Listen to records wirelessly with Yamaha’s MusicCast VINYL 500 turntable

Stream or spin your favorite tracks.

Yamaha recently unveiled its MusicCast VINYL 500 turntable. Premiering at a retail price of $699.95, this record player is set for the future with Bluetooth capability, Wi-Fi connectivity, and more.

You may already be familiar with Yamaha’s line of MusicCast wireless speakers. If you’re lucky enough to already own a few yourself, this turntable would make for a good addition as it can connect wirelessly to any MusicCast speaker; you can even create a stereo system depending on the speakers you purchase. MusicCast is great because you can add on to your setup one speaker at a time if you wish, and even create a multi-room setup.

At a price like this, you’ll likely be looking for Hi-Fi quality, and MusicCast doesn’t disappoint. There’s a built-in phono preamp so you can even hook up older devices which aren’t from the MusicCast line of products. However, one of the nicest parts about this turntable is in its ability to connect to music services such as Spotify and Deezer directly so you can stream music wirelessly from them. There doesn’t seem to be Apple Music support at this time, though it does support AirPlay.

Yamaha tops off this product’s features with voice control. Have an Echo Dot laying around or another Amazon Alexa-enabled device? If so, you’re already good to go. All that’s left is to order via Amazon and hope for it to come back in stock soon. Amazon is one of our favorite places to find discounted vinyl records, so it might not hurt to keep an eye out there while you’re waiting.

See at Amazon

Grab a refurbished Amazon Echo Connect for $25 right now

No more landline.

Amazon has the Echo Connect refurbished for just $24.99. This device sells for $35 brand new and the refurbs only have a limited stock.

If you still have a landline phone and use it quite often, the Echo Connect can add a little smart functionality to it. You’ll be able to connect your home phone and then make and receive calls all from across the room. It connects to Alexa and syncs with your contacts so you can get her to remember numbers for you. It’s also easy to setup because all it does is plug into your home phone jack and sets up through the Alexa app on your phone. This is compatible with devices using at least iOS 9.0 or Android 5.0.

See on Amazon

Google Releases Chrome 69 for iOS and Mac With Refreshed Look, Revamped Password Manager

On the 10th anniversary of Chrome’s launch, Google today updated its popular browser to version 69, introducing a new look and several new features for the desktop and mobile apps.

Chrome 69 offers up a refreshed design with rounded tabs, a new color palette, and new icons, with the updated design extended to menus, prompts, the address bar, and other browser aspects. Google says the new design is meant to provide a simpler look that boosts productivity.

On iOS, changes have been made to make browsing faster, such as a relocated toolbar to the bottom of the app, with the new design also extending to Chrome for iOS.

Chrome 69 brings improvements to the way that Chrome manages passwords. Like Safari, Chrome now generates a secure password for you, saving it so that it can be used the next time that you sign in to a particular site.

The updated version of Chrome is also able to more accurately fill in passwords, addresses, and credit card numbers to make it quicker to get through checkout forms. Password and address information is stored within a Google account and can be accessed from the Chrome toolbar.

Chrome’s Omnibox, which combines the search bar and the address bar, has been updated to display answers directly in the address bar without needing to open a new tab. This includes results on public figures or sporting events, word translations, weather information, and more.

Google is making Chrome more customizable with the option to create and manage shortcuts for favorite websites directly from the new tab page, and the update offers several under-the-hood improvements like better performance tracking and new CSS features.

Chrome 69 for Mac can be downloaded from the Chrome website, while Chrome 69 for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Tag: Chrome
Discuss this article in our forums

CBS Sports Offering ‘Unprecedented’ Super Bowl LIII Access on Mobile, PCs, Tablets, and TVs

CBS today announced plans to offer “unprecedented access” to Super Bowl LIII, offering streaming access to the game online at CBSSports.com and the CBS Sports app with no authentication required.

The expanded access comes as part of a new agreement with the NFL that was announced earlier this year. CBS plans to offer streaming coverage from the CBS Sports app and website on connected TV devices, tablets, and mobile phones.

In prior years, streaming on mobile was limited to Verizon customers due to an NFL deal with Verizon Wireless.

“We’re looking forward to bringing this season’s biggest game to the biggest possible digital audience and building on the record-breaking Super Bowl streams we’ve delivered in the past,” said Jeff Gerttula, Executive Vice President and General Manager, CBS Sports Digital. “Streaming Super Bowl LIII across CBS Sports Digital and CBS All Access platforms is a win for NFL fans.”

CBS Sports live broadcast coverage of Super Bowl LIII will be available through the CBS All Access subscription service, priced starting at $5.99 per month with unlimited commercials and $9.99 per month commercial free, with the exception of live TV.

The entire 2018 NFL on CBS schedule will be streamed live on the CBS All Access platforms on mobile phones and tablets, on CBS.com, and on connected devices that include consoles, the Apple TV, and other set top boxes.

CBS All Access subscribers will receive NFL on CBS games that are broadcast in their local market. Along with streaming access rights on mobile devices, NFL on CBS authenticated streaming rights also extend to mobile for cable, satellite, telco, and vMVPD partners.

