Spider silk could be used to create artificial skin to help heal wounds

Unless your name is Peter Parker, you may not be aware of quite how versatile spider silk is as a material. In fact, aside from spinning webs, spider silk can also be used for a plethora of applications — from improving the quality of microphones in hearing aids to forming incredibly strong-yet-lightweight shields to forming microcapsules for delivering anti-cancer vaccines.

Now researchers from Sweden and India have come up with yet another novel use for spider silk’s unusual mix of strength and elasticity: Creating artificial skin and wound dressings for helping heal wounds.

“We have developed two types of silk-based constructs: Nanofibrous matrices which serve as bioactive wound dressings, and microporous sponges cultured with human skin cells to serve as artificial skin,” Biman Mandal, an associate professor in the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, told Digital Trends. “Both types of constructs are made up of silkworm silk fibroin biomaterial acting as bulk platform, and are top-coated with recombinant spider silk fusion proteins. The recombinant spider silk protein contains bioactive peptides like cell-binding motifs, antimicrobial peptides, and growth factor domain.”

The hope is that the dressings could be used to treat chronic wounds like diabetic foot ulcers, which otherwise can be a challenge to heal. The cellular skin grafts, meanwhile, could be used as full thickness bilayer skin for grafting purposes in the case of critical third-degree burns. Due to its similarity to skin, the material may also find use as a skin substitute to screen certain drug molecules for the cosmeceutical industry.

“Next, we have plans to validate our results in animal models, particularly diabetic wound model and third-degree burn model,” Mandal continued. “We are keen to understand how these grafts help in accelerated healing in animal models. If successful, we would be able to translate our research into useful products for wound-healing applications in the future.”

Mandal noted that approach the team used is scalable thanks to the cheap bulk availability of silkwork silk from sericulture farms, and the recombinant spider proteins from a Swedish company called Spiber Technologies.

A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Spider silk microcapsules could deliver vaccines to help battle cancer
• This ‘skin printer’ is like a magic wand for healing wounds
• Futuristic bandage can monitor wounds and deliver drug treatment
• Super absorbent wound dressing will swell up to save soldiers’ lives in combat
• No more needles? Diabetics could one day treat themselves with a cup of coffee

Here are the best laptop deals for Amazon Prime Day 2018

Dan Baker/Digital Trends

Many people shop for laptops on Amazon, but you have to be careful. Looking at only the product titles, it’s easy to look past important information hidden in the fine print or left out altogether. When it comes to big Amazon Prime Day deals, that’s even more of an issue.

Fortunately, there are some really fantastic deals this year on name-brand laptops that are worth considering. If you’re looking for a new laptop, this is one of the best times of the year to pick one up.

Acer Chromebook 15

The Acer Chromebook 15 has always been one of our very favorite Chromebooks. It’s not a 2-in-1 or a more compact laptop, but it has a premium-feeling design at a discounted price. If you’re looking for something with a larger display, this 15-inch laptop is perfect for getting work done. For Prime Day, this one’s been discounted 21 percent, which puts this configuration (4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage) at $315.

Read our full review of the Acer Chromebook 15.

Buy it now:

Amazon

Asus Chromebook Flip C101PA

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

The Acer Chromebook Flip was one of the first 2-in-1 Chromebooks, implementing touch capabilities early on. Now with support for Android apps via the Google Play Store, a device like the Chromebook Flip would make a great option for kids — that is, as long as you can overlook the ugly hinge and massive screen bezels. Fortunately, this is a beefed-up configuration, featuring an Intel Core m3 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. This deal is 20 percent off, bringing the starting price down to $400.

Read our full review for the Acer Chromebook Flip C101PA.

Buy it now:

Amazon

Google Pixelbook

The Pixelbook raised the bar for Chromebooks, introducing a new suite of premium-level laptops meant to directly compete with the best of Windows or Mac options.

The problem was always that it was hard to justify the price, which normally starts at $1,000. Any discount at all makes the Pixelbook that much more attractive of a purchase. How about $750? Even with only a 128GB SSD, that makes the Pixelbook a fantastic deal.

Read our full review of the Google Pixelbook.

