Are you going to use a screen protector on the Galaxy S9?

For a phone like this, a screen protector is a necessity.

Samsung’s Galaxy S9 is a beautifully-designed piece of tech, and will likely remain as one of the year’s best-looking phones as we go about 2018. However, as flashy as it may be, that’s not to say it’s the most durable thing in the world.

The Galaxy S9 is made mostly out of glass, and the curved edges on the front make the screen incredibly prone to unwanted scratches and cracks thanks to the slippery nature of the phone. A screen protector is one of the best ways to retain the good looks of the S9 while ensuring your display stays as pristine as possible, and there are already a lot of different options to choose from.

Some of our forum users recently started talking about which screen protectors they’ll be using on their Galaxy S9s, and this is what they had to say.

chennaite
02-28-2018 05:48 AM

“

I love to give the very first suggestion for the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus screen protector. If anyone is looking to get thin protector, get it from gadgetshieldz. And Post your personal favorite here.
Galaxy S9 – https://www.gadgetshieldz.com/galaxy-s9-plus-screen-protectors-covers-cases.html
Galaxy S9 Plus – https://www.gadgetshieldz.com/galaxy-s9-screen-protectors-covers-cases.html

Reply

zedexdriver98
02-28-2018 06:10 AM

“

Cool. That one is quite cheap, isn’t it? But I’m gonna pay like £860 to pre-order my S9 Plus so I’m definitely buying the best screen protector. I bought the Whitestone Dome for my S8 after about 3 tries with cheaper alternatives.

In the end, the Whitestone Dome is still going strong on my S8 and I have just found out they have released it for the S9 Plus so I’ll be going for it again.

You…

Reply

areyes163
03-02-2018 02:28 PM

“

I got the Zagg HD elite. I tried to wait last year with the note 8. Even me and I’m super careful with my phones. I got a ton of scratches from where I don’t know. First time that’s happened. So for me I’m gonna make sure I get a screen protector.

Reply

echo_808
03-02-2018 07:08 PM

“

I think ill try the Spigen Glass.tR nano liquid since ill be using a Spigen case again.

Or the Spigen NeoFlex again if Amazon doesnt have it stocked.

Reply

Now, we want to hear from you – Are you going to use a screen protector on the Galaxy S9? If so, which one?

Join the conversation in the forums!

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+

• Galaxy S9 review: A great phone for the masses
• Galaxy S9 and S9+: Everything you need to know!
• Complete Galaxy S9 and S9+ specs
• Galaxy S9 vs. Google Pixel 2: Which should you buy?
• Galaxy S9 vs. Galaxy S8: Should you upgrade?
• Join our Galaxy S9 forums

Verizon
AT&T
T-Mobile
Sprint

Huawei compares the P20’s camera to a DSLR in new promo videos

How many times have we seen this comparison before?

Whether it be a variable aperture system on the Galaxy S9 or crazy-good software on the Pixel 2, there’s a lot of excellent work being done with smartphone cameras right now. Huawei is expected to take things a step further by equipping its upcoming P20 Pro with three rear cameras, and to tease some of its capabilities, we have two new promo videos.

In the first video titled “See Brighter”, we see a man with a DSLR that’s struggling to get enough light in his shot. After the built-in flash fails to deliver, he then ads a more powerful one to the top. When this doesn’t work, he brings out one soft box and two umbrella lights before being pleased by the end result.

To his left, however, a woman that’s supposed to be using the P20 takes just one photo and is done before we see “#SeeBrighter.”

In the second “See Closer” clip, our DSLR-wielding friend returns – this time using three different cameras to try and get the perfect shot. Once again, the woman and her P20 beat him with ease. After this, Huawei tells us to “#SeeCloser.”

This isn’t the first time a phone manufacturer has tried comparing its camera to a professional-grade DSLR, and while that idea is still funny to think about, we’re getting closer and closer to the day where that finally becomes a fair comparison.

The P20 will be the first mainstream smartphone to have three cameras on the back, and depending on how Huawei chooses to use the different sensors, it could very well offer the best smartphone camera experience to-date.

Huawei will announce its P20 series on March 27 in Paris.

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

Why is switching carriers still such a pain?

