Trulia enables homeseekers to know the neighborhood with a new app feature

The multi-billion-dollar real estate data giant Trulia is going hyperlocal across America this month with the launch of an enhanced digital experience for its free app. The new project is called Trulia Neighborhoods and it’s the result of a research project into what life is like in cities around the U.S.

The Trulia Neighborhoods experience aims to amalgamate local knowledge and customs, hard logistical information like parking and safety, and original photography and drone footage to offer users a completely new way to discover a neighborhood they will love. The new digital experience can be accessed now through the Trulia app for iOS or Android, or by visiting its neighborhood website.

“Prior to Trulia Neighborhoods, there wasn’t a resource that showed consumers what life is really like in a neighborhood,” Tim Correia, senior vice president and general manager for Trulia, said in a statement. “Our research found consumers were determined to find this type of information and even developed a series of hacks to source these valuable insights. It was clear it was time to rebuild the home and neighborhood discovery experience from the ground up and empower consumers with all the information to make the best decision for themselves.”

The research project was launched in response to extensive consumer research Trulia commissioned with New York-based market research firm Harris Interactive, followed by the deployment of research teams across U.S. neighborhoods to capture unique “day-in-the-life” content to lend an authentic sense of what a neighborhood is like.

From this research, Trulia discovered that its users crave more neighborhood information and details. In its research, the company found that 85 percent of home buyers who plan to buy a home within 18 months say that the neighborhood is equally or more important than the house itself.

The service drills down from birds-eye view services like Google Maps, where families might see there is a park in the neighborhood, but no information on safety or crime. It’s also a more familial way to capture and broadcast the kinds of demographic information deployed by municipalities and tourist boards.

In addition to high-resolution photo galleries and unique aerial drone footage, Trulia’s researchers have also curated Inside the Neighborhood stories to offer a multimedia experience that depicts what life is like for people who live there. In addition to Yelp-like top lists of restaurants and amenities, the company also says Trulia Neighborhoods will allow buyers and renters to evaluate even intangible aspects of a community such as its vibe, friendliness, and street noise.

The enhanced program is not a prototype and will launch nationally. However, Trulia has put a special focus on five American municipalities in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, California; Austin, Texas; and Chicago, which will include enhanced photography and drone footage. Trulia plans to introduce more than 1,100 additional enhanced metro areas by the end of the year.

The new digital experience comes in the wake of two other neighborhood-specific products launched by Trulia this year including What Locals Say, a social review platform, and Local Legal Protections, a tool that helps the LGBTQ community understand non-discrimination laws that exist for housing, employment, and public accommodations.

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The best Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium cases

If you like phones with a unique look, you might be partial to Sony’s recent Xperia range. The most elegant of these is the top-tier Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium. With a full 4K resolution, incredible 51,200 ISO camera, and super-slow motion video support, the Xperia XZ2 Premium is the top Sony phone of the moment.

With a $1,000 price tag and glass construction, it’s a phone you will want to protect, but with so many options for protection out there, you might not be sure which to buy. Don’t worry, we narrowed down the best cases you can pick up to keep your expensive smartphone safe from harm. Here are the best Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium cases.

Noreve Premium Leather Case (from $48)

The XZ2 Premium is a premium phone with a premium price, and it deserves the absolute best protection that you can get for it. Noreve specializes in high-quality leather cases and offers a huge amount of customization. First up, pick your choice of material, from artificial PU leather, all the way to the super-premium aged Patine leather. There is a big range of color for your case to match your style, and you can also choose to have a metal or plastic belt clip added, too. The downside? It costs $48 for the cheapest case, and the price just goes up from there. But still, if you have the cash to spend, Noreve’s cases are elegant, stylish, and offer great 360-degree protection for your device.

Buy it now from:

Noreve

Official Sony Style Cover Touch ($50)

When you’re looking to protect a device, who better to check with than the device’s manufacturer? The Style Cover Touch is made by Sony and is a stylish, solid, and useful touch wallet case. The Style Cover Touch is made from TPU and hard polycarbonate (PC) — a TPU inner core keeps your phone held snugly, protecting the back and sides, while the PC front panel folds over to protect your phone’s screen. However, the real magic happens when the case is closed. The clear front cover allows you to use your phone, even while the case is closed, for the ultimate in screen protection. It’s expensive, but it’s the coolest case you can get by far.

