Smartphone Battery Life May Be on the Decline Because Lithium Ion Batteries Can’t Keep Up With New Technology

Overall smartphone battery life may be declining due to the increasing demands new technologies place on lithium ion batteries, according to smartphone testing done by The Washington Post.

In a series of battery life tests where multiple smartphone models from the past few years were set at the same brightness and forced to reload the same sites, newer smartphones were not able to last as long as older devices.

When it comes to the iPhone, for example, the iPhone XS died an average of 21 minutes earlier than the previous-generation iPhone X. Battery life impact was most noticeable with the Google Pixel 3, which lasted an hour and a half less than the Pixel 2.

According to The Washington Post, the iPhone XR, which uses an LCD instead of an OLED display, was a notable exception, performing well on the battery life tests. The iPhone XR boasts the longest battery life of any iPhone with 25 hours of talk time, 15 hours of internet use, 16 hours of video playback, and 65 hours of audio playback.

It lasted the longest in the battery test, besting the Pixel 3XL, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, and the iPhone XS Max.

Apple’s iPhone XR, the new phone I recommend to most people, has a different approach. It scales back on the screen tech — lower resolution, less bright and lower-quality color — in ways that benefit battery life tremendously: The XR lasted 3 hours longer than the top iPhone XS, even though the its screen is actually a smidge larger. (Bonus: It also costs $250 less.)

Nadim Maluf, CEO of battery optimization firm Qnovo, told The Washington Post that batteries improve at about “5 percent per year” but smartphone power consumption is growing faster than that.

The Washington Post consulted with other tech sites like Tom’s Guide and CNET, and came to the conclusion that high-resolution OLED displays and cellular connectivity are major factors that impact battery life.

Turning down display brightness and using WiFi when possible, two well-known techniques for preserving battery life, are among the site’s recommendations for eking more juice out of a smartphone.

The Washington Post’s battery life test focused on the display, but other battery life tests, such as one conducted by Consumer Reports using a machine that opens up apps, had different results, with the iPhone XS beating the iPhone X due to improvements Apple has made with the processor.

Variations in battery life due to different tests and different real-life usage situations can make it difficult to tell whether overall battery life is increasing or decreasing over time, says the site.

Battery company Onavo’s CEO believes that consumers should “start getting ready for compromise,” settling for smartphones with increasingly bigger batteries that result in larger, heavier devices or lesser technologies like the LCD display in the iPhone XR.

Related Roundups: iPhone XS, iPhone XRBuyer’s Guide: iPhone XS (Buy Now), iPhone XR (Buy Now)
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Apple Blames Currency Fluctuations and Uncertainty in Emerging Countries for Weak Holiday Sales Estimates

Though iPhone revenue was up in 4Q 2018, fourth quarter iPhone XS and XS Max sales were not as strong as expected, and iPhone sales growth was essentially flat. Apple sold 46.9 million iPhones during the quarter, compared to 46.7 million in the year-ago quarter, missing analyst estimates.

Apple’s $89 to $93 billion revenue forecast for the first fiscal quarter of 2019 is rather also cautious, which Apple blamed on foreign exchange costs, issues with supply/demand balance, and weakness in emerging markets.

“Virtually every foreign currency has depreciated against the dollar over the last 12 months,” said Apple CFO Luca Maestri. “That adds 200 basis points of headwinds to the tune of $2 billion to our revenue.”

Uncertainty in emerging markets is also a factor. “There’s some level of uncertainty at the macroeconomic model in some emerging countries where consumer confidence is not as high,” said Maestri.

Maestri also said that Apple has launched an “unprecedented number” of new products over the course of the last six weeks, and Apple has “some uncertainty” around supply/demand balance for some of these products. The launch timing of the new iPhones is also a factor, with the iPhone XR coming later than the XS and the XS Max. This had an effect on Apple’s Q4 revenue and will also impact Q1.

