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!

See at Amazon

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.

See at Amazon

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.

See at Amazon

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!

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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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Limber up for Guacamelee! 2 with everything you need to know

Guacemelee! is back and aims to be better (and wackier) than ever.

Developed by DrinkBox Studios, Guacamelee! is a sidescrolling Metroidvania platformer with a lot of heart and personality inspired by Mexican culture. It effortlessly combines narrative and gameplay in the best ways possible, making it a prime candidate for a sequel. Enter: Guacamelee! 2.

The story so far

If you think about it a certain way, Guacamelee! can be seen as a superhero origin story of sorts. Juan Aguacate, an ordinary farmer living in an ordinary Mexican village, finds himself killed and thrust into the underworld after a run-in with the evil skeleton Carlos Calaca. During his time in the land of the dead, a masked luchador named Tostada gives Juan his own mask, transforming him into a powerful luchador himself. With his newfound abilities, he rushes to save his beloved from Calaca, who kidnapped her with the intent to use her as a sacrifice to unite the worlds of the living and dead. All the while Juan is trying to find a way to return to his normal life. No pressure.

Guacamelee! features two endings depending on certain actions you took while playing. It’s your typical Disney-esque fairy tale ending or a bittersweet conclusion to your journey. Either your beloved is revived through the powers of your mask, or you arrive too late to save her.

Out of retirement

Like any good superhero, Juan eventually hangs up his cape– er, mask, and settles down in a humble life with his wife and children. But a hero’s work is never done. Forced out of retirement after seven years, Juan takes on his greatest challenge yet to save the universe, affectionately called the Mexiverse, once more.

Guacamelee! 2 looks like it will take both endings into account as it appears that it will contain alternate timelines. As seen in one gameplay video, Juan travels to what is referred to as the Darkest Timeline where he ended up defeated in the first game, only for another hero to swoop in and save the day. But as the saying goes: you either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain. And that’s exactly what happens with the ‘hero’ that stole Juan’s thunder.

Metroidvania gameplay meets a quirky personality

Guacamelee!’s gameplay is where it truly shines, and DrinkBox is looking to double down on what made it so great with its sequel. Tight, responsive controls and fluid combat make for an excellent experience.

Like its predecessor, Guacamelee! 2 weaves together your wrestling skills with its platforming sections, which can get downright diabolical. Need to take down an enemy or blast through a wall to progress? Use your Rooster Uppercut to get the job done. When used in conjunction with others moves, like your Dashing Derpderp ability, you can easily traverse otherwise impassable jumps and deliver epic 1-2 punches to knock out your opponents. Some of its wackier abilities even let you transform into a chicken (Pollo) or a goat to get to hard to reach places. Because why not.

While transforming into a chicken in the first game was mainly used as a means of traversal to squeeze through tight areas, it’s getting a bit of an upgrade in Guacamelee! 2. Now players will be able to fight enemies as a chicken and break barriers using Pollo Shot or Pollo Glide, among other abilities. DrinkBox has expanded the chicken gameplay sections so much that they jokingly refer to it as a “Pollovania” inside of the main game’s Metroidvania.

In the first game, Juan had the ability to switch between both the living and dead realms at will, allowing him to continue his journey. For instance, one area in the living realm may have had less platforms than the dead, and vice versa. And if a spiked wall was blocking your path in the land of the dead, that wall may disappear when switching back to the land of the living. This mechanic is being fleshed out more in Guacamalee! 2. There will now be ripples that move across the screen independently from your control, almost as if the fabric of time and space is tearing apart. Within one of these moving ripples could either be the land of the living or dead, so you’ll need to move with them appropriately in order to complete certain sections.

Guacamelee! 2 introduces a new training aspect to allow players to grow accustomed to their skills, with the eventual goal of mastering them. By visiting various NPCs across your journey, you’ll meet different trainers with their own area of combat expertise. If you’re having trouble hitting those combos, it would be a good idea to get some practice in before taking on a greater challenge.

