Best Buy’s Cyber Monday in July deals are live: iPad (2017) for $280, 4K TVs under $400 and more!

Best Buy is running its Cyber Monday in July sale, and our friends at Thrifter are here with some of the best deals from it!

Following its Black Friday in July sale, Best Buy is back with a Cyber Monday in July sale. From appliances for your home to a new speaker system for your car, a new iPad for an upcoming present to a new TV for your living room, there are a ton of deals here you’ll want to check out. Much like regular Cyber Monday deals, these prices are good for just today, July 24, so don’t miss out!

• 32GB Apple iPad 2017 – $279.99 (Was $329.99)
• Beats by Dr. Dre Powerbeats3 – $119.99 (Was $199.99)
• 55-inch Hisense 4K HDTV – $399.99 (Was $529.99)
• HDHomeRun Connect Dual OTA DVR – $79.99 (Was $99.99)
• TP-Link Archer C7 Dual-Band Router – $74.99 (Was $89.99)

You can also save $5 on select smart lights and outlets, up to $20 on select video game titles, and grab select seasonal K-Cup 18-packs for just $5.99. Be sure to shop the whole sale so you don’t miss out on any of the deals!

See at Best Buy

More from Thrifter:

• Buy your cable modem to avoid rental fees
• Tips for becoming an expert eBay seller

For more great deals be sure to check out our friends at Thrifter now!

Put some summer magic on your home screen with this theme pack!

Summer is here, and it feels like it will never end.

The days are longer, the days are hotter, and there’s not nearly as much to do when going outside feels like walking into an oven. Summer is about staying cooler and staying entertained, and we can kill two birds with one stone by putting some cool new themes onto our home screens. A new theme can make your phone seem like a brand new toy, no matter how long you’ve had it. And if that theme reminds you cooler locals and cooler characters, it can help chase away the miserable thoughts of how miserably hot it is outside your doorstep.

And if they happen to be Disney? Well, that’s just some nice, cool icing.

Wallpapers

Rivers of Light debuted at Disney’s Animal Kingdom back in February, but let’s face it, an outdoor spectacular of projections, lights, and water like this was meant for summer! The nighttime pageant pays tribute to two of the most fundamental building blocks for life on earth: water and light, two things that are even more fun together than their are apart. Disney Parks Blog developed a series of wallpapers to celebrate the show, and of the four mobile wallpapers they released, the owl wallpaper both takes to home screen theming immpecably and embodies a spirit of wisdom, truth, and finding your way in the darkness, all of which we could use on a summer night exploring the woods.

This theme also pays tribute to the beauty and cool tones of the summer evenings in which this show plays for thousands, and its cool color palette might fit some users better than the brighter themes below.

Rivers of Light by Disney Parks Blog

It’s summer time, and that means it’s time to head to the sea, or rather Under The Sea with this bright, bubbly neon theme! In addition to making me crave a swim in the ocean right this very second, this theme gets rather playful with its colors, with bold pinks and bright blues in the icon packs playing surprisingly well with the pastels of this summer wallpaper.

This theme is bright, playful, and unless you’re a die-hard Disney fan, it’s pretty easy to think this is a generic summer beach theme. Add a trident emoji app drawer icon or some unmistakeable ringtones and you’ve got yourself a Little Mermaid theme to make a princess proud!

Under the Sea by Disney Style

Let’s face it: we’re never gonna Let It Go. That’s actually a bit of a shame, though, because the catchiest song in the Frozen franchise isn’t in the movie — it’s Frozen Fever, the adorable short that’s basically one long, comedic, cheer-inducing song: Making Today A Perfect Day. If you’re having a long, rough day, this is a song that will have you beaming and singing by the big “SURPRISE!!”, no matter what. Frozen Fever brought us out of icy whites and blues and into much more lively golds and greens of summer fields and flowers.

While the art style here is a bit subdued, it’s definitely Frozen, and this Frozen Fever wallpaper Disney Style put out is perfect for putting some Arendelle awesome-ness on your phone or tablet, though we’ve modified the wallpaper a bit to help it fit on tall phones like the Samsung Galaxy S8.

Frozen Fever (modified for tall screens)

How to apply wallpaper

Long-press an open space on your home screen.
Tap Wallpapers.

