Netflix renews ‘Fuller House’ for fourth season

Netflix may be have ushered in the era of streaming, but it is not a completely benevolent savior. Though Netflix does giveth, it also cancels away the underperforming. So the throwback sequel series Fuller House must be doing something right, because the streaming company just renewed it for a fourth season.

Viewers can look forward to the whole adult gang (Danny, Joey, Jesse and Rebecca) moving back to San Francisco to be there for Kimmy’s pregnancy. (Spoilers?) No word yet on when the fourth season will be added, so stay tuned.

Via: Deadline

Source: TVLine

What’s on TV: ‘Altered Carbon,’ ‘Super Bowl LII’ and ‘UFC 3’

This week the Super Bowl dominates the weekend, but before the game kicks off we’ll be watching Netflix’s next big sci-fi show, Altered Carbon. It’s a mystery series where a dead-for-centuries detective has been resurrected to investigate a murder. On NBC The Good Place is wrapping up its second season, on Friday the podcast 2 Dope Queens makes its debut as an HBO special and gamers can try out the third iteration of EA’s UFC game. Look after the break to check out each day’s highlights, including trailers and let us know what you think (or what we missed).

Blu-ray & Games & Streaming

• Roman J. Israel, Esq. (VOD)
• Wonder (VOD)
• Class of 1999
• Gothic
• Professor Marston and the Wonder Women
• Victoria (S2)
• Westfront 1918 (Criterion)
• Kameradschaft (Criterion)
• Rendel: Dark Vengeance
• Asemblance (Xbox One)
• Call of Duty: WWII – The Resisistance DLC (PS4)
• Candleman (PC)
• Feral Fury (PS4)
• Timothy vs. the Aliens (PS4)
• Briks 2 (PS4)
• Railway Empire (Xbox One)
• Wulverblade (Xbox One, PS4)
• Cold Iron (PS VR)
• EA Sports UFC 3 (Xbox One, PS4 – 2/2)

Monday

• May it Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers, HBO, 8 PM
• Kevin Can Wait, CBS, 8 PM
• Lucifer, Fox, 8 PM
• Supergirl, CW, 8 PM
• The Wall, NBC, 8 PM
• WWE Raw, USA, 8 PM
• Man With A Plan, CBS, 8:30 PM
• The Alienist, TNT, 9 PM
• The Resident, Fox, 9 PM
• Valor (season finale), CW, 9 PM
• Superior Donuts, CBS, 9 PM
• 9jkl, CBS, 9:30 PM
• The Brave (season finale), NBC, 10 PM
• Scorpion, CBS, 10 PM
• Desus & Mero, Viceland, 11 PM

Tuesday

• Babylon Berlin (S1 & S2), Netflix, 3 AM
• Retribution (S1), Netflix, 3 AM
• Ellen’s Game of Games, NBC, 8 PM
• WWE Smackdown, USA, 8 PM
• The Flash, CW, 8 PM
• The Fosters, Freeform, 8 PM
• Super Bowl Greatest Commercials 2018, CBS, 8 PM
• We’ll Meet Again: Rescued from Mt. St. Helens, PBS, 8 PM
• Fresh Off the Boar, ABC, 8:30 PM
• Black Lightning, CW, 9 PM
• Inside the NFL, Showtime, 9 PM
• Inside West Coast Customs, Velocity, 9 PM
• The Challenge, MTV, 9 PM
• Baskets, FX, 10 PM
• Drunk History, Comedy Central, 10 PM
• Bellevue, WGN, 10 PM
• The Quad, BET, 10 PM
• Undercover High, A&E, 10 PM
• Hate Thy Neighbor, Viceland, 10 PM
• The Detour, TBS, 10:30 PM
• Another Period, Comedy Central, 10:30 PM
• Desus & Mero, Viceland, 11 PM

