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Rabu, 31 Januari 2018

Every PlayStation 4 game coming out in February 2018

What PlayStation 4 games are coming out in February?

There are some pretty amazing titles for the PlayStation 4, and we're here to keep you updated on all the new ones! Be sure to check in with us once a month to see what new titles you should be expecting or excited for!

Notable release this month

Here's what we've found so far!

Shadow of the Colosuss

We all remember playing the original release of this game on our PlayStation 2's back in the winter of 2005. Now you get to relive those memories of hot chocolate and breathtaking views as you immerse yourself back into the magical world Shadow of the Colosuss has to offer. The game will be dropping very soon on February 6th, so get your pre-orders in and prepare for battle. Bluepoint Games and JAPAN Studio have remade this experience by every pixel not only to bring you better visuals, but better performance on the PlayStation 4.

See at Amazon

Rad Rodgers

Interceptor Entertainment, 3D Realms, THQ Nordic are bringing us a new platform game. The trailers are taking me back to Rayman, which makes sense considering their inspirations were titles such as Commander Keen and Conker. Rad Rodgers will be released on February 21st to the PlayStation 4, so get ready for a vibrant adventure with your new sass-mouthed robot friend.

See at Amazon

More PlayStation 4 releases

We've collected a list of upcoming PlayStation 4 games below. No worries, if any surprise titles pop up we'll be sure to add it to the list!

Upcoming Downloadable Content

What are you playing?

Which PlayStation 4 game are you looking forward to most? Let us know in the comments section!

Updated February, 2017: We will continue to refresh this list at the beginning of a new month to ensure you're in the know when it comes to the PlayStation games being released soon!

Samsung Galaxy Note 9: The top 5 features we want to see

We're in the middle of Galaxy S9 hype season right now — and that's all well and good — both the S9 and S9 Plus look pretty great so far.

But we'll have to wait a few more months for the most interesting Samsung phone of 2018 — the Galaxy Note 9.

That's because the Note line could experience something of an existential crisis this year, as Samsung once again tries to figure out what makes a Note worth the money in a world that also contains a "plus" model Galaxy S.

We did this same dance back in 2017 and the answer was: Well, the Note gives you an S Pen, some subtle spec upgrades and a second camera.... and not a whole lot else. Samsung could do the same in 2018 and it'd probably be fine in the short term. Add a couple extra gigs of RAM, maybe three cameras instead of two...

But in the long term Samsung needs a more radical approach, which is what I want to see with the next in the Note series. Check out our video for the top five Note 9 features to look for later this year.

Audio controls for PlayStation 4: What you need to know

Trying to figure out how to adjust your audio settings on PS4? We have you covered.

We are living in a post manual world. Long gone are the days where you would pull a phone book sized document out of the packaging of your new piece of technology and read it in its entirety before you even thought about plugging in your device. If you're anything like me, if there is a manual it gets immediately tossed aside in favor of playing around with your new toy until you have all of its functions sorted. If you're anything like my father, then you call me and ask me questions about your Blu-ray player until I am completely exasperated and dumbfounded that you can't recognize the international symbol for pause even though it's been around since the 60's!

Pardon me. This isn't a letter to my father. This is an article about how to adjust the audio settings of your PlayStation 4. There are quite a few audio settings for the PS4 which are not entirely obvious when you first take it out of the box. Getting your audio settings just the way you like them can make your gaming experience just that much better.

Let's get started!

Adjusting your headphone volume

Adjusting the volume on your TV is simple but setting the volume on your headphones takes a little navigation. Here's how to do it.

  1. From the main menu, go to Settings

  2. Select Devices

  3. Go to Audio Devices

  4. Scroll down to Volume Control (Headphones). From here you can set your volume until it's just right.

Adjusting your microphone volume on your headset

  1. You will go to the same menu as you did to adjust your volume. Settings > Devices > Audio Devices

  2. From the Audio Devices menu, select Adjust Microphone Level.

  3. Adjust the volume slider until your Input Volume is in the Good range.

Choose what you hear in your headphones

Perhaps you only want to hear the in-game chat in your headphones and you want all other audio to go through your speakers. Here's how to do that.

