NASA’s planet hunter satellite gets first hit in its search for another Earth

Relocating is complicated enough when you’re simply moving to a new city. Scientists at NASA have taken property searches up an infinite number of levels, however, as they search for another Earth.

NASA’s planet-hunting team turned up a potential relocation candidate on the first pass with a new satellite. The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) uses four wide-field, 16.8MP cameras designed and built by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Lincoln Laboratory to capture detailed images of stars and other objects in space. The goal is to identify previously unknown exoplanets for further study.

TESS recently began a two-year mission to scan the southern and northern skies. During the mission, TESS will study an unprecedented 85 percent of the sky — an expanse 350 times greater than NASA’s earlier Kepler mission.

The satellite observes a sector of the sky for about 27 days before moving to the next sector. The trick is to watch for drops or dips in a star’s brightness in successive images. A dip may indicate something passing in front of the star — possibly an exoplanet or a super exoplanet.

An exoplanet is a planet with roughly the same density as Earth that orbits around a star other than our Sun’s solar system. A super-exoplanet is a larger exoplanet, or “super-Earth,” with greater, but not more than 10 times the Earth’s density. Density alone doesn’t determine habitability by humans. Discovering a new exoplanet is the first step for a more complete study.

NASA announced the discovery on Twitter: “The @NASA_TESS team is excited to announce the mission’s first candidate planet — a super-Earth around the bright star Pi Mensae, nearly 60 light-years away. The planet orbits every 6.3 days. The discovery is now being reviewed by other scientists to validate it. Stay tuned!”

The @NASA_TESS team is excited to announce the mission's first candidate planet — a super-Earth around the bright star Pi Mensae, nearly 60 light-years away. The planet orbits every 6.3 days. The discovery is now being reviewed by other scientists to validate it. Stay tuned!

— NASA_TESS (@NASA_TESS) September 19, 2018

At under 60 light-years distant, the new find is much closer to Earth than the Kepler Mission’s 2015 discovery of an exoplanet named Kepler-452b — that one was 1,400 light-years away.

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Host star Pi Mensae

The dip indicates the exoplanet, Pi Mensae c

The new exoplanet, called Pi Mensae c, is about 2.14 times Earth’s radius and 4.82 times Earth’s density, Gizmodo reports, citing a paper in preprint form filed by MIT’s C. X. Huang. Preliminary indications are that Pi Mensae c has an iron core and also contains water, methane, hydrogen, and helium.

As NASA and other groups continue to study Pi Mensae c, TESS continues its search for additional exoplanets.

Editors’ Recommendations

• TESS, NASA’s planet-hunting space satellite, begins science operations
• NASA’s planet-hunting TESS satellite: What you need to know
• Scientists pinpoint exoplanets where life could bloom like here on Earth
• NASA (again) delays launch of the world’s most powerful telescope
• We’re going to the Red Planet! All the past, present, and future missions to Mars

Hateful software kills our enthusiasm for newcomer Realme’s $155 Android phone

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Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Realme only became a proper, full smartphone brand on August 3, making it very, very young. Even OnePlus has been around since 2014, and we still consider it a “new” brand on the block. There’s a reason we bring up OnePlus: It’s because Realme shares similar origins with the prolific manufacturer. Its founder comes from Oppo, the same as OnePlus’ founder,  and Realme also makes use of Oppo’s tech to keep prices reasonable.

This lineage grabbed our interest, so we jumped at the chance to try out the firm’s second phone — that’s right, it has already released two devices — the Realme 2. Can it compete with the many decent mid-price level phones out there at the moment, from OnePlus itself, Honor, Xiaomi, and even Samsung? We’ve given it a few days to win us over.

Design and battery

Let’s talk about the design first. We love the colourful, crazy light-reflecting rear panel, which takes us back to how awesome the HTC Touch Diamond looked when it came out in 2008. It’s made of polycarbonate, and there is a handy silicone case included in the box to keep it looking fresh. The metal chassis has been cleverly designed to hide the 8.2mm thickness, as the Gorilla Glass 3 over the screen sits proud off the curved sides, making it feel slimmer in the hand than it actually is. The edges of the glass are a little sharp though, and you feel them under the thumb more than we like.

It’s solidly built, doesn’t creak or groan, and at 168 grams it has a pleasing in-hand weight. Take a tour around the edges and you’ll find a 3.5mm headphone jack, and sadly a Micro-USB charging port for the absolutely massive 4,230mAh battery. This is one of the main plus points of the Realme 2: The battery lasts for days. We’ve used the phone for three days now, with varying levels of involvement, and it only now needs a recharge. That’s impressive, and regular normal use should see the phone last two days on a single charge.

The 6.2-inch LCD screen has a notch at the top, a chin at the bottom, and some bezels at the sides too, and the resolution is a disappointing 1520 x 720 pixels. However, the Realme 2’s screen-to-body ratio is still a decent 88 percent, with a 19:9 aspect ratio. How does it look? It’s good, but not great. The main issue being it doesn’t get very bright, and although it’s fine indoors and on gloomy days, in sunlight it’s not as visible as we’d like. Watching YouTube videos is a pleasant experience, but you don’t get the high definition experience you would with a OnePlus 6, or an Honor 10.

Performance and software

It’s a similar story with performance. A Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 powers the Realme 2 with a choice of either 3GB or 4GB of RAM, paired with 32GB or 64GB of internal storage space. We used the phone for social networking, web browsing, and some games, and it was adequate. Scrolling through Twitter or Chrome can be slow and jerky, but Reckless Racing 3 was playable on the default settings. Provided you don’t expect too much, the Realme 2 does the job.

The software problems were so annoying, we wondered if the device was running out-of-date or pre-production software.

Except, now we come to the Realme 2’s big problem: Software. It runs Android 8.1 Oreo (Google released Android 9 Pie last month) with Oppo’s ColorOS over the top. We aren’t particular fans of ColorOS when it’s run on serious hardware like the Find X, and it’s worse on a slower phone. There are pauses when opening apps, and many run slower than we’d like, especially data-hungry apps like Google Maps.

However, by far the worst, and most unusual issue, was the way the phone would randomly open apps. Without any prompting, the phone will start up the Clock app and switch to the Alarm tab, or try to open the Oppo Theme Store app. We reset the phone, but the problem persisted, and it often happens over and over again. The Realme 2 was lucky not to be thrown across the room. Both these actions also keep the screen on and waste battery, which is annoying when the phone is hidden in a bag.

Camera

Turning attention to the camera, the Realme has a dual-lens array on the back with a 13-megapixel main camera and a 2-megapixel secondary lens. The aperture is f/2.2 for the main lens, and it has autofocus. The photos are average, but lack color and visual pop, and suffer from low dynamic range. We did enjoy playing around the various live filters.+

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

The portrait mode is basic, and for the most part, pretty bad. It doesn’t like anything other than bright conditions, is slow to focus, and often refuses to add a bokeh effect at all. However, it’s not as bad as the selfie camera, which is terrible to the point of being unusable. Bright light confuses it, it can’t see in low light, and the beauty mode seems permanently switched to “pasty.”

The software problems were so annoying, we wondered if the device was running out of date, or using pre-production software. A check of the built-in software updater revealed it was completely up to date, so this is representative of the phone you’d get if you purchase one. Luckily, software problems are fixable, and seeing as Oppo’s might is behind it, we’d expect to see improvements very soon. We’ve asked Realme for comment on these problems, and will update when we hear back.