Tap Pick image.

Select your downloaded wallpaper.
Make sure your image is centered on the screen to your liking.

Tap Set wallpaper.

Icons

There are a lot of white icon packs out there, but few have the style and the sheer number of supported icons as Whicons by Randle. Whicons fairly glows against the darker portions of our Rivers of Light theme, helping them both mesh with the wallpaper and pop against its cool colors. By putting your icons into a single line between the owl spirit’s head and the widgets, you keep the bottom of the screen clean and keep your icons a bit closer to where your thumbs gravitate on the screen.

Whicons by Randle

Sometimes to find icons that fit a theme, you just have to get weird. And these icons are definitely weird. Unicorn’s color scheme isn’t quite blacklight rave but there’s no mistaking it for subdued elegance. There’s also no denying, these icons actually really do work with this theme, bright, easy to recognize, but still playful in shape and color.

In short, they’re awesome, and I look forward to hunting down another theme to use these with. For Under the Sea, you can arrange your icons in “waves” towards the bottom of your screen or closer to the middle, depending on what reef of shell you prefer to leave uncovered more.

Unicorn by DrumDestroyer Themes

Glim is a wonderfully Material icon pack with both a free and paid version, and it’s a pack with a rainbow of colored variants for most popular apps, from system apps and Google apps to third-party apps like Facebook and Netflix. It also has hundreds upon hundreds of alternate icons. I’ve employed Glim’s color-variant icons for holiday themes, our rainbow theme pack, a Canadian pride theme and several others over the years.

For the Frozen Fever theme, we’ll use the teal and golden icons in this pack, so you’ll need a home screen launcher that supports individual custom icons, such as our favorite theming launchers. To arrange the icons in chevrons around the center sunflower, turn off your launcher’s dock and arrange the icons in diagonal lines. If you use Nova Launcher, subgrid positioning can help you place the icons at more gradual angles.

Glim by Maximilian Keppeler

How to apply icon packs

Open your desired icon pack.
Tap the three-line menu in the top left corner.

Tap Apply.

Tap your launcher.

Tap OK or Apply, depending on your launcher.

If your launcher isn’t listed in step 4, your launcher might not be supported. Check the icon pack settings in your specific launcher, and if your launcher isn’t supported, consider using another launcher.

How to apply custom icons

Long-press an icon you wish to change.
Tap Edit.

Tap the icon window to change the icon.

Select Glim for Frozen Fever or Unicorn for Under the Sea.
Tap the open app icon in the top right corner of the screen to enter the pack’s icon picker.

Search for the app icon you wish to use using the search bar at the top of the screen.

Tap your desired icon.
Tap Done.

Repeat Steps 1-8 with each of your desired icons.

How to color folder previews

Home screen folders can help you squeeze more icons into your home screen without turning it into a sea of icons, and a well-tinted folder preview can make a folder fit a theme rather than making it stand out like a sore thumb the way most launchers do. (I’m looking at you, Samsung!!)

Open Nova Settings.
Tap Folders.

Tap Folder Preview.

Tap Grid.
Tap Folder background.

Tap Pixel Launcher.

Under Window, tap Backgrounds.
Drag the Transparency at the bottom of the window to 23%.

For Frozen Fever, tap Teal (fourth row, first column).

For Under The Sea, tap Turquoise (third row, fourth column).

For Rivers of Light tap custom color (the last circle with three dots in it).

For Rivers of Light, type in c408d0e8.

For Rivers of Light, tap OK.

Widgets

Wallpapers and icons can make a theme all on their own, and if that’s where you wanna stop, then you’re free to go. However, if you’re willing to put in a little extra work, widgets can not only add some more functionality to your home screen, but they can also add extra pops of color and cohesiveness to your theme.

Google Search widgets

Theming the Google search bar to match your wallpaper can add a lovely pop of color to your theme while also giving you another shortcut to Google Search, or a reminder of that spiffy new Google Now page Nova Launcher Beta added recently. If you’re using Action Launcher, you can go into Quicktheme and pick whichever color you like best from the hues it pulls out of your wallpaper.

Long-press a blank space on the home screen.
Tap Widgets.

