Samsung Galaxy On7 Prime is designed to fuel your impulse buying habits

Samsung’s latest budget phone has an interesting trick up its sleeve.

With hundreds of phones releasing in India every year, Samsung is looking to distinguish its products by offering interesting new use cases. The Galaxy On7 Prime — Samsung’s latest foray in the budget segment — comes with a visual search feature that lets you easily purchase products through photos. The feature is powered by Samsung Mall, which collates product information from several e-commerce sites to create a sort of all-in-one destination for your purchasing needs.

For instance, if you’re looking to buy a pair of blue sunglasses and have dialed in on a particular design, you’ll be able to feed that image into Samsung Mall, and it’ll look through Amazon, Jabong, Shopclues and Tata CLiQ to find all references of that design. Samsung Mall also comes with a Universal Cart feature that lets you buy products without ever leaving the app.

You can either take real-life pictures of products you’re interested in buying or feed photos saved in your gallery. The feature is aimed at millennials, but I can see it coming in handy for bargain-hunters as well. Say you’re at a retail store and are interested in buying a new TV. You can take a photo of the TV and use Samsung Mall to see if it’s priced lower at e-commerce portals.

Of course, it all comes down to how good Samsung Mall is when it comes to pattern recognition — after all, Bixby turned out to be a massive letdown for the company last year. I’ll share my thoughts on Samsung Mall once I get my hands on the On7 Prime.

Samsung Mall could either turn out to be a gamechanger or go the way of Bixby.

As for the internal hardware, you’re looking at a 5.5-inch Full HD display, 1.6GHz octa-core Exynos 7870 chipset, microSD slot, dual SIM card slots, 13MP rear and front cameras, 4G with VoLTE, and a 3300mAh battery. On the software front, the phone comes with Android 7.1.1 Nougat out of the box, and it includes the lite version of Samsung Pay with compatibility for UPI.

The On7 Prime looks like a decent option in the highly competitive budget segment, but I can’t help but wonder that Samsung missed out by not offering an 18:9 display. Furthermore, the front fingerprint sensor and sizeable bezels make the phone look dated, and Samsung isn’t doing itself any favors by continuing with the two-year-old Exynos 7870.

That said, the On7 Prime is aggressively priced (for a Samsung device), with the base variant with 3GB of RAM and 32GB storage retailing for ₹12,990 ($200). The model with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage will be available for ₹14,990 ($235), and both variants will go on sale starting January 20 exclusively on Amazon India.

See at Amazon India

Deal: Get the Sprint Unlimited Data Plan free for one year!

Sprint is offering new customers a full year of free calls, texts and unlimited data — a savings of $60 a month for one person.

Any new customers with an eligible phone who switch to Sprint from Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile (or other carriers) can get up to five free lines of unlimited data for a year. Keep your phone and your current number!

The Sprint Unlimited Data Plan includes unlimited talk, text, and data. However, after you have used 23GB of high-speed data in a month, speed can be temporarily slowed during times of high network traffic (data deprioritization).

What other goodies to do you get?

• 10GB of high-speed hotspot data
• High definition video streaming
• International roaming which includes 2G data and text messaging in over 165 countries

The fine print

• The free year of service expires January 30, 2019, when you’ll be charged $60 a month for the first line, $40 a month for the second line, and $30 a month for each additional line. (For a family of four, count on paying $160 a month.)
• You must own your phone in full and only eligible phones qualify for this offer (qualifying devices are listed below)
• Autopay enrollment is required

See at Sprint

Modern Dad has ALL the Amazon Dash Buttons

OK, maybe he doesn’t quite have ALL of them. But, damn, that’s a lot of Dash Buttons. Here’s why you should take a look at the easiest way to buy everyday items!

This video was sponsored by Amazon. I have a lot of Amazon stuff laying around. A half-dozen or so Echoes of varying ilk. A couple Fire TVs. Amazon’s little indoor camera. But the one thing — things, really — that I’d never gotten around to trying was the Amazon Dash Button.

It’s ridiculously simple. Just pick out the products you want to have a Dash Button for, and Amazon ships ’em to you. (Yes, you’re ordering things to order other things. Stick with me here.) They’ve got little batteries inside, and you’ll use your Amazon app to connect each button to your Wifi network. If there are different versions of a particular product, you’ll have the opportunity to choose exactly what it is you want shipped. That takes about 30 seconds. After it’s hooked up, all you have to do is tap the button to order that specific thing.

