Android One Moto X4 now being updated to 8.1 Oreo

The March 2018 security patch is also included.

Even though recent reports suggest that Motorola will be scrapping its plans to release a Moto X5 this year, the Moto X4 still remains as one of the best mid-range phones you can buy right now. After being updated to 8.0 Oreo in late December, the Android One version of the X4 is now getting an update to 8.1.

Android 8.1 is a minor update, but even so, it’s reassuring to see Motorola committed to its promise of offering fast software support for the Android One variant of this phone.

The software experience should be mostly the same compared to 8.0, but one noticeable change is an upgrade of the security patch to the most recent March 2018 one.

Assuming Motorola follows the same pattern of the Android 8.0 release for the Moto X4, we should see the regular, non-Android model updated at some point in April.

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Taking a look back at the Tomb Raider series with the help of GameStash!

Celebrate Lara Croft’s return to the big screen by playing classic Tomb Raider games on your phone!

Lara Croft returns to theaters this week with the relaunch of the Tomb Raider film franchise based on the recent rebooting of the iconic video game series.

With the help of GameStash, we wanted to celebrate the film’s premiere by taking a look back at all the Tomb Raider/Lara Croft games that helped build up the legendary character. All of these games are available to play for free as part of a subscription to GameStash, where you can access a growing library of mobile games without mucking around with in-app purchases or ads for just $4.99 a month.

This ought to be a nice stroll down memory lane if you’ve been playing Tomb Raider games since the very beginning, and if you’re a younger gamer, consider this a crash-course on one of the most iconic video game franchises of all time.

Tomb Raider

The game that started it all! Tomb Raider was a groundbreaking third-person action-adventure game that introduced the world to Lara Croft, a bad ass archeologist who seemed to trade in her shovels and spades for a pair of pistols. Released in 1996, the game was ported over to Android in all its original glory in 2015.

Now porting a 20-year-old game directly to mobile is sort of a catch 22 scenario — make too many improvements or changes and you’ll piss off the hardcore fans, but don’t do enough to improve the controls and graphics and it’ll be hard to attract younger gamers who never experienced classic games like this.

While the passage of time might have left this game a little rough around the edges — especially if you’re stuck using touchscreen controls — it’s still an iconic game and worth checking out with your GameStash subscription.

See at GameStash

Tomb Raider 2

The Tomb Raider sequel continued to flesh out the Lara Croft character and introduced new locales for the globe-trotting archeologist to explore. This game also introduced new weapons beyond Lara’s iconic dual pistols and added vehicles to the mix.

The plot here surrounds the mythical ‘Dagger of Xian’, an ancient Chinese artifact hidden that has attracted the attention of some thugs. It’s up to Lara to track down the crooks and retrieve the dagger in an adventure that will take her around the world.

This game was released arguably at the height of the Tomb Raider franchise’s popularity and is remembered fondly by fans.

See at GameStash

Lara Croft Go

After successfully translating the Hitman series into an addictive action-puzzle game in 2014, Square Enix took aim at the Tomb Raider franchise the following year. The result was the outstanding puzzle game Lara Croft Go, a game that I consider to be the best in the Tomb Raider series.

Unlike the ported console games, Lara Croft Go was one of the first Tomb Raider games specifically designed for mobile devices and it holds up. The puzzles offer a true challenge for gamers of all ages, and the graphical style is really sharp, too.

See at GameStash

Lara Croft Relic Run

It’s fair to say that a game like Temple Run was inspired by the imagery and themes found in early Tomb Raider games, so it’s only fair for the Tomb Raider franchise to dip into the endless runner genre.

This game takes the mobile-friendly gameplay from Temple Run and throws Lara Croft into the mix. But instead of resting on its laurels and just being another endless runner with a fresh coat of Tomb Raider paint, Relic Run features 120 levels and adds more gameplay elements like wall running, vehicles, and boss battles.

See at GameStash

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light

This is the latest Tomb Raider game added to the GameStash library and it’s a welcome addition. Channeling the action of the original games, this is a top-down third-person action-adventure game that offers a great mix of challenging puzzles and tough-as-nails enemies.

Don’t let the name fool you. While Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light might sound like a Tomb Raider/Harry Potter crossover, this is a serious title that does not pull punches. Originally released for consoles, this game arrived on mobile with decent touch controls and is definitely worth checking out on GameStash.

See at GameStash

Everything you need to know about Sony Playlink

Turn your phone into a controller with Sony Playlink.

Sony Playlink games deliver a new kind of experience on PlayStation 4 by linking up your phone with your console. While these new games can easily be played solo, they’re really meant to be played with friends, as each one turns your phone into a controller.

