OnePlus 5T Star Wars Limited Edition review: The Force is strong with this one

OnePlus channels the Force with its latest phone.

OnePlus has always prided itself on listening to its community, and its latest device is a testament to that. As the name suggests, the OnePlus 5T Star Wars Limited Edition is a limited-run model that is aimed at OnePlus fans in India. The company has swiftly climbed up the ranks in the subcontinent over the course of the last three years, and is now the leading manufacturer in the premium category.

The company wanted to offer a device as a way of thanking its users in India, and in doing so created its most evocative phone yet. This is the OnePlus 5T Star Wars Limited Edition.

OnePlus 5T Star Wars edition What you’ll like

The OnePlus 5T Star Wars edition features a custom white color scheme that serves to differentiate it from the standard model. In addition to the paint job, OnePlus added subtle detailing touches in the form of a black power button, SIM tray, and volume rocker. As for that bright red Alert Slider… I’m going to need to lie down for a minute.

Unlike the glossy metal back on the standard variant of the OnePlus 5T, the Star Wars edition comes with a Sandstone finish à la OnePlus One and OnePlus 2. The textured coating makes the device incredibly grippy, and is generally a huge improvement over the standard 5T.

OnePlus has offered cases that mimic the Sandstone finish of its earlier devices, but the feeling isn’t quite the same as having that coating applied to the back of a device.

The 5T Star Wars edition has a white color scheme with a Sandstone finish.

OnePlus is also bundling a Kylo Ren-themed case in the box. The case is definitely bulky and adds considerable heft to the phone, and while it’s not the most practical design out there, it looks cool.

And given the Sandstone finish, you’ll need some sort of protection to ensure your device looks pristine. Otherwise, it will end up looking like something recovered from the plains of Tatooine.

There are new additions on the software front as well. OnePlus has bundled ten exclusive wallpapers with the device, and a new Star Wars theme. The theme should be immediately familiar to you if you used the company’s dark theme in the past, with the main difference being red accents. The accents are layered throughout the settings menu and the quick toggles in the notification pane, and they look great on the AMOLED panel.

Other than the cosmetic flourishes, the 5T Star Wars edition is the same as the regular variant. You get a 6.0-inch Optic AMOLED panel with excellent saturation and color accuracy, a Snapdragon 835, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage as standard, dual 16MP + 20MP cameras at the back, 16MP front camera, Wi-Fi ac, global LTE bands, Bluetooth 5.0, aptX, aptX HD, and a 3300mAh battery with Dash Charge.

The display, camera quality, and battery life are all identical to what you get on the standard OnePlus 5T, so be sure to check out our full review of the phone to get an idea as to what’s on offer.

OnePlus 5T Star Wars edition What you won’t

The main problem with the OnePlus 5T Star Wars edition is availability. The device will be sold primarily in India and a few Nordic countries, and even in these markets it will be available in a limited run.

This phone is going to sell out soon, and OnePlus won’t make any more.

OnePlus didn’t exactly reveal how many units will be going on sale, but it’s likely going to be very limited. The fact that the phone has global LTE bands makes it a prime target for grey market dealers (and a few Hutts).

But what was clear from the launch event was that the phone will be limited to a single production run, and once the units sell out, that’s that. It’s a shame that such an evocative device isn’t available more widely, but OnePlus has mentioned from the start that the collaboration was aimed at its fans in countries like India. The limited nature of the 5T Star Wars edition adds to its appeal.

OnePlus 5T Star Wars edition Bottom line

The standard 8GB model of the OnePlus 5T by itself is a fantastic deal at ₹37,999 ($580), and the fact that the Star Wars variant costs just ₹38,999 ($600) makes it an absolute steal. The white color option combined with the red and black accents and the Star Wars logo at the back make the device immediately stand out from the standard variant of the 5T and other devices in this segment.

In short, the OnePlus 5T Star Wars edition is a collector’s item that offers great value for money. There’s not a whole lot of products that fit that bill, so if you’re in the market for a phone under ₹40,000, act now and get your hands on the OnePlus 5T Star Wars edition while it’s still on sale.

OnePlus 5T Star Wars Limited Edition: In pictures

The OnePlus 5T Star Wars Limited Edition looks stunning from all angles.

