Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL review: Fewer features make incredible phones

Google’s latest phones shine a light at just how good Android can be.

It’s true: Google’s new Pixel phones aren’t all that different from its last Pixel phones. Specs, features, design and overall philosophy are effectively constant between generations, particularly when you take into account that last year’s Pixels have been updated to Android 9 Pie and will thankfully be receiving many of the Pixel 3’s new camera features.

But to dismiss the Pixel 3 for its similarity to the Pixel 2 would be to miss out on what is a great phone. Google has never been interested in adding or changing features just for the sake of doing something, and the Pixel 3 doesn’t change the parts of the experience that already worked. But the Pixel 3 and 3 XL do fix much-discussed problems with the last generation, and add a few extras that enhance Google’s vision for what an Android phone should be.

The result is a fantastic pair of phones.

Camera, phone

Google Pixel 3

$799+ at Best Buy

A simple, powerful phone with an excellent camera and simple software anyone can enjoy using.

Google’s charging a lot for its Pixel 3 and 3 XL, but it’s warranted. It’s true these phones aren’t large upgrades from their predecessors, but that doesn’t change the fact that these are exceptional phones with great software, excellent performance, good displays, and standout cameras on the back and front.

Pros:

• Simple, intuitive software
• Great photo quality
• Excellent selfies
• Sleek, solid hardware
• Loud stereo speakers
• Wireless charging
• Longterm software support

Cons:

• No headphone jack
• Occasional camera app stutters
• Pixel 3 has subpar battery life
• 4GB RAM could limit future performance

Ed. note: Due to the extreme similarities between the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, this review should be viewed as applicable to both phones. Specific areas, such as size and camera comments, will note in particular whenever there is a difference between the two.

Evolution

Google Pixel 3 Hardware

This is a case of evolution, not revolution. The new phones are effectively unchanged in size from their predecessors, but the finishes and materials have been tweaked and, ultimately, much improved.

The Pixel 3 is actually smaller than the Pixel 2, but now has a 5.5-inch 18:9 display for roughly 10% more screen space — that means smaller bezels, which make the phone look and feel more modern. It brings the screen size up to a point where it feels like less of a trade off than previous small Pixels; I don’t feel restricted by the screen size, but it’s still a compact enough phone to grasp in one hand and slip into a pocket without issue.

Same sized phone, but with a larger screen — while keeping stereo speakers.

The Pixel 3 XL jumps to a 6.3-inch 18.5:9 display, but the number is a bit of a misnomer as its large notch and taller aspect ratio don’t give it dramatically more room than the 2 XL. Everyone is focused on the notch here, but it just doesn’t bother me that much. Phones just have notches now, and the number of options without them are only decreasing. After a couple days, you forget it’s there. Really.

But it’s the improvement to the quality of the screens that’s far more important than the sizes and shapes — and potentially the most important change to these phones over their predecessors in any respect. Google spent an inordinate amount of time making the displays as great as possible, and it shows. Speaking with Seang Chau (VP Engineering) and Raj Singh (Sr Director, Tech Engineering) from the Google hardware team ahead of the Pixel 3 launch, I immediately understood just how seriously Google took the displays this year, and how proud both were of the end result.

Google spent an inordinate amount of time making these displays as good as possible.

The OLED screens are clearly higher quality panels than before, which is a great starting point. Then Google went to work calibrating them: there was a huge focus on base-level accuracy at the panel level, and then further calibration in software to make them perform their best. DisplayMate’s testing gave the Pixel 3 XL an A+ rating and ranked it among the best phone displays it’s ever seen.

The phones ship in “Adaptive” display mode by default, which bumps up colors and saturation but has been tuned to limit the over-saturation of skin tones and reds in particular. Both screens look great, and look near-identical to one another — and importantly, they’re dramatically better than any previous Pixel. Everything you see on the screen is crisp and pleasing. Colors stand out, but aren’t obnoxious or overblown — and they don’t shift dramatically when you tilt the phone. (And true display nerds can always drop it to “Natural” for a 100% RGB look.)

These displays blow away the Pixel 2 and 2 XL — it isn’t even close.

I’m extremely impressed with every aspect of this display, except for one: brightness. Unlike Samsung’s latest displays and the newest panel from LG in the V40, the Pixel 3 just doesn’t reach a high enough peak brightness to be clearly visible at all times outdoors. It’s dramatically better than the Pixel 2, and is good enough in sunlight, but I still found myself shading the phone with my other hand or turning away from the sun to see the screen more often than I should with a phone in this top-end category. Adaptive Brightness does a great job adjusting on its own throughout the day, but these phones could really benefit from an extra-high-brightness mode in sunlight like the competition offers.

