How to pre-install a pre-ordered PlayStation 4 game

Get ready to play on Day One.

Downloading games can take hours, especially if you have a slow internet connection. This isn’t ideal when the future is increasingly becoming digital and we want to jump into our games as quickly as possible. Luckily, we can pre-install games that we have pre-ordered on PlayStation 4 so we can start playing as soon as the game unlocks after its release. Here’s how to do just that.

How to pre-install pre-ordered games on PS4

From the home screen, scroll to your Library.

Navigate to the Purchased section.

Select the pre-ordered game that you want to pre-install.

At this point, you’ll see a page with a countdown timer. If the game supports pre-installation, it should automatically do so within about 48 hours before the game is set to launch.

How to enable automatic downloads

From the home screen, go to Settings.

Scroll down to System.

Select Automatic Downloads.

Make sure that Application Update Files is checked.

Even after your game is pre-installed, you will not be able to play it early before its official release. You’ll still need to wait until the game unlocks after its release date.

If you would like to do this process manually instead of having the game automatically download when available, follow the first set of steps again to do so about two days before the game’s launch if it is a title that supports pre-installation.

PlayStation 4

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

Amazon

Here’s how to hide the notch on the Pixel 3 XL

The Pixel 3 XL has a huge notch, but you can thankfully hide it.

With the Pixel 3 XL, Google has retained the stereo speakers while offering dual cameras up front. The components need to go somewhere, and the end result is that the Pixel 3 XL has a huge notch. Google does offer a way to hide it, but doing so requires going into the developer options.

Hiding the notch makes using the Pixel 3 XL much more enjoyable. If anything, it adds some symmetry to the device as there are considerable bezels at the bottom as well. Here’s how you can hide the notch on the Pixel 3 XL.

How to hide the notch on the Pixel 3 XL

Open Settings from your app drawer or home screen.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Tap System.

Tap About phone.
Scroll down to the bottom.

Tap the Build number field seven times until you see a dialog box that says, “you are now a developer”

Go back to the Settings page and type notch in the search bar at the top.
You’ll see a single result called Display cutout. Tap the link to go to the Developer options menu.

Select Hide to hide the notch.

That’s all there is to it. The Pixel 3 XL has a lot to offer, particularly when it comes to the camera side of things, and while the notch negatively affects the overall experience of the device, at least there’s an option to hide it away.

As a word of caution, there’s no guarantee that everything will work perfectly fine when you load up third-party apps from the Play Store with the notch disabled. The whole point of these developer options for managing the notch is to make it easier for developers to test their apps with a variety of screen shapes, and things may get a little weird. But if this is the only way you’d ever consider using a Pixel 3 XL, you now know how to manage that notch so you can happily use the phone.

Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL

• Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL hands-on preview
• Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL: Everything you need to know!
• Google Pixel 3 vs. Pixel 3 XL: Which should you buy?
• Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL specifications
• Join our Pixel 3 forums

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Win a Google Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL from Android Central

New Pixels are here and you should enter to win one!

This year’s Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL aren’t drastically different compared to their predecessors, but improved displays, a faster processor, wireless charging, and more all result in a well fleshed-out package, making for what could be some of the best smartphones in 2018. But who wants to BUY a phone when you could WIN a phone?

That’s right, we’re giving away a new Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL to a lucky Android Central reader. Keep reading for details!

Enter to win a Google Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL

THE PRIZE: One Android Central reader will win their choice of Google Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL

THE GIVEAWAY: Use the widget at the bottom of this page. There are multiple ways to enter, each with varying point values. Complete all of the tasks for maximum entries and your best shot at winning! Keep in mind that all winning entries are verified and if the task was not completed or cannot be verified, a new winner will be chosen. Phone service is not included with the prize and we make no guarantees that the phone will work with your service provider, so be sure to check that before you enter. International winners will be responsible for any customs fees incurred during shipping.

The giveaway is open through October 31, 2018, and the winner will be announced right here shortly after the closing date. Good luck!

Win a Google Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL from Android Central!

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Google’s shutting down its experimental Reply app

Earlier this month, Google’s Area 120 experimental division announced its latest creation – an Android app called “Reply.” Reply essentially brings Allo’s Smart Reply feature to all of your communication apps, and it’s now available for anyone to download.

Reply is still in beta, and if you want to download it, you’ll need to sideload the APK file as it isn’t available on the Play Store. Assuming you’re comfortable doing this and have a phone running Android 7.0 or later, getting Reply is just a few taps away.

