A California chipmaker is working to free Alexa from the power cord

People are weirdly affectionate about their Alexa-powered smart speakers manufactured by Amazon — one poll this week found a quarter of customers taking the device to bed with them. But if a California microchip manufacturer is successful in its new collaboration with Amazon, Alexa could soon be free of power cords and ready to roam.

The company is DSP Group, a provider of chipsets for VoIP, multimedia, and digital cordless applications with a 30-year record of successful implementations in phones and watches. Amazon has partnered with the manufacturer through its Alexa Voice Services Division, which has been working with a wide swath of chipmakers to port Alexa into other devices.

“We envision a future where customers interact with Alexa everywhere and from any device,” Priya Abani, director of Alexa Voice Service, said in a statement. “We’re excited to work with DSP Group to achieve this vision and offer developers additional tools that add to the various resources they already have available to build Alexa-enabled devices.”

DSP’s breakthrough is a standardized chip that is smaller than a dime that can be used to embed Alexa into third-party devices. In widespread use, this technology could effectively make Alexa the “ghost in the shell” of everything from phones to smart home networks. It could also effectively help Amazon win the market for digital assistants from competitors like Google Home and Apple’s Siri/HomePod.

In addition to its miniature scale, DSP’s chip is highly competitive in terms of low power consumption. Because the company designed its chip from the ground up for use in small-scale devices, its chip outperforms the competition in devices where space is limited.

DSP announced this week that it is making its technology available to third-party developers through its HDClear 3-Mic Development Kit for Amazon Alexa Voice Service (AVS). The low-power solution is designed to enable developers to build a range of Alexa-enabled devices including smart speakers, wearables, smart home devices, and remote controls.

The new chip line is key to DSP’s strategy for using technology evolution to stay relevant in a volatile market for smart technology. The company’s fortunes have been historically dependent on supplying chips to devices like cordless phones, but the market is disappearing as landline customers make the switch to cellular.

DSP’s market is still a fraction of the business that competitors like Intel see on an annual basis but the company’s partnership with Amazon could be a game-changer. For DSP, it’s a significant inroad to a company that has plenty of its own engineers working on Alexa solutions. For Amazon, it’s a critical first step toward releasing Alexa into a wider market.

Editors’ Recommendations

• What is Alexa? It’s Amazon’s virtual voice assistant
• Is Apple showing up late to the smart home party, or just not coming?
• Apple HomePod vs. Amazon Echo vs. Google Home: Which is best?
• Microsoft may be working on a Cortana smart speaker to rival Echo, Google Home
• Hola, Alexa! Amazon Echo is on its way to both Spain and Italy

Razer crams lasers into its new ‘Huntsman’ keyboards for blazing-fast speed

Gaming peripheral giant Razer introduced a new line of mechanical keyboards called Huntsman. The first two models out the gate is the “premium” $199 Razer Huntsman Elite version and the cheaper, “performance-focused” $149 Razer Huntsman model. Both rely on new mechanical switches that use an infrared light beam to precisely detect key actuation. 

If you’re not familiar with the term, actuation is the point in your keystroke where the keyboard acknowledges the character. The company’s new mechanical switch, aka the Opto-Mechanical Switch, has an actuation point at 1.5mm. The infrared light beam essentially detects when you hit that point, activating the keystroke.

Razer claims actuation is 30 percent faster than the competing mechanical switches. Even more, Razer’s new switch has a lifespan of 100 million keystrokes, twice the lifespan of the competition. That is due to the embedded infrared beams as well. 

“With the use of optical actuation technology and a metal key stabilizer bar fitted around each switch, there are fewer moving parts and no physical contact during actuation,” the company states. “This reduces switch degradation, making the Razer Huntsman a more consistent and durable keyboard that gamers may rely on for years.” 

In a typical mechanical switch, actuation happens when two metallic contact leaves touch each other. With Razer’s Opto-Mechanical Switch, the company rips out the contacts in favor of an optical sensor that shoots a beam of light across the switch stem. When the key is in a resting position, the beam remains blocked. Once you press the switch, the stem lowers and allows the beam to cross over and connect with a receiving sensor on the other side. 

Yet given the removal of the metallic contacts, the switch still provides the clicky, tactile feedback we’ve come to know and love from mechanical keyboards. According to Razer, they feel and sound similar to the company’s own Razer Green Switch. Once you feel the click, the switch actuates your key command “at the speed of light.” 

Outside the switches, both keyboards include Razer’s Chroma lighting system supporting 16.8 million colors. They also have hybrid storage that can house up to five profiles via onboard storage and in the cloud, an aluminum matte top plate, and a braided fiber USB connection. Other features include 1,000Hz ultrapolling (aka a 1ms communication rate), 10 key rollover with anti-ghosting, and fully programmable keys with on-the-fly macro recording. 

But the $199 model has a few additional perks over the “vanilla” model. Added to this model is an ergonomic wrist rest with an underglow supporting 24 customizable zones, meaning it has an LED strip along the bottom that casts colorful light onto your desktop. There’s  also another underglow lighting strip around the main keyboard that supports 38 zones. Other additions include dedicated media keys and a multi-function digital dial you can fine-tune using the company’s Synapse 3 software. 

Both keyboards are available now through Razer’s online store: $149 for the Huntsman model and $199 for the Huntsman Elite version. The company didn’t say when they will be made available through retail stores. 

