Google announces its full list of Chromebooks with Android apps inbound

Why it matters to you

Your Chromebook could soon get a whole lot more functional, with Android app support planned for scores of current models.

Almost a full year ago, Google announced that many of its Chromebooks would be getting support for Android apps. That support was supposed to come to as many as 50 devices late last year, but at this point only around six devices have made the cut.

Now, however, there’s some good news — Google is planning to bring Android app support to as many as 80 Chromebooks, including the popular Samsung Chromebook Plus, Chromebook Pro, and Chromebook 3. Of course, just because these devices are “planned” to get Android app support, that doesn’t mean the support will come anytime soon. More devices are also listed in the beta channel, including the Acer Chromebook R13, meaning that support may officially come at some point soon.

Unfortunately, the app support hasn’t been as widespread as some might have hoped. That’s to say, there aren’t all that many apps available for Chromebooks just yet, and the apps that are available are a little buggy and seem like basic blown-up versions of the original Android apps. Still, that’s likely to change in the near future as support improves.

You can check out a full list of Chromebooks that are getting Android app support here at the Chromium blog.

It makes sense that Google would want to bring Android apps to Chromebooks. While Chromebooks have seen serious popularity in some sectors, notably education, Google likely wants to expand that popularity to more markets, and what better way to do it than to tap into the massive ecosystem called the Google Play Store.

Google has also long been rumored to merge Chrome OS — the operating system that runs on Chromebooks — and Android. Some companies, including Microsoft and Samsung, have both launched ways for mobile users to use their phones to power a desktop experience, and it’s likely that Google wants to follow suit.

Logitech K780 review

Research Center:
Logitech K780

Over the course of a day, many of us flip back and forth between two, sometimes three, computing devices, moving from the keyboard on a desktop to the virtual keyboard on a mobile device, and back again. Wouldn’t it be much simpler if you could switch between and enter data on these gadgets from the same keyboard? A while back, Logitech released such a solution, the K380 Bluetooth Keyboard ($30), which let users flip between multiple devices with the touch of a button.

While a terrific idea, a shortcoming of the K380 is that it doesn’t provide a way to hold your smartphone or tablet upright as you type. Logitech corrected via a groove, or gutter, carved into the top section of its Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard K480 ($30). Both the K380 and the K480 let you pair up to three devices and switch between them easily, but each has its limitations. The K480’s groove, for instance, is big enough to hold only one mobile device, and the keyboard itself has no number pad.

Those issues, as well as a few other shortcomings, have been addressed with Logitech’s premium device-swapping keyboard, the K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard. However, this new keyboard is $70 — more than its predecessors, as well as most competitors. Are its improvements worth the price?

Substantial and—as Desktop Keyboards Go—Attractive

At 15 inches wide, by 6.2 inches deep, and 0.3 inches tall, the K780’s size is about average for a desktop keyboard, but it’s a bit deeper (from top to bottom) and heavier than most other full-size keyboards. The additional depth and girth is due primarily to a soft, grippy, rubberlike groove that runs across the top of the deck.

What is unique about the K780 is that, instead of the traditional chiclet-style keys, its keys are oval and slightly concave, giving the K780 the aesthetic appearance of an old-style typewriter. The keys, the deck, and the underside are encased in dark gray plastic, and on the back there’s a compartment that holds two AAA batteries along with Logitech’s “Unifying” USB dongle, which supports up to seven of the company’s Bluetooth devices.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

An advantage of the K380 and the K480 mentioned earlier is that they’re both small and light, making them somewhat portable, whereas the K780 isn’t as easy to carry around. Even more portable than the smaller Logitech models, though, is Microsoft’s Universal Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard ($70), yet another wireless keyboard that lets you swap between multiple devices on the fly.

But the Microsoft iteration supports only two devices, whereas Logitech’s multi-device keyboards can be configured for up to three. The K780’s size also provides some advantages in comfort, as we’ll soon discuss.

Juggling Devices

You can pair the K780 with most Windows, Android, MacOS, iOS, and ChromeBook devices. To do so, simply press one of the first three function keys to make the K780 discoverable, and then enter the passcode provided by the device with which you’re pairing. Once you’ve paired two or more devices, you can switch between them by pressing the corresponding function key.

You can pair the K780 with most Windows, Android, MacOS, iOS, and ChromeBook devices.

The rubber gutter across the top is long enough to accommodate at least two mobile devices, such as, say, a smartphone and most tablets, even in landscape orientation, and the groove’s rubbery texture is grippy enough to hold most devices securely upright, and allow poking the touch screen without toppling them over. However, the groove itself is not wide enough to hold mobile devices encased in thick protectors. Logitech says that the gutter, which it calls a “smart device stand,” will hold devices up to 11.3 millimeters, which is about right. We couldn’t get it to accommodate anything thicker than about 7/8 of an inch.

