Razer Phone 2 hands-on: A sharp upgrade

When it released in November 2017, the Razer Phone was unique. Aimed entirely at gamers, it offered an incredible 120Hz display capable of displaying silky smooth gameplay with lightning fast response times. Its “UltraMotion” effect has to be seen to be appreciated, but it really marked the Razer Phone out as something special. Of course, it also had all the latest specs packed inside for optimal performance and massive dual speakers.

UltraMotion is an effect that has to be seen to be appreciated

The Razer Phone received a lot of love, but it wasn’t quite perfect. The camera was capable of only average photography, which was too much of a compromise for even some die-hard gamers. The Android ecosystem also just wasn’t that set-up for gaming. Few games supported the maximum refresh rates, and there was just no need to go all-out in the specs department to play Candy Crush.

Fast forward to the end of 2018 and the Razer 2 looks set to rectify those mistakes and become the phone of every gamer’s dreams. It might look very similar from the front, but there are a lot of upgrades to be found if you look a little closer.

Beautiful screen and top specs

The amazing screen is back, with the same refresh rate and same 1,440 x 2,560 resolution. This time it’s also received a 50 percent increase in brightness, up to 645 nits. The SoC gets the expected bump up to the Snapdragon 845 with vapor chamber cooling for reduced thermal throttling and 8GB of RAM. The result is that the Razer Phone 2 can deliver 20-30 percent more horsepower than its predecessor – although I was a little surprised to learn it would only come with 64GB of storage. I also noticed the device getting a little warm during a session of PUBG.

The massive front-facing speakers are present and correct too, powered by Dolby Atmos — now reportedly crisper, louder, water sealed, and backed up with an improved vibration engine. There’s no headphone jack, but a USB-Type C dongle with a 24-bit DAC comes in the box for those offended by this omission, just like last time.

Also back is the 4,000mAh battery to allow for long gaming sessions. Software features like the Game Booster, which allows for tweaking performance on a per-game basis, and Razer Cortex, which makes it easier to find actually good games from the PlayStore, are also welcome. The phone runs on an almost stock version of Android 8.1.

Flagship features

Razer says it doesn’t just want to make a gaming phone, it wants to make a premium flagship device for gamers. To that end, we see many of the top end luxuries found on other flagships — we now get IP 67 water resistance, and thanks to a sexy glass back panel, wireless charging. That glass back gives the Razer Phone 2 a more attractive aesthetic from the rear (the front remains largely unchanged).

The Razer Chroma is another new aesthetic touch. It lets you change the color of the Razer logo while your phone is in use. You can pick any color you like (to match your outfit I guess?), as well as different modes such as cycling or breathing. The company’s wireless charging stand will also light up and automatically change color to match your device settings while in use.

Those who don’t care about battery draining can leave the effect on 24/7 if they so wish, but you can also turn it off entirely. I know it’s a gimmick, but I personally love it. I’d give my face RGB lighting if I could.

Camera performance – second time’s a charm?

If Razer truly wants to create a flagship though, its camera needs work. Thankfully, it seems the OEM has paid close attention in this area. The dual lens rear shooter combines a 12MP f1.75 wide-angle lens with a 12MP f/2.6 telephoto, which should allow for some great possibilities, as well as the now-compulsory depth effects. Around the front is an 8MP shooter, same as last time.

Unfortunately, the camera app wasn’t quite ready when I got to test the device. From what I saw, it seemed pretty capable. I managed to produce some pretty decent shots. It even has slow-mo and a host of other modes.

Closing thoughts

We’ll need to spend more time with the device to give a proper verdict on the camera — and of course the same goes for the performance over time. But on the face of it, this is a compelling proposition. For just $799 (779 pounds here in the UK and 849 euros elsewhere), you get flagship specs and performance in a water resistant, premium-feeling glass chassis with a one-of-a-kind screen, amazing speakers, and a host of gamer-centric features.

If Razer gets the camera right, this device might convince those who held off last time.

This may be the right time for a new Razer phone. Android gaming is increasingly popular, thanks in part to the success of PUBG and Fortnite and the example set by the Nintendo Switch. I’m personally enjoying streaming games to my device via Steam Link a lot these days.

With that popularity comes competition. Only time will tell whether the Razer Phone 2 has the chops to take on offerings from Honor and ROG.

