Apple Releases Fifth Beta of New watchOS 5 Operating System to Developers

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming watchOS 5 update to developers, two weeks after releasing the fourth beta and more than a month after introducing the software at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

To install the beta, you’ll need the proper configuration profile, which can be obtained through the Apple Developer Center. Once the profile is in place, the watchOS 5 beta can be downloaded using the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General –> Software Update.

To update, the Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery, it must be placed on an Apple Watch charger, and it has to be in range of the iPhone. It’s best to install the beta on a secondary device instead of a primary device as betas often still have bugs to be worked out.

watchOS 5 is a significant update to the watchOS operating system, introducing Activity Competitions so you can compete on workouts with friends, Walkie-Talkie with push-to-talk functionality for quickly communicating with the people you talk to most, and auto workout detection to make it easier to start and stop workouts if you forget.

Other new features include an improved Siri watch face with support for third-party apps through Siri Shortcuts, a dedicated Apple Podcasts app, new Workout types that include Yoga and Hiking, new features for runners, WebKit support for viewing some web content on Apple Watch, and enhanced notifications, which will make notifications on the Apple Watch interactive.

watchOS 5 is only available to developers and will not be provided to public beta testers (because there’s no way to downgrade Apple Watch software), so non-developers will need to wait until the software is officially released in the fall to try it out.

The watchOS 5 update runs on all Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3 Apple Watch models, but it is not available for the first-generation “Series 0” Apple Watch models.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 4, watchOS 5Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)
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Apple Seeds Fifth Beta of iOS 12 to Developers

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming iOS 12 update to developers for testing purposes, two weeks after seeding the fourth beta and more than a month after introducing the new software at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

Registered developers can download the new iOS 12 beta from Apple’s Developer Center or over-the-air after installing the proper certificate.

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iOS 12 introduces major updates to iOS, with Apple revamping the operating system from top to bottom to make iPhones and iPads, especially older models, faster and more responsive.

On the iPhone X, there are new Animoji characters along with “Memoji,” which are customizable, personalized Animoji that can be used both in Messages and in FaceTime. Messages and FaceTime have also gained fun new camera effects, and Group FaceTime support allows for audio/video calls with up to 32 people.

Siri is smarter in iOS 12 with a new Shortcuts feature that lets you create multi-step custom automations using first and third-party apps that can be activated with Siri. Shortcuts can be created through the Shortcuts app, available as a beta from Apple’s Developer Center.

Apple built comprehensive time management and monitoring tools into iOS 12 with Screen Time, allowing you to keep track of just how much time you’re spending on your iPhone and iPad. App limits can help you cut back on iOS device usage, and robust parental controls are included for families.

Updated Do Not Disturb options make turning off notifications and distractions easier than ever, and a new Do Not Disturb at Bedtime feature cuts down on nighttime interruptions.

Group Notifications make incoming notifications easier to view and manage, while a new Instant Tuning feature lets you tweak your notification settings right on the Lock screeen on a notification-by-notification basis.

Apple News has a new Browse feature, the Stocks app has been redesigned, iBooks has been overhauled with a new look and a new name — Apple Books — and Voice Memos has been revamped with iCloud support and an iPad app.

ARKit 2.0 introduces new capabilities like shared experiences that let two people see the same AR environment on separate devices, and persistence, which allows AR experiences to be saved across multiple sessions. There’s also a new Measure app for measuring objects using AR capabilities.

iOS 12 includes a revamped and rebuilt Maps app that uses a new Apple-designed Maps engine that will display foliage, pools, buildings, pedestrian pathways, and other map elements more accurately. The new Maps also includes significant improvements to traffic, real-time road conditions, construction, and more, plus it will enable Apple to push out changes and fixes more quickly.

The revamped Maps app is available in the Northern California area during beta testing. After iOS 12 launches, Apple will continue rolling out the new maps to additional U.S. locations across late 2018 and 2019.

Tons of other small tweaks and features have been added to iOS 12, so make sure to check out our dedicated roundup for additional detail on what’s new in iOS 12.

Early betas of new operating system updates always introduce tweaked features and new functionality, and we’ll be outlining what’s new in the fourth beta below. We also rounded up all of the changes that were introduced in the previous betas, beta 2 and beta 3, and beta 4.

iOS 12 is available for developers and public beta testers, with a public launch planned for the fall alongside new iPhones.

Update: According to Apple’s release notes, the fifth beta of iOS 12 introduces some new bugs.

– After restarting a device, paired Bluetooth accessories might not function correctly or might be displayed using the device’s address instead of name.

– Using Apple Pay Cash to send or request money might result in an error.

– When using CarPlay, Siri can’t open an app by name. Shortcuts that involve opening an app won’t work, and Shortcuts that require confirmation might not work.

– Some Shortcuts requests might not work.

– When multiple ride-sharing apps are installed, Siri might open an app instead of providing an ETA or location when asked. Apple suggests asking again as a fix.

– Users might not see custom UI when using Siri Suggestions Shortcuts with built-in intents.

Several bugs have been addressed, including error messages in the App Store when attempting to install an app, an inaccurate cellular signal bar on iPhone X while on Lock screen or Home screen, a bug that caused Wallet to crash on launch, and a failure for Screen Time usage and data settings to sync between devices. Shortcuts will also mostly work in CarPlay now, and will be restored from iCloud backups.

Related Roundup: iOS 12
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Lenovo Smart Display vs. Amazon Echo Show: Which should you buy?