Wednesday

• The Path, Hulu, 3 AM
• The Amazing Race, CBS, 8 PM
• Riverdale, CW, 8 PM
• The X-Files, Fox, 8 PM
• The Librarians, TNT, 8 PM
• Grown-ish, Freeform, 8 PM
• Alone Together, Freeform, 8:30 PM
• Dynasty, CW, 9 PM
• 9-1-1, Fox, 9 PM
• The Magicians, Syfy, 9 PM
• Law & Order: SVU, NBC, 9 PM
• Seal Team, CBS, 9 PM
• American Housewife, ABC, 9:30 PM
• Angela Rye’s State of the Union, BET, 10 PM
• American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace, 10 PM
• Slutever, Viceland, 10 PM
• Corporate, Comedy Central, 10 PM
• Happy! (season finale), Syfy, 10 PM
• Knightfall, History, 10 PM
• Match Game, ABC, 10 PM
• Criminal Minds, CBS, 10 PM
• Waco, Paramount, 10 PM
• Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (season finale), TBS, 10:30 PM
• Trixie & Katya Show, Viceland, 10:30 PM
• Desus & Mero, Viceland, 11 PM

Thursday

• The Four, Fox, 8 PM
• The Big Bang Theory CBS, 8 PM
• Grey’s Anatomy, ABC, 8 PM
• Supernatural, CW, 8 PM
• Superstore, NBC, 8 PM
• The Good Place (season finale), NBC, 8:30 PM
• 30 for 30: The Two Bills, ESPN, 9 PM
• Scandal, ABC, 9 PM
• Arrow, CW, 9 PM
• Van Helsing, Syfy, 9 PM
• Will & Grace, NBC, 9 PM
• Mom, CBS, 9 PM
• A.P. Bio (pilot), NBC, 9:30 PM
• Chicago Fire, NBC, 10 PM
• Black Card Revoked, BET, 10 PM
• Lip Sync Battle, Paramount, 10 PM
• S.W.A.T., CBS, 10 PM
• Thursday Night Darts (series premiere), BBC America, 10 PM
• Desus & Mero, Viceland, 11 PM
• The Rundown with Robin Thede, BET, 11 PM

Friday

• The Grand Tour, Amazon Prime, 3 AM
• Absentia (S1), Amazon Prime, 3 AM
• Altered Carbon (S1), Netflix, 3 AM
• Coach Snoop (S1), Netflix, 3 AM
• Breathe, Amazon Prime, 3 AM
• Fly Guys (series premiere), Facebook, 3 AM
• Luna Petunia (S1), Netflix, 3 AM
• Kavin Jay: Everybody Calm Down!, Netflix, 3 AM
• On Body and Soul, Netflix, 3 AM
• Blindspot, NBC, 8 PM
• Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, CW, 8 PM
• Child Support, ABC, 8 PM
• Jane the Virgin, CW, 9 PM
• Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., ABC, 9 PM
• Taken, NBC, 9 PM
• The Trade (series premiere), Showtime, 9 PM
• Strike Back (season premiere), Cinemax, 10 PM
• The Timeline (season finale), NFL Network, 10 PM
• High Maintenance, HBO, 11 PM
• 2 Dope Queens: Jon Stewart (series premiere), HBO, 11:30 PM

Saturday

• The Simone Biles Story, Lifetime, 8 PM
• NFL Honors, NBC, 9 PM
• Planet Earth: Blue Planet II, BBC America, 9 PM
• Conan Without Borders: Haiti, TBS, 10 PM
• SNL: Natalie Portman / Dua Lipa, NBC, 11:30 PM

Sunday

• Super Bowl LII: Eagles vs. Patriots, NBC, 6 PM
• Star Trek: Discovery, CBS All Access, 8:30 PM
• Counterpart, Starz, 8 PM
• Victoria, PBS, 9 PM
• After Trek, CBS All Access, 9:30 PM
• This is Us, NBC, 10:15 PM (after Super Bowl)
• Divorce, HBO, 10 PM
• Crashing, HBO, 10:30 PM

[All times listed are in ET]

Faraday Future lawsuit claims former exec stole trade secrets

Faraday Future’s executive exodus last fall was bad enough, but the departure of one exec may have been particularly troublesome. The electric car startup has filed a lawsuit alleging that former CFO Stefan Krause stole trade secrets and poached staff as he left to form a startup, Evelozcity. Reportedly, Krause was quietly working at both Faraday and Evelozcity for weeks before he was formally let go, and encouraged staff to not only leave, but take secret info on the way out. Faraday had announced Krause’s exit in November over “possible violations of law,” and now it’s clear what those might be.