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best gaming keyboards
• Razer Blade 15 (2018) review
• Here are the 15 best iPad keyboard cases, from the Mini to the Pro
• Here’s the latest news on the Tesla Model 3, including specs and performance
• Get your zSilver ready: Razer now has it’s own online game store

OnePlus 2019 smartphone will be 5G ready, promises timely updates

Smartphone maker OnePlus took to the stage at Mobile World Congress in Shanghai to announce its plans for 2019, PCMag reports. In addition to working with U.S. carriers, the company plans on producing a 5G smartphone.

At the event, OnePlus CEO and founder Pete Lau explained that thanks to the company’s relationship with Qualcomm, it’s shaping up to become one of the first 5G mobile phone makers. Lau also said the release will align with the first year 5G will be available in the U.S.

Carriers and chipmakers haven’t been slacking on creating hardware or testing 5G around the country, and with preliminary results showing that it’s going to be extremely fast. According to the ITU’s draft specification back in February calls for a minimum of 20Gbps downlink and 10Gbps uplink per mobile base station.

While there weren’t any more details on specifications we can expect for the smartphone, Lau also expressed an interest in bringing OnePlus phones to a carrier in the U.S. — rather than focusing on direct sales. That way, users in the U.S. can experience the phones in person before making the purchases in order to have some hands on time with it.

Specific carriers weren’t mentioned, and it’s still unclear if the company is focused on breaking into only one carrier or multiple. But for those worried that bloatware, he assured OnePlus providing customers with a fast and bloat-free experience is what’s most important to the company.

The company also announced a new maintenance schedule for updates — which includes the OnePlus 3 and 3T, OnePlus 5 and 5T, along with the OnePlus 6. While OnePlus has always been mostly reliable with providing major updates and security patches to its devices, the new schedule provides users with a reliable timeline of when they should expect to see both.

Under this schedule, OnePlus states that “there will be two years of regular software updates from the release date of the phone (release dates of T variants would be considered).” The update will not only include new features and Android versions, but also Android security patches and bug fixes. There will also be an additional year of Android security patch updates every two months.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best smartphones
• Everything you need to know about the 6-inch OnePlus 5T
• LG V35 ThinQ vs. OnePlus 6: Can LG’s latest flagship beat an Android favorite?
• OnePlus 6 vs. LG G7 ThinQ: Can the flagship killer sink LG’s latest?
• The best unlocked phones you can buy

Patent hints at refined Apple Watch power-saving mode that kicks in by itself

Apple is awarded more patents every week, and recently we’ve seen patents related to a smarter iPhone camera, better waterproof phones, and more. Now, the company has been awarded yet another mobile-related patent — one that could help make the Apple Watch’s battery last a whole lot longer.

The patent specifically describes the use of a so-called “low-power mode” that takes the phrase “low-power mode” to a new level. In the patent, Apple notes that in low-power mode, the watch could display different things depending on user input. For example, it could display only the date and time, as well as an indicator that the phone is in low power mode.

The feature seems especially helpful on the Apple Watch given the fact that it states the device could display only the time and how much battery there is. While the time is useful on an iPhone too, it’s particularly important on a watch.

Of course, Apple devices already have some features related to using less battery, and on the iPhone, it’s even called “Low Power Mode.” The battery-saving feature on the Apple Watch, which is called Power Reserve, seems pretty similar to the feature described in the patent. In Power Reserve, the watch ceases communication with the iPhone, and only shows the time when you press the side button.

So what’s different between what the Apple Watch already offers and what the patent describes? Well, the patent suggests that the device could automatically enter Low Power Mode when it reaches a certain threshold, and that it could also display information like how much time is left. Images indicate that the device could say something along the lines of “based on current usage, you have 1 hour remaining.”

As we would expect, this patent is a continuation of patents dating back to 2014, and so while Apple has used some of the tech described in the patent, it could continue refining it as time goes on. That could be pretty helpful — while the Apple Watch is largely considered one of the better watches on the market, it still suffers from what many consider to be a subpar battery.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Apple patents hint at smarter iPhone camera, blood pressure-sensing Watch band
• Does your Apple Watch 2 have a swollen battery? Apple will fix it for free
• Apple’s latest patent ensures your screen turns on to the right brightness
• Apple could implement one of the Google Pixel 2’s coolest features
• Apple iPhone X Plus: News, rumors, specs, and more

Pokémon Go developer Niantic is opening up its AR development platform

Niantic’s technology is called the Real World Platform.

Niantic, the development team behind Pokémon Go, announced today that it’ll now allow third-party developers to use its AR technology that powers not only Pokémon Go, but Ingress and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, too.

Niantic’s AR tech is called “Real World Platform”, and it uses a combo of computer vision, object recognition, and depth detection to create for those augmented reality experiences we’ve become so fond of.

If you’re a developer, you can now visit a new website Niantic’s created where you can apply to start using it. According to CEO John Hanke:

Because we are so excited about the opportunity in advanced AR, we want other people to be able to make use of the Niantic Real World Platform to build innovative experiences that connect the physical and the digital in ways that we haven’t yet imagined. We will be selecting a handful of third party developers to begin working with these tools later this year.

If this sounds familiar to something Google did earlier this year, that’s because it is. During this year’s Game Developer Conference, Google launched its Maps APIs for the Unity game engine to help developers create more accurate and immersive AR experiences.

In addition to the Real World Engine now open to use by other developers, Niantic also shed some light on features that’ll soon be available for it — such as shared AR multiplayer experiences, better blending of AR elements with the real world, and more.

Harry Potter: Wizards Unite for Android: Facts, rumors, and theories

Every Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL Case We Could Find

Looking for a case for your brand new Google Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL? We’ve got you covered!

