Best Cases for Moto Z3 Play

Third time is the charm for Motorola’s Moto Z Play series.

The Moto Z3 Play is the latest flagship from Motorola that offers impressive specs and support for the growing selection of Moto Mods, making it an especially appealing upgrade for Motorola fans who already own a couple Moto Mod add-ons.

It’s early in the product launch so there’s not a ton of variety just yet, and it’s important to note that most of these will not work with Moto Mods that need to rest flush against the phone. But if you know you need a case to keep your new phone safe, these are your best bets.

• Dretal Slim Fit Bumper Case
• Poetic Karbon Shield Case
• TUDIA Slim-Fit Heavy Duty Case
• LK Ultra Slim Thin Clear Case
• Motorola Style Shell

Dretal Slim Fit Bumper Case

We’ll start off with a minimalist case that combines a flexible TPU bumper with a rigid and clear PC back panel. Available with either a black or clear bumper, this case offers clean lines and reinforcement where you need it and a flush cutout around the fingerprint sensor on the side of the phone.

This is a great case for anyone looking for a minimalist clear case that’s lightweight and stylish. Get yours for just $8 on Amazon.

See at Amazon

Poetic Karbon Shield Case

There’s a lot to love about the Poetic Karbon Shield case, which offers heavy-duty protection with a sleek, carbon fiber texture.

This case adds a touch of class to the phone, covering the volume and power buttons with an ample cutout around the fingerprint scanner. It’s quite easy to apply this one-piece case to your phone and once it’s on there, you’ll barely notice it’s there due to its ultra slim and lightweight design.

Get this sleek case for just $10 on Amazon.

See at Amazon

TUDIA Slim-Fit Heavy Duty Case

If you’d feel better with a dual-layer case that’s extra rugged, check out this snap-on case from TUDIA.

It combines a shock absorbing TPU skin with a rigid PC shell that comes together for a minimalist case that offers serious protection, especially for the screen and cameras. The buttons, ports, and fingerprint sensors are all perfectly accessible, and you got to check out the different color styles that are available.

Get this case for just $9 on Amazon.

See at Amazon

LK Ultra Slim Thin Clear Case

So you want a thin, clear case for your new Moto Z3 Play, huh? This case from LK is just what you need.

Designed to hug the phone while adding barely any bulk, this case is about as sleek and minimalist as it gets. Because it’s made of TPU this case is shock absorbent, scratch resistant, and also provides some anti-slip protection when you place your phone down on a surface.

Get this case in clear OR black, for just $8.

See at Amazon

Moto Mod Style Shells

Motorola’s own Style Shells use the same magnetic pins that give Moto Mods their magic, but these ones just operate as lightweight and low-key cases. Style Shells don’t provide side protection for the Moto Z3 Play, but it does prevent the phone’s back glass from being scratched up. We’re particularly partial to the Crimson Ballistic Nylon version, pictured.

Get Motorola’s Style Shells in a variety of colors and styles starting at $15.

See at Motorola

What’s your case?

Do you use cases with your Moto Z phones? Will you buy one for the Moto Z3 Play? Let us know!

Dell’s Black Friday in July sale takes up to 40% off laptops, desktops, speakers, and more

Dell does deals.

Celebrate Black Friday and Cyber Week a little early this year with Dell’s July deal-stravaganza featuring big discounts on tons of items sold by Dell, including XPS desktops, Alienware laptops, headphones, and more. The Black Friday deals will run from July 2 to July 16 with doorbusters from July 9 to the 13th. Cyber Week will run from July 16 to July 23 with doorbusters from the 16th to the 20th. All of the deals will be separated into categories at Dell.com including Black Friday, Business Deals, and Televisions, Electronics, and Accessories.

If you are a member of Dell Financial Services, Dell Advantage Loyalty Rewards, or the Dell Member Purchase Program, you get early access to the doorbuster sales from July 2 to July 8. The doorbusters will be available at 11 a.m. Eastern and 5 p.m. Eastern each day. The items will vary each day but include deals like the Inspiron 11 3000 laptop available for $129.99 at 11 a.m. on July 10 or a Dell G5 15-inch gaming laptop for $150 off at 5 p.m. on July 13.

