BlitzWolf Wireless Charger; Modern aesthetic, standard specs (Promoted)

Let’s be honest here. Wireless chargers are a dime a dozen. They really fall into two categories – Crap, and Does Its Job. So when I first unpacked the BlitzWolf wireless charger, you can understand my initial ho-hummery – but as I took a closer look at it, I came realize that this wasn’t your run-of-the mill Qi charger.

Build

At first glance, the BlitzWolf Wireless Charger seems like pretty standard affair. But picking it up reveals a more carefully designed product.

An aluminum chassis immediately sets it apart from other wireless chargers, which tend to be plastic. The glass ceramic face feels especially nice, though the silvery BlitzWolf branding is a little jarring compared to the elegance of the rest of the device. The bottom of the charger is home to four rubber casters, which combined with the weight of the charger make for a very stable platform.

The Blue LED on the front of the device is a nice departure from the standard – and bright – lime green LED we normally see. This makes it a solid choice for a nightstand, so you can see at-a-glance that your phone is charging without blinding yourself. As you’d expect, there’s not much else to the gizmo. Like most wireless chargers, it has a singular purpose and no bells and/or whistles.

Performance

In practice, the BlitzWolf Wireless Charger isn’t quite as wonderful as its design might indicate. It performs about as well as can be expected from any wireless charger, but doesn’t bring anything to the table you haven’t seen before.

At 5V, 1A, the BlitzWolf Wireless Charger outputs the same as any Qi-standard charger. Which is, to say, about as fast as standard MicroUSB charging, without any kind of Quick Charge. As such, it makes sense that the device makes use of a MicroUSB port on the back, and only supports up to 5V, 1.5A input.

Like I said – it’s a fairly standard affair. One thing I was impressed with, though, is its ability to charge even through the thick TPU/PolyCarbonate material of a Spigen case on my V30. Many wireless chargers I’ve used in the past haven’t been able to charge through a thick case, but this one did the trick – albeit with a little careful positioning.

Value

At $16.99, the BlitzWolf Wireless Charger is about on par with other devices of its kind. And that’s a good thing, given how well-made and effective the device is. It feels a lot more expensive than it is, and it performs as well as any wireless charger on the market, at the moment. While I’d love to see a higher output or a Type-C USB input, BlitzWolf put out a perfectly adequate wireless charger with a modern, gorgeous aesthetic.

Buy BlitzWolf’s Wireless Charger from Amazon

Google Photos now using A.I. to simplify editing and sharing images

On May 8, Google CEO Sundar Pichai took the stage at Google I/O to deliver his keynote presentation, which centered on artificial intelligence. And now, some of those A.I.-based features are beginning to roll out across many of its products and services, including Google Photos with “suggested actions.” While Google Color Pop was the first feature to roll out after Google I/O, all of the new A.I.-enhanced features are now available on the Google Photos app.

Over 5 billion pictures are viewed every day in Photos, and Google sees A.I. as the answer to speeding up the editing and sharing process. Suggested actions, as the name implies, are context sensitive actions that will display automatically while viewing individual photos. For example, using facial recognition, Photos will know who’s in a picture and offer a one-tap option to share it with that person (assuming this is someone in your contact list whose face Google has already learned). If that person appears in multiple images, Photos will even suggest to share all of them — again, with just a single tap.

When it comes to editing, different corrections will be suggested based on the look of the photo. If an image is underexposed, a simple “Fix brightness” suggestion will pop up automatically. Other suggested actions will be less subtle, including the “Pop color” option that desaturates the background to draw attention to your subject. Sure, selective color is one of the more notorious photographic clichés today, but the impressive part here is how the app is able to accurately differentiate the subject from the background. On images where the software is able to pick out the subject, Google Assistant will suggest the edit.

