Saturday, April 1, 2017

Defy death as you battle your way through Pixel Dungeon! [Best games from the AC community]

We want to know what games you're playing!

Updated April 1: We're going all-in on RPGs in this week's edition. Check out Pixel Dungeon, The Walking Dead No Man's Land, and Mage Gauntlet!

What games are you playing on your Android phones or tablets? We want to know!

We've started a thread in the AC Forums as a place to share your opinions on games you think more people should be playing. Look out for posts by me (Marc Lagace) and say hello! You can also comment below!

Submit your gaming reviews and opinions!

Pixel Dungeon

Kicking off this week's theme of more RPG greatness is Pixel Dungeon. Recommended by DaHui623 in the forums, this is a roguelike RPG where staying alive is the name of the game. That means you'll get to explore randomly generated levels with an unrelenting level of difficulty punctuated by permanent death.

To start, you choose between three character classes — Warrior, Mage, and Rogue — which each have unique strengths and weaknesses. Find the one that works best with your play style and see how far you can make it! You unlock a fourth class, the Huntress, once you've defeated the third boss in a run.

Your character always remains in the center of the screen, and controls are simple — tap where you want to move in the dungeon and the whole screen shifts to that spot. when you come across an enemy, again you simply tap to attack — but be careful, because if you die you start over from scratch!

Pixel Dungeon is absolutely free and open source software. If you love it, there's an in-app option to send the developers a donation.

Download: Pixel Dungeon (Free w/IAPs)

Mage Gauntlet

Last week's post was anchored by Wayward Souls, a fantastic game that I've really fallen in love with (in no small part thanks to finding a puppy sidekick in one of my playthroughs), but priced at $7.99, it might not be for everyone.

That's why ZoneofJhay recommended Wayward Soul's "little brother", Mage Gauntlet. Developed and published by the same companies as Wayward Souls, Mage Gauntlet is another classic-style action-RPG in the same vein as Legend of Zelda: Link To The Past. The developers describe it as a "fast-paced RPG that doesn't waste your time with fetch quests."

The game features 84 levels to play through split between the two difficulty modes, and is built around a quick levelling and stats system that lets you fully customize your characters. Like Wayward Souls, this game is all about skill and playing to your character's strengths and weaknesses. There are 110 different hats to unlock and collect, as well as 19 pets (YES!) that will follow you around and help you out along your way.

If you passed on Wayward Souls because of the steep price, check out Mage Gauntlet instead!

Download: Mage Gauntlet ($1.99)

The Walking Dead No Man's Land

Keeping on the RPG-theme, 2Peks1Bird recommends The Walking Dead No Man's Land.

Based on the wildly popular AMC drama about zombies (like you didn't already know that), No Man's Land is an action-packed RPG where, just like in the show, the choices you make may lead to dire consequences. Combat is turn-based, as you strategically fight against hordes of walkers through the Terminus, The Prison, and other locations that fans will be familiar with.

Graphics look sharp and, despite the freemium mechanics at play here, you shouldn't have to spend much (or any) money to enjoy the strategic levels. The Walking Dead is wrapping up it's seventh season Sunday, April 2 so there's a bunch of new content — including new challenge maps, heroes, and weapons — being introduced in the coming weeks.

Download: The Walking Dead No Man's Land (Free w/IAPs)

What are you playing?

We want to know what Android games you're playing — even if you're still addicted to Candy Crush or Clash of Clans. Let us know in the comments below or you can join the conversation in our recently revamped forums!

Submit your gaming reviews and opinions!

Android Gaming



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Learn how to Code and Create with your Raspberry Pi for just $19

The Raspberry Pi 3 is an amazingly low cost, mini-computer that can be used in so many incredible projects, from homemade arcade cabinets, robotics, home automation, or simply as a micro-sized computer. But to truly get the most out of the Raspberry Pi, you'll want to learn about everything you can tweak and customize, along with picking up some coding skills, familiarity with Linux, and starting an internet-connected or robotics-based project.

Get The Complete Raspberry Pi 3 Training Bundle for only $19! Learn More

You need The Complete Raspberry Pi 3 Training Bundle, offered to you for a steep discount by Windows Central Digital Offers. The bundle includes everything you need to hit the ground running with your Raspberry Pi 3.

For only $19, you'll get access to six valuable online courses that will teach you the essentials — from installing a different operating system to using your Raspberry Pi as a web server — to more technical projects like testing network security, homemade robotics, and even creating a Beowulf Cluster of linked Raspberry Pi for maximum computing power and parallel programming.

Get The Complete Raspberry Pi 3 Training Bundle for only $19! Learn More

This could be the start of a great new hobby, or even jumpstart a career in the tech field — it all depends on your willingness to learn and experiment.

To be clear, this bundle DOES NOT include the Raspberry Pi itself, but fortunately they are very cheap and readily available online and also available as part of a handy starter kit. From there, all you need to get started is this great bundle of online courses.



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Samsung's Orchid Gray Galaxy S8 is a sign of more beautiful things to come

Android smartphones are entering a design renaissance. The color of the chassis is just the beginning of it.

