Latest from Android Central

While there is no shortage of standout features on the Samsung Galaxy S21, one of the things that stands out the most about the device from an aesthetic perspective, and that is literally in your face all the time, is its gorgeous screen. Presumably, you've decided to pick up a great case to protect the phone from accidental drops or falls, but have you thought about how you're going to keep the front of the phone free of scratches, nicks, and cracks? Take a look at this roundup of the best Samsung Galaxy S21 screen protectors so that your smartphone stays stunning for months and years to come.Durable and dependableZAGG Invisible Shield GlassFusion+ Screen ProtectorStaff PickThe GlassFusion+ is a hybrid glass solution that covers the screen of your Samsung Galaxy S21 with military strength protection that is nearly unbreakable. It looks and feels like the glass on your screen and delivers clear viewing and fingerprint sensor sensitivity.$40 at Best BuyEasy appllic...

A stylish sci-fi action experience, Implosion is a hidden gem in a desert of other games that WISH they could be this good.Implosion: Never Lose Hope follows the story of Jake, a human survivor of a cataclysmic event that nearly wiped out humanity twenty years ago. After an alien race invaded and started busting up Earth, a small contingent of humans narrowly made it off the planet in time to escape to the relative safety of life in space.Catching us up to the present, humanity has technologically advanced and can fight back using the latest and greatest War-Mech series III: incredible mechas piloted by an elite team that serves as humanity's last hope against the alien aggressors. The story is standard sci-fi stuff and isn't amazing or innovative, but it is vastly helped by a great cast of voice actors and a stellar full orchestral score. The story is standard sci-fi stuff and isn't amazing or innovative, but it is vastly helped by a great cast of voice actors and a stel...

The feature is likely to make its way to Pixel phones within the next few days.What you need to knowThe Google Camera app will soon gain a new "Astrotimelapse" feature.The feature could be part of Google's June Feature Drop update for Pixel phones. As clearly suggested by the feature's name, it will allow Pixel users to capture time-lapse videos combined with the Astrophotography mode. Google is working on a new feature that could make the astrophotography mode on Pixel phones even cooler. The folks at XDA Developers have found evidence of a new "Astrotimelapse" feature in the latest Pixel Tips app v3.4.0.373287606. Google usually rolls out updates to its Pixel Tips app a few days before a Feature Drop update, so it is possible that the new Astrotimelapse feature will arrive along with the June Feature Drop for all the Pixel phones that support Astrophotography mode.Even though no details have been revealed yet, the name suggests the upcoming feature will allow Pixel user...

The ominous episode "Nosedive" of the thriller anthology series Black Mirror painted a terrifying picture of a future whereby a person's value as a human is solely based on their social media rating and "likes." Don't get enough likes, or worse, get dislikes, and your social status nosedives, leading to everything from job losses to mortgage denials and even not being served at your favorite coffee shop. While we haven't quite reached such a scary level of dependence on social media, the focus on "likes" to determine popularity has been growing, and it can boost (or damage) personal or professional self-esteem. If you'd rather steer clear of placing so much emphasis on how many people tap that heart emoji on your posts, or the posts of others, you can now hide your Instagram like counts if you so desire.What is the new feature all about?The new feature hides from view how many likes your posts get, and/or hides how many likes posts from other people in your feed have received.I...

Surfshark is one of the best VPN providers out there, and it's also one of the most affordable which is kind of wild. With a solid feature set, great customer service, and reliable performance, you'd normally expect the price to be pretty high but you can actually grab a Surfshark VPN subscription for just $2.49 per month.The service offers over 1,000 servers across 60+ different countries and your subscription can be used on an unlimited number of devices at once. That's something that most VPN providers don't allow you to do, so there's a lot to like with Surfshark.Today's best Surfshark VPN deals, pricing, and discountsWhen looking at VPNs, security should always be your first concern and Surshark has you covered with AES-256-GCM encryption, IKEv2, private DNS, leak protection, and a strict no data-logging policy. It might not have the most servers of any VPN provider, but the ones it does have are spread across many locations and are plenty speedy.The best Surfshark VPN d...

More users can access YouTube TV without opening a separate app.What you need to knowCertain Vizio TVs will soon be able to access YouTube TV from the main YouTube app.The update should be rolling out over the next few days to Vizio models from 2020 onwards.The change comes after Google and Roku's very public spat over the terms of YouTube TV.YouTube TV is now being merged into the main YouTube app on select Visio televisions. The change was announced on the YouTube TV Twitter account on Wednesday.The change comes only a few weeks after the app was pulled from the Roku Channel Store amid a public spat over the terms of hosting the app on the platform. Google responded by releasing a workaround; rolling YouTube TV into the main YouTube app. It was a move that Roku did not appreciate, calling it the "clear conduct of an unchecked monopolist."Google has maintained that its terms for the app are fair and that Roku has "requested exceptions that would break the YouTube exper...

