30 June 2019

What’s up with Lidar, crypto mafias, influencer marketing, Shuttl, and assistive tech


Reminder: Extra Crunch discount on Sessions: Enterprise tickets

Come and watch TechCrunch interview enterprise titans and rising founders at the premier of TechCrunch Sessions: Enterprise in San Francisco on September 5th. Join 1000+ enterprise enthusiasts for a day of talks, demos, startups, and networking.

Book your $249 Early Bird tickets today and save an extra 20% as an Extra Crunch annual subscriber. Just contact extracrunch@techcrunch.com to snag your discounted tickets.

Startups at the speed of light: Lidar CEOs put their industry in perspective

Our science and AI correspondent Devin Coldewey has a blockbuster look at the current state of affairs in the lidar industry. What started as those gyrating “spinners” on top of partially autonomous cars has evolved into a variety of mechanisms like metameterials, all the while VCs have dumped hundreds of millions of dollars on to new ventures.

The big challenge today though is to move from curios in the lab to production-ready hardware prepared for the open road. While some startups have netted early partnerships with car manufacturers like BMW, nothing is set in stone yet, even as a consolidation of the industry seems absolutely imminent.

There’s no shortage of lidar alternatives — as long as you don’t need something that’s ready to roll off the production line.

“Almost everything is in R&D, of which 95 percent is in the earlier stages of research, rather than actual development,” explained Austin Russell, founder and CEO of Luminar. “The development stage is a huge undertaking — to actually move it towards real-world adoption and into true series production vehicles. Whoever is able to enable true autonomy in production vehicles first is going to be the game changer for the industry. But that hasn’t happened yet.”

And

“I’ve been approached at least four times in the last two months with an offer to buy a lidar company,” said Innoviz CEO Omer Keilaf. “It doesn’t surprise me to see some convergence. While there are 20 or 30 car makers, only a few are early adopters — companies like BMW, Daimler, Audi — and they’re built in a way to do that. They have dedicated teams for working with companies like us, making sure everything goes right in such a complicated project. And that trend is even stronger when it’s related to functional safety.”

The rise of the new crypto “mafias”

Accomplice’s lead crypto investor Ash Egan offered up his research onto the crypto world, tracking the lineage of almost 200 startups to determine where they all started. His conclusion is that a handful of institutions — among them Stanford, Google, and Goldman Sachs — lead the pack as the best academies for crypto startup founders.


Read Full Article

29 June 2019

Startups at the speed of light: Lidar CEOs put their industry in perspective


As autonomous cars and robots loom over the landscapes of cities and jobs alike, the technologies that empower them are forming sub-industries of their own. One of those is lidar, which has become an indispensable tool to autonomy, spawning dozens of companies and attracting hundreds of millions in venture funding.

But like all industries built on top of fast-moving technologies, lidar and the sensing business is by definition built somewhat upon a foundation of shifting sands. New research appears weekly advancing the art, and no less frequently are new partnerships minted, as car manufacturers like Audi and BMW scramble to keep ahead of their peers in the emerging autonomy economy.

To compete in the lidar industry means not just to create and follow through on difficult research and engineering, but to be prepared to react with agility as the market shifts in response to trends, regulations, and disasters.

I talked with several CEOs and investors in the lidar space to find out how the industry is changing, how they plan to compete, and what the next few years have in store.

Their opinions and predictions sometimes synced up and at other times diverged completely. For some, the future lies manifestly in partnerships they have already established and hope to nurture, while others feel that it’s too early for automakers to commit, and they’re stringing startups along one non-exclusive contract at a time.

All agreed that the technology itself is obviously important, but not so important that investors will wait forever for engineers to get it out of the lab.

And while some felt a sensor company has no business building a full-stack autonomy solution, others suggested that’s the only way to attract customers navigating a strange new market.

It’s a flourishing market but one, they all agreed, that will experience a major consolidation in the next year. In short, it’s a wild west of ideas, plentiful money, and a bright future — for some.

The evolution of lidar

I’ve previously written an introduction to lidar, but in short, lidar units project lasers out into the world and measure how they are reflected, producing a 3D picture of the environment around them.


Read Full Article

Become a Better Negotiator With This FREE Ebook!


meeting-minutes-templates

Negotiations enter so many parts of our lives, yet few people ever take the time to learn how to become a better negotiator.

This is a skill that, if developed, can give you the confidence that you are finally in control, and able to better work toward what you want to accomplish. And this is exactly what this ebook has been written for.

With just a small amount of learning, you could be much better suited to mediate family arguments, negotiate job offers, reduce interest rates, land real estate deals, and improve your relationship with your colleagues.

With 100 packed pages, this free resource on negotiating skills, theory, and practices covers:

  • How to negotiate with your family members, and keep the peace
  • Negotiating sales and contracts
  • Using hard and strong negotiating skills
  • Using body language and eye contact
  • And much more!

Download This Ebook For Free!

Learning the art of negotiating will help you advance in your personal and professional life, and this ebook is a great introduction that you can download today, for free.

Want to download your free copy? Simply click here to download Negotiating and Negotiations from TradePub. You will have to complete a short form to access the ebook, but it’s well worth it!

Read the full article: Become a Better Negotiator With This FREE Ebook!


Read Full Article

5 Sites to Find DIY Crafts and Projects for Kids and Teens


Whether you’re the parent of a teen or a younger child, you need to complement their book-based education with hands-on projects. These free websites have a collection of DIY crafts and projects for kids of all ages.

DIY home projects with parents are a great way to raise your kid to be a tinkerer. It’s never too early to start them on the path, so read the linked article to know the safest ways and best practices for inquisitive young minds.

1. DIY.org (Web): Projects, Challenges, and a Rewards System

DIY.org has a range of DIY crafts and projects for kids

DIY.org, a project by Little Bits, is a wonderful place to get your children started on the DIY journey. It comes with a rewards-based system. The child and parent have to both sign up for an account, so you can track what your kid is doing.

Set up your account and go to Patches. Patches are a bit like scout badges, wherein kids have to pick and finish an activity to earn the Patch. Kids can do that by unlocking different projects. Patches won’t be given out until the child uploads a picture of the finished project.

Patches are divided into skills like art, building, design, engineering, science, etc. Each skill has sub-patches, and each sub-patch has a number of projects or challenges available in it.

Pick a challenge, and you’ll find instructions on how to complete it, usually in the form of a video. Upload a picture or video of the finished task to earn one point. Three points earn you the patch, and six points mean that you’ve mastered the skill.

