Apartment living: Essential smart home tech for a small space

Be ready for a chat with your landlord

As a tech nerd, I’m always thinking of ways to make my home more efficient technologically: how to run Ethernet cables, where to place my desktop, how to rebuild my desk for the millionth time, stuff like that. But there’s an upper limit on just what I can do since I live in an apartment. I want to make the most of my space, but I can’t run Ethernet cables through the walls or mess with any electrical wiring. I also only have so much space, so each piece of technology needs to be justified.

Here are some essential pieces of tech for a small space!

• General rules
• Google Wifi
• Xbox One S
• NVIDIA Shield TV
• Vizio SmartCast Sound Bar
• Google Home
• Other smart accessories

General rules

With a small living environment, you want to make sure every gadget you have can serve multiple functions, if possible. Stuff like network routers and light bulbs will only have one task, but a game console lets you play games, watch content on streaming services, or play DVD or Blu Rays. Your TV can be your computer monitor, and instead of a bulky desktop, you could get a hub for your laptop. It’s also important to remember you’ll likely live in a different space in a year’s time, so your hardware shouldn’t need too much work to set up or tear down.

Google Wifi

You probably don’t have enough space for a mesh Wi-Fi system, but a great router is probably the best investment you can make for your technology use to be better. Have you ever had your laptop or phone take forever to connect to your home Wi-Fi? A new router is probably your best bet.

$125 at Google Store

If you’re using an old router — or worse, using the modem/router your Internet Service Provider gave you — that’s probably why. A slow Internet connection is incredibly frustrating, and I’ve proudly taped an Ethernet cable across my ceiling because Wi-Fi was acting up on my desktop.

I’ve been super happy with an Asus OnHub router I bought about two years ago. It has a nice, neutral design but more importantly: it just works. The only time I’ve had to mess with it was when I moved apartments. I plugged it in at my new place, and it came up like a charm. If I ever do move into a bigger space, I can pick up some Google Wifi routers to build a mesh system. Google provides security updates for its OnHub and Wifi routers automatically, so I don’t even need the (incredibly easy-to-use) Google Wifi app installed on my phone to stay up to date.

One downside to the OnHub and Wi-Fi routers is they only include one Ethernet-out port, so you’ll need a network switch if you have more devices you’d like to use with a wired connection.

Xbox One S

This is probably a no-brainer for most people, but it’s worth mentioning. An Xbox One S goes for $300, and plays all your favorite Xbox games, any DVDs or Blu Rays — including UHD Blu Rays — you have, and you can access almost every video streaming service.

$300 at Amazon

The One S does a lot of things, even if you’re not a hardcore gamer. You get a disk drive for your old DVD and Blu Ray collection, and it’ll even handle newer UHD Blu Rays if you prefer those. You have access to nearly every streaming service, and you can finally watch all of your Movies Anywhere titles in the Xbox’s video player. Most importantly, you get games. Every AAA title is on Xbox, and all of Microsoft’s exclusives — as well as some third-party titles — are available for $10 in Xbox Game Pass.

NVIDIA Shield TV

If you know you don’t care about the disk drive and are okay with some older titles, a NVIDIA Shield TV runs between $180 and $200, and gets you Android TV for all of your streaming services, plus plenty of exclusive games from NVIDIA. With the right TV tuner, the Shield TV can also act as a DVR for live shows.

$180 at Amazon

We can’t say enough good things about the NVIDIA Shield TV. It’s pretty much the face of Android TV, and you get access to Google’s services — including YouTube TV, Google Play Movies & TV and Google Assistant. In addition, mainstay services like Netflix and Hulu are on board, and Amazon Prime Video is also available. You can also stream games from NVIDIA’s servers or your home gaming desktop, or play most of the same Android games that are available on your phone.

VIZIO SmartCast Sound Bar

Soundbars don’t need a lot of space, even with a subwoofer and wireless surround speakers. Vizio makes plenty of soundbars, all of which are great options. They all feature Google Cast support, Bluetooth, optical and 3.5mm in from your TV, and some act as an HDMI hub.

$400 at Amazon

While your TV speakers are okay, a soundbar is so much better. Soundbars may not sound as rich as full surround systems, but they also don’t require as much space and cable management as a full surround system. Soundbars range in price from a basic two-channel bar for $100 to ear-tickling five channel system for $1000, with plenty of price points in between. There are even some bundles with a soundbar, wireless subwoofer and wireless rear surround speakers) to mimic a full surround system but use much less space.

Vizio soundbars feature Chromecast Audio built-in or Bluetooth connectivity, so you can get your jams from your phone in addition to your TV. Vizio is a reputable brand with fair prices, and if you don’t need or want the extra speakers in our pick, there are cheaper models to choose from.

Google Home

A Google Home is an okay speaker, but it’s also a portal into Google’s services. You can set reminders, control your smart gadgets, get the news for the day and even more.

$130 at Google Store

Just because you can’t change all of the hardware inside your home doesn’t mean a smart speaker won’t have value. Both a Google Home and an Amazon Echo are great choices, though a Google Home will likely be more useful if you’ve been using Android phones and Google services for years. You can use the Google Home for playing music or connect it to your soundbar for even better sound. You can set reminders, hear the news, set a routine, and more. If you do get some other smart gadgets, a Google Home will work with those perfectly.

