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3
Oct

SteelSeries’ wireless gaming mouse is charged for battle in 15 minutes


Wireless mice typically aren’t the first choice for most gamers; input lag can be a hindrance on performance and power-hungry batteries can leave players dead in the middle of an intense battle. SteelSeries thinks it can change all that with its new Rival 650 gaming mouse — the first wireless mouse with fast charging and only 1ms of latency. Modeled after the wired Rival 600, SteelSeries hopes to bring the benefits of wireless to the gaming world.

Powered by an internal battery, the Rival 650 can deliver over 10 hours of charging time with only 15 minutes of charging. While the mouse packs a healthy 24 hours of battery life, gamers should be able to feel a bit more confident that they won’t find themselves left in the dust with its fast-charging abilities. Of course, players can still choose to go wired with the included detachable soft rubber cable if they desire.

A gaming mouse wouldn’t be worth anything, even with a full charge, if it couldn’t keep up, and that’s why SteelSeries is promoting Quantum Wireless. Able to maintain a stable and lighting fast connecting with your PC, the Rival 650 packs a minimal 1ms latency with 1,000Hz polling. Addressing the primary concerns for gamers looking to go wireless the new mouse is primed to provide quite a compelling gaming session.

Mostly a 600 with wireless features packed in and ready to go, the newer 650 takes on some of the great traits of its wired counterpart, such as the SteelSeries TrueMove3+ sensor system. With an impressive tracking capability of up to 12,000 CPI and a depth sensor for liftoff detection, it is unlikely your mouse will have trouble keeping up in the arena.

Other features offered by the SteelSeries Rival 650 includes a built-in ARM processor for saving device configurations, embedded RGB lighting, and a customizable weight between 4.2 ounces and 5.4 ounces. The 650 is molded for right-handed players and features an ergonomic grip with a black, soft-touch finish.

Compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux computers with an available USB support, the Rival 650 can be combined with SteelSeries’ Engine software for a customized experience — only available on Windows 7 and Mac. You can purchase the SteelSeries Rival 650 wireless gaming mouse for $120.

Editors’ Recommendations

  • The best gaming mouse of 2018
  • The best gaming headsets of 2018
  • The best monitors of IFA 2018
  • The best N64 games of all time
  • The 25 best GBA games ever made



3
Oct

Leaked Intel processor could help Google Pixel Slate dual-boot into Windows


Leaked benchmarks for the Google Pixel Slate reveals that Google’s first Chrome OS tablet may be released with an Intel processor instead of the ARM-powered chipset found on many Chromebooks on the market today. The device is expected to be unveiled on October 9, and it was previously known in early leaks by its code name, “Nocturne.”

The Geekbench database uncovered by PhoneArena reveals that the Pixel Slate will ship with an Intel Core i7-8500Y processor. The eighth-generation Intel dual-core processor is part of the company’s Amber Lake series, which uses a low-powered 5-watt design. As such, don’t expect performance to be quite as fast as the Core i7 found on mainstream notebooks, but the Intel chipset should still pack in plenty of power.

In addition to the Amber Lake processor, the device is also expected to ship with 16GB of RAM. It’s unclear how this configuration fits in with Google’s Pixelbook lineup, or whether Google will offer a higher end model with a Kaby Lake R processor. The Kaby Lake R chipset would make the Pixel Slate a successor to the current Pixelbook. Although it’s not as powerful as the chipset on the Pixelbook, the Pixel Slate’s Amber Lake processor could make this device more affordable.

Unlike budget-friendly ARM-based Chromebooks, Google has historically leaned on Intel for processing power on its own branded Chrome OS devices, including the Chromebook Pixel and the Pixelbook. This year, with rumors that Chrome OS could allow users to dual-boot into Windows 10, Google’s reliance on an Intel x86 processor is even more important. If this rumor turns out to be true, then the Intel chipset will not only give the Pixel Slate the performance it needs to fluidly handle Chrome OS for demanding users, but it will also bring compatibility with Windows. The addition of Windows means that the Pixel Slate can run apps from three operating systems: Windows, Chrome OS, and Android.

The benchmark showed that the Pixel Slate runs Android 9 Pie. While most Chromebooks on the market today capable of running Android apps run Android 7.1.1, this is the first time that we’re seeing Android 9 Pie on Chrome OS.

As a tablet, the Pixel Slate is expected to arrive with a detachable keyboard, compact design, and a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. The detachable design isn’t the first for Chrome OS — that honor goes to the HP Chromebook x2 — but it will allow the Pixel Slate to compete against other consumer tablets, including Apple’s iPad with its keyboard accessory and Microsoft’s Surface Go.

Editors’ Recommendations

  • Chromebook users may soon get the Pixel phone’s best feature: Its camera app
  • Google Pixelbook 2: Everything you need to know
  • The best laptops
  • Google Pixel Slate — the first detachable Pixelbook 2-in-1
  • Older Chromebooks may not run Linux programs due to outdated software



3
Oct

Oculus Quest vs. Oculus Rift


Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

In 2018 the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset has far more competition than when it launched, and much of it comes from Oculus VR’s other virtual reality products. While the Go is more of an entry-level headset, the Quest has the same price tag as the Rift, and many unique features which make it a worthy competitor for its older brother. To find out which is the best VR headset, we pitted the Oculus Quest vs. Oculus Rift in a classic head(set) to head(set) battle.

