Apple Seeds Second Beta of watchOS 4.2.2 to Developers

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming watchOS 4.2.2 update to developers, one week after seeding the first beta and two weeks after releasing watchOS 4.2, an update that introduced support for Apple Pay Cash.

Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the new watchOS beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General –> Software update.

To install the update, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it has to be in range of the iPhone.

We don’t yet know what features or improvements might be included in the watchOS 4.2.2 update, as no outward-facing changes were discovered in the first beta.

It’s possible this update focuses mainly on bug fixes, and if that’s the case, we won’t know the extent of the changes until it sees a public release complete with release notes.

Should new features be discovered in the second watchOS 4.2.2 beta, we’ll update this post.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 4Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
Discuss this article in our forums

Honda delivers ‘The Ultimate Get-Well Card’ to sick kids via augmented reality

Santa Claus isn’t the only one bringing gifts and well wishes this holiday season. Honda is reprising its Happy Honda Days celebration, and this year, is leveraging augmented reality to deliver what it calls the “Ultimate Get-Well Card” to the little ones at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC). The AR holiday card features crowdsourced messages from well-wishers around the country for children battling illnesses.

As part of its initiative, Honda took over a CHOC hospital room, turning it into an “augmented reality winter wonderland” that featured messages from folks across the United States, all of whom sent their love and best wishes to the brave patients. Messages could be viewed through an iPad held in place by a specially designed holder that triggered a wintry AR experience.

“Sending warm wishes to others is one of the best traditions of the holiday season and through a little Honda innovation we’re using augmented reality to send messages that will brighten the lives of young patients at Children’s Hospital of Orange County,” said Susie Rossick, assistant vice president of Honda marketing.

Honda has been collecting messages since September, when the company first sent out a holiday video inviting its large network to leave their best wishes via Facebook and Instagram. Hundreds of messages were sent in over the course of the last few months, and Honda selected the best few to load onto the virtual card alongside personalized videos from hospital staff.

Each child saw their name on the front of the AR card, which then opened to reveal contents on “paper” that then danced to life, filling the entire room. Children could interact with the card, which featured both text and embedded video, and of course, moving images.

And even if you weren’t around to help send a get well wish to the kiddos before, you can now help by liking or loving the video on Facebook — for each social media interaction, Honda is promising to donate $1 for up to $100,000 to both CHOC and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation (PBTF). So if you’re looking for a way to spread some holiday cheer, this just may be your chance.

Editors’ Recommendations

• 2017 Honda Civic Type R Review
• Insert Stormtroopers into your life with Google’s new AR stickers for Pixel
• Google unveils new Pixel 2 phones along with Mini and Max Home hubs
• ‘Operation Apex’ lets you explore the deep, no scuba gear required
• DIY your own Snapchat World Lenses with new (and free) Lens Studio

Best messaging apps for Android of 2017

Which apps are worth using to stay in touch? We’ve got the scoop.

When it comes to keeping up with everyone involved in your life, staying in touch can be easier typed than spoken, right? If you’re trying to figure out the best messaging app to ensure you never miss an invitation, or always get the scoop from your best friends, you’ve come to the right place.

We’ve got the best messaging apps on Android for you right here!

WhatsApp

There is almost no contest. WhatsApp is an all-inclusive messaging app that’s all you need for staying in touch, no matter where you are in the world. WhatsApp merely relies on whether your phone has an Internet connection — whether that’s through cellular or Wi-Fi — so it’s great if you’re frequently traveling between regions. You can use WhatsApp to send and receive photos, videos, documents, and voice messages. It also supports group chats and voice calls.

If you’re looking for a formidable, all-in-one messaging that’s packed with more features than some of Google’s offerings, WhatsApp is the second-most popular messaging app available. Just remember that both parties have to be using the WhatsApp app to communicate, though all it requires to register is your phone number.

The truth is, that out of everything on our list Whatsapp is the best all around messaging app for Android, and one of the most popular messaging apps worldwide.

