The Nokia 7 Plus isn’t officially available in the U.S., but here’s why you should buy it anyway

This is your best chance to pick up the Nokia 7 Plus if you’re living in the U.S.

The Nokia 7 Plus is the best $400 phone you can buy right now, but unfortunately it isn’t officially up for sale in the U.S. HMD Global is currently focusing on Asian markets, and while the Nokia 6.1 is available direct from Amazon for $269, that’s the only Nokia-branded phone sold officially in the U.S.

However, the global variant of the Nokia 7 Plus is now being listed on Amazon for $359, with the particular model offering compatible bands for AT&T and T-Mobile.

It works on AT&T and T-Mobile

The Nokia 7 Plus variant on sale (TA-1062) features a host of LTE bands, specifically 1/3/4/5/7/8/20/28/34/38/39/40/41. Band 4 compatibility is key here as that makes the phone eligible to work on AT&T and T-Mobile. It doesn’t have all the requisite bands for either carrier as it’s missing band 12, so coverage will be limited. That said, bands 4 and 5 provide LTE connectivity across wide swathes of the country, so you shouldn’t face a lot of issues in this regard.

Should you face issues with LTE connectivity on either AT&T and T-Mobile in your locale, you can at least turn in the device as it’s backed by Amazon’s 30-day guarantee. Furthermore, you won’t be able to use the Nokia 7 Plus on Verizon or Sprint as this is a GSM model.

The build quality is fantastic

The Nokia 7 Plus has an aluminum unibody with a six-layer ceramic finish at the back, giving the phone a matte finish. The matte texture makes it easier to hold, and the aluminum chassis makes it one of the most durable phones in this segment.

Nokia devices in the past have long been associated with durability, and HMD is imbibing the same qualities to its portfolio of Android devices. I’ve been using my Nokia 7 Plus for well over two months now, and after numerous knocks and tumbles, the phone is still going strong.

Snapdragon 660 is a performance beast

The Nokia 7 Plus has the distinction of being the first HMD device to feature an 18:9 panel. It also features a Snapdragon 660 chipset, Qualcomm’s mid-range powerhouse. The Snapdragon 660 made its debut last year, and continues to be one of the best chipsets in the sub-$500 segment.

You also get 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage as standard, microSD card slot, dual 12MP + 13MP cameras, Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, and a 3800mAh battery that delivers over a day’s worth of use with ease.

Nokia 7 Plus review: Come for the value, stay for the excitement

You get the promise of quick updates

HMD has committed to the Android One platform for all of its Android phones, and that translates to two platform updates and three years of security updates for all phones in its portfolio. HMD managed to do a stellar job rolling out updates, with the Nokia 7 Plus running Android 8.1 Oreo and the phone is in the first wave of devices to pick up the Android p update once it’s released.

It costs just $90 more than the Nokia 6.1

The main issue with importing a Nokia 7 Plus is the customs duties and shipping costs associated with the purchase, but with the phone available from Amazon and backed by a 30-day guarantee, this is the best time to get your hands on the device.

Right now, the phone costs just $90 more than the Nokia 6.1, and for that amount you’re getting an 18:9 panel, beefier hardware in the form of a Snapdragon 660, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage, and much better cameras. Sure, you’ll lose out on warranty as the model on sale is a global variant that doesn’t offer U.S. warranty, but you’ll be able to return your unit within 30 days to Amazon should you face any issues.

As outlined above, the Nokia 7 Plus has outstanding build quality, and is one of the sturdiest phones in this segment today. For $359, there really is no reason not to try out the Nokia 7 Plus and see what’s on offer.

See at Amazon

Replace your recessed lights with these Philips Hue bulbs for $40 each

With 13 million color options, which will you pick?

Amazon currently has the white and color ambiance Philips Hue flood lights (BR30) on sale for $39.99 each, which is a savings of $10. This style lightbulb is designed to be used in floodlights and overhead recessed lighting, though if you are looking for a regular bulb, they are on sale as well for the same price. The cost of entry with Hue lights is on the more expensive side, so any time you can pick up an extra bulb or two at a discount you should.

Smart lights quickly become addictive, and before you know it, you want to replace every light in your home. This price drop is a match of the lowest we’ve seen the bulb hit, and that was for only a brief period of time around Black Friday. You can control them using the free Philips Hue app or with just your voice through Amazon’s Alexa on an Echo Dot and Google’s Assistant on a Home Mini.

