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Getting started with password managers

Gerson Noboa
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According to my password manager, I have 328 entries in it. That’s a lot of accounts to keep track of. What most people do is that they have the same password for almost all accounts. This means that, if one of those 300+ sites gets hacked and exposes personal information, hackers would have the access to all of your accounts.

However, unless you keep them on a notebook, it is impossible to remember so many passwords for so many different services. Even worse, there are some sites that ask you for some specific requirements (such as at least one capital letter or one number), which could mean that there are even more variables that you need to remember.

For this kind of situations, password managers were created.

What is a password manager?

It is simply a service that stores your passwords safely so you don’t have to remember all your different logins. There are several password managers out there, including:

  • LastPass
  • Dashlane
  • Bitwarden
  • 1Password
  • Enpass
  • Google Smart Lock

I won’t go into details, since an analysis of them merits its own article, but they all work in extremely similar ways. You store your logins there, or generate random passwords through them. When you need to use them, you can retrieve this information to be filled for you.

Once you have an account in one of them, all of your passwords can only be used once you input a master password. Most of them also add the possibility of two-factor authentication, making it even more secure.

Thus, you move from having to remember hundreds of passwords to only one, giving you the chance to use a very strong one and change it over time. There’s also the possibility to unlock the app with your fingerprint, adding even more security to it.

In case a site is hacked and your password is compromised, you have the peace of mind of having different passwords for all sites, so there’s no risk of losing additional data. All you need to do is generate a new one for the affected site. Password manager companies also employ full-time security experts that use advanced encrypting methods so that, in the case of a security breach, the information will be useless to hackers.

How to use a password manager?

My password manager of choice is the open-source Bitwarden. However, the idea is almost the same for every password manager out there. Password managers normally have the limitation of not allowing screenshots while they are on the foreground (frankly, a sensible decision), so I won’t be able to show screenshots for Bitwarden itself.

After creating an account, you should download the app to your phone. After logging in, you will have all of your passwords at your disposal. As previously said, you can configure password managers to be unlocked with your fingerprint. Some of them also let you generate a PIN code to unlock the vault.

In case you also use a desktop or laptop, most password managers have browser extensions. These let you autofill login information directly into the username and password fields on websites.

Now, let’s say you want to log into Twitter. First, you need to add the entry to the password manager. This includes saving the name of the service, the username and the password. There is also an option for saving a URL, so, if you visit https://www.twitter.com on your computer with the password manager extension installed, it will automatically suggest to autofill for you when trying to log in. Pretty neat!

Autofill service

A bunch of passwords stored in an app are worthless unless you have a way to use them. In Android versions before Oreo, the only way for a password manager to know in what apps you are and which fields to fill was turning on an accessibility service for the password manager app.

While it mostly worked, this was hacky, clunky, unreliable, and consumed battery life. With the introduction of Android Oreo, the system now lets password manager developers use the autofill service.

In order to activate it, head to the settings of your phone, then System (General Management in Samsung devices), then Language and input, and then Autofill service.

After activating this, you can go to the Twitter app, and you will get a nice prompt in which the app tries to infer in which app you are, and suggest you the best options for said app. In case it gets it wrong, you can also head to the app and look for an entry yourself.

Manual copy and paste

The autofill service introduced in Android Oreo only works on apps. For it to work on browsers, you need a device with Android Pie. If you want to log in to Twitter on your mobile browser without Pie, or you don’t want to turn on the accessibility/autofill services, then there’s always the old but reliable copy and paste. Just open your password manager, copy the password and then paste it into the appropriate password field.

Conclusion

In this day and age, where data breaches are increasingly common in an industry obsessed with account creation, password managers are a reliable way of having different passwords for the plethora of services we use everyday. Sure, it takes time to add passwords to the manager, and your workflow might change a little, but the minor inconveniences are worth it. Having the peace of mind that your accounts have unique passwords that do not compromise the credentials in other services gets you a little bit closer to having a secure digital life. Try one out today!

Samsung shows off its foldable smartphone with Infinity Flex Display

Alexandra Arici
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Samsung has been working on its foldable smartphone for years now, and today the tech giant finally showed off the fruits of its labor for the whole world to see.

The company’s senior vice president of mobile marketing, Justin Denison presented a prototype of the phone during a keynote at the Samsung Developer Conference.

Samsung ushers in a new era for mobile devices

The device is a 7.3-inch tablet when fully opened which becomes a phone when it’s closed. It uses a new foldable display technology that Samsung calls Infinity Flex Display.  The mobile device has a secondary display, which is situated on the outside and is accessible in folded mode.

The whole shenanigan is supported by Samsung’s new One UI experience which allows for seamless transitions from the smaller display to the larger display. One UI is Samsung’s new smartphone interface which features a clean minimal design and makes it even easier to use your phone in one-handed mode.

Denison also explained that up to three apps will be able to run simultaneously on the phone thanks to a new software feature called multi-active window. Two apps will be displayed inside when you open the phone, while the third one will run on the outside display.

When will be able to buy it?

While Denison briefly showed the device on stage, Samsung’s foldable smartphone is not yet ready for prime-time. The company says it will be able to start mass production of the displays in a few months.

So at this point we don’t really know when the consumer-ready device will land on the market.  But a finished device might show up at the CES expo in Las Vegas early next year.

Hopefully, it will be soon because this budding niche is bound to get competitive fast. Actually, the first foldable smartphone has already been launched by a little-known startup hailing from California. Called Royole, the company is already taking pre-orders for their FlexPai bendable smartphone.

On top of that, other big players in the mobile space like Huawei, Xiaomi and LG are working on their own flexible display prototypes too. So we expect 2019 to be quite a bendy year in terms of smartphones.

TCL missed the boat with Palm by going small instead of big

Andrew Allen
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Something happened recently that was just kind of sad for a longtime fan of mobile technology. A new Palm phone came out. And it looks like a joke. Maybe it’s the phone you’ve been waiting for, but I highly doubt it. The new Palm phone is a tiny 3.3-inch “companion” phone that doesn’t even work without another active phone on Verizon.

