Facebook messages from Zuckerberg mysteriously disappear from users’ inboxes

According to anonymous sources speaking to TechCrunch, private messages from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg have mysteriously disappeared from their Facebook Messenger inboxes.

If you’re a user of Facebook Messenger, then you might be aware that while you can delete the messages that you send, that only removes the message from your copy of the conversation — anyone else in the conversation is still able to see it, whether that be a one-on-one or group conversation. Following the uproar around these deletions, Facebook has stated that it is developing an “unsend” option in Messenger, and that it will be available in a few months. Until that time, Facebook has also said it will not be deleting any more executive personal messages.

While Zuckerberg himself declined to comment on the situation, a Facebook representative clarified that the deletions concerned corporate security: “After Sony Pictures’ emails were hacked in 2014 we made a number of changes to protect our executives’ communications. These included limiting the retention period for Mark’s messages in Messenger. We did so in full compliance with our legal obligations to preserve messages.”

Essentially, Facebook appears to have put a retention timer on the messages of some executive members of staff, deleting them from the system after a certain amount of time has passed. Facebook security justification does stand up to scrutiny on the subject, as a standard message deletion would only remove the message from the sender’s account, and hackers could potentially access the inbox of the recipient in order to read the message and potentially make off with Facebook’s secrets.

While it’s certainly within Facebook’s rights to protect its corporate interests, this revelation comes at the wrong time for Zuckerberg’s company. The treatment, or mistreatment, of user data has been an issue on Facebook for a long time, but it has been recently thrown back into public attention by the actions of Cambridge Analytica, a company that is accused of abusing Facebook’s data to alter the public’s perceptions on key issues. In response, Facebook has altered the way it allows apps to gather data, but that doesn’t seem to be enough for various governments around the world, with many having launched investigations of the service.

Key to the issue is the control that Facebook has over the messages sent between users. While Facebook’s service is clearly under its own control, questions of user trust naturally arise when data is altered without user knowledge. With data becoming the currency of the new age, these questions will remain a central focus of public debate for some time yet.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Elon Musk deleted Facebook after a challenge from another tech titan
• Facebook collected call and text data from Android phones for years
• How to send a text message from a computer
• With Willow Village, Facebook moves from digital communities to real ones
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The Surface Pro being discounted by up to $300 from Microsoft Store and Amazon

Just after Best Buy attempted to clear store shelves in a 24-hour flash sale to make way for new Mac devices, Microsoft is now shaving $200 off its latest Surface Pro in its Spring Sale. But don’t get too excited just yet: Out of the seven configurations Microsoft serves up on its store, only two get a price cut. Act quick and you can get the model with a Core i5 processor, 128GB of storage, and 4GB of system memory for the same price as the typically cheaper Core m3 model. 

Here are the two configurations discounted in Microsoft’s Spring Sale: 

CPU 

Memory 

Storage 

Original price 

Sale price 

Core i5 

4GB 

128GB 

$999 

$799 

Core i5 

8GB 

256GB 

$1,299 

$1,099 

 But Amazon is calling Microsoft’s spring bluff and raising it plenty. The online retailer is currently discounting all Surface Pro models except for the Core i5 units with 4G LTE connectivity. Even more, Amazon is undercutting the two models Microsoft currently has on sale by $15 on one unit and $50 on the other. Here’s the list of discounts: 

CPU 

Memory 

Storage 

Original price 

Sale price 

Core M 

4GB 

128GB 

$799 

$670

Core i5 

4GB 

128GB 

$999 

$785 

Core i5 

8GB 

256GB 

$1,299 

$1,049

Core i7 

8GB 

256GB 

$1,599 

$1,345 

Core i7 

16GB 

512GB 

$2,199 

$1,857 

Core i7 

16GB 

1TB 

$2,699 

$2,336 

 Note that the discounted Surface Pros don’t include the Type Cover or Surface Pen. The Type Cover, offered in Burgundy, Cobalt Blue, and Platinum, will set you back another $159 on Microsoft’s store. Meanwhile, the same Type Cover appears to sell for a cheaper $104 for the Burgundy version on Amazon, $112 for the Cobalt Blue edition, and $113 for the Platinum model. 

