Mint Mobile makes it easier to try before you buy with money-back trial

Mint Mobile wants to make it easier for customers to try out its phone service. To that end, the company announced that its $5 starter kits are now risk-free. In other words, those interested in trying out Mint’s service but not quite sure if its right for them can now try Mint for seven days for $5 — and if they don’t end up liking Mint, they get that $5 back.

Mint Mobile already has some pretty interesting ideas for its service. The company allows customers to buy three, six, or 12 months of service up front and at affordable prices. After that introductory period, prices do go up — but they don’t go up much more than other carriers. According to the company, it saves customers an average of 50 percent on their monthly phone bill — though that’s likely to change as customers start paying higher prices when their introductory offer runs out.

“A huge part of Mint’s success is our transparency,” Aron North, Mint’s senior vice president of Marketing and Creative, said in a statement. “Our customers know exactly what they’re paying for — unlimited talk and text and a right-sized data package — and they appreciate that. We want to share that love with as many people as possible, which is where the risk-free trial program comes in.”

So what are those introductory prices? Well, three-month plans range from $15 per month to 2GB of data to $25 for 10GB of data. Six-month plans start at $18 per month for 2GB of data to $30 per month for 10GB of data. Twelve-month plans come at the same price as three-month plans, though for 12 months instead.

Once that initial period is up, prices may jump depending on the plan you choose to go for — which is something to be aware of if you’re thinking of switching to Mint. You can pay month to month for between $35 and $60 per month, or you can once again buy in bulk — with buying 12 months getting you 2GB of data for $15 per month, or 10GB of data for $25 per month.

The network isn’t bad either. Mint Mobile works on T-Mobile’s network, and while that’s one of the smaller networks out there, if you have coverage where you need it you’ll likely enjoy faster speeds than most of the other networks.

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Do updates come to Amazon Prime Exclusive phones at the same time as other models?

The short answer: It depends.

No one could blame you for looking into Amazon’s Prime Exclusive range of phones. They’re the same phones you’ve probably been eyeing anyway, with a reduced price in exchange for putting up with a few pre-installed Amazon apps — don’t worry, the vast majority of them can be either uninstalled or disabled.

Aside from the bundled Amazon services, there’s no difference in the software experience of a Prime Exclusive phone compared to the standard model, so in theory this should mean that you’ll get software updates at the same time as everyone else … right? This is still Android we’re talking about, so of course, the update situation is complicated.

It’s hard to definitively say yes or no, since neither Amazon nor its partnered manufacturers have given a concrete answer on the matter, but we can get a pretty decent idea based on how updates have rolled out to its lineup so far.

The Moto X4 has been one of Amazon’s most popular Prime Exclusive devices, and despite Motorola’s poor track record with updates, we saw the Moto X4 get updated to Android 8.1 Oreo just last month. While Android updates are typically staggered and come to different devices at different times, the update began rolling out at the same time to both Amazon Prime and standard variants of the phone. That’s definitely a good sign.

See Moto X4 at Amazon

Likewise, when the standard Moto G4 got updated to Android 7.0 Nougat on March 31st of last year, the Prime Exclusive version began receiving the update just three days later. At the very least, it looks like Motorola updates its phones at about the same pace, regardless of their Prime Exclusive status.

When it comes to other manufacturers, things are a bit less consistent. The unlocked LG G6 was updated to Android 8.0 Oreo just last month, but it took until the beginning of July for the Prime Exclusive version to receive the same update. Similarly, the Prime Exclusive Nokia 6 took about a month longer than its standard counterpart to get Oreo.

See Nokia 6 at Amazon

Unsurprisingly, your phone’s manufacturer has more say in the matter than Amazon itself — they’re the ones making the software in the first place, after all. If you use a Prime Exclusive phone from Motorola, it’s safe to say that you’ll probably receive updates at about the same pace as those who paid wholesale pricing, but with other manufactures, it may be more of a tossup.

As nice as the upfront savings can be on Prime Exclusive phones, they might not be worth it if the end result is slower software updates. Before jumping on a Prime Exclusive deal, do some research on the update trends of that phone’s manufacturer.

Have you experienced slow software rollouts on your Prime Exclusive device? Let us know in the comments below!

