Samsung takes the stage with Galaxy Fold, S10 line, 5G networks

There is a lot of innovation happening in the Samsung camp, with the release of the Galaxy Fold and the upcoming Galaxy S10 5G. The Galaxy Fold is already out in the wild for early adopters with mixed reviews and 5G on the Galaxy S10 will be available in May. The Galaxy Fold is being pitched as one of greatest groundbreaking devices and Samsung is thinking it will change the mobile landscape. According to Samsung, their engineers created over 1,000 prototypes while creating a revolutionary device with new technologies and materials for a tablet-like experience.

But some early users are reporting problems with the display showing cracks along the crease between the two screens. We’ll have to see how Samsung responds to these complaints and whether a serious defect has been discovered right out of the gate.

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Update: The Galaxy Fold was supposed to be available in the U.S.on April 26. But after reports of display issues from early users, Samsung is delaying the launch indefinitely. According to the company, a new release date will be announced in the coming weeks.

And as of May 21, electronics retail giant Best Buy has cancelled all preorders for the Galaxy Fold. There is still no indication of a new launch date for the ill-fated smartphone.

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When folded, with a distinctive, perhaps magnetic, click, the unique design Galaxy Fold is a slender or tall, display for regular content on the front side and triple camera lens the back side of the phone. The home screen can show three apps in a row on the narrow display. It can be conveniently slipped into a purse or inside coat pocket.

When the Galaxy Fold is fully opened, it locks in position and there is a 7.3-inch display allowing content to fill both screens and approaches the size of a tablet with a spacious digital keyboard when needed. Samsung and Google collaborated on a feature named App Continuity which allows whatever content that was on the slender, folded display, to suddenly fill both sides of the display in the open position. Two forward-facing cameras occupy a corner of the unfolded display.

When the displays are fully open, the 7.3-inch size can show five apps icons across and six down, for a total of around 30 apps to choose from. Three apps can be opened for multitasking.

If you’re hungry to get your hands on the Galaxy Fold, it’ll be available on April 26 at select AT&T, Best Buy and Samsung Experience stores. You’ll need around $2,000 you probably won’t get any change back.

More speed is on the horizon as 5G debuts in South Korea and around the world

Another Samsung showcase is just around the corner, dressing up as 5G wireless service, and promising unheard-of speed and connectivity from major carriers in South Korea.

As 5G is rolled out around the world, Samsung will have the Galaxy S10 5G standing by to take advantage of the new wireless power. According to Samsung, users will experience hyper-fast movies, streaming of games, and faster handling of photos and videos.

Prism colors, luxurious materials to bring attention to Galaxy S10 line

As for the Galaxy S10 line, a lot of thought was put into the design by using bright, prism colors, with emphasis on attracting a new generation of Millennials and Gen Z consumers. You’ll be able to choose from innovative colors, such as Ceramic Black and Ceramic White. Other playful color include Canary Yellow and Flamingo Pink.

The Product Design Team were very thorough with every detail for the Galaxy S10, including where to position the front camera to not interfere with the content and how to ensure a comfortable grip.

U.S. wireless companies preparing to roll out 5G networks

We can expect 5G to increase its presence in the United States in the coming months. But according to AT&T, they are the first to currently offer Mobile 5G in 19 U.S cities and reach 1 gigabit per second wireless speeds. The cities with AT&T's mobile 5G service include Austin, Los Angeles, Nashville, Orlando, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose.

Verizon is on the move as well, with 5G service in Chicago and Minneapolis using 5G-enabled smartphones on their 5G Ultra Wideband network. Verizon has release plans to "launch its 5G service in more than 30 U.S. cities in 2019."

With the Sprint and T-Mobile merger still pending, these companies also have the potential to make great strides with the 5G technology.

The next generation of technology is fast approaching with foldable phones and super-fast networks.

Ring Alarm offers sophisticated home security, impressive alerts

The basic Ring Alarm kit has a Base Station, Motion Detector, Range Extender, 

Key Pad, and Contact Sensor. 

I have only had the Ring Alarm system for a few weeks and I’m already a fan of the Ring ecosystem. Before the Ring Alarm, I also had purchased the Ring Floodlight Cam and I am equally as pleased.

With the Ring Alarm basic package, you get a Base Station, Motion Detector, a Range Extender, Key Pad, and Contact Sensor. After experiencing what the Ring Alarm can do, you’ll probably add additional sensors and motion detectors.

