Oculus Go: Everything you need to know!

We now have a third headset on the way from Oculus.

At Oculus Connect 4, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Oculus is working a new headset that sits in a “sweet spot” somewhere between Gear VR and Rift.

Officially called Oculus Go, this headset requires no phone and no cables running to the PC. It will be able to play movies, run games, and help you meet up with friends in VR. We’ve got the details for you here!

March 21st Update: Oculus Go updates from GDC

Our very own Russell Holly is at GDC feeding us with information! Jason Rubin, the VP of Content with Oculus states that, even though desktops are a priority, standalone headsets are the future. Seems that Oculus is aiming to remain in the future with their marketing as well, hoping to attract consumers with big name games and apps and keep them there, allowing existing content to speak for itself.

Oculus even took the time to reiterate the specs listed below, saying that OGO will basically be a phone when it comes to hardware, albeit with less overheating and better battery life. Furthermore, instead of limiting the eye buffer to 1024×1024 like it did on the Gear VR, Oculus is using Fixed Foveated Rendering to make the display clearer. To them, this means it will be very difficult to see the burls in the display, something we’re very excited to test out for ourselves.

The headset will also be capable of 72FPS, instead of the 60FPS ceiling on Gear VR. 72Hz means the display can be brighter and more vibrant. Lots of Gear VR apps can already handle this bump, but devs have to request it when porting to Go.

Well, that’s all we got for right now! Tell us what you think in the comment section below!

March 8th Update: Oculus VR CTO John Carmack gives us more information

Yes, significantly better. BTW, did someone from support get in touch with you about the video regression? There is a task open.

— John Carmack (@ID_AA_Carmack) February 23, 2018

We still don’t have an official release date for the Oculus Go, but John Carmack has recently answered some tweets that give us a little more information on this anticipated device! He’s confirmed the OGO will most certainly perform better than the Galaxy 7 on a Gear VR. This information doesn’t surprise us as far as expectations go, but it’s still nice to have them confirmed!

To elaborate, as mentioned below in regards to specs, the OGO will sport new lenses. a WQHD LCD fast-switch display with a higher fill-factor than OLED, and a Snapdragon 821 processor. Given the fact that The Samsung Galaxy 7 uses Snapdragon 820, it only confirmed John’s statement wasn’t just for advertisement. That being said, the OGO processor doesn’t beat the Galaxy 8, which sports a Snapdragon 835.

So, although they previously mentioned the OGO will be “Somewhere between the Gear VR and the Oculus Rift,” it seems like it’ll more so be between the Gear VR on a Galaxy 7 and the Gear VR on a Galaxy 8 (in regards to performance).

Tell us what you think in the comment section below!

February 14th update: Developers give public feedback

“The display is much crisper than CV1. The FOV seemed slightly tighter (not much). Felt like the same performance as a GVR, just better screen.”

kevinw729 on the Oculus Forums has announced that he was one of the Devs that got to try out the Oculus Go (OGO) and gave us his feedback.

Kevin also notifies the public that he did not see a slot for an SD card nor does he know what the final production of the battery life will be like. I’m going to stand by my assumptions in the last update that everything looks far too “consumer” ready for changes at this point. As I still wouldn’t be surprised if they were already in mass production, who knows?

Finally, as of right now no one is sure if the OGO is going to only be accessible to the Oculus Store, or if it will be able to branch out to others as well. If so I think Kevin and I are in an agreement here, Google Daydream might be in some trouble.

February 2nd update: Developer kits revealed

Developers have received the first Oculus Go boxes and gave us a sneak peek of it, as seen above. The images have since been removed from Twitter accounts, but thankfully are still floating around.

If you notice, the box looks consumer ready already! I’d imagine Oculus is just as close to the release date as it says it is. Oculus’ Website promises an official release early 2018, so I’m anticipating a late Spring release.

Other than this we’ve also been told that the Gear VR games will be compatible with the Oculus Go as well. This means plenty of titles will be available right from the start! A list of compatible games and experiences are listed below!

What is Oculus Go?