Under Nova Launcher, press and drag Quick Search Bar the desired location on your home screen.

Long-press your new search widget until a menu appears.
Tap Resize.

Drag the left edge of the widget to the left edge of the screen.

If you want the date and time displayed, drag the right edge of the widget to the right edge of the screen.
Long-press your new search widget until a menu appears.

Tap Edit.

Under Bar Style, tap pill (the last option before Bar Color).
Tap Bar Color (the colorful circle).

Tap Custom color (the circle with the three dots in it).

For Under the Sea, type in #f838a0.
For Rivers of Light, type in #cc74fb.

For Frozen Fever, type in #ffc107.

Tap OK.

Tap the check mark in the top left corner of the screen to confirm your changes.

Weather widget for Rivers of Light

1Weather is a beautiful, Material, modern weather app with a wonderful layout and the best damn weather widgets in Android. They scale beautifully across a variety of home screens, they can blend in or stand out with practiced ease, and they come in half a dozen formats for your weather-aware priorities.

Long-press an open space on your home screen.
Tap Widgets.

Press and drag the 1Weather Compact Widget to the desired location on your home screen.

In the widget settings window that appears, tap Background color. (you’ll use this same screenshot for steps 6 and 9 as well)
Tap Dark. For the Compact widget, this will set your widget’s icons and text to white.

Tap Background Opacity.

Drag the slider to 0%, then tap OK to return to the widget settings window.
Tap Accent.

Tap the rainbow to set a custom color.

Adjust the slider and color picker to a purple that matches the wallpaper.
Tap OK.

Tap Done.

Music widgets

While other music widgets show your song and your controls, we can turn things up to 11 with a custom-hued Material Music Komponent for KWGT. Before we begin, download our Rivers of Light Widget Preset, Under the Sea Widget Preset, or Frozen Fever Widget Preset and copy it into the Kustom/widgets folder.

Long-press an open space on your home screen.
Tap Widgets.

Under KWGT, press and drag KWGT 4×2 to the top of your home screen.

Long press your new widget until a menu appears.
Tap Resize.

Drag the edges of the widget to the edges of the screen.

Tap your new widget to configure it.
Under Exported, tap the preset that matches your theme.

Tap Layer.

Tap the + and **- icons to adjust the scale of the music komponent until the album art is flush with the left edge of the box.

Tap Save, the floppy disc icon on the top right bar of the screen.

Best Cases for the Moto Z2 Play

Best cases for keeping the Moto Z2 Play protected!

The Moto Z2 Play is a really compelling phone, a ultra-slim device that incorporating Motorola’s Moto Mod design for expanded functionality.

But when you don’t have a Moto Mod on, your phone is more exposed and prone to damage. You need a case you can slip on and off as needed. We’ve rounded up some of the best cases for the Moto Z2 Play. Find your new favorite below!

• OtterBox Commuter Series
• Incipio DualPro
• Moko Slim Fit
• CruzerLite BugDroid Circuit
• OEAGO Hybrid Defender

OtterBox Commuter Series

What better place to start than with an OtterBox. Arguably one of the most reliable and trusted case manufacturers in the game, you can get an OtterBox Commuter Series for your Moto Z2 Play.

Not only will it keep your phone well protected from drops and scratches, the covers over the headphone jack and charging port make it an idea case for anyone who may rely on their phone while working in a dusty space like a construction site. It’s also backed by OtterBox’s fantastic customer support and warranty, so if anything happens with the case you can reach out to them.

It’s by far the priciest case on this list, but sometimes you get what you pay for.

See at OtterBox

Incipio DualPro

If you’re looking for a sleek and lightweight case from a highly reputable brand, Incipio’s DualPro case is the right voice for you.

Featuring a smooth, scratch resistant polycarbonate shell plus a shock-absorbing TPU inner core, this two-piece case is designed with enhanced drop protection. Precise cutouts mean you’ll have full access to the charging port and headphone jack as well as the volume and power button on the side.

Choose between seven different color styles and keep your Moto Z2 Play protected!

