How to unlock free Rainbow Six Siege charms with Twitch Drops

You can claim free Rainbow Six Siege charms this weekend with Six Major Twitch Drops.

While Ubisoft is gearing up for the next major update to Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, a major tournament is on the horizon. Mid-August marks the “Six Major Paris 2018,” bringing together the world’s top players for a week of tense tactical shooter gameplay.

Dedicated live streams show the unmissable action as it happens, but Ubisoft is offering further incentives to tune in. Watching the final days on the Six Major Paris grants access to exclusive cosmetic rewards – all completely free.

Here’s how to enable Twitch Drops and claim your free charms this weekend.

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What are Rainbow Six Siege Six Major Twitch Drops?

Exclusive charms were previously distributed for the USA Pro League 2018 finals.

“Twitch Drops” is a reward system integrated into livestreaming website Twitch, dealing rewards to viewers of select channels. For Rainbow Six Siege, Ubisoft is distributing exclusive in-game items on the platform, serving as a memento for major esports events. These can be earned on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.

Rewards are available across Pro League Finals, Six Majors, and Six Invitationals streams, with the next opportunity being the Six Major Paris 2018. While the entire week-long event is streamed online, Twitch Drops rewards will be enabled from August 17 to August 19 during the quarter, semi, and grand finals.

Rainbow Six Siege Six Major weapon charms

Each of these Six Major charms will be available from August 17 to August 19.

As with previous Rainbow Six Siege Twitch Drops streams, six universal weapon charms have been made for the Six Major. All charms will be available exclusively over the three-day period, making for a coveted item in coming years. Copper, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond variants of the charm are available, matching with the game’s multiplayer ranking system. The longer you watch, the more charms you’ll earn, making higher-tier charms harder to obtain.

Ubisoft hasn’t been transparent with required watch time for each charm, though Diamond charms have unlocked after a single day of streaming in previous events. We recommend leaving the stream constantly open to be safe, ensuring the Twitch tab remains active and unmuted throughout the show.

How to earn Rainbow Six Siege Twitch Drops charms

To earn Twitch Drop rewards for Rainbow Six Siege, you’ll need to prepare beforehand with your Ubisoft account. This means the account used with Uplay on PC, or your linked Ubisoft account on Xbox One or PlayStation 4.

Follow the steps below the enable Twitch Drops for your account:

Visit Ubisoft’s Twitch Drops portal.
Click Login to begin the setup process.
Enter your Twitch account credentials when prompted.
Click Log In.
Enter your Ubisoft account credentials when prompted.
Click Log In. (A confirmation message will be displayed on-screen.)

Ubisoft promises to deposit awards August 20, 2018, after the Six Major weekend concludes. Upon their debut, earned charms will appear in your Twitch Inventory, alongside notifications pushed to your Twitch account.

To access the Six Major charms in Rainbow Six Siege, there are no further steps to complete. All unlocked charms will be available when customizing weapon charms in-game. If your charms don’t appear, we recommend contacting Ubisoft’s support team.

How to watch the Six Major Paris stream

Ubisoft is streaming the Six Major Paris across 16 different regions in their respective languages, via dedicated Twitch channels. Twitch Drops can be earned from any of these 16 outlets, provided the above steps are completed.

Related: How to watch Rainbow Six Siege Operation Grim Sky reveal

To watch the stream in your region, check out the full list of channel links below.

• English
• French
• German
• Spanish
• Italian
• Brazil
• Netherlands
• Russian
• Polish
• Korean
• Australia
• Japan
• Taiwan
• Hong Kong
• Thailand
• SEA

For those uninterested in cosmetics, streams are also hosted on YouTube and Mixer.

Over to you …

Will you be watching the Six Major in Paris? Drop into the comments section below with your thoughts. In the meantime, for more details on Operation Grim Sky, including its upcoming Operators, reworked map, and fixes, check out our cohesive breakdown below.

Rainbow Six Siege Operation Grim Sky: Everything we know

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This article was originally published on Windows Central. Check out Windows Central’s Rainbow Six Siege hub for in-depth coverage of upcoming content, latest updates, and tips to improve your gameplay.

Experiment suggests that the best robot bosses could be jerks

Provided they don’t put humans out of business altogether, there is a good chance that, at some point in your lifetime, you will find yourself working for a robot boss. But if you think you will have an easier time working for a machine than you do working for your current flesh-and-blood boss, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment.

At least, that is the takeaway from a new piece of research coming out of France’s University of Clermont Auvergne, where investigators have been examining the best way that robots can coax the most productivity out of us as employees. The sad answer? Quite possibly by behaving like jerks.