What Should It Have Been?

I think with a revival of Palm you should have gone back to the beginning. Imagine a new Palm Pilot running Android. Yep. A Pilot running Google’s amazing software. Give me the full effect too. I want a massive phone, built like a brick, huge battery, and great stylus integration.

Sound familiar? It should. The Galaxy Note 9 is a beast that checks all those boxes and has almost zero competition. When it comes to stylus first Android productivity monsters, Samsung is sitting all alone. I’d had much rather Palm make a niche device that makes sense like the Note than to have some oversized smartwatch device.

Nostalgia will only get you so far. Palm would have to really bring it to take on the juggernaut of Samsung’s Note line. It couldn’t be a me too phone. The TCL owned company would have to be committed to making this a flagship from the start. Which would mean specs galore just like the Note.

Let’s follow this workshop idea all the way through. The “Pilot” would have to have 8GB of RAM, at least 128GB of storage with expansion, massive screen, and a ballpark 4500mAh battery. That puts it on parity with the Note for the most part. Oh, and throw in wireless charging for Qi pads.

The new Palm Pilot can’t just be all hardware though. It has to have great software to match. I’d have loved to see them really work with Google and offer an Android One device to match what Samsung is doing. Bring Google’s office suite of Docs, Sheets, and Slides to the forefront of the experience. Let me take notes from the lock screen integrated with Google Keep. Have the stylus move me within presentations screens inside Slides.

It would also be cool if Palm could work their old Foleo idea into a DeX alternative. Give me a sweet docking experience that launches me into Chrome OS when hooked up to peripherals. With the recent amalgamation between Google’s operating systems, this one has to be on the roadmap. How great for a nerd like me to see Palm bring it to the market!

Would it work?

Short answer…maybe. The Note is pretty cemented in the market for this kind of device, but it also doesn’t have an equal to give it a run for its money. The road wouldn’t be easy and TLC would have its work cut out for it to succeed. However, the company has done a decent job of accepting the similar resurgence of BlackBerry as a niche product line that necessarily doesn’t have to move multi-million numbers.

Regardless, I know the Palm that we now have doesn’t do its heritage justice. Palm was a true pioneer that deserves a better return to the smartphone world than this.

Best wireless chargers for the Samsung Galaxy Note 9

AndroidGuys
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The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is big and beautiful, and features all kinds of great options. It’s one of the best phones on the market and we love how much it helps with work and play. One of the most convenient things about the device is that it allows for wireless charging. Here are some of the best Samsung Galaxy Note 9 wireless chargers for home, work, and even on-the-go.

[vc_custom_heading text=”Standard Platter” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left|color:%23191919″ google_fonts=”font_family:Oswald%3A300%2Cregular%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”]

These are the flat types of chargers you’ll find on desks and night stands; they often come in circular and rectangular shapes. Many of these offer variable output speeds so they’ll play nice with your friend’s iPhone, too.

[vc_custom_heading text=”Belkin Boost Up Wireless Charging Pad” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

A trusted name in the tech space for decades now, Belkin still delivers the goods. This charger pumps out up to 10-watts for your Sony and LG phones, and can optimize to 9W for Samsung. The LED indicator let you know how things are going while the rubber ring holds the handset in place. The cable is five feet long so you can plug into the out-of-the-way outlets. Purchase for $45 from Amazon or $60 from Belkin.

[vc_custom_heading text=”Samsung Fast Charge Wireless Charger Pad” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

When it comes to smartphone popularity it’s Samsung’s pie and the rest of the players share pieces of it. If you want official accessories, this is the charger you go with for Samsung devices.

It’s about 1.4x times faster than conventional wireless tech, has a circular strip of rubber to prevent your handset from sliding around, and a bright LED to indicate charging. Offered in Black, Navy, and White to match your favorite phone. $25 at Amazon

[vc_custom_heading text=”Yootech Wireless Charger” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

When you don’t need anything fancy and don’t want to spend a ton of money, you look for something like this. Compatible with all Qi-enabled phones, it works at 5W, 7.5W, and 10W charging standards. You’ll need to use your charging adapter and cable if you go with the high speed stuff, but you already have the one that came in your phone’s box. Sleep easy knowing that the green light turns off after a few seconds so your room doesn’t glow all night. $15 at Amazon

[vc_custom_heading text=”Dock Style” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left|color:%23191919″ google_fonts=”font_family:Oswald%3A300%2Cregular%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”]

Prop your phone up at a convenient angle so you can quickly glance at your notifications. Ideal for your kitchen corner or end table in the family room.

[vc_custom_heading text=”Anker PowerWave Fast Wireless Charger Stand” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

As fast as you’ll need, plus some. We like this one for its 6-ft microUSB cable and 18-month warranty. Whether you need 5W, 7.5W, or 10W of juice, this wallet-friendly option brings the power. The twin charging coils make it so you can place your phone in landscape and portrait orientation without fumbling around for connection. Works through phone cases of 5mm, too! $30 at Amazon

[vc_custom_heading text=”TYLT VU Charger” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

The VU charger features three coils inside, so feel free to put your handset on the cradle in portrait or landscape mode know it will charge. The LED under the lip of the stand turns green to indicate that it’s charging.

The bright, plastic charger comes in is available in blue, yellow and red, or you can opt for black if you’re in the mood for something traditional. The soft-touch finish and distinctive design give this charger a look that’s really unique and that’s why we’ve added it to this list. $30 at Amazon

[vc_custom_heading text=”Corus 10W Fast Wireless Charger Stand” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

Simple, compact, and a tad bit stylish, this stand doesn’t take up much room on your desk. The dual coils mean it’s as convenient to set your phone upright as it is to flip it on its side for watching Netflix. You’ll have to use your own charging adapter if you want to use the Quick Charge 2.0 or Quick Charge 3.0 technology, but doing so means much less down time. $20 at Amazon

[vc_custom_heading text=”On-the-Go Charging” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left|color:%23191919″ google_fonts=”font_family:Oswald%3A300%2Cregular%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”]

For true wireless convenience you want something that goes with you, right? Whether it’s a library, coffee shop, or in an airport terminal, these wireless chargers have built-in batteries that allow for power-ups everywhere.