The company went on to accuse others of similar theft. Former vehicle manufacturing head Bill Strickland supposedly took “thousands” of documents, while staffers Christoph Kuttner and Sohel Merchant may have taken files as well. None of them have been named in the lawsuit, however.

Whether or not that’s how things happened isn’t clear. Faraday believed that Krause asked the company’s human resources director to backdate his resignation to cover up his plans, but The Verge sources understand that Krause resigned in October. It also doesn’t gel with Faraday’s assertion that Krause was fired.

This isn’t the first time Faraday has taken legal action against would-be rivals (it sent a cease-and-desist notice to Indi EV over similar allegations), but it may be the most serious. It also underscores the loyalty issues the company has had for months. Its financial uncertainty and shrinking ambitions haven’t exactly inspired confidence, and a cash infusion in late 2017 came only after it had lost hundreds of employees. These kinds of lawsuits might be less likely going forward, but it’s notable that they happened at all.

Source: The Verge

Chinese students spent a record 200 days sealed in a simulated moon lab

China is pretty darn serious about putting people on the moon, and it has the training program to prove it. To help prepare people for the arduous task of lunar travel, Chinese students on the campus of Beihang University in Beijing recently underwent 200 continuous days in a “lunar lab” to simulate what it might be like. The four volunteers spent six-and-a-half months living in the 1,720-square-foot “Yuegong-1” cabin.

Prior to the four volunteers entering the facility for 200 days, it was occupied by two men and two women who stayed for 60 days. Now that the four who stayed for 200 days have departed, the original four will return for an additional 105 days. The first experiment in the module took place in 2014, when an initial 105-day trial was carried out. This latest test is the longest that anyone has stayed in the simulated lunar environment.

Speaking with official Chinese news agency Xinhua, the module’s chief designer Liu Hong said that the 200-day extended stay is intended to challenge both the stability of the lunar lab and the “psychological status of the volunteers.” At one point during the foursome’s 200-day stay, the lab experienced unintended blackouts.

Getty Images/Xinhua News Agency

The facility features four sleeping cubicles, a common room, room for raising animals, and a waste-treatment room. This treatment room includes a special bio-fermentation system for breaking down and recycling human waste. These waste byproducts can then be used by the inhabitants to grow experimental crops and vegetables.

China has long been outspoken about its lunar ambitions. While it does not expect to land astronauts on the moon for at least the next decade, it has nonetheless invested billions of dollars in its military-run space program. At present, the plan is reportedly for China to have a crewed outpost on the moon by 2022. This “lunar lab” project is one part of those preparations, by helping give potential lunar explorers both the physical and mental tools they will need for longer stays on the moon’s surface.

In the past, sources have suggested that China plans to land a spacecraft on the dark side of the moon in the next few years — something that would be a first for any country.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Lunar lava tubes may provide access to vast polar ice reservoirs on the moon
• For American astronauts, the moon beckons once again
• Japanese startup lands $90 million to put a billboard on the moon
• NASA describes its plan for reaching Mars, but timing could be challenging
• Awesome tech you can’t buy yet: Paper machines, mailbox minders, and more

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 review

For years, people outside of China or India have been denied a fully functional Xiaomi smartphone. Yes, you could import one, but it would inevitably be hobbled by the lack of local 4G LTE network support. That has now changed: Not only can you buy a Xiaomi phone that will connect to 4G in the U.S. and U.K., but it’s the best phone Xiaomi has ever made. It’s the Mi Mix 2, and we’re very lucky indeed. In our time with the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2, the phone has consistently connected to 4G LTE in the U.K., going way beyond the patchy service seen with older Xiaomi phones.

Well, almost lucky. You still need to import the Mi Mix 2, as Xiaomi doesn’t officially sell its hardware in the U.S. or U.K. No, you won’t find it at Best Buy or in AT&T stores; but unlike phones such as the Galaxy Note 8 and iPhone X, it doesn’t cost around $1,000. The Global version, through importing retailers like GearBest, is $530. It’s strong competition for the OnePlus 5T and the Honor View 10 — flagship killers.

