Podcasts in Google Play Music: It’s better than nothing

After more than 3 years, podcasts are back on Google’s radar. So why did it launch with so much room for improvement?

Once upon a time Google had a little app for listening to podcasts. It was called Google Listen, and it lived alongside other podcast apps during a time of great peace and prosperity. But Google Listen died an untimely death, killed off in one of Google’s infamous “Spring Cleanings” after months and months of neglect.

Podcasts, of course, survived the death of Google Listen. And a good many other podcast apps rose to power during that dark time. (In fact, we’ve got a handy list of the best podcast apps for Android.)

Today, podcasts are more popular than ever. Especially this one. There are others, too. But you definitely should subscribe to this one. And that link there goes to the listing for the Android Central Podcast in Google Play Music.

Yes, after more than 40 months away, Google is now back in the podcast business. And it’s a good time to be back, riding on the backside of the wave that was Serial. Or on the continued success or This American Life or WTF with Marc Maron or The Nerdist or The Joe Rogan Experience. And, of course, the Android Central Podcast. There’s something out there for everyone.

But are podcasts in Google Play Music any good? We can narrow down podcast app features to three categories of importance — discoverability, playback, and what’s good for the podcasters themselves. So let’s take a look at this second coming of podcasts for Google and see what the fuss is all about — or whether you’re better off sticking with some other app.

Find your favorites, maybe

Discovering and subscribing

The most important part of any podcast app is making it easy to find a show in the first place, and then subscribing to a show and managing individual episodes. Google’s the world leader in search, and it’s been pulling in podcasts from participating artists for months.

And that’s why it’s ridiculous that podcasts in Google Play Music are as limited as they are. It appears that Google has done nothing to create a proper library and is only using what’s been submitted. Fair enough, but that’s an area where just about every other podcast app has a leg up with massive directories. There’s a very real possibility that a basic search for a podcast in Google Play Music will not return what you’re looking for. And even if it does find what you’re looking for, results are still a mess.

Why does This American Life return as an “artist,” but Start Talk returns as a “podcast?” (And on another account, TAL doesn’t show for me at all.) And if a search result is anything like a music result, the podcast listing gets pushed to the bottom. Music and podcasts are muddied here, at best, with all the search results returned together. And if there’s a video podcast you love, you’ll not find it here.

Google’s podcast directory is broken down into 16 categories. Arts, business, comedy, education, games and hobbies, government and organizations, health, kids and families, news and politics, religion and spirituality, science and medicine, society and culture, sports and recreation, technology, and TV and film. And each category showcases 20 podcasts.

And … that’s it. Want to dive deeper into a given category? Go do it somewhere else. That’s a huge disservice to listeners, and an even bigger disparity for all the shows that aren’t featured. It’s basically like Google only ever giving one page of search results, and damn the rest. (Oh, and one of the featured shows in the Technology category is Radio T — a Russian-language show. Great for them. Bad for those of us who don’t speak Russian as well as we used to.)

OK, so you can’t find the show you want to listen to in Google’s directory. No problem, you can always just add the feed manually and — wait a minute. Google has no mechanism for manually adding a podcast feed. Every other podcatcher in the history of podcasts has had this ability. This makes no sense. It’s no surprise, then, that there’s no OPML support — you can’t import lists of show subscriptions, or export them from Google Play Music.

You can find any podcast you want in Google Play Music, so long as it’s in Google Play Music. For everything else, you’ll need another podcast app.

Call me crazy, but shouldn’t tapping this big, giant podcast banner take you to, I dunno, the podcast section? pic.twitter.com/03KrGrB7aR

— Phil Nickinson ✘ (@philnickinson) April 27, 2016

And all that’s assuming you actually find your way into the podcast section of Google Play Music in the first place. It’s buried behind the slide-out drawer. And while there’s currently a big banner promoting podcasts at the top of the Google Play Store — on the web as well as in the Android app — it doesn’t actually take you to the podcast section, just the front of Google Play Music.

It’s almost as if Google really doesn’t want you to find podcasts at all. At least not any more than it wants to put in front of you.

Key fixes: Use those fancy crawling search robots to build a proper directory. Give folks more than 20 suggestions in a given category. Separate podcast search results from music results.

Are you listening?