There are so many reasons to get a case for your Google Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL. Whether you want the highest level of protection available to prevent damage to your new phone or the most transparent, thinnest case available to show off your new phone with pride, there are plenty of options out there.

So if you want a case for your Google Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL, we’ve compiled a massive list of all the cases we could find that are worth your while!

NOTE: Due to the large size of the list, we made the pictures smaller than usual; however, you can enlarge any image to full size by clicking or tapping on the image.

Thin Cases

Spigen Thin Fit

A thin polycarbonate back plate with a little cushion in the corners to help prevent damage if you drop your Pixel.

You can pick one up for about $12.

• See Thin Fit for Pixel 2 at Amazon
• See Thin Fit for Pixel 2 XL at Amazon

Maxboost mSnap series

A hard polycarbonate case that protects the back and sides of the Google Pixel 2 from scratches and scuffs.

Get the Maxboost mSnap series in black, pink, or mint for $20.

• See Maxboost mSnap for Pixel 2 at Amazon
• See Maxboost mSnap for Pixel 2 XL at Amazon

Vinve flexible case

Made from TPU, the Vinve flexible case will help prevent damage from drops. The textured back also provides extra grip.

You can pick one up in black or blue for about $8.

• See Vinve flexible case for Pixel 2 at at Amazon
• See Vinve flexible case for Pixel 2 XL at at Amazon

Peel case

The thinnest case you’ll find, it will almost look like you have no case on your phone at all.

You can pick it up in black, white, and kinda blue for $25.

• See Peel case for Pixel 2 at Peel
• See Peel case for Pixel 2 XL at Peel

MNML case

Only 0.35mm thick and made with a matte finish that won’t show fingerprints.

You can find the MNML case in gray, black, white, red, and blue for about $15.

• See the MNML case for Pixel 2 at Amazon
• See the MNML case for Pixel 2 XL at Amazon

Google Live Case

Pick from a wide selection of designs, places, and even stunning scenes from Google Earth.

You can even send Google your pictures to make a personal case for you; perfect for a gift. Starts at $40.

• See Google Live Cases for Pixel 2 at Google
• See Google Live Cases for Pixel 2 XL at Google

LK Slim Thin

For those who want a cheap clear case to keep your phone protected without obscuring the Pixel 2’s cool design.

You can pick up the LK Slim Thin case for just $8.

• See LK Slim Thin for Pixel 2 at Amazon
• See LK Slim Thin for Pixel 2 XL at Amazon

Incipio NGP Pure

A slim soft polymer case that provides a barrier between your Pixel 2 and the rest of the world.

You can pick one up in smoke, navy, plum, or clear for about $20.

• See Incipio NGP Pure for Pixel 2 at Incipio
• See Incipio NGP Pure for Pixel 2 XL at Incipio

totalle case

Plain and simple, the totalle case for your Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will add a splash of color and a little grip to your phone, but absolutely no bulk. At only 0.02 inches thick, the totalle case won’t even feel like its there at all.

In fact, we liked the totallee case so much for its practically non-exsistant nature, thta we gave if a glowing review of 4.5 stars out of five.

You can pick up the totallee case for $20 in blue, black, white, grey, and more color options.

• See totallee case for Pixel 2
• See totallee case for Pixel 2 XL

Clear Cases

Spigen Liquid Crystal

This thin flexible TPU case will provide your Google Pixel 2 or 2 XL with more grip and has cushioning on the corner to help prevent damage from drops.

You can pick up the Spigen Liquid Crystal for $12.

• See Spigen Liquid Crystal for Pixel 2 at Spigen
• See Spigen Liquid Crystal for Pixel 2 XL at Amazon

Spigen Crystal Shell

Dual-layered protection consisting of both TPU and polycarbonate, the Spigen Crystal Shell offers protection while keeping the design of your Google Pixel 2 in clear sight.

You can pick up the Spigen Crystal Shell for $25.

• See Spigen Crystal Shell for Pixel 2 at Spigen
• See Spigen Crystal Shell for Pixel 2 XL at Spigen

Ringke Fusion

Ringke has their rugged clear case available for the Pixel 2. Made with a sturdy panel of polycarbonate on the back panel and an easy-grip TPU bumper, this case will keep your new device protected while also letting the Pixel 2’s design shine through.

You can pick up the Ringke Fusion for about $10.

• See Ringke Fusion for Pixel 2 at Amazon
• See Ringke Fusion for Pixel 2 XL at Amazon

Ringke Bevel

Just like the Ringke Fusion, the Bevel provides the same protection with a bevel design on the back to enhance grip and make your phone stand out. The case is still clear enough not to take away from the design of the Pixel 2.

Grab it for around $9.

• See Ringke Bevel for Pixel 2 at Amazon
• See Ringke Bevel for Pixel 2 XL at Amazon

Speck Presidio Clear

Dual-layered protection drop tested for eight feet. Thick cutouts for camera prevent scratches on the lens when lying on a flat surface.

The Speck Presidio Clear case will cost you $40 for the Pixel 2 and $45 for the larger Pixel 2 XL.

• See Speck Presidio Clear for Pixel 2 at Speck
• See Speck Presidio Clear for Pixel 2 XL at Speck

Trianium CLARIUM

Shock-absorbing TPU mixed with a hard polycarbonate back give the Trianium CLARIUM dual-layered protection to keep your phone safe.

You can pick up the Trianium CLARIUM for $8.

• See Trianium CLARIUM for Pixel 2 at Amazon
• See Trianium CLARIUM for Pixel 2 XL at Amazon

Incipio Reprieve Sport 2.0

Clear back to show off the Google Pixel 2’s style, textured sides to improve grip, and reinforced corners to prevent damage from dropping. For $40, the Incipio Reprieve Sport 2.0 has a little something for everyone.

