NASA has developed a futuristic 3D-printed ‘space fabric’

Why it matters to you

NASA’s new futuristic space textile could be used for everything from spaceship insulation to cutting-edge astronaut space suits.

Never an organization to knowingly fall behind in the world of cutting-edge tech, NASA has taken 3D printing to the next level by developing chainmail-style “4D” printed metal fabrics for use in future space missions.

“We call it ‘4-D printing’ because we can print both the geometry and the function of these materials,” Raul Polit-Casillas, a systems engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, who helped lead the research team, said in a press release. “If 20th-century manufacturing was driven by mass production, then this is the mass production of functions.”

One side of the new space material is designed to reflect light, while the other side absorbs it — thereby allowing it to function as a thermal control for passive heat management. It can also fold in many different ways, and adapt to different shapes. Most exciting of all, however, is the fact that NASA is working to “program” in new abilities all the time.

“I can program new functions into the material I’m printing,” Casillas said. “That also reduces the amount of time spent on integration and testing. You can print, test, and destroy material as many times as you want.”

Because of its versatility, NASA thinks its new wonder material could be used for future space suits for astronauts, for large antennas and other deployable devices, for capturing objects on the surface of other planets, or for insulating future spacecraft. One interesting use case involves using it to fold over uneven terrain on something like Jupiter’s icy moon Europa, so that it could form “‘feet’ that won’t melt the ice” beneath astronauts.

Another big requirement being taken into consideration is the ability to not only have materials that can be 3D printed as and when needed, but also ones which can be broken down and reused when no longer required.

We’re still a way off from this particular material being used in space, but it’s certainly fascinating to see how seriously NASA is taking the additive manufacturing revolution.

Plus, we’d be lying if we said that the thought of future chainmail-wearing space knights doesn’t fill us with excitement!

How to clean your computer monitor without destroying it

There are a few certainties in life: Death, taxes, and dirty computer screens. That’s just an unavoidable fact of life, as dust, fingerprints, and assorted detritus gathers on your monitor. While all that grime on your screen might not cause damage, it can certainly be an eyesore, filtering your movies, games, and other media through a layer of grime. We’ve got you covered with some pointers on how to keep your screen clean.

Some words of warning

While it may be tempting to reach for a bottle of Windex or some other general cleaning product, don’t! Harsh chemicals may be fine for windows or countertops, but they can wreak havoc on computer monitors, wearing away coatings. There are many cleaning fluids on the market geared specifically toward computer monitors, and while these products certainly work, you don’t need to spend the money on them if you don’t want to; distilled water should work for most monitor cleaning, and you can mix in some white vinegar for tougher grime.

Additionally, avoid paper towels, rags, old t-shirts, or many of the usual materials you use to wipe down surfaces in your home. Monitors are more delicate than they look, and these fabrics — even paper towels — are abrasive enough to scratch your screen, particularly if you have used them for other jobs where they might have accumulated grit. A microfiber cloth, the kind you might use to clean your glasses or vinyl records, is the safest choice, and make sure it’s free of any dirt or grime before swiping across your display.

Step 1: Turn Off the Monitor

First of all, it’s easier to see smudges and stuff on a black screen, so turning off your monitor makes it easier to see what you are doing. It’s also safer for you and for your computer. Cleaning your monitor while it’s on and the pixels are all fired up could damage your screen or potentially give you an unpleasant electrical jolt. So turn it off!

Step 2: Wipe Monitor with Cloth

If dust is the only thing defiling your screen, a quick wiping should be enough to clean it. Take a microfiber cloth and gently brush the screen in long motions. We cannot stress enough that you should be gentle; pressing too hard on the screen could damage the pixels within.

If the offending filth is tougher than dust — maybe some dried mucus from a sudden sneeze, or mysterious gunk from who-knows-what — then you can use some sort of safe fluid. You can use gentle cleaning fluid designed for monitors, but as mentioned earlier, water should suffice. It is best to use filtered or distilled water, as tap water may contain minerals or other substances that can harm the screen or leave annoying streaks. Add distilled white vinegar to the water if the grime is tough.