The 10-inch Lenovo Smart Display, left, and the 7-inch Amazon Echo Show.

Amazon had a full year head start, but Google and Lenovo caught up on launch day.

As great as a virtual assistant can be in your home, the lack of a display can be limiting. In a perfect world, you’d be able to speak and have your home assistant just respond and be reliable all the time, but a huge number of smart speaker owners are compelled to stare at their little boxes to confirm it heard the command and await confirmation. What these people clearly need is a more interactive experience, so the Amazon Echo Show was released to offer more than just a speaker.

In the year since that launch, Google’s Android Things initiative has been working hard on competing. The first in that line is finally here, courtesy of Lenovo, called the Smart Display.

How do these two smarter displays compare? Surprisingly, it’s pretty close on a lot of things. And that’s not good news for Amazon.

Design and specs

Amazon’s Echo Show is about as utilitarian as you can get. It’s an unassuming wedge with a speaker and a display on the front with buttons up top. This thing is designed to hide away on a kitchen counter or bookshelf and not really catch anyone’s eye unless it is being used. Even the white version of the Echo Show doesn’t really stand out much.

While the 7-inch display does have a touch interface, you’re not going to use it much. Like the Amazon Echo, this is designed to be tucked away somewhere and simply exist. Also like the Echo, the eight-microphone array is designed to act as a far-field system that can hear you more than a room away. And it works really well most of the time.

Audio quality is always a big question with these kinds of things, and to be honest there’s very little difference between the two.

Lenovo’s Smart Display is very different. It’s designed to stand out, to be the central focus of whatever surface it occupies. The white accents and curved bamboo backing make it clear you’re going to want to have this out somewhere to be used, instead of tucked away. It takes a lot more space than the Echo Show because its display sits beside the speaker instead of above it, and the unit comes in either eight or ten-inch variants. Technically the larger model can be swapped to either portrait or landscape mode, but for the moment only a single app, Google Duo, supports both orientations.

As much as Lenovo wanted to enable video chat, privacy was also an important future. A mute button like on the Echo Show is present, but so too is a physical cover for the camera. That way you can have Duo set to automatically answer a call if you really want it, but you’re not going to be surprised when you don’t want to be.

Lenovo doesn’t have a fancy name for its microphone set up on the Smart Display, but in our tests, the ability to trigger ‘OK Google’ worked in just about every situation the Echo Show worked in. There are situations where the Echo Show seemed a little more reliable, but not many.

Audio quality is always a big question with these kinds of things, with so much of what they do being streaming audio or video, and to be honest there’s very little difference between the two. Neither is going to hold up against a nice Sonos speaker or Google Home Max, but they’re about the same volume and quality as the original Amazon Echo and Google Home. Which is great, especially when you’re looking for a speaker that can fill a kitchen with sound while you have all four burners going. Just don’t expect one to be radically better than the other in this department.

Software and Experience

Amazon has been constantly updating its Alexa assistant from day one, adding support for new voice commands and accessories on an almost weekly basis. In this respect, Amazon has a tremendous lead over the competition. Developers went to the most popular platform first, so naturally, it has the most support for the most things. If you have a “smart” something, there’s a good chance it supports Alexa. If you want Alexa to give you information, chances are there’s a third-party feature you can enable to get that information.

The biggest thing separating Alexa from Google Assistant is intuitiveness. Amazon’s third-party features feel added on. You don’t say “Alexa, tell me about car parts that are on sale” but instead say “Alexa, ask PartyPicker to tell me about car parts that are on sale”. That secondary level of communication doesn’t exist on Google Assistant. When you enable a third-party tool, it is treated like something you are asking Google for. It feels like a more natural conversation and makes using the speaker for various things a lot easier because you don’t have to remember the names of every skill.

Netflix is curiously missing from the streaming video list for now.

Assistant is also much better about natively handling multiple commands in a single sentence right now. I can say “OK Google, turn the bedroom lights on and set the thermostat to 72 degrees” as a single sentence and Assistant will execute both of these commands even though they connect to separate services. It’s more natural and polished, which is important when you’re trying to get people who aren’t well-versed techies to use and enjoy your product.

Google and Lenovo have carried that level of polish to the display as well, at least in most places. The visuals for simple things like the weather are more detail-rich than on the Echo Show. You can have your Smart Display pull from Google Photos when idle to act as a digital photo frame. And you have access to way more video services through Android Things than Alexa.

The obvious ones like YouTube and news sources are available, but also HBO Now, Hulu, CBS, and several others through the Google Home app. Netflix is curiously missing from the list for now, and some of the voice instructions are a little limited, so you wind up using your phone, but it’s a serious step forward. These features make it so Lenovo Smart Display is able to act as a proper entertainment platform in rooms where you’d normally hang a small television or bring a tablet with you, and that’s a big deal.

All of that having been said, Amazon has one feature I use daily which currently has no equal on the Lenovo Smart Display. The Alexa Drop-in service allows me to have one-on-one conversations with other Echo devices on my network, and it’s fantastic. I can call the upstairs Echo and tell my kids its time for dinner, or call the Echo Show when I’m at the grocery store and have someone check in on something in the pantry.

See at Amazon

Google offers Duo and Broadcast as comparable features, and in my opinion, they aren’t competing right now. No one in my life uses Duo, and while Broadcast is cool for reaching every Google Home device at once it doesn’t have a one-on-one call mode. Which is weird, since I can use my Google Home to make actual phone calls to actual phones with no problem.

