Feed the Taylor Swift hype machine for a better chance at tickets

Buying tickets to a play or concert online is an absolutely terrible experience these days. Between fighting bots and ridiculous handling fees, fans get the short end of the stick when they can’t make it to the venue to buy direct. Taylor Swift is partnering with Ticketmaster and its Verified Fan program to sidestep some of that frustration with Taylor Swift Tix. But this too comes at a price.

“Taylor Swift is committed to getting tickets into the hands of fans… not scalpers or bots,” the ticket microsite reads. Her solution? Roping fans into doing her label’s marketing department’s job. As she explains in the video below, if you help spread the word online, you’re earning priority placement in a ticket waitlist for your venue of choice. The devil is in the details, though.

If you want “the greatest boosts” in line, you’ll have to pre-order her new album Reputation via the control panel, at iTunes, Target, Walmart or from Swift’s store directly. And if you want the album with guaranteed release date delivery, you’ll have to pony up even more cash for next day shipping. Oh, sorry vinyl fans, it’s only available on CD — unlike her previous record, 1989.

You can also earn “high boosts” by buying new merch, too. Which currently consists of her new CD and nothing else. Don’t want to spend any money? Well, you can watch the lyric video for her new single “Look What You Made Me Do.” Problem is, like registering for Tix, that’s a “low boost.”

“Your boosts are automatically applied for up to 5 views, per day. Watch every day and receive your boosts.” Gotta dethrone “Despacito” any way possible, I suppose.

“We worked closely with Taylor Swift to craft a unique approach to our Verified Fan program that rewards her fans with access to the best tickets first,” said David Marcus, EVP and head of music for Ticketmaster North America. “By removing bots and scalpers from the equation, and adding a series of fun activities to help registrants boost their spot in line through our official Verified Fan Activity Meter, we’re able to ensure that tickets make it into the hands of Taylor’s most avid fans, at fan-friendly prices.”

Ticketmaster says you don’t have to make a purchase to receive an access code — those will be available to all verified fans. However, the company did confirm that buying something “may improve” a user’s spot in line to get tickets.

Everything about this scheme will benefit Swift one way or another, under the guise of getting better access to tickets to what’s surely going to be one of this fall’s biggest (and highly scalped) concert tours.

At its inception, Verified Fan was supposed to check your Ticketmaster account info and then send an SMS with codes to buy tickets. Think of it like two-factor authentication, but for concert tickets. What Swift is doing here perverts what was supposed to be a fan-friendly way to buy tickets into another part of her big money-making machine.

Even though it’s artist merch, if you still have to pay more than list price for buying tickets, is that really much different than buying from a scalper or reseller?

Update: This post has been updated with a quote from Ticketmaster.

Source: Taylor Swift

LeEco is trying to crowdfund an electric scooter

Troubled would-be Chinese tech empire LeEco is looking to launch another product, but it needs you to crowdfund it first. A Kickstarter for their electric powered standup scooter will go live on August 28th, if you’re willing to take the risk.

The foldable, lean-to-steer “Scooterboard,” as it’s known, will have a maximum speed of 15 MPH and have a range of 9.3 miles on a full charge. The device is a “post-development, fully functional electric rideable ” three-wheeled scooter, according to LeEco. The crowdfunding campaign will have a modest goal of $25,000, though there’s no information on pricing or tier rewards yet.

Crowdfunding is a safer option for LeEco after its rough year. The company’s ambitions overstretched its means, and its fall from grace resulted in its Chinese assets frozen and a lawsuit from Vizio over the two companies’ failed $2 billion deal. LeEco shuttered its US operations back in May, so a single-item Kickstarter is probably a much more feasible project to get new products into the American market.

Via: The Verge

Source: LeEco

MacRumors Giveaway: Win an iPhone Prize Pack from Toddy Gear

For this week’s giveaway, we’ve teamed up with Toddy Gear to give MacRumors readers a chance to win an iPhone prize pack that includes a Bottle Opener Case for the iPhone 7, an iPhone charging cable, a microfiber Smart Cloth, and a Wedge iPhone stand that doubles as a screen cleaner.

Toddy Gear has been known for its colorful, high-quality microfiber cloths for years. The cloths, priced at $9.99, come in a wide range of colors and patterns and are made from 100 percent microfiber that’s designed to keep the your iPhone, iPad, and Mac screens free from smudges and fingerprints.

