Who makes the best cash-sending app? PayPal, Venmo, Square, Google, or Apple?

Money makes the world go ’round. Whether you owe a friend for drinks, or you need to send rent money to your roommate, the easier it is to transfer money to friends and family, the better.

With the advent of modern technology, there are plenty of great options for sending money to others. Sure, PayPal may well be the best-known of these services, but it’s certainly not the only one. Google is reorganizing Android Pay and Google Wallet into a single service called Google Pay. Then there’s Venmo, which has skyrocketed in popularity, and Square Cash, built by payment company Square. Perhaps it’s a little late to the game, but we can’t forget about Apple Pay Cash.

Which of these payment services should you use to send money to your friends, family, and others? We put them side by side to find the best.

Paypal
Google Wallet
Venmo
Square Cash
Apple Pay Cash

Compatibility

Android, iOS, Web

Android, iOS, Web

Android, iOS, Web

Android, iOS, Web

iOS

Payment methods
Credit, debit, bank transfer
Credit, debit, bank transfer
Credit, debit, bank transfer
Credit, debit card
Credit, debit card

Credit fee
2.9% + $0.30
2.9%
2.9%
3%
3%

Debit fee
2.9% + $0.30
Free
Free (25 cents for instant transfers)
Free
Free

Bank transfer fee
Free
Free
Free
N/A
N/A

Withdrawal speed
Up to 1-2 business days
Up to 1-3 business days
Up to 1 business day
Up to 1-2 business days
Up to 1-3 business days

Transfer limits
$10,000
$9,999
$3,000
$2,500
$3,000

Special features
PayPal.me shareable links
Integration with other Google services
Quick transfers to banks
No need to set up an account
Automatically available in iOS

PayPal

As previously mentioned, PayPal is perhaps the best-known of these services, and for good reason. PayPal has long been the go-to for online shopping, and the fact that it can be used to transfer money between friends is simply a bonus.

PayPal’s interface is extremely easy to use, largely thanks to a major redesign. Simply open up your PayPal account, press the “send money” button, and follow the instructions — it only takes a few seconds to send money. The PayPal.me initiative has made sending money even easier. If you have your friend’s PayPal.me link, simply follow the link and enter how much you want to pay them.

What PayPal has going against it, however, isn’t related to its ease of use.

Out of the five services, PayPal is the most expensive, if you don’t want to connect the service to your bank account. Now, we would highly recommend connecting it to your bank account anyway, as it makes things a lot easier if you happen to lose your card or when you get a new card. However, if you choose not to, PayPal will be one of the most expensive services for you. Not only does it charge a 2.9 percent fee for money sent from a debit or credit card, it also charges an extra 30 cents on top of that.

Another advantage, however, is that PayPal allows the largest transactions of the bunch. Using PayPal, you can transfer up to a hefty $10,000. Most people won’t need that — but it’s nice to have in case you do.

Like some of the other services on our list, PayPal won’t transfer money directly to your bank unless you manually do it. Instead, money will sit in your PayPal account, and can be used for purchases or sent to your bank, as you see fit. Also, PayPal Credit users might prefer PayPal, as it eliminates the need to have any extra accounts.

Download now for:

Android iOS

Google Wallet

Google is streamlining its two payment services, Android Pay and Google Wallet, into Google Pay. We’re not sure what changes that will bring to each service, but for those unaware, both Android Pay and Google Wallet serve different functions. You use Android Pay to make contactless payments in retail stores, or even online. Google Wallet is a peer-to-peer money transfer app.

Google Wallet is one of the cheapest services on the list — there are no fees to use debit cards or make bank transfers, though you will pay a 2.9 percent fee for credit cards. It can transfer almost as much as PayPal, with the maximum amount per transaction being $9,999.

What really sets Google Wallet apart from the rest, however, is its integration with other Google services. In Gmail, for instance, you can request money simply by pressing the little dollar sign in the toolbar under a message. You can even send money through Android Messages, the default texting service on most Android phones, and it will show up in Google Wallet. If you choose to use the actual Google Wallet app instead, sending money is as simple as pressing on the option and entering your recipient’s email address or phone number. You can also use your fingerprint sensor or Face ID to unlock the app.