Here’s a few examples of deals that are live right now:

• Dell G3 15-inch gaming laptop for $679.99 (from $750)
• Inspiron 14 notebook for $179.99 (from $230)
• XPS Tower with Core i7-8700 processor and GTX 1050 graphics card for $999.99 (from $1,100)
• SE2717H 27-inch 1080p Monitor for $169.99 (from $190)

The Cyber Week deals are not live yet, so you’ll want to come back to check out those deals when they are on July 16. Right now there are plenty of other sales going on, so keep an eye on the Black Friday page for everything going on sale this month.

See at Dell

FuboTV begins streaming some content in 4K with HDR10

FuboTV is now streaming World Cup games in 4K resolution and HDR10 over Chromecast and Amazon Fire TV. (Though you might still need to tweak your TV settings to get it.)

It’s also offering a free month of service if you buy a Roku by July 8.

Upstart streaming service FuboTV today announced that it’s streaming the main broadcasts of the 2018 FIFA World Cup (as in the games that are on Fox and FS1) in 4K resolution, with HDR10 support.

There are caveats, of course. (There are always caveats.) The increased resolution is initially available through Chromecast, and on Amazon Fire TV 4K devices. (That includes the new Fire TV Cube, of course.) Support for Apple TV and Roku devices will land in coming weeks.

Of course, you’ll also need a 4K television, and HDMI 2.0/2.2 ports, and enough bandwidth to handle the extra data (FuboTV says at least 30 Mbps is recommended) — you know, all the things that make the 4K magic work in the first place. And your TV will need to support HD10 if you want those sweet colors. (And you also might have to mess around in the settings — because the future may be bright, but it’s not always easy.)

Additionally, FuboTV is offering a free month of service if you buy a Roku device by July 8. More details on that here.

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FUBOTV IS FIRST VIRTUAL MVPD TO LAUNCH 4K HDR BETA

NEW YORK – JULY 2, 2018 – fuboTV (fubo.tv), the leading sports-first live streaming TV service in the U.S., has launched 4K HDR10 support in Beta, becoming the first virtual multichannel video programming distributor (vMVPD) to offer content in ultra-high definition and high dynamic range.

Starting today, main broadcasts* of Russia 2018 matches on FOX and FS1 are available in 4K HDR10 with fuboTV on all Chromecast and Fire TV devices that support the format. fuboTV will also launch 4K HDR10 on Roku and Apple TV in the coming weeks.

First to launch 4K HDR, ahead of vMVPDs owned by AT&T, Alphabet, DISH Network and Sony, today’s news is the latest example of the independent live streaming start-up competing head-to-head with the world’s biggest satellite and technology companies. fuboTV was among the first live streaming services to launch Cloud DVR, 60FPS picture quality and in-app billing, and was the first to fully implement SCTE 224 blackout technology standards. Also, after several months of testing, fuboTV officially launched dynamic ad insertion in January – ahead of Hulu with Live TV and YouTube TV.

“Launching 4K HDR is a testament to our dedication and relentless pursuit to developing for consumers the world’s premier live video streaming service for live sports and entertainment,” said David Gandler, co-founder and CEO, fuboTV.

To view ultra-high definition and high dynamic range content, subscribers must have a 4K HDR-enabled television, HDMI 2.0/HDCP 2.2 compatible cable and run the fuboTV app on a streaming device that supports the formats. Bandwidth speeds of 30Mbps-40Mbps or higher are recommended. 4K HDR-capable TVs may also need calibration to present the content correctly. More information on how to watch 4K HDR with fuboTV is here. For subscribers without 4K HDR hardware, all Russia 2018 matches are available in 60FPS.

ATEME, the emerging leader of video delivery infrastructure, provided the software to enable the 4K HDR encoding platform for fuboTV.

fuboTV is offering one free month for new subscribers who buy a new Roku device by July 8 (https://www.roku.com/offers/streamtv). Separately, the company’s subscription packages are also currently available at promotional rates: fubo (base package) for $34.99 for the first month after a free seven-day trial and fubo Extra for $39.99 for the first month after the free seven-day trial (discounted from $44.99 and $49.99, respectively). New subscribers can also get a free upgrade to the Family Share plan, including a third simultaneous stream (normally $5.99/month).

*Includes main broadcasts on FOX or FS1, but not FOX Sports bonus feeds.

Best Cases for Moto X4 in 2018

Own a Moto X4? These are the cases that deserve your dollars.

The Moto X4 is a big departure from past Moto X devices, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad phone. In fact, it’s one of the best mid-range Android handsets on the market right now.

