Amazon Echo: Buy now or wait for the Amazon Echo 2?

Spend money now and hope something better doesn’t come out soon? Or spend money later and just deal … Well, in this case I’d …

The FOMO is real. You’ve been waiting on the sidelines on this whole Amazon Echo thing, but you’re finally ready to buy one. Maybe. Because there’s always something better on the horizon, right?

That brings us to today’s question: Is it safe to buy an Amazon Echo today or should we wait for the Echo 2?

First, let’s define terms. Because there’s more than one Echo, and they’re all different in their own special ways.

In this case I’m talking about the OG Echo — the black cylinder that’s been widely available for a couple years now, which is downright ancient in terms of tech. So the expectation of a replacement isn’t far-fetched.

There’s not a whole lot of information, though, about when we can expect a new model. The only real report we’ve seen is from Engadget, which could only peg things to “later this year.” That’s not overly helpful.

Here’s the part that should get you at least a little interested. From the Engadget piece:

The new Echo will be both shorter and slimmer than the original, almost as if it were three or four Echo Dots stacked on top of each other, our source claims. Amazon is also softening its design with rounded edges and a cloth-like covering, rather than the current Echo’s plastic shell and flat ends. And yes, it should sound better, too.

Looks better, sounds better. More microphones to understand you better. Exactly what you’d expect a new full Amazon Echo to be like, right? Lots of unknowns still; most important among them: price and availability.

So let’s answer the question:

Should you buy an Amazon Echo now or wait for the new one later this year?

If you really want an OG Echo right now, go for it. It sounds decent, and it’ll continue to serve you long after the next model is out. (That’s the cool part about the brains of Echo being cloud-based — it gets smarter as it gets older.)

But if I were you, I wouldn’t pay more than $100 for it. That’s not a horrible price for a decent Bluetooth speaker (which the Echo also serves as), and we’ve seen the Echo dip down to $90 in a recent sale. That’s also a far cry from the $179 retail price Amazon still has the Echo listed for.

Repeat: Do not pay full price for an Echo right now. If you’re going to pay that much, just go for an Echo Show instead, which gives you decent speakers and a touchscreen for an extra $50.

Amazon Echo

• Amazon Echo review
• Echo Dot review
• Top Echo Tips & Tricks
• Tap, Echo or Dot: The ultimate Alexa question
• Amazon Echo vs. Google Home
• Get the latest Alexa news

See at Amazon

Google Allo has finally come to the web browser

Google Allo now has a desktop client, available from any web browser.

Google’s Allo messaging client is nearing its first birthday, and the service is finally launching one of the biggest components of other messaging apps: a desktop client. I didn’t use Allo at all for the first nine months of its existence because I could not have my phone at my previous job, and no web interface meant I could not use the service during the day. Google teased a web interface back in February, but there wasn’t been any movement since then.

That changes today. The Allo application has begun showing the “Allo for The Web” option in its menu, with the application instructing the user to visit the Allo website and scan a QR code to get going on the desktop. Individual computers and browsers can be deregistered from the mobile Allo application. Users will need to have Allo version 16 or later installed on their phones to use Allo for Web.

The web version of Allo includes the same feature set as the mobile application, including emojis, smart replies, stickers, media sharing and access to the Google Assistant. Because the user needs to use their phone to register on the Allo website, we can presume that chats are still tied to a phone number and not centrally backed up like Google Hangouts, which is similar to the way WhatsApp approaches its web client, too.

Are you looking forward to using Allo on the web? Let us know down below!

Learn more about Google Allo!

Amazon launches Instant Pickup service

Amazon launches Instant Pickup service to compete with convenience stores.

Having spent the last few days moving into a new apartment, I’ve made about twenty or so trips to local stores to get the one last thing I think I’ll need. Whether it has been hand soap, various ingredients for different recipes, or more of those 3M Command hooks than I thought possible, I’ve spent a lot of time in different store aisles.

Amazon launched a service that would have been perfect for me. Amazon Instant Pickup is another service for Prime and Prime Student subscribers to pick from certain convenience items that can then be picked up within two minutes at a nearby pickup location. Of course, Amazon is also offering their Alexa-powered devices for when you really have to have your smart speaker right this second. The service is launching in Los Angeles and Berkeley California, Columbus Ohio, Atlanta Georgia, and College Park Maryland. From Amazon:

Amazon today introduced Instant Pickup, a free service offering Prime and Prime Student members a curated selection of daily essentials available for pickup in two minutes or less at five of Amazon’s fully staffed pickup locations in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Berkeley, Calif., Columbus, Ohio, and College Park, Md. Items available with Instant Pickup include snacks, drinks and electronics, as well as some of Amazon’s most popular devices.