This training will certainly come in handy once you get a taste of the bosses in Guacamelee! 2. The first game saw you facing off against Calaca’s toughest minions, and its successor looks to continue the rage-inducing fights. One such boss in Guacamelee! 2, El Muñeco, can be seen in this gameplay video.

And of course taking down hordes of enemies is always more fun with friends, so Guacamelee! 2 supports 4-player co-op.

Mexican heritage

When creating its art style and music, the developer wanted the game to wear its Mexican influences on its sleeve. Everything looks colorful and vibrant, reflecting the society it emulates. Its influences are apparent in its iconography and even more so in the characters that you meet and sounds you hear, described as having an “absolutely fuego electro-Mexican soundtrack” and gorgeous visuals thanks to its new engine.

If you’re so inclined to really dig deep into Guacamelee!’s visuals and the process of creating them, the developer has a 1-hour Game Developers Conference panel talking about that very subject.

Where and when can you play it?

Despite only being confirmed for Sony’s console, this doesn’t rule out a release on other platforms in the future. The first game launched on PS3 and PS Vita when it came out in 2013, but was eventually ported to Xbox One at a later date. DrinkBox Studios has indicated in the past that Guacamelee! 2 is a timed-exclusive, though the studio is first and foremost focused on its PS4 and PC release.

Guacamelee! 2 is set to release on August 21, 2018 for PlayStation 4 and PC, and will be priced at $19.99.

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These are the best strategy games for Android

Put on your thinking hat with these strategy games for Android

We’re rounding up some of our favorite strategy games on Android for the deep thinkers out there. These are more than just simple puzzles games — these require careful planning and forethought to emerge victoriously. You’ll find some great replay value in games like these as well, since the same strategy won’t always work twice.

Strategy gamers, pop on your thinking caps and get downloading these outstanding Android games.

• Holedown
• Civilization Revolution 2
• The Battle for Polytopia
• XCOM: Enemy Within
• Mushroom Wars 2
• Fire Emblem: Heroes
• Clash Royale
• Plague Inc.
• Pandemic: The Board Game
• Vainglory
• Hearthstone
• Star Command

Holedown

The latest game from developer Martin Jonasson is Holedown, a frantic puzzle game that mixes in a healthy dose of strategy. The game has you mining to the core of celestial bodies — starting with an asteroid and working your way up to the Sun — using bouncing miner balls that ricochet off of colored blocks. Each brick has a number that represents the number of hits needed to destroy it. You can let gravity do most of the work by destroying a block supporting other blocks and some are bolded in place and must be destroyed.

It’s very quick to pick up and play this game, but that’s when the strategy comes in. All the bricks are curved, allowing you to set up tricky bank shots to clear out massive sections of blocks in one go. This will become quite important as the screen move up one row after every shot. If the blocks reach the top of the screen, it’s game over.

Along the way, you will collect crystals which are spent on upgrades that give you more balls per shot, and more shots per round. These upgrades are crucial to completing the later planets but also let the earlier levels become more of a mindless distraction for your subway commute.

If you’re a fan of physics-based puzzle games and are looking for a new obsession, Holedown is well worth your money!

Downlaod: Holedown ($3.99)

Civilization Revolution 2

Based on arguably the best strategy franchise of all time, Civilization Revolution 2 is a simplified version of Sid Meier’s epic turn-based game based on world domination.

In Revolution 2, you play as an infamous world leader as you try and build an empire by increasing production, building out armies, and conquering your enemies. There are four ways to win each match: dominate your opponents by capturing their capitals, get an economic win by collecting 20,000 gold and building the World Bank, acquire 20 converted cities, wonders, or great people and build the United Nations for a cultural win, or be the first to launch a ship into space for a science win.

It lacks some of the polish of the latest Civilization games and has been optimized for mobile, but since it’s a paid game you also won’t have to deal with ads slowing down the flow of the game or greedy in-app purchases.

