HDHomeRun Connect DUO+ adds a hard-drive for an all-in-one cord-cutting solution

SiliconDust, makers of the HDHomeRun, unveiled a new product at CES that’ll make cord-cutting even easier.

The HDHomeRun Connect is a great product for folks wanting some freedom from cable subscriptions while keeping their entire household entertained with TV. At CES 2018 the latest product in the lineup has been announced, the Connect DUO+. And the big story here is that it comes with a built-in DVR.

The continued growth of cord cutting and shaving has created a need for TV delivery solutions that give the viewer maximum flexibility and cost savings. That is exactly what SiliconDust has produced in the HDHomeRun CONNECT DUO+. This new generation product builds on a successful previous generation and has a sleek new form factor as well as the ease of in-built storage.

At the heart, the Connect DUO+ is the same as the regular Connect DUO, with two tuners allowing two streams on your network at once. That means you can watch two different channels on two different devices or you can watch one channel while recording another. The DUO+ adds 256GB of storage to the mix which is good for up to 60 hours of HD recordings.

To use HDHomeRun DVR you’ll still require a subscription (everyone needs a subscription to use the service), but the DUO+ is pre-loaded with the HDHomeRun engine already so all you need to do is hook up your account and you’re good to go. And because it’s an HDHomeRun, you can use the DUO+ in conjunction with any other HDHomeRun product to get access to more tuners, and more channels at the same time.

One of the things we like the most about the HDHomeRun is its versatility, with support for just about every platform you could want. Android, iOS, Windows 10, Xbox, Kodi, Plex are all great ways to use this hardware, and other services like Plex DVR can be used with the DUO+ storage, too.

The Connect DUO+ is scheduled to go on sale in mid-2018, pricing has yet to be confirmed.

Essential starts selling a few new accessories

Replacement fast charger, new USB-C headphones, a carrying case for the Essential 360 Camera, and more.

The Essential Phone was a difficult device to recommend when it first launched at $699, but following the price cut down to $499, it’s now a fairly decent purchase as long as you know what you’re getting into. If you recently picked up an Essential Phone and are looking to outfit it with a few new accessories, Essential now has you covered.

The company announced on Twitter that it was finally selling official accessories on its website, and while there’s nothing particularly groundbreaking here, it’s still worth checking out. You can pick up another 27W fast charger in either black or white for $39, and $15 will get a backup USB-C to 3.5mm dongle in those same colors if you happen to lose the one that comes included with the Essential Phone.

Earphones HD (left) and Earphones Mini (right).

If dongles aren’t your thing, you can also buy two new USB-C headphones. The cheapest of the two is the Earphones Mini at $49, and they come with USB Audio Class 2 support, small, medium, and large earbud tips, and an included carrying case. Stepping up to the Earphones HD will cost you $99, and the main difference with these is that they have 9.2mm drivers with Hi-Res Audio support.

Lastly, the accessories page also shows a new carrying case for the Essential 360 Camera that comes in both black and red. There’s no word on price or availability, with the website merely saying that it’s “coming soon.” Essential’s Phone Dock charger is here as well, but it’s also still not available to buy despite being announced back in May of 2017.

See at Essential

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Zolo Liberty+ wireless earbuds mini review

This could have been a shining review of a more-than-capable set of truly wireless earbuds that retail for a mere $150. Instead, it’s a cautionary tale.

I was genuinely excited for the Zolo Liberty+ earbuds. Zolo’s an audio-centric offshoot of Anker, the company that makes pretty much everything, makes it relatively inexpensive, and makes it reasonably well. So a Kickstarter campaign for $99? I was in, saving about $50 off the retail price in the process. A few months later (plus a little extra time because white earbuds are hard, apparently), and I was exercising with a new set of Bluetooth buds, and without a connecting wire snagging my neck.

See at Zolo Audio

The format is simple at this point. You’ve got two independent — as in truly wireless — earbuds, and a case for charging and carrying them around. You charge the case, the case charges the buds. (And you can, of course, charge the case and the buds at the same time.) Zolo says to expect 3 hours or so of playback time before the buds need to be charged again, but that was fairly moot for me, since I’d just pop ’em back in the case when I was done with my workout, and they’d charge right back up for next time. The charging case itself is supposed to get you more than 48 hours of use. But, again, I’d just plug it in once I got home, and we’d be back to 100%. Because when it comes to hitting the gym with no music, you don’t mess around.