As for the Surface Pen, that’s another $99 if you go through Microsoft, sold in Platinum, Burgundy, Black, and Cobalt Blue colors. The peripheral doesn’t appear to be marked down on Amazon, although you can find plenty of alternatives for a cheaper price. 

The latest Surface Pro models are technically fifth-generation units although Microsoft decided not to label the detachables as “Surface Pro 5.” Launched in June 2017, they’re based on Intel’s seventh-generation processors. The current sales may be to move product off store shelves to make room for sixth-generation models (sixth-gen Surface Pro) possibly arriving later this year. 

The Surface Pro being discounted by up to $300 from Microsoft Store and Amazon

Just after Best Buy attempted to clear store shelves in a 24-hour flash sale to make way for new Mac devices, Microsoft is now shaving $200 off its latest Surface Pro in its Spring Sale. But don’t get too excited just yet: Out of the seven configurations Microsoft serves up on its store, only two get a price cut. Act quick and you can get the model with a Core i5 processor, 128GB of storage, and 4GB of system memory for the same price as the typically cheaper Core m3 model. 

Here are the two configurations discounted in Microsoft’s Spring Sale: 

CPU 

Memory 

Storage 

Original price 

Sale price 

Core i5 

4GB 

128GB 

$999 

$799 

Core i5 

8GB 

256GB 

$1,299 

$1,099 

 But Amazon is calling Microsoft’s spring bluff and raising it plenty. The online retailer is currently discounting all Surface Pro models except for the Core i5 units with 4G LTE connectivity. Even more, Amazon is undercutting the two models Microsoft currently has on sale by $15 on one unit and $50 on the other. Here’s the list of discounts: 

CPU 

Memory 

Storage 

Original price 

Sale price 

Core M 

4GB 

128GB 

$799 

$670

Core i5 

4GB 

128GB 

$999 

$785 

Core i5 

8GB 

256GB 

$1,299 

$1,049

Core i7 

8GB 

256GB 

$1,599 

$1,345 

Core i7 

16GB 

512GB 

$2,199 

$1,857 

Core i7 

16GB 

1TB 

$2,699 

$2,336 

 Note that the discounted Surface Pros don’t include the Type Cover or Surface Pen. The Type Cover, offered in Burgundy, Cobalt Blue, and Platinum, will set you back another $159 on Microsoft’s store. Meanwhile, the same Type Cover appears to sell for a cheaper $104 for the Burgundy version on Amazon, $112 for the Cobalt Blue edition, and $113 for the Platinum model. 

As for the Surface Pen, that’s another $99 if you go through Microsoft, sold in Platinum, Burgundy, Black, and Cobalt Blue colors. The peripheral doesn’t appear to be marked down on Amazon, although you can find plenty of alternatives for a cheaper price. 

The latest Surface Pro models are technically fifth-generation units although Microsoft decided not to label the detachables as “Surface Pro 5.” Launched in June 2017, they’re based on Intel’s seventh-generation processors. The current sales may be to move product off store shelves to make room for sixth-generation models (sixth-gen Surface Pro) possibly arriving later this year. 

Robot Cache’s blockchain-based service could change how you buy games

If you buy the majority of your games in digital marketplaces, you might not be satisfied with your options for re-selling them once you have played them to your heart’s content. With Robot Cache, a blockchain-based distribution platform back by Atari founder Nolan Bushnell, you will be able to do so and put more money directly into the hands of developers.

“Robot Cache, the first decentralized PC video game distribution platform that benefits publishers, developers, and gamers, has announced the first wave of publishers that have agreed in principle or signed agreements to bring their games to the platform,” the company said in a press release.

The partners thus far include smaller publishers such as 505 Games and Paradox Interactive, as well as THQ Nordic, the company that recently also acquired Deep Silver. More partners will be announced in the coming weeks.

Robot Cache promises the lowest transaction fees of any PC gaming platform, reducing them by 80 percent, and publishers and developers of all sizes receive 95 percent of all game sale proceeds. This is compared to the 30 percent fee collected on competing platforms, including Steam.