Download: Civilization Revolution 2 ($9.99)

The Battle for Polytopia

If you’re a fan of the Civilization franchise, you just have to check out The Battle for Polytopia. This indie game features polygon tribes battling for control of the battle arena. The game features simple turn-based gameplay that’s quick and easy to pick up and play. Each turn, you collect stars based on the number and size of the cities you control, which you can spend on upgrading your tribe’s technology tree, building troops, or collecting resources. You must be wise with how you spend your resources and position your troops on your turn.

There are multiple ways to play. For solo play, you can create a custom game that either ends after 30 turns, or play until only one tribe remains. There’s also the rarely scene pass-and-play multiplayer option, which lets you set up a custom game among friends and even keep them saved so you can play the same game over time. If you aren’t able to play in person with friends, the AI offers a pretty decent challenge with difficulty levels ranging from easy to “crazy”. There are four tribes available to you when you download the game, with six others available via in-app purchases.

Download: The Battle for Polytopia (Free w/IAPs)

XCOM: Enemy Within

XCOM is a celebrated turn-based strategy franchise that tasks you with stopping aliens from invading earth. As an XCOM commander, you’re tasked with controlling your team of troops as they set off on missions to take out aliens.

XCOM: Enemy Within is an expansion for the game XCOM: Enemy Unknown and adds a new array of abilities, upgrades and weapons to help you counter the alien threats. It’s been out for nearly 4 years now but still holds up as one of the best strategy game experiences for Android. Each turn, you can control your troops and move them into position around the mission map to counter the advancing aliens. After completing missions, you’ll head back to the XCOM HQ where you’ll be able to upgrade your troops and unlock new abilities based on your success in the field.

XCOM: Enemy Within is a full game that’s available for $9.99 from the Google Play Store.

Download: XCOM: Enemy Within ($9.99)

Mushroom Wars 2

Mushroom Wars 2 is an award-winning real-time strategy game that has you controlling tiny armies of mushroom soldiers in online or offline battles. Finally released for Android, this game features beautiful graphics and gameplay that’s easy to learn but challenging to master.

Your goal is total domination, which requires you to move your troops across the map, taking over strategic mushroom huts and other structures while defending against advances from your enemy. There are four Mushroom tribes to choose from with a full campaign episode available for each, but the real action begins with the online multiplayer. You’ll need to keep your wits about you as you balance your troop levels, build morale, and use special skills to dominate your opponents.

Don’t let the cutesy characters confuse you — this is a cutthroat strategy game at its core, and certainly a game you’ll want to check out!

Download: Mushroom Wars 2 (Free w/IAPs)

Fire Emblem: Heroes

Fire Emblem: Heroes represents Nintendo’s first foray into developing games for Android (ignoring last year’s Miimoto app) and is the eighth title in the popular strategy-RPG franchise to be released on North American shores.

Heroes brings all of your favorite Fire Emblem characters together for a brand new story that pits the noble Askran Kingdom against the power-hungry Emblian Empire, which wishes to rule all worlds. You play the role of a mighty summoner who has the power to bring Fire Emblem’s best heroes together to help defend the kingdom. Battle takes place in arenas where you must strategically move your Heroes around to attack and defend against your opponents.

Play through the Story Mode to unlock new game modes, including Special Maps, Arena Duels, and the Training Tower. Arena Duel is the multiplayer aspect of the game that will keep you busy beyond the single player campaign.

You can read our full review for more.

Download: Fire Emblem: Heroes (Free w/IAPs)

Clash Royale

From the makers of Clash of Clans comes Clash Royale. Battle human opponents in real time via frantic card-based battles where you must take out the enemy’s Crown Towers while defending your own.

To be successful in Clash Royale, you’ll need to learn the strengths and weaknesses of all the different cards, then use them very strategically during battle. Play the wrong card at the wrong time and it might be game over, so be smart, and patient.

