Huawei Mate 10 Pro now on sale at Vodafone UK; first 1,000 orders get a free Huawei Watch 2

Huawei’s latest flagship is now available from Vodafone UK.

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro is now up for sale from Vodafone UK. You’ll be able to pick up the handset for £46 per month for 24 months when you pay an upfront fee of just £10, which gives you access to unlimited texts, calls, and 4GB of monthly LTE data . Vodafone is incentivizing the launch by giving away a free Huawei Watch 2 to the first 1,000 customers.

If you need more than four gigs of data, Vodafone’s Red Entertainment 8GB plan — which gives you 8GB of monthly LTE data along with free access to Sky Sports Mobile TV, Spotify Premium or NOW TV for 24 months — is available for £52 per month.

As a refresher, the Mate 10 Pro features a 6.0-inch 18:9 display, HiSilicon’s latest Kirin 970 chipset with a dedicated Neural Processing Unit and eight CPU cores, Mali-G72 MP12 GPU, 6GB of RAM, 128GB storage, dual 20MP + 12MP imaging sensors at the back tuned by Leica, 8MP front camera, Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 4.2, and a 4000mAh battery with USB-C.

In our full review, Alex called the Mate 10 Pro the best flagship for battery life:

It’s taken us a while to get here, but Huawei finally has a phone that can stand at — or at least near — the top of the Android pile. A fresh new design, dependable performance, and an excellent low-light camera complement staple “Mate” features like epic battery life and a big screen.

What makes the Mate 10 Pro a great buy today is its excellence in the core smartphone experience. Things like getting to the end of the day on a single charge, no matter what you’re doing. And taking excellent photos even in challenging night-time conditions.

Interested? Hit up Vodafone UK from the link below to get your hands on the Mate 10 Pro.

See at Vodafone

Best Android Phone Over $700

• Best overall
• Best runner-up
• Best tough phone

Best overall

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

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Samsung’s big-screened flagship phone delivers just about everything you could want from a premium handset — and with outright prices approaching $1,000, you’d hope so. The centerpiece of the Note 8 is its gorgeous 6.3-inch SuperAMOLED display, which can reach a dizzying 1,2000 nits in bright daylight for maxium visibility. You also get Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 835 processor (or Samsung’s latest Exynos 8895 processor outside North America), plus 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage as standard.

The solid camera experience of the GS8 has been augmented by a second telephoto lens, the first zoom lens with OIS (optical image stabilization) in an Android phone. And that’s backed up by all the core features you’d expect from a modern Samsung phone, like water resistance and fast wireless charging. And the S Pen is more useful than ever, with a bunch of new features.

Bottom line: The Galaxy Note 8 reigns supreme in the premium Android segment, with excellent performance across the board, only tarnished slightly by wonky fingerprint scanner placement.

One more thing:Want to pay a little less and get a slightly larger battery? Take a look at the Galaxy S8+.

Why the Galaxy Note 8 is the best

Samsung has successfully shrugged off the unfortunate legacy of the Note 7, returning with a fantastic handset that builds on the solid foundations of the Galaxy S8 series.

In addition to a slightly angular take on the S8’s design, Galaxy Note 8 owners will get everything we loved about the S8+, with a bigger and better display, the added utility of the S Pen, and a dual camera setup that introduces some really fun and creative photo possibilities. A phone that demand such a high asking price needs to excel across the board, and the Note 8 lives up to the high standards we demand from a phone in this price category.

The only thing your money won’t buy you is the latest version of Android Oreo out of the box — the Note 8’s still on Nougat for now.

Best runner-up

Google Pixel 2 XL

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The Google Pixel 2 XL gets the number-two spot here, but its basically a coin toss between these two handsets. They’re both really, really good.

Despite some controversy around display quality — for what it’s worth, the Note 8 definitely wins in this area — the larger of Google’s two second-gen Pixel phones is a force to be reckoned with. It packs top-tier specs, a unique painted aluminum chassis in either black or panda black-and-white colors. And the curved glass front, while not quite as bezelless as Samsung’s current phones, looks sleek and futuristic.

