The Romanoffs Episode 8 (Matryoshka) (Amazon Prime)

The only thing that makes Episode 8 a bummer is that it's the last episode. But it is a GREAT last episode of series that ended with its two best episodes, totally fitting as told through the lens of the Matryoshka. The might be a bit of a spoiler in terms of the how the story unfolds, but is not a spoiler in any significant way. A terrific feature of the Romanoffs series is that each episode is its own distinct story with nothing in common to any other episode other than a Romanoff descendant appears in each. That said, you might enjoy the series even more by starting with Episode 8 and work your way back to the beginning. 

Romanoffs Episode 7 (The Adoption) (Amazon Prime)

If you stopped watching the Romanoffs, or never watched an episode, be sure to watch Episode 7. It is riveting. Mathew Weiner outdoes himself. The acting is fantastic as is the casting. The story is fantastic. It's TV at its best. No matter your taste or preference of genre, it is impossible not to be rapt by this. To say any more would be to risk spoiling it. 

Amazon Out-of-Policy Returns for Valued Prime Members

Situation: You buy an extra remote to go with the sound bar you bought. You send back the sound bar and replace it with a better sound bar. The extra remote is now of no use other than to turn on and off the new sound bar. While it cost just $11, returning it would cost $6 for the return Amazon-authorized UPS return shipping fee. You'd really like a fully functional backup remote.

Solution:  Initiate a Chat with Amazon (after clicking on Help/More Help/ Contact Us) and explain the situation with total honesty. Ask if you can send back the remote by USPS at your risk because that would cost you only about 50 cents. There is a good chance, especially if you are a Valued Amazon Prime Member, Amazon will offer you a UPS return label for free. Even if you protest that you think that's not fair to Amazon, they will insist. 

Final Note: In the spirit of honesty and ethics, be sure to buy the other remote back up. 

Eighth Grade (Amazon Prime 2018)

If you've tired of Patriot and Call Your Agent and the American version of the Good Cop, you might opt for a movie. Eighth Grade has gotten great reviews. It's certainly not your typically coming of age movie. It's, at least until you might walk out, the story of a very awkward 8th grader and the horrible kids and situations she deals with trying to fit in and be popular. It's raw for sure. And likely realistic and likely speaks to people who weren't cool as kids, even though several of the characters, or at least how they are portrayed (such as the main parent and other parents) are poorly done or poorly directed or poorly scripted--as caractertures and not as real people for no apparent reason. At bottom, this film will make some, if not many or most viewers, so uncomfortable to watch that, like the series they have abandoned to watch this movie, they will not see it to the end. As such, no clue can be given here as to how it ends. 

IMDb Link to Eighth Grade

Midsomer Murders (Netflix)

I have a several bucket lists, each one starts on my birthdays ending in 0 and then on my birthdays ending in 5. Just like some older people who do not buy green bananas just in case, my bucket list items are scheduled to take account of the year they appear on a particular bucket list. Midsomer Murders just became available on Netflix. I am like so jazzed because I have been waiting forever for this to happen, although I've been told it's not that good. I've put it on my Age 95 bucket list. Note that it is a series over 19 seasons with 122 total episodes. 

Caution re Email

You might have gotten emails purportedly from Apple attaching a receipt for your supposed order. Those are dangerous phishing spams and fairly obvious. The same tact now is being used where the purported email sender is a someone you know and might be very good friends with. They are not and they are dangerous phishing spams. The important point is to see the actual email address of the sender before clicking on any link or attachment. 

Airline Policies re Award Miles on Changed or Cancelled Flights: They All Differ

Sometimes life gets in the way, and our travel plans change. But what happens if you’ve booked your trip with frequent flyer miles? The good news is that airlines have policies in place to make sure you can get them back. The bad news is that each policy is different, and there ​is a range of fees attached to canceling reward tickets. As with everything in the travel world, it’s important to read the fine print before you book. When planning for your next getaway, be sure to understand the biggest airlines' cancellation policies for reward tickets. In some situations, it could make sense to pay to get your miles back.

Alaska Airlines

Mileage Plan flyers who know well in advance they need to change their plans are in luck. If you make a change or cancel your trip at least 60 days in advance, you will not have to pay an additional fee to have Mileage Plan miles redeposited to your account. But if you make changes less than two months away from your trip (59 days or less), you will pay a $125 change/cancellation fee. 