2. PBS Design Squad (Web): Detailed Guides from the Popular Show

PBS Design Squad's website has detailed DIY guides for children's projects

The official website of PBS show Design Squad has a neat collection of DIY projects and ideas for kids in their Build section. Projects have difficulty levels and you can pick them from categories like art, building, machines, musical, party, toys, and vehicles.

Kids can follow the detailed instructional guides that are easy to understand. They can build anything from a confetti launcher for parties to a two-wheeled car toy propelled by a rubber band. These projects require materials that you’ll already have at home or should be easily available in any store.

Each project comes with a fun video demonstrating it, along with detailed step-by-step instructions and pictures that you can read online, or print out as a PDF. There are currently 51 DIY projects to try out. And if your child wants other distractions, check out the Watch, Design, or Games sections for ideas.

3. 5-Minute Crafts KIDS (YouTube): Quick and Basic Projects for Kids

The popular 5-Minute Crafts YouTube channel is mainly for adults, but it has several sub-channels including one for children. Here, you’ll find projects and ideas that any kid can do with basic craft materials like glue, scissors, and so on.

The videos are usually large compilations of things you can do around one activity. For example, one video concentrates on DIY hacks and projects for a dollhouse, while another talks about simple and cute craft works to decorate phone cases.

Depending on the age of the child, you might need to help them with some projects. But any kid can do these once given the materials. Make sure you also check the video’s description, which has links to the different demonstrations in the video along with a link to jump to that timestamp.

4. KiwiCo’s DIY Blog (Web): Over 2000 DIY Projects for Kids and Teens

Kiwi Co's DIY blog has excellent projects for teens

KiwiCo sells a subscription service where children get a monthly box for new hands-on art and science projects. While those boxes cost some money, the KiwiCo blog of DIY Ideas has plenty of free-to-try projects that you can do with your own materials.

The broad categories are arts and crafts, science, and holidays and events. The projects range from ideas that are suitable for children aged from three to 16 years. But there isn’t an easy way to sort them based on age.

But you can simply browse through the projects to find plenty of cool options. The titles and descriptions usually indicate which age-group it would be ideal for. You’ll find everything from creating your own Mobius loop with an easy printout to making art by melting crayons on canvas.

While all of this is free, an annoying pop-up will keep reminding you to sign up for the KiwiCo newsletter before reading the full article. There doesn’t seem to be an easy way to circumvent this, so you’ll have to sign up to see the projects.

5. STEMpedia (Web): Robotics and Science Projects for Teens

STEMPedia offers DIY robotics and engineering projects for teens

Is your child is interested in any of the STEM disciplines? You’ll need DIY projects that are a little more advanced than what other sites offer. STEMpedia has a host of projects for students looking to get hands-on experience with building something geeky and fun.

The projects at STEMpedia often require electronic materials like Arduino boards, LEDs, LEGO robotics kits, and other such items. You can also help out as some projects are a bit more advanced and need an adult hand.

But while they’re more complex, they are still fun and challenging. For example, you can learn how to build your own claw machine, or a simple maze-based video game, or even a phone-controlled 4-wheel robot.

All of these projects require a basic understanding of STEM disciplines, and you’ll probably need a computer handy too. In fact, it might be a good idea to find a local hackerspace because you might need help with some projects.

For more such ideas and projects, check out the best Youtube channels for STEM education.

Raising a DIY-Loving Kid

An all-rounded education is important for any child, and that means along with academic information, they need to also have hands-on practical projects. The above list of websites will ensure your child is eager to roll their sleeves up with art, mechanics, or science.

In fact, we’ve before you move to the websites, we’ve also got a curated list for you. Here are the top 10 geeky science projects you can do at home with your child. It’ll be educational while also leading to some parent-child bonding.

Read the full article: 5 Sites to Find DIY Crafts and Projects for Kids and Teens


Read Full Article

Huawei can buy from US suppliers again — but things will never be the same


U.S. President Donald Trump has handed Huawei a lifeline after he said that U.S. companies are permitted to sell goods to the embattled Chinese tech firm following more than a month of uncertainty.

It’s been a pretty dismal past month for Huawei since the American government added it and 70 of its affiliates to an “entity list” which forbids U.S. companies from doing business with it. The ramifications of the move were huge across Huawei’s networking and consumer devices businesses. A range of chip companies reportedly forced to sever ties while Google, which provides Android for Huawei devices, also froze its relationship. Speaking this month.

All told, Huawei founder and chief executive Ren Zhengfei said recently that the ban would cost the Chinese tech firm — the world’s third-larger seller of smartphones — some $30 billion in lost revenue of the next two years.

Now, however, the Trump administration has provided a reprieve, at least based on the President’s comments following a meeting with Chinese premier Xi Jinping at the G20 summit this weekend.

“US companies can sell their equipment to Huawei. We’re talking about equipment where there’s no great national security problem with it,” the U.S. President said.

Those comments perhaps contradict some in the US administration who saw the Huawei blacklisting as a way to strangle the company and its global ambitions, which are deemed by some analysts to be a threat to America.

Despite the good news, any mutual trust has been broken and things are unlikely to be the same again.

America’s almost casual move to blacklist Huawei — the latest in a series of strategies in its ongoing trade battle with China — exemplifies just how dependent the company has become on the U.S. to simply function.

Huawei has taken steps to hedge its reliance on America, including the development of its own operating system to replace Android and its own backup chips, and you can expect that these projects will go into overdrive to ensure that Huawei doesn’t find itself in a similar position again in the future.

Of course, decoupling its supply chain from US partners is no easy task both in terms of software and components. It remains to be seen if Huawei could maintain its current business level — which included 59 million smartphones in the last quarter and total revenue of $107.4 billion in 2018 — with non-US components and software but this episode is a reminder that it must have a solid contingency policy in case it becomes a political chess piece again in the future.

Beyond aiding Huawei, Trump’s move will boost Google and other Huawei partners who invested significant time and resources into developing a relationship with Huawei to boost their own businesses through its business.

Indeed, speaking to press Trump, Trump admitted that US companies sell “a tremendous amount” of products to Huawei. Some “were not exactly happy that they couldn’t sell” to Huawei and it looks like that may have helped tipped this decision. But, then again, never say never — you’d imagine that the Huawei-Trump saga is far from over despite this latest twist.


Read Full Article

Google finance head joins Postmates board ahead of anticipated IPO


Google’s vice president of finance, has joined Postmates’ board of directors, the latest sign that the on-demand food delivery startup is prepping to take the company public.

