Droid Life

Cool With OnePlus Returning to Mid-Range With a OnePlus 8 Lite?

Kellen — Mon, 09 Dec 2019 10:36:24 +0000

The image at the top of this post is of the OnePlus X, a mid-range phone from OnePlus that was released outside of the US at the end of 2015. I'm not sure it sold well or was much of a success because OnePlus hasn't released a mid-range phone since. Instead, the company has focused on the high-end with flagship phones that compete with the best from Samsung and Google. A new leak might reveal a change in plans for OnePlus to re-enter that mid-range market in 2020. Thanks to @onleaks, we are seeing renders of a "OnePlus 8 Lite" for the first time. The leak, if you can call it that, arrives as CAD renders based off of schematics likely provided from a case manufacturer with access to OnePlus' plans. In the past, these early CAD renders have proven to be highly accurate, so don't just dismiss them. What do they show? Well, we've got a supposed OnePlus phone with a 6.4" or 6.5" flat display that includes a hole punch front camera. It'll also have a top-left rear camera housing with a dual camera setup and flash and USB-C port. There may be an in-display fingerprint reader as well and body measurements of 159.2 x 74 x 8.6mm.

We don't know anything else about this phone, as this is the first time we are hearing a reference to it or what it may look like. The thing is, we think we already know what the OnePlus 8 will look like, so if anything, this gives us an interesting story to follow. OnePlus re-entering the mid-range market could mean a phone with decent specs at a remarkably low price. And I say that because the set of specs in phones like the OnePlus 7T that OnePlus keeps under $600 are already a hell of a value. What do you guys think about OnePlus back in the mid-range market? You interested? // 91 Mobiles

Google Maps Will Let You Bulk Delete Timeline Locations

Kellen — Mon, 09 Dec 2019 09:31:06 +0000

Google has done a much better job of letting you know what kinds of information it tracks, but it's also better at letting you delete that information automatically, manually, or however you see fit. Next month, they are adding a new feature to Google Maps that lets you bulk delete location history in your Timeline. As a part of an announcement that shared news of Incognito Mode coming to iOS, Google says that Android users will soon get to selection multiple places from their Timeline for deletion. The screens will look as you see above. Again, this won't show up until next month, so don't go looking for it now. If you do, you'll find your typical Timeline that only lets you edit places one by one. // Google

Galaxy Watch Active 2, Our Favorite Smartwatch, is Once Again $50 Off

Kellen — Mon, 09 Dec 2019 08:49:58 +0000

Samsung has once again discounted their fabulous new smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch Active 2, by $50, dropping it to Black Friday-level pricing. With starting points of $229 and $249, this is once again the smartwatch we will tell you to go buy. A little over a week ago, I shared a confession with you all, that I had taken a secret break from Wear OS and was enjoying a Galaxy Watch Active 2. During that shameful and secret testing period, I mostly fell in love with Samsung's newest smartwatch and likely won't take it off the wrist any time soon. The Galaxy Watch Active 2 provides a true 2-day battery life, even with a lot thrown at it. It has the best watch display I've seen, solid performance that might blow the minds of Wear OS users, a slick design that comes in both 40mm and 44mm sizes, quick-swap bands, and a fit and finish that will leave you feeling like you are wearing a watch that costs far more than $230. Look, I like the Fossil Gen 5, especially at this crazy price, but the Galaxy Watch Active 2 is offering a better overall experience at this time. Shop Galaxy Watch Active 2 [Amazon Link]

FYI: Google's Opinion Rewards App Now Shows When Your Credit Will Expire

Tim — Mon, 09 Dec 2019 08:39:24 +0000

In case you're someone who doesn't spend the money they earn inside the Opinion Rewards app from Google, allow this to serve as a heads up that the app now details exactly when the free credit you earn with the app will expire. With the updated app, you'll see the expiration date for the oldest credit associated with the account right under your balance (shown below). This update follows the news that your credit vanishes after a year of non-usage, but that's just crazy because who is out there sitting on free Google Play credit and not spending it? If you aren't using Opinion Rewards, well, there's never a wrong time to get started. Basically, Google serves you surveys and other kinds of questions, which you can answer if you're cool with that, then you get compensated in free-to-spend Google Play credit. It's easily one of the best apps ever.

Google Play Link

Pixel Phones are Getting a Bunch of New Features

Kellen — Mon, 09 Dec 2019 07:57:56 +0000

Google announced that its Pixel phones are getting the first ever "Pixel feature drop" this week, which is mostly Google saying that a batch of new features are coming to your phone. The first "feature drop" brings new features to the Pixel 4, Pixel 3, Pixel 3a, and Pixel 2.

Bokeh time any time

In this first Pixel drop, Google is adding a new setting in Google Photos that allows you to add bokeh or blur to a photo that you've previously taken, even if it wasn't taken with Portrait mode. Photos and your Pixel believe they are smart enough to find edges in a photo and give a natural level of blurring to the background (you can adjust this too), even to your oldest photos. To adjust the background blur on an image in Google Photos, look for a Blur slider within the "Edit" menu.

Goodbye, Robocalls

For the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, Google is adding automatic screen calling to spam numbers and will try and automatically filter out robocalls. This new feature was first hinted at about a month ago and it couldn't come fast enough. Automatic call screening, which is happening through the Call Screen feature on Pixel 4, will detect the calls, gather information on them, and then ring you a bit later than usual with that info to help you decide if you want to pick it up. For robocalls, well, they'll just filter and block that sh*t. To find the new Call Screen settings, open your Phone app, tap the top right menu button, tap Settings, and then hit up the "Call Screen" area.

Other features:

Google Duo gets a number of improvements: Google added auto-framing and face centering during calls (Pixel 4) that can adjust for multiple people in a frame, improved audio when you have a bad connection (Pixel 4), and a Portrait mode during calls (Pixel 2, 3, and 4).
Google Maps is faster: Thanks to "improved on-device computing for much better location quality," Google Maps should be faster than ever.
Google Recorder to older Pixel phones, which you knew.
Live Caption to the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3a, which again, you knew.
Digital Wellbeing Focus mode gets new features.
Flip to Shhh comes to Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL.

RAM improvement

In addition to all of those fun new features, Google is going to try and improve RAM management on Pixel phones. The new enhancement will proactively compress cached applications "so that users can run multiple applications at the same time -- like games, streaming content and more." Since Pixel phones haven't been great in RAM management in the past, any improvement in the area is going to be welcomed. As you know, Pixel phones get monthly security updates (even if they are late), but Google now says that these feature drops will come more regularly too. Not monthly, but you should see them on a "regular basis" going forward. Now, where is that Pixel 4 December patch? // Google

Pixel 4 and 4 XL Up to $150 Off at Amazon, Free Google WiFi Included

Kellen — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 08:44:57 +0000

Google's Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are discounted again for those who missed out on their Black Friday sale. Currently, you'll find the Pixel 4 at $100 off and the Pixel 4 XL at $150 off at several retailers. Amazon has the best deal, though, thanks to an added bonus of a free Google WiFi. For a limited time, Amazon is selling the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL (64GB versions) with a free Google WiFi unit at $699 and $749, respectively. A 1-pack Google WiFi costs $100 on its own today, so yeah, a free $100 WiFi bonus to help start your home's first mesh network or expand on one you already own. Need to know more about the Pixel 4? We have reviews (Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL).

Amazon Deal Link

Fossil Gen 5 Drops to $169, Its Lowest Price Ever

Kellen — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 08:28:40 +0000

Here is the best Fossil Gen 5 deal.

Cyber Week deals are wrapping up, but Fossil just posted a fresh deal on smartwatches that when combined with a $50-off coupon code, drops it to its lowest price ever. The Fossil Gen 5, the only Wear OS really worth considering today, can be had for $169. At that $169 price, the Fossil Gen 5 is $126 off from its original $295 price. This is a bigger discount than we saw over Black Friday, when the Gen 5 dropped to $185. Even though I've certainly changed my preference to Samsung's Galaxy Watch Active 2 as my daily smartwatch, the Fossil Gen 5 is the watch I turn back to when I want Wear OS in my life. It has all of the specs you need for a Wear OS watch to run decently, looks really sharp from a design perspective, and you can make it yours through quick swap 22mm watch bands and a deep catalog of Wear OS watch faces. It also has Google Fit integration, Cardiogram heartrate tracking, and a bunch of battery modes that no other Wear OS watch currently has. To help you get through a day and then some, Fossil built out 4 battery modes that let you fine-tune the functionality of the watch. The new battery modes might be the most important addition to the Gen 5, outside of the 1GB RAM. The Fossil Gen 5 comes in case colors of stainless steel or black, plus there are a few different watch band types to pair them with at purchase time. But again, you can replace them easily with any 22mm watch band, like my favorite right here. To get the $169 price, you find the Fossil Gen 5 you want through the link below, then apply code "9653422." That's a $50 code that sits on top of a $76 smartwatch discount running on the Gen 5 line.

Shop Fossil Gen 5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_I2-XyEQuU

What Makes Your Phone Great?

Kellen — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 15:55:53 +0000

What do you love about your phone?

We all own the phones that we own for certain reasons. We bought them for the camera. We bought them for the battery life or the high refresh rate display. We wanted frequent software updates or support for years. We wanted all the shiny, fragile glass surrounding it because it looks so damn pretty when new and is sans case for the first 30 seconds of ownership. We have needs and the phones we choose hopefully satisfy them. But what makes your phone particularly great? If someone were to come up to you and ask, "Why'd you buy that phone?" What would you respond with? Is there a single feature or is it the combination of many? Is it because you trust the company making it to provide a level of service on top of the features? Is ownership partly based on ownership of the previous model of the phone you now own? Do you just love glass? We get asked all of the time which phone we would recommend to people because that's sort of our jobs. We get asked if someone should buy the Galaxy Note 10 or the regular S10? We get a lot of people right now asking if they should buy the OnePlus 7T over the Pixel 4, for good reason. It's a never-ending conversation that we love to have. I know what I'd say about most phones, if someone asked why they should buy this phone over that phone. This is what I think makes phones great:

Galaxy Note 10+: It's the everything phone. It has an incredible display, one of the best camera systems available, the software has gotten so good with the release of One UI, and there's a freakin' S Pen. You have super fast charging, wireless charging, accessory choices for days, upgrades in storage performance, and a support system from one of the biggest brands in the entire world. Samsung throws it all in there and that alone makes me happy.
OnePlus 7T: This is the phone for people who love speed. I know that OnePlus probably exaggerates the speed of their phones, but there is something about OnePlus phones that do indeed feel quicker than everyone else's. On top of that, you have the whole value conversation around the price you pay for all the goods you get when compared to others. But really, I just think fast and clean and smooth and sleek when I recommend OnePlus. The fastest charging. The smoothest displays. Buttery smooth software. Those clean lines and that metal sharpness. Mmmm, I love it.
Pixel 4 XL: I won't call anything about the regular Pixel 4 great, but with the Pixel 4 XL, I immediately think about an ecosystem. As boring and odd as that may sound, the reason people like me love the Pixel line is because it provides the best Google experience in a phone, from services to cameras to software. If you want the "Google" experience, you go Pixel, even if that means taking a hit on certain hardware features. OK, the camera is also pretty damn good.

I'm sure I could go on and find other phones, these are just the three I'd recommend to most people buying a phone today. Also, though, the basic principle for each applies to older Pixel phones, the Galaxy S10 or Note 9, and the OnePlus 7 Pro, etc. With every single one of the releases from Samsung, OnePlus, and Google, those are mostly my takeaway every time. I don't see it changing any time soon. What about you? You've likely owned a variety of phones now that we are in 2019. What makes your phone great? How would you describes its greatness to someone looking for a new phone?

Galaxy S11 Camera System Sounds Amazing

Kellen — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 14:31:59 +0000

As we close in on the end of 2019 and approach a new year, the time old tradition of Samsung's next phones being completely spoiled months before we get to officially see them has arrived. The Galaxy S11 and Galaxy S11+ are everywhere right now. We think we know what they look like. We may have an idea about battery capacity. And now we may know more camera details. According to a report from Bloomberg, the Galaxy S11 is going to feature a 108MP camera sensor in the main slot, an ultra-wide angle shooter, Time of Flight sensor, and a 5x optical zoom lens. Samsung is reported to be pushing the biggest overhaul to their cameras in a while with the S11 series, likely to better compete with the superstar cameras Apple just introduced in the iPhone 11 series. At 108MP, they won't be the first to try this. Xiaomi has already done it in a way that uses pixel binning on that 108MP sensor to create 27MP shots. Pixel binning also isn't new, as companies like Motorola use it on almost all of their phones at this point. 108MP is kind of nuts though, assuming Samsung can dial in that algorithm properly on the processing end. Knowing Samsung and cameras, this could be fun. As for that 5X zoom shooter, well, 5X is big. Most phones with telephoto lenses shoot at 2X, so 5X could give you a whole bunch of up-close-action that you can't get on many other phones. On a related note, Bloomberg's report suggests that a new Galaxy Fold "clamshell device" will arrive alongside the Galaxy S11 with a similar camera setup that includes both 108MP and 5X zoom shooters. What a beast the Galaxy S11 is shaping up to be. // Bloomberg

DEAL: Best Buy Drops Galaxy S10, S10+ by $400 With Activation

Kellen — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 13:26:37 +0000

We've got a great Samsung Galaxy S10 or Galaxy S10+ deal to take us into the weekend. At Best Buy, you can grab either phone with a $400 discount as long as you are cool activating it with Verizon, AT&T, or Sprint. At $400 off, a Galaxy S10 with 128GB storage would run you $499, while an upgrade in storage to 512GB would cost $749. Need the Galaxy S10+? You are looking at $599 for the 128GB model, $849 for the 512GB model, and $1,199 for the 1TB version. All are at $400 off. This whole activation thing doesn't seem to be the worst deal. It sure looks like you can sign-up for new service, add a new line, or upgrade to get this $400 off deal. And after all, these are the US unlocked versions of the Galaxy S10 and S10+ that will work on any carrier of your choosing. Hit that link up and have a blast shopping, my friend. Best Buy Deal Link Cheers Nathan!

Samsung Galaxy S11+ Shown to Feature 5,000mAh Battery

Tim — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 13:09:00 +0000

According to a reported photo of the upcoming Galaxy S11+ battery, it appears that Samsung is going to pack in a full 5,000mAh of battery juice into the device. For anyone who enjoys long battery life, this is pretty sweet.

Related: Galaxy S11+ CAD Renders.

Of course, we have to keep in mind that it's reported there will be many things onboard the new Galaxy S11 series that will look to deplete your battery in a quick manner. For example, 8K video recording is reported for the lineup, which could easily cause a battery to drain. On top of that, Samsung will likely implement a higher refresh rate for the devices' displays, which also hurts potential battery life. Then there's 5G connectivity to consider, given the new S11 series is powered by the Snapdragon 865 processor. All of this can lead to poor battery performance. So, basically what I'm saying is, this phone actually needs a 5,000mAh battery.

ALSO READ: The Galaxy S11 camera setup is going to be nuts.

According to everything we've read and seen so far, Samsung's next phones are going to be absolutely stuffed with new features and high-end tech specs. If you're a Samsung fan, this must be exciting. Thoughts? // SamMobile

Sprint Handing Out Free Branded-Beanies to All Customers

Tim — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 09:28:30 +0000

As a quick heads up, Sprint is giving out free branded-beanies to all of its customers this holiday season. All you have to do to claim one is walk into a Sprint store and show a rep your 'My Sprint Rewards' app. Easy enough. How to Redeem

Make sure you have the My Sprint Rewards app downloaded
Come in to a Sprint store, click “Get Free Hat” in front of a Sprint associate and the associate will hand you your knit hat.
Enjoy!

Who is gonna say no to a free beanie? // Sprint

Podcast: 5G Be Creepin'

Kellen — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 09:18:59 +0000

On this episode of the Droid Life Show, after a few week break for the holiday shopping season, we're back to talk about Qualcomm's Snapdragon 865 and how much closer to 5G we are. Not 5G in the sense that it'll be meaningful, but 5G in the sense that you'll have a phone capable of connecting to 5G whether anyone is ready or not. We'll also dive into T-Mobile and AT&T's new 5G networks, Motorola re-joining the premium realm, the December Android patch, Galaxy S11 renders, and more! Trivia is back at the end of the show as usual. We’ll be live at 11:00AM Pacific (2:00PM Eastern).

Yay! Google Keep is Back as Google Assistant Notes and Lists Option

Kellen — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 08:00:53 +0000

Google Keep in Google Assistant, again!

A year ago, Google announced that you would soon be able to change the Notes and Lists option in Google Assistant to be a number of different apps, including Google Keep. The functionality may have started to rollout at some point, but it never reached everyone and may have been pulled back from others. Today, Google says that they are giving it another shot. Starting today, Google is giving Google Assistant users options over lists that include Any.Do, AnyList, Bring!, and yes, Google Keep. Once available, you'll be able to open Google Assistant settings and swipe over to "Services" to find "Notes and Lists." I'm assuming that section will replace the current "Shopping list" option that most of us have now. Once you tap on that, you will see the services I mentioned above. Should you choose one of those providers, all lists you create with Google Assistant going forward will appear within that service's app too, allowing you to keep track in multiple places. Google says that you will also be able to ask for historical notes and lists from connected services created before you connected to Assistant. With a new note taking app selected, the Assistant can create new lists, add to already-created lists, and even take notes. If you just want to see notes, you can ask for that too. This new notes and lists integration will be available across all of your Assistant-powered devices, including phones, smart speakers, and smart displays. Anyone seeing it yet? // Google

Galaxy Note 10+ Star Wars Edition Now Available for Pre-Order

Tim — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 22:30:16 +0000

UPDATE: You can now pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ Star Wars Edition. Samsung has it, as does Amazon, with a price of $1,299.99. At that price, you'll get not only the customized version of the Note 10+, you get a special red S Pen, collectible box, customized set of Galaxy Buds and more. The phone is schedule to arrive by December 13.

Ahead of the theatrical debut for Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker, Samsung's special Star Wars edition Galaxy Note 10+ will have its pre-orders fired up tonight at 12AM Eastern time (9PM Pacific), with the official availability date still listed as December 13. If this is your first time hearing about this device, it's a Kylo Ren-themed Note 10+, priced at $1300. The phone has a black body with red accents, comes with a red lightsaber-inspired S Pen, matching Galaxy Buds, a leather cover, and a unique metal badge as a collector’s item. Basically, it's totally awesome. You can find this device up for pre-order at Samsung.com, Samsung Experience Stores, Amazon.com, and Best Buy. While this is great, I'm pretty sure we all want a Baby Yoda phone, right?

Package Tracking in Google Search Gonna Get Good

Kellen — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 16:01:54 +0000

Currently, when you copy a package tracking number and paste it into Google Search, Google is smart enough to recognize the carrier and provide you with a shortcut to their site that will reveal detailed tracking information. Soon, if Google has its way, a simple Google Search of the tracking number will give it all to you without the external redirect. Through the Google Webmaster Central blog today, Google asked for package carriers to sign-up for a program that would bring detailed tracking information right to Search. You can see how this might look in the image at the top of the post, where Google's example shows the day an item shipped, stops along the way, if it's out for delivery, and when it has been flagged as delivered. It could also provide you with contact information, in case you have questions about your shipment. It looks great, we just now need package carriers to get on board. Will they? I'm not sure the incentive for Fedex or UPS to bow to Google and keep you away from their own site, where they can talk you into shipping things, buying premium memberships, etc. So who knows if this will happen on any meaningful level or if the only companies involved are smaller carriers. // Google Webmaster Central

Gapless Playback for YouTube Music Rolling Out to More Users

Tim — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 15:35:30 +0000

YouTube Music fans, a big thing is coming to your favorite music service. That's right, it's gapless playback for Android and web playback! And just so we're clear, that's the thing that allows for there to be no pause between songs when listening to an album or playlist.

Google Play Music's end is still eventually coming.

If you aren't seeing it in your app yet, do note that this appears to be a server-side change on Google's part, so if you don't have it yet, there's no real method to the madness in terms of getting it. You'll just have to be patient, but do make sure you have the latest version of the app from Google Play. At some point, Google plans to have YouTube Music replace Google Play Music, but from our latest experience with YouTube Music, they still have a ways to go. Our fingers are crossed that Google doesn't pull the plug on Play Music too early. After all, Play Music is still a good service with a lot of my personal music uploaded to its servers. Don't mess this transition up, Google.

Google Play Link

// 9to5 Google

5G Phones Likely Your Only Flagship Choice Next Year

Kellen — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 14:20:30 +0000

Hope You are Ready to Buy 5G Phones.

I don't think anyone living in reality can say with a straight face that 5G is here. It's not. Not the promise of 5G, that is. There are pieces of a 5G future somewhat alive today, but it's going to be years before a 5G experience of any kind changes your life. You should still prepare for 5G, though, because your next phone is likely going to have it whether you or the industry are ready or not. Qualcomm announced its Snapdragon 865 chipset this week, the chip that is going to power all of the major flagship phones in 2020. As a part of the 865, Qualcomm is not making available a 4G SKU or a 4G-only option for manufacturers. If a phone maker wants to put the 865 in a phone, it has to do so in a package that includes the Snapdragon X55, Qualcomm's newest 5G modem. That's just the bottom line. When the Galaxy S11, LG G9, the OnePlus 8, Google's possible Pixel 5 entry, and any other big time, top tier phone arrive, they will have 5G capabilities. That is, assuming they all choose the Snapdragon 865 and they most definitely will. Qualcomm has a semi-gross monopoly on mobile chipsets in the US and that's their only flagship chipset for the next year. You either use it or you miss out and offer a lesser experience than your competitors. What will that mean for phones? Well, the 865 is shaping up to be a nice upgrade over the Snapdragon 855. In the camera department, you may see a manufacturer try for 8K video or Dolby Vision capture, insane slow motion video, and massive photos, all of which are snapped at insane speeds. Displays could hit 144Hz, gaming performance will be quite good, and other connectivity features like WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 are present. The 865 is actually a pretty significant improvement over last year in terms of new features. With that said, forcing everyone to buy an X55 modem as a part of the 865 package could lead to higher prices on high-end phones that have already increased significantly in price in recent years. It could make for design challenges, depending on the 5G implementation. For example, should a maker of 5G phones add 5G mmW support, things could get large, hot, and not-so-fun. They could also just support sub-6 5G and/or low-band 5G, keeping things somewhat regular with a promise of 5G that carriers can hopefully fulfill at some point. Like how T-Mobile has nationwide 5G in the low-band right now, but is promising mid-band (sub-6) support should they finally merge with Sprint. The two phones they currently sell for 5G - Galaxy Note 10+ 5G and OnePlus 7T Pro 5G - will work with both of those bands, but not 5G mmW. The other part of this situation involves the carriers. Many still don't have much to show as far as 5G networks go. Verizon is still just dabbling in 5G mmW, which is fast and also terrible. AT&T just launched their first low-band 5G network in select cities, but also has 5G mmW in others. T-Mobile, as I mentioned above, now has nationwide low-band 5G along with very select locations of 5G mmW. None of that plays well together at the moment, though that could change in 2020. Related to that, because your phone will have 5G, there may be data plan decisions to make through your carrier outside of phone and 5G band support. T-Mobile, with their low-band 5G network that is now live, says that 5G won't cost anything extra and is just built into their current plans. If you own a 5G phone on T-Mobile, you just get 5G, for now. With Verizon and AT&T, the situation is different. Verizon only offers 5G as a part of three of their four unlimited plans. That 5G access is sold as a $10 add-on that select unlimited customers get as a bonus for a limited time, with a single plan asking customers to pay the $10 monthly rate. In other words, Verizon plans to charge you for 5G at some point down the road. AT&T could do something similar too. They also now have 5G in select plans and are not currently charging for it. They've left open the option to change that going forward, though. You see, I wasn't exaggerating when I said that it would be years before 5G is realized. There are a lot of things that need to happen before 5G is truly here. There are also going to be many things for you to consider when you buy your next phone because of 5G. But one thing we know is happening for sure and that's Qualcomm getting you ready no matter what. So get ready.

She Sees Red, an Interactive FMV Game, Now Available on Google Play

Tim — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 10:21:40 +0000

Originally released to Steam earlier this year, She Sees Red is now available on Android via Google Play, priced at $2.99. The game is a full motion video (FMV) game, where players personally choose how the story develops. For comparison, think Netflix's Bandersnatch. As for this game's story, you play as a hooded person in some type of night club that has no problem killing the people who get in his way. This is from the game's description.

A gritty interactive movie for ages 18 and above, She Sees Red dares players to make life-defying choices inside a seedy nightclub as they take on the role of a mysterious stranger with the knowledge (and the will) to kill.

As you make choices, a time-hop occurs in the film and you watch as a detective attempts to figure out exactly what took place in the club. I've played for about 20 minutes so far and it's pretty darn great, though, it's the type of game you'd want to play when you have plenty of time to kill. Playthroughs of the game take about 30-35 minutes, with the point being that you'll play it multiple times to see the various endings. Also to note, the game has English overdubs, but if you want a more immersive experience, switch to the game's original Russian audio and use the English subtitles. If you enjoy FMV titles and movies like Bandersnatch, definitely give this one a look.

Google Play Link ($2.99)

https://youtu.be/PD_ixnItzpY

DEAL: Google Keeps Nest Hub at $79, Throws in Free Nest Mini (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 10:03:41 +0000

Black Friday and Cyber Monday were supposed to bring the best deals of the holiday season, but we've seen some today alone that top last week's shopping bonanza. And now, for a limited time, you can buy a Google Nest Hub at its holiday price of $79 ($50 off) and get a free Nest Mini with it through the Google Store. Combined at full price, that's a $178 value that you are paying $79 for. At their current discounted rates, that's still $114 value that you are only paying $79 for. I'm not sure I need to explain either product, do I? You know what the Nest Hub is. It's a smart display with Google Assistant that is the best digital photo frame you'll ever buy. You know about improvements to the Nest Mini over the original Google Home Mini. It's a sweet little room-by-room Assistant speaker that is reasonably priced. To get the deal, hit that link below and add a Nest Hub in any color to cart. Once you do that, you will be taken to a 2nd page that lets you add a Nest Mini. $79 for both!

UPDATE: This deal is available at a bunch of retailers. Pick your favorite.

Shop Google Nest Hub

Darksiders Genesis Available Now on Stadia, Priced at $40

Tim — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 09:38:05 +0000

Stadia has a new title available for gamers this morning, Darksiders Genesis. Unlike other Stadia games, this one is actually new-new and wasn't released months ago. Like all other titles on Stadia, except for the ones free to play for Pro members, you simply buy the game, then seconds later you're up and playing thanks to the power of the cloud. Magical! Sadly, I know nothing of this game, which is the case for a lot of the games on Stadia. I'm an FPS fanboy after all. However, from what I gather, this game is an "action/adventure that tears its way through hordes of demons, angels, and everything in-between on its way to Hell and back with guns blazing and swords swinging." This title is the first in the franchise to allow for 2 player co-op, too. That means you can go grab your buddy and have a silly goose time! Stadia subscribers, are you still enjoying yourselves? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_BkKeHoTi0 // Stadia

Google's Impressive Recorder App, Live Caption Arrive on Older Pixel Phones

Kellen — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 09:09:26 +0000

December apparently means the month of giving by Google to older Pixel phones. Just this week, non-Pixel 4 models are getting things previously exclusive to the newest Pixels. We're talking about new access to Google's new Recorder app and Live Caption. Prepare for new toys! For the Google Recorder app, this is the app that Google first demoed at the Pixel 4 launch to great applause. It's a voice recorder that not only records what you are saying, it transcribes whatever you are saying in real-time. It then makes those transcribed recordings available with the text searchable. You can, of course, share anything you have recorded from the app. It's pretty slick, though I've never used it (🙃). It sure looks like the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3a are most definitely now supported, but the Pixel 2 should have access as well. Please confirm in those comments, if you don't mind. Google Play Link

With Live Caption, the Pixel 4 first showcased this little service, where you can take any video that's playing on your phone and have it show captures on your screen. It's great for those with hearing impairments, but it's also great when you are in a quiet environment and still want to watch a video. In my testing, the captions are not always 100% accurate and sometimes fall a bit behind. Still, it's better than not having it and I can tell you that I use it regularly on my Pixel 4. You'll likely need to be on the latest December Android patch to get this on your Pixel 3 and Pixel 3a. Once on that build, head into your phone's settings and search for "Live Caption." You can also find it by going into Settings and tapping on the "Sound" section. Google says it is rolling out now, in case you don't see it just yet. https://twitter.com/Android/status/1201996312368930816

Misfit Watches Get Extra 20% Off Code, Drop as Low as $79

Kellen — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 08:20:44 +0000

Misfit kicked off a "Countdown to Christmas" sale today on its website that takes 20% off everything in their store. All you need to use is "HOLIDAY20" at checkout and you will see the price of whatever item you are shopping for, drop. At this time, they either forgot to take off their previous sale or want you to buy their smartwatches for pennies, but that code works on top of other discounts and drops prices incredibly low. For example, the brand new Misfit Vapor X, which retails for $279, can be had for $143.99, thanks to a still-active $100 discount and that 20% off code. The Misfit Vapor 2, another of their newer watches, has a similar $100 discount, so the 20% code makes it just $119.99. Oh, and if you want their original Vapor, it's now $79.99 with code and $100 discount. Kinda crazy! It's tough to know how long you might get those rock bottom prices for. My guess is that those $100 price drops might disappear and you'll only get the 20%. Be quick with it! Shop Misfit Smartwatches https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daC6NHQZF8w

Free Parking: Official Monopoly Game Lands on Google Play for $4

Tim — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 14:30:38 +0000

A lot of people don't care for Monopoly due to the time it takes to complete a game, but personally, I love it. That feeling of crushing your sibling or friend as you tell them to pay up big money because they landed on your property? Yeah, that's the good stuff. Let me taste your salty tears. If you're a weirdo like me, you can now experience the slow-paced action of Monopoly on your mobile phone, with the classic board game having its own official Android app on Google Play for $4. Noteworthy Features

No pay-to-win, no ad pop-ups, approved by Hasbro
Play with the most common house rules
Finish the Hasbro board game faster than ever
Offline Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer

The game costs $4 to download and play, though, there are additional in-app purchases available (but not required to play) priced from $1.99 all of the way up to $30. I have no idea what those are for, but again, you won't need them and there are zero ad pop-ups in the game. I call the doggy!

Google Play Link ($3.99)

Google's Decision to Put 64GB in the Pixel 4 Looks Worse With Every New Phone Launch

Kellen — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 14:07:26 +0000

I'm still using a Pixel 4 XL at the moment and don't really have any plans to change to another phone any time soon, let's just get that out of the way. But man, every time a new phone is announced, I can't help but wonder what in the hell Google was thinking by going with 64GB of storage. It is bad enough that we watched Samsung put a base storage level of 128GB (S10) or 256GB (Note 10) on all of its major phones this year, including their cheapest, the Galaxy S10e, that OnePlus went H.A.M. with storage as well, and that LG even started its phones with 128GB. It's worse now that we've seen Motorola introduce three Motorola One phones in recent months at prices from $450 down to $350, all of which have double the storage of Google's base model Pixel 4. For example, the Motorola One Hyper was just announced and it features not only 128GB of storage, but a microSD slot for further expansion. This is a $400 phone, which is more than likely a phone folks won't hang onto for 2 years as it's mid-range and was sort of built to be replaced. Google's Pixel 4 isn't that! The Pixel 4 starts at $800 and the larger 4 XL version starts at $900. These are flagship-level phones that are twice the price of Motorola's, yet they are going to struggle to get most of us through a second year of usage. Look at that image at the top of this post. I'm on a 64GB Pixel 4 XL in Clearly White and after a little over a month of use, I have gobbled up 64% of the phone's internal storage. I'm the guy who switches phones every couple of months and even I'm worried about storage going forward. I'm already envisioning a situation where I'll switch to a Galaxy S11 for a bit, get sick of the software or curved everything, and come back to this phone. When I do, seeing my storage continue to fill up to what I can only imagine will be 70% or so in 6 months might actually make me mad. "But, Kellen, just buy a different phone and move on, bro." No! I like the Pixel 4 XL. I trust the camera more than any other phone camera. I like the 90Hz display. I like the look of the phone and the feel of it in hand because there aren't a bunch of annoying curved things. I like that it doesn't feel like a hunk of metal and glass. I love the software. Pixel phones happen to be some of my favorites, but if Google is going to keep falling this far behind even the mid-range phones of the world, those feelings might change soon and I don't know where else to go. 64GB of storage is not enough in 2019 or 2020 on a phone that costs close to $1,000 and that you might hope to keep for more than a year.

Snapdragon 865 GPU Drivers can be Updated Through Google Play

Kellen — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 12:17:58 +0000

Qualcomm, with the Snapdragon 865, is going to issue driver updates to its Adreno 650 GPU through Google Play for the first time. There's no guarantee, but that could lead to longer support. If anything, that should mean regular bug fixes and a possibility of new features, though the bottom line is that it really will lead to better gaming and graphics performance while using your phone. This little detail is a part of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 865 documentation as a single line reference in a couple of places, so we don't know schedules for these or if there will ever be older processor support. For now, the 865 is the first and only processor to do this, but my guess is that we'll see GPU updates through Google Play going forward for most of Qualcomm's stuff now that they have built out the capabilities. The folks at Anandtech echo that and are under the impression that GPU updates will arrive quarterly, as well as for future SoCs. Why should you care about a GPU update? Again, if anything, it should lead to better gaming experiences, better graphics performance when doing almost anything that requires rendering, and less bugs. You should like all of that. I just hope the system for updating is better than the current implementation from Google, where they try and perform Project Mainline updates via Google Play. As of today, those updates are very out-of-sight when there should be some sort of visibility over these things happening.

Craigslist Now has an Official Android App, Beta Download Available

Tim — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 12:10:01 +0000

Craigslist is one of those sites that will likely be on the internet forever, given people will probably always have stuff they need to sell and hopeless romantics will always need a place to post their missed connections. Should you need your Craigslist fix while on the go, there is now an official app in beta testing, which is quite shocking considering the sheer volume of 3rd-party apps that have been available and the fact that having an official app would have been pretty cool about 10 years ago. Anyway, just like the desktop version, you can browse listings in whatever category you want, you can save favorites, post new listings, and also browse different areas that CL is available. The one major issue beta users appear to have is the fact that in order to sign into your Craigslist account, it appears you need to link your profile to a Google account, too. If you love the Craigslist, join the beta and download the app by following the link below.

Google Play Beta Link

Android 11 and Snapdragon 865 to Support API for Mobile Drivers License, Electronic ID

Kellen — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 11:49:09 +0000

During Qualcomm's Snapdragon Tech Summit today, we got a big Android security-related announcement that we could see for the first time with Android R later this year. How does leaving your wallet at home with no fear of not having your drivers license or ID on you, sound? It's coming next year. While on stage together, Qualcomm's Jesse Seed, senior director of product management security, and Google's Sudhi Herle, head of Android platform security, announced that Snapdragon 865 will soon support mobile drivers license and electronic IDs. Android R will have an Android Identity Credential APIs that will likely spawn wallet type apps that will support forms of identification. We could see more details surrounding this announcement before Android R (or Android 11) goes official, but if anything, there is a chance we'll see more with an Android R beta. The first Android Q beta showed up in March of this year. Assuming Google sticks to a similar schedule for R, we're only a few short months away. Hell. Yes. EDIT: Updated title, as the Identity Credential API was previously outed by XDA, only this seems to confirm it coming in Android R.

Snapdragon 865 Details are Here

Kellen — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 11:38:45 +0000

Qualcomm unwrapped the full details for the Snapdragon 865 this morning after a waste of a day on stage during yesterday's opening keynote of the Snapdragon Tech Summit, where they had ample time get this out of the way. The story surrounding the 865 is one of 5G, improved GPU performance, 8K and Dolby Vision capture, and well, more 5G. As someone who is not at all a "processor guy," here are my takeaways:

7.5Gbps peak download speeds: In combination with Qualcomm's X55 5G modem, the 865 can hit theoretical 5G speeds of 7.5Gbps, which is kind of nuts.
All the 5G networks: As the flagship chip of 2020, Qualcomm wants to own 5G, so this chip supports "all key regions and frequency bands" including mmWave, sub-6, TDD, FDD, and Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS). If you buy a Snapdragon 865 phone, it's likely going to have a 5G modem and you shouldn't have any trouble connecting to available 5G networks.
Display refresh rate up to 144Hz: The 865 supports 4K displays at 60Hz or QHD+ up to 144Hz. We're going to get some awesome displays this year.
8K video and 200MP photos: The 865 supports 8K video at 30fps and 200MP photos, plus it operates at 2 gigapixels per second.
First Dolby Vision capture: Yeah, the 865 can capture Dolby Vision, a first for a mobile phone.
GPU is 25% better: The Adreno 650 GPU delivers up to 25% performance boost over the 855.
Special gaming features: On a related note to the new Adreno 650, Qualcomm has a new suite of gaming features called Snapdragon Elite Gaming. They'll include Desktop Forward Rendering (better lighting and effects), a Game Smoother, and something called Game Color Plus v2.0 (boosted color saturation and enriched image quality). Gaming on an 865 phone will also bring 10-bit HDR and GPU drivers that can be updated through an app store (that should mean through Google Play).
WiFi 6 too: Yep, WiFi 6 is here, so if you own a WiFi 6 router (1.8Gbps), your phone will have those extra fast WiFi 6 connections when at home.
Bluetooth 5.1: It has it. Neat, right?
Part number: The part number to start searching the internet for when seeing if new phones are running the Snapdragon 865 is SM8250.

For the full specs, tap on the image below.

The first Snapdragon 865 phones will be available in Q1 of 2020. That means the Samsung Galaxy S11 line and probably a phone from Xiaomi. // Qualcomm

Giveaway: Win an LG G8X With Dual Screen From Droid Life and Sprint!

Tim — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 10:00:21 +0000

This holiday season, we're partnering up with Sprint to give away LG's latest offering, a G8X smartphone with the added Dual Screen accessory. Reviewed rather well across the web, the LG G8X offers a 6.4" OLED display, Snapdragon 855 processor, 6GB RAM, 128GB storage, 4,000mAh battery, plus a dual rear camera system. Of course, the main highlight for the G8X is that Dual Screen functionality, which doubles your screen real estate thanks to the case's 6.4" display size. It's great for gaming and content consumption. This giveaway will be ran through a Gleam system, ensuring that anyone who wants to win has an honest chance at it. If you haven't used Gleam before, there are various ways to gain entries into the giveaway. You can send out a tweet, like us on Twitter, check out our Instagram, or even join our Discord server. You can choose to do just one action or all of them, it's up to you. The most important part is providing us with accurate contact info so we can successfully contact whoever wins. If you do enter, good luck!

Giveaway

Prize

1 Sprint LG G8X w/ Dual Screen accessory.

Winner

We'll select our winner at random next Wednesday at 10AM Pacific.

How to Enter

Cheers to Sprint for sponsoring this giveaway's prize. If you'd like, check out Sprint's current offering of wireless plans and devices.

THIS DEAL: Buy a Google Home Max and Home Mini for $188

Kellen — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 08:54:53 +0000

Walmart probably screwed something up, but if you hurry, you can grab a Google Home Max bundled with a Google Home Mini for $188. Seriously, stop reading and go buy it before it's gone. Still reading? OK, so this deal might not be for long since the Google Home Max by itself is only currently discounted everywhere to $199, including at Walmart. The Home Mini, while on the way out because of the Nest Mini, is still available for purchase at a discounted rate of $19.99. Combining those two most definitely does not add up to $188. I could see buying a Home Max and getting a Mini for free or something, but the two together at a lower price? Whatever, just go for it. Google Home Max is awesome. Home Minis are great for random rooms in your house. Happy holidays. To get the deal, hit that link below and scroll down until you see the "Buy Together & Save section." It should have both with an "Add All to Cart" button to get the $188 price. Buy at Walmart

Motorola Loves Mid-Range: We've Got a New Pop-Up Selfie Phone!

Kellen — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 08:36:43 +0000

Motorola announced a new mid-range phone today and it's called the Motorola One Hyper. Because they do this every couple of weeks - announce a new non-flagship phone - we'll make this short and sweet for those who might be interested.

Specs: Motorola One Hyper is powered by a Snapdragon 675 processor and has 4GB RAM, 128GB storage, 4000mAh battery, 6.5" FHD (1080p) notchless LCD display, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, 3.5mm headphone jack, fingerprint reader, USB-C port, and a plastic body.
Cameras: The uniqueness of this phone probably lies within its camera story. On the back you get a dual setup that features a 64MP that pixel bins down to 16MP shots, along with an 8MP ultra-wide angle shooter. On the front, you've got a 32MP pop-up selfie camera that allows the display to lack any notch or cutout, similar to what you would find on the OnePlus 7 Pro. Motorola added their "Night Vision" tech to both cameras to help take better low-light shots.
Battery and charging: Along with the 4000mAh battery, Motorola tossed in 45W Hyper Charging that Moto says will get you a 75% charge in just 30 minutes. That's fast! I'd also imagine that this phone will last up to 2 days on a charge with that combo of processor, display, and large battery.
Android 10: Motorola sucks at updating its phones in the US, but this phone at least comes with Android 10 to start. While the rest of Motorola's phone owners wait forever for that update, Hyper owners will have it day 1.
Price and availability: The Motorola One Hyper costs $399.99 and is available right now on Motorola's online store. This is a GSM-only phone, so it will only work on AT&T or T-Mobile in the US. Again, this Deep Sea Blue color is the only color you'll find here.

Order away. Shop Motorola One Hyper ($399.99) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwrOjAlFQuE&

// Motorola

Focus Mode Out of Beta as Part of Digital Wellbeing, Gets New Features

Tim — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 08:34:09 +0000

Now officially out of beta, Focus Mode is being made available to all supported phones that currently have Digital Wellbeing and parental controls settings, including new phones launching with Android 9 and Android 10. With its exiting of beta, Google detailed that the Digital Wellbeing extension will have a few new features to play with. For example, there's an added option to automatically turn Focus Mode on and off for the days and times that you choose -- just like you can do with Do Not Disturb. Google also added an option to take a break, which lets the user step out of Focus Mode to use certain apps and jump back in when they're ready. To give all of these cool new things a try, just make sure you have the latest build of Digital Wellbeing for your supported device.

Google Play Link

// Google

Sundar Pichai Now CEO of Both Google and Alphabet

Tim — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 13:49:35 +0000

Sundar Pichai was already CEO of Google before today, taking that role on in 2015. However, the man who basically oversees everything Google has now also been made the CEO of Alphabet, the company that oversees the company that oversees everything. It's a lot of overseeing, obviously. The announcement comes straight from Larry Page and Sergey Brin. In the post, which is uniquely long for a relatively straightforward announcement, both Page and Brin mention they will maintain active roles as Board members, shareholders, and co-founders. Here's the important part from their lengthy announcement.

With Alphabet now well-established, and Google and the Other Bets operating effectively as independent companies, it’s the natural time to simplify our management structure. We’ve never been ones to hold on to management roles when we think there’s a better way to run the company. And Alphabet and Google no longer need two CEOs and a President. Going forward, Sundar will be the CEO of both Google and Alphabet. He will be the executive responsible and accountable for leading Google, and managing Alphabet’s investment in our portfolio of Other Bets. We are deeply committed to Google and Alphabet for the long term, and will remain actively involved as Board members, shareholders and co-founders. In addition, we plan to continue talking with Sundar regularly, especially on topics we’re passionate about!

Deep down, while I know Sundar is being compensated handsomely for his work, I have no idea how one person has enough time and strength to be the chief executive for both of these operations. Most impressive. Good luck, Mr. Pichai! // Google

Motorola is Going to Make a Flagship Comeback in 2020

Kellen — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 13:31:48 +0000

Motorola hasn't made a flagship-level phone in a couple of years. The Moto Z3 was close to being one, but the old processor inside left it below competitor phones. In 2019, they've flooded the market with more mid-range phones than I can keep track of and haven't given us any sort of signal that they might not stay in that lane for a while. As it turns out, they do have plans to enter the premium market again in early 2020. Motorola president Sergio Buniac spoke at Qualcomm's Snapdragon Tech Summit today and laid out a vague schedule for the coming year. The big news here is that Motorola does indeed plan to re-enter the premium smartphone/product market and not just with the ultra-expensive Razr foldable. They'll utilize Qualcomm's 5G advancements and follow-up to the Razr with products (with an "S") in early ("very early") 2020. I'd imagine we'll get a Snapdragon 865 phone, but Motorola said specifically today that they will certainly use the Snapdragon 765 to expand their 5G line-up across the globe. They'll also launch the fastest 5G phone that can top 5Gbps speeds with Qualcomm's "flagship platform."

Does that excite you? Have you missed Motorola as a player in the high-end space? I can tell you that I most definitely have. Over the past couple of years, with Motorola falling back in the flagship tier, we've been left mostly with 3 players, Samsung, OnePlus, and Google to talk regularly about. I'd love to see what a Motorola could create after a short break.

Google Stadia's Google Assistant Button Now Works

Kellen — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 13:03:01 +0000

Early Google Stadia adopters, you should see a setting within the Stadia app to enable Google Assistant today. Once turned on, you'll be able to run typical Google Assistant commands and launch games. As this feature grows, Assistant on Stadia could be a really powerful or useful addition, but today, it'll do things like tell you the weather, let you roll the dice, or launch Destiny 2 and your other Stadia games. To start, Assistant only works from Stadia's home screen through your TV and the Chromecast Ultra you use to play games. It'll eventually work within games and on other devices. To turn it on, open the Stadia app, tap your profile image and look for the "Google Assistant" option. Tap that and then enable it.

// Stadia | Stadia Help

Qualcomm's New In-Screen Fingerprint Reader is 17x Bigger, Allows for Dual Finger Authentication

Tim — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 11:35:51 +0000

Besides new Snapdragon 865 processor hype, Qualcomm also announced new in-display fingerprint reader tech this week. The new sensor is a lot larger, 17x larger to be exact, allowing for dual fingerprint authentication. That, of course, leads to better security for your device. Unlike the last 3D Sonic model, the updated 3D Sonic Max sensor identifies what it's sensing with ultrasonic waves on its own hardware and not via algorithms and processing somewhere else on the device. This means better security with less vulnerabilities. While having double the fingerprints is sweet for a lockscreen, one major convenience change is the 3D Sonic Max allowing for just a single tap on the large sensor to register your finger -- no more multiple taps to get all the nooks and crannies of your fingerprint. Qualcomm says we can expect to see this new sensor available commercially in devices next year. Maybe Galaxy S11 or Note 11 family? It's completely possible. // Qualcomm | Engadget

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 865 is Next Year's Big Processor (Updated: Some Details)

Kellen — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 11:19:25 +0000

Qualcomm's yearly Snapdragon ~~boondoggle~~ Tech Summit, a 3-day end-of-year Hawaii vacation for tech industry folks, kicked off this morning and the big announcement of the day is for next year's mobile processors. The Snapdragon 865 and Snapdragon 765 lines are official and ready to dominate the Android landscape in 2020. The details for each are scarce at this moment, because Qualcomm for some reason believes that they should drag this news out beyond a single press release. It's very odd. Samsung can announce two Galaxy Note phones, a watch, ear buds, and a speaker in a single 1.5 hour keynote, yet Snapdragon talk takes 3 days. So what we know is that the Snapdragon 865 will work with Qualcomm's X55 5G modem to help deliver more 5G to the world of flagship phones (like the Galaxy S11). As for the 765, well, it actually has integrated 5G, so it might be cheaper for non-flagship phones to connect to 5G. Why the 865 doesn't have 5G integrated is something I do not think we'll get much of an explanation for, though we'll see tomorrow. And that's all we know! Again, this is the Snapdragon Summit, where the first day is a keynote of vague talk about the future and 5G and more 5G and even more 5G on top of 5G, followed by a mention of the new chipsets as a teaser for tomorrow's day 2 keynote. Snapdragon 865! UPDATE: Qualcomm is actually providing some broad details for the 865 today. Some of the highlights below.

25% boost in graphics performance over the Snapdragon 855
Snapdragon 865 is a 7nm chip
OK, thats pretty much it for today...

// Qualcomm

Google Creates New Messaging Service, This Time Within Google Photos

Kellen — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 10:05:31 +0000

Remember when Google built a special, stand-alone messaging/sharing experience into YouTube only to kill it 2 years later? They are making that same play today within Google Photos. Google Photos is getting an update that allows you to have private conversations within the app that you can share photos and videos through. You can comment, like, save, and continue adding photos to these conversations over time, giving you an ongoing chat with family and friends about your visual life. You'll access these by tapping the share button in a photo that then brings up a list of those conversations you have going. I'm assuming there will be another way to constantly get into these conversations without tapping that button too, we just don't know yet as the update is slowly rolling out over the next week. Is this a good idea as another Google messaging service? Well, we know the history there with Google and messaging services, but I can't say I hate this. I share a lot of photos directly within Google Photos to family already, so this should help organize that better, allow everyone in these shares to chit chat a bit, etc. Anyone got the countdown clock start for when this feature is retired? // Google

Google Names the Play Store's Best of 2019

Tim — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 09:54:24 +0000

The votes are in and everything's been tallied -- Google Play's Best of 2019 have been crowned! For those who haven't noticed, every year Google holds a user vote on the best app, game, movie, and ebook of the year. That vote is separate from Google's own separate vote, which we assume is handled by an in-house editor team at Google. Regardless, we can now clap for the winners and argue amongst ourselves why our choice wasn't crowned. The big winners in 2019 are Call of Duty: Mobile, Marvel's Avengers: Endgame, and Game of Thrones. If you've followed pop culture for the past few years, none of that should be surprising.

Google Play's Best of 2019

Top-Selling Movies of 2019

Top-Selling TV Shows of 2019

Top-Selling Ebooks of 2019

The Mister by E L James
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
Tiamat's Wrath by James S. A. Corey
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
The Institute by Stephen King

Top-Selling Audiobooks of 2019

Becoming by Michelle Obama
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
Unfu*k Yourself: Get Out of Your Head and into Your Life by Gary John Bishop
A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book One by George R. R. Martin
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

And there you have it -- the best of 2019. It's cool to see superheroes still dominating Hollywood, and as a quick personal note, those Harry Potter audiobooks are solid gold. The narration in them is legit and the production value is "riddikulus." // Google

US Android Market Lacks Diversity, Dominated by Samsung Phones

Tim — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 08:46:26 +0000

PC Mag published an article this week that gave us high hopes for an intriguing read on the currently-most-popular Android phones across the US. As it turns out, there couldn't be a more bland story, simply because Samsung and a total of just three phones account for the most popular devices across all 50 states. While that's still interesting, plus great news for Samsung and anyone who believes that cream always rises to the top, we were hoping for a bit more diversity considering Android is such a diverse market. PC Mag breaks down the most popular phone state by state, but again, it appears just three Samsung phones dominate the entire market. There's the Galaxy S8, which you can find a lot of in middle America and the East coast, the Galaxy S9+, which is ranked top phone in just a couple of states, and the Galaxy Note 9 that appears to be loved all across our beautiful nation. This data is taken from Ookla's speedtests across all 50 states, whose parent company happens to also be the parent company for PC Mag (J2 Global). Also worth noting, if you include the iPhone X into this data, it's the #1 popular device across all of America. So there you have it -- America loves Samsung and Apple. No surprise there. // PC Mag

Upgrade to Android TV With a Mi Box S for Just $34.99 ($25 Off)

Kellen — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 08:33:38 +0000

Xiaomi's Mi Box S is over a year old now, yet I still kind of can't believe how inexpensive it is as a full Android TV experience that can do 4K HDR, has DOLBY Audio, and lets you control all the things with built-in Google Assistant. Right now, because of the never-ending string of holiday deals, it's down to $34.99. That's basically Chromecast pricing for a full Android TV box experience! The Mi Box S comes in a sleek black case that's powered by a quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, and 8GB storage. You'll find 1 HDMI 2.0 port on the back, as well as a USB 2.0 port, audio out, and the power plug. It includes a remote with voice and Netflix buttons, as well as various other meaningful controls that it took NVIDIA three generations of boxes to figure out. Speaking of NVIDIA and SHIELD TVs, this Mi Box S is no SHIELD TV. This is a quality box that's incredibly affordable, but it's no gaming powerhouse. Don't go into this expecting that level of performance, though this should get the job down for all of your streaming needs. Walmart has some sort of weird exclusive on this box, so that's where you'll find it right now for $34.99. Walmart Deal Link

Last Minute Deal: Galaxy S10 With Free Galaxy Buds and $50 Amazon Gift Card for $624 (Update: Done)

Kellen — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 21:38:18 +0000

Cyber Monday's best Galaxy S10 deal is here at the last minute.

UPDATE: This deal and Cyber Monday are done.

Amazon opened up a last minute Cyber Monday lightning deal this evening that gets you a Samsung Galaxy S10 and a couple of bonuses at the best price of the past several days. For just $624, you can walk away with a US unlocked Galaxy S10 with 128GB storage, a pair of Galaxy Buds ($129 value), and a $50 Amazon gift card. Why is that such a good deal? Well, the Galaxy S10 is a great phone on its own, but it typically retails for $899.99 by itself. So not only are you getting a $275 discount, you also get free Galaxy Buds (which are awesome) and $50 extra to spend at Amazon. What in the hell, man. This deal is only for the Galaxy S10 in Prism Black, so if you were hoping for a Galaxy S10+ in a similar situation, it doesn't look like those dreams will come true. But if you want a regular Galaxy S10, be quick. The lightning deal is 71% claimed at this moment and will be done within a couple of hours if not sold out. Amazon Deal Link

Last Minute Anker, Aukey Cyber Monday Deals: 30% Off Power Banks and 40% Off NC Headphones

Tim — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 15:46:26 +0000

Anker and Aukey are back for Cyber Monday, so if you have any money left over, check out the following last minute deals before this "holiday" officially ends -- these are the best deals both companies are currently offering. The highlights include 30% off of power banks and 20% off wireless earbuds from Aukey, as well as 40% off Bluetooth noise cancelling headphones from Anker. There's something for everyone, so if you need some tech stocking stuffers or you want to treat yourself, have a look. Hope your Cyber Monday has been fruitful!

Anker

Soundcore Space NC Headphones - $55 (44% off)
Soundcore Liberty TWS Earbuds - $68 (31% off)
Anker SoundBuds Slim Wireless Headphones - $17 (35% off)
Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro TWS Earbuds - $110 (27% off)
PowerPort Wireless 5 Pad - $10 (44% off)
PowerPort PD 2 - $18 (22% off)
PowerCore II 10000 Ultra Slim - $28 (22% off)
PowerDrive Speed 2 Car Charger - $13 (28% off)
Soundcore Infini Soundbar - $60 (25% off)
eufy Smart Plug - $14 (39% off)

Aukey

Key Series T10 True Wireless Earbuds - $71 (Code: J8FD24YZ)
DRA2 Mirror Dash Camera - $64 (30% off)
DR02 Dashboard Camera $42.99 (Code BFCYPED1)
PA-WL01 Graphite Charging Hub - $105 (30% off)
CB-C74 Multiport USB-C Hub - $16 (20% off)
PB-Y13 10000mAh USB-C Power Bank - $21 (30% off)
PB-Y8 5000mAh Power Bank - $15 (30% off)

Pixel 4 Getting December's Android Update Next Week, Here are the Fixes

Kellen — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 15:20:09 +0000

You may have noticed that as the December Android security update went live this morning, Google didn't post files for the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, its newest phones. Google has since updated us on the situation through their Pixel Phone community, stating that the Pixel 4 line will receive their December updates "next week." Once it goes live, the update will arrive under 3 different build numbers that you will need to pay attention to depending on your carrier and if you plan to sideload: QQ1B.191205.011 (T-Mobile, Fi, EMEIA), QQ1C.191205.016.A1 (Japan & Taiwan), and QQ1B.191205.012.A1 (all other carriers). Got that? As for fixes for this month's update, Google is addressing a number of items. There are fixes for static noise while using Spotify, background audio static when using 3rd party camera apps, pairing issues with Garmin devices, a display flicker, and more. There's also a mention of a fix for "Pixel Wallet display in power menu." Is that in reference to the Android Q beta shortcut (that was removed) for accessing Google Pay cards using the power menu or am I drunk? We'll let you know next week once the update is live.

// Pixel Phone Help

December 2019 Android Security Update Now Available for Pixel Devices (Updated)

Kellen — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 15:00:19 +0000

The final Android update of the year is here!

Google has posted the December Android security patch for its Pixel phones. That includes images and OTA files for the Pixel and Pixel XL, which should be the last for the original Pixel phones. We seem to be missing updates for the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, though. Currently, we are seeing new 10.0.0 files for Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL (QQ1A.191205.011), Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL (QQ1A.191205.008), and Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL (QQ1A.191205.008). Assuming Google doesn't have a change of heart, the final Pixel and Pixel XL update will be build QP1A.191005.007.A3.

UPDATE: Below are the "notable" fixes for this month's update. Also, Google says the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL update is coming next week. The builds for Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are QQ1B.191205.011 (T-Mobile, Fi, EMEIA), QQ1C.191205.016.A1 (Japan & Taiwan), and QQ1B.191205.012.A1 (all other carriers).
UPDATE 12/10: The Pixel 4 and 4 XL factory image and OTA files are now live.

You will find each image or OTA file at the links below. For instructions on how to flash a factory image, here you go. For instructions on how to flash an OTA .zip file, here you go. To check for the update, head into Settings>System>Advanced>System update. We'll continue to update this post as Google gives us more information on the update. Links:

Essential Phone, December 2019 Android Update

Kellen — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 13:43:23 +0000

And another one. https://twitter.com/essential/status/1201578055690375168

Want Wide Angle on Your Pixel 4? Buy a Moment Case and 18mm Lens, Both Discounted Now

Kellen — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 13:27:06 +0000

The industry-wide memo about all flagship phones for 2019 using wide-angle cameras must have slipped into Google's spam folder because to the disappointment of many, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL do not feature an extra wide lens. Instead, Google went with a telephoto lens as the secondary, leaving a big hole in camera flexibility. All is not lost, though, thanks to companies like Moment who have just the right lens for all Pixel 4 owners to get those beautiful wide shots. Because it's Black Friday/Cyber Monday, Moment is hosting a big sale on most of their online store, so you can get both a case and lens at some of the cheapest prices of the year. The ideal combo for you is probably the Pixel Photo Case and an 18mm Wide lens. What is Moment? As far as I know, Moment was initially known just for making external lenses that you attach to iPhones, Samsung phones, and Pixel devices, but their online store is now sort of like the ultimate spot for mobile photog nerds to get all the gear they could ever need. Their online store (and social media coverage of it) features everything from bags and drones to gimbals, straps, and tripods. They even make a camera app. But in the end, I still know them as the company who makes really nice lenses that expand the capabilities of your phone's cameras.

Moment Pixel 4 Photo Case

For the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, Moment once again produced a Photo Case that can hold their line of lenses. The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL Moment Photo Case comes in Walnut or Black Canvas and typically starts at $40, but is discounted right now to $23.99 ($16 off). That's a great deal! Unfortunately, stock is quickly falling behind because of the sale, so ordering might mean having to wait a few weeks before you get to use it. It's probably worth doing at those prices, though. Shop Pixel 4 Photo Case (~~$39.99~~ $23.99)

Moment Lenses

For lenses, Moment offers a bunch that will all attach to the Pixel Photo Case. I recommended the 18mm wide lens above, because it should nicely expand the field of view on your Pixel 4 or Pixel 4 XL without doing a bunch of distortion that you might find from a fisheye or something in the ultra-wide lens category. Moment offers 14mm and 15mm Fisheye lenses, 58mm Tele, macro lens, and that 18mm Wide. Every single one of them is one sale right now for this holiday shopping time. Buy 18mm Wide at Amazon (~~$119.99~~ $89.99) [Moment Store]

Shop All Moment Lenses

EVE Echoes Open Beta Now Available for Android Users

Tim — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 11:23:02 +0000

Fans of EVE, it's coming! An open beta for EVE Echoes is now available to Android users in select regions, US included, so now is your chance to get in on the spaceship sandbox MMO for mobile devices. Whether you were a part of the game's alpha or not, you'll be happy to learn that the beta brings quite a few new things to play with.

What's New

Expanded game content: Ships, Modules & Drones - EVE Echoes is dedicated to bringing the enormous universe of EVE Online to mobile devices and the Open Beta introduces more advanced ships and new modules to the game. Furthermore, the most hotly anticipated weapon system, Drones, has come to EVE Echoes in a new form.
New Gameplay Types Now Available - In order to meet the increasing demand for in-game business dealings, a new trading platform, the Interstellar Trading Center (ITC) has opened. Additionally, a new mission type, Storyline Missions, was added to Encounters. All players joining the EVE Echoes Open Beta will have access to these unique features.
New Player Tutorial for Rookie Pilots - The Open Beta sees the introduction of the new player tutorial. With this detailed tutorial guide, all novice pilots can learn how to survive and thrive in New Eden.

Personally, EVE isn't really a game I can get myself into because it feels like too much a commitment. There's no telling if the mobile version will have the same sort of real life monetary stakes as the PC version has, but still, it's way over my head. You can sign up for the beta by following the link below.

Register Here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Cai8fwFa0I

You'll Soon be Able to Transfer Photos, Videos From Facebook Directly to Google Photos

Tim — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 10:36:50 +0000

Because no one would blame you if you want to completely ditch Facebook these days, an upcoming tool (developed by Facebook), will allow you to quickly transfer all of your photos and videos from Facebook's servers into your Google Photos account. Currently, the service is live for users in Ireland, but Facebook expects the new tool to be available worldwide in the first half of 2020.

At Facebook, we believe that if you share data with one service, you should be able to move it to another. That’s the principle of data portability, which gives people control and choice while also encouraging innovation. Today, we’re releasing a tool that will enable Facebook users to transfer their Facebook photos and videos directly to other services, starting with Google Photos.

Facebook thinks this is about data portability, which is nice, but I see this as a way of ditching Facebook for good once I have all of my photos off of there without having to manually do the work. I'm woke, but still a lazy American after all. As soon as this tool becomes live for the US, we'll let you know. // Facebook

RIP, "OG" Pixel: For Real This Time

Tim — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 10:11:30 +0000

We learned in early November, shortly after the November security patch rolled out, that the original Pixel and Pixel XL would receive one final update -- December's patch. That patch is now rolling out, and with it, comes the end for the OG Pixel devices. As for what to expect inside the devices' last update, Google specifically mentioned that the update, "encapsulates a variety of updates" from both November and December's patches. The build for both devices is listed as QP1A.191005.007.A3. We have no idea how many OG Pixel phones are still out in the wild, but with its final update here, it may be time to start pondering an upgrade. If you need help pondering, the Pixel 3a series is currently $100 off and the Pixel 4 lineup is $200 off. Farewell, OG Pixels!

T-Mobile Just Turned on Its Nationwide 5G Network

Kellen — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 09:22:15 +0000

As carriers like Verizon and AT&T have spent the past year lighting up individual cities with limited 5G every couple of months, T-Mobile has taken a different approach by holding off until today, where they've gone ahead and fired up a nationwide 5G network. That's right, folks, T-Mobile is likely serving 5G in your neighborhood right now. We knew this day was coming and there are some things you need to know about T-Mobile's 5G because as of today, the 5G from T-Mobile isn't the ultra-fast 5G that we associate with "5G." This is only the beginning of a longer buildout that will one day bring you download speeds faster than your home internet. T-Mobile turned on 5G in their 600MHz spectrum, which some may refer to as low-band 5G. Think of it as a backbone for the future of 5G, where the goal here is to give you a solid foundation for 5G as the company works to build out mid-band (this'll come from Sprint if they merge) and millimeter Wave (mmW) 5G spectrum to complete the 5G package. 5G is complex and won't be as amazing as we're told it'll be for years, though this is a major step. Why do you want their 5G then? It'll still be pretty fast, offer a more efficient connection, and give you a taste for the future. With 600MHz 5G, T-Mobile is able to cover miles upon miles of cities and towns, while the 5G from Verizon and AT&T, which is millimeter Wave (mmW), barely covers a block in a city. T-Mobile's 5G works through buildings, whereas Verizon and AT&T's 5G struggles through windows or if you don't have a direct line of sight to a tower. To start, T-Mobile says that its 5G network covers 60% of the US population, including 200 million people and more than 5,000 towns (full list).

If interested, do note that there are only two phones that can currently connect to T-Mobile's 5G network: Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 5G and the OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McClaren Edition. Both of those phones are up for pre-order now and should arrive by December 6 for use on the network. Should T-Mobile and Sprint finalize their merger and launch Sprint's mid-band 5G, these phones will work on that too. Since we're at launch, you can get the OnePlus 7T Pro for free if you switch over to T-Mobile. There are no 5G plans from T-Mobile, in case you were wondering how you connect. You just need to live in a 5G area and have a 5G capable phone like the two above. T-Mobile expects to have 15 new 5G phones next year at varying price points. To get started with T-Mobile 5G, feel free to check out their 5G map. // T-Mobile

OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren Edition Pre-Order Live at T-Mobile and You can Get One Free

Tim — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 09:10:36 +0000

OnePlus' latest device, the 7T Pro 5G McLaren Edition, is now up for pre-order on T-Mobile's website. This is the device you'll want in order to tap into the carrier's 600MHz signal or its upcoming 5G spectrum (2.5 GHz) once the merger with Sprint successfully closes.

READ: T-Mobile just turned on nationwide 5G

Priced at $899 full retail or $37.50/month, the 7T Pro 5G McLaren Edition is one heckuva device, featuring a 6.67" AMOLED display (refresh rate up to 90Hz), Snapdragon 855+ processor, 256GB UFS 3.0 storage, 12GB RAM, triple rear camera setup, 4,085mAh battery, OxygenOS built atop Android 10, plus all of the other specs that make this phone worthy of its Droid Life-appointed OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren Edition (2019) Edition² faux designation. We like having fun around here.

Get One for Free

To celebrate the launch of its "nationwide 5G network," T-Mobile is offering this device free of charge via 24 monthly bill credits when you switch to T-Mobile and trade in an eligible device. Depending on the device you trade in, that's a really solid promotion. Eligible devices for trade-in include select Galaxy S10 phones, Note 9, Galaxy S9 devices, the Pixel 3 lineup, and the LG G8. Full details can be checked out by following the link below. If you want a Samsung device instead, you can get a Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G for free with 24 monthly bill credits when you buy one (BOGO) and add a line to your plan (two for new customers).

T-Mobile's estimated ship date for this device is December 6, so you won't be waiting long at all if you place your order in today.

T-Mobile Pre-Order Link

Check Your Inbox: Google Store Sending $10 Credits to Spend

Kellen — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 08:25:44 +0000

Don't archive or delete the email from the "Google Pixel" account that says "Your Cyber Monday savings have landed," assuming you got one. Buried towards the bottom, after it runs through deals on Pixel Slate, Nest Hub, and Chromecast is a section that says "Get $10 credit on Google Store." Yep, a free $10 to spend on stuff. The code's terms say you can "receive the $10 discount for purchase of any device," so that should mean on a Pixel 4 or Pixel 3a if you want. However, I just tried to apply it to both of those and applying the code wipes out the Cyber Monday discount from each. That's so stupid, Google. Oh, this is likely a US-only thing. So yeah, best to use on accessories like a Pixel Stand, some USB-C earbuds, or another product not currently on sale. Shop Google Store

Flexible Samsung Galaxy S10, Note 10 Deal: Buy a Phone, Get $500 to Spend on Whatever

Kellen — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 08:00:12 +0000

Not interested in the free $300 AKG headphones that Amazon was tossing in with Note 10 and S10 purchases for Cyber Monday? Maybe Samsung's offer of an instant $500 credit to spend on whatever you want sounds better. If you were looking for more than just a phone today, Samsung is offering just that. For Cyber Monday, if you buy a Galaxy S10, S10+, Note 10, or Note 10+, Samsung will let you spend $500 on almost anything. That includes phones (like another S10 or Note 10), tablets, wearables, and accessories. So you could spend $899 on an S10 or $949 on a Note 10, then get two Galaxy Watch Active 2 devices with the $500, since that amazing smartwatch is still on sale. Or, you could shop the variety of bundles Samsung has going today, like a Galaxy Tab A 10.1 with Galaxy Buds and a keyboard cover. You can also spend it on Samsung's computers and chromebooks, chargers, audio accessories, and more. And don't forget that Samsung is always running their best-in-class trade-in program that gets you instant discounts for a bigger price drop today. The values they are offering aren't great at the moment, but you do get the $500 to spend on extra goods. You decide. Samsung Deal Links: Galaxy S10, S10+ | Note 10, Note 10+

Amazon Cuts $200 Off Galaxy S10 & Note 10 for Cyber Monday, Tosses in $300 Headphones

Kellen — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 07:44:35 +0000

Black Friday is gone and Cyber Monday is here, so the tweaks to the discounts from last week are coming in hot. First up, we have Amazon discounting the Samsung Galaxy S10, S10+, Note 10, and Note 10+ by $200, just like last week, only now they are tossing in a free pair of $300 AKG headphones. Last week, a similar deal included $130 Galaxy Buds and that is being replaced by AKG N700NC over-hear headphones that typically retail for $299.

ALTERNATE DEAL: Buy an S10 or Note 10, get instant $500 to spend on whatever you want

Samsung describes these particular headphones as "luxuriously comfortable," with noise cancellation, Bluetooth sound for up to 23 hours, and a premium design that features memory foam and a foldable body for easy storing. The AKG N700NC is capable of pairing to two devices at once, smartly switching between each, plus there is a special AKG app to help you tune music. You get choices of black or silver headphones with this deal. The other portion is that same $200-0ff discount for unlocked models of both the S10 and Note 10 lines. That gives you a starting price here of $698.99 for the Galaxy S10 and $748.99 for the Galaxy Note 10. These are US unlocked models and work on all major carriers. Can't ever go wrong with discounted best-in-class phones with a free set of premium headphones. Amazon Links: Galaxy S10, S10+ | Galaxy Note 10, Note 10+

Galaxy Buds $99 Right Now and That's a Heck of a Deal

Kellen — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 00:38:03 +0000

Galaxy Buds deal on Cyber Monday, my friends.

Samsung's Galaxy Buds are without a doubt one of the best pairs of true wireless earbuds I've used to date. They are a massive upgrade to Samsung's previous effort, the IconX buds, and are currently discounted for Cyber Monday. How does $99.99 sound? At that price, you are getting a $30 discount on a pair of buds I might take over almost any other earbud around. I've tried those from Anker and Mobvoi and random other brands, and I keep going back to the Galaxy Buds. They offer a supreme fit, really nice sound with depth you won't find from others, and a minimalist body that isn't an oversized and obnoxious object sticking out from your ear. They don't look like AirPods either. These new Galaxy Buds come in a variety of colors (black and white on sale at the moment), can wirelessly charge, control the amount of ambient noise let in depending on your environment, and should last up to 6 hours on a single charge. Also, the case will re-charge them and provide up to another 7 hours of use, so 13 total hours of battery life. They are IPX2 splash resistant, so not fully waterproof. I use mine for runs and workouts, getting them quite sweaty and haven't run into issues yet, but you might want to take it easy on them around liquids. I'd imagine most retailers will have the $99 price for the day. Currently, we have both Amazon and B&H Photo links below. Shop Galaxy Buds at Amazon [B&H Photo]

Fossil Gen 5 is $184.50 ($110 Off) (Updated: New Code!)

Kellen — Sat, 30 Nov 2019 08:00:26 +0000

Fossil Gen 5 Black Friday deal you were waiting for.

UPDATE 11/30: If you apply code NO10HOL1574 at checkout on the Fossil Store, you'll get another $20.50 off, dropping the price to $184.50. That's nuts. [Buy at Fossil Store]

The Fossil Gen 5 is probably the only Wear OS watch you consider buying today and it just so happens to be discounted for Black Friday 2019. Fossil had previously dropped pricing on a bunch of their other Wear OS watches, but we were hoping Gen 5 would join the party this weekend. The current Fossil Gen 5 Black Friday price is $205, which is a $90 discount. Both Fossil's store and Amazon have the Gen 5 in a variety of color options, all at the promo pricing. To recap, the Fossil Gen 5 has all of the best specs you can find on Wear OS. You have the Snapdragon Wear 3100, 1GB RAM, 8GB storage, GPS, NFC, heartrate, and a biggish circular AMOLED display. The metal case is a decent 44mm, there are 2 pushers and a rotating crown, and 22mm easy-to-swap watch bands. It also has a set of unique battery modes that should help you find the sweet spot in features you need on or off. Seriously, this is the only Wear OS watch to buy at the moment.

Shop Fossil Gen 5 for $205:

SHOP ALL OF THE BEST BLACK FRIDAY 2019 DEALS

Just Buy a Galaxy Watch Active 2

Kellen — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 14:30:30 +0000

If you need a smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 is it.

I've spent a good amount of the past year switching smartwatches whenever something new comes out. That's after mostly writing them off as unnecessary tech accessories that didn't do enough to justify dealing with shortcomings (like battery life). But with the arrival of decent watches like the Montblanc Summit 2, Fossil Sport, and Fossil Gen 5, I'm at a place where I almost can't live without a smartwatch on wrist at all times. You'll notice I only mentioned Wear OS watches there and that's because Samsung's wearable offerings have never quite been for me. I tried the Gear S2 and couldn't stand it. I tried the Galaxy Watch and found it to be no better than my favorite Wear OS watches. I really just didn't like Samsung's Tizen OS, rotating bezels, the lack of apps, and battery life on-par with every other smartwatch, which isn't saying much. But then a few weeks ago I bought a Galaxy Watch Active 2 and things have changed dramatically. I absolutely love this watch. It's close to being the only smartwatch on Android I'd tell you buy.

What's so good about the Galaxy Watch Active 2?

Battery Life: This is the first time I've owned a smartwatch that you can put through a pretty heavy workload and have it last a full 2 days. If you need it to just get through a single day, you will never ever, ever, ever, ever worry about it dying. Trust me on this. Last weekend, I took the watch off the charger on Saturday AM and somehow didn't have to find a charger until Monday morning. That 2 days of battery life included two 40-minute runs with GPS and heartrate monitoring active, sleep tracking, regular heartrate monitoring throughout the day, and notifications on. In fact, I limit nothing on this watch other than which notifications pop-up. Again, a couple of 40 minute runs, notifications, sleep tracking, and heartrate monitoring, and this Watch Active 2 made it through an entire 2 days. There's no Wear OS watch on the planet that can replicate that. That particular battery charge was on the bigger 44mm Watch Active 2 (340mAh), but I've also worn a 40mm Watch Active 2 (247mAh) for a solid week or two and it could probably last almost as long. Both watches are superb in the battery life department. Display: The 1.35" (44mm) and 1.2" (40mm) displays on these watches look so good. They sort of bring me back to the old AMOLED days, where we talked about Samsung's AMOLEDs bringing out ridiculously punchy colors that weren't accurate, but that our eyes loved to look at. That's what you get here, yet it works so good on a watch because having colors that are extra vibrant helps showcase everything you do so much better than a display that might be flat or natural looking. The displays here also get plenty bright and dark enough in all situations, react well to touches, and have viewing angles you want from a device you might not always be able to see straight-on. Performance: Using a smartwatch that features a processor made within the last year or so is kind of nice, especially after using so many Wear OS watches that feature a Qualcomm chip out of the 1980s or 90s or whenever the hell they made the Wear 2100 and 3100. With the Watch Active 2, the year-old Exynos 9110 dual-core processor inside with 0.75GB RAM and 4GB storage just gets things done when you need them to. Compare that to the top Wear 3100 watches that require 1GB RAM to not stutter themselves to death and 8GB storage, you really can't help but get mad at Qualcomm and Google for caring so little about Wear OS. Should they figure this whole chipset thing out, Wear OS would probably draw me back in, it's just that Samsung is presenting an actually useful watch experience right now.

Other Stuff:

Sleep tracking: Yes, Samsung's Watch Active 2 does sleep tracking, something Wear OS wants nothing to do with unless you try and track it through the one 3rd party app available on the platform. Samsung has built it in natively to the watch experience and presents the data to you automatically. This is something that every single smartwatch or fitness wearable should do and it's inexcusable that Google hasn't implemented it yet.
Watch bands: Both watch sizes feature 20mm watch bands that can be easily swapped. The 44mm Active 2 I have came with a grey rubber sport band and it's actually pretty nice. I haven't even changed it and probably won't any time soon.
Touch bezel: These watches ditched the physical rotating bezel of previous Samsung watches and instead feature a touch bezel that's a part of the display. I know that some will think it's great, but I can tell you now that I've used it all of twice. It's a pain in the ass to use for me, though I can appreciate the technological feat.
Size: I love that you can choose between 44mm and 40mm sizes, but I also love that this watch doesn't wear so damn proud, like the Galaxy Watch did. The underside where the heartrate monitor sits seems to be so much flatter when on your wrist than the Galaxy Watch. These Watch Active 2 devices in either size lay quite nicely on my skinny little wrists.

Price: At full price the Galaxy Watch Active 2 drops in at $279.99 (40mm) and $299.99 (44mm), but for Black Friday, you can get both at $50 off, so $229.99 and $249.99. At full price they are reasonably priced and a better value than the Fossil Gen 5 (review). At that $50-off price, I kind of want to tell any smartwatch fan to go buy one right now.

What's not so good about the Watch Active 2?

Samsung Health: This is just a preference thing, but there is no Google Fit on Samsung's watches. Not that I believe there should be, just understand that you are putting all of your health data into Samsung Health rather than Google Fit. It's a solid health tracking app and will get the job done for most people. It does lack integrations with many 3rd party services, though. I was able to connect to Strava, but I'm not sure there is much else. Slow charging: I became spoiled by the Fossil Gen 5's ability to rapid charge from 0 to 100% in like 50 minutes. My biggest gripe about the Watch Active 2 is how slowly it charges when I slap it on its little slippery charging pad. I haven't quite clocked it yet from 0-100%, but I bet it's well over an hour. That's just too long of a period of time to be off your wrist. (UPDATE 12/2: I timed a charge from 5% to 100% and it took 2 hours. That's completely unacceptable.) Apps: There are few good apps available for Samsung's watches. You won't find any of Google apps, so that means the Watch Active 2 is really a fitness device that shares notifications and bits of information with you. If you are cool with it only doing those things - and I'd argue that's all smartwatches should do - then I think you'll be fine using it. But if you want Google Maps or Google Keep or Google Assistant on here, you best look elsewhere. I should point out that the app selection has gotten somewhat better in recent years. A good portion of the popular fitness apps are available now (Strava, Endomondo, Under Armour's apps), as is Uber's app and Spotify's. Still, it's not pretty, though I'm not sure it needs to be.

Buy a Galaxy Watch Active 2.

This may come as a shocker to those who have followed the site for a while and me on Twitter, as I've been critical of Samsung's watches in the past. I mean, really critical. So this pains me a bit to have flipped, but man, the Watch Active 2 is so good. I haven't been this giddy about a tech accessory in a while. Shop Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 | Amazon Link

PNY's Super Fast MicroSD Cards are Even Cheaper Than SanDisk's for Black Friday

Kellen — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 11:03:28 +0000

SanDisk's fastest Extreme microSD cards are super cheap for Black Friday, but PNY just went lower with their own comparable Pro Elite cards. You'll find PNY 512GB Pro Elite A2 cards down to $69.99. That's $10 cheaper than a similar card from SanDisk. The difference here is a read speed bump on SanDisk's Extreme (160Mb/s vs. 100Mb/s), but both are A2 rated for Android apps with a UHS-3 minimum transfer rating. These PNY cards also come with an SD adapter and should be able to handle 4K everything without a problem. Want to spend less? PNY's Elite-X line, which is equally as fast, is also heavily discounted, in some cases lower than SanDisk's comparable Ultra line. These PNY cards will be great additions to your Samsung Galaxy S9, Galaxy S10, Note 10+, and other phone with SD card slot. Sorry, Pixel owners.

Amazon PNY Deal Links:

Both Anker and Aukey Have a Crazy Amount of Black Friday Deals Happening

Tim — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 10:42:41 +0000

Both Anker and Aukey are hosting a ton of Black Friday deals on Amazon, spanning the range of product categories they offer products in. There are audio goodies, wall chargers, wireless chargers, dash cams, robot vacuums, and everything in between. We have all of the links, prices, and savings indicators you'll need to make the proper purchase decisions. Happy browsing.