Based on our time with the Realme 2, it’s not worth the gamble until the software is fixed

Back on the positive side, the stadium-shaped rear fingerprint sensor is fast, and the face unlock system is effective, if not quite as fast as others we’ve used.

Early days

Should you buy one? Let’s address the price first. Realme has global ambitions but at the moment the Realme 2 is for sale in India, where it’s the local equivalent of $155. That’s not just cheap, it’s ridiculously cheap for the quality of the device itself, and considerably less than the competing Xiaomi Mi A2 and Pocophone F1.

However, based on our time with the Realme 2, it’s not worth the gamble until the software is fixed. The hardware is great, the battery life is excellent, and we like the colorful design, but the software bugs ruin the ownership experience. The camera is also poor quality, especially for selfies. We’d choose the Mi A2 or Pocophone F1 every time.

Is everything lost for Realme? No. The OnePlus One had more than its fair share of problems, which the company strived to overcome and now produces some incredible, desirable devices. Realme has another phone coming very soon, the Realme 2 Pro, so it’s not slowing down, and we hope it improves over the standard version. Realme is one to watch, but for now, not one to buy.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Following trailblazer OnePlus, Realme becomes a real smartphone brand
• The amazing $300 Pocophone F1 is so fast, it uses water inside to keep cool
• Xiaomi Mi A2/Mi A2 Lite: Everything you need to know
• Pocophone F1 by Xiaomi review

Anker Soundcore Flare+ Review: 360-degree sound and LED lights

For some people, me included, music is an essential part of life.  My days are synced to my personal soundtrack and music affects my productivity and mood. At any time, I have a dozen or so headphones, earbuds, and speakers around.

But, I’m no audiophile. I just don’t have that level of sensitivity when it comes to listening to music. I sure wish I did because I’d love to enjoy it even more, but I’m just not built like that. A $30 speaker can make me just as happy as a $300 speaker.

Even though I can enjoy cheaper audio products, you can always tell a difference. To get the price down, companies routinely have to cheap out on parts that make a difference. It’s possible to get cheap headphones or a speaker that provides good bass or a large soundstage, but it’s rare.

Which is why I’m so damn impressed with the Soundcore Flare speaker. Soundcore is a name you might not know yet, but you probably know its parent company, Anker. Anker has a great reputation for producing high-quality products for not a lot of money. It obviously took those lessons and used them for the Soundcore Flare.

Coming in at just $99, this is a speaker that punches way above its weight.

Hardware

Am I crazy to think this thing looks like a vase? But instead of flowers, you get tunes. Alright, maybe I am crazy, but I love the hardware here.

The body’s gentle slope is covered by a soft fabric that reminds us a lot of something like the Urbanears Lotsen speaker. It looks classy and won’t seem out of place in any environment.

That soft fabric is actually highly resistant to dirt too. We saw it pick up the tiniest bit of pet hair during our review period, but that was about it. It never stained or held onto anything from its time around a bonfire or two. If you’re a smoker, you may want to avoid this one because it can hold onto some smells, but that’s about it.

The top of the speaker holds five buttons, play/pause, volume up and down, a button that controls the lighting, and one for extra bass. If there’s one weakness of the Flare+, it is definitely the buttons here. They’re hard to press, provide little feedback and are generally frustrating overall.

The soft touch rubber often holds onto finger grease too. Gross.

The Flare+ advertises 360-degree sound and definitely delivers on that promise. But, there is an obvious front and back. The front has the Soundcore log and the rear houses a wrist strap, a Bluetooth button, and power button. These buttons are equally frustrating to use, but we do love the wrist strap. You aren’t going to take this with you on a nice stroll through the countryside, but the strap does make it a lot easier to carry it while your hands are full of beer and firewood.

The base of the speaker is where it gets really fun. A “halo” LED reacts to the music coming out of the speaker to provide a pretty awesome light show. There are several themes that the speaker follows so you’re not always going to see the same thing. And, if that isn’t enough, you can customize the light show from the Soundcore app. This light really adds a lot to the value of the speaker and I absolutely love it. If you don’t like it as much as I do, you can turn the feature off via the incredibly hard to press the button on top of the speaker.

Rounding out the hardware section, we have a microUSB, full USB, and 3.5mm jack hidden beneath a flap. We really wish there was a USB type-C charging port here. We’re speeding toward the end of 2018 and the USB type-C standard has been popular for nearly two years. It’s time to adapt.

Despite a few rough edges, we think Soundcore did an excellent job here. The speaker is very well built, provides a ton of features, and will stand up great over time.

Sound

But who cares about any of that if it doesn’t sound good, right?

I was initially very impressed with the audio quality of the Soundcore Flare+ and that hasn’t changed. It provides a clear separation of instruments and vocals (as much as you can in a $100 speaker) and some decent bass too.

Now, don’t get your hopes up. Is this going to compete with something from Sonos or a Google Home Max? Absolutely not. It’s about a third of the price and much, much smaller. But, what it will do, is provide the perfect audio for your outdoor party.

Music sounds good and the Flare+ gets INCREDIBLY loud. If you’re in an open-air setting, you’ll have no problem hearing this thing from 30-40 yards away, if not more.

Bass is lovely and present too. With the BassUp (bass boost) turned off, music does feel a little flat so I’ve generally kept it on. The added bass is pretty heavy but doesn’t get muddy which I appreciate.

If you’re willing to invest in two Flare+ speakers, you can pair them together for stereo sound. This is an awesome feature we’ve seen in several speakers through the years. Few get as loud as the Flare+, which is a big advantage for Soundcore. If you’re going camping or hosting an outdoor party, two of these bad boys is all you’ll need.

The only complaint we really have is how distorted the audio can get at higher volumes. Its to be expected since this is a small little guy, but it doesn’t sound wonderful at max volume. We start hearing some distortion at about 75% of max volume and it only gets worse as you increase.

Conclusion

There’s a lot to love with the Soundcore Flare+. Sure, we have our nitpicks, but the number of positives far, far outweigh the negatives.

There are a million Bluetooth speakers out there and even some with flashing LEDs. But we love the implementation here. With the LEDs at the bottom of the speaker, the light bounces off the surface it’s sitting on and gives off a pleasing halo effect. I’m also impressed by how bright it gets. Sure, it looks great at night but even in a well-lit room its very easy to see and is a lot of fun to look at.

Sound is really good for a $100 speaker and I love how much bass you can get out of this little body. Again, you’re not going to rattle the windows, but listening to rock, rap, and EDM was all very pleasing. We even snuck in some Ariana Grande while my daughter was in the room (totally not because I love her voice) and it still sounded great.

I enjoyed my time with the Anker Soundcore Flare+ and think you’ll be impressed if you pick one up too.

Buy the Anker Soundcore Flare+

How to fix squeaky brakes

Car Maintenance 101

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Nails on the chalkboard, a crying infant, snoring, and squeaky brakes — these are the noises that drive us batty. Most of these dreadful sounds can be easily avoided, but you might imagine squealing brakes are just something you have to live with. We’re here to tell you there’s a way to keep your sanity. Fixing squeaky brakes doesn’t necessarily require a trip to the dealership and you won’t need to spend an afternoon under your car. Sometimes small, simple problems cause brakes to squeak.

Why the whine?

