Travis Touch is a “universal translator” – but is it too late?

Of all the cool gadgets in Star Trek, one of the least-appreciated is the universal translator, which lets the crew of the Enterprise –or Voyager, or Discovery– talk to pretty much anyone through their communicators. So when I heard there was a real-world version called the Travis Touch, I jumped on it faster than you can say “open hailing frequencies.”

Travis Touch is a small Android-powered handheld that packs enough built-in intelligence to translate 105 spoken languages – more than the 41 supported by Google Translate, and many more than the 11 of Microsoft Translator. Eight of those are stored locally, while the remainder are accessible if you connect Travis to WiFi or a 4G network (via the built-in SIM slot). It can also act as a 4G hotspot.

To find out whether the Travis Touch was a good fit for me, I took it along when I traveled to Germany and Sweden for IFA 2018 and the Mercedes EQC launch, respectively – and the answer I came away with taught me a little bit about what kind of traveler I am. Join me for the Travis Touch Hands-On, and check out the Indiegogo link in the video description if you think a Travis Touch is a good match for you; the campaign closes on September 15th.

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iPhone XS vs. iPhone XR: Design, Tech Specs, and Price Comparison

Apple on Wednesday introduced the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, its new flagship smartphones, and the lower-priced iPhone XR.

iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are the latest and greatest models with the most features. That also makes them the most expensive, starting at $999 and $1,099 respectively in the United States, versus the iPhone XR at $749 and up.

To make the buying decision easier, we’ve put together a comparison of the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR below.

Just the Tech Specs

iPhone XR

• 6.1-inch LCD display
• 1792×828 resolution (326 PPI)
• True Tone
• Single 12-megapixel rear camera (wide-angle lens)
• Single 7-megapixel front camera
• Portrait Mode with Depth Control
• Smart HDR photos
• A12 Bionic chip
• Face ID via TrueDepth sensors
• Lightning connector
• Fast charging capable: up to 50% charge in 30 minutes
• Qi-based wireless charging
• IP67-rated water resistance to a depth of 1 meter for up to 30 minutes
• 64GB / 128GB / 256GB
• Dual SIM (Nano-SIM and eSIM)
• LTE Advanced
• VoLTE
• 802.11ac Wi‑Fi with MIMO
• Bluetooth 5.0

iPhone XS

• 5.8-inch OLED display
• 2436×1125 resolution (458 PPI)
• True Tone
• Dual 12-megapixel rear cameras (wide-angle and telephoto lenses)
• Single 7-megapixel front camera
• Portrait Mode with Depth Control
• Smart HDR photos
• A12 Bionic chip
• Face ID via TrueDepth sensors
• Lightning connector
• Fast charging capable: up to 50% charge in 30 minutes
• Qi-based wireless charging
• IP68-rated water resistance to a depth of 2 meters for up to 30 minutes
• 64GB / 256GB / 512GB
• Dual SIM (Nano-SIM and eSIM)
• Gigabit-class LTE
• VoLTE
• 802.11ac Wi‑Fi with MIMO
• Bluetooth 5.0
• HDR display
• 3D Touch

iPhone XS Max has a larger 6.5-inch OLED display and one-hour-longer battery life, but otherwise identical tech specs as the iPhone XS.

What do I lose with the iPhone XR?

With a $250 lower price point, the iPhone XR doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles of the iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max. Apple had to make some trade-offs to get the price down, but not as many as one might expect.

We’ve explained the differences between the iPhone XR and iPhone XS in more detail below, but from a bird’s eye view, expect some compromises related to the display, cameras, and overall design. Apple has also replaced 3D Touch on the iPhone XR with a new haptic feedback solution named Haptic Touch.

iPhone XS vs. iPhone XR: Feature Comparison

Displays
Like the previous-generation iPhone X, the iPhone XS has a 5.8-inch display, while the iPhone XS Max has a larger 6.5-inch display. The iPhone XR slots between those sizes, with a 6.1-inch display.

While the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max have OLED displays, the iPhone XR uses an LCD as a cost-cutting measure. Due to the limitations of LCD technology, the iPhone XR display is not quite edge to edge, with marginally thicker bezels than the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max.

The LCD on the iPhone XR has a resolution of 1792×828 pixels, or 326 pixels per inch, quite a bit lower than the 2436×1125 pixels resolution of the iPhone XS display, good for 458 pixels per inch.

