Scosche StuckUp Qi Wireless Charging Mount (Review)

Although most smartphones don’t support wireless charging, the idea is a novel one that offers a bit of ease at some additional cost. Samsung has gone full bore into the wireless charging world by offering the feature on all of its flagship phones. There are a few other devices from Microsoft, Sony, Google and Motorola that also employ wireless capabilities–so it’s not just Samsung here.

Although the majority of smartphones don’t have wireless charging, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a market for wireless chargers. With multiple manufacturers providing a handful of devices with Qi (pronounced ‘che’) wireless capabilities, the Scosche Wireless Charging Mount offers a great solution for those don’t want to bother plugging in to charge.

The box is nothing too fancy, but what do you expect–it’s a box!

Inside the box and assembly

Scosche includes a good deal of components here–everything you need to mount and charge wirelessly. Upon opening the box you’ll find the charging base, the charging USB cable, the suction mount, and the separate 12V power adapter that plugs into the car socket. Each item feels durable and well designed. These are not components that you’d find in a budget bin at your local department store. Also included is a simple multi-language instruction booklet made of folded paper in case the simple assembly isn’t quite clear.

Inside the box, you’ll find the manual, the car adapter, the mount, a micro-USB cable and the charging pad

Using the charger and mount

Assembly is thankfully simple and straightforward. I was able to get all pieces connected and working within minutes. Plugging in the adapter and inserting the USB cable in properly is something we’ve all done a thousand times; this is not rocket science by any means. The mount locks into the adjustable arm with a simple click, then you’re all set to charge your device wirelessly. Having a quick and understandable assembly process goes a long way here.

Mounting the device to the dash of a vehicle takes some patience. I discovered that the suction mount didn’t adhere well to the plastic parts of my dash at first. I had to fully clean the mounting location as well as readjust the suction cup to assure the mount was firmly in place. Previous to doing so, the entire assembly detached once, which sent my phone tumbling to the floor.

Once mounted properly, the wireless charger sits firm, ready to charge all your Qi-compatible devices

Mounting to my windshield was much more stable, however, locating a spot on my windshield that didn’t obstruct my view was a bit tricky. This is nearly impossible and would be a red flag for getting pulled over, but to be fair, the same would apply to almost any windshield-style mount. I found that the mount stayed firmly attached to the windshield at all times and the included release stem worked perfectly for removal.

Large phones like the S8 Plus fit just fine; just make sure to slide down the bottom feet grips

Once mounted, I was able to easily set and remove my smartphone from the charging cradle. The charging indicator on the front changes from blue to green to show that it’s charging, but is sometimes not visible depending on the size of the device being charged as well as the angle of the mount. At the bottom of the device, two adjustable clips keep the phone from slipping out. A button on the back side of the cradle allows these clips to slide down, which was necessary for my S7 Edge and S8 Plus to activate the wireless charger.

It may take a few tries to get the pad to stick, but once it’s on, the mount stays in place until you pull the tab near the bottom

StuckUp wrap-up

Scosche has been around in the mobile devices field for quite some time now and they’ve always made quality products. I was pleased to see the track record remains with the StuckUp Qi Wireless Charging Mount. This product charges quickly and holds firmly while not being overly complicated to assemble or use.

I honestly can’t speak for, nor guarantee, that every wireless device will be compatible, but considering Qi is quite universal, I can’t imagine any problems arising with other devices. Scosche has constructed a universal charger that has only a few minor shortcomings. It’s still a great value and one I can recommend to anybody that needs a wireless charging mount.

Moai is an aquarium-cleaning robot that also live-streams video of your fish

Why it matters to you

This smart fish tank cleaner not only keeps your glass algae-free, but lets you watch your fish wherever in the world you are.

Like a Roomba vacuum cleaner for your aquarium, Moai is a glass-cleaning robot that will autonomously propel itself around your fish tank, scouring algae as it goes. Oh, and it can also live-stream video of your fish while it’s at it.