Buy it now:

Amazon

ASUS FX503VD Gaming Laptop

This Asus gaming laptop is a really solid budget-level machine with a 7th-gen quad-core processor, and an Nvidia GTX 1050 for graphics — all on sale for $730. With options like the Dell G3 Gaming Laptop on the market with updated internals though, you’ll need to weigh prices carefully before pulling the trigger on this one. While this Asus laptop comes with an SSD (unlike the entry-level Dell G3), the prices are close enough for you to really tread carefully.

If you are set on this Asus gaming laptop, our recommendation would be to choose a configuration with a faster SSD for storage.

Buy it now:

Amazon

Editors’ Recommendations

• Amazon Echo devices get steep discounts for Prime Day
• Amazon slashes prices on Echo, Fire TV, and Kindle for Prime Day
• The Xbox One S 1TB console hits its lowest price yet for Amazon Prime Day
• Amazon Prime deal: Today only, save $150 on a refurbished Dyson Ball Vacuum
• Amazon Prime Day 2018: Here’s everything you need to know

This 34-inch, curved, ultrawide 144Hz gaming monitor is only $385 on Prime Day

If you’re looking for a killer gaming monitor, we have just the Amazon Prime Day deal for you. This curved, 34-inch ultrawide monitor from LG is 45 percent off, coming in at just $385. It sells for $600 on LG’s website, and was on sale for $500 on Amazon before this Prime Day sale went live.

The fact that it’s 34 inches, curved, and ultrawide might be enough to interest you — and it should be. Curved, ultrawide monitors are more than a gimmick — the extra screen real estate and immersive feel of the curve are great for both productivity and media. Normally, these oversized monitors can cost as much as an entire new computer, driving the price up past what the average person is willing to spend.

But the spotlight feature of this awesome monitor really is the 144Hz refresh rate. If you’ve got a high-powered gaming PC or laptop, you’ll never experience the true potential of it with a 60Hz display. With a 144Hz display, it’ll ensure you pretty much never experience the ugly artifact known as “screen tearing.” Additionally, the LG 34UC79G also supports AMD’s FreeSync technology. Your gameplay should be as smooth as butter.

You’ll need to spend a bit more if you want a higher-resolution display (this one is 2,560 x 1,800) or G-Sync support, but for $385, this is one heck of a gaming monitor.

Buy Now

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FCC proposal could help Google Fiber roll out to more cities

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering a proposal that would eliminate bureaucratic red tape and speed up the delivery of gigabit internet from providers like Google Fiber. Called the one-touch make-ready (OTMR) system, the proposal could accelerate the deployment of broadband services and 5G by requiring new service providers do the work of moving existing lines on utility poles if they want to add their own lines.

The change would make it easier for new providers to enter a market. Under the current system, if a new provider wants to move existing wires or make changes to a utility pole, it must consult with the incumbent providers, who would make the changes themselves. By shifting the work burden to the new service provider, the FCC’s OTMR proposal aims to speed up the process by eliminating the coordination needed to perform the work on simple changes to utility poles.

“OTMR speeds and reduces the cost of broadband deployment by allowing the party with the strongest incentive — the new attacher — to prepare the pole quickly to perform all of the work itself, rather than spreading the work across multiple parties,” the FCC wrote. “By some estimates, OTMR alone could result in approximately 8.3 million incremental premises passed with fiber and about $12.6 billion in incremental fiber capital expenditures.”

OTMR will also reduce disruptions to communities. “Unlike sequential make-ready work, which results in a series of trips to the affected poles by each of the attachers and repeated disruptions to vehicular traffic, OTMR’s single trip to each affected pole will reduce the number of such disruptions,” the proposal stated.

If approved, the FCC’s new proposal would apply to simple transfers on utility poles regulated by the agency. In the past, AT&T had lobbied that OTMR should only apply for simple installations. Simple installations are defined as jobs that don’t require cable splices and where there is little chance of service disruption for original providers, like AT&T. Google at the time argued that OTMR should also apply to complex installations, but existing attachers can also opt to do the work of moving their own facilities if they choose. Verizon’s recommendation was similar to Google’s — the carrier wanted a longer notice period for complex OTMR transfers so that it could choose to move its facilities if it wishes. The moving or replacement of an existing utility pole, the agency argued, should be treated as a complex transfer, as it’s more likely to cause a service outage or facilities damage.

