Battery battle: Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus vs. iPhone X, Pixel 2 XL, and more

David Cogen of TheUnlockr is back with another phone experiment — this time testing how the battery on the new Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus compares to those in other top smartphones.

Housed inside the Galaxy S9 Plus is a 3,500mAh battery (3,000mAh in the S9), which supports up to 94 hours of MP3 playback with AOD off (54 with AOD on), or up to 15 hours of internet use, according to Samsung’s product page. And while usage patterns and other environmental factors can affect a phone’s battery life, the S9 is setting some serious precedent.

Battery test results

1st: Galalxy S8 Plus

2nd: Galaxy S9 Plus

3rd: OnePlus 5T

4th: Mate 10 Pro

5th: Pixel XL

6th: iPhone X

So, Cogen rounded up some of the best phones he could find — the S9 Plus, S8 Plus (for comparison to the S9), OnePlus 5T, Huawei’s Mate 10 Pro, Google’s Pixel XL, and Apple’s iPhone X — all current flagship phones with the best smartphone batteries on the market — and put them to the test. But which phone came out on top?

Making sure all six of the phones were hooked up to the same gigabit Wi-Fi network and had the same social networks installed (with notifications enabled), Cogen played a 10-hour Nyan Cat video at half speed (for what could end up being upwards of 20 hours) to see which phone stayed alive the longest.

And while none of the phones made it the full 20 hours, this experiement helped give us an idea of how the phone batteries stacked up among themselves.

In sixth place, was the iPhone X. It lasted only about 10 hours. In fifth place was the Pixel XL (11:40), which trailed behind the Mate 10 Pro (12:55) and the OnePlus 5T (13:12). What’s interesting is the two phones that stayed alive the longest.

The S9 Plus makes sense, because it has the latest processor and better battery management than some of the other flagships on the list, but to be beat out by the S8 Plus, it’s predecessor that was released at about this time last year, by over an hour and a half is definitely unusual.

The S9 Plus still has decent battery life and is comparable to all the other current-generation phones out there. At the end of the day, the way you use your phone has more to do with how long the phone will stay alive than anything else, but the results were still interesting.

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

Editors’ Recommendations

• Smartphone speed demons! Is Samsung’s Galaxy S9 Plus the fastest off the line?
• Who makes the fastest phone of 2018? We tested the best, side by side
• See how the Galaxy S9 Plus handles low-light against the competition
• Which phone has the best battery life? Let’s find out
• Frequent flyer? These are the best dual-SIM phones you can buy in 2018

Best Smartwatches for Fitness in 2018

• Best overall
• Best alternate
• Best with Wear OS

Best overall

Samsung Gear Sport

See at Amazon
See at Best Buy

The best smartwatch to pull double duty for daily use and activity tracking is the Samsung Gear Sport. It’s built to take a beating or a plunge with 5ATM waterproofing, and has all of the necessary sensors and radios to make sure you can track everything. Samsung Health has gotten surprisingly good for following each workout but also long-term goals, and partnerships with bigger names like Under Armour and MapMyFitness mean you can also send all of your data to a different system if you need.

One of the best features of the Gear Sport is that it doesn’t look that sporty. It can easily be worn every day with a variety of clothing and not stand out, which you can’t really say about most smartwatches that are aimed at fitness. The rotating bezel is fantastic, the screen is great and while the software is a tad clunky it’s super powerful. Battery life is surprisingly good as well, about 2-3 days depending on usage.

Bottom line: The Gear Sport gets all of the typical smartwatch stuff handled, and is also a super-capable fitness tracker.

One more thing: For the sportiest look and robust design, stick with one of the rubber bands rather than a nylon or leather one.

Best alternate

Fitbit Ionic

See at Fitbit

Fitbit comes at smartwatches from the direction of its successful fitness band lineup. This makes the Ionic a perfect smartwatch for someone who really wants to focus on activity tracking first, and the other “smartwatch” stuff secondarily. Though it may be a bit big and blocky, the Fitbit Ionic has a bright display, GPS tracking, optical heart rate sensor, SpO2 sensor, 50-meter waterproofing and all of the other cool stuff like NFC and 2.5GB of storage space. It’s also rated at four days of battery life, which goes beyond the competition.

