Canada Daily Deals: Roomba robot vacuum cleaners, Philips Hue, and more

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We found plenty of great deals today that include big discounts on Robot Roomba Vacuum Cleaners, Philips Hue Starter Kit bundles, portable storage, and much more!

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POCO F1 vs. OnePlus 6: Which should you buy?

We’re a virtual company made up of tech experts from across the globe. We live and breathe Android phones, and we’re here to help you pick the best affordable flagship.

POCO F1

Our pick

$290 at Flipkart

Pros

• Incredible value
• Flagship-level performance
• Outstanding battery life

Cons

• Notched display
• No NFC
• Limited availability

There isn’t a phone in the market today that can hold up to the POCO F1 when it comes to value. By offering a Snapdragon 845-powered phone for just $300, POCO has made every player in the smartphone industry stand up and take notice.

OnePlus 6

Still great

$529 at OnePlus

Pros

• Gorgeous AMOLED display
• Premium design
• Clean software experience

Cons

• Notch
• No wireless charging
• Costly by comparison

The OnePlus 6 continues to be a great choice in the $500 segment, but it does end up looking expensive next to the POCO F1. OnePlus has steadily hiked the price of its phones over the last four years, and while the $529 figure is still around half what you pay for a Note 9, there are plenty of phones in this segment that offer a similar package.

When we’re talking about phones in this segment, we primarily focus on value. And right now, no device does that better than the POCO F1. The F1 fundamentally changes how we view phones in this category, and sets a new standard for affordable flagships.

POCO F1 redefines value in this category

In a lot of ways, the POCO F1 is like the OnePlus One. When OnePlus launched its first phone back in 2014, it took the industry by storm thanks to a combination of robust hardware and low price.

POCO is following the same formula with the F1. The phone has a basic polycarbonate chassis and a decent display, but that sets it apart is the fact that it costs just $300 and is powered by the Snapdragon 845 and has LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 2.1 storage as standard.

Operating system	Android 8.1 OreoMIUI for POCO	Android 8.1 OreoOxygenOS 5.1.11
Display	6.18-inch IPS LCD, 2248×1080 (19:9)Gorilla Glass 3	6-inch Optic AMOLED, 2160×1080 (18:9)Gorilla Glass 5
Chipset	Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 8454×2.80GHz Kryo 385 + 4×1.70 Kryo 385	Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 8454×2.80GHz Kryo 385 + 4×1.70 Kryo 385
GPU	Adreno 630	Adreno 630
RAM	6GB/8GB LPDDR4X	6/8GB LPDDR4X
Storage	64GB/128GB/256GB (UFS 2.1)	64GB/128GB/256GB (UFS 2.1)
Rear camera 1	12MP, 1.4μm, f/1.9Dual PDAF	16MP, 1.22μm, f/1.7OIS, EISDual LED flash4K@60FPS, 720p@480FPS
Rear camera 2	5MP, 1.12μm, f/2.0	20MP, 1.0μm, ƒ/1.7
Front camera	20MP, 0.9μm, f/2.0	16MP, 1.0μm, ƒ/2.0
Battery	4000mAh	3300mAh
Charging	USB-CQuick Charge 3.0	USB-CDash Charge (5V 4A)
Water resistance	No	Splash resistant (no IP rating)
Security	Fingerprint sensorFace unlock	Fingerprint sensorFace unlock
Dimensions	155.5 x 75.3 x 8.8mm180g	155.7 x 75.4 x 7.8mm177g
Variants	Black, Blue, Red, Kevlar	Mirror Black, Midnight Black, Silk White, Amber Red

The hardware on offer has allowed POCO to stand out in an increasingly crowded market, and take the fight to established players like OnePlus. The POCO F1 is by no means as refined as the OnePlus 6, nor does it have as many features. The lack of NFC in particular makes the F1 a dealbreaker in many Western markets, but there’s no arguing that it offers the best value in the handset space today.

The POCO F1 isn’t as refined as the OnePlus 6, but it doesn’t need to be.