“I had a small aquarium in my studio,” Moai industrial designer Yoon Hoon told Digital Trends. “The original idea was a webcam for aquariums, so you can monitor your aquarium while not at home. My partner and I came across the HAX hardware accelerator booth in MakerFaire Shenzhen and joined it in January 2015. They helped us develop the concept. We found that algae build-up is a pain point for most aquarium owners, and so decided to combine camera and cleaner together. The concept was born! We then spent two years traveling and visiting many aquariums in China, California, and Singapore to learn more about the aquarium industry while working on our prototypes in the factory. It took eight generations of prototypes but we’re finally satisfied, and pleased to have launched MOAI on Kickstarter.”

The device itself consists of two elements: One housing all the electronics for outside the tank and the other, with the cleaning element, for inside. These are connected by a magnet, so that as the outside part moves using its ultrasound navigation system, the inside part of your tank glass gets cleaned. The robot itself uses smart ultrasound sensing tech to map its way around the aquarium, while users can use the accompanying iOS or Android mobile app to mark out specific cleaning areas if they wish. This also means that you can set specific times for cleaning to take place, such as when you’re out at work — so your aquarium is ready to look its best whenever you’re around.

The camera offers 1080p filming, which then outputs an image to the same app, meaning that you can check in on your fishy friends no matter where you are in the world. It’s a nifty smart gadget and, provided it works as well as described, is totally something we could see ourselves using in our own fish tanks. Hey, pair this up with Fishbit — the smart device designed to monitor tank pH levels, salinity, ORP, temperature, and other tank conditions — and you’ve got yourself an entire robot aquarium ecosystem.

Moai is available to pre-order on Kickstarter for $199, with shipping set to take place next May.

Learn to speak Spanish for only $49

There are plenty of reasons to start learning a new language. You can learn your family’s mother tongue to communicate better with distant relatives, you can learn a new regional language to help you get a government job, or you can even learn a language just for fun. Of course, learning a whole new language isn’t easy, it takes a ton of practice and commitment.

You could go back to school and take some new language courses, but that requires lots of time and money you may not have. What you need is a learning aid that you can go through on your own time and that won’t cost an arm and a leg. Right now, Android Central Digital Digital Offers has the perfect solution.

Learning Spanish has never been easier with the Rocket Languages Combo Packs: Lifetime Access. With more than 120 lessons spanning over 240 hours of content, Rocket Languages Combo Packs: Lifetime Access will have you speaking Spanish fluently in no time.

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• Learn on-the-go with audio lessons via iOS and Android apps.
• Learn how the Spanish language works in English in order to truly understand the foundation.
• Discover the mechanics of Spanish and learn thousands of commons words.
• Reinforce and enhance what you learn with 122 flash card sets.

Plus, iMore Digital Offers is offering you lifetime access, meaning you’ll never have to feel rushed or pressure.

Use code BYESUMMER for additional 15% off!

See at Android Central Digital Offers

Latest OxygenOS beta for the OnePlus 3/3T adds new display calibration and much more

OxygenOS open beta 23/14 introduces new display calibration, watermarks on photos, and a lot of stability improvements.

OnePlus is rolling out the OxygenOS open beta 23/14 to the OnePlus 3 and 3T with several fixes, stability improvements, and feature additions. OnePlus has tweaked the color temperature of the display so the panel now leans more toward sRGB color calibration.

There are several new features as well — the lift-up display UI has picked up a battery indicator, you’ll be able to block notifications from apps that are in the app locker, and the contacts pane now has an alphabetical bar. The update also includes the August security patch, and the gallery will now load images faster. You can add a “Shot on OnePlus” watermark to your images by enabling it in the camera settings. OnePlus has also improved the location accuracy for the weather widget.