Despite the cautious guidance for the first fiscal quarter of 2018, Apple is “very excited” about its lineup of products and services entering the holiday shopping season, and Maestri said that Apple has the “strongest lineup” it’s ever had.

Going forward, Apple does not plan to break down unit sales of the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, a major change to the way that earnings data is presented. Apple will, however, continue to provide details on overall iPhone, iPad, and Mac revenue.

Apple CEO Tim Cook and Apple CFO Luca Maestri explained during today’s earnings call that Apple does not believe that providing unit sales is relevant for the company at this point.

Tag: earnings
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Key settings you need to change on your brand-new OnePlus 6T

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Now that you’ve finally got the spectacular new OnePlus 6T in hand, what’s the first thing you should do? Tweak the settings of course. This is a quick rundown of a few of the settings you’ll want to change on the OnePlus 6T to get the best overall user experience.

You can also check out our thoughts on the OnePlus 6T, and see how it compares to its predecessors, as well as the Samsung Galaxy S9, which shares similar specs.

 Enable new navigation gestures

While Android 9.0 Pie brings lots of great new features, its updated navigation gestures are not among them. You’ll want to enable the far superior navigation gestures in OxygenOS as soon as you turn on the OnePlus 6T to avoid a lot of headaches.

To enable the custom navigation features, go to Settings > Buttons & Gestures > Navigation Bar & Gestures. Select the radio button next to Navigation Gestures. Once enabled, you simply need to swipe up from the bottom of the display to return to the home screen.

Activate Night Mode

Over the past few years, the effects of blue light have become of increasing concern. While we know blue light can disrupt sleep, there’s also the possibility it can have other deleterious health effects. Fortunately the OnePlus 6T has a blue light filter called Night Mode that can be easily activated.

To use Night Mode, go to Settings > Display > Night Mode. Select the radio button next to Automatically Enable From Sunset to Sunrise if you want the phone to handle turning on Night Mode. If you’d prefer to set your own schedule, just tap the radio button next to Custom time range.

Improve Ambient Display

Ambient Display shows basic information such as the time, battery percentage, and notification icons. It’s a good idea to set up two customizations for this feature. The first is a gesture that lets you tap on the screen to quickly turn on the ambient display, while the other will cause the screen to illuminate when you get new notifications.

Setting up these customizations takes just a few moments. You’ll need to go to Settings > Display > Ambient Display. Toggle on the sliders next to Turn On Screen To Show and New Notifications. 

Change your theme and accent color

One of the quickest ways to make your phone feel more familiar is by customizing its interface. While you’re setting up your new OnePlus 6T, you’ll want to customize your theme and accent colors to match your preferences.

When you’re ready to change your theme and accent colors, go to Settings > Display > Theme. From here, you can choose the radio button that matches your preferred theme. Next, tap Accent Color and choose the color you’d like to use, followed by OK. 

Show battery percentage in status bar

Sure, the OnePlus 6T has awesome battery life, but you’ll still want to have an idea just how much juice you have left. Luckily, there’s an easy setting to update on your phone that will let you quickly see your current battery percentage in the status bar.

To display battery percentage information, head to Settings> Display > Status Bar and toggle the slider next to Show Battery Percentage. If you’d like, you can also tap Battery Style to customize the battery icon that appears in the status bar.

Enable Double Tap to Wake

If you don’t like tapping the power button each time you want to unlock your OnePlus 6T, you can easily set up a gesture to wake your phone. Double Tap to Wake does just what it says: It allows you to wake the phone with a double tap to the screen.

To enable Double Tap to Wake, go to Settings > Buttons & Gestures > Quick Gestures. Toggle on the slider next to Double Tap To Wake. While you’re here, you may also want to toggle on the slider for Flip To Mute. 

Quick activate the Assistant app

Google Assistant is an invaluable feature that provides lots of information about your day. If you’re a frequent Google Assistant user, you’ll quickly realize the feature is a whole lot more difficult to access when you’re using the new OxygenOS navigation gestures. Fortunately, OnePlus has a setting that allows you to hold the power button to open Google Assistant.

