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Sony S50G review: A Google Assistant speaker with Homepod looks

Jason England
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More and more Google Assistant smart speakers are coming out each year. As the number grows so do your choices. While they all essentially do the same thing, each speaker tries to find a way to stand out amongst the crowd. Keep reading below to find out the many ways the S50G loaned to us by Sony finds a way to separate itself from the flock.

Design

First and foremost you can’t overlook the design of the Sony S50G, mostly because it looks exactly like Apple’s smart speaker, the Homepod. Both share a strikingly similar shape and appear to be made from similar materials.

That in itself is not a bad thing, many manufacturers copy each other’s designs and if you’re a fan of Apple aesthetics then you’ll most likely find the S50G attractive. Personally, I don’t mind that they copied the Homepod and think the Sony S50G is a fantastic looking speaker that would look great in anyone’s home. Unlike the Homepod the S50G also has the benefit of being IPX3 splashproof making it safe to use in the kitchen.

The soft fabric gives it a nice cozy feel, but my favorite standout from the design is the built-in clock. This was absolutely perfect to replace my out of date alarm clock, which I only kept around to get a quick glance of the time. Even better it sets itself so you don’t have to worry if there is a power surge or you relocate it.

If you’re not a fan of the clock, that’s fine as well because a button on the underside can adjust the brightness or completely disable it. In fact, all the buttons are on the bottom in addition to the brightness/restart button there is also a pairing button, hold button, and microphone off button.

One of the main benefits of a smart speaker is not having to pair your phone in order to play music. However, most offer a Bluetooth connection including the Sony S50G. What distinguishes Sony from other speakers here is they included NFC making it more convenient to connect via Bluetooth.

The top of the S50G looks clean and simple, but there is more going on here than meets the eye. Sony has included a motion sensor for hands-free gestures to control activating Assistant, playing/pausing music, and skipping tracks when listening to music.

The ability to wave your hand over the top of the speaker like a Jedi to control it would be an amazing feature to make your speaker stand out. If it weren’t for these two reasons. For one the controls are extremely finicky and using them often turned into a frustrating task instead of the convenience it should have been.

The second reason is one of the benefits of a smart speaker is everything is controlled by your voice when you are several feet away from the speaker. While the gestures require you to be right next to it.

The top is also touch-sensitive allowing you to change the volume by running your finger over it in a clockwise or counterclockwise motion. Unfortunately, once again this experience will leave you unsatisfied. In my experience, each time I tried to adjust the volume this way it took several tries. Making it easier to just ask the speaker to change the volume instead.

Features

When it comes to Assistant enabled speakers, one area they cannot truly differentiate themselves is through the general smart features. That is except for two exclusive features found only on Google smart speakers such as placing phone calls and an equalizer option.

Beyond that, any speaker Assistant speaker you find will have the ability to control your smart home, answer your questions, play music, do multi-room audio playback, play podcasts, make reminders, provide you with weather and news, and much much more.

Simply put, outside of a couple of Google exclusive features no matter what speaker you choose you’ll have all of the same smart functions. Which is why Assistant speakers choose to stand out primarily through their design and sound quality.

Microphone Performance

Microphone performance met my expectations and then some. Immediately when I began using the S50G it was apparent to me that the previous speaker I had been using had a less sensitive microphone. I had become accustomed to speaking louder to activate Assistant and was delighted that I could now lower my voice some.

The far-field technology and microphone placement on the S50G work great together and you won’t have to worry about yelling at it, unless you want to that is.

Sound Quality

The S50G has a fairly balanced sound signature with emphasis slightly more towards the high end. This results in music sounding clear and clean but also somewhat overwhelms the low end. The bass itself is still present but comes off rather weak in comparison to the treble.

If you’re someone who prefers more impact in the low end of your music you’ll be disappointed. However, if clarity in your music is more important then you’ll be pleased with how bass doesn’t take over the tracks. No matter how you like your music though the S50G gets plenty loud enough to fill a room and be heard a couple of rooms over. Even better is that it can reach max volume without any meaningful distortion.

One complaint I have about the sound of the S50G has to do with the volume of the Assistant’s voice. There is no way to adjust the volume of the voice and in general, it is louder than I’d like. This prevented me from using it early in the morning or late in the evening worrying about disturbing others as they were sleeping. The S50G is not the only speaker that does this but there are others on the market which adjust the voice dynamically with the system volume.

Final Thoughts

In the end, the Sony S50G finds a way to distinguish itself amongst the competition with clear sound, unique motion gestures, and a clock. The biggest problem is the unique motion gestures are also uniquely frustrating. After several attempts, you’ll probably end up never using them again much like myself.

However, if you ignore these gestures and prefer an Assistant speaker with clear sound and a stylish design the S50G is a very viable option. Unfortunately, the design is not an uncommon one but there are worse things than looking like an Apple Homepod knockoff. If you’re not a fan of the design or prefer more bass in your music then be sure to check out our list of Assistant speakers for an alternative.

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Gadgets and gear: 10 things to pack for a camping trip

Alexandra Arici
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Summer is the best time to get together as a family and go camping. Alternatively, you might favor solo adventures or going out into the wilderness accompanied only by a few friends. Regardless of your particular preferences, one thing is certain: summer isn’t complete without at least one camping trip.

With the vacation season upon us, it’s high time to start thinking about packing and preparing for your camping trip.

goTenna Mesh review: Private networks for going off the grid or during outages

But, before you head into the great outdoors, be sure to check out these camping gadgets that are guaranteed to make life easier on your camping trip. Here’s a rundown of some essential camping gear you might want to consider throwing in your backpack before you head out into the wild.