They’re dual-sided, with a plush side that’s meant to clean off dust and debris and a smooth, silky side for polishing your screen.

Toddy’s Wedges, priced at $14.99, are similar to its cloths, as they’re made from the same microfiber, but are filled with a heavy sand-like material that lets them serve as a stand for an iPhone or iPad. The plush bottom of the wedge cleans your screen just like the cloths.

Toddy offers a range of charging cables that are durable, fun to look at with unique colors and patterns, and affordable at $14.99. Toddy’s cables are Apple-certified and work with all Lightning-equipped devices. There are also microUSB versions and a hybrid with both a Lightning and a microUSB connector.

Along with cloths and cables, Toddy creates a range of cases for the iPhone. The company’s Bottle Opener case, priced at $25.99, comes in a range of patterns and includes a bottle opener on the back, making it a solid case choice for parties.

We have five Toddy prize packs to give away. To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner and send the prize. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years of age or older are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

a Rafflecopter giveawayThe contest will run from today (August 25) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on September 1. The winners will be chosen randomly on August 25 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.

Tag: giveaway
Discuss this article in our forums

Gear Up: Taotronics wants to replace all of your audio needs

In case you haven’t noticed, those of us here at AndroidGuys love audio accessories. Whether it’s headphones, speakers, or a complete sound system, we love testing out new products to determine whether they’re worthy to grace your home.

TaoTronics is one of those companies which has a decent following, but is still looking to make a stamp on the market. The company was gracious enough to send us a new Bluetooth speaker and a set of Bluetooth headphones, with the purpose of providing you with an honest review.

TaoTronics Super Loud Bluetooth Speaker

Jumping right into the review here, we’re going to take a look at the TaoTronics “Super Loud” Bluetooth speaker. When you first take a look at this thing, you might be reminded of the JBL Flip series, minus the ridiculous pricing.

This speaker provides 360-degree sound, making sure to cover every inch of your room, and then some. At a recent party, I fired this up and threw on some Spotify and actually had to turn it down because folks in the living room couldn’t hear anything, while the speaker was across the house.

As for controls, you’ll find the power button, pairing button, and volume rocker on the “rear” of the speaker. However, if you want to crank up the tunes without finagling with buttons, there’s an awesome rotating dial on the top which goes all the way to 11.

Also found on the rear of this speaker is the microUSB charging port, along with the 3.5mm headphone jack. These are hidden by a rubber flap that quickly snaps back into place when you’re done charging it up.

Speaking of charging, TaoTronics included a 5,200mAh battery in this speaker, which has been rated for about 15 hours of usage. While I didn’t use the speaker for 15 consecutive hours, I was able to go about 16 hours before the speaker gave me the heads up that it needed some juice.

This speaker is so awesome, that I’ve recently set it up to connect to my Amazon Echo Dot, so that I can get some punch when I want to ask Alexa to pump some tunes from my Spotify.

If you’re interested in snagging one of these for yourself, you can hit the button below and grab one for just $49.99 with free Prime shipping. So what’re you waiting for? Go get one and get the music rolling!

Buy the TaoTronics Super Loud B/T Speaker!

Taotronics TT-BH07 Bluetooth Headphones

I have something to admit — I’m addicted to headphones. Not just Bluetooth headphones or over-the-ear ones, but all of them. I’m by no means an audiophile, but I do love a good set of headphones regardless.

That brings us to the TaoTronics TT-BH07 Bluetooth headphones. These bad boys feature an impressive “spec sheet” which includes Bluetooth 4.1, aptX capabilities, and IPX5 splash resistance. But there are some more perks with this set of Bluetooth headphones.

First and foremost, ever since I picked up a pair of the BeatsX Bluetooth headphones, I’ve become enamored with headphones that include magnets in the earbuds. TaoTronics doesn’t disappoint and has included this feature with the TT-BH07 headphones. This magnet is also pretty strong (relatively), making it easy for the earbuds to find one another, and difficult for them to come apart while they are stashed away in your bag.

Another important feature for me is battery life. Quite frequently I’m found traveling and don’t want to be left in my travels with a set of dead headphones. The TT-BH07 headphones are rated for 5 hours of continuous playback, but an incredible 175 hours of standby time.

As for real-life usage, I was able to squeeze a bit more battery out of these, coming in around 5.5 hours. That’s plenty for me, as my travels never last longer than that before I can get to a charger. (Or you could get this awesome Mophie Power Capsule for your headphones and never have to worry about it!)

