Best Galaxy S9+ Cases

Pump, pump, pump it up!

The Galaxy S9+ is a stunning slab of metal and glass. But that stunning slab quickly turns to a sorry slab the moment you drop it onto the ground. As hard as it may be to hide that nice design, a case is almost a requirement with these phones.

If you’re looking for a case for your Samsung Galaxy S9+, look no further! If you’re looking for a case for the smaller Galaxy S9, check out our list of those.

• Samsung Alcantara Cover
• HOVED Slim Fit
• Besiva Ultra Slim
• Maxboost Wallet Case
• Spigen Neo Hybrid Herringbone
• Spigen Thin Fit 360
• SUPCASE Full-Body Rugged Holster case
• Trianium Clarium Clear Hybrid
• Maxboost HyperPro Case
• WIH-CH Protection Case

Samsung Alcantara Cover

If you want to stick to first-party options, Samsung has you — and your phone — covered. Samsung’s Alcantara cover is on the spendy side, but with good reason: it’s cut precisely for your phone, and the Alcantara will feel luxurious in your hands. You get easy ample cutouts for the cameras, flash, fingerprint sensor and other ports. There are also covers for the power, volume and Bixby buttons so you don’t have to dig your finger in to activate your favorite voice assistant.

At $50, Samsung’s Alcantara case is by far the most expensive choice on our list. Having said that, you’ll get a case that protects your phone and is super comfortable to hold. The Samsung Alcantara Cover is available in black, blue, and red.

See at Amazon

HOVED Slim Fit

Sometimes, you just need a bit of extra grip for your phone. One case that does just that is HOVED’s slim fit case. You get the bare minimum amount of protection, but it’ll still be better than leaving your phone naked. Also, the extra bit of grip may be the difference between having a firm hold on your phone and it slipping out of your hands. HOVED’s slim fit case still offers easy access to all the phone’s ports, as well as precise cutouts for the cameras, flash and fingerprint sensor. Again, the buttons are covered so you don’t need to dig your finger down into the case itself.

All in all, HOVED’s slim fit case is perfect for those that don’t want much bulk but still want a bit of protection. At $12, it’s a worthwhile investment for your phone. The HOVED Slim Fit case is only available in black at the time of writing.

See at Amazon

Besiva Ultra Slim Cover Case

I’m not sure this case actually qualifies as “ultra slim,” but it’s a solid choice nonetheless. You get a super rugged case that can handle plenty of drops and tumbles, but you also get an integrated Spigen-esque metal ring on the back. But wait, we’re not done yet! Inside that metal ring is a magnet, making this the perfect companion for a magnetic car mount. One downside is the lack of a front lip, meaning you’ll also want to invest in a screen protector. Also, it’s likely the metal ring will interfere with wireless charging.

The Besiva Ultra Slim Cover Case is available in black for $10.

See at Amazon

Maxboost Wallet Case

Wallet cases are a great way to consolidate all the things in your pockets, and Maxboost has a wallet case just for the S9+. You get three slots for cards and IDs — there’s no ID card window, unfortunately — and you can prop the case on itself to create a phone stand. There’s also a small pouch for paper currency, and a magnetic flap to keep it all together. Because the S9+ has its volume buttons on the left side, you’ll need to open the case to crank your music up. That’s unfortunate, but it’ll be true of any wallet case for the S9 series.

At $13, the Maxboost Wallet Case is a low-cost way to declutter your pockets and protect your phone. At the time of writing, it is only available in black leather.

See at Amazon

Spigen Neo Hybrid Herringbone

Spigen has been making phone cases since dinosaurs roamed the earth, and they have a good variety of styles to protect your phone. One of the more unique styles is their Neo Hybrid line with Herringone pattern. You can protect your phone, while also matching styles with your necktie. The case comes in two parts: a TPU layer that hugs your phone, and a hard plastic bumper frame for extra protection. Spigen highlights that the case still allows for Qi wireless charging, which is something thicker cases may interfere with.

The Spigen Neo Hybrid Herringbone case is available in a variety of colors for between $15 and $17. If the Herringbone style doesn’t strike your fancy, Spigen has plenty of other cases for the S9+.