The longer the play and the more trophies you collect, the more cards you unlock. In-app purchases can help expedite your progress, but they’re not necessary as you’ll be automatically matched up with opponents at your skill level. Clash Royale is one of the best games of 2016, so download it and find out what the hype is all about.

Download: Clash Royale (Free)

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Plague Inc.

Plague Inc. is a rather dark global virus simulation game. Players gently guide a disease from a modest cough to a deadly worldwide pandemic by evolving it with new symptoms, means of transmission, and resistances. Over time, players unlock new disease types with their own unique traits. World events also randomly pop up every game, forcing you to change your evolution path.

With an in-app purchase, you can get rid of ads and add a fast-forward option, or shortcut to new virus types. As morbid as it may be, Plague Inc.’s gameplay is truly infectious.

Download: Plague Inc. (Free)

Pandemic: The Board Game

From spreading the plague to trying to prevent one, this mobile version of the popular strategic board game of the same name that provides a real challenge whether you’re playing alone or with friends. Your goal: Try to cure four contagious diseases from spreading and taking over the world.

You select your characters at the start of the game, with each character performing specific roles to help eradicate the diseases. Which characters you pick will have a big effect on your team’s ultimate success. This is a pass-and-play game to play with friends, and you’ll all have to work together and use your teams strategically if you want to win. There’s an in-app purchase available for expansions, which improves the replayability of this addictive and challenging game.

Download: Pandemic: The Board Game ($6.99)

Vainglory

Vainglory is the complete package, featuring all the frantic MOBA action fans of the genre have come to expect — jump into a quick match with random teammates and opponents, create your own party of friends and take on all comers, or chill offline and practice your strategies against bots. There are five hero classes featuring a total of 25 unique heroes to unlock, upgrade and take into battle. The touch controls are smooth and easy to pick up, so you’ll be able to jump right into the heat of the battle instantly. As you fight your way down the lane, there’s a significant upgrade system that branches out, allowing you to react and counter your enemies more effectively.

If you’re new to the MOBA genre, no worries! After introducing you to the gameplay fundamentals on first launch, Vainglory also features the Academy, an extensive tutorial section that will help you bolster your skills and abilities in the game. There’s also a ton of things to unlock, live events to participate in, and a bustling online community on Twitch. Jump in!

Download: Vainglory (Free)

Hearthstone

Hearthstone is a free, turn-based card game that follows a familiar formula: players summon creature cards and cast spell cards based on the Warcraft universe in an effort to defeat online opponents.

Every one of the nine heroes has their own unique special ability as well as a sizeable batch of collectible and craftable cards. Casual online games, ranked matches, wacky weekly Tavern Brawls, and grueling Arena games appeal to varying levels of commitment, as you build your deck and your best strategies.

Hearthstone is without a doubt the best free card game to come to Android to date.

Download: Hearthstone (Free)

Star Command

Star Command is a sci-fi strategy game with a retro pixel art style. Players take command of a spaceship that vaguely looks like it could have been pulled out of a Star Trek movie, and recruit a crew, upgrade facilities, and embark on intergalactic adventures that usually end in a firefight with grotesque aliens.

Battles rage between ships with different mini-games for each weapon system, or against boarding parties, where you need to move crew members into position, put out fires, and make sure your people don’t get sucked out into the cold void of space when there’s a hull breach. Over time, your crew increases in skills, enabling them to man the ship’s various stations with increasing effectiveness.

If you’re looking for a fun, light-hearted single-player experience with great writing and a lot of long-term progression, Star Command is where it’s at.

Download: Star Command ($2.99)

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What are you playing?

These are our picks, but we love to hear what our readers are playing. Let us know in the comments and your picks just might appear in a future update!

Updated August 2018: Added XCOM: Enemy Within, Fire Emblem: Heroes, and Holedown to our list! Check ’em out!

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With Q#, Microsoft is throwing programmers the keys to quantum

Microsoft

Computers are about to get weird.

