Smart Reply not smart enough? Desktop Gmail users can soon opt out

After users complained that Gmail’s Smart Reply wasn’t so smart, Google announced that it will soon give desktop users the ability to disable the A.I.-based feature. Although the time-saving feature relies on artificial intelligence to come up with short responses based on the context of the email message, users complained that early iterations of Smart Reply frequently offered suggestions that were either not very useful or not appropriate. Early iterations of Smart Reply often suggested “I love you” and “Sent from my iPhone” as possible responses to email messages.

Despite complaints, Smart Reply appears to be catching on. The Wall Street Journal reported that Smart Reply was used on more than 10 percent of all sent Gmail messages, which is a huge number considering that Gmail counts more than 1 billion users. The Journal also noted that in the coming weeks, Google will provide desktop Gmail users with the option of opting out of Smart Reply altogether. Google already offers users of the Gmail app the ability to turn it off.

Although Smart Reply only launched earlier this year alongside Google’s big Gmail redesign, the feature was present for about a year before that for Gmail users who used the Inbox service. Google claimed that 12 percent of Inbox users had used the smart feature, prompting it to make it available to more users. When Google moved Smart Reply out of Inbox and into Gmail, it said that it changed the algorithms to make the suggestions more natural.

“Based on our examination of the use of Smart Reply in Inbox and our ideas about how humans learn and use language, we have created a new version of Smart Reply for Gmail,” Google wrote on its A.I. research blog at the time. “This version increases the percentage of usable suggestions and is more algorithmically efficient.”

Google claims that by using a bot to scan your messages, it can apply machine learning to improve Smart Reply and make better, more personalized recommendations in the future. And even though suggestions may improve, for group emails, Smart Reply may not be able to discern whether you’ll want to reply to one person or everyone in the email thread.

For users who love the Smart Reply suggestions, Google is looking at ways to bring this capability to other messaging apps in the future on its Android platform.

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These are the cheapest data plans you can buy in the U.S.

Have a carrier in mind or just looking for a cheap plan? Here are the cheapest plans you can get from every one.

All prices valid as of September 19, 2018

If you’re hellbent on saving money on your wireless plan, then you have to get away from the Big Four carriers (T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon). Smaller carriers, called mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) or alternative carriers, lease coverage from the larger networks and resell it for less.

That being said, depending on your usage and needs, a plan from one of the Big Four might actually be your least expensive option. Here we go.

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Before choosing a plan

Before you choose a carrier and/or a wireless plan, it’s best to first determine your needs and usage habits. If this is your first smartphone, I’d like to first welcome you to the 21st Century and secondly encourage you to try out your options without getting yourself into any yearly or multi-year contracts.

If this ain’t your first rodeo, then reflect on your phone habits from the past. How much data have you actually used in an average month? Do you really need an unlimited plan or are you actually on Wi-Fi more than you realize? Could you benefit from an international plan of sorts?

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Take time to analyze your usage and then choose the plan that best fits those needs. Most carriers are more concerned with making you overbuy by convincing you that you need unlimited everything, when the fact is that 90% of Americans don’t.

Don’t let carriers dictate what they think you need, because it will almost always be much more than what’s necessary. Figure out what you need and make carriers work for you.

Plans

You could opt for the cheapest data plan there is, but if you end up using more than what’s allotted, you could pay far more in overages when you could’ve just picked the right plan for you. See if these options fit your usage habits.

You use less than 2GB of data per month

Many, many Americans use significantly less data than they think. If you’ve realized that you’re using less than 2GB of data per month, then these are the best cheap plans for you:

Mint Mobile: Mint Mobile is an MVNO that leases coverage from T-Mobile. You don’t sign up for a contract, but you pay in advance for 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months, saving you more money the longer the term.

• Cheapest plans: $15/month for 3 months ($45 up front)
• What’s included: 2GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, tethering

Republic Wireless: Republic operates on the Sprint and T-Mobile networks. No fixed contract required. It encourages users to spend time on Wi-Fi by making it easy to automatically connect to many hotspots around the country.

• Cheapest plan: $20/month
• What’s included: 1GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk and text, tethering

Project Fi: Project Fi is owned by Google and operates on the T-Mobile, Sprint, and U.S. Cellular networks. Project Fi’s most interesting feature is the refund you get for data you pay for but don’t use.

• Cheapest plan: $30/month
• What’s included: 1GB 4G LTE and “The Basics” — unlimited talk and text, unlimited international texting, tethering, data-only SIM, international roaming

MetroPCS: MetroPCS is owned by T-Mobile and operates on the T-Mobile network. Its cheapest monthly plan includes all taxes and regulatory fees and requires no contract.