Podcast playback

Let’s assume you’ve made it into the podcast section of Google Play Music, and you’ve got some podcasts all loaded up. (Even if you can’t find your usual shows, we can think of at least one you can subscribe to, right?) Now it’s time to get to listening.

The good news here is that things are in pretty good shape. Podcasts borrow heavily from the UI of Google Play Music. So controls are in their usual place. Same goes for the more ancillary stuff — show image and description, sharing and subscription buttons, that sort of thing.

Episode names have to compete for screen real estate with their descriptions when you’re listening in a browser. In the Android app, they’re given preference, with episode descriptions hidden behind an “i” information button. On both platforms, episode descriptions are plain text only. That renders useless any description that uses links in show notes to point listeners elsewhere for more information, and that’s a shame.

Playback controls are exactly as you’d expect, especially if you’ve ever used Google Play Music. Play/pause, forward and back one track, and the ability to rewind 10 seconds, or skip ahead 30 seconds. You scan scrub through most of an episode easily enough on Android. But scrubbing to the beginning or last few minutes of an episode is next to impossible. And your playback position does a decent job of syncing between devices.

If you’re listening on an Android device, controls are all available on Android Wear.

If you’re plugged into Android Auto in your vehicle, you get next to nothing. There’s no podcast section. If you’re currently listening to a podcast you’ll be able to start it back up from your car, or maybe you’ll find it in the “recent activity” section, but that’s it. (And if you do manage to play a show in the car, the rewind and skip buttons are horribly hidden behind an overflow menu.) While Android Auto is still very much a niche product, it’s also one that’s been around for a year now, and it’s very odd to have been so blatantly ignored here in one regard, and done poorly in another.

One nice feature, though, is the ability to send a podcast to Sonos through the app, just like you can music.

Key fixes: Allow HTML in show notes. Add proper support for Android Auto. Improve on the cramped queue listings in a browser.

Yes, we have a show

What show creators get

Have we mentioned we have a podcast? Because we totally do. And therefore we have a a few insights into the how these things work from a showrunner standpoint.

Adding a podcast is easy. You head to Google’s Podcast Music Portal and read through and accept the terms of service. It’s still your podcast (and Google says you need to make sure it actually is your podcast before distributing through its service), and you can pull it at any time. By the same token, Google isn’t obligated to make your podcast available and can kill it need be. That’s worst-case scenario, of course.

From there, you add a podcast feed, and Google uses all the existing metadata — standard stuff for podcasting. Easy enough.

Once your podcasts are approved they’ll be listed in the dashboard. From there you can see the status of each show, read “details” (which is just the same plain-text show notes), and get basic analytics — the number of plays versus the number of downloads for each episode (and in aggregate), and you can see how many people are subscribed to each show

The big question as all this was ramping up had to do with advertising. Here’s what’s up:

Currently Google isn’t advertising against your podcast. But it does reserve the right to — be it in audio, video or display advertising form. And podcasters are free to include advertising in their podcasts, just as we’ve been doing for years. And Google goes so far to say that it won’t do its own pre-roll or mid-roll (as in at the start, or somewhere in the middle) advertisements, so it won’t step on podcasts that have their own in-show adverts. (So long as those advertisements don’t conflict with Google’s own ad policies.) But Google also says that if and when it does its own advertising alongside podcasts, it won’t be sharing any of that revenue with the “podcast creator.”

The small print, if you wish:

Google Advertising/No Revenue Share. For the avoidance of doubt, Google has the right to present audio, video and/or display advertisements in connection with Google’s distribution of the Podcast Content on Google Play. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Google acknowledges and agrees that Google will not display any pre-roll or mid-roll advertisements in connection with the Podcast Content and will not sell or target advertisements directly against specific Podcast Content or any particular Podcast Creator. For the avoidance of doubt, Podcast Creator shall not be entitled to any royalties, revenue or any other any monetary compensation in connection with Google’s distribution of the Podcast Content in accordance with these Podcast Terms, including, without limitation, any monies Google may receive (including, without limitation, advertising and subscription revenues) in connection with Google’s display of advertising pursuant to these Podcast Terms.

