Stephen Hawking’s last paper has been published on multiverse theory

The last paper Stephen Hawking wrote before he died has now been published in the Journal of High Energy Physics. Though some version of the paper has been available on the preprint site arXiv since last year, it was submitted to the journal for review just days before Hawking passed, and it deals with some theoretical physics about the many universes that might have been created by the Big Bang.

A theory about the Big Bang depicts our cosmos as one that could have an infinite number of universes that sit within a larger fabric. And parts of that multiverse continue to expand, experiencing an eternal inflation that lasts forever. But with so many universes on the table, of all different types, it makes it difficult to figure out why ours is the way it is. Hawking was tackling this idea alongside Thomas Hertog, a professor at the University of Leuven in Belgium, and they both disliked some of the implications of this theory. “Neither Stephen nor I were happy with that scenario,” Hertog told BBC News. “It suggests that the multiverse emerged randomly and that we can’t say very much more about that. We said to each other, ‘Maybe we have to live with it.’ But we didn’t want to give up.”

In this paper, the two present a mathematical approach that might limit the number of possible universes to those with laws of physics like our own. “The laws of physics that we test in our labs did not exist forever. They crystallised after the Big Bang when the universe expanded and cooled,” said Hertog. “The kind of laws that emerge depends very much on the physical conditions at the Big Bang. By studying these we aim to get a deeper understanding of where our physical theories come from, how they arise and whether they are unique.”

“We are not down to a single, unique universe, but our findings imply a significant reduction of the multiverse, to a much smaller range of possible universes,” Hawking said about the work before he died. “It reduces the multiverse down to a more manageable set of universes which all look alike,” Hertog told the Guardian.

Some have said a Nobel Prize might have been on the table if Hawking hadn’t died. But many don’t necessarily agree. The work presents ideas that are currently untestable and while they may launch new discussions or provide a new angle from which to consider our universe’s beginnings, it’s all theoretical for now. Sabine Hossenfelder, a theoretical physicist with the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies, said on her blog that the ideas put forward in this paper join others that are currently pure speculation and don’t yet have any evidence to support them. She makes it clear that while the proposals aren’t uninteresting, Hawking and Hertog haven’t found a new way to detect the existence of universes other than our own. “Stephen Hawking was beloved by everyone I know, both inside and outside the scientific community,” she wrote. “He was a great man without doubt, but this paper is utterly unremarkable.”

Nobel Prize-winning theoretical physicist Frank Wilczek agrees, telling Gizmodo, “It’s heavy on speculative assumptions, and I don’t see any concrete predictions.” And Hawking and Hertog note in the paper that the ideas need more development.

Hertog believes evidence supporting or refuting the work might be found in gravitational waves that could be detected by the European Space Agency’s Laser Interferometer Space Antenna that’s scheduled to launch in 2034. “I’m reasonably hopeful that both further observations and further work on the theory will eventually enable us to test our models of the Big Bang,” he told the Guardian. “We are not doing this for Platonic pleasure. Though it is fun.”

Image: sequential5 via Getty Images (multiverse)

Via: BBC News

Source: Journal of High Energy Physics

Here’s how you can buy the new LG G7 ThinQ smartphone

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

LG officially took the wraps off of its newest flagship, the LG G7 ThinQ, and it features some pretty awesome specs, including a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, 4GB and 6GB RAM options, and a 12-megapixel dual camera array with a wide-angle lens.

In addition to the usual features we have come to expect on a smartphone in 2018, the LG G7 ThinQ has another trick up its sleeve: A Boombox Speaker that offers punchy sound and actual bass. To learn more about the G7 and its features, check out our hands-on review. If you’re ready to buy one, read on to find the best deals for your next phone.

Buying the LG G7 ThinQ unlocked

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

If you like to keep your options open, buying the LG G7 ThinQ unlocked may be your best choice. You’re not tied to any carrier and can switch at will, though you may need to pay the full price of the phone upfront if LG doesn’t offer any payment plans.