Which should you buy? Lenovo Smart Display

While Amazon is clearly the market leader right now, and the Echo Show is constantly being improved, Lenovo has made a beautiful smart display here with a decent speaker in multiple sizes to suit your needs. And it couldn’t be more clear that Google, in addition to offering YouTube and native Google Services integration, is improving the core Assistant functionality much faster than Amazon is improving Alexa. In many areas, it’s not even close, and that’s a big deal.

See at Best Buy

If you have a Galaxy S9, why did you decide to get it?

Let’s see why this phone is such a good daily driver.

We’re just a few short days away from the launch of the Galaxy Note 9, but until then, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ are Samsung’s most powerful and popular flagships on the market.

Plenty of our members in the AC forums have been rocking an S9/S9+ since it was released at the beginning of the year, and now in late July, this is why they still choose to use it so many months later.

SpookDroid
07-27-2018 12:36 PM

“

At the time only the Pixel had me intrigued (I’m done giving LG a chance). But since I’m on T-Mo’s JOD!, the Pixel was a harder sell because of their freakin’ Verizon exclusivity. That and the fact that I have now become very much addicted to using Samsung Pay, wireless charging, and waterproofing made the S9+ choice a lot easier. Plus it looks soooo pretty! haha But Pixel camera rules.

Reply

LCW
07-27-2018 08:27 PM

“

Considered the Pixel 2 but the massive forehead and chin made it a non-starter.

And I’m not an XL or Plus fan. I got the regular S9 and love it.

Reply

waqqas31
07-27-2018 04:08 PM

“

HTC U11+ 6GB/128GB Dual-SIM version. Samsung’s software features are what swayed me to stay with yet another Galaxy smartphone.

Reply

jeetu4444
07-27-2018 06:33 PM

“

I don’t think There is anything that can beat the S9+ as of now…I have LG 6 as a spare phone….let’s see what Note 9 offers

Reply

Now, we’d love to hear from you — If you’ve got a Galaxy S9/S9+, why did you choose to buy the phone?

Join the conversation in the forums!

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+

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

Amazon
Verizon
AT&T
T-Mobile
Sprint

Everything that’s new in OxygenOS

Have a OnePlus phone? Here’s what’s new with your latest update.

OxygenOS is the software that powers OnePlus phones, and even if you’re not enrolled in the Open Beta, it’s still frequently updated with new features and bug fixes to keep an eye out for.

It can be tough to keep track of what’s new, so we’ll be updating this guide with each new OxygenOS update that’s rolled out.

July 30, 2018 — Improved photo clarity, group messaging, and more come to OnePlus 5/5T with OxygenOS 5.1.4

The OnePlus 5 and 5T are getting a new OTA update to OxygenOS 5.1.4, and while it’s not a particularly large upgrade, there are still a few welcome changes we’re excited to see.

First off, you’ll find a new feature in the battery settings called Sleep Standby Optimizations. Once turned on, your 5/5T will learn your sleeping patterns and turn off network usage when it detects you’re catching some zzz’s. Right before your wake up, your network access will be re-enabled so you don’t miss out on emails, Twitter mentions, or other notifications you got while asleep. OnePlus says this helps to reduce battery usage throughout the night and can be enabled by going to Settings -> Battery -> Battery optimization -> Advanced optimization -> Sleep standby optimization.

Along with this, you’ll also find improved photo clarity with the camera, support for group text messaging, the July 2018 Android security patch, and general bug fixes with the Gallery app.

July 20, 2018 — OnePlus 3/3T get July 2018 security patch with OxygenOS 5.0.4

Have a OnePlus 3 or 3T? You should be getting an OTA update soon that updates it to OxygenOS 5.0.4.

This is a pretty minor update, with the highlight being the July 2018 security patch. On the camera side of things, OnePlus has added a fix for an issue when adjusting manual ISO in third-party camera apps and improved the image quality for the front-facing camera.

You’ll also find bug fixes for a parallel WhatsApp crash issue and problems users have had when zooming in with the front camera in Snapchat.

This update is rolling out to all OnePlus 3/3T owners now, and if you have the phone but it’s enrolled in the Open Beta, OnePlus says it’ll update the download link once the global rollout is finished so you can switch back to a stable build now that the beta program has ended for the two older phones.

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

The best live events in VR this month

It’s almost like you’re there.

Between the International Champions Cup or your favorite sporting team having a match, watching live events in VR can be quite rewarding. We all wish we could make it out to the stadiums and fields our favorite performers are in, but sometimes that’s just not in the cards. But, don’t you worry, the other option you have is to watch your favorite shows and sports in VR. Here you can feel like you’re actually in the crowd without having to spend hundreds of dollars on tickets.

Check out the live events coming to your PlayStation VR and Oculus Go in August!

Next VR

You can find the Next VR app on your PlayStation VR or Oculus Go. It offers countless wonders when it comes to watching live events in VR. One of the spectacular events they’ll be covering for the rest of July, and into August, is the International Champions Cup. If you’ve been watching it on your TV instead of inside of your VR headset you’re missing out! Outside of the ICC, you can also find a few comedy skits on the 26th and the 30th of July. Find it on Oculus.

Outside of the live events listed below, you can also check out their line up for live sports. NextVR offers VR viewing for WWE, NFL, NBA, Boxing and even live concerts! You can see all of the channels they offer by clicking here.

