Four Great Quick Chargers for Galaxy S9

Life comes at you fast — or at least, battery life does with these quick chargers.

Fast charging is one of the best features to come to modern phones like the Galaxy S9. Nobody wants to sit around and wait for their phone to trickle charge, especially since removable batteries are no longer an option for most. It’s all about being able to toss your phone on the charger for half an hour while you shower and fix lunch and getting enough of a charge to last you through the day.

The Galaxy S9 is one of the best phones currently on the market, so it’s only fitting that you use the best chargers with it — don’t just get that crummy charger from the gas station that you know will fall apart in a few weeks. Here are the best quick chargers we could find for the Galaxy S9.

• Anker PowerPort II
• RAVPower 30W Dual USB Charger
• Aukey Turbo Charger with QC 3.0
• Satechi 75W Travel Charger

Anker PowerPort II

Anker has been a huge name in power banks and chargers over the years, and its new PowerPort II wall charger is a great companion to the Galaxy S9. It’s fairly large for a phone charger, but with that size comes USB-C Power Delivery, one of the fastest charging standards around. There’s also a USB-A port in case you need to charge an additional device simultaneously, or you just forgot your USB-C cable.

The PowerPort II is a bit expensive at $29.99, but it’s hard to argue with the charging capabilities of USB-C PD. You can really take full advantage of this charger if you also have a laptop that charges through USB-C — using the USB-A cable for your Galaxy S9, you can effectively power both devices with only one charging brick.

See at Amazon

RAVPower 30W Dual USB Charger

The Galaxy S9 relies on the older Quick Charge 2.0 standard (possibly Samsung playing it safe after the debacle of the Note 7), so there’s no need to spend the extra money on a Quick Charge 4.0 brick. The 30W Dual USB Charger meets you in the middle with Quick Charge 3.0, along with RAVPower’s iSmart technology to provide the optimal charging current at all times.

As its name implies, the 30W Dual USB Charger features two USB ports — both Type A — and comes in either black or white. Best of all, it’s an extremely affordable charger, though oddly enough, the different color options are priced differently. The black model comes in at $15.99, while the white model is available for just $10.56.

See at Amazon

Aukey Turbo Charger with QC 3.0

Not everybody needs a second USB port on their charger — it requires a larger brick that takes up more of the precious space in your bag, so why bother if you only need to charge your phone? The Aukey Turbo Charger is the smallest charger of the bunch, easily fitting a single plug without blocking access to the plug above or below it — that’s thanks in part to its short but wide shape.

Like the RAVPower, the Aukey Turbo Charger includes Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 standard, along with backwards compatibility for Quick Charge 2.0-enabled devices like the Galaxy S9. For only $13.99, the Aukey Turbo Charger is a great option for those who need to save every inch of free space in their bag or on the wall outlet.

See at Amazon

Satechi 75W Travel Charger

This one’s a bit bigger and a bit pricier than the rest of the options in this list, but it’s an absolute beast of a charger, particularly if you tend to travel with multiple devices. The Satechi 75W Travel Charger comes with a thin power cable that takes up almost no space on an outlet, and provides four charging ports for your Galaxy S9, laptop, and other devices. The USB-C port features Power Delivery at up to 60W, while the orange USB-A port offers Quick Charge 3.0. The two blue USB-A ports output the least amount of power at 5V/2.4A, though that’s still quite a fast charge.

You probably don’t need this charger if you only travel with your phone, but for multi-device business trips or even for use at home when you’re low on available power outlets, the 75 Travel Charger is a fantastic charger to have at your disposal. You can order one from Amazon for $59.99.

See at Amazon

Which charger is your favorite?

Everybody needs a way to charge their phone, right? Do any of these particular chargers suit your fancy, or is there another model you swear by? Let us know in the comments below!

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+

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

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You can now talk to Google Home without saying ‘Hey, Google’ every time

The feature can be enabled in the Google Assistant app.