NFL on CBS games, including the Super Bowl, can be streamed on NFL.com or the NFL app, with Verizon also streaming the games on phones and tablets on a cross-carrier basis on Yahoo Sports, Yahoo, AOL, Tumblr, and Complex.

The 2018-2019 NFL season kicks off on Thursday night.

Tags: NFL, CBS, CBS Sports
Discuss this article in our forums

Google completely revamps Chrome to celebrate browser’s 10th birthday

Google is celebrating Chrome’s 10th birthday with the release of a new version of the web browser that’s one of the most significant since its initial launch. It’s hard to imagine Chrome ever being the underdog, but in those days, Internet Explorer held the web in the palm of its hand. Known as Chrome 69, the next evolution of the web browser is new for both desktop and mobile, which can be downloaded here (or through the appropriate mobile app store).

The first thing you’ll notice about this new version of Google Chrome is its look. Gone are all sharp edges and angular features, replaced instead with bubbly circles and pastel colors. It’s been a long time coming, but Chrome now fits into the Google ecosystem of applications much more from a visual perspective. Google even noted that the shape of tabs makes the favicon easier to identify for people who like to hoard tabs. In the mobile browser, Google has moved the toolbar to the bottom on iOS, which it says makes it easier to reach. Like with Gmail, Google has taken a long time to switch up the classic look of Chrome — and we’re glad it’s finally being refreshed.

But the updates go beyond just looks. One of the most noticeable new features is right in the search bar, which is an area Chrome has pioneered since its beginnings. The Omnibox will now give you answers directly, rather than waiting to load up a new page on Google. These are mostly what Google calls “rich results,” which is information Google displays right on the page such as weather, calculator, or scores for sporting events. Google even says you’ll soon be able to search for files from your Google Drive account right from the Chrome search bar as well.

A feature we’ve been wanting for a long time is better access to shortcuts. They can now all be managed right from the New Tab page every time you click on the “+” sign to start a new tab. Your shortcuts can easily be used or edited right from this page now, instead of having to clutter your toolbar. You can also throw in a custom image to be the background of the New Tab page.

Google has also made a few changes to security that we find particularly interesting. We’ve long known about Google’s multiple web security projects, such as its push to move more websites to the HTTPS protocol. But in Chrome 69, Google is making password security easier. Google says the new Chrome is better at remembering your information for contact forms, but also at giving you stronger passwords. So, when you’re having to create yet another online account, Chrome will automatically generate a new password for you. This is a nice alternative to the reliance on third-party plugins across websites, which is both dangerous and prone to misuse.

There are a few features that weren’t mentioned in Google press materials that we’ve been highly anticipating as well, such as Picture-in-Picture mode and native Windows 10 desktop notifications.

All of that (and more) is included in the new update, which is a pretty fantastic way to celebrate 10 years of Google Chrome. Firefox has given Chrome a run for its money in the past six months or so, but for our money, Chrome is still the best web browser you can use. If you really want to go on a trip down memory lane, check out the initial comic Google made back in 2008 to explain the launch of Chrome. Happy birthday, Chrome!

Editors’ Recommendations

• Unlock Google’s cool new Material Design interface hidden inside Chrome 68
• Google’s Chrome desktop browser is about to receive a major facelift
• The best web browsers
• New Chrome OS features make your Chromebook a better Windows replacement
• Chrome 69 arrives in September with Google’s Material Design overhaul intact

Google completely revamps Chrome to celebrate browser’s 10th birthday

Google is celebrating Chrome’s 10th birthday with the release of a new version of the web browser that’s one of the most significant since its initial launch. It’s hard to imagine Chrome ever being the underdog, but in those days, Internet Explorer held the web in the palm of its hand. Known as Chrome 69, the next evolution of the web browser is new for both desktop and mobile, which can be downloaded here (or through the appropriate mobile app store).

The first thing you’ll notice about this new version of Google Chrome is its look. Gone are all sharp edges and angular features, replaced instead with bubbly circles and pastel colors. It’s been a long time coming, but Chrome now fits into the Google ecosystem of applications much more from a visual perspective. Google even noted that the shape of tabs makes the favicon easier to identify for people who like to hoard tabs. In the mobile browser, Google has moved the toolbar to the bottom on iOS, which it says makes it easier to reach. Like with Gmail, Google has taken a long time to switch up the classic look of Chrome — and we’re glad it’s finally being refreshed.

But the updates go beyond just looks. One of the most noticeable new features is right in the search bar, which is an area Chrome has pioneered since its beginnings. The Omnibox will now give you answers directly, rather than waiting to load up a new page on Google. These are mostly what Google calls “rich results,” which is information Google displays right on the page such as weather, calculator, or scores for sporting events. Google even says you’ll soon be able to search for files from your Google Drive account right from the Chrome search bar as well.

A feature we’ve been wanting for a long time is better access to shortcuts. They can now all be managed right from the New Tab page every time you click on the “+” sign to start a new tab. Your shortcuts can easily be used or edited right from this page now, instead of having to clutter your toolbar. You can also throw in a custom image to be the background of the New Tab page.