Setting up the feature takes just a moment. Go to Settings > Buttons & Gestures and toggle the slider next to Quick Activate The Assistant App. Once the feature is activated, just hold the power button to access Google Assistant. If you want to access the power button menu, you’ll need to hold the power button a little longer than normal.

Enable Battery Saver

Again, we can’t complain about the battery life on the OnePlus 6T. It’s plenty to get you through a day with a little to spare. However, if you do tend to test the limits of your battery, you should turn on the Battery Saver mode. With Battery Saver enabled, your phone’s performance will degrade slightly when that battery is almost depleted in order to eke out a little more time.

To enable Battery Saver, head to Settings > Battery > Battery Saver. Toggle the slider next to Turn On Automatically and adjust the slider to the percentage at which you would like Battery Saver to begin working.

Show Lockdown option

One thing’s for sure: There’s no shortage of ways to unlock your OnePlus 6T. While you’ll probably use the Face Unlock feature or in-display fingerprint sensor, there are privacy and legal concerns surrounding these features. Lockdown is a button you can tap that will disable all authentication methods other than your PIN or Pattern. This is a feature you’ll definitely want to enable.

You add the Lockdown button to your power button menu by going to Settings > Security Lock & Screen > Lock Screen Preferences, and toggle on the slider next to Show Lockdown Option. Once you’ve finished, you can tap the power button to access the Lockdown button.

Set up Smart Lock

While Smart Lock isn’t an exclusive feature for the OnePlus 6T, it’s one of the most convenient you’ll find in Android. Smart Lock allows you to define certain areas and circumstances where your phone will automatically unlock. Unless you have very sensitive information on your phone, this is a feature you’ll probably want to set up.

To set up Smart Lock go to Settings > Security & Lock Screen > Smart Unlock. Enter your PIN or Pattern. Tap On-Body Detection if you’d like the phone to remain unlocked when you have it on your person. Select Trusted Places if you’d like to establish certain spots where the phone stays unlocked. If you’d prefer to keep your phone unlocked when it’s close to certain equipment like your laptop, press the Trusted Devices button.

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Google awarded patent for using eye tracking to detect expressions in VR

Google Glass may not have been the smash hit that Google would have wanted, but that doesn’t mean that the company isn’t working on building better augmented and virtual reality technology. In fact, Google was just awarded a patent for a way to track facial expressions through eye-tracking cameras, something that could be significantly helpful in creating immersive VR experiences.

The patent is called “Classifying Facial Expressions Using Eye-Tracking Cameras,” and essentially has to do with using a machine learning algorithm, coupled with eye-tracking sensors, to infer the expressions that users have on their faces. The patent goes on to describe users being able to interact with each other in a virtual world through avatars, which would look like the user, and, with this tech, have their facial expressions, too.

As the patent notes, because of the fact that virtual reality headsets tend to obscure the user’s face, it can be difficult to tell what the user’s facial expression is when they’re wearing one. A machine learning algorithm, however, could be trained to learn expressions related to anger, happiness, surprise, and so on. It could also be trained to identify things like the brow lowering, lip raising, and more.

The tech certainly could make augmented and virtual reality more immersive. Virtual reality has started becoming increasingly common with headsets like the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and with platforms like Google Daydream. Virtual reality as a whole, however, is seen as still being in its infancy and is likely to go through a ton of development over the next decade or so. One of its biggest problems is that it’s still not quite as immersive as it could be, whether due to low-resolution graphics, slower performance, or that users still aren’t really visually represented in virtual reality experiences just yet. Google’s new tech could especially help the last issue by ensuring that users are visually represented in games and experiences in a way that’s accurate and detailed.

Of course, just because Google has filed a patent that doesn’t mean that it’ll put it to use. The likes of Google and Apple routinely file patents for tech they never use.