Where the F1 truly excels is at battery life. With a 4000mAh battery under the hood, the phone delivers two days’ worth of usage consistently. Xiaomi has led the way in this category for some time now, and the F1 continues that tradition. If you’re in the market for a flagship that offers two-day battery life, look no further.

Nothing comes close at $300

By undercutting the OnePlus 6 by over $200, POCO has managed to offer a phone that breaks new ground when it comes to value. The phone will be making its debut in the UK and other Western markets over the course of 2018, but it will not be heading to the U.S. That’s a shame, because the F1 is the best example yet that you don’t need to shell out over $300 to get a flagship-tier phone.

POCO F1

Our pick

$290 at Flipkart

Redefines the value segment

The POCO F1 is designed to offer the most amount of value for your money, and it manages to do just that. If you’re looking for the best hardware at the lowest cost, then the F1 is the device to get.

OnePlus 6

Still great

Refinement comes at a price

$529 at OnePlus

The OnePlus 6 is a more refined product, but at $529 it costs $200 more than the POCO F1. And that’s a lot of money when you consider both phones share the same internal hardware.

Can the Samsung Wireless Charger Duo charge the Apple Watch?

Best answer: You can’t use the Samsung Wireless Charger Duo to charge your Apple Watch. There are, however, other charging stand options that are designed to work with the Apple Watch alongside an iPhone — like the Bestand 2 in 1 Wireless Charging Stand.

Amazon: Bestand 2 in 1 Wireless Charging Stand ($40)

The Apple Watch requires a special charger

The Samsung Wireless Charger Duo is a great all-in-one solution for people who want to charge a phone and a watch with Qi wireless technology. The charger will actually work just fine with Apple’s latest phones — every model released since the iPhone 8 — but won’t work with the Apple Watch. While the Apple Watch technically charges over Qi like the phones, it has a specific implementation that requires a special charger. You can’t just set it on a regular Qi pad and expect it to work properly.

The Apple Watch is very particular about how it charges — you’ll need a specific charging stand.

Until Apple is able to figure out how to finish and ship its AirPower wireless charging pad, there isn’t really a device like the Samsung Wireless Charger Duo for people with both an iPhone and an Apple Watch. That doesn’t mean you have to stick with the regular magnetic Apple Watch charger, though — there are charging stand options that you can set up in a specific place and toss your Apple Watch on for both display and charging.

The Bestand 2 in 1 Wireless Charging Stand is the closest thing to Samsung’s dual charger, but it requires a bit more setup. It has a stand to wirelessly charge your phone on the left, and another portion that sticks out to the right for your Apple Watch to rest on. You have to use your own Apple Watch charger in the holder, and manage a couple of cables for both the phone and watch, but once you plug it all in, it’ll keep everything recharged and on display.

Our pick

Bestand 2 in 1 Wireless Charging Stand

$40 at Amazon

A beautiful wireless charging stand option for your Apple Watch.

Samsung’s Wireless Charger Duo doesn’t work with your Apple Watch, so the next best thing is getting a different charging stand designed for the wearable. The Bestand 2 in 1 Wireless Charging Stand will get the job done, charging both your iPhone and your Apple Watch — it just requires a bit more setup than Samsung’s charger.

Should you upgrade from the Jaybird X3 to the X4?

Best answer: The main differences between the Jaybird X3 and X4 are that the latter is fully waterproof and comes with new ear tips and an improved cord management system. These are solid upgrades, but not enough to spend another $130 if you already own the X3.

Amazon: Jaybird X4 ($130)

The Jaybird X4 are fully waterproof

Perhaps the biggest difference between the Jaybird X3 and X4 is with their durability against water. With the X3, you get water-resistance and sweatproof protection. A hydrophobic nano-coating keeps them protected against sweat, rain, snow, and moisture, but they’re not fully waterproof.

The Jaybird X4, on the other hand, come equipped with an IPX7 rating, meaning they’re guaranteed to survive up to one meter of water submersion for up to 30 minutes.

There’s a new style of ear tip + easier cable management

Jaybird always includes different types of ear tips with its products, and with the X4, the company added a brand-new Comply Ultra Foam Tip option. The Comply Ultra tips are made out of a thermo-reactive material that offers rich sound and enhanced durability while also conforming to the shape of your ears.