It’s the first entry in the Moto X series to feature a glass back, and while it looks downright gorgeous, this also makes the X4 rather fragile and easy to break. To ensure that doesn’t happen and your phone continues to look as good as can, these are the cases we recommend checking out.

• Dretal Full-Body Protective
• Spigen Liquid Crystal
• Mustaner Dual Layer
• Encased Slim Fit Holster Shell Combo
• Swoders Flower Case
• Anccer Colorful Series
• KuGi Flexible Soft TPU
• KwMobile Wallet
• Cimo Heavy Duty

Dretal Full-Body Protective

If you prefer something more traditional, cheaper, and with increased protection, Dretal’s Full-Body Protective case is certainly worth a look. The carbon fiber and anti-stretch TPU rubber design encase the Moto X4 is a durable shell, and the multi-texture design on the back adds a nice bit of flair.

There are a multitude of colors to choose from, including navy, black, gray, red, and mint, and all of Dretal’s products come with a generous 30-day warranty. For under $8, it’s hard to complain about this one.

See at Amazon

Spigen Liquid Crystal

While the colors of Dretal’s case look great, you might be inclined to show off the reflective glass back of the Moto X4. We certainly don’t blame you, and if that’s the case (get it 😂), Spigen’s got your back.

The Spigen Liquid Crystal is a clear case for the Moto X4, and it does an excellent job of showing the sleek look of the X4’s back. The case is made out of a durable and anti-slip TPU material, and in addition to keeping your phone nice and safe, it still manages to remain light as a feather.

Spigen uses a dot pattern for its case, and unlike a lot of cheaper clear options, this helps to drastically cut down on the smudges it picks up. For just under $13, this isn’t a bad choice at all.

See at Amazon

Mustaner Dual Layer

For users that are rough on their phones and treat them like they would any other tool in their toolbox, Mustaner’s case is the one we’d recommend getting. This isn’t as slim or fashion-forward as some of the other options on this list, but what it lacks in aesthetics, it makes up for with awesome protection.

Mustaner’s case features a two-layer design – including a soft TPU base layer and hard shell frame that goes on top of it. This combo allows for maximum safety no matter what happens to your Moto X4, and the built-in kickstand on the back is a really nice touch.

You’ve got six different colors to choose from, and all of this comes in at under $8 before using a free 5% off coupon.

See at Amazon

Encased Slim Fit Holster Shell Combo

There’s a lot of functionality packed into the Mustaner case, but if you want your case to do even more for just a couple extra dollars, look no further than what Encased has to offer.

This case is made out of a reinforced polycarbonate frame, and as expected, offers ample protection against any accidental spills. You’ll find a subtle texture on the back for increased grip, and along with a kickstand that can prop up your phone vertically or horizontally, Encased also includes a holster that your Moto X4 can slide into so you can easily attach it to your belt. For less than $12, that’s a steal.

See at Amazon

Swoders Flower Case

Having ample protection and a bit of flair at the same time can be tricky to come by with a phone case, but that’s exactly what Swoders pulls off with its flower case.

A rubberized polycarbonate back combined with TPU bumper shields allows for maximum protection against any accidental drops, and the slim design makes it easy to carry with you no matter where you go.

Better yet, Swoders has four patterns to choose from (three of which are currently available) of varying flower designs. This helps the Moto X4 stick out from the rest of glass-backed phones on the market, and the end result is actually quite nice.

See at Amazon

Anccer Colorful Series

The above two cases are great for buyers that prefer function over form, but if you like things the other way around, one of your best bets lies with the Anccer Colorful Series. This is the thinnest case on the list, measuring in at just 0.3mm, but even with the thin design, Anccer’s case still manages to protect against drops, bumps, and shocks.

Available colors include black, blue, red, rose gold, gold, and silver, and these are available in either gravel or smooth finishes. This is a great case for adding some color to the Moto X4 while protecting it at the same time, and you can do so for about $11.

See at Amazon

KuGi Flexible Soft TPU

What’s a person to do if they want a case that looks awesome while still offering as much protection as possible? What you do is pick up the KuGi Flexible Soft TPU case. The TPU material that’s present here does a fantastic job at housing your X4 in a secure home from just about any element imaginable.

Non-slip sides allow you to always have a confident hold on your device, bumper guards protect against unwanted shock during a drop, and the faux-leather material on the back looks and feels like a million bucks.

KuGi sells its case in navy, black, and gray, and you’ll pay just under $8 before applying an extra 8% off.

