OtterBox is trying to differentiate itself from its rivals by offering up to $150 toward the repair of your iPhone screen if it breaks while using the Amplify or Alpha OtterBox screen protectors, the company said in a press release spotted by 9to5Mac. It’s available with the updated OtterBox Protection Program that also covers the case and screen protector, for a price bump of around $5 over the same product with Antimicrobial protection only.
“Our robust limited lifetime warranty program already covers your case and screen protector, and the OtterBox Protection Program extends that protection to your device screen as well,” said OtterBox CEO Jim Parke.
The extra protection is valid up to 12 months after purchase, and Otterbox promises that you can “easily activate and track coverage, and file a claim through the OtterProtect app.” The eligible Amplify and Alpha screen protectors with the coverage range from $40 to $55 — just choose the “Antimicrobial + OtterBox Protection Program” when checking out.
The insurance won’t cover the full cost of an iPhone screen replacement, but it’ll certainly make it less painful if you don’t have AppleCare. As far as I can see, there aren’t many other (if any), screen protectors with similar coverage, other than a few niche offerings. The execution will also be key, but we should see soon enough if filing a claim and receiving payment is as easy as OtterBox says.
Nick Kyrgios says he has become more “resilient” and is still maturing while he is playing the best tennis of his career.
He continued his hot streak on Wednesday (AEST), defeating Sebastian Baez 6-4 6-4 in their first round match at the Canadian Open in Montreal.
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Kyrgios had his serve broken for the first time since his loss in the Wimbledon final, but recovered to claim a straight sets win.
The Australian is in superb form after he won both the singles and doubles titles at the Citi Open in Washington DC last week.
But Kyrgios is unseeded in Montreal and will next face World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev, who he joked was far from the ideal opponent.
“I know I’ve got Medvedev next, which kind of sucks because against pretty much any player in the world right now I feel extremely confident,” Kyrgios told the Tennis Channel.
“Obviously I feel confident going up against him but we all know what he can produce. I’m a bit tired but I’m going to try and give him a good run.”
Kyrgios said having to play two matches in one day in Washington made him realize “that I can be really resilient at times”.
“In the past, I probably would have definitely pulled out of doubles,” he admitted.
“After the (Frances) Tiafoe match, I played Reilly (Opelka) and then Frances in the same day and came out the next day and played during the day basically.”
Kyrgios confessed he hadn’t always given 100 per cent effort on the court in the past but in a scary prospect to his rivals, he said he has turned a corner.
“I know at times I haven’t always been the best example going out on court, kind of not giving my best effort and all that,” he said.
“But I feel like when I have a week like DC, it kind of erases those things and shows how much I’ve grown. It was just a hell of a week, probably my favorite week of my career so far having my girlfriend and my team with me. And winning the doubles title was pretty special as well.
“I’m learning a lot about myself still to this day I’m maturing and hopefully I can keep having these good results.”
Kyrgios is now ranked World No. 37 and if he gets past Medvedev, a deep run at Montreal would ensure he secures a crucial seed at the US Open, which begins later this month.
Former US Open champion Andy Roddick believes Kyrgios is in such a purple patch he is one of the top three contenders to take out the last grand slam of the year.
“It’s a big, big deal to me that he goes into Washington, which is a pretty big event in the lead-up to the US Open,” Roddick said on The Rich Eisen Show.
“Brutal conditions… To go through singles and doubles and not to tap out mentally or physically is a big, big sign.
“I think it puts him into the top two, maybe three, favorites for the US Open.”
A challenge to the validity of so-called “ag-gag” laws in New South Wales, which restrict animal activists’ ability to surreptitiously film farming practices and publish the results, has been thrown out by the High Court of Australia.
Key points:
The two plaintiffs, an activist group and its director, argued the law prevented them from publishing recordings showing animal cruelty at farms
They sought to challenge the Surveillance Devices Act 2007, which regulates the installation, use and maintenance of surveillance devices
But the High Court threw out the challenge on the grounds the law struck the right balance, in protecting farmers’ privacy
The group that brought the challenge had told the High Court the laws interfered with animal activists’ implied right to freedom of political communication.
