Valve announced earlier this month that its Steam Link app would be available on Google Play in beta on May 21st. Well luckily for us, the app got released a few days earlier. Valve Steam Link is now available on Google Play (and iOS App Store).
Using the app, you can play games from Steam on a desktop on your Android device. Just download the app, pair it to your PC, then you can get to playing your PC games on your phone, tablet, OR Android TV. Not only can you play on your Nvidia Shield, but Valve stated that the app does support 4K at 60FPS. High-res gaming goodness on your phone!
Naturally, gaming is much better using a controller than by touch-screen. Steam Link supports the use of Bluetooth controllers and the official Steam controller. Grab the app from the link below and get to gaming!
We are all excited to see the RED Hydrogen One come to fruition. From one of the most prestigious camera companies around, we should see equal precision in their smartphone. At the current retail price though, we weren’t sure how many people would get their hands on the device. That doubt changed though now that both Verizon and AT&T said they would be carrying the phone.
If you’re unfamiliar with the Hydrogen One, I won’t blame you. RED hasn’t released many details about the phone just yet but has stated that the unlocked price is starting at $1200. I’d be surprised if Verizon or AT&T would alter the price much, although you may be able to get it on an installment plan.
The Hydrogen One is supposed to include a 5.7” “holographic” display when it arrives, no details on what exactly that entails. It is also going to features a multi-dimensional sound system as well as a pogo pin system for stackable mods. The mods should be akin to an advanced Motomod design.
Along with not having a set price, the carriers have only stated “later this summer” as a release date. Verizon has a sign-up link, listed below, to get information from the company about the phone. AT&T is giving a first look at the device on June 2-3 at AT&T Shape at Warner Bros. Studios in LA, also linked below.
What do you all think? I’m sure many of you are interested in the phone. Now with carrier backing, which may include easier-to-deal-with pricing, does RED’s Hydrogen One become more appealing? Let us know in the comments.
All of the audio devices we’ve looked at in the past from Fiio have been players. After all, this the company’s specialized field, and where it’s been killing it as of late. But with growth comes opportunity. We’ve seen the highly regarded, bang-for-the-buck manufacturer gradually expand its accessory portfolio, with wireless solutions and cables for many purposes. Now headphones are included in its products list, and you bet that the company’s top-value ideal persists.
The F9 Pro is Fiio’s current flagship in-ear headphone, with a triple driver setup that aims to give the similarly spec’d (and much more expensive) competition a run for their money. Can it do it? Let’s see.
Unboxing the F9 Pro reveals a hard case and detached metal earpieces.
Design
In-hand, the F9 Pro delivers a premium impression not far from what we’ve seen in higher-end (and much higher-costing) earphones, like the Beyerdynamic Xelento or Shure SE846. The comprehensive use of metal to build the earpieces reminds us of the RHA T20, especially since that is another high-aiming, affordable in-ear headphone. Although, we can already say that Fiio is the winner when it comes to value.
There are a couple surprises in the packaging that you probably won’t find in another earphone in this sub-$150 range. Opening the box reveals a waterproof case, and then within that case is a quality, appropriately-sized soft case (most earphone manufacturers make their carrying cases too big, which is counter-intuitive). Unzipping it presents us with two different cable options. Yes, we challenge you to find another set of earphones in this price range that sports a detachable cable design (in this case, using the common MMCX connector standard).
And this cable isn’t just a spare. It’s a Balanced cable…included in the box. Awesome. It uses the typical 2.5mm TRRS standard found in most portable HiFi DAPs (digital audio players). Fiio isn’t a stranger to making cables, and we love how the company seizes these kinds of opportunities to maximize value for customers.
That said, we found it strange that the standard (3.5mm jack) and Balanced cables are so different. The former has a more basic, solid form while the latter a thinner, twisted cable design.