The proposal, however, does not apply to “work above the communications space, including the electric space” because the work is dangerous for workers and impacts of electric outages are severe. This limitation affects some 5G wireless deployment. “We recognize that by not providing an OTMR option above the communications space for the time being, we are not permitting OTMR as an option for small cell pole-top attachments necessary for 5G deployment,” the agency noted.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Russia’s attempt to block Telegram crashes the country’s internet
• AT&T and Verizon lobbying for increased pricing power over smaller ISPs
• A second massive Comcast outage leaves customers without service this month
• Need the FCC to handle a problem? A formal complaint will cost you $225
• The biggest issues with Verizon FiOS, and how to fix them

This high-end Android smartphone only costs $250 for Amazon Prime Day

The Essential Phone, from the creator of Android, is getting an insanely good discount thanks to Amazon’s Prime Day.

The phone initially cost $700 when it was announced late last year, but the price quickly dropped to $500. Now, you only have to shell out $250 to own one — but the deal ends when Prime Day ends on Tuesday, July 17.

#PrimeDay Alert: Amazon is offering Essential Phone at the unbeatable price of $250! Help spread the good word by RT'ing this and you'll be entered to win 1 of 2 sold-out Ocean Depths Essential Phones. Rules: https://t.co/2Y7nmREQcB pic.twitter.com/dCN65clRjN

— Essential (@essential) July 16, 2018

The Essential Phone is powered by last year’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor with 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of internal storage. Those are flagship specifications from last year that rival a Galaxy S8, but that is plenty powerful for most people. There is a 3,040mAh battery, which should last about a full day, and the back of the phone has a modular system that lets you add mods like a 360-degree camera. The Essential Phone works with all major U.S. networks including AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile.

The phone is made of ceramic and titanium, and we thought it was one of the best-looking phones of 2017. In our Essential Phone review, we liked every aspect of the phone except for its camera. The dual-lens system was simply not good enough for the $700 price tag. Essential has since published updates to the phone that have improved the camera, and for $250, it’s entirely a steal.

Because the software is pure stock Android 8.1 Oreo, you also will be able to get the next version of Android P quickly, along with timely security updates. The display was among the first to ever include a notch — before the iPhone X — and it’s crisp with a 2,560 × 1,312-pixel resolution.

The only concern we have is with a recent report claiming Essential may be looking to sell itself, or that work on the Essential Phone 2 has been canceled, with a new strategy focusing on smart home products. Regardless, while the future of Essential is unclear, the Prime Day price for this phone is one of the best deals we have seen yet. If you want a new phone, you should snag it from Amazon now.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best phones for kids
• Here’s every device available through Amazon Prime Exclusive phones
• Save up to $900 with the best smartphone deals for July 2018
• The best QWERTY phones
• The best gaming phones

Here’s everything new with the 2018 MacBook Pro

The wait for Apple to update its MacBook Pro is over. Despite sharing the same aesthetics as its late-2017 predecessor, the 2018 13-inch MacBook Pro is one of the most powerful laptops Apple has ever created. In rolling out the 2018 MacBook Pro update, Apple has discontinued older MacBook Pro models that did not ship with USB-C ports, and the company has kept the non-Touch Bar edition from last year unchanged as a budget-conscious option. In other words, if you want all the benefits of Apple’s 2018 vision, you’ll have to spring for the Touch Bar model this year.

On the surface, both the late 2017 and the 2018 models share the same slim and sleek unibody aluminum design. The latest model is loaded with even more powerful internals, a display that will entice creative professionals, and an updated keyboard design. Here’s all what has changed in 2018:

Design

Much of the design of the MacBook Pro remains unchanged from last year. Apple did make some refinements between generations that users may appreciate, including updating its keyboard. While the 2018 MacBook Pro continues to use Apple’s Butterfly key switches to fit the keyboard into a slim laptop enclosure, this year’s MacBook Pro ships with an updated third-generation keyboard design. Apple claims that the keys are quieter than before, but there have been no indication that they fix the sticky key issue.

Both generations of 13-inch MacBook Pro ships with a spacious Force Touch trackpad, and the higher-end configurations also come with a Touch Bar, which comes with Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint sensor. New to the 2018 model is Apple’s T2 co-processor, which delivers added security. It includes its own secure enclave and combines many of the system management controllers into one chip design. The T2 chip also brings on the fly encryption to your files as Apple is pushing for more privacy and security with its products.

One of the biggest changes introduced with the T2 chipset is that you’ll be able to call up Siri with just your voice on the 2018 MacBook Pro. Now, Siri can be summoned without any key presses.