But the government argued the laws were reasonable and necessary to protect farmers’ privacy and safety.
Today, the High Court agreed, finding the laws achieved the right balance.
Group argued law prevented them from revealing animal cruelty
The matter before the court dealt with the Surveillance Devices Act 2007, which regulates the installation, use and maintenance of surveillance devices.
Sections of the act prohibit installation and use of surveillance devices at agricultural properties as well as the publication of a recording or report that was obtained through that surveillance.
The court heard the activist group, a not-for-profit charity, had “agitated and advocated for political and legal changes to animal agricultural practices and animal welfare standards with the objective of ending modern farming and slaughtering practices”.
The High Court found the laws had a legitimate purpose, in protecting privacy.(AFP: Raul Arboleda)
Court documents state the group had published photographs, videos and audiovisual recordings of animal agricultural practices in New South Wales.
A second plaintiff, the group’s director, had also obtained recordings of the farming or slaughter of animals through “purported acts of trespass”.
Both groups argued the laws “impermissibly burdened their ability to publish information… that showed animal cruelty practices.”
But the court found the provisions of the law had a legitimate purpose, in protecting privacy.
It found that the relevant sections of the act “imposed an incremental burden on a person’s ability to publish records of lawful activities obtained surreptitiously and by conduct which amounted to trespass”.
“[The relevant sections of the act] achieved an adequate balance between the benefit they sought to achieve and the adverse effect on the implied freedom,” the High Court said in its judgement.
A man has been detained and charged with murdering two Muslim men, Albuquerque police announced Tuesday. Four Muslim men have been killed in the city since November, and authorities believe the suspect may eventually be charged in the other two murders.
Muhammed Syed, 51, was identified as the “primary suspect in the recent murders of Muslim men,” police said Tuesday, and charged with murdering Aftab Hussein on July 26, and Muhammad Afzaal Hussian on Aug. 1. Detectives connected the two cases using bullet casings found at the two scenes.
Muhammed Syed, 51, has been charged with murdering two Muslim men in Albuquerque, New Mexico, police said.
Albuquerque Police Department
They are still investigating Syed’s possible involvement in the murders of Naeem Hussain on Aug. 5 and Mohammed Zaher Ahmadi on Nov. 7.
A tip from the public led authorities to Syed. When they went to search his Albuquerque home for him, they say he fled in a Volkswagen Jetta, which authorities had already told the public they were looking for in connection to the murders.
New Mexico officials announce arrest in murders of Muslim men
06:20
They eventually took Syed into custody near Santa Rosa, New Mexico. Authorities also searched his house for him, where they say they found multiple firearms, including the one believed to have been used in the two murders he has been charged for.
Syed appears to have known his victims, police and the FBI said.
Police Chief Harold Medina first shared the news of an arrest on Twitter Tuesday afternoon.
“We tracked down the vehicle believed to be involved in a recent murder of a Muslim man in Albuquerque,” Medina wrote. “The driver was detained and he is our primary suspect for the murders.”
Police on Saturday said they were looking for a dark-colored, four-door Volkswagen, possibly a Jetta or a Passat, with tinted windows and possible damage.
Albuquerque Police Department are asking for help identifying a vehicle suspected of being used in the homicide of four Muslim men
Albuquerque Police Department
Major Tim Keller said police believe the vehicle was used in the Friday night killing.
“We’ve learned some about what’s happened, we’ve had some leads,” Keller told reporters Sunday. “We have a strong lead, a vehicle of interest. We don’t know what it’s associated with or who owns it.”
The string of murders has shaken the Muslim community in Albuquerque. Police on Sunday said it was too soon to know if the murders would be classified as hate crimes.
On Saturday, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
In a Tuesday statement, CAIR thanked law enforcement for the arrest and wrote that it hopes “the news that this violence has been brought to an end will provide the New Mexico Muslim community some sense of relief and security.”