Google announced a lot of new features for the Assistant during I/O this past May, and today one of the most exciting — Continued Conversations — is widely rolling out to all users.

As it currently stands, you need to say “Ok, Google” or “Hey, Google” each and every time you ask your Google Home a question or issue a command to it. With Continued Conversations, your Google Home will continue listening for a short period (around 8 seconds) after you first begin talking to it.

For example, if you say “Hey, Google, what’s the weather” and then realize you need to get a new umbrella for an impending storm, you can just say “add an umbrella to my shopping list” and your Google Home will be able to pick up on the command. Once you’re done talking to your Google Home, you can say “thank you” or “stop” to manually stop it from listening.

Continued Conversations is turned off by default, but you can easily enable it from the Google Assistant settings on your phone by going to Settings -> Preferences -> Continued Conversations.

This feature is initially rolling out in English for users in the United States and is available starting today on the Google Home, Home Mini, and Home Max.

Google Home Mini review, 6 months later: The smart speaker that should be in everybody’s home

Microsoft launches new Bing visual search features on Android and iOS

Search what you see.

Searching the internet if largely a text-heavy experience, but Bing is looking to make things a little more visual. Microsoft announced today the rollout of new intelligent visual search capabilities across Bing, Microsoft Launcher, and Microsoft Edge, each of which will now support easily tracking things down with a snap from your phone’s camera.

Using visual search is a fairly simple process. Within any of the apps in which it’s available, you can either snap a photo or upload one from your camera roll. From there, you can hone in on an object in the picture on which you want more information, and Bing will identify it. Visual search will then serve up more information on the object, including its location and links to explore.

One of the main features Microsoft is touting is visual search’s ability to streamline shopping. If you spot a jacket, piece of furniture, or something else you want to pick up, you can upload a picture and Bing will return similar items, prices, and options for where to make a purchase.

Microsoft says that visual search is available starting today in the Bing apps for both iOS and Android. Further, Android users can check the feature out in Microsoft Launcher and Microsoft Edge. The feature will be “coming soon” to Microft Edge for iOS.

NVIDIA Shield TV vs. Amazon Fire TV Cube: Which should you buy?

Which Android TV streaming box is best for cord cutters?

The NVIDIA Shield TV has been the best streaming solution for Android users since 2015, but Amazon is set to take over that top spot in 2018 with the Amazon Fire TV Cube.

Amazon’s latest living room entertainment solution sure looks compelling, in spite of its boxy design and slightly underpowered specs compared to the Shield TV. Both are better at doing different things, so deciding which to get will come down to your entertainment preferences.

Design comparison

The Shield TV and Fire TV Cube are on polar opposites of the design spectrum — NVIDIA opted for a low-profile design with sleek edges while Amazon basically combined the Fire TV 4K dongle with an Echo speaker to create the Cube.

Since the Cube is designed to function as another Echo speaker in your house, it can essentially replace any Echo speakers you may currently have set up in your living room. As such, this is a device that needs to be set up a few feet away from your home entertainment speakers in and out in the open so that Alexa has no issues hearing your voice

The Shield TV, on the other hand, is slim enough to slide into your entertainment center. It, too, has smart assistant functions (Google Assistant), but the functionality is entirely built into the remotes/controllers and there’s no built-in speaker on the console itself, so you have the option of proudly displaying your Shield TV or stashing it below your TV somewhere. The Shield TV also supports Tablo Tuner TV antenna adapter, which will allow you to pull in local over-the-air TV channels, which is worth considering if you’re a true cord cutter.

Each has a killer feature

While NVIDIA and Amazon are competing in the same space as an all-in-one solution for streaming content, they both offer something unique that caters to a more niche audience.

Amazon has done a great job integrating all of its products under Alexa.

The Fire TV Cube’s killer feature is that it’s an Amazon Alexa product that will seamlessly connect to other Echo speakers and let you control everything on your TV, along with your smart home products, all with just your voice. The greatest strength of Amazon’s hardware has been how easy it is to set up and use its products, and how well each new product they release integrates with existing Amazon products in your house — whether you’ve got an Echo speaker, Echo Show, or Amazon Cloud Cam.