NextVR August schedule

August 2 @ 12 AM
– International Champions Cup | Barcelona vs. AS Roma Match Highlights

August 2 @ 7 PM
– Gotham Comedy Live

August 6 @ 12 AM
– International Champions Cup | AC Milan vs. Barcelona Match Highlights

August 6 @ 12 AM
– International Champions Cup | Real Madrid vs. Juventus Match Highlights

August 6 @ 8 PM
– School Night! Live From Hollywood

August 9 @ 12 AM
– International Champions Cup | Real Madrid vs. AS Roma Match Highlights

August 9 @ 7 PM
– Gotham Comedy Live

August 13 @ 8 PM
– School Night! Live From Hollywood

August 20 @ 8 PM
– School Night! Live From Hollywood

August 27 @ 8 PM
– School Night! Live From Hollywood

See the NextVR full schedule here!

See on PlayStation store.

YouTube live events

Another option you have for live events on both the PlayStation VR and your Oculus Go is on YouTube. For PlayStation VR you’ll want to download the app to watch your videos, and for Oculus Go all you need to do is go to the browser. All you have to do to find amazing live content, at any time, is search “Live Stream” in the search bar. Make sure you subscribe to your favorite live streamers so you can be notified next time they’re live!

See on PlayStation Store.

PlayStation VR

Besides NextVR or Youtube, which is available to both PSVR and Oculus Go, there are a few exclusives to PlayStation that are worth checking out. Here’s all the information you’ll need to find the best live events that are exclusive to your PlayStation VR.

PlayStation Vue

Did you know that your PlayStation Vue is compatible with your PSVR? Not only that, but the quality of the video actually surprised me quite a bit. Not only did the resolution seem really well, but the 3D sound really made me feel like I was in the middle of the audience. Aside from the normal TV channels, you’ll find that Vue also offers a variety of live sports. It’s got everything you could need, including ESPN, ESPN2, Showtime (sports), FOX Soccer Plus, CBS Sports Network, ESPN channels, NFL Network, MLB Network, NBA TV, Big Ten Network (BTN), and Eleven Sports.

While PlayStation Vue doesn’t have custom content like NextVR you can still find quite a bit of great things to watch. If you’re already subscribed to Vue for your PlayStation make sure you take advantage of its full potential by plugging in your VR headset.

See on PlayStation Store.

Oculus Go

Here’s all the information on the exclusive apps for Oculus Go when it comes to watching live events. Over at Oculus, they seem to be taking a priority in bringing the community together. One of the fears when it comes to VR is that you’ll wrap yourself in this new world and forget the people outside. Now, you don’t need to worry about that. Oculus Venues is an absolute game changer when it comes to livestreaming events in VR, and here’s why.

Oculus Venues

Oculus Venues is the most fun you’ll have watching live events in VR. Not only does it put you in the crowd like you’re really there, it puts you in a crowd of other viewers as well. Yes, this means you’ll have seats in a stadium that you can give commentary, cheer or chat with during the events. People across the world are watching the same shows as you, so why not watch together? This takes bringing a community together to a whole new level.

If you prefer watching alone, no worries! The schedules for Oculus Venues almost mirror the schedules for NextVR entirely.

Late July and entire August Oculus Venues schedule

July 26 @ 7:00 pm PT
– Gotham Comedy Live

July 28 @ 8:00 pm PT
– International Champions Cup: FC Barcelona v Tottenham Hotspur

July 30 @ 8:00 pm PT
– School Night! Live from Hollywood

August 2 @ 7:00 pm PT
– Gotham Comedy Live

August 3 @ 7:00 pm PT
– Lionsgate Presents: Reservoir Dogs

August 5 @ 7:00 pm PT
– Lionsgate Presents: Sinister

August 6 @ 8:00 pm PT
– School Night! Live from Hollywood

August 9 @ 7:00 pm PT
– Gotham Comedy Live

August 13 @ 8:00 pm PT
– School Night! Live from Hollywood

August 19 @ 7:00 pm PT
– Lionsgate Presents: Apocalypse Now

August 20 @ 8:00 pm PT
– School Night! Live from Hollywood

August 26 @ 7:00 pm PT
– Lionsgate Presents: National Lampoon’s Van Wilder

August 27 @ 8:00 pm PT
– School Night! Live from Hollywood

See on Oculus Store.

What will you be watching?

Tell us in the comment section below, or shoot me a tweet telling me which live events you’ll be checking out. Already watched a few? Let us know what your favorites are!

When is the best time to sell your phone?

The sooner, the better.

We’re quickly approaching that time of year where smartphone manufacturers all drop their top-of-the-line flagships almost simultaneously — we’re eagerly awaiting Samsung’s Galaxy Note 9 announcement on August 9th, along with what we suspect is the Moto Z3 the week prior, and a number of other phones from the Pixel 3 to the LG V40.

If you’re the type to buy the latest flagship as soon as it drops, you’re probably going to want to sell your current phone to make some of the money back — but as anyone who’s done this before knows, resale pricing fluctuates pretty drastically on phones, so when exactly is the best time to sell yours to make the most profit?

Let’s start with the obvious: if you have a spare phone handy to get you by through the interim, sell your phone before its sequel comes out. As soon as Samsung announces the Note 9, the Note 8 will see a reduction in retail pricing, typically knocking off around $100. That won’t necessarily translate to $100 less resale value overnight, but you can definitely expect to make less money on your Note 8 after August 9th.