Are you living the dongle life or using wireless audio accessories?

The choice between dongles and Bluetooth is upon us.

Over the course of the last year, we’ve seen some really excellent smartphones come out — including the Pixel 2, Huawei P20 Pro, Essential Phone, and others, However, for all of these phones and more, there’s been an undeniable trend to kill off the 3.5mm headphone jack.

This is a decision that’s proven to be controversial ever since Apple had the courage to do it in 2016 with the iPhone 7, and in mid-2018, there are still more phones without headphone jacks than those with the legacy port.

So, with that being the world we live in, are you living the dongle life or have you moved over to wireless headphones?

Almeuit
07-30-2018 10:27 AM

“

No dongles for me. Bluetooth all the time.

Reply

bhatech
07-30-2018 11:06 AM

“

I have couple of usb C to 3.5mm dongle lying around my desk. I have never even opened the dongle from the pixel box. Mostly use Bluetooth earbuds but if I need a dongle I have it handy. Luckily I haven’t lost it till now.

Reply

hallux
07-30-2018 07:10 AM

“

I still have my original one, it’s attached to the AUX cord in my car. I use Bluetooth headphones for any other listening needs.

Reply

PaulQ
07-30-2018 09:23 PM

“

I bought a second one through Verizon. Now, I will leave one in the car, one on my wired earbuds. I’m not traveling anytime soon. So – this time they should not disappear. If they do, there is an evil force in my home.

Reply

What do you prefer? Dongles or wireless audio?

Join the conversation in the forums!

Best Replacement Thumb Grips for PlayStation 4 Controllers

Hardcore or casual, it doesn’t matter.

It’s no secret that the DualShock 4’s weak point is its analog sticks. The symmetrical layout is one thing and really is just down to preference, but it’s tough to argue that the design of the analog stick’s surface leaves a lot to be desired. A combination of slippery material and a dome-shaped design makes it hard to keep your thumbs on the sticks in your most intense moments.

Enter thumb grip replacements. These little works of engineering genius fit themselves onto the top of your PlayStation 4 controller’s analog sticks to give you an entirely different grip and feel. If you’re in need of something like this to help you step your game up, let us help you. These are the best replacement thumb grips for your PlayStation 4 controller.

Best Overall

KontrolFreek Performance for PS4

See at Amazon

KontrolFreek’s performance thumb sticks offer the best grip suitable for any gamer. Its chief design feature is the concave shape of the rubber grip. The surface of the grip is studded with raised dots to help your thumbs stay in place. The thumb grips add an extra 10.1mm of height to your controller, which could improve your accuracy and range of motion. It’s not the cheapest thing at $16.99 for a pair, but KontrolFreek has a reputation for quality.

Bottom Line: If you’re looking to improve your game, KontrolFreek is one of the best ways to do it.

One last thing: KontrolFreek’s grips have a claw-like attachment mechanism to ensure they won’t slip off mid-game.

Why the KontrolFreek Performance for PS4 is the best

KontrolFreek’s analog thumb grips not only add a better grip for your thumbs but also a slightly raised height to give you a greater range of motion. The grip stays firmly attached thanks to a tight clasp that tugs on the underside of the analog sticks to ensure it doesn’t move.

Alongside potentially heightening your performance, KontrolFreek’s grips also offer a boost in comfort. The raised height is said to help reduce strain on your wrist and hands, while the surface won’t irritate your thumbs. It’s said to be able to keep your thumbs from slipping when sweat builds up in your hands, too.

Best for First Person Shooters

KontrolFreek FPS Freek Vortex for PS4

See at Amazon

This is an interesting option for those who can’t get off the shooters. KontrolFreek’s FPS Freek Vortex has a design meant to help you get better results in shooter games. The left analog stick is shorter (6.1mm) with a concave grip, while the right analog stick is raised a bit (12.6mm) with a more dome-like grip. This setup is supposed to allow you a greater range of motion than if you were to use the analog stick as default, so acquiring the headshot might be easier in your next round of Call of Duty. If you like this funky design then it’s yours for just $16.99.

Bottom Line: There’s a real benefit to be had from a raised analog stick grip, and these are as good as it gets.

One last thing: If the eye-bleeding orange is too much for you, look around and you’ll be able to find these in a couple of other colors.