In order for the lights to work, you will need the Philips Hue Smart Bridge, which is down to $52 from $60. For $17 more, you can get the 2-bulb starter kit, which comes with the Bridge and two white bulbs that you can use in your home as well.

See at Amazon

WhatsApp Gains New Group Chat Setting for One-Way Messaging

WhatsApp rolled out an update over the weekend that introduces a useful new administrator setting to the popular messaging platform to make group chats more functional.

Essentially, the new setting allows group chats to be set up so that only approved admins are able to send messages to the group, which should help prevent important information from being lost in a hail of messages from group members.

WhatsApp says the feature is intended for certain use cases where groups are used to receive important announcements, including parents and teachers at schools, community centers, and non-profit organizations.

To enable the setting in WhatsApp, tap Group Settings -> Send Messages and select Only Admins.

Facebook-owned WhatsApp has focused on improving the group chat experience over the last few months, introducing group descriptions, a catch-up feature, and protection for users who are being added repeatedly to groups they’ve left.

Tag: WhatsApp
Discuss this article in our forums

Drake’s ‘Scorpion’ Breaks Single-Day Streaming Record on Apple Music

Drake’s fifth album, Scorpion, has surpassed the artist’s own single-day streaming record on Apple Music, with over 170 million streams in its first 24 hours of availability.

Apple told The Verge that Scorpion now holds both the U.S. and global streaming records for the company’s streaming service, and the debut is the biggest ever single-day streaming total for any album on any streaming service.

Drake’s last album, More Life, held the previous record with 89.9 million streams in its first day. It also set records on Apple’s Beats 1 radio service, marking the biggest Beats 1 show in its history at the time.

Apple promoted the artist’s latest release by launching a site that lets visitors make their own Scorpion album cover art with personal photos. The company also made sure Siri had something to say when fans asked the virtual assistant what Drake’s nicknames are.

Apple Music is working overtime for

This is what happens when you ask Siri what Drake’s nickname is pic.twitter.com/3fbRKvKAhA

— Micah Singleton (@MicahSingleton) June 28, 2018

Scorpion appeared on almost 30 of Spotify’s popular playlists, but the rival service was still unable to keep up with the Apple Music’s streaming figures for the album, despite it having around 120 million fewer subscribers than Spotify.

According to Spotify’s public charts, the album was streamed over 132 million times in its first 24 hours, but Spotify said that number could end up being higher once it finishes tallying the results.

Scorpion is expected to shatter the single-week streaming record of 431 million streams currently held by Post Malone’s Beerbongs & Bentleys.

Tags: Apple Music, Drake
Discuss this article in our forums

Multi-lens camera firm Light is putting up to nine lenses in a smartphone

Light

Light, maker of a wacky-looking 16-lens camera that hit the market last year, has plans to incorporate its technology into a smartphone.

Dual-lens phones are becoming increasingly commonplace, but Light intends to take on the competition with a smartphone featuring a seemingly absurd nine lenses.

Silicon Valley-based Light recently showed the Washington Post a bunch of concept and working prototype handsets with between five and nine lenses built into the back. It hopes to unveil the device by the end of this year.

The company claims its smartphone camera will offer excellent low-light performance and various depth effects while shooting images of up to a whopping 64 megapixels. That’ll surely seem like overkill for most casual smartphone owners, while those that choose to shoot photos at such a high setting will need to be mindful of storage space on the phone, as saving such large images to the cloud could prove time consuming and even costly, depending on your data plan.

There’s no word on whether Light is collaborating with an existing smartphone maker to build the phone, or whether it’s going it alone. We’ve reached out to the company for clarification and will update when we hear back.

Challenges

Design challenges include slimming down the technology, as Light’s standalone camera, at almost an inch thick, is something of a brick in smartphone terms.

It’ll also need to find an attractive price point for the device. Light’s standalone camera, which offers similar specs without all the phone functionality, already costs a wallet-flinching $1,950.

Light’s unique camera technology uses multiple lenses of varying focal lengths to capture multiple images at the same time, and then uses algorithms to fuse them together to create a single picture.

Its L16 camera also lets you adjust the focal plane and depth of field after the image has been snapped.

Light says its 52-megapixel camera offers DSLR-quality images, but reviews of the L16 at the end of last year cast doubt on its claims of excellent low-light performance. With development work continuing, however, the company last month issued a software update that it said improved the camera’s image quality by at least one full stop “in most low light scenarios.” Light described the update as a “huge” step forward, “specifically around fine details and noise reduction.”

