Watch this Japanese ‘dragon’ drone slither through the air like a flying snake

Drones are awesome, but there are only so many conventional quadcopters you can see before you start to get jaded and lose your sense of wonder. Fortunately, researchers from the University of Tokyo are ready and waiting in the wings to reintroduce said wonder — courtesy of their new drone designed to look like a dragon.

Standing (and we’re a bit dubious about this one) for “Dual-Rotor embedded multilink Robots of multi-degree-of-freedom aerial transformation,” DRAGON is seemingly modeled after a single line flying dragon kite. Only in this case, it uses a series of modules with a pair of ducted fan thrusters on each to help it maneuver through the air in spectacular fashion. By changing the fan thrusters’ direction to generate vectored thrust, the DRAGON drone is capable of carrying out an astonishing range of transformative motions in the air; transitioning into different shapes depending on what it is required to do.

“DRAGON does not have to contact with the ground, so the motion freedom is higher than other multi-linked robots from two aspects: Mobility and manipulation ability,” Moju Zhao, an assistant professor at the University of Tokyo, told Digital Trends.

University of Tokyo

The mobility means that the robot can move easily through complex environments, even passing through narrow spaces like a snake. Such abilities could prove very helpful for inspection or disaster rescue tasks in the future. The manipulation ability, meanwhile, means that the robot could function as what Zhao describes as a “flying human arm,” potentially being augmented with a gripper to carry out precision work with the flexibility of an actual arm.

At present, the drone’s battery life only lets it stay airborne for up to three minutes at a time, although this could be improved in the future. It could also support up to 12 linked modules, giving it an enormous amount of agility and shape-shifting prowess.

“We will [next] move forward to design a ‘multi-legged’ model with our basic link module,” Zhao continued. “Then the robot can not only fly, but also walk on the ground. This can benefit us in terms of the energy efficiency. Such autonomous decision about locomotion according to the environment is very interesting research. Our ultimate dream is to achieve the flying humanoid, like an unmanned Iron Man.”

Editors’ Recommendations

• Awesome Tech You Can’t Buy Yet: Smart Rubik’s Cubes, diving drones, robot artists
• 9 bizarre drones, from web slingers to lake hoppers
• A sensor-packed exosuit lets you fly a drone by pretending to be one
• SmokeBot robot can see things human firefighters can’t in smoke-filled rooms
• Powered by a laser, this insect-sized RoboFly can take off and land wirelessly

The creator of Internet Explorer wants to read your mind with a bracelet

Forget Amazon Echo-style voice controls or touchscreen gestures; the idea of controlling a computer with your thoughts sounds like the ultimate way of interfacing with machines. There’s just one problem: for the technology to work as well as it could, it might be necessary to drill a hole in your head and insert a chip in your brain. That, as they say in the trade, is a dealbreaker.

A New York startup called CRTL-Labs has a different idea, though. Founded by Thomas Reardon, the creator of Microsoft Internet Explorer, it describes itself as an “applied research neuroscience company” with designs on decoding your neural activity. But unlike many of its rivals in this space it won’t actually venture too close to your cranium to do it. And it certainly won’t be brandishing any drills or other cutting implements.

Users can carry out feats like typing 200 words-per-minute without physically touching a keyboard.

Instead, CRTL-Labs has developed an electronic wristband which promises to make possible non-invasive mental control of computers, smart prosthetics, and a range of other devices. This brain-computer interface is accomplished by picking up voltage bursts resulting from muscle fibers in the arm when it contracts.

By analyzing these signals, slight body movements can be transformed into computer inputs. Better still, as the video below makes clear, even the intention of movement can be read as movement.

Admittedly, this isn’t a brain-computer interface in the way that we might think of one. However, the reason the team describe it this way is because it may be the fastest means yet of turning the brain’s conscious instructions into useful actions. In this case, the technology becomes a natural extension of thought and movement. Using CRTL-Labs’ prototype device — which looks a bit like the kind of studded armband a 1990s superhero drawn by Rob Liefeld might have sported — users can carry out feats like typing 200 words-per-minute without having to physically touch a keyboard.

“We think about your arm as a pipe of information from your brain to the world,” Adam Berenzweig, director of R&D at CTRL-Labs, told Digital Trends. “We don’t have too many other ways of getting the information out of our brain, except through control of muscles.”

A new universal input device?

There is, of course, voice. Using our voices, thoughts can be communicated as verbal instructions near-instantaneously. Thanks to advances in artificial intelligence, voice control is now a viable technology for the first time in history. But as Berenzweig pointed out, voice control isn’t perfect for every scenario. “Voice is great for some things, but it’s not ideal for all circumstances,” he said. “There are privacy issues, loud environments, and other times when it’s simply not convenient.”

“I could see a future where people are wearing this device all day.”

A subtle gesture, on the other hand, can be carried out in virtually any context. It’s also a very versatile control method. Our hands turn out to be pretty versatile hunks of meat. We can type with them. We can hold pens with them. We can drum our fingers. We can ball our fingers up and form fists.