Even more impressive — and likely more useful — is the ability to add color to a black-and-white photograph. When viewing a monochrome image, Photos will suggest to “colorize” it. Like magic, tapping the button turns the image into a full color photograph. Not surprisingly, showing off this feature earned a chorus of cheers from the audience. Adobe demonstrated a very similar technology last year at the annual Adobe MAX conference.

Another audience favorite feature was much more mundane, but no less useful. By taking a picture of a document, Google Photos will be able to automatically convert the image into a PDF — even if the photo was shot at a wonky angle. The app recognizes the document within the frame and crops it out and changes perspective as necessary. Admittedly, this is likely one of those features you will use rarely — but when you need it, you will really appreciate having it.

If the suggested actions work as well in practice as they did in the recorded demonstration, it will likely be the most important update to Google Photos yet.  Suggested actions will begin rolling out to users “in the next couple of months,” according to Pichai.

Although not related to photography, Google also demonstrated new machine vision capabilities coming to Google Lens. Simply by pointing the camera at things, you’ll be able to learn more about them, from looking up words on a restaurant menu, to identifying the building in front of you, to analyzing an outfit you like and automatically being shown similar styles. Again, it remains to be seen how this works in practice, but if it’s anywhere close to the performance we saw in Google’s presentation, this will be a very impressive new feature.

Later during I/O, Google announced a partners program for Google Photos, which will allow third-party apps to integrate with the photo platform.

Updated on May 16, 2018: Updated post to reflect A.I. enhancements are now available. 

Editors’ Recommendations

• Here’s everything we saw at the action-packed Google I/O 2018 keynote
• With developer program, Google Photos is about to become a lot more versatile
• Google News receives a major overhaul, replaces Google Play Newsstand
• A.I. and Google News: The push to broaden perspectives
• Google responsibly: New Android features remind you to give your phone a rest

You’re not hearing things: Viral Laurel vs. Yanny debate is an audio brain teaser

The internet loves a good debate — and three years after a photo created a blue-gold dress divide nearly as wide as the blue-red political gap comes a recording of a robotic voice saying Laurel. Or Yanny. But which one is it? The audio recording is making the viral rounds across social media platforms after originating on Reddit this week.

What do you hear?! Yanny or Laurel pic.twitter.com/jvHhCbMc8I

— Cloe Feldman (@CloeCouture) May 15, 2018

The four-second clip is simply a robotic voice repeating one name several times. But depending on who you ask, some hear Laurel and others hear Yanny. And still more hear Laurel one time, and Yanny another. So is it robot trickery or is the internet hearing things?

The answer, acoustic professionals suggest, isn’t that you are hearing things, but that you are listening to things. Like the photo of the dress that created confusion by manipulating what the brain expects to see, the discrepancies between the two different interpretations of the same audio clip have similar origins. By using similar sounds and leaving gaps in a low-quality recording, the brain fills in the rest of the details, which is allowing people to hear different things from the same recording.

“Part of the answer is the difference between listening and hearing. Most people think of hearing as occurring in the ear, but hearing and listening actually occur in the brain,” Douglas Beck, an audiologist working with Oticon Inc. hearing aids and the magazine Hearing Review, told National Geographic. “Hearing is simply perceiving sound. That is, you can hear while you’re asleep, and so in that regard, hearing is passive. Listening is attributing meaning to sound.”

The similar sounds between the two words and the noise in the low-quality recording have the brain trying to fill in the gaps. Depending on how your brain does this, you might be hearing Laurel or Yanny. The result is an audio brain teaser like the Rubin’s Vase, that image where you can see either a vase or two faces depending on if your brain sees the positive or negative space first.

Ok, so if you pitch-shift it you can hear different things:

down 30%: https://t.co/F5WCUZQJlq
down 20%: https://t.co/CLhY5tvnC1
up 20%: https://t.co/zAc7HomuCS
up 30% https://t.co/JdNUILOvFW
up 40% https://t.co/8VTkjXo3L1 https://t.co/suSw6AmLtn

— Steve Pomeroy (@xxv) May 15, 2018

Frequency and pitch could also play a role in how the recording is interpreted, others suggest. Just as Photoshoppers worked on the dress, social media users are taking the recording into audio software. One pitch-shift adjustment makes it easy to hear both words with the manipulated pitches.