Transferring money into your bank account could take up to three days, but it’s instant when you’re sending it to a debit card.

Download now for:

Android iOS

Venmo

Venmo has grown a lot more popular over the past few years, and has thus become the preferred way for many to transfer cash to their friends. In fact, Venmo has become a verb — “Venmo me!” After creating your account, you’ll be asked to add friends to your friends list, which makes it easier to transfer money the next time you need to do so.

There are a few things to keep in mind when using Venmo, however. For example, the team behind it has tried to make the service highly social, which may frustrate some. When you send money, you’ll have the option to make the transaction public, and while you most likely don’t want or need to do this, you’ll have to be careful to not accidentally select the wrong option.

Like other services, when someone sends you money, it sits in your Venmo account; it can be sent to others or transferred to your bank account by “checking out.” It’s free to use Venmo with a debit card. It will still cost you 2.9 percent to use a credit card, but if you’re not too fond of linking a service to your bank account, it might be nice for you to not have to pay a fee for each transaction. Not only that, but Venmo says that money will be transferred to your bank account within one business day, which is pretty quick. Venmo recently added an option to instantly send money to your debit card for 25 cents; there’s still a free option, but it’s not as fast.

Venmo is obviously meant to be used for everyday transactions, and as such, the limit for a single transfer is $3,000. It’s still a lot of money, sure, but you won’t be using Venmo to send a huge amount of cash.

Download now for:

Android iOS

Square Cash

Next up on our list is Square Cash, built by Square, which is perhaps best known for its point-of-sale systems for the iPad and iPhone. At first glance, you might have trouble seeing why you would want to opt for Square Cash over other services, but it does have one unique selling point — you don’t have to set up an account to use it.

It also integrates with email. To request cash, email the person that owes you money, enter how much is owed in the subject field, and then CC the email to request@square.com. Once the email is received, both parties will need to enter their banking information, and the transfer will go through. There’s no need for any new accounts, long waits, or extra steps in the transferring process. In fact, once the bank information has been entered, Square claims that the transaction should be completed within two business days.

Unfortunately the service can only be used with credit and debit cards — you won’t be using your bank account with Square Cash.

Download now for:

Android iOS

Apple Pay Cash

Unlike the other services on this list, you may already have Apple Pay Cash if you have an iPhone — it rolled out as part of iOS 11.2. That means you don’t need to download another app in order to transfer money to or from fellow iPhone owners.

One of the best things about Apple Pay Cash is that it’s well-integrated with iOS, and as long as you have set up Apple Pay with a credit or debit card, you can quickly and easily send money through the Messages app. To send or receive money, open up a thread in the Messages app, hit the Apple Pay icon on the keyboard, choose the amount, and hit the “Request” or “Pay” button.

Fees, transfer times, and limits are pretty standard with Apple Pay Cash. You’ll be able to transfer up to $3,000, and will incur a 3 percent fee when using a credit card. Once you have money in your account, you can transfer it to your actual bank account in one to three business days.

There are a few downsides to Apple Pay Cash, the main one being that it’s only compatible with iOS — so you won’t be able to use it with people on Android — and there’s no desktop interface.

So which one should I use?

Which one you should use depends on what you need it for. If you want an all-in-one service for online shopping and even a line of credit, PayPal is clearly the right choice for you. Android users and avid Google fans, however, might be better off with Google Wallet — which Google recently announced would be integrating with Android Pay to create Google Pay. For those who simply want to quickly send money to friends, Venmo is a popular and great option. If you don’t want to bother with any accounts or extra steps, Square Cash is a great solution. Last but not least, if you’re an iPhone user and intend to mainly send and receive money from other iPhone users, then Apple Pay Cash is your best bet.

The reality is that all of these services are great at what they do, and while one might be better than another for your purposes, you can’t really go wrong with any of them.

Update: We updated each section to include recent changes, and added Apple Pay Cash into the mix.