Their experiment involved the so-called Stroop test, in which different color words appear on a screen, and subjects must identify the color without getting fooled by the word itself. (For example, identifying the word “brown” written in pink as pink, rather than brown.)

For this robot boss variation on the test, participants were first made to have a chat with a robot, which either gave positive (“I think we could become friends”) answers or negative ones (“I do not value friendship”) to questions. The test subjects then took the test. Those who made fewer mistakes, and answered more rapidly, were the folks paired with the meaner of the machines. These subjects performed better than either people paired with friendlier robots or with no robot at all.

As Nicolas Spatola, one of the researchers on the project, told Digital Trends, this effect is not limited to robots; more callous human bosses also prompt similar test results from subjects. However, it can vary according to the difficulty of the tasks, meaning that there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. “There is a theory of challenge and threat from [psychologist Jim] Blascovich that explain this very well,” Spatola said. “The idea is that the presence of others increase our arousal, and according to the difficulty of the task it can be positive or negative.”

Unfortunately, it does mean that whatever more jerk-like traits we see in some human bosses are likely to continue into the age of automation. Heck, it might even be in roboticists’ interest to program them in. Jerkiness could be a feature, rather than a bug. Not that Spatola is necessarily endorsing that idea.

“Even if we show that a bad robot can have a positive effect, we do not know what could happen to individuals if they were monitored by a bad robot during a long period,” Spatola continued. “I’m not sure that it would be good for their well-being.”

A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal Science Robotics.

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VR experience shows caregivers what it’s like to live with Alzheimer’s disease

When many of us think of virtual reality, the immediate association is with gaming. VR is capable of transporting us to amazing other worlds totally unlike anything we experience here on Earth. But VR can do so much more than that — as we’ve explored through previous stories looking at virtual reality as a tool for everything from treating post-traumatic stress disorder to helping people empathize with others in different life situations.

With this in mind, Los Angeles-based VR studio Embodied Labs recently developed a virtual experience intended to put users in the shoes of a person with Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia in the United States. Called The Beatriz Lab: A Journey Through Alzheimer’s Disease, it’s designed as a training tool to give caregivers the ability to better understand the important role they play in the lives of those people they are looking after. The VR experience follows Beatriz, a fictitious math teacher in her 60s, who is experiencing the effects of Alzheimer’s.

“The goal behind The Beatriz Lab is to allow someone who cares for, or cares about, a person with Alzheimer’s disease to experience what life is like — not just by putting people into situations that focus on how Alzheimer’s negatively affects quality of life, but by showing them the ways that you can enjoy and find meaning in life alongside Alzheimer’s disease,” Erin Washington, co-founder at Embodied Labs, told Digital Trends. “Using the Embodied Labs application, learners are guided into putting on the headset and becoming Beatriz, experiencing what it is like to shop, go to the park, cook, bathe, talk, be in familiar places that become unfamiliar, and spend time with loved ones — all as a person whose brain is becoming increasingly entangled with amyloid beta plaque, which increasingly interferes with communication in the brain.”

Embodied Labs is offering its technology as a training tool around the world. So far, it has been used to help teach more than 2,000 caregivers across 50 organizations. The headset retails for $2,000, with a monthly subscription fee of $250 to $600, depending on the size of the organization. The team has created similar tools based around hearing and vision loss, as well as end-of-life conversations.

“So far, our subscribers come from academic institutions training doctors, nurses, physician assistants, social workers, certified nursing assistants, [and] physical therapists, in addition to long-term care facilities, home health organizations, hospices, and nonprofits,” Washington said.

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Which Amazon Echo should you buy?

Which Amazon Echo is best for you? I have no idea. But here’s how I’d approach each one.

I own too many Amazon Echo speakers — from the original Echo to the Echo Dot and the newfangled Echo Show with its screen and camera. Plus there’s the Amazon Tap and Echo Look, which you can’t even buy without an invitation (and you probably shouldn’t but it, for reasons I’ll get into in a second).

This isn’t a cookie-cutter list of all the Echo speakers and why you should buy them. Hell, a couple I think you probably should stay away from. This is a list of how I see things after having used them all for months and months. Hit the links below to jump on down to the Echo that tickles your fancy.

• Echo Dot
• Echo Dot Kids Edition
• Echo
• Echo Plus
• Echo Spot
• Echo Tap
• Echo Show
• Echo Look

Echo Dot: The best Amazon Echo for starting out

Start simple. If you’re just not sure about this whole Alexa thing and really don’t know how much you’ll get out of an Amazon Echo, it’s best to not spend a lot of money. So start with an Echo Dot!

The Echo Dot costs $49 retail, but it’s not uncommon to see it on sale for as low as $30. At that price it’s kind of a no-brainer. Buy one and give it a go.

