Best Tempered Glass Screen Protectors for Moto Z Droid

These are the Droid screen protectors you’re looking for.

The most important part of any phone nowadays is its screen, so you’ll want to protect it with a high-quality screen protector. The best material for screen protectors is tempered glass, which won’t shatter into sharp, scratchy shards if it happens to break.

To protect your Moto Z Droid’s screen, check out these awesome tempered glass screen protectors.

• Supershieldz
• Dmax Armor
• Omoton
• Spigen

Supershieldz

This two-pack of tempered glass screen protectors is cut to perfectly fit your Moto Z Droid’s screen. It does have curved edges, so no screen protector will cover it completely, but they will protect the bulk of the screen from scratches.

Supershieldz promises a bubble-free adhesive to make for a smooth and easy installation process, and its screen protectors are crystal clear, so you won’t have any trouble seeing your screen or using all of its touch features to their full potential. Supershieldz are also covered in a hydrophobic and oleophobic coating, made to repel water and the oil from hands, so you won’t have to constantly wipe your phone on your shirt.

See at Amazon

Dmax Armor

Dmax Armor is another high-quality tempered glass screen protector brand that offers clear protectors that are fingerprint- and scratch-resistant. They’re easy to install, and Dmax Armor promises a bubble-free protector. In the box, you get a dust remover, screen wipe, and a lint-free dry cloth to make sure that you get your screen protector on cleanly with not bumps.

Dmax Armor a lifetime warranty, so if you notice any defects or anything, let Dmax know, and you’ll receive a replacement. The screen also has a hydrophobic coating, so water will just bead off. This is a two-pack for around $7, which is an awesome value.

See at Amazon

Omoton

Omoton’s $5 two-pack of tempered glass screen protectors almost can’t be beat. Just like most protectors, you get a laser-cut piece of tempered glass that’s made to fit your Moto Z Droid’s screen (aside from the curved edges), and it also repels water and fingerprints, thanks to its hydrophobic and oleophobic coating.

Omoton’s screen protectors are scratch-resistant, so if you have your Moto Z Droid in your pocket with some keys, you won’t pull out a phone that looks like a scratching post.

See at Amazon

Spigen

Spigen, purveyor of fine phone cases, also makes some dynamite tempered glass screen protectors. This is another two-pack that comes with a lifetime replacement warranty, so you can rest easy knowing that Spigen fully backs its products.

Like all great tempered glass screen protectors, Spigen’s come with rounded edges to prevent chipping, and the space that’s left because of the curved edges means that these protectors are compatible with an awesome Moto Z Droid case.

See at Amazon

Do you use screen protectors?

Which ones? Let us know in the comments below.

Moto Z, Moto Z Force and Moto Z Play

• Moto Z + Z Force review!
• Moto Z Play review
• The Hasselblad True Zoom is a Mod to remember
• Moto Z specs
• Moto Mods custom backs
• The latest Moto Z news
• Discuss in our Moto Z forums

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Galaxy Note 8 may be the first Samsung phone with a dual camera

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus are just over a week away from hitting shelves, but while they may be an evolution in smartphone technology when it comes to 18.5:9 screen, the camera is the same as the one that featured on the Galaxy S7 Edge. It may have a few new features the help improve photos, but ultimately, it’s the same sensor.

• Samsung Galaxy Note 8: What’s the story so far?

The Galaxy Note 8 may not have the same camera as its Note 7 predecessor though, and will instead come with a dual camera setup, the first for a Samsung phone. At least, that’s according to Ming-Chi Kuo, who is a noted tipster when it comes to making predictions about Apple’s new devices.

Kuo says the new camera will be “the most important upgrade” for the Galaxy Note 8 and will feature a 12-megapixel CIS support dual photodiode (2PD), 13-megapixel telephoto CIS, dual 6P lenses (6P lenses are made up of 6 lens elements, the idea being more elements results in better photos), dual optical image stabilisation and 3x optical zoom.

Kuo adds that he believes the Note 8’s potential dual camera will be superior to the one found on the iPhone 7 Plus, and could match the one that Apple is expected to fit to the iPhone 8 with OLED display due out later this year.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 was at one point, thought to come with a dual rear camera of its own. A leaked prototype showed a Samsung device with a dual camera in a vertical array, however company executives said Samsung saw no real value in it, at least at the time.

• This amazing picture leak could show us the Samsung Galaxy Note 8
• Samsung Galaxy Note 8 will have 4K display and Bixby voice assistant

The Galaxy Note 8 is due out sometime this year, Samsung confirmed the phone itself when it announced an upgrade program for anyone who bought a Galaxy Note 7. We’re no closer to knowing a date though, but as ever we’ll bring you all the latest news as and when we hear it.

SNES Classic Mini: Release date, games and everything you need to know about Nintendo’s next microconsole

After the incredible success of its miniature, remade NES console, Nintendo is said to be working on a follow-up; this time based on the much-loved Super Nintendo Entertainment System, or SNES for short.

A Nintendo Classic Mini: SNES is heavily tipped for release in 2017 and we’ll be queuing for one, that’s for sure.

While we await official details on the SNES Classic Mini, we present everything we know about the machine so far and speculate on what games could be included. We’ll update this feature as more details become available.

SNES Classic Mini: What is it?

Nintendo released a miniature version of its first household games console in November last year and it sold out almost immediately. The Nintendo Classic Mini: Nintendo Entertainment System (Famicom in Japan) was priced at £50 in the UK and came with 30 Nintendo games pre-installed. An included controller, shaped like the one that came with the 80s original, was included in the box and an optional second could be added for two-player games.

Apart from its size, the NES Classic Mini also included an HDMI port to connect it to a TV and clever picture upscaling technologies to ensure the 8-bit games looked good, even when expanded to fit a 55-inch or more.