• See Incipio Reprieve Sport 2.0 for Pixel 2 at Incipio
• See Incipio Reprieve Sport 2.0 for Pixel 2 XL at Incipio

Rugged cases

Caseology Vault Series

Made of flexible TPU, it features a sleek finish along the back and textured grip around the edges.

You can pick up the Caseology Vault Series for around $11.

Note: This case is only available for the Pixel 2 XL.

• See Caseology Vault Series for Pixel 2 XL at Amazon

Otterbox Symmetry series

Otterbox’s Symmetry series offers the classic protection you expect from the company in a slimmer profile. The one-piece design is thick enough to prevent damage from drop and scratches, and the raised edges help protect your Pixel 2 when lying on a flat surface.

• See Otterbox Symmetry series for Pixel 2 at Otterbox
• See Otterbox Symmetry series for Pixel 2 XL at Otterbox

CrashGuard Bumper Case by RhinoShield

RhinoShield’s CrashGuard Bumper Case is a great way to protect your phone without adding a ton of bulk. Protects the edges of your phone with lots of cusion on the corner, which prevents damage when your Pixel 2 takes a tumble.

You can pick up CrashGuard Bumper Case by RhinoShield for $25.

• See CrashGuard Bumper Case for Pixel 2 at RhinoShield
• See CrashGuard Bumper Case for Pixel 2 XL at RhinoShield

Spigen Rugged Armor

Single layer TPU with rasied edges to protect screen and camera while lying on a flat surface. Plus, the corner of the case are extra protected to help prevent damage from drops.

You can pick up the Spigen Ruged Armor for $13.

• See Rugged Armor for Pixel 2 at Amazon
• See Rugged Armor for Pixel 2 XL at Amazon

Spigen Neo Hybrid

A TPU sleeve and a hard polycarbonate bumper make up Spigen’s New Hybrid case offering adequate protection with a sense of style. The way the bumper is designed it sit completely flush with the rest of the case, make the Neo Hybrid feel good when you’re holding your phone.

You can pick up the Neo Hybrid for $16.

• See Neo Hybrid for Pixel 2 at Amazon
• See Neo Hybrid for Pixel 2 XL at Amazon

DGtle shockproof case

Made from a single layer of TPU, the DGtle shockproof case has lots of extra protection around the corners to help prevent damage when the phone is dropped on a corner.

Available in a wide variety of colors, such as blue, pink, and smoke black for $8.

• See DGtle shockproof case for Pixel 2 at Amazon
• See DGtle shockproof case for Pixel 2 XL at Amazon

UAG Plasma series

This translucent rugged case features a two-tone single piece design that cover the back and sides of the Google Pixel 2 and meet military drop test standards.

You can pick up the UAG Plasma series in ice or ask color option for about $40.

• See UAG Plasma series for Pixel 2 XL at UAG
• See UAG Plasma series for Pixel 2 XL at UAG

Suensan protective case

A single TPU layer that covers the back and side of the Google Pixel 2 with raised bezels to protect the camera and screen on flat surfaces.

You can pick on up in mint green, black, blue, gray, and red for $9.

• See Suensan protective case for Pixel 2 at Amazon
• See Suensan protective case for Pixel 2 XL at Amazon

Heavy Duty

ATUS Anti-Slip Slim Fit

Heavy duty protection in a slim profile, the ATUS Anti-Slip Slim Fit has dua-layered protection to keep your Pixel 2 safe and sound, while keeping the profile of your phone slimmer than most heavy-duty cases out there.

The ATUS Anti-Slip Slim Fit is only avaiable for the Pixel 2. You can pick one up in black, pink, or teal for about $9.

• See ATUS Anti-Slip Slim Fit for Pixel 2 at Amazon

Caseology Parallax series

The Caseology Parallax Series offers a slim, two-piece design to keep your Pixel 2 well-protected.

It’s available in a wide variety of colors such as black, burgundy, navy blue, and ocean gray. You can pick on up for about $15.

Note: This case is only available for the Google Pixel 2 XL.

• See Caseology Parallax series for Pixel 2 XL at Amazon

Caseology Legion Series

The Caseology Legion Series offers the same dual-layered protection as its Parallax series; however, the Legion series focuses on protecting the back of the phone a lot more.

You can grab it for $18.

Note: This case is only available for the Pixel 2 XL.

• See Caseology Legion Series for Pixel 2 XL at Amazon

Spigen Tough Armor

A personal favorite of mine, Spigen Tough Armor offers robust dual-layered protection with TPU and hard polycarbonate materials. The metal kickstand is perfect for watching videos and other media while your hands are other wise preoccupied.

You can pick up the Spigen Tough Armor in black or gunmetal for $35.

• See Spigen Tough Armor for Pixel 2 at Spigen
• See Spigen Tough Armor for Pixel 2 XL at Spigen

Spigen Slim Armor

Just like Spigen’s Tough Armor, the Slim Armor case uses TPU and hard polycarbonate materials for dual-layered protection, but comes in a slimmer package.

You can pick up the Spigen Slim Armor in black or gunmetal for $30.

• See Spigen Slim Armor for Pixel 2 at Spigen
• See Spigen Slim Armor for Pixel 2 XL at Spigen

Otterbox Defender series

The ultimate name in protection, Otterbox’s Defender series is the Mack Daddy of all protective cases. With four different layers, your Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL will be as safe as it possibly can be.