The Pixel 2 XL also boasts the latest version of Android Oreo out of the box, with speedy updates to Android 8.1 and beyond. And the rear camera, with Google’s HDR+ technology, ranks as the best smartphone camera out there right now.

If you want a cleaner Android experience, or the latest software, or if Samsung’s designs just don’t do it for you, the Pixel 2 XL is a great alternative.

Bottom line: For a clean, fast and simple Android experience with probably the best low-light camera on any phone, the Pixel 2 XL is a fantastic choice.

One more thing: Since you’re likely buying the Pixel 2 XL unlocked anyway, consider Google’s own carrier, Project Fi.

Best tough phone

Samsung Galaxy S8 Active

See at AT&T
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Available on AT&T and T-Mobile in the United States, the Galaxy S8 Active is the latest ruggedized take on a modern Samsung flagship. Once again, building on the basis of the regular Galaxy S8, the Active model sports a chunkier, more durable chassis, loses the curved dispay and boasts an enormous 4,000mAh battery for epic longevity.

Add to that all your core GS8 features, likea great 12-megapixel rear camera, a bright screen and strong performance, and you’ve got the best tough Android phone you can buy.

Bottom line: It’s not as pretty as the regular GS8, but the Active pulls ahead with a giant battery and a less accident-prone chassis.

One more thing: The Active is only available on AT&T and T-Mobile, so your buying options are much more limited compared to the Note 8 or GS8.

Conclusion

If you’re looking to spend top dollar on a phone, our top choice is the Galaxy Note 8. It’s followed closely by Google’s top-end Pixel 2 XL, though, and if you need something tougher (and you live in the United States), you can consider the Galaxy S8 Active.

Best overall

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

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See at AT&T
See at T-Mobile
See at Sprint
See at Best Buy
See at Amazon

Samsung’s big-screened flagship phone delivers just about everything you could want from a premium handset — and with outright prices approaching $1,000, you’d hope so. The centerpiece of the Note 8 is its gorgeous 6.3-inch SuperAMOLED display, which can reach a dizzying 1,2000 nits in bright daylight for maxium visibility. You also get Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 835 processor (or Samsung’s latest Exynos 8895 processor outside North America), plus 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage as standard.

The solid camera experience of the GS8 has been augmented by a second telephoto lens, the first zoom lens with OIS (optical image stabilization) in an Android phone. And that’s backed up by all the core features you’d expect from a modern Samsung phone, like water resistance and fast wireless charging. And the S Pen is more useful than ever, with a bunch of new features.

Bottom line: The Galaxy Note 8 reigns supreme in the premium Android segment, with excellent performance across the board, only tarnished slightly by wonky fingerprint scanner placement.

One more thing:Want to pay a little less and get a slightly larger battery? Take a look at the Galaxy S8+.

Update, November 2017: The Galaxy Note 8 is our new winner, closely followed by the Google Pixel 2 XL. And the new best tough phone is the Galaxy S8 Active.

Google Assistant can help troubleshoot your Pixel 2

If you own a Pixel 2, the Assistant can now help troubleshoot basic Bluetooth, camera, and battery issues.

The Google Assistant’s list of various functions has grown far too large to list off every single one at this point, and while that’s great, it also means that certain tricks can slip between the cracks every now and then. In the latest discovery, it appears that the Assistant (at least on Pixel 2 devices) can help troubleshoot some basic issues.

Initially spotted by Android Police, asking Assistant “why is my phone not charging” or telling it to “troubleshoot camera” will initiate a troubleshooting session where it’ll ask you various questions about the issue you’re having. If the Assistant can’t help you resolve whatever problem you’ve run into, it’ll ask if you want it to contact Google Support on your behalf.

The official Pixel Phone Help pages on Google’s support site list the Assistant as a way for getting help with battery and Bluetooth issues, but the Assistant has also been discovered to aid with camera problems as well.

Troubleshooting with the Assistant is reported to work on Pixel 2 handsets running the Developer Preview for Android 8.1, but I also managed to get it working on my Pixel 2 running the latest November security patch for Android 8.0. However, no matter which version of Oreo you’re running, this functionality does seem to be limited to the Pixel 2 for the time being.

