Best iOS 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 latest and greatest iOS app deals available from 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. 

PaintVideo

PaintVideo is an easy-to-use video drawing application that lets you draw, write, fill, blur, and add music within an existing video. Be as creative as you want and draw as much as you want.

Available on:

iOS

English Ace

EnglishAce allows you to browse Princeton WordNet dictionaries without a network connection. Even if you’re offline, your vocabulary can be on point.

Available on:

iOS

Translator

With Translator, you can translate any text between 58 world languages. All you have to do is select your source and target languages, type your text and click on the translation button.

Available on:

iOS

AccessNote

AccessNote is the first notetaker for the iOS platform designed particularly for VoiceOver users looking for a highly efficient, feature-rich note-taking experience.

Available on:

iOS

Alt

Alti is a beautiful, feature-rich, minimalist altimeter and compass application for your iPhone. It sports a clean design, includes a wide selection of background colors, and provides a distraction-free experience.

Available on:

iOS

QuickClip

Have a lot of information to copy and paste? Use QuickClip to quickly and easily copy information then paste it elsewhere without fear of losing it in the process.

Available on:

iOS

Snap a photo, get a recipe: Pic2Recipe uses A.I. to predict food ingredients

Why it matters to you

No recipe, no problem. Using image recognition, we can now learn how to cook something just by analyzing a photo.

Scrolling through food photography can bring on the desire to recreate a dish at home, but what if the ingredients aren’t listed? Could there be a way to find out just by analyzing the image? That’s what researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology asked when they set out to create a deep learning algorithm that could predict a recipe based just on a photo. The research, published on July 20, resulted in a program called Pic2Recipe that could accurately predict a dish’s recipe based on a photo, with a 65 percent success rate.

Earlier attempts to turn photos into recipes were limited by smaller datasets — although “small” is relative to all the possible recipes available. One study used 65,000 recipes, but it only included traditional Chinese cuisine; another only had about a 50 percent accuracy in initial testing. Because deep learning algorithms “learn” from being fed large quantities of data, these resulting programs were missing large gaps in potential ingredients, affecting the program’s accuracy.

To create a larger database, the researchers from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) knew the software would have to be based on a wide-ranging set of data. So to solve that narrow dataset, the team turned to large sets of photos and recipes that already exists — food websites. Compiling data from places like Food.com and All Recipes, the team created Recipe1M, a dataset of over one million recipes.

Using those recipes and the associated images, the team was able to train the software to use object recognition to pick up on what each dish’s ingredients might be. With a list of ingredients, the system then selected  the recipe that best matched the list. Pic2Recipe was able to recognize ingredients like flour, eggs, and butter.

The program doesn’t actually identify a recipe from the photo — it creates a list of ingredients. With that list, the program can then go through that one-million-recipe database and choose the one with ingredients that match the list from the photo.

“In computer vision, food is mostly neglected because we don’t have the large-scale datasets needed to make predictions,” said Yusuf Aytar, a postdoctoral associate who co-wrote the paper with MIT professor Antonio Torralba. “But seemingly useless photos on social media can actually provide valuable insight into healthy habits and dietary preferences.”

Since the computer already has that large dataset, it is also able to able to pick up on a number of different patterns, like that the average recipe has nine ingredients and the most popular are salt, butter, sugar, olive oil, water, eggs, garlic cloves, milk, flour, and onion.

The software could have a number of different real-world uses. A person could snap a photo at a restaurant to learn how to make the dish at home, or to track her personal nutrition.

The program, while it contains a wider dataset than earlier attempts, still has a few gaps. The researchers said the program has trouble with dishes that are a bit more ambiguous, like smoothies and sushi rolls. Similar recipes with a number of different variations, like lasagna for example, also tended to confuse the program.

The group plans to continue developing the program and even hopes to give the system the ability to tell how something is cooked, like picking up the difference between stewed and diced. Future work could also expand the program’s ability to recognize specific ingredients, like determining the type of onion instead of just listing onion.