The Otterbox Defender series will cost you $50 or $60 for the Pixel 2 and the Pixel 2 XL respectively.

• See Otterbox Defender series for Pixel 2 at Otterbox
• See Otterbox Defender series for Pixel 2 XL at Otterbox

Leather Cases

Bellroy Leather case

Made using premium leather and featuring a soft microfiber lining this is a lightweight case that will keep your phone well protected and age beautifully over time. It’s also backed by a 3-year warranty from Bellroy.

You can pick up the Bellroy Leather case from the Google Store for $45 with free shipping!

• See Bellroy Leather case for Pixel 2 at Google
• See Bellroy Leather case for Pixel 2 XL at Google

Wallet cases

ProCase Leather Wallet

This beautiful leather case has three cards slots and closes with a magnetic clip. Plus, it even can be used as a kickstand for media viewing.

You can pick up the ProCase Leather wallet for about $30 in black, tan, or red.

• See ProCase Leather Wallet for Pixel 2 at Amazon
• See ProCase Leather Wallet for Pixel 2 XL at Amazon

Case Mate Wallet Folio

Made from real leather, the Case Mate Wallet Folio has four card slots and even a pocket to put your cash. Leaving your wallet at home has never been easier.

You can pick one up for $60.

• See Case Mate Wallet Folio for Pixel 2 at Case Mate
• See Case Mate Wallet Folio for Pixel 2 XL at Case Mate

JD wallet case

Made from a faux leather material, the JD wallet case has plenty of room for cards and cash. The case even comes with a built in RFID blocker, meaning your credit card numbers should be safe.

The JD wallet case comes in black, blue, pink, and brown for about $16.

• See JD wallet case for Pixel 2 at Amazon
• See JD wallet case for Pixel 2 XL at Amazon

Trianium wallet case

A hard protective shell with a card slot that card hold ID, credit cards, and cash, the Trianium wallet case offers protection and functionality.

You can pick up a Trianium wallet case for $10.

Note This case is only available for the Pixel 2 XL.

• See Trianium wallet case for Pixel 2 XL at Amazon

Maxboost wallet case

With three cards slots and a place to store your cash, the Maxboost wallet case has a magenetic lock to keep the wallet case firmly closed when not in use.

Grab the Maxboost wallet case for only $13.

• See Maxboost wallet case for Pixel 2 at Amazon
• See Maxboost wallet case for Pixel 2 XL at Amazon

LK wallet case

With a TPU inner skin, the LK wallet case offers mild protection against damage when your Pixel 2 takes a fall. With three card slots, and a place to put your cash, you can venture out into the world with your normal bulky wallet with ease.

The LK wallet case comes in black, brown, purple, and rose gold and will cost you about $10.

• See LK wallet case for Pixel 2 at Amazon
• See LK wallet case for Pixel 2 XL at Amazon

Other types of cases

Moment Photo case

Another personal favorite of mine, the Moment Photo case is designed to work with the wide-variety of Moment lenes. If you want a beautiful looking case that will up you photography game, check it out.

You can pick one up with a walnut finish for only $30.

• See Moment Photo case for Pixel 2 at Moment
• See Moment Photo case for Pixel 2 XL at Moment

Google Fabric case

If you prefer your phone case to have some texture for grip, you’re probably going to love the Google Fabric Case. It features the same fabric finish look found on other recent Google products such as the Google Home Mini.

These cases offer a premium microfiber liner to ensure your device stays scuff-free and your choice of four color combinations for $40.

• See Google Fabric case for Pixel 2 at Google
• See Google Fabric case for Pixel 2 XL at Google

Carved Wooden Cases

With dozens of unique designs and plenty of wood grains and colors to choose from, Carved wooden cases are absolutely gorgeous.

The Carvedwooden cases range from $24 — $40.

• See Carved wooden cases for Pixel 2 at Carved
• See Carved wooden cases for Pixel 2 XL at Carved

What case did you go with for your Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL?

Let us know in the comment below!

Updated June 2018: Added the fantastic totallee case for fans of really thin cases!

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

• Pixel 2 FAQ: Everything you need to know!
• Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL review: The new standard
• Google Pixel 2 specs
• Google Pixel 2 vs. Pixel 2 XL: What’s the difference?
• Join our Pixel 2 forums

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How to play Beat Saber on Oculus Go

ALVR allows you to play a one-handed version of Beat Saber.

Oculus Go is a standalone wireless VR headset that natively allows you to enjoy some quality mobile Oculus experiences. Coupled with Air Light VR (ALVR), a free piece of open-source software, you can actually stream SteamVR games normally reserved for PC-based headsets to the Oculus Go.

While a lot of those SteamVR experiences won’t work properly, Beat Saber seems to now fall under the category of “partially working.” You still don’t have six degrees of freedom (6DoF) or two motion controllers, but you can certainly get a feel for the game. If you’ve been dying to try Beat Saber in any capacity whatsoever, you’re in luck. Here’s how to get Beat Saber mostly working with Oculus Go.

See Oculus Go at Amazon

How to install and set up ALVR

Before anything else, you want to ensure that you can get ALVR working on your PC. I’ve already written an extensive guide with step-by-step instructions, as well as a short list of what’s required when it comes to hardware.

Check out this guide first, and if all works properly, you can proceed with getting Beat Saber properly set up.

How to play SteamVR games on Oculus Go

How to play Beat Saber on Oculus Go

Now that ALVR is set up and ready to rock, all you have to do is launch Beat Saber through Steam. However, there are a few things that you need to know about running Beat Saber properly.

