Caseology Parallax Case for Samsung Galaxy S9+ review: Mesmerizing mid-range protection

Caseology’s hybrid case brings depth, drama, and drops of sweat to your Galaxy S9+.

Lightweight cases like the Ringke Air Prism and Spigen Liquid Crystal are great for showing off the Samsung Galaxy S9’s gorgeous glass back, but lightweight cases also mean light protection, and sometimes we just need more durability than that. Caseology’s Parallax Case for the Samsung Galaxy S9+ offers dual-layer protection without sacrificing style, covering its dark TPU back with a shallow triangular texture that gives the illusion of depth and sophistication.

Caseology Parallax Case for Samsung Galaxy S9+

Price: $14.99

Bottom line: This dual-layer case offers decent protection and prestige without getting too bulky or too boring.

The Good

• Rich colors and mesmerizing texture pattern
• Wide port cutouts and wide slope to fingerprint sensor

The Bad

• Sweat pools on the textured back
• Slick hard-plastic frame feels slippery at times

See at Amazon

Caseology Parallax Case for Samsung Galaxy S9+ What I like

Caseology makes awesome cases, and their precision and experience shows. The seams of the Parallax’s two layers are perfectly flush. The port cutouts are wide and well-sculpted, and the slope leading up to the fingerprint sensor is wide, shallow, and the hard plastic makes it feel smoother than the TPU slopes on most other cases. The hard plastic around the cameras and heart rate sensor offers a higher level of protection around the vital sensors as well as adding an extra pop of color to draw the eye toward the camera when you’re lining up subjects to take a shot.

The Parallax’s texture is shallow and grippy enough that it’s quite easy to use it with a phone grip, which is good news for those of us who need to use one with big phones like the Galaxy S9+. The pattern is simple but iconic, reminding me of many a geometric wallpaper and lending the case’s back the same illusion of depth.

Caseology Parallax Case for Samsung Galaxy S9+ What I don’t like

Unfortunately, this textured back and its surface texture tend to collect sweat and smudges. I used the case for not even 20 minutes before the back of the case felt wet to the touch, and when I flipped over, I saw sweat already collecting into several sizeable droplets across that triangular texturing. That sweat also pools on the hard-plastic edges of the case, making it a little harder to keep a sturdy grip on it.

In addition to collecting sweat, the Parallax seems to pick up smudges and fingerprints almost as quickly as the Caseology Skyfall case I reviewed previously. They’re not quite as noticeable on a solid case as opposed to the Skyfall’s crystal clear back, but they’re there.

Caseology Parallax Case for Samsung Galaxy S9+

The Parallax is great for those looking for a little bit of style and texture while still having the stability and grip to use with a phone grip, magnetic mounts or wireless charging. Its texture is functional, fashionable, and nostalgic in equal measure, and the buttons and ports are all seamless and sturdy.

4
out of 5

The Caseology Parallax Case is a prime patterned hybrid case that comes in a color suited to every variation of the Galaxy S9+, including the Rose Gold. Admittedly, the blue model could be a bit brighter, like the bright pop of color on the Lilac Purple version, but it’s still beautiful and adds some dark depth to its look.

See at Amazon

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 18, 2018 — OnePlus 6 Android P Developer Preview 3 adds bug fixes and tweaked UI

On July 18, OnePlus announced its third developer preview of Android P for the OnePlus 6.

This update mainly focuses on big fixes, with some of the highlights in the changelog including improved system stability, fixed issue with mobile hotspot, better camera functionality with third-party apps, and improved overall image quality with the camera. Also included is the July 2018 security patch.

Our friends at 9to5Google recently got their hands on the beta, and as they spotted, this preview includes a few UI changes — most notably the recents page/app switcher.

The cards on the recents page have a more rounded appearance and appear to be smaller than Android P on Google’s Pixel phones. There’s also a menu button near the top of each app that lets you quickly hop into split-screen mode. Other chnages include a redesigned settings page and a white paint job for the Shelf.

July 10, 2018 — The OnePlus 6 Red is now available for purchase

The day has finally come! You can now buy the striking OnePlus 6 Red exclusively from OnePlus’s website.

This limited edition model of the phone costs $579, and for that price, you’re getting the most powerful configuration with 8GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage.

OnePlus is making a limited run of this color, so once it’s gone, it’s gone.