After decades as theory, the first quantum computers now sit in a select few labs across the globe. They’re rudimentary, and arguably less practical than early electronic computers like the 50-ton ENIAC. Yet researchers are making headway. IBM, Google, and Intel are making progress on quantum hardware, and a practical quantum computer finally feels like a near-future reality instead of a subject for science fiction.

That’s an opportunity. It’s also a problem. Quantum physics is a weird realm of teleportation and probability that doesn’t follow the rules we’re familiar with. Most people don’t understand quantum mechanics, and that includes programmers, the people who will need to put quantum computers to practical use.

Microsoft has a plan to educate them.

Making the mystery approachable

Any developer looking to learn a new programming language, like C# or Javascript, wants to make immediate use of her lessons. Yet quantum computing’s infancy can make that difficult. Creating a program for many quantum devices is a lot like trying to write in binary machine code – except even more difficult, because quantum mechanics. This isn’t just a field that’s well understood but hard to translate. It’s an area of study where some fundamentals remain unknown.

Matt Smith/Digital Trends

That includes the reason why quantum computers work. “What we have in quantum computing is proof points that quantum computers can outperform classical computers,” said Krysta Svore, Principle Research Manager at Microsoft’s Quantum Architectures and Computation group. “The Holy Grail in our field would be an actual mathematical proof of that.”

Quantum computing is so new, and so unlike anything before it, that even top researchers remain in the dark about important and fundamental elements.

Teaching programmers to code for quantum on real hardware is out of the question for now. Microsoft’s quantum programming language, Q#, side-steps that problem by offering simple access to the tools needed to begin programming. That means making Q# as familiar and approachable as possible, even while scientists continue to make breakthroughs in the fundamentals of how quantum computers work.

Q# isn’t tucked away behind a wall of terrible documentation and poorly explained installers. Programmers can access it through Visual Studio, the world’s most popular development environment. And programmers don’t need access to a quantum computer to use it.

Instead, they can program as if their code would run on an actual quantum device but then run it on a virtual simulation. That’s possible because the quantum computer isn’t treated as its own complete, independent system, but instead as an accelerator that’s called on by a classical computer running classical computer code.

“We envision the quantum computer being another resource in Azure, next to say the GPU, the FPGA, the ASIX, to use. Azure becomes this whole fabric that includes in its compute, a quantum computer,” Svore told Digital Trends.

Most programmers are familiar using purpose-built hardware for specific tasks, and most are familiar calling on resources in the cloud. Firing up Q# isn’t different from those well-known tasks. Quantum hardware might be exotic and rare, but the programming environment Microsoft offers for Q# is exactly what you’d see today if you looked over the shoulder of a programmer at most Fortune 500 companies. That makes it far less intimidating.

“The ultimate vision is that the user isn’t saying ‘Ok, now I need to take this app and run it on this part on the CPU, this part here, this part there,’” said Svore. “It’s the same with quantum computing. We want the accelerator to be seamless.”

A quantum community

Programmers can introduce themselves to Q# through a set of free tutorials that Microsoft calls Quantum Katas. Each lesson involves “a sequence of tasks on a certain quantum computing topic” that programmers are challenged to solve. Finding the correct solution is the goal, but the journey is just as important. The katas aren’t meant to be solved in a single pass. They teach through trial-and-error, introducing programmers to the basics of quantum programming along the way.

Q# and the Quantum Katas bring a transformative level of feedback to quantum programming

Chris Granade, a Research Software Development Engineer at Microsoft, saw them for himself while attending a tutorial session hosted by the University of Technology Sydney. “It was really amazing to watch that people could go from zero knowledge in quantum, to writing it,” he told Digital Trends. “What was transformative, was that when people had a misunderstanding, they didn’t suffer with it. They could run the katas, they could see the got the wrong answer, and that feedback really got people to understand in a hands-on way.”