Before diving into some of the causes and solutions to your brake headache, it’s worth noting that brakes will sometimes make noise. Intermittent chirps are normal, especially if you live in harsher climates. If you still have brake pedal feel and can scrub speed as normal, there’s nothing serious to worry about.

Put simply, brake squeal is vibration. Specifically, the noise comes from the interplay between a brake disc, caliper, and pad. Affected systems will emit a noise when pressure is applied from the caliper on the disc. You can slam on the brake pedal or carry more/less speed into each braking maneuver, but your brakes could still howl because of the contact between your pad and the disc.

If you notice your brakes only make noise sometimes, it might be due to moisture-turned-rust on the surface of a disc or pad. This can happen as quickly as overnight, and there may be some squeal until all of the rust has been scrubbed from the components.

Track day enthusiasts with racing pads need to acclimate to some squeal. The material used to make performance brake pads is more resistant to heat and creates greater friction, which boosts the resonant frequency into the audible range. For this reason, many weekend racers either choose a pad compound that isn’t aggressive enough to make noise, or swap pads for weekday commuting.

In these two instances, there’s no cause for alarm, but if you start to hear a shrill metallic noise rather than a consistent, high-pitched squeal, you need to tend to your brakes immediately. In this case, you’ve likely worn your pads down to the metal and are slowing your vehicle without any compound buffer.

What tools and products you’ll need

Before diving into a step-by-step guide to quieter brakes, here are some of the most important tools and products you’ll need, depending on which solution you prefer:

• Some form of hand protection (we’d recommend a pair of mechanics gloves with some built-in grip)
• Jacks and jack stands (Harbor Freight has some stellar deals on these year-round)
• C-clamp
• Lug wrench
• Socket wrench (with multiple socket sizes to fit your vehicle)
• Teflon shim
• Brake grease or anti-seize
• Anaerobic adhesive

How to silence that noise

Baranq/123RF
Baranq/123RF

Not every car’s brake system will squeal, but those that do can usually be fixed by a DIY-er in a few hours. First, you’ll need to decide whether you want to dampen the noise or change the components to stop the sound altogether.

The first and simplest solution is to change your pads. Depending on which compound you choose, new pads at all four corners can be a bit expensive ($100-$200), but it’s the best way to remove the conditions that lead to squealing. If you’re using a Kevlar pad, you may want to try a metallic or ceramic compound. There are a million aftermarket pad suppliers, all of which promise the best pad life, stopping power, and price, so you’ll have to do some research on the best for your particular make and model. We recommend buying original parts from your local dealer or a trusted supplier like Bosch.

If you don’t want to swap pads, another option is to insert a Teflon shim between the pad and caliper piston. This won’t work for every brake system — some are engineered without any margin of space for a shim to fit without making the pad drag on the disc. You could wear down your pad to a point where it no longer drags with the shim, but that would be a waste of money.

Another, more temporary, solution would be to coat the brake pad with brake grease or anti-seize to buffer the vibration frequency.

The final, and perhaps best modification (according to Popular Mechanics) is to move the pad backing plate to the caliper piston or housing. Doing so increases the piston’s mass and changes the vibration frequency to a point where it won’t squeal. To get the plate to stick for longer than a few days, weeks, or months, you’ll need the right adhesive. Popular Mechanics suggests an anaerobic adhesive that applies like a film or goo. When you press the plate firmly against the piston/housing, the adhesive will stick like a vice and resist corrosion from dirt and water.

Final thoughts

If you’ve tried everything and the squeal just won’t quit, make sure your vehicle doesn’t have an open recall for weak braking components. If there’s a chance the manufacturer will pay for a fix, that’s always the best solution!

Editors’ Recommendations

• How to fix a flat tire on your car
• How to fix a scratched DVD or CD
• Waylens Secure360 WiFi review
• How to clean a cast-iron skillet and prevent rust
• 2019 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack Widebody first drive

Ripple cryptocurrency jumps 70 percent in 24 hours after news of bank deal

Luke Descryptive/Descryptive

A rumored new deal with banks that would use the Ripple cryptocurrency (XRP) to speed up and ease international transactions has sent the value of the altcoin skyrocketing. In the past 24 hours alone, XRP has jumped in value some 70 percent, rising to its highest peak in 2018.

At the time of this writing, XRP sits at $0.62 per token, which might not seem like a lot when you consider that Bitcoin is valued at $6,705 per digital token. However, this represents a stark rise from just 24 hours ago, where it was worth just $0.36 per XRP. The rise in value was pushed by a new wave of excitement over the alternative cryptocurrency which even made it the most traded of any cryptocurrency throughout the past 24-hour period, with some $2.2 billion of it changing hands.

This is due to the announcement by Ripple Lab’s Sagar Sarbhai in a chat with CNBC. He said that 120 banks were already partnered with Ripple and that the company’s xRapid cryptocurrency product would soon enter commercial application. Although he didn’t give a specific day, he suggested that it would happen within the next month or so.

xRapid is designed to give banks a quick and easy way to transfer sums across borders, leading to faster international transactions for their customers, potentially with reduced fees, in theory. The process would see local currencies converted into XRP before being transferred overseas and then converted into that local currency at the other end.

No specific financial institutions have been named as potential adoptees of the xRapid system, but with major partnerships with organizations like Santander, American Express, and Western Union, Ripple Labs has plenty of potential customers for its new tool.

Ripple use has generated some controversy in cryptocurrency circles since its creation in 2012, though. Unlike Bitcoin and most of its contemporaries, Ripple is centralized, meaning that Ripple Labs controls the majority of the tokens in existence and organizations like banks can have a say in how transactions are conducted. This is diametrically opposed to the decentralized, hands-off model that Bitcoin inspired in its users and so many of the altcoins that have been created since.

Editors’ Recommendations

• How to buy Ripple
• What is a blockchain?
• What is Bitcoin?
• Those $1 Bitcoins at Walmart have one big catch — they’re made of chocolate
• How to buy Bitcoin

Google tells lawmakers it allows other apps access to your Gmail

Aleksey Boldin/123rf

Even though Google has ceased the practice of scanning user’s Gmail accounts to serve ads, the search giant admitted in a letter to lawmakers that — with user consent — it still allows third-party apps access to your messages. Google’s letter will likely set the tone for what lawmakers will discuss at a congressional hearing scheduled for September 26 on digital privacy with technology companies, including Amazon, Apple, AT&T, Charter Communications, Google, and Twitter.

Google defended its policy in the letter, stating that it makes its privacy policy easily accessible to users to review before granting access to third-party developers, and that developers may also share the data gleaned from emails obtained from Gmail users with other service providers. “Developers may share data with third parties so long as they are transparent with the users about how they are using the data,” Google Vice President of Public Policy and Government Affairs for the Americas Susan Molinari wrote in the letter that was sent in July to lawmakers and obtained by CNNMoney.

Before any non-Google app can access your data, Google will display a permissions screen to show what data the app is requesting and how the app intends on using such data. “We strongly encourage you to review the permissions screen before granting access to any non-Google application,” Google wrote in a blog post. Business users on G Suite can also control how their data is accessed by non-Google services through whitelisting. The company claims to have a vetting process in place, and that apps that misrepresent themselves to obtain data will have their access revoked.