• Cheapest plan: $30/month
• What’s included: 2GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, tethering, visual voicemail, Wi-Fi calling

Boost Mobile: Boost is owned by Sprint and therefore uses its network. You just pay month to month, with no contract necessary.

• Cheapest plan: $35/month
• What’s included: 3GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, unlimited music streaming from select services (may require monthly subscription)

Cricket Wireless: Cricket is owned by AT&T and operates on the AT&T network. You pay monthly for Cricket, with no fixed contract.

• Cheapest plan: $30/month
• What’s included: 2GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data (incompatible with tethering)

You use an average amount of data

The average American uses around 4GB of data per month. If you’ve noticed this trend for yourself, then consider these your cheapest options:

Mint Mobile: Mint Mobile is owned by Ultra Mobile and operates on the T-Mobile network. You pay upfront for 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months. The longer your term, the more money you save.

• Cheapest 4GB+ plan: $20/month ($60 up front for a 3-month term)
• What’s included: 5GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, tethering

Simple Mobile: Simple Mobile is owned by TracFone Wireless and operates on the T-Mobile network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest 4GB+ plan: $37.50/month ($40 without Auto Re-Up)
• What’s included: 6GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, tethering, unlimited international calling to mobile lines in 33 countries, unlimited international calling to landlines in 66 countries, unlimited international text, data roaming in Mexico

You’re a data hog!

If you’re one of the few people who uses more than 10GB of data per month, then you’ll probably want to go with an “unlimited” plan from one carrier or another. These plans will usually give you 4G LTE up to around 20GB per month, and if you’re going over that, then you deserve a medal.

Keep in mind that no “unlimited” plan is truly unlimited. Every carrier has a certain cap, and after you reach said cap, your speeds will likely be slowed to 128Kbps (2G speeds).

T-Mobile: T-Mobile is about as close to truly unlimited data as it gets, with a massive 50GB prioritization point. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest unlimited plan: $70/month
• What’s included: 50GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk and text, Music Unlimited, tethering (20GB of 4G LTE, unlimited 3G speeds), unlimited video streaming, free in-flight texting and 1 hour of data on Gogo-enabled flights

Boost Mobile: Boost is owned by Sprint and uses the Sprint network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest unlimited plan: $50/month
• What’s included: 35GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, 8GB of tethering, unlimited music streaming from select services (may require monthly subscription)

MetroPCS: MetroPCS is owned by T-Mobile and operates on its network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest unlimited plan: $50/month
• What’s included: 35GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, unlimited music streaming (may require monthly subscription), voicemail, visual voicemail, Wi-Fi calling

Cricket Wireless: Cricket is owned by and operates on AT&T’s network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest unlimited plan: $55/month (with Auto Pay)
• What’s included: 22GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, unlimited international texting, roaming in U.S., Canada, and Mexico (50% of usage must be in the U.S. for roaming in Canada)

Family matters

You can often save money on your monthly phone plan by entering into family plans with various carriers. You’ll usually pay full price for the first line but receive a discount on subsequent lines. Not every carrier offers family/multi-line plans. Here are the cheapest around:

T-Mobile: T-Mobile’s single-line unlimited plan isn’t cheap, but if you have 4 lines, you end up saving $35/month per line.

• Cheapest unlimited plan: $35/month/line for 4 lines ($70 for 1 line, $60/line for 2 lines, $47/line for 3 lines)
• What’s included: 50GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk and text, Music Unlimited, tethering (20GB of 4G LTE, unlimited 3G speeds), unlimited video streaming, free in-flight texting and 1 hour of data on Gogo-enabled flights

Cricket Wireless: Cricket is owned by AT&T and operates on the AT&T network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest family plan: $25/month/line for 5 lines ($60 for 1 line, $40/line for 2 lines, $30/line for 3 lines)
• What’s included: 22GB 4G LTE capped at 3Mbps (per line, per month), unlimited talk, text, and 2G data

MetroPCS: MetroPCS is owned by T-Mobile and operates on its network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest family plan: $60/month for the first two lines and $30/month/line for up to 4 more lines
• What’s included: 2GB 4G LTE data/line/month, unlimited talk, text, 2G data, music streaming from select partners (may require monthly subscription), visual voicemail, Wi-Fi calling

Boost Mobile: Boost is owned by Sprint and operates on the Sprint network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest family plan: $30/month/line for 5 lines (with Auto Re-Boost)
• What’s included: 3GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, 2G data, unlimited music streaming from select services (may require monthly subscription)

Sprint:

• Cheapest family plan: $24/month/line for 5 lines
• Whats included: Unlimited 4G LTE with speeds deprioritized during congestion, unlimited talk and text, 5GB of 4G roaming in Mexico and Canada, 500MB of tethering

For the globetrotter and those with family overseas

If you often travel internationally or you have family abroad, then you’ll want a carrier with a good international calling plan for cheap.