Apple has been using LCDs since the original iPhone, and its displays are generally among the best in the industry, so despite not being OLED, the iPhone XR should still provide a quality viewing experience.

On a display-related note, Apple has replaced 3D Touch on the iPhone XR with a new haptic feedback solution named Haptic Touch.

Design
Beyond the display differences, the overall design of the iPhone XR is a bit different than the iPhone XS. For example, the iPhone XR has an aluminum frame along the edges, rather than stainless steel.

The back of the iPhone XR is still composed of glass, so it supports Qi-based wireless charging. On that note, Apple says the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max have “improved” wireless charging, so it’s possible those models will have increased output, with fast charging on the iPhone XR remaining up to 7.5W.

iPhone XR is marginally thicker than the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max at 8.3mm versus 7.7mm for the latter two models.

Beyond the slightly thicker display bezels, single-lens rear camera, and additional colors, this is more-or-less an iPhone XS-esque device, with a notch for the Face ID sensors and a nearly edge-to-edge display. There’s also the usual Lightning connector, speaker grilles, volume switches, and so forth.

Battery Life
Apple says the iPhone XS lasts up to 30 minutes longer than the iPhone X, while the iPhone XR lasts up to 1.5 hours longer than the iPhone 8 Plus. Those stats are hard to compare, so here’s the breakdown:

iPhone XS on left, iPhone XR on right
Despite being less expensive, the iPhone XR actually achieves between two and five hours longer battery life per charge cycle, depending on the task, compared to the iPhone XS. In fact, the iPhone XR has slightly longer battery life than even the iPhone XS Max, which gets two less hours of web usage.

This is likely because the iPhone XR’s so-called Liquid Retina display is less power hungry than OLED displays, and due to more physical space for a larger lithium-ion battery pack inside the iPhone XR.

Cameras
All three new iPhones have a 12-megapixel rear-facing wide-angle camera lens, but the XS and XS Max have dual camera arrays with an additional 12-megapixel telephoto lens, whereas the XR has the single lens.

This means the iPhone XR lacks 2x optical zoom, which is the ability to zoom in on a subject up to 2x without any blurriness. Digital zoom, which does add blur, is limited to 5x, versus 10x on the XS and XS Max.

Despite having a single-lens rear camera, the iPhone XR has advanced technologies that enable Portrait Mode with Depth Control, which can automatically adjust the depth of field or bokeh effect in the background of photos. iPhone XR also has Smart HDR, bringing more highlight and shadow detail to photos.

All three new iPhones have a 7-megapixel front-facing TrueDepth camera, but the iPhone XR is limited to three Portrait Lighting effects: Natural, Studio, and Contour. iPhone XS and XS Max models also have Stage and Stage Mono effects.

Storage
iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are available in 64GB, 256GB, and all-new 512GB storage configurations. iPhone XR comes with 64GB, 128GB, or 256GB, so if you’re looking for the new 512GB option, you’ll have to pay up for an XS or XS Max.

Colors
iPhone XS and iPhone XS are available in Silver, Space Gray, and Gold finishes.

iPhone XR is offered in a wider variety of finishes, including Blue, White, Black, Yellow, Coral, and (PRODUCT)RED.

Pricing
As mentioned up top, the iPhone XR starts at $749 in the United States, representing $250 savings over the iPhone XS, priced from $999. It’s also $350 less expensive than the iPhone XS Max, priced from $1,099. As another comparison, last year’s iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus now start at $599 and $699 respectively.

So, should I buy an iPhone XS or iPhone XR?

For many people, the iPhone XR is the one to get. It’s the iPhone X for people who don’t prefer spending $999 or more on a smartphone, but still want a powerful and capable device with the latest tech specs.

We recommend the iPhone XR to anyone who wants a taste of the iPhone X era: a large, nearly edge-to-edge display with a notch, Face ID, a glass back, and both wireless and fast charging. You’ll also get Portrait Mode with Depth Control, Smart HDR, and the same performance improvements of the A12 Bionic chip.

iPhone XR also a larger display than the iPhone XS, and longer battery life than both the XS and XS Max.