Here’s the full changelog for the build:

• Camera

  • Added Shot on OnePlus watermark
    • You can toggle the Shot on OnePlus watermark and add your name to all pictures taken in the main camera settings

• System

  • Redesigned lift up display UI
    • Now supports displaying battery percentage
  • Now supports hiding of notification content from apps locked by App locker
    • There is now a toggle that allows you to block notifications from apps that are in the App lock list
  • Improved stability of Parallel apps
  • Adjusted color display of default screen calibration
    • It now tends more towards sRGB calibration
  • Added E-warranty card
    • You can now find a version of your warranty card in “About phone > E-Warranty card”
  • Updated Android security patch level to August

• Phone

  • Added quick index bar in contacts UI
    • The contacts page/app now have an alphabetical bar on the right side for easy moving to certain groups of names
• Improved experience of switching incoming calls

• Improvements to suggested merges functionality

• Gallery

  • Loading speed of images improved

• Weather

  • Improved location accuracy
  • Improved the experience of searching cities

• Clock

  • New feature “Alarm calendar”
    • Can be used to set an irregular alarm schedule, once you set the time, you can activate this feature by hitting the 3 dot menu button to the right of “repeat”

OnePlus says that some users may experience issues with toggling the flashlight after installing the beta build. A simple restart should fix the issue. As always, if you switch to a beta build, you won’t receive updates from the stable channel — you’ll have to manually flash a stable build again.

OnePlus 3T and OnePlus 3

• OnePlus 3T review: Rekindling a love story
• OnePlus 3T vs. OnePlus 3: What’s the difference?
• OnePlus 3T specs
• Latest OnePlus 3 news
• Discuss OnePlus 3T and 3 in the forums

OnePlus
Amazon

Owner of YouTube ripping site settles lawsuit with record labels

Last year, record labels took the popular YouTube-ripping site YouTube-mp3.org to court seeking the pirating website’s permanent shutdown and $150,000 per violation. Well, the labels, helmed by the RIAA, have, as of today, won with recent court filings pointing towards a settlement between the two parties.

These sorts of websites let users download audio and video files from YouTube and in their suit, the RIAA claimed that YouTube-mp3.org had around 60 million visitors and tens to hundreds of millions of illegal downloads per month. When the lawsuit was brought forth, RIAA President Cary Sherman said in a statement, “It should not be so easy to engage in this activity in the first place, and no stream ripping site should appear at the top of any search result or app chart.”

The website’s owner has agreed to pay a settlement, though the details of that haven’t been released, and a proposed injunction prohibits anyone associated with the website from having anything to do with a “streamripping” website in the future. The website domain name will also be given to one of the record labels.

The proposed judgement and injunction haven’t been approved and ordered by the court yet and the website is still up as of writing, but similar sites and apps are already being taken down. As Mac Rumors reports, ProTube was removed from the App Store last week after multiple requests from Google for it to be taken down.

Source: TorrentFreak (1), (2)

Stanford toughens up cheap solar cells by mimicking insect eyes

While silicon solar panels are already providing electricity for a lot of homes and buildings, it doesn’t mean researchers have stopped looking for better and cheaper alternatives. Case in point, a team of Stanford scientists working to make a cheaper photovoltaic mineral called perovskite a viable option for people who want to shift to solar. Perovskites are as efficient as silicon solar cells when it comes to converting sunlight into energy, but they’re fragile and can deteriorate easily when exposed to the elements. The team had to find a way to make them more durable — and they’ve found inspiration in the compound eyes of insects.

Their solution involves encapsulating perovskite microcells in a hexagon-shaped epoxy resin scaffold that measures 0.02 inches wide. They then put hundreds of those together like a honeycomb to mimic the compound eye of a fly. The study’s co-lead author Nicholas Rolston says the scaffold wall protects the fragile minerals, especially since epoxy resin is “resilient to mechanical stresses.”

To find out if their creation works, they tested their design by exposing it to temperatures that reached 185 degrees F and 85 percent relative humidity for six weeks. They found that the insect eye-inspired panel survived those harsh conditions while still generating electricity “at relatively high rates of efficiency.” Despite their success, the researchers believe they can still boost the cells’ efficiency. They’re now looking for ways to be able to direct more light reflected by the scaffold into the perovskite-flled center of each cell.

Via: Digital Trends

Source: Stanford

The smart kitchen revolution is a slow one

Of all the spaces in our homes, the kitchen is the one that has seen the least change in the last few years. Sure, that countertop CD player has given way to an Echo, but you’ve probably not invested in a smartphone-controlled oven or DRM-enabled juicer. Look hard enough, however, and you can see more radical shifts in the appliances world on the horizon. It’s just going to take a while before this technology is affordable enough for us mere mortals.

