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Notti Smart Light review

Shawn Collins
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When the Notti Smart Light by Witti Design first came across my desk, I was largely uninterested. Great, another gadget to fill space and serve no significant purpose. After spending some time with it, I’m ready to eat humble pie. I severely underestimated both the usefulness and charm of this little light.

AGNOTTI1Notti, a sister product to the Dotti pixel light, is a 4-inch polygonal structure that immediately adds character to your room by lighting up via Bluetooth synchronization with your phone’s alerts and notifications. All of the colors are completely customizable, thanks to the Notti app (Google Play and iOS compatible), and can serve as incredibly useful. Let’s say you’re washing dishes in the kitchen and using your device to play music through a Bluetooth speaker. Your hands are soapy but with a quick glance in Notti’s direction, you can instantly tell if you have an update worth drying off and attending to.

When not lit, the device’s minimalist white design looked beautiful in my apartment. The Notti boasts an alarm mode that gradually lights up your room with warm hues to gently start your day. I wasn’t a candidate for this feature (my bedroom windows allow plenty of sunlight) but I could see it being a nice bonus for the right person. I found the Music Mode, which syncs Notti to your tracks and pulses in time, to be a fun feature and compliment to a lively social setting.AGNOTTI3

Notti has a battery life of over 700 hours in notification mode and 5 hours when using constant light. It charged easily via MicroUSB, which I kept plugged in for the majority of my time with the unit.

I enjoyed using this, not just for practical purposes, but for mood lighting as well. While I’m not quite ready to call it a must have or game changer, Notti is a natural byproduct of our evolving lifestyles and progression toward a completely connected home.

At best, it’s a smart device with the power to soothe or energize. At worst, it’s a cool conversation starter in any household. At $39.99, it may just have a place in yours.

iKeyMonitor review – a simple-to-use app that records your child’s every move in the virtual world

Alexandra Arici
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Worried about your kids’ online safety? Busy parents can’t possibly monitor their children’s activities all of the time. But with an app like iKeyMonitor, adults can easily keep tabs on what their kids are doing on their phone or tablet.

iKeyMonitor is an app that is available for Android users, although you won’t be able to get it from the Google Play Store. Instead, you’ll need to access the iKeyMonitor official website and download it from there (it’s also available for iOS).

To install the app, you’ll need to grant certain permissions on your phone. Alternatively, you can also install the app remotely on another device which you possess or are allowed to monitor.

Impressions

Once you’ve launched the application you will need to create an account and log in with it. Then you’ll be required to configure certain parameters. Like for example turning off Battery Saver. These settings are required to keep the spy app running in the background or prevent the app from being flagged.

Even so, I was reluctant to comply with some of these requests. Like the Disabling of Google Protect. This is an essential tool that regularly checks the device for security threats. So turning it off doesn’t seem the best of ideas. Fortunately, I was able to proceed further without disabling Google Protect.

The app offers an impressive array of functions including comprehensive keylogging, SMS and phone call tracking, social media tracking (including Instagram, Facebook, and Whatsapp). There’s also a call recorder feature, so you can hear exactly what your child has been saying over the phone.

What’s more, parents get to take advantage of an App Blocking tool which lets them set limits for device usage. For example, you can set the maximum usage time per day or block any apps from being active once it’s time for bedtime. Adults can also keep some apps blocked at all times.

While most of the features are free to use as part of a free trial, some are locked behind a paywall. For example, the app will monitor and record every photo that was taken using the monitored device. However, it will only show you the most recent images for free. If you want to dig deeper, you will need to pay.

All the gathered data is available either in the App or in the Spy Panel which is a dashboard from where you can access things more easily. The app interface looks a little bit outdated, but this doesn’t affect the app doing its job.

Is it for you?

iKeyMonitor delivers on its promise. It tracks a device’s full activity and can stay undetected (you have the option to hide the icon showing on top). But although the app was created with a positive scope in mind, I can’t help but be concerned about all the nefarious ways in which people might end up using it.

So should you use it? Of course, if you’re a parent trying to keep your children safe in an age of digital predators, by all means, get this app. It will serve your purposes very well.