Editors’ Recommendations

• No longer a gaming novelty, VR gets acceptance letter from Arizona State
• HTC Vive review
• Oculus Quest hands-on review
• Tap Strap wearable keyboard gains support for VR applications
• Microsoft patent highlights a potential VR text input system

To be or not to be 280 characters: All of Shakespeare’s works in a single tweet

It might sound like a plot point in a Dan Brown novel, but it’s not: A computer science undergraduate really has managed to hide the complete works of William Shakespeare, one of the world’s greatest writers, in a single tiny image that was shared in a Twitter message. Carried out by David Buchanan, a third-year student at Cardiff University in the U.K., it’s an amazing demonstration of how computers can be used to embed hidden messages in plain sight.

“Twitter filters most metadata from images, presumably for privacy and data usage reasons,” Buchanan told Digital Trends. “However, I found that ‘ICC profile’ metadata is left untouched. So I crafted an image file which also contains a ZIP archive inside its ICC profile. The ZIP file format is flexible enough that I was able to make the file simultaneously valid as a JPEG and ZIP file. For technical reasons, the contents of the ZIP file had to be split into 64-kilobit chunks, so I used a multipart RAR archive, which finally contained the text document.”

Assuming this all works out, the image in this tweet is also a valid ZIP archive, containing a multipart RAR archive, containing the complete works of Shakespeare.

This technique also survives twitter’s thumbnailer 😛 pic.twitter.com/P0Owq9abRC

— Dаvіd Вucһаnаn (@David3141593) October 29, 2018

Got that? Okay, so it’s not something that most of us are going to worry about when sharing images on Twitter, but it’s an impressive demo of how much raw data can be squeezed into a tweet. By embedding a ZIP file of the complete Shakespeare into a portrait of The Bard himself, it pushes Twitter’s text limit way beyond the current 280 characters per tweet. (While we don’t know exactly how many letters are in the complete works of Shakespeare, according to the Folger Library there are 884,647 words in total.)

“There are two broad terms you could use to describe this technique,” Buchanan said. “[One is] steganography, which is the art of hiding information inside some other data. Modern-day steganography typically aims to be completely undetectable, which my technique is certainly not. A more accurate description of this technique would be a polyglot file, which is used to describe a file which can be simultaneously interpreted as multiple different data formats, depending on what software reads it.”

Buchanan said that after he found out that this could be done, he submitted it to Twitter’s bug bounty program, which pays out money to anyone who can find potential Twitter vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers. Twitter turned it down on the basis that it didn’t have any potential security impact, but Buchanan decided to have some fun with it nonetheless. While other people have hidden files in social media posts, Buchanan said that, to his knowledge, he is the first person to do it on Twitter.

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• Programmer trains artificial intelligence to draw faces from text descriptions

Apple patent suggests future Macs could use eye tracking to go hands-free

Eye tracking is a feature that has been on Windows PCs for a while, but it looks like Apple might also be considering it sometime in the future. A patent called “Gaze detection in a 3D mapping environment” includes mentions which hint that one day you might be able to ditch your mouse and look at your Mac in a completely different way.

The patent was originally filed in September 2017 and initially describes a mixed modality interface for receiving three-dimensional maps of at least one body part of a user, then eventually transmitting the image to a computer. As part of a series of other filings, it also describes how a 3D sensor can pick up a user’s gaze and segment it to extract coordinates, and then have that gaze identified to a movement on the screen.

“There is additionally provided, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention an apparatus including a sensing device configured to receive an image including an eye of a user, and a computer configured to identify, based the image of the eye, a direction of a gaze performed by the user … to perform an operation on content presented in the region,” explains the patent.

Curiously, the patent dives a bit deeper and explains that a would-be tracking system can also pick up the movements of a user’s other body parts, including the head, torso, and limbs. These can then be inputted to a computer or another device, which can help the user select any icons and other user interface elements (as seen above.)

It is something which Apple wants to address to set itself apart from current interfaces, according to the patent.

