Android Central: March 2019

Sunday, March 31, 2019

The best and worst April Fools' Day tech gags of 2019

April Fools' Day is here, bringing clever and cringeworthy gags in equal measure.

April Fools' Day is here, and that means a day full of gags as tech brands try to outdo one another. Google in particular likes to go all-out on this day, and while the search giant has created some truly memorable gags over the years — like the Google Gnome — but there was also the infamous mic drop.

Without further ado, here are the best and worst April Fools' Day tech gags of 2019.

Play Snake within Google Maps

Once again, Google is kicking things off with a new feature coming to Maps. Starting today, you'll be able to play Snake from within Google Maps, and you can choose from a variety of cities:

Google Maps shows you how to get around on foot, car, train and bicycle, and now, you can ssslither to your destination too. Starting today, you can play a twist on the snake game in different locations across the world—including Cairo, London, San Francisco, São Paulo, Sydney and Tokyo–right from Google Maps.

To get started, launch Google Maps, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines on the top left), and hit the Play Snake button. If you don't see the feature just yet, wait for the clock to switch over to April 1 in your timezone. Google also has a dedicated website for Snake that will continue to be active "long after April Foolsss is over."

Google's Files app now cleans your phone inside and out

Files by Google does a great job removing unused apps and clutter from your device's internal storage, but what about the outside of your phone? Google is introducing a new screen cleaner feature that will "wash away smudges and polish your screen." Google says screen cleaner uses the "smudge detector API" to identify imperfections using geometric dirt models and a haptic micromovement generator.

Google Assistant now speaks Tulipish

Google Assistant is picking up a new feature that allows it to talk to plants. Dubbed Neural Machine Translation, the technology allows Assistant to understand the language of plants and translate it to human languages. Google is making the tech accessible with the Google Tulip, a smart home device that lets you talk to plants.

The ability to speak with tulips comes with great environmental and societal benefits. Tulips now have a way to indicate to humans that they're in need of water, light or simply some more space. As their needs are expressed more clearly, they are able to live a happier and healthier life.

Socially, it turns out that plants, and particularly tulips, are very chatty, and make for great friends. Tulips are excellent listeners and when listened to carefully, give sound advice.

You can also ask Assistant on your phone or Google Home to talk Tulipish by saying, "Hey Google, talk to my tulip."

OnePlus teases latest upcoming collaboration with McLaren

Coming soon. pic.twitter.com/0Kn0ozIjYh
— OnePlus (@oneplus) March 29, 2019

OnePlus partnered with McLaren over a limited edition 6T, and now the Chinese manufacturer is all set to roll out its latest collaboration. This one probably won't come under $1,000 though.

Get your groove on with Spotify's Discocover Weekly

Is your Discover Weekly playlist a bit off this week? You're not alone, as Spotify's weekly playlist is getting a disco makeover for April Fools' Day. The streaming service even changed the name to Discocover Weekly, which I didn't notice the first time.

Meet R.O.N., NVIDIA's AI-powered holographic assistant

The future of PC gaming is here, and it involves an AI-powered holographic assistant. NVIDIA's R.O.N. AI assistant optimizes your games, keeps you up to date on the latest gaming news, and coach you through your gameplay. R.O.N. also uses cutting-edge tech like RageConverter and TrollDestroyer to help you in challenging gaming situations:

Have anger issues? R.O.N. uses all-new adaptive RageConverter technology to translate any questionable language into supportive messages for your team. You'll avoid punishment, see better squad performance, and appear cool and collected in even the most challenging gaming situations.

Haters got you feeling down on Reddit or Twitch? Don't stress. Just enable R.O.N.'s cutting-edge TrollDestroyer capabilities to effortlessly wear down their stamina with a limitless supply of AI arguments, backed up by the endless wealth of information available on the Internet.