Google has also made a few changes to security that we find particularly interesting. We’ve long known about Google’s multiple web security projects, such as its push to move more websites to the HTTPS protocol. But in Chrome 69, Google is making password security easier. Google says the new Chrome is better at remembering your information for contact forms, but also at giving you stronger passwords. So, when you’re having to create yet another online account, Chrome will automatically generate a new password for you. This is a nice alternative to the reliance on third-party plugins across websites, which is both dangerous and prone to misuse.

There are a few features that weren’t mentioned in Google press materials that we’ve been highly anticipating as well, such as Picture-in-Picture mode and native Windows 10 desktop notifications.

All of that (and more) is included in the new update, which is a pretty fantastic way to celebrate 10 years of Google Chrome. Firefox has given Chrome a run for its money in the past six months or so, but for our money, Chrome is still the best web browser you can use. If you really want to go on a trip down memory lane, check out the initial comic Google made back in 2008 to explain the launch of Chrome. Happy birthday, Chrome!

Editors’ Recommendations

• Unlock Google’s cool new Material Design interface hidden inside Chrome 68
• Google’s Chrome desktop browser is about to receive a major facelift
• The best web browsers
• New Chrome OS features make your Chromebook a better Windows replacement
• Chrome 69 arrives in September with Google’s Material Design overhaul intact

A brain scan could help reveal if a person is a suicide risk

Anyone who has ever been affected by suicide knows that, even to close friends and loved ones, the signs can be difficult to spot — with often tragic results. To try and help with this very serious problem, researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh have been awarded a $3.8 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to apply some cutting-edge technology. They hope to use brain imaging and machine learning technology to aid clinicians in detecting and treating suicidal patients.

“We examine brain activation patterns that occur while people are thinking about suicide-related and emotional concepts,” David Brent, a professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh, told Digital Trends. “We then use machine learning to identify the words and activation patterns associated with those words that best discriminate between suicidal and non-suicidal individuals.”

The ability to accurately scan someone to quickly determine whether they might pose a suicide risk may still be a way off, but the researchers’ previous work does at least suggest this is a possibility. In a study carried out last year, they demonstrated that it is possible to use this technology to tell whether a person is considering suicide based on the way they think about death-related topics. The new NIMH grant will help take this work forward.

“The first study was relatively small, had no non-suicidal psychiatric participants, and was cross-sectional,” Brent continued. “This study will be larger, [and] will repeat the procedure to see if fluctuations in neural signatures are related to fluctuations in suicidal ideation, and see how we can predict future suicidal behavior. In addition, we will be developing and testing a peripheral measure that we hope will correlate with neural findings, but can be used in a clinician’s office without needing to do fMRI.”

Ultimately, the researchers are hoping to establish a more objective way to assess suicide risk, rather than having to rely on self-reporting. They also believe that this work will be able to reveal more about the ways in which suicidal people think about death, which could be used to more precisely guide psychotherapy.

Editors’ Recommendations

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• Could Snap save the internet from fake news? Here’s the company’s secret weapon

Lenovo IdeaPad 530S review

Research Center:

Lenovo IdeaPad 530S

Budget-friendly laptops are no longer painfully slow, unreliable computers. That’s been true for a few years. And now, they’re finally starting to look more premium too. Lenovo is one of the companies breaking the mold with its all-metal IdeaPad 530s.

The review unit that Lenovo sent us for testing was moderately equipped, with an 8th-generation Intel Core i5-8250U CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB PCIe solid-state drive (SSD), and a 15.6-inch Full HD display. It’s priced at $735, placing it in that “midrange budget” category. It’s not the cheapest you’ll find but still stays well below the $1,000 premium threshold.

There’s a lot of competition in this space, though. Here’s how the IdeaPad 530s stacks up.

A build quality that punches above its class

The IdeaPad 530s is a good-looking notebook. No question about that. It’s Mineral Gray color scheme tends toward the conservative end of the design spectrum, but that’s not a bad thing. There’s some chrome trim around the edges of the chassis and touchpad that captures the light at the right angles, but otherwise, we’re looking at a matte surface that’s understated and attractive. Even the sideways Lenovo logo on the lid whispers minimalism over ostentation, which is in line with the company’s also conservative Yoga 730.

The aesthetic gives off an air of solidity that’s mostly confirmed when you grab the IdeaPad in your hand. We found no flexing or bending in the bottom of the chassis or the keyboard deck, much like the similarly-priced Asus ZenBook UX330, and there’s only some slight give in the lid when we pressed more firmly than we should. It’s great to see manufacturers producing high-quality builds in this price range.

Our perception of quality extended to the IdeaPad’s hinge. It’s stiff enough to hold the notebook in place while allowing the display to swing back to lay almost flat. You’ll need two hands to open the lid, but it’s nevertheless a comfortable process that once again contributes to the overall impression of quality.

It’s great to see manufacturers like Lenovo producing high-quality builds in this price range.

Lately, we find ourselves noting display bezel size because of its impact on a notebook’s overall size. The IdeaPad’s bezels aren’t the smallest we’ve seen, particularly on top – where you’ll find the webcam, thankfully, unlike the Dell XPS 15 that has tiny bezels and an up-the-nose teleconferencing perspective – and bottom, but they’re small enough on each side to maintain a modern enough appearance that remains unusual for budget machines.