Playlink is fairly new, but here’s a look at all of the things that make it fun!

What is Sony Playlink?

We first heard about Playlink at E3 2017, where we got a sneak peek at this new kind of gaming. Playlink games are built to be social experiences, best enjoyed with a few friends. They aim to be easy to pick up, even for those folks who don’t usually ever touch a game controller.

You use your phone or tablet as a controller, which means it’s a wireless gaming experience with all of the action played out on your television, making it easier to ensure that everyone can play at once.

What kind of games are available?

There are currently eight games to choose from for the PlayLink experience, most of which are for a large group. There is a one player game now in the mix, however.

Whether you’re learning more about your friends in a game like That’s You, seeing who is the smartest in Knowledge is Power, or singing your heart out in SingStar Celebration, PlayLink games are a lot of fun when you’re in a group.

If you’d rather play a game like this on your own, try out Erica when it becomes available to really get a feel for this kinds of games. If you’re a Planet of the Apes fan, they now have a PlayLink game you can play with up to four other people.

Check out all of the PlayLink games available now!

What do I need to play Playlink games?

In order for everyone to enjoy Playlink games, you’ll first need to download one of the Playlink games from the PlayStation Store. Each person who plans on gaming will also need a smartphone or tablet.

Most importantly, you’ll need Wi-Fi that both your PlayStation 4 console and all of the mobile devices can connect to or you can make your PlayStation a wireless hotspot that everyone can connect to. There isn’t a main Playlink app that you need to use. Instead, each game has it’s own app that can be found in the Google Play Store.

How does it work?

Each game is a bit different in terms of mechanics and controls, but the basic premise remains the same. Once your mobile device is connected to the same network as your console, you just need to open up the companion app on your phone and sign in.

After you’ve done this, your phone will sync up with your console and act as a controller with all of the action playing out on your television.

Do I need a group to enjoy Playlink games?

While Playlink games are really made to be played with friends, it isn’t mandatory. Different games offer different functionality in single player mode, but you can definitely play by yourself if that’s more up your alley.

Questions?

Do you still have questions about Sony Playlink? Do you plan on checking it out with friends? Are the Playlink games up your alley? Let us know about it in the comments below!

Updated March 2018: We’ve added lots of new info on the latest Playlink games.

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These inexpensive add-on lenses make the Pixel 2’s camera even better

The Pixel 2 deserves these cheap, fun, and easy-to-use lenses.

Over the years, the picture quality from phone cameras has begun to rival that of even the most capable and expensive point-and-shoot cameras. With a bit of tweaking, one can even be fooled into thinking that a beautiful landscape, or intimate portrait, quickly captured on a phone, was taken using a DSLR.

But dedicated cameras still have one major advantage: replaceable lenses. Despite the proliferation of dual (and soon tri-) camera phones, phones are still held to the limitations of physics, making optical zoom impractical. Some companies, like ASUS and, previously, Nokia, have found innovative ways around this problem, but the reality is that one can’t have a thin-and-light smartphone with a bulky, mechanized zoom lens.

Enter the lens adapter.

The idea of augmenting a phone’s single wide-angle lens with add-on lenses is not new, but the choices have traditionally either been extremely expensive or fundamentally flawed. Rhinoshield, which started out making bumpers for popular phones, recently released a line of modular cases that include support for four lenses of various focal length (and glass of varying quality, as we’ll learn), and compared to the competition, the price is definitely right.

I’m taking a look at the Pixel 2-specific version, but these lenses work on any compatible RhinoShield case, and I’m happy to say the result was as positive as the experience.

A look at the case

RhinoShield’s SolidSuit case is pretty traditional as far as plastic cases go. It has a cushioned, textured interior, a solid polycarbonate outer shell (though in one piece, unlike, say, Otterbox’s Commuter series), and a lovely textured back.

The ring around the perimeter extends well past the screen itself, protecting the Pixel 2’s Gorilla Glass from any unfortunate drops.

It’s a decent case, well made but a little bulky — not one I would ordinarily use on my phone, but I was going away for three weeks and wanted a little more insurance for a device that would be my lifeline to the world.

The case itself does not come with any means of attaching RhinoShield’s lenses; it requires an adapter, which adds threading to allow the lenses to securely screw over the phone’s camera module.

I despaired over this initially, since the average person isn’t going to be enthused about requiring a small, easily lost piece of plastic to merely be able to use the lenses, but once installed it doesn’t impede the use of the camera and tucks away nicely into the case’s overall design.

Pick it up for just under $35 — a decent deal for a very good case.