Oculus Go is the third headset from Oculus, and it’s meant to sit between Gear VR and Oculus Rift. A cordless headset, you’ll no longer have to strap in at your PC or have enough juice on your phone in order to play in VR.

It is built to be lightweight, has a new mesh foam interface, and it supposedly has the best visual clarity so far seen in VR, thanks to new lenses and a WQHD LCD fast-switch display with a higher fill-factor than OLED. We learned at CES 2018 that Oculus Go is going to be made by Xiaomi, and it will be run by a Snapdragon 821 processor making it more than capable of playing the awesome games that are going to be available.

Oculus says this headset lives somewhere in between the Gear VR and Oculus Rift, but it leans much closer to the Gear VR than you might expect. This is a standalone headset, meaning the computer is inside the headset with the display, but it’s still an Android-powered headset. The good news is this means it will run many of the apps currently available for the Gear VR. That means the headset will not let you walk around and do much. Functionally, this will be very similar to the Gear VR.

Read more: Lenovo Mirage vs Oculus Go

Whats the difference between Oculus Go and Gear VR?

To begin with, Oculus Go is a stand-alone headset. This means no need to be wired into your computer like Oculus Rift, or the need for a top of the line phone like with Gear VR. It’s a middle of the road option that is priced affordably in an effort to draw in new users to help Oculus reach their goal of one billion VR users.

Instead of including headphones with the headset, a spatial audio experience is built right into the headset. That is spatial speakers that are built on the rails of the headset to let you hear what’s going on clearly without headphones. Of course, if you’d rather go with classic headphones, you can plug a set of your own into a 3.5mm jack. Oculus Go will have a controller similar to that of Gear VR, meaning devs can create apps that work on both platforms.

Indeed, a lot of the Gear VR’s best apps will be available for the Oculus Go from day one. The controller employs three degrees of freedom (DoF), which is the same as the Gear VR controller. It’s interesting to note that the Go headset will also use three DoF. To put that into perspective, the Oculus Rift uses six DoF.

Oculus Go will also have access to its own catalog of games and apps to dive into on launch day. While ports of Gear VR games are sure to show up, you’ll be getting access to new content with Oculus Go. From the photos we’ve seen of Oculus Go, there is also a fairly pared down look compared to Gear VR. No touchpad on the side of the headset, and only two buttons on the top; volume controls, and a power button.

Games and Experiences

Since we have been notified that Gear VR apps and games will be compatible with Oculus Go we know we’ll have plenty to keep us occupied. Some of the titles in games you’ll be able to play are:

• Where’s Om Nom?
• Bait!
• Cloudlands VR Minigolf
• Lands End
• Ocean Rift
• Smash Hit
• Rush
• VR Sports Challenge
• Dragon Front
• Sing Space
• Dead and Buried
• Anshar Wars 2
• Ultrawings
• Rangi

And as for Experiences you’ll have:

• Facebook 360
• Netflix
• Discovery VR
• Hulu
• Jurassic World: Apatosaurus
• Rooms
• A Night’s Sky
• Star Chart

When is it launching?

The official website for Oculus Go still has the announced release date to be sometime in early 2018. If you want to keep notified keep checking in or sign up for their e-mailed newsletter by following the link below.

Redditer LifeWithAdd has found an image released by Oculus where it simply says “2018” instead of “early 2018″. Yet, as the website still shows “Early”, we’ll be expecting the headset before June 2018!

Get notified about the launch date at Oculus

How much will it cost?

While we don’t have an exact launch date yet, we do know how much Oculus Go is going to cost. You’ll be able to pick up this standalone headset for a tidy sum of $199. Considering Gear VR alone costs $129.99 and requires a top of the line smartphone, this is pretty exciting news!

Are you excited?

For now, we don’t have a ton of information about everything that Oculus Go will be able to offer, but that should be changing soon. However, the details we do have are definitely worth getting excited about, especially since this is a stand-alone headset, with an affordable price tag. Are you excited about Oculus Go, or are you sticking with another Oculus headset? Let us know about it in the comments below!

Updated March 2018: We’ve updated this post with all of the information given to us from GDC!