As any multi-device keyboard should, the K780 configures itself according to the operating system (OS) it’s paired with. In Android, for instance, you get the Home, Back, and other relevant keys. In MacOS the Alt key becomes the Command key. In Windows, the Option key re-maps to the Start button, and so on. The keys are even labeled accordingly.

Relatively Comfortable

Overall, we found the K780 comfortable enough to type on, but the round, concaved keys take a little getting used to, which may slow you down at first. The keys have sufficient plunge and travel, and they deploy Logitech’s PerfectStroke key system, which is supposed to deliver silent typing. While it’s not completely silent, it’s quieter than most keyboards. The K780 has a slight front to back incline to make typing more comfortable, but there’s no built-in stand to increase that incline.

Logitech K780 Compared To

Aukey KM-G3

Logitech G Pro Mechanical Gaming…

Microsoft Universal Foldable…

Logitech G213 Prodigy

Steelseries Apex M500

Razer Turret

Razer Blackwidow X Chroma

Cougar Attack X3 gaming keyboard

Razer Deathstalker Chroma

Logitech K400

Microsoft Wireless Desktop 5000

Cooler Master Storm QuickFire

Logitech iPad 2 Keyboard Case by…

Cherry JK-0300

Logitech K750 Wireless Solar…

A few missing options — most likely left out to save battery life — are NUM lock and caps lock indicators, and the keys themselves are not backlit. If you’re not a proficient touch typist you might find using the K780 in dim or dark settings a bit difficult. However, Logitech does offer Windows and Mac software that displays NUM lock and caps lock status on your monitor.

Warranty information

Logitech warranties the K780 for one year under normal use. That’s typical for a keyboard.

Our Take

The Logitech K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard is well-built, simple to configure and setup, easy to use, and comfortable to type on. Switching from device to device is simple, and the groove across the top can accommodate most mobile computing gadgets. It has a few missing features, such as the lack of NUM lock and caps lock status indicators, and we think it could benefit from a steeper incline. Still, it serves its purpose of allowing you to switch swiftly and efficiently between multiple devices.

Is there a better alternative?

Of the multi-device keyboards we’ve looked at, the Logitech K780 is the most complete solution. Kingston’s KP400 Switchable Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard is comparable in some ways, but it doesn’t have the groove across the top for holding mobile devices upright. Then, too, there’s Microsoft’s Universal Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard, but not only does it not provide a way to hold up your mobile devices, it supports only two devices at once. It is, however, much more portable.

How long will it last?

The K780 seems durable and very well built and will most likely outlast most or all of your computing devices.

Should you buy it?

Yes. If you’re looking for something more portable, either of its siblings, the K380 and the K480, as well as Microsoft’s Universal Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard, are better choices. But the K780 is the most complete multi-device solution, especially for desktop users. The comfort and versatility it provides when compared to other keyboards in this category justifies the $70 price tag.

Logitech K780 review

Research Center:
Logitech K780

Over the course of a day, many of us flip back and forth between two, sometimes three, computing devices, moving from the keyboard on a desktop to the virtual keyboard on a mobile device, and back again. Wouldn’t it be much simpler if you could switch between and enter data on these gadgets from the same keyboard? A while back, Logitech released such a solution, the K380 Bluetooth Keyboard ($30), which let users flip between multiple devices with the touch of a button.

While a terrific idea, a shortcoming of the K380 is that it doesn’t provide a way to hold your smartphone or tablet upright as you type. Logitech corrected via a groove, or gutter, carved into the top section of its Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard K480 ($30). Both the K380 and the K480 let you pair up to three devices and switch between them easily, but each has its limitations. The K480’s groove, for instance, is big enough to hold only one mobile device, and the keyboard itself has no number pad.

Those issues, as well as a few other shortcomings, have been addressed with Logitech’s premium device-swapping keyboard, the K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard. However, this new keyboard is $70 — more than its predecessors, as well as most competitors. Are its improvements worth the price?

Substantial and—as Desktop Keyboards Go—Attractive

At 15 inches wide, by 6.2 inches deep, and 0.3 inches tall, the K780’s size is about average for a desktop keyboard, but it’s a bit deeper (from top to bottom) and heavier than most other full-size keyboards. The additional depth and girth is due primarily to a soft, grippy, rubberlike groove that runs across the top of the deck.

What is unique about the K780 is that, instead of the traditional chiclet-style keys, its keys are oval and slightly concave, giving the K780 the aesthetic appearance of an old-style typewriter. The keys, the deck, and the underside are encased in dark gray plastic, and on the back there’s a compartment that holds two AAA batteries along with Logitech’s “Unifying” USB dongle, which supports up to seven of the company’s Bluetooth devices.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

An advantage of the K380 and the K480 mentioned earlier is that they’re both small and light, making them somewhat portable, whereas the K780 isn’t as easy to carry around. Even more portable than the smaller Logitech models, though, is Microsoft’s Universal Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard ($70), yet another wireless keyboard that lets you swap between multiple devices on the fly.