If you’re unhappy with your cell phone service, switching providers might be a necessary evil.

A few weeks ago, I finally made the switch from T-Mobile to AT&T. Nothing against old Magenta — it paid my bills for years when I worked as a sales rep! — but with spotty coverage in some of the areas I travel to for work, it was time to move on.

I walked into my nearest AT&T store and activated four new lines for the family and myself, transferring our phone numbers over and getting a couple of new handsets on BOGO promotion. My sales rep was helpful, and it turns out I was even well-qualified, giving me the lowest upfront prices! So everything went smoothly … right? If only.

Even after working for a carrier for four years, switching was still a tedious and expensive process for me.

One of the biggest pain points of switching carriers has always been figuring out what to do with the phones on your account. Most people in the U.S. finance their devices to avoid paying full price upfront, and some even finance accessories if their carrier allows it, but that can cause some problems later on down the road. If you decide to move to another service midway through your financing period, you’ll need to find a way to pay off the full balance of everything at once — otherwise, it’ll all get sent to collections and tank your credit.

Thankfully, these days a lot of carriers are willing to reimburse you for the remaining balance on your devices, with a few caveats of course. In the case of AT&T and T-Mobile, you need to trade in the financed phone, finance a new one, and port in your number. That’s not too bad — they’re all things you’d probably be doing anyway while switching — but you also have to send in the final bill from your original carrier with the remaining balances of each device, which can take weeks to receive, then wait three to four weeks for processing before you’re sent your reimbursement.

Speaking of porting numbers, that can be a little tedious, too. You’ll need to present the new carrier with your account number and PIN or password from your existing carrier. In most cases, the account number is easy enough to find — just look at the top of any bill or document they’ve sent you — but the PIN is never displayed for obvious security reasons, which means if you don’t already know it you’ll need to call in. And carriers just love to hear that you’re switching. They’ll want to talk your ear off with retention offers and reasons why they’re better than your new carrier.

If you’re like me and porting your number from Google Voice, there are a few other things you’ll need to know. You’ll have to unlock your number at least 24 hours before starting the porting process, which costs $3 unless you originally ported that number into Google Voice from another carrier. Also keep in mind that your account number is simply your phone number, and your PIN is the same one you use to access your voicemail.

Be cautious; it isn’t always over when you walk out of the store.

Once all of this is squared away, and you finally have new phones and your numbers are taken care of, you’re all set! Everything should be up and running with your new service, and you’ll hopefully be enjoying better coverage, faster speeds, and — fingers crossed — a lower bill. Except, it might not be over just yet.

If you’re bringing your own phone for any line on the account, make sure you bring it in and have the sales representative enter the IMEI and proper data plan. I didn’t do this with my SIM-only line (the rep just entered all 1s into the system for the IMEI, which seems to be standard practice with BYOD lines), and that line ended up not being able to connect to the data network until I called in to have them attach the correct data plan.

You should also be aware of prorated charges — your first bill will never be as low as what you signed up for, and mine was almost double my regular bill. This is due to a combination of factors; activation fees, equipment charges, and so on. Most carriers have a page explaining your first wireless bill — you can read AT&T’s here.

At the end of the day, your mileage may vary, and you’ll hopefully run into less trouble than I did. But some of these problems are unavoidable, like the unreasonably high first bill and the waiting game of getting reimbursed for financed phones (unless, of course, you were smart and financially stable enough not to finance them through your carrier in the first place). Maybe we should all just buy Pixel 2s and switch to Google Fi for simplicity’s sake. I’m sure Google wouldn’t mind.

What’s been your experience with switching carriers? Did you run into as many problems as I did, or was your transition a bit easier? And why did you switch in the first place? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

You can pre-order LG’s Google Assistant Smart Display for $297

The company’s regular smart speaker is also available for $197.

CES 2018 is where Google showed off its new Assistant-powered Smart Displays for the first time, and a couple months following their initial unveiling, you can finally pre-order LG’s stab at this new product category.

Currently available on B&H’s website, you can pre-order the wonderfully named “LG ThinQ Google Assistant Smart Speaker With Touchscreen” for $296.99. You’ll get free expedited shipping, and if you live outside New York or New Jersey, you won’t have to pay any tax.