Even with the stretched screens, Google’s retained its front-facing stereo speakers, and put extra time into both hardware and software so that they’re even louder and clearer than before. I typically walk around the house in the morning listening to a podcast on my phone and have to max out the speakers to hear it clearly — with the Pixel 3, I don’t. It’s not going to obviate the need for a Bluetooth speaker for group listening, but these phones get way louder than you’ll likely need in a phone — even on the smaller Pixel 3, which is perhaps 10% quieter than the larger version.

This is a solid and simple design, refined and improved on ever so slightly.

Picking them up, both phones feel amazing; just the right balance of heft and usability. The frames are entirely glossy now, which counter-intuitively provide more grip than the previous painted metal (your fingers “stick” to the gloss). The backs look the same as the Pixel 2, but are made of Gorilla Glass 5 instead. Roughly two-thirds of the glass surface is etched with a fine texture that mimics the painted metal of before, which isn’t particularly grippy but feels fantastic and dramatically cuts down on fingerprint accumulation.

The etching only covers the flat portion of the glass as well, letting the smooth part help transition more seamlessly into the metal on the sides. For me, this is the best of both worlds. You get the solid feel and texture that you’d normally associate with metal, but the wireless charging capability of glass. And yes, this means these phones will be more fragile than the Pixel or Pixel 2 — that just comes with the territory.

Some have panned the Pixel 3 design for being boring, but I enjoy the understated look. From phones to accessories and smart home gadgets, Google’s current design aesthetic isn’t flashy — the Pixel 3 fits right in with the rest of its product line in that respect. You can choose to step up the texture or color with one of its awesome knit cases, if you wish — or just stare at the contrast-colored power buttons on the white and Not Pink phones.

Carrying the torch

Google Pixel 3 Cameras

Google’s Pixel 2 is well-regarded as having one of the best cameras in the smartphone world. Google knows it’s onto something good, and it’s going even further with the Pixel 3. And it’s doing so with the exact same formula: leaning on software processing, not hardware.

Google didn’t add more rear cameras because it frankly didn’t need to — it thinks software is king.

Google didn’t add a second (or third) rear camera to the Pixel 3, nor did it substantially update the hardware itself. This is still a single 12.2MP sensor — albeit Google says it’s a new version with better dynamic range — with the same f/1.8 aperture and OIS. What’s different is the supporting cast of sensors, backed up by new processing.

Every photo benefits from improved HDR+ processing thanks to the Pixel Visual Core. This dedicated image chip, which is also in the Pixel 2, now handles all HDR+ photos — and you’ll notice up to 40% faster processing because of it. There’s also a new spectral sensor to interpret various spectra to aid in color accuracy, and a new flicker sensor to help reduce banding and visual issues when shooting in bad lighting.

The result? Photos that look a whole heck of a lot like they were taken on a Pixel 2. That’s a good thing, and not too surprising given the hardware similarities — but I suppose I was expecting some sort of revolution in photo quality for some reason. In reality, when you’re at the top of the heap already it’s tough to make a dramatic improvement. Photos from the Pixel 3 perfectly walk the line between having eye-catching colors and being accurate. They’re a great representation of what you want the scene to look like, but without going overboard with a typical “HDR” look.

Photos aren’t notably better than the Pixel 2 — then again that still makes this the best camera available today.

Like the Pixel 2 you can notice some grain and texture when you zoom in and check out the details — but that’s part of what makes the photos look so lifelike and realistic when viewed at full size. They don’t look artificially smoothed, fake or synthetically enhanced; so although it may not create impressively tack-sharp details, I don’t at all feel that takes away from the quality of the images when viewed at normal sizes.

The Pixel 3 is astonishingly good in a variety of lighting situations, somehow retaining detail and colors without much light to work with. It once again isn’t as sharp and smooth in low light as the Galaxy Note 9, but it isn’t particularly noisy either — there’s just enough texture here so that flat surfaces and edges look real rather than artificially constructed. In other words, low-light shots on the Pixel 3 have the same characteristics, qualities and colors as daylight shots — which is an impressive bit of consistency. And this evaluation comes before Google’s new “Night Sight” feature is available, which is coming a few weeks after launch and promises to be able to bring out tons of light in dark scenes without a quality drop.

I had to use tap-to-focus to increase the exposure on photos with a wide range of brightness across the scene, because the HDR+ processing just didn’t always pull out the kind of brightness I wanted when I just point and shoot. Now and then you get a shot that’s downright bland — but you don’t ever get a bad photo that’s blurry or grainy beyond use. The quality floor is just so high on this camera that even the subpar shots are of above-average quality for a smartphone.

Google’s overcoming its lack of a secondary telephoto camera with a new digital zoom system called “Super Res Zoom.” When you zoom, advanced processing collects and lays together several frames to make up for the lost resolution. In practice, it works really well at 2X and 4X zoom — 2X, in particular, looks nearly as good as the full frame; and 4X looks more like 2X used to. This isn’t going to make you confident that you can go digitally zooming all the time, because you do lose quality, but it effectively matches what you get out of other companies’ dedicated telephoto cameras — particularly in poor lighting where those cameras often just digitally zoom on the main sensor anyway.