[vc_custom_heading text=”RAVPower 10400mAh Fast Wireless Charging Pad” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

With a generous 10,400mAh worth of power, this charger can double or triple the time you use your smartphone. And, because time is always of the essence, the power bank offers up to 10W fast charging. Out for dinner with friends or loved ones? Let them plug in through the USB port and get some of that recharge action, too. $50 at Amazon

[vc_custom_heading text=”Fonesalesman QiStone+” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

Yo dawg, we heard you like wireless charging so we put wireless charging in a wireless charger. Seriously, you can top this portable unit off by placing it on another wireless charger.

The 4,000mAh internal battery ensures your night doesn’t end early because you have to get home. What’s more, it’s portable enough to toss in a bag or backpack so feel free to stay out and keep the party going. While everyone else fights over the car adapter you can sit in the backseat with your own power source. $50 at Amazon

[vc_custom_heading text=”mophie Powerstation Wireless External Battery Charger” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

From one of the first names in charging, this portable device delivers 6,040mAh of backup power. In other words, that’s 2-3 times that you don’t have to plug into the wall. Ideal for college students, frequent flying types, and people who simply hate dealing with cables. The four LED lights let you know how much you’ve got left in the tank while the two-year warranty tells you to sleep easy at night. $80 at mophie

[vc_custom_heading text=”Car Solutions” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left|color:%23191919″ google_fonts=”font_family:Oswald%3A300%2Cregular%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”]

Why waste an opportunity to turn that daily commute into a convenient and flexible way of recharging? These are devices that hold your phone in place and provide a wireless charge.

[vc_custom_heading text=”Vansky 2-in-1 Wireless Car Charger” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

Suction this one to your dashboard or snap in the attachment and place it on your air vent for true convenience. With up to 10W of charging you’ll be sure to get the most efficient charge possible, even on short little trips to the grocery store. The clamp arm automatically locks your phone into place; touch the metal or press the button to release the device when you’re at your destination. $40 at Amazon

[vc_custom_heading text=”iOttie Easy One Touch Car Charger” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

Stick it to your dashboard or invert the head and mount it to your windshield. It’s your car, do what you want. The telescopic arm extends from around 5-inches out to 8.3-inches and pivots on a 225 degree arc so there’s no reason you can’t have your phone exactly where you want and how you want it. The plug itself has a USB port so you can share your power source with another rider. That’s twice as nice! $50 at Amazon

[vc_custom_heading text=”BESTHING Wireless Charger” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

The gravity design makes dropping your phone into place about as easy at it gets. Simply set it down and watch as the arms come in to hug the handset into place. Prefer the air vent over the dashboard placement? No problem! We’re also fans of the large coil that connects to our battery; the smart technology allows for 5W, 7.5W, and 10W speeds. $33 at Amazon.

It’s time to annoy your friends again with Candy Crush Friends Saga (Review)

Gerson Noboa
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Depending on which side of the story you are, Candy Crush is either a franchise you really like, or hate with a passion. People who like it keeps coming back for its huge amount of content, colorful visual style, and addictive nature. People who hate it either doesn’t like the microtransaction aspect of it, are fed up with Facebook invitations to play the game, or can’t stand King as a company.

It really doesn’t matter which side you fall into, Candy Crush Friends Saga will not make you change your mind. Either you will still love them, or you will find that it adds almost nothing new to its past games.

Developer: King
Price: Free

Overview

Have you played previous Candy Crush games? If you have, then this game is basically the same you are already used to, and, as previously said, there is very little new content to be seen compared to other entries in the franchise.

If you haven’t, then the gameplay is massively simple. You get a board full of candies of different colors in random order, and your job is to combine them in a way that lets you complete the goal the game requests of you. The most basic combination consists of three candies, which make them disappear.

However, there are more combinations, like four, five, L-shaped, and square-shaped, that not only makes them disappear, but also yield additional, more powerful candy. These special treats have a big range of effects, such as clearing whole rows, exploding in order to clear neighboring candy, destroying all candies of the same color across the board, and similar.

You also have a certain number of turns to complete the goal. In case you fail to do so, you lose a life. At first, the game is very easy, and there is no need to worry about lives. However, the game becomes more difficult as you progress through it. Because of the randomness of it, some levels might prove more difficult than they should. You can easily struggle to get even close to the goal the game asks on your first playthrough, and then get a lucky order of candies and clear it without issues.

Setup and Tutorial

On the main screen, you will notice two buttons: one says “Play,” and the other says “Save your progress,” accompanied by a Facebook logo. One would think that either you play the game and lose the progress you have made each time you close it, or you have to log in to Facebook in order to save your progress. However, both of these are wrong.

In case you decide to not press the button, you will be able to play just fine. Your progress will be saved without issues. However, if you need to save your progress across devices, then this option is necessary.

On the other hand, if you do press the button, you will see that Facebook is not the only option to log in. There’s also an option for a King account. So Facebook might not be needed at all. Frankly, I didn’t test it because this arrangement does not inspire confidence. After all, one of the two buttons at the first screen you see when launching the game is massively misleading, and says a lot about the tactics that King applies to its games.

Anyways, the game teaches you the basics across several different levels. It actually does a pretty good job at it. Sure, the mechanics are easy, but there are several things you should remember around the combinations that you can make in order to get more powerful candy. Even if you don’t remember them all at first, the game highlights which movement is best in order to get the most powerful combination available on the board.