Design

The Oculus Rift is the older of the two designs and though it does show, it’s not an antiquated device. It sports a similar fabric-coated exterior to the Quest, a similar tri-strap adjustable headmount, and built in audio. But it’s not identical to the Quest. The Rift is lighter by a full 100 grams, due to the onboard hardware of the Quest, which includes its own processor and battery for wireless operation.

That does mean that the Rift trails wires, where the Quest does not, making the latter a much cleaner-looking headset, especially considering its newly revamped front plate, which wraps around the corners where the four Oculus Insight tracking sensors are located.

Instead of over-the-ear headphones like the Rift, the Quest comes with similar audio to the Oculus Go — a spatial audio solution hidden in the headstrap. That makes it easier to hear what’s going on in the environment around you, whilst still being fully immersed in your VR experience. It’s not necessarily better quality, but it certainly makes it easier to remain present in both the real and virtual worlds.

Performance

The Oculus Quest is the most powerful standalone headset Oculus VR has ever produced, packing a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor with onboard graphics, 64GB of onboard storage, and a battery that gives it between two and three hours of life per charge. As impressive as that all is though, it falls well short of what the Rift can offer, since the wired headset is tethered to a gaming PC. Oculus suggests much higher minimum specifications and the ceiling is far, far higher for potential performance than the Quest’s — think RTX 2080 and 2080 Ti graphics cards. Yet no matter how powerful the PC you hook it up to as well, there’s no concern about battery life, since the headset is powered by your PC via a wired connection.

Although that means that the Rift is capable of running much more detailed virtual reality scenes than the Quest — and for longer — its display has fewer pixels. The Rift’s dual-OLED panels are limited to 1,080 x 1,200 pixels per eye, working out to 2,160 x 1,080 resolution in total. In comparison, the Oculus Quest has twin OLED displays that are 1,600 x 1,440 each, or 3,200 x 1,440. That makes for sharper overall visuals, with a noticeably reduced screen-door effect on the Quest, but its in-game textures, shaders, and models are a far cry from the Rift’s PC-powered visuals.

The Rift handles high-speed motion better than the Quest too, because while its displays are a lower resolution, they have a higher refresh rate. The Quest runs at 72Hz, while the Rift has a fixed 90Hz. That should make it more comfortable for the user too, helping to avoid the dreaded VR nausea.

Tracking and controllers

Both the Rift and the Quest offer high-end virtual reality tracking and inputs, but they take a very different tack with it. The Rift uses the classic external-tracker design using Oculus’  Constellation tracking cameras. Although they aren’t as capable a tracking solution as the HTC Vive’s Valve-developed Lighthouse trackers, they are perfectly capable of offering roomscale tracking in spaces up to 8ft x 8ft with three sensor set ups and more with four.

The Rift’s external trackers mean it’s possible to track the controllers almost anywhere you place them, whether that be behind your back or under objects — as long as they remain in the field of view of at least one camera.

In comparison, the Quest offers a theoretically unlimited tracking area thanks to its use of “inside-out tracking,” Insight sensors on the headset itself. One is located in each corner for a total of four and they scan the environment around the user, tracking their location and movements within it, as well as the motion of the controllers. Oculus debuted what it described as “arena scale” tracking at Oculus Connect 2018, where a number of Quest users walked around a tennis court-sized gaming area at the same time without any major tracking problems. This was further enhanced by the headset’s lack of any wired-tethers, letting users roam freely without being tied down.

However, the controllers must remain within the field of view of the headset’s wide-angle sensors in order to remain tracked. Early testing suggests their field of view is wider than the user’s, but tracking behind the back, or when the user is leaned in close to something, is unlikely to be possible at this time.

Each headset provides a full six-degrees of freedom to the wearer, tracking positional movements, as well as tilt and orientation of the headset, but each solution has its strengths and weaknesses.

Controllers are much the same for both. The Rift uses Oculus’ now classic Touch motion controllers which provide trigger, grip, and gesture inputs, and the Quest uses a modified version of those with a relocated tracking ring. Each provides for nuanced, detailed, inputs into virtual reality with the use of both the wearer’s hands.

Software

Having been on the market for more than two and a half years, the Oculus Rift has a library of games, VR experiences, and 360-degree media numbering in the low thousands. It has a variety of supporting marketplaces and ecosystems, including Oculus Home, Steam VR, and VivePort, and a robust developer and user base that all but guarantees continued support and growth in its content catalog in the future.

The Oculus Quest, on the other hand, is brand new and isn’t even set for release until Spring 2019. As it stands there are a handful of bespoke applications and experiences being used to demo the new hardware and there will no doubt be more when it is eventually released. But Oculus VR is said to be hoping that developers will port their existing Rift games to the Quest to help flesh out its library of content.

Although we would be surprised if the Quest didn’t have a decent spread of applications at, and soon after, launch, the Rift is going to have the more robust catalog of titles for some time to come.