Also, the standard cable has an in-line 3-button remote, which is absent from the Balanced one. What if a Balanced-user preferred the other design, or vice versa? Another big difference is that the rubbery sheathing of the standard cable gives a lot of tangle-resistance, a quality nonexistent in the other.
Coming back around to the earpieces, we really dig the design. No earphone we’ve seen has this kind of 3D “wave” formation. It’s eye-catching in person, but manages to be more sophisticated than flashy.
Usability
The general shape of the F9 Pro is like that of many around-the-ear earphones. That is, a pod-form that shoots the cable forward and up so that it wraps and falls behind the ear. There are several advantages to this method. It eliminates the chance of cable microphonics noise, and the fit is substantially more secure (especially better for working out).
Manufacturers make different decisions as to how much stiffness to place on the around-the-ear portion of the cable. I personally prefer none; it’s unnecessary in my experience. To my dismay, Fiio uses a very strongly molded routing.
Fiio’s memory wire shape follows the contour of the ear nicely.
But I ate my words when I found it to work really well. The memory wires make the perfect ear shape and superiorly stays in place. It manages to sit just above contact with the skin, which equates to notable comfort.
Something we found odd is the lack of a chin slider. There’s considerable length from the earpieces to the cable’s Y-split, so the left and right channels can be dangly, especially when working out. It’s something that Fiio overlooked, but far from a deal-breaker.
Tips galore. Fiio’s packaging is generous with three different sets of silicone (including the highly-regarded SpinFits) and foam.
The Balanced cable wasn’t the only noteworthy aspect of the F9 Pro’s packaging. You’re also supplied a barrage of ear tip choices. There are four different sets (three types of silicone and one foam), which all have three different sizes. You should have no problem finding a pair that works. We’re glad about this because we weren’t fans of the Fiio-made silicone tips. None of the sizes were able to give us the perfect seal. But your mileage may vary.
Sound
The sound quality is where the real test is. Fiio sets the bar high with its feature-packed audio talk and premium aim. The F9 Pro is one of the few audiophile earphones that utilize a triple driver setup that consists of one dynamic + two BA (Balanced Armature) drivers.
We must mention that this “Pro” variant succeeds the original F9. The sound of that earphone left a bit to be desired, and this might be why Fiio upgraded the dual BA drivers to a Knowles-made solution in the F9 Pro.
You’ll get the most out of the F9 Pro with a dedicated DAC, but it still sounds great out of high-end smartphone like the Galaxy S9 shown here.
Fiio opts for an engaging bass response. It’s the first thing that caught our attention, and not in a bad way. Some headphone makers elevate the bass to elevate impact, but too much bass can muddy the sound signature. Fiio does it responsibly. It’s strong and encompassing but not bloaty. That said, where we’re satisfied with the punch, we think the definition could use a little more work. There’s a hollow quality (slight lack of body/texture) to the bass. It’s not bad, per-se, but we’ve heard a truer reproduction from other high-end earphones.
We like how the bass manages to have exceptional strength without interfering with the mid-range. Though, it’s not completely 1:1. The mids aren’t as powerful, making the response appear U-shaped. Fortunately, this doesn’t equate to lack of excitement in the region. Instruments and vocals are pronounced and gracefully articulated. A laid-back nature (slight distance and lack of fullness) keeps it from the superior detail that higher costing earphones can dish. The treble has a very similar quality to the mids. There’s an appreciable amount of detail but not exceptional. We’d like a bit more presence and capture of higher-end details in Fiio’s next flagship earphone.
Soundstage (spatial perception) is one of the best aspects of the F9 Pro’s sound. It punches above its small in-ear weight, as sounds are generally space-filling about the head, and dynamics have some dimensional play. It’s not completely taken advantage of by all areas in the spectrum, as we’ve discussed, but the F9 Pro has more to offer here than a lot of lower costing “high res” earphones.
