What is ray tracing, and how will it change games?

Nvidia

Nvidia has announced its new RTX 2070, 2080, and 2080 Ti. These video cards offer an across-the-board performance leap above the GTX 1070, 1080, and 1080 Ti, but there’s more to it than cranking up the specifications. Nvidia has leapt from the “GTX” to “RTX” brand name for a reason.

Ray tracing is that reason. But what is ray tracing, and how will it make your games look better?

Ray tracing does what it says on the tin

Graphics technology is usually hard to explain, but ray tracing is rather simple. It works a bit how it sounds. Ray tracing creates an image by tracing the path of simulated light. Or, rather, millions of simulated lights. The light bounces of objects as it moves and interacts with their properties. If it bounces from a glossy green surface, for instance, its hue may change.

That’s essentially how light works in real life. A particle of light springs from its point of origin and travels along until it interacts with an object, at which point its path is determined by that object’s properties. It might be absorbed by a dense, dark object, or almost entirely reflected by a mirror.

Ray tracing’s fundamental similarity to real life makes it an extremely realistic 3D rendering technique. There’s just one problem: It’s hard to simulate. The world we see every day is made visible by millions upon millions of light particles bouncing about at, well, the speed of light. Simulating that isn’t easy, which is why modern real-time 3D graphics – including those used in 3D games – rarely use this technique. It’s typically reserved for movies and other pre-rendered graphics, where it’s possible to spend hours rendering just a single frame. Until now, that is.

Enter Nvidia

Graphics technology has improved, however, and Nvidia’s latest RTX 2000 series cards are the first to include hardware specifically built for ray tracing. The new Turning architecture uses the company’s new Tensor Cores to handle the technique in real time. Nvidia had a few specific demos to show at its press conference including Battlefield V, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and Metro Exodus.

The Shadow of the Tomb Raider demo is probably the best demonstration because its slow and simple, giving you a chance to look closely at the details.

What’s interesting in the Tomb Raider demo is not just the light, but the shadow. You’ll notice that shadows are highly refined, extremely accurate, and offer excellent contrast. The dancers swaying in front of the neon lights, for example, are virtually silhouettes. Achieving that look without ray tracing is extraordinarily hard. Developers can only “fake” it through careful, controlled use of preset light sources. That takes a lot of time and effort – and even then, the result isn’t quite right.

The children with the firecrackers also offer a wonderful demonstration. You’ll notice how the shadows of people nearby flicker realistically as the firecrackers crackle and waver. This, too, is a look that’s almost impossible to achieve using current real-time 3D rendering techniques. The simulation of light simply isn’t complex enough to achieve it.

While the Tomb Raider demo focuses on shadows, the demo Battlefield V focuses more on reflections. You see the reflection of troops in water, the reflection of terrain on airplanes, and the reflection of explosions across a car’s paint. It’s of course possible to show reflections in modern 3D engines, but not at the level of detail shown in the Battlefield V demo. Gamers are accustomed to seeing mottled, dull, or pixelated reflections in even the most advanced 3D games. Ray tracing can eliminate those problems.

In addition, these reflections can now be seen even when the source of the reflection isn’t on screen. As demonstrated in the Battlefield V demo, something like an explosion seen in the reflection of an eye had to be simulated before — and remained static. Now environments feel more alive, which add a lot of realism in a game like Battlefield V where chaotic action is supposed to surround you in every direction.

How can you see ray tracing at home?

Nvidia’s new hardware is meant to accelerate ray tracing, but it’s not the first case of the technique being used on consumer-level hardware. A few games have tried to use ray tracing in the past. In 2008, researchers at Intel managed to create a version of Quake Wars that used real-time ray tracing. It was just an experiment, however, and the game only ran at 20 to 35 frames per second on an Intel quad-socket (yes, as in four processors) rig.

The new RTX 2000 series cards will finally let you see ray tracing at home, but less than two dozen games currently plan support. These include those previously mentioned and a few other anticipated titles, like Mechwarrior 5: Mercenaries. Still, the list is rather slim, and we expect that developers will be slow to jump on board.

