The best tripods for your DSLR or mirrorless camera

Miss Zhang/Unsplash

Whether you’re setting up a video shoot, need your camera to hold still for that 30-second exposure, or simply want something else to support your heavy gear so you don’t have to, a tripod is an essential tool for photographers from beginner to pro. And while tripods all rely on a basic structure (three feet, hence the name), they vary greatly in size,  materials, and features from one style to the next. Below, we’ve rounded up seven of our favorites that make up the best tripods for all kinds of photo and video adventures.

Manfrotto Pixi Evo ($40)

Manfrotto might be most known for its larger tripods, but the company has struck all the right chords with its Pixi Evo series. Designed for smartphones, point-and-shoots, action cameras, and even mirrorless cameras, this little tripod is built like a tank, but packs down small for the sake of convenience. Best of all, it can also be used as a grip for holding your camera when taking video.

Buy it now from:

Amazon

Joby Gorillapod SLR-Zoom ($40)

If you’re looking for flexibility, Joby’s iconic lineup of GorillaPods is literally what you need. Its legs are basically a series of interconnected ball joints, allowing them to articulate in any direction so the tripod can grip almost anything. GorillaPods come in a variety of sizes, too. This particular model, for instance, is capable of holding up a DSLR with a decent-sized lens. For smartphone stability, Joby’s GripTight Action Kit might be more up your alley, while mirrorless users might find the GorillaPod 1K Kit more appropriate for lightweight applications.

Buy it now from:

Amazon

Slik Sprint Pro II ($70)

The Slik Sprint Pro II is a lightweight tripod that gets the job done without any extra frills and offers good value for the money. Each of the three legs have four extendable sections and the center bracket can be taken down so that lower-angle shooting is possible. With the bullhead mount, the Silk Sprint Pro II is also capable of holding an upwards of 4.5 pounds, which should be more than enough for even a heavier DSLR with a standard zoom lens attached.

Buy it now from:

B&H

MeFoto Classic BackPacker Travel Tripod ($110)

Compact, colorful, and capable, the MeFoto BackPacker Travel Tripod is one of the more interesting offerings on our roundup. Like most of MeFoto’s tripods, this particular version is available in a rainbow of colors, from silver to purple. As the name suggests, it also packs down so that you can easily stow it in a small backpack. It even manages to hold an upwards of 8.8 pounds on its ball head mount. Want an even lighter tripod? Check out the Air version of the BackPacker.

Buy it now from:

B&H

Vanguard Alta Pro 263AGH ($200)

Tripod heads come in all shapes and sizes. Vanguard’s Alta Pro 263AGH offers one of the more unique styles, however, amounting to a pistol-style grip that rotates on a ball head. Combined with a 13.2-pound weight limit, this tripod has a lot to offer, especially when you consider the affordable price tag.

Buy it now from:

Amazon

Manfrotto MK190X3-2W ($260)

If video production is more up your alley, you should opt for a fluid head, and Manfrotto has some of the best options out there in terms of bang-for-your-buck. The Manfrotto MK190X3-2W is one of the company’s mid-tier options, yet it still offers impressive performance despite its compact design. The fluid head means pans and tilts will be nice and smooth while recording video. This tripod is unique in that it’s actually a still photo tripod with a video head attached, and it uses the same quick release plate as Manfrotto’s other still photo heads. It’s therefore easy to swap out a ball head when you need it, making this a good choice for hybrid still/video shooters.

Buy it now from:

Amazon

3 Legged Thing Eclipse Albert with AirHed 360 Ball Head ($500)

If you don’t mind spending the dough, one of the best tripods you can get your hands on is the 3 Legged Thing Eclipse Albert. The device is made of carbon fiber, which helps reduce weight and increase durability. The tripod also offers a multitude of adjustment points to keep it compact. And despite weighing just 4.9 pounds, it can support camera systems up to 66 pounds!

Buy it now from:

B&H

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A new discovery could make next-gen deodorants way more effective

We’re all for amazing smartphones, cutting-edge robots, and flying cars. But when we’re stuck on a subway or bus next to a particularly pungent passenger on the commute to work, the one technology we’re hoping for more than anything is a next-generation deodorant, capable of wiping out body odor wherever it rears its malodorous head. Fortunately, such a thing may soon be a reality thanks to researchers from the United Kingdom.