ANKER

Anker PowerWave Stand 10W ($11.55, 28% off)
Anker PowerPort Cube White ($18.99, 37% off)
Anker Soundcore Bluetooth Speaker ($20, 33% off)
Soundcore Motion Q Portable Speaker ($30, 25% off)
Soundcore Liberty Neo TWS Earbuds ($30, 40% off)
eufyCam E Wireless 2-Cam Kit ($250, 17% off)
Anker PowerExpand+ 7-in-1 USB C Hub ($30, 24% off)
Anker PowerWave Pad 10W ($10, 38% off)
Anker PowerWave 7.5 Stand Black ($18, 40% off)
Anker Alkaline AA Batteries 24-Pack ($11.89, 15% off)
Anker PowerCore 10000 Redux ($25, 17% off)
Anker PowerCore II 10000 ($28, 22% off)
Anker Roav Dashcam A1 Dashboard Camera ($42, 24% off)
Anker Roav VIVA Car Charger ($18, 50% off)
eufy RoboVac 25C ($149, $100 off)
Anker Bolder LC40 Rechargeable Flashlight ($17, 15% off)
eufy Smart Scale with Bluetooth ($27, 40% off)
Soundcore Curve Wireless Headphones ($21, 22% off)
Soundcore Spirit Pro Headphones ($18, 56% off)

AUKEY

AUKEY SK-M12 SoundTank Wireless 5W Speaker ($25.34, 37% off)
AUKEY EP-T16S True Wireless Earbuds ($32.50, 35% off)
AUKEY Key Series T10 True Wireless Earbuds ($71.99, 35% off)
AUKEY CC-Y11 21W PD Car Charger ($11.99, 40% off)
AUKEY CC-S1 24W Dual-Port Car Charger ($9.49, 37% off)
AUKEY PA-D2 36W PD Charger ($22.99, 36% off)
AUKEY PA-T11 6-Port Charging Station ($18.69, 43% off)
AUKEY PA-D3 60W USB C Charger ($25.99, 40% off)
AUKEY PA-U32 Wall Charger ($5.99, 40% off)
AUKEY PB-Y13 10000mAh USB-C Power Bank ($20.99, 56% off)
AUKEY PB-Y7 30000mAh USB-C Power Bank w/ PD ($53.89, 30% off)
AUKEY CB-C70 Wireless Charging Hub ($40, 20% off)
AUKEY CB-C74 Multiport USB-C Hub ($15.99, 20% off)
AUKEY PA-D5 63W Dual-Port PD Wall Charger ($30, 45% off)

Sonos Beam is Cheapest at Amazon Today ($100 Off, $80 Off Everywhere Else)

Kellen — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 10:18:19 +0000

Amazon undercuts everyone on Sonos Beam with $100 discount.

Earlier this year, Sonos finally pushed Google Assistant to select speakers after talking about doing it and then failing to do so for a number of years. Once they made it happen, their speakers immediately became more appealing to those fully invested in the Google smart home experience. Unfortunately, Sonos products are expensive and rarely discounted, but happen to be this weekend because of Black Friday. The Sonos Beam, which is the TV soundbar from Sonos that does indeed have access to Google Assistant, is $100 off at Amazon at the moment. I'm not sure it's supposed to be, since everyone else has it at $80 off, so maybe consider hurrying to buy it if it was on your list. I should specify that the black model is $100 off while the white model is $80 off. What's great about Beam? It comes in both white or black to match your home entertainment setup, is quite compact, and was built for TV and movie sound. It'll sound decent with music too, but this really was built as a soundbar first, unlike most of their other speakers. Sonos Beam has four woofers, one tweeter, 5 Class-D digital amplifiers, 5 far-field microphones (mute switch included), top touch controls, syncing with your current TV remote, an ethernet port, and WiFi. It's a sweet little unit that I personally own and love. Amazon Link

LG G8 ThinQ is $399 Right Now ($450 Off)

Kellen — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 10:02:41 +0000

How does an LG G8 ThinQ at $400 sound? That's a $450 discount off LG's flagship phone from earlier in the year, one that is unlocked and capable of working on any major carrier. At that $399.99 price, LG's G8 features a 6.1" QHD+ OLED display, 128GB storage, 6GB RAM, Snapdragon 855 processor, dual rear camera (16MP wide +12MP standard), 8MP front camera, 3500mAh battery, IP68 water and dust resistance, 32-bit Quad DAC, Boombox speaker, and Android 9.0. I'm not sure the G8 would be considered one of our favorite phones of the year, but that probably has a lot to do with the price being sky-high at launch. At more than half off, this would be a great buy. The camera is solid, the size is nice, the display is great, the specs still match-up to others, and again, it works on all carriers. Amazon Link

Reported Samsung Android 10 Roadmap Says No Update for Galaxy S8, Note 8 Models

Tim — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 08:57:16 +0000

A reddit user over in the UK discovered an Android 10 roadmap inside of the Samsung Members app recently, detailing exactly which of Samsung's devices will be graced with the One UI 2.0 update. Here's the list, according to the reddit user. Apologies for its length, but Samsung has a ton of devices.

January 2020
- Galaxy S10
- Galaxy S10+
- Galaxy S10 5G
- Galaxy S10e
- Galaxy Note10
- Galaxy Note10+
- Galaxy Note10+ 5G
- Galaxy S9
- Galaxy S9+
- Galaxy Note9
March 2020
- Galaxy A80
April 2020
- Galaxy A6
- Galaxy A7 (2018)
- Galaxy A9 (2018)
- Galaxy A40
- Galaxy A70
- Galaxy A90 5G
- Galaxy Fold
- Galaxy Tab S6
May 2020
- Galaxy A10
- Galaxy A20e
- Galaxy A50
- Galaxy Xcover4s
- Galaxy A6
June 2020
- Galaxy J6
July 2020
- Galaxy J6+
- Galaxy Tab S4
- Galaxy Tab S5e
August 2020
- Galaxy Tab A 8 (2019)
September 2020
- Galaxy Tab A 10.5
- Galaxy Tab A 10.1

As you might notice scrolling through this list, the Galaxy S8 family and Galaxy Note 8 are not present. If we're being technical, all of those devices are past their 2 years of OS software updates window, but we imagine it's still disappointing as an owner to learn that your device is basically done for and won't receive another OS update. On the bright side, at least the devices will ride into the horizon with Pie, which has One UI on top of it. That's not bad at all. As for anyone with one of the above devices, feel free to pencil these timeframes into your calendar. 2020 is going to be a busy year for Samsung updates. // reddit

DEAL: Mobvoi TicPods Free are Just $50 Today on Amazon

Tim — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 08:30:01 +0000

TicPods Free, which originally launched for over $100, are just $49.99 today on Amazon. You don't need a code or anything, just simply apply the coupon on the product's page. TicPods Free are from Mobvoi and were one of the first true wireless earbuds that we thought looked good enough to compete with Apple's AirPods. The buds sport touch controls, IPX5 water and dust resistance, 4 hours of battery life (18 hours with charging case), plus support for digital assistant access via a long press. We're sure Mobvoi hasn't sold enough to become the next Apple or anything, but from our experience, they're solid little buds. Follow the link to snag a pair.

Amazon Link

Google Home Mini Really is Just $19.99 for Black Friday

Kellen — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 08:20:25 +0000

No joke, Google Home Mini for $20.

The steal of Black Friday might be the original Google Home Mini for $19.99, down from its original $50 price. I know that there is a slightly upgraded Nest Mini now and it's only $10 more at the moment, but I'm still not sure it offers that much more for that extra money. If you were looking to add smarts to every single room, get to it.

Google Home Mini at $19 ($30 off):

Best Buy
B&H Photo
Walmart
Google Store

If You Switch to Verizon Today, They'll Give You $600-$750 Off a Great Phone

Kellen — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 07:55:19 +0000

Verizon wants you for Black Friday, just you.

As I mentioned earlier, there are few times as good as now to buy a new smartphone. Carriers, retailers, and devices makers are all discounting phones to try and puff up their numbers before the end of the year, including Verizon. The mega-carrier just unloaded its set of Black Friday deals, some of which are pretty good, as long as you don't mind sticking with them for the next 24 months. Particularly, Verizon wants new customers, though that's not the only good deal. However, if you do switch to Verizon today, they'll give you anywhere from $600 to $750 in value...as a bonus...in credit...it's kind of confusing. What I'm saying here is that Verizon's best Black Friday deal is for new customers and it involves a couple of things. First, you need decide to make the switch to Verizon, port your number in, and be prepared to buy a phone on a 2-year contract. Second, you need to pick a phone and the price for it changes depending on the phone. For example, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are $200 off, while most Samsung phones are $350 off. And finally, as a new customer, the rest of the $600-$750 value comes in the form of a $400 gift card (use code "BLACKFRIDAY" at checkout). This is how Verizon describes it:

Here’s the deal.
Get $350 off a Samsung phone. (Or $200 off with other Android phones like the Pixel 4)

Add a Samsung device priced over $599.99 to your cart with monthly device or full retail price payments.

Get your $350 credited to your account over 24 months.

Plus, get a $400 Prepaid Mastercard when you switch to Verizon on Unlimited.

Add any Samsung device (minimum retail price of $550) as a new smartphone line with port-in and monthly device payments to your account on any Unlimited plan.

After checkout, visit vzw.com/digitalrebatecenter. Enter promo code: BLACKFRIDAY and the other necessary information when prompted.

Receive your Prepaid Mastercard within 8 weeks.

All good and ready to switch to Verizon? Shop below.

Shop Verizon Black Friday Deals

Hell Yeah, LG is Updating Their Android Skin With UX 9.0

Kellen — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 07:34:35 +0000

LG has always had one of the worst Android skins in the industry, one of that we often are highly critical of during reviews. It has needed an overhaul for years now and it looks like we'll finally get one with LG UX 9.0, which was introduced this week. A video for the new UX 9.0 went live this week and shows off what we can expect should this ever hit your device. At the moment, the YouTube description says it's coming to the LG G8X ThinQ at some point. With LG UX 9.0, you get big ol' bubbles everywhere with all the rounded corners, similar to what you might see in Samsung's One UI. Everything has more space to work with, fonts are bolder, and a lot of actionable items will now be found at the bottom of the screen, within thumbs reach. There are light and dark modes (with scheduling!), a new tablet experience, and again, lots of rounding. Some of the iconography reminds me of iOS, while other parts are very Samsung-esque. If anything, it's much more modern than the bad UI they keep putting on phones, even as Tim continues to tell them it sucks. We'll let you know as we learn more about UX 9.0 and when you might see it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22tO2q1cJk8

Our Favorite Phones Get Big Discounts

Kellen — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 06:00:08 +0000

Black Friday Deals on phones that we actually like.

When it comes to Black Friday deals, one of the first things we start browsing for is new phones because there aren't many times as good as now to buy one. From straight price drops to BOGO promos and Google's expected Black Friday Pixel prices, you just can't go wrong over the next few days. In this post, we've collected our favorites and what their prices are for Black Friday. You've got the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL, of course, but that OnePlus 7 Pro discount is almost too good to be believed. Also, the Pixel 4 XL is now worth buying, and Samsung is handing out $200 discounts and free Galaxy Buds. What a time.

Our Favorite Black Friday Phone Deal

The OnePlus 7 Pro is one of our favorite phones of 2019 and we fully recommended it at full pricing, which was $699. For Black Friday, OnePlus dropped the 8GB-128GB model by $150 making it the best phone price of Black Friday 2019. Stock is running low, though, so you may want to hurry on this one.

OnePlus 7 Pro at $549 ($150 off)

Google's Best Black Friday Pixel Deals

Google's Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL aren't the best phones of 2019, but that doesn't mean we aren't still fans of the bigger guy. While I won't recommend anyone buy the regular Pixel 4, the 4 XL is still good enough that at $699 for Black Friday, it'll make a lot of you happy. On a related note, the Pixel 3a and 3a XL at $100 off makes them incredible steals and incredible buys. Those two phones surprised me this year and I can't recommend them enough, especially at these prices.

Samsung's Best Black Friday Galaxy Deals

The deal Samsung is running through their own store is going to be tough to beat. You get $200 off all unlocked models of the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10 families with free Galaxy Buds, but on top of that, Samsung still offers that best-in-the-business trade-in program. Their trade-in program offers you an instant discount when you swap a phone for a new one, which could bring your Note 10 down to $309 or your Galaxy S10 down to $339.

Shop Unlocked Galaxy S10, S10+: Samsung Store | Amazon
Shop Unlocked Note 10, Note 10+: Samsung Store | Amazon

We'll continue updating this post.

SHOP ALL OF THE BEST BLACK FRIDAY 2019 DEALS

SanDisk 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB MicroSD Cards are Cheap for Black Friday

Kellen — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 05:45:02 +0000

SanDisk Black Friday deals are their fastest microSD cards.

Need external storage, like microSD cards, at some of the cheapest prices ever? Black Friday is your time! SanDisk's best SD cards are all cheap right now, including the Extreme line with crazy low prices on the big boys. You'll find 1TB cards for $200, 512GB cards for $80, 400GB cards for $75, and more. Don't need the best of the best? The SanDisk Ultra cards are also cheap, as are SSDs, other forms of flash storages (USB plugs), etc. Find the SanDisk deal that's for you through those links below.

Shop SanDisk Black Friday Deals:

SanDisk Extreme A2 128GB microSD - $19.99
SanDisk Extreme A2 256GB microSD - $39.99
SanDisk Extreme A2 400GB microSD - $74.99
SanDisk Extreme A2 512GB microSD - $79.99
SanDisk Extreme A2 1TB microSD - $199.99
SanDisk Ultra A1 512GB microSD - $63.99
Shop all SanDisk deals at Amazon

SHOP ALL OF THE BEST BLACK FRIDAY 2019 DEALS

All the Nest Hub and Google Home Deals

Kellen — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 05:40:32 +0000

Google Home and Google Nest love Black Friday deals.

Upgrading your smart home is typically a move you should only make during Black Friday weekend because you can buy multiple items to enhance the experience at the best prices of the year. That's no different for 2019, where almost all of the Google Home and Google Nest products you want are discounted. We have deals on the new Nest Hub Max ($30 off), Nest Hub ($50 off), and Nest Mini ($20 off). All of the old Google Home units are super cheap too, like Google Home Max ($100 off), Google Home ($50 off), and original Google Home Mini for just $19. If you want other Nest products, including the new Nest WiFi, Nest Thermostat, or Nest Hello doorbell, you'll find big price drops. We've got a number of quick links for you below, but you'll find these prices almost anywhere that these products are sold. Feel free to shop around.

Nest Hub Max at $199 ($30 off):

Nest Hub at $79 ($50 off):

Nest Mini at $29 ($20 off):

Google Home Max at $199 ($100 off):

Google Home at $49 ($50 off):

Google Home Mini at $19 ($30 off):

Best Buy
B&H Photo
Walmart
Google Store

Nest Hello at $149 ($80 off):

Nest WiFi singles ($20 off), 2-packs ($40 off), and 3-packs ($60 off) on sale:

Nest Thermostat (3rd gen) at $179 ($70 off):

SHOP ALL OF THE BEST BLACK FRIDAY 2019 DEALS

Mobvoi's Ticwatch Pro Drops to $187, Other Watches Even Cheaper (Updated: 4G/LTE Too)

Kellen — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 05:30:07 +0000

Mobvoi's full suite of Black Friday deals are here.

For the Black Friday weekend, Mobvoi is discounting most of its Wear OS watches by substantial amounts. The Ticwatch Pro, S2, E2, and C2 are all on sale at some of their lowest prices to date. The TicPods Free are also discounted to $80 for those of you who need an AirPods alternative on Android.

UPDATE: The Ticwatch Pro 4G/LTE is now discounted to $224.25 ($74.75 off) at Mobvoi's site. If you buy one, Mobvoi is tossing in a free Tichome Mini ($100 value). Pro 4G/LTE was available at Amazon through a lightning deal, but it quickly sold out.
UPDATE 2: TicPods Free just dropped to $49.99 with coupon! [Buy at Amazon]

Here are the deals:

Ticwatch Pro: $187.49 (~~$249.99~~) [Amazon Link]
Ticwatch C2: $149.99 (~~$199.99~~) [Amazon Link]
Ticwatch E2: $119.99 (~~$159.99~~) [Amazon Link]
Ticwatch S2: $134.99 (~~$179.99~~) [Amazon Link]
TicPods Free: $79.99 (~~$129.99~~) [Amazon Link]

Need reviews on any of these watches? We have plenty of thoughts:

Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL are $100 Off

Kellen — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 05:20:22 +0000

Pixel 3a gets its Black Friday price.

Black Friday might not officially start until tomorrow, but everyone is already unwrapping deals and making them available if you have cash to spend. Google went ahead and discounted the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL by $100 this morning, and you'll find the discount at most retailers. With those promos applied, you'll get a Pixel 3a for $299 or a Pixel 3a XL for $379. It's such a good deal too. The Pixel 3a line was one of the biggest surprises this year as a package that offer a lot of what you get from the regular Pixel phones, only they came in a more durable plastic shell at hundreds of dollars less. The cameras are just as good, though, battery life is solid, and they will be updated for years to come. The Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL are fully unlocked and will work on your favorite major carriers. This weekend's Black Friday sale should be on all colors: Just Black, Clearly White, and Purple-ish.

Shop Pixel 3a for $299:

Shop Pixel 3a XL for $379:

SHOP ALL OF THE BEST BLACK FRIDAY 2019 DEALS

What are You Planning to Buy for Black Friday?

Kellen — Wed, 27 Nov 2019 15:13:32 +0000

We are hours from real Black Friday deals rolling out, not these faux pre-Black Friday discounts that are never as good as they might be over the next couple of days. We know that Verizon is prepping a bunch, as is Google, Samsung, and others. There will be Google Home and Nest discounts galore, the Pixel 3a line at $100 off, ways to get BOGO phones, chargers for pennies, upgrades for your smart home, and super cheap Amazon products for those weird Alexa folks you know. I'd imagine there will be TV's for 90% off too. So as we prepare to not only stuff our bodies full of food tomorrow, what else are your Black Friday weekend plans? What are you looking to buy over the next couple of days? A new phone? More smart home stuff? Movies or apps or games? A damn TV?

SHOP ALL OF THE BEST BLACK FRIDAY 2019 DEALS

Google Photos Gets Manual Face Tagging

Tim — Wed, 27 Nov 2019 13:26:19 +0000

Before this week's update, Google Photos liked to tag faces all on its own in your People & Pets album. For the most part, it does a fine job at correctly identifying people in your life, but sometimes, the system doesn't work. For example, I have baby photos of myself in my library and Photos doesn't know it's me because, well, it's baby me. First detailed by Android Police, an update in Google Photos will now let you manually tag faces in any photo, so long as the app can confirm there are actual faces in the photo. The app won't let you go around tagging faces in photos that have no faces, which makes sense. If you need to go tag some faces, have at it.

Google Play Link

// Android Police

Design Watch Faces on Facer, Win a Montblanc Summit 2

Tim — Wed, 27 Nov 2019 11:50:02 +0000

I know we have a few creatives here, so this post is for you or anyone looking to score a very sweet prize this holiday season. Facer is teaming up with Montblanc for a watch face design contest, with twelve winners walking away with a new Montblanc Summit 2 smartwatch. If you didn't know, we really like the Summit 2 from Montblanc. Entering is very simply and there are only a few rules you need to be aware of. Basically, you'll design a few watch faces the best you can, with the faces then judged by a panel of experts. Those people are Zaim Kamal (Montblanc’s creative director), Dr. Felix Obschonka (Montblanc’s New Technologies director), Ariel Adams (founder of aBlogtoWatch), and Ariel Vardi, (Facer’s co-founder and CEO). Rules

The designs must be 100% original.
The designs must NOT contain any Montblanc logo/name.
Designs infringing on any copyright/trademarks will be disqualified.
Unlimited entries per participant, but only 1 entry can be selected as finalist by the jury.
The designs must be submitted before December 27th at midnight Pacific Time.

If you've never designed your own watch face on Facer, the process is pretty straightforward. You can do basic designs with preloaded numerals and dials, but you can also get very fancy with it and lots of customizations and complications. Think you can handle that?

Montblanc x Facer Contest

// Facer

Samsung PlayGalaxy Link Gaming Service Getting Support for More Devices

Tim — Wed, 27 Nov 2019 09:41:09 +0000

Select Galaxy device owners have maybe been enjoying the PlayGalaxy Link gaming service for a month or so now, which is still currently in beta form, but Samsung announced this week that additional devices will soon receive support for the service. According to Samsung, next month owners of the Galaxy Fold, Galaxy S9 series, Galaxy Note9, and Galaxy A90 will be able to download and play PC games via PlayGalaxy Link. If you're unfamiliar, which is definitely me because I don't play any PC games, PlayGalaxy Link allows you to link your PC to your smartphone in order to play video games. Like NVIDIA's GameStream, but purely for mobile, you can access your PC's gaming titles while on a solid mobile connection or over WiFi if you want to take your games to the couch. The important note is, your PC handles most of the heavy lifting, so your phone only needs to be able to stream the content. The PlayGalaxy Link beta is available in South Korea, US, UK, Canada, Italy, Netherlands, France, Singapore, and Russia. It's currently open to the Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy S10 series of devices, but again, it's coming to additional devices soon. If you own the necessary hardware, give it a look.

Galaxy Store Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zND5SdEJgc // Samsung

Google Play Black Friday Deals are Here: Up to 80% Off Games, Cheap STARZ

Kellen — Wed, 27 Nov 2019 08:20:41 +0000

The Google Play list of Black Friday 2019 deals on apps and games has arrived just in time for the long holiday weekend. If you were looking for the chance to blow a little bit of cash on content that will help you survive tomorrow's big dinner with the cousins you can't stand, here you go. Google Play Black Friday deals include 50% off in-game content for Call of Duty: Mobile, up to 6x bonus value in Clash of Clans, a 3-month STARZ subscription for $2.99/mo, a bunch of limited-time events and offers, and up to 80% off "must-play" games. For those limited-time events and offers, it appears to be specific deals on in-game content from a bunch of titles, like Call of Duty: Mobile, Golf Clash, Last Day on Earth, Clash of Clans, Township, Roblox, World of Tanks, 8 Ball Pool, and more. To find out the specifics, you'll just have to open each. As for the game sale, there are some decent discounts on games you might want to take for a spin:

Bloons TD 6: $0.99 (~~$4.99~~)
Iron Marines: $0.99 (~~$2.99~~)
Terraria: $0.99 (~~$2.99~~)
FINAL FANTASY IX: $11.99 (~~$20.99~~)
To the Moon: $1.99 (~~$4.99~~)
Farming Simulator: $0.99 (~~$4.99~~)
This Is The Police: $1.59 (~~$7.99~~)
The Room: Old Sins: $0.99 (~~$4.99~~)
Samorost 3: $0.99 (~~$4.99~~)
The Escapists 2: $1.49 (~~$6.99~~)
NBA 2K20: $0.99 (~~$5.99~~)
Witcheye: $0.99 (~~$2.99~~)
Monument Valley: $1.49 (~~$4.99~~)
Rusty Lake Paradise: $0.99 (~~$3.49~~)
Suzy Cube: $1.99 (~~$3.99~~)
Don't Starve: $0.99 (~~$4.99~~)
Cultist Simulator: $1.99 (~~$6.99~~)
Machinarium: $0.99 (~~$4.99~~)
Shop all Google Play Black Friday games

Will let you know if this list of deals sees any significant changes over the coming days. Shop Google Play Black Friday Deals

Google Stadia Buddy Passes Arrive for Founder's Edition Users to Share

Kellen — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 16:54:46 +0000

In a surprise move after first learning that they might not show up for weeks, Google Stadia just sent out buddy passes to Founder's Edition owners! The codes are arriving now for users who want to share the Stadia experience with a friend. To check for your Buddy Pass, head into the Stadia app and tap the top left corner icon. You should have a message waiting with the code and quick ways to share it. What is the Stadia Buddy Pass? It's a perk that was a part of the Founder's Edition that allows users to share 3 months worth of Stadia Pro with another person. It's basically just an invite code you can handout that someone (who hasn't already signed-up for Stadia) must use within 3 months. It also should let them grab their Stadia name before the rest of the world gets access and takes all of the good ones. Again, we were told these could take at least 2 weeks to show up, but the Stadia team just dropped the news on us and sent out a wave of emails. Our code has already arrived and I'm hoping Tim used it to claim whatever name he wants.

Samsung Ending Bixby Voice Support for Devices Still on Nougat, Oreo

Tim — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 15:25:13 +0000

In a decision that shouldn't really affect too many users, Samsung is moving to end support of Bixby Voice on devices still running Nougat and Oreo, according to a report from SamMobile. The devices this move is said to affect are the Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+, Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, Galaxy S8 Active, Galaxy Note 8, and Galaxy A9 (2018). Ultimately, each of these devices are eligible to download Android 9 Pie, which really just means, Samsung is removing Bixby support if you refuse to update your phone to Pie. Because that's the case, there's hardly cause for alarm by most Samsung device owners. This move is reported to take affect on January 1, 2020 and does not affect owners of the Galaxy Note 9 who have updated to Android 9 Pie. Bixby lives on. // SamMobile

YouTube TV Subscribers Getting 3-Month Free YouTube Premium Bonus

Kellen — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 15:04:05 +0000

Should you pay Google the $49.99 per month it costs to access YouTube TV, a bonus to get free YouTube Premium may be in your near future. That's according to a Tweet sent by the YouTube TV account today that said a 3-month trial offer is incoming. The Tweet does suggest that the deal is only for those who have "never tried" YouTube Premium, so unfortunately, this won't cover everyone. That's a bit, well, cheap of Google. I can't imagine it's that hard to give Premium users a 3-month credit as a "Thanks" for being a part of their TV experience that continues to see price increases on the consumer end. If you have yet to try YouTube Premium, an email is supposedly coming your way with details on how to sign-up. If I was you, I'd take that offer and get the full 3 months out of it. YouTube Premium frees you from ads and it is glorious. It also provides background playback, lets you download videos for offline viewing, and gets you YouTube Music Premium. Again, be on the lookout for an email from YouTube TV. https://twitter.com/YouTubeTV/status/1199452383232843776

Tuesday Poll: Do You Own a Smart Display?

Tim — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 14:23:48 +0000

Last year, when Smart Displays were still relatively new, we asked if you were interested in them. 43% of those who responded said they were interested, followed by 39% of people saying they weren't. It's time for a followup. It's almost 2020 and Lenovo has recently launched a new 7" Smart Display (pictured above). We'll have coverage of that device soon -- we literally plugged it in this morning. Google has also released a few smart display devices under the Nest brand, including the Nest Hub Max and standard Nest Hub. Point being, there's a solid list of options out there for interested buyers. Because we've seen them on sale from time to time, and we know for sure that Black Friday and Cyber Monday will be a good time to pick one up, we're curious if you've gone ahead and picked one up for your own home or plan to do so. [poll id="531"]

Stadia Making Farming Simulator 19, Tomb Raider Free to Play for Pro Subscribers

Tim — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 11:56:04 +0000

Currently, there are only two on-demand games available to Stadia Pro subscribers: Destiny 2 and Samurai Showdown. On December 1, Pro subscribers will get two additional games as part of their subscription: Farming Simulator 19 and Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition. Pro subscribers will be able to claim these titles at 9AM Pacific, December 1. If you're curious, existing subscribers who have recently purchased these titles in Stadia should be made aware of the platform's game return policy. As one community member states on Stadia's user forum, "A bit salty that I just bought Tomb Raider not long ago and can't get a refund since I've played it longer than 2 hours... but free is free I guess..." Stated on Stadia's support site:

You can request a refund within 14 days of your purchase if there is less than 2 hours of play time across all accounts (family and personal). Games may only be returned one time, so if you return a purchased game for a refund and subsequently re-purchase it, you will not be entitled to a refund. This refund is only available for purchased games, and not for add-on content or services.

So if you've played the game for more than 2 hours, you're SOL. Sorry. Pro subscribers, enjoy your free games. // Stadia

Google Assistant's Ambient Mode Arriving: Anyone Get It? (Updated)

Kellen — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 11:45:34 +0000

The Ambient Mode for Google Assistant that was first revealed back in September, is supposedly rolling out, according to Google. Through a video demo of Ambient Mode today, and a Tweet from the Android account, we should be close if it's all not happening today. Not familiar with Google Assistant Ambient Mode? It looks cool, just so you know. Basically, it's a smart screen that pops up on your phone while it's charging to help you do typical things. You can get a good idea of the mode in the image above, but with Ambient Mode you will see hints on your commute time, weather, upcoming calendar items, shortcuts for controlling your smart home, a shortcut to launch a camera or set an alarm, and access to Google Assistant with one-touch. It's almost as if Google figured out a way to turn your phone into a smart display, only this will probably be much more useful as it learns and is likely within reach. Google says that Ambient Mode is available on select devices running Android 8.0 and above, though we don't have a specific list. ~~In the demo video below, we've got a OnePlus phone~~. We know that select Nokia devices were given access. But what about Pixel phones or Samsung Galaxy devices? If we find out, we'll update this post. Anyone receiving Ambient Mode yet?

UPDATE 11/26: Google must have realized that they didn't share any of the release details and followed up with a Tweet today. The rollout starts next week for Ambient Mode and will hit Sony Xperia, Nokia, Transsion, and Xiaomi phones first, along with select Lenovo tablets running Android 8.0 or newer.

Starting next week, Ambient Mode is rolling out to Sony Xperia, Nokia, Transsion and Xiaomi 📱 and select Lenovo tablets running Android 8 or newer.
— Android (@Android) November 26, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaRzJo_19nY

Google Still Plans to Replace Play Music With YouTube Music, Help You Transition

Kellen — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 11:41:21 +0000

YouTube Music launched back in May 2018 as the future of Google's music plans. Because YouTube Music was designated as the future, that would mean an end to Google Play Music at some point and a decision for you to make about your own music service of choice. Since then, we've kept an eye out for signs of Google Play Music's demise or for options or settings that would finally let us migrate our Play Music libraries we've collected for years over to YouTube Music. After all, we were told at launch that we would be able to. We're almost at the end of 2019 and Google still hasn't given us that, nor have they told us when the countdown for Play Music should begin. This week, we asked Google if they could provide an update on the situation, since mid-2018 feels like forever ago. In response, Google tells us that the plan really is to still replace Google Play Music with YouTube Music. I know that there has been almost zero movement on that happening, and we've raised our own concerns over Google's music focus, but it will apparently still happen. When that time comes, Google also tells us that it will help you make a soft landing onto YouTube Music by assisting in uploading personal collections, playing local MP3s on Android, and importing content and music preferences from Play Music onto YouTube Music. It's a weird spot to be in here with 2020 upon us. We thought by the end of 2018 we would be moving everything from Play Music over to YouTube Music, yet here is Google telling us that it'll happen one day as we inch ever-closer to YouTube Music's 2-year anniversary. You still holding out from switching to something new until YouTube Music is on-par with Play Music and you can move everything over? What are you using right now for your music needs?

Galaxy S11+ CAD Renders: That's a Lot of Cameras

Tim — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 09:12:40 +0000

Thanks to @OnLeaks, we've recently had a look at the Galaxy S11 and Galaxy S11e. Today, it's the Galaxy S11+. The first things to note, according to these 3rd-party renders, is that the front of all three devices look very much the same. All sport the centered camera cutout, just like this year's Galaxy Note 10. And in terms of symmetry, it looks a lot better versus the Galaxy S10 lineup's cutouts that were positioned to the right side of the device. On the backside, things get a bit wild on the Galaxy S11+. From our count, there appears to be five camera lenses, along with two additional sensors. That's a lot of glass and the report that was posted alongside these renders doesn't make it clear exactly what kind of camera lenses we'll be getting from Samsung.

If you want a guess from us, we could see Samsung using a standard lens, telephoto lens, ultra wide angle, plus a couple of additional lenses to help create the 108MP still photos that are being reported for the device. 8K video recording has also been rumored, but if that's accurate, let's hope base storage and heat management has been seriously considered in the design of the device. Overall, much like the past renders, we like what we see. What's your take? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YgmAS4A61Y // CashKaro

Well, Sh*t: New SHIELD TV Remote Now Not Coming Until 2020

Kellen — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 08:50:00 +0000

When the new NVIDIA SHIELD TV (review) and TV Pro arrived a month ago with fancy AI upscaling and one new form factor, the decision over whether or not to upgrade was difficult. On one hand, the new upscaling and form factor were indeed welcomed additions, but with older SHIELD TV units still working just fine and continuing to receive updates, some of us wondered if we might instead just want that new triangular remote, which had to provide an improved experience over the awful remotes from previous models. At the time of launch, we were told that the new remote would indeed work with the older models and that the new SHIELD remote would be available for purchase before the end of this year for $29.99. Now, things have changed there and the NVIDIA website states that "end of January 2020" is the new launch time frame. If you were hoping to pick one up as a X-mas present to yourself to replace your old, always-disconnecting SHIELD remotes, I apologize for having to share this sad news with you. And it's sad because this remote is really, really nice. After using it for a month, I can tell that I've had zero connectivity issues, the new buttons are awesome, and the triangular form is actually kind of nice to hold and use. We'll let you know once it is available.

// NVIDIA | Android Police

Mewtwo Comes to Pokemon Masters in Game's First Legendary Event

Tim — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 08:42:36 +0000

To the presumed delight of those still playing Pokemon Masters, which I had to quit because the grind was simply too much to take, the sync pair of Mewtwo and Giovanni is coming in the game's first Legendary Pokemon event. Not only will you be able to go up against Mewtwo, but you'll have the ability to add the pair to your own team. Additionally announced by the team behind the game in a recent video, other new sync pairs are coming to the game, a few special holiday-themed outfits are planned for December, and details for what's to arrive in early 2020 are also discussed. If you don't want to watch the entire video, which wouldn't shock me unless you really love this game, here's the overview you need to know.

Mewtwo & Giovanni come to Pasio: In the game's first-ever Legendary Pokémon event, players will be able to battle against the formidable sync pair of Mewtwo & Giovanni. More importantly, they'll even be able to add this duo to their teams.
New sync pairs coming to the game: sync pairs like Grimsley & Liepard, Lance & Dragonite, Cynthia & Garchomp will all be coming to the game in the future. Festive versions of Rosa & Delibird and Siebold & Octillery in their holiday outfits will also be available in mid-December.
Game updates coming in early 2020: new features that allow players to train sync pairs in a more personal way, along with a new single-player mode that focuses on different types and roles of sync pairs, will be coming in early 2020.

Good luck with the Mewtwo battle.

Google Play Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyVXo6A5gRo

Disney+ Gets "Continued Watching" Section!

Kellen — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 08:01:58 +0000

Disney+ has so far been an excellent streaming subscription service, mostly because of the library of content that Disney made available at launch. It's not perfect, though. Discovery and recommendations need to be better, we need even more original content, and some of the controls that seem like really obvious omissions (a "start from beginning" button) are missing. We also needed a section that would let us continue watching shows or movies we had previously started. Thankfully, Disney listened and we at least got that. The new section is rolling out already and so you don't need to do anything but login. Once you do, just under the bigger banner suggestions at the top, then categories and Originals, you should see a "Continue Watching" area that lists out all of the shows you have started watching. A simple tap or click on those will pick-up right where you last left off. Hooray! If you haven't signed-up for Disney+ yet, I think it's safe to say that you might be missing out. Even if you don't care that much about re-watching older movies and shows, The Mandalorian is probably worth the $7 per month. I also think you'll be surprised at the depth of the collection available and probably won't realize how many movies Disney is/was behind. Verizon customers, you can still get Disney+ for free. The rest of you, sign-up here.

DEAL: TIDAL Offering 4 Months of HiFi Membership for Just $2 ($80 Value)

Tim — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 14:13:40 +0000

Getting in on the Black Friday and Cyber Monday action, TIDAL is offering a major discount on a promotional subscription to both its Premium and HiFi tiers of service. Starting today through December 3, new customers can get four months of TIDAL Premium for only $0.99 or four months of TIDAL HiFi for just $2. In terms of savings, that's $40 of value if you do Premium and $80 of value for HiFi. Certainly not a bad offer on TIDAL's part. What You're Getting For Premium, users get access to 60 million songs, 250K music videos, exclusive artist content that isn't available on other platforms, curated playlists, and access to live events and ticket giveaways. TIDAL HiFi gives users access to all of that, plus a higher quality level of sound that includes MQA (Master Quality Audio) on supported devices. Of course, once that four month period ends, your account will then be charged the usual TIDAL pricing, which is $9.99/month for Premium and $19.99/month for HiFi. You can always cancel your subscription before that happens, though.

TIDAL Black Friday Link

Call of Duty: Mobile Gets Zombies Mode, Controller Support (Updated)

Tim — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 12:17:24 +0000

Zombies have arrived on Call of Duty: Mobile! A limited time mode, Zombies is unlocked after reaching Level 5 in the game, bringing the classic Shi No Numa experience to those who have spent countless hours playing the mode on consoles. There are a few changes to be aware of, though. According to the announcement post, players will earn rewards as they play, go up against some type of "Abomination" boss battle, play in different modes for the Zombies game type, and ultimately, hopefully kill thousands of zombies. Zombies won't be in the game forever, which seems odd to me, but go have some fun while it lasts.

Controller Support

Finally, the game has also added support for controllers.

As of launch, only official DUALSHOCK4 PlayStation 4 and official Xbox One controllers can be used to play Call of Duty: Mobile. All versions of official PS4 controllers except first generation controllers are supported. Additional controller support may be available in future updates, but for now, players using a non-supported controller may experience issues with functionality.

If you have one of those controllers for use, this is great news. However, keep in mind that anyone playing with a controller will be matched into lobbies with other controller players. If you still only use native on-screen controls, you'll only play against other on-screen control players.

Google Play Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYflUImRhtQ // Activision

Google Photos Gets New Editing Features, Includes Drawing and Highlights

Tim — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 11:28:04 +0000

Over the weekend, Google announced a couple of editing tool additions for Google Photos. Now, users can find options to draw, highlight, and add text to photos.

We’re excited to announce some new editing features rolling out on the Google Photos Android app, starting today. Now you can draw, highlight, or add text on top of your photos.

To take advantage of these additions, select a photo inside of Google Photos on your smartphone, then tap on the edit button. From the edit screen, you'll see the new editing options. Cool.

Google Photos Android App

// Google [2]

Nope: Five Nights at Freddy's for Augmented Reality Arrives on Android

Tim — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 10:27:19 +0000

I don't do scary games well, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't check out the new Five Nights at Freddy's game. Titled FNAF AR: Special Delivery, this game's storyline sends the malfunctioning animatronics into the world as part of a new on-demand party service. Of course, things go horrifyingly wrong and you're tasked with simply surviving the attack. The game provides you with various resources to manage and ways to defend yourself, such as a flashlight and shocker device. While playing, you'll find miscellaneous parts throughout the AR environment on your phone, such as CPUs and plushsuits to create and deploy your own animatronics. The game is free to download, but there are in-app purchases for select items. You won't find me playing, but good luck to you.

Google Play Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxz5Lo-5ec4

Should You Buy a Pixel 4 at $599?

Kellen — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 10:07:00 +0000

Probably not, but the Pixel 4 XL is a solid "maybe."

I think the short answer here is, "No," you shouldn't buy the Pixel 4 even with a $200 discount that drops the price to $599 for Black Friday. If you really want a shiny new Pixel 4 phone, the Pixel 4 XL at $699 is really the only option. We've now reviewed both the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL in separate write-ups (Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL) that you should take the time to read if you are contemplating a purchase of either during this holiday shopping season. With their typical shortly-after-launch discounts now live, they may have been a stretch buy at launch, but both are now going to tempt you. Again, I don't think you should buy a Pixel 4. For the first time in years, I said as much about the smaller Pixel in my review as clearly as I could because it just doesn't live up to 2019 standards, especially at full price. The Pixel 4 starts at $799, yet doesn't match the specs of the phones it is competing against. With that said, we didn't exactly recommend the 4 XL either, though it'll probably make most people happy at a discounted rate.

Storage is going to be an issue

With the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, you get what is arguably a tiny amount of storage (64GB base model) for a modern top-tier smartphone with no SD card slot to expand it. I don't think there is any way that 64GB storage is going to last most people if they plan to hang onto a phone for 2 years. Photos are larger than ever, we shoot video in 4K, apps and games haven't shrunken, and we download music, movies, etc. I have a Pixel 4 XL 64GB sitting here that I've been using for about a month and I'm at 61% used. That's alarming. Sure, you could upgrade to the 128GB model, which should be enough storage, but you'll pay an extra $100 to get it. Let's also not forget that the storage is UFS 2.1, not the faster 3.0 standard that almost everyone else in this category of phone is using. For comparison, the OnePlus 7T has 128GB of UFS 3.0 storage and costs $599.

Display at 90Hz, sometimes

Google's Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL were supposed to join an exclusive group of phones that feature higher refresh rate displays at 90Hz and provide a smoother viewing experience. Now, we know that at launch the displays did not always run at the 90Hz and it took the November update to bring the functionality on a full-time basis to the 4 XL. The Pixel 4 is still limited, likely because of battery concerns. The problem with Google limiting what should have been one of the top selling points for the Pixel 4 is that it feels like you aren't getting what you paid for. The Pixel 4 is supposed to have a 90Hz display and so it should run at that all of the time. Other phones with 90Hz displays, like the OnePlus 7T and 7 Pro, don't have this limitation.

Battery life is not good

And that's the perfect lead-in to the major point here about why you should pass on the Pixel 4, even at a discounted rate. Battery life sucks on the Pixel 4 in a way I haven't seen from a phone in a good couple of years. During our review period, I made a separate post about it because I was so shocked at how bad it really was. We're talking about battery life that brings back battery anxiety and leaves you constantly monitoring battery percentage and whether or not you should go find a charger. Honestly, I'm not sure the 2800mAh battery is going to get most people through many days, especially if I struggled in a situation where I'm at home all day with the phone on WiFi and hardly approaching 3 hours of screen on time usage. The Pixel 4 XL, on the other hand, has decent enough battery life. I'm still using the phone to this day and it gets me through full days without needing a top-off before bed. It's not doing so comfortably, but we're getting there. I think the overall problem here is that Google made a couple of phones that have unique features (90Hz display and a radar motion system) that might take a bit of extra battery. Unfortunately, they didn't consider that people might need more than 10-12 hours of use from a phone and that not everyone is tied to a desk with charger handy at all times. If the phone has a battery that can't handle taking advantage of phone features, then maybe we should have made some better choices in our design, right?

To buy or not to buy?

We are now a full month from Google releasing the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL and my takeaway from each is that the Pixel 4 XL is probably a good phone for most people. It looks and feels great in hand, has one of the best smartphone cameras around, (now) has 90Hz on at all times, is solid in performance, and will get updates before any other Android phone for the next few years. At $699 with this current Black Friday deal, it's probably not going to be a bad buy. As for the Pixel 4, again, the battery life being as bad as it is should cause you to pass. You can force on 90Hz if you want, love the camera, like the smaller form factor, and sit at a desk all day with charger nearby, but I bet you'll still get sick of worrying about battery life just as I did.

DEAL: Lenovo's New 7" Smart Display for $99 ($30 Off), Comes With Free WiFi Smart Plug

Tim — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 09:30:38 +0000

From what we can see, B&H is currently the only retailer selling the new 7" Smart Display from Lenovo, having it down to just $99 from what should be its usual price of $129. On top of the discounted price, buyers will also receive a free Lenovo WiFi Smart Plug that has a value of $30. Specs for the smart display include a 7″ IPS display with HD resolution (1024 x 600), 2MP front-facing camera, MediaTek 8167S processor, dual microphone array, Bluetooth 5.0, and it comes in Blizzard White. Software wise, you'll get Google Assistant onboard, the same experience as past Lenovo Smart Display models. Announced at IFA in September, the redesigned Smart Display was supposed to go on sale in October, but the launch appears to have been mixed up a bit. We aren't entirely sure why, but again, B&H appears to be its only seller as of today. Have at it.

B&H Link

Galaxy S11e Renders are Looking Fuego

Tim — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 09:06:30 +0000

Personally, I wasn't a major Galaxy S10e fan this year, mostly because I didn't appreciate the fingerprint reader placement. I know Kellen liked it, though. Over the weekend, renders from @OnLeaks have hit the web, and given their history of accuracy in the renders department, it seems like this could be our first look at the Galaxy S11e for 2020.

Related: Galaxy S11 Renders!

According to these renders, the Galaxy S11e looks gorgeous and very similar to the previous Galaxy S11 renders we saw last week. On the backside, the renders showcase a large camera module with multiple sensors, a frontside with very minimal bezels and a centered camera cutout along the top, plus no plainly evident fingerprint reader. This leads the creator of the renders to believe that Samsung will deploy an in-display reader for the Galaxy S11e. For reported specs, the S11e is said to feature a Snapdragon 865 processor, approximately 6.25-inch display, 6GB RAM (maybe a higher model, too), 128GB+ UFS 3.0 storage, and around a 4,000mAh battery. While this looks like a hot phone, I hope Samsung doesn't step too far away from what made the Galaxy S10e tempting over the standard Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+. I would hope this hardware remains relatively small and lightweight, with Samsung able to get away with charging less for the device. If Samsung makes the "e" line fully equipped with the best specs and high price, then what's the point? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlY90XRrziI // pricebaba

Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL are $150 Off at Google Fi

Kellen — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 08:19:27 +0000

Skipping the Pixel 4 and opting for the much cheaper Pixel 3a or Pixel 3a XL to keep you occupied for the next few months is a move you'll see no pushback from around here. We love the Pixel 3a. If you want one, Google Fi has a really good deal on them right now too. For the holiday shopping season, Google Fi is discounting the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL by $150, dropping their prices to $249 and $329, respectively. Of course, you'll need to active them on Google Fi, but Google's terms show that you may only need to do that for a month before moving on to whatever carrier you like. The terms state that you will pay reduced prices as long as you activate your 3a or 3a XL on Google Fi within 30 days of shipment confirmation on the phone. If you fail to activate, they'll charge you for that $150 savings. The terms do not state that you need to remain active longer than that first activation, though, unlike that Pixel 4 deal we just told you about. Not that you should go into this deal looking to ditch Fi immediately, I'm just pointing out the terms.

READ: Pixel 3a review

Shop Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL at Google Fi

Buy a Pixel 4 or 4 XL at Google Fi, Get Up to $500 Back in Credit

Kellen — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 08:07:51 +0000

Now is the time to consider signing-up for (or sticking with) Google Fi if you haven't already. Google is currently running a deal on the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL through Fi that will save you 50% off the phone in the form of bill credits. With this deal, you get $400 in credit from a Pixel 4 64GB, $450 in credit from a Pixel 4 128GB, $450 in credit from a Pixel 4 XL 64GB, and $500 in Fi credit from the Pixel 4 XL with 128GB storage. Qualifying isn't that difficult either. All you need to do is buy a Pixel 4 or Pixel 4 XL, sign-up for (or continue using) Google Fi service, activate within 30 days of shipment confirmation on your phone, then remain active for 60 consecutive days. After you satisfy those terms, you'll get (within 60-90 days) a big fat service credit that'll pay for months and months of Google Fi usage. Still not familiar with Google Fi? This is Google's current vision for how a wireless carrier should work. It utilizes the networks of T-Mobile, Sprint, and US Cellular, as well as various WiFi points around the country, to try and find you the best signal at all times. It switches between them seamlessly without drops. It also offers pay-as-you-go or unlimited plans, has a slick mobile app to manage your account, and offers up unique features, like a VPN. To get started, hit that link below. (Yes, current customers are eligible for this deal too.) Shop Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL at Google Fi

Google Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL Black Friday Pricing Live Up to $300 Off

Kellen — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 07:05:56 +0000

So far, the best Pixel 4 Black Friday deal is $200 off unlocked.

Because Thanksgiving weekend and Black Friday are so late this year, Black Friday deals have started much earlier than they typically would. Consider that we are 5-6 days away from Black Friday deals typically kicking off and the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are already on sale at $200 off. If you don't mind a carrier contract, you'll find them $300 off.

READ: Should you buy a Pixel 4 at $599?

This is the Pixel 4 Black Friday deal we knew was coming, but that doesn't mean we don't love it. While the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are not without flaws, at starting prices of $599 (Pixel 4 ) and $699 (Pixel 4 XL), they are now well within the price range they probably should have been out of the gate. Remember, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are still very good phones, they just may not be perfect phones. But a lot of that argument - about them being disappointing in our reviews - was because of their launch prices, which we knew would probably come down for this exact holiday shopping weekend. I think, at $200 off, the Pixel 4 XL would make for a great phone for most people. The Pixel 4, well, it's still going to have awful battery life. The $200 off Pixel 4 deal for Black Friday is running all week. I don't know that you need to hurry out and buy it this minute, but there is always a chance that inventory starts to dwindle on select colors.

RELATED: Pixel 3 and 3 XL are $450 off at Amazon until they sellout

The deal is on the unlocked versions of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL which work on all carriers. Also, all colors (Just Black, Clearly White, and Oh So Orange) in all storage sizes (64GB, 128GB) are a part of the $200-off. As I mentioned in the opening, some retailers and carriers are offering $300 off for upgrading and signing a new contract, which means locking yourself in for a couple of years. If you are fine with that, at $300 off, a Pixel 4 payment would start around $20.83/mo and the Pixel 4 XL would start at $25/mo. Best Buy is offering the deal with Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint.

Shop Pixel 4 Black Friday Deals ($200 off):

Amazon: Pixel 4 | Pixel 4 XL
B&H Photo: Pixel 4 | Pixel 4 XL
Best Buy: Pixel 4 | Pixel 4 XL
Google Store: Pixel 4 | Pixel 4 XL

Shop Pixel 4 Carrier Deals ($300 off):

Best Buy: Pixel 4 | Pixel 4 XL

Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL are Crazy Cheap Right Now at Amazon (Updated)

Kellen — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 07:00:40 +0000

Pixel 3 at $349 is the currently best deal of Black Friday 2019.

UPDATE 11/25: Prices no longer $450-off, but still good discounts, especially with so few retailers having any stock left at all.

The Pixel 4's $200-off deal for Black Friday is a solid one, but there's a part of us that was hoping last year's Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL would stick around long enough for a crazy 2019 holiday deal. Since most retailers sold through their inventory before today, we are shocked to see that Amazon has both at $450 off. Seriously, a $450 discount on both Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL! At those prices, you can get the Pixel 3 for $349 or the Pixel 3 XL for $449. Both have 64GB storage, and currently, you'll find the deal on Just Black and Clearly White versions. Are either of these phones still worth buying a year after launch? At those prices, they sure are. Both offer very similar experiences to the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, sans the goofy Motion Sense radar. They still have incredible cameras that take some of the best stills in the business, Google's clean version of Android, and receive updates before anyone else. We have Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL reviews if you need a refresher. The deal is for the US unlocked models that work on all major US carriers. I can't imagine these will stick around long. Amazon Links: Pixel 3 (all colors) | Pixel 3 XL (white) | Pixel 3 XL (black)

DEAL: Fossil Sport 41mm Down to $149 in a Variety of Colors ($126 Off)

Kellen — Sat, 23 Nov 2019 16:50:07 +0000

The Fossil Sport, one of the first watches to run Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear 3100, is at an all-time low price right now for Black Friday 2019. If you head over to Fossil's online shop, you will see blue, red, and neon versions of the 41mm Fossil Sport for just $149. At that price, you are looking at a discount of $126 off the regular $275 price. For those not familiar, the Fossil Sport was at one time the only Wear OS you should have considered buying. At this time, there are a handful of upgraded watches that will get you a slightly better daily performance, but when you consider the Sport at $149, it again joins the conversation of watches to consider. The Fossil Sport features that Wear 3100 chipset, 1.2" AMOLED display, 350mAh battery, 41mm case, 18mm band width, 4GB storage, 512MB RAM, 5ATM water resistance, NFC, GPS, and heartrate monitor. This is the Wear OS watch I wore daily for most of this year until the Fossil Gen 5 came out and topped it. Unfortunately, the Fossil Gen 5 is $295 and this Sport is down to $149, so they aren't really to be compared at the moment. No code is needed, just hit that link and shop around the various Fossil Sport colors.

Shop Fossil Sport

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4osCGF4h3A

DEAL: All Misfit Vapor Wear OS Watches $100 Off, Start at $99

Tim — Fri, 22 Nov 2019 13:54:40 +0000

Evidently, the cool thing to do these days is launch your company's Black Friday deals a week or more before Black Friday, that way your deals don't get buried with all of the others. It makes sense, but dang, it's a lot to keep track of. Right now on Misfit's website, all of the company's Vapor smartwatches (Vapor, Vapor 2, and Vapor X) are $100 off, bringing the least expensive Vapor watch down to $99. For the Vapor 2, the price is now $149, while the Vapor X is $179. At these sale prices, recommending them isn't too hard to do, though, the Wear OS category in general could use some more love from Google. Check out our Vapor X unboxing below, which is the latest smartwatch from Misfit. If you're interested in $100 off, follow the link below.

Misfit Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daC6NHQZF8w

Galaxy S10 Lineup Gets Sixth Android 10 Beta Update, Includes December Security Patch

Tim — Fri, 22 Nov 2019 11:16:20 +0000

Samsung is shipping out the sixth update to the One UI 2.0 beta (based on Android 10) to Galaxy S10 lineup owners.

Related: Hidden One UI setting details future 120Hz refresh rate.

Inside, there's only a handful of bug fixes, as well as the December security patch. Due to the relatively short list of changes, it's a safe bet that Samsung is getting very close to publicly shipping out Android 10 to all Galaxy S10 owners. If you're a part of this beta, you'll likely be getting a notification that it's ready for download sometime soon. How exciting. // Android Police

RIP, Google Cloud Print: Service Shutting Down December 31, 2020

Tim — Fri, 22 Nov 2019 09:59:58 +0000

Google Cloud Print users, you have a little over one year to complete your printing tasks, then Google is shutting down the service for good.

Cloud Print, Google’s cloud-based printing solution that has been in beta since 2010, will no longer be supported as of December 31, 2020. Beginning January 1, 2021, devices across all operating systems will no longer be able to print using Google Cloud Print. We recommend that over the next year, you identify an alternative solution and execute a migration strategy.

Cloud Print has been with us since 2010, and as far as I can tell, it's really enjoyed by those who use it. However, Google says its been improving Chrome's native printing experience, so I suppose the company feels keeping Cloud Print around isn't necessary. Farewell, Cloud Print! // Forbes | Google Support

OnePlus Customers had Order Information Accessed by an Unauthorized Party (Updated)

Kellen — Fri, 22 Nov 2019 09:47:39 +0000

OnePlus online store may have been hacked again.

Emails were just sent to OnePlus customers informing them of a security breach of some sort through the online OnePlus store. The email is titled "Security Notification" and mentions that an "unauthorized party" was able to access order information. The email states that they have confirmed that "your payment information, password and account are safe," but that names, contact numbers, emails, and shipping addresses may have been exposed. OnePlus also notes that they are continuing to investigate and will update everyone as they learn more. As you may recall, the OnePlus store was hacked back in January of 2018 and customer credit card numbers were exposed. This doesn't appear to be as severe as that, at least for now. Still, OnePlus is warning that someone may pose as OnePlus and try to extract further info from you since they know some of your info. We've reached out to OnePlus for comment and will update should we hear back.

UPDATE: In a statement, OnePlus tells us that they "took immediate steps to stop the intruder and reinforce security" and that they are "working with the relevant authorities to further investigate this incident." Whatever the flaw in their site was, OnePlus isn't sharing, but did say that they are partnering with a "world-renowned security platform" next month and will launch an official bug bounty program by the end of December. You can find more at OnePlus' forums.

Security Notification
We are reaching out to you directly as we have discovered that part of your order information was accessed by an unauthorized party. We can confirm that your payment information, password and account are safe, but your name, contact number, email and shipping address may have been exposed. We took immediate steps to stop the intruder and reinforce security. Right now, we are working with the relevant authorities to further investigate this incident and protect your data. We wanted to notify you of this so that you can be alert to people pretending to be OnePlus to get further information from you, or people asking you to buy products or services from them. OnePlus will never ask you for your passwords, and any financial information should only be provided via a secure payment page on the OnePlus website or one of our partners if you are buying products from us. We are deeply sorry about this, and are committed to doing everything in our power to prevent further such incidents. We will continue to investigate and update you as we learn more. In the meantime, please contact us with any questions or concerns at Customer Support.

First AT&T 5G Maps Are Here

Kellen — Fri, 22 Nov 2019 09:34:11 +0000

AT&T is days away from launching its consumer 5G network in a number of cities. To celebrate the occasion, they released 5G coverage maps for each of the initial launch cities, as well as those that will go live shortly after. We love 5G maps! To recap this 5G launch, AT&T is launching their low-band 5G network for consumers, which is different from the 5G+ (mmW) network currently only available to business accounts. The 5G+ network is insanely fast, but can't penetrate a damn window, while this 5G network should reach for miles and give you a rock-solid connection. The maps show just that too, a spread of 5G that covers entire cities and some of their outlying areas rather than a few streets in a metro area that 5G+ can reach. This 5G network for consumers might only provide a slightly faster network than your current 4G LTE connection, but that's not necessarily slow. This is the backbone of the future of 5G, in a way. To access these networks, you'll need a specific phone from AT&T with low-band 5G capabilities. To start, AT&T will offer the Galaxy Note 10+ 5G on November 25. Below, we've included all of the current AT&T 5G maps available.

AT&T is Launching 5G for Consumers, Note 10+ 5G is the First Phone

Kellen — Fri, 22 Nov 2019 09:15:31 +0000

AT&T launched its 5G+ service at the tail end of 2018 and then expanded into several new markets throughout most of this year. That 5G+ network wasn't for consumers, though, and was instead only available to business customers. For regular folk like us, AT&T has other plans that will go live over the coming weeks. AT&T will launch regular 5G before the end of 2019 and offer up one of Samsung's best phones to connect to it.

AT&T 5G Network and Cities

Before we close out 2019, AT&T will turn on their 5G network over low-band spectrum that will spread out over large swaths of land and cover millions of people outside of cities, unlike its 5G+ network that can't reach much beyond a block. The first phone capable of connecting to it will be the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 5G. This low-band 5G will launch initially in Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Providence, Rochester, and San Diego. Following those cities, they'll push 5G into Boston, Las Vegas, Milwaukee, New York City, San Francisco, Birmingham, Bridgeport, Conn., Buffalo, Louisville, and San Jose. After that, the plan is to push nationwide 5G over the first half of 2020.

READ: AT&T's first 5G maps

With this low-band 5G, the focus will be on reach. This spectrum can reach customers that are almost 2 miles out, which will help AT&T cover much greater areas than they can with their current 5G+ (mmW) setup. Low-band 5G is the portion of a 5G world that may not produce 2Gbps download speeds, but will still offer low latency connections for gaming, navigation, and real-time communications. Think of it as really good 4G LTE, only with a snappier signal. Once this service goes live, it's the only 5G consumers will be able to connect to. AT&T is keeping 5G+ for business accounts only at this time, and that could be because the Galaxy Note 10+ 5G can only connect to low-band 5G, not both. I'm assuming here, based on a similar situation with T-Mobile's 5G launch. As you are well aware, 5G is kind of a mess at the moment and will be for a good couple of years. As for the Note 10+ 5G from AT&T, it'll be available on November 25, starting at $43.34/mo.

AT&T 5G Plans

When it comes to 5G service plans, AT&T is going to add-on 5G to their recently launched AT&T Unlimited Elite and Unlimited Extra plans. In other words, to start, you won't pay extra to have 5G as long as you are on one of those two plans. We don't know if that will change in the future. So yeah, AT&T is launching 5G for consumers using low-band spectrum that will bring greater reach and accessibility to many people. It'll start to go live over the coming weeks in the markets we listed above. We'll let you know as it goes live! // AT&T EDIT: Made small changes to the previous references of sub-6 here. AT&T included graphics in their announcement for sub-6 which I just went with initially. This network is actually considered low-band, not sub-6, which would be mid-band.

These Galaxy S11 Renders are Looking Hot

Tim — Fri, 22 Nov 2019 08:53:36 +0000

Thanks to @OnLeaks, who has a solid history of providing accurate renders well ahead of anything official from companies, we might be getting our first good look at the Galaxy S11 from Samsung this week. On the frontside, the Galaxy S11 looks very similar to the Galaxy Note 10, with its centered punch-hole cutout and minimal bezel, but the backside of the device is where things are changing quite a bit. The camera module looks massive, featuring what could be up to three regular camera sensors, a 3D ToF (time of flight) sensor, plus an additional sensor thats purpose is not yet known. We can also see an LED flash present. On the right side of the device, we can see dedicated buttons for power and volume settings, and then on the bottom, we have a speaker grille, USB-C port, and what we assume is a noise cancelling mic hole.

It's only November, meaning we have quite a bit before Samsung starts teasing this device with anything official. However, Samsung does have a tendency to announce things that might be included on the device ahead of unveiling, such as an improved display, camera sensor technology, and things of that nature. Piece by piece, we'll likely have a solid understanding of what the Galaxy S11 family will be by the time CES 2020 comes in early January. What's your take so far? This thing look hot to you? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Psr80Gv1L6k // 91mobiles

Your $100 Google Store Credit From Buying a Pixel 4 Should be Here (Updated)

Kellen — Fri, 22 Nov 2019 07:26:50 +0000

Pre-ordering a Pixel 4 or Pixel 4 XL this year meant you were in line to receive a $100 bonus of some type. If you ordered through Best Buy, you were getting a $100 Best Buy gift card. If you ordered through Amazon, same thing, a $100 Amazon gift card. Those bonuses arrived almost immediately. With Google Store pre-orders, the situation has been different. Google Store pre-orders were supposed to come with a $100 store credit to be spent on accessories. Google even suggested the credit was there for those who might want audio accessories, since they failed to include any in the box. For whatever reason, those credits were not delivered right away and some of us were beginning to worry if they would even be here for the holiday shopping season.

UPDATE: Google finally sent out emails this morning to confirm that the $100 credits are here. They expire on January 31, 2020, so no, you won't be able to hold onto them until the new Pixel Buds launch.

Within the past couple of days, those credits finally began showing up. We aren't sure why there was a delay and I'm not sure any of us have received email confirmation of the credit, but if you head into your Google Store settings page, you should see the $100 balance.

If you see it in there, you should be good to go shopping! Did you pre-order two Pixel 4 devices and only have $100? Well, that's because there was a limit of 1 per customer. If you ordered two from Amazon, as I did, you would get two $100 gift cards. With the Google Store - just 1. What are you guys buying with it?

DEAL: Anker has $10 Smart Bulbs, $20 Wireless Charger 2-Packs, and Plenty More

Tim — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 14:16:20 +0000

Anker is hosting quite a few deals over on Amazon this week, a few of which are perfect for anyone looking to upgrade their smart home setup. Anker has a 2-pack of wireless chargers for $20 (with the below code), packs and singles of Lumos LED smart bulbs starting at $9.50 (no code needed), plus eufy smart plugs and light switches starting at $14. You can find links to all of the goods below. Amazon Links

PowerWave Pad and Stand ($24 w/ code: M252411D)
Soundcore Flare Christmas LE ($50)
PowerWave Pad 2-Pack ($20 w/ code: DWUF2531)
Lumos Soft White Bulb ($9.5)
Lumos Soft White Bulb 2 pack ($20)
eufy Smart Plug ($14)
eufy Smart Light Switch ($18)

Pujie Black, a Watch Face App Every Smartwatch Owner Should Have, is Free Right Now

Kellen — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 14:07:43 +0000

One of the best things to ever happen to smartwatches was the introduction of watch face makers and watch face stores. We've seen apps like Facer take off, but Pujie Black is another you should have in your inventory. It's also one of the originals and just so happens to be free right now. It usually costs $1.99. With Pujie Black, you get a really easy-to-use set of tools to take watch face templates and completely customize them to your liking. There are a bunch of pre-made options that look good on their own that you can toss on your watch. It's all pretty awesome if you like to tinker with your watch's face from time to time. I should point out that there is a "Cloud Library" feature that includes shared watch face designs from others. It costs money, though, in the form of a subscription. But again, there are dozens of pre-made "Default" options in the app already. Pujie Black works on both Wear OS and Tizen. Again, normally $2, Pujie is free at the moment. Google Play Link

Why Are You Still Using Android?

Kellen — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 12:15:17 +0000

Yep, we're asking - why are you still using Android in 2019?

A couple of years ago, if I were to ask this same question, I'm guessing the answer would be given without hesitation. You would tell me that you love Android because it gives you choice, that it's much more "open" to everything you'll throw at or need from it, and that you like Google or Samsung and can't stand Apple, its cultish followers, etc. But what about today? Still sticking with Android for the same reasons? Now, I'm asking in part because over the past couple of months, basically since Apple dropped the iPhone 11 line on us and Google did the same with the Pixel 4, I've noticed a change in tone from a good-sized portion of readers. And remember, the folks who hangout around here have been with us for 10 years now (!) and are as die-hard of Android fans as you'll find anywhere. But with the Pixel 4 (review) and Pixel 4 XL (review) mostly disappointing everyone, I can't tell you how many times I've read in the comments of stories that people are jumping off of Android and switching to iOS for one of the iPhone 11 phones. Whenever we point out an issue with the Pixel 4, we are now met with long time readers who say, "Yep, this is why I left Android and am enjoying my new iPhone 11." I'm not kidding. In the past with Pixel phones, most people bought them knowing that they weren't getting the best of the best on Android or the greatest value. They buy them for Google's version of Android (and the newest builds), a stellar camera, and decent everything else. Since Pixel phones tend to be for those who are ultra-enthusiastic about Android, the platform, and Google's overall vision for mobile, to see them now leaving - and not just to another Android phone - sure says a lot. Not everyone has left, though. OnePlus has surely picked up a bunch of new fans who weren't happy with Google's Pixel 4 line. Samsung put out a bunch of really great phones this year that have likely kept users happy too. Android is still Android, after all. It's still very open-ish, it does indeed bring choice you don't get on iOS, and none of the companies making any of these devices are named Apple. I can tell you that I haven't considered switching, but that's sort of to be understood, right? I write about this platform for a living and it would be awkward if I was running around with a shiny new iPhone and Apple Watch. I won't do that any time soon, don't worry. I also still get excited about new Android phones from a variety of manufacturers, even if that list is getting shorter and shorter by the year as innovation has slowed and some appear to not understand a need for change from their tired experiences that haven't sold well in years. There are fun things happening, like foldables and...well, foldables. That's cool, I guess. But really, I'm genuinely curious why you guys are sticking around on Android or if you left. 10 years is a long time to be with one thing, especially as it relates to tech. Sure, you change phones and get the warm feeling of a new device, but you are still on Android. I know I've jumped between Windows and Mac and ChromeOS over the years as my computing needs change, though this Android thing hasn't. So let us know. Why are you still using Android?

Stadia Reconfirms, Anyone Who Ordered in June Should Now Have Their Access Code

Tim — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 10:58:41 +0000

The launch of Google's Stadia has been a bit rocky, but the cloud-based gaming service reconfirmed via Twitter this morning, after announcing similar news yesterday on reddit, that anyone who ordered the service back in June should now have their access codes. This follows a day or so of many folks receiving their Stadia packages (Controller + Chromecast Ultra), but not having any code to access the service. It was a rough time for gamers, our own Kellen included. As Stadia now says, "We have begun moving through the sequence of orders placed on or after July 1st so that those players can join us on Stadia soon too. We look forward to seeing you all online!" So, if you ordered Stadia and still don't have your code, it's coming. https://twitter.com/GoogleStadia/status/1197579523941814272

G Suite Users Get New Google Assistant Functions for Email and Calendar Events

Tim — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 09:20:23 +0000

G Suite account users, so long as their admins are nice people, can now have beta access to additional Google Assistant functionality for Google Calendar and Gmail functions. Once opted into by an admin, which is required because you're opening up what could be sensitive data to Assistant, you'll be able to create new calendar events, send emails, dial into meetings, plus a whole lot more.

The Google Assistant will respond to voice commands for certain Google Calendar and Gmail functions and:

Let you know when your next meeting is

Create, cancel or reschedule a Calendar event

Send a note to event attendees via email

Send an email

Dial into a meeting

End users won't need to do anything to get this started, but admins, you'll need to fill out this form to get the ball rolling. // Google

Record Stories for Your Kids With 'My Storytime' from Google Nest

Tim — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 08:46:49 +0000

For those who have to spend time away from their family, especially those who miss story time, Google Nest is launching My Storytime. My Storytime allows users to record stories with their very own voices, upload the files to the My Storytime service, then access those story files via Google Assistant through supported Google Nest and Google Home devices. The service is now live for all to access, so go record some bedtime stories for your kids!

My Storytime Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4UTQy1GaYQ

Samsung's Galaxy Watch Active 2 is $50 Off in an Early Black Friday Deal (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 08:06:26 +0000

As one of the lonely Wear OS fans who has never taken a liking to Samsung's Tizen OS and Galaxy Watch or Gear lines, I have a confession to make today - I like the Galaxy Watch Active 2. I like it a lot, actually. I'll share more on those thoughts in the coming days, but I first wanted to point out that it has been discounted for the first time in a pre-Black Friday deal through Best Buy. Right now, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 in both 40mm and 44mm sizes is $50 off. With that discount, you get a starting price of $229 and $249, respectively. Even the Under Armour version is $50 off and down to $279. If you are at all aware of the prices that other top-end smartwatches fetch, then you know that those prices are pretty incredible. The Galaxy Watch Active 2 provides Samsung's cleanest, best performing OS to date, the hardware is beautiful for once, the display is incredible for a smartwatch, and battery life is quite close to a full 2-days. Outside of not having Google Fit integration, I really don't have many complaints about this watch after wearing it in secrecy for the past couple of weeks. If you are on Android and want a smartwatch, this is the one to get and these are the best prices ever for one.

UPDATE: Amazon has the $50 discount too. [SHOP]

Shop Galaxy Watch Active 2

DEAL: $200 Off Galaxy S10, Note 10 With Free Galaxy Buds

Kellen — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 07:25:30 +0000

Amazon has gone ahead and copied Samsung's early Black Friday 2019 deal this morning by matching the $200 off discount for the US unlocked Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10 lines, while also throwing in a pair of free Galaxy Buds ($129 value). Amazon is selling the bundled and discounted package with the Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+, Galaxy Note 10, and Galaxy Note 10+. Sorry, Galaxy S10e fans. You'll find multiple storage options for some models, all of which are $200 off. While this is a great deal for those who love buying everything from Amazon, I should point out that Amazon is only tossing in black Galaxy Buds. Samsung, on the other hand, will let you choose from 4 different colors. Prime shipping is most definitely available with orders arriving as early as tomorrow.

Amazon Deal Links:

Google Duplex Arrives on the Web, Lets You Buy Movie Tickets to Start

Kellen — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 00:01:03 +0000

Google Duplex, the Google Assistant-powered AI service that started out as a call bot that could book you restaurant reservations, has arrived on the web through your phone. To start, it'll be able to buy you movie tickets before expanding into other purchase areas. If this sounds familiar, it should - Google first told us about this ability back at Google I/O in May. At the time, Google said that we would soon ask Google Assistant (powered by Duplex) to buy movie tickets (or rent cars), where we would then watch as it ran through a number of screens, including seat selections, to complete a purchase. To try this out, you need to ask Assistant something like, "Hey Google, showtimes for Frozen II in Portland this weekend." You could also perform a regular search from the Google app. Once the results show and you select a theater and time slot, a "Buy tickets" button will appear that'll help speed up the purchase process with the Assistant. It'll even try to autofill info like payment information you have saved in Chrome. Out of the gate, there are more than 70 cinemas and ticketing services to choose from, including AMC, Fandango, MJR Theaters, and Movietickets.com in the US. The service is live right now for you to try. // Google

Samsung Drops $200 Off Galaxy Note 10 & S10, Adds Trade-in Discount & Free Galaxy Buds

Kellen — Wed, 20 Nov 2019 16:20:18 +0000

Now might be the best time to buy either a Samsung Galaxy Note 10 or Galaxy S10 phone, including the Plus models. Thanks to early-ish Black Friday deals, Samsung is discounting their best phones of 2019 in more ways than I can probably explain. For one, the unlocked models of the Galaxy Note 10 and S10 lines are a straight $200 off. In addition to that discount, Samsung will give you up to $550 off if you have a phone to trade-in. And finally, they are tossing in free Galaxy Buds ($129 value) with purchase. As an example, I ran through the purchase process for an unlocked Galaxy Note 10, where I traded in a Galaxy Note 9. The end price was just $409.99, plus I would get free Buds with it. For another example, I chose a Galaxy S10+ and traded in a Pixel 3, which brought the price down to $539. If you go the carrier-model route and finance the phone for 24 months, you'll would save an extra $100 off of those prices I just ran through above. The deals right now are getting so good.

Samsung Store Links: Galaxy Note 10 | Galaxy S10

Verizon Galaxy S9, S9+ Getting November Security Patch

Tim — Wed, 20 Nov 2019 14:31:27 +0000

This week, Verizon is rolling out the November security patch to the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. For S9 owners, expect to see software version number G960USQS7CSJ9 following the update, and Galaxy S9+ owners, expect to see G965USQS7CSJ9. Verizon lists nothing else in the changelog, but if you notice anything worth noting, let us know. // Verizon [2]

Sling TV Arrives on Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max

Kellen — Wed, 20 Nov 2019 13:38:05 +0000

When I reviewed one of the first Google smart displays, the Lenovo Smart Display, one of my big takeaway was that these devices were going to be great mini TVs and media consumption devices that could be put in any room. Because they fit nicely onto a desk or in the kitchen, they made being able to stream a TV service to them super easy. Today, Sling TV announced that their streaming TV plans are now available on Google's Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max. That means you can play Sling TV on both of those devices, control it by voice, or Cast it anywhere by talking to a Nest Hub or Max. You could say things like "Hey Google, watch HGTV on Sling" or "skip forward 10 seconds" or "pause." You get the idea. Sling TV offers a couple of different channel plans, both of which start at just $15 per month at the moment (normally $25), thanks to a 40% promo. They are also offering a free 3-day trial to new customers.

Shop: Nest Hub | Nest Hub Max

// Sling

Alto's Odyssey Developer Finds Success on Android Despite "Shitty and Annoying" Piracy

Tim — Wed, 20 Nov 2019 12:05:14 +0000

In April of last year, while I was patiently awaiting the Android release of Alto's Odyssey, I reached out to the Snowman development team behind the game and inquired about their concerns of piracy on Android and the wait that Android gamers sometimes have to go through, unlike our friends over on iOS. I was originally going to do a big writeup on the subject, but there aren't enough hours in the day and the story was never completed. Fast forwarding to today, after looking back through those notes, I still found the response from Snowman to be so interesting that we are revisiting the subject with not only the original quote they sent, but a follow-up now that Odyssey has been available for more than a year. When asked last year about not just the additional device testing it takes to launch a title for Android, but the piracy concerns as well, Ryan Cash, Snowman's founder and creative director, provided this insightful breakdown to me:

For Alto’s Adventure we went F2P (Free to Play) because we had heard from a lot of our fellow indie game developers that premium games just don’t sell on Android. For us we decided it was worth experimenting, as we kind of knew it wouldn’t have performed well as a paid title. For Alto’s Adventure we partnered with Noodlecake (another awesome Canadian dev) to handle our Android version. Part of the reason the game took so long to come out was that it just took us quite a while to find the right partner for the game that we were comfortable with. From there there was a bunch of work that needed to be done to adapt it to work as a F2P game, not to mention much more extensive testing (more device fragmentation and, just simply more varied devices on the Android front). Piracy has always been a concern, and despite even being a free-to-play game on Android, millions of people have still pirated the game.

As Android users, we all know that finding a APK-sharing website is more than easy. Heck, there are well-built websites completely dedicated to the subject, which is why Android can have the reputation of playing host to those known as pirates. While I'm sure we all wish this was a perfect world and pirating didn't happen, there doesn't appear to be much that can be done about the situation, given the open nature of the Android platform. If there was something Google could do to better police it, we assume they'd have done it by now. Alto's Odyssey proceeded to launch on July 25 following that quote. According to Google Play it has over 5 million downloads and a 4.6 star rating. The game launched as a free-to-play (F2P) title, but just like its predecessor Alto's Adventure, I was curious about how piracy on Android has affected it. I reached back out to Mr. Cash this week and when asked about piracy, I received the following response:

I don’t think it’s prevented us from finding success on the Android market, but it’s just really shitty and annoying, and something we don’t have to deal with on iOS (as a premium game), or on iOS with Apple Arcade (for the two titles we recently launched on there). Android is just a mess for developers. We love supporting the platform and want our fans to be able to play our games there, but it’s a lot worse for devs than iOS, unfortunately.

As a major fan of the Alto series of games, you don't like to hear from the people behind it that it's "shitty and annoying" to deal with Android and its piracy. As he mentions, it's just not something that's dealt with on iOS. On the brighter side, he specifically mentions that it hasn't prevented success for the game, but I imagine that success could be greatly multiplied if Android wasn't such a "mess" for developers. The act of sideloading an app or game onto an Android phone is incredibly easy. As an Android fan, this can be a great thing when we're talking about getting dark mode in an app earlier than intended or something benign like that, but as someone who wants developers to feel like their work is protected from piracy, it can be frustrating. If you're interested in making Android a better place, feel free to make an app purchase or in-app purchase here and there with any amount of the free Google Play credit you could be earning via the Opinion Rewards app. There's nothing wrong with supporting developers.

Hidden Menu in One UI 2.0 Beta Points to 120Hz Refresh Rate, Likely for Galaxy S11

Tim — Wed, 20 Nov 2019 10:41:20 +0000

According to a screenshot shared by @UniverseIce, a hidden settings menu has been discovered in the One UI 2.0 beta on the Galaxy Note 9 (recently released in South Korea), pointing directly to the possible implementation of a 120Hz refresh rate on a future Galaxy phone, presumably the Galaxy S11. As of right now, Samsung has yet to provide a refresh rate higher than 60Hz on a flagship device, making this reported discovery a major potential highlight for the upcoming device. As readers of this site probably know, many major Android OEMs are including a higher display refresh rate as a marquee feature, including the OnePlus 7 Pro and Pixel 4 lineup. Higher display refresh rates lead to a smoother UX, perfect for scrolling through apps, games, and general device navigation. One thing to note, this menu option is likely hidden because existing devices aren't capable of having their refresh rates heightened. So, if you find this menu on your own Galaxy phone, don't expect to magically have an upped refresh rate. Galaxy S11 is shaping up nicely.

// SamMobile | @UniverseIce

Verizon 5G Coverage Maps are Finally Here

Kellen — Wed, 20 Nov 2019 09:42:40 +0000

Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband network is still in its infancy, though it has expanded to 18 cities now. The plan is for that number to jump to 30 cities before the end of the year, which at least on paper, sounds like a lot and that your chances of connecting to that 5G network have greatly improved. If you know anything about Verizon's 5G technology, then you know the number of cities doesn't really matter because the coverage in those cities is likely questionable due to the technology they chose to start their 5G network with. Thanks to Verizon publishing 5G coverage maps this week, we get to see exactly that. If you jump through the link at the bottom of this post, you will find each of the 18 cities that Verizon currently has 5G in. By clicking on one, like Denver, you'll get an overview of the city with highlighted landmarks where you might find 5G coverage. Another click on that map takes you into a clearer look, street by street, of Verizon 5G availability.

Not to drag Verizon's 5G coverage any further than we already have, but you get by looking at the map above why we still do not think it's necessary for anyone to buy a 5G phone today (or quite further into the future). Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband network is built on millimeter Wave (mmW) technology, which has significant limitations. While extremely fast in optimal conditions, it struggles to hold connections with a phone beyond a few blocks, it often needs a direct line of sight between 5G cell and phone, and it struggles to penetrate buildings, including windows. So when you see 5G's red color here spreading down streets, you should really almost take it as that, you might need to be in the middle of the street or sidewalk in order to get the most of that 5G connection. To browse the rest of Verizon's 5G maps for all of the other live markets, hit that link below. View Verizon 5G coverage maps

Samsung Releases Android 10 Beta for Galaxy Note 9, Hopefully Coming to US Soon

Tim — Wed, 20 Nov 2019 09:28:19 +0000

This week, Samsung has released the existing Android 10 beta (One UI 2.0) to the Galaxy Note 9 in South Korea and the United Kingdom. There's no official word on it coming to the US, but it's probably safe to assume that it will happen at some point soon if all goes well with the rollout in the aforementioned regions. In related news, Samsung is reported to have confirmed that it will also release the Android 10 beta for the Galaxy S9 lineup of devices, but again, US availability hasn't yet been detailed. If we hear about US availability for last year's lineup of Galaxy devices, we'll update you. // SamMobile

DEAL: Aukey Has a Few Early Black Friday Deals Over on Amazon, Includes 50% Off Earphones

Tim — Wed, 20 Nov 2019 09:16:10 +0000

My favorite time of the year includes the deal season, which is the time around Black Friday and Cyber Monday. If you need certain things for around the home or office, there's never really a shortage of deals. Speaking to that, Aukey is hosting a few early Black Friday deals on Amazon this week, which includes 50% off a set of Key Series Bluetooth earphones. Other deals from Aukey include 20% off a 10,000mAh power bank with Power Delivery, 32% off WiFi smart plugs, as well as 25% off a Mini PowerHub that features multiple outlets. Check out the prices and links below.

