Amazon’s portable Tap speaker with Alexa built-in has dropped to $85

No summer adventure is complete without some good music.

The Amazon Tap Alexa-enabled portable Bluetooth speaker is down to $84.99 on Amazon. This the first price drop we’ve seen since last year. While not great as great as some of the deals we saw over Black Friday, it’s been a while since the Tap has moved from its $130 price at all.

Unlike other Amazon devices, like the Echo Dot, the Tap isn’t chained to an outlet. It has a rechargeable battery that lasts up to nine hours (or eight if you choose the hands-free mode). It does have Alexa built-in and, thanks to that hands-free update, she will respond to your voice from anywhere. Take the Tap to the backyard or the garage and stream your favorite music, then put it back in the kitchen so Alexa can help you cook. Beyond just the portability, the Tap also has the best speakers of Amazon’s first generation of devices. Stream your music via Bluetooth for Dolby-powered 360-degree audio.

The Tap has 4.1 stars based on 7,660 user reviews.

See at Amazon

Build-your-own computer kits, Amazon devices, meat thermometers, and more are all discounted today

Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.

We found plenty of great deals today that include big discounts on Piper’s computer kit, the Amazon Tap and Amazon Echo, the iGrill 2 meat thermometer, and more! Time’s running out to take advantage of these prices, so hurry!

View the rest of the deals

If you want to know about the deals as soon as they are happening, you’ll want to follow Thrifter on Twitter, and sign up for the newsletter, because missing out on a great deal stinks!

Chrome OS is finally getting a proper video editor with Adobe Project Rush

You’ll also be able to run it on flagship Android phones.

Even though Chrome OS’s app situation has gotten considerably better over the years, there’s one thing that often keeps a lot of people at bay — the lack of a real video editor. Thanks to a recent announcement from Adobe, however, that’s going to change very soon.

During this year’s VidCon, Adobe unveiled Project Rush. Project Rush is a new video editing platform that combines features from After Effects, Premier, and Audition into one single app. All of your work is saved on the cloud, meaning if you start a project using Rush on one machine, you can quickly pick up where you left off on another.

In addition to the expected Windows and macOS apps, Adobe Rush will also be available for Android and iOS. Ant Pruitt from Tech Republic talked with Adobe about how the Android app will work, and what he learned is where this gets really exciting —

Adobe assured me that the flagship devices will not have an issue running Project Rush. This includes the likes of your Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones. Forde said that Google and Adobe have worked so closely together on this project, Google now has measures in place that will change how GPU performance will be on Android (for the better) to allow content creation and consumption to be an amazing experience. So amazing, even Chromebooks capable of running Android apps will be able to easily utilize Project Rush.

You can sign up for the Adobe Project Rush beta right now, and while there’s still no word on an official launch or how much Rush will cost, the fact that a real, fully-fledged video editor will be available to use on Chrome OS is huge.

Add that together with the fact that Rush will work just as well with all of your other devices, and content creators are about to be in for a big treat.

Pixelbook 2: What Google can do to make the best Chromebook even better

Get patriotic this Fourth of July with our quickest home screen theme yet

This theme is quite fitting for our country: it looks complicated, awesome and time-consuming, but it’s really quite easy.

The Fourth of July is a day to celebrate our union, to acknowledge its past and look ahead to its future. It’s also an excuse for everyone to take a day off work in the middle of the summer, go swimming by the river, grilling in the backyard, drink some star-spangled beer and blow up some fireworks. Whatever your plans for this Independence Day, make sure that your phone is decked out in some red, white, and blue brilliance with our quickest theme yet, built upon American adaptability and KLWP.

• About KLWP and our July 4th theme
• Applying the July 4th Preset in KLWP
• Adjusting the July 4th Preset in KLWP
• Applying Whicons Icon Pack

About KLWP and our July 4th theme

KLWP — short for Kustom Live Wallpaper — is the bigger, bolder brother of KWGT, the what-you-see-is-what-you-get widget builder that we’ve used in many of our theme the last few years, including our recent Heart Canada and Deadpool themes. KLWP is a what-you-see-is-what-you-get live wallpaper builder, allowing you to build widgets, shortcuts, and designs right into your live wallpaper.

See the 5 white app icons on the screen? Everything besides those is part of our live wallpaper, and that means that since we’ve already built the theme, all you lucky users need to do is apply the live wallpaper, apply your icon pack, and get on with grilling and chilling.