Tons of people have trusted Fitbit with their fitness tracking of all kinds for years, and that’s really what you’re getting in the ~$300 Ionic. The smartwatch side of things isn’t as deeply integrated to your Android phone as an Wear OS or even Samsung watch is, but you can’t argue it’s just as good or better for fitness.

Bottom line: If fitness is your primary goal, and you’ve had previous Fitbits, the Ionic should be at the top of your list.

One more thing: The new Fitbit Versa offers a smaller case and better looks as a smartwatch, but doesn’t have GPS like the Ionic does.

Best with Wear OS

Huawei Watch 2 Sport

See at Amazon

The Wear OS world (formerly Android Wear) is moving almost entirely to lifestyle and fashion brands, but there are a few relatively modern choices out there for fitness-focused needs. The Huawei Watch 2 Sport is the best of the bunch, on account of its lightweight and relatively rugged exterior that can take bumps and sweat with ease. The case isn’t going to win any design awards, and as a watch feels a bit cheap and flimsy. But it’s correspondingly inexpensive, hovering around $200, which is great if you’re on the fence about spending more money on a dual-purpose wrist computer.

On the smartwatch side it’s all typical Wear OS fare, meaning it has perfect integration to your Android phone’s notifications and messaging system — plus with access to Google Play you have a good number of watch faces and app extensions to try out. It also has NFC for Google Pay. The fitness tracking isn’t nearly as good as Samsung or Fitbit offer, but that’s one of the trade-offs you’ll see by going with Wear OS to get a better daily smartwatch operating system with great integration to your phone.

Bottom line: If you need to have Wear OS, the Watch 2 Sport offers it in a rugged case at an affordable price.

One more thing: Keep an eye out for discounted, refurbished or open-box units, as the Watch 2 Sport is several months old now.

Conclusion

For a smartwatch that pulls double duty as a daily watch but also a capable fitness tracker, the Samsung Gear Sport is a fantastic decision. Fitbit’s Ionic isn’t as great of a daily smartwatch, but has great fitness tracking you expect from the Fitbit brand. If you must have Wear OS for great smartphone integration, check out the inexpensive Huawei Watch 2 Sport.

Best overall

Samsung Gear Sport

See at Amazon
See at Best Buy

The best smartwatch to pull double duty for daily use and activity tracking is the Samsung Gear Sport. It’s built to take a beating or a plunge with 5ATM waterproofing, and has all of the necessary sensors and radios to make sure you can track everything. Samsung Health has gotten surprisingly good for following each workout but also long-term goals, and partnerships with bigger names like Under Armour and MapMyFitness mean you can also send all of your data to a different system if you need.

One of the best features of the Gear Sport is that it doesn’t look that sporty. It can easily be worn every day with a variety of clothing and not stand out, which you can’t really say about most smartwatches that are aimed at fitness. The rotating bezel is fantastic, the screen is great and while the software is a tad clunky it’s super powerful. Battery life is surprisingly good as well, about 2-3 days depending on usage.

Bottom line: The Gear Sport gets all of the typical smartwatch stuff handled, and is also a super-capable fitness tracker.

One more thing: For the sportiest look and robust design, stick with one of the rubber bands rather than a nylon or leather one.

Update April 2018: The LG Watch Sport has been removed from our list on account of its high price and limited retail availability, replaced by the much-cheaper and still-available Huawei Watch 2 Sport. The Samsung Gear Sport remains our top pick, and the Fitbit Ionic is still here for its superior fitness tracking despite the new Versa being on the scene.

Best PlayStation 4 decal kits

Pretty up your PS4 with a custom decal kit!

Lets face it, when you look at a standard PlayStation 4 it can be kind of boring. It’s like a leaning DVR, a mostly bland-looking box sitting in front of your television. There’s no harm in making it look a little nicer, especially if you weren’t able to score a limited edition version of this console.

Put that spray paint away. There is an easier solution. If you’re looking for a way to give your console a makeover, then all you have to do is look for a decal kit for help. Decal kits are a simple and relatively cheap way of customizing your PlayStation 4. If you’re in the market for a decal kit, here are some of the best that are available to you right now.

