goes on to tout Romney’s plan as protecting and strengthening Medicare “for future generations” (Sands, 9/12).CNN: Romney Hits Obama On Medicare In Spanish Language AdMitt Romney’s campaign pushed its Medicare attack in a new Spanish language television ad released Wednesday. The ad, “Yo Pagué,” is a Spanish version of a spot it released last month, “Paid in,” which makes the widely-criticized claim that the president cut more than $700 billion from Medicare in his health care reform. When Romney’s team released the English version last month, Obama’s campaign called the ad “dishonest and hypocritical.” “The savings his ad attacks do not cut a single guaranteed Medicare benefit, and Mitt Romney embraced the very same savings when he promised he’d sign Paul Ryan’s budget,” said Obama campaign spokeswoman Lis Smith (Killough, 9/12).Also in the news, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., rolls out a video that assails the budget written by GOP vice presidential pick Paul Ryan as a document that would gut Medicare and give tax breaks to millionaires – Politico Pro: Dems Greet Ryan With Open Fire On BudgetDemocrats seem even more thrilled than Republicans about Paul Ryan’s homecoming to Congress on Thursday. The Wisconsin Republican returns to the Capitol for the first time since presidential hopeful Mitt Romney tapped him as his running mate. …Using their megaphone on Capitol Hill, Democrats are reintroducing Ryan’s budget to voters as a dangerous document that guts Medicare, cuts funding for education and infrastructure, and includes tax policies that favor millionaires. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will make those points Thursday morning when she rolls out a video titled “Welcome Back, Mr. Ryan.” It will feature TV clips of Ryan explaining his proposals for Medicare and taxes (Wong, 9/12).
As states contemplate the financial implications of pursuing the health law’s Medicaid expansion, the recent Health and Human Services decision to not fund partial expansions continues to draw reactions. Politico: HHS: No Partial Funding Of Medicaid ExpansionSupporters of the massive Medicaid expansion under health reform cheered HHS’s Monday announcement that states have to do all or nothing — partial expansion isn’t an option. But critics said the Republican governors may dig in more, seeing the Department of Health and Human Services offering a dagger, not an olive branch. “Rather than try to engage Republican governors, they decided to ramp up political pressure from provider groups and everyone else and make their lives miserable,” said Michael Ramlet, director of health policy at the American Action Forum. “The Obama administration’s refusal to grant states more flexibility on Medicaid is as disheartening as it is shortsighted,” the new Republican Governors Association Chairman Bobby Jindal of Louisiana said in a statement (Norman and Cheney, 12/12). Modern Healthcare: Public Hospitals Plan Lobbying Blitz In States Weighing Medicaid Opt-OutAn advocacy group for public hospitals plans to lobby its members to continue explaining to state leaders the importance of Medicaid expansion under the federal healthcare reform law. HHS clarified in a letter issued Monday that it will cover all costs of expanding Medicaid enrollment, as authorized by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, only in states that undertake an expansion of Medicaid eligibility to 133% of the federal poverty level, or as high as 138% of the federal poverty level. Some state political leaders had asked whether they could partially expand eligibility and still receive the federal funding. The National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems, representing many of the safety net hospitals facing some of the biggest effects of state decisions on Medicaid expansion, will urge its members to take up the cause of expansion in their states, said Beth Feldpush, the association’s vice president for advocacy and policy (Daly, 12/11).The Associated Press: Sandoval Supports Medicaid ExpansionGov. Brian Sandoval said Tuesday that he will support expanding Medicaid eligibility in Nevada as called for under the federal health care law to provide coverage for the state’s neediest residents. In an exclusive interview, Sandoval said expanding coverage will add 78,000 residents to the state’s Medicaid rolls but will save the state $16 million in mental health programs that otherwise would be paid for out of the state general fund (Chereb, 12/11).The Associated Press: Nebraska To Lose $44M In Medicaid MoneyNebraska will see an estimated $44 million cut in federal Medicaid funding in its next two-year budget, a loss that will force lawmakers to make up the difference with state dollars when they convene next year. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services has requested an additional $18.9 million in state aid for fiscal 2014 and $24.8 million in fiscal 2015 to offset the projected loss in federal matching dollars, according to budget documents obtained by the Associated Press (12/11).The Associated Press: Cost Of Medicaid Expansion Lawmakers’ Main ConcernCost is the primary concern for Mississippi lawmakers faced with a decision on whether to expand the state Medicaid program with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. The Clarion-Ledger reports that lawmakers discussed the matter on Monday during a joint committee meeting of the Public Health and Welfare and the Insurance committees (12/11). Analyzing The Medicaid Expansion Balance Sheet This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