Buy it now from:

Sony Mobile Fun

Olixar Ultra-Thin Clear Case ($9)

The Xperia XZ2 Premium is a beautiful phone, with Sony’s unique style — so why would you want to conceal it? This case from Olixar is made from TPU, a soft but durable material that feels great in the hand and is also completely clear. The flexible material is great for helping to keep a hold on your phone, providing extra grip for your fingers — and while it’s not as protective as some bigger, bulkier cases, the TPU still provides a good level of shock absorption to resist drops and bumps. It comes cut to fit your XZ2 Premium perfectly, and also has a raised bezel that elevates your phone from surfaces and stops dirt or grit from scratching your screen. It’s a good case for the budget price.

Buy it now from:

Mobile Fun Amazon

Anccer Ultra-Thin Hard Case ($13)

Looking for a sleeker, more stylish case? This case from Anccer is made from hard polycarbonate that is protective and durable. It looks and feels great, with a smooth surface and a selection of colors to match your style. The sides are open, giving you access to all your buttons and ports, without prohibitive button covers. A harder case isn’t always better though, and what you gain in stiffness you will lose in shock-absorption, as the hard material won’t absorb impacts in the same way a softer TPU case would. It’s still a great case that feels good in your hand and it will guard against scuffs and scratches. But for rugged drop protection, look elsewhere.

Buy it now from:

Amazon

TopAce Flip Wallet Case ($7)

A budget case that looks great can be hard to find, and some budget cases do look cheap. A wallet case is one of the few types of case that still look fairly good, no matter the price, and this case from TopAce is no exception. It’s made of two pieces — a single piece of PU leather that wraps around your phone, protecting the front and back from threats, and an inner TPU case that holds your phone firmly within the leather. It’s held closed with a magnetic clasp, holds a couple of credit cards or spare cash in the inner lining, and the front cover folds behind to act as a kickstand. It’s protective, looks good, and it’s available at a bargain price, but we’re not sure how well it will age.

Buy it now from:

Amazon

Editors’ Recommendations

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• These are the best Nokia 6.1 cases to keep your fantastic phone beautiful

How to fix a shaking screen in Google Daydream

A shaking screen is a fast way to ruin a VR experience. Here’s how to fix it!

There are certain pieces of your phone or VR headset that’ll make your virtual experience either great or downright terrible. One that most users are familiar with is pixel density: low resolution displays look like a screen door just a few inches from your eyes, so high-res displays are a must. Another factor that gets less attention is positional accuracy, since this normally just works. The sensors inside your phone know when you turn your body, so you turn in the virtual world. Those same sensors know when you stop physically turning, so you don’t overshoot where you’re supposed to be.

But all technology is flawed in a way, and some users report that their virtual world will start shaking erratically without the user actually moving their heads. If you’ve never had this happen to you, know that it’s a really fast way to lose your lunch.

Here are some reasons your Daydream world may be torn asunder.

• Why your Daydream screen is shaking
• How to fix a shaking screen in Daydream

Why your Daydream screen is shaking

I haven’t had this happen to me personally, so I can’t offer reasons why this could occur. One user reports the screen starts shaking wildly only when watching VR videos, which shouldn’t cause an issue with the phone’s hardware. Another user noted it happened when a fan was blowing on the headset, which may be enough to mess with the phone’s internal sensors. There’s no official statement from Google just yet, and this doesn’t seem like a widespread enough problem to gather more user data.

How to fix a shaking screen in Daydream

You’ll probably rip the headset off of your head when things start going awry, and that sudden movement may be enough to fix the problem. One user reported that setting the phone and headset down flat on a surface for a moment is enough to fix the problem. Unfortunately, there’s not enough data right now to suggest a permanent fix.

What say you?

Have you ever had your virtual world go all caddywhompus? Let us know what the fix was down below!

Google Daydream

• Daydream View review
• The ultimate guide to Daydream
• These phones support Daydream VR
• Every Daydream app you can download
• Catch up with Daydream in the forums!