Candy Crushing

In order to keep things more interesting compared to the regular Candy Crush Saga, developer King has added several different goals for completing a game in Friends. While the original one mostly depended on getting to a certain score or clearing a certain amount of blocks, Friends mostly asks you to “free” animals which are hidden behind candy or trapped inside them. In order to do so, you need to combine candy contiguous to these blocks.

However, some of them have several layers, making it more complicated than it sounds. Even though sometimes it would seem better to go for another combination that would yield powerful candy, sometimes you have to prefer combining a smaller amount of candy in order to reach the goal.

Just as with other games, you have a set amount of lives, and failing to complete the goal means game over for you. Run out of lives, though, and it means you cannot play the game anymore. If you have played other Candy Crush games before, then you know the drill. The easiest way of getting more lives is to ask your friends to send you some. This kind of spam on Facebook is one of the reasons Candy Crush is such a polarizing game. Either you are addicted enough that you don’t care about the spam in order to get lives, or you cannot stand how intrusive this practice is.

With a little help from my friends

For this game, King has added a big differentiating factor, and that is the inclusion of Friends. These are characters that are there to help you complete a level. There are a lot of characters you can collect, all with different abilities.

For example, early characters transform regular candy into more useful candy, while others deal additional damage to blocks that are harder to break. The general objective of them is to make the game easier for you. They can also wear different outfits, all of which you get playing through the game.

For some reason, there are some levels in which you cannot use some characters. Also, the game “recommends” you to use one character depending on the level, although for sure you could clear the level using whichever character you wanted.

Microtransactions

As this game is completely free to download, King then makes money through microtransactions. The game’s primary currency is gold bars, which lets you buy additional lives and items to use in the games. You can also use them to buy additional turns in case you run out of them but feel like you are very close to the goal.

Candy Crush Friends Saga also offers some packs in which you are supposed to get more of your money’s worth. With these, you don’t only get bars but additional items to make the game easier. These can be as cheap as $4 or as expensive as $260.

Compared to other games that employ this freemium model, I find Candy Crush Friend’s microtransactions to be massively expensive. For example, getting all lives back costs 9 gold bars, while buying 12 bars (because of course they don’t sell 9 only) costs $4. If you are impatient and want to play right away, that’s $3 you would have to put down to play again. You can also wait until the lives regenerate (which takes time), or you can spam your friends.

I have also noticed that ads get worse and worse the more you progress, and I know for sure that ads can get very annoying on later levels of the regular Candy Crush Saga. Knowing King, I would expect it to be the same for Friends.

Graphics and sound

Candy Crush games have a visual style that has been associated to the game since its beginnings. Friends is no different, sporting the same colorful design with very saturated colors. Everything, especially candies, seem to pop out of the screen. The visual effects are very flashy, using a lot of bright animations.

For this offering, the friend you use to complete the level appears at the beginning performing some kind of animation. Also, it appears dancing at the end while something called Sugar Crush happens (basically getting additional points at random for free). Frankly, neither does anything for the game, even becoming annoying as you complete more levels and have to sit through the same animations every single time you play a level. At least, it closely adheres to the extravagant nature of this game.

Music and sound effects are also what you would expect from the franchise. Each visual effect has its corresponding sound effect to go with it, and there is not a single interaction that doesn’t have a sound built in. Unlike the previously mentioned character animations, the sound part of the game does not get old as quickly, and, if you do get fed up, you can turn them off in the settings.

It is important to note that even in my Samsung Galaxy S8, the performance was not what I would expect. There were plenty of dropped frames and overall sluggishness. It wasn’t that bad, but I am using a more than respectable phone that hasn’t struggled with almost anything I’ve thrown at it. That makes me worry about the performance of it on middle and low-range devices.

Conclusion

Candy Crush Friends Saga builds on the solid foundations of its predecessors and offers a game with the same mechanics, gameplay, art style, and practices. It does add new elements in the form of Friends, but, other than that, this is another Candy Crush game that does little for the franchise and the genre in general in terms of originality. Think about it like the annual titles that EA does for FIFA and Madden. There are a couple of new things, but the game is vastly unchanged from previous offerings.

Nevertheless, the amount of content is huge, as with these games in general. If you like the previous games and want more, then this is a no-brainer, since it provides the same content that you already love. If you are looking for something different to the other games in the franchise, then sadly you will have to keep waiting and look elsewhere.

Download and install Candy Crush Friends Saga from the Google Play Store.

Chrome OS may be where the Pixelbook finally makes sense.

Andrew Allen
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I’ve owned a lot of laptops over the years. No, really, a lot. There have been at least 50 laptops in my history of using them over the past decade or so. In that vain, I’ve got a new toy in the Allen house. I just bought a Google Pixelbook this weekend. It’s been a long road to get to this clamshell, but there’s been a method and Chrome OS may finally be headed where the Pixelbook makes sense.

Where it started

As a Google user, I’ve always had an affinity for Android and Chrome OS. With that, I’ve flirted with both operating systems in my journey with a myriad of different form factors. The Pixelbook is the culmination of all that into a single device for me.

I’ve been with Chrome OS from the beginning. I owned the original consumer device from Acer and later tracked down the CR-48 developer prototype. I love the idea of it. Fast, secure with timely updates from Google atop the Linux kernel. However, at times it just seemed too elementary. It simply failed to give me everything I need in an OS.

On the flip side, Android has also been in my life for what seems like forever. Many of those devices were also meant to replace my laptop. The main unit that comes to mind is the Asus Transformer Pad. It was a detachable tablet/laptop hybrid that predates Chrome OS. It was one of the first attempts at Android on more than a phone.

For most tasks, it succeeded. Android in many ways is more mature an OS than Chrome OS, but the Transformer just never hit that sweet spot with the lack of a true desktop browser. I firmly believe that regardless the OS you need a true browser to perform like a modern computer.

Has to have the hardware

Laptops aren’t all software of course. I eventually wanted to move past these niches and most of the time budget Chromebooks on the market. Completely plastic chassis with grainy 1366×768 screens just aren’t cutting it for me as I get older and wiser. I started looking for a more robust machine and landed on the XPS 13 from Dell.