Amazon is taking 20% or more off Alexa-enabled devices, including the $104 Echo Spot

Amazon says thank you with discounts. I’m ok with that.

The Amazon Echo Spot is down to $103.99 right now in both black and white. It normally sells for $130, and this is one of the best prices we’ve ever seen.

This deal is part of a huge Amazon “Thank You” sale taking at least 20% off Alexa-enabled devices. This deal is good today only, but it includes a wide variety of products including several members of the Echo lineup.

The other Echo devices on sale include the Echo Show for $159.99 from a street price around $230. That deal covers both black and white models as well. Or you can go for the Echo Plus with a built-in Hub for $119.99. It normally sells for $150, comes in three different colors, and is the only Alexa-enabled device to directly handle ZigBee wireless products.

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What’s an eSIM and why is it important for the future of mobile?

eSIM is becoming more common, and you should know how it differs from traditional SIM.

Pretty much ever since modern smartphones have been available to us, we’ve been dealing with the small piece of plastic inside known as a subscriber identification module (SIM). When you get a new phone, your service provider likely pops in a SIM and you go on your way, or you switch it over yourself from your old device. While SIM cards are a big part of an enormous mobile market, there’s a new type of technology causing a bit of a disruption. You’ll be hearing more about embedded SIM (eSIM) as it becomes more common, but what’s the difference?

The difference between SIM and eSIM

If you’re carrying around a phone that has network access, you can probably also see your provider’s name in a top corner. This is all brought to you by the SIM card inside, which identifies your phone and what type of plan it’s using based on a profile. Traditional SIM cards can only be linked up with one profile and are generally useless if that profile stops being used.

Phones are not the only devices using SIM cards, and we’ve seen plenty of laptops and tablets take advantage of the tech for years, especially in the enterprise sector. Lenovo’s ThinkPad lineup of business laptops is a great example.

SIM cards come in a few different sizes, evolving as phones have been slimmed down and packed with other hardware. You have Standard SIM that’s about the size of an SD card, Micro SIM that’s slightly smaller (15mm x 12mm), and finally Nano SIM (12.3mm x 8.8mm) is the smallest of them all.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia.

An eSIM, however, isn’t a removable card. Instead, it’s embedded (that’s the ‘e’) on the device’s motherboard or part of the processor — there’s nothing to insert and nothing to remove. Because an eSIM cannot be removed if you’d like to switch providers, remote provisioning is used instead. Instead of going to a store, acquiring a new SIM card, and swapping it out, with an eSIM the changeover is handled entirely virtually.

eSIM has the ability to use and store multiple profiles. If you travel, for example, getting access to a new country’s mobile provider won’t require tracking down and swapping out SIM cards. You also won’t have to worry about cutting a Micro SIM down to fit the Nano SIM slot on your phone (which is seriously not fun). eSIM also takes up far less physical room inside a device, which is much more important in wearables but also becomes a factor as phones, tablets, and laptops get thinner.

What does the future of eSIM look like?

The Apple Watch 3, Google Pixel 2, and Microsoft Surface Pro LTE are a few high-profile devices that feature eSIM technology right now, and the new Always Connected PCs from Microsoft’s partners are adding to the list.

It’s clear that the need for eSIM is growing, and its flexibility is no doubt attractive to a large audience. As Windows Central wrote, “The ability to take a PC or 2-in-1 wherever in the world you are and still have multiple ways to get on the internet is going to be critical for businesses, the modern nomadic millennial workforce, creators, those who are self-employed, and even regular consumers.”

Still, it must continue to be accepted, served, and utilized by more mobile carriers and device manufacturers. For example, the eSIM inside the Surface Pro LTE is currently sitting dormant (there’s also a traditional SIM slot), but that will soon change. Microsoft is expected to start selling chunks of data rather than full plans, letting anyone with an eSIM device pick up a few gigabytes here and there when necessary. And the Pixel 2’s eSIM is only used for Project Fi, which limits its potential worldwide usage.