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TMI? Fitness tracking ‘heatmap’ could compromise secret military locations

Fitness wearables and apps are very useful when trying to keep in shape, and members of the U.S. military have embraced the technology wholeheartedly. However, easy access to all that information online may have an unexpected downside.

Strava is a social networking app geared towards athletes, where users can upload their fitness data, and it uses GPS tracking data for a variety of website applications. One of the projects of Strava Labs is a “Global Heatmap,” an easily accessible visualization of the network data, that shows popular running and cycling routes. The heatmap boasts data from more than one billion activities all around the globe.

However, military analysts told The Guardian that the level of detail in the maps can also reveal the location of secret military facilities, some of them in conflict areas.

Fitness and social media company Strava releases activity heat map. Excellent for locating military bases (h/t to @Nrg8000). https://t.co/n5RWcI7BJF pic.twitter.com/7zzNcYV42e

— Tobias Schneider (@tobiaschneider) January 27, 2018

“If soldiers use the app like normal people do, by turning it on tracking when they go to do exercise, it could be especially dangerous,” said analyst Nathan Ruser. “U.S. Bases are clearly identifiable and mappable.”

Forward operating bases in Afghanistan, for example, can easily be mapped by their jogging trails, even though those military instillations don’t appear on services like Google Maps.

An Afghanistan veteran on the hacker site ycombinator noted, “A well-established military base, even in a combat zone, has access to wifi and cellphone network. We are constantly training physically, and we like to keep track of ourselves. We were early adopters of fitness trackers, and I used a couple of them myself also.”

In remote locations, the Strava users seem to be mostly U.S. military personnel, making them easily identifiable. “In Syria, known coalition (i.e., U.S.) bases light up the night. Some light markers over known Russian positions, no notable coloring for Iranian bases,” observed analyst Tobias Schneider. “A lot of people are going to have to sit through lectures come Monday morning.”

As The National points out, users of social media have already been posting military base locations and possibly exposing ongoing covert operations in places like Mali and the South China Sea. Strava was unavailable for comment when contacted by the website.

Editors’ Recommendations

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• The Coros Omni smart helmet makes cycling while listening to tunes safer
• Casio Pro Trek Smart WSD-F20 review

TMI? Fitness tracking ‘heatmap’ could compromise secret military locations

Fitness wearables and apps are very useful when trying to keep in shape, and members of the U.S. military have embraced the technology wholeheartedly. However, easy access to all that information online may have an unexpected downside.

Strava is a social networking app geared towards athletes, where users can upload their fitness data, and it uses GPS tracking data for a variety of website applications. One of the projects of Strava Labs is a “Global Heatmap,” an easily accessible visualization of the network data, that shows popular running and cycling routes. The heatmap boasts data from more than one billion activities all around the globe.

However, military analysts told The Guardian that the level of detail in the maps can also reveal the location of secret military facilities, some of them in conflict areas.

Fitness and social media company Strava releases activity heat map. Excellent for locating military bases (h/t to @Nrg8000). https://t.co/n5RWcI7BJF pic.twitter.com/7zzNcYV42e

— Tobias Schneider (@tobiaschneider) January 27, 2018

“If soldiers use the app like normal people do, by turning it on tracking when they go to do exercise, it could be especially dangerous,” said analyst Nathan Ruser. “U.S. Bases are clearly identifiable and mappable.”

Forward operating bases in Afghanistan, for example, can easily be mapped by their jogging trails, even though those military instillations don’t appear on services like Google Maps.

An Afghanistan veteran on the hacker site ycombinator noted, “A well-established military base, even in a combat zone, has access to wifi and cellphone network. We are constantly training physically, and we like to keep track of ourselves. We were early adopters of fitness trackers, and I used a couple of them myself also.”

In remote locations, the Strava users seem to be mostly U.S. military personnel, making them easily identifiable. “In Syria, known coalition (i.e., U.S.) bases light up the night. Some light markers over known Russian positions, no notable coloring for Iranian bases,” observed analyst Tobias Schneider. “A lot of people are going to have to sit through lectures come Monday morning.”