We recommend the iPhone XS, and more so the iPhone XS Max in particular, for anyone who wants the absolute best iPhone available today: up to a 6.5-inch OLED display, up to 512GB of storage, the A12 Bionic chip, IP68-rated water resistance, a stainless steel frame, gigabit-class LTE, and so forth.

iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are available to pre-order on Apple.com and through carriers as of today. iPhone XR pre-orders begin October 19.

Related Roundups: iPhone XS, iPhone XRBuyer’s Guide: iPhone XR (Buy Now)
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Apple Releases Golden Master Version of iOS 12 Shortcuts App

Ahead of next week’s launch of iOS 12, watchOS 5, and tvOS 12, Apple has released an updated version of the Shortcuts app that will be available once iOS 12 is released.

The new Shortcuts beta is the golden master (GM) version of the app, which represents the final version of the app that will be provided to consumers.

According to Apple’s release notes, the new Shortcuts update introduces new actions that were not available during the beta testing period, with “Limited actions available in beta” listed as a resolved issue.

Over the course of the iOS 12 beta testing period, access to the Shortcuts iOS app via Testflight has been limited to developers. Public beta testers and general consumers will be able to experience the Shortcuts app for the first time next week.

For those unfamiliar with Shortcuts, it’s an iOS 12 Siri feature designed to let you create multi-step shortcuts using first and third-party apps that can be activated by Siri voice command.

So, for example, you can create a shortcut to do something like turn on the thermostat at home using the Nest app, text your roommate that you’re on the way with Messages, and open up the Maps app with directions home all with a single “I’m going home” Siri command.

Shortcuts are deeply customizable, with third-party apps able to expose a series of quick actions to Siri that can be incorporated into your Shortcuts recipes. Apps are expected to begin releasing updates with Siri Shortcuts support and other iOS 12 features starting next week.

Apple will release iOS 12, watchOS 5, and tvOS 12 to the public on Monday, September 17. The software updates will likely be released at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.

Related Roundup: iOS 12Tag: Siri
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No games will support ray tracing when Nvidia RTX graphics cards launch

When Nvidia’s RTX-series graphics cards debut on September 20, complete with tensor cores for A.I.-driven supersampling and RT cores for ray tracing, some of those features will go completely unused. Despite a growing list of games that will eventually support ray tracing, Nvidia has confirmed that there won’t be a single game with ray tracing support on the day of the cards’ launch.

Despite gamers clamoring to learn what real-world performance of the next-generation graphics cards will be like, Nvidia spent most of its Gamescom announcement of the new GPUs discussing ray tracing — what it is, why it’s so hard to do, and the tricks and techniques Nvidia has used to make it viable years before it should be theoretically possible. A big part of that is the RT cores found on Nvidia’s new RTX cards, but on day one, those cores won’t be doing much at all.

The current list of games that have been confirmed to be adding ray tracing at some point in the future currently stands at 11. However, even though some of those are now available, they don’t have the ray tracing visual features just yet. As  Tony Tamasi, Nvidia senior vice president of content and technology, confirmed to PC World, some of them will begin to add ray tracing features a month or two after the release of the cards. That will coincide with Microsoft’s planned Windows 10 October 2018 update, which should bring official support for its own DirectX ray tracing API, which powers Nvidia’s solution.

Tamasi didn’t go into detail about which games we could expect to see ray tracing debut on first, but considering Battlefield 5 was one of the biggest showcase titles at the original RTX unveiling and is itself releasing on November 20, two months after the RTX graphics cards, it seems likely to be one of the first. Shadow of the Tomb Raider is also known to have working ray tracing already — albeit with a big performance hit — so it is a likely candidate for early adoption too.

When games do start to add ray tracing support, they’ll likely only be supported by the top two cards: the Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti and 2080. We still don’t have a firm release date for the more affordable RTX 2070. The expected mid- and entry-level offerings, the 2060 and 2050, are rumored to be classed as “GTX” rather than RTX cards, and could ship out without support for the new ray tracing and DLSS visual features.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Nvidia RTX 2080 reviews may not drop until September 19
• Everything you need to know about the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2000 series
• Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 2060 might launch next year without ray tracing
• Leaked benchmark shows the RTX 2080 outperforming the GTX 1080 Ti
• ‘Tomb Raider’ devs respond to RTX 2080 Ti, ray tracing performance concerns

Samsung’s new AKG wireless headphones are available starting today

Upgrade your music.