It really is that simple. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t have questions.

For one, what happens if and when my kids start mashing the buttons over and over? Amazon thought of that. And by default, only one items is ordered at a time. Press the button again before the first order is delivered, and you’ll get a warning that someone’s pushing the buttons over and over. (In fact, this whole thing is really good about alerting you anytime anything is ordered. It’s very transparent like that.)

And am I paying for next-day shipping (or even faster) every time I hit the button? (They default to whatever your Amazon one-click options are.)

Is this all a little lazy? I dunno — I prefer to pronounce that as “awesomely efficient.” Maybe I won’t use Dash Buttons for everything, but that doesn’t mean that they’re not way cool.

See at Amazon

Amazon Echo

• Tap, Echo or Dot: The ultimate Alexa question
• All about Alexa Skills
• Amazon Echo review
• Echo Dot review
• Echo Spot review
• Top Echo Tips & Tricks
• Amazon Echo vs. Google Home
• Get the latest Alexa news

See at Amazon

Would you rather get the Pixel 2 XL or LG V30?

No matter which phone you choose, you’ll find it hard to be disappointed.

If you’re in the market to buy a new phone this very second, two of your best bets are the Google Pixel 2 XL and LG V30. These are both large phones that came out in late 2017, and each one packs its own unique punch that makes it worth checking out.

One of our forum users recently said that they can’t decide which of the two phones to purchase, and as you’d expect, our community was quick to come to the rescue and offer any advice that they could.

Here are some of the top responses.

dov1978
01-11-2018 12:38 PM

“

It entirely depends what your main requirements are?
Sound quality, headphone jack, wide angle camera, themes, one handed mode – go with the V30

Updates, dual front facing speakers, superior cameras – go with the Pixel

I’d choose the Pixel 2 XL personally purely for the cameras and the speakers

Reply

neil74
01-12-2018 04:48 PM

“

I have both and it is a tough call.

Pixel – updates, camera, support, speakers, feels less fragile, slightly zippier in places

V30 – same size screen/noticeably smaller footprint, wireless charging, SD card, audio, headphone jack, less blueshift (on mine ymmv) right now with the p2 on 8.1 standby battery is better on the v30

Reply

SupraLB
01-12-2018 06:37 PM

“

I had the V10, V20 and loved those phones. Two of the best ever. I still miss the wide angle camera, both front and back. (Although the V30 front camera is a joke).

But everything else I just love more about the Pixel XL. Particularly no lag. I mean none. And I have all kinds of macros, taskers, and side buttons going on. Thing is zippity fast.

I’m still keeping my V20, as a home…

Reply

TwitchyPuppy
01-11-2018 01:22 PM

“

I love pure Android, but I’ve always had a soft spot for LG (and found the G6 to be a fantastic phone).

I’d go with the V30.

Reply

With that said, we’d like to pass the question on to you – Would you rather buy the Pixel 2 XL or LG V30?

Join the conversation in the forums!

ZTE is bringing the Axon M to China and Europe

Available first for China and later in Q1 for European customers.

The Axon M might not be the most popular phone on the market, but it must be doing good enough for ZTE to keep investing time and money into it. The company’s Vice President of Marketing announced at CES 2018 that we would see more foldable phones in the near future, and following that, it’s been confirmed that the Axon M will be heading to both China and Europe.

China will be the first to get the phone starting on Saturday, January 20. Customers will be able to purchase the Axon M online at MyZTE.com and JD.com, and China Telecom will even sell the device in physical retail stores across the country.

A final release for Europe hasn’t been announced yet, but ZTE says we can expect the phone to drop at some point during Q1 of the year (between January and March). Vodafone and TIM have been confirmed to carry the Axon M, and ZTE says that other “leading carriers” will offer it as well.

The Axon M will cost ￥3888 in China, but pricing for Europe is still up in the air.

ZTE plans on releasing more foldable phones like the Axon M

Honor View 10 review: Shaking up the affordable flagship space

Honor’s new flagship phone brings the best of Huawei to a wider audience, offering an 18:9 display and dual cameras for just £449.