“Instant Pickup is another way Amazon is making life more convenient for Prime members,” said Ripley MacDonald, Director, Student Programs, Amazon. “As shopping behaviors continue to evolve, customers consistently tell us that they want items even faster. Whether it’s a snack on-the-go, replacing a lost phone charger in the middle of a hectic day or adding Alexa to your life with an Echo, Instant Pickup saves Prime members time. While Instant Pickup is available at select pickup locations today, we’re excited about bringing this experience to more customers soon.”

With Instant Pickup, Prime and Prime Student members can use the Amazon App to shop hundreds of need-it-now items like food, cold drinks, personal care items, technology essentials and Amazon devices like the Echo, Echo Dot, Fire TV and a selection of Fire tablets and Kindle e-readers. Prime members can browse the selection, place an order, even add last-minute items to an online order and pick it up from a self-service locker – all within two minutes or less.

Instant Pickup is available at five select pickup locations beginning today and will be available at more locations in the coming months. Amazon operates a total of 22 staffed pickup locations on or near college campuses across the country. All Amazon customers can ship their orders to a pickup location, and Prime members receive Free Same-Day and One-Day delivery on millions of items. Plus, returns are always free.

For more information about Instant Pickup, visit http://www.amazon.com/InstantPickup or, if Instant Pickup is available at a location near you, tap the menu button at the top of the Amazon App, then look for Instant Pickup in Programs and Features.

Are you going to use Amazon Instant Pickup? Let us know down below!

How to connect PlayStation VR to your PC

How do I connect my PSVR to my PC?

Sony’s entry into the virtual reality world has so far been a hit — their head-mounted display is as comfortable as they get, and the library of quality games continues to grow. For some of you, however, PlayStation VR games might not be enough. Thanks to some clever programming by the developers at Odd Sheep Games, you can actually connect your PSVR to your PC. Trinus PSVR is a piece of software that handles all the communication between your PC and PSVR that would normally never happen.

Why would you want to connect your PSVR to anything other than a PS4? If you have a library of Steam games on your PC, whether VR or not, you can play them with Trinus PSVR. If you’d like to watch movies or TV in VR, you can also do so through the PSVR head-mounted display.

If this is something you’ve always wanted to do, we’re here to show you how to get it all set up.

Read more at VRHeads!

Moto E4 Plus vs. Moto G5 Plus: Battery vs. everything else

When it comes to budget phones, Motorola takes the cake. But what happens when it’s Moto vs. Moto?

You’d be forgiven for not fully understanding Motorola’s release strategy in the U.S., since it not only differs to many other parts of the world, but the carriers play a role here that they often don’t in other markets.

That brings us to the Moto E4 Plus, which recently launched at carriers like Verizon, Sprint and Ting, and unlocked through various retailers like Amazon, Best Buy and others.

At first glance, the Moto E4 Plus wouldn’t seem to give the more-expensive Moto G5 Plus a run for its money, but that’s what’s so interesting about this phone: it does. They look alike and even share the same metal-and-plastic materials (though the G5 uses more metal overall), but where the ‘G’ stands for “grown up” the ‘E’ stands for “everlasting” (OK, that’s not a great equivocation, but you get the idea).

So which should you buy? And why? Let’s take a look.

First, the specs

Operating System	Android 7.1 Nougat	Android 7.0 Nougat
Display	5.5-inch LCD 1280×720 (267 ppi)	5.2-inch LCD 1920×1080 (424 ppi)Gorilla Glass 3
Processor	Snapdragon 427 1.4GHz quad-core, Adreno 308 GPU	Snapdragon 625 2GHz octa-coreAdreno 506 GPU
Storage	16/32GB	32/64GB
Expandable	microSD card up to 128GB	microSD card up to 128GB
RAM	2GB	2GB/4GB
Rear Camera	13MP autofocus 5-piece lens	12MP, f/1.7 1.4-micron pixels, dual AF pixels
Front Camera	5MP selfie flash	5MP, f/2.2, 1.4-micron pixels
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11n dual-bandBluetooth 4.1	Wi-Fi 802.11n dual-bandBluetooth 4.2
NFC	No	No
Battery	5000mAh Non-removable	3000mAhNon-removable
Charging	Micro-USB10W rapid charger	Micro-USB15W TurboPower charger
Water resistance	Water-repellant nano-coating	Water-repellant nano-coating
Security	Fingerprint sensor	Fingerprint sensor
Dimensions	155 x 77.5 x 9.55 mm	150.2 x 74 x 9.7 mm
Weight	181 g	155 g
Colors	Iron Gray, Fine Gold	Lunar Gray, Fine Gold
Price	$179.99 (2GB/16GB) / $199.99 (2GB/32GB)	$229.99 (2GB/32GB) / $299.99 (4GB/64GB)

Hardware and design

OK, so the main takeaway from the spec sheet is that the Moto E4 Plus is taller and heavier, with a larger, lower-resolution screen and a much larger battery. There’s something to be said for the compromise: Motorola already has a Moto E4, which at 5 inches is much more pocketable and, starting at little as $129.99, much more affordable. Instead, the Moto E4 Plus goes all-in on longevity, outfitting its meager specs with a massive 5000mAh cell that should last two days or longer. We’ve seen other companies attempt this strategy, but the “budget-specs-big-battery” maneuver hasn’t yet taken off in the States like it has in parts of Asia.