Other smart accessories

At a certain point, you’ll just need to read your lease or talk to your landlord about what exactly you can replace inside your apartment or dorm. Most landlords will let you use a smart thermostat, so long as they install it. Smart lightbulbs are similarly easy: just install them in place of the normal lightbulbs. Tabletop gadgets like a smart coffee maker won’t be a problem either. Smart Locks may be an issue. Again, a five-minute conversation with your landlord is the best idea before spending money on anything.

More: Best Smart Thermostats for Amazon Echo in 2018

What are your picks?

What gadgets do you use to make the most of your small space? Let us know down below!

Google Goggles is finally dead as it’s being replaced by Google Lens

Time to hang your goggles up once and for all.

All the way back in 2009, Google launched its first-ever visual search application in the form of Google Goggles. It was a really exciting app at the time, but seeing as how the last software update it received was in 2014, development for it’s been dead for quite some time.

However, completely out of the blue, Google Goggles recently received its first update in over three years. After opening the app following this update, users are greeted with the below message.

It’s no secret that Lens is a spiritual successor to Goggles, but it’s still funny that Google would bother spending any time updating the app in the first place.

When’s the last time you used Google Goggles?

Six months later, Google Lens still isn’t great

Game of the Week: Let your free time fall into the void with Hole.io!

Hole.io is a wacky game that’s actually worth checking out.

Update August 17, 2018: Our pick this week is Hole.io, a new competitive game that’s oddly satisfying with multiple modes of play!

Holedown

If you’ve been a fan of .io games — slither.io and agar.io — you owe it to yourself to check out the latest game to borrow the formula. In Hole.io, you control a black hole that travels along the ground in a bustling little city as you swallow up anything and everything that can fall into it. You continue to grow in size as you collect more things, until you’re able to gobble up entire city blocks with your massive black hole.

There are four game modes to choose from:

• Classic mode has you competing against online opponents to see who can grow the biggest in just two minutes.
• Battle mode is your typical last-man-standing mode… except with holes.
• Solo mode has you try and clear the entire map in under two minutes.
• Friends mode lets you set up a local multiplayer game using Bluetooth.

The game is free to play with ads that pop up after each game, although you can pay to remove the ads. This is such a simple concept that’s quick to learn, hard to master, and an absolute blast to play in short bursts. If you’re like me, you’ve seen ads for this game plastered all over social media. Usually, that makes be a bit skeptical but I’m glad I checked it out.

Download: Hole.io (Free w/Ads, IAPs)

Android Gaming

• Best Android games
• Best free Android games
• Best games with no in-app purchases
• Best action games for Android
• Best RPGs for Android
• All the Android gaming news!

The Flame Red HTC U12+ is now up for pre-order in the U.S. and Canada

This is HTC’s big flagship for 2018. Thinking about picking it up? Here’s what you should know!

HTC may not be that well-known in the U.S., but if you ever take some time to look at what the company’s kicking out, you’ll see that it knows how to make an excellent phone. There’s a reason it was chosen to create the first-ever Android device, after all!

HTC’s last two flagships, the 10 and U11, were both top-notch phones that flew under the radar for a lot of people. The same will likely be the case for the U12+, and should you decide to pick it up, this is what you can expect.

The latest HTC U12+ news

August 17, 2018 — Flame Red U12+ now up for pre-order in the U.S. and Canada

Since its launch, the U12+ has been available in two colors in the U.S. and Canada — Translucent Blue and Ceramic Black. Now, customers in both countries can pre-order the drop-dead gorgeous Flame Red color.

Pre-orders are live right now, and as usual, the phone will set you back $799 and $1,099 for the United States and Canada, respectively.

See at HTC

July 24, 2018 — The U12+’s buttons are getting fixed

Ffffffffffuuuuuuuuuuf i n a l l y . . pic.twitter.com/r43yzfskjz

— Alex Dobie (@alexdobie) July 24, 2018

The HTC U12 is receiving an update in Europe, a few weeks after the same one was released in parts of Asia, to fix the unreliable volume and power buttons on the phone’s frame. These buttons were largely the reason the phone was lambasted in our review, and a primary purchase concern for many people.

According to AC’s Alex Dobie, who has been using the phone over the past few weeks, the buttons are “noticeably improved.” There’s no word when the update will hit U.S. units, but we’ll keep an eye out for it.

We’ll be updating our review soon, but in the meantime, take a gander at what else it can do.

All the big details

Read and watch our review!

The HTC U12+, when it was released, was a beautiful, feature-rich phone with one major drawback: its capacitive buttons were bad. And that’s being generous.

But in the vein of other 2018 flagships, the phone had other benefits, including one of the best cameras on the market.

Now that there’s an update to fix the phone’s button problems, we’ll be re-evaluating our review, but in the meantime, read up on the phone.

HTC U12+ review: Buttonless blunder

Take a gander at the specs

The U12+ is HTC’s flagship phone for 2018, and as such, it’s equipped with some of the best tech around.