If you are using a Money & Miles award, you can still get your miles back if you make changes 60 days in advance of your trip. However, if you did not book a refundable fare, you will receive the value of the unused ticket as a credit for future purchase. Again, any changes made within 59 days of your departure date is subject to the $125 change/cancellation fee. 

Other fees, including the $15 call center booking fee or the $25 partner award fee, are non-refundable. On the bright side: taxes you paid on your trip will be refunded if you need to cancel your trip. 

American Airlines

If you have to unexpectedly cancel your trip or change your itinerary and you booked with American AAdvantage miles, you can get those miles back. But unless you are a top-tier elite flyer, you will be forced to pay. 

These are the policies if you need to make changes to your trip. If you booked a MileSAAver award, and you need to make a change, you will pay a $150 fee—even if you keep the same award type. If you are traveling on a partner airline and need to change your origin, destination, or flying airline, you will have to pay the $150 fee, even if you keep the same award. If you are flying on an AAnytime award, the origin and destination change fees are waived if you keep the same award type. 

But what if you need to cancel your trip entirely? If your ticket has not expired, you can request to have all your AAdvantage miles reinstated to your account. The fee is $150 per account for the first award ticket and $25 for additional tickets reinstated to the same account. 

If American is your primary airline and you fly a lot, you won't have to worry about fees. Most fees are waived for AAdvantage Executive Platinum members. 

Delta Air Lines

Much like American, Delta Air Lines flyers who use SkyMiles to book their trip must pay a change or reinstatement fee, but those are sometimes waived for frequent flyers. 

Award flyers must either change their itineraries or cancel their tickets 72 hours from their departure time. The change fee and reinstatement fee is $150, in addition to any taxes or fees you will need to pay. But if you are a SkyMiles Platinum Medallion or Diamond Medallion flyer, your fees are waived if you make changes more than 72 hours away from your departure time. 

If you need to make a last minute change within three days from your trip, you can say goodbye to those SkyMiles. Flights changed or canceled less than 72 hours from departure are non-refundable. 

Frontier Airlines

While it may be almost free to redeem your Frontier EarlyReturns miles, it certainly isn't cheap to cancel your trip. Don't look for help from elite status here—the cancellation policy applies to everybody. 

If you booked a Last Seat Availability award, there is no fee to cancel your flight and get your miles back. Otherwise, expect to pay a $75 redeposit fee to return your EarlyReturns miles to your account. And if you don't show up for your flight, those miles will be gone and forfeited. 

You can also make changes to your award tickets, but those come with fees. Frontier notes on their website that change fees "vary based on the type of award ticket"

JetBlue

When you book with JetBlue TrueBlue points, you are effectively booking a cash fare with a points equivalent. Unfortunately, that makes it difficult to determine how much you need to pay for changes or cancellations. 

If you need to change or cancel a Blue Fare or Blue Plus Fare booked in TrueBlue points, expect to pay between $75 and $150 based on the cash value of the flight. The more expensive the flight, the more you'll have to pay. And if you have to cancel, you will get the miles back in your TrueBlue account. 

If you booked a Mint fare with TrueBlue points, the change or cancellation fee is based on when you cancel. If you change or cancel your trip more than 60 days from your departure, the fee is only $75. If you make that same change or cancellation 60 days or less before your trip, it will cost $150. Again, if you cancel your trip, you can get all of your points back. 

The worst thing to do is to not show up for your flight. If you don't show up and don't cancel your ticket, your miles are forfeited and fly away with the airplane. 

Spirit Airlines

Spirit Airlines is notorious for charging flyers for everything but using the lavatory in flight. The same is true for their frequent flyer program, FREE SPIRIT—if you have to change an award flight, you'll have to pay. 

According to their terms and conditions, award ticket changes or cancellations are only done by calling their reservations center at 801-401-2210. Any changes or cancellations at least 24 hours in advance are subject to a $110 modification fee (if change space is available) or redeposit fee. 

The good news is that you get to keep your FREE SPIRIT miles so long as you cancel at least 24 hours in advance. If you don't, your miles are gone. 

Southwest Airlines

Any Southwest Airlines frequent flyer will tell you they "LUV" the airline because of their customer-friendly policies. This also applies to their change and cancellation policies as well!

At Southwest, change fees don't fly at all. If you are forced to change or modify your flight, you can do so for free at Southwest.com. However, if your change ends up with a higher fare, you will have to pay the difference. 