Typically, the types of apps that request permission to access your email include trip planners, customer relationship manager software, and shopping and discount apps. A trip planner app, for example, can scan your email to pull and compile all your travel information, reservations, and itineraries in one place, so you don’t have to manage your hotel, airline, and other reservations manually. Shopping apps, like Earny, can also scan your emails for online orders. If the service detects a price drop, it will request a refund for the price difference less a commission fee. While Earny and travel apps are useful tools that save consumers a lot of time — and money — lawmakers may be concerned that malicious apps may abuse the system to access personal and sensitive information from Gmail users. Given that there are more than 1.4 billion Gmail users worldwide, that is a lot of data that could fall into the wrong hands.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Congress demands answers over Gmail fiasco, data collection on phones
• Some Samsung phones aren’t alerting users of app background processes
• Google is adding DRM to Play Store apps for offline verification
• Google Lens is now available as a stand-alone app or inside Google Camera
• Third-party call recording apps no longer work with Android 9.0 Pie

Removing ‘zombie cells’ in the brain could help battle the effects of dementia

Mayo Clinic

No, this isn’t a plot twist straight out of The Walking Dead: “Zombie cells” are a real thing, referring to cells which go into a type of suspended animation as your body gets older. Just like in any fictional zombie invasion, the longer you wait around, the more of these so-called senescent cells turn up. But here’s the good news: Stopping the accumulation of these cells could potentially help stave off or even reduce the effects of cognitive decline in the brain, including types of dementia.

“In previous studies, we and others have shown that senescent cells, which are irreversibly growth-arrest cells that acquire a distinctive pro-inflammatory phenotype, accumulate with age and at sites of pathology,” Darren Baker, a Mayo Clinic molecular biologist, who led the study, told Digital Trends. “In recent years, they have been shown to actively contribute to aging and a variety of age-related diseases. In this study, we tested whether senescent cell accumulation promoted neurodegeneration in mice.”

In their study, the researchers used a mouse model which imitated aspects of Alzheimer’s disease. This was achieved by using genetic engineering to create an altered version of the brain protein tau, which resulted in the mice losing the ability to recall new information. When the mice were given an enzyme to eliminate the buildup of senescent cells, these signs of dementia disappeared. This resulted in them regaining the ability to form memories, eliminated signs of inflammation, and more.

As exciting as this research is, however, it’s important to note that this is still early days. Science’s understanding of the exact relationship between senescent cells and human diseases is still sketchy. Baker also stressed that carrying the work over to human subjects is not in the cards for the near future.

“My laboratory is focused on the molecular understanding of senescence to aging and age-related diseases using mice as a model system,” he said. “We have shown the benefits in animals without adverse effects, but we have no idea if the same cells can be effectively or safely targeted in people.”

A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal Science.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Lab-grown mini-brains will help us gain a better understanding of the real thing
• Gene editing can reverse balding and wrinkling in mice — and maybe humans, too
• Scientists may soon be able to treat autism with CRISPR gene editing
• Yale scientists edit genetic diseases out of mice before birth; humans are next
• CRISPR halts fatal genetic disease in dogs, could soon do the same in humans

The best iPhone XS screen protectors

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The iPhone XS is the flagship phone of the moment. Apple’s latest and greatest combines everything that made the iPhone X magnificent, and crams in the new A12 Bionic processor. The result is a phone that’s gorgeous and capable of flexing some serious silicon muscle. It’s a powerful phone, but not an invincible one — and that’s certainly the case when we’re talking about falls, drops, and bumps. You may have your iPhone XS case sorted out, but what about the 5.8-inch AMOLED display? Safeguarding that protects your window onto the world, so it’s one of the most important parts to cover.

But don’t panic, we’ve got your back. We’ve checked out the options and put together a list of the best iPhone XS screen protectors that will keep your display safe.

Peel Glass Protector ($29)

Peel is well known for its super-slim cases that leave little to the imagination — but did you know Peel also makes a screen protector? Peel’s screen protector is made from slim glass that’s been precisely cut to match the edges of your iPhone XS, and has been rounded to match the gentle curve of the AMOLED display. The glass feels like your iPhone’s display and has a colored border to match your phone’s body. Peel seems to have put a lot of thought into making this protector match your iPhone well. Like Peel’s cases, it’s likely you’ll forget this protector is applied. It’s also designed to perfectly align with a Peel case — so if you’re rocking a Peel case, this is a perfect match.

Buy it now from:

Peel

Tech Armor Anti-Glare Triple Pack ($8)

The iPhone XS’s screen gets bright enough, but it can still be a struggle to read your display if light is reflecting from it. That’s where these screen protectors from Tech Armor come in. These protectors have a matte finish that reduces glare on the screen, without impacting screen clarity or touchscreen sensitivity. Tech Armor claims there’s no chance of bubbles developing during installation, and there’s an oleophobic coating to resist fingerprints. Since this is made from film, it won’t be as protective as tempered glass, and won’t absorb impacts in the way glass would — but this is still a great choice if glass isn’t an option.

Buy it now from:

Tech Armor Amazon

Moshi AirFoil Glass ($25)

Moshi has been making high-quality accessories for Apple’s products for years now, so it came as no surprise when it announced a range of screen protectors for the iPhone XS. The AirFoil Glass is created from atomically-strengthened glass, which Moshi says makes the AirFoil protector super-durable, shock-proof, and scratch-proof. It’s really thin, too, measuring only 0.3 mm thick — and it has rounded edges to match the iPhone’s screen. Installation is also a doddle thanks to Moshi’s AirFoil adhesive. After cleaning your display, just align the protector and tap the center of the glass to set the adhesive off. It’s not too expensive for a glass screen protector, making this a great choice for many.

Buy it now from:

Moshi

Tech21 Impact Shield ($30)

Tech21’s Impact Shield film protector is special because it contains “BulletShield,” a material Tech21 claims is most often used in the manufacture of bulletproof glass. That doesn’t mean it can stop a bullet — and we don’t recommend you try — but it should mean that the Impact Shield is well suited to resisting scratches and other damage. The protector also comes with a precise-align applicator to ensure an easy fit onto your device, and it’s been finished with a self-healing layer, so minor scratches should heal up over time and not accumulate. It is expensive for a film protector though.

Buy it now from:

Tech21

Bodyguardz Pure 2 EyeGuard ($45)

Bodyguardz is an up-and-coming name in screen protection, and with a screen protector like the Pure 2 EyeGuard, it’s easy to see why. Bodyguardz uses aluminosilicate in its tempered glass, an advance that Bodyguardz claims allows its protectors to be thinner but more durable than the glass found in other screen protectors. But there’s also a twist — this protector contains technology that helps to filter out blue light from the device’s display. This blue light may stop us from sleeping at night, and may have other detrimental side effects. The Pure 2 EyeGuard is purported to cut out 43 percent of blue light, reducing screen-strain without changing the color of your screen. It’s expensive, but if it’s better for your eyes, it may be a good buy.

Buy it now from:

Bodyguardz

ArmorSuit Full Body Protection ($23)

If you’re not rocking a case on your iPhone XS, then screen protection is just the start. ArmorSuit provides film protection that protects both the front and the back of your iPhone XS. It’s made from a film that’s also used to protect military aircraft, helicopters, and space shuttles, and has been treated to resist yellowing as a result of UV light. ArmorSuit claims this protector is scratch-proof with a self-healing layer, and an oleophobic coating that reduces fingerprints and oils clinging to the surface. ArmorSuit says it’s easy to fit and bubble-free, and while it won’t be as protective against drops and bumps as glass, it’s a lot better than nothing.

