Best Road Trip Apps for Android in 2018

Load these apps onto your phone before you hit the road!

There are few things better than hitting the open road on a cross-country road trip. Whether you’re heading out with your best buds or loading the kids into the car to visit relatives a few states over a little app prep will make sure the trip goes as smooth as is possible.

More: The best phone car mounts for any phone!

• Android Auto
• Waze
• Google Trips
• Yelp
• GasBuddy
• Spotify
• Netflix

Android Auto

If your car doesn’t have Android Auto functionality built into its stereo system, it’s worth checking out Google’s app for staying connected in your car. It’s now available on any Android phone, so you don’t need to buy a brand new car or upgrade your car stereo to take advantage of the convenience — it’ll just run right on your phone and can be configured to automatically launch when connected to your car’s Bluetooth or a Bluetooth FM transmitter.

Android Auto is the safest way to access your phone while driving, giving you one-touch access to navigation, music controls, and recent calls. As you’d expect, there’s great support built in for Google Assistant including the option to have incoming text messages read out loud (admittedly not the best option if you’re in a packed car with friends or family).

Android Auto lets you navigate with Google Maps, listen to playlists or podcasts from your favorite apps, send messages via voice, and more while eliminating the other ways your phone can distract you on the road. If you’re hitting the road this summer, you should absolutely have this app download on your phone.

Download: Android Auto (Free)

Waze

While Google Maps remains the most popular navigation app for Android (largely due to its inclusion as a stock app on most Android devices), Waze is a great option to consider for all your GPS navigation needs.

Waze users get the benefit of all the information gleaned from other Waze users on the road, from real-time traffic information including accident reports, police traps and other hazards seen on the road. You’re also encouraged to add your own updates and contribute to your local Waze community as well. Using all that data, Waze will automatically reroute you to avoid any upcoming hazards, and also has really smart features for finding the cheapest gas stations along the way as well as ways of keeping family and friends in the loop on your ETA.

Download: Waze (Free)

Google Trips

Google Trips is a great travel planning app that helps with some of the mundane aspects of traveling like keeping track of your reservations, while also helping to plan out your days in a new city by suggesting cool things to do based on your interests and available time.

If you’re planning to make a pitstop on your way to your final destination, plug the city into the app and see what it generates! It’s also available offline, so if you planned out your pit stops ahead of time you can keep in the know even if your phone’s data konks out.

Download: Google Trips (Free)

Yelp

When you’re exploring a new city trying to figure out what’s worth checking out, you’re best off checking in with the locals. Yelp is one of the most popular apps for reviewing restaurants and businesses with over 100 million reviews posted by users just like you.

When you’re in a pinch for a roadside bite and need to know what’s good, Yelp will help you find the perfect restaurant to fuel up and get back on the road.

Download: Yelp (Free)

GasBuddy

Fuelling up is often one of the biggest expenses you’ll incur on a road trip. GasBuddy helps you find the cheapest places to fill up along the way. Not only is this an app that you’ll want to use on a road trip, but you might end up becoming an everyday user once you see the savings for yourself.

All the data is user-generated, so if you see a cheaper gas price not listed in the app, you can report the price in the app and contribute to the GasBuddy community.

Download: GasBuddy (Free)

Spotify

What’s a road trip without some kick-ass driving music? Or maybe a podcast is more your speed? Regardless of what you prefer to listen to on your long distance drives, Spotify is the best streaming service you should be using in 2018.

Spotify has improved its free, ad-supported mobile app with “made for you” playlists that are curated based on the songs and bands you listen to. With a premium subscription, you get full, unfiltered access to streaming access to over 40 million tracks along with a wide range of curated playlists, so the music won’t ever stop, even on the longest of drives. Spotify also includes podcasts, and with Spotify Premium you can download songs and podcasts to your device for offline listening during those times on your trip where cell reception might be lacking. It also plays real nice with Android Auto allowing for hands-free control of all your music while you’re on the road.

That is, unless your co-pilot has already claimed the role of in-car DJ…

Download: Spotify (Free)

Best Streaming Music Apps for Android

Netflix

With its latest update allowing for offline viewing on mobile devices, Netflix suddenly became the go-to app for parents hoping to distract the young ones in the back without having to worry about all that data.