The Boy George experience comes to Waze.What you need to knowWaze is running a Boy George takeover this Pride Month.You'll be able to have him as your navigation voice throughout the month of June. Waze also introduced new moods and vehicles.The month of June is celebrated as LGBT Pride worldwide, and as such, Waze is welcoming Boy George to their platform for a Pride Month takeover. With the latest Waze update, you'll be able to listen to Boy George's voice direct you to places in your car while sharing with you words of advice in his own way.Writing in a blog post, the Waze team said: A music and fashion icon who has, for decades, represented what it means to live authentically and unapologetically, Boy George uses his signature voice to create not only instant classics, but also impassioned songs that shine a light on the movement to secure the rights and liberties of the LGBTQIA+ community around the world. And now, for the first time, he's using this recognizable...

Chrome is helping protect against malicious extensions and downloads.What you need to knowGoogle is introducing new protections in the Chrome browser for downloads and extensions.Chrome will now warn users if an extension is not trusted by Enhanced Safe Browsing.Users will have the ability to perform an enhanced check on a downloaded file if it's deemed potentially unsafe.Google is rolling out a couple of improvements to Enhanced Safe Browsing on Chrome to help keep dangerous extensions and files from being downloaded and installed.You can already easily manage all of your extensions in Chrome from a Chromebook. Now, when you attempt to install a new extension from the Chrome Web Store, a new dialogue will appear to warn you if the extension is not listed as trusted by Enhanced Safe Browsing. You can then choose to cancel the installation or continue through with the process.Google states that apps will be deemed trustworthy if they adhere to the company's Program Pol...

Gamers who play their Oculus Quest daily undoubtedly hate getting interrupted by a dying battery and should absolutely invest in one of the best Oculus Quest magnetic chargers. These VR headsets may provide a completely untethered experience, but as noted in our Oculus Quest 2 review, it has meager battery life. Meaning, after two to three hours, you'll have to sit carefully next to the power adapter to keep playing. With a USB-C magnetic charger or adapter, though, you'll have peace of mind knowing your headset won't get yanked to the ground if you accidentally pull on the cable. To work with a Quest or Quest 2, though, it must support fast data transfer speeds as well as quick charging, making the compatible picks below your best starting point. That's why our top pick is the Knaive USB-C magnetic adapter. It checks all the boxes.Best overall: Cafele USB C Magnetic Cable and TipsThese cables and tips come in a matching two-pack or three-pack in your choice of colors. The smal...

The original Quest shipped with a 3m Oculus Link-compatible charging cable. Then the Oculus Quest 2 arrived with a 1m cable far too short to use while wearing the headset, let alone with Link. Maybe you lost or damaged those cables, or else you want a Quest 2 replacement charging cable that will make room-scale PC VR easier or that recharges it faster. We've rounded up the best Quest 2 cables with different properties to fit your specific needs.Guaranteed compatibilityQuest 2 headset cable (1m)Staff PickThe Oculus support page says that "you should only charge your headset with the charger that was included in the box." This is meant to prevent you from using an inappropriate cable that could send too much (or too little) power to the headset. Able to recharge your headset in just a couple of hours, it's the safest replacement cable for Quest 2 owners that don't need it for Link.$19 at OculusA Link to the FastTNE 16ft Link Cable$20 at AmazonCharge and Play...

Now Ring users can see which safety agencies want their assistance and why.What you need to knowRing has added a new feature to its Neighbors app called Request for Assistance.Aiming to foster greater transparency, the feature will now be the only way public safety agencies can request information from Ring users and communities.The Request for Assistance feature will begin rolling out the week of June 7, 2021.Over the past several years, Ring has received a healthy dose of criticism and critique for several reasons, including untimely security breaches, inadequate safety features like not requiring two-factor authentication, and unsavory data sharing and collection practices inside its popular Neighbors app. Though these events were unfortunate, the company has recommitted to protecting the privacy and security of its users. It has been working tirelessly over the past 18 months to improve all of the holes in its services and any damage to its public image.The latest eff...

Apple is doubling down on its privacy measures for the AirTag with its upcoming Android app.What you need to knowApple has stated that it is working on releasing an AirTag app for Android.The app will allow users to detect whenever they're being "stalked" by an AirTag.Apple is also reducing the time for AirTags to alert when separated from the owner.Useful privacy improvements are coming to the recently launched Apple AirTags, including a new Android app that Apple says is currently in development.The news was first reported by CNET and Apple confirmed with Android Central. The company states that it will "introduce an Android application that will enable users to detect an AirTag or Find My network-enabled accessory separated from its owner that may be traveling with a user." The app is expected to launch later this year.Apple launched the new object tracker during the Spring Loaded event in April as a competitor to some of the best Bluetooth trackers on the market, su...

Amazon Luna is Amazon's entry into the cloud gaming platform space, with the company officially entering early access and offering players the chance to subscribe to their service and download games to play across a wide variety of devices.With so many cloud gaming platforms now available, though, it's important to take a look at just what is available on Luna. Thankfully, Amazon Luna has a surprisingly decent list of games, which includes some of the best games of the past few years all available for a solid entry price.What is Amazon Luna?Amazon Luna is a cloud gaming platform that's powered by Amazon's cloud computing platform Amazon Web Services (AWS). Similar to other cloud gaming platforms like Google Stadia or Xbox Cloud Gaming, Luna allows players to stream games instantly from a number different devices and browsers. This makes it easier for fans of games to play some of their favorites, without the need for consoles or any extra purchases.Subscribing to Amazon Lun...