If you want to see ray tracing at home, though, it’s not that difficult. Just buy one of Nvidia’s expensive new video cards and a compatible game. After that, it (should be) as simple as flipping a switch in the game’s menu.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Nvidia’s new GPUs look amazing, but that doesn’t mean you should buy one
• Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 20 Series starts at $500 and features real-time ray tracing
• Nvidia’s Turing chip reinvents computer graphics (but not for gaming)
• Here’s how to watch Nvidia’s GeForce event at Gamescom
• Nvidia GeForce RTX GPUs are coming to Alienware and Predator gaming desktops

GTX 1080 graphics card prices plunge following Nvidia’s RTX announcement

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Unless you’re an enthusiast gamer chasing the latest graphics card, it pays to be patient. Now that Nvidia has announced its latest GeForce RTX 2080 flagship consumer graphics card at Gamescom, pricing for the current generation GeForce GTX 1080 cards are dropping, so if you don’t mind going with an “older” card — which is still today’s top-of-the-line graphics offering — you can save some money by going with the GTX series instead of jumping on the new RTX cards.

In addition to Nvidia’s improved performance claims, the highlight of the RTX series is a feature called ray tracing, which brings cinematic lighting effects to games. To take advantage of ray tracing, developers will need to build support into their games, and only a limited number of games with ray tracing will be available this year. For most, if not all, current games, a GTX 1080 card will more than serve most gamers’ needs.

While the flagship GTX 1080 Ti was priced close to $1,000 a few weeks ago, the pricing has dropped significantly since Nvidia’s announcement. Zotac’s GTX 1080 Ti is now priced at just $526.50 on Amazon. This is the AMP Edition with 11GB of video RAM. It was previously selling at $679. The standard non-Ti edition now sells for just $449, while the GTX 1070 with 8GB of RAM is now selling for $296.

In addition to standard games today, all these cards also come with support for virtual reality games. However, connecting to a VR headset requires getting multiple cables up and running. The new RTX card supports a newer VirtualLink interface over a USB-C connection. With VirtualLink, you’ll need just a single USB-C cable to drive power, display, and data, eliminating the need for a multi-cable VR setup. Keep in mind, however, that in order to take advantage of VirtualLink, you’ll need both Nvidia’s new RTX graphics card and a new VirtualLink-compatible VR headset to work.

The new RTX cards will be available next month, and we’ll likely see more discounts on GTX cards from other manufacturers in the weeks to come. If you prefer not to wait, Nvidia announced that the RTX cards start at $500, with the RTX 2080 Ti Founder’s Edition coming in at $1,199.

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

Editors’ Recommendations

• Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 20 Series starts at $500 and features real-time ray tracing
• Nvidia’s new GPUs look amazing, but that doesn’t mean you should buy one
• Nvidia teases new GeForce RTX 2080 launch at Gamescom next week
• Nvidia’s Turing chip reinvents computer graphics (but not for gaming)
• What is ray tracing, and how will it change games?

Score Amazon’s largest Fire HD Tablet for its smallest price today only

A tablet worth buying!

Amazon is currently selling its 10-inch Fire HD Tablet for just $99.99, which is $50 lower than its regular price. The price has only dropped this low a few other times before, one of which was back during Black Friday. This is the largest Fire HD Tablet that is sold right now and comes with a base of 32GB of internal storage. If 32GB isn’t enough, you can double the internal storage for $40 more.

The smarter thing to do would be to grab the base tablet for $100 and then add a 64GB microSD card for just $21, which is a far better value. This will give you 32GB more than if you purchased the more expensive option, and actually helps keep your cost about $10 lower!

Looking for more Amazon hardware? There’s a bunch of it on sale right now, so be sure to check those deals out as well!

See at Amazon

The best wireless charging hubs so you can charge all the things

Charge your gadgets in style, without all the messy cables.

There’s nothing more convenient and satisfying than wireless charging. Just drop your phone or smartwatch on a wireless charger and — bam! — it instantly starts receiving power, without you ever having to fumble with a cable in the dark. But sometimes you need to charge more than one device at a time, and in that event a cable can still be useful. Some wireless charging hubs

There are all kinds of great wireless charging hubs to choose from, and we’ve sorted through all the best ones so you don’t have to.

• Nomad Wireless Charging Hub
• Samsung Wireless Charger Duo
• HyperDrive Wireless Charger USB-C Hub

Nomad Wireless Charging Hub

The Nomad Wireless Charging Hub is a circular enclosure that’s capable of charging up to 5 devices at once thanks to its built-in USB ports. It’ll run you about $80, but it’s well worth it for the shopper with legions of device to charge.

See at Nomad

Nomad’s Wireless Hub perfectly blends form and function, with a sleek matte black aesthetic and a multitude of USB ports that feed neatly into a built-in cable organizer.

