Slip an unlocked Halo Gray Essential Phone into your pocket for $280

One of the best prices we’ve seen.

We’ve seen deals on the Essential Phone in the past, and while this isn’t quite as good as Prime Day pricing, it’s still a heck of a deal. Right now you can get the phone in Halo Gray (the best color) for just $279.99.

It comes with 128GB of internal storage, a dual camera system on the back, and it’s powered by the Snapdragon 835 processor. You can also add the exclusive Essential 360 camera. Essential has already released the Android Pie update for the device as well, so you’ll be able to install that as soon as you receive yours!

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Dell P2715Q review

Research Center:

Dell P2715Q

Dell was one of the first to jump on 4K monitors, offering models to consumers as early as winter 2013. Perhaps too early, as those first models had serious handicaps. Today though, Dell makes some of the best 4K monitors in the world, and the competition is stiff. With that in mind, how does its first real, great entry in the 4K space hold up today?

It might be a few years old, but it’s still an Ultra HD, IPS panel with numerous connection options, and a wide color gamut. Unless you’re a heavy gamer, there’s not much more to ask for. You can find it just over $430 straight from Dell and even less if you catch it during a sale period. Does the lower price make the P2715Q still worth buying compared to some its newer contemporaries?

Simple, yet sensible

The P2715Q doesn’t impress out of the box. Dell’s traditional matte black design is livened by silver plastic trim, but the material doesn’t look expensive, even at a distance. In comparison, monitors with a glossy bezel provide more visual punch, especially nowadays.

Take a closer look, though, and you’ll notice this monitor means business. Its relatively slim panel doesn’t include any unnecessary frills and feels durable when handled. Unlike a number of the alternatives which include cheap touch controls, this display offers chunky buttons that seem ready for abuse.

An ergonomic stand is included and provides a full range of adjustability: height, tilt, pivot, and swivel. It tracks true with just enough resistance to keep it in place but not enough to make it difficult to move with one free hand. The monitor is VESA compatible, too, so you can switch to a third-party stand if needed.

Portpalooza

Search around back and you’ll find a wide variety of connection options including DisplayPort and Mini-DisplayPort for video-in as well as DisplayPort-out (so the monitor can be daisy-chained). Two 4K displays can be daisy-chained at once, but doing so drops the refresh rate to 30Hz.

HDMI, speaker-line out, and four USB 3.0 ports are also part of the package. All the USB ports are on the rear panel, however, so the P2715Q isn’t a great place to plug thumb drives and other peripherals that you’ll frequently move.

Simple, but you’re not in control

Let’s get back to those buttons. Silly as it may sound, Dell’s reliance on physical buttons is one of our favorite features. We’ve seen no shortage of alternatives over the last year ranging from resistive touch controls to joysticks, but traditional clicky buttons still work best. They’re easy to find quickly, provide positive feedback — and most importantly they tend to last under years of abuse.

Dell P2715Q Compared To

BenQ EX3200R Gaming Monitor

Samsung CFG70

HP Dreamcolor Z32x

Philips 276E6ADSS LCD monitor

Acer XB270HU

Acer S277HK

Acer XB280HK

Acer B286HK

AOC G2770PQU

AOC mySmart A2472PW4T

Dell P2314T

HP 2311gt

Samsung SyncMaster BX2450

Gateway XHD3000

HP w2207

Calibration provided minor but noticeable improvements.

Dell’s on-screen control menu is precise and simple to use. Everything is easy to find and labeled with clear text rather than with vague icons. Having said that, there’s not a lot of adjustment available. Users can only change brightness, contrast sharpness and RGB values. If you’re curious why this IPS monitor isn’t sold as an UltraSharp, well, here’s your answer.

The lack of adjustability is disappointing, especially as a number of more modern displays offer better customization. That said, professional controls often come with a higher price tag.

Pre-calibration quality

Dell’s P2715Q is a very special display. Its IPS panel offers wide viewing angles, strong color and deep blacks. Throw in the sharpness of 4K on a 27-inch panel (which translates to 163 pixels per inch) and you have the formula for a spectacular experience.

