Fracter review: Are you afraid of the dark?

Fracter has been described as a mash-up between Limbo and Monument Valley, two extremely popular and beautiful games. When your game is in the company of those two you’re off to a good start. With the use of a dark eerie geometric world, it is no surprise it has drawn comparisons to these two games. However, can Fracter live up to acclaim that both Limbo and Monument Valley have garnered? That’s what I set out to discover.

Story

Fracter’s story revolves around a girl trapped in a world of darkness looking to reunite herself with the light within. It is filled with metaphors such as “The Maze is empty, the only monsters you find are the ones you bring”. It is lines like this which elevates the gameplay from just a puzzler to something more deep and meaningful. You aren’t just chasing after something or collecting items. Instead, you are trying to put yourself back together and root out the darkness that is within.

Gameplay

You begin Fracter as a girl exploring a dark room with a mirror. After looking at yourself, many light versions escape running off leaving you weak. The only way to regain your inner light is to enter the different doors and locate all of your missing pieces.

Behind every door is a pitch black maze filled with winding paths, puzzles, and shadowy beings that attack you on sight. It is your task to wander these mazes without detection solving puzzles to open new paths in order to reunite yourself with your light counterparts.

Similar to Monument Valley there are no special powers or jumping involved. You traverse the shadows alone with only an orb of light above your head to light the way. Not only does it light the way, but when it begins to pulse you can tap on it for a tip, usually about how to solve the current puzzle.

The puzzles consist mainly of towers of light that must be rotated or bent with mirrors to activate cubes, blocks that must be moved, and rotating platforms. These start out very simple in the beginning to teach you the mechanics and become more challenging later when they are combined together.

The puzzles themselves aren’t extremely difficult but become more challenging due to the darkness, your limited field of view, and dark beings lurking through the levels. You have no attacks or special abilities to kill these beings. Instead, your first option is to creep behind them or hide to escape being detected. Your other option is to use light as either a force field or to trigger it once they are in its path to kill them.

If you are unlucky enough to be discovered these dark beings pounce on you so quickly it is often impossible to avoid. Be careful to step lightly as you explore and to learn their patterns as they patrol to evade being noticed. However, if you are captured don’t worry because you won’t have start from the beginning or lose any of your fractured pieces. You’ll simply respawn somewhere nearby.

Sound

An important aspect which cannot be overlooked in games such as Fracter is the sound design. The ethereal soundtrack helps immerse you in this gloomy world they have created. Combined with the sound effects from your footsteps, moving pieces during puzzles, and warnings of shadowy beings closeby and sound becomes an important detail in this game.

Most games that make such extensive use of sound suggest wearing headphones while playing but Fracter does not. I highly recommend it though as it really amplifies the immersion in the game.

Controls

To guide your way through the maze and around obstacles Fracter makes use of a virtual joystick. You’re given the option of a static position in the bottom left corner, hold to move, or a floating joystick.

I preferred the static joystick to keep things consistent but the floating joystick that appears wherever you place your finger is a great option. Outside of the joystick, you’ll also find yourself tapping and turning columns of light to help solve puzzles as you go along.

Conclusion

Fracter has successfully combined the dark mysterious feel of Limbo with the geometric world design and puzzles of Monument Valley creating something unique in the process. The absence of light along with the limited view keeps you on your toes while exploring and makes the puzzles more challenging. Thanks to the wonderful sound design you feel immersed enough in the game to make your heartbeat race when you come across beings lurking throughout.

My only criticism would be that the levels get a little long in the tooth as you progress. This leads to you wandering around lost in darkness more when I’d rather be solving puzzles. However, this is part of the maze aspect of the game and I just happen to prefer solving puzzles over mazes.

Besides that, I really enjoyed the game and if you’d like to give Fracter a try as well it’ll set you back $3.99 in the Play Store. If you find that to be a little expensive, I’d suggest adding it to your wishlist and watching for a sale because it is certainly worth a playthrough.

AiAiAi TMA-2 MFG4 review: Are USB Type-C headphones any good yet?