See at Amazon

KwMobile Wallet

There’s no denying the usefulness of a wallet case, and one of the best ones you can get for the Moto X4 is KwMobile’s option.

Available in black, black/brown, and grey/black, the fabric design of the case is great for both looking and touching, and the plastic shell the X4 sits in offers ample protection against any mishaps. The front of the case is held together by magnets, and you have access to a three-card compartment for carrying around your most important plastic.

See at Amazon

Cimo Heavy Duty

Last but not least, the Cimo Heavy Duty case is another great choice for customers that want great protection and looks at the same time.

Cimo uses a lightweight design here, and this allows your Moto X4 to stay safe and secure without adding much bulk. The two-layer design offers more than enough protection against most all drops, raised bezels help to protect the X4’s screen, and the grippy back is something we always love to see.

You’ll pay just under $8 for this case, and it comes in armor black, gray, purple, and red color options.

See at Amazon

What one do you choose?

Which of the above cases meets your fancy? Let us know down in the comments below and if there’s another awesome pick we may have missed.

Moto X4 review: A mid-range phone done right

Updated June 29, 2018: Updated with the best cases available right now!

Want a VPN for life? Get Ivacy for only $40!

We all value our privacy, and when have so much of our lives online, that privacy and security is paramount. It’s far too often that people are the victims of identity theft, doxing, and worse, so having a quality VPN to protect the anonymity of your online browsing habits is a great idea.

Ivacy VPN is a highly reviewed service that offers person-to-person file sharing at blazing fast speeds, while completely protecting your identity, and right now you can get a lifetime subscription for only $39.99. With a regular retail price of $1,194, you save 96% through Android Central Digital Offers. The other wonderful benefit of a VPN is the ability to stream tens of thousands of movies, TV shows, sports events, and more from around the world. Having a quality VPN can help you completely bypass geo-restrictions, so you can get to the content you want now. You’ll even get a dedicated VPN add-on for Kodi.

Ivacy VPN lets you connect to more than 450 servers in over 100 locations around the world, and its an official partner of the National Cyber Security Alliance, helping to promote privacy education and awareness. If you’re worried about the state of net neutrality and your internet speeds going forward, Ivacy VPN can help you overcome throttling and port blocking.

This week, you can save an additional 15% by using coupon code JULY4TH at check out. That means you’ll pay just $25.50 once for access to Ivacy VPN for life!

No more region-blocking the content you want to see; no more hacking, spyware, or government surveillance; no more worry that your privacy is at stake. Check out Ivacy VPN at Android Central Digital Offers and get a lifetime subscription for only $39.99.

See at Android Central Digital Offers

Spotify Lite is now on the Play Store and missing a ton of features

What sort of “lite” app doesn’t let you download songs?

Over the past few years, companies like Twitter, Instagram, and more have created “lite” versions of their mobile apps that take up less space, use less data, and can run better on slower hardware. Spotify is the latest company to follow this trend with its new Spotify Lite app, and while it looks good on the surface, Spotify might have made this a little too lite.

Talking about the positives first, Spotify Lite looks a lot like its regular cousin. You can log into your account via Facebook, the playback screen has an updated UI, you can listen to all of your Daily Mix playlists, and there are settings for turning on a monthly limit for how much data you want to use with Spotify Lite.

All of that’s great and sounds good in theory, but when you look a bit deeper, you realize just how much Spotify took out of this Lite option. Here’s a list of everything you can’t do in Spotify Lite.

• Download songs for offline listening
• Change playback quality
• Listen to individual songs (even if you log in with a Premium account)
• Use Spotify Connect to control playback on other devices

Some of those omissions are understandable, but it’s beyond me why you can’t save songs for offline use. That seems like it’d be one of the biggest draws to Spotify Lite, and especially when this is something that’s available in the main app, it’s weird Spotify decided to not included it.

Even with those roadblocks in mind, Spotify Lite still may be worth a look seeing as how it’s only around 15MB in size compared to the 100MB monster that is the regular Spotify app.

Spotify Lite is on the Google Play Store right now, but it’s showing up as incompatible with all of my devices. The “beta” branding on the app icon suggests that Spotify Lite is still in testing, so it should roll out to more users shortly.

Download: Spotify Lite (free)

Best keyboard apps for Android in 2018

There’s nothing like a good keyboard to turn the average user into a prolific communicator.