It was wonderful to see Samsung adopt a fresh new color for the Galaxy S8 and S8+. The color is called Orchid Gray and it's a lilac-hued pastel that's unlike the shiny golds and reflective silver-covered phone bodies we've seen proliferating throughout the industry. This is no girly rose-gold either — Orchid Gray is indubitably gender neutral, which is exactly the way smartphone design should be.

It's nice to see that the Orchid Gray version isn't specifically being targeted at women.

The Galaxy S8 and S8+ are merely following a trend, however. The HTC U Ultra, released a few months ago, is a stunning smartphone in its own right. Its hardware is not particularly spectacular when compared to the competition, but the blue variant is almost worth owning just to display on a mantel. The reimagined LG G6is also fab in its own rugged and metrosexual manner, and we've been watching Chinese smartphone brands attempt to set a stylish precedent overseas for quite some time.

We're entering into a bona fide Android smartphone renaissance, where the smartphone in your hand is not just a utility, but an expression of your individualized self. And every premium Android manufacturer wants to show off what it can do.

Why the Galaxy S8 in Orchid Gray is so great

For the past several years, typical smartphone colors have been black, white, and gray. If you were lucky, you wielded a gold phone because you held out for one. Or you're me, and you skimped out on storage space because you wanted to be one of the first people with a really blue Pixel XL.

Orchid Gray isn't a special edition color. It's part of the main lineup, though I imagine it will be sold in limited quantities compared to the other color offerings — the same way the pink (LG G5)[/lg-g5] was hard to find, for instance, or the aforementioned blue Pixel XL. The Orchid Gray is particularly outstanding because it is different from the status quo, much like the blue Pixel stands out when everyone else is holding an iPhone.

Smartphone design is still prone to stereotypes, too, so it's nice to see that the Orchid Gray isn't being marketed as meant for women, though its hue is malleable enough that it could be if you wanted it to. For instance, guys with a stylish side who typically wear lighter colors could choose this variant of the Galaxy S8 so it matches their trendy threads, while gals with a wild neon side could choose it to keep the color flowing (though I personally think the Arctic Silver variant would be more fitting).

There are a couple of other special edition colors coming to market, including Coral Blue, which was first introduced on the Note 7, and Maple Gold. These extra colors feel like collector's items, and it makes me want to scope them out just so that I could be one of the few people with one in my hand. And that's the point, isn't it?

Which color Galaxy S8 should I buy?

What's next?

There's no doubt that the Galaxy S8 and S8+ are a boon to smartphone design. Look at the symmetrical curvature of the chassis; the way the screen flows into the itty bit of bezel that exists. It's certainly a work of art, one that's ergonomic and comfortable to hold, despite the fact that the fingerprint sensor might be a little too high for some fingers. What's next? Is it the eventual elimination of the bezel in its entirety?

The latter half of the year will hopefully help answer that as sales reports start trickling in. I'll be curious to see if Samsung's design prowess can keep it floating at the top of the smartphone charts and whether the stylish precedent set by the Galaxy Note 7 was enough to keep people interested.

The Orchid Gray is particularly outstanding because it is different from the status quo, much like the blue Pixel stands out when everyone else is holding an iPhone.

I can't help but wonder if all this design innovation is done in vein, though. Look at the iPhone: despite its relatively unchanged chassis, people continue to buy the iPhone because they know what they're getting with every model. They trust that Apple has at least marginally improved each generation compare its predecessor, enough for them to justify to upgrade — even if that upgrade means no headphone jack. When will Android users be able to rely on that sort of consistency? At least with the Galaxy series, it looks like the answer is 'Yes'.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+

Verizon AT&T T-Mobile Sprint



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Galaxy S7 review re-do: Old hotness

Samsung's Galaxy S8 is primed to be one of the biggest phones of the year. But at prices that reach all the way up to $850, you'd be forgiven for wanting to wait on it. That means its a good time to look at one of the hottest phones of last year, the Galaxy S7. Is it still worth putting down your hard-earned dollars for last year's leftovers?

I'm Michael Fisher, secret agent code name MrMobile, and I've spent a ton of time with the Galaxy S7. In fact, almost every handheld shot in the MrMobile YouTube library came courtesy of the Galaxy S7 edge mounted to a gyro, so you could say I know the S7 better than most phones in my library. So if you're stuck firmly on the fence when it comes to the big Galaxy S8 vs Galaxy S7 question, let's try to figure it out together. Watch MrMobile's Galaxy S7 review re-do!

Still unsure after that scintillating video? Hit up Android Central's coverage of the Galaxy S7. And don't forget to check out their coverage of the Galaxy S8 for all of the latest news!

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Understanding 'Assistant' in Google Photos and what it can do for you

There's lots to wrap your head around in Google Photos, but the new Assistant feature is here to help.

Whether you want to check up on the status of your photo backups, see the Creations that Google Photos has made for you, or be alerted of space to be freed up on your device, Assistant is the place to go. It's just a tap, swipe, or click away from your photo library, and it'll keep you in the loop with what's going on in the Google Photos world.

It's like an all-in-one notification center for everything that's happening with your photos, and it's quite useful. Here's how you use it.

