Author: Clinton

Today’s Deal is a great one on the iClever BoostCube dual-USB wall charger.  Right now you can pick up the white one for $10.99 and with the coupon code DEALTOP1 you can get the black model of the charger for free.  Completely free.  It is a great BOGO deal.

Here is how it works.  First, go to the iClever BoostCube page on Amazon then add it to your cart.  Now go to the black version of the BoostCube page and add it to your cart.  Proceed to check out and in the promo code field enter in the coupon code DEALTOP1.  That’s it.  Amazon will automagically take the cost of the black model out of your costs.

In a report from NSS Labs, the research company found that Microsoft Edge, the latest browser from the Redmond company, is more secure against phishing and malware than both Google Chrome and Mozilla’s Firefox.  The set of reports, which can be downloaded here, tested three current versions of each browser over the months of September and October to get the results which will likely come as a surprise to some.  The versions tested for the reports were:

• Google Chrome 53.0.2785
• Mozilla Firefox 48.0.2
• Microsoft Edge 38.14393.0.0

The first report focused on phishing where Edge achieved a 91.4% over the course of 12 days of testing at the NSS Labs in Austin, Texas in recognizing phishing URLs presented to it.  Chrome was at 82.4% while Firefox came in at 81.4%.  This is an important consideration in choosing a browser given the social engineering nature of phishing attacks which can lead to compromised accounts for users.

OnePlus has released a 6th beta of their Android Nougat based OxygenOS release for the OnePlus 3.  The new build, version 3.5.5, brings a lot of changes as the company gets ready for a public release of the update in December.  If you already have the beta installed on your OnePlus 3, this update to the home-brew version of Android for the OP3 will come to you via an OTA update.  If you are not a part of the beta program, you can sign up and then do a manual flash of your device to this latest build.

As for what is addressed in this update, it is pretty extensive and for those in the beta program, its well worth the update.

Google’s SMS & MMS app, Google Messenger, has had a nice update this week that brings a lot of visual tweaks as well as some new features.  The new build is version 2.0 and it is rolling out now in the Google Play Store.  The most immediate thing you will notice is the new round icon for the app, fitting in nicely with the look of the Google Pixel launcher on the Pixel devices.  That new icon also can now show unread message counts, ala iOS, which is something that Android frankly has needed for a long time.  But get this:  It doesn’t work on the new Pixel Launcher or the Google Now Launcher.

Insert head scratching here.

Today’s Deal over at Amazon is a great one for those who need to stock up on some MicroUSB cables for their various Android devices and accessories.  Today you can pick up a 5-pack of cables from Anker for $12.99.  The pack comes with one 1′ cable, two 3′ cables, one 6′ cable and one 10′ cable to get your power situation sorted no matter the situation.  Each cable is made of a

Anker MicroUSB 5-Pack

combination of hard PVC for the connectors and soft, flexible PVC for the cable shielding.  That gives the cables a high level of durability and, in fact, Anker claims it can withstand over 10,000 bends.

As with other Anker products, the cables all come with an 18 month warranty against defects so you are protected for the long run.  I personally am a big fan of their products and have this very cable pack (along with some of their USB C cables for my Nexus 6P) and have no hesitation in recommending them.  They get the job done and they are able to handle the wear-and-tear of my daily life at home or on the road.

The promotional price at Amazon is through today or while supplies last.  The good news is if you want to pick up an extra or give them as a gift, there is no limit to the number you can pick up.

Anker MicroUSB Cable 5-Pack – $12.99

The Project Fi app for subscribers has received a nice behind the scenes update that most users will find quite helpful.  Now you can see which apps have consumed the most data in your current billing cycle.  The good news is that no new app download is required.  So long as you are running the most current version you will see this new information within the app.