Keyboards may be one of the most important choices you make on your phone. They will shape the speed and accuracy with which you use your phone to communicate, and because keyboards can see everything you type from passwords to social security numbers, it’s important to have a keyboard you trust and like. To that end, here now are the four keyboards we trust and like the most to help us tweet, text, and type up our articles in a crowded bar.

• Gboard
• SwiftKey
• Chrooma
• Fleksy

Gboard: King of the keyboards

Gboard has been top of the Android keyboard mountain, and the reasons are clear: great predictions courtesy of machine learning, easy access to gifs and sticker packs such as the Disney Stickers collections, and a dictionary tied to your Google account, so it follows you everywhere.

They keep adding all the smart features that Android users have enjoyed from other keyboards and wrap it all in a quick and responsive (and free!) package. Themes on Gboard still aren’t as diverse or dashing as other keyboards, but the ones here look good and there’s a Material Black option, which is all you really need at the end of the day. You can also finally make your own gifs in Gboard like iOS users have been able to do for a while.

Best of all, Gboard hides no features or options behind paywalls or ads. The best keyboard on Android is completely free.

Download Gboard (free)

SwiftKey: Still great, but not the greatest

Swiftkey is always right there alongside Gboard, but for a while now, it hasn’t able to outdo it and retake its throne. SwiftKey has been a major player in Android keyboards for years; it used to be the pinnacle of predictions and swipe, but both have fallen just a little behind Gboard. There is still a devoted following to SwiftKey, and after years of building a personal dictionary on SwiftKey, it can be hard to switch to anything else.

No worries, SwiftKey may not be number one, but it’s still a damn good keyboard and great for productivity. And while SwiftKey used to be a paid keyboard, it has been completely free for years now.

Download SwiftKey (free)

Chrooma: Color, choice, and clarity

With most keyboards, you pick a theme and that’s that, but Chrooma thinks that’s a little boring. Instead, the colors of the Chrooma keyboard adapt to each app you’re using: it turns blue for Twitter, green for Spotify, yellow for Google Keep, and so on. There’s even a night mode that will darken the keyboards color selections at night — or all the time, if you leave night mode on like me. Chrooma’s color options are on point with most apps, and it’s easy to switch colors for the apps where it misses without losing the color adaptation when typing in other apps.

The swiping on Chrooma is top-notch, and the ability to swipe further and further left to delete whole words or sentences is fabulous for removing short chunks of text. If you want to get really fancy with the keyboard style, size, font, and having your settings sync between devices, you’ll have to shell out for Premium, which is a one time purchase of $6.99. It’s a little steep, but if you’re someone who moves devices frequently, that’s easily worth the convenience of having your predictions and settings follow you from device to device.

Download Chrooma (Free, in-app purchases)

Fleksy: Peckers can be choosers

Fleksy has been making a comeback, but unless you’re a hunt and pecking typist, you’ll probably want to keep moving. Swiping words on Fleksy doesn’t happen, and the corrections on this keyboard can go a little overboard when you’re using a bunch of acronyms or non-standard jargon. There are some neat add-ons for this keyboard, including emoji suggestion, and a fireworks add-on that brings little explosions to your keyboard taps and sounds.

Fleksy has a low learning curve, but unfortunately, when you switch phones or factory reset your personal dictionary doesn’t always follow you. We hope to see this keyboard continue to improve and make up ground to compete more evenly with swipe-enabled keyboards like Gboard, but for the everyday hunt-and-peck typer, Fleksy should be great.

Download Fleksy (Free, in-app purchases)

What are you using??

What keyboard matches your typing skills? Does anything beat the ease and prediction prowess of Gboard? Are you a SwiftKey savant? For Fleksy’s fireworks make your heart flutter? Tell us in the comments what you’re using and why it has the honor of being the default keyboard on your phone.

Updated July 2018: After careful re-evaluation and consideration, these are still the absolute best keyboard apps for your Android phone! Swype is dead — may it rest in peace — and TouchPal and Typany are too intrusive with their ads.

Samsung Galaxy S9 vs. Google Pixel 2: Which should you buy?

Samsung’s market leader versus Google’s idealistic view of a smartphone.

Samsung’s flagships may outsell Google’s in massive numbers, but that definitely doesn’t stop many of us from thinking that the Pixel phones are the absolute best expression of Android on a smartphone. The Google Pixel 2 launched into a world where the Galaxy S8 was already over six months old, and now the roles are reversed: we have the brand-new Galaxy S9 to compare to.