“Many different types of user interface devices and methods are currently available. Common tactile interface devices include a computer keyboard, a mouse, and a joystick. Touchscreens detect the presence and location of a touch by a finger or other object within the display area. Infrared remote controls are widely used, and wearable hardware devices have been deployed.”

Any Mac with these tracking features would very much be appreciated. Apple’s latest devices have featured more internal changes, rather than the revolutionary changes seen in the past. As usual, patents don’t usually hold up to be true, but it might be worth dreaming for and go nicely with the future Mac of 2021.

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The rise and fall of the Android tablet

Jullian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

In 2010, there was ample potential for a thriving Android tablet market. Apple had just released its first iPad, and there was consumer excitement for the form factor. Surely Android manufacturers could cash in on that excitement and eat up a large part of the market with reasonably-priced options, right? After all, the recipe worked for phones using the same open-source operating system, why wouldn’t it work for tablets?

It didn’t. Yes, there are some Android tablets on the market today, but they aren’t a point of pride for the ecosystem. One of the most successful manufacturers of Android tablets over the past several years is Amazon, which uses a form of Android (Fire OS) that doesn’t even feature the Google Play Store or come pre-loaded with Google’s proprietary apps. Amazon’s Fire tablets are ultra-inexpensive and focused on content consumption, a perfect media player for children. But for those willing to pay more — sometimes a lot more — for a great media consumption device, the iPad remains the digital slate of choice, and most Android manufacturers (minus Samsung and Huawei) have backed away.

Don’t take our word for it. The message that Android tablets are dead comes straight from Google, which didn’t offer the Android Pie developer preview on any tablets, and briefly took down the tablet page on its Android website in June. Even though this was supposedly a mistake, the page itself isn’t very inspiring, featuring only three aging tablets: The Nvidia Shield Tablet K1 (likely the last of its kind), the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0, and Sony Xperia Z4. How did we get here, and what ultimately killed Android tablets? It’s a winding road with a number of missteps, making it difficult to point to one key reason. Ultimately, a confluence of factors led to the downfall.

Poor tablet optimization

To begin with, Android tablets got off to a bad start with the 2010 Galaxy Tab. Samsung was eager to compete with Apple’s new iPad, but the device used Android 2.2, which had no tablet optimization, along with the company’s poorly-optimized TouchWiz software. It was essentially an over-sized smartphone in ill-fitting clothes. When Google released Android 3.0 Honeycomb, a version of the operating system designed to improve the tablet experience, it led to poor third-party app optimization for Android tablets. Developers didn’t want to jump through another hoop after building an app for Android 2.3 Gingerbread, so many eschewed optimizing for the tablet.

Meanwhile, Apple’s tablet software was progressing at a quick pace in its walled garden, and developers had both the tools to develop for the platform and the encouragement from consumers necessary to spur tablet app optimization.

The focus for Android manufacturers remained squarely on smartphones, and when the phablet trend kicked off with the Samsung Galaxy Note II, it only further doomed the Android slate. Phablets were the best of both worlds — a large display, sometimes paired with a stylus, and great app support. Even one of the more well-received Android tablets, the 2013 Nexus 7, leaned toward being a big handset, with its 7-inch display. The subsequent growth of plus-size smartphones was undoubtedly a major nail in the coffin for the Android tablet.

That’s not to say Android tablets were stagnating at the time. There were plenty of well-built and genuinely innovative devices. In fact, the market was at risk of over-saturation. The sheer number of options were daunting, given there was no standard of quality that you could rely on. Quite the opposite, in fact. Buying an Android tablet was a bit of a gamble.

The Motorola Xoom.

As manufacturers found little traction in the tablet market, they slowly began to withdraw. We’re left with barely a handful of flagship tablets that can go against the iPad, like Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S4. Android fans tend to agree that the 2016 Pixel C from Google was the last great Android tablet. Even that device, though, wasn’t meant to run Android alone — or at least, that’s what reports suggested at the time. Instead, it was supposed to run browser-based Chrome OS, or offer both Android and Chrome OS on the same device, but the touch interface for the latter wasn’t coming along quickly enough.