Between the blazing-fast Snapdragon 845, an impressive set of dual cameras, IP68 dust/water resistance, and a large 3,500 mAh battery, the U12+ has everything you could ask for in a 2018 flagship.

HTC U12+ specifications: Dual cameras, BoomSound, Edge Sense 2 for $800

HTC’s got three colors to choose from

If you like to make sure your phone stands out from the crowd, HTC’s got you covered with the U12+.

The phone’s available in three colors, including Ceramic Black, Flame Red, and Translucent Blue.

Ceramic Black is the most subdued of the trio, looking more gray than anything else. However, if you want something that really sticks out, the color-changing Flame Red and see-through Translucent Blue will be right up your alley.

There’s no wireless charging despite the glass back

You might think the U12+ supports wireless charging thanks to its glass back, but similar to the OnePlus 6, wireless charging is nowhere to be seen.

Thankfully, HTC does offer Qualcomm QuickCharge 4.0 to help you refuel the U12+ in no time at all. We certainly would have liked to see wireless charging make an appearance, but c’est la vie.

A word on the U12+’s “buttons”

The power button and volume rocker on smartphones haven’t really changed that much over the years, but for whatever reason, HTC decided to shake things up by removing physical buttons altogether and replace them with button-shaped nobs that don’t actually move at all.

Similar to the Force Touch trackpad on Apple’s recent MacBooks and the home button on the iPhone 7 and 8 series, putting force on the U12+’s “buttons” will trigger a vibration through the phone and perform the desired action — such as turning the screen off or changing the volume.

HTC says they made the change to help with the phone’s IP68 rating, but we came away less than impressed with their performance during our hands-on preview. Thankfully, there’s an update to fix some of the buttons’ most glaring problems.

How does the U12+ stack up against the competition?

In a bubble, the HTC U12+ would easily be the best phone you could buy. However, the Android space is anything but.

We’ve seen a lot of excellent smartphones so far this year, and with prices creeping up all the time, it’s important you spend your money wisely on something that’s going to serve your needs as best as possible.

Here are the most recent phones we’ve put against the U12+:

HTC U12+ vs. Samsung Galaxy S9+: Which should you buy?

HTC U12+ vs. LG G7 ThinQ: Which should you buy?

Edge Sense is more powerful and customizable than ever before

The U11 was the first gadget to tout HTC Edge Sense, allowing you to squeeze the phone to open apps, take pictures, and more.

With Edge Sense 2, HTC made using your phone while laying in bed less of a hassle.

That functionality makes a return on the U12+ in the form of Edge Sense 2, and as the name suggests, lets you do even more than you could on the U11.

Most notably, Edge Sense 2 allows you to trigger certain actions with other gestures instead of hard squeezes, such as light taps. On the U12+, you can double-tap the left or right side of the phone to shrink the UI down to a one-handed mode. Double-tap the right, the screen goes to the right. Double-tap the left, it goes to the left. That might not sound very impressive, but it should prove to be incredibly useful in day-to-day use.

Something else we’re excited about is a sub-feature of Edge Sense 2 called “Smart Rotate.” The sides of the phone can detect how you’re holding it, meaning that even if auto-rotate is on, the screen won’t flip horizontally by accident. If you’ve ever been frustrated by your phone’s UI flipping all over the place while trying to use it while you lie in bed, the U12+ just solved that problem once and for all.

The U12+ is expensive

There’s a lot to like about what HTC’s done with the U12+, but one aspect you may not be too keen about is the price.

If you’d like to own the U12+, you’ll need to cough up a hefty $799 in the U.S. for the model with 64GB storage. Want more room with 128GB? Get ready to pay $849.

HTC does offer 0% interest financing through its website to stretch that price over the course of 24 months, but even so, this is a phone that’s going to put a big dent in your wallet.

See at HTC

To make matters worse, you can’t buy it on any U.S. carrier

The U12+ is being sold through HTC’s own website in the States, but that’s it. Unlike phones from Samsung, LG, and just about everyone else, you won’t find this thing in your local carrier store.

HTC fans or people that want the U12+ bad enough will be able to purchase it just fine, but that lacking carrier support means HTC isn’t getting the U12+ in front of eyes of potential customers that may not even know the phone exists.

Speaking of carriers, the U12+ works on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon

On the plus side, folks that purchase the U12+ shouldn’t have any trouble getting it to work on the carrier of their choice.

The U12+ is compatible with AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and any MVNO that uses those carrier’s networks (such as Cricket Wireless, MetroPCS, etc.)

There’s no support for Sprint, however, so Big Yellow subscribers are going to have to sit this one out.

Updated July 2018: This guide has been updated to reflect an important update for the U12’s buttons.

The Galaxy Tab S4 is the best Android tablet money can buy

Why trust us? We’re a virtual company that’s always on the move. That means we use tablets for everything — from watching shows and playing games to getting work done. These are the best Android tablets you can buy.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 offers the best overall Android tablet experience, with a big screen, high-end specs, a stylus, and support for a full keyboard. It’s expensive, and not the right pick for anyone who wants a smaller and more portable tablet, but as an all-around device it can’t be beat.