LG hasn’t announced anything about price, and if there will be an unlocked version of the G7 ThinQ. LG usually sells unlocked versions of its smartphones, and it did so with the G6 last year. We just may not see an unlocked G7 at launch — last year, the unlocked G6 was released several months after its initial release.

Buying the LG G7 ThinQ from a carrier

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

AT&T

AT&T will not sell the LG G7 ThinQ. The carrier plans to announce an exclusive LG handset in the summer. There is a chance it could be the rumored LG V35, though there is no other information available at the moment.

Verizon

Verizon, America’s largest mobile carrier, will be one of the first to carry the upcoming LG G7 ThinQ. Pre-orders for LG’s latest flagship will begin on May 24 on the Verizon Wireless website.

Pricing has yet to be released for the LG G7 ThinQ, but Verizon will offer both an option to buy the phone outright as well as a device payment option where you can pay off the phone over a period of 24 months.  Additionally, Verizon’s trade-in program tends to be very generous, meaning you will be able to shave a little more off the price of the LG G7 ThinQ.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile will be offering the LG G7. While we don’t know exactly when T-Mobile will begin to sell the G7 in stores and on its website, we do expect it to be soon: A press release states T-Mobile will begin offering the phone in the spring season.

T-Mobile also offers monthly payments as well as a pretty competitive trade-in program for current and new customers.

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Sprint

Looking for the LG G7 ThinQ on the Sprint network? Well, you’re in luck: Sprint announced it will begin pre-orders for the LG G7 ThinQ on May 25. If you’re willing to wait a few more days, the G7 ThinQ will be available online and in Sprint stores for purchase on June 1.

Unlike most carriers, Sprint does not finance phones. Instead, Sprint offers an 18-month lease program on its devices so you can easily switch phones every 12 to 16 months. Don’t care for the lease option? No worries, because you can also purchase any Sprint phone at its retail price.

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

U.S. Cellular

U.S. Cellular is offering the LG G7 ThinQ on its network. Beginning June 1, U.S. Cellular customers will be able to order LG’s 2018 flagship in stores and online. Like most carriers, U.S. Cellular offers a monthly payment plan that will allow you to pay for the G7 over time.

Updated on May 3 AT&T will not sell the LG G7 ThinQ. 

Editors’ Recommendations

• LG G7 ThinQ vs. LG V30: Which LG flagship phone is best for you?
• LG G7 ThinQ vs. Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus: Clash for the heavyweight title
• The LG G7 ThinQ: Here’s everything you need to know
• LG G7 ThinQ hands-on review
• Here’s absolutely everything we know about the LG V40 ThinQ

Slow Chinese sales signal slump in global smartphone shipments

Numbers from the International Data Corporation (IDC) have confirmed the rumored slump in the smartphone market, with global sales dropping by 2.9 percent compared to the same period last year.

The IDC report points to a decline in Chinese smartphone sales as one of the principle drivers of the reduction, which saw smartphone sales in the first quarter of 2018 dropping below 100 million units in the quarter — the lowest number since 2013. According to Anthony Scarsella, IDC research manager, this drop in sales has a lot to do with the high price tags on the latest premium flagship smartphones. “The abundance of ultra-high-end flagships with big price tags released over the past 12 to 18 months has most likely halted the upgrade cycle in the near term,” said Scarsella. “It now looks as if consumers are not willing to shell out this kind of money for a new device that brings minimal upgrades over their current device.”

This tallies with older reports and predictions on expensive smartphones. Samsung’s financial report in late April predicted a slowdown of premium smartphone sales, while a report on the iPhone X’s sales at the tail end of 2017 stated that consumers preferred cheaper iPhones to Apple’s latest, expensive flagship.

Results for individual manufacturers has been mixed, with Samsung holding its leading position in the smartphone market with a 23.4-percent share, despite sales declining 2.4 percent from the previous year. However, the IDC predicts that the late launch of the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus helped keep that decline to a minimum, and expect that the new flagships will help boost Samsung’s sales in the second quarter of the year.

