How to play Steam games on Android without your PC

Steam is a household name — err, at least when it comes to gaming. Since its initial release in 2003, Valve’s popular distribution platform has become one of the go-to sources for anyone looking to download and install games on their PC, allowing gamers to play the biggest games without having to pick up physical copies in-store. And now, thanks to the recent beta launch of Steam Link, players can stream their entire library of Steam games directly to compatible Android devices.

The process is pretty straightforward, and once set up, it allows you to play games on your Android device using a Steam Controller, an Xbox Controller, or a number of other compatible peripherals that are designed to make gameplay less cumbersome.

To begin streaming, connect your PC and Android device to the same Wi-Fi network, which is one of the base requirements for the feature. Then, launch Steam on your computer and log in using your account name and password, as you would normally.

Next, head to the Google Play Store on your Android device and download the Steam Link app. Launch the app once installed, choose whether you want to pair a Steam Controller or a different controller, and run through the pairing process. The app will guide you through the pairing process if you’re using an official Steam Controller, otherwise, you’ll need to consult the user manual for your controller for specific pairing instructions. Keep in mind, however, that, most of the time, all you’ll need to do is turn on Bluetooth on both devices to enter pairing mode.

Once you’ve properly connected your controller, select your PC from the list of available choices on the following screen, which will bring up some pertinent information regarding your network. Tap Start Playing on the left once you’re satisfied with your connection, and navigate to your Steam Library using the toolbar at the top of the resulting page. Then, simply select the game you’d like to stream on your Android device and tap Play at the top! You’ll then be able to delve in using your controller — no PC required.

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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Watch all your favorite shows with the Roku Streaming Stick for $35

Faster, better, cheaper.

The Roku Streaming Stick media streaming device normally sells between $48 and $50. It dropped to $40 a couple times back in May and earlier, but this $34.99 sale price is the lowest we have ever seen.

This is one of Roku’s newest streaming devices, a refresh of previous models. It just released in early October. Roku claims the processor in the new stick is 50% faster than last year’s model. The remote is also updated with voice control and a few extra buttons, including power and volume control.

It comes with two AAA batteries, but you might consider adding some rechargeable batteries so you can just power them back up and keep on streaming when they get low.

See at Amazon

Best Amazon Prime Day Deals 2018

The celebrations have already begun!

Amazon Prime Day doesn’t officially begin until July 16 at 3pm ET, but that hasn’t stopped the company from beginning the deals a little bit early. Alongside the announcement, Amazon stated that a few deals would be available instantly for Prime members, and there are a few that you definitely won’t want to miss. In the coming days, we expect to see more deals leak, and our continuously updated tracker will highlight all the best Amazon Prime Day deals.

Be sure to check back often, as this page will be constantly adding fresh new deals. If you’re looking for deals on Amazon’s Echo hardware, Kindle Unlimited, Prime Pantry and more, we’ve got you covered.

Prime Exclusive Deals of the Day

In the lead-up to Prime Day, Amazon has switched over its Gold Box deals of the day to be all Prime member exclusive deals. Unlike some of the offers below, these prices expire at the end of the day, so you won’t have much time to think about them.

Today’s deals include:

• Patio, Lawn, and Garden furniture – Save up to 30%
• Premium activewear from Amazon brands – Save up to 40%
• Calvin Klein underwear – Save up to 50%
• Lillebaby carriers and wraps – Starting at $81
• Avantree portable adjustable laptop table – Starting at $28
• Hillfair 100% cotton throw blankets – Starting at $27
• 40+ Print Magazines – Starting at $1
• Ivi professional hair curling iron – Starting at $42
• Manyo Factory 1.7 fluid ounces Galactomyces Niacin Special Treatment Essence – Starting at $21

Echo Hardware

To kick things off, the company slashed $100 on the price of the Echo Show, dropping it down to just $129.99. This is the lowest we’ve ever seen it go and makes it the same price as the smaller screened Echo Spot. We’ve seen Amazon offer Voice Shopping exclusive deals in the past during Prime Day, so if you don’t have an Alexa device, or want another, this is a no-brainer purchase.

The Echo Dot is also down to $34.99, which is the lowest we’ve seen it hit this year.