Amazon Links

18W PD Portable USB-C 10000mAh Charger ($21, on-site coupon)
45W PD Graphite Hub 10000mAh 18W PD PB ($120, on-site coupon)
20000mAh PB, 2 Inputs, 3.4A Dual-USB ($26, on-site coupon)
Key Series B80 Wireless Sports Earphones ($40, on-site coupon + Code: X9ZLO6P4)
Mini WiFi Smart Plug Dual Outlets ($17, Code: MUHKIUZD)
Mini PowerHub, 2 Outlets, 4 USB ($15, Code: BSOEDLP5)
USB-C Hub 4K HDMI, Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.0, USB-C, Card Reader ($30, on-site coupon + Code: TKW7QL8P)
AUKEY USB-C to USB-C Cable 6.6ft ($8.5, Code: TKW7QL8P)

Spark Email Gets Dark Theme on Android

Kellen — Wed, 20 Nov 2019 08:15:37 +0000

Spark, the 3rd party email option that a number of people switched to after Google killed off Inbox, is getting a dark theme today on Android. After being in beta for most of the week, the new darker skin should be available to everyone now. The dark theme was done properly here, too. You get choices of dark or light themes as well as a system toggle that will automatically switch the theme depending on what you've set at the system level. This is the way everyone should implement a dark theme into their apps and its similar to how Google has done it with Gmail. To find the theme switcher, hit that link below to update, then swipe out the side menu, tap Settings>Themes and make your choice. Since Spark told me earlier in the week that dark theme was here, I actually switched to it again for the first time in months and man, I'm really enjoying it. I can't recall why I didn't stick with it after Inbox died, but I might this time. Anyone else still enjoying Spark? Google Play Link

Stadia Launched This Morning and Google Forgot to Send Codes (Updated)

Kellen — Wed, 20 Nov 2019 07:00:28 +0000

Google's Stadia launched this morning! My Founder's Edition order is on a truck for delivery at some point today! I'm ready to do gaming! Unfortunately, I'm not sure when I'll be able to, even if my order arrives in the next couple of minutes, because Google seems to have screwed up yet another piece of this launch. You see, in order to sign-up for Stadia and play any of the 22 games available, you need an invite code. Invite codes were supposed to be a part of pre-ordering Stadia controllers from Google, like the Founder's Edition, then emailed this morning with launch as long as your order had shipped. That's just not happening as we all had hoped. It's now 12PM Pacific, 3 hours since Stadia launched, and again, I have no code. Think I'm alone? I'm not! The Stadia subreddit has basically turned into a never-ending flood of frustrated people posting memes about not having received their codes. Some have most certainly already received their Founder's Edition, yet they can't do anything with it until Google sends a simple email to their inbox. One of our readers has had his Founder's kit for 4-5 hours at the time of this post and is still without code. The official Stadia community has multiple threads going too, including this multi-pager with people in the same boat. It's kind of a mess. Now, to be fair, there are people with codes! Some have been fortunate enough to get the email we are all thirsting for and more than likely played a game or two. But man, for those who pre-ordered to be able to be one of the first to claim their name as a part of the Founder's crew, this sucks. We'll update this post should things change. Also, feel free to let us know if your code has arrived and any other relevant info (when you ordered, expected shipment dates, etc.) that won't help in the slightest, but will let us act like we can piece together the reasoning for Google's broken code delivery system.

UPDATE 11/19 12:52PM: On the official Stadia Discord server, Chris from Stadia's community team said that they are aware that "some of you" have not received codes and that they are "actively investigating this issue."

UPDATE 11/19 1:50PM: I got my code! Others at the Stadia subreddit are now chiming in with their ability to sign-up too. Maybe Google fixed the issue and finally opened up emails? We'll continue to update this as we know more.

UPDATE 11/19 4:16PM: It sure looks like a bunch of people have codes, but the Stadia Discord is still filled with just as many who have not received them. I'm going to assume that Google is still trying to sort this out for those who should have been given a code today. Hopefully, everyone still gets their first choice of name.
UPDATE 11/20 8:36AM: Wow, so there are still countless people without codes, many of which have their hardware in hand. We aren't sure the issue here, but Google has clearly screwed this up. We'll update again should this get sorted out.
UPDATE 11/20 9:50PM: Below, you'll see the last two responses from Google Stadia community managers from today. The first says that they identified an issue where a "small fraction" of Stadia access codes were sent out of order and fixed that. The second update after that says that they sent codes to everyone who pre-ordered in June. I can't confirm that happened, but that's what Google is telling us. They are now working in sequence of orders from July 1 and on.

Google Stadia's CLAW Accessory Hold Your Phone as You Game, Costs $15

Kellen — Tue, 19 Nov 2019 16:04:23 +0000

Google Stadia is off to such a weird start that (finally) getting signed-up with it has brought far more anxiety than I asked for. But now that I have it, the semi-gamer in me is still somewhat excited to dive in and see what Google has created on a game streaming front. As that happens, I know that I'll spend the majority of my time playing through a TV or computer, however, this new "CLAW" accessory looks like a must-cop. The CLAW was first outed in yesterday's wave of reviews as a part of the review package that Google sent out. We didn't know much about it initially, but a Google Store listing just confirmed the details we care about. The CLAW, which is listed as "coming soon," will cost $14.99 and act as a phone holder that attaches to the Google Stadia controller. It'll securely anchor a phone of various sizes, so that you can play games without worrying about propping up your phone somewhere, as this device helps it hover just above the controller in view. It's made of polycarbonate and silicone, has a matte finish, and will work only with the Stadia controller. As for phones, the grip should open wide enough for most phones, once Google Stadia supports them. Google Store Link

Google's Phone App May Soon Offer Automatic Spam Call Screening

Tim — Tue, 19 Nov 2019 12:21:51 +0000

Thanks to the power of technology, many times when you receive a spam call on your smartphone, it's labeled as such on your device when ringing. Instead of wasting your time in answering the call, you can simply decline it. However, according to code dug up in the latest beta for the official phone/dialer app from Google, the app and its Call Screen feature may soon offer automatic call screening of potential spam and robocalls. Strings of code hint at the following: Automatic call screening, saving screened call audio for later playback, and spam preferences that would allow users to tweak what kinds of numbers the automatic call screen feature would work on.

This development is ideal because right now, with certain Android devices, you have three options when you have a spam or robocall incoming -- you can either screen it with Google Assistant, decline it, or answer it. However, once this automated system rolls out, Assistant and the dialer app is going to automatically take care of spam for you. This sounds lovely because if I already have a number listed as spam that's incoming, why spend my time screening it and reading out a transcript? That's a waste of time. Hurry up and roll this out, Google. // XDA

OnePlus 3, 3T Receiving Final Security Patch Update

Tim — Tue, 19 Nov 2019 11:18:22 +0000

The end appears to have arrived for the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T. This week, OnePlus is beginning to ship the last security update the phones will likely receive, marking the end for three years of software support. The update rolling out includes the October security patch, updated GMS apps, and general bug fixes and improvements. Posted last year, OnePlus made us well aware that the end would eventually come for the OnePlus 3 and 3T.

As per the OnePlus Software Maintenance Schedule, OnePlus 3 and 3T will be getting regular OTA updates till November of 2018 and 1 year of extended Android security patches.

If you still rock the 3 or 3T, then maybe it's time to upgrade? OnePlus is running a killer deal on the OnePlus 7 Pro right now. I recommend it. // XDA

Google News Gets New "Your News Update" Feature

Kellen — Tue, 19 Nov 2019 10:59:17 +0000

Google News is getting a new feature that aims to provide you with an audio news readout that is ever-evolving throughout your day. It's a news update or briefing that learns because the day, your location, and interests are constantly changing. The new feature is called "Your News Update" and you'll find it by opening up Google Assistant, going into Assistant settings, and finding the News section. From there, you'll be able to "Change your playlist format" to "Your News Update." It might not be there this minute, so check back frequently over the next several days in the US. So how does this differ or offer more than your current audio news update? Google says that it updates the news it'll read to you "based on your interests, location, user history, and preferences, as well as the top news stories out there." It starts out by playing a mix of short news stories after you say, "Hey Google play me the news." If you keep listening, though, you'll start to get longer-form stories, announcements over who the next article's publisher is, and more. As a bonus note, consider adding this "play me the news" option to a morning or evening routine. Google Play Link // Google

OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro Grab Fresh Update With All the Optimizations, Fixes

Kellen — Tue, 19 Nov 2019 09:58:38 +0000

A new update is on the way to the OnePlus 7 Pro and OnePlus 7 as OxygenOS build 10.0.2. The update isn't filled with new features, but boy, is it all about optimizations and fixes. Look at all these!

System
- Optimized the standby power consumption
- Optimized the expanded screenshot feature
- Optimized the Bluetooth connectivity in the automobiles
- Improved the translation accuracy
- Optimized overall communication (network, phone calls, mobile data) performance
- Optimized charging performance with the third-party chargers
- Fixed the blank screen issue
- Fixed fingerprint icon animation issue
- Fixed the volume issue with AirPods
- Fixed the black bar issue while charging or playing a video
- Updated Android security patch to 2019.10
- Improved system stability and general bug fixes
Camera (7 Pro)
- Optimized the performance of Super Stable feature in the Video for the Camera app

That's some 6 "optimized" items, another 4 "fixed" things, and other improvements. Optimize. Fix. Improve. Good work, OnePlus. The update will begin a staged rollout today, so don't be surprised if it takes a few days before you get it. To check for it, head into Settings>System>System>System Updates.

READ: OnePlus 7 Pro review

// OnePlus

Galaxy Watch Active 2 Features Headed Out to Older Samsung Wearable Devices

Tim — Tue, 19 Nov 2019 08:56:18 +0000

Samsung announced this week that it's begun the process of shipping out a new update to existing Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Watch Active owners that includes features and UX touches from the newer Galaxy Watch Active 2. Changes include new Samsung Health features, Bixby features, and customization options. For fans of Bixby, the update will include a fuller version of Samsung's digital assistant. With it, you'll be able to start exercise routines, find out time differences between places, and easily control a SmartThings ecosystem. On top of that, Bixby's expanded language capabilities include British English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. Customization is also a big part of the update. According to Samsung's announcement, "Across all of our Galaxy Watch models, users will now have access to 24 new sub-dials and complications, building on the 17 already available, making the watch even more customizable, so users can access exactly the information they want, where they want it." For the UX, there are quite a few changes you'll notice -- Icons for in-use apps have been moved to the bottom of the watch face, the current time will now always be displayed on-screen when the stopwatch app is in use or users are on a call, users can more easily customize icons in the quick panel, easier user interaction, new emoji offerings in a range of diverse skin tones, and for Galaxy Watch Active users, a new touch bezel interface is included in the upgrade. Samsung states that the update will begin to roll out region-by-region starting today. // Samsung

Verizon Adds Three More 5G Cities, Now in 18

Kellen — Tue, 19 Nov 2019 08:14:22 +0000

Verizon expanded its 5G footprint this morning by announcing that its 5G Ultra Wideband network can now be found in parts of Boston, Houston, and Sioux Falls. With those three onboard, Verizon has 5G in 18 cities. To find 5G in these new cities, you'll need a 5G phone, like the Galaxy Note 10+ 5G, Galaxy S10 5G, LG V50 ThinQ, or Moto Z phone with 5G Moto Mod. Once you have secured a 5G phone, 5G can be found in the following areas, according to Verizon:

BOSTON: 5G Ultra Wideband service will be concentrated in the following areas: Fenway, along Brookline Avenue near Beth Israel Hospital and around such landmarks such as: Fenway Park, Emmanuel College, Northeastern University, Simmons College, Harvard Medical School.
HOUSTON: 5G Ultra Wideband service will be concentrated in the following areas: East Downtown, Uptown, Greenway Plaza, Museum District, Rice Village and around landmarks such as The Galleria Mall, NRG Stadium, BBVA Compass Stadium and Rice University Stadium.
SIOUX FALLS: 5G Ultra Wideband service will be concentrated in Downtown Sioux Falls around such landmarks as: Levitt at the Falls, Orpheum Theatre, Washington Pavilion, State Theatre, and US Federal Courthouse.

As we've pointed out plenty of times before, Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband is basically like hotspot 5G, where you need to be close to a 5G tower, possibly in direct line of sight, and out in the open, because going behind a door or into a building will severely cripple the connection. But if you are close to one, you could see wild speeds that venture into the 1-2Gbps range. Not in any of those three cities and want in on this Verizon 5G action? The list below is every city that has it, plus we also have a list of all US 5G cities from all carriers.

Verizon 5G Cities

[table id=170 /] // Verizon

Anyone Using Pixel 4's Motion Sense?

Kellen — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 15:29:42 +0000

The Motion Sense radar chip shoved into that large-ish forehead of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL is now a good month old, so if you own one of these two phones, you should be familiar with it. You should have had the chance to wake the phone upon approach, change a song or two, and maybe even silence an alarm or call. What I want to know is if you continue to use it, gave it a try, if you never added it to your usage patterns, or if you are like me and turned it all the way off? Are you finding it to be a useful addition to the Pixel line-up or did I just remind you that the chip exists and is in your few-week-old phone? I can tell you that I turned it off around the time I was wrapping up my review and haven't considered turning it back on since. Why? For one, because battery life has been so poor, I figured an always-scanning radar chip could be sucking battery and I'd much rather have extra juice than a phone that is unnecessarily scanning its surroundings. Additionally, the changing-songs motion never made enough sense to me as the bare minimum type of feature Google could have introduced. I also don't use my phone for alarms, rarely get calls, and found the ability of the phone to sense my reaching for it mostly frustrated me because it seemed like it was constantly waking my phone when I didn't want it to. I called Motion Sense a bust before the Pixel 4 was ever announced and I currently still believe that it's not a major selling point for either phone. Of course, there is an opportunity for Google to introduce additional, actually-useful features to this radar system, but thus far, they haven't really hinted at what those might be or when they might show us further capabilities. Until they do, I'm in the "not using Motion Sense" camp. What about you, though?

Apex Launcher Now Pushes Its Own 'Privacy Browser' When You Open a Browser App

Tim — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 14:40:40 +0000

If anyone still utilizes Apex Launcher, you may have noticed the introduction of an invasive advertising method that prompted users to download and use the launcher developer's own Privacy Browser app over things like Chrome and Firefox. According to users on reddit, the pop-up in question, which looks a little too much like a system prompt, would appear when you went to open up another browser app. Obviously, it's a pretty lame move on the part of the publishers behind the Apex Launcher app. In retaliation, reviewers are taking to Google Play to 1-star the app, which seems appropriate. However, none of this should be surprising anyone. If we look back only a year or so ago, Apex Launcher received an update that essentially turned the app into an ad delivery platform. From the official Apex Launcher website, "Millions of people use Apex Launcher on their Android devices everyday. Our app recommendation platform will help your app reach the right audience at the right time." Yeah, I'd go ahead and uninstall that nonsense immediately.

// reddit

DEAL: B&H Photo Still has a Few Pixel 3 64GB at $350 Off

Kellen — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 13:36:07 +0000

Unlocked versions of the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are almost gone from this world now that the Pixel 4 is out and several retailers have run steep discounts to finish off remaining inventory. The Google Store is fully sold out of both and it appears that B&H Photo is right behind them. However, if you hurry, you can grab a 64GB Pixel 3 in "Just Black" from B&H with a $350 discount. My guess is that they'll be gone after they run out of Just Black versions with slim chances of a restock. So look, if you were hoping that someone would have a big Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL deal for Black Friday, you might be out of luck. This phone is being cleared out as quickly as possible. Is the Pixel 3 (review) still worth grabbing? At $350 off and knowing that it offers a very similar experience to the just-released Pixel 4 (review), then yeah, absolutely. You get a familiar and equally-as-good camera experience (outside of the telephoto lens), solid performance, all the software updates, and a minimal design with stereo front-facing speakers. Hurry. Shop Pixel 3 at B&H Photo ($449)

DEAL: Anker Wireless Charging Pads are Awesome and This One is $8.49

Kellen — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 12:20:49 +0000

Almost every phone maker outside of OnePlus has adopted wireless charging at this point, so stocking up on inexpensive charging pads to spread around your home is something worth doing, especially when there are deals on the ones that Anker sells. For the week, Anker's 10W Powerwave Pad is just $8.49 with coupon code. Normally priced at $10, you aren't seeing a massive discount here, but a $1.50 off an already-affordable charging pad that'll get you decent 10W speeds is a good deal. This Anker wireless charging pad will work with any phone that can wirelessly charge, like the Pixel 4 or Pixel 3, Galaxy S10 or Note 10 or S9 or Note 9, and recent iPhones. To get the deal, use code "SDSR45HP" at checkout after hitting that link below. Amazon Deal Link

In January, Microsoft's Cortana is Going Bye-Bye in Select Markets

Tim — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 10:13:09 +0000

After January 31, 2020, you will no longer find the Cortana mobile app and Microsoft is removing the digital assistance from Microsoft Launcher in select regions. At this time, the US isn't affected, but the countries that will have Cortana go away are Great Britain, Australia, Germany, Mexico, China, Spain, Canada, and India. Here's the full announcement from Microsoft.

To make your personal digital assistant as helpful as possible, we’re integrating Cortana into your Microsoft 365 productivity apps. As part of this evolution, on January 31st, 2020, we’re ending support for the Cortana app on Android and iOS in your market. At that point, the Cortana content you created–such as reminders and lists–will no longer function in the Cortana mobile app or Microsoft Launcher, but can still be accessed through Cortana on Windows. Also, Cortana reminders, lists, and tasks are automatically synced to the Microsoft To Do app, which you can download to your phone for free.

After January 31st, 2020, the Cortana mobile app on your phone will no longer be supported and there will be an updated version of Microsoft Launcher with Cortana removed.

As the company notes, Cortana is being integrated into Microsoft 365 productivity apps. Because of that, we suppose standalone Cortana experiences aren't required. But again, it appears the US' Cortana app is safe... for now. // Gizmodo

App Teardown Hints at 8K Video Recording, 108MP Photos for Galaxy S11

Tim — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 08:59:48 +0000

Digging through code buried inside the latest build of Samsung's Camera app, XDA has stumbled upon possible features for future devices from the company. Based on the timing, it's believed that any newly discovered features should belong to the Galaxy S11 family, since its the next group of devices coming from Samsung. While which set of devices you'll find the following features on is yet to be confirmed, what can be specifically mentioned are the features. According to the code, an 8K video recording capability could be available from Samsung in the future, which ties in with a previous report that the company would utilize a 108MP camera in a future device.

Also found in the app is a reference to a display aspect ratio of 20:9. For reference, the Galaxy S10 and S10+ have an aspect ratio of 19:9. It can't be confirmed yet which device could feature a 20:9, but apparently, Samsung is working on one.

If you want to get excited about rumored specs, the cool takeaway is the 8K video recording. The downside to 8K recording is file size and supported platforms for sharing such files. YouTube supports 8K, but then again, not a lot of people have displays capable of viewing 8K videos. Marketing gimmick? As of right now, yeah, probably. // XDA

OnePlus Just Discounted OnePlus 7 Pro by $150, Accessories Up to 50% for Black Friday Season

Kellen — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 07:30:28 +0000

It must be because of the later-than-usual Black Friday shopping weekend, but it sure seems like the deals are arriving earlier than ever this year. For example, OnePlus just announced Black Friday 2019 promos, only they are available right now. You can get a OnePlus 7 Pro or OnePlus 6T for $150 off! At $150 off, that brings the OnePlus 7 Pro to a ridiculously low price of $549. For that price, you get choices of OnePlus 7 Pro in Nebula Blue, Mirror Gray, and Almond with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage.

READ: OnePlus 7 Pro review

For the OnePlus 6T, that phone might be a year old at this point, but with a $150 discount you can get into one for $449. The version at that price also includes 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. OnePlus is also tossing in a free case with 6T purchase. Find me a better deal in wireless at the moment.

READ: OnePlus 6T review

As for accessory deals, OnePlus has dropped prices on the Bullets Wireless 20 ($20 off), a number of cases, most of their chargers, and a bunch of bundles. If you own a OnePlus phone, you'll surely be able to find something on sale.

Shop OnePlus Black Friday 2019

Samsung is Releasing a Galaxy Note 10+ Star Wars Special Edition (Updated)

Kellen — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 07:15:26 +0000

Samsung and Lucasfilm have teamed up to celebrate the latest Star Wars film, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which arrives in theaters December 20. As a part of their teaming, Samsung plans to release a Galaxy Note 10+ Stars Wars Special Edition phone in December for all you super fans. The special edition version of the Note 10+ includes a specially designed case, metal badge collector's item, S Pen, and Galaxy Buds. As you can see from the image above, that mostly means a set of red accents throughout each. When December gets here, Samsung says to expect the Note 10+ special edition to be available in Australia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Korea, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, UAE, UK and USA.

UPDATE: Samsung's US newsroom has added additional details for launch here. The special edition Note 10+ hits the US on December 13 and will cost $1,299. You'll find it at Amazon, Best Buy, select Microsoft stores, and Samsung.com.

Samsung did not announce pricing.

// Samsung

Stadia is Launching With Only 12 Games (Updated: 22 Now!)

Tim — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 06:45:23 +0000

As we already know, Stadia launches on November 19. Up to this point, Google and the Stadia team have had no problem in showcasing which games will be available (eventually) on the platform. Today, though, we know exactly which titles will be available on launch day and the list is incredibly short. 12 titles will be available through Stadia on November 19. Only 12. Google says that, "There’s something for everyone here: a library of superb, critically-acclaimed titles spanning multiple genres and age ratings."

UPDATE NOVEMBER 18: Google shared an updated list for launch that expands the number to 22 games. The below list has been updated.

Launch Titles

Destiny 2: The Collection (available in Stadia Pro)
Assassin's Creed Odyssey
GYLT
Just Dance 2020
Kine
Mortal Kombat 11
Red Dead Redemption 2
Thumper
Tomb Raider 2013
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Rise of the Tomb Raider
Samurai Shodown (available in Stadia Pro)
Attack on Titan: Final Battle 2
Farming Simulator 2019
Final Fantasy XV
Football Manager 2020
Grid (2019)
Metro Exodus
Trials Rising
Wolfenstein: Youngblood
Rage 2
NBA 2K20

By the end of 2019, Google says it will add 14 more titles, bringing the total number of games on Stadia in 2019 to 26. Again, not a huge number, but it's a start. Later this year, Stadia subscribers can look forward to Borderlands 3, Farming Simulator 19, RAGE 2, NBA 2K20, Football Manager 2020, and others. I wouldn't exactly say this group of titles for launch is ideal, but you do have to start somewhere. If you're the early adoption type, streaming access to these games doesn't exactly scream $10/month to me, but as the service grows, I could see myself taking it more seriously. // Google

Google Teases Black Friday Deals, Including $200 Off Pixel 4 and 4 XL

Kellen — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 06:23:12 +0000

If your holiday shopping list is starting to take shape, Google and the items sold through the Google Store have slid their way into consideration this morning with a Black Friday teaser. The deals they plan to launch during the year's most popular shopping weekend include a solid discount on the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, as well as price drops on most Nest products. A good chunk of the teaser list can be found below, with deals spread through Black Friday 2019:

Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL: $200 off (DEAL LIVE!)
Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL: $299 and $379 ($100 off)
Pixel Slate: Starting at $449 (up to $648 off)
Nest Hub Max: $199 ($30 off)
Nest Hub: $79 ($50 off)
Nest Mini: $29 ($20 off)
Google Home Max: $100 off
Nest WiFi Router + Point: $229 ($40 off)
Stadia Premiere Edition + Nest Wifi Bundle: $$398 ($80 off)
Nest Hello Doorbell: $149 ($80 off)
Nest Thermostat (3rd gen): $179 ($70 off)
Nest Thermostat E: $30 off
Nest Protect: $99 ($20 off)
Chromecast: $10 off

As a reminder, most of these deals will be available at a variety of retailers alongside Google Store. So if you have gift cards to spend at Best Buy or Amazon, or just prefer shopping elsewhere, they are almost all guaranteed to have these exact same discounts. Shop Google Store Black Friday

John Legere to Step Down From T-Mobile, Mike Sievert Taking Over as CEO

Kellen — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 05:56:51 +0000

If you were looking for breaking news on a Monday morning that might come as somewhat of a shock, we've got you covered. T-Mobile announced this morning that CEO John Legere, the man most consider responsible for turning T-Mobile into a legitimate wireless carrier in the US over the past several years, will step down from the company next year. Legere's current contract ends on April 30, 2020, and at that time, Mike Sievert, current president and COO, will take over. Sievert has been a part of T-Mobile and their "Uncarrier" moves since 2012, so he is not new to the company. If you have followed the successful run of T-Mobile, thanks to several big industry-swinging moves, you've probably seen Sievert. He's been a leading voice alongside Legere. Legere will continue through to May 1, helping with the transition and final steps it'll take to close their merger with Sprint to become New T-Mobile. The timing of this news is a bit interesting, only because a few days ago Legere was rumored to be considered as a possible next leader of WeWork, the office startup that has been in the headlines in recent weeks for all of the wrong reasons. "People" shot that rumor down, suggesting that Legere wasn't leaving T-Mobile any time soon, though we now know he is indeed stepping away. T-Mobile is hosting a call this morning to share more about this news. Should there be additional info, we'll update.

UPDATE: Legere confirmed during the call that he was not in talks to run WeWork and that the timing of today's announcement and that rumor sure made for an awkward moment. He didn't say what was next for him, only that he is not retiring.

https://twitter.com/JohnLegere/status/1196421210839453698 // T-Mobile

Stadia Founder's Editions Get Charged, Cancelled, Delivery Dates Moved (Updated)

Kellen — Sun, 17 Nov 2019 16:19:34 +0000

We are fully aware that Google's Stadia gaming service will be a shell or bare bones version of the service that was first revealed back in March when it goes live in a couple of days. We know there won't be many games at out of the gate and that a whole bunch of its top features might not show up for months. We're still sort of excited to give it a try, although each day that passes seems to bring new bad news. For example, early Stadia orders for the service's Founder's Edition were charged over the weekend, ours included. But with that charge came a delay for our order, at least according to its new estimated arrival date, which slipped from November 20-21 to November 26-27. We ordered ours on June 6, likely within minutes of it going live. That's not happening to everyone, just to be clear, and some will see theirs as early as November 20.

UPDATE: We have good news! Our order has now shipped, and since I paid for overnight delivery, it should be here on November 19. What a weird turn of events.

Others have had even worse luck, though. There are reddit threads from this weekend where folks had orders cancelled or payment method issues that they were unable to resolve. Since the Founder's Edition is long gone and sold out, they may never get a chance to be a Founder's Edition owner now. On a related note, Stadia's website is fully live as we approach the November 19 launch date. It doesn't do much at the moment other than let you buy the Premier Edition and sign-up for updates related to the service's launch. There are links to the apps you'll need to get going too. Tuesday should be fun or something.

DEAL: Pixel 3a Drops to $299, 3a XL to $379 ($100 Off) (Updated)

Kellen — Sun, 17 Nov 2019 15:30:11 +0000

The first good Pixel deal of the holiday shopping season is here for the day on Amazon. Both the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL have been discounted to some of their lowest prices to date. The unlocked Pixel 3a is now just $299, while the Pixel 3a XL is down to $399. At those prices, you are looking at $100 off the 3a and $80 off the 3a XL. Amazon currently has discounts on all color options (Just Black, Clearly White, Purple-ish), plus you may be able to get same-day delivery as a Prime member. Is the Pixel 3a or Pixel 3a XL still worth buying now that the Pixel 4 is out? Absolutely (our review). The 3a line is incredibly affordable, has a great camera for the price, and will see clean Android software updates for years to come.

Amazon Links: Pixel 3a | Pixel 3a XL

UPDATE: Others have the same prices, so feel free to shop at your electronics dealer of choice for this one.

Best Buy
B&H Photo

UPDATE November 17: The Pixel 3a XL has dropped a full $100 to $379.

HTC Wants to Know Which Phone You'd Like Them to Remake With Updated Specs

Tim — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 15:59:01 +0000

Drew Bamford, the current head of HTC Creative Labs, took to Twitter this week and tossed out a fun hypothetical. If HTC was to recreate a phone it has previously released, but gave it updated specs, what phone would you want them to redo? This is a fun question. While I'm sure some would vote for the HTC One (M7) or M8, I have to go with my all-time favorite HTC hardware and that's the One X. Not only was it a great size, but you give that lovely hardware a bigger screen (get rid of dedicated navigation buttons), new specs, plus an updated camera system and I'd buy that thing in a heartbeat. What about you? Have any HTC hardware from the past that you'd like to see updated with 2019/2020 specs? https://twitter.com/drewbam/status/1195434280597348352

Hulu + Live TV Gets Price Increase to $54.99/Month on December 18

Tim — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 11:34:16 +0000

Starting December 18, new subscribers for Hulu + Live TV will see increased pricing, up $10 to $54.99/month from its current price of $44.99/month. Existing subscribers will see these changes reflected in their subsequent billing cycle after December 18. Here's a portion of what Hulu posted today in its blog announcing the price increase.

Today, we’re letting customers know that the monthly base price of Hulu + Live TV will increase to $54.99, beginning December 18. The new price better reflects the substantial value of Hulu + Live TV and allows us to continue offering all of the popular live news, sports and entertainment programming included in the plan.

With most of the live tv streaming services upping prices (or just shutting down), the moral of of the story seems to be that it's very expensive for companies to offer this and there's no choice but to make users pay more. // Hulu

Galaxy S10's Android 10 Betas Just Keep Coming

Kellen — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 10:06:09 +0000

Samsung continues to update Galaxy S10 phones that have signed-up to be a part of their Android 10 beta program, which includes One UI 2. After issuing a 3rd update last week, we are now getting a 4th update that addresses a number of bugs in the US. The new build ends is ZSK9, but the full build number will differ depending on your phone and country. For example, my Galaxy S10e received G970U1UEU2ZSK9. The update fixes a screen flicker bug, a weird home screen blurring issue, status bars disappearing, keyboards being cut off, always-on display not appearing while charging, and more. If you are a part of the beta and own a Galaxy S10 variant, head in to Settings>Software update to grab it.

Podcast: Razr is Back, Disney+ is Here!

Kellen — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 08:57:15 +0000

On this episode of the Droid Life Show, it's Motorola Razr reaction time! The old classic is back in a new way, as a foldable with questionable specs and a really, really steep price. But come on, it looks hot enough that we have got to get one. There's other big news this week, though! RCS is here, thanks to Google, Stadia is looking bad at the moment for launch, and Disney+ launched to consume all of your out-of-work time. Join us! Trivia is back at the end of the show as usual. We’ll be live at 12:00PM Pacific (3:00PM Eastern).

November Security Patch Now Widely Available to Pixel Devices

Tim — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 08:24:02 +0000

Google announced and released the files for the November security patch on November 4, but as many Pixel device owners discovered, the OTA has taken a bit longer to show up for anyone unwilling to flash the files manually. This morning, our own Pixel 4 XL, as well as multiple user devices on reddit, received the November security patch OTA. Hooray. While you're downloading and installing, you can view the changes you may see on your device right here.

DEAL: Xiaomi Mi Box S for $40 at Walmart ($20 Off)

Tim — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 15:19:26 +0000

Xiaomi's Android TV box, known as the Mi Box S, can be picked up today at Walmart for $20 off its usual price, bringing it down to $39.99. With the box, you'll get Xiaomi's remote control that has dedicated buttons for Google Assistant and Netflix, plus Android TV itself is pretty sweet these days. You'll find access to Google Play for apps/games, and yes, Disney+ is supported on Android TV. For those who like pixels, the Mi Box S supports 4K, too. If you need a less expensive Android TV option versus SHIELD TV, have at it.

Walmart Link

DEAL: 512GB SanDisk Extreme Drops to All-Time Low Price - $109.99

Kellen — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 13:42:44 +0000

The SanDisk Extreme microSD card with 512GB of storage is currently priced at $109.99 for a limited time. This is the best price this card has ever been at. As a SanDisk Extreme, you get up to 160MB/s read speeds, up to 90MB/s write speeds, and an A2 rating that means this card was built for Android phones to provide better performance when dealing with apps. This card can handle 4K videos with ease and also comes with an adapter, assuming your computer still has one of those things. In recent months, we've seen this card fluctuate between $150 and $130 prices, so again, today is the day to buy. Amazon Deal Link

Canalys: Google's Smart Speaker Shipments Fall 40% From Last Year

Tim — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 12:31:08 +0000

Canalys smart speaker market numbers are available for Q3 2019, providing a look at how companies like Google and Amazon are performing. For Google, things aren't going too hot, at least compared to last year's Q3 figures. According to the numbers, Google moved 3.5 million smart speaker units during the quarter, a difference of -40.1% from last year. As for how much marketshare Google holds, that number sits at 12.3%, good enough to hold the number four spot among competitors. Amazon retains the #1 spot in the world of smart speakers. In Q3, it shipped 10.4 million units, good to hold 36.6% of the market. I can't help but wonder how these numbers would differ should Google have unveiled a new ~~Google~~ Nest Home speaker this year during its hardware event. Instead, we got a new Nest Home Mini, which is fine since it offers better audio, but it all just seems a bit lackluster when compare it to Amazon who is constantly announcing new Echo hardware.

Smart Displays

Possibly more interesting, considering Google has obviously placed more emphasis on smart displays this year over simple smart speakers, the company's smart display shipment numbers aren't all too impressive. According to Canalys, "The smart display category grew 500% globally to reach 6.3 million units in Q3 2019," but Google shipment figure comes in at just 700K, well behind Amazon's 2.2 million units sold. Either people really love Alexa or Google needs to better identify the type of hardware people want in their homes.

Because no one has direct access to actual sales data from the likes of Google, the best these analyst firms can do is estimate, but the numbers are still helpful in getting a sense for how these smart home devices are doing. // Canalys

Is the Foldable Motorola Razr Bad?

Kellen — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 11:45:49 +0000

The new Motorola Razr is a striking idea that has come to life to usher us into an era of phones that few thought would ever become a reality. Its unique form factor and lust for nostalgia should have at least grabbed your interest for a minute as the phone was unveiled last night. Striking ideas, of course, mean costs that are through the roof and the Razr does not disappoint there. There are also questions still about durability, exclusive availability, and a set of specs that would cause you to laugh should someone attempt to suggest a price anywhere north of $500. As wild as it is to think that the old Razr form factor is back with modern smartphone ideas and features, it all means nothing if the phone is bad. So like we did with the Galaxy Fold and Mate X before it, we need to decide if the Motorola Razr is bad. Look at us and our consistency for once. Let's begin this investigation.

Verizon exclusivity is always and forever will be bad.

A single 16MP camera without stabilization, knowing Motorola's camera history, is bad.

The Snapdragon 710 isn't bad, but being 2 years old at launch at this price is bad.

A small 2510mAh battery is small and bad.

An unfolded 6.2" display that's not even 1080p is kind of bad.

Not having a headphone jack is bad.

Running Android 9 Pie in 2020 is f*cking laughably, absurdly, unacceptably bad. When you top that off with Motorola's recent poor history of supporting phones, it somehow gets worse.

The full list of specs is certainly not good. The price on top of those specs is most definitely, bad. The Motorola Razr is probably bad.

Question: At What Price are Foldables Worth the Plunge?

Tim — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 10:21:53 +0000

Foldables are a costly investment, and due to their construction, they're best not left to someone who would consider themselves to have butter fingers. I personally loved my time with a Galaxy Fold review unit, but at around $2,000, is it a device I would purchase with my own money ? Nope. It's cool, but not $2,000 cool. Now we have the new Razr foldable from Motorola. Priced at $1,500, this device piques the hell out of my interest, given its sturdier looking design, plus, that price could even be considered reasonable for a foldable phone. The issue then comes down to its specs. For a $1,500 smartphone in late 2019, they plain suck, but it's still a foldable and there will be no shortage of fans who claim, "It's the future!" My question to you is, at what price are you willing to take the foldable plunge? I know for a fact that cost is one of factors that might've kept you away from the Galaxy Fold. Is $1,500 closer to where you want to be to get your hands on futuristic bendy display tech? Will an eventual (albeit far down the road) sub-$1,500 price be the sweet spot for foldables? What's your take on foldable pricing?

Google is Done Waiting for Carriers, Rolls Out RCS to US in Messages Today

Kellen — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 09:00:11 +0000

Google is doing it, they are finally doing it. RCS is broadly rolling out to the US through Google's Messages app starting today.

Google shared the news with us this morning in a somewhat striking turn of events. You may recall that as they began rolling out RCS to the UK, France, and Mexico earlier this year, they would not commit to doing the same in the US without the help of US carriers. But we can't help but wonder if this new forced rollout is happening because all of the carriers announced a few short weeks ago that they were teaming up to do their own RCS thing, without Google's participation. Not familiar with RCS? I don't know where you've been for the past year, but Rich Communication Services (RCS) is the new advanced messaging service that Google, carriers, and phone makers have been supposedly trying to push for years as the replacement for standard text messaging. It allows you to get read receipts, see if others are typing, share high-res imagery and video, and participate in better group sessions. It works with your carrier number and is being referred to as "Chat." Starting today, RCS or "Chat" works within Google's own Messages app. There is a chance that other messaging apps will gain these RCS abilities, but this is where we are starting. Also, as I mentioned above, the carriers are teaming up to push their own RCS service and app that will more than likely be awful and filled with spammy business integrations. Speaking of that carrier option, we asked Google if their approach changed since that announcement and a Google spokesperson shared the following:

We've been in close touch with the carriers on this step and continue to work with them to provide a consistent and interoperable experience for everyone on Android. It’s technically possible for us to migrate to partner RCS services and we are committed to working with our partners to ensure that users have a great experience, and are happy to interop with their service, including migrating to their service.

For you to get RCS from Google, you'll simply need to install the Google (Android) Messages app from Google Play. If you don't see it almost immediately, a prompt will show up in the coming weeks asking if you'd like to enable "Chat" features. You can try and manually turn on "Chat" ahead of time by opening Messages, tapping the top right menu, then Settings, then "Chat features."

What if you forced your way into RCS a few weeks back, thanks to that nifty little trick that made the internet rounds? You should be fine and everything you should continue to work if not better. If you are worried, you could clear data on the Messages app (you won't lose your text messages) and then re-enroll officially without the need of that Activity Launcher app. We're here, guys! RCS is here, carriers be damned. Google Play Link

You Can Now Access a Few Ayesha Curry Cooking Recipes Through Google Assistant

Tim — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 08:43:25 +0000

Ayesha Curry, a personality you may have seen on Food Network recently (you may also know her as the wife to NBA's Steph Curry), will have a few of her cooking recipes added to Google Assistant this week. Accessible via smart displays so you can really see what you're cooking up, simply say "Hey Google, show me recipes from Ayesha Curry." You'll then see a list of some of her favorite appetizers, entrees and desserts. That's apparently not all, though.

And we have another treat for you … you can ask the Assistant for Ayesha’s brand new recipe—Cast Iron Fall Bread Pudding with Brown Butter Apples—which she provided exclusively for Assistant users. To get the recipe and start cooking, just say, “Hey Google, show me Ayesha Curry’s fall bread pudding recipe” to your Smart Display.

That sounds tasty. // Google

Video: Here is Motorola's Design Story for the Foldable Razr

Kellen — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 21:05:08 +0000

The foldable Motorola Razr is a really expensive mid-tier phone that I want in hand so badly. I want to do that old flip phone snap. I want to analyze that hinge, especially after seeing Samsung's failure of an attempt at a foldable. I want to bring back a piece of whatever mid-2000 year it was that I couldn't afford the old Razr phones. I want it all. Since I can't at the moment do any of that, I wanted to share this video that I quite enjoyed where Motorola takes us behind-the-scenes with the story of this new foldable Razr phone. They show off a number of designs, talk about its sexy-as-hell hinge with parts that "collapse out of the way" when closed, and sell you on why you just might want this thing. Oh, man, $1,500 is nuts, but I'm a tech guy and this does look sweet, assuming there's a great return policy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74KHL9UWqr8

Moto Razr (2019) Specs

Kellen — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 20:37:05 +0000

Now that the new Motorola Razr (2019) is official with its foldable self, you probably want to know what's inside. Beyond just that foldable display, does it have the goods that might get you to spend $1,500 at Verizon for one? Umm, I'm not sure that it does at all. The foldable Razr runs a Snapdragon 710 with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. Its big display weighs in at 6.2" when unfolded, but the resolution doesn't even hit 1080p and is instead 2142x876. Sure, it folds and looks sweet, but that's borderline low-res for 2019. You have a small 2510mAh battery behind the screen, single 16MP camera, fingerprint reader, bottom firing speaker, and Android 9 Pie. Yes, this phone launches in 2020 and will run Pie out of the box. Here are the rest of the details.

Motorola Razr (2019) Specs

[table id=186 /]

Motorola Announces Foldable Razr, Priced at $1500 and Exclusive to Verizon

Kellen — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 20:11:39 +0000

Motorola just announced the new Razr for 2019, it's first foldable that is priced at $1,499. Oh, it's a Verizon exclusive too, which no one should find shocking. The big story here is that Motorola was able to engineer modern smartphones parts into the shape and size of an old Razr flip phone. It looks like those old iconic Razr devices, snaps shut, wrist-flips open, and has an unmistakable silhouette. Of course, opening it provides nothing of the old and instead reveals the future, a large flexible display that folds in half. The new Razr is equipped with a 6.2" flexible OLED display (21:9) that folds in half like the old iconic clamshell Razr phones. The hinge has been engineered to fully close the phone shut when folded, unlike Samsung's Galaxy Fold and its troublesome design. On the outside, you get a "Quick View" display that lets you do some interactions, check on notifications, access Google Assistant, that sort of thing. Similar to the Galaxy Fold, though, you get an experience that transfers your "Quick View" content from the small screen to the inside's bigger screen when opened.

Video: Behind-the-scenes of the new foldable Moto Razr

Accompanying that "Quick View" display is the phone's 16MP camera (EIS, Night Vision mode, etc.), so you can take selfies when it's closed or open it up to get rear shots like a typical phone camera. As for other specs, it's running Android 9 Pie (What in the hell?), has 6GB RAM, 128GB storage, Snapdragon 710 processor, 2510mAh battery, and splash-proof water resistance. Want the full specs? You got 'em right here. Moto's Razr will go up for pre-order on December 26 and then hit stores January 9. If you don't have $1500 to fork out for it, you'll be able to buy one at $62.49/mo for 24 months. Learn more at Motorola's Store

// Verizon

Galaxy S10 and Note 10 One UI 2.0 Beta Sign-Ups are Open Again!

Kellen — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 18:49:45 +0000

After dozens and dozens of attempts a few weeks back, Tim and I both failed to join the Samsung One UI 2.0 Beta program on unlocked Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10+ devices. Tonight, after a tip that told us that Samsung may have open up spots again to unlocked units, we both joined! The Samsung One UI 2 Beta program is back open! To register in the US, in case you missed it from October, you'll need to open the Samsung Members app and look for a special box that gives you a "Register" link for the One UI 2 Beta. Should you see that box, tap on it and then follow two more screens with blue buttons that let you register your device. It should be that simple once you see the "Register" box on the home page. (Tip: If the box disappears before you can tap on it, close out of the app, open it, and tap in the area as quickly as you can. Should you time it right after an attempt or two, you should be able to register.) I should point out that on my Galaxy S10e, I tapped the final blue register button which then kicked me back to the main page of Samsung Members without any sort of confirmation that I was good-to-go. Once I open up Settings>System update, I was able to check for and pull the beta update, though. It's a cool 2.1GB on the S10, so make sure you have WiFi ready and plenty of storage open. Cheers Scott!

Stadia Team Hosts AMA, Proceeds to Lower Expectations for Launch

Tim — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 15:36:11 +0000

As we get closer to the launch of Google's Stadia gaming platform, the company can't help itself from making the service sound less and less desirable for early adopters. Before a reddit AMA hosted by the Stadia team took place today, all we knew for sure was how much Stadia would cost, when it would launch, and what games it would launch with.

Related: Stadia's twelve launch titles.

Today, we're learning a lot more about what to expect from Stadia's launch on November 19, and if I'm being honest, your expectations should be lowered immediately. Here's the important stuff we learned from the AMA on reddit.

Existing Chromecast Ultra dongles are not supported until they receive the latest firmware from Google to support Stadia streaming.

On Day 1 you should use the Chromecast Ultra that came in your bundle. It has the latest firmware. We will be updating the existing CC Ultra’s over the air soon after launch. So you’ll be able to use your Stadia Controller to play on many TVs in your home.

Buddy Passes won't arrive on November 19.

You’ll get your Buddy Pass about two weeks after you receive your bundle, barring some unknown unknowns popping up (never happens 😭).

*Personal note, the above point really grinds my gears. However, while you'd think that having a buddy to play Stadia games with on launch day would be cool, the team provided the following tidbit. Spoiler alert: Your "buddy pass" doesn't mean you'll actually be playing with buddies until sometime after launch.

No Stream Connect, State Share, or Crowd Play at launch.

I expect the first game with Stream Connect to launch by the end of the year. The games that support State Share and Crowd Play will be released next year.

No visible achievement system at launch, but don't fret, it's all being tracked in the background.

You will start achieving right away! Because games will be recording your achievements on Stadia on day one! It’s just the platform UI for viewing your achievements and achievement notifications will launch shortly after launch. I know, it’s something you want.

Google isn't promising you'll get your Stadia bundle in time for launch.

On November 19 at 9AM, anyone who ordered Stadia will receive their access code to get to playing. That means supported devices like desktops with a Chrome browser and Pixel smartphones can play, but if you're hoping to have your Chromecast + controller bundle on launch date, Google can't promise that.

Beri: Stadia goes live at 9am PST on Nov 19, and your activation code will work immediately once you receive it. For reference, I ordered my Stadia Founder’s Edition in June and my delivery date says November 20-21. Andrey: The first shipments will leave our warehouse on the 18th to make sure they arrive on the 19th. We'll ship in the same order as we've received your pre-orders. The tricky bit: moving atoms is a bit more complicated and less predictable than moving bits. So the actual delivery date will depend on the mail truck, traffic lights, etc.

So, you decided to support Google's new gaming endeavor by purchasing a Founder's Edition, but you may not get your hardware until way after launch? At least one user on reddit states that their shipment is expected by late to early December. That sucks.

Please don't take this post as me bashing on Google's attempt to launch a gaming service. They're doing fine, but the hype that the company attempted to generate for this service's launch is not being met with results. Eventually, Stadia will have all of the features that were showcased earlier this year, but according to the team's own words, November 19 doesn't really seem like it'll be all that exciting for people who bought into the service. // reddit

Wear OS Gets a Redesigned Google Play Store

Kellen — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 13:31:52 +0000

I know that most people are in agreement that Wear OS is trash and the watch options aren't great, but I'm foolishly still holding out hope that it will one day be good. Because of that foolishness, here is a bit of news: Google Play on Wear OS is now slightly better. In the screenshots below, Wear OS users will see the difference, where you now have your My Apps, Accounts, and Settings sections at the bottom of the main page, rather than within a hidden pulldown menu. There is an "Apps on your phone" section at the top too, just under the search button. For those not familiar, Google Play really did have a hidden pulldown menu with icons that meant almost nothing to anyone unless you learned what they meant by tapping on them. It was bad. They were bad icons. It was a bad design. Now that all of those options are buried at the bottom of the main screen, things are better.

It's sad out here on Wear OS, OK? Enjoy your day. // reddit

MIRROR, At-Home Workout Platform You've Likely Seen Commercials For, Launches Android App

Tim — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 13:13:49 +0000

If you've caught a bit of cable TV recently, I think it's safe to assume that you've seen a commercial or two for MIRROR, an at-home workout platform that is built directly into a physical mirror you place on the floor or hang on your wall. It's a snazzy product, and while I'm sure everyone would love to bring a MIRROR into their home, the starting price is $1,495, plus a $39/month subscription. That's just slightly out of my allotted health and fitness budget. If you do have a MIRROR, though, the big news this week is that the company has launched its official Android app, after having only an iOS for a while.

Now Android users can now enjoy access to the 70+ live classes added each week, as well as the hundreds of thousands of on-demand fitness classes. For the first time, Android users can also bring the country’s top trainers into their homes for one-on-one sessions through MIRROR’s immersive technology.

You can get started by following the link below.

Google Play Link

https://vimeo.com/285856421/84327f028a

Google Wants to be a Part of Your Next Checking Account

Kellen — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 11:17:00 +0000

Google is planning to get into banking, if you can believe that. More specifically, Google wants to offer you a checking account that can be accessed through Google Pay and is backed by Citigroup and a small credit union at Stanford University. News of this new Google checking service was reported by the Wall Street Journal today, where they had a chance to reveal some of the details, thanks to a chat with Google's Caesar Sengupta. Currently referred to internally as "Cache," Google make its checking accounts available by next year. Again, Citigroup and a credit union at Stanford will handle all of the important parts, though we're assuming Google will claim the upfront branding. Google said that it would be open to working with other banks in the future. What's the point of Google offering checking accounts? Google is a data company, so I'm sure you can imagine all of the valuable data included in your financial and spending habits. Sengupta also said that they want to bring value to consumers' checking accounts, banks, and merchants by offering services like loyalty programs. He did say that they won't sell users' financial data and that they don't use Google Pay data for advertising purposes either. So access will be there through Google Pay, but Google hasn't decided yet if they'll charge regularly banking fees. Since Google Pay is involved, this should make for using your checking account an easier option while paying for almost everything, both in store and online. Would you sign-up for a Google bank account?

THROWBACK: Remember the physical Google Wallet card?

// Wall Street Journal

T-Mobile Holiday Deals Include BOGO Galaxy S10 and Note 10, Free Moto Phones With Line Activation

Tim — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 10:26:50 +0000

T-Mobile is kicking off its holiday deals this week in an attempt to spare customers the crazy rush of the shopping season. Here's an overview of what will be available from the carrier beginning Friday, November 15.

BOGO DEALS

Beginning this Friday, customers on T-Mobile can take advantage of BOGO offers for the Galaxy S10 family, as well as the Galaxy Note 10 family. Same goes for the LG G8 ThinQ. The BOGO promo for these devices is straightforward in terms of qualifying for it -- it's a monthly bill credit offer for when customers join T-Mobile and activate both new smartphones or add a voice line on an existing qualifying rate plan.

FREE PHONES

In addition, T-Mobile says that customers can get a Motorola moto e6, Motorola moto g7 power, REVVLRY, Samsung Galaxy A10e, LG Aristo 4+, or LG K40 for free with monthly bill credits when they activate a new voice line on a qualifying rate plan.

SMARTWATCHES

Starting this Friday, T-Mobile customers can also grab a Samsung Galaxy Watch and get a second of "equal or lesser value" for free with monthly bill credits when you add a line. "Or get another popular smartwatch (Apple Watch) and take $200 off a second one," with monthly bill credits. This deal is good for up to 12 watches in total and it’s for all new and existing customers who add a smartwatch line.

Other

Get the Samsung Galaxy Tab A for free with monthly bill credits with the activation of a new 6GB or higher mobile internet plan.
Get 50% off a Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 with monthly bill credits with the activation of a new 6GB or higher mobile internet plan.

Again, all of these deals kick off this Friday, November 15. // T-Mobile

PSA: Google Play Opinion Rewards Credit Expires After One Year

Tim — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 08:47:38 +0000

Not that I am a person to leave Google Play credit just sitting in my account, but in case you happen to be, take note that credit gained from the Google Play Opinion Rewards app will indeed expire after one year from the date it was credited to your account. Here is what Google details on its support page concerning credit expiration.

Do my credits expire? Yes. Google Play credits received expire one year from date of credit per the Google Opinion Rewards. How can I tell when my credits will expire? Google Opinion Rewards recognizes that it may be difficult to know when your Google Play credits will expire. We are currently making updates to give you notice of impending expiration.

If you like to carry an amount of credit in your account from Opinion Rewards, maybe it's best to just spend it instead of losing it. That is, until Google provides a way for users to be notified of impending expiration.

// Google Support

Hey, Here is a Real Foldable Moto Razr From All Angles (Updated)

Kellen — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 08:11:14 +0000

UPDATE 11/13 8:20PM: IT'S OFFICIAL! FULL DETAILS ARE HERE.

Motorola is going to show off its foldable Moto Razr phone at some point today during a private event in LA. Before they get to do that, the device has been completely revealed by the folks at the FCC. Want to see it? Good, because you get to do that right now.

Want more? Here are some internal shots, including a shot of that foldable display.

UPDATE 1: Here's the battery with a couple of numbers on it. ~~Is it some sort of dual cell setup with combo 1165mAh and 1245mAh batteries?~~ Is it only a 1165mAh battery? I'm confused. (EDIT: This should mean just a single 1165mAh battery, as was pointed out to me on Twitter and in the comments.) (EDIT 2: Or maybe there are two batteries?)

UPDATE 2: Snapdragon 710 inside it seems.

You buying? // FCC

DEAL: Save $20 on Google Home ($79), $24 on Google Home Mini ($25)

Tim — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 15:46:23 +0000

Should you feel bad about giving Google Home Mini devices out as holiday presents? I don't, and since they're always on sale (or given away for free at times), I think they make perfect little stocking stuffers. Right now, you can pick up a Google Home Mini basically anywhere they are sold for just $25, which is $24 off of their usual $49 price. You'll find that deal active nearly everywhere except for the official Google Store. If you need the larger Google Home model, those are on sale as well priced at just $79, which is $20 off the usual $99 price. Have at it. Google Home ($79)

Best Buy
Crutchfield

Google Home Mini ($25)

Best Buy
Target

Minecraft Earth Available for Android in Early Access!

Tim — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 12:50:56 +0000

This is not a drill -- Minecraft Earth is now available for download on your Android device in early access. With the core gameplay taking place in augmented reality, Minecraft Earth will be like Pokemon GO in a way, but for those who prefer playing in the sandbox than to dueling pocket monsters.

BUILD amazing creations in tabletop mode and place them in the real world at life size.
COLLABORATE with other builders and create communal masterpieces together.
EXPLORE a whole new side to your local neighborhood, and watch it evolve over time.
DISCOVER unique mobs like the muddy pig and moobloom, and use them to populate your builds!

The only downside I can think of right now is the launch timing. Here in the Pacific Northwest, the rain has arrived, meaning it's going to be difficult to walk around town and check out everyone's creations. Boo the rain! Go download it now.

Google Play Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYKxBKj29dI

Poll: Subscribing to Disney+?

Kellen — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 11:11:35 +0000

Disney+ is the topic of the week now that it's available and The Mandalorian is officially in our lives. I'm curious, though, at how many of you are signing up or have already subscribed. And I'm wondering that because the launch of this feels like few other product launches. This has been in the making for years now and has in many ways shuffled the landscape of streaming services. Netflix has seen its Disney line-up extinguished and might have its users considering leaving it for the first time in a while. I'm assuming everyone already forgot about Apple's just-launched Apple+ service. Plus, with a reasonably priced monthly option ($6.99), pre-launch long-term deals, Verizon giving it away for free, and availability everywhere, there's almost no reason you aren't giving it a go. So, you giving it a go? Who has or is signing up for Disney+? [poll id="530"]

Pixel 4 Owners, You Can Stop Bugging Navy Federal to Support Face Unlock

Tim — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 10:21:40 +0000

Navy Federal Credit Union is rolling out Face Unlock support for Pixel 4 owners this week, specifically shouting out users in the app update's changelog on Google Play.

Pixel 4 owners - this one’s for you! It's been a hard few weeks using your passcode to sign into the app. This update brings face unlock to the Navy Federal app. Finally.

This is funny because in some bank apps, in mine at least, passcodes are typically just four digits -- hardly a difficult thing to enter compared to other lengthy passwords you should have protecting your online accounts. Come on, people, have a little patience. It's not Navy Federal's fault that Google decided to skimp on features and took out the fingerprint reader.

Google Play Link

Cheers Anonymous!

Facebook Pay Brings Consistent System to Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp

Kellen — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 10:15:10 +0000

Because Facebook has so many different services that so many of you ~~unfortunately~~ use, they wanted to integrate a payment system that is more consistent. Today, they are introducing Facebook Pay to help with that, so you'll soon have a similar payment experience between Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp. What can you do with this new Facebook Pay? This is how Facebook described it in a press release today:

Add your preferred payment method once then use Facebook Pay where available to make payments and purchases on our apps, instead of having to re-enter your payment information each time
Set up Facebook Pay app-by-app, or choose to set it up for use across apps (where available) — that means we won’t automatically set up Facebook Pay across the apps you are active on, unless you choose to do so
View payment history, manage payment methods and update your settings in one place
Get real-time customer support via live chat in the US (and in more places around the world in the future)
Clearly understand which payment services are part of Facebook

To start, Facebook Pay arrives on Facebook and Messenger this week for fundraisers, in-game purchases, event tickets, person-to-person payments, and purchases from select Pages and businesses from the Marketplace. The Instagram and WhatsApp integration will happen "over time." To find Facebook Pay and get setup with a payment method, you'll open Settings>Facebook Pay on Facebook or within Messenger. // Facebook

Infographic: Google Releases App, Proceeds to Shut App Down

Tim — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 09:20:09 +0000

Google's long history of releasing apps and services, then shutting them down -- sometimes abruptly -- if they aren't adopted by the masses is well documented. A few apps that come to mind are Inbox, Allo, as well as the lesser known services like Google Wave and Currents. RIP to those. Thanks to RS Components, we have a handy dandy little infographic that can help put Google's app and service-killing movies into perspective. You won't find every dead service listed, but the big ones are in here, and it must be noted that Hangouts is obviously not yet dead. That should be happening in 2020.

While it's clear to see that Google seems to enjoy launching things in an effort to see what sticks to the wall, then shutting them down, it's at least appreciated that Google takes its risks to offer the public something new. Now we just need to figure out what the heck is going on with YouTube Music and Google Play Music, plus we need to determine what the heck is going to replace Hangouts. These are uneasy times in the Android ecosystem. // RS Components

Don't Forget About Your Free Disney+ for a Year From Verizon

Kellen — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 08:05:59 +0000

Now that Disney+ is available, I'd imagine that a number of you want it, but aren't ready to fork out $6.99 per month on top of your cable, Netflix, and other streaming service bill. Here's your reminder, friendly Verizon customer, that you are likely eligible for free Disney+ for the next year. Verizon announced free Disney+ a few weeks back and has already pushed it live to customers. You can sign-up at the Verizon site or through the My Verizon app.

POLL: You signing up for Disney+?

To get started, there are a couple of requirements. First, you need to be on an eligible unlimited plan, which includes The Verizon Unlimited plan, Go Unlimited, Beyond Unlimited, Above Unlimited, Get More Unlimited, Do More Unlimited, Play More Unlimited, and Start Unlimited. If you have any other unlimited account, you probably aren't eligible. Business accounts, for those about to ask, are not eligible. What else do you need to know about eligibility? This is for Disney+ only, not the bundle that includes ESPN+ and Hulu. Also, if you pre-purchased a subscription, this is how Verizon describes combining with this promo offer:

Your pre-purchase will be paused and resume after the Verizon promo period. If you pre-purchased a monthly subscription through Disney, or a monthly or annual subscription through a third party, the Verizon promotional offer will begin when you enroll through Verizon, but will not automatically replace your pre-purchased subscription. After you enroll and complete the account setup, you will be sent an email with information about how to manage your pre-purchased subscription.

That's confusing, but basically says you can combine offers with this one and that you should see an email explaining what to do after you try and sign-up with Verizon. I wish I could help more there, except I'm as confused by it as you probably are. Go get signed up! Sign-up for Disney+ at Verizon

Disney+ is Now Live! (Updated)

Tim — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 21:42:43 +0000

After months of waiting, Disney+ has arrived! You can sign-up for, download, and stream Disney+ right now. For us on Android, you'll want to start by downloading the official Disney+ app from Google Play. This app will allow you to watch all of your favorite Disney content while on the go. That same app is also compatible with Android TV devices. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmI7WKrAtqs As for what you can stream, basically anything that Disney owns, unless it's already available via another streaming service like Netflix. For example, you'll find most Star Wars and MCU titles available on Disney+, with exception to the ones available on Netflix. Those titles include The Last Jedi, Black Panther, Ant-Man and the Wasp, plus a few others. And of course, Disney has some exciting originals lined up for the service, including The Mandalorian that is now available for viewing. Disney+ pricing starts at $6.99/month, all the way to $69.99/year. Don't waste your time listening to me -- go start watching! ~~NOTE: It looks like the Android app went live early, but the website is still in preview mode.~~

UPDATE: Website now live too!
UPDATE 2: Don't forget about free Disney+ from Verizon!

Disney+ App Download | Official Website

DEAL: Nest Hub Max is $199 ($30 Off), Google Home Max is $249 ($50 Off)

Tim — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 14:31:26 +0000

If you're in need of upping your smart home game this week, there are two notable deals taking place right now. Over at Bloomingdale's, you can snag a Nest Hub Max smart display for $199, which is $30 off its usual price of $229. If you need an audio upgrade, you can get a Google Home Max basically anywhere for $50 off its usual price of $299, bringing the price down to $249. The Nest Hub Max deal expires later this month, but we aren't sure exactly when the Home Max deal expires. Bloomingdale details that it ends later this month, too. Regardless, keep in mind that Black Friday and Cyber Monday are on their way. There is bound to be plenty of deals happening.

Nest Hub Max ($199)

Bloomingdale's

Google Home Max ($249)

WSJ: WeWork Eyeing T-Mobile's John Legere for CEO Position

Tim — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 12:24:47 +0000

When you think of T-Mobile, you can't help but think of John Legere. He's the face of the company and it almost feels like an understatement to say he has had a hand in helping T-Mobile become one of the country's most popular wireless carriers. With that success, Legere is reported to be in talks with SoftBank concerning a CEO position for WeWork, a office-sharing startup that SoftBank purchased the majority of in October. WeWork has ran into a bit of financial troubles, but given Legere's successful resume, SoftBank sees him as a good fit to take over. According to the Wall Street Journal, WeWork is looking to have the position filled by January, but as most know, Legere's time is currently dedicated to the merger between T-Mobile and Sprint. Should it close successfully, Legere stands to make a substantial amount of money, on top of a salary that is already high. Legere took in $66.5 million last year, eligible for up to $109 million if T-Mobile hit specific performance targets. Naturally, it's entirely possible that WeWork will end up with a different individual heading the company, but since John Legere's name has been mentioned, we'll keep you posted as the company's search for a CEO continues. // Wall Street Journal (Subscription)

Monday Poll: Are You Signing Up for Google Stadia?

Tim — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 10:16:26 +0000

We're a little over a full week away from the launch of Stadia, Google's cloud-based gaming platform. Set to fire up on November 19 at 9AM Pacific, we're curious if anyone here is already signed up and waiting to dive in? Stadia will eventually have two tiers: Pro and Base. However, the free Base tier doesn't launch until next year, so if you want access to Stadia when it launches, you'll need either pay $10/month and bring your own Bluetooth-powered controller or purchase the Premiere Edition that comes with a controller, Chromecast Ultra, and 3 months of service. As for game titles, Stadia has a solid list for launch, but it should be noted that some of the world's most popular games (according to Twitch stream numbers), won't be available. On Stadia, you won't find games like Fortnite, Call of Duty, FIFA, or PUBG. You will have access to Destiny titles, though. Compared to similar platforms, such as NVIDIA's GeForce NOW, available titles are where things differ greatly. Currently, GeForce NOW supports over 400 titles for streaming. So, have you already signed up for Stadia or do you at least plan on doing so once the servers go live? [poll id="529"]

Montblanc is Making a Summit 2+ Wear OS Watch With LTE

Kellen — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 09:20:17 +0000

Montblanc's Summit 2 was the first Wear OS watch to arrive with Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear 3100 and helped set the stage for the wave of 3100 watches we've seen in recent months. But that Summit 2 is now a full year old, if you can believe that, so Montblanc appears to be revising the watch slightly with a new watch dubbed "Summit 2+." The new Montblanc Summit 2+ stopped by the FCC today with model number S2C19. The original Summit 2 was model S2T18. This new watch was tested for Bluetooth. NFC, and GPS, but in addition to those goods, the FCC also tested several LTE bands. The Summit 2+ is going to be a connected LTE watch, folks. The bands tested here were LTE band 2, 4, 5, 7, and 13. Most US carriers use bands 2, 4, and 5 on some level, but that band 13 points to this for sure being able to work on Verizon too.

The original Montblanc Summit 2 is one of the best Wear OS watches you can buy, even as it eclipses the 1-year old mark. It packs all of the specs currently available to make for a decent watch, like 1GB RAM, 8GB storage, NFC, GPS, rotating crown, and that previously mentioned 3100 chipset. Unfortunately, it looks like Montblanc is dropping the battery size in this LTE version to 300mAh. That's a drop from 340mAh, which was already semi-small for a watch powered by a platform that absolutely guzzles battery juice and can barely make it through full days on the regular. So unless this watch is running an unreleased Qualcomm chipset that is better on battery life, this should make us all nervous. // FCC

Voting is Open on Google Play for Your Favorite Movie, App, and Game of 2019

Tim — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 08:39:44 +0000

Each year, Google hosts a vote to see what was the most popular content on its Google Play platform. The categories are typically apps, games, books, movies, plus any other type of content that Google Play sells. This year, Google is providing users with a shortlist of things to vote on, with game titles such as Call of Duty: Mobile, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, and Stardew Valley all up for vote. All you have to choose is your favorite app, game, movie, and book of 2019. They have to be from Google's list, though, with no write-ins allowed. Users can vote via desktop or you can open the Google Play app on your phone and vote from there. Regardless of where you vote, voting ends in 14 days and results are posted on December 3.

Vote Here

// Google

Galaxy S10 One UI 2.0 Beta #3 Rolling out to US Owners This Week

Tim — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 15:01:36 +0000

This week, Samsung began shipping out the third update to its One UI 2.0 beta users with a Galaxy S10 device. Inside the third installment of the beta, which is still based on Android 10 (obviously), users can expect to find plenty of bug fixes, stabilization for a handful of applications that were apparently having troubles in previous Android 10 builds, and more. For those already in the beta, you should be able to easily grab the update via your phone's update page. However, if you're not part of the beta, you may be able to enroll still via the Samsung Members app, but no guarantees. Have at it, Samsung fans. // SamMobile

Google Offers Free 3 Months of SiriusXM to Celebrate Nest Speaker Integration

Kellen — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 14:12:04 +0000

Google announced last week that SiriusXM was now a supported Google Assistant music option that could be fully controlled by voice with your Google Nest Home speakers. To end this week, they are offering up 3 free months of SiriusXM service, likely to celebrate. Both Tim and I received the email, so it could be going out to almost anyone with a Google Home speaker. The trial itself is for 3-months of either All Access or Premier Streaming packages that would normally cost $20/mo or $13/mo, respectively. All Access gives you access inside and outside of your car, while Premier is only for outside of your car. To get the free trial, they will ask for a credit card, which means you'll probably have to remember to cancel. The offer sign-up can be found right here.

Podcast: Pixel 4, Two Weeks Later

Kellen — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 09:50:40 +0000

On this episode of the Droid Life Show, it's time to share a 2-week update on our lives with the Pixel 4 on desk, in pocket at all times. We both have Pixel 4 XLs and have stuck with them for the time being. Will that continue? I guess we should talk about that. On this show, we'll also dive into November's Android update, Google buying Fitbit, our SHIELD TV (2019) review, lots of wearable news, the first Moto Razr images, New T-Mobile happenings, and more! Trivia is back! We’ll be live at 12:00PM Pacific (3:00PM Eastern).

Pixel Phones Get a Sweet New Vibratin', Ringin' Feature

Kellen — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 09:04:38 +0000

Google quietly rolled out a new feature to Pixel phones this week that gives you more flexibility with the reaction your phone has to incoming calls. Think of it as the perfect combo between vibration and ringing. Previously referred to as "Ramping Ringer," this new option is listed as "Vibrate first then ring gradually." As that description implies, this new setting tells your phone to vibrate first, giving you a chance to get to it before the noisy ringtone kicks in. Kind of cool, right? You'll find the setting for it in Settings>Sound>Vibrate for calls. Within that area, you should still see the "Never vibrate" and "Always vibrate" options, along with this new one. We're seeing the option on Pixel 4 phones and XDA, who discovered this, said they also saw it on Pixel 3. Let us know if you have it! We like new features. // XDA

YouTube Intros Updated UI for Desktop and Tablet Users

Tim — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 08:34:28 +0000

YouTube introduced an updated UI for users on desktop and tablets, though, you'll see soon enough that it's nothing too major. On the homepage, things were apparently getting a little cramped, so YouTube is now showing less recommended videos. You'll also notice that your recommendations will now have a helping of your subscriptions, topics you enjoy, as well as actually recommended videos.

YouTube is also adding an updated queue feature for desktop users. Right from a video's thumbnail, users can add videos to a queue for uninterrupted playback. What do you think of the changes? // YouTube

Now is the Time to Buy a Motorola Phone

Kellen — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 16:01:10 +0000

Motorola sent out an email earlier today claiming their holiday deals or prices had leaked and that I better hurry. Since we are weeks from Black Friday, I didn't think much of it until I finally took a look this afternoon. The deals are pretty good! Now, I know that Motorola only really releases mid-range phones at this point, but those mid-range phones are often quite good. Motorola's phones tend to be speedy, light on the Android skin, work on most carriers, and feature specs at prices few match. Here are the best we're seeing right now:

Moto Z3 Play 32GB is $200 off, plus you get a free Moto Mod
Brand new Motorola One Zoom is $100 off, down to $349.99
Brand new Motorola One Action is $100 off, down to $249.99
Moto Z4 with free 360 Camera Mod is $100 off ($399.99) or you can get a free Moto G6 too
Moto G7 is $100 off or you can get a free Moto G6 too
Moto G6 is buy one, get one free

There are additional deals too that you should check out at the link below. Shop Early Motorola Black Friday Deals

Question: What Icon Packs You Using These Days?

Kellen — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 13:29:22 +0000

There was a time in this story of Android where Tim and I were big on the customization scene. Well, we liked to think we were, because we told you if something was extra hot or not, specifically when it came to icons. Now, we're old and keep things simple, so when someone asked me this morning if we could share the hottest icons of the moment, I figured it was best to turn to all of you. I have failed and I'm sorry. They asked about icons because they assume so many of you have turned to OnePlus phones as the Pixel 4 is passed on for numerous reasons. They may be right too, which is fun because yes, OnePlus phones do support icon packs! Not only do OnePlus phones feature OnePlus, Round, and Square icon options, you can install 3rd party icon packs and set those. It's very much in the way you would switch icons on Nova Launcher, only it's built-in to OnePlus' OxygenOS. So, friends, what icon packs are you using these days?

Sprint Announces Perks Program for Workers Across America

Tim — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 13:25:34 +0000

Sprint unveiled Sprint Perks this week, a program open to 130 million hard-working Americans. Available starting November 8, Sprint Perks allows employees of corporations, small business owners, and military members (and veterans) to get an Unlimited Premium wireless plan for the price of an Unlimited Plus plan. To put this in plain English, because frankly Sprint's website is hard to look at, the carrier has partnered with thousands of employers across the country for their employees to sign up for this Sprint Perks program. You'll get the aforementioned unlimited plan for $70/month (it usually costs $80/month), but the kicker is that the Unlimited Premium plan comes with a ton of injected value. Here's what Unlimited Premium customers get.

Shop and get free shipping with Amazon Prime.
Watch thousands of shows and movies with Hulu (ad-supported account).
Listen to their favorite tracks with TIDAL HiFi.
Connect mobile devices with 100 GB of mobile hotspot data.
Enjoy Unlimited roaming in Canada and Mexico and more.

To find out if you're eligible for Sprint Perks, start here. If you serve in the military, start here. If you own a small business, start here. Again, Sprint Perks kicks off on November 8. // Sprint

DEAL: Lenovo Smart Clock for $40 at Best Buy

Tim — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 12:06:17 +0000

Best Buy is currently hosting a sale on the Smart Clock (review here) from Lenovo right now, bringing the price of the Assistant-powered clock to just $40 (down from $79.99). If you weren't aware, this device was actually updated in August to become a bit more useful. For example, you can now display your own photos on the Smart Clock and Assistant's continued conversation is also available. I don't think we've seen a price this good for Smart Clock, so if you need an alarm clock that can play music and provide smart home controls, get on it.

Best Buy Link

DEAL: Grab a Fossil Sport Today for $165 ($110 Off), MKGO for $195 ($100 Off)

Kellen — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 12:00:05 +0000

The Black Friday deals have started early again this year with Best Buy hosting all sorts of good discounts. Right now, for example, you can grab a bunch of different Wear OS watches for well under $200, thanks to price drops. The two most notable deals are on the Fossil Sport and Michael Kors MKGO smartwatches. The Fossil Sport has dropped down to $165, which is a $110 discount. The MKGO is down to $199 with a $100 discount. These two are worth pointing out because they both at least run the Snapdragon Wear 3100. And actually, these two smartwatches are identical in terms of specs and features, only you get a different look and brand name on the MKGO. But really, the experience you'll find on the Fossil Sport (our review) should transfer over to the MKGO. There are multiple color options available at the discounted prices.

Best Buy Deals:

Fossil Sport - $165 ($110 off)
Michael Kors MKGO - $195 ($100 off)

Google Stadia App Arrives on Google Play

Tim — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 10:40:51 +0000

With Stadia's launch imminent (November 19), Google has officially published the Stadia app to Google Play for downloading.

Read: All the games on Google Stadia

With the app, you'll be able to stream games via the cloud right to your supported Pixel smartphone, but of course, you will need a gaming controller connected. If you plan on playing via another device, don't worry too much about having this app, though, it wouldn't hurt to download anyway. Go get that app, Stadia peeps.

Google Play Link

Best Buy Pixel 4 Black Friday Deal Drops $200 Off Unlocked, an Extra $50 With Activation

Kellen — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 10:33:05 +0000

Like Target, Best Buy will also host Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL promos for the Black Friday deals weekend. Again, this happens every year, but this is yet another chance for us to remind you that buying Google's new phones on day one is almost always a bad idea if you care about saving money. Best Buy says that the unlocked Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL will both be $200 off without the need for activation. It's just a straight $200 off discount. However, if you want an additional $50 off, you can activate with a carrier. At $200 off, you are looking at a Pixel 4 starting price of $599.99 and a Pixel 4 XL starting price of $699.99. Not bad for a phone with radar ~~you'll never use~~ and ~~missing fingerprint reader~~ advanced face unlock and one of the best still photography cameras around. Wondering if Google will host a similar promo from the Google Store? I'd put a lot of money on that if it were a bet. Amazon will likely match it too. On a related note, if you choose the carrier versions of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL from Verizon, AT&T, or Sprint, Best Buy will drop $400 off with activation. Also, the Pixel 3a will be $100 off (no activation required). Shop Best Buy Black Friday Ad

REVIEWS: PIXEL 4 | PIXEL 4 XL

T-Mobile Dangles 'New T-Mobile' Treats, Including $15/Month Plan, Should Merger Close

Tim — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 09:12:56 +0000

T-Mobile announced its latest Uncarrier moves this morning, almost all of which appear to be tied directly to the New T-Mobile merger closing successfully. To clarify, should the lawsuit currently holding up the merger prevail in the courts, we probably won't see these things. T-Mobile is announcing the following things to make it appear that the New T-Mobile is a great thing for customers and for America in general. I'm a super patriotic American, so let's go over what was announced.

T-Mobile Connect

Should the merger take place, New T-Mobile is committed to offering a $15/month prepaid plan to customers in the US and Puerto Rico. For that price, customers will get unlimited talk and text, as well as 2GB high-speed data. 5GB of high-speed data will cost $25/month. On top of being cheap, T-Mobile states that for each year someone has an active account, they will receive an upgrade to their data plan of 500MB/year for up to 5 years. That's an extra 2.5GB over 5 years.

T-Mobile Connect is another part of the New T-Mobile’s previous pricing commitment, which includes providing consumers access to the same or better rate plans at the same or better prices for three years. And this unprecedented low-cost plan will further spark competition and drive prices down across the industry, for everyone!

Considering the cheapest plans currently available are around $30, a $15/month plan for those who need inexpensive access sounds great.

Project 10Million

Another commitment the New T-Mobile is making is to close the US homework gap. Right now in the US, 15% of the households that have children do not have home internet. With the number of US teachers assigning online homework growing, New T-Mobile wants to help kids get the access they need. According to the company, the New T-Mobile’s Project 10Million would be a $10 billion commitment that will deliver free internet access over the next five years and another $700 million commitment in hardware to 10 million households. Eligible households in the US and Puerto Rico would receive up to 100GB of "FREE" internet access each year, one "FREE" mobile WiFi-enabled hotspot, plus the option to purchase select WiFi-enabled devices at the New T-Mobile's cost. Additionally, Project 10Million recipients will benefit from the New T-Mobile’s expanded 5G capabilities.

Connecting Heroes Initiative

T-Mobile is also announcing a major commitment to first responders should the New T-Mobile become reality. The company is committing up to $7.7 billion over 10 years to provide free talk, text, and data to every first responder in the country. Yes, you read that right.

Through Connecting Heroes, the New T-Mobile is making an up to $7.7 billion, 10-year commitment to make FREE unlimited talk, text and smartphone data available to EVERY first responder at EVERY public and non-profit state and local police, fire and EMS first responder agency across the entire country!

T-Mobile goes on to say that first responder plans will have top priority on their networks, regardless of how much data they use. First responder agencies are urged to pre-register here.

T-Mobile literally ends its announcement post with, "T-Mobile can make these commitments if the proposed T-Mobile and Sprint merger closes." I suppose that means T-Mobile is dangling these treats in front of consumers in an effort to garner public approval, which will then trickle up to those in charge. We'll see what happens. // T-Mobile

T-Mobile Launches 5G Network December 6

Kellen — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 09:06:14 +0000

T-Mobile, after pushing out a couple of 5G coverage maps in June that no one would have been mad about had they never been presented publicly, is ready to launch nationwide 5G in about a month. They also have two phones ready for action that will both work once (and if) New T-Mobile is formed with Sprint. On December 6, T-Mobile will open up 5G coverage to "more than 200 million Americans and more than 5,000 cities and towns," including some in rural America, the company announced this morning. With those numbers, that's around 60% of the country's population. T-Mobile says that it's doing this big nationwide push thanks to a combination of their LTE and 5G networks. This particular 5G network will run over their 600MHz spectrum (low-band) and is different than the 5G they launched earlier this year over millimeter Wave (mmW, high-band) This is basically a forming of the backbone of what will be their super 5G network should they ever get full approval to merge with Sprint and create New T-Mobile. They did get big news on that front this week, though. To start, once the network is live, T-Mobile will offer the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 5G and OnePlus 7T Pro 5G as options for those looking to get early 5G action. Both of these phones can access this 600MHz edition of T-Mobile's 5G, but they'll also be able to connect to Sprint's mid-band 5G spectrum with New T-Mobile. That's big, because Sprint's mid-band is the key to what could be the best 5G network in the US. Unfortunately, for those who own a Galaxy S10 5G, you won't be able to connect to this 5G. The S10 5G was built to work on their 5G mmW (high-band) service in those 6 markets from earlier, but is not capable of connecting to this 600MHz 5G (low-band). That sucks! Where will you find T-Mobile 5G? Well, here is an updated map that T-Mobile should feel much better about showing. As the key shows, the darker magenta is 5G, with the lighter pink as 4G LTE. This 600MHz 5G is the type of 5G that stretches for miles and works indoors and through walls, unlike 5G mmW, which barely works a block away and not in direct line-of-sight. This low-band stuff might not be as fast as the 2Gbps speeds of mmW, but it'll actually work.

So again, T-Mobile's real 5G network is launching on December 6 and there will be two phones that can access it. We'll have more once December 6 rolls around. // T-Mobile

Google's Nest Hub, Hub Max Can Now Sense Your Presence

Tim — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 15:16:51 +0000

Users on reddit are discovering, and confirmed by Google to Android Police this week, ultrasonic presence sensing is headed out to the Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max. What is this magical technology I'm referring to, you may ask? Using high frequency sound emitted from the device's speaker, which is shot out and then fed back into the device via its microphones, the Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max can now determine your physical location in relation to the device. In utilizing this information, the Hub's display may show a larger font for text if you're standing further away or touch controls may be shown if you're standing close to the device. What a trip, man. If you own a Nest Hub or Nest Hub Max, you should see this new functionality hitting your device starting today. // Android Police | reddit

Target's Pixel 4 Black Friday Deals to Include $300 Gift Cards, $550 for Pixel 3

Kellen — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 12:06:18 +0000

For several years now, Google has introduced its Pixel phones only a short few weeks ahead of Black Friday. Each year, after so many of us pay full price for those Pixel phones on launch day, Google follows up with the ultimate insult to its most dedicated customers by slashing prices by hundreds of dollars for the year's biggest shopping weekend. It's sh*tty and I hope we've all sort of learned at this point that it's probably worth waiting a few weeks before buying Google's new phones. We don't yet know the full line-up of Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL Black Friday deals for 2019, but we know that Target is planning a pretty decent one that also includes the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL. If you are holding out from buying a Pixel 4, you probably made the right move. Target posted its Black Friday 2019 deals today and one includes a $300 Target GiftCard with qualified activation of a Google Pixel 4 or Pixel 4 XL. To get that gift card, you'll have to activate with either Verizon or AT&T on a 24-30 month payment plan. You can't return the phone or you forfeit the gift card, so keep that in mind. Additionally, Target is offering $550 in gift cards should you buy a Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL through a Verizon or AT&T monthly payment plan. Why the extra cash for last year's Pixel? I have no idea. There will be more Pixel 4 and 4 XL Black Friday deals. We'll keep you posted. Shop Target's Black Friday Ad Cheers Mike!