See at RhinoShield

The lenses

RhinoShield sent me the four lenses currently available to use with its case-and-adapter system:

• 0.4x ultra-wide lens
• 180-degree fisheye lens
• 0.65x wide lens + macro (2-in-1)
• 0.6 HD wide lens with hood
  • This is of much higher quality than the others, and is considerably larger and heavier. It also produces sharper photos with less corner distortion.

It’s clear from RhinoShield’s strategy – the line lacks a telephoto option – that it’s trying to keep things as simple as possible. It’s cheaper and easier to make a series of wide lenses than a zoom due to the latter’s size requirements, and the variety in RhinoShield’s current lineup should satisfy most use cases.

My “daily driver”, so to speak, the one I ended up using the most, was the 2-in-1, since I found 0.65x to be a nice compromise between capture area and distortion, while the macro feature, which is accessed by unscrewing the outer half of the lens itself, came in handy more often than I thought. I also didn’t notice the weight on the back of my Pixel, and in a pinch, the combination could even fit in my pocket.

The 0.4x ultra-wide was fun, but too wide for most instances, and not silly enough to evoke the same responses from people as the fisheye. I tended to preview the 0.4x for video, since the Pixel, in order to achieve its excellent stabilization, crops the capture area significantly.

The fisheye was… a fisheye. It’s fun but absurd and I only used it a couple of times before yearning for a more practical solution.

Perhaps the most interesting and frustrating of the lenses was the 0.6x HD lens — considerably larger than any of the others, but failing to alleviate corner distortion and fringing as promised in the marketing material.

0.65x wide & macro 2-in-1 lens

My favorite lens, the 2-in-1 combo has a 0.65x magnification by default, coupled with a macro setting that’s accessed by screwing off the main lens component. The small size coupled with the versatility makes it extremely easy to use, and at $25, it’s definitely the best value among the lenses.

Pick it up for $24.99.

Use case: Everyday wide-angle capture and versatile macro photos. If you can only carry one, leave the others at home.

See at RhinoShield

0.4x Superwide lens

The 0.4x lens distorts a ton, but that’s on purpose — while we’re not at fisheye level here, we’re still using it to expand the capture area and almost comically distort any subjects in the photo. Objects captured in the center aren’t entirely free of optical games, but when in the sweet spot they do look clear enough. Anything on the edges… well, that’s another story.

Get it for $34.99.

Use case: Capturing as much in the frame as possible while taking advantage of the Pixel 2’s excellent processing.

See at RhinoShield

Fisheye lens

The fisheye is the “globe” lens, creating an effect that should be familiar to anyone who’s used a 360-degree camera before. The effect exaggerates everything in the frame, and it’s almost impossible to pinpoint a particular subject, but fisheye makes for an interesting effect that can be a lot of fun if used properly.

Pick it up for $24.99.

Use case: Fun, and not much else.

See at RhinoShield

0.6x HD wide-angle lens

As impressively heavy and well-built as RhinoShield’s $59.99 HD wide-angle lens is —and it certainly looks imposing on the back of the Pixel 2 — this one impressed me the least. Not only did the lens not live up to the claim that it “captures incredibly sharp wide-angle images with practically no distortion,” but it had significantly more distortion, to the point where some of the photos were not usable than the cheaper, smaller lenses.

Still, the 0.6x magnification is just right for many landscape photos, and with a tripod, this lens could churn out great photos.

Use case: Improved low-light photography and looking impressive with a big lens on the back of the phone.

See at RhinoShield

What’s your take?

RhinoShield’s entry into the case and lens adapter market is impressive mainly for the quality of product you get for the price. While not all of the offerings are worth the money, picking up, these are compelling, easy-to-use additions to a phone, and a camera, that is among the best on the market.

See at RhinoShield

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Huawei P20 Lite leaks in two hands-on videos ahead of March 27 launch

Pricing is reportedly set at a little over $450 USD.

Huawei will announce its P20 series on March 27 in Paris, but as is the norm for this industry, we already know a lot about what it’ll bring to the table thanks to relentless leaks and rumors. Most recently, the P20 Lite was the star of two fairly extensive hands-on videos.

First off, Android World Italy spotted a YouTube video in which a man in Italy demos a P20 Lite at a retail store. We’ve gotten multiple tips that the phone’s already gone official in the country, and this clip seems to confirm that.

Right in line with other leaks we’ve seen, the P20 Lite will have a glass back, dual rear cameras, and a notch at the top of its screen. The video shows that the phone has 4GB of RAM and that you’ll be able to record footage at a max resolution of 1080p Full HD, but that’s about it in regards to raw specs.