“Although we are waiting to learn more about these crimes, we are disturbed by early indications that the alleged killer may have been targeting particular members of the Shia community,” the statement read. “If this is true, it is completely unacceptable, and we encourage law enforcement to file any appropriate hate crime charges against the suspect.”
Law enforcement officials have not confirmed any specific motive for the killings.
So buy up and unlock ’em all before Overwatch 2 if you’re so inclined!
Overwatch loot box sales will conclude on 30 August, Activision Blizzard has proclaimed today.
“Loot Boxes will no longer be available for sale after the end of the Anniversary Remix Vol. 3 event on August 30,” the publisher said in a blog post. “However, you will still be able to earn standard loot boxes after the end of the event.”
Said loot boxes will automatically open in the shift between Overwatch and its sequel Overwatch 2which will fully replace the team-based hero shooter from 5 October.
Overwatch 2 won’t have loot boxes of any kind, though a recent survey sent to players suggested that some of its cosmetic items may set players back up to $45 USD.
original Overwatch‘s Anniversary Remix Vol. 3 event is on now and runs until the end of the month.
Overwatch 2goes free-to-play on Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, PS4, PS5 and Switch on 5 October 2022 here in Australia. We went in depth on what to expect from it here.
This article may contain affiliate links, meaning we could earn a small commission if you click-through and make a purchase. Stevivor is an independent outlet and our journalism is in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative.
Australia’s recently crowned Open champion, Cameron Smith, has reportedly signed a $143 million deal to join Greg Norman’s LIV Golf.
It’s a move that will send shockwaves through the sport, given Smith is the most recent major winner, the world No.2, and also the reigning champion at the Players Championship, the flagship event of the PGA Tour.
The London Telegraph reports Smith will make his LIV Tour debut in Boston next month, although confirmation of his switch isn’t expected until after the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs, which start this week in Memphis.
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Another Australian golfer, Cameron Percy, told RSN radio on Tuesday that Smith and Marc Leishman were “gone”, indicating the pair would both sign with LIV, a comment that left Smith far from impressed.
“You know, my goal here is to win the FedEx Cup playoffs. That’s all I’m here for,” Smith said. “If there’s something I need to say regarding the PGA Tour or LIV, it’ll come from Cameron Smith, not Cameron Percy.
“I’m a man of my word and whenever you guys need to know anything, it’ll be said by me.”
Pressed further on the subject of LIV Golf, Smith added: “I have no comment to that. Like I said, I’m here to play the FedEx Cup playoffs. That’s been my focus the last week and a half.
“Like I said, it’ll come from me, it won’t come from Cameron Percy.”
Asked if he intended to play the Presidents Cup in late-September, Smith’s reply was emphatic.
“Absolutely,” he said.
“That’s something we’ve been looking forward to for the last three years. That’s something I look forward to being a part of.”
If Smith did play a LIV Golf event in early September, he would be banned from the Presidents Cup, meaning his comment that he intended to represent the International team in North Carolina effectively represents a denial of the London Telegraph report.
Smith then reportedly walked out of the media conference when asked another question about LIV.
Smith would be the highest-ranked player to join LIV Golf, which has already signed Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and Sergio Garcia.
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The stars who’ve signed with Greg Norman’s LIV Golf tour
If you’re providing remote access support, it’s crucial that the software is easy to download and set up, because the person on the other end isn’t necessarily tech savvy. And if you’re primarily interested in accessing specific machines, you want software you can sign into securely and leave running in the background. TeamViewer does both of these things extremely well, in addition to offering some of the smoothest remote controls on the market. It also works across platforms and is free for noncommercial use. It’s a bit pricey for business use, but that doesn’t prevent TeamViewer from earning our Editors’ Choice award for remote access software.
How Much Does TeamViewer Cost?
TeamViewer is completely free for personal use. The free version isn’t a gimmick or a demo. I used it for the bulk of my testing, then I tried out the business version. There’s no difference, feature-wise. Home users get everything TeamViewer has to offer, which is great if you, like many of our readers, provide volunteer tech support for friends and family.