Top Shot and Super Res Zoom aren’t features you need to know by name in order to use and enjoy regularly.

Motion Photos make their return on the Pixel 3, and a new feature called “Top Shot” is a good reason to turn them back on. With Motion Photos enabled, the Pixel 3’s camera will now look at the buffer of frames before and after the moment you hit the shutter button to find alternate photos that may actually look better. This is a feature that really shines when you’re taking pictures of people or animals — the rest of the time, it just generates the annoyance of taking lots of unnecessary Motion Photos. Setting the camera to “Motion auto” is a good middle ground if you often take photos of moving subjects, because Top Shot really is useful in those situations.

The only thing I can find that’s actually a detriment to the Pixel 3 camera experience is the inexplicable app slowdowns. I know Google’s doing some pretty darn amazing processing and lots of heavy lifting, and that’s a tough amount of work to handle. But the camera app still manages to bog down a phone with a Snapdragon 845 and a dedicated Pixel Visual Core image processor. To be clear, the camera isn’t consistently slow — it’s typically very fast — but from time to time it stutters or fails to save images, or takes multiple seconds to hop from the viewfinder to gallery. In my experience Samsung’s camera app is far faster and more consistent — Google’s been fighting this slow camera app problem since the old Nexus days. It has to figure out how to get rid of these bugs, because it’s the final piece of this camera puzzle.

Front-facing cameras

Unlike the rear camera, Google changed quite a bit about the selfie experience — despite the fact that the Pixel 2 was already excellent. The main camera is a new 8MP sensor with auto focus and an f/1.8 lens, which in itself is already an upgrade. And it’s supported by a second 8MP sensor behind an f/2.2 wide-angle lens — that gives you options for group selfies and also improved portrait mode shots. Google’s also applying really good lens distortion fixes for the wide-angle shots so you don’t look like you have a super-wide face.

Selfies with the Pixel 3 are, well, fantastic. Auto focus is a massive help to make sure your face is crisp, and there’s just an immense amount of detail available rather than any sort of weird beautification smoothing. Portrait mode selfies are also great … except when things go wonky with the algorithm, and those flaws really stick out to the point where you’ll want to retake the shot. Still, this is comfortably the best selfie shooter I’ve used.

Subtle tweaks

Google Pixel 3 Software, performance and battery life

Google preempted itself with the launch of Android 9 Pie weeks before its hardware was announced. Pie on the Pixel 3 hasn’t changed much from what you can use today on the Pixel and Pixel 2, but that’s just fine with me — Pie is a really great version of the operating system.

The biggest addition Google is likely to promote and advertise is a new “call screen” feature built into the dialer. When a call comes in, you now have the option to “screen” the call with a single touch. The caller receives an automated response from a digital voice asking them for more information about why they’re calling. That response is automatically transcribed (locally, not online) to text and shown on your screen.

You can choose to pick up the call at any time, prompt the caller for even more information, or reject it and mark the call as spam. That’s a neat feature, particularly as spam calls seem to be a problem everyone’s dealing with and aren’t going away any time soon. (Call screening is unfortunately U.S.-only for now, though.)

The whole suite of Digital Wellbeing features are also leaving beta with the launch of the Pixel 3 and 3 XL. This suite is highlighted by a new dashboard that gives you information on your phone and app usage throughout the day, and gives you simple tools to help limit it if you want. It also has neat little touches like “Wind Down” to grey out the screen to make it easier to get to sleep at night, “Flip to Shhh” to quickly put your phone in DND when it’s face down, and of course simple(r) controls for notifications throughout the operating system. The whole idea of “Digital Wellbeing” is apparent across Android 9 Pie in just how simple it is, and how it easily scales to be useful for the most novice and most advanced users out there.

Google’s take on Android continues to be my personal choice — it’s a joy to use every day.

It may seem overly restrictive and basic for someone who has leveraged Samsung’s software to its fullest for multiple years, I generally enjoy the simplicity of Google’s approach to Android. The design is soft and inviting, with pops of color and great use of contrasting colors with various levels of opacity throughout the interface. It’s also just downright simple to understand how to do all of the basics, and if you’re set into the Google ecosystem of products the transition to a Pixel is a treat.

System performance has also been exceptional; no matter what I threw at the Pixel 3 it handled it without issue. We know Google puts an emphasis on keeping animations and interactions smooth with a high frame rate, and it shows here. I understand the worries about having “only” 4GB of RAM, and have experienced one oddity of Pocket Casts shutting down when I took several HDR+ photos and tried to review them, but I don’t think this will be any sort of issue that will affect users. I sure would’ve preferred to have 6GB for the future, but Google’s committed to supporting the Pixel 3 with software updates for three years regardless — that’s Google’s problem to sort out, not the phone buyer’s.