During the IFA 2018 tech show held in Berlin, Harman announced a whole lot of new products on the horizon for Samsung audio fans. One of those announcements was a new lineup of AKG wireless headphones. The flagship product, the N700 noise-cancelling headphones, is not quite available yet, but the Y500 and Y100 headphones are on Amazon, AKG.com, and other retailers starting today.

The AKG Y500 are wireless on-ear headphones that use multi-point connectivity to support two Bluetooth devices at one time. They have a battery life that lasts up to 33 hours on one charge, too, so you can listen all day without worrying about running out of power. These headphones start at $149.95.

The $99.95 AKG Y100 are wireless Bluetooth headphones similar in design to other headphones we’ve seen like the Aukey BP-40. They are light, durable, and meant to be used all day even while on the go. The headphones use a feature called Ambient Aware, which lets you decide how much surrounding noise you’re hearing. That way you can dive into your music while sitting on the subway and be more aware of what’s happening while you’re crossing the street.

If you can hold out a little while longer, the AKG N700 headphones will be available later this fall. These headphones will be the best of the best of what AKG offers, including adaptive noise-cancelling with a 20-hour battery life, and AKG’s best sound technology. They will start at $349.95. If you’re looking for something in this range at this very moment, try the Bose QuietComfort Series 35 II for $349 or Sony’s brand new WH-1000XM3 over-ear headphones for $348.

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How to unlock every suit in Spider-Man for PS4

Don’t be like Peter just starting out. We all deserve better suits than old clothes found in our closets.

Spider-Man features 27 different suits for Peter to wear as he’s stopping crime throughout the city. These range from iconic suits pulled straight from the comics to some funnier suits that Insomniac designed just for the game.

Most of them require you to level up within the game and earn tokens to unlock them. You can earn these by completing side activities like fighting crime, research tasks, and finding Peter’s backpacks around the city. The remaining suits are gated behind specific story missions or completing 100% of every district.

Note: The name of one of the final suits you unlock can be considered a spoiler, however we have included it in this list.

• Advanced Suit
• Classic Suit Damaged
• Classic Suit Repaired
• Noir Suit
• Scarlet Spider Suit
• Spider Armor – MK II Suit
• Secret War Suit
• Stark Suit
• Negative Suit
• Electrically Insulated Suit
• Spider-Punk Suit
• Wrestler Suit
• Fear Itself Suit
• Stealth “Big Time” Suit
• Spider Armor – MK III Suit
• Spider-Man 2099 Black Suit
• Iron Spider Suit
• Velocity Suit
• Spider Armor – MK IV Suit
• Spirit Spider
• Spider-Man 2099 White Suit
• Vintage Comic Book Suit
• Last Stand Suit
• Anti-Ock Suit
• Undies Suit
• Homemade Suit
• Dark Suit
• ESU Suit

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See at PlayStation

Advanced Suit

Unlocked with:

• Complete 5th main story mission Something Old, Something New
• 1 Backpack Token
• 2 Crime Tokens

Classic Suit Damaged

This is the suit you start off the game with.

Classic Suit Repaired

Unlocked with:

• Complete 5th main story mission Something Old, Something New
• 2 Backpack Tokens
• 2 Crime Tokens

Noir Suit

Unlocked with:

• Complete 5th main story mission Something Old, Something New
• 2 Backpack Tokens
• 1 Base Token

Scarlet Spider Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 4
• 3 Crime Tokens
• 2 Landmark Tokens

Spider Armor – MK II Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 5
• 1 Landmark Token
• 1 Base Token
• 2 Research Tokens (You must reach a certain point in the story in order to earn Research Tokens)

Secret War Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 7
• 1 Base Token
• 2 Backpack Tokens
• 1 Research Token

Stark Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 9
• 1 Base Token
• 3 Crime Tokens
• 1 Research Token

Negative Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 11
• 2 Landmark Tokens
• 1 Research Token
• 1 Base Token

Electrically Insulated Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 13
• 3 Crime Tokens
• 1 Base Token
• 1 Research Token

Spider-Punk Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 16
• 2 Backpack Tokens
• 3 Base Tokens
• 2 Landmark Tokens

Wrestler Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 19
• 2 Backpack Tokens
• 2 Base Tokens
• 2 Research Tokens