Podcast Creator-Sold Ads Requirements. Podcast Creator has the right to include Podcast Creator-Sold Ads in the Podcast Content subject to Podcast Creator’s compliance with Google Ad Policies. Podcast Creator has the right to retain all monies and revenues associated with such Podcast Creator-Sold Ads. Google has the right to block any Podcast Content or advertisements that contain any Podcast Creator Advertisements and/or any other advertisements that do not comply with Google Ad Policies. In addition, Google may require Podcast Creator to remove any Podcast Creator-Sold Ads from playback or display that violates Google Ad Policies as determined by Google in its reasonable discretion.

The short version of all this? It’s mostly set it and forget it. There’s not a whole lot to do on the back-end here once your feed is set up.

Key fixes: More granular analytics would be nice. Where are folks listening? What are they using to listen? (And are these analytics more or less accurate than those from other sources?) Nothing’s particularly broken here, though.

More to come

The bottom line (for now)

Look, we’ve got a lot of gripes about podcasts in Google Play Music so far. There’s not really a compelling case for using it, unless you just refuse to shell out a few bucks for any of the much better podcast apps out there.

That doesn’t mean podcasts on Google Play Music won’t get better. We’re pretty certain they will. We’re only a week into things, after all. But it’s also fair to ask how Google managed to re-launch podcasts after all this time without what we consider to be some pretty standard features at this point.

A few other head-shakers we’ve been shaking our heads at:

• Podcasts are universal. But currently Google has only made them available in the U.S. and Canada. How the hell does that happen? (And, again, one of the top shows in Google’s Technology category is in Russian.)
• You can’t rate or review a podcast in Google Play — that’s a huge feature from iTunes that’s missing here.
• If you share a show on Google+ (remember that?) or on Facebook, the metadata is broken.
• There’s no variable speed playback — kids love them some Android Central Podcast at 2x speed.
• No support yet for video podcasts.
• And pick any other feature from your favorite podcatcher.

Google clearly still has some work to do. The question is how much work does it want to do. The first generation of Google’s podcast endeavor flamed out. What’s changed? And will Google be willing to infringe the developers who have made some rather impressive podcast apps on their own?

We’ll update this piece periodically as Google updates its podcast service. As Ira Glass would say on This American Life …. Stay tuned.

Subscribe to the Android Central Podcast!

Show your Team Android support with this limited edition t-shirt!

Looking to show off your Team Android support even more than just by using the phones and tablets? How about if you could proudly wear it front and center on a t-shirt or hoodie? Well, for a limited time you can, but don’t wait too long this special edition t-shirt won’t be available for long. Across the front of the shirt, you have Team Android in a classy script with the infamous bugdroid transformed into a baseball.

For a limited time, you can pick up a t-shirt, hoodie, raglan baseball shirt or even a sticker. This is special edition apparel, meaning if you want to get in on this limited print-run you will want to act quickly. Your order will help support the efforts of Android Central and we greatly appreciate it!

See at TeeSpring

A love letter to the LG G5 and its wide-angle camera

The LG G5 is better than you think it is. Here’s why.

I was desperate to find something about the LG G5 that hasn’t been said already. But the internet is already full of smart things about the phone, which is not only LG’s latest flagship smartphone, but its acknowledgement that its existing strategies haven’t been working.

I have a dirty secret, though: I really like the G5. From its metal chassis to its well-placed rear power button-fingerprint sensor combination, LG got a lot right when it comes to the G5’s design. Assessed as a standalone product — that is, without the use of LG’s optional Friends — there is an argument to be made that the G5 is up there with the best smartphones on the market right now.

Even its software, aside from the questionable choice to get rid of its launcher’s app drawer, has a lot to like.

LG has been struggling. It still sells upwards of 30 million smartphones every year, and has even eked small profits from its high-margin smartphone business in a couple of quarters over the past few years, but there is no question it’s extremely difficult to make money in the mobile space. That was likely the impetus behind LG’s Friends strategy: offer the phone for less than the competition — the G5 is about $100 less than the Galaxy S7 — and prop up those margins with modules, like a camera grip or high-quality DAC.

It’s too early to assess whether the strategy is working, but early reviews have not been overly kind to LG’s overarching ideas. Some lamented the move away from a design language many considered successful — and in a market with very little originality — unique, with the G4. Others found the implementation of the modules to be clunky, with selection both limited and overpriced.