As The National points out, users of social media have already been posting military base locations and possibly exposing ongoing covert operations in places like Mali and the South China Sea. Strava was unavailable for comment when contacted by the website.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Best fitness apps for the Apple Watch
• 9 ARKit apps to try on your iPhone or iPad using iOS 11
• Automate all the little stuff in your life with these awesome IFTTT recipes
• The Coros Omni smart helmet makes cycling while listening to tunes safer
• Casio Pro Trek Smart WSD-F20 review

Which phone has the best battery life? Let’s find out

Aiming to make our lives easier, smartphones offer a wide variety of functions that help to simplify daily life while helping us stay connected to each other. These daily connections and simplifications have become so essential to our everyday lives that smartphones have become crucial to our very existence. Because of this, we bank on these devices to be dependable above all else, and a huge part of that dependability is reliant on battery life.

Well aware that battery life is a major selling point for any device, smartphone manufacturers now often tout how long a battery could feasibly last given its technical specifications. Despite this type of specificity, how do we know for sure that a phone’s battery will last as long as the manufacture says?

Wanting to answer this question and determine which smartphone has the best battery life, we did a not-so-scientific test that pitted seven different phones against one another. We tested devices that are already known for their battery life — the LG V30, iPhone X, Essential Phone, etc. — and are fairly commonplace in today’s market.  We removed the SIM card from each, connected them to the same gigabit Wi-Fi network, and played a YouTube video on loop until each phone died.

Here’s the results of the test (organized by best battery life to worst):

Smartphone
Run Time

Huawei Mate 10 Pro
11 hours and 22 minutes

Samsung Note 8
11 hours and eight minutes

LG V30
10 hours and 58 minutes

One Plus 5T
10 hours and 54 minutes

Google Pixel 2 XL
Nine hours and 12 minutes

iPhone X
Nine hours and 10 minutes

Essential Phone
Eight hours and 14 minutes

Again, this isn’t the most scientific of tests, but it does give you an idea in regards to how long each of these phones will last in real-world circumstances. Battery life, however, shouldn’t be the be-all and end-all when deciding which smartphone to purchase. That’s not to say that battery life isn’t important, but, as this test shows, the difference in longevity for most of today’s top smartphones is relatively small.

David Cogen — a regular contributor here at Digital Trends — runs TheUnlockr, a popular tech blog that focuses on tech news, tips and tricks, and the latest tech. You can also find him on Twitter discussing the latest tech trends.

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The Best Indie Games for PlayStation 4

If you are on the lookout for some great independent games for your PS4 then check these out.

There’s no denying that the PlayStation 4 has made a comfortable home for blockbuster games and their developers. Every year there is a seemingly endless stream of huge titles. But what about the little guys? Independent developers are just as capable of creating amazing and engaging games as the big guys. Here are just a few of the very best independent titles that PS4 has to offer.

• What Remains of Edith Finch
• Rocket League
• Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
• Hotline Miami 1 & 2
• Rogue Legacy
• Fez

What Remains of Edith Finch

If you’re looking for a fantastic storytelling experience bolstered by gorgeous visuals then developer Giant Sparrow has you covered. What Remains of Edith Finch may not be for every gamer but if you are enticed at the idea of having your heartstrings tugged and you enjoy a meditative gaming experience then it’s certainly worth your time and money.
See at PlayStation

Rocket League

A titan on the level of Rocket League hardly seems worth mentioning considering how massively popular it is. With 40 million Rocket League players developer Psyonix must have done something right. If you like soccer and cars and have always wanted a game which married the two with fast-paced gameplay then this is the game for you. If you happened to get good enough at Rocket League then perhaps someday you could be a professional eSports player. Try explaining that to your grandparents.
See at Amazon

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

You know that argument that you always get into? The one where you try to explain to someone that video games are just as valid and valuable an art form as film is. There’s always that one person who hasn’t played a video game since Frogger and they continue to insist that games are just kid stuff. Well, show them Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. Ninja Theory developed one heck of a game and there is a reason that it garnered a veritable boatload of nominations at the 2017 Game Awards.
See at Amazon