Buy it now from:

Armorsuit

Whitestone Dome Protector ($49)

The Whitestone Dome screen protector provides a close fit like no other, and that’s because of its unique liquid application method. Whitestone places a layer of adhesive between the glass protector and your screen, giving a seamless connection between protector and display. That adhesive is then cured with a UV lamp, securing your protection tightly to the screen. The protector itself is rated at 9H hardness, cuts a quarter of blue light, and comes with an oleophobic coating. It can even be applied to a broken screen as the adhesive fills in cracks, helping to stop further damage. It’s expensive, but considering the high level of protection, it’s a great choice if you want the best.

Buy it now from:

Mobile Fun Amazon

InvisibleShield HD Ultra ($30)

InvisibleShield provides a large range of screen protectors, but the HD Clear is a great choice for lovers of film screen protectors. It’s a full cover screen protector that curves to follow the iPhone’s edge-to-edge display, and it comes with a self-healing layer that seals up minor scratches and dings. InvisibleShield also says it has worked hard to increase the clarity of its screen protectors, to the point where the HD Clear provides a crystal-clear 100-percent clarity, and doesn’t impair touch-sensitivity. Since this is a full cover protector keep in mind that it may be pushed up by snug cases which may overlap with its area of protection. It’s also fairly expensive for film — but it’s covered by a lifetime warranty so you can get a replacement if your first one wears out.

Buy it now from:

InvisibleShield

UAG Glass Privacy Tint ($50)

Keeping your personal data to yourself is extremely important, but all the cyber-protection in the world won’t protect you if someone’s just watching your screen on the train. UAG’s glass protector isn’t just a great protection option made from tempered 9H-hardness Japanese glass, it’s also equipped with privacy protecting anti-snoop measures. Look at it straight on and it’s clear, but tilt it to an angle and the screen fades to black, stopping prying eyes from seeing your data. It’s also super-thin, measuring just 0.2 mm, comes with an oleophobic coating, and is compatible with Apple’s 3D Touch. It’s super expensive, but if it stops someone from spying on your mobile banking then it might be worth it.

Buy it now from:

UAG Amazon

Rhinoshield Impact Protection ($25)

Last, but certainly not least, it’s Rhinoshield’s Impact Protection protector. It’s made from film — but don’t let that put you off. Rhinoshield claims this protector is hammer-tested, and can take at least five times the impact energy of Gorilla Glass 3. That’s a hefty boast, and even more impressive given how thin it is. It’s clear and comes with an oleophobic coating to resist greasy fingerprints. Applying it is easy thanks to the forgiving adhesive that allows you to lift it back up and try again if not successful the first time. While Rhinoshield’s boasts are impressive, we would still recommend you look at glass if you’re very worried about drops — but otherwise, this is a great all-around protector.

Buy it now from:

Rhinoshield Amazon

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best iPhone XS cases
• The best iPhone XS Max cases and covers
• iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR: How to buy Apple’s new phones
• Keep that flagship phone safe with the best iPhone X cases and covers
• The best Samsung Galaxy Note 9 screen protectors

Apple iPhone XS Max vs. Huawei P20 Pro: Clash of the titans

The design overhaul that Apple introduced with the iPhone X is here to stay with a trio of new notched iPhones landing this year. The pick of the bunch has to be the iPhone XS Max. Featuring the biggest display Apple has ever put in an iPhone, lightning-fast performance, and slick software, the XS Max is a formidable prospect.

People have been demanding ever bigger and more powerful phones — and that’s reflected in the Android landscape, too. We decided to compare the iPhone XS Max with one of the biggest Android smartphones around, the Huawei P20 Pro.

Specs

Apple iPhone XS Max
Huawei P20 Pro

Size
157.5 x 77.4 x 7.7 mm (6.2 x 3.05 x 0.30 inches)
155 x 73.9 x 7.8 mm (6.1 x 2.9 x 0.3 inches)

Weight
208 grams (7.34 ounces)
174 grams (6.14 ounces)

Screen size
6.5-inch Super Retina AMOLED display
6.1-inch OLED display

Screen resolution
2,688 x 1,242 pixels (458 pixels-per-inch)
2,240 x 1,080 pixels (408 pixels-per-inch)

Operating system
iOS 12
Emotion UI 8.1 (over Android 8.1 Oreo)

Storage space
64GB, 256GB, 512GB
128GB, 256GB

MicroSD card slot
No
No

Tap-to-pay services
Apple Pay
Google Pay

Processor
A12 Bionic
Kirin 970

RAM
4GB
6GB, 8GB

Camera
Dual 12MP rear, 7MP FaceTime HD front
Triple-lens 40MP, 20MP, and 8MP rear, 24MP front

Video
2160p at 60 fps, 1080p at 240 fps
2160p at 30 frames per second, 1080p at 30 fps, 720p at 960 fps

Bluetooth version
Bluetooth 5
Bluetooth 4.2

Ports
Lightning
USB-C

Fingerprint sensor
No
Yes

Water resistance
IP68
IP67

Battery
3,174mAh
4,000mAh

App marketplace
Apple App Store
Google Play Store

Network support
AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint
T-Mobile, AT&T

Colors
Space Gray, Silver
Black, Blue, Pink Gold, Twilight

Price
$1,000
899 euros (around $1,100)

Where to buy it

AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Apple

Huawei

Review score
Hands-on review
4.5 out of 5 stars

Performance, battery life, and charging

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

While most Android flagships sport Qualcomm’s wares, the Huawei P20 Pro relies on the proprietary Kirin 970 processor with a special Neural Processing Unit (NPU). That’s backed up by 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, or 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It’s a fast phone, and the NPU is designed to offer speedy artificial intelligence.

The iPhone XS Max has Apple’s A12 Bionic processor inside with 4GB of RAM, and it looks to be the most powerful chip around at the moment. If early benchmarks are anything to go by, the iPhone XS Max is significantly faster and more powerful than the P20 Pro. In fact, it’s the fastest smartphone on the market.

The P20 Pro scores some points back with a whopping 4,000mAh battery and support for fast charging out of the box, but it lacks wireless charging support, which the XS Max does have. The battery capacity of the XS Max is significantly lower at 3,174mAh, and we expect it to need daily charging. We’re disappointed that the fast-charging kit costs extra, as it really should be supplied in the box for a phone this price.

Stronger performance carries the day for Apple here.

Winner: Apple iPhone XS Max

Design and durability

With the XS Max, Apple has supersized the design it introduced with the iPhone X. The front is dominated by a stunning edge-to-edge OLED screen, with that distinctive notch at the top housing the FaceID tech, which replaces the TouchID fingerprint sensor. The stainless steel frame curves into a glass back with a dual-lens camera module at the top left. It’s an attractive phone, and it’s also the closest Apple has come to a bezel-less design. Apple’s assault on bezels has enabled it to squeeze an extra inch of screen into a phone that’s a touch smaller than the 8 Plus.

The P20 Pro also has a notch at the top of a large screen, but with a bottom bezel that also houses the fingerprint sensor, it’s more of a design decision than a necessity. While the XS Max is easily the better-looking of the two from the front, the P20 Pro has a much more interesting back thanks to the gradient finish, which changes color as it catches the light.

Buying a case for the iPhone XS Max or the Huawei P20 Pro is sensible as they’re both mostly glass. The iPhone earns a slight advantage in the water-resistance department with an IP68 rating, which means it can survive in slightly deeper water than the IP67-rated P20 Pro.