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What Galaxy Note 9 color are you getting?

This time around, U.S. customers get Ocean Blue and Lavender Purple at launch.

Samsung’s been known to dabble with exciting colors for its smartphones, and with the Galaxy Note 9, that’s no different. While other parts of the world get more traditional Midnight Black and Metallic Copper options, buyers in the U.S. get to choose between Ocean Blue and Lavender Purple.

Our AC forum users have been talking up a storm regarding the Note 9’s colors, with a few of the comments going as follows:

jmk32
08-09-2018 12:19 PM

“

Can’t believe no silver! Blue is ok, but that yellow S-pen is ghastly!

Reply

MomoMilky
08-09-2018 02:34 PM

“

I guess I’m the only one psyched about the pretty purple one xD I’ve been waiting for a phone in pink (or even rose gold). Purple will do just fine ❤

Reply

Kilroy672
08-09-2018 05:18 PM

“

Has anyone decided on a color yet? I may have to choose blue. Can’t see myself with a purple phone. Is the blue same blue as the Note 8 blue?

Reply

TabGuy
08-10-2018 10:19 AM

“

Being a UCLA alum the blue with a yellow pen is simply perfect! 🙂

Reply

What say you? What Galaxy Note 9 color are you getting?

Join the conversation in the forums!

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

• Samsung Galaxy Note 9 hands-on preview
• Galaxy Note 9 vs. Note 8
• Where to buy the Galaxy Note 9
• Galaxy Note 9 specifications
• Is the Note 8 still a good buy?
• Join our Galaxy Note 9 forums

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Here’s your first look at the Huawei Mate 20 Lite

Huawei’s next flagship family is looking awfully exciting.

It can be difficult to keep up with all the phones Huawei releases over the course of a year, but one that continues to stand out from the pack is the Mate 10 Pro.

The Mate 10 Pro is a gorgeous and powerful piece of tech that made a splash in various countries but was unfortunately held back from greatness in the U.S. thanks to continuous pushback from the government.

Huawei’s expected to follow-up on the Mate 10 Pro’s greatness with the Mate 20 Pro and two other versions to accompany it, and even if it once again gets heat from the States, it’ll still likely be one of the best phones you can get early next year.

The latest Mate 20 news

August 14, 2018 — Huawei Mate 20 Lite appears in a leaked render

The Huawei Mate 20 Lite, the cheapest of the Mate 20 trio, is the first of this phone family to rear its head in a leaked press render.

Evan Blass shared the above photo early in the morning on August 14, and to not much surprise, the Mate 20 Lite looks like any other phone that’s been released in the past few months. There’s an all-glass back, dual cameras on the front and back, rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, a bezel-light display, and a notch.

Even if this design isn’t breaking any new grounds, the Mate 20 Lite does look like a fairly attractive phone. It’s unclear if this design language will carry over to the regular Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro, but we’ll let you know as soon as we learn more.

August 1, 2018 — Leaked firmware suggests the Mate 20 will ship with Android P, have a 4,200 mAh battery, and use the Kirin 980

We’re likely a couple months out from an official announcement from Huawei regarding its Mate 20 phones, and just in time, the rumor mill has kicked into full gear with a ton of info that was recently shared in firmware files obtained by XDA Developers. The files outline three phones — the Mate 20 Lite, Mate 20, and Mate 20 Pro — but focuses mostly on the mid-tier option

The Huawei Mate 20 will reportedly ship with a large 6.3-inch OLED display, and as expected, use Huawei’s next-generation Kirin 980 processor. To accompany this, we’re expecting 6GB RAM, 128GB of internal storage, and a seriously huge 4,200 mAh battery.

And, to help you charge that battery pack, Huawei is finally going to jump on board the wireless charging train.

Not much is detailed about the other two phones, but there is mention of the Mate 20 Pro including an in-display fingerprint sensor similar to what we’ve seen on the Mate RS and Vivo X21.

All three phones will likely ship with Android P and Huawei’s EMUI 9.0 skin on top of it.

All the big details

How many phones will there be?