• Price: $149 (retail)
• Tech: Bluetooth 5.0, AAC, SBC
• Drivers: 2x 6mm graphene dynamic
• Battery life: 3.5 hours before recharge, 48+ with charging case (microUSB)
• Water resistance: Sweat-proof IPX5
• Apps: Android, iOS

The buds and case are nicely constructed. The only real complaint here is that the case uses Micro-USB for charging — a step backward for anyone expecting “the future” of USB-C to actually take hold at some point. (Wireless charging would have been great, I guess, but it’s not too surprising not see that as an option.) Hell, even the in-box experience is nice. I’ll gripe about Micro-USB, but also enjoy the fact that Zolo included a braided yellow (because branding!) cable for charging.

Fitting the buds was simple enough. Just stick it in your ear hole, and twist a little to fit. I didn’t have any issues with it falling out while on an elliptical or with light jogging. But if you do need to fiddle with the fit a bit, you’ve got options in the box. Nice touch.

Sound quality was just fine, too. I wasn’t expecting the best for $150, but wasn’t disappointed at all either. There’s decent passive sound isolation as well. There’s an option in the included Zolo app for “transparency,” with which the microphone is used to feed in sound from the outside world. It was worthless in the gym, though — just too much noise from the overhead music and weights clanging, so I just left it off. There are a few built-in EQ presets, but none of them really suited me, so I just stuck with the default.

The buds themselves have the basic one-button operation going on. I don’t do much beyond play/pause and picking up the occasional phone call, so that’s simple enough, but it also ties into Google Assistant on Android, or Siri on iOS, which is just fine.

All in all — perfectly usable, truly wireless earbuds at a decent price. Of course, post-purchase is where companies really start to stand out, right?

Don’t lose the charger. Or an earbud. Because you’ll be SOL.

Admittedly, I screwed up. I grabbed the Liberty+ case as I was getting out of my car, forgetting to extract the buds and leave the charger behind. I realized that, and didn’t bother walking 50 feet back to the care to lock the case inside. Instead, I left it in an open-face cubby, along with my sweatshirt and keys. I’m pretty sure the case was at least partially visible. And when I finished my workout an hour or so later, it was gone.

The joke’s on whomever ganked the case, I guess, because the earbuds were safely in use in my ears. But I was left without a way to charge them.

Time for a little detective work. Not to have my YMCA check security footage — ain’t nobody got time for that, and Karma’s a bitch. No, I wanted to see how the upstart Zolo Audio handles this sort of thing.

That you can’t actually buy the Liberty+ yet — it’s still listed as “coming in 2018,” though Zolo says to expect it at the end of January — wasn’t a good sign. And there’s no “buy a spare charger” listing on the site, either. That’s no good.

I emailed customer service, which promised to get back within 48 hours. Three days later (Saturday evening, no less), I got the bad news. There’s no way to buy a spare case. You’ll have to buy a whole new set. (Same goes for earbud tips, I presume, which also aren’t listed on the site anywhere.)

How does this compare to other players in the space?

Apple will replace a single AirPod for $69 and the charging case for $69. That’s reasonable.

JayBird — whose X3 wired Bluetooth buds I had (and in the interim have been) enjoyed — sells a new charging case for $69, a spare earbud for $59, and new tips for $9. Also completely reasonable. (I’ve since ordered the $179 Run buds — more on those at another time.)

Bose’s more expensive $249 SoundSport Free has a spare charger for $49, and tips for $9.

The first-gen Jabra Elite Sport (new ones were just announced at CES) has a spare charging case for $99, and a replacement but for $79.

Sony’s WF-1000X buds? Nothing.

The bottom line

Good earbuds are one thing. Good earbuds at a good price are another. But it’s worth remembering that the purchase is just one part of the product lifecycle, and really should be just a part of your decision to buy. I was happy spending money on the Zolo Audio Liberty+ — especially at the discounted Kickstarter price. (Remember, they’ll retail at $150.)

A good product can fall apart if post-sale support falls flat.

The earbuds worked great. I didn’t have any problems with the audio cutting out, they sounded great, and worked really well.