You don’t have to wait until Pic2Recipe becomes a full fledged app to try it out. An online version allows users to upload images and try it out.

What you need to know about dual-SIM on the OnePlus 5

Here’s what you need to know about one of the OnePlus 5’s most underrated features.

There are many reasons why you might want to pick up a OnePlus 5 — the price, the clean software experience, fast performance, or the bragging rights that go with 8GB of RAM. But one of the phone’s most useful features for travelers isn’t being heavily advertised. OnePlus’s latest phone, like earlier models, is a dual-SIM handset. And that can save you a lot of hassle — and money — if you’re a frequent traveler.

Here’s what you need to know.

Why use dual SIM?

Simply put, a dual-SIM phone like the OnePlus 5 lets you stay connected on two SIMs at the same time — one for 4G LTE data, the other for voice calls alone, with up to 3G connectivity support. There are a few reasons why you might want to do that. If you’re a businessperson, a dual-SIM phone can allow you to stay connected on your personal and work SIMs without carrying two phones.

Stay connected on your home SIM and use data on a local SIM.

If you’re traveling, a dual-SIM phone can let you stay contactable on your primary (home) phone number, while using a local SIM for LTE data. This gives you the best of both worlds — friends and family can still get ahold of you on your regular number, and you can still dial out using that number if you need to. Meanwhile, you avoid potentially expensive data roaming charges by using your local SIM for 4G LTE connectivity and local calls within the country you’re visiting.

If you travel frequently between two countries, a dual-SIM setup can save you the hassle of constantly swapping out SIM cards or juggling multiple handsets. Or if you live in a country where a single carrier doesn’t have good coverage everywhere, you can hop between operators at will.

Dual SIM on the OnePlus 5

Using two SIMs in your OnePlus 5 is simple enough, but there are quite a few options to get to grips with. The phone takes two nano-SIMs — it doesn’t matter which slot each SIM goes in, as you can change which SIM is the primary one through software later.

Unlike its predecessors, there’s a single OnePlus 5 SKU for the entire world, and the phone supports 4G LTE on 22 bands, in addition to pentaband 3G (HSPA), meaning you’re good to go for just about any GSM network anywhere in the world. If you’re using a second SIM in your OnePlus 5 for mobile data abroad, simply keep your home SIM where it is, and use the other SIM slot for the local SIM.

Under Settings > Sim & network you’ll see various settings for each of your two SIM cards. The most important ones can be found at the bottom of that page, letting you control the default SIM for calls, texts and mobile data.

In the sub-menu for each individual SIM, you can give your SIMs friendly names for easier identification, toggle data roaming and APN settings.

How it works

Whichever SIM you select as your primary SIM will connect to data at up to 4G LTE speeds, as well as being able to make and receive calls and texts. Your secondary SIM will connect to GPRS (1G/2G) or 3G (HSPA) networks and will be used for calls and texts only. (Unlike some older dual-SIM phones, which only support GPRS for the second SIM. This means the OnePlus 5 can work in certain countries where older 2G networks have been shut down, like South Korea and Japan.

It’s also worth remembering that you can only use VoLTE (4G calling) and VoWiFi (Wi-Fi calling) on your primary SIM — the one you use for cellular data.

The OnePlus 5 lets you specify the default SIM for calls and texts (in the Sim & network menu, as detailed above). If you need to change the data SIM quickly, tapping the Mobile data shortcut (look for the name of your primary network) in the quick settings area will let you toggle between SIM 1 and SIM 2 for data.

For calls and texts, OnePlus’s built-in Dialer and Messages apps give you toggles for chosing whether to call or text using SIM 1 or SIM 2.

Finally, a few other things you should be aware of:

• Using two SIMs in your OnePlus 5, or any dual-SIM device, will consume a little more power than a single SIM, especially in areas with weaker reception. In practice, the OnePlus 5 is a pretty efficient device with a generous battery capacity, and we haven’t seen a huge difference in power draw in dual-SIM mode, even when roaming.
• When using two SIMs, you’ll (obviously) see two reception bars in the top left corner. The one on the left is always SIM 1, the one on the right is SIM 2.
• If you disable one of your SIMs through the Settings menu, it won’t connect to the network — and won’t draw power — but you will see a SIM icon in your notification shade to remind you it’s there.