Project Fi: Owned by Google and operates on the T-Mobile, Sprint, and U.S. Cellular networks. You can use your Project Fi data in 135 countries just like you would at home. Unlimited texting is also included, but international calling is subject to various fees.

• Cheapest international plan: $30/month
• What’s included: 1GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, unlimited international texting

Boost Mobile: Boost is owned by and operates on Sprint’s network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest international plan: $35/month plus $5 for Todo Mexico or $10 for International Connect Plus
• What’s included: Todo Mexico Plus gets you unlimited calling to all of Mexico, unlimited calls to Canada, Unlimited international SMS (text) messaging. International Connect Plus gets you all of the above plus MMS messaging, unlimited calls to landlines in over 70 countries, 200 minutes to select mobiles lines in over 50 countries, and reduced per-minute rates to over 200 destinations.

Virgin Mobile USA: Owned by Sprint, operating on the Sprint network. No fixed contract required. Virgin’s international add-ons are essentially the same as Boost’s because they’re both owned and operated by Sprint.

• Cheapest international plan: $35/month plus $5 for International and $10 for International +
• What’s included: International includes unlimited calls to Mexico, unlimited calls to Canada, unlimited international text messaging. International + includes all of the above plus unlimited calling to landlines in over 70 countries, 200 minutes to select mobile lines in over 50 countries, and reduced per-minute rates to over 200 destinations.

What motivates you?

Are you on a super cheap data plan? Let us know in the comments below and tell us about your experience!

Alternative carriers (MVNOS)

• What is an alternative mobile carrier?
• What are the advantages of going with an alternative carrier?
• How to make sure your phone works on a prepaid alternative carrier
• 8 Important Considerations When Switching To An MVNO
• These are the cheapest data plans you can buy in the U.S.
• Mint SIM vs. Cricket Wireless: Which is better for you?

The team behind YouTube Music will answer your questions tomorrow!

YouTube Music is here — and it’s packing the biggest music library in the world.

YouTube is one of the most-viewed websites on the planet, and by far the most popular video platform today, so it’s no surprise that millions upon millions of users turn to it every day for music. It’s the default platform for music videos — especially viral music videos like This is America and Girls Like You — and it’s also a place to find just about any song, remix, mashup, or fan cover you could ever want. Whether you’re looking for lyrics to a song before karaoke night, music to sleep to, or a new remix to play at your next party, YouTube has what you’re looking for.

Now, YouTube is ready to make another run at a music app built upon their video empire with YouTube Music. It’s a music app with a truly unique interface, an unparalleled selection, and more than a few kinks to work out, but YouTube Music is here to stay and here to compete.

The latest YouTube Music news

September 20, 2018 — YouTube Music Product Team holding Q&A on September 21st

YouTube Music pledged to bi-weekly updates back at the beginning of August and more transparency, but 6 weeks out and very little seems to have changed. There are still tons of questions swirling around the revamped music service, and to help assuage concerns the YouTube Music Product Team is holding a Q&A session Friday morning at 9:30AM PT.

You can submit your questions for the team right now on the event thread of the official YouTube Music Help forum. There have already been a flurry of questions posted, especially around the migration of Google Play Music to YouTube, Android Auto support and library sort options, which are two features that the YouTube Music team said were coming “in the next few months” back in July.

Go ask a question for the YouTube Music team to answer

August 29, 2018 — YouTube Music Premium expands to 4 more countries

As the YouTube Music Premium rollout continues, it’s now been confirmed that the service is available in four additional countries. Specifically, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands!

Similar to other parts of Europe where YouTube Music Premium is available, the service costs €9.99/month and 99 kroner/month in Denmark.

August 1, 2018 — YouTube Music plans bi-weekly update schedule, reconfirms some coming features

YouTube Music has a lot of bugs to fix and features to add before it can begin to truly compete with Spotify or begin migrating Google Play Music subscribers over, and while those updates will take time, we at least have something of a timetable for when YouTube Music will be receiving updates.

