Best Amazon Alexa Routines

Set Alexa up so it does the most work for you.

While the individual commands you can give your Amazon Echo are plenty diverse, you still have to give those commands one at a time. That can be more than a little tedious if you have multiple commands you regularly give, which is why Amazon created Routines for Alexa. Through the Routines system, you can set up multiple commands under a single spoken phrase. You get to say less, and your Echo does more. Everybody wins.

These are my favorite routines, which I have set up to better automate my home through my Amazon Echo.

Alexa, start my day

Amazon gives everyone a “Start My Day” Routine. By default, it reads you the weather followed by traffic in your area and wraps up with your Flash Briefing. These are all useful, but not really what I need in the morning.

Instead, I have this Routine edited to turn on my bedroom lights. Once the lights are at 50% brightness Alexa starts telling me the weather for the day. After this update, I have TuneIn set to play my local radio station.

Press the + symbol on the Routines page
Tap “When this happens” and choose Voice from the two available options
Type Start my day into the text box and tap Save
Tap Add Action and choose Smart Home from the list
Find your light in the Control Device list and set it to 50% on, then tap Next
Tap Add Action and choose Weather from the list, then tap Add
Tap Add Action and choose Music from the list, add preferred radio station from TuneIn then tap Next
Tap Create to finish

Alexa, I’m leaving

Thanks to my Philips Hue bulbs and my Harmony Hub, I can use Alexa to turn off all the lights in the house as well as both of my televisions. This way, if one of us has left something on in a different part of the house, I know Alexa has by back as I’m walking out the door.

Press the + symbol on the Routines page
Tap “When this happens” and choose Voice from the two available options
Type I’m Leaving into the text box and tap Save
Tap Add Action and choose Smart Home from the list
Find your light in the Control Device list and set it to off, then tap Next
Tap Add Action and choose Smart Home from the list
Find your Harmony Hub and set it to off, then tap Next
Tap Create to finish

Wake up the kids

With a new Kids Edition Amazon Echo Dot in their rooms, I can now create time-based Routines to wake up the kids. This routine turns their lights on and starts with Alexa saying good morning and telling them a fun new fact about the world. If this wasn’t enough to wake them up, Alexa starts playing Reville from Amazon Music.

Press the + symbol on the Routines page
Tap “When this happens” and choose Schedule from the two available options
Choose what time you want this Routine to activate, and how frequently
Tap Add Action and choose Smart Home from the list
Find your light in the Control Device list and set it to off, then tap Next
Tap Add Action and choose Alexa says from the list, then select Good Morning
Tap Add Action and choose Music from the list, add Reville from Amazon Music then tap Next
Tap Create to finish

What are you using Routines for? Share your favorites in the comments!

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Samsung Galaxy S7 Oreo update: Which versions have gotten it

Follow Oreo’s journey to the S7 series right here.

The Samsung Galaxy S7 is far from Samsung’s latest and greatest, but it’s still kicking thanks to an update to Android Oreo. The new software has recently started making its way to the S7 and S7 Edge, and these are the versions of which it’s arrived on so far.

Unlocked (UK)

According to various reports on Reddit, the unlocked version of the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge have begun receiving over-the-air updates that bump them up to Android 8.0 Oreo / Samsung Experience 9.0 – the same software found on the Galaxy S9 series.

The model numbers getting the update include SM-G930F and SM-G935F, and Oreo should change their build numbers to G930FXXU2ERD5 and G935FXXU2ERD5, respectively.

You’ll know you’ve been graced with Oreo’s good fortune when you have a 1.27GB update file waiting for you.

That’s it…for now

At the time of publication, the unlocked S7 and S7 Edge in the UK is the only version of these two phones that’s been updated to Oreo so far. More variants should follow suit very soon, and when that happens, we’ll update this article accordingly.

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Google launches ‘.app’ domain with app developers in mind

Registrations are open now through the Early Access Program.

For most folks, the majority of websites you visit likely end in “.com.” That .com portion of a domain is referred to as a TLD (top-level domain), and other examples include .net, .gov, .edu, etc. Today, Google’s launching an all-new one specifically for apps and app developers called .app.