In addition to this, B&H is also accepting pre-orders for LG’s non-touchscreen Google Assistant speaker. Pricing for this is set at $196.99, and you’ll also find free expedited shipping with the same tax setup.

B&H simply says that these new gadgets are “coming soon”, so it’s unclear when we’ll actually be able to get our hands on them. LG has also yet to make any comment regarding their availability, so it’s really anyone’s guess at this point.

I’ll personally be passing on LG’s Smart Display in favor of either Lenovo’s option or whatever Google announces later in the year, but for folks that want to get their hands on a Smart Display ASAP, the link is waiting for you below.

See at B&H

ARK: Survival Evolved is coming to Android and iOS

The game’s expected to launch this Spring.

Since its launch in 2014, ARK: Survival Evolved has created a community of over 13 million players. Following its release on PC, PS4, and Xbox One, developer Studio Wildcard has announced it’s now bringing the game to Android and iOS.

The mobile version of ARK: Survival Evolved will be free-to-play, and while the graphics won’t be as sharp as what you’ll find on PC or console, the core gameplay will remain the same. Players can explore a large, open-world island with 80+ dinosaurs, craft and build weapons, clothes, and houses, and fight against competing tribes.

You can play an offline single-player mode to test your might solely against ARK’s dinosaurs, and you’ll also be able to jump online with up to 50 other players.

War Drum Studios is developing ARK’s mobile port, and previous games it’s worked on include mobile versions of Grand Theft Auto, Max Payne, and its own Auralux.

ARK: Survival Evolved is now in closed beta for iOS, with a global launch expected this Spring on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store for iOS and Android, respectively.

For more information about the game and to sign up for the beta, head to ARK’s website.

Google’s bringing its Maps APIs to augmented reality game development

Google releases its 2017 Android security year in review, showing Play Protect has huge impact

How Android got safer and more secure in 2017.

With a platform as massive and amazingly varied as Android, security is of utmost importance. Google works tirelessly to keep Android and Google Play a safe as possible, and in the first quarter of the year it releases an annual report on how it did — today, we get to see how Android security stood throughout 2017.

The big improvement to Android security in 2017 was the launch of Google Play Protect, which is a system for scanning apps on every Android phone that has Google Play. It scans at least once a day, which comes out to roughly 50 billion apps, and identifies what Google calls “Potentially Harmful Apps” (aka PHAs) in the process.

Google says it found and removed 39 million PHAs using Play Protect, and just over 60% of them were found automatically using Play Protect’s machine learning-based scanning, which gives Google a huge head start. After identifying that many PHAs were being installed and used before a phone could be reconnected to the internet for scanning, Google started having Play Protect run while offline to further boost its power — this led to another 10 million PHAs being removed just since October.

As we all (should) know, installing apps from outside of Google Play opens up your device to security risks — Google claims your phone is nine times more likely to install a PHA when going outside of the Play Store. But Play Protect still helps — installations of PHAs from outside of Google Play have dropped dramatically, about 60%, since Play Protect came to Android. Still, I will always advise to get your apps from Google Play whenever possible.

Play Protect casts a wide net and can work on any phone or tablet, but for bigger security issues Google is also fighting a tough battle with keeping devices up to date on its latest security patches. Google says that 30% more devices in 2017 received after-sale security patches than in 2016, which is a good thing to hear but time and time again we continue to see even high-end and popular devices fall behind.

Play Protect is the wide net that saves most of us from really bad apps.

Google is quick to point out that no major vulnerabilities affecting Android were released without Google also making security patches for them available to manufacturers — but that really only helps us if those manufacturers in turn release them to our devices. Nevertheless, Google will continue to work with industry partners, participate in security competitions and run its own Android Security Rewards program to find and fix as many vulnerabilities as possible.

If you want to get really deep into the data, you can read Google’s full 2017 security report — the rest of us will simply go forward using our phones with the knowledge that Google’s doing what it can to keep our devices safe.