Best On a Budget

Insten Silicone Analog Thumb Grips

See at Amazon

Don’t have much to spend? Consider Insten’s package. The company is asking just $5.99 for two pairs of silicone thumb grips. These fit over the DualShock 4’s existing analog stick like a glove and offer a more consistent surface to make sure your fingers don’t slip. That surface is wide with dozens of raised, rubbery bumps to improve your track and feel. And because it’s more of a cap than it is an extension, installation is as simple as turning it inside out and pushing it down onto the analog stick.

Bottom Line: These are inexpensive and effective, and you get to hook an extra controller up with improved thumb grips or keep a pair as backup.

One last thing: There are four different colors you can get: blue, red, white, and green.

Best for Customization

BeautyMood 40PC Silicone Thumb Grip Caps

See at Amazon

If you’re into whacky colors or just have a whole lot of controllers you need to improve, this package by BeautyMood is hard to beat. They’re offering as many as 40 silicone thumb grip caps, which means you’ll get 20 pairs, all for a low price of $8.77. While you lose a bit of effective surface area, the sheer value of this package should make up for it. You can easily swap them out to match your mood or outfit, and if you lose a few of them then you’ll have more than enough to replace them.

Bottom Line: You won’t find more grips for the money, so this makes a great package for those who need flexibility.

One last thing: These can fit many other types of analog stick, including those on the Xbox One and Nintendo Switch controllers, so these are perfect for the gamer who has it all.

Conclusion

There are tons of thumb grips out there to consider, with many of them fitting like loose-fitting socks or not quite getting the “grip” part right. We’re confident that these are the best thumb grips you can buy for your PlayStation 4 controller. KontrolFreek offers the best of the best, though. While pricey, their raised design and tight grip give you all the control and comfort you need, all the while protecting the material on the original analog sticks from wear and tear.

Best Overall

KontrolFreek Performance for PS4

See at Amazon

KontrolFreek’s performance thumb sticks offer the best grip suitable for any gamer. Its chief design feature is the concave shape of the rubber grip. The surface of the grip is studded with raised dots to help your thumbs stay in place. The thumb grips add an extra 10.1mm of height to your controller, which could improve your accuracy and range of motion. It’s not the cheapest thing at $16.99 for a pair, but KontrolFreek has a reputation for quality.

Bottom Line: If you’re looking to improve your game, KontrolFreek is one of the best ways to do it.

One last thing: KontrolFreek’s grips have a claw-like attachment mechanism to ensure they won’t slip off mid-game.

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Mint Mobile announces $5 Starter Kit with 100% money-back guarantee

The kit comes with 100MB of LTE data, 100 texts, and 100 minutes of talk.

Mint Mobile is one of the better MVNO options here in the U.S., and in honor of the service’s 2nd birthday, it’s launching a new $5 Starter Kit to help even more people try out Mint for themselves.

For that $5, you’ll get a Mint Mobile SIM card with 100MB of 4G LTE data, 100 texts, and 100 minutes of talk. The whole purpose is to help you decide if Mint Mobile is a good fit for the area you live in, and you decide you want to keep it, you can keep using the SIM card after paying for a regular plan.

Should you get the Starter Kit and decide it’s just not for you, all you have to do is request a refund from Mint Mobile and they’ll send you your $5 back.

The Mint Mobile Starter Kit is available now and can be purchased via the button below.

See at Mint Mobile

A great single camera is always better than a mediocre dual camera

Look no further than the Pixel 2 or Galaxy S9 for proof.

One of the biggest shifts in mobile photography over the last couple of years has been the move from one camera to two on most high-end smartphones. Flagships like the HTC U12+, LG G7 ThinQ, and Galaxy S9+ have all adopted this trend, with some phones like the Huawei P20 Pro going even further and adding a third lens.

Even budget phones have started shipping with two cameras; the $200 Honor 7X has a depth-sensing secondary sensor, as does the Moto Z3 Play. This is no longer a premium add-on feature, it’s quickly becoming the standard. But how much do you actually benefit from that second camera?