Battery life

Now, to save the most important part for last: battery life. This is one of the areas where I need to break things down between the two sizes, because there’s roughly a 17% larger battery (3430mAh) in the Pixel 3 XL even though the Pixel 3 added capacity (up to 2915mAh) compared to last year. But there’s a common theme for both: battery life is good, not great.

You’ll get a full day of use in most cases. But nothing more.

Whichever phone I’m using, my usage is about the same. I spend a good amount of time on Wi-Fi throughout the day, with at least a couple hours using Bluetooth headphones listening to both Pocket Casts and YouTube Music. Ambient Display is turned on, I let automatic brightness change on its own, and all of my various email and social accounts are syncing. I don’t use Battery Saver mode until it turns on automatically at 15%. Typically, I have between 3 and 4 hours of “screen on” usage.

With the Pixel 3 XL, this type of use yielded between 16 and 17 hours of battery life to reach roughly the 5% mark, which aligns with what I can get out of phones like the Galaxy S9+ and LG V40. That means as I start to wind down in the evening, I’m getting a little worried about battery life if I expect to do much more with my phone than sit around and check out a few apps. It doesn’t give me a whole lot of wiggle room if I end up having a late night out, so if I was leaving the house for a while after dinnertime I would absolutely give it a quick charge just to make sure.

The Pixel 3 unsurprisingly offers a bit less. With the same usage, I averaged around 14 to 15 hours of usage, which starts to get to the point where I wouldn’t trust the phone to make it through a heavy work or travel day. Just like the 3 XL, if I use the 3 moderately and don’t spend a ton of time taking photos or streaming, I’ll head to bed with plenty left in the tank — these phones barely use any battery when they’re not in use. The problem is when you start to get into them hard, the battery falls off quickly.

Battery life is neither a feature or a problem — it’s just average.

As someone who spent a large portion of the last year using both the Pixel 2 and 2 XL, this doesn’t surprise me in the least. They exhibited the exact same battery life characteristics. Both were capable of getting through a day, but would drain quickly under heavy use — and neither one was a leader for battery life in its segment.

One downside of doing a review with just 6 days spent with these phones is that Android 9 Pie’s new “Adaptive Battery” management hasn’t had quite enough time to set in and really optimize apps to maximize battery life. Presumably, battery life will improve over the next week or so as the phones settle in — but right now the battery life is good, but not impressive. The Pixel 3 in particular is just weak enough to feel like it’s a trade-off for getting that desirable smaller form factor. The Pixel 3 XL isn’t a battery champion like the Galaxy Note 9, but it offers enough longevity to not worry about battery life on most days — that’s just fine for me.

Camera, phone

Google Pixel 3 Review

It’s absolutely true that the Pixel 3 and 3 XL aren’t huge upgrades over the Pixel 2 series. But like so many other manufacturers, Google isn’t really trying to court people who already own its phone from last year — that’s extra applicable to Google, which has a relatively small base of users. There’s far more market potential in getting people over from Samsung, and even Apple, phones — and for these people, the Pixel 3 and 3 XL look amazing.

This is a perfect example of a phone being greater than the sum of its parts.

The Pixel 3 and 3 XL aren’t about giving you every feature under the sun or trying to win every spec battle — these phones are a perfect example of being greater than the sum of their parts. They have all of the specs they need, and exceptional software performance regardless. The software is simple to use with tons of nice-to-have features and nothing to get in your way or frustrate you. It also comes with the peace of mind of knowing Google will send out software updates for the next three years.

Google’s hardware isn’t flashy, but it’s efficient and aims to provide an above-average experience while generally getting out of the way. It’s solid, efficient and classy — and now, the phones have screens befitting the price. You also get great stereo speakers, wireless charging and average battery life. Then there are the cameras, which are best-in-class on the back and front. Taking photos with the Pixel 3 is effortless and the quality is exceptional.

I have no hesitation recommending the Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL to anyone who asks what the best Android phone is.

$799 is a lot to ask for the relatively small Pixel 3, but it stands among very few phones that offer this quality of hardware and components in a manageable size — making it a fantastic phone for anyone who has resisted the call of larger phones. For those who haven’t, the $899 Pixel 3 XL is a little tougher of a sell. The Galaxy Note 9, LG V40 and others are enticing options with big screens at similar prices — but still, Google’s qualities shine, and this is a fantastic phone that can compete with anything else out there.

4.5
out of 5

I will have no hesitation in recommending the Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL to anyone who asks me what the best Android phone is. I can recommend them without qualms or caveats, because they’re just so good at doing the things everyone wants from a modern smartphone — whether they’re a novice or an expert — without show-stopping issues, problems, or tricks to learn. That’s the beauty of buying a Google Pixel.