Something else to keep an eye out for is the new cord management system. Every pair of X4s come with a cord cinch pre-installed, and by sliding it up and down, you can quickly make the length of extra cable shorter and longer.

In my experience using the X4, this little bit of plastic makes the earbuds a lot easier to adjust than any of its predecessors.

Everything else is just like the X3

Aside from those differences, everything else about the X4 pretty much remains intact from the X3. Aesthetically, they’re nearly identical, although considering the X3 were simple and functional, you can’t ask for more. Sound quality is also similar, with a good mixture of bass and clarity.

Battery life is rated at eight hours of playback per charge (although in testing, we found that battery can last up to 10 hours). You can also customize your EQ settings in the Jaybird app and 10 minutes of charging will give you one hour of use. You can check out some more of the X4’s features in our review.

Not the biggest upgrade we’ve ever seen

Unless you absolutely need full waterproofing, you’re probably safe to keep your Jaybird X3s and wait to see what we get with the X5 next year. However, if you don’t have the X3 and need a new pair of wireless sport earbuds, you can’t do much better than the X4. They’re sweatproof, so they’ll remain working even in the most intense workouts, feature new ear tips that keep them in your ears, and pack enough of a charge for longer fare like marathons.

Our pick

Jaybird X4

$130 at Amazon

Fully waterproof buds that look and sound great.

The Jaybird X4 may not be a drastic change over the X3, but that’s perfectly alright. Jaybird took a winning combo of sound and battery life, added IPX7 waterproofing + an awesome cable management cinch, and the end result is one of the best sporty earbud options around.

Grab iOttie’s Easy One Touch 3 car mount for just $18 today

Eyes on the road!

Right now, you can pick up the iOttie Easy One Touch 3 car mount for just $17.95 at Amazon, which is within just a few dollars of its all-time lowest price. It normally sells for between $25 and $30, and rarely drops from that. iOttie is well-known for its vehicle mounts and their ease of use. They have a universal Each One Touch mounting system, which lets you store and remove your phone with just the press of a single button.

This model also can operate in three different modes, which allow the arm to be either nice and compact at 4.5 inches, or extend to over 8 inches. It can fit devices up to 3.5 inches in width, meaning it will hold even your new large iPhone or Galaxy Note 9.

See at Amazon

Assassin’s Creed and Call of Duty are coming soon to PS4!

Everything is permitted, Nothing is true.

There are some pretty amazing titles for the PlayStation 4, and we’re here to keep you updated on all the new ones! Be sure to check in with us every week to see what new titles you should be expecting, or excited for!

Notable release this month

Here’s what we’ve found so far!

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

Coming October 5

Take another trip in the Abstergo to refurbish the memories of your late ancestors. This time, you’re diving into Greece to become a Spartan. Judging by the trailers, and the information given to us on the PlayStation store, it looks like they’re combining all of the great aspects of the old Assassin’s Creed games to make one perfect one. Not only will you be fighting on land, scaling buildings and killing enemies, but you’ll also be fighting on the sea as well!

But, what’s the best part for me, is that you get to play as either Alexios or Kassandra. Yes, that means you can be a strong female lead in an Assassin’s Creed game! Other customizing options include gear, abilities, and your ship.

You can pre-order this title on Amazon for $59.99

See on Amazon

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4

Coming October 12

Another excellent battle-royale game is coming to you from the developers over at Activision. This time you’ll be getting land, sea, and air vehicles, as well as RC-Xds and traps! Of course, as they do with new games, you’ll also see all new maps and modes. They’re even bringing back the create-a-class system with 10 different options, as well as a new “Gear” category. You can surely tell their ultimate goal was to make this PvP experience as customizable for you as they possibly could!

You can pre-order this title on Amazon for $60. You can also get the deluxe version of the pre-order for $100 that comes with the Specialist Outfit, signature weapon, 2,400 Call of Duty Points, Back in Black Maps, and a Black Ops Pass (that includes 4 new zombie experiences, 12 multiplayer maps, and 4 exclusive Black Ops characters). It doesn’t stop there either, as it’s noted on the page that the deluxe copy also “includes additional bonus content.”