But the Microsoft iteration supports only two devices, whereas Logitech’s multi-device keyboards can be configured for up to three. The K780’s size also provides some advantages in comfort, as we’ll soon discuss.

Juggling Devices

You can pair the K780 with most Windows, Android, MacOS, iOS, and ChromeBook devices. To do so, simply press one of the first three function keys to make the K780 discoverable, and then enter the passcode provided by the device with which you’re pairing. Once you’ve paired two or more devices, you can switch between them by pressing the corresponding function key.

You can pair the K780 with most Windows, Android, MacOS, iOS, and ChromeBook devices.

The rubber gutter across the top is long enough to accommodate at least two mobile devices, such as, say, a smartphone and most tablets, even in landscape orientation, and the groove’s rubbery texture is grippy enough to hold most devices securely upright, and allow poking the touch screen without toppling them over. However, the groove itself is not wide enough to hold mobile devices encased in thick protectors. Logitech says that the gutter, which it calls a “smart device stand,” will hold devices up to 11.3 millimeters, which is about right. We couldn’t get it to accommodate anything thicker than about 7/8 of an inch.

As any multi-device keyboard should, the K780 configures itself according to the operating system (OS) it’s paired with. In Android, for instance, you get the Home, Back, and other relevant keys. In MacOS the Alt key becomes the Command key. In Windows, the Option key re-maps to the Start button, and so on. The keys are even labeled accordingly.

Relatively Comfortable

Overall, we found the K780 comfortable enough to type on, but the round, concaved keys take a little getting used to, which may slow you down at first. The keys have sufficient plunge and travel, and they deploy Logitech’s PerfectStroke key system, which is supposed to deliver silent typing. While it’s not completely silent, it’s quieter than most keyboards. The K780 has a slight front to back incline to make typing more comfortable, but there’s no built-in stand to increase that incline.

Logitech K780 Compared To

Aukey KM-G3

Logitech G Pro Mechanical Gaming…

Microsoft Universal Foldable…

Logitech G213 Prodigy

Steelseries Apex M500

Razer Turret

Razer Blackwidow X Chroma

Cougar Attack X3 gaming keyboard

Razer Deathstalker Chroma

Logitech K400

Microsoft Wireless Desktop 5000

Cooler Master Storm QuickFire

Logitech iPad 2 Keyboard Case by…

Cherry JK-0300

Logitech K750 Wireless Solar…

A few missing options — most likely left out to save battery life — are NUM lock and caps lock indicators, and the keys themselves are not backlit. If you’re not a proficient touch typist you might find using the K780 in dim or dark settings a bit difficult. However, Logitech does offer Windows and Mac software that displays NUM lock and caps lock status on your monitor.

Warranty information

Logitech warranties the K780 for one year under normal use. That’s typical for a keyboard.

Our Take

The Logitech K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard is well-built, simple to configure and setup, easy to use, and comfortable to type on. Switching from device to device is simple, and the groove across the top can accommodate most mobile computing gadgets. It has a few missing features, such as the lack of NUM lock and caps lock status indicators, and we think it could benefit from a steeper incline. Still, it serves its purpose of allowing you to switch swiftly and efficiently between multiple devices.

Is there a better alternative?

Of the multi-device keyboards we’ve looked at, the Logitech K780 is the most complete solution. Kingston’s KP400 Switchable Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard is comparable in some ways, but it doesn’t have the groove across the top for holding mobile devices upright. Then, too, there’s Microsoft’s Universal Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard, but not only does it not provide a way to hold up your mobile devices, it supports only two devices at once. It is, however, much more portable.

How long will it last?

The K780 seems durable and very well built and will most likely outlast most or all of your computing devices.

Should you buy it?

Yes. If you’re looking for something more portable, either of its siblings, the K380 and the K480, as well as Microsoft’s Universal Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard, are better choices. But the K780 is the most complete multi-device solution, especially for desktop users. The comfort and versatility it provides when compared to other keyboards in this category justifies the $70 price tag.

United Kingdom testing durable roads made of recycled plastic

Why it matters to you

Plastic roads are a win for the environment, government budgets, and the quality of streets we drive on. MacRebur is a startup that’s bringing them to the masses.

Despite the fact that road vehicles have changed enormously over the past 70 years — in both quality and quantity — the roads they drive on have advanced surprisingly little.

U.K. entrepreneur and engineer Toby McCartney has been working to change that, courtesy of technology that allows for the creation of high quality road asphalt out of recycled plastic waste. With the innovative tech, he now wants to use discarded plastic from landfills to transform millions of kilometers of roads around the world.