Although most applications we interact with take place on our phones, Google notes that a .app domain can be helpful for providing people with more info about your software, safe download links, the latest updates, and more.

All .app domains are also required to support HTTPS, resulting in enhanced protection from malware, snooping Wi-Fi networks, etc. This is the first TLD to enforce such a requirement, and it should hopefully pave a bright future for HTTPS’s adoption going forward.

If you want to register a .app domain for yourself, you can secure the one you’d like through Google’s Early Access Program for an additional fee to ensure you’ve got first pick of the name you want. From May 8 onwards, you’ll be able to register .app domains through whatever registrar you choose.

Learn more at get.app

Galaxy S9/S9+ with 128GB and 256GB of storage now available for pre-order

Both variants are being sold exclusively through Samsung.com.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ are great smartphones, and with 64GB of internal storage and microSD support, offer plenty of space for all your local files. If you find yourself needing more room, however, Samsung’s got you covered with newly announced 128GB and 256GB versions of both phones.

These versions of the S9 and S9+ have all the same specs and features we already know from the handsets, with the exception that the 64GB of storage has been upgraded to 128GB and 256GB. The processor, display, cameras, and everything else remains the same. Plus, even with the increased storage, you can still expand them up to 400GB with a microSD card.

Pricing for the new and old models is as follows:

• Samsung Galaxy S9 w/ 64 GB — $719.99
• Samsung Galaxy S9 w/ 128GB — $769.99
• Samsung Galaxy S9 w/ 256GB — $819.99
• Samsung Galaxy S9+ w/ 64GB — $839.99
• Samsung Galaxy S9+ w/ 128GB — $889.99
• Samsung Galaxy S9+ w/ 256GB — $939.99

Samsung’s charging an extra $50 per each storage upgrade, and considering that you’re doubling the amount of space with each bump up, that’s not a bad deal at all.

The 128GB and 256GB S9 and S9+ are available for pre-order now and will officially launch on May 18. For whatever reason, these versions are only being sold through Samsung.com and not at your local carrier store.

Additionally, anyone that pre-orders the new units or buys an existing S9/S9+ between May 1 and May 17 can get a free pair of Gear IconX (2018) wireless earbuds or purchase the Gear S3 Frontier for just $99 (normally $350)

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It’s not just you, Gboard’s spell checker is broken

This bug has been around for a while and needs some fixing, pronto!

Google’s software keyboard, aptly named Gboard, is a great product that a whole lot of people use every day. If you’re one of them you might have noticed that you don’t get a spelling suggestion when you’re supposed to since the last update. If you haven’t noticed and think your spelling really improved, I’m sorry to be the one to break it to you but it’s just plain broken.

Image from the Google Issue Tracker.

Since the tail end of January, folks have noticed the lack of suggestions or incorrect suggestions while using Gboard and devices from Samsung, Nokia, Huawei, Xiaomi, and Google’s own Pixel line are well represented in the bug reports. We’re seeing it ourselves, and some of us (OK, me in particular) really need help when it comes to typos.

An odd quirk is that you can connect a keyboard over Bluetooth or USB and things are back to normal but only while a keyboard is attached. This sounds like something Google is going to have to fix themselves, and let’s hope they get on it — the problem’s been around a while.

In the meantime, you can either roll back to an older version of Gboard — I uninstalled updates and the un-updated version in Android 8.1 for the Pixel 2 works fine — or try one of the many other great keyboards available in the Play Store.

The best keyboards for Android

Best Accessories for the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 in 2018

These are the best accessories for the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.

Did you or someone you know get a brand new Samsung Galaxy Note 8 to ring in the new year? It’s time to make sure you’re rocking the best accessories to get the most out of the Note 8 experience.

We’ll keep continuously updating this list throughout the release of the Note 8 and beyond to provide you with the best accessories, but here are the best that we’ve rounded up so far!

• Samsung Alcantara case
• Anker PowerCore+ 21000
• Samsung EVO Select 256GB microSD card
• Spigen Wallet S case
• Whitestone Dome Glass tempered glass screen protector
• Samsung Gear VR w/ controller
• Samsung Gear S3 smartwatch
• Samsung Fast Charge Wireless Convertible Charging Stand
• Samsung Gear 360
• Samsung DeX Station
• B&O Play H4 Bluetooth headphones
• Bose SoundLink Revolve Bluetooth speaker

Samsung Alcantara case

Samsung is known to makes great cases for its phones, and arguably one of the best available for the Note 8 is the soft, colorful and really grippy Alcantara case.