Unfortunately, because it was extremely popular, gamers who didn’t manage to pre-order one prior to release were unlikely to get one for the original price. They still fetch anywhere up to £250 each on reseller sites such as eBay – five times the original retail price. Nintendo has also confirmed that it has no plans to manufacture new units in any territory.

That is more than likely because it is concentrating on a sequel instead. Like the NES was followed by the SNES in the early 90s, so too will the Classic Mini version.

Eurogamer recently reported that development of a SNES Classic Mini console is already underway. Its sources point to a similarly diminutive device hitting stores at the end of the year. This time it will sport a range of Super Nintendo (Super Famicom) titles and up the ante when it comes to graphics and audio performance, to match the 16-bit original.

• Can’t buy a NES Classic Mini? How to build your own retro console for just £50

SNES Classic Mini: Release date

Eurogamer didn’t mention an actual release in its report, just saying that the mini console should debut “in time for Christmas” this year.

That matches the release schedule of the NES Classic Mini, which hit shelves on 11 November in the UK and US. It was announced officially several months before though, with pre-orders opening on 21 July 2016 – so if Nintendo follows suit and you want to ensure you don’t miss out this time, look out for confirmations around the end of summer.

SNES Classic Mini: Price

It’s far too early to know the confirmed price of the SNES Classic Mini yet, but considering the NES version was £50, we’re almost certain the next one will be around the same ball park.

SNES Classic Mini: Games

The NES Classic Mini featured 30 games (although you could add more by hacking the machine), all accessible through a smart, easy-to-use scrollable menu system. You could also pause a game, return to the menu and pick it up again later.

All of the titles on the official release were first-party or from a few close publishers (including Bandai, Tecmo and Konami) and it is highly likely to be the same again. Here then is our wish list of 10 of the 30 or so games the SNES Classic Mini should include:

Super Mario World

Nintendo

The crown jewel in the Super Nintendo era, Super Mario World was the 2D platformer that set a very high bar few others managed to match. For many, it was the game that convinced them to buy a SNES over the rival Sega Mega Drive.

Super Mario Kart

Nintendo

Changed co-operative racing forever. The original Super Mario Kart still holds its own today as a party game guaranteed to cause a giggle or two.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Nintendo

As top-down RPGs go, A Link to the Past is one of the very best. It might ot have the fancy graphics of the Switch masterpiece of today, but it retains the spirit and scope.

Super Metroid

Nintendo

A sideways-scrolling shooter/platformer of the highest quality. It’s often been included in lists of the greatest games of all-time.

Donkey Kong Country

Nintendo

Rare’s attempt at a 2D platformer feels very different to the Mario games. It uses more chunky, clay-like characters and some clever gameplay tropes to deliver something fresh and fiendishly difficult. We fully expect at least one of the sequels to be included too.

Yoshi’s island

Nintendo

Sometimes called Super Mario World 2 but isn’t really – it’s actually a prequel to the SNES Mario classic. It also features a baby Mario riding on the back of his dinosaur chum Yoshi. It’s fun but doesn’t hold a candle to the original.

F-Zero

Nintendo

To be honest, we never really liked F-Zero that much but as a forerunner to WipEout and games like it, this needs to be included.

Pilotwings

Nintendo

One of the least known Nintendo-published SNES games just so happened to be one of our favourites. You have to complete different pilot-related tasks – such as land a plane or parachute onto a target in order to earn your “wings”.

Star Fox

Nintendo

Graphically impressive and complex for its time, this 3D space shooter is still our favourite Star Fox game ever.

Stunt Race FX

Nintendo

Like Star Fox, which was also co-developed by Argonaut Software, Stunt Race FX utilises 3D polygons rather than sprites for the most part and therefore looks a lot more advanced than the vast majority of other SNES games. 

Facebook’s plans for Oculus are finally taking shape

When Facebook bought Oculus VR for $2 billion in early 2014, it wasn’t entirely clear what Mark Zuckerberg planned to do with all of the virtual reality hardware suddenly at his fingertips. Hell, it wasn’t even clear that VR was going to be a legitimate industry: Sony hadn’t revealed the PlayStation VR yet, Google Cardboard didn’t exist, and Valve was a year away from announcing the HTC Vive headset. VR was truly in its infancy when the world’s largest social networking site strode in, promising to deliver video games and “many other experiences” on the Oculus Rift.

While we’re still waiting on the “video games” part of that promise, today Facebook launched the beta for Spaces, its first attempt at translating social networking to VR. Spaces is a digital world exclusive to the Oculus Rift that you can share with up to three other people at a time. Create a 3D avatar of yourself and hang out with digital renditions of your VR-capable friends, talking, drawing objects, exploring 360-degree films and taking photos with a selfie stick. And that’s about it.

Even though Spaces is fairly barebones and still in the early stages of development — Facebook says the beta represents 1 percent of its goal product — it’s our first glimpse at Zuckerberg’s grand VR vision. This is what Facebook wanted when it bought Oculus: selfie sticks in VR.

Seriously.

“This is really a new communication platform,” Zuckerberg wrote about VR in 2014. “By feeling truly present, you can share unbounded spaces and experiences with the people in your life. Imagine sharing not just moments with your friends online, but entire experiences and adventures.”

Facebook Spaces is precisely what Zuckerberg laid out from the beginning. It’s a way to share an experience with a friend, even if that person lives across the world, and even if your adventure is as simple as taking a photo together. Spaces lays the foundation for grander features like playing games together in VR, and its goal is clear: Blur the line between hanging out in reality and “hanging out” on Facebook (where algorithms and advertisers can more easily find you).