Qualcomm released the Snapdragon Wear 3100 putting focus on battery life for Wear OS

Jason England
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Great news for smartwatch fans as Qualcomm has finally released their brand new chip for Wear OS. The new Snapdragon Wear 3100 includes high-performance quad-core A7 processors, a highly efficient integrated DSP, and an ultra-low power co-processor. What makes this great news is the next generation of Wear OS watches should have even better battery life.

Battery Life

Extending the life of your smartwatch is the main focus behind the Snapdragon Wear 3100. The new co-processor the Qualcomm QCC1110 is optimized for low power consumption and includes a deep learning engine. Along with the main processor, the co-processor will be used for many tasks such as audio, display, and sensor experiences.

There is also a new wearable power management sub-system in place to support lower power usage and higher integration. The new DSP framework supports next-generation sensor processing and implements a dual display hierarchy. Meaning we might see more instances of watches using dual displays in the future to extend the battery life.

Even the 4G LTE modem is now paired with new high-performance Gallium Arsenide power amplifiers to increase power efficiency.

Typical battery life is expected to increase by up to 4-12 hours over the previous Snapdragon Wear 2100 when using a 450mAh battery. During Personalized Sports Experiences using GPS and heart rate monitors your watch should last up to 15 hours total.

Personalized Experience

The new Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform is also becoming more personalized for different watch experiences. Three examples of these personalized experiences include Enhanced Ambient Mode, Dedicated Sports Experiences, and Traditional Watch Mode.

Enhanced Ambient Mode includes support for up to 16 different colors, a smooth moving second hand, live complications, and improved brightness. Offering fashion watch lovers more of a traditional watch experience even when in ambient mode.

Dedicated Sports Experience gives active users what they want by allowing them to use GPS and heart rate monitoring as they do ultra-marathons, bike for miles, hike mountains, or swim long distances.

While Traditional Watch Mode allows consumers to enjoy their watch for an extended amount of time. Switching to this mode gives you basic functions and allows your watch to last up to a week. Perfect for those times when you won’t be near a charger.

None of these would be possible without the new ultra-low power co-processor. It takes over providing for longer battery life and gives the more power hungry and faster A7 cores a rest until needed.

Due to the need for different experiences in the smartwatch market, the Snapdragon 3100 will come in three different variants. One will be strictly for Bluetooth and WiFi enabled watches, one for GPS tethered watches, and one for 4G LTE connected watches.

Fashion Brands at the Forefront

The first brands to get their hands on the new Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 series of chips will be Fossil Group, Louis Vuitton, and Montblanc. Putting fashion watch manufacturers front and center for the next generation of smartwatches.

It has never been a better time for smartwatches. Between the enhancements to Wear OS, the improvements to the Snapdragon 3100 platform, and partnerships with major fashion brands things have never looked brighter.

What are smart displays and what are they good for?

Alexandra Arici
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A new category of products has surfaced in recent months. If you follow tech somewhat, you’ve probably heard of the term “smart displays”.

But what exactly are smart displays and why should you really care about them? In this article, we take a look at this new type of gadget and see what sets it apart from the other available tech on the market.

The definition of smart displays

Smart Displays are basically virtual assistant-powered speakers that also feature a screen. The first company to give this concept a go was Amazon with its last year’s Echo Show, although the company didn’t market it using the “smart display” moniker.

The touchscreen adds extra functionality to the classic Bluetooth speaker equation by allowing users to do things like watch photos/videos, place voice calls and more.

What’s the difference: tablets vs smart displays

You might have noticed by now that smart displays do sound a lot like tablets. In both cases you get a touchscreen display you can use for your entertainment. And both types of products give you access to a virtual assistants like the Google Assistant or Alexa.

But there’s one big difference between the two categories. Smart displays aren’t really meant to be carried around, they aren’t portable. Instead, like a land phone, they are meant to take up a stationary place inside your home. Moreover, these gadgets are also set up so that you can easily control what other smart devices you might have laying around the house.

On the other hand, the experience of a tablet is far more customizable, thanks to the huge number of apps and games it can run and the numerous tweaks you can apply to Android.

While on smart displays, you get the virtual helper which has been adapted for this type of products, so things are a lot bolder and simpler. However, smart displays aren’t just another type of Android device, so you won’t be able to load up Android apps.