Apple seems mostly immune to the slump, with iPhone sales increasing by 2.8 percent. Despite rumors of poor iPhone X sales, Apple stated that the latest flagship was consistently the top seller in March. With rumors of cheaper iPhones in the near future, expect Apple’s star to stay high.

Premiere Chinese brand Huawei also saw increases in the first quarter of 2018, increasing its sales by 13.8 percent. While a steady third place in global sales, Huawei must have its eyes set firmly on Apple’s second place, though with 13 million units in sales separating the two, it seems unlikely that Huawei will catch up to Apple soon. Xiaomi saw a massive boost of 87.8 percent on the previous year’s first quarter — a victory that the IDC contributes to its large sales growth outside of China.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Apple passes Samsung in smartphone sales, as newer models are shunned
• Samsung foresees a slowdown in premium smartphone sales
• It’s not about looks — inner beauty will drive mobile sales in 2018
• Apple raked in more than half of all global smartphone revenue last quarter
• Apple leads tablet market as detachable devices continue their rise

Office Depot just slashed the price of a Surface Pro Core i5 model in half

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

If you’re looking to retire your tired old laptop that’s clunky and decrepit, you might want to head over to Office Depot and grab Microsoft’s Surface Pro while it’s 50 percent off its original price. Now costing a mere $499, the duration of Office Depot’s current major price slash is two days – and the clock is ticking. The offer is cheaper than the same model Microsoft currently has on sale for $799 — only they’re completely sold out. 

The Surface Pro is technically a detachable given the screen/tablet and keyboard components are two separate units. Don’t let the product photos fool you: the keyboard cover is not included with either the Office Depot or Microsoft offer. That’s an annoying aspect with the Surface Pro pitch: it looks like a cool thin and light laptop in product shots, and you can actually have that experience, but you’ll need to hand over an additional $129 or more for the keyboard cover. The Surface Pen is yet another $99. 

The huge discounts provided by Office Depot, Microsoft, Amazon and other retailers are a good sign that they’re clearing space for the next Surface Pro product. We’re currently in the fifth generation, and the sixth-generation model may very well be revealed during Microsoft’s BUILD developers conference next week. The current model made its debut on May 23, 2017 so a refresh should be right around the corner. 

The Surface Pro variant on sale at Office Depot sports a 12.3-inch “PixelSense” screen supporting 10-point touch input and a 2,736 x 1,824 resolution. It’s backed by Intel’s seventh-generation Core i5-7300U two-core processor with a base speed of 2.60GHz and a maximum speed of 3.50GHz. It also includes 4GB of system memory, which isn’t great, along with a low 128GB of speedy SSD storage that’s partially eaten by Windows 10 Pro. You’ll eventually discover that 128GB simply isn’t a lot of capacity for all your apps, programs, files, and media. 

Luckily, Microsoft helps with those storage woes by providing a MicroSD card slot. It’s joined by a full USB-A port (5Gbps), one headphone jack, one Mini DisplayPort connector, the keyboard cover connector, and a Surface Connect port. Wireless connectivity consists of Bluetooth 4.1 and Wireless AC networking. Unfortunately, there’s no Ethernet port for wired networking, but you can use a USB-A adapter or USB dock to physically connect to your local network. 

Finally, Microsoft’s detachable Surface Pro provides an infrared camera for facial recognition, enabling you to log onto Windows 10 Pro with your good looks. There’s also a 5MP front-facing camera supporting 1080p Skype HD video, and an 8MP rear-facing autofocus camera supporting 1080p video. All of this is powered by a battery promising up to 13.5 hours of video playback. 

Right now, Microsoft is only discounting two of its eight current configurations, both of which are based on the Core i5-7300U processor: 

Core i5 / 128GB SSD / 4GB RAM = $799 ($200 off)
Core i5 / 256GB SSD / 8GB RAM = $1,099 ($200 off) 

Meanwhile, Office Depot’s 48-hour slash-a-thon can be viewed here with discounts on laptops, desktops, printers, and more. Surprisingly, the biggest slash hack of the group is Microsoft’s Surface Pro.

