The Mohu Leaf Metro TV antenna can’t get much lower than $13

The Mohu Leaf Metro HDTV antenna is down to $12.74 on Amazon. It has been selling around $15 or higher since August, but that’s only after dropping from a more regular price of $20. How much cheaper can this thing get before Mohu is basically just giving them away?

The Mohu Leaf is an over-the-air HDTV antenna with a 25-mile range.

Features include:

• Access High Definition Over-the-Air TV channels without a cable or satellite subscription, including ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, Fox, Univision and more
• Multi-Directional and Reversible HDTV Antenna: Paintable to match any decor, no “pointing” needed and comes with included 10 ft. high performance cable
• Derived From Advanced US Military Technology: Engineered to provide superior access to more free HDTV channels in 1080 HD
• Enables access to free channels only – does not enable access to paid channels such as ESPN/Fox News. Visit Mohu’s website to see availability in your area
  TV Antenna Designed and Manufactured in the USA

Mohu covers the Leaf Metro with a one-year warranty.

See at Amazon

Android Phone With The Best Camera

• Best overall
• Best runner-up
• Best for tweaking
• Best balanced

Best overall

Google Pixel 2

See at Verizon
See at Best Buy
See at Google Store

For the second year in a row, Google’s Pixel series has the best camera out there. Not only is the 12MP sensor improved over its predecessor’s, but the addition of optical image stabilization makes for some incredibly stable 4K video.

The Pixel 2 also adds an excellent portrait mode from both the front and back cameras, which is a lot of fun to play with, along with Motion Photos, which capture a bit of movement before and after the shutter is taken.

At the end of the day, though, the simple fact that you can rely on the Pixel 2’s camera to take a great photo in almost any lighting condtion makes it the best camera around.

Bottom line: For the best possible photos from every type of situation, the Pixel 2 is your best choice.

One more thing: The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL share the exact same camera hardware, so they produce the same quality of photos.

Why the Google Pixel 2 is the best

Back when Google released the Pixels in 2016, no one expected them to have the best cameras in the Android ecosystem. In 2017, the legacy was already established, and no one had any doubt: the Pixel 2 series has an amazing camera. Whether you go with the diminutive Pixel 2 or the larger 2 XL, the same fundamentals are true: incredible photo quality in any lighting condition; bullet-fast shutter speeds; amazing video stabilization; and fun features, like Portrait Mode and Motion Photos.

The Pixel 2’s camera app doesn’t have the same breadth of features as many of its competitors — there’s no manual mode at all — but much of the magic happens behind the scenes. Google has also added a new piece of hardware to the mix, the Pixel Visual Core, to allow third party apps to access the machine learning prowess of the Pixel 2’s camera.

Best runner-up

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

See at Verizon
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See at T-Mobile
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The Galaxy Note 8 shares the same fundamentals as its S8 counterparts, but includes a secondary telephoto lens that adds a portrait mode called Live Focus.

The Note S8 takes excellent photos in just about every situation, leaning on those bigger 1.4 micron pixels and bright lens to make the most of dark scenes. Samsung’s new processing is a bit less saturated and more balanced than the GS7, but still steps away from “neutral” and leans toward “pleasing to the eye” instead — that’s not an issue, but simply a characteristic of Samsung’s cameras. The GS8’s edge detail and sharpening are much improved all around from last year.

The camera app is still blazingly fast to open and consistent, adding in a whole bunch of shooting modes and a few neat features that enhance the experience.

While the second sensor and lens combo isn’t essential, the dual OIS and portrait mode combo makes it one of the most potent out there, and a great alternative to the Pixel 2.

Bottom line: The Note 8 is a joy to shoot with, especially since it has such a great manual mode.

One more thing: Samsung’s front-facing camera also offers auto focus, which is a nice-to-have feature you don’t get everywhere.

Best for tweaking

LG G6

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See at T-Mobile
See at Sprint
See at B&H

LG has taken the dual camera setup from the V20 and vastly improved it with the G6. Both sensors are identical 12MP units, leading to increased quality of the wide-angle shots and more similar shots overall between the two. This makes the dual camera setup more valuable, as you can lean on the 125-degree wide-angle lens in the same way as the standard 71-degree one.

Despite having relatively small 1.12-micron pixels, the main camera takes amazing photos paired with its f/1.8 lens. During the day it’s quite neutral and true to life, while at night it does well to recreate the scene without adding light that isn’t actually there.

