Appnext

Selasa, 01 Januari 2019

Samsung's $24 Bar Plus 128GB USB 3.1 flash drive keeps your data safe

Nothing's going to stop your data.

The Samsung 128GB Bar Plus USB 3.1 flash drive is down to $23.74 thanks to a price drop to $24.99 and a 5% off on-page coupon. Only the Champagne Silver version has the 5% off coupon, but you can also get the Titan Gray version for $24.99. Considering this drive normally sells for around $33 and often much higher, this is a nice deal. It's a match for the lowest price we've ever seen. This deal matches a sale on Newegg.

The Bar Plus flash drive is designed for absolute portability. Just use the key ring to attach it to the keys you carry around with you all the time anyway. The rugged metal casing protects your data. It's resistant to water, shock, magnets, extreme temperatures, and even X-rays. It's backwards compatible with USB 3.0 and previous generations and comes with a five-year warranty from Samsung. It has 4.3 stars based on 601 users on Amazon.

See on Amazon

Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:

Which Wear OS devices have a heart rate sensor?

There are plenty of Wear OS watches out there, but not all of them have one of the most important features you could ask for — a heart rate sensor. Not only are heart rate sensors great for accurately tracking how hard you're going during a workout, they're also helpful for keeping track of your ticker to make sure everything's working like it should. If you want a Wear OS watch with a heart rate sensor, these are the ones to get!

Legendary battery life

TicWatch Pro

Battery life typically isn't a strong point for Wear OS smartwatches, but the TicWatch Pro is a wonderful exception to that rule. Thanks to a special dual display design, the TicWatch Pro can switch back and forth between Smart and Essential Modes that helps it get up to 30 days of use on a single charge.

$250 at Amazon

Sports!

TicWatch S

If the Pro is a bit too rich for your blood, TicWatch has a more affordable option in the form of the TicWatch S. While battery life is a lot more commonplace at about 1-2 days, the S delivers built-in GPS right in the watch band, a comfy design, heart-rate tracking, and more for just two hundred bucks.

$200 at Amazon

Budget pick

TicWatch E

The TicWatch E is very similar to the TicWatch S, but it ditches the sporty aesthetic for something a bit more generic. The plastic build isn't the nicest we've ever seen, but it gets the job done and doesn't look half bad. There's also built-in GPS and interchangeable watch bands (something you won't find on the S).

$160 at Amazon

Oldie but a goodie

Huawei Watch 2

The Huawei Watch 2 is easily the oldest watch on this list, but if you're in the market for one that has a heart-rate sensor, it may still be worth a look. While you'll need to opt for a used model at this point in time, the Watch 2 has a sturdy design, NFC for Google Pay, built-in GPS, powerful sleep tracking, and up to 2 days of battery life.

Price varies at Amazon

Don't miss it

Misfit Vapor 2

While the Vapor 2 may not look very enticing at first glance, it's a pretty solid Wear OS watch that has just about every feature you could ask for. It comes in two different sizes to accommodate all wrists, supports Google Pay, has standalone GPS, and packs all this in a simple design that works well at both the gym and out at a nice dinner.

$250 at Amazon

What a beaut

Skagen Falster 2

Want to own one of the best-looking smartwatches to-date? Pick up the Skagen Falster 2. Its design is sleek, simple, and something we just can't get enough of. The two buttons and crown on the side look great while offering nice functionality, and when paired with a Skagen-made stainless steel band, it all comes together to create for one gorgeous piece of tech.

$295 at Amazon

Great pick

Fossil Men's Gen 4 Explorist HR

Fossil is one of the most active Wear OS watch-makers around, and its Gen 4 Explorist HR delivers a really great all-around experience. Along with a gorgeous body that has a timeless look, you'll also find Google Pay, GPS, and 24 hour battery life to get you through a full day of regular use.

$255 at Amazon

A feminine touch

Fossil Women's Gen 4 Venture HR

Like the Fossil Explorist but want something with a feminine touch? That's where the Venture comes in. This has all of the same features as the Explorist but ditches the masculine aesthetic for one that's tailored more towards women. The Venture is a really pretty watch, and if you're after something with this design, it's a great choice.

$275 at Amazon

Can't go wrong

Fossil Sport

Last but not least, the Fossil Sport is Fossil's latest smartwatch to hit the scene. It's the only watch on this list with Qualcomm's new Wear 3100 processor and has an incredibly lightweight body with a great sporty-aesthetic. It's available in a variety of colors, has GPS, Google Pay, and can be taken in the pool without any worries or issues.

