Remember the Y2K scare? Japan is facing a similar date-related tech crisis

If you’re in your mid-20s or older, chances are that you remember the Y2K scare, the year 2000-era menace which promised to make even nu metal seem benign by comparison. In the end, the so-called “Millennium bug” did very little damage, thanks to programmer-led interventions. Jump forward 18 years, however, and Japan has its own impending millennium bug-style problem — and it’s threatening to hit systems in April next year when the current emperor departs.

Having been emperor of Japan since 1989, current emperor Akihito has remained in power throughout much of the rise of personal computing to its current omnipresent status. The problem, it transpires, is that the Japanese calendar is based on era names which coincide with the rule of its emperors. Software using the Japanese-style calendar has to be adapted to work with new era names, but for this software to be changed and tested, the new era name has to be known in advance. The problem? The Japanese government hasn’t announced it yet, and won’t do so for cultural reasons — since announcing the new era name before Emperor Akihito steps down would disrespect him by putting the focus instead on his son, Prince Naruhito, who will take over.

“Several sectors could face troubles like the postal service, transportation ticket vending machine, and banks,” Anne-Léonore Dardenne, an expert in Japanese domestic and international affairs, told Digital Trends. “For example, the record of tax payments could be problematic, as well as the printing of the Jūminhyō, a registry of current residential addresses maintained by local governments. It might also be impossible to withdraw money from ATMs. The Japanese calendar is used in almost every official document. For political reasons or cultural reasons, the government, public agencies, and financial institutions all use this calendar.”

Microsoft addressed the potential problems in a recent blog post, aimed at Japanese customers. “The magnitude of this event on computing systems using the Japanese calendar may be similar to the Y2K event with the Gregorian Calendar,” the post read. “For the Y2K event, there was world-wide recognition of the upcoming change, resulting in governments and software vendors beginning to work on solutions for that problem several years before 1 Jan 2000.”

Dardenne said that most Japanese companies working with overseas partners or employing foreigners are already using the Western-style calendar, so they shouldn’t be affected by the name change. “The effects outside Japan should not be felt,” she added. However, she did warn of the risks of scam artists seizing on the opportunity to try and flog new computers or software to vulnerable parties, or to try and steal banking information by pretending to be bankers, and telling them that their old passwords are no longer valid.

Remember the Y2K scare? Japan is facing a similar date-related tech crisis

If you’re in your mid-20s or older, chances are that you remember the Y2K scare, the year 2000-era menace which promised to make even nu metal seem benign by comparison. In the end, the so-called “Millennium bug” did very little damage, thanks to programmer-led interventions. Jump forward 18 years, however, and Japan has its own impending millennium bug-style problem — and it’s threatening to hit systems in April next year when the current emperor departs.

Having been emperor of Japan since 1989, current emperor Akihito has remained in power throughout much of the rise of personal computing to its current omnipresent status. The problem, it transpires, is that the Japanese calendar is based on era names which coincide with the rule of its emperors. Software using the Japanese-style calendar has to be adapted to work with new era names, but for this software to be changed and tested, the new era name has to be known in advance. The problem? The Japanese government hasn’t announced it yet, and won’t do so for cultural reasons — since announcing the new era name before Emperor Akihito steps down would disrespect him by putting the focus instead on his son, Prince Naruhito, who will take over.

“Several sectors could face troubles like the postal service, transportation ticket vending machine, and banks,” Anne-Léonore Dardenne, an expert in Japanese domestic and international affairs, told Digital Trends. “For example, the record of tax payments could be problematic, as well as the printing of the Jūminhyō, a registry of current residential addresses maintained by local governments. It might also be impossible to withdraw money from ATMs. The Japanese calendar is used in almost every official document. For political reasons or cultural reasons, the government, public agencies, and financial institutions all use this calendar.”

Microsoft addressed the potential problems in a recent blog post, aimed at Japanese customers. “The magnitude of this event on computing systems using the Japanese calendar may be similar to the Y2K event with the Gregorian Calendar,” the post read. “For the Y2K event, there was world-wide recognition of the upcoming change, resulting in governments and software vendors beginning to work on solutions for that problem several years before 1 Jan 2000.”