Pioneer rDrive Keeps Good Track of Your Car, But for a Price

Tim — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 10:42:53 +0000

Because I don't have a teenage daughter or son, plus I'm the only person in my home who can drive a car with a manual transmission, I haven't much worried about tracking the whereabouts of my vehicle. However, if you're someone who shares a family car, wants to keep track of where your car is at all times, or maybe you rent out a vehicle through services like Turo, may I introduce you to rDrive. Powered by LoJack, Pioneer's rDrive is a small GPS-enabled dongle that plugs directly into your car's ODB port (On Board Diagnostics). If you have a car made in the last couple of decades, it should have one of these ports, typically located under the dashboard on the driver's side. Similar to other fleet and vehicle-managing services, such as Kahu (something a dealership has maybe tried to sell you), rDrive can do all sorts of things from its dedicated app that's available for both iOS and Android. With the rDrive app you can track the location of your car, look up trip history, set speed alerts that if crossed a notification is sent to your phone (great for those joyriding teenagers), enable tripwires for when you leave your car somewhere, set geofences for your vehicle, as well as receive instant crash notifications with CrashBoxx should the device detect a collision.

I've had rDrive installed in my car for a little under a month now. I had it professionally installed at a Car Toys location here in Portland, though, the installer said a professional install shouldn't always be necessary. Due to my personal vehicle (2016 Mustang), a special bracket had to be fabricated to ensure the dongle wouldn't go anywhere. On Pioneer's website, the company recommends a professional install to ensure everything is installed properly and works well. I set up a geofence around my neighborhood, just in case, but I think what I appreciate the most is the Car Health feature. Because a lot of cars are more computer than machine these days, having a device connected to the car that is capable of notifying you of issues can save you a headache. Pioneer details that rDrive can detect "hundreds of issues," but thankfully, I haven't come across any of them yet.

Ideally, you don't want to have to need something like rDrive, but I can't help but think of a friend of mine who has had their Jeep Grand Cherokee stolen twice in the past year. Each time it has happened, they gather a search party to go looking for it. If they had a tracker like this installed on the vehicle, it could potentially spare them the heartache of getting back a car that has been totally massacred on the inside. Recently when I took a trip and drove to the airport, I set a tripwire on the car. Should the vehicle move from its parking spot, I'd get an alert on my phone and could begin the retrieval process with LoJack and local authorities. Of course, when I got back to my car, I forgot to disable the tripwire and can confirm that you do indeed get a notification should your car get moved. Again, your car being stolen is not a notification you ever want to get, but should it happen, you'll at least have a better chance of recovering your vehicle in the event of a theft.

Pricing

After the first year of usage, rDrive does have an additional cost attached to it after the sticker price. The initial cost is $299, then the user will need to renew the contract for any of the following prices.

To renew for 1 year is $200
To renew for 2 years is $360
To renew for 3 years is $480

I previously had Kahu pre-installed on my car from the dealership and I got the first year of usage for free, but then I was notified that I had to renew the subscription. I didn't need another expense associated with my car, so I declined. However, for someone who needs or wants to keep tabs on their vehicle in a comprehensive way, rDrive could certainly be worth its price. If you have multiple vehicles, you might be happy to learn that Pioneer is offering a BOGO deal right now until the end of the year. With that deal active, it's two rDrive devices for $299, which seems like a solid deal.

Buy rDrive | rDrive on Google Play

Check Your Google Play, Play Points Program is Rolling Out

Tim — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 09:29:35 +0000

It was only a couple of days ago when Google announced that the Play Points program was coming to the US starting this week. I checked my Google Play app this morning, and boom, it was there in the navigation menu. We have all of the details you'll need for Play Points right here, but what you need to know is, those who sign up earn redeemable points on every purchase they make inside of Google Play. Think of it like a little digital cash back treat for all of the money you spend on apps, games, books, and movies. The only thing is, the currency you receive can only be spent inside of Google Play. I really, really wish this program took into account all of the money I've already spent over the years. I think I'd easily have thousands of points already. Learn more about Google Play Points.

Nest Secure Security System Gets Glass Break Detection

Tim — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 08:45:54 +0000

Nest announced this week that glass break detection is arriving for the Nest Secure security system early this month, specifically for the Nest Guard unit. The way it works is simple. Users will need to have Nest Guard within 15ft. of whatever glass or door they want to monitor. If Guard detects the sound of a door or glass breaking, it instantly analyzes the sound on-device to confirm it was indeed that sound and not something else, then it goes about its alarm system duties (loud noises) and notifies you. If you have a Nest Guard installed in your home, here's the process of enabling this new feature.

How to Enable

Open your Nest app.
Tap the Settings icon on the Nest app home screen.
Select Security > Security levels.
Choose Away and Guarding or Home and Guarding.
Tap Glass break detection.
Turn on Glass break detection and choose the amount of time you want before the alarm sounds.
To set up glass break detection in another security level, go back to step 3.

// Nest

Fossil Announces Previously Spotted Hybrid HR Platform and Watches, Starting at $195

Kellen — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 03:00:07 +0000

Back in September, a report suggested that the mystery tech that Google bought from Fossil at the beginning of the year was related to a "Diana" hybrid watch platform that the company had yet to release, but that Google hoped to license to other wearable makers. Then, days after that report, listings for that unreleased hybrid watch were spotted, basically revealing all, only Fossil never followed those up with an announcement. Today, those Fossil Hybrid HR watches and the platform are official and available immediately. The new Fossil Hybrid HR comes in two models: Collider and Charter. They start at $195, but can climb up to $215 depending on the band type. As for specifics, what we have here is a hybrid smartwatch with an always-on e-paper-like display. That display can show all sorts of information, like heartrate, notifications, real-time weather, steps, other workout info, music controls, etc. Since this is a hybrid, you have mechanical hands for telling the time, though Fossil says you'll still be able to customize the watch face some. And speaking of time, you can set alarms, timers, and a stopwatch, plus you can light up the watch at night with a light. Each watch can connect to Android or iOS devices through the Fossil Smartwatches app (Bluetooth 4.2), which allows you to customize everything, track health and sleeping, that sort of thing. They are water resistant to 3ATM, track sleep, have customizable buttons, and last for 2+ weeks on a single charge. Once that charge (finally) runs out, you can re-charge the battery in under an hour. For case sizes, the Collider and Charter are both 42mm, 11-13mm thick, and made of stainless steel, but you'll get 22mm straps on Collider and an 18mm strap width on Charter. To be clear, Collider is the more masculine of the two. Below, you'll find many of the available models with the gold versions being Charter and the rest as Collider.

Is this the mystery tech that Google bought from Fossil? ~~It could be, but Fossil hasn't disclosed that to us~~ (EDIT: They told The Verge there is "no relation" between Hybrid HR and the tech they sold Google). They also do not mention the words "Wear OS" at all here, so no, I still don't believe this is some random fork of Wear OS that works on hybrids. Instead, you've got a hybrid watch that borrows some of the UI design from Wear OS, likely to keep things in alignment with the rest of Fossil smartwatches. Everything is powered by Fossil's Smartwatches app. Still, I'm weirdly excited to wear one for a bit and see what the experience is like. I know that LG tried something similar to this and failed, but this looks less smartwatch and is instead a focus on the essentials. I'd love a close-to-smartwatch experience that last 2 weeks on a single charge, tracks workouts and sleep, and lets me get all of the notifications I need in a visual way. It's also a bit like the rebirth of Pebble. Interested in Fossil Hybrid HR? You can buy them today at the links below. Would you rather wait to hear our thoughts? We should have one in house very soon.

Shop Fossil Hybrid HR:

Call Screen is Great, but Google Should Make It Easier to Search Phone Numbers of Incoming Calls

Kellen — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 15:52:08 +0000

Google's Call Screen is one of my favorite new software features of the past couple of years. I probably get far too much pleasure out of sending spam bots there as a means of retaliation for messing with my day and wasting the world's time. But here's the thing, I often only know they are spam bots because of something else I do prior to screening their call that I wish Google would try and implement into a phone's call experience. Not sure yet what I'm talking about? I'm talking about a task so many of us likely do on a regular basis - Google Search for phone numbers. I probably do this 3-4 times per day. Think about what I'm suggesting. Instead of an unknown call (that also hasn't been marked "Spam" or filtered by Google) flowing into your phone and then you opening a tab in Chrome on your computer and Google Searching the number to see who it might be, Google could instead add a little shortcut to the incoming call to help you do it from phone. Google already knows how to recognize phone numbers and addresses from just about any app or screen. I can't imagine it would be that difficult for their AI smarts to recognize a call, copy the number, and then create a bubble next to the "Screen Call" button that says something like "Search Number." You would then tap that button and perform a Google Search to see if those results would help you better understand the caller. If that person or organization sucks, well, then "Screen Call" their ass. Or hang-up. Or answer and enjoy a bit of conversation in this text-heavy world of ours! Whatever you want to do, but you get the point. As a related idea, Google or another developer (like Pushbullet) should think about some sort of shortcut that mirrors incoming call notifications to a computer that could provide a similar Google Search shortcut for phone numbers. And honestly, that might be an even better solution. Either way, this is my idea for the day.

Pixel and Pixel XL Will See One Final Update in December

Kellen — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 12:50:30 +0000

After yesterday's November Android update arrived on the Pixel 2, Pixel 3, Pixel 3a, and Pixel 4, we assumed that the lack of Pixel or Pixel XL updates meant the end of the road for the original. Today, we're learning that there will be one final update in December. It's not over, folks! According to a statement from Google provided to The Verge, the original Pixel and Pixel XL will see one more update that “encapsulates a variety of updates” from both November and December. After that, though, it's over. Google had previously scheduled the Pixel and Pixel XL to no longer receive updates after October 2019, so this is very much a bonus update to clean things up before support is cut off. Is 3 years of updates enough for Google's own phones? I'll leave that debate up to you. // The Verge

FCC Makes Approval of T-Mobile, Sprint Merger Official

Tim — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 11:55:29 +0000

The FCC formally approved the merging of T-Mobile and Sprint today, with plenty of official documents available for viewing on its website (linked below). This move comes after it was reported in mid-October that the FCC gave the deal a thumbs up.

Related: New T-Mobile Moves Kick Off on November 7.

However, the merger between two of America's top four carriers still isn't done, since multiple state attorneys general argue in a lawsuit that the deal would hurt competition in the industry. In order to get approval from the FCC, T-Mobile and Sprint had to agree to quite a few conditions. A couple of the bigs ones are that 5G service will be deployed that covers 97% of Americans within three years and that 90% of Americans will have access to mobile service with speeds of at least 100Mbps within six years. I don't know about you, but if my smartphone isn't pulling more than 100Mbps six years from now, I'm gonna be pissed. We'll keep you posted as this merger continues to drag on. // FCC

Xiaomi's First Wear OS Watch Runs a Custom Skin, Looks Fine

Kellen — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 11:16:11 +0000

Xiaomi announced the Mi Watch today, it's first Wear OS smartwatch. Typically, this would be a day - as a Wear OS fan - to get excited, but there's no telling if we'll ever see this watch anywhere near the US. It also runs a custom skin on top of Wear OS and looks like a big, plain, thick square of a device, rather than something sleek like a Fossil Gen 5 or Apple Watch. The Mi Watch does have a decent set of specs and features, though. You have eSIM support for cellular connections, NFC, heartrate monitor, GPS, 1.78-inch AMOLED display, 44mm case, 1GB RAM, 8GB storage, 590mAh battery, Bluetooth 4.2, WiFi, and a Snapdragon Wear 3100. The watch runs MIUI for Watch, so that's a full custom skin on top of Wear OS. You'll find sleep and sports tracking, access to a variety of apps, mobile payments, and a bunch of watch faces. It's very much like the smartwatch experience you would expect from Samsung or Apple or Google, only it has Xiaomi's skin on top. The Mi Watch goes up for pre-order today in China at RMB 1999. If there is ever a way to buy this in the US, we'll try to let you know.

// Xiaomi | Mi

Top 5 Voices I Want for Google Assistant

Tim — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 10:26:52 +0000

Recently, Google added Issa Rae as a cameo voice users could assign for their Google Assistant. Before her, it was John Legend. Now, don't get me wrong, both of those people I do enjoy and I think they have great voices. However, if I was in charge of everything, I could think of a few voices I wouldn't mind having for my Google Assistant. To show you exactly where my mind is at, here are five voices I'd like to see come to Google Assistant.

1. Morgan Freeman

This is cliche, but I don't care. Freeman has a voice that everyone knows and loves. It'd be silly not to tap him for Google Assistant.

2. Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid)

*In Palpatine Voice* "Setting room temperature to 66 degrees." I mean, what Star Wars nerd wouldn't want to have that in their home? And if you want the opposite, we'll need to have a Yoda voice added, too! "To 70 degrees, you've had room temperature set."

3. Papa Emeritus III (Ghost)

This is a completely personal choice, but for those not in the know, Papa Emeritus was the frontman/vocalist for a rock band called Ghost. The character, who is an Italian satanic pope, is played by a Swedish musician named Tobias Forge. What makes the voice notable is you have a Swede attempting to give off an old school Italian mob voice. It's very intriguing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLmnk8plZ6w

4. Betty White

I can't make any type of list that concerns voices I love without adding Betty White. There's something about her voice that sets my mind at ease. Knowing that Betty's voice is in charge of my smart home sounds like a dream come true to me.

5. Tie - Keanu Reeves and Liam Neeson

When I say I want either Keanu or Liam to lend their voice for Google Assistant, I'm more so talking about characters they've played in movies. For Keanu, give me either the Bill & Ted voice or the John Wick voice. I'd be happy with either. For Liam, there's only one voice I want and it's the Taken voice. And if Google could make it sound like he's talking through a phone the entire time, that'd be much appreciated.

Honorable Mentions

Thinking about voices I'd like to hear come from my Google Home has proven difficult. Here's an honorable mentions list that I could easily swap in and out of my top five. From it, you'll likely gather that I'm a 30 year old white male whose babysitter was the television.

Robin Williams (RIP)
Gilbert Gottfried
Steve Buscemi
Darth Vader (James Earl Jones)
Homer Simpson (Dan Castellaneta)
Eric Cartman from South Park (Trey Parker)

It's your turn now! Let me know a couple voices you wouldn't mind hearing come from your smartphone or Google Home speaker.

Real-Time Crowdsourced Commuter Info 'Pigeon' App Coming to Android, New Cities

Tim — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 08:42:35 +0000

An app for commuters called Pigeon is soon making its way to Android, but for the lucky people over on iOS, the already-existing app is launching new support for the following cities: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington DC. Pigeon is a real-time crowdsourced commuter info app, somewhat similar to what Waze is for those who commute via car to work. Pigeon is for those who take buses and trains, with real user messages linked to trains and stations, real-time event icons on problem areas, and much more. Inside the app, you'll have access to crown levels, delays, and all sorts of other info that official transit apps can't offer. For us Android folk, there's a waitlist form we need to fill out if we want to be notified about the launch. If you don't want to do that, don't worry, we'll let you know when Pigeon arrives for Android. If you don't see your city listed as supported, that same waitlist has an area where you can request your city be added. Android Waitlist | iOS Download https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7bAI5j9dEQ // Google

T-Mobile is Starting Its Uncarrier Series Over as New T-Mobile on November 7

Kellen — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 07:33:16 +0000

New T-Mobile has been given a number of the approvals in recent months that it needs in order to become the 3rd mega-carrier in the US. There are still some hurdles to jump over, but that's not stopping John Legere from doing what he does best: hype sh*t. On Twitter yesterday afternoon, Legere told us all to mark our calendars because its time for the first Uncarrier event under the "New T-Mobile" name that the T-Mobile-Sprint merger will create. Called "The New T-Mobile Un-Carrier 1.0," this event will apparently have announcements that are "for good," as in, permanent. At least that's our understanding of the line, "This one's for good." I honestly don't have any guesses as to what that could mean. Uncarrier events have happened in the past and we saw new plans introduced that we also thought might last a long time, only they didn't. This is the US wireless carrier business and things change all of the time. From new network technologies to new ways to sucker customers into contracts, whatever we see here, like won't be "for good" good. November 7! https://twitter.com/JohnLegere/status/1191506830616186880

November Update Brings Different 90Hz Experiences to Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL

Kellen — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 14:50:25 +0000

The November Android patch that Google released this morning for Pixel phones includes adjustments to the algorithm or rate at which the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL show their full 90Hz capabilities. After a bit of testing, we're learning about some of the changes that Google made including what appears to be a wider range for 90Hz on the Pixel 4 XL over the smaller Pixel 4. When first booted on build QD1A.190821.014, I immediately began testing my Pixel 4 XL to see what levels of brightness would keep 90Hz. We know that prior to this update, it was dropping to 60Hz at around 75% brightness. In my testing, I'm seeing 90Hz at every single brightness level with Ambient EQ and Adaptive Brightness enabled (Yes, I also turned off the "Force 90Hz" option in developer settings). With the Pixel 4, I'm not seeing the same results, though they are better than they were prior to November's update. A review unit Pixel 4 I have was updated to build QD1A.190821.014.C2 from November and its 90Hz, with the same settings running as my 4 XL, drops to 60Hz at exactly 42%. I shared my earlier findings on Twitter and XDA's Mishaal Rahman weighed in with info he found while looking through update files. He found that 42% is indeed the brightness number for the Pixel 4's 90Hz to drop to 60Hz. It also looks like the Pixel 4 XL may have been given the greenlight to default to 90Hz at all times. Google created a "refresh rate zone" of sorts that must look for a variety of variables to decide which refresh to show. Again, the Pixel 4 XL ("coral") is showing as having a default of 90Hz as it relates to this zone, while the Pixel 4 ("flame") defaults to 60Hz. I think the current takeaway here is that Google did indeed turn on 90Hz more often for both phones, but it must still be worried about the Pixel 4 battery life experience and has continued to limit it. I can understand why they did that, it just stinks that one of the most meaningful features of the phone isn't just on all of the time. We'll update this post as we learn more.

Nokia 6.2 Arrives on Amazon for $249, Three Rear Cameras and Guaranteed Updates

Tim — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 13:35:39 +0000

Nokia has a new phone up on Amazon this week, the Nokia 6.2. The device is mid-range by definition, but like past Nokia devices, don't let its spec sheet fool you with regard to its value. The device features a 6.3" FHD+ display with HDR, Snapdragon 636 processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage (with support for expandable storage), three rear-facing cameras (16MP main + 5 MP depth + 8MP ultra-wide lenses), rear fingerprint reader 3,500mAh battery, and Android Pie. At its sub-$300 price, there are a couple of these specs I wouldn't mind having on my $900 Pixel 4 XL. Nokia is also throwing in a timed Google One 100GB cloud storage account for buyers. When it comes to purchasing less expensive phones, a buyer must consider software support. For newer Nokia phones, including the Nokia 6.2, they come with guaranteed update support. Specifically, the phone will receive monthly security updates for three years and OS updates for two years. The Nokia 6.2 is available today on Amazon, priced at only $249.

Amazon Link

// Nokia

Verizon Galaxy S10, Note 10 Families Updated With November Patch and Fingerprint Recognition Fix

Tim — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 11:19:53 +0000

Verizon began shipping out the November patch to select Samsung devices over the weekend, but this morning, we have confirmation from the carrier's support pages that it's rolling out to both the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10 family of devices. Here are the latest software version numbers.

Galaxy S10: G973USQS2BSIV
Galaxy S10+: G975USQS2BSIV
Galaxy S10e: G970USQS2BSIV
Galaxy Note 10: N970USQS2ASJ8
Galaxy Note 10+: N976VVRS2ASJ8
Galaxy Note 10+ 5G: N975USQS2ASJ8

In addition to the November patch, Verizon also lists for each device that this update includes a fix for fingerprint recognition. This stems from the issue that was discovered when using certain screen protectors on the device, making the fingerprint reader not secure. Go get that update, Samsung owners.

Essential Phone, November 2019 Android Update

Kellen — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 11:16:28 +0000

Another one. https://twitter.com/essential/status/1191431100268269569

It Could be RIP for the Original Pixel and Pixel XL (Updated: One More Update!)

Tim — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 10:16:42 +0000

The end of the line has been reached for the first-generation Google Pixel and Pixel XL. By this we mean, no more security updates. Google released the November, 2019 Android security patch for a number of devices this morning, but the OG Pixel doesn't appear to be getting one. This move aligns with Google's support page that lists October, 2019 as the end of guaranteed security updates for both devices. In addition, October, 2019 also marks the end of guaranteed telephone and online support for the device. While a few OG Pixel owners may remain, we'd recommend you start looking for an upgrade. For having lasted this long, you definitely deserve it.

UPDATE 11/5: There will be one final update in December!

November 2019 Android Security Update Now Available for Pixel Devices

Kellen — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 10:12:41 +0000

Hello, November and hello, Monday, it's time for the regularly scheduled monthly Android security update. We've got a new Android 10 update for the Pixel 2, Pixel 3, Pixel 3a, and Pixel 4, where both factory image and over-the-air (OTA) files are available. Currently, we are seeing new 10.0.0 files for Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL (QD1A.190821.007.A3, QD1A.190821.014, QD1A.190821.014.C2), Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL (QP1A.191105.003), Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL (QP1A.191105.003), and Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL (QP1A.191105.004). Google didn't specify the difference between Pixel 4 builds, but Verizon has posted that QD1A.190821.014.C2 is for its versions. There are no images yet for the original Pixel and Pixel XL, which were supposed to be cut off last month.

November 2019 Android Update Functional Patches

[table responsive=scroll id=185 /] You will find each image or OTA file at the links below. For instructions on how to flash a factory image, here you go. For instructions on how to flash an OTA .zip file, here you go. To check for the update, head into Settings>System>Advanced>System update. Links:

OnePlus 6 and 6T Getting Android 10 Updates and That's Good Times

Kellen — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 09:13:57 +0000

Android 10 time for OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T.

OnePlus' phones from last year are now getting stable Android 10 updates after seeing a handful of beta builds. Since most 2019 phones still don't have Android 10, well, this is the stuff we like to see. In the update, OnePlus 6 and 6T users will get updated UI elements throughout, improved location permission controls, a new customization area over colors and icons and theme, Google's Android 10 gestures system, and a more contextual Ambient Display, though it's still not always-on for some reason. The update began rolling out on Saturday and is slowly arriving on phones. If you don't see it today, give it another day or two. To check, head into Settings>System>System updates. Want a good overview of Android 10 from OnePlus? Our OnePlus 7T video below is a great place to start: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYIfrnZlFg8 // OnePlus

Cookie Monster Voice Returns to Waze to Help You Navigate

Tim — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 08:38:37 +0000

Back by popular demand, Cookie Monster is an option yet again inside of the Waze app. This decision was made not only because Waze is cool, but because November 2 happened to be Cookie Monster's birthday and Waze is partnering with Sesame Street to celebrate their 50th anniversary. If you've been using Waze but don't play around with the voices, you've been missing out. There are numerous videos on YouTube of people having fun with their Cookie Monster navigation voice. To get Cookie Monster's voice inside of Waze, simply open the app and click the magnifying glass, tap settings, and then choose “voice and sound.” From that menu, tap “Waze Voice” and choose Cookie Monster. Enjoy the cookies. // Waze

Google Play Points Program Arrives in US, Letting You Earn Points to Use on Digital Content

Kellen — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 08:22:24 +0000

Just over a year ago, Google introduced the Google Play Points program to help users earn points from purchases of digital content that could then be used for more content, including Google Play Credit. At launch, it was only available in Japan and Korea, but today, is going live in the US. To freely sign-up, you'll swipe out the side menu in Google Play and look for the "Play Points" option. Once that option is available, you'll then be able to start earning points when you purchase items. Google says that you can earn points when you buy in-app items, apps, games, movies, books, subscriptions, and more. During special events, you may see up to 4x the points too, plus there are bonus points available from featured apps and games. Once you have accumulated points, you can use those towards discounts or special items or you can redeem them for Google Play credit to be used on almost anything (movies, books, games, apps, etc.). There is a tier system here (Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum), where you can earn more points per $1 spent. To start, you'll earn 1 point for every $1. As a one-time bonus, Google is handing out 3x moire points for the first seven days. As you earn points within a calendar year, that's how you level up to new tiers.

Bronze: 1 point per $1
- Up to 4x points in games during weekly events
- Up to 2x points on movie rentals and books during monthly events
Silver: 1.1 point per $1
- Up to 4x points in games during weekly events
- Up to 3x points on movie rentals and books during monthly events
- Weekly Silver level prize up to 50 pts
Gold: 1.2 point per $1
- Up to 4x points in games during weekly events
- Up to 4x points on movie rentals and books during monthly events
- Weekly Gold level prize up to 200 pts
Platinum: 1.4 point per $1
- Up to 4x points in games during weekly events Up to 5x points on movie rentals and books during monthly events Weekly Platinum level prize up to 500 pts Premium support from experienced agents

Anyone seeing the option in Google Play? (Google says it's rolling out over the next week.) Learn more about Google Play Points.

Google's New Nest WiFi Arrives in Stores Today

Kellen — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 07:43:07 +0000

Ready to upgrade your aging Google WiFi or finally dive into the world of mesh home WiFi systems? Nest WiFi is now available. The new Nest WiFi, which features an AC2200 router that can be combined with old Google WiFi units or new Nest WiFi Points, helps you cover every inch of your home with mostly fast WiFi. The router itself has been upgraded with faster speeds, while the new WiFi point is similar to the old Google Wifi only now it has a Google Nest Mini built-in. So not only can you expand your network, if you don't have Google Home Minis in every room, this will help you do that. The Nest WiFi Router starts at $169 and comes in white ("Snow"). The Nest WiFi Point comes in 3 different colors (Snow, Mist, and Sand) and starts at $149. If you bundle the two, you'll save money, like a 2-pack that includes both router and point for $269. A number of stores have the new Nest WiFi today and we've got links below.

Shop Nest WiFi:

DEAL: Pixel 3a is $100 Off Through Google Fi ($299), Pixel 3a XL is $120 Off ($359)

Tim — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 16:03:02 +0000

Should you not need the absolute latest phone from Google, might we suggest you check out Google's mid-range Pixel 3a lineup? They're quite good, we assure you.

Pixel 3a Review: Tough to Beat for the Price

For a limited time via Google Fi, when you purchase and activate a Pixel 3a, you'll save $100 off the usual retail price of $399, bringing the phone's price down to $299. The Pixel 3a XL is listed as $120 off, bringing the total cost when you activate the device down to $359. This is a good deal for a really good phone.

Google Fi Link

DEAL: Pixel 3 is $350 Off at B&H Photo, Pixel 3 XL $320 Off

Kellen — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 13:11:43 +0000

The Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are starting to sellout at places like the Google Store and I doubt we'll see a restock. So if you don't want to shell out the $800 minimum price for the Pixel 4 (review), yet still want in the Pixel arena, you'll need to hurry to places like B&H Photo who have last year's Pixel phones up to $350 off. Currently, B&H Photo has the regular Pixel 3 in Just Black with 64GB storage dropped by $350 to $449. The white version of the same phone is $330 off, down to $469. The Pixel 3 XL in both white or black and 64GB storage are $320 off, dropping them to $579.` Best Buy, for comparison's sake, only has $300 discounts on the Pixel 3 and 3 XL unless you activate with them. An activation will drop them there by $350. These are US unlocked units that work on all major US carriers. Shop Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL at B&H Photo

Motorola's Foldable Razr Spotted in China

Tim — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 11:11:02 +0000

When it comes to leaks, when it rains it pours. According to a user on Weibo, who is apparently a very sneaky photographer, someone in China is walking around with the new foldable Razr device from Motorola.

As you might already know, we got a few leaked press renders of the device from @evleaks this week. This new photo aligns with those images perfectly, and quite honestly, this is looking like a very slick device. Motorola is planning to unveil this device on November 13. Are you hyped? // Weibo | Android Police

Buying Fitbit Probably Means Google Will Finally Make a Smartwatch

Kellen — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 09:25:28 +0000

The future of hardware between Fitbit and Google, should they join now that Google has attempted to acquire the wearable maker, is mostly a mystery. I think we're assuming there will be new Fitbit products down the road, but we also now believe Google will make their own smartwatch of some sort. In a secondary announcement related to today's big Fitbit acquisition news, Google says that they are "looking forward to collaborating with Fitbit to bring the best of our smartwatch platforms and health applications together." I'm not sure there is any other way to look at that than to believe that Google will finally build its own smartwatch. I mean, why would you buy a wearables maker for billions of dollars if you don't plan to have them help you build wearables? That would be like buying Nest and then never making another smart home product. That would be foolish. If Google completes this purchase of Fitbit, it should make a smartwatch. Now, is it too late for Google in the smartwatch game? I don't necessarily think so. OnePlus showed up to the smartphone game incredibly late and has been able to break through. You can make moves in a competitive industry, you just need the right product and the right message. Knowing that the wearable industry is growing, I do think Google can still make something happen, they just shouldn't wait much longer. They also mentioned today that they are working on the "next evolution of Wear OS," so there is an investment there. They bought a tech from Fossil recently too, which suggests they have some sort of plan for Wear OS. And now with Fitbit, pieces are lining up for Google to get serious about this industry for the first time in years. Is Fitbit the company that will help them do that, build a successful smartwatch? That's a great question because Fitbit doesn't actually make excellent smartwatches. They make decent "smart" watches and solid fitness trackers, though they haven't exactly been killing it in recent quarters as people have cooled on the brand. And maybe that's because people are turning to real smartwatches for all wearable needs, like the watches from Apple and Samsung. All I know is that Google better do something soon. Wear OS is never going to be a success if your only partner is Fossil and a couple of other luxury fashion brands. Two mega-companies are winning the smartwatch battle at the moment. There's no reason Google can't be there right alongside them.

Pixel 4's Recorder App Coming to Older Pixel Devices

Tim — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 08:54:00 +0000

An official Google account on reddit has confirmed to Pixel owners that the new Recorder app, the one found on the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, is coming to older Pixel devices. Google didn't specifically say which Pixel models will get it, or when they will receive the update that contains it, but it's coming and that's all that matters. Here's what they said on reddit.

Thanks for expressing interest in the Recorder app. We plan to roll it out to older Pixel devices in a future software update.

If you missed it, this new Recorder app is pretty sweet. Happening all on-device, the Recorder app offers real-time transcriptions, word search inside of audio files, and more. It was one of Google's better demos from this year's hardware events. We'll let you know when it's rolling out. It's weird they mention a software update when it's all just an app that we assume could be downloaded from Google Play, but that's Google, so mysterious. // Android Police | reddit

Google is Acquiring Fitbit for $2.1 Billion, Will Still Invest in Wear OS

Kellen — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 06:34:42 +0000

The rumors were true - Google is buying Fitbit.

This morning, Google and Fitbit announced that Google has entered into an agreement to buy the fitness and health wearable maker for $2.1 billion. They expect the transaction to close in 2020 following closing conditions and regulatory approvals. What the hell does all of this mean? We'll have more in a bit, but for now, Fitbit has said that strong privacy and security guidelines will not change. They will continue to put users in control of their own data as the company remains transparent about how that data is collected and why. Google echoed that, saying that they "will be transparent about the data we collect and why," and that they "will never sell personal information to anyone." They promise not to use Fitbit health and wellness data for Google ads. They'll also let Fitbit users choose to review, move, or delete their data.

RELATED: Google will probably (finally) build a smartwatch with Fitbit

As far as wearables go, Google says that this will only further their investment in Wear OS, their smartwatches platform. The investment part is news to us, since Google doesn't even seem to think Wear OS is important enough for a time slot at its own developer conference, but that's at least good to hear. They even penned a special blog post to say that they are "hard at work on the next evolution of Wear OS" and that working with Fitbit will help "bring the best of [their] smartwatch platforms and health applications together." Fitbit is going to be a part of Google, y'all. // Fitbit | Google [2]

Apex Legends for Mobile is Coming, But Not for a Really Long Time

Tim — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 15:54:54 +0000

We learned back in May of this year that Apex Legends is coming to mobile, though, no timeframe was provided at that time by EA. Whether you take the following info as good or bad news, we now have somewhat of an idea as to when the game will come, and unfortunately for fans of the title, it's not anytime soon. According to EA executive Andrew Wilson, the mobile version of Apex Legends will be available in the 2021 fiscal year, which begins on October 1, 2020. So, if what Wilson is saying holds true, and we get it as soon as fiscal year 2021 begins, we have basically another year to go. Will it arrive at the very beginning of fiscal 2021? Who knows, but probably not. Woof. Can Apex Legends maintain its popularity that long? I suppose we shall see, but even as a huge fan of the game, I've already moved onto Modern Warfare. By the time October, 2020 rolls around, we'll be weeks from the next Call of Duty and plenty of other titles that are sure to come. This is gonna be a rough wait. // Dexerto

DEAL: Samsung Offering Up to $600 Off Galaxy Note 10 Again With Trades

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 15:33:04 +0000

With the topic of the day being "What phone should you buy instead of the Pixel 4?" and one of our suggestions being the Galaxy Note 10 series, here's the latest on Note 10 deals. Samsung is offering up to $600 off with select trades, though the chances of you getting $450-off are much more likely. Here's the deal. If you trade-in a Galaxy S10+ or iPhone XS Max, you'll get an immediate $600 off a Galaxy Note 10 or Note 10+ today with the understanding that you'll trade your phone in once your new Note arrives. Don't have a Galaxy S10+ to trade-in? Samsung is offering $450 off for the S10, S10e, Note 9, Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL, and a variety of iPhones. They'll also give you $350 off for the Galaxy S9 and a bunch of other phones. To show you why those are good values, know that Google is only giving up to $295 for the Pixel 3 XL when you trade it in for the Pixel 4. They also don't give you that discount immediately and instead make you wait for the credit down the road. Samsung's trade-in program is the best and these values are some of the highest since Note 10 launch. Shop Galaxy Note 10, Note 10+

Much Better Motorola Razr Renders Have Arrived

Tim — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 13:09:55 +0000

Earlier today, we got a pretty pixelated look at the upcoming Razr foldable phone from Motorola. Thanks to @evleaks, we're getting yet another look, but this time, in high resolution. On the front of the device, while it's closed, we can see a small display that can preview notifications and a clock, as well as your battery level, and cell signal. We aren't sure how much interaction users will have with this part of the phone besides looking at it. The inside appears to be nothing but display, though. Big and glorious, it's reported to measure in at 6.2". Just like the original Razr of long ago, when closed, it's completely flush -- unlike another foldable we've seen this year. Thoughts?

Closed

Open

Side Closed

Side Open // @evleaks

If Not the Pixel 4, Then What?

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 11:30:49 +0000

These past few weeks since the full and official reveal of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL have been weird around here. For several years, whenever Google announces new phones, we tend to get, to put it plainly, excited. We like Google's cameras now, enjoy the playful styling of Pixel phone design, and most importantly, prefer their version of Android. The new Pixel phones are almost always the phones we fall back to when not reviewing another phone and often consider them in our "Phone of the Year" rankings. But with this year's Pixel 4 line, we've found ourselves hesitating to tell you to run out and buy either. Our Pixel 4 review should not have left you considering a purchase of the phone. Our Pixel 4 XL review, which dropped this morning, wasn't much better, though it is the preferred of the two. And because of that, a number of you have asked an important question - if you shouldn't buy the Pixel 4, what should you buy? As it turns out, I had to make this decision just last week. You see, my wife had an original blue Pixel and then switched to a black Pixel 2 the minute it came out. She passed on the Pixel 3 because she gets frustrated setting up new phones and was still mostly satisfied with the 2. But as the Pixel 4 launch approached, battery life on that Pixel 2 began to diminish and it became clear that she needed something new. I told her about the Pixel 4 and that it was coming in a coral-ish orange color. She was sold. We pre-ordered one for her the minute pre-orders opened. But then as my testing of the regular Pixel 4 progressed and our review dropped, I told her that this wasn't going to be a phone she wanted. Battery life concerns were the biggest issue, because of her battery life issue with the Pixel 2, but the other issues (like not-really-on-90Hz, not-really-useful Motion Sense, lack of storage, lack of fingerprint reader, and no more original quality photo backups) really made it a phone to pass on for her. I then I had to decide which phones she might like. I presented her with two: the OnePlus 7T and the Galaxy Note 10.

OnePlus 7T

I initially tried to sell her on the OnePlus 7T (review) because it had a very similar software experience to her Pixel phones. On top of that software experience I knew she would be familiar with, I told her about the added camera flexibility over Pixel phones (7T has standard, wide, and telephoto lenses), awesome battery life, a real 90Hz display, plenty of software updates, fingerprint reader, and good performance. I also told her that if I wasn't using a Pixel phone, the 7T would probably be the phone for me. She passed on it, I think because of the size and wasn't a fan of the blue or grey colors.

Shop OnePlus 7T

Galaxy Note 10

Because this is the only other phone listed here, yes, she chose the Galaxy Note 10. When I grabbed the Galaxy Note 10 and handed it to her, she was surprisingly excited immediately. She was worried about using the software, knowing that it was different, but I assured her that Samsung's software no longer stinks and is actually quite good. (I also set it up with Nova and tried to Pixel-ize it as much as possible.) From there, after she realized the size of it wasn't that much different form her Pixel 2 (Hello, zero bezel design!), we talked camera. You see, my wife is in the natural and organic beauty industry where she is quite active on Instagram and Facebook, sharing stories, taking pictures and video, and doing that whole social media song-and-dance I suck at. With the Note 10's camera, she was super excited about the Live Focus video, with blurring of the background in real-time, like you get in portrait shots. She's already had someone ask how her recent Instagram videos look so good (it was Live Focus). The integration of Instagram in the camera app is another perk, plus she keeps telling me about camera modes she's finding that she apparently didn't have on her Pixel. But the feature that sealed the deal was the S Pen and her ability to take semi-remote shots of herself or products. It's basically the king feature for 1-person media operations. Over the past week, she's had great battery life too. She also told me how impressed she was by the phone auto-connecting to her car without any setup, which I didn't know was a thing. I feel like such a newb. She has complained a few times about the Note 10's obnoxious curved display, saying that it often doesn't recognize edge swipes or does things over there she doesn't want it to. She's complained about Gboard not working the same as it did on her Pixel too. Overall, though, she's pretty damn happy with the Galaxy Note 10.

Shop Galaxy Note 10

What about you?

If you were planning to buy the Pixel 4 or Pixel 4 XL, but have since been turned off and are looking elsewhere, these are probably the two phones I'd suggest you consider. The OnePlus 7T (or the 7 Pro which is discounted right now) will give you the closest experience to the Pixel line, only you'll get a lot more for your money. You could argue that regular camera stills aren't quite as good as Google's, but the added flexibility of the other lenses is a bonus. Also, the macro mode on the 7T is super fun. With Samsung, if you are hesitating because of memories of their old, sh*tty software, consider giving them another try. I actually kind of like Samsung's One UI, but on top of that, Samsung kills it in the camera feature game. The Note 10 line (maybe even the regular S10 line too) is a fantastic set of phones that might surprise you.

This is Likely Our First Look at the Foldable Moto Razr

Tim — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 09:08:18 +0000

Thanks to @evleaks, we might be getting one of our best looks yet at Motorola's upcoming foldable Razr phone. Considering I grew up when the Razr was the bee's knees in terms of phone popularity, I'm here for this. From the photo, we can see there does not appear to be any physical keys on the inside of the device, instead a reflective surface is showing a mirror of the top portion. That makes sense for a foldable Android phone. On the outside, we see there may be a dedicated home button/fingerprint reader area, plus a camera on the top half facing the outside.

On top of @evleaks photo, who has a notable and lengthy history of posting legit images, the website Mobielkopen also posted a handful of supposed Razr images (shown above), that look very much like the same device. In these images, we get to see the outside a bit more, but there's no telling if they're authentic.

In addition to a photo of the device itself, @evleaks also gave us a look at the "razr" logo that Motorola is likely to use along with the phone. The timing for all of this aligns with the fact that we're assuming Motorola will showcase the the device to the public on November 13. In invites sent to select influencers, Motorola says it will show off "an original unlike any other." We're getting close, people! Fingers crossed it doesn't cost $2,000! // @evleaks | Mobielkopen

Verizon Updates Its Samsung Phones With October Patch, S10 Line Gets New Features

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 08:41:49 +0000

If you happen to own a Samsung phone from the past three years, there's a good chance it is receiving an update this week from Verizon. The entire Galaxy S10, Note 10, and S8 lines are all seeing new updates, with the S10 phones getting more than just a security patch. The Galaxy S10, S10+, S10+ 5G, and S10e are all getting new camera modes as a part of this month's update, as well as DeX updates. All of the S10 phones will now be able to access AR Doodle (it's just doodling on or around items in the camera), night mode for selfies, live focus video (that beautiful bokeh in videos), "Super Steady Video Stabilization," and a new Video Editor. Additionally, each phone gets the option to access DeX on Mac and PC devices through downloaded DeX apps. This is a feature that first arrived on the Galaxy Note 10 line at launch. On a somewhat related note, S10 users can take advantage of Link to Windows, a feature that allows you to send/receive SMS, sync photos, and view content on Windows computers. Finally, Game Booster is here to improve your gaming experience. All of the new software builds for each phone are:

Galaxy S10: G973USQU2BSIO
Galaxy S10+: G975USQU2BSIO
Galaxy S10+ 5G: G977UVRS2ASI4
Galaxy S10e: G970USQU2BSIO
Galaxy Note 10: N970USQU1ASJ2
Galaxy Note 10+: N975USQU1ASJ2
Galaxy Note 10+ 5G: N976VVRU1ASJ2
Galaxy S8: G950USQS6DSJ1
Galaxy S8+: G955USQS6DSJ1
LG V50 Thinq: G450VM10h

To check for updates, you'll head in to settings and look for the System Updates section.

Pixel 4 XL Review: This Isn't an $899 Phone

Tim — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 08:14:00 +0000

We have already posted up our Pixel 4 review, but like last year, we're back to give you our Pixel 4 XL thoughts in a separate post. While the devices are very, very similar, there are a few notable differences, such as the battery life you should expect, the displays being from different manufacturers, and the price is obviously higher for the XL model. Instead of clumping everything into a single post, we decided its best to spread it out for easier consumption by you, the reader. Let's dive into the Pixel 4 XL, shall we?

Pixel 4 XL Mini Review

Why mini and not full review? Because there really are only a couple of specific differences to look at between the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. If you want to know about the software experience, the camera capabilities, availability, performance, and specs, you will find those details in our Pixel 4 review. For this 4 XL review, let's talk about its display, battery life, and if the price is right.

Display

We discovered shortly after launch of these devices that the smaller Pixel 4's 5.7" display is made by LG, while the Pixel 4 XL has a 6.3" display made by Samsung. From our own experience, it appears that the Pixel 4 XL can get a bit brighter when cranked to the max brightness level, while we'd describe the Pixel 4’s display as a bit warmer than the XL's. Thankfully, inside the settings menu, there are loads of different toggles to tune the display how you see fit. Personally, I go with the Adaptive option, which I believe is the default option out of the box. Unlike Samsung Galaxy phone displays that can come off as a bit oversaturated to my eye, I enjoy looking at how Google tuned the display of the Pixel 4 XL. The colors seem just right to me, and while I wouldn't mind having it get a bit brighter when in direct light, I really appreciate how dark it can get when I'm laying in bed at night scrolling through Twitter or watching a video. Some phones don't get nearly dark enough, but the 4 XL gets very dark when the brightness is cranked down. We also can't talk about the Pixel 4 displays without discussing the mess that is Smooth Display (90Hz refresh rate capability). As you may be aware, Google's Smooth Display feature is automatically disabled whenever the screen's brightness is below 75%. Google acknowledged this and has stated that it will eventually ship out an update that will allow for Smooth Display to work with additional screen brightness settings. The thing is, Google appears to have the only phone that is this strict when it comes to displaying content at 90Hz. Other phones, like the ROG Phone 2 and OnePlus 7 Pro, are more liberal in terms of when the display runs at a higher refresh rate. This move was likely made by Google to help preserve battery life, but if you're going to limit a marquee feature so much, why even include it in the first place? Thankfully, users are in control of whether or not to "Force 90Hz" via the developer settings for the device, but your average Android consumer likely won't know to look in there for such a setting or even how to access that menu in the first place.

Because Google has already admitted that they were planning on sending out an update to allow for the higher refresh rate to run at different screen brightness levels, it's as if Smooth Display wasn't something Google was 100% committed to shipping or the feature needed more testing for Google to fine tune when it would automatically enable itself.

Battery

While Pixel 4 XL's 3700mAh battery hasn't blown me away, it's certainly better than what we found on the smaller 2800mAh battery of the Pixel 4. For my week of usage, I have had Force 90Hz enabled, Adaptive brightness disabled, and Ambient EQ disabled. I also noticed that in the early going with the device, I was overly aware of how I was using my device, ensuring that I wouldn't find myself attached to a wall outlet around 7PM like Kellen found himself with the Pixel 4. After a few days, I started using my phone completely normally and my battery life tells the story of a phone that is nothing but average in this department. In my typical day, I pull the phone off its charger at 7-7:30AM, then plug back in around 10-11PM. I was going to bed with under 15% battery left quite a few days, which isn't exactly normal coming from the OnePlus 7 Pro and Galaxy Note 10+ before this phone. Obviously, those phones have larger batteries, so this outcome was to be expected.

The issue I foresee is, people have much different lives than me. Unless you also work from home and hardly leave the house, I could easily see even the XL's battery life causing you problems. In 2019, no one should have to worry too much about their battery life, which is why I haven't had an issue recommending people pick up the aforementioned phones from OnePlus and Samsung. These new Pixel phones, though, do take some tinkering in the settings menu to ensure you're conserving juice, while also getting the performance out of the phone that is expected.

Price

I'll come right out and say it, the Pixel 4 XL is not worth its starting price of $899. Based on specs alone, this phone should be about $650 in my opinion. When you combine the fact that Google took away the fingerprint reader, Motion Sense is valueless because swiping through music tracks with hand gestures isn't something people should have to pay for, the 90Hz refresh rate is hardly utilized unless forced on by developer settings, the entry level storage is a mere 64GB, and the battery life is painfully average, there are much better options currently on the market. Just for example, the OnePlus 7 Pro starts at $649 currently and comes with 8GB RAM + 256GB storage. At the top of the price mountain you have Galaxy Note 10 phones, with the Note 10+ starting at $1099, equipped with 12GB RAM and 256GB base storage. Point being, based on specs alone, there's no way the Pixel 4 XL should cost $899. We also have to factor in that while still photography is great on the Pixel 4 lineup, video taking has not improved from the Pixel 3 and 4K at 60 fps is still unavailable. Oh, and the phone only has 6GB RAM, there is no dedicated wide angle lens, Google stripped unlimited photo backup storage for original quality shots, and even in shipping a 64GB storage option Google didn't include support for expandable storage. Is that everything? I think that's everything. There is hope, though. Obviously, Google can't add storage to the device via a software update, but things that can be improved upon via a software update include Motion Sense, Smooth Display, and maybe even 4K video recording at 60 fps. Google has mentioned they didn't include 4K@60fps due to storage restrictions, but that's sorta my point in why this phone is disappointing at this price. If you just have to have a Pixel phone, your best bet at scoring one is waiting for the holiday sales to come around, which they always do. That's one of the only pros for having Google launch its devices so late in the calendar year.

Sticking With Pixel

Even with the negatives I've brought up in this mini review, don't go away thinking I'm still not a big time fan of this device and Pixel phones in general. For me, Google's approach to software and hardware is what I personally like, but I'm still going to be the first person to tell you that this phone is overpriced for what it offers as a package. With its 6GB RAM, albeit underpowered, the device's performance is fine enough, the camera takes excellent photos (I don't video a lot of things), and the size is just right for me. The software has offered just the right amount of customization I need in the new Themes section in the settings menu, plus the fact that I'll still be receiving updates as soon as they're available straight from Google is something I value as a lover of the Android OS. Really, this phone will test what Pixel fans truly value. If all you care about is photography with your smartphone, it's a great phone. But if you need a multitasking phone with all-day battery life and the flexibility to handle hardcore gaming, I'd look elsewhere.

Other Notes

Girlfriend Impressions: "I like that the back of the phone doesn't feel too slippery, it's easy to hold with one hand. I'm a fan of the fingerprint reader and I'm sad that it doesn't exist on this phone. Great display size, but I'm curious why they didn't do a fancy notch and went with this massive top bezel. Feels great in hand and I'm a big fan of the white, black, and orange colors."

The Verdict

The funniest part of all of this is, I can sit here and tell you how Google royally screwed this device up, but I still love it. The Pixel phone experience is the experience I prefer on smartphones, since all of the Google services that I require work like a charm. What Google did right on the phone they did very well, which for me includes Face Unlock and the overall hardware experience. Am I disappointed it only has 64GB storage, 6GB RAM, no wide angle lens, and no fingerprint reader? You better believe it, but it still offers everything I need in a phone, which I suppose is average battery life and fantastic still photography. If you need your phone for anything besides that, though, you're best looking elsewhere in 2019. Again, for a complete breakdown of the Pixel 4's camera features and other important details, please read our full-length Pixel 4 review.

Samsung One UI 2 Gets an Official Reveal With Smarter Dark Mode

Kellen — Wed, 30 Oct 2019 14:05:59 +0000

Samsung's One UI 2 was given an official reveal yesterday at Samsung's Developer Conference. During that reveal, Samsung told us what's new and whether or not there are new goods to get excited about. For the most part it'll be a familiar One UI experience, but there are certainly new items to talk about. With One UI 2, Samsung tried to clean up UI elements from last year by tightening things up, like in notifications, where they take up less space overall. Even incoming call pop-ups or volume sliders are smaller and without text, so that interruptions are less hostile. The roundness to everything in the UI has been improved too. Additionally, Dark Mode is now smarter, Samsung says. They didn't exactly say what that means, only that there is an "enhanced" Dark Mode that softens the display and makes sure your eyes are comfortable at all times. I think what they mean is that they darkened more apps.

Some other things of note:

There are now "vivid moving icons" for your apps. Think animated app icons, depending on the app, but probably mostly just for Samsung system apps.
There are more digital wellbeing or digital wellness settings to show your usage, help you manage screen time, etc.
And that's mostly it...

Did anyone get in the beta? We tried and failed. // Samsung

AT&T has 3 New Unlimited Plans for You to Check Out (Updated)

Kellen — Wed, 30 Oct 2019 11:07:41 +0000

AT&T introduced three new unlimited data plans today called Unlimited Starter, Unlimited Extra, and Unlimited Elite. They'll replace the confusingly-named "Unlimited &" line that has been available for over a year. We don't have the full details on these yet, because two launch on Sunday, November 3, while the third won't be here for a few more weeks. We still know some basics, though, and those are:

AT&T Unlimited Starter

$65 for a single line; $35 per line for 4 lines
Unlimited talk, text, and data in the US, Mexico, and Canada
Data at normal speeds, but subject to data prioritization at times of congestion

AT&T Unlimited Extra

$75 for a single line; $45 per line for 4 lines
Unlimited talk, text, and data in the US, Mexico, and Canada
Fastest AT&T speeds up to 50GB of data per line
15GB mobile hotspot per line

AT&T Unlimited Elite

$85 for a single line; $50 per line for 4 lines
Unlimited talk, text, and data in the US, Mexico, and Canada
Fastest AT&T speeds up to 100GB of data per line
30GB mobile hotspot per line
Includes HBO (and HBO Max in May) for life of the plan
Stream video in HD

Unlimited Start and Extra launch on November 3; AT&T Unlimited Elite launches in the "coming weeks." We're trying to find out a couple of things still, like how fast hotspot speeds are, if those data limits are per account or per line, and what the speeds are like for the Starter plan. Should we hear back from AT&T, we'll update this post.

UPDATE: Added additional info on per line data and speeds for Starter plan. Also, hotspot speeds are full speeds.

// AT&T

Xbox Console Streaming Preview Available for Android This Week

Tim — Wed, 30 Oct 2019 10:29:51 +0000

Select users in Xbox's testing circles can trial Console Streaming as of this week, which is the ability to wirelessly stream owned Xbox titles on your Xbox or Game Pass titles directly to your Android device. To put it even more simply, any game that is currently installed on your Xbox One, can now be streamed to your Android smartphone or tablet. Sweet, right? This feature in testing goes hand in hand with Microsoft's previous testing of xCloud, which are games streamed from the cloud right to your phone, similar to NVIDIA's GeForce NOW. Alpha testers and Xbox Insiders can get in on the action this week, but if you aren't an insider, you can learn about signing up right here. If you're already signed up, all you'll need is the Xbox Game Streaming app. Download for that is below. For all details on how this works, look here. Happy testing, Xbox One gamers.

Google Play Link

// Xbox

OnePlus Just Dropped OnePlus 7 Pro to $649, $50 Off

Kellen — Wed, 30 Oct 2019 10:02:26 +0000

To further pull your attention away from the poor battery life of the Pixel 4 and its sometimes-on-90Hz-display, OnePlus has dropped the price of the OnePlus 7 Pro and its always-on-90Hz-display by $50. So now, you can get into OnePlus' highest-end phone for $649. At $649, you have color options of Almond, Mirror Gray, and Nebula Blue. Those phones come with 8GB RAM and 256GB of storage. That's a good price! While still $50 higher than the newly released OnePlus 7T (review), you do get double the storage, a slightly bigger screen with a higher resolution, and that sweet pop-up selfie camera. While it lacks the Snapdragon 855+ (it still has the 855) and macro camera, it matches the 7T in all other ways, plus it has a curved display for those who love curved things. For more on our OnePlus 7 Pro thoughts, our review is a good place to go. Shop OnePlus 7 Pro Cheers Dan!

SiriusXM Access Comes to Google Assistant, Nest Home Speakers

Tim — Wed, 30 Oct 2019 08:44:09 +0000

Google announces SiriusXM integration with Google Assistant this morning, with subscribers now able to access their favorite channels via Nest Home speakers and displays. In addition, Google also detailed that it's bringing curated video content from the company to Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max units later this year. According to the press release, "As a subscriber, you’ll get access to exclusive in-studio performances, interviews and more. Eligible customers can get a 3-month free trial subscription for SiriusXM with any purchase of a Google Nest speaker or Smart Display when you set up your device on the Google Home App." Google took this occasion to remind folks that accessing radio stations is easy for Google Assistant. You can try the following commands to find the radio content that best suits you. How to Access

Ask for your favorite station by its channel name or frequency—say something like, “Hey Google, play KGMZ” or “play 95.7.”.
Find the local NPR station by saying “Hey Google, play NPR” or even tune into international stations such as BBC Radio with the Assistant.
The Assistant remembers your most recent station. Just say “Hey Google, turn on the radio” to drop back into the stream.
When you're in the car, you can access the Assistant from your driving directions in Google Maps. Just say "Hey Google ..." and ask for your favorite station, so that you don't have to take your eyes off the road.
Your favorite radio station will automatically play when you add it to your “good morning” or “I’m home” Routine, which allows you to get multiple things done with a single command from the Assistant. They’re easy to set up.

Baba Booey, Baba Booey! // SiriusM

TAG Heuer Appears to be Making Another New Smartwatch

Kellen — Wed, 30 Oct 2019 08:30:03 +0000

TAG Heuer might be coming back for another round in the Wear OS game, according to a new FCC filing. After releasing a number of Wear OS watches under the Connected family dating back to 2015, another new watch is on the way. We don't know the name or specs just yet, but the "smartwatch" was tested for Bluetooth, WiFi, and NFC. We're assuming it has a touchscreen too, since you head into Settings>System>Regulatory Information to see the FCC label. That's how you would access that same info on a Wear OS watch. The model number here is SBG8A, which is similar to previous Connected watches that had model numbers of SBF8A or SBF81. Assuming this is Wear OS, we should see a Snapdragon Wear 3100 inside, hopefully 1GB RAM and the rest of the specs that accompanied the Fossil Gen 5. If that's the case, it should be a just-fine smartwatch, only it'll cost too much. We'll let you know should it go official.

// FCC

Samsung Unveils Another Smart Speaker That May Never Launch

Tim — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 14:14:57 +0000

Today at SDC, Samsung showcased the Galaxy Home Mini, a smaller version of its Galaxy Home. The unveiling of this product has lead me to believe that instead of actually ever releasing one of these products, Samsung should instead simply announce a new speaker each year, but then never release it -- like a really funny ongoing joke. You can have that idea for free, Samsung. If you weren't aware, the showcasing of the Galaxy Home Mini is funny because the larger Galaxy Home was first revealed over a year ago. Since then, we've been waiting for Samsung to release it and every time Samsung hosts a hardware event, we keep thinking that the company will announce availability for it. They have yet to do that. Now we're onto the Mini version and have yet to experience the larger version. Good job, Samsung!

According to SamMobile, who got up close and personal with the device at SDC, Samsung has yet to provide any information concerning it. We don't have availability, specs, or pricing. All we know is that Bixby doesn't seem like a great thing to base a smart speaker on, but because we're so invested into Google Assistant and Google's ecosystem (just like most Samsung device owners are because Galaxy phones run Android and feature Google Assistant), we're probably a bit biased. If Samsung announces the Galaxy Home Max next year without releasing these first speakers, I will officially lose it. // SamMobile

Samsung Showcases Foldable Phone Concept With Clamshell Design

Tim — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 12:44:00 +0000

At today's SDC keynote, Samsung showcased what its next folding phone could potentially look like. Instead of a tall device that unfolds into a square-shaped tablet (a la Galaxy Fold), this concept is more an old school flip phone with a clamshell design. Sadly, Samsung spent very little time on stage discussing the concept, using it as a bridge to talk about its One UI software. Regardless, we can at least admire that Samsung doesn't appear to be giving up on foldables anytime soon, even after the Galaxy Fold drama from earlier this year.

What do you think? Is this a better implementation of folding tech or are foldables best left to the science fiction fans for now? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZDl_SP-w9E // The Verge

Well Sh*t, the Xiaomi Mi Watch is an Apple Watch Clone

Kellen — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 12:30:24 +0000

When we learned yesterday that Xiaomi was on the verge of showing off its first Wear OS watch, likely named Mi Watch, we hoped it wouldn't be an Apple Watch clone and that it would have its own identity that we could get behind. As it turns out, it's looking like they went Apple Watch clone. Ugh. Through a couple of Weibo pages, Xiaomi has begun sharing details for the watch. As you can see in that top image, it's a f*cking Apple Watch, only slightly more square or something. But yeah, you've got that digital crown and button placement in the same spot as Apple's, and a non-round watch design. The watch will come in black or silver cases, sport WiFi, GPS, "large" battery, NFC, and a "high-performance" CPU. The image below shows that CPU to be from Qualcomm, so don't expect it to live up to that "high-performance" tag unless they surprise us with the 3300. That's not going to happen, though.

I was excited yesterday and now not so much. You? // Xiaomi [2]

PlayStation Vue is Shutting Down on January 30, 2020

Tim — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 11:25:33 +0000

Announced today, the PlayStation Vue service will be shut down on January 30, 2020. According to the announcement post, this decision stems from the "highly competitive Pay TV industry," with its content and network deals being slower to change than expected.

Today we are announcing that we will shut down the PlayStation Vue service on January 30, 2020. Unfortunately, the highly competitive Pay TV industry, with expensive content and network deals, has been slower to change than we expected. Because of this, we have decided to remain focused on our core gaming business.

Bummer. In a report that was recently published by The Information, Sony is apparently looking for a buyer to take over the service. The only issue is, that buyer would be taking on a service that has lost money for Sony since its launch in March of 2015. To help offset losses, Sony, like all the other streaming services, has raised prices for a subscription to the service. While that may help the financial issue, it doesn't help getting customers excited about signing up or keeping the service. Somehow and someday, I'm sure a middle ground will be discovered that allows for subscribers to get the content they want, all for a reasonable monthly fee. That day just hasn't arrived yet and PlayStation Vue will not be the one to deliver it. // PlayStation

Razer Announces $99 Junglecat Bluetooth Android Gaming Controller

Tim — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 11:03:38 +0000

Razer has a new gaming controller available this week called the Junglecat, designed for any Android gamer who needs an advantage while on the go. Designed to be wrapped around only select devices, the Junglecat can be wirelessly connected to any Android device via Bluetooth. With support for Razer's Gamepad app, you'll have button mapping capabilities in hundreds of existing games. The controller features thumbsticks, bumpers, and all of the buttons you'll need for a game like Fortnite. In the box with the device, US buyers will get three unique phone cases, which can be used to have the controller attach to your phone. There is a case for the Razer Phone 2, Galaxy Note 9, and Galaxy S10+. International buyers will get cases for different phones, including a Huawei device. The Junglecat is available right now on Razer's website, priced at $99. Shop JungleCat Controller // Razer

Razer's Hammerhead True Wireless Earbuds With Bluetooth 5.0 are Just $99.99

Kellen — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 10:21:23 +0000

Razer announced new Hammerhead True Wireless earbuds today that will compete with AirPods, Samsung's Galaxy Buds, and the rest of the already-available wireless buds in this booming category. These particular Hammerhead buds make bold claims about audio, yet only cost $99.99. The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless earbuds feature Bluetooth 5.0 for ultra-low latency connections that Razer says eliminates audio lag when you are watching movies or listening to music. There is a Gaming Mode too, that drops latency to 60ms when playing games. That Bluetooth 5.0 connection should also allow for super quick pairing. They feature a 13mm driver with "beefy bass" for all audio needs, charge through USB-C in their case that provides up to 4 charges, and last up to 3-hours outside of that case. There are touch controls and assistant launching, IPX4 sweat and splash resistance, and a classic Razer matte black finish and branding. They look a lot like black AirPods, which is fun. Razer Hammerhead True Wireless buds are available right now for $99.99. Shop Hammerhead True Wireless Earbuds

// Razer

Angry Birds AR Crashes Onto Google Play for ARCore Compatible Devices

Tim — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 08:53:39 +0000

Do you miss Angry Birds? I didn't, but since the franchise is focusing on futuristic technology, such as augmented reality, I can't help but be a little giddy about trying this new title out. Called Angry Birds AR: Isle of Pigs, this AR title is a new type of Angry Birds experience, one that can be laid out onto your own coffee table in the living room or maybe even onto the bathroom floor while you do your business. It's not what I recommend, but nothing is stopping you, which is probably why people do it in the first place. In this game, there are 40 levels of pig-filled AR craziness. Like the old games, you'll use birds to destroy whatever the pigs have built on their precious little AR islands. Any Google ARCore compatible device, plus any iOS Apple ARKit compatible device can download and play the game. Have at it!

Google Play Link

The Moto 360 is Back!

Kellen — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 08:27:52 +0000

There are some things you need to know, though.

I still consider the original Moto 360 to be the best designed smartwatch to date. It certainly had its flaws (like the flat tire and ancient TI chipset), but it created so many smartwatch fans out of the gate, many of which picked up the Moto 360 (2nd gen) a year later. Unfortunately, that was it from Motorola in the smartwatch department as sales dropped, Wear OS failed to convince customers it added value to their life, and the Apple Watch picked up steam. We've all sort of hoped Motorola might come back and give it another try. Today, "Motorola" has sort of done that with the 3rd generation Moto 360 that ticks a lot of the boxes you expect from a 2019 Wear OS watch. There's one important piece of information you need to know before you get too excited. Motorola did not make this new Moto 360 (3rd gen). Instead, for those who weren't aware, Motorola licenses the sh*t out of its name to all sorts of accessory makers who make products with their branding that sure look like they might be from Motorola. They are not. This is not. The new Moto 360 (3rd gen) is from a company called eBuyNow eCommerce. Still reading and want to hear more? OK!

The new Moto 360 runs Wear OS, is powered by the Snapdragon Wear 3100, and has a 1.2" circular AMOLED always-on display, 355mAh battery with fast charging (plus a battery saver mode), 1GB RAM, 8GB storage, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, GPS, heartrate monitor, and 3ATM water resistance. The case weighs in at 42.8mm wide and 11.68mm thick, weighs 52g, and is made of stainless steel. It supports 20mm straps. There's two buttons on its right side, one of which doubles as a rotating crown. When it launches in December in the US, Canada, and the UK, the new Moto 360 will cost $349.99. Pre-orders open in November moto360.com. To be honest, this watch looks pretty awesome. It has a slick design that brings back memories of the Moto 360 (2nd gen), but packs in all of the same specs you'll find in the Fossil Gen 5, which is currently our favorite Wear OS watch that we think most people should buy. Do I think you should buy this or even consider pre-ordering it? Eh, that's a tough one! I have no idea who eBuyNow is or if they'll support the watch for more than 6 months in software or hardware. Motorola did license their name to them, but I'm not sure that means much in the long run. You won't go to Motorola for support here, you'll instead hope eBuyNow is there to help. We'll try to get a hold of one.

We Might See Xiaomi's Wear OS Watch on November 5

Kellen — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 14:40:40 +0000

Hopefully, it's not an Apple Watch clone.

Pieces of evidence pointing towards Xiaomi making and releasing its first Wear OS smartwatch have started lining up in recent weeks with a date now targeted for a possible reveal. Through a Weibo page today, Xiaomi tells us to mark our calendars for a November 5 product reveal that will include a watch. The image, which you can see below, shows a squircle-ish shape that could be hinting at the product's design. If that's the case, you can't help but consider the Apple Watch resemblance, knowing that Xiaomi has made an Apple copycat product a time or twenty. Now, we believe this watch could run Wear OS because references to a Xiaomi watch were spotted by 9to5Google in the official Wear OS app a month ago. The device was referred to as the "Mi Watch," plus there was a mention of "Mi Wear," which could be tied to a companion app of some sort. I think my takeaway from this all is that I'm super excited for Xiaomi to make a Wear OS watch. They tend to design really pretty devices, even if they are often questionably close to products that Apple makes. They also make ultra-affordable products, though not many have shipped to the US. I hope this device does or that we can find ways to import it, because I wouldn't be shocked if Xiaomi adds meaningful features to it in the way that Fossil did to Wear OS with the Gen 5 series. You should consider that Xiaomi has made smartwatches in the past under the Amazfit brand name. Many of the Amazfit models are designed like classic smartwatches rather than the Apple Watch and have been well-received. Maybe we'll get a surprise next week with a product more like those than Apple's. // WinFuture

More Details Surface for Qualcomm's Next Wear OS Savior Attempt

Kellen — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 13:22:58 +0000

Earlier this year, we heard the first rumor about a possible in-the-works wearable chip from Qualcomm that might actually do some good for Wear OS, unlike the Snapdragon Wear 3100. At the time, it was supposedly being referred to as the Snapdragon Wear 429, but new evidence found suggests the next big chip from Qualcomm might be the Snapdragon Wear 3300. The folks at XDA discovered a commit at the Code Aurora Forum, where Qualcomm posts Linux kernel source code for chipsets. They recently added a device tree under the name "SDW3300 device" and mentions that its based on that Snapdragon Wear 429 chip from July. So why should you care? Because the Snapdragon 429 and this Wear 3300 are built on 12nm process with Cortex-A53 cores, aka a modern architecture unlike the 5 year-old architecture of the Wear 3100 and its 28nm process. This is legitimately miles ahead of the 3100 (and 2100 before it), which should lead to greatly improved performance and battery life. Since those are the two big complaints for Wear OS, well, this is big news. Of course, none of this is official. Qualcomm hasn't announced a Snapdragon Wear 3300 or acknowledged anything new in the wearable space. All we have to go on is the earlier rumor and this slip-up by Qualcomm. Wear OS fans, you should still be excited. // XDA

Original Google Home, Home Mini Get Speaker Pairing for Stereo Sound

Tim — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 12:20:19 +0000

Recently added into the Google Home app, owners of original Google Home and Google Home Mini units can now pair their speakers to create a set of stereo speakers, an ability that was previously not there. As you may recall, this feature was available to other smart speakers, but not to the two original Home speakers. Anyway, to get it set up, simply into the Google Home app, find the speaker you want to make a pair, tap on Speaker pair, then continue through the setup process or pairing another speaker. Users will pick left/right channels, name the pair, assign rooms, and all that jazz. Once your pair is created, you'll see that paired grouping inside of Google Cast-able apps, such as Spotify, Play Music, and others. Enjoy your tunes in stereo. // Android Police

US Galaxy S10 Lineup Getting Note 10's Live Focus Video, AR Doodle in New Update

Tim — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 10:13:27 +0000

Samsung announced this morning that the US Galaxy S10 lineup will receive a few Galaxy Note 10 features in an upcoming update, confirming to some current S10 owners that there is absolutely no need to upgrade to a Note 10. If you'll recall, this same update was announced recently for European S10 owners. The features making their way to the S10 models are as follows.

Live Focus video: Blur out backgrounds with video bokeh effects for videos recorded on the front and rear cameras.
AR Doodle: Take your creativity to a new level by creating augmented-reality drawings and messages. Your artistic creations can track faces and the space around you for eye-catching videos.
Samsung DeX for PC: Wirelessly connect your PC to your mobile device to see notifications, send and receive messages and review recent photos without pausing to look down at your phone.

Based on your carrier and other factors, there's no telling exactly when owners will receive this update, but it's coming. // Samsung

NVIDIA SHIELD TV (2019) Review: Best Android TV Box Now Better, Less Expensive

Tim — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 09:54:18 +0000

NVIDIA is continuing its tradition of announcing new SHIELD TV hardware every two years, giving us the new SHIELD TV (2019) and SHIELD TV Pro (2019). The launch of these devices is pretty straightforward in our eyes, considering NVIDIA didn't have to do all too much to improve what we'd consider the best Android TV set-top box experience on the market. To sum it up, NVIDIA added a few notable features which we think are totally worth the upgrade from any older SHIELD TV model and also lowered the entry price for the device. If you're a consumer, it doesn't get much sweeter than that. Below, we'll go over what we like and maybe don't like about NVIDIA's new SHIELD TV (2019).

Hardware NVIDIA provided us with the new SHIELD TV, the "little tube" as I'm calling it. The company explains that the new SHIELD TV is designed to disappear, whether that be behind your television or wherever else you may keep all of your TV's cables. As someone who mounts my TV to the wall, the little tube design allows me to just throw it behind the TV and keep it out of sight. The SHIELD TV features a microSD slot for those who want to bring their own media to the device, a gigabit ethernet port, dedicated power/reset button, and HDMI output port. It's only the necessities that made it onto this year's SHIELD TV, so if you happen to need a full-size USB port, the new $199 SHIELD TV Pro will be for you. In terms of appearance, I will say that the new SHIELD TV looks very un-NVIDIA. There are no aggressive angles, sharp corners, or glowing green lights. It's quite the departure from what we're used to from NVIDIA's design team, but again, when it's designed to not be seen, we suppose the way it looks really doesn't matter -- so long as it performs well. Specs For specs, the SHIELD TV (2019) features a Tegra X1+ processor, 2GB RAM, 8GB built-in storage (with microSD support), gigabit ethernet & 802.11ac WiFi connectivity, Dolby Atmos surround sound support, Dolby Vision HDR, onboard 4K AI auto upscaling (we'll take more about this below), and the Android TV platform with access to Google Play. Importantly, for those who love Netflix or are patiently awaiting the launch of the Disney+ streaming service, the inclusion of both Dolby Atmos and Vision means particular content will look and sound better. Currently, only SHIELD TV offers Netflix streams in Dolby Vision, so if you take your content streams seriously, that's something to consider. NVIDIA lists the following services as supporting Dolby Atmos and Vision: Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Vudu, and Movies Anywhere. Distinction: SHIELD TV or SHIELD TV Pro? For those interested in the SHIELD TV Pro, it has everything the less expensive model has, plus the following.

Plex Media Server support
SmartThings Link Ready
2 full size USB 3.0 ports
3GB RAM (up from 2GB*)
16GB storage (up from 8GB*)
Advanced Android Games (Half-Life 2 series, Portal 2, Borderlands: TPS, Borderlands 2, Metal Gear Rising Revengeance, Resident Evil 5, Doom 3, Tomb Raider, The Witness, and more) *These titles require a minimum of 3GB RAM
Gameplay recording and Gameplay Broadcast to Twitch

Do note, the SHIELD TV Pro (2019) is housed in identical hardware to the SHIELD TV (2017). As mentioned above, the key difference between the Pro and non-Pro is that the Pro is designed to be more for hardcore gamers and content streamers. Those who are big into housing Plex libraries should opt for the Pro with its Media Server support, and for the gamers, the addition of 3GB RAM allows it to run heavyweight gaming titles that includes Borderlands, Resident Evil, Doom 3, and plenty others. If you intend to stream your gameplays, you'll also need the Pro model, since it's the now the only model that offers built-in gameplay broadcasting to Twitch. 4K AI Upscaling The big new marquee feature for the 2019 units is AI Upscaling. SHIELD TV units already in homes feature a basic upscaling tool, but this year, NVIDIA leveraged the power of its new Tegra X1+ processor, trained a neural network on current popular TV and movies, then runs a neural network on your SHIELD TV device in real-time to upscale select content to 4K levels. NVIDIA explains for us layman what exactly it did to achieve this.

We trained a deep learning neural network offline on today’s popular TV and Movies. Then, we run the neural network in real-time on Tegra X1+ as HD content is playing. For most HD video content on top apps like Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, YouTube, HBO and more, users can expect to see crisper, clearer, video than what is achieved with basic upscaling.

SHIELD TV (2019) includes multiple upscale settings. The included "Basic" mode is what comes with the SHIELD TV (2017). The new “Enhanced” mode runs on all video content up to 60 fps. The “AI-Enhanced” mode, which is where the magic is, enables the neural network to further improve picture quality. According to NVIDIA, "AI Enhanced can upscale HD content up to 30 frames per second. When AI-Enhanced mode is active, users can adjust the Detail level between Low, Medium, and High. The detail level is the confidence level in the AI prediction and lowers or strengthens the detail prediction." Due to DRM restrictions, it's hard for me to share screenshots of what AI Upscaling looks like on SHIELD TV, but I can at least share a couple of photos and NVIDIA-provided graphics to give you a sense of what to expect. As someone who enjoys crispy content with a lot of pixels, I can say it's amazing to look at. If you decide to pick up a new SHIELD TV, I've been using it with AI Enhanced set with the Detail level set at High. Additionally, if you're looking for content that specifically takes advantage of this new upscaling technology, I recommend you give Coco a look on Netflix, since it's a perfect example of Netflix/Disney limiting the content to HD, but the upscaler making details pop and colors more vibrant.

Photos of Basic vs. Enhanced Upscaling

To really see this upscaling at work, NVIDIA has included a very fancy "Demo Mode" for it. When enabled, the Settings button on the new SHIELD Remote is remapped to toggle a split window of AI Upscaling versus Basic Upscaling. To really see it in action, I recommend you check out time marker 25:09 on Coco. This scene is a colorful cityscape, and when the split window is enabled, you can really see the tech that NVIDIA has baked into this little tube (and into the Pro box). Software While NVIDIA does a great job adding features and value to its own box, Android TV in general continues to improve. While major changes to the platform are relatively slow from Google, the changes that have been made and are being made are important. The next big thing Android TV users can expect is the UI update for Google Play. I've had first-hand experience with the new Google Play and it's much better than the current offering from Google. Featured apps are allowed to showcase features, similar to what Netflix does when you hover over a title. The biggest thing coming is support for Google's Stadia cloud gaming platform. Once that arrives, the SHIELD TV will be in a unique position to not only offer its own gaming service, but Google's too. Google also recently detailed that it expects the number of apps on Android TV to explode.

As of today, Android TV is a healthy platform, featuring support for all of the major streaming services, plus a good amount of games that are downloadable from Google Play. On top of having plenty of content, the baking in of Google Assistant for the allowing of smart home control is awesome. If I'm sitting on my couch in my underpants, I can tap on the SHIELD Remote's voice button, tell SHIELD to set my home's temperature to 72 degrees, then go back to binging whatever show I want. That's the type of convenience that helps you forget that society and the world are in shambles. Basically, it's never been a better time to get into Android TV, whether that be with a SHIELD TV or not. Gaming This wouldn't be an NVIDIA experience if it wasn't capable of gaming. Just like past SHIELD TV devices, this year's model can access NVIDIA's GeForce NOW gaming platform, as well as NVIDIA GameStream. And yes, you can download games from Google Play and play them. The thing to note is, SHIELD TV only comes with a SHIELD Remote, and if you want to game, you'll have to purchase a SHIELD Controller separately or connect a supported Bluetooth controller. Plenty of those are on the market, so keep that in mind if gaming is something you'll want to do. NVIDIA explained to me that instead of passing the cost of a SHIELD Controller to the consumer, it focused on making the $149 SHIELD TV a streaming-focused box and not a Plex server/Gaming system for hardcore users. As I mentioned previously, if gaming is something you'll be spending a lot of time doing, I'd recommend going for the pro model. With its 3GB RAM, versus the regular model's 2GB, it allows for the playing of what NVIDIA labels as Advanced Android Games. These are past PC and console games that have been ported to Android, but need that 3GB RAM minimum in order to be played. Keep in mind, when it comes to gaming on SHIELD, more RAM is always better. New Remote Besides the upscaling tech, the new SHIELD Remote is probably my favorite aspect of the SHIELD TV (2019). Before I get into why, older SHIELD TV model owners should know that if you don't plan on purchasing a new SHIELD TV, the new Remote is compatible with older models, but won't be available for separate purchase until later this year. This is a great thing. The new remote is as straightforward and easy to understand as it gets. There's a few buttons with movement-activated backlit lights, a dedicated Netflix button, a voice assistant button, plus a D Pad. The only thing missing is a dedicated Mute button, but there is a programmable button that can be designated to do almost anything on the device (including the action of taking a screenshot). What pleases me is the inclusion of dedicated rewind/fast forward buttons. Now, instead of having to D Pad to where you want to scrub to, you can simply fast forward or rewind wherever you need to be. This is funny because it's obviously a minor thing, but in terms of the user experience, it's great. When you first see the remote, and its triangular shape, you aren't quite sure what to make of it, but after living with it for nearly a week now, I can tell you that it's awesome. Thanks to a built-in lost remote finder, motion activated backlit lights, plus good connectivity via Bluetooth (and IR for TV controlling), I urge any past SHIELD TV owners who don't plan on picking up a new model to at least get themselves this remote. It's easily worth the $30. Powered by 2 AAA batteries, NVIDIA says users can expect six months of life with normal usage. As previously stated, it also has built-in IR for controlling volume or other actions on supported devices. Setting it up to control audio on my Vizio TV, which is hooked up to a surround sound system via HDMI, took all of 5 seconds to complete. The new SHIELD Remote will cost only $29.99 when released for separate purchase later this year.

The Verdict

If you don't already have a SHIELD TV in your home, but you're into streaming content to your TV, you've been missing out. Considering the inclusion of Dolby Atmos and Vision, as well as the AI Upscaling, there is no other streaming box on the market that competes with the new SHIELD TV's set of features. Android TV on SHIELD TV supports all of the great services, streams them in the best possible quality, and when you factor in NVIDIA's history of software update support, picking up the new hardware is a no-brainer. Not only did NVIDIA somehow improve upon the best Android TV set-top box, but they even made it more affordable at $149. Just buy it. You won't regret it.

Shop NVIDIA SHIELD TV:

Amazon: SHIELD TV Pro | SHIELD TV
Best Buy: SHIELD TV Pro | SHIELD TV
B&H Photo: SHIELD TV Pro | SHIELD TV

Report: Alphabet Makes Offer to Aquire Fitbit

Tim — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 09:05:07 +0000

Google's parent company, Alphabet, is reported to have made an offer to acquire Fitbit, one of the only wearable companies that is popular in an industry dominated by Apple. The figure that Alphabet offered was not disclosed and it's also unclear if any deal will actually take place. However, if it does, Google will have just bought themselves a nice little chunk of the US wearable market. We'll keep you posted if anything develops. // Reuters

Just Want the New NVIDIA SHIELD TV Remote? It'll Cost $29.99

Kellen — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 07:52:57 +0000

The two new NVIDIA SHIELD TV devices were announced this morning and are already available for purchase. We'll have our review up later today, but for those of you who own a SHIELD and aren't quite sure that you want to upgrade, I've got remote news for you. The new SHIELD remote, which Tim tells me is as awesome as I had hoped it would be, works with all SHIELD TV products and will be available for purchase later this year for $29.99. I'm telling you that you may not need to upgrade your SHIELD TV and can instead just get the improved remote to replace the awful little remotes that you likely currently hate. What's new in the remote? You have all the buttons now (volume controls, fast-forward/rewind/pause/play, power, menu, etc.), including a programmable button. It lights up when you need it to, there's a Netflix button, and you can find it easily should you lose it. Oh, it runs on AAA batteries and should last 6 months, so there's no stupid watch battery drawer that doesn't open or a rechargeable battery that will die a year in. Once you can buy the stand-alone SHIELD remote, we'll let you know.

NVIDIA's New SHIELD TV Devices are Official and Start at Just $149

Kellen — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 05:00:53 +0000

Since these two devices have leaked aplenty over the past couple of weeks, let's just get straight into what the new SHIELD TV and SHIELD TV Pro are, how much they cost, and when you can buy them. You ready?

The SHIELD TV is the new smaller SHIELD that is meant to hide behind your TV or entertainment center and not be seen. It's sort of a like a dongle, only in mini cylinder form. It packs a lot of goods into that small body, though. With the SHIELD TV, you get the new Tegra X1+ processor (25% boost over previous gen) with a 256-core GPU, 2GB RAM, 8GB storage with microSD slot, 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, ethernet port, and HDMI. It can produce 4K HDR content, has Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support, and uses AI to upscale HD content to 4K in ways we aren't used to, which NVIDIA calls "a brand new innovation for streaming media players." This new SHIELD TV costs $149 and is available right now.