Though Robot Cache advertises the ability for players to sell their digital games on the platform, as well, though you won’t actually be taking home that much in return. Players will receive 25 percent of the sale, while publishers and developers will receive 70 percent — effectively making money twice on the sale of one game. As it’s a blockchain-based platform, you will be given tokens called Iron in order to buy more games, and you can choose to mine Iron through the Robot Cache client in order to increase your spending power.

So, what games will be available to download through Robot Cache when it launches later this year? Given the publishers already onboard, we can presumably expect to see THQ Nordic and Deep Silver games like Metro: Exodus and the long-awaited Darksiders III. What might be more interesting, however, is seeing how independent developers embrace the platform. Should it gain a significant foothold in the market, the smaller fees and proceeds from secondhand sales could enable more developers to make their dreams of full-time development a reality.

Editors’ Recommendations

• THQ Nordic acquires Saints Row and Metro publisher Deep Silver
• Get your zSilver ready: Razer now has it’s own online game store
• Meet the 21st-century game show in the form of the Hangtime app
• Check out 30 of the best iPhone games you need to be playing
• It’s dangerous to go alone! Try out our favorite co-op games

Look out AMD and Nvidia, Intel could get into the graphics card game by 2020

Intel’s made its own onboard graphics solutions for years, and it’s even dabbled in discrete graphics cards before, but it could be gearing up to take on gaming GPU manufacturers Nvidia and AMD with its own gaming-centric graphics card slated for 2020.

The news comes as Intel’s upcoming enterprise and data center-facing discrete GPU solutions are on the horizon. Its “Arctic Sound” and “Jupiter Sound” discrete GPUs were originally intended to spend their lives toiling away in data centers, crunching numbers in quiet obscurity. But according to Ashraf Eassa of The Motley Fool, Intel’s graphics chief Raja Koduri has other plans.

Bonus: Apparently @Rajaontheedge is redefining Arctic Sound (first Intel dGPU), was originally targeted for video streaming apps in data center, but now being split into two: the video streaming stuff and gaming. Apparently wants to “enter the market with a bang.”

— Ashraf Eassa (@TMFChipFool) April 6, 2018

It’s fascinating news given that Koduri is a relatively recent hire, but his tenure at AMD and before that at Apple, suggests this could have been the plan all along. Koduri’s departure from AMD for Intel signaled the company’s increased interest in improving the graphical functionality of its products, and these most recent leaks suggest that he is the man behind the changes to the upcoming Arctic Sound GPU solutions.

Remember, Intel has recently cozied up with AMD for a series of processors which feature onboard Radeon Vega graphics in lieu of Intel’s integrated HD graphics hardware.This shift toward gaming hardware is likely part of a larger long-term strategy to diversify Intel’s offerings. It’s unclear what would happen to the AMD partnership if Intel is indeed getting ready to become a direct competitor to AMD in the GPU arena.

According to Wccftech, not only is Koduri a crucial component of the project, but there are some serious manufacturing hurdles standing in the way of Intel’s GPU ambitions. Its current fabrication facilities aren’t exactly geared toward mass-producing gaming GPUs, so it’s likely an uptick in research spending could signal that the GPU project is kicking into high gear.

It’s clear Intel has a strong interest in pushing into the GPU market, and now would be the time to do it. With shortages and cryptocurrency mining pushing prices higher and nudging more and more PC gaming enthusiasts toward integrated graphics solutions, maybe it’s time to have a third option for discrete GPUs. Having more options than just AMD or Nvidia could be refreshing for PC builders.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Cheap, fast laptop gaming is finally becoming reality at CES 2018
• Intel’s latest graphics drivers can automatically optimize your favorite games
• AMD Ryzen CPUs With Vega Graphics Review
• Dell’s latest Inspiron notebook packs in AMD’s Ryzen APU with Vega graphics
• Intel’s Radeon-backed ‘Hades Canyon’ mini PC runs games at 1080p, Ultra graphics

Asus just rolled out the world’s slimmest gaming laptop with GTX 1070 graphics

ROG Zephyrus M (GM501)

After Intel revealed its new wave of eighth-generation processors earlier this week, Asus dropped a few spring goodies itself. The tasty morsels include a refreshed Republic of Gamers G703 laptop with a Core i9 processor and a GeForce GTX 1080 discrete graphics chip, the new ROG Huracan (G21) desktop, and loads more. 