Final Thoughts
There’s a lot to like with the F9 Pro. It’s not the cheapest pair of in-ears you’ll find, generally, but it is very competitively priced when considering audiophile-class headphones. However, we ended up more impressed with the externals than the audio output. Fiio has some more tuning to do if it wants to give the high-end competition a run for their money. This isn’t to say that it’s not worth the money. You’re still getting a lot when you consider the overall package, and while we were critical with the sound quality, it is where it should be at this price range. And some qualities punch above its price, like the considerable bass response and lively soundstage.
Having proper plans and records regarding your life and activities is a very important thing nowadays. A good plan will help you focus on essential tasks and in the event that you ever have to prove your identity or some other fact about yourself, having the right documentation will save you from a lot of stress, especially if you’re away from your own country.
Thankfully, your smartphone is a treasure trove of ways by which you can make planning and keeping a comprehensive record of your life much more convenient.
Finances Tracker
How you spend the money you have is going to be one of the biggest determinants of how things will progress in your life. With the many finance tracking apps available to download for free or a small fee, you’ll be able to set a budget and track your income and expenses to make sure you don’t overspend. Some of them will even give you alerts to remind you not to cross a preset threshold.
Document Backups
When it comes to crucial documents, saving them on the cloud through one of the popular phone apps like Google Drive or OneDrive is a good way to ensure that you won’t have any hassle regarding your identity anywhere. Even though you can get a replacement birth certificate conveniently, for instance, keeping a backup will reduce the likelihood of you needing to. With this though, you’ll need to be conscious of cyber-security so your important documents won’t be hacked.
Note Apps
With apps like Evernote and other similar ones, you can save virtually anything to your phone in an organized and easily referenced manner. From text notes to photos and videos, you can create an organized space where you’ll be able to find any information you need on your private or business endeavors without any hassle like what you’d have to deal with if you had scattered your notes around different apps or notebooks
To-Do List
From the humble sticky note, today’s to-do list apps have a slew of features that you can configure to suit every purpose. You can put tasks in much more conveniently by connecting them to other apps like your email or calendar, and then set up a reminders schedule to ensure that you do not forget or get distracted from what you’re supposed to be doing at any time.
Automate Tasks
In planning your life and setting goals for yourself on how to get where you want, one of the most important tools at your disposal is the power of your smartphone to automate many tasks that would otherwise take you lots of time to do. Social media, for instance: You can schedule posts to go out automatically, and you can even use IFTT to handle the scheduling from beginning to end. You can also set up analytics for your different activities so as to see which ones you need to focus on and which ones you need to modify or stop completely.
If your phone is not measuring up to standard, it’s time to get a smartphone and start living your live the smart way. And your old phones doesn’t have to constitute nuisance around your home. You can sell them off for cash instead. If you need some ideas on how best to do this, Sell Compare have some cool resources that help you get the most out of your old phone.
Last month, Motorola announced the new Moto G6 family. But only within the last few days did the company announce which carriers will soon support the new phones.
Since the standard bearer, the Moto G6 will soon be available in North America, it’s time to ask ourselves: is the new phone a worthy upgrade over the previous Moto G5? Continue reading below to get an idea.
On the outside
New 5.7-inch display with 18:9 aspect ratio
Gorilla Glass back
USB Type-C
While the Moto G line isn’t premium, it’s very important for Motorola. The Moto G remains the company’s best seller, and this year Motorola unveiled the standard Moto G6, alongside the lower-end Moto G6 Play.
The G6 makes the transition from the 16:9 display of the Moto G5 to a new and modern 18:9 screen with curved edges on the back. The G6 has also gotten increasingly closer to a flagship-level build, with a really sleek Gorilla Glass back.
Compared to last year’s model which came with a 5-inch display with FullHD resolution, the Moto G6 features a 5.7-inch screen that’s somewhere over 1080p. And like its predecessor, it includes a fingerprint sensor on the front that can detect gestures and so, replace the Android control keys.
However, while the Moto G5 includes a micro USB 2.0, the new Moto G6 offers the services of a USB Type-C. Both models include a 3.5mm headphone jack.
