Step up your Wi-Fi with 20% off TP-Link routers, range extenders, and more

No more weak signals.

Follow this link or use the code 20TPLINK to save 20% on a selection of TP-Link tools designed to increase, extend, and enhance your wireless signal at home.

With this deal you can get TP-Link’s Deco 3-pack mesh networking system for $157.71 total. That’s the lowest price we’ve ever seen on the Deco, which we’ve shared a few deals on before. It can cover up to 4,500 square feet of your home in a strong, wireless blanket. It’s easy to setup and is covered by a two-year warranty.

TP-Link’s AC1350 MU-MIMO smart wireless gaming router is down to $158.39 with this promotion. It normally sells for around $200. The router can work with some of the fastest speeds around and has technology integrated into it to help with multiple devices on the same network and Internet protection like anti-virus. It even works with Alexa so you can do things like create guest passwords with your voice.

Check out the full sale for everything else being discounted today.

See on Amazon

Twitter Explains API Changes to Employees as Limits for Third-Party Apps Go Live

Twitter’s API changes went live today, disabling key features for third-party apps like Tweetbot and Twitterific.

The new API removes timeline streaming, preventing third-party apps from refreshing timelines automatically, and it limits push notifications and other features. Twitter is also charging exorbitant fees for access to its new activity APIs, with access starting at $2,899 per month for up to 250 accounts.

All third-party Twitter apps are affected by these changes. Tapbots yesterday updated the Tweetbot for iOS app to cripple multiple features popular with Tweetbot users. Timeline streaming over Wi-Fi is no longer available, for example, which means Twitter timelines will now refresh more slowly.

Push notifications for Mentions and Direct Messages are delayed by several minutes, and push notifications for likes, retweets, follows, and quotes have been disabled entirely. The Activity and Stats tabs, which were reliant on now-deprecated activity APIs, have been removed from the app, and because the Apple Watch app was heavily dependent on Activity data, it too has been eliminated.

Similar changes were introduced in Twitterrific in July, and as of today, the Twitterrific app is no longer able to receive and display native notifications. Twitterrific’s Today center widget and Apple Watch app relied on these features, and have been removed.

Twitterrific recommends Twitter users download the official Twitter app to receive their notifications, while using the Twitterrific app for everything else.

As the changes went live, Twitter today sent out a company-wide email to employees that starts out by acknowledging the huge impact that third-party Twitter clients have had on growing the Twitter service before pointing towards “technical and business constraints” that prevent it from continuing to offer the APIs necessary to keep these apps working as before.

Today, we will be publishing a blog post about our priorities for investing in Twitter client experiences. I wanted to share some insight into how we reached these decisions and how we’re thinking about 3rd party clients moving forward.

First, some history: 3rd party clients have had a notable impact on the Twitter service and the products we built. Independent developers built the first Twitter client for Mac and the first native app for iPhone. These clients pioneered product features we all know and love about Twitter such as mute, the pull-to-refresh gesture, and many more.

We love that developers build experiences on our APIs to push our service, technology, and the public conversation forward. We deeply respect the time, energy, and passion they’ve put into building amazing things using Twitter.

However, we haven’t always done a good job of being straightforward with developers about the decisions we make regarding 3rd party clients. In 2011, we told developers (in an email) not to build apps that mimic the core Twitter experience. In 2012, we announced changes to our developer policies intended to make these limitations clearer by capping the number of users allowed for a 3rd party client. And, in the years following those announcements, we’ve told developers repeatedly that our roadmap for our APIs does not prioritize client use cases — even as we’ve continued to maintain a couple specific APIs used heavily by these clients and quietly granted user cap exceptions to the clients that needed them.

It’s time to make the hard decision to end support for these legacy APIs — acknowledging that some aspects of these apps would be degraded as a result. Today, we are facing technical and business constraints we can’t ignore. The User Streams and Site Streams APIs that serve core functions of many of these clients have been in a “beta” state for more than 9 years, and are built on a technology stack we no longer support. We’re not changing our rules, or setting out to “kill” 3rd party clients; but we are killing, out of operational necessity, some of the legacy APIs that power some features of those clients. In addition, it hasn’t been realistic for us to invest in building a totally new service to replace all of the functionality of these APIs, which are used by less than 1% of Twitter developers.

We’ve heard feedback from our customers about the pain this causes. We review #BreakingMyTwitter quite often and have spoken with many of the developers of major 3rd party clients to understand their needs and concerns. We’re committed to understanding why people hire 3rd party clients over our own apps, and we’re going to try to do better with communicating these changes honestly and clearly to developers.

We know we have a lot of work to do. This change is a hard, but important step forward. Thank you for working with us to get there.

Twitter has continually said that just 1 percent of Twitter developers use its now-deprecated APIs, but as these changes seem to impact most of the major Twitter clients, it’s not clear how the 1 percent figure is being calculated.

As TechCrunch points out, Twitter’s email insists that the APIs were “legacy technology” that needed to be eliminated for “operational necessity,” but it’s Twitter, not an outside force, that has refused to maintain or redevelop the APIs third-party apps are using or transition existing apps over to the new API platform.