Whatever fluid you use, do not spray it directly on the monitor, as it may trickled down to the edge of the screen. If this happens, it could seep into the monitor and damage the electronic components within. Spray or dab the liquid onto the cloth, wringing out excess fluid, and gently wipe the monitor with broad strokes.

Step 3: Let It Dry

Gently dry your monitor with a microfiber cloth or let nature do the work for you. To avoid any moisture or electrical damage, make sure your screen is completely dry before turning your computer back on.

Updated 4-19-2017 by Will Nicol: Updated to provide safer tips.

Dell shows stunning new HDR10 display alongside a release date for its Surface Studio competitor

Why it matters to you

Dell’s new HDR10 display may be your next monitor if you’re a professional content creator.

On Thursday during the National Association of Broadcasters conference, Dell introduced three new monitors for professionals: the UltraSharp 27 4K HDR Monitor (UP2718Q), the UltraSharp 27 4K Monitor (U2718Q), and the UltraSharp 25 Monitor (U2518D). Dell lists the UP2718Q as the company’s first HDR10 display with UHD Alliance Premium Certification. It also supports a wide number of color spaces to fit the needs of every digital artist, photographer, and ad designer.

HDR10 is essentially the latest version of the High Dynamic Range standard. HDR10 is based on the wide-gamut Rec. 2020 color space and a 10-bit color depth to provide rich colors, bright whites, and deep blacks. HDR10 began to make its way into 4K HDTVs during 2015 in units such as the Sony X930C, the LG OLED E6, the Samsung KS9800, and more. HDR10 monitors are still very rare. LG’s 32UD99 is the only other monitor we know of to support HDR10. Sold at $1,000, LG’s monitor is less expensive, but doesn’t make strong claims about support for professional content creation.

Here are the hardware specs for the upcoming UltraSharp 27 4K HDR Monitor:

Model number:
UP2718Q
Screen size:
27 inches
Resolution:
3,840 x 2,160 @ 60Hz
Color depth:
1.07 billion
Color spaces:
Rec. 2020 (76.9 percent)
Adobe RGB (100 percent)
sRGB (100 percent)
REC 709 (100 percent)
DCI-P3 (97.7 percent)
Peak brightness:
1,000 nits
Contrast ratio:
20,000:1
Ports:
2x HDMI  2.0a
1x DisplayPort 1.4
1x Mini DisplayPort 1.4
2x USB 3.1 Gen1 (upstream)
4x USB 3.1 Gen1 (two ports offer charge)
Availability:
May 23
Price:
$2,000

In addition to the monitor listed above, Dell also introduced the UltraSharp 27 4K Monitor (U2718Q) slated for a release in mid-July, for $700. The third panel of the freshly-baked trio is the UltraSharp 25 Monitor (U2518D) for $500, which will arrive during the mid-July window as well. None of these three additional panels support HDR10, though they do boast thin bezels.

The three new UltraSharp panels follow the release of Dell’s UltraSharp 32 8K Monitor (UP3218K), which costs a stunning $5,000 and the Dell Precision 5720 All-in-One workstation, which is$1,700. Some of the 5720’s ingredients include a seventh-generation Intel Core i5-7500 processor, 8GB of DDR4 memory clocked at 2,400MHz, 500GB of storage, a discrete AMD Radeon Pro WX 4150 graphics card, and a 27-inch screen with a touch-capable option.

Dell also plans to release its Canvas 27, a Surface Studio competitor, in early July for a mere $1,800. It’s essentially a PC crammed into a 27-inch tablet form factor that sits flat on the desktop. And while the Canvas 27 has a built-in touch screen (2,560 x 1,440), the device is meant to be connected to a large display so it can pretend it’s a huge digital artboard while shoving the updated images onto the external monitor. The Canvas 27 also includes totem and pen-based input capabilities.

“Adobe has developed totem functionality for intuitive timeline scrubbing in Premiere Pro for a Canvas environment. Dell is now expanding this early evaluation program to work with more partners and customers in preparation for global availability,” the company said on Thursday.