A more in-depth version of this article originally appeared on our sister site, SoundGuys.com

With the TMA-2 MFG4, AiAiAi has released the first set of USB Type-C headphones that actually work well. It’s surprising how bad this category has been since the Pixel 2 ditched the headphone jack — it’s been a train wreck so far.

Who are the AiAiAi TMA-2 MFG4 for?

• Current Android phone users will appreciate the ability to listen to music without a proprietary dongle.
• If you want to use your headphones with your laptop, owners of brand-new laptops will be able to use these without any fuss or apps.
• Tinkerers will love the ability to swap out parts and experiment with the headphones.

What is the AiAiAi TMA-2 MFG4?

In short, the AiAiAi TMA-2 MFG4 is the very first Made For Google set of on-ear USB Type-C headphones. They’re an amalgamation of interchangeable parts for the AiAiAi TMA-2 series, comprising of the standard headband, the S01 speaker units, the E01 earpads, and the C60 USB Type-C to 3.5mm cable. If you want to add or swap out parts for these headphones, you can do that without a second thought, as these are completely modular by design.

You can completely take apart the TMA-2 MFG4 and swap out components at a whim.

If you’re unsatisfied by any part of the headphones — or just a little rough with your peripherals — you can repair or replace any component without losing the whole unit. That’s a pretty incredible value right there, considering most headphones are trashed when the band or cable breaks. This is especially good because the housings are made of inexpensive plastics, so they may not take many tumbles before giving up the ghost.

By offering an in-cable DAC, the headphones don’t need anything but a standard USB Type-C port to plug into. Of course, this isn’t always a given on devices, so you may be in for a stupid surprise depending on your device — through no fault of the headphones. However, that digital audio processing is a treat if you use the headphones with a modern smartphone. There’s only a very small number of headphones that use the new USB Type-C standard, and none really qualify as “audiophile” cans.

Be sure to get a good fit, as the rigid band and on-ear design is tough to get right.

The stock setup isn’t exactly to my tastes, as I’m not a fan of on-ear headphones at all. However, these are decent for what they are. The cloth padding snaps into the ear cups, and can be removed for easy cleaning. Additionally the band provides a consistent (but not overpowering) clamping force to keep these things on your head. You may get uncomfortable after an hour and a half like I did, but like every set of on-ear headphones, that’ll vary from person to person. They’re a little on the heavy side compared to models like the JLab Rewind Wireless Retro.

How does the cable connect?

AiAiAi’s USB Type-C cable terminates in a standard male 3.5mm plug to send an analog signal to the headphones.

My biggest gripe with the AiAiAi TMA-2 is their 3.5mm connections. While I’m happy they’re there, I loathe the proprietary system of twisting and locking the connections into place preventing the use of generic components should something break. Being unable to connect cables to your headphones due to a tiny plastic thing breaking defeats the entire purpose of having a removable cable, so it’s more than a little frustrating.

How do the AiAiAi TMA-2 MFG4 sound?

On-ear headphones are popular because they’re usually pretty comfortable, but they come with their own drawbacks inherent to the design — namely, they don’t isolate all that well. While the AiAiAi TMA-2 MFG4 sound great when everything’s perfect, it’s not always possible to get that result. If you manage to get a perfect fit, the headphones sound pretty nice, with only a few foibles. No notes fall more than 10dB below others, which is surprisingly decent for any set of headphones. This allows you some latitude to equalize your tunes and hear mixes the way they were intended to sound.

I’m a fan of the flatter (all notes the same power) kinds of frequency response, but bassheads may want to try one of the other headphone modules AiAiAi offers for the TMA-2. The upside to a flat response is clarity. You can easily hear things you may have missed in the mixes of your songs — that’s a big plus if you’re a fan of older songs like I am. You’ll actually be able to hear the bass and lowest piano octaves in Barry White’s Never Never Gonna Give Ya Up.

Mids see an ever-so-slight emphasis over all other notes, but that’s really not a bad thing. It adds a little more punch to vocal features important to immersing yourself. Language will sound “off” or strange if you can’t hear the initial impact of a plosive, for example. A response like the TMA-2’s lends itself well to vocal-heavy mixes, much like the mother of the MP3: Tom’s Diner by Suzanne Vega.

Should you buy the AiAiAi TMA-2 MFG4?