What do you think of the Razer Phone 2? Let us know in the comments down below and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss the full review coming soon.

More Razer 2 coverage

• Razer Phone 2 announced: More style, more power
• Razer Phone 2 specs: Familiar, but better in all the ways that matter
• Razer Phone 2 vs Razer Phone: Specs comparison
• The Razer Raiju Mobile lets you play Android games with actual buttons

Gaming laptops with Nvidia’s flagship RTX cards could arrive by CES 2019

Riley Young/Digital Trends

If you’re waiting for Nvidia to make its flagship GeForce RTX 2080 series graphics card available on laptops, you may not have to wait much longer. While it was previously rumored that Nvidia may launch the card as early as November, a new report suggests that mobile RTX graphics won’t launch until early 2019. Nvidia may announce the mobile graphics cards around the same time as the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Hopefully, this means that we’ll see gaming laptop manufacturers showcase their designs at CES in January following Nvidia’s announcement.

“Our source has just informed us that the entire RTX mobility lineup will be released around CES along with the 2080 Max-Q following a bit later,” Wccftech reported.

In addition to the RTX 2080 Mobility and RTX 2080 Max-Q Mobility cards, a leaked document obtained by the publication suggests that Nvidia could also offer the RTX 2070, RTX 2070 Max-Q Mobility, RTX 2060 Ti Mobility, RTX 2060 Mobility, RTX 2050 Ti Mobility, and RTX 2050 Mobility configurations as part of its laptop graphics lineup. Currently, it appears that only the RTX 2080 and RTX 2070 Mobility cards will get also come with a Max-Q.

It’s also reported that Nvidia is working with its laptop partners to “standardize laptop thickness for its mobility lineups.” Hopefully, this will result in gaming laptops that aren’t unwieldy in the future. According to Wccftech, Nvidia has provided recommendations for minimum laptop thickness — referred to as Z height — for each RTX Mobility configuration. Documentation published by the outlet reveals that a few Max-Q designs for upcoming RTX-equipped laptops to come in at under 20mm thick.

Previously, it was reported that Nvidia was working with laptop manufacturers to maintain the same Z height with the RTX cards as on devices with the older GTX cards. If Nvidia can achieve this, then we shouldn’t see any increase in dimensions once RTX Mobility gaming systems are announced. An industry insider revealed to Wccftech that RTX laptops will maintain a similar design language as last year’s GTX systems. “We will put the 2080-Max Q into the current thin 15 and the 17 with Nvidia’s help,” the source said. “I don’t think the weight will increase significantly on this new card. Our ID/design will be pretty much the same as what you saw.”

Hopefully, by that time, we’ll see more ray tracing titles launch to take advantage of the capabilities of the RTX chips. But with CES being just a few months away, we’ll find out soon enough what Nvidia’s plans for mobile RTX gaming will be.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile sighting hints at more powerful gaming laptops
• Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 2060 might launch next year without ray tracing
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 joins the ray tracing future on October 17 for $499
• Nvidia vs. AMD
• Nvidia teases new GeForce RTX 2080 launch at Gamescom next week

Google’s Pixel Slate could land in stores in time for Black Friday

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Google took the wraps off of its vision for the future of Chrome OS earlier this week at an event in New York City, unveiling the Pixel Slate. Google revealed that Pixel Slate would start at $599 and will ship later this year, but it did not disclose specific details about the availability of the newest member in the Pixel family. Now, thanks to a Best Buy listing, we learn that the Pixel Slate could ship by November 22.

Chrome Unboxxed published a screenshot captured by Kevin Tofel that the tablet will launch on November 22. Best Buy has since removed the “Release Date” on its page — the listing only suggests that the Pixel Slate will be “Coming Soon.”

The date suggests that Google may be eyeing the busy holiday shopping season with the availability of the Pixel Slate. In the United States, the Thanksgiving holiday falls on November 22, with most retailers targeting holiday shoppers with Black Friday sales the day following. This means that the Pixel Slate will arrive just in time for holiday shoppers eager to find a present, but given that it is still a new device, it may not arrive with any discounts.