While you may hear something different than the person sitting next to you, there is a scientific explanation — so try not to let your support for either team Laurel or team Yanny ruin a friendship.

Editors’ Recommendations

• This hearing aid will read your brain to help you understand what’s being said
• Assistive tech is progressing faster than ever, and these 7 devices prove it
• Apple’s newly proposed emojis are more inclusive for those with disabilities
• New blow for ZTE and Huawei: Devices pulled from military base stores
• Here’s everything we know about the OnePlus 6 smartphone so far

Is Microsoft planning a $400 Surface tablet?

Ivan McClellan/Digital Trends

Microsoft’s Surface tablet line may be set for a refresh in the near future, with rumors suggesting that the 10-inch tablet range would be powered by Intel hardware — and could cost just $400. Reportedly the design of the new tablet will draw much from Apple’s iPad and will feature exclusive support for USB-C.

The Surface line of laptops and 2-in-1s has been improved upon and bolstered by new models many times in recent years, leading to such fantastic offerings as the Surface Pro and the Surface Book 2. But the Surface tablets haven’t seen a proper upgrade in several years. Microsoft may have decided it was time to change that; the rumored tablets would upgrade previous offerings in a big way.

Although low-powered devices often ship with ARM CPUs, the new tablets will reportedly sport Intel hardware, though chip specifics have yet to be detailed. What Bloomberg’s sources did clarify, however, was that there will be multiple versions of the new tablets. Prices will start at $400, with different storage for various models ranging from 64GB to 128GB. LTE Advanced connectivity will also be an option for those who want high-speed internet coverage when away from Wi-Fi networks.

Each model will have a 10-inch screen, which is comparable to the standard iPad, though it’s noticeably smaller than the Surface Pro laptops. That size reduction will reportedly net a 20-percent reduction in overall weight, making the new Surface tablets very portable. The lack of space will cut into the room slotted for the battery, however, and battery life is said to be four hours shorter than that of the Surface Pros. That would put the new Surface tablets at around nine hours of battery life — not bad, but hardly stellar.

As Bloomberg reports, Microsoft’s re-entry into the entry-level tablet market may be an attempt to shore up declining sales in the Surface line by attracting a new audience to its hardware. Previous attempts at Surface tablets didn’t go anywhere near as well as its higher-end push with the Surface Pro range, which has proved competitive with the wide array of alternative, convertible laptops out there. And hey, if small scale tablets aren’t your cup of tea, Microsoft also plans bigger tablets. Much, much bigger tablets.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) review
• The best tablets you can buy
• What laptop are you looking forward to most in 2018?
• Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 review
• Google Pixelbook review

Is Microsoft planning a $400 Surface tablet?

Ivan McClellan/Digital Trends

Microsoft’s Surface tablet line may be set for a refresh in the near future, with rumors suggesting that the 10-inch tablet range would be powered by Intel hardware — and could cost just $400. Reportedly the design of the new tablet will draw much from Apple’s iPad and will feature exclusive support for USB-C.

The Surface line of laptops and 2-in-1s has been improved upon and bolstered by new models many times in recent years, leading to such fantastic offerings as the Surface Pro and the Surface Book 2. But the Surface tablets haven’t seen a proper upgrade in several years. Microsoft may have decided it was time to change that; the rumored tablets would upgrade previous offerings in a big way.

Although low-powered devices often ship with ARM CPUs, the new tablets will reportedly sport Intel hardware, though chip specifics have yet to be detailed. What Bloomberg’s sources did clarify, however, was that there will be multiple versions of the new tablets. Prices will start at $400, with different storage for various models ranging from 64GB to 128GB. LTE Advanced connectivity will also be an option for those who want high-speed internet coverage when away from Wi-Fi networks.