Sound quality on the TT-BH07 was rather impressive, providing a sound that was very similar to my BeatsX, and sometimes sounding better in the bass department. As for how they stand up to the likes of Anker’s SoundBuds lineup, I would say that these are neck-and-neck and are practically interchangeable for reliability and sound quality.

Plus, the TT-BH07 feature an in-line mic, which also features a charging/pairing LED indicator, volume controls, and your charging port. This has saved me on more than one occasion, making me feel even more enamored with the TT-BH07.

Oh, and if you’re worried about these not fitting your big ears, don’t worry as TaoTronics has included three different sets of ear-tips and ear hooks. This will make sure that you get the perfect fit, no matter the size of your ears.

Now for the price. With all of these features, you would these are priced around the $150 price point of the BeatsX. Nope. You can hit the button below and snag a pair of your own for just $25.99, which is a ridiculous price.

Buy the TaoTronics TT-BH07 Headphones!

Conclusion

TaoTronics may not be a household name like Anker or Beats, but the company is definitely working in the right direction. By no means are these the only two products offered by TaoTronics, as they offer other smartphone accessories to fit your needs.

Let us know what you think about these audio products and if you’ll be picking them up for yourself!

Huawei’s new budget T3 and M3 Lite tablets now up for sale at online retailers

Why it matters to you

Budget tablets are much better than they used to be, and Huawei has just released four options, each costing $250 or less, that might just be enough for your needs.

Back in May, Huawei unveiled a new tablet to compete with Amazon’s popular Fire 7: the MediaPad T3 7. At $90, the 7-inch Huawei offered a solid alternative to Amazon’s budget darling, with a few small improvements in specs and build quality to justify a slightly higher price. Now, Huawei has returned with two more tablets in the T3 line — 8-inch and 10-inch models — as well as a moderately more powerful series known as the MediaPad M3 Lite. They’re now available online from Amazon and Newegg.

Huawei MediaPad T3 10-inch

First, let’s talk about the new T3 models. Both the 8-inch and 10-inch variants receive Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 425 system-on-chip alongside 2GB of RAM. It’s a worthy improvement over the MediaTek MT8127 and 1GB RAM found in the 7-inch T3. Both tablets come with 16GB of storage on board, 4,800mAh batteries, and 1,280 x 800 LCD displays. They’re wrapped up in a Space Gray anodized aluminum chassis, and run $140 and $160 for the 8- and 10-inch versions, respectively.

Huawei MediaPad M3 Lite 8-inch

If you need a bit more of everything, the M3 Lite might be a better fit. Huawei has upgraded the processor in these tablets to a Snapdragon 435, and added an extra gigabyte of RAM for a total of 3GB. If you opt for the 10-inch model, you’ll get a significantly larger battery, too — 6,600mAh, versus the 4,800mAh unit in the 8-inch M3 Lite. The 8-inch will cost you $200, while the 10-inch is priced at $250. Both benefit from the inclusion of full HD displays — a step up from what you’d find in the T3 series.

Huawei is also touting improved sound in the M3 Lite, thanks to a partnership with Harman Kardon. Like the standard MediaPad M3, these devices feature Huawei’s SWS 3.0 Smart Sound technology, which differentiates between music and video to deliver the proper audio experience for the content on screen. Each one of these tablets runs Android 7.0 Nougat, though Huawei isn’t specific as to the revision. On top of that, you’ll find the company’s EMUI 5.1 interface.

The budget tablet market is a very busy one, and four new models within the space of $200 might seem like overkill. Fortunately, at the very least it means you’ll have a plethora of choices in finding the device that ticks all your boxes. For more info, check out our always-updated guide on the best inexpensive tablets on the market right now.

Take up to $210 off new and refurbished iOS tablets with our top 6 iPad deals

Let’s face it: Apple products don’t come cheap. For the Mac-heads out there, however, the simplicity of use, reliability, and build quality of Apple hardware is hard to beat and well worth the price. You can still catch some solid discounts on Apple gear if you’re vigilant, and to give you a head start, we’ve smoked out some current iPad deals that can save you as much as $210 on a selection of new and professionally refurbished iOS tablets.

Refurbished Ipad deals

Arguably the best way to snag deep discounts on iPads and other Mac gadgets is to buy stuff that is refurbished by the professionals at Apple. These recertified iPads all come with brand-new outer shells and batteries, making them look and feel practically brand new, and are covered by a one-year warranty.