The ability to recognize any of these gestures using one ultra-sensitive wearable could lead to the biggest leap forward in computer interfaces since the invention of the mouse. It could be even more versatile, in fact, since the mouse is really only an analog for pointing; transforming that universal human gesture into a computational metaphor.

“I could certainly see a future where people are wearing this device all day, and it’s the thing that is used to interact with people’s phones, the lights in their house, and the radio in their car,” Berenzweig continued. “After people are used to it, it’s easy to imagine that people will [wonder why they need a keyboard or mouse at all] when they’re sitting at their computer.”

CTRL Labs

He suggested that it could prove to be a generational thing, in which our CRTL-Labs armband-wearing kids view today’s input devices the same way they skeptically look at bits of retrograde tech detritus like VHS tapes and Game Boys. “Did you guys seriously used to use those?” they’ll ask us, one hand subtly contorting as they simultaneously gesture out a quick IM to their school friends.

Coming soon to an arm near you

“A really big use case for this is going to be virtual reality and augmented reality,” Berenzweig said. “Right now, VR can offer really amazing, immersive experiences visually. But then to control them you’ve just got these sticks where your hands should be. It really limits an experience, which is very much defined by what kind of control you have.”

“What we’re putting out this year is not mass consumer-ready, but the technology works.”

Using CRTL-Labs’ technology, the idea of controller-free VR suddenly becomes a whole lot more possible. As the world becomes increasingly “smart,” with connected Internet of Things devices all around us, it’s equally easy to imagine how technology such as this could be used to let us interact with everything from our smart thermostats to our smart locks. What self-respecting geek hasn’t, at some point, wished that they could control the world around them with a simple Jedi Knight-style wave of the hand? Such things may not remain science fiction for too much longer.

The bigger question, however, is how this will translate to other interface methods. Some gestures are natural to us, like pointing at an object to indicate interest. Others, like American Sign Language, have more of a learning curve. We can train ourselves to use them as second nature — much like a pianist learns to turn the music in their brain into finger movements on a keyboard — but this requires effort.

In an age of intuitive, effortless interfaces like voice and smartphone swipes, will we be willing to put in the work? And, if so, how many of us? If this tech is going to become the universal interface Berenzweig believes it can be, the answer had better be “lots and lots.”

CRTL Labs

We’ll get the chance to find out soon.

“We’re committed to shipping something this year,” he said. “It will be a smaller rollout to developers [initially]. We’ve currently got a signup sheet for people to register their interest. It’s still early in the productization. What we’re putting out this year is not mass consumer-ready, but the technology works. Our goal now is to get it in the hands of developers so they can start exploring exactly what is possible with it.”

We await the verdict with bated breath, arm muscle fibers twitching with excitement.

Editors’ Recommendations

• 7 ways we’ll interact with computers in the future
• Meet the Australian ‘techno-artist’ growing a web-connected ear on his arm
• Assistive tech is progressing faster than ever, and these 7 devices prove it
• Tomorrow’s laptop will work more like your phone — and you’re going to love it
• Why downhill camera operators are winter sport’s true unsung heroes

The creator of Internet Explorer wants to read your mind with a bracelet

Forget Amazon Echo-style voice controls or touchscreen gestures; the idea of controlling a computer with your thoughts sounds like the ultimate way of interfacing with machines. There’s just one problem: for the technology to work as well as it could, it might be necessary to drill a hole in your head and insert a chip in your brain. That, as they say in the trade, is a dealbreaker.

A New York startup called CRTL-Labs has a different idea, though. Founded by Thomas Reardon, the creator of Microsoft Internet Explorer, it describes itself as an “applied research neuroscience company” with designs on decoding your neural activity. But unlike many of its rivals in this space it won’t actually venture too close to your cranium to do it. And it certainly won’t be brandishing any drills or other cutting implements.

Users can carry out feats like typing 200 words-per-minute without physically touching a keyboard.

Instead, CRTL-Labs has developed an electronic wristband which promises to make possible non-invasive mental control of computers, smart prosthetics, and a range of other devices. This brain-computer interface is accomplished by picking up voltage bursts resulting from muscle fibers in the arm when it contracts.

By analyzing these signals, slight body movements can be transformed into computer inputs. Better still, as the video below makes clear, even the intention of movement can be read as movement.

Admittedly, this isn’t a brain-computer interface in the way that we might think of one. However, the reason the team describe it this way is because it may be the fastest means yet of turning the brain’s conscious instructions into useful actions. In this case, the technology becomes a natural extension of thought and movement. Using CRTL-Labs’ prototype device — which looks a bit like the kind of studded armband a 1990s superhero drawn by Rob Liefeld might have sported — users can carry out feats like typing 200 words-per-minute without having to physically touch a keyboard.