On the inside
Better processor
More RAM and storage
Larger battery
Obviously, the Moto G6 takes advantage of an updated internal configuration. It relies on an octa-core 1.8GHz Snapdragon 450 processor, with options for 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage or 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.
The predecessor included a 1.4GHz Snapdragon 430 chipset with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, as base version.
Many people are targeting the Moto G series, especially the G Play models for their battery life. The G6 takes advantage of a 3,000 mAh unit (just like the Galaxy S9’s), an improvement over the former’s 2,800 mAh power source.
Launching in 2018, the Moto G6 runs Android 8.0 Oreo (but not the newer 8.1 version). The G5 launched with Android 7.0 Nougat, but an upgrade to Oreo is in the cards.
Cameras
Dual main cameras
Better selfie snapper
While the Moto G5 launched with a single 13-megapixel primary sensor on the back last year, the Moto G6 features a dual-camera setup.
It’s comprised of a 12-megapixel sensor (f/1.8) and a secondary 5-megapixel one (f/2.2) with phase detection autofocus and dual-LED dual-tone flash.
As for selfies, the new G6 relies upon an 8-megapixel unit with f/2.2. The previous-generation Moto G5 used a 5-megapixel sensor with f/2.2. So you’ll be able to snap better self-portraits with the new G6.
Pricing
At launch, the Moto G5 was priced at €199 / $237. The phone was never officially offered in the US, where customers could only purchase the Moto G5 Plus model.
The phone features a 5.2-inch full HD display and relies on a Snapdragon 625 processor with 2GB/4GB of RAM and 32GB/64GB of storage Other specs include a 12-megapixel main camera and 3,000 mAh battery. Compared to the Moto G6, the G5 Plus does have a slightly more capable processor, but other than that it’s not superior in any other way.
Initially, the device was priced at $229. You can still buy it from places like Amazon for less.
Interestingly, this year things are going to be reversed. The Moto G6 Plus won’t be available in the States, while the Moto G6 will.
The phone will be priced at $249 and will go on sale at Verizon, TracFone Wireless, Ting Wireless, and Republic Wireless. It will also be available unlocked from retailers like Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Target, Fry’s, and B&H Photo.
The G6 offers an 18:9 aspect display, a glass back and has dual cameras, which are all improvements over its predecessor. So you might want to consider ditching the old G5 or even the G5 Plus in favor of the newcomer.
A few days ago Samsung announced a couple of exciting new color options for the Galaxy S9. Since summer is at our doorstep, Samsung thought Galaxy S9 might look good clad in warmer colors. So it unleashed new Sunrise Gold and Burgundy Red versions for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+.
But while it was originally believed that the new color options will go on sale only in China and South Korea, it now seems that at least one of them will also be offered in the United States.
New Galaxy S9 color option incoming
The information comes to us via reliable leakster @evleaks who recently tweeted out a couple of renders showing the US-bound Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ in Sunrise Gold.
How do we know these are the US versions? Well if you look closely you’ll see the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus model names are plastered on the backs of the devices. This is something which appears only on the US Samsung variants.
While the new color options will go on sale in China and Korea later this month, the Gold version is said to land on a few additional markets from June onward. So we dare speculate, US customers will be able to purchase the Galaxy S9 in Gold this summer.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem that the more appealing of the two, the Burgundy Red model will make it to North America.
The Sunrise Gold and Burgundy Red models will be offered alongside the Galaxy S9’s existing color palette which includes Midnight Black, Titanium Gray, Coral Blue and Lilac Purple.
Customers who wish to purchase the Galaxy S9 in the US have multiple options to do so. One can pick it up unlocked from Samsung for $719.99 and up or from Verizon and get a $200 discount instantly. The Galaxy S9+ starts at $839.99 unlocked.