Scientists at the U.K.’s University of York and University of Oxford have taken the first, important step to eradicating body odor for good by isolating the species of Staphylococcus bacteria which causes the most foul-smelling compounds in sweat. Their work concludes that, just like a few bad apples spoils the bunch, a fairly small number of bacteria species are responsible for the majority of a person’s bad odor.

That may sound relatively dry (well, as dry as research into sweat ever gets), but understanding the structure of body odor’s transport protein opens up the possibility of developing new, supercharged deodorants. Rather than indiscriminately targeting all bacteria, these next-gen antiperspirants — whether spray on or roll-on deodorants — could be created especially to target these specific bacteria, while leaving the rest alone to continue with their inoffensive existence. Instead of simply masking the scent, the idea is that these futuristic foul smell battling deodorants could block the pungent enzymes and disable the transport proteins which otherwise result in a person giving off an unpleasant whiff as they walk by.

At present, the research is still at an early stage, but having a more comprehensive understanding of the biochemical, enzymatic and genetic background of body odor causation can only be a good thing. If you’re one of the unlucky folks who is affected by body odor, regardless of whether or not you wash, this could turn out to be a game-changer.

The research was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, in addition to an industry grant from Unilever, the consumer goods company which produces a number of deodorants and other hygiene products.

A paper describing the work, titled “Structural basis of malodor precursor transport in the human axilla,” was recently published in the journal eLife.

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The Apple T2 chip in the latest MacBook Pros offer a deeper level of security

Apple surprised customers with a sudden (but expected) hardware refresh of its 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros without an on-stage introduction. The updated models include the T2 security chip first introduced in 2017’s iMac Pro providing a secure boot, encrypted storage, live “Hey Siri” commands, and more.

“The Apple T2 chip includes a Secure Enclave coprocessor that provides the foundation for secure boot and encrypted storage capabilities,” the company states. “It also consolidates many discrete controllers, including the system management controller, audio controller, and SSD controller, into one.”

A deep-dive into the chip shows that it includes a built-in hardware encryption engine that encrypts all data stored on the MacBook Pro’s SSD. This process uses 256-bit AES encryption and security keys unique to that specific MacBook Pro model. Owners gain access to the data through Apple’s FileVault platform that provides your own personal key.

This method is great in that data cannot be accessed without your personal key. Moreover, if the SSD were to be removed, a hacker still won’t gain access to the stored data. But that also means you can’t move the SSD to another MacBook Pro should your current model suffer catastrophic failure. This is why you should frequently make backups using Time Machine.

Apple’s T2 chip also provides what Apple calls a “hardware root of trust,” meaning that the chip handles the startup process. It monitors each step and cryptographically signs an approval so that the startup can progress to the next stage. This process includes scanning the firmware, the system kernel, kernel extensions, and more. It will even scan the integrity of Boot Camp Windows-based volumes.

What this means for MacBook Pro owners is that their device isn’t susceptible to low-level attacks, as only verified, trusted software will launch during the startup process. But you can control the secure boot process by pressing “Command-R” to access the Startup Security Utility. With this tool, you can password-protect the firmware and enable/disable booting from external devices.

This tool also provides three settings — full, medium, and no — to control how strict the T2 chip will be during boot. For instance, the Full Security mode, set by default, requires a network connection to verify the operating system’s integrity, the latest version of MacOS, and “verifiable” software at boot. Meanwhile, the Medium Security setting doesn’t require the latest MacOS or an internet connection but still has the “verifiable software” requirement.

Other features provided by Apple’s T2 chip include an always-listening “Hey Siri,” a first for MacBooks. The chip also controls both Touch ID and the Touch Bar and includes an image signal coprocessor that works with FaceTime HD. According to Apple, this coprocessor provides “enhanced tone mapping, improved exposure control, and face-detection-based auto-exposure and auto white balance.”

Apple’s new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar starts at $1,800 packing an eighth-generation Core i5 processor and four Thunderbolt 3 ports while the non-Touch Bar 13-inch MacBook Pros still ride on older seventh-generation processors. The new 15-inch MacBook Pros start at $2,400 packing eighth-generation six-core chips.

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Best Samsung Galaxy S9 Cases

Find a sleek and stylish case to keep your S9 protected.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 is another outstanding device and a popular option for those upgrading in 2018. With its sleek all-glass design, you’re probably going to want to keep it protected with a quality case. There’s a ton of options out there to fit your protection needs and personal tastes.

