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Google officially introduces Files Go

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Google has just officially announced their new Files Go app for Android — previously available in beta. Files Go is a more efficient way to manage files and storage on your device. With this recent release (and update), Google has added a few more features to improve usage with the app.

The first of the three new features is File Search. Just like browsing the internet, you’re now able to search for files on your phone. Google has included their backend features to help with Search; things like instant results, search history, autocomplete and filters. Whenever you open the ‘Files’ tab now, you should see the option to search at the top.

Read more: What the hell is Files Go and what does it do?

Next up is the ability to show the location of duplicate files. Deleting duplicates files isn’t new to the app but instead seeing where the copies exist before removal. When you try to remove duplicates now, you should see and tap on the small ‘i’ icon and then Files Go will list the other locations.

Lastly, Google has added functionality to allow Files Go to work seamlessly with Google Photos. The app can now detect when photos and videos are backed up to Google Photos and suggest for you to delete the files and free up some space.

All of these features should work offline, so no worrying about data usage with this app. If you’re interested, you can click on the link below to download Files Go to your device today.

Download it from Google Play

BLU S1 long term review: Great in some respects but needs work in others

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The BLU S1 marks the beginning of a new approach for Florida-based Android OEM BLU. A company whose acronym meaning “Bold Like Us” wants to market the company as one unafraid to take risks in order to better the smartphone experience. The company’s latest device is the first of its kind from the OEM to feature both GSM and CDMA (though limited) support.

If you want some idea of what to expect in my review before I break into the review, here it is: the BLU S1 is great in some respects, solid in others, and needs some work in others. The BLU S1’s performance is a mixed bag that could impress you in the right places, but you won’t know until we get into the nitty-gritty of what gives this phone its unique flavor.

First, let’s give a rundown of the specs:

  • Display: 5.2-inch, Curved Glass with Corning Gorilla Glass 3
  • Resolution: 1280 x 720 (Pixel Density: 282PPI)
  • Processor: 64-bit, 1.5Ghz, octa-core MediaTek MT6750
  • RAM: 2GB
  • Storage: 16GB with 64GB microSD card slot
  • Front camera: 5MP (f/2.0) Selfie Camera
  • Rear camera: 13MP (f/2.2) with Phase Detection Autofocus
  • Battery: 2,800mAh
  • OS: Android 7.0 Nougat
  • Other noteworthy features: 4G LTE with 300Mbps speeds, GSM (AT&T, T-Mobile) and CDMA (Sprint, Boost Mobile) compatibility, Fingerprint sensor, FM Radio

Build Quality and Design

The BLU S1 has a plastic build that makes it nearly the identical twin of the BLU Vivo 8L, but when you hold the phone in your hands, you’ll see that the plastic build doesn’t equal “cheap.” This just goes to show that OEMs can make solid plastic build qualities without compromising on durability and design.

Speaking of design, there are two antenna lines on the BLU S1, one at the top back cover and one at the bottom back cover, but both are uniform and give something of a subtle personality to an otherwise “plain Jane” smartphone.

Near the top of the device’s back cover sits the 13MP camera lens, with a camera flash beneath it and the company’s name, BLU. Turn the BLU S1 over to the front and you can see the front-facing camera at the top left, with a speaker to its right. Beneath the 5.2-inch, Curved Glass Display sits a fingerprint sensor-embedded home button.

On the right side of the Curved Glass Display sits the volume rocker with its volume up and volume down buttons as well as the power/standby button beneath it. The left side houses the dual-SIM card slot, while the bottom of the phone showcases the microphone to the left, micro-USB port in the middle and speaker grille on the right.

Display

The BLU S1 has a 5.2-inch, Curved Glass Display with an HD (1280 x 720p) screen resolution and 282 PPI pixel density, which represents a good compromise of screen resolution with screen size. The “Curved Glass” here refers to the rounded corners of the display, the curved “edges” if you will; you won’t find anything similar to a curved display here, though, so don’t think of this as a Samsung-made, curved-edge display panel. Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3 makes an appearance here, which is the starting point for durable displays in this budget-friendly, upper entry-level price point.

The display has excellent viewing angles and the color wallpapers will bring out the excellent color production. The panel on the BLU S1 is good, and at this price point, it’s a surprisingly good panel.