Never speak to your friends again with Razer Ping

Talking in real life is inefficient and requires too much focus, so Razer is rolling out a new service called Razer Ping that makes it easier to communicate:

Talking's for chumps–you say it best, when you say nothing at all. Why flap your gums when you could be taking names? Kill leaders make the most out of every second they have, and by using Razer Ping!, you can increase your productivity by an average of 1337%–according to math.

Simply point your camera at any object and Razer Ping! will contextualize it into a notification sent to users in the vicinity, or to selected friends.

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Sony restructures mobile unit, shuts down manufacturing plant in China

Sony is consolidating its business units into a new Electronics Products & Solutions division.

It's no secret that Sony hasn't fared well in the mobile space for a few years. Sony tried to stem the losses by pulling out of the budget segment and switching focus to the premium segment, but that hasn't been enough. According to Reuters, Sony's mobile business recorded a loss of $863 million in 2018, selling just 6.5 million phones over the year.

To put things into context, Huawei announced last week that it netted $52 billion from its consumer business in 2018, with the manufacturer recording an overall revenue of $107 billion. Sony, meanwhile, now has a global market share just under 1%, and the company is shutting down a major production facility in Beijing.

Going forward, Sony will rely on its Thailand manufacturing facility for phones, and the company is adamant that it will not sell off the mobile unit. Sony will once again trim its workforce, this time by a projected 50%, leading to 2,000 cuts. The goal for Sony is reducing overhead as it tries to become profitable in the mobile space.

To that effect, Sony is consolidating multiple businesses into a single unit, with the Imaging Products & Solutions, Home Entertainment & Sound, and Mobile Communications businesses merging to form the Electronics Products & Solutions unit.

Shigeki Ishizuka — who ran the imaging unit — will now oversee the Electronics Products & Solutions business. The change is set to go into effect starting April 1, and Sony is projecting that its restructuring efforts will make the mobile business profitable by April 2020. We've heard similar projections in the past, and Sony is now running out of time to turn its fortunes around.

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Keep a close eye on the tips for your Galaxy Buds

Best answer: If you need to get replacement tips and rings for the Galaxy Buds, you will need to reach out to Samsung's support. The company currently does not offer replacements for purchase on its storefront or Amazon.

The Headphones: Samsung Galaxy Buds ($130 at Amazon)

Customer Service, here we come

The Samsung Galaxy Buds have been out for a few weeks at this point, and these are some of the most impressive truly-wireless earbuds on the market. Not only do you get a great fit with the earbuds and wing tips, but Samsung also introduced PowerShare to use your smartphone to charge the Galaxy Buds.

Speaking of those earbuds and wing tips, this is a rather interesting design in order to keep the Buds actually in your ears, regardless of what you are doing. However, there is a slight issue if you ever need to replace the ear, or wing, tips. Unlike the Samsung Gear Icon X (2018), you cannot purchase replacement tips for the Galaxy Buds through Samsung's online storefront.

Instead, you will need to reach out to Samsung Support, in order to order a new set of replacement tips for your Galaxy Buds. This is rather frustrating, but as is the case with new products, this could change in the future. One big proponent of supporting different headphone tips is Comply Foam, but this company does not yet have an option for the new Galaxy Buds.

Super Buds

Samsung Galaxy Buds

$130 at Amazon

The Galaxy Buds could end up being the best headphones of 2019.

Samsung's new Galaxy Buds may be just a slight change over its predecessor on paper, but Samsung has done its homework and improved many of the qualms users had, especially when it comes to keeping these buds in your ears during workouts or strenuous activities.

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The Netgear Orbi Pro AC3000 Mesh Wi-Fi System 2-pack has hit its best price

The Netgear Orbi Pro AC3000 Mesh Wi-Fi System 2-pack typically sells for $500, but right now Amazon is selling it for $389.99. This deal brings the system down to its best price yet and beats the previous low by $10.

All The Wife Eyes

Netgear Orbi Pro AC3000 Mesh Wi-Fi System 2-Pack

If you need strong, seamless, easy-to-use Wi-Fi, look no further. For work or for play, this system has you covered.