Buy it now

We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and choose what we cover carefully and independently. If you find a better price for a product listed here, or want to suggest one of your own, email us at dealsteam@digitaltrends.com.Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The Surface Pro being discounted by up to $300 from Microsoft Store and Amazon
• Pre-order your Microsoft Surface Pro with LTE for always-on internet
• Dell XPS 13 vs. Microsoft Surface Book 2 13
• The Best Laptops for College You Can Buy
• Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 3 vs Microsoft Surface Book 2 13

What to expect at Google I/O 2018: Android P, Google Assistant, and more

Watch live video from DigitalTrends on http://www.twitch.tv

If you’re waiting for the latest and greatest in Google news, then you’re probably looking forward to the start of Google I/O on May 8. For the uninitiated, Google I/O is the company’s annual developer conference where it announces upcoming features, tools, as well as software products and services for everything in its ecosystem. That includes what’s new in Android, Chromebooks, Google Assistant, Android Auto, or and plenty more. It’s also where developers from around the world congregate to discuss their craft, and attend workshops by Google’s finest and brightest.

So what’s in store? Here’s everything we expect to see at Google I/O 2018, and how to watch it.

How to watch the event

Google I/O 2018 will be running from May 8 through May 10, and there are a variety of ways to watch it. Google has launched official apps for both Android and iPhone which will contain the conference schedule and information leading up to and during the event.

If you want to watch the keynote, the Google Developers YouTube channel will have a livestream ready, and you can keep an eye on our Google I/O page to see when that goes live, as well as the latest from the event. We’ve also embedded our Twitch channel to the top of this post so you can watch the keynote right here as well.

Finally, make sure you keep an eye on our Twitter feeds to make sure you’re up-to-date with the moment-to-moment discoveries. Follow Digital Trends, DTMobile, and our on-the-ground representative Julian Chokkattu on Twitter to make sure you’re kept well informed.

Android P Developer Preview 2

This is an easy one, and it will likely be one of the biggest announcements made at the keynote. Google traditionally shows off the next incarnation of its Android operating system at I/O, with 2017’s and 2016’s shows seeing the launch of the second developer previews of Android Oreo and Android Nougat, respectively. The second preview is typically an open beta, so anyone with Android phones like the Google Pixel and Pixel 2 will be able to sign up and test the new version immediately. Don’t expect to learn Android P‘s dessert-based name at I/O (Peppermint, Popsicle, Persimmon — your guess is as good as ours), though, as that’s usually reserved for the official launch in August.

But what will Android P actually bring to the table? The first developer preview came out in March, and it seems that some major overhauls are coming. First up is the removal of the venerable navigation buttons at the bottom of each phone. That’s right, Google is apparently looking to nix the back, home, and recent apps button in favor of a single, capsule-shaped button. Paired with this new button is added support for gesture controls — similar to the iPhone X — that will mimic the functionality of the missing buttons.

The revamp of Material Design is also on the table, with Google doing away with the old guidelines in favor of what most are calling “Material Design 2.0”. Outside of the changes to the navigation buttons, these changes could include rounder corners, and a generally darker color palette.

We’re also expecting to see more ways to interact with notifications and use basic functions without entering apps — something Google has been working towards for some time now — as well as the addition of notch-support baked into the software. It’s looking more and more likely that the future of Android — at least for the next year or so — includes notches. We also expect the usual improvements to battery life, security, and tweaks to background processes as well. You can check out all these changes in more depth in our Android P news article.

Read more:

Android P | Material Design 2

Android Auto

Android Auto, Google’s car infotainment system and app, may be getting some attention this year. The Android Auto Sandbox on the Google I/O app makes particular mention of a “brand new media experience for Android Auto, both on your phone screen and on your car display,” as well as a working in-car model. Expect more integration with Google’s existing services like Google Assistant, Google Play Music, and Google Maps.