YouTube Music product manager Elias Roman tells Engaget that the service plans to push out updates for the service every two weeks. Among the changes Roman confirmed:

• An album sorting option beyond recently added
• A drop-down menu option to filter out musicians you follow on YouTube Music from the main YouTube Subscriptions feed
• Low/medium/high audio quality settings for streaming and downloads (coming in a few weeks)

Roman was also quoted as saying that “We are not focused on exclusives. We don’t believe exclusives are good for the industry or good for consumers.” This makes sense for YouTube Music given that everything available on YouTube Music is available on the main YouTube app to both paid and free users, which would make exclusives available to everyone.

July 17, 2018 — Google promises Android Auto support, better sound quality, SD card support, and more with future updates

There are plenty of areas in which Google can improve YouTube Music, and thanks to the team behind the app, we now have a short list of features to expect in future updates.

Over on the YouTube Music Help forum on Google Support, the YouTube Music team says that the following features will be available in no particular order over the coming months:

• Better audio quality, and ability to select the quality for downloading and streaming
• Sonos support
• Android Auto support
• SD card support for Android
• More obvious shuffle vs. play-in-order options for playlists

It’s unclear when exactly all of this will be available, but the option to save downloaded songs to an SD card is rolling out now.

June 18, 2018 — YouTube Music is coming to 12 new countries and becoming available to all inside the original “Early Access” countries

YouTube has opened up YouTube Music to 12 new countries , as well as ending its awkward and often confusing “Early Access” period and making the service available to everyone in its original five countries.

This brings the number of countries YouTube Music serves up to 17 — Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Mexico, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States — and with the new YouTube Music also comes the new YouTube Premium pricing system.

May 23, 2018 — Your locally owned songs from Google Play Music will transfer over to YouTube Music… eventually

Google wants all of its Play Music subscribers to migrate over to YouTube Music at some point in 2019, and to help make that process as seamless as possible, the company’s confirmed that some of Play Music’s best features will be coming to the new YouTube Music — the biggest of which is a music locker for storing copies of song you locally own.

This news was recently confirmed by Google to The Verge, with the Head of YouTube Music saying on Twitter that “Your collection, playlists and preferences from Google Play Music will be preserved at migrated to YouTube music for a soft landing.”

In addition to having a place to store music you already own, YouTube Music will eventually allow you to buy new songs that you can add to your collection.

May 22, 2018 — The new YouTube Music is officially here!

Just like we expected, YouTube Music’s new app and desktop site officially started rolling out on May 22. Google says the new look is currently in “early access” and is gradually becoming available for folks in the U.S., Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea.

To access YouTube Music, you can download the app from the Play Store or hit up the desktop site at music.youtube.com. If you’re not seeing the changes quite yet, be sure to check back frequently to know when you’ve been graced with Google’s good wishes.

All the big details

The service starts at $9.99/month — but no one should pay that

There’s no real sugar-coating it: using YouTube Music as a free user on Android is bad. There are ads every three to six songs, and you can’t leave the Now Playing screen, so it hogs your screen and your battery. YouTube Music is worlds better when you unlock its paid features. YouTube Premium is absolutely worth paying for.

YouTube Music Premium, however, is not.

For the love of Duarte, buy YouTube Premium instead of YouTube Music Premium

Where is YouTube Music Premium available?

If you’re still interested in checking out YouTubeMusic Premium, the service is currently available in the following countries:

• Australia
• Austria
• Belgium
• Canada
• Denmark
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Ireland
• Italy
• Luxembourg
• Mexico
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Russia
• Spain
• Sweden
• United Kingdom
• United States

What’s happening to Google Play Music? Where’s my likes and playlists?

Google wants all of its Play Music subscribers to migrate over to YouTube Music at some point in 2019. That means YouTube Music will be adding most of Google Play Music’s tentpole features — the biggest of which is Google Play Music’s free 50,000 song music locker.

What does YouTube Music mean for Google Play Music

That said, Google Play Music and YouTube Music’s libraries and catalogs at the moment are completely disconnected and there’s quite a bit that has to happen before that can change. The library migration is a long ways off, but in the meantime, Play Music users get two music apps to play with instead of one. So which one should you use?

YouTube Music vs. Google Play Music: Which should you use?

A mixtape full of promise

YouTube Music is built on a gold mine. YouTube is not only the most used video platform in the world, it might be the biggest catalog of professional, semi-professional, and amateur music available in the world. This isn’t the first time Google has tried to capitalize on this, but this time is different. YouTube’s music team has finally gotten its act together and made us all a mixtape full of promises.

But can it follow through on them?