With a growing number of smartphones featuring some pretty nifty camera technology with two or three lenses, Light will have to offer a truly top-notch camera — as well as a compelling smartphone design — to have any hope of succeeding in an already crowded market.

The company has support though, receiving a $30 million cash injection from GV (formerly Google Ventures) in 2016, as well as investment from manufacturing giant Foxconn.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The Rolleiflex returns with a twin-lens instant film camera with modern flair
• Canon tackles flare with new 70-200mm f/2.8, adds serious stabilization to f/4
• Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 Art review
• Nikon developing a 500mm super telephoto with compact Fresnel design
• Up close with 4 of the best macro lenses for your phone

This clever mobile ‘airbag’ could save your phone when you drop it

Philip Frenzel/Landesschau Baden-Württemberg

If you’ve never dropped your smartphone, then guess what? It’s going to happen sooner or later.

While most phone cases do a stellar job of protecting handsets when they hit the deck, some drops prove too much, leaving you with a damaged handset and a costly repair bill.

Ever since the first phone slipped from some poor soul’s hand, a number of tech firms have been looking into how to better protect the devices from breaking on impact.

Taking their cue from automakers, companies such as Amazon and Sony filed patents outlining designs for miniaturized airbag systems that inflate when the system detects the phone is falling.

But while those ideas remain as plans sketched out on paper, an engineering student at Aalen University in Germany has taken it upon himself to design a fully working phone protector that springs into action just before the handset hits the ground.

The German Mechatronics Society was so taken by the design that it awarded the student, Philip Frenzel, a national prize for his efforts.

Frenzel’s device comprises a slim case with four prongs located inside each corner. When the sensor detects the phone is falling, the prongs automatically deploy, preventing any part of the phone from hitting the ground.

One notable advantage over airbag systems is that the device can be quickly reset by pushing the prongs back inside the case.

While the design looks like something you might see flying about in a martial arts movie, the prongs have actually been designed to be quite springy in order to absorb the shock when the phone hits the ground. Though admittedly they still look as if they could cause some damage in a bar brawl.

You can watch the device in action in the video below.

Frenzel says that next month he plans to launch a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter for his creation, which, if it receives sufficient backing, could prove popular with those who have a habit of handling their smartphone like a bar of wet soap.

But in the meantime, if you need some advice on how to pick the best smartphone case for your needs, be sure to check out Digital Trends’ useful guide. Alternatively, if you’d prefer a sturdier smartphone that’s built to take bashes and splashes (to a limit, of course!), then here’s some suggestions for the best rugged smartphones on the market today.

Editors’ Recommendations

• These are the best Nokia 6.1 cases to keep your fantastic phone beautiful
• The best Motorola Moto G6 cases to keep your Moto motoring on
• The best Moto E5 Play cases
• Here are the best waterproof phones you can buy right now
• The best Moto E5 Plus cases to keep your budget phone beautiful

These are the largest Bitcoin mining farms in the world

The world is in the middle of a second gold rush — but it’s not gold they’re mining today. It’s Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, ones and zeroes that are being turned into pure profit. Around the globe, they’re making millions from machines, minting with microchips, printing money with printed circuit boards.

These mines aren’t holes in the ground, of course, but rather server rooms where shelves full of highly specialized computers with Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) work round the clock to mine bitcoin. They do this by solving extremely difficult math problems, and all that work tends to make them get really, really hot. The solution, of course, is to supply them with a steady supply of cold air to prevent them from overheating. Meaning bitcoin mines are very specialized environments with crucial heating and cooling needs, specialized computers, and very unusual environments. We toured one in northern Washington state recently; it was like stepping into a sauna.

But that’s hardly the only Bitcoin mine, nor the weirdest of the bunch. Here we dig in to some of the biggest and most profitable Bitcoin mining farms and pools in the world. (Need a quick refresher before you dive in? Start here.)

BitMain / Antpool

Bitmain was founded in 2013 by Jihan Wu and Micree Zhan after the two met following Zhan’s translation of Satoshi Nakamoto’s seminal “Bitcoin White Paper,” a document that spells out the core fundamentals Bitcoin is based upon. Jihan approached Zhan for help in developing a new chip that would be capable of mining Bitcoin, thus Bitmain was created.

