New GoPro Lineup Appeals to Daredevils and Daytrippers

In the market for an action camera? GoPro has some new options ranging from $500 to just $129.

The company on Monday unveiled the Hero4, its highest-performance camera line ever. The Hero4 comes in two editions: the cream-of-the-crop Black version for $500 and a $400 Silver model, both of which will be available Oct. 5.

The Black edition delivers two times the performance of its predecessor, the two year-old Hero3. It can capture "cinema quality" 4K video at 30 frames per second, 2.7K video at 50fps, and 1080p video at 120fps, "virtually eliminating rolling shutter in most scenarios while allowing for time-bending slow motion effects." The Black Hero4 also features a new audio system that captures high-fidelity sound with twice the dynamic range of previous models.

Other enhancements include improved image quality, low-light performance, highlight moment tagging, and an improved user interface that offers easier access to key features and controls.

Hero4 silverThe silver model (right) features the same image quality as the black version, minus some of the higher performance video capture modes such as 4K30, 2.7K50, and 1080p120. It has a new built-in touch display for easier self-capture.

Meanwhile, if both of those models are a little too expensive, the company also on Monday debuted the Hero for $129. Described as the "perfect entry-level GoPro," the Hero features a rugged, waterproof housing and is capable of capturing 1080p video at 30fps and 720p video at 60fps.

"For the past 12 years, our passion has been to make it easy for people to self-capture jaw dropping, professional quality footage of themselves engaged in their favorite activities," GoPro founder and CEO, Nicholas Woodman, said in a statement. "That passion led us to embark on our most ambitious design and engineering effort ever, and the result is nothing short of the ultimate GoPro — the Hero4 Black. We can't wait to see what the world captures with it."

For more on the Hero4, check out the video below. Also see PCMag's full review of the Hero3 White Edition and 15 Crazy GoPro Stunt Videos You Must Watch.

PayPal Slams Apple Pay Security

Unveiled alongside the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus on Sept. 9, Apple Pay will let you purchase items at participating stores and restaurants by simply waving your smartphone in front of the contactless payment station. It will launch in the U.S. in October as a free update to iOS 8, which drops today.

When you add your card number to the PassBook app to set up Apple Pay, your iPhone creates a unique Device Account Number for that card, encrypts it, and stores it on a dedicated chip in your device — not on Apple's servers. Then, when you make a purchase, the Device Account Number, along with a transaction-specific security code is used to process the payment — so your actual credit or debit card number is never shared.

If your phone is stolen, you can use Find My iPhone to suspend all payments.

Security experts are largely optimistic about Apple's new system, but it's important to note that any payment solution, including PayPal and Apple Pay, could be susceptible to hacks.

For more, check out our video below and Why You Should Ditch Your Wallet for Apple Pay.

Apple might be gushing over the security of its new mobile payment system, but not everyone is convinced. In fact, Apple Pay already has one major hater: mobile payment rival PayPal.

The online payment firm on Monday took out a full-page ad (pictured below) in The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and USA Today questioning the security of Apple's new contactless payment system. The ad suggests that Apple Pay is only as safe as selfies in iCloud, alluding to a recent security breach that lead to the leak of celebrity nudes.

"We the people want our money safer than our selifes," the ad reads. "PayPal protecting the people economy." The ad goes on to encourage readers to "download the PayPal app now and securely buy almost anything with just one touch."

Report: iPhone 6 Demand Overwhelms Foxconn

Another iPhone launch, another round of reports about overseas suppliers overwhelmed by orders.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Foxconn is operating 100 production lines "around the clock," churching out 140,000 phablets and 400,000 smartphones every day, but it's still not enough to satisfy pre-orders.

The Journal said the Zhengzhou, China-based factory has more than 200,000 employees dedicated to making iPhone 6 and 6 Plus handsets and their key components. But with a record 4 million pre-orders in the first 24 hours, Foxconn is reportedly struggling to craft the devices fast enough.

These type of reports are nothing new. In 2012, Foxconn acknowledged iPhone 5 production delays. And yet, everyone eventually got their phones.

A July report from the Journal said that Apple asked its suppliers to manufacture between 70 and 80 million of the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch handsets by Dec. 30.

The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus go on sale Friday in the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore, and the U.K. A week later, they'll hit 20 more countries.

But only the fastest to successfully pre-order their phones will receive the gadgets this week; others can expect a package later this month or in October, particularly the iPhone 6 Plus. Delivery estimates for iPhone 6 are now at 7-10 days, while iPhone 6 Plus is at 3 to 4 weeks.

A handful devices will be available to walk-in customers at Apple retail stores this Friday at 8 a.m., but don't expect supplies to last. Also check your local AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon brick-and-mortar locations.

Apple did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment.

For more, see PCMag's Hands On With the iPhone 6, 6 Plus and the slideshow above. Also check out our side-by-side comparison iPhone 6 vs. iPhone 6 Plus: Big or Bigger?

Google Cast: Stream Audio to Your Speakers, Dongle-Free

You know all the cool shenanigans you can get up to with Chromecast, and now Google wants to extend this streaming functionality beyond the dongle. The company today unveiled its "Google Cast" technology, which will allow users to send audio streams directly from the cloud to their speaker.

You can use your device to cast an audio signal to any speaker fitted with Google Cast. Like Chromecast, the stream isn't transmitted from your device—rather, it comes directly from your local Wi-Fi network. Your device, in effect, is only the remote control. Unlike Chromecast, Google Cast doesn't function via a dongle or extra piece of hardware—it will come inside speakers from partner manufactures such as Denon, Sony, and LG. Google promises cast-ready speakers from these manufacturers and others will be available "later in 2015."

Users can interface with Google Cast via their mobile device (both Android and iOS) or the Chrome browser on their computer. Google has already announced partnerships with content providers such as NPR, Pandora, iHeart radio, Rdio, TuneIn, and BeyondPod.

As you might have already imagined, you will also be able to stream content on Google Cast from Google-owned properties such as Songza, Google Play Music, and possibly more. The company didn't say explicitly, but if you watch the promotional video for Google Cast (below), it appears that you will also be able to cast just the audio section of a YouTube clip.

The company promises that Google Cast speakers will "join a growing Google Cast ecosystem, which includes more Android TVs, game consoles, and set-top boxes."