Historically, when technology has made an impact in the kitchen, it often radically redefines how our society operates. Statistician Hans Rosling believed that the washing machine was the most important invention in the world. Other academics agree, saying that freeing women from domestic labor was responsible for both huge shifts in how we work and created several economic booms.

But the last big innovation — assuming you don’t count the items you find on late-night shopping channels — was probably the microwave or dishwasher. Both of those became reasonably affordable more than half a century ago. But fear not, because the technology industry is slowly beginning to push for dramatic ways to upend the staid world of white goods.

The LG’s Styler, which was announced a few years ago and could redefine how we wash our clothes. Essentially, it’s a wardrobe-sized box into which you hang your clothes to get them steam cleaned. Simply fill up the reservoir at the bottom with water, and your outfits are progressively shaken and boiled until they’re clean and wrinkle-free.

Then there’s TwinWash, LG’s system of tiny washing machines beneath its larger free standing models. The idea is to separate delicates and other, smaller loads, from the main drum to speed up laundry times. And, frankly, it’s the sort of throw-stuff-against-the-wall thinking that makes the technology industry so exciting. Both of these have one major drawback, however, and it’s their very high price, since both cost around upwards of two grand.

Samsung’s vision for the future of laundry is exemplified by the QuickDrive washing machine, which it launched here in Berlin. The company is shouting about its decision to separate the drum from its backplate and spinning them independently. The idea is that the contrasting movement will cause the water to move more vigorously and, therefore, clean your clothes faster. The company is also celebrating the QuickDrive’s built-in artificial intelligence, which it claims will help clueless washers make better choices to pick programs.

Another crazy idea that Samsung’s been peddling for the last few years has been AddWash. It’s a secondary door in its machines that lets you add clothes to the wash after the cycle has begun. Ubiquitous in its TV advertising, it’s clear that the feature is liked enough by its customers for it to proliferate through an increasing number of Samsung’s washers.

Then there was Panasonic, which showed off its vision for replacing the washing machine as we know it altogether. The elegantly-named Sustainable Maintainer is a cabinet into which you’d chuck your dirty clothes. A robotic arm and camera then examines each item in turn, checking the washing instructions against an online database.

Once it had determined what, and how, the item should be washed, nozzles will spray the fabric with specific quantities of detergent. Then, when the hardware is confident that the stubborn stains have been taken, the clothes are suction dried and blasted with UV light. Finally, another robotic arm will fold the clothes ready for you to put them back into your drawers. If that sounds familiar, it’s because the company has been working on Laundroid, a laundry-folding robot for the last couple of years.

Panasonic admits that the Sustainable Maintainer is the better part of a decade away from being consumer-ready. But the fact that the company is, at least, trying to look beyond mere refinements to the existing technology is heartening. It’s not simply enough to look to tweak the existing formula, especially when big ideas are so en vogue.

However, that exact approach is being taken by some of the more traditional appliance makers exhibiting at IFA 2017. Hoover, Candy, Sharp and others have all decided that more iterative refinements, bolting on connected technology to their existing hardware. These devices are little more than a washing machine, oven, and dishwasher with touchscreens running Android. But, unlike the more radical concepts on show here, will actually be available in stores within the year.

Even the humble oven isn’t immune to the future, thanks to Miele’s brand new Dialog Oven. The company has developed a way to use the same electromagnetic waves that are broadcast for mobile phone networks as a vehicle for cooking food. It’s similar to a microwave, albeit using an entirely different frequency, and one that apparently will cook your food perfectly every time. It’ll cost you, though, since it’s expected to cost close to $10,000 when it launches next year.

Up close and personal, the most obvious difference between Dialog and any other oven is its two-inch-thick door. That’s to keep the device from blasting its neighbors with the waves, as well as to avoid disrupting nearby communications signals. The company showed off the technology by cooking a fish to perfection despite it being sat in a block of ice. More importantly, however, this system will mean that you can slow roast pulled pork in two hours instead of five or ten.