Another pro tip here is to buy more than one at a time. Amazon typically has deals if you buy multiple Echoes Dot at one time — $20 is the usual savings. So if you’re like me and you know you’ll want to stash a few of these around the house, save yourself a few bucks and take advantage.

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The redesigned Amazon Echo: A great mid-range option

Amazon has completely redesigned the basic Echo for 2017. It’s shorter than the original, squatter in nature, and you can get one clad in fabric for $99. That’s not a bad buy, and it’s what I’d recommend for someone who wants to get something better than the Dot, but still not spend more than a hundred bucks. The sound quality is decent for that price. Can you get something better? Yeah. But not for less money.

If you want to spend a little more, though, $119 will get you a new Echo with a wood veneer, or in matte plastic. I’ve found the fabric version to be plenty good, though.

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Amazon Echo Dot Kids Edition: You know, for kids

Amazon has a new Echo Dot that is made especially for kids. Really, it’s a perfectly ordinary Echo Dot that comes with a nice little case (because kids apparently will be prone to breaking these sorts of things that aren’t really meant to be moved in the first place) — and a free year’s access to Amazon Freetime Unlimited.

That’s the part that actually justifies the $70 price tag, which is $20 more than the Echo Dot at retail, and $30 more when it’s on sale. Amazon Freetime Unlimited gives you (and your kid) access to a whole bunch of kid-friendly content, including books, music, games, and more. Plus parents get access to the Amazon Parent Dashboard, which lets you set how long the kid can use any of this newfangled tech. It’ll also block non-kid-friendly content, shut off the Echo Dot at bedtime, and teach your kids to remember to say please and thank-you to not-quite-sentient tech (we have a feeling that’ll be more important than we realize).

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Amazon Echo Plus: The best-sounding Echo yet

Amazon decided to keep the tried and true Echo design, but give it better internals. That gives us the $149 Echo Plus. It sounds a little better than the previous-generation Echo, and definitely better than the current 2017 model. It comes in the same matte plastic, but now you can get silver in addition to black and white.

Also new for the Echo Plus is the ability to serve as a smart home hub — if the devices you’re looking to support use Zigbee to connect (you’re forgiven if you don’t know what Zigbee is — it’s not something an end user should ever have to worry about). It likely won’t solve all your smart home problems, but it’s a nice little addition nonetheless.

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Amazon Echo Spot: An expensive, but cool, bedside Echo

If you take the Echo Show and shrink it down, this is what you’d get. It’s a $99 Echo clock with a decent (but not overly great) speaker and a 2.5-inch display. You’ll get the time, of course, along with weather information and the same semi-useful headlines as on the Echo Show. Plus it’ll make phone calls and video chat with other Spots or Shows. (Yes, that means there’s a camera pointed into your bedroom.)

This is a great-looking device. It’s fun. And $99 is the right price for it.

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Amazon Tap: Smaller, portable, expensive

This isn’t officially an “Echo” device, but whatever. It does 99 percent of the same stuff. But — and this is something of which you should be aware — it’s no longer available first-party from Amazon, but you can get a refurbished model for $70.

The Tap has a charging base that allows you to just pick up the speaker and take it wherever you want. It sounds decent — not great, but good. Good enough for $129 retail, though? Eh, now Amazon is starting to ask a lot — particularly when you can get a portable battery base for the original Echo for just $50 and get a much better speaker for your troubles. Or you could stick an Echo Dot in this little cordless speaker and get a decent experience — again, for just $50.

Personally, I don’t really see the necessity of a portable Alexa speaker — especially since the speaker itself needs to be connected to the Internet at all times for the Alexa stuff to work. And hotspotting to your phone just isn’t something I want to bother with.

Your money probably is better off with any other Echo — or just a traditional Bluetooth speaker.

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Echo Show: Will it ever get better?

I was an early fan of the Echo Show — the potential for an Alexa-enabled device with a large touchscreen is enormous. Unfortunately, it’s yet to pan out in the first few months. The headlines you get are pure fluff, with very little actual news, if ever and Amazon says it’s done this on purpose.

Then Google decided to not let YouTube videos play on the Echo Show — likely because Amazon’s implementation was doing so without advertising. That killed one of the few reasons I’d actually recommend the Echo Show.

And then there’s the fact that very few Alexa Skills actually take advantage of the display in the first place. It’s a novelty at this point, not a necessity, even though making video calls on the Echo Show is still a great experience.

All that said — the Echo Show normally is $229. If you can pick it up on sale, do it.

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Echo Look: How much do you care about what you wear?