Objective tests made it clear our first impressions weren’t misguided. The gamut spans 100 percent of sRGB and 79 percent of AdobeRGB while maintaining a contrast ratio of 690:1 at maximum brightness and 650:1 at half that. Those specifications aren’t as impressive today as they once were, with a number of 4K displays now offering higher contrast ratios, but it’s enough to deliver a beautiful image and real-world results of the competition don’t always stand up to their paper specs.

Color accuracy on the P2715Q is good too, with an average difference of only 1.74 (most of which is in the cyan and green range). A difference below one is generally undetectable, so this is close to perfect. Gamma was just a tad off the perfect 2.2 curve.

You won’t be impressed until you turn the display on.

All of this adds up to image reproduction with no easily detected faults. The color variance in cyan can make scenes look a tad cool at times, but even then the P2715Q is better than most, and the outstanding contrast ratio gives content real depth.

While viewing Interstellar‘s 4K trailer, for instance, we were stunned by how well the monitor handles the inky nothingness of space. It’s not on par with a good UHD TV but it’s obviously better than an average LCD monitor.

Post-calibration quality

Dell’s monitor is great out of the box but with some calibration, it looks even better.

We eventually settled on a calibration that lowered average color difference to 1.39 while preserving the gamma curve and increasing gamut to 80 percent of AdobeRGB. Contrast ratio at half of maximum brightness didn’t budge from 650:1, but the contrast at maximum increased to 720:1.

Speaking of brightness, there’s plenty here, as we saw a maximum output of 332 lux. That figure, combined with the semi-gloss panel coat, makes the monitor usable in almost any environment. We turned it down to about 180 lux for use in our office.

The numbers suggest a minor improvement overall, and that’s what we saw in our viewing. Switching the calibration on and off made it clear our adjustments slightly tamed the coolness of the default settings, but it wasn’t a night-and-day difference

Our take

The Dell’s P2715Q looked and performed great when we first reviewed it, and it holds up very well today. There’s a reason it tops our list of the best 4K displays — it offers excellent image quality, a great ergonomic stand, and Ultra HD at a price that’s more affordable than ever.

You do miss out on advanced gaming features like fast response times and a high-refresh rate, but you’d have to spend several times the cost of this display to get that if it’s truly important to you. For now, the P2715Q offers the best bang for buck of any 4K display out there.

Any alternatives?

Since you’re unlikely to be considering the P2715Q for its gaming chops, the best comparisons are professionally-orientated displays like the HP Z27. It retails for around $150 more than the Dell, but has fantastic color options and a much better looking stand, with thinner bezels. If you need more size and don’t mind spending double, the BenQ PC3200UA is hard not to recommend. With stunning visuals and a massive 32-inch panel, you can really take full advantage of the 4K resolution.

How long will it last?

As with most great monitors, a few years at least. While the PS2715Q doesn’t have all of the latest features and ports, there is unlikely to be a major shift in connectivity in the next few years which makes this display outdated. The picture quality and resolution will keep this monitor relevant for a good few years to come.

While this monitor isn’t an UltraSharp it’s also not a standard consumer monitor. As a result, receives a better warranty than usual. Dell offers three years of coverage with “advanced exchange service,” which means the company will send you a replacement immediately if it can’t troubleshoot a problem over the phone (instead of waiting for you to ship your old monitor back). It’s not unusual for a monitor this expensive to have a three-year warranty, but the advanced exchange service gives Dell a slight edge.

Should you buy it?

If you’re a gamer, there are better options out there with faster response times, higher refresh rates, and syncing technology. For everyone else? Absolutely.

Art-inspired face blurring can obscure identity without losing humanity

If you want to know how someone feels, there are only a few cues to rely on. You can study their facial expressions, consider the content of what they say, and tune in to the tone of their voice. But that can pose a challenge for video journalists and documentary filmmakers covering sensitive subjects, because the easiest ways to anonymize a source is to scrub out things that make them human and pixelating their face or distorting their voice. Their story remains the same but the characters themselves can appear crude and robotic.

Steve DiPaolo, a computer-based cognitive scientist at Simon Fraser University, thinks there’s a better way. He thinks anonymity can be both beautiful and true to the emotional aspects of the people whose identity it’s concealing.