YouTube Music review: A mixtape full of promise

Getting started

YouTube Music is an adjustment from traditional music services — especially because it is based around video rather than audio — but thanks to the Google’s search prowess and downright uncanny predictions and recommendations, getting used to Google’s newest music service should be as painless as possible. And since it’s built around years of your YouTube history, YouTube Music already knows you better than you think.

Getting started with YouTube Music

Going offline

Networks fail. Your plane says it’s going to have Wi-Fi, but nope. You get stuck in the car with your parents in the middle of nowhere, and you’re outside cell range, and the radio stations are nothing but static and muffled AM country. Having music to listen to when you offline is important, and when the music service you’re using is based around video — which eats data like nobody’s business — how you save your music for offline playback is even more important.

How to download music for offline playback in YouTube Music

What is it missing?

YouTube Music is a brand-new service — albeit one built on an old app of the same name — and like most things that are shiny, new, and different, there are a lot of bugs to be worked out. There are a lot features that are still missing — from basic audio quality settings to more complicated endeavours like gapless playback and library management — and we’ve got a handy list of what’s missing and when we could maybe see some of it.

On that note — YouTube Music’s library does not include every video on YouTube, nor does it include every song and album on Google Play Music right now.

What YouTube Music still needs

Making the most of things

YouTube Music is “Early Access” right now, which means the service is essentially a beta and it is definitely buggy. While time and updates will fix some of those bugs, there are some things you can do to make the most of its current state.

6 tips and tricks for using YouTube Music

Also, even if you’ve never used YouTube Music before, it has years and years of your YouTube history to work off of. That means that YouTube Music could already have a good idea what you like, or it could have things completely wrong because you’ve mostly used YouTube to pull up music when your nieces are over or you’re hosting a party for your country-obsessed friends. Here’s how to help YouTube help you with better suggestions.

How to improve YouTube Music recommendations

Can it dethrone Spotify?

Spotify has spent the last decade building up a loyal user base, building algorithms that few companies can even begin to touch, and building up a reputation as the best brand in streaming music. YouTube, however, is one of the most used sites on the internet, period, a selection you can’t find anywhere else — a selection that will be absolutely unbeatable in the future — and Google is bringing its best algorithmic game with YouTube Music.

It’s still early days, but YouTube Music will be enough to dethrone Spotify soon?

YouTube Music vs. Spotify

Updated August 2018: Added a new section for where YouTube Premium is available.

The new Garmin Vivofit Jr. 2 kid’s fitness tracker is Spider-Man themed

Make Peter proud.

Garmin’s Vivofit Jr. 2 activity trackers are a fantastic way to motivate your kids. Today the company announced that Spider-Man is joining the existing lineup of characters, which include Disney Princesses, Minnie Mouse, Star Wars, and The Avengers. The new Spider-Man tracker is available in both red and black for $79.99.

This tracker keeps a log of steps, sleep, active minutes, and more. The battery lasts over one year. To keep kids motivated, there’s a free themed corresponding app that will let your child go on adventures alongside Spidey. They’ll soar above cities, fight Vulture and Green Goblin, and more. The more activities they complete and exceed, the more they unlock within the app.

There’s also a companion app available for iOS and Android which will assist parents in the family fitness journey. You can view your child’s activity, assign chores, schedule reminders, and even create fun challenges. In addition, you can reward kids with virtual coins. Perhaps 50 virtual coins can be redeemed for more video game time? Or 100 coins constitutes a special dessert treat? Agree on a reward and watch your little ones learn that exercise can be both fun and gratifying.

The Garmin Spider-Man Vivofit Jr. 2 is currently available at Amazon for $79.99.

See at Amazon

Amazon announces upgraded Echo Dot with vastly improved sound quality

The new speaker costs $49.99 and is on sale today.

Amazon’s Echo Dot is one of the most accessible smart speakers on the market, and now it’s getting even better. At the company’s secret event at its HQ in Seattle, Amazon unveiled its third-generation Dot.

The new Dot has a similar footprint compared to the second-gen model but now features a fabric design that looks a lot homier than the hard plastic that was used before. It honestly looks like the love child of an Echo Dot and Google Home Mini, and to be honest, we’re not complaining about that at all.

One area where the Home Mini easily outperformed the second-gen Dot is in sound quality, but with gen-three, that’s something Amazon’s hoping to change. The new Echo Dot boasts a 1.6-inch driver and is rated to be 70% louder than the previous model with much clearer audio.

You can purchase the Echo Dot starting today for $49.99.

