Samsung Galaxy S9 or S9+ giveaway! Enter now at Android Central!
The Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ are all you’re going to be hearing about for the next few weeks, and for good reason! With this release, Samsung fixes a lot of the previous version’s issues while making drastic improvements to the camera and biometrics systems. It’s a great upgrade for anyone that currently uses a Galaxy S7 or earlier, or anyone who wants the latest and greatest. The Galaxy S9 went up for pre-order on March 2, and the on-sale date is March 16 worldwide, but we know you would all rather win one than buy one, so we’re going to hook someone up! Read on for details!
THE PRIZE: One Android Central reader will be taking home a new Samsung Galaxy S9 or 9+!
THE GIVEAWAY: Head down to the widget at the bottom of this page. There are multiple ways to enter, each with varying point values. Complete all of the tasks for maximum entries and your best shot at winning! Keep in mind that all winning entries are verified and if the task was not completed or cannot be verified, a new winner will be chosen. The prize does not include service, and we cannot guarantee that the device will work on all carriers. International winners will be responsible for any customs fees incurred during shipping.
The giveaway is open until March 20, 2018, and the winner will be announced right here shortly after the closing date. Good luck!
We’re giving away the new Samsung Galaxy S9 or S9+ to one lucky winner!
Pick up a Tacklife digital tire inflator for only $14 and be prepared
Amazon has this Tacklife Digital Tire Inflator on sale for $13.98 when you apply coupon code 3HYPY8HO at checkout. This normally sells for about $20, and the few customer reviews it has are positive. Tacklife is a brand that Team Thrifter knows and loves. It’s known for offering solid home goods at affordable prices.
This inflator has two ways of working. Either you can plug it into your car’s cigarette lighter socket, or you can use the pneumatic tube. These things are extremely user-friendly. All you need to do is enter your PSI value, and the pump will do the rest. There’s also a flashlight mode for when you’re using it in the dark. Aside from the pump, you’ll get three nozzle adapters and an extra fuse.
A tire inflator is one of those things you hope you’ll never use, but when you need one, you really need one. Keep it stashed in your trunk and you’ll be prepared when you come across a bump in the road. Don’t end up stranded in a freezing Wisconsin snowstorm with a flat tire and a dead phone like your humble author did before she was wise enough to keep an air compressor in her car. They also come in handy for other purposes, like adding air to basketballs or outdoor inflatables.
While you’re stocking your car for emergencies, definitely check out this must-have jump-starter that can charge your phone and other gadgets.
See at Amazon
The DJI Mavic Pro drone is down to its lowest price at $769
Don’t let this deal fly away!
The DJI Mavic Pro quadcopter is down to $769 on Amazon. That price is the lowest ever on the base model, which usually sells for around $900 and is still going as high as $1,000 at retailers like Best Buy.
There are a couple retailers that have it for $759, like B&H and Adorama, but those drones do not come with a remote controller or battery charger. Amazon’s does, so it’s worth the extra $10.
In addition to the remote controller, battery, and charger, this drone also comes with a 16GB SD card, three types of USB cables (Lightning, micro USB and USB-C), and three pairs of propellers.
The DJI Mavic Pro is considered one of the best drones on the market. On Amazon it has more than 87 user reviews giving it 4.2 stars. It’s super lightweight, at only 1.6 pounds, and can be folded down for extreme portability. You can stick it in your backpack and take it anywhere. When it’s ready to fly, just unfold it and it’s good to go.
It has a four mile operating range, which means you can fly it farther than you can see it. It flies up to 40 miles per hour. The battery is good for 27 minutes. The camera can capture 4K and 1080p resolution shots while using stabilization features to keep the pictures clear. There’s a smartphone app that syncs with the camera for photography and first-person piloting.
Since you’re saving so much money, add on an extra battery for just $60 and keep your drone in the air. You also might want to upgrade from that starting SD card, since 16GB isn’t very much. Get the Samsung EVO Select 128GB card for $40 or go big with the SanDisk Ultra 400GB card at its lowest price for $185.