Processor

The BLU S1 features a 64-bit, 1.5Ghz octa-core MediaTek MT6750 SoC, which means that this budget-friendly phone has the same processor as smartphones such as the ASUS ZenFone Max Plus (M1), UHANS Max 2, the iPhone X-cloned Oukitel U18, and the Bluboo S8+. These eight cores work similarly to other octa-core smartphones: there are four cores that handle basic, low-intensive tasks, while the remaining four cores handle the most advanced, heavy-intensive tasks.

Overall, there’s a quickness about phone functions, such as launching the camera and other phone apps, though there were some slight stutters in performance in gameplay for example.

I never experienced lag that would force someone to put down the phone, though some individuals would never accept lagging performance in a smartphone no matter the price. The lag in gameplay was noticeable at first, until the first software update seemed to fix the initial lag. Slight stutters here and there continue with further use, though you won’t find stutters interrupting your daily routine.

RAM and Memory

The BLU S1’s 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage is what you’ll find as a nice compromise when it comes to budget-friendly phones nowadays. I didn’t find apps to reload often as 2GB seems to be about the least an Android device in 2018 needs. Apps stay in memory, so you won’t have to concern yourself with clearing the RAM all the time.

The 16GB of storage is sufficient out of the box, with about 10.5GB of storage available for personal use. Of course, you can always take advantage of the BLU S1’s 64GB microSD card slot, Google Photos cloud storage, and Google Drive, but I think 32GB of storage is a better compromise standard for all smartphones (whether budget-friendly or not).

BLU has aimed for a specific price point here, but the way to keep consumers loyal is to give them a comfortable experience out of the box. 10GB of storage remaining for a phone that costs nearly $200 isn’t giving enough to everyday consumers.

Fingerprint Sensor

The fingerprint sensor is embedded into the home button. I found it to be easy to set up and extremely responsive. Given that Android has supported this protocol since 6.0, it makes sense to have one present in any phone, regardless of cost.

Do note that you have to press and hold the button for it to return “home”. This could be improved in future models; I’d like to simply touch or swipe it to unlock or go back to the home screen.

Battery and Charging

The BLU S1 features a 2,800mAh battery, which performs well when taking into account the phone’s 5.2-inch screen and HD (720p) screen resolution. The phone can last a strong 12 hours in my testing, but I’ve also discovered that you may want to employ Android’s battery saver mode on the phone to get double the battery life when out and about. Employing the battery mode, I got 37 hours of usage out of the BLU S1.

With my own unit, I’ve discovered that the battery stats (software) are somewhat off; I used my phone for 3 hours but noticed that my battery stats had only added another 20 minutes to the SOT, for example. In addition, the battery stats fail to record any activity on the smartphone that

The battery itself is reliable, but you may not want to take the battery stats too seriously.

As for charging the BLU S1, you’re looking at a 3-4-hour charging time: yes, 3 to 4 hours. What started at 2.5-3 hours of battery life back at October’s end has now extended to 3-4 hours of charging time on my unit (though yours may fare better in this regard). There is no fast charging tech here, so you’re looking at standard slow charging.

This means that the BLU S1 charges no higher than 25% after 1 hour plugged in, which is frustrating for those who have used devices that do feature fast charging. BLU should bring fast charging to its devices because in 2018 smartphones should take no longer than 2 hours to charge.

Camera

The BLU S1 has two cameras, a front-facing 5MP camera and a rear, 13MP camera. Only the back camera has a camera flash; the front does not.

The camera is rather solid. There are a few problems with the camera such as its inability to render colors accurately at times. Sometimes, light blues are rendered dark, and colors as a whole are rendered stale rather than alive, vibrant, and sharp.

The camera app itself is what you’d expect of the Google Camera app: camera filters, HDR, Flash, White Balance, Exposure, and other settings. You won’t find advanced features like you would in say an LG device, but there’s more than enough here to get good pictures out of the S1.

One of the issues with the 5MP selfie camera is that it tends to have noise in selfies taken up close. Taking a selfie in my turquoise green polo shirt showed a lot of image noise in the shirt itself. As for the 13MP rear camera, images can often be smeared and smudged because the back camera lacks a protective lens cover to prevent smudging and smearing. This means that you’ll need to use a cloth or sleeve to quickly clean your back camera lens before taking photos in the sun or in well-lit rooms and settings.

