This lovely afternoon we are bringing you news on a couple awesome accessories from Microsoft and Samsung. Software hoarders can also take advantage of a brand new Humble Bundle!
Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter mirrors your mobile display
Google’s Chromecast jumpstarted a whole movement in the HDMI wireless streaming market. We have seen small competitors come to the market, but now we have one of the big guys making an entrance. Microsoft has just announced its Wireless Display Adapter.
This dongle looks much like the Chromecast, but works a bit differently. In essence, it is a streaming device that mirrors any device that supports Miracast. Another big difference is the $59.99 price, which is still affordable, but significantly pricier than Google’s dongle.
Those interested can now pre-order the device straight from Microsoft’s website. If you prefer waiting, it will be generally available come October.
Opinion: I have always said that a mirrored computer works just as well as other types of streaming. After all, there is no content unavailable from your computer. There is a small downside to mirroring, though – you can’t multi-task.
With Chromecast you can simply send your videos to stream and keep doing other things with your phone. Not to mention, Chromecast does support Android mirroring and only costs $35.
Samsung Power Sharing cable – using Samsung devices as portable batteries
The Huawei Ascend Mate 2 has one of the most interesting features we have seen – it can literally charge other devices. It was a novelty feature we hadn’t seen before, and now Samsung is doing something similar with the release of the Power Sharing cable.
This cable allows you to transfer power from Galaxy devices to any microUSB-compatible devices. Of course, Samsung made it a bit exclusive and is only allowing Galaxy devices to be on the giving end of the equation.
While any phone can receive charge with this cable, only the Galaxy S5, Galaxy Tab S and “other select Galaxy devices” can share their energy. The power shared can be managed via Samsung’s Power Sharing app, which allows you to set just how much energy you would like to transfer.
You can buy the cable straight from Samsung’s website for $19.99.
Opinion: $19.99 is a bit pricey for a cable, but this offers very interesting functionality. I say it is worth the cash if you have a Samsung device. With wearables and smart accessories trending, this may be one of the best investments you can make.
Humble Bundle for PC and Android 11 brings an amazing set of games
A new Humble Bundle is upon us and this time they are focusing on PC and Android games. The system works just as you can always expect it to, but this time there is a third tier.
You can donate anything to get Thomas was Alone, Bridge Constructor Playground, Cubemen and Cubemen 2. Those who pay more than the average (currently just under $5) can also enjoy Small World 2, Blackwell 1: Legacy, Blackwell 2: Unbound, Blackwell 3: Convergence and more games that are “coming soon”.
The third tier is a bit different. Those who pay $11 or more get to unlock some pretty amazing games. These are Surgeon Simulator and Anomaly Defenders. The latter title was also released today, by the way.
Opinion: Not a bad deal for such a varied and awesome list of games! Don’t forget you can also choose where your money goes, and how much developers, Humble Bundle or charity will get. It’s a good way to have fun and help.