Hotline Miami 1 & 2

Thank you, Sir. May I have another? Dennaton Games are video game design sadists and they made Hotline Miami for gaming masochists who love a game that relentlessly abuses them. Aside from being fun and insanely hard, Hotline Miami has a beautiful retro visual style and one of my favorite game soundtracks of recent years.
See at PlayStation

Rogue Legacy

Rogue Legacy is a killer Rouge “Lite” game developed by Cellar Door games. As you progress through the game there is no doubt that you will die. You will actually die quite a bit. The upside to death in Rogue Legacy is that when your character dies you will get to replace them with an heir. That heir will often be cursed by one of many genetic deficiencies. For instance, if your character carries the gene for color blindness then your play through with that character will be in black and white. It’s goofy and fun and overall it’s a terrific game.
See at PlayStation

Fez

Fez arrived pretty early in the life cycle of the PS4 and it arrived with a bunch of ancillary noise thanks to its vocal developer. Despite any sort of social kerfuffle it’s an outstanding game. Fez starts as a 2D game that rapidly evolves into a cube based 3D world. The mechanics are actually quite clever and add an interesting element to the gameplay. It also has a stellar soundtrack.
See at PlayStation

One of the truly great things about the PlayStation 4 is the sheer volume of top-tier independent titles. What are some of your favorites?

Why are we talking about PlayStation 4 games on Android Central? Let us explain.

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Amazon

ATM ‘jackpotting’ hacks reach the US

For some ATM thieves, swiping card data involves too much patience — they’d rather just take the money and run. The US Secret Service has warned ATM makers Diebold Nixdorf and NCR that “jackpotting” hacks, where crooks force machine to cough up large sums of cash, have reached the US after years of creating problems in Asia, Europe and Mexico. The attacks have focused largely on Diebold’s front-loading Opteva ATMs in stand-alone locations, such as retail stores and drive-thrus, and have relied on an combination of malware and hardware to pull off heists.

In previous attacks, the thieves disguised themselves as technicians to avoid drawing attention. After that, they hooked up a laptop with a mirror image of the ATM’s operating system and malware (Diebold also mentioned replacing the hard drive outright). Security researcher Brian Krebs understands American ATMs have been hit with Ploutus.D, a variant of “jackpotting” malware that first launched in 2013. The mirror image needs to be paired with the ATM to work, but that’s not as difficult as you might think — the intruders used endoscopes to find and press the necessary reset button inside the machine. Once done, they attached keyboards and used activation codes to clean out ATMs within a matter of minutes.

NCR hasn’t been explicitly targeted in these attacks, but it warned that this was an “industry-wide issue” and urged caution from companies using its ATMs.

It’s definitely possible to thwart attacks like this. The Secret Service warned that ATMs still using Windows XP were particularly easy targets, and that updating to Windows 7 (let alone Windows 10) would protect against these specific attacks. Diebold also recommended updating to newer firmware and using the most secure configurations possible. And both organizations recommended physical security changes, such as using rear-loading ATMs, locking down physical access and closely watching for suspicious activity like opening the machine’s top.

The catch, of course, is that ATM operators either haven’t been diligent or may have a hard time justifying the updates. It’s telling that victim machines have been running XP, a 16-year-old platform whose official support ended in 2014 — the odds aren’t high that companies will keep their ATMs up to date, let alone replace them with more secure models or institute advanced defenses. You may not see a widespread attempt to combat jackpotting in the US until the problem becomes too large to ignore.

Via: Reuters

Source: Krebs on Security

Samsung Galaxy S9 may pack more reliable face recognition

Samsung has hinted that the Galaxy S9 might include more advanced face recognition, but we’re now getting clues as to what’s involved. SamCentral’s sleuthing in the settings APK for the Galaxy Note 8’s Oreo beta has discovered a hidden Intelligent Scan feature that uses both camera-based face detection and the iris scanner in tandem for “better accuracy and security” and improved results in “low or very bright” lighting. Given that the iris scanning on the S8 and Note 8 can be finnicky, this could deliver a much more consistent experience when you’re unlocking your phone or accessing secure info.