LG’s camera app can still be a little slow and isn’t as fast as Samsung’s or simple as Google’s, but gets the job done. And as a trade off it also offers a whole heap of manual controls so you can tweak anything you want.

Bottom line: With a main camera that can challenge the competition and an extra wide-angle shooter, the G6 offers many great options for photos.

One more thing: The LG G6 is also the cheapest phone in this lineup, offering perhaps the best value for your money when looking at the cameras.

Best balanced

Huawei Mate 10 Pro

See at Amazon (Mate 10)

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro (which isn’t officially available in the U.S. yet), has one of the best dual camera systems out there today. Sharp, detailed photos from come from the main 12MP color sensor, while the 20MP secondary monochrome sensor helps pull in a tremendous amount of light for darker shots.

Huawei has always made phones with decent cameras, but the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro take things to another level entirely. The camera app is still a bit wonky — you have to manually activate HDR, for instance — but there is an excellent, full-featured Pro mode and plenty of ways to tweak a photo after the fact.

Bottom line: The Mate 10 Pro contains Huawei’s finest camera yet, and it’s a joy to use.

One more thing: The Mate 10 Pro is coming to the U.S. in the new year.

Conclusion

Google still has the best camera when it comes to photo quality, but it’s followed closely by three other phones that all have their own perks. The Galaxy Note 8 is fast and feature-packed, the LG G6 has its dual cameras and the Mate 10 Pro has incredible low light performance.

Best overall

Google Pixel 2

See at Verizon
See at Best Buy
See at Google Store

For the second year in a row, Google’s Pixel series has the best camera out there. Not only is the 12MP sensor improved over its predecessor’s, but the addition of optical image stabilization makes for some incredibly stable 4K video.

The Pixel 2 also adds an excellent portrait mode from both the front and back cameras, which is a lot of fun to play with, along with Motion Photos, which capture a bit of movement before and after the shutter is taken.

At the end of the day, though, the simple fact that you can rely on the Pixel 2’s camera to take a great photo in almost any lighting condtion makes it the best camera around.

Bottom line: For the best possible photos from every type of situation, the Pixel 2 is your best choice.

One more thing: The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL share the exact same camera hardware, so they produce the same quality of photos.

Update, November 2017: The Google Pixel 2 is now our top camera, followed by the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and Huawei Mate 10 Pro. The LG G6 remains on our list for its awesome photo quality and wide-angle prowess.

Best UK Cyber Monday Deals 2017

We know not everyone can browse tons of deal feeds to find the best deal, so we’ve simplified it for you. This list will constantly be updating, so be sure to check back frequently.

• Smart Home
• Amazon Devices
• Toys
• PlayStation
• Xbox
• Fashion & Beauty

Smart Home

• TP-Link AC1750 Gigabit Passthrough for £74.99
• Up to 45% off Hive smart thermostats
• Fire TV Stick with Alexa for £24.99
• 155 for the Furbo Dog Camera
• Up to 50% off Floorcare Appliances
• Save big on Sonos speakers

Amazon Devices

• Echo Dot is only $30
• Fire 7 Kids Edition Tablet for £69.99
• Fire HD 8 Kids Edition Tablet for £89.99
• £20 off Echo

Toys

• Fire 7 Kids Edition Tablet for £69.99
• Fire HD 8 Kids Edition Tablet for £89.99

PlayStation

• 12 Month Membership of PlayStation Plus for only £36.85
• Sony PlayStation 4 (500GB) with three games for £199.99

Xbox

• Get £5 FREE credit with the Xbox Live £45 Gift Card
• Get £5.00 off 3 Month or £6.50 off 12 Month Xbox Live Gold
• Xbox One S 500GB Console – Rocket League Blast-Off Bundle

Fashion & Beauty

• Oral-B Smart 4 4000N Toothbrush for £36
• Up to 44% off on Connected Health devices

Pair the Essential Phone with its 4K 360-degree camera for just $399 today

Some say that saving money is Essential.

Is this deal for me?

We’ve seen Android phones push the limits over and over in 2017, and one of the bolder moves was the near edge-to-edge display that Essential introduced. While the phone received some mixed reviews, people have fallen in love with the look and feel of it, and now owning one just got a bit more affordable.

Right now you can pick up an unlocked Essential Phone from Amazon with the 4K 360-degree camera for $399. This discount is available for both the black and white versions of the phone.

The phone features a 5.7-inch LCD display, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. Some locations may have it available for same-day pickup, but if not you can opt for next-day shipping so you won’t have to wait long to play around with it.