This makes the Fire TV Cube a really compelling option if you’re already set up Alexa as your primary smart home assistant — and it’s also priced at just $119, which is $20 cheaper than the Echo Plus speaker.

the NVIDIA Shield TV is the streaming box for gamers.

The NVIDIA Shield TV also has some smart assistant functionality baked right into the software and hardware, with built-in microphones on the remotes and controllers designed to control a visual Google Assistant on your TV — but it still feels too separate from the other Google Assistant products in your house. You can’t, for example, use your Google Home speaker or Google Assistant on your phone to cast something to your Shield TV, which kind of defeats the purpose.

Instead, NVIDIA has gone after the gaming market by making the Shield TV compatible with a bunch of great games from the Google Play Store along with GameStream which lets you stream PC games to your living room TV. Of course, you’ll need the Shield Controller for that, which is included.

Specs comparison

—
Video output	4K Ultra HD, HDR-10	4K, HDR, 60fps
Operating System	Fire OS 6 (Android 7.1)	Android 7.1.1
Processor	Amlogic S905Z	NVIDIA Tegra X1 processor
GPU	Mali-450 MP3	256-core Maxwell GPU
Storage	16GB	16GB
RAM	2GB	3GB
Bluetooth	BT 4.2	Bluetooth 4.1/BLE
Wi-Fi	802.11a/b/g/n/ac	802.11ac 2×2 MIMO
Ethernet	Adapter included	Built-in port
Dolby Atmos	Yes	Yes
CEC Control	Yes	Yes
Built-in AI assistant	Alexa	Google Assistant
Internal Speaker	Yes	No
Dimensions	86.36 x 86.36 x 76.2 mm 465g	159 x 98 x 25 mm 250 g
See at Amazon	$119	$179

Which one should you get?

Given that the NVIDIA Shield TV is both an older device and more expensive than the Fire TV Cube, it’s hard to recommend it over Amazon’s latest smart home tech — only If gaming is an important factor for you, then you will get the most out of the Shield TV.

However, if you’re already using Amazon Alexa throughout your house and want to extend its functionality to control your home entertainment with your voice, the Fire TV Cube is a great option that will serve you well.

See at Amazon

Bundle the Ring Video Doorbell Pro and Echo Spot to save $102 on your purchase

Two great devices, one big savings.

Amazon is bundling the Ring Video Doorbell Pro with its Echo Spot for $278, a savings of $102 compared to buying the two separately. At first glance, it may seem like a bit of an odd pairing, but the two of these devices actually work quite well together. The Ring Video Doorbell Pro allows you to answer your door and interact with the people on the other end from anywhere in the world right from your phone or from the Echo Spot.

You’ll need to set up the Ring skill in the Alexa app before you’re able to use the Spot to communicate with the doorbell. In addition to being able to work with your doorbell, the Spot can also handle video calls between compatible Echo devices, help you with recipes, conversions, control other smart home gear, and more.

If you’ve considered buying either, or both, of these items in the past, you’ll want to use this bundle as a way to do so and save some money in the process.

See at Amazon

Spigen Rugged Armor case for Galaxy S9+ review: Low cost, rugged protection

For $15, there isn’t a rugged case that delivers quite as much value as Spigen’s offering.

Spigen is known for making affordable cases that hold up to a ton of abuse over the years, so it’s no wonder that its products are well-regarded. The Rugged Armor has been my go-to case for a few years now thanks to its lightweight design and rugged protection, so when I was looking to pick up a case for my Galaxy S9+, it was an easy choice.

Spigen Rugged Armor case for Galaxy S9+

Price: $11.99

Bottom line: Coming in at just $12, Spigen’s Rugged Armor case is one of the most affordable options available if you’re looking for a lightweight case that provides all-round protection.