That partially depends on exactly what your second camera does. That depth sensor implementation I just mentioned is more or less useless, if you ask me. Some phones use it to augment the photos taken with the primary sensor, but the majority just use it for their portrait mode shots, which end up looking just as artificial as on any other phone — in fact, some of the best portrait photos come from the Pixel 2, which just uses machine learning to create depth instead of a dedicated sensor. On a phone like the Moto Z3 Play, which doesn’t have the best camera to begin with, I think Motorola would’ve been better off focusing on improving its primary sensor rather than adding a secondary one.

If you need proof that a single camera still does the job, just look at the Pixel 2 and Galaxy S9.

Meanwhile, zoom lenses sound convenient and great on paper, since zooming in with the main sensor just leads to image degradation, but unless you’re using a Galaxy S9+, that zoom lens isn’t optically stabilized, meaning whatever clarity you’re preserving by not digitally zooming is still impacted by your shaky hands. On top of that, even with the Galaxy S9+, the telephoto lens takes lower quality shots than the main sensor, even in ideal conditions.

Wide-angle sensors like the ones LG includes in most of its lineup open up a lot of creative potential, and unlike zoom or depth sensors, they allow you to take photos you wouldn’t be able to pull off otherwise. They still suffer from the same problems as telephoto lenses; they’re lower quality sensors and rarely if ever have OIS. But at the very least, they add to your mobile photography experience in a way that other dual camera arrays simply can’t match.

It’s getting harder to find a flagship phone with only one camera these days, but my phone of choice remains one of them — the Galaxy S9. It doesn’t have its larger sibling’s zoom lens, but that doesn’t impede it from taking some of the best low-light photos of any phone I’ve tested, along with great photos in just about every other condition, and even pretty decent portrait shots. Similarly, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL still beat out almost every other phone in photography, all with a single camera and Google’s powerful post-processing — which I’d argue is far more important than most dual camera arrangements.

At the end of the day, though, if your main camera is already great, you might as well add to it. Huawei makes perhaps the best use of its multiple cameras with the P20 Pro, which features a secondary monochrome sensor that helps pull in additional fine details, along with a tertiary 3X telephoto camera — as opposed to the 2X zoom found pretty much everywhere else. I still would’ve preferred a wide-angle lens over a zoom, but combined with the powerful AI and post-processing in the P20 Pro, you still end up with an incredibly versatile photography experience that’s hard to beat.

The problem isn’t with flagships, but with mid-range phones that choose a mediore dual-camera setup to appear more expensive than they are.

The problem isn’t with flagships whose primary sensors are already great to begin with, though — it’s with the mid-range and budget phones that take subpar photos, even with dual cameras. The Moto Z3 Play takes pretty good shots as it is, but the depth sensor feels largely unhelpful. I would’ve loved to have seen Motorola focus more on improving the primary sensor and its post-processing.

Are you a fan of dual cameras, or have you been proudly living the single lens life? Have you thought about switching sides, or does it even matter to you? Let us know in the comments below!

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+

• Galaxy S9 and S9+: Everything you need to know!
• Galaxy S9 review: A great phone for the masses
• Complete Galaxy S9 and S9+ specs
• Galaxy S9 vs. Galaxy S8: Should you upgrade?
• Join our Galaxy S9 forums

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Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+: Everything you need to know!

Samsung once again has a fantastic pair of flagships.

Samsung’s new Galaxy S9 and S9+ are definitely iterative updates over last year’s dramatically redesigned Galaxy S8 series, but that’s not a problem. Instead of going back to the drawing board altogether, Samsung focused on fixing a lot of the issues while making drastic improvements to the camera experience and retaining everything that made the last generation so great.

Whether you’re looking to buy or make the most of your new Galaxy S9, we have all of the information you need right here.

The latest Galaxy S9 news

July 31, 2018 — Characters from Frozen get their own AR Emoji pack

Joining the ranks of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, The Incredibles, and more, the latest Disney-themed AR Emoji pack coming to the S9/S9+ brings your favorite characters from Frozen to life.

After you download the Disney Frozen AR Emoji pack from the Galaxy Apps Store, you’ll be able to transform yourself into Elsa, Anna, Olaf, and Kristoff.

July 20, 2018 — New update brings 480 FPS manual slow-mo video recording

One of the big camera features for the Galaxy S9 is the ability to record things in 960 FPS ultra slow-mo. With a new update that’s rolling out to the S9 and S9+ now, there’s a new option for recording manual slow-motion videos at 480 FPS for 0.4 seconds worth of footage.