If you’re in a position where USB Type-C audio is preferable to Bluetooth, these are currently the headphones to get. They aren’t amazing, they cost $150, and they don’t offer any killer features. However, they work well — without an app — on both Android and Windows. That’s enough to be the top of the USB Type-C heap for 2018.

Underneath everything else, the headphones are still pretty standard plastic cans.

However, they aren’t better than other headphones at the same price. They absolutely have their audience, but for under $100 you can get some damn decent options. USB Type-C may yet provide a killer audio product, but the TMA-2 isn’t enough to justify the death of the headphone jack.

Affiliate disclosure: We may receive compensation in connection with your purchase of products via links on this page. The compensation received will never influence the content, topics or posts made in this blog. See our disclosure policy for more details.

Look out, bartenders: This cocktail-making robot is coming for your job

Like oil and water or brushing your teeth and then drinking fruit juice, alcohol and cutting-edge robotics just don’t sound a good mix. But the folks behind Yanu, a new “fully autonomous robot bartender powered by A.I.” hope to help change that perception.

Built by Estonian tech startup Robolab, Yanu doesn’t exactly look like your stereotypical bartender. In place of a waistcoat and reassuringly weather-worn features, it takes the form of a snake-like flexible robot arm that’s capable of gripping glasses, pouring bottles, taking payments and doing … well, whatever else a bartender needs to do to turn your drinks order into a soothing, refreshing beverage in your hand.

“For me, this was prompted by the crazy idea of, ‘could I create the perfect Mr. Jeeves who will serve me a drink?’” Alan Adojaan, CEO of Robolab, told Digital Trends. “It’s a boy’s dream of building a superior machine that will serve and play along. It’s a bit crazy, but why not try? The setup is easy: a robot hand mixes drinks and serves them. That’s what differs it from a vending machine. There is a show going on, and real-life action. You gotta see it!”

Previous

Next

1 of 3

As to why he felt the need to replace human bartenders, Adojaan said it’s all about efficiency. “I ran nightclubs for 15 years, and this work is constant problem-solving,” Adojaan continued. “There is a never-ending bottleneck between a bar and customer: You want to put out more drinks and customers want to buy more, but you never have enough bartenders available. It’s a nightmare and you have to be constantly optimizing. I dream of a perfect bar, where the bar works faster than customers can order.“

While Adojaan acknowledges that certain parts of the human bartender experience can’t be replicated, he said that Yanu promises to “help out in places with huge numbers of customers incoming, where humans work as robots, and there is not enough workforce. There will always be nice bars, with friendly bartenders, who take time to talk to people. We are aiming at the crammed nightclubs, where the bartender is a robot by default.”

We’ll have to wait until we see it to know for sure, but Adojaan certainly sounds confident about his $150,000 machine. A prototype of Yanu is set to be debuted in the next couple of months before it’s made publicly available to purchase in the next six months or so. It’s far from the only robot bartender we’ve covered before, though, so it will be fascinating to see how this space plays out in the years to come.

At the very least, testing them all sounds like it’s got the makings of a very fun “research” pub crawl!

Editors’ Recommendations

• Meet your new best friend: Barsys, the robotic bartender
• Processed pies: Silicon Valley’s Zume Pizza ready to offer you dinner made by a robot
• This spider robot moves around to keep the plant on its head alive
• The best sci-fi robots
• This robot taught itself how to walk and it’s as clumsy as a newborn deer

Recycle your forgotten ebook reader by turning it into a literary quote clock

With the amount of electronic waste that’s thrown away each year (up to 50 million tons per annum), we’re excited by any project which involves recycling gadgets in an innovative, environmentally friendly way. That’s what Netherlands-based Jaap Meijers has achieved with a stunningly original way of revitalizing his old Kindle — by transforming the e-reader into a cool clock that displays constantly changing literary quotations.

“My girlfriend is a teacher and scholar of English literature,” Meijers told Digital Trends. “She wanted a clock for her living room, and that got me thinking. I first thought of using quotations from books. Then I started wondering what to use as a display. I like e-ink displays because they are cool, and because they use so little electricity; so I fairly quickly realized how perfect and appropriate the e-ink display of an e-reader would be for this project.”