The sad thing is they did build a service to replace most of this, they just priced access to it so high that it might as well not exist. pic.twitter.com/ylfG6lHbQp

— Paul Haddad (@tapbot_paul) August 16, 2018

Twitter has further explained its decision to remove the APIs in a blog post that says the “best Twitter experience” it can provide is through its own “owned and operated Twitter for iOS and Android apps, as well as desktop and mobile twitter.com.”

Tags: Twitter, Tweetbot, Twitterrific
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Nest x Yale Smart Lock review: Buggy, but wonderfully convenient and secure

Security is a funny thing; it’s this illusion we all indulge in, telling ourselves our homes are safe because we secure the main point of entry – the front door. In reality, unless you’ve painstakingly and expensively alarmed and reinforced every single point of entry in your home – effectively existing in a leaden box –  your home isn’t safe. Every window can be broken with the smallest of stones, your garage door opener easily spoofed, your deadbolt easily picked. In short, if someone wants to get in your house, they’ll find a way.

The fact of the matter is a lot more would-be criminals have the skill to bust a window or pick a lock than do ones that can hack a two-factor Google account or an AES256-encrypted WiFi network. And that’s what makes a smart lock every bit as secure as a manual deadbolt.

The Next x Yale in particular fits the bill. Its exterior is largely metal (in Satin Nickel, Oil Rubbed Bronze, or Polished Brass finishes), with a black plastic battery cover on the interior plate and black glass keypad on the exterior.

Installation

Frankly, it was a fairly fool-proof installation, assuming you already have a deadbolt installed in your door. The included instructions, diagrams and templates are tremendously helpful.

I have next to no experience installing hardware. I’m mostly useless around the house, but I still pulled it off with minimal help.

My only hangup, hardware-wise, came when I made the decision to use my existing strike-plate rather than the one included in the box. Mine is a four-screw plate affixed using tamper-resistant cabinet screws, while the included one from Nest was a puny little two-holer with two standard 1″ screws included. The deadbolt wouldn’t quite turn without a slight hitch, and the small motor in the Nest x Yale requires a completely smooth turn to work properly. A coarse file and a little elbow grease later, and the bolt turns smooth as butter.

Using the Nest x Yale

Using the Nest x Yale is pretty painless, whether you’re doing so via the app or manually, from within or without.

From Within

The interior side of the Nest x Yale looks like your average deadbolt, albeit with a rather garish black plastic battery cover that can only be removed by poking a thin object – like the included tool, or a pushpin – into the top of the lock. Whether this is actually tamper-proof or simply put in place to annoy us, we’ll never know – but it’s a pain.

If you installed it correctly, the bolt should slide with no trouble at all – but the turn-style may trigger a (patently false) sense of flimsiness. There’s a single button on the on this side of the door; a Privacy Mode button, which when pressed and held makes it so it can’t be unlocked from the outside, even with a code. Needless to say, it should be used judiciously.

From Without

The exterior face of the Nest x Yale is standard fare, with a metal frame and black gloss keypad as the only means of access on the thing. Some die-hard traditionalists might bemoan the lack of a mechanical key slot, but the result is a clean look indeed. Unlocking the door manually is simple – just tap the Yale key to wake up the lock, type in your personal code, then tap the check mark. It’s not quite as fast as using a key, perhaps, but it sure beats keeping track of one.

Also on the exterior side of the Next x Yale is also a terminal for connecting a 9-Volt battery in the case of a battery failure – which would be useful if, you know, anyone carried a 9-Volt battery. I stuck one in my glove compartment, just to be safe.

Via App

Whether indoors or out, the easiest way by far to lock or unlock your Nest x Yale smart lock is with the Nest App. The app maintains a separate UI for each Nest device in use in your home, so accessing these devices is as simple as tapping on the device you want to use from the Nest home screen and then – in the case of the Nest x Yale – long-pressing the massive Lock/Unlock icon to perform that function.

From the app you can also manage codes and permissions for those codes, as well as configure notifications. Unfortunately, notification control is limited to whether or not you get one when the door is locked or unlocked, or not at all. Personally, I’d love to see a bit more micro-management options. For example, I’d like to be able to receive notifications when one of my AirBnB guests uses their code to get in, but I’d rather not be notified every time my girlfriend uses her code.

Codes can be granted either Door Access Only or System-Wide Access. The former enables them to only use their code to unlock or lock the door, while the latter also gives them access to things like your Nest Thermostat, Nest Cameras, and Nest Doorbell. I recommend the former for guests – rather obviously. These codes can also be set to only activate at certain times or certain days; perfect for those of us that use AirBnb and want to automatically limit access before a guest checks in and after they check out.

Hiccups

I’ve had exactly three software SNAFUs since receiving the Nest x Yale back in April.

Connection Issues

The first came during setup, in which my V30 would not detect the Nest Connect that’s used as a bridge between your lock and your phone. No amount of rebooting or refreshing would fix the problem, so we tried using the HTC U11 instead – and it worked flawlessly. Now, my V30 has had connection problems since the day I got it (Bluetooth compatibility, in particular, was finicky) so it’s hard to land the blame squarely on Nest’s shoulders for this one, but I feel it’s still worth noting.

Random Reporting

The second of these issues showed up when my Nest app spontaneously decided to report dozens of instances of the door locking and unlocking over a period of six hours – over a hundred in total!