$255 at Fossil

There you have it, folks — a collection of all the best Wear OS watches that come equipped with a heart-rate sensor. The Fossil Sport is probably the best pick for most people thanks to its newer processor, accessible design, host of features, and competitive price. If want something a bit classier, we strongly recommend checking out the Skagen Falster 2. Happy shopping!

Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:

Android in 2019: Our predictions on foldable phones, 5G and more

The trends that will emerge in the year to come.

2018 was a good year for smartphones. Not because of one show-stealing feature or an altogether new innovation, but because the whole smartphone world got really good. Your average phone in 2018 was much better than in the last few years, and that's better for everyone. But in 2019, I see a year in Android that will be slightly different — a "tock" cycle of altogether new technology and innovations hitting the market, rather than a "tick" of a rising tide that lifts all ships.

Here are the trends we can all look forward to in the Android world in the coming year.

Innovative notches; the death of the 'notch'

Back in April I wrote about display notches and how they're not inherently bad, so long as they actually serve a purpose. At the time I also pointed out that getting frustrated over notches isn't worth our time, because they'll soon be reduced and then disappear as quickly as they arrived. 2019 is the year for the start of this transition away from notches.

Notches are getting smaller, they're changing shape, and in some cases they aren't really "notches" at all. 2019's notches will be in the corner(s) of the display, they'll be just barely larger than the components they contain, or they'll be just a hole in the display rather than a full-on notch. All of these new designs are less intrusive, less annoying and take up less of your display.

A prototypical top-dead-center notch will remain for some time, particularly at the mid-range price segments where phones get years-old tech that trickles down. But at the high end we'll see fewer large notches and more innovative screen shapes and cutouts that more graciously integrate the cameras and sensors we need to have.

Foldable phones

Samsung will release a foldable phone in 2019, and it won't be alone. This is the next frontier for smartphones, because as soon as the technology can be shrunk down to a pocketable size, it just makes sense as a concept. Our insatiable appetite for larger screens has made phones too big to fit in our hands and our pockets, yet we keep wanting more screen real estate, more features and larger batteries. A foldable phone starts to solve the hand and pocket problem by letting a phone be compact when you need it to, then expand when you want more screen to see or interact with.

At first, foldable phones will be big, bulky and boring — but not for long.

The first foldable phones will be big, bulky and not all that enticing, much like the first big "phablet" phones, but don't get discouraged — foldable phone technology is an exciting development that has the potential to change what we consider to be a "smartphone" form factor.

You could also use this discussion foldable phones to include sliders, but I don't see those sticking around very long. Foldable displays justify their thickness with dramatically increased screen real estate, whereas sliders add lots of physical complexity for little benefit. And advancements in notch, display, sensor and camera technology will eventually let components rest inside and behind displays in ways that will negate the need for a slider altogether.

Fewer headphone jacks, ports and buttons

Headphone jacks aren't dead. Far from it, in fact, particularly in all of the segments below the ultra-expensive flagships. But customers don't seem to mind missing the headphone jack too much, and keep buying phones without it — so companies keep putting out phones without one. The trend will continue in 2019, and you shouldn't ever assume that a company will make an about-face move and bring a headphone jack back to a model — when it's dead, it's dead.

But this is really a symptom of smartphone makers wanting to simplify their hardware in a multitude of ways. First, it was removable batteries. Then, SD card slots, LED notification lights, headphone jacks, large speaker grills, and so on. Now it's buttons and ports of all kinds. The fewer openings there are in a thin phone's frame, the fewer failure points to exploit in a pocket or with a drop. HTC tried to eschew buttons altogether and mostly failed, but you can't count out this happening again.

If there's a way a company can remove a port, button or moving part from a phone while spinning it as a positive (or gracefully not mentioning it), it'll do it. Customers will complain a bit, but it doesn't seem to be as big of a hang-up in purchases as it is in discussion.

The start of the (confusing) 5G transition

Unfortunately, we're in for the same transitional headaches as the 3G-to-4G move.

2019 will be, finally, the year of the transition to consumer-ready 5G networks. We've been hearing the hype and promises for a couple years now, but carriers are finally putting their cell sites where their marketing is. Verizon and AT&T are leading the 5G charge in the U.S., and dozens of carriers around the world are doing the same in their respective countries. 5G that's currently limited to fixed home-based internet service and large dedicated mobile hotspots right now will make its way into phones throughout 2019, and the number of markets where 5G is available will go from a handful to dozens.