There’s a large amount of kid-friendly content available to be downloaded for offline viewing, which should help keep the shouts of “are we there yet?” to a minimum. Load up a phone or tablet with your kids’ favorites and look forward to the quietest road trip you’ve ever enjoyed. It’s also a great option for keeping adults quiet, too. A subscription is required, of course, but if you don’t already have one you for sure know someone who does.

Download: Netflix (Free)

Where are you headed?

How do you plan for your road trips? Any apps that we missed? Let us know in the comments!

Update June 2018: Updated some of our picks for the Summer of 2018. Drive safe out and have fun!

Where to buy the BlackBerry KEY2

Your guide for picking up the KEY2 in the U.S. and Canada.

The BlackBerry KEY2 isn’t a smartphone for everyone, but for fans of the BlackBerry brand or those that just want to have their physical keyboard back, it’s the go-to choice if you’re buying a new phone in 2018.

If you live in the U.S. or Canada and are interested in getting a KEY2 for yourself, we’ve put together a guide of where exactly you can pick up the phone. We’ll continuously update this as more info becomes available, but for now, let’s jump right into it.

United States

The BlackBerry KEY2 has been confirmed to come to the U.S., but at the time of publication, we aren’t sure when that’ll be or what carriers/retailers will sell it.

BlackBerry has confirmed that the KEY2 will cost $650 in the States, but that’s all we know for the time being.

Canada

Bell

The first Canadian carrier on our list, Bell, will begin sales of the KEY2 on July 6.

When purchased with a two-year contract, the phone will set you back $99 CAD.

See at Bell

Rogers

Rogers will also open sales for the BlackBerry KEY2 on July 6, but you’ll pay ever-so-slightly less at $95 on a two-year term.

If you absolutely can’t wait until July 6 comes around, Rogers will open pre-orders starting June 21.

See at Rogers

SaskTel

For customers of SaskTel, you can expect to pay $99 for the KEY2 when you purchase it on a two-year term.

Similar to every other Canadian carrier, you can get your order placed beginning July 6.

See at SaskTel

TELUS

In regards to TELUS, this is where you’ll spend the most on a KEY2 when buying it on a two-year contract.

TELUS is charging $100 for the KEY2, and while that’s not a whole lot more than its competitors, it is worth looking elsewhere if you have the option.

As expected, you’ll be able to purchase the KEY2 on July 6.

See at TELUS

Unlocked

If you’re not about that carrier life and prefer buying your phones unlocked, you have no shortage of options for the KEY2.

Starting in July, BlackBerry says you’ll be able to purchase a carrier unlocked version of the KEY2 from Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Staples, Blueshop, and Visions.

No matter which retailer you decide to buy from, the unlocked KEY2 is going to cost you $829.99.

See at Amazon

BlackBerry KEY2

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

BlackBerry

BlackBerry KEY2: Everything you need to know

Like the BlackBerry KEYone? You’re going to love the KEY2 😍

Following a heap of rumors and leaks, BlackBerry finally unveiled the highly-anticipated KEY2 on June 7, 2018. The KEY2 is a direct successor to last year’s KEYone and retains the same general design while offering upgraded specs across the board.

There’s a lot to unpack with the KEY2, so let’s go ahead and get into it.

Watch and read the preview

The KEY2 doesn’t do too much that’s different to the KEYone, but it improves everything in either minor or major ways. Three areas, in particular, get focus: performance, keyboard quality, and design.

BlackBerry KEY2 hands-on: More of the same, less of the lame

See how it compares to the KEYone

The BlackBerry KEYone was no slouch of a phone, but with the KEY2, BlackBerry made upgrades in just about every area imaginable.

Between higher-end specs, the addition of dual cameras, improved keyboard, and more, the KEY2 is a better gadget in just about every regard.

However, if you already shelled out $550 for the KEYone last year, is it really worth spending another $650 this year? Let Daniel help you out with that dilemma in the comparison below 👇

BlackBerry KEY2 vs. BlackBerry KEYone: Should you upgrade?

