Best Shower Speakers

Sing along with your favorite tunes in the shower with these great speakers.

If you’re sick of belting out your favorite tunes in the shower a cappella you may want to consider getting a speaker to use in the shower.

We’ve compiled a list of the best shower speakers you can find to help you sing like nobody’s listening.

Updated December, 2016.

• Polk Audio BOOM Swimmer
• Photive Hydra
• SoundBot SB510
• UE Roll/Roll 2
• Braven Mira
• Fugoo Sport
• UE Boom 2

Polk Audio BOOM Swimmer

This tadpole-looking device was conceived by the folks at Polk Audio to be as versatile as possible. The tail-end of the speaker is bendable, making it easy to wrap around shower curtain rods or even your shower head pipe, meaning there is always a convenient place to put it.

The Swimmer’s waterproof rating is even greater than it needs to be for use in the shower. It can be submerged in up to 3 feet of water for half an hour without suffering any damage, meaning it can even fall into the tub when you’re taking a bath.

The sound quality is not bad; although, there is very little bass, which isn’t a surprise when you’re talking about something this small.

See at Amazon

Photive Hydra

The Photive Hydra is perfect for people that want a shower speaker and are more concerned about sound quality than convenience. Sporting a passive subwoofer and two 40mm drivers, the Hydra delivers a fuller sounding low-end, while still providing pleasing, clear treble.

Its IP66 rating won’t allow the speaker to be submerged, but it can handle water jets and splashing just fine, making it more than durable enough to withstand your daily shower.

The Hydra is a little bulkier and bigger than most of the other speakers on the list, but it’s still compact enough to fit on the edge of your tub or on your shower caddy.

See at Amazon

SoundBot SB510

The SoundBot SB510 is perfect for people who want an easier way to control their music while they are listening in the shower.

The simple interface on the front of SoundBot will let you control playback or adjust volume with just a tap of its buttons, meaning you don’t need to get out of the shower and touch your phone to change songs. Plus, there is even a speaker and microphone for taking calls, so you won’t miss anything important just because you’re bathing.

It’s water-resistant rating only protects the SoundBot from splashing; however, It installs super easily with a suction cup that is attached to the back of the speaker, so you should have no problem finding a place for it that’s out of harm’s way.

See at Amazon

UE Roll/UE Roll 2

The Ultimate Ears Roll has an IPX7 rating, meaning submerging it in up to 3 feet of water for about half an hour won’t cause any damage, so your daily showers won’t affect it at all. Plus, on the back, it comes with a bungee cord loop, making it easy to wrap or tie the speaker around your curtain rod or shower head, so it stays out of your way while you’re headbanging in the shower.

The Roll 2 was just released and it does come with a couple of improvements. It has better sound, regarding both volume and quality, than its predecessor, and it also has an increased Bluetooth range of 100 feet, meaning your phone or tablet doesn’t even have to be in the hot, steamy bathroom while you’re getting clean.

We have links to both versions below because you may be able to find the original model of the Roll on sale, though the value of slightly better sound may not be worth the price difference. That’s a decision best left up to you.

See UE Roll at Amazon
See UE Roll 2 at Amazon

Braven Mira

The first thing you will notice about the Braven Mira is the impressive sound quality for such a small device. It manages to stuff two drivers and a passive radiator into its small protective housing, giving the Mira the ability to sound full and provide some decent bass.

The hook on the back of the speaker allows it to hang easily from your shower head or it can even be used as a kickstand, allowing it to sit nicely in the corner of your tub. Plus, the battery lasts for up to 12 hours of playback, so even the longest shower takers should get more than enough time between charges.

Its waterproof rating is IPX5, meaning it can handle being hit by the stream from your shower head, which is more than enough protection for the average user.

See at Amazon

Fugoo Sport

Although it’s another speaker you will need to rest on a shelf or the side of your tub, the Fugoo Sport is an awesome device.

The thing that stands out the most is its 40-hour battery life. If you are truly using this in just the shower, you could probably go for weeks without needing a charge. With a waterproof rating of IP67, not only can you submerge the speaker in 3 feet of water for 30 minutes, but it’s also dust-proof, meaning dirt and other particulates won’t cause you any problems.