What makes Meijers’ clock super-nifty is that the quotations aren’t just random: each one actually contains a written reference to that time of day, which appears in place of a numerical time stamp. So rather than reading 19:59 like a regular clock, you’ll get the line — from Diane Setterfield’s 2006 novel The Thirteenth Tale — “Quickly quickly. A minute to eight. My hot water bottle was ready, and I filled a glass with water from the tap. Time was of the essence.”

Considering that there are 1,440 minutes in a day, finding literary mentions of all of them would have been a gargantuan undertaking for one person. Fortunately, Meijers found that the U.K. newspaper The Guardian had already crowdsourced such a list in 2011 by asking their readers to submit quotes.

“What I did was turn each of these quotes into an image and ‘hack’ a second-hand Kindle to show the quotes at the right times,” Meijers said. “The clock doubles as a quiz: only when you press a button on the side of the Kindle will it show you what the title and author for the quote are.” Best of all, if you suddenly decide you need your e-reader back, the clock can be turned off and the Kindle can also still be used as intended.

Because he’s a swell kind of chap, Meijers has made the instructions for his clock available online for anyone who wants to build one. “We’re really in an age where everyone can make almost everything,” he said. “Tutorials on the internet are what makes that possible — besides cheap electronics, open source software, and designs.”

Editors’ Recommendations

• Kobo Clara HD review
• The best ebook reader you can buy, no matter your budget
• This spider robot moves around to keep the plant on its head alive
• Colby Brown isn’t afraid to fail (or fall) in pursuit of the perfect travel shot
• Awesome Tech You Can’t Buy Yet: Another insane cooler, ‘probe’ lenses, and more

Razer heads to Kickstarter to create its Naga Trinity gaming mouse for lefties

When it comes to computer mice, scissors, spiral notebooks and more, lefties are a neglected crowd. Peripherals and tools catering to southpaws are few and far between. Luckily Razer wants to help fix that — at least for the left-handed MMO gamer — by creating a left-handed version of its Naga Trinity mouse.

What’s interesting here is that the company took its left-handed crusade to Kickstarter to gauge interest and fund the project. Why go this route? Because the left-handed edition of Razer’s DeathAdder mouse was a low-demand peripheral with a high manufacturing cost. Simply put, Razer doesn’t have any plans to blindly jump into another costly lefty project.

“A left-handed mouse requires significant resources and time — it’s not as simple as just flipping the original mouse design over,” the company states. “However, we were 100 percent committed to going ahead with the project because we saw a significant number of users who wanted one.”

Razer launched its Kickstarter project on August 2. Over the last four days, 224 backers pledged $27,484 with 25 more days to go to hit Razer’s $990,000 goal. As with any Kickstarter campaign, you’ll see tiers based on pledge amount. In this case, Razer provides seven ranging from $1 or more — Pitch in for a good cause — to $297 or more that will provide three Naga Trinity mice for you and your clan members.

The final product will mirror the current Naga Trinity designed for right-handed gamers packing three interchangeable plates with two-, seven-, and 12-button configurations … but on the right side of the mouse. It will also include Razer Chroma lighting, the company’s optical sensor supporting a 16,000DPI sensitivity, mechanical switches, and so on.

If you’re not familiar with the Naga Trinity, it’s mostly designed for games like World of Warcraft, The Elder Scrolls Online, League of Legends and more that require you to map a huge arsenal of skills and spells. You could use it for first-person shooters as well, such as pressing a numbered button instead of scrolling with the mouse wheel to switch weapons.

“With this campaign, we foresee possible manufacturing risks that could arise, which include but are not limited to production delays due to lead time or new tooling requirements, as well as stringent QA checks that might take more time, but are necessary in certifying every mouse we produce is of the highest quality,” the company adds.

Razer expects to deliver the Naga Trinity to left-handed Kickstarter backers in July 2019. One specific tier — pledge $89 or more — only has 1337 “elite” slots, providing the first batch of Naga Trinity mice to early bird gamers. Other tiers provide the mouse along with a limited-edition mouse matt sporting special artwork. As always, we recommend exercising caution before contributing to a crowdfunded project.