This Dell laptop is an extremely premium unit, but much like the others in my past, it was running a Windows OS that I’m just not willing to use long-term. I immediately installed Linux on the machine and was relatively happy. Linux is my OS of choice overall on the desktop, but it’s also starting to leave some things to be desired. Especially on a mobile device like a laptop. I love the number of developers that do spend time supporting Linux, but it can’t hold a candle to the allure of a Google-backed project like Chrome OS or Android.

A good marriage

That brings me full circle to my recent Pixelbook purchase. Google has been moving towards a Chrome OS that offers me everything I’ve been looking for in a laptop. Full Chrome for desktop level browsing when I need it, supplemented by Android apps for most other tasks. The total package still needs some polish, but the overall experience is surprisingly satisfying.

I never thought Android apps being available would be the crux that pushed me back to Chrome OS, but it has definitely been a huge factor. It’s really nice to have the same core apps that help me function daily tasks on my phone just right there on my laptop as well. The same goes for Google Assistant and core Google experience that is becoming more and more prevalent in the OS.

Wrap all that up in a high-end package that screams flagship and you’ve got the laptop that has all the key elements that Google wants you to have without having hardware envy. The combination of glass and aluminum make it super sturdy but also makes it immediately recognizable as well. You don’t have to make it to the etched “G” in the lid to know this is not your normal laptop.

I finally feel content on my laptop. I have true Chrome with the entire web at my fingertips and Android filling in the gaps with the same focused, always on dynamic, they have filled on mobile phones. This is a powerful combination that doesn’t make my experience seem like a compromise in any way.

While this may seem trivial to search for a laptop, it’s truly been a struggle for me. It’s been a long journey, but one that I feel may be slowing to its end. Chrome OS has really matured and shows steady progress for what the future can hold. Google has a true flagship device with the Pixelbook and it’s found a home in my house for now.

Audeara A-01 headphones review, how a headphones with a hearing test affects your music

Jason England
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The Audeara A-01 headphones are an ambitious project from two Australian doctors with a goal to provide better-personalized audio for every ear. They tackled this problem by using their medical background to create a pair of headphones and an app that tests your hearing.

After testing, it then uses this information to customize the sound specifically to your ears. In theory, this sounds amazing and after raising $100,000 within the first hour of launching on Kickstarter there are big expectations.

Design and Comfort

The Audeara A-01 headphones are solid as a tank. They are built using aluminum, hard plastic, and faux leather ear cups. The headband also features a touch of the faux leather with Audeara embossed on the top and a soft cushion underneath.

You’ll find the music controls, power switch, and headphone jack on the right ear cup. I’m a big fan of headphones that offer a wired back up and I’m glad to see they included this option. While the left ear cup includes the micro USB charging port and the switch that controls noise cancellation.

Unfortunately, like many headphones, the Audeara A-01 use micro USB to charge instead of USB-C. It’s difficult to hold this against them as the vast majority still use micro USB, but I still dream of a world that leaves micro USB in the past and embraces USB-C for everything.

While there is nothing particularly special about the design of the Audeara A-01 headphones they are durable, comfortable, and feel well made. Between the oversized rotating ear cups and the padded headband, you should have no problem wearing the A-01 headphones for hours. However, your ears can become warm after a while, but this is typical of closed back headphones.

When not in use the Audeara A-01 can be kept safe in the include hard case which also includes accessories such as a 3.5mm cable, airline adapter, 6.5mm headphone adapter, accessories bag, and micro USB cable.

The App

The Audeara experience would not be complete without the app, it is an integral part to the experience. The Audeara app is required to test your hearing and apply the Audeara effect. The app itself is designed beautifully and works great.

You’ll be required to set up an account before using it though, which also requires you to verify with your email address. This was a minor annoyance but Audeara says they have plans to enable sharing of profiles and settings in the future.

The hearing test itself is straightforward with easy to follow directions. After you set up your profile you are able to choose from three different accuracy levels. It is important to do the test in a quiet area and not to cheat because you’ll only be cheating yourself. The Audeara app also tests both ears separately because each ear hears differently.

Once you finish the test you are presented with your very own audiogram displaying a line graph for each ear. I found this fascinating looking at how my ears differed in frequency response. No matter what age you are bound to have some hearing loss to some degree. Which is exactly why these headphones were created with this app.

After inspecting the graph you can jump to enabling the effect and once enabled it will stay enabled on the headphones. Whether you choose to use them wired or wireless as long as they are turned on the effect will be applied.

The Audeara app allows you to create multiple profiles and do multiple tests all saved under your profile. So, fear not if you make a mistake or want to test again later on or in another location.

Sound Quality

Now, here’s what you’ve all been waiting for. After all of that testing, what do they sound like? Audeara provides you with the ability to apply the effect at 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 percent. It suggests starting with 50 percent and working your way up from there because 100 percent can be overwhelming at first.

Audeara wasn’t joking, there is a huge difference in sound quality after applying the effect. Like suggested, I started out at 50% and could hear an instant change in the music. Out of curiosity I jumped to 100% and found music unsettling to listen to. I soon switched back to 50% and then began to sample each level with different songs.

While I wish I could say it made the music sound amazing or better than any other headphones I’ve ever heard. That simply was not true, I had high hopes to see what could be done with a medically based test to personalize headphones to my ears. Yet, it did not enhance the music listening experience the way I wish it had.

What I found as I increased the effect was it made the highs stronger on each level while decreasing the bass. Apparently, according to the hearing test, I’m good at hearing the low end and not as good at hearing the high end of the spectrum. It seemed as if it was trying to compensate by turning up the treble and turning down the bass in order to level out the music.

This was an effect I did not care for. I found it most pleasing to listen to at 25 percent and thankfully they provide that option. At 25 percent the highs were boosted slightly while still leaving some bass in the music. However, it still lacked the deep bass, clean highs, and open soundstage that I’ve come to enjoy from other headphones. I ran the test at all three levels and each time I was presented with similar results.