The Pixel 2’s eSIM makes it dead simple to ditch your carrier for Project Fi

As eSIM becomes standardized by the GSMA and more people get turned on to the benefits, it’s hard to imagine we’ll still be dealing with the plastic traditional SIM cards in the future. When you can visit, say, the Microsoft Store and browse and pick out a data plan just like you’re buying an app or movie, it will be hard to think about ever going back to the way it was.

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

• Pixel 2 FAQ: Everything you need to know!
• Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL review: The new standard
• Google Pixel 2 specs
• Google Pixel 2 vs. Pixel 2 XL: What’s the difference?
• Join our Pixel 2 forums

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Major update to Files Go brings search capabilities, Google Photos integration

Files Go picks up three new features, turning it into one of the best storage management utilities around.

Google’s Files Go is a lightweight storage management utility that’s packed with useful features, and today the app is picking up three new features. There’s now a file search function baked in, which will allow you to search for files on your phone. With Files Go being a Google app, that includes instant results, autocomplete, and search filters.

The search feature works offline as well, and Files Go will also show the location of duplicate files. The app is picking up Google Photos integration as well, so you’ll receive a card to delete the files when photos and videos are automatically backed up to Photos. Google says it’s rolling out the features following feedback from users over the course of the last three months. Here’s the breakdown of the new additions:

• File search: You should be able to search for files on your phone just like you search the internet. Files Go is now bringing Google’s expertise at search—including instant results, search history, autocomplete and filters—to file management. Now, when you open the Files tab, you can tap the search icon and find all of your files on your phone in a split second. And best of all, it works offline.

• Show the location of duplicates: From the start, Files Go has made it easy to free up space by removing duplicate files, but people have told us that they’d like to see where these files are located on the phone before they get deleted. So now when Files Go suggests duplicate files for removal, you can long press on the thumbnail, tap the “i” icon and see the location of the file.

• Remove backed up photos and videos: Files Go now works seamlessly with Google Photos. Once your photos and videos are safely backed up in Google Photos, Files Go can detect that and prompt you to delete those files so you free up more space.:

Files Go is designed for markets like India, where a majority of phones come with limited internal storage. The app also comes with automated filters that weed out annoying forwards, and has a file transfer feature that works offline.

• Download Files Go from the Play Store
• How to declutter your phone with Google Files Go

Instagram will once again show you posts in the order they were shared

Thank you, thank you, a million times, thank you.

It’s no secret that Instagram is the biggest social network for sharing pictures and videos of whatever’s going on in your life, but for the last couple years, it’s been a hot mess for a lot of users. Instagram made a change to its algorithm in 2016, and rather than showing you posts in the order they were shared, users began seeing photos/videos that Instagram determined you’d like to see.

This change was welcomed with very hostile arms, and after nearly two years of users complaining about this change, Instagram appears to be taking a step back.

Per a blog post on Instagram’s official press site –

Based on your feedback, we’re also making changes to ensure that newer posts are more likely to appear first in feed. With these changes, your feed will feel more fresh, and you won’t miss the moments you care about. So if your best friend shares a selfie from her vacation in Australia, it will be waiting for you when you wake up.

It doesn’t sound like Instagram will be reverting completely back to the old chronological-only feed, but progress being made in these regards is exciting to see nonetheless.

Along with this, Instagram also notes that it’s testing a “New Posts” button that you can tap to view new posts when refreshing your feed rather than automatically being thrown back to the top of it.

I’m personally ecstatic about this news, but what about you? Is this something you’re looking forward to?

Instagram is apparently working on its own portrait mode

Everything the Samsung Themes engine still gets wrong on the Galaxy S9

Samsung Themes is the best of the bunch for Android system theming — but it still needs plenty of work.

When I came to Android, back in the Gingerbread era, the world was a dark and glorious place. Everything was black and blue and beautiful. Then the Material era came, and my darkness was stolen away and replaced with searing, sinister white and gray. I’ve begged for my dark theme to return to me ever since, even dabbling in the dark arts to get it back a time or two. But I always go back to stock and stark white, for better or worse. Luckily, I don’t have to: Samsung Themes brought dark themes back to Android years ago, and they’re actually pretty dang good.