Anyone else using dual SIMs on the OnePlus 5? Share your experiences down in the comments!

OnePlus 5

• Complete OnePlus 5 review
• OnePlus 5 specs
• Which OnePlus 5 model should you buy?
• Camera comparison: OnePlus 5 vs. Galaxy S8
• The latest OnePlus 5 news
• Join the discussion in the forums

OnePlus

Deal: New Tello customers get the first month of data service FREE

If you’re in the market for a new pay-as-you-go plan, Tello may have just what you need. New customers can buy any Tello cell phone plan of $10 or more and get the first month of data FREE. All of the data options that Tello offers, from 200MB to 5GB, are eligible for this limited-time promotion.

Tello lets you build your own custom plan that suits your needs, offering 4G LTE with customizable talk, text, and data. Don’t need talk or text? Only send a few messages a month? You can choose whatever works for you — data plans start with as little as 200MB of data and go all the way up to 5GB.

About Tello plans:

• Build your own plan by choosing the amount of talk, text and 4G LTE data that suits your needs.
• You can update your plan any time for free, and the change is instant
• All incoming calls and texts are charged
• Unused balances roll over the next 30 days.
• No contracts or data overages, speeds are slowed when you reach your data allotment until the next billing cycle.

To take advantage of this offer, all you need to do is pick out a plan with mixed minutes, texts, and data of $10 or more in any combination — that means you can even get a plan with text or minutes only and still enjoy the free data offering — and use the code 1DATAMIX to get your first month of data service absolutely free.

Browse Plans at Tello

KaliPAK 601 review: UNLIMITED POWER

The KaliPAK 601 is like no battery pack you’ve ever seen. Instead of fitting in your pocket or purse, it comes with a shoulder strap — because it’s a portable generator weighing in at 14 lbs and packing a staggering capacity of 558 Wh. I call the KaliPAK 601 a “generator” because it’s more than just a lithium-ion battery; nestled within the folds of this nuclear suitcase are a series of solar panels designed to let you live completely off the grid (for a while, at least).

And all Kalisaya asks for the privilege of carrying this beast is … well, a lot of money. But, in the context of outdoor tech in 2017, not an unreasonable amount. Join me for the MrMobile review of the KaliPAK 601!

Featured Products

• KaliPAK 601
• AC Inverter

Stay social, my friends

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

Samsung Galaxy Note 8: What we know so far, in video

It’s almost time for a new Samsung Galaxy Note! As you may remember, things didn’t go so well for the Note 7 last year, but after the success of the Galaxy S8, Samsung’s going to be hoping to well and truly move on with a strong next-gen Note.

But the Galaxy S8 also presents a few challenges. Since there is a larger S8 this year, the Note 8 is going to have to do more to stand out. And that’s before we even get to competitors like the iPhone 8 and LG V30.

So are updated specs and a fancy new dual camera setup going to be enough to revive the Note line? We’re just over a month away from the official unveiling of the Galaxy Note 8, so it’s time to take a first look at what we know so far.

• Android Central on YouTube
• Everything you need to know about the Galaxy Note 8
• Our Galaxy S8 and S8+ review
• Relive the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 debacle

Project Fi vs. Sprint: Which should you buy?

It’s Sprint vs. Project Fi in this head-to-head comparison.

Sprint and Project Fi are both network providers, but have very different strategies and sets of operations. Sprint is a company that owns its own equipment and everything required to build a nationwide LTE network in the U.S., complete with voice calls and messaging service. Project Fi is an alternative carrier, or MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator). That means it buys service from companies like Sprint that have the physical network in place, then re-sell it under its rules.

There are advantages and disadvantages for both. Sprint controls the equipment, which means it can make business decisions that are best for Sprint. It also has to pay to maintain that equipment and expand the network. Google (which owns Project Fi) only has access to a network another company built and maintains, but in doing so doesn’t have the huge overhead needed to keep the equipment running.

