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Gear Up: Anker’s SoundBuds lineup provides great value while keeping your music bumping

AG Deals Team
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More and more devices are being launched without our beloved 3.5mm headphone jack, and that is causing some frustration for those who want to consume media on their favorite phones. Thanks to the power of USB Type-C, some OEM’s are still including a 3.5mm to USB Type-C dongle, but those can get lost very quickly which can end up being a big pain.

There is another option, which may not be as popular, and that’s to join the Bluetooth revolution and invest in some Bluetooth headphones. The market has been dominated by the likes of JayBird, Bose, and Beats, but there are more viable (and cheaper) options on the market.

Today, we’re going to take a look at the suite of Anker SoundBuds Bluetooth headphones, which includes an option for just about everyone.

Anker SoundBuds Slim

Starting with the SoundBuds Slim, this set is for those want to keep a low (or dare I say, SLIM) profile with their headphones. The first thing that you’ll notice when you take them out of the box is that the earpieces are magnetic, and is something that I fell in love with when I picked up my BeatsX headphones.

Before diving too far, in the packaging, you get the SoundBuds Slim, microUSB cable for charging, and a few different ear buds and ear hooks to accommodate those with different ear canal sizes. There’s also a little quick start guide, but you can throw that off to the side as getting everything set up is pretty straightforward.

As with the other options listed here, the headphones will already be charged a bit, but you’ll want to plug them in to get them up to 100%. There’s an LED indicator on the controls which lets you know how much juice is in the chamber.

When it comes to battery life, Anker rates the SoundBuds Slim to provide up to 7 hours of playback on a single charge, and I was able to get very close to that. Some days, I listened non-stop and got between 5 and 6 hours, but the battery was a bit better if I stepped away from them and came back to them later for another extended session.

Pairing the SoundBuds Slim is also extremely easy, as you’ll only need to press and hold the “Play/Pause” button on the controls until the Blue LED begins flickering. Once the light starts flickering, you can go to the Bluetooth Settings on your favorite device and get things paired up.

If you’re looking at these to accompany you on a workout, we have good news. Anker claims that they feature an IPX4 water-resistant shell and an “internal nano-coating”. This provides a “double layer of water protection”, which is great if you get caught in the rain, or want to sweat it out in the gym.

Finally, we come to the important part — the sound quality. I wouldn’t say these can replace your cans that you use on a daily basis, but if you travel at all, the SoundBuds Slim are a welcome addition. I’m a fan of a lot of bass (see BeatsX), and while these don’t make my eardrums rattle, they still do an adequate job of giving me the extra oomph that I want.

I’ve mentioned the BeatsX as my go-to set of Bluetooth headphones, but those were priced at over $100, and that doesn’t fit into everyone’s budget. Thankfully, the Anker SoundBuds Slim are priced at just $25 and come in Black, Blue, or Red. If you’re interested, you can hit the button below to learn more!

Buy the Anker SoundsBuds Slim!

Anker SoundBuds Tag

Next up we have Anker SoundBuds Tag. These are a bit chunkier than the SoundBuds Slim, but have some hidden secrets to provide you some excellent sound quality while you’re on the go or at home.

As with the SoundBuds Slim, the SoundBuds Tag also includes an array of ear tips and “AirWings” to help make sure that the earpieces stay secure while you’re on the go. There is also an inline controller which allows you to answer calls, and control your media with a press of the button.

What sets the SoundBuds Tag apart from the others is the inclusion of Qualcomm aptX Bluetooth lossless technology. As explained by Qualcomm, aptX Bluetooth reduces the size of audio files “so they can be squeezed through the wireless pipeline without affecting the sound quality”. This is great news for those audiophiles who are concerned about losing sound quality while using Bluetooth headphones.

Speaking of sound quality, I must say that out of the three options listed today, the SoundBuds Tag is my favorite of the bunch. These were either paired to my LG G6 or my MacBook Pro and provided much more clear sounds compared to the SoundBuds Slim, but are a bit awkward to pair, and are a bit heavier.

