Welcome back to Engadget's Gaming IRL, a monthly segment where we run down what our editors are playing. And basically, we've been dying a lot in Apex Legends. We're also catching up with Spider-Man on the PlayStation 4, and Just Cause 3 from 2015. T...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.
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
Cons
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:
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.
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.
So long as you're OK wiping off the back from time to time, I think you'll be really happy with it.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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."
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.
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.
Facebook has signaled some openness to regulations, but it's making things clearer this weekend. Mark Zuckerberg has posted an editorial floating four ideas for regulating the internet, including approaches that could apply worldwide. To begin with...
Best answer: The best place to find a replacement charger for your Galaxy Watch Active is either Amazon or Samsung. Samsung's Wireless Charger Duo or Pad Slim are sure to keep your Watch Active charged up.
For some odd reason, Samsung doesn't have the wireless charger that comes with the Galaxy Watch Active listed on its website. This is a bit different than past smartwatch releases, as the company usually makes its charger available to purchase. That leaves us looking to Amazon, as the online retail giant seemingly has everything that you could possibly need, even if the OEM doesn't have it listed.
The good news is that the Galaxy Watch Active supports Qi wireless charging, which lets us use Samsung's own wireless chargers to get it topped up.
In that case, we look to other offerings from Samsung such as the Wireless Charger Duo Pad and Pad Slim. The Wireless Charger Duo Pad allows you to charge two devices at once, whether that's your Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Watch Active, or any combination of Qi-certified devices.
This is also equipped with Fast Charge 2.0, providing up to 12W of speed for S10 owners, and up to 7.5W of output for S9 or Note 9 owners. But regardless of which device you use, you can rest easy knowing that the Wireless Charger Duo Pad is charging your device as fast as possible.
As for the Slim Pad, this is just your run-of-the-mill charging pad that Samsung offers. There is nothing really special about this wireless charger, other than it does the job just perfectly fine and doesn't take up a whole lot of real estate.
Keep your watch and phone charged at the same time
Who doesn't love the versatility to charge two devices wirelessly, at the same time? The Charger Duo Pad comes with Fast Charge 2.0 and works with your smartphone and Galaxy Watch Active.
Basic with no frills, just fast charging
If you don't need the extra charging pad of the Charger Duo Pad, then the Pad Slim for Samsung will do the job just as well. Plus, you won't have to worry about cleaning off a huge area on your desk or nightstand in order to house this charger.
Samsung's latest and greatest wearable
Samsung is really getting close to the "perfect" smartwatch for its users, and the Galaxy Watch Active brings us even closer. At just $200, you would be hard-pressed to find a better smartwatch to pair with your Galaxy S10.
Amazon is celebrating World Backup Day with big discounts on various storage products. Whether you're looking to add a microSD card to your Nintendo Switch or Android phone or want an external drive to keep your files safe, today's the best day to make the purchase. With gear on sale from popular brands like Kingston, Toshiba, WD, LaCie, and more, you're going to want to stop what you're doing and check out the sale.
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.
Starting with the "smallest" options, there are a bunch of microSD cards to pick between. These are great to be used in action cameras, Android phones, tablets, Nintendo Switch, and so much more. You can grab a 128GB Kingston card for $15.49 today, or jump up to SanDisk's 256GB high-speed option for just $52.99. If you happen to need a full-size SD card, we've got you covered as well. The SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB card is on sale for $31.98, and the 512GB is on sale for $159.99.
In terms of external drives, the most affordable from this sale is the Toshiba Canvio 1TB drive for $39.99. There's also a WD 2TB My Passport drive on sale for $62.99, which comes pre-formatted for the Mac, or the drop-resistant 500GB WD My Passport Go for $71.99.
If you're a real media junkie, there's also the diskless Synology 2 bay DS218j on sale for $130, or the much more powerful QNAP TS-453BT3 NAS on sale for $799. There's also a variety of drives available that are designed to fit inside these machines.
These prices, many of which are all-time lows) are only good for today, though, so you'll want to act quick and not miss out. Keeping local copies of your data, along with those in the cloud, can prove to be very helpful in the long run.
Today only, Amazon is offering up to 40% off a variety of Mr. Beams lighting gear, which brings pricing down to as low was just $12 for some of it. There are some lights designed for usage inside, and others that are able to be used outside, so if you're struggling with pesky dark areas at night, or want something where you can't easily run power, today's sale is for you.
If you're looking for high-quality lights to place inside your home or outside that will last for a long time and won't require expensive electrical lines be run to them, these are the ones to buy. There's a wide variety of options available today, so check them all out.
Starting with the interior lights, you can get a one-pack or two-pack of these well-rated stick-on ceiling lights that are motion activated. You can install them in just seconds, and they are powered by AA batteries. The light itself turns off after 30 seconds of no motion, which allows the batteries to last longer, and each one provides an output of about 200 lumens. There's also a brighter option available for $19.79 each, or one that you actually screw into the wall instead for the same price.
Exterior lighting is where Mr. Beams really tends to ... shine. There are a number of outdoor lights in this sale, including this wireless battery powered motion-sensing floodlight for $21.59 or this 2-pack of motion-sensing spotlight style lights for $26.49. You can opt to get a single spotlight camera for $11.89 if you don't need to light up a whole bunch of space. These are also all battery powered, meaning you can install them within just minutes without the need to have electrical wiring run to where you want to place them.
You'll want to check out the full sale here as many of these are down to all-time low prices. Keep in mind, these discounts are good for today only, so don't miss out.