The quick take

From build quality to battery life and performance, the View 10 leaves little to be desired and gives the OnePlus 5T a run for its money in the budget flagship category.

The Good

• Premium build quality and modern design
• Oreo out of the box
• Solid camera performance
• Impressive battery life

The Bad

• EMUI still isn’t for everyone
• No water/dust resistance
• Fingerprint sensor is a bit too small

See at Amazon

Honor View 10 Full Review

These days, there’s no shortage of great budget options for consumers that don’t want to spend four figures on a smartphone every year. That range spans across multiple devices from nearly every OEM, including many of Honor’s offerings like the Honor 7X. Likewise, most brands are happy to sell ultra-premium devices that satisfy even the most demanding power users’ needs.

On the other hand, there’s a pretty limited selection of “affordable flagships” out there — that is, phones that provide top-end features and performance without the increasingly prohibitive price tag. In recent months, the OnePlus 5T has reigned as the mostly uncontested champion of this space, but the View 10 stands as a fierce new competitor.

About this review

We’re publishing this review after spending over a month with an unlocked Honor View 10 (OXF-L09). I (Hayato Huseman) have been using it on T-Mobile in Indianapolis, IN and Chicago, IL. The phone was running software version 8.0.0.41 based on Android 8.0 Oreo, along with the November 2017 Android security patch. The phone was provided to Android Central for review by Honor.

Modern chic

Honor View 10 Hardware

Alongside the cheaper 7X, the View 10 is one of Honor’s first devices fitted with some of the newer design trends popularized last year — namely dual cameras and an 18:9 display. That tall, narrow aspect ratio helps make the otherwise overbearing 5.99-inch Full HD+ (2160×1080) screen manageable, even during one-handed operation. Likewise, the slim profile and subtly rounded sides make the View 10 comfortable to hold, though the smooth aluminum finish is a bit slippery in addition to being easily smudged.

My review unit came in navy blue, though the View 10 is also available in midnight black, beach gold, aurora blue, and charm red. Whichever finish you choose, Honor does a nice job at blending the top and bottom antenna bands into the design with complementary shades.

The rear cameras stick out a fair bit from the rest of the body, and Honor made the interesting design choice to separate each camera protrusion rather than encasing the two lenses together.

Equally unusual, despite a high screen-to-body ratio (78.6%), the View 10’s fingerprint sensor sits below the display in the form of a narrow sliver. This seems like the perfect compromise for those that demand small bezels but don’t get along with rear-mounted fingerprint sensors — though that reduced size comes at the cost of reduced accuracy, and I often find myself having to scan three or four times before successfully unlocking the phone.

Still, I appreciate the symmetry afforded by the downsized fingerprint sensor. The View 10 isn’t the most exciting hardware around, but every aspect of its design is functional. No fragile glass backing or curved display — in fact, its reinforced corners could likely withstand most drops unscathed, though unfortunately it’s not backed up by any form of water or dust resistance.

The View 10 is every bit as well-made as the OnePlus 5T.

As more and more manufacturers are beginning to move away from the 3.5mm headphone jack standard (including Honor’s parent company Huawei), it’s relieving to see the auxiliary output alive and well on the bottom of the View 10. Alongside it rest a USB-C port (equally relieving given the microUSB port on the Honor 7X) and a speaker grill that puts out decently loud audio, if not unexceptional in quality.

Along the lefthand side of the frame is the receptacle for the phone’s dual-SIM tray. Both slots accept a nanoSIM card, but the second slot can also hold a microSD card for expanding the View 10’s internal storage.

Inside, the Honor View 10 runs Huawei’s powerful Kirin 970 chipset — the same one found in the much more expensive Huawei Mate 10 Pro — backed by 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Just like the Mate 10 Pro, the View 10 features Huawei’s Neural Processing Unit for AI enhancements.

Once you press the power button (which, along with the volume rocker, is wonderfully clicky), you’ll be greeted by the bright and vibrant 5.99-inch 18:9 display. At 2160×1080, it’s just as sharp as the OnePlus 5T, though it differs in panel technology. The View 10 features an IPS LCD panel which, though not quite as power-efficient as AMOLED, has great viewing angles and color reproduction.