• 7.9-inch 128GB iPad Mini 4: The iPad Mini 4 boasts a 7.9-inch Retina display and weighs in at just .67 pounds which makes for a compact and easily portable tablet. This refurbished model comes with 128GB of flash storage and can be yours for $339 directly from Apple, saving you $60. The iPad Mini is soon to be discontinued, so now’s the time to grab one if you’ve been eyeing it.
• 9.7-inch 64GB iPad Air 2: The super-light iPad Air 2 features the enhanced 9.7-inch Retina display and is the perfect choice for someone who wants a thin and light tablet that doesn’t sacrifice screen size. A nice 15-percent discount of $70 knocks this 64GB iPad Air 2 down to $379.
• 7.9-inch 128GB iPad Mini 2 with cellular service: The iPad Mini 2 features the same 7.9-inch display as the Mini 4, but this one adds cellular connectivity for those of you with data plans from Verizon and AT&T. It also provides the biggest discount of all the iPad deals on our list at its $419 price tag, saving you a whopping $210.

New Ipad deals

These iPad deals aren’t as hot as the discounts on refurbished models, but if you really want a tablet that’s brand-spanking new, then you can still enjoy some nice savings on these picks from MacMall:

• 9.7-inch 128GB iPad with cellular service: This tablet features Apple’s excellent 9.7-inch 2,048 x 1,536 Retina display as well as compatibility with modern LTE cellular data services. A $50 discount means you can snag this brand new iPad for $509 from MacMall.
• 10.5-inch 64GB iPad Pro: The midsized iPad Pro has a 10.5-inch 2,224 × 1,668 Retina screen which utilizes the same color gamut technology as the 4K and 5K iMac computers, delivering a truly crisp and vibrant picture. The 64GB iPad Pro is on sale at $609 for a savings of $40.
• 12.9-inch 64GB iPad Pro: If you need a bit more screen real estate and don’t mind the added size, then the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is for you. This iOS tablet runs on a 6-core A10X Fusion CPU, offers 64GB of internal storage, and can be yours for $749 after a $50 discount.

More deals

• Score a new work laptop and save with our favorite Amazon Chromebook deals
• Enjoy your tunes on the fly with the Beats Tour2 headphones, now just $50
• 8 must-have portable tech gadgets you can score for cheap right now

Looking for more great deals on Apple gadgets and other electronics? Check out our deals page to score some extra savings on our favorite tech.

AMD’s Vega graphics card likely to be in short supply until October

Why it matters to you

If you’re looking to upgrade your PC to a Vega GPU, you might find it difficult to find the card at retail until October.

AMD’s Vega architecture made its debut in June 2017, when the company opened pre-orders on the Frontier Edition of the hotly anticipated graphics card. The Radeon RX Vega series was made available on August 15 — but just a matter of days later, there’s now word that the GPUs are set to be in short supply for the new couple of months.

If you’ve been looking for a Radeon RX Vega card at retail but came up short, understand that you’re not alone. Sources in the upstream supply chain indicate that AMD simply can’t meet demand as a result of low packaging yield rates, according to a report from Digitimes.

The design of the Vega series integrates high bandwidth memory into the GPU, which makes the packaging process a little more difficult, and has resulted in yield rates that are lower than anticipated. There are also reports that issues with Advanced Semiconductor Engineering’s packaging technology could be a contributing factor.

AMD has noted that demand for the cards has been higher than expected, and confirmed that it is working with its manufacturing partners to ensure that more stock can be distributed to retailers as quickly as possible. Both the standalone Radeon RX Vega graphics cards and the bundled Gamer Packs are set to be made available, reportedly within the coming days.

It’s expected that the supply chain shortages will mean that most retailers will only receive a small allocation of the GPUs. As a result, the graphics cards aren’t expected to be easy to find until at least October.

This of course isn’t an ideal situation for AMD to be in, given that demand for the cards seems to be particularly high. There are reports that Nvidia has reconsidered its plans to rush production of its new Volta architecture, delaying the move from late 2017 to the previously rumored timeframe of early 2018.

Digital Trends’ review of the Radeon RX Vega series concluded that the cards offer superior gaming performance and excellent memory bandwidth, all at a price point that’s very compelling — it’s a good option for anyone looking for a cost-effective GPU, assuming you can find one in the wild.

Awesome RC buggy is the closest thing to driving a Mars rover here on Earth

Why it matters to you

With its rugged design, front-mounted HD camera, and robot gripper arm, the Turtle Rover could be one of the best RC vehicles we’ve ever seen.