But the transition to 5G will unfortunately be slow, convoluted and ultimately confusing — just like the move from CDMA and HSPA (3G) to LTE (4G). We'll still be using LTE for years to come as the backbone of cellphone networks while 5G is rolled out, as 5G will take several years to deploy fully and even when "finished" will still rely on LTE for rural network deployments. Unfortunately, we're in for the same transitional headaches as the 3G-to-4G move as well; AT&T is already muddying the waters, and carriers are already greatly over-exaggerating the size of their networks. The first 5G phones will look like the first LTE phones did: big, battery-hungry and exclusive to specific carriers. But we'll get past this, and 5G will be fantastic. Eventually.

All photography is 'computational' photography

One of the most consistently impressive improvements in smartphones through 2017 and 2018 was camera quality. Every smartphone over $150 has a pretty good camera, and the top-end models have truly excellent cameras. Nearly all of the improvement has come from what we refer to as "computational photography," or the idea that a series of deeply complex algorithms and processing generates photos rather than a basic sensor simply capturing what it sees.

Google steals the limelight with its Night Sight feature that's a shining example of what computational photography can bring us, but the truth is that every smartphone is using some level of computation when it creates photos, and smartphones will only lean further on this technology in the year to come. Smartphones don't have any more room inside for larger cameras, but the software and processors inside are more than picking up the slack. With the right processing, a phone with a tiny sensor and simple lens can take photos that rival a professional's DSLR.

And these features aren't reserved for only the most expensive phones from the big brands that have massive dedicated photography engineers. Companies like Qualcomm are making plug-and-play solutions that smartphone manufacturers can license and bring advanced photography solutions to their phones without the massive investment of developing the features themselves.

What are your predictions?

With a fresh calendar ahead of us, and lots of new Android phones yet to launch, where do you see things going? Let us know your predictions and wild expectations in the comments!

Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:

3 things to look forward to with smartwatches in 2019

Here's what the new year could hold for our wrist computers.

When you step back and look at 2018 as a whole, it was actually a pretty big year for smartwatches. Google's Wear OS saw a huge software overhaul, Qualcomm launched its first new wearable-focused processor in over two years, and Fitbit released its best smartwatch yet with the Versa while continuing to polish and refine its FitbitOS platform (not to mention the incredible Series 4 Apple Watch).

Smartwatches had a pretty good life for the past 365 days, and as we head into the new year, there are a few things we can look forward to that'll see them mature and advance even more.

Join me as we go through my top smartwatch predictions for 2019!

We'll see the full potential of Qualcomm's Wear 3100 chip

Like I said above, 2018 was the year that we finally got Qualcomm's long-awaited Snapdragon Wear 3100 processor for smartwatches. So far, however, it's been less than impressive.

Only two Wear OS watches with the new chip have been released, those being the Montblanc Summit 2 and Fossil Sport. While we've yet to review them here on AC, our friend Mr. Mobile and other various outlets have cited battery performance that doesn't live up to the big claims Qualcomm made for the new chip.

The general consensus right now seems to be that the Summit 2 and Fossil Sport aren't fully optimized for the 3100 and that future software updates should improve battery life as time goes on. Seeing as how legendary battery was supposed to be the 3100's big claim to fame, one can only hope that turns out to be true.

As we go into 2019, I think this will be the year that we see the true potential of Qualcomm's new chip. Software updates will be issued, OEMs will spend more time working with the chip so that it performs as good as can be, and I think that'll result in better end-user experiences as new smartwatches are released.

The end of 2018 was an awkward time for Wear OS between watches shipping with the outdated 2100 processor and the two 3100 models not living up to expectations, but those growing pains should (hopefully) be gone in the near future.

What's next for Fitbit

While Wear OS was trying to figure out what to do with its new processor, Fitbit managed to have a pretty great 2018. It followed up on its Ionic smartwatch with the Fitbit Versa and delivered a truly great smartwatch that was accessible for more wrists, easier on the wallet, and further refined the FitbitOS software experience.

Fitbit's smartwatches have already come a long way in a pretty short timeframe.

I'm not entirely sure what we'll see from Fitbit in 2019, but one thing I do believe we'll get is a successor to the Ionic. The Ionic is well over a year old having first come out in October 2017, so this year would be a great one to refresh it with a sleeker body, new health features to better compete with the Apple Watch, and a more competitive price.

The Ionic is Fitbit's flagship watch, and while the Versa still serves as a great option for people that want a Fitbit smartwatch experience while staying on a budget, it's time for Fitbit to take what it's learned from the Ionic and Versa to create one kickass Ionic 2.