See at Amazon

The best controllers for PS4

The stock controller for the PlayStation 4 is very good, but it’s not for everyone. Fortunately, there are a lot of options out there that offer a different experience and cater to different markets. Whether you’re a competitive gamer, have kids who want to play, or just want to sharpen up your experience, a good controller is important. Pick up one of these options if you’re looking for something to change up your play.

Familiar form

Scuf Impact

Scuf controllers are used by a large portion of the pro-gamers who play on console, and the Impact is the company’s latest and greatest effort for the PS4. The basic shape is the same as the regular PlayStation DualShock 4, but the grips are longer and the whole thing is less angular.

$150 at Scuf Gaming

Best in class

Razer Raiju Ultimate

Razer doesn’t mess around when it comes to making gaming peripherals and the Raiju is no exception. With the new and improved Raiju Ultimate model, only available in Europe at the moment, the controller is now wireless thanks to Bluetooth technology. Around the back, you’ve got a couple additional triggers and two more buttons on top next to the bumpers.

€200 at Razer

The forefather

Sony DualShock 4

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? The DualShock 4 is the standard controller that comes in the box and therefore, comes with the design we’ve come to expect.If you like it already but wish it were a little more interesting, Sony has a range of different colors available. The red one here is pretty hot, but new variants keep appearing all the time.

$47 at Amazon

Asymmetrical goodness

Nacon Revolution

Some folks love PS4 but wish the controller was more like the Xbox One’s with it’s offset analog sticks. Many find this layout more ergonomic, which makes the Nacon Revolution a great option to try. It’s wired, so you can’t sit too far away from the console, but the shape and layout are pretty similar to what you’d find with the Xbox.

$89 at Amazon

Nintendo nostalgia

Hori Mini Wired Gamepad

Need a solid controller for younger, smaller hands that doesn’t cost a lot? Or maybe you’re a traveling PS4 gamer that needs something compact. That’s where the excellent Hori Mini Wired Gamepad comes in. As the name implies, this is a wired controller. The touchpad is missing, which is OK, but there’s a button in place for when you might need it.

$28 at Target

Hello Xbox layout

Hori Onyx

If you’re a PS4 gamer but you’ve always prefered the style and feel of an Xbox controller, I have great news for you. The Hori Onyx controller gives you all the same functionality of a PS4 controller in a different form. You get a wider and beefier grip with offset analog sticks, so you get the same sensation playing on your PS4 as you would on your Xbox.

$80 at Amazon

Updated September 2018: We’ve updated this post with the new Razer Raiju Ultimate model.

Here’s everything Amazon announced today at its new devices event

Amazon and its 3,000 devices just announced at an event in Seattle.

And we mean they announced pretty much all the things.

We’re live from the Amazon devices event in Seattle. We knew a slew of stuff was on the way, but it’s actually crazy how much new stuff Amazon just dropped.

We’re talking Echo. We’re talking microwaves. (Yes, really.) We’re talking about Echo in your car. We’re talking clocks. We’re talking amps. We’re talking antennas and DVR for Amazon Fire TV.

And we’re breaking it all down below. Click away!

• New Amazon Echo Dot
• New Amazon Echo Plus
• New Amazon Echo Show
• Amazon Echo Input
• Amazon Echo Sub
• Amazon Echo Link and Link Amp
• Amazon Smart Plug
• Amazon Fire TV Recast
• Amazon Basics Microwave
• Amazon Echo Wall Clock
• New Ring Stick Up Cam
• New stuff for Alexa

New Amazon Echo Dot ($49)

We’ve got a brand-new Amazon Echo Dot. It’s smaller. It’s got a new fabric design. It’s 70 percent louder and much clearer, which should help with our biggest complaint about the Echo Dot, thanks to a 1.6-inch driver — a full half-inch larger.

Plus it still has line-out and Bluetooth.

It’s available today for $49.99 and is available everywhere you can get a current Amazon Echo.

See at Amazon

New Amazon Echo Plus ($149)

There’s a new Amazon Echo Plus on the horizon, just a month out from the original. As you’ll recall, the 2017 Amazon Echo Plus shared the same design as the original Amazon Echo — long and lean. This one shrinks things down a bit (more like the current Amazon Echo — yes, it’s a bit confusing.) Basically, we’re just looking at a new design here.

It’s $149 and will ship in October.

See at Amazon

New Amazon Echo Show ($229)

The first Amazon Echo Show was … OK for what it was at the time. But it very quickly was outpaced by things like the Google Smart display. Now Amazon is refreshing things with an all-new screen (going from 7 inches to 10 inches for twice the display area) and an all-new speaker. So it’ll have better sound with dual-firing, side-by-side 2-inch speakers and real-time Dolby processing.