What smart displays are currently available on the market?

If you’re looking to give the new smart display category a shot, you currently have a few options at your disposal.

Lenovo Smart Display

Lenovo’s Smart Display launched this summer with all of the great features of the Google Assistant on board. This includes allowing users to listen to music from their favorite services including Spotify, Pandora or YouTube Music. You’ll also be able to get directions from Google Maps, watch YouTube videos, check the calendar and have a quick video chat.

The Lenovo Smart Displays comes in 8-inch and 10-inch flavors. The larger one features a FHD panel, but both include a 10-watt full range speaker. Prices start at $199.

Buy the Lenovo Smart Display

JBL Linkview

In contrast to the Lenovo device,  the JBL Link View smart display doesn’t look very much like a tablet. Instead it’s shaped like an oval that gives you the impression you’re actually looking at an alarm clock.

The product is IPX4 rated and comes with an 8-inch screen. The display is flanked by two 10W stereo speakers that work in concert with a passive radiator to produce “rich, deep bass”.

The smart display also supports Google Cast and features a 5-megapixel camera on top of the screen. You can get one for $249.95.

Buy the JBL Linkview

LG WK9

LG also has a smart display with Google Assistant. Powered by the company’s ThinQ platform, the WK9 features an 8-inch display and speaker tuning from Merdian Audio. However, unlike the other options in this list, the WK9 boasts a bulky, rather unappealing design.

The product is yet to go on sale, but when it does (soon) it will have a $299.99 price tag attached.

LG WK9 product page

Amazon Echo Show

If for some reason you’re not really a fan of the Google Assistant, you might want to check out Amazon’s Alexa-infused smart display line up. The Echo Show was actually the first smart speaker to come equipped with a screen.

The device lets you access Amazon Prime Video content, which is perfect if you’re a Prime user. What’s more, you also get access to Alexa’s extensive skills library. The product is currently available at the discounted price of $129.99.

Buy the Amazon Echo Show

Amazon Echo Spot

The Amazon Echo Spot is a small circular device with a tiny display in the middle. And while you won’t be able to use it for watching videos, the device makes for a pretty nice video chat phone/fancy alarm clock. It’s also one of the cheapest model from the list at $129.99.

Buy the Amazon Echo Spot

What we know: OnePlus 6T (Updated 9/11/2018)

Andrew Myrick
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The OnePlus 6 was officially unveiled back on May 16th and really solidified the company’s place in the market. However, 6 months later and we’re nearing the launch of the OnePlus 6T.

READ MORE: OnePlus 6 review: The best value smartphone of 2018

As is the case with just about every flagship device, there are reports and rumors revealing bits of information. The OnePlus 6T is no different, and we’re here to tell you what we know about the device so far.

Fingerprint Scanner in Display

In a statement to CNET, OnePlus has confirmed the 6T will have an in display fingerprint sensor. Making it one of the first phones in the US to officially carry the technology. OnePlus also mentioned in the CNET article it has been working on this since the 5T but didn’t feel the technology was ready until now.

Along with the relocation of the fingerprint sensor comes another change to the overall design of the 6T. This includes increasing the thickness of the phone to 0.45mm over the previous OnePlus 6.

Carrier Partnerships?

Short of knowing that another handset was on the way, a surprise report stated that OnePlus and T-Mobile would partner up for a new device. If the report comes true, then this would mark the first carrier partnership from OnePlus here in the US.

The move also makes sense due to the fact that OnePlus only provides GSM-enabled handsets. Since the OnePlus 6T will also fall under this category, what better GSM network to partner with other than T-Mobile.

Additionally, the report claims that the 6T will “come with support for T-Mobile’s 600MHz extended range LTE”. This is huge for both T-Mobile and OnePlus, although there are likely some hurdles to cross.

Is this the OnePlus 6T box?

It has been a few weeks since we have seen any major rumors regarding the OnePlus 6T. Out of the blue, we were presented with what could be the potential packaging for the latest device.

The front of the box shows a OnePlus logo at the top, with the number “6” embedded into the rest of the front. On either side, there is the new slogan of “Unlock The Speed” with “OnePlus 6T” on the other.

Where the fun really begins is on the inside, as we get a glimpse at what the display could look like. At the top, there is a “teardrop notch” which is something we’ve already seen from the OPPO F9.