When it comes to the SoundBuds Tag, these also feature magnets in the earpieces, but the cool thing here is that they automatically pair to the last device connected. This makes it perfect for pulling them out of your bag and getting your music with out messing around with settings.

In addition to automatically pairing with your last-used device, the magnets in the earpieces serve another purpose. When you pull the earbuds apart, your SoundBuds Tag automatically turn on, while attaching them automatically turns them off. This has cause a bit of a problem when I’m fumbling around in my bag and accidentally disconnect them, but is still a great feature.

When it comes to pricing, you may expect these to be priced alongside the BeatsX, but that’s not Anker’s style. Instead, the Anker SoundBuds Tag is priced at just $32.99, and come in either Black or White. If you want to pick these up for yourself, hit the button below, and let us know what you think!

Buy the Anker SoundsBuds Tag!

Anker SoundBuds Sport

The final option for those looking for a set of Bluetooth headphones is geared towards the gym rats out there. The Anker SoundBuds Sport is one of the best options for those who want to a set of headphones that keeps going as long as they do.

Anker rates the battery for the SoundBuds Sport at 8 hours and I was able to reach that mark, if not pass it, a couple of times throughout my testing. While these don’t offer the aptX Bluetooth technology as the SoundBuds Tag, there is still CNC active noise cancellation built-in. This will help you make sure that you stay focused on the task at hand and not be interrupted.

The differences don’t stop there, however, as there are not in-line controls on the SoundBuds Sport. Instead, all of your controls can be found on the side of the earpieces themselves. On the left earbud is your play/pause button, while the right earbud houses the volume control for the SoundBuds Sport.

I must admit, this was a bit frustrating at times, but it wasn’t enough to drive me away from continuing to enjoy these headphones. What did frustrate me was the call-quality of the SoundBuds Sport. The person on the other end of the call always complained that I wasn’t speaking up, leaving me to almost have to yell for them to hear me — a problem not experienced with the other SoundBuds products.

Now, I’m not the most active person in the world, but when I was warming up for some basketball, the SoundBuds Sport stayed in place for me, after I switched up the ear tips. Before then, one earpiece would fall out, only for the other to fall out after being put back in.

Regardless, the SoundBuds Sport is definitely worth a look if you’re looking for some budget-minded work out Bluetooth headphones. Priced at just under $30, you don’t have much to lose when giving the SoundBuds Sport a shot.

If you’re looking to pick these up, they are available in Black, Green, and Blue color options and you can get them as soon as tomorrow thanks to Prime Shipping. Hit the button below to learn more and let us know what you think about the SoundBuds Sport!

Buy the Anker SoundsBuds Sport!<

Conclusion

The great thing about the world we live in is that technology is always evolving, making it possible for smaller accessory-makers to provide budget options. What’s even better is when these accessories hit the mark and save you more than a few bucks in the process.

Anker’s SoundBuds lineup does this and so much more, and I can’t say enough great things about these awesome headphones. Let us know what you think about these Anker headphones and if you’ll be looking to pick up a pair for yourself!

Prevent and protect yourself from ransomware attacks

Guest Blogger
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This world that we’re living in is a technologically thriving one where data flows through every corner. It’s because of this “information age” that almost anything is possible, where we can use it either for good things that’ll make our lives easier, or use it for malicious acts for the sake of our self-gain.

Because of this, we cannot deny the fact that there are people who want to prey on other people’s successes – hackers. Hackers now have become more of a serious threat to society due to cyber attacks, the most common of which are in the form of ransomware. It’s because of these that you can now get the best antivirus for mobile and computers.

What is a Ransomware?

Ransomware is a kind of malware or computer virus that disables users from having access to their system interface or data stored on their computer. Aside from that, there are some cases where it deletes important information and even publishes sensitive ones.

It seemingly stops doing this until you pay the ransomware’s creator a certain sum of money through Bitcoin. However, there is still no guarantee that your system and information will be back to normal if you pay them the amount. This is how threatening-of-a-situation ransomware attacks are.

