Printed photo books option officially arrives in the Google Photos app

Why it matters to you

Photographs should exist in more than just digital pixels, and now Google Photos users can have theirs printed without leaving the app.

Google Photos is no longer just a digital home for your images — the latest Android and iOS app updates now allows U.S.-based users to order photo books in app.

The feature was first predicted when a teardown of the app referenced the feature last fall. During the I/O conference earlier this month, the feature was added to the desktop version with an announcement for a mobile version coming. Now with an update that began rolling out last week, the feature has finally arrived for mobile users.

The app creates photo books in seconds, Google claims, because of automatic photo curation that automatically lays out the interior of the book. The new feature is located inside the assistant tab, the area of the app responsible for tasks from auto-generating a movie to suggesting tips on using the app. The a new option to “create a photo book” is next to options for creating a digital album or collage.

Users select between 20 and 100 photos to include, and can select every photo taken on a certain date all at once, instead of tapping individually. Photos automatically load into a one-image-per-page layout based on the number of images selected. The layout appears, for now, to be limited to one photo per page, with the program adding new pages for additional images, instead of creating a collage of images on a single page. Users can customize by dragging to reorder pages, or tapping to adjust the layout.

Both hardcover and softcover photobooks are available, with a 7-inch, 20-page softcover photo book listing for $10 (additional pages for 35 cents each) and a 9-inch hardcover for $20 (additional pages 65 cents each). The photo books are made in the United States from responsibly sourced paper, Google says.

The photo books are currently only available in the U.S., and there’s no word yet on whether the feature will arrive in other areas.

The update comes after the platform began rolling out the ability to archive photos, keeping receipts and screenshots out of browsing without deleting them entirely.

Get fit the social way this summer with Fitbit’s new Adventure Races feature

Why it matters to you

Getting fit is sometimes just a matter of motivation, and with Fitbit’s new Adventure Races, you may finally be able to get the encouragement you need.

The best way to get fit? Some friendly competition, of course. And now that summer is upon us, the time is nigh to get outside and get moving. Here to help is wearables maker Fitbit, which has just announced Adventure Races, a new social experiment meant to pit fellow users against one another in some mutually motivational activity.

Adventure Races serves as a sort of extension from Solo Adventures, a personal and noncompetitive program Fitbit launched last summer. While these Adventures were also intended to convince users to get outside and rack up their daily steps, it seems that Fitbit has discovered that there’s nothing quite as encouraging as the possibility of being beaten by your friends.

Now, with Adventure Races, you can invite up to 30 friends to compete against one another in either the Yosemite National Park or the New York City Marathon courses. The actual steps you take in whatever concrete jungle you may call home will be translated to virtual steps taken along stunning trails, and as you continue to move, you’ll be able to unlock 180-degree views of various destinations and landmarks. And thanks to Fitbit’s in-app messaging and synced maps, you can virtually cheer on your frenemies.

And as an added bonus, you can uncover various fun facts about your selected Adventure, as well as health information (because you gotta know what you’re really doing for your body), and mini fitness challenges if you want to do more than just track your steps.

According to Fitbit, these Adventures are more than just fitness gimmicks. Rather, the company says, users who have participated in either a Fitbit Adventure or Challenge take an average of 2,000 more steps every day than those who have not been in a Challenge. So if your goal this summer is to get out and get active, an Adventure Race just may be the kick in the pants you need to get you (and your friends) started.

Best Wallet Cases for the Galaxy S8

Cut down on your pocket carry with a sleek wallet case for your Galaxy S8!

If you’re going to cover your Galaxy S8 in a case, you might as well choose one that includes some extra functionality. Wallet cases fit the bill, offering quality protection for your precious new phone while also letting you carry around a few cards and maybe even some cash.

Ditch your wallet and keep your phone, ID, and payment cards all in one place with a wallet case for your Galaxy S8.

• Spigen Wallet S case
• Abacus24-7 Galaxy S8 Wallet Case
• ProCase Galaxy S8 Genuine Leather case
• Spigen Slim Armor Wallet Case
• Trianium Galaxy S8 Wallet Case
• Q Card Wallet Case

Spigen Wallet S Case

The Spigen Wallet S case is perennially one of the best wallet cases you can get for your phone. With a premium design and build quality, you won’t be disappointed.

This folio case provides full protection for your phone when closed with three card slots on the inside and a pocket for storing some cash. Your phone is held in place by an embedded TPU casing that offers protection around the corners (always important), and the front cover can be folded over to create a kickstand.