This theme was originally based around a widget I found and liked in Element for KWGT, which is a wonderful preset pack I recommend checking out for KWGT. I hunted down the fonts and fonticon pack to help re-create the dock in KLWP and then made several edits and additions, including:

• Converted the three app shortcuts into music controls
• Added song information to the bottom of the dock, just above the nav bar
• Organized the Time/Weather elements to help them remain better aligned
• Tied all the theme elements to Globals for easy color adjustments
• Created and adjusted a custom tricolor music progress bar to sit sit along the edge of the dock
• Added a conditional layer to hide the interactive elements while on the lock screen

This is a theme I’ve tinkered and toyed with for over a month, and a KLWP Preset that I’ve adjusted and fine-tuned through weeks of personal use. Since you’ll be importing the KLWP Preset I’ve made, you’ll need KLWP Pro, which is $4.50. Considering how powerful KLWP is and how responsive its development team and community are, I think it’s more than worth that price.

The only elements you’ll need besides KLWP and KLWP’s Pro Key are our July 4th Preset, the free Whicons Icon Pack, and a home screen launcher that supports custom icon packs. I’m using Nova Launcher so that I can take advantage of subgrid positioning and lay out my apps in an angle that matches the theme.

Applying the July 4th Preset in KLWP

Once you download the July 4th Preset, use a file manager app to copy it to Internal Memory/Kustom/wallpapers. If you haven’t opened Kustom before, you might have to make the Kustom folder or wallpapers subfolder. Once the preset file is saved in Kustom/wallpapers, let’s get it imported.

Open KLWP.
Tap the next arrow three times.

Tap Allow to let Kustom access your device’s storage.

Tap the next arrow.
Tap Allow to let Kustom access your device’s location.

Tap Done.

A welcome message will appear.After reading it, tap Done.
Tap Load Preset.

In the Presets menu, tap the Exported tab.

Tap July 4th Preset.
The preset will load, but Kustom is still missing some important permissions for our theme. Tap Fix now.

Tap Fix.

Tap Kustom LWP or Kustom Notifications.
Tap Allow.

Tap the back button.

Tap the floppy disc icon in the top right bar of the screen to Save the wallpaper.
We still need to set KLWP as our wallpaper. Tap Fix.

Tap Set Wallpaper.

Tap Home screen and lock screen.
Tap the floppy disc icon in the top right bar of the screen to Save the wallpaper.

Tap the home button to see the applied theme in action.

The theme should adapt well to most home screen sizes since most the element groups are anchored and organized from the bottom of the screen.

Adjusting the July 4th Preset in KLWP

Ideally, the only thing left you’ll need to do is set the icon pack, but if you need to adjust the theme, here are some ways you can do that.

• Is the dock not fitting the width of your screen properly? Tap Layer and adjust the Scale up to down to your liking. Be advised that not all elements adjust at the same rate, so you may need to readjust individual elements after doing this.
• Want to re-position the sections of the dock to better fit your screen? Tap the Item group or element you wish to move (for instance the Progress Bar), and then tap Position. Adjust the X and Y offsets or directional padding to re-position the element as desired.

• You can change what tapping an individual element or group triggers. For the base Preset, tapping the Hour opens the Kustom editor so you can adjust the wallpaper to your liking, but you could change it to open your clock or calendar app.

  

• Weather providers offer different descriptions of current weather conditions and some providers are more accurate in different regions than others. To change the weather provider KLWP uses, tap the three-line menu icon in the top left corner of the screen and tap Settings. Under Weather, you can tap Weather Provider and select from half a dozen sources.

• KLWP by default will pull in the details and controls for any media notification that it sees. If you only want KLWP to pull in data from one app, you can enter KLWP Settings and set Preferred Music Player to your chosen music app.

  

There are plenty of ways to edit and alter this theme. For instance, here in Texas, the weather is horribly hot and sunny all the time, so I’ve switched the weather fonticon out for a Google Keep icon and shortcut.

Because, really, knowing how hot it is outside during the Fourth of July barbeque doesn’t help us endure it any better; it only makes us more aware of our misery.

Applying Whicons Icon Pack

This is a simple red, white and blue theme, and it works best with a simple white icon pack, and for a simple white icon pack, we turn once again to one of my favorite icon packs on Google Play. Whicons is one of the three free icon packs from Randle that mesh with so many themes that it’s just unnatural.

Open Whicons.
Tap the three-line menu icon in the top left corner.