Performance

The 2018 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar gets a powerful under-the-hood upgrade, thanks to Intel’s 8th-generation processor. The 2018 MacBook Pro starts with a 2.3GHz Intel quad-core 8th-generation Core i5 processor, but it can be upgraded to a 2.7Ghz quad-core 8th-generation Core i7 processor at the top configuration. Whereas last year’s model tops out with a dual-core processor, Apple claims that this year’s quad-core processor can deliver up to twice the performance on some applications. You also now have the option for up to 2TB of SSD storage.

Graphics performance is also upgraded on this year’s model, though you still won’t find a discrete graphics option on the 13-inch body. Instead of last year’s Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 core, you’ll find Intel’s Iris Plus Graphics 655 this time around. With the updated integrated GPU, you’ll also have twice the video memory — 128MB of embedded DRAM — for better performance.

If you need even more powerful graphics capabilities, you’ll also have the option of connecting to an eGPU at your desk over the MacBook Pro’s Thunderbolt 3 port to bring desktop-class graphics performance.

Display

Malarie Gokey/Digital Trends

Although the basic Retina Display remains unchanged between last year’s model and the 2018 update — both displays comes with a bright 500-nit panel with a 2,560 x 1,600-pixel resolution — Apple has added its True Tone technology to this year’s laptop.

The screen tech initially debuted on the iPad Pro, and it allows the display to adjust the color and brightness automatically depending on the ambient lighting. Apple claims True Tone will deliver a more natural viewing experience, but until we try it out ourselves, we won’t know quite how the experience holds up.

Portability

Apple equipped the 2018 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar with a larger battery this year, moving from a 49.2 watt-hour to a 58 watt-hour  battery. This means that this year’s Touch Bar model comes with a larger battery than the non-Touch Bar variant, which ships with the 54.5 watt-hour battery pack.

Yet, despite the larger battery capacity and a switch to Intel’s newest processor, Apple’s quoted battery life remains unchanged on the 2018 MacBook Pro 13-inch with Touch Bar. Apple claims that the laptop will be able to deliver up to 10 hours of wireless web browsing or 10 hours of iTunes video playback. We’ll have to test and see if there are any real-world battery life gain with the new processor, but from Apple’s marketing materials, it appears that the 2018 MacBook Pro was optimized around performance.

Both the 2017 and the 2018 model clocks in at just over three pounds in weight.

Ports

The port selection remains the same between last year’s MacBook Pro and this year’s model given that the overall design of the laptop is the same. Both variants support four Thunderbolt 3 connections over the USB-C ports. Although Apple justified its controversial decision to switch to USB-C as a move to embrace the future, unless you go all-in on the standard by updating all your cables, flash drives, and peripherals, there’s a good chance that you’ll be living with a bunch of dongles and adapters.

As an example, if you use an iPhone, you’ll either need an adapter to use the Lightning to USB cable that ships in the box, or you’ll have to splurge to get Apple’s Lightning to USB-C cable if you don’t want to carry around adapters.

Malarie Gokey/Digital Trends
Malarie Gokey/Digital Trends

The USB-C port is getting more useful, however, and Apple announced a Black Magic eGPU box that allows you to connect an external graphics card if the integrated Intel graphics isn’t good enough for you. This will make the MacBook Pro even more powerful when it’s docked to an eGPU at your desk.

Availability and pricing

Since Apple just refreshed the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar for 2018, you’ll be able to find some discounts on the late-2017 model if you don’t need all the performance improvements. The 2018 model slots in at the same $1,800 starting price as the outgoing 2017 models when they launched last year. However, fully configured with Apple’s build-to-order options, the price can quickly jump to $3,700.

With the latest refresh to the MacBook Pro lineup, Apple has created arguably some of the most powerful Mac laptops to date. Quad-core performance on Intel’s latest chipsets brings the MacBook Pro to parity with its Windows 10-powered counterpart, and the latest MacBook Pro will continue to be an appealing option for creative pros who rely on MacOS for their workflow.

With up to double the performance of last year’s model while retaining the same battery life, this year’s 13-inch MacBook Pro delivers a lot of power. Though you won’t notice any changes to the laptop’s design this year, you’ll find refinements that may be worth considering, including an improved keyboard experience and the ability to wake up Siri with your voice.