Given that Dell isn’t even rolling out the U2718Q and the U2518D panels until July, a few months may need to pass before Dell spills the beans regarding the hardware details of these just-announced displays. Consider this as a teaser for now until Dell finalizes the hardware details and/or throws open the product pages online.

The best Bluetooth headsets you can buy

Gone are the days when Bluetooth headsets were only for the business elite (or maybe business dorks). They aren’t just there for taking calls — they can also be used as a portal to your digital assistant and provide you with vital information when you need it, without the need to pull out your phone.

There are a ton of things to consider when buying a Bluetooth headset, however, such as battery life and audio quality. If you need your headset available to you all day, for instance, battery life might be the first thing to consider. You’ll also want to keep design and various features in mind. If you’re looking for wireless earbuds for music streaming, check out our list here.

So which Bluetooth headset should you get? With all the options out there, it can be a little difficult to decide. Below are some of our current favorites.

Our pick

Sennheiser Presence-UC

Why should you buy this: With an excellent battery life, great design, and top audio quality, this is the Bluetooth headset to beat.

The best

Sennheiser Presence-UC

The Sennheiser Presence-UC has a top-tier battery life, great audio quality, and a beautiful design.

$136.69 from Amazon

$110.22 from Jet.com

Who’s it for: Those willing to spend a little extra for the best.

How much will it cost: $137

Why we picked the Sennheiser Presence-UC:

When buying an audio product, you might want to consider an established name in the audio world — like Sennheiser. Sennheiser has long been a dominant force in both consumer and pro audio, and for good reason. The Presence is a pretty sleek device, one that is certainly a lot fancier than many of the other options on our list.

The design is a combination of black and silver with a MicroUSB port for charging, and an LED light on the back. It features an ear hook like most Bluetooth headsets, but unlike others, that ear hook can be removed and attached as needed. The device utilizes Bluetooth 4.0 and implements Sennheiser’s “SpeakFocus” tech, which is designed to enhance voice clarity in all scenarios.

It also uses the company’s WindSafe tech, so it eliminates — you guessed it — wind noise. Plus, Sennheiser claims it will last between 8 and 10 hours on a single charge.

The best for the fashion-conscious

Jawbone Era

Why should you buy this: The Jawbone Era is probably the best-looking device on this list.

The best for the fashion-conscious

Jawbone Era

The Jawbone Era may not have the best battery life, but it’s still very functional – and looks great.

$36.95 from Amazon

Who’s it for: Those who care about how they look.

How much will it cost: $37

Why we picked the Jawbone Era:

The Jawbone Era may be a few years old, but that doesn’t make it any less of a great device. The original Jawbone Era was released back in 2011, but the company re-released and redesigned the device in 2014. The Era is perhaps most notable because of its design — it’s arguably the most stylish Bluetooth headset on the list, thanks to its sleek arm and discreet earpiece. Basically, this headset won’t draw immediate judgment as you walk down the street. It’s also available in four colors (silver, red, bronze, and black) and comes with ear tips that fall within three size categories (small, medium, and large).

The Era features Jawbone’s “Noise Assassination” technology, which is targeted at cutting out as much background noise as possible when you’re on a call. There’s one button on the device, so it may take a few days to learn all the shortcuts. Jawbone claims that the device will last up to 4 hours on a single charge, but thankfully, there is an optional battery case available. Still, if you’re after something to last you through the day, the Era may not be for you. As far as connectivity goes, the Era features Bluetooth 4.0.

Read more here

The best for the price

Plantronics Voyager 5200

Why should you buy this: With an arm for superior audio and a 7 hour battery life, this is an excellent headset for its price.

The best for the price

Plantronics Voyager 5200

The Plantronics Voyager 5200 has a long battery life and a top-tier audio quality for a low price.

$100.00 from Amazon

$129.99 from TechRabbit

Who’s it for: Those who want quality at a low price

How much will it cost: $100

Why we picked the Plantronics Voyager 5200:

Arguably a little less stylish than the Jawbone Era, the Plantronics Voyager 5200 looks a lot more like what you might expect a Bluetooth headset to look like. While it won’t win any awards when it comes to design, it still has a lot going for it. The Voyager 5200 hooks around the ear, so you won’t need to worry too much about it falling off, which is great for those that fast-paced lives. The design is completed by the small microphone arm, which is noticeable, but not overly large.