If you really want to maximize your profit (and again, assuming you have a spare phone), you can even sell your phone a few months in advance — maybe right around the time the next phone’s announcement date first gets teased. Resale value tends to deteriorate by a small amount each month, but the Galaxy Note 8 was still averaging at over $600 on Swappa as recently as March. That should cover a good chunk of the total cost on the Note 9, even if it starts around $1000.

Swappa charts the decline of Galaxy Note 8 resale value over the course of its first year.

If, on the other hand, you’re a normal person without a backup phone and you’re planning on replacing your only device, don’t worry — you can still make a good chunk of cash back on your phone after its replacement arrives! Again, the closer you can get to the phone’s initial release date, the better, but this is a good time to take a look around for launch promotions. Carriers are usually happy to take in your old phone in exchange for a steeply discounted financing offer, since it’s an easy way to lock you into their service without much adverse effect. Just be careful; in most cases, if you cancel your service before the financing period ends, you’ll wind up owing the phone’s full original amount.

In short, sell your phone as early as you can get away with to ensure the best possible deal, but don’t sweat it too hard if you’re a few months late. You’ll still make less money, but the difference is typically pretty minor, and at the end of the day you’ll still be able to knock off a good amount from your next purchase.

Are you selling your phone as soon as possible to jump on one of the upcoming flagships? Are you an experienced veteran of the resale market with tips and tricks for first-timers? Let us know in the comments below!

Selling your Android phone: Everything you need to know!

Where to buy the Moto E5 series in the U.S. and Canada

Your ultimate guide for buying the Moto E5 in North America.

Motorola first introduced its Moto E series in 2013 as an even cheaper alternative to the already affordable Moto G line. Moto E phones aren’t the most powerful or flashy around, but Motorola’s used this product line year after year to offer quality phones at wickedly low prices.

This year’s Moto E5 series is no different, with Motorola offering three different options in the forms of the Moto E5, E5 Play, and E5 Plus. The regular E5 isn’t being sold anywhere in North America, but there are plenty of carriers offering the E5 Play and E5 Plus throughout the United States and Canada.

United States

Boost Mobile

If you rely on Sprint’s network but want to get cheaper monthly rates, Boost is the way to go. Motorola says that Boost is carrying both the Moto E5 Play and Moto E5 Plus.

The E5 Play has a regular price of $99.99, but right now Boost is selling it for just $79.99.

Pricing details for the E5 Plus have yet to be announced, but that information should be made available soon.

See at Boost Mobile

Cricket Wireless

Alternatively, Cricket Wireless is one of the go-to pre-paid carriers in the States if you prefer AT&T’s network without the company’s high monthly rates.

Similar to Boost Mobile, Cricket Wireless is selling the E5 Plus and E5 Play. However, Cricket’s altering the naming so that the E5 Plus is the E5 Supra and the E5 Play is the E5 Cruise. Despite the different names, these are still the same versions of the phones everyone else has.

The Moto E5 Cruise/Play is available now and costs $99.99 for customers adding a line or upgrading an existing one. If you want the E5 Supra, you’ll need to pay $179.99.

See at Cricket Wireless

Sprint

Pre-paid networks are great for some customers, but for others, traditional post-paid plans still reign supreme.

Sprint is one of the few U.S. carriers selling the Moto E5 series through post-paid options, and it’s got both the E5 Plus and E5 Play. The Play isn’t available quite yet, but the Plus is on sale for $288 outright or $0 down and then $12/month for 18-months on a Sprint Flex lease.

See at Sprint

T-Mobile

T-Mobile officially began selling both the Moto E5 Play and E5 Plus on July 28, and as expected, pricing is similar to most everywhere else.

For the E5 Play, you’ll pay either $150 upfront or can finance it at $6/month for 24 months. If you want to go for the larger and more powerful E5 Plus, you’ll need to cough up $225 or $9/month for 24 months.

See at T-Mobile

Verizon

Verizon’s own pre-paid service has seen some solid upgrades over the past few months, and it’s definitely one of your best bets for getting Verizon service with affordable month-to-month rates.

Unlike all of the carriers we’ve talked about so far, Verizon is only selling the Moto E5 Play. The phone costs $69.99 and comes with 16GB of expandable storage.

If you’re searching for the E5 Plus, you won’t find it here.

See at Verizon

Virgin Mobile

Similar to Verizon, Virgin Mobile will only sell the Moto E5 Play on its network.

See at Virgin Mobile

Xfinity Mobile

Xfinity is one of the newest brands to enter the wireless space, and just like Verizon and Virgin, is only selling the cheaper Moto E5 Play. Xfinity Mobile uses Verizon’s towers for its service and is a pretty compelling deal for folks that already get their internet and TV through the Xfinity.

If you’re interested in getting the E5 Play through Xfinity, it’ll set you back either $119.99 upfront or $5/month for 24 months with 0% APR.

See at Xfinity Mobile

Canada

Moving over to our friends in the Great White North, you’ll only find the Moto E5 Play in these neck of the woods.

The Moto E5 and E5 Plus won’t be coming to the country at all, and while that’s a bummer, the E5 Play is available at a variety of carriers in the area.

According to Motorola, you’ll be able to pick up the E5 Play at Bell Canada, Chatr Mobile, Fido, Lucky Mobile, Rogers, SaskTel, and Virgin Mobile through pre-paid plans. Additionally, Videotron will sell the phone post-paid and Freedom Mobile will offer the option of getting the E5 Play pre or post-paid.