Android Oreo

• Android Oreo review!
• Everything new in Android Oreo
• How to get Android Oreo on your Pixel or Nexus
• Oreo will make you love notifications again
• Will my phone get Android Oreo?
• Join the Discussion

Uber is releasing its London ride data to help urban planning

Uber recently started sharing its ride-sharing data in a limited number of cities in the US, and now the incredibly useful urban-planning tool is coming to the UK. Uber Movement launches today in London, letting developers and city officials see historical traffic data during road closures, infrastructure development and other major events. “London businesses will welcome this initiative as a sign that Uber is committed to working in closer collaboration with city and transport planners to keep London moving,” said London First infrastructure head David Leam.

Uber said that, for example, the data could be used to see how the 2016 closure of the Tower Bridge affected traffic at the time. As it detailed in a Medium post, that’s something that could inform planning for similar projects in the future. It can be used to “compare past travel conditions across different times of day, days of the week, or months of the year,” the company said.

Uber has a strong reasons for making sharing Uber Movement data with London, as the city denied its taxi license application last September over safety and other violations. It can still operate while it appeals the ruling, but is obviously trying to get back into London’s good graces. So far, it has introduced a range of new safety and other changes, and offering its raw data to city officials can’t hurt its cause.

London is just the beginning for Uber Movement in the UK. The company plans to launch it Manchester, Birmingham and other cities “over the next few months,” it said.

Bankrupt Toys ‘R’ Us is closing all US and UK stores

It’s a sad day for anyone who has fond memories of sliding up and down toy-laden aisles, buzzing off the synthetic smell of brand new Barbies and Action Men. Toys ‘R’ Us is about to close forever. Six months after filing for bankruptcy in the US and one month after doing the same in the UK, the company is shutting the doors of all 900 stores across both countries, unable to compete with online competitors.

According to the company, it’s filed a motion seeking approval to begin “an orderly wind-down” of its US business and liquidation of inventory. On the other side of the Atlantic, the BBC says that efforts to find a UK buyer have failed after talks with as many as 120 interested parties. Stores in Australia, France, Spain and Poland are likely to be liquidated too, but it’s working on a deal for its Canadian arm by including around 200 US stores in its proposals.

CEO David Brandon said, “This is a profoundly sad day for us as well as the millions of kids and families who we have served for the past 70 years. I am very disappointed with the result, but we no longer have the financial support to continue the Company’s US operations.” It seems that the company’s US stores will be shut down one at a time, but it’s not known in what order, so you’d better get your fill of Nerf guns and swing balls while you can.

Via: CNET

Source: Toys ‘R’ Us

‘Yakuza 6’ makes Tokyo’s red-light district virtually real

I’m a relatively late fan of Sega’s famed Yakuza franchise. It was the 2015 ‘prequel’, Yakuza 0 on the PS4, that got me hooked: it was the series’ first title to be localized in Chinese, which helped me understand its rich storyline on the humble beginnings of series protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu, and his strangely charming acquaintance, Goro Majima.

What also fascinated me about these open-world games was how most of it was based on Tokyo’s Kabukicho and Osaka’s Dotonbori, often with incredible attention to detail.

For Yakuza 6: The Song of Life due on April 17th, the game is once again set in the Kabukicho-like Kamurocho, with a second stage set in a part of Hiroshima, where Kiryu would eventually stumble upon a big secret later on.

I’ve yet to make it to Hiroshima in real life, but during one of my recent trips to Tokyo, I decided to swing by Shinjuku to see how closely Sega’s realization stands up. With very real restaurants, hotels and attractions digitized in high-detail, it’s occasionally uncanny.

This neighbornood is pretty much where the main story line starts for each game in the series. The signage for this Kamurocho Tenkaichi Street shares a familiar design with the real one for Kabukicho Ichibangai in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Note the barrage of signs, lighting tiny windows and scattered traffic cones and bikes. The latter two might double as weapons, but Tokyo IRL has ’em everywhere too.

Here’s Kamurocho Tenkaichi Street (or Kabukicho Ichibangai) as viewed from the other side. You can see the same lamp post design in both worlds, and even spot the fictional Shokichi Camera electronics store across the road in the far end, which is actually a Labi — also an electronics chain — in real life. Even though Labi is missing out on this marketing opportunity, the Yakuza team still applied a similar design to the fake store logo, possibly just for giggles.