Download: Whatsapp(Free)

Google Hangouts

Text messages, video chat, group chats — it’s all there in Google Hangouts. We still don’t know where Google is taking its once heralded messaging app, but for now, we’re still using it to chat. Use it to easily multitask between conversations with your friends, family, and colleagues between your different Google accounts. You can even use Hangouts to make phone calls with your Google Voice number or download the Hangouts Dialer to make free Wi-Fi calls.

Google Hangouts is attached to your Google Account, which means that if you have an Android phone, chances are this app is already lurking waiting to be used. It has tons of functionality, and works whether you are on a computer, your phone, or a tablet.

For now, Hangouts is basically a required app if you’re planning to stay connected in the Google-verse. We’re not sure where Google is taking it (some are expecting it to see it become the next prized messaging app of the enterprise), but there are definitely more people using it than Allo or Duo.

Download: Google Hangouts(Free)

Messenger from Google

You’re already a Google user, so you might as well stay with the family when it comes to text messaging. Messenger from Google lets you receive SMS and MMS messages — simple as that! Messenger supports RCS messaging, audio messaging, emoji, location sharing, colored text threads, and message archiving. It even comes with its own batch of stickers!

Google Messenger isn’t actually one of the more talked about messaging apps, which is a shame. Everything it does, it does well, and that matters when you’re only really communicating via text. Of course, if you prefer audio but don’t want to actually make a phone call, you can also send audio messages to friends, along with photos or videos.

Messenger from Google is a great way to get access to all of the feature you want, while messaging over SMS instead of the internet. You can even block folks you don’t want to receive messages from, search for a specific person or thread, and US users will be able to take advantage of sending money via Google Wallet!

Download: Messenger from Google(Free)

Facebook Messenger

Chances are, you’ve got an overwhelming list of friends and family who’ve become suddenly available on Facebook. Keep up with them all by downloading Facebook Messenger. The app supports messaging from both your Facebook account and phone number. You don’t have to use the SMS feature if you don’t want to, but it could be helpful if you find yourself constantly jumping between apps.

Facebook Messenger is one of the more dynamic messaging apps. It offers a hefty number of sticker packs, not to mention stellar video chat functionality. The app also supports group chats — including group voice chats — audio messaging, read receipts, and location sharing services. You can even use Facebook Messenger to swap cash with friends. Additionally, there are features to make calls over Facebook Messenger which is handy for anyone who needs to actually call someone, but no longer has their actual phone number.

It’s also a great way to deal with group planning, especially since you can use Facebook Messenger from a mobile device, your laptop, or even a tablet. Granted downloading it does mean your mom will have an easier time getting a hold of you, since she’ll be able to see when you’ve read her messages.

Download: Facebook Messenger(Free)

Signal Private Messenger

If your biggest concern when messaging with friends and family is security and privacy, then Signal Private Messenger is the one to take a look at. You can send and receive messages, start group chats, make calls over Wi-Fi, and more, without worrying that someone else is taking a peek at your conversations.

Signal is absolutely free and uses end-to-end encryption protocol to ensure your privacy with every message you send. It uses your already existing phone number, so there are no extra hoops to jump through like a new password or username. While both you and the message recipient need to be using Signal for it to work, this is just a tap away. Calls can be a little pesky, since, depending on your connection, they can go from seriously static-y to crystal clear, but for messaging it’s a fast and easy-to-use interface.

Security and privacy are the real features of using Signal. The app itself is very simple and pared down, because they want you to be able to chat away without worrying that there is anybody who can peer over your messages the way they can on Facebook Messenger or Instagram DMs.

Download: Signal(Free)

What’s your favorite?

Do you have a favorite app for exchanging messages? Did your pick make our list, or do we need to add it in here? Let us know about it in the comments below!

December 2017: We’ve updated this post with Signal on Android, as well as updates to these other great messaging apps!

