Are screen protectors for your phone worth it?

A little protection never hurt anyone.

When it comes to protecting your phone, the two go-to accessories are often cases and screen protectors.

There are a variety of cases ranging from super-slim ones to heavy-duty options, and with screen protectors, you have your choice between a plastic film or tempered glass.

Using both of these at once is the ultimate way to protect your device, but if you’re already using a case that comes up over the screen, is it really necessary to use a screen protector, too?

Here’s what some of our forum users have to say on that matter.

ankit_khandelwal
07-17-2018 09:11 PM

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No. Just get a good case with screen bumbs to provide resistance when phone drops on the ground.

Reply

PachecoCorporationCeo
07-18-2018 02:59 AM

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Like this person said screen protectors aren’t necessary but cases vary. I regret not putting one on my pixel 2 it has a lot of micro scratches now.

Reply

Morty2264
07-18-2018 03:21 PM

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I definitely see the need for one – but moreso based on my usage patterns and my paranoia about breaking my sensitive technology. I’m always afraid to drop my phone or that the screen will crack or get scratches; so a tempered glass screen protector that has a “like glass” look and feel is the only way to go for me.

Reply

TripleOne
07-18-2018 06:02 AM

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I no longer use screen protectors on my devices. I’ve only had the Pixel 2 XL for a week and I’ve got micro scratches on it already.

Reply

Now, we’d love to know what you think — Is it important to use screen protectors on phones?

Join the conversation in the forums!

Best PlayStation 4 Controllers in 2018

A great PS4 experience deserves a great controller.

The stock controller for the PlayStation 4 is very good, but it’s not for everyone. Fortunately, there are a lot of options out there that offer a different experience and cater to different markets. Whether you’re a competitive gamer, have kids who want to play, or just want to sharpen up your experience, a good controller is important. Pick up one of these options if you’re looking for something to change up your play.

• Scuf Impact
• Razer Raiju
• Sony DualShock 4
• Nacon Revolution
• Hori Mini Wired Gamepad
• Hori Onyx

Scuf Impact

Scuf controllers are used by a large portion of the pro-gamers who play on console, and the Impact is the company’s latest and greatest effort for the PS4. The basic shape is the same as the regular PlayStation DualShock 4, but the grips are longer and the whole thing is less angular.

As a result, you have room for four paddles on the back which can be remapped with Scut’s EMR technology to whichever face buttons you wish. There are also trigger stops for faster reactions in shooters and wireless charging over a regular micro USB cable.

None of the major features of a PS4 controller are lost. You still get the headset jack at the bottom and the trackpad remains where it should be. As it’s a Scuf, though, you can customize the dickens out of it with wild paint jobs and different style or size analog sticks. It isn’t cheap, starting at $140, but it’s as close to the ultimate PS4 controller as you can get right now.

See at Scuf Gaming

Razer Raiju

Razer doesn’t mess around when it comes to making gaming peripherals and the Raiju is no exception. It’s specifically designed for esports and the pro players that compete in them. While the main layout is the same as you’d find on a standard controller, that’s pretty much where the similarities end.

Like the Scuf Impact, the shape is less angular and really comfortable to hold. Bear in mind that the Raiju is a wired controller, but you do get a nifty audio control bar at the bottom to manage your party chat and in-game audio levels.

Around the back, you’ve got a couple additional triggers and two more buttons on top next to the bumpers. These are a staple on pro-class controllers and while Razer’s implementation is pretty unique to the Raiju, the end result is the same. It’s tough and feature packed, albeit a little pricey at $150.

See at Amazon

Sony DualShock 4

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? The DualShock 4 is the standard controller that comes in the box and therefore, comes with the design we’ve come to expect.

That means analog sticks in the center, D-Pad to the left and buttons to the right, with bumpers and triggers where you’d hope to find them. The DualShock 4 is the first to implement a touchpad, and you get a neat glowing lightbar that has applications beyond just looking pretty.

If you like it already but wish it were a little more interesting, Sony has a range of different colors available. The red one here is pretty hot at $44, but new variants keep appearing all the time.

See at Amazon

Nacon Revolution

Some folks love PS4 but wish the controller was more like the Xbox One’s with it’s offset analog sticks. Many find this layout more ergonomic, which makes the Nacon Revolution a great option to try. It’s wired, so you can’t sit too far away from the console, but the shape and layout are pretty similar to what you’d find with the Xbox.