For us, all that really matters is we have good service where we need it at a price we’re willing to pay.

Let’s compare Sprint and Project Fi to see how they stack up against one another.

• Sprint background
• Project Fi background
• Sprint plans
• Project Fi plans
• Project Fi phones
• Which should you go with?

Advertisement

Sprint background

Who owns it? Sprint Corporation (as part of the SoftBank Group Corp.)

Which network does it use? Sprint maintains its own LTE network

How long has it been around? 1899 (as the Brown Telephone Company), 1987 (as the Sprint Corp.)

Tethering allowed? Yes.

Cheapest plan: $40 for one month: 2GB 4G LTE, unlimited nationwide talk, text, and 2G data

Project Fi background

Who owns it? Google

Which network does it use? Sprint CDMA and LTE, T-Mobile 4G LTE, U.S. Cellular CDMA and LTE

How long has it been around? Since 2015

Tethering allowed? Yes

Cheapest plan: $20/month: Unlimited nationwide talk and text, unlimited international text

Advertisement

Sprint plans

Sprint is all about its unlimited plan. It sells prepaid service and offers a monthly 2GB plan, but it is focused on giving unlimited everything at a good value. Its best value is in its family bundle, with a current (expires September 2018) promotion for free lines after you buy two.

	$40	2GB LTE data
	$55	Unlimited LTE data (may be throttled at 22GB in a single month)

Family Plan

First line	Unlimited	$55
Second line	Unlimited	Additional $40 per month
Third line	Unlimited	Free
Fourth line	Unlimited	Free
Fifth line	Unlimited	Free

The promotion for a free third, fourth and fifth line ends September 2018. Afterward, prices are set as $60 per month for line one, $40 per month for line two and $30 per month per line for three, four and five.

Add-ons

Sprint offers extras like an Amazon Prime membership ($10.99 per month) or security services. See all its offerings.

International use:

Sprint offers per-call billing to anywhere. It also has three international monthly plans:

• Sprint International connect: $15 per month
• Sprint Cuba 20 Plus: $10 per month
• Sprint Mexico Canada Plus: $5

See all the details about Sprint’s international plans.

Project Fi plans

Project Fi offers two types of plans: family and single. What you get with each plan is the same, but you’ll save money on each additional family plan line (up to 5 lines).

Price	$20/month	$10/month
Free Extras	Unlimited international texting Call and text from any Android or iPhone

Family Plan

Primary line price	$20/month	$10/month
Secondary lines (up to 5)	$15/month	$10/month
Free Extras	Use your data in 135 countries at no extra charge Unlimited international textingCall and text from any Android or iPhone

Note: Google calls the base Project Fi plan “The Basics.” No data is included and must be purchased at the rate of $10/GB. Data is not shared between lines on a family plan. Each line pays the same $10 per GB of data (domestic and international in 135 countries) with the cost of any unused data refunded at the end of each month.

Add-ons

Data-only SIM:

Google offers a data-only SIM card to use in any compatible LTE device. It shares data with the primary line at the same $10/GB rate. You need to have at least one line of service and purchase a minimum of 1GB of data to use the data-only SIM card.

Data pricing:

• 1GB of 4G LTE: $10/month

Phone Insurance:

$5 per month per device covers accidental damages and device malfunctions. You can make one in a 12-month period. Deductibles are $79 for Pixel, $99 for Pixel XL, $69 for Nexus 5X, $99 for Nexus 6P. When you make a claim Google will ship out a replacement device the next business day.

International add-ons:

International cellular calls cost $0.20 per minute.

• Learn more

Google Wi-Fi services:

Your Project Fi phone service includes Wi-Fi calling and texting anywhere in the world. In addition, Google VPN services are available and allow you to connect to open Wi-Fi hotspots safely and securely.

• Learn more

Project Fi and Google Hangouts apps:

The Project Fi app is tied to your Google account and can be installed on any Android or iPhone. You can pay your bill, check account balances and talk to customer service through the app at no cost. The Google Hangouts app allows calls and texts using your Project Fi number on any Android or iPhone.

