If wrapping your device in a case is your thing, Ottebox has you covered. Literally. Their lineup of cases is an industry standard for overall protection, shielding those precious devices from the rugged and clumsy alike.

At CTIA, our Joshua Vergara got a chance to catch up with Otterbox to talk about what they have on offer. Whether you need something to protect from the occasional drop, or a case that looks like it could take a fall from a high-rise building, Otterbox has it. Check out the interview below!

PC to Android video streaming is a very niche market, which may make it difficult to find such an app and get it to work properly. That said, we went to the Play Store in search of some of the best PC to Android video streaming apps there are, and we’ve returned with some great results! As usual, if you’d rather watch the video than read, just head to the bottom of the article.

 2player

First up on our list is 2player, which recognizes DLNA servers to play content. The app was able to recognize a Plex server and play video from them. That’s a big requirement for this list, so good news for 2player. It’s a very simple app that doesn’t have a whole lot of features. It sort of works, but has some annoying graphics issues.

The graphics issues isn’t existent on every device, but it doesn’t affect video playback either, which is good news. Again, it’s a simple app that will get the job done.

 BubbleUPnP

BubbleUPnP is a fairly popular video streaming app, and there’s a good reason for that too. It works well, and goes the extra mile to offer a Google TV app on top of your standard tablet and smartphone support. The only real complaint we have about this app is that the free version feels a bit crippled.

During our testing, it was fairly easy to get videos to play from the Plex server. However, BubbleUPnP does require a secondary player, which might be a bit tedious for some. Thankfully apps like Moboplayer and MX player are completely free and solve the problem easily.

Emit

Emit is one of the nicer apps on our list, though, there is a few downsides.  While it works pretty well, it isn’t compatible with DLNA. Instead, it relies on its own PC app to stream media to your Android device. While that isn’t particularly a bad thing, it’s just a bit more tedious.

You’re able to add servers via an IP address or a PIN, but if you don’t know a whole lot about servers, this might not be something for your average Joe. Regardless, Emit works well, and that’s all that really matters. To get the best experience out of it, all you’ll need is the PC app too.

Plex

Plex is one of the better apps on our list. In fact, you can think of it as the Pandora radio of PC to Android streaming. It’s one of the most popular streaming apps for any operating system, whether it be Windows 8, Linux, or Android. It’s very popular because there’s a lot to like about Plex.

First off, Plex has a well designed, solid, and easy to use interface. Not only that, but it’s loaded with awesome features. Plex servers are also DLNA compliant and can be seen by other PC to Android streaming apps too. You may have noticed that with BubbleUPnP.

Similar to Emit, you’re going to need to download Plex’s proprietary app to get Plex to work properly. This isn’t a big issue though, as Plex servers are fairly easy to get up and running. Once everything is set up and ready to go, video streaming works wonderfully, and you should only run into the occasional issue. Like BubbleUPnP, Plex is available on Google TV in addition to tablets and phones.

Tonido

As you would expect in a PC to Android video streaming list, Tonido is perfectly capable of such tasks. You might be surprised to know that, that actually isn’t the sole purpose of this particular app though. Tonido also pairs as a file sharing app between your PC and Android device. So not only can you stream video, but you can also share documents, music files, video, and pictures.

Tonido’s video streaming capabilities are actually quite good, though, much like Emit and Plex, you have to download its proprietary app on the PC to get it working on your Android device. However, if you employ a generic DLNA server, you may want to look elsewhere, as you can’t even get into the app until you sign into your Tonido account.

Conclusion

If you take a gander at our leaderboard (image above) you can see how these apps compete against one another. These are based on Google Play Store ratings and downloads, so there isn’t any bias on our part.

Much like our Best Widgets for Android list, PC to Android video streaming is very niche. However, there’s still a few out there that deserve an honorary mention. These include AVia, TVersity, and MediaHouse UPnP. When it comes to PC to Android video streaming, the quality of an app isn’t something that needs to be worried about a whole lot. What matters the most is finding a decent app that provides good video quality.

As I said, PC to Android video streaming is a very niche market. So there could have been a really great app we missed. If you have a favorite PC to Android video streaming app, be sure to tell everyone about it in the comments section below!

The Samsung Galaxy Mega is reportedly headed for Three UK, with a July launch window. While nothing official has emerged, our previous report notes pre-orders being taken for a July delivery. That report, coupled with Three being the only regional carrier in the UK to confirm plans for the device, lead us to believe they will have it sometime mid-summer.

Unfortunately, the 5.8-inch version won’t make the jump across the pond, so our UK readers will have to let us know how those 6.3-inch devices work out for them. With a 720p screen and 1.5GB RAM running at 1.7Ghz, we’re curious to see what everyone thinks.

Check out the video below, in which Three compares the entire Galaxy line. Interested in getting one? Let us know what you think of Samsung’s next next big thing in the comments section below!

There are quite a few different opinions out there when it comes to wearable tech. Some say it is a fad. Others that it is the future, and that devices like Google Glass will lead to a revolution. Then there is talk of privacy concerns, social concerns and even the belief that development of wearable technology is the first step towards a dystopian future where “the man” is always watching.

Short of inventing a time machine, we can’t say for sure how wearable tech will affect our lives in the years to come. But we can take a look at a few potential scenarios or situations where wearable tech could make life better, or in some cases worse.