Best answer: Yes, Amazon offers an attractive and affordable stand for the Echo Show 8. With it, you can easily tilt and maneuver the Echo Show 8 for optimal viewing angles.Why put the Echo Show 8 on a stand?Amazon has some of the best smart speakers, and the Echo Show devices make excellent Alexa speakers. The full-sized Echo Show 10 may be too big that it takes up valuable counter space, and the Echo Show 5 can be on the small side for specific tasks. So, with the announcement of the new Echo Show 8, it's a device that sits in that perfect "Goldilocks" zone of smart screened speakers — but does echo show 8 have a stand?While Echo Show devices are made to stand on their own, getting the perfect angle for viewing or a video call can be made all the better with a stand. Whether placed on a desk, side table, or kitchen counter, getting a little bit of height and adjusting the screen's tilt can make all the difference in your viewing experience. For these cases, Amazon has int...

This year's "Prime Day Show" will truly be unlike any that have come before it. In previous years, the Prime Day virtual concert has seen some of the biggest names in music take the stage to perform their greatest hits, including stars like Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa, and Demi Lovato, exclusively on Prime Video. Now, for the first time ever, the Prime Day Show will be available to all Amazon customers to stream — with or without a Prime membership.For 2021's "The Prime Day Show", the immersive virtual concert will see Billie Eilish, H.E.R., and Kid Cudi performing sets from around the world in an unforgettable event that will be free to stream globally on Prime Video for just 30 days beginning June 17. The show will be broken into three acts, giving each of the musical guests just under 30 minutes to perform their sets.Amazon Prime 30-day Trial | Free at AmazonAll of Amazon's upcoming Prime Day deals this June 21 and 22 are exclusively available to Amazon Prime m...

Since they have a modular design, you can redesign them to create a personalized lighting experience.What you need to knowNanoleaf has launched a new line of wood look smart light panels.The new Nanoleaf Elements Wood Look Hexagons feature a wood grain-like texture to complement your home décor. Nanoleaf Elements are available in Smarter Kits and Expansion Pack add-ons.Smart lighting maker Nanoleaf today announced the launch of new Elements Wood Look Hexagons, the world's first smart light panels that are "inspired by nature."Unlike other smart lighting panels, the new Elements panel looks beautiful even when it is off — thanks to a wood grain-like texture. The panel has an ultra-thin design and a balanced neutral color to allow the lights to fill your space with glowing effects. Gimmy Chu, CEO and co-founder of Nanoleaf, said in a statement: Our goal is to break the barrier between technology and design. With Nanoleaf Elements, we want to bring the best ...

Streaming services have grown in popularity over the past few years, and there are now more options than there ever has been before. Back in the day, every single one of them offered a free trial to get you to use the service for a set length of time in hopes that you'd sign up after, but that seems to have slowly become less of a norm. Odds are that you are signed up for at least one of them, but thanks to some new offers which have popped up, there are a number of new opportunities to try out new streaming services, and they won't cost you a cent.Streaming Free Trial OffersDisney+: Trial unavailableParamount+: One week freeHBO Max: Trial unavailableDiscovery+: One week freeAmazon Kids+: 30 days freeAmazon Prime Video: 30-day trialSling TV: Trial unavailableHulu: First month freeAmazon Music Unlimited: 4 months freeNetflix: Trial UnavailableAmazon Music HD: 4 months freeApple Music: 3 months freeSpotify: Three months freeTidal: 30 days freefuboTV: One week freeAm...

As much as we love playing with and testing the latest and greatest phones here at Android Central, there's something we can universally agree on that we're not fans of: paying full price for the best Android phones. If you're in the market for a quality Android phone, but don't want to spend a thousand dollars, you could check out the best cheap Android phones, or you can grab one of the best refurbished phones as these offer a great experience at a fraction of what you'd typically spend. Here are our favorite options!Still a stunnerGoogle Pixel 3a Smartphone (G020E)Staff PickAlthough it has been discontinued to make way for the Pixel 4a, the Pixel 3a is still a fantastic value. The device sports the same camera as the Pixel 3 and 3 XL, along with a clean design that you're accustomed to. Plus, you'll still get a few more major software updates before Google moves onto bigger things.From $150 at Amazon From $350 at Best Buy From $100 at Back Market2020's bestSasmung ...

It's coming this summer.What you need to knowSamsung today announced the A22 LTE, and A22 5G, a pair of cheap Android phones.The A22 5G is coming to the UK and other European markets this summer from £199.Samsung did not share more specific pricing and availability for the 4G model. Samsung has just launched the A22 5G, one of its cheapest phones yet. Rumored to be coming for months, this phone offers a lot of the essentials we expect in a modern smartphone.Round the front, there's a 6.6-inch Infinity-V FHD+ (the V housing an 8MP camera.) You'll find a triple set of cameras at the back. At this price range, you likely know what to expect. Two useful cameras with a main 48 MP camera and a 5MP ultra-wide one, and then a nigh vestigial 2MP camera for taking macro shots if you're a masochist. The camera bump looks nice, however, and it blends into the rear casing very well. Samsung will sell this phone in 4 colors, gray, white, mint, and Velvet — or black, white, green, an...