Fitbit Ionic now £250 in the UK for a pre-Christmas treat

Looking to treat yourself to a Fitbit Ionic? It’s now a little more affordable.

The Fitbit Ionic is the fitness wearable makers first true smartwatch, but at £300 it’s a pretty pricey thing to have, especially for a platform that’s still building out.

But as we approach the holiday season you can pick one up with a solid discount of £50 right now, coming in at £249.99.

The discounted price applies to all the colors available right now, and there’s no telling how long they’ll last or when the price will go back up. So if you’ve been holding out for a discount, hit the link below and grab it while it’s hot.

See at Amazon

How’s your LG G6 doing?

Here’s how the G6 is holding up nine months later.

Pretty much everywhere you look in late 2017, there are numerous phones being released with near bezel-less displays – both flagships and even mid-rangers. It’s hard to believe that the LG G6 was the first mainstream phone to kick off this trend when it was launched back in late March, but the time certainly has been flying since then.

With all that time now passed, we decided to check in with some of our forum users to see how their G6s are holding up. LG’s had some trouble in the past with the aging of its devices, but that (thankfully) appears to be a different story this time around.

jhilker
12-12-2017 06:36 PM

“

Mine is still running smooth as butter. Looking forward to seeing how it handles with Oreo.

Reply

bobdob
12-13-2017 08:13 AM

“

I really have no complaints that I didn’t have from the start, other than lint getting in the headphone jack and usb-c port and affecting operation to a surprising extent. Which is not, strictly speaking, the phone’s fault. Everything else is just as pleasant to use as it was on day 1.

Interestingly, I just handed down my GS5 to my kids to replace their ancient and dying non-smartphone. I was…

Reply

Ian Bower
12-13-2017 09:53 AM

“

Battery life has taken a dip are the last update but would still have this phone more than any other bar pixel xl2.

Reply

idon12no
12-15-2017 09:46 PM

“

Still really liking it here too. I wish battery life and selfie camera were a bit better, but neither of those make me hate the G6. My wife has had hers a few months more than I have and she loves hers too. She doesn’t use her G6 as much as I do, so she gets through an entire day easily.

Reply

If you own an LG G6, we’d like to know – How’s the phone holding up all these months later?

LG G6

• LG G6 review!
• LG G6 specs
• LG G6 vs. Google Pixel: The two best cameras right now
• Everything you need to know about the G6’s cameras
• LG forums

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The newest iOttie car mounts are on sale for the first time today only

Mount your phone and drive safe with hands-free communication.

Several different iOttie Easy One Touch 4 car mounts are on sale today as part of Amazon’s daily deals. Whether you want to mount something to your dashboard, your air conditioner vents, or your CD player, iOttie not only has a device for that but the prices are super low today as well.

The Easy One Touch 4 is the newest of iOttie’s car mount series. We’ve shared deals on previous generations in the past but never this version.

Even the Easy One Touch 4 Qi Wireless car mount is on sale, which can mount your phone for safe hands-free communication and charge it wirelessly at the same time. It is down to $34.97 today when shipped and sold by Amazon. It normally sells for $50 and has never been discounted before.

Here are the other models of the Easy One Touch 4 also on sale:

• CD Slot car mount holder for $13.97 (from $20)
• Air vent car mount holder for $13.97 (from $20)
• Dashboard and Windshield car mount holder for $17.47 (from $25)

iOttie covers all these products with a one-year warranty.

See on Amazon

Travel tech tips for flying this holiday season

Flying is awesome. Dealing with flights is less so.

You’ve got to get through airport security, find somewhere to eat that isn’t insanely priced or complete garbage, waste hours before your flight leaves, waste hours packed six-across in a tin can, and then do the whole thing over again to get home. Nevertheless, airline trips don’t have to be a complete headache if you’re properly prepared, and we’ve got some tips to help you and your phone get through it as painlessly as possible.