Our Pick

Samsung Galaxy Tab S4

$649 from Amazon

The best Android tablet for most people

This is Samsung’s best-ever tablet, and a single device that can do it all. It’s built extremely well, with a metal frame and glass back that looks great and feels worthy of the price.

Who should buy this tablet

The most important things to have in a full-size Android tablet are a great screen, loud speakers, strong build quality, and software that makes use of the extra screen size. That’s what makes the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 the best Android tablet.

An amazing screen from Samsung is no surprise — that’s been their specialty for years. The 10.5-inch 2560×1600 Super AMOLED on the Tab S4 carries on the tradition, and it’s simply the best display on any tablet. Android and Samsung mesh to provide a great software experience, and the included S Pen stylus with 4096-level pressure sensitivity makes taking notes or producing digital artwork a breeze. Add on the optional keyboard to get some typing done, or just prop it up to watch a movie with that great screen and loud speakers.

Is it a good time to buy this tablet?

Yes. The Galaxy Tab S4 was released just a few weeks ago, so you don’t have to worry about it getting replaced any time soon. It has high-end specs to handle anything you could throw at it, and easily the best display of any Android tablet. There are super-loud speakers, a stylus in the box, and support for a detachable keyboard that make the Tab S4 an all-around performer for work and play.

Reasons to buy

• Best screen available on an Android tablet
• S Pen stylus included in the box
• Robust and beautiful metal-and-glass frame
• Powerful specs, including the Snapdragon 835
• First-party detachable keyboard support
• High-quality speakers

Reasons not to buy

• Expensive if you’re only a casual tablet user
• Not really suited for portrait or handheld use for long periods

The Android tablet market is weak, but this one stands way above the rest

There aren’t a lot of good Android tablets available today, so if you want a great one, the Galaxy Tab S4 is practically your only option. That’s not so bad though, since it’s such a good tablet, and it can even be used as a makeshift laptop using Samsung’s DeX service when paired with the optional keyboard.

Its spec sheet leaves little to be desired, with a super-fast Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB of RAM, plenty of expandable storage, and well-optimized software. And because it’s a Samsung product, you’re getting a best-in-class display and an amazing metal-and-glass build.

Because you’re spending top dollar on the Tab S4, you don’t have to make any compromises — you get it all. Beyond the specs, you get extras like great quad speakers, a microSD card slot, an iris sensor, an S Pen stylus included in the box, and an optional first-party keyboard case that rivals some laptops. And despite being thin and light, it gets great battery life. If you want an Android tablet and you’re wiling to spend the money, there’s really nowhere else to go but the Galaxy Tab S4.

Alternatives to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4

Runner-up

Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4

Powerful, yet affordable

$319 from Amazon

Huawei’s MediaPad M5 series of tablets leans more towards the midrange, but that’s all you need for the majority of online browsing and gaming most people do from their tablets.

The MediaPad M5 8.4 isn’t going to blow you away with amazing speakers or a class-leading display like the Galaxy Tab S4, nor does it have a companion stylus or a keyboard, but it has excellent build quality and great performance, thanks to its powerful specs — namely, a Kirin 960, a Quad HD display, and 4GB of RAM. Though Huawei makes a larger model (and even a Pro model that does support a pressure-sensitive stylus), the MediaPad M5 8.4 is the perfect size for comfortable, casual browsing and play.

Large budget option

Amazon Fire HD 10

Solid, budget-friendly tablet that gets the job done

Amazon’s Fire HD 10 is all about giving you the basic tablet experience that’s focused on media consumption on a big screen without the extra complication (and cost) of productivity features.

$149 from Amazon

The Amazon Fire HD 10 is one of those deals that’s almost too good to pass up if you’re after a device with a large screen but a small price tag. It’s simply the best big Android tablet for doing the basics, from watching movies and TV shows to playing some basic games. You don’t get the Google Play Store or Google’s great apps and services — instead, you’ll rely on the Amazon App Store — but you also don’t pay much for this solid tablet.

Small budget option

Amazon Fire HD 8

Solid, budget-friendly tablet that gets the job done

A light and portable tablet well under $100 — there isn’t much you can complain about in that equation. Better yet, it comes in four colors.

$79 from Amazon

Amazon also makes the best super-inexpensive Android tablet available, the Fire HD 8. At $80 with 16GB of storage, it’s an amazing deal. Like the HD 10 it doesn’t have the Google Play Store or Google apps, but you’re even more likely to look past that when you’re spending under $100 on a tablet. This is a great choice for media consumption, browsing, or handing to your kids.

Bottom line

For those who don’t need every bell and whistle under the sun, the Amazon Fire HD 8 and 10 offer a good media experience without costing you an arm and a leg — so long as you can live without Google Play services. If you need a bit more from your tablet but still want it in a handheld package, the MediaPad M5 8.4 won’t leave you disappointed either.

For someone who wants the best possible Android tablet experience, though, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 is the best choice for its high-end materials, great screen, capable software, and accessory options.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Andrew Martonik is the Executive Editor, U.S. at Android Central. He has been a mobile enthusiast since the Windows Mobile days, and covering all things Android-related with a unique perspective at AC since 2012. For suggestions and updates, you can reach him at andrew.martonik@androidcentral.com or on Twitter at @andrewmartonik.