Kindle Unlimited and Amazon Music Unlimited

If you’ve yet to try out Amazon’s Music Unlimited service, you can get a four-month membership for just $0.99. That’s right, all four months of unlimited access to all the music in the company’s library (which is rather extensive) for just one dollar. Prefer to read books instead of listening to music? No worries, Amazon has three months of Kindle Unlimited available for $0.99 as well. This gets you access to over a million book titles, and you can read as many of them as your heart desires during that time frame.

You can also go all-in on a Kindle Unlimited subscription and save 40% when you checkout with the coupon code PDKU18. This drops the one-year subscription down to $80.32 and the two-year subscription to $143.86. If you want to just buy a few books, you can get $10 towards any Kindle, print, or Audible book purchase when you buy any Kindle book for $5 or more before July 15.

Audible

Through the end of July, Amazon is offering Audible subscriptions at just $5 per month to new and returning members. The deal will remain active for three months, after which the service will begin billing you at its regular monthly price of $14.95. You can also choose to cancel the service at any time if you decide it’s not for you.

Amazon’s In-house brands

Amazon has a bunch of its own brands, and right now it’s offering 20% off home, kitchen, and other AmazonBasics gear, 30% off Amazon Elements multivitamins, and up to 25% off Stone & Beam furniture. There are a bunch of other Amazon brands from AmazonFresh to Mama Bear and Goodthreads that will also have discounted items available.

Twitch Prime Games and Gear

For the gamers out there, Amazon is offering a free PC game each day through July 18 via Twitch Prime. There are popular titles like Pillars of Eternity, Q.U.B.E, Hue, and more. You’ll also get exclusive in-game look for Warframe and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, and if you’re looking to load up on Twitch apparel, the merch is 50% off right now.

Prime Credit Cardholder Offers

Normally, the Amazon Prime Store Card and Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card extend shoppers 5% cash back on all Amazon.com orders. You can put the cash back rewards towards your monthly statements or a future Amazon purchase.

Last year during Prime Day, Amazon upped its cash back offer from the standard 5% to 20% on thousands of items exclusively for cardholders. That means smart deal hunters with an Amazon Prime Store Card or Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card were essentially saving an additional 15% on Prime Day. Eligible items included GoPro action cameras and Garmin fitness trackers. In fact, Amazon’s already running some bonus cash back offers for cardholders including 10% back on LG 4K OLED TVs and 20% back on the GoPro Hero action camera.

What’s more, Amazon is sweetening the pot by throwing in a free gift card upon approval. New Prime Store cardholders will receive a $20 gift card, while Prime Rewards Visa cardholders will get a $70 gift card. Both the credit card and gift card are automatically loaded into your Amazon account following the approval process, meaning if you apply now both will be ready to use during the big event.

American Express Rewards points

We already know that we will see millions of deals across the world on Prime Day, but did you know that you could drop the prices even lower by just shopping with your American Express points? Amazon frequently offers an additional percentage off select purchases when you checkout and pay for part of the transaction using your Rewards points, and come Prime Day, the company is offering 20% off on a variety of items.

When it comes to saving money, this may be one of the easiest ways you’ll be able to do it on Prime Day. The first step is to head to this page and click to activate the offer. Once the offer is activated, you’ll want to make sure that your American Express card is one of the payment methods in your account, and that you have linked your accounts successfully. The last, and easiest part, is to find an eligible item, add it to your cart, and pay using at least one American Express Reward point.

This discount can be redeemed on any item physical goods that are sold and shipped by Amazon. You won’t be able to redeem it on items sold by third parties, digital goods, or Amazon gift cards. It can only be redeemed once and has a maximum benefit of $100. The offer is currently live, so if there is something you want to buy now, you can save 20%. The promotion can end at any time, so be sure to activate the offer now and link your accounts to avoid missing out.

Of course, to take advantage of any of these offers you need to be an Amazon Prime member. If you aren’t already, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial so you can access all these deals and save during the big event.

The Thrifter team is going to be covering ALL things Prime Day, and you won’t want to miss out. Sign up now to have tips, tricks, deals, and more delivered right to your inbox.

Bluetooth speakers, Roku streaming devices, wireless mice, and more are all discounted today

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

We found plenty of great deals today that include big discounts on the Roku Streaming Stick, the B&O Play P2 Bluetooth speaker, the Logitech MX Sound computer speakers, and more! Time’s running out to take advantage of these prices, so hurry!