Rising back from the ashes

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Chrome OS has come a long way in the past few years, though, and it’s clear to see that this is the operating system Google is pinning its hopes on for larger touch interface devices. While Google may have missed its shot at the tablet market for media consumption, it has a great opportunity on the productivity side of things. Chromebooks have always been a big hit in schools due to the inexpensive price and popular, easy-to-use G Suite software (e.g. Gmail, Drive and more). In 2017, Google brought the Play Store to Chrome OS, allowing the operating system access to millions of Android apps.

Now, undoubtedly spurred on by Microsoft’s success with its Windows-based Surface 2-in-1s, Google’s move towards a hybrid laptop-tablet form factor makes a lot of sense. In some ways, it’s positioned for greater success over Microsoft’s Surface because it has a robust mobile app ecosystem that translates much better to a 2-in-1 than a miniaturized version of a heavyweight OS like Windows, designed for desktops. It’s also important to note that 2-in-1s aren’t the only form factor: In March Acer launched the world’s first Chrome OS tablet, the Chromebook Tab 10. In October, Google revealed the Pixel Slate, which very much feels like what the Pixel C was meant to be — Chrome OS in a thin form factor for productivity, paired with a breadth of Android apps for everything else.

Some diehard Android fans aren’t too happy about Chrome OS devices rising from the ashes of the Android tablet’s failure. There is fair reason — Android apps aren’t optimized perfectly for the larger screen, and things like notifications don’t work as smoothly as they do on Android. These apps still feel like a “Plan B” approach following the death of Android tablets. But ultimately, it’s an extremely promising market segment for Google, one that Apple now wants a piece of, as was made clear at its March education event. Somehow, miraculously, after all those years of flailing in the Android tablet market, Google has positioned itself perfectly in the tablet productivity space. One couldn’t hope for a better reinvention.

Where to find 4V content on the RED Hydrogen One

Best answer: Holopix is the best place for discovering users’ 4V content, while the Hydrogen Network holds movies from large media companies.

AT&T: RED Hydrogen One ($1295)

Where to find and share 4V photos from Hydrogen One owners

RED’s 4-View claims to go beyond the capabilities of glasses-free 3D, but the best way to judge how good (or bad) it is is to see it for yourself. If you own a Hydrogen One or simply come across a display model at an AT&T or Verizon store, you’ll find a ton of 4V content within the Holopix app.

Since you can’t share 4V content on websites like Flickr or Instagram, RED built out Holopix to act as its own social network, where you can upload 4V photos you’ve taken, and of course, like and comment on others’ work. It’s a great way to share your creativity with others like-minded people, especially since the Hydrogen One is primarily targeted at content creators.

Discovering 4V movies and short films

If you’d prefer to see videos over photos — this is RED Digital Cinema we’re talking about, after all — then the Hydrogen Network should be your next stop. Here, you can download or stream 4V-optimized videos from shows like The Mars Channel and Moving Art by Louie Schwartzberg. You can also purchase movies from media companies like Warner Bros. Pictures — including Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Ready Player One, which come free for the first 10,000 people who purchase a Hydrogen One from AT&T.

While there’s no destination for user-uploaded 4V videos yet, RED has already discussed the idea of a platform where Hydrogen One owners could share and even sell their 4V content to other creators.

Where to find more 4V-compatible apps

RED has its own app market to make it as quick and easy to find 4V content as possible. Its selection is still sparse, but it’s where you’ll receive software updates for apps like RED Camera, RED Player, and Holopix. It’s also where you’ll find games that have been optimized for 4-View, including titles like Asphalt 8 and Modern Combat 5.

Our pick

RED Hydrogen One

$1295 at AT&T

A small but growing ecosystem for RED’s new media format.

While there isn’t a lot of 4-View content just yet, RED is placing a lot of focus on making it as easy as possible to discover new content and upload your own with the Hydrogen One.