It’s available for pre-order now for $229.

What remains to be seen is if it’ll actually play YouTube natively, but it will have Amazon’s Silk browser, as well as Firefox.

See at Amazon

Amazon Echo Input ($34.99)

This is like an Amazon Echo Dot, only without the speaker. You’ll plug it into an existing speaker that you want to add Alexa functionality to. (So, yes, it’s like a Chromecast Audio, sort of.) It’ll connect with either a 3.5mm audio cable, or over Bluetooth. And it’s got a four-microphone array so you can hit up Alexa from across the room. And it’s small, at just 12.5mm tall.

It’s $34.99 and will be available later this year.

See at Amazon

Amazon Echo Sub ($129.99)

The Amazon Echo Sub is — wait for it — a subwoofer for an existing Amazon Echo or Echo Plus. You can rig them up in a 2.1 or 1.1 pairing. You can preorder it today for $129.

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Amazon Echo Link Amp ($299) and Echo Link ($199)

If you absolutely must have something connected through Amazon that will work with your existing component stereo system, there’s Echo Link and Echo Link Amp. (The latter as the name implies, has a more series amp.) We’re talking 60 watts and two channels, multiple inputs and outputs. But no microphones — you’re going to control these over the internet through an existing Echo speaker.

The basic Echo Link is $199, and the Echo Link Amp is $299. They’ll be later this year.

Amazon Smart Plug ($24.99)

Smart plugs are a dime a dozen these days, but now Amazon has its own. As you’d expect it ties into Alexa. But it’s even easier than that. Just plug it in, and an Amazon Echo will recognize that it’s there and automatically walks (and talks) you through the setup process. You’ll then be able to rename the plug and use it going forward.

And at $24.99, it’s as cheap as any other smart plug we might recommend.

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Amazon Fire TV Recast ($229 – $279)

This is a horrible name for a great little product. It’s an over-the-air streaming box that plugs into an antenna, and then fires that signal over to an Amazon Fire TV or an Amazon Echo Show. (Think HDHomerun, Tablo, or AirTV.) You can also watch on iOS or Android, even outside your home.

Plus, it’s got a built-in DVR. It’ll be available with two tuners and a 500-gigabyte hard drive for $229, or four tuners with a 1-terrabyte hard drive at $279.

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Amazon Basics Microwave ($59)

Yes, Amazon has made a microwave. You’ll use your Amazon Echo to control it (or, ya know, just mash the buttons), and it’ll use presets just like you’d expect. “Alexa, pop some popcorn. Add time.” That sort of thing.

It’s $59.99 and will be available in October.

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Amazon Echo Wall Clock ($29)

It’s an Echo! It’s a wall clock! It, uh, tells time and stuff! It’s also got little LED lights in it that lets you visualize timers, and it will auto-adjust to Daylight Saving’s Time.

It’s $29.99 and will be available later this year.

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New Ring Stick Up Cam ($179)

Amazon now owns Ring, and that means it’s time for a new standalone Ring Stick Up Cam. There are wired and wireless versions, and they’ll tie into your Ring of Security (get it?) to help you keep an eye on your home.

It’ll start at $179.99 and be available in the U.S., France, Germany, Australia and more.

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Amazon Echo Auto

It’s a little thing you’ll plug into your car’s and then you can ask your car things like you’re Michael Freaking Knight. And you can talk to your Amazon Echo to learn more about what your car is up to, like fighting crime on the mean streets of Southern California. It connects via Bluetooth or an Aux port for audio feedback and is dash-mountable. It’ll use your phone for an internet connection and is location-aware, so you can tell Alexa to do a certain thing when you reach a certain place, or open your garage door when you get home.

Yes, that’s a little LED on the front. Just like KITT.

Basically, you’ve got a full-blown Amazon Echo in your car. You can shop on the fly. Or make lists to shop later. Or use drop-in to get with folks back home.

It also has turn-by-turn navigation with audio prompts. Or it can open up Apple Maps, Google Maps or Waze, if that’s your jam. It’ll cost just $49 regularly, or $25 if you’re willing to give feedback to Amazon.