Software

The BLU S1 is powered by Android 7.0 Nougat, which isn’t the latest Android 8.1 Oreo. Seeing that the S1 was announced back in September, it would’ve been a nice gesture to see this phone arrive with Oreo rather than Nougat.

Regardless of its somewhat outdated software, the BLU S1 does provide a pure vanilla Android experience, with the exception of a few BLU apps. Other than that, BLU remains out of your way and allows you to customize your Android experience as you see fit.

Do keep in mind, though, that BLU won’t let you not use its Rewards app without reminding you constantly; I received three or four popups in my notifications each day reminding me to sign up for and take advantage of my 2,000 rewards points through BLU’s Rewards program.

As for updates, it’s unlikely that there’ll be any new OS updates. A 324MB update brought support for new Sprint MVNOs, updates to Google apps, and Google security patches. There hasn’t been an update since and it’s nearly five months since the BLU S1’s release. My suggestion is that, if you want an Android Oreo-powered smartphone, you’ll want to look elsewhere.

Price and Compatibility

The BLU S1 was released with the retail price of $179.99. But, you can now pick up the S1 for less than $100. Amazon offers certified refurbished BLU S1 units for $79.99, with new devices being sold for $99.99.

According to BLU’s own website, the BLU S1 is free at Sprint, giving you a $200 Visa Prepaid card and free SIM card when you activate your BLU S1 on Sprint’s CDMA network. In other words, you can get the BLU S1 for free as a Sprint customer.

The BLU S1 comes in Grey, Black and Gold colors.

Final Thoughts

With all that’s been said, the BLU S1 is a competitive, budget-friendly Android-powered smartphone. However, I would like to offer up some pros and cons so that Blu might create an ever better experience for the next generation.

Pros of the BLU S1:

  • Provides phone case, earbuds, and screen protector out of the box: This is one thing that sets BLU apart from many Android OEMs.
  • GSM and CDMA compatibility: The BLU S1 is the first phone from the Florida-based OEM to offer Sprint and Boost Mobile compatibility. GSM compatibility means you can also take this phone to AT&T and T-Mobile.
  • Solid build quality: Though plastic, the BLU S1 feels like a solid phone made of premium plastic. I commend BLU for making the S1 in such a way that the device doesn’t feel or look cheap.
  • Retains headphone jack: This is likely an expected feature of budget-friendly smartphones, but it’s good to see BLU retain the headphone jack.
  • Great price: A sub-$200 price tag is hard to beat nowadays, at least for tolerable smartphones.

Recommendations:

  • Add rear camera lens cover: There is no lens cover for the back camera of the BLU S1, meaning that smears and smudges will appear in photos unless the user cleans the camera lens first. I had to do this repeatedly in the same day while out and about taking pictures.
  • Increase display brightness: Brightness is fine indoors where there’s good lighting, but brightness performance drops drastically when you head outdoors. Increased display brightness will help users see clearly when taking photos without the usual “capture and pray” method that hopes one takes a good photo.
  • Camera improvements are needed: The motion gesture to zoom in on the S1’s camera needs improvement. The digital zoom works sometimes, but you could miss out on good opportunities at other times. Also, selfie camera noise is pretty bad and could be enhanced by adding a flash.
  • Needs more storage: The BLU S1 needs additional storage because Android Nougat consumes a third of the 16GB of available storage and only leaves 10GB available out of the box. I’m not a fan of microSD card storage because storage cards can be corrupted and data on those same cards can be lost. Perhaps Blu might provide microSD cards out of the box.
  • Improve audio: The audio of the S1 is sufficient for the price, but I think BLU can push the audio to make it better.
  • Add fast-charging tech: The current charging time for the BLU S1 is too long, leaving users to abandon the S1 throughout the day if they fail to charge it at night.
  • Additional CDMA compatibility: I hope the BLU S2 features Verizon and US Cellular compatibility, two other CDMA carriers in the top 5 in the US. When your goal is to sell a phone, excluding customers is never a wise move. Sure, Verizon may not be so friendly to BLU or the S1, but I’m sure US Cellular would warmly receive the BLU S1 or BLU S2 in the future.
  • Add water and dust resistance: I realize that one can only get so much in a $180 phone, but I think that water protection is essential to smartphone survival these days.

BLU has an excellent smartphone in the BLU S1, and perhaps the “S” will stand for “stellar” after another iteration or two. BLU needs to fix a few essentials and perhaps even bump up the future S2’s price to accommodate fast charging and USB Type-C charging, and the BLU S series will be hard to beat.