Fear Itself Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 21
• 6 Challenge Tokens
• 2 Base Tokens
• 3 Research Tokens

Stealth “Big Time” Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 23
• 4 Challenge Tokens
• 2 Base Tokens
• 3 Landmark Tokens

Spider Armor – MK III Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 26
• 4 Challenge Tokens
• 2 Base Tokens
• 4 Crime Tokens

Spider-Man 2099 Black Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 29
• 2 Base Tokens
• 4 Crime Tokens
• 4 Research Tokens

Iron Spider Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 31
• 3 Challenge Tokens
• 3 Base Tokens
• 4 Crime Tokens

Velocity Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 33
• 4 Challenge Tokens
• 2 Backpack Tokens
• 2 Landmark Tokens

Spider Armor – MK IV Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 35
• 4 Challenge Tokens
• 4 Base Tokens
• 3 Landmark Tokens

Spirit Spider

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 37
• 6 Base Tokens
• 6 Challenge Tokens
• 6 Crime Tokens

Spider-Man 2099 White Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 39
• 4 Base Tokens
• 4 Challenge Tokens
• 4 Crime Tokens

Vintage Comic Book Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 41
• 4 Challenge Tokens
• 4 Backpack Tokens
• 4 Crime Tokens

Last Stand Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 45
• 20 Crime Tokens

Anti-Ock Suit

Unlocked with:

• Complete the main story campaign

Undies Suit

Unlocked with:

• Complete the game 100% (All main missions, side missions, activities, and districts)

Homemade Suit

Unlocked with:

• Find all 55 backpacks around the city

Dark Suit

Unlocked with:

• Complete all Black Cat Stakeouts

ESU Suit

Unlocked with:

• Complete all 50 secret photo ops

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See at PlayStation

Updated September 14, 2018: We added information on how to unlock the hidden ESU suit.

PlayStation 4

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

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How to get a higher resolution PS4 screenshot

The quality of the screenshots on your PS4 got you down? Try PNGs!

One of the many benefits of modern gaming is the ability to share your victories, defeats, and bizarre gaming experiences with your friends. One of the many ways that can be done is through the sharing of screenshots.

If you’re a PS4 user and you’ve found the quality of your screenshots leave a little bit to be desired, you are not alone. Fortunately, there is a way to increase the quality of your screenshots so that they can be shared in all of the glory for which you intended them.

By default, the PS4 saves all screenshots as JPEGs. This is an effective method of saving screenshots if the only thing you are concerned about is storage space. JPEGs may not take up a lot of space on your hard drive but that is due to the compression that is applied to the images. If you want to get a fuller richer image you are going to have to change the format in which your PS4 saves screenshots.

Switching from JPEGs to PNGs is a snap and here is how to do it.

From the main page of your PS4, scroll on over and select Settings

Next scroll down and select Sharing and Broadcasts from the settings menu

Once you are in the Sharing and Broadcasts menu, select Screenshot Settings

Now select Image Format

And switch your Image format from JPEG to PNG

You are all set. From now on when you take a screenshot it’ll be saved as a PNG. These images are going to take up a bit more space the JPEGs did but I think that you will be much happier with the quality of the images.

Have you made the switch?

PlayStation 4

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

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Alpine Halo9 review: Android Auto and CarPlay are big and brilliant

The Alpine iLX-F309 Halo9 has a floating 9-inch display but only needs a single-DIN space in your dash. It’s about $899 at Amazon.

This may well be the best way for just about anyone to get Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.

If you want to experience Android Auto — that is, if you want to experience Android Auto the right way — you’re going to need to do it on a touchscreen. Sure, you can get Android Auto on a phone. And that’s great, because it’s better than nothing and it opens the platform up to anyone with an Android phone. But it’s just not the same as having it on a big screen.

The problem is that not everyone can have a big screen. Some cars just can’t handle a double-DIN unit, which is to say they don’t have room for that much hardware.

Enter the Alpine iLX-F309 — aka the Halo9. It’s a $900 head unit that handles Android Auto as well as Apple’s CarPlay. It does either with just a single USB port — and more important is that it fits in a single-DIN space.

Oh, and the screen is 9 inches diagonal. Intrigued? Let’s forage on.