Check the TSA website

TSA is a pain, but at least it’s a pain that will help you prepare for it. The My TSA website will let you see if there are any any destination delays being reported at your airport, how long wait times have been, and if you’re not sure about what you can and can’t bring in your carry-on, you can search the Can I Bring section to find out where and how you should pack it. They also have an app, but unless you’re a frequent flier, the mobile site should do just fine.

My TSA

Fill out customs forms on your phone

If you’re going out of the country, congratulations on your escape. Customs forms can take forever with their tedium, which is why you should download the Customs and Border Protection-approved Mobile Passport app. Mobile Passport will let you fill out the forms in advance on your phone so you can avoid the physical paperwork and hopefully get through Customs quicker and get on with your trip. It also lets you spare the customs agent your terrible, terrible handwriting.

Download Mobile Passport

Offline content

Just because most planes say they’ll have Wi-Fi doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed, and nothing is worse than finding out your cross-country flight’s Wi-Fi isn’t working and you forgot to download something to keep you entertained. You should always keep a few albums/playlists downloaded to keep your sanity on a WI-Fi-less flight, or in the car, or in the store surrounded by holiday crowds. Books are more storage efficient for offline entertainment, but this is the 21st century! and when we’re bored on flights, we watch movies and TV shows. Here are the major video services statuses on offline content:

• Hulu doesn’t allow any offline playback of any content at this time.
• Netflix allows some content to be saved for offline playback, depending on the studio.
• Amazon Prime Video allows pretty much everything to be downloaded for offline playback, be it purchased content or Prime library content.
• Google Play Movies & TV allows all purchases to be saved for offline playback.
• Movies Anywhere will download your content for offline playback on Android devices through Google Play Movies.
• YouTube allows videos to be saved for offline playback if you have YouTube Red or live in India.

If your phone is short on space and supports a microSD card, you might want to consider nabbing a decently sized card to load up with movies and music for the flight.

Packing power

Watching movies on a plane or playing a plethora of mobile games can run your phone down quite swiftly, and having your phone die on an airplane is about ten times worse than having it die in the car or at work, because most planes still don’t have USB chargers in the seats. To this end, if you don’t already have a portable battery, you should really pick one up. Anker’s PowerCore 10000 Battery delivers ample portable power at a great price ($26), and think of it as a gift to yourself to avoid dead phones and chaos.

See at Amazon

Beyond the battery, while packing your bag, keep a charger and cable in an outer accessory pocket where it can be easily extracted for topping off your phone at the gate or food court between surviving TSA and getting on your flight.

Headphones required

I understand that not everyone shares my ‘never leave the house without headphones’ philosophy, but when it comes to airline trips and airports, you simply can’t deny it: headphones are a must. I know what you’re thinking! “Oh, airlines usually have free earbuds they’ll let you use.” Well, just like airline pillows and blankets, the plane you’re on can run out and moreover, airplane earbuds are complete crap. Bring your own!

If you don’t have a good set of earbuds, consider the Marshall Mode EQ. These earbuds bring huge sound in a small package, for $78. Best of all, they’re really comfortable, so you can wear them for a cross-country flight without fatigue.

See at Amazon

If you can’t find the carry case for your earbuds, use an empty Altoids tin so they don’t tangle inside your bag when TSA goes through it. Trust me, you don’t wanna get on the plane and realize you ripped a wire pulling the headphones out of your bag. If you’re not into earbuds, get a good pair of Bluetooth headphones that can switch to a 3.5 mm wire when the battery runs down.

Kickstart your trip with a phone grip

If you don’t already have a phone grip/kickstand on the back of your phone, consider grabbing one. Being able to more securely grip your phone while hustling to your gate or trudging through airport lines can give you a hair more security for a device that you’ll be relying on even more than usual, and will let you prop your phone up on the tray table instead of cradling it in your hands the whole time. PopSockets can pull triple duty as a phone grip, a kickstand, and a fidget toy when you’re stuck on a four-hour layover, but their kickstands are a little less steady. The Spigen Style Ring is built like a tank and takes a long, long time to wear out, but there are more compact variations if you need something that’ll fit more easily in your pocket/holster.