The OnePlus 5T Star Wars edition is now official, and it is just as awesome as you’d expect. OnePlus switched out the standard black option for a white color scheme, and added subtle design flourishes in the form of a bright red Alert Slider along with a black power button and volume rocker. There’s also a Star Wars logo at the back to remind you the phone is from a galaxy far, far away.

A lot of attention went into the design of the OnePlus 5T Star Wars Limited Edition, as you can see from the images below.

The OnePlus 5T Star Wars edition will go up for sale in India starting later today for ₹38,999 ($600), which is a steal considering what it brings to the table. Still not sure if you should get one? Take a look at our review to find out everything there is to know about the device:

READ: OnePlus 5T Star Wars Limited Edition review

OnePlus 5T Star Wars Limited Edition launches in India for ₹38,999 ($600)

OnePlus teams up with Disney to launch one of the best phones of the year.

After teasing the device earlier this month, OnePlus has unveiled the Star Wars-themed variant of the OnePlus 5T. The OnePlus 5T Star Wars Limited Edition will go on sale starting later tonight on Amazon India for just ₹38,999 ($600), which is a mere ₹1,000 more than the regular 8GB variant of the OnePlus 5T.

The focal point of the OnePlus 5T Star Wars edition is the white color scheme, which looks stunning. Whereas the standard version of the OnePlus 5T offers a glossy metal back, the Star Wars variant comes with a Sandstone finish, a nice throwback to older OnePlus devices.

There are other design touches elsewhere — the power button and volume rocker sport a black paint job, and the Alert Slider on the right has been painted red. Oh, and there’s a Star Wars logo engraved at the bottom of the phone round the back.

• OnePlus 5T Star Wars edition review
• OnePlus 5T Star Wars edition: In pictures

Aside from the design changes, the OnePlus 5T Star Wars edition is identical to the standard version. You get the same software build (OxygenOS 4.7.4 based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat) as the regular 5T. OnePlus is offering exclusive backgrounds and a Star Wars theme with a black color scheme and red accents with the device.

Elsewhere, you get the same 6.0-inch Full HD+ Optic AMOLED panel, Snapdragon 835, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, 16MP + 20MP rear cameras, 16MP front camera, and a 3300mAh battery. The phone will be available in limited quantities on Amazon India, and considering it costs just ₹38,999, you best get your hands on it while it’s still on sale.

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• Should you upgrade from the OnePlus 3T?
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How to replace the back glass on the Samsung Galaxy S7

It might be tempting to get a new phone if you smash the back on your Galaxy S7. But it’s a lot cheaper to just replace the glass yourself.

Glass-backed phones are inherently more fragile than their plastic or metal-backed counterparts. Glass is more slippery, phones are more prone to just slide off surfaces, and while metal or plastic will chip, glass will crack and shatter.

That’s exactly what happened to my Samsung Galaxy S7, and while the Galaxy S8 is here and the Galaxy S9 won’t be too far away, the S7 is still a very good phone worth saving.

Replacing the front glass is a different story, but if all that’s wrong with your phone is some shattering on the back, you can fix it yourself relatively quickly and very cheaply.

It’s also worth pointing out that any kind of self-repair is probably going to affect the phone’s water resistance. So don’t go dunking it afterwards.

What you’ll need

Obviously, the first thing you need is a new back. These aren’t particularly expensive, and I got mine from Amazon for about £20 ($26). This also included a basic tool kit, which includes some small screwdrivers, a suction cup, and some plastic pry tools. You may or may not need to use these as you’ll see later on.

When choosing a back, also make sure to choose one with adhesive pre-applied. Because otherwise you’ll have to do this yourself and it’s honestly not something you should have to deal with. They’re no more expensive with adhesive, just be sure to choose the right one.

It’s also worth noting that there will be a bunch out there that aren’t the exact Samsung replacement parts. The one I linked above is the same exact back I used in this guide and while the black color match is perfect, it doesn’t make it an OEM part. I’m fine with it, but if you’re not then be sure to hunt down a genuine Samsung part.

I also recommend acquiring a replacement camera lens and housing. You don’t need to do this, but you’ll have to remove it from the old back and adhere it to the new one. It’s also pretty easy to bend, so for the few bucks it costs for one of these it’s worth doing. You’ll also get some fresh adhesive so it’s easy to apply.

The main tool you’ll need is a heat gun. If you don’t have one of these a hair dryer will work just fine.