Similar to last year, we’re expecting three different versions of the Mate 20 family — including the Mate 20, Mate 20 Lite, and Mate 20 Pro.

The Mate 20 will be the mid-tier option, whereas the Mate 20 Lite is the most affordable and the Mate 20 Pro is the most expensive/powerful.

If Huawei follows a similar launch pattern compared to the Mate 10, we’ll only get the Mate 20 Pro in the U.S.

How much will the Mate 20 cost?

Before we can speculate about how much the Mate 20 family will cost, we need to first look at last year’s pricing.

• Huawei Mate 10 Lite — £280
• Huawei Mate 10 — £699
• Huawei Mate 10 Pro — £799

The Mate 10 Pro started off with a $799.99 price in the U.S., but right now, can be purchased on Amazon directly from Huawei for just $549.99.

I expect we’ll see similar pricing for the Mate 20 lineup, with an increase of £20 – £50 here or there thanks to the rumors of a 4,200 mAh battery and in-display fingerprint sensor.

When will it be released?

As for when we’ll be introduced to the Mate 20 series for the first time, we’re likely looking at an announcement within the next couple of months.

The Huawei Mate 10 family was announced on October 16, and a year before that, the Mate 9 was unveiled on November 24.

Huawei Mate 10

• Huawei Mate 10 Pro review
• Huawei Mate 10 series specs
• Huawei Mate 10 Pro U.S. review: Close to greatness
• Join the discussion in the forums
• More on 2016’s Mate 9

What color Galaxy Note 9 should you buy?

Depends on your region as much as your taste.

The Galaxy Note 9 is undoubtedly going to be one of the best phones of the year — it’s packed with every top-end spec under the sun, and the S Pen is better than ever with its new wireless functionality. You probably already know if you’re going to buy one or not, so the only thing left to figure out is what color to get it in.

Samsung showed off four colors at its Unpacked event last week: ocean blue, lavender purple, metallic copper, and midnight black. They all look great, but depending on where you live, you might not be able to get the color you want.

Galaxy Note 9 in Ocean Blue

The ocean blue Galaxy Note 9 seems to be Samsung’s favorite, given that it’s the one being displayed in all of the company’s recent ads, and who can blame them? It’s a deep blue finish with a contrasting yellow S Pen that gives the whole phone a unique, eye-catching look.

See at Samsung

Who is it for?

As one of the two colors available in the States, you’ll be seeing a lot of ocean blue Note 9s floating around in the coming months. If you’re okay with that, it’s a great-looking finish — and it’ll be easily re-sellable when it comes time to upgrade again.

Galaxy Note 9 in Lavender Purple

Lavender is a lighter shade of purple than the lilac purple used on the Galaxy S9 and S9+, though it’s just as gorgeous as ever. It can get a bit lighter or darker depending on the way the light hits it, and the metal frame matches the finish. There are plenty of blue phones elsewhere, but you won’t find a purple phone many other places.

See at Samsung

Who is it for?

If you live in the U.S. and the ocean blue Note 9 isn’t your thing, the lavender purple may be a better bet. It likely won’t be in as many hands as the ocean blue model, so you’ll stand out in a crowd, and the S Pen is color-matched to the phone.

Galaxy Note 9 in Copper

Stateside shoppers won’t be seeing much of the metallic copper Galaxy Note 9, since it isn’t coming to the U.S. For others, though, the copper finish is an interesting one. It’s not quite brown and not quite gold … I guess that’s why it’s called copper. ¯_(ツ)_/¯ It’s almost like a slightly lighter version of the mocha brown Huawei Mate 10 Pro.

See at Samsung

Who is it for?

This one’s easy. If you live in the United States, this one isn’t for you — at least not at first, though Samsung is known to add more finishes to its selection a few months down the road. The metallic copper is a great alternative to the blue and purple finishes, especially if you want to rub it in the faces of those who can’t buy it.

Galaxy Note 9 in Black

These other, flashier colors are nice, but it’s hard to argue with a stealthy all-black finish. The midnight black Galaxy Note 9 looks just like every other black Samsung phone in recent years — the pitch black glass back and metal frame match the display perfectly to create an ultra-sleek look that would undoubtedly be one of the most popular finishes … if it were more widely available.