You can now use the Google Assistant to send money to your friends (via Google Pay)

Alexandra Arici
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Owe your friend money for last night’s movie tickets? Good news! You can pay him/her right back! Google just announced it’s now possible to money to your friends by asking your Google Assistant.

The feature is rolling out for Android and iOS devices in the US. Users will be able to say something like “Send John $2 for movie ticket” and the Assistant will swiftly make the transfer via Google Pay. Users can also request money by saying “Hey Google, request $10 from Sara for pizza”.

Make payments using your voice

And while you need to have a Google Pay account to send money, you don’t need one to receive the funds. People with a Google Pay account will receive a notification when a new payment is received.

Don’t worry about setting up an account, you’ll be guided through the steps of creating one by your trusty Google Assistant when you ask to make your first payment.

For security, transactions using the Assistant will require proper authentication using your fingerprint or Google password.

Transactions will show up in your Google Pay Send history, so you can check them later. Last month Google announced the merging of Android Pay and Google Wallet into a single service called Google Pay.

Yet, because Google’s intention is to slowly integrate Wallet into Google Pay over the upcoming months, Google Wallet has been renamed to Google Pay Send for now. Quite confusing, we know.

Anyway, in the official press release, Google said the new payment option will also be coming to its smart speakers in the coming months. So owners of Google Home, Home Mini or other Google Assistant-powered speakers will be able to send money simply by asking the virtual helper.

A few days ago Google rolled out another feature for its newly unified mobile payments app. Starting this week, riders will also be able to board the Las Vegas Monorail using Google Pay on their Android phones.

5 Interesting bar game apps that will liven up any party (Promoted)

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When you go out to a party or to the bar to hang out with friends, the last thing you want is to have any dull period of time there. Apart from making the overall party less fun than it could have been, those periods of inactivity and silence could dampen the mood of everyone present, which is definitely the opposite of what is ideal.

Thankfully, there are a variety of games that you can download and play with other people on your smartphone that’ll liven things up, break the ice among guests and set the stage for a night of all the fun you want to have. Here are a few of them that’ll you’ll definitely want to try:

Heads Up

This game was created by Ellen DeGeneres, which should give you a clue as to how much fun it is to play. A spin on the common game, you’ll hold up your phone against your forehead and try your hardest to piece together the clues that your friends shout (or slur, depending on how long the party has been on) at you to determine what’s on the screen before the time you have runs out.

Reverse Charades

Instead of the usual way of playing Charades, with one person acting out a word or phrase while the group attempts to guess it, reverse charades will have the group acting out the word while an individual attempts to guess what they are miming. If you thought having a single person acting out weird mimes was fun, imagine what 10 people doing their own weird takes on each word and you’ll see why this has become so popular.

Shuffleboard

In shuffleboard apps, as in the real shuffleboard tables that decorate the trendiest bars, the object of the game is to slide the pucks down the table’s surface so they’ll rest as close as possible to your opponent’s wall without tipping over. The concept is simple, but perhaps that’s why it’s so addictive, especially now that it’s available as an app that you and your friends can enjoy even if there’s no actual table available.

Bloop

If you have a tablet or a phone that’s reasonably big, then this game is perfect for you. It’s a touch game in which up to four players must tap the tiles in their color as fast as possible. The tiles switch around the screen, meaning that your hands will clash and you’ll have to essentially engage in a finger fight in order to get the most touches in and win the game.

Either

This game is a twist on ‘Would you rather?’ with the good thing being that you’ll not have to go through the hassle of thinking up questions for yourself. There are hundreds of creative questions that’ll leave you scratching your head continuing to say “yes” to the question of if you would rather continue to play this addictive game with your friends or go home.

Best Buy could stop selling Huawei phones in the US

Alexandra Arici
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Last year Chinese smartphone giant, Huawei had hopes of finally being able to crack the US market through a partnership with the country’s largest carrier, Verizon.

Huawei has been selling some of its products at US electronics stores and online but has had a minimal share of the American market, in which most sales are through carriers. Which is why the loss of the deal with Verizon, put a huge obstacle in the way of the Chinese firm’s ambition of conquering the US market.

Well, now it seems Huawei will soon be dealt another blow. According to a report coming out of CNET, one of America’s biggest retailers, Best Buy will soon stop selling Huawei devices online, as well as in brick and mortar locations.