While 480 FPS isn’t quite as impressive as 960 FPS, the big difference here is that you can choose when to start recording slow-motion footage unlike the 960 FPS mode that automatically chooses for you. Also, 480 FPS video is limited to 720p.

The update is rolling out to handsets now, so be sure to keep an eye out for it.

All the big details

What are the big changes over the Galaxy S8 series?

In a word, the camera. Samsung has kept the primary sensor at 12 megapixels, but that’s where the similarities end. The S9 and S9+ have adjustable apertures, switching seamlessly between f/1.5 and f/2.4, sitting in front of an all-new sensor that is great in low light. The Galaxy S9+ also gets a second 12MP sensor with a “telephoto” lens that provides 2X zoom and facilitates Live Focus, Samsung’s version of portrait mode that debuted with the Galaxy Note 8.

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ specs

In terms of specs, the Galaxy S9+ (but only the S9+) has two more gigabytes of RAM than last year’s models. And let’s not downplay the importance of the fingerprint sensor being relocated to a much more sensible place on the back of the phone — below the now-vertical camera module.

Samsung Galaxy S9 review: A fantastic phone for the masses

Samsung Galaxy S9 India review: As good as it gets

Samsung Galaxy S9 review, 3 months later: Holding the high standard

Should you upgrade to the Galaxy S9?

This is the big question — and as always, it depends. If you’re running a Galaxy S6 or S7, and want to move to something new in the Samsung world, the answer is absolutely. If you’re rocking a still-new Galaxy S8 or Note 8, the answer is no. While there are substantial differences that clearly make the Galaxy S9 a better phone, the S8 is just a year old at this point, and has most of the Galaxy S9’s features thanks to its Android 8.0 Oreo update.

Samsung Galaxy S9 vs. Galaxy S8: Should you upgrade?

Samsung Galaxy S9+ vs. Galaxy Note 8: Which should you buy?

Is the Galaxy S9 better than the competition?

There are so many great phones on the market right now — how do you decide which one to buy? Here are our looks at the new phones compared to some of the best devices on the market.

The Galaxy S9 is the smaller of the flagships, and here’s how it compares to some of the other major phones on the market.

Samsung Galaxy S9 vs. iPhone X: The best of metal and glass

Samsung Galaxy S9 vs. Google Pixel 2: Which should you buy?

Samsung Galaxy S9 vs. Honor View 10

And how about the larger Galaxy S9+?

LG G7 vs. Samsung Galaxy S9+: Which should you buy?

Samsung Galaxy S9+ vs. Google Pixel 2 XL: The true flagships

OnePlus 6 vs. Samsung Galaxy S9+: Which should you buy?

Should you buy the Galaxy S9 or larger S9+?

OK, so you’ve made up your mind to buy the Galaxy S9 — but wait, should you get the S9 or the larger S9+?

Unlike last year, the Galaxy S9+ feels like more of the “default” choice of the two. It has extra RAM and a secondary rear camera in addition to its overall larger screen and bigger battery — yet the price delta between the two hasn’t changed. If you can handle the size difference and would like the extra battery life, go for the Galaxy S9+.

Here’s why the Galaxy S9+ is worth the extra money over the GS9

What colors are available?

Like last year, there are multiple colors of the Galaxy S9 series to purchase: Midnight Black, Lilac Purple, Coral Blue and Titanium Gray. U.S. buyers only get access to three of the four — silver is only available internationally — and both blue and purple are slight updates over last year.

A few months after the S9’s release, Samsung introduced two new colors in the form of Sunrise Gold and Burgundy Red.

Burgundy Red and Sunrise Gold are available around the world, and we took a look at the latter and it’s beautiful!

What color Galaxy S9 should I buy: Black, blue, purple, or silver?

Galaxy S9 and S9+ get Sunrise Gold and Burgundy Red color options; ARCore support

You can get as much as 256GB of internal storage

No matter where you decide to buy the Galaxy S9, 64GB is the default storage space that’s available with the phone. 64GB should be more than enough for most people, but if you want, you can always expand it with a microSD card.