Postmates announced Friday that Kristin Reinke, vice president of Finance at Google, will join the San Francisco startup as an independent director.

Reinke has been with Google since 2005. Prior to Google, Reinke was at Oracle for eight years. Reinke also serves on the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco’s Economic Advisory Council.

Her skill set will come in handy as Postmates creeps towards an IPO.

Earlier this year, the company lined up a $100 million pre-IPO financing that valued the business at $1.85 billion. Postmates is backed by Tiger Global, BlackRock, Spark Capital, Uncork Capital, Founders Fund, Slow Ventures and others. Spark Capital’s Nabeel Hyatt tweeted the news earlier Friday.

“Postmates has established itself as the market leader with a focus on innovation and route efficiency in the fast‐growing on‐demand delivery sector. Given their strong execution, accelerating growth, and financial discipline, they are well positioned for continued market growth across the U.S.,” said Reinke. “I’m thrilled to join the board.”

The startup has been beefing up its executive quiver, most recently hiring Apple veteran and author Ken Kocienda as a principal software engineer at Postmates X, the team building the food delivery company’s semi-autonomous sidewalk rover, Serve.

Kocienda, author of “Creative Selection: Inside Apple’s  Design Process During the Golden Age of Steve Jobs,” spent 15 years at Apple focused on human interface design, collaborating with engineers to develop the first iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.


Read Full Article

Facebook SDK bug crashes apps like Timehop


A malfunction in Facebook’s Software Development Kit that lets apps add Login With Facebook, sharing, and other features is causing apps that integrate it like Timehop to repeatedly crash. TechCrunch received a tip that developers were getting tons of user complaints and crash reports starting around noon pacific today due to a problem with the Facebook for iOS SDK. TechCrunch’s testing verified that products like Timehop, Joytunes’ Simply Piano, Momento GIFs, and more keep breaking when users access Facebook features or in some cases just open the app.

This is a big issue for Facebook because it relies on these apps to drive user lock-in. If people use Facebook to log into or share from other apps, they’re less likely to delete their account. But if the Facebook developer platform screws up like this morning, developers could instead highlight sharing via Twitter or SMS, and divert ad buys to other platforms. Most problematically, the bug could push developers to other login platforms like Google’s or Apple’s new Sign In With Apple.

Facebook SDK Bug

The bug was initially submitted to Facebook’s developer forums by Ryan Layne. These crashes thwart normal usage of other apps, costing their developers ad views and in-app purchases, or leading their users to uninstall or abandon them. TechCrunch contacted Facebook requesting information on the cause of the bug, a timeline for a fix, and what developers should do in the meantime. The company’s PR team is investigating, a representative tells me.

Timehop Facebook SDK Crash

Hitting the Connect Facebook button on Timehop causes the app to crash. Developers in Facebook’s bug reporting forum pile on saying their apps are breaking

The situation highlights the increasing centralization of the web as more and more companies depend on a small number of mobile, hosting, and social platforms. Earlier this month, a Google Cloud outage knocked down Snapchat and Discord. While these tools make it simpler to start a company or launch an app without having to build everything in-house, they introduce platform risk. Beyond technical outages, there’s also the concern that a platform could use its insights to copy its clients, or block them if they compete with the gatekeeper too vigorously as Facebook has done to chat and social media apps in the past.


Read Full Article

Facebook SDK bug crashes apps like Timehop


A malfunction in Facebook’s Software Development Kit that lets apps add Login With Facebook, sharing, and other features is causing apps that integrate it like Timehop to repeatedly crash. TechCrunch received a tip that developers were getting tons of user complaints and crash reports starting around noon pacific today due to a problem with the Facebook for iOS SDK. TechCrunch’s testing verified that products like TimeHop, Joytunes’ Simply Piano, Momento GIFs, and more keep breaking when users access Facebook features or in some cases just open the app.

This is a big issue for Facebook because it relies on these apps to drive user lock-in. If people use Facebook to log into or share from other apps, they’re less likely to delete their account. But if the Facebook developer platform screws up like this morning, developers could instead highlight sharing via Twitter or SMS, and divert ad buys to other platforms. Most problematically, the bug could push developers to other login platforms like Google’s or Apple’s new Sign In With Apple.

Facebook SDK Bug

The bug was initially submitted to Facebook’s developer forums by Ryan Layne. These crashes thwart normal usage of other apps, costing their developers ad views and in-app purchases, or leading their users to uninstall or abandon them. TechCrunch contacted Facebook requesting information on the cause of the bug, a timeline for a fix, and what developers should do in the meantime. The company’s PR team is investigating, a representative tells me.

Timehop Facebook SDK Crash

Hitting the Connect Facebook button on Timehop causes the app to crash. Developers in Facebook’s bug reporting forum pile on saying their apps are breaking

The situation highlights the increasing centralization of the web as more and more companies depend on a small number of mobile, hosting, and social platforms. Earlier this month, a Google Cloud outage knocked down Snapchat and Discord. While these tools make it simpler to start a company or launch an app without having to build everything in-house, they introduce platform risk. Beyond technical outages, there’s also the concern that a platform could use its insights to copy its clients, or block them if they compete with the gatekeeper too vigorously as Facebook has done to chat and social media apps in the past.


Read Full Article

Apple tries out the ‘choose-your-own adventure’ Twitter thread format that recently went viral


It looks like choose-your-own-adventure Twitter games won’t be a one-hit wonder, now that Apple’s social team has adopted the format. A new tweet from the @AppleTV Twitter account today helps users find a movie to watch by having them click through a series of Twitter threads. However, their effort (so far at least) pales compared with the original viral sensation — a Twitter choose-your-own-adventure style game that blew up earlier this month, where Twitter users try to not get fired as Beyoncé’s new assistant.

If you haven’t seen this masterpiece of Twitter handiwork, give yourself a break this Friday and go try it. It’s great fun.

The game is played by presenting you with a multiple choice question. You then click on your answer from among the Twitter replies presented by the original poster.

For example, you start your day by ordering Queen Bey her breakfast. You’re asked to choose between ordering a five-star breakfast or granola and yogurt. If you choose the former (spoiler alert!), you’re fired. If you click the right answer, you move on to the next task.

Further questions take you to new threads where you choose things like who Beyoncé should FaceTime, what activity you suggest while she waits for hair and makeup, what song to play for her when she asks for music, when she should get dressed for the event and where, whether you should photobomb her on the red carpet to fix her dress, where she sits at an event, and so on.