It’s just the rest of Samsung Themes that sucks.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m thrilled that Samsung realized that its awful old blue/green color scheme was horrible and allowed us all to ditch it for something a little more appealing. And Samsung Themes utilizing OMS themes like Substratum does (kinda) means that Samsung putting so much effort into its theme engine lays a bigger and better groundwork for all kinds of theming potential. It’s just that there are three very glaring flaws in the Samsung Themes engine and its system, and each one of them is fixable, though some more easily than others.

Icon Packs

The first problem is the one that most Samsung users can recognize, even if they’re not avid and meticulous themers: icon packs in Samsung Themes flat-out fail. They only include icons for a few dozen “standard” Samsung and system apps, and the rest? Well, they get an ugly backer slapped behind them, or worse, get no backer at all. Adaptive icons were supposed to fix the toxic hellstew that is the Android icon space, but they’re slow to be implemented and they’re still not nearly as consistent as desired.

ELEV8 on TouchWiz home launcher, ELEV8 on Nova Launcher

For better or worse, icon packs are still the best option for a consistent app drawer, and Samsung Themes’ icon packs are pale shadows of their former selves, being vastly inferior to their Google Play versions. The solution to this is simple: allow Google Play icons packs to be used in the Samsung Themes engine. Yes, Samsung would lose some revenue here by not selling the packs themselves, but the icon packs on Samsung Themes are not worth paying for.

By allowing Google Play icon packs, this also means that users who are migrating from other devices and other launchers might be more inclined to give the TouchWiz Home launcher a try instead of immediately downloading their favorite launcher.

Standards and curation

The horribleness of the icon packs in Samsung Themes may stand out because there are no real winners in that category, but it’s far from the only section of Samsung Themes that is overrun with terrible elements. Finding good themes and good wallpapers in Samsung Themes is a bit of a needle in a haystack because Samsung Themes is filled up with themes that are just bad. Even some of the highlighted and popular themes look like the work of a 7th grader who just got Photoshop, and I say that as someone who did some horrible things with Photoshop as a schoolgirl.

Samsung Themes needs to keep its numbers up, so it’s against their interest to turn away themes or wallpapers for any reason, but without some standards of worthwhile theming content, it’s hard to recommend users do any more than find a system theme they like and then switch to a launcher with better theming elements like Google Play icon packs and third-party wallpapers.

Right now, Samsung Themes has about 5% great themes, 5% good themes and 90% meh, and without some worthwhile curation to highlight and bolster the creation of more worthwhile theming content, Samsung’s theme engine will languish.

Theme application and backups

If you’ve read our in-depth guide to theming a Samsung, you will remember than when applying themes in Samsung Themes, you have to go in a very specific order to avoid something overwriting another element you want. This is because when you apply a theme in Samsung Themes, it overwrites the entirety of your current theme, from your wallpaper to your icons to your system colors. So changing system themes involves setting that new system theme, and then setting your wallpapers, icons, and the rest of your theme back the way you wanted it.

We need the ability to set Samsung Themes in part rather than in whole, because most users aren’t using the wallpaper that came with their system theme, and all of the icons in Samsung Themes are trash, so you’ll probably be setting your icons back to Default after setting a theme.

On that same note, Samsung users need a way to back up both their currently set Samsung Themes settings and their home screen layout. Currently, you can transfer your layout from one phone to another via Samsung’s transfer tools, but you cannot back them up in case you need to restore your phone and you cannot back them up in order to better facilitate switching between themes.

The best of the worst

For all its warts, the Samsung Themes engine is still the best on the market, but only because it’s the most comprehensive engine that doesn’t make its users jump through a lot of hoops, look like complete trash, and isn’t completely overrun with piracy. Is it sad that this is the bar when it comes to theming a mobile system that is renown for its customization? You bet your bits it is. But until Google gets a better theme engine that’s available without taking your software and your warranty into your own hands, it’s the best of the bunch.

Let’s hope Samsung continues to do it better than the rest.

We can hope Google tries to outdo Samsung, but I’ve accepted that my wishing for a dark theme on my Pixel is about as useful as wishing to live at Walt Disney World: it would take a miracle.

