Author: Clinton

There is a new update to Google Daydream that brings a wealth of updates and improvements.  The new build is version 1.7 for those keeping score at home and it is rolling out in the Play Store now.  If you have a Google Pixel device or a Huawei Mate 9, you’ll want to pick up this update once it comes to you via an OTA update.

Overall, Daydream Home in the app has been redesigned to give you quick access to content and experiences.  It doesn’t look much different than the previous build but there is much more content in the top carousel than in the previous release.

Today’s Deal is on the Belkin 3-Outlet travel surge protector.  The adapter sports 3 AC outlets and two, 2.1A USB-A ports to charge your devices at the same time.  Today on Amazon it is down to $11.99.  It is a great travel accessory as, if you are like me, you are always hunting for additional electrical outlets in hotel rooms.

The adapter has a 360-degree rotating plug so you can fit it really anywhere and it has 4 locking positions.  It has a 918 Joule energy rating to protect your devices against power surges and Belkin backs it up with a lifetime warranty and a $75,000 connected equipment warranty.  

The deal is today only and, as with most of Today’s Deals, the Belkin 3-Outlet travel adapter has free shipping for those of you who are Amazon Prime customers.

For more details and information, head over to Amazon.  You’ll note there is also a 6-outlet version if you need a slightly larger version.  That one is $22.49.

Today’s Deal is on the Google WiFi single Access Point, which will give you Wi-Fi access throughout most homes & apartments.  Right now the single unit is on sale for $99, a savings of $30.

If you have a home or apartment that is 1500 square feet or less, the single should do the job for you.  No need to overbuy.  Over that and up to 4500 square feet, the 3-Pack is what you need for your home.  That is also on sale at $269.  The nice thing is, if you get a single and add more later, it is easy to add the new ones to the network via the Google WiFi app on your Android phone or iPhone.

Chalk this one up in the “about time” category.

There is an update rolling out for Google Home that finally brings the ability for Google Play Music subscribers to stream their library of uploaded and purchased music to the Smart Speaker.  The update is rolling out as a device-side to your Google Home.  There is no update to the Home app itself expected – but keep an eye out.

To this point, when you wanted to play music on Home, it would always stream stations from the service, regardless if you had that music in your Google Play Music library.  The work-around of sorts was to specifically name an album that you have in your library, say “Play the album Clockwork Angels from Rush”.  If the album you requested was in Play Music, it would play it but it was streaming from the service itself, not necessarily what you had in your library.  This becomes a problem if there is an indie artist or other music that you have in your library but it isn’t in Google Play Music.  The work-around above won’t work.  The other work-around was to cast Play Music from your phone to your Home but that somewhat defeats the point, eh?

Paranoid Android, one of the more popular custom ROMs available for a wide range of devices, has a new update rolling out.  Release 2 brings a significant number of new features and improvements to the build, which is based on Android Nougat 7.2.0.  There are several new devices that are now supported with this build.  They include the OnePlus One, the OnePlus X and Nextbit Robin (keep in mind that the official ROM for the Robin is built by the Paranoid Android team too).  Support for the Xiaomni Mi5, Nexus 6 and LeEco Le Pro 3 is also in Release 2.  Support for the Nexus 5 and the OnePlus 2 will be coming shortly, as soon as the team feels they have a viable build.

The release has several new features.  Pocket Lock, as the name suggests, locks your device by disabling input sources when your phone is in your pocket.  You can release it by long pressing the power button.  Accidental Touch is a feature that will prevent inputs from hardware buttons when the touchscreen is in use.  This is particularly handy for those who game on their devices.

Today’s Deal is on the new Nokia 6 from HMD Global.  The 5.5″ Full HD phone with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable memory is now available on Amazon for $229.  This is fully unlocked and works on GSM carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile and does not have the Amazon Prime adverts on the lock screen.  If you don’t mind those ads, you can save a bit of money as the price goes down to $179.  The 6 has been available in other regions for a few months now but has finally made its way to US shores via Amazon and for a sub-$250 phone, it’s got a lot to offer.

It is powered by the Snapdragon 430 octa-core processor clocked at 1.4GHz.  It has 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage on board.  That storage can be expanded up to an additional 128GB thanks to the MicroSD slot.  It has a 5.5″ 2.5D Full HD display coupled with Dolby Atmos sound with 7.2W of output.  It has a a 16MP rear facing camera and 8MP selfie camera with the rear camera having a dual-tone flash for warmer flash photos.