Editors’ Recommendations

• MacBook 12-inch vs. MacBook Pro 13
• MacBook Pro 13-inch with Touch Bar review
• Dell XPS 13 vs. MacBook Pro 13
• The MacBook Pro may finally get updated with faster processors
• Razer Blade Stealth vs. Apple MacBook Pro

These 3D-printed houses could be one-tenth the price of regular homes

Jüri Liiv

Thanks to advances in 3D printing, it’s possible to use additive manufacturing to print just about anything these days — houses included. But can you produce these houses in a way that results in energy-efficient properties, can be done at a low cost, and uses locally available resources? Because if you can’t, it’s going to remain all but impossible to utilize 3D printing to help solve the massive shortage of housing that exists, for a variety of reasons, around the world.

Fortunately, that is something that scientists from Estonia’s University of Tartu and the Estonian University of Life Sciences have been working on — and they created a promising solution in the form of a 3D-printable concrete-style material that is created from milled peat, oil shale ash, and silica nanoparticles. The results could reduce the construction cost of private houses by around 10 times.

“Peat has excellent antibacterial and thermal properties, and is inexpensive and widely available in many regions in the world,” Jüri Liiv, a Ph.D. researcher with the Estonian Peat Research Center, told Digital Trends. “[However, it has not been] used as a component of concrete-organic materials because of its properties retarding the concrete hardening. Humates present in peat prevent the forming [of] the silicate composite structure and react with pozzolanic minerals, thus preventing forming [a] mechanically durable material. During our last project, the issue was successfully solved, and now we are able to form a durable peat-based composite with very high thermal and mechanical properties.”

The composite material the team has developed is both strong and possesses good thermal conductivity. Despite the fact that peat is used as fuel, the material is also (crucially) not combustible. It hardens within one day of being printed, although it remains elastic for longer than this — making it possible to close any air gaps.

According to the team’s estimates, a house shell with a surface area of up to 490 square-feet could be printed for around $5,850. Unfortunately, Liiv noted that there was insufficient funding for the team to print a full-sized test house. Instead, they have been limited to wall segments as a proof of concept. Liiv hopes that there will be access to a full-size 3D printer this fall, which will give the researchers the chance to finally create their proposed test house.

A paper describing the project was recently published in the journal Sustainable Materials and Technologies.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Drug-infused 3D-printed dentures promise to bite back against infections
• What is 3D printing? Here’s everything you need to know
• Homes in the Netherlands are concrete example of 3D printing’s potential
• 15 major milestones along the brief history of 3D printing
• Graphene-reinforced concrete offers a stronger, more durable option

Here are the best Amazon Prime Day smartphone deals

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Prime Day is finally here, so get your wallets out because Amazon is offering quite a few discounts on smartphones. Not every smartphone is worth your money, though, so we’ve handpicked our favorites to help you spend your money wisely.

Here are the best Amazon Prime Day smartphone deals.

Huawei Mate 10 Pro

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Huawei’s P20 Pro may have stolen the show for its brilliant camera, but the Huawei Mate 10 Pro can match it with performance, design, and software — and the camera’s pretty good too. It initially cost $800 earlier this year, but it has been available for $550 on Amazon. Now, on Prime Day, you can snag it for $500, which is a great price for a phone of this caliber. Read our full Huawei Mate 10 Pro review.

Buy it now:

Amazon

Honor View 10

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

The Honor View 10 brings flagship specifications, features, and design to a much more affordable price tag. It has a capable camera for its price, as well as a nice big screen for watching videos or movies. You’ll forget you paid so little for this phone. It used to be priced at $500, but it has been discounted to just $400. That’s incredible value. Read our full Honor View 10 review.

But it now:

Amazon

Honor 7X

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Honor 7X has been our favorite phone to recommend for anyone with a budget of $200. It has everything from a high-end design to good performance and a solid camera. Now it’s just $170, making it even more of a bargain. Read our full Honor 7X review.

Buy it now:

Amazon

Razer Phone

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Razer Phone is the gaming brand’s first smartphone, and it’s the perfect device if you’re an avid mobile gamer. It has stunning performance that can run all the high-end mobile games, a screen with a high refresh rate, a big battery, and massive front-facing speakers. Razer is offering a 25 percent discount on the phone, and you can read our full Razer Phone review to learn more about the phone.