“We take waste plastic that is destined for landfill sites and recycle it,” McCartney told Digital Trends. “What we’re able to do is to take this plastic that has been thrown away, and use a special formula to clean it off, create pellets using it, and then use those pellets to add to a mixture of rocks and bitumen to make longer-lasting roads.”

So far, the scheme has won the approval of Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson, and McCartney’s company MacRebur has gotten the support of two local governments in England to start using its MR6 product to build their roads.

McCartney describes the technology as a “real win-win across the industry.” It lessens the reliance on fossil fuels due to the reduction in oil that needs to be used as part of the formulation, helps cut down on waste plastic going to landfill, and improves the streets we drive on. The plastic-based road asphalt made by MacRebur is 60 percent tougher than standard asphalt. By tweaking the recipe, the surface can also be modified for different environments.

In addition, it saves money for all involved. Companies that sell the waste plastic to McCartney save money by not being taxed for sending material to landfill. Local governments save money because they get a longer-lasting road which needs less maintenance. Drivers save money because they’re driving on better roads, with fewer potholes. And McCartney and his colleagues save money because, well, they’re being paid for their work.

Next up, he says the plan is to expand to new countries — although he noted that this must be done the right way.

“Something we’re very conscious of is that we’re still classed as a startup,” McCartney said. “We don’t want to grow too quickly, because we want the infrastructure in place to produce our pellets. We’re aware of dealing with over-demand, which would leave us unable to fulfill orders. As a result, we’re being very careful in selecting the countries that we’re expanding into.”

BlackBerry KEYone retail unboxing!

Today is the global launch day for the BlackBerry KEYone, as the phone makes its debut at London’s high-end Selfridges department store, more than a week ahead of the official UK launch date of May 5. It’s available for £499 unlocked, which gets you a well-built, metal-clad, rubber-backed handset powered by one of our most favorite efficient SoCs, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 625. That’s backed up by 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage and BlackBerrys, software suite, based on Android 7.1.

We picked one up at Selfridges today, so be sure to check out our retail unboxing above! Hit up CrackBerry Kevin for more on why a physical keyboard on your phone might not be as crazy as it sounds.

• Android Central on YouTube
• CrackBerry Kevin on YouTube
• More on the BlackBerry KEYone
• BlackBerry coverage on CrackBerry.com

MrMobile is giving away a ton of tech!

One of my favorite things about reviewing the hottest mobile technology is that sometimes they let me give it all away. See, we just hit the 100-video mark over on the MrMobile YouTube channel, and after less than a year we’ve also managed to snag some 350,000 subscribers! I thought those were milestones worth celebrating, so I wrote some of the biggest and best tech companies in the world and asked them if they’d like to offer some giveaway gadgets to the people who made it all possible (psst: that’s you!). To my surprise and delight, most of them agreed … and now you’ve got the chance to win everything from smartphones to tablets to mobile accessories to a 4K TV – over $10,000 in prizes!

To enter, the terms are pretty simple: you just have to say something nice on YouTube. Why? Because YouTube comment sections have too long been counted among the very worst parts of the internet, and I thought it would be nice to shine a little light into those dank corners … if only for a week. For the details, check out the announcement video – then head over to the official contest site for more info and additional chances to win. Giveaway recipients will be announced starting May 5th.

Until then, best of luck – and stay mobile my friends!

Stay social, my friends

• YouTube 
• The Web
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Snapchat
• Instagram

Using Android in the Microsoft ecosystem

Is it possible to comfortably use an Android while living in the Microsoft ecosystem?

More and more people are switching from Windows phone every day. I can tell, because people are constantly asking me which platform they should go for between iOS and Android. I’ve already written an article detailing my month-long experience with an iPhone in the Microsoft ecosystem, and now it’s Android’s turn, as so many of you requested.

In my mind, to truly experience an ecosystem, you’ve got to use not only the software, but the services, and the hardware too. That’s one of the reasons why I still haven’t left Windows phone. But I get it, Windows phone isn’t cutting it for everyone anymore, and every day more and more people are needing (not necessarily wanting) to switch platforms.

So, is it possible to continue living entirely in the Microsoft ecosystem with an Android smartphone? Over the last month or so, I’ve been using an Android smartphone in place of my beloved Windows phone to find out exactly that. This is the Microsoft Android.

The setup

As a full-time Windows phone user, I went ahead and purchased myself a brand new matte black OnePlus 3T 128GB with the intention of using it over my primary smartphone, which is currently an HP Elite x3, but continuing to use all of Microsoft’s apps and services, just like I did on Windows phone.

The Android experience is never the same on any device. Depending on the hardware maker, things such as the home screen, notification center, settings apps, and more can differ. Luckily, Android is super customizable, so for the most part we can make Android behave the way we want it to.

Android has the ability of entirely switching out the default home screen and lock screen experiences with a 3rd party one. And Microsoft has their own offering for both of those things. There’s a Microsoft home screen, and a Microsoft lock screen for Android which you can download from the store.

