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Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+ renders based on CAD designs leave nothing to the imagination

Alexandra Arici
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Samsung’s next flagships, the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ – which are widely anticipated to be incremental upgrades over the Galaxy S8 – are bound to make a debut in a few months.

While we wait on the official announcement, we can already take a sneak peek at what’s coming by checking out these newly leaked Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 renders.

Like it’s always the case when @OnLeaks (in collaboration with 91mobiles/MySmartPrice) reveals images of unannounced phones, the renders are based on factory CAD designs. This particular leakster has proven to be reliable in the past, so there is a pretty good chance the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will look like this when they make a grant debut a few months from now.

According to the report, the Galaxy S9 will measure around 147.6 x 68.7 x 8.4 mm, which means it will be a bit shorter, wider and thicker than its predecessor which features 148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0 mm dimensions.

Furthermore, the Galaxy S9 is expected to arrive with a dual-curved display, water-resistant body, 3.5mm headphone jack and a single lens on the back, which is visible in the renders. The current consensus is that dual-camera treatment will be reserved only for the Galaxy S9+ this year.

Speaking of the Galaxy S9+, the phone is said to come with a 6.1-inch display, which is 0.1-inch smaller than the 6.2-inch display of the soon-to-be-previous-generation Galaxy S8+. The phone should measure 157.7 x 73.8 x 8.5mm. For comparison’s sake, we’ll remind you the Galaxy S8+ is 159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1mm.

Given that both the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ appear to be thicker, we dare speculate that Samsung plans to implement larger batteries next year.

The main difference, when it comes to design, is that the Galaxy S9’s fingerprint scanner will no longer live to the right of the rear camera. To prevent users’ finger smudging the camera lens, Samsung will be moving the scanner of the S9 below the camera.

Obviously, we expect Samsung’s next flagships to take advantage of Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 845 platform – which only recently made a debut. The phones could pack up 6GB of RAM and maybe even 512GB of storage. Recently we also heard, the Galaxy S9 will go on sale in Black, Gold, Blue and a new intense Purple paint job.

Best deals on Verizon right now (December 2017)

Alexandra Arici
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With Christmas just around the corner, it’s time to get gifting and find the presents for your family and friends. If you haven’t picked them out yet, maybe you’d like to take a look at Verizon’s list of discounts for the season.

America’s biggest carrier is offering promotional prices on a lot of products, as well as freebies which can make for great gifts on their own. Below you’ll find some of the most noteworthy deals available:

Phones

$300 off the Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL

Previously offered as an in-store exclusive, customers can now get this deal online too. You’ll need to finance your Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL over 24 months to get $300 off, which will be applied to your account as a small credit each months starting in 1-2 billing cycles. What’s more, Verizon is also offering 50% off a Google Home speaker with the purchase.

To get the discount, just head over to Verizon and pick your Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL and add it to your cart. Choose the finance option that spreads the cost over 24 months. And also make sure to have the Google Home in your shopping cart, to be able to take advantage of the discount.

Free ASUS Zenfone V Live

Switch and add a new line to Verizon and the carrier will give you an ASUS ZenFone V Live free of charge. The low-end phone has a retail value of $168 and could be a perfect first smartphone for a child or elderly member of your family.

Learn more about the ASUS Zenfone V Live here.

Samsung Galaxy J7 V for $5/month

This holiday season, Verizon lets customers save $120 on the Samsung Galaxy J7 V, in certain conditions. Switchers who activate a new line of service will be able to get it for $5/month, meaning the handset will cost you $120 instead of $240. The $120 discount will be applied as bill credit over 24 months.

Moto Z2 Play for $10/month

Similarly, switchers who activate a new line of service can grab the Moto Z2 Play for $10/month. So instead of paying $408 for the phone, you’ll only spend $240.

Tablets

Verizon Ellipsis 8 HD for $149.99

Verizon’s own Ellipsis 8 HD tablet is available with a hefty $170 discount for customers willing to jump on board with a 2-year contract with the carrier.

If for some reason you don’t want to do that, you can still pick the slate up for $249.99 outright or $10.41/month for 24 months.

Verizon Ellipsis 10 HD for $99.99

Similarly, you can get the larger Ellipsis with $200 off with a new 2-year activation. Or you can acquire it for the full retail price of $299.99 or $12.49/month for 24 months.