However, if you’re someone who has a lot of local files and goes through GB like nothing, you may want to consider upgrading to a 128GB or even a 256GB model.

These larger configurations are sold exclusively on Samsung’s website and you’ll spend an extra $50 per each storage upgrade.

Samsung Galaxy S9: Which storage size should I buy?

Where can I get the best deal on a Galaxy S9?

The Galaxy S9 is now available worldwide, both from carriers and also unlocked.

In the U.S., the Galaxy S9 costs between $720 and $800, while the Galaxy S9+ goes for between $870 and $915. For all the details, take a look at our roundup of the best Galaxy S9 deals.

Where to buy the Galaxy S9: Best deals for your new phone

See at Verizon

Getting started with the Galaxy S9

Once you pick up your new phone, there are a few things you should do immediately. Here’s how to make your GS9 experience great!

The first 9 things to do with your Galaxy S9

The first 5 things to turn off in the Galaxy S9’s software

What’s this about bad battery life with the Exynos processor?

Samsung has regularly used both its own processors and Qualcomm’s latest chips in different markets, and it’s regularly been a point of discussion between enthusiasts as to which one is “better” overall.

In the Galaxy S9 and S9+, there’s a clear differentiation in that the Exynos versions of the phone have been getting much shorter battery life. To make things worse, the Qualcomm models are also outperforming Exynos in many synthetic benchmark tests.

So what can you do? Well, not much — Samsung doesn’t sell both versions of the phones in the same markets, so you can’t exactly cross-shop the two processors. The hope is that Samsung could update the firmware on the Exynos models to improve processor efficiency a bit.

Samsung Galaxy S9 battery problems, explained: Exynos vs. Snapdragon

Help me get started with accessories!

Once you have your Galaxy S9 or S9+, you’ll want to look into accessories like cases and screen protectors that make the phone even better. We’ve rounded up our favorites for you.

The best Galaxy S9 accessories

The best cases for the Galaxy S9

Four Great Quick Chargers for Galaxy S9

Spigen Rigged Armor case for Galaxy S9+ review: Low cost, rugged protection

Maxboost mSnap case for Galaxy S9 review: The only case you need

Having battery life problems?

The Galaxy S9 isn’t perfect —obviously, no phone is — but if you’re experiencing battery life problems, we have a guide on how to fix that.

How to fix Galaxy S9 battery life problems

Updated June 27, 2018: Added links to recent case reviews, accessory roundups, and information on new color options.

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+

• Galaxy S9 and S9+: Everything you need to know!
• Galaxy S9 review: A great phone for the masses
• Complete Galaxy S9 and S9+ specs
• Galaxy S9 vs. Galaxy S8: Should you upgrade?
• Join our Galaxy S9 forums

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Samsung’s Q2 2018 earnings confirm slow sales of the Galaxy S9

Mobile sales are expected to remain challenging.

Samsung just released its earnings report for the second quarter of the year, and in regards to its mobile sales, things are less than ideal.

Although no exact numbers were given, Samsung says that its IT & Mobile Communications division saw a drop in sales for both year-to-year and quarter-on-quarter performance due to the Galaxy S9 seeing “slow sales.” Despite that, the company’s network business “achieved solid growth” thanks to Samsung’s investments in LTE technologies.

Looking ahead, things might remain bleak for Samsung phones for a while. Per Samsung’s report:

The mobile market condition will likely remain challenging in the second half amid pricing competition and new product launches.

To help combat this, Samsung still has faith in the upcoming Galaxy Note 9 and other mid-to-low-range handsets that’ll be released this year.

As for overall sales, Q2 2018 (which ended on June 30) saw total quarterly revenue of KRW 58.48 trillion which is 4% less than what was reported in Q2 2017. On the flip side, quarterly operating profit saw a 6% increase at KRW 14.87 trillion.

A great single camera is always better than a mediocre dual camera

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 review, 11 months on: Big, powerful, and due for a refresh

This phone doesn’t need anything more than a few minor tweaks to be amazing.

Perhaps it’s all of the similarities between Note and Galaxy S releases nowadays, but it sure doesn’t feel like it’s been 11 months since I published our Galaxy Note 8 review. But now, as we approach the launch of the Galaxy Note 9, here I am using a nearly year-old Note 8.