In advance of the release of President Barack Obama’s fiscal blueprint on Wednesday, an adviser warned friends and foes that the plan includes things neither will like. The budget plan is expected to kick off new discussions about trimming entitlements and revamping the nation’s safety net.The Associated Press/Washington Post: Ahead Of Budget Release, Top Obama Adviser Warns Both Parties They May Not Be Happy With PlanThe White House is warning friend and foe alike: They’re not going to like every part of President Barack Obama’s budget when it is released this week. White House senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer is telling Republicans their “my way or the highway” approach would spell the GOP’s defeat in upcoming budget negotiations. He also is telling Obama’s Democratic allies that they, too, will have to bend on the spending plan that is due Wednesday (4/8).USA Today: Obama’s Budget Revives Talk Of Entitlement ChangesA brief reprieve on imminent budget deadlines is providing Republicans and Democrats alike an opportunity to regroup for the next fiscal debate that will dominate the spring and come to a head this summer: increasing the nation’s ability to borrow money to pay its bills. Negotiations to raise the debt ceiling are increasingly linked to an ongoing debate over how to revamp the nation’s social safety net to help reduce the deficit (Davis, 4/7).Medpage Today: Obama To Propose $400 Billion In Medicare SavingsAbout $400 billion of savings in President Obama’s fiscal 2014 budget proposal will come from Medicare and other health programs, according to media reports. The money would come in the form of reduced payments to pharmaceutical companies and asking wealthier seniors to pay higher premiums, the news reports, citing a leaked budget briefing document, said Friday. Obama is set to unveil the full fiscal 2014 budget proposal to Congress on Wednesday. … One move would place greater price controls on drugs paid through Medicare Part D for beneficiaries eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Currently, those drugs are bought through Medicare, rather than Medicaid, where prices are lower and more restrictive (Pittman, 4/5).Bloomberg: Obama Drops Stimulus For Benefit Cut To Woo RepublicansLess than a week after job-creation figures fell short of expectations and underscored the U.S. economy’s fragility, President Barack Obama will send Congress a budget that doesn’t include the stimulus his allies say is needed and instead embraces cuts in an appeal to Republicans…The Medicare insurance program for the elderly would be cut by reducing payments to health-care providers and drug companies and imposing more costs on high-income beneficiaries (Dorning, 4/8).Meanwhile, in other fiscal news – The Wall Street Journal: Workers Stuck In Disability Stunt Economic RecoveryThe unexpectedly large number of American workers who piled into the Social Security Administration’s disability program during the recession and its aftermath threatens to cost the economy tens of billions a year in lost wages and diminished tax revenues (Scism and Hilsenrath, 4/7).California Healthline: Healthy Families Savings Goes From $13M To $137KAt a legislative hearing yesterday, state officials said the estimates for savings have been reduced for the Healthy Families transition to Medi-Cal managed care. According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the original estimated general fund savings for the Healthy Families transition was $13.1 million in 2012-13. The estimate has shrunk to $137,000. Savings for next fiscal year — 2013-14 — were estimated at $52 million and that estimate has been revised to $43 million. Scott Ogus, who represented the Department of Finance at yesterday’s hearing, said there were several factors contributing to the revision. Delays in implementation by the Department of Health Care Services led to caseload changes. DHCS officials have said the department slowed down some of the early phases of the transition so children would have less disruption in continuity of care (Gorn, 4/5). Obama’s Budget Expected To Call For Medicare Cuts This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