Get protection without bulk with these thin Google Pixel 3 cases

Google made the Pixel 3 beautifully thin, but unfortunately, it also made the Pixel 3 a glass-backed phone, and glass-backed phones need cases before they face the concrete jungles of the real world. Nobody likes a clunky tank of a case, but you can protect your phone without losing that thin feel. There are many cases on the market for the Pixel 3 that are so thin, you’ll forget you have a case!

Like totally perfect

Totallee Case

$29 at Totallee

It doesn’t get much thinner than Totallee, a casemaker that is 110 percent about making phone cases so totally and completely thin, you’ll forget you even put a case on your phone. This 0.02-inch case comes in three styles: Frosted Clear, Solid Black, and a softer Glossy Clear, but it won’t be shipping until later this month.

Lightweight companion

Spigen Thin Fit

$12 at Amazon

It’s right there in the name: Spigen Thin Fit case. This aptly-named case offers corner protection and just enough lip around the camera and screen to help avoid scratches and scuffs. Just keep in mind that the top and bottom of the case are open and exposed.

Matte magic

Avalri Ultra Thin

$12 at Amazon

This hardshell case wraps around the back and corners of your Google Pixel 3, giving some scuff and scratch protection without any bulk at all. Avalri’s ultra-thin case is just 0.03 inches in thickness and comes in black or a beautiful blue.

Like nothing’s there

Cimo Slim Grip

$8 at Amazon

There are slim cases, and then there’s the Cimo Slim Grip. This is one of the thinnest cases on the market to protect and showcase your Pixel 3. Its translucence lets the Pixel 3’s natural beauty shine through one of three cool colors — blue, purple, and white.

Crystal clear

Spigen Liquid Crystal

$12 at Amazon

Eschewing bulkier hard-plastic backs, the Liquid Crystal’s flexible TPU is easy to apply and easier to grip. This crystal clear case gives your Google Pixel 3 light protection that is as thin as it is beautiful.

Clearly a good choice

MoKo Clear Case

If you want to show off your new Pixel 3, MoKo’s clear case is for you. Its soft TPU material adds grip without covering up the Pixel 3’s beauty, and precise cutouts ensure it doesn’t get in the way of the charging port, camera, and speakers.

$7 at Amazon

Liquid skin

ESR Essential Zero Case

This clear case protects your Pixel 3 from scratches while seeming like its barely there. Its best feature is the “microdot” pattern on the inside of the back cover, which helps prevent clinging and that “wet” look that happens with some clear cases.

$13 at Amazon

Leather luxury

Bellroy Leather Pixel Case

This gorgeous leather case from Bellroy just barely makes the cut for “thin” cases, but it’s the slimmest leather case you’ll find on the market right now, and it is stunning. It feels great in the hand, its cutouts are all excellent, there’s a raised lip around the screen for protection, and it comes in some stellar colors.

$44 at Bellroy

Again, we’ve loved the Totallee case for as long as they’ve been making cases for Android phones, but if you’re looking for a thin case that has a thinner price tag, the Cimo Slim Grip gives lightweight protection without any bulk, and its translucent tints allow you to show off your Pixel 3 while still keeping it safe.

How to add a portable display to your Kano Computer

Sometimes you just need to be reassured that no matter where you are, or what you’re doing, your Kano computer will be there to help you out. Fortunately, with a tiny, affordable computer being run by the Raspberry Pi 3, that means you’ll be able to carry it around wherever you want. Of course, it all depends on the portable display you have. There are multiple ways to add one to your computer, either with an HDMI adapter, an HDMI to VGA adapter, or a DVI to HDMI adaptor. If you have neither of these ports in your monitor, then no need to fret because an adaptor will help you do to the job just fine. Either way, it all leads back to HDMI.