Astonishing value

The lack of 4G LTE in the U.S. was a caveat we always noted at the end of our Xiaomi device reviews, no matter how much we liked them. But the Mi Mix 2 supports all the bands needed to connect to GSM networks provided by T-Mobile and AT&T (you’re out of luck if you have Verizon or Sprint). The Mi Mix 2 opens up an entirely new audience for Xiaomi hardware, because there are no compromises in service. The question is, should anyone thinking about the OnePlus 5T also consider the Mi Mix 2? The answer is yes. This is an astonishing phone for the price, and ticks every box from capable camera and stunning screen to an ultra modern design.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

The original Mi Mix was one of the first phones with an almost bezel-less display, where the borders around the screen are minimized. The Mi Mix 2 continues the trend. Tiny bezels run down the sides of the screen and above it, where a small speaker sits due to Xiaomi abandoning the piezoelectric speaker inside the display on the first Mi Mix. It works better too because it gets louder.

Below the screen, the bezel is larger but not unnecessarily big. It’s where the selfie camera sits. Yes, you still have to flip the phone upside down to take a sensible selfie, but the software adjusts the display automatically to make the experience less annoying.

It’s strong competition for the OnePlus 5T and the Honor View 10.

Aside from 4G LTE connectivity, the software on Xiaomi phones has also been a setback. The Mi Mix 2 runs Android 7.1.1, and ours came with the November 2017 Google security patch, along with the global version of Xiaomi’s MIUI 9 user interface. The Google Play Store is installed, Google Assistant works, but despite the presence of NFC for mobile payments, Android Pay will not work because of an unlocked bootloader. This gives the user root access to a smartphone, but it disables Android Pay due to security concerns. That aside, it happily ran all the apps we use on a daily basis without argument, and with speed. Lots of speed.

The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 has a Snapdragon 835 processor with 6GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of storage space. It’s an absolute monster, taking on the OnePlus 5T, the Galaxy S8, and the LG V30. We put the Mi Mix 2 through an AnTuTu benchmark test, and it scored 180,985. That’s almost identical to the OnePlus 5T. MIUI has improved and is a fluid experience, and the Mi Mix 2’s speed makes it pleasurable to use. Xiaomi will soon introduce a series of gesture controls to speed up navigation even more, much like the iPhone X, in a future version of MIUI. This is still in beta, so we didn’t thoroughly test them.

Decent camera, beautiful design

Then we come to how the Mi Mix 2 looks. It’s a beauty. It has an 18:9 aspect ratio 5.99-inch screen with a 2,160 x 1,080 pixel resolution. The colors are spectacular, video looks great, and it’s easy to stretch content out to take full advantage of the entire display. The auto brightness isn’t tuned well, and we did encounter a lot of glare out in the sun. That made it a little difficult to see notifications at a glance.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

The body is made from ceramic with an aluminum frame. The back panel is essentially like a mirror, and sadly it gets covered in fingerprints and is dangerously slippery. We handed the phone to a friend saying, “be careful,” and he almost immediately handed it back replying, “I’m going to drop that.” A case is essential.

This is an astonishing phone for the price.

How about the camera? Xiaomi hasn’t done anything crazy here. There’s a single 12-megapixel lens on the back which takes good pictures. It doesn’t have a portrait mode that adds blur behind subjects, a monochrome camera, or any other flashy feature; but show it a pleasant day and the HDR mode shines.  The 5-megapixel selfie camera has a more intrusive beauty mode than many other phones, slimming and lightening faces down considerably. Fine, if that’s what you want, but not representative of real life.

The lens sits above a fingerprint sensor on the back of the Mi Mix, which is easy to locate and fast to react.

With the addition of global 4G LTE connectivity on the Mi Mix 2, there is now a strong reason why — if you’ve often been tempted — to try out a Xiaomi phone. The Mi Mix 2 is excellent value for money, has a beautiful modern design, and performs like a true flagship phone should. Now if only it was officially on  sale in the U.S. and U.K.

