Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time

Everyone likes apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers put paid apps on sale for free for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up while you have the chance. Here are the best app deals in the iOS App Store.

These apps normally cost money and this sale lasts for a limited time only. If you go to the App Store and it says the app costs money, that means the deal has expired and you will be charged. 

Live Score Once

With Live Score Once, you can follow not only live scores, weekly schedules, and tables for all your favorite soccer teams, but you can also watch video clips straight from your iPhone.

Available on:

iOS

NavaFit

NavaFit is a fitness community where you can find a workout buddy to help you reach your health and fitness goals. Whether you’re just getting started on your fitness journey or are an avid gymgoer, there is no better way to stay motivated and accountable than with a support team.

Available on:

iOS

Note-ify

This app is a simple and convenient note-taking tool. Organize your notes, ideas, shopping lists, tasks, and different reference information. It features a user-friendly and customizable interface.

Available on:

iOS

Magnifier Flash

Did you forget to take your reading glasses with you this morning? This app instantly transforms your iPhone into a magnifying glass with a flashlight.

Available on:

iOS

Photo Guard

If you’re anything like us, you don’t like nosy intruders peeking into your camera roll. Let Photo Guard keep your personal life personal.

Available on:

iOS

MyTube Pro

MyTube allows you to search and listen to millions of songs on YouTube for free. Search for artists, tracks, albums, and discover new music every day across genres, channels, and user playlists.

Available on:

iOS

New York is reviewing its voting infrastructure to avoid hacks

Amid the growing investigation into Russia’s interference in the US Presidential election, New York is taking the initiative to check whether anybody meddled with its voting machines. Governor Cuomo has tasked the state’s Cyber Security Advisory Board to both investigate potential incursions and review the state’s entire voting infrastructure to suss out weak points that hackers might attack in the future.

The governor’s press release emphasizes that “there have been no credible reports of electoral system disruptions in New York” to date, though it’s unclear if the state was one of the 39 attacked by hackers last year. But to proactively head off future attempts to break into election systems across the state, the board will work with the state’s DMV and IT office, as well as the State and County Boards of Elections, to identify weaknesses in cybersecurity and report back to Cuomo in 90 days.

New York might be the first state to take such proactive measures, but others will likely follow. The US intelligence community continues to unravel Russian-directed interference in the last election, but the information that does make it to the public — including the documents clumsily leaked by The Intercept two weeks ago — indicates that hackers targeted vendors that sold voting software intended for local machines. The worry is real.

Source: New York Governor’s Office

AT&T is helping state governments get dedicated emergency LTE networks

Why it matters to you

If you find yourself in an emergency situation, you likely want to get the best help, as soon as possible. Good internet connectivity could help with that.

Internet connectivity isn’t just about browsing Facebook or watching cat videos — it can also be extremely helpful for first responders in emergency situations. Now, first responders will have access to a more reliable network with AT&T and  FirstNet.

The two companies inked a deal to work together earlier in 2017 and now the project is starting to move ahead — meaning first responders will have their own dedicated LTE network in the near future. At this point, the two companies are approaching state governments with plans on rolling out FirstNet and what the states will end up getting. According to FirstNet, not only will the rollout of the network create a dedicated network for first responders, but it will also create thousands of jobs around the country.

“When we announced our public-private partnership in March, we committed to begin building this unprecedented network and technology ecosystem for public safety later this year,” said Chris Sambar, senior vice president, AT&T-FirstNet, in a statement. “Later begins now. States, territories and public safety have expressed their desire to move quickly. That’s what we’re helping to enable today.”

States and local governments now have 45 days to review the plans and sign up to the new network, after which a 90-day clock will start for states to make their final opt-in/opt-out decision.

Of course, not all states will take on the new plan — and a number of companies, including Nokia and Intel, have offered to work with states that choose to opt out of FirstNet. In fact, according to a report from Engadget, so far eight states have opted to build their own networks.

Still, FirstNet and AT&T’s efforts are impressive, and if all goes according to plan responders in locations that opt into FirstNet will have their network up and running by the end of the year. AT&T has also signed on to maintain the network for 25 years — so this is definitely a long-term solution.

This is not the first time first responders are using tech to improve their service. In Europe, first responders have taken to using drones and European regulators even formed a partnership with Waze to allow users to quickly and easily share information about issues they might encounter on the road.