Today’s headlines include reports about the Obama administraiton’s plans for getting the word about the health law’s online marketplaces. Kaiser Health News: FAQ: Medicare Beneficiaries May See Increased Access To Physical Therapy Or Some Other Services Reporting for Kaiser Health News, in collaboration with The Washington Post, Susan Jaffe writes: “For years, seniors in Medicare have been told that if they don’t improve when getting physical therapy or other skilled care, that care won’t be paid for. No progress, no Medicare coverage — unless the problem got worse, in which case the treatment could resume” (Jaffe, 6/25). Read the story.Kaiser Health News: Pittsburgh Researchers Look For Ways To Prevent Depression In Seniors Judith Graham, reporting for Kaiser Health News in collaboration with The Washington Post, writes: “A year ago, Bernard Belisle was in a bad way. Pain throbbed in his legs all day, every day, and he was angry and irritable much of the time. Then, he enrolled in a novel study on preventing depression in older adults at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Belisle says the move has changed his life” (Graham, 6/25). Read the story and the related sidebar or watch the video.Kaiser Health News: NFL’s Help Sought On Promoting Obamacare Insurance PlansKaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz reports: “Top federal health officials are in talks with the National Football League to promote the health law’s insurance marketplaces that begin enrolling people Oct 1. … Sebelius said the administration is also talking to other major sports franchises about improving public awareness of the Obamacare online insurance exchanges, which are a critical way the federal health law expands insurance coverage” (Galewitz, 6/24). Read the story.Kaiser Health News: Capsules: Sebelius: Administration Is Negotiating Rates In Federal ExchangesNow on Kaiser Health News’ blog, Phil Galewitz reports: “Hoping to get consumers the best prices, the Obama administration is negotiating with insurers looking to sell policies in online health insurance marketplaces this fall, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Monday” (Galewitz, 6/24). Check out what else is on the blog.The New York Times: U.S. Unveils Health Care Web Site and Call CenterThe Obama administration announced new steps to expand coverage under the federal health care law on Monday, less than a week after the Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan investigative arm of Congress, found that the federal government and many states were “behind schedule” in setting up marketplaces where Americans are supposed to be able to buy insurance (Pear, 6/24).The Wall Street Journal’s Washington Wire: ‘Obamacare’ Insurance Publicity Campaign Steps UpThe Obama administration showed off its work to prepare to sign up millions of Americans for new health-insurance products on Monday, unveiling a revamped version of the healthcare.gov website that will be a centerpiece of this fall’s official enrollment campaign. The website uses a Q-and-A format and includes a video describing the experience of shopping for coverage through new insurance exchanges as well as a live-chat feature, in the hopes of raising people’s awareness of the law. A new hotline that people can call is also up and running (Radnofsky, 6/24).Politico: Kathleen Sebelius: Exchange Enrollment Goal Is 7 Million By End Of MarchFor Obamacare the magic number is 7 million. That’s how many people the Obama administration hopes to enroll in its new health insurance marketplaces by the end of March. It is starting a huge public education campaign to get people on board with hopes for an assist from the NFL and other professional sports leagues (Haberkorn, 6/24).Propublica/NPR: Top Medicare Prescribers Rake In Speaking Fees From DrugmakersWhen the blood pressure drug Bystolic hit the market in 2008, it faced a crowded field of cheap generics. So its maker, Forest Laboratories, launched a promotional assault on the group in the best position to determine Bystolic’s success: those in control of prescription pads. It flooded the offices of health professionals with drug reps, and it hired doctors to persuade their peers to choose Bystolic — even though the drug hadn’t proved more effective than competitors (Ornstein, Weber and Lafleur, 6/25).The Wall Street Journal: Tenet To Acquire Vanguard Health For $1.73 BillionDallas-based Tenet said it would expand to 79 hospitals from 49, and significantly increase its geographic reach, adding markets such as Detroit and Chicago and particularly deepening its presence in Texas. Tenet also said the acquisition marks what it hopes will be a stepped-up effort to acquire other hospitals, where its deal pace has been relatively slow (Mathews and Kamp, 6/24).The Associated Press/Washington Post: House Investigators: Social Security Lax In Judging Disability Claims; Fund Nearing InsolvencySocial Security is approving disability benefits at strikingly high rates for people whose claims were rejected by field offices or state agencies, according