Each model will have a 10-inch screen, which is comparable to the standard iPad, though it’s noticeably smaller than the Surface Pro laptops. That size reduction will reportedly net a 20-percent reduction in overall weight, making the new Surface tablets very portable. The lack of space will cut into the room slotted for the battery, however, and battery life is said to be four hours shorter than that of the Surface Pros. That would put the new Surface tablets at around nine hours of battery life — not bad, but hardly stellar.

As Bloomberg reports, Microsoft’s re-entry into the entry-level tablet market may be an attempt to shore up declining sales in the Surface line by attracting a new audience to its hardware. Previous attempts at Surface tablets didn’t go anywhere near as well as its higher-end push with the Surface Pro range, which has proved competitive with the wide array of alternative, convertible laptops out there. And hey, if small scale tablets aren’t your cup of tea, Microsoft also plans bigger tablets. Much, much bigger tablets.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) review
• The best tablets you can buy
• What laptop are you looking forward to most in 2018?
• Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 review
• Google Pixelbook review

OnePlus 6 hands-on review

Research Center:

OnePlus 6

How does OnePlus keep coming up with a desirable smartphone that people will still want to buy, every six months or less? There are companies out there that struggle to do it on an annual basis, after all. OnePlus has a release schedule that would terrify big-name brands bogged down by focus groups, middle managers, and multiple checklists. Its latest phone — the OnePlus 6 — arrives only a few months after the OnePlus 5T, which also came a few months after the OnePlus 5.

It’s a lot of pressure. Can OnePlus continue its winning streak with another swiftly-launched smartphone?

Glassy and classy

The OnePlus 6 showcases how OnePlus is able to attract new buyers and upgraders even with such a rapid update schedule — it taps into the latest trends, integrates them quickly into a new phone, and gets it out the door before any fads pass. That means the OnePlus 6 has a glass body, which is the definition of premium this year, a notch at the top of the screen, and a vertically-mounted, dual-lens camera.

OnePlus has outdone itself with the all-glass body — a first for the company — on the 6. It looks and feels superb: It’s soft and smooth, with a cool touch. It’s very reflective too, mostly on the mirror black model you see here, and we’d say it’s closer to the water-like finish on the Porsche Design Mate 10 RS than phones like the Honor 10 and the Moto G6. Even the Galaxy S9 looks a bit muddy next to the OnePlus 6. To commemorate its 4th anniversary, the OnePlus 6 brings back the “Designed by OnePlus” branding on the back panel, which is the only other mark aside from the OnePlus logo. It’s minimal, like we have come to expect, and it looks great on the mirror black model.

OnePlus has outdone itself with the all-glass body.

We didn’t feel like the glass body made the phone overly slippery, and it’s easy to hold with one hand. Using it is a harder task due to the size of the screen. It’s a stretch to get to the opposite corner with your thumb.

The notch (the cutout at the top of the screen housing the front camera and earpiece) is the subject of much (now rather boring) controversy. OnePlus told Digital Trends that its inclusion is the most effective way of getting a far larger screen on the phone than usual, while maintaining a similar size to previous OnePlus phones. If you hate it, you will be able to hide it away through a software update in the future.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

The screen’s big alright, measuring 6.3-inches with a 2,280 x 1,080 pixel resolution, another first for the OnePlus family. There aren’t too many phones with this exact screen size other than the Galaxy Note 8. Surprisingly, the phone is very compact, with minimal side bezels and chin. We like the shape of the screen corners too, which have a flowing curve before running down the sides.

The fingerprint sensor is on the back, and we’re pleased to see it has been given a stadium shape and a chamfered edge: A big improvement over the OnePlus 5T. Little things like this, along with the curved screen edges, make the OnePlus 6 look and feel fantastic.