Older VR, done well, wins out

There’s no denying that the Oculus Quest represents the future of consumer virtual reality in many ways. It’s entirely wireless and untethered, has a reliable and borderless — if still imperfect — tracking solution, and sports a more detailed display than its older sibling. In comparison, the Oculus Rift can feel quite antiquated with its chunky cable tether, its reliance on external sensors, and a defined tracking area. When combined with its requirement for a powerful gaming PC, it’s a much less intuitive and forward-thinking VR experience.

Yet with think the Rift is the better option. It’s not going to be the headset of the mainstream in the future and it’s going to feel increasingly dated in the years to come, but if you have a gaming PC, there’s a better VR experience to be had right now with the Rift. For the $400 that both headsets cost ($460 for the Rift with three sensors) you get access to a ton of content on the Rift, today, and its visuals, although less crisp, are much more richly detailed, run at higher frame rates, and are not restricted by battery life.

The cable tie is a drag — literally at times — and we would expect a second-generation Rift to adopt many of the exciting new features of the Quest, but for now, the Rift is still the more high-end VR solution.

The only real must in this setting is having a decent gaming PC. If you do, buy the Rift, if you don’t and don’t plan to, waiting for the Quest is probably a better bet.

Overall winner: Oculus Rift

Editors’ Recommendations

  • Oculus Quest vs. Oculus Go
  • Oculus Quest hands-on review
  • The best Oculus Rift games available today
  • Oculus Rift review
  • The $400 Oculus Quest brings more power to untethered VR gaming



3
Oct

PSA: A national emergency alert test is happening on your phone tomorrow


The test takes place Wednesday, October 3 at 2:18 PM EDT.

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While it can be easy to just think of our phones as tools for checking Twitter, playing games, and watching YouTube videos, they’re also critical in the case of an emergency situation. Tomorrow afternoon, the FCC and FEMA will be conducting the nation’s first test of its wireless emergency alert system.

The test will take place on Wednesday, October 3, 2018, at exactly 2:18 PM EDT. At that time, your phone will make a loud noise and you’ll see a pop-up on your screen that reads:

Presidential Alert. This is A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.

The alert won’t have any adverse effects on your wireless service or device, and after tapping the “Dismiss” button at the bottom of the pop-up, it’ll go away and you can carry on with your day like normal.

Get ready for a lot of simultaneous phones going off at the office tomorrow afternoon.

AMBER Alerts and Android: What you need to know

3
Oct

Get lifetime access to 2TB of Zoolz cloud storage for just $45!


Our current, tech-obsessed world demands a storage solution for your multimedia data, the most convenient being cloud-based storage which you can access from anywhere. Most cloud-based storage services charge a monthly fee, which, over time, adds up to quite a fee. Those of you sick of subscription fees need a storage solution that requires a single payment for a lifetime of access. More importantly, you need cloud storage that is encrypted and can be accessed from all your devices.

Keep your stuff backed up for life! Learn More

Right now, Android Central Digital Offers has a deal on 2TB of cloud storage from Zoolz — a single payment of $45 gives you lifetime access to the two terabytes of secure cloud storage. You just won’t be able to beat this deal!

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You will never be charged any extra fees, and you can access your cloud storage from multiple devices. Your data is protected with 256-AES encryption to better safeguard your stuff, and you can schedule backups and throttle bandwidth during uploads. Place files you know you won’t soon need in cold storage — takes three to five hours to access — or place files you frequently need in standard storage that can be accessed instantly.

Get 1TB of instant vault and 1 of cold storage for just $45! Learn More

Considering this level of storage from other popular services costs about $10 per month, this deal will pay for itself in four months, and you can keep using it forever. Even if you don’t think you need it now, you probably will need it in the future.

3
Oct

This $100 Philips Hue starter kit has two color smart bulbs and a hub


Bask in the glow of this discounted Philips Hue kit.

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This Philips Hue two color bulbs starter kit is only $99.99 on Amazon. This is a new kit that released at a $150 price in early July. We’ve only seen it drop this low once before. Considering individual bulbs cost about $50 right now and this kit comes with the bridge that is essential to the Philips Hue setup, that’s a good price.

The starter kit comes with two Philips Hue white and color A19 60W equivalent LED smart bulbs, the Philips Hue hub, and a three-year warranty. The A19 bulbs can choose from more than 16 million colors and shades. Once you connect the bulbs to the hub, you can connect the hub to your smart home ecosystem and control it all with just your voice. The hub can support up to 50 bulbs as well, so you can keep adding onto the system. You’ll be able to use the free app to control your lights. These kits have 4.2 stars based on over 538 reviews.

See at Amazon

3
Oct

Huawei Watch GT leaked, rumored to have up to 14 days of battery life


The watch might launch with the Mate 20 and cost around 199-229 EUR.

Huawei’s previous smartwatch, the Huawei Watch 2, was a fine wearable that ultimately failed to capture a big audience due to an uninspired design and poor construction. To hopefully make up for its predecessor and bring back the greatness of the original Huawei Watch, a new leak has provided us with a lot of details on the Huawei Watch GT.

huawei-watch-gt-render-.jpg?itok=Aksr--i

huawei-watch-gt-leaked-render.jpg?itok=8

The render shown above is apparently the Huawei Watch GT Classic / Style. Along with it, there will be another model called the Huawei Watch Sport with a different bezel and watch band. The model we’re seeing here has a large 1.39-inch OLED display, two physical buttons on the right, and a metal casing with a leather + silicone band.