Can you spot the difference between these Pixel Buds and last year's?What you need to knowGoogle launches its affordable alternative to the 2020 Pixel Buds.The Pixel Buds A-Series features an identical design and many of the same features but omits some to lower the cost.The new Pixel Buds A-Series will be available in the U.S. on June 17 for $99 or $139 in Canada.After a couple of months of speculation, rumors, and leaks, the Google Pixel Buds A-Series earbuds have been officially unveiled.You won't be blamed if you mistake these for last year's Google Pixel Buds (2020). The latest earbuds from Google offer the same design as their predecessor, albeit in a more affordable package. That said, the differences are all internal, and Google had to cut a few corners to get the cost down. Still, the Pixel Buds A-Series should offer a similar experience to one of last year's best wireless earbuds.As far as the major differences between this pair and last year's, Google's new A...

So you've decided that you have got to throw a new hard drive in your PS4, and an external hard drive just won't cut it. It's one of those upgrades that may or may not visibly improve things, but if you can do it, why not? Most of the read and write speeds are comparable to each other, but we have included them if it's a deciding factor for you. Here are some of the best options available to you.Good at everythingWestern Digital BlueStaff PickIf you want a 1TB SSD at a great price but would rather stick with a more recognizable name, consider this Western Digital drive. You will have loads of space for storage, 560MB/s, and 530MB/s read and write speeds, and a five-year manufacturer warranty.$100 at Amazon $100 at Best Buy $100 at NeweggGood speed, decent priceCrucial MX500 250GB 3D NAND SATA 2.5 Inch Internal SSDThis Crucial drive will get you into some super-fast SSD speeds — 560MB/s and 510MB/s read and write speeds, respectively — while not breaking the ba...

A full-screen app launcher debuted on ChromeOS a couple of years back, Google wants to see if a smaller one would make users more productive.What you need to knowA new Chrome OS test showcases a smaller app launcher.If adopted, it'll replace the current full-screen launcher with one more akin to Window 10.However, Google is only testing this behind a flag in Canary builds of the operating system at the moment.Google is testing a new Chrome OS launcher that resembles some of the earlier Chrome OS launchers in a bid to see whether it boosts productivity. The test was discovered by the folks over at ChromeStory when poking around in Canary builds of the operating system.The experimental flag and its description read: Productivity experiment: App Launcher: To evaluate an enhanced Launcher experience that aims to improve app workflows by optimizing access to apps, app content, and app actions.As you can see from the screenshot, it isn't very usable at the moment. Whil...

Ubisoft+ is coming to six new countries.What you need to knowUbisoft is adding nine new games to its Stadia offering, including three Assassin's Creed games and three Far Cry games.Ubisoft is also expanding its Ubisoft+ beta to six new countries, including Canada and the UK.Ubisoft+ is Ubisoft's game subscription service, and is available on its own or through Stadia.Ubisoft today said it's bringing nine games from its vault to Stadia, meaning gamers will be able to play multiple titles in the Assassin's Creed and Far Cry series as well as other games on the streaming platform. It's also expanding its beta for Ubisoft+, its subscription service, to six new countries, meaning many more users will be able to play games in the Ubisoft library for a monthly fee.The games coming to Stadia are Assassin Creed III Remastered, Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, Assassin's Creed Rogue, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, Far Cry 4, Far Cry Primal, Rayman Legends, Child of Light, and Rainbow Six ...

More to loveSamsung Galaxy Watch Active 2$200 at AmazonProsOnboard GPSOptional LTE connectivityRunning Analysis & VO2 MaxSlim, attractive designImproved sensorsConsShorter battery lifeOlder watchWhile the Galaxy Watch Active 2 has its fair share of fitness-focused perks, there are other reasons to love it. You have the option of LTE connectivity and some other health features, like ECG and blood pressure monitoring.All of the essentialsFitbit Versa 3$229 at AmazonProsOnboard GPSImproved heart-rate technologyActive Zone Minutes featureSuperior battery lifeBuilt-in mic/speakerConsNo ECG or blood pressure monitoringLacks LTE connectivityOld bands won't workThe Fitbit Versa 3 has made many improvements over its predecessor. You'll have onboard GPS, additional voice assistant options, a built-in mic/speaker, improve heart-rate technology, and Fitbit's helpful Active Zone Minutes feature.Fitbit Versa 3 vs. Samsung Galaxy ...

Could the Galaxy S21 FE be Samsung's first Fan Edition phone with S Pen support?What you need to knowA new rumor suggests Samsung plans to position the upcoming Galaxy S21 FE as the follow-up to the Galaxy Note 20.It isn't clear if the Galaxy S21 FE will come with Galaxy Note features such as S Pen support. Samsung is rumored to unveil the Galaxy S21 FE at an Unpacked event in July or August, alongside its next-gen foldables. Back in March, Samsung warned that it might not be able to launch a new Galaxy Note this year due to the global semiconductor shortage. While we haven't heard any rumors hinting at a new Galaxy Note for 2021, reliable leaker Evan Blass has now tweeted that the upcoming Galaxy S21 FE will be a 'follow-up' to last year's Galaxy Note 20.Blass says the Galaxy S21 series' "disappointing first-half sales" make the company's second-half flagship even more critical. Despite offering several major upgrades and being more affordable than last year's Galaxy S...

