Your 5G Samsung phone will have a massive amount of RAM

Samsung has developed a new RAM module for use in future smartphones, and it’s designed to help make phones with 5G technology and more powerful artificial intelligence a reality. If that wasn’t enough, Samsung promises the RAM will operate in a way that reduces power consumption by 30 percent compared to its existing RAM modules, resulting in more battery life and greater efficiency.

The LPDDR5 module, for the technically interested, is the first 10-nanometer-class 8GB RAM we’ve seen, and it joins two 16GB RAM modules Samsung already produces in its premium 10nm class, although these are not designed for mobile devices. Currently, the RAM modules have been tested at prototype stage, and will be mass produced at its Pyeongtaek factory in South Korea.

What benefits will it bring, outside of the lower power consumption? Data transfer runs at a higher rate, and is 1.5 times faster than the LPDDR4X RAM chips used in current range-topping smartphones. Samsung gives an example of the speed, claiming the RAM can send 51.2GB of data in a second. There will be two versions of the RAM available to Samsung and its partners, one with a 6,400Mb/s transfer rate — to which the above performance figure relates — and the other with a 5,500Mb/s rate.

The RAM will be used to power Samsung’s 5G phones, and new artificial intelligence and machine learning apps and services. Samsung also adds it will be compatible with UHD resolution screens, generally accepted to mean a 3,840 x 2,160 pixel resolution, and will potentially be used in automotive systems as well.

Despite Samsung raving about its new 8GB RAM stick, and that number being impressive; we shouldn’t forget we can go out and buy a smartphone with 8GB of RAM right now — the OnePlus 6 and the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 are just two examples. Samsung itself built an 8GB RAM module in 2016, based on the LPDDR4 class at the time. So why should you care about this announcement?

It’s the speed, efficiency, and optimization for next-generation technology that makes it exciting. 5G will arrive in the not too distant future, and A.I. is only going to increase in popularity and general use. For us to really enjoy the benefits, the underlying technology also has to improve, and this is one of the crucial steps involved. There’s also the chance the Galaxy S10 may be one of the first Samsung phones with this new, high performance RAM module, whether it has 5G support or not.

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• OnePlus 6: Everything you need to know
• AT&T brings ‘5G Evolution’ to more than 100 new markets

Get a new washer and dryer with this Prime Day sale on Kenmore appliances

Upgrade with your Prime membership.

Got some empty washer and dryer hookups? Or old machines that need replacing? Time to invest in some new appliances. This Prime Day sale features Kenmore gas and electric washers and dryers going for low prices. The prices start as low as $770 and all of them are discounted with your Prime membership. You can choose between gas or electric versions as well.

The Kenmore Elite front-load washer is the least expensive item in the sale. It’s going for $769.99. It normally sells for around $1,100, and this deal includes both free delivery and free hookup.

Pair it with the Kenmore Smart electric dryer for $839.93. That’s down from a street price around $1,100 as well. This deal also comes with free delivery and hookup. Plus, this dryer is smart enough to work with Amazon Alexa.

You can also get a good deal on an oven in this sale. The Kenmore Elite self-cleaning electric double oven range is down to $1,119.99. It normally sells for as much as $1,600, so that’s a nice chunk off the price.

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Vivo NEX vs. OPPO Find X: Which futuristic phone is better?

These are two of the best options if you’re looking for a truly bezel-less phone.

The Vivo NEX and the Find X are two of the hottest phones right now. Both devices rely on motorized sliders as a way of hiding the camera module. In the case of the Find X, both the rear and front cameras are hidden behind the slider, whereas the NEX has a pop-up front camera that kicks in whenever needed.

Great hardware is table stakes considering these devices cost well over $700, and in this regard, they’re right up there with the best that Google and Samsung have to offer. Both devices are powered by the Snapdragon 845, and come with FHD+ AMOLED displays, 8GB of RAM, up to 256GB of internal storage, and dual rear cameras. Although the internal hardware is identical, each device offers unique features that sets it apart. Here’s what you need to know about the latest from OPPO and Vivo.

What the OPPO Find X does better

Image courtesy: The Verge

The Find X forgoes the usual fingerprint sensor for facial recognition — so the default way of unlocking the phone involves using the front camera to authenticate your features. To do so, you’ll have to wake the display and swipe up, which activates the camera. The entire process takes under a half-second, so there isn’t too great a delay between OPPO’s solution and a standard fingerprint sensor.