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Here’s everything you need to know about the Google Pixel 3!

From specs, pricing, features, and more, here’s the latest on the Pixel 3 and 3 XL.

Following months of leak after leak, Google’s officially taken the wraps off its Pixel 3 and 3 XL smartphones. The two handsets look exactly like what we saw in all the early photos and renders, and while the element of surprise may be gone, we’ve still got two impressive Android handsets to talk about.

Without further ado, this is everything you need to know about the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL!

Check out our full review!

Here it is, folks — the full Android Central review of the Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL!

These are easily two of the best Android phones you can buy right now, and no matter if you opt for the regular or XL model, you’ll be getting a fantastic display, an excellent software experience, and some of the best cameras on a smartphone in 2018.

They may not look like much on the outside, but these are two really special phones.

Google Pixel 3 review: Fewer features make incredible phones

Here are the specs!

If you’ve got a Pixel 2, a lot of the specs for the Pixel 3 and 3 XL will look very similar. There’s still 4GB of RAM and a starting storage amount of 64GB, but the Snapdragon 835 processor from last year has been replaced by the newer 845.

For a full rundown on both phones, check out the link below. 👇

Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL specifications

The displays are a lot better

Shortly after its release, one of the biggest controversies that popped up for the larger Pixel 2 XL was its poor display. We have an LG-made OLED panel once again, but the year-over-year difference is huge.

Google’s touting 400+ nits of brightness for both phones, 2X less burn-in potential, and less color shifting.

There are still three different color profiles to choose from so you can fine-tune your experience, and out of the box, both the Pixel 3 and 3 XL have been optimized so that their displays look identical next to one another.

For an extremely detailed analysis of the Pixel 3 XL’s display, check out DisplayMate’s full in-depth review in which it received a top A+ rating.

The Google Pixel 3 addresses our biggest complaint with the Pixel 2: its display

There are three colors

Google’s probably the best when it comes to naming its device colors, and this year we have Just Black and Very White. New this year is a pink hue that’s been aptly named “Not Pink.”

All three colors are available for both the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL no matter where you decide to buy them.

An all-glass back brings wireless charging support

For the past two years, Google’s used a mixture of aluminum and glass on the back of its phones. This year, the Pixel 3 shakes things up by adopting an all-glass construction.

There’s still an etched section near the top that adds a nice matte finish that allows for more grip and fewer fingerprints. Google’s also integrated Qi wireless charging support and selling a new Pixel Stand wireless charging accessory that’ll charge the Pixel 3 + 3 XL and put them into a new “dashboard” UI that shows a slideshow of pictures on Google Photos and various Assistant info.

The Pixel Stand is a $79 wireless charger for Pixel 3 that unlocks special display modes

Google’s made a ton of camera improvements

The Pixel 2 and 2 XL have some of the best cameras we’ve ever seen on a smartphone, and with the Pixel 3, Google’s making the camera experience even better.

Perhaps the biggest change includes the addition of a second front-facing camera. You now have access to a regular and wide-angle lens for all of your selfies and portrait mode works no matter which one you use. Google’s also integrated an algorithm to remove any distortion caused by the wider lens.

Other changes include:

• 40% faster HDR+ processing
• Improved detail retention while zooming
• Night Sight mode improves low-light shots
• Top Shot mode captures multiple frames before and after your picture and then recommends an alternative shot compared to what you actually captured

Along with all this, Google Lens is also built right into the Pixel 3’s camera app and works automatically when it detects something.

Android 9 Pie is available out of the box

As you’d expect, Android 9 Pie is running on the Pixel 3 and 3 XL from day one. This is the same Android Pie we’ve been using on the Pixel 2 phones, including the new navigation gestures, quick settings panel, etc.

The Pixel 3 does bring a handful of new software goodies, including the full release of Digital Wellbeing outside of its beta state and a slightly updated UI for the camera app.

There’s also a new call screening feature that’ll allow you to send your caller to a system that asks them to provide information about who they are and why they’re calling. What they say comes through in real-time and you can choose to hang up or pick up at any point.

There are already a ton of accessories

The Pixel 3 and 3 XL are great phones, but you can make them even better with a good collection of accessories.

Whether you’re in the market for a heavy duty case, screen protectors, or something else entirely, here are a few helpful links to get you started with outfitting your new phone.

• Best Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL Accessories
• Best Cases for Google Pixel 3
• Best Cases for Google Pixel 3 XL
• These Are The Official Cases for the Google Pixel 3 lineup
• Best Screen Protectors for Google Pixel 3 XL

Here’s when and where you can buy it

If you want to pick up the Pixel 3 for yourself, pre-orders are open right now. The Pixel 3 costs $799 for the 64GB model and goes up to $899 if you get the 128GB variant. For those same storage configurations on the Pixel 3 XL, you’ll pay $899 and $999, respectively.