A large 420 mAh battery is reportedly inside the Huawei Watch GT, and thanks to that and a special power saving mode, you’ll be able to get up to 14-days of use before needing to throw the watch on the charger.

Built-in GPS, NFC, and a “swimproof” design have all been confirmed, but it’s still unclear if there will be a heart-rate sensor or what processor will be used. Also, while it’s likely that the Watch GT will be powered by Wear OS, it’s worth noting that the operating system hasn’t been called out by name just yet.

It’s reported that the Huawei Watch GT will launch with the Mate 20 smartphone on October 16 for around 199 to 229 EUR.

The Apple Watch Series 4 is light-years ahead of anything running Wear OS

3
Oct

There are now over 100 apps for Google Daydream!


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Just go ahead and install all of them. You know, for fun.

With the second iteration of the Daydream View now available, Google has really pushed the Daydream ready Apps in the Play store, though it is still difficult to find them in the Play Store itself. That’s why we took it upon ourselves to make as an exhaustive list as possible of all the games you download for the Daydream View, free and paid.

To make it a little easier, we’ve tracked down all of Google Daydream apps that are available to install now, so you can load up your Pixel with VR goodness and see what this experience is all about. If you’re a regular visitor to this page, the listings that have been bolded like this are the newest entries!

Free Apps and Games

  • GZ Doom VR – Free
  • The Guardian VR – Free
  • Zombie Party VR – Free
  • **Hardcore – Free
  • Mars: New Home – Free
  • GameTron – Free
  • BZ Zombie – Free
  • EMULATED: Pylons VR – Free
  • VR Therapy – Free
  • 3D Model Viewer – Free
  • VR Browser – Free
  • Exo – Free
  • Plex VR – Free
  • Swish – Free
  • Into the Blue – Free
  • Hidden Fortune – Free
  • Comets! VR Space Adventure – Free
  • VR Abyss: Sharks & Sea Worlds HD – Free
  • Bowling Mania – Free
  • The Path to Luma – VR – Free
  • VR Puzzle Room – Free
  • VR Dead Target: Zombie – Free
  • Avem33 VR – Free
  • Spacewalk VR Experience – Free
  • Underwater VR – Free
  • BBC Earth: Life in VR – Free
  • Poker VR – Free
  • Reflekt 360 – Free
  • Justice League VR – Free
  • Fishing Star VR – Free
  • Oz Chicken Slayer – Free
  • Gunship Battle2 VR – Free
  • Ace Fishing VR – Free
  • Inmind 2 – Free
  • Merry Snowballs – Free
  • WDR 360 VR – Free
  • Rez Infinite – Free
  • AMC VR – Free
  • Frostbound – Free
  • Amusement Planet VR – Free
  • Fruit Slicer VR – Free
  • Action Bowling 2 – Free
  • Pop Styly – Free
  • Vera Bradley VR – Free
  • Montana VR – Free
  • Gubbie Arena – Free
  • Storm Shelter – Free
  • Capsule Commander – Free
  • Pixel Zombie Fight VR – Free
  • Can You Survive – Free
  • Saint Motel – Free
  • ComixV VR – Free
  • AurorA Videos – Free
  • Cinema Variety VR Lite – Free
  • Time Rider – Free
  • Boom Boom Slash – Free
  • Fidget Spinner VR – Free
  • Skyvu Places VR – Free
  • VR Flight Dash – Free
  • Spheres – Free
  • Economist VR – Free
  • MEL Chemistry VR – Free
  • Gun Hacker – Free
  • The Breakpiece – Free
  • Shoot the Cans VR – Free
  • GrooVR – Free
  • Daydream Elements – Free
  • MLB.com At Bat VR – Free
  • Bandit Six: Salvo – Free
  • Dragon VR – Free
  • VR Run! – Free
  • Spotlight Stories – Free
  • Audio Factory – Free
  • RT360 – Free
  • Voxelus – Free
  • Coastiality – Free
  • Ocean Rift – Free
  • Vicarious – Free
  • VR Music Visualizer 360 – Free
  • The Lost Future – Free
  • Slingshot Shenanigans – Free
  • Sliver.tv – Free
  • King Arthur VR – Free
  • theViewer 360 – Free
  • SkyVu Social World Builder – Free
  • 871VR – Free
  • Unimersive – Free
  • Vravo! – Free
  • Twilight Pioneers Chapter Two – Free
  • Digital Domain VR – Free
  • Vision Maker – Free
  • Confucious Was a Foodie – Free
  • InMind 2 – Free
  • VeeR VR – Free
  • VR Flight Dash – Free
  • AltSpaceVR – Free
  • TinyWar VR – Free
  • Domino VR – Free
  • Rave VR – Free
  • Sky VR – Free
  • The Reaction Room – Free
  • Magnetique – Free
  • Agelore’s Fantasy FPS – Free
  • Wizard Stole My Goose – Free
  • Frisbee Frolics! – Free
  • VR Battle Grid – Free
  • Damnfields – Free
  • VR Water Bottle Flip – Free
  • myVR – Free
  • Exo – Free
  • NFL VR – Free
  • NBA VR – Free
  • Art Plunge Preview – Free
  • 405 Road Rage – Free
  • Gala360
  • SKYBOX VR Player – Free
  • OZ Chicken Slayer – Free
  • Labster: World of Science – Free
  • VR Wifi Discovery
  • Inception: VR and 360-degree videos – Free
  • Gravity Pull – Free
  • Coloring VR – Free
  • Avakin Life – Free
  • vTime – Free
  • Space VR Beta – Free
  • New York Times VR – Free
  • Asteroids! – Free
  • Horizons – Free
  • LittleStar VR – Free
  • Moatboat – Free
  • Playground – Free
  • Fulldive VR – Free
  • Netflix VR – Free
  • LEGO Brickheadz Builder VR – Free
  • HBO GO VR – Free
  • HBO Now VR – Free
  • Jaunt VR – Free
  • NextVR – Free
  • Hulu – Free
  • INVASION! – Free
  • BBC The Turning Forest – Free
  • YouVisit VR – Free
  • Within – Free
  • Graveyard – Free
  • PolyRunner VR – Free
  • USA Today VR Stories – Free
  • Wonder Glade – Free
  • VR Karts: Sprint – Free
  • Street View – Free
  • Wall Street Journal VR – Free
  • Guardian VR – Free
  • Play Movies – Free
  • YouTube – Free
  • CNN VR – Free
  • UE4 Demo – Free
  • ZDF VR – Free (German language only)
  • ARTE360 VR – Free
  • Arts and Culture VR – Free
  • Photos – Free
  • Rose – Free
  • Wayfair Ideaspace – Free
  • realestate VR – Free
  • 8ninths Enterprise Demo – Free

