Judgmental A.I. mirror rates how trustworthy, kind you are based on your looks

As the success of the iPhone X’s Face ID confirms, lots of us are thrilled to bits at the idea of a machine that can identify us based on our facial features. But how happy would you be if a computer used your facial features to start making judgments about your age, your gender, your race, your attractiveness, your trustworthiness, or even how kind you are?

Chances are that, somewhere down the line, you’d start to get a bit freaked out. Especially if the A.I. in question was using this information in a way that controlled the opportunities or options that are made available to you.

Exploring this tricky (and somewhat unsettling) side of artificial intelligence is a new project from researchers at the University of Melbourne in Australia. Taking the form of a smart biometric mirror, their device uses facial-recognition technology to analyze users’ faces, and then presents an assessment in the form of 14 different characteristics it has “learned” from what it’s seen.

“Initially, the system is quite secretive about what to expect,” Dr. Niels Wouters, one of the researchers who worked on the project, told Digital Trends. “Nothing more than, ‘hey, do you want to see what computers know about you?’ is what lures people in. But as they give consent to proceed and their photo is taken, it gradually shows how personal the feedback can get.”

As Wouters points out, problematic elements are present from the beginning, although not all users may immediately realize it. For example, the system only allows binary genders, and can recognize just five ethnicities — meaning that an Asian student might be recognized as Hispanic, or an Indigenous Australian as African. Later assessment such as a person’s level of responsibility or emotional stability will likely prompt a response from everyone who uses the device.

The idea is to show the dangers of biased data sets, and the way that problematic or discriminatory behavior can become encoded in machine learning systems. This is something that Dr. Safiya Umoja Noble did a great job of discussing in her recent book Algorithms of Oppression.

“[At present, the discussion surrounding these kind of issues in A.I.] is mostly led by ethicists, academics, and technologists,” Wouters continued. “But with an increasing number of A.I. deployments in society, people need to be made more aware of what A.I. is, what it can do, how it can go wrong, and whether it’s even the next logical step in evolution we want to embrace.”

With artificial intelligence increasingly used to make judgements about everything from whether we’ll make a good employee to our levels of aggression, devices such as the Biometric Mirror will only become more relevant

Editors’ Recommendations

• Dontnod’s upcoming mystery ‘Twin Mirrors’ should appeal to ‘Life is Strange’ fans
• Here’s how to mirror your smartphone or tablet onto your TV
• What is MHL, exactly, and how does it work with your TV?
• This odd-looking accessory converts traditional film cameras to instant film
• The 10 best Black Mirror episodes

How to sync a Fitbit tracker or smartwatch

Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

Fitbit fitness trackers and the company’s newly released smartwatches are growing in popularity. Each day, men and women are joining the hoards of fitness freaks and donning a Fitbit fitness tracker or smartwatch to track their steps, evaluate calories burned, and to use as a counterpart for their smartphones.

The less technically savvy might be hesitant to take the leap and purchase their first fitness tracker. But as long as you own a smartphone, tablet, or a PC with Bluetooth capability, you can use a Fitbit. It’s easy to set up and get started and although it may seem daunting, we’ll walk you through the startup procedure — otherwise known as syncing. Here’s how to sync a Fitbit fitness tracker or smartwatch — and everything you need to know about the process.

What is syncing?

Fitbit trackers and smartwatches are equipped with sensors which collect information — including your heart rate, sleep patterns, steps taken, and more — depending on the product you choose. In order to utilize this data, you need to sync it with a smart device such as a phone, computer, or tablet. This allows you to load it onto your Fitbit dashboard.

Your Fitbit dashboard is found in the Fitbit application used in conjunction with the physical device. The Fitbit dashboard allows you to track your progress and compare it to previous days or weeks. The dashboard even shows you how well you sleep each night, if you’re meeting your exercise goals, and also allows you to share information with friends and initiate social challenges.

How to sync your Fitbit tracker or watch

To sync data, Fitbit relies on Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology for its trackers and smartwatches. Bluetooth is a short-range wireless connection which allows you to transfer information between applicable electronic devices. When you sync your Fitbit with a smart device, the collected information is then transferred to your Fitbit dashboard for analysis. Additionally, Fitbit’s scales use Wi-Fi to connect directly to your router.

The Fitbit app is compatible with over Android and iOS, as well as Windows 10 computers. If you have a Mac or a PC running Windows 8.1, you can set up your Fitbit using a program called Fitbit Connect. Fitbit supplies an online resource to help find out if your device is compatible.

Set up your device with the Fitbit app

First, you need to download the Fitbit app from the appropriate application store — Apple (iOS, MacOS), Google (Android, Chrome OS), or Microsoft (Windows), depending on your device’s operating system. Once downloaded, you then need to open it and click Join Fitbit. On-screen instructions walk you through how to properly set up your Fitbit account and pair it with a corresponding smart device. Pairing your device is what allows you to sync data.