ASUS ZenPad Z8s for $99.99

Verizon has also discounted two ASUS tablets this holiday season. You can get the ZenPad Z8s for $99.99 with a new 2-year activation or for $249.99 outright.

ASUS ZenPad Z10 for $149.99

Need a bigger slate? The ZenPad Z10 is available with $180 off, for those who agree to a 2-year contract with the carrier. Otherwise, the device is up for sale for $329.99.

You can get other discounts on tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 if you embark with a 2-year contract. Check out the full list here.

Accessories

Buy two cases get one free (discount will be applied in cart to lowest-priced item)

Tech21 Evo Check Case for Samsung Galaxy S8 – $39.99

Otterbox Symmetry Series Case for Galaxy J3 Eclipse – $39.99

Incipio DualPro Case for Galaxy Note 8 – $29.99

These are just a few examples, check the complete list of accessory cases right here.

Wearables

Fitbit Charge 2 – $129.99 (down from $140)

Fitbit Alta HR – $129.99 (down from $140)

Fitbit Blaze – $149.99 (down from $199.99)

Fitbit Ionic – $269.99 (down from $299.99)

Michael Kors Access Hybrid – $159.99 + $50 prepaid Mastercard

Garmin Vivosmart HR – $49.99 (down from $149.99)

Samsung Gear 360 (2017) – $229.99 + $50 prepaid Mastercard

For more deals on wearables check here.

Sound

JBL Link 20 – $159.99 (down from $199.99)

JBL Clip 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker – $39.99 (down from $59.99)

UE Wonderboom – $79.99 (down from $99)

Bose SoundLink wireless headphones II – $199.99 ($299.99)

For more deals on audio products check here.

Connected home and others

Google Home – $79.99 (down from $120)

Google Home Mini – $29.99 (down from $49.99)

Google Chromecast Ultra – $54.99 (down from $80)

Bring your own phone to Verizon and get a $100 gift card

Sentio Desktop is a Samsung DeX alternative that works with any Android phone

Alexandra Arici
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Many companies have tried – and mostly failed throughout the years – to make smartphones work like PCs for years now. Just think of Motorola’s Atrix or HP’s crazy Elite x3 smartphone. But Samsung’s new DeX station seems to have challenged the perception that using a phone as a dedicated computer is something unattainable.

Trouble is the Samsung DeX is only compatible with the Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ and Note 8, so not everyone with an Android smartphone will be able to try smartphone as desktop/laptop experience.

That’s where Los Angeles-based Sentio comes in. The startup has recently unveiled the Sentio Desktop, which is an app-based phone-to-PC solution. It’s available for download for free from the Google Play Store for free and is compatible with ANY Android smartphone in circulation running Android 7.0 Nougat or later. Sentio Desktop supports millions of Android apps, including popular tools like Google Chrome, Microsoft Office, and others.

Similar to Samsung’s dock, Sentio Desktop aims to emulate a Windows-like experience on Android which includes multi-windows applications, desktop icons, a file explorer, and other similar features for maximum productivity.

Even as Sentio Desktop works with any Android device running Android Nougat or above, the app is touted as the perfect companion for Sentio’s flagship Superbook laptop shell. The device was launched on Kickstarter back in 2016 and only recently entered mass production. According to Sentio, the Superbook will be available come early 2018.

In the meanwhile, if you have an Android Nougat+ phone around, you can go ahead and download the Sentio Desktop app and see what it has to offer.

Samsung Galaxy S9 might not come with Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 4+ in the US

Alexandra Arici
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There’s no doubt that the majority of customers prefer smartphones with big batteries, but if that’s not part of the spec sheet, the next best thing would be fast charging. Because we all like being able to charge our devices as fast as possible.

With the Snapdragon 845 now official, it’s expected that Samsung’s upcoming next-gen Galaxy S9 flagship will be the first to take advantage of Qualcomm’s new super-fast Quick Charge 4+ technology which is said to be 15% faster and up to 30% more powerful. But the most important thing is that the new technology keeps the temperature of the phone up to 3C degrees cooler, making the device a lot safer.