The Pixel 3 series will be sold at Verizon, Best Buy, the Google Store, and Project Fi.

See at Google Store

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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Best accessories for Ring Camera

The Ring Cameras are a great way to make your home smarter and a bit safer. The cameras can be mounted high for you to see the whole surrounding area around the front of your house, and it features a speaker and microphone so you can yell at people that are near your house. The future is truly upon us. The Ring Cameras come with a mounting kit to get you started, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop there. These are the best accessories for Ring Camera!

Better battery

Ring Rechargeable Battery Pack

Having the battery-powered Spotlight Cam 2 means you don’t need to mess with your home’s electrical system, but you will need to keep a fresh battery handy. This battery recharges itself over with an included USB cable, and users note it takes seven hours for a full charge, so keep that in mind when you want to make sure your camera has power.

$29 at Amazon

Unlimited power

TOODOO Ring Spotlight Cam Power Adapter

Of course, never needing a new battery is the best option. This power supply from TOODOO will do just that. The cable is thin enough to fit through a small hole in your wall, and at 20 feet (or six meters) long, it shouldn’t be hard to snake it to an available power outlet in your home.

$17 at Amazon

More power

Wasserstein Ring Spotlight Cam Power Adapter

If for some reason the TOODOO adapter isn’t available, this one from Wasserstein is another great option. Again, the cable is thin enough to make it through your wall and long enough to be routed to the nearest outlet once it gets inside. Everything you need is included, including screws to keep the power cable in place.

$15 at Amazon

The power of the sun

Wasserstein Solar Panel for Ring Spotlight Cam

There’s a version of the Ring Camera that already has its own solar panel, but this is a great upgrade for those that started with a battery-powered version. This panel connects to the battery inside your Ring Camera, so even if it’s a gloomy day, your camera will have enough juice in its battery to keep going. This comes in black or white, and there are screws included to keep in place on the side of your house or on a fence.

$40 at Amazon

Better mounting options

UDOIT Ring Mount

If the mount included with the Ring Camera doesn’t let you angle it exactly how you want, this mount from UDOIT is a great replacement. You get enough screws, bolts, and nuts to work with most of the Ring cameras, but you’ll still need a drill and screwdriver to get everything in place. Once it’s in place, you can adjust the camera vertically and horizontally so it gets the best view of your yard.

$12 at Amazon

Anti-glare

Silicone Cover Case for Ring Camera

If you’re getting a bit too much glare on your footage — or just want an extra bit of weather protection — this cover is for you. It’s just a simple piece of black silicone, no different than what you’d use on your phone or tablet. It provides a hood around your camera so the glare from the sun won’t be a bother, and raindrops will flow off, keeping your video feed pristine. This specifically works with the wired version of the Spotlight Camera, not the solar or battery-powered versions.

$13 at Amazon

The Ring Camera is great on its own, but it doesn’t have to end there. Whether you want a better power supply, more mounting options, or some extra weather protection, these accessories will make using the Ring Cameras much more enjoyable. If you’re only going to get one of these accessories, I’d go for the Wasserstein Solar Panel, since it means you’ll never have to worry about a dead battery or routing a long power cable again.

Add a Boost Mobile Unlimited Data plan to your phone for $25 a month

Even the newest smartphones are eligible.

Right now Boost Mobile is taking 50% off its unlimited data plan, and you don’t even have to switch phones to take advantage of it. The plan costs $25 a month and covers unlimited data, talk, and text. This is an online-only deal and you will need a little extra upfront cost to buy a SIM card to connect your phone to the Boost Mobile network.

You will be able to enter your phone’s ID to see if its eligible. The plan works with both Android and iOS devices going back many generations, but not every version is compatible. For example, the iPhone 7 works but only if it’s a Verizon phone. Same with the LG X charge but only the Amazon version. You’ll also need to unlock your device before switching if it isn’t already unlocked. Other eligible phones include the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and iPhone X series. For Android users, you can use the Galaxy S9, S9+, Note9, and more.

The plan includes more than just the unlimited data. You’ll also be able to use your phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot. Access up to 8GB of your phone’s 4G LTE network every month.

This deal only applies to new customers and phones that are not already on the Sprint network, which is what Boost Mobile uses.

See at Boost Mobile

Amazon’s giving away free $3 credits for installing its browser extension

Cash in today.

The Amazon Assistant is Amazon’s way of helping you stay on top of price comparisons, wishlist items, and your latest Amazon orders. Right now, Amazon is offering new users of the browser extension a chance to snag $3 off a future purchase of $10 or more. All you’ve got to do is simply download the extension to your computer. This deal is only valid for US customers who have never used the Amazon Assistant browser add-on before.