The Good

• Matte finish
• Wireless charging compatible
• Easy access to ports
• Tactile buttons
• Raised edges for protection against tumbles

The Bad

• Available in just one color

See at Amazon

Spigen Rugged Armor case What I like

The Rugged Armor case fits the Galaxy S9+ like a glove, and the matte finish significantly improves grip. Although it costs just $12, the build quality is top-notch, and you never get the feeling that this is a cheap case.

The case is made out of TPU, and features a minimalist design with carbon fiber inserts at the back and Spigen branding at the bottom. There are cutouts at the bottom for the USB-C charging port and the headphone jack, as well as the microphone and the speaker. There’s also a cutout at the back for the dual camera sensor, fingerprint module, and the heart rate sensor, and the raised edge makes it easier to locate the fingerprint reader.

Furthermore, the cutouts for the charging port and 3.5mm jack are large enough that I haven’t faced any issues connecting USB-C cables or wired headphones.

The sides of the case have protrusions for the power, volume, and Bixby buttons, and the Bixby button is textured to prevent you from accidentally pressing it when trying to change the volume. There are raised edges at the front that absorb the impact when the phone falls flat on the ground. The case is shock absorbent as well, conforming to the MIL-STD 810G-516.6 rating, and is thin enough that it doesn’t interfere with wireless charging.

The minimalist design means the case is bare at the back aside from the carbon fiber inserts at the top and bottom, so you should be able to attach a PopSocket without any issues. The case is also incredibly easy to remove for routine maintenance.

What I particularly like about the Rugged Armor cases is that they stand up to daily wear and tear very well. I used the case with the Galaxy S8 last year, and it looked just as good as new even after six months of usage.

Spigen Rugged Armor case What needs work

If there’s one downside to the Rugged Armor case, it’s that it doesn’t work with all screen protectors. The raised edges at the front means it covers a chunk of the bezels at the top and bottom, and as such you won’t be able to use a few glass screen protectors.

That said, Spigen makes its own Neo Flex screen protector for the Galaxy S9+ that can be used in conjunction with the case, and it conforms to the curves of the S9+ panel as well.

Spigen Rugged Armor case for Galaxy S9+

Overall, you’re getting the best of both worlds with the Rugged Armor case — the lightweight design doesn’t add bulk, and you get adequate protection against tumbles and falls. The fact that it costs just $12 makes it one of the best cases you can buy for the Galaxy S9+.

4.5
out of 5

For the price, there aren’t many cases that offer the same level of quality as the Spigen Rugged Armor case. If you’re looking for an affordable case to protect your Galaxy S9+, this is the one to get.

See at Amazon

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+

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

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Spend $75 or more on almost anything at eBay and get $15 off the total

Get that device you’ve been eyeing the most.

So eBay is busting out another crazy site-wide sale. This time, fill your shopping cart with at least $75 worth of eligible items and you can get $15 off the total with the code PSUPERSUMMER. This is a one-time use coupon, but you don’t have to find one $75 item. The total just needs to be $75 for everything you’re buying. Of course, since it’s only $15 off no matter how much you spend, there is no maximum amount to your spending here either. We have seen a few eBay site-wide sales recently that are a bit better than this, but if you maximize the coupon by getting as close to $75 as possible it’s essentially as good on savings as any of those other eBay deals.

Normally, the main exclusions for a deal like this include Coins & Paper Money, Gift Cards & Coupons, and Real Estate categories. All of those still apply, but eBay has also added Video Game Consoles and Laptops & Netbooks to that list. This is still a better option than the eBay coupons that require you to go through a select few unsavory sellers. Use the coupon from any store or seller you like, as long as the items aren’t in one of those categories. The sale lasts all day until 10 p.m. Eastern.

I highly recommend using major retailers like Best Buy and Newegg if you aren’t a regular eBay shopper. Plenty of other retailers, including Dyson and BuyDig, have eBay storefronts as well. This code should work with all of them.