Upon closer inspection it would appear that the lock never actually unlocked during this period of time, the app merely generated a log of it doing so. So while the app decided to go crazy for a few hours, the lock itself remained secure – which is reassuring. Also reassuring is the fact that in the month since, I’ve had no other instances of this happening.

More Connectivity Issues

However…this last problem is a bit of a doozy. I recently got a new internet provider, and therefore new network hardware to go with the new network. After re-configuring the network SSID and password, the Nest x Yale worked properly for about a week. But then, out of the blue, the entire Nest setup – both Connect and Yale lock – reverted to Offline mode for a day and change. I went through the proper troubleshooting steps suggested by Nest (check connection, re-certify the network, the works) but my app wouldn’t even detect that the Nest Connect existed, let alone connect to it. I used three different phones (LG V30, HTC U11, and OnePlus 6), but nothing I did helped.

So I reinstalled the whole system from the ground up. It was a pain in the butt, but it worked.

…Until it didn’t. A couple weeks later, the same thing happened. This time I contacted Nest Support directly and was connected with a very diligent and persistently helpful representative. He walked me through all the steps he could, using his support tools every step of the way to try to diagnose the problem. After a bit of fiddling the system came back up without me having to reinstall anything, which was great. But then it happened again. And again. And now again, for the fourth time, with my Nest Rep still trying to figure out what’s going on. Unfortunately, I couldn’t wait any longer to publish my review…so I’ll update you all if my experience improves.

Still Secure

Worth noting, however, is that even with all of these connection issues the lock itself remained secure and the onboard memory intact – all my codes still functioned, the only thing that didn’t was the remote unlock feature. This is a problem, yes – but not a disaster and not a security risk.

Value

At $279, the Nest x Yale/Nest Connect Bundle is a bit pricey. Similar smart locks are a bit cheaper: Schlage’s Z-Wave is $179, August smart lock is between $112 and $279, and Kiwkset’s smartlock solutions range from $90 to $150. Nest x Yale has the advantage of being connected to the rest of the Nest line – which is either a pro or a con, depending on whether or not you plan on using other Nest products. Unlike the august solution, which is merely a cover for an existing deadbolt, the Nest x Yale replaces your deadbolt – making a more elegant solution.

Get the Nest x Yale for $279

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AMD Threadripper 2990WX hits 6GHz under liquid nitrogen overclock

IvanCupa/HWBOT

What do you get when you cross the world’s highest-core-count consumer CPU with an overclocker and a barrel of liquid nitrogen? A supremely overclocked processor, that’s what. That’s what happened when Indonesian overclocker Ivan Cupa was given a chance to put AMD’s new Threadripper 2990WX to the test, managing to push the 32-core, 64 thread CPU to 6GHz — double its base clock speed and 1.8GHz more than its standard boost clock.

AMD’s first-generation Threadripper CPUs impressed everyone with their high-core counts and multithreaded performance at a competitive price. Although the second generation of Threadripper CPUs aren’t quite so affordable, they are still amazingly powerful, offering up to 32 cores and 64 threads to those willing to spend $1,800 to buy the top-of-the-line model. It turns out these chips overclock well, too, although liquid nitrogen isn’t a day-to-day cooling solution.

Still, it’s great for breaking records, which is exactly what Ivan Cupa did when he reached a clock speed of 5,995.4MHz. Some publications have reported that this was across all cores, but CPUZ validation and a statement from Cupa’s overclocking partner, Alva Jonathan, confirms that the 6GHz clock was only achieved on a single core. That core was considered the “best,” reaching as much as 150MHz higher than other cores. The rest were underclocked to 600MHz each, so although they were not disabled, only one core reached the peak overclock.

Note the single core clocked to just shy of 6GHz, while others remain at 600MHz. IvanCupa/HWBOT

The pair didn’t get a chance to see what the chip might have been capable of across all cores when cooled with liquid nitrogen, but if its capabilities on one core are any indication, an impressive all-core overclock shouldn’t be outside the realm of possibility.

Along with holding the 2990WX clock speed world record, that same Cupa chip has been making waves in general benchmarks, too. One 2990WX overclocked to 5.3GHz currently holds the world record for wPrime-1024m with a time of 18 seconds and 420ms. That’s faster than two Intel Xeon Platinum 8180M chips, with 28 cores apiece, and quicker than a 96-core, four Xeon CPU setup as well.

With a little more tweaking and some additional testing time, AMD’s most powerful prosumer CPU could easily be considered the most powerful single CPU in the world.

Fancy doing some overclocking yourself? Check out our guide on how to get started.

Editors’ Recommendations

• AMD Threadripper 2 with 32-cores and 64-threads one ups Intel
• Intel Anniversary Edition 5GHz six-core CPU hits 7.2GHz in supercooled overclock
• Intel throws down a gauntlet with its 28-core extreme CPU
• Leak shows Intel’s 9th-gen Core i7 desktop CPU won’t have hyper-threading
• AMD’s new 32-core Ryzen Threadripper desktop CPU rips into wallets at $1,800

Arm’s future CPU designs may finally catch up with Intel in laptops by 2020

AMD

Arm Holdings publicly disclosed its CPU road map for the first time on Thursday, August 16, covering chip designs that will be released through 2020. Typically, CPU makers keep these details under wraps in a non-disclosure agreement, but the company came forward with its plans to show how its CPU designs will advance the always-on, always-connected laptop experience.