Internally, the Moto E4 Plus doesn’t quite compete with the G5 Plus: its Snapdragon 427 chip is a quad-core part built on an aging, relatively inefficient 28nm process; the G5 Plus’s Snapdragon 625 is a proven performer, both in terms of speed, reliability and battery life. Of course, the G5 Plus’s 3000mAh battery is some 40% smaller than the E4 Plus’s, but our battery results prove that average use isn’t a world apart between them.

Design-wise, these two are basically the same phone — which is just fine, because they look more expensive than they are.

Two other important differences need to be highlighted: the Moto G5 Plus’s 1080p IPS panel is heads and tails better than the E4 Plus’s, which is both larger in size, lower in resolution and of demonstrably poorer quality. The IPS panel is much brighter, making it easier to use in direct sunlight, and its touch responsiveness just makes everything a little nicer.

From a design perspective, these phones could not look more similar. They’re both solid, made from a combination of metal and plastic, and while the Moto E4 Plus’s rear casing comes off, it’s just for show — there’s no removable battery here. With nondescript fronts, a speaker/earpiece combination above the screen and a very capable rounded fingerprint sensor below, the Moto G5 Plus looks like Mini Me next to the E4 Plus. Around back, they share rounded sides and a circular camera module, but the Moto E4’s smaller sensor is flush with the body whereas the G5’s sticks out a little.

You’d be forgiven for thinking, judging from its extra weight, that the Moto E4 Plus was thicker than its G5 counterpart, but it’s not: there’s 1.5mm between them, with the E4 using its extra vertical space to accommodate the much larger battery. Neither are thin phones, at between 9.55 and 9.7mm, but the E4 Plus’s 181 grams is hefty; I feel it weighing me down when left idle in my pocket.

Here’s one potential hardware issue for headphone sticklers: the 3.5mm jack is on the top of the Moto E4 Plus, which I dislike very much. I prefer to be able to put a phone in my pocket face down so that when I remove it, cord and all, I don’t have to fumble with the phone to get it into the right orientation. But hey, at least both phones have headphone jacks. Et tu, Moto Z2 Force?

Finally, both phones charge via Micro-USB, which sucks. Motorola continues to justify this by saying that legacy customers want to continue being able to use their existing cables, but come on, Motorola. Every company from Huawei to ZTE to TCL has moved its budget line over the new USB-C charging solution, and the short-term pain is worth the long-term gain.

Software

Identical. Well, almost.

To the untrained eye, all Motorola software looks the same, from the $70 Moto E4 to the $720 Moto Z2 Force. But there are details, important ones, that need to be clarified.

From a software perspective, the Moto G5 Plus can do pretty much everything a flagship Motorola device can, from twisting one’s wrist to open the camera app to flipping the phone onto its front to silence a call. It doesn’t have the always-listening voice commands that the Z line benefits from, but the core features are here, including the excellent, improved Moto Display. But it runs Android 7.0, which keeps it from the subtle improvements found in Motorola’s version of Android 7.1.1 that ships on the Moto E4 Plus, namely adjusting the color temperature of the screen at night to improve sleep quality.

The Moto E4 Plus, even though it ships with Android 7.1.1, doesn’t have the same sensors as the more-expensive G5 Plus, so that twist-to-open gesture — yeah, that’s not here. Neither is the flip-to-silence, chop-chop-to-flashlight, or any number of interesting gestures that come standard on the higher-end models.

Both units have Motorola’s nascent One Button Nav feature, which eschews on-screen buttons for home button gestures. I’ve already made my feelings about the reliability of the space-saving solution in other reviews, but I’ll reiterate it here: it’s not great. It’s far too easy to go home, accessed by tapping the home button, when you meant to go back, accessed by swiping left on the same button. The margin of error is too great, and the results too frustrating, for me to use One Button Nav for more than a few minutes, but I’m only one person — I’ve heard from people that love it. If that’s the case, it’s here for you to love.

Cameras

There is no question that one of the Moto G5 Plus’s redeeming features is its excellent 12MP camera. While it’s not perfect, it’s pretty much unbeatable for the price. The excellent, high-quality Sony sensor with accurate colors; the sharp f/1.7 lens with real bokeh; the simple-but-usable Pro mode — there isn’t much to complain about here. Sure, low-light performance isn’t comparable to phones twice or three times its price, but for $230, you’re getting an unassailable weapon in the fight against bad smartphone photos. And, though you probably don’t want to, it can shoot 4K video at 30fps.