“We think about your arm as a pipe of information from your brain to the world,” Adam Berenzweig, director of R&D at CTRL-Labs, told Digital Trends. “We don’t have too many other ways of getting the information out of our brain, except through control of muscles.”

A new universal input device?

There is, of course, voice. Using our voices, thoughts can be communicated as verbal instructions near-instantaneously. Thanks to advances in artificial intelligence, voice control is now a viable technology for the first time in history. But as Berenzweig pointed out, voice control isn’t perfect for every scenario. “Voice is great for some things, but it’s not ideal for all circumstances,” he said. “There are privacy issues, loud environments, and other times when it’s simply not convenient.”

“I could see a future where people are wearing this device all day.”

A subtle gesture, on the other hand, can be carried out in virtually any context. It’s also a very versatile control method. Our hands turn out to be pretty versatile hunks of meat. We can type with them. We can hold pens with them. We can drum our fingers. We can ball our fingers up and form fists.

The ability to recognize any of these gestures using one ultra-sensitive wearable could lead to the biggest leap forward in computer interfaces since the invention of the mouse. It could be even more versatile, in fact, since the mouse is really only an analog for pointing; transforming that universal human gesture into a computational metaphor.

“I could certainly see a future where people are wearing this device all day, and it’s the thing that is used to interact with people’s phones, the lights in their house, and the radio in their car,” Berenzweig continued. “After people are used to it, it’s easy to imagine that people will [wonder why they need a keyboard or mouse at all] when they’re sitting at their computer.”

CTRL Labs

He suggested that it could prove to be a generational thing, in which our CRTL-Labs armband-wearing kids view today’s input devices the same way they skeptically look at bits of retrograde tech detritus like VHS tapes and Game Boys. “Did you guys seriously used to use those?” they’ll ask us, one hand subtly contorting as they simultaneously gesture out a quick IM to their school friends.

Coming soon to an arm near you

“A really big use case for this is going to be virtual reality and augmented reality,” Berenzweig said. “Right now, VR can offer really amazing, immersive experiences visually. But then to control them you’ve just got these sticks where your hands should be. It really limits an experience, which is very much defined by what kind of control you have.”

“What we’re putting out this year is not mass consumer-ready, but the technology works.”

Using CRTL-Labs’ technology, the idea of controller-free VR suddenly becomes a whole lot more possible. As the world becomes increasingly “smart,” with connected Internet of Things devices all around us, it’s equally easy to imagine how technology such as this could be used to let us interact with everything from our smart thermostats to our smart locks. What self-respecting geek hasn’t, at some point, wished that they could control the world around them with a simple Jedi Knight-style wave of the hand? Such things may not remain science fiction for too much longer.

The bigger question, however, is how this will translate to other interface methods. Some gestures are natural to us, like pointing at an object to indicate interest. Others, like American Sign Language, have more of a learning curve. We can train ourselves to use them as second nature — much like a pianist learns to turn the music in their brain into finger movements on a keyboard — but this requires effort.

In an age of intuitive, effortless interfaces like voice and smartphone swipes, will we be willing to put in the work? And, if so, how many of us? If this tech is going to become the universal interface Berenzweig believes it can be, the answer had better be “lots and lots.”

CRTL Labs

We’ll get the chance to find out soon.

“We’re committed to shipping something this year,” he said. “It will be a smaller rollout to developers [initially]. We’ve currently got a signup sheet for people to register their interest. It’s still early in the productization. What we’re putting out this year is not mass consumer-ready, but the technology works. Our goal now is to get it in the hands of developers so they can start exploring exactly what is possible with it.”

We await the verdict with bated breath, arm muscle fibers twitching with excitement.

Editors’ Recommendations

• 7 ways we’ll interact with computers in the future
• Meet the Australian ‘techno-artist’ growing a web-connected ear on his arm
• Assistive tech is progressing faster than ever, and these 7 devices prove it
• Tomorrow’s laptop will work more like your phone — and you’re going to love it
• Why downhill camera operators are winter sport’s true unsung heroes

Save 65% on this 360-degree HD wireless security camera!

Home security cameras are more popular than ever these days, giving you the peace of mind to be able to check on your household remotely while you’re away. But not all cameras offer the same range of vision — or video encryption.

For a limited time, you can save big on the iPM World HD Panoramic Camera, which offers a full 360 range of vision that gives you more options for placement in your home. The camera creates an encrypted connection via Wi-Fi, and allows you to access live and recorded footage on your smartphone at all times. Motion alert notifications and infrared night vision gives you the peace of mind so you can enjoy your time out of the house.

With a ton of great features and microSD card support for local video storage, this full-featured security camera is regularly sold for $130, but thanks to Android Central Digital Offers, you can get this compact HD security camera for just $44.95!. That’s a savings of 65%, but this deal won’t last for long!

Don’t miss out on snagging your own 360-degree HD security camera at this low of a price!

See at Android Central Digital Offers

Deal: Google is sending out promo codes for 15% off the Pixel 2 and 2 XL

The person whose code you use also gets a $50 Google Store credit.