Given the improvements, it might come as a disappointment to learn that according to a recent leak, the Galaxy S9 won’t come with Quick Charge 4+ in the US and Hong Kong. This is because the Korean tech giant failed to get the necessary licenses for the technology in those markets. It’s a similar story with Sony who can’t seem to be able to implement a working fingerprint sensor in the side power button on the devices it sells in the US.

Even though it’s disappointing to think that the Galaxy S9 won’t get Quick Charge 4+ in the US, consider this. According to Qualcomm, the Galaxy S8 uses only Quick Charge 2.0. There’s no mention of the Galaxy Note 8, so maybe the phablet takes advantage of Qualcomm’s more recent Quick Charge 3.0.

Anyway, this is just a rumor, so . Hopefully, Samsung will pleasantly surprise us when it unveils the Galaxy S9 in a few months.

Google Assistant is finally coming to tablets, smartphones running Lollipop get it too

Alexandra Arici
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Originally, the Google Assistant was a Pixel-exclusive. Then Google started offering it on smartphones with Android Marshmallow+ on board.

Interestingly, so far tablets were left out of the equation.  But this will no longer be the case, as Google just announced the Google Assistant is finally making its way to tablets, but only in English and for US users. Oh, and your device will have to be on Nougat on Marshmallow in order for the virtual helper to work.

Furthermore, Google also said the Assistant has started rolling out for smartphones that run the outdated Android Lollipop. The roll-out will include users who have the language set on English on their device in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Singapore, and India, as well as Spanish in the US, Mexico, and Spain. The Assistant is also going you be available on your Lollipop-power smartphone if you are in Italy, Japan, Brazil, Germany, or Korea. Once users get the Google Play Services update and opt-in, they will be able to see an Assistant app icon in their All apps list.

As for the Google Assistant for tablets, it will start rolling out to Marshmallow or Nougat devices sometimes during the coming week, although Google didn’t mention a specific day. So be on the lookout.

T-Mobile has a new TV service coming in next year

Alexandra Arici
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Cord cutting is accelerating at a pace faster than previously estimated. But despite the rising trend, T-Mobile just announced it will be launching its own TV service in 2018.

In order to make this happen, the Magenta carrier has acquired Layer3 TV – a startup which integrates TV, streaming and social networking into the packages it offers in five states.

T-Mobile aims to bring its “Uncarrier” campaign to TV the way it with wireless service and seeks to attract customers from other carriers by offering unlimited streaming and a one-size-fits-all plan for a flat monthly fee. T-Mobile’s CEO John Legere denounced competitors such as AT&T and Comcast for offering bundles with wireless, internet and video, which despite their lower rates force users to buy services like landlines they don’t actually need.

Interestingly, while the majority of the industry is trying to woo cost-conscious customers by offering affordable packages with fewer channels, Layer3 launched as a high-end TV service in metropolitan areas such as Washington or Chicago.

But even if T-Mobile didn’t offer any details on how much their new service will cost, we have to assume it’s going to be priced on the more affordable side. The carrier did specify the service will be part of a package, but will also give customers several options.

T-Mobile acquisition of Layer3 is the latest example of a wireless company going into the TV business. Last year, AT&T purchased Time Warner, although the deal is still the subject of a government lawsuit.

Yet the move comes at a strange time. People are ditching cable more than ever, so this is a big bet on T-Mobile part. However, if the carrier manages to create a compelling service, it could overhaul the entire TV industry.

Vinci 2.0 standalone smart headphones want to replace your smartwatch

Alexandra Arici
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Remember the Vinci headphones which most surprisingly included a virtual assistant on board? Well the startup behind them, Inspero Inc. is back with a new pair of wireless headphones with an intriguing design and smart features.

The Vinci 2.0 are marketed as sports headphones reinvented and your personal fitness coach in your ear. So the gadget – which is to be worn around the neck – is qualified to track your heart rate, steps, cadence and workout speed and then offer coaching tips on how to improve your performance.

Because it can connect either to the Internet (3G/Wi-Fi) or your mobile, the Vinci 2.0 can act as a standalone music player that does not require a nearby smartphone to stream music from Spotify, SoundCloud, Amazon Music, and KKBOX. It can also receive notifications from your handset, no matter how far you’re from it.

Unlike its predecessor, the Vinci 2.0 is powered not by one but two virtual assistants – Inspero’s proprietary Vinci and Amazon’s Alexa, so users will have access to more than 15,000+ skills.