According to Asus, its new the ROG Zephyrus M (GM501) is the world’s slimmest gaming laptop packing a discrete GeForce GTX 1070 graphics chip (non-Max-Q at that), and Intel’s new Core i7-8750H processor. The company adds that this model is also the first of its kind to include an IPS panel supporting a 144Hz refresh rate and a three-millisecond gray-to-gray response time. There’s even software enabling gamers to switch GPU modes. 

So let’s get this spec party started, shall we? 

Laptops 

We’ll kick off the Asus ROG spring bonanza with the company’s two 15.6-inch Zephyrus-branded laptops along with the refreshed G703 model: 

 

Zephyrus M 

Zephyrus 

G703 

Model number: 

GM501 

GX501 

G703 

Screen size: 

15.6 inches 

15.6 inches 

17.3 inches 

Screen type: 

IPS with G-SYNC 

IPS with G-SYNC 

IPS with G-SYNC 

Screen resolution: 

1,920 x 1,080 @ 144Hz 

1,920 x 1,080 @ 144Hz 

1,920 x 1,080 @ 144Hz 

Processor: 

Core i7-8750H 

Core i7-8750H 

Core i9-8950HK 

Graphics: 

GTX 1070 (GM501GS)
GTX 1060 (GM501GM) 

GTX 1080 Max-Q 

GTX 1080 

Memory (DDR4): 

Up to 32GB @ 2,666MHz 

Up to 24GB @ 2,666MHz 

Up to 64GB @ 2,666MHz 

Storage (SSD): 

256GB or 512GB 

256GB or 512GB 

3x SSDs (512GB max) 

Storage (HDD): 

1TB (Hybrid) 

n/a 

Up to 2TB 

Sound: 

2x 3.5-watt speakers 

2x 2-watt speakers 

2x 3-watt speakers 

Keyboard: 

Chiclet backlit
RGB 4 Zones 

Chiclet backlit 

Chiclet backlit 

Connectivity: 

Wireless AC (2×2)
Bluetooth 4.2 

Wireless AC (2×2)
Bluetooth 4.2 

Wireless AC (2×2)
Bluetooth 4.2 

Ports: 

1x Thunderbolt 3
4x USB-A 3.1 Gen2
1x HDMI 2.0
1x Audio combo 

2x USB-A 3.1 Gen1
2x USB-A 3.1 Gen2
1x Thunderbolt 3
1x HDMI 2.0
1x Audio combo 

1x Thunderbolt 3
3x USB-A 3.1 Gen1
1x HDMI 2.0
1x Mini DisplayPort
1x Audio combo
1x SD card reader 

Battery: 

55WHr 

50Whr 

71WHr 

Power adapter: 

230 watts (GM501GS)
180 watts (GM501GM) 

230 watts 

330 watts 

Dimensions:
(inches) 

15.1 x 10.3 x 0.78 

14.9 x 10.3 x 0.70 

16.73 x 12.56 x 2.0 

Weight: 

5.5 pounds 

4.97 pounds 

10.36 pounds 

But wait! There’s more! Asus also updated its Strix Scar and Hero Edition laptops too. Here they are: 

 

Strix Scar Edition 

Strix Hero Edition 

Screen size: 

15.6 inches 

15.6 inches 

Screen type: 

TN 

TN 

Screen resolution: 

1,920 x 1,080 @ 120Hz 

1,920 x 1,080 @ 120Hz 

Processor: 

Core i7-8750HQ 

Core i7-8750HQ 

Graphics: 

GTX 1070 

GTX 1050 Ti 

Memory (DDR4): 

Up to 32GB @ 2,666MHz 

Up to 32GB @ 2,666MHz 

Storage (SSD): 

Up to 512GB 

Up to 512GB 

Storage (HDD): 

Up to 1TB (Hybrid) 

Up to 1TB (Hybrid) 

Sound: 

Sonic Studio
SoundMaster 

Sonic Studio
SoundMaster 

Keyboard: 

Chiclet backlit 

Chiclet backlit 

Connectivity: 

Wireless AC (2×2)
Bluetooth 4.1 

Wireless AC (2×2)
Bluetooth 4.1 

Ports: 