• Kingdom Hearts
• Deadpool
• NES
• Chrome Mirrored
• Woodgrain
• Droid

Kingdom Hearts

If you’re a big fan of Kingdom Hearts then you’re already probably pretty excited for the forthcoming release of the newest game in the series. If you want to rep your excitement a little harder, then you can’t do much better than this decal kit. You can order yours for $14.

See at Amazon

Deadpool

If you’re a little lukewarm on the new Kingdom Hearts game, then perhaps you’re more stoked about the release of the new Deadpool movie. If that’s the case, then there is also a decal kit for you. You can wrap your console in the merc with a mouth for only $14.

See at Amazon

NES

If you’re like me, then you’re a little bit of a sucker for anything that harkens back to the classic Nintendo Entertainment System. If you’d like to cross the streams of consoles, you can get yourself a decal kit which will make your PlayStation look like an NES. That can be done for a meager $16.

See at Amazon

Chrome mirrored

If subtlety isn’t your bag, don’t worry. There are options available to you. You can wrap your PS4 in a chrome mirrored finish which just might blind you if the sun comes in your window and hits your console just right. There are a multitude of colors available in this mirrored finish for only $13

See at Amazon

Wood grain

Do you miss the eighties? Perhaps you wish that your PS4 could look a little bit more like the electronics your parents owned back in the day. If that’s the case, you can give your PlayStation a woodgrain makeover. Throw on your smoking jacket and enjoy your new rich mahogany PS4 for only $14.

See at Amazon

Droid

In order to avoid running afoul of any litigious legal departments, there are no names mentioned here. However, any Star Warriors fan will instantly recognize this design. If you’re looking for a perfect little droid companion while you’re gaming, then this just might be the wrap you’re looking for. It can be yours for only $16. Just make sure it doesn’t have a bad motivator before you leave the lot.

See at Amazon

A customized gaming console can be a great symbol of individuality and belief in personal freedom. Unfortunately, not everyone is ready to commit to an intricate and time-consuming paint job. If you’re one of those people, but you still want a customized PS4, a decal kit is a great way to go. The options are nearly endless and if you ever change your mind you can always peel it off and you’re right back where you started.

Have you used a decal kit on your PS4?

Which one did you get and what was your experience? Let us know below!

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

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

Amazon Alexa: Everything you need to know about the heart of the Echo

You wouldn’t have the Amazon Echo (or Echo Dot, or Echo Show, or whatever) without Amazon Alexa. Here’s what you need to know about the two.

Latest News

April 4, 2018 – Hands-free Alexa comes to more Fire tablets, music now available with Routines, and Canadian users can use Alexa in the Amazon Music mobile app

Whew, what a day! Amazon announced a heap of Alexa goodies on April 4, and without further ado, let’s run through what’s new.

First off, the online shopping giant has now allowed you to turn the Fire 7 and Fire HD 8 tablets into hands-free Alexa speakers. This is a feature that was previously reserved for just the Fire HD 10, and it allows you to say “Alexa” and have the tablets respond just like an Echo. The tablets will need to have their screens on or be plugged into a power source in order for this to work, but even so, it’s a nice way to get Alexa listening to you no matter where you go.

Moving over to Alexa Routines, you can now add music to these. Alexa Routines enable you to perform a variety of actions with one single command, and up until now, playing music wasn’t an option when creating a new Routine. With this update, however, you can play your favorite album, artist, podcast, etc. from Amazon Music, Spotify, Deezer, Pandora, and TuneIn.

Last but not least, users in Canada can now talk to Alexa inside the Amazon Music app for Android and iOS.

What is Alexa?

Amazon Echo. Or Alexa. They’re one and the same, really. That is, an Amazon Echo without Alexa really isn’t any more than just a speaker. And Alexa without a speaker is just … Well, nothing.

Confused yet. I don’t blame you. Let’s explain the difference this way:

Echo is hardware, Alexa is software

Amazon Echo — and all of its permutations — is hardware. Alexa is software. She (and I have zero problem if you refer to Alexa as a she) is the brains behind the Echo, and all the things you can do with it. And because she’s software, she’s available on more than just Amazon’s own devices.