As if that 2 minute and 11-second clip wasn’t enough, HDBlog.it also uploaded another hands-on video that weighs in at 8 minutes and 29 seconds. This one is presented in Italian rather than English like the one above, and pricing for the P20 Lite is reportedly set at €369 – a little more than $450 USD.

Based on everything we know so far about this phone, are you excited for the Huawei P20 Lite?

This is what the Huawei P20, P20 Lite, and P20 Pro will look like

Bigscreen is preparing a Gear VR launch soon

You should probably sign up for this beta right now.

One of the big things mobile VR headsets like Google Daydream and the Samsung Gear VR get used for all the time is watching stuff. Google makes it easy to watch things in your Play Movies library, while the Oculus Store has a wide array of popular video streaming apps to choose from. One of the more impressive video apps separating the more expensive “desktop” VR setups from the mobile experiences has been Bigscreen. This app allows for multiple people to watch something together, and has recently started acting as a large virtual cinema for big groups of people to watch movies together as though you were in an actual theater.

If you’ve been waiting for Bigscreen to come to your small screen, it looks like you won’t be waiting for much longer. In fact, if you are up for an early look at the experience you can sign up for beta access today.

What makes Bigscreen so impressive is how much you can do with it. On a PC you can share your screen with other people sitting in an impressive variety of virtual rooms. This allows you to play games together, share work with one another, or just kick back and watch something together. The app has anti-harassment tools baked in for people who get a little too close for comfort or are just plain loud, and you have a lot of control over where you sit and how big your virtual displays are. It’t not clear exactly how functional the mobile versions of this app are going to be, but even as a passive observer to a lot of these experiences it’s a great addition to mobile VR.

The beta sign-up for Bigscreen includes questions about which VR headset you currently own, a list which currently includes everything you can buy right now and the upcoming Oculus Go headset. This means there’s a good chance no matter what mobile VR headset you have, once the developer sees there’s an audience there you can bet Bigscreen will be headed your way soon.

Sign up for the Bigscreen Beta here!

Best Heavy Duty Cases for Galaxy S9

The Galaxy S9 is the latest and greatest device released by Samsung and it’s a real beauty. But as pretty as all that curved is to look at, what a shame it would be if it got scratched or smashed.

If you’re concerned about dropping and damaging your brand new phone — perhaps you know that you’re prone to the dropsies — you should invest in a case designed to stand up to abuse.

Here are the best heavy duty cases for the Galaxy S9.

• OtterBox Commuter Series
• Lifeproof SLAM case
• SUPCASE Unicorn Beetle Series case
• Caseology Legion Series case
• Spigen Tough Armor case

OtterBox Commuter Series

Few names are as synonymous with phone cases as OtterBox. They’re built a reputation as a trusted brand by designing really rugged cases and backing their products with superior customer service.

We’d recommend the Commuter series case which is a pocket-friendly case that still delivers the rugged protection you’ve come to expect from an OtterBox case. It’s got one big cutout on the back for the camera and fingerprint sensor and includes port covers to keep dirt out.

We’ve highlighted the Commuter Series here, but OtterBox has over 10 different case styles available for the Galaxy S9 which you can check out on its site. But if you just want black or teal, you can grab it for about $40 on Amazon.

See at Amazon

Lifeproof SLAM case

When you’re dropping over $700 on a brand new phone, you want to protect it from everything life might throw at it, especially if you plan on spending a ton of time outside this summer.

Lifeproof cases typically offer protection from dirt and snow, but the SLAM case focuses exclusively on drop protection. Lifeproof says this case can survive drops from up to two meters (6.5 ft) thanks to the reinforced bumpers. It’s also got a rugged backplate that’s clear to show off the phone’s design and also compatible with wireless charging. While it’s not quite as Lifeproof as you’d expect, it’s also not as expensive as other Lifeproof cases at only $50. Plus, it looks pretty cool with the black and neon green, do you think?

Looking for the classic FRE Lifeproof case? You can sign up to be notified about when it becomes available.

See at Amazon

SUPCASE Unicorn Beetle Series case

The Unicorn Beetle case is one of those phone cases that people buy with every new device. It’s got that classic rugged design with ridges to help with grip and it includes a built-in screen protector to keep your S9 in pristine condition.

Port plugs keep dust and pocket lint out of your charging port and headphone jack, and it also comes with an optional belt-clip holster. Rugged enough to keep your phone protected and yet thin enough to work with wireless charging, get your Unicorn Beetle Series case for about $20.

See at Amazon

Caseology Legion Series case

Caseology makes some pretty cases, and the Legion series of cases for the Galaxy S9 are a great mix of sleek design and rugged durability.

