These RAVPower wireless chargers have never been more affordable

Cables are so last year.

As part of today’s Gold Box deals of the day, Amazon has a few different RAVPower wireless chargers on sale with prices starting at just $26.59. To make the deals even sweeter, we’ve partnered with RAVPower to be able to offer our readers some exclusive discounts on top of the already-reduced pricing, which also means that these deals are now open to everyone, whether an Amazon Prime member or not. There are a few different options available, including a portable one, so you’ll want to check them all out and pick up the one that will work best for you.

First up is the 7.5W fast charging pad which is down to $26.59 from $38 at Amazon, but using coupon code MNRPPC066 during checkout will drop it down to just $22.79. It comes with a Quick Charge 3.0 wall adapter and has a built-in LED indicator to help you quickly visualize the charging status without touching your phone. If you prefer the circular design of this charger you can grab it instead for a few cents more using coupon code MNRPPC034.

Rather have something to keep your phone standing upright while it charges? This wireless charging stand should be just what you’re looking for, and right now it can be yours for $27.59 when you use coupon code MNRPPC069. Amazon is selling it to Prime members for $32.19 and it normally sells for over $40. This one also comes with a Quick Charge 3.0 adapter and has a dual-coil design to allow you to place your phone in either a landscape or portrait position on the pad.

The last option is one of the coolest ones. It’s a portable wireless charger that has an internal 10400mAh battery and a 10W output. It basically combines a portable battery pack and wireless charger into one, and using coupon code MNRPPB080 drops it down to just $39.99. This regularly sells for $66 and has never dropped below $50 before, so this is easily the best price you’ll be able to pick one of these up for.

If you’re not a Prime member, be sure to select the “Regular Price” option to add to your cart and then use the corresponding coupon code to see the price drop in your cart. If you are a Prime member, you can still stack the coupon on top of the Prime-exclusive savings to drop the price to those stated above. You can also sign up for a free 30-day trial to be able to take advantage of other Prime-exclusive deals and all the savings on Prime Day.

Samsung has no reason to launch the Galaxy S10 at CES 2019

The electronics giant knows better than to push up its flagship timeline by two months.

Another year, another round of rumors and talk about Samsung pushing up the launch time frame of the next Galaxy S phone. Some commentators are convinced that Samsung will show off the Galaxy S10 at CES 2019, running January 8-11, which would come nearly two months earlier than the Galaxy S9 launch this year. Not only do I not expect this to happen, but I also see no evidence of why Samsung would consider it.

Sales of the Galaxy S9 and S9+ may not have been as strong as some had expected, but they’re still massive — estimates of sales over 30 million units for the year are still huge, and Samsung’s overall profits are still increasing on a year-over-year basis. Looking at the simple financials of it, Samsung has no real incentive to accelerate its timeline to launch a successor any earlier than usual. The Galaxy Note 9, coming in early August, will also provide a bump to sales as the company heads into the holiday quarter.

To be fair to the misguided analysts, the Galaxy S10 will likely be at CES 2019 — it just won’t be there publicly. Big trade shows offer a great opportunity for companies to take private meetings about current and future products, and the discussions between Samsung and various partners are no exception here. Being that the Galaxy S10 is likely to launch near the end of February or early March, the phone(s) will have been substantially finalized and in production by early January — perfect timing to meet with carriers, accessory makers and the like (under conditions of anonymity, of course) to see the new device or at least talk about its capabilities.

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

As far as public announcements go, CES is the type of show that suits the announcement of the forthcoming Galaxy X. Current rumor has it that CES will be the stage for Samsung to show off the new Galaxy X phone, at least in some capacity. While I’m still rather skeptical that Samsung would announce such an interesting and dramatically futuristic device ahead of the launch of the mainstream Galaxy S10, this show makes far more sense for a Galaxy X type device than a Galaxy S10.

CES is not only too early, but it’s the entirely wrong occasion for a mainstream phone launch.

CES is more about showing off new and interesting technology, talking about overall company strategy and showing the future of companies rather than just the present. It’s the type of show where we see prototypes and engineering samples shown off, not full-fledged mass-market products. CES is absolutely famous for producing amazing-looking products that never make it to market. Why lump your ready-to-sell Galaxy S10 in with thousands of companies all launching crazy products across the entire electronics industry? Samsung is a company that’s big enough to command its own space, it’s own time and the full attention of a large portion of the media and public when it launches a phone.