See on Amazon

Red Dead Redemption 2

Coming October 26

You can pre-order the special edition on Amazon for $80, and it comes with an exclusive access to a bank robbery mission, a collection of exclusive story mode boosts, bonuses and discounts as well as 3 free weapons at the gunsmiths.

See on Amazon

Other PlayStation 4 games releasing this month!

• First of the North Star: Lost Paradise – October 2 – $60
• Mega Man 11 – October 2 – $30
• The Midnight Sanctuary – October 2 – $TBD
• WWE 2k19 – October 5 – $60
• Disgaea 1 Complete – October 9 – $40
• The Occupation – October 9 – $TBD
• Senran Kagura Burst: Re: Newal – October 9 – $70
• Razed – October 15 – $TBD
• Crayola Scoot – October 16 – $40
• LEGO DC Super-Villains – October 1 – $30
• Dark Souls Trilogy – October 19 – $80
• Soul Calibur VI – October 19 – $60
• Just Dance 2019 – October 23 – $40
• PAW Patrol: On a Roll – October 23 – $40
• Project Highrise: Architect’s Edition – October 23 – $40
• My Hero One’s Justice – October 26 – $60
• Call of Cthulu: The Official Video Game – October 26 – $60
• Monstrum – October 30 – $30
• Mutant Football League: Dynasty Edition – October 30 – $30
• My Riding Stables: Life with Horses – October 30 – $30
• Death Mark – October 31 – $70

Upcoming PlayStation Vita Releases

Nothing this month, stay tuned!

Upcoming Downloadable Content

Marvel’s Spider-Man: The Heist

Coming October 23

This is the first DLC coming to this title pertaining to the Marvel’s Spider-Man: City That Never Sleeps. This is a 3-part DLC story that starts with The Heist. You can find Marvels Spider-Man, the game, on Amazon for $60. You can find the City That Never Sleeps Bundle for $25 on the PlayStation store, or purchase the full game with all the DLC features included for $80 on Amazon.

See on PlayStation Store

Exciting Q4 games you might be seeing soon

• Hitman 2 – $60
• Fallout 76 – $60
• Battlefield 5 – $80
• Just Cause 4 – $60
• Dreams – TBD
• Team Sonic Racing – $40
• Kingdom Hearts 3 – $60
• Resident Evil 2 Remake – $70

What are you playing?

Which PlayStation 4 game are you looking forward to most? Let us know in the comments section or shoot me a Tweet and tell me all about it!

Updated October 2018: We will continue to refresh this list at the beginning of a new month to ensure you’re in the know when it comes to the PlayStation games being released soon!

PlayStation 4

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

Amazon

Tile introduces new Mate and Pro trackers, along with Premium service

Stop misplacing it!

Tile has announced new versions of its Mate and Pro trackers which build upon the successes the company has seen with the previous generation, while fixing some of its complaints. These trackers no longer have to be disposed of once the battery is depleted, as Tile now offers battery replacements and each one is guaranteed to last for a full year. Additionally, both new trackers are louder than previous generations and have an increased Bluetooth range, with the Mate working at up to 150 feet and the Pro reaching up to 300 feet.

Alongside the new hardware, Tile is also introducing a new service to make the trackers even more useful. Tile Premium, the company’s new subscription service, offers a couple key benefits with its $30 per year (or $3 per month) cost. First up is free battery replacements. Tile will automatically ship batteries ahead of the one-year mark for as many trackers as you have on your account, so you never need to go out and search for a battery to work with it. Additionally, Premium includes smart alerts to help keep a proactive approach to not misplacing things, unlimited sharing to allow your friends and family to view your device, and 30 days worth of location history.

Tile Premium also includes an extended warranty which covers your devices for three years instead of one, and premium customer care, so should you see an issue you can get it resolved quickly. Tile is offering a free one-month trial to all new Premium customers, and after that you can decide whether you’d like to pay annually or monthly.

The new Tile Mate is priced at $25 and the Tile Pro will cost $10 more at $35. Both will be available from Tile direct, along with other major retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and more.