The design is mostly the same

One of the main reasons the KEYone stood out so much was thanks to its productivity-focused design. Instead of releasing a glass, all-screen slab like so many other companies, BlackBerry kicked out a chunky, physical keyboard-touting phone.

With the KEY2, that theme is present once again.

The KEY2 measures in at 151.4 mm x 71.8mm x 8.5mm, making it taller, yet thinner, than the KEYone. The screen is once again a 4.5-inch panel with a 1620 x 1080 resolution, and the 3:2 aspect ratio makes a return, too.

You’ve got access to 35 backlit keys on the physical keyboard, and similar to the KEYone, the spacebar doubles as an integrated fingerprint sensor.

It’s got more RAM and a faster processor, but the battery is slightly smaller

Although the KEY2 may look similar to the KEYone on the outside, it’s got a lot of improvements under the hood.

Last year’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor and measly 3GB RAM have been replaced with a Snapdragon 660 and impressive 6GB RAM. You also have your choice between 64 or 128GB of internal storage, both of which can be upgraded to 256GB via a microSD card.

The battery is ever-so-slightly smaller at 3,500 mAh compared to the KEYone’s 3,505 mAh unit, but thanks to the power-sipping nature of the 660, the KEY2 should still be a battery champ.

BlackBerry KEY2 and 6GB of RAM: Why it’s a big deal

BlackBerry steps up to dual cameras

The single 12MP rear camera on the KEYone was fine. It had the capacity to take decent photos, but often struggled in low-light and produced very shakey 4K video.

You don’t buy BlackBerry phones for their excellent cameras, but this is another area where the KEY2 should offer some serious improvements.

Around back, BlackBerry’s outfitted the KEY2 with dual 12MP sensors. The primary one features a large 1.28um pixel size with f/1.8 aperture while the secondary one touts a 1.0um pixel size and f/2.6 aperture. You can record video in 4K at 30 FPS, dual-tone flash helps to brighten dark scenes, and there’s Phase Detection Autofocus.

In regards to the selfie camera, you’re looking at an 8MP sensor that’s capable of recording 1080p video at 30 FPS.

You’ll need to cough up $650 to own one

As you’d expect, the KEY2’s many enhancements have resulted in a steeper price tag compared to last year’s model.

While the KEYone started out at $550 in the U.S., the KEY2 is $100 more expensive at $650. Elsewhere, the KEY2 will cost €649 EU, £579 GB, and $829 CDN.

Specifics on the U.S. release are still up in the air, but BlackBerry’s since confirmed that the KEY2 is coming to Canadian retailers and carriers in July.

Where to buy the BlackBerry KEY2

BlackBerry KEY2

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

BlackBerry

Updated June 20, 2018: Added new information about where to buy the KEY2 and a section comparing it to the KEYone.

Angela Ahrendts Talks Apple Retail in New Interview: ‘Retail is Not Dying, But it Has to Evolve’

Apple senior vice president of retail Angela Ahrendts gave a new interview today at Cannes Lions, an annual international festival in France that celebrates individuals and companies in creative spaces. During her talk, Ahrendts discussed a variety of topics related to Apple and its pivot away from retail “stores” over the last few years to become community gathering places (via NBC News).

Thank you to the creative community who joined us at #CannesLions today to hear about #TodayatApple and how our retail experience inspires learning, unlocks creativity and encourages human connection. pic.twitter.com/64i4NL9SeY

— Angela Ahrendts (@AngelaAhrendts) June 20, 2018

Ahrendts’ discussion also included Apple vice president of marketing communications Tor Myhren, and the SVP of retail explained that Apple’s approach is to be “in the human business” and to “humanize technology.”

I love the creative arts… that’s kind of when we came up with the tagline: maybe we’re in the human business. Maybe the largest tech company has these 65,000 kids and maybe it’s our job to humanize technology.

Looking to the future of retail in general, Ahrendts mentioned numbers from an analytic firm that suggest while the majority of shopping will move online, many customers will still venture out to physical locations to finalize a purchase. This means that shoppers will use apps and online websites to research products and items, and perhaps reserve them for in-store pickup, much like Apple already does today.