The Galaxy S10 itself may be exciting and surprising in many ways, but when it launches is entirely predictable — look past CES, and watch the late-February time frame.

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+

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

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What a New Design Could Mean for Apple Watch Series 4

The Apple Watch Series 4 expected this fall will feature a new design and a display that’s 15 percent larger, according to the latest reports from respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Additional details have yet to emerge, but the Series 4 could mark the first design change introduced in the Apple Watch since its debut three years ago.

Kuo expects the two new Apple Watch models will measure 1.57 inches (39.9mm) and 1.78 inches (45.2mm), compared to the current 38mm and 42mm Apple Watch sizes. Rumors remain unclear on whether the casings themselves will be larger or if a reduction in bezel size will allow for larger OLED displays, but that hasn’t stopped designers from sharing their own Series 4 concepts.

Rumored Apple Watch Series 4 design (left) alongside Series 3 (right)
Venya Geskin created the above mockups envisioning what a larger display could look like on a new Apple Watch while retaining the existing physical dimensions. In this design, the Series 4 screen adopts rounded corners to align with the reduced bezels and maximize the display area, similar to the display on the iPhone X.

Developer Ryan Jones calculates that the larger screens could provide a 35 and 38 percent larger display area for the 38mm and 42mm models, respectively. Such a change would significantly enhance user interaction with the Force Touch display, allowing for bigger clock faces and virtual buttons, and more space for viewing text, equating to less scrolling. In addition, watchOS 5 promises to bring rich HTML content to Apple Watch devices, so a larger screen would enhance the experience of navigating websites and interacting with them.

According to separate industry sources, there’s an outside chance that the upcoming Apple Watch models could use micro-LED screens, which have the potential to be thinner and lighter, with improved color gamut, increased brightness, and support for higher resolutions. If micro-LED is adopted this year, it could potentially free up space for other hardware improvements.

Here’s exact to-scale drawings of Apple Watch Series 4 based on the rumors. Note the 38mm screen will be bigger than the current 42mm screen! 😱 pic.twitter.com/lh9VqPMQ7g

— Ryan Jones (@rjonesy) July 11, 2018

Kuo believes the next Apple Watch will feature improved health monitoring capabilities, including improved heart rate features. The analyst doesn’t explain whether these improvements would be based on software or hardware, but some combination of the two is one possibility.

The heart rate sensor in the current Apple Watch uses rapidly flashing green LED lights paired with light‑sensitive photodiodes to continuously monitor heart rate during workouts and Breathe sessions. However, the device switches to infrared light to measure heart rate in the background at intervals that vary, depending on your activity level.

Unlike some smartwatches, currently it’s not possible to configure Apple Watch to monitor your heart rate continuously all of the time. Such a feature in the Series 4 would be a welcome addition, but whether it could be battery-efficient without adopting a different sensor array than the current one is unclear.

That said, Kuo also believes that the Apple Watch will feature a higher-capacity battery for better battery life. The adoption of solid state buttons that don’t physically click but instead use a Taptic Engine to provide haptic feedback to users could also potentially provide extra room for a larger battery.

Another possibility Apple is said to be testing is an EKG feature that records the electrical activity of the heart using two fingers on either side of the Apple Watch. This would detect electrical changes in the skin caused by the rhythm of the heartbeat – and potentially identify any irregularities.

Concept design by Benjamin Geskin
Whatever comes with Apple Watch Series 4, we should know for certain in just a couple of months. Apple is expected to announce the device at its annual September event, which is typically held during the first or second week of September. What changes are you hoping for in the new Apple Watch? Let us know in the comments below.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 4, watchOS 5Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)
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Apple Pay Promo Takes $10 Off StubHub Orders of $100 or More Through August 1

This week’s Apple Pay promo offers concertgoers and sports fans the chance to get $10 off a purchase of $100 or more from StubHub. To get the discount, browse tickets in the StubHub iOS app, use Apple Pay to checkout before August 1, and enter the code APPLEPAY-10 during the checkout process.