to House investigators. Compounding the situation, the agency often fails to do required follow-up reviews months or years later to make sure people are still disabled (6/25).The Wall Street Journal: Ford Adopts Health Management ProgramFord Motor Co. and a United Auto Workers union trust fund that provides health care to retired union auto workers are launching a two-year pilot program that seeks to cut costs by adding more care to workers and retirees with chronic illnesses (Ramsey, 6/24).Politico: Supreme Court To Take Up Massachusetts Abortion LawAs lawsuits over early abortion laws spring up across the country, the Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a different kind of abortion challenge — this one involving free speech. The court will consider a case challenging a Massachusetts law that bans demonstrations within 35 feet of entrances and driveways of abortion clinics. The 1st Circuit Court of Appeals in January sided with the state in McCullen v. Coakley, ruling that the law strikes the right balance between protecting free speech and patients’ rights (Millman, 6/25).The New York Times: Hepatitis C Test for Baby Boomers Urged by Health PanelAn influential health advisory group has reversed itself and concluded that all baby boomers should be tested for hepatitis C, meaning that under the new health law many insurance plans will have to provide screening without charge to patients. The group, the United States Preventive Services Task Force, announced its change of heart on Monday, saying there was likely to be some benefit from such screening (Pollack, 6/24).The Wall Street Journal: Hospital in Long Beach Remains Closed Since SandyLong Beach has sputtered back to life in recent weeks, as crowds once again stream to its shores, but the Long Island community’s hospital remains closed almost eight months after it sustained $20 million of damage from superstorm Sandy (Dawsey, 6/24). Check out all of Kaiser Health News’ e-mail options including First Edition and Breaking News alerts on our Subscriptions page. This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription. First Edition: June 25, 2013
This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription. NYC’s hospitals have become a big issue in the city’s mayoral race. In the meantime, New York state health officials have posted a plethora of data online about the state’s hospitals and doctors.The Wall Street Journal: Hospitals Heat Up As An IssueFixing New York’s ailing hospitals has emerged as a sleeper issue in the race for mayor, with three of the leading campaigns scrambling Monday to demonstrate their commitment to keeping the institutions open (Grossman, 8/19).The Associated Press/Wall Street Journal: NY Posts Cardiac Surgery, Other Data On Web SiteNew York health officials have begun posting online data about cardiac surgeries, hospitals and the doctors statewide who perform them, including their cases from 2008 to 2010 and mortality rates. Other information posted on the Health Data NY website includes environmental radiation surveys at various facilities and sites around New York. The measures of levels in the air, water, milk, fish, sediment and vegetation are used to determine normal levels and the effects from what people are doing (8/20).In related national hospital news –The Wall Street Journal’s The Informed Patient: More Hospitals Use Social Media to Gather Feedback from Patients’ FamiliesHospitals are turning to Facebook, Twitter and other forms of social media to recruit patients and their families as advisers. They are asking parents for input, via questionnaires and surveys, on improvements in care, new services and even new facility names. … The efforts are part of a larger movement to engage patients and families in care and enhance the hospital experience. The federal Medicare program is basing some hospital payments on patient satisfaction surveys, including questions about how responsive a hospital is to concerns. Similar surveys are being developed for pediatric hospitals (Landro, 8/19). Keeping NYC Hospitals Open Becomes New Issue In Mayoral Race
Viewpoints: Health Costs And Income Inequality; Vital Matters When Approaching Life’s End This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription. The Wall Street Journal: Income Inequality And Rising Health-Care Costs Government data show that health costs are the biggest driver of income inequality in America today. Most employers pay workers a combination of wages and benefits, the most important of which is health coverage. Economic theory says that when employers’ costs for benefits like health coverage rise, they will hold back on salary increases to keep total compensation costs in check. That’s exactly what seems to have happened: Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that from June 2004 to June 2014 compensation increased by 28 percent while employer health-insurance costs rose by 51 percent. Consequently, average