If you hate the notch, you will be able to hide it away through a software update in the future.

Another ergonomic improvement is the iconic OnePlus Alert slider — which controls device notifications and silent mode — has been shifted to the top right edge. While lefties won’t like the change, right-handed folks will find it more comfortable. It’s a bit stiff, and requires a firm grip on the phone to slide, even with the textured edge on the slider itself.

Along the bottom edge of the phone is a USB Type-C port for fast charging, using OnePlus’ Dash Charge system, along with a 3.5mm headphone socket for those still attached to wires. Sadly, there’s no support for wireless charging.

New camera effects, super slow-motion video

On the back is a dual-lens rear camera, this time centrally- and vertically-mounted inside a slight camera bump. The main f/1.7 aperture, 16-megapixel lens is joined by a second 20-megapixel camera, complete with a portrait mode. New bokeh effects will be added to the portrait mode, promising stars, hearts, and bubbles (yes, really), but they weren’t available at our time of testing. It’s controlled by OnePlus’ own camera app, which is simple and easy to use. OnePlus has added a slow-mo video mode, which has a maximum of 480 frames per second (fps) at 720p, meaning it can’t slow the world down as effectively as the Galaxy S9, Huawei P20 Pro, or Sony Xperia XZ2. A 1080p resolution mode is available at 240fps.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

We haven’t had the chance to try this out yet, but have shot a few photos with the camera. The shutter is fast, and the images we took outside on a sunny day were natural, without the over-the-top HDR-style glow which has become more common.

Speedy performance

The OnePlus 6 is powered by the Snapdragon 845 processor with a whopping 8GB of RAM. The phone has been lightning fast in our brief time using it. It all feels very refined. OnePlus uses the tagline, “The speed you need,” for the 6, and we cannot imagine anyone thinking the phone may not have the guts to cope with a task.

The OnePlus 6 has been lightning fast in our brief time using it.

It runs Android 8.1 Oreo with version 5.1.2 of OnePlus’ OxygenOS over the top. The software is smooth and fuss-free, with only a handful of pre-installed apps, and the slide-in Shelf — which contains recently used apps, contacts, and other information — makes it look different to standard Android found on a Pixel 2. There are also a ton of customization options in the software that let you set up the phone exactly how you want.

The fact that OnePlus puts out such a polished product so often is exciting to see. This lightning production speed doesn’t affect the phone’s quality, or commitment to delivering a satisfying, desirable smartphone either.

OnePlus 6 Compared To

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Xiaomi Mi Mix

LeEco Le S3

ASUS Zenfone 3 Deluxe Special…

LeEco Le Pro3

HTC Bolt

LG X Power

Lenovo Moto Z

Alcatel Idol 4S

Meizu M3 Note

Asus Zenfone Zoom ZX551ML

Oppo F1 Plus

HTC 10

LG G5

Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3

But has the OnePlus 6 been subject to a price rise that takes it out of the realms of affordability? The price has gone up, but not so drastically you’ll have to think twice. The 8GB RAM with 128GB storage model you see here, in mirror black, is $580, or 520 British pounds. The mirror black model with 6GB RAM and 64GB storage is $530 or 470 pounds.

Price and availability

The OnePlus 6 comes out on May 22, so should you buy it? We’ll tell you more in our forthcoming full review; but we’ll tell you this: There is a limited edition in “silk white” coming — paying homage to the original OnePlus One’s color scheme. We’ve had a sneak peek, and it’s utterly beautiful. If the mirror black model isn’t making your heart beat faster, the silk white OnePlus 6 might, and it will arrive on June 5.

OnePlus is also releasing a pair of Bluetooth-connected wireless earbuds called Bullets Wireless. They cost $70, and will be available in June. We’ll be testing  have our review out before then, so check back before making your final decision.

Android Central’s 2018 Graduate Gift Guide!