To that end, DiPaolo and his colleagues have developed an A.I.-generated anonymity system that “paints” over video frames, using inspiration from masters like Picasso and Van Gogh to reimagine a person’s appearance. The goal is to minimize outer resemblance but maintain fidelity to a subject’s inner character, and allowing their facial expressions and vocal inflections to shine through. If deployed by journalists, the system could support more intimate and relatable stories, particularly in virtual reality, where the power of empathy has proven particularly strong.

With the rise of VR in journalism, the need for more nuanced and affective ways to represent anonymous sources is key.

The project began for DiPaolo as a way to make an A.I. system that was capable of creating art on it own. A number of algorithms later, he and his team focused their efforts on a fine art painting, and then, more specifically, one that could paint portraits. But after a small grant from Google News and the Knight Foundation, DiPaolo — along with Kate Hennessy, a cultural anthropologist at SFU, and Taylor Owen from the University of British Columbia’s journalism school — reworked their system towards providing anonymity for journalists.

The pivot was apt. With the rise of VR in journalism, the need for more nuanced and effective ways to represent anonymous sources is key. Hearing a first-hand account just isn’t the same when the persecuted person’s face is pixelated and their voice is distorted by a few octaves.

Steve DiPaolo and Kate Hennessy, SFU

For DiPaolo, fine art portraiture offered the perfect guide. Master painters don’t just depict their subject from the outside. They capture an inner essence as well. From decades of study and practice, and techniques handed down through generations, great portrait artists can show a subject’s personality through a series seasoned brush strokes and blended colors. DiPaolo aimed to teach the A.I. to look past the surface layer and reveal what subjects are feeling inside.

“You tell so much with your eyes, eyebrows, and facial movements,” DiPaolo tells Digital Trends. “Even the way you jerk your head and look down — so much of that was just lost in the pixelation technique.”

The resulting system is both beauty and beast, relying on five Linux computers and a five step process to anonymize a video.

“We tell so much with our eyes, eyebrows, and facial movements.”

To start, the system identifies a subjects facial features, placing dots around the eyes, mouth, and nose like standard facial recognition systems do. Users can then use a tool to manipulate the features, for example, raising the subject’s forehead, widening her eyes, and lowering her ears. Depending on how significant the changes, this subject may already look unidentifiable.

“Before the A.I. painter even starts painting, steps one and two help change the look of the sitter image,” DiPaolo says.

In the third step, the A.I. cuts the face into geometric planes. DiPaolo calls this the “Picasso or Cubist approach.”

And in steps four and five — the impressionistic and Van Gogh-like phases — the AI adds inky edge lines and brush strokes.

Steve DiPaolo and Kate Hennessy, SFU

In DiPaolo’s vision for the system, a journalist, producer, or even the subject herself could interact with the platform and adjust how refracted the final product is. The system then applies this anonymity to every individual frame in the video.

The researchers haven’t conducted a large-scale study to test how well their system conceals a source, but in pre-study they found subjects were satisfied with the level of anonymity and participants were more engaged when watching videos painted in this style. And the system gained interest from major news outlets like the Washington Post and Frontline, when the researchers presented the work at a conference in July.

“Can you actually have videos of yourself that are more about your inner and less about your outer?”

But anonymizing sources might just be the beginning. DiPaolo is interested in becoming something of a digital cupid, working his summer group at SFU’s School of Interactive Arts and Technology to investigate how the system could be adapted for the dating world.

“Dating sites are using videos more often,” he says. “There’s a lot of data that show decisions are made very quickly based on how the person looks, which is too bad at times. Can we actually refine this process so that you’re looking at how somebody is and not just how they look? By anonymizing the footage, attractiveness is not the first thing you think about. Can you actually have videos of yourself that are more about your inner and less about your outer?”

This is, to be sure, a farfetched idea — and one most dating app users would likely approach with caution. But DiPaolo’s ambition is compelling, and just a decade ago few would have foreseen the progress that’s been made by A.I. artists. Who’s to say algorithms can’t someday play matchmaker as well?