Plantronics says the device should last up to seven hours on a single charge, though we suggest being a little conservative and estimating around five to six hours. That’s still not bad. Like the Era, the Voyager 5200 also has an optional charging case, which grants the device two extra charges.

The Voyager 5200 offers excellent audio quality, too, and while the noise cancellation may be a little too aggressive for some tastes, it helps mute background noise in spades. The device can even withstand a few raindrops if it needs to, given its IPX4 rating, meaning that splashes of water from any direction shouldn’t harm the device.

The best for the great outdoors

Jabra Steel

Why should you buy this: With a rugged dust, water, and shock resistant design, this is the toughest headset on the list.

The best for the great outdoors

Jabra Motion

The Jabra Steel is tough and dependable.

$102.90 from Amazon

Who’s it for: Those who work outdoors or in noisy or wet environments.

How much will it cost: $103

Why we picked the Jabra Motion:

The Jabra Steel has a very simple, straightforward, ruggedized design. It’s two and a half inches long with an optional ear hook to hold it in place. It scores an IP54 rating, which means it can handle rain and dusty environments, making it ideal for anyone working outdoors. There are extra-large buttons, so you can operate it, even with gloves on, and it supports voice commands for hands-free operation through your phone’s voice assistant.

You’ll find pairing via NFC is an easy option, and you can connect two devices simultaneously. It also boasts aggressive noise cancellation, which is great for loud environments. The audio quality is good, and you get a reasonable 6 hours of talk time when fully charged.

The best for home use

VXi BlueParrott B450-XT

Why should you buy this: With on-ear buttons and a secure, overhead design, this headset will help you manage your business at home.

The best for home use

VXi BlueParrott B450-XT

With a long arm and on-ear buttons, the VXi BlueParrott B450-XT is great for home or office use.

$149.99 from Amazon

$149.99 from VXI

Who’s it for: Those that want a headset for home or office use only.

How much will it cost: $150

Why we picked the VXi BlueParrott B450-XT:

Sometimes you’re not looking for a headset to use on the go – sometimes, you really need something to use at home. That’s what the VXi BlueParrott B450-XT is here for. While a little bulky, the device features call control buttons right on its ear, along with noise cancelling capabilities and an over-head design, keeping the headset securely on your head.

Along with that, the headset has a rather long microphone arm offering great audio quality — allowing the person on the other end of the line tohear you loud and clear. The headset can also be programmed with the Android or iOS apps, and has NFC for easy pairing.

Is now a good time to buy?

Now is as good of a time as any to buy a Bluetooth headset. While it seems like most companies have slowed down a little in releasing headsets, if you’re in the market for one, there’s no reason not to buy one right now.

On top of that, there are plenty of options available, even for those who don’t want to spend much money because they don’t think they’ll use a Bluetooth headset all that often. When choosing a headset, you’ll want to consider a number of different metrics – and one that many people forget is design. Keep in mind, this is a device you’re going to wear on your head, so you want it to look decent on top of working well.

In reality, most people don’t need a Bluetooth headset, as wired or wireless earbuds should suffice. but then again you probably wouldn’t be reading this if you hadn’t already decided that a Bluetooth headset was something you might need – either for your personal life or for your business.

How we choose the best Bluetooth headsets

Here at Digital Trends we pride ourselves on being experts in tech, and that includes Bluetooth headsets. Whether it be audio specifications, how Bluetooth works, or why current design trends are in, we know what we’re talking about. For this particular list, we put in the necessary time and research to go through hundreds of different headsets and determine which headsets are best for each category.

That’s not to say they’ll be the best forever – they’ll be overtaken eventually. But for now, we’re confident that these are indeed the best Bluetooth headsets around.

Article originally published 12-21-2016 by Christian de Looper and last updated 4-19-2017 by Simon Hill to add the Jabra Steel.