Not only does it look great, but the suede-like material makes the slippery phone more comfortable to hold and adds a bit of friction, too. Easy to install and available in a nice variety of colors, this is a case that will keep your phone both protected and stylish — for about $20.

Need more convincing? Check out our hands-on review of the Alcantara.

See at Amazon

Looking for more case recommendations?

Best Cases for the Galaxy Note 8

Anker PowerCore II 20100mAh

The Note 8 has a bigger battery than most, but if you’re a heavy user you still might find yourself running out of juice before the end of the day. That could be an issue if your phone hits that low battery warning while you’re away from a wall outlet.

That’s what makes a battery pack such a clutch accessory, and specifically the Anker PowerCore II 201`00 which is both super functional and compact. Its slim enough to easily fit into a backpack or purse pocket while giving you the option to recharge your Note 8 from the brink multiple times with a fully charged pack. And since there are two USB-A charging ports, you’re able to simultaneously charge your phone and a friend’s phone, too, because sharing is caring.

Now available for just under $50, it’s an absolute steal and the most affordable way to ensure your phone never goes dead at an inopportune time.

See at Amazon

Samsung EVO Select 256GB microSD card

The Note 8 ships with 64GB of internal storage, but if that’s simply not enough for your needs you’ll be happy to know Samsung has included a microSD card slot — meaning you can add more storage for those 4K videos or whatever reason you need more storage.

Our recommendations for the Galaxy S8 should certainly apply to the Note 8 in a pinch, but if we had to recommend just one card, we’d go with Samsung’s own 256GB EVO Select microSD. Available for around $120 it ain’t cheap, but you get what you pay for — read speeds of up to 100MB/s, write speeds of up to 90MB/s, and Class 10 UHS 3 classification which ensures it’s good to go for 4K video.

There are other options available with the same speed specs available, but if you own a Galaxy Note 8 we imagine you live by the mantra “Go Big or Go Home.”

See at Amazon

Spigen Wallet S

Spigen’s Wallet S is the ultimate in functional cases, packing protection for your phone and space for cards and cash. While it shares many of the same features as the other folio wallet cases, Spigen’s attention to the little details that makes this wallet case stand above the rest. Featuring card slots on the inside, a pocket for cash or receipts, and folds up to be a kickstand for hands-free viewing. One thoughtful feature you might appreciate is the cutout around the ear speaker on the front flap, which allows you to talk on the phone with the cover closed.

The exterior is made of synthetic leather and will keep your Note 8 well protected. It’s only available in classic black and features a magnetic strap to keep it closed. Get this premium-looking wallet case for just $16.

See at Amazon

Whitestone Dome Glass tempered glass screen protector

The Whitestone Dome Glass uses a special UV machine (included) and a liquid adhesive during installation that manages to achieve full-screen adhesion where other screen protectors might only adhere around the edges.

It’s a premium option all the way and is compatible with more rigid cases or ones that don’t touch the front glass at all. It goes on crystal clear and shouldn’t affect your touch sensitivity at all. Most importantly it’s tough enough to take the abuse of a drop so your phone’s screen doesn’t.

It’s a $45 accessory, but it comes with that little UV machine for installing it and is arguably your best bet if you’re serious about protecting your Note 8 above all else.

See at Amazon

Samsung Gear VR with new controller

If you’ve never tried Samsung Gear VR before, you’re in for a real treat. Samsung partnered up with Oculus to provide one of the best mobile VR experiences you’ll find with compelling games to play alone or with friends, tons of streaming video apps and VR exclusive experiences, along with its own functional social media platform.

The updated version for 2017 is compatible with the latest Samsung flagships, and Samsung has also included a new touch controller. It’s about the best virtual experience you’ll find without dropping thousands of dollars on a top of the line gaming PC, and is instead available for just $102. VR for all!