Here are the best cases we’ve found for the Galaxy S9. We’ll be updating this article as more awesome options become available.

• Samsung S-View Cover
• Samsung Hyperknit Cover
• Samsung Alcantara Cover
• Spigen Rugged Armor case
• Otterbox Commuter Series
• RhinoShield CrashGuard bumper
• Lifeproof SLAM case
• Maxboost mSnap Perfect Fit case
• Speck Presidio case
• BodyGuardz Ace Fly clear case
• Spigen Rugged Armor case
• VRS Design Clear Slim case
• Caseology Legion Series case
• Ringke Fusion Clear Case
• SUPCASE Unicorn Beetle Series case
• dbrand skins

Samsung S-View Cover

OEM Option

We’ll start out with some of Samsung’s cases.

The first one is the perennially awesome S-View case. This folio-style flip case features a clear cover for the screen that keeps it protected from scratches while also letting you see notifications and accept calls with a swipe. It can also be folded up as a hands-free stand.

You’ll drop big money on this one — Samsung lists the S-View case at $60.

See at Samsung

Samsung Hyperknit Cover

Custom Finish

Google seemed to start the fabric case trend, but we’re happy to see Samsung also embracing it.

Made of woven nylon, this case looks brilliant in red with a nice, soft finish. Everyone’s going to want to see your brand new phone, so why not add a bit of extra flash while keeping it safe? With extra protection in the corner and clean cutouts around the camera and fingerprint sensor on the back you’ll love the functional and stylish design on display here. You can get yours for just $35.

The Galaxy S9 and its Hyperknit case are a match made in heaven

See at Samsung

Samsung Alcantara Cover

Most Stylish

First-party accessories are always on the more expensive side, so they really need to offer customers something unique. Samsung’s Alcantara covers have been recent standouts, offering a combination of sound protection and a cozy finish for your Galaxy devices.

The Alcantara case won us over with the Note 8, so we’re pretty happy to see it offered by Samsung for the S9. Made of Alcantara, a lightweight material that’s rugged and durable while keeping a slim form factor, you’ll get a stylish and grippy case that won’t add much bulk to the phone. It’s not yet available to buy but would be worth keeping an eye out for.

You can get this stylish case for $50 direct from Samsung or for $42 on Amazon.

Samsung’s Alcantara case is the most luxurious way to protect your Galaxy S9 or S9+

See at Amazon

Spigen Rugged Armor case

Sleek and rugged

Spigen makes some outstanding smartphone accessories, and the Rugged Armor style is always a popular offering.

This case features a slim one-piece case made of flexible TPU that helps to absorb impacts with little pockets of air in the corners to help protect your phone when dropped. With a matte black finish and carbon fibre accents in the top and back it’s got a stylish look that isn’t bulky or distracting. All the ports and buttons are accessible and the case is also screen protector compatible.

Get yours for just $12. Also available for the Galaxy S9+.

See at Amazon

RhinoShield CrashGuard bumper

Minimal Option

If you would really prefer not to put a bulky case on your phone but still want some added peace of mind for those rare times where your phone slips out of your hand, consider the CrashGuard bumper from RhinoShield.

This is a really well-designed bumper that’s rugged and shock absorbing in the corners and along phone’s edges — exactly where you need it most. It’s quick and easy to install and lets you still fully show off the design of your phone.

You can get this minimalist case solution for just $25.

See at Amazon

OtterBox Commuter Series

Mid-Range Protection

Few names are as synonymous with phone cases as OtterBox. They’re built a reputation as a trusted brand by designing really rugged cases and backing their products with superior customer service.

We’d recommend the Commuter series case which is a pocket-friendly case that still delivers the rugged protection you’ve come to expect from an OtterBox case. It’s got one big cutout on the back for the camera and fingerprint sensor and includes port covers to keep dirt out. You can get yours for just $30 from Amazon.

We’ve highlighted the Commuter Series here, but OtterBox has over 10 different case styles available for the Galaxy S9 which you can check out on their site.

See at Amazon

Lifeproof SLAM case

Drop-Proof

When you’re dropping over $700 on a brand new phone, you want to protect it from everything life might throw at it, especially if you plan on spending a ton of time outside this summer.