Paid plans for businesses start at $418.80 per year. With that license a single user can manage up to 200 computers. The next plan, which costs $1,234.80 per year, allows up to four users to control up to 300 computers. These plans aren’t available on a month-to-month basis.
TeamViewer’s business prices are toward the top of the market. RemotePC, which offers a similar feature set, doesn’t have a free version, but paid plans start at $19.50 a year. The cheapest business plan starts at $59.50 a year. Like TeamViewer, GoToMyPC primarily targets businesses and starts at $420 per year (or $44 per month if you prefer to pay monthly), which is still higher than TeamViewer despite the lack of a free version.
Canceling a TeamViewer plan is a bit of a pain because you can’t do it on the website. Users are instead told to email the support team.
Is TeamViewer Really Free?
The free version of TeamViewer is enforced by an AI designed to detect commercial activity that cuts off access for users it deems suspicious. Some legitimate home users are caught by the AI and cut off, and plenty of negative reviews on Google Play or the App Store complain of accounts being disabled automatically and without warning. Such instances tend to be extreme, however. One such reviewer claims to have been using TeamViewer to play PC games on their Mac, and I find it understandable that the bandwidth required would look like commercial use to an algorithm. (Virtualization software would serve them better anyway.) In any case, users can appeal, so this is more of an annoyance than a dealbreaker.
TeamViewer Platform Support
TeamViewer offers clients for macOS, Linux, and mobile platforms. I tested the software on computers running Windows 10, Windows 11, and macOS 12, and found that all of these versions support all of the features I’d expected. The macOS version of TeamViewer is feature-complete—there’s nothing missing or not working.
Is TeamViewer Dangerous?
According to the company, TeamViewer is secured by end-to-end 256-bit AES encryption, multi-factor authentication (which you should absolutely use), and other industry-grade security features. The company is certified according to SOC2, HIPAA/HITECH, ISO/IEC 27001, and ISO 9001:2015.
Still, some amount of security is up to you. The most important security measure is to never install remote access software if someone you don’t know tells you to do it. It is a common hacking technique people use to remotely steal your information and access financial accounts. For example, if someone claiming to be tech support calls you, out of the blue, to “diagnose a problem” or “fix your bank account,” then asks you to install a remote access app, hang up—you’re talking to to scammer Call the dedicated phone number for the company in question instead and ask if there are any issues you need to address.
Getting Started With Teamviewer
Remote access software, by nature, needs to be installed on at least two machines: the computer you want to access remotely and the computer you have in front of you (or the machine you want to access the other computer from). It’s best if this process is straightforward, in particular if you’re talking to someone through the installation over the phone.
If you’re offering support, having a simple setup process is crucial because it means the people you’re supporting can quickly download and install TeamViewer and give you their information to connect. To get started, you head to TeamViewer.com and click the download button—you get an installer for your system. Follow the installation instructions and you will eventually see the main TeamViewer window.
TeamViewer automatically gives every computer an ID and password, which is shown when you open the application, as seen above. You can use that code to connect to the current machine. This same window has a box where you enter an ID in to connect to another machine, though this method is only just one option for connecting.
If you’d rather not enter an ID and password to access certain machines, however, the other option is to set up an account and sign into it on all systems. If you then check the “Grant easy access” button, you can connect to your own computers in just a couple clicks.
Smooth Controls
I tested TeamViewer both on my local home network and outside near a Portland, Oregon, food cart pod that doesn’t have particularly great Wi-Fi. I connected to a Windows 10 machine from a Macbook, an iPad, and a laptop running Windows 11. TeamViewer worked great in all of these combinations.
On my local network I barely notice when I’m using remote access software. Everything feels more-or-less in real time. I can browse the web, write a document, and even edit images over the network with only the occasional problems caused by lag. The results aren’t quite this smooth farther from my home, but I still don’t have any trouble accessing the other machine. Lag isn’t an issue. By contrast, another PCMag writer mentioned that in Zoom Meetings, which includes a remote access feature, the lag time is noticeable.