Two of the four USB ports output 1A, while the third outputs 2.1A and the fourth, a USB-C port, is capable of 3A out. Combined with the 7.5W wireless charging top, this is the ultimate charging hub for charging all of your devices at once — whether you have a tablet, a GoPro, or just a handful of phones.

Samsung Wireless Charger Duo

Samsung has always made some of the best wireless chargers on the market, and the Wireless Charger Duo is no exception. For $120, you can wirelessly charge two devices from a single wall outlet, and one gets propped up so you can still see notifications come in while your phone charges at your desk.

See at Samsung

Samsung’s exhaustingly long-named Fast Charge Convertible Wireless Charging Pad has a new, wider companion called the Wireless Charger Duo that can charge any two Qi-enabled devices simultaneously. Though it’s clearly intended for Samsung’s new Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy Watch, it works just as well with two phones.

The downside is that unlike the Convertible Charging Pad, you can’t fold down the standing side if you just want to lay both devices flat — say, if you’re trying to charge two smartwatches. Still, the Wireless Charger Duo is a great way to save a spot on your wall outlet.

HyperDrive Wireless Charger & USB-C Hub

The HyperDrive isn’t cheap at $120, but it’s the most functional product in this list, bringing a multitude of ports to your USB-C laptop in addition to offering a convertible wireless charging top.

See at Indiegogo

Remember Hyper, the company that made all of those USB-C hubs for the new MacBook Pros? Turns out they’re still making more of them, and their latest model happens to add in wireless charging with a convertible stand that outputs 7.5W.

When it’s not being used for wireless charging, the HyperDrive also functions as an 8-port USB-C hub, adding HDMI, Ethernet, SD and microSD, USB-A, and USB-C passthrough. You don’t have to use it as a USB-C hub, since it can still power your phone and other devices through a USB-C cable from the wall like every other charger on this list, but this might be the most useful overall product if you own a USB-C laptop.

Google’s now being sued for its misleading Location History description

Google is reportedly in violation of California’s Invasion of Privacy Act.

A little over a week ago, a report came out targeting Google for misleading wording for its Location History feature. The company’s support site previously noted that “With Location History off, the places you go are no longer stored”, but even so, various Google apps/services still had permission to track your whereabouts.

The company later updated its wording to indicate that users also need to disable Web and Activity Data in order to block other Google apps from tracking their location, but that hasn’t stopped one San Francisco resident from suing Google.

The man behind the lawsuit is Napoleon Patacsil, and with this suit, he’s claiming that Google’s violating both California’s Invasion of Privacy Act and the general right to privacy that exists in the state.

Patascsil’s lawsuit includes classes for Android and iPhone users alike, meaning that should this go through, it has the potential to impact millions of people all across the United States.

Google’s yet to publically respond to this lawsuit, but seeing as how the company previously had a response to defend itself when this news first came up, don’t be surprised if this fizzles out into nothing.

Whatever happens, we’ll be sure to keep you in the loop.

How to stop your Android phone from sharing your location with Google

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 vs. Galaxy Note 5: Should you upgrade?

It’s time to move on, but do you stay with a Note or go elsewhere?

The Galaxy Note 5 was the biggest and best Samsung had to offer in 2015, with its hardware design in particular being a massive upgrade from the Note 4. But it’s three years old now, and if you were willing to hold off from an upgrade to the Note 8 last year you’re probably really getting the itch to check out the new Note 9 now.

If you’ve liked using a Note 5 for three years, you’re probably thinking that a move to the latest Note makes sense — but a lot has changed in the last three years, and there are other phones out there worthy of your attention if you’re willing to break away from the S Pen. Here’s what you need to keep in mind when you’re getting ready to take the leap.

Reasons to upgrade to the Galaxy Note 9

When you’re looking at upgrading from a three-year-old phone, even a high-end one like the Note 5, there are some easy wins to be had. The Galaxy Note 9 hasn’t dramatically changed the game in any specific area, but three years of further development on all the components that make up a high-end smartphone make it a better device in every way. The Snapdragon 845 processor and 6GB of RAM are dramatically faster than the Exynos 7420 and 4GB — you may not think the Note 5 is slow or lacking for performance, but just wait until you get the Note 9 in your hands. Even more important for a Note power user is the battery, which has jumped a full 1000mAh, up to 4000mAh, and when paired with the new processor offers dramatically better longevity.

You’ll immediately notice the performance and battery life improvements.