Bitmain is also one of the few crypto companies that touts an actual farm, or warehouse full of “mining rigs,” that is maintained by a 24/7 staff of engineers. Having made three to four billion in 2017, they were definitely hauling in their fair share of the catch.

While cryptomining is definitely at the forefront of Bitmain’s business, the company broadened its development projects after its explosive rise in 2017 to include chips and processors that focused on “deep learning” — and in November of that year launched a new line of AI-focused hardware.

Bitfury

Having been around a bit longer than BitMain, Bitfury was founded in 2011 by Valery Vavilov. Unlike BitMain, Bitfury is more in the business of supporting groups who wish to use the Blockchain to move and create assets. So while not necessarily a farm, Bitfury is a leading name in the cryptocurrency world.

With offices across the globe, Bitfury is manned by professionals from all kinds of fields and all kinds of places, all working together to preserve the accessibility and transparency of the Blockchain, as well as creating tools to streamline its use.

In layman’s terms, Bitfury lets big businesses, governments, and other organization transfer assets across the Blockchain. So if you’re a high roller that wants to take advantage of the new cryptocurrency highway, Bitfury may be your first stop.

DiscusFish/F2Pool

Opened in May of 2013, DiscusFish is a public mining pool that also shares its origins in China. The name refers to a time before the pool had an English interface; “Discus Fish” is the name of one of their original operators.

F2Pool also supports a wide variety of cryptomining, catering to most of the larger and trending cryptocurrencies in current circulation — Ethereum, Ripple, and so on — as well as a daily automatic pay out.

BTCC / BTC China

The second largest public mining pool as of 2012, BTCC has been around just about as long as Bitcoin has. Operating as a “Bitcoin exchange,” the BTCC is arguably one of the largest and more aggressive names in the crypto world.

With a continued faith in Bitcoin that hasn’t failed them yet, the BTCC has successfully ridden the everchanging current that is the crypto world, continuously meeting the demand that the craze currency creates during the “Bitcoin bubble!” phases.

Eligius

As one of the most open and easy-to-get- into mining pools, Eligius has become a loud name in the Crypto mining world. Operated since 2011, it also boasts being one of the older mining pools.

With a no-nonsense attitude, no registration, no fees, and immediate share-sharing, Eligius is probably the most user friendly you can get with pool mining.

Editors’ Recommendations

• From gold to greatswords, blockchain lets gamers truly own their loot
• New cryptocurrency is backed by global financial giant Goldman Sachs
• What is Bitcoin?
• Hackers prove how powerful computers can cheat Bitcoin and blockchain
• Indian central bank looks to block Bitcoin, while creating its own cryptocurrency

Acer Spin 5 vs. Lenovo Yoga 730

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

There was a time when you needed to spend $1,000 or more to guarantee a good notebook experience. Budget and midrange machines tended to be poorly built, underpowered, and to offer terrible battery life. It’s safe to say that the pendulum has swung in the other direction, and today some great notebook options come in for less than a grand.

Even better, that includes convertible 2-in-1s, which let you swivel the display around from clamshell to tablet modes, with a couple of useful modes in between. Two good examples are the new Acer Spin 5 and the Lenovo Yoga 730, with both offering Intel’s 8th-generation Core processors and Full HD 13.3-inch displays. Acer has a trick up its sleeve, though, shipping the Spin 5 with Alexa enabled out of the box. Is that enough to give it an edge over the Yoga 730?

Design

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

The Yoga 730 utilizes Lenovo’s recent conservative, businesslike design aesthetic, with a silver-gray chassis that’s attractive but doesn’t attract attention. If you can accept its fade-into-the-background demeanor, then you’ll be rewarded with solid build quality, a functional convertible hinge, and a thin (0.62 inches) and light (2.47 pounds) chassis. And if you want to avoid stares at your favorite cafe, then the Yoga 730 is for you.

Acer’s Spin 5 matches this conservative design philosophy. It sports a dark gray color with minimal adornment, with some fine metallic hatching on the lid and some chrome trim adding just a touch of flair. The Spin 5 is also built well, with minimal bending and flexing and with a hinge that does its job of holding the display in the right position. Its downfall: some huge bezels that look comical next to the Yoga 730’s slimmer versions. That makes the Spin 5 wider, deeper, and heavier (3.31 pounds), although it’s close to the same thickness at 0.63 inches.