Although left-handed gamers can still use right-handed mice and ambidextrous models, Razer is one of the few that actually design mice for southpaw gamers. But due to low demand, Razer’s output is rather limited. According to Razer, it sold the same number of left-handed Naga mice in six years as it did in a single day with the right-handed version.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best gaming mouse of 2018
• Microsoft relaunches the classic mouse that changed gaming forever
• Wired speeds in a $60 cordless gaming mouse? Logitech did it
• Microsoft’s Surface Mobile Mouse is the ideal companion for your Surface Go
• Kickstarter just rolled out a new feature that makes crowdfunding less sketchy

Watch YouBionic’s 3D-printed robotic hand make freakishly lifelike movement

We’ve been covering the work of bionic prosthesis company YouBionic for some time now. As with any continuously iterating gadget or device, it has been fascinating to watch the concept evolve from a rough-hewn early prototype to what increasingly looks like a solid, well-engineered finished product. Well, maybe not quite “finished” yet — but it’s certainly getting there.

For those who haven’t been keeping track, YouBionic’s goal is to create a working 3D-printed robotic hand. This could be used for a variety of purposes, such as helping people with missing and partially functioning limbs, as well as acting as the final actuator for robotic arms. The fact that it is largely 3D printed also means it would be widely accessible to a large number of people.

“What can be seen in the video is the device created from the components which have returned the best results,” Italian engineer Federico Ciccarese, the creator of YouBionic, told Digital Trends. “These are the components which have finally made me proud, that I think will form the basis of what we do in the future.”

The YouBionic robot hand is capable of performing realistic motions on a level of fine-grain detail that’s similar to that of a human. Compared with the previous builds of the robot, this latest version boasts superior design and construction of the arm; thereby giving it more natural multi-rotational wrist movement, hand twisting, and elbow flexion. It’s also capable of increased strength, allowing it to interact with the outside world more like a biological hand.

It can either be controlled by a remote or pre-programmed movement or, as shown in the video, could be rigged up to mirror the movements of a person’s actual hand and arm. Ciccarese said that he is currently exploring ways that it could even be made to function based on the electrical activities recorded via a person’s brain.

“Our aim is to create devices that help or replace parts of our body,” Ciccarese continued. “We want to evolve humanity by using mechatronics. Imagine a completely robotic being that can be consciously controlled by a biological brain. That is what we are creating.”

Given how much of a game-changer, a high-quality, low-cost 3D printed hand prosthetic could be, we can’t wait to see what’s next for the project.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Want an extra arm? A third thumb? Check out these awesome robotic appendages
• MIT researchers develop a robot system controlled by brainwaves
• Look out, bartenders: This cocktail-making robot is coming for your job
• A drone made out of pizza? This YouTuber shows you just how to dough it
• After 70 years, a working Dick Tracy two-way watch radio is finally available

Best Car Mounts for Google Pixel and Pixel 2

What’s the best car mount for Google Pixel?

The Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are beautiful, dependable phones that get updates years longer than the majority of Android. If you want to keep your Pixel safe, secure, and easy to use with Google Assistant or Android Auto’s standalone mode, you need a car mount you can trust to keep it from coming crashing down when you hit a pothole. Car mounts come in a wide variety of styles and types, and we have some favorites to share with you!

Best magnetic car mounts

• Spigen Style Ring POP
• Spigen Kuel Air Vent Magnetic Car Mount
• Oliv. magnetic button mount
• Nite Ize Steelie

Best cradle car mounts

• Kenu Airframe Plus Portable Car Mount
• Ram mount
• ProClip

Best magnetic car mounts

As the name suggests, this type of mount secures using magnets. Magnetic car mounts require you to attach a metal plate to the back of your phone, or slip one inside your Pixel’s case. Once installed, all you have to do is hold your phone close to the mount; magnetism will pull the phone to the mount and keep it there.

Note: If you keep the metal plate inside your case rather that on top of it, it is worth noting that the magnetic grip might not be as strong, meaning the mount could still drop your phone when it hits a big pothole or is involved in a car accident.

With no clips or holsters to deal with, you can easily grab your phone with one hand as you leave the car. While magnets can technically wear out over time, they’re going to last far, far longer than spring-loaded clip and cradle mounts, and chances are your magnetic car mount will outlive your Pixel and possibly your car.