$389.99 $499.99 $110 Off

See at Amazon

This tri-band system is designed with businesses in mind, though you could use it in your home if you were so inclined. It blankets a location in Wi-Fi, up to 5,000 square feet, and it's easy to use since it works with your existing Internet service. You can also separate traffic, like making one network for your employees and one network for guests. Each unit can handle up to 40 connections, meaning your speeds won't be compromised, even if you throw the party of the century.

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Improve your home theater with $200 off the Bose SoundTouch 300 Soundbar

Amazon is offering the Bose SoundTouch 300 Soundbar for $499 today, which saves you $200 off the usual price. Today's deal marks the first and best price drop we've ever seen for this product.

Turn the volume up

Bose SoundTouch 300 Soundbar

Nab the best price in history and vastly improve sound quality in the process.

$499 $699 $200 Off

See at Amazon

This soundbar features HDMI connectivity with 4K pass-through. You can also use Bluetooth with NFC pairing and Wi-Fi to stream your music. Enjoy the look of the glass and metal grille, and let the soundbar do the hard work for you thanks to the adapted audio room calibration. You can even use this with voice control by pairing your Alexa device.

If you ever want to modify the sound, add a bass module or surround speakers to your setup.

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The best microSD cards for Android

A microSD card lets you easily move your files, photos, and music from device to device without having to rely on steady Wi-Fi or costly data. It also helps if you like to load your phone up with apps, music and movies. These are the best microSD cards you can buy for your Android phone.

All-around winner

Samsung EVO Select

Staff Pick

Samsung's high-performance EVO Select is the perfect blend of fast read and write speeds (100MB/s and 90MB/s, respectively) and affordability. This card comes with a full-size SD adapter, and its high class means it can handle all types of media, including 4K video.

$40 at Amazon

Speed demon

Lexar Professional 1000x

If speed is of utmost importance to you because you're constantly shooting high-def video or whatever, then this is the card you want. It has transfer speeds of up to 150MB/s, meaning it can hand 4K and even 3D video, as well as all the high-res images and music you can throw at it. It's pricey for a 64 GB card, but worth it for performance alone.

$34 at Amazon

Solid performance

SanDisk Extreme

The SanDisk Extreme has blazing fast read speeds of up to 160MB/s (in certain scenarios) and write speeds of up to 90MB/s, capable of handling 4K video, high-res photos, and large files without issue.

$30 at Amazon

Budget pick

Silicon Power Elite

If simple storage is what you need and price is your biggest motivator, then the Silicon Power Elite card should be enough. It's still a Class 10 card, so it can handle HD video (albeit somewhat slowly), but the best thing about it is that you can get a 128GB version for fairly cheap.

$18 at Amazon

SanDisk silver medal

SanDisk Ultra

SanDisk's Ultra series isn't as high-performance as the Extreme, but its 100MB/s transfer speeds are still adequate. Since this is a U1 class card, it can't really handle 4K video expediently, but 1080p is more than fine.

$32 at Amazon

Also great

Samsung EVO

Affordable and with solid performance, the Samsung EVO card is perfect for the casual users who just want to store their physical music and some files. It has read speeds of up to 100MB/s and write speeds of up to 60MB/s, with Samsung's 10-year warranty in case anything goes wrong.

$15 at Amazon

Your Android phone's onboard storage may be enough for you, but if you want to easily take music, photos, videos, and files from phone to phone with you, then a microSD card is a great option. And if you regularly fill up your phone's storage with apps, a card can help take some of that weight. For all intents and purposes, the Samsung EVO Select is the best microSD card for most people.

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Don't attribute to malice what can be explained by stupidity [#acpodcast]

Daniel Bader, Andrew Martonik, and Alex Dobie begin the episode by looking at credit cards and gaming subscriptions through the lens of Apple Card and Apple Arcade. At face value, Apple Card seems to be 'best of the worst' and an interesting adjunct to mobile payments. And what could be learned from Apple Arcade when it comes to games and the Google Play Store?