Moto G5 Plus (left) | Moto E4 Plus (right)

The Moto E4 Plus, on the other hand, has a very mediocre, blah camera. Photos look like they’re digitally processed; colors look flat and boring; and low-light quality is practically non-existent. You’re getting what you pay for here. Sure, there are technically more megapixels in the E4 Plus’s sensor, but that doesn’t mean much when the details captured are so vague.

Where the Moto E4 Plus shines — literally — is the front-facing camera. It has a flash to illuminate even the most ashen of faces. Both phones have 5MP front shooters, but selfie lovers may want to go with the cheaper option.

Battery life

This one isn’t really a contest, but we’ll play along. The Moto G5 Plus has a 3000mAh battery, a 1080p display, and a very efficient octa-core chip; the Moto E4 Plus has a 5000mAh battery, a 720p display and a less efficient quad-core chip. The latter trounces the former by almost half a day, but that shouldn’t surprise you.

While I was able to get just over a day of use from the G5 Plus, I used the E4 Plus as a daily driver for just over a week and never dipped below 40% by the end of the night, and more common was above 50% left in the tank.

If battery life is your chief concern — and these days that includes most people — the Moto E4, warts and all, is likely your best bet. It’s just a phenomenal workhorse of a budget phone, and one that I would recommend to anyone looking for a no-frills handset.

Connectivity

The two phones can each connect to mobile networks at a theoretical speed of 300Mbps down and 150Mbps up, and both are theoretically compatible with Sprint and Verizon in the U.S., as well as the easier-to-assume AT&T and T-Mobile. Some early buyers of the Moto E4 Plus have noted, however, that it’s not possible to activate the phone on Sprint just yet, though that issue should hopefully get resolved soon.

Bringing it home, only the Moto G5 Plus supports dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5GHz), which is a big advantage for anyone who doesn’t have a big data bucket and plans to offload a lot of wireless traffic to home Wi-Fi. And while neither phone supports NFC in the U.S., the Moto G5 Plus has the slightest advantage with Bluetooth 4.2 over the E4’s Bluetooth 4.1, though real-world differences should be minor.

Which should you buy? Moto G5 Plus

Look, at the end of the day, the Moto G5 Plus is a much better phone than the E4 Plus, especially when both are as closely matched, spec-wise, as possible. On Amazon, the Moto 2GB RAM/32GB storage Moto E4 Plus costs $199.99; the equivalent Moto G5 Plus is $229.99, and you get a lot for that extra few bucks, including a faster processor, improved screen, and vastly better camera.

See Moto G5 Plus at Amazon

On the other hand, the Moto E4 Plus is a battery champion, and if you don’t need 32GB of storage, it begins at $179.99 — or $159.99 if you don’t mind Amazon’s lock screen ads. I’d still argue that the Moto G5 Plus is a better decision since it’s a more well-rounded phone, but you can’t beat the E4 Plus for longevity.

See Moto E4 Plus at Amazon

What do you think? Which phone would you buy between these two? Let us know in the comments below!

Nielsen ratings give credit for Facebook, YouTube and Hulu views

Media ratings giant Nielsen announced today that publishers will now get credit for digital video content aired on Facebook, Hulu and YouTube. “Through capturing this audience, Nielsen is providing publishers, agencies and advertisers with a better picture of today’s media consumption, with comparable metrics,” said Nielsen’s president of product leadership, Megan Clarken, in a statement.

Nielsen launched its Digital Content Ratings metric last September and it measures audiences utilizing desktop and mobile devices to consume a range of digital content including text like Facebook Instant Articles and videos on YouTube. Today’s announcement means that publishers will now get credit for the metrics Nielsen has been tracking. This includes content like TV clips aired on YouTube and short-form videos posted on Facebook. In regards to Hulu, Nielsen says that the platform will provide “select media partners” with credit for episodes of currently running series that air on Hulu. Those select media partners haven’t been announced yet, but it wouldn’t be surprising if they’re Hulu stakeholders like NBC Universal and Disney.

In a statement, Nielsen said, “Now, both TV and digital clients enabled for Digital Content Ratings will be able to display viewership of their content across all platforms, including these key digital distributors. This will allow publishers to better showcase the various ways people watch their digital content, as well as provide agencies and advertisers with valuable data for more informed decision making.”

Recently, Nielsen added both Hulu’s and YouTube’s live TV services to its traditional TV ratings and last year, it began breaking down viewership data by device. Those moves along with today’s announcement represent the company’s necessary shift in metrics to account for the changing ways people are seeking out and viewing content.

Source: Nielsen