Preventing Ransomware Attacks

As dangerous and fatal as it sounds, you don’t need to panic about it because there are a lot of things you can do to avoid these attacks from happening in the first place.

Here are some of the best ways:

1. Installing a reputable antivirus software.

This is the first and most obvious thing you need to do. These software are specifically designed to combat these computer viruses. But you should bear in mind that not all antivirus software can detect and remove ransomware because only around 20% to 30% of them can.

Ransomware is a kind of malware that is more complex, making them quite tricky and hard to neutralize. Make sure to install a reputable antivirus such as those sold by well-established vendors such as Norton, Kaspersky Lab, and Malwarebytes. It’s also best if you avail the premium plan. It might be a bit pricey, but it’s worth it.

2. Having data backups.

It’s important that you always prepare for the worst case scenario. In simpler words – expect the unexpected. Create backups of your data. You can do this by having duplicates of your sensitive files stored on a separate external hard drive.

You can also make use of your cloud storage. So that if ever a hacker successfully overrides your system, you can simply erase all of the data in your machine and deny the hacker access to your files. Anyways, you can still restore all of the data later on with your backup.

3. Being extra vigilant with suspicious emails.

Another way where a ransomware might access your system is through emails and pop-ups. This has happened some times already, WannaCry being the most popular of these ransomware attacks. It is initiated through email attachments.

It has infected more than 200,000 computers in 150 countries, proving that ransomware is a real threat to everyone. With this, it makes perfect sense for you to be extra careful in reading and opening emails that might seem to be suspicious.

Check for any signs of inconsistencies such as grammatical and typographical errors. You can also hover on the hyperlinks to see if they’re going to redirect you to a suspicious-looking site.

If an email asks you sensitive information such as your bank account number, password, or social security number, and if it comes from a financial institution, they’re most likely hackers. Immediately report them to your email provider, swiftly send it to the trash bin, and delete it for good.

4. Getting a premium business security plan.

If ever you’re running a big company which spans over hundreds of employees, you need to get a top-of-the-line security plan. In knowing that you have hundreds or possibly even thousands of employees and each has their computer system, the infection can easily spread throughout the organization even if only one machine is infected by ransomware.

In having a security plan, you can avoid this from happening because there will be IT professionals and advanced security systems that’ll monitor your system’s overall health and status in real-time.

If Your System is Already Infected…

If ever it seems to be too late for you and your system is already infected, the first thing you need to do is to disconnect your machine from the internet immediately. This is to stop the infection from spreading to other machines.

If you’ve got a data backup, then you’re all good. You simply have to erase all of the infected data and restore it back through your other hard disk which contains all of the backup data.

But if you don’t have any, then you’ve got no other choice but to report it to the police and seek the help of an IT professional who specializes in data recovery. If they can’t help you, then you’ve just got to wait until a new security tool pops up in the future.

Samsung could be sticking with the rear-mounted fingerprint scanner for the Galaxy S9

Matt Adams
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Ugh.

I’ve made no secret of my love for the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus, but the one thing that holds it back from truly being great is the fingerprint scanner. Some, including myself, have been saying for a while now that all phones are great and choosing your next phone comes down to finding the one that annoys you the least. The Galaxy S8 Plus is awesome, but it has the most annoying drawback of any phone on the market.

That damn fingerprint scanner.

Putting it next to the camera sensor and pretty high up on the device isn’t ideal. I get why it was done (the wireless charging sensor is placed where the fingerprint scanner should be) but it still sucks nonetheless. I’ve made far greater usage out of Trusted Places and Trusted Devices on my Galaxy S8 Plus than any other device I’ve ever owned just so I don’t have to use that damn fingerprint scanner. And it looks like it’s going to stick around for awhile longer.

A report from KGI, a rather reliable industry predictor, notes that we’ll see the Galaxy S9 continue on with the rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. While that stinks, it also predicts that the Galaxy Note 9 will finally transition from the rear-mounted scanner to an under the display fingerprint scanner in 2018.