But after using the G5 for a couple of weeks, I have fallen for its manageable size, its zip-fast performance and, most of all, its camera.

The fundamentals

Most people I’ve spoken to about the G5, including our own Phil Nickinson and Russell Holly, rightfully took issue with LG’s decision to create a seam just below the display components to facilitate the removal of the battery. To an untrained eye, the G5’s battery seam looks like it could be an antenna line, or something else equally innocuous. But keep extracting the battery and it becomes clear that, like a casement window loses its seal over time, LG can’t overcome the consequences of physics.

Let’s assume, though, that most people won’t be regularly removing the G5’s battery, that the Cam Plus grip won’t become a permanent fixture on the bottom of the phone. LG has done an admirable job with the G5’s design, from the glass display’s concave curve to the intelligent placement of the rear power button.

Internally, the G5 is what you’d expect from a $650 smartphone: all Qualcomm 820 and 4GB RAM, 32GB storage and a fashionably high-megapixel rear shooter. The QHD screen, while lacking the same capacity for brightness as the Galaxy S7, is respectably sharp and vibrant, and I’m thankful to say that both of my retail units (one from Bell, the other from Rogers) are without backlight bleeding, a problem that plagued some pre-production models.

The 2,800mAh battery has served me well, with uptime that rivals that of the slightly more capacious Galaxy S7. And that it charges with reversible a USB Type-C cord is, after squabbling with Micro-USB for so many years, an absolute dream. I doubt I will ever purchase a secondary battery, nor purchase a coffin in which to charge it, but it’s nice to have a fallback should I need one.

All of these things are fine and good, and bare necessities for a smartphone at this price. But what really impresses me about the G5 is what many dismissed as a gimmick when it was announced at Mobile World Congress: its second, 8MP wide-angle camera.

A 130-degree love story

I’ve always loved landscapes. They’re less tempestuous than photographing people, and aren’t liable to blink at the last second. While traveling, I tend to bring an 18mm or 24mm lens with me to capture cities at their most expansive.

But in recent years, as DSLRs have given way to the ubiquity of smartphone cameras, I find myself using those wide-angle lenses less and less. This is why the G5’s second lens’s near-fisheye field of view has proven so essential to me, especially given how carefully it has been integrated with the main camera.

A single icon transitions between the two sensors, allowing you to easily note the differences. While the main 16MP shooter has a still-wide 28mm equivalent focal length, the 8MP sensor is tuned closer to 18mm, with barrel distortion at the edges and a host of imperfections that just make it more fun to use.

No one should take the quality of the optics too seriously from the second camera: the 8MP sensor isn’t particularly noteworthy, and the f/2.4 aperture on the wide-angle lens is practically useless in the dark. But that’s what LG’s main 16MP, f/1.7 lens is for, and why I had so much fun switching between the two. It fostered my most creative moments in smartphone photography, natively enabling something for which I’d typically need bulging accessories or adapters.

I’m not one to overly scrutinize the minute differences between smartphone cameras. I think most flagships have reached a point of core competency that rivals many point-and-shoots, and then some. The Galaxy S7 is the clear winner in the Android space, and potentially the entire smartphone space, with devices like the G5, iPhone 6s Plus and HTC 10 not far behind. But each has their quirks, and as we move closer to the end of the decade it is increasingly apparent that the tension between sensor size and companies’ willingness to thicken their phones is the main barrier to improving smartphone cameras.

While the G5’s second camera is not used to augment the first, companies like Huawei, with the P9, are taking that approach, and we should see more of those ideas implemented relatively soon.

Consider this

Consider this: if you’re a photography buff, get the LG G5 over the Galaxy S7. Even though the latter has slightly finer fundamentals, I posit that the G5 is more fun to use, and with a bit of tweaking through Manual mode, can produce better photos. Moreover, LG’s Cam Plus, while expensive at $69, adds a two-stage camera button, zoom controls and a battery boost for those who want to spend more time taking photos and video.

I’m a big fan of the Galaxy S7, but I find my hands wandering to the G5 when it’s time to take photos.

LG G5

• LG G5 review
• LG 360 CAM review
• LG G5 complete specs
• LG’s G5 Friends modules are a neat idea, but they won’t matter
• LG G5 Hi-Fi Plus w/ B&O
• Join the LG G5 discussion

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Former Motorola leader Rick Osterloh heads back to Google to lead hardware projects

Former Motorola president Rick Osterloh has returned to Google. Osterloh will be in charge of Google’s hardware teams, including Nexus, Chromecast and Google Glass.