View the rest of the deals

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

What is G-Sync? If you’re a gaming fan, you’ll want to know

So you just got the latest PC title and are excited to fire up your machine to give it a go. You start the game but notice that the image sometimes seems to skip a bit. The smoothness you expected to see with all your new gear is being ruined.

Don’t worry: This is a common issue, and Nvidia has developed a tool to eliminate this problem. It’s called G-Sync, and with the right GPU and the monitor, choppy displays are a thing of the past.

A solution to a problem

Few computing programs require more system resources than games, and game developers are known to always push graphics hardware to their limits. Because of that, sometimes your graphics card and monitor can get out of sync, meaning the the graphics card sends a frame in the middle of a monitor’s refresh rate.

The monitor then ends up drawing parts of multiple frames on the display at the same time. This can result in visually discernable artifacts known as “tears,” or tearing — a form of distortion where objects on the screen appear to be out of alignment.

You can keep your GPU and monitor in sync by enabling V-sync, which causes the GPU to send frames to the screen in sync with the monitor’s refresh rate (usually at 60Hz, or 60 times per second). However, while maintaining sync via V-sync eliminates tearing, it can introduce yet another artifact called “stuttering,” as well as input lag.

G-Sync is a hardware-based tech that manipulates the display panel’s VBI (vertical blanking interval). VBI represents the interval between the time when a monitor finishes drawing the current frame, and the beginning of the next frame.

During this interval, no screen refresh data is sent to the monitor. When G-Sync is active, the graphics card in your PC waits until the monitor is ready to receive another frame before sending it. This keeps everything in sync and eliminates annoying and distracting visual artifacts.

A G-Sync board contains 768MB of DDR3 memory, which stores the previous frame so that it can be compared to the next incoming frame. It does this to decrease input lag.

G-Sync allows a monitor to support variable refresh rates, which are often redrawn at widely varying intervals. Syncing the GPU and monitor’s refresh rates helps make in-game animations appear smoother.

Manufacturers have jumped on board

Because it is a hardware solution, individual monitors need to have the technology implemented. Fortunately, most of the major monitor manufacturers, including Asus, Philips, BenQ, AOC, Samsung, and LG have deployed G-Sync on some of their displays.

As for the monitors themselves, they range in sizes between 20 and 30-inches, support 120Hz or 144Hz refresh rates, and they come in resolutions ranging from 1,920×1,080 to 3,840×2,160. Prices range from about $100 to well over a $1,000. For example, Asus’ ROG Swift PG279Q 27-inch monitor, lists for $698.

However, it’s important to note that you’ll also need a G-Sync-enabled Nvidia graphics card to take advantage of this new technology. Most newer Nvidia cards, like the GTX 10 series, as well as more powerful cards, like the GTX Titan Black, are all G-Sync-ready. You can check out the full list of supported cards and GPUs here.

A couple downsides

That’s not to say the technology is without its drawbacks. First is the price. Whether you’re looking at a laptop or desktop setup, G-Sync requires both a capable monitor and graphics card.  Purchasing each separately for a desktop costs about $500, and laptops that incorporate both components all retail at over $1,000.

In addition, users have noted a lack of compatibility with Nvidia’s Optimus technology. Optimus, implemented in many laptops, adjusts graphics performance on the fly to provide necessary power to graphics-intensive programs and optimize battery life. Because the technology relies on an integrated graphics system, frames are passed to the screen at a set interval, not as they are created in the case of G-Sync. One can purchase an Optimus-capable device or a G-Sync-capable device, but there exists no laptop that can do both.

Alternatives to G-Sync

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

You should also be aware that AMD, Nvidia’s rival, promotes its own variable refresh rate technology, dubbed “FreeSync.”

Because FreeSync operates using the existing DisplayPort interface present on most monitors, the tech doesn’t require additional AMD hardware (aside from the AMD GPU, that is) to enable variable VBI. In fact, according to AMD, its GPUs have supported variable refresh rates for a few generations.

As a result, there are more monitors that support FreeSync than G-Sync. Furthermore, because these monitors don’t require the manufacturer to install additional hardware, they may run cheaper than their G-Sync capable counterparts. For example, Asus’ MG279Q is about $100 less than the aforementioned ROG Swift monitor.

Each technology has its own strengths, but there is a plethora of graphics card and monitor combinations that support these features. If you’re tired of the graphical glitches caused by your monitor and GPU being out of sync, help has arrived.