See on Amazon
Amazon might introduce its own branded checking accounts
It turns out that healthcare may not be the only new sector that Amazon is venturing into. According to The Wall Street Journal, the online retail giant is in talks with J.P. Morgan to building a product similar to a checking account for Amazon’s customer base.
This new product would be aimed at younger shoppers and people who do not have bank accounts. It’s important to note that Amazon wouldn’t be operating as a bank; it would be working as a partner with existing financial firms. The project is in its very early stages, so it’s not clear what form this will end up taking — checking accounts, ATM access, etc. — or if it will even come to fruition.
If Amazon were to launch its version of a checking account, it would cut the fees it now pays to banks and payment processors. And for customers who are already firmly entrenched in the Amazon ecosystem, it provides another incentive to stay locked in (especially for low-income customers, as larger banks raise fees and minimums on checking accounts.)
It’s a move many within the financial industry predicted in some form. As Amazon continues to grow, it made sense that the company would turn its eyes towards the lucrative finance sector. The question is how any partnership between the two would work, especially because a checking account is more complicated than a simple store-branded credit card.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Facebook asked users if it’s okay for adults to sexually harass kids
Facebook is no stranger to blunders and it just added another to its running list. The Guardian reports that the company asked some of its users to take a survey over the weekend, with questions delving into what should or shouldn’t be allowed on the site and who should police content. Among these questions was one that read, “There are a wide range of topics and behaviors that appear on Facebook. In thinking about an ideal world where you could set Facebook’s policies, how would you handle the following: a private message in which an adult man asks a 14 year old girl for sexual pictures.” Survey takers could respond that such content should be allowed and they wouldn’t mind seeing it, that it should be allowed but they wouldn’t want to see it, that it shouldn’t be allowed or no preference.
In a follow-up question, Facebook then asked users for their thoughts on who should decide the rules regarding such content. Response options included Facebook on its own, Facebook with advice from external experts, external experts on their own or Facebook users. In neither question did the survey acknowledge a role for law enforcement or that in many places, such actions would be illegal.
Facebook has since stopped running the surveys and Guy Rosen, Facebook’s VP of product, said they were “a mistake.” Writing on Twitter, Rosen said, “We run surveys to understand how the community thinks about how we set policies. But this kind of activity is and will always be completely unacceptable on FB. We regularly work with authorities if identified. It shouldn’t have been part of this survey. That was a mistake.”
Though it appears that Facebook was pretty quick to remove the questions, there’s no reason they should ever have been there in the first place. And it’s mind-boggling to think that anyone would have considered them to be appropriate queries to begin with. In a statement to the Guardian, Facebook said, “We understand this survey refers to offensive content that is already prohibited on Facebook and that we have no intention of allowing so have stopped the survey. We have prohibited child grooming on Facebook since our earliest days; we have no intention of changing this and we regularly work with the police to ensure that anyone found acting in such a way is brought to justice.”
Image: Facebook via Jonathan Haynes
Source: The Guardian
Spotify cracks down on free users that steal Premium service
Spotify may have 159 million active users, but only 71 million of those are paid subscribers. It makes sense that the company would want to maximize the number of paying customers, especially in light of the company’s recent moves to go public. Now, it appears that Spotify is cracking down on free users that take advantage of hacked apps in order to remove the restrictions of unpaid accounts, according to TorrentFreak.
Until now, Spotify hasn’t put much effort into policing the actions of those who are pirating its service. These users sign up for a free accounts, then download a modified Spotify installation file, which allows them access to the premium service without having to pay for it.
But over the past few days, Spotify has sent emails to unpaid accounts taking advantage of the modified software. TorrentFreak obtained a copy of it, which is replicated below.
In the email, Spotify says, “If we detect repeated use of unauthorized apps in violation of our terms, we reserve all rights, including suspending or terminating your account.” This makes it clear that the streaming service is not playing around when it comes to these pirated accounts. TorrentFreak reports that it has contacted Spotify users with free accounts that have taken advantage of the hack; some report they did not receive the email, while others have found that their modified apps no longer work.