And if you accidentally miss your flight, those miles don't go away—instead, they go back into your account. But it can take up to four days for those miles to show up in your Rapid Rewards account. 

United Airlines

United MileagePlus miles are some of the best in the industry because of how many partners the Star Alliance carrier has. But if you're not a frequent flyer and need to make a change or cancel an award ticket, it can be a costly experience. 

The amount of money you pay to make a change to an award ticket or get your miles back after cancellation depends on your status. United MileagePlus Premier Platinum and 1K flyers who need to make a change or cancel an award at least 61 days in advance pay no fees. But Premier Gold flyers will pay a $25, Premier Silver flyers pay a $50 fee, while everyone else pays $75 in change or cancellation and redeposit fees. 

What about last-minute changes or cancellations made 60 days or less in advance? Only Premier 1K flyers can make changes without any fees. Everyone else must pay a fee based on their status: Premier Platinum flyers face a $50 fee, Premier Golds face a $75 fee, Premier Silver face a $100 fee, while everyone else pays $125. 

Whatever you do, be sure to show up for your flight or cancel in advance. Everyone who is a no-show for their flight is forced to pay a $125 redeposit fee to get their miles back.   

It’s very important to read up on your programs’ policies, to see if having status lowers (or eliminates) redeposit fees. In addition, some travel insurance policies will reimburse any cancellation or redeposit fees if your trip cancellation is for a covered reason. If you need to get a reward trip refunded, you’ll be prepared to take the appropriate action.

The Sopranos Conduct a Spelling Bee

Clink this link: Sopranos Spelling Bee

Last Post re Switching to T-Mobile

[Prefatory Note: This will be my last post re the desideratum of T-Mobile]

If you have an iPhone 6 or newer of a Samsung S6 or newer, or even if you don't, you really should take a look at switching to T-Mobile. Also, if you do so, take a look at buying your new phone through Costco. Here's the bottom-line: Making the switch and getting a brand new latest iPhone or Samsung phone could save you hundreds of dollars just in doing the switch, even more in monthly charges, and customer service and support you couldn't dream was possible. 

PS: Of course, some things are possible only in gymnastics: Link to Proof

USAA Membership and Insurance

Everyone who has USAA car and home insurance swears, likely with good reason, that it's fantastic. Many people think you have to be active military to get USAA insurance. Not true. While not open to everyone, here is who can join:

• Active, retired and honorably separated officers and enlisted personnel of the U.S. military.
• Widows, widowers and un-remarried former spouses of USAA members who had USAA auto or property insurance while married.
• Individuals whose parents have or had USAA auto or property insurance.
• Former USAA members who had auto or property insurance.
• Cadets and midshipmen at service academies, in advanced ROTC or on ROTC scholarship, plus officer candidates within 24 months of commissioning.

Final Word on the Vizio Soundbar

If you do decide to buy a Vizio soundbar, most definitely lay out the additional $50 for the 36" sound bar. It not only is sleeker than the 28", but it actually programs itself to find the TV setting eliminating your need to do so. Also, the remote control is more robust and is itself programmable. Also, if you need help from Vizio, you'll get through to a phone rep in about a minute and should get excellent help, even if you didn't need it when you thought the sub-woofer was not pairing with the soundbar when it was, but you were too stupid to realize that sound will come out of the sub--woofer only if your source is a movie or music and will not come out if your just walking a talking-head show on TV.

Eargo: A New Way to Buy (or Just Try) Hearing Aids (Sleeker Than Most)

Prefatory Note: What follows could be Fake News given it is taken word-for-word from the Failing NYT]

 

In the United States, hearing aids are rarely covered by health insurance. While 48 million people in the country suffer from some form of hearing loss according to the Hearing Loss Association of America, insurance providers do not consider it a vital issue unless it occurs at a young age. As you get older, your hearing deteriorates. As far as your insurance provider is concerned, it’s not worth paying to fix.

If you choose to get a hearing aid, most insurance companies consider this an elective procedure — like choosing to get plastic surgery — and won’t cover it. You’ll also have to go through a lengthy process of seeing your general practitioner, who will refer you to an ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist, who then works in conjunction with an audiologist to determine if you should buy a hearing aid.

Once you get through that long, arduous process, the bill comes due. According to a study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, the average cost for a pair of hearing aids is $4,700, or about $2,350 per ear. A mere six companies make up 98% of the worldwide hearing aid market. Assuming your doctor even prescribes a hearing aid to begin with, you don’t have many accessible options.