Arm Holdings, or simply Arm, designs processor architectures that are separate from the x86-based versions used by Intel and AMD. These designs target high performance and a low power requirement, ideal for mobile devices. Arm licenses out these designs to Qualcomm, Samsung, Nvidia, and others.

Arm’s latest design is the Cortex-A76 processor core promising 35 percent more performance than its previous design. Introduced in May, the Cortex-A76 aims to deliver the same performance of a competing laptop-based processor but with a lower power draw suited for smartphones. The result is a laptop with 20 or more hours of battery life with no sacrifice in computing performance.

“[Cortex-A76] is the foundational CPU IP for the first 7nm SoCs expected to be in production later this year,” Arm states. “More importantly, Cortex-A76 represents the continuation of the trajectory that will increase performance at a staggering pace, enabling consumers to do more with their smartphones and level the performance playing field against mass-market laptop CPUs from the competition.”

Arm compares its Cortex-A76 design with Intel’s seventh-generation Core i5-7300U processor. Intel’s two-core chip, released at the beginning of 2017, has a base speed of 2.6GHz, a maximum speed of 3.5GHz, and draws a mere 15 watts of power on average. Arm projects that processors based on its Cortex-A76 design will hit 3GHz while drawing less than five watts of power.

The takeaway from this is that Arm’s design will supposedly be on par with Intel’s older chip, but at a lower power requirement. What is important to note is that Intel’s Core i5 processor targets laptops, not smartphones. Also, note that Arm doesn’t compare its design to Intel’s current eighth-generation chips.

But that is just part of Arm’s story. While chips based on the Cortex-A76 design will be released in 10nm and 7mn variants in 2018, Arm’s “Deimos” design targets 2019 using the 7nm process node. The company says this design will provide 15 percent or more increased performance than the just-launched Cortex-A76 design.

Part of Arm’s pitch includes what the company calls DynamicIQ. It’s a design that clusters up to eight processor cores together, enabling chipmakers to mix and match Arm-based CPU cores. For instance, one popular design is to use six low-performance cores to handle web browsing and Facebook trolling, and two high-performance cores to deal with gaming and other high-computational tasks. All eight cores are crammed into one chip.

DynamicIQ is part of Arm’s current Cortex-A76 design as well as 2019’s “Deimos” architecture and 2020’s “Hercules” design. According to Arm, this latter design will not only be based on 7nm and 5nm process nodes but improve “power and area efficiency by 10 percent.” That is on top of the performance gains provided by 5nm process technology, the company added.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Intel’s ninth-generation CPUs could launch on October 1
• AMD’s Ryzen desktop CPUs for 2019 may double the core count
• High-end Always Connected Windows 10 PCs may pack Snapdragon 1000 in 2018
• Dell’s refresh of the XPS 13 2-in-1 series dips its toes into Intel’s Amber Lake
• AMD’s next batch of Ryzen desktop CPUs may focus on better power efficiency

Arm’s CPU road map targets Intel with designs promising laptop-class performance

AMD

Arm Holdings publicly disclosed its CPU road map for the first time on Thursday, August 16, covering chip designs that will be released through 2020. Typically, CPU makers keep these details under wraps in a non-disclosure agreement, but the company came forward with its plans to show how its CPU designs will advance the always-on, always-connected laptop experience.

Arm Holdings, or simply Arm, designs processor architectures that are separate from the x86-based versions used by Intel and AMD. These designs target high performance and a low power requirement, ideal for mobile devices. Arm licenses out these designs to Qualcomm, Samsung, Nvidia, and others.

Arm’s latest design is the Cortex-A76 processor core promising 35 percent more performance than its previous design. Introduced in May, the Cortex-A76 aims to deliver the same performance of a competing laptop-based processor but with a lower power draw suited for smartphones. The result is a laptop with 20 or more hours of battery life with no sacrifice in computing performance.

“[Cortex-A76] is the foundational CPU IP for the first 7nm SoCs expected to be in production later this year,” Arm states. “More importantly, Cortex-A76 represents the continuation of the trajectory that will increase performance at a staggering pace, enabling consumers to do more with their smartphones and level the performance playing field against mass-market laptop CPUs from the competition.”

Arm compares its Cortex-A76 design with Intel’s seventh-generation Core i5-7300U processor. Intel’s two-core chip, released at the beginning of 2017, has a base speed of 2.6GHz, a maximum speed of 3.5GHz, and draws a mere 15 watts of power on average. Arm projects that processors based on its Cortex-A76 design will hit 3GHz while drawing less than five watts of power.

The takeaway from this is that Arm’s design will supposedly be on par with Intel’s older chip, but at a lower power requirement. What is important to note is that Intel’s Core i5 processor targets laptops, not smartphones. Also, note that Arm doesn’t compare its design to Intel’s current eighth-generation chips.

But that is just part of Arm’s story. While chips based on the Cortex-A76 design will be released in 10nm and 7mn variants in 2018, Arm’s “Deimos” design targets 2019 using the 7nm process node. The company says this design will provide 15 percent or more increased performance than the just-launched Cortex-A76 design.