Google also has three sessions centered around Android Auto planned, with some amount of attention going towards apps that have successfully melded into the Android Auto ecosphere — it’s plain to see that Google wants to push more developers into Android Auto, and I/O is the perfect place to do that.

Read more:

Android Auto

New Google Assistant features

Google Assistant is pretty handy, having been named the best AI assistant in the world for the second year running, but we’d be fools if we told you Google is happy to stop there.

We’re already aware of a lot of Google’s plans for Assistant over the coming year — 2018 will hopefully see it expand to more than 30 languages, set Routines to automate your life, and pay your friends quickly easily with Google Pay integration. Google also announced Assistant is available on more than 5,000 smart home products. With all this already laid out, we’re not sure exactly what Google will have to show that’s new in Assistant. We mostly expect Google to showboat a little, showing off Routines (perhaps with more options), and talk about Assistant’s global reach and expansion. That said, you should to expect to see a few new features — Assistant is more or less Google’s flagship product at the moment, after all.

What are we likely to not see? The rumored Assistant-powered smart display — that may be reserved for Google’s annual hardware event in October.

Read more:

Google Assistant

Updates for Google Home models

Updates for the Google Home series of smart speakers comes hand-in-hand with updates for Google Assistant. We may see more about the rumored Google Home smart display intended to take on the Echo Show, but as we mentioned above, Google may reserve that for its October event. Expect to see more about Routines, as well as more integration with the Internet of Things.

Read more:

Google Home | Google Home Mini | Google Home Max | Google Home Smart Display

Wear OS

Simon Hill / Digital Trends

The rebranding that saw Android OS morph into Wear OS is still fresh in many minds, and it seems inconceivable that Google would let I/O pass without some mentions of its smartwatch operating system. Since Android P is on the way to Wear OS, expect to hear more about that particular update, as well as the possibility of a beta program for Wear OS smartwatches. We’ll be keeping a close eye on the “What’s new in Wear OS by Google” session.

Will we see a Google-built Wear OS device at I/O? It seems unlikely. Google has shown little interest so far in regards to making its own watches, and if a Pixel Watch was in the works, we’re fairly sure we would have heard something by now. Besides, it would make more sense to debut it alongside the Pixel 3 range later in the year.

Read more:

Wear OS | Wear OS Android P dev preview

New Google Photos features

Last year saw the announcement of a plethora of new features for Google Photos, including Photo Books, Google Lens, and even more sharing options. They were updates that gave you choices, and added quality-of-life improvements.

If you thought the app might take a backseat this year, think again. Google’s schedule lists a dedicated session entitled “What’s new in Google Photos.” What can you expect? Like the previous year, probably nothing that’s likely to set your world on fire — expect general improvements to Google Photos’ functions, as well as some possible improvements to Google Lens.

Read more:

Google Lens

Augmented and Virtual Reality

There are a huge amount of sessions at this year’s I/O dedicated to both augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), so it seems fairly safe that we’ll see some pretty major developments for both areas.

Out of AR and VR, it seems likely that AR will get the bulk of the attention. In December last year, Google killed Project Tango to focus on the less hardware-based ARCore, and it’s a strategy that’s serving Google well. Shortly after launching ARCore 1.0 in February of 2018, more than 60 ARCore-powered apps were available on the Google Play Store, and development has continued on some of Google’s experimental AR projects, providing the framework for continued advancement. Expect to see a fair amount about how AR will shape the future of education, the web, and our general life.

But that doesn’t mean VR is left out in the cold. The Daydream platform is probably due some more attention too, especially in regards to standalone VR headsets.

Read more:

Google Daydream View | Lenovo Mirage Solo with Daydream | ARCore apps

An Android TV dongle with remote control

Android Authority

Almost a month ago, an FCC page revealed images of an Android TV dongle, complete with Google branding and separate remote. While that page went down fairly quickly, the cat was well and truly out of the bag, so it seems likely that we’ll see an Android TV dongle with a remote.