Dardenne said that most Japanese companies working with overseas partners or employing foreigners are already using the Western-style calendar, so they shouldn’t be affected by the name change. “The effects outside Japan should not be felt,” she added. However, she did warn of the risks of scam artists seizing on the opportunity to try and flog new computers or software to vulnerable parties, or to try and steal banking information by pretending to be bankers, and telling them that their old passwords are no longer valid.

Leak shows Intel’s 9th-gen Core i7 desktop CPU won’t have hyper-threading

A supposed leak listed on an unsecure Chinese forum (now removed) suggests that Intel will not provide hyper-threading technology on its ninth-generation Core i7-9700K processor. This news is notable because it would be Intel’s first Core i7 part in recent history served up without hyper-threading. Does the company plan on dropping this technology on all future ninth-generation chips without the Core i9 label?

If you’re not sure what hyper-threading is all about, here’s a watered-down explanation. A thread is simply an ordered sequence, or stream, of instructions delivered to the processor. By default, a single physical CPU core can handle one stream, thus if you have a four-core processor, it can handle four lanes of instructions simultaneously. Hyper-threading means the operating system sees twice the core count, sending eight streams of instruction to a four-core chip (two streams per physical core).

Intel first introduced hyper-threading in early 2002 in its Xeon processors for servers followed by Pentium 4 desktop processors later that year. According to Intel, hyper-threading increases processor throughput thus improving its overall performance. You can essentially do more without bogging down the CPU.

Of course, the Core i7-9700K processor leak may be completely bogus. Before it was pulled from the Chinese forum, the chip listed as an eight-core, eight-thread chip, with a base speed of 3.6GHz and a maximum speed of 4.9GHz. It was originally presumed to be Intel’s successor to the current Core i7-8700K six-core, twelve-thread desktop CPU.

That said, here’s what we’ve seen regarding Intel’s upcoming ninth-generation desktop CPUs. Note that all three supposedly have a power draw of 95 watts:

Keep in mind that these three chips will not be based on Intel’s ninth-generation “Ice Lake” design, but a refresh of its eighth-generation Coffee Lake-S architecture for desktop processors. These three chips will supposedly arrive in early August alongside a new motherboard chipset, Z390, supporting the CPUs. Also note that Intel introduced its first batch of eighth-generation processors – based on a refined seventh-generation “Kaby Lake” design – in the same release window last year.

The timing doesn’t appear unusual given that AMD is on its second generation of Ryzen desktop processors packing eight cores for the mainstream market. The latest batch includes the Ryzen 7 2700X and Ryzen 7 2700 chips with eight cores and sixteen threads, and the Ryzen 5 2600X and Ryzen 5 2600 chips with six cores and twelve threads. Intel is definitely in dire need of an eight-core solution targeting the mainstream market.

Based on the chart above, Intel appears to be locking its hyper-threading technology to the “premium” Core i9 brand although that may not be the official case at all. But of the three, Intel’s Core i9 part is the only chip with double the thread count. What will be interesting to see are the prices compared to AMD’s current generation of eight-core Ryzen desktop CPUs. Perhaps the removal of hyper-threading in the Core i7 part is a means for keeping the price competitive with AMD’s current Ryzen chips.

Blendtec blenders, Philips Hue lights, Klipsch 5.1 home theater systems, 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 Blendtec Classic blender, a variety of Philips Hue lights, popular Roombas and more! Most of these prices will be gone when the day ends, so don’t miss your chance to save big!

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!

Best Gamepad For Samsung Gear VR in 2018

• Best overall
• Best for portability
• Best value

Best overall

SteelSeries Stratus XL

See at Amazon

The folks at SteelSeries have a long history of quality controllers for mobile platforms, and the Stratus XL kicks that up a notch. Instead of focusing on portability and pocketability like the other controllers in this product line, SteelSeries focused on comfort and capability which makes it an incredible choice for the Samsung Gear VR. It has all the quality of a major console controller, with great battery life and a $40 price tag to match.

It pairs instantly to your Samsung phone and works with dozens of Gear VR games right out of the box. Stratus XL is an all around quality gamepad, with a layout that is easy to remember when you eyes are in VR.

Bottom line: If you want the best overall gamepad for your Gear VR, SteelSeries is where you want to be.