The game isn’t always simple A/B choices, either. The answers lead you down different paths. Your choice may not immediately result in being fired, but still could later on. For instance, if you send Beyoncé swimming, there’s no way to save your job when the next set of choices comes.

According to a TIME profile, the idea for the thread came from 19-year-old student Landon Rivera, who lives in L.A.

The thread, now which now has over a quarter million Twitter likes, was noticed by celebs like Chrissy Teigen and Questlove, the report also noted

After the Beyoncé game blew up into a viral hit, the creator started new threads about being Cardi B’s bodyguard and getting away with murder. These haven’t yet taken off to the extent the original Beyoncé thread did, which today stands at over 250K Likes on the thread placeholder tweet, and 97,300 retweets.

While it’s interesting that Apple’s social media team has now copycatted the idea, their choose-your-own-adventure thread falls short.

Actually, really short.

In fact, it’s not much of an adventure at all.

Instead, the movie suggestion thread doesn’t go much further than letting your pick between two movie watching scenarios, then directs you into a genre of your choosing…then, it dead ends with a movie suggestion.

This misses the reasons the Beyoncé game went viral in the first place: because it was lengthy, complex, multi-branched, and funny. You could get down several threads deep into the thing and then get booted out and lose.

The questions themselves also prompted commentary from those who knew Beyoncé actual habits (or at least, thought they did.)

Social media teams looking to replicate this formula for their own success will need to do more than create a handful of quick-to-end threads with little payoff. Either invest the serious effort in designing a clever branching narrative or just tweet as usual.

 

 

 


Read Full Article

How startups can make influencer marketing work on a budget


Influencer Marketing has ballooned into a $25 billion industry, yet many marketing managers are left confused by this, because for them, it’s really not delivering the results to justify the hype.

Here’s the thing. Influencer marketing is not a one-size-fits-all marketing strategy such as Facebook or Adwords advertising. Each company needs to take a closer look at what influencer marketing can achieve, where it falls down, and how you can do a better job with this latest form of marketing that delivers, on average, $6.50 of value for every $1 spent.

The analysis below relies on clients and case studies from our experience at OpenSponsorship.com (my company) which is the largest marketplace connecting brands with over 5500 professional athletes for marketing campaigns.

With over 3500 deals to date across clients as big as Vitamin Shoppe and Anheuser Busch, established players like Jabra and Project Repat, and new startups like Brazyn and Gutzy, we have seen a lot go wrong (who knew you could disable comments on a post!) and a lot go right (an unknown skiier’s $100 Instagram, posted right before the Winter Olympics, going viral after he won the Silver)!!

Thanks to our in-house data experts, integrations with IBM Watson, robust ROI tracking tools and 10 years+ of experience combining the learnings of sports sponsorship with influencer marketing, we have gained extensive insights into campaign strategies.

We will share our learnings about what criteria to consider when choosing the best influencer to work with, figuring out how much to pay the influencer, what rights to ask for in the deal, what terms and conditions are reasonable and how to track ROI for the deal.

image2 1


Table of Contents


Who is the right influencer? 

At OpenSponsorship, we match brands with athletes for marketing campaigns, with a view to further expand into other areas of media and entertainment such as music artists, comedians, actors. Even within the athlete world, there is the concept of micro-influencers such as yogis, triathletes, marathon runners, all the way to macro-influencers such as NFL Quarterbacks, starting NBA point guards and everything in between.

Our 3 recommendations for picking the right influencers are:


Read Full Article

28 June 2019

10 Pokemon Go Tips and Tricks Everyone Should Know

Everything You Need to Know About Your WhatsApp Privacy Settings

Is Your Virtual Memory Too Low? Here’s How to Fix It!


low-memory

Does your Windows 10 installation feel like it slows down over time? You’re not imagining it. As the hardware requirements for popular apps increase, your aging hardware suffers. Often there is a simple culprit: low memory. If you don’t have enough system memory, your system will slow to a crawl when you attempt to run multiple resource intensive programs.

Here’s how you fix your virtual memory size to make those issues disappear.

What Is Virtual Memory?

Your computer has two types of memory: A hard drive or solid-state drive, and RAM. Your hard drive is where your operating system lives, as well as your photos, music, games, documents, and otherwise. Your RAM stores program-specific data. It is much faster but also more volatile, acting as a working storage area for the programs and files you have open.

So, what is virtual memory?

Well, if you use all the RAM available to your system, it will utilize virtual memory—also known as a swap or paging file—to provide a temporary expansion. Your system virtual memory does this using part of your hard-drive memory to expand your RAM effectively. So this virtual memory is extremely useful. It allows your system to handle more data for more programs than previously available.

However, your hard drive memory (and even a faster solid-state drive) is much slower than your superfast RAM, so your performance can suffer.

When your memory runs low, the paging file comes into play. Some data stored in the RAM will move to the paging file, providing additional space for high-speed memory functions.

Running Low on Virtual Memory

If your virtual memory runs low, you will encounter the following message:

Your system is low on virtual memory. Windows is increasing the size of your virtual memory paging file. During this process, memory requests for some applications may be denied. For more information, see help.

Manually increasing the size of your paging file will alleviate this message, as per the error message. Windows sets the initial virtual memory paging file equal to the amount of installed RAM. The paging file is a minimum of 1.5 times and a maximum of three times your physical RAM.

For example, a system with 4GB RAM would have a minimum of 1024x4x1.5=6,144MB [1GB RAM x Installed RAM x Minimum]. Whereas, the maximum is 1024x4x3=12,288MB [1GB RAM x Installed RAM x Maximum].

Still, 12GB for a paging file is enormous. I would not recommend using the upper limit. Why? Because once your paging file increases over a certain size, your system will become unstable. In that, the paging file is a temporary fix.

How to Increase Your Virtual Memory

The natural question to ask is, “How much virtual memory should I set?”

Here’s how you increase the size of the paging file to get rid of the virtual memory error message.

  1. Head to Control Panel > System and Security > System.
  2. Select Change Settings to open your System Properties. Now open the Advanced
  3. Under Performance, select Settings. Open the Advanced Under Virtual memory, select Change. Here are your Virtual Memory options.

virtual memory system properties

The default option is to Automatically manage paging file size for all drives. Uncheck this to enable the currently greyed out section below. Select the drive you want to edit the paging file size for. By and large, this is your C: drive.

virtual memory default paging file size

Now, select Custom size. Set the Maximum size you want for your paging file, following the recommended size for your system. Remember, Windows restricts the paging file size to three times the size of your installed RAM. This is to ensure system stability. Set the Initial size to the Currently allocated size (found below).

virtual memory set custom paging file size

Click Set followed by OK. You have successfully increased your system’s virtual memory size. +1 knowledge for the day!