There are almost no bezels around the rest of the display until you get to the bottom. This is where a small chin will make its home and for good reason.

The reason for the chin being there at the bottom is likely due to the technology hidden beneath the display. At the bottom of the image, you can see a fingerprint with an “Unlock The Speed” catchphrase.

All of this points to the OnePlus 6T being equipped with a fingerprint scanner embedded into the display. We have already seen a few other Chinese OEM’s do this, but if the OnePlus 6T comes to the US, it would be the first.

Potential Specs

We have yet to see any solid leaks about what the spec sheet will look like for the 6T. However, we can expect to see the following based on the 2018 trend:

  • 6.4-inch Display
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC
  • 6GB or 8GB RAM
  • Up to 256GB of storage
  • At least a 3,300mAh battery
  • Android Pie
  • Dual rear cameras
  • Dash Charging

All of this is pretty in-line with what we have seen from other 2018 flagships, but there is hope that the OnePlus 6T will really kill the game. Especially if OnePlus includes wireless charging as is expected.

When is it coming?

There have yet to be any concrete rumors around when the OnePlus 6T will be arriving. However, based on the timing of the OnePlus 5T and when the OnePlus 6 launched, we are expecting to see a launch in November.

We will continue to update this post as more information becomes available.

 

 

Honor 10 review: a compelling option in the affordable flagship niche

Alexandra Arici
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Putting the words “affordable” and “flagship” used to feel like an oxymoron in the recent past. But not anymore, as more and more manufacturers have reached a point where they have achieved a great balance between specs and price.

OnePlus has been spearheading these efforts with its line of premium, yet still affordable products that have, over the years, become an icon of budget excellence. Obviously other Android manufacturers have been very quick to jump on board with the new trend and offer their own takes on the category.

Indeed, affordable flagships are a thing now, and they are taking away some of the premium segment’s long-standing appeal. With good reason. After all who wouldn’t want the best specs and features in a cheaper package?

One of the newer affordable flagships was introduced earlier this year by Huawei’s sub-brand, Honor. The Honor 10 is a tremendous device which borrows a lot of features from Huawei’s more expensive P20 flagship. But the big question here is, does it have what it takes to dethrone the OnePlus 6 from its place of glory? Below we take a look at what the Honor 10 brings to the table.

Design and display

Design was obviously a big focus here. The back of the Honor 10 is reminiscent of the high-end Huawei P20 with a gorgeous Twilight gradient-effect that makes the phone look really unique. This will give you a different shade and look depending on what angle you view the device from.

Honor says it has achieved this super-polished, striking design by stacking more than 15 layers of glass on top of each other. On top of its sleek coloring, the Honor 10 features a mixed metal and glass body.

In this respect, it’s not very different from most of the flagships we’ve seen arrive this year. The device has metal sides and a 2.5D glass back that houses the dual-camera setup and the Honor logo at the bottom. While the phone looks quite beautiful, it’s shiny back is a magnet for fingerprints. Also, it’s very slippery, so you might use a protective case with it. Our review unit came with a clear case, but unfortunately, we found it was also prone to gathering grime and marks.

The Honor 10 is also a very trendy device in the sense that it features the all-popular display cutout (aka the notch) at the top of its 5.84-inch LCD panel. But don’t worry if you’re not a big fan of the rectangular bump. Honor provides you with the option of hiding it if you so prefer.

The Honor 10 is indeed quite a looker

The resolution of the screen is only FHD+, which is exactly what it’s direct competitor, the OnePlus 6 is offering too. Overall, we found the display to be bright, clear and vibrant, so we don’t have any major complaints in this department. If you prefer warmer or cooler tones, Honor gives you the option from Settings to tweak the color temperature or contrast. But, we kept it in the out-of-the-box Vivid mode.

The phone features a so-called bezel-less design with a minimal chin which houses an under-glass fingerprint scanner, which is wonderfully responsive. So instead of a physical button, you’ll find the Honor 10 has a subtle pill-shaped outline that shows you where your finger should hit the scanner. During the weeks we used the Honor 10, we found ourselves using the fingerprint scanner quite a lot. Although, its placement is less than ideal in our opinion, as we tend to prefer devices that incorporate it on the back.