Part of Arm’s pitch includes what the company calls DynamicIQ. It’s a design that clusters up to eight processor cores together, enabling chipmakers to mix and match Arm-based CPU cores. For instance, one popular design is to use six low-performance cores to handle web browsing and Facebook trolling, and two high-performance cores to deal with gaming and other high-computational tasks. All eight cores are crammed into one chip.

DynamicIQ is part of Arm’s current Cortex-A76 design as well as 2019’s “Deimos” architecture and 2020’s “Hercules” design. According to Arm, this latter design will not only be based on 7nm and 5nm process nodes but improve “power and area efficiency by 10 percent.” That is on top of the performance gains provided by 5nm process technology, the company added.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Intel’s ninth-generation CPUs could launch on October 1
• AMD’s Ryzen desktop CPUs for 2019 may double the core count
• High-end Always Connected Windows 10 PCs may pack Snapdragon 1000 in 2018
• Dell’s refresh of the XPS 13 2-in-1 series dips its toes into Intel’s Amber Lake
• AMD’s next batch of Ryzen desktop CPUs may focus on better power efficiency

Color grading pushes Pinnacle Studio 22 toward more pro video editing features

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Corel’s Pinnacle Studio video editor sits in the gap between consumer editing software and the professional options — and Corel just nudged the software even more towards that pro end. This week, Corel announced Pinnacle Studio 22, an update that brings advanced features like color grading and three and four point editing.

Corel says that Pinnacle is designed for the users that want more than a basic video editor but without the complexities or expense of a pro-grade platform. The company is aiming to keep the simple interface while adding more high-end features in the latest version with features typically found in those pro-grade options.

Color grading opens up a suite of new editing tools to fine-tune the video’s color. The HSL tools (hue, saturation, luminance) allow for control over each color channel to make specific colors pop, to shift a specific color to alter a mood, or to simply correct colors that didn’t record accurately. The new color tools also allow for color grading to match different clips. The colors tools also include color wheels, LUTs, waveform scope and others.

The addition of three- and four-point editing helps editors mix clips more precisely. The process allows users to place flags at the exact point of the transitions when adding a clip at the end or in the middle of the existing timeline.

A new MultiCam Capture Lite option allows the software to capture a screen share while simultaneously filming from the webcam, a process popular with creating software tutorials. The option syncs the different sources, including audio.

Additional updates expand previously added features. Splitscreen options, for example, now have keyframes that allow editors more control when working with multiple clips on the screen at once, including enhanced options for transitions and movement. In a demonstration, the new split-frame keyframe tools were used to create a magnifying glass effect over the original video. The previously added 360 video support now includes the tiny planet and rabbit hole views to create a spherical panorama or reversed spherical panorama.

The update also includes updates to Pinnacle MyDVD and new effects from NewBlueFX. The update also integrates the new features from the 21.5 mid-version update, which included selective color and transition effects that use two similar objects or colors in the clips to create less jarring transitions.

“With the latest version, we’re pushing this even further with a pro-inspired feature set that’s ideal for the video editing enthusiast who wants to do more,” Michel Yavercovski, senior director for product management for Pinnacle, said in a press release. “With new capabilities like Color Grading, Three- and Four-Point Editing, and dynamic Split Screen with Keyframes, Pinnacle Studio Ultimate is the ideal choice for anyone striving to create projects that replicate the polish and creativity of professional productions.”

The software is available in three options with varying tiers of features, starting at $60. Pinnacle Studio 22 Plus retails for about $100 and the Ultimate for $130.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best video-editing software
• PaintShop Pro 2019 is more well-rounded with 360 compatibility, speed boost
• Wacom Intuos review
• The Nik collection lives on with DxO Labs update — but at a cost
• With faster, modern interface, Corel Painter 2019 expands digital art tools

Prices start at just £11 in this one-day sale on TaoTronics speakers

Speakers of all shapes and sizes are discounted just for one day only.

Today only, you can take up to 30% off the price of a number of TaoTronics Bluetooth speakers and soundbars as part of Amazon UK’s Deals of the Day.

The popular waterproof shower speaker is included in the deal and drops down to just £10.99. With over 2,000 reviewers giving it an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, it’s definitely worth a look at that price.

For a little more oomph, check out the TaoTronics 360-degree Bluetooth speaker that is down to an all-time low of £30.99. It has 2 x 10W drivers and 15 hours of play time. It has never been available for less than £40 before so now is the best time to pick one up.

And if you’re in the market for a new soundbar, there are a couple of affordable options included in this deal too with the 40-inch model reduced to £55.99 and the 34-inch version down to £52.99. Both feature a slim design for slotting into your current TV setup and can be used wired or wirelessly, as well as packing in a remote for controlled adjustments.

These deals end today, so be sure to check out the full range of discounts and take advantage of the new low prices while you can!

For more UK deals coverage, be sure to keep an eye on Thrifter UK, sign up for the UK newsletter and follow the team on Twitter.

See at Amazon UK

The best Philips Hue alternatives

What’s the best alternative to Philips Hue? Here are our favorites!

Philips Hue smart lights are some of the coolest on the market and they’re definitely some of the most popular, but they can be quite expensive, especially once you get into colored bulbs. If you’re looking for a less expensive alternative or just something other than what’s popular, then check out these other awesome options.