1. Opt out of the SteamVR beta

If you’re part of the SteamVR beta, be sure to opt out before continuing. In my experience, the beta didn’t allow my to use the Oculus Go motion controller.

How to enroll in the SteamVR beta

2. Ensure you’re using version 2.1.5 of ALVR

It’s uncertain whether future versions of ALVR will continue to support Beat Saber, but for now, this version is tested and true.

3. Select “No Fail” from the Beat Saber menu

If you don’t select the “No Fail” option within the game, you will quickly lose. It’s impossible to duck out of the way of obstacles, and because the controller is essentially stuck in place, you won’t be able to hit all blocks.

4. Select “One Saber” from the Beat Saber menu

Before starting a game, be sure to choose the single saber option. This one’s a no-brainer, as you only have the one Go motion controller.

What to expect from Beat Saber on Oculus Go

YouTuber RaMarcus created this video to show what we can expect from Beat Saber on Oculus Go. Props to him for discovering that this now works.

Considering this unholy union was never meant to happen, Beat Saber on Oculus Go can be a good bit of fun. As long as you don’t go into this experiment expecting an experience on par with a true PC-based system, you’ll do alright.

As we wait and hope that Beat Saber one day comes to Oculus Go in a true sense, you can right now give it a good shot with one saber. You can’t really duck obstacles, and moving side to side can even be a bit sketchy, so the “No Fail” option is still a must.

My recommendation? Definitely give this a try if you already own an Oculus Go and don’t mind a bit of PC tinkering, but I’m not sure at this point in time it’s worth buying the hardware just for this experience, no matter how awesome Beat Saber is.

More resources

• Best VR games similar to Beat Saber
• 8 Beat Saber tips and tricks to excel in Expert mode

Oculus Go

• A parent’s guide to Oculus Go
• Oculus Go vs. Lenovo Mirage Solo
• Best Gamepad for Oculus Go
• Best Battery Backup for Oculus Go

Oculus Go 32GB
Oculus Go 64GB

Motorola promises to change the way we use our phones on August 2

Maybe this is where we’ll get the Moto Z3?

Even though the Moto Z3 Play was just announced earlier this month, Motorola already has something else in store for us to check out.

The company just released a teaser video on YouTube highlighting a press event that’ll take place on August 2 at 2:00 PM at its headquarters in Chicago. For the video’s description, it reads:

Mark your calendar. On August 2, we’re making a big announcement at Motorola’s HQ in Chicago. Say “hello” to a whole new way to connect, stream, download, video chat, and more. Are you ready?

Motorola doesn’t give any indication as to what the announcement will be, but the two most likely candidates are the Moto Z3 and Motorola One Power. These two phones have leaked rather substantially, and while the Motorola One Power came up out of nowhere this year, an August 2 reveal for the Z3 lines up with the Z2 Force that was announced in late July last year.

What are you hoping to see from Motorola in a little over a month?

These are all the Moto phones Motorola is releasing in 2018

BlackBerry KEY2 vs. BlackBerry KEYone: Should you upgrade?

The price you pay for loving KEY.

The BlackBerry KEY2 didn’t have to overdeliver — it just had to deliver. Instead, BlackBerry Mobile listened to the complaints leveled against the first-generation KEYone and managed to address nearly every one of them. There’s something to be said about that.

The KEY2’s improvements are subtle but significant, and are uniformly applied — there isn’t a single area of the phone that hasn’t been affected in some way. At the same time, it’s very much the physical and spiritual successor to the KEYone, and will likely attract a similarly-sized audience; when BlackBerry Mobile says it intends to grow the keyboard phone market with the KEY2, it’s through evolution, not revolution.

KEY2 vs. KEYone What’s the same?

The KEY2 maintains the original’s 4.5-inch 1620×1080 pixel IPS display — and I’m not talking the same specs, I’m talking about the same exact display — which limits the phone to letterboxing while watching wide-angle content in landscape.

But that’s part of the value proposition of a phone like this: it does things differently. BlackBerry Mobile says that no one, including its most hardcore fan base, complained about the screen, and lengthening it to 16:9, or trying to reduce bezel size, would have been problematic for both aesthetics and usability.

Some of the things that stayed the same were good. The capacitive buttons weren’t.

What also hasn’t changed over last year is the implementation of capacitive buttons. Again, BlackBerry doubled down on a set of conventions and stuck to them, saying that virtual keys would have forced them to rethink the display or chassis size, and it wanted the phone to be evenly weighted.

The use of capacitive keys isn’t fundamentally problematic since Google isn’t going to enforce a navigation change to gestures when upgrading to Android P, but it does somewhat limit the KEY2’s upgradeability.

Both the KEYone and KEY2 share a textured back, making the phone easy to grip, and both sport headphone jacks, single downward-facing speakers, and USB-C fast charging.