Just how it works isn’t immediately apparent. A video included with the feature suggests that both the iris scanner and camera are active at the same time regardless of the conditions, but it’s not certain whether this means combining their data or using one as a backup for the other. The iris scanner might take precedence at night, for instance.

As the feature isn’t currently exposed to users, it might be introduced with the S9 when it’s launched in February. That doesn’t rule out support on older phones, to be clear — Samsung could give the feature to S8 and Note 8 users whenever their official Oreo upgrade arrives. The question is whether or not they’ll get the same level of face recognition-based features. The Exynos 9810 chip headed to the S9 (and possibly the Snapdragon 845) enables iPhone X-style 3D face detection and a secure biometric processing unit, so you might need an S9 to use your face for payments or other features that depend on stricter security.

Via: Android Police

Source: SamCentral

What is a hybrid smartwatch? The ideal wearable for watch fans

You’ve heard of a watch, right? And you’re likely fully aware of smartwatches, and how the two differ. But you may have also read about hybrid smartwatches. Confused as to what a hybrid watch does? We’re here to explain everything, from what a hybrid smartwatch is and what they can do, to a few examples of the best out there.

What is a hybrid smartwatch?

A hybrid smartwatch is a fusion between a regular mechanical watch and a smartwatch, in that it combines some connected features with traditional watch mechanics. It doesn’t have a touchscreen, doesn’t usually require charging up every day, and doesn’t look like a piece of technology. It looks like a normal watch. If the Apple Watch, Samsung Gear Sport, or touchscreen Android Wear watches like the Emporio Armani Connected, don’t appeal because they don’t really look like watches, then the hybrid is your gateway to the smartwatch world.

Show, don’t tell

The best way to understand what a hybrid smartwatch does is to see and play around with one. The above photo shows off the Fossil Q Crewmaster. We chose it as our example because the design is based closely on an existing Fossil watch, which the company chose to augment with smart connected features. You can see it has an analog dial, traditional watch styling, and it’s slim and stylish.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

It’s smart because it has Bluetooth connectivity built-in, and it pairs with your smartphone through an app. The app is available for iOS and Android, which means there’s a high chance whatever phone you have works with the watch. It’s not like the Apple Watch, which only works with the iPhone.

What does a hybrid smartwatch do?

The vast majority of hybrid smartwatches share similar functionality. A hybrid watch will track your steps, while the app works out calorie burn and activity time. Some watches will also track your sleep, but it’s not as common considering most people are unlikely to wear the watch 24-hours a day. The watch will alert you of notifications on your phone with vibrations, and some kind of visual hint about which app is alerting you.

Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

The method for notification alerts varies. Fossil, for example, makes the watch hands zip around to point at a single number, which you designate to a certain app or contact when you first set up the watch.

For example, if email notifications are linked to the number 3, the hands will move to 3 o’clock on the watch and will linger there long enough for you to take a glance. Other watches do it it different, such as the NYSW GTS Activity Tracker, which has a dedicated sub-dial for notification alerts. Hybrid watches from Guess and Martian have a small LCD screen for alerts.

You can also expect features like alarms, world time zones, and a programmable button that can be configured for different functions. This can include working as a remote shutter for your phone’s camera, for music control, or to make your phone ring in case you can’t find it.

Don’t expect most hybrid smartwatches to run apps, have watch faces you can change, or include more complex features like a heart rate sensor (though there are some like the Nokia Steel HR).

No charging?

Because most hybrid smartwatches don’t have a touchscreen, they don’t consume anywhere near the same degree of energy as one that does. Paired with Bluetooth Low Energy, a hybrid smartwatch can usually survive on a coin-cell battery, and therefore doesn’t require nightly charging.

Steven Winkelman/Digital Trends

The battery can last up to six months before it needs replacing, which can be done at home, and for a very low price. This makes hybrid smartwatches perfect for anyone that wants to avoid owning yet another device to recharge every day.

Anything else?