See at Samsung

Who is it for?

Yep, that’s right. Even though you might think of the black finish as standard, it’s not going to be one of the two finishes in the U.S. and other regions. It’s a shame, because this is the perfect look for the no-nonsense shopper that wants the best of the best but doesn’t need to flaunt their phone.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

• Samsung Galaxy Note 9 hands-on preview
• Galaxy Note 9 vs. Note 8
• Where to buy the Galaxy Note 9
• Galaxy Note 9 specifications
• Is the Note 8 still a good buy?
• Join our Galaxy Note 9 forums

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Samsung Gear devices now support Pie, app renamed to Galaxy Wearable

Even after numerous developer previews, Pie still doesn’t support Gear accessories.

Updated August 14, 2018: At long last, Samsung’s finally rolled out Android 9 Pie support for its Gear wearables. This comes as part of the v2.2.21.18080361 update, and in addition to Pie support, also rebrands the app from “Samsung Gear” to “Galaxy Wearable” to match the new Galaxy Watch branding.

As of this past Monday, Android 9 Pie officially began rolling out to the Pixel/Pixel XL, Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL, and the Essential Phone. We’ve been having a blast with Google’s latest flavor of Android, but according to numerous reports from users, the new software isn’t so hot if you’re using a Samsung Gear product.

Take a quick visit to the r/Android subreddit, and you’ll find a heap of users reporting that Android Pie completely breaks any and all functionality with Samsung’s Gear devices (such as the Gear Sport, Gear S3, Gear Fit 2, etc.).

Gear devices that are paired to non-Samsung phones require users to install a few different Samsung apps, and despite the first P developer preview coming out in March, it would appear that Samsung still hasn’t updated its apps to support the new version of the OS.

One member on the XDA forums has come up with a temporary fix that allows Gear devices to keep working like usual on Pie, and while that’s fine in the interim, it’d be nice to see Samsung address this sooner rather than later.

Other Gear owners are reporting that their gadgets are working just fine while connected to Pie phones, however, so your mileage may vary.

Android 9 Pie review: Greater than the sum of its slices

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

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 vs. Galaxy S9+: Which should you buy?

Two big phones with one big difference.

Samsung phone fans always have something new on the horizon. With both a Galaxy S and Galaxy Note announcement every year, you’re never more than six months away from a new high-end phone that showcases the latest and greatest the company has to offer.

But that also puts you in a weird position immediately after one of the two phones is is announced: so right now, if you’re looking to upgrade, do you buy the six-month-old Galaxy S9+, or the brand new Galaxy Note 9?

Let us help you down the path of choosing which one is right for you.

Who should buy the Galaxy Note 9

With so much shared in the core platform of the Galaxy S9+ and Note 9, the differences are minimal — but just in case you’re looking for the absolute best, the Note 9 has the GS9+ beat in a few areas. The Note 9 has a jump in battery size, all the way up to 4000mAh, which is 14% more capacity — paired with the same internal specs, that directly translates to 14% longer battery life.

The Note 9 also has a trump card with its storage. There’s an option to buy 512GB of internal storage, which is double the highest Galaxy S9+ option. When paired with a 512GB microSD card, you’ll have over 1TB of storage locally on your phone. Amazing. That storage option also comes with 8GB of RAM, an upgrade over the 6GB in the base model and the Galaxy S9+, but don’t be fooled there — very few situations will require that much RAM.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9: Everything you need to know

Diehard Note fans shouldn’t settle for the Galaxy S9+.

To wrap it up simply, if you’re a diehard Note fan you won’t be satisfied with a Galaxy S9+. Yes the screen is almost as big, but the GS9+ is missing the feature that makes the Note name so important to people: the S Pen. If you’ve spent your time getting used to the power and precise input of the S Pen on your current Note — perhaps a Note 5 or even Note 8 — it’ll feel like a downgrade moving to the Galaxy S9+ even though it’s a great phone in itself.

There are a few reasons to get the Note 9, as pointed out above, but the big differentiator here is the S Pen — your decision to buy the Note 9 will probably hinge on that point.