See at Amazon

Spigen Thin Fit 360

Spigen has another great option for those who want the thinnest possible case that still offers a good deal of protection. The Thin Fit 360 case comes in four pieces: a back plate, top and bottom plates and a tempered glass screen protector. The buttons are covered by the case as well, so you don’t have to struggle to use them. You still have easy access to the fingerprint sensor, charging port and headphone jack as well. The case also includes a tray for Spigen’s magnetic plates, so you can use this with one of Spigen’s magnetic car mounts.

Spigen’s Thin Fit 360 case is available in black, lilac purple, and coral blue for $20.

See at Amazon

SUPCASE Full-Body Rugged Holster case

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Another great option if you toss your phone around a lot is SUPCASE’s Rugged Holster case. You don’t have to use the included holster, but the option is there. There is a generous lip around the front of the phone, helping protect the screen from getting cracked. There are flaps over the charging and audio ports, helping protect your phone’s insides from dirt and dust. And while the case is thick, you’ll still be able to use wireless charging.

The SUPCASE Full-Body Rugged Holster case is available in black, blue, pink, and white for $23.

See at Amazon

Trianium Clarium Clear case

All of the other cases hide the design of the phone. If you bought one of the exotic colors the phone is available in, you’ll want to show off that design. A clear case is perfect to give you more grip on the phone, protect the phone when your grip fails, and still show off those crazy colors. Trianium makes an excellent clear case that does just that. There isn’t much front protection, but it is compatible with most screen protectors. You get easy access to the ports, fingerprint sensor, and buttons, and since it’s a thin case wireless charging will work without issue.

The Trianium Clarium Clear case is available for $9. There’s also a black tinted version available for $10.

See at Amazon

Maxboost HyperPro Case

If you want a clear case with a bit more protection, Maxboost has just the case for you. The back of the case is perfectly clear for showing off the lovely color of your phone, but there’s a thicker rubber around the edges of the phone, where it’s most vulnerable to drops. The case works perfectly with wireless chargers, and you have easy access to all of the ports, buttons and the fingerprint sensor. One downside is there’s not much of a lip of the front of the case, so the display may be scratched up if you set it down on a rough surface.

Maxboost’s HyperPro case is available in black/clear, orange/clear and black/smoke flavors for $13.

See at Amazon

WIH-CH Protection Case

One more rugged option comes from WIH-CH. Their protection case is rugged enough to survive most drops, features a kickstand for movie watching, and even has a since card slot behind the kick stand. If you’re taking your phone hiking, this case would be perfect for carrying your ID with you, while being able to buy things with Samsung Pay or Google Pay. You still have generous cut-outs for the ports, camera, fingerprint sensor, as well as covers for the buttons. There’s a slight lip around the front of the case, but I’d still be wary about placing the phone face down.

The WIH-CH Protection Case is available in black for $8.

See at Amazon

What say you?

Which case are you using on your Galaxy S9+? Let us know down below!

Updated May 2018: Added the Spigen Thin Fit 360, Maxboost HyperPro, and WIH-CH Protection cases.

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+

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Greenworks lawn tools, Brother printers, Dash Buttons and more are on sale today

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

Celebrate Memorial Day with some big discounts on a variety of Greenworks’ popular lawn tools, Brother printers, Dash Buttons and much 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!

Can you Cast Google Daydream footage to a phone or tablet?

Want to Cast your game play footage to a spare phone or tablet? Well…

It’s always fun to immerse yourself in a world of pure imagination virtual reality, but there are also times where you’ll want to share your world with other people. In most cases, a Chromecast will be your best option.

But say you have a spare phone or tablet. It’d be cool to be able to share your gameplay footage with this device. So, can you Cast your Daydream footage to a spare phone or tablet?

Well…

In a word: no. Or at least, probably not. Phones and tablets just don’t include the bits that let them act as Chromecast receivers, while Chromecast dongles, Android TVs, and Chromecast-enabled speakers do. Some users were able to get the Cast Receiver Android TV app sideloaded onto an Amazon Fire TV, so there was some hope that this would also work for your phone.