Here’s a few deals we like:

• BeatsX wireless headphones – $84.99 (from $100) – Better than Amazon right now
• Philips Hue A19 4-bulb starter kit – $84.99 (from $100)
• Nintendo Labo Robot Kit – $62.99 (from $80)
• MSI Clutch GM650 RGB Gaming Mouse – $65.95 (from $81)

Remember this sale is site-wide, so be sure to browse to your heart’s content and then buy everything at once.

See on eBay

Best Android apps for streaming music from OneDrive

With Groove Music retiring on Android, you’ll have to look elsewhere to stream your music from OneDrive.

Microsoft didn’t just discontinue Groove Music Pass; they’re also retiring Groove Music on iOS and Android later this year. Users that prefer purchasing music, storing it on the cloud, and streaming it to their devices will have to look elsewhere to get their music fix. Luckily, there are a number of apps for Android that allow you to stream music directly from OneDrive.

As a bonus, each of these also works with other popular cloud services like Dropbox and Google Drive, so you aren’t locked into one cloud provider.

Cloudbeats

Cloudbeats is a simple music streaming app that lets you use OneDrive or other cloud services a source for music. The interface is a bit boxy, but it works well and supports music, audiobooks, and playlists.

If you upgrade to the pro version, you can use Cloudbeats with Chromecast and download tracks.

Cloudbeats is available on both iOS and Android. There are free or lite versions depending on your operating system, but to remove ads and get all of its features you’ll have to upgrade for $4.99.

See in Google Play Store

CloudPlayer

CloudPlayer is my favorite app off of this list. The interface is excellent, it automatically detected all of my music and album artwork, and it supports downloading or streaming music. It also supports multiple clouds very well so you can take music from multiple sources.

The app supports Chromecast, Android Auto, and Wear OS, so there are plenty of ways to listen to your music through the app.

CloudPlayer is available on Android devices. It has a free version, but to get premium features like cloud streaming and casting support you’ll have to upgrade for $7.99. You can try premium features for free for 30 days to help you decide if it’s worth the price.

See CloudPlayer in Google Play StoreSee CloudPlayer Platinum in Google Play Store

OneDrive Music is still alive

When Groove Music was around, I didn’t even consider looking for another app to stream music from OneDrive. Thankfully, there are options to choose from that look great and work well. Some of them even have features that never were available through Groove Music, giving you an upgrade on your music streaming.

What apps do you use to stream your music? Let us know in the comments below.

Treat your home to an Ecovacs Deebot N79 robot vacuum cleaner for just $160 today

Free yourself from chores.

Right now you can grab the Ecovacs Deebot N79 robot vacuum cleaner for just $159.98 when you use coupon code I5V25QHP during checkout at Amazon. We haven’t seen a deal this good on the N79 since April. With over 4,700 reviews, this robot vacuum has a 4.1 out of 5-star rating, which is rather impressive.

You can use the free Ecovacs app to create a schedule, monitor cleanings, receive error alerts, and much more. It has four different cleaning modes and a 3-stage cleaning system to ensure your hard floors and carpets are nice and clean once it finishes.

See on Amazon

RHA MA650 headphone review: Made for Android, made with care

A three-button remote that works with most Android phones.

Headphone jacks are disappearing, and headphones themselves are all going Bluetooth. Right? Sort of, but that doesn’t tell the whole story.

In 2016, Bluetooth headphone sales surpassed those of their wired counterparts for the first time, and are largely responsible for growing the headphone industry as a whole. And that industry is growing — dramatically. But one thing is certain: headphones — cheap, expensive, wired, wireless — are more important to people than ever. We think about them more, we spend more time researching the right ones to buy, and we’re more invested in the experience, if not the sound itself, of listening to music on our phones.

This brings me to the RHA MA650 in-ear headphones, a set of wired earbuds that, in 2018, may not seem like a big deal, but to many Android users they should be. That’s because, for $60, you get a great-sounding, beautifully-made set of earbuds with a three-button remote that works with most Android phones. That means play/pause and volume up/down should work, something that only iPhone users have been able to claim until now.