According to Audeara it can take some time for your ears to adjust and for your brain to relearn how to hear. After using them for several weeks exclusively and going back to my favorite headphones that wasn’t true for me. I’ve been listening to music my entire life and I don’t think my brain needs to learn how to hear differently when something sounds good, it just knows.

Noise Canceling

The addition of noise canceling technology is welcomed in any pair of headphones. It is a stand out feature and a great perk for frequent travelers. Unfortunately, this was another area the Audeara A-01 didn’t quite live up to.

Without a doubt, the A-01 headphones minimized noise but not as much as several other pairs of noise canceling headphones I’ve tried in the past. If this is an important feature in your headphones then there are more affordable headphones on the market that do it better.

Battery Life

Battery life has been stellar on the Audeara A-01 headphones. I have been using them both wired and wireless with the Audeara effect turned on and ANC turned off. They are rated for 45 hours with Bluetooth with the Audeara effect and I’ve yet to kill them. Thankfully, even if you were to run the battery down the wired option guarantees that you’ll never have to be without your music.

Final Thoughts

The Audeara A-01 headphones sounded so promising. They were taking a medically based approach to improve the way we enjoy our music. I was so excited of the prospect of hearing my favorite songs with a fresh pair of ears. Hoping to hear new them in a whole new light picking up on instruments or vocals in ways I had never heard before. Unfortunately, in practice, they fell far short of that.

It’s not that the Audeara A-01 headphones sounded bad by any means but they lacked the deep rich bass, clean highs, and open soundstage of other more affordable headphones. When you’re asking $499 for a pair of headphones you are hitting at the premium sound end of the market and you better deliver. You can find better-sounding headphones at half of the price.

Regardless, I love the concept of a medical hearing test to personalize the sound for your ears. I only wish the execution would have been better. If you’d like to give it a try yourself then you can pick up a pair at Audeara’s site by using the link below.

Purchase from Audeara

World’s first foldable smartphone just launched, but it’s not made by Samsung or Huawei

Alexandra Arici
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While we’re still waiting for Samsung or Huawei to launch a foldable smartphone, it seems an obscure company has managed to beat the two iconic brands to the punch.

The Royole Corporation, a start-up based in California has announced the first commercially available foldable smartphone, the Royole FlexPai.

Royole officially launched the device in Beijing late last month, in an attempt to disrupt consumers’ traditional concept of a smartphone. The product is marketed as being a hybrid between a mobile phone and a tablet and is already available for pre-order.

The FlexPai is based on Royole’s second-generation ultra-thin, fully flexible AMOLED display that stretches to a full 7.8-inch in diagonal. The panel has 1920 x 1440 resolution in expanded mode and 308 ppi.

FlexPai is an experimental device with a price to match

The FlexPai is basically a tablet which you can fold in half to obtain a thick smartphone-like device. In its folded state, the gadget has a primary and secondary screen that can be used together or separately. The device has three aspect ratios: 4:3, 16:9 and 18:9.

Royole claims the display can be successfully folded up to 200,000 times before it’s likely to break, so you don’t have to worry about the mechanism failing. The device weighs 320 g and 190mm in width.

On the stub when folded, the FlexPai can display something like a screen side bar, where you can see notifications for calls, messages and other apps.

When it comes to internal specs, the foldable smartphone is based on Qualcomm’s next-gen Snapdragon 8-series flagship SoC. Built using a 7nm process, the chip can be upgraded to support 5G. Backing this up is either 6GB or 8GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage.

The phone/tablet also includes a dual-camera setup comprised of a 20MP telephoto lens and 16MP wide-angle sensor. Royole says, the device can snap great pictures thanks to the unique bending angles. The camera features a Dual View Mode in which the subject of the photo is visible from each screen when folded or stretched.

To support this unique device, Royole has created Water OS, which is a forked version of Android 9 Pie. The whole shenanigan is kept alive by a 3,800 mAh battery.

Availability and pricing

As we mentioned above, the device is already up for pre-order. You can get it from Royole’s website in exchange for €1,388 / $1,578 for the 128GB version. It’s quite expensive, but such is the price of experimental tech such as this.

What do you think? Does the Royole FlexPai sound tempting to you?

Buy the Royole FlexPai

Check out these great products from Anker, UPDESK, LEVO, Coolest, and Ninety7

AndroidGuys
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November is upon us, which means the weather is getting colder, and the holiday season is getting closer. This also means that we are finally nearing the end of #phonepocalypse, as almost all of the flagships for 2018 have been revealed.

Now’s the time when we start purchasing gifts for friends, family, co-workers, and ourselves. To that end, we want to help make things easier for you. Here’s a roundup of five items we think you, or someone close to you, might really enjoy.

The Weekend Recommender is our chance to share some of the better tech items that have recently crossed our path. What you’ll find below are a few products that we’ve spent time with over the last few weeks which deserve special recognition. Who knows? Maybe your next favorite thing is listed here!

Anker PowerCore for Nintendo Switch (20100/13400)

Anker is the best in the business when it comes to keeping your devices charged. Previously, these were “limited” to just your smartphone or tablet, but Anker is upping the ante and expanding.

Recently, the company launched a couple of new portable chargers aimed at Nintendo fans. Specifically, the new PowerCore 20100 and 13400 for the Nintendo Switch.

The PowerCore 20100 and 13400 are optimized for Switch owners, and offers full-speed USB-C charging. There is also a standard USB port with Anker’s Power IQ technology to charge your other devices.

These will keep your Switch charged on the go, along with your smartphone or tablets. Pricing for the 20100 starts at $89.99, while the 13400 goes for $69.99.

We’ve covered Anker plenty of times here at AndroidGuys, and if the company keeps making great products, that will continue.

UpDesk Home

As someone who not only works a day-job but also freelance writes on the side, it’s important to have a great desk. Previously, I have primarily owned IKEA desks, but I wanted to venture into the world of standing desks.