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What’s new with Alexa and other things

• Alexa will be able to understand when you’re whispering, rather than speaking at full volume. And she’ll respond in a whisper, too. So if you whisper, say, “play a lullaby,” she’ll respond in kind and then play quiet lullabies.
• Alexa is also gaining the contextual computing, which basically lets you string together multiple questions, and she’ll understand that one goes along with the other.
• Amazon has a new Frustration-Free Setup that it’s working on for smart home devices. (Like the aforementioned Smart Plug.)
• There’s a new free API for the development community and third-party manufacturers like TP-Link, Eero and others are already on board. It’ll help devices talk to each other and connect more smartly to your home network.
• And current Echo devices will be updated with those APIs as well.
• Alexa Guard combines all of your home security features. Say, “Alexa, I’m leaving,” and it’ll pull in all the info from your various devices, even if they’re not meant to work together. They’re partnering with Ring (which Amazon owns) and ADT for starters. … And when you’re gone for a while, Alexa can automatically turn lights off and on to make it look like you’re home.
• Skype is getting integration with Alexa. So Skype customers can do voice and video calls directly from Echo and Echo Show, in addition to Alexa messaging and phone calls.

Amazon offers its latest Echo devices in discounted bundles, pre-order now

The Amazon Echo Sub is a subwoofer for your Echo speakers

Pre-orders go live today and it costs $129.

While the main focus for Echo gadgets lies with the power and flexibility of Alexa, products like the Echo and Echo Plus can also act as pretty good speakers for jamming out to your favorite music. Now, your Alexa streaming sessions are going to get even more powerful with the Echo Sub.

The Echo Sub is exactly what you’d expect. It’s a subwoofer that connects to your Echo speakers and gives them a nice bit of punch that they were previously lacking. You can connect an Echo Sub to two Echo speakers for a 2.1 surround sound system or with just a single Echo for richer mono audio.

This combo probably won’t be replacing your Sonos setup anytime soon, but it’s a nice addition to the Echo family for users that want a higher-end audio experience without going broke.

Pre-orders officially go live today and pricing is set at $129.99.

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Use mouse and keyboard with these PS4 games

Most people are pretty well aware of the fact that PC gamers are at an advantage when it comes to detailed control. Using a mouse and keyboard certainly has its benefits. However, not everyone is aware of the fact that the PlayStation 4 actually does support keyboard and Mouse input. Here are some of the games that support keyboard and mouse that you might want to try

RPG Fantasy MMO

Final Fantasy XIV

Like so many MMOs, there is a lot going on when you play Final Fantasy XIV. Fortunately, it has native keyboard and mouse support and that might make your life a little easier.

$58 at Amazon

War Simulation

War Thunder

If you are hot for military combat simulators, you are probably already familiar with War Thunder. However, you may not be aware that you can use mouse and keyboard when playing it. Just think about being able to map your zoom command to your mouse wheel. Life is already a little easier!

Free at PlayStation

Fantasy MMO

Elder Scrolls Online

What do you know! It’s another MMO that supports keyboard. Unfortunately, you cannot really use it in the game per say. However, if you have ever spent time trying to send a message to your guildmates with a PS4 controller, you know that a keyboard might make your life a little easier. Fortunately for you, you can use a keyboard for just that. This goes other MMOs as well, such as Neverwinter and DCU Online.

$34 at Amazon

Third person shooter

Paragon

When controlling at a reticle for targeting is important, it’s hard to deny that the most effective method of doing that is with a mouse. Paragon may have you spinning around and trying to line up the bad guys in your target. Fortunately, Paragon is happy to allow you to do so!

$26 at Amazon

Keyboard and mouse support is still pretty limited on PS4. However, it does help with the games that offer it. You actually can by an adapter which will allow you to use keyboard and mouse on any PS4 game. It is important to keep in mind though that by using an adapter you run the risk of getting banned from your favorite game if you try it.

Amazon’s new Echo Show has slimmer bezels and dual side-firing speakers

Pre-orders open today for $229.

Although there was a lot of hype and fanfare surrounding the Echo Show when it first debuted last year, it ultimately failed to live up to everyone’s wild expectations. Amazon’s aware of that, and with the all-new second-gen Echo Show, the company’s hoping to address all of the issues we had the first go around.

From a design standpoint, the new Echo Show looks considerably better than its predecessor. The 10-inch HD screen has much slimmer bezels and allows for two times the display area compared to last year’s model.

Along with the screen, Amazon’s also promoting a vastly improved audio experience. There are now dual side-firing 2-inch speakers that feature real-time Dolby processing. According to Amazon, this setup is now capable of “filling a room.”

There’s still a camera above the screen for video calls, but rather than being limited to just calls with other Alexa users, there’s now new Skype integration so you can make video and voice calls directly from your Echo or Echo Show. Lastly, both the new Echo Show and the previous model will get web browsing support thanks to the Amazon Silk Browser and Firefox.

Pre-orders for the Echo Show go live today with pricing set at $229.

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