You have your instincts and you use a lot of smart outside guys, and the smart outside guys they don’t say retail is dying. They say digital is gonna grow at three times the rate of physical, but in the next five years… 75 percent of people will shop online, shop to learn [about what they want to buy], but 75 percent of business will still be done in physical stores.

Because of this, Ahrendts explained that “retail isn’t going away” or “dying,” but it will have to “evolve” as time passes. Apple has already made moves to change up Apple retail locations with next-generation layouts that emphasize communal gathering and encourage interactivity during Today at Apple sessions. This plays into another of Ahrendts’ talking points in the interview, when she said, “I think [retail] has to serve a bigger purpose than just selling.”

Some really interesting insight on the future of retail from Apple’s @AngelaAhrendts!

For more expert insights and sign up for a #CannesLions Digital Pass, available here https://t.co/VB1kN9uzpt pic.twitter.com/AsBKbSURe2

— Cannes Lions (@Cannes_Lions) June 20, 2018

Ahrendts also discussed an internal social network that Apple calls “Loop,” which was built for the company to measure how well it is doing in its retail mission to keep customers happy, accomplished through surveying both customers and retail employees. Loop is examined by Ph.D. students and results in data that helps Apple executives “improve systems” surrounding its retail business.

Ahrendts went on to discuss Apple store employees:

“They are not hired to sell,” she said. “There is no commission, no quotas. What we’ve tried to do is keep uniting them around the big vision and the impact we want to make.”

Ahrendts routinely discusses Apple’s next-generation retail plans in interviews, and last year even appeared onstage at the iPhone X event to briefly talk about retail and Today at Apple sessions. Shortly following that September event, Ahrendts climbed to the 13th spot on Fortune’s Most Powerful Women list for 2017, jumping from 14th in 2016 and 16th in 2015.

Tags: Angela Ahrendts, Apple retail
Discuss this article in our forums

Disney Outbids Comcast for Fox’s Assets With $71.3 Billion Cash and Stock Deal

21st Century Fox and the Walt Disney Company today announced a new deal that increases the value of Disney’s original December 2017 offer from $28 a share at $52.4 billion to $38 a share at $71.3 billion, with a new cash component. This agreement “is superior to the proposal” from Comcast made earlier this month, according to an unnamed representative speaking for Fox (via The Wall Street Journal).

Additionally, the new Fox-Disney deal states that Fox shareholders will be able to receive their consideration “in the form of cash or stock,” subject to 50/50 proration. The updated deal comes six months after Disney first announced its intent to acquire certain parts of 21st Century Fox, including Twentieth Century Fox Film and Television Studios, Fox-related cable and international TV businesses, and Fox’s 30 percent stake in Hulu, among other assets.

Comcast entered as a competitor earlier in June at $35 per share for a total of $65 billion — an offer that Disney has now beat. Fox has mentioned in the past that talks with Disney were more advanced than any other potential buyer, and it appears that the two companies are trying to work out a deal that values Fox’s assets in the wake of Comcast’s increased bid.

Nothing is finalized yet, however, and if shareholders are thought to be favoring a cash-heavy deal, people familiar with the matter told WSJ that Disney is “in position to inject cash into its offer.”

Some Fox shareholders might prefer a premium cash offer like the one Comcast is offering, even though the capital gains would be taxable. Other shareholders, particularly the large institutional shareholders that are Fox’s biggest investors, tend to care much less about taxes, Mr. Willens added.

With either company, the deal will have to face regulatory hurdles and get approved by the Justice Department. However, Comcast waited to make its bid on Fox until a U.S. District Court Judge approved of the merger between AT&T and Time Warner, which set a precedent for similar cases. According to Comcast, the court’s approval should “nullify” any of Fox’s regulatory concerns, which is the reason Fox rejected Comcast’s original offer in April 2018.