Project Fi phones

Project Fi only supports phones from Google. That means your selection is currently limited to:

• Nexus 5X
• Nexus 6P
• Google Pixel
• Google Pixel XL

Note: While it’s possible to enable Project Fi on unsupported phones, this is against the Project Fi terms of service.

A data-only SIM is available and can be used in any compatible LTE device as long as at least one line of Fi service is active.

Advertisement

Which should I go with?

Start with the phone you use or want to use. If it’s not a late-model Nexus or Pixel phone from Google, you can’t use Project Fi. Google might be adding other phones to Project Fi in the future, but right now only those phones are supported.

Otherwise, the choice comes down to one thing: How much data will you use?

Of course, you need to make sure the coverage is sufficient in your area, and you have the service you are paying for in the places you go. If Sprint’s coverage doesn’t cut it, maybe Project Fi (which uses T-Mobile and US Cellular’s network in addition to Sprint) can cover you. Coverage should always be your first consideration.

Once you have that sorted, ask yourself if you’ll use more than 3GB of data per month. If the answer is yes, you should get a plan from Sprint. If the answer is no, you should use Project Fi.

Project Fi is the better experience; Sprint is cheaper for data addicts.

Project Fi offers one of the best mobile experience possible. Google offers some great services in addition to talk, text and data, and some of them, like the free VPN that connects you to open WI-Fi hotspots and no fee for using your data plan in 135 countries can’t be overlooked. Nor can the excellent coverage map Project Fi offers through the combined network of T-Mobile, Sprint, and US Cellular and Wi-Fi services.

But if you need to use more than 3GB of data per month (or if you’re setting up a family plan with three or more lines) Sprint is the better value. You get unlimited calling, texting and data (which can be slowed down if you use more than 22GB in a month) for $55. A basic plan with 3GB of data from Project Fi costs $50. Both services offer things like visual voicemail or tethering so that’s mostly a wash.

If Sprint’s coverage works for you and you use a lot of data, its plans — especially its deal on family lines — are some of the cheapest in the industry. If you have the right phone and keep your data use under 3GB per month, Project Fi is a superior experience with higher rates for pure data.

Both services have some extra baggage to consider. But for many people, the coverage from Sprint is great or they don’t need unlimited amounts of data for their Nexus or Pixel. If you fit into either of these, you have two great choices for carriers with Sprint and Project Fi.

Alternative carriers (MVNOS)

• What is an alternative mobile carrier?
• What are the advantages of going with an alternative carrier?
• How to make sure your phone works on a prepaid alternative carrier
• 8 Important Considerations When Switching To An MVNO
• These are the cheapest data plans you can buy in the U.S.
• Mint SIM vs. Cricket Wireless: Which is better for you?

T-Mobile promises a stronger LTE network as it continues to trounce rivals in net additions

T-Mobile impressed by beating estimates in Q2, which is usually its weakest quarter.

T-Mobile has no chill. Even as it continues to outpace the rest of the industry in almost every metric, from net user additions to year-over-year revenue growth, it can’t help but take shots at its biggest competitors, Verizon and AT&T.

After claiming, based on independent speeds tests, that Verizon fell to third place in national rankings for LTE download speeds, T-Mobile CEO John Legere said that the “duopoly” of AT&T and Verizon just can’t keep up with the tremendous demand for unlimited plans.

Both Verizon and AT&T are completely choking in the wake of their unlimited launches and have seen significant network slowdowns. Their networks just can’t take it. Meanwhile T-Mobile’s network has actually become even faster in download speeds and America’s best unlimited network just keeps getting better.

As part of the company’s Q2 earning results, T-Mobile said that it will light up its first 600MHz sites in August, well ahead of schedule. Low-frequency spectrum such as that is useful for penetrating thick walls and basements and counteracting the tall buildings and high density of large cities, while also traveling longer distances in rural areas.