While not a direct successor to the current Google Pixelbook, the Pixel Slate also can be converted between tablet and laptop modes — Google opted for a detachable keyboard folio rather than a 360-degree hinge this year — and supports touch and pen input. While the tablet starts at $599, depending on what you choose for the processor and storage, the price could quickly climb up to $1,599 for the top configuration. Best Buy offers the 64GB with an Intel Core m3 processor for $799, a 128GB configuration with an Intel Core i5 for $999, and a 256GB model with an Intel Core i7 processor alongside 8GB RAM for $1,599. It’s unclear if the $1,599 model’s memory configuration is an error on Best Buy’s part — Google’s online store lists the Pixel Slate with 16GB of RAM for the same price.

Though the Pixel Slate could be used as a stand-alone tablet, users looking to pick up the tablet for productivity work may want to add another $199 to their budget for the keyboard folio. The Pixelbook Pen, which is available in a color-matched midnight blue hue this year, is available for $99. Be sure to read our hands-on impressions of the Pixel Slate before you buy.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Everything you need to know about the Pixel Slate
• Google Pixel Slate vs. Google Pixelbook
• Leaked Intel processor could help Google Pixel Slate dual-boot into Windows
• Pixel 3, Home Hub, and Pixel Slate — our first look at all Google’s new devices
• Google takes on iPad Pro and Surface Pro with its new Pixel Slate

Biologists create a mutant fly with 140-million-year-old genes

In what totally sounds like a mash-up of two of Jeff Goldblum’s best movies, The Fly and Jurassic Park, scientists at New York University and the University of Chicago have created mutant fruit flies carrying reconstructed genes from 140 million years ago. The goal? To shed some light on the process of evolution and how it has changed the development of fruit flies over millions of years.

The work, described in the journal eLife, was achieved using cutting-edge gene insertion techniques to replace a particular modern day protein with ancestral proteins in a living fly. The purpose was to test whether it could create functions which had long since been absent. The scientists discovered that two mutations millions of years ago altered the function of a developmental gene, which regulates development of the fruit fly’s head. This chance mutation has since become an indispensable aspect of modern fruit flies. Fly embryos without the modern day Bicoid protein die very early since they form tail structures at both ends of their body, rather than forming a head.

“Ancestral changes in protein sequences are thought to be responsible for the evolution of diverse animal forms, but finding which historical changes were most critical has eluded scientists until very recently,” Stephen Small, an NYU biologist, told Digital Trends. “The ancestral protein’s function was to bind to a specific set of DNA sequences, and turn on a set of target genes based on that sequence. By comparing the ancestral protein sequence with its modern day descendants, the research team identified two specific amino acid changes that allowed the modern day protein to bind to a completely different set of DNA sequences, compared to the ancestral protein. [The work] further showed that these changes allowed the [modern] protein to activate a novel set of target genes in the developing embryo and acquire a central role in the embryogenesis of a subset of insect species.”

The two amino acid changes identified by the researchers endow the ancestral protein with some of Bicoid’s modern day activities. However, there are still questions to be answered. Specifically, the researchers want to know which changes occurred to evolve a fully functional Bicoid protein. “We are currently extending our studies to identify all the sequences changes that led to the evolution of the modern day protein,” Small said.

No, we’re not going to see 140-million-year-old flies buzzing around any time soon. But between this work and Harvard University’s work to bring back the woolly mammoth through cloning, this is sure an exciting time in our history. Better yet, make that pre-history!

Editors’ Recommendations

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• CRISPR 101: A crash course on the gene editing tool that’s changing the world
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• From picking to pollinating, agribots are pushing farming into the future
• Gene editing can reverse balding and wrinkling in mice — and maybe humans, too

The best Pixel 3 XL cases to keep your notch in one piece

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The release of Google’s new Pixels always heralds a new age for great Android phones, and this year’s launch of the Pixel 3 range has been no different. The Pixel 3 XL — the larger of the two announced — is a great example of the biggest trends in smartphones right now, with a notched screen, incredibly powerful hardware, and a luxurious glass back.

But while the Pixel 3 XL’s traditional two-tone style and bezel-less design is beautiful, it’s still made from glass — and glass is easy to shatter, which could ruin your phone’s good looks. If you’re worried about the longevity of your phone, protection is a great idea. Here are the best Pixel 3 XL cases to keep your phone safe from drops, bumps, and scratches.