Spigen Style Ring POP

Spigen’s original Style Ring was on this list with its locking hook car mount, but those mounts were proprietary, not easily transferable, and not sold separately. In short, they were a big, fat pain, and Spigen decided to go a better direction when it upgraded the Style Ring.

The Spigen Style Ring POP is a slimmer phone mount that lets your phone sit flat instead of teeter-tottering the way the original did, and since it has a flat back, Spigen has made the POP compatible with magnetic mounts. If you haven’t considered a phone grip before — and you really, really should — the Spigen Style Ring is a phone grip, a kickstand, and a verstaile, dependable magnetic plate to use with your choice of magnetic car mounts.

See at Amazon

Spigen Kuel Air Vent Magnetic Car Mount

Spigen makes a lot of really ingeniously designed smartphone accessories, and their Kuel Air Vent Magnetic Car Mount is as convenient as it gets. The mount itself quickly and securely clips onto an air vent on the dash. Because its so easy to apply and move around, you also take the Spigen Kuel with you and use it as a portable kickstand — or pack it along and use it in your rental car while you’re on vacation.

You can buy a single Kuel mount for $7.99, but if you belong to a multi-car family — or take business trips often enough to want a dedicated travel mount — then buy the 2 Pack for $9.99 and give the spare to your boyfriend, your Google Maps-dependant mother-in-law, or a coworker who really, really needs to put the phone down while she’s driving. The 2 Pack comes with 2 Kuel mounts and 4 magnetic plates.

See at Amazon

Oliv. Magnetic Button Mount

Oliv. mounts are minimalist, effective, and an awesome addition to your dashboard. They come in a few iterations, but I like the button mount the best. It has a 3M adhesive on the back and sticks to your dash anywhere you like it. The strong magnet then holds your phone in place in any orientation you like (there’s the adhesive metal plate, which I recommend you stick on your case, since it doesn’t seem to work through a case).

It really is just a button that adheres to your dash, and then the link sticks to that via magnet. The metal plate that goes on your phone is low-profile, and quite a bit more refined-looking than other metal mounting plates. At $30, the Oliv. doesn’t come as cheaply as other mounts on this list, but it does offer efficacy, a modern design, and it takes up minimal space.

See at Oliv.

Nite Ize Steelie

This is definitely the coolest looking mount on this list. The Steelie is a somewhat unique mounting system wherein a concave magnet adheres to the back of your Pixel and a spherical magnetic base adheres to your car’s dashboard or console.

Hop in the car, and your phone mounts in a snap. This is about as minimalist as it gets in terms of car mounts. Making sharp turns and hitting potholes? No worries: The magnet is super strong and the magnetic ball moves with your phone to prevent it from falling off.

If you want a mounting system that nigh unnoticeable, the Nite Ize Steelie is your slick solution for around $20.

See at Amazon

Best cradle car mounts

Cradle car mounts aren’t quite as widely used as they once were, seen as bulky, expensive and old-fashioned by many Android users, but they still have their place in the world and on this list. If you’re someone who wants a grip that they are 100% sure of no matter what they drive over, then a cradle mount is what the car mount you’ll want to trust your Pixel with.

Kenu Airframe Plus Portable Car Mount+

Minimalism and simplicity are important features for a lot of people. The Kenu Airframe Plus+ is a simple car mount that’s slim enough to comfortably fit in your pocket, but still secures your phone by clipping to an air vent. The clip is able to mount to any vent type, whether they be horizontal, vertical, angled or circular.

It’s so portable that you can take it with you and also use it as a kickstand. Simply slip a business card or something of a similar size in the clip on the back and it will stand on its own. Versatile, simple and portable — what more could you want? Grab it for around $20.

See at Amazon

Ram Mount

The Ram Mount is an adjustable crade-style mount that holds onto your Pixel or Pixel XL with four arms. It adheres to your dashboard or console via a suction cup and is adjustable via its ball socket, which allows you to orient your phone any way you want it.