PayPal punches back at Zelle with its own instant bank transfer feature

Why it matters to you

PayPal’s new instant transfer feature is a clear attempt to stay competitive with Zelle, a rival service that’s only been around for a few weeks.

PayPal is punching back. Now that it’s been thrown in the ring with newcomer Zelle, the big banks’ answer to payment processing platforms like PayPal itself and its Venmo subsidiary, the Palo Alto-based company has debuted instant bank transfers. This ought to make the payment processor competitive with Zelle in one of the key areas where the newcomer appears to have some leverage.

While PayPal has been around for nearly 2o years at this point, and Zelle is still in its nascent stages (it just starting rolling out to users in June), it clearly isn’t taking any chances when it comes to maintaining its dominance of the space. And part of its strategy appears to be doing everything its competitors can, though for now, it will be for a fee. PayPal users will soon be able to send funds from their accounts to their banks in just a few minutes, which is a major upgrade from the 24 hours or so it currently takes to make this kind of transfer. But there’s a catch — it’ll cost you 25 cents per transaction.

Sure, it’s a nominal fee, but it’s not one that Zelle charges. That said, Zelle also doesn’t have a dedicated app yet, nor does it boast many of the social features that have made PayPal and Venmo so popular among users. Still, Zelle’s backing from established banks like Chase, Citibank, and Bank of America, along with its instant withdrawals functionality, could certainly make it an attractive alternative.

The new instant withdrawals feature is currently in beta testing, and has been made “available to select PayPal users and will be made available to all U.S. PayPal users with eligible Visa or Mastercard debit cards over the coming weeks and months,” the company said in a blog post announcement. So the next time you send money through PayPal on Slack or some other social media channel, you should be able to move that money to your bank account almost immediately.

So watch out, Zelle. The competition is definitely on, and from what we can tell thus far, it looks like it’ll be a fierce one.

MBNA Canada Now Supports Apple Pay

MBNA Canada, a division of TD Bank, today launched support for Apple Pay for its MasterCard and Visa credit cards.

MBNA has yet to make an official Apple Pay announcement, and their customer service account on Twitter continues to say that Apple Pay is coming soon, but multiple iPhone users have successfully activated an MBNA-branded credit card in the Wallet app today, as reported by iPhone in Canada.

Apple has also added MBNA to its list of Apple Pay participating issuers in Canada, accompanying TD Canada Trust, BMO, CIBC, RBC, Scotiabank, Tangerine, Desjardins, HSBC Canada, PC Financial, ATB Financial, Canadian Tire Financial Services, and non-bank-issued American Express cards.

MBNA Canada, which had 1.8 million active accounts when it was acquired by TD in 2011, primarily offers affinity credit cards associated with sports teams, universities, charities, and other groups, ranging from the Toronto Blue Jays and Vancouver Canucks to McGill University and the Canadian Wildlife Federation.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay
Tags: Canada, MBNA
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How many dimensions does the human brain think in? Research says up to 11

Why it matters to you

Research will lead to a better understanding of how the brain works, and could one day be used to treat neurodegenerative diseases.

You may have never wondered how many dimensions your brain thinks in, but if you have, the real answer could be more than you’re expecting. It’s a many as 11.

That’s according to a new study published in the journal Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience. It uses algebraic topology (what else?) to show how the structures in the brain react when information is processed. And, as it turns out, that means a whole lot more dimensions than your run-of-the-mill height, width, depth, and time.

“How the structure of the brain shapes its function is one of the central mysteries of neuroscience,” Kathryn Hess Bellwald, a professor in the Laboratory for Topology and Neuroscience at Switzerland’s École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, told Digital Trends. “The connections among the neurons in the brain form an incredibly rich and intricate structure, of which it is difficult to provide a quantitative global description. The firing patterns of neurons in reaction to stimuli are, if anything, even more complex. By examining structure and activity through the filter of algebraic topology, we were able to provide quantitative descriptions of both and to discern a reflection of the connectivity structure of a neural circuit in the shape of its response to stimuli.”

This stunning image shows neurons in action in the brain.

The paper is pretty mind-bending stuff (no pun intended) that helps unpack some of the enormous complexity in the brain. For example, one of its interesting points is about the neural “sand castles,” referring to the fantastically complex structures that the brain constructs as it processes information. This is a geometric reflection of the increasing degree of coordination and organization in neuronal firing that takes place as the brain reacts to a stimulus, which vanishes abruptly once the processing ends.