See at OnePlus

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 four colors: Mirror Black, Midnight Black, Silk White, and Red.

• 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 one of the more limited of the four colors. 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.

• Red is also a limited edition color and is easily the most vibrant of the four that are available. It has a similar shiny finish like Mirror Black but uses a translucent orange layer and red base layer to create one of the most powerful reds we’ve ever seen on a smartphone. Sales open on July 10 and it’ll be available with 8GB RAM + 128GB storage for $579.

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

Updated July 3, 2018: Added the OnePlus Red to the list of colors!

The EU Antitrust case against Android sucks for everyone, especially you

Google’s explanation of how Android is open isn’t passing the smell test anymore.

The European Union just told Google it has 90 days to pay €4.34 billion ($5.06 billion) for violating its antitrust rules, claiming the company has been forcing manufacturers to bundle Google Search, Chrome, and the Play Store as a bundle in phones that ship with Android. Since most people use the apps that are included on the phone, this move supposedly encourages people to use Google products without ever trying anything else. Google is appealing the ruling, claiming Android gives people more choice and creates a firm ground for developers to build for the largest possible audience. While there’s undoubtedly going to be some conversation in the coming weeks over what that appeal is going to look like, it’s clear Google’s explanations for how Android functions openly is no longer enough, and things are probably going to have to change.

And, if you ask me, that sucks.

How we got here

In the early days of Android, Google let manufacturers put basically whatever they wanted on the phone as long as some minimum system requirements were met for the Android Market. And manufacturers did, in fact, install whatever they wanted. We had phones launch in the U.S. with over 100 pre-loaded apps; phones launch with Bing as the default search engine; and so many other generally terrible and user-hostile offerings to please the companies funding the launch — mainly carriers and manufacturers. These phones were terrible, and remained terrible when they didn’t get a single software update. It was a bad time, and made recommending anything that didn’t have the Nexus branding on the side pretty difficult.

Around 2013, Google stepped up and added restrictions to its Google Mobile Services agreements. Those restrictions included what could be placed on the home screen someone sees when the phone first starts, how many apps could be pre-installed, and a bunch of other very specific details. These agreements are all private between Google and its partners, but every once in a while details are made public for these agreements. Basically, as long as the manufacturer follows those rules it gets access to Google’s Play Services and suite of apps like Chrome, Search, YouTube, Maps, and so on.

This is where things get a little iffy. Several versions of this agreement have required Google apps to be front and center on that initial home screen. Google’s Search bar needed to be there, and folders with Google’s apps needed to be there. And if you look at any new Android phone today, that initial home screen is pretty much identical across the ecosystem. Google’s placement is prominent, specific, and consistent across the Android landscape right now — as long as that phone ships with the Play Store.

What the EU sees as wrong

The claim against Google right now is that, in forcing manufacturers to put these three apps front and center, it strong-arms its partners, prevents suppresses competition, and keeps people from looking at other options. Specifically, the EU says including Google Search, Chrome, and the Google Play Store as mandatory apps in the Google Mobile Services bundle is wrong. Many analysts have likened Android today to how Windows looked before Microsoft lost its own antitrust cases in the mid-90’s. If people don’t know there are other choices, they won’t go looking for them. There are a few problems with this comparison, but the overall claim is Google has forced people to use its apps and is reaping the benefits of that enforcement.

Android is only as good as it is now because of the Google Play Store.

Google’s response makes a lot of sense. Anyone can uninstall or disable the pre-loaded apps and replace them with different apps from any developer. Many manufacturers make their own versions of Google’s apps and install them right alongside Google’s. And if manufacturers want Android itself to come with no strings attached, manufacturers don’t need to use the Play Store. Android is free code that anyone can fork or alter, as Amazon has been doing for years. But the Google Play Store and its related apps do have some big rules to follow. That distinction has never really been clear to the public, because while Google wants people to know Android is open it also wants people to know Google and Android are one and the same.

There’s a lot about this EU ruling which is troubling. First, the EU seems to only care about three of the eleven apps Google is including in its bundle. There’s no call to strip Google Maps, for example, only Search, Chrome and the Play Store. Second, this decision fundamentally misunderstands how deeply integrated into one another these systems are and seems to intentionally observe them as standalone apps. Android is only as good as it is now because of the Google Play Store and Play Services. Through this, Google enforces security across the platform and wraps up a majority of the new features you hear about when a new version is announced. Android without Google services isn’t just Android without apps, it’s an entirely different and significantly less functional experience.