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How to save money when buying an Amazon Echo, Echo Dot or Echo Show

You don’t have to pay full price for your next Echo device!

Unless you have been living under a rock, you’ve heard of Amazon’s Echo devices like the Echo, Echo Dot, and Echo Show. Odds are that you may have even considered buying one for yourself at one point in time, but it is possible that you weren’t sold on the price tag of the device. Well, luckily there are a few ways to avoid paying full price and making your next Echo purchase even more affordable.

We’ve seen all types of discounts on the hardware, from direct price drops to bundles, and refurbished options. These each have their own advantages and disadvantages, so let’s take a quick look at some of the ways to save. Keep in mind that having an Echo device around could end up scoring you exclusive deals and access to Amazon Prime Day discounts hours before others.

Buy refurbished

One of the easiest ways to save on an Echo device would be to pick up a refurbished one from Amazon directly. While you may be hesitant to buy something refurbished, I’d put your full confidence in this purchase. Amazon backs the hardware with the same warranty and returns policy, and you are getting something that will look and feel like new, but at a lower price. How can you really beat that?

• Echo Dot Refurb – $39.99
• 1st-Gen Echo Refurb – $79.99
• 2nd-Gen Echo Refurb – $79.99
• Amazon Tap Refurb – $69.99
• Echo Show Refurb – $109.99

Right now, the refurb and new Echo Dot are the same prices, so you can pick whichever one you are more comfortable with, but that isn’t always the case. As for the Echo, you can’t buy this version new anymore, and the replacement model isn’t out until the end of October. On the Amazon Tap, you are saving $40 to go refurbished, which means you can almost grab an Echo Dot with it for the same price as one new Tap would be.

Buy in bulk

Amazon often runs deals which offer savings for buying more than one device at the same time. You may think this is silly, but once you put one Amazon Echo device in your house, odds are you’ll want to add at least one more, if not a handful of extras. Once I added one, I immediately bought two more, and I wish I just bought them at the same time to get a discount.

It may seem excessive to get multiple devices at the same time, but it is a smarter way to buy them. Whether you need all of them for your house, or want to have some at the office, or even want to give some away as a gift, this is a great option.

Follow Thrifter

From direct price drops to flash sales, the single easiest way to stay informed about ALL Echo discounts as they happen is to follow our pals at Thrifter.

Whether it is a week-long price drop or a sale that will likely only last a few hours, you can be assured that they will be covering it and let you know where to score that sweet deal.

Amazon Echo

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See at Amazon

Tech, streaming, and the beautiful game

Goooooooooooaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllllllll

As I’m writing this, it’s a few minutes into the World Cup final between France and Croatia, a match that, if the bookies are right, will easily edge in France’s favor. Even as a casual soccer fan — I grew up obsessed with the Manchester United of the early 1990s, featuring an impenetrable Peter Schmeichel and poetry-in-motion Ryan Giggs, among many others — this tournament had me hooked from the beginning. There have been so many upsets, so many great penalty shoot-outs, and innumerable goals that just test the very foundations of physics; it’s just hard not to be emotionally invested in the outcome.

While I’m a little disappointed that Brazil isn’t in the finals — the team is just so much fun to watch — I like the David and Goliath nature of this scrappy, young Croatian squad and the mature, confident French side. It’s sure to be a great match.

But what really struck me about this World Cup was the availability of it; I watched it everywhere I had a screen thanks to the ubiquity of streaming. The bulk of it was viewed through the TSN app on my Apple TV 4K (which was a long time coming) and on my phone. I listened to games with headphones while walking down the street. I watched games at the dog park, or sitting in the backyard. I projected games onto the side of my house. I watched in the corner of my screen while working (sorry). Unlike four years ago, I didn’t have to fight with my technology to get the same experience as a cable subscriber, and that completely changed the way I experienced this tournament.

That’s why I think our new site, CordCutters, is so important. Millions of people around the world are realizing that cable is too expensive and too bundled to be useful, and the proliferation of streaming TV services is, ultimately, the better way.

How to watch the 2018 FIFA Men’s World Cup finals if you’ve cut the cord

Here’s what else is keeping me interested this week.