On top of it all, the sound quality is very good. The Fugoo Sport has six drivers that are spread out across all four sides, giving you clear, well-balanced 360 degree sound.

See at Amazon

UE Boom 2

Taking the UE Boom 2 into your shower is absolutely no problem as it has a very high water-resistant rating, allowing it to be submerged in 3 feet of water for 30 minutes. It’s also protected against dirt and mud, but you can hand-wash the speaker with warm, soapy water just in case it gets messy.

UE Boom 2’s battery will last you approximately 15 hours of playing time, which should amount to a lot of time in the tub, and has a Bluetooth range of 100 feet, making sure your phone, tablet, or PC doesn’t have to be anywhere near the water. Plus, if you truly want the Boom 2 to live up to its onomatopoeic name, you have the option to set up another one to make a stereo pair and really raise the roof.

See at Amazon

What’s your favorite?

Are you a shower singer? Let us know your favorite speaker to take into the shower with you by leaving us a comment below!

Skype as your default Android messenger and dialer? It’s almost a reality

Skype as your default messaging app? It’s almost a reality.

Thus continues the Microsoft takeover of your Android device. A new Skype application called “Skype Mingo” has been making the rounds. It enables Android users to utilize Skype as a native calling app, contacts manager, and all-in-one messenger. It’s also equipped with features like file and photo sharing, video calls, and Skype’s new bots — all the features that Microsoft’s been touting for some time now.

As TechCrunch reports, Skype Mingo was first spotted by the blog, MSPoweruser, which initially reported that Skype is planning to bring SMS functionality to the app, hence it becoming an all-in-one messaging platform. But it’s the Skype bots that are especially enticing, considering you’ll be able to find flights, order tickets, and search the web right from within the app. It’s like Google Assistant — except, it’s Microsoft.

Skype Mingo is not entirely ready yet. Unfortunately for you, dear Android user, the app is still in alpha testing. You can find it in the Play Store, but you likely can’t download it, as it’s still not ready for the general public.

Get a free 5-pack of Micro-USB cables with this Quick Charge 3.0 car charger

RAVPower is currently offering a free 5-pack of Micro-USB cables with the purchase of a Quick Charge 3.0 car charger with coupon code W3KLH3GN. The car charger offers four USB ports, so you can easily charge up your own gadgets as well as any others that may be in your car. One of the four is Quick Charge 3.0, so if you have a compatible phone you’ll be able to charge it up to four times faster than a regular charger would.

• Quick Charge 3.0 car charger
• 5-pack Micro-USB cables

As for the cables, they come in a variety of lengths between 1 and 10 feet long. You’ll need to add both items to your cart and then use the coupon code W3KLH3GN to get the cables for free. This deal runs now through December 18, so don’t wait too long to grab some for yourself.

See at Amazon

How to get the Pixel fingerprint gesture on other Android phones

How do I use the Pixel fingerprint gesture on another Android phone?

The fingerprint sensor on the Google Pixel isn’t just for unlocking the phone; it performs a host of Move shortcuts. One of the most interesting and potentially useful of the bunch is swiping to pull down the notification shade, making one-handed operation (especially of the Pixel XL) much easier.

That feature would be handy on other phones, no? Here’s how to get it!

How to enable fingerprint gestures on non-Pixel Android phones

The developers at Code boy studio have come up with a somewhat experimental app that tries to add Move shortcuts to all fingerprint sensors, called Fingerprint Quick Action.

It doesn’t exactly work flawlessly. In fact, it’s pretty hit and miss, but the quick tap feature does bring down the notification panel, so if you just want it for accessing your notifications, then it works fairly well.

That being said, the developers are pretty up-front about the app and don’t try to peddle it as something revolutionary — the “Fast sipe & Quick tap” section even says “Experimental” next to it.

If you want to give it a try (efficacy differs from phone to phone), then here’s how!

Download the Fingerprint Quick Action app.
Launch Fingerprint Quick Action by tapping Open in the Google Play Store or by tapping it on your home screen or in the app drawer.
Tap OK, I got it on the pop-up once you have read the disclaimers.
Tap the checkbox next to Enable Fingerprint Quick Action.
Tap OK in the pop-up regarding Accessibility.

