Nova Launcher 5.0 brings Pixel-y goodness to all, new gesture options

Happy Birthday, Nova Launcher!

Nova Launcher, one of the best third-party launchers and possibly the best thing to ever happen to Android, turned 5 years old this week. Huzzah! As with most anniversaries this one comes with gifts, in the form a big 5.0 update that rolls out many beta features to the rest of us and bring a few useful tools for those us who are just discovering (or rediscovering) this awesome launcher.

Nova’s Pixel-y features are out in full force now, from the pill search bar to the tinted dock and swipe to open the app drawer. Nova Launcher has also implemented the Android 7.1 launcher shortcuts, meaning when you long-press a supported app, you’ll get more options than simply Edit or Remove. Keep in mind that apps have to enable these shortcuts before Nova can show you them, so it’ll take time for this to move beyond Google apps.

Gestures have also expanded — again! We now have double-tap swipe gestures to implement, and we have a new shortcut that I fell quite in love with during its beta: a new Screen Lock method that turns the screen black and sets the screen timeout to five seconds, allowing your device to remain unlocked if connected to a Trusted device or location, but still turn the screen off quickly without wearing out the power button.

We also have a new feature hiding in the oft-overlook Backup & import settings menu. Called “Quick Start”, it allows you to quickly change some Nova features like the Dark theme, app drawer style and dock style. It’s not quite the instant Pixel application tool Action Launcher has, but it’s wonderful to see a way to quickly change multiple settings without digging into individual menus.

If you haven’t checked out Nova Launcher yet, now is the perfect time to dive in! If you need any advice, we’re here for you with tips and tricks and settings help.

Grab one of the best travel chargers available for just $4 right now!

How does one of the best portable charging plugs for less than $5 sound? Well, right now you can pick up iClever’s BoostCube plug with dual USB ports for only $4 with coupon code ICLEVER0, a savings of $7. The charger comes in both black and white, and happens to be the top pick for travel chargers by the team over at The Wirecutter. It is small, compact, and lightweight, and has a powerful output of 4.8A to easily power both USB ports at the same time.

This deal likely won’t last very long, so be sure to grab one (or two) right now! Don’t forget to use coupon code ICLEVER0 for the full savings here.

See at Amazon

What color Daydream View headset should I buy?

Which color is the best for Daydream?

It may seem a little odd to be picky about the color of your VR headset, but the truth is you’re wearing this thing on your face for extended periods of time so you might as well choose the one that works best for you. Google’s Daydream comes in Slate Grey, Crimson Red, and Snow White. Perhaps more important than the names of the sweatpants-like fabric that covers the headset is the accent materials found where you rest your face.

Pick something that looks nice, but be aware of what this headset is going to look like after a few dozen uses.

The inner fabric

Each Daydream View headset has inner padding to cushion your face so there’s less discomfort over time. It works well, but also means this fabric is up against your skin while you binge watch something on Netflix and excitedly slash away at monsters. That means either you or someone you share the headset with is likely to sweat.

The Snow variant of Daydream includes a much lighter inner fabric than the dark grey that comes with Slate or the black that comes with Crimson. That means it’s more likely to show things like sweat stains easily, which can quickly make the headset visually unappealing.

The good news is this inner fabric is held in place with velcro, which means it can be removed and washed with relative ease. Either way, you’re going to want to make sure you chose your color wisely.

The outer material

The texture for each of these colors is exactly the same, and the color of your Daydream controller is exactly the same, so no matter which color you choose the feel and gameplay are going to be the same. That having been said, there’s a few style notes to consider:

• The plastic parts that hold the phone look nicest on the Snow and Slate versions, as they mostly blend in with the fabric.
• Slate will be the most commonly found publicly, as it was the first available.
• Crimson is going to stand out the most, which could be important if you frequently misplace things.

Which is your choice?

Is the color of your VR headset important to you? Are you more likely to ask someone to try their VR headset if you see the Crimson or Snow versions in public? Do you wish there was a different color available for you to buy? Let us know what you think!