Next steps. They’re scary, exhilarating, and a bit confusing. But they’re also empowering. Graduates deserve to walk away from school feeling confident in what’s coming, so make sure they’re decked out in the tech and other supplies that will help them succeed on that path.

Google Pixel 2

The Pixel 2 is our favorite phone on the market, and a perfect present for a graduate looking for a fast, reliable Android phone. At $649, it’s also one of the less expensive flagships out there today.

$649 Buy now

Moto X4

The Moto X4 is one of the best deals around, especially if your grad is looking to take lots of pictures. Running Motorola’s no-frills software, and with built-in Alexa support, this is one of the most attractive and easy-to-use phones under $300.

$280 Buy Now

OnePlus 6

No one does budget flagship like OnePlus, and the OnePlus 6 exudes the best qualities of the company’s commitment to hardware quality and software simplicity. At $529, it’s the best flagship deal around.

from $529 Buy Now

Nintendo Switch

Every grad needs to take a load-off, and the Nintendo Switch is the answer to all their gaming prayers. Featuring incredible games like Zelda: Breath of the Wild and the upcoming Super Smash Bros, the Switch can be taken from commute to couch in an instant.

$299 Buy Now

UE MEGABLAST

Everyone needs a great Bluetooth speaker, and this one is the best out there. With Alexa support built-in, the waterproof UE MEGABLAST is insanely powerful for its size.

from $190 Buy Now

UE Roll 2

Cheaper and less powerful than the MEGABLAST, the UE Roll 2 is still waterproof, and it sounds amazing for the price. Even better — it’s the perfect companion for that road trip or a weekend getaway somewhere warm. Take us with you!

$62 Buy Now

Sonos One

Is your grad looking for something a bit more permanent than Bluetooth? The Sonos One is incredible. Not only does it connect to Alexa (and soon, Google Home), it sounds so, so good. And if you end up buying two, they can be paired together for whole-home audio!

$199 Buy Now

Sony MH1000XM2 noise-canceling headphones

Sometimes you need a break from the world. Sony’s MH1000XM2 have amazing sound and even better noise cancellation. Seriously, these are probably the best bang for your buck in headphones right now.

$348 Buy now

Jaybird X3 wireless Bluetooth earbuds

If you’d rather run with your music, the Jaybird X3 headphones are perfect companions. And even if you don’t run, the sound quality and portability will be good enough to win your grad over. A bargain at under $100.

$99 Buy Now

Koss Porta Pro Wireless Bluetooth headphones

A classic re-imagined. If your grad likes the good things in life, get them these awesome-sounding retro-looking Koss Porta Pro Wireless headphones. They bend into a tiny portable pod, but they have 12-hour battery and in-line controls for $80.

$80 Buy Now

Spotify Premium subscription

Love streaming ad-free music? Grab a Spotify Premium subscription and listen to music on all your devices. From specific songs to curated playlists to radio stations, you’ll find your favorites here. This is the perfect add-on gift for the mom who can’t get enough music.

from $10 Buy Now

Netflix subscription

What is there to say about Netflix? Everyone wants it, and your grad doesn’t want to pay for it. You can get them a gift card in $30 or $60 increments through Amazon, and have them shipped through Prime. Easy, peasy.

from $30 Buy Now

Daydream View (2017)

Google took the most comfortable VR headset ever and made it better for heat management, easier to fit smaller heads, and available in fun new colors. All you need is a great phone and a comfy chair to enjoy a wide world of VR experiences.