Paid Apps and Games

  • Speak of the Devil
  • Shrine VR – $1.49
  • Death Horizon – $7.99
  • Blade Runner: Revelations – $8.99
  • RocketCop 2045 – $0.99
  • Alien Shot VR – Surrender – $11.99
  • IT: Escape from Pennywise VR – $0.99
  • Colossal Quest – $1.49
  • Fantastic Beasts – $4.99
  • Rangi – $4.99
  • Dragon Flight – $3.99
  • Turret Attack – $2.99
  • Dinosaur Hunter – $1.99
  • Magna Brave – $2.99
  • Recall – $3.49
  • Lithium – $1.99
  • Nyoro The Snake & Seven Islands – $4.49
  • Tank Commander – $3.99
  • Volkan – $1.49
  • VR Duck Hunting – $1.99
  • 2 Star Resort – $2.99
  • Overtake VR: Traffic Racing – $0.99
  • The Rabbit Hole – Escape the Room – $2.99
  • In the Dark – $0.99
  • SBK VR – $3.99
  • Disc League – $4.99
  • Daedalus – $5.99
  • Skylight – $9.99
  • Tactera – $9.99
  • Samurai Chef – $2.49
  • Dreadhalls – $4.99
  • Radial-G: Racing Revolved – $6.49
  • Virtual Minigolf – $2.99
  • Orbital Loop – $1.99
  • Flutter VR – $4.99
  • Hunters Gate – $5.99
  • Elevator… to the Moon! – $5.99
  • Narrows – $9.99
  • Paint VR – $1.99
  • Onyx: Quest for the Midnight Stone – $5.99
  • Daylight Dojo – $1.99
  • Relic Seeker: Hypogeum – $4.99
  • Ultrawings – $4.99
  • So Let Us Melt – $3.49
  • Beartopia – $14.99
  • Need for Speed No Limits VR – $14.99
  • The Other Room – $4.99
  • Faye & Elsa Part III – $4.99
  • Cosmos Crash VR – $2.99
  • Baskhead – $2.99
  • Demon Grade VR – $3.99
  • Untethered – $4.99
  • MLB.com Home Run Derby VR – $4.99
  • Virtual Rabbids: The Big Plan – $4.99
  • Virtugo VR – $0.99
  • Raptor Valley – $2.99
  • Spark of Light – $4.99
  • Relax River – $0.99
  • Cyber Paint – $4.99
  • SONAR – $0.99
  • WE COME IN PEACE – $2.99
  • VR Music Visualizer – Spectrum – $3.49
  • Floor Plan – $4.99
  • Belt Miners – $8.99
  • Zombie Elevator – $1.99
  • West Gangs – $5.49
  • Relic Seeker: Hypogeum VR
  • Onyx: Quest for the Midnight Stone – $5.99
  • Hungry Shark VR – $4.99
  • Feasible Food – $4.99
  • Unimersiv – $9.99
  • Cinema Variety VR Pro – $1.99
  • Haunted House – $1.99
  • House of Meditation – $6.99
  • Mysteries of China: The Great Wall – $1.99
  • Solar Eclipse 2017 VR – $0.99
  • Zombie Rush Coaster – $0.99
  • Jing Yang Ridge 2 – $2.49
  • Darknet – $9.99
  • City Traffic Control VR – $0.99
  • Pull Out Block – $2.49
  • Sisters: Faye & Elsa Part II – $6.99
  • Babel – $4.99
  • Kismet – $3.99
  • Ghosts in the Toybox – $3.99
  • Shoot Fireworks! VR – $3.49
  • Feed The Cat VR – $.99
  • Boberboard VR – $3.49
  • Unicorn Happy Place – $2.99
  • Access Code – $4.99
  • Poker VR – $4.99
  • Balloon Shooter VR – $1.49
  • Farmer vs Evil 2.0 – $1.49
  • Hungry Shark VR – $4.99
  • Lola and the Giant – $10.99
  • Apnea – $2.99
  • Cubed – $.99
  • Last Z Killer – $5.99
  • My Cube – $1.99
  • Baskhead Training – $5.99
  • Terror Cave HD – $.99
  • Body VR for Beginners – $4.99
  • Eclipse: Edge of Light – $8.99
  • Along Together – $8.99
  • Virtual Rabbids: The Big Plan – $5.99
  • Toy Clash – $4.99
  • Polaris – $4.99
  • The Other Room – $4.99
  • Solitaire VR – $2.99
  • Flushy Fish – $3.49
  • SculptrVR – $4.99
  • Building Panic – $4.99
  • Walk Man – $1.99
  • TacoFace – $.99
  • Raptor Valley – $2.99
  • Tipsy Bat – $2.99
  • Pirates Shooter – $1.99
  • Virtual Virtual Reality – $8.99
  • Air Hockey VR – $1.99
  • Baseball – $2.99
  • Vendetta Online – $2.99
  • Vaporwave – $1.99
  • Sky Fighter: Training Day – $5.49
  • Battle Planet – $7.49
  • Audio Arena – $2.99
  • Walking in clouds – $1.99
  • Bandit Six – $2.99
  • Virush – $2.99
  • Splash VR for Reddit – $2.99
  • WE COME IN PEACE… – $2.99
  • Relax VR: Rest & Meditation – $5.99
  • Bait! – $7.99
  • Speech Center VR – $4.99
  • Baskhead – $2.99
  • Cerevrum – $6.99
  • Cosmic Chef – $9.99
  • AFFECTED – The Manor VR – $3.49
  • Floor Plan – $4.99
  • Untethered – $4.99
  • Hello Mars – $.99
  • Sherlock VR – $1.99
  • Need for Speed: No Limits VR – $14.99
  • Archer E. Bowman – $3.99
  • Layers of Fear: Solitude – $9.99
  • Wands – $5.99
  • Underworld Overlord – $7.99
  • Evil Robot Traffic Jam – $9.99
  • Daydream Blue – $4.99
  • MLB.com Home Run Derby VR – $4.99
  • Action Bowling – $3.49
  • Sisters: Faye and Elsa Part I – $6.99
  • Gunjack 2: End of Shift – $12.99
  • Claro – $4.99
  • Frostbound – $4.99
  • Star Chart VR – $4.99
  • Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes – $9.99
  • Danger Goat – $5.99
  • Hunter’s Gate – $5.99
  • Mekorama – $3.99
  • Earthshape – $4.99
  • The Arcslinger – $7.99
  • Drift – $10.99