VRS Design Crystal Chrome Series ($24)

You don’t have to hide your Pixel 3 XL away just because you want to protect it. The Pixel 3 XL’s design can be divisive, but those who love it will want to show it off — and that’s where a clear case comes in extra handy. VRS’s Crystal Chrome case is made from a combination of a TPU bumper and a hard polycarbonate (PC) backplate that allows your phone to be seen, while still providing flexible but tough protection. The case has raised edges, so your phone doesn’t rest directly on surfaces, and air cushions on each corner ensure great drop protection. It’s certainly on the more expensive side for a clear case, but it offers great protection for your $900 phone.

Buy it now from:

VRS Designs

Tech21 Evo Check ($45)

What if you like clear cases, but want to add some extra style to your phone, as well as protecting it? That’s some weirdly specific requirements you’ve got there, but thankfully the Evo Check case from Tech21 covers most of those bases. It’s made from a flexible material called FlexShock, which Tech21 claims is able to absorb shock from drops of up to 12 feet. We don’t recommend you test that, but it provides some good peace of mind regardless. It’s attractive too, adorned with a series of checks that provide a cool style to your Pixel 3 XL’s two-tone design. It’s expensive, but if you’re serious about your protection it’s a good buy.

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Tech21

Spigen Neo Hybrid ($35)

What sort of case round-up would this be without Spigen? Spigen is extremely well known for making quality protective cases at good prices, and the Neo Hybrid case is one of its longest lasting lines. It’s a dual layer case, using flexible and absorbent TPU and hard PC in a complementary fashion that makes the most of each material’s strengths, and reduces weaknesses. The soft TPU material also helps to increase grip on the case, and it has raised edges to protect your display. The case certainly has a unique look too, with a herringbone pattern and two-tone style that’s reminiscent of the Pixel 3 XL’s own. A great case for style and protection.

Buy it now from:

Spigen Amazon

Moment Photo Case ($30)

Love to take photos on your Pixel 3 XL? You should — Google’s put together an amazing camera yet again, despite using just one camera lens. Why not add protection to your phone and some extras for your beloved photography? Moment’s case is made from absorbent TPU that doesn’t add much bulk, comes with an attachment point for a lanyard, and adds a ton of extra grip to your phone — but the real draw here is the optional photo lenses you can attach. These include wide-angle, telephoto, macro, and more, and lenses are easily attached directly onto the case. The lenses are expensive, but worth it if you love the idea.

Buy it now from:

Moment

Kerf Wooden Case ($79)

We’re all used to cases made from leather and plastic, but what about wood? Wood isn’t the best protective material in the world for absorbing drop impact, and can sometimes break — but it’s attractive and protects extremely well against more direct threats. Kerf’s wooden cases are one of the few premium wood cases around, and they’re extremely beautiful. You have the choice of multiple types of wood for your case, and there’s an inner lining of suede to hold your phone safely. It doesn’t block wireless charging, and surprisingly Kerf claims it’s also compatible with the Pixel’s Active Edge feature. It’s certainly expensive, but great if you love the wood aesthetic.

Buy it now from:

Kerfcase

Obliq K3 Wallet Case ($35)

Wallet cases have a style all their own, and this wallet case from Obliq is no different. It’s crafted from synthetic leather and uses an inner core of hard PC to hold your phone in place. The leather cover folds behind the phone while in use, and covers your phone’s display to keep it safe while it’s in your bag or pocket. There are card slots galore on this case too, with three internal card pockets being joined by a single exterior card pocket that’s perfect for your ID or tickets you need at a moment’s notice. Thanks to the combination of full coverage of leather and the hard PC inner, this case is protective and not too expensive for a wallet case.

Buy it now from:

Obliq Amazon

Speck Presidio Grip ($45)

Another name with a great protective pedigree, Speck has brought one of its most popular lines back for the Pixel 3 XL. The Presidio Grip case is one of Speck’s most recognizable cases, and it’s a great choice if you’re looking to get some solid protection for your phone with minimal fuss. It uses two layers of protection, which Speck boasts provides drop protection of up to 10 feet. It has raised bezels to avoid your phone being laid directly down on surfaces, and a series of distinctive lines adorning the back of the case provide additional grip to your device. It’s on the expensive side for a case, but it’s worth it to get Speck’s level of quality.