It’s getting increasingly harder for Huawei to sell its devices in the US

A source has revealed that Best Buy has stopped ordering new Huawei smartphones and will continue selling the models in has in stock until supplies run out. The retailer is currently offering the company’s latest flagship, the Mate 10 Pro with $100 off. So customers can get the device for $699.99.

Huawei Mate 10 Pro

Best Buy is also selling the Huawei Mate SE, which barely launched a few weeks ago, and the super-premium Huawei Mate 10 Porsche Design. Last year’s Honor 6X and Mate 9 are on clearance.

The newer Honor 7X and Honor View 10 aren’t available at Best Buy.

BestBuy and Huawei, both declined to make any comments on the matter.

Even if Best Buy stops selling Huawei phones, customers looking to grab a phone from the company will still be able to do so from Amazon, B&H Photo, and Newegg.

Yet, Huawei continues to be a pretty obscure brand, as far as US customers are concerned. So maybe, Best Buy purported decision of dropping Huawei phones has to do with the devices not selling all that well.

The Chinese company can’t seem to catch a break in the US. Last month, the heads of CIA, FBI, NSA and other agencies warned consumers against buying phones from Huawei (as well as ZTE) citing privacy concerns.

Instagram now lets you add hashtags and profile links to your bio

Alexandra Arici
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How long since you haven’t updated your bio on Instagram? Well, you might want to do that right now, as the company just announced it’s now allowing subscribers to add hashtags or profile links to their bio.

To add a hashtag to your profile bio is super easy.

Simply follow these steps:

  1. Open up Instagram on your Android (or iOS) device
  2. Tap on the Profile icon located on the bottom right
  3. Tap Edit Profile
  4. Go to the section marked as Bio
  5. Type in a # or a @ and you should see a list of recommended hashtags and profiles appear
  6. Choose the ones you want to appear in your bio

The live links will take your followers or any other Instagram users who visit your profile to a hashtag page or another subscriber’s profile.

Users can link any hashtag or profile they want in their bio. However, the owners of the account you mention will be notified that you’ve linked them to your profile.

For privacy reasons, Instagram is also giving them the option to opt out. Which will keep their @profile name on your profile, but it won’t be a clickable link to their Instagram account.

Instagram is currently rolling out the new feature for both Android and iOS users. So make sure you have the latest version of Instagram on your phone. Or download the app from the Play Store.

Instagram is constantly adding new features to its app. Last month, the photography app welcomed a new option which allowed users to add text-only posts in Instagram Stories.

And in recent days a few lines of hidden code revealed that Instagram is gearing up to include video and voice calling. It’s not a big surprise that the company is looking to add this new feature. After all, one of its main competitors, Snapchat has had video calling for some time.

What are some of the best Samsung Galaxy S9 alternatives?

Alexandra Arici
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The recently launched Samsung Galaxy S9 is an impressive phones with great specs and interesting features. Even so, there are still plenty of reasons you might want to pass on Samsung’s new flagship.

Maybe you want a phone with a bigger screen or you’re not a fan or the whole curved display thingy. Maybe the Galaxy S9 doesn’t even fit your budget. So for this article, we’ve rounded some of the best Galaxy S9 alternatives out there that you might want to consider.

Samsung Galaxy S8

Why it’s a great Galaxy S9 alternative:

  • The Galaxy S8 is Samsung’s last year’s flagship. Nevertheless, the Galaxy S8 looks almost identical to the Galaxy S9 and even though it does not come with the latest Snapdragon 845 processor or the new camera, it’s still a great phone.
  • Now that the Galaxy S9 is out, there’s a big chance you’ll be able to score a great deal on the Galaxy S8. For example, the unlocked Galaxy S8 is currently available with $125 off from Samsung itself or retailers like Best Buy.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Why it’s a great Galaxy S9 alternative:

  • Launched back in August 2017, the Galaxy Note 8 is a more recent flagship than the Galaxy S8.
  • While it features more or less the same hardware as the Galaxy Note 8 takes advantage of the S Pen, which turns the phone into a productivity beast.
  • Speaking of which, the Galaxy Note 8 comes with a large AMOLED 6.3-inch display, so it’s perfect for those who prefer larger phones.
  • The Galaxy Note 8 offers a dual-camera (but no variable aperture), which can’t be said of the Galaxy S9. Only the larger Galaxy S9+ comes equipped with two sensors on the back.