TL;DR

• What makes this deal worth considering? – This is the lowest discount we’ve seen on the unlocked version of the Essential Phone, and it comes with the 4K 360-degree camera.
• Things to know before you buy! – Previous deals at Amazon have sold out quickly on the Essential Phone, so be sure to get your order in sooner than later!

See at Amazon

Best word games for Android

Twist your tongue with these great word games for Android.

We’ve rounded up the best Android word games you’ll find in the Google Play Store. These will test your puzzle-solving skills, trivia knowledge, and sheer reflexes. Quite a few have in-app purchases, but still offer plenty of free content on their own.

Ready to start working with letters? Check out our list of the best Android word games!

• Words with Friends 2
• Wordament
• Heads Up!
• 4 Pics 1 Word
• Snap Attack
• Wheel of Fortune Free Play

Words With Friends 2

Words With Friends is one of those classic games that practically everyone has played, so it only makes sense that, eventually, a sequel would be released.

So what’s new with Words With Friends 2? Zynga has completely redesigned the look and feel of the game while also adding a bunch of cool new game modes. There’s Solo Challenge which pits you against iconic literary figures controlled by the CPU, from Jane Austen to the master wordsmith himself William Shakespeare. Then there’s Lightning Round which is a team-based mode where it’s a race to get to 750 points. Each member of your team starts with their own board and you swap and add words to each other’s board as fast as you can. Both of these modes seem to address the biggest gripe with the original game — waiting for your friend to finally play a word.

Its a substantial update to a beloved game that’ll likely lead to a whole bunch of Facebook invitations to play from friends and family, and does good work to further differentiate Words With Friends from Scrabble.

Download: Words With Friends 2 (Free w/IAPs)

Wordament

Wordament is an online-only multiplayer game that lets you compete against other spellers across the globe. Swipe to connect letters diagonally, horizontally, and vertically in order to score points based on a word’s rarity, determined by how often the word is found by the player-base. You can rotate the board to better see combination options, but the placement of letters does not change in relation to other letters.

Add an Xbox or Facebook account in order to keep track of your friends and progress as you move up the leaderboard. Ads are minimal — a refreshing for many gamers.

Download: Wordament (Free)

Heads Up!

Heads Up! is a really fun local multiplayer trivia game. One player holds a phone or tablet to their head showing a word, and a teammate gives hints as to what the word is (without saying it specifically, of course). A quick flip down of the device brings up a fresh word when guessed right, while a flip-up is a pass. After it’s all done, you can watch a video replay taken from the device’s front-facing camera and share it out with friends. There are six themed packs available out of the gate, and plenty more through in-app purchases of about a buck a pop.

You definitely need to give Heads Up! a try if you’ve been looking for something easy to play at parties.

Download: Heads Up! (Free w/IAPs)

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4 Pics 1 Word

How good are you at word association? Put your brain to the test to find the right word in 4 Pics 1 Word.

This game gives your four pictures that are all connected by a common word. Can you figure it out? This is a great casual game that starts out pretty easy but gets progressively more difficult as you reach the higher levels. There are literally thousands of levels to play so you’re never going to run out of puzzles. It’s a great game to play by yourself or with a small group of friends. It gets your brain going — and is also filled with ads. But it’s free!

Download: 4 Pics 1 Word (Free)

Snap Attack

SnapAttack is the classic Scrabble game with a twist. Instead of taking turns against opponents creating words one at a time, SnapAttack gives you 2.5 minutes, 7 letter tiles, and a board with two words already on it. Your job is to place the letter tiles on the board as words and rearrange them as many times as possible before your time is up. SnapAttack rewards points the same way as Scrabble: tiles are assigned a number, and the board has score multipliers in the form of double- or triple-word and letter scores.

Work your way up the global leaderboard by creating as many words as possible during each round. A new round will automatically begin, so expect to lose track of time. There doesn’t seem to be any ads in this game, a nice change from the norm.

Download: Snap Attack (Free)

Wheel of Fortune Free Play

The classic word-guessing game show is available for mobile in the form of Wheel of Fortune Free Play. Featuring slick graphics and Pat Sajak himself, Wheel of Fortune Free Play is the official game of the beloved game show. Spin the wheel and solve the word puzzles, and then see if you can win the bonus round

You’ll have to play for a while to level up and unlock new modes like head-to-head and Vanna’s Showcase, and there are daily bonus rewards to keep you playing. If you love Wheel Of Fortune, you’ll love the mobile game.