Twitter Blue is a service for Very Online People.What you need to knowTwitter's rumored Blue subscription service has gone live.It offers a selection of features including undo tweet, reader mode, and customization.In its first phase of rollout, it'll be limited to Australia and Canada.Twitter today finally launched its rumored Twitter Blue service. As expected, his is a paid-for Twitter subscription that'll sit alongside the regular free Twitter service while offering an enhanced experience for customers who want it. It's going live today in Australia and Canada from $3.49 CAD or $4.49 AUD a month. Twitter says this is just the first phase of the rollout as it opts to gain a "deeper understanding " of what customers want.If you've read coverage of Twitter Blue, you'll already know what to expect. First, Twitter highlights Bookmark Folders. The company already allows you to save tweets you particularly like under Bookmarks so you can refer to them later. Now, Folders will...

June is Pride Month, and what better way to celebrate diversity than by letting the world know who you truly are. Even though it may be challenging to do this online, many companies and social media sites are trying to make this easier for those who want to express their identities on their accounts and profiles.One such example is the professional networking site LinkedIn. I'll show you how you can add your personal pronouns to your LinkedIn profile so that others know and respect how to address you and so that you can show your support and normalize the practice of using personal pronouns in everyday work settings.How to add your personal pronouns to your LinkedIn profileThe examples below are from a desktop browser, but note that the steps to change your pronouns are the same whether you initiate them from the LinkedIn website or the mobile app.Click/tap on your profile image.Click/tap on the pencil icon at the upper right of your profile page.Click/tap on Add forme...

Setting up the automatic deletion of Google Assistant data is important from a privacy perspective. When you use your phone or a smart speaker, Google Assistant keeps a lot of data about you and how you use Assistant, and you might not want Google to keep that. You do not need to have Google purge your data, but you can set it up to delete every 3, 18, or 36 months. Specifically, you can purge web and app activity and your audio recordings. We'll show you how!How to set up automatic deletion of your Google Assistant dataIn a web browser, go to your Google Assistant Activity controls page.If you need to sign in, please do. Otherwise, skip to step 3.Scroll down to Google-wide controls. Here, you can click on the arrow pointing to the right for either Web & App Activity or Audio Recordings.Scroll down and click the arrow pointing to the right next to Auto-delete.Place a dot in the radio button called Auto-delete activity older than. Then Select 3 months, 18 months, or...

The newest Halo feature aims to help improve your movement health.What you need to knowMovement Health is the latest feature addition to Amazon's Halo experience.The new feature will analyze your movement health and suggest corrective exercises to help you improve. Movement Health will be available via Amazon's Halo app in the coming weeks. Amazon has added a new feature to Halo to help improve the way you move. The feature, which is dubbed Movement Health, will be available to Halo members within the Halo app in the coming weeks.The new Movement Health feature lets you easily assess your functional fitness, which is defined as the body's readiness to perform everyday movements like bending, reaching, lifting, pulling, pushing, and walking. Maintaining good movement health is essential to perform basic movements such as picking something up from the floor, lifting up your child or pet, carrying groceries, or running. Once the feature becomes available, you'll be ab...

Troy Baker and Laura Bailey from The Last of Us Part 2 will be hosting the showcase.What you need to knowE3, one of the biggest gaming events of the year, is set to kick off on June 12.GamesRadar's Future Games Show is returning on June 13.The Future Games Show is expected to feature over 40 games from developers like Sega, Team17, and more.The Future Games Show Powered by WD_BLACK is making a return for this year's E3. The event was first started last year after E3 was canceled due to the pandemic, and it became a successful showcase that debuted world premieres and new gameplay for upcoming games. This year's Future Games Show Powered by WD_BLACK is expected to feature over 40 games from SEGA, Team17, Private Division, XSEED Games and more.How to watch the Future Games ShowYou can tune in to the Future Games Show on Sunday, June 13 at 7pm ET / 4pm PT. As usual, it will be broadcast over a variety of channels, including GamesRadar's website. The Future Games Show is a ...

While there are many reasons to invest in an Android smartwatch, most people are interested in the various health and fitness tracking features offered. If you're the proud owner of the Galaxy Watch or Galaxy Watch Active, you'll be glad to know that you can easily enable continuous heart rate tracking on your device. The same goes for the newer Galaxy Watch Active 2. Whether you're a beginner who wants to start monitoring your heart rate patterns throughout the day or you're an advanced athlete who uses this data to track and improve your performance, continuous heart rate tracking can be quite useful. All you have to do is navigate through a few menus within the Samsung Helth app on your watch and make the necessary changes!How to enable continuous heart rate trackingStart by pressing the power key on your smartwatch.Launch the Samsung Health app from the main menu.Swipe until you reach the heart rate icon and select it.Navigate to the bottom of the screen. Select HR an...