Set up your device with Fitbit Connect

Fitbit Connect is a free software application which allows any Fitbit tracker or smartwatch to sync data to your Fitbit dashboard. If your device isn’t Bluetooth-enabled, you need to use a wireless sync dongle in order to set up your Fitbit device. Although most Fitbit devices don’t come with a dongle, you can purchase one through the Fitbit Store.

Once you have a dongle, insert it into the USB port of your computer. Go to the Fitbit setup homepage and select the Download button. Once the file is downloaded, double-click on it to start the installation. Follow the on-screen prompts in order to create a Fitbit account and pair your device.

Syncing

Once your device is paired with the Fitbit app, it syncs data every time you open the app. There is also an All-Day sync feature which syncs your device periodically throughout the day. If you’re using Fitbit Connect as opposed to the application, your device syncs every 15 to 20 minutes when the dongle is plugged in and the device and computer are within a short distance of each other.

How to manually sync your Fitbit tracker or watch

In order to manually sync your device, you first need to open the Fitbit application. Your device also needs to be in close proximity in order for syncing to take place. Search for the picture of your device on the Fitbit app dashboard, then touch it at the top of the screen and pull down

Note: The exception to this is on Windows 10 devices, in which case you would find the picture at the bottom and pull up.

Here’s a step-by-step process for manual syncing different devices:

iPhone or iPad

Go to the Fitbit app dashboard and click the Account icon. From here, find the title of your device and click on it. Tap Sync Now and your device will sync automatically.

Android phone or tablet

Navigate to the Fitbit app dashboard and click the Account icon. Now find the title of your device and select it. There will be arrows located near the Sync Now button — click these to automatically sync your device.

Windows 10 device

Make sure your device is within roughly a 20-foot range of your computer. Plug in your wireless dongle and then head to the Fitbit app dashboard. Next, click the Account icon and choose Advanced Settings. Once you’ve pulled up this screen, switch on the option that reads Fitbit Connect Classic Mode.

It’s recommended you sync your device on a daily basis, if possible. If a device stops syncing, it’s likely due to a connection problem, so be sure to first check your wireless connection. If you’re still experiencing problems syncing your device, visit the Fitbit Help Forum. Alternatively, you can check out the specific ‘Why won’t my Fitbit device sync?‘ forum.

Editors’ Recommendations

• A comprehensive guide to each waterproof Fitbit
• Fitbit has already shipped a million Versa smartwatches
• Start your fitness journey with the best Fitbit deals for July 2018
• Here is everything you need to know about the Fitbit Versa
• Stay fit and save cash with our top 10 affordable Fitbit alternatives

Here’s everything you need to run 4K games and movies

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Whether you’re watching movies, playing games, or merely working at 4K resolution, it all looks fantastic. Everything is crisp, tack-sharp, and impossibly clear. Colors are vivid and lush, blacks are as deep as the night sky. But details are not without their cost. If you’re looking to get into 4K PC gaming or movie watching, you’re in for a bit of a journey.

Getting your system up to spec for 4K isn’t as straightforward as it is for 1080p, or even 1440p, so read on to find out what you need to run 4K.

A powerful graphics card is a must

While your wallet is open for the 4K monitor, go ahead and keep it open for a high-end graphics card – or two. Gaming in 4K requires your graphics card to process huge amounts of information in the blink of an eye, and for that, you need to make sure your graphics card has the headroom it needs.

Video RAM is the key to 4K gaming, and in our tests, anything but the most powerful graphics cards have trouble handling the amount of processing 4K requires. With 12GB of GDDR5X, Nvidia’s GTX Titan XP is the most powerful single card out there and can handle 4K gaming better than just about any other set up in the world. At $1,200 though, it’s out of reach of almost everyone — fortunately, it’s not the only option.

The Nvidia GTX 1080 and its slightly more-powerful brother, the GTX 1080 Ti, are also fantastically capable for 4K. As long as prices are reasonable, you should find them for $550 and $700 respectively. If you dip down into 1070 and below, only older games or those with very low settings will be playable. Even the Alienware Area-51 with its twin GTX 1080Tis couldn’t hit 60 FPS in Deus Ex Mankind Divided at 4K.

AMD does have some options if you’d prefer to stick with the red team. Its Vega 64 graphics card is perfectly capable of single-card 4K gaming for around $580. The Vega 56 isn’t quite as viable, though can deliver passable 4K gaming experiences.

As for laptops, 4K gaming is still rather difficult. Even the best gaming laptops prioritize lower resolutions and higher frame rates because gaming at 4K is incredibly taxing on even desktop hardware and laptop graphics chips don’t tend to measure up. You’re also unlikely to be able to truly appreciate 4K detail on a sub-20-inch laptop screen anyway. But if you do plan on powering you 4K monitor with a gaming laptop, you’ll want to buy the most powerful system you can find, something like an Alienware 17 R5. Anything less than a GTX 1080 isn’t going to do well in AAA games.