Eargo, a new company that walks the line between medical firm and tech start-up, wants to be one of those options, and wants to make the process easier. Eargo sells a pair of hearing aids for $1,450. You can buy them directly from the company’s website. The Eargo Max, boasts better audio quality and improved noise reduction for $2,150 per pair, and the Eargo Neo, their premium product, offers the company’s best audio quality, a more comfortable design, and fast-charging for $2,550 per pair. Even the upgraded model is around half the cost of traditional, bulkier hearing aids you may picture when you think of what hearing aids look like. If you’re (understandably) unsure about buying a hearing aid from the internet, the company offers a 45-day trial period to see if Eargo works for you.

Unlike other over-the-counter personal sound amplifiers — which legally can’t be labeled hearing aids — the Eargo models are certified as Class 1 medical devices by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of light to moderate hearing loss. The company’s support team consists of hearing aid dispensers licensed in one or more states to advise customers on their hearing aid needs. Because Eargo sells its products online, rather than in physical stores, a dispenser that’s licensed in one state can sell to customers in all of them.

Eargo’s chief executive, Christian Gormsen, argues that this makes more sense than the current model he describes as “archaic,” where dispensers are licensed by state-level boards and can only operate within their state. “I believe in a professional that’s certified. I don’t care whether that person is certified in California or Colorado … It’s like saying you can’t drive your car outside the state where you got your driver’s license. It doesn’t make any sense.”

However, going around your doctor presents the problem of financing. Insurance companies rarely pay for hearing aids to begin with, but even at a comparatively low price, around $2,000 is not always an easy chunk of change to drop. Especially for seniors who may be on a fixed income, or patients who rely on their employer-provided Medicare, Medicaid or disability insurance to cover medical expenses. Like most hearing aids, you can ask your insurance providers if you can get reimbursed for a pair of Eargo hearing aids, but it’s unlikely to be covered. The expense will have to come out of your own pocket.

To help ease the burden, Eargo partners with both CareCredit and Synchrony to offer financing deals, often without interest if you pay it off over a relatively short time frame. In a 24-month financing deal, for example, the Eargo Max would cost a little over $100 a month, which is easier to stomach than the lump sum all at once. It’s still a lot of money, and you don’t get assistance paying for it, but financing options at least mean it doesn’t hit quite as hard.

For severe hearing loss, Mr. Gormsen believes specialists will always have their place. “If we suspect there is too much hearing loss … we will always advise them to contact a specialist.” However, millions live with such minor to moderate hearing loss that it goes untreated — and uncovered by your insurance — until it gets worse. “The fundamental challenge of this industry is the stigma and if we stay medical I think our likelihood of impacting that stigma is going to be tough,” Mr. Gormsen said.

For most customers, Eargo eventually envisions that shopping for a hearing aid would look more like buying a phone than the more rigorous (but also time consuming) search for a medical device. “We’ve been talking to the likes of Best Buy or so on where maybe you go and talk to a blue shirt and then a blue shirt could show you how the product works. And we could train them.”

Increasing the Odds of Someone Returning Your Cellphone If You Lose It

You have the choice to leave your cellphone un-accessible with a password or facial recognition or fingerprint lock which lessens the likelihood of mischief if you lose your phone but makes it more difficult if found by a good Samaritan. But, if you decide to leave your phone accessible should it be lost and found by a good Samaritan, take steps to be sure upon accessing the phone he or she can locate you or someone else of your choosing by phone or email. The easiest way is to create at the top of your phone's Contact List whatever phone numbers or emails the Samaritan should try contacting. Many phones have a default "Me" as the first contact or, if you put in a number (e.g., 911) instead of a name, the Contact List will create "#" category at the top of the list, and you can just put whatever phone number(s) you want there. The Contact List might then look like this at the top:

#

602-XXX-YYYY (Home)

602-YYY-XXXX (Wife--Stephanie)

The Threat (Andrew McCabe 2019)

Although I've read only about 20% (having just got it a half hour ago), if I had read this while I was practicing law, I would have left my firm (as McCabe left his and took a huge pay cut in the process) and joined the FBI. The book is absolutely riveting, even the parts having to do exclusively with how the FBI operates and what McCabe did as an FBI agent, and having nothing to do with Trump. McCabe's writing is crystal clear, cogent, linear, and riveting. I bought this after seeing him interviewed for 45 minutes by Nicole Wallace on MSNBC, where it became clear that, if Trump is taken down by Mueller, McCabe is a real hero in insuring that the counter-intelligence investigations could not be shut down after the Comey firing--and what was so refreshing, McCabe did not and did not try to paint himself as a hero. Now, back to the book.