Editors’ Recommendations

• Replaced by robots: 10 jobs that could be hit hard by the A.I. revolution
• Like a vice principal in the sky, this A.I. spots fights before they happen
• Waylens Secure360 WiFi review
• Can’t we all just drive along? The not-so-universal language of autonomous cars
• Razer’s Core X and V2 turn your tiny laptop into a monster gaming rig

Just $100 will get you an Echo Plus and a free white Philips Hue Smart bulb

Alexa, find me a deal.

Amazon has the Echo Plus with Built-in Hub on sale for $99.99, which saves you $50 off the normal price. As an added bonus, you’ll also receive a free Philips Hue White A19 LED Smart Bulb with your order. The smart bulbs normally sell for at least $30 a pop, so this deal is a fantastic one if you’re looking to add some intelligence to your home. We’ve seen this bundle fall no lower than $119.99 until today.

Echo Plus has all of the features of Echo that you know and love, but it also has a hub built right in. That allows for simple and direct setup of compatible smart devices. No more buying things separately to control your smart home gadgets. Simply ask Alexa to discover your devices and you’ll be using your new Hue bulb in no time.

Users rated this 4.4 out of 5 stars.

This sale is part of a huge price cut on Amazon devices. Whether you’re looking to expand your Echo family or you’d like to check out the Fire TV, or basically anything in between, be sure to check that out.

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The Pokémon Go app is reading files on your phone, but there’s a reason

It’s probably not what you think, but it’s not great news for people who prefer to root their phones.

As anyone who roots their Android phone will tell you, it’s not always easy to play the games you love these days. Lots of game developers deploy anti-root detection methods to keep you from playing their game if you root your phone. An all too common explanation for why this anti-root philosophy exists is to combat cheating, and one place in particular this explanation irritates users is Pokémon Go.

Niantic won’t even let the app fully start if it looks like you are rooting your phone, and the method being used to look for whether your phone has root access rubs a lot of people the wrong way.

Stay out of my file system

In order to tell whether your phone has root access, Pokémon Go on Android asks for permission to look at your file system. This is a fairly common permission for an app to ask for, since most apps need to write something to your phone, it’s not a huge surprise. But in a recent update to the app, that permission access is being used to look for files and folders
which are commonly used with root apps.

Niantic is being very aggressive about how it is looking for these things and deciding if you’re cheating.

This is messy for two reasons. First, it’s kind of not cool for an app to be poking around in your folders without telling you it is doing so. Even if you have given the app permission to read your files, there’s nothing about the way most people use Pokémon Go that suggests it is going to behave this way.

Second, and perhaps more important, Niantic is being very aggressive about how it is looking for these things and deciding if you’re cheating. It’s not uncommon for someone to move data from one phone to another when upgrading, which means all it takes is a folder labelled with a name like a root app for Pokémon Go to completely shut you out until the folder is removed.

This clearly isn’t a big deal to a lot of people, given how few folks actually root their phones these days, but creating this much inconvenience for users who either do currently root or used to root at some point, especially with zero communication to the user, sucks.

No harm in explaining what you are doing

The sad truth is, there are folks who use root access to fake their GPS location and mess with the way Pokémon Go is supposed to be played. This gives those players an unfair advantage, allowing them to play from their living room when everyone else is running around town. And while location spoofing is the most common form of cheating, it’s not the only kind. Manipulating the game for your own benefit ruins the experience for everyone else, and Niantic is right to deploy mechanisms to combat these people for the benefit of the greater community of players.

Is it likely Niantic will reverse this policy? No.

But it’s clear some of these methods are going to extremes, especially when coupled with a lack of communication in the app. There’s no dialogue to explain why the app isn’t letting you play because that makes it easier for the actual cheaters to build a workaround. Niantic is in a stick position, because every person who would never use root access to cheat is being punished. And again, just having an empty folder related to root apps is enough to make this security “feature” kick in.

Is it likely Niantic will reverse this policy? No. Unfortunately there are way more people out there who complain about cheaters ruining the game on a daily basis, and Niantic is going to appeal to the larger audience every time. And while there are ways around this existing problem for people who root, the dance between exploit and patch is going to continue for as long as these companies see benefit in stopping even a couple of cheaters.