Speaking of size, many affordable notebooks tend to be heavier and chunkier. That’s not the case with the IdeaPad 530s, which is relatively thin at 0.66 inches and light for a machine with a 15.6-inch display at 3.72 pounds. Contrast that with another budget 15-inch notebook, the Acer Aspire E 15, that’s a hefty 5.27 pounds and 1.19 inches and suffers from huge bezels that result in an equally huge chassis.

Connectivity is also a plus for a relatively thin notebook. You’ll find two USB-A 3.1 ports, a USB-C 3.1 port, a full-size HDMI connection, an SD card reader, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack. All that’s missing is Thunderbolt 3 support, which is unusual in less expensive notebooks. Wireless connectivity includes the usual 2×2 MU-MIMO 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1 radios.

Lenovo’s keyboard and touchpad chops are on full display

The IdeaPad 530s utilizes Lenovo’s island keyboard with black keys with white lettering. That’s typically a solid choice, and we found the IdeaPad’s keyboard to be even better than some of the company’s other lower-priced notebooks like the Yoga 730.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

While key travel seemed a little short compared to notebooks like the (much more expensive) Dell XPS 15 and HP Spectre x360 15, the mechanism was springy and responsive enough to avoid an abrupt bottoming action. Also, the backlighting was effective and uniform with two effective levels of brightness.

The IdeaPad’s performance makes for an affordable productivity machine for just about any user.

The Microsoft Precision touchpad was equally effective, being large enough to comfortably move the cursor around the expansive display and with reliable Windows 10 gesture support. The touchpad’s surface was just slick enough to allow our fingers to glide around smoothly and the buttons were quiet and responsive.

Lenovo was kind enough to equip this near-budget notebook with a fingerprint reader, something that’s missing on the Acer Aspire E 15. We found it just as responsive as the readers on more expensive notebooks, and it allowed us to reliably log in without a password via Windows 10 Hello.

The one nod to the notebook’s low price is the lack of a touch display. Not everyone cares about touch support on traditional clamshell notebooks, but if it’s something you’ve gotten used to on other machines, then you’ll find it a bit jarring that tapping the screen does nothing.

A budget display for a budget notebook

The IdeaPad 530s sports a 15.6-inch Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 or 141 PPI) display that’s just sharp enough for this physical size. Pixel-peepers beware, but everyone else should be happy enough with its clarity – and anyone who works in bright environments will appreciate the anti-glare coating. While you can find a number of less expensive options with smaller 13.3-inch displays, the IdeaPad is part of a smaller contingent of budget notebooks sporting a larger screen.

In our colorimeter tests, the IdeaPad’s was mostly average across the board for budget notebooks. Brightness was a plus at 246 nits, below our preferred 300 nit cutoff but still brighter than competitors like the Aspire E 15. The contrast was a bit lower than some, though, and color gamut was equally narrow at just 48 percent of AdobeRGB and 65 percent of sRGB. This is the one area where budget notebooks are significantly lower than premium alternatives (which normally exceed 70 percent of AdobeRGB). This is not a laptop for photo and video professionals. Gamma was spot-on, though, and so video and images were neither too dark nor too light.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

In general use, we found the display to be acceptable for simple productivity work like web browsing and working with documents. It was bright enough thanks to the lack of gloss-related reflections, and we weren’t distracted by the screen while watching video. Colors didn’t pop, though, and contrast was inferior. You’ll need to step up to a notebook that breaks the $1,000 barrier, like the XPS 15, if a lot of accurate colors and high contrast matter to you. That’s disappointing, and we’re still waiting for someone to bust out a 15.6-inch display with standout quality at these price points.

The sound was just okay as well, with sufficient volume for a small office and a favorable lack of distortion when turned all the way up. But the bass was lacking, and while the dual-speaker setup was fine for the occasional YouTube video, you’ll want to pull out your headphones for movies and music.

Performance that won’t hold you back

Lenovo equipped the IdeaPad 530s with Intel’s 8th-generation U-series processors, which have proven themselves to be capable and efficient performers. Our review unit relied on the Core i5-8250U, which typically provides solid performance and contributes to solid battery life.

For the most part, the notebook performed in line with its CPU. It was just a little slow in the GeekBench 4 synthetic benchmark, coming in behind some other laptops with the same Core i5 processor like the Yoga 730. The IdeaPad did beat out the Acer Aspire E 15, however.

In our more real-world Handbrake test that encodes a 420MB video file to H.265, the IdeaPad 530s held its own. It finished the process in 291 seconds, a good showing that again was slightly behind the Yoga 730 and a few seconds behind the Acer.

Storage performance was also a bit of a mixed bag. The Hynix 256GB PCIe SSD was very fast in reading data compared to the other PCIe SSD-equipped machines in our comparison group, but relatively slow in writing data. Those results are better than SATA SSDs, and booting, opening apps, and saving files were all quick and efficient in our testing. But if you need to work with large files or use database applications, then you’ll find the write speeds to be a limitation.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Overall performance was very good, and the IdeaPad will serve well as an affordable productivity machine for just about any user. And the chassis remained comfortable during our testing, never getting more than warm and with fans that spun up but were never overly loud.