Even though the Pixel 3 is right around the corner, Google’s Pixel 2 and 2 XL are still excellent phones worth picking up in mid-2018 — especially when you find a deal like this.

Google’s begun sending out emails that contain promo codes for 15% off the Pixel 2 and 2 XL, and they’re meant for you to share with someone that’s been eager to get one. When someone uses your code, you’ll receive a $50 Google Store credit that’s good for whatever you like.

With that 15% discount, that brings the Pixel 2’s various configurations down to the following:

• Pixel 2 w/ 64GB — $551 (reg. $649)
• Pixel 2 w/ 128GB — $636 (reg. $749)
• Pixel 2 XL w/ 64GB — $721 (reg. $849)
• Pixel 2 XL w/ 128GB — $806 (reg. $949)

To use the promo code, have your friend, family member, or whoever else add the Pixel 2/2 XL to their cart on the Google Store. Once they enter your promo code at the checkout and complete the order, they’ll get 15% off and you’ll get a $50 credit. Even better, this code can also be combined with Google’s offer of getting a free Home Mini when buying a Pixel 2 XL.

It’s unclear who exactly Google’s sending these promo codes to, but if you’ve got one and feel like being awesome, feel free to drop it in the comments below so someone else can pick up a Pixel 2 at a sweet discount.

Speaking of which, first come, first served — B-L4Z4SRHM4D9HOKX8E5KOWZ7 😘

See at Google Store

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

Best Buy
Verizon
Google Store
Project Fi

Standing desks, Arlo baby monitors, binoculars, and more are all discounted today

Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.

We found plenty of great deals today that include big discounts including a free Fire HD 8 tablet with the Arlo baby monitor, Bushnell glass, standing desk converters, and more! Time’s running out to take advantage of these prices, so hurry!

View the rest of the deals

If you want to know about the deals as soon as they are happening, you’ll want to follow Thrifter on Twitter, and sign up for the newsletter, because missing out on a great deal stinks!

Turn your phone into a desktop PC with the $57 Samsung DeX Station

Try a new experience.

The Samsung DeX Station Desktop Experience is down to $57 on Amazon, which is the lowest price we’ve ever seen. It has been selling between $80 and $86 for the last few months and hasn’t dropped below $70 until now.

This device converts your smartphone into a desktop. It works with plenty of models including the Galaxy Note8, S8 and S9, and the Plus versions. It has a built-in fan to cool your phone while it’s docked. It adds two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-C charging port, LAN Ethernet, and more. This lets you add a mouse and keyboard to use with your phone. The device closes to a flat disk so it’s easy to carry around and comes with a travel adapter and USB-C cable. Users give it 3.8 stars based on 366 reviews.

See on Amazon

Best Music Streaming App for Android in 2018

Music is one of the most-used functions of Android phones, so use a music service that fits your music and your life.

Music is the heartbeat of our lives. It amps us up before a big test or a cardio workout. It soothes us through grief and loss. It lulls us to sleep at night, it wakes us up in the morning. Music is fundamental, and it is still one of the core functions of our phones, our smart speakers like Google Home, and our computers. And because we expect our music to follow us from device to device, from home to car to work to cafe, having a music streaming service that fits your life and your lifestyle is important.

We’re here to help you make sure that the music service you give your money to is the best one for you.

There are several music streaming services out there, but we’re going to focus on the five music streaming services that are available to much of the world. Because YouTube Music may replace Google Play Music down the line, it has been included so that we can measure the service and its features against the rest of the pack as it continues to develop and roll out to more regions, even though it is only available in 17 countries right now.

Deezer and Apple Music may be the only choices in your country, as they are available in over 100 countries while Spotify, Google Play Music, and Tidal are available in less than 70 countries. This is why even though Apple Music offers a substandard experience on Android compared to Apple devices, it is being included here.

Best overall: Spotify

Spotify has been offering up its streaming music magic for almost a decade now, and it is without a doubt the most popular subscription on the market today, and rightfully so. Its selection is vast, its settings are easy to understand, and its algorithms ensure that users keep finding new and awesome music to add to their libraries. Spotify’s Discover Weekly and Made for You mixes are often imitated, but the only platform to even come close to its prowess is the buggy, beta-stage YouTube Music. Thanks to Spotify Connect and the many, many platforms Spotify makes dedicated apps for — from Android TV to Wear OS and everywhere in between — you’ll be able to listen to your library just about anywhere.

Spotify has grown a loyal user base out of its Student subscription, which was the first of its kind among music streaming subscriptions and remains one of the best deals in streaming today. It also offers family plans, as well as subscription bundles through some wireless carriers and with Hulu. The service isn’t without a few thorns, but they shouldn’t be a problem for most users: you can only add 10,000 songs to My Library, there’s a limit of 3 devices, 3,333 songs for offline content, and queue management on Spotify is a bit of an oddity. Playlist management is also a bit lackluster on Android and Chromebooks, but it’s good enough to get by.