Alpine iLX-F309 Halo9

Price: $899 retail

Bottom line: It’s not inexpensive, but it’s incredibly easy (and fun) to use, with a large touchscreen, access to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (among other sources), and it fits in most cars.

The Good

• Large capacitive screen in a single-DIN format
• Single USB port for Android Auto or CarPlay
• Dedicated GPS antenna
• Loads of options for car stereo enthusiasts

The Bad

• Not inexpensive
• No remote control
• Screen isn’t detachable for security

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Spend the money — it’s worth it

Alpine Halo9 What I like

I’ve used Android Auto and Apple CarPlay for as long as they’ve been around. They are two of the more important features Google and Apple have added to their phones in recent memory, for one simple reason:

They make you safer in the car. That is, they’ll keep you from playing with your phone while you’re driving.

Let’s not pretend that you’re never going to use your phone in the car. That’s simply not realistic. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use your phone in a safe and secure manner. If your vehicle doesn’t have an option for Android Auto or CarPlay built in, the Halo9 may well be the best aftermarket option.

Consider this: A 9-inch display is great. I’d almost argue it’s a little too big, actually — some of the graphics in Android Auto and (especially) in CarPlay get a little glitchy at that size but at just WVGA resolution, with round icons occasionally gaining corners, and individual pixels very much visible in places. That’s nitpicking, though. My wife has a 7-inch touchscreen in her car (capacitive, at that), and I’m never going back.

The trick, then, is how to get a 9-inch display in a car that decidedly was not built for such a beast. That’s bigger than even what a double-DIN setup would allow.

In this case, Alpine has the screen extended from the body of the head unit, which fits nicely inside a single-DIN space. It’s somewhat adjustable, so you can find the right fit between any controls and your air-conditioner vents. But do know that this isn’t the sort of thing you’ll be adjusting on the fly. So you’ll want to work with your installer to make sure you get things fitted as well as you can before you drive off.

The Halo9 is a great aftermarket experience for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Period.

While it’s adjustable, it’s not mechanical. The screen doesn’t get sucked back into the body of the head unit, nor does it easily remove for added security. It’s going to stand out a bit, very much in a good way, unless you’d prefer the interior of your car to be a little more inconspicuous. It’s nowhere near the 15-inch touchscreen of a Tesla Model 3, but this thing is going to get noticed.

For shared vehicles, you’ll love the fact that the Halo9 requires just a single USB port for Android Auto and CarPlay. Just plug in with the appropriate cable, and you’re set. No tweaking settings, no second port needed.

And while I’m not usually a fan of aftermarket user interfaces, Alpine’s is one of the better ones. You’ve got a mess of options, from Bluetooth and HD Radio to satellite radio, Pandora, and an aux port. And Alpine allows you to set favorites from any of the inputs (including phone calls, by the way), making it extremely quick and easy to access just about anything, should you decide to venture outside Android Auto or CarPlay.

And that’s just the bare bones. There’s a wold of options in addition to all that, including backup cameras and the KAC-001 Accessory Controller, and the iDatalink Maestro Module.

What I don’t like

Look, there’s not too much to not like here. I can nitpick over the small graphical hiccups in Android Auto and CarPlay at that 9-inch size and WVGA resolution, but that’s not really Alpine’s fault. Google and Apple maybe didn’t really take this product into consideration when designing things, and it’s something that maybe could improve in software at some point.

And I’m maybe not crazy about the capacitive buttons below the screen. This is where you’ll adjust the volume and get into the favorites and seek and fast forward and all that jazz. Capacitive buttons aren’t ideal for this because they don’t have any sort of tactile feel to them. But keep in mind that if your steering wheel has controls on it (and mine doesn’t) you’ll probably not need them too often. So while maybe I’d prefer a remote control in this instance, it’s not a deal-killer. (Especially given how much the Halo9 already costs.)

There’s also no support for optical media — no CDs or DVDs — and no SD card. I’m actually fine with that — they’re outdated forms of media and something I haven’t wanted to use in years anyway. But if it’s one of those things you just have to have, you’ll want to look elsewhere.

And, finally, it’s possible that a 9-inch screen is just too big for you. I’ll strongly disagree, though, and am willing to come to your house and argue that you’re wrong until you see the light.

Just saying.