[Note: All FBI interviews are written up as FD 302 reports, or 302s. McCabe explains that they had to be done within 5 days of the interview so that the facts would be fresh. This was both a shock and disappointment given that our firm had a rule that all interview reports had to be done no later than the same day, and, if at all possible, immediately after the interview and before anything else is done that might cloud one's memory] 

Link to The Threat on Amazon

Samsung S10 and S10 Plus

[Prefatory Note: Samsung also unveiled it's foldable phone (did anyone think the flip phone would not come back), but at nearly $1,900, it's not worth reviewing. Also, if I ever do give up on my Samsung S5 and my back-up Samsung S5, I'd likely try the One Plus 6T at under $600 before going to any S10]

Samsung just announced the 10th iteration of its flagship Galaxy smartphone, the Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus. I had a brief chance to poke around the S10 and S10 Plus ahead of today’s announcement, and here’s what you should know: these are unmistakably Samsung phones in that they follow the Samsung playbook of maximizing every possible spec, but they do so in a way that seems more elegantly integrated than the last few Galaxy iterations.

Also, they look really nice.

This S10 pair succeeds last year’s Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus, and they are also accompanied by a new Galaxy S10E model. All three phones will be available for preorder starting tomorrow, February 21st, and they will start shipping on March 8th. In addition to all four major US carriers, the S10 family will also be available unlocked from Samsung and other retailers, starting at $899.99 for the S10 and $999.99 for the S10 Plus. We have a whole other article dedicated to the S10E, but for everything concerning the S10 and S10 Plus, keep reading.

Galaxy S10 Plus (left), Galaxy S10 (right).

Continuing Samsung’s years-long effort to eliminate bezels and provide the most screen possible in a device you can hold in your hand, the S10 and S10 Plus’ design centers on 6.1-inch and 6.4-inch screens, respectively, with nary a bezel around them. Both models have considerably larger displays than the S9 and S9 Plus, but their overall dimensions are just a smidge larger than before. In fact, the S10 Plus is actually slightly shorter than the S9 Plus, despite having a 0.2-inch larger display. Still, both of these phones are big, and if you’re at all put off by that, the S10E is more likely up your alley.

• Screen: 6.1-inch / 6.4-inch “Dynamic AMOLED” display, Quad HD+ resolution in a 19:9 aspect ratio
• Rear cameras: Wide angle 12-megapixel (77-degree), telephoto 12-megapixel (45-degree), and ultra wide 16-megapixel (123-degree)
• Selfie camera: 10 megapixels, 8-megapixel RGB depth camera (S10 Plus)
• Dimensions: 70.4 x 149.9 x 7.8mm, 157 grams (S10) / 74.1 x 157.6 x 7.8mm, 175g (Ceramic: 198g) (S10 Plus)
• Processor: Snapdragon 855 (in the US, Exynos in some regions)
• Memory: 8GB or 12GB RAM
• Storage: 128GB to 512GB (1TB on S10 Plus), expandable via microSD
• Battery: 3,400mAh (S10) / 4,100mAh (S10 Plus)
• OS: Android 9 Pie with Samsung One UI
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5, LTE Cat.20
• Wireless charging, USB-C, headphone jack

Aside from size, the displays on both models are identical: 1440-pixel wide 19:9 OLED panels (with Samsung’s “Dynamic AMOLED” branding) with HDR10+ certification. Both have curved sides that meld into the aluminum frame and make it easier to hold. They are as bright, colorful, and vibrant to view as any prior Samsung screen, and based on what I’ve seen so far, I wouldn’t be surprised if Samsung continues to have the best displays available on a phone this year.

The S10 screens have two other special features (one you can see and one you can’t). The one you can see is the new hole-punch cutout for the front camera, which allows Samsung to avoid a notch-style design and still have a front-facing shooter. The S10 Plus has a wider punch for the two cameras on its front; the S10 makes do with a circular one. I’m still not convinced that hole-punch displays are any better than a notch, but given how many people seem to irrationally hate notches, Samsung is here for them.