Winner: Apple iPhone XS Max

Display

Measuring 6.5 inches diagonally, the iPhone XS Max has the largest screen we’ve ever seen in an iPhone. It’s an AMOLED screen with a resolution of 2,688 x 1,242 pixels and it looks fabulous. Huawei has also used an AMOLED screen in the P20 Pro, but it’s a bit smaller at 6.1 inches and not as sharp at 2,240 x 1,080 pixels.

Winner: Apple iPhone XS Max

Camera

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

With an unprecedented triple-lens setup, the Huawei P20 Pro is an incredibly versatile device for photography. There’s a 40-megapixel lens, an 8-megapixel telephoto lens, and a 20-megapixel monochrome lens in the main camera. It offers 3x optical zoom, massive amounts of detail, and the best low-light performance we’ve seen. There’s also A.I. scene recognition, motion-based autofocus, and super-slow-motion video. The front-facing camera is rated at 24 megapixels. The camera is a major selling point for the P20 Pro.

The iPhone XS Max looks similar to the iPhone X on paper with a dual 12-megapixel lens main camera and a 7-megapixel selfie camera, but Apple has made some important tweaks in the software, powered by that improved processo, and enhanced with a new camera sensor. It excels in portrait mode and you can now adjust the depth after taking a shot to achieve the exact level of bokeh — or background blur — you want. There’s also Smart HDR, which combines frames to create perfectly exposed images.

We think the average person will be delighted with the shots that the iPhone XS Max can capture without the need for any tweaking of options, but there’s no denying that the P20 Pro has more tricks up its sleeve.

Winner: Huawei P20 Pro

Software and updates

The Android vs. iOS battle often comes down to familiarity — whichever you’re used to is best. The truth is that both platforms are feature-packed, user-friendly, and offer access to a world of apps and games. With the P20 Pro, you’ll also get EMUI, which may take some getting used to if you’ve never used a Huawei phone before.

The update schedule for Android has long been a problem because manufacturers apply their own user interface on top of the platform and it often takes a long time for new versions to filter through. Sadly, the Huawei P20 Pro is no exception. We know that Huawei plans to roll out Android 9.0 Pie, along with EMUI 9, imminently, but beyond that there’s no certainty.

Apple rolls out new versions of iOS regularly and it tends to continue supporting devices for longer than Android manufacturers do. That alone is enough reason to give the iPhone the win.

Winner: Apple iPhone XS Max

Special features

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Both Apple and Huawei have aimed to turn out strong all-rounders here and they’ve succeeded. That impressive triple-lens camera, which we’ve already covered, is the headline feature for the P20 Pro. The iPhone XS Max has the TrueDepth front-facing camera, which powers FaceID and also enables fun features like Animoji and Memoji. You can also unlock the P20 Pro with your face, but it’s not as secure, so you can’t use it for payments like you can with FaceID. There isn’t anything else here that one of these phones has that the other doesn’t, so this one is a tie.

Winner: Tie

Price

When the Huawei P20 Pro first went on sale, it was priced at around 900 euros (about $1,100), but you can order the international version on Amazon now for about $750. There was no official U.S. release for the P20 Pro and it won’t work with Verizon or Sprint as it lacks CDMA and some LTE band support.

The iPhone XS Max starts at a whopping $1,099, but you will be able to buy one through all the major carriers in the U.S.

Overall winner: Apple iPhone XS Max

These are two of the best phones you can buy right now, but the iPhone XS Max ekes out the win largely thanks to unsurpassed performance, a great display, and a stylish design. The P20 Pro has a lot to offer, and it will probably suit Android fans and photographers better, but we think the XS Max is a stronger all-around device. If you’re concerned about the high price, then the P20 Pro probably offers more value for your money, especially now that the price is dropping, but if you just want the best phone then it’s the iPhone XS Max.

Editors’ Recommendations

• iPhone XS Max vs. iPhone 8 Plus vs. iPhone 7 Plus: The big guys clash
• Apple iPhone XR vs. iPhone 8 vs. iPhone 7 vs. iPhone 6s: Which is best for you?
• The Huawei P20: Here’s everything you need to know
• Save up to $1,000 with the best smartphone deals for September 2018
• iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR: How to buy Apple’s new phones

Stable Android 9 Pie update rolling out to all OnePlus 6 owners

Unlock the secrets.

The OnePlus 6 is now available, and it’s a compelling option for someone looking for an unlocked phone at a reasonable price — starting at $529 to be specific. But price aside, it’s a great choice for anyone, even those considering more expensive options, thanks to a combination of hardware and software, and a community that continues to support the company and one another.

Here’s everything you need to know about the OnePlus 6!

The latest OnePlus 6 news

September 21, 2018 — Stable Android 9 Pie update rolling out to all OnePlus 6 owners

Less than a month after OnePlus launched its Pie Open Beta, the company is already rolling out a stable build of the new Android version to everyone that owns a OnePlus 6!

This update includes everything first introduced with the Open Beta, such as a refreshed UI, Pie’s new gesture navigation, Gaming Mode 3.0, and more. Also included is the September 2018 Android security patch.

Android 9 is making its way to OnePlus users now as part of a staged rollout. That means it’ll be hitting a “limited number” of people today and will then expand to others over the coming days.

September 3, 2018 — Every OnePlus 6 owner can install Android 9 Pie right now, provided they want to use beta software

After a couple weeks running in a closed beta, OnePlus has opened up its Android 9 Pie update for the OnePlus 6 to any willing participant. The new update is the first public taste of the actual OxygenOS-customized version of Android 9 Pie, as early builds during the Developer Preview stage didn’t have a full suite OnePlus tweaks and additions.

As is typically the case with beta builds, there are known bugs and problems with this first open beta release. OnePlus says that Google Pay will not work on this build, and Google Play may complain that your device “is not certified.” If you’re willing to deal with those known issues and some occasional instability, you can head to the OnePlus forums and download the file for your own phone. Note that there are different update processes depending on whether you’re currently on the stable build or the original developer preview.

August 20, 2018 — OnePlus starts accepting applications for Closed Beta group

On its community forums, OnePlus announced that it’s opening up a Closed Beta group for the OnePlus 6.

Unlike the OxygenOS Open Beta that’s open for anyone to sign up for, the Closed Beta will be restricted to just 100 users who own a OnePlus 6, are active in the forums, and are willing to provide constant feedback/communication with the OnePlus team through Slack.

Members of the Closed Beta will be able to test bleeding edge versions of OxygenOS before they’re even moved over to the Open Beta, and because of this, all users that are accepted must sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement with OnePlus to ensure that any features/bugs found in the builds are kept under total secrecy.

If you’d like to apply for the OnePlus 6 Closed Beta Program, you can do so here.

July 18, 2018 — OnePlus 6 Android P Developer Preview 3 adds bug fixes and tweaked UI

On July 18, OnePlus announced its third developer preview of Android P for the OnePlus 6.

This update mainly focuses on big fixes, with some of the highlights in the changelog including improved system stability, fixed issue with mobile hotspot, better camera functionality with third-party apps, and improved overall image quality with the camera. Also included is the July 2018 security patch.

Our friends at 9to5Google recently got their hands on the beta, and as they spotted, this preview includes a few UI changes — most notably the recents page/app switcher.