Lastly, we'll continue to see FitbitOS change and evolve as Fitbit figures out what direction it wants to take it. The 2.0 and 3.0 updates focused on adding new health features while further refining the user experience, and I think those trends will continue throughout 2019.

Maybe Google will release the long-awaited Pixel Watch?

Ever since the first Pixel phone was released in 2016, we've been waiting patiently for a Wear OS-powered Pixel Watch. It sure was looking like 2018 would be the year that finally happened, but Google shot that rumor down in late August by saying it was focused on helping third-party brands with their own smartwatch efforts.

At that time, Google said:

To think of a one-size-fits-all watch, I don't think we're there yet. Our focus is on our partners for now. Our Google Pixel line of phones is the best experience and Google's take on it, so I imagine we would focus heavily on the Google Assistant to integrate AI and machine learning into the device, which is Google's forte.

Does that mean 2019 is the year we finally see a Pixel Watch? Perhaps. We saw plenty of rumors and reports last year that Google was working on a Pixel Watch, with reliable leaker Evan Blass even seeming surprised that it wasn't announced alongside the Pixel 3.

There's no way of saying for sure, but if Google wants to be serious about pushing Wear OS, 2019 seems like the year it needs to get a Pixel Watch out on the market and on people's wrists.

What do you think we'll see?

Now that I've rambled on, what do you think we'll see from smartwatches in 2019? Will we finally get a Pixel Watch? Is Fitbit going to dominate the smartwatch market with new hardware?

Sound off with your thoughts in the comments below, and here's to an excellent new year!

Best of 2018 Awards — The Best Smartwatch & Fitness Tracker

Google Wear OS

Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:

5 Android apps to help you build better habits in 2019

Ready to make 2019 the best year yet?

Trying to stop biting your nails? Want to make time to meditate each day? Need to catch up on your reading? Whatever it may be, the start of a new year is a great time to start working on building healthy habits and/or breaking bad ones.

Doing this on your own can be pretty tricky, but with the help of these apps, you can put yourself in the best position possible to stick with your goals throughout the entire year.

Grow

Our first pick, Grow, is a simple and beautiful app that you'll want to use each day. Adding a habit takes just a few seconds, and after you do that, you can add as many other ones as you'd like.

You can set start and end dates for your goals, certain times during the day you want to complete them, and as you keep going, you'll see a tree gradually grow with each day that you successfully meet it.

Grow doesn't have quite as many features compared to some of the other apps on this list, but if you just want something that's easy and enjoyable to use, this is one of our favorites.

Download: Grow (free)

Fabulous

If you know you want to make 2019 the best year of your life but aren't sure where to start, download Fabulous right now.

Not only is Fabulous one of the best-looking apps on Android, it's also one of the most feature-rich habit trackers around. Whether you want to lose weight, sleep better, feel more energized, or something else in between, Fabulous has a life coaching plan for you to follow.

Fabulous teaches you how to take power naps, has built-in workout routines to follow, and mediation sessions to help you calm down and focus on what matters.

You can start using Fabulous for free, but to take advantage of everything it has to offer, it'll cost you $94/year.

Download: Fabulous (free + optional $94/year upgrade)

Habitica

Tracking habits on its own isn't the most exciting thing ever, but thanks to a nifty little app called Habitica, it can actually be quite engaging.

Habitica gameifies habit-tracking by turning it into an RPG. You can create habits and to-dos that you want to stick to, and as you complete these, you'll earn experience points, mana, and more to level up your character.

Completing tasks allows you to earn points, and once you earn enough points, you can redeem these for rewards (such as a health potion, cosmetics for your character, or something a bit more tangible like allowing yourself to watch an episode of your favorite TV show).

Habitica is free to use, but you do have the option of buying Gems (used for buying cosmetics, app backgrounds, and more) or a subscription that includes exclusive monthly items, the ability to buy gems with gold you earn, and other perks.

Download: Habitica (free with optional in-app purchases)

Daily

For folks looking for a more conventional habit-tracking app, we recommend downloading Daily.

Daily is another really well-designed app that's extremely easy to navigate and makes your habits the main focus above all else. The Today page shows all habits you're currently tracking and the built-in calendar will show which habits/tasks you need to complete for any given day.

You can track your progress of your habits at any time from the All Habits page, and when creating a habit, it can be customized with a schedule, reminders, card colors, and a badge that gives it a unique visual indicator.