It’s not a perfect panel, though; there’s a bit of light bleed around the edges on my unit, and there’s no Gorilla Glass protection to be found.

On the bright side, the View 10 does include NFC — unlike the cheaper Honor 7X. This means it fully supports mobile payments and quick Bluetooth pairing with devices like Sony’s WH1000XM2 headphones.

EMUI 8.0

Honor View 10 Software

When it comes to software, the View 10 is pleasingly modern. Out of the box, it ships with Android 8.0 Oreo, augmented with Huawei’s EMUI 8.0 firmware. If you’ve used the Mate 10 Pro before, you’ll instantly feel at home; this phone is nearly identical in operation.

If you’re used to stock Android, EMUI will certainly feel like a different experience — though with Google obfuscating Oreo on the Pixel, it’s hard to say what truly “stock” Android is at this point anyway (that’s a topic for a different article). By default, there’s no app drawer on the home screen, and there’s a pretty significant number of pre-installed apps from both Huawei and third parties that you may or may not be able to uninstall.

Aside from some aesthetic differences, though, EMUI is cleaner and less intrusive than ever. The settings menu is much better organized than in older versions, and the home screen even supports the Google Feed. The inclusion of Oreo’s notification dots and app shortcut menus is nice as well, along with the ability to run Google Maps or YouTube (if you’re a Red subscriber) in a floating window.

EMUI 8 brings some great features of its own to the table, as well. Swiping up from the bottom of the lock screen opens a small shade of useful tools like the flashlight or calendar that can be used without unlocking the phone. You’re also able to use the fingerprint sensor in lieu of the on-screen buttons to navigate the software, or even opt for a floating dock on the screen — both options rely on gestures. EMUI also embraces theme support, though the process of finding new themes isn’t quite as streamlined as on other phones; rather than offering its own hub to download new themes, you’ll need to search through the often dodgy selection on the Play Store.

While I still personally prefer a lighter touch to Android like OxygenOS, I actually quite enjoy the software on the View 10. Where EMUI used to feel a bit too heavy-handed, it’s now hitting a much better balance of bringing truly useful new features without deviating too far from the Android operating system it’s built upon. It still won’t be everyone’s favorite software experience, but I can’t imagine it being enough to run off anyone but the most die-hard stock purists.

EMUI 8 on top of Oreo feels intuitive, not intrusive, and that’s a big step for Honor and Huawei.

So let’s talk about AI for a second. Just like with the Mate 10 Pro, the Neural Processing Unit (NPU for short) baked into the Kirin 970 has been one of the View 10’s main marketing features. In short, it helps the View 10 process images faster and learns from your behavior over time to improve certain aspects of the phone. Right now it’s pretty limited in terms of demonstratable benefits, though Microsoft’s Translator app comes pre-installed on the View 10 to fill that role. It’s almost instantaneous when hovering the camera over foreign text, which can be incredibly useful when traveling.

Honor also says that the NPU will help prolong the degradation of performance over time — a problem that plagues every device. While that’s a bit difficult to judge after only a month, it’s nice to see the company making a commitment to long-term quality.

Dual cameras

Honor View 10 Cameras

The View 10 may not feature Leica-branded glass like some of its Huawei counterparts, but its dual camera system is still impressive. Both lenses pull off a fast f/1.8 aperture, but each plays a different role; the 16MP RGB camera serves as the main sensor, while the secondary 20MP monochrome camera pulls in finer details for a cleaner, clearer shot.

The NPU also plays a role in improving photography through AI. It’s able to identify 13 types of objects and scenes, then automatically optimizes your camera settings to best suit each shot.

Camera performance is a big win for the View 10.

All of this leads to some great photos coming from the View 10, with plenty of detail and dynamic range. The various shooting modes in the camera software help capture artsier shots, with wide aperture mode for bokeh or light painting mode for creative long exposures. Even in auto mode, though, the View 10 rarely disappoints.

Without OIS in either lens, things can get a bit shaky at times, and the View 10 isn’t the best low-light performer, but it’s aided on both fronts by the monochrome sensor and NPU. You’re also able to achieve mostly lossless 2x zoom, thanks to a combination of digital zoom and the higher resolution of the secondary sensor.