The SHIELD TV Pro, well, this is the device that ups the specs some, but is mostly there to help you run a media server, add on faster storage, play more games, and display the unit out in the open. The new SHIELD TV Pro comes in a similar box to the previous gen SHIELD TV, so that means you get two USB 3.0 ports to connect something like a hard drive to. It has Plex Media Server support and can be hooked up to a SmartThings dongle to control those home products. As for specs, it's like the smaller SHIELD TV, but with a few extra upgrades. You'll find the Tegra X1+ processor, AI upscaling to 4K, Dolby Atmos and Vision, along with 3GB RAM, 16GB storage, and access to advanced Android games (Half-Life 2 series, Portal, Borderlands: TPS, Borderlands 2, Metal Gear Rising Revengeance, Resident Evil 5, and more). The new SHIELD TV Pro costs $199 and is available right now.

Both devices include the new SHIELD remote with dedicated power buttons, volume controls, fast-forward/rewind/pause/play, and power through two AAA batteries. Those batteries should last up to 6 months. The remote has motion-activated back lighting, connects over Bluetooth, controls additional devices using IR, and there's a lost remote finder built-in. Own a SHIELD TV already and just want the remote? NVIDIA plans to sell it "later this year" for $29.99. What else do you need to know about the new SHIELD TV devices? Outside of the upscaling, Dolby Atmos, and Dolby Vision, you'll get Android TV and what we're assuming will be years and years of updates. You get access to AAA games through GeForce NOW, Google Assistant, smart home controls, access to all of the major music apps, and Disney+ access (once it launches).

Shop NVIDIA SHIELD TV:

Amazon: SHIELD TV Pro | SHIELD TV
Best Buy: SHIELD TV Pro | SHIELD TV
B&H Photo: SHIELD TV Pro | SHIELD TV

I Think the Internet Just Figured Out a Way to Force RCS on Your Android Phone

Kellen — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 04:00:56 +0000

RCS might have arrived in the US without the greenlight from Google and before the carriers can push their own version in 2020. The Internet, because it will always be undefeated, might have figured out how you can force enable RCS on your phone right now. A reddit thread that popped up at the r/UniversalProfile subreddit, laid out a series of steps that sure seems to get RCS "Chat" features up and running within Android Messages. There's no telling how long this set of steps will work, but it might be worth trying to get that fully-featured, cross-carrier RCS working today. So far, the thread linked below has users with a range of phones and across multiple carriers all saying that "Chat" features in Android Messages are now live and working. I can verify that the process lit up "Chat" with status "Connected" on both my Pixel 4 with Verizon service and Pixel 4 XL with T-Mobile service.

To get RCS on your Android phone right now, here are the steps that worked for me:

Turn off WiFi
Enroll in the Google Messages Beta (Play Link)
You might need to update Messages after enrolling in the beta
Restart your phone
Clear storage for Messages and Carrier Services (Settings>Apps> find each app and clear storage)
Install Activity Launcher and open it (Play Link)
Tap the top menu and choose "All activities"
Find Messages
Find "Set RCS Flags" and tap it
In ACS Url, choose "http://rcs-acs-prod-us.sandbox.google.com/"
In OTP Pattern, choose "Your\sMessenger\sverification\scode\sis\sG-(\d{6})"
Tap Apply
Close all apps open
Open Messages
You should now see a pop-up to "Upgrade Now" to RCS
Tap "Upgrade Now" and follow the welcome screens
Messages will now enroll your phone. It could take several minutes.
To confirm it worked, open Messages, tap top-right menu>Settings>Chat features. You should see status as "Connected" if it worked properly.

Want proof that it worked? Here's me texting between Verizon and T-Mobile. You can see in this chat log that my first messages were text and a lighter blue bubble. Once "Chat" kicked on, it switched to a darker blue bubble and the read receipts, as well as the typing indicator went active. I think this works, folks.

Holy sh*t. // reddit Cheers Brandon!

Google Pay Now Supports Pixel 4 Facial Recognition for Sending Money

Tim — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 15:16:06 +0000

For anyone with a Pixel 4 who uses Google Pay to send money to other users, you'll be happy to learn that Google updated the Google Pay app this week to support the device' s facial recognition capabilities. Unlike when using Google Pay inside a store to make a purchase, when using it to send money, you need to provide a form of authentication. This was usually just a fingerprint. Now, though, you can use your face on the Pixel 4. Yay, the Pixel 4's facial recognition is becoming useful! We'll be sure to update you when/if any big banks actually implement Google's new biometrics API into their apps.

Google Play Link

// 9to5 Google

Podcast: Pixel 4, Hmmm...

Kellen — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 10:16:30 +0000

On this episode of the Droid Life Show, we're back with a Pixel 4 review! Our regular Pixel 4 review dropped this week, so we'll recap so many of our thoughts there, followed by separate thoughts concerning the bigger, Pixel 4 XL, which is now the focus. There's a lot to unpack here. Not only do we want to talk reviews, we need to talk about the standard Pixel-related drama that accompanies each Pixel launch. There's a possible issue with the 90Hz display being limited, bad battery life, features removed (like 4K/60fps video), missing eye detection in Face Unlock, and more. Once we're done with the Pixel 4, we have got to address the carriers' new RCS plan, SHIELD TV updates, and more. Trivia is back! We’ll be live at 12:00PM Pacific (3:00PM Eastern).

One UI 2.0 Beta Opened to Galaxy Note 10 Lineup

Tim — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 08:52:22 +0000

Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10+ owners, this is a good Friday for you. According to SamMobile, the One UI 2.0 beta has been widened to include your devices, joining the Galaxy S10 family.

Read: What's New in One UI 2.0!

Stated by SamMobile, Note 10 owners should be able to join the beta once it arrives in the US later today. We don't have official timing from Samsung as of right now, but if I was you, I'd periodically refresh my Samsung Members app throughout the day. Good times! // SamMobile

Jim Jannard Retires, Shuts Down Hydrogen Phone Project

Tim — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 08:34:28 +0000

Jim Jannard has a storied career. We may have given RED a bit of grief when it released the first Hydrogen One smartphone, but there is no denying Jannard was attempting to accomplish something very ambitious in a market that doesn't always respond well to that sort of thing. Regardless, Jannard has announced his retirement from it all, effectively ending the possibility of any future Hydrogen smartphones.

I have spent the past 45 years building “inventions wrapped in art”. Just now turning 70 and having a few health issues, it is now time for me to retire. I will be shutting down the HYDROGEN project, ending a career that has included Oakley, RED Digital Cinema and HYDROGEN. I am very proud to have worked with many great people over the years who have signed on to the vision. RED Digital Cinema will continue stronger than ever with Jarred, Tommy and Jamin at the controls. Komodo is about to be launched… and the HYDROGEN One will continue to be supported in the future. I want to thank everyone for the support I have felt over the years… Jim

While this may be saddening to some, there are two positives to take away from this farewell letter. In it, Jannard states that Hydrogen One will continue to be supported. That's good. And also, "Komodo is about to be launched." If you're a RED user, you have likely been awaiting the release of this camera module since the very beginning, so that's good news. RIP, Hydrogen project! // H4V User

Verizon 5G Expands to 2 New Cities

Kellen — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 08:22:52 +0000

Dallas and Omaha are the new Verizon 5G cities.

Verizon announced this morning that it has expanded to its 14th and 15th 5G cities with service now live in Dallas and Omaha. Where can you get Verizon 5G in Dallas? Verizon says you'll find it in parts of the following areas: "Knox/Henderson, Downtown Dallas, Uptown, Medical Center Area, Deep Ellum; and around such landmarks as Parkland Memorial Hospital, Children’s Medical Center, Jade Waters Pool, Dallas Comedy House, The Curtain Club, Dallas Theological Seminary and Turtle Creek Park." What about Omaha, where can you find 5G there? It's limited to, but you should find it in: "Parts of Downtown Omaha around landmarks such as Old Market, Omaha Children’s Museum, The Orpheum Theatre, The Durham Museum, Heartland of America Park, Central High School and Creighton University." Live in either city and own a 5G phone, like the Note 10+ 5G or LG V50? Let us know how your experience is.

Current list of US 5G cities for all carriers

// Verizon

Motorola, King of Announcing Mid-Range Phones, Announces 4 New Mid-Range Phones

Kellen — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 16:07:09 +0000

It might be my job to keep up with phone releases from familiar names, but even I'm having trouble these days figuring out the differences between Motorola's mid-range offerings. That's only becoming more difficult after the company announced four new mid-to-low-range phones today, the Moto G8 Plus, Moto G8 Play, Motorola One Macro, and Moto E6 Play. At this point, none have been announced for the US, so if you want to skip this post, I won't be mad. However, I'd imagine the Moto G8 will be here eventually and you may as well hear what it'll have to offer.

Moto G8 Plus and Moto G8 Play

For the new Moto G8 line, Motorola is calling it their best ever. Let's breakdown what each offers. The Moto G8 Plus runs a Snapdragon 665 processor and features 64GB storage (microSD slot), 4GB RAM, fingerprint reader, 4000mAh battery (15W charging), 6.3" FHD LCD (1080p) display, stereo speakers, 3.5mm headphone jack, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, NFC, 25MP selfie camera, and 802.11ac WiFi. It runs Android 9 Pie and has a a triple camera setup. That triple camera setup consists of a 48MP main shooter with pixel binning down to 12MP, 5MP depth sensor, and a 16MP action camera (like a built-in GoPro) with 117° field of view. The Moto G8 Plus comes in Cosmic Blue or Crystal Pink. The Moto G8 Play is similar to the Plus, but with a number of downgrades. First, its 6.2" display is only HD (720p), it only has 32GB storage (microSD slot) and 2GB RAM, the processor is a MediaTek Helio P70M, and the front camera is 8MP. The triple camera setup on the back is made up of 8MP ultra-wide, 13MP main, and 2MP depth sensor. The Moto G8 Play comes in Black Onyx or Magenta Red. For availability, the G8 Plus can be had today in Brazil, Mexico and India. It'll show up Europe at the end of October (Australia too) for 269 € EUR. The Moto G8 Play is available today in Brazil, Mexico, Chile and Perú. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojsaI8tx69c

Motorola One Macro

As the name suggests, this Motorola One family member has a macro lens that takes pictures as close as 2cm. According to the specs, the macro lens is only 2MP, while the main shooter is 13MP. Outside of the macro lens, you've got a MediaTek Helio P70 processor, 64GB storage (microSD slot), 4GB RAM, 4000mAh battery (only 10W charging), Android 9 Pie, and a 6.2" HD (720p) display. There's a USB-C port and 3.5mm jack, but no NFC. The Motorola One Macro comes in Space Blue or Ultra Violet. It's available today in Brazil, Mexico, Australia, India and throughout Europe with a starting MSRP of 199 € EUR. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u70jPVqt51Q

Moto E6 Play

The Moto E6 Play runs a MediaTek MT6739 processor and has 32GB storage (microSD slot), 2GB RAM, fingerprint reader, 3000mAh battery, 5.5" HD LCD (720p) display, 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera, Bluetooth 4.2, and Android 9 Pie. The Moto E6 Play comes in Ocean Blue and Steel Black. It's available today in Brazil and Mexico followed by Europe at the end of November for 109 € EUR. Mid-range party! // Motorola

Google Tested 4K at 60 FPS Video Recording for Pixel 4, Pulled It Before Release

Tim — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 15:16:56 +0000

We're learning additional Pixel 4 tidbits today, this one concerning video recording. According to source code previewed by XDA, Google did test 4K at 60 frames per second (fps) video recording, but before release, opted to pull it. Currently on the Pixel 4, 4K recording is limited to 30fps, which some folks don't appreciate considering there are plenty of phones currently on the market capable of doing it. Back when the phone was first announced, Google addressed a concerned user on Twitter about the Pixel 4 did not offer 4K @ 60. https://twitter.com/madebygoogle/status/1185736531002179584?s=19 While that reasoning makes perfect sense, what doesn't make sense is Google putting only 64GB into a smartphone that starts at $799. Frankly, it's ridiculous at this point. https://twitter.com/MishaalRahman/status/1187436075532390402

Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Sprint Team Up to Bring RCS to US (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 14:04:55 +0000

The Cross Carrier Messaging Initiative (CCMI) will bring RCS to US consumers, they say.

It's only been a couple of months since Google decided to force adoption of Rich Communication Services (RCS) on Android in Europe, all while suggesting that they couldn't do the same here and would instead wait for carriers to work with them. I'm not sure carriers are ready to work with Google, but Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Sprint all just announced that they are working together to bring RCS to the US. Called the Cross Carrier Messaging Initiative (CCMI), the four major US carriers will work to "develop and deploy [a] standards-based, interoperable messaging service" known as RCS to Android in 2020. The group is working with "other companies in the RCS ecosystem," so that could be Google, though they don't mention Google a single time in today's announcement, only that they are starting with Android. And we're just going to assume they are starting with Android because Apple doesn't give a single sh*t about RCS. Whatever this new service is called, it will be based on the GSMA's RCS industry standard. We hope that means it will live within current messaging apps and isn't a stand-alone app the four will create together. But hey, they tried that with mobile payments just as Google was pushing for mass adoption of Google Wallet (now Google Pay). We won't put anything past the wonderful carriers here in the US. Let's just hope they name it better. In today's announcement, all four carriers really want to emphasize that you will not only be able to send high quality images and videos across carriers to your friends, but that you'll be able to hangout virtually with your favorite brands at all times. If that sounds like advertising, money-grabbing carrier hell, that's because it probably will be. I don't think I'm alone in assuming that the hold-up of RCS in the US was because the carriers weren't interested unless it could make them billions of dollars. They now seem like they are close to figuring out how that will happen. ☠️

UPDATE: The Verge spoke with Doug Garland, the general manager of this new CCMI group. Garland basically confirmed all of the fears I noted in the post above, that there will be a stand-alone app offered, that the goal here is to rake in money through the service from businesses (nothing on consumers yet), and that they are doing this without Google.
They are open to letting others in on this new RCS service, so that could mean you'll be able to access RCS from these carriers and the CCMI through Google or Samsung's own messaging apps. Oh, this isn't a direct implementation of the GSMA's RCS standard, but is instead based off of it. That sounds like more trouble. Fun!

// Sprint

Pixel 4 Display Confirmed to be Made by LG

Tim — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 13:55:41 +0000

We learned earlier today from iFixit that the Pixel 4 XL features a Samsung-made display panel, which was an interesting find simply because Samsung has yet to utilize a 90Hz panel on one of its own flagship phones. Now, thanks to XDA's Mishaal Rahman, it's now confirmed that the panel on the smaller Pixel 4 is produced by LG. Does this mean something important? No, not nothing overly important. From our own experience, it appears that the Pixel 4 XL can get a bit brighter when cranked to the max brightness level and we'd also describe the Pixel 4's display as a bit warmer than the Pixel 4 XL's. Just like Samsung, LG has yet to introduce a flagship device with a 90Hz+ refresh rate. We at least now know that the company is indeed capable of doing so. 90Hz phones from Samsung and LG in 2020? That'd be nice. https://twitter.com/MishaalRahman/status/1187450051880214530

SHIELD TV Remote App Updated Just in Time for New Hardware

Tim — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 12:08:16 +0000

Just in time for new hardware, which should be arriving next Monday, NVIDIA has updated its official SHIELD TV app. The update includes a completely revamped UI, controls for launching apps, new control interfaces, plus voice controls via Google Assistant. As you can see in the header image above, there's a UI that contains your library of apps, which you can launch on SHIELD TV from your device. The same can be done with game titles. In the control section, users can choose between different configurations, such as track pad, swipe pad, and D pad. There's also a virtual keyboard for inputting info inside select apps. Here's everything NVIDIA lists as new. What's New

Newly designed application UI
Adds a feature to launch applications on Shield from Shield TV remote
Adds a feature of swipepad
Adds two finger swipe feature to trackpad
Adds volume control feature to iOS app
Adds volume control side drawer UI
Adds a feature of power button
Adds a feature of voice control through Google Assistance
Adds a new UI for keyboard, also provides support for multi-language, edit, copy and paste functionalities
Connectivity and stability bug fixes

If you own a SHIELD TV or plan on picking one up next week, go grab it!

Google Play Link

First Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL Factory Images Now Available and There are 3 of Them

Kellen — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 11:41:40 +0000

Being Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL launch day, Google has done what it typically does and went ahead and made the first sets of factory image and OTA files available for each. This one is a bit different, though, because there are 3 files and build versions available for each. As of right now, the Pixel 4 ("flame") and Pixel 4 XL ("coral") have Android 10.0.0 builds QD1A.190821.007, QD1A.190821.011, and QD1A.190821.011.C4 ready to be downloaded. What's the difference between each? Umm, Google hasn't said! What I can tell you is that my Pixel 4 review unit (I had a Verizon SIM in the phone) started on build xx.007 and then received an update to build xx.011.C4. For review purposes Google made it clear that they wanted us to be on a .011 build. They made reference to Face Unlock possibly working better on xx.011, but again, I actually received xx.011.C4. Should we find out the differences, we'll update this post. Also, don't be surprised if you pick up an over-the-air update now that the phone is readily available. You will find each image or OTA file at the links below. For instructions on how to flash a factory image, here you go. For instructions on how to flash an OTA .zip file, here you go. To check for the update, head into Settings>System>Advanced>System update. Links:

It's Pixel 4 Day! Your Initial Thoughts and Impressions?

Kellen — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 09:50:53 +0000

October 24 has arrived and that means your Pixel 4 or Pixel 4 XL should be here. Well, unless you ordered from Amazon, but the rest of you, today is your day! I know that you may have only had the phone in hand for a couple of hours. I know that you have no way to tell if this is the greatest phone on Earth, if it's trash, if that screen is supposed to be that yellow, or if the camera is the new G.O.A.T. I know that it's so fresh you love it no matter what anyone tells you. Still, I want those initial thoughts and impressions. What are you liking? What aren't you liking? How has the battery been holding up early on? Which color did you go with? Tell us! Oh yeah, be sure to read our Pixel 4 review too. And if you need some help, our "First 10 Things" Pixel 4 video is a must.

October 28 is New SHIELD TV Day!

Tim — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 09:41:46 +0000

NVIDIA took to Twitter this morning to tease October 28, which we assume will be new SHIELD TV announcement day. If you haven't been following the news, look here, here, and here. How exciting! https://twitter.com/NVIDIASHIELD/status/1187398413060583426

SHIELD TV (2019) Gets Purchased at Best Buy, Apparently Starts at $149

Tim — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 09:03:11 +0000

NVIDIA has yet to make the new SHIELD TV models official, but we know something is coming. And because we know something is coming, folks are apparently walking into Best Buy and asking if they have the new SHIELD TV, then presumably unknowingly, Best Buy associates are selling SHIELD TV (2019) units to people. This is the story of at least one individual on reddit. Thanks to them, we now have a look at the retail packaging of the SHIELD TV (2019), as well as the price.

From photos they posted, specs are all confirmed, which you can see above. The big additions in 2019 over the 2017 models appear to be "AI Upscaling," that fancy new remote, and Dolby Vision. For pricing, the little tube SHIELD appears to cost $149, while the "Pro" model is $199. Good job, Best Buy.

// reddit

Pixel 4 XL Teardown Reveals Samsung Display, Almost Decent Repairability Score

Tim — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 08:43:24 +0000

The good people at iFixit published their Pixel 4 XL teardown this week, detailing the innards of Google's latest flagship phone. As you'd expect, they found micro chips, adhesive, plus a whole assortment of odds and ends that when compiled, create something that your daughter is hopelessly addicted to. Don't worry, some day Instagram won't be that cool.

Anyway, as far as a teardown goes, this one appears to have gone rather smoothly. After heating up and prying off the backside, iFixit discovers that all screws used on the device are a standard T3 Torx (needing less tools for operation is always good), plus they also note that the stretch-release adhesive securing the battery, "may not be foolproof, but its inclusion is repair-friendly." iFixit gave the Pixel 4 XL a nearly-decent repairability score of 4 out of 10.

If you don't care about repairing your own phone and just want some insight into the components used on the device, the only really interesting thing to point out is the use of a Samsung display panel. Samsung has yet to use 90Hz on its own flagship devices, but given the usage by other OEMs, my money is on the Galaxy S11 offering it. Fingers crossed. Who doesn't like seeing things torn apart? Go check out the full teardown down on iFixit.

// iFixit

Project Treble Might be Showing Signs of Speeding Up Android Updates

Kellen — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 16:13:22 +0000

Project Treble, one of the biggest features from Android 8 "Oreo" that aimed to help speed up major Android updates from manufacturers, is showing signs of having some success. Sure, it has been two years since Treble was first introduced, but from Oreo to Pie and now Android 10, Google thinks the update situation in Android is only looking up. They provided a couple of meaningful numbers in a blog post today to show the jump in updates they've seen over the past two years, thanks to Treble. When they launched Android 9 Pie in July of 2018, with manufacturers having almost a year to update to Android 8 Oreo, just 8.9% of devices were running Oreo. A year later, with Android 10 about to arrive and a year for OEMs to update to Pie, 22.6% of devices in the ecosystem were on Android 9. While those numbers don't show a change to say 60% or 80% of Android users on the current build, they do show a jump in adoption of the next version of Android following the introduction of Treble. Obviously, the big test will be to see Android 10 adoption numbers once Android 11 is ready. They should be greatly improved, though. As Google noted today, companies like OnePlus, Xiaomi, and Essential all released Android 10 updates within days of Google doing so for its Pixel line-up. Samsung has started beta testing Android 10 too, which could be proof that they are finding a grove after improving their updates to Android 9 last year. Have we asked if you are running Android 10 yet? Maybe we should. // Android Developers Blog

Pixel 4's 90Hz Display Drops to 60Hz When Brightness Goes Below 75% (Update: Google Working on an Update!)

Kellen — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 13:55:48 +0000

Update (10/23): Google has acknowledged the issue and says it's working on an update to address it. Speaking to The Verge, Google provided the following statement.

We designed Smooth Display so that users could enjoy the benefits of 90Hz for improved UI interactions and content consumption, while also preserving battery when higher refresh rates are not critical by lowering back down to 60Hz.

In some conditions or situations, however, we set the refresh rate to 60Hz. Some of these situations include: when the user turns on battery saver, certain content such as video (as it’s largely shot at 24 or 30fps), and even various brightness or ambient conditions. We constantly assess whether these parameters lead to the best overall user experience. We have previously planned updates that we’ll roll out in the coming weeks that include enabling 90hz in more brightness conditions.

Google's reasoning for toggling back to 60Hz automatically makes perfect sense, though, the last bit about already having plans for updating Smooth Display to work in more brightness conditions is odd. As consumers, it would be cool to know these things right out of the gate, instead of having to find out about it via reddit which then causes unnecessary PR drama for Google. Either way, an update should arrive in the "coming weeks" for Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL owners.

Original Post Outside of the regular Pixel 4's poor battery life, are you ready for the first bit of drama for Google's new phones? The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL both have 90Hz OLED displays that Google is calling "Smooth Display." With Smooth Display enabled, Google states that they will automatically raise the refresh from 60Hz to 90Hz "for some content," and that when enabled, there will be an increase in battery usage. For days now, I've been trying to figure out why I can't seem to keep a steady 90Hz experience without forcing 90Hz to be always-on in developer settings. At times, Twitter looks great for a moment when scrolling and then all of a sudden flips back to the stutter of a 60Hz display you notice after being on multiple 90Hz phones in a row (7 Pro, 7T, and Pixel 4). Tonight, someone at reddit figured it out. It appears that Google may not just be automatically refreshing that frame rate based on content, but has instead tied 90Hz to the brightness of each phone's display. If you jump over to a site like www.testufo.com where a browser test will tell you the frame rate of your display in real-time, you can test this for yourself. Grab your Pixel 4 or Pixel 4 XL brightness slider and drag it up past the 75% mark. That website above should bring back 90fps and 90Hz. But if you drop it anywhere below that 75% mark, it then drops to 60fps and 60Hz. I've tried it on both a Pixel 4 (review unit) and Pixel 4 XL (retail unit) and am getting the same results. Additionally, if you go into developer options and toggle a setting that lets you force 90Hz at all times, the frame rate drop no longer happens with brightness adjustment. And for further proof, XDA's Mishaal Rahman checked a logcat with ADB and confirmed that at lower than 75%, the system is switching to 60Hz from 90Hz. So to recap, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL have 90Hz displays that only show 90Hz when their brightness sliders are 75% and beyond. Should you drop the brightness lower, the refresh rate backs down to 60Hz. For comparison, I also ran a similar test on my OnePlus 7T and it holds 90Hz the entire time, no matter the brightness. If you want this specific browser test to show anything lower than 90Hz, you have to toggle 90Hz off. What's the takeaway here? Umm, it kind of sucks, if I'm being honest. 75% and above is a brightness I'm not sure I hold on a phone for long periods of time. That's bright! When indoors, I'm not sure you need your phone cranked that high very often, so should you regularly drop to below that, you won't get the "Smooth Display" experience that might have drawn you to a Pixel 4. Could Google tweak that to widen the range of brightness that holds 90Hz? Sure. You can also go into developer options, as I mentioned above, and force it on at all times. But it's obvious that Google didn't want 90Hz on at all times because they were worried about battery life. I'm not sure what the solution is here. I certainly want 90Hz when I'm using this phone, but do I want to take a hit on battery life that is already not great?

UPDATE: So here's an interesting twist - if you have Ambient EQ enabled and are in a bright environment (via @jspring86az), the 90Hz rate will stick at a lower brightness. It has to be really bright, though, in order for this to work. As an example, I held the phone at lower brightness up to my monitor with a white web page open and watched it tick up from 60Hz to 90Hz. Of course, this isn't incredible news, since it requires you to be surrounded by bright lights.

// reddit Cheers Doug!

Google Pixel 4 Review: Nope, Not This One

Kellen — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 13:33:39 +0000

We're four years into the Google experiment that is high-end Pixel phones. Google has given us two, once again, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. They are the most advanced of any Pixel phone to date, though one could argue that they are also the most lacking. There's a lot to unpack from that statement, and we'll do that now for the Pixel 4. You see, I've spent the past week with only the Pixel 4, so we'll be talking specifically about it here. If you want our Pixel 4 XL review, stay tuned, as it'll be up shortly once we've put together thoughts about it on its own. This is our Pixel 4 review.

ALSO READ: Our Pixel 4 XL review!

The Good

Camera There are two areas that Google phones always excel in, camera and software. Both are excellent once again on the Pixel 4, so let's kick this off by diving into each. First up, it's camera time. For the first time in a Pixel phone, we have a dual camera setup on the back of the Pixel 4. The setup includes a 12.2MP (f/1.7) standard shooter alongside a 16MP (f/2.4) telephoto lens. There's no wide-angle camera, which is unfortunate, because so many others are including them in their phones. With that said, Google is using its Super Res Zoom technology with that telephoto camera to help you take super crisp long-distance shots.

From a software standpoint, Google improved a number of areas this year. For one, there is now a Live HDR+ feed in the viewfinder to give you a preview of your HDR+ shot before you ever take it. I'm not sure I can properly describe how significant of an improvement this is - there's no more guessing and hoping and praying when taking a photo. On top of that, Google added sliders to give you control over exposure and shadows, Night Sight is so good now that it can take pictures of the stars, and there are handy new tools like framing hints and social share shortcuts. The camera is super fast to pull a focus, lock that focus even as objects move, and maybe even quicker to snap multiple photos. For the most part, the camera app is solid. With that said, Google continues to leave out a manual or pro mode, video maxes out at 4K/30fps, and there are less overall controls than so many other phones. I think Google wants to nail the basics better than anyone, and they may, but I can't fault people for being frustrated at missing items that have become standard. As for results, I really, really like this camera. Good contrast, as usual from Google's processing, dynamic range is still sort of unmatched, the flexibility of it to adapt to any situation gives you a lot of confidence while shooting, and the final pictures are probably going to be better than your friends'. I shared a bunch of photos shot on Pixel 4 in a post earlier this week from a trip I took to Hood River. The gallery includes indoor and outdoor shots, landscapes and portraits, a couple of Night Sight shots, and some zooms. It gives a decent view of the range of the cameras on the Pixel 4. You'll find some of those samples below along with the full-resolution gallery right here.

Software When it comes to software, Google's version of Android is still probably my preferred. I know that I'll always have the newest version of Android if I own a Pixel phone, plus I know it'll have the most up-to-date security patches. Google's Pixel 4, like all other Pixel phones, will get at least 3 years of updates. If you care about a clean Android experience that's current, the Pixel 4 is the phone that will give you that. But Google no longer just ships stock, bare bones Android as it once did on Nexus phones. Instead, we have this Pixel experience that's starting to rival the feature-rich skins from Samsung and OnePlus. Well, it's more OnePlus than Samsung bloat, but you've got some fun stuff to work with here.

Google has added a system-wide dark theme and is letting most apps go dark at this point, plus there's a new customization area where you can change icons and fonts and colors. You have a night light that helps ease eye strain, Digital Wellbeing to help you unplug, and a bunch of gestures. You can switch between a traditional 3-button navigation setup or go full gestures from Android 10, you can launch Google Assistant in a variety of ways, twist the phone to flip over to the selfie camera, and grab live captions of any video that's playing on your phone. You can run dual SIM cards at a time and view important information while your phone sits idle on a desk, thanks to an always-on display. And because this is Google's hardware and their software, performance has been good. Google has really tightened up animations and provided these immersive transitions as you go from one app or screen to another. The hiccups and lack of holding apps in memory for long periods of time from the Pixel 3 are gone. Google's Android skin has really matured in a good way. Hardware and Design I'm pretty sure I heavily criticized the design of the Pixel 4 in early leaks. I can now say that I've fully switched and sort of like it. I'm weak like that sometimes! That forehead might be somewhat annoying to look at, since there's no front balance, but the overall set of textures and colors is pretty great. In a way, the design is best described as the embodiment of Google's camera algorithm: ramp up the contrast, bring forth colors, and make a statement. The Pixel 4 is a smallish size with a mostly full-display front that your hands will have no issues using. There's a juiciness or roundness to the sides of the Pixel 4 that help you hold it, feel less slippery than other phones, and like it was made with your hand in mind. Where this hardware and design shine is in the white and orange versions, because they are the most elegant soft-touch matte glass you'll ever set your fingers on. They resist fingerprints and bring an excellent contrast with the matte black rail surrounding the phone. They even work nicely with that square camera housing, because it weirdly completes this color-blocked looked that Google is going for. This might be the most unique of Google's Pixel phones to date. I don't love that forehead, which Google included because it houses cameras and sensors and radar, but after using it for a while, I really don't notice it much. I'd love to have a Pixel 4 that looked more like the Galaxy Note 10, we just didn't get that. In the end, if you want to be offended by the forehead, you probably will be. For me, I'm mostly just happy they didn't throw in another Pixel 3 XL notch. The Pixel 4 is a playful premium, rather than something as serious as Samsung's unapologetically metal and glossy glass designs. I like it.

Availability For the first time in Pixel history, Google's Pixel line-up is at all major carriers. You can buy a Pixel 4 from Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, and a bunch of smaller, prepaid sellers. Most are carrying both storage options (64GB and 128GB), all three colors, and both the 4 and 4 XL. You will also find unlocked models from the Google Store, Best Buy, B&H Photo, and Amazon. This is the easiest Pixel phone in history to get.

Somewhere-in-the-Middle

Display The display on the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL was supposed to be a big, big deal. Not only were they another batch of improved OLEDs, they were the first from Google to hit 90Hz in the refresh rate department. Google is calling this "Smooth Display" and it was going to make for a smooth experience you can currently only really get on OnePlus phones or high-end gaming phones. Unfortunately, we've hit a bit of a snag there and the chances of you ever seeing 90Hz vs. the old 60Hz standard are pretty slim. I've got other issues too. On the 90Hz front, this could change down the road (and Google says it will), but as of today, we know that Google has put some pretty harsh limitations on when 90Hz shows (probably to help with the already-bad battery life). When your brightness is set to 75% or above, you'll likely get the 90Hz smooth experience. You should get it when your surroundings are incredibly bright too. However, if you are in a darker situation and/or drop brightness below 75%, the displays on the Pixel 4 and 4 XL drop back to 60Hz and it is noticeable.

Since 90Hz was supposed to be a flagship feature of the Pixel 4 line, this is unfortunate news and takes away from what could have been a game-changer for Google. For comparison, the OnePlus 7T also has a 90Hz display and it never turns off unless you tell it. That's the way this should be. That's not all I have to complain about, though. The 5.7" full HD display here does not get bright enough at all. I'm not one who typically complains about brightness, but this phone is so obviously dimmer than competitors' that you can't help but notice. Want to use it outside in daylight? Not going to be fun. Want a brightness boost while watching a movie? Don't expect great results. At full brightness and indoors, this phone doesn't even get bright enough to bother my eyes. Think about that. Now, viewing angles and colors and sensitivity are all great here. You get 3 different color profiles to tune the device to your liking and there's an Ambient EQ setting that tries to adjust the display based on light levels. If it weren't for the low brightness and wonky 90Hz that Google seems to have purposely limited, I'd probably like this display. As of today, I don't. Specs Google's Pixel phones have never really been about specs, but this year something feels different in a bad way. We finally got an upgrade in RAM (to 6GB), but everyone else in the industry is doing more (8GB). The storage stayed at 64GB and 128GB at a time where we're seeing 128GB as the minimum, plus Google continues to hate microSD slots. The batteries, specifically on the Pixel 4 (2800mAh), are small. The camera setup, which now is dual for the first time from Google, is missing the ultra-wide lens that has become quite popular this year. There's no WiFi 6, fast charging is slower here than on other phones, and of course, no headphone jack. I appreciate the two sizes of phone frames and displays, and I like that Google tried to go 90Hz. Introducing Motion Sense, a radar chip, and advanced facial recognition is at least a newish thing too. But for whatever reason, in 2019, the entire list of this all on paper is so lacking to me. Am I sick of Google not matching competitors while charging similar or higher prices? Maybe, yeah.

Motion Sense One of the big new innovations that Google introduced with the Pixel 4 is called Motion Sense. It's a radar chip that uses movement and environmental monitoring to perform actions. We saw this at an early stage during a couple of Google I/O presentations and it blew our minds. Now that it has supposedly matured and shrunken down to a size that could be implemented within the forehead of a smartphone, we were hoping for exciting ideas to come out of the Pixel 4. Unfortunately, that hasn't happened yet. For those not familiar, Motion Sense is the release name of Project Soli. Soli, in the past, was shown to be capable of fine controls over anything from adjusting volume by pinching fingers together to navigation around a software UI without ever touching it (here are some other ideas). On the Pixel 4, we get none of that and instead have a gesture to change songs when music is playing, another that helps silence alarms or incoming calls, and the ability of the phone to sense when you are reaching for it or near it.

The reaching-for-it part is handy because it works in tandem with the face unlock by waking the Pixel 4's screen to prepare it to then scan your face. It's also kind of neat to watch it recognize that you have walked away from your phone and then turn the display off. But the music switching and silencing stuff isn't necessarily new or game-changing because others have done it without radar chips. They also seem like the bare minimum idea for a technology as cool as Soli is. After forcing myself to try and use it to change songs or respond to alarms, I eventually turned Motion Sense off on my Pixel 4 unit. Because battery life is so bad, I felt like it might be worth eliminating a radar chip that is always scanning things to try and squeeze another couple of hours out of the phone. That's how much value I found in Motion Sense over the past week. Face Unlock I've been a skeptic of face unlock systems as the only option for convenient security since the day Apple dropped fingerprint readers completely. I knew a time would come where some fool would follow their lead and it just so happens that that fool was Google. Thankfully, the face unlock system on the Pixel 4 is pretty good. Using an advanced system that includes a couple of IR cameras, flood illuminator, and a dot projector, the Pixel 4 scans your face from various angles to let you quickly unlock it. Coupled with that Motion Sense I just talked about, you can go from having your phone on a desk to in-hand and unlocked with a simple lift. For the most part, it's worked well enough that I don't have that many complaints about it. If anything, I'm surprised by how well it works, particularly in the dark, where the phone can scan my face even when it's dark enough that I can't even see my own hand. That's pretty neat! Now, there are a couple of things I'm not happy about. For one, as I just mentioned, there's no fingerprint reader, so your only option for biometric security is face unlock. Additionally, Google built face unlock to be able to unlock when you don't have your eyes open. So someone could take your phone and unlock it while you sleep or are...dead. That's a problem! Google says they'll fix this down the road, but it could be months before that happens.

The Not-so-Good

Battery Life As I shared in an earlier post before finalizing this review, battery life on the regular, smaller Pixel 4 has not been great. At just 2800mAh, it has not held up well during my full week+ of testing. This is the first time in a while that I can recall having actual battery anxiety and it has not been enjoyable. To recap what I already said, most of my phones typically come off the charger between 6AM and 7AM and go back on when I got to bed at 11PM or so. With the Pixel 4, I've had to look for a charger in the late afternoon almost every day. I had days that got me to 7PM, but I'm not sure I went a single day past 8PM without needing some juice. Because of these short cycles, you end up constantly looking at percentage, seeing which apps might be using battery, and wonder if you should charge at any moment because there's a chance you won't be near a charger in a few hours. Battery anxiety is hell.

On a related note, I found charging times to be extremely slow when compared to other phones and the Pixel 4 often struggling to reach 100%. There's wireless charging too, but 10W wireless charging is not quick. We don't know the exact reason for this horrible battery life, but the combination of the small battery, 90Hz display I referenced above, and Google's poor track record with all of its phones, none of this is all that surprising. It is saddening, though, as this phone becomes impossible to recommend to most people. All the Missing Things One of the big stories of the Pixel 4 has to do with all of the stuff that Google took away or failed to include. Not that Google has always been a company to throw all the bells and whistles at anything, but with the Pixel 4, they sure seem to have shaved off a lot of important items.

Fingerprint reader: This phone does not have a fingerprint reader, which means your only option for lockscreen security outside of the standard pattern/password/PIN options, is Face Unlock. While the Face Unlock here is pretty solid, fingerprint readers are so convenient to have at most times since they often don't require that you pick up or look at your phone to unlock it.
Unlimited Original quality photo backups: With the launch of the first few Pixels, Google was giving Pixel users an exclusive benefit that let them upload an unlimited number of pictures to Google Photos at "original" or full-resolution quality. That's a heck of a perk for those not interested in paying Google for Google One storage. With the Pixel 4, Google removed that perk and is instead hyping the unlimited storage of "High quality," which to be clear, is not unique. Every single phone that has Google Photos gets unlimited "High quality" image uploads.
Headphones or dongle: Last year's Pixel 3 was the first from Google to come with USB-C headphones in the box. They were great inexpensive in-box earbuds, but Google removed them this year with the Pixel 4. And not only that, they didn't even include a USB-C dongle for you to use with your own headphones. Why is that a big deal? They are assuming you either already own all of the audio goods you need or are hoping you'll turn around and buy some. With purchase of the Pixel 4, Google has said that they are encouraging users to buy their own audio accessories by gifting them $100 gift cards or credit with Pixel 4 purchases, but that's not a promo that will last very long. It's just another cut by Google.
No new Assistant with GSuite accounts: This missing thing is a bit more specific, but it could potentially affect a lot of you. As of today, if you are a GSuite user (formerly Google Apps), you can't use the new Google Assistant. In other words, the super fast Assistant that lets you fire off multiple commands in a row without a hiccup, that can't be used if you even have a GSuite account on your phone. Google could fix this at some point, but they have always been weird like this with GSuite users, only this is a new extreme because you can't even have a GSuite account at all. Not good.

Price No, I don't think the Pixel 4 is priced fairly. The Pixel 4 starts at $799 and you only get 64GB storage without a SD card slot, 6GB RAM, no wide-angle camera, a tiny battery, no audio accessories, and no fingerprint reader. At a time where people are hanging onto phones for longer and longer periods of time (more than 2 years), that's not enough storage, it might not be enough RAM, there's not as much flexibility in the camera as others have, and that battery is never going to cut it. We're getting phones from everyone else at similar (or sometimes lower) prices and they all feature more than Google's Pixel 4. Sure, you get the promise of fast updates and the Google software experience we love, but is that worth the price for all these cuts and half-baked features? Eh.

Video

First 10 Things to Do https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxHpyE2jqaw

Gallery

The Verdict

Ummm, I don't think anyone should buy the regular Pixel 4. There are too many red flags and I'm concerned that this just isn't a phone that will last you two years. Since it starts at $800, my suggestion would be to pass. Battery life might be the most important part of a smartphone experience and this phone fails there. There are questions surrounding the 90Hz display experience now, I'm worried that 64GB storage is not going to be enough over a 2-year period, and Google cut some of the important perks and benefits that we expect from not just Pixel phones, but Android phones in general. I don't see any major benefits to Motion Sense, there's no fingerprint reader, and there are other phones out there (like those from OnePlus) that can be had that offer more for hundreds of dollars less. Yes, the camera is excellent. Yes, the software support is the best. But if those are the most important things to you, then buy the Pixel 4 XL, not this.

Amazon Appears to be Screwing Up Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL Orders Badly

Tim — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 12:25:25 +0000

Here at DL, we ordered ourselves two Pixel 4 devices from Amazon last week -- one regular Pixel 4 and one Pixel 4 XL. We received our Pixel 4 XL yesterday afternoon, but this morning, received a shipping delay notification from Amazon, claiming our Pixel 4 in Oh So Orange was delayed until November 30 - January 2. If that seems like a really long time from now, that's because you're absolutely correct. Given such a large window, we reached out to Amazon who simply confirmed that there is a delay, but didn't offer any details as to why. We, of course, are not the only ones on the internet to have this issue. If you look on reddit and Twitter, there appears to be a large group of Pixel 4 buyers who are being met with the same issue. User "beaushaw" on reddit

So I ordered an Oh So Orange 4XL from Amazon on day one. Supposed to be delivered today. Now they are saying they don't have any, it will be the 18th before I can get one. I had one ordered through Fi and I canceled it because Amazon could get it a day earlier. So pissed.

User "xblindguardianx" on reddit

Amazon said it would deliver today since I pre-ordered it the day of the announcement. Now it says the end of November. Cancelled it. Never pre-order from Amazon apparently. Anyone else deal with this? Just getting it from the Verizon store later.

Here's one user on Twitter notifying us of their issue. https://twitter.com/klcoll/status/1187057868815638529 According to another user on Twitter who claims to have spoken with Amazon customer support, and got a usable answer, "the reason for the delays is Google hasn't sent Amazon any devices. My pre-order was also delayed." Now, we know for a fact that Amazon did indeed have units to sell, since one of our orders did arrive on time. It just appears something got scrambled and some buyers are getting screwed. It happens, but when you're talking about a smartphone pre-order that costs hundreds of dollars, you really hate to see it. Anyone else having this issue with Amazon?

Google Releases Experimental Apps to Improve Your Digital Wellbeing

Tim — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 11:11:05 +0000

Google released five new apps to Google Play today, all focused on improving your Digital Wellbeing. Each app is a different experiment of sorts, designed to either help you disconnect a bit or at least better manage everything you consume on your smartphone. The above video from Google details the apps released, but from the few moments I looked them over, there are at least two that we recommend you check out. The first is Unlock Clock, which is a live wallpaper that shows how many times you've unlocked your phone that day. It's a great way to see just how often you're looking at your phone. The other is Post Box. This app holds all incoming notifications until a preselected time, which can be similar to Do Not Disturb, but the UI the app uses is colorful and fun. You can find links to all of the new apps below. Google Play Links

Google Experiments

// Google

$199 Fossil Sport Now Comes in a Bunch of New Colors

Tim — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 09:12:27 +0000

Fossil has fancy new colors for its Fossil Sport smartwatch this week, plus the usual price of $275 is now marked down to $199, so that's double cool. From what we can see, the new colors include bright red, dark green (like a British racing green), Yellow, multiple shades of blue, and a darker red (kinda crimson looking). As for the Sport, it's a pretty barebones Wear OS experience. When we reviewed it last year, we came away mostly satisfied with the device, especially when you consider the discounted $199 price. It does have a heart rate monitor and GPS tracking, plus pretty decent battery life. If you want to save a bit of money versus a new Gen 5 from Fossil, follow the link below.

Fossil Link

OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren Edition Headed to T-Mobile

Tim — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 08:39:08 +0000

T-Mobile announced this morning that it is bringing the OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren Edition to its network this year, ideal for anyone looking to tap into the carrier's 600MHz signal that it won't shut up about during this year's MLB postseason. When first announced earlier this month, no US plans were detailed. We still don't have an exact date from T-Mobile for launch, or pricing, but we do know it's coming this year. For specs, the OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren Edition sports 6.67" display with 90Hz refresh rate, Snapdragon 855+ processor, 12GB RAM, 256GB storage, 4085mAh battery, a custom McLaren paint job, plus a lot more. You can pre-register for the device here. // T-Moble

Pixel 4 Users on Google Fi Get an Exclusive Network Trick in a Few Weeks (Updated: Live)

Kellen — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 16:14:47 +0000

The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL have a sweet little feature called Dual SIM Dual Standby (DSDS), which we were the first to tell you about after spending some time with them the day Google made each phone official. It's not completely new to the Pixel family (Pixel 3a had it), but to get more out of it, Google has cooked up an exclusive use for it with Google Fi. Google announced today that a new dual connectivity feature is coming to the Pixel 4 line that will allow it to connect to two of Fi's LTE networks at once. Since Fi is able to use T-Mobile, Sprint, and US Cellular networks, they can use DSDS it seems to connect to two at a time and make a switch from one network to another with even greater ease. Google Fi was already pretty great because of its ability to switch to a better network when needed, but this will make that transitions so quick you might not even notice it happening. In order to take advantage of dual connectivity, Google Fi users will have to keep the eSIM inside their Pixel 4 active, as well as a physical SIM from Google Fi. You should be able to order one of those for free if you don't already have one. With both, you can setup DSDS by opening up your Pixel 4's settings and then into "Network & internet." From there, you should see a listing for your current network along with a "+" button next to it. By tapping that "+" button, you'll walk through a series of instructions to get DSDS going. It's not hard to do. Again, dual connectivity won't arrive for a "few" weeks still, so you don't necessarily need to do any of this today. You could probably prepare some by ordering a physical SIM from Google Fi or just wait until they start rolling it out. Google does plan to bring dual connectivity to addition Fi-supported phones. My guess is that the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL will be some of the first. Once it's all live, we'll let you know.

UPDATE 11/4: DSDS should be live now as well as RCS support.

https://twitter.com/sanazahari/status/1191215807377788934 // Google

Hurry, Spotify is Giving Away Free Google Home Minis to Premium Users Again

Tim — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 14:43:56 +0000

Spotify is back this year, gifting users of its premium tier subscription with a free Google Home Mini. The same thing happened last year, but unlike then, folks on an individual plan (and not just a family plan) can get a free Home Mini. To claim, there are a few requirements and terms you need to know about. The big one is, if you claimed the Home Mini last year, you're not eligible this time around for another free device. Below is the full list of reasons you might be turned down for this offer, but all of the fine print can be viewed here.

If you're eligible, follow the link below and get your free Home Mini.

Claim Here

// Spotify

DEAL: Pixel 4 in "Clearly" White is $100 Off Right Now at Amazon (Updated: Done)

Kellen — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 13:35:21 +0000

If you hurry, you can grab Google's new Pixel 4 in "Clearly White" and with 64GB storage for $699.99, which is close to being a $100 discount off the phone that has yet to arrive in stores. For whatever reason, this is the only color, storage version, and model of the Pixel 4 family that is discounted, so we're not sure if this is a mistake or what. If you haven't yet ordered the Pixel 4 and are fine with its poor battery life, now would be the time to jump on it. This is the US unlocked version, so it'll work on all major US carriers. This is also separate from the $100 gift card deal we told you about last week. This is a straight $99 off.

UPDATE: The $99 price drop has been removed and we are back up to $799. We'll probably never know why it was temporarily discounted, but certainly seems like this was in error.

Amazon Deal Link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxHpyE2jqaw

DEAL: SanDisk 256GB Extreme MicroSD for $40 (Today Only!)

Tim — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 13:10:47 +0000

Unless you have yourself a Pixel device or some other Android phone that doesn't support microSD, these little cards are an excellent way to expand your device's storage in an instant -- without having to pay a ton to the OEM. For today only on Amazon, you can pick up a SanDisk 256GB Extreme microSD for just $40, down from its usual price of $54. Given this is a Class 10 card, you can expect read speeds of up to 160MB/s and write speeds of 90Mb/s, completely capable of handling 4K video files with UHS Speed Class 3 and Video Speed Class 30. Follow the link below to grab one on Amazon.

Amazon Link

Dark Mode for Gmail is Here! (Updated)

Tim — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 12:45:37 +0000

Gmail's Dark Mode was thought to be a unicorn. Everyone we asked, no one had it. It seemed to be a very hard thing to find. However, as of 5 minutes ago, both Kellen and I have it for our Gmail apps. Considering Google said this was rolling out back in September, it's about d*mn time. There is a toggle for the app's Theme inside Gmail's settings menu, but the app will also follow your system's theme. For those curious, I'm on app version 2019.09.15.270135155.release, running on a Pixel 3 XL with Android 10. If you're not seeing it on your device, it's possible it's still on its way to you or you're not on Android 10. Go check your Gmail!

UPDATE: It's clear that so many of you have still not received Gmail dark. Again, the reason we shared this was because the two of us received the update at the exact same time after weeks of waiting. You would typically take that as a sign of a wider rollout.
UPDATE 10/22: You should have it, like, for real now. Please tell us that you do. The past 3-4 days, Google appears to have really ramped up the rollout.

Twitter's Lights Out Mode Arrives on Android

Kellen — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 11:22:49 +0000

Twitter's Light Out mode, the darker (or AMOLED black-esque) version of the dark mode you may have been enjoying for the past couple of years, is now available on Android. Well, Twitter says it's available today and that you can "now go lights out," but I don't have it just yet. Like most features these days, it's probably slowly rolling out. Once live, you should find two dark mode/theme settings on Twitter for Android. With Dark Mode enabled, you'll be able to choose the current dark or "Dim" theme, as well as the new "Lights out" option. Lights Out, again, is basically the black theme to match Android 10's system-level dark theme. If you see it, let us know! https://twitter.com/Twitter/status/1186690182017437696

Sprint Says Its 5G Network Now Covers 16 Million People in 9 Different Markets

Tim — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 11:20:21 +0000

Sprint announced an expansion of its 5G footprint this week, claiming that it now covers 16 million people across nine different markets in the US. According to Sprint, you'll find its 5G network in large parts of Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix, and Washington DC. Sprint is kind enough to list specifics on where you'll find 5G in these areas. If you're located in one of the aforementioned cities, and are a Sprint customer, I recommend you read all of this.

In New York, service has expanded to more parts of the Upper West Side, Harlem, and South Bronx; new parts of Queens and Brooklyn, as well as Paterson, Lodi and East Orange in New Jersey. In Los Angeles, 5G is now available in new areas such as Torrance, Southgate, Lancaster and Buena Park. The company has lit up new places in the greater Washington, D.C. area including Fort Dupont and Deanwood, parts of Bladensburg and Fairmont Heights in Maryland, and parts of Bailey’s Crossroads and George Mason University in Virginia. In Phoenix, customers can now experience Sprint 5G around more parts of ASU, at Chase Field and in Mesa; while Atlanta service has been expanded from College Park to Alpharetta, and from Marietta to Lawrenceville. Service has also expanded into portions of Garland, South Dallas and Plano in Dallas-Forth Worth; and has expanded to more Northwest and South parts of Houston.

If you're looking for a more street-level view of where to find 5G from Sprint, you can check their coverage map here. // Sprint

Mobvoi Adds Sleep Tracking to Ticwatch Pro

Kellen — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 10:00:39 +0000

Google doesn't seem to want to improve Wear OS much, so its partners have started to add features that the platform should have gained long ago. We're talking about features like those new battery modes that Fossil just gave us or the sleep tracking feature Mobvoi is introducing today. That's right, Mobvoi Wear OS watches are gaining sleep tracking. Mobvoi tells us that the Ticwatch Pro BT and Ticwatch Pro 4G/LTE are both getting access to their new sleep tracking feature, as well as the new TicSleep app. I'm assuming other Mobvoi watches will join in with sleep tracking before long, they just haven't told us when. For features, Mobvoi's TicSleep uses AI and your watch's heartrate monitor to try and automatically detect and track sleep. You'll get insights each morning that shows the type of sleep you are getting and for how long you stay in each stage. You'll even get historical data to see if there are sleep changes between weeks. Here are the features Mobvoi shared with us:

Proactive Sleep Tracking: Utilizing artificial intelligence, TicSleep automatically detects and tracks your sleep without manually tapping any buttons. You can gain insight into your sleep by simply wearing your TicWatch to bed
Sleep Cycle Tracking with Heart Rate Monitor: Using the rich sensors from the TicWatch Pro line of smartwatches, your TicWatch provides you with insights into your sleep cycles and delivers an in-depth analysis of the time you spent sleeping, along with your heart rate during every stage of your sleep cycle. You can review your sleep cycle from the TicSleep watch face and more in the Mobvoi smartphone app
TicSleep Watch App Interface: To stay on track with your sleep conditions, the TicSleep watch app interface allows you to see your last night's total sleep time and compare it with your 7-day weekly average. You can also keep track of your sleep cycle and sleeping heart rate directly from your watch face
Smart alarm: TicSleep monitors your sleep cycle and wakes you with a subtle, customizable vibration while you’re in a state of light sleep
Sleep data history: Aside from just getting daily briefings on your sleep condition, you can view your historical sleep data and track any changes in your sleep cycle on a weekly basis.

Again, to start, TicSleep is available on the Ticwatch Pro BT and Pro 4G/LTE. You can download it at through the link below. Google Play Link

DEAL: GSM-Only Pixel 3 XL in Not Pink for Only $439 on Woot!

Tim — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 09:59:46 +0000

International variants of phones can be tricky if you're someone who shops different carriers or has Google Fi, but if you're someone who is tied to either AT&T or T-Mobile, and want a Pixel 3 XL in what could be the least popular color available (just use a case!), this is a good deal. Woot! is offering the International (GSM-only) model of the Pixel 3 XL (64GB) for just $439.99 and $489.99 for the 128GB model. Over on the Google Store, a regular US model of the Pixel 3 XL starts at $599. Again, and we stress this so there's no confusion, this is a GSM-only model, meaning you'll only get LTE connectivity with T-Mobile and AT&T. If you're on Sprint or Verizon, do not buy this phone.

Woot! Link

Wireless Charging the Pixel 4 Shouldn't be Terrible, Unlike the Pixel 3

Tim — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 09:00:27 +0000

Thanks to the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) this week, we're learning that the Pixel 4 is capable of handling more incoming wireless power, which should make wireless charging on the latest phones from Google a much better experience than we had with the Pixel 3 lineup. Numbers wise, the Pixel 4 supports Qi wireless charging speeds of up to 11W, according to WPC. Last year, the Pixel 3 and 3 XL were capped to 5W wireless charging, unless charged via a Pixel Stand or Google-certified wireless charger. If you use a Pixel Stand, this development won't matter much to you, since charging is capped at 10W on that device to begin with. However, if you have random Qi wireless chargers laying around the house, you should notice improved wireless charging speeds with the Pixel 4. Celebrate good times. // Wireless Power Consortium | @MishaalRahman

LG's Dual-Screened G8X Phone Arrives at AT&T, Sprint on November 1

Kellen — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 07:54:21 +0000

Back in September at IFA, LG announced a dual-screened phone called the LG G8X. At the time, they weren't ready to share specific launch details for the US and left us wondering if the phone would come here at all. Today, they cleared that up by announcing November 1 availability at AT&T, Sprint, and Amazon. To recap, the LG G8X is not a foldable, but is instead a phone that attaches to a case to inherit a secondary display. That secondary display is called LG Dual Screen (sold separately) and it doubles the screen real estate of the G8X. In fact, it's the exact same screen type (OLED) and resolution (1080p) as the phone, so you get a matching experience between the two. Additionally, there is a small cover display that can show you notifications or incoming calls. The major selling point of the G8X is that you don't get all of the hell that is a fragile foldable (ahem, Galaxy Fold), yet you do get similar functionality. You can text away on one screen while watching video on the other. The secondary Dual Screen could act as a gamepad for video games. You get the idea. As for specs, LG outfitted the phone with a Snapdragon 855, 128GB storage, 6GB RAM, dual cameras (12MP standard + 16MP super wide), 4000mAh battery, in-display fingerprint reader, 32-bit DAC and stereo speakers, and IP68 water and dust resistance. Pre-orders open October 25 before the phone arrives November 1. AT&T has a deal where they'll sell you a G8X for $10/mo for 30 months and give you the Dual Screen for free.

LG G8X Specs

[table responsive=scroll id=183 /] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH-vAH5bQeA

Want Disney+ for Free for 12 Months? Verizon's Got You

Kellen — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 07:13:43 +0000

Verizon announced this morning that it's customers are about to receive the perk of the year. On November 12, when Disney+ launches for $6.99/mo for most folks, Verizon is giving it away to their customers for free for the next 12 months. Free Disney+! As the "exclusive wireless carrier," Verizon is giving new and existing Unlimited plan customers 12 months of Disney+ at no cost. The only requirement here appears to be that you are on an "Unlimited" plan. From the terms I've seen, Verizon only says "Unlimited," so we're likely talking about the new Get More, Do More, Play More, and Start Unlimited plans, along with the previous line-up of Above, Beyond, and Go. I'll try to get confirmation on that shortly. 5G customers can also get this for free. Once the Disney+ service launches, you'll be able to activate and stream to a number of different devices for a full year. You are only allowed 1 subscription per account, though. Verizon's terms state that you have to enroll in the promo by June 1, 2020. To get signed-up, head over to Verizon's Disney+ sign-up page. // Verizon

DEAL: Anker Soundcore Life P2 True Wireless Earbuds for $45 ($15 Off)

Tim — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 15:23:39 +0000

Anker's Soundcore Life P2 wireless earbuds are on sale this week for $45, down from their initial price of $60. The best part, there is no coupon code or anything else you need to apply on Amazon. The discounted price is already applied to the listing. As for the earbuds, they offer IPX7 water resistance (gym proofing), 4 onboard mics for "crystal-clear" calls, cVc 8.0 Noise Reduction, graphene drivers, 40-hour playtime with Fast Charge (that's with the case), and Anker's BassUp technology that analyzes low frequencies in real-time to instantly intensify them. If you need some wireless buds, don't want to spend more than $50, but also want to spend more than $20, this is the perfect pair.

Amazon Link

Verizon Mobile 5G Arrives in 3 New NBA Arenas Across US (Update: Doesn't Reach Every Seat)

Tim — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 13:14:29 +0000

Verizon announced availability of 5G Ultra Wideband service in a few new arenas this week, but the big takeaway is, the service should be available in 10 arenas by the end of the 2019-2020 NBA season. As for where it popped up today, that would be Talking Stick Resort Arena (Phoenix), Chase Center (San Francisco), and the Pepsi Center (Denver). Verizon also notes that it is coming soon to Madison Square Garden in NYC and other arenas. If you're interested to see just how fast Verizon 5G is, we have a post and video on that. Enjoy those sweet speeds, Verizon customers who also happen to own a 5G-capable smartphone. Update: As if we needed another reason to believe the hype surrounding the 5G is anything but manufactured, it's been detailed by ArsTechnica that the 5G Mobile signal available in the announced arenas will not reach every seat in the house. This detail was withheld in the company's original announcement from last week, which some could easily label as shady.

When contacted by Ars, Verizon said the 5G network doesn't cover the whole arena for any of these NBA facilities. "Just certain seating areas" in the NBA arenas have access to 5G, a Verizon spokesperson told us.

It's hard to know right off if these arenas or Verizon will detail exactly which seats have 5G access, but good lord, this is kinda silly. // Verizon

New KSNY Sport Smartwatch With Wear OS Starts at $275

Tim — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 12:11:49 +0000

Kate Spade unveiled the "new" KSNY Sport Smartwatch with Wear OS this morning, available starting today for $275. New is in quotes because like we saw recently from Michael Kors, while the outside of this device looks unfamiliar, the internals point to this smartwatch being what's essentially a rebranded Fossil Gen 5 -- not that that's a bad thing. For specs, the KSNY Sport Smartwatch features a 1.19" AMOLED display, 42mm case, Snapdragon Wear 3100 processor, 4GB storage and 512MB RAM (half of what's available in the Gen 5), standalone GPS, heart rate sensor, as well as 24+ hours of battery life according to Kate Spade.

As you can see in the above photos, the smartwatch comes in plenty of colors, "crafted with the Kate Spade woman in mind." Detailed by Kate Spade, "Known for their playful and whimsical digital dials, the watch includes a new 'spades' dial featuring floating spades that move when the wearer does." Again, you can pick this thing up today if it strikes your fancy.

Kate Spade Link

Specs

Updated Play Store UI for Android TV Should be Rolling Out to Users

Tim — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 11:27:17 +0000

According to at least one person on reddit, as well as a comment from Google, Android TV users should begin to see an updated UI for Google Play over the next few weeks. Detailed all the way back in May, Google Play will soon have a few notable changes in terms of appearance. First, it looks more modern, with big header text and emphasis on partner applications. It appears Google is providing a way for partners to highlight content found inside of specific apps, instead of having Google Play be just a listing for all of its apps. From everything we've seen so far, it looks pretty good. Come to think of it, this new Play UI should pair nicely with the freshly leaked SHIELD TV devices on the way from NVIDIA. How exciting. // reddit | 9to5 Google

Verizon 5G Home Internet Now Available in Parts of Chicago

Tim — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 11:09:27 +0000

Verizon 5G Home Internet is now available in areas of Chicago, IL, making it the fifth city where you can find Verizon's 5G Home offering. You can also find 5G Home in parts of Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, and Sacramento. If you're curious about what 5G Home can offer you and your family, Verizon claims typical speeds are around 300Mbps, with peak speeds hitting 1Gbps with its WiFi 6 router. And speaking of the router, Verizon highlights that it has Amazon's Alexa built directly into it, as well as a 10W speaker. For pricing, 5G Home starts at $50/month for Verizon customers and $70/month for non-Verizon customers with autopay and paperless billing. Verizon also includes YouTube TV free for one month.

Verizon 5G Home Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m76X5qtL7OA // Verizon

Google Confirms, Dual Exposure Controls and Live HDR+ are Exclusive to Pixel 4

Tim — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 09:31:28 +0000

Google confirmed to a user over the weekend that the Dual Exposure Controls and Live HDR+ camera features it showcased during its recent Made By Google hardware event will be exclusive to the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. Unfortunately, that means you won't find them making their way to older Pixel phones, such as the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3a lineup of devices. According to Google, the reasoning behind this is that those features "require low-level capabilities in the hardware," capabilities that are not present in older Pixel phones.

Related: Pixel 4 Camera Sample Gallery

If you didn't catch Google's event, it highlighted Dual Exposure Controls and Live HDR+ as new abilities inside the Pixel 4's camera app. With Live HDR+, it allows users to approximate what an HDR shot will look like after it's taken. This stems from the previous HDR experience where final shots would differ in appearance from what you'd see in the viewfinder before pressing the shutter button. For Dual Exposure Controls, it allows users to adjust not only capture exposure in a shot, but overall tone mapping as well. If you're a mobile photographer who loves tinkering with shadows and exposure, it could be a game changer for you. To see these features in action, you can watch Google's highlight of them here. https://twitter.com/madebygoogle/status/1186115948912283649

Google to Bring Eye Detection to Pixel 4's Face Unlock in the Coming Months

Tim — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 08:39:36 +0000

Late last week, we learned that the Pixel 4's new face unlock method works even when a user's eyes are closed. This can be seen as a privacy issue by many, and as it turns out, Google appears to share our concern. Over the weekend, the company has acknowledged the issue and says it will push out an update in the future to address it.

Related: First 10 Things to Do With the Pixel 4

As for how soon Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL owners can expect the update, don't go holding your breath. In a statement, Google says we'll see it "in the coming months." Full Statement

We’ve been working on an option for users to require their eyes to be open to unlock the phone, which will be delivered in a software update in the coming months. In the meantime, if any Pixel 4 users are concerned that someone may take their phone and try to unlock it while their eyes are closed, they can activate a security feature that requires a pin, pattern or password for the next unlock. Pixel 4 face unlock meets the security requirements as a strong biometric, and can be used for payments and app authentication, including banking apps. It is resilient against invalid unlock attempts via other means, like with masks.

To learn that the face unlock feature works while eyes are closed, which means it'll work just fine while you're sleeping, is one of those major things that Google can't seem to not have when they launch a new device. And because this phone doesn't feature a fingerprint scanner, the shortcoming of face unlock becomes very apparent. Is this a dealbreaker for any potential buyers? // The Verge

Here's a Pixel 4 Camera Sample Gallery

Kellen — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 07:21:26 +0000

I may be frustrated by the battery life of the Pixel 4, but the camera is once again a winner. For the past several days, I've been in Hood River, OR on a family trip, snapping pictures in a variety of situations to test out its new zooming flexibility, upgraded Night Sight, and HDR+. This camera is so good. I'll have more to say once our review is up in the next couple of days, but figured you might want to see some of the full resolution shots I've taken. I shared them on Twitter a few days ago in a Google Photos album that you can all view if interested. Below, I included a couple of resized samples. See the full resolution album here.

Pixel 4 Battery Life...

Kellen — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 06:32:51 +0000

The Pixel 4 battery life is not good at all.

Today is Pixel 4 review day around most tech parts of the internet and we won't be joining in because, well, vacation. Our review will be up tomorrow or Wednesday, but I did want to point out something before we get there for those who may have a pre-order you've been nervous about. I wanted to talk battery life for the regular Pixel 4, which is the version I've been testing for the past week. To put it bluntly, battery life has been borderline horrible.

WATCH: First 10 things to do with your Pixel 4!

Again, this is the regular Pixel 4 with the 2800mAh battery we were worried about before the phone ever graced our fingertips. In testing full-time since the middle of last week, I've been mostly frustrated by having to worry again about single-day battery usage. In fact, I'm not sure I made it past 7PM in a single day without dipping somewhere into, "Oh shit, where's my charger" territory. My typical day with every phone, for those curious, starts when it comes off the charger at around 6:30AM and then goes back on the charger around 11PM with plenty of Twitter, Chrome, Instagram, and Google News usage. On other days, my kid may play a handful of games or watch some Netflix. With phones not named "Pixel 4," I tend to hit 3-4 hours of screen on time and have anywhere from 20-30% battery remaining. With the Pixel 4, I'm not hitting either of those numbers. The Pixel 4, as you will see from the screenshots below, never made it to 8PM before I decided to take a screenshot and run off to find a charger. That's...not good.

What's the issue here? There are a couple of items I'd point to that are obvious. For one, the battery is arguably small for a 2019 phone at 2800mAh. That's smaller than last year's Pixel 3, which also suffered from poor battery life. The OnePlus 7T has a 3800mAh battery and the Pixel 4 XL has a 3700mAh battery. Those are much more common capacities for the current smartphone cycle. The other problem likely has to do with the 90Hz display that Google included. With an increase to 90Hz from the standard 60Hz, Google is giving Pixel 4 users a smoother experience, but they are also putting extra strain on battery life. The display and its 90Hz refresh rate are referred to as Smooth Display in software, with a toggle to use it or not. Google says in settings that turning Smooth Display on "Automatically raises the refresh rate from 60 to 90 Hz for some content" and that it "Increases battery usage." They aren't joking there. For comparison, I'll bring up the OnePlus 7T again. It too has a 90Hz display, but because of OnePlus' ability to get max usage out of a battery, the 3800mAh was enough to get me 4+ hours of screen on time most days and not need a charger until the following day. We're talking an extra half-day of off-the-charger time compared to this Pixel 4. So what's the takeaway? It would be tough for me to recommend the regular Pixel 4 to anyone who considers themselves to be a heavy smartphone user or who may not be able to charge their phone in the middle of a day. Sure, you could turn off 90Hz and try and squeeze out more juice, but I'm not a big fan of eliminating new and innovative features that will be used as selling points by Google, just to get a few more hours out of a phone. Want to know about battery life on the Pixel 4 XL? We'll be testing the 4 XL soon.

Pixel 4: First 10 Things to Do!

Kellen — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 06:00:00 +0000

Since Google announced the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL last week, I've had one in my hand. We'll have a review up in the next day or so, but because we know your pre-orders will soon be arriving, the important things need to get done first. Like this video here, where we tell you the first 10 things you should get familiar with in order be the best Pixel 4 user on the planet. In this latest installment of our "First 10 Things to Do" series, we dive into the most important features of the Pixel 4 that you'll want to make the most of right way. We look at Motion Sense and its gestures, setting up Face Unlock (since there's no fingerprint sensor), using the new ultra-fast Google Assistant with Continued Conversation, which display settings are worth turning off or on, how to activate Live Caption, and more. Anyone's Pixel 4 or Pixel 4 XL ship yet?

Shop Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL at Amazon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxHpyE2jqaw

Call of Duty: Mobile Gets Halloween Event, New Sniper Only Mode

Tim — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 16:07:41 +0000

Call of Duty: Mobile is stupid popular. We're talking 100 million downloads in its first week popular. To keep that momentum going, the developers behind mobile's current king announced the release of a new Halloween event and the Sparrow Operator Skill Event. For Halloween, players of TDM, SND, and Domination will see a darker, pumpkin infested version of Black Op 2's Standoff map. Check it out below, it looks pretty dope. In addition to pumpkins, Call of Duty: Mobile has fired up a new limited time mode for the snipers. That's right, it's time to one-shot folks. Schedule

10/18 ~ Halloween event begins
10/18 ~ Sniper Only Mode + Sniper Only Challenge
10/21 ~ Sparrow Operator Skill Event

Go get it!

Google Play Link

// reddit

Podcast: Yo, It's the Pixel 4 Party!

Kellen — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 09:45:57 +0000

On this episode of the Droid Life Show, it's time to talk Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL! Google's new phones are official, we've spent some time with each, and oh my are we excited to stop talking about leaks. The Pixel 4 wasn't the only big announcement from Google, though. We want to recap the Made by Google event with new Nest Mini and WiFi, Pixelbook Go, and Pixel Buds. We also need to talk new NVIDIA SHIELD TV devices and more! Trivia is back! We’ll be live at 11:00AM Pacific (2:00PM Eastern).

OnePlus 7T: First 10 Things to Do!

Kellen — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 09:37:13 +0000

Now that it's OnePlus 7T launch day, we know that some of you have phones arriving shortly or you stopped by a T-Mobile store to pick one up. If that's the case, our "First 10 Things" video is here to get you setup and dominating life with the 7T. In this video, you'll find tutorials on using both fingerprint and face unlock features together, which system gestures are the most useful, the most important display settings (like 90Hz), which UI elements you can customize, where to find sound settings and vibration patterns/intensities, which home screen features to use, and how to get your camera proper. Anyone buying the OnePlus 7T?

Shop OnePlus 7T: OnePlus Store | T-Mobile

READ: OnePlus 7T review

Samsung Issues Statement on Fingerprint Vulnerability, Software Update is Coming

Tim — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 08:53:19 +0000

In a statement published today, Samsung acknowledges and states it is working on a fix for a major fingerprint recognition vulnerability concerning all Galaxy devices that utilize the ultrasonic fingerprint reader. Just so you don't have to think about it, Samsung says this affects the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+, plus the Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10 5G. To fill you in on what's happening, some Galaxy owners have discovered that if you're using a 3rd-party glass screen protector, your phone's ultrasonic fingerprint reader has the chance of letting anybody past the lockscreen. Obviously, that's a problem. Here's the full statement from Samsung.

Regarding recent reports of a fingerprint recognition issue affecting certain Galaxy devices, we would like to inform our customers of the following information. This issue involved ultrasonic fingerprint sensors unlocking devices after recognizing 3-dimensional patterns appearing on certain silicone screen protecting cases as users’ fingerprints. To prevent any further issues, we advise that Galaxy Note10/10+ and S10/S10+/S10 5G users who use such covers to remove the cover, delete all previous fingerprints and newly register their fingerprints. If you currently use front screen protective covers, to ensure optimum fingerprint scanning, please refrain from using this cover until your device has been updated with a new software patch. A software update is planned to be released as early as next week, and once updated, please be sure to scan your fingerprint in its entirety, so that the all portions of your fingerprint, including the center and corners have been fully scanned. Thank you for your patience and we will strive to continuously improve product and service experiences for our users.

So, while you wait for a software update, best to not user your fingerprint reader and opt for an old fashioned passcode or pattern lock. // Samsung

OnePlus 7T Now Available for Purchase in the US!

Kellen — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 07:00:38 +0000

The newest phone from OnePlus, the OnePlus 7T, is now available after being announced way back in September. Yep, you can buy one today! To recap, the OnePlus 7T is very much the replacement to last year's OnePlus 6T here in the US. Since we didn't get a OnePlus 7, this seems like the logical option for those who didn't want a OnePlus 7 Pro earlier in the year, but are feeling ready to upgrade. The OnePlus 7T features high-end specs, including a 6.55" 90Hz display. You also get a new triple camera setup (48MP + 12MP telephoto + 16MP ultra-wide) that features a really cool macro shooting mode that few phones on the planet can emulate. There's a new Snapdragon 855+ processor inside, 128GB storage, 8GB RAM, 3800mAh battery with Warp Charge 30T charging, Bluetooth 5.0, an alert slide, in-display fingerprint reader, and Android 10. And actually, this is the first phone to ship with Android 10 on it.

READ: OnePlus 7T review

In our review of the 7T, we came away with nothing but good things to say. The $599 price is very reasonable for all that OnePlus has included, the cameras are steadily improving, performance is incredible, and that display is a delight to look at for hours on end. Can't go wrong here.

Shop OnePlus 7T: OnePlus Store | T-Mobile

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CnDZ61g1JA

Motorola May Have Picked a Date to Show Off Its Foldable Razr

Kellen — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 16:29:28 +0000

Motorola is hosting an event on November 13 in Los Angeles and they might show off the phone we have all been waiting to see. It might be the last big reveal of 2019, one that could bring back memories and also transform our mobile future. We could be weeks away from the return of the Moto Razr, only this time as a foldable. Invites for the event have apparently been sent and CNET received one. The invite says things like this being the "highly anticipated unveiling of a reinvented icon" and that "You're going to flip" over it. There will be a bunch of special guests and musical performers too, to help show off this "original unlike any other."

If they aren't talking about the return of the Razr, then I think Motorola has lost their mind. What other product have they made that's iconic? The Razr is it. Also, we know they are working on a flip phone-style foldable and that they don't plan on being late to the foldable game. In recent weeks, we heard that there was still a good chance that they would show it off before the end of the year. Consider me just a bit beyond excited. A foldable Razr with the modern goods of 2019? Hell yes. Just please, don't be $1,500. // CNET

Pixel 4 Doesn't Have 5G Because 5G Isn't Something You Need Right Now

Kellen — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 16:10:26 +0000

There isn't a 5G version of the Pixel 4, in case you didn't realize that. There were questionable rumors about there being one, but I'm not sure we took them all that seriously, nor should you have. This week, Google explained exactly why there isn't a Pixel 4 5G - because 5G is bad right now and will be for a while. According to a chat that PCMag had with Brian Rakowski, Google's VP of product management, Google doesn't view this as the "right time to buy a 5G phone." Because 5G coverage is suspect and not in enough places, and also because of how early it is in the 5G hardware cycle, 5G isn't really worth putting in a phone. Rakowski said specifically that "there's work to be done there" and that Google is "tracking it closely and [will] bring a phone out when [they] feel like it's a good time for users." He concluded by saying that "now's not the time." He's right. Just look at the short time we spent with a 5G Galaxy Note 10+ a couple of weeks back on Verizon's network. By putting a bit of stress on the phone, we overheated it, lost signal regularly, and generally didn't find any meaningful benefits over the download speeds. The technology in that phone is the newest of the new and likely would have been what Google had to use in the Pixel 4. I'm not sure the benefits there would have justified the price hike over current Pixel 4 prices. Of course, the networks are all bad at the moment too. Verizon and AT&T are using hotspot 5G in the form of 5G millimeter Wave that can't bend around a corner, work through a window, or keep a connection beyond a block. Sprint's 5G network might actually be good, but it's hardly available and, well, it's from Sprint. T-Mobile and Sprint might work together on 5G some day, but not any time soon until their merger can finalize. So when Google says that 5G isn't necessary or useful in a phone right now, they aren't just saying that to spin the fact that they left it out, like when they left LTE out of the Nexus 4. 5G isn't ready right now. We've talked about this a lot, that 5G is mostly not worth caring about for the next few years and that it's all far too confusing. Should you hesitate to buy a Pixel 4 or Pixel 4 XL because neither has 5G? No. I'd argue the flip here and that you shouldn't buy any phone if it does have 5G today. Or next year. Your experience won't be great and you'll have paid too much for the phone. // PCMag

Another NVIDIA SHIELD TV Shows Up Early in Smaller Stick Form, Same New Remote

Kellen — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 12:09:48 +0000

The new NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro that showed up at Amazon for pre-order this morning isn't the only new NVIDIA SHIELD on the way. Spotted at Newegg, there's another device in smaller, stick form that packs very similar specs in an easier-to-hide form factor. The device, which has already been pulled from Newegg, is meant to be hidden behind your entertainment center where you hide the rest of your cables. This device is just 6.5" long and less than 2" wide. It's not quite a dongle or Chromecast, but pretty close. This new NVIDIA SHIELD also has the new Tegra X1+ processor (there's a Tegra Z1+ processor in there too) Dolby Vision-Atmos support, 4K AI upscaling of HD content, 4K HDR, HDMI, dual band 802.11ac WiFi, and Gigabit ethernet. You'll be able to expand external storage through a microSD card, unlike the bigger SHIELD TV Pro where you'll need an external storage or USB device. This smaller unit appears to have the same new remote as the Pro with menu button, play/pause/fwd/rwd buttons, a voice button for voice controls over Alexa or Google Assistant, volume controls, and a dedicated Netflix button. It should also run on 2-AAA batteries, with lost-remote locator, motion-activated backlit buttons, and Bluetooth connection. We don't yet know pricing, but Newegg Canada had it listed as $200 CAD.

You now have a decision to make - you buying this little guy or the Pro? // reddit

Pixel 4 Fans Fire Up Online Petition for Google to Bring Back Unlimited Original Quality Backups

Tim — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 11:37:01 +0000

Shortly after Google unveiled the new Pixel 4, it was noted on the device's listing page that it would not include unlimited Google Photos storage for original quality photos. Instead, Google is offering unlimited "high quality" backups. This, of course, differs from what the company has done in the past. Naturally, potential Pixel 4 buyers have been upset by this move, and really, no one should blame them. Google has long touted the cameras found on Pixel devices, and having a place to store all of your fantastic photos seems like it'd be a good thing for Google to offer buyers of its flagship phone. Enter the Change.org. In the petition's description, the organizer states the following.

Google has been exceptional at making phones with emphasis on photography. Aside from an excellent camera, one of the main buying points was the unlimited Google Photos storage in Original Quality included for free with the flagship Google Pixel phones. With the latest iteration, Google decided to remove this perk, making the Pixel 4 much less enticing compared to its counterparts. While Google tries to leverage the superb photography capabilities of its new flagship, it appears to be an even more hypocritical and cash grabbing move to not let users utilise their photo storage service as a part of the offering.

Without taking this move too seriously, I'm with the consumers on this one. The unlimited photo storage at the original quality was a legit perk for Pixel owners. It's possible Google was somehow losing money on this offer, but at the cost of getting people to buy their phones, it seems like a worthy tradeoff. If you want to join the petition, even though odds are it could have very little effect on what Google does, follow the link below. Sign the petition here.

Google One Adds Rewards Program for Google Store Purchases

Kellen — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 09:42:35 +0000

As a part of the Pixel 4 launch, Google adding new benefits to its Google One storage service. Not only do Pixel 4 get a free Google One trial and help sessions with "Pro" Google experts, there's a new rewards program with benefits that increase depending on your storage tier. For the free trial, Google announced on stage at the Pixel 4 event that they were giving Pixel 4 owners the entry-level 100GB plan for free for 3 months. That plan normally costs $1.99/mo, so yeah, a $6 freebie.

First Look: Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL hands-on!

For the rewards program, Google is giving you expanded rewards depending on your tier. For 100GB storage plans, you get access to Pixel 4 Pro Sessions, which really are just 1-on-1 Hangouts sessions with a Google expert for those of you who might need help. For 200GB members, you get the Pro Sessions and 3% back on Google Store purchase. Finally, for 2TB members, you get Pro Sessions and 10% back. As long as you purchase goods on the Google Store with the same account you use for Google One, you'll earn rewards as Google Store credit. Those credits are automatically calculated and issued 30 days after your purchases ship.