Alpine iLX-F309 Halo9

4.5
out of 5

There’s not too much to overthink here. The Halo9 fits a very large screen in a small space. It supports both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and it does so with just a single USB port. It’s got a ton of bells and whistles beyond that, sounds great and is easy to use, even if you’re not a serious car stereo enthusiast.

It’s more expensive than other Android Auto and CarPlay options — but it’s also a much better experience.

See at Amazon

Spotify’s ridiculous offline limits are finally getting raised!

Come for the easy setup, stay for the algorithm-based recommendations

One of the most popular names in the music world today isn’t a band or a record label: it’s an app called Spotify. Spotify was one of the earliest and most popular music streaming services on the market today. The service is available on almost every platform, from cars to home assistants to high-end speakers to phones, tablets, and computers. Spotify’s prowess with data analysis and algorithmic music suggestions have made the service addictive for music-hungry users, and as the first major service to offer student pricing, it’s spread like wildfire on college campuses across the country.

Here’s what you need to know before and after you dive in with it.

The latest Spotify news

September 14, 2018 — Spotify is raising its offline limits!!

Spotify’s offline limits have been one of the bigger sticking points for Premium users. While Spotify’s 10,000 song library limit takes a while to reach, the 3-device, 3,333 song limit for Spotify’s offline content has been quite easy for users to hit, especially if they subscribe to any huge community playlists. Well, after years of persistent user complaints, Spotify is upgrading its offline limits to 10,000 songs on up to 5 devices. A Spotify spokesperson confirmed to Rolling Stone:

At Spotify, we’re always working on improving the experience for our users. We can now confirm that we have increased the number of offline tracks per device — from 3,333 on three devices to 10,000 tracks per device for up to five devices.

Being able to use more devices with Spotify’s offline content is great news, but the fact that you’ll be able to download your entire library on a single device is even better, since most users only use one phone at a time, and want to be able to access all of their music offline rather than just a third of it.

All the big details

Getting Started

Spotify is built to be as easy a listening experience as possible, and for most users, making an account is as easy as pressing one button. From setting up an account to getting your library established, we’re here to help you avoid as much pain as possible while you make the switch.

Getting started with Spotify

Pick your subscription

There are a lot of subscription styles out there for Spotify, but which one will fit you — and your family members — best? We break down the difference in Spotify subscriptions beyond the price points and show their prices and pitfalls, especially the very tight strings wrapped around Spotify Premium for Family subscriptions.

How to pick a Spotify account

Play your music everywhere

One of Spotify’s perks is that users can play back their music just about everywhere: their watch, their phone, their TV, their car, their smart speakers, high-end speakers, their computer, and just about everything in between. Best of all, connecting to all of these diverse devices uses the same simple UI: Spotify Connect. Here’s how this musical magic works and what it works with.

Spotify Connect: What it is and why it’s awesome

Settling in with Spotify

Once you’ve gotten your account up and running, it’s time to start mastering Spotify and making it work for you. From library management to offline playback and beyond, there are some simple things you can do to turn your Spotify experience up to 11.

Top 5 tips to make the most of your Spotify subscription

Playlist problems persist…

Playlists are a big part of any music service, but they’re doubly important on Android because playlists curated by everyday users can be highlighted by Spotify’s search and shared with your friends, family, and followers. There’s just one little problem: you can’t really edit playlists properly on Android. Or Chromebooks, for that matter.

Spotify has a playlist problem on Android

… but Spotify’s playlists have a secret ally

Even if you can’t tweak your playlist order, description, and image on Android, it’s still possible to build a big, beautiful playlist on Spotify. If you start running out of ideas for additions to your playlists, don’t worry. You can leverage the work you’ve already done and Spotify’s algorithms to expand your playlist with Playlist Radio.

Use Spotify’s radio to build bigger, better playlists

Queues, subqueues, and frustration

Managing and mixing up your queue on Spotify is a bit of a minefield for two reasons. The first is that rather than showing your listening history by letting you scroll up in your playlist, whatever you’re playing is at the top of the queue and what you last listened to is at the bottom if it’s visible at all.

The second is that Add to Queue doesn’t do what it’s called, which can turn an already confusing queue into a vanishing, inconsistent tur-queue-ken.

Spotify’s Add to Queue is a lie

Offline mode could use some work

We take our music out for a run, we bring music into the shower, and we always bring music when we travel, be it by plane, train, or automobile. And since we bring our music where our internet sometimes cannot follow, that means that offline modes for our music apps are important. Offline for Spotify is lackluster at best, and that’s disappointing for a whole host of reasons.