Tap Apply.

Tap your desired launcher.

Tap OK.

I arrange my apps on the home screen using Nova Launcher’s subgrid positioning, but you can place your icons anywhere above our patriotic dock.

Your turn

So, do put fifty icons on your home screen for the 50 stars — assuming your home screen is big enough for that many — or do you take a more reserved approach to our Fourth of July theme? Want to kick it up a little more? Try this Captain America variant I made using The First Avenger’s colors and signature shield for some Star-Spangled Awesome.

Are there any themes you’d like us to tackle? Let us know in the comments!

These U.S. carriers have updated the LG G6 to Android Oreo

Where are ya, T-Mobile?

The LG G6 was one of 2017’s most underappreciated phones, but despite its lacking popularity, it’s still important that LG updates the phone on a timely manner for those that did throw their cash down for it.

A lot of carriers in the U.S. have recently updated the LG G6 to Android 8.0 Oreo, and to help you keep track of which companies have committed to the update, here’s the list as it currently stands.

AT&T

According to numerous reports over on Reddit, the LG G6 on AT&T is being updated to Oreo. AT&T’s website isn’t updated to reflect these changes at the time of publication, but that should be fixed soon.

The update increases the G6’s security patch to April 2018 and has all of the Oreo features you’d expect — such as picture-in-picture, notification dots next to app icons, Google’s handy Autofill API, and more.

Sprint

If you purchased the LG G6 on Sprint, you’re also in luck!

Android 8.0 Oreo started rolling out to the Sprint G6 in late May, and it weighs in at a hefty 1808.5MB.

Interestingly enough, the G6 on Sprint gets a more recent security patch with an update to the May 2018 one.

Verizon

Verizon was actually the first carrier in the United States to start updating the G6 to Oreo.

Verizon’s update measures in at 1893.0MB, and like the Sprint variant, comes with the older April 2018 security patch.

T-Mobile

Lastly, T-Mobile started issuing its Oreo update to the LG G6 on June 29.

The build number is changed to H87220a and all of the regular Oreo goodies are included.

Unlocked LG G6 finally gets Android 8.0 Oreo update

LG G6

• LG G6 review!
• LG G6 specs
• LG G6 vs. Google Pixel: The two best cameras right now
• Everything you need to know about the G6’s cameras
• LG forums

Verizon
Sprint
T-Mobile
AT&T
B&H

Android Oreo

• Android Oreo review!
• Everything new in Android Oreo
• How to get Android Oreo on your Pixel or Nexus
• Oreo will make you love notifications again
• Will my phone get Android Oreo?
• Join the Discussion

Updated June 29, 2018: Added T-Mobile to the list!

MacRumors Giveaway: Win a Cord-Cutting Bundle With Lifetime Plex Pass, TV Tuner and Antenna From Plex

For this week’s giveaway, we’ve teamed up with Plex to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a cord-cutting bundle that includes a lifetime Plex Pass, a TV tuner, and an antenna.

Plex, for those unfamiliar with it, is an all-in-one media hub that organizes your entire library of content, from TV shows and movies to music and photos, plus it offers free access to news, support for Podcasts, and, most importantly for those who want to cut ties with cable companies, access to live television.

To handle all of your own media content, you can set up the Plex Media Server on a Mac, which makes everything you own accessible on all of your devices through the Plex iOS and Apple TV apps, along with Plex apps for consoles, Android devices, and other set-top boxes. You can watch and stream all of your content along with live TV content, news, and more from your Mac to any device, anywhere.

Accessing the Plex Live TV service does not require a cable subscription, and it’s relatively simple to set up if you know what to buy.

You’ll need a digital tuner and a digital antenna to access HD content from channels that are available for free over-the-air, such as major U.S. networks like ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, the CW, and local programming that includes news and sports. You can enter your zip code on the Plex site to see the channels you can receive over the air in your area.

Plex’s website also outlines the exact equipment that is compatible with Plex Live TV, and a tuner will run you about $50 to $150. For our giveaway, Plex is providing a Mac-compatible HD HomeRun Connect Quatro, which lets you watch live TV on up to four devices simultaneously.

TV tuners need to be paired with an antenna, priced right around $60. Our giveaway includes the ClearStream Flex Amplified Sure Grip Indoor HDTV Antenna, which can be stuck on any flat surface like a window or a wall to receive over-the-air television signals.