The new promotion is themed around summer music festivals, and encourages users to pay with Apple Pay in apps like Airbnb and Lyft to book rooms and order rides to and from events. The company is also pointing customers towards a few clothing apps like Abercrombie & Fitch, GOAT, Hollister, and HBX.

The Stubhub promo follows a few Apple Pay promotions that have been themed around summer activities as well, which offered customers the chance to get discounts on Fourth of July dinners from TGI Fridays, save money on new Adidas shoes to wear during summer workouts, and redeem two free bike rides with the ofo app.

Tag: Apple Pay promo
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U.S. government signs an agreement with ZTE to lift export ban

ZTE will once again be able to conduct business with American component vendors.

ZTE’s woes in the U.S. are about to come to a close. The Chinese telecommunications giant has signed an agreement with the Department of Commerce that will lift the export ban — which will allow ZTE to do business with American suppliers like Qualcomm. ZTE was issued a denial order in April after it was revealed that the manufacturer violated sanctions against North Korea and Iran.

ZTE is now required to complete a $400 million escrow payment, following which the ban will be lifted:

Our statement on #ZTE and the escrow agreement: pic.twitter.com/w0Bbej1mAU

— U.S. Commerce Dept. (@CommerceGov) July 11, 2018

The three-month saga is estimated to have cost ZTE upwards of $3 billion, according to Bloomberg. The company had to appoint a new chairman and replace its senior management, and while the export ban is set to be lifted, ZTE could face further penalties from the U.S. Senate.

Google Adds Morse Code Accessibility Feature to Gboard on iOS

Google has added support for Morse code typing to its Gboard app for iOS, providing an accessible method of digital communication for people with disabilities.

The customizable feature replaces the letters of the keyboard with large dot and dash keys to enter text, and offers text-to-Morse sequences to the auto-suggestion strip above the keyboard.

Google has also launched a Morse Typing Trainer web game that teachers users how to communicate in Morse code using Gboard.

Tania Finlayson, an assistive tech developer with cerebral palsy who works on the Gboard project, explained in a Google blog post how Morse code has helped her communicate more effectively:

“At first I thought learning Morse code would be a waste of time, but soon learned that it gave me total freedom with my words, and for the first time, I could talk with ease, without breaking my neck. School became fun, instead of exhausting. I could focus on my studies, and have real conversations with my friends for the first time. Also, I did not need an adult figure with me every moment at school, and that was awesome.”

For existing Gboard users, the Morse code feature is delivered in an update (version 1.29). Gboard is a free download for iPhone available on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Tags: Google, accessibility, Gboard
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How to change a car battery

We’re going to let you in on a little secret: changing a car battery requires no special tools and it’s well within the reach of just about anyone. Here’s how you do it.

Step one: Find your battery

Ronan Glon/Digital Trends

The first step is to find your battery. In a vast majority of cars it’s located in a corner of the engine bay. Either up front, behind one of the headlights, or out back, right below the windshield on either side. Note that it might be hidden under a plastic cover, especially if you drive a car made in the last decade or so. Don’t panic if you don’t see it under the hood; the dealer didn’t rip you off. Some auto manufacturers (like BMW) often choose to install the battery under the rear seat or in the trunk to save space. Your owner’s manual will help you find it if you’re unsure of its location.

Found it? Good. Now it’s time to roll up your sleeves. Speaking of, we recommend wearing clothes you don’t mind getting a little bit dirty. And, make sure you know the code to your car’s stereo. On some cars, disconnecting the battery resets the stereo and it will ask for a permission code the next time it starts up.

Step two: Disconnect the terminals

Your 12-volt battery has a positive and a negative terminal, just like the AA batteries you used to put in your Game Boy Color. It’s connected to the car’s electrical system via metal terminal ends. Find both terminal ends — keep in mind the positive one might be under a plastic cover — and determine how they’re secured. You’re in luck if your car has a quick-release clamp. If not, you’ll need wrenches to loosen the terminal ends. The size of the bolt varies from car to car. Some use 10-millimeter bolts, some use 13-mm bolts, and some use one of each. You might even find a car with a 7-mm bolt, or a different size entirely.