If you don’t absolutely need a replaceable battery, and have more than one device that you want to affordably track, you may want to consider picking up a four pack of the previous-gen Tile Mates for just $35, or two Tile Mate and two Tile Slim for $50. You may think that these are silly now, but the next time you’re late leaving the house because you can’t find your keys or wallet, just remember that you didn’t opt to buy these right now.

Will my phone get Android Pie?

A new version of Android means it’s once again time to peer into my crystal ball.

Did you hear? Android Pie is a thing now. And we know that everyone will want it and want it as soon as possible. That’s how it works and that’s how we are wired. We want updates, we want them to be spectacular and we want them right now.

The reality of the situation is a bit different. Most phones made in the last 18 months will see Android Pie, but some of them will only get updated when we see the first developer preview for Android Q (Quince Jelly or gtfo, Google!) come along. It’s a lot easier for manufacturers to update their phones to a newer version, but it’s still not any better. That’s another article for another time, though. This one is where I guess which phones will get updated sometime in the next 12 months.

Predicting anything Android-related is 10% science and 90% interpretation.

It’s not as easy as you think and many sudsy cold beverages worth of thought goes into my guesses each and every year. About one-third of them are no-brainers, but some of the others are basically the same odds as a coin flip. It seems like manufacturers only care about a few models that get a lot of press time. But I do have to toot my own hat (or something) and say I have a pretty good track record. Luck or skill? You decide. (It’s totally skill.)

Let’s break it down by the major manufacturers of the phones we love and make a few predictions. Remeber, these are just predictions and not any official word on anything from any company unless otherwise noted.

• Google
• Android Beta Program Partners
• Samsung
• LG
• Huawei
• Motorola
• OnePlus
• Nokia
• HTC
• Sony

Still waiting for Oreo? Check to see whether your phone will be upgraded!

Google

I always start with Google because it’s easy and I’ll get it right every time. That’s what I want at the top of the page. I say it’s easy because Google has already told us which phones get updated and which won’t.

• The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL have already been updated to Pie.
• The Pixel and Pixel XL have already been updated to Android Pie.
• While not actually from Google, any Android One phones manufactured since October 2017 will also be updated to Pie “later this fall.”

And that’s it. Prior to the Pixel, Google promised two years of full support and three years of security updates for phones they sell under their own brand. The Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X are just about three years old. Auf Wiedersehen, Adieu, Adios, Good Bye. They were great phones.

More: It’s time to say goodbye to the Nexus program for good

Android Beta Program Partners

For the first time ever other companies have joined Google in supporting the Android Beta Program. When it was started for Android Pie (then known simply as P) the following phones joined Google’s Pixel and Pixel 2 family in supporting it:

• Sony Xperia XZ2
• Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S
• Nokia 7 Plus
• Oppo R15 Pro
• Vivo X21
• OnePlus 6
• Essential PH‑1

That means that every one of these phones should see a full-on update to Android Pie in the very near future. In fact, the Essential PH-1 is saw its update at the same time the Pixel and Pixel 2 did.

We’re proud to bring Android 9 Pie to Essential Phone the same day it’s released! Check your phone now for the update. 🥧 pic.twitter.com/pniUDl9yr8

— Essential (@essential) August 6, 2018

Samsung

Samsung makes more models of a single flagship line like the Galaxy S each year than Google has made in total, but it’s also pretty easy to know which phones Samsung will update because they’re predictable. Samsung offers four “premium” models each year. like 2018’s Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+, the Galaxy S9 Active that we all know is coming, and the Galaxy Note 9. Even when Samsung sold 15 different models of the Galaxy S6, they were all treated the same when it came to expecting an update.

When to expect it is just as predictable, and it will happen about a year from the date this was first published (March 2018). Some models in Europe will see it first, about a month later it will show up somewhere else, and once Samsung is satisfied it’s not going to totally wreck about a gazillion phones they will give it the green light. Add in whatever time your carrier needs and the final result is just about a year from its initial release.