They also look at instances where phone makers are 'mistakenly' sending user data to servers in China, and a recent report that cites significant security flaws in Huawei devices.

With Huawei remaining in the spotlight, the main event this week is discussion of the new P30 and P30 Pro. They offer unique camera experiences and tremendous overall value. Turns out, they're also phones!

Listen now

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Show Notes and Links:

Sponsors:

Thrifter.com: All the best deals from Amazon, Best Buy, and more, fussily curated and constantly updated.

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Master Six Sigma and prep for key certification exams for just $69!

Few careers are more exciting and lucrative than those that reside under the umbrella of project management. Companies large and small are scrambling to hire talented and trained project leaders who can inspire teams and exceed goals, and they're paying these productivity pros handsomely for their services.

The Complete Six Sigma Green & Black Belt Training Bundle will help you earn some of the industry's most valuable certifications, and thanks to Android Central Digital Offers, the entire bundle is available for 98 percent off the regular price of $2,075. That brings the total cost down to just $69!

The first module prepares you for your Six Sigma Green Belt certification, through instruction that focuses on everything from cost management and opportunity expansion to customer service tricks and cutting waste from a project.

Next, you'll prepare for your Six Sigma Black Belt certification with instruction that will help you streamline the budget for any project, inspire teams to exceed their goals, build powerful analytical tools, and much more.

And all of the course material utilizes hands-on exercises and real-world examples so you won't get left behind during your training.

Master Six Sigma and prep for key certification exams for just $69! Learn more

Get the skills and certifications you need in order to become an in-demand project manager with the Complete Six Sigma Green & Black Belt Training Bundle for just $30, 98 percent off its usual price.

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Store your data on this discounted Toshiba Canvio 2TB portable hard drive

The Toshiba Canvio Advance 2TB portable hard drive is down to $51.99 on Amazon. That price is about $13 off what this hard drive normally goes for and a brand new low. The deal is only applicable to the white model. You can also get the 1TB version at a substantial discount today.

Take it with you

Toshiba Canvio Advance 3TB Portable Hard Drive

This portable hard drive looks as good as it performs. Keep in mind that the discount isn't around for long!

$51.99 $64.99 $13 Off

See at Amazon

This is a USB 3.0 hard drive with a sleek, compact design and a high-gloss finish. It's easy to use and requires no additional software — just plug it into your computer's USB port and you're good to go. The drive comes formatted for Windows computers and will work with Windows 7 and up. It can work with Mac as well but will need reformatting first.

There are optional free downloads of Toshiba Storage Backup software to easily back up your content and schedule your backup to run automatically as well as Toshiba Storage Security software to help prevent unauthorized access to your data with a password lock feature if you want to use either of those.

Users give it 4.3 stars based on over 3,700 reviews and it is backed by a two-year warranty from Toshiba.

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The Galaxy Watch Active is a visual upgrade from the Gear Fit2 Pro

Best answer: Purely from an activity tracking perspective, the Gear Fit2 Pro is still a great fitness band and the Galaxy Watch Active isn't dramatically better. But if you want that tracking to happen on a larger screen that's easier to use and in a form factor that's a bit more traditional, this is a nice upgrade.

Switch to smartwatch: Galaxy Watch Active ($200 at Amazon)

The Galaxy Watch Active improves on the Fit2 Pro

Since the Gear Fit2 Pro was released, Samsung has realized there's room in its wearable lineup for something in between the fitness band and a full-fledged smartwatch like the Galaxy Watch. Not everyone wants a big smartwatch, but at the same time a "fitness band" type device can feel a bit restricting with a small rectangular screen and limited functionality beyond activity tracking.

The capabilities don't change much, but a larger screen and new design could be just what you're looking for.