Most Note 5s came with just 32GB of internal storage, which was a lot for 2015 — but now, the base Note 9 has four times as much storage. And some may forget that the Note 5 came from that dreaded time when Samsung removed the microSD card slot. It came back in the next generation, and is still here today on the Note 9.

The cameras, too, have made a massive improvement since 2015. The Note 9’s pair of cameras may not be dramatically better at first glance, but daylight photos are much crisper with a wider dynamic range and less forced-looking post-processing. Low light is an entirely different league altogether, with the larger sensor and f/1.5 aperture running circles around what was already a fantastic camera three years ago. The secondary camera also gives you lossless 2X zoom, which is actually a unique way to shoot.

If you’re still loving your Note 5, you’ll be even happier staying in the family with a Note 9.

But much of these upgrades can be found in any 2018 phone you may be looking at. The real reason why you’re going to be looking at a Note 9 is that it’s the latest and greatest Galaxy Note. It’s familiar in terms of build quality and software, but it’s also the only smartphone you can buy today that has the same S Pen stylus you probably bought the Note 5 for in the first place. The S Pen has added new wireless functionality to keep things interesting, but the core experience remains — that means you won’t skip a beat with taking notes, drawing and annotating. Familiarity is incredibly important, and that’s extremely true when it comes to having a stylus or not.

One thing to keep in mind in all of this is the future of the Note 5 itself. The Note 5 finally received an Oreo update in 2018, but this is the last platform update you can expect on the phone. If you want to get any of the newest features Samsung is working on, while keeping your S Pen, you’ll have to move up to the Note 9.

See at Samsung

It’s time to upgrade, but there are reasons to look elsewhere

This whole discussion has been predicated on the idea that you’re in love with your Note 5. That you think the big screen is great, Samsung’s software fits your needs, and you use the stylus all of the time. But perhaps you’ve simply held onto your Note 5 because it continues to work and you haven’t wanted to drop the money on an upgrade. And, well, when you look at the $1000+ price of the Note 9, you start to think maybe you don’t want the latest Note after all. Fear not, there are other options that are less expensive and may fit your needs.

The Note 9 is a simple upgrade for Note 5 owners, but it isn’t the only phone that’s a worthy replacement.

The Galaxy Note 5 probably felt pretty huge when you first got it. But take a look at the photos here — the Note 9 wider, taller and over 15% heavier than the Note 5. Yes the screen has gotten bigger as a result, but the Note 9 is tougher to hold and manage in one hand. Every other top-end phone out there today is smaller, much closer to the Note 5 you’re used to. If you haven’t been keeping up with phones over the past couple years, it may be worth going to a store to see how big they’ve gotten.

One of the other reasons to look elsewhere at the Note 9’s competition is if you haven’t stayed in love with the S Pen or Samsung’s software. Not everyone requires a stylus in their phone — which is clear when you look at the higher sales of Galaxy S phones than Notes over the years. If you’re not using your S Pen on a regular basis, you could save a lot of money by getting a Galaxy S9+ instead. If another Samsung phone is out of the question entirely, there are other great options that offers the same sort of high-end components, specs and features as the Note 9 but again for less money and without the same software you’ve been looking at for three years.

It’s a big world out there. Even though the Note 9 is a fantastic phone, and an easy-to-recommend upgrade for Note 5 owners, it isn’t the only phone that is a worthy replacement.

These are the best Android phones you can buy

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

• Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review
• Galaxy Note 9 vs. Note 8
• Where to buy the Galaxy Note 9
• Galaxy Note 9 specifications
• Is the Note 8 still a good buy?
• Join our Galaxy Note 9 forums

AT&T
Verizon
T-Mobile
Samsung

LG’s new Tone Platinum earbuds have Google Assistant, real-time translation

In other words, it’s LG’s take on the Google Pixel Buds.

IFA 2018 is right around the corner, and ahead of one of the year’s biggest technology trade shows, LG’s announced two new models of its popular Tone earbuds — the Tone Platinum SE (HBS-1120) and the Tone Ultra SE (HBS-835S).

The Tone Platinum SE is the most exciting of the duo as it’s the first LG Tone product to come equipped with the Google Assistant. Similar to the Bose QC35 II and other Assistant headphones, the Platinum SE has a button that allows you to quickly prompt the Google Assistant and ask it anything you’d like.

Along with this, LG’s also taking inspiration from Google’s Pixel Buds and including real-time translation via Google Translate.

If all that Google integration really isn’t your jam, the Tone Ultra SE might be more up your alley. While you won’t find any Assistant or Translate features here, the Ultra SE does have an external speaker so you can have your own personal audio experience without blocking your ears from ambient sounds around you.