Owners can ask their headphones by using the hotword “Hey Vinci” to make phone calls, set a reminder, or give you directions, while their handset sits comfortably on the desk back home.

Don’t like to be seen talking to yourself while out on a jog? You can do things like changing a song or raising the volume without asking Vinci to do it, as the headphones integrate so-called true gesture control. Sounds interesting?

The Vinci 2.0 cellular has been gathering funds on Indiegogo and recently managed to surpass its funding goals. The first Vinci 2.0 units are expected to ship out in April 2018, but come next month Inspero Inc. will be present at CES 2018 in Las Vegas and will have the headphones on display.

The company is offering three versions of Vinci 2.0 on Kickstarter: the Lite, Pro, and Super. You can check out the differences between them in the table below.

Right now, you can still catch Super Early Birds on Indiegogo. Pledge $79 to get a Vinci 2.0 Lite in Black, White, Red or Blue.

Caterpillar’s rugged CAT 31 smartphone is up for grabs in the US for $329.99

Alexandra Arici
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Announced back at IFA 2017 in Berlin, the rugged CAT 31 smartphone by Caterpillar is now available for purchase in the US. Interested parties can grab the sturdy device from the company’s official webshop for $329.99 a pop.

The Cat S31 might not be pretty to look at, but it’s a robust device which can function in harsh conditions. For starters, it comes with MIL-SPEC 810G rating, meaning it can take a 1.8m fall and come out unharmed, as well as an IP68 rating (can be immersed in up to 1.2m of water for 35 minutes).

As for specs, the Cat S31 is a pretty middle-range device coming in with a 4.7-inch IPS display with 1280 x 720 resolution and Corning Gorilla Glass 3. It bundles a Qualcomm quad-core Snapdragon 210 processor under the hood, aided by 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage (expandable up to 128GB via a microSD card slot).

In the photography department, the Cat S31 offers a rather unimpressive 8-megapixel/2-megapixel camera combo. On the bright side, Caterpillar has equipped the device with a large 4,000 mAh battery. It runs Android Nougat out of the box.

If you want something more advanced, you should know the company is also selling the Cat S41 which offers better specs, including a 5-inch IPS LCD display with fullHD resolution, an octa-core MediaTek processor, more RAM and 5,000 mAh battery. The phone also benefits from Android Pay integration and obviously, it’s a bit more expensive than the Cat S31. You can get it for $449.99.

Top 7 Android writing apps for students (Promoted)

Guest Blogger
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I definitely know two things about students. They’re on a budget. And they always seek for free tools to help them get through their courses.

There’s a mistaken belief that great software is always chargeable. In fact, some free applications improve students’ academic life as well as paid alternatives.

In this article, I enlisted 7 Android apps that can help you cope with your major problems – time management, budgeting, procrastination, and academic paper writing. To survive exams, you can rely on custom writers EssayPro or take a look at some of the best software for students I’ve come across.

Mint

You already know a few money-saving tips. But the best one is using Mint for managing finances. Check the up-to-date information about your bank accounts, credit cards and bills. Track what you’re spending and don’t miss a chance to save a couple of bucks. Set reminders in order not to forget to pay your bills.

You don’t have to worry about your private information. The security is ensured with multi-factor authentication. You can set a password. So, if your phone happens to be lost or stolen, no one will be able to see your spending and savings.

Evernote

It is often included in the must-have apps for students. This feature-rich app helps to stay organized and boosts productivity.

Evernote lets you create better notes in a variety of formats, including text, photos, sketches, audio, video, web clippings and more. The latest feature is handwriting. You can take your Android device and jot down your thoughts with your finger or stylus. Later you can transform handwriting into other note type and use your ideas for essay writing or presentation preparing. Evernote will sync your content across devices. So, you’ll be able to keep working on the document on your computer. Discover other great features after downloading the app.

Studious

Studious is a homework planner. It is designed for students struggling with procrastination. With its help, you’ll Stay on track and know what’s coming up in your courses.

There’s a wide range of reminder apps available to download. Studious has a unique feature that distinguishes it from others. The app automatically puts your phone in a silent mode right as you come in the classroom. Just specify your class locations.

iA Writer

It can be hard to start writing your paper. You imagine how much work you’ll have to do and get discouraged at once. iA Writer app has a set of features that will make writing process faster and easier.

iA Writers offers MultiMarkdown to edit. It also has a built-in dictionary. The app underlines misspelled words in red and suggests corrections. This feature is very useful when you type in a hurry and make many typos.