Please note that paging file (virtual memory) size increases are not usually met with a system restart message, but decreases are. A sudden decrease could cause system damage.

Other Ways to Increase Your Virtual Memory

If you find that your system still runs slowly following the paging file size adjustment, you must consider upgrading your RAM. Upgrading your RAM is the only way you can increase your virtual memory, by increasing the amount of overall memory available to the system. In that, you will alleviate the virtual memory issue during the process and could see a boost to your system speed, too.

There are countless tutorials to help you through this task, both text, and video, and many can be found specifically for your device. A great place to start figuring out compatible RAM is PC Part Picker.

What Are the Best Virtual Memory Settings?

I’m inclined to leave my virtual memory settings alone. Windows 10 manages your physical memory and your virtual memory, along with it. If you keep hitting the paging file memory limit, you should consider upgrading your RAM. It will make a world of difference, especially for older systems.

Want to know more about your system RAM? Check out our quick guide to everything you need to know about RAM!

Read the full article: Is Your Virtual Memory Too Low? Here’s How to Fix It!


Read Full Article

12 Mystery Podcasts Guaranteed to Tingle Your Spine


mystery-podcasts

There’s something inherently compelling about a mystery. As humans, we love being strung along, having small parts of a story revealed to us slowly. Which is why mystery novels sell so well. And now there are mystery podcasts to enjoy as well.

In this article we list the best mystery podcasts you can listen to today.

1. Limetown

limetown mystery podcasts

If you enjoy mystery fiction, give Limetown a try. After its initial release in mid-2015, it took less than two months to shoot to the top of the US podcast charts.

The plot revolves around fictional reporter, Lia Haddock. She tells the story of the mysterious disappearance of more than 300 people from a neuroscience research facility.

The first season has six episodes; the second season has five episodes. The story has reached its conclusion, and the creators are not planning any further episodes.

There is also now a prequel novel, written by Cote Smith.

2. The Lost

the lost mystery podcasts

The Lost is a five-part mini-series from New Zealand that explores some of the country’s missing person cases.

Led by reporter Paloma Migone, each episode features witness interviews, interviews with family members, and conversations with other people close to the cases. The aim is to uncover new evidence that might be able to shed some light on the truth behind the stories.

3. Unexplained

unexplained mystery podcasts

Unexplained is a British mystery podcast. It looks at some of the world’s weird goings-on that can’t be explained with simple science.

It covers everything from murder mysteries to purported meetings with the Devil. Through each of the episodes, the blurred line between reality and the paranormal is pondered by the host.

At the time of writing, there are four seasons available.

4. Thinking Sideways

thinking sideways mystery podcasts

One of our favorite history mystery podcasts is Thinking Sideways. It is approaching its 300th episode.

A typical episode focuses on a particular historical mystery, folk tale, or urban legend, which the hosts then discuss in more detail.

To give you an idea of what to expect, recent shows have discussed everything from the Tunguska Event in 1908 to ghost ships on the high seas during the age of pirates.

5. SPINES

spines mystery podcasts

SPINES is another one of the best mystery podcasts. The story’s central character is Wren Jones. He wakes up in the aftermath of an occult ritual without any idea of how it got there—and immediately embarks on a quest for answers.

If you like mysterious creatures, occult organizations, amnesia, and strange disappearances, SPINES is worth listening to. The series concluded in 2018 after an impressive 308 episodes.

Due to the length of the story, the publisher has now made the entire series available as a single podcast, turning it into something like an audiobook.

6. Death in Ice Valley

death in ice valley mystery podcasts

Death in Ice Valley is a BBC production that aired in 2018. It tells the story of the “Isdal Woman.” Two kids found her body in the remote Isdalen Valley outside the Norwegian city of Bergen in the 1970s.

Her corpse was badly burned and surrounded by bottles of water, a rubber boot, and burnt paper. Both her identity and the reason for her supposed murder have remained a mystery ever since.

The show is hosted by Norwegian investigative journalist, Marit Higraff, and British BBC radio documentary maker, Neil McCarthy.

7. Empty Frames

empty frames mystery podcasts

Empty Frames explores the famous Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum theft. In March 1990, 13 works of art worth $500 million were stolen from the museum. It remains the largest-value theft of private property in history.

The heist included pieces by Rembrandt, Degas, and Vermeer, though the more valuable works in the building were left untouched.

No one has ever been charged over the incident, and the paintings are still missing.

8. Mysterious Universe

mysterious universe mystery podcasts

This mystery podcast series isn’t what it sounds like—it’s nothing to do with the Milky Way, the Solar System, or space in general.

Mysterious Universe is a news podcast for anyone interested in supernatural happenings. The show is now up to season 21 and showing no signs of slowing down.

Recent episodes have discussed poltergeist invasions, strange beings in the English countryside, and a controversial theory about obsessive-compulsive disorder.

9. The Black Tapes

the black tapes mystery podcasts

If you liked the popular Serial podcast, you will love The Black Tapes—it uses the same docudrama format, though the subject matter is a bit darker. Disappearances, hauntings, shadowy figures, and rituals are commonplace in episodes.

The Black Tapes begins with a series of seemingly unconnected paranormal cases, but the series’ main protagonist, Alex Reagan, quickly realizes everything isn’t as it seems.

10. Bowraville

bowraville mystery podcasts

The Bowraville murders in Australia happened over a five-month period starting in September 1990. In total, three aboriginal children were killed; they all lived on the same street, and all three disappeared after community parties.

The prime suspect—name unknown—has been tried twice for the murders, in 1994 and 2006. On both occasions, the court acquitted him. The case is still unsolved.

Bowraville is one of the best mystery podcasts if you love stories that are tied up in race relations, law enforcement attitudes, and dodgy legal systems.

11. Tanis

tanis mystery podcasts

The same team who is responsible for The Black Tapes has created Tanis. When the series kicks off, listeners aren’t even sure what Tanis is. A place? A person? Is it biblical? Or historical?

However, with the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Bermuda Triangle, the Super-Sargasso Sea, William Blake, the Freemasons, Xanu, and numbers stations all getting mentions within the first few episodes, there’s a whole lot to dig into and enjoy.

12. The Last Podcast on the Left

last podcast on the left mystery podcasts

Finally, no list of the best mystery podcasts would complete without a mention of The Last Podcast on the Left.

Three comedians host the show. In each episode, they explore a horror, mystery, unexplained phenomena, or another supernatural event.