The Microsoft home experience is called Arrow, and looks very similar to your average Android home screen. It has a quick launcher bar at the bottom of the screen, an “app drawer” where you can find all the app installed on your device, and a utility page that gives you access to recent contacts, photos, documents, calendar events and more.

You can even login to your Microsoft Account, which will sync up things like calendar events and documents directly with the launcher, which can be accessed by swiping left over to the utility page.

Then there’s the Microsoft lock screen, which is called Next Lock Screen. I actually don’t like this lock screen, as I find it to be slow and clunky. Also, Android doesn’t do a very good job at handling 3rd party lock screens as well as it does home screens. For example, using a 3rd party lock screen means you won’t be able to use Android Pay unless you login first.

What’s more, it’s definitely evident that the 3rd party lock screens are just placed on top of the default lock screen. You can tell because whenever you restart your phone, you have to login twice, once with the Next Lock Screen, and then again with the actual default lock screen. It’s really annoying.

The Next Lock Screen looks similar to the Arrow Launcher, with a quick launcher at the bottom of the screen. It also houses all your notifications in a list under the time, just like the normal Android lock screen or on iPhone. I definitely prefer this method of displaying notifications, unlike on Windows phone which doesn’t really do this.

Now, to download any apps from the app store (known as the Play Store on Android), you need a Google account. You’ll be prompted to make one when you setup your phone for the first time, but luckily you can use your Microsoft email instead of having to create a new Gmail address.

Most Android phones come bundled with Google apps out of box, because that’s mostly why people want an Android. For Windows users, however, that’s not the case. While you can’t necessarily uninstall the bundled Google apps, you can definitely disable a lot of them. So that’s exactly what I did.

Before doing anything else, the first thing I did is manually “disable” 99% of the Google apps that are bundled on Android. That includes things like Google Calendar, Photos, Gmail, Hangouts, Play Music, Play Movies, Google App, and Google Drive. I kept a few of the smaller utility based ones, because they might come in handy.

I disabled all of these apps because I intend to replace them with Microsoft’s own offerings. I didn’t disable Google Chrome however, because Chrome is arguably the only good web browser on Android. And Maybe Opera. But I stuck with Chrome.

The apps

Now that we’ve disabled all of Google’s out of box apps and installed Microsoft’s own launcher and lock screen, it’s time to start replacing them with Microsoft’s own apps. To see a list of Microsoft apps available on Android, I simply headed to the Play Store and searched “Microsoft” in the search tab which will bring up an incredibly long list of Microsoft apps available on the platform.

It becomes obvious very quickly that Microsoft is all in on Android, with literally hundreds of apps available from the software maker. So first and foremost, I went ahead and downloaded the Outlook app, so I could get my Mail and Calendar setup on my phone.

Microsoft’s Outlook app for Android is super nice and simple to use. You can add multiple email accounts to it, so if you’re using more than just one Outlook account. The app is pretty feature filled too, with direct access to my OneDrive files, and my contacts list for quick emailing.

Speaking of contacts, with the Outlook app, you can sync the contacts saved to your Microsoft Account directly with Android itself. This means you don’t have to manually add your contacts to your new address book on your Android, as the Outlook app should do it all for you, just like on Windows phone.

Unlike on iPhone, you can set 3rd-party apps as default on Android. This means the Outlook app will actually be used when clicking an email on a webpage, rather than asking to use the default Gmail app. This makes for a much simpler user-experience, as it means you won’t have to copy/paste email addresses into the Outlook app when you have an email to send, the system will handle everything for you.

Installing the Microsoft Authenticator app is also a good move, too. It’ll make signing into all the Microsoft apps easier, and in some cases will even skip the login process and just use your account info from the Authenticator app. This is super handy, as typing your email and password every time you want to install a Microsoft app is tiresome.

Moving on, OneDrive and Office are important apps to any Microsoft user, and luckily on Android Microsoft has some great offerings for you. You’ve got a pretty nice OneDrive app, which does exactly what the OneDrive app on Windows phone does, albeit with a slightly uglier UI in my opinion. You’ve even got automatic backups for photos, which is something I know many Windows phone users will be happy to hear.

You’ve also got your standard collection of Office Mobile apps. This includes Word, PowerPoint, OneNote and Excel. The Office apps are pretty much on-par with the Universal Windows Platform apps on Windows phone. They even look the same, so you won’t be lost or confused coming from a Windows phone if you’re often using Office on your phone.

Each Office app has direct access to your OneDrive too, so you can grab any document or PowerPoint presentation you like directly from the home screen of the app. OneNote has a super handy widget that you can pin to your home screen, with quick access to your notes and note taking options.