Anyone can put Alexa on anything. You can make your own Alexa speaker for just a few bucks and a little bit of nerdy know-how. There are third-party Alexa speakers that look like Amazon’s own Echo Dot. There are third-party Alexa speakers that look like speakers. You can get Alexa baked into a smart thermostat. She’s built into the HTC U11 smartphone.

The point is, Alexa can be built into pretty much anything these days.

But that’s just half of the story.

It’s all about the Alexa Skills, baby …

Alexa starts out by knowing what Amazon tells it. She already knows how to tell the time, and set alarms and timers, or answer general questions and read headlines. But Alexa also has the ability to learn more. A lot more.

Or, more precisely, you have the ability to teach Alexa new things.

See all of Amazon’s Skills here

Amazon calls these things “Skills,” and there are hundreds of them.

Want to teach Alexa to turn on your smart lights, or open your garage door, or do anything she doesn’t already know how to do? You need a Skill. That’s where developers come in. Amazon has made it so that anyone can write an Alexa Skill, and companies and their developers have been doing so for years now.

Think about the things you do every day. Listen to satellite radio? There’s a Skill for that. Lock your house after you’re already at work? It’s a little daunting, actually. There are hundreds and hundreds of Skills, of varying degrees of usefulness. (Dog facts, uh, OK.)

How to enable and disable Alexa Skills

Alexa calling and messaging

All of that connected home stuff is great, and it’s important. But one of the more exciting avenues of potential lies in Alex Calling and Messaging. As the name implies, it’s the ability to make calls and leave messages through Alexa. From the outset it works with Echo devices and the Alexa app on phones and tablets. If you have an original Echo or Echo Dot, you can make voice calls. If you have an Echo Show, you can make video calls, or even “drop in” on a close acquaintance (they have to approve you first) without them having to hit a single button.

That’s where these $50 Echo Dots really make a lot of sense. Now Amazon has a means for you to communicate not just on that little Dot, but also on your phone. It’s two birds with one stone, and it’s really just the start of things. And it makes up for where Amazon failed in trying to make its own phone. Folks didn’t want a Fire Phone, but they do want an Echo — especially an inexpensive on — and in buying one they have to put the Alexa app on their phone.

It’s not quite a benevolent Trojan Horse, but it’s close.

Read: Amazon is getting close to being the king of all messaging

Amazon Alexa

• Which Amazon Echo should you buy?
• Get more Alexa Skills
• How to enable and disable Alexa Skills
• How to customize Flash Briefing
• How to get sports updates
• How to sync your calendar with Alexa
• How to shop with Alexa
• Send voice messages with Alexa

See more at Amazon

Today’s best deals you won’t want to miss

Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.

Today you can get big discounts on surround sound gaming headsets, Bluetooth speakers, Xbox One controllers, and more! Don’t pass these up.

View the rest of the deals

If you want to know about the deals as soon as they are happening, you’ll want to follow Thrifter on Twitter, and sign up for the newsletter, because missing out on a great deal stinks!

How to follow and stream the Masters Golf Tournament on Android and your TV

There’s nothing like watching golf on the biggest stage.

It’s time for the Masters Tournament, where for just shy of a week the entire golf world sets its eyes on Augusta National to see the best golfers ply their craft. It all gets going on April 4 and carries on through April 8, and you can follow every single moment from your Android phone — here’s how.

The Masters app has it all

The Masters may be an extremely old tournament, but it’s kept up with the times spectacularly when it comes to making everything available online. The well-rated Masters app really is a one-stop shop for everything coming out of Augusta.

See at Google Play

Video

On the video side, the Masters app offers a live simulcast of everything the TV broadcasters offer. So it doesn’t matter which TV deal (coverage is split across CBS and ESPN) is carrying which portion of the tournament, you get it all live from end to end using the app. You’ll not only get the full TV broadcast, but also access to extras like the Par 3 contest, designated shots of signature holes and featured groups.

For the times when you aren’t watching live — which, let’s be honest, most of us won’t be able to for hours on end — there will be extensive highlights and replays in the Masters app. You’ll be able to see all of the big shots, leaderboard battles, interviews and featured players after the fact — and if you log in to the app, you can follow specific players so you don’t miss anything in the shuffle.