The best Moto Z3 cases to keep your flagship phone protected

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

You might have missed the Moto Z3‘s reveal, as it was cunningly disguised as the Moto Z3 Play. But even though the Z3 looks identical to its lower-powered sibling, the innards of the device are better. It’s packing last year’s Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB of RAM, and a Super AMOLED display — all for just $480. As if that wasn’t enough, the Z3 also gives you access to Motorola’s great range of Moto Mods, that can turn your phone into a snappier camera, boombox, or — new for the Z3 — a 5G-equipped downloading machine.

But just because all this hardware comes at a bargain price doesn’t mean it’s a throwaway device. It’s made from aluminum, sandwiched between glass — and as we know, that can make for a fragile device. Keep it covered and protected with the best Moto Z3 cases.

Please note: There aren’t many dedicated Moto Z3 cases yet — but since it’s identical to the Moto Z3 Play, cases for that phone will also fit the Moto Z3. That’s why we’ve included some cases marked as Z3 Play for the Moto Z3.

Avidet Clear Case ($8)

For a compromise between style, protection, and thickness, you can’t go wrong with a good, clear, gel case, and it’s easy to see why when you pick up this Avidet case. It’s made from soft and flexible TPU, giving a pliable texture that’s easy to grip and also provides a soft surface that absorbs shocks from drops and bumps. It won’t be as resistant to damage as bigger, bulkier cases, but it’ll still stop scratches from reaching your phone’s surface, and should provide good enough protection for most hazards. It’s super-thin, doesn’t block the view of your phone, and — best of all — it’s very reasonably priced.

Buy it now from:

Amazon

Spigen Rugged Armor ($25)

If you’ve shopped for phone cases before, you’ve likely come across Spigen’s excellent cases. The Rugged Armor series is one of Spigen’s mainstays, and it’s tough and durable, while still managing to look good. It’s made from a toughened TPU that’s great at absorbing blows, but also feels solid in the hand. Spigen’s Air Cushion Technology sits in each corner, bolstering the case against falls, while the raised edges make sure your phone’s screen doesn’t come into contact with dirty surfaces. It looks great, with a brushed metal texture on the back, complemented by carbon fiber-style panels. This is a good case that’ll keep your Moto Z3 fully protected.

Buy it now from:

Amazon Spigen

CoverOn Hybrid Rugged Series ($10)

If you’re looking for a balance that skews towards protection, while still keeping the price down, check out this hybrid case from CoverOn. It uses a combination of hard and soft materials to bridge the gap between absorbent shock protection, and a rigid backbone that can resist more direct blows. It’s made from our old friend TPU, with an outer layer of hard polycarbonate (PC). Despite this double layer protection, it’s still quite light and relatively thin — and it also comes with metallic button covers for that great feel. This is good protection at a low price.

Buy it now from:

Amazon CoverOn

Speck Presidio Grip ($45)

High drops can be some of the most damaging accidents that your phone can go through — so it’s good to know that your case can protect your Z3 from falls. If you’re looking for great protection from drops, then look no further than Speck’s Presidio Grip case. With an inner core of Speck’s Impactium, the Presidio Grip is drop-tested up to a height of ten feet — making it excellent protection. Not only that, the raised rubber ridges provide extra grip on your phone, while the raised edges protect your vulnerable screen from damage. It’s on the bulkier side for a case — but if you want solid protection, Speck’s Presidio Grip is an excellent choice.

Buy it now from:

Cases.com

Otterbox Commuter Series ($40)

Otterbox is one of the biggest names in the rugged case business, providing excellent all-round protection against a variety of threats. The Commuter Series is our Otterbox case of choice for the Moto Z3, providing excellent protection in a sleek, understated shell. It’s made from two layers, using a soft inner core and a hard outer shell to provide shock-absorbency and hard, rigid defense. It’s slimmer than other Otterbox cases, meaning it’s the perfect protective case for someone on the go — and it looks good, too, with a sleek design. Like many Otterbox cases it’s on the expensive side — but you’ll struggle to find a case more protective than this.