This is where the multidimensional stuff comes into play, since it relates to how neurons connect to one another. For instance, two neurons connect to make a one-dimensional “rod,” while three make a 2D triangle, four make a 3D pyramid, and so on. As you can imagine, when you get to possible 11D objects, things get all sorts of crazy. And that’s without even worrying about the math.

It might sound like densely abstract research (and it kind of is), but according to Hess Bellwald, there are potential real-world applications to the discovery.

“In the long run, if we develop a deep understanding of what a normal pattern of response to a given input stimulus looks like, expressed in the language of algebraic topology, then we could perhaps use this knowledge to detect and quantify brain pathology, such as that arising in neurodegenerative diseases,” she said.

Since mind-reading tech is currently all the rage for everything from predicting movie box office numbers to helping paralyzed individuals move again, this could turn out to be incredibly useful research.

We listened to the world’s first graphene headphones, and they floored us

Why it matters to you

Ora’s GrapheneQ tech could represent a revolutionary step forward for headphones, speakers, and much more.

Graphene, one of the most buzzed-about carbon compounds in material science, has the potential to transform industries, not the least of which is the world of sound. There’s only one problem: It’s really expensive. But audio researcher Peter Gaskell thinks he’s cracked the graphene conundrum.

Ora, a Montreal-based startup Gaskell co-founded with Sergii Tutashkonko — who holds a Ph.D. in material science — wants to be the first to market with graphene-based headphones. Gaskell, who holds a Ph.D. himself in audio recording, stopped by Digital Trends’ New York office to demo his new creation ahead of the company’s crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter. They’re tentatively dubbed the GrapheneQ Headphones, and spoiler alert, they sound pretty fantastic.

Stronger, lighter, faster

Graphene is a highly conductive, flexible, and strong material made of latticed carbon atoms bonded in a hexagonal pattern (read our guide to Graphene). Scientists theorized its structure in the 1940s, but didn’t managed to isolate a layer until decades later, in 2004. Since then, it’s been used in new ways as an amazing conductor of electricity.

Kyle Wiggers/Digital Trends

Kyle Wiggers/Digital Trends

Kyle Wiggers/Digital Trends

Kyle Wiggers/Digital Trends

But it’s good for more than conducting electricity. Graphene has been proposed for use in applications like detecting cancer, filtering water, and heating your home because it’s a stiffer, lighter, and thinner material than comparable composites. Lucky for us, these are all characteristics which have an impact on sound. It’s all about physics: Traditional dynamic drivers, also called moving coil drivers, use an electrically charged voice coil to move a cone, which in turn creates sound waves. The heavier a speaker’s cone, the harder is to drive. With their incredible strength-to-weight ratio, graphene drivers cut down on the amount of power that’s required to move the coil back and forth, creating better efficiency, and in theory, better sound.

They feel reassuringly durable in the hand.

The drivers Ora has made for its new headphones aren’t made of pure graphene, however. Instead, Ora opted for a hybrid approach it calls GrapheneQ, an oxide compound that employs nanotechnology to deposit flakes of graphene into thousands of layers that are bonded together. Ora says the resulting GrapheneQ compound is 95 percent graphene by weight, and highly malleable, which makes it comparatively easy to mass produce.

It’s also the key to the GrapheneQ Headphones’s affordability, priced at just $200 for the first few hundred backers, as GrapheneQ can be produced for a fraction of the cost of traditional graphene. Ora claims the frequency response is on par with CVD-Diamond, a high-end membrane that costs upwards of ten times Ora’s compound. The company also claims its design reduces power consumption by up to 70 percent.

The cans

The GrapheneQ Headphones themselves are over-the-ear, wood-accented cans featuring lambskin leather, premium fabric, and memory foam. They feel reassuringly durable in the hand, with a cup length adjustment mechanism along the band that locks firmly in place. With the exception of the ear cups, which have so much padding they hugged our face a bit too tightly, the GrapheneQ are exceptionally comfortable to wear.

Kyle Wiggers/Digital Trends

They offer Bluetooth wireless connection, with intuitive touchpad controls and a microphone for hands-free phone calls built in. Along with Bluetooth, you can plug in via a removable 3.5mm cable, and you can also connect to a PC or other device via USB-C. Battery life has not yet been disclosed, but thanks to graphene’s high efficiency it’s expected to be extremely long — possibly even disruptive.