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

• Pixel 2 FAQ: Everything you need to know!
• Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL review: The new standard
• Google Pixel 2 specs
• Google Pixel 2 vs. Pixel 2 XL: What’s the difference?
• Join our Pixel 2 forums

Google Store
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Best Buy

Mint SIM Introduces Revolutionary Way To Trial Wireless Service [Sponsored]

Thinking of signing up with Mint SIM but aren’t sure about service or whether or not your phone will work? Download the Mint SIM app!

Mint SIM is changing the wireless service game with its no contract plans that you pay for up front. If you’re thinking of signing up but aren’t sure about coverage or even whether or not your phone will work on the network, then Mint SIM has the perfect tool to help you figure it out.

The Mint SIM app is available for Android and it’ll let you check out the coverage map for your area. It’ll also let you know if your phone is compatible (it probably is!). If you like what you see, then you can order a test kit that comes with two SIM cards for $5. One SIM is a test SIM, which gives you 100 texts, 100MB of data, and 100 minutes to make calls, zoom along on Mint SIM’s fast LTE network, and text everyone about you’re testing out Mint SIM and they should too. The Mint SIM app will tell you how much of each you have left.

If you dig the experience and want to sign up for a Mint SIM plan, then you can easily activate the second SIM card. The $5 you paid for the test kit converts into a credit toward the plan of your choice!

Mint SIM has affordable and flexible plans to suit your usage habits and needs. Sign up for 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months, and choose from 2GB of 4G LTE data/month, 5GB/month, or 10GB/month. All plans include unlimited talk, text, and 2G data!

If you’re considering Mint SIM but aren’t certain it’s the right decision for you yet, download the app and order the test kit. Try the service, and then just activate the second SIM on the plan of your choice. Easy peasy!

Save big on your monthly wireless bill!

Download: Mint SIM (free)

Qualcomm achieves first end-to-end 5G system based on 3GPP Standard

A huge step for wide-spread 5G services.

As we move further and further into a world filled with streaming, cloud storage, and other data-reliant tasks, access to ultra-fast data speeds is becoming more and more important. Qualcomm’s been one of the leading forces when it comes to building 5G-compatible hardware, and the company recently announced that it worked together with ZTE and China Mobile to achieve the first ever 5G Interoperability Data testing (IoDT) system that’s fully compliant with the 3GPP R15 standard.

The demonstration of this system was done at China Mobile’s 5G Join Innovation Center, and the system that was used took advantage of Qualcomm’s 5G ZR sub-6 GHz UE prototype and ZTE’s 5G NR pre-commercial base station. With these technologies working together, the system kicked out multi-gigabit per second peak speeds with much lower latency compared to what we currently have with 4G infrastructures.

Such fast and reliable speeds obviously mean big improvements for downloading large files, streaming 4K video content, and much more, but what’s so significant about Qualcomm’s latest test?

Thanks to the successful run of the 5G NR IoDT system, Qualcomm is now one step closer to pushing this tech at a much larger scale and will be able to focus on the continuous development of hardware that meets these 3GPP standards that are necessary for a 5G future.

Per Qualcomm Technologie’s Vice President, Christiano Amon –

Achieving the world’s first end-to-end 5G NR interoperable data connection is true testament to our 5G leadership, driving toward the timely launch of standard-compliant commercial networks. Qualcomm Technologies is committed to the continued success of China’s wireless industry and we are excited to collaborate with ZTE and China Mobile to accelerate the path to 5G in China.

Qualcomm has managed to fit its once briefcase-sized 5G modem into a phone

Best Sleeves for Google Pixelbook

Need a great case or sleeve for your Google Pixelbook? We can help.

The Google Pixelbook is a very expensive Chromebook with an amazing display. That means you’ll definitely want to protect your investment by slipping it into some kind of case or sleeve. Here are the ones we like.