It is worth bearing in mind that Nvidia is expected to debut a brand new generation of graphics cards in 2018 and AMD its own new-tech in early 2019, so it might be a good idea to wait a few months to see how those turn out. After all, Nvidia’s GTX 10-series graphics cards are in some cases as much as two years old at this point.

Another option that some consider with 4K gaming is twin graphics cards in SLI or Crossfire configurations. While that is viable and often necessary to hit high frame rates at maximum detail levels in the most taxing of games, know that the gains aren’t linear. You aren’t going to get double performance by paying through the nose for two GTX Titan XPs. There aren’t also that many games that adequately support dual-GPU technologies, so consider wisely before committing to multi-card PC setups as they can be more trouble than they’re worth.

Processors and RAM aren’t as important

Although typically gaming PCs will pack a powerful central processor and high-speed memory, they aren’t quite as important for running a system at 4K as a decent graphics card is. That said, they are the hardware that feeds your monstrous graphics card what it needs to display games and certain applications at 4K resolution, so you’ll want to make sure they aren’t a bottleneck.

When it comes to selecting a CPU to pair up with your graphics card, you’ll want to ensure that it’s fairly recent, though it doesn’t need to be top end. If you’re opting for an Intel CPU, make sure it’s from the last few generations — at least a fourth-gen chip — and from the Core i5 or Core i7 range of processors. If you’re looking at AMD CPUs, the big jump in performance that was made with its Ryzen line up means that your best bet is starting with the Ryzen 5 chips and working your way up depending on your budget.

For a look at some specific CPUs we recommend, here are our guides to the best gaming CPUs, and the best Intel and AMD CPUs available today.

As for RAM, while faster speeds can help boost frame rates in some games by a percent point or two, just make sure you have enough for the kind of system you’re running.

Using the right port

With a 4K monitor ready to roll and a powerful graphics card champing at the bit, all you need to do is connect them up to enjoy your beautiful new 4K set up. How you do that though, can have a drastic effect on your experience.

Most HDMI connections can’t handle 4K. Support for the resolution was only introduced in HDMI 1.4, but even then, only at a maximum of 30 FPS. To drive a 60Hz 4K monitor, you need HDMI 2.0, and that’s far from adequate if you’re running a high-refresh-rate 4K monitor like the Acer Predator x27.

To support that, you’ll need to use a DisplayPort 1.3 or 1.4 port, which support up to 120Hz at 4K resolution.

Picking the right monitor

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Lastly, you’ll need a 4K monitor. But picking one out today isn’t as simple as it used to be. You could spend over one thousand dollars on high refresh rates and syncing technologies, or a couple of hundred on a more entry-level offering. What you opt for is going to be dependent on budget, as much as it is desired features and specifications.

If you’re planning to game on your new 4K display, higher refresh rates are useful, but unless you have very deep pockets, you’re going to struggle to push games over the more common 60 FPS anyhow. All of our favorite 4K monitors are geared more towards image quality than they are faster gameplay.

Size is an important consideration too. If you buy a display that’s too small, you aren’t going to be able to appreciate all of that extra pixel detail. There are also some scaling problems in certain games and professional software. Some allow you to scale the interface up, but that can reduce sharpness, which is half the reason people buy 4K monitors in the first place. 27-inch should be the minimum you opt for when buying a 4K display.

4K isn’t cheap, but it’s getting cheaper

Gaming and working at 4K isn’t the monumental expense it used to be, but you are going to need to spend around $1,000 to get the kind of experience that’s worth upgrading for. That’s a lot of money, and shelling out that kind of cash doesn’t guarantee a perfect experience, as there are still some scaling issues in certain games and software. You may also miss out on higher frame rates, which are much more affordable at lower resolutions and some would argue are more important for a better gaming experience.

That said, images are stunningly beautiful at 4K. Even games that are several years old look great because the high resolution adds details that are simply not visible at lower resolutions. It’s worth considering, just make sure you know what you’re in for before opening up your wallet.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Computer monitor buying guide
• Acer’s new 4K, HDR, 144Hz G-Sync gaming monitor will cost $2,000
• Dell rings the starting bell on its wide-ranging Memorial Day sale
• The best gaming laptops
• Tweak these ‘Fortnite’ game settings for a split-second edge

Best External Battery Packs for Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+

Keep your phone alive. These are the best battery packs for your Galaxy S8 and S8+!

Trying to find a great battery pack for your Galaxy S8 or S8+? Fortunately, you’re in the right place!

Just like with every other part of its operating system, Samsung gives the user a couple options when it comes to charging the phone. You can use the USB-C port for faster charging, or the phone includes Qi wireless charging for slower — but more convenient — power ups.

The same choice is available when it comes to battery packs. There are a few Qi options — but these will be slower than just plugging in a wire. There’s also the fact that you’ll need to keep the phone in contact with the battery bank, while using a wire means you can move and use the phone while it charges.