Operating System	Android 8.1 Oreo	Android 7.1 Nougat
Display	4.5-inch, 1620×1080 IPS LCD434 ppi	4.5-inch, 1620x1080IPS LCD434 ppi
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 6604x Kryo 2.2GHz, 4x Kryo 1.8GHzAdreno 512 GPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon 625Octa-core 2GHzAdreno 506 GPU
RAM	6GB	3GB
Storage	64GB / 128GB	32GB
Expandable	microSD up to 2TB	microSD up to 2TB
Rear Camera 1	12MP (1.3 micron) ƒ/1.8 laser+phase autofocusdual-tone LED flash	12MP (1.55 micron) ƒ/2phase autofocusdual-tone LED flash
Rear Camera 2	12MP (1 micron) ƒ/2.6 2x optical zoom portrait mode	n/a
Video	4K @ 30fps, 1080p @ 60fps HDR	4K @ 30fps, 1080p @ 60fpsHDR
Front Camera	8MP Selfie flash1080p/30 video	8MPSelfie flash1080p/30 video
Battery	3500 mAh Non-removable	3505 mAhNon-removable
Charging	Quick Charge 3.0 USB-C	Quick Charge 3.0USB-C
Water resistance	No	No
Headphone jack	Yes	Yes
Security	Front-facing fingerprint sensor (in keyboard) DTEK security suiteFIPS 140-2 Full Disk EncryptionAndroid For Work, Google Play for Work	Front-facing fingerprint sensor (in keyboard) DTEK security suiteFIPS 140-2 Full Disk EncryptionAndroid For Work, Google Play for Work
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, 5GHz, Bluetooth 5 + LE, NFCGPS, GLONASS	Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, 5GHz, Bluetooth 4.2 LE, NFCGPS, GLONASS
Network (NA GSM)	LTE Band 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/14/17/20/28/29/30/66 TD-LTE Band 38/39/40/41	LTE Band 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/17/19/20/28/29/30 TD-LTE Band 38/39/40/41
Dimensions	151.4 x 71.8 x 8.5 mm	149.1 x 72.39 x 9.4 mm
Weight	168	180g

Both phones have roughly the same sized battery, too — 3,500mAh on the KEY2 and 3,505mAh on the KEYone — which should translate into more than a full day on both phones. We’ve already recounted the epic longevity of the original KEYone, with its battery-sipping Snapdragon 625 platform, and in our tests, the KEY2 performs just as well, if not better.

BlackBerry KEY2 specs

KEY2 vs. KEYone What’s different?

Despite sharing much of the same core design, the BlackBerry KEY2 changes up a significant amount, both internally and externally, from the size of the keys on the eponymous keyboard to the heftier components that adorn the specifications sheet.

For starters, the Snapdragon 660 that powers the phone is more than double the speed, both in single- and multi-core tests, of the KEYone’s Snapdragon 625. That phone was notorious for unwelcome slowdowns and stutters, and despite a fairly good reputation with other phones, the Snapdragon 625 is aging itself out these days.

The processor in the KEY2 is more than twice as fast as the KEYone, and it’s going to be a big deal for performance.

Conversely, the S660 is newer, faster, and better-equipped to handle the considerable multitasking allotment that KEY2 owners are going to ask of the phone. In day-to-day use, the KEY2’s performance is much more consistent than the KEYone’s, and though I experienced a bit of slowdown, it wasn’t enough to adversely affect my enjoyment of the phone.

BlackBerry KEY2 review: Just my type

Add to that the 6GB of RAM that comes standard in the KEY2 — double that of most KEYone models — and the newer phone has the potential to rival many flagships for overall peppiness. (It also does somewhat justify the $100 price bump over the original.)

The faster processor and RAM also support the new camera system. To accommodate a second camera — a 12MP sensor with an f/2.6 lens at twice the focal length of the main one — BlackBerry Mobile had to change out the primary sensor for a smaller one than was in the KEYone.

That particular camera, though not best-in-class by any means, boasted the same module as the first Google Pixel, which had the best camera of 2016. The sensor, a Sony IMX368, boasts 1.55-micron pixels, which affords better low-light photography, has been replaced by one of identical resolution Samsung ISOCELL module (the same one that was in the international Galaxy S8), with smaller 1.28-micron pixels. On paper, that’s not a huge difference, but the KEY2’s low light performance is considerably worse than the KEYone’s, and somewhat counteracts its excellent daylight performance.

Of course, having a second sensor means the KEY2 can perform tricks the KEYone couldn’t dream of, like portrait mode and, more useful, telephotography. The rear camera also boasts the ability to capture 1080p video footage at 60fps, an ability earned by the more powerful Snapdragon 660 processor.

There’s something to be said for subtle improvements, like the size of the keyboard buttons.

The KEY2’s design is considerably more modern-looking than the KEYone’s, with angular brushed aluminum sides, a front boasting more integrated sensors, and less frustrating button placement, with the power button now located on the phone’s right side nestled between the volume rocker and Convenience Key.

Looking at the two side-by-side reveals a number of small tweaks, too: the phone is ever-so-slightly taller and narrower, making it easier to paw one-handed, and it’s around 8% lighter, too.

The keyboard keys, now matte instead of glossy, are 20% taller than those in last year’s phone. The keys’ size, and improved clickiness, are among the most important upgrades to the KEY2, and they’re really good. In fact, this is the best BlackBerry keyboard I’ve ever used.

The newer phone also sports a Speed Key, which operates as a de facto shortcut key to anything the phone can do. It’s located where the right-side Shift button is on the KEYone, and I can’t say I’m going to miss the old design much.

KEY2 vs. KEYone Should you upgrade?

The KEY2 costs $649 USD and $829 CAD, and will be released in Canada on July 6 and the U.S. on July 13. It’s $100 more than the KEYone, which is a bummer, but there’s a lot of value here. Given the slow creep of phone costs in general, some price bump was expected, but $100 seems pretty sizeable. At the same time, the internal specs align much more with flagships we’re seeing from Samsung, Huawei, LG, and others, and BlackBerry Mobile understands its demographic well enough to know that those willing to spend $550 on a KEYone will easily spend $650 on its successor. I mean, the Pixel 2 costs $650, as well.