See at Amazon

Moko Slim Fit

If you bought your Moto Z2 Play partially for its slim design, the last thing you’ll want to do is add a whole bunch of bulk with a brick of a case. That’s where the Moko Slim Fit case comes in!

it’s a flexible and lightweight case that will help protect your phone from the shock of a fall with it’s premium TPU material. There’s also web pattern on the inside that helps dissipate heat so your phone always stays cool. Visually, this is one of the best designed cases on our list, with a smooth, fingerprint-resistant backing highlighted with two panels of carbon fiber texture to assist with grip.

There are cutouts around the camera, charging port, headphone jack, and even the Moto Mod connector pins, though this case is still not thin enough to be used with Moto Mods.

See at Amazon

CruzerLite Bugdroid Circuit

Looking to add a bit of Android flair to the back of your phone? This slim and colorful case features that iconic bugdroid logo, along with an accompanying circuitry pattern to finish the look.

Made from durable TPU, this case flexes and is easy to install, covering the back of the phone and adding protection for the Moto Z2 Play’s back camera. There are cutouts around the bottom for the headphone jack and charging port and it’s available in your choice of eight different colors. At around $10, you could even afford to mix and match if you so desire!

See at Amazon

OEAGO Hybrid Defender

If you’re looking for a rugged case, OEAGO is your best option. They offer a heavy duty case that combines a rubberized polycarbonate outer shell with a soft silocone inner layer to cushion your phone should you accidentally drop it.

The back panel features a raised dot pattern that helps with trip in hand. There are cutouts around the headphone jack, charging port, camera and even the Moto Mods connector, even though practically every mod needs to be flush with the back of the phone.

OEAGO also offer a more rugged case design with a tire tread design on the back and a pop-out kickstand, although that look is not going to be for everyone. Both are available for under $10, so choose the one that fits your style best.

Note: The photo on the listing is for the original Moto Z Play, but the case itself is compatible with the Moto Z2 Play. update

See at Amazon

What case are you rocking?

Have you tried out one of the cases we’ve listed above? Got another great option that didn’t make our list? Let us know in the comments!

Tesco’s same-day grocery delivery option is going UK-wide

Tesco is today claiming a win over supermarket rivals and the logistical magicians at Amazon after kicking off the expansion of same-day grocery deliveries to cover the whole of the UK — or 99 percent of households, at least. More than 300 stores are preparing to ship your weekly shop that very evening, provided you order before 1PM that is. There’s no item limit, though the delivery fee can range from £3 to £8 unless you’re a Delivery Saver member, who can enjoy the service free for a limited time.

In London and South East England, where Tesco first began offering same-day deliveries back in 2014, they’re available any day of the week. In other regions, though, where the option will be available by the end of August (at the latest), Sundays will be the delivery drivers’ day of rest.

Like many retailers, Tesco is working towards making its deliveries more convenient and immediate. The supermarket launched one-hour deliveries for up to 20 items in London last month, drawing level with Amazon and Sainsbury’s in the capital. Amazon’s Prime Now service offers a large number of products, including groceries, for one-hour delivery in several major UK cities and their surrounding areas. This complements Amazon Fresh, a separate service for the same-day delivery of food and other essentials, but this isn’t available nationwide either.

Tesco isn’t the first competitor to beat Amazon to the punch, mind. In 2015, Argos achieved something of a first by offering UK-wide, same-day deliveries on tens of thousands of its products, showing that Amazon’s dominance in online shopping doesn’t mean it can’t still learn a thing or two from high-street mainstays.

Source: Tesco

Spotify and Warner are ready to make a deal on music royalties

Spotify’s been in the news lately for all the wrong reasons, as they’re being hit with lawsuits for having unlicensed music in their catalog. But this morning, there’s some good news for Spotify. Reuters exclusively reports that the streaming music company is close to striking a deal with Warner Music. The signed agreement should be in place by September.

The terms of the deal haven’t been disclosed, but sources have told Reuters that Warner Music is pushing for similar terms as the other deals that have been signed. Warner Music also wants a guaranteed payment that isn’t tied to the growth of the streaming service, as well as protection from the growth of indie artists with no label. Recent reports allege that Spotify is putting more and more unsigned and “fake” artists on their popular curated playlists to alleviate their royalty burden.

Spotify finally limited streaming for non-paying customers; that move led to signed deals with the other two major record labels, Universal and Sony, as well as the indie label Merlin. This Warner agreement is a big step in the company’s move to go public later this year.