• The Galaxy S9 and S9+ (and any S9 Active that comes in the future) will be updated to Android Pie.
• The Galaxy Note 9 will be updated to Android Pie.
• The Galaxy S8 and S8+, and the Galaxy S8 Active, will be updated to Android Pie.
• The Galaxy Note 8 will be updated to Android Pie.

Here’s where it gets interesting. there are a handful of other Galaxy phones that have a huge regional fanbase. In India, for example, the Galaxy J models are huge hits because they offer most of the same experience you find in a Galaxy S at a lower price. Samsung will give them the same treatment the Galaxy S and Note lines receive. That’s not the most interesting part, though. That would be the seemingly random phones that Samsung decides to update. We don’t know why we see this every year (Carrier requests? Developer favorites? Aliens?) we just like seeing it. And we all wish we saw more of it.

LG

LG has always been a wildcard when I write this post every year. Like Samsung, there are a few “important” models that get all the press coverage and plenty of other more inexpensive models that most of us aren’t talking about.

LG also mentioned some streamlining in the release cycle, which hopefully gives the development teams time to get an update out the door and have it be a good update.

• The LG G7 ThinQ will be updated to Android Pie.
• The LG V30 (including the V30S or whatever models we have seen or will see) will be updated to Android Pie.
• The LG V20 will be updated to Android Pie.
• The LG G6 will see Android Pie.

Older models like the G5 and V10 are done seeing any attention and won’t see any updates. LG makes a handful of phones that aren’t quite flagship material, and we know it is willing to spend the time and money on updating some of them even if your carrier isn’t and you never see it. That means nothing is a given.

I also think LG consolidating things and releasing phones when they think it’s time for a new model rather than by looking at a calendar will make a difference here and lead to longer support.

Huawei

Huawei is tough to read. It hasn’t abandoned the Asian way of doing smartphones like LG and Samsung have for their U.S. divisions and sometimes that means the things the company does can be puzzling to those of us used to the Western way of thinking. Just when I think I have figured out exactly which phones are the company’s flagship models that will get the lion’s share of time and money spent, they change it all up. That’s a good thing.

Something made Huawei change the way it redistributes and maintains phones running the EMUI operating system (Huawei’s version of Android) in 2017 and I think that’s going to be reflected when it comes to Android P updates.

• The Huawei Mate 10 will be updated to Android Pie.
• The Huawei Mate 10 Pro is being updated to Android Pie while this article was being revised on October first.
• The Honor 9 and Honor View 10 series will be updated to Android Pie. I’m hoping, but less confident, about the Honor 8 Pro and 7X.
• The Huawei Mate 9 will probably be updated to Android Pie, but we’ll see.

This includes the various Plus, Pro, and Porsche models (I want a Porsche phone) as well, and because EMUI is so different than every other smartphone software available users will have no idea which version of Android they are running unless they look.

Besides, if the things a handful of little birds are saying happen to be true, EMUI 9 isn’t going to be able to run on any hardware older than what comes in these phones.

Motorola

Motorola had a weird 2017. That’s putting it mildly. They released like 100 phones in the Americas and Western Europe (Editor’s note: it was actually 9) and they ranged from the surprisingly great $100 Moto E4 to the Moto X4, the first of hopefully many non-Google phones you can use on Project Fi, and all the Z and Force you can handle in between.. And they did it without compromising the G series which has been a company staple for years from the smartphone division.

Moto phones under Lenovo are slowly becoming like the Thinkpad — quietly chugging along in the background doing their thing. And doing it well.

On August 15, Motorola published a blog post outlining the handsets that’ll receive the official Pie update starting this fall. They include:

• Moto Z3
• Moto Z3 Play
• Moto Z2 Force
• Moto Z2 Play
• Moto X4
• Moto G6 Plus
• Moto G6
• Moto G6 Play

While that’s a strong list, the notable omissions include the Moto E5, E5 Plus, and E5 Play.

OnePlus

OnePlus is on the verge of becoming more than just a niche brand. But it won’t forget where its early success came from — providing fast updates because its customers wanted them. And just because it is never as fast as we wanted doesn’t mean it wasn’t as fast as possible. Sometimes, too fast even …

Here’s the list of phones OnePlus is going to update to Android P.