The reason behind the movement is because it’s absolutely terrible for you to be sitting all day long. Regardless of whether you have a great ergonomic chair or not, you should stand every once in a while.UPDESK is a company that has specialized in standing desks, but the price tags were a bit steep. Recently, the UPDESK Home was introduced, which is likely to appeal to those who aren’t looking to break the bank.

The Home features a desktop size of 60-inches by 30-inches, which sounds a bit small. But in actuality, it is big enough to house your computer, monitor, speakers, and just about everything else you may need on your desktop.

As a desk, the Home is absolutely wonderful, but turning it into a standing desk is amazing. There is a built-in controller which has 4-presets, with “automatic drive”, to raise the desk when it’s time to stand.

UPDESK has also included two wheels on the bottom to make moving the desk a bit easier. This doesn’t mean the desk will slide around when you don’t want to, but it’s there to help you adjust.

Pricing for the UPDESK Home starts at $595 with free shipping. But we also recommend picking up a standing desk pad, which you can get for $97.

LEVO G2 Tablet Floor Stand

Because sometimes we can’t be bothered to hold onto a tablet for more than a few minutes. In all seriousness, a product like the LEVO G2 is perfect for the lean back experience.

Whether you’re sitting on the couch, relaxing in bed, or enjoying coffee in a chair in the den, the stand aims to please. It wheels into place, articulates, and holds your tablet in either portrait or landscape orientation.

Reading a book on your Fire HD tablet or binge-watching a few shows on Hulu is much more enjoyable if you can free up your hands. That’s exactly what happens here; you can sit back, relax, eat, or fiddle with your phone.

The LEVO G2 stand is a really sturdy solution that can roll under the edge of your bed or couch. The arm swings at two places, giving you an exact, comfortable placement. Moreover, the head twists and tilts on multiple angles so you end up with the angle that works best for the moment. All of this, of course, moves and adjusts on the fly so there’s zero hassle.

While we enjoyed reading books in bed, we also found the stand worked well in the office. Specifically, it was the perfect tool to display a tablet over the desk for passive monitoring of social media or YouTube TV. When done, we simply moved it away, and minimal effort.

The LEVO G2 has a range of 30-inches up to 56-inches; an extension is available for higher beds and treadmills. Purchase yours for $189.99 at levostore.com.

Coolest Cooler

Tailgating with your friends and chilling by the pool is cool, but do you know what’s cooler than that? The Coolest Cooler. Yeah, it’s a thing, and it lives up to its name.

Forget about throwing ice and a few drinks in a generic plastic cooler — It’s time to up your pre-game game. The Coolest Cooler not only provides space for a whole array of cold ones, but it packs so much more.

When was the last time your cooler came with a built-in blender? Raise your hand if you can plug your phone into that old Coleman tub you keep dragging to barbecues. We didn’t think so. The Coolest Cooler does that, and more.

With 60 quarts capacity, this cooler houses four plates, a ceramic knife, cutting board, a bottle opener, and corkscrew. Dope, right? It’s also got an accessory deck where you can throw your keys or phone. Let’s see, what else?

The Coolest comes with a Bluetooth splash-proof and shock-proof speaker with eight hours of charge. You can even pair it to another speaker for even louder party anthems.

Don’t know much about mixing up drinks? Turn to the drink guide and learn 20 ways to use five different ingredients. Now that you’re a bartender you’ll want to purchase the bar-top table accessory that uses the handy handle. Or, accessorize with the solar lid to ensure that you never run low on juice.

How does it do with actually keeping things cold, you ask? We found our review unit kept ice cold for more than a few days. To be fair, we tested it in 50-60 degree weather, but Coolest says 4-5 days is attainable on its website.

When you’re done with things and ready to head home, the bungee strap keeps your blanket and other items nice and snug. Pull out the telescopic handle and wheel it away. Speaking of which, the rubber wheels are twice as wide as you’d expect and make it really easy to control. Then, when you need to pick it up, reach for the two handles which are also double-wide.

The Coolest Cooler comes in a variety of colors; we reviewed the blue model, but you can also purchase it in black, orange, red, and white. Purchase the cooler for $250 and up through its official website. Note that the blender and USB charger are an accessory that come with an add-on price.

Nintey JOT Portable Battery Base for Google Home Mini

Having a Google Home Mini is simply awesome. It’s compact, unobtrusive, and really smart. And, when you add it to a group for multiple-room music, it’s even cooler. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could take that speaker everywhere you go, without plugging and unplugging?

The JOT is a portable accessory for the Google Home Mini which has the privilege of bearing the “Made for Google” program badge. In other words, it’s not some generic knock-off device that doesn’t meet Google’s standards.

With an internal battery that provides up to eight hours of playback, this accessory is perfect for those of us with a fear of commitment. We only have so many smart speakers but we want them in all of our rooms. The JOT lets you take the speaker with you from one room to the next and without the hassle of cords.

The base comes apart near the top whereupon you slide your speaker into place. Snap the ring back on and you’re ready to power up. The base includes a microUSB port so you can plug your existing cord in.

Four LED lights indicate how much juice you’ve got left in the battery. Conveniently, there’s a cutout where you can toggle the mute button. A power button at the bottom lets you turn the whole thing off so you’re not wasting any charge. Otherwise the speaker will continue to listen for commands.

The JOT is available in two color options (Carbon, Silver) and runs just $29.95 at Ninety7’s website.

Google Home Hub review

AndroidGuys
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First there was the Google Home. Then, the Google Home Mini and Home Max. For 2018 it’s the Google Home Hub.

Unlike its predecessors, the Home Hub is the first product in the smart home line to offer up a full display. It’s the same smarts underneath, and features a a decent speaker, and sounds pretty much like the same experience. It’s not. The Google Home Hub changes the game for Google.

Think back over the last decade or so and chances are good that you’ve either owned or known someone who purchased a digital picture frame. Google Home Hub is that, but so much more.