Source: Reuters

The next HoloLens will use AI to recognize real-world objects

We’re all excited about the gaming potential of HoloLens, but Microsoft is also fixated on enterprise AR, much like Google now is with Glass. During a talk at the CVPR (Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition) conference in Hawaii, Microsoft Research VP Harry Shum revealed that it will be boosted by an AI co-processor on its holographic processing unit (HPU). The aim is to give the headset object and voice recognition skills that work in real time without the need for a cloud connection.

Computer vision and voice recognition have gaming and entertainment potential, and Shum showed off the new chip with a hand tracking and segregation demo. However, it’s arguably more useful for businesses. At Build 2017 in May, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella demonstrated how Lowes can use HoloLens to help customers design a kitchen, for instance.

At the same event, Microsoft revealed the potential of HoloLens to help the blind “see” by recognizing objects and describing them. For instance, it can do facial recognition to identify friends and family, find a hotel or apartment room number, and even describe a scene, like a man walking a dog. Basic description chores are possible without the need for a data connection.

Microsoft is designing the AI chip’s silicon in-house. It will run off the HoloLens battery, is fully programmable and supports a variety of types of deep learning. It’s meant to be a fast, flexible AI solution that doesn’t require an internet connection to do tasks like object and voice recognition. Microsoft isn’t alone in building such a chip, as Apple and Google also have AI processors on the go. However, this appears to be the only one designed for a wearable AR device.

The AI co-processor seems to be a central part of its HoloLens strategy. “This is the kind of thinking you need if you’re going to develop mixed reality devices that are themselves intelligent,” Microsoft Research said in its blog. Microsoft famously skipped HoloLens 2, which was supposed to come out in 2017. Instead, it jumped straight to version 3, which is set to arrive in late 2018 or early 2019.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Microsoft

Helix wants to build a marketplace for your DNA

There are secrets buried deep within our genetic code, and more than a few companies that want to help you learn them. Helix believes that the gaggle of startups vying for your DNA have a problem: they all need an individual sample to use. That’s why the company is positioning itself as a marketplace where you take a single DNA swab, and then it shares the information with whoever you choose.

The idea is that your genetic information can then be processed by these third-party companies with no more than the click of a mouse. Say that you have your data on file with Helix, and want to sign up to a diet and fitness plan with either DNA Fit or Lose It!. Hand over your payment details to the provider of your choice, which includes big names like National Geographic and Vinome, and you’re all set.

In order to sign up with Helix, you’ll pay $80 and receive the usual mouth swab kit, that you’ll send back to be sequenced. The company will create and store 22,000 protein-coding genes as well as any “information rich areas” that Helix will determine. In addition, you’ll be able to access “independent genetic counseling,” with partner company Genome Medical, connecting you to expert physicians who can guide you.

Although it’s worth saying that, while it’s never been described as such, other services, like 23andMe, offer a similar service. If you have already sent your DNA there for ancestry testing, then you can authorize companies like DNAFit to access that data on your behalf. You can be sure that, no matter what company is offering this, that the privacy implications are going to be huge, and massively under appreciated.

Source: Helix (BusinessWire)

LG shrank its dual-screen V20 to make the Q8

If you hankered after LG’s V20, but wanted it to be a bit smaller and a bit cheaper, then you should probably take a peek at the new Q8. It’s the company’s latest mass-market smartphone for the sort of folks who don’t want to splash out mad stacks on a flagship. The 5.2-inch device is packing the same notable features as its predecessor, including the ESS Quad DAC, dual cameras and secondary / overflow display.

Buyers can also expect to find IP67 water and dust resistance that’s capable of withstanding ingress of those substances for up to half an hour. Internals-wise, you’re pretty much getting the same as the V20: a Snapdragon 820 paired with 4GB RAM and a 3,000mAh battery — the V20 had a 3,200mAh. Otherwise, the biggest draw is the smaller body, although the screen retains the same 2,560 x 1,440 resolution.

Unfortunately, LG has yet to share how much it’ll cost, although it’ll arrive in countries across Europe this week, and Asia next month. Although probably not in Japan, where a B&O-branded version, the LG V34, came out last October.