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Speck

Nomad Rugged Leather Case ($45)

Leather is a wonderful material for style and protection. Nomad’s rugged leather case is made from U.S. Horween leather molded onto a combination of TPU and hard PC, which means it should be able to cope with a wide variety of hazards and still look great. The leather will continue to mature as the case ages, and the unique grain means you’ll always end up with an accessory like no-one else’s. Nomad claims the multiple layers are proof against drops of up to 6 feet, and despite all that protection, it still comes in a fairly thin package, not adding too much bulk to your Pixel 3 XL. $45 isn’t too much for genuine leather either, making this a great choice if you want the style points that only leather can bring.

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Nomad

UAG Monarch Series ($60)

If protection is the most important thing to you, then there aren’t many cases more protective than UAG’s Monarch series. It has five layers of construction, including a layer of top grain leather and a metal alloy, making it supremely effective at protecting against a huge variety of threats. UAG claims that this case has not only passed military standards for drop and shock protection, but exceeded the standards by twice the required amount. It’s not a subtle case though — especially if you choose the red color — but if you don’t mind a case that looks rugged, then the UAG Monarch series case will provide excellent all-round protection.

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UAG

Otterbox Symmetry Series ($50)

Protection doesn’t have to look rugged, and that’s an ethos Otterbox has always followed with its Symmetry cases. The Otterbox Symmetry case is slim for a protective case, but still meets the standards of Otterbox’s Certified Drop+ Protection tests. It’s easy to apply and remove, thanks to a one-piece construction. It works with the Pixel 3 XL’s Active Edge feature, and it also comes with a raised bezel to protect your phone’s display. It’s certainly on the expensive side, but if you’re looking for a protective case that has something of a more subtle style to it, then you can’t beat Otterbox’s slim and stylish protection.

Buy it now from:

Otterbox

Editors’ Recommendations

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Patent filing shows Microsoft’s evolving efforts on foldable Andromeda device

Early prototypes of Microsoft’s secretive but highly anticipated Project Andromeda computer project revealed a device with two screens that can fold on a center hinge, similar to a book. However, rather than utilizing two separate displays, Microsoft’s latest take at a new computing form factor utilizes a single flexible display, according to a newly published patent application.

Microsoft created a new hinge design to allow the flexible panel to fold and unfold without being damaged. The hinge is also designed to prevent crimping and to support the display when the device is opened like a book. Otherwise, the display area near the hinge may feel mushy when users are utilizing the touchscreen. In this case, the role of the hinge is to provide support in order to deliver a similar tactile feel throughout the display, no matter where the user is touching the touchscreen.

“The hinge assembly can provide several features that facilitate the use of a single flexible display,” Microsoft said in the patent application that it filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and published on October 11. “First, the hinge assembly can change lengths during rotation of the first and second portion to reduce stresses imparted on the flexible display. Second, the hinge assembly can maintain a minimum bend radius for the flexible display during rotation to protect the flexible display from damage (e.g., crimping). Third, the hinge assembly can support the flexible display when the first and second portions are rotated to a 180-degree “flat” orientation so that user interaction with the flexible display over the hinge assembly is the same or similar to interactions with other areas of the flexible display (e.g., similar tactile feel).”

Unlike the original Andromeda concepts, the single flexible screen design means that the screen will not be able to rotate 360 degrees. This means that you can’t close the hinge in a way so that the screens would face outwards.

Various materials could be utilized in the hinge assemblies, including metals, plastics, foams, polymers, and composites. And Microsoft claims that this hinge could be used in a number of devices, including “notebook computers, smart phones, wearable smart devices, tablets, and/or other types of existing, developing, and/or yet to be developed devices.”

Microsoft is no stranger to innovative hinge designs. When the Surface RT and Surface Pro were introduced, those devices became the first on the market to support a kickstand with a hinge located in the middle of the device. The Surface Book introduced the fulcrum hinge that helped to balance the screen, and the Surface Studio came with a zero-gravity hinge that makes it easy to adjust the display so that users can enjoy a comfortable viewing position. Given this history, this new innovative hinge assembly would definitely find a natural home in the Surface family. Even though Microsoft has put the brakes on Project Andromeda for the time being, our hope is that Microsoft will be able to deliver on its Andromeda concept and bring a foldable Surface Phone with this new hinge.