All in all, the setup will run you $100 to $200, but after that, you have the tools you need to get cable channels sans paying an exorbitant fee. You will need a Plex Pass subscription for Live TV access, priced at $5 per month, $40 per year, or $120 for a lifetime subscription, but that’s cheaper than cable.

That price offers access to all of Plex’s premium features, including live TV and the ability to pause and record shows and skip commercials with Plex DVR. All of your DVR content will sync seamlessly with your existing media library, and it can also be played anywhere.

Plex also just recently announced a new live TV grid view, which makes it easier than ever to see what’s on and what’s available to you, and it’s simple to schedule your DVR recordings using either an Apple TV or an iOS device.

We have one cord-cutting bundle to give away, complete with Mac-compatible tuner and antenna plus a lifetime Plex Pass subscription. To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

a Rafflecopter giveawayThe contest will run from today (June 29) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on July 6. The winner will be chosen randomly on July 6 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.

Tags: Plex, giveaway
Discuss this article in our forums

Microsoft Developing Dual-Screen ‘Pocketable’ Surface Device

Microsoft is working on a pocket-sized dual-screen Surface device according to information sourced from Microsoft internal documents and shared by The Verge.

Called Andromeda, Microsoft’s dual-screen Surface project has been in development for at least two years and it’s designed to “blur the lines between mobile and stationary computing,” according to an internal document.

Andromeda rendering via David Breyer

“It’s a new pocketable Surface device form factor that brings together innovative new hardware and software experiences to create a truly personal and versatile computing experience,” is exactly how Microsoft describes the device internally.

Microsoft’s device will feature a wraparound display that bridges the gap of the hinge when it is fully opened, and according to The Verge, December renderings shared by David Breyer are “identical” to the current prototype versions of the upcoming Surface. The pocketable Surface can be folded in either direction or laid flat, as can be seen in the renderings.

Andromeda rendering via David Breyer
Microsoft is said to be experimenting with stylus input for the pocket Surface, with prototype devices equipped with styluses and notepad-like apps for note taking.

The Verge’s sources warn that work on Andromeda could be ceased at anytime, but Microsoft is said to have tentative 2018 release date plans, which would mean development on the device is nearing completion.

Some nebulous rumors have suggested Apple too is exploring some similar concepts, working with LG to develop an iPhone with a foldable display. Apple explores many concepts and designs for its devices, so there is likely to be some truth to the rumor.

The folding display technology being developed by LG is still a few years off, so if Apple moves forward with some sort of design that’s similar to what Microsoft is working on, we won’t be seeing it for several years.

At the current time, Apple is focusing on edge-to-edge displays and making a transition to OLED technology. In fall 2018, Apple is expected to introduce a second-generation 5.8-inch OLED iPhone X, a 6.5-inch OLED device that can be thought of as an “iPhone X Plus,” and a 6.1-inch iPhone with an LCD display that will be available at a more affordable price point.

All three devices will feature edge-to-edge displays and no Home button, instead adopting Face ID and the TrueDepth camera system.

Tags: Microsoft, Microsoft Surface
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How to Access Control Center and Home Screen in iOS 12 With the iPad’s New Gestures

Apple in iOS 11 revamped the iPad’s interface and changed the way we interact with the tablet through a new Dock, a revamped App Switcher, and Drag and Drop, and with iOS 12, further iPad changes have been implemented.

There are new gestures to learn for accessing the Home screen, App Switcher, and the Control Center, along with a new status bar and some new multitasking capabilities, which we’ve outlined below.

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The new iPad gestures are identical to the gestures on the iPhone X, with Apple preparing us for the elimination of the Home button in future iPad models. Rumors suggest upcoming iPad Pro models will feature a TrueDepth camera system and Face ID rather than a traditional Touch ID Home button.

If you use an iPhone X, the new iPad gestures will be familiar to you, but if you don’t, it could take a bit of time to get used to.

Dock Changes: Getting to the Home Screen and App Switcher

In iOS 11, when you wanted to access the Home screen from within an app, you would press the Touch ID Home button. That’s still true, but you can also now get to the Home screen when you swipe up from the bottom of the display, as demoed in the video above.

When in an app, swiping up from the bottom of the screen takes you right to the Home screen rather than just bringing up the iPad Dock within an app.

The iPad’s Home screen. Get here with one quick swipe on the Dock.
To get to the Dock to open more than one app for multitasking purposes, you need to do a swipe and a slight hold hold rather than just a swipe at the bottom inch of the screen while you have an app open already.