RHA MA650 headphones

Price: $60

Bottom line: Excellent build quality, superb sound, and plenty of customization options — plus a working three-button remote on Android phones — makes this an obvious choice for those who don’t want to move to Bluetooth just yet.

The Good

• Clear, punchy mids and smooth highs
• Awesome build quality, at this price or any price
• Nine ear tip options in the box
• Three-button remote works on most Android phones
• Inexpensive

The Bad

• Bass is a bit underpowered
• Not optimized for running or working out

See at Amazon

RHA MA650 headphones What’s good

The value proposition for a pair of headphones like these is simple: if you don’t want to bother with charging a Bluetooth headset, or just don’t want to sacrifice sound quality, and you’re on an Android phone, the MA650s are a great choice.

At $60, they sound fantastic, and that’s for good reason: RHA has a legacy of producing some of the best-sounding in-ear headphones in the business. While the Scottish company built its reputation in the audiophile space, they’ve been able to bring many of the same design concepts, and materials, down to a more affordable space.

The headphones are made almost entirely of aluminum, from enclosure to pipe, and feel far more premium than their price would suggest. The unboxing experience feels similarly extravagant, with three sets of ear tips in each size — small, medium, and large — consisting of silicone, double flange and, my favorite, Comply foam. The attention to detail is pretty astounding.

The sound is equally good for the price. The earbuds lack a huge driver for bass output, but what’s there is tight and accurate. While the MA650s may not appeal to the heavy electronic music listener, I enjoyed Kendrick Lamar’s beat-heavy hip-hop to SZA’s groovy R&B and Arcade Fire’s danceable alternative, and everything in between. It did take me a bit of experimentation to find the right fit for my ears, which is why RHA’s generous assortment of tips is appreciated. (When in doubt, buy Comply tips for your earbuds — give them a little squeeze before inserting them in your ear and they expand to block out outside noise and deliver the best possible audio quality.)

Perhaps the best part of using these headphones with an Android phone like the Galaxy S9 or LG G7 is the fact that the three-button remote, which includes a centered play/pause button and volume up/down buttons at either side, is that it just works. Most headphones with remotes are optimized for the iPhone, which put the volume controls out of commission. A long-press of the MA650’s play button also activates Google Assistant without issue. The microphone also sounds great for calls — a nice bonus.

I even tried using the headphones on devices without headphones jacks, like the Huawei P20 Pro and Google Pixel 2, and they worked great. While I didn’t love the additional length from the adapter — the cord is already on the long side — the remote worked exactly as intended.

Finally, the braided nylon cord is both durable and resists tangling, something that I’m always appreciative of when reviewing wired headphones.

RHA MA650 headphones What’s not good

What’s not to like? Most of my concerns with these headphones have more to do with the ecosystem than the product itself. Most phones don’t have headphone jacks anymore, which means using them on a Pixel 2 or HTC U12+ involves a dongle. Said dongles are often cumbersome and add length to a cord that was specifically designed to extend a certain distance — the MA650s are already quite lengthy.

If you’re into running, these headphones aren’t going to survive the abuse of sweat and grit, but they weren’t really designed for it. I did attempt one run with them in my ears and, despite finding a comfortable fit, they kept coming loose, and I could hear the cord brushing against my shirt, making for a frustrating experience. If you want cheap Bluetooth headphones for working out, may I recommend these from Anker.

RHA MA650 headphones Should you buy them?

Are you still on the wired headphone train? Do you need great sound and excellent build quality without spending more than $60? Do you want a remote that works with Android phones? The RHA MA650s are your best bet.

4
out of 5

RHA also makes the MA650s in a $99 Bluetooth version, but I still enjoy the reliability of a cord — especially not having to remember to charge them. If you’re in the same boat, these headphones will be perfect for you.

See at Amazon