wages grew by just 24 percent (Mark J. Warshawsky and Andrew G. Biggs, 10/6). The New York Times: The Best Possible Day Medicine has forgotten how vital such matters are to people as they approach life’s end. People want to share memories, pass on wisdoms and keepsakes, connect with loved ones, and to make some last contributions to the world. These moments are among life’s most important, for both the dying and those left behind. And the way we in medicine deny people these moments, out of obtuseness and neglect, should be cause for our unending shame (Dr. Atul Gwunde, 10/5). The New York Times: Closing Down Abortion Clinics, Giving Fetuses Lawyers Radical ideologues in state legislatures, doctrinaire Congressmen and complicit judges are using craftily written technical restrictions to undermine a constitutional right. You’d think conservatives, like the Republicans in Congress and governor’s mansions around the country would be in a state of outrage. But this is not about owning firearms or putting nativity scenes in town squares — constitutional issues that inflame the American right and fill Fox News’s 24-hour appetite. It is about women’s health care, so those strident forces are silent (Andrew Rosenthal, 10/3). The Washington Post: In Texas, An Undue Burden On Women Seeking Abortions Last year the [Texas] state legislature passed, and Gov. Rick Perry (R) signed, a law requiring that doctors who perform abortions have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital and that facilities at which abortions are performed meet the hospital-level standards for ambulatory surgical clinics. All this, supposedly, in the interest of protecting women’s health. Hogwash. If anything, the law endangers women by making access to abortion more difficult, leading to later-term — and consequently riskier — procedures (Ruth Marcus, 10/4). Bloomberg: Georgia’s Unexpected Senate Nail-Biter Michelle Nunn, the Democratic Senate candidate, stated her case cogently in Columbus, Georgia, last week: If elected, she vowed to “change Washington in a collaborative way.” Her Republican opponent, businessman David Perdue, also is running as the “change” candidate, but he’s skipping the collaborative stuff. … [Nunn] needs to appeal to the base by embracing pay equity for women, a higher minimum wage, immigration reform, and mend, not end, the Affordable Care Act (Albert R. Hunt, 10/5). Los Angeles Times: We’re Not Getting The Federal Government We Deserve The Secret Service can’t protect the White House. Public health authorities can’t get their arms around a one-man Ebola outbreak. The army we trained in Iraq collapsed as soon as it was attacked by Islamic extremists, and our own veterans can’t get the care they need at VA hospitals. And, lest we forget, it was only a year ago that the White House rolled out its national health insurance program, only to see its website grind to a halt. Yes, you can argue that these problems all have different causes. But it’s hard not to conclude that something basic is amiss in Washington (Doyle McManus, 10/5). Los Angeles Times: The Latest Bogus Attack On Obamacare: It’s Anti-Innovation! As the Affordable Care Act takes hold as a flag carrier for U.S. healthcare reform, assertions of its deleterious effects become more threadbare and repetitious by the day. One of the hoariest chestnuts was resurrected Wednesday in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, which purported to analyze Obamacare’s “threat to innovation.” … [The] op-ed follows the pattern of many other conservative critiques of the ACA. It combines questionable data with irrelevant claims, and blames the ACA for trends that have nothing to do with the act. The heart of the article — quite possibly its chief motivation — is an attack on the act’s medical device tax, which is detested by the medical device industry (naturally) (Michael Hiltzik, 10/3). The New York Times: When Higher Education Doesn’t Deliver On Its Promise: Medical-Assistant Programs: A Case Study America’s aging population and growing health care sector have created a strong demand for medical assistants, who check vital signs, schedule appointments and perform other tasks. More than 500,000 medical assistants were employed in 2012 and, as the poster correctly noted, the Labor Department projects growth of around 30 percent over the next 10 years. … But new federal data that track college graduates into the job market tell a far more sobering story. The market for medical-assistant education is deeply troubling (Kevin Carey, 10/4). Bloomberg: Containing Ebola, And Ebola Panic The Ebola virus may be easier to handle in the U.S. than the Ebola panic. The first case of an Ebola victim traveling to the U.S. has not been handled perfectly, but the U.S. health care system is well-poised to keep the disease under control. Now the U.S. political system has to work with health officials to help ease panic about the virus (10/5). 