However, Facebook’s dream of trans-continental selfies (and ads) won’t come true if you or your friends don’t own an Oculus Rift — and chances are, you don’t. Oculus hasn’t shared actual Rift sales figures, but third-party industry trackers suggest it sold between 250,000 and 400,000 headsets in 2016. Regardless of the actual number, Facebook’s headset is firmly in last place, hundreds of thousands of units behind the HTC Vive and PlayStation VR.

Not to mention, Facebook Spaces requires users to own the Oculus Touch controllers as well — a $99 accessory that doesn’t come bundled with every Rift.

This hardware shortfall makes one aspect of today’s announcement particularly intriguing: Anyone using Spaces is able to call friends via Facebook Messenger video and talk with them inside the VR world, regardless of whether that friend has a Rift. Facebook is aware that VR can’t survive on its own right now; it has to be incorporated into our existing systems until the hardware itself is more accessible and normalized. Or, until the bulky VR headsets disappear entirely, replaced by mass-market augmented reality systems instead, like HoloLens or a functional Google Glass.

Unsurprisingly, Facebook has pounced on the AR industry as well, today announcing the Camera Effects Platform to help developers create apps that overlay objects, information and filters on the real world. This parallel focus on AR and VR isn’t an accident — in fact, both industries are a large part of Facebook’s 10-year roadmap.

Facebook is poised to combine Oculus’ hardware chops with a steady stream of camera-based AR innovation rolling in from developers across the world — and within its own walls. Facebook is preparing to take over our reality, in whatever form it eventually takes.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from F8 2017!

Xiaomi Mi 6 mimics the iPhone’s camera tricks without the bump

After the swanky limited edition Mi MIX, you’d think it’d be pretty hard for Xiaomi to top that with its next flagship phone, but the new Mi 6 unveiled today still had some tricks up its sleeve. First off, the company has revived the Mi 5’s awesome curved glass back design along with a special ceramic edition, and this time it’s complemented by a piece of 2.5D front glass panel plus two new color options: metallic blue and glossy silver. To my surprise, Xiaomi has also gone back to the more expensive stainless steel (as used on the Mi 4) instead of aluminum for the mid-frame: not only is it tougher, but it’s also more luxurious with that high-gloss finish — a much welcomed feature on the blue version’s gold-colored frame.

As per usual, Xiaomi has thrown in pretty much the best essential components for its latest flagship, though this time it’s a bit more generous than before. On top of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 chipset there’s a whopping 6GB of LPDDR4x RAM instead of starting at 4GB, a base storage option of 64GB instead of just 32GB, a denser 3,350 mAh battery and an improved under-glass fingerprint reader on the front (though unlike the one on the Mi 5s, this one is capacitive rather than ultrasonic). Based on the display units at the launch event, the Mi 6 is powered by MIUI 8 based on Android 7.1.1 which is remarkably up to date.

What’s more surprising is that the Mi 6 is Xiaomi’s first splash-proof device thanks to the added internal seals, though the company avoided the word “waterproof” throughout the keynote. Indeed, the Mi 6’s product page states that it has yet been put through such certification tests, so you’ve been warned.

After the Redmi Pro and the Mi 5s Plus, Xiaomi is once again dabbling with a dual camera setup on the Mi 6. Rather than going with the increasingly common RGB + BW sensor pairing, this time Xiaomi has taken a page out of Apple’s book to pair a wide-angle lens with a telephoto lens for this 12-megapixel camera: the former has an f/1.8 aperture plus a 1.25um sensor, whereas the latter — effectively a 2x optical zoom — has an f/2.6 aperture with a 1um sensor. However, unlike the iPhone 7 Plus, the Mi 6’s dual camera is flush with the body; plus its wide-angle lens features 4-axis optical stabilization, meaning it’ll take better photos in low-light conditions.

Xiaomi also boasted its latest beautification algorithm which claims to produce more natural looks, and there’s also a portrait mode which automatically adds a bokeh effect. As for selfies, there’s an 8-megapixel front camera which takes advantage of the new beautification software as well.

Much like its two predecessors, the Mi 6 is sticking with the relatively humble 5.15-inch 1080p display spec, which is good news for those who prefer something more ergonomic. It’s a nice LCD, too: like before, you get a 94.4-percent NTSC gamut, a brightness ranging from 600 nit all the way down to 1 nit (with 4,096 levels in between), and a blue light filter mode that actually eliminates harmful invisible blue light while delivering a more faithful color reproduction.

On the audio side, it’s worth noting that Xiaomi decided to ditch the headphone jack for the Mi 6, with the reason being it wanted to offer a cleaner look (ugh), which is why you’ll find a USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter in the box. Similarly, there’s no fancy DAC chip here to satisfy audiophiles, though the phone does have a stereo loudspeaker implementation — using the earpiece as one of the two audio channels — similar to those used on recent HTC and Huawei devices for casual video-watching.

As with pretty much all Xiaomi products, the Mi 6 will only be available in China to begin with as of April 28th, with the 64GB model priced at 2,499 yuan (about $360) and the 128GB flavor at 2,899 yuan ($420). And for an extra 100 yuan ($15) you can get the 128GB ceramic edition with 18K gold rim around the main camera lenses. Alas, CEO Lei Jun said the silver edition isn’t quite ready for mass production; it’ll apparently be months before it’s finally ready.

Source: Xiaomi

Toyota is testing a hydrogen fuel-cell powered semi

Toyota built a larger sibling for the hydrogen fuel cell powered Mirai, a semi truck. The automaker is testing a water-expelling big rig at the Port of Los Angeles that it hopes will yield data that will help build a fleet of zero-emission trucks.