Re/code reports:

A Google rep confirmed that Osterloh has joined the company as its newest Senior Vice President, running the new hardware product line and reporting to CEO Sundar Pichai.

Osterloh left Motorola in February, after it was acquired by Lenovo. He previously worked at Motorola while Google owned the company and now he will lead a new unified hardware division with his return to Google.

Besides Nexus, Chromecast and Google Glass, Osterloh’s division will also be in charge of Chromebooks, the OnHub router team and the experimental ATAP group, which has developed Project Tango and Project Ara.

Best minimalist cases for the Galaxy S7

Protect my phone, fine, but don’t bulk it up!

Aside from the edge, the Galaxy S7 is Samsung’s thinnest offer right now. Sure, you want to protect it, but you definitely don’t want any of the bulk that comes along with some of the heavy duty cases.

We’ve rounded up some of the best minimalist cases for your S7; just remember that toning down the thickness of the case may make your phone a little more vulnerable when dropped from on high.

• REDShield gel skin case
• Cimo Premium Slim Fit
• Maxboost Vibrance Series Protective Slider
• Caseology Skyfall Series
• Samsung Galaxy S7 Clear Protective Cover
• Bear Motion

REDShield gel skin case

If you want minimal, you’ve got it with REDShield. This case is so thin, you can’t even really see it in photos. Clear is a great way to go if you want to protect your phone while making it seem like your phone is naked. If clear is what you’re after, we’ve rounded up the best clear cases for the Galaxy S7 just for you.

The RedShield gel skin case has a rubberized matte finish, so grip won’t be an issue and there won’t be any glare off the back of your phone. Your volume and power buttons are left easily accessible, so it’s really like your phone is wearing nothing at all (stupid, sexy Flanders!).

See at Amazon

Cimo Premium Slim Fit

This is the little black dress of phone cases, offering sleek protection in the form of soft TPU. The benefit of having a case made out of black TPU as opposed to clear TPU is that the black stuff won’t yellow over time due to sunlight.

Though this one is quite form-fitting, there is still a touch of a lip (0.8 mm) on the front, so when you place your phone face-down, it’s not sitting on the screen. The non-slip TPU feels grippy in your hand and it’s dust-resistance helps with an all-black case. If you couldn’t care less about goofy designs or bling, then pick up a slim, black case and be done with it.

See at Amazon

Maxboost Vibrance Series Protective Slider

If you’re looking something with a little more pizzazz, but don’t want any bulk, then the Maxboost Protective Slider is a solid choice, combining just enough protection with some cool colors to give you just what you want: slim sexiness.

This line isn’t called the “Vibrance Series” for nothing; these cases come in two color combinations: turquoise and “Champagne Gold” or “Italian Rose” and “Champagne gold.” It comes in black, too, but I don’t see how that’s very “vibrant.”

It’s got a soft interior to protect from scratches and a grippy exterior, so you’re styling and protected with minimal bulk.

See at Amazon

Caseology Skyfall Series

You just know that a case with a James Bond-related name is going to be sleek, sexy, and slim. The Caseology Skyfall Series case is a two-piece with a rubberized cover and harder wraparound edge piece. This case is best for those of you who chose the gold S7, since that outer edging is gold. So, you’ll have a seemingly 100 percent clear case.

There are air pockets in each corner of the Caseology Skyfall, so if you drop your S7 from a reasonable height, you probably won’t shatter the entire outer layer of your phone.

That harder polycarbonate edging won’t impede buttons, since it wraps around your phone behind the buttons.

See at Amazon

Samsung Galaxy S7 Clear Protective Cover

Some folks are brand-loyal all the way to their accessories, so we’ve included Samsung’s minimalist offering, since it’s a great choice.

This one covers less of your phone than any of the other cases we’ve discussed, but that doesn’t mean your GS7 is any less protected. There are full openings for the buttons, so that you’re guaranteed to be unimpeded when pressing them.

Protection-wise this would only be a vulnerability if you were to drop your phone on the edge of something like a table or a curb. It is a harder plastic, which some folks might not trust, but it is a great choice if you’re looking for something less bulky.