How many self-respecting, tech-loving space nerds don’t want to get their hands on their very own version of a Mars rover? A team of engineers from Poland’s Wroclaw University of Technology — who previously won multiple prizes for their development of Mars rover prototypes — is hoping the answer is “none.” That’s because they’ve just launched a Kickstarter campaign for something called the Turtle Rover, a remote-controlled vehicle that promises to give you the experience of piloting a space buggy on the Red Planet, only without the cost of actually getting there.

“Turtle Rover is a NASA-inspired, four-wheeled platform which can easily work in almost any type of terrain on Earth: Grass, forest, stones, or even in the water,” Marcin Twardak, co-founder of Turtle Rover, told Digital Trends. “It’s completely dust- and waterproof. What’s most exciting [is that] the platform is open source, [meaning] we share source code, circuit diagrams and mechanical documentation. Thanks to that, everyone can adapt the platform to their own needs.”

The vehicle is controlled via a mobile app, which uses Wi-Fi to communicate to distances of up to 650 feet. As with many drones on the market, you can control the vehicle by seeing the world from its perspective — courtesy of a front-facing HD camera. Through the app, you can also control the Turtle Rover’s robot gripper arm, although you can also modify it yourself to add other third-party accessories.

“We believe Turtle Rover is an amazing opportunity for makers,” Twardak said. “Now, if you want to learn programming on some serious hardware, you don’t have too much to choose from. There are some products available on the market, but there is not a single one complex enough to both provide all the hardware and that could be used outdoors.

“If you want to test your electronics, software or other hardware in real-world conditions you need to buy industrial platforms, which are extremely expensive and still need extra equipment to run. We believe the people — geeks and makers — will create a community around Turtle Rovers, and together we’ll build this new segment of the robotics market. It’s the supporters who will tell us what to develop and what to suppress, and discover where to use the platform in real life.”

Turtle Rover is currently available for pre-order on Kickstarter, where it will set you back 1,547 euros ($1,838) for a completed version with battery and Raspberry Pi microcontroller. Shipping is set to take place next June.

Best Cases for the Galaxy Note 8… So far

There are a ton of great case options for the Note 8 already available.

The Galaxy Note 8 is shaping up to be a contender for phone of the year. While we wait for the phones to start shipping, now’s the perfect time to start the search for the best cases to keep your new phone protected.

The launch of such a major device as the Note 8 means accessory manufacturers are ready to roll on day one. As such, you have your pick of the litter from a great selection of cases from the best brands out there.

We’ve broken things down by the manufacturer and offered direct links to some of our favorite styles. But ultimately the choice is yours, and there’s a ton of cases to choose from already.

• Samsung cases
• OtterBox cases
• Speck cases
• Ringke cases
• Spigen cases

Samsung cases

If you’re at all concerned about not getting the right fit or build quality from a third party accessory maker, maybe you’re best off sticking with cases designed in-house by Samsung.

Samsung offers a similar range of unique case options for the Note 8 that we’ve seen from previous phone releases. You can order your case straight from Samsung alongside your pre-order if you’re buying your phone outright from the source. Here’s a breakdown of what they’re offering:

• S-View Flip Cover — This case keeps your screen protected with a transparent cover that lets you see the time and incoming notifications with a press of the power button. It also folds into a kickstand for hands-free media viewing. Available for $60.
• LED Wallet Cover — Another brilliantly-designed case that blends screen protection with functionality, the LED Wallet cover displays the time and notifications when the screen is covered with a press of the power button. It also features an interior pocket for storing your cash or cards. Get yours for $60.
• Protective Cover — Samsung has you minimalists covered with this ultra thin, transparent case that really lets the Note 8’s design come through. It’s also the cheapest case offered by Samsung at only $20.
• Alcantara Cover — Samsung’s own Alcantara-covered case is beautiful, durable and unique. The suede-like material is becoming more common — it adorns Microsoft’s Surface Laptop, for one — but it feels brand new. At $50, it’s not cheap, but since it ages beautifully, it’s worth every penny.

Check out Samsung’s website to learn more about the cases they offer, as well as the other accessories available for the Note 8.

See at Samsung

OtterBox cases

The Note 8 might be the most expensive flagship phones released in 2017, so you’re going to want to keep it protected. When it comes to the best cases, many people instantly think of OtterBox. It has built a solid reputation of making great cases backed by outstanding customer service.