A world with no privacy

Organizations like “Stop the Cyborgs” feel that Google Glass and other wearable tech could soon lead to major privacy concerns throughout the globe. Even the United States senate has some potential worries. There are clearly folks that don’t like the idea of tech that is always on, always watching and could even be recording your every move.

If Google Glass leads the way for other smart wearable devices that allow free and easy recording no matter where you are, you could be left with something that looks a great deal like a sci-fi movie’s vision of a dystopian future.

Leaving your house would mean that you would surrender all privacy (which arguably is the case even today), as everyone could be watching you and reporting any action you do, with video footage to prove it.

It also means that you as a wearable-tech user could be subject to tracking from companies, the government and any would-be super-hacker (which is also arguably the same case today). That means not just what you look up with wearable tech, but also possibly what you see, what you’re doing and where you are currently located at.

But is this scenario really likely? Yes and no. I’d love to say “Absolutely not!” – but it’s more complicated than that. It would really depend on the country and the people in it.

I have no doubt that many governments would take advantage of this kind of technology to “protect” everyday citizens. It really wouldn’t be the tech at fault here, though.

Wearable technology could certainly be an enabler of privacy invasion, but it isn’t the real cause of privacy concerns. Governments, pervs, businesses and stalkers already use technology and general information to exploit us for their own ends.

If we want to solve privacy concerns for future wearable tech, it’s about making changes and setting real boundaries in the present.

Making the world a safer place

So the invasion of privacy is a possible concern, but there are also many great future uses for wearable technology that could truly make our lives better, or even safer.

Last month we reported on how the New York City police department was utilizing Android phones for quickly accessing information about the area around them, in ways that are much more efficient than on-board car computers. Not everyone likes the idea of the police having easy access to information about warrants, building crime stats and other data, but honestly I feel that there is a lot of potential for crime reduction that outweighs the downsides.

Building on that concept, imagine that police officers could take the same information and have it within their Google Glass or other wearable device. No need to fumble with a phone to find what they need.

A perp starts running? The police could use GPS information to help them figure out the best ways to chase after them, avoiding dead ends and other obstacles along the way.

Then again, maybe giving police officers this kind of tech is almost as scary as helpful.

What about for emergency response? Recently a video from Playground Labs showed a few ideas for Google Glass, one of them included how in the future, wearable devices could be used for placing 911 calls and receiving “in-your-eye” help on what to do in an emergency situation, like performing CPR, etc.

Beyond that, I could also see paramedics using the tech. Imagine the emergency responder streaming live video to the ER, allowing them to see what is going on and giving them time to prepare for what might need to be done when the patient arrives. For surgeries, there are also teaching applications, like a surgeon streaming live footage of a surgery (with permission of course) to students.

The list goes on, but you get the idea. Wearable tech in its current form seems like a way for us to simply do the same things as we can with our phones, but that’s not where it is heading. The potential for a real revolution is within reach.

How wearable tech could affect the consumer directly

So Google Glass opens the door to possible privacy invasion, but it also opens the door to more effective crime prevention and emergency response.

What about us as consumers, how else can we benefit on a day-to-day basis? Immediate first-gen wearable tech like Google Glass and smartwatches seem focused on giving us access to basically the same information as we have right now, just quicker.

It’s about checking the net, keeping up with your social network, getting quick directions and the like.

Long-term? Google Glass developers are just now playing around and learning what they can do with the 1st-generation Google Glass. Ten years from now, their ideas will be more developed, and the original Google Glass hardware will look like a Fisher-Price toy compared to what will then be possible.

The future for wearable tech is in creating augmented reality that enhances payment options, conversations and everyday life – without getting in the way.

Imagine visiting a landmark and your wearable watch/glasses/contacts automatically recognize the location and provide you with virtual tour guide information. For businesses, there could also be paid content, where you can learn more about buildings and locations simply by paying a small fee.

The holy grail of wearable computing is about moving beyond just providing quick access to the web: its about overlaying connected data over everything we do.

Social concerns with wearable glass

Right now, we already have seen a major change in the way young people use technology, even when compared to just 5 or 10 years prior. Many of us are constantly locked to our phones or tablets. From checking messages every few minutes, to looking up stuff on the net just about everywhere, bathroom included.

When the computer is with you 24/7, what kind of impact will it have? It will certainly be different. Worse? That’s probably a matter of opinion. It will mean that people might be even further enslaved by technology than ever before, but ultimately even that is not the tech’s fault.

I love my phone, my tablet and my PC. I’m a nerd all the way, and proud. I am clearly on-the-grid and loving it. That said, there are times when I break free.

Camping, fishing, hell just an evening with the family without worrying about what’s going on over at Google+ or Twitter. I make the choice to power off my devices and take a few moments to enjoy life unleashed from the world of modern communication. I use tech to enhance my life, not to take it over.

I’m biased towards wearable tech, I’ll admit it. But I do understand that there are real concerns around wearable and augmented technology. The point is that these technologies don’t have to control us or throw us into a Big Brother dystopian world.

Prevention is simple. We need to create clear etiquette for the use of these devices, and hold others accountable for their actions while using wearable technology.

By understanding how the tech should be used, we prevent the abuse of it, as seen in this amazing short-film:

What do you think of wearable technology like Google Glass, any great possible uses for the tech that I didn’t mention? Will it change the world for the better, or for the worst?