Updated October 10, 2018: Google’s shutting down Reply

Around 3:00 PM EST today, Area 120 sent out an email to Reply users announcing that it’s shutting the app down. The email reads:

You’re receiving this email because you installed the Reply app from Area 120 at Google. Thanks for doing that!

As you know, Reply was an experiment, and that experiment has now ended. While it might still work for the next few months, you may encounter bugs, or see that the suggestions aren’t as good.

We worked with teams in Google to make sure the ideas and learnings from Reply will live on in other Google products.

Once you open the app, sign in with your Google account, and enable notification access, you’ll get a quick rundown of all the features Reply has to offer. In addition to automated responses based on the context of a conversation you’re having, Reply can also generate responses using your location data, send a heap of automatic replies based on your work calendar and certain keywords, and more.

I tested out Reply for a few minutes on my Pixel 2, and whether I was using Android Messages, Hangouts, or Facebook Messenger, it worked just as it’s advertised. The suggested replies are certainly what users will interact with the most, but if you take some time to set up all the automation features Reply has to offer, you could turn it into a really powerful tool.

There are still some bugs here and there (I personally wasn’t able to set my home or work address), but even so, it’s remarkable how well Reply works in such an early form. If you want to give it a try, you can download it here.

Reply wants to add Smart Replies to all your messaging apps

What is the cheapest way to fly FPV drones?

Best answer: Piloting drones is an expensive hobby from the outset, and you’re going to end up spending more money in the long run if you cheap out on components when you’re just starting out. We’d recommend practicing with an RC simulator first, and then starting out with an affordable FPV drone kit for beginners.

• Amazon: RealFlight X with InterLink X Controller ($180)
• Amazon: Hubsan X4 Storm Professional Version ($130)
• Amazon: DJI Mavic Air FPV Bundle ($1328)

Drone racing is an expensive hobby

Drones are easily among the coolest tech industries to emerge in the early half of the 21st century. While radio-controlled planes and copters have been a popular hobby for decades, the advent of the affordable consumer-grade quadcopter has led to an explosion in popularity, with drones being used for both professional and amateur film and photography projects, search and rescue missions, or simply as an excuse to get outside have some fun.

But anyone who’s invested in a drone kit will tell you that it’s an expensive hobby from the outset that only gets more expensive along the way with replacement parts and enticing upgrade opportunities. It’s the same deal with most hobbies, except of course for the added risk involved with crashes or your drone losing controller connection and flying off into the sunset.

Earn your wings with a digital drone

A FPV screenshot of a nighttime drone race course from RealFlight X

Speaking from personal experience, the first drones you buy are going to take some abuse as you learn the ropes of controlling your drone. As you learn how to control yaw, pitch, and roll, you’re bound to encounter some ‘piloting error’ that might lead to a hard landing or, in a worse case scenario, crashing into a tree or some other obstacle.

RC simulators allow you to get in your flight hours and hone your piloting skills in a risk-free environment.

Legally speaking, you’re also going to need to be aware of any no-fly zones in your area as well as the local laws regarding drone registration, and you’re best off finding an abandoned space free of trees, power lines, vehicles and roadways, and anything else that might cause issues. It’s a lot of responsibility and can be very restrictive if you simply don’t have access to a safe space to practice — that’s part of the reason why RC simulator software is a great first investment for a novice drone pilot.

Simulator software allows you to get in your flight hours and hone your piloting skills in a risk-free environment. We’ve recommended a PC program (sorry Mac users) called RealFlight X, which is a radio-controlled flight simulator that lets you test fly over 100 different model aircraft including a couple different styles of quadcopter to choose. From there, you’re given millions of acres of virtual space to test fly in, including racing courses for testing your FPV prowess. Most importantly, the software comes with a physical controller that mimics the real RC transmitters with dedicated control of all the different drone functions.

RealFlight X is the latest version and demands a PC with some really good specs — 30GB of hard drive space, 32GB of RAM, and a Nvidia GTX 1060, Radeon RX 480 or equivalent video card — for optimal performance. Anything less will likely lead to some frustrating frame rates, so if you don’t already own a premium gaming PC, you might be more inclined to buy RealFlight 8 for the same price, offering virtually the same training experience with the same controller but without demanding so much from your PC’s specs.

Want to get into racing? Here’s an affordable starter kit

Consumer drones from makers such as DJI are typically what we’d recommend because they include a ton of valuable safety features that help to avoid collisions and keep your drone safe. DJI also offers its own kits for FPV flight along with great customer support for their products. The downside is the pricing — you can get a DJI Mavic Air FPV kit that includes the DJI Mavic Air and DJI FPV Goggles for a whopping $1328.