Products used in this guide

• Amazon: Sunfounder 7-inch Monitor ($56)
• The Pi Hut: Raspberry Pi 3 – Model B ($42)
• The Pi Hut: 1.8M HDMI Cable for the Raspberry Pi ($3)
• Amazon: AmazonBasics HDMI to DVI Output Adaptor Cable ($8)
• Amazon: HDMI to VGA Adapter ($10)

How to connect a portable display to your Kano Computer (HDMI)

Set up your Raspberry Pi 3 Kit. This includes putting it into your casing.

Check your monitor for aHDMI port. If yes, read on.

Insert your HDMI cable into the port on your portable monitor.
Connect the HDMI cable to your Raspberry Pi 3 Kit.
Boot up your monitor and connect.
Make an easy as pie pun because now you’re officially finished.

It really is that easy to add a portable display to your very own Kano Computer. Though that begs the question, what should you do if the monitor you’ve bought doesn’t have an HDMI port? Don’t worry, it’s far from being the end of the world. No matter what port your monitor has, it really is so simple that you’ll be able to use your Kano Computer as soon as humanly possible. That said, to make sure it properly works, I advise getting a monitor that has the minimum resolution of 1024 x 768.

How to connect a portable display to your Kano Computer (DVI)

Set up your Raspberry Pi 3 Kit.

Check your monitor for aDVI port. If yes, read on.

Insert your DVI cable into your monitor.
Connect the other side of the cable, aka the HDMI cable to your Raspberry Pi 3 Kit.
Boot up your monitor and connect.

So you’ve got your DVI port and your HDMI port’s accounted for. But, what about if your monitor has a VGA port?

How to connect a portable display to your Kano Computer (VGA)

Set up your Raspberry Pi 3 Kit.

Check your monitor for aVGA port. If yes, read on.

Insert your VGA cable into your chosen monitor.
Connect the other side of the cable, aka the HDMI cable to your Raspberry Pi 3 Kit.
Boot up your monitor and connect.

Alright! Now that you’ve connected your portable monitor to your own Kano Computer, you should be able to turn the monitor on and see your browser. If not, make sure you’re actually on the right HDMI channel, as mistakes do happen which often leads to panic and, in my experience, a loss of money.

However, if you can see your browser then there’s no need to be concerned at all and you can celebrate. You won’t have to do any configuring to the Kano OS, unless the screen is too small or too big. But for now? Pat yourself on the back champ, you did it.

Our top equipment picks

So you feel like you’ve got all the equipment you need? Well, think again folks. While you think you’ve got everything you need, what about something that’ll make it so much easier to connect your Kano Computer on the go?

Our choice

Sunfounder 7-inch Monitor

$56 at Amazon

High resolution, low power consumption

For $56 dollars, this monitor is a complete steal. Not only does it have high resolution to match with a low power consumption, but it works perfectly no matter which Raspberry Pi you have. Pi 3, 2 and 1 Model B/B+, it doesn’t matter – it’ll all connect no matter what.

Not only is this device portable, but it’s also slim and doesn’t take up much room. What’s more, the monitor comes n HDMI, VGA and DVI ports, meaning that no matter what, you’ll always have something to plug into. It also has built-in speakers, useful if you’d rather listen to the sound without headphones.

Get started

Raspberry Pi 3 – Model B

$42 at The Pi Hut

Raspberry Pi 3? Easy as pie

There’s nothing that beats having your very own microcomputer in your pocket. With the Raspberry Pi 3 you gain 4 USB ports, 1GB of RAM to run bigger programs and you’ll even have the option to connect a Raspberry Pi camera and touchscreen display.

To connect your Kano Computer to a portable monitor in the first place, you’re going to need to build one first. With the Raspberry Pi 3, it has never been simpler to create your own computer.

Additional Equipment

With everything you buy, you’re going to want to know the pros and cons, right? We’re here to help.

1.8M HDMI Cable for the Raspberry Pi

$3 at PiShop US

It does exactly what it says. Perfect for connecting your Raspberry Pi with your monitor, and supports 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p.