The iPad Dock in an app. A quick swipe brings you to the Home screen, but a swipe and a hold brings up the Dock in an app.
If you swipe and hold a bit higher on the screen, you can access the App Switcher on the iPad for quickly swapping between apps or closing apps, which is done with a swipe upwards on an app card. This gesture works both within apps and at the Home screen.

The iOS 12 iPad App Switcher, accessible with a longer swipe and hold on the Dock, either at the Home screen or within an app.

Getting to Control Center

Control Center in iOS 11 was paired with the App Switcher and was accessible by swiping up on the Dock, but that gesture now opens the App Switcher alone without providing access to Control Center.

Getting to Control Center is now done by swiping downwards from the right portion of the status bar, where it displays your battery life and Wi-Fi/Cellular connection.

All other gestures on the iPad remain the same, such as a swipe downwards from the top middle of the display to bring up your notifications and a swipe to the right to get to the Today section for widget access, but there are other iPad improvements worth noting in iOS 12.

iPad Status Bar

The iPad’s status bar has been redesigned in iOS 12, and it now resembles the status bar of the iPhone X. The date and time are listed on the left hand side of the status bar, while battery life and Wi-Fi/Cellular signal and connection are displayed on the right hand side.

The middle of the display, where the date was previously shown, is left open, perhaps for a future notch. Prior to iOS 12, the iPad’s status bar did not show the date, so that’s also a new addition.

Spacebar Trackpad

When typing on the iPad, if you press and hold with one finger on the space bar, it turns the keyboard into a trackpad to make it easier to navigate through a document and move the cursor.

This is a feature that has been available on iPhones with 3D Touch and on the iPad with two fingers, but in iOS 12, it’s simpler to use. Two fingers also continues to work.

Multitasking

On newer iPads with 2GB+ RAM, multitasking has been tweaked somewhat. While in iOS 11 you could have a maximum of two apps working simultaneously, on iOS 12, you can have three.

To use three apps at once, pair two apps in Split View with a Slide Over window. In this mode, all three apps are active, and while it’s true that the Slide Over window is going to block most of the second Split View window, you can still scroll through and use all three apps.

Multitasking in iOS 12. Note that all three windows are active.
That is not true of iOS 11, where opening up a Slide Over window in Split View would deactivate the two Split View apps until the Slide Over window was dismissed.

iOS 11 multitasking. Note that the Slide Over window deactivates the two Split View apps.
Multitasking gestures in iOS 12 have not changed. Pull an app up from the dock and to the left or the right of the display to enter Split View mode, or pull an app over an existing app to enter Slide Over mode.

More Info

iOS 12 will be released to the public in the fall alongside new iPhones, but it is available in a beta capacity to developers and anyone who wants to become a public beta tester. iOS 12 should not be installed on a primary device because betas can introduce serious bugs, and make sure to create a backup before updating to the new software.

For more information on the new features that are coming in iOS 12, make sure to check out our iOS 12 roundup.

Related Roundup: iOS 12
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The Foreo UFO can fit into your makeup bag and your busy lifestyle

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Ask any beauty junkie, and they’ll likely tell you face masks are the answer to all your skincare problems. Face masks require you to set aside some time, which can be therapeutic in a busy week, but it can also be tough to squeeze them into your schedule. That’s where the Foreo UFO comes in. Now available for purchase, the UFO promises all the benefits of face masks, but within a speedy 90 seconds.

We took the UFO for a spin to see if it’s effective, and if it’s worth replacing your face masks.

Compact, but an odd shape

Foreo is no stranger to the skincare space. Known mainly for its Luna facial cleansing brushes and ISSA electric toothbrushes, the UFO fits right into the company’s lineup of devices with the same silicone material, as well as a compact body. While the UFO can replace the entire ecosystem of face masks — whether that’s cream, clay, gel, or exfoliating masks — it’s meant as an alternative to sheet masks. Since each treatment is simply a shrunken version of the sheet mask, you no longer have to place a face-shaped piece of paper over your face, and wait for the product to soak in over time.

The UFO does have a steep price tag, compared to sheet masks, but the simple setup and quick execution had us easily incorporating it into our skincare routine. Whenever our skin felt dull or dehydrated, it was quick and easy to feel refreshed with the UFO, even if our schedule was jam-packed.