See at Google Store

Chrome OS Buyer’s Guide

You’ve decided on a Chrome OS — now you just have to choose which one fits your needs best.

Plenty of people have started to consider Chrome OS computers — whether that’s for a primary, secondary or travel machine — for a variety of reasons, not the least of which being price and simplicity. Chrome OS enables you to have a simple yet powerful computer that can be handed to anyone and used right away, without all of the headaches of maintenance or management. And while we’re mostly all familiar with Chromebooks, Chrome OS comes in other form factors as well.

To help you choose between the available options out there today, we’re going to break things down into each Chrome OS computer category — Chromebooks, Chromeboxes and the Chromebit — to tell you which works best for which tasks and needs, and then offer up recommendations for the best product in each category.

Ready to buy a Chrome OS computer? Read on with us.

This post was updated in December 2016 with the most current information.

Chromebook

For most people looking for a Chrome OS computer, a Chromebook will be the best choice. Computing is moving further away from desktop-style machines every day, and if you’re looking for a second computer to have around the house or perhaps to travel with, there are tons of great options.

Display

Your average Chromebook will have either an 11-inch or 13-inch display, though if you really need a big screen there are a couple of options with 15-inch displays. There are three things to look for in a display when shopping — resolution, display type, and touch screen capabilities. Most cheaper Chromebooks will have a 1366×768 resolution, but if you can do it go for one with a higher 1920×1080 resolution instead. When it comes to display type, try to find one with an IPS panel, rather than a cheaper TFT or TN panel — you may have to dig into the specs for that info — to get the best colors and viewing angles. Lastly, you may want to opt for a touch screen — chances are this is more of a luxury than a need, and you can assess how much you actually want to touch your laptop’s screen.

Specs

On the inside, most Chromebooks follow the same recipe. You’ll have either an ARM or Intel processor — the ARM models are more power efficient and don’t need fans, but aren’t as powerful, while the Intel models offer a bit more speed but can hit battery life and often have fans associated with them. The performance gap gets smaller every refresh, though. As for memory, we always recommend getting as much as you can afford — many models top out at 4GB, and that’s usually enough. In the storage department, you’ll be choosing between 16 and 32GB, and the former is probably OK for you — Chromebooks also include SD card slots if you need more.

More: Best SD Cards For Chromebooks

Style

Last but not least, it’s about the style and durability. When you look for a Chromebook, know that the price directly influences the quality of the hardware. A $179 machine just isn’t going to be built as well as the $299 one, and the corners will usually be cut in durability and feel. A lower-end Chromebook may feel cheap, flexible or hollow, while a higher-end model will withstand some abuse and last you a few years without wearing out. You can often opt for an education-focused model if you want better durability (likely along with some weight), or if you don’t think you’ll need that you can always stick with a consumer-level version.

Think a Chromebook is right for you? We keep an updated list going of all of the best Chromebooks available, which you can read at the link below.

Read now: The best Chromebooks

Chromebox

Fewer people have likely heard of Chromeboxes before, especially outside of education and business circles. These compact desktop computers run the same Chrome OS available on Chromebooks, and often have many of the same internal components — they’re just targeted at a different set of users.

Features

Compared to other “desktop” computers, Chromeboxes are surprisingly compact little machines. The standard size of a Chromebox is about 5-inches square and less than 2-inches high, meaning it won’t command much desk space and can easily be stowed in an entertainment center or even mounted on the back of a monitor.

Specs

Because the Chromebox isn’t really constrained by power or size — like a laptop is — you’ll find higher specs, more ports and better capabilities in these little desktops. Most Chromeboxes will run a capable Intel processor in their base models with options to spec as high as a Core i3 or i5, and while they still often start at 2GB of RAM you can find them with as much as 8GB — some are even easily user-upgradeable after purchase. Chromeboxes are more than capable of running a high-resolution monitor and handling all of your needs, so long as you again stick to our recommendation of at least 4GB of RAM (more if you can handle it).