Have you been tempted to join the growing band of amateur Forex traders? If so, it’s hardly surprising. In a world where good investments with substantial yields are hard to come by, the Forex market is a tantalizing opportunity. With currency pairs existing in a constant world of change, there is always the opportunity to make money for those who know what they are doing.
Of course, knowing what you are doing is the major caveat there. For every winner there is a loser, and those who blunder in blindly are likely to get bitten where it hurts. Clearly, you need to take a logical and strategic approach to trading, and to get certain things in place before you begin.
This brings us to the Android apps. While stockbrokers in the traditional sense do still exist, many amateur traders are turning to smart apps to deliver the insights and advice they need when deciding on that next trade. Even those who still rely on human advice will need a trading platform through which they can interact with both the market and their broker. So before you can start playing the markets, you really need the right app on your smartphone. Here are four of the most popular.
MetaTrader 4
This is the app that has become almost synonymous with trading, having been around in desktop form since 2005. When you give it a try, you can see how it has gained its reputation as the best mobile trading platform for Forex. And best of all, the Android app is free to download.
MetaTrader 4 is ideal for the serious investor who wants to get into the nitty gritty of trading – it features 50 different market indicators and a whole additional range of tools that you can use to get the best possible picture of how a particular currency pair is going to behave.
But it is also ideal for beginners. You can open a demo account to learn the ropes and make all those beginners’ errors before you start trading for real, or if you prefer a slightly more hands-off approach, the app provides a shared space where you can interact with your real-world broker and let him take care of the trading activity on your behalf.
Robinhood
A mythical character famed for robbing from the rich and giving to the poor is an interesting inspiration for a Forex trading app, but then again, this is no everyday app. Developed by a team of students from Stanford University, the app is clearly aimed at those who like the idea of getting something for nothing, and much has been made of its commission-free trading.
Undoubtedly this is what lies behind its appeal to novice traders, and the fact that those who download it have an average age of just 26 says it all.
The app does everything you ask of it, but don’t expect tools and functionality on the level of MetaTrader 4. As a cheap and cheerful trading option, it has a growing following, though, and the developers are now looking to monetize it, having released a premium version in 2016.
E*Trade Mobile
Anyone who has any interest in trading will be aware of the E*Trade brand. The company was instrumental in bringing trading to the man or woman in the street back in the 1980s, and has remained an important player ever since.
The Android app is certainly slick, and contains functionality that many traders will find appealing, including voice search as standard, Apple Watch compatibility and a choice of live streams from finance channels such as CNBC.
All those bells and whistles come at a cost, however. The commissions per trade are far higher than most apps, while when you get into the detail, the trading tools themselves fall short of the likes of MetaTrader 4.
TradeHero
At the outset, we talked about how important it is to go into trading knowing what you are doing. This is an app that will help you become an expert trader without having to risk any of your own money. Of course, you can do exactly the same thing in, for example, MetaTrader 4’s demo mode, but TradeHero takes the whole gamification approach to a new level.
It works in much the same way as a fantasy sport app. Starting out with $100,000, you can build a fantasy portfolio and compete against other users. The best performers get their names up in lights and appear at the top of the leaderboard.
The app also provides a platform for real trading with real money, but for most, it is the virtual aspect that makes this one a little different from the rest, and it even has a following among experienced traders, who use it to try out innovative trading strategies in a zero-risk environment.
During I/O 2018, Google revealed the OnePlus 6 is going to be among the first smartphone to get the Android P Beta.
Now, only a few days after officially unveiling the OnePlus 6, the phone maker has opened downloads for the Android P Beta update for the new flagship.
The OnePlus 6, however, does not come preloaded with Android P. Instead it has Android 8.1 Oreo pre-installed. But users have the option to flash the Android P Beta on their brand new smartphone.
OnePlus has also released the kernel sources for the device and the phone hasn’t even started shipping out to customers yet!
So if you want to try out all the latest Android features, the company has posted a list of instructions for installing the Android P Beta on your OnePlus 6. Make sure you follow them carefully.