Everything you need to know about the Samsung Gear VR

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Samsung Gear S3 smartwatch

The Gear S3 is an amazing smartwatch with tons of features that naturally pairs nicely with the Galaxy Note 8. It doesn’t get as much love as other smartwatch options, but if you’re running it with Samsung’s latest smartphone, you’re going to get awesome features like Samsung Pay, which isn’t available on other devices.

Available for around $320, Samsung’s smartwatch is more than affordable and looks great with a long-lasting battery and awesome features. If you own the Note 8 and have been considering buying a new smartwatch, the Gear S3 is a perfect pairing.

See at Amazon

Samsung Fast Charge Wireless Convertible Charging Stand

Like the Samsung flagships that came before it, the Note 8 allows for wireless charging. Samsung’s own wireless charging pad is the first option you should consider. All you need to do is place your phone on the charging pad and it starts charging at Fast Charge speeds.

Need your phone to be accessible while you work? Flip up the stand and you’ve got a charging stand that lets you read incoming notifications or accept calls without interrupting your phone charging. You can get yours for around $47 on Amazon.

See at Amazon

Samsung Gear 360

The Gear 360 continues to be one of the most accessible and enjoyable 360-degree cameras on the market, and it works best with Samsung phones like the Note 8! It’s exactly what it sounds like: you hold it by the handle and capture completely 360-degree photos or video, seamlessly stitched together for upload on platforms like Facebook and Flickr.

You can still pick up your own Gear 360 for around $114 on Amazon. Check out our full review to learn more about how easy and fun it is to use this portable 360 camera.

See at Amazon

Samsung DeX Station

Samsung introduced DeX alongside the Galaxy S8, but it was prominently featured in the Note 8 announcement presentation, too. It’s a dock that you plug your phone into that lets you use it more like a desktop computer — all you need is a monitor, keyboard and mouse to complete the setup.

While Samsung likes to talk about DeX as if it’s a full replacement for carrying a laptop with you, we beg to differ — it’s something different entirely, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t useful. If you love the novelty of using your phone as a computer and like being on the cutting edge you’ll probably want a DeX Station for your Note 8. You can grab it for around $75 from Amazon — about $25 cheaper than buying straight from Samsung.

See at Amazon

B&O Play H4 Bluetooth headphones

Bang and Olufsen make some of the best headphones I’ve ever heard in my life. They have a very well-rounded sound, with a present but not overpower low end and crisp and clear mids and highs. There’s also no distortion at high volumes, and the noise isolation might be the best I’ve ever encountered. You pop these on and you’re off in your own world of wondrous sound. They also have next to no sound leakage, so you can crank up your tunes, and the people around you won’t hear a thing.

The best part is that these are Bluetooth, so you can futureproof yourself for when Samsung inevitably removes the headphone jack. At $240 on Amazon, these headphones are over $100 cheaper than the Bose QC35s, and if you don’t need active noise cancellation, then these are the perfect pick.

See at Amazon

Bose SoundLink Revolve Bluetooth speaker

If you’re looking for a portable music solution that isn’t headphones, then the Bose SoundLink Revolve is the perfect way to enjoy all the tunes on your Note 8. I’ve tested and owned many Bluetooth speakers over the years, and none of them have even come close to the incredible sound of the SoundLink Revolve. No distortion at high volumes, rich, warm bass, and honestly loud enough to be your home sound system.

The 360-degree design really does help fill a room with sound, or you can take it with you on the road, know that its IPX4 water resistance rating can protect it from a little rain and splash here and there. At $200, this is about as good as it gets for portable Bluetooth speakers, and the price isn’t too hard to swallow when you consider the competition in that range. Comes in black or gray.

See at Amazon

Which accessories are you buying?

We know the hype is real for the Note 8, and many of you may have already started picking up accessories for your new device. We want to know what you got, or what you want! Let us know in the comments.

Updated April 2018: Updated pricing, swapped in the newer Anker PowerCore II battery pack, and added the B&O Play H4 Bluetooth headphones and Bose SoundLink Revolve Bluetooth speaker.

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Facebook removes the middleman with its own dating feature

During his F8 developer conference keynote today, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook will be launching a dating feature. The CEO said that people often tell him that they met on Facebook and since so many relationships now being online, a dating feature seemed like a logical next step.