Source: TorrentFreak
Harvard researchers make better, smarter walking aids
Humans don’t all look, talk, or walk the same, with us shifting our weight and style in order to save much energy as possible. This adaptability is a problem for researchers who want to build assistive devices for folks with mobility issues, however. It’s what has prompted a team out of Harvard to craft an algorithm that can determine the wearer’s individual needs after just twenty minutes of analysis.
Let’s imagine that you have difficulty walking, and need a soft exosuit to give your knees or hips a little push to get around. That’s what Harvard Biodesign Lab is building, a fancy-pants pair of shorts that can provide the right help at the right time. But ensuring that the gear works correctly has never been an easy, or simple process.
Using the new algorithm, the team looks at a variety of signals beyond just how a person steps, but also their breathing rate and psychological cues. And after the short setup period is over, the team claims that the system can cut metabolic cost — the energy you burn when you step — by more than 17 percent. It’s hoped that this knowledge can help build better exosuits for people with mobility issues, helping them get around without a lot of extra stress.
Source: Harvard
Dialog CEO Says Company Will Continue to Supply iPhone Power Management Chips Through 2020
Late last year, Dialog Semiconductor admitted that Apple could build its own power management chips for future iPhones, and no longer rely on the British-based chipmaker for such technology. This weekend, Dialog CEO Jalal Bagherli provided further details on this topic, now expecting Apple to use Dialog chips for “a significant proportion of its devices” in 2019 and 2020 (via Reuters).
When Dialog admitted that Apple could be working on building its own chips, it said there was no risk to its existing supply deals for 2018, and that the company was already in advanced stages of working with Apple on designing “2019-style products” that could lead to commercial contracts by this month. In regards to the 2018 contract, Bagherli said, “Negotiations over that chip are still ongoing. But we expect to deliver a chip design for testing in the customer’s system in the second half of the year.”
“Apple at the start of the year commissioned us with the design of chips for many devices for 2019 and 2020,” weekly Euro am Sonntag quoted Bagherli as saying in an interview published on Saturday, without providing details.
Over the past year, Dialog’s stock is said to have lost “more than half of its value” on the sole concern of the company losing business from Apple. According to analysts, over 50 percent of Dialog’s revenue comes from supplying Apple with power management integrated circuits — a technology that many believe Apple now has the ability to create in-house.
Rumors of Apple developing its own power management chips began with a prediction by Bankhaus Lampe analyst Karsten Iltgen last spring, who said that Apple would at least cut back on Dialog’s supply of the chips for future iPhones. Then, in November, Nikkei corroborated that prediction in a report that stated Apple would replace half of the main power management chips for iPhones with its own by 2019.
The same report claimed that Apple’s chip will be “the most advanced in the industry,” with processing abilities that allow future iPhones to “better monitor and control power consumption.” If these rumors turn out to be true, Apple could transition to supply all of the power management chips for its iPhones in 2021 and beyond.
Apple has confirmed a similar shift in creating its own technology for the iPhone’s graphics processing chips, ending a reliance on Imagination Technology’s chips by 2019.
Tag: Dialog
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Mophie’s Upcoming Juice Pack Air is First Qi-Certified iPhone X Charging Case
Accessory company Mophie has applied to the Wireless Power Consortium for an accessory it calls the “Juice Pack Air for iPhone X.” Spotted by Mac Otakara [Google Translate] in the WPC’s Qi Certified Product Database, Mophie was granted a certification for the accessory today, March 5, suggesting the iPhone X accessory could be announced in the near future and then be available to purchase sometime later this year.
While there are already iPhone X battery cases on the market, Mophie’s accessory is the first to be Qi-certified by the WPC. This certification program encourages manufacturers to submit verification that their products comply with the latest Qi specifications, and subsequently allows customers more peace of mind when purchasing products, knowing that they will support devices like the iPhone X, 8, and 8 Plus.
Image of Juice Pack Air for iPhone X via Wireless Power Consortium
The Juice Pack Air for iPhone X is described as a “form fitting case for the iPhone X,” with a 1,720 mAh battery that provides “an additional 9 hours of talk time.” Comparatively, the Juice Pack Air for iPhone 7 has a 2,525 mAh battery and the iPhone 7 Plus accessory has a 2,420 mAh battery. In the sole image posted to the Wireless Power Consortium’s product details page (seen to the left in the above image), the accessory appears in black. Mophie sells similar Juice Pack Air products for other iPhones in up to five colors, like Navy and Rose Gold, so other colors could be coming as well.