Currently, there’s little reason for the S9 to move the fingerprint scanner under the glass. Apple recently scrapped plans for the iPhone to move TouchID under the display due to manufacturing hurdles, so why would Samsung force the issue if it hasn’t perfected it? As of right now, VIVO is the only phone manufacturer to show off a prototype of an under the display fingerprint sensor it and it has some significant drawbacks.

While I’m personally disappointed, I’m also fine with Samsung not releasing something before it’s perfected. Some of you may remember the fingerprint scanner on some of Samsung’s earlier devices where you had to swipe the home button. Boy, did that suck even more than the current solution.

In KGI’s report, it also seems that Samsung is going to ditch Synaptics for Egis. Switching fingerprint scanner suppliers for the Galaxy Note 9 would be news on its own, but what really makes this stand out is that apparently, Egis fingerprint scanners are four to five times the price of those supplied by Synaptics currently. Could we see a base $1000+ Galaxy Note 9?

Want to save $200 on a Google Pixel and get a free Daydream View VR headset? Here’s how

Matt Adams
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The “Pixel, phone by Google” has undeniably been one of the best phones of the last 12 months. The unbelievably smooth user experience is backed up by super fast software updates, the best camera on the market, and amazing battery life. With rumors surfacing about the next generation of Pixel devices, it’s getting harder and harder to recommend picking up a Pixel or Pixel XL for full price.

Apparently, Google is listening because the Pixel and Pixel XL just went on sale and you can get a free Daydream VR headset too.

Here’s the deal. The Pixel is getting a discount of $125 while the Pixel XL is getting a discount of $200. In addition to that, when you add a Pixel device and a Daydream View VR headset to your cart, you get an additional $79 discount to cover the price of the headset too. All told, you can save up to $279.

If you’re looking to pick up a couple of phones, Google is extending the offer. Each phone will get the discount, although I have run into some weirdness when it comes to adding certain models into my card. No matter what I tried, I could not add a Very Silver 32GB Pixel into a cart with a Quite Black 32GB Pixel XL. Other combinations worked, but not that one.

If you need a phone today, the LG G6 and the Pixel (or XL) with this discount are about the best you can find for the money. Both have Snapdragon 821 processors, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of base storage, great battery life and top-tier cameras.

Are you planning to move on this deal? Let us know down in the comments why or why not.

Google Pixel XL review

Gear up: These are my new favorite pieces of gaming gear

Matt Adams
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While my true passion is Android, I do enjoy taking some time off to play some games. My chances have dwindled as I’ve gotten older and my life has filled up and that makes me appreciate the opportunities I have more than ever. More than just playing games, it’s a chance to hang out with friends from across the country and accomplish something challenging.

So, even though I don’t get many hours in, it’s important to me to have good and fun gear that I can count on when I get to sit down and play. Additionally, I want my gear to be reliable and hold up for the long term. No one wants to have to deal with controller pairing issues or audio cut-outs, especially when you only have a few hours a week in the first place.

Some of the items on the list I’ve owned forever on my own dime and some were sent over for review from the companies. All the descriptions and opinions are my own and in no way influenced by how I came by them.

SCUF Infinity1 Xbox One controller

While I play games on multiple platforms, most of my time is spent using my Xbox One. Most of my friends are on the platform and the games that I love are here too so it’s a good match. I’ll be moving more toward PC gaming in the next year or so (Destiny 2 on PC!) but for now, the console it is.

I’ve had an Xbox Elite controller (yep, the one that’s about $150) since right after they were released. Unfortunately for me, it has fallen apart on me. I love the thing but the build quality just isn’t there. Unfortunately, I’m not the only one. In my small group of gaming friends, three of us have had the same issue.

That’s why I got a SCUF controller. SCUF controllers are like Elite controllers but much, much more customizable and higher quality. on SCUF’s site, you have endless color options including player and e-sport team-endorsed designs for such big names as OpTic, Faze, EnVy, Luminosity, Evil Geniuses, Clayster, Nadeshot, and a ton more. One of the harder decisions I had when ordering mine was picking the design I wanted because there are so many fun ones on there.