Are you feeling lucky enough to burn $100?I love Chromebooks. They're lightweight, but they still allow me to get all my work done securely. There are super-affordable Chromebooks and there are premium perfect Chromebooks, but they all deliver the same streamlined experience. They also use the same accessories no matter the price range thanks to the ubiquity of USB-C, a specification that allows us to have data input, power input, and video output all going on at the same time through one port when it's paired with a great USB-C hub or a docking station.At least, this is what I'd love to tell you, but because of that exact flexibility of USB-C and the various standards that use it — and manufacturers that implement it on Chromebooks — the actual experience of using a Chromebook docking station is far from rosy. In reality, you can spend $100 or even $300 on a docking station that should work perfectly with a Chromebook on paper, but once you get it on your desk and have all y...

Best answer: No. Sony's PlayStation 4 does not provide support for standard USB webcams. In fact, the company requires that you use its proprietary camera, which uses a different jack than USB.The only PS4 camera: PlayStation CameraA professional option: Elgato HD60 S Cameras and PlayStationRather than adding support for third-party USB cameras, Sony has tried to make its camera a must-have accessory since it first introduced the EyeToy camera for PlayStation 2. Unfortunately for Sony, the EyeToy and upgraded PlayStation Eye were far from a must-have, and camera games were limited at best throughout the life of the PlayStation 2 and 3.It wasn't until 2010 that the camera started gaining a little traction with the launch of PlayStation Move. Over 15 million Moves were shipped by 2012, but the continued lack of any games worth owning meant it would eventually die out as EyeToy had — if the upcoming PlayStation VR headset hadn't been able to save it.With the announcemen...

Amazon Music Unlimited is a no-brainer for Prime members.By this point in the music streaming wars, most people have settled on a service, whether that be Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, or even YouTube Music. Each of the best streaming music services has its own strengths and weaknesses, but they mostly share the same catalog of content and similar pricing structures. So if there's not much to differentiate between these different apps, how are any of them going to successfully convince you to dump the one you're currently using and give theirs a try? Spotify is building up its original podcasting and audiobook content offerings. Apple is trying to generate churn from other services by offering premium features like lossless or high-def music for free to its subscribers. YouTube Music's draws people in thanks to its integration with YouTube Premium and the YouTube platform in general.The one service that I haven't yet mentioned — Amazon Music Unlimited — is doing all of these ...

Well isn't that spatial?What you need to knowThe brand new home screen gives quick access to lights and scenes in tile format, as well as a way to quickly switch between Hue bridges.Lights can now be placed in 3D space to further enhance the scene lighting accuracy when synced with entertainment.New automation abilities include multi-user geofencing, sunset and sunrise enhancements, and more.Your Philips Hue bulbs are about to get a lot more brilliant thanks to the newly redesigned 4th-generation Philips Hue app, launching today on the Google Play Store and Apple Appstore. Philips Hue bulbs are consistently ranked among the best smart lights in any situation for many reasons, but the regular updates and feature additions, like the recent announcement that all Hue bulbs and bridges will be supporting the new Matter industry standard for smart home interconnectivity.Right up front, you'll find a brand new home screen with a more handy tile view in the new 4th-generation Phi...

Affordable with plenty of performance.The TP-Link Archer AX21 is one of the cheapest Wi-FI 6 routers TP-Link makes, but most of the people that use it would never know. The Archer AX21 has all of the most important features you want in a WI-FI 6 router, such as solid AX1800 speeds, basic parental controls, and quality of service controls. As long as you don't have too many devices or expect to cover a big house, the Archer AX21 will have no trouble keeping up with even gigabit connections, though Wi-Fi 5 performance will be a bit lackluster.The Archer AX21 is a compact router at just under six inches deep, including the antennas. Not everyone wants to see their wireless router, so it's nice that you can tuck your Archer AX21 out of sight relatively easily. The router still includes four gigabit ethernet ports for LAN and a USB port. You can also use this router as the base for a mesh with OneMesh supported extenders.TP-Link Archer AX21 review:Price and availabilityWhat wo...

If your ears like good bass and care little for the mics, the JBL Live Pro+ TWS fit the bill.Let's get one thing out of the way from the start: The JBL Live Pro+ TWS look like AirPod clones, but aren't cheap AirPod clones, and that matters because they do have their own sound. A sound certainly filled with more bass than Apple's earbuds often manage, and the ancillary features suggest JBL's earbuds belong in the conversation with other pairs in the same price range.It's obvious what the play is here, and that's to be an alternative that looks and sounds better. Except times have changed, and the wireless earbud category has never seen this much competition before. Does JBL's pair here stand out as a leader, or as another pair to join the club of decent performers looking to carve out their own place in the market?JBL Live Pro+ TWS review:Price and availabilityWhat's good What's not goodThe competitionShould you buy?JBL Live Pro+ TWS ...