The sound

Before we slipped on a pair, Gaskell had us listen to two black, nondescript bookshelf speakers set side-by-side — one equipped with Ora’s GrapheneQ driver, and one with an off-the-shelf alternative. The differences were subtle, but in genres like classic rock and classical, the GrapheneQ model’s reproduction of vocals and strings respectively exhibited more clarity and detail than its non-graphene counterpart.

Kyle Wiggers/Digital Trends

In the case of the headphones, the contrast was a lot starker. After comparing them to our $300 BeoPlay H6 headphones, we walked away very impressed. In fact, the GrapheneQ served up some of the clearest, most consistent sound we’ve heard at their price point. To be fair, we tested a pre-production model — a lot could change between now and when the headphones begin shipping next year. But our initial experience with the GrapheneQ Headphones was extremely promising.

Graphene in your pocket

While the GrapheneQ Headphones serve as an entry point, Ora says headphones are just the beginning. The company is in talks with automotive, speaker, and cellphone companies to produce custom graphene solutions for cars, smartwatches, phones, and more. It’s working with hearing aid makers on louder units that last longer on a single charge, and it has also partnered with virtual reality headset companies to develop graphene-based headphones optimized for spatial audio.

“We’re applying our expertise in nanotechnology to push the fundamental limits of speaker technology.”

Ora is particularly bullish on the smartphone industry, where it thinks applying GrapheneQ tech could result in smaller, low-power speakers that sound better than those mounted in your current smartphone. The company goes so far as to say that six cell phone manufacturers — including “the top two in the world” — have experimented with incorporating GrapheneQ (the top two smartphone makers in the world are Samsung and Apple).

“We’re applying our expertise in nanotechnology to push the fundamental limits of speaker technology,” Gaskell said. “From inception, [we’ve] taken an industry-driven approach to design, manufacturing, and materials development.”

To that end, Ora is taking pains to manage expectations with the GraphenQ Headphones. It’s specifying a two-month delivery buffer window, and setting aside inventory for early adopters.

“We are confident as possible that we will not only achieve our vision of professional sound through nanotechnology, but that we will deliver [it] on time,” he said.

The GrapheneQ launches on Kickstarter June 20, with retail availability to follow in March 2018. The first several hundred backers can reserve a pair for $200, but Ora’s anticipating a suggested retail price between $500 and $600.

We listened to the world’s first graphene headphones, and they floored us

Why it matters to you

Ora’s GrapheneQ tech could represent a revolutionary step forward for headphones, speakers, and much more.

Graphene, one of the most buzzed-about carbon compounds in material science, has the potential to transform industries, not the least of which is the world of sound. There’s only one problem: It’s really expensive. But audio researcher Peter Gaskell thinks he’s cracked the graphene conundrum.

Ora, a Montreal-based startup Gaskell co-founded with Sergii Tutashkonko — who holds a Ph.D. in material science — wants to be the first to market with graphene-based headphones. Gaskell, who holds a Ph.D. himself in audio recording, stopped by Digital Trends’ New York office to demo his new creation ahead of the company’s crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter. They’re tentatively dubbed the GrapheneQ Headphones, and spoiler alert, they sound pretty fantastic.

Stronger, lighter, faster

Graphene is a highly conductive, flexible, and strong material made of latticed carbon atoms bonded in a hexagonal pattern (read our guide to Graphene). Scientists theorized its structure in the 1940s, but didn’t managed to isolate a layer until decades later, in 2004. Since then, it’s been used in new ways as an amazing conductor of electricity.

Kyle Wiggers/Digital Trends

Kyle Wiggers/Digital Trends

Kyle Wiggers/Digital Trends

Kyle Wiggers/Digital Trends

But it’s good for more than conducting electricity. Graphene has been proposed for use in applications like detecting cancer, filtering water, and heating your home because it’s a stiffer, lighter, and thinner material than comparable composites. Lucky for us, these are all characteristics which have an impact on sound. It’s all about physics: Traditional dynamic drivers, also called moving coil drivers, use an electrically charged voice coil to move a cone, which in turn creates sound waves. The heavier a speaker’s cone, the harder is to drive. With their incredible strength-to-weight ratio, graphene drivers cut down on the amount of power that’s required to move the coil back and forth, creating better efficiency, and in theory, better sound.

They feel reassuringly durable in the hand.