There’s a pretty good chance you shouldn’t buy the Echo Look. Unless you really care about fashion — to the point that you want to take a picture of what you’re wearing and send it to Amazon for cataloging and analysis — then you’ll just want to ignore this. For that’s what Echo Look is good at. It’s got a camera and its own app for taking your picture from head to toe, and it does a nice job of highlighting you while downplaying everything else.

From there it lets you flip back through what you’ve worn day after day, and you can have it compare two outfits and decide which it thinks looks better on you (to varying degrees of success, I found).

You very much will get out of Echo Look what you put into it. I don’t care so much about what I’m wearing, so this wasn’t really $200 well spent for me. Your wardrobe mileage may vary.

And in case you missed it, the $199 Echo Look has graduated from invite status and is now available for anyone to purchase.

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Which Echo do you prefer?

Anything we missed? Sound off in the comments below.

Updated August 2018: Updated pricing and availability.

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

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What’s new on Amazon Prime Video for September 2018

New Amazon Prime Originals abound, including Pete the Cat and Shakespeare’s King Lear.

Summer’s just about over, but the fall TV schedule is just heating up. September sees the return of the NFL on Amazon Prime Video on Thursday nights, starting with the Minnesota Vikings at the L.A. Rams on Sept. 27. Earlier in the month, however, we’ll see a slew of Amazon Prime Originals, including the return of kid-favorite Pete the Cat, and the premiere of Forever, from Emmy-winning writers Alan Yang and Matt Hubbard.

And there’s a world of your favorite movies and TV series coming to Amazon Prime Video, free with your Prime subscription. The Original Ghostbusters is back, as is the excellent 2006 adaptation of Miami Vice.

Get a free Amazon Prime trial today!

Here’s more on the Amazon Prime Originals coming in September:

• Six Dreams S1: The Prime Original series is a behind-the-scenes look at Spain’s top football league, LaLiga. It follows six contrasting storylines revolving around three players, one coach, one sports director and a club president from various teams, who all offer unique insights into the daily challenges of professional football. Six Dreams will be available in HDR and UHD on compatible HDR devices. (Sep. 7)
• Wishenpoof S2b: The Prime Original series chronicles the life of Bianca and her magical power of making wishes come true. This season, Bianca learns how to care for others when her best friend teddy bear gets sick and helps the community fix its favorite slide at the local playground. More sing-along music and Wish Magic adventures await, including a family camping trip to Mt. Wishmore and a special dinner with Bianca’s grandmas. (Sep. 7)
• Pete the Cat S1a: The Prime Original series is based on The New York Times #1 best-selling children’s books about exploring your world and trying new things while being smart, accepting, and optimistic. Whether you’re making new friends, or facing all of life’s ups and downs, Pete highlights the groovy lessons life can teach you. (Sep. 7)
• Forever S1: The Prime Original series created by Emmy Award-winning writers Alan Yang and Matt Hubbard follows a married couple living a comfortable, but predictable suburban life. For 12 years they haven’t changed their daily routine, but when they decide to shake things up with a ski trip, the pair finds themselves in completely unfamiliar territory. Forever will be available in HDR and UHD on compatible HDR devices. (Sep. 14)
• King Lear S1: The Prime Original series is a Shakespeare tragedy set in the fictional present and follows King Lear’s gradual descent into madness after he disposes of his kingdom, giving bequests to two of his three daughters based on their flattery of him and with terrible consequences for all. King Lear will be available in HDR and UHD on compatible HDR devices. (Air date to be determined.)

Here’s what else is coming up on Amazon Prime Video in September 2018:

New series on Amazon Prime Video on September 1

• Asylum, Season 1
• The Blue Rose, Season 1
• The Broker’s Man, Seasons 1-2
• The Field of Blood, Seasons 1-2
• Golden, Season 1
• The Kevin Bishop Show, Season 2
• London Irish, Season 1
• The Palace, Season 1
• Parents, Season 1
• Rocket’s Island, Seasons 1-3
• Sam’s Game, Season 1
• Texas Rising, Season 1
• The Triangle, Season 1
• Trust, Season 1
• Westside, Seasons 1-3
• Wild at Heart, Seasons 1-8