T-Mobile snapped up 31MHz, or 45% of the total, of 600MHz spectrum during the FCC’s recent auction, paying $7.99 billion for the privilege. And while it plans to hold some of it back for a 5G deployment in late 2019/early 2020, much of it will be put to use shoring up its LTE network in most of the country.

T-Mobile’s weakness continues to be coverage and reliability in big cities. Despite claiming that its network is the fastest in the country, the company doesn’t have as much spectrum as AT&T and Verizon in large, densely-populated metropolitan areas, and often experiences periods of signal crunch. Expanding its signal to include 600MHz spectrum will certainly help alleviate some of that pain, but it will take new devices launching later this year to utilize it. T-Mobile confirmed in a recent press release that both Samsung and LG would release phones with 600MHz compatibility later year — like the Note 8 and V30, respectively — with more coming in 2018.

With 1.3 million total net additions to its customer base and nearly 800,000 branded postpaid net adds, T-Mobile says that it will likely “capture over 100% of industry growth,” which means that it is taking customers from its competitors. After continuing to take pot shots at Sprint, which Legere says “is giving away phone service for free — like literally giving it away,” T-Mobile is in a pretty dominant position, despite being well below AT&T and Verizon in terms of overall user numbers. Its base sits at just under 70 million users.

Which unlimited plan should you buy?

This is how you Bring an Outdoor Movie Theater to your Backyard

Who says you can’t enjoy your favorite flicks outdoors?

I’ve hosted movie night in my backyard a couple of times for a few friends, and while it can take a lot of planning and effort to get set up, usually the results are worth the hassle. You can pull off your backyard movies without spending a lot by renting a lot of the equipment you need (such as a projector and screen); however, if you plan on throwing backyard movie nights on a regular basis, there are a few items you can pick up to help you out!

• Media Device
• Projector
• Screens
• Speakers

Media Device

There are plenty of media devices that can work with projectors and personally, I find the easiest method to use for outdoor movies is a laptop.

Your biggest concern is to make sure that your media device can hook up to the projector you plan on using and connect to the audio source you have. Be sure to check what outputs/inputs all your devices have and that you have the appropriate dongles, adapters, and cables for everything before you start.

Projector

Projectors can be very pricey, but it’s important to remember when you’re projecting a movie in your backyard that you won’t need the latest and greatest video projector to get the job done. You don’t need a projector that has a giant throw distance because your backyard is likely smaller than your average movie theater. Plus, your screen size probably won’t be too much bigger than 120 inches, so you won’t need to worry about grabbing a projector that can project an image on a massive screen.

Crenova XPE470 mini LED Projector

The Crenova XPE470 mini LED Projector is perfect for backyard movies. It’s small, HDMI-compatible, and has a max throw distance of about 12 feet, which should be more than enough space to project a movie in such a small space.

On top of an HDMI input, you can also use USB and VGA connections to project images with the XPE470. It has a max resolution of 1080p, and it’s more than bright enough for the confined space you have to work with.

Crenova XPE470 mini LED Projector produces about 1200 lumens, meaning you are going to have to wait until it’s quite dark out to start the movie, but you shouldn’t need pitch black darkness.

You can pick up the XPE470 for about $199 on Amazon; however, I have seen it go on sale for around $90 in the past, so watch out for discounts if you want to spend even less.

See at Amazon

Screens

Due to the confined space of your backyard and depending on the capabilities of your projector, you’re not going to need an insanely large screen to pull of a successful outdoor movie night.

JaeilPLM 80-inch portable outdoor projection screen

Being able to quickly set up and take down your projector screen is crucial to making your backyard movies go off without a hitch, and the JaeilPLM 80-inch portable outdoor projection screen comes apart and folds into a convenient size.

Not only is it easy to lug around, the 80-inch screen comes mounted on a stand, meaning you can set it up anywhere! The triangle base to the screen makes it much more stable, so slight breezes shouldn’t send your screen toppling over; however, if you want to be extra safe I would suggest putting a couple of sandbags (or similarly heavy items) on the base to improve stability even more.