The drivers Ora has made for its new headphones aren’t made of pure graphene, however. Instead, Ora opted for a hybrid approach it calls GrapheneQ, an oxide compound that employs nanotechnology to deposit flakes of graphene into thousands of layers that are bonded together. Ora says the resulting GrapheneQ compound is 95 percent graphene by weight, and highly malleable, which makes it comparatively easy to mass produce.

It’s also the key to the GrapheneQ Headphones’s affordability, priced at just $200 for the first few hundred backers, as GrapheneQ can be produced for a fraction of the cost of traditional graphene. Ora claims the frequency response is on par with CVD-Diamond, a high-end membrane that costs upwards of ten times Ora’s compound. The company also claims its design reduces power consumption by up to 70 percent.

The cans

The GrapheneQ Headphones themselves are over-the-ear, wood-accented cans featuring lambskin leather, premium fabric, and memory foam. They feel reassuringly durable in the hand, with a cup length adjustment mechanism along the band that locks firmly in place. With the exception of the ear cups, which have so much padding they hugged our face a bit too tightly, the GrapheneQ are exceptionally comfortable to wear.

Kyle Wiggers/Digital Trends

They offer Bluetooth wireless connection, with intuitive touchpad controls and a microphone for hands-free phone calls built in. Along with Bluetooth, you can plug in via a removable 3.5mm cable, and you can also connect to a PC or other device via USB-C. Battery life has not yet been disclosed, but thanks to graphene’s high efficiency it’s expected to be extremely long — possibly even disruptive.

The sound

Before we slipped on a pair, Gaskell had us listen to two black, nondescript bookshelf speakers set side-by-side — one equipped with Ora’s GrapheneQ driver, and one with an off-the-shelf alternative. The differences were subtle, but in genres like classic rock and classical, the GrapheneQ model’s reproduction of vocals and strings respectively exhibited more clarity and detail than its non-graphene counterpart.

Kyle Wiggers/Digital Trends

In the case of the headphones, the contrast was a lot starker. After comparing them to our $300 BeoPlay H6 headphones, we walked away very impressed. In fact, the GrapheneQ served up some of the clearest, most consistent sound we’ve heard at their price point. To be fair, we tested a pre-production model — a lot could change between now and when the headphones begin shipping next year. But our initial experience with the GrapheneQ Headphones was extremely promising.

Graphene in your pocket

While the GrapheneQ Headphones serve as an entry point, Ora says headphones are just the beginning. The company is in talks with automotive, speaker, and cellphone companies to produce custom graphene solutions for cars, smartwatches, phones, and more. It’s working with hearing aid makers on louder units that last longer on a single charge, and it has also partnered with virtual reality headset companies to develop graphene-based headphones optimized for spatial audio.

“We’re applying our expertise in nanotechnology to push the fundamental limits of speaker technology.”

Ora is particularly bullish on the smartphone industry, where it thinks applying GrapheneQ tech could result in smaller, low-power speakers that sound better than those mounted in your current smartphone. The company goes so far as to say that six cell phone manufacturers — including “the top two in the world” — have experimented with incorporating GrapheneQ (the top two smartphone makers in the world are Samsung and Apple).

“We’re applying our expertise in nanotechnology to push the fundamental limits of speaker technology,” Gaskell said. “From inception, [we’ve] taken an industry-driven approach to design, manufacturing, and materials development.”

To that end, Ora is taking pains to manage expectations with the GraphenQ Headphones. It’s specifying a two-month delivery buffer window, and setting aside inventory for early adopters.

“We are confident as possible that we will not only achieve our vision of professional sound through nanotechnology, but that we will deliver [it] on time,” he said.

The GrapheneQ launches on Kickstarter June 20, with retail availability to follow in March 2018. The first several hundred backers can reserve a pair for $200, but Ora’s anticipating a suggested retail price between $500 and $600.

Intel gives the boot to its Edison, Galileo, and Joule single-board computers

Why it matters to you

If you’re thinking about picking up a single-board computer anytime soon, you will likely want to steer clear of Intel’s offerings.

The PC-maker movement gained a great deal of momentum over the last several years, likely propelled by a growing interest in the Internet of Things (IoT) and the existence of increasingly powerful CPUs and other components that fit into smaller packages. Raspberry Pi is likely the best known single-board PC in this market, but major players like Intel have also been present.

In fact, Intel has had a number of products on the market aimed at the do-it-yourself IoT user, including its Galileo, Edison, and Joule lineups. It looks like the company is pulling out of the market, however, or at last dropping these particular products, Hackaday reports.