There’s currently no word on pricing or availability for the new earbuds, but LG notes that these details will be announced, “locally at the time of availability.”

Bose QC35 II review: The best noise-canceling headphones money can buy

Galaxy Note 9 pre-orders are now live!

Live in the U.S. or Canada? Here’s what you need to know about buying the Galaxy Note 9!

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 9 is here, and as you probably know by now, there’s a lot to get excited about. The all-new S Pen is more powerful than ever before, the cameras are shaping up to be the best we’ve seen from Samsung to-date, and the massive 4,000 mAh battery should be perfect for road-warriors.

Galaxy Note phones are usually available just about everywhere, and with the Note 9, that’s no different.

Whether you live in the United States or Canada, here’s everything you need to know about where to buy Sammy’s latest and greatest.

United States

• AT&T
• Sprint
• T-Mobile
• Verizon
• Straight Talk
• U.S. Cellular
• Xfinity Mobile
• Amazon
• Best Buy
• B&H
• Samsung

For customers in the United States, pre-orders for the Note 9 are live now with official sales opening up on August 24. Ocean Blue and Lavender Purple are the two colors being sold in the country and are available no matter where you buy the phone.

AT&T

Starting first with AT&T, the carrier has both the 128GB and 512GB models that are priced at $999.99 and $1249.99, respectively. While you can pay that full price upfront if you’d like, you’ll also be able to finance both storage configurations over 30 months for $33.34/month and $41.67/month.

If you’re looking to get more bang for your buck, AT&T’s giving customers $1,000 in credits when buying two Note 9’s in one transaction. One new line of service is required to get this, but even so, that essentially works out to getting a 128GB Note 9 for free!

On top of that, Note 9 pre-orders also come with a free pair of AKG headphones or 15,000 Fortnite V-Bucks + an exclusive Galaxy skin. Alternatively, you’ve got the option of getting all three of these goodies for $99.

See at AT&T

T-Mobile

Moving over to T-Mobile, everyone’s favorite Un-Carrier is selling the Note 9 in 128GB and 512GB flavors. Full retail pricing is the same, meaning that the 128GB version will set you back $999.99 while the 512GB one is going to cost $1249.99.

Alternatively, you can get the 128GB model for $30/month and $279.99 down on an equipment installment plan or $29/month for 18 months and $279.99/down with Jump! On Demand. The 512GB version is $529.99 down + $30/month for 24 months on an installment plan and $529.99 down + $26/month for 18 months with Jump! On Demand.

Looking to sweeten the deal even more? T-Mobile’s offering 50% off the Note 9 via 24 monthly bill credits when you trade-in an eligible Samsung phone. On top of that, you’ve got your choice between free AKG headphones or 15,000 V-Bucks and a Galaxy skin in Fortnite. If you want both, you can pick up the headphones and Fortnite goodies for just an extra $99.

See at T-Mobile

Verizon

Similar to AT&T and T-Mobile, Verizon is also selling the 128GB and 512GB Note 9.

By default, you’ll pay $999.99 and $1249.99 for each model, respectively. For Verizon’s installment plans, you’ll pay $41.66 for the 128GB unit and $52.08 for 512GB over the course of 24 months.

To make that deal a bit sweeter, Verizon’s also running a buy one, get one free promo when you purchase the 128GB Note 9.

This deal is available for a limited time, and if you don’t want a second Note 9, you can also get the Galaxy S9 or S9+ for free in its place. As if that wasn’t a good enough deal on its own, placing your pre-order by August 23 will secure you with either a free pair of AKG noise-canceling headphones ($299 value), 15,000 V-Bucks and a special Galaxy Skin in Fortnite ($150 value), or you can purchase both of them for $99.

See at Verizon

Sprint

If Sprint’s your carrier of choice in the U.S., your choices are a bit more limited. Specifically, Sprint is not selling the 512GB Note 9.

Instead, you can only pick up the 128GB model. Pricing is the same $999.99, but you’ve also got the option of leasing it for 18 months with the Sprint Flex plan for $41.66/month.

For a limited time, however, Sprint’s letting customers get the Note 9 through Sprint Flex for 50% off —resulting in a final price of just $20.83/month.

Lastly, if you pre-order through August 23, you can get your choice of free AKG headphones, 15,000 Fortnite V-Bucks + an exclusive Galaxy skin, or the headphones, skin, and V-Bucks for just $99.