Source: LG

‘Partner’ Didi Chuxing is freezing Uber out of Southeast Asia

Part of Uber’s sky-high $70 billion valuation was due to its optimism about expansion in China, India and other parts of Asia. However, its China adventure was a money bonfire that finished when it sold out to rival Didi Chuxing for $1 billion. Its plans for expansion to Thailand, Malaysia and other parts of Southeast Asia also took a blow as its China “partner” Didi, along with Softbank, just invested $2 billion in regional arch-rival Grab.

The news could hurt Uber’s expansion in the region, as it’s already failing to make much of an impact around Asia. That will affect users in the west, who may need to switch to another app when they travel to the region on vacation or business. Uber’s app effectively no longer works for travelers in China, for instance, while Didi Chuxing now offers an English app.

Grab owns a 95 percent chunk of third-party taxi hailing in the region, and 71 percent in private vehicle rides, running about three million rides a day, it said in a press release. The company’s stated goal is to dominate ride-sharing in the region, where Uber is its chief competition. “Starting with transport, Grab is establishing a clear leadership in Southeast Asia’s internet economy based on its market position, superior technology, and truly local insight,” said Didi CEO Cheng Wei in a statement.

Indeed, Uber is showing that unlike other Facebook, Google and other dominant companies, it can be at a disadvantage in markets away from its home base. “[Uber] lost once, and we will make them lose again,” Grab CEO Anthony wrote in a company email last year, Fortune reported. “Didi’s success reinforces what we have believed all along, that local competitors can beat Uber in their own backyard.”

Uber does own 17.7 percent of Didi Chuxing (via a 5.89 percent stake in DiDi preferred shares), so it may indirectly benefit from its rival’s success. By walling off its Uber app to Chinese riders only, however, Didi doesn’t appear too interested in helping its frenemy. Its latest investment in Grab will further hurt Uber’s expansion plans, possibly forcing it to leave Southeast Asia too, rather than burning more cash. Anyway, before it gets expansion-happy, Uber really needs to solve more pressing problems on the home front.

Via: Bloomberg

Source: Grab

Tiny robot prowls water lines in search of leaks

Twenty percent of fresh water around the world is lost to leaks, but finding tiny pipe defects is nearly impossible — especially in non-metal ones used in the developing world. MIT researchers have come up with a tiny, badminton bird shaped robot that can cruise through water distribution systems and find smaller leaks than other systems can. The tech could lead to search-and-repair systems that stop water shortages and catch leaks that can cause structural damage.

MIT’s group has been developing the ‘bot, which works without digging or service interruptions, for the last nine years. Made mostly of rubber, PipeGuard moves passively through water mains, logging its location as it goes. It can detect leaks via subtle pressures at the edge of its “skirt” sensor, which expands to fill the entire pipe. It can be inserted and retrieved from water distribution systems via fire hydrants.

During recent trials in Saudi Arabia, it completed 14 out of 14 successful trial inspections on a rusty, two-inch pipe with bends, T-joints and connections. It was able to find the location of a leak that was about one-tenth the size detectable by current systems, around one gallon per minute.

Saudi Arabia sponsored the tests because it produces drinking water via expensive desalination plants, and a third of the supply is lost in distribution. The problem is nearly as bad with plastic pipes used in China and elsewhere. “In those new pipe systems, there is still about 30 percent of water lost due to leaks every day,” said the CEO of a plastic pipe adhesive manufacturer. “Currently there is not an effective tool to locate leaks in those plastic pipes, and MIT’s PipeGuard robot is the disruptive change we have been looking for.”

The team next plans to test the system on larger 12-inch concrete pipes in Monterrey, Mexico, which leak up to 40 percent of their fresh water. After that, the team will test an expandable system that can adapt to different pipe diameters, like the mix of 6-, 8- and 12-inch pipes under Boston streets.

Ultimately, the goal is to prevent water loss and damage. “The force of water flowing from underground can do serious structural damage undermining streets, flooding houses and damaging other utilities,” said Cambridge, Massachusetts water department engineering director Mark Galager. ” The ability of this system to detect much smaller leaks could enable early detection and repair, long before serious pipe breaks occur.”

Via: Dezeen

Source: MIT