DT Editors’ Rating: 4/5

Editors’ Recommendations

• HP’s Envy x2 claims longest battery life of any detachable Windows PC
• Lenovo has its own Qualcomm-powered 2-in-1 with the Miix 630
• Gigabit LTE will give your current phone insane speeds. Here’s how it works
• The 6-inch OnePlus 5T costs $500 and you can unlock it with your face
• Comparing smartphones to find the most bezel-less design

Five high-tech meat thermometers to ensure properly cooked meals

For some people, there’s nothing scarier in the kitchen than the color pink. While you might underwhelm dinner guests by serving a steak that is too rare or too well-done, you can also make people extremely sick if you put undercooked chicken on their plate. That being the case, here are a few meat thermometers that will make sure your meat is perfectly cooked every time.

Sur La Table Dual Sensing Probe Thermometer and Timer ($29.95)

This meat thermometer is a no-frills model that is convenient, reliable, and straightforward, and that anyone can easily learn how to use.

Thanks to the dual-setting probe, you can program settings to measure both internal food temperature and also ambient oven temperature. When the oven reaches the desired temperature, a chime goes off to let you know. Then, another alarm will sound once the meat has reached the optimal temperature. With this multitasking tool, you can take the guesswork out of the cooking process to ensure perfectly cooked meats every time.

Buy one now from:

 Sur La Table

The Meater ($69)

Is opening up your grill and reading the temperature displayed on Sur La Table’s Round Steak Button Thermometer a little too much work for you? Then check out the Meater. This next-gen meat thermometer was one of the hottest items on Indiegogo in 2015 when nearly 10,000 people pledged more than $1 million to make it happen.

The Meater is essentially a wireless thermometer that constantly monitors your food’s temperature as it cooks. The thermometer also connects to a smartphone app, so you can check your food’s progress simply by glancing at your phone. The Meater knows the proper temperature for everything from beef to chicken, and will automatically alert you when your meal is properly cooked. Read more here.

Buy one now from:

The Meater

Lynx Smart Grill ($7,000)

While products like the Meater actually measure the internal temperature of your meat, the Lynx Smart Grill ensures that you have perfectly cooked food in a different way. With the combination of precise cooking temperatures and programmed recipes, the Lynx Smart Grill consistently provides perfectly cooked meals.

The Lynx Smart Grill practically does the cooking for you. Once you tell the grill what you’re cooking via the connected smartphone app, the grill adjusts the temperature, sets the timer, and starts cooking. When you’re cooking something that requires human intervention, say, like flipping a burger, the Lynx will alert you when it’s time.

If you choose the right recipe, select the correct meat size, and flip when the grill tells you to flip, the Lynx Smart Grill should give you something that is perfectly safe to consume. Those who are a little paranoid about raw meat, however, still might want to use a meat thermometer before taking their first bite. Read our full review here.

Buy one now from:

Amazon Lynx

Weber iGrill 2 ($100)

The Weber iGrill 2 aims to take some of the stress out of grilling. Forget the days of jumping in and out of conversations as you hover around the grill to make sure nothing is burning. With this device, you can get real-time temperature updates on your phone or the magnetic display that attaches to your grill.

The Weber iGrill 2 also sports 200 hours of battery life and will keep talking to your phone via Bluetooth as long as your within its 150-foot range. You can even set custom temperature alarms and timers on the iGrill app, and if you’re a true grilling nerd, you can graph your cooking data.

Buy one now from:

Amazon Weber

ThermoWorks ThermoPop ($29+)

The biggest problem with smart thermometers such as the Weber iGrill 2 or the Meater — both of which provide real-time temperatures while you’re cooking — is that the number of pieces of meat you can monitor is limited by the number of thermometers you have on hand. While the ThermoPop  may require a little extra work, this device is relatively inexpensive, reliable, and easy to use.

The digital thermometer can determine the internal temperature of your meat within a single degree in just a few seconds. It also features a rotating display, which makes it easy to read at any angle.

While ThermoWorks makes a top-of-the-line meat thermometer that boasts 0.1-degree precision, aka the Thermapen, the ThemoPop is more than enough to prevent backyard cooks from serving raw meat.