The phone also features a face unlock feature which is super-fast too. It works incredibly well and is able to recognize you even if you’re wearing sunglasses or a hat.

Like the OnePlus 6, the Honor 10 keeps the 3.5mm headphone jack, which is located at the bottom, next to the USB Type-C port and the speaker. Speaking of the speaker, it offers a moderate performance, but don’t expect anything too spectacular. Yeah, it does its job, but it doesn’t offer anything out of the ordinary. Maybe except for the fact that it doesn’t tend to distort sound at high volumes.

Performance

The Honor 10 is a super-fast phone which has no problem sustaining the most intense sessions of gaming. It’s powered by Huawei’s latest 10nm chipset, the Kirin 970, the same that keeps the lights on the P20 and P20 Pro flagships. Unveiled in October of last year, the chipset features a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) which brings AI capabilities to the device.

Paired with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, the Honor 10 is a beast of a phone. In the two weeks we’ve used the device, we haven’t noticed any slowdowns, freezes or any other weird performance issues. There’s no microSD card slot on board, but the 128GB you get by default should be plenty enough to accommodate all your apps, photos and videos. However, you do get a dual SIM card tray with 4G connectivity for both SIMs. And yes, there’s dual VoLTE too.

While everything seems peachy in the performance department, one area of concern with the Honor 10 is the battery life. Many reviewers write that the Honor 10’s battery life is pretty great and the phone can easily go through a full day of use and still have 10% left by the time you go to bed. But our experience was a bit different.

Maybe the phone got damaged in the shipping process, but our Honor 10’s battery levels dropped alarmingly fast. With the phone connected to a Wi-Fi, the device lost 10% constantly by just sitting on a table. A factory reset later and the battery was still draining a bit too quickly. With LTE turned on sporadically and doing our normal routine (check emails, spending a lot of time on chat apps, taking and uploading photos, browsing the web etc) we got around nine hours of life. Fortunately, the Honor 10 does have fast charging, so you can juice it up again in under 2 hours or so.

Cameras

Photography is one of the main highlights of this phone. The Honor 10 features a dual 24-megapixel + 16-megapixel arrangement on the back. The first sensor is a monochrome shooter, while the second is color.

And thanks to the imbued artificial intelligence, the Honor 10 can take some awesome photographs. The camera software takes advantage of special algorithms to improve your snaps including brightening areas or changing the focus, so you can get the best results.

According to Honor, the phone can automatically identify 22 different scenes like pets or green landscape and will automatically adjust the settings for you. Above you can see an example of a shot taken with AI and without AI (which can be easily turned off). And if the phone hasn’t enhanced the photo to your liking, you can easily revert to the original.

The phone also offers a lot of Pro features including being able to change the aperture or adjust the ISO and shutter speeds. There’s also a dedicated Monochrome mode and other goodies such as the ability to do a Light Painting, apply filters or add a Watermark.

The Honor 10 also includes a 3D panorama feature which lets you take a moving panorama picture. You can also take advantage of a 3D creator. This is a feature that scans your face to create a 3D avatar figure of yourself. It’s similar to Samsung’s AR Emoji option. Speaking of which, you can shoot pictures and then add AR characters on top of them.

The phone also has “moving pictures” which is a feature similar to motion photos on the Pixel 2. The device basically records a short video for a few seconds which you will be able to view in the gallery afterwards.

When it comes to editing, there are a few nice surprises here too. Like Splash, a tool that lets you isolate and keep a color, while the overall picture remains monochrome.

The selfie problem…

What about selfies? Well the 24-megapixel secondary snapper offers the promise of great self-portraits. However, we found that the selfies we took looked kind of fake.

Indeed, there’s a beauty mode enabled by default in Portrait Mode. But even if its effect can be toned down, selfies still look like you have foundation on. If you’re the type who loves a natural look, you might not like what the Honor 10 has to offer in this department. Even regular selfies look a bit too perfect.

On the bright side of things, the phone has a lighting effect for your self-portraits including split lightning or soft lighting which will help you enhance your snaps. While most selfies will look pretty good in bright light, these modes will come in handy when you want to take a snap of yourself in the dark.