The Galaxy Watch Active is a good attempt at fitting that middle ground, although it skews a bit more toward the fitness band side than the smartwatch side. But that can make it an appealing option for someone who likes their Gear Fit2 Pro (or standard Fit2) but wants a different form factor. Fitness bands are great because they're small and light so they don't get in the way of your workout, but they don't look particularly good if you're trying to wear it with nicer clothes. Nor does it really jive with wearing a mechanical watch at the same time. The Galaxy Watch Active provides a nice compromise in that it's still relatively small and light for a smartwatch, meaning it won't be cumbersome for a workout, but has that shape and form factor of a watch so it can blend in with a wider variety of attire.

You don't lose anything, but the gains are pretty niche and that makes a $200 purchase tougher.

The Galaxy Watch Active has new software that adds a few extra features — like stress monitoring and breathing exercises — and refreshed interface with better information density compared to the Fit2 Pro, but its core tracking capabilities are effectively the same as the fitness band. That's a good thing overall, but may be underwhelming if you were expecting to get a new device that has altogether new features. Even though the Fit2 and Fit2 Pro are relatively old, they are still very capable in today's fitness tracker market.

So it's pretty simple. If you like the capabilities of your Gear Fit2 Pro but feel restricted by its screen size and shape, the Galaxy Watch Active is a very appealing upgrade. It gives you everything you have now in terms of features, plus a few extras, and a larger screen to see and interact with. It also is shaped like a regular watch, so it doesn't have to stand out quite as much as a dedicated fitness device.

Do more

Galaxy Watch Active

$200 at Amazon

The same core fitness tracking you know, in a watch casing with upgraded software.

As a fitness tracker, the Galaxy Watch Active isn't dramatically better or any more feature-filled than the Gear Fit2 Pro. But it has the distinct advantage of having a larger, circular screen that's easier to read and touch, while being in a more traditional watch shape that's easier to wear while fitting a wider variety of clothing and occasions.

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Upgrade your tech with 24% off the SanDisk 256GB Extreme MicroSD Card

The SanDisk 256GB Extreme MicroSD Card has fallen in price from $69 down to $52.99 at Amazon. This deal is good for one day only, so don't miss out if you're interested. We've never seen it drop lower in price before.

Small but mighty

SanDisk 256GB Extreme MicroSD Card

Whether you're adding storage to your phone or your tablet, your action camera or your console, good luck finding a better deal on a microSD card this rugged. The sale ends tonight, so don't miss out!

$52.99 $69 24% Off

See at Amazon

This well-rated microSD card features read speeds up to 160MB/s and write speeds up to 90MB/s. The card is thoroughly tested and built to withstand harsh conditions. You can easily store 256GB of your personal files, favorite movies, music, videos, and more on it. It comes with a full-sized SD card adapter, so you can use it in a laptop or digital camera with ease, and the card can easily record all of your adventures in stunning 4K without a problem.

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Sunday's top deals: Mr. Beams lights, storage gear, & more

It's been a long week, so why not treat yourself to one of these awesome deals? You deserve it.

Secured files

World Backup Day discounts

Having your data stored in the cloud is great, but can also be expensive, and if the company has a failure you risk losing it all. Keep local copies of your most important files for less with today's big sale.

Various Prices

See at Amazon

We've seen some random groupings of items in the past, but this one is a little weirder than usual, we'll admit. It's full of great products, though, from Belkin, Wemo, and Linksys. Whether you're looking to improve your Wi-Fi at home, or want to make your home a little smarter than it currently is, these deals make it far more affordable to do just that.

Once you've upgraded your home, it's time to check out the rest of today's deals.

Light it up

Mr. Beams Lighting Products

Whether you need an SD card for your camera, flash drive for your computer, or a microSD card for your action camera, tablet, or phone, today's sale on PNY products is one you'll want to take advantage of.

From $8 at Amazon

Secure browsing

Express VPN 12-Month Subscription

ExpressVPN is a highly-rated VPN service with an excellent feature-set such as over 3,000 servers around the globe, no activity logs or connection logs, a built-in speed test so you get the fastest connection, unlimited bandwidth, and 256-bit data encryption. Right now, you can save $55 by just paying for the year upfront.