We’ll note that on our review unit, there was a high-pitched whine at full blast, and if that’s common to the notebook, then some people might find it bothersome.

Gamers look elsewhere

The IdeaPad 530s uses Intel’s UHD 620 integrated graphics, and that usually offers no more than casual gaming chops. You’ll need to select a more expensive and better-equipped notebook, for example, the Acer Aspire E 15 that includes a discrete Nvidia GeForce MX150 GPU, if you want better mobile gaming.

We weren’t shocked, then, that the IdeaPad wasn’t a remarkable performer in either the 3DMark gaming benchmark or in a relatively low-end game like Rocket League. Here, the notebook scored a playable 51 frames per second (FPS) at 1080p and performance mode, which dropped to 22 FPS in high-quality mode.

It’s not the chunkiest 15.6-inch notebook around, but battery life disappoints

The IdeaPad only packs in 45 watt-hours worth of battery in its chassis, which is a shame for a notebook with a larger display. Although the Core i5-8250U is an efficient CPU and the display is only Full HD and not a power-sucking 4K, so little battery capacity didn’t get us too excited as we began our suite of battery tests.

As it turns out, the IdeaPad 530s was indeed an underwhelming performer when it comes to longevity. In our most demanding test, running the Basemark web benchmark until the battery runs dry, the Lenovo barely lasted just over two and a half hours. That’s significantly less than all of our comparison machines except the Acer Swift 3, which lasted thirty minutes longer.

The smallish battery capacity significantly hampers productivity away from a plug.

On our web browsing test that loops through a series of popular sites, the IdeaPad lasted for just over six hours, which is again a relatively poor showing. The Aspire E 15 lasted for over nine hours, the ZenBook UX330 was in the same ballpark, and the Acer Swift 3 exactly matched the Lenovo’s score.

Finally, when playing a Full HD video trailer, the IdeaPad couldn’t make it to a full eight hours. We like to see at least 10 hours in this test, which all our comparison systems except the Asus ZenBook 13 managed to meet or exceed.

The IdeaPad is a relatively thin and light 15.6-inch notebook, as we noted earlier. But productivity away from a plug is hampered by the smaller battery capacity. You’ll want to look elsewhere if you need to get a full day’s work done without carrying your power adapter around with you.

Our Take

The IdeaPad 530s stands out most in its budget category for a build quality that’s more attractive and solid than many in this price range. It’s also thinner and lighter than some, and it’s well-equipped with connectivity. Unfortunately, the display and battery life hold it back from truly standing out.

Is there a better alternative?

If you’re looking for an affordable 15.6-inch notebook that doesn’t ask you to compromise, then the Acer Aspire E 15 might be just the ticket. It’s only $600 for a Core i5-8250U, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SATA SSD, and Acer throws in a discrete Nvidia MX150 GPU that’s good enough for some light gamers. Battery life is also superior, but you do have to put up with a larger and heavier chassis.

Lenovo IdeaPad 530S Compared To

Dell XPS 13 (2018)

Asus Zenbook 3 Deluxe…

Asus ZenBook S

HP Spectre 13 (2017)

LG Gram 15Z980

Asus ZenBook Flip S

Huawei Matebook X WT-W09

Toshiba Portege Z30-C1310

Toshiba Portege Z20t

LG Ultra PC 14Z950

Acer Aspire M5 Touch

HP Envy 4

Acer Aspire Timeline Ultra M5

Acer Aspire S5

HP Folio 13

Acer’s Swift 3 is another viable alternative, coming in at $680 for the same configuration as our review unit. It equips a smaller 14-inch Full HD display, and so it’s a bit sharper albeit on a smaller display. Its battery life is better when watching video, and it’s a slightly faster performer, but the Swift 3 isn’t nearly as modern looking nor as svelte.

Finally, if you want to flip your display around and use your budget machine as a tablet, then the Dell Inspiron 13 7000 is an option. It’s $800 for our review configuration and sports a smaller 13.3-inch display, but you can’t deny its enhanced flexibility. Battery life falls short of the IdeaPad 530s, though, and so if working away from an outlet is important then you’ll want to steer clear.

How long will it last?

The IdeaPad 530s enjoys a robust build that’s guaranteed to last as long as most other thin and light notebooks, including those that cost significantly more. The components are up to date and should keep up with general productivity for quite some time, while the industry-standard one-year warranty is shorter than we’d like.

Should you buy it?

No. The IdeaPad 530s makes too many compromises to receive a wholehearted recommendation from us.

OnePlus 6T retail box reveals in-display fingerprint sensor

The notch is also a lot smaller.

With the OnePlus 6 being one of the best phones the company’s ever released, there’s a lot of hype already starting to build up for the 6T. Most recently, a supposed retail box for the phone leaked and gives us a glimpse at a couple big features to look forward to.

The inside of the box shows an outline for the OnePlus 6T, and on this outline, there’s a fingerprint icon near the bottom middle of the screen — suggesting that it’ll ship with an in-display fingerprint sensor.