Before we’re all wrapped up in the hype of its successor, it’s worth taking time to see how well the Note 8 has held up since the start of September 2017.

Mostly great

Galaxy Note 8 What’s held up

Y’know, the Galaxy Note 8 has some damn nice hardware. Sure it’s huge, and a bit tougher to use than the Galaxy S9+ — but the hardware is delightfully solid and of course beautiful. Just because it’s near-identical to the Galaxy S8 from earlier on in 2017 doesn’t mean it isn’t any less impressive or nice to hold. I particularly like it in black, which I’ve been using, because the sides, back and bezels all sort of meld together into a monolithic vibe. It’s a little slab-like, and the glass gets slippery, but despite the size I’ve managed to figure out over time the right hand and wrist contortions to make sure I can use it (mostly comfortably) with one hand when needed.

I don’t care how ‘old’ this design is, the Note 8 has damn nice hardware.

Coming back to the Note 8 a couple weeks ago after a couple brief stints on other devices, it was refreshing to have a headphone jack and wireless charging again. Despite the fact that I use Bluetooth almost exclusively, it’s still great to have that option of plugging in headphones when I need to — because I never have a USB-C headphone dongle with me. Every time I come back to my Samsung phones I fall right back into a routine of using wireless chargers, too, particularly on my bedside table at night. These are the little things you take for granted when you have a Samsung phone.

I have to revisit the robustness of the glass build of the phone. As I found in my seven-month report on the phone, the glass back has held up pretty well. Unlike my Galaxy S8 and S9 I don’t use the Note 8 in a case all that often because it’s so big to begin with — as such, I’d expect the glass to be more scratched … and it isn’t. There are the typical few deep scratches visible at any angle, but that’s normal. The rest of the fine scuffs take a far closer examination to show up. After almost a year of moderate use, I’d say that’s good.

No matter your thoughts on the design, the Note 8 has the strength of being dominated almost entirely by that massive Super AMOLED display, which is a benefit any time it comes on. It’s downright gorgeous from all angles, and impressively bright in all situations. I leave it in the “adaptive display” mode because I frankly don’t care about it being 100% accurate — I love how it looks with the colors turned up a bit. If you’ve only been using Samsung flagships for the past few years, you’ve been spoiled. Other companies aren’t shipping displays this good.

The glass back hasn’t deteriorated as expected, and the same can be said of the software performance.

If you’ve read any of my previous follow-up reviews for Samsung phones, I typically have to address the situation with the software slowing down over time. But in this case, much like the glass back, the software has held up far better than I expected. I had odd software issues just a couple months in, but since then I haven’t had a single problem — even after upgrading to Android 8.0 Oreo, which is particularly surprising. My Note 8 still flies in everything it does, despite the fact that I haven’t done any maintenance on it since factory resetting some nine months earlier. I still have well over 100 apps installed and plenty of other media loaded, and it doesn’t stutter or slow down with anything I throw at it.

The camera, too, has still been performing well. I can notice that it’s not quite as good as the Galaxy S9+, but it’s tough to judge the Note 8 too harshly on that account. I’ve taken countless wonderful photos with this camera, and in all but extremely dark scenes the quality is indistinguishable from Samsung’s latest flagship camera. The Note 8 may be a year old, but it still takes head-turning photos with ease.

A few complaints

Galaxy Note 8 What hasn’t aged well

The overwhelming majority of the Note 8 experience feels modern and high-end even 11 months after launch, but there are still a few areas that need improvement — and, indeed, we all expect them to be improved upon with the Galaxy Note 9.

There’s no sugar-coating this: the Note 8’s battery life isn’t good.

There’s no sugar-coating this: the Note 8’s battery life isn’t good. “Average” is the best way I can describe it, which is pretty bad considering the size of this phone and all of its capabilities. With a 3300mAh battery supporting very thirsty specs, software and display, it’s not all that surprising. But my Note 8 never really “settled in” to good battery life, even after making sure that everything on the phone was tuned in just how I use all of my other devices and the Device Maintenance settings doing their best to limit background processes and my least-used apps. When you’re hitting the Note 8 hard, such as when I’m navigating in Android Auto or using lots of mobile data for streaming video, the battery drops precipitously. But the weakest point of the battery life story is how it’s incapable of idling and conserving battery when it’s not being used. I can go through a full day at my desk, barely touching the phone, and it’ll still lose 40-50% over the course of the day just sitting there on Wi-Fi.