It’s light-hearted, so if you’re looking for serious mystery podcasts, try the other recommendations instead. However, if you want an easy-to-digest show, you should check it out.

Beyond Mystery Podcasts

After you’ve worked your way through these shows, there’s a strong possibility that you’ll be looking for a different genre of podcast to listen to. After all, there’s only so much mystery that one person can handle.

Don’t worry, as MakeUseOf has you covered. Here are the most popular Plex podcasts and the best podcasts on Spotify.

Read the full article: 12 Mystery Podcasts Guaranteed to Tingle Your Spine


Read Full Article

How to Transfer and Share Files Between Windows and Linux


share-files-linux-windows

Copying data from a Windows PC to Linux—or in the other direction—can seem intimidating at first. After all, it’s something that seems like it should be simple, but turns out to be difficult.

In truth, sharing files from Windows to Linux is easy, but only if you know how to do it. Ready to find out?

5 Ways to Transfer Files from Windows to Linux

Transferring data between Windows and Linux operating systems is easier than you think. We’ve compiled five ways for you to do this:

  1. Share network folders
  2. Transfer files with FTP
  3. Securely copy files via SSH
  4. Share data using sync software
  5. Use shared folders in your Linux virtual machine

With each of these methods you’ll be able to easily (and in some cases, effortlessly) move files between operating systems.

Let’s look at them in turn and find out which one suits you best.

1. Share Network Folders Between Linux and Windows

The most obvious way to share files between Linux and Windows is to take advantage of network shares. This term refers to folders on one PC that are available to users on other machines. On a Windows-only network this is easy to set up. Adding a Linux device complicates matters slightly, although this can be overcome.

Starting on the Windows machine, right-click the network connection icon in the system tray and select Open Network & internet Settings. Next, click Sharing options and for the current profile enable

  • Turn on network discovery
  • Turn on file and printer sharing

Click Save changes to confirm, then browse to the folder containing the files you wish to share. Right-click the folder, select Properties and open the Sharing tab. Here, click Advanced Sharing then check the Share this folder box.

Share a folder in Windows to access it in Linux

You can manage access to the folder via Permissions; this refers to local Windows users, not network devices.

Click OK to confirm the change, then open the Security tab in Properties. Configure this to mirror the settings in the Permissions box previously. You shouldn’t need to do too much here as Windows 10 should include a group called Authenticated Users. This is used for remote access to your computer.

Again, click OK when you’re done.

To find the Windows share from your Linux PC, simply open the file browser and select Network. From here, navigate to the Windows-hosted folder, and start exchanging data.

Access a Linux Share From Windows

To move data in the other direction, you’ll need to install Samba on your Linux computer.

sudo apt install samba

Next, set a username for the samba share

smbpasswd -a username

You’ll be prompted for a password for the new account (don’t call it “username”!).

Next, create a directory to share the data from.

mkdir /home/[username]/Share

Next, edit the smb.conf file in your text editor:

sudo nano /etc/samba/smb.conf

Add the following to the end of the configuration file:

[Share]

path = /home/[username]/[folder_name]

available = yes

valid users = [username]

read only = no

browsable = yes

public = yes

writable = yes

Make the required changes to suit your own needs, then hit Ctrl + X to exit, tapping Y to save. Next, restart Samba:

sudo service smbd restart

You’ll then be able to access the share from Windows. Open File Explorer or your browser and input the IP or hostname of the remote Linux device, followed by the folder name. In our example, this is

\\192.168.1.233\Share

2. Copy Files via SSH From Windows to Linux

With SSH enabled on your Linux device, you can send data via the command line from one computer to another. For this to work, however, you will need to set up an SSH server on your Linux machine.

Start by opening a terminal and updating and upgrading the OS.

sudo apt update

sudo apt upgrade

Once complete, install the SSH server. The OpenSSH server is a good option.

sudo apt install openssh-server

Wait while it installs. To check at any time if the OpenSSH server is running, use

sudo service ssh status

To transfer data from Windows, use an SSH client like PuTTY. This needs the PSCP tool downloading to your Windows system to run alongside PuTTY. Find both on the PuTTY homepage.

Note that while PuTTY will need installing, PSCP won’t. However, it should be saved in the root of the C:\ drive or else set up as an environment variable. You’ll also need to confirm the IP address of the Linux device. Check this on the box with

ifconfig

With a connection established, you can send data like this:

c:\pscp c:\some\path\to\a\file.txt user@remoteIP:\home\user\some\path\newname.txt

You’ll be prompted for your password for the Linux computer before the transfer commences.

Want to copy data from Linux to Windows in the same SSH session? This command will download the specified file to the current directory:

c:\pscp user@remoteIP:\home\user\some\file.txt .

Note the lone period at the end—include this or the transfer will not work.

3. How to Transfer Files From Linux to Windows Using FTP

A file transfer protocol (FTP) application with SSH support can also be used. Transferring files via SFTP in a mouse driven user interface is arguably easier than relying on typed commands.

Again, an SSH server must be running on the Linux machine before you start. You should also ensure you have installed an FTP app like FileZilla, which has SFTP support.

To use this method, run FileZilla, then open File > Site Manager.  Create a New Site, taking care to set the Protocol to SFTP. Add the target IP address in Host, then the username and password, setting the Logon Type to Normal.

Share data between Linux and Windows via FTP

Click Connect when ready, then use the FTP interface to drag and drop files between the two computers.

4. Share Files Between Linux and Windows With Resilio Sync

Another option you should consider is a file syncing program. These are typically cross-platform and use an encrypted key to manage the connection between devices.

All you need to do is install the app, nominate a sync folder, then create the key. Set this up on the second PC and your data will then sync. Two good options are available for this:

  1. Resilio Sync: formerly known as BitTorrent Sync, Resilio is available on almost any platform you can think of. There is a paid version, but the free option is enough for syncing two devices.
  2. SyncThing: for Linux, Windows, macOS, and Android, this Resilio Sync alternative offers a similar feature without the paid component.

Our guide to using Resilio Sync (as well as Syncthing) will guide you through setting up network file transfers between computers.

5. Create and Mount a VirtualBox Shared Folder in Linux

Many people don’t run a separate Linux machine. Instead, it’s common to run Linux in a virtual machine (VM). But is there are way to transfer files between Windows and Linux when one is installed in a VM?

Fortunately, yes. With VirtualBox you can create a virtual shared directory for data syncing.

If you’re running Windows in a VM on Linux (or vice versa), VirtualBox is already set up for sharing. Ensure you have the Guest Additions installed on your virtual machine before proceeding.