Jerry Hildenbrand is Mobile Nation’s Senior Editor and works from a Chromebook full time. Currently, he is using Google’s Pixelbook but is always looking at new products and may have any Chromebook in his hands at any time. You’ll find him across the Mobile Nations network and you can hit him up on Twitter if you want to say hey.

Daniel Bader is the Managing Editor of Android Central. As he’s writing this, a mountain of old Android phones is about to fall on his head, but his Great Dane will protect him. He drinks way too much coffee and sleeps too little. He wonders if there’s a correlation.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey will be bigger, longer than its predecessor

THIS. IS. CREEEEEED.

It’s been less than a year since the launch of Assassin’s Creed Origins, and Ubisoft is already delivering an epic follow-up. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey takes the new foundation for the series and builds on it with even deeper gameplay, an even richer story, and the most compelling open-world universe yet. Here’s everything you need to know.

What’s new with Assassin’s Creed Odyssey?

In just a few short months we’ll be travellng back to the Peloponnesian War of ancient Greece. Ubisoft has been ramping up Assassin’s Creed Odyssey’s marketing campaign giving players more and more to look forward to. We’ll be keeping you up to date with the latest information about this expansive RPG as it’s released.

August 16, 2018

One of the most contentious aspects of the Assassin’s Creed series is its modern-day element. To the delight of some and the ire of others, the modern day narrative will play a greater role in Odyssey than it did in Origins with Layla, the previous protagonist, making a return. In Origins she was stuck in a cave the entire time as she lived out Bayek’s memories. While we don’t know where her journey will take her this time, we do know that she’ll “travel a little bit” in the game, hinting that we could be seeing more playable modern day sections.

Bigger isn’t always better, but Ubisoft appears to be indicating that Odyssey’s wide breadth of content will make for an unforgettable experience. Origins was already one of the longest Assassin’s Creed games to date, taking at least a couple dozen hours to complete the main campaign, and Odyssey will apparently be “much longer” than its predecessor.

When you think of ancient Egypt, it’s understandable if the first thing that comes to your mind is “endless sand.” In reality, ancient Egypt was an architectural wonder comprised of sprawling cities; the kind of image that you do get when you think of ancient Greece. For Odyssey, Ubisoft is pushing the limits of what they can create. In comparison to Alexandria in Origins, Athens alone will be 30 percent larger.

Luckily, Odyssey features a mode of transportation must faster than a horse, so traveling around the world should be a breeze. Returning to the series are full-fledged battleships, not just the small boats you could take for a quick trip in Origins. Your ship, the Adrestia, will be more similar to that of the Jackdaw in Black Flag. (And yes, this even means that sea shanties are back!) Players will be able to upgrade the Adrestia so they can take on more formidable challenges, and Odyssey will contain three different enemy ship archetypes that have their own strengths and weaknesses.

If you really want to live out your Spartan dreams and slaughter your enemies, you can use a new speed boost ability on your ship that essentially cleaves the enemy ship in half. If shooting and looting is more your style, you will be able to board enemy ships and plunder them for goods.

Speaking of slaughtering, Odyssey will let you do so to a degree that wasn’t possible earlier in the series. In previous games, the Animus deterred you from killing civilians as it violated a tenet of the Creed; stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent. If you killed more than a couple of harmless NPCs, your game would desynchronize. Odyssey throws away that mechanic and instead implements a bounty system. Because the Creed hasn’t been established at this time in the game, you’re not discouraged in that way from killing innocents. Instead, a bounty will be placed on your head and mercenaries will pop up around the world looking to collect.

You won’t be able to so easily outrun its challenges like you could in Origins, either. Origins contained separate regions that each had a fixed level suggestion. For instance, a region recommending you be level 25-27 would be full of enemies around those levels. These would not change based on your own level, effectively gating you out of certain areas of the game before you were ready. You could technically visit these regions, you just wouldn’t be able to hold your own in a fight.

Now with Odyssey, the world will feature a type of level scaling so that you don’t outgrow specific areas. If you happen to revisit an earlier area of the game, you may find that the enemies are only one or two levels below you instead of several.

What is Assassin’s Creed Odyssey?

Last year, Ubisoft released their most deep Assassin’s Creed game yet. Assassin’s Creed Origins started the series on a path down RPG land, with upgradeable skills and weapons, deeper crafting, and more being added to the experience. All of that joined the deep open worlds we’ve already become accustomed to, as well as the game’s rich lore and memorable characters.

Fast forward a year later and Ubisoft has wasted no time building on that. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is set to introduce mechanics and ideas that may not be new to the art of gaming, but they’ll definitely make for an awesome Creed game.

Will you fight for Sparta or Athens?

Before we even jump into the new gameplay bits, let’s talk about where it’s taking place. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is continuing the series tradition of revisiting ancient times. The last game took us to Egypt, but this time we’ll be heading to Greece during the year 431 BCE, which places us right at the beginning of the Peloponnesian War.