Alas, it doesn’t. At least, not for me. I tried sideloading the application onto both a Google Pixel 2 XL and a Samsung Galaxy S8, and while the application ran, neither phone showed as a Cast target for the other phone, my Chromebook, or the Chrome browser on my computer. It can’t hurt to give it a try — so long as you trust sideloading the app — but don’t set your expectations too high.

Just buy a Chromecast

I hate telling people to spend money when they can just re-use an existing device, but in this case, your only real option is to buy a Chromecast. Fortunately, the Chromecast will be able to do a whole lot more besides just playing your game footage.

See at Google

More: Chromecast Ultra delivers the best casting experience with Daydream

What say you?

Have you ever Cast footage from your Daydream headset? Let us know down below!

Motorola One Power leaks with Android One branding and a notch

The phone looks considerably different compared to recent Moto releases.

So far in 2018, Motorola’s been focusing on the budget segment with its Moto E5 and G6 series. We’re expecting new entries in the Moto Z lineup this summer for mid-range and flagship options, and while we patiently wait, a brand-new phone has reared its head as the Motorola One Power.

This is the first time we’re hearing of such a device, and the folks at AndroidHeadlines recently obtained a render of the phone that gives us a pretty good idea of what to expect.

The front of the Motorola One Power is home to a large, bezel-light screen with a pretty big notch at the top. Around back you’ll find dual cameras with a layout similar to the iPhone X, a Motorola “M” dimple that likely doubles as a fingerprint sensor, and Google’s Android One branding.

Android One phones typically offer faster access to software updates and security patches, and the only other Motorola phone to be a part of the program so far is last year’s Moto X4.

The Motorola One Power looks like a big departure from past Moto phones.

We don’t know what the spec sheet or price looks like for the Motorola One Power, but there are a couple interesting tidbits to take note of — one of which is the phone’s design. The Moto X4, G6 and E4 series all have the same general look with a circular rear camera layout and a glass or plastic back. It’s nothing particularly special, but it gives the handsets an easily identifiable style. With the Motorola One Power, Motorola appears to be adopting a design language we’ve seen time and time again from countless other OEMs.

The other thing worth mentioning is the phone’s name. The Moto branding we’ve had for so many years is nowhere in sight and has instead been replaced by the full Motorola name. It’s unclear what this means for phones beyond the Motorola One Power, but it’s interesting nonetheless.

The Motorola One Power is believed to launch in the United States at some point this year, and while we wait, I’d love to know your thoughts on the phone. Sound off in the comments down below.

Moto G6 Plus review: Motorola still masters the art of the mid-range phone

Famous GIF site Imgur now supports videos

iOS users are the first ones that’ll be able to post videos.

If you’ve ever found yourself wasting away the day by looking at GIF after GIF, chances are you did so on Imgur. Founded back in February 2009, Imgur is bringing its 250 million monthly users a new feature that can be viewed right now — videos.

This is a big shift for Imgur, marking the first time that content on the site has supported sound. Videos are set up to automatically play, but they’ll do so in a muted state. If you want to hear the audio that goes along with them, you’ll need to manually toggle the sound on.

Imgur COO Roy Sehgal recently told TechCrunch that the company was recently “cash flow positive” and was on track to become profitable at some point this year. Video is expected to help out with that goal, with video ads appearing more commonplace on the site now that users can share audio-touting content, too.

All Imgur users can watch videos on the website now as part of the new homepage update, but when it comes to uploading video content, only iOS users have access to this at the moment. This functionality will open up to more users soon, but there’s no specific date as to when that’ll be.

Imgur videos are limited to a max of 30 seconds and Imgur has a built-in video editor to make the uploading process as easy as can be.

I personally don’t use Imgur all that often, but if you’re a fan of the site, what do you think about this change? Do you like the addition of video or does it mess up Imgur’s flow?

Download: Imgur (free)

This commercial makes the ASUS ZenFone 5 appear not terrible

At least the commercial is good.