Download: Wheel of Fortune Free Play (Free)

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Your favorite word game?

Let us know in the comments below if we missed any of your favorite word games! If you’d like to see more great Android games, check out our roundup of the best Android games.

Samsung’s use of graphene in batteries makes charging five times faster

The use of graphene with lithium-ion batteries could increase battery capacity by 45-percent make charge speeds five times faster.

Smartphones today are becoming slimmer, bezels are shrinking, processors are getting faster, and more software features are added. Unfortunately, when it comes to battery technology, there’s nothing terribly exciting happening at the moment. Or is there?

According to a report published by Nature, Samsung’s Advanced Institute of Technology has been working with graphene to both increase battery capacity and drastically reduce recharge times. Samsung’s used the material to create a “graphene ball” – a special coating that’s used inside a typical lithium-ion battery that’s found in most modern smartphones.

With the graphene ball, Samsung has reportedly been able to increase battery capacity by as much as 45-percent and increase the speed of charging by five times.

There’s currently no time-frame as to when this tech will make its way to consumers.

Devices like the Huawei Mate 10 and Pixel 2 XL already offer tremendous battery life, but imagine their current performance enhanced by 45%. OnePlus’s Dash Charge system is crazy fast, and while getting “a day’s power in half an hour” is convenient, possibly being able to charge your phone from 0 to 100-percent in less than 20 minutes is out of this world.

Better yet, Samsung’s team that’s been working on the graphene ball report that batteries with the new tech still hold a charge retention of 78-percent even after 500 total charge cycles. In other words, you can get wild recharge times without having to worry nearly as much about degrading the quality of the battery itself.

Samsung has filed patents for this graphene ball in both the United States and South Korea, but it’s unclear for the time being when we’ll see this technology implemented into smartphones that we can actually buy and use. We’re likely a few years off before any of this comes to market, but the fact that this tech exists and is actively being worked on is still extremely exciting.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

• Galaxy Note 8 review
• Complete Galaxy Note 8 specs
• Galaxy Note 8 vs. Galaxy Note 5
• Which Note 8 color is best?
• Join our Galaxy Note 8 forums

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Best Buy

Best Accessories for the BlackBerry Motion

What are the best accessories for the BlackBerry Motion?

BlackBerry continued its comeback push in 2017 following up the type-tastic KEYone with the more traditionally designed BlackBerry Motion. It’s a pretty solid device at a reasonable price point that includes a massive battery, expandable storage, and is also the first water-resistant BlackBerry.

If you’re a CrackBerry addict making the leap to Android for the first time, or simply upgrading to a new phone you’re going to need the right accessories to get the most out of your BlackBerry Motion.

• Incipio DualPro Case
• BlackBerry Cases
• Anker PowerLine USB-C to USB 3.0 cable [3-pack]
• Aukey Quick Charge 3.0 Car Charger
• Samsung EVO Select 128GB Class 10 microSD card
• Spigen Style Ring

Incipio DualPro Case

The DualPro case by Incipio is essentially Incipio’s flagship case which they make for nearly all major phones released, including the BlackBerry Motion.

This is a classic case style with no frills or unnecessary accents — just a two-layer case designed to protect your phone protected from drops. The interior is made of shock absorbing TPU while the outer shell is made of rigid polycarbonate with a soft touch finish. Available in all-black for $29.99, this is a reliable case with a classic look.

If you’re looking for something with a bit more flash and style, Incipio will also have a Carnaby Esquire Series case available soon, so you may want to keep your eye on that one.

See at Amazon

BlackBerry Cases

Longtime BlackBerry fans know that typically some of the best cases for BlackBerry phones are offered by BlackBerry itself, and that appears to be the situation with the BlackBerry Motion.

There are two case styles available for the Motion on the BlackBerry Mobile website — the Privacy FlipCase and a classic Hard Shell case.

We’ve featured the Privacy FlipCase because it’s the most intriguing option because it’s packed with awesome features like a transparent flip cover that leaves the touchscreen fully functional with the cover closed while also doubling as a privacy shield that limits your screen’s viewing angle so you don’t have any looky-loos on your daily commute trying to sneak a peak at your screen. There’s also a built-in card slot on the back to help free up some space in your wallet.

So far we’ve only found these cases available for sale from Clove, a UK-based online store, but you can also also register for availability updates from the BlackBerry Mobile website.

See at BlackBerry

Anker PowerLine USB-C to USB 3.0 cable [3-pack]

You can never have too many charging cables, right? With all the newest devices shifting to USB-C its time to swap those Micro-USB cables for USB-C.