The news comes from a number of PDFs that lay out the timelines for each of the solutions. According to the documents, Galileo, Edison, and Joule will remain available for now but will no longer be shipping once 2017 comes to a close.

Intel’s Arduino-certified Galileo development board was already likely on its way out, given that Microsoft dropped support for the platform in its Windows 10 IoT Core product in 2015. Microsoft’s reasoning for the decision was that Galileo did not meet the minimum requirements of Windows 10 IoT Core due to the use of Intel’s Quark X1000 processor that just was not quite powerful enough for Microsoft’s tastes.

The second version of Intel’s Edison board is of a more robust design, utilizing its Atom Z34XX processor that is more in line with Windows 10 IoT Core’s requirements. It can utilize up to 1GB of DDR3 RAM, 4GB of eMMC flash storage, and incorporates both Bluetooth 4.1 and Wi-Fi radios. It, too, is Arduino-compatible.

Finally, Joule is the most robust of Intel’s single-board computers. It sports a quad-core 64-bit Intel Atom processor, up to 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 16GB of eMMC storage, and is capable of 4K video display.

There is no specific reason given as to why Intel is dropping support for these products, nor any indication that the company might not jump back in with new products. For now, though, competitors like Raspberry Pi should gain a bit of a boost as such a larger player leaves the market, and anyone looking to build a project with a single-board computer should steer clear of Intel’s offerings.

The best cheap smartphones you can buy

Update: We’ve removed the OnePlus 3T as the company has replaced it with the OnePlus 5. The OnePlus 5 is now our top pick, and the ZTE Axon 7 is now the second best budget Android smartphone.

Well more than a billion smartphones were sold across the world in 2016. One of the great things about the fierce competition in the smartphone market is that prices are tumbling down. That makes buying a smartphone outright, without being locked into a two-year contract, a realistic possibility for everyone under the sun.

The tricky part is finding the right phone for you, but don’t worry, because we’re here to help. We’ve been testing out the best budget smartphones and this is our short list. If you have a little more money to spend, head over to our Best Smartphones guide to see our top picks.

Our pick

OnePlus 5

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Why should you buy this: With specifications surpassing even the Samsung Galaxy S8, the OnePlus 5 does everything well at a fraction of the cost.

Our Score

The best

OnePlus 5

The OnePlus 5 packs in greater specs than the $750 Samsung Galaxy S8, at a fraction of the cost.

$479.00 from OnePlus

Who’s it for: Anyone who wants a near stock Android experience at a lower price than the Google Pixel

How much will it cost: $480+

Why we picked the OnePlus 5:

While the $480 price tag means this is the most expensive OnePlus smartphone to date, you’ll be hard pressed to find internals as powerful for a comparable price.  The OnePlus 5 is sleek, with a minimal design that resembles the iPhone. Even the dual-camera setup on the rear is heavily inspired by the camera on Apple’s latest iPhone 7 Plus — there’s a Portrait mode that adds in a bokeh-effect, where it blurs out the background of a subject. It’s mostly accurate, even sometimes beating out the iPhone 7 Plus.

Want the fastest Qualcomm processor to power your smartphone? The OnePlus 5 has you covered with the Snapdragon 835. It’s the same chip powering the Samsung Galaxy S8, the HTC U11, and Sony’s Xperia XZ Premium — phones that cost more than $650 — and it even offers more RAM. You get a choice of either 6GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage, or 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage.

The 5.5-inch AMOLED screen only offers a 1,920 x 1,080 pixel resolution, but that should be more than enough for most people. You also get Bluetooth 5, which offers faster connectivity and range, along with OnePlus’ proprietary fast-charging technology, Dash Charge. It gives you a full day of battery life in just 30 minutes. Speaking of the battery, it has a 3,300mAh capacity and it’s charged via a USB Type-C port. And yes, you can charge and listen to music at the same time, because there’s a headphone jack on the bottom of the phone.

One of the OnePlus 5’s biggest draw is its incredibly smooth and accessible user experience. The Oxygen Operating System is based on Android 7.1.1, and the user interface is akin to the Google Pixel, except you get a lot more customization options. For example, you can turn on a system-wide dark mode, or you can change the accent color of the notification drawer, and more.