Software

The Honor 10 ships out with the latest version of EMUI, which is based on Android 8.1 Oreo. Those of you who used a Huawei phone before will feel just at home here. The Chinese company has taken steps to make the interface more-friendly for the Western market, so EMUI 8.1 is a lot more usable than before. For example, you can now add an app drawer, although it’s not enabled by default and you’ll have to do from Settings.

But even so, EMUI is nowhere as clean as stock Android. You’ll find there are a lot of pre-installed apps for Music, Calendar, Email and others, which are quite useless.  On the other side of the coin, there’s no shortage of customization options. EMUI is packed with all sorts of tools and features to give you control of your experience.

Just to give a few examples of what you can do:

  • Enable/disable the notch
  • Take screenshots using knuckle gestures
  • Mute notifications by flipping the phone over
  • Use Ultra Power saving mode which consists of a minimalist interface
  • Answer calls with voice controls
  • Enable Navigation dock
  • Off-screen navigation button

But a word of warning to you! These options are scattered all over the place, and you’ll have to dig deep to find certain features. Some are filed under Display, others under Smart Assistance and so on. Basically, you’ll have to devote a lot of time if you really want to get to know EMUI in-depth.

Verdict

Priced at only €399 / $467 in Europe, the Honor 10 makes you a proposition you can’t resist. Putting the battery issue aside, the Honor 10 is really an excellent device at this price point. Its major highlights include design, camera, and advanced performance.

Sure at the end of the day, EMUI still won’t be to everyone’s liking. And some sort of waterproofing and a microSD card slot would have been nice. But at this price point, you can really understand why there aren’t there.

In the US you can grab the Honor 10 from places like Amazon. But be warned that you won’t be able to use 4G LTE. Even if the device is listed as compatible with GSM carriers, it doesn’t appear the phone supports any of T-Mobile’s 4G frequencies.

The 3-year old NVIDIA SHIELD TV gets its 20th update

Alexandra Arici
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Owners of the NVIDIA SHIELD TV must be feeling pretty lucky right now, as their device is currently receiving the 20th update since it was released.

The Android TV, which is among the best product in its category, was released back in 2015, so the fact that it’s currently getting its 20th update today is mighty impressive.

Titled the SHIELD Software Experience Upgrade 7.1, the new build offers an impressive list of new features and improvements that will refine your overall experience with the device.

What’s new in the Software Experience Upgrade 7.1?

The update brings 120Hz modes for supported TVs and monitors and resurrects NVIDIA Share, which allows users to Broadcast to Twitch, record gameplay and take screenshots.

A bunch of GeForce Now features have also been added including in-game chat support in GeForce Now games like Fortnite via the SHIELD controllers’ headphone jack. On top of that, there’s improved keyboard and mouse support in GeForce Now.

Moreover, NVIDIA also throws in more day-and-date released including Monster Hunter World and F1 2018. Shadow of Tomb Raider will be joining these titles soon enough.

The NVIDIA SHIELD TV companion app is also getting a makeover adding a virtual keyboard and mouse for faster form filling.

Since it was released NVIDIA’s Android TV product has received countless upgrades including three operating system updates that culminated with Android 8.0 Oreo that brought forth a new UI.

Over the years, the SHIELD TV also gained a few AI capabilities. It was the first Android TV to get hands-free Google Assistant integration via SmartThings Hub support. This turned the SHIELD into a hub that could connect to countless smart home devices.

On top of that, the SHIELD’s Google Assistant added voice commands for Google services like Photos and Calendar.

And as it released the 20th update, NVIDIA promised the SHIELD TV will continue to get even better. The company says that old and new users should expect more surprised in the future. Uhu!

These are all the Android Go apps that you can try on your device right now

Alexandra Arici
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Android Go is Google’s lightweight mobile platform that has been designed to run on lower system specifications than usual. It’s aimed at developing markets and lower-income areas, where people own devices with poor processors and smaller amounts of RAM.

At such low specifications, Google had to rework some applications to optimize them to work within smaller RAM constraints. Thus the Android Go applications were born.

Most of these apps come installed on Android Go phones by default, but you can also download them on your device, even if it’s not part of the Android Go family. So below, we have assembled a list of all the Android Go apps available right now.