In the VirtualBox manager, select the VM and choose Start > Headless Start (Alternatively start the VM then open Devices > Shared Folders). When the status displays that the machine is running, open right-click the VM and select Settings > Shared Folders.

Here, select Machine Folders then click the + symbol on the right (or right-click and select Add Shared Folder). Browse the Folder Path, find the directory you want to use, set a name (if necessary) then OK.

Share data between Linux and Windows via FTP

Use the Auto-mount checkbox if you want the share to be available whenever the VM runs. Click OK again to confirm and exit. When you reboot the VM, the share will be ready to swap data between the host PC and guest operating system

Sharing Files Between Windows and Linux Is Easy

Whether you’re new to Linux, or you find Windows unfamiliar, sharing data between them is easier than you think.

We’ve looked at several methods. We’d recommend you try all of them and work out which one you’re most comfortable with.

If you’re syncing data to Linux, there’s a good chance you’re migrating your computing from Windows. Check our guide to switching from Windows to Linux for more tips.

Read the full article: How to Transfer and Share Files Between Windows and Linux


Read Full Article

What Is TikTok and How Does It Work?


whats-tiktok

If you’ve been on social media lately, you’ve likely encountered short videos of people lip-syncing, dancing, doing stunts, or performing short skits. These bite-sized videos come from TikTok, an app that’s quickly rising in popularity. But what is TikTok?

Since these videos have been spreading like wildfire across the web, you’re probably wondering what TikTok is, how to make your own videos, and how to get most out of the app. So, in this article, you’ll find out what TikTok is, how it works, and how to use it.

What Is TikTok?

You might remember those six-second Vine videos that propelled dozens of Viners to internet stardom. These Vines started the short video trend (and also decreased the world’s attention span).

After Vine’s release in 2012, Musical.ly came out in 2014. Like Vine, Musical.ly centered around short videos, particularly the kind that involved lip-syncing to music. By 2017, Musical.ly had hundreds of millions of users creating quick 15-second to one-minute long music videos.

So what does this have to do with TikTok? A lot, actually.

TikTok originally started out as an app called Douyin, which is essentially the Chinese version of TikTok. This Chinese variation still exists today, as it’s there to comply with special Chinese censorship laws. In other words, the world has access to TikTok, while China can only use Douyin.

ByteDance developed Douyin in 2016, and launched TikTok for the rest of the world in 2017. The app was an immediate hit, gaining millions of users in a fairly short period of time.

Here’s where Musical.ly comes into play. TikTok grew even more when ByteDance decided to merge with Musical.ly in August of 2018. Musical.ly users got to keep their accounts for an overall smooth transition into TikTok. TikTok also combined Musical.ly’s logo with their own, and even adopted the same “musers” nickname that Musical.ly gave to its audience. Since then, TikTok has increased in popularity and is now considered one of the top social media apps.

How Does TikTok Work?

Now that you know a bit about TikTok’s background, it’s time to learn more about the app itself. With TikTok, you can post wacky 15-second videos for the entire community of musers to see. You also have the option of linking these videos together into your story, which can last up to 60 seconds.

Either way, you have a very short timeframe for your videos, but it’s still not as limiting as Vine’s six-second maximum. Unlike Vine, you can upload videos directly from your phone, instead of having to record them directly in the app.

How to Use TikTok

You don’t have to register for an account on TikTok in order to use it. However, registering for an account allows you to follow other users and actually make videos. When you first open the app, you’ll probably feel overwhelmed at the sight of the neverending stream of videos that appear on your home page.

TikTok shows you recommended videos, as well as videos from the musers that you follow. Scroll through the suggested videos, and click the username on the ones you like. If you enjoy the rest of their content, give them a follow and stay up to date on all of their new posts.

Try not to watch too many TikToks. When you spend more than 90 minutes on the app, you’ll receive a notification to take a break. This app has been blasted for its addictive qualities, highlighting some of the negative effects of social media.

In terms of making videos, the app works a bit like Snapchat. You record videos by holding down a big red button, and (unlike Snapchat) you can edit them afterwards. The editing options obviously don’t compare to Adobe Premiere Pro, but you can still trim your videos and adjust the speed.

While some effects let you draw on your screen, others allow you to try on filters and even use augmented reality to change the environment around you. If you know how to use filters on Snapchat, you should get the hang of TikTok quickly. You can also create a short sequence of pictures from your phone, and use that as a video instead.

The main attraction of TikTok is the use of music. Every muser incorporates a song into their video using TikTok’s huge library of song clips that features almost every genre. If you’re not a fan of music, you can also use clips of dialog from funny videos.

What Kinds of Videos Can You Post on TikTok?

Despite the fact that TikTok only allows a short recording time for your videos, that doesn’t have to limit you in the creativity department. In fact, the time constraint usually makes for more creative and entertaining videos.

You can post any type of video on TikTok, but the most popular ones involve music. You don’t even have to know how to sing or play an instrument; just staying on top of the trends and using the latest songs can help your videos go viral.

As for the type of content you should post, the possibilities are nearly endless. Just think of TikToks as a shortened version of YouTube videos. That means you can post anything from tutorials to entertaining tech videos.

If you hit the magnifying glass on TikTok’s bottom menu bar, you’ll see some of the most recent and popular videos. You’ll notice that TikTok separates some videos into different playlists. Some of these playlists pertain to gaming, art, comedy, dance, fitness, cars, beauty, memes, and more.

TikTok also cycles through various challenges that a large number of musers attempt. These challenges aren’t created by TikTok itself; they start with one muser and spread from there.

For example, the stair shuffle dance challenge involves performing a shuffle dance up a flight of stairs. Many users took to TikTok to do this challenge in several creative variations. TikTok’s musers always seem to come up with different trends, memes, and challenges on a weekly basis. When one trend ends, another begins.

Should You Download TikTok?

Now that you know what TikTok is, you should know whether it’s worth downloading.

TikTok may seem to be the exclusive domain of teenagers, but it’s entertaining for all ages. You just need to find the right musers to follow, and once you do, you’ll receive a daily stream of amusing content. Since TikTok’s inception, millions of videos have been posted, so you’re bound to find at least one type of video you enjoy watching.

If you like TikTok and want to know what else is hot right now, check out these lit social media apps for teenagers.

Read the full article: What Is TikTok and How Does It Work?


Read Full Article

Instagram Adds Ads to the Explore Feed


get-instagram-verified

Instagram users beware… Instagram is adding adverts to the Explore feed. The Explore feed is where you discover new people and posts, and you’ll soon be discovering new brands and products too. Whether you want to or not.