To use the discount, you must first navigate to the product you want to purchase using the Amazon Assistant extension. The discount is only valid on items sold and shipped by Amazon.com. It’s also important to note your purchase must total $10 before shipping and tax for the promo to take effect. While its promotional terms state that it’s not valid on digital content or Amazon gift cards, you may be able to use it on something such as a PlayStation Plus membership. Otherwise, there aren’t many limitations for its use.

Amazon Assistant allows you quick shortcut access to your orders, your universal registry and lists, and other popular Amazon webpages. My personal favorite feature of the add-on comes into play when you’re browsing a different retail site, such as Walmart or Best Buy. The extension will enable small pop-ups under your URL bar that show Amazon’s current price for the item along with a link to it directly. That can often let you know whether Amazon has price-matched the item or if they’ve got it available for even cheaper than the current store you’re browsing.

This browser extension can be used with most major desktop browsers, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, and Safari.

See at Amazon

Complete a few activities in Spider-Man before The Heist DLC drops

Say goodbye to the Sinister Six and hello to Black Cat.

After you complete Spider-Man’s main campaign, you may be itching for more content. Insomniac has already detailed the game’s post-launch content called The City That Never Sleeps, which will be comprised of three chapters. The first chapter, The Heist, releases October 23 and focuses on the character of Black Cat. Here’s everything you’ll want to do in the game before this DLC drops.

• Complete all of the Black Cat stakeouts
• Complete the main campaign
• Pay attention to the little details

You can pick up the complete package of The City That Never Sleeps for $24.99 on the PlayStation Store.

See at PlayStation

Complete all of the Black Cat stakeouts

While Black Cat doesn’t play an important role within the game’s main story, you do find yourself performing activities across the city at her behest. Black Cat has left clues to her whereabouts and Peter believes that if he can piece together her targets he can figure out what she’s after and why she’s back in New York City.

These activities take the form of stakeouts, of which there are 13 total. Once you reach a stakeout location denoted by its own icon on the map, you’ll look through your camera and search the surrounding areas for a miniature Black Cat toy.

After completing each stakeout you’re finally given the location to Black Cat’s hideout, where you can unlock and obtain the Dark Suit. This little side adventure unfortunately ends there without a confrontation, but it looks to set up a meeting between Spider-Man and Black Cat in the DLC. If anything, it’s put Black Cat on his radar again.

Complete the main campaign

This might go without saying, but it’s always a good idea to finish up the game first. Not only will you unlock an outfit that can only be obtained through completing the main campaign and will have unlocked more gadgets to use at your disposal, but New York City won’t be under immediate threat anymore.

Insomniac has not revealed whether or not The Heist DLC has a recommended starting level to it or whether you need to beat the game in order to access it. Since the studio has not stated one way or the other, I’m inclined to believe that you don’t necessarily need to finish the main campaign, but it’s a good idea to anyway.

Pay attention to the little details

According to Spider-Man lead writer Jon Paquette, fans will want to explore New York City to its fullest in order to find all of the little hidden details that the team put in to create the most authentic game possible.

“They should be focused on a lot of the storytelling we do in the open world,” said Paquette in an interview with Polygon regarding what fans should do to prepare themselves for The Heist. “There’s probably things that you haven’t discovered yet unless you’ve got the platinum (trophy) already, in which case, congratulations. But the team worked really hard to build this amazingly authentic city that is so much fun to play in. So just keep looking for hidden things.”

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Cortana beta debuts major UI overhaul and more on Android and iOS

The Cortana version 3.0 beta brings “conversational experiences,” new connections for music and podcasts, and much more.

Microsoft is gearing up to release a major update to Cortana on Android and iOS, and beta testers are getting the first shot at it. Cortana version 3.0 is rolling out now to beta users on both platforms, bringing an overhauled UI focused on conversational experiences, new music and podcast connections, and the ability to join Skype and Teams meetings by speaking with Cortana.

Here’s the official look at all of what’s new:

• An update to the UI enabling conversational experiences with Cortana and a new place to manage and set up your Cortana devices
• Listen to music and podcasts on the go. Just ask Cortana to play your favorite tunes and podcasts with Spotify, iHeartRadio, and TuneIn on your phone or through a paired Bluetooth device
• Stay organized and on task. Set reminders, timers and create meetings with your voice
• Join your next Skype or Teams meeting by simply asking Cortana. You can also manage your calendar or send a quick email by voice

Additionally, references to syncing notifications to your Windows PC have been removed.

Cortana 3.0 beta

Though Microsoft has announced the update to beta testers, we’re not seeing it just yet, so it may be part of a slow rollout. However,if you want to get in line to test out everything that’s new, you can register to become a beta tester for Cortana on Android at Google Play. Cortana users on iOS will have to be enrolled in the limited TestFlight program to take part.