I then went ahead and installed Skype. Actually, I installed Skype Preview. You can install either, but the Skype Preview is newer, being constantly updated by Microsoft with new features. Currently, it doesn’t house SMS messages like on Windows phone, meaning no Skype SMS syncing between the desktop app on Windows and your phone. Microsoft says they will be bringing this functionality to Android at some point however.

The Skype Preview app has a very simple UI. I find the app takes a little longer than I’d like to launch, but it integrates with the OS well enough so that actionable notifications usually bypass the need to open the app completely. When a call comes in, you can answer that call directly from the notification, which is also pretty nice.

Next up is Cortana. The Cortana app on Android features a funky UI similar to that on iPhone, but is completely different from the UI found on Windows phone. I actually much prefer the far more simple UI that the Windows phone version has than that of the Android and iPhone versions. You have to swipe up, and then swipe over two times to get to your news view of the day, which is annoying.

It does get some things right however. For example, there’s this “hub” area which gives you quick access to the most common tasks Cortana can do. If you’re someone who doesn’t like talking to their phone, you can use these quick access shortcuts to initiate a command without speaking. For example, I can tap on “tell me a joke” and Cortana will do just that, without me needing to ask it with my voice or type it out.

The Cortana app can actually sync notifications between your phone and PC, just like on Windows phone. This means you can technically reply to texts from your desktop that arrive via your Android’s SMS app. Not only that, but you can also take advantage of most of the actionable notifications on Android, including apps from 3rd party developers. I can reply to WhatsApp notifications from my Windows desktop that are synced from my phone. That is super awesome.

Finally, Cortana can also be accessed directly from the home button and the lock screen. As mentioned above, you can set apps as default on Android, and you can set Cortana to be your default “voice assistant” on Android too. Once set, you can hold down the home button to initiate Cortana, which is incredibly handy especially if you’re a big Cortana user.

Moving right along, Groove Music is another important app for me. The Android app is pretty basic, still rocking the “Your Groove” feature which was removed from the Windows apps some time ago. It’s basic, but it has everything I need from a music player. I’ve still got my list of songs, albums, artists and can still create playlists too. You can also search for music in the Groove library, and add them to your collection or download them for offline playback.

Other Microsoft apps I installed include Microsoft Band for health, Xbox and Beam for gaming, GroupMe for communication with colleagues. and MSN News as my news app. All of those apps work just fine.

Final thoughts

I’ll be honest, I really wasn’t looking forward to using Android as my daily driver. The last time I tried to switch to Android, is was back when Android 2.x was a thing, and my god that experience was terrible. In 2017 however, Android is as fast and as fluid as iOS is in most cases, which was a pleasant surprise to me. Of course, this depends on the Android smartphone you decide to pick up. I’ll be writing more about the OnePlus 3T itself in an article coming soon, but for now, let’s just focus on the software.

Android has multitasking mode, which allows you to use two apps at once. I know this is a big thing that Windows phone fans want too, but I honestly never use it. Perhaps that’s because I forget its there, or maybe it’s just not something I find I need to use.

In short, moving to Android from as a Microsoft user is a good idea. Sure, there’s a lot of work you need to do before your Android is behaving the way you want, such as dealing with app launchers and lock screens and whatnot. But once you’ve got all that sorted, and all the Microsoft apps installed, you’re basically good to go. After everything is set up, using Android as a Microsoft user becomes an incredibly pleasing experience.

Some of the Microsoft apps aren’t as polished as they are on Windows phone, which is to be expected. But they work, and they work reliably. I’m yet to find myself using an Android app and wishing I was back using a Windows phone, because all the Android apps do everything I need them to do, sometimes better.

Now you will be missing out on Microsoft Wallet if you’re in the United States, but there is Android Pay. I admit, I didn’t try out Android Pay, so I can’t really comment on how good or bad it is in comparison to Microsoft Wallet.

If you’re a Microsoft users looking to make the switch from Windows phone, I’d say Android is a great choice, assuming you’re okay with spending an hour or so setting everything up and customizing stuff the way you like it. The beauty of iPhone is that it’s basically already setup right out of the box. With an Android smartphone, there’s a bit more work involved before you’re “done” setting up your phone.

With Android, you can definitely be “more in” on the Microsoft ecosystem over an iPhone. So if surrounding yourself with Microsoft as much as possible is your ultimate goal, Android is the way to go.

OnePlus 3T and OnePlus 3

• OnePlus 3T review: Rekindling a love story
• OnePlus 3T vs. OnePlus 3: What’s the difference?
• OnePlus 3T specs
• Latest OnePlus 3 news
• Discuss OnePlus 3T and 3 in the forums

OnePlus
Amazon

Galaxy Note 7 was a fluke, and the GS8 is no redemption story

The story you were told is a lie. The Galaxy S8 doesn’t mean redemption for Samsung — it simply means more of the same.