  1. You will go to the same menu as for the last two entries. Settings > Devices > Audio Devices

  2. Choose Output to Headphones

You can now choose to send All audio to your headphones or only the Chat Audio.

Disable automatic output switching.

Out of the box, when you plug in a pair of headphones, the audio will automatically switch to output to your headphones. If you want to disable this function, here's how you do it.

  1. Yet again, you will go to the previously mentioned menu Settings > Devices > Audio Devices

  2. From the Audio Devices menu, move down to Switch Output Device Automatically and uncheck the box.

Disabling system music

I have had mine turned off for so long that I forgot about the music that plays in the background in all the PS4 menus. If you find that music as annoying as I did, here's how to turn it off.

  1. From the settings menu, go to Sound and Screen

  2. Scroll down to System Music and uncheck the box.

Hopefully, this should make your PS4 audio experience just a little bit better.

Is there another audio setting you're looking for that you can't find? Let us know!

Why are we talking PlayStation 4 on Android Central? Let us explain.

Deal: HTC U11 available for $549 ($100 off) from February 1 thru 15

You can also get the UA HealthBox for just $99 when buying a U11 or U11 Life.

HTC often runs some sort of sale with each major holiday, and just in time for Valentine's Day, the company has announced its latest promotion.

There are two deals to keep an eye on this time around, and the most notable of the two is a $100 discount on the HTC U11. This brings the U11's price down to just $549, and while that's still not technically cheap, it's a more than fair price for one of 2017's most underrated phones. The deal is available on all models of the U11 (including the striking Solar Red option), and if you purchase it through HTC Financing, you'll pay just $23/month for 24 months with a 0% APR.

If you decide to pick up the U11, HTC will also let you buy the Under Armour HealthBox for $99.

The UA HealthBox may not be the newest fitness tracking system on the market, but it includes a fitness tracker, smart scale, and chest-mounted heart-rate monitor. All of the data that these devices collect is synced to the Under Armour Record app, and while the HealthBox was a large pill to swallow at its original price of $399, it's a steal for $99. In addition to the U11, you can also buy it at this price if you also purchase the more affordable U11 Life.

HTC's Valentine's Day sale begins on February 1 at 12:01 AM EST and ends February 15 at 11:59 PM PST.

See at HTC

The Shield TV hasn't gotten Oreo yet because no one cares about Android TV

Oreo should arrive at some point this year, but this still isn't a good sign.

As I've said before, the NVIDIA Shield TV is the best way to experience Android TV. It's fast performance, unique design, and excellent software make it a great buy, and while NVIDIA's typically been fast with software updates, Oreo has been noticeably absent from the streaming box. However, it looks like we finally have a reason for its delay.

Our friends at 9to5Google recently did some digging, and during CES earlier this month, NVIDIA's Director of Shield Management, Chris Daniel, said in an interview that Oreo hasn't come to the Shield TV yet due to developers not supporting the new software.

The Oreo update brings a major facelift to Android TV, and one of the highlights is channel recommendations. Installed channels are now displayed in a vertical list, and next to these are recommendations for new shows to watch based on your viewing habits and what the apps think you'd like to watch. It's a great idea, but developers need to update their apps to support the new layout, and this hasn't been happening.

Daniel is on record saying "if you release a whole new interface, and the apps aren't supporting it, then we don't feel like it's a good launch for us, so we're working hard on that." Daniel also said that NVIDIA is "making a lot of change with Google" in an effort to get Oreo rolled out as soon as possible.

Android TV's Oreo update and the troublesome channel recommendations.

Oreo is said to finally be coming to the Shield TV at some point in 2018, but there's no exact time frame in place at the moment.