Some of these appliances will have an easier route to our homes than others, especially the ones that aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel. The companies that are simply trying to bolt on smart features to their existing products are going to have the most success in the short term. Hell, in a year or two it’ll probably be hard to find appliances that don’t offer some sort of smartphone control.

But in the longer term, it’ll be the bigger ideas that offer a radically improved way to live our lives that’ll win out. The downside to that is that these things take an order of magnitude more time to get picked up than, say, smartphones. On average, we replace our phones once every two-and-a-half-years, but replace an appliance once every decade. As a consequence, it’s going to be some time before you begin living with your first truly smart kitchen. But it is coming, and we’d best be ready for when it gets here.

Follow all the latest news from IFA 2017 here!

The military’s quest for autonomous drones could also yield sky taxis

Self driving cars are only the beginning. Within a couple decades, most anything with wheels, wings, or rotors will be able to operate, not just on its own, but in concert with hundreds or thousands of similarly self-guided vehicles around it. This won’t just revolutionize how current transportation systems operate, it will open up entirely new roles for unmanned vehicles — especially aircraft.

In fact, the roles of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in military applications is continually evolving. Originally developed just after WWII as self-flying targets, UAVs today perform a variety of roles, from intelligence gathering and reconnaissance to strike missions.

Their usage changed dramatically since the September 11th attacks. “The counter terrorism activities that occurred there really became an insatiable demand for a full motion video [in military surveillance],” said John Clark, Skunk Works vice president of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance — manned and unmanned. “And that full motion video, I’ll argue, is the most prominent element of driving UAV growth over the last 15 years.”

“This is a totally different ability to derive intelligence information by being able to look at video and actually understand how people are,” he explained. “How they’re behaving, what they’re doing and being able to follow them. And instead of just getting a snapshot in time… you’re able to derive intent.”

As machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies continue to mature, the roles of military UAVs will similarly evolve just as the technologies have impacted manned aircraft. “If you look at the decision aiding capabilities that exist within an F-35 or F-22 cockpit, those decision aiding tools that are giving the pilot information,” Clark said, are the same software applications that feed similar recommendations to remote UAV operators. That said, Skunk Works has a “laundry list” of projects working towards further maturing its AI systems.

For example, the company has installed autonomous control systems into an F-16 and leveraged it as a “loyal wingman,” according to Clark. “The unmanned system actually senses what the manned system is doing and responds accordingly — staying in formation with them, performing an appropriate maneuver based on what the manned system does… it becomes part of an orchestration process.”

It’s been a long road to get even to this point of automation, Clark points out. From the outset, control systems for UAVs have taken on a “satellite mindset” wherein “every payload has somebody tending to it.” The result was a workload-intensive environment with various operators stepping all over each other.

Skunk Works instead has taken a “single seat cockpit mentality”. As Clark explains, the pilot of a single-seat aircraft is responsible for handling dozens of flight subsystems. But rather than replace the pilot entirely, Skunk Works is developing systems to assist the pilot do his job more efficiently. This includes a focus on simplifying displays and interfaces to ensure that the information being presented to the pilot is timely, accurate and actionable.

And for the foreseeable future, there will be a human at the helm of the operation, even if they’re not actually operating the vehicle, Clark assured me. Regardless of how fast these assistive AI’s can process data, they’ll always need to receive confirmation from the operator before executing tasks. “It becomes a way of keeping the human in the loop so that they understand what’s going on but they’re not directly responsible for controlling or guiding every facet of the system,” Clark said.

This slow takeover of the cockpit by assistive AIs is only going to continue over the next few decades. As for what autonomous UAVs would look like in 20 year, Clark said, “I would assert it would be something that would be largely indistinguishable from a manned platform. I’d really like to see the systems grow and merge with all of the multi mission capability that we’ve seen in our manned fighters and ISR systems.”

The only thing standing in Skunk Works way is, ironically, the government itself. “The government will have to develop new processes and procedures for how they certify their aircraft,” Clark said. “There’s just the inertia of ‘how things have been done historically’ that has to be overcome” before that will happen.