Moto E5, E5 Plus and E5 Play: Everything you need to know!

Updated July 30, 2018: Added T-Mobile to the list!

What’s new on Netflix for August 2018

Disenchantment, from Simpsons creator Matt Groening, premieres Aug. 17. (Image credit: Netflix)

Disenchantment, The Ozarks, and plenty more land in the eighth month of the year.

Ah, August. A sure sign that summer is starting to come to a close. (Someone really needs to tell the weather that, though.) The kids are going to get ready to go back to school. Football is starting back up.

And some really good shows are coming to Netflix. The Simpsons creator Matt Groening is back with Disenchantment, for one. The animated series “follows the misadventures of a hard-drinking princess, her feisty elf companion and her personal demon.” And who can’t relate to that?

Plus the acclaimed The Ozarks is back, and sure to be as much of an upper as it was the first season.

All you have to do is make sure you’re a Netflix subscriber.

Coming to Netflix on Aug. 1, 2018

• Batman Begins
• Chernobyl Diaries
• Clerks
• Constantine
• Dreamcatcher
• Edge of Fear
• Eraser
• Gran Torino
• House of Deadly Secrets
• Los tiempos de Pablo Escobar: Season 1
• Million Dollar Baby
• No Reservations
• Once in a Lifetime Sessions with Moby
• Once in a Lifetime Sessions with Nile Rodgers
• Once in a Lifetime Sessions with Noel Gallagher
• Once in a Lifetime Sessions with TLC
• P.S. I Love You
• Secretariat
• Silverado
• Steel Magnolias
• Stripes
• Switched (Netflix Original): High schooler Ayumi’s perfect world evaporates when her envious classmate Zenko somehow steals her body, her boyfriend and her life.
• The Aviator
• The Golden Compass
• The Informant!
• The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
• The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement

Coming to Netflix on Aug. 2, 2018

• Emelie

Coming to Netflix on Aug. 3, 2018

• Brij Mohan Amar Rahe (Netflix Film): Faking his death to escape the realities of his uneventful life worked out well for Brij Mohan — until he was sentenced to death for his own murder.
• Cocaine Coast (Netflix Original): In 1980s Galicia, Spain, a young fisherman becomes a prosperous cocaine smuggler by providing Latin American suppliers with a European entry point.
• Dinotrux Supercharged: Season 3 (Netflix Original): Whether by land, air or sea, the Dinotrux tackle some of their biggest builds ever while facing the double threat of brothers D-Structs and D-Stroy.
• I AM A KILLER (Netflix Original): In this true-crime series, history’s most notorious killers recount their stories from their points of view in their own chilling words.
• Like Father (Netflix Film): After she’s left at the altar, a workaholic executive ends up on her honeymoon cruise with her estranged father. Kristen Bell and Kelsey Grammer star.
• Marching Orders (Netflix Original): Follow the Bethune-Cookman University Marching Wildcats as they fight to keep their spots on the field, memorize routines, balance their academic careers, and maintain their social lives.

Coming to Netflix on Aug. 4, 2018

+Flavors of Youth: International Version (Netflix Original): Memories in a bowl of steaming noodles, a fading beauty finding her way and a bittersweet first love — all in these stories of city life in China.
+ Mr. Sunshine (Netflix Original, streaming every Saturday): A young boy who ends up in the U.S. after the 1871 Shinmiyangyo incident returns to Korea at a historical turning point and falls for a noblewoman.
+ On Children (Netflix Original): These uncanny tales reveal a world where individuals face the tragic consequences of social pressure, parental oppression and family dysfunction.

Coming to Netflix on Aug. 5, 2018

• Paid in Full

Coming to Netflix on Aug. 9, 2018

• Perdida (Netflix Original): A policewoman whose childhood friend disappeared in Patagonia years ago starts a new search to find answers, and soon finds her own life in danger.
• The Originals: Season 5

Coming to Netflix on Aug. 10, 2018

• 72 Dangerous Animals: Asia (Netflix Original): From fangs to claws to venomous stings, they all wield deadly weapons. But which creature will be crowned the fiercest of all?
• Afflicted (Netflix Original): Baffling symptoms. Controversial diagnoses. Costly treatments. Seven people with chronic illnesses search for answers — and relief.
• All About the Washingtons (Netflix Original): Hip-hop icon Rev. Run stars opposite wife Justine in this scripted comedy about one couple’s attempts at balancing work, romance and family chaos.
• Demetri Martin: The Overthinker (Netflix Original): With his signature one-liners and drawings, Demetri Martin muses on doughnut holes, dogs, sports bars, the alphabet’s most aggressive letters and more
• Insatiable (Netflix Original): In this darkly comic series, a disgraced civil lawyer turned beauty pageant coach takes on a vengeful, bullied teenager as his client.
• La casa de las flores (Netflix Original): The outward perfection of a family-run flower business hides a dark side rife with dysfunctional secrets in this darkly humorous comedy series.
• Million Pound Menu (Netflix Original): Next-generation restaurateurs get the chance to open their own pop-up eateries to impress the paying public — and a panel of discerning investors.
• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Netflix Film): A writer bonds with the eccentric residents of Guernsey when she decides to write about the book club they formed during the WWII German occupation.
• The Package (Netflix Film): When five teens go on a spring break camping trip, an unfortunate accident sets off a race against time to save their friend’s most prized possession.
• The Ponysitters Club (Netflix Original): A young horse enthusiast teams up with her best friends to rescue and rehabilitate animals on her family’s beloved ranch.
• Voltron: Legendary Defender: Season 7 (Netflix Original): After saving Shiro and defeating Lotor, the Paladins are finally able to set a course for Earth. After a perilous journey, they discover that their home planet is not how they left it.
• Zion (Netflix Original): Born without legs and stuck in foster care for years, teenager Zion Clark hopes to overcome his circumstances and become a competitive wrestler.