It’s available in your choice of black or brown synthetic leather. While it’s one of the more expensive case options on the list, it’s a fantastic option that won’t leave you disappointed.

See at Amazon

Abacus24-7 Galaxy S8 Wallet Case

For a cheaper folio wallet case option, consider Abacus24-7. Its case offers two card slots, which provide RFID protection and include a clear window that’s perfect for your ID. There’s also a hidden pocket for storing cash.

Your phone is held in place by a sturdy polycarbonate case, while the synthetic leather on the front and back protect your phone from scratches, dirt, and damage; the cover also folds over to create a kickstand. This case is available in four different colors, but you’ll get the best value if you stick with black.

See at Amazon

ProCase Galaxy S8 Genuine Leather Case

Looking for a genuine leather wallet case for your phone without paying an arm and a leg? Get the ProCase wallet case for your Galaxy S8.

Made of premium, vintage leather and crafted with care, this case looks, feels, and smells of the highest quality. It’s got all the features you’d expect from a folio wallet case: three card slots and a cash pocket on the inside, a magnetic lock to keep things secure, and the ability to fold over the front cover into a kickstand. It’s available in your choice of black or brown leather, and since it’s made of genuine leather, you can expect this case to look better with that distressed look as it ages.

See at Amazon

Spigen Slim Armor Wallet Case

The Spigen Slim Armor Wallet case looks like a standard case to the average person, but it features a slide-out panel on the back with room to store two cards — your ID and a debit or credit card.

On top of its card-carrying function, this is also just a really rugged case, constructed with a shock-absorbing TPU inner sleeve and a polycarbonate shell that includes the secret card panel. For a sleek wallet case that doesn’t look like a wallet case, check out the Spigen Slim Armor wallet case — available in five different colors!

See at Amazon

Trianium Galaxy S8 Wallet Case

From the picture, you might expect this wallet case from Trianium to be made from a hard plastic, but it’s actually a more rubber/silicone build that’s grippy in hand. This case features a slot on the back that’s cable of carrying cards, cash, or some combination of the two.

Unlike other cases on this list, the slot just remains open on the side, so if you only plan to keep one card and a couple of bills in this case, you might find that your card slips out a bit too easily. However, if you keep at least two cards and a bit of emergency cash in there, you should be fine. This case features a front bezel to protect the screen and also airflow channels on the inside that help your phone keep its cool and help with shock absorption.

See at Amazon

Q Card Wallet Case

Another back-panel wallet case, the Q-Card case from CM4 stands out from the rest with its back pocket made of premium fabric. This texture is also along the edge of the case which helps to make this a very grippy case in your hand.

This case also features all the protective elements you’d want from a case, including air-cushioned corners to help disperse shocks away from your phone, a bezel around the front to protect the screen, and even includes a slim slot along the edge that can be used with a credit card to create a kickstand for hands-free media viewing.

See at Amazon

What’s in your wallet (case)?

Do you have a preferred wallet case for your Galaxy S8 that didn’t make our list? Let us know in the comments below!

First five things you need to do in Star Trek: Bridge Crew

If the Aegis is going to be the best ship in the fleet, you’re going to need a few things.

Star Trek: Bridge Crew is a ton of fun, but it’s also deeply challenging at times. There are a lot of ways your crew can get into trouble early, and because this is largely an online multiplayer game that means you might be letting your whole crew down!

Consider this a crash course in Bridge Crew readiness, Cadet. These five tips will ensure you’re ready to go no matter what the scenario!

Read more at VR Heads!

Watch our HTC U11 review video!

HTC needs a new and exciting phone to compete with the Samsung Galaxy S8, and the just-launched flagship could be just what the Taiwanese manufacturer needs. After the disappointment of the U Ultra, the HTC U11 refines the metal-and-glass build seen earlier in the year, adding water resistance, improved audio, significant spec upgrades and gorgeous new color options.

In our video review, Andrew Martonik takes a look at the phone that’ll carry HTC’s hopes for the rest of 2017. The U11 is a Snapdragon 835-powered beast with a refreshed 12-megapixel “UltraPixel 3” camera, and new squeeze-sensitive Edge Sense features. HTC’s new phone can be squeezed to launch Google Assistant, jump into the camera app, or configured to whatever function you choose. There’s a lot of new stuff to get to grips with here, before we even address the question of whether HTC’s latest handset can compete in an increasingly tough high-end marketplace.

Check out the video above to find out if the U11 is worth your time and money.