Depending on your skills, you can install this system yourself if you’re a handy person, with just a drill and a screwdriver. Or you might not need any tools, depending on your location for the components and whether you use adhesive strips instead of screws.

Installation is a breeze following the instructions

The Ring Alarm is not your typical alarm system and a traditional installation approach is not the best way. I choose to install all the components first and then complete the setup.

But you can complete the setup with the Ring Base Station plugged into power and the sensor and motion detector on a table, as you’ll need to pull tabs from the batteries in the sensors and open/close covers in the process. Depending on the component and whether it’s an additional component, such as a sensor or motion detector, you might need to scan a bar code label on the sensor. All these tasks can be performed best if the Ring motion detector and contacts sensor are not mounted.

After the components have been recognized by the Base Station and the magnetic sensors and motion detector are working properly, then go about installing the components in their proper location.

Be prepared for light carpentry and wall refinishing

Contact Sensor

If you’re replacing an existing alarm system, be mindful that the Ring sensors might be about twice the size of what you are replacing. In my case, the existing door contact sensors from another alarm company were mortised into the door facing, which meant I had to enlarge the mortise to accommodate the Ring sensor. But that was accomplished with my trusty Dremel saw with an oscillating wood blade and a steady hand.

Just a tip on installing the contact sensors: Both components have a slight notch on them that should be lined up. That prevents one of them from being installed upside down.

There is also a chance the Ring components might not cover existing holes from a previous door contact sensor and keypad, especially if the Ring Keypad is mounted on the wall in the same location as the previous keypad. That’s just the difference the design of bracket components from one company to another and no fault of the Ring components. A little Spackle and a dab of matching paint will cover the holes.

The Keypad can be mounted on a wall or table.

Since I choose mounting my keypad on the wall instead of placing on a table, and my wife hates looking at cords, I went to the trouble of hiding the power cord for the Keypad inside the wall by drilling a hole behind the mounting backing and running the cord down to the electrical outlet below, exiting the wall at that point and plugging it in.

But the Ring Keypad also works off battery power, so this could be a none issue until it’s time to recharge the internal battery. I also think the Ring Base Station looks the best when placed in a location where it can be plugged into an electrical outlet and the cord is out of sight behind a table. All the neat freaks will nod their heads here.

Don’t forget about downloading the Ring App

Ring - Always Home app

You’ll also want to go ahead and download the Ring App, as this will become your best friend for mobile monitoring and even setting and disarming the alarm. A lot of your sensor settings will be done inside the App, such as the modes for whether you are “home” or “away” from home. You’ll also set up your rooms, such as family room, den, kitchen, bedroom, and door categories, such as main and secondary door.

Just another tip here, the “main door” should be where your keypad is located and where you would arm and disarm the Ring system on exit and entry.

The Ring setup within the app will default to the name of your city for the location. But its easily changed if you have a name for your home or business. You’ll want to adjust the volume of the Base Station speaker and please don’t forget to write down your PIN and Security Code.

Now it’s showtime for the Ring Alarm system

Once everything is installed, it’s time for the Ring Alarm to show its stuff, and it’s quite impressive. Now that you have proper chirps from the door or window sensors and the motion detectors are working, along with exit and entry codes from the keypad, the entire Ring Alarm ecosystem comes alive.

The Keypad can be set to light up as you approach it, which will be helpful in a room with low light. You simply chose whether you’re leaving (Away), at home for a while (Home), or going to bed for the night. And of course, you’ll want to set your exit and entry delay. If this is a threat, there is two-key combination for a panic mode that will send an alarm to the monitoring station.

For me, the best part of the system is the Ring App, which is available for iOS, Android, Mac and Windows. At a glance, I can see if the Ring Alarm system is disarmed or set to Home or Away. There is a wealth of settings or modes to choose from, such as Devices, under which you can view the settings for the Base Station, Keypad, Extender, Sensors and Motion Detectors. The battery level of each sensor is displayed, along with alerts status, event history and a choice of Chirp Tones.

Just another tip here: If the Keypad is in “power save mode” in the settings, the display will not illuminate when you approach it.

Another beauty of the Ring Alarm system is the sophistication of the communication being pushed to your mobile device. You will never be in the dark about what’s going on around your home. The minute a door is opened, you’ll know with a notification something like “Back door in family room opened at 12/20/18 at 05:30. P.M.” You’ll know if someone just came home. Then it might be followed by another notification with “Ring Alarm changed to Disarmed at 12/20/18 05:31 P.M.”