Zynga’s iMessage game will have you searching for the perfect GIF response

Why it matters to you

Zynga’s newest app is a neat, quick game you can enjoy with friends, centered on the time-honored internet tradition of GIF sharing.

If modern messaging services and social media have taught us one thing, it’s that there is a GIF for every occasion. Zynga seems to think so too, as the longtime mobile developer has based its latest game on that very premise.

It’s called GIFs Against Friends and it works similarly to party games like Cards Against Humanity and Quiplash — with the added hilarity of looping animations. One player selects a prompt or writes their own, and then others anonymously respond with GIFs. The judge selects whichever they deem the best, and then you’re on to the next round.

Zynga was one of the first developers to embrace the iMessage App Store introduced alongside iOS 10 last fall with a new version of Words Against Friends. Since then, the company has released a collection of minigames as well, but GIFs Against Friends looks uniquely well suited for the emerging platform.

“We had been working on the iMessage platform for a few months,” Mark Kantor, general manager at Zynga, told Digital Trends, “and we were thinking about ‘what are the things that people are already doing within messaging?’”

The company noted enthusiasm surrounding GIFs, and set out to build a game that utilized them while also being “inherently social.” The result? Up to 32 friends can join the battle for GIF supremacy in a single iMessage group chat. Unsurprisingly, that can create some pretty hectic exchanges.

“Often times, people in high school and college specifically have really big groups within iMessage,” Kantor said. “[The game] often leads to really funny conversations and obviously if there’s 10, 20, or 30 people in that conversation, then I think things can get pretty exciting.”

To allow GIFs Against Humanity to work as intended, however, Zynga needed to make sure the app was serving up the perfect GIFs in response to players’ search terms. Enter Tenor, a company that specializes in GIF curation and supplies its know-how and insights to various clients, from Facebook to Google, Kik, and Apple. For GIFs Against Humanity, the partnership made perfect sense.

“We’ve tried using a number of different [GIF search] services,” Kantor said. “[Tenor] somehow managed to get the emotions, and hit the nail right on the head.”

Tenor attributes the power of its solution to an understanding of how emotions relate to content in the context of messaging, particularly over mobile devices. To Tenor’s co-founder and CEO, David McIntosh, GIFs are merely another language of communication — albeit one that we usually only encounter when we’re texting a friend or sharing a post.

“Traditionally we’ve been hyper-focused on mobile messaging,” McIntosh said. “This is a really interesting partnership for us because it extends that visual language that we’re building to more of a gaming use case.”

While the iMessage App Store has stumbled a little out the gate — due to what many pundits, developers, and users alike have called a confusing interface that makes it difficult to find the software you’re looking for — Kantor believes there is massive potential for apps that manage to enhance the group chat experience.

“I think that the games that are gonna end up being the best within a messenger, they will probably be different games than the ones that stand alone in the App Store,” Kantor said. “The games that we’re seeing most success are the ones that really fit into the conversation. People don’t necessarily want to spend a minute to have the game load, and then spend ten minutes on a turn. They want something that’s going to be really snappy and not pull them away from the conversation, but actually make the conversation better.”

GIFs Against Friends is available now for free on the iMessage App Store.

Shooting 360-degree video with a GoPro is about to get easier with Fusion camera

Just ahead of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show on Saturday, GoPro has announced its first immersive video camera, called the Fusion. While the company has offered a 360-degree solution for some time in the form of the Omni cage —  which locks six GoPro Hero cameras together — the Fusion is a compact, single-camera device designed to be mounted in all the same ways as a normal GoPro.

Initial details on the new camera remain scarce, but one interesting tidbit is that it shoots 5.2K resolution, slightly above the now standard 4K. This is good news for immersive video enthusiasts, as higher resolutions tend to make a dramatic difference in 360 video, where all of those pixels are spread out over a spherical area. GoPro says this will also allow for HD-quality, non-360 video to be extracted from any angle, essentially giving Fusion users the ability to create both immersive and traditional fixed-frame content from the same camera, at the same time.