It’s also another pro-grade controller, which means you’ve got additional buttons on the back so you can keep firing without taking your thumbs off the sticks.

In advanced mode you can switch between four different profiles, where the buttons can be remapped, sensitivity and dead zones can be adjusted,and you can even assign macros, which are useful in fighting games. It’s also cheaper than other pro-grade controllers at $94.

See at Amazon

Hori Mini Wired Gamepad

Need a solid controller for younger, smaller hands that doesn’t cost a lot? Or maybe you’re a traveling PS4 gamer that needs something compact. That’s where the excellent Hori Mini Wired Gamepad comes in.

As the name implies, this is a wired controller, but it’s also small. It’s a good deal more compact than a regular controller, with a flat profile rather than the angled design of the standard controller. The touchpad is missing, which is OK, but there’s a button in place for when you might need it.

The cable is 10-feet long, so you can get a decent distance away from your console, and it comes in a lovely shade of blue. It’s also only $30, which makes it a no-brainer if you have kids.

See at Target

Hori Onyx

If you’re a PS4 gamer but you’ve always prefered the style and feel of an Xbox controller, I have great news for you.

The Hori Onyx controller gives you all the same functionality of a PS4 controller in a different form. You get a wider and beefier grip with offset analog sticks, so you get the same sensation playing on your PS4 as you would on your Xbox.

We live in a modern and wonderful world where we can all customize our gaming expereince to suit our own needs and comfort levels. If this controller seems right for you, you can pick it up for $90 at Amazon

See at Amazon

What controller did you pick up for your console?

Let us know which one is your favorite down in the comments below!

Updated July 2018: We’ve updated this post with the Hori Onyx.

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Three ways Android Auto drives circles around Apple CarPlay

If you want to use your phone in the car, then Android is your best bet — and for many, it’s your only option.

Using your phone in the car is an often awkward and often downright dangerous task. No one in their right mind should be using their phone one-handed while they drive to text, call, or open up some music. With this in mind, both Google and Apple have standardized, easy-to-use car modes for their mobile platforms, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Both have been around for years now, but the gap between them has been slowly widening and widening as they drive towards maturity.

And Android Auto is leaving Apple CarPlay in the dust, thanks to three performance boosts.

The one place Android beats Apple in apps

Third-party maps and apps

Android has traditionally been more welcoming of third-party apps, especially when it comes to setting them as the default for system actions and preferences. Nowhere is this more apparent and appreciated than in the car, as one of the biggest pitfalls with Apple CarPlay today is that it forces you to use Apple Maps over more popular navigation apps like Google Maps and Waze. Apple looks to finally remedy this in iOS 12, to the cheers of Apple users everywhere, but maps isn’t the only app category where CarPlay is lacking over Android Auto.

When you get in the car, music isn’t the only thing you might want to listen to, but Apple CarPlay is sorely lacking when it comes to media apps compatible with the service, and most of the media apps available are music subscription services. Android Auto, on the other hand, allows media apps of all kinds to work in Android Auto, from podcast apps and audiobooks to radio show apps and even police scanner apps. And of course, there are dozens and dozens of music apps that support Android Auto, both streaming music subscription services and local MP3 players.

Additionally, since Android Auto strictly regulates the layout of media apps in Android Auto, no matter which app you use, they’re all equally easy to use and navigate.

Assistant for the assist

Voice control reliability and flexibility

It’s no secret that Google Assistant has long surpassed Siri as a voice assistant, and that dominance is just as apparent in the car as it is on the phone. Google Assistant’s AI prowess allows it better recognize commands on noisy roads, and its AI better recognizes the contexts and actions within those commands so that Google can do what you actually want instead of embarrassing you in front of your whole carpool.

Google Assistant in the car can tie into Google Assistant actions for smart homes and other devices. The Broadcast command that will let you announce that you’re on the way home with the pizza while you’re pulling out of the parking lot, and smart home controls allow Google Assistant turn down the AC so that the fan’s blowing when you walk out of the sweltering Texas heat into your apartment.

Look, ma, no car!

Android Auto has the ultimate compatibility: Running independently

While I love having a shiny, new car with a shiny, new Android Auto-compatible radio, I had been needing a car for three years already. Most people are not, nor are most people inclined to spend hundreds of dollars on a new radio when their current radio is still technically functional. That’s okay, because this is where Android Auto’s biggest ace in the hole shines through.

You can use Android Auto independently of any car, or any other transportation device you use.