Because a hybrid smartwatch doesn’t deviate very far from traditional watch styling and design, you get many of the benefits associated with mechanical watches. Almost all are water resistant, and usually down to at least 5ATM (underwater up to 50 meters), not just a simple IP68 rating (limited to about 1.5 meters), and the standard size lugs mean you can pick and choose your own straps. Also, because the designs are more watch-like, there’s greater choice for women in the hybrid smartwatch world.

Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

Finally, because hybrid smartwatches aren’t as technically complex as a full smartwatch, they’re often much cheaper.

Where to start?

Now that you’re completely familiar with the term hybrid smartwatch, where should you start? The Fossil Group, which produces watches for a wide range of fashion brands, has an extensive catalog of hybrid watches. These range from its own models, such as the Q Crewmaster seen above and the new Q Commuter. Their portfolio includes watches from brands like Skagen, Kate Spade, Michele, Misfit, and Emporio Armani. The benefit of choosing a Fossil-produced hybrid watch is that the app is suitably polished, connectivity is simple and reliable, and you’re getting a design from a proper watch maker.

There’s no need to limit yourself to Fossil though. Nokia, after it acquired Withings, sells the stylish Steel HR hybrid smartwatch, which is similar to the Garmin Vivomove HR. Hybrid smartwatches are also produced by watch brands not looking to make a full smartwatch. Kronaby and New York Standard Watches are watchmakers dabbling in tech with their hybrid models, for example. The Timex IQ+ Move is another stylish alternative from a known watch maker.

If you’re happy to spend more on your hybrid watch, then Mondaine, Alpina, and Frederique Constant all make hybrids. The Alpina Seastrong is a great example of a hybrid, because it looks like a diver watch — a very popular design — but still manages to deliver notifications, activity tracking, sleep monitoring, and world time zones. Its face is also covered in sapphire glass, and it has a Swiss quartz movement inside. It’s a smartwatch for people that love watches, and don’t want to compromise on design.

The choice of hybrid is greater than that of full touchscreen smartwatches, and there is likely a design that will suit your taste

Casio sets itself apart from others by making Bluetooth watches that provide smartwatch connectivity, without the notifications. The G Shock Gravitymaster GPW-2000-1A uses an app for tracking flights, GPS positioning, and world time. The newly announced GBA-800 G Shock watches track your fitness, and sync the data with an app on your phone. Despite the lack of notifications, these are still hybrid watches, but may also be referred to as connected watches.

As you can tell, the choice of hybrid smartwatches is greater than that of full touchscreen smartwatches, and there is likely a design that will suit your taste out there, whether you like a subtle, minimalist look, a classic style, or something more sporty.

That’s it, consider yourself properly introduced to the hybrid smartwatch. We love them because we love watches, and think you will too.

Editors’ Recommendations

• NYSW GTS Activity Tracker review
• MyKronoz ZeTime review
• Fossil Q Commuter hybrid smartwatch review
• Skagen Signatur T-Bar review
• DKNY Minute hybrid smartwatch merges tech and fashion for a neglected audience

How to locate and fix tracking issues for your PlayStation VR

Typically, it all comes down to lighting.

You’ve probably experienced issues with tracking while using your PlayStation Move and the first thing you always check is the light sources in your play space. If the light sources are too bright it could interfere with the bulbs on the end of your Move Controllers. Here we’ll go over the best possible lighting we’ve tested and approved for the best tracking!

First, check your current light sources

Select “Settings” from your PlayStation menu.
Select “Devices.”
Select “Adjust Tracking Lights.”

From there you wanna make sure all your lights and controllers are in the designated areas they are supposed to be. If you see a dark blob on the screen, that’s a light that is too bright.

Amending your current lighting issues

If you found any dark blobs on the screen while checking for the light sources in your play space then it’s time to make some room arrangements. Here are some helpful tips to eliminate lighting issues.

• Blackout blinds or curtains on windows.

• Covering reflective furniture like leather couches with a sheet.

• Put down a floor mat on your play space to cover reflective floors. (This also helps your playspace be safer and more comfortable.)