Tags: Disney, Comcast, Fox
Discuss this article in our forums

Nurturing a Multibillion Dollar Monster: How Gaming Companies Are Keeping You Online

“10anniversary” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Ryzom

Online gaming has become a multibillion-dollar industry over the last two decades. According to Newzoo’s Global Games Market Report, software revenue across the spectrum topped $116 billion in 2017. That figure was 10.7% up on the previous year, with experts predicting similar levels of growth as we move towards 2020 and beyond. With the market booming and millions of players gaming online every day, the major brands are now having to think about customer service, efficiency and reliability more than ever. Indeed, when you consider that a mobile game such as Pokémon Go has 65 million monthly users and five million active daily players, even the smallest glitch can have catastrophic effects.

Online Games Aren’t Immune from Outages

“Server Too Busy Because Of The…” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by schoschie

In fact, these problems are made worse when a person or group deliberately try to disrupt a service. Niantic found this out the hard way in 2016 when a group of hackers going by the name PoodleCorp took aim at the company’s servers. The DDoS attack was, according to the group, a “lil test” in preparation of something much larger. Although the claims were never fully verified, the Pokémon Go servers were down in both the US and UK for an extended period of time. Of course, it’s not just Pokémon Go that’s been hit with outages. Following a dispute among gamers back in 2013, a team of hackers took down Dota 2, League of Legends and Quake Live as part of a punishment attack.

What’s obvious here is that those with the technical know-how can cause carnage if they really want to. However, what are the major gaming companies doing to mitigate the risks of unexpected outages? Security is clearly the first line of defense against cybercriminals. Building a complex cloud architecture complete with subnets should be the starting point for any MMO. On top of this, web application firewalls (WAFs) have also proved an effective way to protect online apps from hackers. When the first lines of defense fail, the major gaming companies are now using server load balancing to mitigate downtime.

Finding the Right Balance is Crucial

“power & space” (CC BY 2.0) by tvol

For smaller businesses, HAProxy software offers an open source solution for load balancing. Because the software taps into application and network layers, it allows businesses to balance server loads and improve reliability and website speed. As a small business solution, HAProxy is desirable because it’s cost effective. However, for companies running global networks like Fortnite, on-edge load balancing is a more robust option. Using an on-edge load balancing system, gaming companies not only have the power to combat outages but filter traffic, mitigate large-scale DDoS attacks and offer a disaster recovery solution. Although this software is far from perfect, it’s one of the main reasons online games have become more reliable in recent years.

Naturally, with billions of dollars flowing through the industry, people will always want to upset the applecart. However, the technology is out there to help prevent any unwanted disruptions. As tough as it is, gaming brands like Niantic and Activision Blizzard Inc. are certainly doing all they can to provide a 24/7 service. Is it perfect? Obviously not, but things are getting better and this, in turn, is why the industry is growing at an unprecedented rate.

Pair your smart mattress with Eight Sleep’s A.I.-powered Sleep Coach

For something so important, it can really be quite hard to get. We’re talking, of course, about a good night’s sleep. But between all the blue screens we have around us and the not-quite-comfortable mattresses we attempt to sleep on for eight hours, feeling fully rested can be a challenge in and of itself. But it’s a challenge the team at Eight Sleep is ready to take on. Back in 2016, the company launched the Smart Mattress to help us get some shut-eye, and now, two years later, it’s back with an A.I.-powered personal sleep coach.

Available now in the Eight iOS and Android apps, this new companion app will complement your existing Smart Mattress, and leverages the 2.5 million nights of sleep data the company has tracked thus far. Eight has taken this data and run it through its own neural networks to create real-time benchmarks of individuals’ sleep based on their own sleeping patterns and other key metrics, including gender, age, and location. Insights are then turned into action, as the app provides directions as to how to improve sleep.

“Sleep deprivation is costing the U.S. economy $400 billion each year. The A.I.-powered Sleep Coach is our answer to this,” Eight co-founder and CEO Matteo Franceschetti said. “Thanks to the accuracy and volume of data that we gather, we are able to offer users unique insights into their sleep unlike any other consumer product in the market. This is just the start of seeing our vision realized, of a future in which technology and data make health care more scientific and consistent.”