According to documentation of the device, it’s capable of playing 4K content, and comes with 2GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage, all running on Android 8.0 Oreo. The remote control will also reportedly come with a dedicated Google Assistant button, adding AI assistance into the mix. While there’s a chance this is fake, the FCC’s later removal of the product and introduction of confidentiality agreement points at this being a legitimate device. If Google is about to announce a reasonably-priced Android TV dongle with a remote, it could give some of the competing services something to worry about.

Read more:

Android TV

Android Things

A toaster that’s connected to the internet seems like a really cool idea, until you realize the toaster’s firmware is likely to never be updated. Leaving it connected could potentially be a hacker’s dream route into your systems. But what’re you to do if you really, really want to be able to toast your bread remotely?

Android Things is Google’s solution to this problem. By uniting the Internet of Things under the Android umbrella, smart devices could be much more easily updated, as well as secured against outside attack. While Android had previously been lambasted for poor security, Google has been working hard to reverse that, making Android Things a much more attractive proposition.

So are we likely to see an Android Things-related announcement at I/O? We think so. A final developer preview for it launched last month.

Read more:

Android Things

Chrome OS

Daven Mathies/Digital Trends

Chrome OS only has a single entry in Google’s schedule at I/O, but we’re hoping it’ll be a fairly significant one for the Chrome OS community. The biggest thing to happen to Chrome OS in the last few years has been the introduction of Android apps onto Chrome OS-powered devices, as well as the addition of Google Assistant.

The single session planned is titled “What’s new in Android apps for Chrome OS,” and we’re hoping it’s an announcement that even more Chromebooks — past, present, and future — will definitely have Play Store support.

Read more:

Chrome OS

Fuchsia OS

Will Google’s long-rumored Fuchsia OS be revealed at this year’s I/O? Fuchsia is a third Google-developed OS — alongside Android and Chrome — that has an unknown purpose. Is it meant to replace or unite Android and Chrome, or is a separate entity entirely? At this moment in time, Fuchsia raises more questions than it answers, and considering the secrecy that still surrounds the project, it’s probably fair to assume we won’t be seeing it this year.

It’s clear that development on the OS is still ongoing, with plenty of attention being paid to Flutter — the development kit being used to assemble Fuchsia.

Read more:

Fuchsia OS

Editors’ Recommendations

• What is Google Express? Everything you need to know
• Google Pixelbook review
• Everything you need to know about Google Assistant
• Draw a line on the world around you with Google’s ‘Just a Line’ ARCore app
• Google merges Android Pay and Google Wallet into Google Pay

Best microSD Cards for Samsung Galaxy S9

64GB is a lot of onboard storage, but sometimes you need a little more!

I know, I know. Onboard phone storage has grown a ton in the last few years, but I still prefer to have all my contacts, physical music, and app files on a microSD card. That way when I inevitably upgrade phones, I can have everything come along for the ride. If you’re upgrading to the Galaxy S9, then pick up one of these SD cards and broaden your storage horizons.

Let’s take a look at things in terms of performance and value.

• Performance options
• Value options

Performance options

These selections all have a U3 rating, which offers a minimum sequential write speed of 30MB/s. This way your Galaxy S9 can record 4K video to an external card.

Side note: Even if your S9 technically allows the new 960FPS slow-mo footage to be recorded to a card, I wouldn’t trust that much data throughput to the SD card. It just can’t handle it, captain!

SanDisk Extreme 64GB

SanDisk’s microSD cards are just great. I’ve been using them for years and they’ve never failed me. The Extreme line boasts read speeds of up to 90MB/s and write speeds of up to 60MB/s, which is exactly what you want if you’re recording video directly to the card. As mentioned above, this one has the UHS-3 speed class rating and even comes with a lifetime warranty from SanDisk.