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Samsung says the Galaxy A9 won’t be its ‘best kept secret’ for much longer

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

The Galaxy A9 2018 may be the first A series phone from Samsung you’ve paid attention to in a while, mainly due to the daring quad-lens camera on the back. However, don’t think that this is just a coincidence, as it’s all a part of Samsung’s plan to make its mid-range phones as desirable and feature-rich as the expensive Galaxy S and Note series phones.

Digital Trends sat down with Kate Beaumont, Samsung’s director of commercial strategy, product and planning, who called the A series and J series phones the firm’s “best kept secrets,” to better understand why it’s keeping them secret no more, and what it means for Samsung’s future.

Flagship lite

Beaumont admits Samsung’s announcements usually focus on flagship phones, mainly because that’s where the interest lies, and where there’s a lot of innovation.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

To illustrate the point, she talked about spending a day in a Samsung retail store interacting with people coming in to buy phones. They’d go straight for the S9 Plus or Note 9; but if the price was difficult to justify, they’d go down through the range from there.

But where would they go? That’s where the Galaxy A9 2018 comes in, along with a refreshed range of other A and J series phones.

“Price has become a key part of the buying process, more so than … in the past.”

“Why should people not have a “lite” flagship experience outside of the flagship range? We want to send the message that innovation doesn’t just come in our flagship series, and we’re trying to bring some of those features down through other devices.”

It’s a shift in strategy, Beaumont told us, with the number of A and J series phones available increasing from four to seven devices this year.

“It’s time we tell people we’ve got some other great devices,” she smiled.

Price, and value

Why the new push? “Price has become a key part of the buying process, more so than what we’ve seen in the past,” Beaumont pointed out, adding that Samsung’s seeing a switch to people looking for the best value in a new device, which is logical when phones — including Samsung’s own — regularly now reach or surpass $1,000.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Even if you end up buying a cheaper Samsung Galaxy phone, the company doesn’t want you to feel short-changed on features and services. Even the simpler J series phones have Samsung Pay, for example, and we’re hearing rumors about wireless charging coming to more Samsung devices, although this did not happen with the Galaxy A9 2018.

“There are certain features people look for, and a great camera is one of the main ones people want.”

In the U.K. where Galaxy A phones have a strong following, 20 percent of the market is mid-tier phones.

The A9 2018 is aimed at young people, who’re, “experience-driven,” which means people who share lots of photos on Instagram. It’s not by chance the camera has the features it does.

“The top three Instagram categories are beauty, travel, and nightlife,” Beaumont told us, and when you look at the camera features it has introduced, the A9’s setup fits these very well, from the bokeh shots, the wide-angle lens for landscapes, and the f/1.7 aperture for low-light photos.

Competition

There is another side to Samsung’s keen interest in making the A9, and its other cheaper phones, of greater interest: An increased level of competition, and the choice it gives us when wanting to buy a new phone. And it’s just the start, according to Beaumont.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

“The competition is only going to increase,” she said. “It’s important to provide the right device at the right price.”

In the U.K., where the Galaxy A series phones have a strong following, 20 percent of the market is mid-tier phones, and the 2018 figures have increased by 46 percent over 2017, Beaumont revealed. Phones from Honor, OnePlus, Nokia, Sony, and others instantly spring to mind. Interestingly, Samsung doesn’t, and that’s the problem it’s looking to solve with the A9 2018.

The future

This brings us back to the introduction of the quad-lens rear camera, a world-first. Normally, we’d expect to see this type of new feature on an S series. Does this give us a hint at what’s to come from the Galaxy S10?

“We have the technology now, and as [the Galaxy A9 2018] is at the top end of the mid-range segment …”

“It’s a little early to talk about what’s coming up, and I think we’ve looked at a specific consumer segment here with the A9,” Beaumont said. “If some of the capabilities manifest on our flagship device, I think they may be a little bit different. How we bring about an optimized camera experience may or may not look the same on a flagship device next year.”

Naturally, Beaumont wasn’t about to give much away, but it’s clear Samsung isn’t saving its new tech for the S series, if it’s ready to go.

“Why would we wait?” she said when asked about the camera’s general suitability for an S series phone. “We have the technology now, and as [the Galaxy A9 2018] is at the top end of the mid-range segment, the feature makes it a great entry into the flagship world.”