Android Auto has been able to run natively on your phone since 2016, meaning that whether you’re rocking a car from 2018 or 1918, you can use Android Auto in your car so long as you’ve got an Android phone and a place to mount your phone in your car. Is the experience quite as seamless as using it through a car stereo with steering wheel controls? No, it’s not, but you still get the larger distraction-free UI, the hands-free map/call/music controls and you can set Android Auto to launch every time your phone pairs with the Bluetooth in your car.

To use Android Auto after your initial setup, all you need to do is turn on your car, put your phone on its designated mount, and start driving.

Read more: How to set up Android Auto on your phone so you’ll actually use it

Are you ready for a test drive?

While Apple could start catching up with the updates to CarPlay in iOS 12 this fall, Android Auto is still the best by far today thanks to Google Assistant and the independence of being able to run Android Auto without hooking it up to one of a few hundred compatible radios.

All About Android Auto

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What’s new in August 2018 on Amazon Prime Video and Hulu

You read that right. It’s almost August. Here’s what’s new on Prime Video. And Hulu.

Let us just put things like this: There are so many great old movies available on Amazon Prime Video in August — that is, for free with your Prime Membership — that we can’t list them all here. (We can, however, list them at CordCutters.com, so hit that link below.)

But, really, August means we’re finally going to get to see John Krasinski as Jack Ryan. OK, at the end of August, but still in August. It can’t come soon enough.

As for Hulu? Well. There’s also a ton of great content — movies, shows and more. In a word? Terminator!

Read: What’s new on Prime Video for August 2018Also: What’s new on Hulu for August 2018

Update July 19: Added Hulu’s listings for August.

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Instagram’s new Q&A feature is a bigger deal than you think

Bringing the photo platform another step closer to being a full-fledged social platform.

If you’ve been on Instagram in the last week or so, you’ve probably noticed some of your friends using the new Questions feature in their Stories. You might have even tried it for yourself — it attaches to an image or video in your Story just like any other sticker, and you can add whatever you want to the text field, resize or move the sticker, and field replies to answer and post to your Story.

You might even already be annoyed with the feature and how many Story posts it encourages — every time you answer a question, it gets shared to your Story unless you choose to send your response directly to the person who asked. Some users’ Stories are longer than ever as they try to answer every question that crops up, but don’t worry. As with any new feature rollout, use will settle down as more and more people get the initial urge to try it out of their systems.

Whether or not you like the implementation of Questions in Instagram Stories, they’re a much bigger deal than you might think. Over the last few years, Instagram has gradually been inching away from its initial positioning as a social network strictly for photos. At first, it gained support for 15-second videos, then 60 seconds, and now IGTV supports long-form video up to an hour long.

On top of adding video support, Stories completely overtook Snapchat with ephemeral images and videos, filters, and add-ons like location stickers and polls. The new Questions sticker builds onto Instagram’s empire with a more interactive and engaging nature; aside from polls, Stories have been more or less one-sided, giving your followers a peak into the behind-the-scenes goings of your daily life. Sure, you could send someone a direct message in reference to their Story, but this is different. This is entirely open-ended and public.

While it may be a bit annoying at first that every answered question takes up a post in your Story, it fills an important role in allowing Instagram to replace even more services. At this point, It’s hard to imagine Instagram replacing sites like YouTube entirely, but a few years the same could be said about Periscope, Snapchat, and Vine. Questions obviates the need for popular Q&A sites like Ask.fm, Curious Cat, and to some extent, even Tumblr. It’s almost even like Twitter in a way. If Instagram’s goal is to keep you from going elsewhere — and it is — this takes them a step further in the right direction.

Have you tried Questions yet, or at least seen others use it? Do you like its open-ended nature, or are you tired of scrolling through endless answers in your feed? Let us know in the comments below!

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Google’s Fuchsia OS may replace Android in 5 years

The end goal is to have Fuchsia on phones, computers, smart speakers, and more.

Ever since 2016, Google’s been chugging along with the development of a new operating system called “Fuchsia.” Fuchsia’s been expected to replace Android at some point down the road, but the timeline for this has been pretty murky — at least until now.

A new report recently popped up from Bloomberg, and according to sources that spoke with the publication:

Ultimately the team [Google’s Fuchsia team] aspires to swap in their system for Android, the software that powers more than three-quarters of the world’s smartphones, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing internal matters. The aim for this is to happen in the next half decade, one person said.