The Peloponnesian War was a significant conflict with many different players, but the bulk of it was ultimately carried out between Sparta and Athens. It was instigated by rebels who were unhappy with the latter, and they ended up helping Sparta in their quest to dominate the Aegean Sea.

Whereas previous Assassin’s Creed games decided your path for you, it appears you’ll be making some important decisions of your own in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. One of the biggest decisions is who you’ll choose to fight for over the course of the game. That’s because you’re not strictly part of the Spartans nor the Athenians. You’re a mercenary, and you’ll be able to choose who you fight for. Mercenaries typically fight for money, but there may be other forces at play swaying you in one direction or the other.

It being a game set in ancient Greece, Ubisoft isn’t shying away from the concept of paranormal meddling from the Gods of old. That’s not to say you’ll be shooting thunderbolts from your palms through the power of Zeus, but the Gods can and will play a role in some form or another. Ubisoft is being quiet on the specifics of this element for now, so it’s something we’ll just have to explore for ourselves once the game is made available for purchase.

The backdrop of the Peloponnesian War is interesting enough, but other story details remain a mystery. What we know right now is that you can play as either Alexios or Kassandra, marking both the first time you can choose multiple characters in an Assassin’s Creed game as well as the first time you can play as a female. (Yay for gender representation!)

No matter which hero you choose, you’re known as a descendant of the Spartan king Leonidas I. Your family doesn’t recognize your royal heritage, though, and you quickly learn that you’re all alone. You do embark on your quest with a family heirloom, however: Leonidas I’s broken spear, which is eventually reforged into a steel polearm sword-looking thingy.

The deepest Assassin’s Creed game yet

Assassin’s Creed has largely been responsible for some of the mainstay mechanics still prevalent in games today, namely its climbing, combat, and stealth systems. Despite the initial burst of innovation Ubisoft brought with this series, it hasn’t evolved much until recent times.

The biggest turn came with Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag with its pirate ship gameplay, and you’ll get a chance to return to the high seas in Odyssey with a ship and crew of your own. You’ll use it to travel the Aegean to carry out your duties in Athens, Sparta, and everywhere in between. There are at least 27 significant regions to explore and do missions in.

This will also be the first Assassin’s Creed game that offers the ability to make dialog choices. There will be branching dialog, too, so there will be multiple outcomes in any given situation. It figures to be a big part of the game with Ubisoft professing that there will be multiple endings – again, a series first.

The player will be able to develop and manage relationships with people, too. You’ll even go as far as romancing some of them. Protagonists of old have historically had love interests, but you’ll be in control of them this time around, and it sounds awesome.

Of course, the bread and butter of Assassin’s Creed games – combat and stealth – will get a bit of a facelift. The player can now unlock and level up skills from three different categories: hunter, warrior, and assassin.

Those classes will improve your proficiency and grant you new abilities in areas of archery, hand-to-hand combat, and stealth, respectively. If it’s anything like Assassin’s Creed Origins, you’ll be able to mix and match skills from different trees in order to craft the perfect character tailored to your play style.

Weapons and armor are once again a big part of character development, so much of your progression in the game will come from finding new gear and upgrading it. Each piece of gear will come with random stats, with some of the best gear said to grant you unique abilities and bonuses. You’ll be able to use materials – either found, bought or gathered from hunting animals – to make upgrades and craft unique items.

When you’re done fighting your individual battles, you can check in on the war at large. The aptly-named War System will allow you to see who has the upper hand at any given time. This information is useful not just for the purposes of following the ongoing narrative, but also because you can influence the war through your own decisions and actions. For instance, you can pick up mercenary contracts to help weaken or defend certain regions.

There will be chances to help influence the war in more direct ways, with Odyssey featuring massive battles that can have as many as 300 participants. Large-scale warfare is something we haven’t really seen in an Assassin’s Creed game before so it’ll be interesting to see what kinds of abilities the player can get to excel in them.

Oh, and your trusty bird that you can somehow control and see the world through its eyes is back, so scouting out the area to plan your next move should be light work.

As you can tell by now, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is taking the series to entirely new heights that may just help define the standard for open world video games going forward.

You may not be an actual assassin anymore

We feel it necessary to point out that Assassin’s Creed is no longer strictly an assassin’s game. That is, you’re no longer bound by a strict creed that has you staying your blade from the innocents and other such edicts. This is important because it makes way for nearly everyone in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey to be attacked.

You’ll still have targets and you’ll still assassinate them, yes, but you can also just as well go on a murderous killing spree. There are consequences to this, however, such as bounties being placed on your head that will make other mercenaries come to hunt you down.

We’ve also noticed that a hidden assassin’s blade has yet to be shown in any of the trailers and screenshots to date. Ubisoft isn’t making a big deal about these details, likely because the concept of an assassination clique with morals wasn’t really a thing back in the times the game takes place.

Don’t fret, though. You’ll still have plenty of opportunities to stalk and kill specific enemies with the swift thrust of a blade or however it is you prefer to do your killing.