That’s a steep investment for the average person, especially if you’ve never bought a drone before. There’s no denying that a DJI drone is a product and a worthwhile investment if you want something that’s been designed to be easy to set up and use, but dropping a cool G on a hobby isn’t going to be realistic for everyone. That’s why we’d recommend checking out something like the Hubsan X4 Storm Professional Version which offers a much more affordable entry point for FPV drone flight.

This palm-sized drone is built around a 720P HD camera and transmitter and includes a rather basic controller and a chunky-yet-functional headset and LCD monitor that allows you to fly from your drone’s perspective. It’s still very much in the “toy drone” category when it comes to its appearance but it will give you a good sense of what real-life FPV flying is like and has mostly positive user reviews on Amazon.

Our pick

Hubsan X4 Storm Professional Version

$130 at Amazon

Best FPV Drone for novice pilots

The Hubsan X4 Storm should do a fine job at delivering an FPV drone piloting experience for beginners without the financial burden of purchasing a professional kit.

Practice digitally

RealFlight X with InterLink X Controller

$180 at Amazon

Best Software for practice flying

The best and safest place to learn how to fly a drone is in a digital space. RealFlight X is one of the best RC simulators, with RealFlight 8 a better option for those with a mid-range PC setup.

Hey big spender

DJI Mavic Air FPV Bundle

$1328 at Amazon

If money is no object…

For those looking to invest in a full-featured drone with all the FPV fixings, the DJI Mavic Air FPV bundle is a great option.

Canada Daily Deals: Philips Hue bundles, mesh networking systems, and more

Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.

We found plenty of great deals today that include big discounts on Philips Hue and Amazon Echo bundles, TP-Link Deco M5 mesh networking systems, free Google Home Minis with NVIDA Shield TV, and much more!

View the rest of the deals

Each day, the Thrifter Canada team scouts out and shares amazing deals on products you know and love, helping you find the best prices on the ‘net.

For more Canadian deals coverage, be sure to keep an eye on Thrifter CA, sign up for the Canadian newsletter and follow the team on Twitter.

AT&T’s WarnerMedia to Launch New Streaming Service in Fourth Quarter of 2019

AT&T’s WarnerMedia is working on its own streaming service to compete with Netflix, Hulu, Disney, and others, the company announced today.

According to AT&T, the upcoming streaming service is “another benefit” of the merger between AT&T and Time Warner. AT&T says it is committed to launching a “compelling and competitive product” that helps the company expand its reach.

AT&T’s streaming service will include the WarnerMedia collection of films, television series, animation, documentaries, and more. The plan is to “create such a compelling product” that it will help distributors increase customer penetration and help AT&T reach additional customers.

AT&T already owns DirecTV and offers live streaming content through DirecTV Now, HBO Go, and HBO Now.

At the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit on Wednesday, WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey said that HBO will be a “lead brand” in the new service. From CNBC:

“Around HBO will come a great library of additional content from not only the WarnerMedia properties but also some selective third party licensed content,” Stankey said. “And the driver behind this is really straight forward. We know there’s customers who love to engage with our content — we’ve got a great history of building it — much of which they can’t get in one place.”

Along with HBO, the service will include content from Turner and Warner Bros.

According to Stankey, the new streaming service will feature a “compelling price point” when it launches in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Tags: AT&T, Time Warner
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Apple to Offer Original TV Content Free to Apple Device Owners

Apple is developing a new digital video service that will combine the company’s own subscription services and original television content with content from various media companies, reports CNBC.

Citing sources familiar with Apple’s plans, CNBC says that Apple will provide Apple-owned and created content for free to customers who own devices like the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, with the television shows housed in the company’s TV app.

Apple already offers its current popular TV show, “Carpool Karaoke: The Series” for free to all users within the TV app. “Carpool Karaoke” was initially limited to Apple Music subscribers, but was moved to the TV app as a free offering earlier this year.

The upcoming streaming service will also include subscription channels where customers will be able to sign in to access content from other companies like HBO and Starz. The channels will be similar to Amazon Prime Video channel subscription options, with customers able to access all of their content within the TV app rather than needing to download and sign into individual apps.

Apple has more than a dozen original television shows in the works right now, with the company aiming to produce television shows with broad consumer appeal that won’t taint its brand image. For that reason, rumors suggest Apple is avoiding risqué content that avoids nudity, raw language, and violence.

Current shows run the gamut from sci-fi to comedy, with a full list of all of Apple’s products available in our Apple TV roundup. Several shows have started the casting process, including “Serial,” a drama about a podcast that reopens a murder case, an untitled space drama from Ronald D. Moore, and an epic world-building drama called “See.”