$99 Buy Now

Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 camera

Having a smartphone with a great camera is important, but being able to give someone a photo is truly meaningful. Fujifilm’s Instax line continues to be popular with young people who want to share the photos they’re taking, and the Mini 9 is cheap, portable, and fun! It makes for an awesome gift.

from $55 Buy now

Moment Cases and Lenses

Take the best cameras on a smartphone, add a fantastic case, and then tighten the sharpest, most versatile glass you can find. Those are the Moment lenses for the Pixel, Pixel 2, or Galaxy S8.

from $99 Buy Now

Aeropress coffee and espresso maker

Do yourself a favor and get your coffee-addicted grad an Aeropress — it’s the cheap and easy way to making better coffee at home in just 90 seconds. It sounds too good to be true, but this is all physics: the Aeropress combines the best ideas from espresso and French Press into a single, easy-to-clean contraption.

from $33 Buy now

Blue Bottle coffee subscription

Skip the grocery store beans and get the best from your new Aeropress with a monthly subscription to amazing coffee at Blue Bottle. You won’t believe the difference freshly-roasted beans make to a good cup, especially if you grind them at home right before you brew.

from $15/mo Buy now

Chromecast Ultra

If you splurged on that 4K TV recently, the Chromecast Ultra is an amazing companion. Almost every media app supports it in some way, and it works with the Google Home or Home Mini to load those hilarious YouTube videos everyone loves watching.

$59 Buy Now

Amazon Fire TV 2017

Cozy up to Prime Video exclusives like Catastrophe, The Grand Tour, Sneaky Pete and more… in 4K! The Fire TV is an amazing gift for anyone who watches shows or movies, including mom!

$70 Buy Now

NVIDIA Shield Android TV

The NVIDIA Shield TV is the best set-top streamer you can buy, and it doubles as a game console. It’s extremely powerful, has an amazing built-in controller, and supports 4K HDR streaming!

from $179 Buy Now

Anker PowerLine+ USB-C to USB-A Cables (2-pack)

There’s nothing simpler than a good-quality charging cable, and nothing more frustrating than not having one nearby. Anker makes great products, and these PowerLine+ cables will charge your grad’s phone and, because they’re made of woven nylon, won’t get busted.

$10 Buy Now

Samsung Convertible Fast Wireless Charging Pad

This is the cream of the crop of wireless charging pads, and even though it’s made by Samsung it will charge any phone that supports the Qi standard. The beauty of this pillowy wireless charger is its ability to convert from flat to upright — it’s so cool! Make sure your grad’s phone supports wireless charging first.

$45 Buy Now

Google Home Mini

Google Home is big and powerful, but Google Home Mini is cheap and useful! If you already have a bunch of connected speakers, or just want Google Assistant everywhere, the Home Mini is the best gift you can give. And if your house is already full of Google products, Assistant is even better. A must-gift!

$49 Buy Now

Philips Hue Starter Kit

Smart lights can set the mood, especially when paired with a smart speaker powered by Google Assistant or Alexa. It’s simple to set the mood for a party, or for bed time, but either way, these lights will last for years.

$160 Buy Now

Amazon Echo Spot

Want your grad to keep a job? Give their alarm clock an upgrade with the Amazon Echo Spot, the latest — and cutest — Alexa-powered gadget. This one’s perfect for the bedroom but, thanks to its small screen, can double as a living room or kitchen tool.

$129 Buy Now

Fitbit Versa

The Versa is the best tracker and smartwatch Fitbit has ever made. It can track steps, exercise, sleep, and more and its battery lasts an incredibly long four days. Your grad will love its selection of colors and bands, and you’ll love spending less than an Apple Watch!

$199 Buy Now

DJI Spark

If your grad is the outdoorsy type, or just wants to make movies with footage from new vantage points, the DJI Spark is an outstanding gift. Portable and versatile, the drone gets over 15 minutes of flying time with its replaceable battery and goes anywhere you do.

$399 Buy Now

Anker PowerCore 10000 Battery

Give your grad the gift of a phone that doesn’t run out of batteries! This Anker PowerCore pack can charge most phones two or three times and is portable enough to bring anywhere.

$27 Buy Now

The Razer FragFest gaming gear sale has great prices on mice, keyboards, and more

Upgrade your peripherals today.