Anyone else just upgrade like I did? Also, this would have been nice to know before I pre-ordered two Pixel 4 phones. // Google

Pixel 4 Could Have Been the Moment for Google to Showcase RCS, But You Know, Carriers

Kellen — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 09:18:24 +0000

At the "Made by Google" event earlier this week, Google was super excited to announce that they had expanded their partnerships and would launch the new Pixel 4 through every major US carrier. This was a first for Google, who had exclusively (and mistakenly) tied itself to Verizon for 2.5 years, but also a big opportunity for them to push a few extra phones out the door in a country that still heavily relies on carrier sales. With wide carrier availability, I couldn't help but consider this might be the perfect opportunity for Google to push another of its ideas now that it had its flagship phone everywhere. I'm talking about RCS or Rich Communication Services, the "Chat" service that Google hopes will one day replace text messaging. Since this is the first time we have seen the same Google phone at all carriers, and Google's phones have been some of the first to adopt RCS, what better way to give that initiative a kickstart than by using Pixel 4 as a launchpad? Heh...heh heh. As it turns out, there is no big RCS push with the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. I can tell you that one of the first things I checked for after slapping a Verizon SIM into my Pixel 4 review unit was "Chat" features. I was greeted with dreaded "Chat features unavailable for this device" and that "Your carrier does not currently support this feature" notices. That's odd, right? The Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL both support RCS at Verizon, so why wouldn't these? Ahhh, the life that is RCS. Since the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL were announced, both T-Mobile and Verizon Twitter support accounts have confirmed that "right now" RCS is not supported on the Pixel 4. We don't know AT&T's stance on RCS, only that they are supposedly onboard with it as a concept and supporting operator of the RCS standard called Universal Profile. Sprint, well, they'll probably add support to the Pixel 4, as they have been early adopters in the technology. https://twitter.com/VZWSupport/status/1184831860968476672 https://twitter.com/TMobileHelp/status/1184153621719482368 You see, that's the big problem with RCS and why I called it "dumb" a few months back. Rather than force the adoption, Google is relying on carriers in the US to implement RCS, which some have done on a phone by phone basis. It's more technical than just that too, since some carriers have their own RCS platforms that may not talk to another RCS platform, completely killing the entire benefit of RCS. It's a f*cking mess that has no fix in sight unless Google takes control. And we know Google can take control. We have seen Google push RCS to Android phones without the help of carriers in other countries. Back in June, Google began pushing out RCS to all Android phones in the UK and France, through their Android Messages app. They did this without carriers signing off on every single device. Google's Hiroshi Lockheimer then announced a month or so later that they had completed that rollout and would start on a new wave of countries "soon." He also noted that they'd love to "work with our US carrier partners on RCS," since this forced rollout didn't appear to be making its way to the US. You see the problem there, don't you? In other countries, Google is doing it alone, but in the US, they want US carriers to help? Ugh. Of course, all of these carriers could add support for RCS on the Pixel 4 down the road. I wouldn't be shocked if at least a couple of them do over the coming months, but what a missed opportunity. This could have been the launch of Pixel 4 on all carriers and a way for Google to showcase its vision for the future of cross-carrier messaging outside of an iPhone.

New NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro Shows Up at Amazon, Pre-Orders Open Now (Updated: Another New SHIELD!)

Kellen — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 08:19:09 +0000

We've heard rumors about a new NVIDIA SHIELD TV on the horizon, but weren't exactly expecting one to show up on Amazon today, unannounced. And yeah that just happened! Here is the new NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro for 2019. The device will cost $199.99 if you'd like to pre-order it right now. Delivery is currently showing as October 28. The new SHIELD TV Pro, according to this listing, has 25% faster performance through a new NVIDIA Tegra X1+ chip. It has 3GB RAM, two USB 3.0 ports, 16GB internal storage (external storage supported), Dolby Vision-Atmos, 4K HDR, Chromecast 4K built-in, HD-to-4K AI upscaling, Bluetooth 5.0, 802.11ac WiFi, Gigabit ethernet, and a brand new remote. The new remote, which doesn't really look like any of NVIDIA's old remotes (is that a triangular shape?), has a new menu button, play/pause/fwd/rwd buttons, a voice button for voice controls over Alexa or Google Assistant, volume controls, and a dedicated Netflix button. It runs on 2-AAA batteries, has a lost-remote locator, motion-activated backlit buttons, and connects via Bluetooth. The listing describes it as an "all-new design," though it looks like the 2017 remake of the 2015 original. Or am I missing something here? Maybe the promo materials are simply talking about the new remote, which is indeed a new design. There's a controller mentioned, just not listed or shown anywhere. I'm guessing we'll find out shortly if it's design has changed at all. Oh yeah, Android TV once again powers the UI and experience. You pre-ordering?

UPDATE: They pulled the page. If October 28 is the day, though, don't be surprised if it goes live again shortly. We'll keep you updated.
UPDATE 2: Another new NVIDIA SHIELD TV showed up at Newegg, this time in a smaller dongle-esque form!

Amazon Pre-order Link

Cheers Dave!

Video: ASUS ROG Phone 2 Unboxing and First Look!

Tim — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 15:47:53 +0000

Announced all the way back in July, the ROG Phone 2 has been making its way to users across the globe, and luckily for us, ASUS was kind enough to send one our way. Before I start gaming until my eyeballs bleed, though, we have to unbox this puppy. To overview the major specs, the ROG Phone 2 features a 6.6" FHD+ AMOLED display capable of a refresh rate of 120Hz, Snapdragon 855+ processor, 12GB RAM, 512GB internal storage, in-display fingerprint reader, dual stereo speakers, massive 6,000mAh battery, dual rear-facing cameras, AirTrigger touch sensors on the side of the device for playing games, and Android 9 Pie with ASUS' ROG UI running on top. This device is priced at $899, but keep in mind, it does have every spec under the sun, with exception to an IP rating. That means don't take it near water. Now, I'm off to play mobile games! ROG Phone 2 Unboxing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wCumSeYqNY

What was the Most Exciting Product Google Announced This Week?

Kellen — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 15:38:52 +0000

Google announced a bunch of new hardware yesterday in a variety of product categories. New phones were the big story, but they also brought us a new Chromebook, upgraded Nest Mini, upgraded mesh WiFi system, and showed off their first true wireless earbuds that will arrive at some point next year. As a part of that new hardware line-up, there were other things worth noting, like new Nest Aware plans, Google's impressive new Recorder app, availability of the Pixel 4 line-up at all major US carriers, a Stadia launch date, all of the improvements to Google's camera app, and the fact that a whole bunch of their new products are made with recycled materials. I'm curious, though, which was your favorite announcement? Or better yet, what was the most exciting announcement? I think for me, I'd probably say the Pixel Buds, even if there were no working units around and we have no idea when they'll ship or if they'll be any good. Maybe it's the mystery of them, but something about Google taking a stab at truly wireless buds after putting what appears to be a ton of time and energy into the category, is exciting. The Pixel 4 is still something to care about too, mostly now because we can finally test each new feature rather than watch someone across the globe gloss over it in a leaked video. What were you feeling from yesterday's event?

Poll: You Buying a Pixel 4?

Kellen — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 12:00:45 +0000

You know the specs, price, features, and have seen the device in the hands of the privileged media. Pre-orders are open and some of you have a decision to make should you want a Pixel 4 or Pixel 4 XL the day it launches. So, are you buying one? We ask this with most of the big devices that release because it's always fascinating to read the comments over why you decide to pass on or pick-up a new phone. Google's phones are always the most controversial around these parts too. Some of you will buy no other phone than one from Google, while some of you think they are overpriced, feature-weak trash. I'm not here to take sides, I just want to know whether or not you are buying the new Pixel 4. If you are, be sure to let us know which color and storage capacity in the comments. [poll id="528"]

Bad North: Jotunn Edition Now Available for Android

Tim — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 11:22:02 +0000

I told you earlier this month that I'd let you know when Bad North launched for Android. Well, it happened. The game has arrived on Google Play and it's priced at $4.99 (and it features no in-app purchases). As the game's description puts it, "Bad North is a charming but brutal real-time tactics roguelite. Defend your idyllic island kingdom against a horde of Viking invaders, as you lead the desperate exodus of your people." The reviews are already coming in for the game and it's currently sitting at a solid 5-star rating. I'm off to play it myself. Peace.

Google Play Link ($4.99)

T-Mobile, Sprint Merger Approved by FCC

Tim — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 10:53:47 +0000

According to an official speaking to The Verge, the FCC has approved the T-Mobile, Sprint merger. This follows the DOJ's approval from this July. However, even though both of the bodies that are required to approve such mergers have gone ahead and given their blessings, a multi-state lawsuit from a group of bipartisan state attorneys general is the last thing in the way of the New T-Mobile. Representatives from both T-Mobile and Sprint state that they will not close the merger until the lawsuit is resolved. // The Verge

Live Caption Coming to Pixel 3, Pixel 3a Devices Later This Year

Tim — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 10:33:29 +0000

Google confirmed via a blog post this week that the Pixel 4's Live Caption feature will indeed make its way to the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3a lineup of devices later this year, hopefully followed by devices from other OEMs down the road. "We’re working closely with other Android phone manufacturers to make it more widely available in the coming year," Google detailed in its post. Live Caption allows for users to have real-time captions shown on-screen whenever media is playing on the device, regardless of its source. If you own a Pixel 3 or Pixel 3a device, be on the lookout. // Google

Pixel 4's Single Front Camera Almost as Wide-Angle as Pixel 3's

Kellen — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 09:31:04 +0000

One of the Pixel 3's best features was undoubtedly the wide-angle secondary camera that was included for selfies. Instead of following the industry trend of doubling up cameras on the rear of last year's Pixel 3, Google did it to the front to help you fit more people into your shots. With the Pixel 4, the absence of a secondary camera clearly had a number of you worried that the wide-angle action you were used to was gone. Now that the phone is official and the specs are available, we know that the single front shooter on the Pixel 4 is actually pretty close to the 3's wide-angle lens. Both cameras are 8MP, but the Pixel 4 shoots at f/2.0 and with a 90° field of view. The Pixel 3's wide-angle shot at f/2.2 and with a 97° field of view. The standard selfie camera on the Pixel 3 shot at a 75° field of view. So as you can tell from the specs of each camera, the single 8MP front camera on the Pixel 4 shoots pretty damn wide. How wide? Here are some fabulous, in-the-rain shots I just took to compare. Please ignore the quality, though, as I dropped the file size down substantially and was simply trying to show the field of view.

Pixel 4 vs. Pixel 3 Standard

Pixel 4 vs. Pixel 3 Wide

Think you can fit a few of the homies in a selfie shot on the Pixel 4? Probably close to it, or maybe one less. You'll all probably look less distorted at least.

DEAL: SHIELD Controller for SHIELD TV Only $9 at GameStop (Updated: Gone)

Tim — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 09:05:38 +0000

There may or may not be a new SHIELD TV on the way. With that being said, if you love your current SHIELD TV and don't plan on upgrading, and you happen to need an extra SHIELD Controller for your current Android TV-powered set-top box, GameStop is selling the controller for just $9. These are the same controllers currently priced at $60 on Amazon, so, yeah, you should probably go ahead and pick one up. I have been tracking this listing on GameStop for a couple of weeks now, because the last time they were in stock, they sold out fast. It appears that they received a fresh shipment in this morning, so if you're interested, I wouldn't hesitate.

UPDATE: Sold out again.

GameStop Link

Pixel 3, Pixel 3a Lineup Confirmed to Get Updated Night Sight Camera Mode

Tim — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 08:42:58 +0000

Even though we expected as much, Google confirmed via Twitter yesterday that the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3a lineup of devices will receive the improved Night Sight mode found on the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. There's no telling exactly when this camera update will arrive, but we assume it will be soon. If you have little patience, the Camera 7.0 apk has been floating around since September, which includes the updated Night Sight. If you want to test it out before Google sends it out officially, have at it. Feel free to send me any and all shots of the Milky Way. https://twitter.com/Google/status/1184121631909842945

Just so You Know, Pixel 4 Phones Get Updates Through October 2022

Kellen — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 08:33:32 +0000

As has been the case for most of the Pixel line's life, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL will see a full three years of updates. That's both security and Android version updates, which isn't the case for most Android phone makers. Google updated their Pixel Support page yesterday to show that they won't guarantee updates after October 2022. We've seen Google push updates out past those final dates, so there's always a chance you could see a few extra updates, just no guarantees.

READ: I spent some time with the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL

With 3 years of updates, that should get your Pixel 4 or Pixel 4 XL into Android 11, Android 12, and Android 13, assuming Google releases those by October 2022. In between there, monthly Android security patches will show up to clean up bugs and keep you super duper secure. Is this a big deal? If you compare a 3-year update to schedule to almost any other Android OEM, then yeah, it's a good amount of support. Most try to commit to 2 years worth of version updates, while some quick after about 1 year. If you compare it to Apple, eh, it might fall a bit short, though Apple's continued updates for older phones typically means a barebones shell of the OS with features cut. Either way, Google's Pixel phones do have the best Android software support, but they should. // Pixel Support

Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL Pre-Orders Live at Amazon With $100 Gift Card

Kellen — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 15:42:36 +0000

The best deal on the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL might be the deal from Amazon that just went live. If you pre-order from Amazon, you'll not only get your new Pixel 4 or 4 XL, but Amazon is tossing in a $100 Amazon gift card. Now, if you order from the Google Store, they'll give you $100 to spend on accessories at the Google Store. Best Buy is also giving between $100 and $150 worth of Best Buy gift cards. But come on, we're talking about Amazon gift cards here that can be used on anything Amazon sells. Pre-orders are live now and Amazon has all colors and storage options. They expect devices to arrive right on time with shipment on October 21. With free 2-day shipping, you should have your Pixel 4 by October 24, which is launch day. Hell, you may even get it early.

Amazon Links:

I Spent Some Time With the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL Today

Kellen — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 15:27:51 +0000

I was fortunate enough to cruise into NYC this week to stop by Google's 2019 hardware event and get in some time with the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. I didn't spend enough time with either to give you any final thoughts (those are coming soon), but I did handle both, played with software features, and came away with mostly positive vibes from Google's 4th generation Pixel phone.

Hardware and design

In hand, both phones will feel familiar to owners of the Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL. The sizes are quite similar and the front-to-back roundness around the edges is there. The Pixel 4 and 4 XL do have a bit more of an edge to them, though. In other words, you can feel the frame more than you can on last year's Pixel 3s, which could be good from a grip factor. The backs, well they are a matte-finished glass. They feel really nice (on Clearly White and Oh So Orange), with a softness I really liked. Compared to the Pixel 3, I'd say the Pixel 4 is smoother with less stickiness. If there's one thing I'd suggest, it would be to avoid the Just Black model should fingerprints be a thing that gets to you. I can't tell you how many times I saw people (media and event folks) wiping off the black version because it's glossy, not matte. The Clearly White and Oh So Orange were as clean as they would be fresh out of the box even after being handled by dozens of hands. Was it weird looking at a phone with no notch and a big forehead? Eh, as someone who has used the Pixel 3 for most of the past year, it looks about like that and didn't offend me. I did see a Note 10 in the hand of a media person or two and actually went, "Whoa, I forget how wild that phone looks" while I was holding the Pixel 4. So yeah, Google is a bit behind in design, but you've still got a big display experience without Pixel 2-level bezel.

Camera

As you saw from the livestream of the event this morning, you know that Google put a lot of work into the camera on the Pixel 4. We've got a dual setup (12MP + 16MP telephoto) that Google is doing all sorts of fancy processing with. They improved the Super Res Zoom, they gave us astrophotography and an improved Night Sight, more controls over brightness and shadows, Live HDR+, and better portraits with cleaner bokeh. I know that a good majority of us would have rather had an ultra-wide angle instead of a telephoto, but Google might have actually put that telephoto lens to good use here. I'll have photo samples to share over the next couple of days. What I can tell you today is that the cameras on these phones are stupid fast, the portraits and selfies I took look great, and I'm looking forward to using those new exposure controls on the regular.

New Google Assistant, Motion Sense, and Live Caption

I tried to dive into most of the big software features that Google has highlighted, like the new Google Assistant, Motion Sense, and Live Caption. The most impressive will probably end up being Live Caption, but the new Assistant is going to be super fun to use. As for Motion Sense, eh, Google needs to do more, as I've said numerous times already. For the new Google Assistant, you now get to use continued conversation on your phone and rapid fire as many commands at your phone as you can come up with. From opening apps and having Assistant then search within those apps, to sending messages in a contextual manner or hammering out all of your standards (like weather checking and calendar appointments), there is no hesitation. Google is doing the processing for Assistant on-device with the Pixel 4 and it sure shows. The new Assistant is crazy fast. If anything, I can see myself finding more time for the Assistant because of how useful it is becoming. With Live Caption, once you turn it on, your device really will just put captions over your display as you listen to music or watch media. Even if they play in the background, you can still see captions. There's also a quick toggle in the volume adjustment pop-up to enable or disable. Can't wait to use these on the daily. And then there's Motion Sense. For now, Motion Sense can sense your hand approaching to prepare the phone for Face Unlock, it can change songs in a variety of music apps, and you can silence alarms or incoming calls. I'm sure these items will come in handy before long, I just want it to do more. We know the technology behind it can do more.

Displays

Oh yeah, there are 90Hz Smooth Display OLED panels in use on the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. Not that I forgot, there just isn't much to say. In my limited time with each phone, I thought the displays looked great, I'm just not sure I noticed a big difference over the Pixel 3 XL I've had in-pocket for the past several days. Google says that you'll get the 90Hz refresh rate as you interact with the Pixel 4 or during certain content they feel would benefit from the higher refresh rate. When you don't meet those two criteria, the displays drop back to 60Hz to preserve battery. It's going to take a lot of testing to see how much 90Hz action we're going to get.

Any concerns?

That's a tough question to answer since my time with these two phones was limited. I will say that the 2800mAh battery in the regular Pixel 4 has me worried. For one, last year's Pixel 3 had pretty average-to-bad battery life and the Pixel 4 has a smaller battery and 90Hz display. That could lead to a disastrous experience. I think it's shitty that Google didn't include USB-C buds in box again, nor did they include a USB-C dongle. Google is including a $100 credit with purchase of a Pixel 4 that you can spend on accessories at the Google Store, so you could get new buds or headphones. It still feels like they are being a bit cheap. I'm also frustrated with Google Photos backups that are no longer unlimited at full-resolution or "Original." One of the biggest selling points for the Pixel line was the unlimited full-res photo storage that Google has now done away with for reasons we're not sure of. At this point, Google is only giving the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL the same unlimited storage of "High Quality" photos that every single Google Photos user on any phone gets. Finally, I think I'm really going to miss the fingerprint reader.

Other notes

Oh So Orange: What color is this exactly? It's basically a vibrant creamsicle. It's not coral. It's not a deep orange. Creamsicle.
Pixel Stand: The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL both work with the Pixel Stand, so if you have one or want to buy one, do you.
Dual SIM Dual Standby (DSDS): Like the Pixel 3a, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL support Dual SIM Dual Standby. With this technology, you can keep active an eSIM and a regular nano SIM at the same time. So if you travel a lot, you could activate Google Fi on the eSIM and use an international SIM in the SIM slot. You'll find more about DSDS at this post.
Voice Recorder: It's on these phones and looks awesome, I just didn't really play with it much because of noise and time.

Which would I buy?

Probably the Pixel 4 XL in either Clearly White or Oh So Orange. Again, the battery in the Pixel 4 has me worried, even though the size of the phone is great. The Pixel 4 XL has a good-sized battery without feeling abnormally large by any means and would probably work for most people. You pre-ordering?

Pixel 4 Really is Available at All of the Major US Carriers, Here are the Deals

Kellen — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 14:05:09 +0000

For 2.5 years, Google tied itself to Verizon as the sole carrier partner for its Pixel phones, a move that likely limited any chance of the Pixel, Pixel 2, or Pixel 3 being a retail success. Starting with the Pixel 3a, that changed a bit as they expanded to Sprint and T-Mobile, but AT&T remained absent from the party. With the launch of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, Google has finally touched 'em all. Once pre-orders open for the Pixel 4 over the next day or so, you'll find the device at Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, and AT&T. There are other carrier options too, like Visible. This is Google's biggest phone launch to date, if that wasn't already obvious. Let's break down the availability and pricing at each.

Amazon

Verizon

Pixel 4: Starts at $33.33/mo for 24 months on Verizon Device Payment
Pixel 4 XL: Starts at $37.49/mo for 24 months
BOGO offer: Buy Pixel 4, get another Pixel 4 free
Other offer: New and existing customers can trade in an eligible smartphone and save up to $450. What’s more, they can get an additional $200 prepaid MasterCard if they switch to Verizon, purchase a Pixel 4 on device payment and sign up for Verizon Unlimited
Availability: Pre-order today, October 15 - arrives in stores October 24
Pre-order links: Pixel 4 | Pixel 4 XL

AT&T

Pixel 4: Starts at $28/mo for 30 months on AT&T Installment Plan
Pixel 4 XL: Starts at $32/mo for 30 months on AT&T Installment Plan
Offer: For a limited time, you can get up to $700 towards a Google Pixel 4 or Pixel 4 XL when you buy on a qualifying installment plan with an eligible AT&T unlimited plan and trade-in an eligible smartphone. Plus, you can get $300 in bill credits if you add a new line or upgrade an existing line
Availability: Pre-order October 16 - arrives in stores October 24
Pre-order link: Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL

T-Mobile

Pixel 4: Starts at $33.34/mo for 24 months on Equipment Installment Plan
Pixel 4 XL: Starts at $33.34/mo for 24 months (+$99.99 down)
Offer: Get a Pixel 4 “on us” or up to $800 off a Pixel 4 XL via 24 monthly bill credits when you switch to T-Mobile and trade in an older Pixel phone. Meaning, when you get a Pixel 4 on T-Mobile’s interest-free Equipment Installment Plan, you’ll see a bill credit every month for $33.34. That means, at the end of 24 months, you’ll have paid a grand total of $0 — zero, zip, nada —plus the sales tax for your Pixel 4
Offer: Get up to $300 off a Pixel 4 or Pixel 4 XL via trade-in credit and rebate when you trade in an eligible device
Availability: Pre-order tonight, October 15 at 9PM Pacific - arrives in stores October 24
Pre-order link: Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL

Sprint

Pixel 4: Starts at $33.30/mo for 18 months on a lease
Pixel 4 XL: Starts at $38.71/mo for 18 months on a lease
Offers: Lease one Pixel 4, get a second Pixel 4 on us. Lease one Pixel 4 XL, get a second Pixel 4 XL on us. Lease Pixel 4 XL, get a Pixel 4 on us.
Availability: Pre-order October 16 - arrives in stores October 24
Pre-order link: Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL

Google Fi

Pixel 4: Starts at $33.30/mo for 24 months
Pixel 4 XL: Starts at $37.45/mo for 24 months
Offer: Get $100 Fi credit
Availability: Pre-order live now
Pre-order link: Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL

Best Buy

Offer #1: Get $150 gift card if you activate Pixel 4 or 4 XL with Verizon, AT&T, or Sprint
Offer #2: Get $100 gift card if you buy unlocked
Availability: Varies depending on carrier
Pre-order link: Pixel 4 | Pixel 4 XL

B&H Photo

Offer: Get $100 gift card if you buy unlocked
Availability: Pre-order today, October 15 - ships by October 22
Pre-order link: Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL

RIP Google Daydream View, Pixel Buds (1st-Gen), and Google Clips

Tim — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 13:03:52 +0000

The end has come for the Google Daydream View headset, the first-generation Pixel Buds, and Google Clips. All of this was confirmed today when Google updated its product support site that lists every single device that is currently sold in the Google Store. As you can see if you choose to follow the link below, the aforementioned items are completely gone. Removal of the Pixel Buds (1st-Gen) makes complete sense since their replacement, the new Pixel Buds, were announced this morning and look a helluva lot better than the original. Google Clips? Honestly, I remember what it is, but let's allow it to just go away in peace. The real shocker here, if you can call it that, is Daydream. Touching on this move by Google a bit further, Google confirmed that it is no longer certifying any new devices for Daydream support. However, it will support existing users. "There hasn’t been the broad consumer or developer adoption we had hoped, and we’ve seen decreasing usage over time of the Daydream View headset," a Google spokesperson told The Verge. Are we shedding any tears for these items? // Google Support | The Verge

Google's New Recorder App Offers Real-Time Transcription, Sweet Search Function

Tim — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 12:19:41 +0000

Until this morning, you couldn't pay me to get hyped over a voice recording app. Somehow, though, Google has done that. At today's Made By Google hardware event, the company showcased the new Recorder app that will come preloaded on the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. Inside the Recorder app, users who are recording audio can get real-time transcriptions of what's being recorded, and once the audio is saved, you can search through your recordings for mentions of specific words. It's very neat and the best way to see it in action is to watch Google's demo below. Best of all, Google then shows that all of the actions done with Recorder happen while the device is in Airplane mode, meaning all the of slick transcriptions and search capability is happening on-device. It seems like a safe assumption that this app will make its way to other devices down the road. Recorder talk begins at 58:26 https://youtu.be/XKmsYB54zBk?t=3506

Hey, Here are the New Google Pixel Buds!

Kellen — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 12:00:33 +0000

One of the few surprises at today's Google hardware event were the new Pixel Buds, Google's first truly wireless ear buds that will compete with Apple's AirPods, Amazon's Echo Buds, and the new Surface Earbuds. While not available until next year, Google did have a number of the Pixel Buds on-hand in their various colors. I wasn't able to listen to any or even try them on (I believe they were all dummy units), but these pictures show you the size and design quite well. As you can see, Google is going to bring a range of fun colors (Clearly White, Oh So Orange, Quite Mint and Almost Black) that all match up with the color palette from the rest of their line of products. For the most part, the Pixel Buds appear to be quite small and likely won't poke out of your ears in extremely awkward ways like Amazon's do, nor do they have the cigarette butt styling of the AirPods. They remind me a bit of the new Surface earbuds, though those are a much larger circular form than these Pixel Buds. Thanks to the black case behind the circular outer color, you get a finish that should help them hide nicely in your ear. The Pixel Buds at $179 come with a charging case that holds them in magnetically. On top of the single 5-hour charge you'll get from Pixel Buds, that case can provide additional charges and get you up to 24 hours of usage time. Google claims to have done a whole bunch of special design tweaks to help these Pixel Buds sound better, wear better, adjust better, and listen better. There is a seal provided by the ear tips, a "spatial vent" that helps reduce the plugged-ear feeling some earbuds give you, and the sound they produce will adapt depending on your environment. There are two mics in each bud, plus there is a voice accelerometer that detects your speech from vibrations in your jawbone to help with your calls. Google says they went all out on these new Pixel Buds. Again, I wasn't able to test them, so there's no way to currently tell if Google knocked this one out of the park or not. And we have to wait until sometime in 2020 before we can test. Either way, I'm pretty excited to stick these in my ears and find out.

New Nest Aware Pricing Model Coming in 2020, All Devices Covered for One Price

Tim — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 11:19:11 +0000

Nest Aware subscriptions are rather confusing and can be considered pricey for those with multiple devices, but come 2020, that's all changing. Announced this morning, a "new" Nest Aware subscription model will cover an entire home, not just individual devices. To remind you, the current 1st-gen Nest Aware pricing is per camera. Once this change takes place, all devices will be covered under a single monthly payment. And furthermore, Google Nest is adding new features into Nest Aware to sweeten the deal. Nest Aware 1st Gen vs. New Nest Aware

In early 2020 when this launches, there will be two options: Nest Aware and Nest Aware Plus. Nest Aware is 30 days of video history, camera features like intelligent alert, sound detection from select devices, and emergency calling from select devices. It's priced at $6/month. Nest Aware Plus costs $12/month and offers 10 days of 24/7 video history, 60 days of event-video history, plus everything else Nest Aware comes with. For those who want to stick to their current Nest Aware plan, Google says you can do that.

Yes! You can continue to use and renew your 1st gen Nest Aware subscriptions. But you can’t add any new 1st gen Nest Aware subscriptions if you’ve migrated to a Google Account.

Again, Google says the new Nest ware arrives in early 2020. Once it's live, we'll let you know. // Google

Google Stadia Goes Live on November 19 at 9AM Pacific

Tim — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 09:55:35 +0000

Google announced today that Stadia officially arrives on November 19 at 9AM Pacific (12PM Eastern). On that day, pre-orders will be showing up at doorsteps across the country, and those who receive it, will be up and gaming in no time.

Related: All Stadia Game Titles

Back in June, Google announced that Stadia would arrive in November, priced with a Pro subscription at $9.99/month. For those not willing to pay, you can still access Stadia Base, but you'll need to already own whichever games you plan on playing. For Pro users, they'll be treated to select free game access. Shipping Information

Stadia Founder’s Editions and Stadia Premiere Editions will begin shipping in the same order that pre-orders were received. You’ll get an email when your package ships, and soon after, will receive a code to activate your Stadia account and Stadia Pro.

If you are interested in Stadia Founder's Edition, but haven't yet ordered it, you can do so here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pwb6d2wK3Qw // Google

PSA: Pixel 4 Does Not Come With Unlimited Original Quality Photo Backups

Tim — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 09:39:23 +0000

Unlike previous years, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL will not come with unlimited original quality photo backups inside of Google Photos. As you may be aware, Google used to couple past Pixel devices with unlimited cloud storage for original quality photos inside of Google Photos. However, that doesn't appear to be the case in 2019, with the Google Store specifically listing unlimited storage for "High" quality photos, which is the equivalent of HD photos.

Free unlimited storage*.
Never worry about storing, finding, or sharing your memories thanks to unlimited storage in high quality on Google Photos. *Google Photos offers free unlimited online storage for all photos and videos uploaded in high quality. Photos and videos uploaded in high quality may be compressed or resized. Requires Google Account. Data rates may apply.

Does this suck? Absolutely. Considering Google always highlights the camera and photo quality on the Pixel, it's unfortunate that the company wouldn't again provide unlimited original quality backups through Google Photos. Does this factor into your purchasing decision?

New Nest WiFi Packs Google Assistant, 2-Pack Priced at $269

Tim — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 08:56:14 +0000

Nest Wifi, a followup to Google WiFi, was made official at this morning's Made By Google event. It's available for pre-order this morning, technically starting at $169 for the router and $149 for additional points. Like Google WiFi, this is a mesh system, with a base router that connects to additional points, boosting WiFi connectivity inside of your house. According to Google, the base router is good for up to 2200 square feet, while a 2-pack is able to cover 3800 square feet. As for speeds, Google says Nest WiFi can deliver up to 2x the speeds of Google WiFi. Nest WiFi has Google Assistant built-in, as well as a speaker for playing music and controlling your smart home. Google describes as a 2-in-1 device, because it features the same speaker system as the new Nest Mini. This inclusion makes Nest WiFi a serious upgrade over the original Google WiFi. If you want to start off with multiple points, the price is $269 (router + point). A 3-pack will cost you $349. General availability begins November 4.

Google Store Pre-Order

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsdUJ9sM78k // Google

Everything You Can Pre-Order From Today's #MadeByGoogle Event

Tim — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 08:43:29 +0000

The Made by Google 2019 hardware event was hosted this morning, and instead of wading through a bunch of different announcement posts, we figured we'd give you at least one post that is dedicated purely to linking you to the Google Store for everything you can order starting today. Thankfully, the list isn't too long this year. Google announced the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, Nest Mini, Nest WiFi, and Pixelbook Go. Those are the items you can order today. Google also unveiled its new Pixel Buds, but those aren't available until next year. Here are links to the Google Store for each product that is now available for pre-order.

Google Store Links

Plan on ordering anything?

Pixelbook Go Made Official, Available for Pre-Order Starting at $649

Tim — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 08:23:10 +0000

Google's Pixelbook Go is now official, available for pre-order today, starting at $649. Designed to be the sleekest, most portable Chromebook to date, it features a lightweight body and 13.3" touchscreen display, as well as a larger battery (12 hours of life). Pixelbook Go Spec Configurations As Google puts it, "It starts up in seconds and stays fast with automatic updates, so you can count on speedy performance over time. And with built-in security on Chrome OS, Pixelbook Go is both fast and secure. You also have access to all kinds of apps, whether you want to express your creativity, get stuff done or just kick back to watch your favorite show." You can pre-order Pixelbook Go right now.

Google Store Pre-Order

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaUs5GqFTIo // Google

Google Announces Pixel 4, Starting at $799

Kellen — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 07:39:06 +0000

Google made all details of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL official this morning after more leaks than we can even recall. I'd try and make the argument that these two phones were the most leaked in history, but last year's Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL might take offense to that. Google is not good at keeping its products a secret. With that said, you'll soon (finally) be able to buy them! The Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are here with new 90Hz refresh rate OLED displays (5.7" and 6.3"), dual rear cameras (12.2MP + 16MP telephoto), 64GB or 128GB storage, 6GB RAM, 2800mAh (Pixel 4) and 3700mAh (4 XL) batteries, 8MP front cameras, USB-C, and Android 10.

Google also brought back the squeezy sides that allow you to launch Google Assistant with a firm grip, plus they are bringing in Face Unlock for the first time in a couple of years. Called Motion Sense, Google has essentially created its own version of Apple's Face ID that should bring one of the more advanced facial recognition experiences in the smartphone game. You can learn all about Motion Sense from this post a few months back. As a part of Motion Sense, Google included a Soli sensor in the top portion of the phone that will allow you to control aspects of the phone with gestures. To start, Soli (former "Project Soli") will let you change music tracks, wake your phone, and silence calls, though we hope Google has much more in-store for this advanced radar technology. Cameras are going to be a big part of the Pixel 4 story, just as they are with every new Pixel phone. For the first time, Google is including a dual camera setup on the back made up of a 12.2MP camera and a 16MP telephoto. The camera app is new too, with a fresh UI, new features, and an experience that Google hopes help it stay king of smartphone photography. You now have live HDR+, the ability to take astrophotography, improved night sight, and better portraits. The Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL start at $799 and $899, respectively. You can pre-order them in Just Black, Clearly White, and Oh So Orange today with orders arriving as early as October 24. Pixel 4 is available at every major carrier. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F7YRde8DuE

Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL Specs

[table id=181 /]

Google's New Nest Mini has Better Sound, Dedicated Machine Learning Chip

Kellen — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 07:34:17 +0000

Google's new Nest Mini is now official too and it costs the same $49 as the original Mini. There are upgrades, though, so don't get it twisted. Google says that it can produce 2x stronger bass, has more clear and natural sound, and a 3rd microphone to hear you better in noisy environments. Additionally, Google tossed in a dedicated machine learning chip, so that it can run Assistant commands on-device, much faster. Oh, there's a hook cutout on the back to let you hang it. Note: There is no 3.5mm headphone jack, which was at one time rumored. The device has a power port and a mute switch on the back. Nest Mini goes up for pre-order today and hits stores on October 22. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBx8RBY-79M // Google

Google Reveals New Pixel Buds, Its First Truly Wireless Earbuds (Updated)

Kellen — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 07:17:53 +0000

Google just showed off the one surprise left for its next set of hardware devices: Pixel Buds 2. While official, don't get too excited yet, because they aren't arriving until 2020.

UPDATE: We went sort-of hands-on with the new Pixel Buds!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkT6hXdmYec Unlike the original Pixel Buds, these new Buds are truly wireless, feature 5-hour battery life and up-to 24 hours total with their charging case. They'll respond to "Hey Google," come in a variety of colors (Clearly White, Oh So Orange, Quite Mint and Almost Black), have long-range Bluetooth connectivity, and are sweat and water resistant. The Pixel Buds 2 will ship next year for $179. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MmAbDJK8YY

Pre-Order Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL Right Now (Updated)

Kellen — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 05:06:50 +0000

I know that we just told you to tune into Google's hardware event in a couple of hours, but if you want to skip the unnecessary on-stage song and dance, you can go ahead and pre-order the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL right now. Yes, a retailer is already listing the device with live pre-order links.

UPDATE: The Pixel 4 is now official, with pre-orders at a variety of places, including the Google Store.

If you swing by B&H Photo at the moment through that link below, you can pre-order both Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL units in Clearly White, Just Black, and Oh So Orange. You'll find both 64GB and 128GB versions with expected availability of October 22. The Pixel 4, as we told you yesterday, starts at $799 for that 64GB model and then jumps to $899 for 128GB. The Pixel 4 XL starts at $899 for 64GB and jumps to $999 for 128GB. The Oh So Orange color only comes in 64GB. B&H Photo is tossing in $100 gift card with purchase, which is something we saw when the Pixel 3a launched. Hopefully, we see the same from Best Buy and other retailers. Don't want to to order from B&H? Don't worry, there will be many more options in the coming hours. Shop Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL at B&H Photo

WATCH: Google's Pixel 4, Nest Mini Event at 10AM Eastern)

Kellen — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 04:07:11 +0000

The fall Google hardware event is here! The leaks can finally chill for a bit as Google takes the stage in NYC to show of all that we already know about and possibly a few things we don't know much about. We know we'll get the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. We know we'll get a Google Nest Mini and Pixelbook Go. We're pretty sure a new Nest WiFi will make an appearance. There may be Pixel Buds 2 as well. While we know a lot about these devices, there are still some surprises remaining for the Nest WiFi and supposedly-arriving Pixel Buds 2. We're on-hand for the Made by Google event and will do our best to bring you the goods as Google announces them. If you'd like to tune and watch along with us, there is a video livestream embedded at the top of this post. The event kicks off at 10AM Eastern (7AM Pacific).

Google's New USB-C Titan Security Key Arrives Tomorrow for $40

Tim — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 15:13:36 +0000

Today, Google announced an updated Titan Security Key, based on USB-C for use with newer devices that sport this particular port. Supported by Android, Chrome OS, macOS, and Windows devices, Google describes this 2FA key as ideal for individuals who are at a higher risk of targeted attacks, such as activists, executives, politicians, and IT administrators.

We partnered with Yubico to manufacture the USB-C Titan Security Key. We have had a long-standing working and customer relationship with Yubico that began in 2012 with the collaborative effort to create the FIDO Universal 2nd Factor (U2F) standard, the first open standard to enable phishing-resistant authentication. This is the same security technology that we use at Google to protect access to internal applications and systems. USB-C Titan Security Keys are built with a hardware secure element chip that includes firmware engineered by Google to verify the key’s integrity. This is the same secure element chip and firmware that we use in our existing USB-A/NFC and Bluetooth/NFC/USB Titan Security Key models manufactured in partnership with Feitian Technologies.

This new USB-C key will be available starting tomorrow for $40. Google Store Link (Product Live Tomorrow) // Google

Google's Nest Mini Leaks Before Tomorrow's Event

Kellen — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 13:11:31 +0000

The Google Nest Mini, one of the last remaining unseen devices expected to be shown off tomorrow by Google, has now been revealed. The image above shows off the only exterior hardware difference, though there are some internal changes worth talking about. The leak comes from WinFuture, who posted chalk and charcoal versions (there could be coral and sky blue versions too), as well as some lifestyle photos of the new Nest Mini. According to their write-up, the new Nest Mini is actually identical in size to the original Google Home Mini. The only real difference on the exterior is going to be that screw cutout you can see, so that you can hang the device on a wall. We knew this was going to be a part of the device, thanks to FCC documents that showed up about a month ago. Other than the screw hole, we have a power port and a mute switch. If you were hoping for a 3.5mm audio port that was rumored, you will be disappointed.

So what's new if the device looks the same and doesn't have an audio port? Well, the specs include 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, and Chromecast support. Since that's nothing special, do know that the charger supplies 15W of power, so there's a chance we get a better speaker...? Tough to say. I guess Google does have a surprise for us tomorrow - selling us on why we need a Nest Mini. Speaking of surprises, in one of the lifestyle images, we see a girl laying on a bed with her new Nest Mini attached to the wall. What's interesting about this photo is the laptop or notebook sitting next to her. Is that the new Pixelbook Go that's also rumored to arrive tomorrow? It could be!

Enhance!

Sure looks like it. That's most definitely not a regular Pixelbook from a couple of years ago. It has all of the roundness of that Pixelbook Go leak from last week. We're hours away from officialness! // WinFuture

Source: Pixel 4 Pricing Starts at $799

Tim — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 12:06:07 +0000

According to a carrier source of ours, Pixel 4 pricing will start at $799. For the larger Pixel 4 XL, pricing starts at $899. Should you want more internal storage, the price will go up from those figures, though, we have no confirmation on how much exactly. As you may know, exact pricing and the availability date are the two things we are waiting for Google to confirm at tomorrow's Pixel 4 press event. Beyond that, we pretty much know everything there is to know about these two phones. However confident we may be in our source, these prices are still unconfirmed by Google, so feel free to take them with a grain of salt. To compare, last year's Pixel 3 started at $799 and the Pixel 3 XL was $899. For larger storage capacities (128GB), it was $100 more for each model. What do you think? Does $799 sound like a good price?

OxygenOS 10.0.1 Rolling Out to OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7 Pro

Tim — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 11:17:56 +0000

According to a new forum post from OnePlus, the OxygenOS 10.0 rollout for the OnePlus 7 Pro was paused due to bugs. Those bugs have been fixed now and OxygenOS 10.0.1 is now headed to owners of the OnePlus 7 Pro and OnePlus 7. OnePlus doesn't specifically mention which bugs are fixed, but when listing the changelog, it's the same thing as the OxygenOS 10.0 changelog. You can view that here. If you were already running Android 10 on your OnePlus 7 Pro, the update should weigh in at over 100MB. If you weren't running Android 10, expect a 2GB+ file size. Go grab it. // OnePlus

NVIDIA GeForce NOW App for Android Available to Sideload, Works Just Fine

Tim — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 09:52:31 +0000

If you're a GeForce NOW beta user who has been awaiting the official release of the service's Android app from NVIDIA, we're sorry, but you're going to have to keep waiting a bit. If you're tired of waiting and are ready to sideload the app that went live for South Korean users this week, you can do that right now. You're asking what GeForce NOW is? It's NVIDIA's cloud-based game streaming service, similar to what Google is soon to launch with Stadia. Available now for quite some time as a beta on desktop computers and SHIELD TV, NVIDIA hosts games on servers which you can access from anywhere. Even if you have what would be considered an underpowered machine, because NVIDIA's servers are handling the running of the game and all you need to do is stream it, game performance is always at its peak. When first launched, I powered through a replay of Dead Island on my SHIELD TV using a SHIELD Controller and it was awesome. Anyway, from what we can tell, after downloading and sideloading the APK, you'll need to sign into your NVIDIA account. It appears some people are running into issues with this step, but so long as you're already a beta member, you should be able to access it. If you sign in successfully, you'll find your library of games, as well as a section for other available titles. I should also note that GeForce NOW for Android relies heavily on the user owning a gamepad of sorts. Personally, I'm using a steelseries Stratus Duo. It works well. Have at it, gamers.

Download the APK

// 9to5 Google | XDA

Poll: Your Phone has USB-C, Right?

Kellen — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 09:14:23 +0000

Four years ago, OnePlus brought us the OnePlus 2 and included a USB-C port. I'm not sure that it was the first phone on the planet with USB-C, but the fact that they went for it before almost anyone else as an up-and-coming company in the spotlight - even if it was a faux-USB-C port - helped usher in the era of the reversible cable. I sort of feel like we're now at the point where everything we own should be USB-C and not microUSB. At the very least, our smartphones better have USB-C, as it is a standard feature in my opinion. Mid-range phones have USB-C these days. My Galaxy Buds charge over USB-C. Google WiFi uses USB-C. Computers often now only have USB-C ports. So I'm just curious what the percentage looks like for DL readers and thought we'd run a poll - is your phone USB-C? [poll id="527"]

Samsung One UI 2 Beta for Android 10 Arrives Today in US on Galaxy S10 Line

Tim — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 08:21:11 +0000

Samsung announced availability for the One UI 2 Beta based on Android 10 early this morning, detailing that owners of a Galaxy S10 device would have first, but limited access. Specifically, if you own a Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+, or Galaxy S10e you are eligible for the beta. As for what's new in Android 10/One UI, Samsung lists a few things. There is an updated Dark Mode reduces display brightness while viewing content and also affects your home screen a bit more, pop-ups have been minimized, notifications now take up less space, and Focus Mode for pausing apps appears to be baked in.

What's New

A new, smarter layout with animated icons and improved edge lighting
An enhanced Dark Mode that reduces display brightness while viewing content and provides battery saving benefits
Minimized pop-ups, embedded loading indicators and the ability to only view buttons the user needs
A streamlined design where notifications take up less space, allowing users to stay up to date while focusing on the task at hand
Focus Mode to pause apps temporarily for times when you need to minimize distractions

That all sounds groovy, but let's go over how to get it on your device.

How to Get It

According to Samsung, the One UI 2 Beta program in the US will be open to a, "limited number of participants and available for the Samsung Galaxy S10e, S10 or S10+ (on select carrier and unlocked devices)" Once the program is open, you can register for it via the Samsung Members app (should come preinstalled on these devices). Samsung further notes, "Participation in One UI Beta Program requires a Samsung account. Create an account at https://account.samsung.com. The Beta Program is available only for certain devices, OS, and countries. So, just like year, keep checking that Members app for the One UI banner to pop up. Once it does, enroll! // Samsung

Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL Fully Outed by Best Buy Canada

Kellen — Sat, 12 Oct 2019 08:49:33 +0000

I keep wondering if the leaks will stop, but each day, we see something else show up that's related to Google's new, still-not-announced phones, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. Here we are three days before Google officially shows them off and Best Buy Canada is out here letting you pre-order each device, while providing specs and features. The listing (via reddit) shows off both the "Just Black" and "Clearly White" models. They don't appear to have the "Oh So Orange" version, but that could change. We most definitely expect all three colors to be available in the US.

For specs, not that any of this is new information, but we get a confirmation on the dual rear camera setup (12MP + 16MP), 8MP front camera, 90Hz "Smooth Display" on each, scary-small Pixel 4 battery (2800mAh) and decent-sized cell on the 4 XL (3700mAh), Snapdragon 855 processor, 6GB RAM, 64GB base storage, Face Unlock, and Motion Sense (Project Soli).

The Best Buy page talks about each phone's ability to "just point and shoot for fantastic photos," where your shots won't need editing and that you should get a "fantastic shot, every time." It mentions the Quick Gestures that are a part of Motion Sense, the unlimited backups of full-res photos and 4K videos to Google Photos, and the squeezy sides that will let you launch Google Assistant. If you live in Canada and want to pre-order, all you need is to deposit $50 today. Pre-orders are live (for now) at the link below. Shop Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL at Best Buy Canada

Poll: Preferred Foldable Style - Unfold to Phone or Tablet?

Kellen — Fri, 11 Oct 2019 15:12:20 +0000

During today's DL Show, as we recapped our recent thoughts on the Galaxy Fold after spending a week with the device, labeling it the ultimate couch phone, we wondered about other form factors and whether or not they might be preferable. Specifically, we wondered which would be the better experience, having a phone like the Galaxy Fold that unfolds into a tablet or a smaller clamshell-like device that unfolds into a phone. Motorola has already acknowledged that it is working on a foldable phone that we think might relaunch under the old Razr phone. We're all sort of expecting it to be a small device that unfolds to a phone, sort of like a retro flip phone. But is that the experience we'd rather see in a foldable? Personally, while I think having the smaller clamshell form factor might be nice to carry around each day on-the-go, there's something about the Galaxy Fold's approach, where you go from having a phone experience to unfolding into a mini tablet. It's a lot of fun going from having a phone in-hand to a media or game consumption device with a single unfold. That's just me, though. Which would you prefer, a foldable that unfolds into a phone or one that unfolds into a tablet? [poll id="526"] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSoBONn7ZKk

DEAL: Samsung Offers $500 Off Galaxy Note 10+ With Select Trade-In, Throwing in Free $200 Credit or Wearable Bundle

Tim — Fri, 11 Oct 2019 12:45:35 +0000

Samsung is trying to get those on the fence with the Galaxy Note 10+ completely off of it by currently offering up to $500 off the device with a select trade-in, as well as gifting buyers with either $200 in Samsung store credit or a wearable bundle consisting of both the Galaxy Buds wireless earbuds and a Galaxy Fit.

Related: Galaxy Note 10+ Review

In order to get the max $500 off via trade-in, you'll need to trade in either a Galaxy S10+ or iPhone XS Max. If you have something else, you'll be getting a bit less in trade-in value. However, if you do get the max of $500 off, the price of a Note 10+ drops to $599. That is significant. Plus, getting $200 worth of goodies just for buying the phone isn't bad at all. And if you were planning to ask us if the Galaxy Note 10+ is worth buy: Yes, indeed it is. Follow the link below to get yourself started.

Samsung Link

DEAL: Pixel 3a and 3a XL Get Rare $50 Discount, Up to $100 Off at Best Buy (Updated)

Kellen — Fri, 11 Oct 2019 11:45:35 +0000

Google's mid-range line, the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL, are discounted right now at a couple of retailers. Since these two devices don't see significant discounts very often, you may want to pay attention. Both phones are $50-off at a couple of retailers, but Best Buy has them up-to $100-off if you activate through a carrier partner. With $50 discounts, you have the Pixel 3a at $349 and the Pixel 3a XL at $429. Those are really nice prices on phones that are already quite affordable. As I mentioned, if you activate at Best Buy with AT&T or Verizon, you'll get a full $100 off. For those who already forgot, the Pixel 3a is one of our favorite phones of 2019. While we weren't quite sure initially who Google was making this for, it's clear that the Pixel 3a family fits nicely into the sub-$500 category, which doesn't have a lot of quality options. Our full review is a good place to spend your Sunday if you are considering one of these two phones.

UPDATE: Amazon dropped their prices by $50 too.

Shop Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL Deals:

Amazon
B&H Photo
Best Buy

This is Google's Pixelbook Go

Kellen — Fri, 11 Oct 2019 11:30:53 +0000

The Pixelbook Go, a new Chromebook that Google is rumored to be revealing next week at the Pixel 4 event, has leaked extensively in prototype form. Like with almost all Google products, we know almost all there is to know about this unannounced Google product before it has ever been made official. The Pixelbook Go is currently the rumored name, though I don't have any reason to believe it won't be called that. The device, as you can see from this hands-on experience shared by 9to5Google, is quite different from previous Google-made Chromebooks. This device is very rounded, lacks the two-tone aesthetic of the Pixelbook, and has ribbing for some reason. This Pixelbook Go prototype has a coral-colored bottom that features ripples. I'm assuming that's to reduce sliding on surfaces or to help you carry it, but it's still a bit odd. The top is some sort of soft-matte finish, similar to what you might find on Google's Pixel phones. That weird logo you are seeing on the top is simply to help onlookers not identify the not-yet-released Google device.

On the inside, you'll find a 13.3-inch display, 2MP front camera, two far-field mics for picking up "Hey Google" commands, and a keyboard that is described as "just as good or better than the first Pixelbook." If you've used a Pixelbook, you'll know that's very high praise. For specs, this particular model sports a Full HD display, Intel Core M3 processor, 8GB RAM, two (2) USB-C ports, 3.5mm headphone jack, and charging LED. There will apparently be models that include Intel Core i5 and i7 chips, up to 16GB RAM and 256GB storage, and a 4K "Molecular Display." Alongside this "Not Pink" version, there should be a "Just Black" color too. Knowing the Pixelbook and Pixel Slate were expensive Chrome devices from Google, I can't imagine this being cheap. Then again, with various configurable specs, it might not break the bank unless you go off with options. Any takers? // 9to5Google

Podcast: Pixel 4 Day Approaches

Kellen — Fri, 11 Oct 2019 08:05:03 +0000

On this episode of the Droid Life Show, we're putting together a final recap of all that we expect Google to announce next week at its fall hardware event. We know about the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, so we'll touch on the latest there, but we'll also share the rest of the goods, like Nest Mini, WiFi, and Pixelbook Go. In addition to the wave of Google stuff, we've got some Galaxy Fold final thoughts to run through, new OnePlus 7T Pro, a Microsoft foldable Android phone, and more. Trivia is back! We’ll be live at 9:00AM Pacific (12:00PM Eastern).

Grobo is Now Available for Download on Android

Tim — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 13:51:30 +0000

A game I mentioned back in September has finally made its way to Google Play, called Grobo, a gravity-centric puzzle platformer. In it, you play as Grobo, a little robot that can control the gravity around it. The game features 48 puzzles, as well as five chapters of storyline. Features

48 levels filled with complex puzzles that will challenge the way you think about gravity
Endearing narrative full of hardship and mystery
Painterly, hand-drawn visuals paired with an enchanting soundtrack by PHÖZ, the composers of Where Shadows Slumber
Colorful and diverse locations loaded with traps, hazards, and collectible lore

The game is priced at $3.99 with no in-app purchases.

Google Play Link ($3.99)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddpX7Vn_hs4

Don't Forget to Check for Google Play System Updates on Your Pixel Phone

Kellen — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 12:59:32 +0000

With the launch of Android 10, Google introduced Project Mainline, a new way for Google to push important security updates to devices through Google Play. Now that Android 10 is available to all Pixel phones, as well as a handful of others, you should remember to check for these updates to make sure your phone is always up-to-date. I'm suggesting that you check because the rollout of these Google Play system updates is still kind of awkward. I still have yet to receive a notification for a Google Play system update, yet the few times I've checked for them on my Pixel phones, typically around the time they push monthly Android updates, one seems to be available. For example, I randomly checked a few minutes ago and sure enough there was an update on my Pixel 3 XL. I'm assuming at some point that Google Play will prompt me to install these, it just hasn't happened yet. It's early or something, right?

Need to know how to check for a Google Play system update?

Open Settings>About phone
Tap on the Android version
Tap on "Google Play system update"

Once you check, should there be an update available, the screen (seen above) will tell you how big the update is and what's included. With today's update, you can see that this should provide the "latest security patch from Google." That's not super specific, but could be in future updates as Google gets this all dialed in. On a related note, the update today appears to have a wrong date attached. On my "Android version" page, the date for the Google Play system update switched from September 1 back to August 1. Awkward.

#TBT: New iPhone 5 Makes Scrolling a Thing of the Past

Tim — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 11:25:01 +0000

I was discussing Essential's GEM device on Twitter this week when an individual reminded me about a parody video that was released in 2012. In it, Apple is introducing the iPhone 5, but the whole video is a joke about a phone with a super long display, kinda like but not so similar to the GEM. The video is very well done, complete with details concerning the fake device's capabilities thanks to its hilariously long display. It's a fun video, good for a chuckle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNBP18nrRdw Cheers @AZ_slakker!

OnePlus Working on 'Instant Translation' Feature for Video Chats

Tim — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 10:25:47 +0000

OnePlus detailed an upcoming software feature for its smartphones during its press event this morning, one designed to help its users who are all across the globe. Called Instant Translate, the software is designed to be used during a video chat between people who don't speak the same language. Think of it like Google's Live Caption for Android 10, but instead of just captions, it's instantly translated speech. The idea is impressive and if it works as good as we'd all hope, then it'd be insanely useful. OnePlus says more details will come soon. Instant Translation talk starts at 24:16 https://youtu.be/GTTOa_pheTU?t=1456

OnePlus 7T Pro is Now Official (McLaren Edition Too), but No US Plans

Kellen — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 08:54:50 +0000

OnePlus just announced the OnePlus 7T Pro at an event in London, making the 7T line more than just a single phone. The 7T Pro will launch alongside the OnePlus 7T (our review) outside of the US. What's different between the OnePlus 7 Pro and this new 7T Pro? Not a lot, but there are some noteworthy changes. For one, it arrives with Android 10 and OxygenOS 10. You get the new Snapdragon 855+ processor, a slightly bigger battery (4085mAh) than the original 7 Pro, and Warp Charge 30T support. You'll also still find that big ol' 6.67" 90Hz QHD display that is uninterrupted, thanks to the pop-up 16MP selfie camera we first saw introduced in the 7 Pro, triple rear camera, 8GB RAM or 12GB RAM, and 256GB UFS 3.0 storage. There's an in-display fingerprint reader, USB-C (USB 3.1) port, and dual stereo speakers. Again, it's very much just a slightly upgraded 7 Pro (our review). The OnePlus 7T Pro comes in Haze Blue or Papaya Orange (McLaren Edition).

OnePlus 7T Pro Specs

Oh, there's a McLaren Edition too! This bad boy ships with a custom paintjob (like last year's McLaren Edition), custom box, specially made case, 12GB RAM, and 256GB storage.

The OnePlus 7T and 7T Pro arrive in the UK and Europe on October 17 starting at £549 and £699, respectively. The McLaren Edition arrives November 15 for £799.

Shop OnePlus 7T Pro

The OnePlus 7T Pro will not ship in the US. Instead, you'll find the OnePlus 7 Pro still available at OnePlus' online store.

OnePlus Android 10 Update Will Reach as Far as the OnePlus 5 (Updated: Timeline Added)

Tim — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 08:41:26 +0000

Announced today during OnePlus' press event, the company's OxygenOS update based on Android 10 will reach as far back as the OnePlus 5. Considering that device released in June, 2017, this seems logical and not overly impressive. While we'll likely never see Android updates as far reaching as iOS updates, it's still a good thing to see older devices getting software support, even if by older I only mean two years old. Android 10 from OnePlus is already rolling out to its newest devices (and the OnePlus 7T ships with it), so if you own a OnePlus 5 or OnePlus 6 device, be on the lookout for Android 10. Update: OnePlus now has an official post in its forum concerning the Android 10 update, one that includes a handy dandy timeline for all owners. As you can seem, if you're a OnePlus 5/5T owner, you're looking at a Q2 2020 release for Android 10. That's not ideal, but again, I guess we should be thankful that OnePlus is committed to updating it. Of course, OnePlus notes that, "software development requires rigorous development and meticulous testings. We will try our best to roll out the updates at above time and give you the best software experience. If there is a delay in the update, we will promptly explain in this post, and we appreciate your understanding."

OnePlus Hosting Another Live Event Right Now, Likely for the 7T Pro (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 08:02:47 +0000

UPDATE: It's official and you'll find more details here!

Want more from OnePlus? The company is hosting an event in London right now to talk OnePlus 7T line. While the regular OnePlus 7T is already official in the US and elsewhere (our review), we have a feeling that the OnePlus 7T Pro is going to make it's debut too. You can watch the event right now. It's live. 8AM Pacific (11AM Eastern). We'll have more as the product announcements arrive.

Issa Rae is the New Google Assistant Voice to Try!

Kellen — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 07:58:46 +0000

Issa Rae is the new limited time voice you can have takeover your Google Assistant-infused world. Google announced the new voice today, which should be live for all to switch to. Just say, "Hey Google, talk like Issa" to get started. Like the voice of John Legend that arrived in April, you can get responses from Issa to typical requests like. "What's the weather," "Tell me a joke," or "Sing me a song." Google says you should also ask “Hey Google, do you love Daniel or Lawrence?” and “Hey Google, tell me something awkward.” When the command isn't quite as typical, you'll hear responses in a standard Google Assistant voice. Again, just tell Google to "talk like Issa" to get started or head into your phone's Google Assistant settings. // Google

Mmm, Dark Mode for Google Voice is Rolling Out

Tim — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 16:47:14 +0000

Dark Mode for the Google Voice app just appeared on my Pixel 3 XL running Android 10, following an update to version 2019.40.273569721. What's nice about this implementation is that inside of the app's settings, all the way at the bottom, there's a dedicated toggle for the theme. That means, even if your phone's theme isn't set to dark, you can keep Voice's dark mode applied. Why can't all apps be like this, Google? Be on the lookout for the update.

Google Play Link

YouTube TV Subscribers can Gift 2 Weeks of Free Service to Friends and Family

Kellen — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 16:26:12 +0000

YouTube TV subscribers were given an offer today that lets them share a 2-week free trial of Google's TV service with friends and family. Through an email that showed up this afternoon, a shareable link and/or code was included that gets your loved ones the goods. You can either share the included URL from the email with them or look for a promo code just below that. As friends and family go to sign-up, at the free trial page, which currently only lasts for 5 days, there is a promo code redemption area (see here). Here's the email you should have received:

Don't hesitate on sharing those codes for long, though, as they expire on October 16.

Google Maps Doesn't Have Dark Theme, But Google is Teasing It

Kellen — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 14:22:03 +0000

Because Android 10 has a dark theme built-in and Google is making a big deal out of turning its apps from white to dark, they've taken to the Android Instagram account to hype all of the darkness that is coming to apps. The thing is, they showed off Google Maps flipping to a dark theme, which is cool, except Google Maps doesn't actually have a dark theme yet. So yeah, that's a whoops. The post also highlights the dark theme that is now in Instagram, Google Photos, Digital Wellbeing, and others. Your takeaway from this mini-post is that Google Maps will soon have a dark theme, if that wasn't clear. OK, move along. https://www.instagram.com/p/B3Z_HiPA6iJ/

DEAL: Aukey Hosting Sale on Variety of USB Power Delivery Devices, Up to 45% Off

Tim — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 12:34:28 +0000

Aukey is hosting a sale on select USB C Power Delivery (PD) devices on Amazon this week, varying in type and price. For us mobile users, most notably would be a $10 (usually $19) car charger that features dual ports, one 15W USB C port and one 18W Quick Charge 3.0 port. That ain't bad. Also exciting is Aukey's first deal on a new outlet strip, which also features a dedicated QC 3.0 port and Power Delivery. The strip is down to $21 from its usual $30 price. You can find all of the links and coupon codes you'll need below.

Amazon Links

60W PD USB C, USB A Charger ($30 - Code: E2HCNYEC)
18W PD Charger w/ QC 3.0 Port ($12 - Code: Q5CXKXMJ)
15W USB C, 18W QC 3.0 Car Charger ($10 - Code: HCJBIX23)
4-Outlet Strip w/ QC 3.0, USB C w/ PD ($21 - Code: X5O67JFP)

Wednesday Poll: How Attached to Your Phone are You?

Tim — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 09:58:34 +0000

With Essential showing off its new perspective on mobile this week, one that we believe will carry the idea of humanity shedding its necessity to constantly be glued to their smartphones, we're curious how attached you may be to your current phone. We understand this is an Android blog, meaning if you're reading this you probably love your phone and use it constantly, but seriously, how attached are you? For me, I take my phone everywhere, but over the past couple of years, I've felt this desire to not be so attached to it. This feeling probably stems from social media, which I really can't stand at the moment. However, I never know when I might need a camera, so having my phone with me is basically a must. I can't seem to not take it with me. How about you? Are you and your phone attached at the hip or do you disconnect from it time to time? [poll id="525"]

Samsung Confirms One UI 2.0 "Coming Soon" to Galaxy S10 Lineup (Updated: US Details)

Tim — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 08:48:32 +0000

Update: Samsung has posted a US One UI 2 beta teaser, providing specific details for select Galaxy device owners. According to Samsung, owners of a Galaxy S10, S10+, or S10e with either AT&T, T-Mobile, and Unlocked variants will be able to access the beta via the One UI 2 Beta banner inside the Samsung Members app on the day the beta is released (likely later this month around SDC). Samsung says it is speeding up to provide the most stable version, so things are starting to heat up.

Original Post Thanks to a little graphic posted to a Samsung forum by the company and then shared to social media, we know for certain that Samsung's update to One UI, known as One UI 2.0, is "coming soon" to the Galaxy S10 family in Korea. For Korean owners of the Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+, and Galaxy S10e, One UI 2.0 should roll out before the end of this month, at least according to the various latest reports from Korea. For US owners, our build shouldn't be far behind, and we have a feeling we'll be learning a lot more about One UI 2.0 at this month's Samsung Developer Conference in San Jose, CA. If Samsung does indeed start seeding Android 10 out to owners this month, we'll be mightily impressed by the company's newfound effort to make software updates a priority. Stay tuned.

// Android Central | @jtinseoul

A 5G Google Pixel 4 Could be Here Next Week or Next Year or Who Knows

Kellen — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 08:06:38 +0000

Google is going to announce a new Google Nest WiFi and Nest Mini next week, along with a freshly spec'd Pixelbook. They'll fully reveal the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL too. We know all of that because Google has told us about the phones, but also because there have been numerous leaks or trustworthy reporting on the rest of those devices. Today, another report seems to believe that there could be another Pixel 4 model. According to Nikkei Asian Review, Google has begun testing a 5G version of the Pixel 4. Testing. They could show it off next alongside the other goods or they may wait until some time next year, maybe in the spring. That's a big window! The device, at least the one currently in testing, is said to run a Snapdragon 855. Additionally, this report suggests that Google may announce a smartwatch next week at its Pixel 4 event, just keep in mind that there is zero evidence to support a Google-made Wear OS watch is even in the works. But hey, things could happen! The Google Home Max was a surprise device back at the Pixel 2 launch. My thoughts here are that there is no 5G model or a smartwatch. Sure, Google is probably testing 5G like any modern, large hardware maker should do. I think Google is also exploring smartwatches still, just not seriously. I'm pretty sure we'll get a Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Nest WiFi, Nest Mini, and Pixelbook Go next week. If there's a surprise, my guess is that it'll be new Pixel Buds. // Nikkei Asian Review

Essential Confirms New "Project GEM" Device With Photos and Details

Kellen — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 18:15:07 +0000

Essential founder Andy Rubin surprised the tech crowd this afternoon when he randomly Tweeted photos of a device with a "radically different form factor." We still don't know what to make of the device, but the Essential Twitter account has since posted additional pictures and told us where the state of the project is. The device is currently called Project GEM and it has entered the product stage where it will be taken outside of the lab for testing by the Essential team. Essential says that this device will "reframe your perspective on mobile" and that they'll be sharing more in the "near future." From the pictures, we can gather that the phone is indeed about the size and shape of a TV remote. In the original photos from earlier today, people were quick to mock the bezels, but the image at the top of the post shows a slightly better appearance. There's a camera punchout in the top left corner too, plus volume rocker and power switch on the right side. Its UI reminds me of Windows Phone with tiles and shortcuts and a vertically scrolling home screen layout. You can see a clock widget with AT&T and LTE logos, so this will most definitely work over cellular. There's a Spotify widget, shortcuts for phone, messages, maps, and camera, as well as a bigger camera tile. There are pill or navigation-like marks in the bottom left and top right corners, as if to suggest there is more to this UI.

As for the back of the device, we have a large camera sensor with flash, that "colorshift material" that Rubin referenced earlier, and a circular area I can only assume is a fingerprint reader. There's always a chance that area does more (like gestures), but there's no way to tell from these photos. Finally, Essential has already built clear cases for this device, which you can see on top of that notebook. This look interesting at all? // @essential

Andy Rubin Shows Off Device With "Radically Different Form Factor" (Updated: More Details, Photos)

Tim — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 15:25:35 +0000

UPDATE: Essential confirmed that the device is indeed their next project. It's called Project GEM and they've shared more photos and details.

Today on Twitter, Andy Rubin showed off something, a device of some kind, one that he says sports a "radically different form factor." You don't have to be an expert to agree with that, because obviously, it's certainly different. Shaped like a long remote control you'd get with a TV, Rubin initially detailed the backside hardware of the device, mentioning that he was still dialing in the colors for this "GEM Colorshift" material. As you'll see in the video below, the colors do shift quite a bit depending on what angle you view it from, like colors we've seen on other smartphones recently (Galaxy Note 10, Huawei Mate devices, etc.). Maybe most interestingly is the brief look at the UI he showcases. Because the device is so long, the front display and the device's UI is also elongated, stretching all the way from the top of the phone/device thing to its bottom bezel. We can see some map application is running, as well as Uber, a Calendar app, and a Weather app. We can also see a front-facing camera in the top left.

In a recent report from Bloomberg, it was noted that Essential was working on a new device, something the media initially labeled as the Essential Phone 2, but it wouldn't exactly be a standalone smartphone and sequel to the original. Instead, the report said the device, "isn’t like a standard smartphone." According to the report, the phone is an AI phone that can respond to emails, book appointments, and send text messages on its own. Think of it more as a complimentary device to your primary phone, like an extension of sorts that can do certain tasks, most of which it can do all on its own. Full transparency, we have no idea what this thing is and we can't tell if we like it, but our interest has certainly been piqued. What do you think? Does it look cool? // @Arubin

What Phone Case are You Using Right Now?

Kellen — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 12:33:27 +0000

Cases, man, I can't do 'em. I'm a fool, I know, since I went through a phase there where I broke every phone I touched. It's the bulk, or something, though, that I can't ever warm up to. I'm dumb! These are no longer $500 devices made of glass and plastic that we use everyday, they are $1,000+ devices made of all glass. Smartly, the majority of you toss on cases. Like, 80% of you in the last poll we ran, say that you use a case at all times. That's up from 75% in the previous year's poll. You're not dumb! So let's get some recommendations going down there in the comments. I want to know which cases you turn to whenever you buy a new phone. We asked this back in 2018, but things could have changed within the past year and a half. Do you stick with OEM cases, like the overpriced units from Google or Samsung, or have you gone 3rd party to save loads of cash?

The Two Watch Faces I Install on Every Wear OS Watch

Kellen — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 11:38:32 +0000

I still like Wear OS watches, even if the platform has stalled and there are fewer partners than ever to buy a watch from. I wear my Fossil Gen 5 everyday and tend to like it for the most part. While I wish we'd see a breakthrough in hardware or features (like sleep tracking), Wear OS can get the job done if all you need is notification action, some fitness tracking, and, well, that's kind of all it's good for. Oh, this is a watch platform, so telling the time is useful! And on that note, there are essentially two watch faces that I turn to with every watch I slap on the wrist. Those two are Pear Watch Face and A/D Watchface. I've talked about A/D before, but Pear is another you should have at the ready, Wear OS users. The beauty of these two are the realistic watch designs that let you watch look less smartwatch and more traditional timepiece. I'm not a huge fan of overdone digital-forward watch faces with 17 complications for battery life and heartrate and steps and calendar appointments and whatever else some of the busier watch faces offer. I like mine minimal and clean, with a complication or two.

Pear Watch Face

Pear Watch Face is free without in-app purchases or upgrades. It features 7 different watch faces and supports various complications. The watch faces range between ultra-minimal to chronograph to Nike-esque sporty digital experience. You can control colors for almost everything, change tick marks and hour/minute markers, plus they feature a super clear always-on display that might actually display brighter than when the watch is awake. If that sounds like it might be awful on battery, trust me, battery life is still just over a day with Pear on there. Above, you'll see Pear on my Fossil Gen 5 with the Pear Utility face in an always-on state. Google Play Link

A/D Watchface

Again, I've featured A/D before, but it's just so damn good (and free) that I wanted to point it out again. Like Pear, you can change tick marks and numbers and choose various complications and layouts for them. You also get controls over the always-on display, the colors it shows, and options over hiding or showing everything from the analog to digital clocks depending on the state. While I'm loving Pear at the moment, A/D might be the best Wear OS watch face ever made and it hasn't been updated in two years. That's both a compliment to A/D and a shot at the state of Wear OS. Google Play Link

Got any favorites to share? Drop 'em below.

You Can Now Move Streams Between Google Cast Devices With Your Voice

Tim — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 10:20:44 +0000

At long last, users can now move music and video streams between Google Cast-supported devices with nothing but their voice. Before this change, let's say you casted music to your bathroom speaker, but now want to move it to the living room. To do, you'd have to open the app from which you're casting your music, then choose the new speaker you want the media casted to. Starting this week, all you'll need to say is, "Hey Google, move the music to the living room speaker." This feature, called Stream Transfer, is available for videos, too. If you happen to be watching a YouTube video on a Nest Home, but want to move it to the big screen TV in the living room (so long as it supports Cast and is recognized in your Google Home account), just say, "Hey Google, play it on living room TV." Google provides a list of how you can try out Stream Transfer.

Move your music with the Google Assistant: Start playing music on the Google Home Mini in your kitchen, and keep the vibe going in the living room. Just say, “Hey Google, move the music to the living room speaker.”
Control your entertainment with the Google Home app: Tap the cast button to see all the devices in your home, then choose which device or group you’d like to move your podcast or music to.
Move YouTube videos between your Nest smart display and Chromecast-enabled TV: Browse for your favorite YouTube videos on Nest Hub Max, and tap the cast control on the screen to move it to your Chromecast-connected TV. Or, say “Hey Google, play it on living room TV.”
Fill your home with music: If you have more than one Google Home and Nest smart speaker or display, you can set up a speaker group in the Home App. Transfer music from a single speaker to the speaker group to fill your whole home with music.

For now, it appears that transferring video is only supported by YouTube, but support for more providers should come eventually. Stream transfer starts rolling out across all Chromecasts, Google Home, Nest smart speakers, and displays today. // Google

Google Camera 7.1 is Here With a Fresh UI, New Features

Kellen — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 09:01:19 +0000

During that initial wave of Pixel 4 leaks in early September, a new Google Camera app surfaced with a refreshed UI, new features, and a jump in build number to 7.0. That wasn't an officially released build and the app was a little buggy, but you may as well forget about the poor experience and grab a stable build that is going live now on Google Play this week as Google Camera 7.1. Google Camera 7.1 features a new pop-over UI for the individual mode settings, a level meter to help you frame your shots, suggestions for better pictures (like moving away from subjects to pull a proper focus), and a quick share menu for pictures you just took through socials and messaging apps. There may even be the new astrophotography mode when you have Night Sight activated and you point your phone at the sky. I'd tell you to run to Google Play this minute and grab the update, but it's 2019 and Google would hate for us to all have fun together like we once did. Instead, I'm assuming this is a slow rollout aimed to hit full availability once they have announced the Pixel 4 next week. So yeah, you'll probably not see this on your Pixel phone for weeks. Feel free to go find a place to sideload it, apk bros, gals, and pals, since that's what we're reduced to now in Android. Super secure and legit. Good times. Google Play Link

// XDA

Hulu App for iOS Now Allows for Downloads, Coming Soon to Android

Tim — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 13:58:19 +0000

Hulu is rolling out the ability for iOS users to download shows for on-the-go viewing, much like Netflix has offered for some time. The feature is marked as "coming soon" to Android, but other than that, the only caveat is that you'll need to be subscribed to the ad-free version of Hulu ($12/month). According to Hulu, you can download up to 25 titles across 5 different devices, but not every show on Hulu is supported by the download feature.

Viewers can download up to 25 titles across 5 different devices and will have up to 30 days to watch their downloaded content. For watched content, the download will expire two days after starting playback. After downloaded content expires, viewers can renew an expired download when online, if that content is still available on Hulu.

As soon as Hulu flips the switch for Android, we'll update you. // Hulu

There's Something Off About These Galaxy Fold Reviews on Best Buy

Tim — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 11:34:58 +0000

I was taking a look at Galaxy Fold availability this morning and stumbled across the review section for the device on Best Buy. According to people who have bought this phone, the Galaxy Fold might be the greatest phone ever made, currently holding a 4.8 star rating. This sentiment is in direct contrast to the "expert rating" that Best Buy has listed at a solid 3 star rating.

Related: Thoughts After a Week With Galaxy Fold

Allow me to give you just a taste of what's being posted to Best Buy. Keep in mind, a portion of these reviews are not yet verified purchases, according to Best Buy's website.

Gageb928 -- This phone is truly amazing, it is so convenient to have a tablet and a phone in one!! I also really enjoyed the Concierge service, it really helps to have peace of mind about this device!! Kimichihotdog -- What more can I say, the future is here! Phone, tablet all in one! Viking -- Great device. A glimpse of what future looks like. Needs007 -- The most innovative mobile device in decades. Moving forward, if the device can't fold, I have no interest. Cheyenne86 -- I have waited for this phone for 3/4 years and was so happy to finally order and receive it.

Now, there's nothing wrong with almost every single purchaser calling the Galaxy Fold innovative or saying that its the device of the future, even though at least one person was apparently waiting 3 to 4 years for it. I'm pretty sure I used all of those lines in my recent thoughts post. However, when you read a bit deeper into the consumer reviews across all the sites you can buy a Galaxy Fold (and you have fancied yourself a nice little tinfoil hat), you can't help but wonder just a bit if a couple of these people got a hold of Samsung's talking points. In actuality, what I believe to be the case here is, buyers are reinforcing their $2,000 purchase with these reviews. The Galaxy Fold's nearly perfect five star rating by consumers reads much different than the expert's three star rating. What better way to further justify your own decision to purchase an expensive device than to say the "experts" were/are wrong. The beautiful thing is, at the end of the day, so long as buyers enjoy the phone -- which is definitely the most important thing -- all is well in the world and who cares if their reviews sound like paid advertisements.

Essential Phone Still Getting Monthly Updates Same-Day as Google Pixel Phones

Kellen — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 11:10:23 +0000

It has been a full two years since Essential introduced the Essential Phone and yet it's still receiving monthly Android security updates on the same day that Google pushes them to Pixel phones. I know that Essential doesn't do much to Android, that they have a single phone to deal with, and that these updates probably aren't difficult for them to do, but it's still impressive. Today, with the October Android 10 patch out, Essential continued their streak of matching Google. The update arrives as build QP1A.190711.148 and should be available to unlocked, non-carrier-tied Essential Phones right away. https://twitter.com/essential/status/1181269017656471552

Amazon's New Fire HD 10 Tablet is Still $149, Offers Better Battery Life and Faster Processor

Tim — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 10:43:42 +0000

Amazon has an updated Fire HD 10 tablet up for pre-order this week, with availability beginning October 30. Priced at only $149, these Fire tablets are somewhat tempting, simply because they're designed to be media consumption devices and they do that rather well. Over the previous Fire HD 10 device, Amazon explains that the 2019 model offers 30% faster processing speeds, longer battery life (12 hours now with standard usage), as well as new software features. As Android users, the only downside you should notice immediately is that there is no immediate access to Google Play. Instead, you'll be limited to Amazon's Appstore, but there are workarounds for that situation. Other specs include a 10.1" FHD display, 32GB or 64GB of built-in storage, microSD support, 2GB RAM, front and rear cameras, USB C, and dual-band WiFi. You can pre-order the tablet by following the link below.

Amazon Link

October 2019 Android Security Update Now Available for Pixel Devices (Updated)

Kellen — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 10:11:57 +0000

A fresh Android update has arrived on Pixel phones in the form of the October Android security update. This is the first regular monthly patch since the Pixel, Pixel 2, Pixel 3, and Pixel 3a picked up stable Android 10 at the beginning of September, so we aren't expecting anything major. With that said, since this is the first update, there could be a number of functional patches that address any bugs discovered with Android 10 on so many more devices. As more details arrive, we’ll update this post.

UPDATE: Here are the functional patches for this October update. Google says they stabilized WiFi and gesture navigation, fixed a memory drain in the UI for all phones, fixed missing heads-up notifications, and more.

[table responsive=scroll id=182 /] Currently, we are seeing new 10.0.0 files for Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL (QP1A.191005.007), Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL (QP1A.191005.007), Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL (QP1A.191005.007.A1), and Pixel and Pixel XL (QP1A.191005.007.A1). You will find each image or OTA file at the links below. For instructions on how to flash a factory image, here you go. For instructions on how to flash an OTA .zip file, here you go. To check for the update, head into Settings>System>Advanced>System update. Links:

Bixby Gets New Vision Features, Includes Enhanced Live Translations

Tim — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 08:34:39 +0000

Samsung announced new additions to Bixby Vision this week, rolling out first to owners of the Galaxy Note 10. After the latest update, Note 10 users who open up Bixby Vision will be able to check out furniture from Wayfair in their homes before buying it, thanks to augmented reality. In addition, enhanced live translations, also powered by AR, are available to Bixby Vision users.

What's New

Try It Before You Buy It: See what your space would look like with that new armchair from Wayfair in the corner, or a new Samsung TV on the wall
Stress-Free Styling: Virtually try on sunglasses from a range of top brands – like Ray Ban – so you know what you’re buying
(Not) Lost In Translation: Hover your camera over multiple lines of text to have them instantly translated using AR, to your preferred language right before your eyes
Picture Play: Point your camera at a poster, billboard or ad to get more details

Bixby users who own a Galaxy Note 10, your week is off to a good start.

// Samsung

DEAL: Here's the Pixel 3 for Just $399 ($400 Off)

Kellen — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 08:14:21 +0000

Because the Google Pixel 4 is so close to launch, we are seeing the best prices to date on Google's currently-available phones. We saw the Pixel 3a and 3a XL drop by $50 yesterday, but if you want something with a little more power, the regular Pixel 3 is down to $399 with a code. Retailer Rakuten has the Pixel 3 64GB in Just Black or Clearly White priced at $459.99 with a coupon code that drops $60 off to $399.99. Google is currently selling its Pixel 3 with a $300-off deal that prices it at $499, so yeah, you've got an extra $100 savings here. To get the deal, hit that link below, add whichever color to your cart, and apply code "SAVE15" at checkout. Shop Pixel 3 at Rakuten

AT&T Could Carry Pixel 4

Kellen — Fri, 04 Oct 2019 11:57:05 +0000

After the Verizon exclusivity around Google Pixel phones died with the launch of the Pixel 3a, T-Mobile and Sprint were quick to jump on board. AT&T, for some reason, continued to hold out, though that may soon change with the launch of the Pixel 4. According to an email sent to AT&T store managers that was picked up PhoneArena, select AT&T employees will have a chance to "seed" the Pixel 4 once it arrives in the coming weeks. To "seed" a device as an AT&T employee simply means a chance to test a device and represent it for your store, sort of as the go-to expert on hand. Assuming this email is legit, this is pretty big news. Having the Pixel line at Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, and US Cellular is a big deal, but adding AT&T to the mix means Google could have everyone a part of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL launch, something they haven't been able to do for the first three years of the Pixel line. Will the addition of AT&T help Google sell Pixel phones, which it has struggled to do in the past year? It certainly won't hurt. With that said, people are still going to have to decide if owning a Pixel 4, with specs not quite on-par with the competition, is the smartest buy. // PhoneArena

Galaxy Fold: Thoughts After a Week of Folding My Phone

Tim — Fri, 04 Oct 2019 11:49:57 +0000

Before I dive too deep, we have to applaud Samsung for making this device happen. The Fold did not get off to a great start earlier this year and no one would have been surprised if the company up and cancelled its release altogether. Instead, Samsung went back to the drawing board, did what they could to make the folding device more resilient to everyday usage, and here we are with a Galaxy Fold to talk about. I believe the concept of foldables is something to be excited for, and while the Fold may go into the history books as merely a high-priced proof of concept, my hope is that Samsung and other OEMs will continue to develop and perfect the hardware to make it something truly remarkable and accessible to all in terms of pricing. For the Galaxy Fold, I have to say that I have very much enjoyed using it for the past week as my daily phone. I never really got over the newness of or fascination with looking at something on the outside 4.6" screen, then opening the phone up to the big and beautiful 7.3" display (minus the crease running down the middle). So, what makes Galaxy Fold cool, you may ask? Well, because it folds, of course! My positive take away from time with the Fold is that I really do appreciate the smaller screen for glancing at things like emails and texts, but then having the ability to open the phone up and really immerse myself in what I'm doing. That's mostly the pitch here and the Fold does a good job with it.