Google Go

Google Go basically allows you to do everything you’d be doing with the standard Google app. This includes searching the web or requesting help from your Google Assistant via voice. The app is only 5MB in size, and Google has optimized it to save up to 40% data compared to the regular version.

Download Google Go

Gmail Go

Google’s Android Go mail app remains virtually unchanged when compared to the regular Gmail app. You get mostly the same features including smart categories and Quick Replies, all wrapped up into a 9.9MB download. The app also offers 15GB of free storage.

Download Gmail Go

Maps Go

Google’s Maps app boasts more than 1 billion active users, making it the most popular navigation software in the word. It gets us where we need to go, and naturally, Google wants to get it into the hands of users with less than stellar phones.

So Maps Go bundles the best features of the standard Maps app. It’s available in 70+ languages and provides comprehensive and accurate maps in 200 countries. It also includes public transport information for over 20,000 cities. The app weighs a meager 167Kb.

Download Maps Go

Assistant Go

Google lets you take advantage of the power of the Google Assistant even on lower-end smartphones with the Assistant Go app.

However, the stripped-down virtual assistant currently supports only English.  Yet, it can perform all kinds of actions like asking it to make a phone call, send a text, or offer you weather information.

However, some of the Assistant’s higher functions like the ability to control smart gadgets or use Actions aren’t supported in this release.

Download Assistant Go

YouTube Go

Google’s YouTube Go offers the basics including the ability to browse and watch videos, which let’s face it, it’s the most important one of them. You can even download videos for later offline viewing, although you don’t get an option for liking videos.

But the app does its main job, and at only 9.4MB it’s more than understandable why some features have been omitted.

Download YouTube Go

Files Go

This is Google’s first attempt at building a standalone file manager. It features a series of handy storage management tools such as the ability to clear cache, uninstall unused apps and more.

The app also features a powerful search option to help you find your lost photos and videos. All these features and more are available via an 8.2MB download.

Download Files Go

Yahoo Mail Go

A lot of people are still using Yahoo Mail, which used to be very much in vogue some years back. Well, users of low-end Android devices can download and install the Yahoo Mail Go app on their phone and take advantage of most of the functions they know and love.

So you’ll be able to do things like delete emails by swiping, choosing a certain color for your interface and switch between multiple email accounts. Note that the app needs Android 8.0 Oreo or higher to work. Plus, you get 1000GB of free secure cloud storage.

Download Yahoo Mail Go

Gboard Go

Like the previous apps on this list, Gboard Go looks almost the same as the regular app. However, Google has sacrificed some options including GIF search, stickers and one-handed mode.

On the bright side of things, you still get the integrated search, gesture typing, and even themes. The app is compatible only with handsets running Android 8.1 Oreo.

Download Gboard Go

 

The anonymous Tor browser is now available on Android

Alexandra Arici
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Tor has been the go-to browser for those who wish to keep their online activities anonymous, and don’t trust that popular browsers like Firefox offer that.

Not only are government agencies tracking our individual online movements, but so are corporations who are in need of our private info to better target ads. Indeed, unseen eyes are everywhere these days, so it’s no wonder that many of us have become privacy-conscious.

Up until now, Tor has given users the ability to browse the Web anonymously, but only on desktop. But today most of us do so on our mobile device, so this week, Tor Project, the non-profit organization behind the browser, has unveiled the Tor for Android.

Tor browser is now available for the mobile crowd

Note that this is the alpha release, and a stable version is due to become available in early 2019. You can get it either from the Google Play, or you can grab the .apk from the download page.

Keep in mind, that to take advantage of this release, you’ll also need to install Orbot. This is a proxy application needed to connect the Tor Browser for Android to the Tor network. But for the stable Android version, Tor Project’s goal is to remove Orbot from the equation altogether.

So what are some of the features that recommend this app? Well for starters, Tor can very effectively block trackers. The browser isolated every visited website, so trackers and ads can’t reach you. It also defends against surveillance and ads multi-layered encryption.

For those who don’t know, Tor was originally called the Onion Router because it employs a technique called onion routing to hide information about user activity. It was initially created by people on contract from DRAPA and the US Naval Laboratory’s Center for High Assurance Computer System. Quite ironically, most of the funding for Tor has come from the US Government in a form or another.