The only person that might escape the watchful eyes of the Ring Alarm is a pet, as our small dog is able to roam freely from couch to couch without being detected. People cannot escape the Ring Alarm notifications.

Any problems with the Ring Alarm system are easily fixed

As with any technology, things might go awry or seem to not be working properly. But the Ring Alarm is so well engineered that any issues are most likely caused by a particular “setting” turned on or off within the Ring App.

It’s important to choose the correct door for the main entry or exit and to set your motion detectors to be deactivated when home. If you just can’t figure it out on your own, a quick call to customer support will your problem solved quickly, as the customer support specialists are very knowledgeable about the Ring products.

The  Ring Alarm system offers ease of installation, remote monitoring, effective motion detectors, sensitive entry/exit sensors and just overall peace of mind.

The minuses are very few in my experience. I had a few erratic alerts and alarms that had me stumped for a while, but everything is working fine now, thanks to the kind and courteous people in Ring customer support.

For around $200, the Ring Alarm kit is a good buy for home security. If you’re replacing an existing system, you might even save a few dollars on the monitoring, as the monthly plan for Ring’s professional security monitoring is around $10 per month or $100 annually, which includes all Ring devices at one address.

With the Ring Alarm, sophisticated security is “Always Home.” The bad guys will just need to keep going.

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Bose headphones on deck for Black Friday shopping deals

The Black Friday shopping craze is almost here, and Bose is already out of the gate with some early headphones’ deals. With some help from Spending Lab, a firm who monitors the world of online retail and e-commerce, here are the top picks from the Bose line of devices.

Try Bose noise cancelling headphones for peace and quiet

First up for grabs is the Bose Quiet Comfort 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones designed for Apple devices, such as the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch 2nd generation or the later iPod classic and iPod Nano.

The headphones, with rotating earcups, also include an inline mic/remote to control music functions. For noisy environments, such as the roar of an airplane, Bose says all you’ll hear is a whisper. When listening to music, you’ll be surprised at the subtle details you may have not noticed before. You can pick up a pair at this link for under $200.

Active lifestyles call for the Bose SoundSport in your ears

If you’re looking for some snazzy in-ear headphones, these Bose SoundSport in Energy Green might satisfy your needs. Bose is pitching deep, clear sound quality using their TriPort technology for clear high and lows with a natural sound.

According to Bose, these have proprietary “Stay Hear” tips to help them stay in your ear comfortably all day long and they are sweat and weather resistant.

If you have an iOS device, these headphones’ controls will answer calls and adjust the volume directly from a control pod on the cable. For around $90, you could be sporting the Bose SoundSport for the holidays season.

Eliminate background noise with wireless Bose SoundLink

The Bose SoundLink around-ear wireless headphone are worth a look for deep, immersive sound and Bluetooth for wireless connectivity up to around 30 feet from your sound source. These wireless headphones offer up to 15 hours of play time with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

According to Bose, the ear cushion is made up with rayon and nylon and does not contain latex.

A user report says you can listen to two audio sources simultaneously, such as music on your computer while monitoring your phone for voice calls. If you get a call, the music can still play in the background if you desire.

With these features, a price for $230 or less, or a Black Friday deal, would be a winner.

Black Friday, Cyber Monday deals expecting record sales

Spending Lab is saying that as Black Friday deals draws near, along with Cyber Monday, the sales are expected to break online and spending and web traffic records. As further proof of the popularity of these shopping extravaganzas, Adobe Analytics concludes American shoppers spent $19.62 billion online during Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2017, with an increase of $2.6 billion or 15% over the previous year’s sales.

So be on the lookout for more shopping deals in the coming weeks.

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MBC Connect app offers information for breast cancer patients

The Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance has launched MBC Connect, an iOS and Android app to assist patients with building a database of patient information to drive research and seek solutions for the MBC community.

MBC Connect app

The features of the app, which is designed by patients, for patients, include access to an interactive patient registry and capabilities to explore patient data, as well as create a link between patients, clinical trials and relevant research.

"MBC Connect is designed to address some very serious challenges in the MBC community," said Marc Hurlbert, Chairman, MBC Alliance. "It not only represents an opportunity to unlock the mysteries of a marginalized patient population, it also represents significant opportunity for a disease that's only received a fraction of breast cancer research funding."

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Related: Be Bold, Be Bald in fight against cancer

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MBC Connect app provides clinical trials information

Stage IV MBC is categorized as having spread beyond the breast to the bones, lung, liver, brain or other body organs. It is considered treatable but not curable.