As you can see, that list is growing fast and it’s full of great experiences. Google promised there would be 50 Daydream apps available by the end of 2016, and delivered a great deal more! At the start of 2018, we were already at well over 200 apps and games to choose from.

This train isn’t slowing down, either. There are a lot more apps coming! Here’s a complete list of the apps Google says are coming to Daydream soon, but so far most of these app developers have been a little shy about a release date for their new VR apps.

Daydream apps planned for the future

  • Island Bombers
  • Flocklore
  • Classroom Aquatic Demo – Here
  • Loco Motors
  • SuperVektroids!

This post was last updated on 9/1 to add new apps. Be sure to check back regularly for more updates.

Google Daydream

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

Google

3
Oct

Leviton’s new $30 Mini Plug-in Outlet helps you control your home


If you’re not commanding a smart home now, you’re running out of excuses to try.

Leviton, the maker of tons of really good smart switches and plugs, has a new smart device – the $29.99 Decora Mini Plug-in Outlet. Much like the Wemo Mini or TP-Link Mini, this is a new smart plug that requires no hub and easily connects to smart home ecosystems like Alexa or Google Assistant.

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You can also use the Decora Mini with devices like the Nest thermostat, SmartThings home monitoring, and more. You’ll be able to download the free My Leviton app and control all aspects of the plug. In fact, the app can control 20 different residences with full smart home systems, so you can keep adding new appliances and switches as you go.

Whatever is plugged in can have its own custom schedule. That means turning the lights off when you go to bed, turning them on when you’re away from home, or setting your coffee machine to start brewing as soon as you get out of bed. Just one less second you have to spend not having coffee in your system, right? Leviton’s first Plug-in Outlet was a bit bulkier and costs a bit more, so it’s nice to see the company improving on that formula.

See on Amazon

3
Oct

OnePlus 6T confirmed to not have wireless charging, better water-resistance


OnePlus is going to end 2018 with a bang.