See Galaxy Note 9 at Samsung

Who should buy a Galaxy S9+ instead

The Note 9 made a few key advancements in storage, battery size and of course the S Pen — but the rest of the phone is identical to the Galaxy S9+. The processor, base RAM and all of the core hardware features can be found on the Galaxy S9+ — all the way down to the charging rate, buttons, ports, dual speakers, IP68 resistance … and on down the list.

Unless you have a strong affinity for the Note’s S Pen, save some money and get a GS9+

The cameras, too, are the same on the Note 9. Don’t be fooled by Samsung’s new “intelligent” camera features — those are minor changes to the interface and shooting experience, not dramatic improvements to the actual quality of the photos you take. The Galaxy S9+ is just as capable of taking wonderful shots as the Note 9, even without scene detection — and there’s a really good chance those features will make their way back to the GS9+ with the next platform update.

The Galaxy S9+ does have a smaller display, but it’s a negligible difference of just 0.2-inches diagonally — something you really won’t notice in regular day-to-day use. The display quality itself is wonderful on both phones, both indoors and out.

See Galaxy S9+ at Amazon

Which should you buy?

So when you look at the true game-changing differences between these phones, there are really only three reasons why you wouldn’t get the Galaxy S9+: you need an S Pen, need 512GB of internal storage or need that 14% larger battery. If you don’t need those features, you’ll be far better served by buying a Galaxy S9+ for less money.

The Galaxy S9+ starts at $820, a full $180 less than the base Galaxy Note 9 — that’s a significant price difference that can make you think twice about how badly you need those few extra features. But if you want the biggest and best, and money isn’t an issue, the Note 9 is clearly the superior phone overall — the extra money spent isn’t wasted.

Update August 2018: Now that the Note 9 is available, we have the information you need to choose between the two phones.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

• Samsung Galaxy Note 9 hands-on preview
• Galaxy Note 9 vs. Note 8
• Where to buy the Galaxy Note 9
• Galaxy Note 9 specifications
• Is the Note 8 still a good buy?
• Join our Galaxy Note 9 forums

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Anker Nebula Mars II tips and tricks to get the most from your projector

Try these tips to make your portable projector even better!

Anker’s Nebula Mars II is great for just turning on and streaming your favorite videos, but you can do a few extra things that make it a more versatile device than most projectors.

Here are some tips and tricks for using the Nebula Mars II!

• Sideload applications
• Adjust the picture
• Pair Bluetooth speakers
• Use the Mars II as a Bluetooth speaker

Sideload applications

One of the benefits of Android is that you can get applications from places besides the Google Play Store, and install them without too much hassle. This means for devices like the Mars II that don’t have the Play Store, you can still install apps that Nebula’s store is missing. As always, make sure you get your APK files from a legal and safe source.

Make sure you have the APK file saved to a USB drive (formatted as FAT32), or use the included WebView browser to download the APK from your source. Protip: a USB mouse makes the web browser so much more enjoyable to use.
Open the File Manager from the projector’s home screen.
Select APK across the top banner.
Select the APK file you’d like to install.
Select Install.

Once the app is done installing, you can either go back to the home screen or open the app directly. And that’s it!

Adjust the picture

The Mars II will automatically adjust its keystone and focus every time it’s moved, so your picture won’t be blurry or off-kilter. This means you can just turn the projector on, set it down and get to watching your favorite shows on a big screen. But, there are a few options if you want to adjust the picture yourself.

Open Settings from the projector’s home screen.
Select Projector.

You get a few options, like changing the color temperature, image mode — Standard Mode for full power, Battery Mode for saving juice — disabling the auto focus and keystone correction, and changing the projection mode.

Pair Bluetooth speakers

The speakers inside the projector are great for the space, but it’s not hard to pair the projector to bigger, better sounding Bluetooth speakers, or enjoy some privacy with Bluetooth headphones.

Open Settings from the projector’s home screen.
Select Bluetooth.
Enter pairing mode on your Bluetooth speakers or headphones.
Select your speakers or headphones from the list of available Bluetooth devices.

That’s it! As long as your speakers or headphones are turned on, any sound from the projector will be routed there. There is also a 3.5mm jack on the speakers if you prefer a wired connection.