On that note, because of its folding trickery, the Galaxy Fold is the ultimate head turner. As someone who has no issues showing off what phone I'm using to random people who may ask, it doesn't get any sweeter than pulling the Fold out and showing people what its capable of. People's eyes seem to get bigger when you unfold it, which doesn't get old for me. On multiple occasions I'd be at the grocery store using Samsung Pay and the clerk would ask me what phone I was using. Once I showed them the Fold's folding capability, they thought it was incredible, but then heads quickly shook after I mentioned the $2,000 price tag. Additional highlights of using the device include battery life. I didn't come across a single time when battery was an issue. I'd unplug around 7:30AM, then plug it back in around 11:30PM with plenty of juice left. That's even after an hour or so of Minecraft's Creative mode, blowing up woodland villages with countless amounts of TNT. I'm a simple man, people. The cameras are good, too, identical to the experience I just left with the Galaxy Note 10+. If you want more camera talk, I recommend you read that review. Unfortunately, once you get past the fact that the Fold folds, it's really nothing special or anything you can't get from other less expensive and less fragile Samsung Galaxy devices. If having a big screen is something you need, you can get a Galaxy Note 10 or Note 10+ for about half the price of a Galaxy Fold, and they come with an S Pen for added productivity. If you're looking for a tablet-like experience, get yourself a Samsung tablet that's about a quarter of the Fold's price. A tablet + phone combo is going to cost you less than a Galaxy Fold. Those devices also include an S Pen, which would have been nice to see with the Galaxy Fold, but I suppose a stylus would be dangerous to use on this screen. Samsung even recommends keeping sharp fingernails away from it. However, this is where the a folding phone fits in and why the Galaxy Fold is an important proof of concept. The folding concept makes total sense if you consider you're essentially getting two device experiences in one, but spending $2,000 to be an early adopter of it, along with the fact that you have to be extremely careful in how you use it, doesn't seem like the greatest use of your money. Having a big display is great for consuming content like videos and scrolling through social media, but due to the fragility of the device's screen, hardcore gaming isn't something I'd considered, even though it's one of the things I was most looking forward to. I downloaded Minecraft and Mario Kart Tour, and while it all looks fine and plays decently enough, the big warnings you get with the device when you open the box tend to make me shy away from wanting to touch too hard on the screen, the way you'd touch when playing certain games. Now, if we pair a gaming controller with the big screen, then things could get fun, but I don't plan on carrying around a Bluetooth controller with me everywhere I go. Power to the people who do or at least to people who aren't as worried about breaking this thing as I am. I'd label the Fold as the ultimate couch device, because that's basically the only place I truly feel safe using it. As Kellen mentioned in previous thoughts, he changed up his routine a bit to accomodate using the Fold. I've done the same. While he doesn't use it while working out, fearing sweat getting onto it and the device being bulky by nature, I do not take the phone with me when I walk my dogs. Now in Portland, the rainy season has begun, and because this phone offers zero IP rating, I wouldn't dare get a single drop of moisture on this device. It's best to leave it inside. Being a little amateur chef, I love having my phone next to me in the kitchen for recipe following, but that's not something I'm comfortable doing with the Fold. If I get a grain of salt or pepper, or any vegetable stock on this thing, I know my anxiety would go through the roof and that's just not something I can handle right now. Again I emphasize, I'm not a fan of a $2,000 phone that I have to baby. I want to use it how I need to use it, but that's simply not what you can do with the Fold. In closing, the best way I can put it is, you want to play with this phone, but you don't want to live with it as your daily driver. If it lived on my coffee table, such as a tablet would, it's ideal. However, as soon as you leave the couch and venture outside, you realize the world is a very dangerous place for the Galaxy Fold. Again, I hope Samsung only improves upon what they've done here because we're on the right track.

Kellen shared his thoughts on the Galaxy Fold in his recent video, which I've embedded below. If you rather read what he's said about it, look here.

Question: Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL Specs - Good or Nah?

Kellen — Fri, 04 Oct 2019 07:22:51 +0000

In 11 days, Google will make this all official, but there are few things we don't know about the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL at this point. Over the past several days, we've seen marketing demos and press renders, acknowledged camera samples, and installed Pixel 4 apps. And look, all of that stuff looks impressive enough, it's just that many times, we the Android folk, buy a phone if the hardware is right. We like to think that we're tinkerers or super knowledgable about components and how to get the most out of them all. Knowing the amount of RAM or type of storage or refresh rate on the display is often very important. We know the exact USB spec, the wattage of our phone's charger, and if our fingerprint reader is optical or ultrasonic. So my question today has to do with Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL specs. We're pretty sure we have seen the official shortlist that lists out the major components, which we've compiled below. Is this a good enough set of specs if we operate under the assumption that neither phone will see OnePlus 7T pricing?

Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL Specs

[table id=181 /]

Tip: The Fast Account Switcher Swipe in Select Google Apps is so Great

Kellen — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 15:54:57 +0000

In recent months, Google has slowly been adding one of the handiest tricks to its apps that Google users with multiple accounts should all be taking advantage of. It's a simple gesture, but it allows you to jump between accounts quicker than any other method. As you'll see in the GIF below, a simple swipe up or down on your Google account icon in select apps will let you switch over to other accounts you are signed into. For me, it's a massive timesaver, since I happen to have three accounts on my phones at all times. Rather than sliding out a side menu or tapping on the account icon to let me choose an account, this swipe does the job in a split second. I believe this trick first showed up in Google Maps or Google Keep, a couple of months back. We're now seeing it in Gmail and Drive too. There could be others, but those are the only that I've noticed. Give it a try!

Video: Our Favorite Galaxy Fold Features!

Kellen — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 13:44:32 +0000

Now that we have reached a full week with the Samsung Galaxy Fold in house, our time with this first foldable from Samsung is coming to an end. To wrap-up coverage, we'll have a write-up with some final thoughts, as well as this here, a video of our favorite features that help make this device instantly likable. In this clip, we dive into multiple screen experiences from the front cover display to the inside, foldable panel. We show off app continuity between the two, how to run three apps at a time in multi-window, and what kinds of extra tweaks Samsung has done to the UI to make it foldable-ready. We also show off the three separate sets of cameras and talk about why this phone is a hopeful beginning to a category that a lot of people might find useful.

WATCH: Galaxy Fold Unboxing

Here are our favorite Galaxy Fold features!

Instagram Launches Threads, Another Messaging App

Tim — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 13:29:10 +0000

Sometimes, instead of building more features into an existing app, it's easier to just create an entirely different app and have everything separate. That's what Instagram did this week with the launch of Threads, a messaging/photo/video sharing app that's close to a Snapchat knockoff. When you open Threads, you're taken to the camera for the quick snapping of photos and videos. You can then quickly share what you capture with your Instagram Close Friends, which is the feature that helps keep your real friends and just kinda friends organized in the Instagram app. From the threads created, you can message, swap photos, and all that good stuff. Mind you, Instagram's built-in messaging service, called Direct, isn't going anywhere. Threads is just an extension and more immersive messaging experience for those who want it. Does that make sense? Go check it out.

Google Play Link

// Facebook

Bad North is Coming to Android on October 15

Tim — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 12:53:54 +0000

Bad North, currently available for many platforms that aren't mobile and holding a solid 9/10 rating on Steam, is coming to Android and iOS on October 15. The title is a tower defense game like you've probably played in the past, with mean Vikings coming to destroy your kingdom. What has me excited is the emphasis the developers placed on the story. It sounds intriguing. Here's a snippet from the app's description.

Your home is under attack. The king is dead at the hands of Viking invaders. Hope is a distant glimmer in the fog, fading fast with every passing moment. As you rise to take your father’s place as ruler, it will fall to you to stage your defenses. But make no mistake – this is no fight for victory, but a desperate grasp for survival.

Good lord, that's brutal. We'll let you know as soon as it's available.

Google Play Link (Pre-Register)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STqwZiqlIds

Here are Some OnePlus 8 Renders! Wait, What?

Tim — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 09:59:27 +0000

You may be thinking to yourself that it's way too early to start talking about the OnePlus 8. For the most part, I'd agree with you. However, I'm a hypebeasting fool and when I hear that @OnLeaks has posted fresh renders of some unannounced device, you best believe I'll be taking a peek. This week, it appears the renders are of the OnePlus 8, a phone we should be months and months away from. This is odd. Mind you, these renders appear to be very similar to that of a OnePlus 7 Pro, but with a front-facing selfie camera cutout instead of a pop-up camera. It's reported from their source that they are, "based on the actual dimensions and engineering drawings leaked originally from within OnePlus." To sum that up, these are not CAD renders, but because this is @OnLeaks, who has built themself a solid history of being accurate, we should all pay the renders some attention. Now, as for details, it's reported that the device's display will be about 6.5", curved on the sides, and to OnePlus fans' delight, it's said that the OnePlus 8 will feature wireless charging. It's also noted that OnePlus has redesigned the bottom-facing speaker. Again, we are quite a ways from the OnePlus 8, so who knows how much of this can change. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I840KH0Ma24 // CashKaro

Google Play Dark Theme is, Like, For Real Here

Kellen — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 09:23:28 +0000

At least, I'm pretty sure Google Play dark theme is here.

I don't know why this needs an entire post, but Google Play dark theme showed up on two of my phones and I'm feeling blessed. Since I'm the last person on Google's list to get anything involved in a staged rollout, aka the Android Fun-Killer, that should mean you should have whatever it is I'm writing up as a slow rollout, which in this case is the darker Google Play. I'm actually not alone in this, a bunch of bros at reddit also received it today, as did a couple of our readers who pinged us. A number of them lost dark Google App/Assistant, though, so that's fun. Staged, server-side rollouts! The best!

To check for the darkness, flip on your phone's dark theme and open Google Play. My guess is that most of you have it. Both my Pixel 3 and OnePlus 7T do. I should point out that my Galaxy Fold with its dark theme enabled, will not flip on Google Play's dark theme, even if it has no issue with other dark themed Google apps. I'm not sure if Google did something different with the Google Play system trigger or what. There's no toggle to force it either, unfortunately. Google should read my story from yesterday!

Samsung Pay Gets International Money Transfers (Update: Samsung Pay Cash, Too)

Tim — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 08:41:47 +0000

Samsung announced this morning that international money transfers have arrived inside of Samsung Pay, powered by Travelex, a Finablr company. Much like using Samsung Pay itself, sending money outside of the US should be relatively easy, with users now able to send money directly from their already-registered credit and debit cards to 47 different countries across the world. Thanks to Finablr's distribution capabilities, money recipients will have plenty of payout options, including bank deposits and cash pickups. For now, this feature is only available for Samsung Pay users in the US. It's expected to roll out to additional markets in 2020. Update: Shortly after announcing this, Samsung also announced Samsung Pay Cash, built in partnership with Mastercard. Samsung Pay Cash is a virtual prepaid cash card in the wallet of your Samsung Pay account. With it, you can set a budget and use funds from that particular account, and just like Samsung Pay, you can use it practically anywhere you can swipe a card.

Unlike a gift card, Samsung Pay Cash can be used anywhere Samsung Pay and Mastercard are accepted – including with e-commerce retailers. And when you use Samsung Pay Cash to shop, you earn Samsung Rewards points; points can be redeemed for Samsung products, instant win prizes, and more.

For more Samsung Pay Cash details, look here. // Finablr

New Google Shopping is Here as Google Lens Becomes Your Personal Stylist

Kellen — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 08:35:18 +0000

When Google Express flipped over to Google Shopping last month, Google told us that a new Google Shopping experience was soon arriving for everyone. Today is the day that goes live. Additionally, Google Lens now wants to help you do that shopping by acting as a personal stylist. It's a shopping day, friends!

New Google Shopping

For the new Google Shopping, you still get to discover and compare products from all over the web. Now, though, you get a personalized homepage with product suggestions, sections to help with reordering, and options to choose between purchasing online, at a nearby store, or directly from retailers on Google. The new Google Shopping allows for price tracking too, with notifications on your phone to boot. Down the road, Google says you'll be able to tell Shopping to send those notifications via email. Finally, the new Shopping adds a "Google guarantee" for goods you buy directly on Google. That means a quick-and-easy checkout, as well as orders backed by Google should you need customer support, returns, and/or refunds. Again, you'll find the new Google Shopping online and through the app, formerly known as Google Express. Google Play Link

Google Lens Style Suggestions

Styling suggestions are here for Google Lens in a couple of ways. For one, should you see an item on Instagram or in a photo, you can take a screenshot of it and then open the picture in Google Photos to have Google Lens give it a scan. Lens can show similar styled looks or options to buy items that look like what your picture shows. If you want to get a bit more live with it, you can use Lens within your camera (assuming it's supported) to point at objects and have it pull up not only items to buy, but style inspirations too. You'll find closely styled outfits and imagery from Instagram fashion folks or blogs. Look for these new experiences in Shopping and Lens today! // Google [2]

Here's a Pixel 4 Image You May Not Have Seen Yet (Updated: 4 XL Too, and Orange)

Kellen — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 21:15:36 +0000

The Pixel 4 has leaked more times than we can count, but we still have yet to see any official renders outside off the couple of images that Google provided us. Today, though, we might be looking at a first front-to-back shot that you'll see spread about retailer sites worldwide. The image, which shows off a Playstation-esque "P4" logo wallpaper, was posted by @evleaks. Is there anything new here? It's a new image, dammit! I just said that. Other than that, no, there is nothing else to really learn. Oh, we do get to see YouTube Music front and center, as Google told us last week it would be. There's also an "LTE" logo, October 15 date (that's when the Pixel 4 event is), and 10:00 showing in the top left corner, a spot that has often been used to reference the version of Android. Get over the forehead. You know you are buying one.

UPDATE 10/2: Here's the Pixel 4 XL too.

UPDATE 10/2 x2: And here's the "Oh So Orange" version.

// @evleaks

Here are Official Camera Samples From the Pixel 4

Kellen — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 15:31:04 +0000

Google Pixel 4 camera looks like it'll be a winner, again.

What's the best feature of every single one of Google's Pixel phones? The camera. What do we expect to be the standout feature again in the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL? The camera. With each new Google phone release, we have seen advancements in the camera department that built upon the previous year's phones. For the Pixel 2, we got the first Pixel Visual Core chip that helped with Google's impressive HDR+ processing. For the Pixel 3, that Pixel Visual Core took on more tasks and Google also introduced the still-mind-blowing Night Sight mode that creates low-light shots few phones can reproduce. The Pixel 4 will have the first dual camera setup from a Google phone, made up of 12MP wide-angle and 16MP telephoto lenses. We don't yet know if Google has any special magic to cook up with the two, but the safe bet would be on that happening. Google, the company who once couldn't produce anything but potato shots, has been the camera king for a while now. To possibly show you what to expect, a bunch of "official" Pixel 4 camera samples have surfaced to highlight selfie, portrait, Night Sight, and new astrophotography modes. I think you'll be impressed by almost all of them, the portrait shots in particular.

// 9to5Google

Google Assistant on Pixel 4 is Going to be Awesome and Fast, Motion Sense a Dud

Kellen — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 13:17:28 +0000

I can't wait for the Pixel 4 to get here, so that we can stop musing about what Google will likely talk about when it makes its new phones official. There's only so much to gain from not experiencing something first hand and describing it from a leak. With that said, one such new item that should be fun to see in action on stage and in-person is going to be the new Google Assistant. On the flip side of that, I'm fully preparing to be disappointed by Google's Motion Sense, which so far appears to perform tasks far below its capabilities. In new leaks posted today by 9to5Google, we get to see the new next generation Google Assistant in action through a series of promo videos, as well as Motion Sense.

Next Generation Google Assistant

In Google Assistant videos, the new UI (pictured above) is shown, along with a variety of commands that can be fired off in quick succession. Think about how your Google Home has continued conversation, a feature that lets you run multiple requests through the Assistant without having to say Assistant's hotword over and over again. Google's phones are about to get a similar feature, only it should be even faster. Back at Google I/O in May, Google first showed off the next generation Google Assistant, which should launch inside of the Pixel 4. Google told us at the time that they had figured out a way to shrink the process of Assistant down to a size capable of running on a phone, allowing the output to increase 10x quicker. To see that in action and to know what you'll find on the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, watch the video below at the 23:00 mark https://youtu.be/lyRPyRKHO8M?t=1360

Motion Sense Looks Disappointing

The other leak today shows short promo videos of the Pixel 4's Motion Sense, the radar-powered chip formerly known as Project Soli. The videos show that you'll be able to wave your hand over your Pixel 4 to silence an alarm, silence an incoming call, and change songs, all without touching your device. We also believe you will be able to move your hand towards your phone to wake it and check for notifications or the time, that sort of thing. To call this disappointing is probably an understatement. If you have followed the story of Project Soli over the years, you know its capabilities and that hand-waving is about the simplest, most basic idea that Google could have introduced. We've seen hand-waving in phones like the original Moto X and they didn't have fancy radar chips inside. Google says that this waving silliness is only the beginning for Motion Sense and that it will get better over time. I hope they don't take as long as they did with their implementation of a dark theme in Android, because this technology is so much better than this first set of ideas. In case Google missed it, we already offered up a number of suggestions for Motion Sense features, like volume controls, scrolling in Chrome (or any app), flipping through photo albums, switching camera modes, firing up Google Assistant, and more. // 9to5Google [2]

Latest Instagram Beta Brings Dark Mode for All

Tim — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 12:20:08 +0000

The latest beta build for Instagram on Android is bringing a Dark Mode for all to enjoy. Hooray for more Dark Mode! To get it up and running, you'll need the beta app (I'm on app version 114.0.0.13.120). So long as there is room, you can join the beta by following the Google Play link below from your mobile phone. The app follows your system's theme, so whether you're on a Pixel, Samsung, or something else, as long as your system's theme is set to dark, the app should follow that. There doesn't appear to be a manual toggle, so if you aren't a fan of the darker look, you'll need to disable Night/Dark mode on your device. With it showing up in the beta, that means it should head out to all users soon.

Google Play Link

Cheers Stephen!

3 Things Google Needs to Do With This Whole Dark Theme Thing

Kellen — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 11:27:16 +0000

Android 10 is not necessarily the most feature-rich version of Android to date, but it finally brings home an option that Android users have begged for at an obnoxiously steady pace in recent years. Android 10 includes a system-level dark theme or dark mode, something that other Android phone makers built into their own themes because Google was slow at doing it for them. The thing is, Google isn't quite there with its implementation and I have three suggestions that would make it a much better overall experience.

1. Scheduling

This seems like the most obvious of missing items that I can't believe Google didn't include, but yeah, we should be able to schedule dark theme to turn on and off. I know that manually turning it off or on is pretty simple and can be done through a quick settings shortcut. I get that. But Google already lets us schedule Night Light, which is a related feature. I can schedule do not disturb settings too. Why not dark theme? My guess is that Google will build in a dark theme scheduler, only they've got some work to do. Right now, dark theme is a basic toggle within display settings, so they would have to build out the scheduling portion like they have done with Night Light. But again, they've already done this with other features - it shouldn't be that hard to do. Why is it so important to be able to schedule dark theme? The same reason you schedule Night Light or DND or Battery Saver - convenience. When it gets dark out or I'm pre-crawling out of bed in the morning, I'd love to never have to hit a switch before being blinded. Oh, and I'm fully aware that there is an app that can help you schedule dark theme, it's just that I want it built into the system. I don't want to install a 3rd party app, run an adb command, setup some Tasker shit, or flash some rooty bootloadbox Magisk module. Just built it in, Google.

2. I need per app options

Google has begun updating the majority of its Android apps to include a dark theme. The rollout has been painfully slow, but we're getting to the point where most of the apps you use from Google will have both light and dark themes. My problem here is the fact that Google, in most cases, is forcing the apps to be dark or light depending on what you have set your phone's overall system theme to. That's not great. I should get to choose how this works. For example, in Google News, if you have Android 10 on your phone, the dark theme option in settings tells you that you can only flip News to dark by switching the entire phone's theme over to dark. But what if it's 1PM and I want my phone as a light theme yet happen to like reading Google News articles with a black background? I can't do it! However, in Google Calendar, I have an option to force light or dark themes or allow it to follow the system theme. Gmail will apparently be the same, I just haven't received that blessing yet from Google. I know that Google has different teams working on all of this stuff, but the standard should be what I just described from Calendar and Gmail. You should be able to choose which theme you want on a per-app basis because some apps I prefer lighter while others I do like the dark side.

3. Can we get some consistency?

On a related note to per-app options, Google has got to find some consistency in where they are putting dark theme settings or how they present them. For example, in Gmail and Calendar, you'll swipe out each app's side menu, scroll to the bottom, open settings, then the "General" tab and look for theme stuff. In Google News, though, you tap on your Google account icon in the top right, then settings, and then look for theme options. Of course, as I just mentioned above, News sends you to the system to switch themes rather than by controlling how that app displays a theme. If you go into Google Photos, well, there isn't a theme option at all on Android 10 from what I can tell. Instead, it really only cares about the system-level toggle. YouTube, on the other hand, doesn't care at all about what your system is doing and requires you to force the dark theme on within settings. Google Keep has dark theme now too, but like News and Photos, it appears to only care about your system toggle when on Android 10 and has no option at all within the app to choose a theme. There has to be a way to figure this out or at least put a dark theme switch or chooser in a place that is easier to find. Because if Google is going to let us control each app's theme, hunting for that option shouldn't be such a maze.

Incognito Mode Rolling Out for Google Maps, History Auto-Delete Comes to YouTube

Tim — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 09:02:03 +0000

Google introduced new privacy features for select app users today, announcing that Incognito Mode is officially rolling out to all Google Maps users, YouTube is getting Auto-Delete, and Google Assistant can now help tidy up your Google account's history. As we learned recently, Incognito Mode has been rolling out to preview users inside Google Maps, but today, Google is making the feature official for all users. Just like it does in Chrome, Incognito Mode allows users to not have their location and destination searches/activities saved to their Google account. Very clutch for certain activities. For YouTube, users are getting the same Auto-Delete feature that the standard Google account page received in June. With it, users can choose a time at which their YouTube account's activity history will be automatically deleted.

Google is also bringing new security features to Google Assistant. In an update, you'll now be able to ask Assistant to delete up to a week's worth of conversation data. For example, “Hey Google, delete the last thing I said to you” or “Hey Google, delete everything I said to you last week.” If you ask to delete more than a week's worth of data from your account, the Assistant will point you directly to the page in your account settings to complete the deletion. Google is rolling this out in English next week and in all other languages next month. // Google

Microsoft Just Announced a Dual-Screen, Folding Phone That Runs Android (Updated)

Kellen — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 08:57:59 +0000

Microsoft hosted a hardware event this morning where they announced a bunch of Surface products, a line of devices that we wouldn't normal pay a ton of attention to. But before leaving the stage, they showed off a product some of us may consider buying in a year. The Microsoft Surface Duo is a dual-screen, foldable device or phone that does indeed run Android. It looks kind of cool! Now, Microsoft seems hesitant to call it a "phone," but it makes phone calls and will be an all-in-one type of device that you can use to get a lot of stuff done. It has specific Microsoft experiences, with access to their suite of apps. It also runs Android (9 Pie currently) and has Google Play, so all of that Android-ness that you want is there. Microsoft said on stage that they worked directly with Google to get this experience right. The Surface Duo has dual 5.6" displays and runs a Snapdragon 855 at the moment, according to Wired. It has cameras too (front-facing that flips to double as a rear camera), and like I mentioned above, can make and place calls like a phone. It has an intricately designed hinge between those two displays that lets the Duo fold and hold in a number of positions. You can multi-task between the two, watch as content flows from one to the next, and more. The new Surface Duo isn't expected to arrive until the holiday season in 2020. Should Microsoft post more details, we'll be sure to update this post. You excited for Duo?

UPDATE: Microsoft posted the intro video that they showed during their event, so we can all get excited together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kU78s9ExFFA

SHIELD TV Update 8.0.1 Brings a Ton of Bug Fixes

Tim — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 15:56:39 +0000

NVIDIA has posted the changelog for Experience Update 8.0.1 and it's massive. Headed to SHIELD TV owners this week, NVIDIA has a ton of bug fixes inside this update, including one for a WiFi issue that I've personally been experiencing. NVIDIA's history of updating SHIELD TV is basically legendary at this point. I'll spare you the boring stuff. You can view the full changelog below.

Changelog

System
- Redesigns Volume UI for android P
- Resolves occasional video playback issues
- Fixes bug incorrect volume control reporting accessibility feature enabled
- Resolves navigation sound issue
- Resolves “Drive address format is not valid” message seen when connecting to NAS
- Resolves USB DAC issue where audio volume would be set low after reboot/DAC hotplug
- Resolves issue where side loaded apps appear as system apps
Display
- “Match content color space” feature now displays correct format
- Fixes bug where “Match content color space” would not work when display set to RGB
- Resolves issue playing VC1 content
Storage
- Resolves Sdcard/InternalStorage accessibility issue when adopting storage
- Resolves issue where storage is reported as full after adopting storage
Network
- Improves 4K streaming issues when network connected over Wi-Fi
- Resolves rare Wi-Fi disconnect issue
- Fixes bug where manual DNS entries would not be saved
Accessories
- Improves IR control reliability on some Denon and Sony receivers
- Improves SHIELD Remote App connection and control issues
- Resolves SHIELD Controller 2017 OTA stability issues
- Fixes issue where forgotten SHIELD accessories still appear in SHIELD
- Resolves automatic centering issues on some controllers
- Adds support for STRQUA G20 keymapping
- Resolves mouse issues in PUBG Mobile on SHIELD
Misc
- Fixes Google Play Store crashes issue
- Restores option to set default launcher

Other Known Issues

YouTube 5.1 PCM audio not available
Launcher app Icons appear zoomed/cropped
Unable to re-enable location services being disabled
TV loses sync HDMI sync to SHIELD during modesets (power on, wake from sleep, refresh/resolution changes)
USB DAC passthrough not working in Kodi
Rare Netflix stutter issue
Disconnect when connecting to SHIELD from PC
Failure during 2015 Controller firmware update

// NVIDIA

Xbox Game Streaming App, for Project xCloud, Available for Download

Tim — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 14:29:40 +0000

The necessary Xbox Game Streaming app for Android, the one that allows Microsoft's Project xCloud to work on your Android device, is now available for download. Sadly, downloading it doesn't really do anything, since Microsoft has yet to let anyone into its Preview group. The first round of lucky folks should get notified around mid-October. Regardless, this is awesome because Project xCloud allows Xbox gamers to stream certain titles from the cloud directly to their smartphone or tablet, as well as stream games directly from their Xbox which is called Console Streaming. To play games, all you'll need is a Bluetooth-supported Xbox controller, plus a WiFi connection that can handle 10Mbps. Again, downloading this app won't do you any good unless you're signed up for Project xCloud, which you can do right here. Best of luck on that. As an Xbox person myself, I'm excited for this one. Google Play Link

Google Voice Dark Theme is Here, Well, Rolling Out Slowly

Kellen — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 14:28:12 +0000

Google says that the dark theme for Google Voice is now rolling out starting today and should reach all within 15 days. They made the announcement through their G Suite Updates blog, as a heads-up to G Suite customers, but these announcements also impact regular users too. With dark theme here for Google Voice, we're getting close to having almost all of the big Google apps with a dark theme. Well, I should say that in theory we are getting close, I just don't know that I've seen dark theme in very many apps that were supposed to have seen in recently. I don't have dark Gmail or dark Google Play or dark Google Maps or dark Assistant or dark Instagram, all of which were said to be getting the darkness. Meh. Staged rollouts are still ass, always will be, and killed the fun of Android. What about you - getting any of these dark themes? // G Suite Updates

T-Mobile May Drop OnePlus 7 Pro in Favor of OnePlus 7T

Kellen — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 13:59:07 +0000

As a part of the OnePlus 7T announcement last week, OnePlus left us with the impression that it would sell alongside the OnePlus 7 Pro in the US. Today, with the OnePlus 7 Pro disappearing from T-Mobile's website, the carrier may be signaling that it will no longer sell the 7 Pro and instead put its focus on a single OnePlus phone, the OnePlus 7T, when it arrives in a couple of weeks. T-Mobile confirmed to PCMag that the phone has been removed from their online store "due to low inventory" and is only being carried in a limited number of stores. They looked for comment after Wave7 Research suggested that T-Mobile had fully dropped the 7 Pro as it awaits the 7T. Again, we were expecting OnePlus to sell both the OnePlus 7T and OnePlus 7 Pro in the US, so this may simply be a sign that T-Mobile is deciding to focus on a single phone. Either way, if you want the OnePlus 7 Pro, you can still buy one in an unlocked capacity from the OnePlus Store right now and it'll work just fine on T-Mobile, as well as other carriers. If you'd rather wait for the OnePlus 7T to get here, read our review to help you pass the time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CnDZ61g1JA // PCMag

Drop Test Confirms, Don't Drop the Galaxy Fold

Tim — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 12:01:54 +0000

We're going to be sharing a lot of Galaxy Fold thoughts over the next week, but if there is one piece of advice we can shed upon you today, it's that dropping Samsung's foldable phone is an awful idea. Because we would never intentionally drop one ourselves, we have to rely on others to drop one for us, and thanks to Square Trade, they went and did just that.

Related: Galaxy Fold Unboxing

Before they dropped the Galaxy Fold, they did a folding test. Before launch, back when it was announced, Samsung said the Fold should operate fine after 120,000 folds of the display (about 3 years of usage). In Square Trade's testing, they confirmed that number, though, a small pixel blob did appear on the display after about 18,000 folds. Other than that, nothing but slight hinge deterioration was noticed. As for the drop test, it doesn't matter if you drop the phone on the outside or inside display. It's gonna bust, even if you're using the included adhesive case. Now, the fact that Samsung's $2,000 phone breaks when you drop it shouldn't surprise anyone. Heck, phones at all prices break when you drop them. The thing to note is, it's just a much more expensive issue should you drop this one in particular. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzlDTlByHFI

OnePlus 7T Available Week Early on October 11 at NYC Pop-Up Shop

Tim — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 10:18:08 +0000

OnePlus loves its pop-up shops. This year for the OnePlus 7T, the company is hosting yet another one on October 11 in New York City, allowing fans to get a OnePlus 7T a whole week early.

Review: OnePlus 7T

Official availability for the OnePlus 7T begins October 18, but if you're in the NYC area, and have $599 to spend on a new phone, you'll be able to get one at this event. The event takes place at SHOWFIELDS, starting at 10AM. Tempting?

Facebook RSVP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CnDZ61g1JA

Pandora App Receives Big Update Focused on Content Discovery

Tim — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 08:54:00 +0000

Pandora is rolling out a major update to its Android and iOS app this week, focused primarily on content discovery. If you need that broken down, it just means that Pandora wants to make it easier for you to find good tunes and podcasts. According to the company's blog post, the updated mobile experience offers new personalization and discovery features for each tier of service, which are free ad-supported, Pandora Plus, and Pandora Premium. That means regardless of which tier you're on, you're getting the new stuff. What's New

For You: a personalized, dynamically-updating discovery feed that serves up fresh, custom-curated music and podcast recommendations for each user throughout the day.
Pandora Modes: a new feature for mobile that lets users customize the listening experience on their favorite Pandora Stations with selectable modes to “lean in” a bit on their “lean back” radio-style listening.
Simplified Navigation Interface: to make enjoying new Pandora features even easier, plus other enhancements.

If you rock Pandora like my massage therapist does, go grab that update!

Google Play Link

// Pandora

DEAL: Here's a $30 10W Anker Wireless Charging Pad With Lovely LED Light for $10

Kellen — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 08:22:48 +0000

It's never a bad time to add another wireless charger to the collection and Anker's 10W wireless charger with bottom-glowing LED charging light is $9.99 at the moment, thanks to a promo code. Normally priced at $29.99, that's a pretty solid savings on a charger that brings that 10W juice and the ambient light action. Your Galaxy S10 or Galaxy Note 10 or Pixel 3 or iPhone 11 Pro XR HD Edition Edition Max Bro phone is ready. Use code "QA2512DM" to drop the price to $9.99. Amazon Deal Link

Call of Duty: Mobile Now Available on Android in the US!

Kellen — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 21:17:43 +0000

First teased for launch back in March, Call of Duty: Mobile is now available on Android. The game is free to play and available on most Android devices running Android 4.3 and up. Call of Duty: Mobile features both multiplayer and battle royale modes, though some of the experience needs to be unlocked by playing and ranking up. For example, you'll start the game with only multiplayer as an option. Within multiplayer, you'll need to rank up to be able to access game types outside of team deathmatch, like domination and search & destroy. You'll also need to rank up to at least level 7 before you can play the battle royale mode. Again, the game is free to play, but there is a store that Activision is hoping you'll spend a boatload of money in. If you opt for the free way to play the game, you'll get access to item unlocks in the store as you rank up. If you want to access more items at a faster pace, there is a premium pass you can pay for. There are daily challenges too that will help you rank up and unlock items. As far as gameplay goes, I've only played for a few minutes, but you have pretty classic first person shooter (FPS) controls for movement and aiming. Since this is Call of Duty, there is a touch of complexity with controls over reloading and aiming down sight, crouching, jumping, etc. Like any mobile game, it'll take some getting used to. For the most part, it looks pretty great from graphics and performance perspectives. It'll take some heavier gameplay to decide if the game is awesome or not. Ready to play? Grab it now, just be ready to download over 1GB of data. Google Play Link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnhok5r3mwM

2019 is the Year of Sucker Tech Buys, Like 5G and Foldables

Kellen — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 19:54:43 +0000

Throughout the rest of 2019, the wireless tech industry is going to test early adopters and their deep wallets like never before. They will put shiny objects in front of this elite crowd, objects with astronomical price tags that fold and theoretically connect to next-gen, ultra fast networks. It'll be tough to say no to them. You should say no to all of them, though. Don't be the sucker who buys into 5G and foldable devices in 2019. This year, you will hear about both of things ad nauseam. Wireless carriers and their device partners have spent years preparing for the introduction of both 5G and foldable devices, so they aren't about to let either go unnoticed. Seriously, though, ignore them. Ignore the 5G advertising. Ignore the fancy folding things. They will all be bad, not available, and not even come close to living up to expectations.

5G in 2019 is not worth paying much attention to

d https://www.droid-life.com/2018/12/06/5g-is-really-starting-to-sound-awful/ https://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/28/exclusive-12-photos-of-the-htc-thunderbolt-on-verizon/ https://www.droid-life.com/2011/01/14/verizon-4g-lte-phone-release-dates/

Verizon Galaxy S9, S9+ Getting September Security Patch

Tim — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 14:00:33 +0000

Verizon is shipping out the September security patch to the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. Verizon lists no other changes besides the security patch, but if you're an owner and spot something new, let us know. New Software Versions

Galaxy S9: G960USQU6CSI2
Galaxy S9+: G965USQU6CSI2

// Verizon [2]

DEAL: Fossil Sport is Just $151 Today at Amazon ($123 Off)

Kellen — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 13:34:43 +0000

The Fossil Sport, a Wear OS that was once the king until the Fossil Gen 5 showed up with that important bit of extra RAM, is heavily discounted right now at Amazon. Normally priced at $275, you can grab a Fossil Sport in black for $151.19. Should you buy a Fossil Sport knowing that the Fossil Gen 5 is available and a better overall watch? At $151, this is a really good price on a watch that is still more-than-capable. We're talking about one of the first Snapdragon Wear 3100 watches that spend more time on my wrist than any other watch over the past year. It's solid. If you want to know more, you can read our full Fossil Sport review. Amazon Deal Link

Google Decides to Just Keep the Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL at $300 Off for a While

Kellen — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 12:32:48 +0000

Google has had its Pixel 3 line-up priced at $300-off for the past month or so. That $300-off deal was supposed to end over the weekend, but Google went ahead and extended it for another couple of months. That's right, you can still get the Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL starting at just $499. We all know that the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are two weeks away from being revealed. In the past when new phones arrive to replace the previous gen, Google typically drops the price until they have sold them all off. At $300, it sure looks like they are doing that earlier than usual. We're starting to see some models go out of stock and I doubt they'll return. The Pixel 3 in "Not Pink" with 64GB storage is gone, as is the "Just Black" Pixel 3 XL with 128GB of storage. The $300-off deal runs until late November on the Google Store. Verizon and Best Buy are also hosting $300-off deals at the moment. Google Store Link Shop Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL at these dealers too:

Verizon
Best Buy

Here's a Look at Live Caption for Android 10, Coming First to Pixel 4

Tim — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 11:48:45 +0000

Live Caption was detailed during this year's Google I/O developer conference, and even though Android 10 has launched, the feature isn't yet live for Pixel owners. Right now, it looks like the feature will launch as a Pixel 4 limited time exclusive, though, it'll likely launch for additional Pixel devices down the road. Thanks to XDA and Nextrift, we're getting a look at Live Caption in action, which instantly translates audio on the device into readable captions on the phone's display. This will be helpful if you want to watch a video and get info from it, but don't have headphones and aren't in a place where listening to a video is appropriate. It will also be helpful for those with hearing issues as well.

Inside the settings menu for Live Caption, users can choose languages, mask profanity, and also set Live Caption in volume control. Here's a look at the feature in action. Very cool. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6bocsWi9U8 // XDA

My Galaxy Fold Display is Not Damaged After a Day

Kellen — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 10:31:39 +0000

3 days with the Fold

I think I have been asked on an hourly basis if my Galaxy Fold is broken yet. I am pleased to report back that no, my Galaxy Fold is not damaged after a day of use. In fact, I'm almost at three days worth of usage at this point, and me, the guy who breaks all things, has managed to protect the $2,000 foldable from Samsung. There have been jokes about sneezing anywhere near it as potentially causing damage to the display. Some have suggested that the best way to keep the Galaxy Fold safe is to not touch it at all. Others hoped we kept receipts. Everyone is hilarious. Everyone is also correct in that this phone requires extra care that you might not normally bring to your typical smartphone. I'll have many more thoughts on if the Galaxy Fold is something anyone should pay attention to in the coming days, but jokes aside, I did want to talk a bit about having a $2,000 phone on you at all times that is this fragile. It really is an experience that we're just not used to.

Situational departures

In case you missed it, we unboxed the Galaxy Fold (video below!) on Friday, the day the phone was released in the US. From that moment on, it's been the phone by my side. Well, for most of the time it has been. You see, when a phone has zero IP rating, arrives with warning upon warning before you ever turn it on that this phone can't take much abuse, and costs $2,000, it's really not a phone you can take everywhere. There are going to be situations you might want to avoid putting the Fold in. Yesterday, for example, was a typical Sunday for me. I woke up, grabbed my phone (the Fold) off the charger and did Sunday morning stuff, like hangout with the family, make breakfast, and talk myself into a workout before figuring out plans for the rest of the day. Once I got enough coffee pumped into the bloodstream, that workout brought the first situational departure from Samsung's foldable phone. For one, it was raining in Portland yesterday (shocker). Had I decided to go for a run, the Fold is without a doubt never accompanying me. It's too heavy and bulky to carry on you while doing anything athletic, but the combination of rain and sweat on it brings that next-level stress to the brain. So I worked out in my garage instead and still left the Fold inside. There's dirt and moisture in garages, more stuff in the air or lying around that you want no where near that display. So yeah, I had to ditch the Fold because I wanted to workout...that's shitty. That wasn't the only time I got nervous about the Fold, though. Here are some others:

When I cooked dinner, which involved grilling in the rain, I took the phone out of my pocket and left it on the counter. I also then questioned if I had had the phone in pocket too long that day and worried that there might have been something in my pocket that could have slithered into the Fold's hinge to do damage.
I realized that setting the Fold on a counter meant living through a live throwback to pre-water resistant days, days that we used to complain heavily about.
I actually required my wife to wipe off her hands before playing with it one time. I mean...lol.
I found myself giddy about showing the phone to people, but also not wanting to because they would most definitely want to play with it, and yeah, that's a $2,000 risk. Also, no napkins handy.
I worried about how I might clean my own greasy fingerprints off the screen, since Samsung doesn't really want you pressing hard on the foldable screen. You know I hate a greasy screen. I still have not come up with a solution for this problem.
For the first time in a while, I only used the charger that came in the box of a phone. Even with USB-C PD chargers all over my house, I just didn't want to the take the risk of a non-Samsung charger doing...something to a phone that costs this much money.

Now, I know that much of this has been well-documented by the early Galaxy Fold review disasters to the re-launch of it now. But I'm not sure anyone has clearly expressed that owning a phone with this many drawbacks is just not something we're used to in 2019. Phones are certainly fragile today with all of the glass on them, but their main displays are not soft plastic that can be damaged with a fingernail and they all do a pretty damn good job of resisting dust and water. They also don't cost almost $2,000. So while this post started out as kind of a joke with that title, the reality here is that this isn't just a first-gen product. This really is kind of an alpha build or a concept idea that Samsung decided to try and sell to people at a wild price. We aren't just dipping into new territory, we're also reverting back in terms of durability. That said, this phone is kind of awesome and I can't wait to tell you why I think so. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSoBONn7ZKk

YouTube TV Comes to Fire TV Devices

Tim — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 09:23:17 +0000

With TV getting good around this time of year (NFL season, MLB postseason, new shows, etc.), Amazon announced this morning that YouTube TV is now available for Fire TV devices. This move stems from Amazon and Google making up recently, which as consumers, has us pleased. Here's the list of supported Fire TV devices. Supported Devices

Fire TV Stick (2nd Gen), Fire TV Stick 4K, all-new Fire TV Cube, all Toshiba, Insignia, Element, and Westinghouse Fire TV Edition smart TVs and previous generation Fire TV devices including Fire TV Cube (1st Gen), Fire TV (2nd Gen), Fire TV (3rd Gen — Pendant Design).

The YouTube TV app is not compatible with Fire TV Stick (1st Gen) and Fire TV (1st Gen). If you rock a Fire TV unit, you can download the YouTube TV app via this link. // Amazon

Nest WiFi Likely Just Stopped Through the FCC as a 2-Piece System

Kellen — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 08:27:11 +0000

A Nest Wifi is rumored to launch alongside the Pixel 4 and Google Nest Mini here in a couple of weeks. Two devices that sure make the case for being that new Nest WiFi system just stopped by the FCC, revealing some important details. The two devices are Google model numbers of H2D and H2E. If those sound familiar, that's because the Nest Mini that stopped by the FCC a couple of weeks ago is model number H2C. As a bit of additional history, Google tends to label its Google Home products with an "H" and since Google Nest is now the replacement for that, seeing devices that would fall under the Home category continue that only makes sense. Each of the devices here is labeled as an "interactive internet streaming device." They aren't described as media devices, like the Nest Mini was, which has led us to believe this could be Nest WiFi, a product rumored for launch soon. We've also heard that Nest WiFi will operate as separate units, with a hub acting as the router, while additional beacons will extend WiFi throughout a house in a mesh-like way. These two devices showed up at the FCC together and with almost identical specs outside of their size.

The FCC tested each for 802.11/ac WiFi, Bluetooth, and 802.15.4. That last part is important, as it's likely Thread, the IoT protocol that controls and connects smart home products. It would make a lot of sense for that to be included, since Nest WiFi will likely act as a hub of sorts for everything connected in your home.

Two weeks away! // FCC [2]

A Bunch of Pixel 4 Apps can Now Be Installed by You

Kellen — Sat, 28 Sep 2019 10:56:22 +0000

A whole bunch of Google's upcoming Pixel 4 apps leaked, thanks to a system dump from one of those early Pixel 4 XL units in the wild. After seeing apps like the updated Wallpapers, Pixel Launcher, and (voice) Recorder app detailed, many are now available to download if you are interested in playing with them. Wallpapers The coolest of the releases is the updated Google Wallpapers app that gives you access to the new live wallpapers expected to ship with the Pixel 4. The folks at XDA posted a modified APK of the app that should give anyone with an Android 7+ 64-bit device access to them, which you can see working properly on the Galaxy Fold at the top of this post. There are wallpapers called Prickly, Leafy, Rocky, and Sights From The Sun, along with a handful of Earthy satellite options from Saudi Arabia, Australia, and Switzerland. If you own a Pixel phone, the experience is slightly improved, though. On my Pixel 3, there are additional options on these live wallpapers that let you customize the theme of some, personalize each, and more.

Google Recorder The Google Recorder app also appears to be available to just about anyone with an Android device. This is a new app from Google that should launch with the Pixel 4. It's your basic voice recorder app without many options outside of a theme switcher. Feel free to download it!

Pixel Launcher and Pixel Themes After those two apps, you will also find downloads for an updated Pixel Launcher that features the tiniest of new features - a swipe down on the screen to access your notifications. You can install that from the link below if you have a Pixel phone. If you want Pixel Themes, well, that's not so simple. You can find instructions on how to get that up and running from the guys at 9to5Google, but just be aware that it requires an adb command to see it, and proper installation of the new Wallpapers app. Downloads:

// XDA | 9to5Google

Motorola's Foldable Razr Could Still Show Up This Year

Kellen — Sat, 28 Sep 2019 09:55:32 +0000

In February, Motorola confirmed that it was indeed working on a foldable phone and that it would not be late to the foldables party. A follow-up rumor suggested that that foldable, which we all assume will revive the old Moto Razr brand, could arrive as early as the summer we just polished off. Clearly, that didn't happen, so now a fresh rumor has replaced it by pointing towards a before-2019-ends reveal with no mention of a launch timeframe. The rumor is perfectly timed with the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Fold yesterday, possibly as a way for Motorola to keep itself in the foldables conversation, even if we've never seen any of the work on a foldable phone that Motorola says they started working on years ago. And that's all that we have for news on the foldable Razr phone, though I wish there was more to share. You see, since that initial confirmation in February, we've seen internet mentions of a "Razr" phone as well as a really cool concept, but nothing in an official capacity. Should Motorola really be targeting a 2019 reveal, they are quickly running out of time. Then again, it's probably best not to rush a foldable, eh, Samsung? // CNET https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSoBONn7ZKk

Galaxy Fold Unboxing and Tour!

Kellen — Fri, 27 Sep 2019 15:23:43 +0000

Galaxy Fold day is finally here after all this time and we were able to secure a couple of devices. We can now get busy with the future that is foldable phones. We are pretty damn excited too, even if we already know this $2,000 phone is likely so niche and impractical that no one should ever really consider buying one. To get started on our Galaxy Fold coverage, we ran through the classic unboxing experience. Since this is a $1,980 phone with more in the box than your standard goods, this is one you might want to watch, unboxing fan or not. Oh, and this is the first time I've played with the Galaxy Fold or a foldable phone, so there's plenty of fun in that reaction to the first fold - the first time I see a phone bent completely in half. Seriously, this phone folds and I'm kind of mind-blown. Enjoy!

Verizon Galaxy S8, S8+, Note 8, and S10+ 5G Receive September Security Patch

Tim — Fri, 27 Sep 2019 14:30:23 +0000

Verizon is shipping out September's security patch to four additional Samsung devices this week, only days after sending out the same thing to other Galaxy devices. Good job, Samsung. Specifically, the Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, Galaxy Note 8, and Galaxy S10+ 5G are receiving the September patch. Looking over the changelogs, that's the only thing inside. If you spot something else, please let us know. New software version numbers

Galaxy S8: G950USQS6DSI4
Galaxy S8+: G955USQS6DSI4
Galaxy Note 8: N950USQS6DSH4
Galaxy S10+ 5G: G977UVRS2ASI4

Go get them updates. // Verizon [2] [3] [4]

Podcast: We Have the Galaxy Fold!

Kellen — Fri, 27 Sep 2019 11:58:32 +0000

On this episode of the Droid Life Show, it's going to be heavy Samsung Galaxy Fold talk. The first foldable from Samsung is now here and we each have one in-house, on desk to get familiar with. We have foldable phones, guys! The future...or something. Also, on the show, we'll dive into the OnePlus 7T, since that's official this week and we've got a full review up. We'll also catch up on the Pixel 4 news and anything else that comes up. Trivia is back! The fabulous folks at Poweramp have sponsored the show with wonderful prizes. We’ll be live at 12:30PM Pacific (3:30PM Eastern).

Here's a Look at the Pixel 4's Theming App, Wallpapers, New Recorder App

Tim — Fri, 27 Sep 2019 09:58:14 +0000

Thanks to 9to5 Google and Nextrift, we're getting a good look at a few new aspects of the Pixel 4. The following are somewhat minor things/changes and new features that wouldn't usually get a lot of spotlight during a phone's launch, but because this phone is still quite a ways from being announced, and it's a Google Pixel, it's cool to talk about.

Theming App

As we already knew, the Pixel 4 will have a dedicated themes app, apparently housed under a Styles & Wallpapers section from the Pixel Launcher. In here, you'll be able to customize your phone's font, accent color, icon design, and more. Here's a look at it.

Gesture for Notifications

Already available on other devices, it looks like the Pixel 4 will have a swipe-down gesture for accessing notifications from the home screen. This is obviously replacing the swipe-down gesture that was available for the Pixel 3's rear-facing fingerprint reader. RIP.

New Recorder App

A new app for the Pixel 4 is a dedicated Recorder app, which actually has a pretty slick looking design. According to 9to5 Google, this is a standard voice/sound recorder app, with recorded files not accessible via the device's file manager. Apparently, the recordings are placed in a private folder, accessible only via the Recorder app. And yeah, it has a dark mode theme available.

New and Improved Wallpapers

Of course, the Pixel 4 will offer a few new wallpapers and an updated Wallpapers app. There's a few shown below, but most importantly, the actual Wallpapers app is a getting a little redesign, as well as a dark mode for Android 10 users.

Wallpapers App Dark/Light Modes

New Wallpapers

So there you have it, a whole bunch of new stuff is coming for the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. If you're feeling a little impatient, I don't blame you, since we still have until October 15 for this phone to be announced. Woof. // 9to5 Google [2] [3] [4] [5]

YouTube Music, Google's Lackluster Play Music Replacement, is Android 10's Music App

Kellen — Fri, 27 Sep 2019 09:30:35 +0000

Google announced this morning that YouTube Music will now come preinstalled as a part of Google's suite of apps on phones running Android 10. Any new phone you buy with Android 10 on it will have YouTube Music there for you to ignore as you've done since it launched a little over a year ago. YouTube Music is replacing Google Play Music as the music app you'll find out of the box, so if you buy an Android 10 phone and want Google's old, left-for-dead orange music service, you'll have to go find it on Google Play or hope your Android backup brings it home. It's a move we anticipated with the Pixel 4 on the horizon after seeing a leaked commercial that was super hyped about YouTube Music. Unfortunately, no one likes YouTube Music and it never did allow us to import our collections from Play Music as promised. So unless Google has big plans to announce for the future of their music goals, then this is an announcement few will find pleasing. // YouTube Blog

Pixel 4's Motion Sense Reported to Only Support Nine Apps at Launch

Tim — Fri, 27 Sep 2019 08:39:13 +0000

When the Pixel 4 launches, it's reported that there is a short list of media apps that can be controlled by Motion Sense, which is the Soli radar-powered gesture system found in phone's top bezel. Ahead of this list's publishing, we assumed Motion Sense would work in a ton of different apps, but as you'll see, that's not the case. Instead of being able to control any sort of notification controls you'd see from media apps, like the kind that can be controlled via a Bluetooth headset, Motion Sense is limited to controlling just nine apps. Motion Sense supported apps at launch:

Amazon Music
Deezer
Google Play Music
iHeartRadio
Pandora
Spotify
Spotify Stations
YouTube Music
YouTube

Mind you, the above media apps are likely the most popular you can currently find available for Android. However, our hope is that this list expands soon after launch, but not only for media apps. When we published a list of ideas Google could lift to implement into Soli, we weren't kidding. We want Chrome scrolling, camera mode switching, plus a bunch of other stuff. Point being, Soli isn't worth it if all we can do is skip music tracks in nine different apps. // 9to5 Google

Google Play Updates Page has Gone Blank at the Moment for Some of Us (Updated: Fixed)

Kellen — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 14:39:43 +0000

A couple of hours ago, I dropped into Google Play on my OnePlus 7T to check for any app updates, like I do multiple times per day. There was nothing unique about the move, only once I got in there, I noticed that the page was blank and showed no recently updated apps. Same goes for my Pixel 3. After asking around on Twitter, it appears that I am not alone. As you can see from the image above, both the Updates and Installed pages in Google Play are showing as blank. They show that no updates are available and that I apparently do not have any apps installed. That's weird, right? Clearing cache and force stopping Google Play doesn't fix it, nor does a reboot. The version of Google Play I'm using on both phones is v16.7.22. Your Google Play OK at the moment? If not, stick around and we'll try to update this post once everything is cleared up.

UPDATE 7:21PM: Google issued a fix. If yours still isn't working, flush cache on Google Play, force stop it, then re-open.

OnePlus 7T Review: That Display, Oh My

Kellen — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 12:00:55 +0000

OnePlus has taken a somewhat confusing approach to its phone releases for 2019. We had the OnePlus 7 Pro arrive in the US earlier as their top-tier, new phone for the year, but they decided against delivering the OnePlus 7 to us, which arrived alongside the Pro in other countries. Instead, OnePlus continued selling the OnePlus 6T here, only to now replace it with the OnePlus 7T that was just announced. Confusion over that decision aside, we have had a OnePlus 7T in house for the better part of the past week. That's been just enough time to put some thoughts down on whether or not this might be the phone to consider for not just OnePlus 6T owners, but 7 Pro owners too. After all, OnePlus added a number of significant improvements with the 7T, all of which we'll talk about now. This is our OnePlus 7T review.

The Good

Display The 90Hz display is back! After releasing the OnePlus 7 Pro with a 90Hz refresh rate and bringing an ultra-smooth viewing experience to the masses, OnePlus is doing its best to bring that same premium screen experience to its newest phone, the OnePlus 7T. Oh, friends, it is glorious. With a 90Hz refresh rate, the 6.55" display on the 7T is such a joy to use. That bump to 90Hz from 60Hz means everything on this phone just looks better as you browse around. While not quite the jump to 120Hz like we have seen on phones like the Razer Phone line, you will notice the difference in this phone when compared to whatever phone you might be coming from, assuming it's not a OnePlus 7 Pro.

At 90Hz, you are getting a speed bump in how quickly the display can refresh the contents you see, thus the added smoothness when doing just about anything. I can tell you that I didn't initially appreciate the difference when I reviewed the OnePlus 7 Pro, but am not sure I want to live without it after using this 7T for the past several days. Thankfully, other companies are coming around to the tech, like Google. Smoothness aside, the 7T features a 20:9 aspect ratio and full HD resolution (2400x1080) in a "Fluid" AMOLED panel. That is a drop in resolution from the 7 Pro, which featured OnePlus' first quad HD screen, but at 1080p, I'm not sure you'll be disappointed in this display. OnePlus was able to ramp up the brightness on this panel to 1,000 nits and included a luminescent material that can block 40% of blue light. That means you get a better experience when outdoors in sunlight and also when it's dark and you need the content on your display to not burn your eyes out. I talk a lot in reviews about the importance in having a wide range between those two items and OnePlus nails it here. This new OnePlus 7T also includes three color profiles (Vivid, Natural, and Advanced) to help you find your preferred color experience, as well as Reading and Night modes. The use of an AMOLED really helps bring the most out of all of those modes and options. If you are looking for a display experience that gives you almost everything and then some, the OnePlus 7T is that. Battery Life After using the OnePlus 7 Pro earlier this year and giving it middle-of-the-road marks on battery, I was worried that the OnePlus 7T might suffer from similar battery mediocrity, thanks to the 90Hz display. I'm happy to report here that my worries have not been realized. The OnePlus 7T and its 3800mAh battery easily powered me through full days with juice to spare. As you'll see from the screenshots here, I rarely needed to find a charger within the same day I took the phone off one. For me, most days I went to bed with 30-40% battery remaining, woke up and continued using the phone until I dropped that percentage into the teens and decided it was time to fill up. My typical days include heavy Twitter, Chrome, and Instagram usage with 3-5 hours of screen-on time. That usage could increase if my kid gets ahold of it too. Never once did I worry that I might run out of battery in the entire week since first powering this phone on.

On top of the excellent battery life, OnePlus included an upgraded Warp Charge experience they are calling Warp Charge 30T. Yes, that's an improved charging experience over the OnePlus 7 Pro's Warp Charge 30, which debuted not even a year ago. With 30T, you get a 23% improvement in charging speeds over Warp Charge 30 and can grab 70% of a charge in 30 mins. I can tell you that charging this phone with the included charger is a wild experience. Most phones these days have fast charging, but OnePlus phones always impress me with how quickly they charge and manage to stay cool. We're talking about tossing your phone on the charger for 20 mins, getting over 50% of your battery back, and not burning your hand when you pick it back up. Oh, I should also point out that the OnePlus 7 Pro charger will produce 30T charging on the 7T. The 7T has internal improvements that let it charge faster, so if you own a 7 Pro and buy a 7T, you'll have two chargers capable of the improved speeds. There's no wireless charging once again, though, so keep that in mind. I know that a number of you are big wireless charging fans, but OnePlus has said time and time again they think a wired experience is better and faster. I tend to agree with that for the most part. However, the rest of the industry is doing the wireless charging thing, so it'd be nice if OnePlus would at least consider it and give the people one less thing to complain about.

Specs The OnePlus 7T is a spec'd out beast like almost every OnePlus phone before it. OnePlus, for the most part, tries to live up to their "Never Settle" slogan by tossing in every high-end feature available to smartphones. That's the case again here with the same set of missing options OnePlus won't give in to. On the good side of things, you've got that big 6.55" AMOLED display that we talked extensively about above. Additionally, you'll find the newest Snapdragon processor (the 855+), 8GB RAM, 128GB UFS 3.0 storage, 3800mAh battery, Bluetooth 5.0, in-display fingerprint reader, USB-C port, stereo speakers, and a triple camera system. For missing parts, there is no microSD slot, wireless charging, or headphone jack. You could also knock the phone for having a full HD display resolution instead of quad HD. Are those missing things dealbreakers? I certainly don't think so, but completely understand if those are must-haves to you. Just keep in mind that this phone comes in at a price that is hundreds of dollars less than the competition. Software I don't want to sound like I'm fanboying here, but OnePlus' software team deserves a raise. Google released Android 10 at the beginning of September and OnePlus has now released a phone with the Android 10 update (7T) and managed to update another two (OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro). That's pretty incredible when you consider that outside of Google and Essential, I can't name another phone maker who has even flashed signs of Android 10 arriving to their own phones.

But that's not all. OnePlus updated OxygenOS to version 10 with Android 10 and included a number of significant changes that further enhance their already-great software experience. OnePlus says there are 370+ optimizations in OxygenOS, which is whatever, I just know that the enhancements do add value. As we've said time and time again, OnePlus takes Google's lean and clean Android experience and then adds on top with meaningful features. That's the case again with the OnePlus 7T, where you get a familiar overall look from Google's Android, only now there are improvements. You get a new "Customization" section that lets you tweak colors, icon shapes, wallpapers, clock styles, and more. You get multiple display modes, options over navigation gestures, Dolby Atmos controls, fine-tuned vibration controls over ringtones and notifications, quick gestures to launch tasks when the screen is off, a way to hide unwanted statusbar icons, face unlock, Reading and Night modes, Game Mode to help you stay focused on crushing bad guys, better screenshot tools, and a way to schedule reboots. We've looked at most of these features throughout numerous videos (like this one), so I don't want to dive into them again here. Just know that the software experience keeps getting better. On an even more important note, OnePlus is really good at updates now. I said this above, but it's a big, big, big, big deal that this phone is running Android 10 out of the box and that OnePlus is already pushing Android 10 updates to other phones. That will lead to more security patches, a super quick update to Android R when it arrives next year, and updates for years to come. After being one of the sketchiest when it came to Android updates in the past, OnePlus is basically the best in Android. Price At $599, the OnePlus 7T is far beyond the early OnePlus days where you'd get a phone that competed with the best in the industry for $300-$400. Still, when matched up to the phones Samsung and Google are offering, you are saving hundreds of dollars and not really giving up much. In some cases, you are getting more than what those companies are offering. For example, this is a $600 phone that features a 90Hz display, which dramatically improves the overall experience. Neither Samsung or Google currently sell phones (Pixel 4 is expected to have 90Hz) with that kind of refresh rate, yet their phones run from $650 to $1,000 and beyond. OnePlus has also included ridiculously fast charging and what is arguably the best software experience in the Android game, again, at prices below their competitors. And I am fully aware that OnePlus is leaving out things like SD slots and wireless charging, but are those worth paying an extra $200-400 for? Eh, that's tough.

Camera The camera department has always been the department that OnePlus takes the most criticism in. As much as they try and improve the camera system with each new OnePlus phone through software or additional lenses, they have never quite been able to match the output from Google or Samsung's phones. That may still be the case with the OnePlus 7T, but so far I've been really happy with the results. And not only that, there's a new macro mode I've been loving that no one else is really doing. The camera setup here is a 48MP standard shooter at f/1.6. The shots from it our pixel-binned down to 12MP shots using a similar quad-pixel technique that almost everyone uses today. You also have a 12MP telephoto lens and a 16MP ultra wide angle lens, both at f/2.2. There's optical and electronic image stabilization in the main camera, 4K video shooting at up to 60fps, and slow motion capture at a variety frame rates (up to 960fps in 720p in an upcoming software update). The software experience lets you quickly toggle between all three cameras, shoot in Portrait or Nightscape modes, and take panoramas or time-lapses. The camera app will try and correct weird distortions from the ultra wide lens, give you long exposure shots when on a tripod, and tweak all the settings in Pro mode. Oh yeah, and there's that sweet new Macro mode that let's you shoot close-ups of objects between 2.5-8cm. Here are some macro examples, because macros are hella fun.

As far as as regular camera usage, I was mostly satisfied by performance and the pictures it took. The camera is quick to open and switch between lenses. Snapping multiple shots in a row was faster than my experience with the Note 10, though not the fastest. Most of the shots I took were in good outdoor lighting, with a few indoor shots sprinkled in. I was impressed by the way the camera was able to expose darker areas while keeping the rest of the shot together, probably thanks to HDR. For example, blue skies remained brilliantly blue with the sun in front of the camera, while shadows cleared right up, in what might have been a difficult shot to process in earlier years before our mobile cameras got so good. I felt like the camera was pretty versatile in the various lighting situations I threw at it. Portrait shots found edges better than I recall from other OnePlus phones, the bokeh was softer, and final processing looked much more natural than I'm used to. I get the feeling that OnePlus is getting better with camera software. Now, night photography might still be a bit shaky or at least not as good as Google's. I took a a bunch of indoor shots that turned out fine, but when I tested Nightscape with Google's Night Sight in an extremely dark situation, the results weren't great at all.

Nightscape (7T) vs. Night Sight (Pixel 3)

Anyways, here are a bunch of shots I took with the OnePlus 7T. Let me know what you think!

Somewhere-in-the-Middle

Design When I reviewed the OnePlus 7 Pro, I made it clear that I wasn't a fan of the size and weight of the phone, as well as its curved display. Even with its edge-to-edge display design, the phone was massive and not that fun to use at all times unless you had both hands free. With the OnePlus 7T, OnePlus has improved a couple of those areas, but this phone is still ridiculously large. That camera housing isn't the prettiest either. The OnePlus 7T features an all-glass and metal design, just like the rest of OnePlus' phones from recent years. You get a curved backside that helps its large size settle into your hand and an all-display front with baby teardrop notch that houses the front-facing camera. The display is flat, with no obnoxious curves on its edges, so the accidental palm touches from the 7 Pro are nowhere to be found.

There is a familiar silhouette and shape to this phone that most OnePlus phone owners will be at ease with. The blue and silver color schemes, with this new matte glass finish, are quite pretty to look at and feel great to the touch. This is very much a OnePlus design. That camera housing, with the large circular black area around the three cameras and flash, is an interesting design choice. After having the phone around for a while, I can't say that I get angry or disgusted while looking at it, but I don't know that I could ever consider it to be tasteful. Sure, we have seen these circular camera setups before, and I get that with so many sensors in a phone, design might dip in order to cram it all in there. It's just...weird. The OnePlus 7 Pro houses almost the exact same cameras, yet it does so in a simpler, less obnoxiously circular way. Overall, I'm OK with what OnePlus has done with the 7T design, just understand that this is still very much a 2-handed phone for the most part. At 6.55" in the display, it's going to be tough to use this with one hand. Thankfully, the weight has dropped significantly here (190g vs. 206g in the 7 Pro), leading to less hand fatigue and frustrations. Look, if you like larger phones and the styling that OnePlus produces, I think you'll like the OnePlus 7T. As you can tell, I have mixed feelings about it, but I'm also a smaller-phone lover. Availability If you'd like to buy a OnePlus 7T, you don't necessarily have a number of options. I don't know that I'd consider the OnePlus 7T a hard-to-get phone, but you have only two choices. You can buy the 7T directly from OnePlus at their own online store and then use it on (almost) any carrier or you can head over to T-Mobile. Obviously, the partnership with T-Mobile has been a big move for OnePlus in terms of visibility and availability in the US, we'd just love to see them sell phones at other carriers. The US is still very much powered by carriers and OnePlus is potentially missing out on sharing their excellent Android experience with millions of people. My guess is that they are working on expanding in this area. When the OnePlus 7T goes on sale October 18, you'll be able to find it for $599 at the OnePlus store with quick shipping. If you want to walk into a retailer to get one in hand before buying, T-Mobile stores nationwide should have them in both Glacier Blue and Frosted Silver. T-Mobile should give you more monthly payment options too.

Buy OnePlus 7T: OnePlus Store | T-Mobile

Fingerprint Reader The in-display fingerprint reader has returned in the OnePlus 7T, marking this as the 3rd from OnePlus with this newer technology. With each new phone, OnePlus says they've improved the algorithm to better scan your fingers and add improved security. I might be ready to admit that they have indeed improved the experience on this phone over their previous releases. As you probably know from our 6T and 7 Pro reviews, as well as countless other reviews of in-display fingerprint readers, this is not my favorite technology at the moment. In-display readers, while cool as a concept and also as a way to help improve overall phone design, have not lived up to the hype because they are often slow and fail to read 'prints far too regularly. With the fingerprint reader on the 7T, I found a lot less slowness and far fewer misreads than I have in the past. I don't know if that's luck on my part, better finger placement from me, or if OnePlus really has figured something out, but this reader didn't piss me off as much as those from the past. It's still optical, so it'll light up a dark room when it needs to scan. It also isn't perfect and requires precise placement in order to work every time. It's not bad, though - not bad at all.

Other Notes

In the box: The unboxing experience, which you'll see below, includes the phone, Warp 30T charger, clear TPU case, SIM ejection tool, and your typical guides. There is no USB-C to 3.5mm headphone adapter in the box.
Face unlock: As much as in-display fingerprint readers frustrate me, OnePlus has eased some of the stress of them by including one of the fastest face unlocks you'll find. I don't know how secure theirs is, but if you have it set to unlock when it sees your face, it might do so well before you'll even fully cover the fingerprint reader. It's super fast.
Alert slider: The alert slider is once again on the OnePlus 7T, giving you super quick switching between volume, vibration, or complete silence. Why hasn't anyone else in Android copied this yet?

Video

Unboxing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CnDZ61g1JA First 10 Things to Do https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYIfrnZlFg8

Gallery

The Verdict

The OnePlus 7T is another excellent phone from OnePlus that keeps the price within reason and still manages to push or advance the smartphone feature race. You get an excellent display with 90Hz refresh rate, solid camera with new macro mode, impressive battery life, one of the best software experiences in the business, and a unique design that's put together in a premium package. October 18 seems like a long way to wait before you can buy one, but the 7T is one of a few phones you should target as your next. The wait will be worth it.

Shop OnePlus 7T

Transit App Gets Dark Mode for Android 10 Users

Tim — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 11:45:43 +0000

Transit, a popular app that's all about transit in cities across the globe, just picked up its dark mode for users running Android 10. Unlike some apps, there doesn't appear to be a standalone toggle for enabling dark mode, but instead, whenever dark mode is enabled on your Android 10-powered device, the app follows the system's theme. Easy enough, but personally, I'm a fan of the toggle. If you're a Transit user, go grab that dark mode update!

Google Play Link

Cheers Dennis!

Google Assistant Comes to Xbox, Try Out the Beta Today

Tim — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 09:09:02 +0000

Announced today, Google Assistant has come to Xbox via a new beta for Xbox Actions. While this may sound amazing, the capabilities are somewhat limited to purely controlling the Xbox and just for clarity, this beta does not turn your Xbox into a Google Home device. Once enrolled in the beta, with it up and running on your Xbox, you can tell Google Assistant (from any Assistant-supported device) to turn on your Xbox, turn off Xbox, launch games, record game clips, take screenshots, and more. If live TV is configured on your Xbox, you can also tell Assistant to watch specific TV channels. Here's an overview of the available actions.

Here’s how to get started with the beta:

Join the Google Group with the Google Account you intend to use
Sign into your Xbox
In the Google Home app for iOS or Android:
- Tap “+ Add”
- Tap “Set up device”
- Tap “Have something already set up?”
- Search for and select “[beta] Xbox”
Sign in with the Microsoft account you use on Xbox
Follow the instructions to link your Xbox and give it a device name

// Google | Xbox Insiders

OnePlus 7T Now Official With 90Hz Display and $599 Price

Kellen — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 08:00:56 +0000

The weeks and weeks of Tweet teases are now over - OnePlus has announced the OnePlus 7T.

For this late-2019 "T" release, OnePlus is basically upgrading both the OnePlus 6T and OnePlus 7. We're getting a phone that matches the OnePlus 7 Pro in a number of ways, with a price that's not much of a jump from last year.

REVIEW: OnePlus 7T

The OnePlus 7T sports a 6.55" Fluid AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a full HD resolution, Snapdragon 855+ processor, and 8GB RAM with 128GB UFS 3.0 storage. All of that is joined by an in-display fingerprint reader, 3800mAh battery with Warp Charge 30T fast charging (23% quicker than Warp Charge 30), stereo speakers, and Android 10 with OxygenOS 10. That's right, the 7T has Android 10 out of the box. The display not only has the improved 90Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling and viewing throughout, OnePlus raised brightness up to 1,000 nits, added an internal luminescent material to block 40% of blue light, included HDR10+ support, and brought full-color support to Reading Mode. You'll find a new triple camera setup on the back housed in a circular puck design that brings standard (48MP), telephoto (12MP), and ultra wide angle (16MP, 117-degree field of view) lenses. Those cameras offer you the flexibility to take and master almost any shot, plus OnePlus tossed in this really sweet new macro mode that lets you get 2.5cm away from an object for capturing those super-close-ups.

OnePlus says they improved the haptic engine, further improved the algorithm for their in-display fingerprint readers, has more than 370 optimizations and improvements on top of Android 10, and will let you turn on Zen Mode for up to an hour. The body of the OnePlus 7T has been wrapped in matte-frosted glass that comes in Frosted Silver and Glacier Blue. If you want to buy a OnePlus 7T, you'll be able to do so on October 18 for $599 at OnePlus' store and T-Mobile. At that price, you get 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. There is a 256GB model in other countries, you just won't find it in the US. Shop OnePlus 7T https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CnDZ61g1JA

OnePlus 7T Unboxing and First Look!

Kellen — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 08:00:21 +0000

Hey, it's the OnePlus 7T!

Want to see a first look and unboxing of the OnePlus 7T now that the phone has been announced? OK, cool, we have just that for you right here.

REVIEW: OnePlus 7T

Want our OnePlus 7T review? It'll be up here shortly as we polish off a few last words by making sure there is no confusion over how we feel about it. For now, though, enjoy the eye candy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CnDZ61g1JA

OnePlus 7T Specs (Official)

Kellen — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 08:00:07 +0000

The OnePlus 7T is official now, so you should be up-to-speed on pricing, when you can buy it, and if it's any good, thanks to our review that just went live. For those who just care about the little details, like the spec sheet and if OnePlus' new phone matches up to the other big players in the game (Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy S10, Pixel 4, or OnePlus 7 Pro), this is the post for you. In this OnePlus 7T specs sheet, you'll see specifics on the 6.55" display with 90Hz, the upgraded Snapdragon 855+ processor, triple camera goodness (standard, telephoto, and ultra wide), decently-sized 3800mAh battery with Warp Charge 30T, stereo speakers and supported Dolby Atmos, in-display fingerprint reader, USB-C port, and more. Generally speaking, I think it's safe to say that the OnePlus 7T has almost everything you could ask for in a 2019 phone, unless a headphone jack and wireless charging are must-haves. Does it have the upgrades you want over the OnePlus 6T? For the most part, yeah, it does. And remember, that's the phone to compare it to in the US, since we never did get a OnePlus 7 here. For those still on a 6T who never picked up a OnePlus 7 Pro, this new 7T is the phone to look at for now. When compared to the 6T, the 7T has a slightly bigger display with that lovely 90Hz refresh rate, newest Qualcomm mobile chipset, faster UFS 3.0 storage, triple camera with all sorts of upgrades, improved fingerprint reader, and faster charging. As far as pricing goes, the 8GB/128GB 6T costs $579 and this phone costs $599 with all of those upgrades I just mentioned. Anything missing that you wish was here?

OnePlus 7T Specs

[table id=180 /] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CnDZ61g1JA

WATCH: OnePlus Unveils the OnePlus 7T Today! (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 07:08:47 +0000

Today is the day that OnePlus will fully reveal the OnePlus 7T, its newest flagship smartphone.

What are we expecting? Well, OnePlus already told us that the 7T will come in a fancy new box with new branding, there'll be a circular camera housing that's surrounded by new matte frosted glass, and that a 90Hz display, like the one we saw in the OnePlus 7 Pro, is here once again. The rest of the story should include a lengthy list of high-end specs wrapped in a package that costs hundreds less than the competition. At least that's the story OnePlus has told from phone to phone over the years and we don't see that to change any time soon. All will be official shortly with a live video set to play from the OnePlus YouTube channel at 7:30AM Pacific (10:30AM Eastern). You can watch along with us at the top of this post.

UPDATE: Oh, OnePlus Twitter accounts are actually talking about it all right now, before the video above goes live. Want the news spoiled? Hit up this link and this link and then scroll through the Tweets.

https://twitter.com/OnePlus_IN/status/1177217182956056576

Verizon Turns on 5G in Boise, Panama City, and New York

Kellen — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 05:22:24 +0000

Verizon 5G expanded this morning to three new cities: New York, Boise, and Panama City. We knew NYC was getting the green light, after a brief tease from Verizon last week, but Boise, ID and Panama City, FL are completely new to the scene. Where will you find 5G in those cities? According to Verizon, you'll find 5G in the following areas:

Boise, ID: 5G Ultra Wideband service will be concentrated in parts of the following neighborhoods, Downtown Boise, West End, West Boise, Meridian, Boise Junction around such landmarks as Idaho State Capitol, St. Luke's Boise Medical Center, Fort Boise Park, Capital City Event Center and Boise Town Square.

Downtown Boise

West End

West Boise

Meridian

Boise Junction

New York, NY: 5G Ultra Wideband service will be concentrated in parts of the following neighborhoods:

Midtown

Financial District

Harlem

East Harlem

Hell's Kitchen

Washington Heights

Downtown Brooklyn

This includes coverage outside landmarks such as Bryant Park, St. Patrick's Cathedral, MSG, Trinity Park (Brooklyn), the Lincoln Tunnel (Manhattan Entrance), Javitz Center on 11th Ave between 36th and 37th, the Theatre District on Broadway between 49th and 52nd, and in the Bronx (Pelham Bay, Fordham Heights, and Hunt's Point). Panama City, FL: 5G Ultra Wideband service will be concentrated in parts of the following neighborhoods, Downtown, Forest Park, and Lower Grand Lagoon.

Downtown

Forest Park

Lower Grand Lagoon

If you live in one of those three cities and own a Verizon 5G phone, like the Note 10+ 5G or LG V50 ThinQ, have fun. // Verizon

Amazon Announced a Whole Bunch of Devices Today

Kellen — Wed, 25 Sep 2019 14:07:13 +0000

Amazon hosted an annual hardware event today and showed off more new devices than I can even attempt to keep track of. They announced at least 8 new Echo devices, a new Eero mesh WiFi system, Ring products, and a freakin' microwave. They even announced smart glasses that have Alexa built-in. It was quite the day for Amazon. Below, you'll find the briefest of descriptions for each, mostly just to let you know that Amazon did its thing today. Some of you may also be invested in the Alexa ecosystem, and so this stuff might be a future purchase. Ready? Let's go!

Echo ($99.99)

The new Amazon Echo for 2019 features a fabric design that's very similar to the previous model, only now it comes in "Twilight Blue" too. It has the same audio architecture as the Echo Plus, which includes a 3-inch woofer. At $99.99, it's priced quite well. The new Echo is up for pre-order now and ships October 16. Amazon Pre-order Link

Echo Flex ($24.99)

The Echo Flex is an outlet plug that features Amazon Alexa. It's the most affordable way to get Alexa in your home at $24.99. In addition to Alexa being on board, you'll find a USB port on the bottom that will let you charge a device or connect an accessory like a night light or motion sensor. The Echo Flex is up for pre-order now and ships November 14. Amazon Pre-order Link

Echo Dot ($59.99)

The new Echo Dot looks pretty sweet, mostly because it now includes a clock that shines through its fabric outer. It's mostly just another Echo Dot, but that clock can show you time, temperature, and timers running. It's probably going to be a sweet bed-side accessory. The new Echo Dot is up for pre-order now and ships October 16. Amazon Pre-order Link

Echo Show 8 ($129.99)

The new Echo Show 8 bridges the gap between the Echo Show 5 and 10 with an 8-inch HD display. That's the big difference between this Show and those others, so that means you still get to pull up recipes, see visual responses from Alexa, play some of your favorite shows, and take video calls. The new Echo Show 8 is up for pre-order now and ships November 21. Amazon Pre-order Link

Echo Studio ($199.99)

The Echo Studio is going to be Amazon's most impressive speaker to date, hence the $200 price tag. This is Amazon's premium speaker with a 5.25-inch woofer, 330W of peak power, 1-inch tweeter, and three 2-inch midrange speakers. It also has a 24-bit DAC to try and play you high-res, lossless music from sources like Amazon's new Music HD (Tidal HiFi is coming next year). Amazon says the Echo Studio can produce 3D sound using Dolby Atmos and will adapt to rooms after it senses the acoustics of your space. Of course, it also has Alexa on board for that smart control jazz. Finally, you can pair two Echo Studio devices with select Fire TV devices. Echo Studio is up for pre-order now and ships November 7. Amazon Pre-order Link

Echo Buds ($129.99)

For those not yet rocking wireless earbuds, and have been waiting for a pair that offer Alexa integration, Amazon has your answer. According to Amazon's listing, these earbuds feature Bose Active Noise Reduction Technology, a hands-free Alexa experience for answering calls and playing music (Siri and Google Assistant compatibility also built-in), plus 5 hours of music playback. Echo Buds are available for pre-order today for $129.99 and launch October 30. Amazon Pre-order Link

Echo Frames ($179.99)

Amazon announced two products that fall under an "invitation only" category: Echo Frames and Echo Loop. For Frames, they offer hands-free access to Alexa for making calls and setting reminders, and you can also receive notifications/alerts via the frames. According to Amazon, the frames are compatible with "most prescription lenses," but during the request for invitation process, you're required to submit the size of your current glasses, allowing Amazon to ensure it will be a proper fit. Right now, Amazon is only offering Medium/Large frame sizes. If you need Alexa sitting right next to your brain all day long, you can request an invitation below. Request Invitation

Echo Loop ($129.99)

The other product requiring an invite to purchase is Echo Loop, a smart ring that allows you to access certain Alexa functionality, but doesn't offer any type of health tracking. According to Amazon's listing, "Loop is your shortcut to quick calls, fast answers, and bits of info that help you stay on top of your day." For example, if you're at the grocery store, you can talk to the ring and hear what's on your shopping list, thanks to a built-in speaker. Amazon mentions that you can wash your hands with the ring, but it's not completely waterproof (no pools or showers with it). You can request your invitation below. Request Invitation

Echo Glow ($29.99)

Designed with kids in mind, Amazon's new Echo Glow is a smart lamp that can be controlled with your voice. It can put on a fancy light show while music plays or you can use it as a tool to let kids know it's getting close to dinner time depending on the color it shows. Echo Glow launches November 20, but you can pre-order the lamp right now for $30. Amazon Pre-order Link

Amazon Smart Oven w/ Echo Dot ($249)

Last year, Amazon gave us a smart microwave. This year, we're getting something waaay cooler -- a smart 4-in-1 oven. The box features convection oven, microwave, air fryer, and food warmer. With Announcements, Alexa will notify you when the oven is preheated or when your food is done, and also, a temperature probe helps you know when your food is cooked just the way you like it. The coolest part is a scan-to-cook feature. With it, you can scan select packaged foods with the Alexa app and the Smart Oven will cook them automatically. This is the future, folks! According to Amazon, the oven is somewhat spacious, with enough room to cook a 5-pound chicken. Smart Oven launches November 14, available for pre-order now at $249. Amazon Pre-Order Link

Ring and Eero

Ring and Eero, brands owned by Amazon, also announced new products during this event. We'll list them out for you below, as well as provide links and pricing.