How to remove the back glass on the Galaxy S7

Follow these steps to first remove the existing back from your Galaxy S7.

Apply heat around the edges of the phone to soften the existing adhesive. It helps to focus on one area first that you intend to pry the back up from.

Using a suction cup or a pry tool, work the back away from the phone on one edge.

Don’t expect much, all you’re trying to do first is get a small area to separate so you can move on. In my case, I ended up using a very small flathead screwdriver on the damaged corner.
Once you have an edge to work with, insert something stiff, like a business card, to keep it from settling back down on the phone.

Repeat the steps above to heat, lift and separate the back from the phone, being careful not to damage anything inside the phone.

When you’ve pryed the back off entirely you’ll be looking at something like the image above. Ensure you’ve removed all the adhesive and any colored film that came away from the phone before you move on.

If you’re going to try and reuse your camera lens and housing, you’ll need to follow the steps above to heat and separate this from your existing glass back. Since my camera lens was smashed anyway I automatically went with a replacement part, but if you’re reusing be careful not to bend it otherwise it won’t sit back in properly when you reassemble the phone.

Rebuilding the phone

The end result!

Now comes, technically, the easier part. Because the fresh parts already have their adhesive applied, it’s a case of sticking everything back together.

A word of caution though: Remember the back of this phone is glass. If you’re too rough or press too hard, expect it to break. I speak from experience.

First, attach the camera lens and housing to the new glass back. It’s impossible to get it in the wrong place, just make sure to press it down and that it has a nice tight seal.

Wipe down the inside surface of the new glass back. This is the last chance to remove any grease or dust before it goes down on the phone.

Remove the plastic from the adhesive around the edges.
Line up the back on the phone, and gently place it down.
Press down firmly around the edges only.

From here on out just peel off all the protective plastic on the outside and you’re good to go. It’s probably a good idea to rub round the edges with a microfiber cloth, too, as you may have some traces of adhesive to get rid of. Otherwise you’ll now have a shiny, crack free Galaxy S7!

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Star Wars VR and AR experiences you need to try

Join the rebellion and fight for the Force

Disney have recently opened 2 new Star Wars VR experiences at their resorts in Florida and in Downtown Disney in L.A. Secrets of the Empire is a full VR experience using mobile VR units along with props and even scent towers to create the most immersive VR experience we have ever seen. We haven’t been able to go and see it yet so this isn’t a review but from what we know so far it sounds amazing.

Of course, not everyone will be able to get to see these experiences so here’s a list of some of the other Star Wars VR experiences available for you.

Read more at VRHeads!

Best Rechargeable Batteries

We always need batteries, especially around the holidays. The best bet is to go rechargeable.

Whether it’s a kid’s new toy, your games console controller or even just the TV remote, you always need batteries. If you’re a parent, you always need a small mountain of batteries.

Especially as you enter the busy holiday period when more time is spent at home and gifts are exchanged, your stockpile will be put under more pressure than usual. One very excellent suggestion is to get yourself some good rechargeable batteries. In the long run, you’ll end up spending a lot less, and the added bonus of taking the dead ones and bringing them back to life means you’ll never be caught without.

Having rechargeable batteries isn’t as much of a chore as it once was, either. In many cases now you can use a single charger with multiple sizes and brands of batteries.

Not all batteries will come with chargers, but in some cases, you’ll get one bundled in. Just in case we’ve got some great recommendations on both fronts.

Batteries

When you’re buying batteries, especially for children’s toys, it’s important to get quality products. Be sure to check reviews if you’re considering buying from a brand you’re not familiar with, and using well known, reputable retailers such as Amazon or Best Buy is always recommended.

If you’re looking for the best batteries to get, check out this little lot.

Panasonic Eneloop

One of the best known and most respected brands in rechargeable batteries, Eneloop from Panasonic has a lot to offer. They’re a little more expensive than rival brands, so definitely worth snagging if you find a deal.

But, while a 4-pack of 2000 maH AA batteries might cost around $18, Panasonic claims a charge cycle lifespan of 2100 with a 70% charge retention and up to 10-years of use from them.

Beyond this, there’s also the Eneloop Pro range, which cost a little more at $20 for a pack of 4 AA size batteries but is designed for high-drain devices. These have a 2500mAh capacity and while their lifespan is less at 500 charge cycles, your powerful hardware will be better with them.