On the wired side, it’s good to look for a battery bank that charges with USB-C so you can use the same charger for the battery bank as you do your phone. Quick Charge support and USB Power Delivery support should also be included — the former to charge your phone faster and the latter to charge your laptop. With all that said, let’s look at some of the battery packs for your Galaxy S8 and S8+!

• AUKEY USB-C 26,500 mAh Power Bank
• AUKEY 20,000 mAh External Charger
• RAVPower Wireless Portable Charger
• RAVPower 22,000 mAh Type-C Portable Charger
• Anker PowerCore+ 20,100 USB-C
• Anker PowerCore 13,000 USB-C

AUKEY USB-C 26,500 mAh Power Bank

This is my personal battery pack, and I can say with confidence it’s very versatile. The USB-C port can be used to both charge the pack and your other devices, and is powerful enough to boost most modern laptops — albeit slower than their wall outlets. The pack has enough juice to charge your Galaxy S8 or S8+ at least six times, with quick charge support for fast top-ups. When the power bank is depleted, just use the same USB-C charger that came with your phone.

At $77, this is the most expensive power bank on our list, but the huge capacity and ability to charge laptops mean it’s a worthwhile investment for your Galaxy S8 and any future devices.

See at Amazon

AUKEY 20,000 mAh External Charger

AUKEY has another charger that has a smaller capacity, but also costs much less. At 20,000 mAh, this pack will still be enough to charge your phone to full four times, and the slim profile makes it perfect to pack on your next vacation. You can recharge the pack itself with a USB-C, Micro-USB or Apple Lightning cable, so you should be covered even if you forget your charging cable at home. You can charge your phone from the USB-C port, while your other gadgets charge from any of the three USB-A ports. The USB-C port will only output at 15 watts, so it probably isn’t powerful enough to use for your laptop.

AUKEY’s 20,000 mAh External Charger is available for $40.

See at Amazon

RAVPower Wireless Portable Charger

This RAVPower charger lets you charge your phone either from the single USB ports, or with an integrated Qi charging pad. The Qi charging pad charges your phone at 10 watts — the same as Samsung’s Fast Charge Wireless Stand The pack itself charges via micro-USB, which means you’ll need to use a different charger than the one that ships with your phone. The 10,400 mAh cell is enough to charge your phone two to three times, so it doesn’t have the same endurance as other picks on our list. It should still be enough to get you through a rough weekend though.

This pack goes for $68, which means you’re definitely paying a premium for the Qi compatibility. Still — if that’s a feature you want — RAVPower is a fine brand to go with.

See at Amazon

RAVPower 22,000 mAh Type-C Portable Charger

If you’re not worried about using Qi charging on the go, RAVPower has another great option for you. Its 22,000 mAh portable battery has plenty of juice inside, so you’ll get about five full charges if you’re just using this with your Galaxy S8 or S8+. Of course, there are two USB-A ports for charging other devices like your smartwatch, headphones or other accessories. The USB-C port only outputs at 15 watts, so it won’t be enough juice to charge your USB-C laptop or Chromebook.

RAVPower’s 22,000 mAh Type-C Portable Charger is available for $50.

See at Amazon

Anker PowerCore+ 20,100 USB-C

Anker is another reputable battery brand, and plenty of our staff use this same battery. There is a single USB-C port that can be used to charge your phone or laptop, or used to charge the battery pack itself. That port only charges devices at a max of 15 watts, meaning it probably won’t charge most laptops, but does work with less powerful models like the 12-inch MacBook. The battery pack is good for about six charges to your phone, making it a worthwhile companion for your next vacation.

This battery is available for $66 at the time of writing, which is comparable to other packs of its capacity. Anker does offer a similar model with a 26,800 mAh capacity and 30 watts of output, but that goes for $100. If you need more capacity or a more powerful output, go for the AUKEY battery above.

See at Amazon

Anker PowerCore 13,000 USB-C

If you don’t need a high capacity and want to save some money and weight, Anker’s smaller PowerCore batteries are a great option. The latest model charges with USB-C, so you don’t need to worry about a separate charger. This battery doesn’t output from its USB-C port though, meaning you can’t use it with a laptop or Nintendo Switch. You can get two to three charges from this battery, and the lighter weight will mean it’s less weight in your purse or backpack.

At $40, this is the least expensive option on our list. If you don’t intend to charge anything except your phone or headphones — and want to save some dough — this is a great option.

See at Amazon

What say you?

Which battery pack do you use with your Galaxy S8? Let us know down below!

Updated July 2018: Added the AUKEY 20,000 mAh and RAVPower 20,000 mAh battery packs.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+

• Galaxy S8 and S8+ review!
• Galaxy S8 and S8+ specs
• Everything you need to know about the Galaxy S8’s cameras
• Get to know Samsung Bixby
• Join our Galaxy S8 forums

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Grab this Amazon Web Services Certification Training bundle for just $69!