You can also customize the hell out of it. You have your choice of thumbsticks, D-Pad, triggers, paddles, and grips and normally you have multiple options in each category. One of the bigger advantages of a SCUF controller over one the basic Xbox controller are the customizable paddles on the back. By default, the paddles are programmed to the face buttons (A, B, X, and Y on Xbox) so your hands remain in a more comfortable position and your thumbs never have to leave the thumbsticks. The paddles are fully remappable and I prefer the vertical layout of the SCUF controller over the horizontal layout on the Xbox Elite controller. It took a while for me to get used to them, but now I can’t imagine playing without them.

The biggest advantage, in my opinion, that SCUF has over Microsoft’s Elite controller is in the grips. The Elite controller has soft plastic that is seemingly glued down to the base of the controller where as the SCUF Infinity1 has a hard plastic grip that snaps into place. The glue has failed on my Elite controller and that soft plastic is now coming off the controller to the point where it’s uncomfortable to hold long term. It bunches up and just overall is a shitty experience.

The SCUF solution is much, much better. The hard plastic will last an indefinite amount of time if treated correctly and since they’re user replaceable, you can just swap them out for another pair in a few seconds. Literally, the only issue I’ve ever had with the SCUF controller in the few months of owning one was that the hair trigger control built into one of my grips was causing me to not be able to fire my gun in Destiny. I’m fairly sure this was just me not being able to adjust the sensitivity of the hair trigger limiter with the included key and not a design flaw with the controller, but regardless, I was able to just swap out grips to a different pair that didn’t have the issue and was on my way.

Overall, I highly recommend the SCUF Infinity1 if you have the cash and you’re looking for a nice upgrade over the standard Xbox controller or you’re looking for something a little more solidly built than the Xbox Elite controller.

SteelSeries Arctis 5 Headset

I love a good headset. It started with my minor obsession with finding the best headphones I could (I settled on Sennheiser HD589Cs) and transferred into finding the best gaming headset I could too. For my Xbox, I have both the Turtle Beach Elite Pro and Turtle Beach 800X, but for my computer, I use the SteelSeries Arctis 5. I was originally sent these for a review but they quickly turned into my go-to headset for not only gaming but music too.

The headset band is made out of hard, rigid plastic that has enough flex to fit bigger heads (I’d know, trust me) and provide enough squeeze to keep the headset on your head when whipping around, but not so much to where it’s uncomfortable. The earcups are a soft fabric that feel nice to the touch and breathe more than a higher-end leather earcup might.

SteelSeries Arctis 7 review: Wireless headphones with a heavy focus on gaming

The outside of the earcups is a soft plastic that can pick up some fingerprints when you’re taking them on and off. You may not notice the fingerprints, though, because you’ll be too busy staring at the RGB LEDs that line the outside of the earcups. I was never caught up in the RBG LED craze, but it really does look awesome hanging on my Just Mobile headphone stand. Just above the earcups and just under the headband sits a cloth secondary band (called a Ski Google Headband by SteelSeries) that contours to your head. It took a little getting used to because I don’t entirely love how the fabric feels on my hair, but it does a good job of eliminating neck and head fatigue. You can also purchase different bands with differing designs on them to fit your look.

The drivers under the cloth earcups are angled toward your eardrums for perfection in terms of audio quality. Using these in shooters was pretty fantastic to establish where exactly enemies were coming from while games like Civilization with excellent audio mixing sounded great as well.

Speaking of audio, you can share it with a friend. There’s a 3.5mm jack on the headset that you can plug another pair of headphones into and share your audio. The only time I could ever think that I’d use this is watching a movie on a plane, but even then, Bluetooth headphones would seem like a more obvious choice. Having this feature included doesn’t hurt anything or jack up the price (the Arctis 5 are only $99) but it seems like a bit of a waste.

The microphone sounds really, really good. I normally use a Blue Yeti microphone on an arm while PC gaming, but there wasn’t a ton of drop off in terms audio quality. The Arctis 5 is definitely good enough to use as your main source of audio if you’re playing games or recording podcasts for fun with your friends. I wouldn’t recommend it for high-end tasks, but you’ve probably already invested in high-end audio equipment if that’s your use case.