Sony Xperia XZ2

Why it’s a great Galaxy S9 alternative:

Don’t like phones with a curved display? Well, maybe you’d like to consider Sony’s new Xperia XZ2 flagship. It’s the first Sony phone to benefit from the company’s new Ambient Flow design. So this year the Japanese phone marker finally jumped on board with the 18:9 aspect ratio trend.

  • The Xperia XZ2 is on par with the Galaxy S9 spec-wise including a Snapdragon 845, 4GB of RAM and Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box.
  • However, the 19-megapixel rear-facing camera is capable of shooting super slow-mo videos at 960fps at 1080p. In contrasts, the Galaxy S9’s camera can capture only slow-motion video at 720p.
  • The Sony Xperia XZ2 has a larger 3,180 mAh battery when compared to the 3,000 mAh powerhouse inside the Galaxy S9.

LG V30

Why it’s a great Galaxy S9 alternative:

  • The V30 is LG’s current flagship which comes with a host of very impressive specs including a 6-inch P-OLED QHD+ display with 18:9 aspect ratio, a Snapdragon 835 processor and dual-cameras (16-megapixel+13-megapixel).
  • The LG V30 is a phone aimed at audiophiles. It bundles a new Hi-Fi DAC which brings features such as digital filters and sound presets. LG and B&O Play have also collaborated together to offer a fine-tuned audio experience.
  • Video is also a big part of the LG V30 experience. There’s a new feature called Cine Video that lets users apply movie-grade hues to filters and videos.
  • Last but not least, the V30 has a 3,300 mAh battery, which is larger than the Galaxy S9’s 3,000 mAh one. The Galaxy S9+ relies on a 3,500 mAh power source.

Huawei Mate 10 Pro

Why it’s a great Galaxy S9 alternative:

  • The phone ships with a 6-inch bezel-less AMOLED display, powered by an 8-core Kirin 970 chipset. Plus, you get 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.
  • The Huawei Mate 10 Pro is a phone aimed at photographers who especially love to shoot black-and-white photos. The Leica-branded 20-megapixel + 12-megapixel rear camera is certainly one of the biggest highlights here.
  • A big 4,000 mAh battery is another important benefit of getting the Mate 10 Pro.

Google Pixel 2 XL

Why it’s a great Galaxy S9 alternative:

  • Google’s last year Pixel 2 XL, is a great Galaxy S9 alternative. It comes with the 2017 flagship-level specs including a bezel-display with 18:9 aspect ratio, a Snapdragon 835 and a great (albeit single sensor) camera.
  • The Pixel 2 XL should be high on the list of those who want to get be first in line when it comes to getting the newest software updates. We all know it takes ages for Samsung to roll out new updates.
  • The Pixel 2 XL packs a 3,520 mAh battery which is even larger than the Galaxy S9+’s juice box.

OnePlus 5T

Why it’s a great Galaxy S9 alternative:

  • Looking for something more on the affordable side? Well, then you should definitely consider getting the OnePlus 5T, the company’s latest “flagship killer”.
  • Packing a modern design, an AMOLED display, powerful Snapdragon 835 and up to 8GB of RAM, the OnePlus 5T can be yours for an affordable $559 (at least compared to the Galaxy S9).
  • The package also includes a dual-camera setup (although to be fair, it’s not the best) and a 3,300 mAh battery.

Coming soon

ASUS ZenFone 5Z

Why it’s a great Galaxy S9 alternative:

  • Bored of curved displays? Well the ASUS ZenFone 5Z might spice things up for you, as it introduces a design inspired by the iPhone X, complete with the Notch.
  • Since it was launched at MWC 2018, the ZenFone 5Z offers similar internal specs as the Galaxy S9 including a Snapdragon 845 processor and 6GB or 8GB of RAM variants.
  • Price is where the ZenFone 5Z truly amazes. The phone is expected to go on sale for $499 and up. The bad news is that you might have to wait until summer to be able to get it.

Deal: Save $50 on the Essential Phone and get free premium headphones

AndroidGuys
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The Essential Phone is one of the most influential phones of last year. It introduced the world to the ‘notch’ and showed how to pair great specs and software with fantastic design. Currently, Amazon and Best Buy are hosting a sale that drops the phone down to $450 and includes a free pair of Essential Earphones|HD. Best Buy is throwing in a $25 gift card to make the deal even sweeter.