Of course, a dark cloud of data privacy concerns are hanging over the conference and in light of that, Zuckerberg made sure to note that the upcoming tool was designed from the beginning with privacy and safety in mind. The dating feature won’t suggest any of your Facebook friends as a match and your friends also won’t be able to see your dating profile.

Other dating services have been strongly tied to Facebook in the past and it helped them gain the strong user rates that they currently host. Tinder users, for example, weren’t able to sign into the app after Facebook updated its developer frameworks in the name of data privacy last month. But some of these dating apps have started to pull away from Facebook. Following news of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Bumble changed its registration procedure so that users no longer had to sign up with their Facebook account.

With Facebook’s dating feature, a user can set up a profile that will be separate from their regular profile and nothing connected to their dating feature activities will ever show up in News Feed. Once they’ve opted into the feature, a user can look through groups and events to find people they might be compatible with. For example, it someone sees an event they’re interested in, they can unlock it and doing so will open their dating profile up to others who have also unlocked that event. They can then browse through those individuals and start a conversation in a private messaging inbox. And the text-only conversation won’t be in any way linked to Messenger or WhatsApp.

Facebook didn’t give a launch date but says more information about the dating feature will be shared in the next few months.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from F8 2018!

WhatsApp will finally offer group video calls

WhatsApp may be a cornerstone of the chat world, but it’s missing a feature rivals like Skype have had for years: group video chat. Or rather it was. Facebook has revealed that WhatsApp is adding a group video calling feature in the near future. There aren’t many details at this stage, but it’s clear the feature will allow four particpants and work with smartphones.

The feature is arguably long overdue. It’s not just that one-on-one video chat arrived nearly two years ago — groups are a staple of the WhatsApp experience for many people, so it was slightly baffling that you couldn’t hold face-to-face conversations in groups. Still, it’s good to know that you won’t have to switch apps just to extend your chats beyond mere text.

Developing…

Click here to catch up on the latest news from F8 2018!

Instagram to Gain Revamped Explore Tool, Video Chat and AR Camera Effects

At today’s F8 developer conference, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled some new features that are coming soon to Instagram, which is owned by Facebook.

Instagram’s Explore tab will be getting a new look that’s more focused on various topics.

Facebook also plans to add a new video chat feature to Instagram, allowing two or more people to chat with each other using a FaceTime or Skype-style video chatting interface.

You can use the video chat feature to chat one-on-one with someone or with a group of people, and you can chat while continuing to browse Instagram.

Instagram is also gaining an AR Camera Effects platform, which will allow Instagram photos to be enhanced with augmented reality effects.

It’s not quite clear exactly when these new features will be coming to Instagram.

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Facebook Gaining Watch Party, Overhauled Groups, and New Dating Feature

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg this morning hosted a keynote event for the F8 developers conference, where he unveiled several new features that are coming to the social network.

Watch Party is a new Facebook feature that will allow you to watch videos while also chatting with your friends. When introducing the feature, Zuckerberg joked about his recent congressional testimony. “Let’s say your friend is testifying in Congress,” he said. “Now you can watch and laugh together, cry together.”

Facebook plans to overhaul the Groups feature, which Zuckerberg says is one of the most meaning parts of Facebook. There will be a new groups tab to make groups more central to the overall Facebook experience. A new join group button and plugin will be available to developers and website administrators to make it easier for Facebook users to create and join groups.

The other major feature that’s coming to Facebook is a dating feature, which Zuckerberg says is designed to help people build meaningful relationships. “This is for building real long-term relationships, not just hookups,” said Zuckerberg.

The dating feature will be within Facebook, and it will be opt-in, allowing people to make a dating profile if desired. Facebook says the feature has been built with “Privacy and Safety in mind.” Your friends will not see your profile, friends won’t come up as dating options, and you’ll only see suggestions of people who fit your preferences

For WhatsApp, Facebook’s popular encrypted messaging app, Facebook will add Group Video calling features and it will expand WhatsApp businesses to allow larger companies to access WhatsApp for interacting with customers.

For Messenger, Facebook is redesigning the app’s interface with a focus on making it clean, fast, and simple. Messenger will also gain the AR Camera Effects platform for using augmented reality effects when connected to friends and family.

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