The Wall Street Journal: Jury Trial Fails To Resolve Questions Over Access To Generic Drugs A closely watched trial that many hoped would help clarify a contentious battle over access to generic drugs instead ended in disappointment last week. In fact, the outcome only seems to have underscored the difficulty in sorting out so-called pay-to-delay deals, a topic that has embroiled the pharmaceutical industry, regulators and the courts for years. (Silverman, 12/11) Philadelphia Transit Agency Sues Gilead Sciences To Challenge Sovaldi’s Price Tag The transit system alleges that Gilead is engaging in price gouging with the drug to treat hepatitis C. The cost of a normal, 12-week course of treatment with Sovaldi is about $84,000, or $1,000 a pill. The Washington Post’s Wonkblog: A New Lawsuit Claims $84,000 Is Way Too Much For This Lifesaving Drug The federal lawsuit from Philadelphia’s public transit agency appears to be the first directly challenging the price of Sovaldi, which costs $84,000 overall during a normal 12-week course of treatment in the United States. Since Gilead Sciences launched Sovaldi last year, the drug has shattered sales records and set off a contentious debate about how to make treatments affordable and accessible while also encouraging drugmakers to invest in new drug development. (Millman, 12/11) In other pharmaceutical industry news – Philadelphia’s transit system is taking on Gilead Sciences Inc. over its sky-high pricing of the breakthrough hepatitis C drug Sovaldi. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority alleged in a lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court in Philadelphia that Gilead is engaging in “price gouging” by charging $1,000 a pill, or $84,000 for a standard 12-week treatment. (Pfeifer, 12/11) Los Angeles Times: Philadelphia Transit System Sues Gilead Sciences Over $1,000-A-Pill Drug This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
Significant Gaps Are Common In States’ Ethics Requirements For Public Health Officials, Investigation Finds Politico found that in 1 out of 5 states, top public health officials are not subject to any disclosure for financial holdings. This explains why Indiana Surgeon General Jerome Adams’ financial stake in tobacco and pharmaceutical stocks wasn’t publicly known until he was picked for a federal position. In other news on Trump administration officials — When Surgeon General Jerome Adams was the top health official in Indiana, he owned thousands of dollars in tobacco and pharmaceutical stocks which potentially conflicted with his state responsibilities. Those stocks were never revealed under lax Indiana disclosure laws. His investments became public only when he was required to divest them to serve as the nation’s top doctor — and HHS says he is in full compliance with federal ethics laws. (Ehley, Karlin-Smith, Pradhan and Haberkorn, 8/12) An American diplomat involved in an effort by the Trump administration to prevent the introduction of a breast-feeding resolution at a global health conference this spring denied making threats to Ecuador, the country that initially sponsored the resolution. In an interview, Todd C. Chapman, the United States ambassador to Ecuador, said that allegations reported by The New York Times on July 8 that he threatened Ecuadorean officials with trade sanctions and withdrawal of some military assistance were “patently false and inaccurate.” (Jacobs and Belluck, 8/12) The New York Times: U.S. Ambassador Denies Threatening Ecuador Over Breast-Feeding Resolution This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription. Politico: Lax State Ethics Rules Leave Health Agencies Vulnerable To Conflicts 
A key Democrat on drug pricing issues said Wednesday that she does not want to “punish” the pharmaceutical industry, striking a softer tone than many other Democrats do on the issue. Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), the new chairwoman of the powerful Energy and Commerce health subcommittee, has received criticism from some drug pricing advocates that she is too close to the pharmaceutical industry. (Sullivan, 1/16) A coalition of patient advocacy and medical groups — led by the American Cancer Society’s advocacy arm and joined by the American Medical Association — launched an advertising campaign Thursday to drum up opposition to a proposed change to Medicare they say will “put patients’ lives at risk.” … The ads will run in major national newspapers including the New York Times and the Washington Post, beginning today, according to an email laying out the campaign for supporters obtained by STAT. (Swetlitz 1/17) The head of the pharmaceutical industry’s main lobbying group said Wednesday that he remains “hopeful” the Trump administration will back down on its controversial proposal to lower drug prices. Steve Ubl, CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), told reporters he is “heartened” by a “broad coalition of folks that have raised concerns about this model, not only us.” (Sullivan, 1/16) Stat: Rising Drug Prices Are Making Hospitals Feel A Little Sick House Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings (Md.) isn’t the only newly empowered Democrat with his eyes on drug makers. Rep. Diana DeGette of Colorado, the newly minted chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s oversight arm, is also planning to haul industry CEOs before her own panel, she said Wednesday at a briefing with reporters. (Florko, 1/16) This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription. In other drug pricing news — Prescription Drug Watch: For news on rising drug costs, check out our weekly roundup of news coverage and perspectives of the issue. Stat: Patient Groups Blast Trump Drug Pricing Proposal In New Ad Campaign 
Stat: Rep. DeGette Promises To Call Drug Industry CEOs To Testify Drug Pricing Firmly At Center Stage On Capitol Hill As Divided Congress Kicks Off New Session There’s been a flurry of movement and discussions this week about the issue, which many say will be one of the few bipartisan issues that the divided Congress can tackle in the next two years. The Hill: Key House Dem: I Don’t Want To ‘Punish’ Drug Companies The rising cost of medicines is leaving some hospitals feeling under the weather. A new survey finds that many hospitals are spending more on prescription drugs each year. Between 2015 and 2017, total spending at U.S. community hospitals for each admitted patient climbed 18.5 percent, from $468 to $555, resulting in $1.8 million in added spending for the average hospital. (Silverman, 1/16) The Hill: PhRMA CEO ‘Hopeful’ Trump Officials Will Back Down On Drug Pricing Move Senate Finance Republicans met with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar on Wednesday to discuss the administration’s drug pricing proposals. The committee’s new chairman, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), said the senators and Azar discussed the administration’s controversial proposal to base what Medicare pays for prescription drugs on prices in other countries. (Hellmann, 1/16) The Hill: HHS Secretary, Senate Finance Republicans Talk Drug Pricing 
Show More Unlike other sites, we thoroughly review everything we recommend, using industry standard tests to evaluate products. We’ll always tell you what we find. We may get a commission if you buy via our price links.Tell us what you think – email the Editor Sign up for the Mobile NewsletterSign Up Please keep me up to date with special offers and news from Goodtoknow and other brands operated by TI Media Limited via email. You can unsubscribe at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. We’d also like to send you special offers and news just by email from other carefully selected companies we think you might like. Your personal details will not be shared with those companies – we send the emails and you can unsubscribe at any time. Please tick here if you are happy to receive these messages.By submitting your information, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy & Cookies Policy. Microsoft recently announced that its own Microsoft Edge browser would be moving over to Chromium, the open source project that underpins Google’s Chrome browser. But wait, there’s more. Microsoft has announced on Monday that the next version of Edge, the one with all the Chromium powering the show, will come with an Internet Explorer mode, allowing users to run web pages that no longer support newer browser technology.This won’t mean much to you if you’re not religiously checking Warner Bros. Space Jam website, but at an enterprise level, many workers are stuck using nearly-antique webpages to function day to day, so this is a huge bonus. This multiplies when you consider that this oft-bespoke software would take more work to fix for a potentially overstretched IT team then merely installed Edge on every