Another Look at Pixel 4 XL, Overview of Next-Gen Assistant and Face Match

Tim — Wed, 25 Sep 2019 10:26:18 +0000

Nextrift has more Pixel 4 XL content to share, this time posting side-by-side comparisons of Google's next big phone to the Galaxy S10+ and Pixel 3a XL, as well as photo overviews of next-gen Google Assistant and Face Match. For the size comparison, the Pixel 4 XL is close to the Galaxy S10+ and Pixel 3a XL. However, what really sticks out like a sore thumb is the Pixel 4 XL's forehead, especially when the bottom portion of the phone has very little bezel. Of course, you need that top forehead for all of your Soli radar tech, front facing camera, and all that other stuff Google stuck up there. Compared to the Galaxy S10, Note 10, or OnePlus 7 Pro, though, it's definitely going to be noticeable. For next-gen Google Assistant, Nextrift wasn't able to record a video of it in action or really describe it in very meaningful terms, but does mention that, "it really is fast." If you didn't catch Google I/O this year, the reason for Assistant's newfound quickness is Google's untethering of a large portion of Assistant from its servers.

The AI that powers the Assistant can now run locally on your phone. This breakthrough enabled us to create a next generation Assistant that processes speech on-device at near zero latency, with transcription that happens in real-time, even when you have no network connection.

Next-gen Assistant should come preloaded on the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. A look at the phone's face unlocking software is also included, but again, no video was provided. From what we can simply see in the settings menu, Google has plenty of warnings concerning the security of its facial unlocking feature. As noted, someone who looks like you can unlock the device (like a twin sibling) and looking at the phone can unlock it, even if you didn't intend on doing so. Those are pretty typical face unlock warnings. Two other things touched on are Ambient EQ for the display and Active Edge. Ambient EQ allows the phone to automatically adjust the white balance of your display between warm and cool, depending on the surrounding light levels. That should be cool. And for Active Edge, yeah, it's still there inside the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL's sides. You'll be able to squeeze for Assistant and squeeze to silence incoming calls. Again, we're waiting for October 15 to roll around so maybe Google can announce a thing or two about this phone that we don't already know. This is kinda sad. // Nextrift

Android 10 (Go Edition) is Here to Make Entry-Level Phones Faster, More Secure

Kellen — Wed, 25 Sep 2019 09:49:03 +0000

Now that Android 10 is available, Google has announced Android 10 (Go Edition), the version of Android built specifically for entry-level devices with 1.5GB RAM or less. The update will bring speed and security improvements. Google says that Android 10 (Go Edition) allows for faster app switching as well as a 10% boost in app launching. Google also tossed in a new encryption type called Adiantum, which brings encryption in the way that your non-entry-level Android probably already has. It brings encryption without a performance hit too. So yeah, faster and more secure - see that? Android Go has also picked up a number of app updates in recent months, like the big update to Google Go from August. When will you get Android 10 (Go Edition)? Google didn't say, so I have no idea, man. // Google

Verizon LG G6 Receives Pie Update, V40 Gets August Security Patch

Tim — Wed, 25 Sep 2019 08:57:19 +0000

LG and Verizon are making any remaining G6 owners happy this week, sending out the Android 9 Pie update that's been available from Google since August of last year. For a phone that released in March, 2017, I suppose that's not terrible. I mean, at least it finally got the update. In addition to Pie for the G6, the V40 is receiving the August security patch this week. Software Versions Following Update

LG G6: VS98830a
LG V40: V405UA20c

If you own a G6, enjoy that Pie! If you own a V40, have fun with your new security patch. // Verizon [2]

Mario Kart Tour Now Available on Android!

Kellen — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 23:14:28 +0000

That's right, Mario Kart Tour is now available on Android for all to install!

Like any Mario Kart game, you get to race around courses with your favorite Nintendo characters. Since this is Mario Kart Tour, Nintendo has tried to create courses inspired by real-world cities in addition to the classics. They plan on trying to rotate featured tours every two weeks and provide special character variations depending on locale. As you race (in apparently only takes one finger to drive), you'll grab items, battle and unlock other characters, collect badges, and try and nab first place. You'll be able to increase your online rank, change karts and gliders, and participate in bonus challenges. It's Mario Kart - you know how to play. Mario Kart Tour is free to play, but you'll need a persistent internet connection in order to do so. You'll find advertising too, and don't be surprised if the game tries to make you pay to keep playing for long periods of time, since almost all of Nintendos games are like that. If you aren't able to play just yet, it looks like that's because Nintendo hasn't quite fired up servers. They should be live shortly. Google Play Link

OnePlus TV Looks Like a TV, Can be Mounted to Wall

Tim — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 21:16:15 +0000

Spoiler alert: OnePlus TV looks like a TV. Sorry if you expected something different. Tonight on Twitter, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau shared a look at the company's upcoming television, one that happens to be attached to a wall. Interestingly, having the TV attached to your wall will make looking at its fancy carbon fiber backside next to impossible. In the photo we can see the gentleman using his phone as a remote, which will definitely have magic. And also, we're getting a look at the TV's user interface, which is something we haven't seen until now. We still don't have pricing or availability for OnePlus TV, but it's safe to say we'll be getting that info soon. https://twitter.com/PeteLau/status/1176703580922945539

That New Android 10 Build From Yesterday is Showing Up as OTA Update Today

Kellen — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 16:40:44 +0000

Yesterday, we told you that Google had uploaded a newer build of the September Android 10 update for Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 3a, and Pixel 3a XL devices. At the time, we weren't sure what the update was for or if it would rollout to devices before October arrived. This afternoon, things changed dramatically on both fronts. For one, that update (build QP1A.190711.020.C3) is starting to show up on Pixel devices today. A couple of our readers reached out to let us know they were receiving something, plus our own Pixel 3 picked it up too. The update is a small 2.4MB in size. What is it? According to the screenshot below, it "fixes critical bugs and improves performance and stability" of Pixel devices. I know that's not specific, but the fact that Google is pushing it out now knowing that the October patch is only a few days away tells us that it must be pretty important. To check for the update, head into Settings>System>Advanced>System update.

Cheers New and Bill!

T-Mobile Customers Treated to Free Impossible Whopper From Burger King

Tim — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 15:31:17 +0000

My daddy raised me on the original Whopper. I've been downing them through my food pipe for as long as I can remember and I absolutely love them. If you weren't aware, though, Burger King has a new thing called the Impossible Whopper, made with an Impossible patty, which is a plant-based burger patty. That means 100% no meat. As an animal lover, I love the concept, but I never thought veggie patties were very tasty. That changed once I tried an Impossible patty. To me, especially when compared to a "beef" patty from Burger King, I can't even tell a difference, so if I can save at least one cow by choosing a meat alternative, I am happy. Anyway, if you're a T-Mobile customer, T-Mobile Tuesday is granting you a free Impossible Whopper today. That's right, dinner's on T-Mobile tonight! To claim, open up the T-Mobile Tuesday app, claim your free Whopper code, download the BK app from Google Play, and then order your burger using the code. Have you tried the Impossible Whopper? Do you like it?

Xiaomi Mi Mix Alpha Looks Ridiculously Different, Has Ridiculous Price

Tim — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 14:41:56 +0000

Xiaomi announced the Mi Mix Alpha this week, a phone that is supposed to launch toward the end of this year. As you'll see, it's a bit different in terms of form factor for a smart phone, but that difference makes for one helluva price increase when compared to other phones out there. The Mi Mix Alpha is essentially all display. In terms of screen to body ratio, where some phones with high ratios range from anywhere 92.5% to 93%, the Mi Mix Alpha features a ratio of 180.6%. Beyond that craziness, the phone features a 108-megapixel camera, is comprised of titanium alloy, ceramics, and sapphire, features a Snapdragon 855+ processor, battery size of 4050mAh, and offers 40W wired fast charge. Oh, and it has 5G radios.

To accommodate the nearly all-screen offering, Mi MIX Alpha has minimal bezels on the top and bottom, and ditches the physical side buttons altogether. A brand-new display acoustic technology replaces the traditional earpiece receiver and proximity sensor while the device’s sides are pressure-sensitive and leverage a linear motor to simulate the touch of real buttons.

The only real downside to something this cool (and probably a bit terrible to actually use) is the price, of course. Xiaomi lists it as RMB 19,999. When converted to USD, which may or may not happen, we're looking at $2,800+. Super ouchies. What do you think? This your next? // Xiaomi

Question: How Much Money Have You Gotten From Google's Opinion Rewards App?

Tim — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 12:02:48 +0000

Every now and then, we like to see how much free Google Play credit people have earned via the Google Play Opinion Rewards app. Today's a day where we're feeling curious. If you don't have Opinion Rewards downloaded, it's an app that asks you questions based on places you've been, interactions you've had with Google Assistant, and things you've shopped for. Depending on how much work is required for your answers, you receive a varying amount of free Google Play credit that you can use on apps, games, movie rentals, or whatever else you want. It's basically free money, so there's no reason you shouldn't use it, unless you're ultra concerned about privacy and Google knowing too much about you.

For me, I'm sitting at $183.69 in total earned credit from 630 surveys taken. If we do the math, that's a $0.30 average earning per survey. Not bad. Kellen has accumulated $91.58 from 364 surveys. That averages out to $0.25 a survey. Let us know down in the comments how much you've earned and from how many surveys. I'm curious what the averages are. And if you haven't used this app yet, download it and start earning!

Video: A List of Google Play Pass Apps and Games

Kellen — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 11:43:50 +0000

Google Play Pass, the subscription app and game service from Google, started arriving on phones yesterday at a discounted price of $1.99/mo for the next year. Since so many of you are probably wondering what the app and game selection looks like before you fork out any cash and make this a part of your growing list of monthly paid services, we put together a video that runs through most of the available categories to try and show off the majority of the 350+ apps that Google claims are available. Since Google Play Pass doesn't currently have a web portal that shows all apps, this will probably cover a good chunk of them. The clip shows off the top games, top apps, the entire kids section, recommendations for me, tools & utilities, sleep improving apps, weather apps, various types of games (arcade, simulation, puzzles, etc.), photo editing tools, editors' choice, music & audio, and more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bmWuQqUx_g What are some of our favorites? The easy choices are apps like Tasker ($2.99), TouchReTouch ($1.99), LIMBO ($4.99), Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic ($9.99), NOAA Weather, Nebi, red, and Monument Valley 1 and 2 ($4.99). At $1.99/mo for the first year, Google Play Pass might be worth a look for a few months. I'm not sure that I'd pay $4.99/mo for access to these as someone who isn't a huge mobile gamer, because the general app selection doesn't include some of the apps I do pay subscriptions for, like Dark Sky or Google One. What about you? Seeing enough to sign-up?

Beta Signups Now Open for Shadowgun War Games

Tim — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 10:32:07 +0000

Beta signups for Shadowgun War Games are now open! According to Madfinger Games, space in limited, so if you've been patiently awaiting this title since it was unveiled last year in August, get on it. If you aren't familiar, War Games is an FPS title that should include a bunch of different game modes. Think Call of Duty and Halo, but for mobile and designed by the same people who gave us the Shadowgun franchise. And if you're planning on picking up a ROG Phone II, then this game is made with you in mind.

Shadowgun War Games is designed specifically to make the most of their ROG Phone II, with optimized performance and special features that will delight hardcore gamers. ROG Phone II players will also receive exclusive cosmetics for their in-game character.

Go enjoy yourself, gamers.

Beta Sign-up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNM5wr7yUnQ

Galaxy S10 Family Picking Up Suite of Note 10 Features in New Update

Tim — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 09:58:00 +0000

Rolling out to European owners of Galaxy S10 lineup starting today, camera features that were once exclusive to the Galaxy Note 10 are becoming more widely available. Specifically, Night Mode for the front-facing camera will now be available for the Galaxy S10, S10+, S10e, and S10+ 5G, as well as AR Doodle, Live Focus for video recording, and Super Steady video stabilization. To help you manage all of this new goodness, the Galaxy S10 lineup is also receiving the Note 10's Gallery app-accessible video editing software. It allows for trimming and stitching clips, as well as controlling playback speeds. The other thing Samsung notes is Samsung DeX for PC. Once users download the app from SamsungDeX.com, they’ll be able to launch Samsung DeX on their PC or Mac simply by connecting their Galaxy S10 to their computer via USB cable. Samsung hasn't launched all of this for the US just yet, but does mention that it will arrive in the "coming weeks." // Samsung

Looks Like OnePlus 7T Will be First Phone With Android 10 Out of the Box

Tim — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 08:57:01 +0000

Android 10 has been publicly available since September 3, but because Google likes to have things very separate, we're still waiting on the Pixel 4 lineup to release running Android 10. Because of that wait, it appears that OnePlus will swoop in and take the title of having the first phone with Android 10 out of the box. Announced via a tweet sent out this morning, the upcoming OnePlus 7T will have Android 10 preloaded. This aligns with the fact that OnePlus just pushed Android 10 out to the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro.

Video: Android 10 on the OnePlus 7 Pro

OnePlus' event that will have the OnePlus 7T unveiled takes place on September 26. Yay! https://twitter.com/oneplus/status/1176451208883535872

DEAL: Pixel 3a XL is $30 Off at Amazon Today

Kellen — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 08:12:34 +0000

The Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL are rarely discounted because the two phones are already pretty reasonably priced. Today, though, Amazon has the Pixel 3a XL in black at just $449, which is a price drop of $30. That price is not available on the white or purple versions, and the you won't find a similar discount on the regular Pixel 3a either (yet). Not sure why the deal on this color in particular, but someone at Amazon must have an extra bit of black 3a XL stock to get rid of. Should you buy a Pixel 3a XL today knowing that the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are around the corner? Well, they aren't exactly phones in the same category, so, sure. The Pixel 3a line is a well-priced, solid line-up of phones that somehow charmed me into spending months with them, even as other higher-end devices sat on my desk asking to be used. To learn more about why, read our review and this write-up on my love of plastic. Amazon Deal Link

Gmail Dark Theme Begins Rolling Out Today

Kellen — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 07:43:13 +0000

Alongside the Android 10 announcement earlier this month, Google told us that Gmail would soon be able to play with the Android version's new dark mode, but not until later in the month. As we approach the end of September, we're officially at "later in the month," and Gmail's dark theme is set to start rolling out today. How do you turn on dark theme for Gmail? You have a few options.

If you are running Android 10, turning on your system-level dark theme should do the trick
If you own a Pixel phone, you could turn on Battery Saver mode
Open up Gmail, head into Settings>Theme and select "Dark"

Of course, you have to have dark theme in you Gmail app for any of that to work and Google could be slowly rolling it out as it always does with big new features. So you may want to keep checking for option 3 before wondering why your phone's dark theme isn't also flipping Gmail over to the dark side. Anyone seeing it yet? // G Suite Updates

Video: This is Android 10 on the OnePlus 7 Pro!

Kellen — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 14:57:43 +0000

OnePlus has gotten so much better when it comes to Android updates. The early days for OnePlus and their update schedules weren't exactly a thing for a phone maker to brag about, but now they are often one of the first to issue big version builds to their line-up of phones. They also have become one of the best at updating older phones, while most of the rest of the industry continues to get worse. A good example of what I'm referring to would be today's update for the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro to Android 10. Google only released Android 10 at the beginning of the month and yet here is OnePlus pushing it to their newest phones before any other company not named Essential. That's impressive! Since it's available, we tossed it on our OnePlus 7 Pro and took it for a spin to show off what's new. In this video, we'll run you through the Android 10 gestures from Google that are now on the phone, plus we'll show off the other two navigation options. You'll see the new customization section, notification settings, location permission controls, Smart Display, and more. While this may not be the most feature-forward update, it's still a pretty good one.

Essential Says Its New Device is Now in Early Testing

Tim — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 14:47:39 +0000

We've been waiting for a new Essential device for a long time and we hardly ever miss a chance to remind you of that fact. In a bit of exciting news, an Essential spokesperson recently provided the following statement to XDA, likely after a follow-up was made concerning a tweet from Andy Rubin in June.

We’ve previously shared that the Essential team is working on a new device. It is now in early testing and we look forward to sharing more details in the future.

While "early testing" could mean anything, it's certainly something and something is better than nothing. The last big piece of Essential info that the Android world received was from back in October, 2018, when Bloomberg reported that a new phone was indeed coming from the company. Since then, it's been very quiet. This week, though, XDA writes that they have a pretty solid grasp on what to expect from Essential, but it leaves the idea of an Essential Phone 2 in question. According to XDA's findings, whatever the device is, it may have a horizontal screen orientation, be powered by a Snapdragon 730 processor (or just some Qualcomm processor in general), and may or may not feature cameras. It's also detailed that the device may not have Google Mobile Services, but does run Android 10. Honestly, it's a pretty confusing situation in terms of what this device actually is and what it features, but it's still pretty early to start nailing down exactly what Essential is doing here. As always, we'll keep you posted. // XDA

Android 10 Updates for Pixel Devices Now Live! (Updated: New Build!)

Kellen — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 11:45:27 +0000

Android 10 was scheduled to drop today and the update is now live for Pixel devices! If you own a Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 3a, or Pixel 3a XL, your time has come.

UPDATE 9/3: The over-the-air update is live! If you are on the last Android Q Beta 6, the update might only be 5.5MB. If you are coming from Android 9 Pie, it could be over 1GB.
UPDATE 9/23: Google added another build today as QP1A.190711.020.C3. They didn't say who the build is for or if it fixes something critical, but that build is available for the Pixel 3a and 3a XL, as well as the Pixel 3 and 3 XL.

The over-the-air update of Android 10 should begin rolling out any minute at some point today if not any minute. To check for the update, head into Settings>System>Advanced>System update. For builds, we have two for all devices and they are: QP1A.190711.019 and QP1A.190711.020. This new Android 10 stable has the September security patch. If you don't feel like waiting, you can grab the update and flash it through adb. You will find each image or OTA file at the links below. For instructions on how to flash a factory image, here you go. For instructions on how to flash an OTA .zip file, here you go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9VrVUoQ0j8

Here's Another Look at the Pixel 4 XL, Plus Camera Samples

Tim — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 10:21:17 +0000

We're getting to that point where it seems like every day there is going to be a new Pixel 4 leak, but if you're down with that, today is another good day for you. Thanks to the folks over at Next Rift, we could be getting yet another look at Google's upcoming Pixel 4 XL, along with a few camera samples that are published with comparisons to shots from a Galaxy S10+. As you'll see, these are high quality photos of the device, along with a look at some of the software found on the phone. There's a look at Face Match, as well as Smooth Display. Because we've seen plenty photos of this phone already, let's take a moment to breakdown the photo comparisons. From what we see, the Pixel 4's camera aligns with previous Pixel devices in terms of exposure and color, plus the way it handles contrast. It is very noticeable on the shot of the plant. On the Pixel, the colors are what I'd label as more lifelike, whereas the Galaxy S10+ has a tendency to saturate the heck out of greens and reds, as well as have higher levels of exposure. As someone who went from using a Pixel 3 XL every day to a OnePlus 7 Pro, and then to a Note 10+, you wouldn't have to label these photos in order for me to tell you which phone took which shot. It's as obvious as day versus night to me.

Pixel 4 XL vs. Galaxy S10+

Other than all that, though, this all looks like stuff we've seen before. I'm telling you, it's going to be rough having to wait for Google to announce and subsequently release this phone so far from now. Any new thoughts on what you're seeing? // Next Rift

Google Play Pass is Here: $4.99/Mo for Access to 350+ Apps and Games

Kellen — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 09:00:32 +0000

Google Play officially revealed its Google Play Pass today, an app and game subscription service that costs $4.99/mo, giving you access to 350+ titles. Those titles, as a part of Play Pass, won't have ads, in-app purchases, or paywalls. A launch promotion will get you access even cheaper for the next year. Some of the apps and games you'll find include Terraria, Monument Valley 2, Risk, Facetune, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and AccuWeather, as well as other lesser-known titles like LIMBO, Lichtspeer, Mini Metro, and Old Man’s Journey. Google plans to add to new titles and apps on a monthly basis. Once available, you'll find a special Play Pass tab in Google Play that'll show you all that's available. That shortcut should show up in the bottom navigation bar. If you aren't in that special tab, apps and games a part of Play Pass will have a ticket icon next to them to show you that they are a part of your plan. Google Play Pass will be a part of your Google Play Family Library, so you can share your subscription with five other family members. Each member gets to access the Pass individually, so everything stays separate. Google Play Pass is first available in the US starting this week with additional countries getting access "soon." To check to see if you can access it, swipe open the side menu in Google Play and look for "Play Pass."

LAUNCH DEAL: To help launch Play Pass, Google is offering it up for $1.99/mo for the first 12 months. To get that deal, you'll need to sign-up before October 10.

Sign-up for Google Play Pass https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bmWuQqUx_g // Google

You Can Already Subscribe to Disney+, Free Week Trial Included

Tim — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 08:26:21 +0000

Disney is already looking to get your credit card information and we're still a month+ away (49 days to be exact) from the launch of Disney+. Over the weekend, Disney+ subscription pre-orders went live, but only the $6.99/month option (or $69.99/year) -- the one that doesn't include Hulu w/ ads and ESPN+ -- is currently taking sign-ups. If you want the bundle with Hulu and ESPN+, Disney says you should hold off on signing up. Pre-ordering is straightforward. You'll enter in the email address you want to sign up with, a password for the account, plus your credit card information. The wait is on for November 12.

Disney+ Pre-Order

Stable Android 10, OxygenOS 10 Update for OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro is Rolling Out

Kellen — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 07:34:36 +0000

Just as the weekend was kicking off, OnePlus announced that Android 10 and OxygenOS 10 for the OnePlus 7 Pro and 7 were ready to rollout. We're talking stable (we've already had several beta builds) Android 10 only a few weeks after Google released it to its own phones. That's pretty fast! The update started by hitting a "limited number" of users on Friday and will then reach a broader audience over the coming days. Assuming the update doesn't have any critical bugs or issues, that wider rollout should start at any moment. In the big update to Android 10, OnePlus has included a number of new improvements. You'll find a new customization section (see below) to your phone's theme that looks a lot like the upcoming Pixel Themes tool. OnePlus is also including the new Android 10 permission controls over location data, full screen gestures that are Google's version, new Game Space feature for easier access to your favorite games, and a smarter ambient display.

To check for the update, head into Settings>System>System updates. Anyone get it? // OnePlus

Galaxy Fold Arrives This Week in the US (Updated)

Kellen — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 07:20:49 +0000

The first foldable phone from Samsung, the Galaxy Fold, arrives in the US on September 27.

After a lengthy delay caused by early design issues that left the phone extremely fragile, the phone is truly ready to return, though it is missing a carrier partner this time. When the Galaxy Fold shows up this Friday, you'll be able to buy one from Best Buy, Samsung, or AT&T. T-Mobile is no longer a part of the Galaxy Fold. Versions now include the AT&T model as well as an unlocked unit that should work on all major US carriers. The Galaxy Fold will come in two colors: Cosmos Black and Space Silver. Yes, all of the fun blues and yellows and combinations from the original launch are gone.

You'll find the Galaxy Fold in select locations from AT&T, Best Buy, and Samsung Experience Stores. I'd imagine you'll be able to order online too. If anything, Samsung says you'll be able to pick out a location through their site that has them in stock. Samsung didn't mention pricing again in its press release this morning, but we'll just assume the Galaxy Fold still costs $1,980. At that price, you are getting one of the world's first foldable phones, as well as an inbox experience that includes Galaxy Buds, a custom aramid fiber case, and more.

UPDATE: Yep, the price is still $1,980. AT&T will also sell you one for $66/mo on a 30 month contract. Good lord.

We'll let you know once the links below are live. Shop Galaxy Fold:

Samsung Store
Best Buy
AT&T

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSoBONn7ZKk // Samsung

LG's Custom Skin for Android 10 Looks Pretty Dull

Tim — Fri, 20 Sep 2019 14:37:25 +0000

A look at LG's custom skin (labeled as UX 9.1) for Android 10 running on a LG V50 has made its way to the web, thanks to a leak out of Korea. Sadly, it quickly shows that LG hasn't really attempted to address any concerns regarding the overall aesthetics of the skin. I mean, unless someone told you specifically that this is Android 10 running beneath the skin, it'd be hard to tell it apart from LG's UX 7.0. Inside, LG does offer a system-wide Dark Mode, so we're getting somewhere, but beyond that, it appears to be the same looking skin we've had from LG for years. Trying to think back, it's looked similar to this since at least the LG G3, but maybe that's the point and I'm being ridiculous.

If it wasn't for Samsung and its software UI overhaul with One UI, we probably wouldn't even harp on this. But when other companies evolve and make changes, LG is sorta doing what it's always done, which hasn't exactly been selling a lot of phones as of late. Personally, I think it's time for an overhaul. What do you think of the look?

// Meeco (Korean)

We Crushed 8GB Data on Verizon 5G in 1 Minute With a Galaxy Note 10+ 5G

Joey Riz — Fri, 20 Sep 2019 11:12:35 +0000

The Galaxy Note 10 and 10+ are in the wild now. We have our 10+ review up and there's no denying that it is a fantastic (also expensive) device. What if you are lucky enough to live in a 5G ready city, though? Would you be willing to instead choose the 5G model of the Note 10+ and part with nearly $1300 to give it a shot? Is it worth it? Is 5G accessible enough to make that decision? To help answer these questions, Verizon invited us up to Providence, RI to test the Galaxy Note 10+ 5G in the “real world.” The area around Brown University has one of Verizon’s most advanced “5G Ultra Wideband Network’s” or mmWave operating today. It is also the only one offering 5G upload speeds! Let’s talk a bit about what we learned after hours and hours of testing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XousXt8xTDY

No Way To Know

We all remember how branding-happy Verizon used to be with its phones. They would stick that huge 4G LTE Logo on anything (like home buttons), but that is no longer the case. Samsung (apparently) calls the shots now, so you won't find any branding difference on the Note 10+ 5G versus the regular Note 10+ itself. The only external difference from the non-5G model is the 5G logo on the box it comes in. There is a separate settings menus if you dig deep, but yeah, super stealthy. With that said, this might be one of those times that I wouldn't have minded an extra logo, knowing I paid $1,300. Is showing off a 5G logo a thing? Maybe it should be!

Testing… Testing… 123

After asking a few questions they gave me a device and let me roam free. Using the phone is just like the regular 10+ other than the 5GUWB logo that pops up when you are connected to a 5G node. Verizon made sure to highlight the areas where the 5G nodes were and I happened to find a few of my own. By no accident, the 5G node just outside of the meeting place was the fastest I found all day. They had set us up with a few apps to test just how capable the network currently is. Speed Test, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Samsung’s App store. Turns out that if the server on the other end of the chain is not up to the task of delivering 5G speeds, you won't get them. All of the named apps happen to be on Amazon’s cloud servers. First up was Speed Test, of course, I hit just over 1800Mbps download and 130Mbps upload first shot. Pretty great. I asked about the 5G upload speeds being lower and they told me that it's not one to one yet because of software on their end. We will have to wait and see about that. I went through the gamut of the other apps. They all downloaded content extremely fast. Having the ability to download a whole season of a show before a trip would be super clutch. Where things got interesting was downloading PUBG from Samsung's app store. At 2GBs in size, it literally took 15 seconds, max! This was so astonishing, I had to run it multiple times. I must have downloaded it and uninstalled 10 or 15 times over the course of a few minutes and it was solid every time. That is until I felt the top of the phone getting crazy hot. I was greeted with a warning saying the phone was over 102 degrees F and to calm down. To its credit, the phone never slowed down.

Real World

After almost cooking the phone, I decided to see just how reliable 5G could be. Roaming around this college town, connections were actually not that hard to find. There are no huge buildings around and the nodes sit on top of polls like a crown, making it a bit easier for the signal to reach as far as possible. It was definitely better than the stories I have heard about Chicago and its 5G setup. The crowns come in 2 flavors: a triple that sits on corners and a double that just points down side streets. Remember that mmWave needs “line of sight” in order to deliver the signal to you. It can bounce around some, like around building… kinda, but even a few leaves can bounce you back to 4G. That is just the nature of the high-frequency mmWave spectrum. You need these nodes at lease every few blocks to blanket an area. I did speed tests at every node I found but nothing reached the speeds of that first one, maybe around 1200Mbps average. Still, that's insanely fast and handles anything I throw at it. When trying to use it as just another phone, it works great. You can have a full 5GUWB signal walking, even with your back to the node. Walk into a store with glass windows and it's OK, but enter a building and it's gone. It does switch ultra fast to 4G LTE in those situations so you don't miss a beat. It seems like the phone always keeps a constant 4G connection even when on 5G is up and running. That’s smart, but it must take a hit on battery life.

Conclusion

I used the Note 10+ 5G super hard for over 4 hours, with mixed real-world use and also hammering on it, like I did while downloading PubG over and over again. Coming into this I expected the phone to get hot and glitch out switching networks. I am happy to say that it worked just fine, maybe even better than anticipated. It never seems to get super hot other than that extreme example. As for battery life, the battery in the Note 10+ 5G is the same 4300mAh as the regular model. I started testing at a bit under 100% and ended at 35%. That was with 5G at the ready, all of the time. At $1299 the Galaxy Note 10+ 5G is a full $200 premium over the 10+. If you don't live in one of the areas with Verizon 5G right now, it does not make sense to fork out that extra cash. If you do, and you have the extra coin to spend, I did not really see a downside other than a lighter wallet. Should you even consider 5G at this early stage? I think I documented the good and bad of Verizon's 5G mmW network here, so I'll leave that up to you.

Verizon Galaxy S10, Note 10 Lineups Updated With September Security Patch

Tim — Fri, 20 Sep 2019 10:09:03 +0000

Verizon began shipping out the September security patch to the Galaxy S10 lineup earlier this week, and to follow it up, it began shipping out the same patch to the Galaxy Note 10 lineup early this morning. There are no other changes listed besides September's security patch, but if you happen to spot something on your device, let us know.

Updated Software Versions

Galaxy S10: G973USQS2BSI4
Galaxy S10+: G975USQS2BSI4
Galaxy S10e: G970USQS2BSI4
Galaxy Note 10: N970USQU1ASHB
Galaxy Note 10+: N975USQU1ASHB
Galaxy Note 10+ 5G: N976VVRU1ASHB

Go get them updates!

Movado Connect 2.0 Arrives With All the Right Wear OS Specs, Starts at $495

Kellen — Fri, 20 Sep 2019 08:45:11 +0000

Movado revealed its newest Wear OS watch this morning, the Movado Connect 2.0. It's the latest smartwatch from the traditional watchmaker that features a sharp design, plus it includes all of the specs you need to see in a Wear OS device to even consider buying it. The Movado Connect 2.0 runs the newest Snapdragon Wear 3100 with 1GB RAM, 8GB storage, 1ATM water resistance, NFC, GPS, and heartrate sensor. It comes in both 40mm and 42mm sizes and has 3 buttons (with rotating crown), interchangeable straps, and sports battery life of around 24 hours, which is right in line with all Wear OS watches.

Between the two sizes and a variety of finishes, there are up to 15 different combinations for you to order, should you be interested. Some of those options include black ion-plated, light gold ion-plated, carnation gold ion-plated, and regular stainless steel. Strap options range from canvas to steel, but those are also easily swappable. The Movado Connect 2.0 looks like a solid Wear OS option, just know that it starts at $495. From there, you can max the watch out at $795 if you are feeling wild. You can pre-order Connect 2.0 today with arrival expected in October. Shop Movado Connect 2.0

Another Free Payday: Yahoo Puts Up $117.5M to Settle 2012-2016 Data Breaches

Tim — Fri, 20 Sep 2019 08:35:06 +0000

If you owned a Yahoo account between 2012 and 2016, another payday is headed your way, thanks to the data breach that took place between those years. To settle the matter, beyond enhancing their security systems, Yahoo is offering up $117.5 million to those affected. However, Yahoo would likely much rather you opt for the two free years of credit monitoring it's offering. In order to get cash, you'll need to provide proof you've had credit monitoring, though for us who were affected by the Equifax breach, that shouldn't be a problem.

Defendants will also pay for a Settlement Fund of $117,500,000. The Settlement Fund will provide: a minimum of two years of Credit Monitoring Services to protect Settlement Class Members from future harm, or Alternative Compensation instead of credit monitoring for Class Members who already have Credit Monitoring Services (subject to verification and documentation); Out-of-Pocket Costs for losses related to the Data Breaches; and reimbursement of some costs for those who paid for Yahoo premium or small business services.

In order to receive any sort of compensation, you'll need to file a claim before July 20, 2020. Don't worry, you've got time!

File Claim Here

DEAL: Best Buy has Pixel 3 and 3 XL at $300 Off, Plus You Get a free Nest Hub

Kellen — Thu, 19 Sep 2019 15:45:55 +0000

I know, I know, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are coming in a few weeks and you probably think that buying a Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL today would be foolish. That's fair! But you have to admit that this deal at Best Buy is still a good one because the Pixel 3 line is still good today. At $300 off, you can get into a 64GB Pixel 3 for $499.99 or a 64GB Pixel 3 XL for $599.99. That's a $300 instant discount off the unlocked model, but Best Buy is sweetening the deal by throwing in a Google Nest Hub. When not on sale, a Nest Hub runs $129. So not only are you getting a $300 off discount on Google's excellent Pixel 3, you get a free Nest Hub to boot. Oh, if you activate today at Best Buy, they'll max that discount further to $350 off. See, it's a good deal, Pixel 4 guy. Shop Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL at Best Buy

Google Chrome Gets New Tab Grid and Tab Grouping in Update, Easier Device Sharing

Kellen — Thu, 19 Sep 2019 15:24:05 +0000

Over the next few weeks, you'll notice a couple of improvements to the way Chrome lets you handle multiple tabs, plus sharing a tab from one device to another will be easier than ever. Through a blog post today, Google announced that a new tab grid experience is coming to those of us on mobile who constantly have multiple tabs open. This new interface will let you more easily see the content of the tabs you have open, unlike the current stacked tab overview.

Additionally, the grid will soon let you stack tabs on top of each other to make tab groups. That way, if you are planning a vacation and have a bunch of related tabs open, you'll be able to group them for more efficient browsing. Simply drag and drop them on top of each other from within the grid layout. Cool, right? As for improved sharing, Chrome on mobile is getting a share option that lets you share Chrome to other devices. So when you decide you want to share a current page on mobile to a computer or Chromebook or tablet, you'll be able to do that without sending yourself an email or instant message with the link. This is a Pushbullet feature that I've used on the daily for years, so it's cool to see it work natively now.

Google says to expect all of this new functionality over the next few weeks and into the fall. Google Play Link // Google

#TBT: That Time SNL Poked Fun at Verizon 4G LTE and Android Device Names

Tim — Thu, 19 Sep 2019 11:18:56 +0000

The launch of 4G LTE was silly times and the names for some Android devices back in the day surely didn't help. There was the DROID Xyboard, HTC Thunderbolt, DROID Charge, and a gang of other silly device names. Well, in 2013, SNL decided to poke fun at Verizon's 4G LTE and the device names they were offering. Looking back, it's pretty funny, but made perfect sense to us. If you're looking for a bigger laugh, just look at the current 5G naming schemes. What a mess. Did you own any of these devices? I know we have some Thunderbolt faithful in the house. Cheers Joe!

NVIDIA GeForce NOW Desktop Client Gets New UI Focused on Finding Your Games (Updated)

Tim — Thu, 19 Sep 2019 10:00:04 +0000

Update: NVIDIA came across a bug and is delaying release of the new client.

During today's GeForce NOW app update rollout, we discovered a bug that would have a negative impact on our user's gaming experience. We’re currently working on the issue but estimate it will take a couple days to fix and test.

GFN members can continue using the service on the current version of the PC/Mac client without interruption.

NVIDIA announced an update for the GeForce NOW desktop client (Windows and Mac) this morning, one that offers a redone user interface. According to NVIDIA, the UI puts emphasis on search and customization. As the number of supported games on the platform has risen to more than 500, it's apparently become difficult to find already owned games in the growing list of new releases. That changes with this update. Here's how NVIDIA describes the UI update.

The new UI is built for simplicity and customization. We’ll continue to spotlight featured games, but the supported library is now primarily discoverable via the search bar. Find your game, click +LIBRARY to add it, then start playing. Your library of games will be easier to manage and it’ll follow you across the devices you play GFN on.

This update is available starting this morning for all Mac and Windows users. Happy gaming!

Download Latest Client Here

Verizon Launches 5G in New York City Next Week

Kellen — Thu, 19 Sep 2019 08:45:11 +0000

Verizon said this morning that it is ready to turn on 5G in New York City. Well, parts of New York City will be able to access Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband network on September 26, bringing their total number of cities with 5G to 11. Verizon didn't say exactly where in NYC you'd be able to access 5G, though I'd imagine they will do so next week, when they turn on all the towers they've put in place. Expect it in parts of Manhattan for sure, but after that it's anyone's guess.

List of US cities with 5G

As a reminder, Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband is 5G millimeter Wave (mmW), the super fast portion of 5G that isn't very good at penetrating buildings or windows or making its way around corners. If you have direct line of sight to it, your phone can cook up Gigabit speeds. If you don't have a direct line of sight, the experience might not be incredible. September 26! // Verizon

Pocket Casts Giving Previous Buyers Lifetime Plus Membership

Tim — Thu, 19 Sep 2019 08:32:26 +0000

Anyone who previously purchased Pocket Casts before all of its premium features became free to use, with exception to those found in its Plus membership, is being gifted a lifetime membership to Pocket Casts Plus for being such a cool person. Apparently, a few vocal customers were upset that they had paid for something which was later made free. To help simmer down any hurt feelings, Pocket Casts released the following statement along with the gesture.

Today we’ve decided to provide any user who previously purchased our Web version with lifetime access to Pocket Casts Plus. This includes the Mac and Windows apps as well. No renewal, no monthly charge, no questions asked. This means Desktop App purchasers will also gain access to all of the Pocket Casts Plus features on their mobile devices.

Congrats, previous buyers of Pocket Casts. Your massive $4 investment is paying off big time now. // Pocket Casts

Cancelling the Pixel Watch was Right Move, Google Shouldn't Make One This Year Either

Kellen — Wed, 18 Sep 2019 16:13:23 +0000

The big news to drop today was a story about the almost-arrival of a Google Pixel Watch back in 2016 alongside the original line of Pixel phones. It's big news because we now know that we were incredibly close to getting a first Google-branded watch (or two), but we also learned that Google is unlikely to release a Pixel Watch this year when they fully reveal the Pixel 4 in a few weeks. If you ask me, even as much as I want Google to make a watch, I think both cancelling in 2016 and taking this year off are the correct moves. If you follow Wear OS and the variety of watches that have come since 2016, you know that none have been great. You know that Wear OS hasn't evolved much, that Qualcomm is (unfortunately because they don't care enough) the big driver behind hardware performance and features, and that there are few players left outside of Fossil. Wear OS, as I said back in April, is in a sad state. Should Google have made a watch in 2016 or tomorrow, neither would be the type of device capable of showcasing to the world that Wear OS is any good.

2016's cancel was smart

If you rewind back to 2016 and look at Wear OS, which was still Android Wear, the platform had already seen a big drop in participation from its early partners. Huawei wasn't dabbling in new Wear OS watches, nor was Motorola, and that was with a supposed huge update to Android Wear 2.0 on the way. With a big update coming, rumors started to swirl that Google was finally making its own two watches, so we all sort of looked passed the fact that the platform was turning into a ghost town for participants. The first big rumor popped up in July 0f 2016 with almost every single watch specification detailed at the time. But then, as we know to be the story, those two watches never surfaced from Google, even with a perfect opportunity alongside those first Pixel phones in October of that year. With radio silence on the two watches we thought might be Google's first, Google then came out in December and said to expect a couple of flagship watches in 2017 from someone who had made Wear OS watches in the past. In February of 2017, LG and Google co-announced the LG Watch Style and Watch Sport. These were the supposedly canceled Google Pixel Watches that Google's hardware boss, Rick Osterloh, didn't think fit the product line-up and decided to leave them out. And that's where we get to this whole cancellation part, you see, because neither watch was really any good. We reviewed both of them (Watch Style, Watch Sport). We also said that we wouldn't recommend either. The Watch Style (pictured above) had a decent design and size, but Google left out NFC, GPS, and a heartrate sensor, yet wanted $250 for it. The Watch Sport was beyond thick, didn't allow for band swapping because it's LTE gear was in there, and couldn't get you through most days unless you turned all of its features off. If Google was hoping to show the world that Android Wear was worth investing in, these would have been bad choices to try with. You could attempt to make the argument that at least trying to get a first Google-branded option out there might have helped the platform and given it a much-needed boost, I'm just not sure Google wanted to do that to their brand. These two watches would not have made a good first impression. If anything, by not releasing these as Google watches, Google probably saved a whole wave of poor publicity around its wearable OS that would almost certainly have arrived, just as it does with every tiny hiccup from the company, warranted or not.

Same story today

Fast forwarding to 2019, Google could release a watch that's better than what they could have in 2016, but not by much. As far as Wear OS goes, the software has improved to an acceptable level if you need notifications, fitness tracking through almost any service you choose, and a decent selection of apps. While it still lacks features like sleep tracking, I can tell you that Wear OS works just fine on my wrist each day. Unfortunately, the hardware situation is almost identical to what it was in 2016. We've ranted on this plenty, but the important piece of info to know here is something I referenced in the opening - Qualcomm doesn't care enough and it's holding Wear OS back. In 2016, all watches basically ran the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100. It was old and bad then, but it was the only thing available. As we approach the end of 2019, most new watches will now arrive with the Snapdragon Wear 3100, a chipset that was announced more than a year ago. That chip is nothing more than a re-packaged 2100 that was given a coprocessor to help with some low-power tasks. It does almost nothing to improve the experience on Wear OS. What we've instead learned is that RAM is the key driver to better performance in a Wear OS watch, rather than the currently available processor option from Qualcomm. Long story short, there haven't been any real advancements in chips to take Wear OS beyond 2016. Should Google decide to release its first Pixel Watch in a couple of weeks, well, we're likely to get something similar to what Fossil just released in the Fossil Gen 5. The Fossil Gen 5 is the best Wear OS watch you can buy at the moment and the one I wear every day, but I'm not sure it's a watch for the masses that might consider it if Google were to put its name on it. It has a Snapdragon Wear 3100, 1GB RAM, 8GB storage, heartrate sensor, GPS, NFC, and a round AMOLED. It has the goods that someone would want to see in a watch in 2019, but there's nothing remarkable or new here. Instead, we give the Fossil Gen 5 high marks because it's decent or acceptable, whereas all other Wear OS watches are pretty much garbage. Is that the impression Google wants to make with its first? I wouldn't if I were them.

So when is the right time?

If rumors are to be believed, maybe 2020. Qualcomm is supposedly working on a new, mostly-modern wearable chip that might finally advance the platform. If real, it should provide massively improved performance, better battery life, and open up Wear OS to new features. But that's all a rumor and neither Qualcomm or Google have said much about the future. Should Google still care about Wear OS, the move they should have made years ago was one that involved making their own wearable chip. Samsung and Apple both do it, as it allows them to constantly improve their wearable experiences. That, of course, has led to quite a bit of success in smartwatches from both. Whether Google ever does that is out of our control, I just know that skipping another year is probably the right move. Let's just hope they stay "excited."

DEAL: Get an Anker 10W Wireless Charger for $22, Down From $30

Tim — Wed, 18 Sep 2019 15:34:26 +0000

For a limited time on Amazon, you can pick up an Anker 10W wireless charger for just $22, down from its usual $30 price. At 10W, you should get decent enough charge speeds out of Samsung devices and other Qi-compatible smartphones, and you'll also be able to wirelessly charge your Pixels with this charger. The charger comes with a 3ft. USB cable, but do note, you'll have to supply your own power adapter as you do with most of these types of deals. To score the savings, follow the link below. No coupon needed!

Amazon Link

Incognito Mode Rolling Out to Google Maps Preview Squad

Tim — Wed, 18 Sep 2019 11:33:52 +0000

At Google I/O, the company announced that it was bringing Incognito Mode to Google Maps. Now mid-September, Incognito Mode is rolling out to those in the app's preview community, which is a select group of people who get to test features before they are made public. With this rolling out, though, it means everyone else can expect it relatively soon. In an email to the preview group, Google states, "Use Incognito Mode when you don't want your activity - like the places you search for or navigate to - to be saved to your Google account." Once this begins rolling out to the public, we'll update you. In the meantime, here's a little GIF action of Incognito Mode for Maps.

Cheers anon tipster!

Oxygen OS Open Beta 2 Based on Android 10 Released for OnePlus 7 Pro

Tim — Wed, 18 Sep 2019 10:18:28 +0000

Open Beta 2 for Oxygen OS based on Android 10 is now available to owners of the OnePlus 7 Pro. There are plenty of changes inside, mostly improvements and fixes. Because I know you'll ask for specifics, here's the changelog. What's New

General bug fixes and stability improvements
Fixed the crash issue with System UI caused by parallel Whatsapp app
Fixed the dark screen issue on the lock screen while accessing Games
Fixed issues with Status Bar not displaying UI elements
Fixed the crash issue with default OnePlus Gestures
Re-designed Wi-Fi icon in Quick Settings
Fixed the crash issue with the Fingerprint Unlock
Optimized the animation effect when Notification bar is being scrolled upwards

The beauty of OnePlus' betas is that if you're already enrolled in the open beta, you should receive an OTA notification at some point today or this week. If you'd like to enroll, that's also quite easy. Download and flashing instructions are here. Now, go forth and enjoy that update. // OnePlus

This is Likely the Fossil Hybrid "Diana" Watch Tech That Google Bought

Kellen — Wed, 18 Sep 2019 10:08:47 +0000

At the beginning of the year, Google announced that it had purchased a wearable-related tech from Fossil to the tune of $40 million. Neither company would say what it was at the time, only that Google hoped to be able to make it widely available to the greater wearable ecosystem, rather than have it be exclusive to Fossil. This week, a report suggested that the tech might have been a hybrid watch tech (called "Diana"), which combined smart elements with mechanical watch hands. Assuming that is indeed what Google bought, well, we now know what that product is/was going to look like. The folks at reddit this yesterday discovered unreleased Fossil products in the hybrid family called Collider and Charter that are listed all over the internet at around $195. Since Fossil makes a bunch of hybrid watches, these weren't initially something that stood out, but as we started digging deeper, there are signs that point to these being the exact products described in that report from earlier in the week. First off, what's unique about these watches? Collider and Charter are hybrid watches with mechanical hands, only they offer an upgrade over most hybrids because those hands sit atop an e-paper or e-ink display that shows info you might find on a smartwatch. In a way, the design is like that really bad LG W7 Wear OS watch, only Collider and Charter have 2-4 week battery life and no touchscreen. They also offer 42mm cases, heartrate tracking, possible GPS, fitness tracking with Google Fit, sleep tracking, 50 meter water resistance, 22mm straps, and customizable watch faces that allow up to 10 different face elements. Why do we think this is the technology that Google bought? Again, assuming that earlier report was correct, Fossil's own website, as well as dozens of retail listings for these watches kind of spoil it all. From Fossil's site, a sitemap calls the platform "Connected Diana" and refers to a number of features:

As another example, this retailer calls it the "Fossil Collider DIANA Smartwatch," and talks about Diana in the description:

The Collider is the first digital and analog (DIANA) hybrid smartwatch from Fossil, the newest of the newest! It has the looks of a traditional watch with a 42 mm stainless steel case, covered with strong mineral glass. In addition, this new generation of hybrids also has a modern e-ink display behind the hands. This allows you to stay up to date on, for example, your steps, weather and notifications of all your favorite apps. Set up to 10 different face elements. With the built-in heart rate monitor you can even add your heart rate to this! Because the Collider does not have a touchscreen, the battery will last for 2 to 4 weeks (depending on use). This means you never have to miss a workout and you always have insight into your performance. Easily connect via Bluetooth to your iPhone® or Android ™ phone so that you can view all the statistics in detail such as calories, steps, sleep and more. Once paired with your Smartphone, the time synchronizes automatically and you can assign functions to the top right button. Do you want to start a workout with Google Fit or see your latest WhatsApps? It is possible at the touch of a button!

See what I mean? If anything, this perfectly matches the news from earlier, whether it's what Google bought or not. Below are some of the Collider watches under model numbers FTW7008, FTW7009, and FTW7010. The Charter line falls under model numbers FTW7012, FTW7013, and FTW7014.

Now, with all of that in mind, what does this all mean generally speaking? For one, there are similarities here to Wear OS in the styling of the customizable elements on the watches. Google Fit integration is something I'm not sure we've seen outside of Wear OS. There is always a chance that Google allowed Fossil to tweak Wear OS into working without a touchscreen on a hybrid design like this. With that said, not a single listing for these watches mentions Wear OS. All signs point to this watch being powered and setup by the Fossil Smartwatches App, which is the same app they use to power and setup all of their other hybrid watches. That would mean customizing all elements through that app, setting up integrations with Google Fit, etc. That also makes sense, since this doesn't have a touchscreen and you would need a separate app in order to do those things. Fossil may have wanted the UI elements to look like their other smartwatches and that's why it looks so similar to Wear OS. What's so confusing about everything here is the fact that these watches appear to have been posted to Amazon as early as June 10. Amazon listings pegged them for a September 7 launch and had a pre-order period open for a time, just no one noticed. They also showed up at a number of overseas online retailers as if they were about to be released or should have been released already. We have all marketing materials, press shots done, etc. These watches sure look ready to go. Now, we're (obviously) a couple of weeks past when Amazon expected a launch and most retailer listings have been pulled since they've been pointed out, so this is all a bit of a headscratcher.

Has Fossil pulled the plug on Collider and Charter "Diana" watches? Are they waiting for Google to announce that Wear OS can be ~~hacked~~ trimmed onto a hybrid device? Is there more to this story? Likely. We'll update you as we learn more. // reddit

We Almost Had Two Pixel Watches in 2016, and We Reviewed Them

Kellen — Wed, 18 Sep 2019 08:54:49 +0000

A Pixel Watch is an item so many of us that follow Android have been asking for. We want Google to show us their vision for Wear OS combined with hardware, since there are so few players left willing to do so. If there is ever going to be some sort of savior for Google's wearable platform, Google is probably the one to take a shot at it. In 2016, alongside the original Pixel phone, Google was supposed to deliver just that. In a profile written by Business Insider, we get a rundown of the Pixel Watch that almost was. According to their sources, during the first "Made by Google" event, where we saw the first Pixel phones, Google WiFi, Google Home, and Chromecast Ultra, two Google-branded Wear OS watches were supposed to be there as a part of the product line-up. As you all know, no watch was revealed during that event and here we are in 2019 with no signs of a Google watch on the horizon. What happened? Google's newly appointed (at the time) hardware boss, Rick Osterloh, didn't think the watches fit into the product portfolio and pushed them aside. He also wasn't happy with how the watches worked with the new Pixel phones, possibly because of poor syncing and connectivity. As it turns out, the two watches might have been the LG Watch Style and LG Watch Sport, a couple of devices that arrived a few months later. We noted at the time of their release that these two watches were more in line with Google's design perspective than LG's, and wondered if they had a heavy hand in building them. According to this report today, that was indeed the case. Because the LG watches were so far along before Osterloh decided against releasing them, LG and Google decided to release them as LG watches. If that sounds weird, it shouldn't if you follow Google's hardware history. Up until the past year, Google has asked others to make most of their devices for them, like the Nexus 6P (Huawei), Nexus S (Samsung), Nexus 5X (LG), and Pixel 2 XL (LG). So yeah, we almost had not one but two Pixel Watches. Knowing the Watch Style (review) and Sport (review), I can't say that Osterloh made a poor decision in not wanting to own them. Both watches had great performance and introduced us to new tech, like rotating crowns, but neither were excellent products. Unfortunately, it has been almost 3 years since Google passed on watches it had co-developed and we haven't heard a peep about a Pixel Watch at all. The last time we thought there might be a new watch in the works, Google shot it down before the rumor could pick up any steam. Maybe next year? // Business Insider

Call of Duty: Mobile Launches October 1

Tim — Wed, 18 Sep 2019 08:51:07 +0000

We now have an official launch date for Call of Duty: Mobile -- October 1. Once that date rolls around, players will find themselves in all sorts of modes like TDM, SND, and FFA on maps they've played on for years such as Nuketown, Crash, Hijacked, and plenty others from the franchise. And if that ain't enough, there's a Battle Royale mode. As soon as the game is live on October 1, we'll let you know. Anyone plan on playing the Modern Warfare beta this weekend, too? Good times for COD fans.

Google Play Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnhok5r3mwM

Pocket Casts' Premium Features Now Free to Use, 'Plus' Membership Available for $1/Month

Tim — Wed, 18 Sep 2019 08:35:26 +0000

Pocket Casts, easily one of the best podcast apps available for Android, just made all of its premium features free to use. Here's an excerpt from the company's press release that explains the move.

The reason for doing this? To better align with the open-access philosophy of our public media ownership. Pocket Casts wants to stand for free and open access -- not walled gardens -- and make a premium listening experience available to everyone for their news and entertainment.

For the power podcast listeners among you, Pocket Casts Plus, a new premium membership that costs $1/month or $10/year, offers the following.

Desktop apps including macOS, Windows and web apps
Cloud storage for custom audio and video files
Exclusive app icons and themes

All of the following changes are now live, so have at it! And while you're at it, go show the DL Show some love!

Google Play Link

Google and Saint Laurent's $995 Backpack With Jacquard Now Available for Pre-Order

Tim — Tue, 17 Sep 2019 17:53:16 +0000

Google and Saint Laurent have unveiled the CIT-E backpack with Jacquard technology woven into its shoulder straps, up for pre-order now to the tune of $995. Fancy. Along with being able to store your laptop and what not, Jacquard allows users to control certain things via swipes and taps. There are controls for music and media playback, shortcuts to Google Assistant, plus plenty other little neat tricks you can access. If you've been in need of a $1K backpack, now is the time!

Saint Laurent Link

// Google ATAP Cheers Jackson!

Report: Samsung Launching Android 10 Beta Next Month

Tim — Tue, 17 Sep 2019 13:54:18 +0000

Last year, Samsung announced an Android Pie beta during its Samsung Developer Conference in November. This week, we're learning via SamMobile that the company intends to do something similar, but for Android 10 and apparently not directly tied to SDC (Oct. 29 through 30). According to SamMobile's source, Samsung will announce the beta towards the end of September for the Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy S10 lineups, then have the first beta build available shortly after in October. The beta is reported to be available in the US and parts of Europe. After installing it last year, the beta was able to tie over plenty of Samsung device owners while they awaited the public launch of One UI on top of Pie. The beta is one of the big reasons we've been praising Samsung in the update department as of late. It's a very good thing. As we learn more, we'll keep you posted. In the meantime, ready those S10 and Note 10 phones for some Android 10 action. // SamMobile Cheers enigmaco!

Amazon Music HD is a New Tier of Streaming Audio Quality, Priced at $13/Month

Tim — Tue, 17 Sep 2019 12:53:32 +0000

Amazon is introducing Amazon Music HD this week, a new tier for users of the Amazon Music service. HD is a tier above what has been offered in terms of audio quality, hence the HD in the name. That always means better. Pricing for Music HD starts at $12.99/month for new subscribers and current subscribers to Amazon Music pay $5/month plus their regular plan fee. However, for a limited time, Amazon Music subscribers in the US, UK, Germany, and Japan can upgrade to Amazon Music HD for 90 days at no additional cost. Here's the actual specs of Music HD.

Amazon Music HD offers customers more than 50 million lossless HD songs, with a bit depth of 16 bits and a sample rate of 44.1kHz (CD quality). In addition, customers can stream millions more songs in Ultra HD (better than CD quality), with a bit depth of 24 bits and a sample rate up to 192 kHz.

To compare, Tidal offers the same 44.1kHz rate with its HiFi tier, but it also offers the Masters tier at 96 kHz/24 bit. If you're using Spotify, let's just say you probably aren't overly concerned about bit depth and sample rate, but if you're a Premium subscriber, you're able to access streams at approximately 320kbit/s. According to Neil Young, who you maybe know has taken the quality of digital music extremely seriously, "Earth will be changed forever when Amazon introduces high quality streaming to the masses. This will be the biggest thing to happen in music since the introduction of digital audio 40 years ago.” If you're into Amazon Music, go check it out.

Amazon Music HD

// Amazon

New Nest WiFi Sounds Like the Perfect Smart Home Starter Kit

Kellen — Tue, 17 Sep 2019 11:12:10 +0000

Google's Pixel 4 won't be the only new item on display at their October 15 event. During their time in from the camera, Google plans to show off a "new Pixel phone and Connected Home devices," which has us thinking Google Nest Mini and maybe something else. That "something else" could be a replacement for Google WiFi. According to a report from 9to5Google, Google will show off the Nest WiFi, a mesh WiFi system that will help your house with connectivity and also give you Google Assistant speakers throughout. To describe this new Nest WiFi, the best comparison is to the newest Eero and Eero Beacon system. With that product from the Amazon-owned router maker, you have a WiFi hub of sorts that is then expanded through outlet-pluggable beacons. I actually have that system in my house now and love it because of how easy it is to get WiFi in every room. The Nest WiFi is said to be very similar to that, only those beacons will have Google Assistant speakers built-in. So you'll have your main Nest WiFi hub that plugs into your modem. That's where all that lovely internet juicy will flow from. After that, you will be able to expand throughout your mansion, giving you Google Assistant speakers where you need WiFi too, assuming you don't already have Google Minis everywhere. To add to the appeal, this new Nest WiFi is said to be compatible with the Google WiFi system you may already own. The full specs for Nest WiFi aren't currently known (it better be faster than Google's current old and slow WiFi), but you should expect handoffs between mesh points, auto band switching, updates, etc. Finally, Google might make this new Nest WiFi in a handful (3) of colors to help match your designer digs. // 9to5Google

OnePlus TV Remote App Capable of Actual Magic

Tim — Tue, 17 Sep 2019 10:06:46 +0000

OnePlus is doing its usual thing again, in which they hype up every little tidbit about some upcoming product. This time, it's more OnePlus TV. In a tweet OnePlus CEO Pete Lau states, "Fast, smooth, seamless control through your smartphone." An attached photo shows the top of the OnePlus TV's remote, along with a OnePlus smartphone and says, "Redefine how you control your TV." Unless you're still using a TV with a knob to change channels, controlling a newer TV with a smartphone isn't exactly groundbreaking, but what really has us hyped about this app is the keyboard functionality. For the longest time, typing something into a Smart TV is a total pain in the rear. You have to click about a thousand times to enter emails and passwords, but check out what OnePlus' app is capable of.

As we can see, whatever you type into the app, it magically types on the TV. This is some revolutionary stuff here, people. We still have no idea how much this TV is going to cost and I'm very nervous that it's going to be too expensive for what it is. We shall see. // @PeteLau [2]

DEAL: 50% Off Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL at Google Fi for 1 Day Only

Kellen — Tue, 17 Sep 2019 10:00:47 +0000

To celebrate the launch of the new unlimited plan on Google Fi, Google has slashed Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL prices by 50% for today only. While Google may be weeks away from showing off the new Pixel 4, a 50% off cut on one of the best Android phones around is a great deal. At 50% off, that's a 64GB Pixel 3 for $399, 64GB Pixel 3 XL for $449, and 128GB models of each for another $50 on top of those prices. How do you get that price? New and existing customers are eligible, but it's just one phone per person. Once you buy the phone, in order to not be charged the full price, you'll have to activate it on Google Fi within 30 days. And that's pretty much it. The deal runs from right now until tomorrow, September 18, at 12PM Pacific or while supplies last. Shop Pixel 3 at Google Fi

Google Fi Gets Unlimited Plan With Typical Carrier Limits

Kellen — Tue, 17 Sep 2019 09:37:26 +0000

Google Fi joined with other US wireless carriers today in the age-old tradition of introducing an unlimited plan that has plenty of limits. There are limits on speed and video streaming, which is exactly what all the others do, for a price right around what all the others charge. Google Fi's new unlimited plan costs $70/mo for a single line, $120/mo for 2 lines, $150/mo for 3 lines, and $45/mo per line if you have 4-6 lines (I'll let you do that math).

RELATED: 50% off Pixel 3 to celebrate new unlimited plan

At that price, you get unlimited talk, text, and data. Google says that you get high-speed data up to 22GB per person per billing cycle, but that you may see slowdowns after that. Additionally, video streams over cellular "may" drop to DVD quality (480p) at any time. Since this is Google Fi, you get free calls to 50+ countries, low international rates when traveling, mobile hotspot usage, and no contracts. Google tossed in a Google One membership with 100GB of cloud storage to use. That's a $1.99/mo perk. Doesn't sound like a great option? That's OK because the regular Google Fi pay-per-GB plan is still available too. Shop Google Fi plans // Google

CEO Shares Photos of OnePlus 7T Backside, Hypes 4th-Gen Matte Frosted Glass

Tim — Tue, 17 Sep 2019 08:35:58 +0000

Mmm, matte frosted glass. You gotta love it. If you do indeed love it, the OnePlus 7T is going to be right up your alley, as it will feature the 4th generation of OnePlus' "groundbreaking chemical etching process," which is fancy speak for frosted glass. Today on Twitter and in the company's forum, OnePlus shared an official look at the backside of the upcoming OnePlus 7T. Here it is. It's only a look at the backside, but we can still get an idea at what to expect. To my eyes, its shaped just like the OnePlus 7 Pro. It has the alert slider and power button on the right side, volume rocker on the left, and of course, you can see it has a massive triple camera setup. What do you think about those cameras? Personally, I'd go with the Pixel 4's smaller square look over this, but that's just me. // OnePlus

LG Pushes Android Pie Update to Verizon LG V30

Kellen — Tue, 17 Sep 2019 08:26:08 +0000

The LG V30, a 2-year old phone once sold at Verizon, is receiving its update to Android Pie this week. I don't have much else to add, but it's always weird seeing a phone get a major OS update a week or so after Google just dropped another new OS version. Android updates are never fun. Should you still own the LG V30 on Verizon, you'll get build VS99630c. The update might be large and will include a new gesture navigation (2-button pill), new camera modes (like YouTube Live), dual app functionality, and more. You can find the full details on 2018's version of Android at the link below. // Verizon Cheers Manny, Jonathan, and Mike!

Google Confirms Pixel 4 in Coral Color in Time Square Ad

Kellen — Tue, 17 Sep 2019 07:59:35 +0000

Little is unknown about Google's upcoming Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, but after announcing an event date for each phone's reveal, Google posted an ad in Times Square that confirms the most unique of the Pixel 4 colorways. As you can see in the various pictures here, Google is running an ad that shows off that "Coral" or orange color that will accompany white and black models. We aren't learning anything else here, only that you should ask your own Google Assistant to set a reminder for October 15. That's the date that Google will show off both phones, in case you missed that yesterday. The backside seen in the picture highlights that orange-ish color and the camera housing, though Google first showed us that camera housing in June. We believe that square box will play host to a 16MP telephoto lens, along with a 12MP wide-angle shooter, possibly a ToF sensor, and a flash. This will be the first of the Pixel phones to sport a secondary rear camera. So, what do we think Google will call this? Barely Orange? Very Orange? Sort of Orange? Coral?

Cheers @mfg68!

Report: Verizon to Sell OnePlus Phones, Possibly as Soon as Next Year

Tim — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 14:32:21 +0000

According to a source of Android Police, a deal has been inked between OnePlus and Verizon, one that has the carrier selling OnePlus phone(s) at some point in the future, possibly in 2020. Details are scarce, especially since this deal has yet to be made public, but it makes total sense. OnePlus is currently available through T-Mobile and Sprint, and with the company's popularity among buyers still on the up and up in the US, it only makes sense for Verizon to want in on that action. As for what this could mean for OnePlus, it's major. When T-Mobile began selling OnePlus phones last year, the OEM reported US sales going up 249%. With Verizon being the largest wireless carrier in the US, OnePlus is in for some good times should their devices continue to be met with positivity. Verizon customers, you ready for this? // Android Police

Mystery Wearable Tech Google Bought From Fossil Might Have Been Hybrid Watch Stuff (Updated)

Kellen — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 12:10:50 +0000

At the beginning of the year, Google purchased some sort of mystery tech from Fossil that they hoped to be able to bring to the market for all to use to help grow the wearable space. Google paid $40 million for it as well as some of Fossil's R&D team, but up until today, we really had no idea what it was other than "a new product innovation that's not yet hit the market." The folks at Wareable may have shed new light on the transaction in a report they shared this morning.

UPDATE: These are likely the Fossil "Diana" watches and the technology that Google bought.

Hybrid watch tech?

According to this report, Google bought/licensed a hybrid smartwatch technology that Fossil had created, which is referred to as "Diana" internally. The team that built it within Fossil is actually a part of Misfit, the fitness wearable company that Fossil bought back in 2015. You are likely familiar with their Misfit Vapor line of Wear OS watches, the newest of which we just unboxed here. A hybrid watch like this, for those not familiar, would have both digital and analog pieces, as well as improved power consumption over something like a traditional smartwatch that could allow it to last for days if not weeks. This new "Diana" hybrid tech was made in variations with and without screens, all of which Google apparently has access to as a part of this deal. In addition to this "Diana" tech, Google picked up the engineering team behind it, which again was a part of Misfit. According to this report, Google is said to have been more interested in this team of engineers rather than the hybrid stuff. So that leaves us with some questions, like, what did Google see in this team from Misfit that that they thought could really help with their wearable ideas if they weren't that interested in the hybrid tech they built? Maybe this report is underselling the hybrid tech, and maybe Google saw other potential there? Wear OS isn't exactly built for hybrids (just ask LG), so is something about to change there? I've got to say, this news is part disappointment mixed with a touch of confusion. Why? Because hybrid watches have been around for years and offer the bare minimum in terms of smart features. They count steps, buzz or ping you for select notifications, and offer so much less than a full-blown smartwatch. Would be great if Google would just tell us what they bought and why. If you want more on this story that includes a bit of inside baseball about drama with Fossil between Fossil and Misfit teams, hit up that link below. // Wareable

Google Needs a New Release Strategy

Tim — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 11:09:01 +0000

Google announced today that its fall hardware event is scheduled for October 15, which is one month from today. If you're reading this site or even know what a Pixel phone is (I'd consider you an Android enthusiast), then you'll know that the Pixel 4 lineup has already leaked entirely and by the time Oct. 15 rolls around, it's safe to bet that plenty more leaks will take place. And keep in mind, Google provided the first genuine look at the Pixel 4 back in June, so we've been waiting an exceptionally long time for this release.

Google needs a new release strategy.

There are a couple of points to me saying this, none of which are leaks are bad. If I was to say leaks are bad, I'd be a hypocrite, because I perpetuate them for profit by sharing them and talking about them on this site. And honestly, I don't think leaks are really a bad thing at all. I think one could argue that they help build the hype of any given product, unless it's something bad like the Essential Phone's camera situation. However, that wasn't a leak, just a really bad decision on the part of one person who just happened to be in charge of the company. This same leak situation Google has going on happened last year, and at least from what we can tell, it didn't really affect the Pixel 3's sales. Google putting out a phone with the ugliest notch in the history of notches probably affected sales more so than leaks ever could. The issue is the timing. If leaks were happening maybe one to two weeks ahead of the official announcement it wouldn't be so rough, but because these leaks are happening 1-2 months ahead of the announcement, it's hard for these phones to not already feel like completely old news by the time they get into our hands. Since the time Google first posted its Pixel 4 image in June, OnePlus has had time saturate the market with the OnePlus 7 Pro and already hype its next OnePlus 7T series, Samsung has announced and launched the Galaxy Note 10 series, and Apple has announced and released its iPhone 11 lineup. I can't be the only person who sees a problem here. My theory is that Google would be better off bumping up its release strategy, due to the fact that Google can't seem to stop the leaks and by the time the phone arrives on shelves, every other major smartphone maker has announced and released their phones for the year. This doesn't seem like the kind of business where it pays to be last to the party. And while someone could say that Google releases late to align with the holiday shopping season, that reasoning doesn't quite gel with me since it's not like other OEMs such as Samsung, OnePlus, and Apple have a problem selling phones around the holidays. For the past couple of years, we've specifically told people that if they can wait, not to buy the new Pixel phones when they first release because we know Google will be hosting a sale on them for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Last year, Google released the Pixel 3 lineup for purchase on October 18, nine days after they were announced. In late November, the phones were already on sale up to $200 off. Point being, anyone who purchased the phone on release day instead of simply waiting another month kinda got screwed. Google, if you want to host a sale, be my guest, but with this timing, it makes no sense for someone to buy a Pixel phone on day one.

When Would Be Better?

The first alternative would be Google I/O. Google controls the tech news scene for a solid week (even longer if you consider the coverage leading up to I/O) during its annual developer conference. This seems like an ideal time to release new high-end devices, with tech people in general hyped for all of the new stuff. For example, Google announces new Google Assistant tricks and camera stuff, then immediately ships it on new flagship phones, instead of saying that it will launch "later this year." Google needs to grab people's money while they already have their attention. The downside is, I/O is really a developer-focused event, with Google mostly sharing things that are still in development. They'd have to somewhat change the purpose of the event, like having Day 1 Keynote being all about new devices, while Day 2 Keynote could be developer and future tech oriented. Another option would be the same time they release new Android versions, which would be around late August or early September. This year, Android 10 officially launched on September 3, so if Google hosted a hardware event in late August, we could have the new devices ship with the new version of Android the following week. That would be a major event, with new hardware and new software for folks to be clamoring about. Just as an Android fan in general, that'd be a very fun 2-week period. Following that, I'd recommend launching the "a" series later in the year around the holidays. Having a new and affordable option for folks to spend their bonus checks on seems like it'd be a win-win scenario.

What's your take? Should Google keep to its current schedule of one to two months of leaks, then announcement, followed by launch? Or should Google bump up its release to the middle of the year instead of waiting for every other OEM to release their products first? It's a tough decision, I know.

Google Hosting Event on October 15 to Announce Pixel 4 Line-Up and More

Kellen — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 09:22:20 +0000

October 15! This morning, Google solidified that date on our calendars for their next "Made by Google" event where they plan to show off "a few new things." The event will take place in New York and should be host to the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, for sure. Other devices expected are a Nest Home Mini and possible Pixelbook 2. There could be other surprises in store, though none are coming to mind at the moment. Google will host a livestream of the event at 7AM Pacific (10AM Eastern) on the 15th, so you can watch along as we work our way in the doors to get our hands on whatever they do announce. Still excited? Expecting surprises? Already set aside money for your "coral" Pixel 4? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKmsYB54zBk

Netflix Says the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL Will Support HDR10 (Updated)

Kellen — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 09:10:57 +0000

Not to be left out by the wave of Pixel 4 leaks from last week, Netflix has given us a bit of new info on both of Google's new Pixel phones prior to either becoming official. According to a support page, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL will support Netflix in HDR. Fun! The page lists out all of the compatible Android devices for Netflix in HDR and the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are now listed. While not shocking, since the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL supported HDR10, Netflix is still outing information here for phones that have not been fully announced by Google.

What does Netflix in HDR mean? It really just means that Google's new phones hit the minimum specification for HDR in a screen and that they should be able to produce better brightness, color depth and accuracy, and contrast to create a better overall viewing experience. You'll like watching Netflix on a Pixel 4, that's for sure.

UPDATE: Netflix removed the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, probably because someone kindly informed them that the phones aren't out yet.

Leaks, man. // Netflix | Android Police

Android TV Roadmap Points to Stadia Integration in 2020, New Hardware Detailed

Tim — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 09:08:13 +0000

It appears the Android TV team had a busy IBC (International Broadcasting Convention) in Amsterdam this week, with a complete roadmap through 2021 for the platform being shared and new turnkey dongle and set-top box detailed.

Android TV Roadmap

The big consumer-focused news from the roadmap concerns Stadia. According to this roadmap, Stadia integration will arrive along with an Android 11/R update at some point in 2020. If indeed Android 11 needs to happen before Stadia arrives for Android TV, that means it could be much later in 2020 than most would hope for. Other roadmap details include Google's prediction that Android TV will host 8-10K apps on the platform by 2021 and beyond (currently offers around 5,000 apps), larger access to Assistant for operators, and a next-gen user experience that includes Google Lens and other Google services for televisions.

Dongles and Set-Top Boxes

Hardware was also a focus for Android TV, with a new turnkey dongle detailed for any operator willing to brand it and release it. According to FierceVideo, "Google worked with a manufacturer to handle fulfillment and logistics for the device, which launches straight into the operator app and allows its home screen to be customized by the operator as well. The device also supports Google Assistant and has Chromecast built in." A hybrid set-top box was also showcased, complete with standardized specs, but of course, there are no photos of either devices currently available. I will say, there sure does seem to be a lot more happening with Android TV than Wear OS. You ready to get down on some Android TV + Stadia gaming action in 2020? // XDA | FierceVideo

Official: OnePlus 7T Series Arrives September 26

Kellen — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 07:19:40 +0000

No need to listen to rumor and speculation any longer about the launch timing of the new OnePlus 7T series, as OnePlus made it all official this morning. On September 26, we'll know exactly what's in store for the OnePlus 7T. On that date, OnePlus will host an offline event in Delhi, India along with an online reveal for all to witness (10:30AM Eastern). Then later on October 10, there will be a second "launch" event in London. September 26 is the date you really need to care about as far as learning about the new products, though, at least for the US.

OnePlus will show off devices that likely both have 90Hz displays, according to a press release highlighting the feature from the first OnePlus 7 Pro. Since this is a 7T series, then we should see that standout feature in both phones, unlike with the launch of the 7 and 7 Pro, where only the 7 Pro was blessed. What else do we know about the 7T series? The OnePlus 7T probably looks like this. The OnePlus 7T Pro probably looks like this. As for specs, the 7T Pro is rumored to be almost identical to the 7 Pro, but with a slight bump in battery capacity from 4000mAh to 4085mAh, Snapdragon 855+, and Android 10. The 7T, on the other hand, could have a nice bump over the 7, according to CompareRaja:

OnePlus 7T Specs

Display: 6.55-inch (2400×1080 / 402 PPI) Fluid AMOLED / In-display Fingerprint Sensor (Optical) / 90Hz and HDR10+
CPU: Snapdragon 855+ (7nm)
GPU: Adreno 640
RAM: 8GB
ROM: 128GB / 256GB
Rear Camera: Main 48MP (f/1.6) with OIS + EIS / Telephoto 12MP (f/2.2) with 2x Zoom / Ultra-Wide 16MP (f/2.2) with 120° field of view
Front Camera: 16MP (f/2.0) with EIS
Battery: 3800mAh / WARP Charge 30T Fast Charging (20% faster than OnePlus 7 Pro)
OS: OxygenOS based on Android 10
Misc: New Macro mode for closer shots / Nightscape mode / Super Slow-Motion recording at 960FPS 720p / Mate Glass Back

To recap, on September 26 at 10:30AM Eastern (7:30AM Pacific), OnePlus is going to announce the OnePlus 7T and 7T Pro through an online reveal. Then on October 10 in London, they'll do a second launch event, which probably means you'll be able to buy the phones then. More here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUq_GxsFQ7c

Download: Google Camera 7.0 App With Updated Night Sight

Tim — Fri, 13 Sep 2019 15:00:19 +0000

That Google Camera 7.0 app we posted about earlier today is now available for download to select devices. If you want to give this dogfood version (internal testing version) a try for yourself, inside you'll find the updated version of Night Sight, plus a gang of new UI changes. The biggest change is that all settings for your standard and advanced modes are hidden behind a pulldown menu that is accessed from a little arrow near the top of the UI. Here's a few screenies, taken from my Pixel 3 XL running Android 10.

Go have some fun!

Download

// Android Police

Pixel 4 XL Gets a Galaxy Note 10+ Comparison Already

Kellen — Fri, 13 Sep 2019 14:25:49 +0000

I'm pretty much over the waves of Pixel 4 XL leaks this week, but here's another that tries to compare the new Google phone to the Galaxy Note 10+. Well, it's not a traditional comparison of phones as much as it is a camera comparison. Is it fair to compare a Pixel 4 XL running unreleased camera software to a stable Note 10+ running production software? Not at all! It's actually a really dumb comparison to make. Take from this what you will. "Slow news day, eh?" Yes, it is.

Podcast: Terrance and Greg Show

Kellen — Fri, 13 Sep 2019 12:10:37 +0000

On this episode of the Droid Life Show, well, we're talking about the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL which leaked and leaked and then leaked and then leaked and then leaked again. What else is there to talk about this week? Trivia is back again too! We’ll be live at 12:30PM Pacific (3:30PM Eastern).

Great, Now We Know Everything About the Pixel 4's Camera Features

Tim — Fri, 13 Sep 2019 09:07:22 +0000

If you were hoping Google had the Pixel 4 under lock and key until it was unveiled this year, this has probably been a tough week for you. The phone is out and about in the hands of YouTubers, and as of this morning, the Pixel 4's Google Camera app has been shared with XDA, with the good folks over there sharing all of the details and covering what's new inside.

According to screenshots and code dives from XDA, the modes found on the Pixel 4 include Motion Blur (which we've covered here), an improved Night Sight (again, which we've covered here), plus background improvements like Live HDR, Audio Zoom support, and DDF support (dynamic depth format). For most of you, you're probably most interested in this improved Night Sight. According to code spotted, Night Sight should be much faster, and for fans of starry pictures, it appears Google will utilize Qualcomm's Adreno 640 GPU to its full extent, having software intelligently recognize stars and automatically brightening them inside of a Night Sight shot. It's also noted that tripod detection is improved, which is great for Night Sight.

// XDA [2]

With All the Pixel 4 Leaks, Your Thoughts Are?

Kellen — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 14:00:38 +0000

By the time Google gets around the announcing the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, we'll be in the same position we have been for the past couple of Pixel releases. We'll know everything. We'll know the features, the design, and possibly see a couple of reviews. Google, once again, has done a really poor job of keeping its phones under wraps. With that said, we now know a lot! And because we know so much, I'm curious what your current thoughts are. I sort of get the feeling that people have really warmed up to the design after not being so excited initially. I'm mostly getting good vibes from people, but would love for you to weigh-in below. What are your thoughts on the design and colors now? You OK with the forehead or nah? Are the specs good enough? Did the 90Hz display confirmation really tip things? Are the software additions (Ambient EQ, Pixel Themes, Face Unlock, etc.) enough? Let us know.

IMAGE

Hulu Discontinues Support for Google Daydream VR Platform

Tim — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 13:31:37 +0000

Not that anyone was likely to notice, but Hulu has discontinued support for Google's Daydream VR platform. In a recent update for the Hulu app, anyone attempting to access content via a Daydream headset likely ran into issues. However, if you're using Hulu via a Daydream headset, and you don't want to lose this functionality, do not update your Hulu app. As soon as you get the updated Hulu app, Daydream support will be gone. Hulu confirmed this change to Variety, but no other comment was provided. Google apparently declined to comment, too. We have no idea what they would say, but given we haven't heard much on the Daydream front in quite a while, it's entirely possible that Google forgot about its existence. I'm kinda kidding, but not really. Have you been using Daydream at all? // Variety

DEAL: Pixel Stand is $20 Off Right Now

Kellen — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 13:30:29 +0000

Still haven't picked up a Pixel Stand for your Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL? Amazon and Best Buy are hosting another $20-off deal on it that they seem to do every couple of months. At $20-off, that drops the price from $79 to $59. Is the Pixel Stand worth it at $59? Ehhhhhhh, that's still going to be a tough call. It does semi-fast wireless charging, which is fine. It also brings up a special UI to help your Pixel 3 act a bit like a mini-smart display. $60 is a lot for a wireless charger, though, unless you really plan to keep it close enough to be able to touch and interact with. It should work with the Pixel 4 too, so there's that to keep in mind. To get a better feel for the Pixel Stand, we've got a video below. Shop Pixel Stand:

Amazon
Best Buy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjI-anCl7Tc

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