The Galaxy Book Go features Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 and Windows for just $349.What you need to knowSamsung has unveiled two new models in the Galaxy Book series: Galaxy Book Go and Galaxy Book Go 5G.The Galaxy Book is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 platform, and it is going on sale from June 10 for just $349. The Galaxy Book Go 5G features the beefier Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2, and will be available later in the year. Both models run Windows on Arm. The last 12 months have been particularly fruitful for the notebook industry, with the best Chromebooks seeing a massive 300% year-on-year increase in North America. One of the reasons for the meteoric rise in Chromebook sales is the affordability; with most models retailing for under $500, they lower the barrier to entry for computing.Windows device manufacturers have clearly noticed, because we're now seeing a lot of budget-focused Windows notebooks slotting in at the same price points that were previous...

The Horizon Pro delivers stellar picture quality and a sleek design — all while undercutting its rivals.XGIMI made a name for itself with its portable projectors over the last five years, and the brand is now making its foray into the high-end segment with its first 4K projector, the Horizon Pro. The flagship projector has a sleek design, standout features like automatic keystone correction, and runs Android TV with Google Assistant out of the box.It uses DLP (Digital Light Processing) tech, has 2,200 lumen brightness, and can project an image of up to 300 inches with a throw ratio of 1.2:1. You also get HDR10, MEMC for sports content, built-in dual 8W speakers tuned by Harman Kardon, and all the ports you need. It is also portable, and the tripod mount located at the bottom means it is relatively straightforward to set it up in your living room.The best part about the Horizon Pro is that it retails for $1,699, undercutting its rivals by a decent amount. So if you are looking...

Garmin's new smartwatches are either quite affordable or quite expensive.What you need to knowGarmin has launched its latest Forerunner smartwatches for fitness enthusiasts.The Garmin 55 is an affordable option with up to 20 hours of battery life with GPS in use.The new Garmin 945 features LTE connectivity and up to two weeks of battery life.Garmin makes some of the best fitness smartwatches on the market and has just introduced two new models to commemorate Global Running Day. The Garmin Forerunner 55 and 945 LTE both offer impressive battery life, and one even features LTE connectivity.The Garmin Forerunner 55 (above) is the cheaper model and is available in three different styles. It features built-in GPS with an impressive battery life that can last up to two weeks without location tracking or 20 hours with continuous tracking.Thanks to the lasting battery, the Garmin Forerunner 55 is ideal for helping fitness enthusiasts train more efficiently. The watch has severa...

Google celebrates Pride month with features aimed at inclusiveness.What you need to knowGoogle is announcing several initiatives aimed at promoting inclusiveness.Google Maps will start highlighting businesses with gender-neutral bathrooms.Google TV is introducing a curated section for LGBTQ+ content.June is Pride Month, and companies are ramping up to show their support for the LGBTQ+ community. Google has announced several initiatives within its services to help promote more inclusivity.The company is introducing a new feature in Google Maps that will allow users to check if a business has gender-neutral restrooms. This is important, especially for trans or non-binary individuals who may not feel like they have a safe space to do their business. Google already allows businesses to list themselves as "Transgender Safe Space" or "LGBTQ-friendly," and this latest move should help to further promote businesses that welcome these individuals.Google TV now has a dedicated ...

The Fitbit Ace 3 is the brand's latest activity and sleep tracker for kids. But already, there are plenty of other swappable bands you can get for the device beyond the standard blue/astro green and black/sport red band that it comes with. As the best fitness tracker for kids, the Fitbit Ace 3 certainly does everything you'd want an activity and sleep tracker to do, without any extra distractions. But with the best bands for Fitbit Ace 3, you can make sure it fits with your child's personal style, too.They're not despicableFitbit MinionsStaff PickIn addition to the special edition Minions-themed version of the Fitbit Ace 3 with a Minions-themed band and animated clock faces, Fitbit launched special edition Minions-themed replacement bands for the activity tracker. Designed with the adorable critters from the Despicable Me movies in mind, they come in "mischief black" or "despicable blue" with a distinctive Minions design etched on the silicone band. It's a subtle design, bu...

Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen)Goldilocks zone$130 at AmazonProsGreat compromise sizeMuch improved cameraPhysical cover/off switch for microphones and cameraSimilar specs to the larger and more expensive Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen)ConsNo Dolby processingNeed a stand to adjust viewing anglesThe Echo Show 8 has the same 13MP camera and privacy controls as the larger and more expensive Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) but costs nearly half as much. A better camera, better display resolution, and better speakers make this a great buy over the smaller Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen).Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen)Bedside buddy$85 at AmazonProsCompact design to fit anywherePhysical cover/off switch for microphones and cameraImproved camera over first-generationConsAuto-brightness isn't well-tunedIf all you want is an Echo with a clock, the Dot with Clock is almost 1/2 the priceThe Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) is an incremental update over the first-generation speaker, bringing an improv...

Spotify wants to drive engagement by making the annual Wrapped a constant.What you need to knowSpotify today rolled out a new 'Only You' feature to its mobile and web apps.It's a set of features that's reminiscent of its end-of-year Wrapped Experience. Spotify will also add a new "Blend" feature that 'blends' the music tastes of two users into one playlist for a more social listening session. Spotify is bringing Wrapped earlier this year, only that it's called "Only You", a new experience in Spotify that does what Wrapped does — but it's going to be here all year round. It'll be accessible on the web or in the iOS and Android phones.Only You consists of a few experiences that'll be available for you in the hub. There's the "Your Audio Birth Chart" feature that appropriates the language of a horoscope but for your music taste. Your Sun sign will show the artist you've listened to most over the last 6 months, the Moon sign is for artists that'll showcase your emotional s...