Called the “Portal Project,” the study will determine how well hydrogen fuel-cell heavy duty vehicles work in a shipping environment. The truck itself will be use two Mirai fuel cell stacks and a 12kWh battery to power two motors connected to the rear wheels working in parallel. With a range of over 200 miles per fill up, the truck can haul a gross combined weight capacity 80,000 pounds.

“We think that there’s a market demand for this technology in the ports today and there are no there are no competing services to diesel solutions,” said Craig Scott national manager of Toyota’s advanced technology group.

Tony Gioiello, deputy executive director of port development for the Port of Los Angeles said “the Port of Los Angeles has been a leader in working to reduce pollution from port operations, and we’re excited at the potential for a true zero-emission heavy-duty truck to push our Clean Air Action Plan even further.”

The truck and the project are part of Toyota’s larger plan to help kick start an infrastructure for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles like the Mirai. Initially the automaker will hire its own driver to help collect data on the big rig and it’s trips. But it eventually hand the keys over to the driver of a yet-to-be-determined shipping partner.

Remembering the first ‘photo’ of a black hole

Black holes are so outlandish that the scientists who first thought them up figured they couldn’t possibly exist in reality. They form from massive, collapsed stars and are so dense that nothing can escape their gravitational pull, including light. Black holes mess with spacetime so badly that scientists have long wondered: How do these things look, exactly? We may be on the cusp of seeing one thanks to the Event Horizon Telescope, but back in 1979, Jean-Pierre Luminet created the first “image” using nothing but an early computer, lots of math and India ink.

The problem with imaging a black hole is that, by definition, they don’t emit light or radiation. Luckily, large black holes are usually next to other stars and suck away their matter, something astronomers can see. “As [gases from stars] fall towards the black hole, it becomes hotter and hotter and begins to emit radiation. This is a good source of light: the accretion rings shine and illuminate the central black hole,” writes Luminet in his e-Luminesciences blog.

The distinguishing feature of a black hole is its “event horizon” boundary, the point of no return for matter and light. At its periphery, materials sucked in from adjacent stars form an “accretion disk,” famously depicted in Interstellar (below) as two bright, perpendicular disks. That’s just an illusion, though — there’s only one disk at the equator, but the light is bent upward by the black hole’s extreme gravity (via gravitation lensing).

Luminet’s image depicts two other important phenomena not seen in Interstellar. One is the fact that the energy and light are stronger near the edge of a black hole and weaker farther out. Another is the Doppler and Einstein effects caused by the accretion disk’s rotation, which would make light appear to be brighter on one side, depending on the spin direction. In Luminet’s image, the accretion disk spins counter-clockwise, so its light approaches the viewer on the left and recedes on the right, making the left-hand side look brighter.

All that causes the black hole to be much brighter in the center and left, as depicted in Luminet’s image, but not on the “Gargantua” black hole created by Interstellar’s effects team. “A realistic image must show a strong asymmetry of the disk’s brightness, so that one side is far brighter and the other is far dimmer,” he says. (Interstellar’s black hole expert Kip Thorne was very aware of that, but director Christopher Nolan left it out so as not to confuse the audience.)

Luminet calculated all of that back in 1979 using the IBM 7040 mainframe, an early transistor computer with punch card inputs. The machine generated isolines for his image that were “directly translatable as smooth curves using the drawing software available at the time,” he told Engadget in an email.

To create the final image though, he relied on his other passion: art. Using numerical data from the computer, he drew directly on negative image paper with black India ink, placing dots more densely where the simulation showed more light. “Next, I took the negative of my negative to get the positive, the black points becoming white and the white background becoming black.”

The result is an image that still holds up and is closer to reality than the CGI done by Interstellar’s whiz kids. What’s more, subsequent computer simulations created by NASA Goddard and others still show the same defining elements — a thin “photon ring” at the center, Doppler and Einstin-shifted light and a double accretion disk caused by gravitational lensing. Not bad for someone with just punch cards and India ink.

Source: e-Luminesciences

Baidu wants to work with everyone on self-driving tech

Like many big technology companies, Chinese giant Baidu has been working on self-driving cars for a few years now, even investing with Ford in LIDAR sensor company Velodyne. Collaborations between tech firms and carmakers are now commonplace, but after an unsuccessful marriage with BMW, Baidu is seeking new partners — or rather, all the partners. In a project Baidu calls “Apollo,” the company is offering up its whole self-driving platform to the wider industry, from software to reference vehicles, to give the general pursuit of autonomous cars a NOS-like boost.

From July, Baidu says it’ll begin sharing more and more of what it’s been developing in-house. The company claims its particular strong suit is employing AI to solve the self-driving puzzle, but the Apollo project will offer a complete “solution.” That includes vehicles, other hardware like sensors, software, cloud services and all kinds of code, as well as testing tools. It’s not just about what Baidu can provide others, though, as the firm is hoping that allies will also help the project out with improved vehicles and components. “This will lower the barriers to entry for research and development of autonomous driving technologies, making it more accessible to the general public, and accelerate the overall pace of innovation,” Baidu’s release reads.

Source: Baidu

LG UltraFine 5K Display Named ‘Best Photo Monitor’ in 2017 TIPA Awards

LG’s UltraFine 5K Display has received a 2017 TIPA Award as the “best photo monitor,” the company announced today.

TIPA on its website said the display “brings professional photos and videos to life” with 5K resolution, while it also praised the display’s single-cable Thunderbolt 3 connectivity and DCI-P3 wide color support. TIPA said the display reflects a “good demonstration of LG’s expertise” with an “eye to the future.”

TIPA, short for the Technical Image Press Association, is made up of a group of editors from 27 photography and imaging magazines worldwide. Editors from the magazines met in Havana, Cuba earlier this month to vote on the best imaging products of 2017, and the UltraFine 5K was the only display to win an award.