Tap Fingerprint Quick Action (third from the top).

Tap the switch to enable it.
Tap OK.
Go back to you home screen or the app drawer and launch Fingerprint Quick Action again. For some reason, the app gets stuck in your settings and tapping back only brings you back to the home screen.
Tap Single tap action.

Tap a function. Toggle notification panel works the best, but you can try all of them to see which works best for you.

Don’t let the name of the feature fool you: Just tapping the fingerprint sensor doesn’t really work. You need to hold it there for a moment so that it registers.

If you’d like to swipe to reveal the notification panel instead, then tap Fast swipe & Quick tap action and choose an action. Again, toggling the notification panel works the best, but experiment and see which functions work well on your phone.

Swipe down across your fingerprint sensor to reveal the notification panel, and swipe down again to hide it — swiping upward does nothing.

How to enable double-tap and allow only enrolled fingerprints

Double-tap and using only “enrolled” fingerprints are great security measures and can save you a headache if you don’t mean to touch the fingerprint sensor. Enable both for full control.

Launch Fingerprint Quick Action from the home screen or app drawer.
Tap the checkbox next to Enable double tap. Now you’ll have to double-tap or double-swipe the fingerprint sensor to carry out the actions you’ve specified for each action.

Tap the checkbox next to Respond to enrolled fingerprints only. Now only fingerprints registered in your phone will be able to use the fingerprint actions.

Beware that if someone else tries to use fingerprint actions and their fingerprints aren’t registered in your phone, the fingerprint sensor will stop working until you lock your phone and unlock it with your pattern or PIN.

Download Fingerprint Quick Action from the Google Play Store

Any questions?

Interested in adding Move gestures to your phone? Spent some time experimenting with Fingerprint Quick Action? Let us know in the comments below!

Werewolves Within review: the addictive VR party game is here!

Time to ferret out those pesky werewolves. .intro

Living in a small village is usually pleasant. Or well. It was, until the Werewolves started showing up and eating everybody. That’s why we’ve called this town meeting. Here, at the table it’s time to discuss the unpleasantry that’s been going on, and get to the bottom of things. The only problem is that the Werewolves are living amongst us, and they look no different than anybody else who lives here. It’s time to find the Werewolf Within.

If you recognize this premise, that’s because you may have seen in before in games like Werewolves, or Mafia. It used to be that party games of this kind only worked if you had a group gathered together in your house. Now though, it’s entirely possible — and more fun than it ought to be — to jump into VR and point out the Werewolf in your midst.

Read more at VR Heads!

Verizon changes its mind and will kill the Note 7 after all

My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is once again in your news feed. The lone holdout among U.S. carriers who have decided to disable the phone — Verizon — has changed its mind and will be killing the Note 7 come January 5, 2017.

When AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile announced the path to the end for the Note 7, Verizon didn’t go along with it and instead insisted that holiday travelers would need to be able to use their Note 7 to make calls.

Today, the company released the following announcement on its web site:

Samsung will be releasing a Note 7 software update on December 19. This update prevents the device from charging and eliminates the ability for it to work as a mobile device. Verizon will not be pushing this software update to your device until January 5, 2017. We want to make sure you can contact family, first responders, and emergency medical professionals during the holiday travel season. However, we urge you to stop using your Note7, upgrade it to another device, and return the Note7 to us.

This lines up with everything else we’ve heard about Samsung trying to put the remaining Note 7 phones to sleep. You’ll still be able to make those holiday travel phone calls with your Note 7 on Verizon, but you’d probably be better off just getting your money back while you still can.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7

• Galaxy Note 7 fires, recall and cancellation: Everything you need to know
• Survey results: Samsung users stay loyal after Note 7 recall
• Samsung Galaxy Note 7 review
• The latest Galaxy Note 7 news
• Join the Note 7 discussion in the forums!

How to export your notes from Evernote

I want to leave Evernote. How do I do it?