The feature you can’t see is the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner that’s embedded below the screen, which replaces the traditional capacitive scanner that used to be found on the back of the S9. Samsung claims this scanner is the “most advanced” one on the market, and it’s more reliable, harder to spoof, and generally better performing than the optical-based scanners used in the OnePlus 6T and other phones. I was only able to test the new scanner briefly, but it did work remarkably well at reading my thumb and unlocking the phone quickly. My colleague Vlad Savov has more to say on it here, and we’ll be doing more extensive testing in our forthcoming review.

One downside to an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner is that it can’t work through thick screen protectors, so Samsung is certifying certain third-party screen protectors that have been tested to work with the S10. We’ll have to see what those look like when they are released, but the short of the matter is: don’t expect many tempered glass options for the S10.

The ultrasonic fingerprint scanner might not work with your favorite screen protector

In terms of build quality and feel, these are perhaps the most premium Samsung phones ever released. They are lovely to hold and even more lovely to look at, even though they are big and perhaps unwieldy to use in one hand. Samsung is still using aluminum for its frames, which doesn’t have quite the same appeal as the stainless steel that Apple uses on the iPhone XS and XS Max. The S10 Plus will be available with a ceramic back option, upping its aesthetic and tactile qualities.

The S10 and S10 Plus both have the same rear camera systems: a three-lens array that provides wide, super wide, and telephoto framing options at the touch of a button. The wide and telephoto cameras are the same ones that were found on last year’s S9 Plus, with 12-megapixel sensors and optically stabilized lenses. The telephoto lens has an f/2.4 aperture, while the wide camera has the same aperture-switching system that debuted last year and allows for switching between f/1.5 and f/2.4. The new ultra wide camera offers a 123-degree field of view through an f/2.2 lens and has a 16-megapixel sensor. Unfortunately, it is a fixed-focus lens that lacks autofocus. But at those super wide angles, that shouldn’t be that much of a problem.

The S10 is not the first phone to offer a triple-camera system — LG did it on the V40 last year — but it’s still an intriguing proposition: here is a whole camera bag full of lenses built into the back of your phone, and you can switch between them on the fly. We will have to see how well they perform in practice, but in my limited time using the S10 ahead of today’s announcement, switching between the cameras was quick and easy in the camera app. I do wish Samsung had pushed the envelope with its actual sensor technology more than it seems to have done — we’re seeing numerous phones come out this year with staggering 48-megapixel sensors — but I’m holding out hope that I’ll be pleasantly surprised by its performance once I have more time with it.

A whole camera bag full of lenses on the back of the phone

There are a couple of new software features related to the camera: an expanded set of “Scene Optimizer” selections that can automatically identify 30 different scenes and optimize the camera’s settings for them, and a new “Shot Suggestion” feature that can help fix poorly framed photos.

For video recording, the S10 supports 4K UHD recording on both the front and rear cameras, and it can record in HDR10+. There’s also a new “super steady video” mode for smoother footage. The iPhone remains the leader when it comes to video recording, but we’ll see if Samsung has been able to make up any ground this year.

The S10’s front camera has been upgraded to 10 megapixels, with an f/1.9 aperture lens and dual-pixel autofocus. The S10 Plus has a second, 8-megapixel front camera that it uses for improved depth sensing and portrait modes. Unlike the Pixel 3, the S10 Plus’ second front camera does not offer a wider field of view; it is used solely for depth effects. Samsung says the standard S10 will also have portrait mode features, though they will not be as “advanced” as what’s on the S10 Plus.

Inside, the S10 and S10 Plus have the Snapdragon 855 processor (in the US, other regions will see a Samsung Exynos processor), between 8GB and 12GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage in the S10 Plus. Both models start at 128GB of storage and have support for microSD card expansion as well. Battery capacities have gone up since last year — it appears Samsung has fully shaken off its fears of high-capacity batteries following the Note 7 debacle in 2016 — with the S10 featuring a 3,400mAh cell and the S10 Plus featuring a massive 4,100mAh battery. Both models support fast wired and wireless charging, and they have the ability to charge a second device, such as the new Galaxy Buds wireless headphones, through their back panels.

Unsurprisingly, the S10 and S10 Plus’ feature lists don’t end there: they also have IP68 water and dust resistance, 3.5mm headphone jacks, and support for Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5, and 2Gbps LTE (but not 5G; that’ll be in another S10 variant arriving later this year). The S10 is launching with Android 9 Pie and Samsung’s new One UI interface, which just recently arrived on the S9 models. And, yes, it still has a Bixby button that launches Bixby and does Bixby stuff. Samsung says it has developed new routines for Bixby, so we’ll have to see how well they work in practice, but it also seems like you’ll be able to remap the button to something more useful. Finally.