Almost all of us have at least one Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connected speaker that we like to listen to music, podcasts, or audiobooks on. Nothing fancy, just a favorite unit that travels either throughout the house or stays in a convenient location. The Google Home Hub is that, too, but so much more.

Many of us own a smart speaker that we can tap into for reminders, grocery lists, help with cooking or homework, or general search. Google Home Hub is… well, you already know.

Falling Fast in Love

After just a few days with the Home Hub we’ve already come to appreciate it for so many reasons. From the simple, intuitive design to the technical prowess under the hood, it’s one of those devices we can see in each room of the home.

The Home Hub is more compact than you’d imagine, but it doesn’t feel small. It’s comprised of a 7-inch display with a white bezel and a speaker. The former sits in landscape mode at a reclined angle while the latter is your base. The speaker is wrapped in a fabric not unlike what Google has on the Home Mini.

The front side features two far-field microphones, and “Ambient EQ” light sensor. Around back is the volume rocker and the microphone toggle. There’s no camera to be found, but you won’t really need, or miss that option.

The light sensor automatically adjusts brightness and color temperature based on the ambient lighting in environment. Place it in a well-lit kitchen or living room area and it pushes out a brighter image. Dim the lights, or keep it on the nightstand, and it dials things down so they’re not jarring or harsh.

Display

Surprisingly, the display resolution is relatively low at 1024 x 600, which is far less than what you’re getting in today’s smartphones. What’s more, the pictures you’re capturing tend to have exponentially higher pixels. That’s hardly noticeable here as pictures still pop right off and look every bit as sharp as you’d like.

Color balance and saturation are tuned to our liking and we never really felt like we needed to dial something up or back. Brightness, thanks to the sensor, is always what the room calls for and doesn’t distract.

Tips and tricks every Google Home user should know

If for no other reason than to provide a connected digital picture frame, the Google Home Hub is worth the price. Moreover, it’s incredibly simple to set up and work with; it’s a perfect gift idea for grandparents or long-distance family.

Setup

Setting up the Home Hub is incredibly simple, particularly if you’ve already got a device or two in the home. Our process consisted of plugging and following the prompts in the Google Home apps on our phone. All told, we probably spent 3-4 minutes in setup with some of that coming from an update.

The connected device is designed to work as a passive, always-ready, speaker and display. You can leave it alone for days on end and let it cycle through your Google Photos or a collection of curated pictures. Alternatively, you can opt to show one of a few clock options.

Choosing your pictures to showcase can be a lot of fun as all of your shared albums are ready to go. Additionally, you can just let Google do its magic and pick highlights of your gallery, randomly pulling up your best stuff.

Users have control over how often pictures change with a range of five seconds to ten minutes. Changing the album(s) and speed is a breeze; you’re never stuck with anything.

The Google Home app has really improved over the last few releases, adding in options and a more friendly interface. It’s insanely easy to configure your connected speaker or display.

If anything, the Google Home Hub is the easiest device we’ve added to a network. Why? Maybe it’s the visuals that help us see where we are in the process.

What Else?

The Google Home Hub is ready for you to Cast to it. That’s an awesome feature and one we’ve found ourselves using quite a bit. Depending on where you’ve placed the unit you might want to send YouTube TV or Hulu over to it to act as a second or third screen in the room.

You can cast pretty much anything you want to the Home Hub save for Netflix. This isn’t a limitation on the side of Google so much as an Netflix decision. Nevertheless, as much as we’ve enjoyed watching small bursts of news or sports as we go about chores, we don’t see ourselves binge-watching our way through Ozark on it.

Sound is good, but it’s not great. If you’re primarily concerned with pumping out music, you’ll want to pair a separate Bluetooth speaker to it. Generally speaking, we’re okay with the somewhat flat audio experience as it’s right in line with the Google Home or Google Home Mini.

The more we’ve used Google Assistant over the last few years, the more we’ve come to appreciate it. We’ve evolved from having it on our phones as a Google Search/Google Now on steroids to something we often rely for small things.

Today we’re routinely asking Google Assistant about our day, the weather, our appointments, or commute. Getting that information is helpful not only on a phone, but anywhere we happen to be. Having visuals makes that better.

It cannot be overstated how nice it is to see a graphic representation of the weather, or calendar events. Ask how your day looks and you get a map of the route with any slow downs or accidents to accompany the commute details.

We’re going to have a difficult time getting the Home Hub outside of the kitchen. Not only are we enjoying the manner in which recipes look and work, but we’ve asked it to be our oven timer and conversion tool, too.

Although the Home Hub doesn’t have a camera on it, you can use it for Google Duo calls over voice. By contrast, the Lenovo Smart Display does allow for this, and it’s pretty nice to have. We don’t necessarily need it, though, as it’s not a primary means of communication.

As the name implies, the Home Hub does give you control over the various connected items in your home or office. You can’t set everything up directly from within the app, but it’s a solid way of managing things once they are up and running.

Controls can include things such as dimming lights or switches throughout the house, adjusting the thermostat, or viewing Nest doorbells and cameras. Google has done an excellent job of adding in new controls and hardware partners over the last couple of years. Looking ahead we fully expect that to ramp up, particularly now that we have visuals.

Conclusion

The Google Home Hub is a must-have device for those who rely on Google Assistant. For about $20 more than the Google Home you end up with a 7-inch digital display that compliments search and routines.

We like creating groups of speakers and devices so we can play music, podcasts, and other media throughout the home. As we move from room to room in the morning, as part of readying for bed, we appreciate that we can keep up with the news or a book.

Given how easy it is to install and configure, we’re really itching to add devices like these to other rooms. In fact, we’re already looking ahead to the holidays and outfitting the homes of friends and family.

If you’re considering a connected or smart speaker, you absolutely should put the Google Home Hub on your list. Whether it’s your first foray into the world of Google Assistant or if you’re complimenting your current setup with something visual, it’s the stepping off point.

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