See at Spotify

Read more: Everything you need to know about Spotify

Android app	x	x	x	x	x	x
Wear OS app	x	x		x
Android TV app	x	x	YouTube app	x	x
Android Auto compatibility	x	x		x	x
Web client	x	x	x	x	x
Desktop client	x	Download/Upload only		x	x	x
Chromecast compatibility	x	x	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	x
Google Assistant compatibility	x	x	x
Max audio quality	320 kbps	320 kbps	128 kbps	320 kbps (Premium), 1411 kbps (Hi-Fi)	1411 kbps	256 kbps
Device limit	Offline only: 3 devices	10 devices	Unlimited	3 devices	Unlimited	10 devices
Songs available	40 million+	40 million+	Unknown	53 million+ (Premium), 36 million+ (Hi-Fi)	50 million+	40 million+
Library limit	10,000 songs	Unlimited subscription music, 50,000 song uploads	Unknown	2,000 songs on desktop, 1,000 on mobile apps	10,000 songs, 10,000 albums	100,000 songs
Playlist size limit	10,000 songs (3,333 songs for offline playlists)	1,000 songs	5,000 songs	2,000 songs on desktop, 1,000 on mobile apps	Unknown	varies by platform
Offline limits	3 devices, 3,333 songs	10 devices	Unlimited	1,000 songs	3 devices, 10,000 songs	10 devices
Algorithm-based mixes and radio stations	x	x	x	x	x	x
Podcasts	x	x		x	x
Music videos	x	(via YouTube)	x		x	x
Music documentaries / behind the scenes / Original Video series	x			x	x	x
Gapless playback	Crossfade only (not available when using Spotify Connect)	Device-dependent		Crossfade only (not available on Android)	Device-dependent	Device-dependent
Song lyrics	Limited (via Genius)	Limited, only accessible via Google Search	Limited (via YouTube lyric videos)	Limited
Stable performance on Android	x	x		x	x
Free services	x	x	x	x
Ad-supported	Audio ads	Banner ads on Free radio	Audio ads	Audio ads
Skip limit	6/hour	6/hour on Free radio, no limit on uploaded music	Unlimited	6/hour
Forced shuffle	x	Shuffle on Free radio, no restrictions on uploaded music	Unrestricted	x
Repeat/repeat one available		x	x		Limited (get replays via ad engagement)
Offline listening		Uploaded music only
Paid subscriptions	Spotify	Google Play Music	YouTube Music	Deezer	Tidal	Apple Music
Individual Subscription	$9.99	$9.99 (includes YouTube Music)	$9.99 (does not include Google Play Music)	$9.99	$9.99 (Premium), $19.99 (Hi-Fi Premium)	$9.99
Family Subscription	$14.99	$14.99 (includes YouTube Music)		$14.99 (does not include Google Play Music)	$14.99 (Family Premium), $29.99 (Family Hi-Fi)	$14.99
Student pricing	$4.99 (includes basic Hulu)				$4.99 (Student Premium), $9.99 (Student Hi-Fi)	$4.99
Other bundles/discounts)	$12.99 (Spotify & basic Hulu)	$11.99 (YouTube Premium), $17.99 (YouTube Premium family)	$11.99 (YouTube Premium), $17.99 (YouTube Premium family)		$5.99 (Military Premium), $11.99 (Military Hi-Fi)	$99.99 annual subscription ($20 discount)
Available Countries	65	63	17	189	67	115

Best for Students: Spotify

If you’re a college student looking to make your dollar go further for streaming, it’s damn near impossible to beat the $4.99/month bundle of Spotify Premium for Students and basic (commercial-supported) Hulu. Spotify is also easy to pull up on school computers via its web client, so that you can listen while you’re coding in the lab or pretending to get an essay done in the library.

See at Spotify

Read more: Everything you need to know about Spotify

Best for music hoarders: Google Play Music

Google Play Music’s subscription library might not be quite as big as Deezer or Tidal, but Google Play Music doesn’t have a limit on how many songs from the subscription library you can add to your library. It also has a pocket ace in its music locker service: Google Play Music allows users to upload up to 50,000 songs — or 100,000 if you purchased a Samsung Galaxy S8 last year — and stream their songs back anywhere they can access their Google account for free.

Whether you’ve ripped that out-of-print, impossible-to-find concert album that beats the pants off the pale studio version offered in the subscription catalogs, remixed your own music, or gotten ahold of music that’s not available commercially, the music locker on Google Play Music is invaluable. This is especially true for subscription users that can mix that uploaded music with subscription catalog songs and albums.

See at Google Play Music

Google Play Music comes with YouTube Music for $9.99/month, but do yourself a favor and upgrade to YouTube Premium. For $11.99/month, you get Google Play Music, and premium features on YouTube Music, YouTube, YouTube Kids, YouTube Gaming, and YouTube VR.