To sum up, greater competition and more price-conscious buyers are making Samsung look more closely at the mid-range devices it releases, to offer better value and more premium services, and it won’t hold back on bringing new tech to them either. We’d call that very good news indeed.

Editors’ Recommendations

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3D Facebook photos jump out of the newsfeed, no glasses needed

Facebook photos are tapping into another dimension. On Thursday, October 11, Facebook launched 3D Photos, a format that uses dual-lens smartphone photos to add dimension to images in the newsfeed. The result? Images that have depth and movement when you tilt your smartphone or view inside a headset.

Like moving a smartphone to pan around a Facebook panorama, 3D images in Facebook will respond to the movements of a mobile device — creating movements in the photo that give the image a sense of depth. The format is also compatible with the Oculus Browser on Oculus Go and Firefox on Oculus Rift.

The 3D images are made using the depth information from dual-lens smartphones, so while any smartphone can view the images, you need a compatible smartphone with a portrait mode to capture and create the 3D effect. Sharing a 3D image is handled in the same way you would share a normal image, except you need to click on the 3D Photo option. You can find the 3D Photo option by clicking on the ellipsis in the corner of the new post box.

Facebook’s 3D Photo format supports images taken in portrait mode in the iPhone 7 Plus, 8 Plus, X, XS, and XS Max. Facebook says that images with the subject 3 or four 4 from other objects in the image work best. The company also suggests shooting images with objects in the foreground and background (a 3D-portrait shot standing against a brick wall probably won’t be as impressive). Facebook also suggests looking for shots with contrasting colors and textures.

The feature continues on the 3D post type Facebook previously introduced, but by expanding the format using a simple image shot on a dual lens smartphone, users are likely to see more 3D images in the newsfeed. While 3D isn’t entirely new, more users have access to a dual lens iPhone than advanced 3D software. Facebook told Digital Trends that the feature will be available to dual camera devices outside the Apple models in the future.

The ability to view 3D photos arrives today, while the ability to create them from a dual-lens smartphone is on a slow roll out over the next few weeks, Facebook says.

Updated on October 11 to include a comment from Facebook on non-Apple compatibility. 

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This DIY kit teaches more than coding, it teaches you how to build a smartphone

With upward of a billion units sold, owning an iPhone is no longer a way to mark you out as a member of the phone-owning elite. Nor is having the latest Samsung flagship. You know what would garner admiring glances from fellow smartphone geeks, though? Building a functioning, limited-edition phone with your own hands.

That is exactly what makes MAKERphone special. Well, that and the fact that, while building your own DIY handset, you will get a crash course in electronics and coding. It’s the brainchild of 20-year-old Albert Gajšak, a young engineering-minded entrepreneur who previously created Makerbuino, a build-your-own 8-bit handheld games console. With his previous project raising 10 times its funding goal on Kickstarter, Gajšak has settled on phones as the next product people would likely enjoy piecing together.

“The idea for a DIY mobile phone was actually born before MAKERbuino’s campaign; we just weren’t skilled enough to make it happen,” he told Digital Trends. “We opted for a phone as a MAKERbuino successor since we wanted to bring electronics to people using a general concept that everyone understands. And there is nothing as general and common as a mobile phone, since everybody has one.”

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The Arduino-based Makerphone comes as a kit, with everything you need to assemble it. There is a circuit board, dual-core processor, GSM module, 128 x 160 pixel LCD screen, sound module, and antenna. In terms of what you can do with it, it won’t compare with the latest top-of-the-range flagship smartphone, but it can make calls, send text messages, and give you the ability to code your own games in. Oh, and it has a custom media player app that only plays cat videos.

“Based on our experience, an 11-year-old kid should be able to assemble their own Makerphone with a tiny bit of help from an adult,” Gajšak said. “Despite it being a much more complex compared to Makerbuino, Makerphone is actually more intuitive and easy to assemble. No specific expertise is needed, just enthusiasm and interest in technology.”

As ever, we offer our usual warnings about the potential risks associated with crowdfunding campaigns. (Although, if it’s anything to go on, Makerbuino shipped as promised.) If you would still like to get involved, however, head over to the project’s Kickstarter campaign, where prices for a Makerphone start at $89. Shipping is planned to take place in March 2019.