The outline also gives us a look at the 6T’s notch which appears to be a lot smaller than the one on the OnePlus 6. It features the “waterdrop” design that we’ve steadily been seeing on more and more handsets. In fact, to not much surprise, this brief look at the 6T is very reminiscent to the Oppo R17 that was announced in mid-August.

No other details are revealed from this retail packaging, save for the “Unlock The Speed” tagline on one side that suggests OnePlus will once again be promoting the 6T’s fast performance over its other features.

As earlier reported, the OnePlus 6T is expected to arrive this fall with a U.S. price of $550.

The OnePlus 6 is now my go-to phone instead of the Pixel 2

OnePlus 6

• OnePlus 6 review
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5T: How much changes in six months?
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5: Should you upgrade?
• These are the official OnePlus 6 cases
• The OnePlus 6 doesn’t work on Verizon or Sprint
• Join the discussion in the forums

Fortnite’s new High Stakes mode is launching tomorrow

The hottest game of 2018 has finally arrived on Android.

Fortnite has been blowing up lately. Millions of people have become obsessed with the game, both as players and just watching popular Twitch streamers play the game.

Interested to learn more about what the heck Fortnite is all about? Just keep reading.

What’s new with Fortnite?

September 4, 2018 — New “High Stakes” heist mode launches this week!

You have to give the Fortnite developers credit for continuing to add creative new modes to the game. Coming in the v5.40 update expected to start rolling out tomorrow, players will be able to check out a new game mode, “High Stakes”.

Will you get away with the jewel? #HighStakes launches tomorrow. 💎💼🚐 pic.twitter.com/OnopM9TnID

— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) September 4, 2018

The new squad-based mode tasks your team with tracking down one of four safes scattered through the map. In each safe is a special jewel statue which you must collect and then outrun and outgun your opponents as you make your way to a getaway van. The new game mode was previewed at PAX West over Labor Day weekend and is expected to go live on September 5.

August 23, 2018 — More mobile bug fixes arrive with Fortnite Update v5.30

Epic Games has announced the latest major update to Fortnite that tweaks some aspects of gameplay, introduces a new game mode, and provides some much-needed fixes for the mobile version of the game. You’ll now be able to find a “Rift-To-Go” item that lets you teleport above your current location and bust out your glider, or check out Score Royale Limited Time Mode (LTM), which offers a new way to compete as players loot and eliminate other players to earn points.

But most importantly, the graphical settings for mobile appear to be fixed along with some improvements for controlling vehicles and building. Here’s the full list from the mobile patch notes:

• Players must now select a preferred fire mode before proceeding to matchmaking.
• A dedicated button to powerslide while driving has been added to the UI.
• The button for exiting a vehicle will now always remain consistent.
• Turbo building will no longer be interrupted by switching structure types.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed camera jitter while moving and looking simultaneously.
• Fixed an issue where settings would appear in-game lower than intended resulting in missing shadows and lower image quality.

August 16, 2018 — Update v5.21 addresses Fortnite’s poor performance on most Android phones

On the same day that Fornite started rolling out for non-Samsung Galaxy devices, the Fortnite devs took to Twitter to acknowledge stability issues with the app on devices with 4GB of RAM — which describes almost all Android phones that Fortnite is currently available on.

We have seen reports that some players on 4GB Android devices are encountering an issue causing poor performance. This is due to multiple background applications running–leaving the device without enough memory for Fortnite. We are investigating and working on a fix!

— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) August 14, 2018

That fix arrived with an update to v5.21, which appears to have addressed the abysmal frame rate issues and much of the frustrating performance issues that have plagued Fortnite through its first week on Android.

Other significant additions in the v5.21 update are a couple new game modes: Soaring 50’s and Sniper Shootout. You can check them out for a limited time.

August 13, 2018 — Epic opens the Fortnite Android Beta to a ton of non-Samsung phones/tablets

Fortnite’s short-lived exclusivity on Samsung devices has come to an end. After a few days of being limited to select Galaxy-branded gadgets, Epic’s now expanded its Fortnite Android Beta to a heap of other phones and tablets.

Hey Android owners! We’re excited to open up the #FortniteAndroid Beta to more devices starting… TODAY! Check your email as the first wave of invites have started to go out. Not signed up yet? Head to our website for more info: https://t.co/AvolyySFZ1 pic.twitter.com/DuW5yzpcqd

— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) August 13, 2018

You can find the full list below in the Where can I download the game? section, but some notable additions include the Google Pixel 2/2 XL, OnePlus 6, Razer Phone, and the LG G7.

If you haven’t already received an invite to join the beta, head to Epic’s website, enter your email to sign up, and wait for the invitation to come through.

August 10, 2018 — Google now warns players that Fortnite isn’t available on the Play Store

Epic’s decision to not release Fortnite on the Play Store is a controversial one for a lot of reasons — mainly because it gives crooks a field day with tricking people into downloading fake versions that serve to do nothing but cause trouble.

In an effort to combat this, searching for “Fortnite” on the Play Store now returns a message that reads, “Fortnite Battle Royale by Epic Games, Inc is not available on Google Play.”

It’s a small heads-up to let people know the legit version of Fortnite isn’t anywhere to be found, and hopefully, it’ll be enough to stop people from downloading bad actors.