See at Sprint

Straight Talk

Post-paid carriers are fine and dandy, but if you prefer buying pre-paid, Straight Talk Wireless has your back as it’s also carrying the Note 9.

Similar to Sprint, Straight Talk is selling just the $999.99 128GB model with no 512GB variant anywhere to be found.

Straight Talk customers also have access to the pre-order bonus, allowing them to get the free AKG headphones, 15,000 V-Bucks + Galaxy skin, or all three for $99.

See at Straight Talk

U.S. Cellular

U.S. Cellular isn’t nearly as popular as the above carriers on our list, but even so, it’s still carrying the Galaxy Note 9. Better yet, you can choose to pick up either the 128GB or 512GB configuration!

Pricing is the same at $999.99 and $1249.99, and you can also finance both models over 30 months for $33.30/month and $41.64/month, respectively.

While you won’t find any BOGO deals here, U.S. Cellular is offering the same Samsung promo found with most other carriers. If you pre-order the Note 9, you can get 15,000 V-Bucks + the Galaxy skin for Fortnite or free AKG noise-cancelling headphones for free. Alternatively, you’ve got the option of getting the V-Bucks, skin, and headphones for just $99.

See at U.S. Cellular

Xfinity Mobile

For the last U.S. carrier on our list, we’ve got Xfinity Mobile.

Like most other carriers, Xfinity Mobile is selling the Note 9 in 128GB and 512GB options for $999.99 and $1249.99. You can buy the phone outright if you’ve got the cash, or finance it over the course of 24 months to lessen the stress a bit on your wallet.

If you purchase a Note 9 on Xfinity Mobile, activate a new line, and port over an existing number, you can get a $300 prepaid card that you can use wherever you’d like.

See at Xfinity Mobile

Amazon

Stepping away from carriers, Amazon is one of the many retailers in the U.S. that’s got the Note 9 up for grabs.

The official listing hasn’t popped up on Amazon quite yet, but in the meantime, you can pick up an international unlocked 128GB model for around $1078.

No U.S. warranty comes with this version of the phone and it’s sold by a third-party seller, but right now it’s your best bet for purchasing a Note 9 via the site.

See at Amazon

Best Buy

Best Buy is the go-to store for all things tech, and as expected, you’ll be able to purchase the Note 9 here, too.

Just like the Note 8, Best Buy allows you to purchase the Note 9 through AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, or completely unlocked. Best Buy typically matches any promotions being offered by carriers, in addition to running its own from time to time. As such, if you’re looking for the vest best deal, you’ll want to hit up Best Buy’s site to see what’s being offered.

If you decide to pre-order the Note 9 through Best Buy, the retailer is touting a savings up to $200 with a qualified activation. For customers that prefer buying unlocked, you can save up to $450 with a qualified trade-in of an old device.

See at Best Buy

B&H

B&H is known for offering killer deals on new tech, and with the Galaxy Note 9, that’s no different.

You can pick up the Note 9 at B&H in 128GB and 512GB flavors and pricing is the same at $999.99 and $1294.99. However, B&H gets a nice edge as 0% tax is collected on your order if you live outside of New York or New Jersey.

Pre-ordering the Note 9 gets you your choice of free AKG headphones or 15,000 V-Bucks + the Galaxy skin for Fortnite, or you can buy all of this for just $99.

As if that wasn’t good enough, B&H customers also get a free DeX Pad and a Samsung Qi Wireless Charger Duo in either black or white (an extra value of $218.99).

See at B&H

Samsung

Rounding out our U.S. picks, the Galaxy Note 9 will be sold on Samsung’s official website and through the ShopSamsung app. Shocking, right?

Along with selling the unlocked version of the phone, Samsung also lets you buy the AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile Verizon, and U.S. Cellular variants. And, although it should go without saying at this point, the 128GB option costs $999.99 and the 512GB model is $1249.99.

Samsung does offer financing to help make your purchase more managable, and if you pre-order through August 23, you can get a pair of AKG noise-canceling headphones or an exclusive Fortnite Galaxy skin and 15,000 V-Bucks.

If you want the Fortnite items and the headphones, you can get everything for $99.

Last but certainly not least, trading in a qualifying device will allow you to get up to $450 off your order.

See at Samsung

Canada

• Bell
• Rogers
• TELUS
• Freedom Mobile
• Samsung Canada

Pre-orders for the Galaxy Note 9 in Canada are open right now with official sales beginning August 24.