“Whether filming for VR or traditional fixed-perspective content, Fusion represents the state-of-the-art in versatile spherical capture,” said GoPro founder and CEO, Nick Woodman, in a statement. He did not elaborate on other ways in which the Fusion would be state-of-the-art.

What we do know is that work remains to be done to get the Fusion ready for the public. GoPro announced it will run an exclusive pilot program this summer, and is asking professional content creators to apply for it starting today. The goal is to field test the Fusion and produce content that GoPro can use to demonstrate its power before taking the camera to market. Assuming all goes well with the pilot program, GoPro expects to offer a “limited commercial release” by the end of 2017. No other details on pricing or availability have been given.

While the Fusion certainly seems interesting, our current sentiment can best be described as cautiously excited. We’re glad to see that GoPro is taking a single-camera approach to immersive content, but with so many 360 cameras popping up all the time from brands both big and small, the Fusion will need to deliver a trifecta of power, usability, and affordability to truly stand out from the crowd. For now, we’ll wait patiently for more details to emerge.

These two magazine covers weren’t shot with fancy pro cameras — just iPhones

Why it matters to you

The iPhone is a popular camera because of convenience — but factors like its small, less obtrusive body have led the iPhone 7 Plus camera to be used to shoot magazine covers.

The iPhone may not have the big sensor or swappable lenses of pro cameras — but that’s not stopping it from being the camera behind not one but two upcoming magazine covers. Both the Condé Nast Traveler and Bon Appétit May issues feature photos shot with an iPhone 7 Plus.

The Condé Nast travel magazine asked their team of photographers to use the iPhone 7 Plus and the new portrait mode for the cover shoot at St. Barts, promoting an article about the best new hotels. The portrait mode uses data from both lenses to determine what the subject is and what’s in the background to apply an artificial depth of field or background blur, mimicking the look of a photo from a camera with a much larger sensor, like a DSLR or mirrorless.

So why ask specifically for a shot from the iPhone? The editorial team requested shots from the iPhone because of the way the smartphone is changing how travelers take photos. “iPhone photography has reimagined the way we gather memories while we travel, making it easier than ever before to capture, with exceptional precision, snapshots of our trips,” the publication said in a press release. “This comes at a great time for travel photographers — amateur and professional — as well as the millions of people who travel vicariously through images and videos on mainstream social media platforms.”

Condé Nast says the image is the first time a travel magazine cover was shot with the iPhone 7 Plus.

Next month’s cover of Bon Appétit is the first time in the publication’s history the cover was shot with the iPhone 7 Plus as well. The travel-themed issue was shot by Bon Appétit’s creative director, Alex Grossman, in a Tiacolula market in Oaxaca, Mexico. Grossman chose to shoot with an iPhone both because of the way the smartphone is changing travel photography and to create something relatable for the food magazine’s readers.

“The iPhone lens is how we look at photography now,” Grossman said. “It changes the whole process and feel of a photo shoot, making it more intimate, less invasive, more nimble. We wanted to create something our reader would relate to.”

Both magazines are owned by the same company.

While the smartphone cover shoots are firsts for those particular magazines, smartphones have been behind cover shoots before. In December, Sports Illustrated featured a photo of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson shot with the modular Moto Z smartphone with the Hasselblad True Zoom Moto Mod.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8: What we know so far

For its next Note, Samsung will be hoping to build on a successful Galaxy S8 launch, and finally banish the specter of the Note 7.

In late 2016, Samsung released a critically praised smartphone that seemed to do everything right. A few weeks later, those phones started randomly catching on fire. Samsung recalled and replaced them, and then the new ones caught on fire as well. RIP Galaxy Note 7.

With the prospect of a Note 8 arriving later this year, Samsung’s going to want to build on the good publicity surrounding the GS8 and rebuild the Note brand into something that no longer conjures up images of burning electronics. What’s more, with the Galaxy S8+ already having an enormous screen, Samsung will need to push performance and features as a differentiator for this new, revitalized Note line.

So, no pressure then.

Will there be a Galaxy Note 8?

Yes. In an interview ahead of the company’s Note 7 investigation press conference, Samsung mobile chief DJ Koh told Reuters that a Note 8 is indeed in the works.