Lifeproof cases typically offer protection from dirt and snow, but the SLAM case focuses exclusively on drop protection. Lifeproof says this case can survive drops from up to two meters (6.5 ft) thanks to the reinforced bumpers. It’s also got a rugged backplate that’s clear to show off the phone’s design and also compatible with wireless charging. While it’s not quite as Lifeproof as you’d expect, it’s also not as expensive as other Lifeproof cases at only $50. Plus, it looks pretty cool with the black and neon green, don’t you think?

Looking for the classic FRE Lifeproof case? You can get the supreme Lifeproof case for a whopping $89. It’s real pricy, and probably more than we could justifiably recommend to the average user, but if you want one you can buy it straight from the source.

See at Lifeproof

Maxboost mSnap Perfect Fit

Best Fit

The Galaxy S9 deserves protection, but we don’t always want to give up the thin and sleek Galaxy S9 design to get it. That’s why the Maxboost mSnap case is so great. It has an extremely hard and tough plastic exterior that doesn’t flex or bend, and that means it can take all of the bumps and scrapes of daily life. But at the same time, those properties also let it be incredibly thin.

The mSnap case has cutouts on the corners just to be able to slide over the phone — and even that takes some force to get it on and off. It just shows you how strong this case is. Once you do get it on, your phone’s protected — there’s even a good little lip around the front so you can put the GS9 face-down on a table without scratching it. The case has a soft-touch coating that gives it just enough grip to hold comfortably but not so much that it snags on pockets.

The mSnap comes in four colors, and starts at just $8.

See at Amazon

Speck Presidio

Simplest Design

Speck has a full line of cases available for the Galaxy S9, but we’ll focus on the Presidio case here because it’s a great place to start. It’s got a simple design with smart features where it counts like double protection in the corners and a slim profile that’s compatible with wireless charging. It’s been drop tested up to 10 feet and the matte finish is scratch resistant so it shouldn’t show wear. Get this classic looking case for just $40.

This is just one of the many case styles Speck offers, so check them all out if you want something with a bit more flair.

See at Amazon

BodyGuardz Ace Fly clear case

Keep it Clear

Looking to show off your Galaxy S9 without leaving it prone to drop damage? BodyGuardz offers a clear case they say is built using the same impact gel used in padding and helmet technology for athletes.

Whether or not that marketing talk sways you, the Ace Fly clear case looks like a reliable clear case. BodyGuardz backs their products with a lifetime warranty and you have a 30-day money back guarantee so if you don’t love it you can simply return it.

Available for $35, these cases are also compatible with the Pure Arc Tempered Glass screen protector, so if you’ve used BodyGuardz screen protectors before and trust the brand this would be a good combo to keep your Galaxy S9 fully protected right out of the box.

See at Amazon

Spigen Rugged Armor case

Best Value

The Spigen Rugged Armor case is my go-to phone case. It’s a sleek, one-piece case that adds good protection to your phone without much bulk. Thin enough to not impede wireless charging, this is a great minimalist case that still offers rugged protection.

More importantly, it always comes in at a great price. At just $12, it’s one of the cheapest options currently available from a brand we trust.

See at Amazon

Spigen Liquid Crystal clear case

Make it Shine

Looking for a clear case option under $20? Spigen’s got you covered there, too. Just like the Rugged Armor case, the Liquid Crystal is slim and pocket-friendly. Made of flexible TPU, it’s easy to slip on and will provide quality protection while still letting you show off your phone’s design.

You can get the Liquid Crystal for $11.99 or add a funky print or some sparkles for just $12.99.

See at Amazon

VRS Design Clear Slim case

Slim Option

These clear cases from VRS Design basically offer it all. It’s a clear case that shows off the body of the Galaxy S9 with a shockproof bumper available in the exact color to match your device.

Better still, these cases are thin enough to be fully compatible with wireless charging. Make sure you get the right color for your phone to complete the look.

You can get this case for just $14 on Amazon.

See at Amazon

Caseology Legion Series case

Dual-layer protection

Check out the rugged Legion series case from Caseology. It features a layer of flexible a shock-absorbing TPU with an outer layer of polycarbonate. You’re protected from hard bumps and scratches, as well as shocks and drops.

All the buttons are covered, but the coverings provide great tactile feedback, and your ports are completely accessible. You have your choice of black, violet, burgundy or midnight blue which all look stylish and fun.

You can grab one from Amazon for around $15.

See at Amazon

Ringke Fusion Clear Case

Fan Favorite

The best way to protect your phone from drop damage is to not drop your phone. The latest Fusion clear case from Ringke includes a handy wrist strap built into the case.