New movies on Amazon Prime Video on September 1

• 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992)
• A Field in England (2013)
• A Good Woman (2006)
• A Love Song for Bobby Long (2004)
• A Murder of Crows (1999)
• A Turtle’s Tale: Sammy’s Adventures (2010)
• A Turtle’s Tale 2: Sammy’s Escape from Paradise (2012)
• All You Can Eat Buddha (2017)
• Bandits (2001)
• Beowulf (2007)
• Big Top Pee-wee (1988)
• Blow Out (1981)
• Bolero (1984)
• Can’t Stand Losing You: Surviving the Police (2012)
• Chinatown (1974)
• Cool It (2010)
• Double Impact (1991)
• DragonHeart (1996)
• Dressed to Kill (1980)
• Fall Time (1993)
• Fighting Temptations (2003)
• Ghostbusters (1984)
• Ghostbusters II (1989)
• Going Overboard (1989)
• Gutland (2017)
• Hard Rain (1998)
• Harry and Paul’s History of the 2s (2014)
• Harry Price: Ghost Hunter (2015)
• Hotel for Dogs (2009)
• House of D (2004)
• Hustle & Flow (2005)
• Ingenious (2009)
• Jerry Maguire (1996)
• Joyride (1997)
• Kill Me Again (1989)
• Lea to the Rescue (2016)
• Luk’Luk’I (2017)
• Miami Vice (2006)
• Over the Top (1987)
• Paycheck (2003)
• Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)
• Prancer (1989)
• Primal Fear (1996)
• Pumpkinhead (1988)
• Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings (1994)
• Resurrecting the Champ (2007)
• Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
• Roger Dodger (2002)
• Rustlers’ Rhapsody (1985)
• Senorita Justice (2004)
• Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
• Small Town Saturday Night (2010)
• Smokey and the Bandit (1977)
• Stealth Fighter (1999)
• The Amityville Horror (1979)
• The Dark Half (1993)
• The Eagle (2011)
• The Great Outdoors (1988)
• The Longest Yard (1974)
• The Man Who Lost His Head (2007)
• The Perfect Weapon (1991)
• The Score (2001)
• There Will Be Blood (2007)
• Tonightly (2008)
• What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)

New movie on September 2

• Future World (2018)

New movies on September 4

• Beirut (2018)
• Crescent (2017)
• Strangers Prey at Night (2018)

New movies on September 6

• Pistorius (2018)

New series on Sept. 7

• Pete the Cat, Season 1a (Prime Original series)
• Six Dreams, Season 1 (Prime Original series)
• Wishenpoof, Season 2b (Prime Original series)

New Movie on September 7

• Cesar Chavez (2014)

New Movies on September 8

• From Paris with Love (2009)
• Stronger (2017)

New movie on September 12

• Grace Unplugged (2014)

New series on September 14

• Forever, Season 1 (Prime Original series)

New movie on September 14

• High Fantasy (2017)

New movie on September 15

• On Chesil Beach (2018)

New movies on September 16

• Baby Mama (2008)
• I Am Wrath (2016)
• The Good Shepherd (2006)

New movies on September 20

• Jugnu (1973)
• This is Home: A Refugee Story (2018)

New movies on September 21

• My Little Pony (2017)

New movies on September 22

• For Colored Girls (2010)
• Hot Summer Night (2018)

New movies on September 27

• Escape Plan 2 (2018)

New movies on September 28

• Hannah (2017)
• Plonger (Diving) (2017)
• Suburbicon (2017)

New movie on September 29

• Jigsaw (2017)

New to purchase on Prime Video in September

September 4

• Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom (2018)

September 11

• Uncle Drew (2018)

September 26

• This Is Us, Season 3, NBC

September 27

• Modern Family, Season 10, ABC

September 28

• Grey’s Anatomy, Season 14, ABC
• The Good Place, Season 3, NBC

Available for Streaming on Prime Video Channels

September 8

• UFC 228: “Woodley vs Till,” UFC

September 9

• Kidding, Season 1, Showtime
• Shameless, Season 9, Showtime

September 14-16

• AVP – Honolulu

September 16

• Warriors of Liberty City, Mini-Series, Starz

September 21-23

• Laver Cup – Chicago

September 24

• Magnum PI, Season 1, CBS All Access

September 25

• FBI, Season 1, CBS All Access

September 27

• Murphy Brown, Season 1, CBS All Access
• Thursday Night Football: Minnesota Vikings vs Los Angeles Rams, Game 4, Prime Video

September 30

• God Friended Me, Season 1, CBS All Access

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Save $30 on Amazon’s latest streaming hardware, the Fire TV Cube

This discount won’t last long!

Amazon currently Fire TV Cube streaming media player for $89.99 today as part of Amazon’s off to college deals. This matches the pre-order discount that Amazon ran when it first announced the hardware and its Prime Day pricing.

CordCutters did a full review of the Fire TV Cube. Essentially, imagine the way you use an Echo Dot now to control all the wirelessly connected appliances around your home. Then imagine that control plugged into your TV so you can control everything plugged in there with your voice as well. That’s what you get with this new device. It’s a way to turn on the TV, play your favorite DVD, adjust the volume on your home audio system, dim the lights, and get your microwave to cook some popcorn all without moving from the best spot on the couch.

This is just one of the many items on sale right now. Be sure to check them all out now!