Rumors have suggested Apple is spending $1 billion on original content in 2018, and according to CNBC’s sources, the company has been seeking out “tent pole” franchises that could draw customers to a future Netflix-style subscription service.

Peter Stern, who joined Apple in 2016, is working alongside iTunes chief Eddy Cue to establish deals with media companies in an attempt to put together Apple’s planned streaming service. Stern is said to have a lighter touch than Cue, with experience in the cable industry that could help him secure the content deals Apple has previously been unable to attain.

To go along with the video subscription service, Apple is also aiming to talk print media companies into joining Texture, the magazine subscription service that it purchased earlier this year. News organizations are reluctant to give Apple control of the subscriber billing relationship, a struggle Apple will need to overcome to establish a full newspaper and magazine subscription service.

Apple is planning to launch a revamped TV app in early 2019, which is likely when we’ll hear more about its upcoming subscription plans.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 12Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Caution)
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After Tesla’s ‘best car’ boasts, the NHTSA stresses its scale only goes to five

In a verbose blog post, Tesla bragged about building the best car the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has ever tested. It proudly paraded the Model 3‘s five-star crash test rating and hailed the electric sedan as the car with the lowest probability of injury, a claim backed up by data. The statements initially went unchecked — Tesla published the post over the weekend — but it didn’t take long for the agency to issue a response.

It turns out that the Model 3 is indeed safe, as the crash test data shows, but the NHTSA stressed that its rating system doesn’t go above five stars.

“A five-star rating is the highest safety rating a vehicle can achieve. NHTSA does not distinguish safety performance beyond that rating, thus there is no ‘safest’ vehicle among those vehicles achieving five-star ratings,” the agency wrote on its official website. It didn’t specifically mention Tesla, but the timing of the announcement — and the nature of Tesla’s claims — leave little doubt that the statement is a response to the California-based firm.

Earning a five-star safety rating is an impressive achievement, and it’s easier said than done. It makes the Model 3 one of the safest new cars sold in America. Data gathered by the NHTSA (and analyzed by Jalopnik) does show the Model 3 has a lower probability of injury than any car tested since 2011. However, the relatively long list of new and late-model cars with a five-star safety rating from the NHTSA also includes the 2013 Subaru Legacy, the 2015 Audi A4, the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, the 2018 Subaru Impreza, the 2018 Volvo S60, and the 2019 Buick LaCrosse.

This isn’t the first time Tesla has raised eyebrows at the NHTSA. In 2013, it trumpeted the record-breaking 5.4-star safety rating earned by the Model S. This achievement made the S the safest new car in America, the company claimed. The NHTSA quickly stepped in to remind Tesla officials there is no such thing as a 5.4-star safety rating. It also established new guidelines that forbid automakers from advertising a score higher than five stars.

Bloomberg points out companies who make extravagant claims about crash test ratings can get in trouble with other agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission. That’s the last thing Tesla needs right now, it already landed on the wrong side of the Securities and Exchange Commission, but there’s no indication the FTC will take action against the company.

Updated 10-10-2018: Corrected the story to reflect that Tesla called the Model 3 the NHTSA’s best car, not its safest car, and added information about crash test data.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Aced it! Tesla’s Model 3 earns a five-star crash-test rating
• Here’s the latest news on the Tesla Model 3, including specs and performance
• Tesla aims for 6,000 Model 3s per week as it continues posting losses
• Whistleblower says a drug-peddling Mexican cartel thrives in Tesla’s Gigafactory

Google Pixel Stand hands-on review

Research Center:

Google Pixel Stand

Following an industry trend, Google’s latest smartphones — the Pixel 3 and the Pixel 3 XL — support Qi wireless charging. That means you can place them on any Qi-supported wireless charger, and the phone will charge up; there’s no need to fiddle around with cables. Google has made an optional charging stand to complement the new phones, but instead of releasing another basic accessory in a crowded market, the Pixel Stand brings the artificial intelligence in the Pixel 3 to the forefront, and it packs so many genuinely-helpful features that make it one of the smartest wireless chargers we’ve ever seen.

The basics

The Pixel Stand is a 10-watt wireless charging stand that’s made of silicone and polycarbonate. Only one color option is available — white — and while it matches all the different colors the Pixel 3 comes in, we wish the stand came in different colors as well. It may also attract a good deal of lint or dust over time. The device has a grippy bottom, so it won’t move around on any surface you place it on.