But accidents do happen. And if I do something dumb — like leaving the case out where someone might happen to walk off with it — then I should also have the opportunity to redeem myself, without having to pay full price for a full new product. That’s where companies can (and do) differentiate themselves.

And there’s where an upstart like Zolo Audio fell flat in this case.

See at Zolo Audio

Sacrifice one plug for three USB ports with this $19 Topgreener charger outlet

Plug it in, plug it in.

This Topgreener 3-port USB charger wall outlet is down to $19.17 with code U9UNVPWK on Amazon. This deal saves you about $6 off the average street price.

Essentially you’ll be able to replace one outlet with three ports for charging USB devices. That’s a good trade if you ask me, considering most of the things we plug in these days are power adapters for USB cables.

Features include:

• USB charger outlet with three USB ports (total output of 5.8A, 29W, 5VDC) and one 15A tamper-resistant receptacle. Replaces standard wall outlet for high-speed charging without adapters
• USB module part simplifies color changes and outlet replacement, so you can do it yourself, cutting out electrician and replacement costs. Instead of replacing an entire TU11558A3, replace just the USB module and it’s good as new!
• Smart Intellichip Technology, built into the USB ports, reads the power need of the connected smartphone, tablet, or device to safely and efficiently charge it without overcharging or overheating the device
• Tamper-resistant power outlet complies with 2011 NEC Article 406.14 and provides child safety from preventing the insertion of unwanted objects into the outlet; ideal for home, office, school, airport, hotel

While it comes with a plain white wall plate, you can add your own to match your home decor, like a black one for $4 or brushed nickel for $8.

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OnePlus 3T on OxygenOS beta was sending clipboard data to Alibaba servers

Thankfully, this ‘feature’ will be removed soon.

There’s no such thing as a perfect company, and that’s something OnePlus learned firsthand throughout 2017. During just the last few months of the year, it was discovered that certain OnePlus phones had a root backdoor and that the company was collecting an exorbitant amount of user data without giving customers a clear way to opt out of it.

In the latest entry of this saga, a user on the OnePlus forums has discovered that a system app by the name of “com.oneplus.clipboard” was collecting information from their OnePlus 3T’s clipboard and sending it back to servers owned by Chinese company Alibaba.

This app was found on a 3T running the latest OxygenOS Open Beta with the December 1, 2017 security patch, and after Android Police reached out to OnePlus to get more information about what the heck was going on, this was the response they received:

Our OnePlus beta program is designed to test new features with a selection of our community. This particular feature was intended for HydrogenOS, our operating system for the China market. We will be updating our global OxygenOS beta to remove this feature.

While we are glad to see that this app is being removed, we aren’t sure that this is something we’d refer to as a “feature.” There’s only been a report of this being found on the OnePlus 3T, but we wouldn’t be surprised if this made its way to the 3 as well.

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Best Android apps for learning a language in 2018

Learning a new language doesn’t have to happen in a classroom.

A new year means new resolutions, and for some folks, that means sitting down and deciding to learn a new language. After all, in a world that is becoming increasingly multicultural, being multilingual is a handy skill. If you’ve been trying to figure out if there’s a good app that will let you learn while commuting or at home, then we’ve got good news for you.

We’ve collected the best language learning apps on Android for you right here!

• Rosetta Stone
• Duolingo
• Babbel

Learn languages: Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone is already well known as a great way to begin learning a new language, but you may not have realized that it was available on your phone. With access to 28 different languages, a slow and steady pace that is great for building up your confidence, and optional live tutoring, there is a reason that Rosetta Stone is king when it comes to language learning apps. Whether you’re aiming to learn for fun, or you want to become fluent, this is a great place to start. This program will let you learn how to speak, write, and read in a new language, with an emphasis on building confidence in pronunciation and the ability to sync progress across your desktop and mobile devices.

When it comes to language apps, Rosetta Stone may already be the first software you think of. There’s a good reason for that too. For years Rosetta Stone has dominated language learning on PC and its mobile version is just as solid. While getting access to the full program is a bit pricey, if you’re motivated to really learn a new language it’s worth the hit to your wallet in the long run.

Jill Duffy of PCMag gave it high marks for a foundation in a new language.