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Galaxy Note 9 updated with August 2018 security patch and camera features

Here’s the lowdown on one of 2018’s most powerful smartphones 💥

It’s finally here. After relentless leaks, rumors, and more, Samsung’s finally unveiled the Galaxy Note 9.

Even though we already knew a lot about the phone prior to its official announcement, there’s still plenty to talk about. What colors does it come in? What are the final specs? Were we impressed during our hands-on preview?

All those questions and more are answered right here, so without further ado, here’s everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy Note 9.

The latest Galaxy Note 9 news

August 17, 2018 — Galaxy Note 9 already getting a software update that adds August 2018 security patch and more slow-mo video options

The Note 9 won’t officially be released until Augst 24, but even so, Samsung’s already pushing a software update to the phone that adds a couple goodies.

This update changes the software version number to N960FXXU1ARH5 and allows users to record Super Slow-Mo video for moments that last either 0.2 seconds or 0.4 seconds when in manual mode. 0.2-second shots are still in glorious 960 FPS while 0.4-second ones are limited to 480 FPS.

Additionally, this update also brings the more recent August 2018 security patch.

August 15, 2018 — Samsung talks about what it took to make the Note 9 so darn pretty 😍

It’s no secret that Samsung makes stunning phones, and with the Galaxy Note 9, the company put all of its design prowess on full display. However, as much fun as it is to look at and hold the Note 9, it’s even more exciting to take a closer look at just what goes into crafting a device of its caliber.

Samsung’s Infinity Display is once again being used on the Note 9, and measuring in at 6.4-inches, is the biggest the company’s created to-date. Samsung also says that the Note 9’s screen is an ever deeper black compared to past handsets, which “allows it to blend in with the bezels when the device is off and enhances the overall aesthetic.”

A process called Die-cutting was used to craft the Note 9’s frame, and as a result of this laborious process, the frame of the Note 9 ” features an interplay of glossy and matte finishes that complements the Galaxy Note9’s premium design cues.”

To read more about the Note 9’s design and the time/attention that went into its S Pen, check out Samsung’s full deep dive below.

Beautiful From Every Angle: The Design of the Galaxy Note 9

All the big details

Check out our hands-on preview

Before you do anything else, be sure to check out our initial hands-on preview of the Galaxy Note 9!

This is Samsung’s biggest and most powerful phone of the year, and during our early look, we got a chance to check out the Note 9’s design, new S Pen features, cameras, and more.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 hands-on preview: $1000 well spent

Here are the specs

Like past Notes before it, the Galaxy Note 9 is packed to the gills with all of the latest available tech. That means it has the latest processor, a massive battery, an insane amount of RAM, and much more.

Here are all the specs you can look forward to.

Operating system	Android 8.1 OreoSamsung Experience 9.5
Display	6.4-inch Super AMOLED, 2960×1440 (18.5:9)
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
Storage	128/512GB
Expandable	MicroSD up to 2TB
RAM	6/8GB
Primary rear camera	12MP Super Speed Dual Pixel, OIS, f/1.5 or f/2.4
Secondary rear camera	12MP, OIS, f/2.4, telephoto lens
Front camera	8MP, f/1.7, auto focus
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11ac MIMO, 1.2Gbps (Cat-18) LTE, Bluetooth 5.0 LEANT+, NFC, GPS, Glonass
Audio	Stereo speakersDolby Atmos3.5mm headphone
Battery	4000mAhNon-removable
Charging
Water resistance	IP68
Security	One-touch fingerprint sensorIris scannerSamsung KNOX
Dimensions
Colors	Ocean Blue, Lavender Purple (U.S.)Midnight Black, Metallic Copper (intl)

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 specifications

Should you upgrade from the Note 8?

As exciting as the Galaxy Note 9 is shaping up to be, last year’s Note 8 is still one heck of a smartphone.

The Note 9 offers the expected improvements in regards to RAM, camera performance, etc., but really gets a strong edge over its predecessor thanks to its improved S Pen and a massive battery.

Then again, if you already have the Note 8 and don’t feel like throwing down $900 (?) on a new phone, maybe upgrading isn’t the right move for you?

Let Andrew break everything down for you in his comparison of the Note 8 and Note 9

How’s it compare to other phones?

That’s fine and dandy, but how’s the Note 9 hold up against other non-Note devices?

Without a doubt, one of the Note 9’s biggest competitors comes from Samsung itself with the Galaxy S9+. A lot of features are shared between the two phones, including a large Super AMOLED display, Snapdragon 845, Samsung’s custom software, excellent dual cameras, and more.

The Note 9 is obviously the only one of the two that uses the S Pen, but is that reason enough to make the pricey upgrade?