The Find X is the closest you can get to a bezel-less phone right now.

The Find X wins the battle for shrinking bezels. The Vivo NEX has a 91% screen-to-body ratio, and the Find X outdoes that with a 93.2%. That may not seem like a lot, but right now the Find X is the closest you can get to a bezel-less phone.

Because the camera module is hidden away behind the slider, you don’t have to worry about a notch marring the look up front. The Find X has a glass back with an interesting color-shift pattern that has bold colors near the edges of the frame that gradually fades to a duller hue closer to the middle of the device.

What the Vivo NEX does better

With both phones featuring mechanical sliders, long-term durability becomes a legitimate worry as there are a lot of moving parts involved in retracting the camera module. In this area, the Vivo NEX is likely to be more durable as the retractable motor doesn’t need to engage every time you unlock the phone. Instead, it only kicks in whenever you need to use the front camera, making it a more elegant implementation.

The Vivo NEX has an in-display fingerprint sensor that is faster than what we’ve seen so far.

The primary biometric authentication method on the Vivo NEX is an in-display fingerprint sensor, with the manufacturer using a third-gen module that is claimed to be faster and more reliable over its predecessors.

I used the Vivo X21 for a few weeks earlier this year, and the in-display sensor in that device was slower than the standard fingerprint sensors — but not by a huge margin. With the NEX using a newer module, it is just as speedy as a regular fingerprint sensor. The Find X has a bold design at the back, and the NEX is no different: it has a geometric pattern at the back that shifts color based on light reflecting off its surface.

Which should you buy?

If you’re in the market for a truly bezel-less phone, the Vivo NEX is a better idea right now. You’ll be able to use it with a case — the bundled case has a wide cutout up top to accommodate the front camera module — and it has a traditional fingerprint sensor, albeit one that’s embedded in the panel itself.

For now, India is the only global market where both of these devices are confirmed to go on sale. The Find X will be up for grabs from the first week of August for ₹59,990 ($875), and the Vivo NEX is set to launch in the country later this week for ₹48,990 ($730).

The Find X will not be making its way to the U.S., but it should be launching in other North American markets. Similarly, the Vivo NEX will debut in Asian markets, but as of now there’s no information regarding the device’s availability in Western countries.

What’s new in August 2018 on Amazon Prime Video

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

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.

Read at CordCutters.com: What’s new on Prime Video for August 2018

Best Amazon Prime Day Deals

SanDisk SSD Plus 1TB solid state drive

$149.99


$250.00


Save $100

I would get this deal if I didn’t already have an SSD. This is so much space for such a small price.

Prime Day Luxury Beauty Sale

From hair, skin, and nailcare to fun products like makeup, this is an easy way to save on items that are rarely discounted.

Bissell CrossWave Floor Cleaner w/ Wet-Dry Vacuum

$174.99


$250.00


Save $75

Whether you have carpet or hardwood, this Prime Day deal will help you get your floors in tip-top shape.

Zojirushi Stainless 20-ounce Mug

$20.79


$30.00


Save $9

These highly-rated mugs have never sold for less than this.

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Best tricks to fix YouTube’s most annoying features

YouTube is a simple service with a lot of not-so-simple problems to it.

It’s easy for YouTube to frustrate users because beneath the challenge videos and endless comment sections are a lot of features that can really make or break your experience. You thought you turned off Autoplay, but it still seems to be turned on when you’re showing your family videos on the TV. You get notifications when people across the house are casting. Why? And more importantly, how do you end these annoyances? Here’s how.

• How to control and stop someone casting from YouTube
• How to keep YouTube from Autoplaying when casting
• How to quickly skip forward or backward in a YouTube video
• How to change how far your double-tap to seek goes
• How to disable picture-in-picture

How to control and stop someone casting from YouTube

By default, when someone casts content from YouTube (or most other apps) to a Chromecast, everyone else connected to the same router as at that Chromecast will receive a notification that allows them to control that content as its being cast. This can be useful if you need to pause or stop someone casting YouTube to a TV, as when a family member leaves the room without stopping their cast or when a family member gets a call and needs to pause the video while their phone is already in use.

Open your notification shade by swiping down from the top of your screen.
Tap the down arrow next to Chromecast name to reveal the full controls if the notification is not already expanded.
There are five controls available on this notification:

• To pause the video, tap Pause.
• To turn off the volume tap Mute.
• To stop the video, tap Stop.
• To open the Google Home app and rewind or fast forward within the song, tap a blank space in the Google Cast notification.