One more thing: This version of the controller only comes in black. If you see a white version of this controller, it’s the iOS-only version and won’t work with the Gear VR.

Why the SteelSeries Stratus XL is the best

Everything you need in a gamepad you’ll be using without your eyes.

While the Samsung Gear VR comes with its own Controller now, there are plenty of VR games you play on this headset which require or are enhanced by a good ol’ fashioned gamepad. It’s just not as enjoyable to play Minecraft with a motion controller, which is why Samsung continues to support games and gamers who prefer this gameplay mechanic.

Three things matter most when it comes to a VR-friendly gamepad — comfort, battery life, and durability. SteelSeries has checked all three boxes with the Stratus XL. This is an Xbox-esque gamepad that looks and feels familiar with a button layout you will quickly become comfortable with despite not being able to look down at it while in VR. This gamepad will easily survive the occasional drop when you are spooked in VR thanks to its rugged plastic design, and the use of standard thumbsticks means the chances of breaking them on a drop is unlikely. On average this controller will get you through 30 hours of constant use, which means the only way you’re charging this controller once a week is if you are really and truly invested in VR Minecraft. If you do run out of power in the middle of a game, the use of a microUSB port means just about everything can charge this controller quickly.

Best for portability

Moga Hero Power

See at Amazon

Having an Xbox-style gamepad is great for familiarity, but the Gear VR is a portable virtual reality platform and it makes sense that you’d want the gamepad to be equally as portable. That means it stows in a bag easily, and doesn’t take up a ton of space. Moga’s Hero Power gamepad offers this exact experience, with buttons and joysticks nearly flush with the casing and shorter palm grips that flow in line with the rest of the body. This gamepad also doubles as a more traditional phone gamepad with its foldable phone clip, which is pretty sweet when you consider it’ll only set you back $20!

Bottom line: If you value portability above all, Moga Hero Power is what you want.

Best value

Beboncool controller

See at Amazon

It’s portable, it’s plasticky, and at $25 it’s way cheaper than most other Bluetooth gamepads that play nice with the Gear VR. Beboncool makes a bunch of gamepads for tablets and phones alike, but this smaller controller is perfect for portable Gear VR gameplay. The battery is rated for 12 hours of constant gameplay, but the auto-off feature ensures you’ll only be using power when you’re actually playing.

Bottom line: If you want a better Gear VR gameplay experience without spending a ton, Beboncool has you covered.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for console-class gaming on your Gear VR, SteelSeries is where you want to spend your money. There’s always a place for portability, though, and Moga has what you need if you’re on the go. If all you really want is an affordable gamepad to save you from constantly tapping the side of the Gear VR while playing your games, Beboncool is a great gamepad at a reasonable price.

Best overall

SteelSeries Stratus XL

See at Amazon

The folks at SteelSeries have a long history of quality controllers for mobile platforms, and the Stratus XL kicks that up a notch. Instead of focusing on portability and pocketability like the other controllers in this product line, SteelSeries focused on comfort and capability which makes it an incredible choice for the Samsung Gear VR. It has all the quality of a major console controller, with great battery life and a $45 price tag to match.

It pairs instantly to your Samsung phone and works with dozens of Gear VR games right out of the box. Stratus XL is an all around quality gamepad, with a layout that is easy to remember when you eyes are in VR.

Bottom line: If you want the best overall gamepad for your Gear VR, SteelSeries is where you want to be.

One more thing: This version of the controller only comes in black. If you see a white version of this controller, it’s the iOS-only version and won’t work with the Gear VR.

Updated July 2018: The Steelseries Stratus XL is still the best Bluetooth gamepad for the Samsung Gear VR.

Samsung Gear VR

• Gear VR review
• The Best games for Samsung Gear VR
• Inside Samsung’s Gear VR web browser
• Gear VR vs. Google Cardboard

Amazon

No Man’s Sky NEXT: Everything you need to know

A once-troubled space exploration game redeems itself with an impressive update.

No Man’s Sky was one of the weirdest launches of 2016. Hello Games originally announced a space exploration title that sounded quite compelling. There were promises of procedurally-generated worlds, ones that were so expansive that you might play for hours and hours without seeing a single soul in a supposedly shared multiplayer world.