This three-pack of USB-C cables from Anker are a great deal at $11. Anker is a trusted brand for charging accessories and these cable are built to last. Each cable is three feet long, which should be plenty for most. Leave one at the office, use one in your car, and keep a spare around the house so you’re never left searching for one if it’s time to top up your phone.

See at Amazon

Aukey Quick Charge 3.0 Car Charger

The BlackBerry motion supports Quick Charge 3.0 technologies, so you’re going to want efficient charging accessories to match. One place that’s always convenient to have a charger is in your car, and this Aukey Quick Charge 3.0 offers two USB ports for charging devices.

It’s a sleek design and plugs into your car’s 12V charging port. Aukey has built in safeguards to protect your phone from excessive current and overheating, and stand by their products with a 45-Day money-back guarantee and a 24-month product replacement warranty.. Make sure you always arrive at your destinations with a fully-charged phone for just $20. It’s also, coincidentally, orange and black for all you CrackBerry fans crossing over to Android.

See at Amazon

Samsung EVO Select 128GB Class 10 microSD card

BlackBerry was kind enough to include a microSD card slot for expanding the Motion’s storage capabilities — and it’s surprisingly easy to use up the 32GB of internal storage. But fortunately there are great deals to be had on microSD card.

Consider this 128GB Samsung EVO Plus card — at just $56 it’s an absolute bargain. With read speeds of up to 100MB/s and write speeds of up to 90MB/s you can quickly and easily transfer files to and from the phone. It’s also U3 classified which makes it perfect for shooting 4K video.

See at Amazon

Spigen Style Ring

If you’ve been following along with CrackBerry’s coverage of the new BlackBerry devices, you knew this one was coming. The Spigen Style ring is CrackBerry Kevin’s favorite phone accessory and it’s clear to see why once you start using one. The Style Ring easily attaches to the back of the phone or your case and ensures you never drop your phone — simply slip your finger in the ring and your phone isn’t going anywhere.

The 3M adhesive pad gives you a confident grip without having to actually hold onto your phone. It’s great for walking and talking or snagging a quick photo or video at a concert. It also works as a kickstand for hands-free videos and also includes a minimalist mounting hook for your car. You can see what all the hype is about for yourself for just $14.

See at Amazon

The best Cyber Monday deals

This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter, reviews for the real world. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter’s independently chosen editorial picks, they may earn affiliate commissions that support their work. Read their continuously updated list of deals here.

Parrot Swing Drone

Street price: $60; deal price: $80

Our best cheap drone for beginners gets its first notable drop. We wrote, “The Swing is not the fastest drone we’ve flown, but it is the only inexpensive model that can reliably hold its position in the air even in windy conditions. That makes it easy to fly for even the most inexperienced pilot.”

Echo Dot

Street price: $30; deal price: $50

Best price we’ve seen on the Echo Dot, $5 below previous sales. We wrote, “For a lot less than the full-size Echo, and with the ability to connect wirelessly to your choice of speaker or sound system, the Echo Dot 2 is a smart option.”

Sennheiser OCX 686 Wired Workout Headphones

Street price: $35; deal price: $75

A price that matches the low on these workout earbuds, usually around $60. We wrote, “this Sennheiser model is designed to be sweat-proof, and like many workout headphones we looked at, also features “antimicrobial” ear tips, so even if your workout gets nasty, your headphones shouldn’t.”

Belkin Wemo Mini Smart Switch

Street price: $25; deal price: $35

A few dollars above the Black Friday sale, our pick for best plug-in smart outlet is still worthwhile at $25. We wrote, “It also plays nicely with both iOS and Android smartphones and tablets and integrates easily with popular smart-home protocols and devices.”

Logitech HD Webcam C615

Street price: $31; deal price: $40

Our budget webcam, down to the best price we’ve seen this year. We wrote, “the C615 is just as easy to set up as more expensive picks and has the best video quality of any webcam we tested under $50.”

BT2200 Volume Limited Kids’ Bluetooth Headphones

Street price: $80; deal price: $100

Our pick for kids headphones down to $80, $20 off, with code Puro20. We wrote, “The Puro BT2200 is our pick because not only do these headphones remain within safe listening levels when used properly, but they were also the top pick of all our kid panelists, which means your little ones will be more likely to use them.”