See at YouTube

Read more: Everything you need to know about Google Play Music

Best audio quality: Tidal

Tidal may seem a bit pretentious or downright snobby at times, but when it comes to quality music in a quality experience, Tidal’s the service for you. It doesn’t try to overload its service with bells and whistles, but that means the app is slimmer, smoother, and simpler.

Tidal having two tiers of premium service can be a little confusing for a service based around extreme audio quality, but it also offers the largest selection of discounts and is the only service to offer a military discount.

Tidal ($19.99/month Hi-Fi Premium)

Best for device-hoppers: Spotify

Spotify Connect may have a more clean handoff system between devices so that you can keep and manage a single queue while hopping from platform to platform, and it also allows you to easily play Spotify back on thousands of different connected devices and platforms using the same simple UI.

Spotify offers an easy-to-use web client that doesn’t require any downloads or installations for you to easily use on a managed computer at work or school, but there’s also a desktop client available for more intense library management and offline playback. While Spotify also doesn’t have a device limit for streaming, its 3-device, 3,333-song limit on offline content can spell trouble for those who download larger sections of their library for long trips or mobile data saving.

See at Spotify

Read more: Everything you need to know about Spotify

Best value: YouTube Premium

Twelve bucks a month for a robust, stable music player with a built-in music locker service, the best experience on the most popular video platform in the world, and a brand-new but little bit buggy music service built atop the biggest music catalog in the world, including fan content and non-commercially-available music? Yeah, sign me up. YouTube Premium is a video subscription that removes ads and unlocks premium features on six apps: Google Play Music, YouTube, YouTube Music, YouTube Kids, YouTube Gaming, And YouTube VR. Name another subscription with that kind of value. No, really, I’ll wait.

Once upon a time, you could subscribe to YouTube, YouTube Music, or Google Play Music and get access to premium service on all of them, but recent changes to Google’s pricing policies have changed things. Pay for YouTube Music, and you just get YouTube Music. Pay for Google Play Music, you get Google Play Music and YouTube Music. Pay for YouTube Premium, and you still get everything.

See at YouTube

Read more: Buy YouTube Premium instead of YouTube Music Premium

What’s your favorite?

Let us know what your favorite streaming music service is, and why!

Updated June 2018: This post was completely rewritten, overhauled, and whatever else describes a start-from-zero approach.

What’s new on Netflix for July 2018

Comedian Dave Chappelle joins Jerry Seinfeld in the new season of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, available July 6 on Netflix. (Image credit: Netflix)

… and what’s leaving in July.

Is there anything better during the summertime that staying indoors, away from the sun and the heat and the bugs and the sun, and just wasting the days away with Netflix? Because that sounds pretty damn good to me, especially given that we’ve got a new season of Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, with a dozen new masters of their craft, including Jerry Lewis, Ellen DeGeneres and Dave Chappelle.

Need more comedy? Iliza Shlesinger’s new “elder millennial” special — shot on the USS Hornet — brings perspective to relationships and sexual dynamics.

Plus, ya know, a ton of other great shows you’ve loved over the years, waited to watch, or didn’t know existed. (Seriously, spend some time on the Netflix Originals — you’ll definitely find a gem or two.)

Coming to Neflix … at some point (TBA)

• El Chapo: Season 3

Coming to Netflix on July 1

• Blue Bloods: Season 8
• Bo Burnham: what.
• Chocolat
• Deceived
• Finding Neverland
• Get Smart
• Happy Gilmore
• Hawaii Five-O: Season 8
• Interview with the Vampire
• Journey to the Center of the Earth
• Jurassic Park
• Jurassic Park III
• Madam Secretary: Season 4
• Menace II Society
• NCIS: Season 15
• Pandorum
• Penelope
• Queens of Comedy: Season 2
• Rica, Famosa, Latina: Seasons 1-4
• Scooby-Doo
• Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
• Spanglish
• Stealth
• Swordfish
• The Boondock Saints
• The Lost World: Jurassic Park
• The Princess Diaries
• The Voices
• Traitor
• Troy
• Van Helsing
• We Own the Night
• We the Marines
• What We Started

Coming to Netflix on July 2

• Dance Academy: The Comeback
• Good Witch: Season 4
• Romina
• The Sinner: Season 1

Coming to Netflix on July 3

• The Comedy Lineup (Netflix Original): A diverse group of up-and-coming comedians perform 15-minute sets in this stand-up comedy showcase series.