But what we actually got was nothing like what we were promised. Call it lofty ambitions, unrealistic expectations, or flat-out lying, but multiple players did manage to stumble across some of the same exact planets in the game world within a very short amount of time, and when they attempted to coordinate a meetup, it came to light that there actually was no multiplayer.

That didn’t totally doom the game. It still did its other things — base-building, ship-fixing, exploration, and surviving the various planets’ inhabitants — quite well, but it wasn’t the game we were promised. It wasn’t the game that merited the sort of hype it got. (And believe you me, the hype went through the stratosphere.)

It’s 2018 now, and No Man’s Sky NEXT aims to make it all right with the biggest update we’ve seen yet. Here’s everything you need to know about it.

What is No Man’s Sky NEXT?

No Man’s Sky NEXT is a free expansion for the original 2016 game, meaning you won’t need to buy anything to experience what it has to offer if you already owned it. It figures to be the biggest update in the game’s rocky history.

Some platforms (Xbox One) will be treated to No Man’s Sky for the very first time with this release. But even for those on PlayStation 4 and PC who have played or been able to play the game for a couple of years now, it’s being treated as a glorious rebirth. It’s finally shaping up to be the game it should have been at launch.

The biggest part of that rebirth is the addition of true multiplayer gameplay. This was one of the main selling points of the game originally and it hurt when we found out it wasn’t actually ready in time. There are other changes ahead, too.

All of this is in addition to the stuff we’ve gotten in the other three big updates since launch. Hello Games has done an admirable job working to right their wrongs, and with No Man’s Sky NEXT they can finally boast something of completeness.

What’s changing?

While multiplayer is the biggest draw, there are tons of other great changes in line for those willing to give this game another chance. Here’s everything that’s new in No Man’s Sky NEXT.

Play with friends

Simply put, you can actually play with other people now. Not only can you run into others in the game world as originally promised, but you can even load in with your buddies to tackle the game’s various challenges.

Teaming up with friends will obviously make the space exploration aspect more enjoyable, but there’s also the benefit of having others to watch your back against the various threats. The native wildlife of these planets can still be troublesome, and now you have the potential for hostile human players to make your time in No Man’s Sky more than just sightseeing expeditions.

Friends can build together and use each other’s facilities, they can fight and fly with each other as they hop from one planet to the next, and you can even race through the cosmos with the ability to create custom race tracks and trails to share with others online. And now you’ll be able to customize your character to help you stand out from all the other souls tending to their daily errands.

Build more bases

Base-building will be more critical than ever in No Man’s Sky thanks to the advent of multiplayer, and it was important for Hello Games to expand that aspect. You can now build your base anywhere on any planet instead of the restrictive system we had before thanks to a terraforming device. It’ll allow you to shape and bend the terrain to your will as you look to carve out that perfect spot for your next base. This opens up a world of possibilities and adds another incentive to further your exploration efforts.

Once you decide where to build you’ll find that your possibilities have opened way up. There are hundreds of new base parts to choose from, and you’ll be able to build much bigger bases than before. Plus, you’ll be able to build more than one base instead of being restricted to one planet.

You and your friends can effectively build a mini colony of sorts, and because all of this base building will require more materials the game incidentally finds itself with a more meaningful in-game economy.

Command your fleet

Your freighter is more important as you can now assemble and command your own fleet of up to 50 frigates. You can upgrade these ships and send them out into the world to do your bidding, whether that’s watching your back on an exploration run or finding resources on a planet to collect.

The freighters themselves will be getting more customization options, and when you and your friends feel like getting ‘er done, you can now tackle new multiplayer missions together to earn some scratch from the Galactic Commission Station.

Breathtaking visuals

One area No Man’s Sky never struggled with was beauty, and it’ll look even better with the arrival of NEXT. Hello Games has completely overhauled the game’s visual engine, with improved terrain variation (yes, there are more mountains and hills now, thank the stars), better ground texture, and more realistic water and clouds. Space fauna looks dreamy. Creatures have a far more lifelike presence than. Buildings, NPCs, and ships have more detail than ever before. Planets can now have rings. And general space just looks a lot more epic.