To stop these notifications from popping up again, tap the settings gear.

Tap Media controls for Cast devices to toggle these notifications off on this device.

It’s worth noting that this toggle does not apply to all devices on your account. You have to turn it off on every device you don’t want them showing up on.

How to keep YouTube from Autoplaying when casting

You’d think that if you don’t want Autoplay while you’re watching on your phone, you wouldn’t want it while you’re casting, either, right? Well, apparently YouTube doesn’t see it that way, because toggling off everything in the Autoplay section of YouTube’s settings doesn’t turn off Autoplay while casting. In fact, the only way to change this setting is to change it while you’re casting something, so let’s go ahead and cast something and turn it off now so it doesn’t bite us while we’re watching something later on!

Open YouTube.
Tap the Google Cast icon in the top bar.
If there is more than one Chromecast on your current Wi-Fi, tap the Chromecast you want to cast to.

Tap a video.

Tap Play.
Tap Queue at the bottom of the video playback screen.

Tap Autoplay is on to toggle it off.

You can now stop casting your video and go about your business, content that YouTube won’t run rampant on you while cast.

How to quickly skip forward or backward in a YouTube video

Ever watch a video, then someone walks in and makes you miss the best part? Well, we can’t stop the intrusions, but we can quickly rewind and skip ahead in a YouTube video.

• To rewind a few seconds, double-tap the left side of the video screen away from the visible controls.
• To skip ahead a few seconds, double-tap the right side of the video screen away from the visible controls.

You can compound the initial double-tap to skip further and further. If you want to, you can also shift the amount of time a single double-tap will skip.

How to change how far your double-tap to seek goes

Some people want a double-tap to skip longer periods so that they don’t have to double-tap quite so many times, while some people want to double-tap to skip shorter periods to allow for more precision seeking. Luckily, YouTube caters to both crowds, and here’s how to set your double-tap to seek value:

Open YouTube.
Tap your avatar in the top right corner.

Tap Settings.

Tap General.
Tap Double-tap to seek.

Select the increment you prefer to seek at.

How to disable picture-in-picture

Picture-in-picture used to be reserved for YouTube Premium subscribers, but the feature has since rolled out to free users as well, and while it is a useful feature for many, picture-in-picture can be a downright pain sometimes. Thankfully, it can be disabled quite easily, as can background playback if that’s a YouTube Premium feature you’d like to turn off.

How to disable picture-in-picture in YouTube

Questions?

Let us know in the comments below!

Updated July 2018: We’ve expanded this guide to include how to turn off picture-in picture since it’s been added to non-Premium accounts.

These Prime Day discounts make Philips Hue lights far more affordable

Light up your room with some colorful lights.

Philips Hue is one of the most well-known smart light makers, and people tend to fall in love with the bulbs once they try them out. Amazon currently has a whole bunch of Philips Hue products on sale, from single bulbs to multipacks, and even bundles.

Whether you’re looking to kickstart an obsession or scratch an itch and add a few more bulbs, you’re going to want to check out these great offers before they sell out.

The deals you won’t want to miss include:

• 2-Bulb White Starter Kit – $54.99 (Was $70)
• 2-Bulb Starter Kit with Echo Dot Bundle – $119.99 (Was $200)
• 2-Pack White Dimmable LED Bulbs – $34.99 (Was $50)
• 4-Pack White Dimmable LED Bulbs – $39.99 (Was $50)
• White & Color Ambiance Bulbs – $36.99 (Was $50)
• White Candle LED Lights – $22.99 (Was $30)
• Color Candle LED Lights – $34.99 (Was $50)
• White & Color Ambiance LightStrip+ – $64.99 (Was $90)
• Hue Go White & Color Portable Table Lamp – $62.99 (Was $80)

There are a few other discounts available as well, so be sure to check them out. You can also check out more smart home-related deals here.

Sonos Beam Now Available for Purchase From Sonos Website and in Retail Stores

The latest Sonos product, the Sonos Beam, is today available for purchase from the Sonos website and from various retailers around the world.

First announced in June, the Sonos Beam has been available for pre-order, but today is its official launch date. The Sonos Beam is a $399 smart, compact sound bar that’s designed for use with TV sets.

Sonos says the Beam offers five Class-D digital amplifiers, four full-range woofers for true playback of mid-range vocal frequencies, one tweeter for creating crisp and clear dialogue, three passive radiators for deep, warm bass, and a five far-field microphone array.