We’ll note here that both Lenovo and Acer are offering Amazon Alexa support on some of their newer notebooks. The Yoga 730 and Spin 5 both qualify, but only the latter has Alexa enabled out of the box. If you’re a big Alexa user and you want to start utilizing her services on your PC sooner rather than later, then the Spin 5 gains a small advantage.

Had Acer built in smaller bezels and thus minimized the Spin 5’s dimensions, then it would be in a close tie with the Yoga 730 when it comes to the design.

Performance

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

As is the case with the vast majority of thin and light notebooks today, both the Spin 5 and the Yoga 730 utilized Intel’s quad-core 8th-generation CPUs. That promises excellent productivity performance, on demand, balanced against some impressive efficiency. Unsurprisingly, these two 2-in-1s are very similar performers with regard to their processors. In terms of storage speeds, the Yoga 730 wins out thanks to its faster PCIe solid-state disk (SSD) compared to the Spin 5’s SATA version.

There are also some slight differences regarding their displays. They each offer Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 or 166 PPI) 13.3-inch IPS panels, both of which are a bit dim at less than 300 nits. The Spin 5, though, offers higher contrast (but still less than we’d like to see), a wider color gamut, better color accuracy, and a perfect gamma (so video is neither too light nor too dark). That beats out the Yoga 730 on all counts, making the Spin 5’s display a more pleasant overall experience.

Neither Acer nor Lenovo offer 4K UHD display options, which is a shame. Full HD at this screen size is okay, but pixel-peepers and Netflix watchers would benefit from a higher resolution alternative.

Portability

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

As we’ve already covered, the Yoga 730 is smaller than the Spin 5 thanks to its modern bezels, and it’s also lighter. That makes Lenovo’s 2-in-1 easier to carry around, although the Spin 5 is almost as thin and so doesn’t take up too much space in a backpack. You’ll be more comfortable using the Yoga 730 in tablet mode, and so consider if that’s important to you.

At the same time, Acer packed a larger battery into the Spin 5 (54 watts versus 48 watts), and managed to optimize things to overcome the Core i7-8550U as compared to the Core i5-8250U in our Yoga 730 review unit. We found the Spin 5 to last longer in all of our battery tests, from running a CPU-intensive web benchmark, to browsing a variety of web sites, to looping a local video. In fact, the Spin 5 lasted more than an hour longer in all but the most intensive test, meaning that it will keep you working for longer away from a charge than the Yoga 730 when getting work done.

The Yoga 730 is slightly smaller and lighter than the Spin 5, but its lesser battery life mitigates that advantage.

Acer’s Spin 5 wins out

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

The Lenovo Yoga 730 costs $850 for a Core i5-8250U, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB PCIe SSD. That compares to $900 for the Spin 5’s Core i7-8550U, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB SATA SSD. In other words, they’re close enough in price that it’s a wash.

But the Spin 5 wins out, primarily because it offers better battery life to go with its great performance. Having Alexa enabled out of the box isn’t a huge advantage, but it might sway things as well for fans of Amazon’s digital assistant.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Acer Spin 5 review
• Lenovo Yoga 730 13-inch review
• Lenovo Yoga 730 13 vs. HP Spectre x360 13
• Acer Nitro 5 Spin vs. Lenovo Yoga 720 15
• Acer Nitro 5 Spin review

OnePlus 6: Everything you need to know!

Unlock the secrets.

The OnePlus 6 is now available, and it’s a compelling option for someone looking for an unlocked phone at a reasonable price — starting at $529 to be specific. But price aside, it’s a great choice for anyone, even those considering more expensive options, thanks to a combination of hardware and software, and a community that continues to support the company and one another.

Here’s everything you need to know about the OnePlus 6!

The latest OnePlus 6 news

July 1, 2018 — OnePlus is adding a limited-edition red OnePlus 6 to the mix

Late on Sunday night in the U.S., OnePlus is announcing a limited-edition red OnePlus 6, which is coming to North American and European markets on July 10 for $579. The model will just be available in the now-common 8GB/128GB RAM and storage combination, and only from OnePlus.com.

Following the launch of the critically acclaimed OnePlus 6, which sold over 1 million units in just 22 days, OnePlus is bringing a new limited-edition color to Europe and North America, the OnePlus 6 Red.

The OnePlus 6 Red is designed to match power with style, with attention to detail paramount. The metallic red shimmer coupled with the red, mirror-like fingerprint sensor elegantly contrast the silver accent around the camera.