There will be regular content updates

In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Ubisoft executive director Alain Corre confirmed that Ubisoft plans to support Assassin’s Creed Odyssey with regular content well after its release. In fact, we’re told to expect content on a weekly basis. Corre didn’t get into specifics about what to expect, but we know some of that content will likely be cosmetics that you can buy for your character.

This would imply that microtransactions are coming back. Microtransactions were mostly optional in Assassin’s Creed Origins. Players could unlock most cosmetic outfits and effects through regular play, but the option to pay for it was there for anyone who didn’t have the time to commit to it. This has been a long-standing Ubisoft practice and remains one of the fairest balances we’ve seen for microtransaction policies. There will also likely be limited time missions and your regular rollout of extended story content that will come in at a premium.

Which one will you pre-order?

If you’re sold on Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and looking to pre-order, your options are quite plentiful. Pre-sales for the game are already live, and there’s a lot to choose from. Those pre-ordering the standard edition can look to Amazon, GameStop, Best Buy, and Ubisoft for the best bonuses.

GameStop will exclusively offer a helmet keychain and access to the Blind King mission.

See at GameStop

Ubisoft is also offering the Blind King mission for ordering through them.

See at Ubisoft

Best Buy doesn’t net you the mission, but you do get a $10 rewards certificate to use on almost anything at a Best Buy Store.

See at Best Buy

Amazon also has no extra bonuses, but will offer the steepest discount to those with Amazon Prime, bringing your total down to $47.99.

See at Amazon

Don’t have Amazon Prime? Newegg has a nice $10 discount upfront, too.

See at Newegg

And if you’re into avatars, the PlayStation Store’s digital pre-order option isn’t bad as it comes with the Blind King mission, 7 avatars to use on your PlayStation Network profile, and figures to be your only option for preloading the game to play it the moment the clock strikes midnight.

See at PlayStation

If you want to step up to the $80 Deluxe Edition, you’re in line for a sizable list of digital goods, including two different gear packs, a naval pack, an experience points boost, and a currency boost.

See at Amazon

The Gold Edition goes for $100, and with it you’ll get the season pass, exclusive access to the Secrets of Greece mission, a steel book case for those who go for the physical copy, and the ability to play the game three days early, on October 2nd.

See at Amazon

The Ultimate Edition is available for $120 and simply combines all the bonuses from the Deluxe and Gold Editions.

See at Amazon

These next two are for serious fans. For $150, GameStop is offering a statue of Kassandra outfitted in classic Assassin’s Creed garb with a bird perched on her forearm. This is the Ultimate Edition of the game otherwise.

See at GameStop

Last but not least, there are the Spartan and Pantheon Collector’s Editions, both of which are available exclusively through Ubisoft. They cost $160 and $220 respectively and mostly come with the same things. No matter which one you get, you’ll have the Ultimate Edition content, a 64-page artbook, a lithograph created by Hugo Puzzuoli, a soundtrack, and a real map. The difference is in the statues you get.

The $160 Spartan Edition comes with just a single Spartan statue.

See at Ubisoft

And the $220 Pantheon Edition comes with both the Spartan and Athenian statues. These are available exclusively from Ubisoft.

See at Ubisoft

Collect the Statues

Ubisoft is doing something especially fun for this release: there are statues you can collect on an individual basis! There are statues of both main characters.

Kassandra’s comes in at 29cm tall and costs $60.

See at Ubisoft

Alexios is a bit taller at 32cm, but has the same $60 price tag.

See at Ubisoft

Then there’s the $750 behemoth. It’s a 68cm statue of Alexios standing atop Medusa’s head. He’s donning the Hero of Sparta armor and is wielding the same spear featured in the game. The statue is highly detailed, but for its cost this figures to be for the most die-hard (and, perhaps, rich) collectors. There will only be 1,900 of these ever made.

See at Ubisoft

When can you play it?

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey launches October 5th, 2018 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. As we mentioned above, those willing to pay $100 can get the Gold Edition and play it three days early on October 2nd, 2018. Let us know if you’ll be buying the game, and if so, which version of it you’ll be getting.

Update August 2018: Added information regarding Odyssey’s modern day story, the size of its world, naval gameplay, its bounty system, and leveling.

PlayStation 4

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

Amazon

Google might be planning to launch its own Smart Display this year

As many as 3 million units are expected to ship in just the first batch.

Almost two years ago, Google introduced us to the Google Home for the very first time and effectively kickstarted the incredible rise of Assistant-powered smart speakers. Just in time for this year’s holiday shopping season, the company’s expected to release another smart speaker — this time touting its own display.

According to a report from Nikkei Asian Review, the gadget will be powered by the Google Assistant, be able to play YouTube videos, and more. In other words, this is likely Google’s own take on the Smart Display platform that Lenovo kicked off earlier this year.

Per a source that spoke with Nikkei Asian Review:

Google targets to ship some 3 million units for the first batch of the new model of smart speaker that comes with a screen. It’s an aggressive plan.

Comparatively, data from Canalys shows that Amazon only shipped a total of 315,000 units of its Echo Show in 2017 which debuted that summer.

The Lenovo Smart Display has already proven to be one of the best smart home gadgets on the market, and while there’s not a lot that can be changed with the Smart Display platform itself, it will be interesting to see what kind of unique hardware design Google shows off with its own model.