According to the MBC Alliance, existing cancer registries do not count metastatic recurrences, and few patients participate in clinical trials. The MBC Connect app gives patients and caregivers a platform to update their information, respond to short surveys and create a holistic treatment profile. The app’s users will receive information on breast cancer news and events, personalized insights, and possible clinical trial opportunities.

MBC Connect app data is encrypted, HIPPA compliant

As for security and privacy concerns, all patient data is encrypted and stored in HIPAA-compliant database that can be accessed here.

The patient app is currently available in the App store or Google Play, with plans to launch in four more countries in 2019. More information is available here.

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Google Home Hub muscles up to Amazon's Echo Show

It looks like the Amazon Alexa has some company, with the Google Home Hub arriving on the scene to muscle up to the Echo Show.

This is Google’s version of a touchscreen smart display device announced at their new products shindig on October 9, 2018, in the Big Apple, or New York for some of us. It’ll sport a seven-inch screen and Google Assistant for voice commands.

Google Home Hub loaded with features

Among the other features are access to your Google calendar, reminders, shopping list and more. For smart-home fans, it’ll also tap into your Nest security cameras, Nest Hello video doorbell, lights and even the television. The display will dim at night and brighten up while the coffee is brewing in the morning.

For inquiring minds, you can ask questions and get visual answers on weather, recipes of course, and videos from YouTube. And what’s a fancy smart device without music from your favorite songs, artists and streaming services, such as Pandora and Spotify. Google is saying all of this will be free of charge, along with six months of YouTube Premium.

We all have tons of photos and you can simply use your voice to show your favorites from Google Photos. For starters, just try “Hey Google, show my vacation photos.”

Google Home Hub is affordable

For around $150, a seven-inch display, Bluetooth and Far-Field voice recognition would not break the bank. According to Google, the full-range speaker has crystal clear sound.

Out of the four color that’ll be available, including sand, aqua and chalk, I’ll choose charcoal, but that’s just me. There might be some sand color fans around.

Google Home Hub not alone in its debut

It’s not hard to find on popular online retailer’s websites and is already available for preorder.

For hardcore Google fans, they also announced a new Pixel 3 phone that was not a big surprise, due to previous leaks, and a Pixel Slate tablet.

Alexa, order the Google Home Hub.

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APC UPS Battery Backup offers protection against power outages

APC Battery Backup always on standby

I am all plugged into my APC UPS Battery Backup and ready for the next power outage. Some of my electronics won’t receive an abrupt shutdown as in past instances. A lot of us spends hundreds of dollars on electronic devices, plug them into power strips with surge protection and feel good about our efforts, until the power goes out, causing everything to grind to a complete halt.

During a power outage, there is no time to saved critical files open on your computer or perform a safe-shutdown process. Mobile phones can’t be charged; the electric recliner won’t work; the pod coffee maker is idle.

An uninterruptible power supply, such as the APC UPS Battery Backup, would provide some safeguards for a power outage and allow work to continue for a few hours, or at least provide ample time to safely shut everything down.

The American Power Conversion Corporation, or APC, was established in 1981 and produced its first uninterruptible power supply, also known as a UPS, in 1986. The public company was acquired by Schneider Electric, who is known globally for expertise in the energy management and automation section.

APC UPS can provide backup power for several devices

The APC Battery Backup has seven total outlets that’ll accept three-pronged plugs, with five outlets providing backup protection and two providing only surge protection. A 300-watt battery provides backup-power. The unit also contains a 1.5 amp USB charging port for your smartphone during a power outage.

If you’re like most households, a lot of electronic devices will be clustered in one location. A battery backup could protect several devices from an outage, such as a TV, wireless router, DVR, cable box and maybe a stereo tuner.

APC Back-UPS 600VA UPS Battery Backup & Surge Protector
with USB Charging Port (BE600M1)

Another battery backup on the other side of the room could service a lamp, recliner or lift chair, and desktop computer. Yet another battery backup in the bedroom could service medical devices, such as a CPAP machine, sleeping aids or home nebulizers.

When a power outage does occur, the length of time the backup provides power will depend on the normal power consumption of the devices plugged into the battery side of the UPS. The company website can provide more information on calculating run time.

UPS also offers data port interface for PC energy management

This particular backup is designed for 120-volt devices and will not handle 240 volts. If you’re in a region where 220 volts is the standard, anything plugged in the UPS will only receive 120 volts. But a 220VAC version can be specified when placing an order.