Monoprice Premium 5.1-Ch. Home Theater System 10565

Street price: $140; deal price: $180

Our budget pick in our budget surround system guide, matching the low we’ve seen for it. We wrote, “The Monoprice system may not be quite as neutral and natural-sounding, but its subwoofer plays a little deeper and voices are a bit more pronounced.”

Zagg Rugged Messenger 10.5-Inch iPad Pro Keyboard Case

Street price: $70; deal price: $100

A new low on this rugged versatile keyboard case pick. We wrote, “It’s a great choice if you need to keep your iPad Pro safe in rough environments (or even just in the hands of your kids). And the Rugged Messenger’s unique design may even win over a few people who don’t think they need that kind of protection. “

Mophie Power Capsule

Street price: $20; deal price: $30

A staff pick charging case for Bluetooth earbuds, down to $20, a new low. This battery case keeps your wireless earbuds safe and ensures they’re always charged when you get to the gym.

UE Boom 2 Bluetooth Speaker

Street price: $80; deal price: $165

The best price we’ve seen, nearly dropping down to UE Roll 2 prices. We wrote, “The Boom 2 now has a nice Party Up feature, which lets you play the same audio source through as many Boom 2 and UE Megaboom units as you like. It’s a great way to do multiroom sound on the cheap.”

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

Street price: $90; deal price: $120

Only $10 more than the best price we’ve seen on our favorite ebook reader. We wrote, “The Kindle Paperwhite is light and small, with a side-lit screen that allows you to read in dim lighting. Amazon also offers the most impressive library in terms of scope and price.”

Asus Chromebook Flip 302CA

Street price: $387; deal price: $475

A new low on our top Chromebook. We wrote, “It’s fast enough for tab-heavy browser work, it provides a full workday of battery life, and it has a small, light body, as well as a comfortable backlit keyboard and a bright screen.”

Fire TV Stick Streaming Media Player

Street price: $20; deal price: $40

An all-time low on a surprisingly powerful streaming stick. We wrote, “it includes Amazon’s Alexa voice-controlled assistant, letting you make queries far beyond just a movie’s title.”

Blue Blackout Yeti + Assassin’s Creed Origins Streamer Bundle

Street price: $92; deal price: $150

At $92, this bundle is the best value we’ve seen on this bluetooth mic in years. We wrote, “It makes a wider spectrum of voices sound better than the other microphones we tested, which tend to favor certain tones. Our pick since 2013, the Yeti is solidly built and easier to set up on your desk than most of the competition.”

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Note from Wirecutter: When readers choose to buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn affiliate commissions that support our work.

Essential Phone drops to $399 for Cyber Monday

Another month, another Essential discount. In October, the company — spearheaded by Android creator Andy Rubin — slashed the price of its first phone to $499, and today it’s been dropped to an even more tempting $399. That price-tag also nets you a 360-degree camera module — an accessory that normally adds another $180 to your bill. As The Verge notes, the deal is available exclusively on Amazon and is no doubt a Cyber Monday special. The usual drawbacks apply — in short, the camera is a bit rubbish and there’s no headphone jack — but for the price you would be hard pushed to find a device that looks as good. The OnePlus 5T, for instance, costs $499 and the Google LG-made Pixel 2 starts at $649.

Via: The Verge

Source: Essential PH-1 (Amazon)

Kick your smartphone habit with the ‘Substitute Phone’

Cigarettes are hard to kick not just because of the nicotine, but the fact that they give you something to do with your hands. The “Substitute Phone” from Vienna-based designer Klemens Schillinger works on the same principal, if you think of content as the drug and your phone’s touchscreen as the tactile addiction. The five models look and feel like a phone, but instead of a screen, there are stone beads embedded in slots at various angles. You can just grab it and swipe, pinch and scroll, satisfying that physical need without the nicotine/content.

“More and more often one feels the urge to check their phone, even if you are not expecting a specific message or call,” Schillinger told Dezeen. “These observations inspired the idea of making a tool that would help stop this ‘checking’ behaviour.”

The handsome “devices” are made from black polyoxymethylene (acetal) plastic that simulates the heft of a phone, while the beads are natural Howlith stone. Assuming you’re willing to carry some or all five on you, they can simulate scrolling, zooming and swiping. That, Schillinger notes, calms users and helps them cope with the withdrawal symptoms. “There are no digital functions,” he adds.

The Substitute Phone was inspired by the tactile part of the smoking addiction, he said. Schillinger is also the designer behind a lamp that doesn’t work unless you feed it your smartphone, so he’s clearly serious about making our lives more analog.

Via: Dezeen

Source: Klemens Schillinger