You can take the breathtaking new visuals in with an all-new perspective, too. Players can now choose to play the game entirely in first or third person. That goes for both inside the ship and on the ground.

What’s next?

With No Man’s Sky NEXT, the game could cease getting feature support today and still be in a fantastic spot, but Hello Games apparently has plans for even more down the line. While we’re not sure we’ll ever get another update as big as NEXT — the team now wants to focus on smaller, but more frequent updates — any new content will be icing on what has grown into a very delicious-looking cake.

It’ll begin with free weekly in-game events that’ll reward the community for reaching milestones and working together. There’s also a new website called the Galactic Atlas that offers an overview of the everchanging world of No Man’s Sky, including a collection of points of interest voted on by the community.

Sean Murray — head honcho at Hello Games — feels the company has successfully let its hard work speak for itself, and now’s the time to reopen a line of communication with both the longtime and new members of the community (it had been soured early on due to the controversy). Feedback will continue to shape No Man’s Sky development from here on out, and the team plans to be more vocal than ever now that the game has reached a point of solidity.

Play it today

No Man’s Sky NEXT is launching as a free update on both PlayStation 4 and PC today, with Xbox One owners also getting their first crack at actually owning the game. Be sure to check for updates throughout the day to ensure you get it downloaded. If you don’t yet have it, Amazon will get you sorted away with a purchase as low as $23.

See at Amazon

PlayStation 4

• PS4 vs. PS4 Slim vs. PS4 Pro: Which should you buy?
• PlayStation VR Review
• Playing PS4 games through your phone is awesome

Amazon

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 rumors: Release date, specs, price, and features!

Here’s everything we know about the Galaxy Note 9!

Now more than ever, Samsung’s Galaxy S+ phones are becoming eerily similar to the Note series. The Note used to be Samsung’s way of touting all of the latest and greatest tech it had to offer, and while this is still the case, the same can be said for this year’s Galaxy S9+.

Samsung needs more than just the S Pen to make the Note 9 stand out from its own phones and the rest of the competition, and luckily, all signs are pointing to something exciting for this year’s release. Here’s what we know so far!

July 24, 2018 — A leaked image shows off the Note 9 in three colors

Another day, another leak from Evan Blass. Last week, we saw the front and back of the blue Galaxy Note 9, but with today’s leaked image we see the phone in three colors — black, blue, and brown.

It looks like the blue Note 9 will be the only model with the yellow S Pen teased in Samsung’s official event invite. The other two will have color-matched S Pens, all of which look fantastic.

July 17, 2018 — A new render shows the Note 9 once again

We already have a pretty good idea as to what the Galaxy Note 9 will look like, but thanks to a new render, the picture’s now clearer than ever before.

Evan Blass took to Twitter today with the above photo. It shows the Note 9 in a blue paint job with a blue and yellow S Pen to accompany it, and the combo looks downright fantastic.

July 16, 2018 — Galaxy Note 9 spotted out in the wild with Samsung’s CEO

Not too long after DJ Koh spilled some beans about the Note 9’s S Pen features, he’s back in the news once more as he was recently spotted using the phone during the media event mentioned below.

Koh can be seen using the Note 9 in the above photo, and while most of the device is hidden, we can confirm that it is, in fact, the Note 9 due to the placement of the rear camera and fingerprint sensor.

What will the Galaxy Note 9 look like?

Quick answer — a lot like the Note 8.

We’ve seen one collection of renders for the Note 9 so far (pictured above), and save for the fingerprint sensor being moved below the rear camera sensor, the phone’s shaping up to be nearly identical to last year’s model.

As such, we can expect a large Infinity Display with slim bezels, an all-glass back, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Samsung’s event teaser suggests that we’ll get at least one bright yellow color option, but I’m still crossing my fingers the Galaxy S9’s Burgundy Red gets a wide release on the Note 9 🤞.

What specs can we look forward to?

Samsung’s Galaxy Note phones are always home to some of the best specs around, and the Note 9 shouldn’t be any different.

Based on the current rumor mill and what we’ve seen from other 2018 flagships, here’s what we think we’ll see this year.

What’s going on with the S Pen?