The cards on the recents page have a more rounded appearance and appear to be smaller than Android P on Google’s Pixel phones. There’s also a menu button near the top of each app that lets you quickly hop into split-screen mode. Other chnages include a redesigned settings page and a white paint job for the Shelf.

July 10, 2018 — The OnePlus 6 Red is now available for purchase

The day has finally come! You can now buy the striking OnePlus 6 Red exclusively from OnePlus’s website.

This limited edition model of the phone costs $579, and for that price, you’re getting the most powerful configuration with 8GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage.

OnePlus is making a limited run of this color, so once it’s gone, it’s gone.

See at OnePlus

July 3, 2018 — OnePlus shows off different colors/patterns it was testing for the OnePlus 6

OnePlus recently launched the lustrous OnePlus 6 Red, and while there’s no doubt it’s one of the most gorgeous phones on the market right now, it was just one of many designs that the company was toying with before ultimately selecting the red we now have.

PCMag was recently invited to tour OnePlus’s headquarters in Shenzen, China, and during the visit, got a chance to look at some other colors OnePlus was testing for the 6. As you can see in the video above, OnePlus was messing with glass backs that had subtle patterns, gradiant designs, and much more.

The video also showcases early prototypes of not only the OnePlus 6, but other OnePlus phones, too. I’m a big fan of the OnePlus 6 we ended up getting, but it is cool to see what could have been.

July 1, 2018 — OnePlus is adding a limited-edition red OnePlus 6 to the mix

Late on Sunday night in the U.S., OnePlus is announcing a limited-edition red OnePlus 6, which is coming to North American and European markets on July 10 for $579. The model will just be available in the now-common 8GB/128GB RAM and storage combination, and only from OnePlus.com.

Following the launch of the critically acclaimed OnePlus 6, which sold over 1 million units in just 22 days, OnePlus is bringing a new limited-edition color to Europe and North America, the OnePlus 6 Red.

The OnePlus 6 Red is designed to match power with style, with attention to detail paramount. The metallic red shimmer coupled with the red, mirror-like fingerprint sensor elegantly contrast the silver accent around the camera.

Six panels of glass make up the back of the OnePlus 6 Red. With this variant, OnePlus has added an additional anti-reflective layer to create a sense of depth by allowing more light to reach the bottom layers before being reflected off the device. A translucent orange layer has been intermixed with the red base layer to achieve a radiant and glossy red, unique to OnePlus design.

OnePlus also says that the Bullets Wireless headphones will also be restocked on July 10.

More: The OnePlus 6 in red

June 14, 2018 — One million units of the OnePlus 6 were sold in just 22 days

We expected the OnePlus 6 to sell like hotcakes, but I don’t know if anyone was anticipating demand on this level. On June 14, OnePlus confirmed that it crossed one million sales of the OP6 just 22 days after it launched.

OnePlus notes that this demand is a “sharp upward hike from even the OnePlus 5T”, and as such, the OnePlus 6 is now taking the title of the company’s best-selling product to date.

For comparison, both the OnePlus 5 and 5T each crossed one million units sold within three months of launching.

June 14, 2018 — OnePlus 6 comes with Dirac’s latest sound optimization solutions

Swedish-based audio technology company Dirac works with the likes of OPPO and Xiaomi to provide optimized audio solutions, and the company announced that its latest technologies are baked into the OnePlus 6.

Dirac Power Sound is a micro-speaker tuning technology that optimizes the performance from the built-in speaker to deliver a clearer, more natural sound with richer details and more powerful bass.

Dirac HD Sound, meanwhile, is a sound optimization solution that tweaks impulse and frequency response to improve sound quality. Dirac says it has worked closely with OnePlus to ensure that the sound output coming out of the 3.5mm jack is “optimized to the highest level, while also capable of producing sound characters tuned to OnePlus users’ preferences.”

June 12, 2018 — The OnePlus 6 in Silk White is back on sale for a limited time!

If you missed out on the opportunity to grab a sexy OnePlus 6 in sexy Silk White, now’s your chance — though it will probably sell out pretty quickly.

See at OnePlus

June 6, 2018 —Bullets Wireless earphones and Silk White OnePlus 6 sell out in 24 hours

Just 24 hours after they were made available for purchase, both the $69 Bullets Wireless earphones and $579 Silk White OnePlus 6 both sold out.

If you didn’t get a chance to grab either of these yesterday, OnePlus says the Silk White OP6 will be back in stock on June 12 with the Bullets Wireless following shortly after.

June 4, 2018 — Silk White OnePlus 6 and Bullets Wireless earphones launching June 5 @ 10:00 AM ET

About two weeks following the OnePlus 6’s launch, the limited edition Silk White version of the phone and OnePlus’s Bullets Wireless earphones are officially going on sale.

The Silk White OnePlus 6 is “the company’s boldest design to date” featuring six layers of white glass that have been mixed with pearl powder and gold accents for the frame, fingerprint sensor, and more. It’s a downright stunning look and will cost $579 USD with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage “while supplies last.”

Along with the Silk White OnePlus 6, the excellent Bullets Wireless earphones are launching, too. Andrew recently gave these a glowing review, praising them for their surprisingly great sound quality, USB-C charging, comfortable design, and competitive $69 price tag.

Both the Silk White OnePlus 6 and Bullets Wireless will be available on June 5 at 10:00 AM ET.

May 31, 2018 — Battery percentage coming to the status bar, fix for rear camera autofocus issue, and more

As part of a Q&A session OnePlus held of its forums, the company answered a lot of burning questions on users’ minds. You can read through the full rundown here, but the highlights include:

• The three dots in the status bar will be removed in the next update.
• A battery percentage is coming to the status bar in the next update.
• Scheduled Do Not Disturb will be added in the next update.
• The next update will fix low volume for calls and notifications.
• Future updates will correct issues with the rear camera’s autofocus.
• Your network will properly work when using an IDEA as a non-data card in the next update.
• A fix in the next update will resolve an issue that causes sound to stop working when switching to the speaker from the earpiece.

May 29, 2018 — JerryRigEverything tears down the OnePlus 6 to see how waterproof it really is

It was expected that OnePlus would have to cut a few corners in order to keep the OnePlus 6’s price as low as it is, and one of those cuts came in the way of a proper water resistance rating.

Unlike other flagship phones, the OnePlus 6 doesn’t come with a proper IP rating. However, OnePlus does note on its website that the phone “is well-equipped to survive a drop in the sink or a spilled glass of water.”

To test out just how “water resistant” the OnePlus 6 actually is, JerryRigEverything cracked open the phone and determined it’s about as protected as other phones that have a proper IP rating. Check it out above!

May 23, 2018 — The OnePlus 6 is now available!

It was only announced a week ago, but the OnePlus 6 is now available to order from oneplus.net starting at $529 USD.

Are you ordering?

Read our review and watch the video

First thing’s first, watch the video and read the review. There’s plenty about the phone to learn, even though much of it is familiar. But the essential question a review tries to answer is, Should you buy this thing? And the response is an unrestrained, Yes.

The OnePlus 6 is the company’s finest phone ever, with excellent design, build quality, battery life and, for the first time, cameras.

Read the review

Review the specs

Once you’re done reading the review, you should, ahem, review the specifications. The phone is powerful — like one of the most powerful on the market today — with plenty of headroom and legroom (it’s proverbially spacious is what I’m trying to say) for whatever you want to throw at it. Apps-wise, not like object-wise.