$99.95 at ExpressVPN

Better Wi-Fi

TP-Link Smart WiFi Router

You'll need to clip the $10 off on-page offer to save the full amount here, but if you're tired of your existing router, let today be your time to upgrade. It has Alexa compatibility, parental controls and so much more.

$46.99 at Amazon

Time to upgrade

Apple Watch series 3

You can save $80 on an Apple Watch Series 3 at Amazon right now. The 38mm size is down to only $199 — the lowest we've ever seen it go. If you want the 42mm version, you can get it for just $30 more. Apple Watch Series 3 tracks your health and fitness with its precise sensors, has built-in GPS for workouts and is water resistant. You'll get the notifications you want from your iPhone right on your wrist, too.

From $199 at Amazon

Blast the sound

Oontz Angle 3 waterproof portable Bluetooth speaker

The black Oontz Angle 3 enhanced stereo edition waterproof portable Bluetooth speaker is down to $20.99 when you clip the $4 off on-page coupon. This speaker normally sells for around $28, but it's currently down to around $25 without the coupon. There are a lot of Oontz speakers, but this one has enhanced stereo functionality for a greater clarity of sound with dual-precision acoustic drivers.

$20.99 at Amazon

Smarten up

Amazon Echo (2nd Genration) + Smart Plug

Kickstart your smart home with an Amazon Echo and Smart Plug bundle. Buying the two together saves you $10 off their individual costs. You'll be able to voice control whatever's plugged into Smart Plug and Alexa Skills allow you to get answers to questions, convert measurements, catch up on the news, control your other smart home gear, request an Uber, order a pizza, and much more.

$114.98 at Amazon

This is just a small sampling of the deals that the Thrifter team has uncovered today. If you want to keep up with everything that the crew is uncovering, be sure to follow Thrifter on Twitter and sign up for the daily deals newsletter so you never miss out on anything!

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The Spigen Ultra Hybrid is one of the best Galaxy S10 clear cases

Just buy it already.

Before we start this review, I'll go ahead and say that clear cases usually aren't my jam. There's nothing inherently wrong with them, it's just never been a case style that I've been particularly drawn to. There are a lot of people that'd disagree with me, however, and for them, the Spigen Ultra Hybrid is one of the best Galaxy S10 cases out there.

It has a wonderful fit and finish, doesn't obstruct any of the S10's design, and comes in at a price I think most people will be happy with.

Want more info? Here's the full review.

Clearly great

Spigen Ultra Hybrid

From $12 at Amazon

An affordable clear case with great protection.

Clear cases aren't the most exciting accessory, but for protecting your phone while still showing off its natural design, they're a necessity. One of the best you can get for the S10 is the Spigen Ultra Hybrid. It has a relatively slim profile, tactile button covers, and provides reliable 360-degree coverage from unwanted damage.

Pros

Raised edges protect the display
Tactile button covers
Slim profile
Adds a lot of extra grip
Works with wireless charging

Cons

The back gets dirty
Sometimes tricky to get on/off

Spigen Ultra Hybrid for Galaxy S10 What I like

Spigen makes some of the best cases on the market, so it shouldn't come as any surprise that the company's years of experience shine through with the Ultra Hybrid.

The case is incredibly well-built, featuring a rigid frame to keep the S10 safe, button covers that feel great to press, and precise cutouts with some extra wiggle room for the USB-C port and 3.5mm headphone jack to ensure all of your accessories work properly.

The "hybrid" name is here because the Ultra Hybrid is made out of two materials — a TPU bumper and a hard PC back. This results in the case offering great protection from drops and falls and incredible grip to give you a more secure hold on the phone. Around front, the edges are raised ever so slightly over the screen to keep it safe from scratches/cracks.

A few other things the Ultra Hybrid gets right:

It's not the thinnest case around, but considering the level of protection you're getting, it's a good, slim profile.
Wireless charging, including the S10's WirelessPower Share feature, works just fine with the case on.
Along with the Crystal Clear color pictured in this review, there's also a Matte Black variant which adds a black accent to the frame and around the camera cutout.
For $12 or $13 depending on which color you get, the Ultra Hybrid is easy on the wallet.