1x USB-C 3.1 Gen1
3x USB-A 3.1 Gen1
1x USB-A 2.0
1x HDMI 1.4
1x  Mini DisplayPort
1x Audio combo
1x SD card reader 

1x USB-C 3.1 Gen1
3x USB-A 3.1 Gen1
1x USB-A 2.0
1x HDMI 1.4
1x  Mini DisplayPort
1x Audio combo 

Battery: 

64WHr 

64WHr 

Power adapter: 

180 watts 

Unknown 

Dimensions:
(inches) 

16.34 x 11.02 x 0.94 

15.12 x 10.31 x 0.94 

Weight: 

6.72 pounds 

5.73 pounds 

Desktops 

We only have two models in this batch: the Huracan G21 and the Strix GL12. The latter model is the larger desktop of the duo, weighing in at a hefty 24.25 pounds while the Huracan is a lighter 18.29 pounds. Both offer eighth-generation Intel processors for desktops, and up to a GeForce GTX 1080 graphics card. You’ll need to hit the product pages for all the expansion slot info. 

Have a look: 

 

Huracan G21 

Strix GL12 

Processor: 

Up to Core i7-8700 

Up to Core i7-8700K 

Graphics: 

Up to GTX 1080 

Up to GTX 1080 

Memory (DDR4): 

Up to 32GB @ 2,666MHz 

Up to 64GB @ 2,666MHz 

Storage (SSD1): 

Up to 512GB 

256GB, 512GB 

Storage (SSD2): 

n/a 

128GB to 512GB 

Storage (HDD): 

Up to 2TB 

1TB, 2TB 

Optical drive: 

DVD burner 

DVD burner 

Sound: 

Realtek ALC1150 

Realtek ALC1150 

Connectivity: 

Wireless AC (optional)
Bluetooth 5.0 

Wireless AC (optional)
Bluetooth 5.0 

Front ports: 

1x SD card reader
1x USB-C 3.1 Gen1
2x USB-A 3.1 Gen2 

1x SD card reader
2x USB-A 2.0
2x USB-A 3.1 Gen1
1x Audio combo 

Rear ports: 

1x 3-in-1 audio jack
1x S/PDIF
1x Ethernet
2x USB-A 3.1 Gen2
4x USB-A 3.1 Gen1 

2x USB-A 2.0
2x USB-A 3.1 Gen2
4x USB-A 3.1 Gen1
1x Ethernet
1x Optical S/PDIF
5x Audio jacks 

Power: 

180W, 230W (GTX 1080)
2x 180-watts 

300 watts
500 watts 

Dimensions:
(inches) 

5.11 x 14.66 x 14.41 

7.07 x 15.75 x 17.98 

Weight: 

18.29 pounds 

24.25 pounds 

As always, Asus doesn’t provide actual prices or release dates, so you’ll need to hit Amazon, Newegg, and other online and offline retailers for pricing and availability. We did a little hunting of our own and found the ROG Zephyrus M (GM501) at Amazon for $2200.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Dell rebrands Inspiron gaming laptops to G Series, serves up four new models
• Origin PC’s latest notebook packs Intel’s Core i7-8750H CPU, Nvidia Max-Q GPU
• Lenovo takes wraps off Windows 10, Chromebook device lineup at MWC
• Samsung goes on a gaming Odyssey with new Core i7 CPU, GTX 1060 graphics
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How to use Chromecast Audio as a whole-home audio alternative to Sonos

Great-sounding music is made easy with a Chromecast Audio. And you’ll save a fistful of dollars, too.

If you’re thinking about setting up a whole-house (or even just a single-room) streaming audio solution, Sonos systems are pretty much what you’ll find recommended by folks on the internet. They are easy to set up and the Sonos service offers a decent choice of streaming content providers. But the price tag — you’ll be spending hundreds per room for individual Sonos amps or speakers — can be tough to swallow. We’ve got a solution: Use a Chromecast Audio and a few standard components and save a whole lot of money.