Now, once you sleep on your Eight Smart Mattress, you’ll automatically have access to your data from the new Sleep Coach. All insights will be displayed in the Eight app, and will be adjusted based on your sleep patterns. You may get feedback like, “Great job! You got 7 hours and 43 minutes of sleep last night. That is 30 minutes more than your average this month.”

Or, “You sleep like a rock! This week you’ve tossed and turned on average 10 times per night. This is much lower than the average for people your age, which is 25 toss and turns per night.”

Or perhaps, “Your percentage of REM sleep was 15% last night. This is lower than the healthy range of 20-25%. Lack of REM is caused by lack of sleep and can lead to fatigue and in the long-term memory loss. Try sleeping 30 minutes more tonight.”

Best of all, you don’t have to worry about donning a wearable or doing anything special to access these insights — the Smart  Mattress and Sleep Coach integrate automatically to your benefit.

The company’s first foray into the realm of sleep came with its sleep tracker, which was launched in early 2014. Now sold to customers in over 50 countries, the sleep tracker promises to “finely differentiate and track movement, bed and room temperature, breathing rate, heart rate,” and thereby “infer sleep stages, sleep quality, time slept, and more” to provide its wearer with the information he or she needs to get a better night’s sleep.

A couple of years later, Eight Sleep took things a step further. Its mattress replaces traditional un-smart mattresses by combining higher comfort with breakthrough technology. Designed with four layers of responsive and high-density foam (to keep you cozy), and a technology layer (to keep you informed), this is one mattress you probably won’t want to leave in the morning.

As for the smart capabilities, the Eight Smart Mattress tracks over 15 sleep factors, including heart rate, breathing rate, deep and light sleep, time slept, and tosses and turns. The mattress actually allows for two people’s sleep to be tracked at the same time, and can also be controlled to suit both your and your bedfellow’s preferences. For example, if you prefer to sleep in a slightly colder environment but your partner wants it a bit warmer, the mattress can accommodate you both. Moreover, the mattress itself serves as an alarm, and promises to “wake you up with the right time with a smart alarm, which senses when you’re in a stage of light sleep.”

And because this is the 21st century and all our appliances are connected, this mattress can communicate with your lights, your door lock, your coffee machine, and thermostat. Because really, you should stay in bed for as long as humanly possible.

“The reason we’ve moved onto building a better bed is that through analysis of millions of hours of sleep data from over 10,000 users, it’s become apparent that bed quality is very important to good sleep, and that there was opportunity to design a better mattress,” said Alexandra Zatarain, co-founder and chief marketing officer of Eight Sleep. “And so we’ve designed a mattress built for the highest comfort, with a smart layer embedded right in.”

The smart mattress from Eight Sleep starts at $699, with prices varying by bed size.

Updated on June 20: Added news about the new A.I.-powered Sleep Coach from Eight.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best sleeping pads
• Trouble sleeping? The Dreem headset promises to help — if you can keep it on
• Insomnia keeping you up? The Reverie Sleep Coach may help
• Trouble sleeping? These 6 products can help you rest easier
• SleepScore app aims to take your slumber to new depths

How to use Google Podcasts

Need some help navigating Google’s new Podcasts app? We’ve got you 👍

After launching a podcast interface in the Google Search app in mid-March, Google’s finally come out with a proper, standalone app for keeping up to date with all of your favorite audio-only shows.

Google Podcasts is a very simple app, but even so, it can be helpful knowing exactly how to make your way through it. As such, we’ve put together a short list of some basic how-tos to help make you a Google Podcasts pro in no time at all.

Let’s get started!

• How to search for a podcast
• How to subscribe / unsubscribe to a podcast
• How to control playback settings
• How to edit your podcasts
• How to add shortcuts to your home screen
• How to download a podcast
• How to manage your download settings

How to search for a podcast

Tap the magnifying glass in the upper-left corner.
Type in the name of the podcast you’re looking for.

Tap on the podcast you want from the search results.

How to subscribe / unsubscribe to a podcast

Tap on a recommended podcast from the homepage or one you’ve searched for.

Tab the Subscribe button near the top-left.

Alternatively, you can unsubscribe by doing the following:

Tap on a podcast you’re currently subscribed to.
Tab the Subscribed button.