Leaderboard, information, and updates

Beyond the video streams, the Masters app also provides live radio coverage for when you can only listen and not watch. And before the tournament even starts, the Masters app provides all of the necessary information for getting up to speed with the course, details on the tournament and the field of players. As things get going, you’ll be able to see player statistics, shot trackers and a live leader board with up-to-the-minute information.

The Masters app also has configurable notifications to follow specific players, and you can even set a “no spoiler” mode to you can get general information without actually revealing scores or leader board positions until you’re ready for it. There really is no better place to go to follow this tournament than the Masters app.

Watching on your TV

When you have more time available to watch live or catch up on what you missed, the Masters app also has Chromecast support. Whether you’re watching replays or the live stream, with two taps you can get things going via your Chromecast, Android TV box or Cast-enabled smart TV. You’ll get access to all of the same content you were watching on your phone.

If you prefer to get all of your entertainment in one place and have one of the various streaming TV offerings out there, you’re in luck. YouTube TV, Hulu Live and DirecTV Now all offer the required channels to follow the Masters Tournament. To follow all of the coverage, you’ll need the CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2 and your local CBS affiliate channel.

• Hulu Live TV is available on Android and online in your browser, and has all of the necessary channels for $40/month. It has a one-week free trial.
• YouTube TV is available on Android and online in your browser, and includes all required channels in its $40/month subscription. It offers a free trial to get started.
• DirecTV Now is available on Android as well as online in your browser, but only includes all of the proper channels in the “Go big” (blue) package, which is $60/month. There’s a one-week free trial and other incentives such as getting three months for just $10/month.

Each of these streaming services is obviously more expensive than just using the Masters app, but you get the added benefit of pre-recording full broadcasts to watch later or simply have all of the Masters coverage right alongside your other programming. No matter what, between the app and streaming TV services you definitely aren’t short of options when it comes to following the 2018 Masters Tournament.

Up to 87 million Facebook users’ data was shared with Cambridge Analytica

The social network also outlined 9 ways it’ll keep data more secure in the future.

It’s no secret that Facebook really let “you know what” hit the fan over the last couple weeks. The company’s been under fire for sharing millions of its users’ data with research firm Cambridge Analytica, and according to a post on the Facebook Newsroom, the number of people that were affected is bigger than originally reported.

Facebook had originally estimated that around 50 million people had their data shared with Cambridge Analytica, but on Wednesday, April 4, the company said:

In total, we believe the Facebook information of up to 87 million people — mostly in the US — may have been improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica.

87,000,000 💀

I’m sure plenty of you have already had your tipping point with Facebook by now, but in case you’re still hoping the company will be able to pick itself up out of this mess, it also announced nine tweaks it’ll be rolling out to ensure something like this can’t happen again. These include:

Apps using the Events API won’t be able to access guest lists or posts shared on the event wall. In the future, only apps that agree to Facebook’s new “strict requirements” will be able to use it at all.
Third-party apps that use the Groups API must first get approval from Facebook and the group admin. Approved apps won’t be able to access names or profile photos that are attached to posts/comments.
Facebook must approve any app that requests access to its Pages API
“Strict requirements” are in place for apps that use Facebook Login and they won’t be able to gather info on political/religious views, relationship status, education, etc.
Effective immediately, the Instagram Platform API is being depreciated.
You can no longer look someone up on Facebook by searching for their email or phone number.
Facebook says it doesn’t collect the content of text messages on Android and that all logs that are one year or older will be deleted.
The Partner Categories feature is being shut-down.
Starting April 9, Facebook will show a link at the top of your Newsfeed that lists all the apps you use and what information is shared with them.

Based on this new data and what Facebook is doing to crack-down on user privacy, will you continue to use the social network going forward?

Facebook never earned your trust and now we’re all paying the price

Facebook now lets you delete multiple third-party apps at once

There’s no “select all” button, but this is still much better.

Shortly after news broke that millions of Facebook users had their personal information shared and exposed with Cambridge Analytica, people have been in a rush to revoke access from third-party apps to their Facebook accounts.