The appeal being made by Google is essentially claiming the environment it created within Android allows for more choice instead of less. Developers can build for a single platform and get a consistent experience across thousands of different devices, which manufacturers can give users access to by following Google’s rules. With all of these manufacturers competing on such even software footing, the hardware-based feature fight has caused the price of hardware to go down which Google says is also good everyone. By creating a single platform for all of these manufacturers to compete against Apple, Google claims its decisions have been a net positive.

The future might suck a lot if Google loses

When Microsoft was slapped with antitrust fines, it reacted by removing Internet Explorer entirely and giving users multiple browsers to choose from. The company later backed down from this and went back to including its own browser but making it very easy to install others, but the overall decision did not make Internet Explorer more or less popular. That browser already had lots of problems and even more competition, and without pointing fingers at other popular mobile platforms it is a nontrivial detail that Google allows you to set any app as the default, such as the browser.

Chrome, inside Android, encourages a lot of choice for users.

Android is overall a little different from Windows anyway. The mobile platform tightly integrates a lot of things, and Chrome is much more than just an app. Micro versions of Chrome exist in many Android apps, because developers recognized this mini Chrome was much more stable and functional than building their own in-app browser. Chrome is the underpinning for things like Android Instant Apps, which directly encourages developers to build tools that make it easier for users to try new apps and move away from the installed default. Chrome, inside Android, encourages a lot of choice for users. Taking that away will absolutely make Android users less likely to try new things and just stick with what is installed.

Assistant is another thing that will suffer if this decision forces Google to disconnect its apps from the central nervous system of Android. Access to Google’s knowledge graph is what makes Assistant so powerful, and Search is arguably the most important part of that. Bing is never going to integrate into Google Assistant to provide results, even if those results were worth using. There’s no arguing Assistant is leaps and bounds ahead of the competition right now because of its ability to deeply yet safely integrate into the lives of its users, and removing that key component could take a very long time to functionally work around.

Google has been building toward this grand unified experience for a while now, and a lot of that work will take several steps back as a result of this decision if it is enforced. Here’s hoping the appeal yields positive results.

Corning Debuts Gorilla Glass 6 With ‘Unprecedented’ Multi-Drop Protection That Could Be Used in Future iPhones

Corning this morning unveiled its next-generation Gorilla Glass product, Gorilla Glass 6, which it says offers “unprecedented protection against multiple drops” and better protection against drops from higher heights.

According to Corning, Gorilla Glass 6 is its most durable cover glass to date, made of a new material that’s been engineered to stand up to more than one drop. The average person drops their smartphone seven times a year, making multi-drop durability a key feature Corning wanted to improve.

Devices using Gorilla Glass 6 were able to withstand 15 drops from one meter onto rough surfaces, which is up to two times better than Gorilla Glass 5, which Corning has been offering to its partners since 2016. Competitive glass compositions like soda lime and aluminosilicate, did not survive the first drop, says Corning.

“Gorilla Glass 6 is an entirely new glass composition that can be chemically strengthened to give it significantly higher levels of compression than is possible with Gorilla Glass 5. This enables Gorilla Glass 6 to be more resistant to damage,” said Dr. Jaymin Amin, vice president of technology and product development, Corning Gorilla Glass and Corning Specialty Materials. “Moreover, with breaks during drops being a probabilistic event, the added compression helps increase, on average, the likelihood of survival through multiple drop events.”

The higher durability of Corning’s new Gorilla Glass product was engineered with all-glass smartphone designs in mind, like the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus, offering optical clarity, touch sensitivity, scratch resistance, efficient wireless charging, and enhanced durability.

Gorilla Glass 6 is likely to make its way into future iPhones, and could even perhaps be included in the 2018 iPhone lineup, depending on when Corning provided details on the new product to Apple.

Corning has been a longtime Apple supplier, with Gorilla Glass used in devices across Apple’s product lineup. In May of 2017, Corning even became the first benefactor of Apple’s Advanced Manufacturing Fund, receiving $200 million for research and development and new glass processing equipment.

Corning says its Gorilla Glass 6 is being evaluated “by multiple customers” and the first smartphones and devices using Gorilla Glass 6 are expected to reach the market in the next several months.

Related Roundup: 2018 iPhones
Discuss this article in our forums