Whether or not you want to use the wrist strap is up to you, but it’s a thoughtful addition to a consistently stellar case style. Available as a clear case or with a Orchid Purple or Smoky Black bumper accent, you can get this case for just $11 on Amazon.

See at Amazon

SUPCASE Unicorn Beetle Series case

Old Standby

The Unicorn Beetle case is one of those phone cases that people buy with every new device. It’s got that classic rugged design with ridges to help with grip and it includes a built-in screen protector to keep your S9 in pristine condition.

Port plugs keep dust and pocket lint out of your charging port and headphone jack, and it also comes with an optional belt-clip holster. Rugged enough to keep your phone protected and yet thin enough to work with wireless charging, get your Unicorn Beetle Series case starting at just $15.

See at Amazon

dbrand Skins

Skin It to Win It

Dbrand Skins are a consistently popular option for phone enthusiasts who want to customize the look of their phone without adding any bulk. They of course offer an awesome level of customization for creating a skin for your Galaxy S9.

You can pick between nine different texture styles for the back, the minimal bezels on the top and bottom of the display, and even around the camera sensor! You can mix and match and create your dream skin. Didn’t get the phone color you wanted? Make it your own with dbrand!

See at dbrand

Updated July 2018: We’ve added the Spigen Rugged Armor case and Caseology Legion Series. Enjoy your Galaxy S9!

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+

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• Galaxy S9 review: A great phone for the masses
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YouTube’s Dark Mode is frustratingly everywhere except Android

This vision of loveliness brought to you by Substratum and Andromeda, which I should not need to enjoy YouTube in the dark.

I just want to binge YouTube in bed without burning my retinas with a sea with white. Is that so much to ask?!

YouTube announced a dark theme for its website way back in May 2017, and it released its dark theme to iOS users back at the beginning of the year. When you go to YouTube’s support page for Dark theme, you can see how easy it is to turn it on on Apple devices and on computers, but when you click on the Android tab, you get a slap in the face with “Dark theme is currently only available on IOS. Dark theme on Android is coming soon.”

YouTube Music sports a dark theme on both its swanky new website and revamped Android app. YouTube Gaming’s Android app has a dark theme, too. YouTube on Android TV even sports a dark theme — and a high-contrast black theme too. So what in the name of Material Design is holding up dark theme for the main YouTube app on Android?

If the style and behavior of YouTube’s dark theme were still being worked out, I could understand the delay, but they’re already out and stable on iOS and YouTube.com. If YouTube looked different on every different skin of Android the way the core Android system did, it might take more time to nail the Dark theme down.

But it doesn’t. In fact, the dark theme is sitting deep in the code for the YouTube app installed on your Android phone right now, and we know it works because root users have been able to turn it on for over four months.

So, really, why hasn’t it been officially pushed out to Android users yet?

Google has toyed with us creatures of the night for years when it comes to dark themes on Android. System dark themes have been teased in Android Developer Previews for years, only to be snatched away before the final release. Many thought Android P would finally break the spell, but it only themes the Quick Settings and some system popups.

Read more: the case for Material Dark

The benefits of a dark theme on YouTube are easy to find and easy to notice: vivid video thumbnails pop against a darker background, which is also less distracting to the user while they watch a video. Dark theme makes the whole app easier on the eyes when we’re watching Google Assistant whup Siri six ways to Sunday instead of getting our much-needed sleep.

That’s why dark themes are available for YouTube on iOS and web. So what’s the holdup on finishing it out on Android? Who at YouTube do we need to beg, barter, or bribe? I’m not above begging for a dark theme on any Google app right now, especially one I tend to use at late hours in dark bedrooms. Anyone else care to join me in begging for Android users to get what everyone else has already had for months?

Micro SD cards, computer processors, DNA kits, 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 Samsung Evo Select micro SD card, the MyHeritage DNA test kit, Ryzen computer processors, and more! Time’s running out to take advantage of these prices, so hurry!

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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!

Deal: Get a Galaxy S9 for as little as $584 with Gazelle’s 10% off sale

You’ll also find savings on the Note 8 and S8 series.

Buying a new smartphone outright is an expense a lot of people just can’t afford these days with prices easily ranging from $700 up to $1000+. Sites like Gazelle that let you buy gently-used phones help to save a lot of cash, and between July 24 and 30, you’ll be able to save even more.