Three things make the Chromecast Audio a good (or even better) alternative — the Chromecast has its own 96KHz / 24bit capable audio hardware, the 3.5 mm combination output supports optical as well as analog connections, and the Google Cast app lets you create groups or zones so you can stream your music to specific sources just like you can with a Sonos. There is even a high dynamic range setting for hi-res music files. And you won’t have to hack or mess around with any hardware, either. Plug your Chromecast Audio into a set of powered speakers, or a small amp and passive speakers, or even an A/V receiver, and cast some music.

Getting started

You’ll need three things — a Chromecast Audio, something to play the music that’s streaming and something to initiate it. The Chromecast Audio is the easy part — you’ll find one them for sale at Google as well as plenty of other online retailers or on the shelf at Walmart or Best Buy. One will set you back about $35 unless you find it on sale.

To tell the Chromecast what to play, you’ll need an Android or iOS device or a computer running Google Chrome (a Chromebook works really well, too). Install the Google Home app and it will walk you through finding your Chromecast(s) and setting them up. You’ll then be able to stream from popular online services like Google Play Music, Pandora, Spotify and plenty of others. You can also stream your own hi-res music from a network-attached storage device using a server like Plex or an app like BubbleUPnP for your Android phone. Or you can mirror local files from your Android phone or tablet or cast audio directly from a Chrome tab across your local network. There are plenty of options when it comes to the source of your music, and more apps are adding Google Cast support all the time.

The Chromecast Audio is designed to be plug and play with other equipment.

Playing back the sound is really the only part you’ll need to think about. You need a way to get the audio from the Chromecast’s 3.5 mm jack to a pair of speakers (either powered or via an external amp). There is nothing special about how this is done. In fact, you can plug a pair of headphones into your Chromecast Audio and it plays exactly as you would expect. That means you can let your needs and your budget decide what you use here.

Add some speakers

Probably the best solution would be to use a small bookshelf amplifier and a pair of passive speakers. An amp can cost as little as $20 and will work fine because we’re not necessarily looking for bells and whistles — we just need a way to increase the power of the signal and pass it along to some speakers. Decent bookshelf speakers start at $50 or so, while great ones can be bought for about $100. I love Pioneer’s SP-BS22-LR Andrew Jones Bookshelf Loudspeakers if you plan on using a larger amplifier.

You can even splurge and use a pair of studio monitors (along with an amp capable of driving them) for one or more rooms if you plan on streaming a lot of hi-res music. The folks where you buy your speakers will be able to help you if you’re not sure what to buy, Just tell them what you’re planning to do and they’ll point you towards everything you would need. Add in a few cables and you’ve just built a great audio streaming setup without breaking the bank.

Here’s an example of a good setup that would compare to a pair of Sonos Play 3 speakers or a Sonos Connect amp setup:

Chromecast Audio

You’ll start with a Chromecast Audio.

These are around $35 and you’ll get the device itself, a 3.5mm patch cable, a power supply and power cord. Depending on the amp or powered speakers you buy, you may need other cables. For our setup here you’ll need a 3.5 male to RCA male cable and this 6-foot long one lets you put your Chromecast behind everything so it’s hidden.

Keep an eye out for sales on Chromecasts if you are thinking about doing more than one room!

See Chromecast Audio at B&H

A small amplifier

Next, you’ll want a bookshelf amp or car amp with a power supply.

There are hundreds to choose from at every price point. I’ve found the SMSL SA50 to be the very best bang for your buck at around $70. It’s small, the signal is clean and it puts out a solid 30ish watts of power without any problems.

You’ll need Banana Plugs for your speaker wire with this amp, and you can get five pairs of Monoprice plugs for about $7. That gives you a spare set (if you use them on the speakers, too) just in case. Always plan for “just in case”.

See SMAL SA50 amp at Amazon

Bookshelf speakers

Finally, you need a pair of speakers, and they need to be able to fill up your space with sound.

How big and what wattage you need depends on where you’re putting them. For a smaller amp like our recommendation above, a pair of Polk T-15 Bookshelf speakers will sound excellent. There are countless models of bookshelf speakers in almost any size and at every price point, so you’ll have plenty of options. Just be sure the speakers you buy are a good match with your amp.

See Polk T-15 Bookslhelf speakers at Amazon

Using self-powered speakers

You can also buy active (self-powered) speakers instead of buying a separate amp and passive speakers.