The best part is the price. A 64GB card starts around just $33. You could go down to 32GB for about $19, but why not double your storage? This card also happens to be the Wirecutter’s top pick for the best microSD card.

See at Amazon

Samsung EVO Select 64GB

This is another card that’ll obviously double your Galaxy S9’s storage, and it features transfer speeds of up to 100MB/s. I’ve been using one of these in my phones since my Galaxy S5 and love it. This particular card even comes with a full-size adapter so you can easily transfer data between your phone and computer.

Pricing here is excellent, with the 64GB option at roughly $20 (and you can drop to 32GB for only $13).

See at Amazon

Samsung EVO Plus 256GB

If you need a ton of space and performance, then Samsung’s EVO Plus line is one of the best around. You get read speeds of up to 100MB/s and write speeds of up to 90MB/s, and at roughly $107 for 256GB, it’s not a bad deal. These cards are water-resistant, heat- and cold-resistant, and awesome if you’re looking to record all the 4K video. You’ll also get the full-size adapter in this pack — perfect for offloading video and photos on the go.

See at Amazon

Value options

If you simply want more bang for your buck and aren’t terribly concerned with recording 4K video directly to an external card, then consider these options and just try to fill up both your phone and the card. I dare you.

SanDisk Ultra 200GB

Boom, out of the gate, this 200GB microSD card is only about $66 on Amazon. That works out to only 35 cents per GB. You’ll still get read speeds of up to 100MB/s, but being a U1 rating, you won’t get write speeds that fast. This is still, however, a class 10, so full HD video shouldn’t be much of a problem.

See at Amazon

Samsung EVO Select 128GB

I mean, what can I say, prices are awesome at the time of this writing. The 128GB EVO Select from Samsung is only $40 right now on Amazon. That’s roughly 31 cents per GB. And with that you get a UHS 3 speed class rating, transfer speeds of up to 100MB/s and a whole whack of space that you’ll likely never use up. You get the full-size adapter and a 10-year limited warranty. As frugal as I am, I’d probably grab a couple of these just because SO MUCH SPACE. In terms of bang for your buck, a high performance, large storage card like this doesn’t get much better.

See at Amazon

SanDisk Ultra 256GB

SanDisk’s 256GB Ultra card is about $15 cheaper than Samsung’s EVO Plus at about $110, but that does come with some compromise in speed. You’ll get read speeds of up to 100MB/s, but write speeds will be slower, and you’re only getting a UHS 1 speed class rating here, so full HD video should be fine, but forget about writing 4K video directly to the card. That being said, you’ll have all the space you’ll probably need forever.

See at Amazon

What’s your go-to?

Do you have a favorite microSD card that you use with every phone you buy? Sound off in the comments below!

Updated May 2018: Updated pricing for each card. These are still the best microSD cards you can buy to expand your Galaxy S9’s storage.

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+

• Galaxy S9 and S9+: Everything you need to know!
• Galaxy S9 review: A great phone for the masses
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• Galaxy S9 vs. Galaxy S8: Should you upgrade?
• Join our Galaxy S9 forums

Verizon
AT&T
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Sprint

Google Assistant on Wear OS gets smart suggestions and Assistant Actions

You can also hear Assistant responses via your watch speaker or Bluetooth headphones

Google gave Android Wear a big facelift this March after rebranding it to Wear OS, and while the logo and branding are all-new, the operating system as a whole has mostly remained the same.

That’s now starting to slowly change, however, with a few updates to make Google Assistant more powerful.

There are three big things coming to Assistant on Wear OS, the first of those being smart suggestions. These are pre-populated responses you can tap on after asking a question to the Assistant, allowing you to easily get more contextual info.

For example, after asking the Assistant about the weather, you’ll see options for “weather tonight”, “weather tomorrow”, etc.

Also new is the addition of Assistant Actions. These have been available on Google Home and phones for some time, and they allow you to tap into more apps, control additional smart home gadgets, and more.