When it comes to cloud computing, Amazon Web Services (AWS) is near the top of the pile. It can be found in countless places around the web, and it’s comprised of multiple services from computing and storage to analytics. As AWS continues to grow, there is understandably an urgent need for trained professionals in the field.

Because AWS is comprised of so many different services, becoming proficient in the entire system can be pricey and time-consuming. Instead of finding the appropriate courses on your own, why not grab a bundle?

Right now, Android Central Digital Offers has a deal on an Amazon Web Services Certification Training mega bundle that included eight certification courses with more than 50 hours of training. Instead of paying $1,299, you’ll instead pay just $69. That’s 94 percent off the regular price!

The eight courses in this bundle include:

• AWS Technical Essentials Certification Training
• Introduction to Amazon S3 Training Course
• Introduction to Amazon Route 53 Training
• Introduction to Amazon EC2 Training Course
• AWS Solution Architect Certification Training Course
• Amazon VPC Training Course
• AWS Lambda Training Course
• AWS Database Migration Service Course

If you’re looking to prepare yourself for the AWS certification exams, this bundle of courses is what you need. With an already great price available at just $69, the price gets even better when you use coupon code DIGITALWEEK50 and save 50% — you’ll pay just $34.50!

See at Android Central Digital Offers

Spigen Style Ring POP review: The new gold standard in phone grips

Spigen’s new phone grip solves every problem we had with the original and looks so good doing it.

It’s no secret that phone grips are a smartphone accessory worth having. They help you keep ahold of your precious, pricey Android phone — and help you avoid straining the muscles and tendons in your priceless hands — so don’t leave home without one!

Every phone grip on the market today seems to have a trade-off of some sort — Popsockets can’t kickstand in portrait like phone rings, the Ringke Ring is bulky and has a tendency to spin when I set it down on my desk, and the original Spigen Style Ring refuses to lay flat and is a big, bulky design that doesn’t look nearly as elegant as the rest of the cases and phone accessories Spigen is known for.

Well, it’s taken a few years and a few hiccups, but Spigen has a new Style Ring on its hands, and not only does the Spigen Style Ring POP fix everything wrong with the original — and then some — it’s also stolen my heart in just a few days.

Spigen Style Ring POP

Price: $14.99

Bottom line: This phone grip is small, thin, adaptable, and comes in five diverse colors that can add a pop of color — sorry, I couldn’t help myself — and functionality to any smartphone. Buy one for everyone you know

The Good

• Compact, lay-flat phone grip
• The ring’s flat edge gives the kickstand more stability
• Compatible with magnetic car/desk mounts

The Bad

• No “safe” silver/white/plain option
• The ring can be a bit hard to pull out when folded all the way down

See at Amazon

Not like, love

Spigen Style Ring POP What I love

Spigen’s Style Ring POP follows the same basic format many of the phone rings of the last year have used: the entire base of the mount sits atop a bearing that allowing you to rotate the grip 360 degrees, and attached to that central, circular hub is a phone ring that can fold the full 180 degrees from flat around the grip’s hub to flat folded away from the grip’s hub.

The Style Ring POP has kept the flat edge at the base of the phone ring, which offers more stability with using the kickstand in the portrait orientation, which adds extra stability when propping the phone up next to your keyboard at work in portrait.

This grip is incredibly compact, coming in at half the thickness of the Ringke Ring while the Style Ring POP’s central base is exactly the size of a quarter. Te grip’s hinge sits up ever-so-slightly above the flat back of your phone or phone case.

This thin, flat back allows the Style Ring POP to sit flat without spinning or rattling around on my desktop, and also allows the grip to sit flush against a magnetic mount in the car or at your desk. That’s right, Spigen has moved away from the proprietary pain-in-the-butt hook-based mounts that the original Style Ring used and is instead letting us all use more prevalent and consistent magnetic mounts, though that also means that the Spigen Phone Ring, like most metal phone rings, doesn’t play nice with wireless charging.

Spigen Style Ring POP What could still improve

Spigen made the Style Ring POP a low-profile phone grip, and while that means less of a bulge on the back of the phone and less chance of anything snagging when putting it in your pocket, it can also make the ring hard to swing open one-handed. Since the grip is so thin and lacks the indentation many phone rings like the Ringke Ring have, the ring can be hard to get a fingernail under — especially for a nail-biter like me.

The only other complaint I have for the Spigen Style Ring POP was when I was trying to figure out when one to use with my phone case. The Style Ring POP comes in five colors — Red, Champagne Gold, Gunmetal (dark metallic gray), Orchid Blue (muted light blue), and Rose Gold, which should really be called what it is: millennial pink.

My everyday case is a dark navy and silver, and no color quite matched it on first thought. Orchid Blue was too far from the straight Satin Silver of the case, and Gunmetal was far too dark. I know that regular silver is a bit boring at times because it’s the default color for so many phones and Chromebooks, but I’d rather have a boring that matched the phone instead of having to go big and bold with a flashy color.