“Rosetta Stone is a wonderful, polished, and technically competent language-learning program, especially for beginners who are looking to build a foundation of knowledge on their own time.”

While Rosetta Stone does have it’s limitations, for those without a background in the language they’re trying to learn, this is the most solid all-around program. While it can be repetitive, that’s to make sure that your new vocabulary sticks in your brain. At higher levels, you’ll also be able to read to the program while it listens to your pronunciation. Additionally, it employs games like bingo to help your association between individual words and their meanings.

One of the biggest perks to Rosetta Stone is how they introduce everything. Immersion is the key to learning with Rosetta Stone, combined with deductive reasoning. At time you’ll need to guess a new word, but it’s made easier by giving you choices of other words that you’ve already learned.

Download: Rosetta Stone(Subscription required)

Duolingo

While price isn’t an option for some people, if you’re looking for the best way to begin learning a new language on a budget then Duolingo is definitely the best bet. This free app has access to over 20 different languages to learn from Vietnamese and Irish to Spanish and German. Unlike most other programs, Duolingo employs XP and leaderboards so that you can learn with your friends and turns language into a game to be played.

Each language is a little bit different, and the more popular languages do have access to far more module lessons. Each one starts out the same though. You’ll deal with the basics before moving on to phrases and language-specific lessons. The leaderboards will show you which friends on Facebook use the app and will let you compete against each other. By completing modules you’ll also earn EXP and Lingots which you can use to purchase extra modules. If you’re learning with friends, you can also start clubs which allows you to turn learning a language into a group activity.

Duolingo makes learning a language fun, and with its social aspects, it’s easy to learn a language with friends. Absolutely free, you never need to pay a penny in order to learn everything it has to offer. It even also allows people coming back to a language to test past the basics and jump right back into learning new content.

Download: Duolingo(Free)

Babbel

If you’re looking for a solid middle of the road option for learning a new language, then Babbel ought to be your go to. It offers a subscription for access to the full catalog, but it isn’t nearly as expensive as picking up a copy of Rosetta Stone. Each language is made up of a variety of courses from beginning vocabulary to grammar and writing in the language you are learning.

Each lesson must be downloaded to your phone, but they only take a moment or two and then you can properly jump in. Those lessons are also fairly short, making them easy to rock through when you’re sitting on the train during your commute. There are currently 14 languages in the Babbel arsenal, from Spanish to Brazilian Portuguese.

Babbel offers an affordable middle of the road option for learning a new language. There are 14 different languages available, with plenty of courses to get you working towards fluency in a new language. Each language must be downloaded as a different app, which can be a bit bulky if you download more than one at a time but this does make it easier to stick with a language once you get started.

Download: Babbel(Subscription required after free trial)

Questions?

Whether you’re looking for a free option that will let you learn in your free time, or you’re willing to go all in and pay for a subscription, you’ve got options when it comes to learning a new language. Unlike days past, you won’t need to head into a classroom because everything that you need is right on your phone! Is your favorite language learning app on our list? Is there another app that we ought to add? Let us know in the comments below!

Updated January 2018: We’ve updated this post with new features for the best language learning apps on Android!

If your phone powers wirelessly, RAVPower’s $33 charging pad will do it fast

Use this whether you have a new iPhone or Android phone.

This RAVPower fast charging Qi wireless charging pad is down to $32.99 with code ZDWIRECH on Amazon. The charging pad is $45 without the code, but that’s a very recent drop. It actually sells at $50 far more frequently. This price is a match for a deal we saw in late December.

This charging pad works with the newest iPhones and Android phones. It also comes with a Quick Charge 3.0 adapter for phones that can handle it.

Features include:

• 7.5W wireless charging for newest iPhone X / 8 Plus / 8 is enabled in the latest iOS 11.2 update – faster than traditional 3.5W-5W wireless chargers
• Compatible with All Qi-Enabled Phones: Includes iPhone X, iPhone 8, 8 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S8, S8 Plus; non-Qi enabled phones are still compatible but will require a Qi wireless charging cover to power up
• Fast & Free 24W QC 3.0 Adapter: Includes a powerful Quick Charge 3. 0 adapter that boosts the max output to 10W so selected Samsung Galaxy, Google Nexus, or Microsoft Lumia phones can charge even faster
• Portable, Practical, Stylish, and Safe: Lightweight, take anywhere size with silicone anti-skid design to prevent sliding; smart battery indicator; built-in over-current, over-voltage, and over-temperature protection systems

This device has 4.1 stars based on 560 user reviews.