See at Amazon

Energizer

These 2000mAh batteries come pre-charged so you can pop them out of the packaging and straight into your device. These are also the world’s first rechargeable batteries to use a percentage of recycled batteries in their construction.

Energizer claims up to 5 years use from each battery, with a 1000 charge cycle lifespan and a charge that can be held without drain for 12 months.

These are available in AA, AAA and D sizes and while don’t come bundled with a charger, make a perfect fit with the Energized one mentioned below. Prices vary depending on the size and quantity, but a 4-pack of AA will cost just $10.

See at Amazon

Amazon Basics

For one of the most affordable options look no further than Amazon Basics. Again, available in different sizes like AA and AAA, with the AA batteries having an impressive 2400mAh capacity. Not bad at all for $10 for a 4-pack.

Amazon will price you up a bundle that includes a charger, or you can buy one separately.

The lifespan isn’t as long as you’ll get from some other brands, with Amazon claiming a 65% charge retention after three years, but they’re priced low enough that you’ll still save plenty of money over buying regular batteries. Especially since, in true Amazon style, the more you buy at once the more you’ll save.

See at Amazon

Chargers

Energizer Pro

The companion charger to Energizer’s rechargeable batteries comes in a few different forms. The standout is the Pro model which can charge four AA or AAA batteries in 3-5 hours.

The value charger takes a little longer at 6 hours but is under $10. The Pro version is more expensive at $16, but in both cases, you’re getting a 4-pack of batteries thrown in.

The Pro, though, has added bonus features like audio and visual updates on the charging process, as well as having an automatic shutoff to prevent against overcharging.

See at Amazon

Amazon Basics

At just $15 this charger is remarkably good value and can charge four AA or AAA batteries at the same time. It’ll charge AA batteries in between three and five hours depending on their capacity.

But that’s not what’s most remarkable about this charger. The first is that it supports power switching for international use, going between 100-240V AC. So wherever you go, you can always get charged.

The other neat feature is that there’s a built-in USB port. So, while your battery charger is taking up a wall outlet you can still charge your phone. Pretty nifty.

See at Amazon

Ataribox delays pre-orders due to development problems

Preorders for the Ataribox were scheduled to start today, December 14th, but it appears that plan has hit a snag. Atari sent out an email today that said it’s taking longer than expected “to create the platform and ecosystem the Atari community deserves.”

The company wants to make sure its product lives up to expectations, so it’s delaying the preorders and until it can figure out whatever issues the Ataribox is facing. An updated launch plan is going to be announced in the next few weeks, and the Ataribox team will keep supporters in the loop about what’s going on.

The console will be priced in the $250 to $300 range, though Atari has teased that early supporters may receive a discount. It will feature an AMD processor and a Linux operating system, but we still don’t have any details about preloaded games.

Pandora lets free users sample its on-demand service

It’s been just over a year since Pandora first gave an official glimpse of its on-demand music service, meant to go up against the likes of Spotify and Apple Music. And while there’s a lot to like about Pandora Premium, it hasn’t exactly shaken up the status quo — most people use the free service to build stations based on songs, artists and genres they like. But the company has a somewhat intriguing strategy to give those free users a taste of premium.

Today, Pandora is announcing that free users can get a sample of the on-demand service by watching a 15-second video ad. After watching that ad, free users will unlock the full premium experience for a limited amount of time, which means they’ll be able to queue up any song they want, build playlists from Pandora’s catalog, check out the company’s new curated playlists and more.

While it sounds like an obvious move to entice the free Pandora users (or are using the $5 Pandora Plus ad-free experience) to shell out $9.99 a month, chief product officer Chris Phillips told Engadget that “both tiers are critical to Pandora; we want to grow both.” Rather than using the sample as a tactic to covert free listeners to premium, Phillips looks at it more as a for free users who don’t feel the need to pay $10 a month to sample a specific song or album and still keep them using Pandora. “If you’re not willing to pay, you just couldn’t do that on Pandora,” he said. “What we’re excited about is delivering on that need and doing it for ad-supported listeners.”

Starting today, when non-premium users search for a specific song (the most common way to start new Pandora stations), album or playlist, you can opt-in to watch an ad, which then lets you listen to your selection straight away. And after that, you can browse the entire catalog and look for more songs you want to listen to; the preview extends beyond just a single song. For the first listen, users will get an audio interstitial explaining that they’re getting preview of the premium experience.