“I will bring back a better, safer and very innovative Note 8,” Koh said, adding “We found through the investigative process, we knew there are lots and lots of loyal Note customers.”

Galaxy Note 8 design

We don’t have any reliable evidence of what exactly the Note 8 will look like, but it’s safe to draw a few conclusions from the design of the Galaxy S8.

With that said, you can expect metal, glass, slim bezels, no buttons, rounded corners and that all-important extra-tall Infinity Display. Historically, Note devices have been a little more boxy than Galaxy S phones, so slightly narrower corners and flatter sides are a possibility too.

And yes, expect it to have that all-important S Pen.

The only purported Note 8 image to appear so far is of dubious credibility to say the least. The shot first surfaced on Chinese social network Weibo before being picked up by Slashleaks, and shows a design very similar to the Galaxy S8+. The proportions aren’t identical, and if you overlay a GS8+ image over the top, there are differences. But equally, it could easily be a fabrication.

Could this be the Galaxy Note 8? Maybe, but probably not.

Galaxy Note 8 specs and features

The Galaxy Note line has historically packed the latest and greatest specs, and that trend should continue in the Note 8. It’s likely we’ll see at least Snapdragon 835 and Exynos 9 series chips running the show, just like the GS8.

As Samsung looks to differentiate the Note line in ways other than sheer screen size, a jump to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage as standard is probable, too.

And that dual camera system we’ve been seeing in leaked Galaxy S8+ prototype photos is a good bet for the Note 8. Samsung showcased the Exynos 8895’s dual ISP (image signal processor) support in its announcement imagery, and chances are the company wouldn’t do that without having a specific product in mind.

Expect cutting-edge specs, and possibly new features like dual cameras and a higher-res display.

A 4K screen is a possibility too, one that’s long been rumored for Note devices, and potentially a huge development for VR, eliminating the dreaded “screen door” effect. Higher pixel density doesn’t matter when you’re tweeting or browsing the web, but it makes an enormous difference when you’re watching a movie of playing a game in VR. Like Sony’s 4K phones, a 4K Note 8 wouldn’t need run in 4K mode all the time, the full screen res could be limited to a number of apps where it makes sense.

Other, less outrageous possibilities for the Note 8’s display include a move to RGB AMOLED, as opposed to the diamond PenTile arrangement used in the S8. That would increase subpixel density while keeping the resolution the same (because each pixel would be made up of three subpixels, not two.)

Samsung has reportedly been working on integrating a fingerprint scanner directly into its AMOLED screens, a technical feat it wasn’t able to achieve in time for the S8 launch. But if this tech is ready in time for the next Note, Samsung would be able to avoid the reachability issues caused by the S8’s poorly-placed scanner.

As for the battery, Samsung is unlikely to want to push the capacity too high in the wake of the Note 7’s battery issues. What’s more, space inside the Note 8 will probably be constrained compared to the Galaxy S8 Plus, because you’ve got to fit an S Pen in there in addition to all the standard components. For that reason, we wouldn’t expect Samsung to push things much higher than the 3,500mAh capacity of the S8 Plus.

More: Do we need a Galaxy Note 8?

Galaxy Note 8 release date

When will the Galaxy S8 be announced and released? We only have guesswork to go on so far, but here goes:

A later than usual release for this year’s Galaxy S phones might push the Note back from its usual early August announcement window, perhaps in line with a debut at IFA 2017 in Berlin, Germany. A launch event in Germany would be important for the Note line in Europe, which hasn’t seen a functional Note launch since 2014’s Note 4. (The Note 5, as you may remember, wasn’t released in Europe.)

With a refreshed iPhone design expected later in the year, Samsung will be hoping to get its phone on store shelves first, meaning a possible global launch no later than mid-September.

More to come

We’re sure to learn more in the months leading up to the Note 8 launch, so stick with us here on Android Central for all the latest.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+

• Galaxy S8 and S8+ review!
• Galaxy S8 and S8+ specs
• Everything you need to know about the Galaxy S8’s cameras
• Get to know Samsung Bixby
• Join our Galaxy S8 forums

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Caseology is offering a variety of its Galaxy S8 and S8+ cases for as little as $6

Our friends at Thrifter are back again, this time with cases for the Galaxy S8 and S8+ for great prices!