BioLite CampStove 2

This nifty gadget solves two major problems while in the wilderness –it cooks your food and keeps your phone charged.

Want to let the people back home know your safe? The BioLite CampStove 2 makes sure your phone never runs out of battery, while keeping you fed and happy. Use wood to build a small fire in the compact stove’s chamber in order to start generating energy from heat.

With the BioLite CampStove 2, you won’t have to spend money on a stove AND a power bank. You can get both in one package. The gadget is available for purchase for $129.

BioLite CampStove 2 purchase link: Amazon

OffGrid Solar Backpack

Are you the kind of person who can’t go off on vacation without taking all of your gadgets along for the ride? Well, then you might need something like the OffGrid Solar Backpack.

The bag is perfect for easily carrying your smartphones, DSLR camera, tablets and laptops with you. It also keeps them charged thanks to the embedded high-efficiency solar ETFE solar panel. The backpack has a total maximum output of 10W at 6V and also sports a built-in 12,000 mAh 44W battery.

Oh, and if you care about the environment, you’ll be pleased to know the OffGrid Solar Backpack is made of 33 Recycled Plastic Bottles (Recycled PET Fabric). You can grab it for $199.

OffGrid Solar Backpack purchase link: Voltaic Systems

Sitpack 2.0

Love taking pictures of animals while enjoying the outdoors, but hate having to stand all those hours waiting for the perfect shot? Well, the Sitpack 2.0 portable chair gives you a place to sit while you’re on the go. It also improves your posture while you sit and promotes blood circulation to your legs.

The chair has a weight capacity of up to 100kg/220 lbs and offers adjustable height to fit all sizes. It’s available for $49.99.

Sitpack 2.0 purchase link: Amazon

DemerBox Bluetooth Speaker

Want a soundtrack for your camping trip? The DamerBox Bluetooth Speaker is the ideal candidate to fulfill this role, as it has a 100-ft range, so you can truly explore. The device also has an incredible battery which should be able to support up to 50 hours of playtime.

To make sure it doesn’t get easily damaged, the DamerBox was designed to be waterproof. Additionally, the speaker has an extra space on the inside so you can store your smartphone, camera or anything else you need to keep safe.

The speaker is available in four colors including Black, Orange, Pesaro Green and Blue. Get it for $399.99.

DemerBox Bluetooth Speaker purchase link: Amazon

Cairn XL Smart Lantern

You’ll probably need a light source for your camp, so you might want to consider the Cairn XL Smart Lantern. Capable of 250 hours of light, the lantern works also as a power bank that can juice up your mobile devices (up to four times).

It’s a smart lantern, so downloading the the Lander app you give you remote controls such as powering it on/off, color control, dimming and more.

The device boasts an ultra-bright 350 lumen and is also IP65 rated against dust and water. It sells for $99.

Cairn XL Smart Lantern purchase link: Lander

Spot X Satellite Messenger

Going on a solo adventure? You need to think about safety. With the Spot X Satellite Messenger, you’ll be able send messages to those back home even as you find yourself in an area without coverage, using satellite communications.

What’s more, the Spot X also features real-time location tracking and a very useful SOS feature. There are no pre-installed maps on board, but you do get a digital compass that can be programmed with waypoints to help you navigate through remote places.

Other highlights include 10-day battery life and water-and-drop-proofing. You can grab it for $249.99.

Spot X Satellite Messenger purchase link: Findmespot

Cauldryn Water Boiling Bottle

Purifying the water you drink in the wilderness is highly important. Some rivers and lakes might look clean, but there are millions of organisms in fresh water. If you don’t purify it, there’s a good chance you could get extremely sick.

So investing in something like the Cauldryn Water Boiling Bottle should be on your high-priority list when you go camping. Simply pour the water in and turn the bottle on and it will start boiling the content. In addition to heating, the Cauldryn can also keep the water at a correct temperature all day.

The gadget is battery-powered, but you can also plug into an AC or DC power supply via USB for infinite boiling. The Cauldryn is currently on sale for $129.00.

Cauldryn Water Boiling Bottle purchase link: Cauldryn

Exotac nanoSTRIKER Fire Starter

It’s not always easy to start a fire by yourself in the wild. Fortunately, the Exotac nanoSTRIKER Fire Starter has your back. The tiny gizmo provides users to up to 3000 fire-starting strikes per pieces and will get the job done even if it’s a little wet.

What’s more, the rods are replaceable and the striker is ultra-sharp tungsten carbide. You can grab one starting at $25.44 and up, depending on color.

Exotac nanoSTRIKER Fire Starter purchase link: Amazon

Suunto Traverse Alpha

A proper adventure watch could be a great addition to your camping gear list. Like the Suunto Traverse Alpha.

The device boasts durable quality and packs a full set of outdoor features including GPS navigation, hunting/fishing options, moon phases, sunrise alerts, weather trends and more. It’s made in Finland and compliant with military standards. Get yours for a discounted $399.20.

Suunto Traverse Alpha purchase link: Suunto

Gosky Monocular Telescope

When you’re a bird watching enthusiast or accomplished hiker, having a nature monocular at your disposal becomes indispensable for your adventures.

Which is why you might want to check out this monocular by Gosky. It boasts a robust but compact design with adjustable eye cups for optimal viewing. And offers 8x magnification with the 32mm objective lens thus offering the perfect equilibrium between magnification and light transmission.

Furthermore, the Gosky monocular is waterproof, fogproof and shockproof so it can be used in all weather conditions. It will set you back with $62.99.