Ever since it was released this past May, the OnePlus 6 has been one of the absolute best values in smartphones we’ve seen in 2018. The phone’s only gotten better thanks to striking new colors and fast software updates, and right around the corner is its incremental successor — the OnePlus 6T.

The 6T likely won’t shake up the OnePlus 6’s formula too much, but even so, it’s already shaping up to be one of the year’s most interesting smartphones.

Without further ado, here’s everything we know about the OnePlus 6T!

The latest OnePlus 6T news

October 2, 2018 — OnePlus 6T confirmed to not have wireless charging, better water-resistance

CNET recently sat down for an exclusive interview with OnePlus CEO Pete Lau, and during it, a few interesting tidbits were revealed.

Perhaps most importantly, the interview confirms that the OnePlus 6T will not support wireless charging. According to Lau:

We’re working hard on this. When we get to the day that the wireless charging can get up to speed [of Dash Charge] without the implication of heat that we expect, then I believe we can integrate the technology.

Lau also commented on the 6T’s water resistance, saying that it’s the most water-resistant phone the company’s made yet. However, in an attempt to save money, you won’t find an official IP rating.

Last but not least, Lau confirmed that one of the main reasons the 3.5mm headphone jack was removed was to make room for the in-display fingerprint sensor. He also said that it was “one of the most difficult decisions for us [OnePlus] to make.”

Read the full interview here

October 1, 2018 — Here are renders of the OnePlus 6T in Midnight Black and Mirror Black

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Midnight Black

Need more OnePlus 6T renders in your life? Lucky for you, WinFuture recently got their hands on just that.

A few new images of the phone show its front and back in both Midnight Black and Mirror Black finishes — two colors that are also available for the OnePlus 6.

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Mirror Black

Although the 6T’s design has already been confirmed in other leaks, these renderes once again show off the waterdrop style notch, the absence of the rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, and dual rear cameras.

September 28, 2018 — OnePlus begins teasing the 6T

We already know that the OnePlus 6T is coming, but now thanks to a teaser clip on its official Twitter page, OnePlus is ready to start hyping up the phone ahead of its announcement.

OnePlus 6T. It’s coming. pic.twitter.com/Wrdt9sCdIs

— OnePlus (@oneplus) September 28, 2018

The short clip is just 5 seconds long and features the tagline “Unlock the Future” along with the OnePlus 6T logo.

There’s not much else to see, but with the hype train starting, an official reveal should be coming soon.

September 26, 2018 — OnePlus 6T appears in a bunch of new renders

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Earlier this month, we got our first render of the OnePlus 6T showing off the top rear portion of the phone. Now, thanks to @OnLeaks and MySmartPrice, we have full device renders of the 6T that shows what it’ll look like from every angle imaginable.

As expected, the 6T’s body shares a lot of similarities with the Oppo R17. There’s a large 6.4-inch display around front with a tiny waterdrop style notch at the very top. Around back is a dual camera system, glass construction, and no fingerprint sensor. This time around, OnePlus is hiding it underneath the display.

The 6T is said to be a bit thicker and wider than the 6, coming in at 157.5 x 75.7 x 8.2mm compared to 155.7 x 75.4 x 7.8mm.

Are you liking what you’re seeing?

September 19, 2018 — OnePlus 6T teaser video airs in India, shows off dual rear cameras

OnePlus has started airing a OnePlus 6T teaser video in India that shows off the back of the upcoming phone. A render from earlier today revealed that the device will have dual rear cameras — and not three like previously rumored — and the video further reinforces that. The commercial features OnePlus’ India ambassador Amitabh Bachchan, and also references the in-display fingerprint sensor.

Amazon India is also building up interest for the device by opening up a “Notify Me” page for the OnePlus 6T ahead of the rumored October 17 launch.

September 19, 2018 — OnePlus 6T render confirms dual rear cameras, logo also teased

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Thanks to the folks over at WinFuture, we now have our very first render of the upcoming OnePlus 6T. The render admittedly doesn’t reveal a lot of the phone, but even so, it does manage to confirm a couple of key details.

First of all, it would appear that OnePlus will be sticking with two rear cameras on the back. On that same note, the cameras are also in the exact same position as they are on the OnePlus 6.

oneplus-6t-vs-6-back.jpg?itok=7IRpfiOG

Along with this, we can also see that there’s no longer a fingerprint sensor below the camera lens. OnePlus already confirmed that the 6T will be its first phone to use an in-display sensor, so we’re now seeing how all of that will come together.

Last but not least, WinFuture also shared the 6T’s official logo. There’s nothing particularly exciting about it, but here it is for your vieiwng pleasure.

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September 13, 2018 — The OnePlus 6T will not have a headphone jack

Yep, you read that correctly. As confirmed by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei in an interview with TechRadar, the 6T will not have a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Having a headphone jack on its phones is something OnePlus has adamantly bragged about for the last few years, so why is the company now deciding to remove it? First of all, Pei notes that by removing the headphone jack, more features can be crammed into the 6T.

Some of that space is likely going to the in-display fingerprint sensor that was already confirmed by the company, and along with that, Pei says battery life is being improved, too. We don’t have raw numbers, but it’s said that the improvement will be “substantial enough for users to realize.”