Coming to Netflix on Aug. 11, 2018

• No Country for Old Men

Coming to Netflix on Aug. 13, 2018

• Alexander: The Ultimate Cut
• Splash and Bubbles: Season 2
• The Nut Job

Coming to Netflix on Aug. 15, 2018

• Adventures in Public School
• Hostiles
• The 100: Season 5

Coming to Netflix on Aug. 16, 2018

• Evan Almighty
• Wish I Was Here

Coming to Netflix on Aug. 17, 2018

• Disenchantment (Netflix Original): This animated series from Matt Groening follows the misadventures of a hard-drinking princess, her feisty elf companion and her personal demon.
• Magic for Humans (Netflix Original): From baffling people on the street to orchestrating elaborate tricks, Justin Willman blends good-natured magic with grown-up laughs.
• Pinky Malinky (Netflix Original): Pinky Malinky sees the bright side of everything, including being born a hot dog. With his BFFs in tow, this little wiener takes a bite out of life.
• Spirit Riding Free: Season 6 (Netflix Original): Lucky and the PALs canter into more adventures with a new chapter of the Frontier Fillies. With each new challenge, Lucky, Spirit and the PALs work together as they run wild and live free.
• Stay Here (Netflix Original): Designer Genevieve Gorder and real estate expert Peter Lorimer show property owners how to turn their short-term rentals into moneymaking showstoppers.
• The Motive (Netflix Film): An aspiring writer with no imagination seeks inspiration for his novel by manipulating the lives of his neighbors so that he can write about them.
• To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (Netflix Film): Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control when her secret letters to every boy she’s ever fallen for are mysteriously mailed out.
• Ultraviolet (Netflix Original): In this offbeat crime series, an online community of amateur sleuths uses an unconventional mashup of high-tech and low-tech methods to solve cases.

Coming to Netflix on Aug. 19, 2018

• The Investigator: A British Crime Story: Season 2 (Netflix Original): No body. A condemned husband. A daughter desperate for the truth. The closer you look, the stranger it gets.

Coming to Netflix on Aug. 21, 2018

• Year One

Coming to Netflix on Aug. 23, 2018

• Deadwind (Netflix Original): Just months after a tragic loss, detective Sofia Karppi investigates the murder of a woman with ties to a Helsinki construction company.
• Follow This (Netflix Original): Follow the reporters at BuzzFeed as they probe topics ranging from quirky internet crazes to safe injection spaces for opioid users.
• Great News: Season 1

Coming to Netflix on Aug. 24, 2018

• Ask the StoryBots: Season 2 (Netflix Original): How do ears hear — and why can’t I eat dessert all the time? The StoryBots tackle these and other tough questions in an all-new season of asks.
• Bert Kreischer: Secret Time (Netflix Original): Comedian Bert Kreischer is ready to take his shirt off and “party hardy” with his debut Netflix Original stand-up special, Bert Kreischer: Secret Time. Considered one of the best storytellers of his generation, Bert regales the audience at the Trocadero Theatre in Philadelphia with stories about zip-lining with his family, his daughter practicing softball with an imaginary ball, and upstaging ex-NBA player Ralph Sampson at a childhood basketball camp.
• Ghoul (Netflix Original): A newly minted military interrogator arrives at a covert detention center to discover that some of the terrorists held there are not of this world.
• The After Party (Netflix Film): When an aspiring rapper goes viral for all the wrong reasons, he thinks his career is over. But when his best friend gets them into a wild NYC after party, he gets one more chance to make the impossible happen.
• The Innocents (Netflix Original): When a teenage couple runs away to be together, the extraordinary gift they possess unleashes powerful forces intent on dividing them forever.
• Trolls: The Beat Goes On!: Season 3 (Netflix Original): As the trolls turn a new enemy into a friend, Poppy trains Branch in “hair-jitsu,” Smidge woos a crush and DJ Suki learns to throw the best party ever.
• Young & Hungry: Season 5

Coming to Netflix on Aug. 28, 2018

• The Good Place: Season 2

Coming to Netflix on Aug. 29, 2018

• Inequality for All

Coming to Netflix on Aug. 31, 2018

• Inside the Criminal Mind (Netflix Original): Explore the psychological machinations and immoral behavior that define the most nefarious types of criminals.
• Ozark: Season 2 (Netflix Original): The Byrdes face danger from every side as the cartel, the Snells and the Langmores all threaten to bring down the new life they’ve built in the Ozarks.
• Paradise PD (Netflix Original): From “Brickleberry” creators Roger Black and Waco O’Guin comes this adult animated comedy about a backwater Southern-fried police department.
• The Comedy Lineup: Part 2 (Netflix Original): A cadre of promising up-and-coming comedians delivers a rapid fire series of stand-up performances.
• The Laws of Thermodynamics (Netflix Film): Jilted by his girlfriend, a man likens his lack of luck in love to the laws of thermodynamics in this documentary-like romantic comedy.
• Ultimate Beastmaster: Survival of the Fittest (Netflix Original): An inspirational group of new contestants who have overcome significant adversity come together to take on the world’s toughest obstacle course.
• Undercover Law (Netflix Original): Undercover agent Amelia returns from the jungle with unsettling video footage, sparking a new operation. Arrested drug mule Alejandra is offered a deal.