• Removing reflective nicknacks and decorations that might be shining light on your camera.

So, while a lot of options require a few dollars to be spent, most can be fixed with spare blankets and sheets! Just do be careful when using floormats. If they don’t have a textured bottom to prevent slipping, order some double sided tape!

Camera Position

Have you noticed when you take a picture of a person with the sun behind them the camera makes them a dark shadow? The exact problem occurs on the PSVR too. Try moving the camera so it points away from any direct sources if possible. Obviously, this is not possible all the time if you want it near your TV but remember, you don’t need your TV to play VR, so it is possible to move the camera to accommodate that.

Changing the color hue of your room

Recently we’ve seen a bit of commotion on Reddit regarding changing color hues of your VR rooms to help with the tracking on your PSVR. We decided to test this out and found that it actually works pretty well! See our results here, and get your own green lights on Amazon!

See on the Amazon

Thoughts and Construction

By building a dedicated VR Room, one with only artificial light sources, you can control every aspect of your VR experience. If you have any tips or pictures of your VR layouts we would love to see them. Leave a comment below and show off your handiwork!

PlayStation 4

• PS4 vs. PS4 Slim vs. PS4 Pro: Which should you buy?
• PlayStation VR Review
• Playing PS4 games through your phone is awesome

Amazon

KGI Shares Latest on 6.1-Inch iPhone, Next iPhone X and iPhone X Plus to Have 4GB of RAM and Two-Cell Batteries

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who often relays information gathered from sources within Apple’s supply chain in Asia, today shared a trio of new research notes that recap both new and existing predictions about the new iPhone X, iPhone X Plus, and lower-priced 6.1-inch iPhone expected later this year.

iPhone X Plus dummy model versus current iPhone X via Ben Geskin
MacRumors obtained a copy of each research note, and we’ve rounded up the key points. More details are available in our 2018 iPhones roundup.

All-New 6.1-inch iPhone with LCD

New:• Taiwanese manufacturers Pegatron, Foxconn, and Wistron will be the key assemblers of the 6.1-inch iPhone, with 60 percent, 30 percent, and 10 percent allocation of EMS respectively
• Japan Display will supply around 70 percent of LCD panels for the 6.1-inch iPhone. Rumors suggest Apple will use Japan Display’s six-inch Full Active LCDs that only require ultra-slim 0.5mm bezels on all four sides
Reiterated:• Nearly full screen design with no home button and notch for TrueDepth sensors
• 3D sensing for Face ID and Animoji
• Rectangular-shaped, one-cell battery with 2,850-2,950 mAh, up to 8.5 percent larger than current iPhone X. The increased capacity will be the result of a smaller logic board given manufacturing advancements
• Lower price point: starting at between $700 and $800 in the United States
The rumored 6.1-inch iPhone is shaping up to be a lower-priced iPhone X with some design compromises, which Kuo previously said will include an aluminum frame, a lack of 3D Touch, a single rather than dual lens rear camera, and 3GB of RAM, which will be less memory than other new 2018 iPhones have.

Next-Generation iPhone X and iPhone X Plus

Kuo reiterated that the second-generation iPhone X and a larger 6.5-inch version we’re calling iPhone X Plus will each have an increased 4GB of RAM. Unsurprisingly, given its larger physical size, the iPhone X Plus is also expected to have up to a 25 percent larger battery capacity of 3,300-3,400 mAh vs. iPhone X.

Kuo adds that Apple has settled on a two-cell, L-shaped design for the second-generation iPhone X and iPhone X Plus, compared to a single-cell, L-shaped design that could have yielded up to 10 percent additional capacity.

By the sounds of it, the new iPhone X and iPhone X Plus, beyond the latter’s larger screen size, won’t be significant upgrades. Kuo doesn’t expect improvements to be made to the TrueDepth camera system until 2019. Nevertheless, he expects the devices to sell well, especially the lower-priced 6.1-inch iPhone.

Related Roundup: 2018 iPhonesTags: KGI Securities, Ming-Chi Kuo
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