Gosky Monocular Telescope purchase link: Amazon

goTenna Mesh review: Private networks for going off the grid or during outages

What’s the difference: BlackBerry KEY2 LE vs BlackBerry KEY2

Alexandra Arici
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Last month at IFA 2018, BlackBerry unveiled a new handset, the Key2 LE, a lower cost version of its Key2 model, which was launched a few months ago.

So now, BlackBerry fans have the chance to take advantage of the company’s iconic mobile keyboard on the cheap. But how much does the newly launched Key2 LE differ from the standard Key2? And is it worth considering it? Below we take a look at the two models to highlight the main differences.

On the outside

At first glance, you might not be able to notice a lot of differences between the Key2 LE and Key2. Both smartphones feature a 4.5-inch display and a matte keyboard, which sits underneath.

However, in the case of the newcomer the keyboard is a tad smaller and, overall the phone is also lighter. Fortunately, TCL has left the front display untouched. So on both devices, you’ll get a 4.5-inch LCD screen with 1620 x 1080 resolution.

One important difference you need to take into consideration is that the keyboard on the Key2 LE is not as advanced as it is on the Key2. It does not feature the capacitive touch features of the Key2, although the Speed Key is still available. This will allow you to switch between apps a lot faster.

On to the back, the Key2 LE features a plastic chassis which is available in several colors including Slate (black), Atomic (with red accents), and Champagne. In contrast, the Key2’s rear is more premium, as it is made of aluminum. However, it’s only available in black or silver.

So if you want something that looks more unique in terms of coloring, you definitely need to consider the Atomic BlackBerry Key2 LE.

On the inside

TCL’s current top-of-the-line smartphone, the Key2 is actually a mid-ranger. The phone relies on a 2.2GHz Snapdragon 660 processor, backed up by 6GB of RAM and 64GB/128GB of storage.

As for the Key2 LE, it has a slightly less power Snapdragon 636 and only 4GB of RAM onboard. When it comes to storage, the entry-level version comes with 32GB. But a 64GB model will also be available in select markets.

With the new model, TCL has included a slightly smaller 3,000 mAh battery. In contrast, the Key2 has a 3,500 mAh powerhouse under the hood.

According to TCL, the Key2 LE can support 22.5 hours of battery life on a single charge. The standard Key2, on the other hand, can get up to two days of life.

Camera

Both phones have dual-camera systems installed on the back, but naturally, the Key2’s a bit more impressive. The Key2 LE features a 13-megapixel+5-megapixel combo. While its more advanced brother has two 12-megapixel+12-megapixel sensors on the rear.

The selfie snapper is the same in both cases, an 8-megapixel sensor with f/2.0. Key2 LE users will be able to take advantage of a Wide Selfie Mode, as well as a beauty filter.

Others

Like the BlackBerry Key2, the Key2 LE ships with Android 8.1 Oreo. Although, TCL promises users will see the Android 9.0 Pie update in the future. The company has yet to provide a timeline for the release.

The Key2 LE also gets the Convenience Key. This lives below the power button and gives you quick access to apps and other functions. It can also trigger the Google Assistant if you are a fan of involving the virtual assistant in your daily routine.

Pricing

Price is the biggest differentiator between the two models. The BlackBerry Key LE2 will start shipping in September for $400 for the 32GB model. The 64GB version will cost $450.

As for the Key2, the phone is currently up for grabs for $649.99. The device is available unlocked at retailers like Amazon and is compatible with GSM carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile.

Get the most of your OnePlus 6 using these tricks

Alexandra Arici
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The latest OnePlus flagship, the OnePlus 6, is a tremendous smartphone coming with a beautiful display, much-improved camera and new glass body.

And, even if the new phone shares a lot of features with its predecessors, it still manages to squeeze in a few new tricks. So, if you just picked up your OnePlus 6 or have had it since launch day, here are some OxygenOS tricks you might want to try out on your brand new device.

Notch, be gone!

Many fans were quite disappointed that the OnePlus 6 has a notch. For a company that has built its reputation by going against the grain, OnePlus seemed all-too-willing to jump on board the notch design trend.

Indeed, the notch is a love-it-or-hate-it kind of thing for Android users. If you fall in the latter category, then you’ll be glad to know that OnePlus gives you the option to hide the notch.

Bye-bye notch

Simply go to Settings > Display > Notch Display. Tap on Hide the notch area to activate a Compatibility mode which won’t allow fullscreen apps to use the notch area.

Enable gesture navigation

At the beginning of the year, OnePlus introduced the option to replace the standard on-screen nav buttons with gestures in a 5T beta. The company has kept these around and they are available on the OnePlus 6.

READ: How to send texts from your desktop using Android Messages

To enable gesture navigation, you need to jump to the phone’s Settings > Buttons > Navigation bar and gestures. You’ll get three options to choose from, from which you need to select Navigation gestures.

After tapping on it, you’ll be all set to start using gestures, as follows:

  • Home: swipe straight up from the middle of the bottom of the screen. This should take you to the home screen from any app or menu.
  • Back: swipe straight up from the left or right third of the bottom of the screen. This will take you back with one step.
  • Recent apps: Swipe straight up from the middle of the bottom of the screen and hold for a second. You should see the app switcher showing a list of the apps you previously opened.

Control your phone with gestures

Not to be confused with gesture navigation, the OnePlus 6 has a separate category for Gestures that let you do all sorts of things. For example:

  • Long press to take a photo – from the viewfinder screen, long press the fingerprint sensor to take a pic.
  • Music control – draw two vertical lines on the screen with two fingers to play or pause music. Draw “<” or “>” for previous or next track.
  • Three-finger screenshot – swipe with three fingers on the display to take a screenshot.