Habit is another app that's free to use out of the box, but the $2.25 Premium version comes with a dark theme, the ability to add unlimited habits, and more.

Download: Daily (free + $2.25 Premium upgrade)

Google Calendar

Yes, Google Calendar can be used for tracking habits. Seriously!

When you tap on the + icon in the app, you can tap the Goal bubble to add a goal/habit you want to follow. You can make goals for exercising, learning a new language, spending time with a friend, taking up a new hobby, cleaning the house, and a lot more.

Once you find a goal you'd like to stick with, you choose how often you want to do it, how long you want to do that particular thing, and the time of day you want to do it.

This is all built right into the Google Calendar app that's already on your phone, and yes, it's completely free to use.

Download: Google Calendar (free)

Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:

Enjoy Steep, Portal Knights and more for January's PlayStation Plus games!

These games will keep you entertained all month long!

One of the biggest perks of having a PlayStation Plus membership is the free games you get every month. I've got a list of the games PlayStation is offering this month, and it includes some popular AAA titles. Start downloading these games, and enjoy your free games for the month of January!

PlayStation 4 free games this month

PlayStation 3 free games this month

PlayStation Vita free games this month

Full game line-up

Read on below to see some quick previews of the games you get for free this month!

Steep

There's a promised land for the snowboarders out in the Alps. Grab your board, strap in your boots, and get ready to tear up some snow! This open-world snowboarding simulator is full of beautiful weather and sick moves. Are you ready to explore the mountains?

Free at PlayStation

Portal Knights

Gather, level up, craft, and take on vicious enemies in Portal Knights. All of the islands are randomly generated for you to get a new adventure with every story you start. Imagine Minecraft, but 3D!

Free at PlayStation

Zone of the Enders HD Collection

Zone of the Enders was remastered into an HD collection for you enjoy all over again. Do you have what it takes to collect the Orbital Frames, Jehuty and Anubis, once again?

Free at PlayStation

Amplitude

Waking up comatose patient has never been this fun. Enjoy a selection of good music while you navigate a pod through the stems of someone's brain and earn the highest score!

Free at PlayStation

Fallen Legion: Flames of Rebellion

It's time to take on the empire and retrieve what rightfully belongs to you. In Fallen Legion: Flames of the Rebellion you must learn to master the art of living weapons to strike down your enemies.

Free at PlayStation

Super Mutant Alien Assault

Super Mutant Alien Assault is an awesome 8-bit adventure. There are three flights carrying the last humans who are stuck in cryostasis and there are plenty of aliens attempting to wipe them off the face of the universe.

Free at PlayStation

Which is your favorite game you've gotten for free with PlayStation Plus?

Let us know which game you've loved and which one you're excited about this month! Drop a comment below or shoot me a Tweet and tell me all about it!

Updated January 2019: We've updated this list with all the new free PS+ games for this month!

PlayStation 4

Amazon

Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:

Kingdom Hearts 3 is coming! (and some other PS4 games launching in January)

Get ready to take on some heartless.

There always some pretty amazing titles coming to the PlayStation 4, and we're here to keep you updated on all the newest ones! Be sure to check in with us every week to see what new titles you should be expecting, or excited for!

Kingdom Hearts 3

Coming January 29

After being teased for years with development trailers and production delays, the third full console Kingdom Hearts game is finally here. This game promises to unify all of the stories across all of the previous games, including mobile games and portable console titles. Sora, Goofy, and Donald are going to travel to new worlds throughout the Disney empire and battle enemies new and old, with what appears to be a thoroughly emotional twist in the story.

Get ready, Keyblade wielders, this is going to be a big one!

$60 on Amazon $80 Deluxe Edition on Amazon

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown

Coming January 18th

We don't have enough aerial combat in our games these days, and it doesn't get much better than the Ace Combat series for non-space combat these days. The latest in this series is coming soon, and it promises a gripping story, tons of great combat, and a PlayStation VR mode so you can feel like you're right in the cockpit during all of your fights.

$60 at Amazon

PlayStation 4 January releases you can pre-order now

Other PlayStation 4 games releasing this month

Upcoming Downloadable Content

What are you playing?

Which PlayStation 4 game are you looking forward to most? Let us know in the comments section or shoot me a Tweet and tell me all about it!

Updated January 2018: We will continue to refresh this list at the beginning of a new month to ensure you're in the know when it comes to the PlayStation games being released soon!

PlayStation 4

Amazon

Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:
Langganan: Postingan (Atom)