Buy one now from:

ThermoWorks

Editors’ Recommendations

• These holiday gadgets will make cooking your meal a breeze
• Give Rachael Ray a run for her money with these 11 best cooking apps
• Meater review
• Bring your leftovers back to life with the best microwaves on the market
• Black Friday deals to make your home smarter this holiday season

Everything you need to know about this week’s ‘super blue blood moon’ event

Have you heard people talking about a “super blue blood moon” and found yourself wondering what all the fuss is about? Well wonder no longer! Here’s everything you need to know about the once-in-a-lifetime event coming to a sky near you (weather permitting) this week.

What on Earth is a Super Blue Blood Moon?

It may sound like the name of a badly translated Japanese arcade game, but it’s actually an incredibly rare lunar event in which a total lunar eclipse occurs with a blue moon, a.k.a. an extra full moon which takes place due to a quirk of the calendar.

Confusingly, the term “blue moon” doesn’t actually mean a moon that’s blue, but rather a rare case (which happens around every 2.7 years) in which there are two full moons in one calendar month. A “blood moon,” however, does refer to a red moon, since it involves a total lunar eclipse, which makes the moon appear a reddish color, thanks to scattered light from the sun.

As for the “super” bit? That refers to the fact that the moon is slightly closer to Earth than normal and therefore appears bigger in the sky and around 14 percent brighter. Add all of that lunar awesomeness up and you get a super blue blood moon.

This sounds pretty uncommon.

You can say that again! We’ve covered the fact that a blue moon takes place approximately every 2.7 years (and that’s apparently enough to get it considered rare enough for its own “once in a blue moon” expression.)

NASA

A super blue blood moon is rarer than a deck of mint condition Charizard cards, though. The last time all three elements came together in the Western hemisphere was in 1866, back when Andrew Johnson was President and Tennessee became the first U.S. state to be readmitted to the Union following the American Civil War. Needless to say, you’re probably not going to see another of these.

Okay, I’m sold. When does this it take place and how do I watch it?

It takes place later this week just before sunrise on Wednesday, January 31. Depending on where you are, you’ll be able to see it at different times. If you live in Washington, DC, it’ll be visible at approximately 7.15am EST, in New York, NY it’s 7.06am EST, in Chicago, IL it’s 7.06am CST, in Kansas City, MO it’s 7.28am CST, in Denver, CO it’s 7.12am MST, in Phoenix, AZ it’s 7.29am MST, in Los Angeles, CA it’s 6.57am PST, and in Seattle, WA it’s 7.44am PST.

The best places to watch it in North America are apparently California and western Canada. It will also be visible during moonrise on January 31 in Asia, the Middle East, Russia and Australia. Don’t worry if you can’t see it too well (or at all), however, because NASA and Virtual Telescope will be handily livestreaming the event here. Needless to say, that didn’t happen in 1866.

Is it safe to look at?

It is indeed. Unlike a solar eclipse, you can check out the super blue blood moon in all its glory with no protective eyewear necessary. Enjoy!

Editors’ Recommendations

• A super blue blood moon is coming in January! Here’s what you need to know
• Everything we know so far about ‘Wonder Woman 2’
• If Apple Is Slowing Down Your iPhone, Here’s How To Fix It
• ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle’ review
• Graphene’s next trick? Creating foil-thin body armor that’s harder than diamonds

Best Cases for Samsung Galaxy Tab S3

Best cases for keeping your Galaxy Tab S3 protected and functional.

There aren’t a ton of great Android tablets options out there, but one of the best is the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3. The Tab S3 includes the S Pen along with the stylish hardware we’ve all come to expect from Samsung.

You can get the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 for under $500 on Amazon, and use the $50 in savings to buy a functional cover for your tablet that both protects and props it up to assist with productivity or watching Netflix. Here are your best case options for the Galaxy Tab S3.