That said, Pandora doesn’t know (or isn’t saying) exactly how long that preview will last. “We’re always testing and learning with this type of reward based situation,” said director of product Jonathan Eccles. “It’ll definitely be more than one song; we don’t want you to get a taste for just a few minutes.” Phillips noted the company will be A/B testing how long users get access for, so it’s not a set time going out to everyone. Eccles said it’ll be “more than people expect,” which is both encouraging and vague.

While Pandora was keen to play up the benefit to free users — the company says that the top request from free listeners is to play any song they want — there’s no doubt this could serve as an effective way to grow those paying for premium. Because users can build a music library and make playlists and share things with friends while using the premium preview, Phillips thinks this is an ideal way to slowly introduce people to the benefits of paying for a subscription. But Pandora also thinks that this will help Pandora be a more viable option for the music industry to promote music, as well — Phillips notes that before, there wasn’t really any benefit for advertising a new song or album through Pandora, because most of its user base couldn’t play it. But that’s different now. “[Labels] want to reach our huge audience, and being able to do that with our ad-supported listeners is a big deal,” Phillips said.

As 85 percent of Pandora listening time happens on mobile, this feature will only be available on iOS and Android for starters. Indeed, there still isn’t a web player for Pandora Premium, but Phillips said that a web app and updated tablet app would both be coming down the line. For now, if you have a Pandora account you haven’t busted out in a while, you can give the premium service a shot by watching an ad starting today. If you’d rather give it a more extensive preview, the company is still offering a 60-day free trial.

Watch the FCC’s net neutrality vote at 10:30AM ET

Today is the day that the internet as we know it could change dramatically. Starting at 10:30 AM Eastern, FCC chairman and former Verizon lawyer Ajit Pai is expected to wipe out net neutrality and repeal Title II regulations that classify broadband as a utility. And you can watch it happen at the link below. You might have to wait a bit before Pai almost assuredly enacts the Restoring Internet Freedom ruling, though. There are a few other items he has to get through before potentially enacting detrimental changes to how we access information and use the internet in general.

You could always use that time to catch up on the events leading to today’s landmark decision. For example, if you don’t quite know what net neutrality and Title II are all about, we’ve got you covered. Same goes for how the repeal could affect artists and small businesses, or what it means for regional ISPs. Or, if you’d rather get political, you can follow the saga of lawmakers and tech companies petitioning to delay the vote.

Source: FCC (1), (2)

China accused of ‘unjustifiable’ DNA sample collection

China has been quietly collecting biometric data from millions of people in Xinjiang, according to a new report from Human Rights Watch (HRW). Since February, authorities have been gathering DNA samples, fingerprints and eye scans of those in the region, which apart from Tibet is the only region where ethnic Han Chinese are not in the majority. The government imposes tighter surveillance controls here than anywhere else in the country.

According to the Xinjiang government website, the data — taken from everyone between the age of 12 and 65 — will be linked to household registration cards (hukou), which already limits residents’ access to healthcare, housing and education. The government document states that “regulating the management of identification cards is the foundation to creating a basic population database, based on one’s ID numbers, for the autonomous region”.

However, HRW claims compulsory biodata collection has “particularly abusive potential” and “hardly seems justifiable as a security measure” considering the extensive controls already implemented in the Xinjiang region. According to Sophie Richardson, China director for HRW, “Chinese authorities seem to think they can achieve ‘social stability’ by placing people under a microscope, but these abusive programs are more likely to deepen hostility towards the government”.

China, which has pushed biometric data collection for years, isn’t the first country to implement such a scheme. In 2009, India set up a “voluntary” scheme, Aadhaar, which was billed as a way to streamline benefit payments and reduce fraud, but in recent times has become mandatory for carrying out basic financial business such as opening bank accounts and even making payments over a certain amount.

Critics of the scheme say Aadhaar gives the government unacceptable powers of surveillance, and following several data breaches, also puts citizen’s privacy at risk. However, a landmark judgement earlier this year ruled that Indian citizens have a fundamental right to privacy. It’s very unlikely that authorities in China, with its zero-tolerance approach to anything that could upset government control, would pass the same judgement.

Source: CNN