Deleting apps and websites that have access to your account is fairly straightforward, but in its current form, is a very time-consuming process as Facebook only allows you to delete one app at a time. Thankfully, this is now changing with a bulk removal tool.

Facebook confirmed to TechCrunch that it’s rolling this feature out to users on its desktop website and mobile apps, and it allows you to select multiple apps and delete them all at once. There’s no “select all” button for automatically choosing all apps at once, but this is still a very welcome addition.

To use this feature, simply select the apps you want to delete, tap the “remove” button in the upper right-hand corner, and then press “remove” again to confirm your decision. You’ll also be able to check a box to confirm whether or not you want to delete any posts, photos, and/or videos that have been shared from your account using these apps.

The bulk removal tool should be available to use right now.

Up to 87 million Facebook users’ data was shared with Cambridge Analytica

BMW’s car subscription pilot program starts at $2,000 per month

The rumors of BMW’s American branch joining the car subscription craze were true. The automaker has launched a pilot Access by BMW program in Nashville, giving you a more flexible alternative to ownership that lets you switch cars as often as you like (through a mobile app, of course) without paying extra for maintenance. It’s expensive like the Porsche equivalent, but that also means you’re choosing from higher-end vehicles in lineup.

A ‘basic’ Legend tier starts at $2,000 per month lets you choose from the M2, 4 Series, 5 Series (including the 530e plug-in hybrid), and the X5 (including its PHEV model). Pay as much as $3,700 per month for the performance-minded M tier and you can drive the M4 convertible, M5, M6 convertible, X5M and X6M.

BMW stressed that this is a pilot, and thus an “opportunity to learn.” There’s a chance that Access could change if and when it spreads to other cities. However, we’d expect a wider launch to be more a matter of “when” than “if.” Like other brands, BMW is adapting to an era where ridesharing and (eventually) self-driving cars will reduce the incentive to own a car. Instead of paying for maintenance or worrying about owning the ‘wrong’ car, you can just get the vehicle you want when you want it.

Source: BMW

Google employees petition CEO to drop out of Pentagon AI project

Over 3,100 Google employees have signed a petition opposing the company’s part in a Pentagon AI program. The letter asked CEO Sundar Pichai to pull Google out of the project, which harnesses artificial intelligence to analyze video and could improve drone targeting. Further, it urged him to establish and enforce a policy that kept the company or its subsidiaries from ever building “warfare technology.”

That could include a lot of things, but if this partnership is a baseline, said policy would include simply providing government agencies with Google’s tech. Gizmodo broke the news last month that the company would lend AI TensorFlow programming kits to the Pentagon’s Project Maven, and according to sources, employees were outraged that the government would use it to improve drone operations.

The Pentagon first announced Project Maven last May as a next-gen application of machine learning to churn through big data to get ‘actionable’ intelligence more quickly. Some of this is intended to automate administrative tasks, but Google’s AI tech would improve the system’s ability to parse video and could be used to better identify both targets and civilians.

Despite what Google maintained was a “non-offensive” involvement with the Pentagon project, the letter to Pichai claimed that involvement would tarnish the corporation’s brand.

“Amid growing fears of biased and weaponized AI, Google is already struggling to keep the public’s trust,” the internally-circulating petition read, according to The New York Times. “The argument that other firms, like Microsoft and Amazon, are also participating doesn’t make this any less risky for Google. Google’s unique history, its motto Don’t Be Evil, and its direct reach into the lives of billions of users set it apart.”

When reached for comment, Google provided the following statement:

An important part of our culture is having employees who are actively engaged in the work that we do. We know that there are many open questions involved in the use of new technologies, so these conversations – with employees and outside experts – are hugely important and beneficial.

Maven is a well publicized DoD project and Google is working on one part of it – specifically scoped to be for non-offensive purposes and using open-source object recognition software available to any Google Cloud customer. The models are based on unclassified data only. The technology is used to flag images for human review and is intended to save lives and save people from having to do highly tedious work.

Any military use of machine learning naturally raises valid concerns. We’re actively engaged across the company in a comprehensive discussion of this important topic and also with outside experts, as we continue to develop our policies around the development and use of our machine learning technologies.”

Source: The New York Times