The circular device is small enough that it fits comfortably in the palm of a hand, and the silicone around the body helps with the grip. One side is flat, and this is where the magic happens, whereas the other side has a ribbed, metal texture with the Foreo logo, purely for show. On the flat side, you’ll find a plastic outer ring that detaches — this is where you add the sheet mask. The sheet mask is shaped similarly to the UFO, allowing you to easily line it up correctly and re-attach the ring back to the UFO’s body with the thin mask in between. Since the sheet mask is soaked in product, the ring can also become quite slippery. It’s important to make sure the ring is turned upward though (with the Foreo logo facing you) otherwise, you’ll have trouble securing it.

It was quick and easy to feel refreshed with the UFO, even if our schedule was jam-packed.

The main qualm we have about the UFO’s design is its shape. Since it’s just a flat object you’re moving in a circular motion around your face, it’s difficult to distribute the product evenly on places like the nose. With regular sheet masks, this isn’t a problem since it hugs all parts of your face. The UFO does feel a bit heavy out of the box, but it’s not noticeable once you start using it. We would’ve liked to see the UFO modeled after its LUNA facial cleansing brush, which curves just the right amount that allows for you to reach those tougher parts of the face.

In terms of travel and storage purposes, the UFO is still light and compact enough to carry around in a purse, or keep in your bathroom mirror shelf.

Using the UFO

The UFO connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth and the Foreo UFO Beauty Tech app, which is available in Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store. You’ll have to pair the UFO with your smartphone each time you want to use it with the app, which is inconvenient, but the app lets you see how much time is left for your session; they all last 90 seconds. You can also control the T-Sonic pulsations, temperature, and the LED lights emitted from the device.

There are two kinds of masks at the moment — “Call It a Night” and “Make my Day” — and the treatments are slightly different for each. There will be different types of masks in the future, but you’ll need to activate each one by scanning the barcode on the back of the mask’s packaging. It instantly syncs to the app’s library of available masks, and tells the UFO which treatment to start. The UFO will then begin to work its magic, massaging the product from the sheet mask into your skin in circular motions. When the UFO was done after 90 seconds, we patted the remaining product to make sure it was fully absorbed.

You can also use the UFO without the app. One short press of the power button will automatically activate the day treatment mask and a second press will activate the night mask. The device will automatically turn off to indicate the treatment is done.

The pulsations and light therapy were far more gentle, leaving my skin feeling refreshed, plump, and soothed.

Between the two, the night mask is a lot rougher — its T-Sonic pulsations vibrate more harshly, and the thermo-therapy mode (which is what opens up the pores to allow the ingredients to seep into the skin) was a bit too hot for my sensitive skin. I preferred the morning mask. The pulsations and light therapy were far more gentle, leaving my skin feeling refreshed, plump, and soothed.

The plumpness of my skin is attributed to one of its main ingredients highlighted in the Make my Day mask — hyaluronic acid.

“Hyaluronic acid is a molecule in the skin that retains water, so it keeps the skin nice, supple, and full,” Natalie Yin, M.D. and chief resident at New York Presbyterian Hospital, told Digital Trends. “[It’s] a component in a lot of skincare products, but it’s also a component of skin fillers. So, [it’s] what we use to inject of build up the skin and try to redeem the youthful appearance. So, there’s really good evidence that by replacing the hyaluronic acid you can have this anti-aging effect.”

Other ingredients in both masks include ginseng which tightens and brightens skin, along with red algae that’s used to strengthen the skin barrier and is also an antioxidant that helps to neutralize damaging free radicals. Lastly, there’s also olive oil, which Dr. Dennis Gross, dermatologist and founder of Dr. Dennis Gross Dermatology, recommends to take precaution using it in abundance.

“I would avoid using too much olive oil,” Gross told Digital Trends. “It is heavy and does not absorb into skin very well, causing acne. It sits on the skin’s surface, creating a thick layer, clogging pores.”

But when used sparingly, Gross explained that it’s another hydrating ingredient that contains antioxidants.

As for whether the UFO works on my skin, I can say that after using it a few times a week (switching off between morning and night) my skin feels more hydrated and smooth — especially with how easily my makeup glides on. I did see a bit of redness after using the night mask, so those who have sensitive skin may not want to use it too often or should make sure to turn the heat settings off, and to turn the red LED light settings up (which helps to reduce inflammation).

I was able to complete a Foreo UFO session, with time for my normal routine, all within the usual 10 minute cap each morning. You can’t do that with a sheet mask.