Spigen Ultra Hybrid for Galaxy S10 What I don't like

I like just about everything that the Spigen Ultra Hybrid sets out to do, but there are a couple of small complaints that I have.

This isn't anything new, but since the Ultra Hybrid is a clear case, expect to get fingerprint smudges on the back as you use it throughout the day. I will say that they're not super noticeable on the Flamingo Pink Galaxy S10 I'm using, but you will need to wipe it off every now and then to keep it looking clean.

And, if I want to get real nit-picky, the Ultra Hybrid isn't always the easiest to take on and off. This is due to the rigidness of the case's frame, but you need that rigidity there to get the level of protection it offers.

Spigen Ultra Hybrid for Galaxy S10 Should you buy it?

If you like clear cases and know you want one for the Galaxy S10, this is one of the best options you'll find.

Spigen's proven time and time again that it's one of the best brands in the case business, and the Ultra Hybrid for the S10 is further proof of just that. It's built well, offers more than enough protection, and does all of this while still allowing you to show off your S10's design to the world.

4.5 out of 5

So long as you're OK wiping off the back from time to time, I think you'll be really happy with it.

From $12 at Amazon

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Build your own game with Dreams for PS4

Let your imagination run wild in Dreams.

You don't need a degree or several years of schooling to start creating video games right now. Thanks to the tools at your disposal through developers like Media Molecule, you can create your own games simply by owning a PlayStation 4 and having an active imagination. Dreams intends to break down the barrier of what once seemed impossible without devoting years of your life to school and make it accessible to nearly everyone.

What is Dreams?

The better question—and one that's harder to answer—is what isn't Dreams? Because of the nature of the game, Dreams can practically be anything you want it to be. Atmospheric stealth game? You got it. Action-adventure? You can do that, too. Just want to build a quaint, little town? Sure, why not? Similar to Minecraft but with much more versatility, Dreams throws players into an open sandbox where they are given the tools to create whatever they want.

Think of it like Microsoft's Project Spark but for PlayStation 4.

Can I really create anything?

Pretty much. You're only limited by your imagination. Players have already recreated iconic games in Dreams like Dead Space along with Cuphead, Zelda, Mario, and more. They aren't exact recreations, as certain gameplay elements and AI behavior can be difficult to emulate, but they are damn close for the tools you have available to create them.

So what's the goal?

Media Molecule does have a story mode for Dreams in mind that contains three intertwining stories in three different genres (noir, puzzle-platforming, and action/sci-fi), giving players a taste of what they may be able to create themselves. These three stories are all the dreams of a man named Art, tying everything together in one larger narrative.

The focus of the game, however, is user-created content. You, in this case, create your own goals.

How will Early Access on PlayStation 4 work?

Starting in April, anyone with a PS4 can go download Dreams Early Access from the PlayStation Store. Only those within the United States, Canada, and European territories will be able to do so, but those who do opt for Early Access will receive access to the full version upon release, and their data will carry over.

Dreams Early Access will not feature everything from the final release, such as the story mode, but it will contain "our full tool set for creating, our interactive tutorials and arcade games, templates and additional content created by Media Molecule and access to what you, the Community, made during our Dreams Creator Beta," according to the developer.

The developer notes that there is a cap to how many people will be allowed into Dreams Early Access, so if you are interested, it's best to purchase it as early as you can. Media Molecule did not state what the player cap is, but just said it's a "big limit."

What about VR support?

Dreams VR will not be a part of its Early Access period, but Media Molecule promises that it still has VR plans for the full game.

When can I play it?

A full release date has not been revealed, but Sony did just announce that Early Access for PlayStation 4 users would begin on April 16, 2019.

It will be available for $30 on the PlayStation Store, but unfortunately you cannot pre-order Early Access titles. You'll need to wait until April 16 to download it.

PlayStation 4

Amazon

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