Use the Mars II as a Bluetooth speaker

Of course, the Mars II will get louder than your phone’s built-in speaker. This makes the projector great to bring along to cookouts or bonfires. Fortunately, using it as a speaker isn’t difficult.

Press the power button on the remote.
Select Bluetooth speaker.
You can also press the Bluetooth button on top of the projector to switch into speaker mode.
Give the projector a moment to switch to Bluetooth speaker mode. Once the projector lens turns off, it will be fully switched over.
Navigate to Bluetooth settings on your phone, and select the device labeled as Nebula.

That’s it! Now your tunes will come from the projector’s speakers instead of your phones. When you’re ready to switch back to using the projector as a projector, just press the Bluetooth button on top.

What say you?

What tips do you have for using the Nebula Mars II? Let us know down below!

See at Amazon

Fortnite for Android offers more frustration than fun

This is not the best way to play Fortnite.

After a long wait, Fortnite has finally arrived for Android — albeit currently as a beta soft-launched as an exclusive for Samsung Galaxy device. It’s also unique in being one of the biggest titles to find release on Android outside the Google Play Store, making it a rather bold experiment for developers Epic Games who are surely looking to cash in on the Android user base with its massive gaming cash cow.

I’ve been playing it almost non-stop from the moment it was made available in the Samsung Galaxy App Store, and this is my early review of the game having played it on a Samsung Galaxy S8.

See at Epic Games

Fortnite is fun, but not on Android

Fortnite is a great concept for a game and has proven itself to be wildly popular amongst gamers of all ages. I’ll admit to being among the millions of people who will watch Fortnite streamers on Twitch because there’s just something fascinating about the level of creativity that the open world and building mechanics allow.

It’s just a damn shame how Epic Games has gone about releasing the game on Android.

When the news began to trickle out that the game was to be unveiled at Samsung’s Note 9 event it was easy to assume that meant the game was ready for a hyped primetime release. Instead, what we got was the official start of the Fortnite Beta testing for Android, with Samsung Galaxy users getting the first crack at the game.

Having spent a good chunk of my weekend playtesting the game I can definitively say that Fortnite for Android, in its current state, is simply not a fun experience. Considering the iOS beta launched came out five months ago, I would have hoped that the game would have at least run as smoothly at launch for Android but it’s simply not the case.

It’s forgivable for a game released in beta to be a bit buggy, but for Epic Games to release the game on Samsung’s big stage and deliver a product that’s so underwhelming is almost an insult —especially so when compared to PUBG Mobile, a similar battle royale title released with significantly less fanfare.

Graphics are far from “epic”

One of the first red flags I ran into when testing Fortnite was the inability to adjust the graphics settings. By default, they are set to “epic”, but even in the main menu things seem pretty janky right out of the gate with bad anti-aliasing leading to a really out-dated look. Nothing happens if I apply new graphics settings, and when I go back to check I find them set right back at epic again. I’ll chalk it up to the early release status of the game, but then you also see help notes that suggest you “find the right preferences for your computer” and it all starts to feel like a rush job.

Graphical performance might be better on a larger screened device, but it’s still absolutely disappointing when compared to other high-performance games I’ve played recently. This is not typically something that sticks out to me, but the in-game draw distance and rendering of trees and structures is laughable at times. Because the map is so big and there’s so much stuff to render it’s somewhat understandable, but you’ll often see stuff just pop up on the horizon as blocks of color, only becoming a recognizable thing as you get closer or zoom in with a rifle.

A constant source of frustration

There’s been widespread reporting from our own readers and from around the internet that Fortnite for Android is a laggy mess with abysmal frame rates. This has been my experience, too, and has completely ruined at least half of the games I’ve attempted to play.

It will drive you up the walls when you die again because your opponent was able to finish you off you while your game freezes up.

The frame rate seems to particularly take a hit in the early moments of a game after just touching ground or when engaging in tight quarters firefights. Both of these situations are crucial moments in a game such as Fortnite — you’re either desperately searching for weapons and collecting supplies or battling in do-or-die combat. It will drive you up the walls when you die again because your opponent was able to finish you off you while your game freezes up.