And if you thought that getting the DoD to sign off on new technologies was a challenge, you’ve never tried to certify an autonomous 11,000 pound, 12-passenger Sikorsky S76 helicopter with the Federal Aviation Administration. “These aren’t the kinds of drones you can find in Brookstone,” quipped Chris Van Buiten, vice president of Sikorsky Innovations.

The AI, therefore, has “got to be designed to the highest levels of integrity, redundancy, and robustness,” he continued. “One, to preserve the vehicle that may cost $10 million or more, but much more importantly, all of our products have passengers on board.” Van Buiten estimates that certification will take another 3 – 4 years should the process go as planned.

Still, that’s a huge step up from the level of technology we saw even just 10 years ago. Back then autonomous functions were barely out of the lab. “The processing required to do high speed flight close to the ground required a supercomputer that completely filled the cabin of the helicopter,” Van Buiten explained. “It physically filled the cabin, it would have fully consumed the payload and we would have had to fly with the doors open” to keep it cool. Today, the same amount of processing power fits in a box the size of a toaster. “And we’ve doubled the number of cores!” he exclaimed.

And for the company’s self-flying research platform, the SARA (Sikorsky’s Autonomy Research Aircraft), every last bit and byte those cores can produce is vital. It’s a modified S76 helicopter outfitted with triplex fly-by-wire controls and is capable of taking off and landing without any human intervention. That massive processing capability is necessary because of the nature of how we use helicopters compared with cars or planes.

“In an airplane, it would be leaving kind of a groomed runway and fly on a preset trajectory. Typically they’re flying at 30,000 feet where there aren’t other obstacles — you just need to make sure you’re avoiding other aircraft,” Van Buiten said. Helicopters on the other hand, “operate in and amongst obstacles close to the ground. The value of a helicopter is that you can land almost anywhere.”

Van Buiten points out that roughly two-thirds of helicopter accidents are caused, not by mechanical failure, but rather what the industry calls “controlled flight into terrain.” That is when the pilot, say, accidentally snags a rotor on an overhead power line or strikes a commercial drone (or is struck by an airborne police car).

An example of “controlled flight into terrain” from Die Hard With a Vengeance

Automation could completely prevent this sort of accident from occurring, Van Buiten argues. It would act “as a third crewmember that’s hyper-vigilantly visually scanning the surroundings, looking for obstacles and risks to the mission, and provides a kind of crash-proof functionality to the crew,” he said.

The company is already testing the functionality aboard SARA. Van Buiten figures that as these sorts of autonomous systems mature and gain greater acceptance amongst a pilot community that has, to date, been reticent to embrace AI, we’ll see flight crews shrink until virtually all operational functions are handled by a computer. And that’s when things get interesting.

We’re already using autonomous helicopters to perform missions deemed too dangerous for human pilots, such as delivering supplies to forward operating bases in Afghanistan. Just wait until they take over one of the most dangerous positions for civilians: cab driving. Van Buiten envisions an “Uber-like” transportation solution for urban mobility issues.

“The really hard problem for me is the certifiable autonomy that lets those systems operate with push-button ease,” Van Buiten said. “We want someone who has zero training to walk in and take a seat and generally do what they do on an elevator, press a button, and be able to say ‘I’m next to this building and I want to end up at that building’.”

“We call it Click and Fly flight” he continued. As with SARA, “you go in and hit a button that says ‘Take Off’,” and that’s it. The computer handles the nitty gritty details of actually getting you off the ground, through the air, and then safely back onto the ground. Of course, this same technology can be applied to everything from Search and Rescue missions to Medivac flights and military operations.

But as with Skunk Works’ autonomous UAVs, Sikorsky has no intention of handing over full flight control to an AI. “There will always be people on the loop. we’re migrating from people being in-the-loop, to on-the-loop, which some people call ‘supervised autonomy’.” Still, he explained, “the power of the autonomy improvements and advancements will be that we can go from one human on one loop to one human on ten loops or a hundred or a thousand.”

There’s still quite a ways to go before we are all flying around in people-sized autonomous quadcopters. Beyond convincing pilots to let AI into their cockpits, significant changes to federal policy and certification practices will have to be enacted. And, most importantly, a cultural shift — a fundamental adjustment in how we view, value, and trust autonomous systems — must occur before the average person will be willing to set foot in a flying machine piloted by a thinking machine.