OnePlus 6 specifications

How does it compare to other phones?

Of course, the OnePlus 6 doesn’t exist in a bubble — you have to compare it to other devices if you’re going to decide whether you should buy it. Thankfully, we’ve done most of the work for you, comparing it to the best flagships on the market right now.

• OnePlus 6 vs. Google Pixel 2 XL: Which should you buy?
• OnePlus 6 vs. Samsung Galaxy S9+: Which should you buy?

What about to other OnePlus phones?

Yeah, OnePlus owners like to keep it in the family, so to speak, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see many upgrading, or thinking of upgrading, from an existing OnePlus device, like a 3, 3T, 5, or 5T. Of course, with the company releasing two phones a year these days, it won’t be long until the next upgrade cycle hits, but that also means that the existing phones age quite well, thanks to frequent software updates (the joys of not going through carriers).

If you have a OnePlus 5 or 5T, you can probably hold onto those phones for a bit longer — unless you need the camera improvements. OnePlus’s 2016 phones, on the other hand, may be getting a bit long in the tooth and could use a replacement.

• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5T: Should you upgrade?
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5: Should you upgrade?
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 3T & 3: Should you upgrade?

Is the OnePlus 6 camera that much better than before?

This photo was taken in nearly pitch-dark conditions. OnePlus ramps up the light sensitivity to ISO6400, which would normally produce a lot of grain, but this photo is totally usable thanks to better software processing.

Yes! The OnePlus 6 has a larger 16MP sensor than previous OnePlus devices, with pixels that are 19% bigger, so low-light photography is immensely improved. It’s not going to overtake the Huawei P20 Pro or Pixel 2 for Low Light Champion Of The World, but it’s reliable in all conditions, and that’s more important than anything else.

The camera is probably the biggest improvement over previous OnePlus models.

The phone’s main sensor is aided by a fast ƒ/1.7 aperture, so true depth of field is a thing, along with drastically improved image signal processing from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845. Together, the phone is able to detect the correct settings more quickly, take multiple shots if necessary, enable HDR mode automatically, and reduce or eliminate grain in dark conditions.

There’s also Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), which was in the OnePlus 3 line but removed in last year’s series for unknown reasons. It’s back now, and paired with a larger sensor and faster main lens, the results speak for themselves.

On the other hand, the OnePlus 6’s secondary camera has less to do — it’s a 20MP sensor with an ƒ/1.7 lens, but its main purpose is to facilitate portrait mode which, while good, isn’t enough reason to have a second sensor in the first place.

Is the notch distracting?

The notch is what it is. You may hate it out of an aversion to all things Apple, or you may learn to live with it and forget it’s there. Most people will fall somewhere in the middle — it’s a character trait, like a freckle or a certain hairstyle.

What it does, though, is open up spme additional real estate on the 6.28-inch screen, which is great. But it also limits the number of icons that can be seen in the notification area, which is a bummer. Plus, the clock on the left side of the notification bar will never make sense. If you watch the video below, though, you can see ways to tweak the notification area to your liking. And you can also disable the notch altogether if you want to.

How’s the software?

It’s good! Running Android 8.1 Oreo, OxygenOS has turned into one of the most enjoyable, reliable versions of Android to date. OnePlus has also added a number of additions to make the whole thing run more smoothly, especially if you’re looking to maximize your screen real estate.

One of the more interesting changes to the software is a set of gestures that eliminates the bottom navigation keys, relying on swipes up from different areas of the bottom edge to go back, home, and enter multitasking. It’s different, but not bad. You’ll have to try it yourself.

As for tips and tricks, we’ve already got that list going, so if you’re looking to make the most of your OxygenOS experience, we have you covered.

• How to enable navigation gestures on the OnePlus 6
• How to disable the notch on the OnePlus 6

What’s it cost?

The OnePlus 6 starts at $529 USD for the base model and goes up to $629 for additional RAM and storage. There are three configurations and three colors, and here’s a breakdown of which one to buy.

Here’s how the pricing breaks down in various regions.

6/64	$529	€519	£469	$699
8/128	$579	€569	£519	$769
8/256	$629	€619	£569	$839

See at OnePlus

Tell me more about the colors

There are four colors: Mirror Black, Midnight Black, Silk White, and Red.

• Mirror Black is going to be the most common, since it’s the only color offered in the cheapest tier. It’s shiny, reflective glass, so it gets fingerprint-y, but that’s OK because you’ll likely put the phone in a case (see below). It’s also a little slippery, which is to be expected. Mirror Black is offered in 6GB / 64GB configurations for $529.

• Midnight Black is the color we’ve come to expect from OnePlus over the years, though the matte-looking finish belies a glass back, too, like the Mirror Black. Midnight Black is only available in 8GB / 128GB and 8GB / 256GB configurations for $579 and $629, respectively.

• Silk White is one of the more limited of the four colors. It’s also covered in glass, but like the Midnight Black model it has a matte finish and is easier to grip. Its white back has rose gold accents, and it’s definitely the nicest and most unique of the three colors. It’s only available in the 8GB / 128GB configuration for $579, and once the run is sold out, OnePlus is not making any more.

• Red is also a limited edition color and is easily the most vibrant of the four that are available. It has a similar shiny finish like Mirror Black but uses a translucent orange layer and red base layer to create one of the most powerful reds we’ve ever seen on a smartphone. Sales open on July 10 and it’ll be available with 8GB RAM + 128GB storage for $579.

What color OnePlus 6 should you buy?

I heard there’s an Avengers version — TELL ME EVERYTHING

Yes, you heard right: OnePlus has once again worked with Disney on licensing a special version of the OnePlus 6 for the Chinese and Indian markets. Last year, OnePlus offered an understated Start Wars variant of the OnePlus 5T, and now the Avengers version takes advantage of the hype behind the recent film release.

The Avengers version comes in a unique box and includes an Iron Man case and a OnePlus/Avengers co-branded medallion, which is neat. And while there’s a familiar glass back on the Avengers Edition, it has a Kevlar-style design underneath. Because Kevlar=superheroes, or something.

While the special edition isn’t coming to the U.S. officially, I’m sure that some entrepreneurial Indian and Chinese resellers will do the dirty business of importing some of them at a huge premium to this side of the world.

This is the OnePlus 6 Marvel Avengers Edition

The OnePlus 6 doesn’t work on Sprint or Verizon

The OnePlus 6 technically supports the CDMA bands for Verizon and Sprint in the U.S., but the phone lacks certification for their networks, so those users — just under half the smartphone-wielding U.S. population, is out of luck.

We’ve got your full technical explainer below.

The OnePlus 6 doesn’t work on Sprint or Verizon

Do you like cases?

As it does with all of its phones, OnePlus has unveiled a series of first-party cases for the OnePlus 6, and they’re all pretty great.

This year, there’s a fancy new protective bumper made of woven nylon, and while it adds a bit more bulk than the typical snap-on, I think it looks and feels awesome.

These are the official OnePlus 6 cases you can buy at launch

What are your thoughts on the OnePlus 6?

Let us know in the comments!

OnePlus 6

• OnePlus 6 review
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5T: How much changes in six months?
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5: Should you upgrade?
• These are the official OnePlus 6 cases
• The OnePlus 6 doesn’t work on Verizon or Sprint
• Join the discussion in the forums

Updated July 3, 2018: Added the OnePlus Red to the list of colors!