When we were first introduced to the Asus ZenFone 5 at MWC this February, we came away feeling…less than excited. The ZenFone 5 is one of the most shameless iPhone X clones we’ve seen so far in 2018, and to help get your mind off its notch and vertical dual cameras, Asus has created a commercial for the phone that’s actually not terrible.

In fact, it’s pretty great.

After having OK GO perform at MWC following the ZenFone 5’s debut, Asus partnered with the band once more for its “1 Man, 1 Dance, and 89 ZenFone 5” clip.

The commercial follows the trend of other OK GO music videos by dousing your eyes with elaborate visuals in one continuous take, and while it’s not as impressive as This Too Shall Pass or adorable as White Knuckles, it’s still plenty fun to watch.

Unfortunately, as entertaining as the video is, it doesn’t make the ZenFone 5 any more appealing. The phone doesn’t look terrible, but with the Galaxy S9 already proven to be an excellent phone and big things expected from Google’s Pixel 3 in just a few short months, the ZenFone 5 is going to have an awfully hard time finding an audience.

ASUS ZenFone 5 hands-on: This iPhone X runs Android

Apple Releases New 11.4 Software for the HomePod Enabling Stereo Support, Multi-Room Audio Through AirPlay 2

Alongside iOS 11.4, watchOS 4.3.1, and tvOS 11.4, Apple today released a new 11.4 software update designed for the HomePod, which introduces major new features for Apple’s smart speaker.

This is the second update that’s been released for the HomePod since it became available for purchase back in February.

The new HomePod software will be installed automatically on the HomePod after you update to iOS 11.4, but you can also manually update and check your software version by following the instructions in our HomePod software how to.

As Apple announced this morning, the new HomePod software, paired with iOS 11.4, introduces support for AirPlay 2 and HomePod stereo pairing.

AirPlay 2 is an updated AirPlay protocol that’s simpler, more advanced, and more robust, enabling multi-room audio capabilities. With AirPlay 2, you can play music in any room to any room, move music from one room to another room, or play the same song in multiple rooms using an iOS device through an app or Control Center, the Apple TV, the HomePod, or Siri voice commands on any of the aforementioned devices.

AirPlay 2 controls can be accessed within any app and in the Control Center on an iOS device running iOS 11.4. In the Control Center, you will see a list of all of the available AirPlay 2 devices in your home, and you can effortlessly send audio to a single device, to multiple devices, or switch audio between devices.

The HomePod is the first AirPlay 2 device and one of the only AirPlay 2 devices on the market right now, but Apple plans to allow third-party speakers from companies like Sonos, Bose, Libratone, and more to add support for AirPlay 2.

Today’s update also allows two HomePod speakers to be set up as a stereo pair, which is ideal for larger rooms as the arrangement offers up more room-filling sound. When paired, each HomePod is able to automatically adjust audio to take into account the other HomePod, for excellent sound from each device.

The HomePods are able to take advantage of the built-in A8 chip in each speaker to play a left or right audio channel while also separating out ambient and direct energy for what Apple says is an almost three dimensional soundstage.

Stereo pairing uses an Apple-designed wireless peer-to-peer direct link to allow the HomePods to communicate with one another and play music in sync. The two speakers will act as one when paired, and just one will respond to incoming Siri requests.

Setting up stereo sound is as simple as turning on a second HomePod. Whenever a second device is set up, you’ll be prompted to form a stereo pair with a popup interface, with this information also available in the HomePod’s settings in the Home app.

The new HomePod software also introduces one other small but important change — it will allow users to check calendar appointments on the HomePod using Siri voice commands.

The HomePod is currently available only in the United States, the UK, and Australia, but Apple will expand availability to Canada, France, and Germany on Monday, June 18.

Related Roundup: HomePodBuyer’s Guide: HomePod (Buy Now)
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Apple Adds AirPlay 2 Section to HomeKit Site, Outlines Upcoming AirPlay 2 Speakers

Apple today updated its HomeKit site, which is where the company lists all of the available accessories and smart home products that offer HomeKit support, with a new AirPlay 2 section.

This section of the site lists all of the upcoming speakers and receivers that will be updated with AirPlay 2 support now that the AirPlay 2 protocol is available.