Buy it now from:

Cases.com

Incipio DualPro Shine ($35)

Another accessory maker with a fine pedigree, Incipio has brought the dual-layer design of the DualPro Shine to the Moto Z3, giving owners the chance to pick up some fantastic protection that also looks good. As mentioned, it’s a dual-layer case, and blends hard, ABS polycarbonate with absorbent TPE to create a combination that’s great against a variety of threats. It’s tested against drops of up to 10 feet and meets military standards for protection. Not only that, the case also comes with a carbon fiber-style texture that imparts a futuristic sci-fi feel, so your phone looks good, even as it’s kept protected.

Buy it now from:

Incipio

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best Moto Z3 Play cases
• The best protective iPhone cases
• Motorola Moto Z3 vs. Moto Z3 Play
• The best Moto E5 Play cases
• Moto Z3 vs Samsung Galaxy S9: Which flagship is more worthy?

These are the best microSD cards for the Galaxy S8

The Galaxy S8 offers 64GB of internal storage which might be more than enough for some. But if your phone is close to capacity with all your music, video or pictures, you should take advantage of Galaxy S8’s expandable storage and grab a quality microSD card.

• Samsung EVO Select 256GB
• SanDisk Extreme 128GB
• PNY U3 Pro Elite 128GB
• Samsung EVO 128GB
• SanDisk Ultra 128GB

Samsung EVO Select 256GB

Samsung’s own 256GB EVO Select microSD card ($90) is one of your best options if you want to go all out on storage. With read speeds of up to 100MB/s and write speeds of up to 90MB/s you can quickly and easily transfer files to and from the phone. It’s also U3 classified which makes it perfect for 4K video.

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With the speed and storage capacity comes a larger price tag on this card, but if you want the biggest on the market this is the way to go. Alternatively, you can get a 128GB Evo Select for just $35, a 64GB card for just $18, or a modest 32GB card for just $11.50.

SanDisk Extreme 128GB

SanDisk’s high-performance microSDHC UHS-I Card offers transfer speeds of up to 80MB/s and with its U3 rating it is more than capable of handling 4K video. We’ll highlight the 128GB card which can be yours for just $49!

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If you aren’t looking to spend $50 on a microSD, you can double your phone’s storage with the Sandisk Extreme 64GB for just $28. this may be the way to go at under $20 for the card. If you want a bit more storage, you can get the 64GB SanDisk Extreme for just under $32.

PNY U3 Pro Elite 128GB

If you’re planning to do a lot of 4K video recording, you’ll want a fast and reliable card in your phone. PNY’s U3 Pro Elite 128GB card adds plenty of storage and the speeds you need. Classified at U3, it is great for video, and it is capable of up to 95MB/s read and 90MB/s write. At around $60, this is a relatively inexpensive option, and it is highly-rated and reliable.

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Samsung EVO 128GB microSD

Samsung’s EVO 128GB microSD card ($42) isn’t the company’s top offering (see above), but it comes with decent speeds and a price tag to match. With up to 48MB/s read and write (Class 10 or U1 classification), it can handle 1080p video without a problem. If you want a Samsung-branded card that doesn’t break the bank, this is the one to go with.

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SanDisk Ultra 128GB microSD

SanDisk is a respected brand when it comes to memory cards and storage products, and cards like this show you why. The SanDisk Ultra 128GB ($40) is a Class 10 card that comes with a 10-year warranty and has quick transfer speeds (up to 80MB/s), so it should check many of the boxes that you look for in a microSD card. If you want a bit more memory, you can get a 200GB card for just $63.

See at Amazon

Your favorite?

Do you have a favorite microSD card that isn’t listed here? Be sure to drop a comment below and let us know which card it is, and why you like it!

Updated August 2018: Updated pricing information and shop links. These are still your best options for the Galaxy S8!

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+

• Galaxy S8 and S8+ review!
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• Get to know Samsung Bixby
• Join our Galaxy S8 forums

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Learn the ins and outs of Excel for $49

Microsoft Excel is one of the most widely used programs in business. It helps companies take care of their books, pay employees, build plans, and much, much more. You can probably get the very basics of Excel, but if you’re looking into a job where proficiency is a big asset and/or required, chances are you’ll need a little more help.