This dual-layer case combines a shock absorbing inner sleeve of TPU with a durable outer shell that’s also significantly gripper than the glass body of the Galaxy S9. It’s got a raised lip around the screen, is compatible with most wireless chargers and screen protectors, and other Galaxy S9 accessories.

This case is available in your choice of five colors for just $15.

See at Amazon

Spigen Tough Armor case

The Spigen Tough Armor case is a great option from a respected brand. It’s a dual-layer case that provides heavy duty protection for your phone while still staying thin enough to not impede wireless charging. There’s also a kickstand for handsfree viewing on the back!

Starting at roughly $16 for black, this is a reliable heavy duty case.

See at Amazon

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Google believes Android is as secure as iOS

Today, Google published its fourth annual year in review for Android’s security. You can look through the comprehensive, 56-page report yourself, but we’ve got some of the highlights for you.

Machine learning is playing a huge role in securing Android devices. Back in May, the company announced Google Play Protect, which is a one stop shop for Google’s suite of security services on Android. Machine learning found 60.3 percent of all potentially harmful apps within the Play store, and Google expects that number to continue increasing.

Android may be perceived as “less secure” than iOS, but take a look at the numbers. In 2016, the annual probability of downloading a potentially harmful app was at .04 percent, which is a pretty small number. Google reduced that number by half in 2017 to .02 percent. It’s pretty impressive.

There are two billion Android devices actively being used, and ensuring that they all have the most recent software with updated security features is a challenge. “In 2017, we increased the number of Android devices that received security patches by more than 30%,” the report states. It’s still a problem, but clearly Google is making inroads into it.

Google is so happy with its current state of security for Android that David Kleidermacher, the head of Android security, has said that the mobile operating system is as safe as the competition, according to CNET. Google pays people to hunt down bugs within Android software, and because it’s an open-source project, it has people invested in finding flaws and patching them. According to the report, Google’s team believes that it’s more effective at security than a similarly sized closed-source project, such as iOS.

Source: Google

iHeartRadio owner files for bankruptcy, but you won’t feel it

Radio giant iHeartMedia has filed for bankruptcy after years of dealing with a massive debt worth $20 billion. Don’t worry, though: you might not even feel that the company is going through Chapter 11 proceedings. In its announcement, the media corporation said it has reached an agreement with the holders of over $10 billion of its outstanding debts. The agreement does require a “comprehensive balance sheet restructuring,” but the company isn’t shutting down. Debtwire analyst Seth Crystall told Variety that “[i]f you were listening to iHeartRadio, or going to iHeart concerts” you won’t be affected by what’s going on behind the scenes.

In addition to operating the music streaming service iHeartRadio, iHeartMedia runs over 850 stations, stages music festivals and produces events and concerts. It’s unclear if its “balance sheet restructuring” would put some of its less popular properties off the air, but the company believes that the cash it has on hand along with the money its ongoing projects will generate will be enough to support its business during the bankruptcy proceedings.

iHeartMedia chief Bob Pittman also sounds optimistic, since this means the company “only” has another $10 billion in debt to worry about. He said in a statement:

“The agreement we announced today is a significant accomplishment, as it allows us to definitively address the more than $20 billion in debt that has burdened our capital structure. Achieving a capital structure that finally matches our impressive operating business will further enhance iHeartMedia’s position as America’s #1 audio company.”

Via: Variety

Source: iHeartMedia

Intel redesigned its 8th-gen processors to patch ‘Meltdown’ flaws

As promised, Intel has redesigned its upcoming 8th-gen Xeon and Core processors to further reduce the risks of attacks via the Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities, CEO Brian Krzanich wrote. Those fixes are on top of the software updates already issued, which now patch “100 percent” of vulnerable Intel products launched in the past five years, he affirmed. The hardware changes will stop attacks by the Spectre variant 2 and Meltdown variant 3 weaknesses, but software fixes will still be required to patch Spectre variant 1 vulnerabilities.

Intel’s future chips will have new layers of protection via something called “partitioning,” according to Krzanich. “Think of this … as additional ‘protective walls’ between applications and user privilege levels to create an obstacle for bad actors,” he said.

The changes will start with Xeon Scalable “Cascade Lake” processors and 8th-generation Core chips shipping in the second half of next year. Intel didn’t say if or how much the hardware changes would impact PC speeds, but Krzanich said that “as we bring these products to market, ensuring that they deliver the performance improvements people expect from us is critical. “

Intel has been criticized for downplaying the extent and impact of the Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities, especially when the news first broke. At one point, the company was called before Congress to explain its actions, and Krzanich has since promised more transparency. Intel is currently facing around 30 class-action lawsuits related to the breach.

Source: Intel