The 128GB Ocean Blue model is available at all carriers/retailers, but if you want the 512GB Midnight Black option, you’ll need to buy the Note 9 directly through Samsung.

Bell

The first Canadian carrier on our list, Bell, is selling just the 128GB Note 9.

Buying the phone without any service will set you back $1379.99, and depending on the two-year term that you choose, you can decrease the upfront cost to either $749.99 or $549.99.

Pre-orders are live right now, and if you reserve your Note 9 between now and August 23, you’ll get a free pair of Gear IconX earbuds (retail value of $299.99)

See at Bell

Rogers

Rogers is also carrying the Galaxy Note 9 in the 128GB flavor, and just like Bell, placing a pre-order through August 23 will secure you with free Gear IconX earbuds that typically sell for $299.99.

Pricing for the Note 9 on Rogers is as follows:

• No Tab — $1299
• Talk & Text Tab — $1299
• Smart Tab — $899
• Premium Tab — $749
• Premium+ Tab — $549

See at Rogers

TELUS

TELUS has also been confirmed to carry the 128GB Note 9, and depending on which plan you choose, the outright price varies quite a bit:

• Pay $950 outright and then $85/month on a two-year plan
• Pay $750 outright and then $95/month on a two-year plan
• Pay $550 outright and then $105/month on a two-year plan

Similar to other Canadian carriers, pre-ordering the Note 9 through TELUS will allow you to get free Gear IconX earbuds.

See at TELUS

Freedom Mobile

If Freedom Mobile is your carrier of choice, you’re in luck!

The 128GB Galaxy Note 9 is available with all of Freedom’s plans, and as expected, pre-ordering it will allow you to get free $299 Gear IconX earbuds.

Pricing for the Note 9 works out as follows:

• $1300 with no plan
• $820 + $20/month MyTab Boost for 24 months on current $30+ plans
• $600 + $25/month My Tab Boost for 24 months on current $40+ plans
• $200 + $35/month My Tab Boost for 24 months on current $50+ plans
• $0 + $35/month My Tab Boost for 24 months on current $60+ plans

See at Freedom Mobile

Samsung Canada

Last but not least, you can pre-order the Galaxy Note 9 directly through the Samsung Canada website.

You can get the same Ocean Blue model with 128GB that’s available at all the carriers, but this is the exclusive place to go if you want the 512GB Midnight Black configuration.

The 128GB Ocean Blue Note 9 will set you back $1299.99 while the 512GB Midnight Black model costs a whopping $1629.99.

See at Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review: Welcome to the one comma club

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

• Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review
• Galaxy Note 9 vs. Note 8
• Where to buy the Galaxy Note 9
• Galaxy Note 9 specifications
• Is the Note 8 still a good buy?
• Join our Galaxy Note 9 forums

AT&T
Verizon
T-Mobile
Samsung

Updated August 21, 2018: Updated listings for U.S. Cellular, Amazon, and TELUS.

The best smart thermostat for Amazon Echo

It’s a trick question! If there’s a Skill, there’s a way. But it’s still worth knowing what you can (and can’t) say to Alexa to control your thermostat.

One of the things you need to know about Amazon Echo — actually, I’m talking about Alexa here — is that in a good many ways, it’s hardware agnostic. You can hook all sorts of things into Alexa via Amazon’s “Skills,” and, for the most part, it shouldn’t really matter what sort of hardware it’s hooking into.

A thermostat is a thermostat. You turn it up and down. Lights are lights. On, off, color, whatever. Sprinklers turn on and off and run on schedules. The brand and exact hardware really shouldn’t matter — you build in functionality through the API, or Application Programming Interface, which we all know and love here as a “Skill.” (Google has “Actions,” Nest has “Works with Nest,” etc., etc.)

Exactly what you can say to a particular device may vary a little bit, but by and large Alexa is going to be smart enough to figure out what it is you’re trying to do without requiring too many specific keywords. (That gets us into the whole natural language processing thing, which is another post for another time.)

So what’s the best thermostat to use with Amazon Echo? Whatcha got? I’ve used a Nest ($248 on Amazon) in my home and an ecobee ($249 on Amazon) in the office. Those are the two more popular smart thermostats, and each has its merits. There’s the design of the actual thermostat itself. (I tend to prefer Nest there for its simplicity and the dial over a touchscreen.) There’s the design and usability of the app that goes along with it. (Again, Nest wins out here for me because ecobee seems like it’s trying a little too hard.)