Users will also see the warning pop up when searching for “Fortnite Battle Royale”, “Fortnite Mobile”, etc.

August 9, 2018 — Fortnite Beta for Android is officially live, exclusive to Samsung Galaxy devices until August 12

In spite of all of those clickbait ads you’ve probably seen over the past several months, the Fortnite Beta was officially announced today at the Samsung Unpacked event alongside the Samsung Galaxy Note 9.

Samsung and Epic Games have teamed up to make Fortnite exclusive to Samsung Galaxy phones until August 12, at which point the beta will be opened up to other Android devices. If you’ve got a Samsung Galaxy S7 or better, you can download and start playing Fortnite on your phone right now!

August 3, 2018 — Epic confirms that it won’t be offering Fortnite for Android via the Google Play Store

It’s official, folks. A few days after rumors started piling up, Epic has confirmed that Fortnite for Android won’t be offered on the Google Play Store. Instead, users will have to download the game directly from Epic’s website.

Talking to The Verge, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said:

Epic wants to have a direct relationship with our customers on all platforms where that’s possible. The great thing about the Internet and the digital revolution is that this is possible, now that physical storefronts and middlemen distributors are no longer required.

In addition to having a more direct relationship with players, Epic’s second reason for bypassing the Play Store is that it won’t have to hand over 30% of all sales from in-game purchases to Google. According to Sweeny, “30 percent is disproportionate to the cost of the services these stores perform.”

Sweeny also went on to say that Fortnite for Android will be available globally except for China. However, Epic is currently working on finding a way to bring both the iOS and Android version of the game to the country at some point in the near future.

July 30, 2018 — Fortnite for Android might not be on the Play Store and require a manual APK download

Just a few days after it was reported that Fortnite will be launching as a limited exclusive for the Galaxy Note 9, we now have some interesting details about how the Android app will be distributed.

The folks at XDA recently took a look at the source code on Epic’s official website, and while doing so, came across some instructions telling people how to download the Android port. Specifically, it talks about going to Epic’s site and downloading the game’s APK file there rather than doing so through Google Play.

With a move like this, there are a few important things to point out.

First off, while manually downloading APK files isn’t all that difficult, it does require you to accept downloads from unknown sources (possibly making yourself vulnerable to security threats) and can be a clunky process for users that aren’t familiar with doing so. On the flip side, Epic gets to avoid Google’s 30 percent cut from all in-game purchases.

It’s still unclear if this process will be set in stone for the game’s foreseeable future or just during its exclusivity to the Note 9, but all these details should be explained in just a few short days.

July 16, 2018 — Season 5 Battle Pass has begun, still no official Android launch date set

We’re midway through July and still no word from Epic Games as to when specifically Fortnite will be released for Android this summer.

Meanwhile, the Season 5 Battle Pass has begun for all other platforms that Fortnite is available on, which either means that the Android version is imminent or we’re going to have to wait for this season to wrap up and hope it’s released ahead of Season 6. Battle Pass seasons typically last around 10 weeks, which would mean Season 5 should wrap up around the third week of September which lines up nicely with the Autumnal equinox and the official end of summer.

Speculation on the Fortnite forums is rampant, with some posters confident the Android version will be released imminently in the coming weeks, while others are prepared to wait until September. We’ll be sure to let you know as soon as a more concrete date is set.

May 18, 2018 — The Android version will be here “this summer.”

Fortnite’s iOS version has been out for a hot minute now, and to ensure the experience is as good as can be, Epic outlined a heap of improvements coming to the game — including a customizable HUD, voice chat, improved controls, and more.

You can read through all the changes here, but the most exciting news has to do with Fortnite’s Android release. Epic notes that the game will be here “this summer”, and while that’s not as specific as we’d like, it’s still a step in the right direction.

Sign up for Fortnite Mobile

All the big details

What is Fortnite?

Fortnite is what would happen if you combined two of the most addictive games out there — Minecraft and PUBG.

Fortnite offers a free 100-player Player Vs Player (PvP) Battle Royale game mode. Just like PUBG, you’re dropped onto the large island map and must arm yourself and outlive your competition. But in Fortnite, you always start out armed with a pickaxe which can be used as a melee weapon or to harvest raw supplies for building walls, ramps, and shelters.

It certainly adds extra layers of strategy to the format, creating essentially a perfect storm of addictive gaming action that’s as fun to watch as it is to play. Oh, speaking of storms all the action takes place in the eye of a deadly electrical storm meaning you can’t just hunker down and hide out the whole game. You got to keep moving.

How do you play the game?

Just like PUBG, your goal is to be the last man standing — with up to 100 players involved in each match, that’s no small task.

Each game starts with the players jumping out of the flying “Battle Bus” and parachuting down onto a giant island. Once landed, you must loot nearby buildings for items, guns, and ammo to defend yourself and attack other players.

You also need to keep an eye on the map, as every few minutes the storm closes in on the play area. If you’re caught in the storm, you slowly die so you do not want to forget to regularly check where you are on the map. Eventually, the play constricts to a tiny area for the final showdown between the remaining players — there can only be one winner!