Available in black or white, the Sonos Beam includes features like a dialog clarity speech enhancement to make dialog in TV shows and movies easier to hear, and there’s a night sound mode for watching late night TV without waking the house.

Like the Sonos One, Sonos Playbase, and second-generation Play:5, the Sonos Beam supports Apple’s new AirPlay 2 feature, which allows for Siri control of Apple Music and the ability to play and control multi-room audio on compatible devices.

Along with AirPlay 2 and Siri support, Sonos Beam works with Alexa, and it pairs well with other Sonos speakers.

Sonos is offering limited time discounts on its speaker lineup to complement the beam, including $20 off two Sonos Ones, $100 off an entertainment set that includes a Sonos Sub and a Beam, and $50 off a Sonos Beam set that includes two Play:1 speakers.

Sonos is also today announcing that Audible can now be controlled on Sonos using voice with Amazon Alexa. Sonos devices have supported Audible since earlier this year, but voice control has been added.

The Sonos Beam can be purchased from the Sonos website or from Amazon.com for $399.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Sonos. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
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Global Shipments of 3D Sensing Smartphones Predicted to Reach 100 Million Units This Year

Global shipments of 3D sensing smartphones are expected to reach over 100 million units in 2018, according to China-based analyst Sigmaintell, as Android phone makers gradually adopt the technology that Apple introduced to market last year.

China-based Xiaomi and Oppo have already unveiled phones featuring their own versions of the 3D scanning technology that Apple launched in the iPhone X back in September, while Apple is expected to bring Face ID to three new iPhones that are set for launch in the fall.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition
Announced in May, Xiaomi’s 6.28-inch Mi 8 Explorer Edition, which combines 3D facial recognition technology and an in-display fingerprint sensor, is expected to hit stores in China on July 24, with a price tag in the region of $550.

In June, Oppo announced the Find X with a 6.42-inch AMOLED display. The 3D-sensing enabled phone is a direct competitor to the Mi 8, and features the same 8GB of RAM and Snapdragon 845 processor as its rival, with a higher price tag of around $750.

Also in June, Vivo unveiled new 3D sensing technology which it says has 10 times the accuracy of the Face ID authentication system in Apple’s iPhone X.

Oppo Find X
Vivo’s claim stems from its Time of Flight (TOF) system using 300,000 data points to map the user’s face in three dimensions, compared to the 30,000 points of infrared light used in Apple’s smartphone. The hardware is expected to feature in Vivo’s new flagship model set for launch later this year, so whether the specs translate in practice to better security and accuracy remains to be seen.

As for Samsung, the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S9 models already feature facial recognition, but it is 2D, and tests have proved that the systems could be spoofed with a photo of a face. The Korea-based firm is said to be considering adding more sophisticated 3D facial recognition to the Galaxy S9 lineup later this year.

Despite growing adoption of 3D sensing across the market, Apple will remain the primary vendor of the technology throughout 2018, with combined shipments of equivalent Android smartphones likely to reach only 12 million units, according to Sigmaintell.

(Via DigiTimes.)

Related Roundup: 2018 iPhonesTags: Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, Face ID
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Here’s how to use Amazon’s Camera Search to save $30 on Prime Day

What’s better than scoring some free money on Prime Day?!

Update: Another fresh batch of deals are ready for your seeking pleasure! Save some extra cash using your phone’s camera and Amazon app.

Aside from the obvious sale prices and coupons, there are other ways for the truly savvy shopper to save even more on Prime Day. Tucked deep within Amazon’s Prime Day lead-up content is a promo centered around the camera features of the Amazon iOS/Android app. If you do the proper legwork and have a solid day of game-plan, you’ll be able to save an additional $30 on Prime Day by leveraging this one promo.

Here’s how it works: Amazon will be offering an extra $5 off select deals throughout the duration of Prime Day for shoppers who utilize specific Camera Features within the Amazon app.