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This app solves all your problems with the Pixel 3 XL’s notch

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

There are a lot of good things to say about Google’s new Pixel 3 XL smartphone, but there’s also a lot of blow back due to the size of the notch at the top of the phone. For those that don’t know what a notch is, it’s the top part of the display that houses the front-facing camera and other sensors. In a push to create edge-to-edge screens with minimal bezels, notches are one way of maximizing screen real estate, and it’s a method Apple has pursued with its iPhone X and XS range.

How do you feel about the notch on @Google's #Pixel3XL?

See how we feel–> https://t.co/jpyf5V2PlR

— Digital Trends (@DigitalTrends) October 10, 2018

Notches are divisive. Some believe it’s a design flaw that disrupts the user experience, while others don’t mind it or don’t care. We’re not fans, but we’ve grown accustomed to seeing them on our phones and don’t mind them much. However, the notch on the Pixel 3 XL is one of the ugliest we’ve seen to date. It cuts deep into the display, making it distracting, and there’s a lot of unused space taken up by the status bar. Thankfully, there are a few ways to get around the notch on the Pixel 3 XL, while still enjoying a fluid Android experience from Google. We’ve rounded them up.

Option 1: Get the smaller Google Pixel 3

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

While you might prefer the larger size of the Pixel 3 XL, if you’re not married to a big-phone experience, the Google Pixel 3 is just as good in almost every way. You get the same camera tech, same internal hardware, and same software experience. The only differences between the two are the lack of a notch on the Pixel 3, the slightly smaller screen (5.5 inches as opposed to the XL’s 6.3-inch screen), and a smaller battery (though with the smaller screen, battery life will likely end up being the same).

Sure, there are thicker bezels on the top and bottom that don’t make it look as contemporary as other phones, but this is your best bet if you hate the notch but want a phone with the Google experience. The Pixel 3 is also $100 cheaper than the Pixel 3 XL, so you’ll save some cash along the way.

Option 2: Hide the notch

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Can’t do without the big screen? There is a way to hide the notch, but we don’t recommend this method. It’s built into the phone’s developer settings, but there’s a chance Google may make it an option in the standard Settings menu. Follow these instructions to hide the notch:

Open the Settings app.
Scroll down and tap on System.
Tap About Phone.
Scroll down and tap Build number seven times until you get a message saying that “you are now a developer.”
Head back to the main Settings page and type “notch” in the search bar. Tap on the result called Display cutout. (Or go to Settings > System > Developer options > and scroll down until you see Display cutout.)
Tap on the link to go to the Developer options. Select Hide.

For people who prefer a more traditional smartphone look, we’ve added an option to hide the display cutout (the notch).

— Made by Google (@madebygoogle) October 9, 2018

Your Pixel 3 XL should now feature a black bar at the top, hiding the notch and replacing it with what looks like a somewhat large bezel. The big disadvantage here is that you lose more display real-estate, since the status bar has moved lower. However, it does a convincing job of making it look like the phone has no notch.

Option 3: Use a third-party app like Nacho Notch

Nacho Notch, a third-party app on the Google Play Store, was specifically built to make notches a little more bearable for those that can’t stand them. It hides the notch, but it also makes sure the display real-estate around the notch doesn’t go to waste. Unlike the built-in Android method, Nacho Notch leaves the status bar on the sides of the notch. That means your notification icons and system tray information stay around the notch at the top, but you still get black bars that mask the look. It’s an elegant solution.

Nacho Notch allows you to quickly toggle the feature on and off because it’s a quick settings tile in the notification drawer. You can even set the app to round the corners on the display, making it look a lot more natural on a device like the Google Pixel 3 XL. There is one downside here — the feature doesn’t work on the lock screen, so you won’t be able to hide the notch there.

Nacho Notch is a free app available in the Google Play Store.

Option 4: Buy a Google Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

If you were impressed by the features Google showed off on stage, but don’t necessarily feel like dropping $900 to buy the latest flagship phone, then perhaps it’s worth going for a Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL instead. The phones are still up on the Google Store with some small discounts, or you may be able to purchase them from other retailers for even lower prices. The Pixel 2 is set to get many of the stand-out features announced alongside the Pixel 3, such as “Call Screening,” which uses Google Assistant to verify calls from numbers you don’t know; Google Duplex, which will let you make restaurant reservations with Google Assistant; and Night Sight, which uses artificial intelligence to dramatically improve low-light photos.

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