The award is somewhat humorous given that LG’s UltraFine 5K Display suffered from a shielding-related manufacturing defect that caused the display to glitch or turn off when in close proximity to a Wi-Fi router or, in some cases, even a MacBook Pro. LG has since fixed the issue and replaced affected displays.

Tag: LG
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Samsung Galaxy S8 tips and tricks: An expert’s guide

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are Samsung’s most ambitious phones yet. While the switch to a 18.5:9 aspect display is likely to be the thing that draws you in, with its luscious infinity curves, there’s a whole lot packed into the phone that you might never find. 

The Galaxy S8 and S8+ offer the same experience, the only difference being the size of the display and battery. The user experience is the same and it’s closely related to the Galaxy S7 running on Nougat, but with a number of expansions. For Samsung users that’s useful, as it’s easy to find your way around, but even as a seasoned user, there’s likely to be things that you have never found.

Fear not, we’ve scraped through the Samsung Galaxy S8 in detail to get to the very core of this phone and unlock its secrets. What follows is an experts guide to mastering your new Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+.

Samsung Galaxy S8 top tip: If you’re struggling to find the settings you want, head into the settings menu and tap the magnifying glass at the top. Then you can type whatever you want and suggestions will appear. Alternatively, scroll to the bottom of any menu and you’ll find alternative suggestions for what you might be looking for.

Samsung Galaxy S8 home screen

Edit your home screen: A long press on the wallpaper on any screen lets you edit the wallpaper and themes, widgets, pages or further settings. This area will also let you add or delete complete screens, so if you want a widgets page, this is where you go.

Get more on your home screen: You can change the size of the screen grid on which your shortcuts and widgets sit, depending on how dense you want the home screen to be. Long press on the wallpaper and select “home screen settings”. Select 4×5 to keep things fairly clear, or 4×6 of 5×5 to cram more in. We went with 5×5 on the S8+, as you might as well use that display.

Resize widgets: Many widgets are resizable. A long press selects them. When you lift your finger, you can drag the blue box that appears and resize your widget. You can even resize the Google search box.

Customise the navigation bar: With on-screen controls, the S8 will let you customise the appearance. Want back on the left rather than the right? Head into settings > display > navigation bar and you can change the the order of buttons and the background colour of the bar they sit on.

Customise the status bar: You can change some of the options on the top display bar. Head into settings > display > status bar. You can limit notification icons to the last three, or switch off the battery percentage, something you’ll probably never want to do.

Create a folder: Simply drag one app on top of another and a folder is created. To remove an app from a folder, open the folder and long and hold an app to select it and drag it out. To add apps, either drag them into a folder, or hit the + within the folder to add apps.

Change a folder colour or name: Open a folder and enter the name you want at the top. If you don’t want a name, leave it blank. To change the folder background colour, tap the palette in the right-hand corner and select a new colour. 

Access Bixby Home from the home screen: New to the S8 is Bixby, pooling into Bixby Home which sits where Upday/Flipboard did, offering a digest of useful information a bit like Google Now. It can be accessed via a press of the Bixby button, but also a swipe from the home screen. To enable it, long press on the home screen wallpaper, swipe right and you’ll find a Bixby panel. Use the toggle switch in the top left to turn it on. You can now swipe to access Bixby Home without needing to press the physical button on the left of the phone.

Stop adding new app icons to home screen: If you don’t want new apps you install cluttering up your home screens, head into Play Store > settings and uncheck the box.

Access Google Assistant: A long press on the on-screen home button will launch Google Assistant. You can then talk to Google and get the full experience as Mountain View intended. In the absence of Bixby Voice at launch, Google has you covered.

Access the Google Search page/Google Now: Google Now was one of the highlights of Android Lollipop, with Google pulling together loads of information from search and other things going on within your Google accounts, serving up cards of information. There is much cross-over with the new Bixby Home, but if you like doing it Google style, then tapping the G in the Google search bar widget will open this page.

Change launcher (home screen): You can easily change the experience of your phone with a different launcher, such as Nova if you want a more customisable experience. Just download the launcher from Play Store and install it. When you press the home button you’ll be given a choice to select a new default launcher. Or, head into settings > apps and hit the menu button top right. Select “default apps” and then “home screen”. You’ll see your choice of launchers there.

Edit quick settings: To change the shortcuts you see when you swipe down the notifications, swipe down twice so you see the full grid, open the menu by tapping the three dots and select “button order”. You’ll be shown the full list of options across pages. You can drag to reorder, or remove shortcuts you don’t need. Top tip: remove the stuff you never use, as it just looks messy.

Change the quick settings grid size: You can change the density of the quick settings icons by changing the grid size (as you can on the home screen and the apps tray (below)). Tap the menu button as above and select “buttons grid”. Select 5×3 and you’ll get a lot more on to one page.

Instantly access device settings from Quick Settings: This is a standard Android tip, but great for accessing settings instantly. Press and hold the shortcut (for example Bluetooth) and you’ll instantly jump to the full settings menu. It’s really useful for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and power saving options.

Pocket-lint

Samsung Galaxy S8 apps tray

Show all the apps on the home screen: This is a popular option for some. If you want to remove the apps tray, long press on the home screen and tap “home screen settings”. Then select “home screen layout” and you’ll see two options, “home screen only” or “home screen and apps screen”. The former removes the apps tray completely.

Add or remove an apps tray button: Another big S8 change is removing the apps tray button and letting you open with a swipe, like the Google Pixel. If you want it back, however, head into the home screen settings as above and select “apps button”. Here you can turn it on or off.

Change the apps screen grid size: Like the home screen you can change the density of apps in the apps tray/page. As above, go into the home screen settings, and you’ll see the option for “apps screen grid”, with options for 4×6 or 5×6. The latter will pack more apps in.