You can pick up the JaeilPLM 80-inch portable outdoor projection screen for $90, and if you want something a little bigger, you can get the 100-inch version for about $20 more.

See at Amazon

Excelvan projector screen

If you want an even cheaper option that requires just a tiny bit more work to set up, you can always check out the Excelvan projector screen.

Just a simple 84-inch PVC screen, the Excelvan comes with 20 pairs of velcro strips to help you secure it to a surface. Keep in mind, depending on what you have outside, you may need to buy some additional items to hang or place the screen in an optimal location.

The perks of having a simple screen like this is the price. You can pick up the 84-inch Excelvan projector screen for only $30. If you want to go bigger, they also sell a 100-inch and 120-inch version.

See at Amazon

Speakers

Obviously, you’re going to need some sound amplification to be able to hear the movie you’re watching, and there are tons of options for you out there.

If your media device supports Bluetooth, you could always grab a great Bluetooth speaker to use for sound. Or if you have a good pair of computer speakers lying around that would connect to your media device of choice, those would also be a reliable option. Remember, you’re outside, and you have neighbors; you don’t need the loudest sound system in the world to be able to hear your movie.

If you don’t feel like using your nice speakers outside and are looking for a budget-friendly option to use for your backyard movie adventures here’s suggestion.

Logitech Z313 speaker system

Although not overly powerful, the Logitech Z313 speaker system has everything you need to pull off a backyard movie night successfully.

It’s a 2.1-channel system with a dedicated subwoofer, meaning you should have warm bass tones throughout your movie. Plus, it connects through the standard 3.5mm audio jack, meaning most media devices should be able to connect to the Logitech Z313 just fine.

You can pick up the Logitech Z313 speaker system for just about $34.

See at Amazon

A couple of last considerations

Be careful what movie you choose and remember you’re in public. Keep the sound to a dull roar and respect your neighbors. You don’t need to have a showing of The Revenant while blasting your 3000W speaker system at full volume. Make friends, not enemies!

Have you ever set up a backyard movie theater?

Are you an outdoor movie fanatic who already has a sweet setup? Let us know what you use to host the perfect backyard movie night in the comments below?

FCC admits it didn’t document alleged cyberattack

The Federal Communications Commission now claims to have no data on a DDoS attack that took down its website in May, just months after stating it had “gigabytes” of documentation on the incident. The supposed attack followed talk show host John Oliver redirecting viewers to the FCC’s comment section, where he encouraged them to complain about the organization’s stance on net neutrality. With over 9 million comments reportedly left on the site, the FCC quickly responded, stating that it couldn’t accept more feedback, because it was incapacitated by an alleged DDoS attack.

Now, after a freedom of information request filed by Gizmodo attempted to reveal more about the ‘attack,’ the FCC is claiming that its previous thorough analysis on the incident “did not result in written documentation.”

A total of 16 pages of information were released to Gizmodo, yet none of them helped to explain the supposed cyber attack which brought down the FFC site on May 8th. This gives more credibility to the theory that the site was actually taken down by the large influx of complaint traffic driven by John Oliver’s GoFCCyourself campaign.

Despite saying it has no documents on the incident, confusingly, the FCC then goes on to say that it can’t reveal what it does have due to fears of revealing “trade secrets”. It also states that it can’t reveal other information about the attack for fears of putting its employee’s personal data at risk. Once again, these contradictory statements suggest an FCC who is backpedaling thanks to a poor infrastructure on its website. With the FCC’s comment page initially made fairly hard to find, many critics are suggesting that the organization were actively trying to keep commenters away, leaving them completely unprepared for the slew of comments they’ve now had.

Either way, the lack of clarity surrounding this incident doesn’t look good for the FCC. With the company’s chairman Ajit Pai previously stating that he doesn’t care what people think about net neutrality, it looks like the concerns of nine million people will most likely not be taken into consideration as the FCC continues to go about its plans to rollback net neutrality. While Trump’s administration supports the FCC’s plans, many of America’s largest internet companies including Amazon and Facebook are staunchly opposed to the proposed ruling.

Source: Gizmodo