The Galaxy S9 shares a lot with its predecessor, but there are strategic improvements that help it match the Pixel 2 — and in some areas it continues to best Google’s little flagship. Here’s how the new Galaxy S9 compares to the Pixel 2 in hardware, software and value.

What’s the same

Despite dramatic differences in initial appearances, there’s a lot shared between these phones. Sure the materials and designs differ, but they’re actually nearly the same overall size. The Pixel 2 is a tad shorter and lighter, but both phones are pretty compact and easy enough to manage in one hand — especially compared to the ever-growing competition in the 6-inch (and-above) smartphone space.

Samsung Galaxy S9 specs

Throughout the hardware you’ll find matching spec and features. The Galaxy S9’s new fingerprint sensor placement on the back matches the Pixel 2, as does its water resistance, stereo speakers, 64GB base storage and relatively small battery capacity — though the Galaxy S9 does edge out the Pixel 2 by 300mAh there, real-world use of the Pixel 2 shows it can do great things with what it has.

The phones are almost the same size, and filled with the same core specs and features.

For all of the design similarities between the Galaxy S8 and S9, one thing that took a big upgrade was the camera — and it’s exciting enough to have it up here in the “same” section to be mentioned alongside the Pixel 2. The Galaxy S9’s new camera sensor is doing a lot of the same multi-frame advanced processing of images that we hear Google talk about with HDR+ on the Pixel 2. These phones take different types of photos and often come to notably different results in the same scenes, but seeing each one on its own will show you they’re both great. The Galaxy S9 is often a bit truer to the scene and more simple, while the Pixel 2 takes photos that have more color, contrast and drama to them.

Add in its adjustable aperture up to f/1.5 and we see low-light performance that takes a considerable jump up to challenge the Pixel 2 as well. Right now this is still the Pixel 2’s crown, but I’m glad the Galaxy S9 didn’t stick with an iterative setup from the Galaxy S8 — the GS9 has extremely low noise and accurate colors at night. At the same time, the Galaxy S9 adds in 4K 60 fps video, as well as 960 fps slow-motion — both of which best the Pixel 2’s video capabilities in terms of raw numbers, but we know the Pixel 2’s video stabilization is still king.

What’s different

Remember our comparison of the Galaxy S8 and Pixel 2? Well, for the most part, you can just press replay on that. It only takes a glance to tell these phones have completely different identities, with the Galaxy S9’s primarily glass build and glistening curves contrasting with the Pixel 2’s monolithic metal and subtlety. Both execute their designs well, but it’s easy to see why so many people prefer the flashy head-turning design of modern Samsung phones — even if the glass back is a bit more fragile. Not everyone is attracted to the subtle approach of the Pixel 2, even if its metal body may age better.

Polar opposites in design, all surrounding a startling difference in usable screen space for the size.

Then, of course, there’s the difference in usable screen space for the size of the phone. In the same overall hardware package, the Galaxy S9 has a 5.8-inch 18.5:9 display, versus the Pixel 2’s 5-inch 16:9 display. Put another way, over 83% of the front of the Galaxy S9 is screen, whereas under 70% of the Pixel 2 is screen. That’s a startling difference in usable screen space for the same size of phone. Sure the immediate sides of the Galaxy S9 are curved and therefore not all that usable, and full-screen content doesn’t always utilize the space, but it’s tough to shake the feeling that the Pixel 2 “wastes” space on the front of the phone.

What’s inarguable is the difference in screen quality. The Galaxy S9 took the Galaxy S8’s display and made it 15% brighter, adding more brightness to what was already a bright, vibrant and just generally wonderful display. The Pixel 2 also has an OLED panel, but it’s just on a lower level in terms of colors and brightness, not to mention its 1920×1080 resolution is a bit lower as well. The Pixel 2’s display is certainly good enough, but it’s not an industry leader like the Galaxy S9.

Samsung wins on the ‘number of features’ game, but loses by the same account in software.

Samsung is always going to win the “number of features” game, and that’s clear again here with its inclusion of extras like a headphone jack, wireless charging, and an SD card slot. You can argue that having an option of 128GB internal storage on the Pixel 2 negates some of the SD card value, and you could also say the wireless charging is more of a niche feature. But you can’t say that having a headphone jack isn’t a huge benefit — particularly when you don’t have to give up anything else in the hardware to get it. Samsung even adds a really nice pair of earbuds in the box; Google gives you a USB-C headphone dongle.