Here are the best LG V30 cases to keep your new phone safe

The LG V30 is finally here, and it’s a beautiful phone with its edge-to-edge display and glass back. It’s so beautiful you’ll probably want to keep it as protected as possible. That’s why we’ve put together this list of best LG V30 cases, aimed at helping you find the right look and feel for your device. The V30 isn’t available for pre-order yet, so case options are limited. We’ll update this list with more choices LG opens up orders.

As-Guard Flexible TPU Case ($7.90)

Looking to keep things as simple as possible? This case will keep your phone protected from basic drops and scratches, while ensuring it maintains a nice sleek profile. It will fit in your pocket without adding too much extra bulk. The case is a simple black, and it has a cutout for your camera and for the rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. It’s pretty cheap too at $7.90 on Amazon.

Buy now from:

Amazon

Tauri Wallet Leather Case ($10)

The Tauri Wallet Leather Case is designed for those who want a slightly classier look to their phone. Not only does it offer a leather protective barrier, but it also includes a number of slots for things like credit cards — meaning you can leave the traditional wallet at home. There’s even a space for cash. It’ll set you back $10 in total, which is pretty reasonable.

Buy now from:

Amazon

Supcase Rugged Holster Case ($18)

Looking to protect your phone at all costs, no matter the added bulk? This case is designed to be as rugged as possible, while still providing access to the phone’s ports, buttons, and so on. It’s also great for those who prefer having their phone in a belt-mounted holster rather than in their pocket. It’s a little pricier than some of the other cases, but it’s well worth the extra protection.

Buy now from:

Amazon

Lumion Crystal Clear Slim Fit Cover ($14)

The LG V30 is a great-looking phone, and you might not want to cover up that sexy look. Getting a clear case is the best of both worlds — it’ll keep your phone nice and safe, while still allowing you to show off the phone’s design. The case offers a dual-layer design for shock absorption, and Lumion boasts “military grade level protection” as it meets MIL STD 810F-516 certification. In other words, it’s a pretty tough case.

Buy now from:

Amazon

Wellci Tough Rugged Case Cover ($8)

This rugged case by Wellci not only protects your phone, but it comes in a range of colors — so you can personalize the look to fit your style. There’s also a little kickstand you can fold out to place your phone on the table. Like other cases, it has a cutout for things like the camera and fingerprint scanner, and it looks quite good too.

Buy now from:

Amazon

Can’t get enough of the LG V30? Check out our V30 hands-on review if you haven’t yet, and we also have a video reviewing some Cine Effects from the new Cine Video mode in the V30’s camera app. If you’re coming from the V20, you may want to also check out V30 vs. V20 comparison post to see how the V30 stacks up.

Get access to Roku’s full streaming service for just $25

This deal from Thrifter features two Roku devices for just $25 today!

If you’ve got $25 to spend, you can get a Roku today. The Roku Express is down to $25 on Amazon. It’s normally $30 and has never had a direct price drop this low.

The Roku Express+ is also down to $25 during an Amazon Gold Box deal of the day. It’s a refurbished unit but it comes with a 90-day warranty from Roku and is covered by Amazon customer service. Normally, the Express+ is $35 refurbished or new.

The Roku Express is a media streaming device that gives you access to the entire Roku lineup, which includes more than 4,500 streaming channels. All of the big names like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and Pandora, are available. Both devices plug into your TV via HDMI, offer 1080p HD streaming and have an infrared remote control.

The major difference between the Express and the Express+ is the latter is backwards compatible with older TVs and comes with a composite A/V cable (the cable with red, yellow, and white ports).

Both devices are a great way to get access to a lot of your favorite shows without paying a monthly price for cable. If you really want to cut the cord, invest in one of these simple HDTV antennae to get broadcasting stations near you.

See the Express at Amazon See the Express+ at Amazon

More from Thrifter:

• What does Amazon’s takeover of Whole Foods mean for you?
• Five free travel apps to help you save big on hotel stays

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