Google launches game design contest to inspire female developers

The winner has a shot at $25,000+ in total prizes.

In early December of last year, Google launched a new program called “Change the Game” to help shed some light on the female gaming community. Google reports that 49% of people that play mobile games on the Play Store are women, but even so, a mere 23% of video game developers identify as such.

To help bring a renewed focus to this conversation, Google’s now launching its Change the Game Design Challenge.

Partnering with Girls Make Games and the ESA Foundation, the challenge asks teenagers across the United States to design a game they’d enjoy playing. By creating this and talking about what they’d like to see for the future of the gaming industry, contestants will have a shot at winning a $10,000 college scholarship and $15,000 donation for the technology program at their school/community center.

Along with this, the top five finalists of the challenge will win an all-expense paid trip to E3 in Los Angeles where they’ll have their game design put on display for the entire convention to see. Additionally, the top five will also receive a VIP of Google’s L.A. campus, a free scholarship to attend the Girls Make Games Summer Camp, and a “celebration of women in gaming.”

Google’s Change the Game Design Challenge starts today, and you can find more information here.

Google launches ‘Change the Game’ to celebrate female gamers

ARCore will be available on Galaxy S9/S9+ ‘in the coming weeks’

No augmented reality for you.

The Galaxy S9 and S9+ are the two hottest phones on the block, and while their chock-full of new features from Samsung, they’re currently lagging behind in regards to their augmented reality capabilities.

According to the official GitHub page for Google’s ARCore, the platform will support the Galaxy S9 and S9+ “in the coming weeks.”

ARCore was released to the public in early March, and it allows you to use a variety of augmented reality apps in the Play Store, including ones from IKEA, Amazon, The New York Times, and plenty others.

I’m not sure why Samsung wouldn’t include ARCore support for the Galaxy S9/S9+ out of the box, but in any case, I suppose it’s reassuring to hear that they’re not skipping out on it entirely.

Every Android phone with ARCore right now

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

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Tidal app makes its way to Amazon Fire TV and Android Auto

Available to download right now.

Just a few months after its Android TV app was released, Tidal’s announced a new app for Amazon’s Fire TV platform. You can download it on both the Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, and the layout is similar compared to its Android TV counterpart.

The home screen showcases all of the latest Tidal content, and jumping over to My Collection will show you all of your favorite songs, videos, albums, etc. Along with this, you can also search through Tidal’s collection of 50 million titles to find just the right tune at any given moment.

In addition to the Fire TV, Tidal is also making its way to Android Auto. As long as you have a compatible car/entertainment unit and a phone running Android 5.0 or later, you can use Tidal with Android Auto to browse through your personal collection of songs, as well as an Explore page to find all of the latest tunes, artists, podcasts, and everything else the service has to offer.

Tidal’s Fire TV and Android Auto apps are launching today, and if you’re not currently a subscriber, you can get a six-month free trial before paying a dime.

Best Streaming Music App for Android

Best Replacement Watch Bands for Samsung Gear S3

What are the best third-party watch bands for Samsung Gear S3?

The Samsung Gear S3 is one of our favorite smartwatches, and a great alternative to many of the Android Wear watches out there. The Gear S3 supports standard 22mm watch bands, making it really easy to upgrade with something new.

Here are a few of the best third-party watch bands to consider once you pick up your brand new Samsung Gear S3!

• ArtStyle nylon strap
• EloBeth Milanese Magnetic Loop Strap
• Rerii leather band
• TRUMiRR Milanese stainless steel band
• Barton silicone band
• Rechere stainless steel watch band

ArtStyle nylon strap

Keep things simple, fun, and functional with the ArtStyle watch band made from a sturdy nylon material and a durable metal buckle! The ArtStyle nylon strap is easily adjustable and is hypoallergenic, making it the perfect band to wear if you have sensitive skin.

The material from this particular band is also breathable and waterproof on top of being extremely comfortable to wear day-to-day. One downside, though? It might interfere/cover up your Samsung Gear 3’s heart rate sensor.