See at Amazon

Bear Motion

Looking for customizable minimalism? Then get going with Bear Motion. These cases come in nine colors, with a matte finish, which give them an excellently grippy feel, so you know your phone is protected and won’t be slip-sliding out of your hands.

At only 0.3 ounces, these Bear Motion cases add no real bulk to your phone, but protect it from drops while leaving the necessary ports, buttons, and sensors open for easy use.

Starting around $6, there’s no reason not to give Bear Motion a try, especially if you’re after a very thin case that feels great in your hand, looks great on your phone, and adds a splash of color to your S7.

See at Amazon

Sick of cases altogether?

If you just plain hate cases, but still feel like your phone is naked and vulnerable, you may want to consider a skin, like the ones Dbrand makes.

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge

• Galaxy S7 review
• Galaxy S7 edge review
• Here are all four Galaxy S7 colors
• Should you upgrade to the Galaxy S7?
• Learn about the Galaxy S7’s SD card slot
• Join our Galaxy S7 forums

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Epson Creative Print taps into Instagram to bring your selfie collages to life

Epson is looking to tap into a bit of Instagram’s magic with the latest update to its Creative Print app. If you have an Epson printer, you can now use the Epson Creative Print app to easily print off collages made up of photos pulled from your connected Instagram account.

From Epson:

Part of the robust Epson Connect™ suite of mobile printing solutions, the new app features a simplified design and interface allowing users to easily channel their inner creativity and build photo collages using their own Instagram images as well as virtually any photo stored directly in their tablet or smartphone. Up to 12 photos can be selected and highlighted in a framed photo collage and then printed in a variety of sizes, up to 8.5″x11″, using compatible Epson all-in-one printers, such as the Epson Expression® Home-XP-430 Small-in-One®.

According to Epson, the feature works in much the same way as its Facebook integration. Users can connect their accounts to the app, then pull photos and form collages to be printed in hard-copy form.

Essential Accessories for the LG G5

Turn your LG G5 into a workhorse with the right accessories.

Do you have your phone on you at all times ready to respond to every call, text, and email that comes your way? Do you use your phone as your primary TV, game console, and music player? If that sounds like you, then you my friend, are a power user.

Great accessories are the icing on the phone cake. You already have the the phone you want that works amazingly well, not you want those little extra pieces of hardware that just make your life that much easier. We’ve rounded up some accessories for the LG G5 you won’t want to miss out on.

• ChoeTech car charger
• Encased
• Joto LG G5 armband case
• IQ Shield screen protector
• LG G5 Cam Plus

ChoeTech Type-C car charger

If you use your LG G5 literally for everything you possibly can all the time, it may come as no surprise that you may be looking for power outlets to charge your phone as much as possible. If you find yourself needed a charge and you are in your car then the ChoeTech car charger could help you out a lot!

This car charger plugs into your car cigarette lighter port and has two USB 2.0 outlets on it so you can charge double the devices! The top port is a quick charging port that is specifically meant to get the fastest charge out of the Type-C USB connection. So as an LG G5 enthusiast such as yourself, this charger is a perfect pairing for your charging needs.

See at Amazon

Encased desktop charger

Charging your phone in your office can be a bit of a nightmare. If you are trying to do your work, and use your phone at the same time you probably start wondering why you only have two hands.

Encased makes a neat charger that allows you LG G5 to remain upright. It may not seem like much, but when you think of how many times you touch your phone in a day, having the ability to do so without holding it sounds pretty nice doesn’t?

You can plug the charger into your computer’s USB port but we suggest plugging it in directly to a wall socket for the best effect.

See at Amazon

Joto LG G5 armband case

For anyone who uses apps to workout – whether it’s heavy cardio or pumping lots of iron – an armband case is a great accessory to have. You can strap your phone to your arm and not worry about dropping or damaging it.

Joto’s armband cases is specifically made for the LG G5 so it fits the phone really well and feels really secure. The back of the armband also has a few card slots for you to store bank cards or a little cash so you can even run to do your errands no problem!

Added bonus of this armband is it’s sweat-resistant, so it works well even for those really long runs, or intense workouts.