Powered speakers will plug into the wall and have their own internal power supply so don’t try to use a set of them with a separate amp unless you know what you’re doing! These Edifier R1280T speakers look great and sound really nice for $100, but you’ll also find plenty of other options.

See Edifier R1280T speakers at Amazon

Saving money sounds great!

Even after adding in the cost of a few cables and things like speaker stands if you want or need them, this is a much cheaper alternative that sounds great and has support for more services than a Sonos system. The only downside is wiring things up, which should take just a few minutes because everything on this list will be plug and play. Now multiply the savings by the number of places you want to bring your music to, and you’ll have saved a lot of money.

A great-sounding system is easy to build, or you can plug a Chromecast Audio into your existing setup.

A Chromecast Audio is also really easy to drop into your existing home stereo or entertainment center. If you already have a great setup and would love to use Google Play Music or listen to your music across your own network, all you need to do is plug a Chromecast Audio into an open optical input using a Toslink cable and fire up the Google Cast app. Being versatile is a big plus, and a Chromecast Audio will fit almost anywhere and connect to anything using standard cables.

Whether you’re just looking for a cheap and easy way to build a streaming stereo for one room or want to connect your whole house with multiple setups indoors or out, a Chromecast Audio is a great way to do it.

Update April 2018: Added some new gear recommendations that sound awesome!

Chromecast

• Chromecast vs. Chromecast Ultra: Which should you buy?
• Chromecast and Chromecast Audio review
• Chromecast Ultra vs. Roku
• Join the discussion in our forums

Chromecast:

Google Store
Best Buy

Chromecast Audio:

Google Store
Best Buy

Chromecast Ultra:

Google Store
Best Buy

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 the August smart lock, Dell monitors, HyperX gaming gear, and more! Don’t pass these up.

View the rest of the deals

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LG G7 ThinQ: Rumors, Specs, Release Date, and More!

The LG G6 was a solid phone that got overshadowed by the competition. With the G7 ThinQ, LG isn’t going to let that happen again.

When talking about underrated phones from 2017, it’s almost impossible to not mention the LG G6. LG made a huge comeback following the disaster that was the G5, but devices like the Samsung Galaxy S8 simply ate the G6 for breakfast and didn’t leave it with much of a fighting chance to stand out from the crowd.

LG needs a winner this year with the G6’s successor, and this is everything we know so far about its upcoming flagship.

April 6, 2018 — LG’s next phone will be called the “LG G7 ThinQ” and come out this May

There’s been some debate over what LG would call its next flagship for months, but all of the rumors and speculation can finally be put to rest. TechRadar recently acquired hands-on photos of the device, and it shows the phone booting up with the name of LG G7 ThinQ. Oh brother.

This follows the same naming scheme we saw with the LG V30S ThinQ at CES this year, and it marks an — interesting — shift for LG.

The photos also show the G7 ThinQ with the long-rumored notch in its display, and specs are said to include a Snapdragon 845, 4GB RAM, and 64GB of internal storage. A release is said to be scheduled for this May, meaning we may get an announcement as soon as this month.

LG’s adopting the notch, because why not?

Amidst all the announcements coming out of MWC 2018, LG gave certain attendees an early look at its upcoming flagship phone for 2018. The photos captured of the device were pretty blurry and not all that detailed, but thankfully TechnoBuffalo teamed up with designer Ben Geskin to give us a clear look at what we can expect from LG later this year.

First off, let’s get the elephant out of the room – LG’s next flagship will, unfortunately, have a notch. This is a trend a lot of Android OEMs are rushing to adopt, and it’s one I’m not a fan of seeing. LG will likely use a software trick to hide the notch with a black status bar, but even with that in place, a notch is still a notch.

The phone will have hardly any bezels surrounding said notch (save for a small chin at the bottom), and the back will be made out of glass and feature a fingerprint sensor and dual-camera setup.

While it’s not the worst-looking phone I’ve ever seen, I’m not sure playing copycat is the right move for a company whose mobile division has been losing money quarter after quarter. An original design would have played in LG’s favor considering how many other companies are also trying to mimic the iPhone X, but that doesn’t appear to be what we’re getting.

Mr. Phone also gave us an early glimpse as to what the G7 will look like thanks to a collaboration with @OnLeaks, and as you can see from the video below, it confirms most everything we’re already expecting.