• I like Microsoft’s Surface lineup, and I’m curious to see whether the company can find success with its cheaper-but-still-overpriced Surface Go.
  • The product is squarely aimed at the education market, but Chromebooks (and iPads) still hold the advantage.
  • That said, it took Chromebooks a long time to get to where they are today, and Microsoft can learn a thing or two from Google’s partners.
• Google is facing yet another multi-billion dollar fine from the EU for anti-competitive practices, this time for forcing manufacturers to bundle Google services in exchange for shipping phones with the Play Store. This is an absurd assertion in a free market, especially one where the iPhone is sold without even the ability to set default applications, but hey, sure, scapegoat it up.
• The red OnePlus 6 is stunning, and I really want one. I just wish the company cared as much about haptics (I know, world’s tiniest violin) as it did about aesthetics.
• My review is coming next week, but I really like the Moto Z3 Play. It’s not an easy phone to love mainly because, on paper, it’s difficult to understand its $499 price (and its apples-to-apples comparison to the $529 OnePlus 6, but there’s more to the phone than the spec sheet.

That’s it from me. Hope you enjoyed the weekend, and I’ll see you in a few weeks!

-Daniel

Keep your internet browsing encrypted with VPNSecure, now for just $20!

Banking information. Mortgage payment history. Your important documents. Nearly all of your life is online these days, and while convenient that can be scary. There are tons of people out there who are looking to do malicious stuff, and we need to be sure that is in the back of our brains at all times. While you can’t avoid using the internet (in most cases), you can ensure that it is a secure connection when you do use it.

Save 91% right now Learn More

VPNs have become more and more popular as the time passes because people want to make sure that the information they are transmitting is getting to the right places. VPNSecure is a great option, and right now you can score a sweet deal on a lifetime subscription to the service. With it, you’ll be able to connect up to five devices at the same time, use unlimited bandwidth and more.

Some of the key features include:

• Allows you to bypass geolocation blocks on your favorite streaming networks
• Encrypts your traffic so hackers can’t access your data
• Hides your location & IP address
• Supports torrents
• Allows you to connect five devices simultaneously
• Grants you the ability to choose Data Cipher
• Uses Stealth VPN to render your VPN traffic unrecognizable
• Delivers unlimited bandwidth
• Does not keep any logs of your activity
• Includes servers in 46+ countries & counting
• Protects against DNS leak fixes, kill switches & more

Secure your browsing sessions for less! Learn More

You are getting a whole lot for your money here. VPNSecure normally costs $450 for the lifetime subscription, but right now you can pick one up for only $19.99. You’ll want to hurry though because this price won’t last long.

Browsing the web can get you in loads of trouble if you aren’t careful, so be sure to grab this at its 91% discount to secure your browsing sessions.

Score $20 off your $60 purchase of razors, Rogaine and more in this early Prime Day deal

The easiest decision you’ll make today.

Prime Day 2018 is one day away, but some Prime Day deals have already started. Shopping the early deals now is smart, because tomorrow is guaranteed to be as chaotic as it is fun. Give yourself one less thing to worry about amidst the Lightning Deal craziness that is sure to ensue by getting in on these discounts now.

This new early Prime Day deal is one of the best yet. If you spend $60 on a selection of health and beauty products, Amazon will give you $20 off. Your discount will be applied automatically in your shopping cart once you add at least $60 worth of goods to your order.

A few things are already on sale before your additional $20 discount. Note that some of these items have clippable coupons that can save you even more money, so be on the lookout for those as well.

There are almost 100 eligible items to choose from. Options include shaving essentials, shampoo and conditioner, makeup, skincare, personal care, and basically everything in between. If you’re planning on buying any of these items at some point in the future, this discount is a no-brainer.

Notable items include:

• Gilette Fusion5 ProGlide Men’s Razor Blade Refills 8-pack
• Neutrogena 2-pack Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Water Resistant SPF 45 Sunscreen
• 3-Month Men’s Rogaine Extra Strength Hair Treatment
• Remington Shortcut Pro Self-Haircut Kit
• L’Oréal Paris Makeup Infallible Long-Lasting Liquid Eyeliner
• L’Oréal Paris Men Expert Vitalift Anti-Wrinkle Moisturizer
• Maybelline Makeup Lash Sensational Washable Mascara
• Tom’s of Maine 6-pack Simply White Natural Toothpaste
• Tom’s of Maine 6-pack Natural Unscented Deodorant Stick

See at Amazon