• LIFX A19 Wi-Fi Smart Bulb
• Cree A19 LED Bulb
• Sylvania Lightify by Osram
• Flux Bluetooth Smart LED bulb
• IKEA Tradfri
• Eufy Lumos
• Nanoleaf Aurora Rhythm Smarter Kit
• Yeelight LED bulb
• C by GE starter kit
• Z-Wave

LIFX A19 Wi-Fi Smart Bulb

The $60 LIFX Wi-Fi bulb provides 16 million colors and 1,000 shades of white, connecting over your Wi-Fi network without the need for a hub. Simply download the LIFX app and gain control of lighting effects and custom schedules to suit your needs.

See at Amazon

Each A19 bulb only consumes 17 watts of energy and has a lumen count of 1017. LIFX bulbs even work with Nest Protect and Thermostat, flashing the lights when smoke is detected or switching the lights on and off automatically to make it appear as if someone is home while you’re away on vacation. LIFX bulbs are Amazon Certified to work with Alexa.

Cree A19 LED Bulb

The daylight (5000K) dimmable Cree LED bulb is compatible with multiple platforms, including Amazon Echo, Wink, WeMo, and more. After setting up with a compatible hub, you can schedule your Cree bulbs to turn on and off at any specific time, adjust brightness, or even customize them to work while you’re away from home as an extra security measure. Each Cree bulb is only 11.5 watts and is available for about $15 — not bad for its 22-year lifespan.

See at Amazon

Sylvania Lightify by Osram

The best feature of the $16 tunable white Lightify bulbs by Osram ($63 for a color 2-pack) is that they’re compatible with Alexa. If you have an Echo in your house, then these will work right out of the box (so long as you have a hub), so you can control your lights with just your voice!

See at Amazon

Lightify comes in RGBW, tuneable white, and soft white, so you have your choice of light temperature to best suit your room. Just download the Lightify app, and you’re on your way. These bulbs fit into standard sockets, and you can adjust color temperature in the RGBW and tuneable white bulbs to best fit your mood or needs (soft white when it’s time to chill, daylight to help you stay awake).

Flux Bluetooth Smart LED bulb

Flux bulbs are color-changing bulbs that work via Bluetooth instead of Wi-Fi like the other bulbs on this list, which means you won’t be able to control them with you’re not at home. That being said, you can still schedule actions, like having the bulbs turn on when you’re away from home or to wake you up in the morning.

Flux bulbs come in 7- or 10-watt (60-watt equivalent) iterations and are available for around $34.

See at Amazon

Flux bulbs feature over 16 million colors, which you control directly from the Flux app. You can control the mode (strobe, shifting colors, etc.), and these will even sync with music on your phone to add some extra atmosphere to your dance party.

IKEA Tradfri

Believe it or not, IKEA has some pretty rad smart bulbs that are inexpensive (around $19/bulb) and work well. They have a brightness equal to roughly a 70-watt incandescent bulb and are dimmable using the Tradfri remote. In fact, you can control up to 10 bulbs, panels, or light doors, which are all dimmable as well. You can also switch from warmer-colored light to cooler hues depending on your mood and the time of day.

Thanks to community member snapphane for the tip!

See at IKEA

Eufy Lumos

Eufy’s tunable white Lumos bulbs are affordable roughly $25 (if you don’t want tunable, you can opt for straight soft white for about $20), and the ability to adjust from warm to cool light is perfect for setting the right mood and ambiance.

See at Best Buy

You can adjust everything right in the Eufy app, and these bulbs are Amazon certified to work with Alexa, as well as compatible with Google Assistant. You can set schedules, turn the bulbs off from anywhere there’s an internet connection, and you get an 18-month warranty should anything go wrong. Best part is that there’s no hub needed! Also, grab the multicolor bulbs for only $45 apiece.

Nanoleaf Aurora Rhythm Smarter Kit

The $230 Nanoleaf Aurora isn’t just a smart lighting setup; it’s wall art. Gorgeous, light-up wall art. The best part is that “rhythm” isn’t just in the name. The Aurora’s nine-panel system lights up along with your favorite tunes, and you can orient the panels in anyway you like.

See at Best Buy

You get the nine LED panels, an upgrade module, panel links, mounting stencils, pads, a power supply, and a controller unit.

Yeelight LED bulb

Yeelight’s dimmable 60W equivalent smart bulb is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT; features 16 million colors; requires no hub; and is only $30.

See at Amazon

The Yeelight app is available for both iOS and Android, and you can grab a tunable white bulb for only $15 if you’re not into multi-color control.

C by GE starter kit

The GE Link bulbs were always zig-zagging in and out of availability, but GE has finally released the follow up to its smart bulbs: The C voice-controlled A19 bulbs. The starter kit is about $45, is certified to work with Alexa, and come with two tunable white C-Life bulbs and the C-Reach Smart Bridge hub.

See at Amazon

These tunable white bulbs can automatically shift from morning to daytime to nighttime lighting, and you can set the hue prefer in the C by GE app. You can control each bulb individually or together, and the C app lets you schedule things to your liking. If you don’t need Alexa control, then you can buy each bulb individually and control it via Bluetooth — no hub required.