On the flip side, the View 10 features a surprisingly good front-facing camera: a 13MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture. Despite a tendency to overexpose in direct sunlight, it’s sharper than most selfie shooters, and produces pleasing colors — though you’ll probably want to turn off beauty mode before taking a photo (unless you’re into that unnaturally smooth look).

Long-lasting

Honor View 10 Battery Life

In spite of the phone’s slim profile, the View 10 packs a hefty 3,750mAh battery inside. Combined with the power-efficient Kirin 970 chipset, that leads to impressive battery performance — plenty to last through a full day of social media, music and video streaming, phone calls, and web browsing, and likely enough to last for two days with more conservative usage.

When you don’t need to make use of all the power of the KIrin 970, the View 10 can last even longer with the use of EMUI’s excellent power saving modes. To be clear, we aren’t talking about ground-breaking battery life here — this isn’t the BlackBerry KEYone, after all — but it’s still more than enough for most people’s needs, and certainly a better performer than the similarly priced OnePlus 5T.

The View 10 muscles its way to great battery life with raw capacity and power-saving features.

Since the View 10 is made of metal, you won’t be able to set it on a wireless charger and expect any results, but it does pack Huawei’s SuperCharge technology for extra-quick top-ups. Specifically, the View 10 charges at up to 5A at 4.5V, and Honor says you can expect to see a 50% increase in half an hour when using the included charger. In my experience, that’s about right.

The bottom line

Should you buy the Honor View 10? Yes

The Honor View 10 meets all of the basic requirements of a flagship phone at a significantly lower price point. Its hardware is attractive and well built. Its specs are powerful, and it even brings a unique dedicated component for artificial intelligence. Its cameras are excellent, beating out just about everything else in its price range.

As with all Honor phones, you’ll need to take Huawei’s EMUI software into consideration. With version 8.0, it’s more refined and cohesive than ever, but it’s still a fair leap from the stock Android experience offered by the View 10’s direct rival, the OnePlus 5T. You’ll need to decide for yourself whether that’s of any significant importance, but I think it’s a non-issue for most people.

The View 10 is a well-rounded, powerful, and affordable alternative to the mainstream flagships on the market.

Honor is putting a lot of emphasis on its AI technology, but right now with its limited practical applications, it’s not exactly the biggest selling point for this phone. Maybe with a little more time and some third-party support, that’ll change.

In the meantime, the View 10 is absolutely still worth your money.

See at Amazon

Score a free set of AKG Bluetooth headphones with a Galaxy S8 or Note 8

Hear the savings for yourself.

Samsung’s latest promotion scores you a free set of AKG Bluetooth headphones when you purchase a new Galaxy S8 or Galaxy Note 8 online. These headphones are valued at $180, making this one of the better freebies we’ve seen the company include with its smartphone offerings. You can pick from a carrier model (excluding Sprint) or an unlocked one, and once you add the phone of your choice to the cart the headphones will appear automatically.

Of course, there are some exclusions and rules here, which Samsung states as:

*Must be 18+ & 50 US/DC res. From 1/16/17 – 2/16/17, purchase any Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, Galaxy S7 Active, or Note8, (Offer excludes all Sprint carrier devices) on Samsung.com or Shop Samsung App (“Qualifying Purchase”) and get Free AKG Wireless Headphones (EO-Y50BTBLKAKG-PROMO). Gifts will automatically be added to your cart and price will automatically be reduced to zero for the Gift in the cart. Must check out with both Qualifying Purchase and Gift in the same transaction. Gift may be shipped separately. If Qualifying Purchase is returned, customer will forfeit right to receive Gift or, if customer has already received Gift, will be charged for retail price of Gift on the form of payment used to make Qualifying Purchase. Offer valid 1/16/17 – 2/16/17 only, or while supplies last, whichever is sooner. Limit one Gift per Qualifying Purchase. Offer cannot be combined with any other rebate, offer or discount. Taxes, shipping fees and other costs may apply.

This offer runs through February 16, 2018. Samsung will give you up to $350 when you trade in your current phone towards one of these new ones, depending on what it is. Pair that with the free headphones and you’ve got quite a deal to consider here.

See at Samsung

Bridge Constructor Portal review: A physics-based puzzle game worthy of GLaDOS

Are you prepared for more testing with GLaDOS at the Aperture Laboratories?