Offline mode on Spotify sucks out loud

Made For You is made in heaven

Finding something to listen to can be a tricky proposition for any music lover, but Spotify is known far and wide for their algorithmic prowess. And the best example of it isn’t the Discover Weekly or the year-end statistics. No, siree, the best use of Spotify’s number-crunching genius is a little section in Your Library called Just For You.

Spotify’s ‘Made For You’ is a love letter to music addicts

Spotify vs. Google Play Music

Spotify has a lot of competition, but perhaps the biggest competition they face on Android is convincing people that they’re better than the music player that came pre-installed on your phone: Google Play Music. To be sure, both services have their ups and downs, but here is a critical comparison of the two services to help you decide if you want to give Spotify your time, attention, and money.

Spotify vs. Google Play Music: The battle of the bigs

What’s your take?

What do you love or hate about Spotify? Let us know in the comments!

Whitestone Dome Glass Galaxy Note 9 case review: Corner save

Protecting the aesthetic and design simultaneously.

The Galaxy Note 9 is beastly: at nearly 6.4 inches tall and just over 7 ounces, when it falls it goes down hard. Anyone with a shattered glass back or front can attest to that. Whitestone’s Dome Glass clear case is just $10 but it does everything a good case should do: maintains the phone’s beauty while protecting as much of the device as possible.

A clear winner

Whitestone Dome Glass for Galaxy Note 9

$9.99 at Amazon

A clear case with no compromises

Whitestone’s Dome Glass is a clear case that adds much-needed grip and protects the Note 9’s four corners from impact.

The Good

• Doesn’t add much bulk
• Inexpensive
• High-quality plastic

The Bad

• Attracts dust and fingerprints

Whitestone Dome Glass for Galaxy Note 9 What’s good

Reviewing cases for big phones is a difficult proposition because as slippery or fingerprinty as a phone gets, the last thing you want to do is add weight or bulk to what may already be a pocket-protruding product. That’s the good news with Whitestone’s Dome Glass case, which is about as thin, light, and unobtrusive as it comes.

This is about as good a clear case as you’re going to get for $10.

Made with high-quality, flexible plastic (also known as TPU), the case’s best feature its grippy texture and reinforced corners, which make it easier to grip the slippery Note 9, and protect it from falls when those moments inevitably come. But while there is some give to the plastic, making it easy to install the phone, it’s thick and strong enough to give me confidence in its longevity — this case isn’t going to fall apart in a few months, and in the weeks I’ve had it on the phone, it’s yet to show the telltale discoloration that comes with cheaply-made clear plastic.

The Note 9’s side buttons are all easily accessed through the plastic perimeter, and the phone’s S Pen, a hallmark of Samsung’s series since its introduction in 2011, is quickly removed. Similarly, the bottom cutouts for the headphone jack, USB-C port, microphone, speaker, and S Pen, are all perfectly positioned.

Whitestone Dome Glass for Galaxy Note 9 What’s not good

As with all clear cases, it’s imperative you clean the phone, and the inside plastic, prior to inserting the phone every time, lest you end up with dust, lint, and obvious fingerprints. With this case and the oversized Note 9, there’s plenty of surface area for those tiny particles to get trapped, and that makes for a not-so-fun experience if you’re the fastidious type like me. I had to remove the Note 9 more than a few times, and then finally install the case in a steamy bathroom, to prevent said visual aberrations.

And while this is true of all cases, the Whitestone Dome Glass case, despite its transparency, still somewhat mars the Note 9’s visual appeal. Not by a lot mind you, but you miss the carefully-designed chamfers and other subtleties of the phone when it’s presented in a case.

Should you buy it? For a clear case, this is a great choice

There’s no question that, when buying a case, you want something that effects the right compromise between protection and protecting the visual appeal of the phone in your pocket. While the Note 9 is one of the tallest phones on the market, the Dome Glass case adds only a little weight and length to every dimension, and that it keeps my expensive phone from harm is more than enough reason to keep it on there in the long-term.

4
out of 5

At just $10, the Whitestone Dome Glass case for the Note 9 is a great deal.

See at Amazon

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

• Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review
• 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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