Spigen Style Ring POP

As far as phone grips go, the Spigen Style Ring POP is one of the best-looking and best-performing I’ve ever seen. It lays flat and stable on my desktop, the kickstand is easy to adjust and use in both portrait and landscape, and by ditching the proprietary hook-based mounts to instead support our favorite — and darn near universally compatible — magnetic car mounts makes the Style Ring POP my new favorite phone grip.

5
out of 5

Bold color options like ruby Red and an Orchid Gray that looks tailor-made for the Coral Blue Samsung Galaxy S9 can add style as much as substance to the phone or phone case the grip is applied to, but I do wish there were more color options — especially in regards to a more neutral white or straight silver. Oh, well, at least the red pops against my blue/silver Spigen Neo Hybrid case and gives it a slight Captain America vibe.

See at Amazon

Best Chromebox in 2018

Why trust us? We don’t just write about Chromebooks and Chromeboxes; we use them every day. Whether you want to watch a video, play a game, or get some work done, these are the best Chromeboxes you can buy.

The ASUS Chromebox 3 is the best Chromebox you can buy. Available in several configurations from the modestly priced Intel Celeron version to a powerful — and ready for Linux applications — Intel Core processor and all models feature a true M.2 SATA SSD for years of worry-free storage and upgradability should you need it.

Our Pick

ASUS Chromebox 3

Amazon — $429

• $429 from Amazon

A powerful and secure desktop computer

This is ASUS’ newest Chromebox. It’s pricey, — our pick is the Intel Core i3 version at $429 — but it’s also a very powerful computer that can handle every task you need it to today as well as any future tasks as Google rolls out Linux program support to Chrome OS devices.

This Chromebox simply can do everything. It’s loaded with exterior ports (both USB Type-C and legacy USB ports are included) and the components are current generation as you would expect in any powerful computer. If you want a Chromebox for the whole family that’s future-proof, secure, and dependable, you can’t go wrong with the ASUS Chromebox 3.

Who should buy this Chromebox

It’s tough to say anyone should buy a $429 Chromebox. Our budget pick, also from ASUS, will handle the needs of most users and provide a great experience on the web or in the home office. The difference, and what makes this configuration of the Chromebox 3 our top pick is its raw power versus price.

Linux and Android applications will change how many of us use a Chromebox. When updated, the Chromebox 3 will be able to install almost any program written for a full desktop computer and plenty of programs like Steam for gaming or Blender for 3D modelling and rendering will make good use of the higher specs. And since all Chrome products are fully supported by Google for over six years, the Chromebox 3 will also age very well and should be considered future-proofed.

Is it a good time to buy this Chromebox?

Yes. Last year’s Chromeboxes weren’t designed to be ready for full desktop programs or Android apps, and manufacturers have rushed to the gate with new models featuring powerful hardware. With the cost of computer components rising, buying a high-end pre-built small form-factor desktop is a wise decision for anyone who wants or needs said power under the hood.

We don’t see component prices lowering anytime soon, so an investment today means you’ll enjoy the benefit of a secure workstation or entertainment PC without needing to worry about upgrading in 2019 or beyond.

6 reasons to buy

• Desktop-class Intel Core processors are available
• 8 GB of high-speed DDR4 RAM
• User-upgradable internal SSD storage
• HDMI connection
• USB Type-A legacy ports and USB Type-C 3.1 ports
• Three-in-one SD card reader

2 reasons not to buy

• Expensive if you won’t need the extra power
• No internal speakers

When all Chromeboxes are similar, the little things count

It’s tough to say one brand of Chromebox is better than the rest. Google has strict guidelines manufacturers need to follow and almost every company that makes computers offers a Chromebox that is very similar to all the rest. What makes the Chromebox 3 the top pick when compared to Chromeboxes from other manufacturers is the performance versus price ratio and ASUS history of Chrome product support.

Out of the box, the Chromebox 3 can fit your needs because of the multiple configurations available. We think the Intel Core i3 version is the best purchase right now because it will offer the power needed to run any application and isn’t exorbitantly expensive.

Alternatives to the Chromebox 3

The Acer CX12 is also an excellent buy. It’s a popular model from 2017, but will be fully supported until 2023. We also recommend the Intel Core i3 version here because of the performance to price ratio, as the Acer CX12 can be found had for $350. the biggest difference, and what allows for the cheaper price, is the storage — the CX12 comes with a 16 GB SSD as configured.

Runner-up

Acer CX12

Acer’s CX12 Chromebox also brings plenty of power to a chrome desktop, but being a 2017 model with less storage means you can save a good bit of money.

See at Amazon

Google’s 6.5 years of support for Chrome products means a Chromebox that’s a year old can still be a great purchase. in the case of the Acer CX12, you’re getting a Chromebox that for all intents and purposes is just as powerful as our top pick art a considerable savings.