Alphabetize your apps: In the apps tray, hit menu in the top right-hand corner, then “sort”. This will give you the option to have alphabetical order. Just tap that option and everything will drop into place.

Reorder apps: Hit the menu button in the top right-hand corner, then tap “sort”. This time, select “custom order”. You can now you can drag the apps to the position you want them in.

Create an apps tray folder: As long as you’re in “custom order” (as above), then you can drag one app over another to create a folder. This can then be repositioned, named or coloured to your preference.

Search your entire phone: At the top of the apps screen is a search bar for Finder. This will return search results for apps, but can also search across various apps, like Feedly, Play Music, messages, reminder, calendar and a whole lot more. Hit the menu button and you can choose where it searches.

Uninstall apps: You can uninstall directly from an app icon. Just long press on the app and a pop-up menu will give you the option to uninstall an app. If it’s a core app (which you can’t uninstall) the same option will let you disable an app.

Add apps to your home screen: Press and hold on the app shortcut in the apps tray. This will let you place a shortcut on your home screen by dragging it to the top of the page.

Use normal app icons: Samsung loves putting backgrounds on app icons, turning everything into a squircle. Head into settings > display > icon frames and select “icons only”. That will return apps to their normal shape.

• Samsung Galaxy S8 preview

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Samsung Galaxy S8 lock screen and security

Change lock screen shortcuts: You can have two shortcuts on the lock screen for quick access. These are phone and camera by default, but can be anything you like. Head into settings > lock screen and security > info and app shortcuts. Here you can select the left and right shortcuts, or turn them off completely.

Enable fingerprint/face/iris security: To use your fingerprint/face/iris to unlock, head into settings > lock screen and security > screen lock type. Here you can select the biometric you want. You’ll have to set a back-up PIN or passcode at the same time to provide additional security. Iris scanning might be the popular option with the fingerprint now on the back of the phone and rather hard to find.

Instant lock: When you press the standby button, you want your phone to lock instantly. Head into settings > lock screen and security > secure lock settings. There’s the option to lock the device as soon as the screen goes to sleep or when you press the standby button. If you do want a delay, there’s plenty of time options.

Smart Lock/Bluetooth unlock: Again in settings > lock screen and security > there’s the Smart Lock section. This is a standard Android feature and you have the option to nominate trusted devices, so your Android will unlock when connected to something else. You can nominate Bluetooth devices (like your smartwatch or car Bluetooth), location, trusted voice and so on.

Automatically wipe your device: If you’re worried about your phone falling into the wrong hands and being cracked, you can have it automatically wipe. Head into settings > lock screen and security > secure lock settings. Here you’ll find the option to auto factory reset if 15 failed unlock attempts are made.

Disable/enable lock screen notifications: If you don’t want notifications on your lock screen, head to settings > lock screen and security > notifications. This lets you hide content, only show app icons or disable notifications completely. Conversely, if you want notifications with content, don’t select hide. Don’t worry, you can choose to hide content for some apps and not others, see below.

Hide some lock screen notifications: If you never want lock screen notifications from a particular app (like a messaging app, or annoying game), head into notifications on lock screen as above, then you’ll get a list of all your apps. Switch off the apps and you’ll never get lock screen notifications from them.

Show Bixby Home on the lock screen: You can access Bixby Home from the lock screen with a press of the Bixby button, meaning you don’t have to unlock to view certain things. Head into Bixby Home, tap the menu in the top right-hand corner and tap on “show on lock screen”. This will show all the app cards that will be shown in Bixby Home on the lock screen. This can include the likes of the calendar, Facebook, Spotify, Twitter, Upday, Weather and so on. You can toggle off the things you want to keep private.

Unlock with the on-screen home button: Rather than hitting the standby button or the fingerprint scanner, you can long press on the on-screen home button to unlock. If you have security, it will go straight to unlocking, for example to the iris scanner. If you have no security it will just unlock your phone. Head into settings > display > navigation bar and select “unlock with home button”.

• Best Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus cases: Protect your new Samsung smartphone

Samsung Galaxy S8 notifications tips and tricks

Hide content in some app notifications: If you want to have notifications on your lock screen, but hide sensitive information in some of those apps (like a messaging app), first enable lock screen notifications to show content (see above). Then head into settings > notifications. Here you can manage the notifications of each individual app. You can opt to hide content from the lock screen here for specific apps.

To turn off notifications on an app: Go to settings > notifications and toggle off notifications for the app you don’t want to hear from. Or, when you get a notification you don’t like, drag it slowly to the right and you’ll see a settings icon, tap that to go to the settings for that app.

Pinch to expand: Got a stack of notifications? You can pinch to expand them, both on the lock screen and in the notifications area.

Flash the LED for notifications: The LED will flash when the display is off to tell you there’s a notification. If you want to turn it off, head into settings > display > LED indicator and you can switch it off.

Get a grip on do not disturb: Do not disturb is a powerful tool for managing what notifications you get when. It’s so massive, it’s fully explored in the section below.

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Samsung Galaxy S8 volume controls and do not disturb

Quickly switch to vibrate alerts: If you want silence, but are after vibration alerts still, push the volume button and tap the speaker icon on the pop-up. This will switch to vibrate. Or you can hold down the volume button so it slides all the way down to vibrate.

Set you phone to silent: The normal volume controls only go to vibrate. To make your phone silent, swipe down to the quick settings and tap the sound shortcut. This will cycle through sound/vibrate/mute. Remember to turn the sound back on, or you’ll miss all your calls and messages, or use do not disturb instead.

Turn down media volume: Hit the volume up or down button, and the volume slider will appear. Tap the down arrow on the right-hand side, and you can change the ringer, media, notifications and system volumes independently. Perfect for when you want to watch a YouTube video on the bus without disturbing others.