Anyway, if you want to try it, you have the download links listed below.

Download Tor browser for Android

Download Orbot

Urbanears Lotsen Speaker Review: A better “smart” speaker clone?

AndroidGuys
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Urbanears has been an audio company for a long time now. It focuses mainly on aesthetics rather than creating the highest audio quality for only prestigious “audiophiles”. The company’s newest project includes a 3-tier family of smarter, connected speakers. These include the Baggen at the high end, Stammen in the middle, and the Lotsen on the low end. I’ve received the Lotsen to review. This family of speakers seems to rival the similar families from Sonos (Play series) and Bose (Soundtouch series).

I’m already heavily invested in Sonos’ lineup. So, while not only reviewing this speaker, I got the chance to compare it to its biggest rival.

Setup and Features

The initial setup of the Lotsen wasn’t tricky at all. Plug in and turn on for the physical speaker, and app setup was pretty straightforward. The app, ‘Connected Speakers’ which you download for free on Google Play, allows for a host of settings changes. You can set up the preset channels or change music quality, and directly stream music from your device.

Speaking of preset channels, the Lotsen features a second dial on top that allows you to switch from Bluetooth, wifi, or preset channels. The Bluetooth and wifi selects are pretty self-explanatory and work as advertised.

Channels are something unique to the Lotsen speaker. You can (using the app) assign Spotify playlist, radio channels, and more to a set channel. From there, you can then turn the dial to start up that particular choice without using a device. I’ve set mine up to a few different Spotify radio playlists. Now I can leisurely listen to music without having got pull out my phone first.

With the ability to do Bluetooth, Aux, Wifi, Airplay, Google Cast, and a somewhat native Spotify, there isn’t a connectivity feature I miss.

Sound

Urbanears Lotsen speaker is designed to fill a similar space that a Sonos One would, on a side table, bookshelf, or pair up in stereo in separate corners of a room. The Lotsen does a good job filling a room with sound, but honestly, I was hoping for more regarding quality.

The Lotsen contains a primary driver and a tweeter to the front, so no surround or 360 sound. For someone like me that listen to a lot of urban (RnB, Hip Hop, etc.) and electronic genres, I like some bass in my audio devices.

It doesn’t deliver super deep bass, especially at quieter volumes. The bass and even the treble of this speaker is “safe.” It doesn’t wow the audio geek in you, but it does perform at a standard level. Unfortunately, it isn’t only the lower levels that suffer, but the highest levels suffer a bit too. Not that you wouldn’t want to listen to the Lotsen at higher volumes, but it’ll start to get messy.

With all that said, this speaker is solid in sound for what it is. Especially when you consider the features it offers (Airplay, Google Cast, Bluetooth, AUX, AND without a phone) for the price it’s set. Looking at the Losten reveals a speaker that fills a room in a variety of ways that can support any general consumer. Overall the audio is balanced but teeters off at super low or super loud volumes.

Design and Availability

While offering a decent sound signature that can easily fill a bed or living room, the Urbanears Lotsen has a unique look. The Lotsen is a rectangular brick of a speaker with four small feet on the bottom to raise it for that the power cable. That brick design is made of plastic and covered with fabric to hide what I assume is a speaker grill. The fabric does add a nice aesthetic touch though. It comes in 5 different colors and doesn’t scream ‘smart speaker.’ This technique is evident in all of Urbanear’s products, where the company may not cram all of the latest specs into its product, contemporary design is also at the forefront.

The Lotsen is available to purchase for $200 at Urbanears website, Amazon, and a host of other online stores. Again for that price, you could buy a competitor’s speaker. You may then would have to sort through a pro/con list to make sure of your decision. Urbanears also offer the Stammen and Baggen speakers of the family for 250 and 350 respectively. For only $50 more, it’s hard not to see if the Stammen improves on the Lotsen’s audio shortcomings.

Conclusion

In the end, this speaker is for a customer who cares about modern design as much as a decent sound. That person doesn’t want to always fiddle with their phone to hear some of their favorite music. They also may host a small party mode type of environment, including being able to host a variety other devices. If you solely care about audio quality and are ok with losing out on some unique features the Urbanears Lotsen is not for you.

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