The only time that I ever got any comments about the microphone quality is when I bumped it. It will pick up those minor bumps and scrapes and transport them directly into your friend’s heads. Also, the microphone stays on when you push the arm back into the headset. You’ll need to use the mute button located next to the volume slider on the left earcup.

The USB cable from the headset runs into its own USB ChatMix dial. This dial, when set up correctly in windows, allows you to control the chat and game mix with the dial that sits on your desk. I like the ability to drown out chat at important times and only hear the game or bump up chat volume a little bit depending on who I’m playing with. The connection uses a USB type-B connection which isn’t that common anymore so to use this with your phone you need to connect it to the included USB type-B to 3.5mm adapter.

The audio that comes out of these headphones feels like it has a nice balance. None of the mids, highs, and lows feel emphasized too much. Loud bassy explosions feel satisfying without vibrating the headset off your head while voices come through clear and crisp. Music is a joy to listen to if you’re looking a headset if you’re looking for something you can use for both gaming and music.

SteelSeries Qck Prism

In the land of tomorrow, everything must be RGB. Jokes aside, no one really thinks an RGB mouse pad is a necessity for gaming, but damn if it isn’t cool. The QCK PRSM is big, heavy mouse pad that stays put no matter how much I bump it. It has soft plastic on the bottom to make sure that it isn’t moving around when you need stability the most.

The top of the mouse pad comes with a swappable secondary pad. The default side is a hard plastic pad that is great for quick movements and adds zero friction to your use. Flip it over and you get a cloth pad that is great for more precision style games. Just outside of the pad is an LED strip that frankly looks awesome. It isn’t in your face or distracting when playing games at night. I love the default flow pattern that looks like a steady stream, but you can customize how it looks through the SteelSeries software.

One of the things that SteelSeries took great care to do is place the USB cable on the left side of the mouse pad. If you use a wireless mouse like me, it doesn’t matter a great deal, but the design keeps the USB cable out of the way of wired mice, which is important when you’re playing twitch shooters like CSGO.

I can’t say that the QCK Prism has upped my game or made me better in any way, but damn if it doesn’t look cool. I love that it doesn’t slide around at all (it’s 2 lbs!) and you can control the LEDs in software. The build quality is really excellent so I think if you’re looking to shell out a little bit of money to complete your LED build, this is definitely something you should look at.

Conclusion

These are just three of my favorite new gaming toys. I’d like to thank SCUF and SteelSeries for passing along some samples for me to try out. I found it pretty quick and easy to integrate the controller, headset, and mouse pad into my routine since they’re all pretty high-quality products and upgrades on what I was already using.

We know that this isn’t our normal type of content but often times the readers that read AndroidGuys are attracted to subjects like this. If you’d like to see more articles like this that aren’t specifically about Android but have some overlapping interest, let us know down in the comments and we’ll be sure to effort some more. Don’t like these articles? Feel free to let us know that too.

Purchase links and Discounts

Gear Up: Consider Kingston memory cards for your phones, tablets, drones, cameras, and more

AndroidGuys
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Despite the fact that phone makers have steadily increased the internal storage capacity of phones, there a many devices on the market which still offer support for external media. And, why not? Just because we can back files up in the cloud doesn’t mean that we actually have to do so. No, sometimes we like to keep a local copy which can be transferred from device to device.

It’s not just phones that utilize memory cards either. Consider that digital cameras, drones, Wi-Fi security cameras, and other digital products, too. In other words, you should have some external storage to rely on.

Kingston, a prominent player in the memory card business for decades, has a number of solutions which you may want to consider if you’re in the market for storage. Whether you need something extra to back up some photos, or a high-capacity card for recording 4K video in a drone, there’s something for everyone.

We’ve been sent a few sample cards from Kingston and have used them in a variety of devices over the last few weeks. Each of what we received were 64GB capacity; however, you can purchase cards from 4GB all the way up to 2TB.