Engage do not disturb: Do not disturb is an Android feature that lets you silence your phone, but set up a range of exceptions. Swipe down quick settings and tap the do not disturb button to turn it on. You can also set it to a schedule, for example at night, or when you’re in the office.

Allow notifications in do not disturb: If you want silence then do not disturb is great. But if you want some notifications, then you have to designate the exceptions that are allowed. Head into settings > sound and vibration > do not disturb > allow exceptions. Here you can allow alarms (essential if you want to wake up in the morning), but also allow repeat callers or nominated contacts – such as favourites for messages and calls – as well as allowing priority app notifications. 

To mark an app as a priority app: Head into settings > sound and vibration > do not disturb > allow exceptions > priority app notifications. Tap on the app you want to mark as priority so you always get notifications from that app, including in do not disturb mode.

Samsung Galaxy S8 app management

Change the default app: Android lets you decide which is the default app if you have more than one that will do the same thing. Under settings > apps hit the menu button and then “default apps”. Here you can see what has been selected as the default browser, calling app, messaging app and home screen. Other defaults are selected by the first app you open for a particular task.

Control app permissions: Nougat lets you manage all the permissions for each app on an individual basis. Go to applications, select the app and hit Permissions. This will let you toggle permissions on and off, so you can disable location access, for example.

Samsung Galaxy S8 display tips

Make your apps full screen: With a 18.5:9 display, the S8 is taller than most phones. Some apps will fill that space having already been optimised (like Samsung’s apps, Facebook, Amazon Video), but others need to be turned on. Head into settings > display > full screen apps. Here you’ll see those that are optimised already and those you can force to work full screen.

Turn on always on display: To have the lock screen show you “always on” information, head into lock screen and security > always on display and switch it on. This shows when the phone display is in standby. If you want it to always show, scroll down and toggle that option on. If you want it on a schedule – perhaps only show when you’re at your desk – then turn off “show always” and set a schedule instead.

Change always-on display layout: You can customise what you see in always-on display by heading to the section above and tapping on it. You’ll find an option for layouts where you can customise what you’re shown and how it is laid out.

Download more always on display layouts: There’s the option to expand what’s offered for always on display. Open the Samsung Themes app, click AODs on the bottom tab. Pick the layout you like and hit download, then apply.

Change the display colours: Head into settings > screen mode and you’ll get the option to change the way the display looks. If you want something more vibrant, it’s here you can set it, or change the balance of red, green and blue in the display.

Turn on night mode: Called “blue light filter” by Samsung, this changes the colour of the display to reduce blue light, avoid eye strain and help you sleep better. Head into settings > display > blue light filter to change the times and the strength of the effect.

One-handed mode: With the Galaxy S8 and S8+ being tall, you might find it easier to use in one-handed mode so you can reach the top. You can swipe in diagonally from the bottom left or right, or head into settings > advanced features > one-handed mode and select “button”. This will mean you can tap the home button 3 times and it will shrink into one-handed mode, for simple one-hand use.

Samsung Galaxy S8 edge screen tips

Manage edge screen content: Both the S8 and S8+ have edge functions. Head into settings > display > edge screen to manage edge panels and lighting.

Enable edge lighting for incoming calls: If your phone is face down, you can have the edges light up when there’s an incoming call. Head into settings > display > edge screen > edge lighting. This is ideal for meetings. Your phone will reveal there’s an incoming call without you needing vibration or showing everyone who is calling. You can opt to have it always light up, or only when the screen is on or off.

Add or remove edge panels: Head into settings > display > edge screen and tap on edge panels. Here you’ll see the selection of panels available and you can add and remove those you don’t want. Stick to the useful, otherwise you’ll spend more time navigating and less time doing. Smart select is worth investigating.

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Samsung Galaxy S8 multi-tasking

Use multi window view: To view two apps at the same time, hit the recent apps button, find the app you want and hit the icon looking like two boxes at the top of that app card. The app will occupy the top half of the screen. You can then select the second app from the apps shown on the bottom of the display. You can change the size of each app by pressing the blue line in the centre and dragging it up or down.

Use recent apps button for multi window: Rather than tapping the symbol in the app, you can press and hold the recent app button to leap into multi window view. Head into settings > advanced features > multi window to turn this option on or off.

Select a zone of an app to view: On same compatible apps (Google Maps for example) there’s also the option to view a section of an app, perhaps an address. This button is alongside the multi-window button and once you tap it, you get a box to select what you want to see. Hit done and this goes to the top of the display. It’s useful when you want a specific piece of information in view, in addition to another app.

Use pop-up view: This has been an action for a number of years and is similar to one-handed view, but you get to select the size of the window. Head into settings > advanced features > multi window and toggle on pop-up view action. This will let you swipe in diagonally from the top left or right of the display to drag into pop-up view. You can also adjust the size of the window and move it around, so you can view one thing and whatever was in the background.

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Samsung Galaxy S8 camera and photo tricks

Quick launch: Double tap on the standby button to launch the camera. You can do this from the lock screen or any other location in the phone. If it’s not turned on, head to the camera app > settings and toggle on “quick launch”. Quick launching on the lock screen will still open the camera, but you’ll have to unlock to view photos.

Enable raw capture: If you want the dng files saved as well as regular jpeg, head into the settings and then picture size. At the bottom is the option to save both raw and jpeg files. To use it you’ll need to be in Pro mode, however, so swipe in from the left and tap Pro.

Control HDR: In the camera app, hit the HDR toggle button on the left-hand side. This cycles through on-off-auto HDR options. 

Enable video stabilisation: To stabilise your video on the rear camera, open settings and scroll down to find “video stabilisation”.