Although it's encouraging to hear that Oreo is on its way, Daniel's comments about lacking developer support for Oreo on Android TV is anything but. It's no secret that most companies spend more time fleshing out apps for Roku, Fire TV, and Apple TV before bothering with Android TV, but if this is now resulting in delayed software updates, that's a problem Google needs to address ASAP.

NVIDIA Shield TV 6.3 update adds Nest Cam streaming, new apps, and more

NVIDIA Shield TV 6.3 update adds Nest Cam streaming, new apps, and more

The best Android TV box keeps getting better.

The NVIDIA Shield Android TV is still the best gadget around for experiencing everything that Android TV has to offer, and its latest 6.3 software update adds a few extra goodies to it that make the user experience even better.

For starters, NVIDIA has added support for watching live streams of any Nest Cams that you own. To do this, just hold down the microphone button on your remote to prompt Google Assistant and say something along the lines of "Show me my front door camera on Shield." In addition to Nest products, this also works with the Logitech Circle.

You can also now use Google Assistant on the Shield TV to broadcast messages to any Google Home speakers you have in your home, there's a security patch for the recent Spectre vulnerability, and there are improvements for the responsiveness of the 2017 remote.

As if that wasn't enough, NVIDIA also says that the 6.3 update adds commercial-free recording with Plex DVR, support for picture-in-picture and 360-degree videos with VLC, new Cartoon Network, VH1, SiriusXM apps, and more.

The 6.3 upgrade should already be available to download, but if you haven't received it yet, keep an eye out for an OTA update over the next couple days.

Get your maximum refund with TurboTax's $65 Home & Business tax software

Got your W-2 ready?

The TurboTax Home & Business tax software 2017 is down to $64.86 on Amazon. It normally sells for $80. Not only is this software $15 better than its average street price, it's also $5 lower than any previous deals we've seen. We've shared a couple deals on TurboTax software in the past, but this is the first time it has dropped this low.

You can also get the TurboTax Premier software on sale for $54.86. That's a drop from its street price of $70 and a match for its lowest ever.

Both pieces of software are available in a Windows-only digital download, which means you can use it as soon as you buy it. I'm sure you've been eagerly awaiting this day. If you don't use Windows, you can get Home & Business or Premier as physical discs compatible with Windows and Mac for the same price.

Because these are Amazon exclusives, they also come with a year subscription to Quicken Starter Edition 2018. Quicken is a famous piece of consumer-level accounting software. You could end up with an even bigger refund on your taxes next year if you use Quicken to track your money habits now.

The Home & Business software is ideal for the self-employed and business owners out there. There's extra guidance on self-employment deductions, access to experts to answer your questions, and it will double check your return.

See on Amazon

The 3 best Android phones for former Windows Phone users

Looking for a new smartphone? Here are the three best Android phones you should consider (and why) if you're switching from Windows Phone.

You've likely heard that Windows Phone is no longer a thing. That makes picking an alternative handset an essential step for those who need a smartphone but can no longer rely on Microsoft.

As Executive Editor of Android Central sibling site Windows Central, I have always carried around multiple smartphones to make my product reviews more informed. That makes me no stranger to Android or Apple's iPhone. If I had to choose one OS in 2018, it'd be Android due to the larger array of hardware and software options.

As to which phones I'd pick, it comes down to three choices:

Each has pros and cons, like any piece of technology. You'll need to balance each with what you prioritize the most. Do you value the camera, display, or audio? Does it fit in your pocket?

I put together this video of why I think each of these phones is worth consideration. (I also mention why I don't recommend LG or Samsung ...)

Combined with Microsoft Launcher for Android, GroupMe, Microsoft Edge for Android, and a few other Microsoft apps the jump to Android is not nearly as bad as you may think.

Plus, you can always go and make the home screen look like Windows Phone if you want to reminisce!

If you have a favorite Android phone, let me know in comments which one and why!