We’ll get an MLCD+ display instead of an OLED one

Most all flagship phones are shipping with AMOLED or OLED displays, but after sub-par reviews of the V30 and Pixel 2 XL’s screens, LG will be changing gears and trying its hand at a new type of panel – MLCD+.

MLCD+ is fairly new in the mobile space, but it sounds promising. Compared to traditional IPS LCD screens, MLCD+ uses 35% less power, uses the RGBW matrix, and has a max brightness of 800-nits.

The V30’s OLED panel wasn’t necessarily bad, but it also paled in comparison to Samsung’s Galaxy S8 and Note 8. A new type of screen could help LG differentiate itself from the rest of the market, but a lot of this will hinge on the company’s execution of it.

The phone should be powered by the Snapdragon 845

As great as the G6 was, one of the main reasons you might have been inclined to choose the Galaxy S8 over it was because of the processor it shipped with. The G6 launched with the Snapdragon 821, and while the 821 was a perfectly fast CPU, the S8 launched just a few weeks later with the much newer 835.

This year, however, we aren’t expecting LG to make the same mistake. A report from The Investor last May said that LG would be partnering with Qualcomm to release the G7 with its Snapdragon 845 processor, and towards the end of December, a list was found showing that the G7 would launch with the 845 in February.

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 is a big improvement compared to the 835, offering speed improvements, better camera performance, faster cellular speed, and a lot more. If LG can get this inside the G7, that’ll put it on a much more level playing field than what we saw with the G6 and S8 last year.

Based on the information we have and historical trends, we think this will be a close match to the G7’s final specifications:

Operating System	Android 8.1
Display	6-inch MLED+ with notch 2880 x 1440 resolution, 18:9 aspect ratio
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
RAM	4GB
Storage	64/128GB, micro SD expansion (assumed)
Battery	3300mAhNon-removableQuick charging (either USB-PD or Qualcomm Quick Charge Qi wireless charging (assumed)
Audio	3.5mm headphone jack 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC
Rear cameras	Dual cameras, one standard lens and one wide-angle
Water resistance	Yes, IP68
Colors	Black, silver

LG G6

• LG G6 review!
• LG G6 specs
• LG G6 vs. Google Pixel: The two best cameras right now
• Everything you need to know about the G6’s cameras
• LG forums

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Updated April 6, 2018: Refreshed with the latest news about the G7!

Spotify may announce its first hardware product on April 24

The gadget is made for the car, but that’s about all we know right now.

This past February, Spotify created multiple job listings for “hardware production” positions. We initially speculated that the streaming service could be working on a smart speaker to go against the Amazon Echos and Google Homes of the world, but new information suggests that the company will be taking a rather different approach.

On Reddit and Spotify’s own support forums, multiple users have claimed to receive a pop-up in the Spotify app for some sort of music player or controller that goes in your car. The device in question looks like a puck and you’ll find green lighting around the edge and what’s likely a touchscreen display in the middle.

There are two physical buttons on the left for shuffling a playlist and going back a track, and that’s about it. Some users apparently saw different variations of the ad, with one saying Amazon Alexa functionality was touted while others report that Spotify was promoting 4G LTE connectivity so the device could work without a connection to your phone’s data. These pop-ups were noticed at some point in February, but they’ve been nowhere to be seen since.

The image of the gadget was accompanied by a pre-order button and a note that the device and a subscription to Spotify’s music service would cost $12.99/month with a 12-month commitment for a total of $155. On that same note, however, another user was apparently shown a price of $14.99/month.

Right now, there’s still a lot that’s unknown about this thing. Will it have a built-in speaker, or will it simply tap into your car’s existing audio system? How will it work with older cars that don’t have Bluetooth? If it has 4G LTE, will that be another monthly fee users have to pay for?

Although we may have a lot of questions, we likely won’t have to wait too much longer before they’re answered. On April 6, Spotify announced that it’ll be holding a “news announcement” on April 24 in New York City. Is this where we’ll get more info on this mystery car dohickey? If I were a betting man, I’d say there’s a pretty good chance that’s exactly what happens.

Spotify: Everything you need to know