The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are the hottest smartphone releases of the year. Whether you’ve already placed your order or are about to, odds are that you’ll want a case. With the shrinking bezels, the increased screen size, and the all-glass back of the phone, protection is key if you want it to look great for the long term. Luckily, you don’t have to hide the beauty of the phone with an ugly case because you don’t want to spend a ton of money on one.

Right now you can pick up a variety of cases from Caseology for as little as $5.99, which means you’ll probably want to grab a couple of the different styles. From clear to colored cases, there is something here that just about everyone will like. In order for the coupons to work, you may need to select the non-Prime, fulfilled by merchant option. If you try and use the coupon on the Prime listing and it gives you an error, try changing the seller under the “Other Sellers on Amazon” option on the right side of the page.

Galaxy S8

• Parallax Series (Burgundy) – $5.99 with code PXSDKB7A
• Parallax Series (Black) – $5.99 with code EAI8QODI
• Vault II Series (Black) – $5.99 with code 7UJ3ET53
• Vault II Series (Burgundy) – $5.99 with code FND4EVJR
• Coastline Series (Frost Gray) – $6.99 with code Q8QSI7LT
• Coastline Series (Orchid Gray) – $6.99 with code TSLAJHS4
• Legion Series (Gunmetal) – $6.99 with code Y99TUESO
• Legion Series (Orchid Gray) – $6.99 with code DDQL42WQ
• Vault I Series (Black) – $5.99 with code YVYJW5N3
• Fairmont Series (Cherry Oak) – $6.99 with code TMWPU3II
• Fairmont Series (Black) – $6.99 with code 8CVX8XJM

Galaxy S8+

• Parallax Series (Burgundy) – $5.99 with code S2Y7VSCC
• Parallax Series (Black) – $5.99 with code 6IPXIJ5W
• Vault II Series (Black) – $5.99 with code HVN7T33P
• Vault II Series (Burgundy) – $5.99 with code SNO7BK8L
• Coastline Series (Frost Gray) – $6.99 with code P8X8VI5C
• Coastline Series (Orchid Gray) – $6.99 with code IFOTFOQL
• Legion Series (Gunmetal) – $6.99 with code 2RSPDE6J
• Legion Series (Orchid Gray) – $6.99 with code KK2VGP7M
• Vault I Series (Black) – $5.99 with code LTTUJQZ9
• Fairmont Series (Cherry Oak) – $6.99 with code UE59DCAM
• Fairmont Series (Black) – $6.99 with code SF8CYM2O

Note: Each coupon code has a limited number of uses. If you see one that you want, be sure to grab it before the codes expire.

For more great deals be sure to check out our friends at Thrifter now!

LG G6 is launching in Europe and India on April 24

The LG G6 is heading to 25 countries on April 24.

The LG G6 is launching in a host of new markets next Monday, April 24. According to The Investor, the phone will be making its debut in 24 European countries on 33 carriers early next week, including the UK, Sweden, Finland, France and Germany. LG’s flagship is also hitting India on the same day, as the South Korean manufacturer sent out invites to the media for a launch event in New Delhi.

There’s a lot to like about the LG G6, with the company going back to the basics and not focusing on gimmicky features. The phone features a 5.7-inch QHD+ display with an 18:9 ratio, Snapdragon 821, 4GB of RAM, 32GB storage (Indian units get 64GB storage), dual 13MP camera, 5MP front shooter, IP68 water resistance, and a 3300mAh battery.

The phone retails for £649 ($830) in the UK, and is rumored to cost ₹53,000 ($820) in India, with LG offering pre-orders the ability to receive up to ₹7,000 ($110) in cash back. We’ll know more about pricing and launch-day offers on Monday, so stay tuned.

LG G6

• LG G6 review!
• LG G6 specs
• LG G6 vs. Google Pixel: The two best cameras right now
• Everything you need to know about the G6’s cameras
• LG forums

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