See OnePlus 5T on Amazon See Pixel 2 at Amazon See Razer Phone at Amazon

Related reading

Google Flights now predicts delays and makes sense of cheaper tickets

Google's two new tools should make flying suck just a little less.

Although I've yet to have a bad experience while flying, the same can't be said for many of my friends and colleagues. Google Flights is one of the better tools around for booking and managing your flights, and it's picking up a couple new tools that make it even more enjoyable to use.

First off, Google Flights will now predict whether or not an upcoming flight is going to be delayed. Google Flights has previously shown delays once an airline makes them official, but now it'll be able to use machine learning and flight data to make these visible before an airline calls them in. These predictions won't be shown unless the system is 80% certain the delay will occur, but even so, it's still a good idea to show up to the airport on time no matter what.

Along with this, Google Flights is also making it easier to see what you are and aren't getting when trying to save a few bucks and book a flight with a Basic Economy ticket. There's nothing worse than getting a cheaper ticket to only find out at the airport that you can't change your seat or bring a carry-on item, but Google is partnering with American Airlines, Delta, and United to make sure that all of this information is readily available.

With these new features in place, will you be using Google Flights to book your next trip?

YouTube TV will be the official broadcaster of LAFC soccer games

These are the PlayStation VR games coming out this month!

What new games does PlayStation VR have in store this month?

Playstation VR has a great selection of games for you to browse through for your adventures in VR. Happily, the list of games is always expanding and adding new titles for you to choose from. If you've been trying to figure out what is appearing this month, we've got you covered.

Here's the games I'm most excited for!

Moss 2/2018

Moss is an absolutely adorable VR game where you help Quill get through every level with some puzzle solving. As you get through the forest with your cute mouse friend, you'll take on puzzles and enemies alike. Pre-order this game now to make sure you'll get it whenever the release date is announced.

Pre-order on Amazon

Apex Construct 2/20

Apex Construct is a well-made fantasy game, the first Fast Travel Games has made. It takes place in a world overrun by invasive robots, and you have to take them down with your bow and shield. This game isn't available for pre-order, so you'll have to wait for the release date to order it.

See More on PlayStation

Pop Up Pilgrims 2/20

Pop up Pilgrims is a cute 2D game where you have to use your puzzling solving skills to get your pilgrims through each level. With your cloud cursor, you'll click to make them move around and get them to safety. You can pre-order this game now and be ready to save the pilgrims on the 20th!

Pre-order on the PlayStation Store

What are you playing?

January had some real gems that we'll be trying for sure! Are you interested in this month's lineup? Or is there an existing PlayStation VR game you're hooked on? Be sure to leave us a comment and let us know about it!

Updated February 2018: We've continued to update this list at the beginning of each month with new releases.

How to turn off auto-update for PlayStation 4 games

If you've ever wondered how you can stop your games from auto updating and enjoy the task at hand without exiting, here's how to turn off auto update all together.

If you've ever been watching Netflix or in an intense match during WWII, then you know that the auto updates are a bit of a pain in the rear. Most of the time, you would pause it and resume the update when you put your PlayStation 4 in rest mode anyways! Why not turn off the auto updates altogether if you won't be using it?

Here is exactly how to turn that off and enjoy your gaming.

  1. Go to Settings on the far side of your PlayStation 4 loading screen, right by the Power logo.
  2. Under Settings you'll want to go to System, it's the second to last option under the settings screen.
  3. Under system, you should see Automatic Downloads, it should be the second option underneath this screen.
  4. Once you're in the Automatic Downloads area, you'll want to go all the way down to Application Update Files, it is the last option your should see. This is how you will be able to disable the automatic updates for your games.

Make sure you don't uncheck the other boxes unless you want to manually search for system updates and featured content.

Now, you have successfully stopped your automatic updates for your games! Enjoy your games or videos without having those interruptions by automatic updates.

Motorola releases 5 new Style Shell Moto Mods made out of Gorilla Glass

The new Style Shells are the most expensive at $29.99 a pop.