• Samsung Keyboard Cover
• Samsung Book Cover Case
• Fintie Keyboard Case
• ProCase Hard Shell Case
• Poetic TurtleSkin Rugged case
• MoKo Galaxy Tab S3 Slim Folding Cover Case
• SUPCASE Unicorn Beetle Pro Series Case
• BELK Leather Viewing Stand w/ Wallet

Samsung Keyboard Cover

We’ll start with Samsung’s keyboard accessory for its newest tablet. Offering protection as well as functionality, this case includes Samsung’s latest keyboard, featuring chiclet-style keys, along with intuitive POGO pin connectors, which let you set up your tablet in keyboard mode right quick.

Samsung offers a fairly standard look for this keyboard case, featuring a white folding back panel that provides protection for your tablet, while the keyboard is made of gray, physical keys.

While the Galaxy Tab S3 might not be enough to fully replace the functionality of a laptop, this stylish and functional keyboard will let you do more on the go. If adding a keyboard to your tablet is important to you, this is your best option.

See at Amazon

Samsung Book Case

Starting out with Samsung’s own accessories for its latest tablet, this is the classic folio-style case that offers full-screen protection for storage and travel with a little kickstand-style stand for hands-free media watching.

Because it’s designed by Samsung, it includes some really handy features like a magnetic connection that keeps the cover closed and also turns the screen on or off when it’s opened or closed. Get yours on Amazon in either black or white for just under $38.

See at Amazon

Fintie Keyboard Case

For those looking for a keyboard case at a discount price, Fintie has got you (and your tablet) covered.

This cover includes a Bluetooth keyboard that connects to your Tab S3 magnetically giving you access to a full QWERTY keyboard for all your typing desires.

Unlike other third-party keyboard cases you might have seen, Fintie used classic hard keys like you’d find on a laptop in lieu of those grody silicone keys that can get grimy and gross real quick.

The Fintie keyboard case is available in four colors along with a selection of cool print designs starting at just $32.

See at Amazon

ProCase Hard Shell Case

You don’t need to spend more than $15 for a reliable case for your tablet. Check out this sleek and stylish case from ProCase. Its a basic folio-style case with a synthetic leather finish. The cover can be folded over to create a kickstand for watching your favorite Netflix shows.

Starting at $12, you can choose your favorite color and rock your Tab S3 in style. It’s a great budget option for protecting your Galaxy Tab S3.

See at Amazon

Poetic TurtleSkin Rugged Case

Not a huge fan of all this folio cover business, but want something rugged to protect your tablet in case you drop it or it slips off your living room table? Consider the Poetic TurtleSkin case.

Much like a standard case for your phone, the TurtleSkin case is made of silicone material that’s both grippy and very shock resistant. On the back, it’s got a unique pattern of raised supports helps with grip (and also explains the TurtleSkin name). Most importantly, there are air vents that help keep your Tab S3 cool. You can get yours from Amazon available in four color options starting at just $11.

See at Amazon

MoKo Galaxy Tab S3 Slim Folding Cover Case

MoKo’s lightweight case for the Galaxy Tab S3 features a premium PU leather exterior that keeps your tablet protected from drops and scuffs, while the interior is lined with soft microfiber material to keep your screen scratch-free. Like most folio cases, you’re able to fold the front cover into a viewing stand with multiple angles. The front cover closes with magnets in the corners that allow you to wake your Tab S3 when the front cover is opened, but it won’t interfere with the S Pen. The S Pen also gets some attention itself, with MoKo including a stylus loop to ensure your S-Pen stays with your tablet.

All buttons and ports are left exposed so that there won’t be any fit issues with your accessories, and there’s also a convenient hand strap for one-handed use.

You can get this case in classic single color options or choose from more stylish designs — the choice is yours — for around $11.

See at Amazon

SUPCASE Unicorn Beetle Pro Series Case

SUPCASE makes some outstanding rugged cases for phones under its Unicorn Beetle branding, and you should expect the same level of protection for your Galaxy Tab S3 here as well.

SUPCASE offers full-body protection for your tablet, which includes a protective front casing with a built-in screen protector and a raised bezel to keep that beautiful screen protected. On the back, a dual-layer hybrid casing designed with a shock-absorbing TPU bumper will keep your tablet well-protected from any accidental drops and also features a pop-out kickstand for hands-free viewing.