What's Google Photos Assistant?

If you just opened up Google Photos for the first time and got straight into viewing photos, you may have missed the Assistant area. You'll find the menu in the slide-in left panel of the Google Photos app or website or by simply swiping to the right across the main gallery view.

The Assistant is appropriately named, as it's the one place where you'll get updates about what's happening with your Google Photos library. You'll get Google Now-like cards that show when photos are being backed up, whether the phone is waiting to charge before uploading, and when new "Creations" (formerly known as Auto Awesomes) are available to view and act on. You can even get notified when your device is running low on internal storage and with a single tap clear out local versions of photos that have already been backed up to Google Photos.

Cards will each offer you different actions, but in general they'll be pretty basic — either act on the item with a tap on the function at the bottom, or swipe away the card to dismiss it. Some notifications in Assistant such as a battery upload warning can't be swiped away but will clear on their own once the function has been completed.

How to view Assistant notifications

  1. Open Google Photos.

  2. Tap on the plus icon at the bottom left of your screen to open Assistant. Here you will see cards with new creations, and other notifications.

How to enable Google Photos notifications

  1. Open Google Photos.
  2. Tap the overflow button in the upper left corner of your screen. It looks like three stacked lines.
  3. Tap on the gear icon to open settings.

  4. Scroll down and tap on the toggle to turn notifications on or off.

How to disable Assistant cards

  1. Open Google Photos.
  2. Tap the overflow button in the upper left corner of your screen. It looks like three stacked lines.

  3. Tap on the gear icon to open settings.

  4. Tap on Assistant cards.

  5. Tap on the toggle to disable the type of Assistant card you don't want to see anymore.

With Assistant at the ready, you'll never be left out of what's happening in your Google Photos library.

Questions?

Let us know in the comments below.



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Grab TYLT's fast wireless charging pad for $48.85 today

Wireless charging is great, but no one wants to sacrifice speed to not deal with wires. TYLT's VU Blade fast charging pad is a great option to still charge quickly and today you can pick one up for just $48.85.



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Where to buy the Huawei P10 + P10 Plus in the UK

Huawei's latest flagship phone is available to pre-order in the UK!

The P10 is Huawei's best mainstream flagship yet, available in 5.1- and 5.5-inch flavors. It packs Huawei's latest Kirin 960 processor, up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage (in the P10 Plus), and the company's best Leica-branded camera yet. (Check out our review for more on what's great — and not so great — about the phones.) The street date for all P10 models in the UK is March 31, but we're already seeing pre-order links cropping up at some of the major operators.

Huawei P10

EE has the P10 in black and silver, with plans starting at £40.99 per month for a 5GB/60Mbps data bucket. For EE's fastest speeds, you'll need to step up to the £45.99 per month, 15GB plan.

See at EE

Vodafone has a wide range of plans going all the way up to 30GB at the high end, which will set you back £48 per month, with a £10 upfront charge for the phone. That's bundled with unlimited calls and texts, 4GB of roaming data, and a free Spotify, Sky Sports Mobile or NowTV subscription. A similar deal at £42 gets you all of the above, but with 24GB of UK data and 2GB roaming.

See at Vodafone

Carphone Warehouse is offering the P10 in black and gold, and right now it's the only outlet listing a SIM-free price for the P10 — £569.99. As always, Carphone has a wide range of plans across various operators; in the case of the P10, it's Vodafone, EE and O2. The cheapest price plans for an almost-free P10 include a £48 per month, 10GB deal on O2 (£29.99 upfront).

See at Carphone Warehouse

O2 has the Huawei P10 available to order in black only, on a range of price plans starting at £41 per month (£9.99 upfront). As usual, O2 lets you configure your price plan to find an ideal balance of data, monthly cost and upfront cost. P10 data bundles max out at 30GB, which costs £60 per month and £9.99 upfront, or £50 per month and £129.99 upfront.

See at O2

Three is carrying the P10 in black and "dazzling" gold, with on-contract prices starting at £25 per month and £99 upfront, which gets you the carrier's basic 500MB "Essentials" plan. At the other end of the scale, a P10 with unlimited date and a 30GB tethering allowance is yours for £53 per month and £29 upfront.

See at Three

Huawei P10 Plus

Carphone Warehouse is currently taking orders for the P10 Plus, where it's listed for £679.99 SIM-free, or on a wide range of contracts with EE, O2 and Vodafone, starting at £35 per month. Carphone has the black and gold versions of the phone up for order, with shipments starting April 5.

See at Carphone Warehouse

EE has the P10 Plus available to pre-order in black only; on-contract prices with no upfront cost start at £50.99 per month, which gets you a 5GB UK data bundle.

See at EE

Three has the P10 Plus available to order ahead of its April 18 street date. Both black and gold color options are listed on the operator's site, where it offers a wide range of plans between 500MB and 12GB. If you're after Three's unlimited "All You Can Eat" data plan, your best option is a £57 per month plan (£49 upfront), which also includes a 30GB tethering allowance.

See at Three

Vodafone will also be ranging the P10 Plus, but doesn't have the phone listed at present.

More: Huawei P10 + P10 Plus review



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