Furthermore, Google also plans to have Fuchsia running on smart speakers and other “connected home devices” within the next three years.

Bloomberg’s report goes on to reiterate things we’ve already been anticipating for Fuchsia, most notably how Google wants it to eventually be the single operating system that powers smartphones, tablets, computers, smart home devices, etc. The OS is being designed to work on screens of all sizes and form factors, and to not much surprise, Google wants voice control to be at the core of Fuchsia.

It’s certainly exciting to think that we may have a brand new operating system from Google in five years time, but as it’s noted here, Google’s “yet to sign off on any roadmap for Fuchsia.”

Are you looking forward to an Android successor?

The EU Antitrust case against Android sucks for everyone, especially you

Aukey’s mini Bluetooth speaker is down to its lowest price ever right now

Big sound from a small package.

Aukey is well-known for making great accessories for our gadgets, including charging gear and Bluetooth add-ons. This mini Bluetooth speaker is no exception, and right now you can pick one up for its lowest price ever, just $14.99. It normally sells for almost double this.

Don’t let the small package fool you, though. It has a 5W speaker inside and offers 10 hours of playback per charge. If you don’t want everyone connecting their phone to your speaker via Bluetooth you can opt to use the Aux connection or microSD card slot instead. It also has a built-in mic which allows you to not only listen to music on it but also take phone calls when needed.

This speaker is backed by a 45-day money back guarantee and a 24-month warranty from Aukey.

See at Amazon

LG V40 ThinQ: News, Rumors, Release Date, Specs, and More!

This is LG’s most powerful phone of 2018.

Last year saw a big shift for LG’s V series. Unlike the V10 and V20 that experimented with metal designs, removable batteries, and secondary ticker displays, the V30 introduced a slick glass back, incredibly slim bezels, and a pOLED screen made by LG itself.

We’re anticipating the V40 to share a lot of similarities to its predecessor and this year’s recently announced LG V35, and as new information trickles in, we’ll be regularly updating this guide to help keep you up-date on everything that’s going on.

Without further delay, here’s everything we know about the LG V40!

The latest LG V40 news

July 19, 2018 — LG to launch the V40 on October 5, reported to have a 90% screen-to-body ratio

A new report from ETNews recently broke, and if you weren’t already excited about the V40, this just may change your mind.

Following last month’s rumor of the V40 having a total of five cameras, ETNews says that three of these will be on the back of the phone and consist of 20MP primary, 16MP wide-angle, and 13MP telephoto sensors. The remaining two cameras will be on the front and allow for a 3D facial recognition system.

Speaking of the V40’s front, it’s said that we’ll be met with an impressive screen-to-body ratio of 90%. LG will apparently have a “different from the conventional” method for keeping bezels so small, suggesting that the company might have found an alternative solution to the notch.

Lastly, LG will reportedly announce the phone during IFA late next month and then begin sales on October 5.

June 26, 2018 — The V40 will reportedly have a total of five cameras, a notch in its display, and face unlock system

News dump alert! Our friends at Android Police recently spoke with a source that’s apparently familiar with the V40’s development, and as such, we’ve got some juicy new details about the phone.

First and foremost, it’s reported that the LG V40 will ship with a total of five cameras. We can’t say with 100% certainty how these will be positioned on the phone, but it’s likely we’ll get two on the front and three on the back. Speaking of cameras, LG’s working on a new face unlock system that could feature 3D mapping technology, not unlike the iPhone X’s Face ID.

Something else to take note of is the fact that the V40 is said to come with a notch in its display. LG will allow you to use software to hide the notch just like it does on the G7, but as expected, this is a trend you just can’t escape for the time being.

Other reported features are the Snapdragon 845, rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, and a dedicated Google Assistant button next to the volume rocker.

What specs can we expect?

Talk about the V40’s specs is still relatively quiet, but even so, we can make a few guesses about what it’ll come equipped with.

At the heart of the V40 will likely be Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 processor. This has been the chipset of choice for most 2018 flagships, and as we’ve seen before, the 845 is a beast when it comes to performance, camera processing, battery life, and more.

Something else the V40 will likely carry is an OLED display. In May, LG confirmed that it reserves its OLED panels for entries in the V series. Unless something has radically changed since then, this is a sure bet that the V40 will be graced with an OLED screen.