That hands-on experience immediately transforms quantum computing from a theoretical concept to a practical reality, which makes all the difference in how people approach it. Programmers may not make physical objects, but they’re used to seeing feedback just like any other craftsperson. They create a thing and it works – or it doesn’t. Q# and the Quantum Katas bring that level of feedback to quantum programming, giving anyone interested a chance to dig in and understand what quantum computing makes possible.

The change Granade saw in person isn’t just happening in classrooms. The Quantum Development Kit, of which Q# is a part, can be downloaded by anyone under an open-source license. Interested developers can not only begin to use it, but actively contribute to the community. Svore told Digital Trends that QDK downloads number in “the upper tens of thousands,” and participants have already added “a handful of substantial contributions,” including new algorithms and documentation.

While still a niche, this Quantum Development Kit places the bar of entry low enough that even a novice programmer can begin to experiment with Q# and, in doing so, begin to understand what makes quantum computing tick. That’s helpful not just for programmers, but for the entire field of quantum physics. Explaining quantum theories is a major headache not only because the quantum world is strange compared to the “classical” physics most programmers know, but also because the practical implications of quantum physics can be difficult to demonstrate.

“You don’t need to know the physics. You don’t need to know the quantum mechanics.”

Classical computers deal with binary absolutes. 1s and 0s. Off or on. Quantum deals with probabilities, and programming for quantum means creating algorithms that manipulate probabilities to produce the correct solution. “You know this wave includes my solution. These other waves include not a solution. So, I want those waves, when they interfere, to go away,” Svore explained. “And I want the wave that includes my solution to get really big. At the end, we measure the quantum states. The probability of getting the high wave out is more likely the higher that wave is. That’s how we design quantum algorithms.”

Do you understand what Svore means?

If not, don’t feel bad. It’s not easy to grasp, and it’s not easy to demonstrate. Even thought experiments meant to simplify quantum mechanics, like Schrodinger’s famous cat, can leave you scratching your head.

Microsoft

Microsoft hopes that Q#, and the Quantum Katas, will offer a hands-on alternative for approaching the subject. “You don’t need to know the physics. You don’t need to know the quantum mechanics. In fact, I’ll admit I didn’t take quantum mechanics until graduate school,” said Svore. “I entered quantum computing without ever taking physics in college. I’m a computer scientist by training.”

Quantum programming could become a window of insight by giving programmers a chance to make practical use of quantum theories without ditching the tools they’ve come to rely on. There’s no need to spend years learning physics. Just jump in, make an application that uses Q#, and see what happens.

Preparing for tomorrow

Today’s practical use of Q# is limited because there’s no hardware to call on. Microsoft hasn’t built a quantum computer yet, and even if it had, it would be too primitive to perform useful calculations. But a programmer can check their work by running Q# on a simulated quantum computer. That makes it possible to code a program for quantum with a reasonable expectation that, once the hardware is available, it will work.

Krysta Svore, Principle Research Manager at Microsoft’s Quantum Architectures and Computation group (left) and Chris Granade, a Research Software Development Engineer at Microsoft. Matt Smith/Digital Trends

That’s crucial. Quantum computers are not merely a better modern-day PC. They’re fundamentally different. They require different hardware, different algorithms, and a different approach to solving complex problems. Even if a time traveler appeared with a functional, stable, million-qubit quantum computer, we’d have trouble putting it to use, just as Roman scholars would be perplexed if handed a laptop. 99.9 percent of modern developers, programmers, and computer scientists have zero experience coding for quantum, and no clue how quantum physics work. The basics must be introduced before more impressive discoveries can be made.

Teaching that will take time – but Microsoft’s Q# is an important step forward.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Microsoft provides free lessons for quantum computing basics
• To put a quantum computer on your desk, Intel has a plan unlike any other
• Intel backs the U.S. government’s new bill for advancing quantum science
• The world’s first practical quantum computer has cash and a timeline
• Philips claims ‘world’s first’ with a new 4K HDR desktop display