Like those products, Mophie’s Juice Pack Air for iPhone X would let users charge up the battery inside the case, and when their iPhone X begins to die, they could flip a switch and begin fueling up the iPhone while on the go. The Juice Pack line is compatible with Mophie’s “Charge Force” ecosystem, so it can be placed on accessories like the Charge Force Desk Mount or any other Qi-enabled mat.
Mophie’s Juice Pack Air for iPhone X (left) compared to iPhone 7 (right)
Mophie currently sells Juice Pack accessories for the iPhone 7/7 Plus, 6s/6s Plus, 6/6 Plus, SE, 5s, and 5, as well as a few other Android devices, typically priced at around $100. The only wireless charging accessories it has listed on the iPhone X’s page are the Wireless Charging Base (also sold on Apple.com), the Charge Force Wireless Charging Base, and Charge Force Powerstation.
Related Roundup: iPhone XTag: MophieBuyer’s Guide: iPhone X (Buy Now)
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Asus ZenBook Flip 14 vs. Microsoft Surface Book 2 13
Notebook graphics keep getting better and better, and most recently this includes the thinnest and lightest machines. One example is the Asus ZenBook Flip 14, a convertible 2-in-1 that manages to be thin and light and yet pack in a Nvidia GeForce MX150 discrete GPU. Another example is Microsoft’s Surface Book 2 13, which isn’t quite so thin and light but manages to squeeze in a more robust Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050.
These two 2-in-1s take different approaches to offering flexibility and lower-end gaming chops in relatively small chassis. We pit the Asus ZenBook Flip 14 vs. the Microsoft Surface Book 2 13 to see which approach is the better one.
Asus ZenBook Flip 14
Surface Book 2 13
Dimensions
12.89 x 8.92 x 0.55 (in)
i5 version: 12.3 x 9.14 x 0.51-0.90 (in)
i7 version: 12.3 x 9.14 x 0.59-0.90 (in)
Weight
3.31 pounds
13.5-inch starts at 3.38 pounds
Keyboard
Full-size backlit keyboard
Full-size backlit keyboard
Processor
Up to eighth-generation Intel Core i7
Up to eighth-generation Intel Core i7
RAM
8GB or 16GB RAM
8GB or 16GB
Graphics
Nvidia GeForce MX150
Intel UHD 620
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050
Display
14-inch IPS touch display
13.5-inch PixelSense touch display
15.0-inch PixelSense touch display
Resolution
Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 or 157 PPI)
3,000 x 2,000 (267 ppi)
Storage
Up to 512GB PCIe SSD
Up to 1TB PCIe SSE
Networking
802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2
802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.1
Connectivity
USB-C 3.0, USB-A 3.0 (x2), HDMI, microSD card reader, 3.5mm combo jack
USB-A 3.0 (x2), USB-C 3.1, Surface Connect, SD card reader, 3.5mm combo jack
15-inch only: Xbox Wireless built-in
Windows Hello
Fingerprint scanner
Infrared camera
Operating System
Windows 10
Windows 10
Battery
57 watt-hours
70 watt-hours
Price
$900+
13.5-inch i5: $1,200
13.5-inch i7: $2,000+
Availability
Now
Now
Review
3.5 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5 stars
Design
The ZenBook Flip 14 looks just about like every other ZenBook, with the iconic Asus concentric circle design on the hinge and a Slate Gray aesthetic that’s attractive but very conservative. As a fairly typical convertible 2-in-1, it uses a slightly stiff hinge that allows the display to swivel from clamshell through tent and presentation modes into a rather thick tablet form. Overall, it’s an all-aluminum design that doesn’t stand out in the 2-in-1 field.