Whether that successor is worth upgrading to, though, is not my decision to make. While we still don’t know whether the KEY2 will be sold directly at U.S. carriers, the version that’s coming supports both AT&T and T-Mobile; it doesn’t seem like BlackBerry will be releasing a CDMA-compatible model at the moment. (There is a Verizon/Sprint-compatible KEYone, if you’re interested in picking one up at a discount.)

If you love BlackBerry phones and were holding off buying a KEYone, the KEY2 will sate your hunger for a keyboard phone running Android. If you have a KEYone, you should probably wait until the company rolls out Android Oreo before deciding whether the KEY2 is a worthy upgrade, since there will be some inevitable software improvements coming to the older model. If you’re in the larger camp that’s loudly scoffed at BlackBerry’s return — are you hate-reading this? — the KEY2 may not convince you to change your mind, but picking one up will offer a much better first impression either way.

See at BlackBerry Mobile

BlackBerry KEY2

• BlackBerry KEY2 review
• BlackBerry KEY2: Everything you need to know!
• BlackBerry KEY2 specs
• BlackBerry KEYone review: Coming home
• Join our BlackBerry KEY2 forums!

BlackBerry

Everything you need to know about the RAMpage security exploit

The RAMpage exploit has the potential to give a bad app complete control of your phone. Should you be worried?

The latest security exploit to affect millions of devices is called RAMpage. It’s a variation of previous attacks that use the Rowhammer hardware vulnerability to run malicious code by changing what’s stored into your device’s memory (RAM) and has the potential of data loss and to allow unauthorized access. In other words, someone using RAMpage could get into your phone and have control.

Scary headlines that say “Every Android device since 2012” are effective in getting the word out, but they leave plenty of questions. We can answer some of those in language everyone can understand.

What is Rowhammer?

You need to start here to understand how this exploit works. Rowhammer is a term used to describe a hardware issue that affects computer RAM. It’s not technically an exploit and happens because of the laws of physics.

Modern RAM chips are packed so densely that electricity can “leak” from one part and affect another.

DDR2 and newer RAM is packed so densely that you can electrically manipulate one area of RAM and it will affect another through electrical crosstalk or something like transistor leakage — where one component radiates more stray electricity that its neighbors can handle. Theoretically, this can affect any silicon-based computer hardware like video cards or CPUs.

An attack that exploits the Rowhammer effect could do what’s called “bit flipping” and turn a single bit in RAM from one state to the other — turn it on or off, depending on how it was set before the attack. If the right bit was flipped, an attacker could change permissions for their app and give it complete control of your phone.

RAMpage attacks ION on Android devices. What is ION?

There are a lot of ways to initiate a Rowhammer attack. There are even examples (now patched by most every company that needs to make patches) using network packets or Javascript, which means it could happen just by visiting a webpage. RAMpage uses the ION subsystem to initiate the attack.

ION lets apps talk to the system about how much RAM they need while they are running, then makes it happen in a safe and universal way.

ION is a universal generic memory management system that Google added to the Android kernel in Ice Cream Sandwich. You need a subsystem to manage and allocate memory because a program could need 10 bits (for example) of memory used but “standard” ways for allocating memory mean 16 bits would be used. That’s how most computers count — they go from 0 to 4 to 8 to 16 to 32 and so on. If every running process reserved more memory than it needed you would have a lot of empty memory that thinks it needs to be used.

Companies that make smartphone chips, like Qualcomm or Samsung, all had their own memory allocation tool. In order to allow Android to use the “regular” (mainline) Linux kernel source, Google added ION to the Android kernel so all manufacturers could switch to using it and the system would be more universal. And they did.

How does RAMpage work?

RAMpage attacks the ION subsystem and causes it to frantically write and refresh a row of bits in the physical memory in the hopes that it will eventually flip a bit in the adjacent row. This can potentially allow for one application to gain access to another application’s data, or even allow that application to act as the system administrator and have full control.

RAMpage breaks the most fundamental isolation between user applications and the operating system. While apps are typically not permitted to read data from other apps, a malicious program can craft a RAMpage exploit to get administrative control and get hold of secrets stored in the device.

You would need to install a malicious app that uses the RAMpage attack, and since this was made public Google Play and Amazon’s App Store won’t allow any to be uploaded. You would have to get the application through other means and sideload it.

The researchers who introduced us to RAMpage have an app to test vulnerability as well as a security app to prevent the attack. You can find both here.

Does this affect Windows or Apple products?

Maybe. The researchers themselves aren’t very clear on the issue but claim that RAMpage could affect iOS, macOS, Windows PCs, and even cloud servers.

We will have to wait for additional findings to know for sure.

Should I be worried?

Every Android device made since 2012 (every phone that shipped with Ice Cream Sandwich or later) uses the ION subsystem and has DDR2, DDR3, or DDR4 RAM and is potentially vulnerable. This means you should definitely know about RAMpage and other Rowhammer attacks.

Flipping the right bit has a 1-in-32 billion chance of happening on most Android phones — some have even higher odds.

But using a Rowhammer attack to do a specific thing isn’t possible. It’s simple enough to attack one row of bits in a RAM module until a bit in an adjacent row flips, but it’s nearly impossible to know what is written to that adjacent row. Software like Android or iOS has protections built in that ensures there is no specific place in memory any task needs to be written to, and the whole thing is random.

An attacker can’t know what bit is going to be flipped or what it will do. That means it’s like a game of roulette with a wheel that has 32 billion slots for the ball to fall in. Random luck exists, but these odds are extremely low.

You should be aware of RAMpage, but there is no need to be worried that anything will happen to you. Continue to use common sense and only install apps that come from a place you trust (sticking to Google Play is a fine idea) and carry on as normal.