Tap Unsubscribe.

How to control playback settings

Tap on the playback bar at the very bottom.
Tap the icon with the 10 to rewind 10 seconds.
Tap the icon with the 30 to fast-forward 30 seconds.

Tap the 1.0x bubble at the bottom-right to control playback speed.

How to edit your podcasts

Tap the three dots at the very top-right.

Tap Edit your podcasts.

From here, you can choose to either delete/unsubscribe from your podcasts or reposition how they’re displayed on the home screen. To delete/unsubscribe:

Tap on the podcast(s) you want to delete.

Tap the trash icon at the top-right.

If you want to change the order in which your podcasts are displayed:

Hold down on a podcast and then move it to where you want.

Tap the arrow at the top-left when you’re done.

How to add shortcuts to your home screen

Tap on the podcast you want.
Tap the three arrows near the top right.
Tap Add to home screen.

Tap Add automatically or hold and drag the icon to put the shortcut exactly where you want it.

How to download a podcast

Tap on a podcast.
Tap the episode you want to download.

Tap the download icon (it’s the one with an arrow pointing down).

How to manage your download settings

Tap the three dots at the top-right.
Tap Settings.
Tap Remove completed episodes to automatically remove downloaded podcasts after 24 hours, 7 days, or never.

Tap Remove unfinished episodes to automatically remove these after 30 days, 90 days, or never.

Get your podcast on!

With those tips under your belt, you’re ready to start using Google Podcast for all of your podcasting needs! If you have a question on how something works or want to share your thoughts on Google’s new Podcasts app, leave a comment down below!

Download: Google Podcasts (free)

Logitech’s one-day sale has discounted mice, keyboards, speakers, and more

These prices won’t last long!

As part of its Gold Box deals of the day, Amazon has a variety of Logitech PC accessories on sale, with prices starting at $14. Some of these items are back down to all-time low prices, others are at the best price we’ve seen since the holidays.

There are a few different mice on sale, including the popular MX Master, a portable webcam, speakers, and even keyboards, so you’ll want to check these all out before the prices jump back up.

Some of the deals include:

• MX Master Wireless Precision Mouse – $49.99 (Was $75)
• MX Master 2S Wireless Mouse – $59.99 (Was $100)
• C615 Fold-and-Go Webcam – $29.99 (Was $70)
• K400 Plus Wireless Touch TV Keyboard – $17.98 (Was $40)
• MK520 Keyboard & Mouse Combo – $24.99 (Was $60)
• MX900 Performance Keyboard & MX Master Mouse – $129.99 (Was $180)
• Z523 Speaker System with Subwoofer – $49.99 (Was $100)

Be sure to check out the full sale here to make sure you don’t miss any of the other deals.

See at Amazon

Deal: Get 75GB of full-speed data from Verizon for just $95 a month!

While many carriers “unlimited” plans cap speeds after somewhere after 22GB of data usage, Verizon is now offering a new Above Unlimted plan that will keep your data running at full speed three times as long. For just $95 a month, you’ll get an unlimited plan with 75GB of full-speed data before speeds are reduced. The plan also comes with unlimited talk & text — Mexico & Canada included.

Verizon’s NEW Above Unlimited Plan

• 75GB of full speed data each month before your speeds are reduced during congestion (other plans will reduce your speeds after you use 22GB of data)
• Your unlimited call minutes can be used for calls both to and from Mexico and Canada
• Your unlimited text messages can be used to text over 200 countries in the world
• You can use 512MB of data each day when traveling in Mexico or Canada for free
• Includes 5 TravelPasses each month, which lets you use your cell phone plan in more than 130 countries at no additional charge
• Includes 15GB of mobile hotspot data
• This plan is great for those who use a lot of data and don’t want their speeds reduced each month when they go over their limit. It’s a huge amount of full-speed data, with carriers usually offering only 22 or 23GB of full speed data each month.

BYOD Offer

For a limited time only, if you bring your own smartphone to Verizon and switch from another carrier, you can receive a prepaid MasterCard with $150 credit!

See at Verizon