• Android Central on YouTube
• HTC U11 full review
• Made in Taiwan: How HTC designs, manufactures and tests its new U11 flagship

Huawei Watch 2 Classic now on sale in the U.S. for $369

A classier Android Wear 2.0 option.

Huawei’s higher-end Android Wear 2.0-powered Watch 2 Classic is now widely available in the U.S. from retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, B&H and more. This is the nicer, classier, metal version of the Huawei Watch 2, which had numerous design and quality shortcomings. The Watch 2 Classic is much better looking and feeling on your wrist, though it isn’t exactly a successor to the original Huawei Watch in terms of design.

The all metal case and leather bands feel much nicer than the plastic and cheap rubber of the standard Watch 2, and those bands are replaceable with any standard watch band. Functionally, though, things are identical to the Watch 2: a 1.2-inch display, Android Wear 2.0, the standard slate of internal specs and a 420mAh battery. The Watch 2 was good for two full days in our time with it, and this should be no different.

If you’re going to go with Huawei, this is the one you want.

The only internal differentiator between the two models is the Watch 2 Classic lacks an LTE option. For most people that won’t be an issue — especially considering the Watch 2 Classic retains GPS and NFC even without the LTE connection.

The product listings for the Watch 2 Classic can actually be a little difficult to find at first, as Huawei simply lists the product name as “Huawei Smartwatch for Universal/Smartphones” … only to list the real name further down in the description. You can hit the links below to go straight to the product pages.

See at AmazonSee at Best Buy

Press release:

HUAWEI WATCH 2 CLASSIC MAKES THE RIGHT STATEMENT

Premium Hybrid Leather Strap Takes the Watch from Workplace to Workout with Ease

PLANO, TX – May 30, 2017 – Huawei is setting a new standard for premium watch adaptability. The company announced today that the second model in its second-generation smartwatch line, HUAWEI WATCH 2 CLASSIC, is now available in the U.S.

What separates HUAWEI WATCH 2 CLASSIC from other premium smartwatches is the ease with which it fits in, no matter the occasion. The sweat resistant hybrid leather/rubber band is fashionable enough for a business meeting, and functional enough for the gym, ensuring comfort throughout the day.

“We specifically designed HUAWEI WATCH 2 to feature cutting-edge technology while being stylish,” commented Robin Zhu, President of Huawei Device USA. “Now, with the introduction of HUAWEI WATCH 2 CLASSIC, we have added versatility to the mix and offering consumers a watch that is equally suited to professional and recreational settings.”

HUAWEI WATCH 2 CLASSIC features a stainless steel casing and ceramic bezel with a classic watch aesthetic. It has a high-definition AMOLED display with a 390×390 resolution, and a 45-mm (1.8″) diameter and ratio, the same as a traditional wristwatch. Thoughtful details such as the dual-crown design and highly integrated antennae (GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth) make it practical and premium.

In addition to its versatility and adaptability, HUAWEI WATCH 2 CLASSIC integrates fitness guidance and scientific health-management functions to help consumers proactively improve their lifestyles. It provides consumers with all of the tools they need for connected well-being.

HUAWEI WATCH 2 CLASSIC measures daily activities through three key indicators: number of steps, duration of medium and high-intensity exercise, and stand-up times. It closely monitors the user’s activity and sends smart reminders to stand up or begin exercising, and will remind users of their daily fitness targets when sedentary.

Other HUAWEI WATCH 2 CLASSIC features:

• Android Wear 2.0 and is iOS compatible
• Updates to Google wearables OS are available, including Google Assistant
• Ability to add both offline and online music through Google Play™ Music app
• IP68 water-resistant classification
• Optimized 420mAh battery lasts up to two days with regular use, up to 10 hours in training mode with the heart-rate sensor and GPS on, and up to three weeks in watch mode with the pedometer function on
• Fast-charging technology powers up the watch from zero to 100% in less than an hour

Pricing and Availability

HUAWEI WATCH 2 CLASSIC will be available in Titanium Grey at a MSRP of $369.99. It is available now in more than 600 Best Buy stores and on BestBuy.com, as well as e-retailers Amazon (www.amazon.com), Newegg (www.newegg.com), B&H (www.bhphotovideo.com), Jet (www.jet.com) and Kohl’s (www.kohls.com).

Essential Home is set to take on Google Home and Amazon Echo with ambient intelligence

This space is getting a little more crowded.