There will be six deal periods spanning 6-hours each and you’re able to participate in as many as you’d like. Assuming you take advantage of all six periods, you’ll secure an extra $30 in Prime Day savings. At this point we have no idea which products or how many deals will be eligible for the additional savings; you’ll need to check back at the start of each deal period for full details:

• Period 1: July 16, 2018, 12:00 p.m. (PT) – 5:59 p.m. (PT)
• Period 2: July 16, 2018, 6:00 p.m. (PT) – 11:59 p.m. (PT)
• Period 3: July 17, 2018, 12:00 a.m. (PT) – 5:59 a.m. (PT)
• Period 4: July 17, 2018, 6:00 a.m. (PT) – 11:59 a.m. (PT)
• Period 5: July 17, 2018, 12:00 p.m. (PT) – 5:59 p.m. (PT)
• Period 6: July 17, 2018, 6:00 p.m. (PT) – 11:59 a.m. (PT)

While there are 4 different camera features that’ll activate the savings, you can use the same one each time. These features are pretty niche and the process isn’t intuitive so we created a step-by-step guide to outline exactly what you’ll need to do when each period goes live.

To begin, you’ll first need to download the Amazon app on your iOS or Android device. Once installed, open it and tap the Camera icon at the end of the search bar. You’ll then be prompted to allow Amazon to access your phone’s camera. Once that’s completed, you can start the tasks.

How to use Product Search:

Product Search is the default setting when tapping on the Camera icon. You can switch to Product Search after tapping the Camera icon by clicking See More at the bottom of the screen and selecting ‘Product Search‘.
Once you’re in Product Search mode, point your phone’s camera at an item near you that you would like to search on Amazon.
Blue dots should appear on and around the item for a few seconds; if Amazon can identify the item, it will pop up its search results allowing you to view product information and buy the item your camera just viewed. It may also show similar items which relate to the item that was identified.
Once the camera identifies an item, you should notice a pop-up stating “You’ve unlocked $5 off Prime Day Deals”. You must click on this notification and then tap ‘Get Coupon’ on the following page to add the $5 discount to your account for later use. If you click the X on the pop-up, there doesn’t seem to be a way to redeem the offer later, so make sure to not close out of that early.
The item you’ve scanned must be sold by Amazon for you to complete this offer.

How to use Barcode Scanner:

To find the Barcode Scanner, tap the See More button at the bottom after clicking on the Camera icon. Then tap ‘Barcode Scanner‘.
Find an item that you’d like to search on Amazon and put its barcode in front of your device’s camera.
If Amazon can find the item, it will pop up the item’s product page along with a pop-up stating “You’ve unlocked $5 off Prime Day Deals”. As with the previous AR View feature, you must tap on the pop-up and click ‘Get Coupon’ to add the offer to your account for use.
The item you scan must be sold by Amazon for you to complete this offer.

How to use Package X-Ray:

After tapping on the Camera icon, click the See More button at the bottom of the screen and then select ‘Package X-Ray‘.
Grab a recent Amazon shipment of yours and scan its shipping label with your phone.
A pop-up should show the items in your order and allow you to visit your order’s info page so you can re-order, contact customer service about an issue, and more.
You should also notice a pop-up stating “You’ve unlocked $5 off Prime Day Deals”. Make sure to click the pop-up and then tap ‘Get Coupon’ to add it to your account.

How to use AR View:

As with the other settings, hit the Camera icon and then click See More at the bottom. There you’ll find the ‘AR View‘ mode to select. Not all devices are compatible with this mode so it may not be available for you at this time.
This mode allows you to see how various best-selling products would look in your home. From here, select an item in the bottom window that you’re interested in and then go to a location in your home where you might place that item.
The app will ask where you’re planning on placing the item, whether that’s on the ground, on a table, or on a wall. Selecting the right option will help the next step work properly.
The item should appear before you as if it’s actually there in real life. You can drag it around, make it bigger, or turn it around with your fingers. You can also walk around the item to get a look at it from other angles.
Upon closing out of that view, you should notice a pop-up stating “You’ve unlocked $5 off Prime Day Deals”. Click on that banner and then press ‘Get Coupon’ to add the offer to your account.

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The Thrifter team is going to be covering ALL things Prime Day, and you won’t want to miss out. Sign up now to have tips, tricks, deals, and more delivered right to your inbox and be sure to check out all the deals that are already available.

Treat your wrist to a Fossil Q Gen 3 for $156 or hybrid watch for $92

Don’t miss this deal!

Amazon has a variety of Fossil watches on sale including hybrid and full smartwatch options. The Fossil Q Gen 3 smartwatch with a stainless band is down to $165 from a regular price of $275 or this women’s option with a leather band is $153 from a regular price of $255.

These are full Wear OS by Google smartwatches, which can track your fitness, deliver notifications to your wrist, and much more. Be sure to check out all of the options that are currently available and grab one before they are gone.

See at Amazon