TeamViewer supports sharing system audio, which in my tests worked flawlessly. I could listen to music without much disruption. On my local network I could even watch a video with sound this way, albeit with a little bit of stuttering. It worked better than other apps I tested, including Remote PC and GoToMyPC. TeamViewer offers audio sharing on Windows and macOS computers, unlike GotoMyPC which can only share audio from Windows.
Sharing Files (and Your Face)
TeamViewer offers a file-transfer mode for any device you’re connected to. It shows a two-pane file browser, with all files on both computers available to send and receive, allowing you to transfer files directly from a folder on one device to a folder on another.
TeamViewer also offers audio and video chat, so you can see and talk with whoever is sitting at the computer you’re helping control. A whiteboarding feature lets you draw on the screen so that you can point things out, which is very handy if you’re using TeamViewer to offer support. With the audio/video chat and whiteboard features, you can talk out loud, emphasize areas of the screen by drawing them, and even look the person you’re working with in the eye. The only other remote management app we reviewed that offers whiteboarding is Remote PC. TeamViewer also offers the ability to record a remote session.
Nearly Flawless Remote Access
Remote access software is borderline magic when it works well, letting you see and control one computer from another. TeamViewer has been providing this practical magic since 2005, and it shows. Every potential stumbling block seems to have been anticipated, whether you’re offering tech support for someone else or want access to your own computer from the road. That makes TeamViewer an Editors’ Choice winner for remote access software, particularly for free personal use, and our go-to app for remotely driving our own computers from afar.
The Blackcaps will begin a new era without one of their biggest stars after bowler Trent Boult was released from his central contract with New Zealand Cricket.
Boult will have a “significantly reduced role” across all three formats with the Blackcaps, according to a statement released by NZC.
The 33-year-old held multiple conversations with the country’s governing cricket body, before they agreed to his request on Wednesday so he can spend more time with his family.
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Boult has played a crucial role in New Zealand’s success on the world stage over the last decade, having taken 317 Test wickets, 169 in ODI’s and 62 in T20 internationals.
The talented left-armer sits at No. 1 on the ICC Men’s ODI Bowling Rankings, having taken 169 scalps at 25.21 since his international debut in 2011. He has also taken 317 Test wickets at 27.49.
The paceman said it was a “really tough decision” for him to make as he began to reflect on his decorated 12-year career with the New Zealand national teams.
“Playing cricket for my country was a childhood dream and I’m so proud of everything I’ve been able to achieve with the Blackcaps over the past 12 years,” Boult said.
“Ultimately this decision is about my wife Gert and our three young boys. Family has always been the biggest motivator for me and I feel comfortable with putting it first and preparing ourselves for life after cricket.”
Boult’s decision will likely have major implication for New Zealand cricket with Black Caps teammates potentially tempted to follow suit in bid to cash in on lucrative domestic T20 leagues.
The world cricket calendar is becoming tighter and tighter with the introduction of several privately-owned domestic leagues, including the United Arab Emirates’ International League T20 and South Africa’s newly-launched T20 competition.
Boult has played in an international final across all three formats, having tasted success in the inaugural World Test Championship final against India in England.
But while he’s been a mainstay of the New Zealand teams since making his Test debut in 2011 against Australia, he acknowledged that this decision would affect his chances of representing his country.
“I still have a great desire to represent my country and feel I have the skills to deliver at the international level. However, I respect the fact that not having a national contract will affect my chances of selection,” he added.
“Having said that, as a fast bowler I know I have a limited career span, and I feel the time is right to move into this next phase.”
Maxwell suffers back injury during win | 01:26
NZC chief executive David White said that Boult has been open about his decision, and why he requested to be released from his deal.
“We respect Trent’s position,” said Mr White. “He’s been completely honest and upfront with us about his reasoning about him and, while we’re sad to be losing him as a fully-contracted player, he leaves with our best wishes and our sincere thanks,” White said.