computer.Related: Best VPN 2019It’s a use case that anyone that’s glared at an office computer will be familiar with, although every terrible work PC i’ve been lumbered with has also come with a comically out of date install of Internet Explorer, so hopefully this will encourage some companies to upgrade. In addition, Microsoft is adding some heavy-duty privacy controls to the browser. This mostly takes the form of a toggle between three modes: unrestricted, balanced and strict. As you can imagine, these do pretty much what they say on the label, but should let users have a better level of control over what they do and don’t share with websites they visit on the net, and should offer some peace of mind without requiring you to dive an InPrivate window, Edge’s answer to Chrome’s incognito mode. Related: Best iPhone 2019You can check out the preview for Edge browser, providing you’re on Windows 10, at the Microsoft Edge Insider site. There’s no word on when it’ll fully release, but the Fall update for Windows 10 would be a safe enough bet. 
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. We’d also like to send you special offers and news just by email from other carefully selected companies we think you might like. Your personal details will not be shared with those companies – we send the emails and you can unsubscribe at any time. Please tick here if you are happy to receive these messages.By submitting your information, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy & Cookies Policy. Sign up for the Mobile NewsletterSign Up Please keep me up to date with special offers and news from Goodtoknow and other brands operated by TI Media Limited via email. You can unsubscribe at any time. Night mode on Galaxy S9+ camera. Finally with me now pic.twitter.com/gLEZEh4Ygm— d’yer mak’er (@nbkhanal) June 15, 2019Without comparison shots, it’s hard to tell how effective Night Mode is, but we’re looking forward to trying it out. If you have managed to get it running on the S9 range or Note 9, let us know your first impressions on Twitter using @TrustedReviews.
Users of the Galaxy Note 9 are a step closer to gaining access to Samsung’s new dedicated Night Mode camera feature.The 6.4-incher is one of the best large-screened handsets on the market, but its camera isn’t quite a match for the likes of the Google Pixel 3 and Huawei P30 Pro, which are head and shoulders the best camera phones on the market right now.Read more: Best camera phonesBoth of those two handsets offer really impressive night modes, and the incoming update for the Note 9 should help to bridge the gap.The update was first discovered by SamMobile, which reports that it has just started rolling out to users based in Germany.It will come to Note 9 users across the globe over the coming weeks, so some users will have to be more patient than others, depending on where you live − you can look for the update by going to Settings > Software Update > Download Updates Manually.Samsung recently started rolling out its Night Mode to the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus. If you’re an S9 user and haven’t yet managed to get to grips with the feature, you can follow the same steps outlined above to see if the update has reached your handset yet.We haven’t tried Samsung’s new Night Mode out yet, but here’s a sample from a Twitter user who claims to have downloaded the update: Show More Unlike other sites, we thoroughly review everything we recommend, using industry standard tests to evaluate products. We’ll always tell you what we find. We may get a commission if you buy via our price links.Tell us what you think – email the Editor
Source: Charge Forward Funding secured: Tesla announced today that it has secured a $521 million loan from several Chinese banks in order to build the first phase of its Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai. more…The post Tesla (TSLA) secures over $500 million for Gigafactory 3 appeared first on Electrek.
Light electric vehicles are increasingly falling into favor for use in cargo and delivery applications. Now a new company from the UK has unveiled their own solution: electric quadricycles. more…Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and the podcast.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVp0Cr2Pg4gThe post Could these cute little electric quadricycles be the next big e-cargo bike solution? appeared first on Electrek. Source: Charge Forward