The UFO has allowed me to incorporate what feels like a facial into my quick skincare routine.

I do, however, know that it has allowed me to incorporate what feels like a facial into my quick skincare routine. Living in an apartment with one bathroom and two other roommates, time in the bathroom needs to be spent quickly and wisely. I was able to complete a Foreo UFO session, with time left to brush my teeth and complete my normal skincare routine, all within the usual 10 minute cap each morning. You can’t do that with a sheet mask.

Foreo recommends that you wash the UFO after each use — for hygienic purposes — as it can get a bit messy. The masks do seep out excess product onto the the UFO’s body, but it’s easy to clean up by running the UFO under the sink since it’s waterproof. You do need to charge the UFO as well, but thankfully the battery doesn’t drain quickly at all. It takes about two and a half hours to charge the UFO up to a full battery, which then delivers up to 40 uses.

Foreo app needs a bit of improvement

Foreo recently updated its beauty app with the ability to control the settings on the UFO. After registering the mask, you have the ability to adjust the T-Sonic pulsations (1 being the lowest vibrations, 10 being the highest), which LED lights you want turned on and how high, along with whether you want the device to cool or heat your skin or if you want it turned off completely.

While controlling the different options is simple, the doesn’t save your settings for each specific mask. You have to manually change them each time you start a treatment, even if it has been used before. For instance, when I noticed the night mask was too hot for my skin and the vibrations were too rough, I was able to adjust it so that the treatment felt comfortable. But when I used it again a few days later, I spent most of the treatment trying to figure out what I had set it to last time — which takes the “relaxation” out of the entire process. It’d be nice if a future update allowed users to save preferred settings for each mask type.

Is it worth the cost?

At $280, the Foreo UFO is expensive, especially since you can purchase traditional sheet masks for incredibly low prices. You also need to continue purchasing UFO sheet masks, which cost $10 for seven masks. If you use the UFO once a week, that leaves you with three face masks to spare for the next month. In comparison to purchasing four traditional sheet masks per month — at about $6 each — you’ll be paying about $6 more for the Foreo masks each month in addition to purchasing the UFO for the first year.

After that, it’ll add up to about a couple dollars extra per month — but that’s only if you’re purchasing the cheapest face masks available. There are traditional face masks on the market as expensive as $135. If you frequently use face masks, it just may make financial sense to go for the UFO in the long run. For a cheaper alternative, Foreo will soon be releasing the UFO Mini — for $190 — the only difference is that it doesn’t include the LED light therapy feature.

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Try before you travel — Kayak launches virtual reality exploration tool

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Kayak

Kayak

Kayak

The practice of trying before buying is coming to travel booking with virtual reality in tow. This week, Kayak launched the new Kayak VR, an app for Google Daydream that allows travelers to “visit” a location before booking it.

Kayak calls the new VR app a way to “test drive” a city from home, both to choose a location before booking a flight and to find out what to see once you get there. The app pairs 360 visual content with an audio tour of the different landscapes. As well as exploring local hotspots, the tool also allows users to virtually explore hotels.

Inside Daydream, Kayak VR offers a few different ways to explore. One, virtual travelers can use the trackpad to move around the scene while listening to that audio tour. Or, another view option is to use the app’s stereophonic sound, a mode that adapts to the where you are looking within the scene.

Exploring new locations remotely is a popular use for virtual reality, but Kayak pairs that exploration with travel tips as well as travel trends related to the area. Inside Kayak VR, onscreen information will tell viewers what landmark they are looking at, as well as details. Unlike surfing edited Instagram shots, the app gives travelers an idea of the scale and, well, that 360 look behind the actual landmark may offer an idea of tourist-filled the destination is.

The app is the travel giant’s first foray into VR. And as a travel platform, the app is designed for pre-exploration, not to serve as a replacement for actually being there. “But, let’s get this straight,” the company writes in the announcement. “Kayak VR is just a research tool that lets you try a city on for size before booking. Because nothing beats actually touching down in a new city and experiencing it for yourself.”

The app launched with two cities to start with — Venice, Italy, and Kathmandu, Nepal — on Google Play. As the first prototype of the app, that destination list will likely expand if the app sees success.

Kayak VR joins the platform’s list of different tech tools for travel, including the group trip planner, Trip Huddle, along with a recent feature to look for claims for delayed flights. Kayak also has Desktop Escape, an app that explores destinations through photos.

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