The Essential Phone runs Android 8.1, near stock Android, and has a 5.7” display. It has a Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a 13MP dual-rear camera. Amazon now has an exclusive Halo Grey Edition color, but the phone also comes in Ceramic White and Black Moon colors. You can even additionally buy a 360 camera accessory to attach to the back of the phone magnetically.

Essential Phone Features

  • The Essential Phone is expertly crafted using titanium and ceramic, with an edge-to-edge Full Display and captures stunning images (even in low light) with the world’s thinnest dual camera system ever built for a phone.
  • Beauty meets brawn – With a titanium body, a ceramic back and the attention to detail that went into building this device, you’ll feel the craftsmanship from the moment you pick it up.
  • Edge-to-edge Full Display – With the stunning edge-to-edge Full Display on the Essential Phone there’s finally a large-screen device that fits comfortably in the palm of your hand.
  • The world’s thinnest dual camera system – The camera system consists of color and monochrome sensors to capture up to 200% more light than traditional phone cameras.
    This results in stunning images that are rich in color and detail, even in low light.

Pick it up before its too late, Amazon’s sale ends March 24.

Essential Phone purchase links: Amazon | Best Buy

T-Mobile gifting its subscribers with MLB.TV for a year

AndroidGuys
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America’s favorite pastime, baseball, is coming back next week! And T-Mobile is about to treat their customer with a year of MLB.TV and their mobile app MLB At Bat premium for free ($120 value)!

On March 27th, as part of their T-Mobile Tuesdays promotion, T-Mo customer will see the chance to activate an MLB.TV yearly subscription. MLB.TV allows you to watch home and away feeds of every out-of-market game on a plethora of devices. Whether you’re on mobile, console, or smart TV, you’ll be able to use the service. You’ll also be able to claim a 25% off coupon for MLBShop.com and $.10 off per gallon of gas Shell coupon on the 27th as well.

To claim the deal just log into the T-Mobile Tuesdays app between March 27th and April 2nd. After that sign up for the MLB.TV before April 2 and create your new account. If you’re already an MLB.TV subscriber, you only need to cancel your subscription by March 23rd and then resign up the following Tues.

The baseball love doesn’t end there as T-Mobile is hosting a contest for its customers as well. The contest prize is an all-expense-paid trip for two to MLB All-Star Week in Washington D.C., during July 15-18. Just enter the app or follow T-Mobile on Twitter on March 27.

Master & Dynamic teams up with Leica again for some exclusive headphones

Alexandra Arici
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You’re probably familiar with the names Master & Dynamic and Leica. The first is famous for producing high-end headphones. The latter, on the other hand, it’s known for being the maker of premium photo equipment.

Well a year after their first partnership, the two iconic companies are coming together once again to collaborate on a second project.

Master & Dynamic and Leica unleash the second chapter of their partnership

Say hello to the “Master & Dynamic for 0.95” Silver Edition, a new signature collection of headphones. There are three new additions including the silver metal/black leather MW60 wireless over-ear model and the MH40 over-ear headphones. Last but not least, the two companies also introduced the silver-colored brass ME05 earphones, the most affordable option of the trio.

Like the previous edition, the Silver Edition headphones are inspired the Leica’s Noctilux-M 50mm f/0.95 ASPH camera in Silver. The three models are encrusted with the 0.95 brand logo and a “Design with Leica Camera AG” engraving.

Just like before, Leica’s influence on the new headphones is visible only at a cosmetic level. Leica’s red glass dot and other design details that draw inspiration from the camera’s control dials will certainly be cherished by photography fans.

As the collaboration aims to merge the best of both audio and photography, the new Master & Dynamic products dazzle with their stunning, pristine design and excellent sound quality.

Both over-ear headphones models include a 45mm drivers. The MW60 is the only one offering wireless connectivity via a rechargeable li-ion battery and 16-hours of run time. It also includes an exploded and full aluminum for optimized signal connectivity and range.

Master & Dynamic and Leica are pricing the new 0.95 Silver Edition variants like before. So you’ll be able to get the noise-cancelling, over-ear MW60 for $549. The MH40 will be sold for $399, while the ME05 is going to be available for $199.

All Silver Edition models are available exclusively from the Master & Dynamic website.

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