There’s been a number of times where I can other players are struggling with the game just as much as I am, which I guess could sort of even out the playing field but certainly not in the way you would want. Instead, it becomes a matter of overcoming lag first and then hopefully hitting your opponent with a kill shot.

These controls are the death of me

Mobile gaming as a whole gets a bad name because touch controls suck. They don’t always suck, but when they suck they really suck. Such is the case with Fortnite, a game that requires you to switch between shooting at moving targets and building structures at a moments notice. It’s a complicated set up and it’s frankly bad. Releasing the game exclusively for Samsung Galaxy devices also unintentionally illustrated just how crappy the trend of shrinking bezels can be for gaming.

Games sure look great on a bright, bezel-less display, but I feel like Epic Games has yet to take into account how shrinking bezels affect button placement. Because Samsung’s screens go as near to the edge of the device as possible, the decision to place the default fire button in the very right corner is downright foolish — spare for probably a child hand.

Because the fire button wasn’t in a natural spot for my thumb I would have to go searching for the fire button after lining up my shot which often meant missing the shot and giving away my location. Fortunately, there is the option to completely customize the heads up display and controls in the settings — and that’s absolutely one of the first things any gamer should do after downloading the game — but then I found the game tends to revert controls back to default after updating.

Epic Games has said that they intend to add Bluetooth controls somewhere down the line, but why not give Android gamers a crucial feature like that right out of the gate? It would have helped to mitigate some of the other points of frustration that is bogging this game down. Instead, the game feels rushed with frustrating gameplay that doesn’t exactly have you eager to keep playing

Cross-platform where it counts

This might sound crass, but the best parts of the game are the menus and the ease at which you’re able to log in to play the game. If you’ve previously created a Fortnite account with Epic, or have played the game on Xbox One or PlayStation 4 you can log in with your preferred credentials and load up your character along with any in-app purchases and gear you’ve collected on other platforms. The on-screen control customization was another crucial

While your account follows you from PC to mobile there is no cross play between platforms. The game only pits you against other mobile players so there’s no concern to be had about getting schooled by a PC or console player — although some players are so good you might think they’ve hacked the game or something.

The other feature I’ll give a nod to is the Battle Pass system. There’s a free Battle Pass that lets you complete challenges and work your way up the tiers to unlock new stuff, but you also have the option to buy into the premium Battle Pass which includes many more challenges to complete and apparently over 25,000 V-Bucks worth of stuff to unlock. Whether you play for free or with a premium Battle Pass, you’re given in-game objectives to complete to progress up the tiers to unlock new emotes, axes, and even V-bucks — the in-game currency — but the game is designed to entice you to spend your hard-earned cash early and often.

In-app purchases are exclusively tied to cosmetic character upgrades and the premium Battle Pass so at least it’s not a game where you can pay-to-win, but I still find the V-Bucks pricing to be quite steep for what you get in return. You can buy 1000 V-Bucks for around $10 USD, or 2,800 V-Bucks for $25 USD. A Battle Pass season costs 950 V-Bucks, while cosmetic upgrades start at around 500 V-Bucks and can go as high as 2,000 V-bucks.

To that end, it does make that Note 9 preorder deal that comes with 15,000 V-Bucks pretty enticing— especially if you’ve discovered Fortnite to be virtually unplayable on your current Galaxy phone and intend to spend them on 15 seasons worth of Battle Passes.

Concluding thoughts

Fortnite is supposed to be a game that pits players against one another, but Fortnite for Android instead pits players against the game itself. Instead of being a test of player ability the game is more so a test of your patience as you constantly struggle against laggy frame rates and sub-par controls.

This game offers you all the content found on other platforms but without the polish or attention to detail that makes it worth your time. At this point in time, Fortnite for Android is not a game I would recommend playing — it’s simply not worth the stress it will induce.

Pros:

• All the fun of Fortnite on your phone.
• Cross-platform support for account purchases.

Cons:

• Gameplay is laggy and lacks settings optimization.
• Controls are weak with no Bluetooth support.
• Perfect storm of frustration and stress.

2
out of 5

Fortnite is free to play with in-app purchases available

See at Epic Games

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