The holder is spring-loaded, so you can just slide your Pixel in and away you go. It’s made of a high-strength composite, aluminum, and stainless steel, so it’s durable and strong, sturdily securing your phone. It’s a little on the expensive side at $50, but it’s worth it.

See at Amazon

ProClip

For a completely customized car mount, direct your attention to ProClip. They offer a two-part car mount solution that you customize for your specific needs. First, you select your Pixel model from the menu and indicate whether or not you want to factor in the case you use. You’ll be given a variety of six to eight images to choose from with specs and details for each phone holder offered.

Once you’ve decided on your Pixel holder, you move on to the custom mounting base. Select the kind of base you want (dashboard, pedestal, and so on) and select the vehicle you drive. The bases you will be selecting from are designed to snap into the seams of your dashboard or grip the necessary panels, so no sticky pads or bolts are necessary. Eliminate the guessing by customizing every aspect of your car mount and know that it’s going to fit just the way you want it to.

Pricing starts around $35.

See at ProClip

How do you drive with your Pixel?

Did we miss your favorite car mount on our list? Leave us a comment below!

Updated August 2018: We have reorganized this guide by mount type to help readers like you better compare and choose the one that’s best for you. We’ve also replaced the Spigen Style Ring with the Style Ring POP.

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

• Pixel 2 FAQ: Everything you need to know!
• Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL review: The new standard
• Google Pixel 2 specs
• Google Pixel 2 vs. Pixel 2 XL: What’s the difference?
• Join our Pixel 2 forums

Best Buy
Verizon
Google Store
Project Fi

Build your own Bose Bluetooth speaker at home for just $75

A project to do with the kids.

Amazon has the Bose BOSEbuild speaker cube on sale for just $74.96. Earlier this year, this build-it-yourself speaker was selling for $150 but dropped down to a new regular price of $100 around the end of April. It hasn’t been discounted since until recently, and this price drop marks a new all-time low for the speaker.

You may be wondering what exactly a BOSEbuild speaker even is, so let’s take a look. It’s a Bluetooth speaker with Bose-quality sound that you can build and personalize at home. You can add lights to it, change the covers, and more with ease. It’s intended for children ages 8 and above, and is compatible with any Bluetooth 3.0 device, though Bose does offer an iOS app to guide you through some additional hands-on activities.

Now, if you’ll excuse me I have a speaker to buy for my son to try and build this weekend!

See at Amazon

How to get Android 9 Pie’s Digital Wellbeing feature on your Pixel right now

The feature isn’t quite finished yet, but Pixel owners can get in on it first.

Android 9 Pie’s public launch is fresh and filled with tons of new features. But the biggest headline addition coming out of Google I/O earlier this year, Digital Wellbeing, isn’t available right away. Google still has some more work to do before it releases the feature to all Pixel owners, but in a continued spirit of open testing is offering it up to those who want to sign up and use unfinished software.

If you’re okay with knowing that you’re using software that’s still a work in progress, here’s how you can get the new Digital Wellbeing feature.

It’ll take some time to open up to everyone, but you’ll still get it early.

First, you need to have a Pixel phone that’s been updated to Android 9 Pie. Google has announced that Android One devices will receive Digital Wellbeing at some point as well, but has not made any claim that it will come to non-Pixel devices beyond that.

Head over to Google’s Digital Wellbeing beta sign-up page to get started. All you have to do is enter your email address — make sure it’s the address associated with your main Google Play account that you use to download apps. Select the radio button that you have a Pixel running Pie and click Submit — that’s it!

As Google rolls out the Digital Wellbeing beta to people who have signed up, the update will show up through the Play Store. Chances are Google will have far more people sign up than it initially needs to test the features, but just hang tight if you don’t get it at first since Google is likely to expand the beta program over time.

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

Build-your-own Bose, car diagnostic readers, Ring spotlights, and more are all discounted today

Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.

We found plenty of great deals today that include big discounts on the BoseBuild Speaker Cube for kids, Ring spotlights, the Automatic Pro OBD-II reader, and more! Most of these prices will be gone when the day ends, so don’t miss your chance to save big!

View the rest of the deals

If you want to know about the deals as soon as they are happening, you’ll want to follow Thrifter on Twitter, and sign up for the newsletter, because missing out on a great deal stinks!