For everyone else, you’ll have to wait until all of the kinks have been worked out with beta testers to see the new features in the release version of Cortana. For now, you can give the current release a shot by picking up the Cortana app on Google Play and the App Store.

Thanks, Ryan T., for the tip!

See at Google Play See at the App Store

The first Wear OS smartwatch with the Snapdragon Wear 3100 costs $995

The Summit 2 is our first look at the next generation of Wear OS.

Back in September during Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear 3100 event, it was announced that the very first smartwatch to use the new chipset would be the Montblanc Summit 2. A little over a month later, we now have exact specs and pricing details for it.

The Montblanc Summit 2 features a 42mm case that was “designed for both men and women.” There’s a 1.2-inch circular AMOLED display with a resolution of 390 x 390 and a heart rate sensor that uses an “improved” algorithm for monitoring your ticker throughout the day.

There’s built-in GPS for mapping your runs even when you’re not connected to your phone, NFC for Google Pay, and 5ATM water resistance. The Snapdragon Wear 3100 is, of course, powering the Summit 2, and as such, you can expect vastly improved battery life (up to a week’s worth of use in the Time Only Mode).

You can purchase the Montblanc Summit 2 starting today, but with a price tag of $995 and up depending on the style you choose, it’ll likely only appeal to our most fashionable readers.

See at Montblanc

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Kuo Predicts ‘Better Than Expected’ Replacement Demand for iPhone XR, Raises Shipment Forecasts

Demand for the iPhone XR will be higher than demand for the iPhone 8 last year, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reiterated in a note to investors this morning.

Kuo is predicting better than expected replacement demand for iPhone XR along with improved supply starting in October, leading him to revise his predicted shipment estimates.

Apple is now expected to ship 36 to 38 million iPhone XR units in the fourth quarter of 2018, up 10 percent from an original estimate of 33 to 35 million units.

As he said last week in a note about the XR driving upgrades in China, Kuo is expecting the iPhone XR to outsell the iPhone 8 because of its larger display, longer battery life, dual-SIM support, and new form factor design.

With the revised XR shipment expectations, Kuo believes Apple will ship a total of 75 to 80 million iPhone units during 4Q2018.

iPhone XR shipments are also expected to be up in the first quarter of 2019, a historically slow quarter for Apple. Quarter over quarter decline is expected to be at 25 to 30 percent instead of 45 to 50 percent for iPhone 8.

We expect XR shipments to beat low seasonality in 1Q19. We forecast that XR shipments in 1Q19 will decline 25-30% QoQ to 27-30mn units, and we attribute the lower XR shipment QoQ decline, compared with general consumer electronics and smartphones’ 30-40% QoQ decline, to better replacement demand and production delay. Also, XR’s shipment QoQ decline in 1Q19 will be better than the iPhone 8 series’ 45-50% in 1Q18.

Total iPhone shipments in the first quarter of 2019 are expected to grow by 10 percent year-over-year to 55 to 60 million units thanks to the strength of the iPhone XR. Shipment allocations of XS, XR, and legacy models will be at 35 percent, 50 percent, and 15 percent respectively.

Apple’s iPhone XR will be available for pre-order at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, October 19, with an official launch to follow on Friday, October 26. Apple’s colorful new iPhone will be priced starting at $749 for the entry-level model.

Related Roundup: iPhone XRTag: Ming-Chi KuoBuyer’s Guide: iPhone XR (Caution)
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Kuo: Apple to Maintain Same iPhone Mix in 2019 With 5.8 and 6.5-Inch OLED iPhones, 6.1-Inch LCD

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who often accurately predicts Apple’s future device plans, believes the company will continue to offer three iPhones in 2019 with the same general lineup seen in 2018.

In a note to investors about Apple supplier Luxshare’s predicted market share released this morning, Kuo included a chart that suggests Apple will continue to offer 5.8 and 6.5-inch OLED iPhones in 2019, along with one 6.1-inch LCD model.

That’s the same lineup used this year, which consists of the 5.8 and 6.5-inch OLED iPhone XS and XS Max and the 6.1-inch iPhone XR.

Rumors about the 2019 iPhones have been circulating for a few months now, but this is the first time that we’ve heard specific details on the number of devices we can expect to see in 2019 and their screen sizes.

Given that 2018 is sort of an “S” upgrade year with no major changes to the iPhone X design introduced in 2017, there was a possibility that Apple could condense its iPhone lineup or introduce new screen sizes, but it looks like we may be sticking with the current lineup for at least another year.

Other 2019 iPhone rumors have suggested the upcoming iPhones will adopt faster, more efficient A13 chips from TSMC, triple lens rear camera systems, revamped front-facing TrueDepth camera systems, and perhaps support for the Apple Pencil.

Details about all of the rumors we’ve heard about the new devices so far can be found in our 2019 iPhones roundup.

Related Roundup: 2019 iPhonesTag: Ming-Chi Kuo
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