The S Pen has always been one of the biggest draws to the Galaxy Note phones, and this year with the Note 9, we’re expecting Samsung to give the accessory one of the biggest updates we’ve seen in years.

One of the biggest changes this time around is that the Note 9 S Pen is rumored to come with Bluetooth. On one hand, this means the S Pen will need to have a battery and be charged somehow. Although we can’t confirm this, it’s likely Samsung will design a system that allows the S Pen to charge up while it’s inside the Note 9.

On a more exciting note, Bluetooth could allow for the S Pen to be useful even when it’s not in direct contact with the Note 9. Its button could act as a camera shutter, slide-show clicker, give you better alerts when it’s away from your phone, and more.

There have also been hints at some sort of gaming-specific features, but it’s unclear how exactly these will pan out.

When will the Galaxy Note 9 be released?

The Galaxy Note 9 will be announced on August 9, 2018, at an Unpacked event in New York City.

We can expect retail availability to come in a 1-2 week time frame after the announcement, if any previous launches are any indication.

How much will the Galaxy Note 9 cost?

Pricing for the Note series has steadily been going up each year, as has the majority of the smartphone industry.

The Galaxy Note 8 costs $950 unlocked, and I’d expect the Note 9 to cost either the same or slightly more. Apple proved with the iPhone X that people aren’t afraid to shell out $1000+ for a new smartphone, and I don’t consider it to be out of the question for Samsung to follow suit with the Note 9 – especially if it adopts newer technologies like an in-display fingerprint sensor.

Samsung Galaxy S9 & S9+: Everything you need to know!

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

• Samsung Galaxy Note 9 rumors: Release date, specs, price, and features!
• Is it best to buy the Galaxy S9 or wait for the Note 9?
• Do you plan on upgrading to the Note 9?
• Galaxy Note 8 review
• Join our Galaxy Note 9 forums

Updated: July 23, 2018: Added a new section for the Note 9’s S Pen.

Revisit the good old days with an NES or SNES Classic Edition console in stock at Amazon

You should hurry up.

Ah, Nintendo, breaker of hearts and crusher of dreams. How can one company be so good at releasing such limited quantities of the coolest items ever?!

The Nintendo NES Classic Edition has been hard to nab from the get-go. When it was first released, people waited in line for hours in the hopes of snatching one up — myself included. This little gadget hit the reseller market fast after stock was depleted, selling for up to $1,000. Seriously. It was once thought to be gone forever, and it left thousands of fans upset, knowing that they may never have the chance to revisit their childhood favorites on an actual Nintendo machine. (Yes, you can emulate retro games. No, it isn’t the same. Don’t @ me.)

Thankfully, you don’t have to wait for six hours in the freezing Wisconsin snow to get yours like I did. You don’t even have to leave your house. Amazon has the Nintendo NES Classic Edition console in stock for the MSRP of $59.99. No markups, no hassle, and no blood, sweat, or tears. Except for maybe tears of joy.

If you haven’t yet gotten your hands on the Super NES Classic console, you can snag one of those at Amazon right now too for its regular price of $79.99.

The NES Classic is awesome. It has the look and feel of the original console, although it is slightly smaller and sleeker. It includes an old-school controller and it’s packed with 30 games, including Super Marios Bros., Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda, Mega Man, and more. It’s worth noting that the controller cord is pretty short, but extenders are available for cheap or you could even pre-order a wireless controller. If you were inclined to do some web searching, you may also find that rumor has it you can hack the console to include hundreds of other games, although you run the risk of bricking your machine, among other things, and an editor such as myself couldn’t possibly suggest that you do such a thing.

This is the first major restock of this console since it was released. If you’re interested, trust me: there are thousands of other interested people, too. Hop to it and beat them to the punch before it sells out again.

See at Amazon

Best sports apps for Android

Whether you’re keeping up with one team or twenty, there’s a sports app for you.

We all wish we could attend every game and keep up with every little announcement out of our favorite teams, but that times time and money most of us can’t afford. Since we have to deal with these pesky little things called lives, here are the sports apps to keep you in the game even while you’re stuck grinding through your daily 9-5, or worse, stuck at your significant other’s high school reunion.