Buy it now:

Amazon

Essential Phone (PH-1)

Essential Phone Julian Chokkattu / Digital Trends

The Essential Phone, from the creator of Android, was one of the most beautiful phones of 2017. It’s made of ceramic and titanium, it has a simple-to-use and uncluttered Android operating system, and performance is speedy. The camera isn’t the strongest, but Essential has dropped the price of the phone to $250 for Prime Day, and it is absolutely a steal. Buy it now. Read our full Essential Phone review.

Buy it now:

Amazon

LG V35 ThinQ

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

LG’s newest phone is the V35 ThinQ, which has all the high-end performance you’ll want including the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor and 6GB of RAM. This is an Amazon Prime Exclusive phone, so it will come pre-installed with a lot of Amazon apps. The phone initially cost $900 on AT&T, but now it’s available as a Prime Day Deal for $600 — and it will work on AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. Read our LG V35 ThinQ hands-on review.

Buy it now:

Amazon

Samsung Galaxy S9/S9 Plus

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

There’s no discount on the relatively-new Galaxy S9 or S9 Plus, but Samsung is bundling a few smart home accessories for free if you buy the phones through Amazon as a Prime Day deal. You can nab a complimentary Samsung SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit, an Amazon Echo, and an Amazon Echo Spot, all of which total up to $430 in savings.

Buy it now:

Amazon

We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and choose what we cover carefully and independently. If you find a better price for a product listed here, or want to suggest one of your own, email us at dealsteam@digitaltrends.com.Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Save big on this affordable camping gear for modern outdoor lovers
• This 34-inch, curved, ultrawide 144Hz gaming monitor is only $385 on Prime Day
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• Save $50 on the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom speaker, today only

Should you buy an Amazon Echo Dot?

It’s the impulse buy of the year, and so very worth it.

Choosing between Amazon’s Echo and the Google Home platform isn’t an easy choice, especially if you’re a big fan of Google’s services and already have a Chromecast kicking around. There’s a lot to consider, and a lot of people are trying to figure out which is best for their needs while surrounded by deals and sales and new features being added every day.

I say don’t worry with either of the big expensive speaker assistants, and start out with Amazon’s Echo Dot instead.

Better than the full-sized Echo

Echo Dot does everything a full-sized Amazon Echo does, with one significant difference: Amazon Echo comes with a specially designed speaker so you can enjoy listening to streaming music, and Echo Dot does not. There’s a little speaker in Dot that allows Alexa to respond to you when you give a command, but it’s nowhere near good enough to enjoy listening to music. Echo Dot doesn’t need a speaker, though. It has something much more important — an audio out port.

Amazon is doing to home automation what Google did to streaming video, and that’s great.

That 3.5mm jack in the back of Echo Dot, which doesn’t exist on the Echo, allows you to connect whatever speaker you want to your Echo Dot. This level of flexibility means you can connect to a big expensive stereo system if you happen to have one of those, or a tiny portable speaker that can travel with you throughout the house. Echo Dot is also powered by a Micro-USB port, which means you can buy a Bluetooth speaker with a big battery and take your Echo Dot poolside or out into the garage with you if you don’t want to buy more than one.

The best speakers for your Amazon Echo Dot

The speaker built into the full-sized Echo is decent, but it’s not as good as being able to connect to whatever speaker you want. It’s also not as capable a speaker as the one built into Google Home, so if music streaming is your priority the full-sized Echo just plain isn’t worth the price tag.

Cheap enough to be an impulse buy

Much in the same way that Google’s Chromecast is a big impulse buy and stocking stuffer, Amazon’s Echo Dot is cheap enough that you really don’t lose anything by giving it a shot.

What if you prefer Google Assistant to Alexa? There’s nothing wrong with preferring Google services, especially if you’re an Android user. While Google has the Assistant, which features the company’s excellent search, Alexa, which powers the Echo Dot’s artificial intelligence, has a better grasp of home automation and the “smart home” in general.

That sounds silly, but consider the price. If you catch them on sale, you can buy three Echo Dots for the price of a single Google Home. If you buy a single Dot now and learn how you want to use a home assistant, but later decide you really need Google in that mix, you aren’t out much. If you decide Echo Dot really is what you want, you can start thinking about expanding Echo Dot into multiple rooms in your home.

What about Google Home Mini?