Bag it up

If you’re flying from somewhere cold to somewhere that’s not, consider packing a collapsible shopping bag with a long strap like the $13 Flip and Tumble bag. Packing a collapsible bag gives you leeway carry your winter coat without it being stuck in your arms the whole time or overstuffing your main bag. If you’re on a long flight that’s at risk of significant delays, fill the bag at home with snacks and then stow the empty, collapsed bag in your main carry-on after you’ve finished the food. I’ve had a Flip and Tumble for years and it takes five seconds to wad it up inside the elastic carry pouch when it’s empty.

See at Amazon

What’s in your carry-on?

How do you travel with your tech? Share your tips in the comments below!

ZTE confirms 8.0 Oreo is coming to Axon 7

The ZTE Axon 7 was a fantastic mid-range phone when it was released in August of 2016, and if you can find a solid deal on it now, it’s still not the worst way you can spend your cash on an Android handset. The hardware of the Axon 7 continues to look and feel great even in late 2017, and it now looks like the software will be receiving a big update very soon.

In a community forum for ZTE fans, one representative from the company created a thread for the Axon 7 group and posted a message to announce that Android 8.0 Oreo is officially coming to the handset.

Dear ZTE customers,

We are announcing now that we are already developing android 8 for the Axon 7, your positive feedback has been inspiring us a lot and made us very happy and because of this we try to get it customer ready as soon as possible for the best customers in the world, and I ask for your understanding because we still need some time to perfect it.
So if you have any suggestions or ideas please let me know it under this post, thanks a lot!!

There’s currently no timeframe as to when Oreo will be ready for the Axon 7, but seeing as how the title of the post is “Android 8 is just around the corner”, our guess is that we should hopefully see it pushed out within the first couple months of 2018.

When Oreo hits the Axon 7, users will be able to tap into the likes of picture-in-picture, Google’s Autofill API, notification dots, and quite a bit more. We’ll still likely see ZTE’s skin layered on top of it, but even so, this is a greatly appreciated development.

Android Oreo

• Android Oreo review!
• Everything new in Android Oreo
• How to get Android Oreo on your Pixel or Nexus
• Oreo will make you love notifications again
• Will my phone get Android Oreo?
• Join the Discussion

Galaxy A8/A8+ are official with dual front cameras and Infinity Display

Meet Samsung’s powerful mid-rangers for 2018.

The market for mid-range phones is more aggressive than ever, and Samsung is driving this point home as much as it can with its newly announced Galaxy A8 and A8+. These two phones bared all in a recent leak, but we now have confirmation from Samsung on their specifications and release date.

The A8 and A8+ share a lot of the same specs, including Samsung’s Exynos 7885 processor, 32-64GB of storage, 4GB RAM (up to 6GB on A8+), Android 7.1.1 Nougat, a 16MP f/1.7 rear camera, and two front-facing cameras. You’ll find a 16MP and 8MP lens on the front of the A8 and A8+, and this allows for a portrait selfie mode like we’ve seen on the Pixel 2 and iPhone X.

Another standout feature for these two phones is their displays. The A8 and A8+ come equipped with a Super AMOLED Infinity Display, allowing for slim bezels, an 18:9 aspect ratio, and rounded corners. The A8 has a screen size of 5.6-inches while the A8+’s measures in at 6.0-inches, but both share the same resolution of Full HD+.

Other welcome additions include a glass back with a metal frame, rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, IP68 dust/water resistance, Gear VR support, and Samsung Pay for NFC and MST transactions.

Samsung says the A8 and A8+ will be launching in early January 2018, but it still hasn’t announced pricing details. We have to imagine these phones will cost at or around $500 considering all of the specs and features they’re bringing to the table, and if that’s the case, they’ll be stiff competition for the OnePlus 5T.