Quickly switch from rear to front camera: There’s a button to switch between front and rear cameras, but you can also do it with a swipe. Just swipe up or down the display to switch to the other camera.

Wide selfie: To get more into your selfie shot, select the front camera, then swipe in from the left and select “wide selfie”. Tap wide selfie and you can take a wider shot by swivelling the camera.

Identify an object using Bixby Vision: In the camera app there’s an icon that looks like an eye on the bottom left corner. Tap this and Bixby will attempt to identify anything it can see.

To take a selfie using a gesture or the heart rate sensor: In the camera flip over to selfie mode and hit settings > shooting methods. Here you’ll find the options for gestures, or using the heart rate sensor to take a picture.

To take a long exposure photo: In the camera app, swipe in from the left and select Pro. On the right-hand side you’ll see the option to change the length of the exposure with a symbol that looks like a camera shutter. Use the slider to select the length of time you want. The exposure compensation icon above will indicate whether you’re going to over or under expose, by switching from + to -.

To save photos to the microSD card: There’s a microSD card slot, so you might as well use it. Head into the camera app > settings > storage location and select SD card.

Change gallery view: If you’re looking at your photos and you want more or less on display, you can pinch zoom, to change the thumbnail view.

Add a Google Photos thumbnail to your camera: By default, Samsung’s camera previews thumbnails with a link to Samsung’s Gallery app. If you’d rather use Google Photos for all your viewing, you can enable a thumbnail from Google’s app within your camera app. Head into Google Photos > settings > camera shortcut. Toggle this on and when you take a photo, a thumbnail that links to G Photos will appear for you.

• How to take long exposure photos on a smartphone

Samsung Galaxy S8 screenshot 

Take a screen shot: Press the volume down and standby buttons at the same time. A screenshot will be captured. 

Palm swipe for a screenshot: If you don’t want to press the buttons to take a screenshot, head into settings > advanced features > and turn on palm swipe to capture. This saves you having to press two buttons at once.

Use smart capture: Samsung gives you more options for screenshots. Head into settings > advanced features > smart capture. This will let you scroll to get more of a page, with instant edit and share options too.

Capture a gif from the screen: You can create a gif instantly from anything that’s playing on your phone, like a video in Twitter, Instagram or YouTube. Enable the smart select edge panel. Then, once your video is on the display, swipe to smart select from the edge and select animation. A preview window will appear which will let you record video to create a gif.

• How to take a screenshot on the Samsung Galaxy S8, including smart select and smart capture

Samsung Galaxy S8 managing calling, data and networks

Smart network switching: If you want to let your phone switch to mobile data when a Wi-Fi network is poor, enter settings > Wi-Fi > advanced > Smart network switch to enable or disable. There’s also the option to do this aggressively, so if there’s the slightest wobble in Wi-Fi, you’ll go back to 4G. 

Set a data limit: If you don’t want to exceed your contract data, head into settings > connections > data usage and you have the option to set the data limit and the date your contract renews.

Restrict Wi-Fi hotspots: Phone always jumping on Wi-Fi networks you don’t want it to? Head into settings > data usage > restrict networks and you’ll get a full list of recognised Wi-Fi networks. Here you can limit those annoying hotspots when you’re walking down the street.

Enable download booster: If you’re looking for download booster (to use Wi-Fi and mobile networks simultaneously for big downloads, head into settings > connections > more connection settings and you’ll find the option for the download booster. 

Identify incoming calls: If you want the phone to identify who is calling you, head into phone and open the menu, tap settings and select “search for places nearby”. You’ll then be shown any information that can be found on incoming callers.

Turn on Wi-Fi calling: If your network supports Wi-Fi calling, you’ll have to turn it on on your phone to place calls over Wi-Fi. Head into the phone app > settings and scroll all the way to the bottom to find Wi-Fi calling. Turn that on if you want it. 

Samsung Galaxy S8 storage tips

Explore what’s on your device storage: Head to settings > device maintenance > storage and view the internal storage and SD card. This will give you a breakdown of what’s taking up your storage. In this new device maintenance app you’ll have the option to clean up trash files. To see the actual file content, head to the My Files app.

Move an app to SD card: If you want to move apps to the microSD card to make more space on your internal storage, head into settings > applications and tap on an app. Within the app details you’ll find a storage section. Tap this, then “change” and you’ll be able to select the SD card. The phone will then move the app to external storage – but the app has to be compatible, some apps you can’t move.

Auto restart to keep things fast: If you’re a power user and want to restart your device to flush out the caches, you can do it automatically. Head into settings > general management > reset > auto restart. Here you can set the day of the week and the time you want your phone to restart itself.

Samsung Galaxy S8 battery tips

View what’s eating battery: Head into settings > device maintenance and tap battery. This will show you the predicted battery usage based on your 7-day averages, and tapping the “battery usage” will show you what’s using up that battery.

Engage power saving mode: Either hit the shortcut in quick settings, or head into settings > device maintenance > battery. Here you can engage mid or max battery saving, with the option to change the settings for each mode. 

Enable fast charging: Head into settings > device maintenance > battery > advanced settings > fast cable charging. If this is not turned on, the phone won’t use fast charging.

Manage app power saving: In settings > device maintenance > battery you can see the app power monitor. Here you can select apps to have the phone save battery on those apps in the background.

Use Android Doze: Android Doze is a low power state that lets apps sleep when your device isn’t being used. It saves a lot of battery in quiet times, for example over night when you don’t have a charger. It’s part of Android Nougat and is automatic – so you don’t have to do anything – it just works.

Time till fully charged: Charge time is displayed when connected to a charger. Look at the bottom of the lockscreen and in the battery status screen. If you’re fast charging, it will say so, and the estimated time left.