Coming to Netflix on July 5

• Blue Valentine

Coming to Netflix on July 6

• Anne with an E: Season 2 (Netflix Original): Anne’s beloved world of Green Gables becomes a much bigger place, with new faces and heartfelt lessons about love, loss and growing up.
• Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee: New 2018: Freshly Brewed (Netflix Original): In a new set of episodes for 2018, Jerry Seinfeld takes a ride with 12 comedy heavyweights, including Jerry Lewis, Ellen DeGeneres and Dave Chappelle.
• First Team: Juventus: Part B (Netflix Original): In the second half of the season, Juve hope to hold off stiff challenges to winning another league title while moving forward in the Champions League.
• Free Rein: Season 2 (Netflix Original): As Zoe and the Bright Fields team prepare for Junior Nationals, they must overcome the loss of a team member, a mysterious fire and other obstacles.
• Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons: Season 2 (Netflix Original): Raphael Rowe, who spent 12 years behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit, investigates some of the world’s toughest prisons from the inside.
• Sacred Games (Netflix Original): Set amid the chaos of Mumbai, this epic series explores the corrupt underworld lurking beneath India’s economic renaissance. Based on the novel.
• Samantha! (Netflix Original): A child star in the ’80s, Samantha clings to the fringes of celebrity with hilarious harebrained schemes to launch herself back into the spotlight.
• Somebody Feed Phil: The Second Course (Netflix Original): Phil Rosenthal continues his culinary journey of the world, making stops in Dublin, Venice, Buenos Aires, Copenhagen, Cape Town and New York City.
• The Fosters: Season 5 New Episodes
• The Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter (Netflix Original Film): All he wants out of this trip is a chance to bond with his son. And for his son to kill a deer. And to get it all on video.
• The Skin of The Wolf (Netflix Original Film): An animal trapper living in an abandoned mountain town in northern Spain seeks to resolve his loneliness by securing a wife.
• White Fang (Netflix Original Film): A loyal wolfdog’s curiosity leads him on the adventure of a lifetime in this animated update of a Jack London classic set in Canada’s Yukon Territory.

Coming to Netflix on July 7

• Scream 4

Coming to Netflix on July 9

• Lockup: Extended Stay: Collection 1

Coming to Netflix on July 10

• Drug Lords: Season 2 (Netflix Original): Drug lords El Chapo, Jemeker Thompson, Christopher Coke and Klaas Bruinsma use fear and violence to make money and avoid authorities.

Coming to Netflix on July 12

• Gone Baby Gone

Coming to Netflix on July 13

• How It Ends (Netflix Original Film): As a mysterious apocalypse causes the spread of misinformation and violence, a man and his estranged father-in-law race across a chaotic and fractured country to save his pregnant wife.
• Jim Jefferies: This Is Me Now (Netflix Original): The gleefully irreverent Jim Jefferies pushes buttons and boundaries as he riffs on celebrity encounters, political hypocrisy and bodily marvels.
• Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain
• Sugar Rush (Netflix Original): Time’s the most important ingredient as competitive teams race against the clock to bake up the best-tasting sweets.
• The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants (Netflix Original): Facing one misadventure after another, two rascally 4th-grade pals turn their ornery principal into Captain Underpants, a superhero to save the day.

Coming to Netflix on July 15

• Bonusfamiljen: Season 2 (Netflix Original): As Lisa and Patrik take their relationship to the next level, mishaps, money troubles and a startling revelation leave the whole family reeling.
• Going for Gold
• The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale: Part 2 (Netflix Original): Trending news, pop culture, social media, original videos and more come together in host Joel McHale’s weekly comedy commentary show.

Coming to Netflix on July 20

• Amazing Interiors (Netflix Original): They might look ordinary on the outside. But inside, these stunning homes have some jaw-dropping secrets to reveal.
• Dark Tourist (Netflix Original): From a nuclear lake to a haunted forest, journalist David Farrier visits unusual — and often macabre — tourism spots around the world.
• Deep Undercover: Collection 3
• Duck Duck Goose (Netflix Original Film): A carefree goose takes a pair of lost baby ducklings under his wing after he’s grounded with an injury. Together, they go on a wild adventure.
• Father of the Year (Netflix Original Film): Two college grads return to their hometown, where a hypothetical question — whose dad would win in a fight? — leads to mass mayhem.
• Fix It and Finish It: Collection 3
• Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh: Season 4 (Netflix Original): Fun-loving Tip and her goofy Boovian BFF take on the world in a new season packed with awesome adventures and cool tunes.
• Jimmy: The True Story of a True Idiot (Netflix Original): In the 1980s, a simple-minded fool named Hideaki meets comedy legend Sanma, changes his name to Jimmy and becomes a comic superstar.
• Last Chance U: EMCC & Life After (Netflix Original): With “Last Chance U” in their rearview mirrors, EMCC players, coaches and staff members reveal how life has gone for them since the show.
• Last Chance U: INDY: Part 1 (Netflix Original): The acclaimed series shifts to Independence Community College in Kansas, where a tough-as-nails coach attempts to rebuild a struggling program.
• Luna Petunia: Return to Amazia: Season 2 (Netflix Original): She’s back with the power to make the impossible possible! Join Luna and her friends for more magical adventures in Amazia and beyond.