“Trent’s made a massive contribution to the Blackcaps since his Test debut in late 2011 and is now considered one of the best multi-format cricketers in the world. We’re very proud of what he’s achieved.”
According to NZC, Boult will still be available for national selection “if and when available”.
A federal appeals panel unanimously ruled Tuesday that a House committee can access former President Donald Trump’s tax records after a yearslong legal battle.
A three-judge panel of the US Circuit Court of Appeals for Washington, DC, agreed that the House Ways and Means Committee has the authority to obtain Trump’s tax records from the Treasury Department, upholding a district court ruling from late last year.
Trump’s lawyers are all but certain to appeal the ruling.
NBC News has asked a Trump spokesman and a member of his legal team for comment.
The court ruling adds to Trump’s legal woes after the FBI searched his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida, on Monday. A source familiar with the matter said the search was tied to classified information Trump is alleged to have taken with him from the White House to his resort in January 2021.
Tuesday’s appeals court ruling is the latest twist in a multiyear legal fight over his tax records. A federal judge in December tossed out Trump’s lawsuit seeking to block the House panel from obtaining his tax returns, rejecting his claim that Congress had no legitimate need to look at the returns and that Congress was simply snooping around to embarrass him.
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., lauded the appeals court’s “long-anticipated” opinion Tuesday. Neal first requested copies of Trump’s federal tax returns in April 2019, a request the Treasury Department initially refused.
“With great patience, we followed the judicial process, and yet again, our position has been affirmed by the Courts,” Neal said in a statement. “When we receive the returns, we will begin our oversight of the IRS’s mandatory presidential audit program .”
Neal had initially cited a federal law that requires the Treasury Department and the IRS to turn over individual tax returns when any of the three congressional tax committees demand them.
“The Chairman has identified a legitimate legislative purpose that it requires information to accomplish,” the appeals court ruling says. “At this stage, it is not our place to delve deeper than this. The mere fact that individual members of Congress may have political motivations as well as legislative ones is of no moment. Indeed, it is likely rare that an individual member of Congress would work for a legislative purpose without considering the political implications.”
If he appeals, Trump would have to ask the full circuit court to rehear the case or appeal directly to the Supreme Court.
The House committee’s top Republican, Kevin Brady of Texas, urged Trump to appeal.
The ruling “unleashes a dangerous new political weapon,” Brady said in a statement, arguing it would grant Congress the ability “to target and make public the tax returns of political enemies.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., meanwhile,called the court’s decision a “victory for the rule of law” Tuesday on Twitter.
“Access to the former president’s tax returns is crucial to upholding the public interest, our national security & our Democracy,” Pelosi said.
Zoë Richards is the evening politics reporter for NBC News.
Are traveling salespeople still a thing? If so, they can travel a little lighter: The Wemax Go is a portable 1080p laser projector that measures only an inch thick and weighs under two pounds. It’s entirely self-contained, running on battery power and built-in apps. And just because it’s a business expense doesn’t mean it can’t handle the occasional movie night. (Shhh — we won’t tell the boss if you won’t.)
I spent some time putting the projector through its peace, and let me start with the most exciting part: Although it lists for $1,000, right now the Wemax Go Advanced is on sale for just $603.
That price puts the Go Advanced in line with the Xgimi Elfin, another portable 1080p projector. But there’s one key difference: The latter requires AC power; the Wemax can run for up to 90 minutes on its battery.
Wemax Go Advanced design
Obviously, that won’t last you through most movies, but it’s more than enough for a typical PowerPoint slide deck. And if you need more juice, you can plug just about any power bank into the Go’s USB-C port (which is also where it charges via the included AC adapter).
Also at the rear: a headphone jack, USB port, HDMI port and two very small, very low-power speakers (just 2 watts apiece).
It’s hard to overstate just how compact this thing is; in your hand it feels like a slim hardcover book. Needless to say, it’s incredibly easy to bring along, whether in a backpack, briefcase or carry-on.
A typical use-case here is at the end of a conference-room table, pointed at a projector screen on the wall. To that end, the Go Advanced has a small, hinged stand embedded in its underside; it can tilt the lens up a few degrees as needed.