You should note the OnePlus 5 is only available on GSM networks, meaning you can use it on AT&T and T-Mobile, but it won’t work with a Sprint or Verizon connection. Other downsides are that it does not have any water resistance, it’s a little slippery, some people may not like how similar it looks to the iPhone, and the camera isn’t anything to write home about. But for $480, you’re getting equal, if not better performance, than the Galaxy S8 — all in a smartphone without time for gimmicky features.

OnePlus 5 Review

The best cheap iPhone

iPhone SE

Why should you buy this: It’s the best 4-inch smartphone ever made with many of the same specs as the iPhone 6S and a strong camera.

Our Score

The best cheap iPhone

Apple iPhone SE

Nearly all the features and functions of the more expensive iPhone 6S in a smaller, cheaper body.

$399.99 from T-Mobile

$399.99 from Verizon

Who’s it for: Anyone who wants an iPhone, but has limited cash or just likes ‘em small

How much will it cost: $400+

Why we picked the iPhone SE:

This is the obvious choice for bargain-seeking Apple fans who have their hearts set on an iPhone. It takes most of the features of the iPhone 6S and packs them into the body of an iPhone 5S. If you feel like modern smartphones are getting too big, then the iPhone SE will suit you perfectly.

It has the same A9 processor as the 6S, backed by 2GB of RAM. On paper that doesn’t sound impressive, but in terms of real world performance, it’s lightning fast and beats many more expensive phones. There’s a great 12-megapixel main camera that takes sharp, crisp, natural-looking photos, and has support for Live Photos. You also get Touch ID, Siri, and NFC for Apple Pay.

The 4-inch screen matches the 6S for pixel density, so it’s sharp and clear. The iOS platform is very easy to use and you get access to an excellent library of slick apps and games. The battery is only rated at 1,642mAh, but since it’s powering a smaller display, it results in above average stamina.

Inevitably, there are some disappointments here. The front-facing camera is just 1.2-megapixels, so this is not the phone for selfie fans. The basic version only has 16GB of storage, which isn’t enough, and it will cost you an extra $50 to jump up to 64GB. There’s also no 3D Touch. Despite the compromises, this is the most reasonably priced iPhone you can buy right now.

iPhone SE Review

The second budget Android phone

ZTE Axon 7

Why should you buy this: It’s a true flagship killer with high-end specs, great processing power, and a sharp camera — all wrapped up in a sleek metal package.

Our Score

The best $400 phablet

ZTE Axon 7

You can’t do better than the Axon 7, if you want a phablet for $400.

$359.99 from Amazon

$367.99 from Best Buy

Who’s it for: Anyone who wants a great Android phone at a relatively low price

How much will it cost: $400

Why we picked the ZTE Axon 7:

Nothing about the ZTE Axon 7 suggests a budget price. This is a classy piece of tech, sporting an attractive all-metal design with prominent dual speaker grilles flanking a gorgeous 5.5-inch AMOLED screen. It looks and feels expensive and it can compete with some of the best Android phones on performance.

Things don’t get any less impressive when you pop the hood, because there’s a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor with 4GB RAM and a whopping 64GB internal storage inside. There’s also a more expensive 128GB version with a whopping 6GB of RAM, and you get a MicroSD card slot for further expansion in both models.

You won’t be disappointed by the camera, either. It features a 21-megapixel camera sensor with electronic and optical image stabilization. The front-facing camera is rated at 8-megapixels. Both take great pictures and offer manual settings. A 3,140mAh battery ensures that the Axon 7 will get through an average day with juice to spare.

Then there’s the front-facing stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos technology for unrivaled smartphone sound. If you’re looking for the compromise, you’ll be hard pressed to find it. Even ZTE’s MiFavor UI is mercifully close to stock Android and the manufacturer has pushed out Android 7.0 Nougat, the latest and greatest Android version from Google.

One thing to watch out for is that the ZTE Axon 7 is not officially supported on Verizon or Sprint. It is technically capable of working with their networks, and some people report limited success, but your mileage may vary. It’s also slippery, it’s not water resistant, and there’s no wireless charging support, but we’re nitpicking because this is an unparalleled phone for the money.

ZTE Axon 7 Review

The best phone under $300

Moto G5 Plus

Kyle Wiggers/Digital Trends

Why should you buy this: The Moto G5 Plus is a great, cheap Android phone with solid specs and a decent camera that won’t let you down.

Our Score

The best budget camera phone

Moto G4 Plus

This is an unbeatable camera for the price.