Coming to Netflix on July 22

• An Education
• Disney’s Bolt

Coming to Netflix on July 24

• The Warning (Netflix Original Film): After the loss of his friend, a mathematical genius figures out a pattern of deaths at a gas station and sets out to warn the next young victim.
• Iliza Shlesinger: Elder Millennial (Netflix Original): Newly engaged, Iliza Shlesinger brings an “elder millennial” perspective to relationships and sexual dynamics in a special shot aboard the USS Hornet.

Coming to Netflix on July 27

• Cupcake & Dino – General Services (Netflix Original): In this outrageous animated series, an ambitious cupcake and his friendly dinosaur brother try to rule the general services industry in the big city.
• Extinction (Netflix Original Film): Plagued by dreams of an alien invasion, a family man faces his worst nightmare when an extraterrestrial force begins exterminating Earth’s inhabitants.
• Orange Is the New Black: Season 6 (Netflix Original): In the wake of the riot, the women are taken to maximum security prison and face serious charges.
• Roman Empire: Reign of Blood: Master of Rome (Netflix Original): Julius Caesar rises to establish one of history’s greatest dynasties but quickly discovers that unchecked power comes with a price.
• The Bleeding Edge (Netflix Original): This groundbreaking documentary explores how America’s profit-driven multibillion-dollar medical device industry puts patients at risk daily.
• The Worst Witch: Season 2 (Netflix Original): A second year at Cackle’s Academy means double the magic and mischief for accident-prone witch in training Mildred Hubble and her friends.
• Welcome to the Family (Netflix Original): When a broke single mom’s estranged father dies, she and his girlfriend try to cover up his death after learning they’ve been written out of his will.

Coming to Netflix on July 28

• Shameless: Season 8
• The Company Men

Coming to Netflix on July 29

• Her
• Sofia the First: Season 4

Coming to Netflix on July 30

• A Very Secret Service: Season 2 Amid rising Cold War tensions, the clueless agents trigger a series of international crises, and André goes rogue on a mission of his own.

Coming to Netflix on July 31

• Terrace House: Opening New Doors: Part 3 A new female member joins Terrace House, driving the male members to distraction. And with Valentine’s Day approaching, confessions are in the air.

What’s leaving Netflix on July 1

• Alive
• Along Came Polly
• An Honest Liar
• Beerfest
• Before Midnight
• Bring It On
• Bring It On Again
• Bring It On: All or Nothing
• Bring It On: Fight to the Finish
• Bring It On: In It to Win It (July 1)
• Cocktail
• Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
• Lethal Weapon
• Lethal Weapon 2
• Lethal Weapon 3
• Lethal Weapon 4
• Little Women
• Michael Clayton
• Midnight in Paris
• Mixed Signals
• More Than a Game
• Pandemic
• Piglet’s Big Movie
• Rugrats Go Wild
• Scary Movie
• Scream 3
• Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
• The Art of War
• Tropic Thunder
• V for Vendetta

What’s leaving Netflix on July 2

• Breakfast at Tiffany’s

What’s leaving Netflix on July 8

• Alpha & Omega: Journey to Bear Kingdom
• Real Husbands of Hollywood: Seasons 1-5

What’s leaving Netflix on July 9

• Ratchet and Clank
• Serena

What’s leaving Netflix on July 11

• Alice Through the Looking Glass

What’s leaving Netflix on July 14

• Wild Hogs

What’s leaving Netflix on July 15

• Convergence
• Lockup: State Prisons: Collection 1
• Small Is Beautiful: A Tiny House Documentary

What’s leaving Netflix on July 16

• Changeling
• Wanted

What’s leaving Netflix on July 29

• The Den

What’s leaving Netflix on July 30

• A Cinderella Story
• Hurricane of Fun: The Making of Wet Hot
• Swing State

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Microsoft Launcher beta picks up new family feature, Edge improvements

Microsoft Launcher continues its focus on family features with the latest beta update.

Microsoft Launcher is shipping out another new set of features for beta testers to check out on Android. And like other recent updates to the launcher, this one focuses on a new family feature and some smaller tweaks here and there.

One of the biggest pieces of this update is the ability for parents to now choose which kids to show or hide on the family card. This builds off of the foundation of a relatively new family safety feature Microsoft recently added, which allows parents to keep an eye on their kids’ activity on Android phones running launcher, along with Windows PCs and Xbox consoles.

Other new bits include general improvements to reading news articles in Microsoft Edge, support for multi-turn SMS and calling with Cortana, and more. Here’s a look at all of what’s new:

• Family: parents can show/hide kids in the Family card;
• Improvements to reading news articles with Microsoft Edge browser;
• Toggle to hide page indicator on home screen;
• Cortana: support multi-turn SMS + calling;
• UI improvements: welcome page, settings page, widgets & context menu;
• Support for removing screens in overview mode via drag & drop

If you’re enrolled as a beta tester, you can grab all of what’s new in Microsoft Launcher version 4.11 now on Google Play. And if you aren’t yet giving the beta a go, you can sign up to become a tester. Otherwise, version 4.11 should be rolling out to the general release for everyone soon, is testing goes well.

See at Google Play