There’s even a list of gestures such as drawing a simple O to which you can assign an action to like opening the camera or a certain app.

Get Face Unlock under control

Face unlock on the OnePlus 6 is super-fast. Which is great, for the most part. But what if you just wanted to take a quick glimpse at the lock screen notifications without being promptly sent to the home screen?

Well, fortunately, you can. Navigate to Settings>Security & lock screen>Face unlock and toggle off the option “Auto unlock after the screen in on”.

Now when you unlock the phone, it will land you on the lock screen instead of the home screen. So you can quickly check out your notifications and lock the phone again.

Access Hidden Space for apps

The OnePlus 6 has a hidden space where you can hide apps. To access it, open the App Drawer and drag the hidden space from the sidebar on the left.

Then select the apps you want to move into the secret space. Changed your mind? You can unhide them by long pressing on the app icon.

Where are the camera settings?

The camera settings on the OnePlus 6 are a bit hard to find at first. Once inside the camera app, you’ll need to swipe up from the bottom. This will reveal a set of additional options including Pro Mode, Portrait mode and Slow motion.

But if you look in the top-right corner, you’ll notice there’s a gear-shaped icon. Tap on that to reveal the camera’s settings.

From here you can enable/disable a bunch of options including:

  • Quick capture – take a photo after launching the camera by double-tap on the power button
  • Shot on OnePlus Watermark – watermark will be applied to photos taken with the rear Camera, Portrait and Pro Mode.
  • Smile Capture – automatically take photos when smiles are detected.

Read more

Hot Take: Google Home Hub, Pixel 3 renders, and more (Episode 26)

Andrew Myrick
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Join us as we sit down and discuss some of the hot tech topics out there today. This edition focuses on the leaks surrounding a couple of new Google products. First, the Google Home Hub could be the company’s first smart display. Meanwhile, we also get our first “official” look at the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL.

What we talked about today

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What we know so far: Samsung Galaxy S10

Alexandra Arici
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With the Galaxy Note 9 launch behind us, the next big thing to look forward from Samsung is obviously be Galaxy S10. While, the Galaxy S9 proved to be a modest upgrade over the Galaxy S8, a lot of people are hoping the Galaxy 10 will be so much more.

At the moment, it remains to be seen whether this expectation will actually materialize, as the launch of the Galaxy 10 is still a few months away. But while we wait, we’re taking the opportunity to take a look at what we know so far about Samsung’s next-generation flagship, based on leaks and rumors.

Design

Fans have high expectations when it comes to the design of the Galaxy 10. After the grand overhaul that was the Galaxy S8, we do know Samsung has what it takes to pleasantly surprise the audience.

The Galaxy S9 closely resembled the Galaxy S8 in terms of design, but the big hope is that the Galaxy 10 won’t. What does the rumor mill say about that? Will the Galaxy S10 be the super flagship that will eradicate all bezels and offer users a true full-screen experience?

Fortunately, it seems the answer is yes. The company’s own chief of mobile division, DJ Koh revealed while speaking with Chinese media (via SamMobile) that the Galaxy S10 will come with very significant design changes. The Galaxy S10 will be Samsung’s 10th-anniversary flagship and so, will offer more upgrades over the Galaxy S9, which was only a minor update. What’s more, we can expect more intriguing color options too.

While we don’t know what these changes will be, we can expect to see shrunken bezels on board. This will be possible thanks to Samsung implementing a sound-emitting OLED display. According to ET News, the traditional speakers will be replaced by bone conduction and vibration that will transmit sound directly to the display. Without the speaker, Samsung will be able to include even smaller bezels on the S10.

The Galaxy S10 might really be getting a in-display fingerprint sensor

What’s more, the Galaxy S10 will most certainly feature notable innovations on the hardware front, as we will see in the following sections.

For example, we know that the phone will take advantage of an in-display fingerprint sensor. Moreover, rumor has it that the flagship will feature a super-sharp display that will exceed 600ppi. Samsung will reportedly once again make use of its iconic Infinity Display on the S10 but will increase the size ever so slightly.

According to some sources, the Galaxy S10 will feature a 5.8-inch panel (up from 5.77-inch), while the Galaxy S10+ will take advantage of a 6.3-inch one (up from 6.22-inch).

Interestingly enough, noted analyst Ming-Chi-Kuo seems to believe there will be three not two different versions of the S10 coming next year with 5.8-, 6.1- and 6.4-inch front panels on board. According to this source, the larger version will feature in-display fingerprint sensors, while the smaller model, which will be an entry-level device, will pack a fingerprint sensor on the side.

A quick look at possible specs

While there’s a strong possibility that design will be the main drawing point of the Galaxy S10, Samsung’s next flagship will also certainly excel when it comes to specs.

Here’s what the Galaxy 10 has been rumored to contain so far:

  • Snapdragon 855 chipset, based on 7nm process technology (in the US market)
  • 5G modem
  • UFS 3.0 storage
  • LPDDR5 RAM
  • Next-generation Bixby

With these components on board, the Galaxy S10 is expected to be snappier and more efficient than its predecessors. For example, UFS 3.0 helps storage consume less power, accommodate a wider bandwidth and work at higher temperatures. As for LPDDR5 RAM, this will enable things like a recording of super slow-motion videos.