Lenovo Smart Display review: Google Assistant’s best face

Google’s updated its support page following the Location History debacle

Mother Google is always watching.

Updated August 17, 2018: Following the below report, Google’s now updated its support page for its Location History feature from “With Location History off, the places you go are no longer stored”, to, “This setting does not affect other location services on your device.” You’ll still need to disable Location History and Web and Activity Data in order to more thoroughly block your location from being tracked/stored, but at the very least, Google’s being a bit more clear about this practice.

Google Maps is filled with all sorts of tools/features to help you navigate the world around you, one of which is something called “Your Timeline.” Your Timeline uses Location History to create a private view of your exact whereabouts on any given day, and while it’s a pretty neat feature, can be a bit much for privacy-conscious users.

You can disable this by turning off Location History for your Google account, but even after doing this, new evidence from Associated Press reveals that Google still has a few tricks up its sleeves to continue tracking your location.

As per its research, AP notes that the following tracking tools still work even when Location History is disabled.

Google stores a snapshot of where you are when you merely open its Maps app. Automatic daily weather updates on Android phones pinpoint roughly where you are. And some searches that have nothing to do with location, like “chocolate chip cookies,” or “kids science kits,” pinpoint your precise latitude and longitude — accurate to the square foot — and save it to your Google account.

The argument is that turning off a feature called “Location History” should eliminate Google from following your location no matter what, but according to a representative from the company, that’s not necessarily the case.

There are a number of different ways that Google may use location to improve people’s experience, including: Location History, Web and App Activity, and through device-level Location Services. We provide clear descriptions of these tools, and robust controls so people can turn them on or off, and delete their histories at any time.

In addition to turning off Location History, users must also disable Web and App Activity to prevent Google from tracking your location through these other means. Additionally, while you can delete the data on your Maps timeline, each day needs to be deleted one by one.

Google does give you controls for stopping all location data from being stored, but as AP points out, these controls aren’t properly labeled for consumers. Turning off Location History should stop all location data from being tracked, but as we now know, that simply isn’t the case.

What do you think about this discovery? Is Google being clear enough about how it tracks users’ location or is there still work to be done here? Let us know in the comments below!

How to view your location history in Google Maps

Clean your driveway with the $120 Anker Roav electric pressure washer

Spray it down.

The Anker Roav HydroClean 2100 PSI electric pressure washer is down to $119.99 on Amazon with code ANKERXLF. That’s $80 off its price without the code and this price beats the previous deal we saw by $40.

Now, you might be saying to yourself: “Anker? Aren’t those the guys that made my charging cable?” And you’d be right about that. Why did they make a pressure washer? Well, probably because pressure washers are fun. There’s an entire subreddit dedicated to just watching GIFs and images of people using pressure washers. The Anker Roav uses an 1800W motor and pumps out 1.78 gallons per minute for 2100 PSI of pressure. It has a 35-foot long cable and a 26-foot long hose to reach every inch of your driveway, deck, or yard. It’s also easy to set up and get going. Anker backs it up with a one-year warranty.

See on Amazon

Amazon is offering big discounts on its own hardware today

Why aren’t you buying something already?

From the Echo Dot to Fire TV Cube, Amazon has nearly all of its own hardware on sale today with savings of up to $100 on it. The last time we saw such a broad discount hit was Prime Day, and while all of these prices may not quite match those deals, they are nothing to skip out on. Once you add an Echo to one room of your house, you quickly want one in another room, and then another. The same thing happens when you connect a Fire TV Stick to your TV or give one kid a Fire Tablet.

See at Amazon

Buying the hardware when it’s discounted is the absolute best time to do it, which means that you’ll want to get your credit card ready right now. The deals you can take advantage of right now include:

Echo Hardware

• Echo Dot – $29.99 (Was $50)
• Echo Dot 3-pack – $74.97 with coupon DOT3PACK (Was $150)
• Echo (2nd-gen) – $84.99 (Was $100)
• Echo Plus – $99.99 (Was $150)
• Echo Show – $129.99 (Was $230)

Fire TV Hardware

• Fire TV with 4K and Alexa Voice Remote – $39.99 (Was $70)
• Fire TV Cube – $89.99 (Was $120)

Fire Tablets

• Fire 7 Kids Edition – $79.99 (Was $100)
• Fire 8 Kids Edition – $99.99 (Was $130)
• Fire 10 Kids Edition – $159.99 (Was $200)

Other hardware

• Toshiba 43-inch 4K Fire TV – $299.99 (Was $330)
• Toshiba 50-inch 4K Fire TV – $349.99 (Was $400)

Each device is backed by a one-year warranty from Amazon, and the company continues to add new features to them weekly. The Echo Dot and Fire TV sticks were the best-selling devices on Prime Day for the second year in a row. There have been leaks of a 3rd-gen Echo Dot, but Amazon has not confirmed it at this point.

If you want a smart assistant that works with your smart home gear, like Philips Hue lights, Nest thermostats, and more, the Alexa-enabled products are one of the best routes to go. Be sure to grab one now, before the deals end.

See at Amazon