Six panels of glass make up the back of the OnePlus 6 Red. With this variant, OnePlus has added an additional anti-reflective layer to create a sense of depth by allowing more light to reach the bottom layers before being reflected off the device. A translucent orange layer has been intermixed with the red base layer to achieve a radiant and glossy red, unique to OnePlus design.

OnePlus also says that the Bullets Wireless headphones will also be restocked on July 10.

More: The OnePlus 6 in red

June 14, 2018 — One million units of the OnePlus 6 were sold in just 22 days

We expected the OnePlus 6 to sell like hotcakes, but I don’t know if anyone was anticipating demand on this level. On June 14, OnePlus confirmed that it crossed one million sales of the OP6 just 22 days after it launched.

OnePlus notes that this demand is a “sharp upward hike from even the OnePlus 5T”, and as such, the OnePlus 6 is now taking the title of the company’s best-selling product to date.

For comparison, both the OnePlus 5 and 5T each crossed one million units sold within three months of launching.

Read our review and watch the video

First thing’s first, watch the video and read the review. There’s plenty about the phone to learn, even though much of it is familiar. But the essential question a review tries to answer is, Should you buy this thing? And the response is an unrestrained, Yes.

The OnePlus 6 is the company’s finest phone ever, with excellent design, build quality, battery life and, for the first time, cameras.

Read the review

Review the specs

Once you’re done reading the review, you should, ahem, review the specifications. The phone is powerful — like one of the most powerful on the market today — with plenty of headroom and legroom (it’s proverbially spacious is what I’m trying to say) for whatever you want to throw at it. Apps-wise, not like object-wise.

OnePlus 6 specifications

How does it compare to other phones?

Of course, the OnePlus 6 doesn’t exist in a bubble — you have to compare it to other devices if you’re going to decide whether you should buy it. Thankfully, we’ve done most of the work for you, comparing it to the best flagships on the market right now.

• OnePlus 6 vs. Google Pixel 2 XL: Which should you buy?
• OnePlus 6 vs. Samsung Galaxy S9+: Which should you buy?

What about to other OnePlus phones?

Yeah, OnePlus owners like to keep it in the family, so to speak, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see many upgrading, or thinking of upgrading, from an existing OnePlus device, like a 3, 3T, 5, or 5T. Of course, with the company releasing two phones a year these days, it won’t be long until the next upgrade cycle hits, but that also means that the existing phones age quite well, thanks to frequent software updates (the joys of not going through carriers).

If you have a OnePlus 5 or 5T, you can probably hold onto those phones for a bit longer — unless you need the camera improvements. OnePlus’s 2016 phones, on the other hand, may be getting a bit long in the tooth and could use a replacement.

• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5T: Should you upgrade?
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5: Should you upgrade?
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 3T & 3: Should you upgrade?

Is the OnePlus 6 camera that much better than before?

This photo was taken in nearly pitch-dark conditions. OnePlus ramps up the light sensitivity to ISO6400, which would normally produce a lot of grain, but this photo is totally usable thanks to better software processing.

Yes! The OnePlus 6 has a larger 16MP sensor than previous OnePlus devices, with pixels that are 19% bigger, so low-light photography is immensely improved. It’s not going to overtake the Huawei P20 Pro or Pixel 2 for Low Light Champion Of The World, but it’s reliable in all conditions, and that’s more important than anything else.

The camera is probably the biggest improvement over previous OnePlus models.

The phone’s main sensor is aided by a fast ƒ/1.7 aperture, so true depth of field is a thing, along with drastically improved image signal processing from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845. Together, the phone is able to detect the correct settings more quickly, take multiple shots if necessary, enable HDR mode automatically, and reduce or eliminate grain in dark conditions.

There’s also Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), which was in the OnePlus 3 line but removed in last year’s series for unknown reasons. It’s back now, and paired with a larger sensor and faster main lens, the results speak for themselves.

On the other hand, the OnePlus 6’s secondary camera has less to do — it’s a 20MP sensor with an ƒ/1.7 lens, but its main purpose is to facilitate portrait mode which, while good, isn’t enough reason to have a second sensor in the first place.

Is the notch distracting?

The notch is what it is. You may hate it out of an aversion to all things Apple, or you may learn to live with it and forget it’s there. Most people will fall somewhere in the middle — it’s a character trait, like a freckle or a certain hairstyle.