Last but not least, you’ll now be able to have the Assistant read responses out loud through your watch’s speaker or a pair of connected Bluetooth headphones.

Google says these features will be rolling out to all Wear OS watches over the coming days, so be sure to keep an eye out for them.

Android Wear needs way more than just a Wear OS rebrand

The first-ever VR Google Doodle honors filmmaker George Méliès

Available now through the Spotlight Stories app.

Throughout the year, Google’s homepage delights us with a whimsical Google Doodle honoring a notable day, event, or person. The Doodle for May 3, 2018, celebrates the life of French director and illusionist George Méliès, and it does so with Google’s first-ever virtual reality Doodle.

George Méliès pioneered a variety of filmmaking techniques that made a lasting impression on the world of cinema, with some of his most notable works including A Trip to the Moon, The Impossible Voyage, and others.

Google’s releasing this on the anniversary of 1912’s The Conquest of the Pole, and as noted by Laurent Manonni, Director of Heritage at The Cinémathèque Française –

Méliès was fascinated by new technologies and was constantly on the lookout for new inventions. I imagine he would have been delighted to live in our era, which is so rich with immersive cinema, digital effects, and spectacular images on screen. I have no doubt he would have been flattered to find himself in the limelight via today’s very first virtual reality / 360° video Google Doodle, propelled around the world thanks to a new medium with boundless magical powers.

If you want to check it out for yourself, you can find the Doodle in the Google Spotlight Stories app and watch it using a Cardboard or Daydream headset. Alternatively, you can watch it without a headset as a 360-degree video right here or by clicking on the video above.

Download: Google Spotlight Stories (free)

How to set up Routines on your Amazon Echo

A few simple tips to make your Echo smarter than ever.

In just a few short years, the Amazon Echo has gone from a random speaker that nobody knew what to do with to a staple in the consumer tech space. Amazon’s evolved the Echo and Alexa (the AI that powers it) over those years, and one of the most powerful additions so far is a feature called “Alexa Routines.”

With Routines, you can configure your Echo to perform a variety of functions after saying one simple command. For example, instead of turning on your lights, playing the news, and catching up on the weather by talking to your Echo three different times, you can queue all these to go off one after another with just one keyword.

How to set up Routines in the Alexa app

You can make Routines as simple or complex as you’d like, and to help you get started, we’ve got a few tips to make the process as easy as can be. First, let’s make a Routine that’s activated by a voice command,

Launch the Alexa app on your phone or tablet.
Open the left-side menu and tap Routines.
Tap the + icon near the top right.
Select When this happens, choose voice, type in your desired phrase, and hit Save.
Tap on Add action and select the actions you want.

Tap Create once you’ve added all your desired actions.

This is where things get exciting. Right now, you can program Alexa to greet you, say a funny fact, play music, catch you up on the news, control your smart home gadgets, brief you on the traffic, change your Echo’s volume, and tell you about the weather. You can add as many of these as you’d like, and once you’ve got a few in place, you can reorder the position in which Alexa will act on them by holding down on the six dots next to each command and moving them up or down.

In addition to triggering Routines with a special command, you can also have them go off at a certain time of day. To do this —

From the Alexa app, open the left-side menu and tap Routines.
Tap the + button near the top right.
Select When this happens and choose Schedule.
Tap At Time to schedule the time of day the Routine is triggered and Repeat if you want it to repeat on certain days.

Tap the actions you want.

You can view your Routines at any time from the Routines page in the Alexa app, and tapping on an existing one will give you controls for temporarily disabling or deleting it altogether.

That’s all folks!

Need additional help setting up Routines? What are some of the ones you’ve already made? For any additional questions/comments, sound off in those comments below!

See at Amazon

Amazon Echo

• Tap, Echo or Dot: The ultimate Alexa question
• All about Alexa Skills
• Amazon Echo review
• Echo Dot review
• Echo Spot review
• Top Echo Tips & Tricks
• Amazon Echo vs. Google Home
• Get the latest Alexa news

See at Amazon

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