The one big arena where Chromeboxes set themselves apart from Chromebooks is in ports and expandability. While your average Chromebook will have just two USB ports (only one of which is USB 3.0), most Chromeboxes will have four to six USB ports, plus two video outputs and sometimes SD card slots. The expandability makes it easy to plug in a keyboard and mouse, thumb drives, external hard drives, webcams, microphones, more all at once, and chances are you’ll be less worried about the internal storage of a Chromebox because of this.

Peripherals and bundles

The downside of a Chromebox is having more setup. When you buy a Chromebox you’re just getting the desktop and a power cable — you’ll have to provide a monitor to plug it into, and a keyboard and mouse to manipulate it. If you have these already it makes things easy, but if you have to buy them at the same time the setup can get a little more expensive.

Many Chromebox manufacturers offer bundle deals for an extra $25 to $50 that include a Chrome OS keyboard and basic mouse — often Bluetooth ones — that are set up to work with the machine right away, but chances are if you’re willing to shop around you can find better deals buying them separately. Chromeboxes will work just fine with any standard USB or Bluetooth keyboard and mouse.

Pricing on Chromeboxes varies a bit more than Chromebooks can because of their wider range of configurations, but for the most part, you’re going to start your search at around $149, ranging up to about $599 for a fully-loaded system that comes with peripherals. ASUS is probably your best bet for Chromeboxes, but HP also has a few compelling options that you can compare them to.

Read now: The best Chromebox

Chromebit

The Chromebit is an interesting computer because it really takes the main benefits of a Chromebox but drops them down in scale, capabilities and price. Rather than taking up the space of a desktop-like machine, the Chromebit is a 5-inch long stick with an HDMI plug on the end that can go straight into a monitor or TV to turn it into a functional Chrome OS computer.

Features

Because of its small size, the Chromebit doesn’t offer much in terms of features. The stick has a single USB port on it for connecting peripherals to it, and because of its power constraints you can’t plug in anything that needs to draw more than 500mA of power — you’ll have to step up to a powered USB hub if you want more peripherals or power. And aside from a short HDMI extension cable included in the box, there isn’t much flexibility in terms of placement or configuration of the Chromebit.

More: Read our ASUS Chromebit review

The main draw of such a small complete computer such as this is is how easily it can be packed up and moved between monitors, turning any screen with an HDMI port into a computer. Whether that’s a TV in your entertainment center, a display in a conference room or a monitor at a friend’s house, you carry the exact same Chrome OS experience to each screen.

Just like a Chromebook you’ll need to bring your own keyboard and mouse, and at this time there aren’t any default bundle deals — you’ll have to build your own bundle with peripherals of your choosing. Because of its restrictive ports you’ll want to go with Bluetooth for the keyboard and mouse.

Specs

At this point, ASUS is the only manufacturer making a Chromebit, and to that point only makes one model, so the specs are easy to understand. You get a low-power but capable Rockchip ARM-based processor, along with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage space.

Other manufacturers are likely to get into the game making Chromebit-style hardware, but considering the limitations of this form factor things aren’t likely to change much inside when they do.

More: Chromebox vs Chromebit — Which should you buy?

Chromebooks

• The best Chromebooks
• Should you buy a Chromebook?
• Google Play is coming to Chromebooks
• Acer Chromebook 14 review
• Join our Chromebook forums

Win a rad box of Android Central goodies!

Wear our swag in public!

When you have a bunch of Android Central gear sitting around your office, the best thing to do is share it with the community! So this week that’s exactly what I’m doing. I’ve put together a dozen boxes full of fun things, like AC stickers, mugs, and shirts, Android mystery mini figures, and these super cool, customized smartphone coasters from our friends over at newPCgadgets.

If you aren’t familiar with them, smartphone coasters are really handy! You can set your phone in it on your desk at work so you don’t miss notifications, or use it around the house! I’ve used mine in the kitchen to view recipes. It’s so helpful! They make great stocking stuffers or promotional gifts for your business, too.