I’m typically wary of cross-overs between franchises that I love — especially in the world of gaming, where an older game may get updated with a tie-in from a trendy franchise that’s marketed as a “brand new content”! It’s rare for crossover games to offer anything substantial for fans of either property and cynically seem to exist as a quick cash grab.

Which is why I’ve been so god damn excited about Bridge Constructor Portal.

On the surface, combining two of the best physics-based puzzle games seems like a no-brainer. Bridge Constructor is a deceptively simple game that tests your civil engineering skills, while Portal is an iconic first-person puzzle game developed by Valve as part of the expanded universe from the Half-Life series that introduced the world to the Portal Gun.

Developed by ClockStone Studios, Bridge Constructor Portal captures the exact look and feel of the Aperture Laboratories test chambers from the Portal series and ports it into the Bridge Constructor style of gameplay perfectly. GLaDOS is back to give you all the snide advice as you work your way through 60 challenging levels. Originally released for PC on Steam, it’s a perfect game to port to mobile, with the touch controls not impeding your ability to build, destroy, and rebuild sections of your bridge.

The charm of Bridge Constructor has always been the freedom to design any sort of “bridge” that’s capable of achieving the goal of getting cars from one side to the other. You start off by building supports for your bridge, which can be converted to roadways with a simple tap. There are also suspension cords that can be used for additional support.

In keeping with the themes found in Portal, the rules here are even looser. Each test vehicle starts out with little test subjects in the back, but your goal here is only to ensure that the vehicle itself makes it to the goal — by any means necessary. It doesn’t have to be pretty as long as it works.

As you progress through the different test chambers, familiar elements from the Portal series start to emerge — from propulsion and repulsion gels, to those creepy talking turrets and companion cubes. It provides a new wrinkle for hardcore fans of the Bridge Constructor games and is fan service done right for the Portal fans who will surely be drawn to this game.

There are some missed opportunities, however. While the game tracks how much money you waste on solving each test chamber, there doesn’t seem to be any gameplay mechanic or punishment for spending too much or too little. And while Convoy mode tests your structure by launching multiple vehicles through the chamber one after another, it would have been nice to see a couple more different tests included for variety sake. Still, with 60 test chambers to work your way through there is more than enough content here to justify the price.

As seems to be the case with most Steam games ported to Android, Bridge Constructor Portal is available for half price of the PC version — just $4.99. That’s quite a steal for a game of this quality, and should be considered a must-play for anyone with a Samsung Note phone who loves to get some use out of that S-Pen.

Download: Bridge Constructor Portal ($4.99)

T-Mobile customers can get $4 tickets to five movies this year

The promotion starts January 23 and will be available through Atom Tickets.

Going to the movies is always something I enjoy doing, but one of the not-so-great aspects of doing so are the high ticket prices. The folks at T-Mobile apparently feel the same way, as the Un-Carrier has announced a new partnership with Twentieth Century Fox in which its customers will be able to buy movie tickets for just $4 each.

This deal starts on January 23, and it’ll be available for five of 2018’s hottest movies, including Maze Runner: The Death Cure, Red Sparrow, Deadpool 2, Atalia: Battle Angel, and Dark Phoenix.

T-Mobile customers will redeem their $4 ticket within the T-Mobile Tuesdays app and then purchase it through Atom Tickets.

In addition to this, T-Mobile will also be running various movie-themed contests so you can have a shot at winning trips to premiers, early movie screenings, and other “VIP experiences.”

Best T-Mobile Deals of January 2018

How to use your desktop in VR

You can use your entire desktop in VR.

The scene from the movie Minority Report in which Tom Cruise’s character, John Anderton, is moving virtual screens around with his hands is imprinted in the minds of techies everywhere. How cool would it be to have a bunch of movable screens surrounding you? You’d be able to enlarge, shrink, and rotate to your heart’s content…

Having your desktop surround you is an option within VR, whether you’re using third-party apps or a feature baked right into the platform’s software. Let’s take a look at the best options when it comes to using your desktop in VR.

HTC Vive

When using SteamVR with the HTC Vive, there’s an overlay menu that contains an option to see your desktop. It’s big, it’s clear, but it’s not customizable like you’d find with the Oculus Desktop or Cliff House.