To enhance your essay writing experience even more, iA Writer offers Night Mode and Word Count. Its focus mode will help you concentrate on one sentence at a time.

When the work is over, you can choose a template for your document. It is possible to export the file to various formats (PDF, DOCX, HTML, or plain text). The app supports syncing with Dropbox and Google Drive.

Dragon Anywhere

This speech recognition app is designed to type without touching the keyboard. Dragon Anywhere listens to your voice and converts the words into digital text. It makes essay writing several times faster. Just imagine, you can write a research paper without typing a single word!

What makes this voice-to-text app unique is that Dragon familiarizes itself with the user’s voice and improves in accuracy over time. Thus, the more you use it, the better it works.

Trello

Trello is an incredible tool that can be used for various writing and editing tasks. It is perfect for long-term projects. Consider using it for dissertation writing. It allows breaking down a ton of work into smaller chunks. You can plan your work by creating the lists of tasks and adding the lists of subtasks under each one. While that isn’t an innovative idea, Trello is an ultimate helper in simplifying the workload.

The app is packed with a bunch of great features. It is possible to create a style sheet template to store your common stylistic choices. Doing research for your academic papers is much more convenient with Trello. You can store the resources and make sure you don’t lose any important article. Download the app and discover its other helpful features.

JotterPad

This cool app has almost no competitors. Its plain text editor is devoid of the fuss and distractions of a usual word processor. The clean typing interface boosts your focus on putting your thoughts into words.

JotterPad is so popular because it supports writing not only in English but in Spanish, Italian, French and Dutch. If you’re learning a foreign language, you won’t have to look for a new app for paper writing.

Let’s list JotterPad’s several features. The app incorporates such essential features as undo/redo, universal dark theme, night vision, phrase finder, typewriter scrolling and snapshots. A built-in dictionary will help you find the right words, a thesaurus will show you synonyms, and a rhyming dictionary will assist in creative writing assignments like poems or songs. You can convert your files to different formats and sync them with Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive.

Jotter Pad is suits both for short- and long-term projects. It has fans among students, scriptwriters, poets, novelists, bloggers, and journalists. You’ll definitely like this app.

I hope this list will help you with your studies. I believe that these apps will complement your Android device and your college degree. Of course, there are many other tools you can find useful. Maybe you already have a favorite app. However, I recommend you try out new software all the time. You may find more suitable tools.

About the Author: Michelle Brooks is the blog editor and the blogger specializing in career, e-learning and self-development. Currently, she contributes to the educational resource.

The Mirabook is a laptop powered by your Samsung Galaxy S8, Note 8 or Huawei Mate 10

Alexandra Arici
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Remember the DeX dock which allows Samsung Galaxy S8 users to turn their Android phone into a desktop computer? But in order to do that, you’ll need a monitor and some peripherals including a mouse and keyboard. Which basically defeats the idea of portability associated with a smartphone.

Well, the company Miraxess has come with a better idea which aims to allow Samsung Galaxy S8 users to get that desktop experience on the go.

It offers the Mirabook which is basically a dedicated dock for your phone (the company calls it “lapdock”) that comes in the form of laptop shell equipped with a 13.3-inch FullHD display, two USB Type-C ports, two USB 3.0 ones, an HDMI port, an audio jack, SD card reader, backlit keyboard, mousepad and a battery that’s said to be able to last up to 10 hours. It also houses an extendable dock in which users will plug the phone that will power the laptop.

The Mirabook is now only compatible with the Samsung Galaxy S8, but also the Galaxy S8+, Note 8 and Huawei Mate 10. The device also works with Windows 10 Mobile devices like the Lumia 950 or Lumia 950 XL or Alcatel Idol Pro 4, Acer Liquid Jade or HP Elite X3.

The mobile powered laptop is available for an affordable $249 a pop. But given that the Mirabook was first put on display back at CES 2017 and that many, many months later the company has only just started taking pre-orders for the device, we have to wonder whether the lapdock will turn out to be a successful product.

What are your thoughts on the Mirabook?

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