A particularly nice touch is the gold-colored accent bar on the front edge, which actually serves a practical purpose: It covers and protects the lens. When you slide the cover left, it turns on the projector. Slide it back to turn it off again. There are no other physical controls, however; for everything else you’ll need the included remote (which isn’t backlit, sadly).
You don’t need to be a businessman to benefit from the compact size and battery power of the Wemax Go Advanced. (Photo: Wemax)
Wemax Go Advanced features and performance
The Go Advanced is a native 1080p projector, a more-than-adequate resolution for most business presentations and informal movie viewing. Like a lot of projector makers, Wemax touts “4K support,” but that simply means it can work with 4K sources; it doesn’t upscale or anything like that. Wemax also touts 600 ANSI lumens, a measure of the projector’s brightness. For comparison, the aforementioned Xgimi Elfin produces 800 ANSI lumens.
In the real world, this means the Go needs a relatively low-light environment to give you the best possible image, but it definitely doesn’t need total darkness. In a conference room, you could probably get away with turning off the lights and closing the blinds.
I tested the unit in my basement, where I have a 100-inch screen already in place. It’s relatively dark, the only daytime light coming from a small window. The projector managed just fine, generating bright, crisp, colorful images that I found very satisfying. Indeed, it crushes most of the portable projectors I’ve tried, which were dim and washed out. (They were also priced hundreds less.)
However, there are a few important considerations. First, the Go runs something called FengOS, which unfortunately no one will mistake for Android TV. It’s a simple but limited operating system, able to run a handful of apps (like YouTube and the Firefox web browser) natively but requiring extra steps for the likes of Hulu and Netflix. If you do install those and other streamers, you’ll sometimes have to use something called mouse mode (which turns the remote into a sort of floating cursor) to interact with them. Not fun.
Why not just mirror your phone or tablet and use that as your streaming source? The projector supports mirroring (which works quite well and can be great for presentations, product demos and such), but licensing restrictions prevent you from playing most commercial content. Rats.
My advice: If you want to stream, skip all this and plug in something like an Amazon Fire TV, Google Chromecast or Roku Streaming Stick. Those dongles may ruin the projector’s aesthetic, but they’ll give you a vastly superior, infinitely easier streaming experience.
Wemax Go Advanced problems
Although it worked well overall, the projector did present a few issues. First, it seemed stuck in Eco Mode — which forces a lower brightness setting in order to preserve battery power — unless I connected a power supply. If this is intentional, it’s bad design: I should get to choose the mode I want, regardless of battery status.
My bigger concern is with the auto-keystone feature, which promises to produce a properly sized, rectangular image even when the projector is placed above, below or to the side of the screen. There’s also an obstacle-avoidance setting that can compensate for, say, a plant or painting that’s partially blocking the image.
In my tests, none of this worked properly. In some cases the projector failed to make any discernible adjustments to the image; in others it overcompensated by shrinking it. I tried different angles, distances and so on; it never managed to properly fit the projection to my screen. I’ve tested other projectors that have auto-keystone, and I’ve never encountered this problem.
The good news is that the Go Advanced has simple manual controls, meaning you can adjust the corners as needed to achieve your desired rectangle. And the car-focus feature worked perfectly every time.
Wemax Go Advanced: Should you buy it?
This is a really good projector, and it’s a stone’s throw from greatness. Super-compact and portable, it delivers a sharper, brighter image than many a larger model. If your business could benefit in any way from having a totally wireless projector at the ready, it’s easy to recommend the Wemax Go Advanced.
It’s also decent for the occasional movie, though I recommend using a streaming stick or something similar instead of the onboard app library. Just keep in mind that battery life is around 90 minutes at best (but easily supplemented by a mobile power bank), and the built-in speakers are weak and tinny-sounding (so consider packing a Bluetooth speaker as well).
Wemax Go Advanced Ultra Portable Smart Laser Projector
$603$1,198Save $595
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