It comes with an USB-C to USB-C cable, which plugs into the included 18-watt USB-PD (Power Delivery) wall adapter into the Pixel Stand. Google says the Pixel Stand offers fast wireless charging for the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, but it’s important to note that it won’t be as fast as charging with the included wired USB-C cable you get with the phones.

The wireless charging stand itself looks simple and understated, which means it should blend into the home without sticking out. You can place any Qi-capable phone on it — including newer iPhones — in either landscape or portrait orientation, and the Pixel Stand will be able to juice it up because it has two charging coils (one on top of the other).

Smart features

The Pixel Stand may look like just another wireless charger, but there’s a good deal of special features that come alive as soon as you place a Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL on it.

Placing a Pixel 3 on the wireless charger also introduces a more helpful user interface on the always-on display.

Inside the Stand is a microprocessor that triggers a secure “handshake” when you place the Pixel 3 down (there’s no Bluetooth, NFC, or Wi-Fi involved in the connection). The Pixel asks the Stand for its unique ID number, and then the phone computes it so they both have the matching number, a process known as hashing. This number is then stored in both the phone and the stand. This ensures that your phone recognizes this specific Pixel Stand, in case you have multiple, because you can customize each Pixel Stand to have different purposes.

You can access the Pixel Stand’s settings in your phone’s Connected Device settings. One option is the ability to completely turn off your phone’s screen, including from the Pixel 3’s always-on display, so you get no visual disturbances. That’s handy if the Pixel Stand is next to your bed.

What’s also helpful is you can set a Pixel Stand to trigger your phone’s Do Not Disturb mode. This doesn’t necessarily turn off the screen, but it does mean the screen won’t light up or alert you to any notifications when the phone is docked. It’s another way of minimizing alerts if you’re trying to go to bed, but this is something you can toggle on or off. So, if you have own another Pixel Stand — say, by your desk — then you’ll likely want to make sure it doesn’t trigger Do Not Disturb mode.

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Alternatively, you can also turn your Pixel 3 into a digital photo frame when it’s on the Pixel Stand. You can set up “Photo Frames” using Google Photos, and your phone will display photos from albums you’ve selected. It’s a nice way of making use of what’s often a blank screen as you wirelessly charge.

But perhaps the feature we’re most excited to try is Sunrise Alarm. Fifteen minutes before your alarm is set to go off, the Pixel 3 will start showing an ambient light to help wake you up. It remains to be seen how useful this feature is, but we’ll certainly be checking it out when it’s available.

The Pixel Stand uses the power of Google Assistant to make your phone useful when it’s out of your hands.

Apart from these core features of the Pixel Stand, placing a Pixel 3 on the wireless charger also introduces a more helpful user interface on the always-on display. You get one-tap access to Google Assistant (or you can still say, “Hey Google”), and depending on the time of day, you will get suggestions to tap on — powered by Assistant. For example, if it’s early in the morning you’ll get the option to trigger the Assistant’s “My Day” feature. This will automatically pull up your calendar, reminders, and weather and traffic alerts, and it will start playing the day’s news or podcasts (you can tweak your source preferences in Assistant’s settings).

If you’re playing music on the Pixel 3, you’ll get big music controls on the always-on display when the phone is docked on the Pixel Stand, which makes it easier to tap and control playback. It will also display larger album artwork, which is a nice aesthetic.

Google Pixel Stand Compared To

Olloclip Filmer’s Kit

Merge Blaster

TimeFlip Magnet

Ventev Wirelesspro

Insta360 One

Samsung DeX Station

Oaxis InkCase i7 Plus

Ampy Move

Motrr Galileo

Typo keyboard case

Moga Mobile Gaming Controller

Iomega SuperHero

BlackBerry Presenter

Callpod Chargepod

Griffin Elan Holster

And finally, there’s also a smart home tie-in, though it seems to be quite limited at the moment. If you have a Nest Hello video doorbell, you can quickly see who’s at the front door with just a tap of a button when the Pixel 3 is resting on the Pixel Stand. There’s no mention of other smart home integration, but we imagine support for other products could be added over time.

Price and availability

The Pixel Stand costs $79, and it’s available for pre-order now from the Google Store (it ships early November). While you can certainly find cheaper wireless charging pads, this price is in line with wireless charging pads from brands such as Mophie and Belkin. But where those wireless chargers simply juice up your phone, the Pixel Stand uses the power of Google Assistant to make your phone useful when it’s out of your hands.

While the Pixel Stand will charge any Qi-compatible phone, its features only work with the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL. Don’t buy this if you own a Samsung or Apple phone — there are far cheaper alternatives — unless you are planning to upgrade to a Pixel 3.