What are your first impressions of the Galaxy A8/A8+?

Samsung’s Galaxy A8 might be one of 2018’s best budget phones

Fitbit Aria 2 review: Keeping it in the family

The Fitbit Aria 2 is a sleek and capable Wi-Fi smart scale that plays nicely with other Fitbit products.

As the name implies, the Fitbit Aria 2 is the second-generation of smart scales from Fitbit, the brand that’s become synonymous with fitness-focused technology. It’s sleek and easy to use with a really bright LED screen, but is it worth the rather steep $130 price tag?

That question largely depends on your opinion and usage of other Fitbit products. Lets dive in.

Design and use

If you’ve seen the original Fitbit Aria, you’re going to be asking what’s new or different with the Aria 2. Design-wise, the quick answer is not much on the surface. The Aria 2 offers a near-identical physical design to its predecessor, with the LED display being the only noticeably improved part of the hardware. It runs on just 3 AA batteries, which are included in the box.

The surface is made of conductive glass to allow the Aria 2 to detect your body’s bioelectrical signals. All you need to do is step onto the scale with bare feet and it will start to measure your weight (obviously), as well as your body fat percentage and BMI. Your weight and overall body fat percentage is displayed right on the scale’s display, and then the info is automatically transferred to your Fitbit account, so you can dive in a bit deeper in the app.

The fact that you don’t need your phone or Fitbit to be on or near you when you step on the scale is pretty incredible. The Fitbit Aria 2 can handle up to eight unique profiles at one time, so every member of your family will be able to track their personal statistics in a discreet and private way. You’re also able to select a unique profile image that will appear on the Fitbit scale after it’s taken its measurements as confirmation that it has connected to the right profile.

Syncs with your other Fitbit data

You could, in theory, use the Fitbit Aria 2 as a standalone device without pairing it with a Fitbit tracker, but since the Aria’s data is pigeonholed into a small section of the Fitbit home screen, it’s way more convenient to use in combination with a Fitbit tracker.

For the purposes of this review, Fitbit sent me a Blaze smartwatch to wear as I tested out the Aria 2, and I must say that the full Fitbit experience with the tracker and the scale was pretty enjoyable. I’ve tried using a Fitbit before, but couldn’t stay committed to wearing one as reliably as I would have liked. I’ve found, however, that just by adding a second Fitbit device to my account gave me more data to peruse every time I load up the app. Obviously, that’s what Fitbit is hoping — the more gadgets you buy, the more engaged you are within the Fitbit community.

For that reason, I’d recommend a Fitbit Aria 2 to anyone who’s already well-bought into the Fitbit ecosystem, as it will seamlessly integrate into the app that you’re already comfortable using. Since it’s always connected to Wi-Fi, you just use it as you would any other bathroom scale and then you get that data sent to your phone. However, if you already own and enjoy using the first generation Fitbit Aria scale, it would be hard to justify upgrading to the Aria 2. But if you’re like me and had issues using the original Aria, you’ll be happy to know that the experience feels a heck of a lot smoother with the Aria 2.

Should you get a Fitbit Aria 2?

The Fitbit Aria 2 is a smart scale that I would exclusively recommend to people who have already bought into the Fitbit community. If that’s how you track your health metrics, the Aria 2 will seamlessly work with your existing Fitbit accessories and you’ll appreciate the extra data in your Fitbit dashboard.

Within the broader smart scale category, the Aria 2 falls flat in a number of areas including the speed at which it takes measurements and the price. As I pointed out in my head-to-head comparison article, the Aria 2 can’t match competitors such as the Eufy BodySense smart scale in terms of value and enhanced functionality.

Priced at $129.99, the Aria 2 is aimed at a specific demographic who are okay with paying a bit more for the Fitbit brand, but there are better deals to be had if you’re not so brand-loyal.

See at Amazon