• Bellroy Sleeve for Google Pixelbook
• Mama Mouth PU Leather Folio
• Kroo Neoprene Protective Sleeve
• Tomtoc UltraSlim Sleeve
• CAISON Laptop Sleeve Case

Bellroy Sleeve for Google Pixelbook

Bellroy’s Pixelbook sleeve is Google’s official choice, and it’s hard to argue that it’s not one of the best.

Made from water-resistant fabric with genuine leather accents, to keep your Pixelbook safe and look good while doing it the Bellroy sleeve is custom built for the Pixelbook.

There’s a loop for the Pixelbook Pen, and when your Pixelbook isn’t inside it you can use it as a tablet stand by pushing in the top flap. the Bellroy case is a tight fit at first because it’s designed to hold everything snugly, but like many other things, it gets better with a little age.

There’s also a three-year warranty in case something rips or tears, which is great to see on any laptop sleeve that costs over $80.

See at Google

Mama Mouth PU Leather Folio

The Mama Mouth PU Leather Folio case is another that’s specially designed for the Pixelbook and is a great way to keep things protected. It also comes in eight different patterns and colors.

Designed to protect from dust, dirt and bumps and bruises, this folio case is made of synthetic leather on the outside and plush microfiber on the inside. It’s easy to take off if you want to go into tablet mode and the back and bottom serve as a stable platform for viewing anything on the screen.

it’s also really affordable at a price under $20!

See at Amazon

Kroo Neoprene Protective Sleeve

The Kroo Neoprene Sleeve offers complete protection and is spill resistant.

It’s a generic 13″ laptop sleeve, but one sized right to fit the Pixelbook’s 3:2 display. Featuring a padded interior as well as an external pocket for things like the Pixelbook Pen, the nylon zippers will keep your Pixelbook safe and sound inside its own padded cell.

The Kroo neoprene case comes in six color combinations and costs about $15.

See at Amazon

Tomtoc UltraSlim Sleeve

The Tomtoc UltraSlim sleeve is designed to fit 13-inch MacBooks, Surface laptops, and the Pixelbook and has room for a second device like your phone or an Amazon Kindle.

The external felt is hardened and durable while the interior felt is soft and gentle, and genuine leather accents make this one quite the looker.

The magnetic flap keeps everything closed up until you need to get to your Pixelbook, and there’s a cutout on the side to top up the battery without removing it from the case.

The Tomotc UltraSlim Sleeve lives up to its name and will keep your Pixelbook safe. It costs about $20.

See at Amazon

CAISON Laptop Sleeve Case

If you’re looking for good basic protection without any frills or fuss, the CAISON Laptop Sleeve is perfect.

Made of water-resistant nylon, it’s also fully padded with a fleece interior and is designed to hold most any 13-inch laptop, including the Pixelbook. The zipper is also padded and there is a roomy external pocket to hold your phone or other small accessories.

The CAISON Laptop Sleeve comes in black, blue, grey or military green and costs about $15.

See at Amazon

Chromebooks

• The best Chromebooks
• Should you buy a Chromebook?
• Google Play is coming to Chromebooks
• Acer Chromebook 14 review
• Join our Chromebook forums

The Rock is Chicago’s only hope in ‘Rampage’

After years of chatter, we’re finally getting a look at the movie adaptation of the classic arcade game Rampage. It stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Jeffrey Dean Morgan (!!!) and Naomie Harris. The project was announced way back in 2011 and Johnson signed on in 2015, but this is our first glimpse at it. It looks like… about what you’d expect from a movie about a trio of overgrown monsters destroying major cities, and is helmed by San Andreas director Brad Peyton.

The hook here is that Johnson’s character more or less raised George the gorilla, and then curious as he was, the primate touched a MacGuffin that edited his genes and made him grow. Then, crap gets real and Chicago is left in ruins. If you’ll remember, Chicago is the home of Rampage developer Midway, so at least that’s fitting. For what it’s worth, the trailer isn’t terrible aside from the awful remix of Smashing Pumpkins’ “Bullet With Butterfly Wings.” The Pumpkins also call Chicago home. The movie looks like it’s taking itself a little too seriously, but this could’ve been a whole lot worse. Cough, Pixels, cough. Peep it for yourself below.