What it does, though, is open up spme additional real estate on the 6.28-inch screen, which is great. But it also limits the number of icons that can be seen in the notification area, which is a bummer. Plus, the clock on the left side of the notification bar will never make sense. If you watch the video below, though, you can see ways to tweak the notification area to your liking. And you can also disable the notch altogether if you want to.

How’s the software?

It’s good! Running Android 8.1 Oreo, OxygenOS has turned into one of the most enjoyable, reliable versions of Android to date. OnePlus has also added a number of additions to make the whole thing run more smoothly, especially if you’re looking to maximize your screen real estate.

One of the more interesting changes to the software is a set of gestures that eliminates the bottom navigation keys, relying on swipes up from different areas of the bottom edge to go back, home, and enter multitasking. It’s different, but not bad. You’ll have to try it yourself.

As for tips and tricks, we’ve already got that list going, so if you’re looking to make the most of your OxygenOS experience, we have you covered.

• How to enable navigation gestures on the OnePlus 6
• How to disable the notch on the OnePlus 6

What’s it cost?

The OnePlus 6 starts at $529 USD for the base model and goes up to $629 for additional RAM and storage. There are three configurations and three colors, and here’s a breakdown of which one to buy.

Here’s how the pricing breaks down in various regions.

6/64	$529	€519	£469	$699
8/128	$579	€569	£519	$769
8/256	$629	€619	£569	$839

See at OnePlus

Tell me more about the colors

There are three colors: Mirror Black, Midnight Black, and Silk White.

• Mirror Black is going to be the most common, since it’s the only color offered in the cheapest tier. It’s shiny, reflective glass, so it gets fingerprint-y, but that’s OK because you’ll likely put the phone in a case (see below). It’s also a little slippery, which is to be expected. Mirror Black is offered in 6GB / 64GB configurations for $529.

• Midnight Black is the color we’ve come to expect from OnePlus over the years, though the matte-looking finish belies a glass back, too, like the Mirror Black. Midnight Black is only available in 8GB / 128GB and 8GB / 256GB configurations for $579 and $629, respectively.

• Silk White is the most limited of the three colors, and is selling out fast. It’s also covered in glass, but like the Midnight Black model it has a matte finish and is easier to grip. Its white back has rose gold accents, and it’s definitely the nicest and most unique of the three colors. It’s only available in the 8GB / 128GB configuration for $579, and once the run is sold out, OnePlus is not making any more.

What color OnePlus 6 should you buy?

I heard there’s an Avengers version — TELL ME EVERYTHING

Yes, you heard right: OnePlus has once again worked with Disney on licensing a special version of the OnePlus 6 for the Chinese and Indian markets. Last year, OnePlus offered an understated Start Wars variant of the OnePlus 5T, and now the Avengers version takes advantage of the hype behind the recent film release.

The Avengers version comes in a unique box and includes an Iron Man case and a OnePlus/Avengers co-branded medallion, which is neat. And while there’s a familiar glass back on the Avengers Edition, it has a Kevlar-style design underneath. Because Kevlar=superheroes, or something.

While the special edition isn’t coming to the U.S. officially, I’m sure that some entrepreneurial Indian and Chinese resellers will do the dirty business of importing some of them at a huge premium to this side of the world.

This is the OnePlus 6 Marvel Avengers Edition

The OnePlus 6 doesn’t work on Sprint or Verizon

The OnePlus 6 technically supports the CDMA bands for Verizon and Sprint in the U.S., but the phone lacks certification for their networks, so those users — just under half the smartphone-wielding U.S. population, is out of luck.

We’ve got your full technical explainer below.

The OnePlus 6 doesn’t work on Sprint or Verizon

Do you like cases?

As it does with all of its phones, OnePlus has unveiled a series of first-party cases for the OnePlus 6, and they’re all pretty great.

This year, there’s a fancy new protective bumper made of woven nylon, and while it adds a bit more bulk than the typical snap-on, I think it looks and feels awesome.

These are the official OnePlus 6 cases you can buy at launch

What are your thoughts on the OnePlus 6?

Let us know in the comments!

OnePlus 6

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

Automate tasks in Android to put your digital life on autopilot

Automating functions on your Android device — such as sending alerts once you’ve used a certain amount of data or texting a friend when you reach your destination — can not only make your life easier, it also uses some of that untapped potential in the small computer you carry around in your pocket and gives you time to focus on the truly important things in life, like browsing Reddit or watching Netflix (or we guess, like hanging out with friends and family).