Lastly, the V40 will come with at least two cameras on the back. We don’t know what kind of sensors will be used or what the aperture rating will be like, but similar to past LG flagships, we should get a primary lens with a regular focal length and a secondary, wide angle one.

When will the LG V40 be released?

According to one source, the V40 is scheduled for a release in either the late summer or early fall of this year. If accurate, this will see it launched during a similar window compared to the September 21 release of the V30.

Along with this, another publication claims that the V40 will be announced during IFA (late August / early September) and then go on sale about a month later on October 5.

How much will it cost?

We have a pretty good idea as to when the V40 will be released, but what about its price?

Details on this are still few and far between, but to make an educated guess, let’s first look at past retail pricing for other entries in the V series.

• LG V10 — $600
• LG V20 — $830
• LG V30 — $800
• LG V30S — $930
• LG V35 — $900

LG’s been steadily increasing the price of its V phones with just about every release, and based on the most recent V30S and V35, I think it’s safe to say that the V40 will cost around $900 and possibly cross that $1000 threshold.

The V series has never been cheap and the V40 won’t be an exception to that rule.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 rumors: Release date, specs, price, and features!

LG V30 + V30S ThinQ

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Comcast Bows Out of Competition for Fox, CEO Congratulates Disney as Bidding War Ends

After a summer of back-and-forth bids between Comcast and Disney for select entertainment assets owned by 21st Century Fox, Comcast today confirmed that it is bowing out of the bidding war for Fox. The company says the move is to instead focus on acquiring European satellite TV provider Sky, another much-sought-after entertainment company that is seeing interest from the likes of Comcast, Fox, and Disney (via Variety).

For the purchase of 21st Century Fox, this means that Disney is now expected to finally win the bid and close out the acquisition deal in the near future. The most recent steps in that process saw Disney and Fox agree to a $71.3 billion cash and stock deal, which has now also been approved by the Department of Justice on the condition that Disney sells off 22 regional Fox sports networks.

In the announcement confirming that it will not place another bid on Fox, Comcast CEO Brian L. Roberts congratulated Disney and its CEO Bob Iger:

“Comcast does not intend to pursue further the acquisition of the Twenty-First Century Fox assets and, instead, will focus on our recommended offer for Sky,” the company said in a statement Thursday.

Brian L. Roberts, Comcast chairman-CEO, added: “I’d like to congratulate Bob Iger and the team at Disney and commend the Murdoch family and Fox for creating such a desirable and respected company.”

Disney originally announced interest in acquiring 21st Century Fox last December, starting its bidding at $52.4 billion in stock before Comcast forced it to increase the amount and introduce a cash component. Once the acquisition is final, Disney will own Twentieth Century Fox Film and Television Studios and Fox-related cable and international TV businesses.

At the time, Disney leadership said that the new Fox assets will build on the company’s “commitment to deliver the highest quality branded entertainment,” as well as fuel its ability to “create more appealing content.” The company also referenced its intent to deliver a “more compelling” entertainment experience to Disney consumers “whenever and however” they choose.

Disney said that the Fox assets would accelerate its use of certain technologies, including the recently acquired BAMTech platform, which it aims to use for its solo-streaming service. With the acquisition, Disney will immediately gain a large stable of old and new television shows and movies to populate its upcoming streaming service, expected to launch in 2019 and compete with Apple’s own streaming TV service.

Tags: Disney, Comcast, Fox
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2018 13-Inch MacBook Pro With Touch Bar Has Four Full-Speed Thunderbolt 3 Ports

Apple has confirmed that the new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar is equipped with four full-speed Thunderbolt 3 ports.

2018 models ship with Intel’s eighth-generation Core i5 or Core i7 processors, which both support up to 16 PCI Express lanes, providing enough bandwidth for maximum data transfer speeds up to 40Gb/s on all four Thunderbolt 3 ports.

2016 and 2017 models of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar could be configured with sixth- and seventh-generation Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors, which supported up to 12 PCI Express lanes, limiting full speeds to the two left-side Thunderbolt 3 ports, with reduced bandwidth on the right-side ports.

Now, users have the freedom to plug higher-performance peripherals into any Thunderbolt 3 port they desire without compromise.

All three generations of the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar have always had four full-speed Thunderbolt 3 ports, while the 13-inch MacBook Pro with function keys has only two Thunderbolt 3 ports, both full speed.

Related Roundup: MacBook ProTag: Thunderbolt 3Buyer’s Guide: MacBook Pro (Buy Now)
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