Experiment with Android P on the OnePlus 6
The company warns that the Android P Beta is best suited for developers and early adopters, saying you should “proceed at your own risk.” Since this is a developer preview, there’s a risk of encountering a lot of bugs, so proceed with caution.
However, if you decide to wait for the public release, the good news is that the OnePlus 6 is going to be among the first devices to get Android P, once Google starts rolling it out.
The OnePlus 6 was launched a few days ago and is expected to go on sale on May 22. Like always, the new flagship is paring high-end specs and features with a lower-than-average price tag.
The base model comes with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage will be offered for $529.99. Rounding up the package is a 6.28-inch display with a notch on top and a Snapdragon 845 processor.
The phone also includes a main dual 20-megapixel + 16-megapixel with f/1.8 camera with larger pixels.
Android P Beta for OP6 download links: OnePlus | Google
If you are over 55 years of age, then you might want to take a look at Sprint’s new plan targeting this particular age demographic. It’s called Unlimited 55+.
The new option allows you to get two lines of unlimited data, talk and text for $70/month. The first line costs $50 per month, while the second one is only $20. That’s $35/month for each line.
The plan also includes free global roaming in over 185 countries and unlimited mobile hotspot data at 3G speeds.
Sprint’s Unlimited 55+ is available for a limited time
Sprint’s new Unlimited 55+ option is available starting today. You will need to show a valid ID in order to get verified and have access to the new plan.
Normally, Sprint offers two lines of unlimited service for $100, so customers who are over 55 can save up to $30 a month if they jump on board with the new plan.
Sprint says it has also made it easier to switch. Users can bring, buy or lease their phones in order to take advantage of the new offer.
And for those who want more, Sprint offers the option to opt-in for a $10/per line per month upgrade that gives you 10GB of mobile hotspot plus HD streaming up to 1080p and more.
Sprint’s new Unlimited 55+ is equally matched at T-Mobile by the Unlimited 55+ plan, which offers customers in the same age range to get two lines of service for $35 each. The two carriers are probably giving us a taste of what to expect in the near future, should their merger go through without issues.
Sprint new bundle is definitely worth checking out, provided you are over 55. Considering that Verizon’s cheapest Unlimited plan starts at $75/month for one line, and AT&T cheapest unlimited offering is $65, Sprint’s Unlimited 55+ bundle is a very good deal indeed.
The plan is available for a limited time, but Sprint hasn’t shared the official expiration date yet.
Plex this week updated their app on the NVIDIA Shield with the option to migrate Shield sever data to external storage. This means that users of the 16GB NVIDIA Shield devices will be able to access and store their entire Plex library without taking up any on-device storage at all. Previously, metadata could only be written to the system storage.
For those who don’t know, Plex is a streaming media server that lets you play movies, TV shows, and music on your TV and computer, mobile devices or streaming boxes.
This gives you more options for your DVR with Plex on your local media. But before migrating your Plex server data, you are required to update your Plex app and Plex Media Server app to the latest version via the Google Play Store.
How to migrate your Plex Server storage location
Connect your USB storage device to your Shield device (Shield 2015 users can also use the SD Card).
a) Optional: Adopt your storage to Shield.
2. Open Plex on your Shield.
3. Go to Settings > Plex Media Server > Storage location
4. Select the storage location.
a) Adopted storage: select internal (user accessible location).
b) Removable storage: select the storage device by name.
5. The Migration process should start. It will take several minutes to complete depending on the size of the library.
Previously the feature was available to Plex Client Beta users, but now seems to be available to all. So if you own an NVIDIA Shield TV and use Plex, you might want to give this new feature a try. Just follow the simple steps we’ve outlined above.
The NVIDIA Shield TV is constantly getting updates. For example, back in February, NVIDIA introduced commercial-free recording for those using the Plex DVR. Support for picture-in-picture, 360-degree video support with VLC, SiriusXM apps, Cartoon Network, VH1 and more was also added.