As for the 5G part, Samsung might launch a 5G-capable Galaxy S10 Plus, the only problem is it might be limited to the Korean market. Yet the sources who shared this information, also stated that the decision is not final and that Samsung might end up releasing the 5G-capable phone in several other markets.

Cameras

Photography is one of the main areas where the Galaxy S9 was improved, compared to its predecessor. But what about the Galaxy 10? Well, next year Samsung might look towards Huawei for inspiration. According to some rumors, the S10 will come packing a triple-lens camera setup, just like the P20 Pro. Samsung will apparently throw in a secondary shooter on the front too, for larger than life selfies.

According to The Bell, the same 12MP dual-camera lens will make a return on the S10 Plus, but this time it will be accompanied by a 16MP ultra-wide-angle lens with a 120-degree angle.

Other features

Some sources have claimed that Samsung will be improving its 3D sensing camera technology in the S10 to help improve performance and security of the face unlock feature. This should also translate into better AR Emoji, a feature that Samsung’s flagships desperately need.

We’ve heard reports that Samsung has teamed up with 3D-camera startup Mantis Vision to be able to include a full 3D camera, one that could potentially match the iPhone X experience.

Samsung’s flagship will surely ship with Android P out of the box with the company’s TouchWiz interface laid on top. It’s also possible the Galaxy 10 will include improving health apps (via Let’s Go Digital). One of these experimental applications can apparently determine your skin type and then suggest recommendations to limit sun exposures.

Release date

It’s a bit too soon to know the exact release date for the Galaxy S10, but traditionally Samsung reveals a new flagship either during MWC in Barcelona or shortly afterward. Bottom line is that the phone should be out on the market by the middle of March 2019.

Yet unlike previous years, it’s quite possible the Galaxy S10 won’t be the first flagship Samsung introduces in 2019. Some rumors have claimed the foldable Galaxy X will see the light of day during CES 2018. Although, in a recent interview Samsung’s mobile chief said the handset will launch by the end of 2018.

Tired of getting screwed by airlines? Score great deals on tickets with Hopper (Review)

Gerson Noboa
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Let’s face it, buying a plane ticket is a terrible experience. The price that you get today in your searches is not the same as the one you will see tomorrow. You never know if you are getting a good deal or if waiting would be better for your wallet. What if waiting backfires and you end up paying more than you should?

While the absurd state of plane ticketing is a topic for another article, it is time to highlight Hopper, one of the most useful services in the Play Store. Search for a flight, mark it as watched, and let Hopper do its magic.

Developer: Hopper Inc.
Price: Free

Setup

When launching the app, Hopper shows a small onboarding screen with information about what it does. The premise of Hopper is really simple: search for a flight, watch it, and Hopper will check for the best deals on the internet. The app claims to watch “billions of flight prices a day” in order to give you the best deals and to predict if prices are going to increase or go down.

Overview

The app consists of four different tabs: Watch, Notifications, Search, and Trips. The Watch tab is where all of your watched flights will appear. They will also have a label recommending you to either wait for a better price or to buy a ticket now. The Notifications tab shows all of the information that Hopper has gathered about your flights. The service relies heavily on push notifications, but you can also see here how your flights are doing in case you want to remember previous notifications you received.

Read more: Apps Sale review – the simple way to discover which paid apps have gone free & on sale

The Search tab is the most important in the application since this is where Hopper’s service truly shines. The application asks you for your origin and your destination. Fancy a romatic trip to Paris with your significant other? How about to a getaway to the always-warm Canary Islands? What about New York, home of the most convoluted subway service I have ever seen? The world is at your fingertips.

Hopper then shows what is, in my opinion, the most useful screen in any flight-related service. A color-coded calendar will be shown to you, displaying shades of red for days that are in high demand (thus commanding higher prices) and greenish colors for days that are more wallet-friendly. This screen is incredibly useful in a plethora of situations, primarily if you have flexible dates for your flight and are looking for the lowest prices.

This screen also displays a couple of useful options. You can decide if you want to search for round trip tickets or one way only. Also, you can choose if you want tickets with basic fares (which normally strip you from benefits such as checked baggage, food, or seat selection), and the number of layovers.

Afterward, the app will show the current lowest price, along with a prediction about how the prices will vary in the following days. Since Hopper has been doing this for years, it has a sizeable amount of historic data, which allows it to do a decent prediction about the fluctuation of prices in the following weeks.

In case you decide to buy a ticket now, the application shows a trip summary along useful information, such as cancellation terms, changes fees, and baggage allowance. You can buy a ticket from the app, but you need to create an account in order to do that. This isn’t a problem at all right? Wrong.

To create an account, Hopper asks for your phone number. There is no way of creating an account with your email, for example. Since Hopper earns money by selling the tickets themselves, one would think that they would make it easier for you to spend money on the app. However, giving away your phone number is a huge turnoff that limits the number of people that is willing to create an account.

The final tab is called Trips. Here, you will be able to see the trips that you have bought from the application itself. I haven’t been able to see this screen in action. This is a combination of me refusing to create an account with my phone number, and me being too poor for plane tickets. Sad times.

Options

Under the Trips tab, you will also find the Settings screen. It is pretty barebones but it has a few noteworthy options. You can see the Terms & Conditions and the Privacy Policy, which I highly recommend you to read in case you create an account. Also, you can sign up for an account or sign in in case you have one already. Finally, there is also an option to change the currency in which the prices all over the app are shown. There is A LOT of currencies available, so chances are you will find yours here.

Conclusion

Our phones are full of useful services that make us more productive and allow us to accomplish more. However, when the time comes to take a well-deserved rest, Hopper is there to alleviate the pains of looking for a plane ticket. Just mark a flight as watched and Hopper will shoot reliable and trustworthy notifications every once in a while.