But those are personal things. The good news here is that if you like ecobee more than Nest and want to use it with Alexa, it’ll work just fine. One really doesn’t work any better for me than the other when it comes to using your voice to control them.

One major caveat here, though, is that the ecobee 4 has a really neat feature in that Alexa is already built in. The thermostat has microphones that are waiting (and willing) for you to use your voice to control it. So you don’t even need an Amazon Echo to control it — the thermostat takes care of everything. That’s pretty cool.

All that said, let’s take a look at what you can actually say to each thermostat through Alexa.

What you can tell Alexa to do with Nest

First, Nest says to make sure you know the name of your Nest. If you’ve named it “Living room,” you’ll tell Alexa to “change the living room to 72 degrees.” You won’t say “Set the thermostat to 72 degrees.” And that’s fine. “Thermostat” is a silly name.

And with that, here’s what you can actually say to it.

• Ask what the temperature is at the thermostat?
• Ask what the thermostat is set to.
• Set the Nest to a specific temperature.
• Increase or decrease by a specific number of degrees. (You can say “warmer” or “colder,” too.

There are third-party skills, too, that let you add even more functionality. Check out Voice Thermostat Controller for even more.

See Nest Thermostat at Amazon

Nest E lets you talk to Alexa even cheaper

There’s nothing quite like a full-blown Nest Thermostat, of course. But the Nest E is really close. It’s got a different sort of look to it, but it’s 90 percent the same, as far as the tech goes. (And I’d argue that you probably won’t miss the difference anyway.

The display is more muted, so it’s not going to call quite as much attention to itself as its big brother. But you get the same smarts — the ability to learn how you like things — and the exact same integration with Amazon Alexa.

The really important part? The $169 price tag.

See at Nest

What you can tell Alexa to do with ecobee

Like you’ve probably guessed by now, using ecobee with Alexa is pretty much the same as using it with Nest. Here’s what’s available via your voice:

• Ask for the current temperature at the ecobee.
• Ask what the ecobee is currently set to.
• Set the ecobee to a specific temperature.
• Increase or decrease the temperature by a specific amount.
• Or just say “increase (or decrease) the temperature” to move it by 2 degrees.

See ecobee at Amazon

Honeywell T6 — a basic (and cheaper) alternative

If you’re looking for a digital thermostat that also has access to Amazon Alexa and that also doesn’t cost closer to $200 than not, check out the Honeywell T6.

It’s programmable, and like other thermostats of this ilk it can use your smartphone to tell when you’re home, and when you’re not home. And, yes, it has access to Amazon Alexa, so you can use your voice to control the temperature.

This isn’t quite the looker that other competitors might be, but it’s also just $115. And it’ll get the job done.

See Honeywell at Amazon

Pretty simple for all the devices. For more (and because things change), be sure to check out the individual skills at the links below.

• ecobee Skill for Amazon Alexa
• Nest Skill for Amazon Alexa
• Honeywell Skill for Amazon Alexa

Updated August 2018: Updated with the Honeywell T6.

Amazon Echo

• Tap, Echo or Dot: The ultimate Alexa question
• All about Alexa Skills
• Amazon Echo review
• Echo Dot review
• Echo Spot review
• Top Echo Tips & Tricks
• Amazon Echo vs. Google Home
• Get the latest Alexa news

See at Amazon

‘The Grand Tour Game’ brings the thrills of the show to PlayStation 4

Now it’s your turn.

Fans of ‘The Grand Tour’ TV show have had the pleasure of witnessing various challenges, locations, and stunning cars over the course of its two seasons, but they’re in for an even bigger treat when it returns later this year. The Amazon Prime Original show is slated to premiere in early November, and season 3 will be pulling viewers into the action of the show like never before as it coincides with the digital release of ‘The Grand Tour Game’ for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

This game by Amazon Game Studios is referred to as an ‘episodic racing game’ and will feature the same iconic locations, cars, and challenges from season 3 of the show. Each week, a new episode of the show will premiere alongside an unlocked episode in the game. You’ll be able to drive the same roads, in the same car, hearing original voice acting from the stars of the show: Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May. The game features clips from the show as well, along with four-player split-screen multiplayer mode which incorporates power-ups to help you keep everyone else behind you.

In total, the game will feature locations and vehicles from the first episode of season 1, the first episode of season 2, and all of season 3. Amazon has yet to announce its official release date or price.

If you haven’t yet gotten the chance to check out the show, it’s free to watch for Amazon Prime members.