You can’t create multiple windows and they won’t follow you around, and since you’re in a sort of overlay, you can’t really do anything else while viewing your desktop. While you can use your Vive wands, you can also use your mouse and keyboard when viewing your desktop.

See at Amazon

Windows Mixed Reality

When you first jump into Windows Mixed Reality (WMR), you’ll find yourself in the Cliff House, which serves as a customizable, familiar area in which you can hang out. Cliff House lets you pull apps from a Start menu and place their icons or windows around the area, allowing you to jump into different activities quickly and easily.

Along with apps, you can also place desktop windows pretty much anywhere and at any size. Whether you want to have a bunch of windows placed strategically around your place, or a tight cluster of windows to run all of your apps, you can set up a sizable workstation without much effort. A built-in keyboard is available for use with your motion controllers, but you can also use your keyboard and mouse.

Keep in mind that only one official desktop window can be used at one time, with any others going into a suspended state.

See at Microsoft Store

Oculus Rift

The enormous Rift Core 2.0 update is still in the Public Test Channel through the Oculus app, but it’s brought many great changes to the platform. One of the biggest is Oculus Desktop, which lets you create multiple windows no matter where you are within VR.

All you have to do is open the Dash, choose to place a desktop window, and you’re set. Not only can you create the main desktop with relative ease, you can also pull individual windows apart to create their own “screens.” This way, you can create a workstation with multiple displays surrounding you. You can set these displays to stay where they are, or you can tell them to follow you around as you navigate other experiences and games.

There is a built-in keyboard available that you can virtually type on using your Touch controllers, but your standard physical keyboard is available for when you need to get down to business.

See at Amazon

Third-party apps for desktop in VR

There are several third-party apps that let you use your desktop in VR.

Bigscreen

Bigscreen lets you host a small-scale LAN party from the penthouse of a skyscraper. Sit together — from the comfort of your own VR space — while you game against each other. No screen peeking!

Did one of your friends get ahold of a recently released movie? Watch it together on a theater-sized screen (you can make the screen any size you want, up to a certain enormous point) while you sit in a posh living room. Because of the nature of Bigscreen, only one person needs to have the media on their computer, but keep in mind that when it comes to gaming, each person needs a copy of the game to play together.

Move around the penthouse, from the kitchen to the living room to the patio, to find a space you like, or sit together on a couch and watch the lights of the city twinkle below. Your friends appear as disembodied heads that project voices in 3D space.
If you want to experience a virtual LAN or posh meeting place for you and your friends, definitely check out this free app. Bigscreen is in beta development and is compatible with WMR, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive.

See at Steam
See at Oculus
See at Microsoft

Virtual Desktop

Virtual Desktop (about $15) essentially lets you live inside your PC. There are a ton of 360-degree desktop environments you can download for free, and you can even design and implement your own 360-degree desktop environment. Sit under the sea, float around in space, or work from the top of the Empire State Building. Limitations here are based on what you can or cannot think up.

Virtual Desktop’s UI is streamlined and very easy to use. Drag and drop most files and they’ll begin to play immediately. You won’t spend your time fooling around trying to get things to work.

You can use voice commands to launch games and other apps, and if you love listening to music, there’s a built-in music visualizer — thanks to MilkDrop — that will melt your brain. Put on some Pink Floyd or Beatles and see what they were seeing when they wrote their music.

Make your screen as big or as small as you want, and curve it to an angle that’s suitable for your vision. Text remains legible no matter how you orient your screen and if you have a multi-monitor setup, you’ll be able to see each monitor within Virtual Desktop.

Use any video player you want to watch movies — the screen snaps up to where it’s supposed to be. Watch 3D videos (side-by-side format) inside Virtual Desktop as though you have a 3D TV, and, of course, play all of your games on an enormous screen. Diablo 3 and Rocket League look fantastic; going back to a regular display will be tough.

See at Steam
See at Oculus

Your desktop

Do you plan on moving your desktop to virtual reality? Have you already moved on from the 2D plane? Which platform or app are you using? Let us know!

Updated January 15, 2018: This article has been refreshed to ensure you’re still getting the best ways to use your desktop in VR.