While Oculus Move is a great way to track some basic workout stats on your Oculus Quest 2, a smartwatch can provide much more accurate health data when paired with supported apps. Right now, there's no native way to pair your smartwatch with your Oculus Quest 2. Still, apps like Supernatural have apps that work specifically with your smartwatch to gather additional data that you can use to track your VR workouts more accurately.How to pair a smartwatch or fitness tracker with SupernaturalSupernatural supports the Apple Watch, Wear OS watches, and the best fitness trackers with BLE support.First, you'll need to grab the Supernatural Companion App from the app store of your choice. It's a free download and can be found below.Supernatural Companion appFree at Google Play StoreFree at Apple AppstoreThe Supernatural Companion App lets you manage your workouts, pair your smartwatch, and do more with the best VR fitness app.Once logged into the app, select the heart ...

Access to most of the same great content, but you'll miss out on some newer releases.What you need to knowHBO Max has launched its cheaper ad-supported tier.The subscription is available for $10 per month but features several limitations, such as no 4K or downloads.The new tier should help HBO to better compete with other popular streaming services.WarnerMedia has launched its more affordable HBO Max subscription plan on Wednesday, roughly a year after the service was initially launched. The new subscription plan costs just $10 per month and features most of the same content from the original $15 tier, although with some differences.With the cheaper plan, customers will no longer be able to stream 4K content, nor will they have access to same-day theatrical releases, which is one of the main selling points of the pricier plan. That means missing out on upcoming releases like Space Jam: A New Legacy and The Suicide Squad. Customers also won't be able to download movies o...

The Blue Snowball iCE was first introduced to be a far more affordable, budget friendly version of the expensive Blue Yeti. Even from the very beginning it only cost $50, so any deal was huge savings. Right now you can get it for just $34.42 at Walmart. We haven't seen it go lower than $40 in years, even at Amazon where it's currently $50. This is a great price on one of Blue's top microphones.In addition to the price, the mic itself is just extremely accessible. Practically anyone can use it, and you don't need a lot of audio experience to do so. For example, the mic is USB 2.0 compatible, so it will work even on an older computer without newer generations of USB. Of course if you do have only USB 3.0 available it will work on that as well thanks to the backwards compatibility of the technology.It's also a plug-and-play device, which means you can just attach it to a USB port and get to recording your voice. You won't have to install any extra third-party software or any drivers...

Best answer: The simple answer is, no one has ever complained about having too much storage on a tablet. Given how affordable Amazon Fire Tablets are, your best bet is to always go for the largest storage option available.Which Fire Tablet size should I buy? Bigger is almost always betterThe first thing you need to know about buying an Amazon Fire tablet is that the listed storage space is not actually representative of the usable storage space you end up with. Amazon builds its tablets on the Android operating system, which requires a decent chunk of storage for core system functions and Amazon's apps and services. This is worth keeping in mind, especially when considering a tablet that offers 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB options. That low-end 16GB tablet will, in actuality, only give you about 12GB of usable storage. Depending on your plans for downloading games, movies, and other media onto your tablet, you're probably going to want as much storage as possible.The Fire 7 tablet come...

Chronos: Before the Ashes and The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III complete the lineup.What you need to knowStadia has announced the games that will be coming to Pro subscribers in June.The lineup includes Blue Fire, MotoGP20, Chronos: Before the Ashes, and The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III.Leaving Stadia Pro are Jedi: Fallen Order, Submerged: Hidden Depths and Reigns.Stadia today revealed the latest games coming free to Pro subscribers in the first week of June. Starting now, gamers can play Blue Fire, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III, MotoGP20, and Chronos: Before the Ashes.Perhaps the most interesting game out of the bunch is Blue Fire, which is coming to Stadia for the first time. Stadia describes it as an "action-adventure that hearkens back to the golden age of 3D platformers." One of the other free games, MotoGP20, is almost its exact opposite, being a motorsports racing game with several different modes.Chronos: Before the As...

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus true wireless earbuds were great when they first released and still hold up. Right now you can get the earbuds in white or red for a low price of $89.99 at Amazon. This is the lowest direct discount ever on any version of the Buds Plus, and the deal is $10 better than black and $20 better than blue. The earbuds do sell for as much as $150 regularly, although the average street price is closer to $110. Either way, you're saving a lot today.The members of the Galaxy Buds lineup are some of our favorite Samsung earbuds, and we gave the Buds Plus 4 out of 5 stars with a Recommended badge in our review. Daniel Bader said these earbuds have "...no major flaws, no huge downsides, and a price and feature set in line with much of the competition." He added, "...they do everything pretty well, and if you're a Samsung user, their seamless integration with the company's Galaxy phones make them irresistible." Plus the earbuds are now compatible with iOS as well so a...