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Star Wars: Rivals is a PvP shooter coming soon to Android

Available now for pre-registration on the Play Store.

Ever since The Force Awakens came out in 2015 and kicked off yearly movie releases, the Star Wars hype has been in full “force.” This has resulted in a heap of Star Wars titles flooding the Play Store, and the latest to enter the ring is Star Wars: Rivals.

Star Wars: Rivals is being marketed as “the first real-time Star Wars competitive action shooter for mobile devices,” and as someone that hasn’t been all that interested in previous Star Wars mobile games, this might be the first to get my attention.

The gameplay is centered around cover-based action, with a big focus on online PvP battles. You can fight on a variety of planets, including Bespin, Scarif, Jakku, and the Death Star, and joining a faction will allow you to get increased damage, health, etc.

Heros can be swapped in and out of battles at any given time, and there are quite a few to choose from – including Darth Vader, Captain Phasma, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Jyn Erso, Chewbacca, and others.

You can pre-register for Star Wars: Rivals on the Play Store now, and when the game’s made available to download, Android users will get exclusive access to Death Troopers that’ll act as fire support during online matches.

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is an RPG coming to Android in 2018

Google purchased a company that turns displays into speakers

Is this a sign of things to come on the Pixel 3?

Right ahead of the Pixel 2’s unveiling last fall, it was announced that Google purchased a heap of smartphone engineers from HTC to spearhead smartphone projects for the coming years. According to a report from Bloomberg, Google made another purchase about a month before this for UK-based company Redux.

If you haven’t heard of Redux, you’re not alone. The company hasn’t actually released any consumer-facing products, but the tech it’s developed is awfully intriguing. Redux’s technology uses vibrations with displays for a variety of different things, and the most notable use of this is the ability to harness these vibrations to turn displays into functioning speakers.

The folks at Mashable got a chance to go hands-on with a tablet demoing this at MWC last year, and in the video you see below, all the sound is coming from the display – not a traditional external speaker.

Redux tech turns the screen into a speaker, and a haptic surface. Trying it out here. The sound is actually coming from the screen. pic.twitter.com/VPAi6TzKk9

— Stan Schroeder (@franticnews) February 28, 2017

Along with this, Redux can also use these vibrations to create haptic feedback when interacting with a display that tries to mimic the feel of touching buttons and moving sliders/dials. This sounds an awful lot like what Apple’s been doing with its Taptic Engine, and if you’ve ever messed around with a device that uses it, you know just how awesome it really is.

It’s unclear if/when Google will integrate this tech into products of its own, but there’s a very real possibility we could see a Pixel 3 next year with a display that acts as a speaker and some of the best haptic response yet on an Android device. We might be getting a little ahead of ourselves with that thought, but only time will tell where Google ends up going with this.

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OnePlus wants to begin talks with U.S. carriers, Snapdragon 845-powered phone coming in Q2 2018

The next OnePlus phone will also be here in late Q2.

Ever since the launch of the OnePlus One in 2014, OnePlus has always sold its phones unlocked through its website to customers in the United States. Buying unlocked typically makes the most economic sense in the long run, but there’s no doubt that availability on wireless carriers results in greater visibility and considerably more sales.

In an interview with CNET, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau confirmed that the company is interested in beginning talks with U.S. carriers this year and that “if the right opportunity and right timing come along, we’ll be very happy to experiment.” Along with this, Lau also said that the next OnePlus phone — powered by the Snapdragon 845 — is scheduled for a release at some point in late Q2 2018.

Huawei, another China-based company that’s much older than OnePlus, recently tried launching its Mate 10 Pro smartphone on U.S. carriers and was met with less than desirable results. AT&T was the first to back out of the deal, and Verizon shortly followed suit.

OnePlus already sells its devices on wireless carriers in other countries (such as O2 in the United Kingdom), but following the recent Huawei situation, OnePlus could be faced with a similar uphill battle.

Assuming OnePlus can make a deal with carriers in the United States, which one(s) would you like to see it partner with?

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