Microsoft’s Surface Book 2 13 is a distinctly different animal. It’s significantly thicker at the rear, at 0.90 inches, but it’s only slightly heavier at 3.38 pounds thanks to a lightweight magnesium alloy. All of that extra girth, though, is due to an innovative design whereby the major PC components are all packed into the tear-away display connected via a unique fulcrum hinge to balance the extra weight. You can use that very thin and light tablet on its own, or insert it back into the base forwards or backwards to enable to usual 2-in-1 modes.
Not only is the Surface Book 2 a more modern design with a futuristic vibe, but it’s also more solid. Microsoft wins the design battle by a wide margin.
Winner: Microsoft Surface Book 2 13
Performance
Asus chose its components well when configuring the ZenBook Flip 14. You can pick between eighth-generation Intel Core processors, specifically the i5-8250U for low cost, or the i7-8550U for higher performance. This makes it a very potent machine for productivity tasks, while also quite efficient when you’re not pushing the CPU so hard. Then, Asus packed in a low-end discrete GPU, the MX150 mentioned earlier, which is significantly faster than the integrated Intel graphics normally found in thin and light 2-in-1.s
The Surface Book 2 uses the fastest version of the same eighth-generation Intel Core processor, the i7-8650U, and so it promises performance that’s a hair better than the ZenBook. Microsoft stuck a more potent GPU, the GTX 1050, into the machine’s base, which makes it a much better entry-level gaming system, and able to churn through heavier creative tasks even more swiftly. An added bonus is that the tablet portion, with its integrated graphics, is fanless, so the machine is completely quiet unless you’re pushing the discrete GPU.
You’ll find both machines plenty speedy, but the Surface Book 2 13 has a bit more power overall.
Winner: Microsoft Surface Book 2 13
Keyboard, mouse, and pen
As a convertible 2-in-1, the ZenBook Flip 14 has the usual diversity of input options — the only thing is they’re all distinctly average. The keyboard’s travel should be more than sufficient, but it has an abrupt bottoming action that makes it feel rather shallow. The expansive touchpad is better, with precise Microsoft Precision Touchpad support and clicky buttons. The active pen, though, is behind the curve with only 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity, and the display has a sticky feel that makes inking less than comfortable. The fingerprint scanner does work well with Windows Hello for logging in without a password.
The Surface Book 2, on the other hand, excels when it comes to inputting information. The keyboard is excellent, with copious amounts of travel and a precise feel, and its generously sized Precision Touchpad is rivalled only by the MacBook Pro’s in precise gesture support. The Surface Pen is more accurate with 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity, tilt support, and some of the quickest response times around. Finally, an infrared camera scans your face almost instantly and logs you in via Windows Hello without asking you to lift a finger.
While the ZenBook Flip 14 is acceptable in keyboard, touchpad, and pen, the Surface Book 2 13 is excellent.
Winner: Microsoft Surface Book 2 13
Connectivity
Asus opted to make sure the ZenBook Flip 14 met its users’ legacy needs in connectivity, offering two USB-A 3.0 ports, a single USB-C 3.1 port without Thunderbolt 3 support, a full-sized HDMI port, and a microSD card reader. Wi-Fi needs are met with 2×2 MU-MIMO 802.11ac, and the usual Bluetooth radio is on hand.
Microsoft’s approach with the Surface Book 2 is similar, also building in two USB-A 3.0 ports and a non-Thunderbolt 3 USB-C 3.1 port. That’s an improvement over previous Surface models that eschewed USB-C completely. Add in the usual Surface Connect port for charging and expansion, an SD card reader, 2×2 MU-MIMO 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, and that’s the extent of the machine’s connectivity.
We’re disappointed with both machines’ lack of Thunderbolt 3 support, as that limits display support and makes connecting an external GPU chassis impossible. Asus does include an HDMI port, though, and so it narrowly wins this underwhelming category.
Winner: Asus ZenBook Flip 14
Display
The ZenBook Flip 14 has a 14-inch Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) display. It’s very average by objective measurements with contrast, color gamut, and accuracy all being run of the mill, and brightness actually being a little too low. That doesn’t make it a bad display, but it’s nothing special in a sea of 2-in-1s with similar quality. What’s most disappointing is the lack of a 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) display option that would add a sharper image.