Unlike PUBG, you’re able to carry more than two guns. Instead, you’re limited to the number of weapons and items you can carry at one time. Also, guns are color-coded to denote their rarity — from grey (common) to orange (legendary) — and the rarer the gun, the deadlier it is.

Then there’s the crafting element. Every player starts out with a pickaxe which can be used as a melee weapon or used to break down trees and buildings to harvest the raw resources. You can then use these raw resources to build your own structures, whether it be a defensive wall to provide cover from an advancing enemy, a set of stairs to reach the second floor of a building or your own watchtower to snipe players from across the map. The resources you mine will determine the strength. Steel is stronger than brick, which is stronger than wood.

The latest update to the game for the Season 5 Battle Pass has introduced a slew of new map areas and gameplay features including the All-Terrain Kart (ATK) which let you and your squad move around the map faster than ever before. You can read more about the latest tweaks in the full release notes.

Where can I download the game?

Since Epic Games has decided to release Fortnite for Android outside the confines of the Google Play Store, you’ll need to download the Fortnite Installer APK to get the game on your phone.

Epic struck a deal with Samsung to make Fortnite available for select Samsung devices right now, so if you head to the Galaxy App Store on your Galaxy S9/S9+, Note 8, Galaxy S8/S8+, Galaxy S7/S7 Edge, Tab S3, or Tab S4 and search “Fortnite”, you can download the 4MB installer to get the game on your handset right now.

If you own a non-Samsung phone, you can head to Epic’s website and enter your email to sign up for an invite to the beta. The first round of invitations went out to users on August 13, and according to Epic’s site, Fortnite for Android is compatible with the following:

• Google Pixel 2 / 2 XL
• Google Pixel / Pixel XL
• LG G7
• LG V35
• LG V30 / V30+
• LG G6
• LG V20
• LG G5
• Essential Phone
• OnePlus 6
• OnePlus 5 / 5T
• Razer Phone
• Huawei Mate 10 / Mate 10 Pro
• Huawei Mate RS
• Huawei P20 / P20 Pro
• Huawei Nova 3
• Honor 10
• Honor Play
• Honor V10
• Asus ROG Phone
• Asus Zenfone 4 Pro
• Asus Zenfone 5Z
• Asus ZenFone V
• Xiaomi Blackshark
• Xiaomi Mi 5 / 5S / 5S Plus
• Xiaomi Mi 6 / 6 Plus
• Xioami Mi 8 / 8 Explorer / 8SE
• Xiaomi Mi Mix
• Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
• Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S
• Xiaomi Mi Note 2
• ZTE Axon 7 / 7S
• ZTE Axon M
• ZTE Nubia Z17 / Z17S
• ZTE Nubia Z11

How to download the Fortnite Beta on your phone

Is it free to play?

Fortnite for mobile includes the PvP Battle Royale game that’s free to play across all platforms. The console versions have a paid game mode called Save The World that’s Player vs Environment (PvE). Save The World plays more like Minecraft, where you’re harvesting more resources and stocking up on loot to survive waves of AI enemies in a sort of tower defense-style of gameplay.

The PvE mode will not be available in Fortnite Mobile due to CPU limitations and, frankly, it’s the PvP mode that everyone is crazy for so that’s quite alright with us.

Having said that, there are some reasons to spend money in Fortnite. The best way to spend money is to buy a Battle Pass which gives you daily challenges over the span of a Fortnite Season (typically lasts 10 weeks) which let you unlock a ton of cool outfits, dance emotes, and other goodies to customize your character. You can also spend V-Bucks, the in-game currency, to buy cosmetic items for your player and people sure have been buying stuff. According to this report from Sensor Tower analtyics, Fortnite Mobile players spent more than $1 million during the first 72 hours of its release on iOS. Fortunately, nothing you can buy will give you an actual advantage in the game to prevent people from paying to win. In this case, its a matter of playing to look cool

So, to answer the question, you have the option to spend money on Fortnite if you want a cool looking character, but the game is free to play and you won’t need to pay to win.

Where’s the support for Bluetooth controls?

Epic Games has confirmed that Bluetooth controller support is coming, but as of right now only touchscreen controls are available.

Is it cross-platform?

Epic Games have indicated that you will be able to play Fortnite across all platforms. Your Fortnite profile can be connected to all the platforms you play on so you can add to your stats however you connect to the game.

Don’t be worried about getting mismatched as the one mobile player in a server of PC and console players. If you’re playing solo on mobile, you will only be matched up against other mobile players. If you join a squad with friends playing on another platform, then that squad will be matched against a multi-platform population, essentially making cross-platform play opt-in.

• Learn more about Fortnite Mobile

How does it compare to the PC or console version?

If the iOS version of Fortnite is anything to go by, the Android version will enjoy feature parity with all other platforms, including PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. There will be minor differences to account for the form factor, such as (hopefully) support for Bluetooth controls, on-screen controls for those not using a controller, and certainly toned down graphics capability. But if you want to jump in for a quick game of Battle Royale, you won’t need to worry about playing a vastly different game. Fortnite on Android is still Fortnite.

Are you hyped for Fortnite?

We’ll be sure to let you know when the game launches for Android. Until then, you can create your Epic Games account and start playing on one of the other platforms to start getting a handle on the game

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