Start by disconnecting the negative terminal end. It’s the one with a – symbol next to it, usually on the battery casing. Remember: righty tighty, lefty loosey. The bolt shouldn’t require an immense amount of effort to break loose. Make sure your wrench never touches both terminals at the same time. It will conduct electricity and cause sparks to fly, which is the last thing you want while working around a gasoline engine. Gently pull up on the terminal end once it’s loose to remove it and tuck it out of the way. Do the same with the positive terminal, and this time make sure the wrench doesn’t touch a metal part of the car (like the hood or the body).

Step three: Remove the battery hold-down

Both terminal ends are off the battery — what now? You can’t just yank the battery out. It’s held down by a retaining system that usually consists of a strap or a metal plate. Either way, you’ll need a socket wrench, the appropriate socket, and an extension bar long enough to clear the battery and reach the bolt.

Loosen it slowly and make sure you don’t drop the bolt. We recommend using a telescopic magnet to retrieve it before it falls in the dark, greasy abyss otherwise known as your engine bay. You can also use a set of pliers, or simply reach down and grab it if you have enough space to do so.

Step four: Remove the old battery and inspect the terminals

Now, you’re ready to pull the battery out. It’s relatively heavy, it can weigh 20 pounds or more depending on its size, so be prepared. Look at the terminal ends before you reinstall the new one. If you see a build-up of green-ish, gray-ish, or white-ish powder you’ll need to clean them with either emery cloth or sandpaper to keep your charging system in tip-top shape. Don’t use anything too coarse; 100-grit works fine. Sand the inner part of the terminal ends until they’re nice and shiny. Battery acid is corrosive so wear gloves and try not to get any on your clothes.

Step five: Install the new battery

Ronan Glon/Digital Trends

Drop in the new battery and don’t forget to tighten the retaining system you removed earlier. Most new batteries come with anti-corrosion washers and grease to keep terminals free of dirt and grease. Go easy on the grease but cover the entire surface of the terminal. Then, connect the positive battery terminal first, always making sure the wrench doesn’t come in contact with another metal part. It needs to be tight, you shouldn’t be able to move the terminal end by hand, but don’t over-tighten it or you’ll break it. Repeat these steps for the negative terminal end.

Double-check that you didn’t leave any tools in the engine bay, close the hood, and start the car to ensure everything works as it should.

Congratulations, you’ve just changed a battery.

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December space launch could make Israel fourth country to land on moon

Google Lunar XPrize

In an age in which the high-profile space stories and competition typically involve companies like SpaceX, Boeing, and others, it’s easy to forget that it used to feel like more of a national rivalry — summoning memories of the U.S. and Soviet Union from the height of the Space Race. One country which clearly hasn’t forgotten those halcyon days? Israel, which announced its intentions to be the fourth country to land a mission on the moon — after the U.S., Russia, and China.

With this goal in mind, it’s planning to launch an unmanned spacecraft in December as a collaboration between Israel Aerospace Industries and the nonprofit organization SpaceIL. The launch will take place from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The two companies behind the launch have raised $88 million from private donors to fund the project over the course of the past eight years. Their diminutive craft is a little over 5 feet in height and tips the scale at 1,322 pounds. It will take around two months to reach the moon, with a target date of February 13, 2019. No launch date has yet been announced.

“The launch of the first Israeli spacecraft will fill Israel, in its 70th year, with pride,” said SpaceIL President Morris Kahn. “It is a national accomplishment that will put us on the world’s space map.”

SpaceIL was previously part of Google’s Lunar XPrize competition, which promised a $20 million prize for any non-governmental organization able to land an unmanned spacecraft on the moon by 2014. Ultimately, no organization was able to achieve this, although clearly, SpaceIL was not ready to throw in the towel just because it had missed Google’s deadline. Half a decade later, it may well claim the moral victory, if not the financial one.

If the group’s spacecraft does successfully reach the moon, it will be the smallest craft to have done so in history. On the moon’s surface, it will take assorted videos and photographs, as well as measuring the moon’s magnetic field using a magnetometer.