To enter to win one of these coveted boxes of awesome, leave a comment on this thread in the forums. That’s it! We’ll keep this open until the end of the week and pick 12 winners on Friday. International readers welcome! Good luck, everyone!!

Special thanks to newPCgadgets for sending us the smartphone coasters to give away to you guys! They offer a variety of customized solutions for conference rooms, office lobbies, meeting rooms, trade-shows, corporate retreats, special events and much more. Be sure to give them a like over on Facebook or a follow on Twitter to show your thanks. Tell them AC sent ya!

Please note, the phone in the picture is for demonstrative purposes only and is not included in the giveaway. Packages will each contain a mug, shirt, smartphone coaster, stickers, Android figure, and more!

You could hail a self-driving Uber the next time you’re in San Francisco

Uber is skipping past California’s regulations and testing self-driving Volvos around Silicon Valley.

Many car companies have been testing their self-driving concepts in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which is cool, but not really, since no one realistically visits that area of the States, especially if you’re from Europe. But San Francisco, California, on the other hand, is an ideal vacation spot, and a place you might actually have to travel to for work, considering the city has become a major epicenter for the technology and business sectors.

It therefore makes sense that Uber, which is based in San Francisco, would begin testing its autonomous vehicles in the city’s downtown area. Three months after introducing self-driving cars to Pittsburgh’s streets, Uber has brought a version of its technology to its hometown. It has been working work with Volvo to add its autonomous know-how to Volvo’s fleet. And starting 14 December, if you’re in San Francisco and request an UberX through Uber, you could be matched with a self-driving Volvo XC90s – as long as one is available. 

The ride-sharing firm has confirmed a driver will be present to take over when the car can’t navigate itself. As a passenger, you’ll use an iPad in the back to verify your destination and get a view of what the car sees when it’s in self-driving mode. According to TechCrunch, the car is able to supply a 360-degree view of the road through cameras, GPS, lidar, and radar, even though it uses fewer sensors than the Ford cars Uber tested.

Here’s where it gets interesting, and murky: Uber said it looked “carefully” at California’s regulations and came to the conclusion it doesn’t need a testing permit. The rules only apply to cars that don’t have a driver behind the wheel, and Uber said its autonomous Volvos will have a driver present. I’ll be interesting to see if California agrees with this interpretation of the rules.

In the meantime, if you want to try Uber’s limited experiment, get yourself to San Francisco soon and start hailing.

Finally! You can now save Instagram posts to revisit later – here’s how

It’s the little things in life that make you most happy, right?

We don’t know about you, but our camera rolls are filled with screenshots of other people’s Instagram posts. When scrolling through Instagram, we always see a cute outfit-of-the-day image or some other cool, inspiring shot.

In order to bookmark that photo, or save it for later, our only option has been to screenshot. Starting 14 December 2016, however, everyone can start saving posts they’d like to revisit. Here’s everything you need to know about the feature.

Instagram: What’s happening?

Instagram has launched a new bookmark icon underneath posts in your feed. Now you can save all those outfit posts and keep track of them without ever having to leave Instagram or fill up your camera roll with screenshots.

Instagram: How do you save posts?

Simply tap the bookmark icon underneath posts to save a post to a new, private tab on your profile.

Instagram: Where are your saved posts?

To see posts you’ve saved, go to your profile and tap the bookmark icon there.

Instagram: Who can see your saved posts?

The private bookmark tab on your profile houses all the posts you’ve saved, and because it’s private, they’re only visible to you. 

Instagram: Will people know if you’ve saved their posts?

Unlike Instagram’s recent Story feature, which notifies someone when you take a screenshot, people won’t know if you’ve saved their posts. So, you can continue creepin’ without anyone knowing. Phew.

• Instagram just basically ripped off Snapchat Stories – and here’s how

Instagram: When can you start saving posts?

Saved posts included in the latest version of Instagram, which is available now for iOS in the Apple App Store and for Android in Google Play. You must update the app in order to access the new feature.