Instagram originally added ads in 2013. Since then, Instagram has added more ads to more areas of the app. So much so that you’re probably don’t notice them any more. The Explore feed has always been free of ads, but that is now changing.

Instagram Introduces Ads to the Explore Feed

In a post on the Instagram Business Blog, Instagram explains that “over the next few months, we’ll be introducing ads in Explore feed.” This is because “more than 50% of accounts on Instagram use Explore every month” and “80% of people follow a business.”

The good news is you’re not going to be bombarded by ads as soon as you open the Explore feed. Instead, you’ll start seeing ads after you’ve tapped on a photo or video. This should keep the Explore grid free of annoying ads, at least for the time being.

Instagram explains that, “We’re introducing ads in Explore slowly and thoughtfully in the coming months. After tapping on a photo or video in Explore, people may begin to see ads as part of their browsing experience just like in the main feed.”

As if predicting that this move will annoy some people, Instagram has linked to the page on the Instagram Help Center labelled “What can I do if I see an ad I don’t like?” This basically involves hiding ads, reporting ads, or adjusting your ad preferences.

Advertising Equals More Money for Zuckerberg

As annoying as this is for users, it makes sense for Instagram. Advertising equals money, and the Explore feed is a sensible place to display ads. Instagram knows it’s become such an essential app for people that a few extra ads aren’t going to put anyone off.

Even though Instagram boasts over 1 billion users, more people are discovering it all of the time. So, if you’re new to the app, you should check out our beginner’s guide to Instagram explaining, What is Instagram and how does it work?

Read the full article: Instagram Adds Ads to the Explore Feed


Read Full Article

Mobile Phone Cellular Frequency Bands Explained


cellular-frequency-bands

You can file mobile phone frequency bands alongside DVD regions and electrical sockets—it would be nice if all countries used the same ones, but they don’t.

So, if you’re about to buy a new mobile phone, make sure you read this article before you hit the shops. We’re going to explain which cellular frequency bands you need and why.

What’s the Problem?

Different countries use different frequency bands for their mobile phone networks. It poses a headache for anyone who does a serious amount of international travel. Your device might be able to connect to the web in some jurisdictions, but not in others.

To further complicate matters, in some countries—most notably the United States and Russia—different carriers use different cellular standards. If you buy a phone through one carrier, there is a chance it will not work with a rival carrier if you decide to change your provider in the future.

Today, we’re going to look at the bands and standards in a little more detail, then explain which of the various configurations are in use in different countries.

3G: GSM vs. CDMA

Back in the 3G era, the two primary cell phone standards in use around the world were GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) and CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access).

Under the hood, the two standards used different techniques to connect users. However, from a user standpoint, the big difference was the freedom of movement. CDMA phones did not require a SIM card—so while GSM phones could be unlocked and moved between carriers, CDMA phones were often locked to a single carrier and unable to be transferred.

Although 3G is becoming a distant memory in our day-to-day lives, there are still times when 4G and 5G connectivity is not available, and your device will connect to a 3G network instead, so it’s essential to know where your devices will work.

Some regions—including Scandinavia, southern Europe, the Middle East, and most of Africa, only offer GSM networks. The US, UK, Russia, northern Europe, and the Far East have GSM and CDMA networks, and Mexico and South America only have CDMA coverage.

The GSM network coverage, however, is further complicated by the GSM bands in use. Of the countries that offer GSM networks, almost the entire world uses the 900 and 1800MHz bands. North America is the big exception; it uses the 850 and 1900MHz bands. A couple of South American countries are the only other places in the world to do so.

In Canada, 1900MHz is the primary frequency; 850GHz is the backup. In the US, different regulatory requirements determine which areas use which band. In countries with 900 and 1800MHz, 900 is the more common.

Depending on the countries you typically visit—and on whether 3G connectivity is even crucial to your use case—you can make the decision about which 3G bands you need.

Check out our article if you would like to learn more about the differences between GSM and CDMA.

4G: LTE Frequency Bands

Although you might not have guessed from the patchwork nature of 3G frequency bands, the world is officially divided up into three International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Regions.

Region One covers Europe, Africa, Russia, Central Asia, and the Middle East. Region Two is North America and South America, and Region Three is Oceania, the Indian subcontinent, and the Far East.

The regions are important to understand when you try and establish which cellular frequency bands you need for accessing 4G networks (LTE networks) around the world.

(Note: Today, almost all countries offer 4G networks. The only exceptions are a handful of nations in Sub-Saharan Africa.)

If your phone supports LTE band seven or 28, it will work on 4G networks in ITU Regions One, Two, and Three—i.e., anywhere in the world.

LTE bands one and three will work in Region One and Three, LTE band 20 only works in Region One, band five in Region Two and Three, and bands two and four in Region Two only.

There are suggestions that bands eight, 38, and 40 may allow roaming in all three ITU regions in the future, but they do not at the time writing.

Confused yet?!

5G: Limited Commercial Availability

5G networks are still in their nascent phase. Indeed, you can count the number of commercially available 5G networks on one hand. There are a couple of locations in the North East US, along with areas in the UK, France, Germany, Spain, and South Korea.

All the commercial 5G bands currently fall into the so-called “Frequency Range One.” It runs on sub-6GHz frequency bands which were previously used by other standards. The bands in Frequency Range One run from n1 to n86.

Frequency Range Two will offer higher speeds. Only four bands are currently live: n257, n258, n260, and n261. They run from 26 to 39GHz.

In most countries, the spectrum allocation has not yet been decided. A conclusion is probably imminent though; 5G field testing has started in the rest of the EU, Russia, China, and Australia. And research is known to be ongoing in Canada, Mexico, South America, India, and South Africa.

It is likely the bands will broadly follow the ITU Regions we discussed in the previous section. However, you should wait for official confirmation from your carrier before you make any purchasing decisions.

We’ve written about how 5G will make the internet faster and safer if you need more information.

The Ideal Phone for Roaming

It’s easy to get lost in a maze of frequencies and bandwidths when you’re trying to make your buying decision.

To stop yourself from going crazy, remember this one crucial tenet—there’s not a single mobile phone anywhere in the world that will work on all networks in all countries. You need to be selective about which networks and which locations are most important to you and select your new phone accordingly.

If you would like to learn more, make sure you read our article on all the different phone networks in use around the world.

Read the full article: Mobile Phone Cellular Frequency Bands Explained


Read Full Article