Another reason for the jack’s removal is timing. Per a survey that OnePlus conducted earlier this year, 59% of its users already have some sort of wireless earbuds. Furthermore, Pei expects that number to now be higher following the release of the Bullets Wireless.

OnePlus expects some backlash from its community, and like we’ve seen from Apple, Google, and others, a 3.5mm-to-USB-C dongle will be included in the box so you can continue to use your old wired headphones.

What do you think about the 6T not having a headphone jack?

September 10, 2018 — OnePlus confirms in-display fingerprint sensor for OnePlus 6T

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Less than a week since the OnePlus 6T retail box leaked, OnePlus has confirmed to CNET that one of the main features shown there — specifically the in-display fingerprint sensor — will be present on the phone at launch.

In an email sent to the publication, OnePlus said:

We unlock our phones multiple times a day, and Screen Unlock reduces the number of steps to complete the action. By adding this feature as an addition to other display unlocking options such as Face Unlock, users will have options to unlock the display in a way that is most efficient for them.

OnePlus also shared a screenshot of the 6T’s lock screen, and as you can see, an icon near the bottom of the display will show users where to put their finger to unlock the phone. Similar to devices like the Vivo X20 Plus UD and Vivo Nex, the 6T uses an optical scanner under its screen that views your print, matches it with one that’s been set up, and unlocks your phone.

In-display sensors have typically been slower than traditional ones on the front or back of a device, and if that’s the case with the 6T, at least we’ll also have Face Unlock as an unlocking option, too.

September 4, 2018 — Retail box reveals an in-display fingerprint sensor and “waterdrop” notch

Our first big OnePlus 6T leak has finally arrived!

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A retail box for the phone recently appeared in a few photos online, and while the phone itself isn’t anywhere to be seen, the packaging actually confirms a couple key details about it.

Thanks to an outline of the 6T inside the box, we can see that it adopts a very similar design compared to the Oppo R17 that was announced in mid-August. As such, we’ve got a phone with very slim bezels, a tiny chin at the bottom, and a waterdrop style notch at the top.

This outline also shows a fingerprint near the bottom center of the display — suggesting that the 6T will be the first OnePlus phone to adopt an in-display fingerprint sensor.

August 17, 2018 — OnePlus 6T to launch on T-Mobile in the U.S. in October

A new report from CNET surfaced today, and if you’ve been waiting for more juicy details on the OnePlus 6T, there’s plenty for you here.

OnePlus phones in the U.S. have always been sold exclusively as unlocked handsets through OnePlus’s website, but with the 6T, OnePlus will be launching the phone on its first carrier partner in the States — T-Mobile. The T-Mobile version of the OnePlus 6T is said to be “optimized for T-Mobile’s network” and will work beautifully with the Un-Carrier’s 600Mhz band.

Pricing for the OnePlus 6T is said to be about $550 (a slight increase from the $529 OnePlus 6) and it’ll launch at some point in October.

August 14, 2018 — The new Oppo R17 is likely the phone the OnePlus 6T will be modeled after

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If you’ve been following OnePlus for a while, chances are you know that its parent company is Oppo. OnePlus typically uses Oppo phones as references for its own hardware, and this year, the reference device for the OnePlus 6T will likely be the all-new Oppo R17.

While the 6T won’t be identical to the R17, the phone’s biggest features will likely carry over — including the waterdrop notch at the top of the display and all-glass back.

oppo-r17-notch-up-close.jpg?itok=KdG2A5G

The R17’s notch is one of the smallest we’ve ever seen, and should this make its way to the 6T, it’ll be a big win for the phone’s design. The display below that measures in at 6.4-inches, and to not much surprise, retains a resolution of 1080 x 2280 Full HD.

Where will I be able to buy the OnePlus 6T?

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Like previous OnePlus phones, we’re certain that the OnePlus 6T will be sold unlocked on OnePlus’s website.

However, new this year in the U.S., OnePlus has apparently secured its first carrier partner.

In addition to selling the phone unlocked, OnePlus will also sell the 6T via T-Mobile. The unlocked variant will work just fine on TMO, but by having the phone sold directly through the carrier and available to purchase via monthly financing, this should hopefully get the 6T in more people’s hands than previous OnePlus devices.

When will the phone be released?

According to a report from CNET, the OnePlus 6T will launch this fall — sometime in October, to be exact.

Seeing as how the OnePlus 5T went on sale November 21 and sales for the 3T opened up November 28, we have no reason not to believe OnePlus will shoot for an October launch. It’s not uncommon for OEMs to move up launch dates by a month or so compared to previous releases, and seeing as how the next-gen iPhones will be announced on September 12 and the Pixel 3 will be unveiled on October 9, OnePlus appears to be slotting itself in nicely with those big-name launches.

How much will the 6T cost?

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Per that same report, the OnePlus 6T will cost $550.

In typical OnePlus fashion, that’s a minor price hike compared to its past releases. Here’s how the $550 OnePlus 6T will compare to previous OnePlus phones:

  • OnePlus 6 — $529
  • OnePlus 5T — $499
  • OnePlus 5 — $479
  • OnePlus 3T — $439
  • OnePlus 3 — $399

OnePlus 6 review: The matter is settled

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