Now, here’s where things swing in the other direction: the Pixel 2’s software experience. This is a place where Samsung’s approach of “more features” can get in the way of having enjoyable and useful software for many people. Android 8.1 Oreo on the Pixel 2 is smooth, clean, consistent, and great to use. The Galaxy S9 has far more features, but so many of them are set up to be left unused and just sit in your way when you’re trying to do other things. Convoluted processes for doing so many things just seem unnecessary when you see how simple it all is on the Pixel 2. It’s a difference in philosophy and perhaps Samsung’s approach doesn’t bother you, but people who use Pixels know what I’m talking about here — using Google’s take on Android is fantastic, and it stays that way over time with three years of guaranteed software updates.

Bottom line: Which should you buy?

There’s a lot to digest in this comparison. Much of the core experience and features are shared between the Galaxy S9 and Pixel 2, but the exterior designs, screen and additional features differ widely. There are two clearly different approaches to a high-end smartphone at play here.

There are two clearly different approaches to a high-end smartphone at play here.

The Galaxy S9 is the features king, with hardware that bests the Pixel 2 with extras like wireless charging, a headphone jack, newer processor, bigger battery, and a larger (and nicer) display. The hardware is flashy, which is appealing to many people, even if it’s a bit more fragile. The Pixel 2 is much more subtle in its hardware and simple to use in its software. It has the core features you need, and little extra. There aren’t many headline-grabbing things you can point to, but just use one for a few days, and you’ll see what all the talk is about. It also has a proven great camera, and the track record of software support direct from Google.

Finally, we have to remember pricing. As high-end smartphone prices continue to rise, the Pixel 2 held its ground down at a relatively affordable $649. The Galaxy S9, on the other hand, is roughly $100 more depending which carrier you buy from — which I think is enough of a gap to matter to people when they’re cross-shopping these two phones. If you’re really keeping the budget tight, the Google Pixel 2 is obviously a better choice. If you’re willing to pay more money for more features, regardless of whether the overall experience may be better, you’re likely to go with the Galaxy S9.

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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Update July 2018: Refreshed with a new perspective based on the age and price of the Pixel 2.

Add three of Netgear’s Arlo Pro 2 cameras to your home for just $483

One for the front, one for the back, one for inside!

This 3-pack of Netgear’s Arlo Pro 2 cameras is down to $483 at Amazon, which is around $200 lower than it normally sells for. It normally sells for $680 and has never dropped below $510 in the past. It comes with 3 of Arlo’s latest Pro 2 cameras and the required base station for them to work properly. The cameras are all wireless and weatherproof, making them perfect to use inside or outside.

You’ll have access to the most recent 7 days of recordings at no additional cost, though you can subscribe to other plans which offer access to 60 days of recordings.

See at Amazon

Android P Beta 3 (Dev Preview 4) released for Pixels with stability fixes, July security patch

The latest software is available right away for Pixels and coming soon to other phones in the Developer Preview program.

Plenty of us have gotten in on the Android P Beta fun already, but Google has released yet another update to improve stability and fix bugs in the yet-to-be-named new Android release. Android P Beta 3 is now available for Google’s own Pixel devices through the Android Beta Program, which will push out over-the-air updates to anyone who has enrolled or enrolls now. If you have one of the many phones from other manufacturers — like Vivo, Essential, OnePlus and Xiaomi — you’ll have to wait for a little bit to get your update; Google says they’ll be pushing out the latest version “in the coming weeks.”

So what’s in this update? Well as you can imagine at this point, things haven’t changed dramatically from Beta 2. Google has already finalized all of the APIs in Android P, which is important for developers who are making their apps compatible with the latest version. (For the developers out there, Beta 3 is analogous to Developer Preview 4.) Google says Beta 3 is focused on “stability and polish,” as well as getting the latest July security patch out to phones running on the Beta software. Google says that the system is “near-final” and is labeling it as a “release candidate build” — so what we see here shouldn’t be far off from what’s finally unveiled as the official version. Our only hope is that the gesture-based navigation option receives some polish.

If you’re clamoring to get Android P on your own phone, there are several ways to do it — the easiest is to simply wait a few hours and receive an OTA update. But you can also download and install the software manually if you wish — we have full instructions on how to do so.

Android P

• Android P: Everything you need to know
• Android P Beta hands-on: The best and worst features
• All the big Android announcements from Google I/O 2018
• Will my phone get Android P?
• How to manually update your Pixel to Android P
• Join the Discussion