• OnePlus 3
• OnePlus 3T
• OnePlus 5
• OnePlus 5T
• OnePlus 6

Nokia

Hi, Android Pie will be available for the Nokia 3, 5, 6 and 8. Roll-out will be phased as usual to secure quality delivery. Nokia 7 Plus is part of the Android One program, which guarantees two years of software updates, including Pie.

— Nokia Mobile (@NokiaMobile) August 8, 2018

Nokia seems to understand that a substantial portion of its own customer base wants fast updates. Like OnePlus, they should listen to their current customers while trying to find new ones if they are to be successful. Here’s a list of phones expected to see Android Pie from Nokia.

• Nokia 3
• Nokia 5
• Nokia 6
• Nokia 6.1
• Nokia 7 Plus
• Nokia 8
• Nokia 8 Sirocco

HTC

Disappointing sales have left the future of HTC’s smartphone business in uncertainty, but assuming the company doesn’t go under in the next few months, it’s announced that it’ll be updating four of its smartphones to Android 9 Pie. The list is as follows:

• HTC U12+
• HTC U11
• HTC U11+
• HTC U11 Life (Android One version)

We’re pleased as pie to confirm updates to Android Pie for the HTC U12+, U11+, U11, and U11 life (Android One). Timeframes for roll-out will be announced in due course. We can’t wait to know what you think of Google’s freshest slice of Android! pic.twitter.com/mPJePFegne

— HTC (@htc) August 10, 2018

Annnnddd…that’s it.

HTC says that it’ll release timeframes for its Pie updates “in due course”, and as those announcements are made, we’ll update this article accordingly.

Sony

Sony announced its Pie update plans on August 16, 2018, and as expected, the phones that’ll be the first to get the new software treatment are the company’s high-end flagships. Starting this November, the following phones will get Android 9 Pie:

• Sony Xperia XZ2
• Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
• Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact
• Sony Xperia XZ Premium
• Sony Xperia XZ1
• Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact

But wait, there’s more!

If you own a Sony Xperia XA2, XA2 Ultra, or XA2 Plus, you can expect Pie to land on your phone by “early 2019.”

Must mentions

These may be the companies we’re most familiar with in the west that sell Android phones, but they aren’t the only companies doing it. Out of the literally hundreds of models available, a few stand out and need mentioning.

• Any phone running the Android Go version will probably see an update once Google gets Pie optimized for the meager specs these devices have.
• The BlackBerry KEYone probably won’t be upgraded to Android Pie, but we know the KEY2 will be.
• Someone at XDA will update their Nexus One to Android Pie and I am going to do my best to get Google to send that person a brand new Pixel 3 NotchXL.

Like mentioned earlier, these are just educated guesses at this point. but one thing I know for certain is that no matter what the phone, any updates will feel like they took too long to make it into our hands. That’s just how we’re wired.

Android 9 Pie

• Android 9 Pie review: Greater than the sum of its slices
• Everything you need to know about Android 9 Pie!
• Will my phone get Android Pie?
• How to get Android 9 Pie on your Pixel right now
• Join the Discussion

Updated October, 2018: Filled in Nokia’s plans based on the latest information from the company.

Has your Pixel 2 received the October 2018 security patch?

New security has arrived.

Yesterday, October 1, Google began to roll out its October 2018 Android security patch.

In addition to the regular assortment of bug fixes, there are also some Pixel-specific changes — including better Android Auto performance for the Pixel 2 series and increased fast charging on the original Pixel line.

Looking through the AC forums, it would appear that most Pixel 2 owners are already rocking the new software.

kpo6969
10-01-2018 03:21 PM

“

Just got it now.
Pixel 2 project fi
52.6mb
took 45 minutes to install
last month it took 6 days to show up, month before 4 days

Reply

GSDer
10-01-2018 03:32 PM

“

54.5MB on Verizon

Reply

YankInDaSouth
10-01-2018 03:42 PM

“

Shocked to check for OTA and see it actually be there! Hopefully this trend continues!

Reply

Mike Dee
10-01-2018 06:51 PM

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Just checked and it automatically starting downloading…. Don’t remember that in the past

Reply

What about you? Does your Pixel 2 have the October 2018 security patch?