What’s leaving Netflix in August 2018

Leaving Aug. 1

• 3000 Miles to Graceland
• Adventures in Babysitting
• Can’t Buy Me Love
• Care Bears: Welcome to Care-a-Lot: Season 1
• Finding Dory
• Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay
• Reasonable Doubt
• The Killing: Seasons 1-3
• Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

Leaving Aug. 2

• 10 Rules for Sleeping Around

Leaving Aug. 5

• 13 Assassins

Leaving Aug. 6

• Welcome to Me

Leaving Aug. 10

• St. Vincent
• Leaving 8/12/18
• For a Good Time, Call…

Leaving Aug. 13

• Help, I’ve Shrunk the Family

Leaving Aug. 16

• Being Flynn
• Enter the Battlefield
• Jem and the Holograms: Seasons 1-3
• Littlest Pet Shop: Seasons 2-4
• Pariah
• Pound Puppies: Seasons 1-3
• Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
• The 40-Year-Old Virgin
• The Adventures of Chuck & Friends: Season 2
• Transformers Prime: Seasons 2-3
• Transformers: Rescue Bots: Seasons 2-4

Leaving Aug. 23

• Sausage Party

Leaving Aug. 25

• The Road

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Jump Force for PlayStation 4: Everything you need to know

Naruto, Goku, and more are coming to the same fighting game.

Anime fans know all too well how heated discussions over crossover battles can get. Can anyone beat Naruto? Is Goku the strongest Super Saiyan? What would happen if these two iconic characters clash?

While we’re often left to our own devices to imagine these things – there’s a whole YouTube series on it, even – Bandai Namco is finally making it possible to let you figure it out in video game form. That’s thanks to Jump Force, a new fighting game that features popular anime characters from the weekly Shonen Jump manga publication. Let’s jump right into everything you need to know about it!

What’s new with Jump Force?

We’ll periodically update this article when Bandai Namco reveals new information about Jump Force that we think you’ll want to know, so check back every so often to get the full scoop on the upcoming anime fighter.

July 23, 2018

Surprising no one, everyone’s favorite Bleach characters will be jumping into the fray. Bandai Namco has announced that Ichigo Kurosaki, Rukia Kuchiki, and Sosuke Aizen will be playable characters in Jump Force.

The company also revealed a new Hong Kong stage where these characters will battle it out. These stages are meant to blend locations in the Shonen Jump world with real-world locations. You can get a glimpse of the Hong Kong stage in the screenshot above.

What is Jump Force?

Jump Force is an anime lover’s dream. Nostalgic feelings of those Saturday mornings you spent watching Goku charge up his powers for 8 episodes of Dragon Ball Z or Naruto finally getting a handle on his nine-tailed fox rush through your veins. You live for those anime fights.

And until now, those anime fights were mostly contained within their own universes. Now you can bring these characters into the same fighting game and have them battle it out for real.

Anime showdown

For now, we know that Jump Force features characters from four popular anime and manga series. Those would be Naruto, Dragon Ball Z, One Piece, and Death Note. You’ll be able to fight with various popular characters from those series, with Naruto and Sasuke from Naruto, Goku and Frieza from Dragon Ball Z, and Luffy and Zoro from One Piece being confirmed.

Ryuk and Light Yagami from Death Note are confirmed as in-game characters, however, it’s noted that they won’t be playable. We’re not sure what sort of role they’ll have in the game. They could be support characters that you call on to help you during battle, but there has been no specific mention of their exact intent.

The characters emerge with a high degree of detail and a mouth-watering graphical art style. It’s weird to see some of these characters in 3D for the first time – the 3D version of Luffy, for instance, felt like a big shock – but Bandai Namco has seemingly done an excellent job with character modeling to make each character feel familiar. It’s also impressive how cohesive everything looks despite these characters coming from vastly different styles of animation and art.

Inviting gameplay

Jump Force is a 3vs3 Tag Battle fighting game played on a circular 3D plane akin to the Naruto Storm games, meaning you will select an opening fighter and two other characters to be tagged in at any time during a fight. Curiously enough, all three of your fighters share the same health bar, so tagging fighters in is less about extending your health pool and more about allowing you to pull off cool tag team combos or managing matchups.

To that end, Jump Force won’t be difficult for anyone to get into. Early gameplay shows that it’s an approachable fighting game. You can button mash and pull off some meaty combos if you’re not big on learning the intricacies of fighting game mechanics. Each face button on the controller can be mashed to pull off different moves.

That’s not to say there won’t be an opportunity for more engaging combat, though. Advanced mechanics such as tag juggling and a special meter will give more serious players an edge, though it doesn’t look like it’ll be so much of an edge that a newcomer will feel oppressed.

Some may write Jump Force off for that reason, and that’s fine. But it’s clear that Bandai Namco found it important to let even the most casual anime fan enjoy this rare mashup game.

When can you play it?

Jump Force is scheduled to launch in 2019. There’s no hard release date set just yet, but we do know it’ll be available on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC once it finally arrives. You can pre-order the game at Amazon.com right now for $59.99.

See at Amazon

Be sure to keep it tuned here for further updates about the game as we’re sure to learn more about the roster, fighting mechanics, and pre-order bonuses as we inch toward release.