All your ports and buttons are covered to prevent dust and debris from getting in, making this an ideal case for anyone who likes to take their tablet into the great outdoors. It’s also available in your chose of color — black, blue, pink, and white — so you can pick the one that fits your style. Get it starting at $20.

See at Amazon

BELK Leather Viewing Stand w/ Wallet

Featuring high-quality PU leather, BELK offers a very stylish option for keeping your Tab S3 protected. Your tablet is held in place by the rugged inner shell made of rigid polycarbonate, which leaves ample cutouts around the headphone jack and USB-C charging port.

What also sets this case apart from the others on the list is the slip pockets on the inside cover, which let you store credit cards, business cards or even IDs, along with a pocket for storing cash, passports — whatever you want to have on you at all times. There’s also elastic hand strap which lets you confidently hold your tablet with one hand.

This folio case also lets you fold up the front cover as a kickstand for hands-free viewing, and the whole thing is available in a couple stylish colors, all for $13.

See at Amazon

How do you keep your tablet safe?

During the first week of owning my first tablet, it slipped out of my hands and landed screen-side down. The display (and my excitement for the new device) was shattered. Have you had any tablet trauma stories that taught you to always keep your devices safe… or are you just careful?

Let us know in the comments!

Update January 2018: Added a bunch of great new options to our list from Samsung, ProCase and Poetic!

Xiaomi announces Mi Box 4 and Mi Box 4c, coming to China February 1

Launching for around $55 and $39 USD, respectively.

Xiaomi’s Mi Box is one of the few products the company sells in the United States, and to be honest, it’s not that great. Android Central’s Andrew Martonik wasn’t very impressed with the Mi Box when he reviewed it in late-2016, but Xiaomi might be looking to redeem itself with the newly announced Mi Box 4 and Mi Box 4c.

The Mi Box 4 is the more powerful of the two streaming boxes, and it comes with 2GB RAM and Bluetooth 4.1 Low Energy so you can use your remote even if it’s not pointed right at the Mi Box 4. On the other hand, the Mi Box 4c comes with just 1GB RAM and uses infrared technology that requires your remote has a clear view of the box in order to do anything.

Aside from those two differences, the Mi Box 4 and 4c are mostly the same. Both are powered by the quad-core Amlogic S905L processor and Mali-450 GPU, and each comes with 8GB of internal storage. There’s support for 4K HDR playback up to 60 FPS, and Xiaomi’s new PathWall AI system will recommend movies and TV shows to watch based on your viewing habits. In addition to this, it also allows users to initiate voice commands with the included remote.

Xiaomi’s own MIUI TV is running on the Mi Box 4 and 4c, and for whatever reason, it’s still based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

There’s no word if the Mi Box 4 and 4c will ever make their way out of China as successors to the Android TV Mi Box we have in the States right now, but if you happen to live in China, you’ll be able to purchase the 4 and 4c for 349 Yuan and 249 Yuan, respectively (around $55 and $39 USD).

Xiaomi Mi Box review: Good price doesn’t mean great value

Amazon Super Bowl teaser hints at new Alexa voices

Whatcha doing there, Amazon?

On Sunday, February 4, the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots will go head-to-head during Super Bowl LII. I’ve never been one for sports, but like a lot of people, I’ll be watching for the entertaining/amazingly cringy commercials. Amazon recently shared a teaser clip for the ad it’ll be airing Sunday night, and it suggests that some changes may be coming to Alexa.

The 30-second clip starts out with a woman brushing her teeth and asking Alexa for the weather, and right after the assistant says it’ll be 60-degrees in Austin, it starts coughing before going silent. The clip then cuts to a news report about how Alexa has lost her voice, and a shook Jeff Bezos is informed by an Amazon employee that “the replacements are ready.”

Although not confirmed, it seems likely that these “replacements” are hinting at new voices that users will be able to use with their Echo speakers. Google recently allowed users to choose between a female and male voice for the Google Assistant, so Amazon announcing something similar doesn’t seem all that unlikely.

The use of the word “replacements” leads me to believe that Amazon will have more than one new voice for Alexa to use, and if this turns out to be the case, it’ll add a nice touch of personalization to the assistant.

If Amazon is working on new voices for Alexa, what options would you like to see added?

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