During that time, Gazelle is running its Christmas in July promotion in which you’ll be able to take 10% off of the following gadgets:

• Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+
• Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+
• Samsung Galaxy Note 8
• Apple iPhone 8/8 Plus
• Apple iPads

To get a better idea of how much you’ll be saving, Gazelle usually sells an unlocked 64GB Galaxy S9 in “Good” condition for $669. However, with that 10%, you’ll be able to pick it up for $602.10. Considering that the GS9 has a retail price of $720, that’s not too shabby.

Alternatively, you could pick up a “Fair” GS9 for even cheaper at just $584.10.

Once again, the 10% discount is available from July 24 – July 30 or until supplies last.

See at Gazelle

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• Galaxy S9 and S9+: Everything you need to know!
• Galaxy S9 review: A great phone for the masses
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• Galaxy S9 vs. Galaxy S8: Should you upgrade?
• Join our Galaxy S9 forums

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How to watch Shark Week if you’ve cut the cord

It’s Shark Week on Discovery!

We’re gonna need a bigger boat. And a good streaming device.

Word on the street — and in the water — is that it’s Shark Week. That is, it’s the one week in the summer in which we all go crazy for sharks.

But given that it’s 2018 and more and more of us are eschewing cable and satellite TV for streaming, it bears asking the question: How can you watch Shark Week if you’ve cut the cord?

The answer is, it’s easy. Unless it’s not. Here’s what you need to know:

Watch Shark Week on Discovery on a streaming service

We’ve got good news and bad news for cord-cutters. Shark Week is on Discovery. And Discovery is on some of the biggest streaming services.

Discovery also is not on some of the biggest streaming services.

If you’re subscribed to PlayStation Vue, DirecTV Now or Philo, you’re good to go. You can watch Discovery, and therefore also watch Shark Week.

If you’re not a subscriber of one of those three networks, read on.

Watch Shark Week on the Discovery Go app

Shark Week is a Discovery Channel phenomenon. And that means you can watch it on the Discovery Go app, which is available for Android as well as on iOS.

There’s also a Discovery Go channel on Roku. If you’ve got an Xbox, you’re covered as well.

You’ll find a Discovery Go app on Apple TV as well, but there’s no corresponding app for Android TV. (For that, you’ll need to use Chromecast from a phone or tablet.)

There’s one major catch here: To get into the content on the Discovery Go app — particularly during Shark Week — you’ll need a current subscription login, whether that’s cable or a streaming service.

That’s just the way it is.

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AppleInsider shockingly doesn’t understand Pixels and Nexuses as products or how they affected Android manufacturers

The history of Nexus and Pixel partnerships is long, but it isn’t too complicated to understand.

HTC’s struggles over the last four years are well documented. The business has declined sharply, the cadence of product releases has slowed, and while the phones themselves have continued to be pretty good they haven’t garnered the public’s attention on the scale necessary to run a massive international smartphone business. For some reason, this article on AppleInsider seems to think that Google’s Nexus and Pixel phones are to blame for HTC’s demise. Oh, and they also “gutted” Motorola. And by the way, they’re bad products that nobody wants and are ruining the Android ecosystem one company at a time.

Okay, none of that is actually true. Take a deep breath and let me explain.

The primary assertion of the article is that a) HTC is failing as a business and b) it’s been a partner with Google multiple times so c) HTC’s failures are the cause of Google’s partnerships for Nexuses and Pixels. It’s the time-honored tradition of confusing correlation with causation. Yes, HTC is failing as a business. And yes again, it has partnered with Google many times to launch products. But that in no way means that the two are linked.

The article’s primary evidence for this assertion that Google killed HTC is that Google purchased Motorola, released two Moto X phones that didn’t do too well, and then sold it. This is, quite clearly, a completely different situation. Partnerships for individual phone releases is far and away different from purchasing a company outright — not to mention that one of the core reasons for purchasing Motorola in the first place was its staff and patent portfolio. And since selling the company, Motorola has done surprisingly well in the low- and mid-range segments across the world. Yes it’s not the Motorola of old, but times change — and you simply can’t argue that Motorola died (well, because it didn’t) because of this “what if” thought process of the acquisition. This isn’t relevant to the Google-HTC situation at all, actually.