Join the conversation in the forums!

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Blind for PlayStation VR review: Into the darkness to find the light

You’re not just battling blindness; you’re battling inner demons

AC
Score
3

Blind is a virtual reality game that spans across the PlayStation VR, the Oculus Rift, and the HTC Vive. Tiny Bull Studios developed this title to take you through a story where after a series of unfortunate events, you finds herself blind and locked in a mysterious mansion that you’re desperately trying to find a way out of. While I have put a few hours of gameplay in I haven’t quite reached the ending yet, but it’s very obvious that you’re suffering from neurological vision loss due to trauma.

You can find this game on the PlayStation Store for $25, and I personally believe it’s worth the adventure. Aside from the fun of the game alone, Blind gives you a perspective of life that’s going to stay with you forever.

See on PlayStation Store

The controls are a force to be reckoned with

As far as actual button-mapping goes, Blind is set up like any average VR game that you will find on the market. What truly changes the VR experience is how it’s incorporated in the actual visuals. The whole idea of tapping a cane to get a quick glance of a scene around you through echolocation had me on the edge of my seat when Blind was first announced. But, after getting a chance to finally play it, I found myself to be more annoyed with the mechanics than I thought I would be. I think I would have much rather preferred to need to only use a systematic echolocation when it came to rooms with puzzles, and then maybe there was music playing throughout the rest of the house so that I kept a steady vision for the rest of the game.

This way it would have maintained the difficulty of the puzzles to get out, but not have been such a nuisance for the rest of the game.

Don’t get me wrong, I did make fun of throwing things around to watch my scenery appear and disappear. It was like playing a game of “Nighttime, daytime.” Yet, when it came down to me getting serious and actually wanting to move forward in the game I struggled quite a bit.

Also, if you used your cane too much you are basically punished because the impending darkness can find you. It wasn’t even a, “Wow, this game is hard and I love it,” kind of struggle. It was a, “Alright I’m annoyed because I know what I need is right there but I can’t grab it with these very specific VR point controls and — Oh. Great. If I tap my cane again to see what I’m doing then the big bad monster is gonna eat me and I’m screwed. Cool.”

Diving into the story

Jean wakes up from the crash inside of this mysterious and apparently haunted, mansion without any of her vision. The voice of a man, delivered through a gramophone, guides you through the first few puzzles while simultaneously creeping you out by knowing far too much about Jean’s life.

Your goal is to solve a number of puzzles that are all over this mansion in order to get out. There are no other people in this place with you, only remnants of memories and stories left behind traumatically like a soul stamp in this world.

Not only do they serve as physical puzzles, like toyetic locks, but mental ones as well. You have to piece together the story of these tortured people through the remnants of their memories in order to not only understand how to leave, but how you got there in the first place.

On top of all this, you are also learning about Jean’s story and all of the troubles she has had to endure herself. Overall it had a very “kindred souls connecting together” feel to it, and that had me diving into the story like a mad woman who just wanted to know more.

The final breakdown

Frustrations of mechanics aside, the overall experience of using echolocation and the story of Blind were the saving features of the game for me. They seeded the right about of keynotes at each checkpoint to give you just enough to understand but wanting more. In a way, it did make the game that much more immersive. Those who are playing the game have their full vision in the real world and, just like Jane, are dealing with losing it and relearning everything they know about navigation.

Every time I found myself getting frustrated I would realize that I had put myself that much further into Jean’s shoes. I still wish general navigation of the mansion was easier with music in the hallways, though. The scenes of escaping the darkness and solving puzzles were really where the echolocation should have been heavily relied on to balance out the difficulty.

Pros:

• Phenomenal story
• The experience of using echolocation
• Perfect execution of story for a mystery game

Cons:

• Puzzles are difficultly specific
• Controls are shoddy when it comes to actually trying to beat the game and not messing around with echolocation

Overall, I give this game a 3 out of 5 stars. Have you got a chance to try out Blind? If so, tell me your thoughts in the comment section below, or shoot me a Tweet @OriginalSluggo.

See at PlayStation Store

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