Alongside its first phone, Essential is also unveiling the Essential Home — a clear direct competitor to the likes of Google Home and Amazon Echo. Though it’s tough to get a sense of scale from a simple product page with a few images, the Essential Home looks relatively compact and sleek. Rounded and smooth, the top surface is cut at an angle and shows off a large circular display that you can interact with.

The core of the Essential Home experience is what it calls Ambient OS — the software that ties it all together. Essential shows off the Home doing the typical home assistant features: playing music, setting a timer, answering questions and controlling smart home devices. Other features sound a whole lot like Google Home, such as alerting you when you have to leave for an appointment or you have an upcoming anniversary on your calendar.

The idea behind Essential Home is that technology is there, supportive, and proactive enough to be helpful, without forcing you to ask or type a question. It’s in your environment; you can tap or glance at it, but it never intrudes or takes you away from the things that are important to you.

Essential is positioning this new technology as being “ambient” in that it will bring information to you rather than expecting you to ask for things all the time. The base of the Essential Home can glow to let you know about information, but you can of course tap the screen to activate it or just ask it verbally.

When it comes to controlling your smart home devices, Essential Home is supposed to be able to automatically “introduce” itself to your existing devices in order to help you set them up quickly. Essential is also offering an open SDK to build applications or hardware that can interface with Ambient OS on the Essential Home.

Unlike the Essential Phone, we don’t have details on pricing or availability of the Essential Home. We get a link to sign up to receive more information in the future, but right now we have this single product page and a couple of simple blog posts to go off of. We’ll need to see far more information and actually interact with the Essential Home before we can see where it fits in among the established players from Google and Amazon.

Samsung DeX review: You got your computer in my phone

Samsung DeX promises a lot. With nothing more than the DeX dock and a monitor, keyboard and mouse, you’re supposed to be able to “leave your computer behind” and “make anyplace a workplace” … by converting your smartphone into a desktop computer. And you know what? It works pretty well.

If Microsoft’s competing Continuum product weren’t already dead, DeX would stand a pretty good chance of killing it. Plus, it’s not that hard to imagine a laptop-less future where everyone just plugs their phone into a dumb terminal when they need a computer. But that future is still far off … and DeX doesn’t deliver quite enough to get us there all on its own.

Get the feel for it in MrMobile’s Samsung DeX review – and after that be sure to check out the full take in Android Central’s Samsung DeX review!

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Google is done updating its Nik desktop photo-editing tools

Bad news if you’re a fan of the Nik Collection of free photo-editing apps: Google has announced it will stop supporting the software suite effective immediately. “We have no plans to update the Collection or add new features over time,” a banner atop the Nik Collection website and help center reads. Want in? Then download it now and start importing your photos to see what the fuss is all about.

Last March, the folks in Mountain View slashed what it was asking for the Collection from $150 to the low, low price of free ninety-nine. Like PetaPixel notes, Google bought Nik back in 2012 and has put a lot of emphasis on the company’s mobile image-editing app Snapseed since. The Snapseed mobile app, of course, has been free for awhile now.

If you’re looking for other low-cost, desktop image-editing options because Nik doesn’t quite do it for you, there’s Affinity Photo ($50) or, you could always consider Adobe CC’s photography package (Photoshop and Lightroom) for $10 a month. Grabbing a copy of Lightroom 6 will set you back around $140 and will be cheaper in the long run, but, you’ll be running software from 2015.

Via: PetaPixel

Source: Nik Collection

Intel Core i9 X-Series is a hardcore gamer’s delight, with 18-core option

During its Computex keynote, Intel announced a new series of CPUs that sit at the very top of the Skylake family.

The Intel Core i9 X-Series is for power users and seriously hardcore PC gamers as it starts at around $1,000 and goes up to a mighty $2,000 for the 18-core i9-7980XE. And that’s not including new motherboards you’ll likely need to run them.

For that though, you’ll more than likely be futureproof for years.

The Intel Core X-Series of processors also includes i5 and i7 CPUs, but it is the i9 range that’s garnering the most attention. The i9-7980XE, for example, is the first consumer chip from the manufacturer that offers over a teraflop in computing power.

• Computex 2017: All the announcements that matter

Want to play games in 4K 60fps and run other processes over the top? It’s a doddle with that chip.

The i9 series of chips all run at base clock speeds of 3.3GHz. Turbo Boost can increase that up to 4.5GHz.

To keep the chips cool, Intel has developed its own liquid cooling system although if you’re willing to shell out so much for the ultimate in processing it is likely you are willing to build your own ultra cooling into your new gaming rig.