Similarly, there are still plenty of other phones that are scheduled to come out before 2018 is over — most importantly the Google Pixel 3 XL. Rumors and leaks are hinting at a phone with considerably slimmer bezels, an even better camera package, and an all-glass back (not to mention the ginormous notch).

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 vs. Galaxy S9+

Should you buy the Galaxy Note 9 or wait for the Google Pixel 3 XL?

A lot is new with the S Pen

The S Pen is easily the biggest reason so many people flock to the Note series year after year, and this time around, Samsung’s giving the S Pen one of its biggest upgrades in years.

For the first time, Samsung’s adding Bluetooth Low Energy to the S Pen. With this new connectivity, the S Pen picks up a heap of new features that allow you to control the Note 9 from a distance.

Some use cases include being able to use the S Pen and its button as a camera shutter, navigating through presentations, and more. The presence of Bluetooth also means this is the first S Pen to have a battery, and as with all things that have a battery, the S Pen will need to be charged.

Thankfully, seeing as how the S Pen seamlessly charges in the background when stored inside the Note 9, this shouldn’t ever prove to be an issue of any sort.

Get the official wallpapers right here!

New Samsung phones always come with striking wallpapers to help jazz up your home screen, and even if you don’t have the funds/interest to get a Note 9 right now, you can still bring its look to your exisitng handset with its official wallpapers.

We’ve got all 12 listed above for your viewing pleasure, and if you want to throw one (or all) of them on your phone, feel free to download ’em as you see fit.

What color should you get?

Samsung’s typically one of the better OEMs when it comes to offering a good variety of colors, and with the Note 9, that’s no different.

In the United States, buyers will be able to choose from Ocean Blue and Lavender Purple. In other parts of the world, Samsung’s releasing Midnight Black and Metallic Copper.

Which color Galaxy Note 9 should I buy: Blue, purple, gold, or black?

Don’t forget about the cases!

The Note 9 has a striking design that combines metal and glass into one gorgeous package, but as great as the phone might look, it’s certainly not the most durable handset you’ll find.

Thankfully, to help keep your Note 9 looking as good as can be through all sorts of wear and tear, there are already a number of cases being sold.

Here are our favorites!

Best Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Cases

Here’s everything you need to know about buying the Note 9

There are a lot of reasons you may want to pick up the Note 9, and whatever those reasons may be, you’ve got a lot of options for deciding where to get it.

In the United States, pricing starts at $999.99 for the 128GB model and goes up to $1249.99 for the 512GB one. You can get the phone at Best Buy, Amazon, Samsung’s website, all of the major carriers, and more.

However, there are some questions that pop up when thinking about buying the Note 9. Should you buy it unlocked or through a carrier? What storage size is the best to pick up? You’ve got the questions, we’ve got answers.

Where to buy the Galaxy Note 9: Best deals for your new phone
Should you buy the Galaxy Note 9 unlocked or from a carrier?
Samsung Galaxy Note 9: Which storage size should I 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

Updated August 16, 2018: Updated this guide with a news-roll and the latest available info!

Epson’s 1080p projector, Xbox Live, and more are discounted today

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

We found plenty of great deals today that include big discounts on tons of Amazon hardware, Epson’s 1080p home cinema projector, Sennheiser’s open-back headphones, and more!

View the rest of the deals

If you want to know about the deals as soon as they are happening, you’ll want to follow Thrifter on Twitter, and sign up for the newsletter, because missing out on a great deal stinks!

Let your Samsung Galaxy S9’s beauty shine through our favorite clear cases

For something that’s supposed to be clear and subtle, these cases have certainly found a way to stand out.

The Galaxy S9 and S9+, are simply outstanding. Truly, this is a phone that you want to show off, but since it’s essentially made of glass, you’re going to want to cover the breakable bits with a case. Never fear, clear cases are here!

There are a lot of ways to do a clear case, and whether you want one that shines bright like a diamond or one that’s as tough as one, there’s a clear case here for you.

• Spigen Ultra Hybrid Clear Case
• Catalyst Impact Protection Case
• Spigen Liquid Crystal Case Series
• Ringke Fusion Clear Case
• Caseology Skyfall Series Clear Case
• Zizo ION Series Clear Case

Spigen Ultra Hybrid Case

Best clear case

• $11.99 (S9) at Amazon
• $12.99 (S9+) at Amazon

Sometimes, a clear case just goes beyond.

The Spigen Ultra Hybrid is a single-layer case that melds a strengthened silicone bumper with a diamond-hard and crystal-clear polycarbonate back for the best of both worlds: a case with a lot of protection without much bulk or much trouble getting your phone in or out.