I have used this service for years, and I can attest to the usefulness of it, having scored decent deals thanks to its constant scanning of ticket prices. Aside from the fact that creating an account inexplicably asks you for your phone number, with no other options, Hopper is one of the most reliable services in the Play Store. Let Hopper show you the world.

Download and install Hopper from the Google Play Store.

Five reasons the OnePlus 6T gets us super excited

Alexandra Arici
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I don’t know about you, but October is shaping up to be quite an exciting month, especially for one reason in particular. Sure, Google is expected to unveil the Pixel 3, which is nice and all, but honestly what gets us even more excited is the possibility that the OnePlus 6T might launch on October 17.

The OnePlus 5T was announced in November of last year, so if the rumors are true, the 6T will arrive a little bit earlier than expected. Which is great, if you ask us. So why are we so psyched about the early arrival of the OnePlus 6T? Below you’ll find five reasons you probably should be too.

A smaller notch

The OnePlus 6 introduced the notch in the design equation. And while some people passionately dislike having a display cutout, the trend is not going anywhere soon.

From what we know so far, the OnePlus 6T will also have a notch. But this time around, it’s going to be a very, very tiny one. The phone’s design will probably be very similar to the one of the Oppo R17, which in all likelihood is the basis for OnePlus’ next flagship. You can check it out below.

As you can see the notch is barely noticeable, although it’s substantial enough to house the front-facing camera.  The screen-to-body ratio is rumored to be 91.5%, which is quite impressive. We’re also going to see an increase in display size from the OnePlus 6’s 6.28-incher to a 6.4-inch OLED one. The resolution is going to remain FHD+ as it’s the case with previous OnePlus handsets.

In-display fingerprint sensor

OnePlus has confirmed the OnePlus 6T is going to come featuring an in-display fingerprint sensor. This will make the 6T the first widely-available smartphone to come equipped with the new tech.

Of course, it’s not technically the first device to offer this feature. The Vivo Nex and Oppo Find X feature the technology and are already available to customers, but only in a handful of markets. But OnePlus will make sure the new tech gets into the hands-on more people across the globe.

OnePlus has branded its fingerprint-on-display feature as Screen Unlock. On the 6T, when a user will touch the designated area of the screen with his/her your finger, an array of sensors will turn on the display to light the finger. An optical image sensor and AI processor will then read the fingerprint and unlock the device (if it matches).

Read more: Stop hackers in their tracks with Google’s 2-Step Verification

Due to this change, the design of the 6T will be slightly different when compared to its predecessor. Most importantly, the 6T will be 0.45mm thicker. But on the bright side of things, now that the back is free of sensors, the 6T will have a more unibody look.

Tri-cameras

Ok, we’re not sure about this one. But some leaks have hinted that the OnePlus 6T will come with a tri-camera setup on the back.

The 6T has already been listed on the shopping website Giztop, thus confirming the phone will come equipped with a Snapdragon 845 and will ship with 6GB/8GB of RAM and 64/128/256GB storage.

But the listing also revealed the phone will apparently ship with a triple camera setup comprised of 20MP+12MP sensors plus a TOF 3D depth sensor. The selfie camera will also be getting an upgrade to 25MP.

Of course, we need to take this information with a healthy grain of salt. But it would certainly be super exciting if the 6T would take advantage of a tri-camera setup. Since the Huawei P20 Pro is uber expensive, lots of mobile photography lovers will probably turn towards the 6T to experiment with this new technology.

Android Pie

The OnePlus 6T will be among the first devices to land on the market with Android Pie pre-installed. And since software is one of the major highlights of OnePlus devices, we can only expect the best from this release.

At the moment, not many devices have access to Pie. Apart from Google’s own devices, owners of the Essential phone and OnePlus 6 can currently give Android 9 a go. But if you don’t want to deal with installing updates or joining beta programs, you might want to wait for the 6T.

T-Mobile

For the first time in its history, OnePlus 6 scored a deal with one of the four major US carriers. The partner’s name is T-Mobile, and so users will soon be able to walk into a brick-and-mortar T-Mobile shop and give the OnePlus 6T a try.

Most people in the US haven’t probably heard about OnePlus, but with T-Mobile as its partner, OnePlus a real shot at really extending its user base in the country. OnePlus phones are superb, sleek devices that look really premium, and we’re pretty sure they will attract the attention of T-Mobile users quite fast. The still-affordable price tag will also help a lot in that direction.

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In brief: Mobile news worth knowing

AG Deals Team
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Welcome to In Brief, the AndroidGuys tech briefing. Today is Monday, September 17 and we’re taking a look at all the tech news you need to know. In this post, we want you to learn about the news the way you want to learn. We’ve embedded a podcast version of all this news below. If you don’t want to listen, you can read just like you normally would.

We’d love feedback on this post, so please let us know what you think in the comments. If we can improve in some way, we’d love to know!

The Google Pixel 3 may be getting some new colors

We’re still a few weeks away from the debut of the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, but we know pretty much everything about the devices through leaks. We expect to see two new devices with Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processors, 4 GB of RAM, and 64 GB of storage.

While most expect the devices to come in White and Black like previous generations, we’re now getting some indications the devices may come in two new colors, Pink and Mint. The speculation is based on new “coming soon” pages for the devices. Both of the pages seem to indicate that we’ll see Mint and Pink announced alongside White and Black.

Google hasn’t strayed too far outside of the box with previous launches. We did see a Blue original Pixel and a Panda Pixel 2, but that’s been about it.