Budget pick

ASUS Chromebox 2

Had Google not announced a future where powerful Chrome products would have access to the vast library of Linux programs, last year’s ASUS Chromebox might have been our top pick. An Intel Celeron CPU with 4 GB of RAM means this $200 Chromebox will handle all Chrome has to give it and is nice and easy on the wallet.

See at Amazon

Bottom line

For someone who wants the best possible Chromebox experience the ASUS Chromebox 3 configured with a powerful but thrifty Intel Core i3 CPU is the best choice. It’s chock full of powerful components and many are user-serviceable, but you’ll pay quite a bit for it, roughly $430.

If you would rather opt for a 2017 model and save a considerable amount of cash, the Acer CX12 will deliver virtually the same performance, albeit with less storage. If you aren’t concerned about Linux containers or any of the voodoo Google has in store for Chrome products, the ASUS Chromebox 2, also from 2017, is an incredible value.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Jerry Hildenbrand is Mobile Nation’s Senior Editor and works from a Chromebook full time. Currently he is using Google’s Pixelbook but is always looking at new products and may have any Chromebook in his hands at any time. You’ll find him across the Mobile Nations network and you can hit him up on Twitter if you want to say hey.

Andrew Martonik is the Executive Editor, U.S. at Android Central. He has been a mobile enthusiast since the Windows Mobile days, and covering all things Android-related with a unique perspective at AC since 2012. For suggestions and updates, you can reach him at andrew.martonik@androidcentral.com or on Twitter at @andrewmartonik.

Daniel Bader is the Managing Editor of Android Central. As he’s writing this, a mountain of old Android phones is about to fall on his head, but his Great Dane will protect him. He drinks way too much coffee and sleeps too little. He wonders if there’s a correlation.

Apple’s AirPods, rechargeable lighters, Amazon Key bundles and more are all discounted today

Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.

We found plenty of great deals today that include big discounts on Apple’s hard-to-find AirPods, Amazon Key bundles, rechargeable lighters, and more! Most of these prices will be gone when the day ends, so don’t miss your chance to save big!

View the rest of the deals

If you want to know about the deals as soon as they are happening, you’ll want to follow Thrifter on Twitter, and sign up for the newsletter, because missing out on a great deal stinks!

Why your carrier’s coverage map may not match your experience

Maybe it’s time for a new phone.

When you’re looking to switch cellular carriers, the most important factor is going to be how well the service actually works in your area. Sure, saving $10 a month is great, but not if it means your family and friends can’t get ahold of you. A good starting place is your potential carrier’s coverage map, since that will show the relative coverage in a given location.

But that’s not the be-all and end-all. There are some factors that could drastically change the experience when you use your phone.

• Old hardware
• The number of users
• How to test your coverage

Old hardware

Truth be told, you can get a lot of miles out of an older phone these days. Battery life and photos won’t be as good as those on a modern smartphone, but something from 2014 onwards will still open apps in a reasonable amount of time, make phone calls and take decent photos.

But the modem in your phone is going to be older as well. The carrier is going to be advertising coverage based on all of the antenna bands they could use, and if they’re using frequencies that have been deployed in the last few years, your phone won’t be able to take advantage of that coverage.

The number of users

A cellular tower can get congested quickly if there are a lot of users all trying to connect to the same tower. If you’ve ever been at a concert, played Pokémon Go, or been at another large public event, you know your data can slow to a crawl as everyone tries to Snapchat and Instagram all at the same time. If you live near a concert venue or popular public space, you may just have to deal with slow speeds because you’re connecting to the same tower as the large crowds.

There’s also the chicken and egg problem when it comes to where carriers invest in their network. If there aren’t as many potential users in a given town — like my hometown of 1,200 people — the carrier is going to spend their time and money focusing on areas where they can better serve existing customers and maybe poach customers from competitors. But this means service is bad in places like my hometown, so no one there is going to use a carrier that doesn’t work for them.

How to test your coverage

If you want to know why your coverage isn’t as good as promised, there are a few tools available to help you out. Of course, the easiest thing to do is just try using your phone on the carrier you want to switch to. Pre-paid plans exist, and the $40 or so you spend up front for a month of service is a good way to know if the coverage is worth saving $10 per month. Just pop in your new SIM card, let the phone activate on the network, and make some phone calls and watch some YouTube videos.

But you can get more scientific with some apps. Signal Spy will tell you exactly which antenna band your phone is using to connect to the network. Meanwhile, OpenSignal will do a speed test without any carrier “optimization” that could change the results. It will also show you a map of the exact cell towers near your location that your phone could be trying to connect to. You can zoom in on a different area on the map, which can be helpful if you’re planning a trip to a remote area.

Download: Signal Spy (free, in-app purchases)

Download: OpenSignal (free)

What say you?

How consistent is your cell coverage? Let us know down below!

Electronauts is the VR music maker you didn’t know you wanted

The learning curve is steep, but so are the drops.