The Razer FragFest sale is going on right now, and Razer is discounting a lot of great gaming gear. We’ve already covered the Razer Phone being $100 off, but there are also mice, keyboards, headsets, and even tool kits on sale. All shipping is free if you spend over $49. Otherwise it’s $10 flat. The sale ends May 16.

Here are some of the deals we liked:

• Ornata gaming keyboard for $59.99 (from $80)
• Thresher Tournament Edition headphones for $79.99 (from $100)
• Naga Epic Chroma wireless mouse for $89.99 (from $120)
• BlackWidow X Chroma mechanical keyboard for $129.99 (from $150)

While the ones we’ve listed here have instant savings, some of the deals require the use of the code DEALS18 during checkout. So just keep that in mind when browsing the full sale for other deals.

See at Razer

Join Android Central on Twitter this Wednesday for a OnePlus 6 AMA!

I would do anything for AMA, but I won’t do that.

AMA. It’s the kind of cultural phenomenon that could have only come from Reddit, but the term is now part of popular culture, and that’s fine. Heck, we’re happy about it.

See, for the launch of the OnePlus 6 this Wednesday, May 16 at 9AM PT / 12PM ET / 5PM BST, we’re doing something a bit different. We’re going to do a live Twitter AMA (it stands for Ask Me Anything, if you didn’t already know) after the announcement, answering all of your questions about the new phone. The AMA will begin as soon as the event is over.

We’ll have our video editor, Alex Dobie, on-site in London for the event, and I (that’s Managing Editor, Daniel Bader) will be remote alongside MrMobile himself, Michael Fisher, to answer any and all questions you might have. (We’re not going to say we’ve seen the phone, but we may have a bit of info that you don’t 😉.)

How do you get involved? Send your questions to the @androidcentral Twitter account with the hashtag #ACOnePlus6AMA. You have to use the hashtag (and tweet @androidcentral) otherwise won’t see it. Here’s a sample question:

Hey @androidcentral, what does it feel like to #neversettle? #ACOnePlus6AMA

We’ll be doing some cool stuff during the AMA, with some specific shout-outs and perhaps a giveaway or two! The AMA kicks off as soon as the announcement ends, so between 1:30PM and 2PM ET. Submit your questions early so we’ll have a chance to respond!

Are you going to join us?

OnePlus 6

• OnePlus 6 hands-on preview
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5T: How much changes in six months?
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5: Should you upgrade?
• These are the official OnePlus 6 cases
• The OnePlus 6 doesn’t work on Verizon or Sprint
• Join the discussion in the forums

Samsung Exynos processors may soon appear in ZTE and other phones

Qualcomm dominates the mobile processor market, but Samsung wants to change that.

Samsung is one of the biggest names when it comes to Android smartphones, but when you look specifically at the processors that power them, the conversation changes. Qualcomm has dominated the mobile chipset market for years now, but it would appear that Samsung’s interested in doing something about that.

According to a report from Reuters, Samsung’s beginning talks with ZTE and other OEMs to supply its Exynos processors to Android phones other than its own.

As it stands, Samsung’s Exynos chips are only found in Galaxy phones in certain parts of the world and select Meizu smartphones (Samsung’s only client right now). However, Samsung’s Head Logic Chip Developer recently said that the company’s “talking to all OEMs” about supplying the Exynos line to more and more brands – one of which being ZTE.

Samsung’s getting ready to hit Qualcomm where it hurts.

The Department of Commerce issued a Denial Order against ZTE in mid-April, resulting in a seven-year ban that prevents it from using any exported hardware or software products from the U.S. Although President Trump has said he’s working on helping ZTE rise above this, it’s since halted all of its major business operations.

However, by being able to use processors from Korea-based Samsung, this could prove to be a welcome light at the end of a dark tunnel for ZTE.

Samsung has a lot of work ahead of itself before it can compete directly with the likes of Qualcomm and Apple when it comes to mobile processors, but these early steps are moves in the right direction.

What phones would you like to see powered by Exynos processors?