You don’t have to drop $100 for a full-sized Google Home, you can just get a Google Home Mini for the same price as an Amazon Echo Dot. So this decision isn’t actually any easier now, which should you buy?

It honestly depends on the kind of things you think you are going to do with your smart speaker.

If you’re all-in on the Google ecosystem, prefer Google Assistant, and just want a cheap speaker you can stick in a couple of rooms, the Google Home Mini is better than the Amazon Echo Dot. But the Home Mini doesn’t have a 3.5mm jack, so you can’t connect bigger speakers for better sound. The Home Mini microphones also aren’t quite as accurate as the Echo Dot, and in my testing, I found Google’s little speaker misheard me with a noticeably greater frequency. Not enough to be upsetting, just enough to notice it happens sometimes.

Amazon still has the greatest support from the most third-party products, as well, so there’s a greater chance your Amazon Echo will connect to more things than your Google Home. At least for now.

What are you waiting for?

Amazon is doing to home automation what Google did to streaming video, and that’s great. By making it so cheap it’s easy to try for a while and see if you want something better later, or make it super easy to expand and fill your house with Alexa, there’s little reason to not give an Echo Dot a try.

On Prime Day 2018, you can get two Echo Dots for just $50! That’s a pretty incredible deal, and it’s available just for Prime Day, so take advantage while you can!

See at Amazon

What is Project Fi, how does it work, and why do I want it?

Google’s own carrier offering definitely has appealing features.

If you’re an Android enthusiast, you likely know about Project Fi. But that doesn’t mean you necessarily know everything about it. And for everyone out there who doesn’t have one of the handful of phones that work with the carrier are unlikely to have looked into Project Fi deeply. So we’re here to give you the high-level view at the carrier option that comes directly from Google. Namely, just what the heck it is, how it works compared to other carriers and maybe a few reasons why you’d want to try it.

See at Project Fi

The latest Project Fi news

July 16, 2018 — Get a $300 credit when pre-ordering the G7 or V35

It’s been almost a month since the LG G7 and V35 appeared on Project Fi, and if you’ve been holding off on picking one up for yourself, a new promotion for a $300 Fi credit might finally push you over the edge.

Between now and July 29 (while supplies last), you can get a $300 credit that’s applied towards your monthly Project Fi bill when pre-ordering either the G7 or V35 for $749 and $899, respectively.

If you already pre-ordered either of the phones when Google was running its $100 Fi credit promo, you’ll be receiving an email shortly on how to claim your other $200.

See at Project Fi

June 19, 2018 — LG G7 and V35 now available for pre-order

LG’s first Project Fi phones, the G7 and V35, are now available for pre-order!

The G7 is the more affordable of the two at $749 outright or $31.21/month for 24 months, whereas the V35 will set you back a hefty $899 or $37.46/month for 24 months.

No matter which one you choose, Google’s offering a $100 Fi credit when you pre-order either one. This is a limited time offer and will only be available through July 7, 2018, at 11:59 PM PT.

See at Project Fi

What you need to know about Project Fi

What is Project Fi?

At the highest level, Project Fi is a phone carrier operated by Google. It works by giving you mobile data service on three mobile networks, which your phone will intelligently switch between — it also uses Wi-Fi to make calls and send texts whenever available. Project Fi is a “prepaid” carrier, meaning you pay upfront for your service in the trailing month, which is the opposite of a traditional carrier (Verizon, AT&T, etc.) that bills you after you use the service.

It’s all about simplified billing with no hidden fees or overages.

Project Fi is focused on simplified billing. You pay $20 per month for unlimited talk and texting, and a flat rate of $10 per gigabyte of data used. At the start of each month you simply estimate how much data you’ll use (by the gigabyte) and pay for that amount — at the end of the month you’ll receive either a refund for data you didn’t use, or pay a little extra on the next bill for data overages. You’ll always pay at the same $10 per gigabyte rate either way. Bill Protection applies to international data usage the same as home usage.

The only time that doesn’t apply is when you hit a level called “Bill Protection” — effectively an unlimited plan tier for Fi. Once you’ve used 6GB ($60) of data in a given month, your bill is then capped at that point for the month but you continue to get data service. You can use as much data as you want for the month without paying over $80 total ($20 base + $60 data). The only caveat here is that once you hit 15GB of total data usage, your speeds are slowed to 256kbps — alternatively, at the 15GB point you can choose to start paying $10 per GB again for full-speed data if needed.