There’s definitely something about being reminded that the Emperor has no clothes. Maybe it was because I was midway through my own little take on the Galaxy S8. … It’s a beautiful piece of glass and software, the phone Samsung needed to make — the phone it had to make — bringing it back from the fiery depths like a Phoenix rising from the ashes to return the company to glory and …

No.

That’s not what the Galaxy S8 is, at all. It’s a really good smartphone, made by a really good company. Just like the phones it made last year. And the year before that. And the year before that.

To fulfill the “redemption” narrative, the Galaxy S8 needs to do only one thing — not explode in very small numbers.

That’s not a particularly high bar, especially given that Samsung eventually figured out what went wrong in the Galaxy Note 7. Blame the battery manufacturer, or blame Samsung’s testing, or blame both — none of that has anything to do with anything but the battery. Not curved glass. Not cameras. Not software. Reputations are at stake, sure. But Samsung fought (and bought) its way to the top of the heap — it’s tough (and rich) enough to make sure it stays there.

Pretend the Galaxy Note 7 never happened. (And in some respects, it never did.) … What’s so big about the Galaxy S8, then?

It’s got a great display. It’s gorgeous. With curved edges. That’s not new for Samsung. It’s been making great displays for years, going all the way back to the first SAMOLED screens it showed off at Mobile World Congress in February 2010. (I was there in Barcelona for that one.) It’s been making curved displays for a couple generations now.

The simple act of unlocking the Galaxy S8 is hobbled by choices and conflicting design.

The Galaxy S8 has a great camera. We know this because (a) we’ve all used it by now, and (b) it’s basically unchanged from the Galaxy S7. Improved a bit? Sure. But I wouldn’t say revolutionary or anything.

Looks great. Feels great. Runs great.

But there’s the other side of Samsung, too. The side that just can’t help but stuff every conceivable option into a phone. Never mind that most of them are off by default, and likely never will be seen by most normal smartphone folk. (Hint: If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re not one of those people.)

That (among other things) has led to the abomination of a “hidden” home button. Combine that with the awkwardly placed fingerprint sensor on the back of the phone, and unlocking this thing has been more of a chore than it should be. Iris scanning is OK, but also a nonstarter for me a lot of the time in Florida. (Because sunglasses.) Face recognition barely works.

As good as the #galaxys8 Iris scanner is, a well-placed fingerprint scanner is better.

— Phil Nickinson (@mdrndad) April 22, 2017

I didn’t hate Samsung’s new launcher at first. It’s probably the best the company has produced. But it’s lacking app shortcuts — little popups you get if you long-press and app that’ll take you to features within that app.

Oh, sure, Samsung has shortcuts. But they’re the same for every app on the home screen. And while they’re useful when you’re first setting up the phone, they’re worthless after that.

App shortcuts on the Pixel XL, and app shortcuts on the Galaxy S8. Which is more useful all the time?

You can take or leave the notification badges — the little numbers that only tell you how many of something awaits when you open that app. It doesn’t tell you what, or give any context or clues to importance. Badges ain’t nothing but a number. Me? I’ll leave ’em.

And the folders. Oh, sweet baby Jesus, the folders. They look nice. Great animations. But the amount of space wasted within them — taking up an entire screen instead of expanding only as much as needed.

And don’t even think about tapping in that vast expanse to close the folder.

The Galaxy S8 is a beautiful phone, and the best Samsung has made. But it’s a story of continuation, not redemption — and not one of revolution.

It’s a quintessential Samsung thing. A lot of style, but also a lot of substance. Too much substance, maybe. We’ve seen it before in the Galaxy S7. And the Note 7. And the GS6. And in the Note 5. And in the Galaxy S5 series. And in the 4 series. And in the 3 series.

So what’s changed?

Samsung’s doing everything that it’s ever done. In fact, it’s doing it even more. It continues to innovate in design and hardware. (Yes, LG, I hear your screams.) It continues to bludgeon us over the head with software — in some ways better, in some ways worse.

That’s not redemption. That’s continuation. That’s improvement. That’s building on what Samsung’s been doing for most of the past decade.

The Galaxy Note 7 was (so far, at least) an aberration. Samsung won’t like that freak occurrence happen again. But for as bad as that meltdown was — literally and figuratively — it also made for a great storyline in setting up the Galaxy S8. (For you tinfoil hatters out there, I’m not saying it was an intentional meltdown.)

Samsung didn’t even have to work to sell the redemption line. We all just couldn’t wait to use it.

Modern Dad

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Acer Predator Triton 700 preview: A gaming great is born?

Gaming laptops are undergoing change: no longer do they need to be the size of a four-bedroom house to deliver considerable power, as the trimmed-down Acer Predator Triton 700 goes to show.

Ok, so it’s still about the size of a two-bed semi-detached, but the Triton 700 is a darn sight slimmer than its near competition. How slim? Just 18.9mm when it’s closed.