There are tons of cheap (and free) automation apps out there that make the entire process really easy — once you know how to use them. Applications like Tasker and Automate share many similarities, so once you know how to use one of them, the rest should come pretty easily.

We decided to walk through the process of setting up automation in Automate by LlamaLab, not only because it offers a free version that you can try out before committing to a purchase, but also its simple, flowchart-based UI makes it easier to visualize and understand what’s going on.

There is a premium version of Automate as well that lets you use over 30 blocks (more on that in a sec), but for most things you’re going to be automating, less than 30 should be plenty. In our example, we’ll show you how to automatically backup Snapseed-edited photos to your Google Drive, which only involves using 3 blocks. But before we dive in, there are a few terms you should be aware of.

Important terms

Flow

Flow is the term that Automate uses to describe a single automation.

Building blocks

Building blocks are the pieces that make up each flow. They contain actions (such as copying text, etc.) that can be chained together to create an automation.

Fiber

Fiber describes the process of running through a flow. Because of the flowchart-based UI Automate has, the fibers appear as the lines connecting one building block to another. When you run a flow, the fiber will ensure that each of your actions is completed as it works through the automation.

Output variables

Output variables are data that you want to transfer from one building block to another.

Payload

A payload is a piece of information that can be altered along the entire flow. This means it may come out as something completely different on the end.

Fiber URI

This is an identifier for a new fiber.

Flow URI

This is an identifier for the flow, which is generated by the app. You can use it if you want other flows to call on this one in some way, but that’s starting to get into more advanced territory.

You don’t need to be an expert with these ideas to use the app, but you will see references to them as you explore it. If you decide to create more advanced automations, you’ll be able to fork the fiber from one flow to another, have it do multiple things at once, and build a bunch of cool and complex things.

Basics of automation

To start using Automate, open the app and select either a pre-made option or press the plus sign at the top of your screen to create a new automation. For this example, we will be walking through the process of backing up Snapseed photos to your Google Drive, which will require you to create a new flow.

You’ll start with a flow beginning node. Next, we’ll dive into the plethora of building blocks available on Android, which you can find by tapping on the top left to bring up all the options. Based on the the sheer number of building blocks, there is a crazy amount you can do. You can find more information on specific building blocks and terminology on Llama Lab’s website.

However, the easiest way to find a specific block is to search for its keywords at the top. For this, we will be using the Upload G Drive Module. You can also search for it by filtering categories. Click on it to add it to the flow.

So, now we have that second block in our flow, but nothing is connected yet. Never fear! Connecting two blocks is very simple. Tap and hold the OK dot on the end of the flow beginning node and drag it to the In dot on the G Drive module. This indicates that after the flow starts, we want it to go into the Google Drive action.

Next, tap the G Drive block and enter the Google account you want the flow to work with, and then enter the local path, which is where you want it to grab files from, which will be Snapseed. Navigate to the Snapseed folder, where you’ll find all the Snapseed saves and then tap OK.

The remote path is the path on our actual Google Drive where we want the files to go once they are uploaded. You can leave this blank and they will all upload to the main part of your Drive or you can enter a specific file name (such as “/business/photos/automate/”).

To ensure the flow worked without checking our Drive every single time, we’ll want to have a small message appear that tells us when the function is complete. To do this we are going to add the Toast Show module to our flow. Place it in the same way as the Google Drive module by finding it in the list of building blocks. After you place it, tap and hold the OK node on Google Drive and drag it to the In Node on the Toast Show.

Press Toast Show and type “backup complete” or whatever you want your message to be, set the duration, and click Done. The final thing you’ll need to do is allow any privileges that the task will need to complete. Things like having access to your camera or to your Google Drive. You only need to do this when you create the flow and it should work every time after that. And that’s it! Our flow is completed. Press the check mark at the top, give it a name, and we’re done!

If you want to make any tweaks, or if something got messed up along the way, tap the pencil icon at the very top, tap Flowchart, and you can make any necessary changes. For more information, and more on what specific functions do, be sure to check out Llama Lab’s website.

David Cogen — a regular contributor here at Digital Trends — runs TheUnlockr, a popular tech blog that focuses on tech news, tips and tricks, and the latest tech. You can also find him on Twitter discussing the latest tech trends.

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