$189.99 from Amazon

$249.99 from Motorola

Who’s it for: Pure Android fans on a budget who prize substance over style

How much will it cost: $280

Why we picked the Moto G5 Plus:

Despite Lenovo’s takeover of the Moto brand, the budget Moto G line is still a budget phone flag bearer. This is the best smartphone you can buy for less than $300 right now.

The G5 Plus boasts a 5.5-inch full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) screen, a zippy Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, and 4GB of RAM. The basic model has 32GB of storage, and there is a MicroSD card slot for expansion. You’ll also find a 12-megapixel camera with phase detection autofocus and laser autofocus, and a wide-angle 5-megapixel selfie camera. A 3,000mAh battery provides enough power to see you through a full day, and there’s a fingerprint sensor with support for swipe gestures.

One of the best things about the G5 Plus is the complete absence of bloatware. It almost feels like stock Android.

Motorola isn’t the most timely manufacturer when it comes to updates, which means it might be a while before the G5 Plus gets a major software upgrade, such as Android O. U.S. G5 Plus models also lack support for NFC, which is sure to disappoint if you’re keen to use your phone for contactless payments. Despite all that, the Moto G5 Plus is still a great all-rounder.

Motorola’s selling a cheaper variant of the G5 Plus, the G5, for $50 less. But you sacrifice the G5 Plus’s superior camera, half the RAM and storage capacity, and the fingerprint sensor. That’s not to say the G5 is a bad budget option, but if you have an extra $50 to spare, the G5 Plus is worth the splurge.

Moto G5 Plus Review

The best phone for less than $200

ZTE ZMax Pro

Why should you buy this: It’s amazing to get a phone this good for less than $200. Its 6-inch Full HD screen is great for phablet fans.

Our Score

The best phablet for less than $200

ZTE ZMax Pro

For less than $200, the ZMax Pro is a giant phablet and a giant steal.

$179.00 from T-Mobile

$99.00 from MetroPCS

Who’s it for: Anyone with a hard budget who likes big phones

How much will it cost: $100-$180

Why we picked the ZTE ZMax Pro:

You’ll be amazed at what you can get for a single Benjamin here. ZTE is offering an unbeatable bargain with the ZMax Pro, and we’re not sure how it can turn a profit with these specs at this price.

The ZTE ZMax Pro follows the big screen trend with a 6-inch, full HD display. It has a respectable Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 processor inside with 2GB of RAM. There’s 32GB of storage, with support for MicroSD card expansion. You also get a 13-megapixel main camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. The phone is ably powered by a 3,400mAh battery that easily lasts a day between charges.

As if all that wasn’t enough, the ZMax Pro also features a nice curved design, a USB Type-C port with support for fast charging, a fingerprint sensor, and a minimal UI that’s close to stock Android.

The ZTE ZMax Pro is only available through T-Mobile and MetroPCS right now. The only major omission here is NFC. Camera performance is also mediocre, but for $100 it seems churlish to complain, because you are not going to find anything better. It’s $180 at T-Mobile, but that’s nothing to sneeze at, either.

ZTE ZMax Pro Review

How we test

We’re fanatical about our phones here at Digital Trends. Every phone we test serves as our main device for at least a week, often longer, so we can get a real feel for what life would be like living with it. We read on them, game on them, shoot video and photos, navigate, organize, and occasionally even make calls. Every facet is explored, every manufacturer claim is challenged, and we’re careful to take the intended audience and price tag into account when judgment time comes.

Debates on the best phones in different categories are a regular occurrence and no one on the mobile team is shy about sharing their opinion. When we find flaws, we tell like it is. Ultimately, we’ll never recommend any phone that we wouldn’t be happy using ourselves.

Is now a good time to buy?

This is a thorny question for technology in general, because there’s always something better just around the corner. There are signs the smartphone spec war has been slowing down recently, but what you can get for your money at the budget end of the market continues to change quite rapidly.

Much depends on your current situation. If you’re content with the phone you have, then keep it, because the longer you wait, the better your choices will be. You can also potentially save up more money while you wait to see what’s released.

In terms of events, there aren’t many options for budget phones other than the upcoming Moto Z2 Play, Moto E4 Plus, and a rumored budget Google Pixel 2. For Apple fans, there likely won’t be any new phone releases until September 2017, but you never know – the iPhone SE’s March, 2016 release was a surprise.

We think it will probably be late summer, or the middle of fall before we see new smartphones forcing their way onto this list. If you can’t wait that long, and you see something you like, this is a good time to pull the trigger.