Now let’s cover the HTC situation. When it comes to Android, HTC was there from the very beginning. Google’s first Android phone, the Sooner, was made by HTC. The second Android phone (though it was the first commercially-available one) was the Dream, also known as the G1, made by HTC. Google’s first self-branded phone, the Nexus One, was made by … you guessed it, HTC. In 2010 when the Nexus One came out, HTC’s business was built on the back of Windows Phone — an OS that was well on its way to being a dead end. HTC’s life ring was moving to making Android phones — its business would never have reached the heights that it did if it hadn’t partnered with Google to get in on the ground floor of making Android phones.

From 2010 to 2014, HTC was synonymous with Android — and it was because of Google, not in spite of it. After the Nexus One, HTC launched a strong set of Desire phones, partnered with Verizon for successful Droid-branded phones and was a major influence in the Android world with the One line of flagships. HTC hadn’t partnered with Google for a phone since 2010 (the Nexus 9 tablet was forgettable no matter who made it), yet it was able to build its business to its highest peak over the next four years.

HTC both rose to its highest peak and also started its downturn between its 2010 and 2016 Google partnerships.

But it didn’t last. We remarked back in February 2016, some 8 months before the first HTC-made Google Pixel was announced, that HTC was having a tough time standing out from the competition. At that point, we were “almost two years removed from the last great HTC phone, the One M8” — indeed, HTC had started its downward trend in 2014. Well before the Pixel partnership was even put in place, and once again well after HTC and Google had last partnered for a phone. HTC had both risen to its highest level and also started its downturn in the time between the two Google phone partnerships.

Google seemed to be well aware that HTC was not doing well. But for some reason this article seems to make that case that Google is under some sort of obligation to make sure HTC doesn’t go out of business. Despite the fact that Google is indeed under no such obligation, it has over the last couple of years invested heavily in HTC — first by contracting the company build the Pixel, Pixel XL and Pixel 2, then by investing over $1 billion in HTC directly by acquiring much of its engineering staff. It’s easily arguable that without the massive influx of cash from Google for manufacturing these three Pixel phones that HTC would already be dead — the company’s position was that bad in 2016 when it started making Pixels.

So what about the other Nexus and Pixel partners? By this flawed logic that Google kills its partners, Samsung and LG should be dead as well. Google partnered with Samsung for the Nexus S in 2010 and the Galaxy Nexus in 2011 — which subsequently kicked off Samsung’s dominance of the Android market from the Galaxy S II onward, forming the iPhone’s biggest competitor worldwide. Google partnered with LG for four different devices: the Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 5X and Pixel 2 XL. The Nexus 4 kicked off a six-year partnership between the companies that still stands today — and LG itself isn’t doing particularly bad. Sure it isn’t Samsung, but it’s also a massive leap above where HTC is right now.

Interestingly, the whole point of the article seems to be to simply spike the ball and point to the fact that the Pixel phones aren’t as wildly popular or big as the iPhone. What it fails to recognize is that there’s a very large middle ground between “unsuccessful product line” and “Apple iPhone” — in fact, it’s the entire smartphone market, because no single smartphone has been as popular as the iPhone. The two generations of Pixels have yet to be massive retail successes, that’s pretty clear. But they, and the Nexuses that came before them, have not been complete failures — particularly if you understand that the goal of Nexus phones was to lend a hand to Android manufacturers, not sell in large numbers. Their lack of retail success has in no way contributed to the death or misfortune of any of the companies that made them. Shockingly, this nuance has been lost on AppleInsider.

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Curiosity Stream, AMC Premiere are now options on YouTube TV

Documentaries and AMC’s best can now be had for just a few bucks a month.

YouTube TV today added a couple more options to its premium add-on choices.

The first is Curiosity Stream — more than 1,700 documentaries on science, history, tech and nature.

Here’s the party line:

Launched by Discovery Communications founder and media visionary John Hendricks, CuriosityStream is the award-winning streaming and on-demand destination where viewers can journey through our world and beyond. Our immersive experiences feature experts from Stephen Hawking and David Attenborough to Veritasium’s Derek Muller, stunning visuals, and unrivaled storytelling to demystify science, history, technology, nature, health and more.

All of the videos are commercial-free, of course.

Curiosity Stream runs just $3 a month, after a free seven-day trial.

YouTube TV also has added AMC Premiere as an option, with full seasons of AMC original shows, ad-free, with bonus content as well.

AMC Premiere is $7 a month, after a free seven-day trial.

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