There are many courses that teach you how to use Excel — you can likely take many at local schools and colleges — but these courses can be quite costly, and then there’s the fact that you have to leave home and learn on someone else’s time.

Excel with Business is perfect if you want to learn all there is to know about Excel, on your own time. By enrolling in the school, you’ll receive a lifetime subscription to four complete courses, so you can learn at your leisure and refer back to the material when you need a little help. These courses are usually $1,980 altogether, but through Android Central Digital Offers, you’ll pay just $49. That’s a savings of 96%.

If you’re looking to delve into the business world in any capacity, it’s a great idea to brush up on your Excel knowledge. If you want to truly excel (see what I did there?) in the business world, then it’s a great idea to know Microsoft Excel like the back of your hand. Just don’t go spending over $1,000 on courses when you can spend just $49 for a lifetime subscription to Excel School at Android Central Digital Offers.

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Today only, Anker Nebula Mars Portable Cinemas are up to 30% off

Movies under the stars.

Amazon is offering up to 30% off Anker Nebula Mars Portable Cinemas today. Prices start at $279.99 and there are a few different models to choose from.

These devices are a projector and speakers all rolled into one, so all you need is a wall and some movies and you can have your very own theater. Don’t forget the popcorn.

The Nebula Mars Lite Portable Cinema, on sale for $279.99, is the most basic model. It has dual 10W speakers for immersive sound, a 300 ANSI lumens brightness for 1280x720p resolution, and a battery life of three hours. It autofocuses in a single second and can connect via USB, HDMI, or Aux to play media. The downside of this model is that there is no built-in operating system.

As a step up, this Nebula Mars II Portable Cinema basically has all of the features of the previous model, plus some additional bells and whistles. It includes everything from above and DLP IntelliBright technology. This model also comes running Android 7.1, which is updateable. That means you can display content from Netflix, YouTube, and more. The battery life is also slightly longer. It is $361.99 today, which saves you over $100 off the average price.

Finally, we have the $399.99 Nebula Mars Portable Cinema. This version has a 500 ANSI brightness for 802p picture resolution, dual 12W speakers, a five-hour playtime, and updateable Android OS. There are several connectivity options, including USB 3.2, HDMI, Chromecast, and AirPlay.

If you don’t already have one, you may want to add a projection screen to your order.

See at Amazon

I’m excited for the Pixel 3 XL’s notch for one specific reason

O _ O

Much has been made of the Pixel 3 XL’s design — at least, what leaks are showing. A full glass back and front facing speakers make an appearance, but most of the attention has been focused on the mother of all notches. I was originally against a notch on the Pixel 3 XL but I’ve come around for one main reason.

Pick up your Pixel 2 XL, or look at a photo of it online. The front-facing camera, top speaker, and proximity sensor are all pretty separate. Now, look at some screen protectors for the Pixel 2 XL on Amazon. On most screen protectors, you’ll see separate holes for the camera, speaker and proximity sensor.

Those separate holes present a problem. Yes, you want your camera not to get covered by another piece of glass so that your selfies look great. And you want the proximity sensor to work correctly so your face doesn’t actually hang your phone up for you. But three separate cutouts on a screen protector presents a couple problems.

First, those are two more spaces you need to worry about when you’re lining the screen protector up. But, most screen protectors are forgiving so you’ll be able to make it attach correctly. Then it comes time to use your phone with the screen protector on. Taking the phone out of and putting it in your pocket will attract lint, dirt and other nasties, and every adhesive thing you put in your pockets will attract these even more.

By having all of the sensors in the notch, there shouldn’t be any reason for screen protectors to be anything except for a single pane of glass. This means less dirt and dust clogging up your front-facing camera, which makes my fastidious brain happy.

Elsewhere, I’m warming up to notches as a whole (sorry Jerry). By default, it looks like you’re losing screen space. It took someone else pointing out that notches extend the screen UP into the bezel instead of extending the bezel DOWN into the screen.

Have you come around on notches? Let us know down below!

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• Pixel 2 FAQ: Everything you need to know!
• Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL review: The new standard
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