Spigen’s Neo Hybrid case is our favorite Samsung Galaxy S9 case at the moment, but if you want a clear case that’s durable and shines like a diamond in the rough, be Plus Ultra! and get the Ultra Hybrid instead of the Neo Hybrid Crystal. This case stands up fabulously to everyday wear and tear, works with phone grips and wireless charging effortlessly, and it seems to hold up better against smudges, smears and grime than its competitors.

This being a single-layer case, the Ultra Hybrid feels slimmer in the hand, and the buttons are solid, and this clear case won’t go sliding around willy-nilly on you like a lot of clear cases out there. The bumpers here are a matte color rather than a metallic, which just helps the back of the phone and the phone inside look even shiner by comparison.

Catalyst Impact Protection Case

Runner-up

• $39.99 (S9) at Amazon
• $39.99 (S9+) at Amazon

Finally making the jump from iPhone accessories to Android, Catalyst’s first Samsung case looks great, has incredibly tactile buttons, and offers fantastic protection from all angles without making the S9 overly bulky. This case also comes with a lanyard for a little extra insurance against dropping your phone, and the bold accents around the camera and fingerprint sensor add a wonderful pop of contrast to the back of the phone.

Spigen Liquid Crystal Case Series

Most stylish

• $10.99 (S9 Clear) at Amazon
• $9.99 (S9+ Clear) at Amazon

Spigen’s Liquid Crystal series of cases are a lightweight delight for the S9 that come in three flavors: traditional crystal Clear, nature-inspired Blossom, and glimmering Glitter, which lets the bold Samsung branding shine through while obscuring scuffs, smudges, and identifying information of the back of the phone. No matter the style, each Liquid Crystal case is a breeze to apply and work perfectly with phone grips.

Caseology Skyfall Series Clear Case

• $13.99 (S9) at Amazon
• $13.99 (S9+) at Amazon

Featuring a durable ultra clear cover to protect the back of your phone along with a protective bumper frame (available in colors to match your device), Skyfall’s slim case will perfectly accent your phone and keep it protected without distracting from the phone itself.

Ringke Fusion Clear Case

• $10.99 (S9) at Amazon
• $10.99 (S9+) at Amazon

The best way to protect your phone from drop damage is to not drop your phone, so Ringke’s Fusion case includes a handy, built-in wrist strap. Whether or not you want to use the wrist strap is up to you, but it’s a thoughtful addition to a case that’s as easy on the eyes as it is to use all day and all night.

Zizo ION Series Clear Case

• $13.99 (S9) at Amazon
• $13.99 (S9+) at Amazon

Need a clear case that doesn’t skimp on protection? With the Zizo ION Series, you get a rugged polycarbonate bumper hugging a flexible TPU shell, and Zizo includes a complementary tempered glass screen protector with each case so the front and back glass are safely secured against scratches and some shattering impacts. The color options aren’t quite as well color-matched to the S9, but they have a style all their own.

What are your favorite clear case options?

Eyeing any of the cases on our list? Got a favorite that didn’t make the cut? Let us know in the comments!

Updated August 2018: After a summer of testing and trying clear case after clear case, these are the absolute best you can buy for your Samsung Galaxy S9 or S9+.

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+

• Galaxy S9 and S9+: Everything you need to know!
• Galaxy S9 review: A great phone for the masses
• Complete Galaxy S9 and S9+ specs
• Galaxy S9 vs. Galaxy S8: Should you upgrade?
• Join our Galaxy S9 forums

Verizon
AT&T
T-Mobile
Sprint
Amazon

This is the Moto AI — Motorola’s first smart speaker

The gadget is being developed exclusively for China.

Thanks to devices like the Google Home and Amazon Echo, smart speakers have exploded in popularity over the last couple years. We’ve seen companies like Apple, Sony, and Lenovo try their own hand at this market, and according to a report from AndroidPure, Motorola’s now gearing up to launch its first smart speaker.

Currently named the “Moto AI”, the speaker is being designed specifically with the Chinese market in mind and is powered by Baidu’s DuerOS rather than Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. Like other smart speakers, you’ll be able to use the Moto AI to find out stock prices, current news, weather, stream music, create reminders/timers, etc.

Along with all the above features, the Moto AI will feature a kids mode that’ll automatically be turned on if it detects that a child is speaking to it. There will also be integrations with other companies such as Lifesmart, Haier, and more.

On the technical side of things, the Moto AI weighs 280 grams, has a diameter of 90mm, supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and is powered by an ARM 53 Cortex processor.

There’s currently no word on pricing or if the speaker will ever make its way out of China, but either way, it’s interesting to see Motorola finally make the plunge in this market.

Lenovo Smart Display review: Google Assistant’s best face