Overall, the S10 and S10 Plus seem to be solid, if a bit iterative, updates on what is very likely to be the most popular Android phone this year. They aren’t as groundbreaking or ahead of the pack as say, the Galaxy S8 was two years ago, but they take Samsung’s strengths and push them further. We will have to see how all of these changes work out in practice when we have a chance to properly review the S10 and S10 Plus, but for now, things are looking promising.

Beware and Be Wary of Hilton Hotels

Some Hilton-branded hotels require a first-night deposit. While the website's stated cancellation policy says you can cancel up to 5 days before arrival, it is silent on whether the deposit will be refunded. If you email Hilton customer support, your first and second responses will address various issues but not the issue you raised. The third response will read as follows: "If you make a reservation under deposit required then one night plus taxes will be deducted and in case if you wish to cancel the reservation then you can cancel it before the cancellation deadline or you can simply call the hotel in order to cancel the reservation. But sometimes these types of reservation are non-refundable because of the hotel policy. I would suggest you to please contact the hotel in order to confirm the same." Here is what was written in response to that: "While I appreciate finally getting a response that concerns the issue I raised, I doubt your legal department and marketing departments have any clue that the Hilton Garden Inn website does NOT tell customers whether or not the deposit is refundable or even that they should call the hotel to find out because, as you say, the deposit might or might not be refundable. I’m glad I’m now aware that, with Hilton, one cannot tell from the website whether or not any deposit is refundable, and should I ever stay at a Hilton again that requires a deposit that I need to call the hotel and find out if it is refundable, but given this kind of opaqueness when it would be so easy for the website to advise the customer, Hilton no longer will be my hotel chain of choice. I have never seen a hotel fail to disclose on its website its refund policy in clear, plain language. And I certainly have never seen a hotel chain say its refund policy is on a hotel-by-hotel basis, and while the website says nothing, one should call the hotel before finalizing a reservation on the hotel’s website. I would guess the marketing department is not aware of the issue and I am certain the legal department is not." The Hilton's response: "I really apologize for the inconvenience caused to you. I will definitely share your feedback with our management team so that they can look into this for you."

Some More Really Good News on Vizio and the Vizio Soundbar and Notes on Amazon Return Policy and the Switcheroo

An earlier post recommended the 28" Vizio soundbar which cost $130. It does work exactly as we have described, but it's 3" tall, while the 36" Vizio soundbar is just 2.1" tall. That might not sound like a big deal difference (although you can see below it actually is), but depending on your room, TV, and TV set-up, the aesthetic difference might be quite substantial, and certainly worth the additional $50 the 2.1" soundbar costs. 

The issue with a return and replacement is that, to unpack the soundbar, one has to essentially destroy the manufacturer's box it came in. No worries: Amazon does not require that that box be returned to do a return for refund. To be sure that is the case, though, it is wise to do a "chat" with Amazon customer service, have them confirm it, and have the confirming transcript emailed to you in case any question arises upon their receipt of the return.

If you're doing this kind of switcheroo, one thing that makes it easy is you can take all the cables and power supply that come with the new soundbar and put them in the box with the soundbar being returned. This is a win for you and them. In the process, you might learn that Vizio has great customer support: If you send them an email asking if the power supply for your original soundbar will work with the new soundbar, you'll get an email response within 3 minutes saying that it is. Most impressive. Even more impressive, if you realize you should have also asked about the power cord for the wireless sub-woofer, and you send another email, again, you'll get an email response but this time within 2 minutes. Wow! And yet still more impressive, if you realize you should have also asked about the remote control, and you send another email, yet again, you'll get an email response within 1 minute. Now we're talking serious OMG customer support. My next TV just might be a Vizio.

PS: BTW, the answers to the questions were yes, yes, and not all the remote functions.

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                                    2.1"           3"   

Pop Sockets

Pop sockets are collapsible disks that attach to the back of a smartphone. They are terrific little devices if you find that your phone keeps slipping out of your hand. The one shown below is just plain black, but they come in all colors and materials. Basic ones are available from Amazon and elsewhere for $10-$15, but you can get designer ones or jeweled ones for thousands of dollars.