Before picking out a card, though, consider what it is that you might be doing with it. Are you just using it for storing pictures from your phone? Will you be recording HD video or 4K footage? Not all 64GB cards are the same.

Take for instance the two cards we were provided: Gold Series and UHS-I Speed Class 3 (U3). Each has their own intended uses, but you can always work downward. In other words, the higher “class” cards can do everything that the lower ones can. Think of this as how a Bluray player can also read DVDs and CDs.

In this case, the Gold Series offers read speeds of 90MB/s, or the same as the UHS-I Speed Class 3 (U3). However, the write speed for the former is 45MB/s while the latter is nearly doubled at 80MB/s. What does this mean? It means you can take burst photos and write to the memory card much faster.

Why does speed matter? Let’s just drill this down to pictures on a smartphone. Image sizes have gotten increasingly bigger over the years. Snapping a full-resolution picture today is often around 16-megapixels or 20-megapixels. Take photo that uses 3MB and it’s not that big of a deal. But, when you want to capture a whole string of them in a row, you’ll want to pound out ten pics without thinking.

Now, think of HD security cameras, a GoPro, or drone pulling in gorgeous 4K clips from the sky. And this is just today’s technology and needs. Do yourself a favor and future-proof yourself with the largest and fastest storage cards you can afford.

Why Speed Matters

Here’s what Kingston says about speeds on memory cards.

  • Long buffering – when you press the shutter and the camera takes the shot but then it freezes until the data is fully written to the card.
  • Corrupted video – video cameras might produce corrupted video files if the card speed is too slow or the camera may downgrade the video to match the speed of the card. This could turn full 1080p HD video into a video with much lower resolution.
  • Shortened clips – when a camera has a higher writing speed than the Flash card, the camera will pause and the video clip will abruptly end once the speed limit of the card is reached.
  • Burst shooting – many cameras have a burst mode feature where one press produces a repeated series of photographs; this allows users to capture fast-moving events or subjects like pets and children. If the card writing speed is too slow, burst mode setting will not work.

We’ve thoroughly enjoyed using the Kingston cards in our devices. Actually, let’s rephrase that; we’ve not even noticed that we’re using external media for capturing content. In fact, we have to remind ourselves that our phone or camera is writing to a microSD card. When you have the right card it’s a simple matter of set it and forget it. Such has been the case with both of these cards.

Where to Buy

If you’re looking to make a microSD card purchase, head to Kingston’s website to learn more and buy. Additionally, you can find its cards at a variety of retailers, including both online and in-store. Here’s a quick link to Amazon, Newegg, Best Buy, and Walmart.

Google’s latest AOSP commit reveals a device called ‘dorado’

Dan Bartram
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Google issued a new commit to AOSP yesterday and with it has brought some interesting tidbits. The first is a reference to an unknown device called dorado and the second is the ability for AOSP to support touch input.

The term dorado was mentioned in the commit along with the Nexus 6P and anglefish as being tested suggesting it is an actual codename for a device. There’s no way of knowing what it is but assumingly the reference is to an Android Wear device as we believe we already know the codenames for the next Pixel devices. It could also just be an internal word for something like an emulator.

Google adding touch support to AOSP recovery makes sense to align the Android and Android Wear recovery system, with the later already supporting touch input. I doubt Google anticipates Android to be installed on a device without any hardware input buttons and would solely rely on touch, but you never know.

Could we even begin to see more functionality be added to recovery like we see in something like TWRP? A touch interface makes much more sense and is necessary to interact with more advanced features.

While the new details are interesting, they don’t really give any insigh into how they will manifest into actual end user devices or features so I guess we’ll have to watch this space. For more information check out the commit in AOSP here.

OnePlus issues OxygenOS 4.5.8 to OnePlus 5

Dan Bartram
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OnePlus began rolling out OxygenOS 4.5.7 but had to abrudtly halt the rollout due to reports of performance issues during gaming. The company  have already issued OxygenOS 4.5.8 to address the issue.