Evernote has changed its privacy policy, and people aren’t impressed. The company has added a stipulation whereby a small number of its employees may be able to access your notes in order to improve the company’s machine learning abilities for improve future features. The move comes after the company, which had been experiencing financial troubles, limited to two the number of devices able to access notes on its free tier.

There are, frankly, better options out there now. From Google Docs to OneNote to your own convoluted system of HTML and PDF files, here’s how to get your stuff out of Evernote ASAP.

How to export your Evernote data

Note: This guide uses macOS for screenshots on how to export Evernote data, but the same steps apply, in the same order, for Windows. You cannot perform an export from the web version of Evernote, unfortunately.

Open Evernote.

Sign in to your Evernote account.

Click on Edit in the Menu bar at the top left of your screen.

Select Select All from the dropdown menu.

Select File in the Menu bar.

Click on Export Notes from the dropdown menu.

Name the file anything you want.
Select where to save the file. I saved it to my desktop so it can be easily found.
Select Format and select HTML

Click Save. It will export as separate HTML files, and put assets in separate folders.

Open Google Drive in a Chrome browser.
Tap on New and tap Folder or File.

Upload HTML files to chosen folder.

Open chosen file.
Tap Open with Google Docs.

Now you can access your Evernote files in Google Docs! It’s not a perfect solution, and some formatting issues may persist, but if you’re really sold on moving your stuff from Evernote to Docs, this is your best way.

Don’t like Evernote invading your privacy? Try these other note apps

Evernote has updated its privacy policy to include some alarming changes, and now users are ditching the note-taking service.

In its latest privacy policy release, unveiled Wednesday, Evernote said its employees sometimes review users’ notes in an effort to improve the company’s machine-learning capabilities, which may include searching with natural language queries. Although users can opt-out of the changes, Evernote employees can still access your data, like with resellers, for sales and delivery requests, and law enforcement, according to ZDNet.

Just take a look at Twitter to see how users are responding to this news. (Hint: They’re not happy.) In response, Evernote CEO Chris O’Neill published a note on Thursday to clarify that employees only view random notes, without any idea who they belong to, etc. Still, if you don’t accept the updated policy, which goes into effect on 23 January 2017, you’re basically left with the option of exporting your data and quitting the service.

Also, Evernote doesn’t encrypt users’ notes by default, which makes them viewable to employees or hackers. While it does encrypt messages in-transit, they’re still readable on the company’s servers. So, even if users aren’t upset about the company peeking at their notes when it receives a legal warrant or to improve its machine learning, users should at least call upon Evernote to enable end-to-end encryption by default.

Or Evernote’s 100 million+ users could just ditch the service altogether. If you choose to go that route, here’s three alternatives.

Microsoft OneNote

Microsoft

Evernote offers some powerful features, such as clipping content from websites, attaching PDFs to notes, drawing and table tools, and more. If you need granular organisational controls like these, consider OneNote by Microsoft. It’s completely free and offers a large feature set, including templates for notes that you customise and the ability to sort notes into tabs and notebooks.

Download: Windows | Mac | iOS | Android | Windows Phone | Web

SimpleNote

SimpleNote

SimpleNote, which is from the company behind WordPress, is a very basic note-taking app. It lets you save and sync text across devices, and it supports MarkDown for formatting your text. It also lets you scroll through different versions of each note, allows you to publish your work to the web with a simple click, and auto-saves everything on both mobile and desktop. The interface is bare-bones, though; you get a note list, support for tags, and a search function. There’s no ability to clip or merge notes. But it is free – with no usage limits.

Download: Windows | Mac | Linux | Android | Kindle Fire | iOS | Web

Google Keep

If you just want something that lets you jot down your thoughts quickly, and then those notes will auto sync across your devices, Google Keep is a good option. It lets you make notes, lists, and even supports scribbling by hand. You can also recording voice memos and capture images, but the simple interface keeps formatting options at a minimal. You can tag your notes to find them later. Plus, it automatically categorises them by topic. And if you want to clip from the web, you can use a Chrome extension to save pages, text, or images.

Download: Android | iOS | Web | Chrome

Still looking for more alternatives?

Here’s two others you can explore:

Workflowy (compatible with Android, iOS, and web)

Google Docs (compatible with iOS, Android, and web)