Acer Predator Triton 700 preview: Keyboard and trackpad switch-around

• 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display
• Intel Core i7; latest Nvidia GeForce GTX 10-Series
• 18.9mm thin; 2.6kg weight
• Full mechanical keyboard, invisible trackpad

Considering what’s within that’s really good going. Lift up the lid and there’s a full mechanical keyboard, with proper clicky key movement – the likes of which Acer has used on its Predator 21 X gaming laptop. The Triton 700 lights-up with a soft blue colour, which keeps things sophisticated rather than garish.

Pocket-lint

Here’s the first really bizarre thing, though: the keyboard doesn’t have a trackpad ahead of it. Where you’d normally rest the wrists and swipe away is a no-go on this laptop; instead the trackpad is invisible, hidden under a sheet of Gorilla Glass which exposes the fan beneath, but which you can swipe away at.

It’s not the first time we’ve seen Acer go borderline mad with such design – the failed Aspire R7 still makes us chuckle to think about – but as this is a gaming laptop we don’t mind the trackpad’s position, as a wired mouse is most likely to be plugged in at all times. That actually means the keyboard will be closer, so you’ll be nearer to the screen in a sense, more immersed in the action.

Pocket-lint

The problem is simple: there’s nowhere obvious to rest your wrists. Which, if you were typing out long essays, would certainly bring on a bout of RSI, but as deft-fingered gamers will know the number of keystrokes in a mammoth match is no short order. Perhaps, then, the keyboard should just be in the normal position?

Acer Predator Triton 700 preview: New fan system for cooling

• Dual second-gen AeroBlade 3D Fan
• Gorilla Glass plate exposes cooling system
• 3x USB 3.0, 1x Thunderbolt 3.0, 1x Ethernet

Still, it’s a unique point, a lure to get you looking in the first instance. And that glass window does look great: it provides a visual into the fan cooling system (on one side of the machine anyway), exposing five cooling pipeline and Acer’s second-gen AeroBlade 3D Fan solution.

Pocket-lint

What does that mean? First Acer made a metal rather than plastic fan in the AeroBlade, which increased airflow by 15 per cent by compare. Then the company made the AeroBlade 3D Fan, delivering a 25 per cent uplift compared to a conventional fan. With the second-gen solution there’s an axial fin which enhances cooling and makes it much more efficient – 35 per cent beyond a conventional fan.

That’s why the Triton 700 is so thin, all things considered. It’s over 3mm slimmer than an Alienware 13, or over 5mm slimmer than the current Asus ROG Strix GL753VD. This is Predator making its point and making it well.

Pocket-lint

Flip the laptop over and the full array of fans can be seen, including blue accenting – again, giving the machine a distinctive look without being over-the-top.

To the sides are all the ports you could need, including a full-size Ethernet, three USB 3.0, one Thunderbolt 3.0 and 3.5mm jacks for microphone in and headphones out. Around the back there’s a full-size HDMI.

Pocket-lint

And how much cash will you need to part with to buy a Predator Triton 700? €3,399 when it goes on sale in August. There’s no distinctive UK price, but given the current climes we wouldn’t be surprised if it was also around the £3,000-£3,500 mark (spec depending).

The Navy built rechargeable batteries that won’t explode on you

The Navy, the airline industry and Samsung all have a major problem with lithium-ion batteries. Specifically, they tend to catch fire more than most people would like. But that could change soon thanks to a new breakthrough from the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) that allows for safe, rechargeable nickel-zinc batteries with a similar performance to Li-ion cells, but without all the flames.

Zinc is commonly used in single-use batteries, but it hasn’t been a very good option for rechargeable cells in the past because the materials can form conductive dendrites over time and cause equipment to short circuit. The NRL’s method, which is detailed in a new paper published in the journal Science, uses a specially designed “3D sponge” on the Zinc anode to distribute currents more uniformly and prevent dendrites from forming in the first place. In addition to extending the lifetime of single use batteries, the NRL found that their new Ni-3D Zn cells were competitive with lithium-ion batteries over more than 100 recharge cycles. The batteries also performed comparably to lithium batteries when run through more than 50,000 “short duty” cycles interspersed with short power bursts to simulate hybrid vehicle applications. Because they have a lower weight than lithium cells of comparable capacity, the Ni-3D Zn cells could even help hybrid or electric vehicles stretch their range.

Although there’s no timeline yet for a commercial product, the NRL says their research is complete and the 3D zinc sponge technology is “ready to be deployed within the entire family of Zn-based alkaline batteries” in both military and civilian applications.

“We can now offer an energy-relevant alternative, from drop-in replacements for lithium-ion to new opportunities in portable and wearable power, and manned and unmanned electric vehicles,” the NRL’s Dr. Jeffrey Long said, “while reducing safety hazards, easing transportation restrictions, and using earth-abundant materials.”

Source: Naval Research Laboratory