You should begin to see 4.5.8 as an available update even if you hadn’t updated to 4.5.7. Head into settings on your device and check for updates to make sure you’re not left with stuttering while gaming.

OxygenOS 4.5.7 introduced the following new features.

New additions:

  • Introducing the all new OnePlus Slate font
  • Added EIS for 4K video recording

Updates:

  • Updated Android security patch level to 1st July 2017
  • Updated to latest GMS package

Optimizations:

  • Wi-Fi connectivity improvements
  • Standby battery enhancements

Bug Fixes:

  • Fixed occasional sound leaks in the speakers when using earphones
  • Fixed camera shutter sound bug in silent mode for Indian region
  • Fixed missing sound channels when recording videos

Obviously the latest version 4.5.8 also has these features too but with the added fix for the gaming performance issue.

Essential Phone could finally be close to shipping

Dan Bartram
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Despite the estimated date of shipping having come and gone, the Essential Phone could soon be ready to ship after all.

Andy Ruben publicly informed those who pre-ordered the device that the delay was due to certification of the device with carriers. It seems that this delay may have finally been sorted as a new listing for the device has appeared on the Best Buy website.

Best Buy lists the Sprint and Unlocked version of the Essential Phone with a starting price of $699.99. Both are listed as coming soon as technically they are not available but does indicate that shipping could be imminent if stores are listing them.

The Essential Phone is something a little different than traditional smartphones. The distinct bezel-less display is its most notable feature but there’s also capability to attach expandable modules.

Will the device take the smartphone market by storm? Hopefully it will ship soon and we’ll find out.

myCharge AdventureUltra review: The charging companion for all of your needs

Scott Webster
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After reviewing countless portable power banks and charging solutions over the years, there are a few features I’ve come to appreciate. If anything, there are certain details I look for first when making a purchasing decision or recommendation.

I’ve spent time with a number of products from the myCharge brands over the last couple of years, each of which fills a particular void. Sometimes we need something super portable or minimal as a backup just in case we run low on a long work day. Other times we need a beast of a unit because we fully expect to deplete our batteries over an extended weekend away. Such is the case with the latest myCharge product, the AdventureUltra.

Taking up about as much space as a portable cassette player from the 1980’s, the Ultra is strong enough to power up most phones some eight times over. Thanks to its 13,400mAh internal battery, it’s everything you need to keep phones, tablets, and wearables juiced up for 2-3 days.

With this much power you might expect for it to offer even more functionality. Indeed, it does. Not only do you have the requisite USB ports (two 2.4A), but you also get a USB C port (3.0A), and an AC port (45W), as well. Yes, this means you’ll be able to power up four devices at a time — even a laptop.

Each of the charging ports is protected by a rubber boot to keep from getting dust and debris. This is convenient in cases where you might be at a beach, on a dusty job site, or spending time outside.

Given the capacity of the battery, and our likelihood of charging multiple devices at once, we’ll want to know exactly how much gas is left in the tank. The AdventureUltra offers up a great display which shows what’s remaining in terms of charge. You’ll have no problem identifying whether you need to get the charger back to a wallet out or if you can stay out and about for a few more hours — or days.

The number of use cases for the AdventureUltra is seemingly endless. Going tailgating and want to take a TV with you? This charger is strong enough to power a 32-inch television for up to three hours. So, take that TV with you to beach, Cast to it from your phone, and make sure you’re up to speed with Game of Thrones!

If you routinely spend multiple days on the road, pull marathon sessions of Pokemon Go, or go camping, hiking, then you’ll want to consider this charger. It’s built very well and ticks the marks for the things that matter. I loved that it features multiple ports for both the standard USB outlet but also the emerging USB Type C as well. Plus, who hasn’t wanted a standard wall outlet plug for a laptop, drone, or something else while on the road?

Price shakes out to around $130 for it, but it’s certainly worth it in my opinion. I’ve always had great luck with myCharge products and find them to be solidly built devices. It’s more expensive than what you might find in a larger capacity unit, but it’s the all-in-one functionality that puts it over the edge for me.

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