The UPS battery backup unit also includes a USB Data Port and cable for connecting to a PC to utilize PowerChute Personal Edition software, which will provide a safe-system shutdown for an extended power outage, along with additional power and energy management features. The software also does periodic battery self-testing and early detection of a weak battery.

The battery is replaceable and some users have reported run times of around five years before needing a replacement. But I imagine the actual battery life would depend on the number of depletions and recharges due to power failures, which would cause the UPS to swing into action. But the normal schedule is to replace the battery every three years.

I’m thinking around $60 would be a good investment to protect your electronic equipment from data corruption and failures caused by abrupt power outages, along with not getting stuck in an electric recliner or needing the assistance of a crucial piece of medical equipment.

The next time the power goes out, you’ll have peace of mind.

Razer Phone is the smartphone built by gamers for gaming fans

Razer embraces gamers with top performance

The Razer Phone smartphone is now on the market as an Android device with hopes of taking mobile entertainment to the next level.

Developed by a company best known for their high-performance gaming hardware with over 35 million users, their first smartphone is designed with gamers in mind with a phenomenal display, cinematic audio and long battery life.

The new Razer smartphone will have to stack up against some of the current heavyweights in the market, such as the latest iPhone and Samsung devices.

According to the company, the Razer will measure up with a 120Hz UltraMotion display, which is no slouch in the gaming sector. Without getting too technical, this feature is based on the Qualcomm QuickChange 4+ technology and the improvement in the refresh rate is impressive on the 5.72-inch display.

Razer packed with Dolby Atmos audio technology

For audio, the Razer is packed with Dolby Atmos technology, which has been labeled as the future of surround sound. It has roots in Hollywood on film sets starting around 2012, made its way into home audio equipment and now into the Razer smartphone. The Razer is promising a cinematic audio experience from the two front speakers with dual amplifiers.

One odd quirk with the Razer is the lack of a traditional headphone port. But the Razer solved this with a USB-C to 3.5mm audio adapter, and according to the company, guarantees audiophile-quality sound using your regular headphones with the aid of certified THX technology, along with 24-bit DAC in the audio adapter. The Razer is serious about the audio capability, as Dolby and THX are two well-known powerhouses the audio industry.

Under the hood, you’ll find the latest Qualcomm Technologies Inc. Snapdragon 835 Mobile Platform, a 10-nanometer chip which also does duty in other flagship smartphones and Windows 10 “Always Connected” devices. To assist this processing power, there are eight gigabytes of RAM on board, which tops the rumored 3GB in the iPhone 10 and the 4GB in Samsung Galaxy S8.

As for all-day power, the Razer has a large 4,000 mAh battery and lays claim to having one of the largest in today’s smartphones and a rapid charging feature using Qualcomm’s “Quick Change 4+” technology. According to Qualcomm, a device can go from empty to 50 percent charge in just 15 minutes.

In the camera department, 12 megapixels is not too shabby for the Razer, especially with dual rear lens and dual-tone flash. There are lots of other smartphones that can’t match those specifications for picture taking and seamless zooming when needed.

Power users will love the Razer experience

The Razer is optimized for power users and the user experience can be enhanced further with the popular “Nova Launcher Prime,” developed by TeslaCoil Software, and running alongside Android 7 Nougat, the latest operating system for Android devices. But I hear Android 8 Oreo is just around the corner and according to company officials, the Razer will receive the Oreo upgrade in the spring of 2018.

The launcher prime software, available in the Google Play store, functions as a license to obtain the free Nova Launcher App to open the door for further updates and customization. Users can replace the home screen and modify icon themes, colors, layouts and animations.

To take advantage of the high-end audio features and processing power, the Razer company would like to invite users to watch movies on the Quad HD 5.72 display, listen to “expertly-tuned” audio and play games without concerns of running out of battery power.

“It’s common knowledge that I’m obsessed with my smartphones, I play a ton of games on them, and they’re my go-to for streaming content,” said Razer Co-Founder and CEO Min-Liang Tan. “We have wanted to make a phone with gaming-level tech for years, and the Razer Phone delivers in every way we imagined.”

Even If you’re not a hardcore gamer, you’ll probably find something to like about the Razer as a smartphone. The specifications are top-notch, with an attractive aluminum body and front-facing speakers. Just keep in mind this a first-try in the smartphone area for the Razer company and the best might be yet to come.

If you’re ready to shop, set aside around $700 and visit Razer's website and via this website on Amazon.