Johnson has a long history with video games. He helped Microsoft unveil the original Xbox at CES in 2001, for instance, and has since starred in a movie adaptation of Doom. Oh, and he’s also in next month’s Jumanji reboot which takes a lot of cues from the Atari classic, Pitfall!. This doesn’t look he’ll have to stretch his acting chops, but at least it isn’t overly offensive. That’s really the best we can hope for at this point.

Source: Warner Bros. (YouTube)

Spotify acquires Soundtrap, an online music recording studio

Spotify has been quietly expanding recently, acquiring companies that will help it serve its customers better. Earlier this year, the streaming service acquired MightyTV to improve its content recommendations. And Spotify also purchased the blockchain startup Mediachain Labs back in April. Now, Spotify announced that it has acquired Soundtrap, a Swedish startup that allows for the creation of music in an online collaborative recording and production studio. The service will continue to operate as per usual.

This acquisition is an interesting one for Spotify. Previous purchases by the streaming company have centered on improving and refining existing services through new tech. But Soundtrap focuses on music creation. While Spotify has made clear that it wants to do more to locate and promote up and coming artists, this could signal interest in a completely different direction for the company. It certainly raises questions about what Spotify has up its sleeve with this acquisition.

Source: Spotify

Toyota plans to start selling EVs in China in 2020

Toyota recently announced plans to design and build EVs with Mazda in the US, but it has big plans elsewhere, too. The automaker will produce electric cars in both China and India starting in 2020, it said in a pair of press releases. Up until now, Toyota has focused on hydrogen and hybrid vehicles as green options, but its recent political and environmental developments have forced its hand. China, for one, aims to have two million EVs and hybrids on the road by 2019, and India plans to ban gas-powered vehicle sales completely by 2030.

The automaker said it’s also working on plug-in hybrid versions of the Corolla and Levin for China, and will evaluate the potential of hydrogen fuel cells for buses and other commercial vehicles in China.

Despite pioneering the hybrid with its Prius, Toyota admitted last month that it is a “little bit late” to the EV party compared to rivals like Nissan. To accelerate its plans in India, it’s joining up with Suzuki, which will build the vehicles while Toyota provides technical support. In China, it’s “considering having our joint-venture partners provide us with EVs,” said Toyota’s China chief, Hiroji Onishi. Doing so will also help Toyota qualify for credits in China.

Toyota also has big plans in the US, as it recently joined up with Mazda to design all-new EVs and build a $1.6 billion assembly plant. The companies will eventually produce some 300,000 electric cars per year, while aiming to “avoid the commoditization of EVs,” they said in a joint statement.

Toyota has produced the Prius since 1997, but has only built two pure EVs, the Scion iQ minicar and RAV 4 EV. In 2011, Chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada famously said that Toyota wouldn’t produce a pure electric vehicle “because we do not believe there is a market to accept it.” Since then, most major automakers have overhauled their roadmaps to include electric car lineups, thanks in part to anti-pollution regulations in countries like France and improved battery technology.

Via: Bloomberg

Source: Toyota (1), (2)

Williams-Sonoma buys AR firm to help you shop for home furnishings

Companies that do a lot of retail business online have been exploring AR in order to help customers visualize the items they’re planning on buying. In the last few months, Target, IKEA and Amazon have all announced AR initiatives to help customers seee what furniture and other large items might look like in their homes. Now, Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is joining that group. Today the retailer announced it was acquiring Outward, Inc., a 3D imaging and AR platform that’s aimed primarily at home decor and furnishings, for $112 million in cash.

While Williams-Sonoma may be primarily known as a retailer of kitchen gadgets and wares, the company owns Pottery Barn and West Elm, staples of any mall furniture shopping experience. According to Laura Alber, President and Chief Executive Officer of Williams-Sonoma, Inc, the company plans to use the tech to enable “applications in product visualization, digital room design, and augmented and virtual reality.” After the acquisition is complete, Outward will function as a subsidiary of Williams-Sonoma. It will retain its current leadership team.

Source: Williams-Sonoma, Inc.