While there are a few different music games out there for the PlayStation VR, most of them are some kind of standard drumming machine trying to add an interesting VR twist. Electronauts, on the hand, achieves that twist. With striking visuals and a variety of beats to play with, this game – although I’m not sure if game is the right word – uses VR to create a mixing lab the likes of which only Daft Punk ever imagined in their chrome helmets.

Electronauts

Price: $18

Bottom line: Electronauts is a cyberpunk musical experience unlike any other, and enjoying it means remembering to forget what you think it means to do things in VR or music.

The Good

• Visually stunning
• Super easy to feel like you are making music
• Fantastic starting song list

The Bad

• This is not a game, there is no score
• Tutorial is a little too basic

See at Survios

Electronauts What I Like

The premise is simple, I think, from my time playing the game it seems to be devoid of any real gaming intent. Don’t think of it as a game with levels, or a score, but more of an interactive music experience, a chance to be creative with samples, beats and even the crazy visuals around you.

With minimal effort or musical background it is easy to feel like you’re creating something fun that you’d want to share with others.

Electronauts is visually a cyberpunk playground. Lots of bright colors and the general theme of the music you’re interacting with is electronic in nature. You can lean in any direction of that spectrum, but there’s clearly a theme. The initial tutorial explains that you’re on a musical voyage of creativity and expression, and starts you off with a premade track you interact with. The floating platform you are standing on, and yes i do mean standing because Survios has made sure when you look down you see a whole body, is orbited by 3 stations that allow you to chop and change almost anything from the song. This three-station layout lets you change the vocals, the visuals, add effects to the music and even use orbs to add your own extra beats to the music in sampled loops.

The feel of the 3 stations in VR is perfect. When I think of VR games this is what I want, taking something that you couldn’t do in a normal game – if you had 3 stations on a normal screen you wouldn’t be able to switch the view fast enough – and adding a 3D element not available otherwise, it really does make it feel like future tech. With minimal effort or musical background it is easy to feel like you’re creating something fun that you’d want to share with others.

Electronauts is played with 2 virtual drumsticks that you use like wands to help you cut and mix tracks. Depending on the song or even the part of the song there are sections of the backing track that you can play at will as well as well being able to mute component parts like the high hat or bass drum. If you have listened to Drum and Bass, Dubstep, or EDM, you will know that these kinds of muting options work extremely well in changing up the flow of the music.

This experience doesn’t have a victory condition, but there are still achievements to unlock for exploring things. The purpose of this game is not to win but to create a new artistic endeavor and share with those around you. For the moment, there aren’t any ways to share mixes you have assembled externally, like through Soundcloud or something. There are camera controls, and when I played with them I got a small screen showing my avatar doing cool stuff but nowhere did there seem to be a save or record or stream function anywhere. Maybe that will appear in time, I hope so, this game feels like it needs to be shared to really be appreciated. The goal is to have fun and make music, and be the virtual mix master of your friend circle. It’s not difficult to imagine a party with nice speakers connected to a VR set up, where someone in this experience was making music for the whole group to enjoy.

Electronauts What I don’t like

I really struggled with the no-win aspects of this game. I needed to feel like there was a goal in mind like I was doing well or not but the game offered little in the way of encouragement or even basic guidance. I constantly found myself looking for a running total or a Guitar Hero style meter that tells me if I am doing good or bad – I was doing bad gang, really, really bad – and not receiving any feedback from the game at all.

The tutorial is also frustratingly simple, so basic as to be almost no help. The tutorial takes you through the 3 simplest cubes – the cubes fit into the base station to bring up new interfaces to work with – and then says goodbye like you know everything there is to know. As you start your own music however you realize that everything is far more complicated. It’s maddening to want to be good but not knowing how to get there.

The game feels like it is actively working to stop you sounding too objectively terrible. I found myself dancing along to the dubstep track I made, eagerly waiting for the beat to drop then realizing we were in a safe break until I actually started the drop, which, when I actually hit the button at the exact right moment gave me a real thrill. Of course, I was instantly sad that there was no part of the game that told me I did it right, which is part of the hangup I have.

Electronauts Should you buy it? Probably.

Survios has made Electronauts that heady mix of futuristic and retro with primitive voxels and primary colors all around you and crisp clear details on your equipment. It’s like Daft punk went back in time into Jobes world in Lawnmower man, they are from the future, stuck in what the past thinks the future will be. The game is pretty trippy and so my head is all over the place. I really do enjoy the overall visual look of Electronauts and I’m happy that this kind of aesthetic is here to stay in VR.

The game is definitely very stylistic but it is still lacking what I need to make the game feel like a game, direction. When I finally did find a help button it was so overwhelming and technical that it actually made me feel less attached to the game, not more. I would like to see it become more game-ified in the future if I am going to continue playing it.

You can pick this game up August 7th on for HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and PlayStation VR. In the Steam, and Oculus stores the game will start at $19.99, but for PlayStation VR users the price is $17.99. Enjoy!