Z-Wave

Z-Wave isn’t a bulb, but a technology that allows many switches to be used to wirelessly control normal, everyday lightbulbs. With any Z-Wave switch, you can control not-smart bulbs via a great smart home hub — no need to pay through the nose for smart bulbs that last decades (though they are a pretty solid investment).

The light of your life

Which smart lights do you use? Sound off in the comments below!

Updated August 2018: Updated pricing for everything and added the C by GE starter kit. Removed the GE Link and bulbs and starter kit and Lucero bulbs due to lack of availability.

Sony announces that Android 9 Pie is coming to the XZ2, XZ1, XA2, and more

A new version of Android means it’s once again time to peer into my crystal ball.

Did you hear? Android Pie is a thing now. And we know that everyone will want it and want it as soon as possible. That’s how it works and that’s how we are wired. We want updates, we want them to be spectacular and we want them right now.

The reality of the situation is a bit different. Most phones made in the last 18 months will see Android Pie, but some of them will only get updated when we see the first developer preview for Android Q (Quince Jelly or gtfo, Google!) come along. It’s a lot easier for manufacturers to update their phones to a newer version, but it’s still not any better. That’s another article for another time, though. This one is where I guess which phones will get updated sometime in the next 12 months.

Predicting anything Android-related is 10% science and 90% interpretation.

It’s not as easy as you think and many sudsy cold beverages worth of thought goes into my guesses each and every year. About one-third of them are no-brainers, but some of the others are basically the same odds as a coin flip. It seems like manufacturers only care about a few models that get a lot of press time. But I do have to toot my own hat (or something) and say I have a pretty good track record. Luck or skill? You decide. (It’s totally skill.)

Let’s break it down by the major manufacturers of the phones we love and make a few predictions. Remeber, these are just predictions and not any official word on anything from any company unless otherwise noted.

• Google
• Android Beta Program Partners
• Samsung
• LG
• Huawei
• Motorola
• HTC
• Sony

Still waiting for Oreo? Check to see whether your phone will be upgraded!

Google

I always start with Google because it’s easy and I’ll get it right every time. That’s what I want at the top of the page. I say it’s easy because Google has already told us which phones get updated and which won’t.

• The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL have already been updated to Pie.
• The Pixel and Pixel XL have already been updated to Android Pie.
• While not actually from Google, any Android One phones manufactured since October 2017 will also be updated to Pie “later this fall.”

And that’s it. Prior to the Pixel, Google promised two years of full support and three years of security updates for phones they sell under their own brand. The Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X are just about three years old. Auf Wiedersehen, Adieu, Adios, Good Bye. They were great phones.

More: It’s time to say goodbye to the Nexus program for good

Android Beta Program Partners

For the first time ever other companies have joined Google in supporting the Android Beta Program. When it was started for Android Pie (then known simply as P) the following phones joined Google’s Pixel and Pixel 2 family in supporting it:

• Sony Xperia XZ2
• Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S
• Nokia 7 Plus
• Oppo R15 Pro
• Vivo X21
• OnePlus 6
• Essential PH‑1

That means that every one of these phones should see a full-on update to Android Pie in the very near future. In fact, the Essential PH-1 is seeing its update at the same time the Pixel and Pixel 2 are!

We’re proud to bring Android 9 Pie to Essential Phone the same day it’s released! Check your phone now for the update. 🥧 pic.twitter.com/pniUDl9yr8

— Essential (@essential) August 6, 2018

Samsung

Samsung makes more models of a single flagship line like the Galaxy S each year than Google has made in total, but it’s also pretty easy to know which phones Samsung will update because they’re predictable. Samsung offers four “premium” models each year. like 2018’s Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+, the Galaxy S9 Active that we all know is coming, and the Galaxy Note 9. Even when Samsung sold 15 different models of the Galaxy S6, they were all treated the same when it came to expecting an update.

When to expect it is just as predictable, and it will happen about a year from the date this was first published (March 2018). Some models in Europe will see it first, about a month later it will show up somewhere else, and once Samsung is satisfied it’s not going to totally wreck about a gazillion phones they will give it the green light. Add in whatever time your carrier needs and the final result is just about a year from its initial release.

• The Galaxy S9 and S9+ (and any S9 Active that comes in the future) will be updated to Android Pie.
• The Galaxy Note 9 will be updated to Android Pie.
• The Galaxy S8 and S8+, and the Galaxy S8 Active, will be updated to Android Pie.
• The Galaxy Note 8 will be updated to Android Pie.

Here’s where it gets interesting. there are a handful of other Galaxy phones that have a huge regional fanbase. In India, for example, the Galaxy J models are huge hits because they offer most of the same experience you find in a Galaxy S at a lower price. Samsung will give them the same treatment the Galaxy S and Note lines receive. That’s not the most interesting part, though. That would be the seemingly random phones that Samsung decides to update. We don’t know why we see this every year (Carrier requests? Developer favorites? Aliens?) we just like seeing it. And we all wish we saw more of it.

LG

LG has always been a wildcard when I write this post every year. Like Samsung, there are a few “important” models that get all the press coverage and plenty of other more inexpensive models that most of us aren’t talking about.

LG also mentioned some streamlining in the release cycle, which hopefully gives the development teams time to get an update out the door and have it be a good update.