Although they may not be the best phones on the market, you've got to give Motorola credit where credit is due for trying something new with its Moto Z devices. The ability to change up both the look and function of your phone on the fly with Moto Mods is still a lot of fun, and Motorola has five new Style Shell Moto Mods to spruce up the look of your Moto Z.

The new Style Shells are the most expensive we've ever seen at $29.99 each (previous ones have cost $19.99), but that's because these are also the first Style Shell Moto Mods to be made out of Corning Gorilla Glass 5. Motorola says the new backs are "damage resistant", but since these are still made out of glass at the end of the day, I'd recommend avoiding as many falls and drops as possible.

You've got five new designs to choose from, and while most of them aren't something I'd personally use, they're some of the most visually-interesting Motorola has kicked out so far.

This comes shortly after Motorola released a new folio case Moto Mod, and while these most recent Moto Mods haven't been as crazy as ones we saw at CES 2018, I actually prefer these simpler offerings. Having a projector or Polaroid printer on the back of your phone is cool, but things like this are what I like most about the whole Moto Mod system.

If you're interested in giving these new Style Shells a shot, you can pick them up for yourself with a click/tap of the button below.

See at Motorola

How to share Amazon Prime with friends and family

Willing to share some of that free quick shipping and streaming video with your crew? It's probably easier than you think.

Your Amazon Prime account is set up with a feature called Amazon Household that allows you to share a large handful your benefits with friends and family. Add another adult to your digital household and enjoy easy features including parental controls for the kids, unlimited storage for photos, and a family library to share books, apps, and games. Here's how to get started!

How to add members to your Household in Amazon Prime

  1. Click Your Account from the drop-down menu located at the top-right side of your screen.
  2. Scroll down to your Account Settings and click the Manage your Household option.

  3. On the Household homepage, click to Add an Adult.
  4. Have the adult enter their Log in Information, whether they're a trial member or Prime member.

  5. Add up to 4 children to your household by clicking Add a Child.
  6. Each child's profile can be modified by clicking Edit underneath their avatar.

Once you've added everyone to your household — adults, teens and kids — you're all set to share content! Keep in mind that each adult will be sharing their payment information under the same account, so it's important to ensure the appropriate credit or debit card is selected at checkout when purchasing products or content.

How to Manage your Content in Amazon Prime

  1. Select Your Account from the drop-down menu located at the top-right side of your screen.
  2. Scroll down to your Account Settings and select the Manage your Household option.

  3. Under your household homepage, click Manage Your Family Library in the middle of your screen.
  4. Select whether or not you wish to share apps/games, audiobooks, or eBooks by clicking their Sharing Buttons.

  5. Underneath your Family Library, select Manage your Content and Devices.
  6. Select Show Instant Video under the Content Tab.

  7. Click Show FreeTime located next to the sort menu under Your Content.
  8. Choose from your Instant Videos and select Add to FreeTime.

  9. Choose between videos and Select a Child to allow viewing access.
  10. Click OK when finished.

That's the basics for managing your content under your Household account!

What are other shareable benefits with Amazon Prime?

Amazon Prime is more than just sharing content. For your annual subscription charge you get access to a great number of perks, including reduced expedited shipping on orders:

  • Free 2-day, same-day, and discounted one-day shipping
  • Prime Video access to thousands of movies and TV shows
  • Early access to Amazon Lightning Deals
  • Unlimited storage for photos
  • Free Kindle books through the Lending Library
  • 20% off diapers subscriptions
  • 15% off Baby Registry completion discount
  • Prime Fresh benefits

That's all there is to setting up your Amazon Prime account to share its benefits with your friends and family! There's always the option to remove members as needed, but if you choose to leave your household, there's a 180-day period where neither adult can add members or join other households. Setup is quick and easy, and it's a great perk for Prime members that love to share.

Sign up for Amazon Prime

Updated Jan. 30, 2018: Added new info on teen accounts.