It seems as though Samsung’s going to solve this problem by just throwing a 4000mAh (or more?) battery in the Note 9. Yes, 20% more capacity will solve most of the problems here — but things would be even better if Samsung tightened the screws on the battery drains in the system as well.

I still use Samsung’s phones despite its software, not because of it.

I’m not sure how many different ways I can say this, but I still don’t love Samsung’s software. It’s fine. It works. I can do everything I want without much (if any) hassle. But that doesn’t mean I actually enjoy using it the same as I do my Pixel 2 XL or OnePlus 6. There’s just a lot going on in the interface, and even though I’ve turned a whole lot off there are still things that break up the experience and throw me off. Different design languages, punchy colors, unnecessary animations and of course the pile of Samsung apps I don’t want to use but can’t disable. As I said in my three-month-on review of the Galaxy S9+, “I still use the GS9+ despite its software, not because of it.”

I’ve never been a huge S Pen user, and a year of the Note 8 didn’t open any new doors to that experience.

I’ve never been a huge S Pen user, and a year of using the Note 8 hasn’t changed that habit. I’ve signed some documents, I’ve used it to scribble quick notes using “screen off memo” and I’ve killed time doodling (though I’m a horrible artist). But that’s about as deep as it goes. Truth is that in this digital age, writing or drawing on a phone feels like a highly inefficient use of my time and attention when I could be typing or dictating. Maybe Samsung has something truly innovative coming with the Note 9, as the S Pen experience hasn’t changed notably since the Note 3.

The rest of the complaints amassed over 11 months are rather minor. Samsung’s fingerprint sensor placement on the Note 8 is still indefensible, and really detracts from the phone’s overall experience. Face recognition works pretty well, but not well enough for me to forgive how badly designed this fingerprint sensor is. Further on the fringes, the Note 8’s speaker is pretty weak considering the size of the device. The new dual speaker setup on the Galaxy S9+ is a marked improvement over the Note 8’s tinny single speaker, and in a phone this big you expect better sound.

Big, powerful and ready for a refresh

Galaxy Note 8 11 months on

Even as we rapidly approach the Note 9’s announcement, the Note 8 has really held up well.

Even as we rapidly approach the Galaxy Note 9’s announcement, the Note 8 has really held up well. One of the benefits of Samsung’s delicate release cycle over the past couple of generations is that the “old” phones don’t really feel all that old even a year into their life. Add on the amazing consistency of its hardware, and with updates, software, and the year-old Note 8 doesn’t feel like a relic in the least.

Yes the Note 9 will come out with a larger battery, some spec bumps, new camera features and a few interesting S Pen advancements. But compared to the Note 8, it won’t be a revelatory difference in experience. Aside from a few small quirks, which haven’t gotten any worse over the last year of its existence, the Note 8 is still a fine phone for the Samsung power user who wants it all.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

• Galaxy Note 8 review
• Galaxy Note 8 vs. Galaxy S8+
• Which Note 8 color is best?
• Complete Galaxy Note 8 specs
• Join our Galaxy Note 8 forums

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Google Clock now supports musical alarms with Spotify integration

The feature’s rolling out now and available for Android 5.0 and above.

Clock apps are probably the least exciting thing to talk about, but without a doubt, one of the best ones is the official Google Clock. The app’s already fast, smooth, and easy-to-use, but today it’s getting a big upgrade with support for musical alarms thanks to a new partnership with Spotify.

When you’re making/editing an alarm in Google Clock, you’ll now see a new Spotify tab next to the Sounds one that houses all of the traditional alarm tones. Here, you can choose to wake up to a recommended playlist or a specific song.

After your musical alarm starts playing, you can choose to keep listening to the song on Spotify right where it left off after toggling the alarm off. Better yet, both Spotify Free and Premium users can take advantage of this new feature.

You’ll need the latest versions of Google Clock and Spotify installed on your phone in order for this to work, and according to Google, all users running Android 5.0 or later should have access to it within the next week.

Download: Google Clock (free)