On top of the ArtStyle’s practical design, the watch strap comes in a ton of different, bright colors, including red, blue/yellow, black, black/gray, navy blue, gray, khaki, orange, army green, black/blue, black/green/red, black/gray/blue, black/gray/orange, black/gray/green, black/red starting at around $9.

See at Amazon

EloBeth Milanese Magnetic Loop Strap

If you’re someone who struggles with putting on your Samsung Gear S3 with one hand, or if you simply want a little bit of additional security when you’re sporting your S3, then the EloBeth Milanese Magnetic Loop Strap might be a good option to take a peek at.

The strong, magnetic clasp keeps this $13 watch band tight around your wrist, and can easily be adjusted to fit almost any wrist type, so if you have especially larger or smaller wrists, this band might be a great option for you.

The EloBeth Milanese Magnetic Loop Strap is made out of a high-end stainless steel that’s perfect for day-to-day wear, and if there are any issues with the band, you have an 18-month warranty to fix any issues.

You can pick up the EloBeth Milanese Magnetic Loop Strap in black, gold, rose gold, or silver finishes.

See at Amazon

Rerii leather band

There’s nothing more simple and stylish than a classic leather watch band, and Rerii nails it with their affordable 22mm leather band that the Samsung Gear S3! Made from a high quality and sturdy yet lightweight and soft leather, the Rerii watch band comes with an easy-to-buckle stainless steel clasp, making it the perfect day-to-day band.

Unlike some other watch straps, the Rerii’s design is super simple and void of all logos, so it’s perfect for people who want a classic-looking smartwatch accessory.

The Rerii leather band also comes in a number of vibrant, eye-catching colors, like black, brown, coffee, black with white stitching, brown with white stitching, or coffee with white stitching for around $13.

See at Amazon

TRUMiRR Milanese stainless steel band

The Milanese look has been a staple with traditional watch designs for decades, so incorporating the TRUMiRR Milanese stainless steel band might be the perfect fit if that’s the particular style you’re after.

This 22mm watch band is designed with a mesh, woven, stainless steel wire, and is adjustable for a variety of wrist sizes, so you never have to be uncomfortable while sporting your Samsung Gear S3 — and for $11, that’s quite the steal!

To attach and detach your watch band, all you need to do is release a small spring bar, minimizing annoying tools. The TRUMiRR may not come in a ton of colors, but it does come in a shiny silver, blingy gold, or a clean, classic black design.

See at Amazon

Barton silicone band

After garnishing its fair share of positive reviews online and coupled with an easy-release design, vibrant colors, comfortable feel, and much more, the Barton silicone band is a great option to check out while you’re customizing your Samsung Gear S3.

The Barton silicone watch band is designed with a textured back, making the slipping and sliding of most smooth silicone bands a thing of the past. The silicone design also makes it a great tool for working out, as you can easily remove and wash it if it starts to look dirty or stink.

To change your watch band, simply turn the band over and flip the switch — no tools are required! You can pick your Barton band from a number of vibrant colors, including black, white, turquoise, forest green, brown, gray, burgundy, yellow, navy blue, orange, peach, dark gray, and baby blue for around $14.

See at Amazon

Rechere stainless steel watch band

The Ritche 22mm stainless steel watch band is an affordable, high quality strap that keeps your Samsung Gear S3 looking classic and clean without any clutter or useless accents of other watch bands.

Unlike some other straps, the Ritche cannot be adjusted to fit individual wrists with a simple tightening system; rather, users will have to remove the links near the band’s clasps in order to make the stainless steel Samsung Gear S3 accessory smaller. You can pick up this band for around $10.

To remove the Ritche, you will have to use a small tool which comes with the band. The Ritche only comes in one color, silver, but if you’re looking for a watch with a similar style in a different color, then we suggest taking a peek at the Vetoo.

See at Amazon

Your pick?

Is there a third-party watch band that you think would be perfect for the Samsung Gear S3?

Drop a link in the comments with a brief description of why you like it so that others can check it out as well!

Updated March 2018: This list still has the best of the best options available out there for your Samsung Gear S3!