If you’ve been a fan of OtterBox cases in the past you’ll be happy to hear there are three options from OtterBox for the Note 8: the rugged Defender Series, the slimmer Commuter Series, and the sleek and stylish one-piece Symmetry Series. All of OtterBox’s cases appear to be exclusively offered via their website for the time being and, as you would expect from a premium manufacturer, they’re a bit pricey starting at $50 and up.

However, you really get what you pay for from OtterBox, which includes the aforementioned customer service that’s there to help if any issues pop up.

See at OtterBox

Speck cases

Speck’s Note 8 cases are on full display on their website but appear not quite ready to ship to consumers.

Cases like the Speck Presido Grip and Presido Clear have Amazon pages set up but are currently showing as out of stock (likely waiting for the phones to actually go on sale) so keep an eye out for them to become available, or sign up to be notified from Speck directly by clicking through to their website. Also worth noting that these are significantly pricier options, starting at $45.

See at Speck

Ringke cases

Ringke is known for making more flashy cases with interesting designs and patterns to help make your phone stand out from the rest of the pack. Choose from eight different styles that all feature their own unique design elements and features.

While other brands have yet to start selling cases on Amazon, Ringke is ready to ship and even offers Amazon Prime shipping so you eager beavers can get those accessories well ahead of receiving your phone.

Personally, I really dig the Wave case in Coastal Blue, pictured on the right, which you can get for just $8 on Amazon. You may also enjoy the Ringke Fusion clear case which is typically one of the best clear cases you can buy for a phone if you want to keep your phone protected without impeding the look and design of your new phone.

Check out what Ringke has to offer on its website, then check out Amazon where you’re likely to save a few bucks off the regular price.

See at Ringke

Spigen cases

Spigen always crushes it when it comes to delivering a wide range of case options for the biggest phones of the year. As you would expect, they’re ready to roll for the launch of the Galaxy Note 8 with a collection of 19 different cases to choose from.

You can preview the full lineup of available cases on Spigen’s website linked below, or if you’re ready to buy you can check out some of our favorite case styles on Amazon:

• Rugged Armor — For those who don’t want to sacrifice pocket space for protection, this sleek one-piece case is rugged and sleek with carbon fiber accents that look real nice on taller devices like the Note 8.
• Ultra Hybrid clear case — Looking for a clear case? Spigen has eight different styles of clear or transparent cases to let the Note 8’s design shine through. The Ultra Hybrid is the sleekest and clearest of the bunch.
• Wallet S — I had the pleasure of briefly using the Wallet S case for the Note 7, and for a phone that can already do so much, it just feels right to enhance the experience a case that not only protects, but lets you keep your ID, credit cards, cash, and phone all in one place.

See at Spigen

Which cases are you going to buy?

There’s going to be a ton of accessories released for the Galaxy Note 8, but we want to know which are your favorites. Let us know in the comments!

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

• Galaxy Note 8 hands-on preview
• Complete Galaxy Note 8 specs
• Galaxy Note 8 vs. Galaxy Note 5: Which should you buy?
• Which Galaxy Note 8 color should you buy?
• All Galaxy Note 8 news
• Join our Galaxy Note 8 forums

Verizon
AT&T
T-Mobile
Sprint
Best Buy

The State of Android Central Survey: Help us help you (and win big!)

Fair warning: this is a long one!

Our sites at Mobile Nations are living things. Not in the sense that they’re breathing, eating, procreating beasts (though sometimes it feels that way), but in that they’re always changing and evolving to meet the needs of our users — you.

We’ve gone through a number of changes over the past year, and we wanted to check in with you and get your opinion on all of it. How are we doing on reviews, on news, on recommendations, in the forums, on Facebook and Twitter, in our videos, and more? This is your chance to tell us.

Below you’ll find a survey on all of that and more, where your responses will help us evaluate our progress and chart our course ahead. Tell us how we’re doing — there are no wrong answers, and we especially want to hear if you think there are places where we could improve.

Fair warning: this is a long one, you’re looking at around 30-45 minutes to complete, so if you want to open this in another tab or window, here’s the link to do that.

Oh, and as a thank you for your time, everybody who completes this survey will be entered to win their choice of a slew of exciting new gadgets, from the Samsung Galaxy S8 or LG V30 or iPhone 8 to the Xbox One X or a Microsoft Surface Pro i5 to a new VR headset from HTC or Oculus!