AirPlay 2 devices include the HomePod, of course, which is the first and only AirPlay 2 device available following today’s iOS 11.4 update, along with speakers from companies that include Bang & Olufsen, Denon, Libratone, Marantz, Naim, and Sonos.

Sonos, perhaps the most popular and well-known company introducing AirPlay 2 support, plans to add it to the Sonos One, the Play:5, and the Playbase. AirPlay 2 will work with other Sonos speakers, but one of these three Sonos devices will be required.

Today’s list is limited to manufacturers who have already pledged support for AirPlay 2, but it is likely to grow as additional companies announce AirPlay 2 functionality. A full list of speakers gaining AirPlay 2 support is below:

• Apple HomePod
• Beoplay A6
• Beoplay A9 mk2
• Beoplay M3
• BeoSound 1
• BeoSound 2
• BeoSound 35
• BeoSound Core
• BeoSound Essence mk2
• BeoVision Eclipse (audio only)
• Denon AVR-X3500H
• Denon AVR-X4500H
• Denon AVR-X6500H
• Libratone Zipp
• Libratone Zipp Mini
• Marantz AV7705

• Marantz NA6006
• Marantz NR1509
• Marantz NR1609
• Marantz SR5013
• Marantz SR6013
• Marantz SR7013
• Naim Mu-so
• Naim Mu-so QB
• Naim ND 555
• Naim ND5 XS 2
• Naim NDX 2
• Naim Uniti Nova
• Naim Uniti Atom
• Naim Uniti Star
• Sonos One
• Sonos Play:5
• Sonos Playbase

None of these speakers are available with AirPlay 2 at the current time, but many of them will gain support for the feature following firmware updates that will likely start trickling out now that iOS 11.4 has launched.

Related Roundups: iOS 11, HomePodTag: AirPlay 2Buyer’s Guide: HomePod (Buy Now)
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Apple Releases iTunes 12.7.5 With Minor Performance Improvements

Apple today released an updated version of iTunes, iTunes 12.7.5, which the company says introduces minor app and performance improvements.

The iTunes 12.7.5 update has been released alongside iOS 11.4, tvOS 11.4, and watchOS 4.3.1. Apple has a macOS 10.13.5 update in the works, but has not released it as of yet.

iTunes 12.7.5 can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for free using the Software Update function.

iTunes 12.7.5 comes two months after Apple released iTunes 12.7.4, an update that introduced a new music video experience for Apple Music, adding a music video section to Apple Music in iTunes.

iTunes 12.7, released in September, was the last major update to iTunes, eliminating the built-in App Store to focus solely on music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, and audiobooks.

Tag: iTunes
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Russia Demands Apple Remove Telegram From Russian App Store

The Russian government has asked Apple to help it block Telegram, the secure messaging app that’s highly popular in the country, reports WCCFTech.

A Russian court in April ordered carriers and internet providers in the country to block Telegram back in April, after Telegram refused to provide Russia with backdoor access to user messages.

Telegram, for those unfamiliar with the app, offers end-to-end encryption for secure messaging purposes. With end-to-end encryption, no one, not even Telegram, can access the messages that are sent between users.

Despite issuing the block order back in April, Russia has only been able to disrupt Telegram’s operations in the country by 15 to 30 percent.

Given the government’s inability to block the app, Roskomnadzor, the division of the government that controls media and telecommunications, has demanded that Apple remove the Telegram app from the Russian App Store. The group first asked Apple to remove the app in April, but is appealing to Apple again.

“In order to avoid possible action by Roskomnadzor for violations of the functioning of the above-mentioned Apple Inc. service, we ask you to inform us as soon as possible about your company’s further actions to resolve the problematic issue,” the regulator wrote.

Roskomnadzor has given Apple one month to remove the Telegram app from the App Store. Roskomnadzor’s director Alexander Zharov said he did not want to “forecast further actions” should Apple not comply with the request following the 30 day period.

The Russian government said that it needed access to Telegram to read messages and prevent future terror attacks in the country.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Tags: Russia, Encryption, Telegram
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