The huge benefit here is that you don’t have to pay for an “unlimited” plan every month — it’s simply there if you use beyond 6GB of data in a month. All other months when you use less than 6GB of data your bill will be less than $80.

You can also set up a “Group Plan” on Project Fi for up to six people to share a single account and billing source. With a Group Plan, all of the same features of an individual plan apply, but you save $5 per person per month on the base plan charge. Billing is handled centrally by the account owner, along with data limitations for each user (if needed) — Bill Protection data usage limits are also handled on a per-person basis. Project Fi charges the group owner for everyone’s bill collectively, but can also facilitate payments back to the account admin from each member to pay their share. Individuals can come and go from a Group Plan as they wish, without any contract.

Unlike most other prepaid carriers, Project Fi is available for just a handful of phones: the Google Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 2, Moto X4, Pixel XL, Pixel, Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X and Nexus 6. You can also use a data-only SIM card with any tablet that supports the T-Mobile network.

How does it work?

Project Fi works with a special SIM card — and a little software on your phone — that can authenticate you on T-Mobile, Sprint and US Cellular, and switch between them on the fly based on a variety of factors. On the new Pixel 2 and 2 XL, an integrated eSIM lets you use Project Fi without a physical SIM card and quickly switch between Project Fi and another carrier’s SIM.

Using Wi-Fi for calls and texts, you can keep using your phone in places where mobile data isn’t that great. Extra software called a “Wi-Fi assistant” will automatically connect your phone to open Wi-Fi access points when you’re out of the house, reducing your data usage without any intervention on your part.

You get the power of three mobile networks, plus Wi-Fi, in a single SIM

When you use Project Fi, you also get some of the same features that have made Google Voice popular over the years. You can forward phone calls to your Fi number to any phone you want, as well as view voicemail, make calls and send texts with that number from any device using the Hangouts app and website.

Project Fi also works internationally in 120 countries around the world with no additional cost for data use or texting. You can call at a flat rate to any number while on the cellular networks abroad, or pay much lower rates when calling on Wi-Fi. You can also call back home to the U.S. on Wi-Fi for free. Data used internationally just comes out of your standard $10 per gigabyte bucket, but speeds can vary depending on the country you’re in.

What phones are available?

When Project Fi launched in 2015, the only phone that supported it was the Nexus 6. Google’s been expanding this list over the years, and while the list of compatible phones isn’t nearly on the same level as carriers such as T-Mobile and Verizon, it’s one that’s growing all the time.

Along with Google’s own Pixel 2 and 2 XL, other phones that work on Project Fi include the Moto G6, LG G7, LG V35, and others.

These phones work on Project Fi

Why do I want it?

Well, this is really a personal question of whether you actually want to try Project Fi. Chances are if you’re reading Android Central you’re at least one step closer to being the target audience for the Google-powered carrier, but there are a few other boxes to check that make it the right choice for you.

Simplicity in the service and billing are paramount to the experience.

The only big issue for most people is the limited phone choices. Google lets you use its latest phones, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, on Project Fi, in addition to a small selection of handsets from Motorola and LG — including the Moto G6, LG G7, and a couple others.

If you’re okay with that limitation, you don’t have many other hurdles to jump over. You can sign up for Project Fi online in minutes, and you can either buy a Pixel phone at the same time or Google will send you a SIM card to put in your existing Pixel or Nexus. Once it arrives, you can start the typical porting process of bringing your current phone number to Fi, or can start fresh with a new number. You can use Project Fi for as long or short as you want, as there aren’t any contracts or commitments involved.

There are lots of cool features that make Project Fi a good choice, like the simplified billing, included international features and improved network coverage through the use of three carriers and Wi-Fi networks. Each one will have a different amount of draw for different people, though.

Project Fi’s pricing isn’t dramatically lower than other carriers out there, and whether it makes a good choice financially for you depends on your data usage and which features you want. We encourage you to do your pricing research before choosing which carrier is the best.

And whether you’re still on the fence or just curious about it, be sure to follow all of our Project Fi coverage here at Android Central!

See at Project Fi

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Google Project Fi

• What is Project Fi?
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• Sign up for Project Fi!

Update June 19, 2018: Started a blog roll for the latest Project Fi news and added a section about the available phones.

Update June 19, 2018: Started a blog roll for the latest Project Fi news and added a section about the available phones.