Google is expected to announce its new phones alongside some other new devices at an event in New York City on October 3 at 11 AM Eastern. — Matt Adams

Samsung is working on a midrange phone with a flagship processor

Samsung’s Galaxy A lineup has been traditionally a mid-range one. But, it seems the Korean tech giant’s future ambitions involve blurring the line between its middle and flagship family of devices.

A new leak coming out this week suggest the company is preparing a Galaxy A model that will run on a powerful Snapdragon 845. Currently, only the premium Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy S9 are based on Qualcomm’s top-of-the-line chipset.

The information comes from a leakster in China and has been relayed by SamMobile. It’s not clear when the device will launch, but most likely it’s not going to be in 2018.

This is what we believe will happen. The premium Galaxy A model will launch after the Galaxy S10, which will run Qualcomm’s next-gen premium chipset, the Snapdragon 855. This way, the new Galaxy A will be positioned lower than the new flagship. — Alexandra Arici

The Google Calculator goes Material Design

Google has been steadily updating its applications with a new theme. Some call this Material Design 2.0, but it’s actually just Google using the Material Design language and putting its own spin on it. We’ve seen the search giant freshen up several applications, most notably Android Messages.

Now, Google is giving another one of its apps a fresh coat of paint. An updated version of the Calculator app is rolling out now and gives users some new visual tweaks. We see a new all-white number pad, a slide-out out menu with a deeper shade of blue, a new font and the zero and period buttons switch places.

If you want the new update, check the Google Play store now! — Matt Adams

Disney’s Magic Kingdoms app goes under the sea

Disney Magic Kingdoms has gotten a big update to include The Little Mermaid, one of their most beloved films. With this update, the park gains the new ability for water-based characters including Ariel, Flounder, Sebastian, and Prince Eric.

Players will have the challenge of defeating the evil witch Ursula with the power of music. It also includes eight new park enhancements to unlock and collect, along with new side quests featuring characters from Lilo & Sitch.

You can grab Disney Magic Kingdoms from the Google Play Store. — Jason England

Xiaomi’s Amazfit Verge is finally official

Huami, a Xiaomi sub-brand known for its affordable wearables unveiled today a new smartwatch. It’s called Amazfit Verge and comes sporting a circular 1.3-inch AMOLED display with 360 x 360 resolution.

The intelligent timepiece packs in a lot of features including a heart-rate sensor, GPS, NFC, and IP68 certification. What’s more, users will be able to speak out commands directed towards their wrist thanks to the Xiao voice assistant that lives on board.

Read more: Weekend Recommender: Amazfit, Brainwavz, Moshi, and more

We should note that the product does not run Wear OS, but a proprietary OS, so app availability will be limited. The wearable goes up for sale today for approximately $115. While Huami’s previous smartwatch, the Amazfit Bip made it into the US, we don’t know at the moment whether the Verge will also become available. — Alexandra Arici

Dead Trigger 2 gets a major update

Dead Trigger 2’s latest major update includes plenty of new features for old fans and new players alike. The biggest addition to the game is the five new game modes. With the new game modes, you’ll be able to exterminate a flock of zombie chickens, search for purple bunnies, quest for colorful balloons over the heads of hungry zombies, and more.

Players will also now be able to update gear and gadgets up to Tech Level 11 and improve the look of their hideout. There will also be new daily missions in three new environments including a Nuclear Plant, Abandoned Factory, and Zombie Chicken Farm.

MADFINGER Games wasn’t done there, as they’ve also added two new free weapons, the Kriss Vector Elite and Golden Jackhammer. All of this and more is waiting for you in the latest 1.5.0 update just in time to celebrate 100 million downloads of Dead Trigger 2. — Jason England

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Deebot 901 review: Cleaning your house just got smarter and easier

Jason England
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A few weeks ago I adopted the Ecovacs Deebot 901 when it arrived on my doorstep. I lovingly named it Suckatron and quickly realized it would become an essential member of the household. Before we go any further, I do want to mention the Deebot 901 was provided to us by Ecovacs but these are my unbiased opinions about it.

However, I have to admit between the performance, the app, and support for Alexa and Google Assistant I love this thing. So, that might make it a little difficult to stay unbiased.

Design

There is nothing particularly unique about the design of the Deebot 901, then again you could say the same for most robovacs. They all use a very similar design and it can be difficult to tell one from the other.

The one design element that does stand out is the Laser Distance Sensor at the top. This is not an exclusive feature to the Deebot 901 though as there are other units on the market that use this or something similar.

The sensor on the top is not the only smart feature, it also includes sensors on the bottom to detect ledges such as stairs to prevent it from falling. In my usage, I also found this works if you pick it up and causes the Deebot 901 to power down. The front bumper also acts as another sensor to help it find boundaries.

Hidden under the top compartment are the power switch and WiFi button along with the dustbin. The built-in handle makes removing the dustbin easy but there was often a little fuzz and dirt left at the opening I had to remove manually.

The Deebot 901 features some large wheels that extend and offer good traction. I was able to see it transition easily between carpet, hard floors, and power through over rugs after becoming caught on the corner. There will be no worries if you have area rugs or large thresholds in your home.

Setup

The Deebot 901 is a WiFi connected robovac and as such takes a little more work to set up. No worries though, it is actually quite simple. If you’ve ever set up a smart speaker then the process is very similar. You just have to get the Ecovacs app and run through the quick start guide to get it connected.

The Deebot 901 will boot up and connect to your phone where you can quickly and easily connect it to your WiFi network. Afterward, you will be able to control it through the app.