• ESPN
• theScore
• CBS Sports App
• Yahoo Sports
• Google Assistant

ESPN

It may be a tagline, but when most people think sports and especially sports news, ESPN is the Worldwide Leader in Sports. ESPN’s app is one of the most-downloaded and most-used sports apps on Android, and that’s because it’s a first-class app that’s easy to navigate, easy to customize, and has scores for just about every college and major league sport you could imagine.

ESPN’s app does tie into some subscription-required services like ESPN+ content and cable subscriber content, but if you’re after just news and scores, there’s no subscription required. ESPN’s notifications can alert you of the latest injury reports or trade agreements, and let’s all be honest, who can resist that trademark Sportscenter Da-da-da, Da-da-da??

Download ESPN (free, subscription services)

theScore

theScore is a sports app that’s been around for a while, and it’s got two features that help set it apart from the rest of the pack here: a glorious dark theme and dedication to delivering the very best sports experience on Android. This app is very well laid out and allows you to quickly find the news, scores, and standings you need and then get back to what you want to do. And to ensure that you never miss an alert, theScore even lets you send a test alert to ensure everything is working ahead of a big event. theScore also has an esports app for those who are looking for the latest League of Legends tournament results.

Download theScore (free)

CBS Sports App

CBS Sports is a solid sports app, especially for cord-cutters, since the CBS Sports app features CBS Sports HQ, a free, streaming 24-hours sports channel with news, commentary, and events. The app is the only app left in our roundup that uses a hamburger menu instead of bottom tabs, which means you get a little more real estate when browsing scores or reading the news. It does mean, however, that you’ll need to swipe in from the left side of the screen whenever you want to switch between sections.

Download CBS Sports (free)

Yahoo Sports

Whether you’re looking for up-to-the-minute scores during the bedlam that is college football or you’re looking for longform editorial and in-depth sports journalism pieces, Yahoo Sports has got you. Yahoo Sports has some highlights and commentary videos, but is less video-heavy than CBS or ESPN, if you’d rather read your news than watch it.

One hidden bonus on the Yahoo Sports app is that if you’ve been stuck without your phone all day or all week because you got dragged off to some long weekend retreat with some nonsense “no tech allowed” policy, you can tap the Notification Center and see every headline Yahoo Sports pushed a notification for going back the last few days to help you catch up.

Download Yahoo Sports (free)

Google Assistant

Google handles millions of sports searches a day, from score searches to team searches to player stats and beyond. As such, Google Assistant has become a valuable sports app in its own right. If you follow teams in Google Assistant, it can notify you of team news, when your team is playing and where to watch it, and score updates. Google Assistant is also a good sports app to have because you can ask for sports information on any device, from your phone to Google Home to Assistant-enabled Chromebooks to even Android Auto in your car.

The only odd thing here is that to change your Sports team following and notifications for Google Assistant, you’ll need to head into the Google Search app’s Customize settings. This is because Google Assistant inherited some of its sports goodness from the Google feed — formerly Google Now — and that’s where the Google interest settings still live.

Google Assistant: Everything you need to know

Download Google Assistant (free)

Who’s keeping score for you?

Which sports app do you trust to help you keep your scores straight as we head into football season? Do you keep more than one sports app on hand to make sure you have all your bases covered? Sound off in the comments below and tell us your gameplan.

Where to buy the LG G7 ThinQ

Your guide for buying the G7 in the U.S. and Canada.

LG’s playing it safe this year with the G7 ThinQ, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad phone. In fact, the G7 is one heck of a smartphone that’s at least worth a look.

If you live in the United States or Canada and are interested in picking up the G7 ThinQ for yourself, here’s everything you need to know.

United States

Unlocked

Weeks after launch, LG finally started making the U.S. unlocked version of the LG G7 widely available. It’s available in multiple colors, with 64GB of storage. Importantly, the U.S. unlocked model is designed to work on all four major U.S. carriers — yes, including Verizon and Sprint. Both Amazon and B&H Photo have already started to discount the LG G7 from its original $749 price tag.

See at Amazon
See at B&H Photo

Sprint

If Sprint’s your carrier of choice, you’re going to pay more than most to own the G7.

On Sprint, the phone will cost you $33/month for an 18-month lease, and if you decide to keep paying for six more months to actually own the G7, you’ll be looking at a final price of $792 — $42 more than T-Mobile and Verizon.