Don Quijote aka Donki is a well-known discount chain store in Japan, and it’s been featured in the Yakuza series since its first release (and it started selling the games as well since the second instalment). Think Pikachu onesies, rice cookers, bikes, headphones, matcha-flavored Kit-Kats and sex toys, all in one place. Part of the store layout here in the game was surprisingly similar to what I saw in real life, though the game only offers one floor to explore. The Yakuza series isn’t the only game franchise to replicate Tokyo in detail: Persona 5 somehow managed to recreate the chaos of Shibuya, train station and all, faithfully. It didn’t however, have the brand clout that Yakuza apparently wields.

Real Japanese eateries such as Sushi Zanmai and Cafe Pronto are dotted around the game as well, though you might not find them at the same locations in the real world. Kiryu can also get a membership at fitness chain, Rizap, in order to boost his various stats — and gets his own “before” and “after” montage in the process.

It’s also worth pointing out that you can buy items that exist in real life, mainly beverages (Suntory is also a long-time collaborator since the first release) and medicines. Kiryu even uses a Sony Xperia XZ, which is a nice upgrade from his old featurephone — at least he can take selfies now.

Another iconic brand dotted around the game is Karaoke Kan, which has been featured since Yakuza 3. Again, the similarity is very impressive, to say the least. You can actually walk in and play a karaoke-themed game to let Kiryu practise his deep voice.

The fictional Nakamichi Street also closely resembles the real Kabuki Central Road. You can see certain building design elements kept in the digital world.

Alas, Japanese convenience store FamilyMart didn’t participate in the tie-in, but the game still placed a fictional Poppo store in the same spot here at one end of Pink Street. Speaking of, Yakuza 6 is the first title in the series that lets you walk seamlessly into and out of stores and restaurants. Just try not to bring your fights into those establishments, they don’t like that. (Although there’s a special move that involves the shop assistant helping beat the thugs with a microwave — really.)

Yakuza 6’s Kamurocho has a fancy Kamuro Theater complex in the middle, which parrots Kabukicho’s Shinjuku Toho Building, a site most famous for its massive Godzilla head that roars and spits steam nine times a day. The inside, however, is less interesting than the real deal.

Here’s the side of Kamuro Theater / Shinjuku Toho Building facing Nakamichi Street / Kabuki Central Road. Again, note how the game has preserved some of the building designs plus signage layouts. The size and scale is spot-on.

The APA Hotel in the game is a tad bigger than the one in real life (which is right by VR Zone Shinjuku, by the way), but it’s otherwise an impressive copy that’s hard to miss.

Last but not least, here’s a snapshot of the fictional East Shichifuku Street, which features a near-identical outdoor car park with familiar-looking billboards promoting nearby… venues. Having had many strangers approaching me to solicit “business” there in the real world, I much prefer the quieter street in the game.

Thanks to the simultaneous Chinese launches in Hong Kong, where I’m based, I picked up Yakuza 6 well ahead of the Western launch, which is now penned for mid-April. That’s OK, because the localization is well worth the wait for such a story-heavy series; you definitely won’t want to skip the emotional cinematics — or the appearance of Beat Takeshi.

Mat Smith, the man who introduced me to Donki, also contributed to this article.

BBC game helps kids lead the fight against fake news

The BBC wants the news consumers of tomorrow to understand and identify fake news, and has launched a game to help them do exactly that. The game, called BBC iReporter, puts young people in the shoes of a newbie BBC journalist about to break their first news story. Players must make all kinds of journalistic choices in pursuit of their scoop. Which sources should they trust? Where should they go to check their facts? Their objective, just like real journalists, is to deliver a tight, credible story against the clock, or face the wrath of their editor.

The BBC announced its youth-focused fake news-fighting initiative last year. Its ambition, clearly, is to equip kids with the skills they need to make sensible judgement calls on the media they consume. Right now, fake news is causing ripples both online and in the real world — undoubtedly a more informed future generation will help to mitigate that.

The game, developed by animation studio Aardman, launches today on BBC School Report News Day, which sees journalists and editors head into schools around the UK to share their skills, hold workshops and give students a behind-the-scenes look at the workings of a fast-paced media company.

Source: BBC