The App

The app works great and is pretty essential to working the Deebot 901. As I mentioned above the app is used to connect it to your WiFi network, but is also capable of much more. In order to begin the Deebot will have to run once through your entire home to map it.

While the Deebot 901 runs you get to see it map come to life in the app. Watching as it reveals walls and furniture, and then bumps into them to confirm. Which for a geek like me was just amazing. I was obsessed watching Deebot traverse the house and fill up the map as it went along.

Seeing how it detected the walls and barriers around my home and watching as it would slow its approach and then tap it to be certain. I also got a few good laughs as it would tap objects repeatedly and try to work its way around obstructions. I marveled while watching it through the app and followed it around the house, seeing as gray areas transitioned to white filling up the floorplan.

Back to the app though, after the first run you are left with the floorplan for your entire home that I’m still geeking out over. Not only because I have a full floor plan for the top floor but because the Ecovacs app actually creates zones automatically afterward.

Zones

With these zones, it is easy to send the Deebot 901 to only clean certain areas of your home without making it do a full pass. There is also a way to create custom cleaning plans sending it to several of the areas if you’d like.

While I love the zone function and that it automatically creates them I wish it would allow us to name the zones to use in conjunction with the voice commands. Having the ability to use Alexa or Assistant to ask it to only clean the kitchen or the living room would be very helpful. While at this time the voice commands can only be used to have it clean the entire house or nothing at all.

Virtual Barriers

Another ingenious feature in the app is the ability to create virtual barriers. This really came in handy to prevent the Deebot 901 from entering areas where it might suck up cables or knock over items. Unfortunately, the first time you run it you cannot use this feature and need to keep an eye on it. I had to rescue it a few times when it tripped up on a couple of cords and some rubs with tassels on the ends.

However, after the first run, I was able to set up some barriers and make sure it would only focus on the high traffic areas and not run into any trouble. If you happen to have some frayed rugs in your home they suggest to tuck them under, but I found this didn’t prevent hang ups, only minimized them. For that reason, I choose to block off those rooms and only send it there if I can supervise it.

Schedules

Scheduling is a fantastic feature allowing you to set a time and day each week for your Deebot to run. This is the perfect way to make sure that you come home to a clean house by allowing it to run when no one is home.

One improvement I wish I could see to this feature would be the ability to schedule it to clean only certain zones. Then you could have it clean high traffic areas more frequently and other areas like your bedroom less frequently, instead of the whole house each time.

Maintenance

While the Deebot 901 helps you by vacuuming your house automatically it does come with a little work. Occasionally you have to perform some maintenance on it including emptying and cleaning the dustbin, filters, main brush, and side brushes. It is also recommended that you clean the bumpers, drop sensors, and charging contacts.

On top of that, you’re supposed to also replace parts on it such as the main brush, side brushes, and filter. The app provides you with a timeline based on your cleaning history to alert you when it is time to change these.

Alexa and Google Assistant

Let’s take a second to talk about the voice controls with the Deebot 901. It is oh so satisfying being able to boss around your robot servant through voice commands. While I loved the app and I would still pull it out to check where it was cleaning or the progress. Having the ability to ask it to start cleaning with only a simple voice command is extremely gratifying.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t a couple of issues, however. For example, from reading reviews for the Alexa skill it appears the skill only supports one vacuum. Meaning if you have two floors in your home and want to use two vacuums, you won’t be able to control them both. As someone with a home that has two floors that is very disappointing and honestly makes me think twice about getting a second one.

The Google Assistant skill wasn’t without its own issues. If you try installing and linking it from the Explore menu in the Google Home app it refuses to work. Instead, you must enter the Home control menu and add it within there. I don’t think Ecovac takes the blame on this one though, it seems to be more of an oversight in the Google Home app.

How Well Does it Clean

The Deebot 901 has two different suction levels. For the first few runs, I let it use the standard level and was shocked at how much it picked up. I was able to fill the entire dustbin both times with only a day in between cleanings. On the first run there was even some dried grass and a leaf I had brought in on my shoes and without skipping a beat it sucked all of it up.

The third run left it only about half full which makes sense now that the floor is being cleaned more regularly. The true test came when I waited a week and ran the Deebot 901 on max power on the carpet in the living room. Afterward, I ran the regular vacuum and was surprised the regular vacuum picked up almost as much as the Deebot 901.

Deebot 901 on left Regular vacuum on the right

For this reason, I think it would be best to run a regular vacuum once a month or so for a deep clean. While allowing the Deebot to keep the floors looking good in between.

Not Perfect for Homes with Two Floors

Having the ability to transport the Deebot 901 between different floors in your house with saved maps would be ideal. As for now, you can only have it save the map of one floor of your home and for the other floor you have to let it run on auto mode. Even if you were to buy two of them you’d still be left unable to manage both with voice commands.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day spending $400 for a robovac is a little on the pricey side. However, it is not unreasonable for such an advanced device. There are cheaper ones on the market, but they don’t offer the extensive mapping system and smart features that come with the Deebot 901.

Except for a couple of mishaps on the first run where the Deebot got snagged on some cords and the frayed rugs, I was thoroughly pleased. The Deebot 901 has changed the way I’ve cleaned my home and saves me a great deal of time.

They say money can’t buy happiness but this does buy you more time, and with that extra time you can spend it doing activities that make you happy. In this way, by spending $400 on this robovac you are indeed buying some happiness. Unless vacuuming is what makes you happy. If you’d like to adopt one of these into your very own home then hit the link below.

Buy from Amazon

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