Sprint is offering a lease one, get another for free deal, but you’re required to either add two new lines or upgrade two existing ones.

See at Sprint

T-Mobile

Jumping over to T-Mobile, the G7 costs $30 down and then $30/month afterward, resulting in a final retail price of $750 ($30 more than the Galaxy S9). To help offset the cost, T-Mobile is running a BOGO promo that allows you to get two G7s for the price of one via monthly bill credits.

See at T-Mobile

Verizon

Last but not least for U.S. carriers, pricing for the G7 at Verizon is similar to that of T-Mobile, including a payment of $31.25/month for 24 months for a final price of $750.

In honor of the G7’s launch, Verizon’s offering an instant $100 off discount just for buying it on an installment plan. Better yet, that deal can be combined with Verizon’s other trade-in promotions.

See at Verizon

AT&T

Although LG devices usually show up on AT&T like clockwork, this year appears to be slightly different. Instead of carrying the G7, AT&T is instead selling the V35 — a phone that has the design of last year’s V30 and the modern specs of the G7. It’s an interesting mashup, to say the least, and one that’ll cost you a pretty penny at $900.

See at AT&T

U.S. Cellular

The LG G7 is also available at U.S. Cellular. It costs $749.70 if you buy it with a prepaid plan, but if you purchase it on an installment setup, you can save $300 by paying just $14.99/month for 30 months after monthly bill credits.

Should you choose to go the installment route, you’ll pay $0 down and have 0% APR. Not too shabby!

See at U.S. Cellular

Project Fi

Google’s own carrier, Project Fi, has branched out its phone offerings to two of LG’s latest phones, including the G7. Pricing is set at $749, with optional 24-month no-interest financing that breaks it down to $31.21 per month. Choose between black or blue colors.

For a limited time, Project Fi is offering a $300 bill credit with purchase of the LG G7, which makes it extremely enticing for new Fi customers in particular. The deal ends on July 29.

See at Project Fi

Canada

Bell

At Bell, you can purchase the G7 between $199.99 and $399.99 depending on what kind of two-year plan you sign up for. If you prefer to purchase it outright, it’ll set you back $1,049.99.

If there’s a Bell store nearby, you can go there, trade-in an eligible phone, sign up for a two-year Premium Plus plan with data, and get the G7 for as little as $0.

See at Bell

Freedom Mobile

If Freedom Mobile is your Canadian carrier of choice, there are four main ways you can buy the G7:

• Pay $0 down + $20/month MyTab Boost for 24 months on current $50+ plans (save $480)
• Pay $250 down + $25/month MyTab Boost for 24 months on current $40+ plans (save $110)
• Pay $480 down + $20/month MyTab Boost for 24 months on current $30+ plans
• Pay $960 to buy the G7 outright

See at Freedom Mobile

Rogers

Rogers is also selling the G7 in The Great White North, with pricing working out as follows:

• $199 on two-year Premium+ Tab
• $399 on two-year Premium Tab
• $549 on two-year Smart Tab
• $699 on two-year Talk & Text Tab
• $999 with outright with No Tab

See at Rogers

SaskTel

For SaskTel customers, the carrier’s running a promotion through June 30 that lets you get a $200 bonus credit on top of the trade-in value of your existing phone when you upgrade to the G7.

Along with that, pricing works out as follows:

• Pay $0 down + $20/month with Plus Pricing on a two-year $20/month+ plan
• Pay $199.99 down + $10/month with Plus Pricing on a two-year $10/month+ plan
• Pay $399.99 with a two-year voice and data plan
• Pay $99.99 with a monthly, device only, or prepaid plan

See at SaskTel

Telus

Last but not least, Telus is also selling the LG G7 ThinQ.

You’ll pay between $200 and $400 down depending on which plan you choose, and if you prefer to buy the phone outright, you’ll need to hand over $980.

See at Telus

Update July 2018: Now that the G7’s launched, we’ve refreshed this guide to include final pricing at all U.S. and Canadian carriers/retailers, including unlocked models.

LG G7

• LG G7 hands-on preview: All about that bass
• LG G7 Specifications: Everything you need to know
• Join the LG G7 forums