Israel Aerospace Industries hopes that the space mission will trigger an “Apollo effect,” which captures the imagination of kids and gets them inspired about the possibility offered by STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) subjects.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Get your Sagan on with 60 awe-inspiring photos of the final frontier
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• NASA reveals its plans to have astronauts orbiting the moon by 2025
• Japanese space probe to begin exploring asteroid Ryugu

Save an additional 20% on your Prime Day purchases by using American Express Reward points

The savings just keep piling up.

We already know that we will see millions of deals across the world on Prime Day, but did you know that you could drop the prices even lower by just shopping with your American Express points? Amazon frequently offers an additional percentage off select purchases when you checkout and pay for part of the transaction using your Rewards points, and come Prime Day, the company is offering 20% off on a variety of items.

When it comes to saving money, this may be one of the easiest ways you’ll be able to do it on Prime Day. The first step is to head to this page and click to activate the offer. Once the offer is activated, you’ll want to make sure that your American Express card is one of the payment methods in your account, and that you have linked your accounts successfully. The last, and easiest part, is to find an eligible item, add it to your cart, and pay using at least one American Express Reward point.

One of the best parts about this offer (besides the money you save) is that you don’t have to have enough points to cover your entire purchase. In fact, you can use a single point, worth $0.01, and you’ll still receive the discount during checkout. Of course, if you have a bunch of points you don’t know what to do with, you could use all of them on the purchase, but it’s not a requirement.

This discount can be redeemed on any item physical goods that are sold and shipped by Amazon. You won’t be able to redeem it on items sold by third parties, digital goods, or Amazon gift cards. It can only be redeemed once and has a maximum benefit of $100. The offer is currently live, so if there is something you want to buy now, you can save 20%. The promotion can end at any time, so be sure to activate the offer now and link your accounts to avoid missing out.

You can already take advantage of a bunch of great deals at Amazon, so be sure to check them out and get an early start on your purchases. Not sure what Prime Day is really all about? Be sure to check out our comprehensive guide with all the details you need. Amazon is also offering a few other ways to get some extra cash to spend on Prime Day to help keep your costs as low as possible.

Amazon Prime Day Tips and Tricks: Avoid bad deals and save money

Don’t make bad choices because you weren’t informed.

On big shopping days, like Amazon Prime Day, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and buy things that may not have really been a good deal. Now, if it’s a product that you actually wanted or needed, and the price was what you could afford, there’s really no such thing as a bad deal, but the risks come with impulse purchasing. With millions of deals coming and going, it can be easy to buy something that wasn’t actually a good deal. Luckily, we have a few tricks up our sleeve to help you avoid making these bad purchases, so let’s dive right in.

Prepare in advance

Having a basic idea of the items you are looking for and a price you’re willing to spend on them will definitely help keep you on track. It’s easy to miss out on deals because you aren’t looking in the right places or because you spent too much time trying to research and see if it’s worth buying it. Having a plan of attack before the event starts is an easy way to help you succeed.

If you download the free Amazon Shopping app on your iPhone or Android device, you can actually save deals that you’re interested in so that you don’t miss out. Having these items marked ahead of time will keep you on track.

Stick to listings shipped by Amazon

Amazon is a huge marketplace, and while most of the items you’ll see on Prime Day will be sold and shipped by Amazon, some of them will come from third-party sellers. While most third-party sellers are trustworthy, there could be some that have bad intentions. From recently-launched stores to those without feedback, it can be hard to know exactly what you’re getting without a ton of research. Prime Day is not a day you want to be researching sellers and pricing, so it’s best to keep it simple.

Items that are sold and shipped by Amazon are always trusted, this means that Amazon handles the whole experience for you and all of the customer service will take place through them. There are other listings that will be sold by third parties, generally the brand, and then shipped by Amazon. On these items, Amazon handles the fulfillment of the item (packing and shipping) and has the items in its warehouse.

Keep it locked to Thrifter

The team over at Thrifter will be covering all of the best deals that come and go during all 36 hours of the event. From direct price drops to coupons, Lightning Deals, and more, if you want one place to go to find all the best deals, this is it. The team will be comparing the discounted prices to regular pricing, vetting sellers, and ensuring that everything that is posted is completely trustworthy.

Be sure to sign up for their Prime Day newsletter to have helpful tips, tricks, and all the best deals delivered right to your inbox.