The Surface Book 2 13, on the other hand, continues Microsoft’s trend of selecting extremely high quality displays in the Surface line. This one is a 13.5-inch 3,000 x 2,000 resolution panel that’s incredibly sharp, and it’s in the productivity-friendly 3:2 aspect ratio that’s a bit taller, to show more vertical information (while causing some video letterboxing). The color gamut is just average, but accuracy and gamma are good, so images are true to life. Contrast and brightness are excellent, lending depth to images, and rendering incredible black text on white backgrounds. It’s a productivity user’s dream.
Surface machines rarely lose in the display category, and the ZenBook Flip 14 isn’t about to change things in this shootout. Microsoft wins this category handily.
Winner: Microsoft Surface Book 2 13
Portability and battery life
Asus managed to fit a decent amount of battery capacity into the ZenBook Flip 14, at 57 watt-hours. The 14-inch display is a little larger but relatively low-resolution, and the eighth-generation Intel Core CPU is powerful when pushed but efficient when it’s not working too hard. That results in a 2-in-1 that offers surprisingly good longevity when running productivity tasks. Oddly, though, the machine doesn’t last as long on the least-intensive tasks, namely looping a local video. It’s probably good for most of a working day, but might fall just a bit short.
Microsoft packs a whopping 70 watt-hours of battery into the Surface Book 2, divided between the tablet portion and the base. The machine also utilizes Intel’s efficient eighth-generation CPU, promising some serious efficiency. Combined, these factors provides the Surface Book 2 with some of the best battery life you’ll find in this class of notebook. No matter how you’re using it, you’re not likely to find many 14-inch or smaller notebooks that offer better all-day battery life.
The ZenBook Flip 14 is the thinner and slightly lighter option. But the Surface Book 2 isn’t so much larger that we find much fault with its size, and it lasts much longer on a single battery charge. It’s the clear winner here.
Winner: Microsoft Surface Book 2 13
Availability and price
The ZenBook Flip 14 starts out at $900 for a Core i5-8250U, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB PCIe SSD, which is at the high end of the budget range and a very good deal. The configuration with a Core i7-8550U, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB PCIe SSD comes in at $1,300, which is firmly in premium territory and a decent — but not great — value. Those are the only configurations available, and as noted earlier we bemoan the lack of a 4K UHD option and think many users would be willing to pay for one.
The Surface Book 2 makes no pretense at fitting into the budget sphere. Its lowest-end configuration comes in at $1,200 and scores a seventh-generation Core i5-7300U, 8GB of RAM, and a 128GB SSD. But, you give up the discrete GPU in that model and would enjoy less performance than you’ll get with the ZenBook Flip 14. If you want that GTX 1050 — and you do — then you’ll have to spend a minimum of $2,000, which brings a Core i7-8650U, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. If you want to max things out with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, then you’ll spend a whopping $3,000.
Clearly, the ZenBook Flip 14 is the more affordable machine. You get a lot of performance out of the Surface Book 2 13, but whether that equates to more value is a dubious proposition at Microsoft’s pricing.
Winner: ZenBook Flip 14
Microsoft’s innovative design equals a win
The Surface Book 2 13 is one of the most innovative notebooks on the market, and it simply outclasses other 2-in-1s with its tear-off tablet display and high-performance graphics built into the base. It offers a solid build, great input options, and unparalleled battery life, putting it at the top of its class. The ZenBook Flip 14 is a decent choice against other convertible 2-in-1s given its stealthy gaming chops, but it’s outclassed by Microsoft’s offering.
The biggest reservation when considering the Surface Book 2 13 is its price, which is somewhere in the stratosphere. It’s a premium machine, but we don’t hesitate to recommend it for anyone who wants to maximize their 2-in-1 flexibility and performance.
Editors’ Recommendations
- Dell XPS 13 vs. Microsoft Surface Book 2 13
- Asus ZenBook 13 vs. HP Spectre 13
- LG Gram 15Z980 vs. Microsoft Surface Book 2 15
- Asus Zenbook Flip 14 UX461UN review
- Samsung Notebook 9 Pen vs. Microsoft Surface Book 2 13