See at Amazon

IQ Shield screen protector

Screens are delicate, and can too easily be scratched and chipped but that doesn’t need to happen to your LG G5. Screen protectors are life savers – or more accurately phone savers – that are a really good investment for anyone who want to keep their phones screen looking brand new.

IQ Shield offers a screen protector that is a little difficult to put on, but once you do it right it is immaculate. It uses a mild amount of liquid (very minor, don’t be afraid) to really make that protector stick to the screen. IQ Shield offers a lifetime warranty and will send you a new screen protector free of charge anytime the product is damaged or defective in anyway.

See at Amazon

LG G5 Cam Plus

We couldn’t talk about accessories without mentioning the coolest one right from LG themselves and that’s the Cam Plus module.

LG G5 Cam Plus module makes your phone feel like a real camera. The module snaps into bottom of the G5 and gives you access to physical keys for neat camera functions. Things like shooting,focusing, and a zoom wheel are all added with the Cam Plus.

The great thing about Cam Plus is how lightweight it is. Adding just under two ounces the module doesn’t weigh down the phone at all!

See at Best Buy

Need more things?

This is just scratching the surface of cool things you can buy to go along with your LG G5. Check out these sweet clear cases for the LG G5.

LG G5

• LG G5 review
• LG 360 CAM review
• LG G5 complete specs
• LG’s G5 Friends modules are a neat idea, but they won’t matter
• LG G5 Hi-Fi Plus w/ B&O
• Join the LG G5 discussion

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Facebook finally launches FB, IG, and Messenger apps for Windows 10

Facebook has finally embraced Windows 10 – roughly 8 months after Microsoft launched the platform.

The social network has developed and now launched Windows 10 apps for Facebook and Messenger on desktop. You can access the Facebook app from the Start Menu to immediately get to your News Feed, and Facebook has promised it will load a lot faster than the previous Facebook desktop app.

The app also serves up desktop notifications and supports Live Tiles. It of course further features the new Facebook Reactions, stickers in comments, and more. There’s even an in-app browser. The Messenger app is also native, so it will therefore serve up desktop notifications too and supports Live Tiles.

The Messenger app has all the usual features of the service, including stickers, group conversations, and GIFs. Apart from these desktop apps, Facebook is rolling out Instagram for Windows 10 Mobile. It includes the messaging feature Instagram Direct, as well as the Explore tab and video functionality.

Instagram for Windows 10 Mobile supports Live Tiles too. The new Facebook and Messenger app are available in the Windows Desktop App Store, while the Instagram app is available in Windows Phone Store. Facebook will replace the old Facebook Windows 8 listing, though you can still use the app.

Facebook also expects to roll out Facebook and Messenger apps for Windows 10 Phone “later this year”.

Vudu’s latest iPad app finally has picture-in-picture

Vudu, Walmart’s answer to Netflix, has finally brought its app up to speed with Apple’s latest hardware and iOS 9 features. The iPhone version supports 3D Touch, letting you access personal and “last watched” settings more quickly, and you can now get notifications for deals and other offers. Best of all, the iPad app supports iOS 9’s multitasking option with picture-in-picture, letting you tweet and do other stuff while you halfheartedly re-watch Fear the Walking Dead. Hulu has had that feature for months, but Vudu users get bragging rights over Netflix subscribers, who still have to (ugh) switch between apps to multitask.

Source: Vudu (iTunes)

Periscope lets you scribble on your livestreams

Just like Snapchat and a dozen other social media apps, it’s now possible to draw on Periscope. With the latest version of the iOS app, you can long-press on the screen and tap the “Sketch” option to scribble in one of three different colors. For greater control, however, you can also use the dropper tool to pick a custom color from inside your video. It could prove useful if you’re streaming and want to point out something in particular, or, if you’re bored, simply play some Pictionary with strangers online.

Additionally, Periscope has improved the amount of data that’s available to its users. These take the form of new viewer and watch time statistics. If you’re trying to get the biggest audience possible, you’re now also able to review your Periscope and see which moments brought in the largest number of viewers. That, I suspect, will appeal most to vloggers, marketers and social media managers looking to maximize their reach online.

⚡️🎥🎨🌟 Sketch while you Scope – now available on iOS! pic.twitter.com/k5JgViBnkO

— Periscope (@periscopeco) April 27, 2016

Source: Periscope (iOS)