• The LG G7 ThinQ will be updated to Android Pie.
• The LG V30 (including the V30S or whatever models we have seen or will see) will be updated to Android Pie.
• The LG V20 will be updated to Android Pie.
• The LG G6 will see Android Pie.

Older models like the G5 and V10 are done seeing any attention and won’t see any updates. LG makes a handful of phones that aren’t quite flagship material, and we know it is willing to spend the time and money on updating some of them even if your carrier isn’t and you never see it. That means nothing is a given.

I also think LG consolidating things and releasing phones when they think it’s time for a new model rather than by looking at a calendar will make a difference here and lead to longer support.

Huawei

Huawei is tough to read. It hasn’t abandoned the Asian way of doing smartphones like LG and Samsung have for their U.S. divisions and sometimes that means the things the company does can be puzzling to those of us used to the Western way of thinking. Just when I think I have figured out exactly which phones are the company’s flagship models that will get the lion’s share of time and money spent, they change it all up. That’s a good thing.

Something made Huawei change the way it redistributes and maintains phones running the EMUI operating system (Huawei’s version of Android) in 2017 and I think that’s going to be reflected when it comes to Android P updates.

• The Huawei P10 will be updated to Android Pie.
• The Huawei Mate 10 will be updated to Android Pie.
• The Honor 9 and Honor View 10 series will be updated to Android Pie. I’m hoping, but less confident about the Honor 7X.
• The Huawei Mate 9 will probably be updated to Android Pie, but we’ll see.

This includes the various Plus, Pro, and Porsche models (I want a Porsche phone) as well, and because EMUI is so different than every other smartphone software available users will have no idea which version of Android they are running unless they look.

Besides, if the things a handful of little birds are saying happen to be true, EMUI 9 isn’t going to be able to run on any hardware older than what comes in these phones.

Motorola

Motorola had a weird 2017. That’s putting it mildly. They released like 100 phones in the Americas and Western Europe (Editor’s note: it was actually 9) and they ranged from the surprisingly great $100 Moto E4 to the Moto X4, the first of hopefully many non-Google phones you can use on Project Fi, and all the Z and Force you can handle in between.. And they did it without compromising the G series which has been a company staple for years from the smartphone division.

Moto phones under Lenovo are slowly becoming like the Thinkpad — quietly chugging along in the background doing their thing. And doing it well.

On August 15, Motorola published a blog post outlining the handsets that’ll receive the official Pie update starting this fall. They include:

• Moto Z3
• Moto Z3 Play
• Moto Z2 Force
• Moto Z2 Play
• Moto X4
• Moto G6 Plus
• Moto G6
• Moto G6 Play

While that’s a strong list, the notable omissions include the Moto E5, E5 Plus, and E5 Play.

HTC

Disappointing sales have left the future of HTC’s smartphone business in uncertainty, but assuming the company doesn’t go under in the next few months, it’s announced that it’ll be updating four of its smartphones to Android 9 Pie. The list is as follows:

• HTC U12+
• HTC U11
• HTC U11+
• HTC U11 Life (Android One version)

We’re pleased as pie to confirm updates to Android Pie for the HTC U12+, U11+, U11, and U11 life (Android One). Timeframes for roll-out will be announced in due course. We can’t wait to know what you think of Google’s freshest slice of Android! pic.twitter.com/mPJePFegne

— HTC (@htc) August 10, 2018

Annnnddd…that’s it.

HTC says that it’ll release timeframes for its Pie updates “in due course”, and as those announcements are made, we’ll update this article accordingly.

Sony

Sony announced its Pie update plans on August 16, 2018, and as expected, the phones that’ll be the first to get the new software treatment are the company’s high-end flagships. Starting this November, the following phones will get Android 9 Pie:

• Sony Xperia XZ2
• Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
• Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact
• Sony Xperia XZ Premium
• Sony Xperia XZ1
• Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact

But wait, there’s more!

If you own a Sony Xperia XA2, XA2 Ultra, or XA2 Plus, you can expect Pie to land on your phone by “early 2019.”

Must mentions

These may be the companies we’re most familiar with in the west that sell Android phones, but they aren’t the only companies doing it. Out of the literally hundreds of models available, a few stand out and need mentioning.

• OnePlus will update the 5 and 5T and 3 and 3T.
• The BlackBerry KEYone probably won’t be upgraded to Android Pie, but we know the KEY2 will be.
• Now that Nokia has committed to Android One across all of its devices, there’s a good chance many of the more expensive models, like the Nokia 7 and Nokia 8 Sirocco, will join the 7 Plus in Pie-land.
• Someone at XDA will update their Nexus One to Android Pie and I am going to do my best to get Google to send that person a brand new Pixel 3 NotchXL.

Like mentioned earlier, these are just educated guesses at this point. but one thing I know for certain is that no matter what the phone, any updates will feel like they took too long to make it into our hands. That’s just how we’re wired.

Android 9 Pie

• Android 9 Pie review: Greater than the sum of its slices
• Everything you need to know about Android 9 Pie!
• Will my phone get Android Pie?
• How to get Android 9 Pie on your Pixel right now
• Join the Discussion

Updated August 16, 2018: Added new info regarding Sony’s Pie plans and a jumplist so you can more easily find the OEM you’re looking for.